Top Government Contracts Won by Airbus U.S. Space & Defense, Inc.

 

For decades, the top government contracts won by Airbus U.S. Space and Defense, Inc. propelled several efforts encompassing intelligence, engineering, logistics, communications, and space defense.

 

Airbus U.S. Space and Defense’s commitment to delivering products and solutions to critical missions played a vital role in maintaining civilian and national security and establishing advantageous warfare capabilities.

 

What are the top government contracts won by Airbus U.S. Space & Defense Inc.?

Outlined below are the prime government contracts Airbus U.S. Space and Defense has won from space, intelligence, and military government agencies.

 

U.S. Army’s Follow-on Lakota Helicopter Fleet Support Contract, $1.5 Billion

• Year: 2022

• Federal agency: U.S. Army

• Contract type: Contractor Logistics Support (CLS)

• Contract duration: 5 years

 

In August 2020, Airbus Helicopters Inc., a subsidiary of Airbus U.S. Space and Defense, achieved a milestone when it was chosen to manufacture and deliver its newest series of UH-72 Lakota helicopters to the U.S. Army’s fleet. The leading helicopter supplier made another significant milestone when the U.S. Army extended their partnership for five more years by awarding a follow-on Lakota helicopter fleet support CLS contract on May 23, 2022.

 

With a contract value of $1.5 billion, Airbus Helicopters was tasked with providing spare parts, materials, and engineering support services to the Army’s Lakota squadron comprising nearly 500 utility and training choppers.

 

UH-72 helicopters are multi-mission aircraft designed to correspond with Army, Navy, and National Guard critical missions. These helicopters are selected for their speed, range, capability, performance, and affordability. Through this contract, Airbus U.S. Space and Defense reinforces its partnership with the U.S. Army and solidifies its resolve to provide efficient solutions that protect the nation.

 

U.S. Army’s Logistics Support and Engineering Services Contracts, Total of $312.2 Million

• Year: 2022

• Federal agency: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and U.S. Army Contracting Command

• Contract duration: 5 years

 

On May 20, 2022, just a few days before Airbus U.S. secured the previous follow-on contract, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers granted the aircraft and defense company an agreement for the logistics and engineering support for the UH-72 Lakota helicopter series. 

 

With contract funds worth $14.2 million, Airbus U.S. Space and Defense will spearhead the purchase, transport, storage, and distribution operations of the materials and spare parts of the UH-72 Lakota aircraft. Airbus U.S. will work on these task orders until December 2026.

 

Seven months later, the U.S. Army Contracting Command granted Airbus U.S. a modification contract valued at $298 million. Under this deal, the aircraft and defense company was awarded a minimum amount of $71 million to fulfill the first task orders. This modification contract will run until December 2023.

 

U.S. Army’s Lakota Helicopter Fleet Flight Hours Modification Contract, $43 Million

• Year: 2022

• Federal agency: U.S. Army Contracting Command

• Contract duration: One month, 14 days

 

On November 16, 2022, Airbus U.S. Space and Defense secured a modification contract for its UH-72 Lakota helicopter logistics and engineering support deal received in May 2022.

The agreement, valued at $42 million, tasked Airbus to increase the flying hours of UH-72A Lakota helicopters. Adding flight hours will help pilots achieve their licenses and become better equipped to operate military aircraft for various missions, such as transportation, rescue operations, and warfighting affairs.

 

Airbus began working on this contract’s task orders in Grand Prairie, Texas, and completed them on December 31, 2022.

 

U.S. Space Development’s Multi-payload Network in Low Earth Orbit Contract

• Year: 2023

• Federal agency: U.S. Space Development (SDA)

 

Airbus OneWeb, a joint venture between Airbus U.S. Space and Defense and OneWeb, made a turning point in April 2023, when it was selected by Loft Federal and Ball Aerospace as the prime supplier of satellite platforms for the SDA’s multi-payload networking in low Earth orbit (LEO).

 

Earlier in 2023, Airbus and Loft Federal announced that the former would deliver 15 satellites designed after the Airbus OneWeb Satellites, albeit modified to suit different payloads. On April 11, 2023, Loft Federal and Ball Aerospace announced that 10 of the 15 satellites were allocated for the SDA’s experimental testbed NExT.

 

Under the contract, Ball Aerospace was tasked to procure the ride-share platforms for these satellites and to work on ground control and operations. Loft Federal was tasked with testing and satellite integration using Cockpit, a Loft Orbital satellite mission software.

 

National Reconnaissance Office’s Commercial Satellite Radar Capabilities Contract

• Year: 2022

• Federal agency: National Reconnaissance Office (NRO)

• Contract type: Study contract

 

In January 2022, Airbus U.S. Space and Defense secured a study contract commercial radar capabilities. The contracting activity, the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), also awarded study contracts to four other companies, namely Umbra, PredaSAR, Iceye U.S., and Capella Space.

 

The contractors were tasked to operate a network of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellites to bolster the capabilities required for critical national missions. Added to that, Airbus and the four other contractors are obligated to give NRO and its users access to the data and intelligence collected by the SAR constellations.

 

SAR satellites perform better than units using traditional electro-optical imagery as they’re unaffected by darkness, cloud cover, and inclement weather, making them suitable for different intelligence missions. SAR imagery can also provide data on elevation, moisture content, material properties, and precise movements within their areas.