Friday, September 12, 2008

Ensign-Bickford to build portable rocket launchers for Navy

By Mass High Tech Staff

Ensign-Bickford Aerospace & Defense Co. has landed a $5.5 million contract from the U.S. Navy for portable rocket launchers, according to the U.S. Department of Defense.

Under the deal, the Simsbury, Conn.-based defense and aerospace company will deliver 350 of its Anti-Personnel Obstacle Breaching System (APOBS) units and 50 inert training modules.

APOBS are self-contained, one-shot, expendable linear demolition charges. The units can be transported by a two-person team and are used to clear a footpath through antipersonnel mines and wire obstacles.

The deal is a foreign military sales contract, with the products going to the government of Israel.

Late summer has been a productive time for the Connecticut defense contractor. Last September, the Navy gave Ensign-Bickford $7.6 million to develop a non-electric detonator to be used by special forces.

In September 2006, the company won a $12.6 million contract from the U.S. Marine Corps to produce, test and deliver its Anti-Personnel Obstacle Breaching System. Ensign-Bickford was contracted to deliver 200 test units, testing support, technical data, inert models, and a maximum of 3,000 production units.

In August 2006, the company won a $5.6 million contract with the Navy to deliver from 6,500 to 200,000 non-electric detonators to the Naval Surface Warfare Center in Crane, Ind.

Ensign-Bickford Aerospace and Defense Co. has roots dating back to 1830, when the company’s founder, William Bickford, invented a safety fuse for detonating explosives.