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February 21, 2023 | International, Naval

Admiral Gilday sees uncrewed vessels as critical to US Navy’s future

The U.S. Navy is investing in uncrewed systems — in the air, on the water and beneath the surface — to augment existing and near-future military might.

https://www.defensenews.com/unmanned/2023/02/21/admiral-gilday-sees-uncrewed-vessels-as-critical-to-us-navys-future/

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  • Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - May 04, 2020

    May 5, 2020 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security

    Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - May 04, 2020

    DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Point Blank Enterprises Inc., Pompano Beach, Florida, has been awarded a maximum $81,265,600 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for body armor. This was a competitive acquisition with five offers received. This is an 18-month base contract with two one-year option periods. Location of performance is Florida, with a Nov. 30, 2021, performance completion date. Using military services are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2021 defense working capital funds. The contracting agency is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE1C1-20-D-1254). Arjo Inc., Addison, Illinois, has been awarded a maximum $47,500,000 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for medical equipment and accessories for the Defense Logistics Agency electronic catalog. This was a competitive acquisition with 115 responses received. This is a five-year contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Illinois, with a May 3, 2025, performance completion date. Using military services are Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2025 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE2DH-20-D-0038). NAVY General Dynamics Electric Boat Corp. (GDEB), Groton, Connecticut, is awarded $60,594,296 for a cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to provide U.S. Trident II Strategic Weapon System (SWS) ship alterations and United Kingdom SWS ship alterations for Strategic Systems Program shipboard integration installations. Work will be performed in Bremerton, Washington (29%); Groton, Connecticut (24%); Kings Bay, Georgia (24%); Bangor, Washington (9%); Cape Canaveral, Florida (7%); Norfolk, Virginia (3%); Washington, D.C. (2%); Faslane, Scotland (1%); and Plymouth, England (1%). Work is expected to be complete by April 2024. The maximum dollar value, including the base period and two option years, is $60,594,296. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $8,511,473; other procurement (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $8,534,755; fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $3,171,978; and United Kingdom funds in the amount of $2,098,018 are being obligated at time of award. Funds in the amount of $8,511,473 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was a sole-source acquisition in accordance with 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1) and (4). Strategic Systems Programs, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity (N-00030-20-C-0028). Virginia Pilot Association, Virginia Beach, Virginia, is awarded an $8,175,544 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract to provide support services to assist with the navigation of ships for Commander, Navy Region Mid-Atlantic Port Operations Division. All work will be performed in Norfolk, Virginia, and is expected to be complete by May 2025. This contract will include a 60-month base ordering period with an additional six-month ordering period option pursuant of Federal Acquisition Regulation 52.217-8; an option to extend services, which if exercised, will bring the total value to $9,058,663. The base ordering period is expected to be completed by May 2025; if the option is exercised, the ordering period will be completed by December 2025. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $50,000 will be obligated to fund the contract's minimum amount and funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. One source was solicited for this non-competitive, sole-source requirement in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1, and one offer was received. Naval Supply Systems Command Fleet Logistics Center Norfolk, Contracting Department Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity. ARMY KVG LLC, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania (W564KV-20-D-2002); Crowley Government Services Inc., Jacksonville, Florida (W564KV-20-D-2004); Agility International Inc., Alexandria, Virginia (W564KV-20-D-2003); Maersk Line Ltd, Norfolk, Virginia (W564KV-20-D-2005); Aecom Management Services Inc., Germantown, Maryland (W564KV-20-D-2006); and American Roll-on Roll-off Carrier Group, Parsippany, New Jersey (W564KV-20-D-2007), will compete for each order of the $49,010,000 contract for the transportation of equipment, cargo and passengers within the European Command area of operations. Bids were solicited via the internet with 16 received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of May 9, 2023. The 409th Contracting Support Brigade, Kaiserslautern, Germany, is the contracting activity. The Lighthouse for the Blind, St. Louis, Missouri (W81XWH-19-D-0008); Atlantic Diving Supply Inc.,* Virginia Beach, Virginia (W81XWH-19-D-0007); American Purchasing Services LLC,* Miramar, Florida (W81XWH-19-D-0006); and TQM LLC, St. Charles, Missouri (W81XWH-19-D-0009), will compete for each order of the $45,000,000 contract for sets, kits and outfits to supply complete medical, surgical, pharmaceutical, dental, laboratory and veterinary equipment and material sets. Bids were solicited via the internet with four received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of May 4, 2024. U.S. Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity, Fort Detrick, Maryland, is the contracting activity. Raytheon Co., Dulles, Virginia, was awarded a $27,472,296 hybrid (cost-no-fee, firm-fixed-price) contract to provide technical expertise, system operators, maintenance and life-cycle support for the sustainment, operations and support management of numerous training aids, devices, simulators and simulations. Bids were solicited via the internet with three received. Work will be performed in Kuwait, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 31, 2023. Fiscal 2020 defense overseas contingency transfer funds in the amount of $5,000,000 were obligated at the time of the award. Army Contracting Command, Orlando, Florida, is the contracting activity (W900KK-20-C-0031). MISSILE DEFENSE AGENCY Davidson Technologies,* Huntsville, Alabama, is being awarded a modification in the amount of $20,696,405 to previously awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (ID/IQ) contract HQ0147-19-D-0004. The contract value is increased from $2,437,491 to $23,133,896. Under this contract the contractor will continue to develop a cyber-secure information technology infrastructure that allows users to access data via a virtual desktop infrastructure. The work will be performed in Huntsville, Alabama. The ordering period of the ID/IQ is May 23, 2019, to May 22, 2024. A second task order award in the amount of $12,200,000 is being issued at this time. Fiscal 2020 research and development funds in the amount of $12,200,000 are being obligated on the task order award. The original award was made under Special Topic Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) number HQ0147-17-S-0002 that was posted to the Federal Business Opportunities website to solicit white papers related to advanced research technology and development in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.102(d)(2)(i) to meet full and open competition requirements. The government received 26 white papers in response to the BAA and selected seven from which proposals were requested. This original award results from one of seven proposals received. The Missile Defense Agency, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity. *Small business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2175622/source/GovDelivery/

  • Airbus Helicopters announces 38 orders at Heli-Expo 2020

    February 5, 2020 | International, Aerospace

    Airbus Helicopters announces 38 orders at Heli-Expo 2020

    Anaheim, January 30 2020 – Airbus Helicopters concluded the 2020 Heli Expo with 38 orders, as well as 20 retrofits for the new five-bladed H145. German air rescue and ambulance provider DRF Luftrettung placed an order for 15 H145s, making them the largest operator of the H145. Show highlights included the increased power of the H125 that will enable operators to lift up to an additional 190 kg (419 lbs), Shell Aircraft confirming their interest in using the H160 for offshore transportation missions, and Metro Aviation ordering an additional 12 new EC145e helicopters. Customs and Border Protection will add 16 new H125 helicopters to their fleet, with deliveries beginning later this year from Airbus' production facility in Columbus, Miss. Another H125 order was signed with Ascent Helicopters in Western Canada. “At Airbus Helicopters, we are constantly focused on finding ways to help our customers better execute their missions,” said Bruno Even, Airbus Helicopters CEO. “We are honoured by the trust that our first-time and returning customers place in our aircraft and support solutions, which has been confirmed once again at this year's Heli-Expo.” Airbus received an order for three new H135s from NASA, marking the first-time partnership between the U.S. space program and Airbus Helicopters. The agency will use the aircraft for a variety of missions, including missile launch security at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, emergency medical services and qualified personnel transport. Reinforcing their commitment to ensuring the highest level of safety available, tourism operator Maverick Helicopters announced it will retrofit its entire fleet of 34 EC130 B4 helicopters with the Airbus Crash Resistant Fuel System. On the support and services side, Airbus secured numerous global support contracts, including Papillon, Heliportugal, and DRF Luftrettung who extended its HCare Smart contract for another eight years. These plans enable customers to increase availability and mission success, optimize their costs, lower the maintenance burden, enhance safety and sustain the value of their assets. Airbus also unveiled its new collaborative AirbusWorld customer portal and an online Marketplace making e-commerce practices from the consumer world available to Airbus customers. Additionally, the company has nearly doubled the number of helicopters now sharing flight and maintenance data with the company in just one year. Also announced at the show, Airbus' global helicopter fleet reached 100 million flight hours. To all the pilots, operators, engineers, technicians, mechanics, ground crew, and passengers who helped make this milestone possible, #thanks100million. @AirbusHeli #HaiExpo20 #thanks100million Your Contact Laurence Petiard Head of External Communications Airbus Helicopters +33 4 42 85 25 45 Erin Callender Head of Communications – United States +1 972 522 5486 +1 972 358 0597 Courtney Woo Media Relations Manager +33 6 85 25 53 12 View source version on Airbus: https://www.airbus.com/newsroom/press-releases/en/2020/01/airbus-helicopters-announces-38-orders-at-heliexpo-2020.html

  • Coronavirus: AUSA Cancels Huntsville Conference

    March 11, 2020 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security

    Coronavirus: AUSA Cancels Huntsville Conference

    “This was a tough decision,” association president Carter Ham told Breaking Defense, but with over 6,000 people expected to gather in close quarters, “I am confident this is the right decision.” By SYDNEY J. FREEDBERG JR. UPDATED with McConville, Jette, Quad-A statements WASHINGTON: The Association of the US Army has cancelled its annual winter conference in Huntsville, Ala. Scheduled for next week, the Global Force Symposium & Exhibition is the latest major event shut down as a precaution against the contagious COVID-19 coronavirus, which Army researchers have been mobilized to combat. The virus has shut down parts of the F-35 fighter supply chain and caused the Pentagon to restrict travel and implement social distancing measures. “Sydney, we have truly enjoyed having the Global Force Symposium and Exhibition in Huntsville over the past several years, so this was a tough decision,” retired Gen. Carter Ham, AUSA's president and CEO, told me in an email this morning. “Last year, about 6,400 people attended. But, out of concern for the health and safety of the expected attendees and exhibitors, I am confident this is the right decision.” UPDATED Army leaders scheduled to speak at the conference were quick to signal their support for AUSA. https://breakingdefense.com/2020/03/coronavirus-ausa-cancels-huntsville-conference

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