Air Force says restoring nukes on some B-52s would cost $4.5 million

On the same subject

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  June 15, 2020 | International, Land

  From laundry to cleaning, military willing to pay for creative solutions to pandemic problems

  'We know that there is some innovation out there that can help us do those things better and sometimes faster' David Burke · CBC News · Posted: Jun 14, 2020 6:00 AM AT | Last Updated: June 14 The Department of National Defence is reaching out to Canadians for innovative solutions to problems it's facing due to COVID-19. The department is willing to pay $15 million for that assistance. The effort is being funded through DND's Innovation for Defence Excellence and Security program, which pays for research by outside organizations, typically businesses and universities. In this case, DND has three specific goals. The military wants to be able to rapidly sanitize workplaces and vehicles containing sensitive equipment like computers. It wants to be able to quickly clean uniforms and COVID-19 protective gear so it can be reused. It's also looking for ways to gather data to support the early detection and monitoring of contagious disease outbreaks. "We're reaching out to Canadian innovators because we know that there is some creativity out there, we know that there is some innovation out there that can help us do those things better and sometimes faster," said Eric Fournier, director general of innovation for DND. He said DND is working with the Centre for Security Science Program, the National Research Council of Canada, the Public Health Agency of Canada and Health Canada to hunt for solutions that will benefit the whole country. If a solution to any of the problems is found, it will be passed along to federal, provincial and municipal agencies. "Although the program doing this is a national defence program," said Fournier, "we are doing this for public safety across Canada. So it's for the first responders, it's also for national defence, it's for everybody and those solutions will be made available to all those government entities." Rapid, thorough cleaning is DND's goal. Fournier said it can take a lot of time to sanitize by hand. During a crisis, that time can be in short supply, he said. He said if a military aircraft is used to transport a COVID-19 patient, the entire vehicle, along with the uniforms and the personal protective equipment worn by the crew, would have to be cleaned. "We want to make sure that the people are ready to respond, again and again and again and again," said Fournier. "In a pandemic like this, we see that people have to work constantly." While dropping uniforms and flight suits into the washing machine might be an option, the military wants something faster. "So we want to make sure you can do it quickly," Fournier said. "In some cases just putting it in the laundry might work, but we might not have the time to do it that way. We might need something to clean it up faster for reuse in a few hours, for example." It's the same thing with cleaning vehicles by hand. It works, but getting it done fast is hard to do. Finding a way to sanitize aircraft, ambulances, offices and other spaces without damaging computers or other electronics is essential, Fournier said. He said it's also important to find ways to collect data on how the virus is moving through the population and to locate hot spots. DND will choose several winners in each of the three categories. The winners will be given up to $200,000 and up to six months to deliver on their solution. If the solution works, DND could provide them with more funding for fine-tuning or to adapt it for more widespread use. Anyone looking to apply for the program can go to the Innovation for Defence Excellence and Security website. There have only been a handful of applications, but Fournier said that number usually jumps up in the final days before the deadline. Applications for the program are due June 23. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/military-dnd-covid-19-research-solutions-1.5607535

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  December 17, 2019 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security

  Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - December 16, 2019

  DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Missouri, has been awarded a maximum $835,737,596 modification (P00105) exercising the five-year option period of a five-year base contract (SPRPA1-14-D-002U) with one five-year option period for performance-based support of consumable items for various aviation platforms. This is a fixed-price-incentive firm contract. Location of performance is Missouri, with a Sept. 16, 2024, performance completion date. Using military services are Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2024 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Sysco Hampton Roads, Suffolk, Virginia, has been awarded a maximum $90,716,317 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment, indefinite-quantity contract for perishable and semi-perishable subsistence supplies. This was a sole-source acquisition in accordance with 10 U.S. Code 2304 (c)(1), as stated in Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. This is a 363-day bridge contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Virginia, with a Dec. 11, 2020, performance completion date. Using military service is Navy. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 and 2021 defense working capital funds. The contracting agency is Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE300-20-D-3241). (Awarded Dec. 12, 2019) Pomp's Tire Service Inc., New Berlin, Wisconsin, has been awarded a maximum $15,046,656 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for pneumatic tire and wheel assemblies. This was a competitive acquisition with one offer received. This is a three-year contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Wisconsin, with a Dec. 16, 2022, performance completion date. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2022 Army working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime, Warren, Michigan (SPRDL1-20-D-0014). Puerto Rico Industries for the Blind Corp.,** Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, has been awarded a maximum $11,036,311 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for flame resistant jackets. This was a competitive acquisition with three responses received. This is a one-year base contract with four one-year option periods. Location of performance is Puerto Rico, with a Dec. 15, 2020, performance completion date. Using military service is Air Force. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2021 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE1C1-20-D-1219). UPDATE: Atlantic Diving Supply Inc., doing business as ADS Inc., Virginia Beach, Virginia (SPE8EC-20-D-0052), has been added as an awardee to the multiple award contract issued against solicitation SPE8EC-17-R-0005 announced April 5, 2017. ARMY Johnson Controls Building Automation Systems LLC, Huntsville, Alabama, was awarded a $400,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for utility monitoring and control systems. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 19, 2024. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Huntsville, Alabama, is the contracting activity (W912DY-20-D-0041). Lockheed Martin Corp., Orlando, Florida, was awarded a $64,736,518 modification (P00031) to contract W58RGZ-16-C-0008 for the Modernized Target Acquisition Designation Sight Pilot Night Vision Sensor Performance Based Logistics program sustainment, support elements, system components, test equipment and the supply retrograde infrastructure. Work will be performed in Orlando, Florida, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 31, 2020. Fiscal 2020 Army working capital funds in the amount of $64,736,518 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity. Attain LLC,* McLean, Virginia, was awarded a $30,492,418 modification (BA07 27) to contract W91QUZ-11-D-0016 to acquire and retain contractor employees with technical experience. Work will be performed in Picatinny Arsenal, New Jersey, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 31, 2020. Fiscal 2020 cost-plus-fixed-fee funds in the amount of $ 8,174,474 other procurement, Army funds were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois, is the contracting activity. MGS Construction Services Inc.,* Sallisaw, Oklahoma (W911SA-20-D-2000); Ryan Herring Construction Inc.,* Lawton, Oklahoma (W911SA-20-D-2001); and A&J Construction Management LLC,* Springdale, Arizona (W911SA-20-D-2002) will compete for each order of the $15,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for parts, labor, tools, equipment, materials, transportation and supervision necessary to perform design-build projects. Bids were solicited via the internet with eight received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 15, 2024. U.S. Army Mission and Installation Contracting Command, Fort McCoy, Wisconsin, is the contracting activity. NAVY General Dynamics Mission Systems, Pittsfield, Massachusetts, is awarded a $299,886,600 cost-plus-incentive-fee and cost-plus-fixed-fee contract (N00030-20-C-0005) for fiscal 2020 through 2023 U.S. and United Kingdom Trident II (D-5) Fleet Ballistic Missile Submarines Fire Control System, Guided Missile Submarines Attack Weapon Control System, and Support Equipment Rework Facility support. Work will be performed in Pittsfield, Massachusetts (90%); Kings Bay, Georgia (3.0%); Bangor, Washington (2.0%); Dahlgren, Virginia (2.0%); Cape Canaveral, Florida (1.0%); Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Washington (1.0%); and Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Virginia (1.0%). Work is expected to be completed Dec. 30, 2024. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $9,061,163, fiscal 2020 other procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $14,907,880, fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $1,006,230, and United Kingdom funds in the amount of $8,890,232 are being obligated on this award. Of this amount, $10,067,393 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract is being awarded to the contractor on a sole source basis in accordance to 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1) and (4) and was previously synopsized on the Federal Business Opportunities website. Strategic Systems Programs, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. Lockheed Martin, Manassas, Virginia, is awarded a $27,681,322 cost-plus-fixed-fee and cost-only modification to previously-awarded contract N00024-19-C-6400 to exercise options for systems engineering and integration on Navy submarines. This option exercise is for engineering and technical services and includes all material travel, subsistence and incidental material in support of those services. Work will be performed in Manassas, Virginia (68%); Groton, Connecticut (10%); Waterford, Connecticut (10%); Middletown, Rhode Island (7%); and Newport, Rhode Island (5%), and is expected to be completed by December 2020. Fiscal 2018 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) and fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation funding in the amount of $7,198,430 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. Motorola Solutions Inc., Chicago, Illinois, is awarded a $23,803,734 firm-fixed-price contract for lifecycle sustainment of the enterprise land mobile radio system for Naval Facilities Engineering Command anti-terrorism/force protection ashore program systems at various Navy installations worldwide. The work to be performed provides for preventive maintenance of hardware and software; response and resolution of service calls for corrective maintenance to include equipment repair, overhaul, or replacement, asset and configuration management, password management and software upgrade installation. The contract also contains four unexercised options, which if exercised would increase cumulative contract value to $93,614,301. Work will be performed worldwide, and is expected to be completed by December 2020. If all options are exercised, work will continue through June 2023. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance, (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $23,803,734 are obligated on this award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was solicited on a sole-source basis. Statutory authority for the use of other than full and open competition is found at 10 U.S. Code 2304 (c)(1) as implemented by Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1(iii), only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. The Naval Facilities Engineering and Expeditionary Warfare Center, Port Hueneme, California, is the contracting activity (N39430-20-C-2214). AIR FORCE ViaSat Inc., Carlsbad, California, has been awarded a $93,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract to provide AN/PRC-161 Handheld Link 16 radios, ancillaries and associated training to special warfare operators. Work will be performed at Carlsbad, California, and is expected to be completed by Dec. 31, 2023. This contract is awarded on a non-competitive basis. Fiscal 2020 other procurement funds are being used and no funds are being obligated at the time of the award. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8629-20-D-5000). Able Aerospace Services Inc., Mesa, Arizona, has been awarded a $9,405,053 requirements contract for the overhaul of the dynamic components on the TH-1H helicopter. This contract provides for the overhaul of the dynamic components associated with the TH-1H helicopter which is used to train and develop pilot skills. The dynamic components provide power-train and aerodynamic functionality to the flight characteristics of the aircraft. Work will be performed at Mesa, Arizona, and is expected to be completed by Dec 15, 2024. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition and one offer was received. Fiscal 2020 defense working capital funds are being used and no funds are being obligated at the time of the award. The Air Force Sustainment Center, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, is the contracting activity (FA8524-20-D-0004). Booz Allen Hamilton Inc., McLean, Virginia, has been awarded a not-to-exceed $9,111,111 predominantly firm-fixed-price undefinitized contract to provide technical security team support services in support of the Pakistan F-16 program. Work will be performed in Pakistan and is expected to be complete by June 18, 2020. This contract involves 100% foreign military sales to Pakistan. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Foreign military sales funds of $4,464,444 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Air Force Security Assistance and Cooperation Directorate, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8630-20-C-5020). DEFENSE HEALTH AGENCY Cape Fox Facilities Services LLC, Manassas, Virginia, was awarded a three-year contract (one-year base and two option periods) with an estimated value of $19,500,300. This contract supports the Defense Health Agency, Deputy Assistant Director for Information Operations, Solutions Delivery Division. The contractor shall perform all activities within the scope of this contract under the construct of the Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL), specifically the service operation and service transition domains. This initiative supports all operations and maintenance activities for the applications listed below under the ITIL construct. The seven applications are as follows: MHS Management Analysis and Reporting Tool, Patient Encounter Processing and Reporting, Electronic Surveillance System for the Early Notification of Community-based Epidemics, Protected Health Information Management Tool, Business Objects Common Services, Defense Medical Human Resources System - Internet and the Expense Assignment System. The contract was awarded on a sole source basis as authorized and in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S. Code 637(a)(1)). The location of performance is inside the U.S. The base year is funded with fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funding in the amount of $8,065,200. The Defense Health Agency, Professional Services Contracting Division, Falls Church, Virginia, is the contracting activity (HT0011-20-C-0001). MISSILE DEFENSE AGENCY The Boeing Co., Huntsville, Alabama, is being issued a $15,800,000 modification (P00024) to a previously awarded contract, HQ0277-18-C-0003. The value of this contract is increased from $62,361,210 to $78,161,210. Under this modification, the contractor will demonstrate a successful transition of fiber combined laser technology from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology–Lincoln Laboratory. The work will be performed in Huntington Beach, California. The period of performance is extended from March 31, 2020, until March 31, 2021. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $3,000,000 are being obligated at the time of award. The Missile Defense Agency, Albuquerque, New Mexico, is the contracting activity. *Small Business **Small business in historically underutilized business zones https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2041268/source/GovDelivery/

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  June 10, 2020 | International, Aerospace

  Losing Market Share And Damaging National Security Due To Anachronistic Drone Policy

  Dave Deptula Contributor Adherence to an obsolescent approach to the international nuclear non-proliferation export guidelines of the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) is hurting the United States (U.S.) both commercially and from a national security perspective. In a nutshell, the MTCR treats large drones as if they were nuclear missiles—which they are not. As a result, this self-imposed restriction not only limits the sale of large U.S. drones to our friends and allies but pushes them into the arms of foreign suppliers some of whom are potential adversaries. The result is a series of negative consequences for the U.S. When the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute released its annual report on global arms transfers earlier this year, it was a good news story for the U.S. From 2015-2019, the U.S. accounted for 36 percent of major global arms sales, a 23 percent increase in volume over the previous five-year period and 76 percent more than its next closest competitor—Russia. The dominant position the U.S. finds itself in is a testament to both the quality of U.S. defense equipment, which is typically accompanied by robust training, sustainment, and support packages, as well as the mutual desire of the U.S. and its partners and allies to develop and maintain strong defense relationships. However, one important segment of the defense market where this pattern does not hold are large military unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV). This is not due to a lack of capability—the U.S. remains the world's leader in UAV technology and expertise—nor a lack of demand as by 2029 the international market will account for over 50 percent of the over $10 billion projected to be spent annually on UAVs. Instead, the U.S. has hamstrung itself due to restrictive export policies that equate large UAVs to nuclear missiles. This mismatch between the definitions and controls imposed on UAVs and the reality of how they are actually employed has significantly harmed coalition operations, U.S. relationships with its partners and allies, and the U.S. defense industrial base. It is imperative that the U.S. modernize its UAV export policy. Currently, the MTCR governs the export of U.S. UAVs. Initially formed in 1987, the MTCR is a voluntary agreement intended to limit the proliferation of missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons—and later weapons of mass destruction (WMD). The MTCR defines UAVs capable of delivering a 500-kilogram payload more than 300 kilometers one way as Category I systems, the transfer of which “are subject to an unconditional strong presumption of denial.” Although at the time the MTCR was negotiated no UAV exceeded the Category I thresholds, their envisioned use as delivery vehicles for WMD equivalent to cruise missiles precipitated their inclusion in the MTCR. However, since then the development of UAVs evolved as remotely piloted aircraft, not cruise missiles. Unfortunately, export policy has failed to keep pace, resulting in a situation where the export of UAVs is regulated under the same stringent regime as intercontinental ballistic missiles. The U.S. policy failure to adequately remedy this situation creates significant problems for the following reasons. First, current U.S. export policy prevents the U.S. from realizing the full potential of UAVs in coalition operations. Because current policy frequently results in the denial of export requests for U.S. UAVs by close partners and allies, these nations must either resort to indigenous production or to another foreign manufacturer to meet their military requirements. Under the best of circumstances, the result is a lower level of interoperability with U.S. forces than possible had they been able to acquire U.S. UAVs. This hampers the integration of partners that would enable the coalition to be much more effective. The current policy impedes the use of common UAVs critical for success in allied operations. Of greater concern is that much of the unmet demand by friends for U.S. military UAVs is now being fulfilled by China because of the MTCR restrictions. Integrating partners into coalition operations using Chinese UAVs creates significant security risks. This is because China maintains control of the systems necessary to operate their UAVs. This enables them to collect intelligence on coalition operations if allowed access to coalition networks. From the perspective of a U.S. commander, the risk these likely infiltrations pose to security is sufficient to exclude partners operating Chinese UAVs from participating in both U.S. led coalition operations and intelligence sharing agreements. Second, the U.S. denying UAV export requests from nations that are security partners fosters frustration, raises doubts about U.S. commitments, and drive partners to pursue security relationships with China. Jordan, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates provide recent examples of solid U.S. partners that have procured Chinese UAVs. Furthermore, these countries are then forced to rely on China for training, sustainment, intelligence processing, and other related services. China's willingness to integrate indigenous industry in joint ventures—another practice restricted by the MTCR—serves to further solidify the ties between China and the partnering nation. Absent a change in U.S. policy, China will continue to expand its UAV market share and associated influence into regions important to the U.S. Third, the associated U.S. loss of global market share of UAV sales weakens U.S. business and the U.S. defense industrial base. Domestic funding for certain UAVs already faced downward pressure in the most recent budget request amidst other modernization priorities. Looking ahead the enormous federal expenditures to address the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated economic downturn are likely to result in significant cuts to future U.S. defense budgets. Greater access to foreign markets would serve to diversify the customer base of U.S. manufacturers of large UAVs, helping to offset reduced revenue from domestic buyers and keeping commercial production lines. Unfortunately, current UAV export policy precludes this from happening. Declining production rates for large military UAVs threaten to not only to shrink the U.S. aerospace industrial base, but also to undermine its competitive edge. Lacking predictable cash flow and sufficient profit margins, companies that manage to remain in the market will become more reticent to invest significant funds into research and development. Furthermore, the MTCR prohibits co-development and co-production of UAVs, precluding U.S. drone companies from pooling resources and expertise with international partners. The danger is that the U.S. may squander its drone advantage just as international interest in procuring advanced, survivable, multi-mission UAVs ramps up. It would be a tremendous shame if the U.S. finds itself no longer in a leading position and must instead rely on others to develop cutting-edge UAV technologies. Although there is growing awareness of these problems, recent efforts to craft a more reasonable UAV export policy have largely fallen short. Rather than a fundamental shift in policy, the few positive steps taken have been stopgap measures involving workarounds—approving more Category I sales via direct commercial sales rather than foreign military sales—or maneuvering within the confines of the MTCR through attempts to modify UAV definitions such as adding a speed criteria. Instead, as is comprehensively laid out in the Mitchell Institute's most recent policy paper, what is needed is for the Congress to insert language into the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act that explicitly defines UAVs as combat aircraft and subject them to the same export considerations. This would effectively remove U.S. UAV export decisions from the MTCR guidelines. The U.S. has a proven process of adjudicating sales of the most advanced fighter aircraft in the world, including how to configure them to make sales mutually beneficial to the U.S. and its partners. The example of the F-35 is particularly pertinent because technologies approved for export on the F-35 would be restricted by the MCTR if applied to a UAV—the only difference being the pilot of the F-35 is in the aircraft whereas large UAVs are remotely piloted. Given both the high degree of commonality of combat aircraft and UAVs, as well as the proven success combat aircraft sales have in providing partners a formidable deterrent and warfighting capability, improving interoperability among coalition partners, and supporting both U.S. and partner industrial capacity, treating UAVs as combat aircraft for export policy offers the most sensible and effective solution. Change cannot come soon enough. The U.S. has a limited window to re-engage with partners with a stated interest in U.S. UAVs or who are experiencing buyer's remorse with regard to their Chinese UAV partnerships. It is therefore critical that the U.S. normalize its UAV export policy before China can consolidate its gains. The future of warfare increasingly depends on UAV technology. Exporting large U.S. UAVs is vital to effective coalition operations. For too long the MTCR has distorted the balance of national security and economic interests against the fear of nuclear and WMD proliferation. Acknowledging UAVs as what they are—aircraft, not missiles—will enhance U.S. security, improve commercial trade in a growing business sector while preserving the MTCR as an effective means to prevent the proliferation of missiles and their associated technologies. https://www.forbes.com/sites/davedeptula/2020/06/09/losing-market-share-and-damaging-national-security-due-to-anachronistic-drone-policy/#50ce76d51332