June 3, 2021 | International, Aerospace
Red 6, augmented realty fighter pilot training startup, raises $30 million
Red 6, an augmented reality fighter pilot training startup, has raised a $30 million round of financing.
July 17, 2020 | International, Aerospace, C4ISR, Security
Air Force wants to expand training for cyber teams
The Air Force has selected the Air National Guard's training and education center at McGhee Tyson Air National Guard Base in Tennessee to be the focal point for training a cadre of defensive focused cyber teams, according to a news release.
These teams, called mission defense teams (MDTs), will protect critical Air Force missions and installations such as critical infrastructure or computers associated with aircraft and remotely piloted systems.
The teams are an outgrowth of the service's communications squadrons, which have performed much of the IT and cyber defense at the base or wing level. Now, with the Air Force outsourcing much of its IT management, the service was able to free up personnel and resources to focus on protecting these critical assets.
The new crews differ from the cyber protection teams that the Air Force, and other services, provide to U.S. Cyber Command as part of the cyber mission force.
At first, 20 students will participate in the mission defense team pilot class in mid-August. If that is successful, it will expand to six 20 student classes in 2021. The ultimate goal is to graduate 1,000 students each year across the service beginning in fiscal year 2023, the Air Force said.
These teams will be stationed at 84 locations around the world.
“This is an exciting moment for TEC and its future as an agile, innovative, and resilient center of learning for the total Air Force and the National Guard Bureau,” Col. Kenneth Lozano, the commander of the traning and education center, said.
The Air Force has taken a “total Air Force approach” to cyber, to include its cyber mission force teams and mission defense teams, meaning, these forces are made up of combined active duty, guard and reserve forces.
Prior training efforts for mission defense teams began at the 223rd Cyberspace Operations Squadron at Little Rock Air Force Base with a Cyber-Protect and -Defend course. The first classes were held in August 2019.
The Air Force said to date, the schoolhouse has trained 160 airmen. The goal is for the training and education center at McGhee Tyson to assume 1,000 graduates a year, with the majority of training to transition there in 2022.
One of the biggest hurdles thus far, is procuring a range for trainees to operate on. The Air Force is working through the Defense Cybercrimes Center to procure a cyber range and certify instructors. The price tag associated with this for the initial 20 students is $1.5 million.
https://www.c4isrnet.com/cyber/2020/07/16/air-force-wants-to-expand-training-for-cyber-teams/
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November 19, 2020 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security
Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - November 18, 2020
ARMY Hydrogeologic Inc.,* Reston, Virginia (W9128F-21-D-0006); Cape Environmental Management Inc.,* Norcross, Georgia (W9128F-21-D-0007); Environmental Chemical Corp.,* Burlingame, California (W9128F-21-D-0008); Bhate Environmental Associates Inc.,* Birmingham, Alabama (W9128F-21-D-0009); Bay West-Ahtna JV LLC,* Saint Paul, Minnesota (W9128F-21-D-0010); Bristol Environmental Remediation Services LLC,* Anchorage, Alaska (W9128F-21-D-0011); Kemron Environmental Services Inc.,* Atlanta, Georgia (W9128F-21-D-0012); and North Wind-CDM JV LLC,* Idaho Falls, Idaho (W9128F-21-D-0013), will compete for each order of the $176,250,000 hybrid (cost-plus-fixed-fee and firm-fixed-price) contract for environmental remediation projects. Bids were solicited via the internet with 21 received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Nov. 17, 2025. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha, Nebraska, is the contracting activity. General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc., Poway, California, was awarded a $93,293,554 hybrid (cost-plus-fixed-fee and firm-fixed-price) contract for research, development, test and evaluation of artificial intelligence for the smart sensor prototype unmanned aerial platform. Bids were solicited via the internet with 999 received. Work will be performed in Poway, California, with an estimated completion date of March 2, 2023. Fiscal 2021 research, development, test and evaluation (Army) funds in the amount of $13,000,000 were obligated at the time of the award. The U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W911QX-21-C-0001). B.L. Harbert International LLC, Birmingham, Alabama, was awarded a $46,500,000 firm-fixed-price contract for repair and replacement of existing taxiway pavements, shoulders, drainage, signage, lighting systems, duct banks, paint and markings and temporary taxiways. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will be performed at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, with an estimated completion date of Feb. 11, 2022. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance (Army) funds in the amount of $46,500,000 were obligated at the time of the award. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W912DR-21-C-0002). DEFENSE HEALTH AGENCY Logistics Health Inc., La Crosse, Wisconsin, was awarded a $162,000,000 modification to their current indefinite-delivery bridge contract (HT0011-19-D-0002). This award, titled “Reserve Health Readiness Program,” provides health readiness support services to the military service components to meet medical and dental standards essential in maintaining a deployable force. This extension to the current bridge contract will permit time to complete evaluations and award of a competitive follow-on to this requirement. Services include immunizations, physical examinations, periodic health assessments, post-deployment health reassessments, mental health assessments, dental examinations, dental treatment, laboratory services, and other services as required to satisfy military service component health readiness needs. Services are delivered at military service component designated sites during group events, through the contractor's call center, and within an integrated network. The work will be performed in every U.S. state, U.S. territory, the District of Columbia, and Germany with period of performance from Dec. 1, 2020, to Nov. 30, 2021. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance funds will be obligated on task orders issued under this award. This contract was awarded on an other than full and open competition basis; pursuant to the authority of 10 U.S. Code 2304 (c)(1). The Defense Health Agency, Falls Church, Virginia, is the contracting activity. DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY The Bell Boeing Joint Program Office, California, Maryland, has been awarded a maximum $36,546,991 firm-fixed-price modification (P00009) to three-year delivery order SPE4AX-18-D-9433 against base contract SPRPA1-17-D-009U to extend the period of performance for delivery of V-22 spare consumable and depot-level repairable parts. This was a sole-source acquisition using justification 10 U.S. Code 2304 (c)(1), as stated in Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. Locations of performance are Maryland, Texas, and Pennsylvania, with a May 10, 2023, performance completion date. Using military services are Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2021 through 2023 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NAVY Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin Co., Stratford, Connecticut, is awarded a $16,441,085 modification (P00001) to firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee, cost reimbursable order N00019-20-F-0024 against previously issued basic ordering agreement N00019-19-G-0029. This modification provides for fiscal 2021 special progressive aircraft rework sustainment efforts in support of the VH-3D/VH-60N executive helicopter. Specifically, this modification provides security, project engineering, integrated logistics, material, sustainment engineering, training and program support. Work will be performed in Stratford, Connecticut (88%); and Quantico, Virginia (12%), and is expected to be completed in November 2021. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $16,441,085 will be obligated at time of award and will expire at the end of the fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. DEFENSE ADVANCED RESEARCH PROJECTS AGENCY GE Research, Niskayuna, New York, has been awarded a $14,313,300 cost contract, including options, for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency's Atmospheric Water Extraction (AWE) program. In Phase 1 of the program, GE Research proposes to develop and select promising water extraction materials. The key objective will be to fabricate an Air2Water prototype device for the production of potable water that will be powered by readily-available fuel and builds directly from pioneering sorbent materials for water harvesting from desert air. Work will be performed in Niskayuna, New York (77%); Berkeley, California (18%); Chicago, Illinois (3%); and Mobile, Alabama (2%), with an estimated completion date for Phase 1 of November 2022. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $858,975 are being obligated at time of award. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting activity (HR001121C0020). AIR FORCE Tunista Services LLC, Honolulu, Hawaii, has been awarded a $7,606,147, firm-fixed-price modification (P00011) to contract FA4855-18-C-0001 for continuation of operations, maintenance and support services at Melrose Air Force Range, New Mexico. The contract modification provides for the exercise of Option Year Three procured under the basic contract. Work is expected to be completed Nov. 30, 2021. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance funds in the full amount are being obligated at the time of award. Total cumulative face value of the contract is $29,954,509. The 27th Special Operations Contracting Squadron, Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico, is the contracting activity. CORRECTION: The multiple award contract announced on Sept. 10, 2020, for a not-to-exceed amount of $95,000,000 for maintenance, repair and minor construction work at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada; Creech AFB, Nevada; and Nevada Test and Training Range, Nevada, also includes Valwest Construction, Gilbert, Arizona (FA4861-21-D-0003), as an awardee. *Small business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2420033/source/GovDelivery/
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March 31, 2021 | International, Aerospace
Sikorsky, DARPA Showcase Autonomy Tech in Black Hawk Helicopter Test Flight
Lockheed Martin's Sikorsky subsidiary has demonstrated supervised autonomous operations of a Black Hawk military helicopter as part of a testing program with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency aimed to reduce pilot workload while ensuring flight safety.