Armée française : une remontée en puissance entamée, mais « à mi-chemin »

On the same subject

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  August 7, 2020 | International, Aerospace

  Eastern European NATO allies ramp up drone buys to protect their borders

  By: Jaroslaw Adamowski WARSAW, Poland — As Russia's military activities in the Baltic and Black seas are mounting pressure on NATO's eastern flank, a number of Eastern European countries are developing programs to acquire unmanned aerial vehicles for their militaries. In Romania, local analysts say the country's Ministry of National Defence aims to boost the military's surveillance, reconnaissance and intelligence (SRI) capabilities by acquiring new drones, ensuring the country's armed forces can efficiently monitor Romanian borders. “Romania wants to increase its SRI capacity in the Black Sea, taking into account that the militarization of the region by Russia is intensively continuing,” George Scutaru, head of the Bucharest-based New Strategy Center think tank and a former member of parliament and government adviser, told Defense News. “At the end of last April, the joint Defense Committees of the Romanian parliament adopted the request of the Ministry of National Defence to start the procurement procedures for five new programs, including the acquisition of UAV systems. Within this program, an acquisition of seven tactical-operative UAV systems is to be carried out.” Romania's previous attempt at purchasing drones for its military came in 2018 under a procedure to buy tactical UAVs for some 250 million lei (U.S. $56 million). The bidders included American firm AAI Corporation, Israel's Aeronautics Limited, BlueBird Aero Systems and Israel Aerospace Industries, as well as Romanian company Ymens Teamnet. However, a Romanian court canceled the tender after some bidders filed complaints. George Visan, the coordinator of the Black Sea Security Program at the Bucharest-based think tank Romania Energy Center, told Defense News it was “known that Romania would like to acquire at least six medium-altitude, long-endurance UAVs as well as a number of smaller tactical UAVs.” Similarly to the failed drone tender from 2018, the new competition is expected to attract bids from the United States, Israeli and Romanian companies. Anticipating the forthcoming procedure, last May, Israel's Elbit Systems signed a memorandum of understanding with local state-run aircraft companies Avioane Craiova and Romaero. “Elbit Systems can easily sell in Romania what it manufactures in Israel, but depending on the order, it is willing to integrate and transfer production here. Avioane Craiova used to produce trainers, IAR-99 aircraft and aero-structures for various manufacturers,” Visan said. The analyst says that, in parallel to its drone procurement programs, the ministry is also funding the development of two UAVs, the medium-range Ultra-20 VTOL and the combat Ultra-20 V drone, by the state-run Research Agency for Military Hardware and Technologies, hoping to secure foreign partners and ensure transfer of technology. “This doesn't preclude other acquisitions,” Visan said. Poland eyes combat, surveillance drones Meanwhile, Poland's Ministry of Defence is developing several acquisition programs to acquire UAVs. To date, the ministry has ordered short-range drones and mini drones, with more programs to procure surveillance and combat drones underway. “In the long-term, the Polish Armed Forces are planning to acquire about a dozen sets of mid-range UAVs under the Gryf program, several MALE combat-reconnaissance UAVs under the Zefir program, and vertical take-off and landing short-range UAVs for the navy under the Albatros program,” a spokesperson for the Polish ministry told Defense News. In 2018 and 2019, Polish privately-owned defense company WB Group secured two orders to deliver a total of 48 mini-drones to the Territorial Defense Forces (TDF), a military branch which comprises volunteers. “We have supplied two types of drones to the Polish military. The first one is FlyEye which, in addition to the TDF, is also used by the artillery forces and special forces in Poland. It can be used in a variety of missions, including reconnaissance, artillery guidance, search and resuce, but also to extend the range of battle management systems. This drone can guide missiles, becoming the heart of an anti-tank system. We have developed FlyEye for more than ten years, and new variants continue to be designed,” company spokesman Remigiusz Wilk told Defense News. “The second one is Warmate which combines reconnaissance capabilities and combat capacities as loitering munition, owing to which it's a highly precise weapon system.” WB Group is also exporting its drones, with Warmate's deliveries to four allies carried out through the NATO Support and Procurement Agency. Most recently, the manufacturer established a subsidiary in Ukraine where its UAVs have been operated by the country's military. “Our drones are combat-proven, and to date, not a single one has been lost over Ukrainian skies carrying out hundreds of challenging missions,” Wilk said. Other countries in the region that plan to acquire drones include the Czech Republic. Last November, Czech President Milos Zeman spurred controversy when he called on the government to buy Israeli UAVs for the armed forces. Combat drones are to be acquired under the country's military modernization program 2027, worth 100 billion koruna (U.S. $4.25 billion). https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2020/08/06/eastern-european-nato-allies-ramp-up-drone-buys-to-protect-their-borders/

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  February 10, 2024 | International, Land

  ANALYSIS | The political tides of war are shifting — and may be taking Ukraine with them | CBC News

  We have been warned — over and over again lately — that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is an inflection point in history. And while the soaring political rhetoric may have sounded good over the last few years, it's very likely that this week, we truly arrived at that turning point.

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  July 30, 2020 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security

  Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - July 29, 2020

  NAVY Advanced Technology Systems Co.,* McLean, Virginia (N00039-20-D-0060); Forward Slope Inc.,* San Diego, California (N00039-20-D-0061); ITC Defense,* Arlington, Virginia (N00039-20-D-0062); Solute Inc.,* San Diego, California (N00039-20-D-0063); and Veterans First Initiative,* Gainesville, Virginia (N00039-20-D-0064), are awarded a $75,000,000 not-to-exceed, hybrid (firm-fixed-price, cost-plus fixed-fee, cost-reimbursable, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity) multiple award contract (MAC) for command, control, communications, computers and intelligence integrated international support services in support of U.S. security assistance and security cooperation programs. No contract funds will be obligated on the basic MAC awards. Funds in the amount of $2,000 per awardee will be obligated at the time of award on the first task order under each contract utilizing fiscal 2020 Foreign Military Sales (FMS) administration funding. This contract utilizes FMS funding from various security cooperation partners that will be identified as individual task orders are issued. Work will be performed in various overseas locations based on the requirement for each task order placed. The ordering period for each contract is five years. Contract funds that are awarded using FMS administration funding will expire at the end of the current fiscal year; any funds awarded using FMS case funding will not expire at the end of the year. These contracts were competitively procured with small business proposals solicited and 10 offers were received via the beta.SAM.gov and Naval Information Warfare Systems Command e-Commerce websites. The Naval Information Warfare Systems Command, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity. Heffler Contracting Group,* El Cajon, California, is awarded an $25,000,000 maximum amount, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for heavy and civil engineering construction at various locations within the metro San Diego, California area (Naval Bases San Diego, Coronado, Point Loma and Marine Corps Air Station Miramar). No task orders are being issued at this time. The work to be performed provides for the design, construction, supervision, equipment, material, labor and all means necessary for other heavy and civil engineering construction, repairs, renovations and new construction projects. The term of the contract is not to exceed 60 months and work is expected to be completed by July 2025. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Navy) (O&M, N) contract funds in the amount of $2,000 are obligated on this award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Future task orders will be primarily funded by military construction (Navy); O&M, N; and O&M (Marine Corps). This contract was competitively procured via the beta.SAM.gov contract opportunities website and four proposals were received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southwest, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity (N62473-20-D-1110). HDR Architecture Inc., Arlington, Virginia, is awarded a $13,781,605 firm-fixed-price contract to provide post-construction award services for the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center addition/alteration at Naval Support Activity Bethesda, Maryland. The contract is incrementally funded with the first increment of $3,000,000 being allocated at the time of award. Work will be performed in Bethesda, Maryland. The work to be performed provides architect and engineering post construction award services for construction consultation to the government and provides assistance with technical issues that may arise in connection with the project during the construction of the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center addition/alteration at Naval Support Activity Bethesda, Maryland. This work consists of responding to requests for information, review shop drawing submittals, prepare record drawings, field consultation during construction, partnering meetings and other post construction award services as needed. In addition, full time/on-site representation will be required for field consultations or participations in construction progress team reviews. Work is expected to be completed by March 2026. Fiscal 2016 military construction (Department of Defense-wide) contract funds are obligated on this award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Pursuant to the Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1(a)(2)(iii), which authorizes the use of other than full and open competition when there is only one available source, this contract was sole sourced to HDR Architecture Inc. because of their uniquely qualified position to perform the required work. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command Washington, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity (N40080-20-C-0016). Curtiss-Wright Fleet Solutions, Chesapeake, Virginia, is awarded a $13,308,348 not to exceed, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, firm-fixed-price contract for labor, parts, support to installations, troubleshooting, repair and maintenance of Navy equipment manufactured and serviced by Curtiss-Wright Fleet Solutions. Equipment includes low, medium and high pressure air compressors, single stage turbines, pumps, compressed air valves and manifolds for various ship classes in support of Naval Surface Warfare Center Philadelphia Division. Work will be performed in Chesapeake, Virginia (85%); the remaining (15%) will be performed in Newport News, Virginia, as determined by the individual task orders. Work is expected to be completed by July 2026. Fiscal 2017 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funding in the amount of $500 ($500 minimum guarantee for contract) will be obligated at time of award via an individual task order and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured in accordance with 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1); only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. The Naval Surface Warfare Center Philadelphia Division, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is the contracting activity (N64498-20-D-4028). AIR FORCE L3 Technologies Inc., Bristol, Pennsylvania, has been awarded a $64,232,376 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for Telemetry Security Products (TSP) and ancillary services. The contractor shall manufacture and deliver all TSP, National Security Agency (NSA) approved class one encryption products and NSA-approved encryption accessories, in accordance with individual delivery orders. The contractor shall perform the following services in accordance with individual delivery orders, telecommunications electronics materials protected from emanating spurious transmissions test, electromagnetic interference/radio frequency interference test, product upgrade/enhancement, repair and technical support as required. Work will be performed in Bristol, Pennsylvania, and is expected to be completed by July 28, 2025. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Fiscal 2019 Department of Defense procurement funds in the amount of $549,200 are being obligated at the time of award. Directorate of Contracting, Edwards Air Force Base, California, is the contracting activity. Hardwood Products Co. L.P., Guilford, Maine, has been awarded a not-to-exceed $51,150,000 undefinitized contract action (UCA) for industrial base expansion for U.S. domestic production capacity for medical flock tip swabs. This contract award is part of the ongoing collaboration between the Department of Defense and Health and Human Services, led by the department's Joint Acquisition Task Force and funded through the CARES Act to enable and support domestic industrial base expansion for critical medical resources. Primary tasks under this contract action include procurement, assembly and installation of flock tip swab assembly and packaging machinery and buildout of a production facility. Work will be performed in Guilford, Maine, and is expected to be completed eight months after receipt of UCA. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Air Force Life Cycle Management, Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts, is the contracting activity (FA8730-20-C-0056). A-Tech Corp., Albuquerque, New Mexico has been awarded a $16,923,957 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for a communication system with two-way time transfer operating within W/V-bands and incorporating Free Space Optical links. This system will model Heterogeneous Optical W/V-band Demonstration, evaluate and develop its components and demonstrate its potential at meeting these objectives. Work will be performed in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and is expected to be completed Oct. 31, 2025. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition with one offer received. Fiscal 2019 and 2020 research and development funds in the amount of $365,733 are being obligated at time of award. Air Force Research Laboratory, Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico, is the contracting activity (FA9453-20-C-0024). Perry Management Corp., Pearl City, Hawaii, has been awarded a $15,041,798 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for refuse services. The contractor shall provide all personnel, equipment, tools, materials, vehicles, supervision and other items and services necessary to perform installation-wide Municipal Solid Waste collection/disposal to include asbestos disposal service specific to Joint Base San Antonio (JBSA) Lackland, Texas. Municipal Solid Waste collection services at JBSA installations include Lackland, Randolph, Fort Sam Houston, Camp Bullis, Canyon Lake military recreation areas, and Seguin Airfield in Texas, in accordance with all local, state and federal laws, regulations, standards, instructions, commercial practices or international agreements. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition and five offers were received. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $18,288 are being obligated at the time of award. The contract is expected to be completed by Feb. 28, 2025. The 502nd Contracting Squadron, JBSA Lackland, Texas, is the contracting activity (FA3016-20-D-0024). SRC Inc., North Syracuse, New York, has been awarded a $7,627,257 task order for primarily platform electronic fit and supporting telecommunication parametric data support under the indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract FA7037-17-D-0001 for the sensor beam program. The contractor will research, analyze, technically document and perform reviews on electromagnetic systems, events and signatures required by all services and other U.S. agencies. Work will be performed at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, and is expected to be completed July 30, 2021. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds in the full amount are being obligated at the time of award. Acquisition Management and Integration Center-Detachment 2, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, is the contracting activity. DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Draeger Inc., Telford, Pennsylvania, has been awarded a maximum $60,000,000 modification (P00029) exercising the sixth one-year option period of a one-year base contract (SPE2D1-14-D-0004) with nine one-year option periods for patient monitoring systems, subsystems, accessories, consumables and training. This is a fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. Location of performance is Pennsylvania, with an Aug. 5, 2021, ordering period end date. Using customers are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and federal civilian agencies. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2021 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. ARMY Raytheon/Lockheed Martin Javelin JV, Tucson, Arizona, was awarded a $47,239,843 modification (P00022) to contract W31P4Q-19-C-0076 for full rate production of the Javelin weapon system. Work will be performed in Tucson, Arizona, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 31, 2023. Fiscal 2010 and 2020 missile procurement (Army) funds in the amount of $47,239,843 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity. Threat Tech-Yorktown Systems Group JV LLC,* Hampton, Virginia, was awarded a $31,362,444 hybrid (firm-fixed-price, time-and-materials) contract for core functions support services for U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command. Bids were solicited via the internet with five received. Work will be performed in Fort Eustis, Virginia, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 9, 2025. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Army) funds in the amount of $19,997,056 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Field Directorate Office, Fort Eustis, Virginia, is the contracting activity (W911S0-20-C-0007). River City Construction LLC, East Peoria, Illinois, was awarded a $30,100,000 firm-fixed-price contract for construction of a consolidated communications building at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. Bids were solicited via the internet with three received. Work will be performed at Scott Air Force Base, with an estimated completion date of Jan. 9, 2023. Fiscal 2017 military construction (Air Force) funds in the amount of $30,100,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Louisville, Kentucky, is the contracting activity (W912QR-20-C-0028). The Boeing Co., Mesa, Arizona, was awarded an $11,250,000 modification (P00053) to contract W58RGZ-16-C-0023 to update critical safety items for the Apache attack helicopter (AH-64E). Work will be performed in Mesa, Arizona, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 31, 2024. Fiscal 2018 and 2019 aircraft procurement (Army) funds in the amount of $11,250,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity. DEFENSE ADVANCED RESEARCH PROJECTS AGENCY Kitware Inc., Clifton, New York, was awarded an $11,947,912 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for a research project under the Semantic Forensics (SemaFor) program. The SemaFor program will develop methods that exploit semantic inconsistencies in falsified media to perform tasks across media modalities and at scale. Work will be performed in Clifton Park, New York; Corvallis, Oregon; and at university laboratories in New York, New York; Albany, New York; Tempe, Arizona; Urbana, Illinois; and Ann Arbor, Michigan, with an expected completion date of July 2024. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation funding in the amount of $1,733,340 is being obligated at time of award. This contract was a competitive acquisition under a full and open broad agency announcement and 37 proposals were received. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting activity (HR0011-20-C-0123). *Small Business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2293268/source/GovDelivery/