Army to hold competition to build ventilators for COVID-19 emergency response

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  May 14, 2018 | International, C4ISR

  What to expect from AI, space and other tech over the next 18 months

  By: Aaron Mehta What will the next 18 months mean for the Pentagon's ongoing challenge to maintain a technological edge over its enemies? That was the question posed to a panel of experts at the 17th annual C4ISRNET conference Thursday. And the answers underline just how wide the technical areas of expertise are that Pentagon officials need to get their heads around in the modern era — and how the situation will remain fluid going forward. For Richard Linderman, deputy director for research and engineering in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense, the focus is on manufacturing the vital microelectronics that provide the base for all of America's high-end technologies. He predicts a push to create those chips at a higher rate domestically, which in turn would allow greater trust that the chips, forming the basis of communications equipment or artificial intelligence, would not be messed with by a foreign entity. Concern about the domestic production of microelectronics is expected to be part of a large defense industrial base review now underway. “If you're right out on the pointy end of the spear, you might not want chips made in China to be the foundation of your communications gear,” Linderman told the audience. “So I think you're going to see those kinds of investments increase dramatically, and it will be an exciting prospect for us to bring new dimensions to this discussion of trusted, assured microelectronics.” James Hasik, a professor at the National Defense University, said he would be keeping a close eye on how the autonomous Sea Hunter vehicle does during ongoing testing. DARPA recently transferred the Sea Hunter, designed to travel thousands of miles over open seas, for months at a time, without a crew member on board, over to the Navy for continued testing. “The economics of that concept are so compelling,” Lungu said. If the concept proves out, it could have “some profound applications for fleet structure, some profound applications for warfighting.” Clark Groves, a space expert also at NDU, predicted that the long-awaited boom in small satellites will finally reach critical mass in the near-future, driven by the desire to move the massive telecommunications market onto cheaper systems. DoD stands to benefit, as this would be happening at the same time the Pentagon seeks to move from relying on massive, expensive aggregated systems towards a disaggregated model relying on multiple cheap, smaller systems — which present more of a challenge for any enemy nation that may seek to take out American assets in space. “Once small satellites begin being produced in large numbers, that will fundamentally alter the industrial base of the status quo, and that will also affect the launch base,” Groves said, which in turn “will give opportunities to DoD for more effective per-cost basis to exploit the architecture that we need for resilience.” Finally, Ed Brindley, acting deputy chief information officer for cybersecurity at the Pentagon, pointed to a “more determined focus” inside the Pentagon to shift how it handles artificial intelligence. At the core of that, he said, is the upcoming AI Center of Excellence, which Deputy Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan predicted will be up and running in the next six months. “Part of what we will see will be opportunities for us to adopt some of what is occurring within industry today,” Brindley said, noting that AI isn't just for warfighting but could have massive impacts on the internal processes of the Pentagon, including in the medical and legal professions. https://www.c4isrnet.com/show-reporter/c4isrnet-conference/2018/05/10/what-to-expect-from-ai-space-and-other-tech-areas-over-the-next-18-months/

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  August 14, 2019 | International, Aerospace

  Update: F-35 test fleet struggles with low readiness rates as key deadline approaches

  Pat Host, Washington, DC Key Points The F-35 programme's test fleet has a fully mission-capable rating that is roughly 10% of its goal This could make it difficult for the Pentagon to make an educated decision on whether to enter full-rate production The Pentagon's Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) test fleet has a fully mission-capable rate of 8.7% compared with an 80% goal, causing one watchdog to question whether the programme can accomplish all of its initial operational test and evaluation (IOT&E) test points before the phase ends. Dan Grazier, military fellow with the Project on Government Oversight (POGO) watchdog group in Washington, DC, said the Pentagon plans to make its full-rate production (FRP) decision by the rapidly approaching end of fiscal year 2019 (FY 2019) or early FY 2020. The fiscal year changes on 1 October. If the F-35 programme cannot accomplish all its IOT&E test points by this deadline, Grazier said the Pentagon cannot make an informed decision on FRP. The FY 2016 Director of Operational Test and Evaluation (DOT&E) report called for an 80% availability rate to conduct an efficient IOT&E and support sustained combat operations. According to an F-35 programme briefing slide provided by POGO and dated 19 July 2019, the 8.7% rate is an improvement from 4.7% in May. https://www.janes.com/article/90429/update-f-35-test-fleet-struggles-with-low-readiness-rates-as-key-deadline-approaches?from_rss=1

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  April 30, 2019 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security, Other Defence

  Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - April 29, 2019

  AIR FORCE The Boeing Co., Seattle, Washington, has been awarded a $5,700,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for KC-46 Pegasus Combat Capability (PC2). This contract provides for a broad range of post-production related non-recurring and recurring requirements centered on user-directed and Federal Aviation Administration-mandated KC-46 air vehicle needs. Work will be performed in Seattle, Washington, and is expected to be complete by April 28, 2029. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Fiscal 2018 research, development, test, and evaluation funds in the amount of $9,121,895 are being obligated on the first delivery order at the time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8609-19-D-0007). AAI Corp., doing business as Textron Systems, Hunt Valley, Maryland, has been awarded a $19,592,850 firm-fixed-price non-commercial requirements contract for the Joint Service Electronic Combat Systems Tester (JSECST). This contract provides for the production of the base JSECST, the laboratory JSECST and retrofit kits used on many aircraft, such as F-15, F-16, A-10, CV-22, C-130, UH-47, UH-60, F/A-18 and AV-8B. Work will be performed in Hunt Valley, Maryland, and is expected to be complete by April 28, 2021. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. No funds are being obligated at time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Automated Test Sets Contracting Division, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, is the contracting activity (FA8533-19-D-0005). NAVY Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is awarded a $1,148,847,334 cost-plus-incentive-fee, cost-plus-fixed-fee, firm-fixed-price, cost share contract for sustainment services in support of the F-35 Lightning II aircraft for the Air Force, Navy, non-U. S. Department of Defense (non-U.S. DoD) participants and Foreign Military Sales (FMS) customers. Services to be provided include ground maintenance activities, action request resolution, depot activation activities, Automatic Logistics Information System operation and maintenance; reliability, maintainability and health management implementation and support; supply chain management; and activities to provide and support pilot and maintainer initial training. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas (60 percent); Orlando, Florida (24 percent); Greenville, South Carolina (7 percent); Samlesbury, Preston, United Kingdom (5 percent); and El Segundo, California (4 percent). Work is expected to be completed in December 2022. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance (Air Force, Navy/Marine Corps); non-U.S. DoD participant; and FMS funds in the amount of $1,135,420,262 will be obligated at time of award, $811,246,309 of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. This contract combines purchases for the Air Force ($477,920,120; 41.60 percent); Navy ($346,753,261; 30.18 percent); non-U.S. DoD participants ($231,207,693; 20.13 percent); and FMS customers ($92,966,260; 8.09 percent). The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N00019-19-C-1022). Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Aerospace Systems, Melbourne, Florida, is awarded $38,775,625 for cost-plus-fixed-fee modification P00007 to a previously awarded contract (N00019-18-C-1037) to procure the product support and software support activity efforts for the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye full-rate production Lot 7. Work will be performed in Melbourne, Florida (72 percent); Liverpool, New York (14 percent); St. Augustine, Florida (5 percent); Norfolk, Virginia (5 percent); Greenlawn, New York (2 percent); Woodland Hills; California (1 percent); and Indianapolis, Indiana (1 percent), and is expected to be completed in April 2020. Fiscal 2019 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $38,775,625 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. Mancon LLC, Virginia Beach, Virginia, is awarded $30,000,000 for an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, fixed-price contract that includes provisions for economic price adjustment to acquire supplies and provide related store operation services required by Naval Supply Systems Command Fleet Logistics Center Norfolk for two commercial retail stores on the Naval Support Activity, Crane, Indiana, for materials needed by the Naval Facilities Command Public Works Department. The contract includes a five-year base ordering period with an option to extend services for a six-month ordering period pursuant to Federal Acquisition Regulation 52.217-8 which if exercised, the total value of this contract will be $33,263,944. All work will be performed in Crane, Indiana. The ordering period is expected to be completed by April 2024; if the option is exercised, work will be completed by October 2024. Fiscal 2018 working capital funds (Defense) in the amount of $100,000 will be obligated to fund the contract's minimum amount, and funds will expire at the end of fiscal 2019. This contract was competitively procured with the solicitation posted to the Federal Business Opportunities website, with five offers received. Naval Supply Systems Command Fleet Logistics Center Norfolk, Contracting Department, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N00189-19-D-0008). Bell Boeing Joint Project Office, Amarillo, Texas, is awarded $29,772,039 for cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to order N61340-18-F-0001 against a previously issued basic ordering agreement (N00019-17-G-0002). This order provides software and hardware upgrades for 13 flight training devices to modernize critical system components in the MV-22 simulator to increase training fidelity for aircrew and maximize training capability. Work will be performed in Jacksonville, North Carolina (42 percent); Miramar, California (24 percent); Quantico, Virginia (13 percent); Okinawa, Japan (13 percent); Chantilly, Virginia (5 percent); Fort Worth, Texas (2 percent); and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (1 percent), and is expected to be completed in December 2024. Fiscal 2019 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $29,772,039 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division, Orlando, Florida, is the contracting activity. Raytheon Missile Systems, Tucson, Arizona, is awarded $19,530,007 for modification P00006 to a previously awarded cost-plus-incentive-fee contract (N00019-18-C-0088) for the engineering and manufacturing development and payload integration of the Miniature Air Launched Decoy-Navy. Work will be performed in Tucson, Arizona (50 percent); and Goleta, California (50 percent), and is expected to be completed in October 2019. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $9,765,002 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. ARMY Raytheon Co., Dulles, Virginia, was awarded a $663,060,634 firm-fixed-price contract for Troposcatter Transmission System, spares, repairs, warranty, system engineering, field support, training and sustainment. Bids were solicited via the internet with two received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of April 25, 2029. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W15P7T-19-D-0218). (Awarded April 26, 2019) The Boeing Co., Mesa, Arizona, was awarded a $171,887,544 hybrid (cost, cost-plus-fixed-fee, and firm-fixed-price) contract for performance based logistics service in support of the AH-64E Apache attack helicopter fleet. One bid was solicited with one bid received. Work will be performed in Mesa, Arizona, with an estimated completion date of April 30, 2020. Fiscal 2018 working capital funds in the amount of $63,779,957 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity (W58RGZ-19-C-0024). (Awarded April 26, 2019) Golden Valley Electric Association, Fairbanks, Alaska, was awarded a $40,964,160 firm-fixed-price contract for electric utility service. Work will be performed in Fort Wainwright, Alaska, with an estimated completion date of April 30, 2029. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance, Army funds in the amount of $653,355 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army 413th Contracting Support Battalion, Fort Wainwright, Alaska, is the contracting activity (W912D0-19-F-8U95). (Awarded April 26, 2019) The Boeing Co., Mesa, Arizona, was awarded a $39,478,219 modification (PZ0017) to Foreign Military Sales (Saudi Arabia) contract W58RGZ-17-C-0031 for post-production system support, which includes integrated product support, of the AH-64 aircraft in support of the Saudi Arabia National Guard. Work will be performed in Mesa, Arizona; Hazelwood, Missouri; and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, with an estimated completion date of April 29, 2020. Fiscal 2019 foreign military sales funds in the amount of $39,478,219 were obligated at the time of the award. Army is the contracting activity. Lockheed Martin Corp., Orlando, Florida, was awarded a $30,794,224 modification (P00080) to Foreign Military Sales (Saudi Arabia) contract W31P4Q-15-C-0043 for Hellfire guided missile launcher and electronic assembly. Work will be performed in Orlando, Florida, with an estimated completion date of April 30, 2023. Fiscal 2010, 2011, 2017, 2018 and 2019 aircraft procurement, Army; operations and maintenance, Army; research, development, test and evaluation; foreign military sales; and other funds in the combined amount of $30,794,224 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity. Maverick Constructors LLC,* Lutz, Florida (W911YN-19-D-0001); ABBA Construction Inc.,* Jacksonville, Florida (W911YN-19-D-0002); Warden Construction Corp.,* Jacksonville, Florida (W911YN-19-D-0003); D & M Construction Group Inc.,* Gainesville, Florida (W911YN-19-D-0004); J.A.M. Construction Services Inc.,* Merritt Island, Florida (W911YN-19-D-0005); Core Engineering & Construction Inc.,* Winter Park, Florida (W911YN-19-D-0006); Johnson-Laux Construction LLC,* Orlando, Florida (W911YN-19-D-0007); and E.L.C.I. Construction Group Inc., North Miami, Florida (W911YN-19-D-0008), will compete for each order of the $30,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for construction projects in support of the Florida National Guard. Bids were solicited via the internet with 28 received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of April 25, 2024. U.S. Property and Fiscal Office of Florida is the contracting activity. (Awarded April 26, 2019) Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics, Merrimack, New Hampshire, was awarded a $19,491,157 firm-fixed-price contract for protective fabric shelter kits. One bid was solicited with one bid received. Work will be performed in Merrimack, New Hampshire, with an estimated completion date of April 28, 2024. Fiscal 2018 other procurement, Army funds in the amount of $1,681,301 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois, is the contracting activity (W52P1J-19-D-3013). JCB Inc., Pooler, Georgia, was awarded a $17,071,687 modification (P00001) to contract W56HZV-19-F-0046 for High Mobility Engineer Excavator vehicles. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Jan 31, 2021. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Warren, Michigan, is the contracting activity. (Awarded April 26, 2019) System Studies & Simulation Inc., Huntsville, Alabama, was awarded a $12,364,338 modification (0004 19) to contract W31P4Q-09-A-0019 for technical support services. Work will be performed in Huntsville, Alabama, with an estimated completion date of March 31, 2020. Fiscal 2020 and 2021 other procurement; and research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $12,364,338 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity. Travis Association for the Blind, Austin, Texas, was awarded an $11,287,227 modification (P00003) to contract W56HZV-18-C-0067 for the repair, cleaning, warehousing, and distribution of organizational clothing and individual equipment. Work will be performed in Austin, Texas, with an estimated completion date of April 30, 2020. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance, Army funds in the amount of $11,287,227 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Warren, Michigan, is the contracting activity. PAE Government Systems Inc., Arlington, Virginia, was awarded an $8,153,796 modification (P00011) to Foreign Military Sales (Afghanistan) contract for the National Maintenance Strategy Ground Vehicle Support effort. Work will be performed in Kabul, Afghanistan, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 30, 2022. Fiscal 2019 other procurement, Army funds in the amount of $8,153,796 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Warren, Michigan, is the contracting activity. (Awarded April 26, 2019) MISSILE DEFENSE AGENCY Raytheon Missile Systems Co., Tucson, Arizona, is being awarded $26,991,627 for a modification (P00155) to the previously awarded sole-source, cost-plus-incentive-fee Standard Missile-3 Block IIA contract (HQ0276-10-C-0005). This modification provides for additional Ballistic Missile Defense upgrades and flight test support. The work will be performed in Tucson, Arizona, with an expected completion date of June 2020. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $15,858,243 will be obligated at time of award. The modification increases the total cumulative face value of the contract by $26,991,627 (from $2,105,137,599 to $2,132,129,227). The Missile Defense Agency, Dahlgren, Virginia, is the contracting activity. DEFENSE INFORMATION SYSTEMS AGENCY Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI), Atlanta, Georgia, was awarded a sole source, non-commercial, cost-plus-fixed fee contract on April 28, 2019, in support of the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) National Leadership Capability Command office. This contract will provide for development and deployment of the Secure Integration Cloud, the Joint Access Database Environment and the encompassing system architecture known as Secure Web Services. The face value of this action is $8,508,928 funded by fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance funds. The total cumulative face value is $48,248,311. Performance will be at the contractor's facility. Proposal was issued via request for proposal, and one proposal was received from GTRI. This was a sole-source requirement sent to Georgia Tech Applied Research Corp. The period of performance is for a base period of 12 months beginning April 28, 2019, and two 6-month option periods through April 27, 2021. The DISA/Defense Information Technology Contracting Organization, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, is the contracting activity (HC1028-19-C-0008). *Small business https://dod.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/1829432/source/GovDelivery/