June 13, 2018 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR

As European defense evolves, here’s how industry is responding

WASHINGTON — As priorities in Europe evolve, particularly with the threat of Russia growing more profound, industry partners are left to adapt. Defense News spoke to Kim Ernzen, vice president of land warfare systems in Raytheon Missile Systems, to find out the company's approach to meeting customer expectations.

EU and NATO cooperation on defense is evolving. As they work out roles, is it challenging for industry?

From an international or global footprint, we are looking to continue to expand in international marketspaces. As we look particularly to EU and NATO starting to cooperate more, the EU brings some capabilities to the table. Obviously NATO is typically backed more from the U.S. [But] it's how we merge the capabilities together so the fighting forces have what they need when they go into harm's way. From a U.S. defense industry perspective, we like to make sure we protect the latest and greatest. When we look to international, we work through the normal releasability channels to make sure we can release our products.

I think there is going to be increased opportunity, because the threats are continuing to evolve. From a pure RMS perspective, we're well positioned to support [combatting] those threats. We continue to work closely not only with the U.S.-based customer, but through them, the international partners to look at the capabilities they may need.

Missile defense remains a huge priority in Europe, but how have hybrid warfare tactics, particularly from Russia, influences defense strategies and as a result the investments?

As we as a nation look at how to pivot from urban warfare of the last two decades to what many would consider more traditional warfare, but with added complexities of things like cyberattacks, EW. So now you go into overmatch capability, a long-range standoff capability. Army is focused on how to get long-range precision fires that supports the [combatant commands] in the international footprints, being able to protect the European front against advancing Russia threats. And it's got to have that standup capability, they also have to be able to see further. From a company perspective, we're involved in the PRSM [program] — the new Long Range Precision Fire competition between us and Lockheed Martin. And we're also working to enhance the sighting capability on the vehicle, so they can see farther and identity threats sooner.

We see a lot of exercises in Europe. Does industry have enough of a seat at the table?

We don't necessarily engage one-on-one with the exercising activities that go on; we'll get feedback through customer communities. This is something we talk with our customers about continually: the more we can be engaged, the more we can bring to bear, whether company investments, a spin on the product; the more we can partner with the customer community, sooner, the better it is for them and us as well. We just haven't necessarily always done that.

We've seen a great deal of emphasis on increased defense spending of our European allies. Have you seen a bump up? Or if not, where do you see them focusing in on in terms of spending?

We have seen a modest increase, particularly across the munitions fronts. Everyone [is looking] in the cupboard drawer, wanting to make sure they have the right stockpiles should they need to go into any engagement with the enemy. We're also continuing to see internationally more system integrated solutions. Not just coming forward with a product, but how a system would work and operate so they can be more nimble in the battlefield. That's a transition we're seeing.

The FMS system can be painful to work through. Have their been improvements?

We need to look at [whether we] can start converting more programs to direct commercial sales, depending on where we're at in a lifecycle of a product, and what it is we're trying to protect or throttle. FMS is a slow an laborious process. It hinders industry from capitalizing on market opportunities. The more we can change the paradigm and partner with the government side to do more [direct sales], the more they will benefit long term because they get the volume to drive down prices, and allow us to recoup funds to invests in future technology. But there are challenges, because each branches has organizations that support foreign military sales. There's a balance.

As more and more countries seek indigenous capacities as well as a return on defense investments domestically, has the nature of partnership changed?

Part of partnering with some of these countries involves offset requirements. Often as we start to partner with indigenous capable industries, it used to be ok to [offer up] basic machining. But there is more pull for being able to put high levels of noble work into these countries. Some are more advanced in capabilities, and as we look to partner, how to do we strike that balance, leveraging some technology they may bring to bear, with what we're trying to keep domestically and protected? It's an interesting paradigm. And a tipping point with how U.S. industry deals with going international.

https://www.defensenews.com/digital-show-dailies/eurosatory/2018/06/12/as-european-defense-evolves-heres-how-industry-is-responding/

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December 10, 2020 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security

Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - December 09, 2020
ARMY Sikorksy Aircraft Corp., Stratford, Connecticut, was awarded a $507,036,949 modification (P00163) to contract W58RGZ-17-C-0009 for UH-60M HH-60M aircraft. Work will be performed in Stratford, Connecticut, with an estimated completion date of June 30, 2022. Fiscal 2021 aircraft procurement (Army) funds in the amount of $507,036,949 were obligated at the time of the award. The U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity. Lockheed Martin Corp., Orlando, Florida, was awarded a $31,123,618 modification (P00036) to contract W58RGZ-16-C-0008 for sustainment of the Modernized Target Acquisition Designation Sight/Pilot Night Vision Sensor Performance Based Logistics program. Work will be performed in Orlando, Florida, with an estimated completion date of June 30, 2021. Fiscal 2021 Army working capital funds in the amount of $31,123,618 were obligated at the time of the award. The U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity. Alliant Techsystems Operations LLC, Plymouth, Minnesota, was awarded a $12,045,421 modification (P00029) to contract W15QKN-15-C-0066 for 120mm Advanced Multipurpose XM1147 high explosive multi-purpose with tracer cartridges. Work will be performed in Plymouth, Minnesota; Rocket Center, West Virginia; Middletown, Iowa; Kingsport, Tennessee; Faribault, Minnesota; Forest Lake, Minnesota; Towanda, Pennsylvania; Cary, Illinois; Louisville, Kentucky; Falconer, New York; Clear Lake, South Dakota; Shafer, Minnesota; Green Bay, Wisconsin; Waunakee, Wisconsin; and Coachella, California, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 3, 2020. Fiscal 2020 other procurement (Army) funds; and 2019 and 2020 procurement of ammunition (Army) funds in the amount of $12,045,421 were obligated at the time of the award. The U.S. Army Contracting Command, Newark, New Jersey, is the contracting activity. NAVY Bell Boeing Joint Project Office, Amarillo, Texas, is awarded a $170,438,450 modification (P00035) against previously awarded, fixed-price-incentive-firm-target, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract N00019-17-C-0015. This modification adds scope for the production and delivery of one CMV-22B variation in quantity aircraft for the Navy and exercises options for V-22 Common Configuration Readiness and Modernization (CC-RAM) Lot 4 requirements. Additionally, this modification provides for planned maintenance interval inspections, repairs, shipping and storage containers and tooling in support of the V-22 CC-RAM program. Work will be performed in Ridley Park, Pennsylvania (91%); and Fort Worth, Texas (9%), and is expected to be completed in September 2024. Fiscal 2021 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $93,510,201; and fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $766,800 will be obligated at the time of award, of which $766,800 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. General Dynamic Electric Boat, Groton, Connecticut, is awarded a $49,808,303 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to previously awarded contract N00024-18-C-4321 to exercise options for the New England Maintenance Manpower Initiative for non-nuclear maintenance on submarines based at Naval Submarine Support Facility, New London. Work will be performed in Groton, Connecticut, and is expected to be completed by December 2022. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $10,050,000 will be obligated at time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity. General Dynamics Mission Systems, Pittsfield, Massachusetts, is being awarded a $43,212,827 cost-plus-incentive-fee modification (P00001) for the fiscal 2020-2023 Columbia (US01) and Dreadnought Class development, production and installation requirement. Work will be performed in Pittsfield, Massachusetts (90%); United Kingdom (6%); Quonset Point, Rhode Island (3%); and Groton, Connecticut (1%). Work is expected to be completed Nov. 29, 2024. Fiscal 2021 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funds in the amount of $28,099,033; United Kingdom funds in the amount of $1,784,240; and fiscal 2021 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $572,760 are being obligated on this award. Of this amount, no funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract is being awarded to the contractor on a sole-source basis under 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1) and (4) and was previously synopsized on the beta.sam.gov website. Strategic Systems Programs, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity. Kratos Unmanned Aerial Systems Inc., Sacramento, California, is awarded a $38,691,360 contract modification (P00002) to previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract N00019-20-C-0075. This modification exercises an option to procure 48 BQM-177A subsonic aerial targets for the Navy as well as associated technical and administrative data in support of full rate production lot two deliveries. Work will be performed in Sacramento, California (55.8%); Dallas, Texas (17.6%); Fort Walton Beach, Florida (4.6%); Springfield, Pennsylvania (2.6%); Newton, Kansas (2.1%); Concord, California (1.9%); Milwaukie, Oregon (1.8%); Santa Ana, California (1.8%); Chatsworth, California (1.5%); Greybull, Wyoming (1.3%); and various locations within the continental U.S. (9%), and is expected to be completed in February 2023. Fiscal 2021 weapons procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $38,691,360 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. $806,070 of the funds obligated for this effort were Foreign Military Sales funds converted to weapons procurement (Navy) funds for the replacement of one target expended by the government of Australia. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY LC Industries Inc., Durham, North Carolina, has been awarded a maximum $98,775,719 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-quantity contract for light chemiluminescent and shield light chemiluminescent. This was a sole-source acquisition using justification 10 U.S. Code 2304 (c)(1), as stated in Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. This is a five-year contract with no option periods. Location of performance is North Carolina, with a Dec. 9, 2025, performance completion date. Using military services are Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2021 through 2026 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Richmond, Virginia (SPE4A6-21-D-0030). AIR FORCE McCallie Associates, Bellevue, Nebraska, has been awarded a $27,635,192 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for C-5M sustainment. This contract is for the delivery of technical data for organizational maintenance of the C-5M using a common source database. Work will be performed in Bellevue, Nebraska, and is expected to be completed June 9, 2025. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance funds in the amount of $7,613,295 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, is the contracting activity (FA8525-21-C-00001). *Small business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2441580/source/GovDelivery/
March 31, 2023 | International, Naval

Ingalls nabs $1.3B deal to build next San Antonio-class amphib ship
The Navy awarded a $1.3 billion contract to Ingalls for the construction of LPD-32, amid a debate over the ship's cost and the future of the ship class.
October 11, 2019 | International, Land

THEON SENSORS awarded program for NV binoculars for the U.S Marine Corps
Athens, 10 October 2019 - Press Release - THEON SENSORS conducted a press conference in Athens today, officially announcing the cooperation with ΗARRIS Night Vision USA (now ESA – Night Vision) and the joint-venture contract for the SBNVG solution towards the United States Marine Corps (USMC). THEON SENSORS in collaboration with its strategic ally HARRIS Night Vision USA (recently acquired by Elbit Systems of America) participated in an international tender issued by the US Marine Corps. The outcome of this tender (six submitted proposals) has been successful and resulted on a $249 million USD - 5 year IDIQ contract award, with expected more than 14,000 systems to be delivered. The contract was awarded by the US Department of Defense (see corresponding announcement: https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/1954307/) at the beginning of September 2019 with deliveries starting in spring 2020 and concluding in September 2024. THEON SENSORS, as a subcontractor, will provide to its American industrial partner its dedicated night vision binocular NYX in a Semi Knock Down Kit format, where final manufacturing and dissemination of the complete SBNVG solution will be performed at Roanoke Night Vision production facility. In addition, THEON SENSORS will provide its night vision accessories and spare parts throughout the contract term. This strategic collaboration of THEON SENSORS with its US partner and the recent award by the USMC for the Squad Binocular Night Vision Goggle (SBNVG) marks also a significant landmark, true success story among the Defense Exports and Cooperation of our countries. THEON SENSORS products are internationally considered and accepted as top ranked; based on their battle proven performance, high technical features, workmanship and quality that can satisfy demanding End Users of the 5Eyes countries (USA, Canada, U.K., Australia, New Zealand). View source version on THEON SENSORS: https://www.theon.com/medias/news/item/63-sbnvg-usmc

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As European defense evolves, here’s how industry is responding

On the same subject

Ingalls nabs $1.3B deal to build next San Antonio-class amphib ship The Navy awarded a $1.3 billion contract to Ingalls for the construction of LPD-32, amid a debate over the ship's cost and the future of the ship class.

Ingalls nabs $1.3B deal to build next San Antonio-class amphib ship
The Navy awarded a $1.3 billion contract to Ingalls for the construction of LPD-32, amid a debate over the ship's cost and the future of the ship class.