October 2, 2019 | International, Aerospace
EVERETT, Wash., October 1, 2019 – The U.S. Air Force today awarded Boeing [NYSE: BA] a $2.6 billion contract for 15 KC-46A tanker aircraft, spares, support equipment, spare engines and wing air refueling pod kits. With this fifth production lot, Boeing now is on contract for 67 KC-46 tankers.
Boeing received its first two production lots, for 7 and 12 aircraft, in August 2016. The third lot, for 15 aircraft, was awarded in January 2017; the fourth lot for 18 aircraft in September 2018.
“We're honored to build the Air Force's next-generation tanker and appreciate the importance of this program for our nation,” said Jamie Burgess, Boeing KC-46A tanker vice president and program manager. “This has been a milestone year for KC-46 and a big reason for that is our great partnership with the Air Force. We expect to accomplish great things together in the years to come.”
Boeing plans to build 179 of the 767-based refueling aircraft for the Air Force to replace its legacy tanker fleet. The company delivered the first tankers to the Air Force in January 2019.
Boeing received its initial contract in 2011 to design and develop the Air Force's newest tanker aircraft. The KC-46A is a multirole tanker that can refuel allied and coalition military aircraft compatible with international aerial refueling procedures and can carry passengers, cargo and patients.
Boeing is assembling KC-46 aircraft at its Everett, Wash., facility and recently started production of the first KC-46 for Japan.
For more information on Defense, Space & Security, visit www.boeing.com. Follow us on Twitter: @BoeingDefense and @BoeingSpace.
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Contact:
Kym Vandlac
Defense, Space & Security
Office: +1 425-266-5365
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kymberly.y.vandlac@boeing.com
July 13, 2021 | International, Aerospace, Land
The Army has released its request for proposals to two industry teams to build its future long-range assault aircraft. According to FY22 budget documents, it also laid out a schedule to reach a first unit equipped by FY30.
August 21, 2018 | International, Naval
by James Langford Defense contractor BAE Systems won a $146 million contract for work on the USS Gettysburg, part of a class of guided-missile cruisers whose weapons and computer systems are undergoing upgrades to ensure they reach their 35-year service life. Work on the Gettysburg, which will be performed at London-based BAE's shipyard in Norfolk, Va., is scheduled for completion by 2020, and includes maintenance, modernization and repair, the U.S. Department of Defense said in a statement on Monday. The contract includes options that could bring its total value to $151.3 million. Built by Bath Iron Works, Gettysburg was commissioned in 1991 under former President George H.W. Bush. It belongs to the Ticonderoga class, which was first deployed in 1983 and uses Aegis technology to track aerial targets. Carrying Tomahawk missiles, the vessels can support carrier strike groups as well as conduct independent operations. The modernization program for the cruisers includes updates to computer and display equipment as well as electrical and mechanical systems. Weapons and sensor sets will be modified to improve submarine-combat capabilities, the Navy said, and electro-optical systems will be added that can monitor the ship's surroundings without radar emissions. Full article: https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/business/bae-wins-146-million-contract-to-upgrade-navy-cruiser-gettysburg
March 20, 2019 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security, Other Defence
DARPA aims to apply the power of social networks to research and development via a novel social media platform purpose-built to quicken the pace of U.S. technology development. Polyplexus, which was recently launched as a public platform, is designed to increase access to scientific evidence and accelerate hypothesis development, research proposal generation, and research sponsor engagement. The platform's real-time interactions and functionality are designed to dramatically shorten the time between the emergence of concepts and the submission of worthy proposals. The platform facilitates connections among experts across academic disciplines so they can propel novel research opportunities together. Beta-launched for academics only in 2018, Polyplexus is now open to the broader research and development community and features an initial offering of research topics for collaboration and potential funding. DARPA seeks participation from anyone who is interested in sharing and learning about emerging science and technology including researchers, practitioners, and even retirees. “Crowdsourcing on the internet works when the solution exists and can be found,” said John Main, program manager in DARPA's Defense Sciences Office. “However, no amount of crowdsourcing will ever work if it's a research and development problem that must be solved, because the solution does not yet exist. That's why we built Polyplexus as a productivity platform rather than a crowdsourcing platform.” Polyplexus is composed of three integrated components: a public information feed where users can promote interesting research and connect it to other research via tweet-like summary statements called micropubs; a private tool for synthesizing new ideas, known as micropub portfolios; and an incubator environment. Incubators allow research sponsors in government and industry to post specific topics of interest and find research and development specialists to address their challenges. Following a 2018 test phase that was restricted to academic researchers, Version 1 of Polyplexus is now open to the public. Researchers and research sponsors across disciplines and industries are invited to sign up and become “Plexors” at https://polyplexus.com/users/login. During the Beta test phase, DARPA awarded funding to multiple proposals generated by founding members on the platform. Recipients included researchers from the University of Arkansas, Arizona State University, University of North Carolina, University of Miami, and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. With the public launch of Polyplexus, DARPA's Defense Sciences Office intends to fund up to 30 one-year seedling efforts developed through Polyplexus incubators over the next 18 months. These funding opportunities are capped at a maximum of $100,000 each. They will roll out at a pace of approximately two per month. DARPA just announced the first three Polyplexus incubators focused on Quantum Machine Learning (https://go.usa.gov/xEFpV), Human Learning (https://go.usa.gov/xEFpA), and Strategic Technological Surprise (https://go.usa.gov/xEFpm). To learn more about the incubator topics visit the incubators section on https://Polyplexus.com. Abstracts and proposals resulting from DARPA incubators will be submitted directly to DARPA as specified in the Polyplexus BAA: https://go.usa.gov/xEFpE. Abstracts and proposals are not submitted on the Polyplexus site. Anyone may create an account and contribute to the public areas of the site. Retired scientists, engineers, and researchers are especially encouraged to continue to share their expertise by engaging as Plexors. Plexors can also contribute suggestions for new features that will be included in Polyplexus Versions 2 and 3, which are planned for development over the next 18 months. “Polyplexus maintains a balance between public information exchange and protection of private intellectual property,” Main said. “It also creates an avenue for broader participation in DARPA research and development, including by those who aren't looking for a research project but who have knowledge to contribute, such as retirees.” Researchers should monitor the announcement and evolution of each individual incubator on the platform to fully understand the topic, opportunity, and requirements. Follow @polyplexors on both Instagram and Twitter for updated information. https://www.darpa.mil/news-events/2019-03-19