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  April 27, 2020 | International, Aerospace

  Five F-35 issues have been downgraded, but they remain unsolved

  By: Aaron Mehta , Valerie Insinna , and David B. Larter WASHINGTON — The F-35 Joint Program Office has put in place stopgap fixes for five key technical flaws plaguing America's top-end fighter jet, but the problems have not been completely eliminated. Last June, Defense News reported exclusive details about 13 major technical issues, known as category 1 deficiencies, impacting the F-35. The JPO has since quietly downgraded five of those issues to the lesser category 2. A category 1 deficiency is defined as a shortfall that could cause death, severe injury or illness; could cause loss or damage to the aircraft or its equipment; critically restricts the operator's ability to be ready for combat; prevents the jet from performing well enough to accomplish primary or secondary missions; results in a work stoppage at the production line; or blocks mission-critical test points. In comparison, a category 2 deficiency is of lesser concern — something that requires monitoring, but not something that should impact operations. But downgrading the category doesn't mean the problems are solved, said Dan Grazier, who tracks military issues for the Project on Government Oversight. CAT 2 programs are still "definitely cause for concern. They are going to have an impact on how the aircraft performs,” Grazier said. "It really depends on what the issue is, but every design flaw has a potential issue on the mission. ... You want to not have flaws, you want these things can be fixed so pilots can get out and do what they need to do.” Aside from a few basic statements on which projects were downgraded to CAT 2, a JPO spokesperson said the office “cannot disclose any information about how these deficiencies were resolved or downgraded due to their security classification.” The ALIS sovereign data transfer solution does not meet information assurance requirements. The Autonomic Logistics Information System, or ALIS, provides the backbone of the F-35, used by the aircraft's operators in virtually all stages of flying and sustaining the Joint Strike Fighter. The system is used to plan and debrief missions, order spare parts, walk maintainers through repairs, and view technical data and work orders. (A potential replacement, named ODIN, is in the works.) But some international partners on the F-35 program have expressed concerns that data flowing through ALIS to the United States government — and to Lockheed Martin — could give both the U.S. military and the American defense contractor a window into that country's flight operations, including when and where its F-35s are flying. Those concerns were so high that two countries threatened to leave the program entirely if a fix was not quickly applied, according to the original documents viewed by Defense News. That fix is now in, according to the JPO, which said that on April 29, 2019, an update to ALIS included an initial version of a new Sovereign Data Management tool. “The SDM tool permits F-35 operators more control over the types of Prognostics and Health Management (PHM) data that are transferred to the F-35 Operations Center,” the JPO said. Incorrect inventory data for complex assemblies continues to result in grounding conditions. This particular deficiency involves supplies or components that, upon installation, are not actually listed and tracked in ALIS as designed. Those require specific, almost daily requests to software engineers to have data corrected in the system. While those requests can catch some problems, the issue is not always detected by the user. These “holes,” as the JPO calls them, do not collect data on how parts are used after installation, which means a part might be breaking down from heavy use. Yet, that part won't be flagged by ALIS as an at-risk piece. As a result, it's less likely that issues developing from wear and tear or a lack of replacement parts will be discovered until such an issue has become an acute problem, possibly leading to a grounding of the aircraft. The issue was downgraded to a CAT 2 deficiency on Jan. 13, 2020, “due to ALIS data quality improvements that have been made in the two years since this DR [deficiency report] was written,” according to the JPO. “The quality improvements have reduced the frequency and magnitude of issues that have impacted operational units' abilities to quickly release aircraft for flight following maintenance.” The F-35B and F-35C experienced incongruous lateral and longitudinal control response above a 20-degree angle of attack. One of the most eye-opening issues identified in the initial report was that the F-35B and F-35C models used by the Marine Corps and Navy become difficult to control when operating above a 20-degree angle of attack — which would be seen in the extreme maneuvers a pilot might use in a dogfight or while avoiding a missile. Pilots reported the aircraft experiencing unpredictable changes in pitch, as well as erratic yaw and rolling motions when coming in at that angle of attack.. “It has random oscillations, pitch and yaw issues above [its] 20-[degree angle of attack]," a longtime naval aviator told Defense News last year. "[So] if I had to perform the aircraft — if I had to maneuver to defeat a missile, maneuver to fight another aircraft, the plane could have issues moving. And if I turn around aggressively and get away from these guys and use the afterburner, [the horizontal tail and tail boom] start to melt or have issues.” The issue was important enough that it accounted for two CAT 1 issues, one each for the two variants impacted by the design issue. However, the JPO downgraded this issue to a CAT 2 on May 28, 2019, for the F-35C and on July 8, 2019, for the F-35B. The solution involves “improvements in flying qualities that were implemented in software. The improvements provide pilots with an intuitive reference indication for AOA [angle of attack], which allows pilots to more quickly optimize lateral maneuvering during air-to-air maneuvering. These software improvements have been released to all F-35 operators.” There were unanticipated thrust limits in jetborne flight on hot days. This particular issue only occurred once, but was so significant that it was identified in the original document as the “No. 1 priority” for the Marine Corps. The issue was identified aboard the amphibious assault ship Essex, where a Marine pilot performed what is known as a “mode four” operation. That is where the jet enters hover mode near a landing spot, slides over to a target area and then vertically lands onto the ship. It's a key capability for the "B" model, which was designed for its short-takeoff-and-vertical-landing abilities. The engine — working hard on a day that temperatures cracked 90 degrees Fahrenheit while trying to lift a plane that was heavier than most returning to base — wouldn't generate the needed thrust for a safe, ideal landing. The pilot managed to land, but the issue set off alarm bells in the Marine aviation community. The JPO initially expected a fix for this issue to be out sometime in 2019, but it wasn't until March 2020 that a mix of nondescript “software updates and procedural adjustments” brought the “propulsion system performance back to original specified performance levels.” https://www.defensenews.com/smr/hidden-troubles-f35/2020/04/24/five-f-35-issues-have-been-downgraded-but-they-remain-unsolved/

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  March 5, 2019 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security, Other Defence

  Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - March 1, 2019

  AIR FORCE Millennium Engineering and Integration Co., Arlington, Virginia, has been awarded a $340,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for research and development. This contract provides research, engineering, and technical management for performing space technology concept development, analysis, development, integration, experimentation, demonstration, and evaluation in support of the Air Force Research Laboratory Space Vehicles Directorate. Work will be performed at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico, and is expected to be complete by April 30, 2026. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition and five offers were received. Fiscal 2018 and 2019 research and development funds in the amount of $5,000,000 are being obligated on initial task orders at the time of award. Air Force Research Laboratory, Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico, is the contracting activity (FA9453-19-D-0002). Rowe Contracting Service Inc., Mandeville, Louisiana, has been awarded a $25,000,000 ceiling indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for academic and athletic custodial services. This contract provides for custodial services for the academic and athletic facilities at the U.S. Air Force Academy. Work will be performed at the U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado, and is expected to be complete by Feb. 29, 2024. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition and 27 offers received. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $1,667,389 are being obligated at the time of award. The 10th Contracting Squadron, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado, is the contracting activity (FA7000-19-D-A002). Polskie Zaklady Lotnicze Sp. z. o.o., Mielec, Poland, has been awarded an $18,982,157 firm-fixed-price contract for M28 Block 05 aircraft. This contract provides for two new, commercially produced, M28 Block 05 aircraft, associated initial aircraft and maintenance training, technical publications, and ferry flight service for the M28 Block 05 aircraft from Mielec, Poland, to Kathmandu, Nepal. Work will be performed in Mielec, Poland, and is expected to be complete by Dec. 20, 2019. This contract involves foreign military financing to Nepal. This award is the result of a country-directed sole-source acquisition. Foreign military financing funds in the full amount are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8625-18-C-1201). Phoenix Management Inc., Austin, Texas, has been awarded a not-to-exceed $7,886,394 firm-fixed-price, cost-reimbursable contract for base operating support services. This contract provides for base operating support services in support of supply management, vehicle operations and maintenance, traffic management operations, real property maintenance, fuels management, and airfield management functions. Work will be performed at Westover Air Reserve Base, Massachusetts, and is expected to be complete by Nov. 30, 2019. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Fiscal 2019 and operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $3,943,197 are being obligated at the time of award. The 439th Contracting Flight, Westover ARB, Massachusetts, is the contracting activity (FA6606-19-C-A003). DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY City Light & Power (CLP), Greenwood Village, Colorado, has been awarded an estimated $126,616,791 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment contract for the ownership, operation and maintenance of the electric distribution system at Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi. This was a competitive acquisition with four responses received. This is a 50-year contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Mississippi, with an Aug. 31, 2069, performance completion date. Using military service is Air Force. The type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2069 Air Force operations and maintenance funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Energy, Fort Belvoir, Virginia (SP0600-19-C-8320). Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems, Portsmouth, Rhode Island, has been awarded a maximum $26,490,520 firm-fixed-priced contract for receiver transmitters. 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 three-year, two-month contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Rhode Island, with a June 28, 2022, performance completion date. Using military service is Navy. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2022 Navy working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPRPA1-19-F-LY00). Travis Association for the Blind,** doing business as The Lighthouse for the Blind, Austin, Texas, has been awarded a maximum $19,958,826 modification (P00014) exercising the first one-year option period of a two-year base contract (SPE1C1-17-C-B003) with three, one-year option periods for warehousing, storage, logistics and distribution functions. This is a fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment contract. Location of performance is Texas, with a Feb. 29, 2020, performance completion date. Using customers are Air Force, Marine Corps, and Defense Logistics Agency. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2020 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. U.S. TRANSPORTATION COMMAND International Auto Logistics LLC, Brunswick, Georgia, has been awarded a task order modification (P00022) on contract HTC711-14-D-R025. This modification provides continued support of transportation and storage of Department of Defense-sponsored shipments of privately-owned vehicles belonging to military service members, and transportation of DoD-sponsored shipments of privately-owned vehicles belonging to DoD civilian employees. Work will be performed at multiple locations within the U.S. and outside the U.S. The option period of performance is March 1, 2019, to Aug. 31, 2019. Fiscal 2019 Transportation Working Capital Funds in the amount of $89,700,672 (estimated) were obligated at award. This modification brings the total cumulative face value of the contract to $927,409,026 from $837,708,354. U.S. Transportation Command, Directorate of Acquisition, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, is the contracting activity. NAVY HDT Expeditionary Systems Inc. (HDT), Solon, Ohio (N00178-19-D-4503); and Design West Technologies (DWT),* Tustin, California (N00178-19-D-4504), are each awarded multiple award indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contracts with firm-fixed-pricing arrangements for the procurement of M98 gas particulate filter sets. The maximum ceiling dollar value for both contracts combined is a possible $78,565,403. The two contractors may compete for task orders under the terms and conditions of the awarded contracts. Work will be performed in Solon, Ohio, for the filters manufactured by HDT and Tustin, California, for the filters manufactured by DWT, and is expected to be complete by March 2024. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance (Navy) funding in the amount of $1,605 for HDT and 2019 operations and maintenance (Navy) $1300 for DWT will be obligated at time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. In accordance with 10 U.S. Code 2304, these contracts were competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities website, with two offers received. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren Division, Dahlgren Virginia, is the contracting activity (N00178-18-R-5005). Rockwell Collins, ESA Vision Systems, Fort Worth, Texas, is awarded a $22,137,097 firm-fixed-price contract for the production and delivery of 132 Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System (JHMCS), Night Vision Cueing and Display Systems (NVCD); 56 in support of Navy, 55 in support of the government of Australia and 21 in support of the government of Switzerland. In addition, this contract provides technical data, non-recurring engineering and all other supplies and services necessary to perform installation and testing of the JHMCS/NVCD systems. Work will be performed in Merrimack, New Hampshire (79 percent); Wilsonville, Oregon (15 percent); Atlanta, Georgia (4 percent); and Fort Worth, Texas (2 percent), and is expected to be completed in February 2021. Fiscal 2017, 2018 and 2019 other procurement (Navy); and Foreign Military Sales (FMS) funds in the amount of $22,137,097 will be obligated at time of award, $292,060 of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract combines purchases for the Navy ($9,312,361; 42 percent), the government of Australia ($9,108,738; 41 percent); and the government of Switzerland ($3,715,998; 17 percent). This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N00421-19-C-0008). Austal USA, Mobile, Alabama, is awarded a $13,586,012 fixed-priced-incentive undefinitized contract modification to previously awarded contract N00024-16-C-2217 for the incorporation of a structural bow section engineering change proposal to the 11th and 12th Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF) ships (formerly Joint High Speed Vessel – JHSV). The EPF provides high-speed, shallow-draft transportation capability to support the intra-theater maneuver of personnel, supplies and equipment for the Navy, Marine Corps and Army. This modification is an undefinitized contract action for implementation of change to the bow structure on EPF 11 and EPF 12 on the DD&C Contract Line Item (CLIN) for each respective ship. Work will be performed in Mobile, Alabama (56 percent); Pascagoula, Mississippi (35 percent); Franklin, Massachusetts (7 percent); and Wilmer, Alabama (2 percent), and is expected to completed by July 2019. Fiscal 2015 and 2016 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funding in the amount of $8,151,608 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. General Atomics, San Diego, California, is awarded an $11,739,438 for ceiling-priced delivery order N00383-19-F-NA09 under previously awarded basic ordering agreement (N00383-18-G-NA01) for the manufacture of 181 various line items for initial spares acquisition in support of the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System used on aircraft carriers. Work will be performed in Tupelo, Mississippi, and work will be completed by January 2022. Fiscal 2019 working capital funds (Navy) in the amount of $5,752,324 will be obligated at the time of award and funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. One firm was solicited for this non-competitive, sole-source requirement in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1, and one offer was received. Naval Supply Systems Command Weapon Systems Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is the contracting activity. Chemring Ordnance Inc., Perry, Florida, is awarded a $10,406,730 single year firm-fixed-price (FFP) contract, in response to solicitation number N00174-18-R-0031, for the manufacture, assembly, test, and delivery of 57mm High Explosive – Point Detonating cartridges. The 57mm HE-PD Cartridge is a 57mm/70, electrically-primed cartridge designed to function in the 57mm MK 110 Gun Mount (GM). The MK 110 GM is employed on the Navy Littoral Combat Ship class and the Coast Guard Legend-class National Security Cutters. This requirement is to develop and produce 57mm HE-PD cartridges intended for combating surface and ground targets. The cartridge consists of a high explosive projectile with the ability to point detonate, a brass cartridge case loaded with propellant charge, and an electric primer. Government First Article Testing will be required. Work will be performed in Perry, Florida, and is expected to be complete by February 2021. Fiscal 2019, 2018, 10`7 Procurement of Ammunition, Navy and Marine Corps funds in the amount of $10,406,730 will be obligated at award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured with three offers received via the Federal Business Opportunities website. The Naval Surface Warfare Center Indian Head Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technology Division, Indian Head, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N00174-19-C-0006). L-3 KEO, Northampton, Massachusetts, is awarded an $8,665,266 fixed-price-incentive modification to previously awarded contract N00024-15-C-6250 to exercise options for the production of Low Profile Photonics Mast. The low profile photonics mast provides visual and other capabilities for Navy submarines. Work will be performed in Northampton, Massachusetts, and is expected to be complete by March 2021. Fiscal 2019 other procurement (Navy) in the amount of $8,655,266 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. Kollsman Inc., Merrimack, New Hampshire, was awarded a $7,251,573 modification (P00001) to delivery order M67854-19-F-1523 on previously awarded firm-fixed-price, indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract M67854-15-D-6001 for the purchase of Contractor Logistics Support, 10 Common Laser Range Finder – Integrated Capability (CLRF-IC) systems, 10 Objective Lens Covers, and Retrofit of 396 CLRF-IC systems. Work will be performed at Merrimack, New Hampshire, and is expected to be complete by Dec. 30, 2020. Fiscal 2019 procurement (Marine Corps) funds in the amount of $7,251,573 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The base contract was competitively awarded via Federal Business Opportunities website with three offers received. The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Virginia, is the contracting activity (M67854-15-D-6001). (Awarded Feb. 28, 2019) ARMY Tetra Tech Inc., Pasadena, California (W912GB-19-D-0003); AMEC Foster Wheeler E & I GMBH, Frankfurt am Main, Hessen, Germany (W912GB-19-D-0004); and AECOM International Inc., Neu-Isenburg, Hessen, Germany (W912GB-19-D-0005), will compete for each order of the $41,100,000 firm-fixed-price contract for environmental remediation services. Bids were solicited via the internet with nine received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Feb. 29, 2024. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Wiesbaden, Germany, is the contracting activity. American Engineers Inc.,* Glasgow, Kentucky (W91237-19-D-0006); Stantec Consulting Services Inc., Lexington, Kentucky (W91237-19-D-0007); and Terracon Consultants Inc., Cincinnati, Ohio (W91237-19-D-0008) will compete for each order of the $20,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for Dam Safety Modification Mandatory Center of Expertise National Inland Floating Plant and land drilling services. Bids were solicited via the internet with four received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Feb. 29, 2024. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Huntington, West Virginia, is the contracting activity. Manson Construction Co., Seattle, Washington, was awarded a $15,476,150 firm-fixed-price contract for Thimble Shoal Channel maintenance dredging project. Bids were solicited via the internet with three received. Work will be performed in Norfolk, Virginia, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 28, 2019. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance Army funds in the amount of $15,476,150 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (W91236-19-C-0007). DEFENSE HEALTH AGENCY Lintech Global Inc., Farmington Hills, Michigan, was awarded a $12,849,369 firm-fixed-price, non-personal services contract to provide data processing, data validation operations and maintenance of the TRICARE Encounter Data/Purchased Care Data Warehouse and Military Health System Data Repository programs, as well as the development, update, enhancement, repair, and testing of specific information technology applications that are managed by the Defense Health Agency, Health Information Technology (HIT) Directorate, Solutions Delivery Division Program Executive Office. The contractor's place of performance is Falls Church, Virginia. This contract has a base period of nine months with one option, if exercised, for a total of 29 months. This contract is an acquisition under GSA's IT Schedule 70 with fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $12,849,369 obligated at time of award. The Defense Health Agency, Contract Operations - Health Information Technology (CO-HIT), San Antonio, Texas, is the contracting activity (HT0015-19-F-0032). DEFENSE INFORMATION SYSTEMS AGENCY SES Government Solutions Inc., Reston, Virginia, was awarded a firm-fixed-price contract modification (P00007) to exercise Option Period Four on task order GS-35F-0328V / HC101315F0008 for commercial satellite communications service. The face value of this action is $8,356,608 funded by fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance funds. The total cumulative face value of the task order is $45,264,960. Performance directly supports the U.S. Central Command Southwest Asia Area of Responsibility. Quotations were solicited via the General Services Administration's Federal Supply Schedule, Information Technology Schedule 70, and five quotations were received from 22 offerors solicited. The period of performance for Option Period Four is March 6, 2019, through March 5, 2020, and there no remaining unexercised option periods for this task order. The Defense Information Technology Organization, Scott AFB, Illinois, is the contracting activity. * Small Business ** Mandatory source https://dod.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/1772993/

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  January 11, 2024 | International, Land, C4ISR

  Elbit America to produce integrated headborne sensor system prototype for U.S Army

  The system fuses a myriad of sensors into a lightweight Head Up Display that provides unprecedented situational awareness. Elbit America’s prototype evolves through three prototype development phases during a 72-month...