February 15, 2023 | International, C4ISR
Babcock wins $480 million bid to run Britainâs Skynet SATCOM program
The company, which unseated Airbus in operating the satellite constellation, is expected to take full control in 2024.
November 13, 2019 | International, Aerospace
Can a new Franco-German export agreement clear the air for Europe’s future fighter?
By: Sebastian Sprenger
COLOGNE, Germany — French and German officials celebrated the signing of a new defense export agreement last month as a watershed moment, but political and industrial mistrust remains a wild card for the Future Combat Air System program — an envisioned sixth-generation fighter jet.
The export pact, which entered into force in late October with the formal exchange of government notes, is meant to streamline a contentious process that has clouded bilateral defense cooperation for some time. Namely, the agreement dictates that joint government programs, like FCAS fighter jet, be free from interference by partner nations when it comes to eventual exports.
The clause is mainly aimed at Germany, where politicians and lawmakers tend to scrutinize weapons deliveries to countries with known or suspected human rights abuses more heavily than their French colleagues.
The situation has grown more tense since the October 2018 death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who Western officials believe was murdered by order of Saudi Arabia. Germany has since frozen all exports to the kingdom, prompting an outcry from France, where companies had to stall deliveries of equipment to Saudi Arabia in all cases where even a small number of components originated from Germany.
The new agreement ensures “nobody can throw a wrench” into the other's export planning, says Matthias Wachter, chief defense analyst at the Federation of German Industries lobbying group. Having such a guarantee in writing is good news for FCAS and its ground-focused sister project, the Franco-German future main battle tank known as the Main Ground Combat System, he added.
The language of the export pact is reminiscent of the 1971 Schmidt-Debré agreement, named for the German and French defense ministers at the time and panned in the left-leaning Spiegel magazine as an “embarrassing pact” when reporters found out about the then-secret understanding a year later.
Fast-forward almost 50 years, and defense cooperation remains a thorny subject between the two countries destined to spearhead Europe's envisioned military autonomy in the coming decades. And there are also long-standing cultural differences that linger. There is a perception among some German lawmakers, for example, that cooperation with Paris inevitably means ceding power to French influence to the point that Germany plays only second fiddle, according to Wachter.
That sentiment has led appropriators to craft a package deal for FCAS that would release funding for the next phase — building subcomponent demonstrators — only when there are assurances that Germany's tank makers, namely Rheinmetall, play a prominent role in the Main Ground Combat System effort. With armored vehicles traditionally being a strong suit for German industry, some here have privately complained about the 50-50 division of responsibility.
“It's an emotional issue here in Germany,” Wachter said.
Once the money begins to flow for an additional set of contracts early next year, there is a litany of questions yet to be sorted out. The fate of intellectual property rights, for example, remains unsorted, according to the analyst. In addition, as of late October, there was no agreement on Spain's industrial work share. Spain is something of a junior partner in the FCAS project, though officials in Madrid have said they expect equal treatment as a full member of the trinational project team.
The Spanish government in the summer designated defense electronics company Indra as the national lead for the fighter program. The move angered Airbus, where officials were hoping to give their Spanish subsidiary a role that would satisfy Madrid's demands for industrial participation.
Another potential point of contention has to do with military requirements for the future fighter. Perhaps the most prominent issue is that French officials want a carrier-capable jet, which Germany does not need.
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October 11, 2023 | International, Security
Canada sending more artillery shells, aircraft bombs to Ukraine, defence minister says | CBC News
Canada is sending more munitions to Ukraine, including artillery rounds and aircraft bombs, Defence Minister Bill Blair announced in Brussels on Wednesday as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy attended the meeting of allies who are helping am his country.
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November 7, 2019 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security
Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - November 06, 2019
ARMY BFBC LLC, Bozeman, Montana, was awarded a $260,473,876 firm-fixed-price contract for the barrier wall on the Barry M. Goldwater Range land in Arizona between Mexico and the U.S. Five bids were solicited with four bids received. Work will be performed in Yuma, Arizona, with an estimated completion date of Nov. 12, 2020. Fiscal 2018 military construction funds in the amount of $260,473,876 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Portland, Oregon, is the contracting activity (W912PL-20-C-0002). NAVY Lockheed Martin Corp., Fort Worth, Texas, is awarded a $184,581,519 cost-plus-fixed-fee, cost-plus-incentive-fee, fixed-price-incentive-firm, firm-fixed-price modification (P00024) to a previously awarded fixed-price incentive firm contract (N00019-18-C-1048) to establish organic depot level repair capabilities for F-35 systems under the low-rate initial production Lot 11 non-annualized sustainment contract in support of the Air Force, Marine Corps, Navy, and non-Department of Defense (DoD) participants. Systems included are: common components, conventional controls, surfaces and edges, electrical/mechanical activation, firewall shutoff valve, radar, wing flap actuator system, hydraulic power generation system, arresting gear, standby flight display, fuel system, exterior lighting, gun system control unit, filter modules, thermal management system fan, alternating current contactor module and rudder pedals. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas (31%); Melbourne, Florida (19%); Linthicum Heights, Maryland (11%); Torrance, California (7%); Palmdale, California (7%); Grand Rapids, Michigan (6%); Milwaukee, Wisconsin (3%); Los Angeles, California (3%); Helmond, Netherlands (2%); Cheltenham, United Kingdom (2%); Lancashire, United Kingdom (2%); Montville, New Jersey (1%); East Aurora, New York (1%); New Port Richey, Florida (1%), Williston, Vermont (1%); Tucson, Arizona (1%); Irvine, California (1%); and Mansfield, Ohio (1%), and is expected to be completed in March 2023. Fiscal 2020 aircraft procurement (Air Force, Marine Corps, and Navy); and non-DoD participant funds in the amount of $184,581,519 are being obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract combines purchases for the Air Force ($88,192,135; 47.78%); the Marine Corps ($44,096,063; 23.89%); Navy ($44,096,063; 23.89%); and non-DoD participants ($8,197,258; 4.44%). The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. Sodexo Management Inc., Gaithersburg, Maryland, is awarded an $117,775,993 firm-fixed-price modification P00021 under previously awarded contract M95494-18-C-0018 for the management and operation of mess halls in support of the Marine Corps Regional Garrison Food Services Program. Work will be performed in Washington, District of Columbia; Indian Head, Maryland; Quantico, Virginia; Norfolk, Virginia; Camp Lejeune, North Carolina; Cherry Point, North Carolina; Bogue, North Carolina; New River, North Carolina; Beaufort, South Carolina; and Parris Island, South Carolina. Fiscal 2020 military personnel (Marine Corps) funding for $19,743,759 will be obligated at the time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Marine Corps Installation Command, Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting activity. Sodexo Management Inc., Gaithersburg, Maryland, is awarded an $116,470,442 firm-fixed-price modification P00018 under previously awarded contract M95494-18-C-0016 for the management and operation of mess halls in support of the Marine Corps Regional Garrison Food Services Program. Work will be performed in Camp Pendleton, California; San Diego, California; Twentynine Palms, California; Miramar, California; Yuma, Arizona; and Bridgeport, California. Fiscal 2020 military personnel (Marine Corps) funding for $20,256,240 will be obligated at the time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Marine Corps Installation Command, Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting activity. BAE Systems, San Diego, California, is awarded a $33,946,052 firm-fixed-price delivery order N55236-20-F-4001 from multiple-award indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract N00024-16-D-4416 for a selected restricted availability on USS Mobile Bay (CG 53). This delivery order is for a selected restricted availability to execute depot-level maintenance, alterations, and modifications that will update and improve the ship's military and technical capabilities. Work will be performed in San Diego, California, and is expected to be complete by October 2020. This delivery order includes options, which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $38,188,485 and be complete by October 2020. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Navy) funds for $33,946,052 will be obligated at time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This delivery order was competitively procured with one request for proposal solicited, and two offers received via all eligible multiple award indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contractors in the San Diego, California, area. The Southwest Regional Maintenance Center, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity. Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Aerospace Systems, Melbourne, Florida, is awarded a $32,453,129 modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price delivery order (N00019-18-F-2334) against a previously issued basic ordering agreement (N00019-15-G-0026). This modification exercises the option for five aerial refueling retrofit kits, installations and technical data in support of the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye aircraft. Work will be performed St. Augustine, Florida (34.7%); Ronkonkoma, New York (28.86%); Melbourne, Florida (5.5%); Dorset, England (3.11%); Irvine, California (2.99%); Columbia, Maryland (1.93%); North Hollywood, California (1.48%); East Aurora, New York (1.19%); and various locations with the continental U.S. (20.24%), and is expected to be completed in March 2021. Fiscal 2019 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds for $32,453,129 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. L3 Applied Technologies Inc., San Leandro, California, is awarded a $21,741,021 cost-plus-fixed-fee and firm-fixed-price contract for a Flash X-Ray machine, a Short-Pulse Gamma Ray machine, and a radiation shielding design and installation and training. The supplies under this contract enhance the Navy's capability to produce and acquire strategic radiation hardened trusted microelectronics. These supplies are in support Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane's Radiation Testing Modernization Program. Work will be performed in San Leandro, California (97%); and Crane, Indiana (3%), and is expected to be complete by December 2022. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funding for $21,741,021 will be obligated at time of award 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 will satisfy agency requirements. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division, Crane, Indiana, is the contracting activity (N00164-20-C-GM69). AIR FORCE Millennium Health & Fitness Inc., Scottsdale, Arizona, is awarded a $9,200,000 firm-fixed-price contract for Civilian Health Promotion Services (CHPS). This requirement provides health promotion professionals that will develop, manage and promote CHPS to all civilian employees in Air Force Materiel Command and Air Mobility Command. The CHPS program may include depending on location, but is not limited to: individual health counseling, group health education classes, telephonic wellness coaching, cardiac risk blood profile (HDL, LDL, cholesterol ratio and glucose), body composition analysis, online health risk appraisal, wellness challenges and health awareness campaigns. The CHPS is a mobile worksite wellness program. The CHPS health promotion professionals will provide services at 12 staffed Air Force bases (including the CHPS office) and eight unstaffed/visited base locations appropriate for mass screenings and work is expected to be completed by Jan. 31, 2021. This award is the result of a 100% Small Business Set-aside acquisition. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $1,235,167 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Installation Contracting Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8003-20-C-0004). *Small Business