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January 23, 2020 | International, Aerospace

Check Out This Stealth Target Drone: It Could Be a Warplane in Disguise

The U.S. Air Force soon could deploy a radar-evading target drone. One that easily could evolve into a front-line warplane.

California-based Sierra Technical revealed its prototype drone in photos the company released in mid-January 2020.

The Fifth-Generation Aerial Target, or 5GAT, is roughly the size of a T-38 training jet and like the T-38 boasts two J85 engines. The prototype with its sharp angles bears a passing resemblance to an F-22 stealth fighter, albeit one without a cockpit.

The company plans to fly the drone for the first time in early 2020. The Air Force wants the 5GAT drone for target practice in order to help fighter pilots prepare for dogfights with Russian and Chinese stealth fighters.

The drone's development is part of a wider Air Force effort to provide realistic training to its pilots for doing battle with the latest radar-evading warplanes. The service also plans to organize some of its F-35 stealth fighters into an “adversary” squadron that would play the role of the enemy during realistic war games.

https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/check-out-stealth-target-drone-it-could-be-warplane-disguise-115936

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  • Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - May 1, 2019

    May 2, 2019 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security, Other Defence

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

    ARMY Callan Marine Ltd., Galveston, Texas (W912EP-19-D-0023); Cashman Dredging and Marine Contracting Co. LLC, Quincy, Massachusetts (W912EP-19-D-0024); Cavache Inc.,* Pompano Beach, Florida (W912EP-19-D-0025 ); Continental Heavy Civil Corp., Miami, Florida (W912EP-19-D-0026 ); Cottrell Contracting Inc.,* Chesapeake, Virginia (W912EP-19-D-0027); Great Lakes Dredge and Dock, Oak Brook, Illinois (W912EP-19-D-0028); J.T. Cleary Inc., Spring Valley, New York (W912EP-19-D-0029); Manson Construction Co., Seattle, Washington (W912EP-19-D-0030); Marinex Construction Inc., Charleston, South Carolina (W912EP-19-D-0031); Norfolk Dredging Co., Chesapeake, Virginia (W912EP-19-D-0032); Orion Marine Construction Inc., Tampa, Florida (W912EP-19-D-0033); Southern Dredging Co. Inc.,* Charleston, South Carolina (W912EP-19-D-0034); The Dutra Group, San Rafael, California (W912EP-19-D-0035); Waterfront Property Service LLC, doing business as Gator Dredging,* Clearwater, Florida (W912EP-19-D-0036 ); Weeks Marine Inc., Covington, Louisiana (W912EP-19-D-0037); Cavache Inc.,* Pompano Beach, Florida (W912EP-19-D-0038); CJW Construction Inc.,* Santa Ana, California (W912EP-19-D-0039); Coastal Dredging Co. Inc.,* Hammond, Louisiana (W912EP-19-D-0040); Cottrell Contracting Inc.,* Chesapeake, Virginia (W912EP-19-D-0041); Florida Dredge and Dock LLC,* Tarpon Springs, Florida (W912EP-19-D-0042); Southern Dredging Co. Inc.,* Charleston, South Carolina (W912EP-19-D-0043); Southwind Construction Corp.,* Evansville, Indiana (W912EP-19-D-0044); and Waterfront Property Service LLC, doing business as Gator Dredging,* Clearwater, Florida (W912EP-19-D-0045), will compete for each order of the $495,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for dredging and shore protection projects. Bids were solicited via the internet with 24 received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of April 30, 2024. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville, Florida, is the contracting activity. HB&A LLC,* Colorado Springs, Colorado (W9128F-19-D-0004); Kenneth Hahn Architects Inc.,* Omaha, Nebraska (W9128F-19-D-0005); and Yeager Architecture Inc.,* Overland Park, Kansas (W9128F-19-D-0006), will compete for each order of the $30,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for preparation of studies, analysis and design services. Bids were solicited via the internet with 22 received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of April 30, 2024. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha, Nebraska, is the contracting activity. PRIDE Industries, Roseville, California, was awarded a $20,122,695 modification (P00008) to contract W91247-18-C-0011 for repair and maintenance support. Work will be performed in Fort Polk, Louisiana, with an estimated completion date of May 31, 2023. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance, Army funds in the amount of $5,772,517 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Mission Installation Contracting Command, Fort Polk, Louisiana, is the contracting activity. A. WBE-CCI JV One LLC,* Itasca, Illinois, was awarded a $7,828,000 firm-fixed-price contract for the construction of a new Air National Guard Fire Crash Rescue Station. Bids were solicited via the internet with five received. Work will be performed in Peoria, Illinois, with an estimated completion date of Oct. 30, 2020. Fiscal 2019 military construction funds in the amount of $7,828,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Property and Fiscal Office Illinois is the contracting activity (W91SMC-19-C-6001). S.D.S Lumber Co.,* Bingen, Washington, was awarded a $7,757,620 modification (P00007) to contract W912EF-18-C-0010 for towboat services. Work will be performed in Walla Walla, Washington, with an estimated completion date of April 30, 2021. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance, Army funds in the amount of $3,638,716 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Walla Walla, Washington, is the contracting activity. STG Inc.,* Reston, Virginia, was awarded a $7,645,240 firm-fixed-price contract for operational and technical engineering. Bids were solicited via the internet with three received. Work will be performed in Fort Huachuca, Arizona, with an estimated completion date of April 30, 2020. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance, Army funds in the amount of $7,645,240 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W91RUS-19-F-0142). DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Beacon Point Associates LLC, Cape Coral, Florida, has been awarded a maximum $49,000,000 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for medical/surgical supplies. This was a competitive acquisition with 16 responses received. This is a five-year contract with no options. Location of performance is Florida, with a May 14, 2024, performance completion date. Using customers are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and federal civilian agencies. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2024 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE2DE-19-D-0005). Allied Tube and Conduit Corp., Harvey, Illinois, has been awarded a maximum $46,000,000 firm-fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment contract for barbed tape concertina wire. This is a competitive acquisition with two responses received. This is a two-year base contract with three one-year option periods. Locations of performance are Illinois and Ohio, with an April 30, 2022, performance completion date. Using military services are Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2022 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE8E6-19-D-0002). American Medical Depot (AMD), Miramar, Florida, has been awarded a maximum $45,000,000 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for medical/surgical supplies. This was a competitive acquisition with 11 responses received. This is a five-year contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Florida, with a June 11, 2024, performance completion date. Using customers are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and federal civilian agencies. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2024 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE2DE-19-D-0009). Kandor Manufacturing Inc., Kandor, Puerto Rico, has been awarded a maximum $13,896,462 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the Navy working uniform, Blouses/Trousers Type II and III, and maternity blouses. This was a competitive acquisition with five responses received. This is an 18-month base contract with three one-year option periods. Location of performance is Puerto Rico, with an Oct. 29, 2020, performance completion date. Using military service is Navy. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2021 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE1C1-19-D-1163). (Awarded April 30, 2019) AIR FORCE Rockwell Collins Inc., Collins Aerospace – Mission Systems, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, has been awarded a $43,033,042 cost-plus-incentive-fee contract for Next Generation Application Specific Integrated Circuit Preliminary Design Review (PDR). This contract provides for the design, develop, and test of modernized Global Positioning System receivers that are intended for future military applications to the PDR level. Work will be performed in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and is expected to be complete by April 2021. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Fiscal 2019 research and development funds in the amount of $9,000,000 are being obligated at time of award. Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles Air Force Base, California, is the contracting activity (FA8807-19-C-0003). International Business Machines Corp., Yorktown Heights, New York, has been awarded a $7,500,000 other transaction agreement for experimental purposes to provide an IBM Q access license. This agreement provides for remote access to the IBM Q System, a quantum computer with approximately 20 to 50 qubits. Work will be performed in Yorktown Heights, New York, and is expected to be complete by April 30, 2022. Fiscal 2019 research and development funds in the amount of $5,000,000 are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Research Laboratory, Rome, New York, is the contracting activity (FA8750-19-9-0334). NAVY Systems Application and Technologies Inc., Largo, Maryland, is awarded a $14,583,586 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to procure continued support services to the Air Vehicle Modification and Instrumentation (AVMI) Department and the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR). Required services include support for the designing, developing, procuring, building, installing, testing and evaluating, calibrating, modifying, operating and maintaining instrumentation on aircraft and engines for the Navy and other government and commercial customers. Work will be performed at Patuxent River, Maryland (74 percent); China Lake, California (13.5 percent); and Point Mugu, California (12.5 percent), and is expected to be completed in November 2020. Working capital (Navy) funds in the amount of $8,000 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities website, with four offers received. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N00421-19-C-0023). *Small business https://dod.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/1831787/source/GovDelivery/

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  • Brève note sur la guerre des avions de combat de nouvelle génération

    October 9, 2018 | International, Aerospace

    Brève note sur la guerre des avions de combat de nouvelle génération

    PAR JEAN-PAUL BAQUIAST BLOG : POUR UNE EUROPE PUISSANCE Ce terme de guerre signifie que plusieurs pays, Etats-Unis, Russie, Chine, France, Inde, veulent se doter pour 2020 environ de flottes d'avions de combat multi-rôles dits encore de 5e génération. Ceux-ci doivent avoir des versions capables de décoller d'un porte-avion dépourvu de catapultes. Depuis quelques années, l'objectif recherché était la furtivité, c'est-à-dire la possibilité d'échapper aux radars dont sont dotés les divers objectifs envisageable. Mais le progrès constant de ceux-ci rendent la furtivité pratiquement impossible à acquérir en totalité. C'est dorénavant, en dehors des aptitudes au combat rapproché aérien, la capacité d'emporter des missiles de plus en plus perfectionnés mais aussi de plus en plus lourds qui paraît aujourd'hui primer. Les Etats-Unis ont traditionnellement dominé le domaine, avec notamment le Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor, diffusé à des centaines d'exemplaires. Depuis une dizaine d'années, ils avaient envisagé de les remplacer par des Lockheed Martin F 35 dits aussi JSF, pour Joint Strike Fighter. Mais les déboires à peine croyables qu'ils ont enregistrés dans le déroulement de ce programme, estimé au minimum à $1.500 milliards, font qu'ils redonnent d'importantes perspectives aux F-22 Raptor. Rappelons qu'Israël, seul Etat ayant pris le risque de mettre en service opérationnel des F-35 du type Adir, ne semble pas prête à les utiliser contre des batteries de S 300 russes en Syrie, même lorsqu'ils seront pris en mains par des Syriens. La Russie n'a jamais voulu se laisser distancer de façon importante par les Etats-Unis dans ce domaine. De nombreuses générations d'avions de combat avaient été développées depuis le début de la guerre froide. Pour un proche avenir, ce sera le Sukhoi Su-57 qui devrait prendre le relais de l'actuel Su-35. Le Su-57 a même été qualifié d'appareil de 6e génération. Mais en ce domaine ce sont les essais réussis qui comptent plus que les mots. La Chine qui jusqu'à présent s'était satisfaite de modèles directement inspirés par leurs homologues russes, a développé dans le plus grand secret et vient de présenter au public un appareil dit entièrement chinois, le Chengdu J-20. Elle comptera principalement sur lui pour se doter de la supériorité aérienne dans le Pacifique sud. Rappelons que la France dispose depuis plusieurs années du Dassault Rafale dont des versions successives sont régulièrement présentées. Dit parfois comme le meilleur avion de combat du monde, celui-ci devrait en tous cas être susceptible de s'opposer dans la pllupart des cas aux avions américains, russes et chinois. Quant à l'Inde, elle n'a pas encore essayé de se doter d'une gamme propre. Aujourd'hui elle a commandé une petite série de Rafales, qui pourraient à l'avenir être construits sous licence en Inde. Mais elle réfléchit également à la perspective d'acquérir des appareils russes du type Sukhoi. Israël serait très demandeur d'avions proprement israéliens ? Mais le pays vu le coût du programme compte aujourd'hui sur des appareils américains, qui ne semblent pourtant pas donner de grandes satisfactions. Rappelons qu'aux Etats-Unis comme en France, la fabrication des avions ou des pièces détachées est très largement décentralisée dans des pays-tiers. Mais cela n'est pas sans risques. En est témoin le fait que, selon une source iranienne, les Américains se découvrent aujourd'hui très dépendants de la Turquie, avec laquelle ils ne sont pas dans les meilleurs termes, pour la fabrication des F-35 Références https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_Martin_F-22_Raptor https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sukhoi_Su-57 http://parstoday.com/fr/news/world-i68520-le_su_57_6e_g%C3%A9n%C3%A9ration_arrive! https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chengdu_J-20 http://parstoday.com/fr/news/world-i71450-f_35_la_surprise_turque_pour_les_usa http://www.myzone59.com/f-35-jsf-le-cout-estime-du-programme-atteint-les-1-510-milliards-de-dollars/ https://blogs.mediapart.fr/jean-paul-baquiast/blog/071018/breve-note-sur-la-guerre-des-avions-de-combat-de-nouvelle-generation

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