February 5, 2021 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security
AIR FORCE
Scientific Research Corp., Atlanta, Georgia, has been awarded a $95,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for Full Spectrum Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Operational Non-Appropriated Funds Support (FUSIONS). This contract will deliver a key decisional advantage to the 16th Air Force/Component Commander and Joint Force Air Component Commander by delivering timely and relevant intelligence data/products to the war fighter. The FUSIONS contract will enable critical support functions in all major work centers of the operations center and will further enable the 16th Air Force/Component Commander to exercise both command and control authorities as well as service cryptologic element roles. The majority of work will be performed at Joint Base San Antonio (JBSA)-Lackland, Texas, and is expected to be completed Feb. 28, 2026. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition and seven offers were received. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance funds in the amount of $3,000 are being obligated at the time of award. Acquisition Management and Integration Center, JBSA-Lackland, Texas, is the contracting activity (FA7037-21-D-0001).
NAVY
L3Harris Technologies Inc., Clifton, New Jersey, is awarded a $45,888,334 cost-plus-fixed-fee, cost reimbursement, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. This contract provides engineering maintenance and repair support services for Advanced Self-Protection Jammer AN/ALQ-165, Integrated Defensive Electronic Countermeasures AN/ALQ-214, and aircraft self-protection optimization software in support of F/A-18 series aircraft for the Navy and Foreign Military Sales customers. Work will be performed in Clifton, New Jersey, and is expected to be completed in February 2026. No funds will be obligated at the time of award; funds will be obligated on individual orders as they are issued. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1). The Naval Air Warfare Center, Weapons Division, Point Mugu, California, is the contracting activity (N68936-21-D-0006).
DSC Inc.,* Dunn, North Carolina, is awarded a $10,214,389 firm-fixed-price contract for Naval Air Station (NAS) Patuxent River facility support services. The work to be performed provides for the facility support services work consisting of scheduled custodial services to ensure the cleanliness of working environments (trash removal, recycling, cleaning kitchenettes, lunch and breakrooms, windows/window treatments, drinking fountains, clean/disinfect restrooms, sweeping /mopping /vacuuming floors, etc.). Pest control services includes the prevention and control of unwanted vegetation and invasive plants, nuisance, structure damaging, lawn, turf and ornamental and disease vector and health arthropod and invertebrate pests. Grounds maintenance and landscaping includes lawn maintenance (mowing and trimming, edging, irrigation systems maintenance), vegetation removal and debris removal within installation grounds parcels designated as improved, semi-improved and unimproved areas. Pavement clearance includes snow removal, sweeping to remove winter abrasives and other debris, improve the appearance of paved areas, improve the safety of paved areas, reduce maintenance costs by keeping the drainage systems clean and reduce pollutants entering the storm drain system. Transportation services consists of vehicles and equipment maintenance and repairs; vehicle and equipment operations to include dispatch services. Weight handling equipment/material handling equipment services to include provision of a crane, liquid movements, people movements, operator licensing, testing and training, vehicle/equipment inspection and certification and specified administrative program management. Work will be performed in St. Mary's County, Maryland, on the Chesapeake Bay near the mouth of the Patuxent River, and is expected to be completed by March 31, 2021. Fiscal 2021 Navy operation and maintenance (O&M,N) contract funds in the amount of $0 are obligated on this award and will be used for the base period. The base contract is incrementally funded with the first increment of $0 being allocated Feb. 4, 2021. The base year will commence April 1, 2021, and end March 31, 2022. The second increment will be funded in fiscal 2021 on or before March 31, 2021, at $852,199, and the remainder of the funds will be funded no less than monthly on the last day of each month until the continuous resolution is lifted and/or the contract is fully funded. The contract also contains five unexercised options, which if exercised, would increase cumulative contract value to $66,099,485. Funds will expire at the end of fiscal 2021. This contract was competitively procured via the beta.SAM.gov electronic solicitation with four proposals received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command, Washington, Washington, D.C., is the contract activity (N40080-21-D-0006).
DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY
Mercy Medical Equipment Co., San Antonio, Texas, has been awarded a maximum $20,000,000 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for medical equipment and accessories for the Defense Logistics Agency electronic catalog. This was a competitive acquisition with 139 responses received. This is a five-year contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Texas, with a Feb. 3, 2026, ordering period end 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 Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE2DH-21-D-0057).
Chevron U.S.A. Inc., Richmond, California, has been awarded an estimated $8,308,580 indefinite-delivery requirements contract for lubricants. This was a competitive acquisition with 10 responses received. This is a two-year contract with a 30-day carry-over period. Locations of performance are California, Texas, Oregon and South Carolina, with an April 30, 2023, performance completion date. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2021 through fiscal 2023 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency, Energy, Fort Belvoir, Virginia (SPE602-21-D-0757).
ARMY
Akima Support Operations, Colorado Springs, Colorado, was awarded a $12,380,479 modification (P00024) to contract W52P1J-20-F-0137 for support for the Enhanced Army Global Logistics Enterprise at Fort Hood. Work will be performed in Fort Hood, Texas, with an estimated completion date of Feb. 7, 2022. Fiscal 2010 operation and maintenance (Army) funds in the amount of $ 2,397,562 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois, is the contracting activity.
*Small business
https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2493842/source/GovDelivery/
December 12, 2023 | International, Land
The Federal Aviation Administration said Tuesday it was proposing three directives to mandate engine housing inspections and component replacements on Boeing 737NG airplanes after a 2018 Southwest Airlines fatal fan blade incident.
March 12, 2024 | International, Land
The U.S. Space Force wants industry to invest in on-orbit refueling, but companies say they need standards first.
November 25, 2020 | International, Aerospace
Burak Ege Bekdil ANKARA, Turkey — A privately owned Turkish company says it has developed an artificial intelligence-based software for swarm drones. MilSOFT announced Nov. 19 it developed the software after four years of research, and the the technology could be used in both fixed- and rotary-wing drone platforms. A government aerospace official said swarm drones would be used in Turkey's future unmanned aerial combat concept due to their low hardware costs and stealth technology. “These drones could be ideal in asymmetrical warfare. They are quick, cost-effective and easy to operate,” the official said. “Most importantly, they are assets designed to minimize human loss in asymmetrical warfare.” The Turkish military has been operating a big fleet of tactical and armed drones primarily in combat against Kurdish militants in Turkey's southeast provinces but also in cross-border operations in northern Syria and Iraq. Turkish drones have also been used in Libya's civil war and, most recently, in conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Many countries have yet to try drone swarm technology in a simulated, controlled environment. Turkey is among those that have the technology and the ability to test it in the field during operations. Turkey's top procurement office, the Presidency for Defense Industries, launched its Swarm UAV Technology Development and Demonstration program with a view to develop algorithms and software for the use of unmanned platforms with a swarm capability. The program is also meant to involve micro-scale companies as well as small and medium-sized enterprises. MilSOFT has specialized in software solutions since 1998, and it is one of the participants of the government-run program. It has been offering products to the Turkish military for tasks including identifying detection by automatic moving target technology using AI, and machine-learning techniques with image-processing algorithms. The company said with the integration of intelligence and image evaluation products, drone swarms can be updated with additional capabilities such as reconnaissance, detection, recognition, search and rescue, and vehicle tracking. MilSOFT's software-based solution will allow drone swarms to be launched from aerial, land and naval platforms, and the images they obtain will enter a central command system. In the meantime, the drone flocks will transfer images between different military units with a relay function. AI technology can help catch elements that cannot be caught by the human eye and enable multiple attack capabilities by arming vehicles in operation. MilSOFT's AI-based software is also expected to enable swarm drones to perform frontal attacks on command from helicopters and provide operational support to other friendly platforms. The drones can reportedly operate autonomously from the beginning to the end of a mission, and can be instantly monitored and controlled via intelligence applications. The UAVs have a flight time of more than half an hour and a payload capacity of 1 kilogram (2.2 pounds). The vehicles work with landing gear that can land on rough terrain. While five UAVs are currently used in a herd in the field, this number can reach up to 25 in a controlled environment. MilSOFT aims to make a drone swarm of 50 operational vehicles. Communication between the drones is also provided by MilSOFT's own technology. Vehicles can communicate with each other from up to 500 meters. There is also a 10-kilometer network solution for data transfers. MilSOFT plans to integrate its technology for underwater and surface platforms as well as land vehicles. https://www.c4isrnet.com/unmanned/2020/11/24/turkish-firm-develops-ai-powered-software-for-drone-swarms/