March 17, 2023 | International, Naval
Marines accelerate Force Design transformation in FY24 budget request
The commandant also previewed his wish list, which will go to lawmakers later this month.
October 30, 2019 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security
Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - October 30, 2019
NAVY
CubicGATR Technologies Inc., Huntsville, Alabama, is awarded a $325,000,000 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the purchase of up to a maximum 172 Next Generation Troposcatter system manufacturing and delivery, test support, technical data delivery, logistics data delivery, training data delivery and training support, fielding support and sustainment support. Work will be performed in Huntsville, Alabama, and is expected to be complete by October 2029. Fiscal 2019 procurement (Marine Corps) funds in the amount of $28,820,220 will be obligated on the first delivery order immediately following contract award, and funds will not expire at the end of current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities website, with two offers received. The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Virginia, is the contracting activity (M67854-20-D-2000).
BAE Systems Land & Armaments LP, Sterling Heights, Michigan, is awarded a $119,938,228 modification to exercise options for the fixed-price-incentive (firm target) and firm-fixed price contract line item numbers (CLINs) 4000, 4003 and 4004 portions of a previously awarded contract (M67854-16-C-0006). This modification is for the purchase of 30 Amphibious Combat Vehicles and associated production, fielding and support costs and depot support products. Work will be performed in York, Pennsylvania (60%); Aiken, South Carolina (15%); San Jose, California (15%); Sterling Heights, Michigan (5%); and Stafford, Virginia (5%), and is expected to be completed in January 2022. Fiscal 2020 procurement (Marine Corps) funds in the amount of $119,938,228 will be obligated at the time of award, and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The contract was based on full and open competition with the solicitation publicized on the Federal Business Opportunities website with five offers received. The option CLINs were included within that contract and are being exercised in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation 52.217-7 Option for Increased Quantity-Separately Priced Line Item. The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Virginia, is the contracting activity (M67854-16-C-0006).
Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation-Marine Systems, Sunnyvale, California, is awarded a cost-plus-fixed-fee $7,542,234 contract modification (P00024) to a previously awarded contract (N00030-16-C-0015) to provide support for technical engineering services, design and development engineering, component and full scale test and evaluation engineering and tactical underwater launcher hardware production to support the development and production of the Common Missile Compartment. Work will be performed in Sunnyvale, California (55%); Ridgecrest, California (20%); Cape Canaveral, Florida (10%); Bangor, Washington (5%); Kings Bay, Georgia (5%); Barrow-In-Furness, England (2%); New London, Connecticut (1%); Quonset Point, Rhode Island (1%); and Arlington, Virginia (1%), with an expected completion date of Sept. 30, 2020. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $315,604; and United Kingdom funding in the amount of $5,454,694 are being obligated on this award. Funds in the amount of $315,604 expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Subject to the availability of funding, fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation and United Kingdom funding in the amount of $1,771,936 will be obligated on this award. Strategic Systems Programs, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity.
DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY
Stonewin Capital LP, New York, New York, has been awarded a minimum $34,494,452 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment contract for marine gas oil. This was a competitive acquisition with 41 responses received. This is a 60-month contract with one six-month option period. Locations of performance are New York, California, Texas and South Carolina, with an Oct. 31, 2024, performance completion date. Using customers are Army, Navy, Military Sealift Command, Coast Guard and federal civilian agencies. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2024 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Energy, Fort Belvoir, Virginia (SPE608-20-D-0350).
AvKare Inc., Pulaski, Tennessee, has been awarded an estimated $10,600,000 firm-fixed-price requirements contract for Metformin HCL ER tablets. This was a competitive acquisition with one response received. This is a one-year base contract with four one-year option periods. Locations of performance are Tennessee, New York and Kentucky with an Oct. 28, 2020, performance completion date. Using customers are Department of Defense, Department of Veterans Affairs, Indian Health Services, and Federal Bureau of Prisons. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2021 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE2D2-20-D-0084).
AIR FORCE
L‐3 Communications Vertex Aerospace LLC, Madison, Mississippi, has been awarded an estimated $30,000,000 firm-fixed‐price, indefinite‐delivery/indefinite‐quantity modification (P00019) to previously awarded contract FA8106‐17‐D‐0001 for contractor logistic support of the Air Force C‐12 fleet. Work will be performed in Madison, Mississippi; San Angelo, Texas; Okmulgee, Oklahoma; Buenos Ares, Argentina; Gaborone, Botswana; Brasilia, Brazil; Bogota, Columbia; Cairo, Egypt; Accra, Ghana; Tegucigalpa, Honduras; Budapest, Hungary; Joint Base Andrews, Maryland; Nairobi, Kenya, Rabat, Morocco; Manila, Philippines; Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; Bangkok, Thailand; Ankara, Turkey; Edwards Air Force Base, California; Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico; Joint Base Elmendorf‐Richardson, Alaska; Oslo, Norway; and Yokota Air Base, Japan, and is expected to be completed by Dec. 31, 2020. The estimated cumulative face value of the contract is $120,000,000. Fiscal 2020 aircraft procurement funds are being used and no funds are being obligated at the time of the award. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, is the contracting activity.
DEFENSE HEALTH AGENCY
InteIillidyne LLC, Falls Church, Virginia, has been awarded a $27,041,715 firm-fixed-price contract to provide direct support to the Defense Health Agency (DHA) Global Service Center and the enterprise to fully support the integration of all desk side support, remote, or onsite troubleshooting, onsite information technology touch labor, network support services activity program management, network security and infrastructure assurance activities to include risk management framework support, in-room video teleconferencing support, Defense Health Headquarters site asset management and network/systems engineering, where required, into the Military Health System Joint Active Directory Management and the Military Health System Medical Community of Interest network environment systems and infrastructure. This award is the result of a sole source acquisition. This contract will have a one year period of performance, Oct. 30, 2019, to Oct, 29, 2020, with one six-month option period. This contract provides continuity of services until DHA is able to conduct a competitive award anticipated in the third quarter of fiscal 2020. This award utilizes fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $27,041,715. The Defense Health Agency, Falls Church, Virginia, is the contracting activity.
ARMY
Quasonix LLC,* West Chester, Ohio, was awarded a $21,736,371 firm-fixed-price contract for Quasonix telemetry transmitters in support of live fire testing. One bid was solicited via the internet with one bid received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Oct. 28, 2024. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W91CRB-20-D-0003).
MISSILE DEFENSE AGENCY
Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Azusa, California, is being awarded a firm-fixed-price prototype award with a total value of $20,000,000 through the Missile Defense Agency's authority under 10 U.S. Code § 2371b. This prototype award was competitively solicited via publication through the Space Enterprise Consortium Other Transaction Agreement between Space and Missile Systems Center and Advanced Technology International (FA8814-18-9-0002). Twelve proposals were received. Under this award, the performer will provide the Missile Defense Agency's Hypersonic and Ballistic Tracking Space Sensor Program with prototype payload design and signal-chain processing risk reduction demonstration. The work will be performed in Azusa, California, with an estimated completion date of Oct. 31, 2020. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $15,000,000 will be obligated at the time of award. These funds will expire at the end of the 2020 fiscal year. Missile Defense Agency, Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado, is the contracting activity (HQ0857-20-9-0003).
Leidos Inc., Reston, Virginia, is being awarded a firm-fixed-price prototype award with a total value of $19,995,345 through the Missile Defense Agency's authority under 10 U.S. Code § 2371b. This prototype award was competitively solicited via publication through the Space Enterprise Consortium Other Transaction Agreement between Space and Missile Systems Center and Advanced Technology International (FA8814-18-9-0002). Twelve proposals were received. Under this award, the performer will provide the Missile Defense Agency's Hypersonic and Ballistic Tracking Space Sensor Program with prototype payload design and signal-chain processing risk reduction demonstration. The work will be performed in San Diego, California, with an estimated completion date of Oct. 31, 2020. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $15,000,000 will be obligated at the time of award. These funds will expire at the end of the 2020 fiscal year. Missile Defense Agency, Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado, is the contracting activity (HQ0857-20-9-0002).
Harris Corp., Fort Wayne, Indiana, is being awarded a firm-fixed-price prototype award with a total value of $19,994,752 through the Missile Defense Agency's authority under 10 U.S. Code § 2371b. This prototype award was competitively solicited via publication through the Space Enterprise Consortium Other Transaction Agreement between Space and Missile Systems Center and Advanced Technology International (FA8814-18-9-0002). Twelve proposals were received. Under this award, the performer will provide the Missile Defense Agency's Hypersonic and Ballistic Tracking Space Sensor Program with prototype payload design and signal-chain processing risk reduction demonstration. The work will be performed in Fort Wayne, Indiana, with an estimated completion date of Oct. 31, 2020. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $15,000,000 will be obligated at the time of award. These funds will expire at the end of the 2020 fiscal year. Missile Defense Agency, Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado, is the contracting activity (HQ0857-20-9-0001).
Raytheon Co., El Segundo, California, is being awarded a firm-fixed-price prototype award with a total value of $19,958,883 through the Missile Defense Agency's authority under 10 U.S. Code § 2371b. This prototype award was competitively solicited via publication through the Space Enterprise Consortium Other Transaction Agreement between Space and Missile Systems Center and Advanced Technology International (FA8814-18-9-0002). Twelve proposals were received. Under this award, the contractor will provide the Missile Defense Agency's Hypersonic and Ballistic Tracking Space Sensor Program with prototype payload design and signal-chain processing risk reduction demonstration. The work will be performed in El Segundo, California, with an estimated completion date of Oct. 31, 2020. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $15,000,000 will be obligated at the time of award. These funds will expire at the end of the 2020 fiscal year. Missile Defense Agency, Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado, is the contracting activity (HQ0857-20-9-0004).
*Small Business
https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2002532/source/GovDelivery/
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September 26, 2019 | International, C4ISR
No AI For Nuclear Command & Control: JAIC’s Shanahan
By SYDNEY J. FREEDBERG JR. GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY: “You will find no stronger proponent of integration of AI capabilities writ large into the Department of Defense,” Lt. Gen. Jack Shanahan said here, “but there is one area where I pause, and it has to do with nuclear command and control.” In movies like WarGames and Terminator, nuclear launch controls are the first thing fictional generals hand over to AI. In real life, the director of the Pentagon's Joint Artificial Intelligence Center says, that's the last thing he would integrate AI with. The military is beginning a massive multi-billion dollar modernization of its aging system for Nuclear Command, Control, & Communications (NC3), much of which dates to the Cold War. But the Joint Artificial Intelligence Center is not involved with it. A recent article on the iconoclastic website War on the Rocks argued “America Needs A ‘Dead Hand',” a reference to the Soviet system designed to automatically order a nuclear launch if the human leadership was wiped out. “I read that,” Shanahan told the Kalaris Intelligence Conference here this afternoon. “My immediate answer is ‘No. We do not.'” Instead, the JAIC is very deliberately starting with relatively low-risk, non-lethal projects — predicting breakdowns in helicopter engines and mapping natural disasters — before moving on to combat-related functions such as intelligence analysis and targeting next year. On the Pentagon's timeline, AI will be coming to command posts before it is embedded in actual weapons, and even then the final decision to use lethal force will always remain in human hands. The standard term in the Pentagon now for human involvement with AI and weapons now is “human on the loop,” a shift from human IN the loop. That reflects greater stress on the advisory function of humans with AI and a recognition that domains like cyber require almost instantaneous responses that can't wait for a human. Hawkish skeptics say slowing down to ask human permission could cripple US robots against their less-restrained Russian or Chinese counterparts. Dovish skeptics say this kind of human control would be too easily bypassed. Shanahan does see a role for AI in applying lethal force once that human decision is made. “I'm not going to go straight to ‘lethal autonomous weapons systems,'” he said, “but I do want to say we will use artificial intelligence in our weapons systems... to give us a competitive advantage. It's to save lives and help deter war from happening in the first place.” The term “lethal autonomous weapons systems” was popularized by the Campaign to Stop Killer Robots, which seeks a global ban on all AI weapons. Shanahan made clear his discomfort with formal arms control measures, as opposed to policies and international norms, which don't bind the US in the same way. “I'll be honest with you,” Shanahan said. “I don't like the term, and I do not use the term, ‘arms control' when it comes to AI. I think that's unhelpful when it comes to artificial intelligence: It's largely a commercial technology,” albeit with military applications. “I'm much more interested, at least as a starting point, in international rules and norms and behavior,” he continued. (Aside from the space is governed almost exclusively “It's extremely important to have those discussions.” “This is the ultimate human decision that needs to be made....nuclear command and control,” he said. “We have to be very careful. Knowing ...the immaturity of technology today, give us a lot of time to test and evaluate.” “Can we use artificial intelligence to make better decisions, to make more informed judgments about what might be happening, to reduce the potential for civilian casualties or collateral damage?” Shanahan said. “I'm an optimist. I believe you can. It will not eliminate it, never. It's war; bad things are going to happen.” While Shanahan has no illusions about AI enabling some kind of cleanly surgical future conflict, he doesn't expect a robo-dystopia, either. “The hype is a little dangerous, because it's uninformed most of the time, and sometimes it's a Hollywood-driven killer robots/Terminator/SkyNet worst case scenario,” he said. “I don't see that worst case scenario any time in my immediate future.” “I'm very comfortable saying our approach — even though it is emerging technology, even though it unfolds very quickly before our eyes — it will still be done in a deliberate and rigorous way so we know what we get when we field it,” Shanahan said. “As the JAIC director, I'm focused on really getting to the fielding,” he said, moving AI out of the lab into the real world — but one step at a time. “We're always going to start with limited narrow use cases. Say, can we take some AI capability and put it in a small quadcopter drone that will make it easier to clear out a cave, [and] really prove that it works before we ever get it to a [large] scale production.” “We will have a very clear understanding of what it can do and what it can't do,” he said. “That will be through experimentation, that will be through modeling and simulation, and that will be in wargames. We've done that with every piece of technology we've ever used, and I don't expect this to be any different.” The JAIC is even looking to hire an in-house ethicist of sorts, a position Shanahan has mentioned earlier but sought to clarify today. “It'll be someone who's a technical standards [expert] / ethicist,” he said. “As we develop the models and algorithms... they can look at that make sure the process is abiding by our rules of the road.” “I'm also interested in, down the road, getting some help from the outside on sort of those deeper philosophical questions,” he continued. “I don't focus on them day to day, because of my charter to field now, but it's clear we have to be careful about this.” “I do not see that same approach in Russia or China,” Shanahan said. “What sets us apart is... our focus on real rigor in test and evaluation, validation and verification, before we field capability that could have lives at stake.” https://breakingdefense.com/2019/09/no-ai-for-nuclear-command-control-jaics-shanahan
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March 7, 2022 | International, Aerospace
USAF launches huge upgrade program for its F-16s - Skies Mag
Long-awaited modernization plans finally move ahead for the U.S. Air Force's newest F-16 "Vipers."