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July 15, 2024 | International, Land

Defense Innovation Unit project makes supercomputers more accessible

Two commercial firms demonstrated that they could provide high-performance computing tools on the cloud.

https://www.defensenews.com/battlefield-tech/2024/07/08/defense-innovation-unit-project-makes-supercomputers-more-accessible/

On the same subject

  • France plans to boost its self-defense posture in space

    July 29, 2019 | International, Aerospace

    France plans to boost its self-defense posture in space

    By: Christina Mackenzie PARIS – France has decided that by 2025 it will invest another €700 million ($780 million), in addition to the €3.6 billion ($4 billion) already earmarked, to boost its space capabilities, strengthening its means of surveillance and acquiring the means to self-defend in space. “If our satellites are threatened, we will blind those of our adversaries. We reserve the right to choose the time and means of the riposte: it could imply using powerful lasers deployed from our satellites or from patroller nano-satellites,” explained Armed Forces Minister Florence Parly on July 25. The announcement comes on the heels of the one made by President Emmanuel Macron on July 13 that a Space Command would be created on Sept. 1 in Toulouse, south-west France. Initially staffed by 220 people, it will be subordinated to the Air Force whose name will change to become the Air and Space Force (Armée de l'Air et de l'Espace). “Eventually, this command will be responsible for all our space operations, under the orders of the chief of staff of the armed forces,” Parly said at the Air Defense and Air Operations Command (CDAOA) on Airbase 942 in Lyon-Mont Verdun. She explained that “today our allies and our military adversaries are militarizing space. [...] We must act. We must be ready.” To this end she announced a new weapons program called “Mastering Space” with two major components: surveillance and active defense. France is one of the few countries to have its own space surveillance system thanks to the Graves and Satam radars and the telescopes deployed by the Ariane Group and the CNRS (the state-funded scientific research center). “The successor of Graves must be able to detect satellites 1,500 kilometers away that are no bigger than a shoe-box,” she declared. Actions would be taken to protect satellites, such as adding surveillance cameras to the Syracuse communications satellites and procuring patroller nano-satellites from 2023, according to the defense minister. Officials stress that this new strategy falls entirely within international legal framworks, which guarantee freedom of exploration and use of space as well as the principle of self-defense. However, France's own National Space Law will have to be adapted within an inter-ministerial framework in order to take account of the specifics of military space. https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2019/07/26/france-plans-to-boost-its-self-defense-posture-in-space/

  • Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - May 08, 2020

    May 11, 2020 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security

    Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - May 08, 2020

    AIR FORCE Cardinal Contracting Inc., Freehold, New Jersey (FA4484-20-D-0007); Ranco Construction Inc., Southampton, New Jersey (FA4484-20-D-0008); Rome Management Associates LLC, Trenton, New Jersey (FA4484-20-D-0009); The Oak Group Inc., Camden, New Jersey (FA4484-20-D-0010); and GWP Enterprises Inc., Franklinville, New Jersey (FA4484-20-D-0022), are each being awarded a ceiling $66,000,000, firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for asphalt paving and concrete of one base-year, plus up to four one-year options. The contractors will provide all plant, labor, materials, equipment, transportation, fuel, supervision and permits required. All work will be performed at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey, and is expected to be completed by May 10, 2025. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition with seven offers received. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds will be used, with no funds being obligated at the time of award. Funding will be provided on individual task orders. The 87th Contracting Squadron, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey, is the contracting activity. Moog Inc., Elma, New York, was awarded a $9,508,592, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity requirements modification (P00013) to FA8118-15-D-0001 for the overhaul of the B-2 Hydraulic Servocylinder contract line item numbers during a six-month extension of services from May 8, 2020, through Nov. 8, 2020. Work will be performed in Elma, New York. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition and one offer was received. No funds are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Sustainment Center, Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, is the contracting activity. Georgia Tech Applied Research Corp., Atlanta, Georgia, has been awarded a $9,443,405 task order (FA8523-20-F-0027) on basic contract FA8523-19-D-0006 for engineering sustainment in support of the AAR-44, AAR-47 and Georgia Tech Synthetic Imaging Missile Simulation systems. This order provides support to the analysis and evaluation of various electronic optical/infrared and radio frequency threats and responses which will improve the survivability, reliability and mission success for U.S. warfighting airborne elements. Work will be performed in Atlanta, Georgia, and is expected to the completed by May 21, 2025. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $1,697,000 are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, is the contracting activity. ARMY Kord Technologies LLC, Huntsville, Alabama, was awarded a $50,965,000 modification (P00004) to contract W31P4Q-17-D-0044 for target system hardware support. Bids were solicited via the internet with two received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 13, 2022. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Orlando, Florida, is the contracting activity. AAI Corp., doing business as Textron Systems, Hunt Valley, Maryland, was awarded a $25,610,000 firm-fixed-price contract for three Aerosonde Mk4.7 systems, initial spare parts, logistics support, new equipment training and two field service representatives. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will be performed in Nigeria, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 30, 2021. Fiscal 2019 overseas contingency operations, defense funds in the amount of $25,610,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W911QY-20-C-0025). AAI Corp., doing business as Textron Systems, Hunt Valley, Maryland, was awarded a $20,780,000 firm-fixed-price contract for two Aerosonde Mk4.7 systems, initial spare parts, new equipment training, logistics support and a field representative. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will be performed in Uganda, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 30, 2022. Fiscal 2020 peacekeeping operations and overseas contingency operation funds in the amount of $20,780,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W911QY-20-C-0014). Manson Construction Co., Seattle, Washington, was awarded a $20,300,000 firm-fixed-price contract for fully crewed and equipped self-propelled trailing suction type hopper dredge on a rental basis. Bids were solicited via the internet with four received. Work will be performed in Plaquemines, Louisiana, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 13, 2021. Fiscal 2020 civil operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $20,300,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans, Louisiana, is the contracting activity (W912P8-20-C-0024). Healy Tibbitts Builders Inc., Aiea, Hawaii, was awarded a $9,745,000 firm-fixed-price contract for Honolulu Harbor maintenance dredging. Bids were solicited via the internet with two received. Work will be performed in Honolulu, Hawaii, with an estimated completion date of Nov. 20, 2021. Fiscal 2020 civil construction funds in the amount of $9,745,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Honolulu, Hawaii, is the contracting activity (W9128A-20-C-0003). Rockwell Collins Inc., Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was awarded a $7,561,560 firm-fixed-price contract for small mission computer hardware and executable software for the RQ-7B Shadow Tactical Unmanned Aircraft System. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will be performed in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 15, 2022. Fiscal 2019 aircraft procurement (Army) funds in the amount of $7,561,560 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W911QY-20-C-0060). NAVY Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems, Syracuse, New York, is awarded a $47,654,068 cost-plus-incentive-fee delivery order to previously awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (N00024-19-D-6200) for the procurement of submarine modernization kits, equipment and installation. Work will be performed in Syracuse, New York, and is expected to be complete by February 2023. Fiscal 2020 and 2019 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funds in the amount of $39,580,396 and 2020 other procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $8,073,672 will be obligated at time of award and not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity. AAI Corp., doing business as Textron Systems, Hunt Valley, Maryland, is awarded a $20,720,170 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to previously awarded contract N00024-14-C-6322 for engineering and technical services for the Unmanned Influence Sweep System (UISS) and Unmanned Surface Vehicle program. Work will be performed in Hunt Valley, Maryland (70%) and Slidell, Louisiana (30%). The UISS will allow the Littoral combat ship to perform its mine countermeasure sweep mission and targets acoustic, magnetic and magnetic/acoustic combination mine types. The UISS program will satisfy the Navy's need for a rapid, wide-area coverage mine clearance capability which are required to neutralize magnetic/acoustic influence mines. The UISS also seeks to provide a high-area coverage rate in a small, lightweight package with minimal impact on the host platform. Work is expected to be complete by September 2021. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $7,193,864 will be obligated at time of award and not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity. DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY S&L Aerospace Metals LLC,* Flushing, New York, has been awarded a $24,386,400 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for cylinders and pistons. This was a limited competitive acquisition set-aside to small business sources only, as stated in Federal Acquisition Regulation 19.502-2. This is a five-year contract with no option periods. Location of performance is New York, with a May 7, 2025 performance completion date. Using military service is Army. The type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2025 Army working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama (SPRRA1-20-D-0043). *Small business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2181939/source/GovDelivery/

  • Airbus Corporate Jets wins first A321LR order for two aircraft

    August 14, 2020 | International, Aerospace

    Airbus Corporate Jets wins first A321LR order for two aircraft

    August 14, 2020 - Airbus Corporate Jets (ACJ) has won the first A321LR order for two aircraft from Lufthansa Technik, highlighting the market appeal and versatility of the A320neo Family. The aircraft will be multi-role capable and can be equipped for various types of missions, such as troop transport, different MedEvac role setups (medical evacuation) and will be operated by the German Air Force (Luftwaffe). Lufthansa Technik has now placed a total order of five Airbus aircraft on behalf of the German Government: three ACJ350-900s and two A321LRs. The A321LRs will be able to fly up to 163 passengers, up to 6 intensive care patients and up to 12 medium care patients, depending on the installed configuration, with a maximum range of 4,200nm/7,800km or 9.5 flight hours. “We are thrilled Lufthansa Technik has become the launch customer for the ACJ long-range version of the world's best-selling A321neo,” said Benoit Defforge, ACJ President. “The ACJ320 Family features the widest cabin of any single-aisle aircraft in the sky, providing the greatest passenger comfort and intercontinental range. Lufthansa Technik and the German Government have a long-standing relationship with Airbus and we are proud of this new milestone order with us.” The A321LR is a member of the A320neo Family with over 7,400 orders by more than 110 customers. It delivers 30 per cent fuel savings and nearly 50 per cent reduction in noise footprint compared to previous generation competitor aircraft. With a range of up to 4,000nm (7,400km), with 206 passengers, the A321LR is the unrivalled long-range route opener, featuring true transatlantic capability and premium wide-body comfort in a single-aisle aircraft cabin. Featuring the most spacious cabins of any business jet, while being similar in size to competing large-cabin aircraft, the ACJ320neo Family also delivers similar operating costs. The ACJ320neo Family can do this because its lower maintenance and training overheads – part of its airliner heritage – deliver a similar total cost when combined with fuel and navigation and landing charges. Some 12,000 Airbus aircraft are in service worldwide, supported by a globe-spanning network of spares and training centres, giving corporate jet customers unmatched support in the field. Airbus corporate jet customers also benefit from services tailored to their particular needs, such as the “one call handles all” corporate jet customer care centre (C4you), and customised maintenance programmes. Combined with the inherent reliability that comes from aircraft designed to fly many times a day, the ACJ320neo Family is both dependable and available when customers need it. Airbus corporate jets are part of the world's most modern aircraft family, which delivers, as standard, features which either cost more, or are unavailable, in competitors. These features include the protection and simplicity of fly-by-wire controls, the benefits of Category 3B autoland, and time and cost-saving centralised maintenance on all systems. Around 200 Airbus corporate jets are in service on every continent, including Antarctica, highlighting their versatility in challenging environments. #ACJ #A321LR @LHTechnik Your Contact Heiko Stolzke External Communications - Airbus Commercial Aircraft +49 151 4615 0714 Send an email Stefan Schaffrath Head of External Communications - Airbus Commercial Aircraft +33 6 16 09 55 92 Send an email View source version on Airbus: https://www.airbus.com/newsroom/press-releases/en/2020/08/airbus-corporate-jets-wins-first-a321lr-order-for-two-aircraft.html

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