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June 9, 2021 | International, Aerospace

Delivery of new Air Force One planes could be delayed until 2025

Boeing has shown interest in re-opening negotiations that would raise the ceiling on the program's $3.9 billion contract, Air Force officials said.

https://www.defensenews.com/air/2021/06/08/delivery-of-new-air-force-one-planes-could-be-delayed-until-2025

On the same subject

  • European States Plan For Hypersonic Defense

    January 15, 2020 | International, Aerospace

    European States Plan For Hypersonic Defense

    Tony Osborne The complex nature of intercepting hypersonic weapons may predicate air-breathing propulsion technologies to provide additional range, speed and energy. European countries have linked arms to develop a counter to the emerging threat of hypersonic weapons and enhance their ballistic missile defense (BMD) capabilities. The Timely Warning and Interception with Space-based TheatER surveillance (Twister) project, led by France and supported by Finland, Italy, the Netherlands and Spain, is one of 13 new multinational programs that were given the backing of the EU's Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) initiative in November. It says it aims to develop a European system that can “detect, track and counter” more complex missile threats and give member nations a “self-standing ability to contribute to NATO's ballistic missile defense.” Currently, only a handful of European nations can counter ballistic missiles, including European users of the Raytheon Patriot (Germany, Greece, the Netherlands and Spain), as well as France and Italy with the Eurosam SAMP/T. But none of those systems is ready to deal with the new generation of threats emerging from Russia and China, including hypersonic gliders, hypersonic and high-supersonic cruise missiles, and maneuverable next-generation combat aircraft. The U.S. has also begun examining technologies through its Regional Glide-Phase Weapon System (RGPWS), disclosed by Aviation Week in December, and the Hypersonic Defense Weapon System. “We have seen the hypersonic threat coming,” says Rainer Stockhammer, team leader for Twister at European missile manufacturer MBDA. “Over the last five years we have performed studies into these new threats, which are new in terms of both novelty and maneuverability, and now we are in a position to answer this PESCO call.” MBDA is now positioning itself for a role in developing the endoatmospheric interceptor that could be the backbone of the wider Twister system in the 2030s, describing the future system as “disruptive” and “technologically demanding.” The company will not discuss what architecture it is studying for the future interceptor, but Stockhammer says MBDA's experience with the Aster family of vertically launched surface-to-air missiles and the Meteor air-breathing, beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile has given it a “good position . . . to be able to develop a solution.” The company's artist's impression depicts a missile clearly equipped with air intakes, which would suggest the use of a ramjet like on the Meteor. Use of a ramjet would provide not only more range and speed, but also more energy in the final stages of an engagement to maneuver against hypersonic gliders and other maneuverable reentry vehicles. “We know what kind of accuracy and range we need from the sensing part,” says Stockhammer. “Now we will look at a way to manage the unpredictability and look at engagement planning. . . . This is where we are investing.” MBDA has also been looking at the command-and-control mechanisms required for such a system and how it would interface with existing and future sensors. Individual governments will ultimately decide how they will equip with the future interceptor, but MBDA expects it to arm ships and a ground-based air defense system, with the expectation the system may have to squeeze into existing launch boxes and vertical launch tubes on surface ships. Securing the nod from PESCO is a major step forward for the program. The next step will be for the five nations to begin hammering out a concept and a high-level requirement. MBDA officials say they are working toward a timeline of the 2030s to produce an operational system. By working through PESCO, the five nations are hoping this will enable them to secure development funding from the European Defense Fund (EDF), which is expected to provide €13 billion ($15 billion) to support collaborative defense projects in 2021-27. It is unclear how much a program such as Twister could receive from the fund. Money will also be provided by national governments involved in the Twister program. Although MBDA lobbied in France for European nations to pursue an evolution of European BMD capabilities, prompting Paris to take a lead in what became Twister, the company is unlikely to be the only player in the program. The interceptor will be just one component of Twister. The PESCO initiative also calls for space-based early warning, but no details have emerged about the European industry approach to this yet. PESCO and EDF rules call for cooperation between industry, particularly small and medium-size enterprises, as well as between member states. “We would need to build an industry consortium that is clear, but it is too early to talk about how this might look,” notes Stockhammer. The PESCO initiatives allow for additional nations to join and observe the programs, although it remains unclear whether the EU will allow so-called third countries, which will include the UK after Brexit, to participate in such projects. Denmark, Malta and the UK remain outside of PESCO. Twister is the second missile initiative pursued by PESCO. The other is for a beyond-line-of-sight development of MBDA's MMP man-portable guided missile, a program proposed by France and supported by Belgium and Cyprus. https://aviationweek.com/defense-space/european-states-plan-hypersonic-defense

  • New year, new boss: Pentagon satellite agency joins Space Force

    October 3, 2022 | International, C4ISR

    New year, new boss: Pentagon satellite agency joins Space Force

    Congress mandated that SDA become part of the Space Force in fiscal 2023 in an effort to align space acquisition under the service.

  • Contract Awards by US Department of Defense – October 27, 2020

    October 29, 2020 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security, Other Defence

    Contract Awards by US Department of Defense – October 27, 2020

    NAVY American Rheinmetall Munition Inc., Stafford, Virginia, is awarded a $32,449,901 modification to previously awarded, firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract M67854-18-D-5225 to increase the contract maximum value, including the third, fourth and fifth option years, from $59,703,284 to $92,153,184. This modification will allow the ordering of up to a maximum of 1,051,734 additional MK281 MOD 3 40MM high velocity day/night practice cartridges. Work will be performed in Camden, Arkansas, and is expected to be complete by Sept. 25, 2023. No funds are being obligated on this award and no funds will expire. Funds will be obligated on individual delivery orders. Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Virginia, is the contracting activity (M67854-18-D-5225). Energetics Technology Center, Indian Head, Maryland, is awarded a $15,606,996 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for the Automated Global Energetics Science and Technology (S&T) Awareness effort. The proposed effort has three major components: a national energetics study, automated global energetics S&T awareness, and creating an energetics ecosystem. The national energetics study will collect and analyze information in support of the requirement to develop a plan that fulfills the request of National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal 2020, Section 253. The automated global energetics S&T awareness will develop and demonstrate the feasibility of an approach to enable machine-assisted energetics S&T global awareness. The energetics ecosystem will utilize a tool to assist Department of Defense research and development centers with establishing/enhancing innovation and commercialization ecosystems. Work will be performed in Indian Head, Maryland. The period of performance is 72 months, including a 36-month base period from Oct. 27, 2020, through Oct. 26, 2023, and one 36-month option period. The total cumulative value of this contract is $15,606,996. The base period is $7,722,823 and option period is $7,884,173. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $7,722,823 are obligated at time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured under N00014-20-S-B001, “Long Range Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) for Navy and Marine Corps Science & Technology.” Since proposals are received throughout the year under the long range BAA, the number of proposals received in response to the solicitation is unknown. The Office of Naval Research, Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N00014-21-C-1016.). MRIGlobal, Kansas City, Missouri, is awarded a $12,674,104 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to develop a flexible detection system consisting of Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR)-based assays paired with reconfigurable point-of-need and massively multi-plexed devices for diagnostics and surveillance. This two-year contract includes four options which, if exercised, would bring the potential value of this contract to an estimated $36,732,661. All work will be performed at the contractor's facilities in Gaithersburg, Maryland (19%); Kansas City, Missouri (19%); San Francisco, California (30%); Cambridge, Massachusetts (25%); and Salt Lake City, Utah (7%). The period of performance of the base award is from Oct. 26, 2020, through Oct. 25, 2022. If all option periods are exercised the period-of-performance would extend through Oct. 25, 2024. Funds in the amount of $5,285,258 will be obligated at the time of award. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Funds will be obligated as individual options are exercised using research, development, test and evaluation (Navy). This contract was competitively procured via a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency broad agency announcement solicitation HR0011-20-S-0016 published on the beta.SAM.gov website. Seven proposals were received and two were selected for award. The Naval Information Warfare Center, Pacific, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity (N66001-20-C-4048). (Awarded Oct. 26, 2020) Serco Inc., Herndon, Virginia, is awarded an $11,478,415 modification to previously awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee contract N66001-16-D-0033. Support includes production management, integration and fabrication, and system and component procurement for Network Integration Engineering Facility production services. This six-month modification increases the overall value of the existing contract to $111,356,945. The period of performance is from Oct. 27, 2020, through April 26, 2021. All work will be performed in San Diego, California. No funds will be obligated at the time of award. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Funds will be obligated as individual task orders are issued. Funds will be obligated using operations and maintenance (Navy); Department of Defense working capital funds; other procurement (Navy); Foreign Military Sales; research, development, test and evaluation (Navy); and shipbuilding and conversion (Navy). The Naval Information Warfare Center, Pacific, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity (N66001-16-D-0033). Science Applications International Corp., Reston, Virginia, is awarded a $10,757,780 modification to previously awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee contract N66001-16-D-0032. Support includes production management, integration and fabrication and system and component procurement for Network Integration Engineering Facility production services. This six-month modification increases the overall value of the existing contract to $105,116,891. The period of performance is from Oct. 27, 2020, through April 26, 2021. All work will be performed in San Diego, California. No funds will be obligated at the time of award. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Funds will be obligated as individual task orders are issued. Funds will be obligated using operations and maintenance (Navy); Department of Defense working capital funds; other procurement (Navy); Foreign Military Sales; research, development, test and evaluation (Navy); and shipbuilding and conversion (Navy). The Naval Information Warfare Center, Pacific, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity (N66001-16-D-0032). AIR FORCE KOMAN Construction LLC, Chandler, Arizona, has been awarded a $20,062,515 firm-fixed-price, definitive contract for renovation and repair construction services. This contract provides for the complete repair and replacement required to provide humidity control and repair the interior administrative areas of B3 at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma. Work is expected to be completed April 26, 2022. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Fiscal 2021 operations and maintenance funds in the full amount are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Sustainment Center, Tinker AFB, Oklahoma, is the contracting activity (FA8137-21-C-0005). DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Kandor Manufacturing,** Arecibo, Puerto Rico, has been awarded a maximum $9,824,940 modification (P00010) exercising the first one-year option period of an 18-month base contract (SPE1C1-19-D-1163) with three one-year option periods for various types of blouses and trousers. This is a firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. Location of performance is Puerto Rico, with an Oct. 29, 2021, ordering period end date. Using military services are Navy and Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2021 through 2022 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Ja Apparel Corp.,* New Bedford, Massachusetts, has been awarded a maximum $9,342,555 fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for men's dress coats. This was a competitive acquisition with three responses received. This is a one-year base contract with two one-year option periods. Location of performance is Massachusetts, with an Oct. 26, 2021, ordering period end date. Using customer is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2021 through 2022 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE1C1-21-D-1410). *Small business **Small disadvantaged business in historically underutilized business zones https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2396088/source/GovDelivery/

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