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June 21, 2019 | International, Aerospace

Did F-35 Testing for Extreme Weather Conditions Fall Short?

By Oriana Pawlyk

SALON DU BOURGET, PARIS -- More than 400 F-35 Joint Strike Fighters are operating from 17 bases worldwide. From the near-Arctic region of Ørland, Norway, to a recent deployment in the Middle East, the fifth-generation jet is expanding its reach.

But a recent news report shows that weather conditions have some effect on the Pentagon's stealthy fifth-gen fighter, raising concerns about its performance in extreme climate locations.

In a recent Defense News report series, the outlet obtained documents showing that cold weather triggered a battery sensor in an F-35 Lightning II in Alaska. While the battery was not affected, the weather "overwhelm[ed] the battery heater blanket" that protects it, prompting the sensor to issue a warning and causing the pilot to abort his mission and land immediately, Defense News said.

"We have already developed an update to the software and the battery's heater control system to resolve this issue, and this updated software is available for users today to load on their aircraft in the event they will be conducting extreme cold weather operations," Greg Ulmer, vice president of Lockheed's F-35 aircraft production business, said in an interview with Military.com at the Paris Air Show, adding the update will be in new planes by 2021.

The U.S. military anticipated taking the Lockheed Martin-made F-35 around the world, with partners and allies flying the plane in both hot and cold regions, including some that are changing.

"The [F-22 Raptor] and plenty of other aircraft have flown out [to Alaska] just fine for decades," Rebecca Grant of IRIS Independent Research told Defense News. Grant is a former director of the Mitchell Institute for Airpower Studies at the Air Force Association. "The F-35 should have had all that sorted out in the climatic lab."

Ulmer, however, said all necessary steps were taken in lab testing, and the issue identified was a normal part of the design and development process.

"You do the best you can relative to the engineering, understanding of the environment, to design the part. And then you actually perform, and [you realize] your model was off a little bit, so you have to tweak the design ... to account for it," Ulmer said. An F-35A from Hill Air Force Base, Utah, was on static display here during the show.

"We're confident in the F-35s performance in all weather conditions," he said.

The battery issue was first discovered during extreme cold weather testing at -30 degrees and below at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, in February 2018, he added.

Ulmer explained there are various tests points done before the plane heads to the McKinley Lab at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, for robust experiments. The lab is responsible for high-range weather testing of military and commercial aircraft, munitions and weapons.

The lab's refrigeration chamber can go as low as -70 degrees, lab chief Dwayne Bell told Military.com during a visit to the facility in 2017. He said at the time that the F-35 program had been one of the most expensive programs tested in the lab to date. There's a wide range of testing costs, but they average roughly $25,000 a day, he said.

It cost about $7 million to test the Marine Corps' B-model from the Patuxent River Integrated Test Force, Maryland, over a six-month period, Bell said.

The Lightning II was put through major weather testing -- the lab can do everything but lightning strikes and tornadoes -- such as wind, solar radiation, fog, humidity, rain intrusion/ingestion, freezing rain, icing cloud, icing build-up, vortex icing and snow. It handled temperatures ranging from 120 degrees Fahrenheit to -40 degrees, officials said in 2017.

But even testing at McKinley is limiting, Ulmer said.

"What doesn't happen is that they don't stay there a long time, so once we released [Block] 3F [software] capability, now the operational fleet can actually" test new extremes, he said, referring to both speed and temperature changes.

Defense News also found that supersonic speeds caused "bubbling and blistering" on the JSF's low-observable stealth coating, and that hot environments impeded sufficient engine thrust to vertically land the Marine variant.

"So they take it" to new environments "and they expose it more than flight test exposed the airplane. I'm an old flight test guy. You expect to learn in the operational environment more than you do in the [developmental test] environment because you don't necessarily fly the airplane [in that environment] all the time," Ulmer said.

"So we learned a little bit, and you refine the design, and you solve it," he said, adding that the design and maintenance tweaks are ongoing. "The probability of the issue reoccuring on aircraft in the operational fleet is very low and with minimal impact to safety of flight or operational performance."

Thirteen Category 1 deficiencies were found and reported by operators, according to the for-official-use-only documents Defense News obtained. Cat 1 is a label for problems that would directly impact safety or the mission. Those ranged from coating fixes; pressure anomalies in the cockpit that gave pilots ear and sinus pain; and washed-out imagery in the helmet-mounted display, among others.

The Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps each fly a variant of the aircraft designed for different scenarios, from landing on conventional runways on land, to catching arresting cables on aircraft carriers, to landing like a helicopter on amphibious assault ships.

Responding to the Defense News article series, Lockheed Martin said each deficiency "is well understood, already resolved or on a near-term path to resolution."

"We've worked collaboratively with our customers, and we are fully confident in the F-35's performance and the solutions in place to address each of the items identified," the company said in a statement June 12.

Growing pains with new planes and weapons programs are common. But the F-35 program has been under scrutiny since its inception, mainly for cost-effectiveness and functionality. A new estimate suggests that operating and supporting fighters for the next 60-plus years will cost the government $1.196 trillion.

The older F-22 Raptor has had similar issues, especially with its stealth coating, which officials have said is more cumbersome to fix than the F-35, which was built with a more functional and durable coating in mind.

"The [low-observable] system has significantly improved on the F-35 when compared to the F-22," Ulmer said Tuesday. "That's all lessons learned from F-22, applied to F-35."

https://www.military.com/daily-news/2019/06/20/did-f-35-testing-extreme-weather-conditions-fall-short.html

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  • Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - December 18, 2020

    December 21, 2020 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security

    Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - December 18, 2020

    ARMY General Dynamics Land Systems Inc., Sterling Heights, Michigan, was awarded a $4,620,000,000 fixed-price-incentive contract to produce Abrams M1A2 SEPv3 tanks. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of June 17, 2028. The U.S. Army Contracting Command, Detroit Arsenal, Michigan, is the contracting activity (W56HZV-21-D-0001). STS International Inc., Berkeley Springs, West Virginia, was awarded a $49,500,000 firm-fixed-price contract for combat field service equipment team services. Bids were solicited via the internet with four received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 17, 2025. The U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W911QY-21-D-0001). Canadian Commercial Corp., Ottawa, Ontario, was awarded a $30,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for the removal of existing excitation equipment and replacement of solid-state excitation equipment/systems. Bids were solicited via the internet with seven received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 17, 2030. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Nashville, Tennessee, is the contracting activity (W912P5-21-D-0002). NAVY Koa Lani JV LLC,* Orlando, Florida, is awarded an $854,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract with firm-fixed price, cost-plus incentive fee and cost-reimbursement contract line items for range operations support and base operations support services. This contract includes a 60-month base period with one 60-month option period. Work will be performed at the Pacific Missile Range Facility, Island of Kauai, Hawaii. Work is expected to be completed by December 2025; if the option is exercised, work will be completed by December 2030. Subject to the availability of funds, fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance funds (Navy) in the amount of $20,000,000 will be obligated at the time of award to fund the contract's minimum amount and funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The requirement was posted to the Federal Business Opportunities website and the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website as a 100% 8(a) set-aside requirement, with three offers received. The Naval Supply Systems Command, Fleet Logistics Center, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, is the contracting activity (N00604-21-D-4000). L3 Technologies Inc., Salt Lake City, Utah, is awarded a $495,530,542 cost-plus-incentive-fee contract. This contract provides for the production and delivery of 10 pod simulators, eight operational prototype pods, four jettison mass model pods, two captive mass models, two mission system prototypes and two technique development systems in support of engineering and manufacturing development for the Next Generation Jammer Low Band program. Work will be performed in Salt Lake City, Utah (66%); Boulder, Colorado (10%); Carlsbad, California (9%); Stuart, Florida (7%); Indianapolis, Indiana (4%); St. George, Utah (2%); and Guthrie, Oklahoma (2%), and is expected to be completed in September 2025. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $20,377,862 will be obligated at time of award, all of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via an electronic request for proposal; two offers were received. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N00019-21-C-0021). Raytheon Missile Systems, Tucson, Arizona, is awarded a $145,101,510 modification (P00003) to previously issued fixed-price-incentive-firm-target, firm-fixed-price contract N00019-20-C-0030. This modification exercises an option for the production and delivery of 90 full rate production Lot 17 Block V Tactical Tomahawk (TACTOM) All Up Round (AUR) Vertical Launch System missiles, including related hardware and services for the Navy. Additionally, this modification procures TACTOM AUR recertification AGR-4 spares. Work will be performed in Tucson, Arizona (40.6%); Walled Lake, Michigan (11.4%); Gainesville, Virginia (9.7%); El Segundo, California (5.1%); Clearwater, Florida (3.3%); Glenrothes, Scotland (3.1%); Spanish Fork, Utah (3%); Middletown, Connecticut (2.7%); Berryville, Arkansas (2.5%); Midland, Ontario, Canada (2.4%); Ontario, California (2%); Camden, Arkansas (1.8%); Vergennes, Vermont (1.7%); Anniston, Alabama (1.2%); and various locations within the continental U.S. (9.5%), and is expected to be completed in December 2023. Fiscal 2021 weapons procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $140,686,082; and fiscal 2020 weapons procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $4,415,428 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. Progeny Systems Corp.,* Manassas, Virginia, is awarded a $41,716,025 fixed-price-incentive (firm target), cost-plus-fixed-fee and cost only modification to previously awarded contract N00024-18-C-6410 to exercise options for the production of MK54 MOD 1 lightweight torpedo kits, associated production support material, spares and engineering and hardware support services. This modification is in support of the MK54 MOD 1 Lightweight and MK48 Heavyweight torpedo programs. This contract combines purchases for the Navy (99%); and the governments of Australia, Canada, Taiwan, United Kingdom, Netherlands, Denmark and Belgium (1% combined), under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program. Work will be performed in Charleroi, Pennsylvania (70%); Salt Lake City, Utah (26%); and Manassas, Virginia (4%), and is expected to be completed by December 2023. Fiscal 2021 weapons procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $41,210,110 (99%); and FMS funds in the amount of $505,915 (1%) will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity. CFM International Inc., West Chester, Ohio, is awarded a $28,529,246 modification (P00006) to previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract N00019-18-C-1071. This modification adds scope to procure two P-8A Poseidon CFM56-7B27AE engines for the governments of Australia and New Zealand. Work will be performed in Villaroche, France (53%); Durham, North Carolina (43%); Singapore (3%); and Bromont, Canada (1%), and is expected to be completed in November 2021. Foreign Military Sales funds in the amount of $14,264,623; and foreign cooperative project funds in the amount of $14,264,623 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. General Dynamics Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine, is awarded a $23,852,562 cost-plus-award-fee and cost modification to previously awarded contract N00024-19-C-2322 to exercise options for the accomplishment of planning yard efforts such as engineering, technical, planning, ship configuration, data and logistics efforts for DDG-1000 class destroyers post-delivery and in-service life-cycle support. Work will be performed in Bath, Maine (95%); and San Diego, California (5%), and is expected to be completed by December 2021. Fiscal 2021 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) $1,659,554 funding will be obligated at the time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity (N00024-19-C-2322). Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., San Diego, California, is awarded a $22,320,161 modification (P00006) to previously awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee contract N00019-20-C-0025. This modification exercises options to procure software and engineering sustainment services, software support, logistics, cyber security and program related engineering in support of MQ-8 Fire Scout unmanned air systems. Work will be performed in San Diego, California, and is expected to be completed in December 2021. Fiscal 2021 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $5,452,295; fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance (Navy) in the amount of $3,982,259; and fiscal 2021 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $139,877 will be obligated at time of award, of which $3,982,259 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. BAE Systems Platforms & Services, Minneapolis, Minnesota, is awarded an $18,000,057 fixed-price contract action for Virginia class submarine propulsors. The services under this contract include the engineering and support for the construction of fixed assemblies for the Virginia class propulsor. This contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $98,152,185. Work will be performed in Louisville, Kentucky (90%); and Minneapolis, Minnesota (10%), and is expected to be completed by February 2027. Fiscal 2020 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) $18,000,057 funding will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured in accordance with 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1) (only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements). The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity (N00024-21-C-4106). Daniels & Daniels Construction Co., Inc., Goldsboro, North Carolina, is awarded a $13,437,820 firm-fixed-price contract for the construction of the Marine Raider Regiment Headquarters, Marine Corps Base, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. The work to be performed constructs a headquarters facilities and includes miscellaneous supporting structures, utilities, parking, roadways, sidewalks, running trails and site work. The structures will be single-story steel frame buildings with brick veneer over metal studs, standing seam metal roofs, metal soffits and translucent wall panels. Work will be performed at Marine Corps Base, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, and is expected to be completed by December 2022. Fiscal 2020 military construction (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $13,437,820 are obligated on this award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the beta.SAM.gov website with five proposals received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command, Mid-Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N40085-19-R-9148). DRS Systems Inc., Melbourne, Florida, is awarded a $10,121,768 firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee, cost reimbursable delivery order (N00019-21-F-0238) against previously issued basic ordering agreement N00019-19-G-0030. This order provides non-recurring engineering for the design, development and integration of the AN/AAQ-45 Distributed Aperture Infrared Countermeasure system, including associated weapons replaceable assemblies in support of the HH-60W aircraft for the Air Force. Work will be performed in Dallas, Texas (80%); San Diego, California (11%); Fort Walton Beach, Florida (8%); and Melbourne, Florida (1%), and is expected to be completed in January 2023. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation (Air Force) funds in the amount of $10,121,768 will be obligated at time of award, all of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. The Lockheed Martin Corp., Rotary and Mission Systems, Mitchel Field, New York, is awarded a $9,273,205 cost-plus-incentive fee and cost-plus-fixed-fee contract modification (P00012) to previously awarded and announced contract N00030-20-C-0045 for the U.S. and United Kingdom (U.K.) to provide strategic weapon system Trident fleet support, Trident II SSP Shipboard Integration (SSI) Increment 8, SSI Increment 16, Columbia class and U.K. Dreadnought class navigation subsystem development efforts. Work will be performed in Mitchel Field, New York (47%); Huntington Beach, California (36%); Clearwater, Florida (9%); Cambridge, Massachusetts (6%); and Hingham, Massachusetts (2%), with an expected completion date of Nov. 30, 2023. Fiscal 2021 other procurement Navy funds in the amount of $9,273,205 will be obligated. No funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was a sole-source acquisition in accordance with 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1) and (4). The Strategic Systems Programs, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity. Raytheon Co., McKinney, Texas, is awarded an $8,400,868 firm-fixed-price order (N68335-21-F-0102) against previously issued basic ordering agreement N68335-20-G-1043. This order provides non-recurring engineering for the Multi-Spectral Targeting System (MTS) software deficiency corrections, design and integration of four turret unit sensors and two electronics unit circuit card assemblies to address system obsolescence and provide a standard definition compatible system to multiple systems on various aircraft that utilize the MTS for the governments of India and Australia. Work will be performed in McKinney, Texas (85%); Patuxent River, Maryland (10%); and Owego, New York (5%), and is expected to be completed in September 2022. Foreign cooperative project funds in the amount of $6,853,795; and Foreign Military Sales funds in the amount of $1,547,073 will be obligated at time of award; none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Warfare Center, Aircraft Division, Lakehurst, New Jersey, is the contracting activity. Edison Chouest Offshore, Cut Off, Louisiana, is awarded a $7,740,555 modification (P00021) to previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract N32205-17-C-3513 to exercise a third 12-month option with reimbursable elements for one maritime support vessel MV Carolyn Chouest. This vessel will be utilized to launch, recover, refuel and resupply of various size crafts in the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command's (USINDOPACOM) area of responsibility (AOR). This contract includes a 12-month base period, three 12-month option periods and one 11-month option period. Work will be performed in the USINDOPACOM AOR, and is expected to be completed, if all options are exercised by Nov. 21, 2022. The option will be funded by fiscal 2021 (Navy) working capital funds in the amount of $6,001,581 that will expire at the end of the fiscal year; and fiscal 2022 (Navy) working capital funds in the amount of $1,738,974 that will expire at the end of fiscal 2022. The Military Sealift Command, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity. AIR FORCE The Boeing Co., Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, has been awarded a $400,000,000 modification (P00014) to contract FA8107-19-D-0001 for B-1 and B-52 bomber engineering services. This modification is for recurring and non-recurring engineering services to B-1 and B-52 aircraft. Work will be performed at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma; Edwards AFB, California; Barksdale AFB, Louisiana; and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and is expected to be completed Dec. 31, 2022. The total cumulative value of the contract is $1,200,000,000. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance funds in the amount of $33,903,201 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Life Cycle Management, Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, is the contracting activity (FA8107-19-D-0001). Kegman Inc., Melbourne, Florida, has been awarded a $98,700,000 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract with cost-reimbursable line items for travel and material purchases as needed and approved by the government. This contract provides non-personal advisory and assistance services in support of the Air Force Technical Applications Center's (AFTAC) mission that will include, but not be limited, to technical, programmatic, acquisition, expert panel, analyses, engineering, logistical and consultation support on a task order basis. Work will be performed on Patrick Space Force Base, Florida, and is expected to be completed Dec. 31, 2025. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition and one offer was received. Subject to the availability of funding, fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance funds in the amount of $2,267,485; fiscal 2021 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $3,194,720; and fiscal 2021 other procurement funds in the amount of $256,955 are being obligated at the time of award. Headquarters Air Combat Command, Acquisition Management and Integration Center, Patrick Space Force Base, Florida, is the contracting activity (FA7022-21-D-0002). Lockheed Martin Missile and Fire Control, Orlando, Florida, has been awarded a $48,634,855 855 cost-plus-incentive-fee and cost-plus-fixed-fee modification (P00017) to contract FA8682-18-C-0009 for the Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile Group One development. This contract modification provides risk reduction testing, cyber testing and coatings to support the Group One development effort. Work will be performed in Orlando, Florida, and is expected to be completed June 28, 2024. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and funds in the amount of $5,338,074; and fiscal 2019 other procurement funds in the amount of $3,100,060 are being obligated at the time of award. Total cumulative face value of the contract is $258,029,572. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, is the contracting activity. General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc., Poway, California, has been awarded a $36,246,974 modification (P00009) to contract FA8620-20-C-2009 for France contractor logistics support MQ-9 Block Five and Block One aircraft. The contractor will provide an additional period of contractor logistics support for the French Air Force. Work will be performed in Poway, California, and is expected to be completed Dec. 31, 2021. This contract involves 100% Foreign Military Sales (FMS) to France. FMS funds in the amount in the full amount are being obligated at the time of award. The total cumulative face value of the contract is $73,305,690. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8620-20-C-2009). DynCorp International LLC, Fort Worth, Texas, has been awarded a $14,761,791 firm-fixed-price modification (P000012) to contract FA2860-19-C-0005 for rotary wing maintenance. This contract provides helicopter maintenance of aircraft assigned to the 316th Wing at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland. This modification exercises Option Period Two and is expected to be completed Dec. 31, 2021. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance funds in the full amount are being obligated at the time of award. Total cumulative face value of the contract is $75,020,715. The 316th Contracting Squadron, Services Flight, Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, is the contracting activity. The Raytheon Co., El Segundo, California, has been awarded a $10,873,024 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for the sustainment of the Enhanced Integrator Sensor Suite (EISS) for the RQ-4 Global Hawk program. This contract provides for contractor logistics support and sustainment of the EISS on the RQ-4 Global Hawk aircraft. Work will be performed in El Segundo, California, and is expected to be completed Dec. 31, 2025. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance funds in the amount of $923,333 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, is the contracting activity (FA8577-21-C-0002). DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY SupplyCore, Inc.,* Rockford, Illinois, has been awarded a maximum $80,000,000 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for facilities maintenance, repair and operations supplies. This was a sole-source acquisition using justification 10 U.S. Code 2304 (c)(1), as stated in Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. This is a one-year bridge contract with no option periods. Locations of performance are Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, Nebraska, Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa, Missouri, Minnesota, Michigan, North Dakota and South Dakota, with a Dec. 18, 2021, ordering period end date. Using customers are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2021 through 2022 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE8E3-21-D-0004). FreshPack Produce Inc., Denver, Colorado, has been awarded a maximum $41,500,000 firm-fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for fresh fruits and vegetables. This was a competitive acquisition with one response received. This is a five-year contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Colorado, with a Feb. 28, 2026, ordering period end date. Using customers are Department of Agriculture schools and reservations. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2021 through 2026 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE300-21-D-S748). TMG OpCon LLLP, Ellijay, Georgia, has been awarded a maximum $27,000,000 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 135 responses received. This is a five-year contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Georgia, with a Dec. 17, 2025, performance completion 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-0054). Crown Clothing Co.,* Vineland, New Jersey, has been awarded a maximum $8,541,763 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for men's coats, belts and keepers. This was a competitive acquisition with four responses received. This is a one-year base contract with four one-year option periods. Location of performance is New Jersey, with a Dec. 17, 2021, ordering period end date. Using military service is Marine Corps. 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-D1432). *Small business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2452534/source/GovDelivery/

  • Study: Counter-Drone Systems Proliferate, Challenges Endure

    December 18, 2019 | International, Aerospace

    Study: Counter-Drone Systems Proliferate, Challenges Endure

    Graham Warwick Counter-drone systems continue to proliferate on the market, but technical and operational challenges in countering small unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) have not yet been fully surmounted, says a new report by the Center for the Study of the Drone at Bard College, New York. The second edition of the Center's Counter-Drone Systems report lists 537 systems marketed by 227 companies in 38 countries, up from 235 in the first edition published in February 2018. This is despite removing 24 products from the database that no longer appear to be available. Citing a March 2019 solicitation by the Pentagon's Defense Innovation Unit which said “it has proven difficult to identify and mitigate threats using currently fielded technologies,” the report says “dozens of background interviews with military and law enforcement personnel have validated this assertion.” The challenges extend beyond the issue of effectiveness “and include complex questions around safety, practicality, policy and legality,” says the report's author, Arthur Holland Michel, founder and co-director of the Center. When it comes to detection effectiveness, radar may struggle to pick up small UAS flying close to the ground, while cameras might confuse a drone with a bird or aircraft and be degraded by poor weather, low visibility and strong sunlight. Electromagnetic interference may degrade the detection performance of radio-frequency sensors, with many potential sources of interference in urban areas. Radar, some RF systems and electro-optical/ infrared (EO/IR) sensors require line of sight to the drone, which can be problematic in urban areas. Acoustic sensors and RF detection systems rely on a library of sounds and signals emitted by known drones, but given the rapid rate at which drones are emerging on the market “even libraries that are updated often will never cover 100% of the drones that might be operating,” the report says. A major detection issue is the level of false negatives and false positives, the report said, noting that results of FAA testing of counter-drone systems showed distinguishing true positives from false positives in cluttered environments required a high level of manpower. Distinguishing between legitimate and illegitimate drone use is another issue. Remote identification technology and the FAA's pending Remote ID rulemaking, “may go a long way to addressing this issue once implemented, but it will not be a total fix,” the report says. There is a short time window available in which to respond to a drone threat and potential dangers posed to bystanders by some counter-drone interdiction techniques. Long-range systems such as lasers and high-power microwaves “could pose a serious threat to aircraft operated above the targeted drone.” In terms of interdiction effectiveness, the report points to results of a 2017 counter-UAS event staged by the U.S. Joint Improvised Threat Defeat Organization that showed the drones were resilient against damage. “More recent C-AUS exercises indicate this problem remains an enduring one,” it says. Jammers have no effect against drones operating autonomously without an active RF link; many signal jammers have an effective range of only a few hundred meters; spoofing systems may not be universally effective; and all kinetic systems may struggle against drones moving fast or in unpredictable patterns. Drone technology, meanwhile, is not standing still, the report says, noting research underway on UAS that can operate in GPS-denied environments, negating jamming, and are capable of actively defeating jamming or spoofing attacks. Consumer drones may soon be controllable via mobile LTE networks rather than an RF link, the report says. LTE drones could be operated at essentially unlimited range and “would be difficult or dangerous to interdict with jamming systems without interfering with ubiquitous cellular communications,” it says. The proliferation of counter-UAS systems will inevitably accelerate the development of technology to render them less effective, the report concludes, by programming drones to maneuver in patterns that make them hard to detect by automatic target algorithms. The report also highlights the challenges posed by drone swarms. “A swarm doesn't have to be dynamic or truly autonomous to achieve these effects: 10 individual drone operators flying 10 drones in unison may just be as difficult to defend against as a true autonomous swarm of 10 aircraft,” it says. https://aviationweek.com/defense-space/study-counter-drone-systems-proliferate-challenges-endure

  • Patria and Lockheed Martin have signed the first agreement within Finland´s F-35 direct industrial participation programme

    June 19, 2023 | International, Aerospace

    Patria and Lockheed Martin have signed the first agreement within Finland´s F-35 direct industrial participation programme

    The F-35's industrial participation solution in Finland creates strong competences via security of supply and is also significant for national economy

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