July 9, 2022 | International, Aerospace
February 21, 2020 | International, C4ISR, Security
DOD budget pushing house cleaning pivot to leading-edge technologies: out with the old and in with the new
Budget has $9.8 billion for cyber security and cyber warfare; $3.2 billion for hypersonics; and $800 million for artificial intelligence (AI) research.
THE MIL & AERO COMMENTARY – The 2021 U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) budget proposal is out, and it looks like several years of consistent growth driven by the Trump Administration may be leveling off. A closer look, however, may indicate a pivot to new leading-edge technologies and away from legacy systems.
DOD leaders in their fiscal 2021 budget request to Congress, which was released last month, are asking for $705.4 billion, which is down about 1 percent from this year's level of $712.6 billion. Before you conclude that the Pentagon budget has turned flat, however, take a look at where the money's going.
First, the bad news: procurement. This is where big-ticket items like aircraft, combat vehicles, and ships get funding. The DOD's procurement budget request for 2021 is $136.9 billion, down nearly 7 percent from this year's level of $147.1 billion.
Contained in the DOD budget for procurement, moreover, are aggressive cuts to legacy weapons systems. The U.S. Air Force, for example, will retire 24 RQ-4 Block 20 and Block 30 Global Hawk Battlefield Airborne Communications Node (BACN) unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and Block 30 multi-intelligence aircraft UAVs next year.
The U.S. Navy, meanwhile, will retire four Ticonderoga-class missile cruisers. The U.S. Army plans to eliminate 13 programs involving munitions, fires, protection, sustainment, mobility, mission command, and cyber programs that no longer are priorities. Additional cuts are expected.
Next year the Navy plans no additional purchases of P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft; the MQ-4 Triton long-range maritime patrol UAV; or the MQ-25 Stingray UAV.
The counterweight to these procurement cuts, however, is in the DOD's budget for research, development, test, and evaluation (RDT&E). As procurement spending is going down, the research budget is headed in the other direction. The Pentagon is asking for $106.6 billion, which is up about 1 percent from this year's research budget of $106.6 billion. Revealing is money is going.
The DOD next year plans to spend $9.8 billion for cyber security and cyber warfare -- up 81 percent from $5.4 billion this year; $3.2 billion for hypersonics; $1.5 billion for military microelectronics and 5G networking; and $800 million for artificial intelligence (AI) research.
Related: The new era of high-power electromagnetic weapons
The Pentagon hypersonics budget will pay for research and development initiatives to develop the Army Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon; Navy Conventional Prompt Strike (CPS); and Air Force Advanced Rapid Response Weapon (ARRW).
Research money also would include $1.1 billion for the Navy's next-generation frigate; $4.4 billion for the future Columbia-class ballistic missile submarine; and $464 million for two Large Unmanned Surface Vessels.
The U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is asking for $3.6 billion in 2021, a 3 percent increase from the $3.5 billion the agency received this year. DARPA has asked for $322.7 million for electronics research in 2021 -- a 1.7 increase from the 317.2 million the agency received this year. For sensors research, DARPA is asking for $200.2 million in 2021 -- a 26 percent increase over the $158.9 million the agency received this year.
So, in short, it sounds like out with the old, and in with the new at the Pentagon. Four Navy cruisers that are at least 30 years ago are heading for retirement. Large, slow, and vulnerable Global Hawk UAVs are to be taken out of service, and Army programs no longer relevant amid today's global threats will be taken off the board.
At the same time, enabling technologies considered crucial for today's military needs are on the upswing: hypersonic munitions and aircraft, cyber security and cyber warfare, 5G networking, and artificial intelligence.
Perhaps the DOD has been due for a house cleaning like this for a while. Getting rid of obsolescent weapons systems makes sense because they're past the point of diminishing returns. Pumping more money into technologies for tomorrow's battlefield makes sense, too. These kinds of realignments are painful, yet essential.
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April 7, 2023 | International, C4ISR
Bandwidth of Brothers: US Army’s 101st Airborne to get advanced radios
The Army's capability set venture kicked off in 2021, with special attention paid to infantry. Additional batches of gear are expected every two years.
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August 21, 2019 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security
Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - August 20, 2019
DEFENSE THREAT REDUCTION AGENCY Applied Research Associates Inc., Albuquerque, New Mexico, is being awarded a maximum ceiling $240,000,000, cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract with a five-year base ordering period and an additional five-year option period. Competitive proposals were solicited and two offers were received. The contract provides for 24/7/365 technical reachback operational and decision support analysis, as well as research and development, to develop and advance the Defense Threat Reduction Agency's (DTRA's) weapons of mass destruction operational support capabilities. The work will be performed at multiple DTRA locations, primarily at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $150,000 (the guaranteed minimum) are being obligated at time of award. DTRA, Fort Belvoir, Virginia, is the contracting activity (HDTRA1-19-D-0007). ARMY The Boeing Co., Mesa, Arizona, was awarded a $154,890,000 modification (P00026) to contract W58RGZ-16-C-0023 to procure new-build Apache AH 64E helicopters. Work will be performed in Mesa, Arizona, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 31, 2022. Fiscal 2018 and 2019 aircraft procurement, Army funds in the amount of $154,890,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity. Berg Manufacturing Inc.,* Spokane Valley, Washington, was awarded a $44,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for a self-service laundry system. Bids were solicited via the internet with six received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 19, 2024. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W911QY-19-D-0027). DynCorp International LLC, McLean, Virginia, was awarded a $32,753,836 time-and-materials contract to train, advise and assist. Bids were solicited via the internet with three received. Work will be performed in Afghanistan with an estimated completion date of Aug. 19, 2020. Fiscal 2019 Afghanistan security forces, Army funds in the amount of $32,753,836 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois, is the contracting activity (W560MY-19-C-0002). Manson Construction Co., Seattle, Washington, was awarded a $24,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for rental of a cutterhead pipeline dredge for dredging in Mobile Harbor, Alabama. 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 Oct. 13, 2020. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mobile, Alabama, is the contracting activity (W91278-19-D-0040). Manufacturing Support Industries Inc.,* Salisbury, Maryland, was awarded a $9,500,000 firm-fixed-price contract for M240 lightweight adjustable bipod. 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 Aug. 20, 2024. U.S. Army Contracting Command, New Jersey, is the contracting activity (W15QKN-19-D-0097). AIR FORCE Akima Intra‐Data LLC, Colorado Springs, Colorado, has been awarded a $152,871,144 firm-fixed-price contract for Facility Support Services II. This contract will provide for industrial and test security; security services; command, control, and communication functions; fire and emergency services; environmental; safety; occupational and environmental health; base supply; cargo movement, and vehicle maintenance at Arnold Engineering Development Complex. Work will be performed at Arnold Air Force Base, Tennessee, with specific performance at White Oak, Maryland; and Moffett Field, California, and is expected to be completed by Nov. 30, 2027. This award is the result of a competitive small business set-aside acquisition utilizing a single solicitation and received two offers. No funds are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Test Center, Arnold Air Force Base, Tennessee, is the contracting activity (FA9101‐19‐C‐1000). The Stratagem Group Inc., Aurora, Colorado,* has been awarded a $32,600,866 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for Radio Frequency Identification, Detection, and Geolocation of Emitting Systems software/hardware. This contract provides for improved collection and processing capabilities across multiple intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance sensing sources in the detection and characterization of priority radar waveforms. Work will be performed at Aurora, Colorado, and is expected to be complete by Aug. 19, 2024. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition and two offers were received. The Air Force Research Laboratory, Rome, New York, is the contracting activity (FA8750-19-C-0072). NAVY BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems, Nashua, New Hampshire, is awarded a $74,990,530 firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to procure 1,440 Radio Frequency Countermeasures and the maintenance and repair of multi-function test stations in support of the F-35 aircraft. Work will be performed in Nashua, New Hampshire (74%); Landenberg, Pennsylvania (7%); Topsfield, Massachusetts (2.5%); Industry, California (1.6%); Hamilton, New Jersey (1.5%); Carson, California (1.3%); Dover, New Hampshire (1.1%); Londonderry, New Hampshire (1%); Chartley, Massachusetts (1%); and various locations within the continental U.S. (9%), and is expected to be completed in March 2022. Fiscal 2017, 2018 and 2019 aircraft procurement (Air Force); fiscal 2019 procurement ammunition (Navy, Marine Corps); and Foreign Military Sales (FMS) funds in the amount of $74,990,530 will be obligated at time of award, $2,394,867 of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract combines purchases for the Air Force ($37,068,372; 49%); Navy and Marine Corps ($13,556,992; 18%); and FMS countries ($24,365,166; 33%). This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1). The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N00019-19-C-0001). Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., a Lockheed Martin Co., Stratford, Connecticut, is awarded $48,325,008 for firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee order N00019-19-F-4126 against a previously issued basic ordering agreement (N00019-19-G-0029) to procure spare parts to repair and maintain CH-53K low-rate initial production Lot Three configuration aircraft. Work will be performed in Quebec, Canada (14.88%); Stratford, Connecticut (9.17%); Fort Walton Beach, Florida (2.32%); Rome, New York (2.06%); Bridgeport, West Virginia (2.02%); Chesterfield, Missouri (1.52%); Forest, Ohio (1.47%); Davenport, Iowa (1.38%); Rochester, Kent, United Kingdom (1.36%); Milford, Connecticut (1.22%); Windsor Locks, Connecticut (1.13%); various locations within the continental U.S. (53.97%); and various locations outside the continental U.S. (7.50%), and is expected to be completed in August 2024. Fiscal 2019 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $48,325,008 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. Raytheon Missile Systems, Tucson, Arizona, is awarded a $13,248,183 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to previously awarded contract N00024-17-C-5410 to exercise options for engineering and technical services in support of Standard Missile-2/6. This contract combines purchases for the U.S. government (96%); and the governments of Australia, Taiwan, Germany, Denmark, Korea and Japan (4% total) under the Foreign Military Sales program. Work will be performed in Tucson, Arizona, and is expected to be complete by December 2020. This contract includes options which, if exercised, be complete by April 2022. Fiscal 2019 and 2017 weapons procurement (Navy); fiscal 2019 and 2018 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy); fiscal 2019 other Department of Defense; and Foreign Military Sales (governments of Australia, Germany, Denmark, Taiwan, Korea and Japan) funding in the amount of $13,248,183 will be obligated at time of award and not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This modification is not competitively procured in accordance with 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1) and Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1(a)(2)(iii). The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Campbellsville Apparel Co., Campbellsville, Kentucky, has been awarded a maximum $7,562,400 modification (P00006) exercising the third one-year option period of a one-year base contract (SPE1C1-16-D-1083) with four one-year option periods for fuel handler's undershirts and moisture wicking t-shirts. This is an indefinite-delivery contract. Location of performance is Kentucky, with a Sept. 7, 2020, performance completion date. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2020 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. *Small Business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/1939263/source/GovDelivery/