Elbit Systems Awarded Contract Worth Approximately $102 Million to Supply ATMOS Artillery Systems to an International Customer

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

  Pentagon Pumps $3B Into Industry As COVID-19 Delays Loom

  PENTAGON: The Pentagon's acquisition chief today said she expects major defense programs to be delayed by around three months due to COVID-19 closures and disruptions, while DoD rushes to pump $3 billion into the defense industry to bolster programs at greatest risk. Speaking to reporters here this morning, Lord said she expects to have to ask the White House and Congress for “billions” more to reimburse contractors affected by work delays and broken supply chains. “We believe it will cost us something,” she said, declining to get any more specific than “billions” of dollars. The months-long delays to programs will likely be spread throughout the defense industry as small parts suppliers shut down operations for days or weeks at a time. “We're looking at schedule delays and inefficiencies and so forth: this isn't about a particular program.” Lord singled out “a slowdown in the shipyards, to an extent. Aviation is actually the most highly impacted sector we have right now.” It's unclear what programs are at highest risk, but the Navy has been bullish on speeding up its new frigate program to award contracts some time this summer. If work slowdowns continue, that could be pushed further down the road. The Army and Navy have also been moving ahead on their nascent hypersonic weapons program, with a series of critical tests planned this year. Lord pointedly suggested that large defense companies need to start pushing more money into their supplier base to ensure small parts suppliers don't go out of business, further impacting new programs and ongoing maintenance efforts. She did praise Lockheed and Boeing for increasing cash flow to lower-tier suppliers, then not-so-subtly says, she is “hoping for similar public announcements from other major primes.” Last month, Lockheed said it would advance more than $100 million to suppliers hurt by the slowdown, and this week Boeing said it was reopening the Philadelphia-area facility where it makes the Chinook, the V-22 Osprey and other helicopters. The Pentagon is starting to award higher progress payment rates this week, pumping $3 billion dollars in increased cash flow to industry. “We try to anticipate the problems and work with the companies to keep going to the greatest degree possible,” Lord said. As part of that effort, DoD's first priority is the modernization process of the nuclear triad, she said: “we look at the Missile Defense Agency, we look at the critical capabilities. We're looking where the greatest pain points are.” While she singled out Lockheed and Boeing, shipbuilder Huntington Ingalls is making a push to speed up contracts and get money into the hands of sub-tier suppliers early, in order to ensure companies way down the supply base food chain can continue chugging along. In a recent interview, company representatives told me they've reached out to over 2,000 suppliers in 48 of the 50 US states. “We need their products today, but we also need them in 90 days, so we want to help them brave the storm,” said Lucas Hicks, vice president of new construction aircraft carrier programs. “We've actually changed some payment terms on some of our supplier contracts to try to make sure that we can front them what they need to stay afloat. We're doing some creative stuff to try and help them be able to weather the storm.” The Department's efforts to backstop the defense industrial base while taking steps to protect its workforce and purchase critical protective clothing like facemasks is still in its relative stages, despite the COVID-19 pandemic having been with us for months. “We are just really beginning to pick up momentum,” Lord said. https://breakingdefense.com/2020/04/pentagon-pumps-3b-into-industry-as-covid-19-delays-loom

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  April 20, 2020 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security

  Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - April 17, 2020

  ARMY Valiant Government Services LLC, Hopkins, Kentucky (W912DY-15-D-0029, P00012); Acepex Management Corp,* Montclair, California (W912DY-15-D-0030, P00015); Emcor Government Services Inc., Arlington, Virginia (W912DY-15-D-0031, P00013); Electronic Metrology Laboratory LLC, Franklin,* Tennessee (W912DY-15-D-0032, P00011); Facility Services Management Inc.,* Clarksville, Tennessee (W912DY-15-D-0033, P00011); J & J Maintenance Inc., Austin, Texas (W912DY-15-D-0034, P00012); Johnson Controls Building Automation Systems LLC, Huntsville, Alabama (W912DY-15-D-0035, P00012); Quality Services International LLC,* San Antonio, Texas (W912DY-15-D-0036, P00011); Sodexo Management Inc., Gaithersburg, Maryland (W912DY-15-D-0037, P00011); and V W International Inc., Alexandria, Virginia (W912DY-15-D-0038, P00011), were awarded $586,000,000 in modifications in support of the presidential national emergency declaration concerning the novel coronavirus disease. The overall ceiling is now $1,667,700,000. Bids were solicited via the internet with 22 received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 11, 2020. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Huntsville, Alabama, is the contracting activity. Golden Max LLC,* Stafford, Texas, was awarded a $37,065,080 firm-fixed-price contract for infusion pump kits for the COVID-19 effort. 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 April 19, 2021. U.S. Army Medical Research, Acquisition Activity, Frederick, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W81XWH-20-D-0057). BAE Systems Land & Armaments L.P., Sterling Heights, Michigan, was awarded a $14,069,872 modification (P00087) to contract W56HZV-15-C-A001 for engineering and manufacturing development portion of the armored multi-purpose vehicle. Work will be performed in Sterling Heights, Michigan, with an estimated completion date of Oct. 29, 2021. Fiscal 2019 and 2020 research, development, test and evaluation, Army funds in the amount of $14,069,872 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Detroit Arsenal, Michigan, is the contracting activity. AIR FORCE Chromalloy Component Services Inc., San Antonio, Texas, has been awarded a $461,562,336 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract with one base year and four option periods for the remanufacture of the F108 Module 13/15 low pressure turbine assembly. Work will be performed in San Antonio, Texas, and is expected to be completed by April 16, 2025. This contract is the result of a competitive acquisition with two offers received. Funding will be made available at the issuing of delivery orders against this contract. The type of funding utilized is defense agencies working capital. The Air Force Sustainment Center, Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, is the contracting activity (FA8122-20-D-0002). NAVY Huntington-Ingalls Industries - Ingalls Shipbuilding, Pascagoula, Mississippi, is awarded a $107,976,103 cost-plus-award-fee modification to previously-awarded contract N00024-19-C-4313 to exercise options for the accomplishment of the planning yard services for the littoral combat in-service ships. Work will be performed in Hampton, Virginia (50%); Pascagoula, Mississippi (37%); San Diego, California (7%); and Jacksonville, Florida (6%). The requirements under this contract include, but are not limited to: ship installation drawings development; ship change document updates; operating cycle integration program management; work integration package engineering; type commander response; ship configuration logistics support information system support; configuration data management; research engineering and modeling; provisioned items order; cost and feasibility studies; integrated planning yard material support; provisioning technical documentation; naval ships engineering drawing repository system input and data management; interface and coordination with regional maintenance centers and fleet entities; design alteration and modification development; review and tracing; managing related class ship selected record documents; and hull, mechanical and electrical engineering standardization efforts. Work is expected to be complete by April 2021. Fiscal 2020 other procurement (Navy); and fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Navy) funding in the amount $18,854,046 are obligated at time of award, and funding in the amount of $1,115,122 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. J.I. Garcia Construction Inc.,* Fresno, California (N62473-18-D-5817); Patricia I. Romero, doing business as Pacific West Builders,* National City, California (N62473-18-D-5818); Dimensions Construction Inc.,* San Diego, California (N62473-18-D-5819); K.L. House Construction Co. Inc.,* Albuquerque, New Mexico (N62473-18-D-5820); D Square Construction LLC and Au' Authum Ki A JV,* Tucson, Arizona (N62473-18-D-5821); Herman/JCG Co. JV,* Escondido, California (N62473-18-D-5822); and I.E. Pacific Inc.,* Escondido, California (N62473-18-D-5823), are awarded $90,000,000 to increase the aggregate capacity of the previously-awarded suite of firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, multiple award construction contracts. The contracts are for new construction, renovation and the repair of general building construction. All work will be performed at various federal sites within the Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Southwest area of operation, including but not limited to: California (90%); Arizona (6%); Nevada (1%); Utah (1%); Colorado (1%); and New Mexico (1%). The contracts are for new construction as well as the renovation and repair of general buildings. The maximum dollar value including the base year and four option years for all seven contracts combined is increased from $240,000,000 to $330,000,000. No funds are being obligated on this award and no funds will expire. Future task orders will be primarily funded by military construction (Navy); operations and maintenance (O&M) (Navy); O&M (Marine Corps); and Navy working capital funds. The original contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website and 24 proposals were received. The NAVFAC Southwest, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity. Doyon Project Services LLC,* Federal Way, Washington, is awarded $20,999,877 for a firm-fixed-price task order (N44255-20-F-4154) for the Undersea Vehicle Maintenance Facility, Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division, Keyport, Washington. Work will be performed in Keyport, Washington, and provides for the construction of a single-story high bay undersea vehicle maintenance facility. The facility will include information systems, infrastructure for built-in cranes and fire protection systems, parts storage, explosive service lockers, maintenance areas and personnel support spaces. The task order also contains one unexercised option, which if exercised, would increase cumulative contract value to $21,003,842. Work expected to be complete by April 2022. Fiscal 2020 military construction (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $20,999,877 are obligated on this award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Three proposals were received for this task order. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Northwest, Silverdale, Washington, is the contracting activity. Cubic Dense Applications Inc., San Diego, California, is awarded $8,880,166 for a firm-fixed-price and cost-plus fixed-fee contract with options. This procurement of model AN/USQ-167(V) Communications Data Link System (CDLS) for production of five CDLS Tech Refresh (TR) Integrated Antenna Systems (IAS) for Nimitz class aircraft carrier platforms. Work will be performed in San Diego, California. One AN/USQ-167C(V) CDLS-TR IAS consists of two directional/Omni antennas, one Omni only antenna including hardware/software interface and three above and below deck split radios with communications security module. In addition, the contractor will provide and order the engineering services and provisional items required to support installations, repairs and sustainment. Work is expected to be complete by April 2025. The Navy requires hardware and software delivery for installation within 12 months of the contract's award and for additional units, 12 months after options are exercised. This contract includes four one-year options which, if exercised, will bring the cumulative value of this contract to an estimated $8,880,166. If all options are exercised, work may continue through September 2021. Fiscal 2020 other procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $1,229,714 will be obligated at the time of award. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract is awarded as a sole-source under the under the authority of 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1). The Naval Information Warfare Systems Command, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity (N00039-20-C-0015). DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY General Dynamics Mission Systems Inc., Scottsdale, Arizona, has been awarded a maximum $25,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for Prophet Enhanced system spare parts. 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 five-year contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Arizona, with an April 16, 2025, performance completion date. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 Army working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland (SPRBL1-20-D-0021). Hamilton Sundstrand Corp., Windsor Locks, Connecticut, has been awarded a maximum $7,377,840 firm-fixed-price contract for F100/220 aircraft control units. 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 contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Connecticut, with a Jan. 31, 2023, performance completion date. Using customers are foreign military sales to Egypt and Taiwan. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2020 Foreign Military Sales funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma (SPRTA1-20-F-0097). DEFENSE ADVANCED RESEARCH PROJECTS AGENCY Galois Inc., Portland, Oregon, was awarded a $12,752,707 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for a research project under the Securing Information for Encrypted Verification and Evaluation (SIEVE) program. The SIEVE program will use zero knowledge proofs to enable the verification of capabilities relevant to the Department of Defense without revealing the sensitive details associated with those capabilities. Work will be performed in Portland, Oregon, with an expected completion date of May 2024. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation (RDT&E) funding in the amount of $1,219,023; and fiscal 2020 RDT&E funding in the amount of $1,474,654 are being obligated at time of award. This contract was a competitive acquisition under an open broad agency announcement, and 13 offers were received. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting activity (HR0011-20-C-0085). *Small business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2155142/source/GovDelivery/

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  July 8, 2019 | International, Aerospace, Other Defence

  USAF: New Raytheon Bomb Ready for Real-World Vetting

  RACHEL S. COHEN The Air Force's top weapons development official says Raytheon's Small Diameter Bomb II, or “StormBreaker,” is ready for primetime despite needing to work out some lingering issues. “Getting them out into the field, right now I think that's the best way for us to wring this out,” Air Force Weapons Program Executive Officer Brig. Gen. Anthony Genatempo said at a recent Air Force Life Cycle Management Center conference. “Get it into the hands of the people using it, figure out what they can do with it that we did not think of, figure out what things are happening in the operational environment that we were not able to replicate and test, and then feed that back into successive upgrades.” The Pentagon plans to buy 17,000 SDB IIs, split between 12,000 for the Air Force and 5,000 for the Navy, and will fly them on all current Air Force fighter and bomber aircraft as well as the A-10, AC-130J, and MQ-9. StormBreaker was designed as a precision munition that can communicate with nearby aircraft to attack moving and stationary targets in bad weather and notch “multiple kills per pass,” according to the Air Force. “The StormBreaker tri-mode seeker uses imaging infrared and millimeter wave radar in its normal mode to give pilots the ability to destroy moving targets, even in adverse weather, from standoff ranges,” Raytheon said in a press release. “Additionally, the weapon can use its semi-active laser guidance to hit targets.” As of October 2018, the service planned to spend $1.9 billion on development and $2.6 billion on procurement, the Government Accountability Office reported in May. StormBreaker's ability to communicate with its host aircraft needs more vetting, Genatempo said, and other fixes are already being added into the current production batch, Lot 4. Its radio may not be fixed until Lot 6 or 7, and the service plans to address parts that will be outdated in Lot 8. “Whether or not that is an issue that will prevent fielding, I don't think I can say that. I don't even think Air Combat Command can say that right now,” Genatempo said. “They very well may choose to take an initial delivery of these weapons at the capability they're at, knowing that one caveat. ... It certainly doesn't affect the entire envelope of operation of the weapon. It's a miniature part of one or two different scenarios.” The weapon is moving closer to being declared ready for initial operations afterfinishing operational tests in June and an overall test program that uncovered a range of performance issues that Raytheon and government officials say are routine in the course of vetting. When airmen are ready to receive the new bomb is ultimately up to Air Combat Command. “It's a very good conversation and dialogue with Air Combat Command about what they would like, when they would like it, what they're willing to take and employ,” Genatempo said. “I very much think that this weapon is ready to go out [to] operational use.” The Air Force now expects to reach its “required assets available” milestone, which has changed multiple times, from the fourth quarter of fiscal 2019 through the end of 2020. It was most recently slated for January 2019. To meet RAA, the service must arm 12 Boeing F-15Es with 144 weapons and own spare parts, support equipment, and more. The milestone was originally scheduled for July 2017. Genatempo said RAA was pushed back again to avoid punishing the program for having to wait its turn for testing ranges, as range availability is scarce thanks to several weapons programs simultaneously in testing. Delaying the milestone to later this year was “predominantly a paperwork exercise to make sure we didn't breach our [acquisition program baseline],” he said. http://airforcemag.com/Features/Pages/2019/July%202019/USAF-New-Raytheon-Bomb-Ready-for-Real-World-Vetting.aspx