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June 5, 2020 | International, Naval

Entretien avec Pierre Éric Pommellet, dirigeant de Naval Group

Le PDG de Naval Group, Pierre Éric Pommellet, s'exprime dans Le Figaro. Il évoque la gestion de la crise sanitaire et ses conséquences : «Naval Group n'a perdu aucun client et ne déplore aucune annulation de contrats. Le carnet de commandes est solide. Nous préparons toutefois un recalage des calendriers de livraisons, dont nous discutons avec nos clients, afin de nous organiser», explique le dirigeant, qui souligne sa confiance dans l'entreprise, dont il a visité les sites et rencontré les équipes : «le navire est solide, il est préparé pour croiser au long cours», déclare-t-il. Naval Group a confirmé son engagement en faveur de la jeunesse, avec l'arrivée, d'ici à la fin 2020, de 400 apprentis, qui n'avaient pas pu être accueillis en mars pour cause de confinement.

Le Figaro du 5 juin

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  • New, Low-Cost Air Force ISR Drone Prototype Flies 2.5 Days

    December 16, 2019 | International, Aerospace

    New, Low-Cost Air Force ISR Drone Prototype Flies 2.5 Days

    The Air Force Research Laboratory believes it's on to something when it comes to long-endurance drone flight. By THERESA HITCHENS WASHINGTON: While other commercial and military drones have flown longer, the two and a half day flight of the Air Force's latest unmanned aircraft prototype this week does represent a kind of breakthrough for the US military: proving that commercial technology can be adapted to build affordable long-endurance and highly capable surveillance drones. And the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) in Dayton, Ohio is convinced that the new, autonomous Ultra-Long Endurance Aircraft Platform (Ultra LEAP) will be able to stay in the sky for longer in future flight tests. “Developing a UAS with this level of endurance is an incredible achievement for future warfighting and battlefield success,” said Paul Litke, the AFRL project engineer for Ultra LEAP. In an Air Force announcement yesterday, Litke explains that since the system employs many commercial off-the-shelf components, Ultra LEAP will dramatically reduce the costs for high performance intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) drones. The “2.5-day Ultra LEAP mission is a significant milestone in solving the tyranny of distance problem for ISR systems,” said Dr. Alok Das, director of AFRL's Center for Rapid Innovation (CRI). “It will provide immediate benefit to our warfighters while at the same time paving the path for future low-cost, multi-day endurance ISR systems.” Ultra LEAP is based on a commercially available “sport-class” commercial airframe — sport aircraft cost anywhere between $20,000 and $140,000. An AFRL spokesman told Breaking D today that the service could not release the name of the company providing the chassis “for security reasons.” The basic airframe was souped up by AFRL to carry a “customizable suite of ISR tools” that feature “secure, easy to use navigation employing anti-jam GPS and full global operational access via a satellite-based command and control and high-rate ISR data relay link.” The aircraft body was further “converted to a fully automated system with autonomous takeoff and landing capabilities,” the press release said. The high level of automation it provides will enable greatly reduced operator training requirements for the Air Force. Smaller support crews will also lead to lower operating costs, according to AFRL. “As the Air Force balances current readiness with long-term modernization, Ultra LEAP represents an affordable approach that supports both existing and future force needs,” said Maj. Gen. William Cooley, AFRL commander, adding that the “enhanced UAS capabilities along with the cost savings offers the military a winning solution.” The Ultra LEAP effort evolved from an earlier AFRL experiment, just called LEAP but with the A standing for aircraft, started in 2016. Then AFRL Commander Robert McMurry testified to Congress in September 2016 that the program, managed by CRI, was designed to provide “a revolutionary, low-cost, low acoustic signature, persistent aerial ISR capability to address Combatant Command and U.S. Special Forces ISR gaps by converting a proven, fuel-efficient Light Sport Aircraft into an UAS.” Four of the original LEAP aircraft were deployed in early 2016 in conjunction with Special Operations Command, he said. McMurry added that “LEAP significantly bends today's ISR cost-performance curve and enables needed counter- insurgency capability and ISR capacity at a fraction of the cost of comparably performing systems.” The original LEAP was capable of missions up to 40 hours and has completed more than 18,000 combat flight hours. Using the same commercial customization strategy as the original LEAP, CRI developed Ultra LEAP from concept to first flight in less than 10 months, the AFRL release explained, and the system could be ready for operational fielding as soon as 2020. The Air Force is interested in developing a range of long-endurance ISR drones, and in August 2018 issued its Next Generation Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Dominance Flight Plan. The plan sets out the service strategy for “a shift from a manpower-intensive permissive environment to a human-machine teaming approach in a peer threat environment.” For example, the Air Force issued a $48 million contract to Boeing's Aurora Flight Sciences subsidiary for its Orion drone in January 2018. Orion has an endurance of 80 hours. In May of this year, AFRL worked jointly with Lockheed Martin to enhance its Condor eXtended Endurance and Payload (XEP) — improving its endurance from two hours to four. The team also improved the small drone's fuselage to accommodate multiple payload types, according to a May 22 Lockheed Martin press release. The current record for the longest flight time by an unmanned aerial vehicle is held by the pseudo-satellite (an airframe that flies very, very high in the stratosphere) called Zephyr, developed by Airbus Defense and Space. It flew for more than 25 days in the fall of 2018. The US military's most famous drone, the armed MQ-1 Predator made by General Atomics, has an endurance of 40 hours. https://breakingdefense.com/2019/12/new-low-cost-air-force-isr-drone-prototype-flies-2-5-days

  • GE Aerospace to develop digital backbone for Bell’s V-280 Valor

    September 10, 2023 | International, Aerospace

    GE Aerospace to develop digital backbone for Bell’s V-280 Valor

    The U.S. Army's Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft competition pitted Bell’s V-280 Valor, a tiltrotor aircraft, against Sikorsky and Boeing’s Defiant X.

  • Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - March 13, 2020

    March 16, 2020 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security

    Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - March 13, 2020

    NAVY BAE Systems, San Diego Ship Repair, San Diego, California (N00024-16-D-4419); Huntington Ingalls Industries Inc., San Diego, California (N00024-16-D-4420); and General Dynamics, National Steel and Shipbuilding Co., San Diego, California (N00024-16-D-4421), are awarded a $171,876,527 firm-fixed-price modification to exercise Option Period Four to previously awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, multiple award contracts for complex, emergent and continuous maintenance and Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) availabilities on amphibious ships (landing platform/dock, landing ship dock, landing helicopter assault and landing helicopter dock) homeported in San Diego, California. Work will be performed in San Diego, California, at contractor facilities or Naval Base San Diego and is expected to be completed by March 2021. The exercising of these options ensures continued facilities and human resources capable of completing complex, emergent and continuous maintenance, repair, modernization and CNO availabilities on amphibious ships assigned to or visiting the port. Awards under Option Period Four have an estimated cumulative value of $171,876,527. No funding is obligated at the time of award. The Southwest Regional Maintenance Center, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity. Manson/Connolly Seal Beach JV, Seattle, Washington, is awarded $66,530,000 which provides for exercise of Options One, Two and Three under a firm-fixed-price contract for the construction and building operations of Ammunition Pier, Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach, the reconstruction of Anaheim Bay Road, and the construction of the Smoke Shack Building. Work will be performed in Seal Beach, California, and the performance period will be extended for an additional 600 calendar days. The work includes labor, supervision, management, tools, materials, equipment, facilities, transportation, incidental engineering and other items necessary to provide dredging, constructing and several building operations. After award of these options, the total cumulative contract value will be $154,677,000. Fiscal 2020 military construction funds in the amount of $66,530,000 are obligated on this award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southwest, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity (N62473-19-C-2450). Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Bethpage, New York, is awarded a $49,143,009 cost-plus-fixed-fee and cost-only modification to a previously awarded contract (N00024-17-C-6311) for engineering services to support the Littoral Combat Ship Mission Modules Program. Work will be performed Bethpage, New York (32%); Mayport, Florida (18%); San Diego, California (18%); Port Hueneme, California (18%); Pittsfield, Massachusetts (8%); Panama City, Florida (1%); Washington, District of Columbia (1%); and various other locations less than one percent (4%). Engineering services will be provided to support the existing efforts of the Littoral Combat Ships Mission Modules Program. Incidental other direct cost items are also provided in support of said engineering services. Work is expected to be complete by March 2021. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Navy); fiscal 2018 and 2020 other procurement (Navy); fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy); and fiscal years 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funding in the amount of $21,857,006 will be obligated at time of award. Funding in the amount of $18,825,998 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. L-3 Harris, Northampton, Massachusetts, is awarded a $14,181,070 firm-fixed-price modification to a previously-awarded contract (N00024-16-C-5366) to exercise options for Mk 20 Mod (automatic grenade launcher) 1 Electro-Optical Sensor Systems, radar cross-section kits, shock ring kits and spares for both the Navy and Coast Guard (USCG). Work will be performed in Northampton, Massachusetts, and is expected to be complete by March 2022. This option exercise is for additional Mk 20 Mod 1 Electro-Optical Sensor Systems, radar cross-section kits, shock ring kits and spares to support the Mk 34 gun weapon systems in support of anti-air warfare and anti-surface warfare. The Mk 20 EOSS is a major component of the gun weapon systems employed by the Guided Missile Destroyer (DDG 51 class); Ticonderoga-class cruiser (CG 47 class); and the USCG's offshore patrol cutters. Fiscal 2020 other procurement (Navy); fiscal 2020 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy); and fiscal 2020 other procurement (USCG) funding in the amount of $14,181,070 will be obligated at time of the award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. Northrop Grumman Systems Corp. - Marine Systems, Sunnyvale, California, is awarded a $11,244,675 cost-plus incentive-fee, contract modification (P00003) to a previously awarded contract (N00030-19-C-0015) for technical engineering services, design and development engineering, component and full scale test and evaluation engineering, and tactical underwater launcher hardware production to support the development and production of the Common Missile Compartment. Work will be performed in Sunnyvale, California (55%); Ridgecrest, California (20%); Cape Canaveral, Florida (10%); Bangor, Washington (5%); Kings Bay, Georgia (5%); Barrow-In-Furness, England (2%); New London, Connecticut (1%); Quonset Point, Rhode Island (1%); and Arlington, Virginia (1%), and is expected to be completed by March 2024. Fiscal 2020 shipbuilding and conversion Navy funding in the amount of $9,097,994 will be obligated on this award. Fiscal 2020 United Kingdom Common funding in the amount of $2,146,681 will be obligated on this award. No funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Strategic Systems Programs, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. Cabrillo Enterprises,* doing business as R.W. Little,* National City, California (N55236-16-D-0005); South Bay Sand Blasting and Tank Cleaning Inc.,* San Diego, California (N55236-16-D-0006); and Surface Technologies Corp.,* Atlantic Beach, Florida (N55236-16-D-0007), is awarded $10,000,000 for a combined overall ceiling increase due to modifications under previously-awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, multiple-award contracts to exercise Option Year Four in support of deck covering removal and non-skid installation services onboard Navy ships. Work will be performed in San Diego, California, and may include Oceanside, California. Each contractor shall provide all management, administrative services, materials, tools, equipment, labor, rigging, scaffolding, utilities (i.e. air, water and electricity, etc.) and required services and support to accomplish deck covering removal and non-skid installation onboard Navy ships within a 50-mile radius of San Diego. Work is expected to be complete by April 2021. Actual funding will be identified per individual task order. No funding is obligated at the time of award. The Southwest Regional Maintenance Center, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity. Engility Corp., Andover, Massachusetts, is awarded an $8,782,647 modification (P00012) to a previously awarded, cost-plus-fixed-fee, cost reimbursable, firm-fixed-price delivery order (N68936-19-F-0307) against a General Services Administration One Acquisition Solution for integrated services multiple award contract. Work will be performed in Point Mugu, California (90%); Patuxent River, Maryland (1.79%); Whidbey Island, Washington (1.79%); Edwards Air Force base, California (1.79%); Huntsville, Alabama (1.79%); China Lake, California (1.07%); Dayton, Ohio (1.07%); El Segundo, California (0.70%); and is expected to be completed in March 2021. This modification exercises an option for engineering, technical and programmatic support services for the development of electronic attack and electronic warfare products within the Airborne Electronic Attack Integrated Program. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $75,000; and fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $156,000 will be obligated at the time of award, $156,000 of which will expire at the end of the fiscal year. The Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division, Point Mugu, California, is the contracting activity. Penn State University Applied Research Lab, University Park, Pennsylvania, is awarded an $8,404,271 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for the Advanced Broadband Navigation Sonar System Future Naval Capabilities Program. This contract provides for the development and demonstration of technologies associated with continuous subsea autonomous navigation by developing and demonstrating improvements to navigational sonar systems. Improved estimation of positon and velocity afforded by advanced sonar processing will provide naval platforms with increased navigational performance for undersea platforms. Work will be performed in University Park, Pennsylvania, and is expected to be complete by March 2023. The total cumulative value of this contract is $8,404,271. The base period is $8,404,271, and no options are to be exercised. The action will be incrementally funded with an initial obligation of $1,925,613 utilizing fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation funds, and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured under the “Long Range Broad Agency Announcement for Navy and Marine Corps Science & Technology” (N00014-18-S-B001) via the Federal Business Opportunities website. The Office of Naval Research, Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N00014-20-C-1061). ARMY Brantley Construction Co. LLC,* Charleston, South Carolina (W912HN-20-D-4004); Howard W. Pence Inc.,* Elizabethtown, Kentucky (W912HN-20-D-4004); Military & Federal Construction Co. Inc.,* Jacksonville, North Carolina (W912HN-20-D-4004); and Windamir Development Inc.,* McDonough, Georgia (W912HN-20-D-4004), will compete for each order of the $75,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for new construction, design, renovation, upgrades, improvement and maintenance or repair of government facilities. Bids were solicited via the internet with 28 received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of March 12, 2025. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Savannah, Georgia, is the contracting activity. Sierra Four Industries,* Fort Collins, Colorado (W15QKN-20-D-0013); Culmen International,* Alexandria, Virginia (W15QKN-20-D-0014); Multinational Defense Services,* McLean, Virginia (W15QKN-20-D-0015); Ultra Defense Corp.,* Tampa, Florida (W15QKN-20-D-0016); Global Ordnance LLC,* Sarasota, Florida (W15QKN-20-D-0017); Blane International, Cumming, Georgia (W15QKN-20-D-0018); and Greystone LLC, Pace, Florida (W15QKN-20-D-0019), will compete for each order of the $350,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for procurement of weapons, parts, optics, accessories, tools and manuals for various commercial, foreign, non-standard and U.S. obsolete weapon systems. Bids were solicited via the internet with 11 received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of March 12, 2025. U.S. Army Contracting Command, New Jersey, is the contracting activity. The Dutra Group, San Rafael, California, was awarded a $21,550,000 firm-fixed-price contract for West Coast Hopper Maintenance Dredging. Bids were solicited via the internet with two received. Work will be performed in Hammond, Oregon; and Samoa, California, with an estimated completion date of March 15, 2021. Fiscal 2020 civil operation and maintenance funds in the amount of $21,550,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Portland, Oregon, is the contracting activity (W9127N-20-C-0009). Mission Essential LLC, New Albany, Ohio, was awarded a $12,406,907 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for linguist, translation, interpretation and transcription services in support of U.S. Army Africa Command. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will be performed in New Albany, Ohio, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 14, 2020. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance, Army funds in the amount of $12,406,907 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Detroit Arsenal, Michigan, is the contracting activity (W50NH9-20-C-0008). DEFENSE THREAT REDUCTION AGENCY Booz Allen Hamilton, McLean, Virginia (HDTRA1-16-C-0012), is issued a contract modification (P00036) to exercise Option Period Four line items with a ceiling value of $37,892,180, with an effective date of May 27, 2020. This does not include the value of the unexercised options. This contract is for advisory and assistance services in support of the Program Integration Division of the Cooperative Threat Reduction Program. Performance of this contract will take place at Lorton, Virginia; Fort Belvoir, Virginia; and at various locations throughout the world. The anticipated completion date of this option period is May 26, 2021. The contract was a competitive acquisition; the government received one offer. The Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Fort Belvoir, Virginia, is the contracting activity. AIR FORCE General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems Inc., Garland, Texas, has been awarded a $26,464,692 firm-fixed-price contract for warhead assemblies. This contract provides for the additional procurement of BLU 111 Engineering Change Proposal warhead assemblies. Work will be performed in Garland, Texas, and is expected to complete by June 2021. Fiscal 2018, 2019 and 2020 procurement funds in the full amount are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, is the contracting activity (FA8681-19-C-0015). Alliant Techsystems Operations LLC, doing business as Northrop Grumman Defense Systems, Rocket Center, West Virginia, has been awarded a $24,695,129 firm-fixed-price contract for warhead assemblies. This contract provides for the additional procurement of BLU 111 Engineering Change Proposal warhead assemblies. Work will be performed in Rocket Center, West Virginia, and is expected to complete by June 2021. Fiscal 2018, 2019 and 2020 procurement funds in the full amount are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, is the contracting activity (FA8681-19-C-0016). Major Tool and Machine Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana, has been awarded a $22,796,400 firm-fixed-price contract for warhead assemblies. This contract provides for the additional procurement of BLU 111 Engineering Change Proposal warhead assemblies. Work will be performed in Indianapolis, Indiana, and is expected to complete by June 2021. Fiscal 2018, 2019 and 2020 procurement funds in the full amount are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, is the contracting activity (FA8681-19-C-0013). U.S. TRANSPORTATION COMMAND UPDATE: A contract announced on Nov. 8, 2019, with an estimated program value of $5,700,000,000, has added Canadian Commercial Corp., Ottawa, Ontario, Canada (HTC711120DR008), as one of 18 awardees to provide worldwide Federal Aviation Regulation Part 135 airlift services utilizing fixed and/or rotary wing aircraft to transport Department of Defense and other federal agency personnel and cargo. (Awarded March 12, 2020) *Small Business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2111974/source/GovDelivery/

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