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March 19, 2024 | International, Land

EU closer to buying arms for Ukraine with frozen Russian asset profits

The 27-nation bloc is holding about €200 billion (U.S. $218 billion) in Russian central bank assets, most of it frozen in Belgium.

https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2024/03/19/eu-closer-to-buying-arms-for-ukraine-with-frozen-russian-asset-profits/

On the same subject

  • Despite progress, industry faces ‘very tough roadmap’ to field FCAS by 2040

    December 10, 2020 | International, Aerospace

    Despite progress, industry faces ‘very tough roadmap’ to field FCAS by 2040

    By: Vivienne Machi   STUTTGART, Germany — After the decade that has been the year 2020, it may seem like 2040 is centuries away. But for Airbus, the scheduled in-service date for Europe's next-generation combat aircraft and weapon system feels just around the corner. The Future Combat Air System (FCAS) industry partners have made significant progress on the pan-European, multi-system effort despite the hurdles of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, Airbus, along with its co-contractors Dassault Aviation and Indra, face a “very tough roadmap” to finalize system designs, begin preliminary development, launch production, and get the systems into service, said Bruno Fichefeux, FCAS leader for Airbus, during the company's annual trade media briefing Dec. 9. The 18-month Joint Concept Study and Phase 1A of the demonstrator portion are progressing well, but the companies need to move quickly to reach key technology maturation phases, he said. “This is a major de-risking and speeding approach towards the future development program, to ensure that we are on time on expectation.” France, Germany and Spain have teamed up on the FCAS program, which includes seven next-generation technology pillars: a sixth-generation fighter jet, multiple “remote carrier” drones, a next-generation weapon system, a brand new jet engine, advanced sensors and stealth technologies, and an “air combat cloud.” In September, the nations' three air forces worked together to down-select the five preferred architectures that will help inform the program's follow-on phases, Fichefeux said at the virtual briefing. The goal for 2021 is for FCAS to enter the preliminary demonstrator development phase for the next-generation fighter and the remote carrier aircraft. Those contracts are currently in negotiations, he noted. Starting in 2021, the FCAS will go from spending a “few million” euros to “billions,” he added. “It's a massive step forward [that] we want to initiate next year.” Observers can expect to see some major design choices after those negotiations are complete; for example, whether the next-generation fighter will have one or two seats, Fichefeux said. Airbus' unmanned aerial systems team has moved forward with efforts related to the remote carrier and manned-unmanned teaming technologies. Jana Rosenmann, the company's UAS leader, said at the briefing that her team had submitted their proposal for Phase 1B of the FCAS demonstrator portion that is scheduled to begin next year. The team is studying two remote carrier designs. “We are looking at both a smaller, expendable remote carrier, as well as a larger, conventional-sized remote carrier, looking in the direction of a loyal wingman to fly together with the combat aircraft,” Rosenmann said. Airbus is the lead contractor for the remote carrier pillar. The program has some new partners on board, Fichefeux shared Wednesday. In April, Airbus teamed up with the German Ministry of Defence for an eight-month pilot program bringing non-traditional startups and research institutes into the FCAS fold. Eighteen organizations worked on 14 separate program elements, spanning the entire range of technology pillars. Those efforts have led to concrete results, to include a first flight-test-approved launcher of an unmanned aerial system from a transport aircraft; a secure combat cloud demonstrator; and a demonstrator of applied artificial intelligence on radio frequency analysis. These 18 partners could be picked up for subcontracts later on in the program, Fichefeux noted. The plan is to “mature these pilots step by step, and then it could develop into real contracting participation within the FCAS development,” he said. “There is a perspective to bring them on board at a later stage.” Meanwhile, Airbus also announced Wednesday that its Spanish subsidiary was selected as lead contractor for the low-observability pillar of the program. Airbus Spain will also lead Madrid's contribution to the next-generation fighter pillar. Indra serves as national lead for the entire program since Spain joined FCAS in early 2020, and also heads the sensor pillar while contributing to the combat cloud and simulations efforts. The finalization of the low-observability contract “completes Spain's onboarding as an equal nation across all FCAS activities,” Airbus said in a release. “The signature closes a ten-month process of onboarding Spain as the third nation.” The program will begin testing low-observability technologies early in the demonstrator phase, Fichefeux confirmed. Both the fighter aircraft demonstrator and the remote carrier will have stealth capabilities when they begin flight tests, which are expected as early as 2026. Then the team will need to work on issues such as how to factor in the future engine's heat signature, and how to integrate sensors and antennae, Fichefeux said. Low-observability “is part of almost all pillars, and the aim of this maturation is to prove” what works and what won't work, he noted. Along with a personal deadline, the FCAS program may also face schedule pressure from Europe's second sixth-generation fighter program. The United Kingdom, Italy and Sweden have teamed up on the Tempest program, with a current goal of delivering new fighter aircraft to the nations' militaries by 2035. When asked whether the two fighter programs may converge at some point, Fichefeux noted that that would ultimately be a government decision. “That is our responsibility, on the industry side, is just not to lose time waiting,” he said. “If the governments want to define a path of convergence, we will support it in due time.” https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2020/12/09/despite-progress-industry-faces-very-tough-roadmap-to-field-fcas-by-2040/

  • BAE Systems forecasts more growth on Ukraine conflict boost

    February 23, 2023 | International, Aerospace

    BAE Systems forecasts more growth on Ukraine conflict boost

    BAE Systems , Britain's biggest defence company, said earnings would rise again this year after jumping last year, as Russia's invasion of Ukraine continues to drive military spend higher.

  • Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - October 17, 2018

    October 18, 2018 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security

    Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - October 17, 2018

    NAVY Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., doing business as Northrop Grumman Mission Systems Sector, Bethpage, New York, is awarded a $697,029,788 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for system upgrades for the EA-18G system configuration sets, Airborne Electronic Attack and Electronic Warfare systems and final upgrades for the EA-6B system for the Navy and the government of Australia under the Foreign Military Sales program. Work will be performed in Pt. Mugu, California (50 percent); Baltimore, Maryland (29 percent); Bethpage, New York (20 percent); and Rolling Meadows, Illinois (1 percent), and is expected to be completed in October 2023. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance (Navy) funds in amount of $996,902 are being obligated at time of award, all of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. The Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division, Point Mugu, California, is the contracting activity (N68936-19-D-0007). LGS Innovations LLC, Westminster, Colorado, is awarded a $15,528,008 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, cost-plus-fixed-fee, firm-fixed-price contract for engineering services, materials, training, and testing to support integration and operation of information operations payloads into unmanned aerial vehicles used by the U.S. Special Operations Command and the Navy. This two-year contract includes a three-year option which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to an estimated $34,996,905. Work will be performed across three geographic zones in the areas of Westminster, Colorado (40 percent); Florham Park, New Jersey (40 percent); and Jessup, Maryland (20 percent). The work is expected to be completed Oct. 16, 2020. If the option is exercised, the period of performance would extend through Oct. 16, 2023. No funds will be obligated at the time of award. Funding will be obligated via task/delivery orders using anticipated types of funding to include: operations and maintenance (Navy); other procurement (Navy); and research, development, test and evaluation (Navy). Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This sole-source procurement is issued using other than full and open competition in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation Subpart 6.302-1 and 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1) - only one responsible source. The Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Pacific, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity (N66001-19-D-3401). Wiley Wilson Burns and McDonnell JV, Alexandria, Virginia, is awarded $15,000,000 firm-fixed-price modification under a previously awarded indefinite-quantity architect-engineering contract (N40080-15-D-0452) to exercise option four for engineering and design services for general and administrative facilities within the Naval Facilities Engineering Command. The total contract amount after exercise of this option will be is $75,000,000. No task orders are being issued at this time. Work will be performed at various administrative facilities within the Naval Facilities Engineering Command Washington area of responsibility, including but not limited to, Maryland (45 percent); Washington, District of Columbia (30 percent); and Virginia (20 percent). Work may also be performed in the remainder of the U.S. (5 percent), and is expected to be completed in October 2019. No funds will be obligated at time of award; funds will be obligated on individual task orders as they are issued. Task orders will be primarily funded by fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance (Navy and Marine Corps); and fiscal 2019 Navy working capital funds. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Washington, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. Rockwell Collins Inc. Government Systems Division, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, is awarded a $7,062,238 five-year long-term contract for repair of 22 various navigation and communication items that are a part of the KC-130J, H-1, E-2C, P-3, common systems and other aircraft. Work will be performed at contractor facilities in Atlanta, Georgia; Cedar Rapids, Iowa; Calexico, California; and Wichita, Kansas. The percentage of work at each of those locations cannot be determined at this time, and work is expected to be completed by October 2023. Working capital (Navy) funds will be obligated as individual task orders are issued and funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. One firm was solicited for this non-competitive requirement under authority 10 U.S. Code 2304 (c)(1) and Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. The requirement was posted to the Federal Business Opportunities website and the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website, with one offer received. Naval Supply Systems Command Weapon Systems Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is the contracting activity (N00383-19-D-PS01). General Electric Co., Lynn, Massachusetts, was awarded $7,041,528 for modification P00012 to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (N00019-17-C-0047) for the procurement of 24 F414-GE-400 engine devices for Lot 42 F/A-18 aircraft. Work will be performed in Evendale, Ohio, and is expected to be completed in February 2019. Fiscal 2018 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount $7,041,528 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. (Awarded Oct. 15, 2018) AIR FORCE The Boeing Co., Layton, Utah, has been awarded a $55,567,613 undefinitized, firm-price incentive-fee contract, for Intercontinental Ballistic Missile Cryptography Upgrade Increment II production. This contract provides for the government's minimum requirement of the production of 75 message processor drawers; 8 digital components; and program management support. Work will be performed in Huntsville, Alabama; and Huntington Beach, California, and is expected to be completed by Feb. 11, 2019. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition and one offer was received. Fiscal 2018 missile procurement funds in the amount of $17,864,050 are being obligated at the time of award. Intercontinental Ballistic Missile Contracting Division, Hill Air Force Base, Utah, is the contracting activity (FA8204-19-C-0001). ARMY TGS USA,* McLean, Virginia, was awarded a $39,543,009 firm-fixed-price Foreign Military Sales (Iraq) contract for Toyota Land Cruisers and spare parts. Bids were solicited via the internet with three received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Oct. 16, 2018. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Warren, Michigan, is the contracting activity (W56HZV-19-D-0010). DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY UPDATE: US Eco Products Corp., Haverhill, Massachusetts (SPE8EC-19-D-0030), has been added as an awardee to the multiple-award contract for commercial snow removal equipment, issued against solicitation SPE8EC-17-R-0009, announced May 5, 2017. *Small Business https://dod.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/1664968/source/GovDelivery/

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