November 6, 2020 | International, Aerospace

Exclusive: Trump administration advances $2.9 billion drone sale to UAE - sources

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. State Department gave Congress notification it plans to sell 18 sophisticated armed MQ-9B aerial drones to the United Arab Emirates in a deal worth as much as $2.9 billion, people briefed on the notification said.

The move comes on the heels of last week's notification of a potential sale of F-35 fighter jets to the middle-eastern country.

This would mark the first armed drone export since the Trump administration reinterpreted a Cold War-era arms agreement between 34 nations to allow U.S. defense contractors to sell more drones to allies.

Reuters has reported that UAE has long shown interest in purchasing drones from the United States and would be among the first customers in line after U.S. export policy changed this summer. A $600 million deal to sell four unarmed but weapons-ready MQ-9B SeaGuardian drones to Taiwan was the first to be formally notified to Congress on Tuesday.

This informal notification for the Reaper-style drones is the precursor to the State Department's formal and public notification.

The U.S. Senate Foreign Relations and House of Representatives Foreign Affairs committees - whose members have criticized UAE's role in civilian deaths in Yemen's civil war - have the ability to review and block weapons sales under an informal review process before the State Department sends its formal notification to the legislative branch.

The U.S. State Department may wait to formally notify Congress of the sale once staff and members are briefed on the potential sale, one of the people said. The formal notification gives Congress 30 days to object to any sales.

A U.S. State Department spokesman told Reuters, “As a matter of policy, the United States does not confirm or comment on proposed defense sales or transfers until they are formally notified to Congress.”

The armed MQ-9B drones will also be equipped with maritime radar and could be delivered in 2024. The package notified to Congress is for 15 with an option for three additional drones, one of the people said.

The UAE is also seeking a package of Boeing Co EA-18G Growlers, an electronic warfare version of the two-seat F/A-18F Super Hornet aircraft, that are capable of jamming radar and other advanced capabilities. Growlers are operated buy the U.S. and Australia.

The United Arab Emirates, one of Washington's closest Middle East allies, has long expressed interest in acquiring the stealthy F-35 jets and was promised a chance to buy them in a side deal made when they agreed to normalize relations with Israel. The informal notification for 50 Lockheed Martin Co F-35 jets was made on Oct. 29.

But any deal the U.S. makes to sell weapons in the region must satisfy decades of agreement with Israel where the U.S.-made weapon must not impair Israel's “qualitative military edge,” guaranteeing U.S. weapons furnished to Israel are “superior in capability” to those sold to its neighbors.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-emirates-drones-exclusive/exclusive-trump-administration-advances-2-9-billion-drone-sale-to-uae-sources-idUSKBN27M06L

On the same subject

December 9, 2020 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security

Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - December 08, 2020
NAVY Lockheed Martin Rotary Mission Systems, Orlando, Florida, is awarded an $89,246,355 modification (P00016) to previously awarded firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee, cost reimbursable contract N68335-18-C-0681. This modification exercises an option to procure 35 electronic Consolidated Automated Support System (eCASS) full rate production units and related equipment. This modification provides for the procurement of four self-maintenance and test/calibration operational test program sets, five calibration equipment suites/kits, 36 rack rail kits, 44 shore installation kits and 28 ship installation kits. Work will be performed in Orlando, Florida, and is expected to be completed in December 2023. Fiscal 2019 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $9,102,737; and fiscal 2021 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $80,143,618 will be obligated at time of award, of which $9,102,737 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Lakehurst, New Jersey, is the contracting activity. L3 Technologies Inc., Salt Lake City, Utah, is awarded a $15,399,324 modification (P00025) to previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract N00019-18-C-1030. This modification exercises an option to procure 12 AN/SRQ-4 kits and associated components for the MH-60 Common Data Link system. Work will be performed in Salt Lake City, Utah, and is expected to be completed in February 2023. Fiscal 2021 other procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $15,399,324 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. Progeny Systems Corp.,* Manassas, Virginia, is awarded a $10,179,429 firm-fixed-price modification to previously awarded contract N00024-18-C-6410 for the procurement of MK54 MOD 1 Lightweight and MK48 Heavyweight torpedo components. This modification is in support of the MK54 MOD 1 Lightweight and MK48 Heavyweight torpedo programs. Work will be performed in Towcester, United Kingdom (98%); Charleroi, Pennsylvania (1%); and Manassas, Virginia (1%), and is expected to be completed by January 2023. Fiscal 2020 weapons procurement (Navy) ($6,688,666; 66%); 2019 weapons procurement (Navy) ($2,433,593; 24%); and 2021 weapons procurement (Navy) ($1,057,170; 10%) funding will be obligated at time of award, of which funds in the amount of $2,433,593 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity. WASHINGTON HEADQUARTERS SERVICES Hunter Strategy LLC, Washington, D.C. (HQ0034-21-C-0011), was awarded a $20,954,134 firm-fixed-price, level-of-effort contract to provide support to the Enterprise Account Tracking and Automation Tool (ATAT) for the Cloud Computing Program Office. ATAT will provide Department of Defense organizations with the ability to manage cloud accounts, manage authorized organizational users, access billing information and policies and apply and enforce cloud security policies. Proposals were solicited via the beta.sam.gov website with two received. This contract award includes one base period ending on Dec. 20, 2021, with four one-year option periods potentially extending performance through Dec. 20, 2025. Work will be performed in Crystal City, Virginia. Washington Headquarters Services, Alexandria, Virginia, is the contracting activity. (Awarded Dec. 7, 2020) AIR FORCE Raytheon Co., Woburn, Massachusetts, has been awarded a $13,648,819 firm-fixed-price modification (P00034) to contract FA8730-17-C-0010 for Qatar Early Warning Radar (QEWR). This modification is for the procurement, manufacture and storage of spares in support of sustainment for the QEWR. Work will be performed in Andover, Massachusetts, and is expected to be completed by December 2025. This modification brings the total cumulative face value of the contract to $1,137,800,144. This modification involves 100% Foreign Military Sales (FMS) to the country of Qatar. FMS funds in the full amount are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts, is the contracting activity. ARMY L3 Technologies Inc., Londonderry, New Hampshire, was awarded a $13,148,618 firm-fixed-price contract for the procurement of binocular night vision devices and accessories. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will be performed in Londonderry, New Hampshire, with an estimated completion date of Nov. 8, 2021. Fiscal 2010 Foreign Military Sales (United Arab Emirates) funds in the amount of $13,148,618 were obligated at the time of the award. The U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W91CRB-21-C-5004). *Small business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2439885/source/GovDelivery/
May 4, 2020 | International, Naval

PODCAST: The Navy Budget And Transformation – Opportunities And Challenges Ahead
An exclusive audio interview with Leonardo DRS CEO Bill Lynn discussing the role industry can play in helping the Navy and DoD achieve its next generation vision. By BREAKING DEFENSEon May 01, 2020 at 11:23 AM The Pentagon's plan to increase readiness, pursue modernization and advance the development of next-generation technologies is becoming increasingly clear. As the Navy budget continues to aim for a growing fleet and transformational capabilities, it will need to make decisions and trade-offs that impact the defense industrial base. Industry, which is pushing the rapid pace of technological innovation, can use its expertise to shape this future. In this brief podcast Bill Lynn, CEO of Leonardo DRS, discusses how the 2020-21 budget cycle creates opportunities for the defense industry to plan and partner with the Navy and DoD, using independent research and development and program investments. https://breakingdefense.com/2020/05/podcast-the-navy-budget-and-transformation-opportunities-and-challenges-ahead/
December 2, 2019 | International, Land

Cyborg Soldier 2050: Human/Machine Fusion and the Implications for the Future of the DOD
The Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (Alexandria, VA) established the DOD Biotechnologies for Health and Human Performance Council (BHPC) study group to continually assess research and development in biotechnology. The BHPC group assesses scientific advances for improved health and performance with potential military application; identifies corresponding risks and opportunities and ethical, legal, and social implications; and provides senior leadership with recommendations for mitigating adversarial threats and maximizing opportunities for future U.S. forces. At the direction of the BHPC Executive Committee, the BHPC study group conducted a year-long assessment entitled “Cyborg Soldier 2050: Human/Machine Fusion and the Impact for the Future of the DOD”. The primary objective of this effort was to forecast and evaluate the military implications of machines that are physically integrated with the human body to augment and enhance human performance over the next 30 years. This report summarizes this assessment and findings; identifies four potential military-use cases for new technologies in this area; and assesses their impact upon the DOD organizational structure, warfighter doctrine and tactics, and interoperability with U.S. allies and civil society. https://community.apan.org/wg/tradoc-g2/mad-scientist/m/articles-of-interest/300458

All news