Facing industry pressure, Pentagon backs off contract payment changes

On the same subject

• 

  November 16, 2017 | International, Aerospace, C4ISR, Security

  Cyber consequences: Attacks are hitting the C-suite

  Ask Charles Bouchard what keeps him awake at night and the chief executive officer of Lockheed Martin Canada won't hesitate: “Our ability to protect our cyber systems.” At a time when access to intellectual property (IP) is raising debate among aerospace OEMs, suppliers, in-service support and MRO (maintenance, repair and overhaul) companies, and governments and militaries, protecting data is a hot topic. Lockheed Martin has seen enough of its IP stolen in recent years to take the problem seriously. But Bouchard believes many industry executives don't truly understand the challenge or the cost. “It's one thing to say, we want the IP. The next question is, can you defend it? Can you protect it? That is a problem today,” he told Skies. “Subcontractors . . . need to protect their data because they are connecting to our systems, especially if IP will be passed to them. How are we going to do that? We have gone beyond putting a guard at the front gate and a lock on the door. [And] for some, it's a significant investment.” Cyber defence is a national imperative, said retired Major-General Robert Wheeler, a 32-year veteran of the United States Air Force and a senior advisor to Avascent Global Advisors. Whether the threat comes from nations or non-state actors such as terrorist or criminal organizations, cyber experts are seeing an increase in frequency and capability “in this particular type of warfare.” “They are going after companies that are not prepared to deal with it, to take their IP and create havoc...,” the former deputy chief information officer in the Office of the Secretary of Defense told executives at the Canadian Aerospace Summit in Ottawa Nov. 7. Modern aircraft, with their vast supply chains and increasingly networked systems, present an attractive “avenue for bad guys to get in.” In a presentation that highlighted recent attacks in Canada, the U.S. and elsewhere, Wheeler showed how the relentless pursuit of corporate and government data has jeopardized military, commercial and critical infrastructure systems and programs. The 2011 attack on Defence Research and Development Canada, for example, was not only a costly systems problem to fix, it also raised questions about what government, industry and research data was exfiltrated. Likewise, the 2015 hack of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management was alarming because the benign-sounding agency houses the security clearances, including digital photo and biometric identification, for government, intelligence and military personnel. “Data is the commodity of the 21st century,” said Wheeler. While the sheer volume of new data might be a sign that more intellectual property is being created and the economy is growing, corporate breaches are keeping pace, and “the cost of each breach is accelerating” in terms of dollars and lost IP. Cyber attacks are also starting to impact the C-suite, he noted. The 2013 breach of Target's payment card system cost chief executive officer Gregg Steinhafel his job, and executives with credit reporting agency Equifax have been “publicly flogged” in the wake of the hack of millions of client records in October. ere may be greater consequences for companies that don't do due diligence, Wheeler suggested, pointing to changes taking shape in the legal regime following the Target attack. While greater investment in cyber defence is important, “this is not a technology issue,” he said. “This is a leadership issue” that requires a change in organizational culture and executives who understand the challenge and can “walk the talk.” It also requires more employee training, not only in best cyber hygiene practices, but also in how to use networking and cyber tools to be more resilient, agile and quick to respond. The payoff is a more effective, efficient and competitive company. “[So] many solutions to problems of this world today are in the data,” he said. “If you do this correctly . . . there is an opportunity to be more competitive, more collaborative, to come up with faster ideas in an environment and age when we have to come up with faster ideas.” https://www.skiesmag.com/news/cyber-consequences-attacks-hitting-c-suite/

• 

  February 22, 2024 | International, Aerospace

  Turkey’s fifth-generation fighter plane takes off for maiden flight

  The country aspires to own the entire value chain for making advanced combat aircraft.

• 

  June 11, 2019 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security, Other Defence

  Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - June 10, 2019

  NAVY Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., Stratford, Connecticut, a Lockheed Martin Co., is awarded $542,023,016 for firm-fixed price modification P00074 to a previously awarded fixed-price-incentive-firm contract (N00019-14-C-0050) in support of the Presidential Helicopter Replacement Program (VH-92A). This modification exercises an option for the procurement of six Low Rate Initial Production Lot 1 Presidential Helicopters, as well as interim contractor support, initial spares, support equipment, and system parts replenishment. Work will be performed in Stratford, Connecticut (50 percent); Coatesville, Pennsylvania (36 percent); Owego, New York (10 percent); Patuxent River, Maryland (3 percent); and Quantico, Virginia (1 percent), and is expected to be completed in April 2022. Fiscal 2019 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $542,023,016 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. Taylor Defense Products LLC, Louisville, Mississippi, is awarded a ceiling $84,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the Service Life Extension Program (SLEP) for up to a maximum of 145 all-terrain cranes. Work will be performed in Louisville, Mississippi, and is expected to be complete by June 2029. Fiscal 2019 procurement (Marine Corps) funds in the amount of $9,719,457 will be obligated on the first delivery order immediately following contract award and funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities website, with three offers received. The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Virginia, is the contracting activity (M67854-19-D-5018). QED Systems Inc.,* Virginia Beach, Virginia (N32253-19-D-0008); ORBIS Inc.,* Mount Pleasant, South Carolina (N32253-19-D-0009); Oceaneering International Inc., Chesapeake, Virginia (N32253-19-D-0010); Delphinus Engineering, Inc.,* Eddystone, Pennsylvania (N32253-19-D-0011); Electric Boat Corp., Groton, Connecticut (N32253-19-D-0012); and Confluence Corp. doing business as Regal Service Co.,* Honolulu, Hawaii (N32253-19-D-0013), are awarded a multiple award, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract with firm-fixed-pricing for the procurement of non-nuclear, non-SUBSAFE touch labor at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility, Hawaii. The maximum ceiling value for all six contracts is $49,000,000 with options included. Touch labor trades include: marine electrician, electronics technician, temporary service sheetmetal mechanic, temporary service electrician, temporary service pipefitter, inside machinist, marine machinery mechanic, shipwright, plastic fabricator/woodcrafting, fabric worker, sandblaster, painter, painter/sandblaster, laborer, shipfitter mechanic, sheetmetal mechanic, firewatch/tankwatch, welder, pipefitter, and insulator. The six contractors may compete for task orders under the terms and conditions of the awarded contracts. Work will be performed in the state of Hawaii, and is expected to be complete by June 2020. Fiscal 2019 operation and maintenance (Navy) funding in the amount of $15,000 ($2,500 per awardee) will be obligated at the time of award and will expire at the end of the fiscal year. These contracts were competitively procured with six offers received via the Federal Business Opportunities website. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility is the contracting activity. The Boeing Co., Huntington Beach, California, is awarded $22,834,133 for modification 0017 to delivery order 2001 previously issued against basic ordering agreement N00019-16-G-0001. This modification provides for additional acoustics software support activity and engineering support for the P-8A Poseidon aircraft. In addition, this modification incorporates virtual machine efforts and develops and integrates software for Multi-static Active Coherent Enhancements. Work will be performed in Huntington Beach, California, and is expected to be completed in January 2022. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $7,800,000 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. BAE Systems Land & Armaments L.P., Minneapolis, Minnesota, is awarded a $19,636,725 modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price supply contract N00174-17-C-0022 to exercise option year two for the fiscal 2017-2020 production of the MK38 MOD 3 Machine Gun System (MGS) and associated spares. This contract is to fulfill specified requirements and technical performance requirements for the MK38 MOD 3 25mm MGS Ordnance Alteration and associated spares. The MGS produced is derived from application of an ordnance alteration to the MK 38 MOD 1 25mm MGS. Once installed, incorporates two-axis stabilization, an improved electro-optical sight system (EOS), improved multi-function display, modified main control panel, a new main computing unit, a 7.62mm machine gun and remote control operation. Work will be performed in Haifa, Israel (67 percent); and Louisville, Kentucky (33 percent), and is expected to be completed by September 2021. Fiscal 2017 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy); 2019 weapons procurement (Navy); and fiscal 2019 weapons procurement (Coast Guard) funds in the amount of $19,636,725 will be obligated at the time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Indian Head, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N00174-17-C-0022). ARMY XL Scientific LLC,* Albuquerque, New Mexico, was awarded a $48,000,000 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for non-kinetic, T&E needs, addressing Directed Energy, Electronic Warfare and nuclear systems and effects. One bid was were solicited via the internet with one bid received. Work locations and funding will be determined with an estimated completion date of May 31, 2029. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Orlando, Florida, is the contracting activity (W900KK-19-D-0007). Louisiana State University System, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, was awarded a $12,908,650 firm-fixed-price contract for Nutritional Biochemistries Analysis services. One bid was solicited with one bid received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of June 9, 2024. U.S. Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity, Fort Detrick, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W81XWH-19-D-0010). Mahaffey Tent & Awning Co. Inc.,* Memphis, Tennessee, was awarded a $8,976,868 modification (P00006) to contract W9124E-16-D-0006 for shower trailers, environment control units, light sets, tentage of various sizes and configurations, hand washing stations, generators, cots, and other logistical life support equipment. Work will be performed in Fort Polk, Louisiana, with an estimated completion date of June 20, 2021. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance Army funds in the amount of $8,976,868 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Mission and Installation Contracting Command, Fort Polk, Louisiana, is the contracting activity. DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Kaba Mas, Lexington, Kentucky, has been awarded a maximum $20,548,845 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment, indefinite-quantity contract for combination locks. This was a competitive acquisition with one response received. This is a two-year base contract with three one-year option periods. Location of performance is Kentucky, with a June 9, 2021, performance completion date. Using military services are Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2021 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE5EY-19-D-0542). Defense Energy Syndicate LLC, Bronx, New York (SPE600-19-D-0757, $10,580,489); and TC Chemicals LLC Pearland, Texas (SPE600-19-D-0795, $8,193,690), have each been awarded a firm-fixed-price, requirements contract with economic-price-adjustment under solicitation SPE602-19-R-0702 for additives. These were competitive acquisitions with nine responses received. They are two-year contracts with a 30-day carry-over periods. Locations of performance are New York, Delaware, New Jersey, Louisiana, Texas and California, with a June 30, 2021, performance completion date. Using customer is Defense Logistics Agency. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2021 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Energy, Fort Belvoir, Virginia. AIR FORCE Advanced Concepts and Technologies International LLC, Waco, Texas, has been awarded a $7,202,973 firm-fixed-price modification (P00003) to previously awarded contract FA4890-18-F-5102 for the 505th Training Group academic and training support. This contract provides for the exercise of option period one for services to cover requirements in the areas of course instruction, mission support, exercise support and lessons learned to the government-led maintenance and execution of select 505th Training Group courses. Work will be performed primarily at Hurlburt Field, Florida, as well as various other locations worldwide, and is expected to be complete by June 9, 2020. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance funds in the full amount are being obligated at the time of award. Air Combat Command Acquisition Management and Integration Center, Hurlburt Field, Florida, is the contracting activity. *Small business https://dod.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/1871303/source/GovDelivery/