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February 26, 2020 | International, Aerospace

FARA: Five-Way Fight For Army’s Future Scout

By SYDNEY J. FREEDBERG JR.

WASHINGTON: After four decades of failed attempts to replace its Vietnam-vintage OH-58 Kiowa scout, next month the Army will choose two of five competing teams to build prototypes for a new Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft.

Those prototypes, in turn, will compete for a mass-production contract in a 2023 “fly off,” with deliveries no later than 2028. A new scout is urgently overdue as the US faces ever-more-sophisticated Russian and Chinese air defenses that can keep traditional aircraft at bay. But with limited budgets, the Army will have to pick and choose high-priority units to get FARA first, and the rest of the force will have to wait.

“We've got to look at, where are the most critical spots to bring capability,” said Brig. Gen. Michael McCurry, director of aviation for the Army Deputy Chief of Staff for operations and plans. The priority is the cutting-edge combat units that must break open sophisticated anti-aircraft defensives for the rest of the force to follow, he told me: “That penetrate force, that's where FARA is going to go.”

Learning From the Past

Now, the Army has made its job easier in a couple of important ways. Perhaps most important, instead of the traditional dozens or hundreds of detailed technical specifications that hem in designers' ingenuity, Future Vertical Lift director Brig. Gen. Walter Rugen told me, “we have very few critical attributes within our FARA spec.”

One huge thing that the Army is not asking for: stealth. Unlike the costly Boeing Comanche cancelled in 2006, the FARA won't have to be shaped and coated to be impervious to radar – which is largely irrelevant to low-flying helicopters hiding behind hills, trees, or buildings, which are most often detected by the sound of their rotors, not by radar. Like the Comanche, advertised as a “digital quarterback,” FARA will act as an electronic hub for battlefield intelligence, collecting target data from drones and passing it to Army artillery, hypersonic missiles, and Air Force strike fighters – but network tech has come a long way since 2006, the year before the iPhone went on sale.

Finally, unlike the Comanche, FARA won't be a conventional helicopter with a single main rotor and a small tail rotor for stability. The speed and range required to survive the future battlefield are greater than that classic set-up can achieve. That's driven all four firms who've discussed their designs in public – Boeing has not revealed anything – to adopt innovative configurations the Army's never fielded before. Only one of the designs, Sikorsky's, is based on an existing aircraft that's done actual flight tests.

But the Army is confident the competitors can deliver. In detailed modeling, Rugen said, “all those offerings are beating those [minimum] mission critical attributes that we're trying towards.”

Congress actually cut the FARA budget for 2020 by $34 million. That won't slow the program down, the Army has said, but it will reduce the amount of Government Furnished Equipment (GFE) the service can provide the contractors to build their prototypes around: weapons systems including a 20-millimeter autocannon and a missile launcher, Modular Open Systems Architecture (MOSA) electronics, and the GE Improved Turbine Engine. To simplify and speed up development, all the competitors are required to include these standard-issue systems in their design — but the aircraft they build around them are radically different.

Design shop AVX has proposed an aircraft with two helicopter-style main rotors for vertical takeoff, wings for extra lift, and a pair of their characteristic ducted fans for speed. AVX, founded by Bell alumni, has never built an actual aircraft. But it's backed by the manufacturing might of the much larger L3Harris, a firm created by the merger of the 18th and 26th-largest defense contractors in the world (as per their 2019 rankings on the Defense News Top 100).

By contrast, Bell – part of Textron, No. 34 on the Top 100 – is a major builder of both military and commercial helicopters, as well as the revolutionary V-22 Osprey tiltrotor, from which the company's contender for the Army's future transport aircraft, the V-280, derives. Ironically, the Bell 360 Invictus is the most conservative-looking of the four known FARA designs: It's a streamlined single-main-rotor helicopter (looking kind of like Comanche) with the addition of two short wings for extra lift. Inside the aircraft, though, Bell is using new fly-by-wire flight controls and other technologies developed for its civilian Bell 525.

Aerospace giant Boeing – No. 2 of the top 100, counting its defense contracts alone – builds the Army's current mainstay armored gunship, the AH-64 Apache; its heavy lifter, the CH-47 Chinook; and, with Bell, the V-22 tiltrotor. But Boeing, which built the stealthy Comanche, is so far in public-relations stealth mode on FARA, declining to discuss its design.

Karem Aerospace is another design shop with an excellent pedigree – its founder is the father of the Predator drone – but no track record of actually building an aircraft. However, it's partnered with Northrop Grumman (No. 3 of the top 100) and Raytheon (No. 4) for this program, giving it serious manufacturing heft. The Karem AR-40 design has a unique combination of a single main rotor on top, a propeller at the tail that can swivel to act either as a tail rotor for stability or a pusher propeller for thrust, and wings that can tilt for the optimum aerodynamic angle in different modes of flight.

Last in the alphabet, comes Sikorsky, the helicopter division of the world's biggest defense contract, Lockheed Martin. While Sikorsky's Raider-X design hasn't flown yet, it's essentially a 20 percent larger version of the two S-97 Raiders the company built and flight-tested at its own expense. (One of them was totaled in the process, thankfully with no loss of life). And Sikorsky already knows how to upscale its compound helicopter technology, because there's already an even bigger member of the family, the Sikorsky-Boeing SB>1 Defiant, now in flight tests for the Army's Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA).

All these aircraft derive from the Collier Trophy-winning X2 and share its configuration: two main rotors on top, using ultra-rigid blades to provide maximum lift with minimum vibration at high speeds, and a single pusher propeller at the tail. Between the X2, the S-97, and the SB>1, Sikorsky's configuration has been through far more flight testing than any of its competitors on FARA.

So which team has the best combination of innovative design, proven technology, and the manufacturing muscle to build it at a price the nation can afford? That's a call the Army will make, and soon.

https://breakingdefense.com/2020/02/fara-five-way-fight-for-armys-future-scout

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  • Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - February 22, 2019

    February 25, 2019 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security, Other Defence

    Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - February 22, 2019

    AIR FORCE Aleut Field Services LLC, Colorado Springs, Colorado (FA2550-19-D-A001); MedVolt LLC, Colorado Springs, Colorado (FA2550-19-D-A002); Olgoonik Enterprises LLC, Colorado Springs, Colorado (FA2550-19-D-A003); Site Work Solutions, Denver, Colorado (FA2550-19-D-A004); Sky Blue RME JV LLC (a Joint Venture comprised of Sky Blue Builders, LLC and Rocky Mountain Excavating Inc.), Aurora, Colorado (FA2550-19-D-A005); and T1-Avery JV (a Joint Venture comprised of Tribal One Broadband Technologies LLC and Avery Asphalt Inc.), Centennial, Colorado (FA2550-19-D-A006), have each been awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity firm-fixed-price contracts. The aggregate maximum amount for all six contracts is $200,000,000 with the companies having an opportunity to compete for individual orders. These contracts provide for construction and maintenance of roadways, bridges, sidewalks, parking areas, airfields and runways to include subsequent services which are typical activities that promote safe and efficient transportation. Work will be performed at various locations in Colorado to include Buckley Air Force Base, Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Station, Fort Carson Army Post (to include Piñon Canyon and the Pueblo Chemical Depot), Peterson Air Force Base, Schriever Air Force Base, and the U.S. Air Force Academy (to include the Farish Memorial Recreation Area, and the Bulls Eye Auxiliary Airfield). Work is expected to be complete by March 2026. No funds are being obligated at time of award. These contracts were the result of a competitive acquisition and fourteen offers were received. The 50th Contracting Squadron, Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado, is the contracting activity. Cyber Systems & Services Solutions, Bellevue, Nebraska, has been awarded a $17,436,173 firm-fixed-price and cost-plus-fixed-fee modification (P0007) to contract FA8773-18-D-0002 to exercise Option I for Defensive Cyber Realization, Integration, and Operational Support services. Work will be performed at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, and is expected to be complete by Feb. 29, 2020. This modification is the result of a competitive acquisition and seven offers were received. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $9,244,750 are being obligated at the time of award. The 38th Contracting Squadron, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, is the contracting activity. ARMY Radiance Technologies Inc.,* Huntsville, Alabama, was awarded a $77,376,456 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for system engineering technical and assistance services, space and cyberspace science and technology development support. Twenty-three bids were solicited with two bids received. Work will be performed in Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, with an estimated completion date of Feb. 27, 2024. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $10,349,818 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity (W9113M-19-F-0016). CK Power, St. Louis, Missouri,* was awarded a $23,426,448 firm-fixed-price contract for auxiliary power unit kits for the assembly of M8E1 Chemical and Biological Protective Shelters at Pine Bluff Arsenal, Arkansas. One bid was solicited with one bid received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Feb. 21, 2024. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois, is the contracting activity (W52P1J-19-D-3011). ACC Construction Co. Inc., Augusta, Georgia, was awarded a $10,718,591 firm-fixed-price contract for construction of a 12-story flight control tower. Bids were solicited via the internet with two received. Work will be performed in Fort Benning, Georgia, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 25, 2020. Fiscal 2015 and 2018 military construction funds in the amount of $10,718,591 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Savannah, Georgia, is the contracting activity (W912HN-19-C-3003). Weeks Marine Inc., Covington, Louisiana, was awarded a $9,900,000 modification (P00001) to contract W912P8-19-C-0010 for Mississippi River Southwest Pass maintenance cutterhead dredging. Work will be performed in Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana, with an estimated completion date of May 26, 2019. Fiscal 2018 operations and maintenance, Army funds in the amount of $9,900,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans, Louisiana, is the contracting activity. NAVY Archer Western Federal JV, Chicago, Illinois (N69450-19-D-0907); B.L. Harbert International, Birmingham, Alabama (N69450-19-D-0908); The Haskell Co., Jacksonville, Florida (N69450-19-D-0909); The Korte Co., St. Louis, Missouri (N69450-19-D-0910); and Mortenson Construction, Minneapolis, Minnesota (N69450-19-D-0911), are each awarded an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity multiple award design-build construction contract for construction projects located primarily within the Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southeast (NAVFAC SE) area of responsibility (AOR). The work to be performed provides for, but is not limited to, general building type projects (new construction, renovation, alteration, demolition, and repair work) including industrial, airfield, aircraft hangar, aircraft traffic control, infrastructure, administrative, training, dormitory, and community support facilities. These five contractors may compete for task orders under the terms and conditions of the awarded contract. Archer Western Federal JV is awarded the $24,774,660 initial task order for P427 Littoral Combat Ship Operational Trainer Facility at Naval Station Mayport, Florida. The remaining four contractors will be awarded $1,000 each to satisfy the guaranteed minimum. Work for this task order is expected to be completed by January 2021. All work on this contract will be within the NAVFAC SE AOR, which includes Florida (15 percent); Georgia (15 percent); Louisiana (14 percent); Mississippi (14 percent); South Carolina (14 percent); Tennessee (14 percent); and Texas (14 percent). The term of the contract is not to exceed 60 months, with an expected completion date of February 2024. Fiscal 2019 military construction (Navy); and fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $24,778,660 are obligated on this award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Future task orders will be primarily funded by military construction (Navy); operations and maintenance (Navy); and Navy working capital funds. The maximum dollar value for the five-year ordering period for all five contracts combined is $240,000,000. This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website, with 19 proposals received. Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southeast, Jacksonville, Florida, is the contracting activity. Oracle America Inc., Redwood City, California, is awarded $18,850,000 for fixed-price-level-of-effort task order M67854-19-F-7603 under a previously awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (M67854-17-D-7609) for continued post-deployment system support including, service management, service operations; production and pre-production system sustainment; solution development environment; enterprise training and training devices; product lifecycle support; and service transition for change requests and engineering change proposals. Work will be performed in Stafford, Virginia (50 percent); and Quantico, Virginia (50 percent), and is expected to be completed by Dec. 20, 2019. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance (Marine Corps) funds in the amount of $18,850,000 will be obligated at the time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The base was awarded on a sole source in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1- only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Virginia, is the contracting activity. CIRCOR Naval Solutions LLC, Warren, Massachusetts, is awarded an estimated $13,294,404 requirements contract for a broad range of pump parts in support of refurbishment and maintenance of existing pumps installed on various Military Sealift Command vessels. Delivery of parts will occur at various locations on the East and West coast of the U.S., and is expected to be completed by Feb. 24, 2024. No funding will be obligated at the time of award. This contract was sole-sourced, with a proposal solicited via the Federal Business Opportunities website, with one offer received. The U.S. Navy's Military Sealift Command, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N3220519D9006). Coastal Enterprises, Jacksonville Inc., Jacksonville, North Carolina, is awarded an $8,260,289 modification under a previously awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (N40085-18-D-6113) to exercise Option One for grounds maintenance services at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, and other outlying locations. The work to be performed provides for grounds maintenance services that will maintain mowing and trimming grass on road shoulders, ditches, bunkers, firing ranges, wet-lands and tank training sites. After award of this option, the total cumulative contract value will be $16,506.249. Work will be performed in Jacksonville, North Carolina. This option period is from March 2019 to February 2020. No funds will be obligated at time of award. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance (Marine Corps) contract funds in the amount of $1,882,643 for recurring work will be obligated on an individual task order issued during the option period. 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