For US Air Force pilots, the toughest training flights are going virtual

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  January 24, 2024 | International, Aerospace

  Saab receives order to produce T-7A fuselage systems

  The order from Boeing comes after the first two T-7A Red Hawks successfully arrived at U.S. Air Force bases for developmental flight tests

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  March 24, 2020 | International, Naval

  Qui est Pierre Eric Pommellet, numéro deux de Thales, futur patron de Naval Group

  Le successeur d'Hervé Guillou à la tête de Naval Group est désormais connu. L'Etat a désigné Pierre Eric Pommellet, actuel directeur général du groupe Thales, a-t-on appris le 24 janvier de sources gouvernementales. Le nouveau PDG de Naval Group a été désigné. Atteint par la limite d''ge, Hervé Guillou doit quitter le groupe français en mars. C'est Pierre Eric Pommellet, "directeur général opérations et performance" de Thales, qui a été choisi par l'Etat pour prendre la tête du constructeur naval, a-t-on appris vendredi 24 janvier de sources gouvernementales. “PEP”, favori pour la succession d'Hervé Guillou “Nous confirmons que le choix de l'Etat est Pierre Eric Pommellet, a déclaré une source du ministère des Armées. Il prendra la tête de Naval Group au départ d'Hervé Guillou, c'est-à-dire à la fin du mois de mars.” Vendredi 24 janvier, le comité des nominations de Naval Group s'est réuni pour valider ce choix. La candidature de Pierre Eric Pommellet doit encore passer devant le conseil d'administration de Naval Group en février. Si les administrateurs approuvent ce choix, une assemblée générale devrait avoir lieu en mars. Le nouveau patron devra ensuite être nommé officiellement par un décret du président de la République. Depuis plusieurs jours, des informations de presse présentaient “PEP” comme le favori pour la succession d'Hervé Guillou. Le nom de Benoît Ribadeau-Dumas, directeur de cabinet du Premier ministre Édouard Philippe, circulait également avec ceux de plusieurs profils internes. "Une vraie histoire personnelle avec le monde naval" “C'est un ingénieur qui a une vraie histoire personnelle avec le monde naval. Son père a construit Île Longue [la base de la Marine nationale pour les sous-marins nucléaires lanceurs d'engins située dans la rade de Brest, Finistère]. Son grand-père était le patron de l'usine d'Indret à la direction des constructions navales [ancêtre de Naval Group]”, fait valoir la source gouvernementale. Pierre Eric Pommellet lui-même n'est pas étranger au secteur naval. Diplômé de l'Ecole Polytechnique, de Sup Aero et du MIT aux Etats-Unis, il est aussi passé à la direction des constructions navales comme ingénieur de l'armement au début de sa carrière. A 52 ans, l'industriel est plus connu comme le directeur général opérations et performance de Thales. Il assume cette fonction depuis 2017 après avoir occupé divers postes de direction : président de Thales Underwater Systems, président de Thales Systèmes Aéroportés, directeur général de la division des systèmes de mission de défense... Autrement dit, Pierre Eric Pommellet est loin d'être un inconnu dans le monde de la défense et il avait l'avantage de cocher plusieurs cases : profil industriel, connaisseur du grand export et du milieu de défense. Malgré cette notoriété, il semble prêt à accepter un salaire un peu plus bas, plafonné par la loi à 450 000 euros par année. Un gage de motivation pour le gouvernement. Des syndicats hostiles à l'arrivée de Pierre Eric Pommellet ? L'arrivée chez Naval Group du directeur général de Thales ne va pas se faire sans complication. Le patron de Thales, Patrice Caine, va devoir trouver un nouveau numéro deux. Surtout, les critiques se sont faites entendre chez les représentants des salariés de Naval Group. Pressentant sans doute cette nomination, les syndicats Unsa et CFE-CGC ont publié un communiqué mardi 21 janvier pour dénoncer le poids de Thales dans la gouvernance de l'entreprise. Le groupe d'électronique est actionnaire à 35 % de Naval Group aux côtés de l'Etat qui détient plus de 62 % du capital. Selon les organisations syndicales, Thales “dispose de droits bien supérieurs à son poids actionnarial” et “se place régulièrement en concurrence de sa filiale Naval Group sur les offres export". "Les personnels de l'entreprise ne comprendraient pas que la succession du PDG actuel, Hervé Guillou, soit l'opportunité pour Thales de positionner un outil industriel de souveraineté comme Naval Group en situation de dépendance vis-à-vis d'un équipementier", ajoutaient-ils avant la nomination de Pierre Eric Pommellet. Vendredi 24 janvier, la source gouvernementale répond aux critiques. “Il n'y a pas d'agenda caché associé à la nomination de Pierre Eric Pommellet. La stratégie de Naval Group reste la même : être un leader mondial de conception et de construction de bateaux militaires fortement armés. Il n'y a pas d'infléchissement stratégique. Naval Group restera une entreprise indépendante, autonome et qui doit créer de la croissance avec une liberté d'entreprendre et d'innover”, assure-t-elle. L'actionnariat de Naval Group ne devrait ainsi pas évoluer. Une feuille de route conséquente Plusieurs grands projets attendent en tout cas le nouveau PDG de Naval Group. Parmi eux : la construction du sous-marin nucléaire lanceur d'engin de troisième génération à partir de 2023, la livraison à la Marine Nationale cette année du sous-marin d'attaque Suffren, mis à l'eau l'été dernier et l'important projet d'un nouveau porte-avions attendu pour 2038. “La feuille de route de Pierre Eric Pommellet, avant toute autre chose, est de livrer les programmes nationaux", affirme le cabinet de Florence Parly. https://www.usinenouvelle.com/article/qui-est-pierre-eric-pommellet-numero-deux-de-thales-futur-patron-de-naval-group.N922724

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  September 10, 2020 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security

  Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - September 09, 2020

  NAVY Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems, Manassas, Virginia, is awarded a $126,934,433 cost-plus-incentive-fee and cost only contract modification to previously awarded contract N00024-17-C-6259 to exercise and fund options for Navy engineering services, materials and spares. Work will be performed in Manassas, Virginia (65%); Clearwater, Florida (32%); Syracuse, New York (2%); and Marion, Florida (1%), and is expected to be completed by December 2021. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance, Navy (63%); and fiscal 2020 research development test and engineering, Navy (37%) funding in the amount of $1,400,676 will be obligated at time of award, of which $882,426 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity. Harper Construction Co., Inc., San Diego, California (N62473-16-D-1881); Hensel Phelps Construction Co., Irvine, California (N62473-16-D-1882); M. A. Mortenson Co. doing business as Mortenson Construction, Minneapolis, Minnesota (N62473-16-D-1883); R. A. Burch Construction Co., Inc.,* Ramona, California (N62473-16-D-1884); RQ Construction LLC, Carlsbad, California (N62473-16-D-1885); Solpac Construction, doing business as Soltek Pacific Construction Inc., San Diego, California (N62473-16-D-1886); and Straub Construction Inc., Fallbrook, California (N62473-16-D-1887), are awarded $92,000,000 to increase the aggregate capacity of the previously awarded suite of firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, multiple award construction contracts. The maximum dollar value including the base year and four option years for all seven contracts combined is increased from $332,000,000 to $424,000,000. The contracts are for new commercial and institutional building construction projects at various locations within the Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Southwest area of responsibility, including but not limited to California (90%); Arizona (6%); Colorado (1%); Nevada (1%); New Mexico (1%); and Utah (1%). All work will be performed at various federal sites within the NAVFAC Southwest area of responsibility. No funds are being obligated on this award and no funds will expire. Future task orders will be primarily funded by military construction (Navy); operations and maintenance (O&M) (Navy); O&M (Marine Corps); and Navy working capital funds. The original contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website, with 21 proposals received. The NAVFAC Southwest, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity. Core Services Group Inc.,* Virginia Beach, Virginia, is awarded a $29,000,000 commercial firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract to provide test and evaluation support services for Commander, Operational Test and Evaluation Force Aviation Warfare Division. The contract will include a 60-month base ordering period with an additional six-month ordering period option pursuant of Federal Acquisition Regulation 52.217-8. The option to extend services, if exercised, will bring the total value to $32,000,000. The base ordering period is expected to be completed by November 2025; if the option is exercised, the ordering period will be completed by May 2026. All work will be performed in Norfolk, Virginia. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $2,500 will be obligated to fund the contract's minimum amount and funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Individual task orders will be subsequently funded with appropriate fiscal year appropriations at the time of their issuance. This contract was competitively procured with the solicitation posted on beta.sam.gov as a service-disabled veteran-owned small business set-aside using commercial items procedures, with four offers received. Naval Supply Systems Command Fleet Logistics Center, Norfolk, Contracting Department, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N00189-20-D-0020). Science Application International Corp., Reston, Virginia, is awarded a $17,816,869 single-award, firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract to provide advanced technical training of shipboard communication and network systems in support of the Water Front Training Delivery Program for the Center for Information Warfare Training, Pensacola, Florida. The contract will include a five-year base ordering period with no options. Work will be performed in Pensacola, Florida (52%); San Diego, California (22%); Virginia Beach, Virginia (19%); and Groton, Connecticut (7%). Work is expected to be completed by September 2025. Fiscal 2021 operations and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $100,000 will be obligated to fund the contract's minimum amount and funds will expire at the end of the fiscal year. Individual task orders will be subsequently funded with appropriate fiscal year appropriations at the time of their issuance. This contract resulted from a full and open competitive solicitation through the Federal Business Opportunities website, with two offers received. Naval Supply Systems Command Fleet Logistics Center, Norfolk, Contracting Department, Philadelphia Office, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is the contracting activity (N00189-20-D-Z032). Bell Textron Inc., Fort Worth, Texas, is awarded an $8,941,785 firm-fixed-price modification (P00018) to previously awarded fixed-price-incentive-firm-target contract N00019-17-C-0030. This modification increases the total contract value to produce, deliver, install and integrate, in country, a fully assembled AH-1Z flight training device for the government of Bahrain. Work will be performed in Broken Bow, Oklahoma (50%); Fort Worth, Texas (30%); and St. Louis, Missouri (20%), and is expected to be completed in May 2022. Foreign Military Sales funds in the amount of $8,941,785 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. Life Cycle Engineering Inc., North Charleston, South Carolina, is awarded an $8,364,504 firm fixed price modification to task order N32253-19-F-3000 against previously issued SeaPort-e multiple award contract N00178-07-D-4077. This modification exercises Option Period One for the accomplishment of the technical, engineering, management, programmatic and education support services at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility. Work will be performed in Hawaii, and is expected to be completed by September 2021. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Navy) funding in the amount of $8,364,504 will be obligated at time of modification award and expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, is the contracting activity. Sabre Systems, Inc.,* Warrington, Pennsylvania, is awarded an $8,174,314 cost-plus-fixed-fee order (N68335-20-F-0212) against previously issued basic ordering agreement N68335-16-G-0022. This order provides support for the rapid research, development, maturation, procurement, integration, training and sustainment of cyber resilient and full spectrum cyber warfighting capabilities for the Digital Analytics, Infrastructure and Technology Advancement Group. These solutions support various systems within the Naval Air Systems Command portfolio throughout all phases of acquisition, operational field demonstrations, prototyping, experiments, operational assessments, extended user evaluations and fleet/force deployments. Work will be performed in Patuxent River, Maryland, and is expected to be completed in September 2025. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation (Defense wide) funds in the amount of $667,721; and fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $52,000 will be obligated at time of award, $52,000 of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Lakehurst, New Jersey, is the contracting activity. AIR FORCE Raytheon Missiles Systems, Tucson, Arizona, has been awarded a ceiling $125,000,000 four-year, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (FA8675-20-D-0002) for the Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM) system improvement program. This contract provides for delivery of software updates to the AMRAAM inventory. Software development activities are expected to use a recognized agile framework consisting of government/Prime collaboration through repeatable increments of study, development, integration, test and capability demonstration. Work will be performed in Tucson, Arizona, and is expected to be completed Sept. 30, 2026. An initial task order (FA8675-20-F-1026) will be awarded concurrently with the basic contract, for a total cost-plus-fixed-fee face value of $1,192,809. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $678,402 are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, is the contracting activity. FPM Remediations Inc., Oneida, New York, has been awarded a ceiling $60,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for base realignment and closure (BRAC) environmental construction optimization services to support the Air Force Civil Engineer Center (AFCEC) Installations Directorate (CIB). These performance-based remediation efforts support the AFCEC BRAC mission and enhance BRAC program capabilities within AFCEC/CIB. The requirements support a variety of environmental restoration services and construction necessary to maintain regulatory selected remedies, implement optimization to enhance remedial progress and advance sites to completion in a cost-effective manner. The efforts will be executed in accordance with technical and regulatory requirements to ensure protection of human health and the environment. Work will be performed at the following deactivated Air Force bases: Bergstrom Air Force Base, Texas; Brooks AFB, Texas; Carswell AFB, Texas; Eaker AFB, Arkansas; England AFB, Louisiana; Kelly AFB, Texas; Myrtle Beach AFB, South Carolina; Reese AFB, Texas; Buckley Annex, Colorado; and Lowry AFB, Colorado. Work is expected to be completed Sept. 30, 2030. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition and four offers were received. Fiscal 2020 BRAC funds in the amount of $2,466,636 are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Installation Contracting Center, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, is the contracting activity (FA8903-20-D-0003). DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Valneva USA Inc.,* Gaithersburg, Maryland, has been awarded a maximum $60,601,800 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for Japanese Encephalitis vaccines. This is a one-year base contract with two one-year option periods. This was a sole-source acquisition using justification 10 U.S. Code 2304 (c)(1), as stated in Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. Locations of performance are Maryland and United Kingdom, with a Sept. 8, 2021, ordering period end date. Using military services are Army, Marine Corps, Navy and Air Force. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2021 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE2DP-20-D-0005). Vinyl Technology, Monrovia, California, has been awarded a maximum $10,996,200 modification (P00011) exercising the first one-year option period of a one-year base contract (SPE1C1-19-D-1188) with three one-year option periods for Advanced Technology Anti-G Suits. This is a firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. Location of performance is California, with a Sept.16, 2021, ordering period end date. Using military service is Air Force. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2021 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. ARMY Battelle Memorial Institute, Columbus, Ohio, was awarded a $49,525,698 modification (P00006) to contract W9132V-19-F-0005 for geospatial research, development, technology and evaluation of current and emerging geospatial technologies that will help characterize and measure phenomena within the physical and social environments encountered by the Army. Work will be performed in Washington, D.C., with an estimated completion date of Sept. 28, 2023. Fiscal 2020 revolving funds in the amount of $1,038,309 were obligated at the time of the award. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Engineer Research and Development Center, Vicksburg, Mississippi, is the contracting activity. Moog Inc., Elma, New York, was awarded a $46,659,837 firm-fixed-price contract to overhaul and upgrade cylinder assembly actuators for UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 9, 2024. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity (W58RGZ-20-D-0032). Lockheed Martin, Orlando, Florida, was awarded a $22,335,977 modification (P00035) to contract W31P4Q-19-C-0071 for engineering services in support of the Hellfire and Joint-Air-to-Ground missiles. Work will be performed in Orlando, Florida, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 2, 2022. Fiscal 2018 and 2020 missile procurement (Air Force) funds; 2019 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds; 2020 operations and maintenance (Army) funds; and 2018 and 2020 missile procurement (Army) funds in the amount of $22,335,97 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity. Optimal GEO Inc.,* Athens, Georgia (W912P9-20-D-0027); and Surdex Corp., Chesterfield, Missouri (W912P9-20-D-0026), will compete for each order of the $16,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for photogrammetric and lidar surveying and mapping. Bids were solicited via the internet with 38 received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 3, 2025. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Louis, Missouri, is the contracting activity. David Boland Inc.,* Titusville, Florida, was awarded a $15,472,000 firm-fixed-price contract for renovation of Building 546 at Missile Command Headquarters. Bids were solicited via the internet with four received. Work will be performed at Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 25, 2023. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Army) funds in the amount of $15,472,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha, Nebraska, is the contracting activity (W9128F-20-C-0036). Speegle Construction,* Niceville, Florida, was awarded a $13,214,700 firm-fixed-price contract to construct a two-story, 39,500 square-foot facility with reinforced concrete foundation and floor slab, steel structure, masonry walls, metal roof, heating, ventilation, air conditioning, fire detection and protection and mass notification system. Bids were solicited via the internet with six received. Work will be performed at Hurlburt Field, Florida, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 16, 2022. Fiscal 2024 military construction (Defense-wide) funds in the amount of $13,214,700 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mobile, Alabama, is the contracting activity (W91278-20-C-0028). BAE Systems Land & Armaments L.P., San Jose, California, was awarded a $10,457,946 modification (P00143) to contract W56HZV-15-C-0099 for Bradley Fighting Vehicle current fleet sustainment logistics management. Work will be performed in San Jose, California, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 9, 2022. Fiscal 2018 procurement (Defense-wide) funds in the amount of $10,457,946 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Detroit Arsenal, Michigan, is the contracting activity. Limno-Tech Inc.,* Ann Arbor, Michigan, was awarded a $9,900,000 fixed-price-level-of-effort contract for research and development services for water quality and contaminant modeling. Bids were solicited via the internet with two received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 8, 2025. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Engineer Research and Development Center, Vicksburg, Mississippi, is the contracting activity (W912HZ-20-D-0004). Accenture Federal Services, Arlington, Virginia, was awarded an $8,293,896 modification (P00001) to contract W52P1J-20-C-0005 for unified enterprise resource planning capability support services. Work will be performed at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 8, 2026. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Army) funds in the amount of $8,293,896 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois, is the contracting activity. CORRECTION: The contract announced on Sept. 8, 2020, for Amentum Services Inc., Germantown, Maryland (W56HZV-20-F-0396), for $29,034,547, was announced with an incorrect award date. The correct award date is Sept. 9, 2020. *Small Business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2341844/source/GovDelivery/