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January 29, 2021 | International, Aerospace

Future Fighter Investment Is Keeping Eurocanards Competitive

Tony Osborne

Europe may be gearing up for the development of two next-generation combat aircraft, but its trio of so-called Eurocanards have managed to hold sway in the international fighter market.

As little as five years ago, the Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter seemed set to rule the roost in Europe, and the production of the Eurofighter Typhoon and the Dassault Rafale was deliberately drip-fed as industry extended production in hopes of securing a place in future fighter contests.

Today, however, production of both types looks assured: Export sales and top-up orders from domestic nations will take production of both aircraft well into the late 2020s and their service lives out to 2060-70. Meanwhile, development of Saab's Gripen E continues apace, and the aircraft it was supposed to replace, the C/D model, now looks set to enjoy a career with the Swedish Air Force into the 2030s, paving the way for a new upgrade path into a future as a firm fixture on the international fighter market.

“There has been a confluence of military, political, financial and industrial considerations that has kept these aircraft in production,” says Douglas Barrie, senior fellow for military aerospace at the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies.

Because these platforms were originally designed for Cold War-era threats, the expectation was that if the Cold War had continued, the successors to these platforms would have already entered the inventory or at least been well into development.

The collapse of the Soviet Union and the resulting reduction in tensions instead saw the pace of fighter development slacken. Financial concerns put future fighter needs on the back burner, and largely incremental upgrades were delivered by industry to keep their skills ready for future programs.

“In recent years, however, the deterioration in the security environment and renewed concerns with Russia have given the European fighters and their American counterparts a second wind,” Barrie says.

The F-35 is another key factor. Some European countries view the U.S. fighter as a threat to their national industry and sovereignty, and the type is perceived as having strings attached to security and operational uses. Furthermore, the cost of operation has so far been high, and the weaponry options that come with European platforms are not available on U.S. platforms. Both the Eurofighter and the Gripen, however, are integrated with many different U.S. munitions. All three European fighters can now use the ramjet-powered MBDA Meteor beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile, and export customers can also access standoff weapons such as the Storm Shadow, Scalp and Taurus KEPD 350 air-launched cruise missiles, all largely free of strict U.S. regulation—a significant element for Middle East customers.

Yet even with their replacements now on the distant horizon, the future development road map for the three European fighters appears more certain than ever.

Both the French-German-Spanish Future Combat Air System (FCAS) and the UK-Italian-Swedish Tempest initiatives look set to benefit the platforms they will replace.

French plans call for the Rafale to remain in service until 2070, supplementing the New-Generation Fighter (NGF), which will be at the heart of the Future Combat Air System when it enters service around 2040 (AW&ST Nov. 25-Dec. 8, 2019, p. 46).

The F4 upgrade for the Rafale includes improvements to the aircraft's communications suite and delivers additional weaponry. The F5 upgrade, meanwhile, planned for the early 2030s, will enable the Rafale to make use of the FCAS' remote-carrier concept and introduce a virtual cognitive assistant to support the pilot in high-workload situations. Work on the artificial intelligence is already underway through the Man-Machine Teaming advanced study program launched by Thales and Dassault in March 2018.

Plans for F6 and F7 upgrades, likely to emerge in the 2040s, are envisioned to align with the upgrade path for the NGF.

One of the drivers for the Rafale's retention is France's aim to have a two-type fighter fleet: one to meet high-end threats and another lower-cost platform to take on less complex threats.

Currently, the Rafale takes that lead role, and the Dassault Mirage 2000 supplements it, but once the NGF enters service, the Rafale will augment that platform.

A wave of Rafale orders has helped to sustain that development activity, led first by Egypt and Qatar and then followed by India after the long-drawn-out agreements were finalized.

Greece joined the Rafale operators club in January, the first European customer outside France to do so, with an order for 18, including several second-hand aircraft from French Air Force stocks.

The Rafale is also in contention in Finland and Switzerland, and an export deal is said to be close in Indonesia. Top-up orders from France are in the offing, too: Twelve are on order to offset those aircraft being delivered to Greece, while another 30 Rafales are planned for delivery in 2027-30.

The four Eurofighter partner nations—Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK—managed to draw out production for domestic use over 17 years, keeping production warm for potential future orders. This was a strategy that finally paid off in 2016: Kuwait ordered 28 aircraft, and a year later Qatar ordered 24. The two orders boosted the business case for investment in an active, electronically scanned array (AESA) radar for the aircraft, and Germany's Quadriga order will bring new enhancements to the AESA sensor. The order for 38 Tranche 4 Eurofighters to replace its Tranche 1 fleet keeps the production lines and platform development moving and adds an improved AESA radar and updated electronic warfare systems to the type's optional extras list. Another top-up order should come later this year from Spain, whose Halcon requirement calls for the purchase of an additional 20 airframes.

The Eurofighter also will benefit from both the Tempest and FCAS development streams, but much of how this will pan out is still subject to agreement among the four nations.

Jointly, they have been studying proposals for the Eurofighter's Long-Term Evolution (LTE) described as a midlife update for the platform. Studies for the LTE, launched by the four-nation consortium at the Paris Air Show in 2019, aim to expand on the performance-enhancement packages already being rolled out across the fleet and build on the fighter's mission-system architecture, defensive-aids suite and human-machine interface. The LTE studies also will consider a wide-area display cockpit as well as the integration of new weapons and enhanced engine performance.

LTE will likely feature on the planned Tranche 5 Typhoons that Germany wants to introduce to replace its Panavia Tornado fleet. Airbus has suggested the first LTE aircraft could fly in 2027-28.

Other opportunities are in the offing, too. Like the Rafale, the Eurofighter is competing in Finland and Switzerland, and the potential exists for further orders from the Middle East. Saudi Arabia might use the platform to replace its Tornado fleet, which is due to exit service around 2030. Agreements signed by Riyadh in 2018 for another 48 aircraft are yet to be exercised.

Output from the LTE study has been submitted to Eurofighter customers for review and consideration, Eurofighter's head of strategic marketing, Raffael Klaschka, tells Aviation Week.

“We are actively supporting that process, and we will continue to do so until it concludes. . . . A positive outcome will allow us to progress toward the next phase of the program and bring Typhoon LTE aircraft into service through the latter half of the decade,” Klaschka says. “We are confident that the LTE study report contains cost-effective long-term solutions that will maintain Typhoon's position as a world-leading multirole fighter aircraft, providing the foundation for the continued development of the weapon system well into the 2060s.”

In support of the FCAS introduction, Airbus is proposing a combat cloud network for both the Eurofighter and Rafale that would be ready for operations in 2030 and might even pave the way for use of remote carriers—unmanned aircraft that are envisaged to accompany the FCAS into hostile airspace. The UK also is discussing the use of its Lightweight Affordable Novel Combat Aircraft alongside the Typhoon as an additive capability before the Tempest enters service. Additionally, the UK is advancing plans for a more capable AESA radar with an electronic-attack capability (AW&ST Sept. 14-27, 2020, p. 28).

Development of Saab's Gripen E is continuing rapidly; efforts are now taking place across two continents with the arrival of Brazil's first aircraft in-country in late 2020.

Saab views the Gripen E as a new-generation fighter aircraft. Because of the differences between the E and C/D models, the company argues there are now four Eurocanards. Although production of the Gripen C/D is currently on ice, Saab has said it could quickly restart production should new orders for the older version emerge.

“Gripen E is a completely new aircraft,” says Mikael Franzen, vice president and head of marketing and sales at Saab's aeronautics business. “Of course, we use this very optimized configuration that we have on Gripen, but we have redesigned the complete airframe internally. . . . Pretty much every system in there has been redesigned.”

The Gripen E is a stockier, heavier machine than its predecessor. Broader wing roots allow it to carry 40% more fuel, and wider air intakes feed the more powerful General Electric F414-GE-39E turbofan engine. Two additional belly-mounted pylons expand weapon load capacity, while faceted wingtip pods feature an enhanced electronic-warfare capability. Its empty weight is up by 1,200 kg (2,650 lb.) to 8,000 kg, and all-up weight is increased by 2,500 kg to 16,500 kg, yet the jet has been designed to remain within the strict parameters that allow the Swedish Air Force to use the newer version from its network of austere bases and road runways. Internally, Saab has focused on the development of advanced sensor and electronic-warfare capability, while a federated architecture separates critical flight control systems from the tactical systems.

Saab says the federated approach will make the Gripen E's avionics and mission systems more easily and quickly upgradable; tactical upgrades could be written, tested and installed in weeks rather than months or even years.

“The technology is working, and we are talking weeks rather than months or years for upgrades,” Franzen says.

The challenge will be for customers to adapt to this new rapid pace of change. Air forces will need to develop ways to approve the new upgrades and then train their pilots to be able to fight with the modified aircraft, Franzen adds.

The Gripen E's new sensors should allow it to surpass the capability of the Gripen C/D when it reaches the front line in 2023. Among the systems onboard is what Saab refers to as human-machine collaboration: If the pilot is focused on an air-to-ground task, for instance, the aircraft systems will continue to monitor the aerial picture and warn the pilot if a potential threat emerges ahead.

Sweden would like the aircraft to be able to carry a standoff weapon by the end of the decade, and Brazil sees its Gripen Es carrying a cruise missile, the domestically developed MICLA-BR, in the coming years.

Meanwhile, the Swedish government's decision to keep 40 Gripen C/D aircraft in service to supplement the Gripen E fleet in response to the enhanced threat posed by a resurgent Russia has prompted Stockholm to consider how to keep the older, smaller Gripen model relevant into the 2030s, which could bolster its chances on the international market once again, too. The last Gripen C/D sale was to Thailand 13 years ago, but the fighter has struggled to find a sale since; at least one country has cited a lack of AESA on Gripen C/D as a reason for its rejection. Saab subsequently self-developed and flew an X-band AESA in the Gripen last year, and that could form part of the platform's development road map, particularly for the retained Swedish fleet.

Franzen says the study work will initially focus on removing obsolescence from the aircraft before looking at capability areas. “We will, of course, try to get all of the ground support system [and] planning stations into one track to support both aircraft,” he says.

The Gripen E orderbook stands at 96 aircraft: 60 for Sweden and 36 for Brazil. But Brazil has ambitions to double or triple that number. Like its European rivals, the Gripen is competing hard for Finnish requirements.

Saab is developing a road map for the Gripen E, likely to build off Sweden's partnership with the UK and Italy on the Tempest technology work.

Both British and Italian industry have cited Sweden's experience with the rapid development of the Gripen E as a key ingredient to achieving success with the Tempest.

Ironically, after years of ferocious competition, Europe's fourth-generation fighters will be intrinsically linked together and will end up sharing technologies developed through the political and industrial links established to help replace them.

https://aviationweek.com/defense-space/aircraft-propulsion/future-fighter-investment-keeping-eurocanards-competitive

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  • Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - May 20, 2020

    May 21, 2020 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security

    Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - May 20, 2020

    NAVY General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems, Williston, Vermont, is awarded a $58,590,570 firm-fixed-price modification to previously-awarded contract N00024-20-D-5109 to exercise Option Year One for the production and shipping of Mk 82 guided-missile directors and Mk 200 director control units. Work will be performed in Williston, Vermont (50%); and Saco, Maine (50%). The Mk 82 director serves to position the fire control system antenna to a commanded and stabilized position in space for the purpose of illuminating the target. The director has two axes of motion and has slip rings and a dual radio frequency rotary joint to allow unlimited rotation in train. The Mk 200 director control houses the elevation and train servo-amplifiers for its associated director. Within the director control, solid-state servo-amplifiers provide the servo drive signals that position the director to the desired target position. These components are part of the Mk 99 missile fire control system framework, which is a critical component of the Aegis Weapon System. Work is expected to be complete by December 2025. Fiscal 2020 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy); and Foreign Military Sales funding in the amount of $58,590,570 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity. A-VET/MGC JV LLC,* Warner Robins, Georgia (N69450-20-D-0028); CYE Enterprises Inc.,* Jacksonville, Florida (N69450-20-D-0029); and Pacific Tech Construction Inc., Kelso, Washington (N69450-20-D-0030), are awarded $30,000,000 for a design-build and design-bid-build, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, multiple award roofing construction contract for projects located primarily within the Florida Panhandle area of responsibility managed by the Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southeast. Work will be performed in Pensacola, Florida (34%); Whiting Field, Florida (33%); and Panama City, Florida (33%), and primarily consists of roof system replacements, repairs and maintenance of various types of existing low-slope and steep slope roofing. This includes but not be limited to: modified bitumen; built-up; metal roofing; waterproof roof coatings; asphalt shingles; roof systems flashings and drainage components; and abatement and handling of hazardous/regulated materials (including and not limited to asbestos, lead paint, mold remediation and polychlorinated biphenyl). Single ply roof systems, slate roofing systems and tile roof systems may be included. Projects can be based on design-build, modified design-build or full plans and specifications format. Work is expected to be complete by January 2021. The maximum dollar value for the five-year ordering period for all three contracts combined is $30,000,000. A-VET/MGC JV LLC* is awarded the initial task order at $194,733 for Building 3748 roof replacement located at Corry Station, Pensacola, Florida. The term of the contract is not to exceed 60 months, with an expected completion date of April 2025. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Navy) (O&M, N) contract funds in the amount of $196,733 are obligated on this award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Future task orders will be primarily funded by O&M, N. This contract was competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities website, and nine proposals were received. These three contractors may compete for task orders under the terms and conditions of the awarded contract. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southeast, Jacksonville, Florida, is the contracting activity. Detyens Shipyards Inc., Charleston, South Carolina, is awarded a $24,235,291 firm-fixed-price contract (N32205-20-C-4003) for a 120-calendar day shipyard availability for the regular overhaul dry-docking of the U.S. Navy Ship Patuxent (T-AO 201). The $24,235,291 consists of the amounts listed in the following areas: Category "A" work item cost, additional government requirement, other direct costs and the general and administrative costs. Work will be performed in North Charleston, South Carolina. Work will include main and emergency switchboard cleaning, lifeboat and rescue boat davit maintenance and testing, 6,000 hour overhaul of port and starboard main engine exhaust valves, port and starboard main engine fuel injection pumps, annual firefighting inspection and certification, inspection and overhaul of shaft brakes, ship's service diesel generator #3 overhaul, prep and paint saltwater ballast tanks 10 port and starboard, prep and paint fore peak tank, prep and paint diesel fuel marine cargo tank 7 port, prep and paint jet propellant 5 contaminated tank, prep and paint diesel fuel marine contaminated tank, tank deck non-skid renewal frames 40-50, miscellaneous steel repairs, shower panel and flooring renewals, control reversible pitch propeller system and propeller blade seal maintenance, stern tube seal maintenance, underwater hull cleaning and recoating, freeboard blast and preservation, tail shaft removal and survey, carpet, tile and terrazzo replacement, bi-annual gauge calibration, blast and paint 02 level lifeboats, pump room bilge preservation, starboard capstan overhaul, reefer plant groom, tank deck sprinkler system flush, inspection and painting of diesel fuel marine piping, sea valve and waster piece overhaul, davit modifications and installation of new lifeboats, various pump overhauls, underway replenishment station permanent repairs stations 3 and 4, various steel deck renewals, miscellaneous pipe repair, underway replenishment gear maintenance, stability test, kingpost repairs (partial) trans-alternation, trash chute removal trans-alternation, Gaylord booster heater replacement trans-alternation and fire detection and alarm system replacement trans-alternation. Work is expected to be complete by October 2020. The contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the total contract value to $27,416,444. Funds will be obligated on May 20, 2020. Contract completion will be Oct. 26, 2020. Contract funds in the amount of $24,235,291, excluding options, are obligated for fiscal 2020 using Navy working capital funds. This contract was competitively procured, with proposals solicited via the beta.sam.gov website and two offers were received. The Military Sealift Command, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N32205-20-C-4003). Vet Industrial Inc.,* Bremerton, Washington, is awarded $17,305,016 for a firm-fixed-price task order (N44255-20-F-4204) under a multiple award construction contract for seismic upgrades to Building 431 at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Bremerton, Washington. Work will be performed in Bremerton, Washington. The work to be performed provides all labor, materials and equipment to construct seismic upgrades to Building 431, and also includes the installation of a fire suppression system throughout Building 431. Work is expected to be complete by August 2021. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $17,305,016 are obligated on this award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Three proposals were received for this task order. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command Northwest, Silverdale, Washington, is the contracting activity (N44255-17-D-4007). The Boeing Co., Huntington Beach, California, is awarded a $13,211,471 cost-plus-fixed-fee and cost-only modification to previously awarded contract N00024-18-C-4103, to exercise options in support of the AN/USQ-82(V) program for DDG-51 class new construction, DDG-51 class modernization, operations and maintenance, research and development and Foreign Military Sales (FMS). This contract combines purchases for the Navy (91%); the government of Japan (5%); the government of the Republic of Korea (3%); and the government of Australia (1%), under the FMS program. Work will be performed in Huntington Beach, California. AN/USQ-82(V) program is a control system network. Its purpose is to transfer mission critical data to and from users associated with combat, navigation, aviation, power, propulsion, steering, damage control systems and alarms and indicating. Work is expected to be complete by May 2021. Fiscal 2019 and 2020 other procurement (Navy) funding; 2013-2019 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funding; 2020 operations and maintenance (Navy) funding; 2020 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funding; and FMS funding in the amount of $13,211,471 will be obligated at the time of award. Funds in the amount of $400,000 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity. Raytheon Co., Keyport, Washington, is awarded a $10,480,184 modification to previously awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity requirements contract N61331-17-D-0001 to exercise options for maintenance and support for the AN/AQS-20 Sonar Mine Detecting Set. The AN/AQS-20 is a towed, mine hunting and identification system for program executive office, unmanned and small combatants. Work will be performed in Portsmouth, Rhode Island (65%); Keyport, Washington (30%); and Panama City, Florida (5%). This option exercise extends the period of performance and allows for continuing support including but not limited to: repair; overhauls and other scheduled maintenance; hardware and software maintenance; tracking and resolution of obsolescence issues; technology improvements; reliability and maintainability improvements; development and incorporation of change notices and engineering change proposals; test support; engineering services; spares and repair parts; design efforts and hardware upgrades to improve system performance, sustainability, reliability, and other activities in support of the program. Work is expected to be complete by May 2021. No funding will be obligated at the time of award. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Panama City Division, Panama City, Florida, is the contracting activity. Austal USA, Mobile, Alabama, is awarded an $8,229,522 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to previously-awarded contract N00024-11-C-2301 for Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) industrial post-delivery support for LCS 26. Work will be performed in Mobile, Alabama (80%); and Pittsfield, Massachusetts (20%). Austal USA will provide shipboard support to implement approved engineering change proposals, approved government-responsible deficiencies identified during test and trials, crew-related activities and preventative maintenance. Austal will also provide program management support and logistics support for technical documentation affected by the work performed. Work is expected to be complete by March 2021. Fiscal 2016 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funding in the amount of $3,970,000 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity. ARMY B.L. Harbert International LLC, Birmingham, Alabama, was awarded a $37,142,044 firm-fixed-price contract for construction of a general purpose maintenance shop. Bids were solicited via the internet with seven received. Work will be performed in Clarksville, Tennessee, with an estimated completion date of July 29, 2022. Fiscal 2020 military construction (Army) funds in the amount of $37,142,044 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Louisville, Kentucky, is the contracting activity (W912QR-20-C-0022). Benaka,* New Brunswick, New Jersey, was awarded a $15,883,000 firm-fixed-price contract to construct a security forces and communications flight facility. Bids were solicited via the internet with six received. Work will be performed in Westhampton Beach, New York, with an estimated completion date of Nov. 30, 2021. Fiscal 2020 military construction (Army) National Guard funds in the amount of $15,883,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Property and Fiscal Office, New York, is the contracting activity (W50S8E-20-C-0001). Raptor Training Services LLC,* Oviedo, Florida, was awarded a $13,500,000 modification (P00012) to contract W900KK-14-D-0001 to accommodate known and emerging critical Special Operations Forces requirements. Bids were solicited via the internet with 16 received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Nov. 11, 2021. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Orlando, Florida, is the contracting activity. Systems Products and Solutions Inc., Huntsville, Alabama, was awarded a $13,475,295 modification (000103) to blanket purchase agreement W31P4Q-18-A-0094 for logistical support services for U.S. Army Material Command. Work will be performed in Huntsville, Alabama, with an estimated completion date of May 20, 2021. Fiscal 2020 Army working capital and operations and maintenance (Army) funds in the amount of $13,475,295 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity. B&K Construction,* Mandeville, Louisiana, was awarded a $7,941,412 modification (P00001) to contract W912P8-19-C-0071 for drainage canal work. Work will be performed in New Orleans, Louisiana, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 13, 2022. Fiscal 2020 civil operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $7,941,412 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans, Louisiana, is the contracting activity. (Awarded May 18, 2020) U.S. TRANSPORTATION COMMAND Vane Line Bunkering Inc., Baltimore, Maryland, has been awarded a firm fixed-price contract, HTC711-20-C-W003, in the estimated amount of $26,662,956. The contract provides transportation of bulk jet fuel and marine diesel by tug and barge for the Defense Logistics Agency-Energy in the Atlantic and Gulf Coast regions. The location of performance is ports and points along the coast as well as inland and coastal waterways from Texas to Maine. It includes support to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The Air Force and Navy use this fuel for cargo and passenger aircraft delivering supplies to the warfighters conducting overseas contingency operations as well as routine operations. Further, the fuel supports aircrew training, crisis action response for natural disasters and threats to the homeland, and ultimately readiness which directly correlates to the nation's warfighting capabilities. Additionally, fuel provided under this contract supports the Presidential Airlift Group at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland. The contract base period of performance is from Sept. 1, 2020, to Aug. 31, 2021. Fiscal 2020 defense working capital funds were obligated at award. U.S. Transportation Command, Directorate of Acquisition, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, is the contracting activity. DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Fresh Pack Produce,* Denver, Colorado, has been awarded a maximum $12,600,000 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment, indefinite-quantity contract for produce. This was a competitive acquisition with two responses received. This is a four-year, six-month contract with no option periods. Locations of performance are Colorado and Wyoming, with a Nov. 19, 2024, performance completion date. Using customers are Army, Air Force and Air National Guard. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2024 defense working capital funds. The contracting agency is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE300-20-D-P354). Propper International Inc., Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico, has been awarded a maximum $11,965,427 modification (P00007) exercising the first one-year option period of a one-year base contract (SPE1C1-19-D-1168) with two one-year option periods for hydration system and corpsman assault packs. This is a firm-fixed price, indefinite-quantity contract. Location of performance is Puerto Rico, with a May 31, 2021, performance completion date. Using military service is Marine Corps. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2021 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE1C1-19-D-1168). Rocky Brands Inc., Nelsonville, Ohio, has been awarded a maximum $9,075,661 modification (P00003) exercising the first one-year option period of a one-year base contract (SPE1C1-19-D-1150) with two one-year option periods for certified safety boots. 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The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. AIR FORCE Dataminr Inc., New York, New York, has been awarded a $12,180,000 firm-fixed-price contract to provide web-based, mobile and email alerting of events and breaking news based on global sources of publically available information (PAI) to all Department of Defense (DOD) authorized users for force protection and first response via a commercially-available subscription license with 24/7/365 access to alerting for DOD authorized users and maintain compliance with the terms of service and data use policies of all third party PAI data sources that are used to create news alerts. Work will be performed in New York, New York, and is expected to be completed Aug. 18, 2020. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $4,000,000 will be obligated at the time of award. Air Force District of Washington, Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, is the contracting activity (FA7014-20-C-0022). Rockwell Collins Inc., Cedar Rapids, Iowa, has been awarded an $11,916,073 firm-fixed-price and cost-reimbursable modification (P00101) to exercise the contractor logistics support (CLS) and contractor logistics support performance based incentive options previously awarded on contract FA8678-10-C-0058 to support the sustainment of the Common Range Integrated Instrumentation System (CRIIS) for upgrading the test and evaluation instrumentation at Air Force, Navy and Army test ranges. The objective of the CRIIS CLS is to provide repairs and sustainment management for the CRIIS equipment while verifying sustainment system performance specification requirements. 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Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Eglin AFB, Florida, is the contracting activity. *Small business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2193451/source/GovDelivery/

  • Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - December 31, 2018

    January 2, 2019 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security

    Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - December 31, 2018

    ARMY Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Co. LLC, Oak Brook, Illinois, was awarded a $92,551,470 firm-fixed-price contract for channel improvement project, entrance channel with extension, and dredging. Bids were solicited via the internet with two received. Work will be performed in Corpus Christi, Texas, with an estimated completion date of Jan. 31, 2020. Fiscal 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 operations and maintenance; general construction; and non-federal funds in the combined amount of $92,551,470 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Galveston, Texas, is the contracting activity (W912HY-19-C-0002). BAE Systems Ordnance Systems Inc., Radford, Virginia, was awarded an $89,520,585 modification (0053 09) to contract W52P1J-11-G-0053 for operations and maintenance of Radford Army Ammunition Plant. Work will be performed in Radford, Virginia, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 31, 2019. Fiscal 2010, 2016 and 2017 other procurement, Army funds in the combined amount of $8,929,605 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois, is the contracting activity. BAE Systems Ordnance Systems Inc., Kingsport, Tennessee, was awarded a $74,756,071 modification (P00678) to contract DAAA09-98-E-0006 for Building G-3 NQ/RDX recrystallization construction at Holston Army Ammunition Plant. Work will be performed in Kingsport, Tennessee, with an estimated completion date of Nov. 30, 2021. Fiscal 2018 other procurement, Army funds in the amount of $74,756,071 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois, is the contracting activity. Honeywell International Inc., Phoenix, Arizona, was awarded a $20,335,554 modification (P00100) to contract W56HZV-12-C-0344 for hardware services. Work will be performed in Phoenix, Arizona, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 31, 2019. Fiscal 2019 other procurement, Army; and Army working capital funds in the amount of $20,335,554 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Warren, Michigan, is the contracting activity. STG Inc.,* Reston, Virginia, was awarded a $17,098,410 modification (P00011) to contract W91RUS-18-C-0007 for information technology support services. Work will be performed in Fort Huachuca, Arizona, with an estimated completion date of June 30, 2019. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance Army funds in the amount of $17,098,410 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity. Melwood Horticultural Training Center Inc., Upper Marlboro, Maryland, was awarded a $9,986,235 modification (P00014) to contract W91QV1-18-C-0008 for base operations. Work will be performed in Fort Meade, Maryland, with an estimated completion date of June 30, 2019. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $9,986,235 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Mission and Installation Contracting Command, Fort Belvoir, Virginia, is the contracting activity. AIR FORCE DynCorp International LLC, Fort Worth, Texas, has been awarded a $75,020,715 firm-fixed-price contract for rotary wing aircraft maintenance. This contract provides for services to support all management, personnel, equipment and services necessary to perform 811th Operations Group rotary wing flight line maintenance. Work will be performed at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, and is expected to be complete by June 30, 2024. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition and five offers were received. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $28,555, are being obligated at the time of award. 11th Contracting Squadron, Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, is the contracting activity (FA2860-19-C-0005). (Awarded Dec. 27, 2018) Pinnacle Solutions Inc., Huntsville, Alabama, has been awarded a $20,562,123 firm-fixed-price modification (P00040) to previously awarded contract FA8621-16-C-6281 for support of the KC-10 training system. This modification provides for the exercise of the fourth year option and incorporates within scope changes to contractual requirements resulting from a mutual agreement of the parties, and brings the total cumulative face value of the contract to $100,583,419. Work will be performed at Travis Air Force Base, California; Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey; and Fairfield, California. Work is expected to be complete by Dec. 31, 2019. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $20,316,980 are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, is the contracting activity. *Small business https://dod.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/1722766/source/GovDelivery/

  • Germany to buy 50 more Puma fighting vehicles for 1.5 bln euros

    May 10, 2023 | International, Land

    Germany to buy 50 more Puma fighting vehicles for 1.5 bln euros

    Germany will buy an additional 50 Puma fighting vehicles worth a total of 1.5 billion euros ($1.65 billion) for its armed forces after the parliamentary budget committee approved the purchase, the defence minister said on Wednesday.

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