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February 5, 2021 | International, Aerospace

GA-ASI Plans to Demonstrate Maritime Capability in UK

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA‑ASI) announces its plan to take a company-owned SkyGuardian Remotely Piloted Aircraft to the United Kingdom later this year to undertake a series of operational capability demonstrations for NATO allies, including the Netherlands. The UK's Protector program is a derivative of SkyGuardian with a range of UK modifications and the Royal Air Force (RAF) is supporting this visit.

The GA-ASI aircraft will be configured with maritime capability, including a multi-mode maritime surface-search radar with Inverse Synthetic Aperture Radar imaging mode, an Automatic Identification System receiver, and a High-Definition, Full-Motion Video sensor equipped with optical and infrared cameras. This will build on previous GA-ASI demonstrations showcasing the unmanned advantage, which include the transatlantic flight of SkyGuardian in 2018, maritime demonstrations in Greece in 2019 and last year's validation flights in Japan.

“GA-ASI will work closely with multiple European allies to demonstrate the capabilities of MQ-9B, including in the maritime environment, and how MQ-9B can complement and team within a networked environment with other national assets,” said Tommy Dunehew, vice president of International Strategic Development for GA-ASI.

The series of civilian and military capability events is expected to kick off in July at the Royal Air Force's Waddington Air Base and will culminate with the MQ-9B's participation in the UK-led Joint Warrior exercise that will showcase how maritime capabilities can be integrated with other air, surface and land platforms. SkyGuardian flights will further develop GA-ASI's revolutionary Detect and Avoid capability, which will enable Protector to fly in unsegregated UK airspace. It will also assist RAF Waddington, the future home of the RAF Protector fleet, to best prepare to integrate the new aircraft into its daily operations.

MQ-9B represents the next generation of RPA system having demonstrated airborne endurance of more than 40 hours, automatic takeoffs and landings under SATCOM-only control and the Detect and Avoid system. Its development is the result of a company-funded effort to deliver an RPA that can meet the stringent airworthiness certification requirements of various military and civil authorities.

MQ-9B has garnered significant interest from customers throughout the world. The UK Ministry of Defence selected MQ-9B SkyGuardian for its Protector program, and in 2020 signed the production contract for deliveries to the Royal Air Force. SkyGuardian was selected by the Australian Defence Force under Project Air 7003, and the Belgian Ministry of Defense signed a contract for SkyGuardian.

https://www.suasnews.com/2021/02/ga-asi-plans-to-demonstrate-maritime-capability-in-uk/

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  • Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - April 1, 2019

    April 2, 2019 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security, Other Defence

    Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - April 1, 2019

    MISSILE DEFENSE AGENCY Lockheed Martin Corp. Missiles and Fire Control, Dallas, Texas, is being awarded a $2,457,390,566 modification (P00015) to a previously-awarded contract HQ0147-17-C-0032 for the production of Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) interceptors and associated one-shot devices to support the U.S. government (USG) and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) Foreign Military Sales (FMS) case requirements. The THAAD interceptors and associated one-shot devices will be procured under fixed-price incentive (firm target) contract line items. The value of this contract is increased from $1,431,251,585 to $3,888,642,151. One offer was solicited with one offer received. The work will be performed in Dallas, Texas; Sunnyvale, California; Huntsville, Alabama; Camden, Arkansas; and Troy, Alabama, with an expected completion date of April 1, 2026. Fiscal 2019 USG procurement funds in the amount of $922,729,226; and KSA FMS funds in the amount of $1,534,661,340 are being obligated at time of award. The Missile Defense Agency, Huntsville, Alabama, is the contracting activity. AIR FORCE The Boeing Co., Boeing Defense Space and Security, St. Louis, Missouri, has been awarded a $250,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for Joint Direct Attack Munition/Laser Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM/LJDAM) technical services, aircraft integration, and sustainment. This contract provides for JDAM/LJDAM-specific activities including, but not limited to, technical services, aircraft integration, and sustainment. Work will be performed in St. Louis, and is expected to be complete by March 2029. This contract involves sales to the U.S. government (52 percent); and foreign military sales (48 percent) to various countries. Fiscal 2019 (Air Force and Navy) procurement and ammunition funds in the amount of $12,829,441 are being obligated on the first task order at the time of award. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, is the contracting activity (FA8681-19-D-0005). Peerless Technologies Corp., Fairborn, Ohio, has been awarded for $47,241,075 for advisory and assistance services to support the Air Force Civil Engineering Center energy directorate. This contract provides for support of current Air Force energy policy execution, development of new plans and procedures, and implementation of future centralized energy program management endeavors. Work will be performed at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, and is expected to be complete by April 10, 2024. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition and four offers were received. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $8,328,435 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Installation Contracting Agency, Joint Base San Antonio, Texas, is the contracting activity (FA8903-19-F-0126). NAVY Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is being awarded a $151,287,000 fixed-price-incentive-firm modification (P00016) to a previously awarded advance acquisition contract (N00019-17-C-0001). This modification provides for the procurement of long-lead items for the manufacture and delivery of 21 F-35 Lightning II Lot 14 low-rate initial production aircraft for the governments of Australia (15) and Norway (6). Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas (30 percent); El Segundo, California (25 percent); Warton, United Kingdom (20 percent); Orlando, Florida (10 percent); Nashua, New Hampshire (5 percent); Nagoya, Japan (5 percent); and Baltimore, Maryland (5 percent), and is expected to be completed in Dec 2022. International partner funds in the amount of $151,287,000 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract combines purchase for the governments of Australia ($108,170,000; 71 percent); and Norway ($43,117,000; 29 percent) under a cooperative agreement. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. Moog Inc., Elma, New York, is awarded an $84,801,681 firm-fixed-price, long-term contract for repair of three items used on the V-22 aircraft. The contract will include a three-year base period with no option periods. Work will be performed in Elma, New York (85 percent); and Cherry Point, North Carolina (15 percent). Work is expected to be completed by March 2022. Annual working capital funds (Navy) will be obligated as individual task orders are issued and funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was a sole-sourced requirement pursuant to the authority set forth in 10 U.S. Code 2304(C)(1) and Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1, with one offer received. Naval Supply Systems Command Weapon Systems Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is the contracting activity (N00383-19-D-P901). MLT Systems LLC,* Stafford, Virginia, is being awarded a $44,822,205 firm-fixed-price task order (M67854-19-F-3000) under previously awarded contract N00178-10-D-6179 for Program Manager Advanced Amphibious Assault support services for business, acquisition, logistics, engineering, and test and evaluation (T&E) related activities to include acquisition policy and program documentation development; program analysis; logistics management support to include government furnished property maintenance; financial management; engineering; and T&E support. Work will be performed in Stafford, Virginia (74 percent); Camp Pendleton, California (18 percent); Aberdeen, Maryland (5 percent); and Albany, Georgia (3 percent); and is expected to be completed by April 23, 2023. Fiscal 2019 procurement (Marine Corps) funds in the amount of $8,297,486; and fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation (Marine Corps) funds in the amount of $2,067,314 will be obligated at the time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The base contract was competitively procured via SeaPort, Zone 2 – National Capital Region, with four offers received. The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Virginia, is the contracting activity (M67854-19-F-3000). Rockwell Collins Inc., Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was awarded a $27,333,806 fixed-price indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contract for the procurement of up to 62 430 Aircraft Direction Finders; 123 4230 Radio Tuner Panels; and 123 High Frequency 121 Radios in support of Lots 9, 10, and 11 P-8A Poseidon aircraft. These are in support of the Navy and the governments of Australia, the United Kingdom, Norway, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, and South Korea. In addition, this contract provides for technical and engineering support, repair of repairables, and technical data. Work will be performed in Cedar Rapids, Iowa (95 percent); and Thiais Cedex, France (5 percent), and is expected to be completed in March 2022. Fiscal 2018 aircraft procurement (Navy); and foreign military sales (FMS) funds in the amount of $6,012,416 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)1. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Lakehurst, New Jersey, is the contracting activity (N68335-19-D-0007). (Awarded March 29, 2019) Lockheed Martin Space, Sunnyvale, California, is awarded $17,976,489 for cost-plus-fixed-fee level-of-effort completion modification P00001 to a previously awarded contract (N00030-18-C-0023) to provide the United Kingdom (UK) with engineering and technical support services and deliverable materials for the Trident II Fleet Ballistic Missile System. This contract provides for support for technical planning, direction, coordination, and control to ensure that UK Fleet Ballistic Missile Program requirements are identified and integrated to support planned milestone schedules and emergent requirements. Re-entry Systems UK resident technical support, operational support hardware, and consumable spares are also provided for. Work will be performed in Cape Canaveral, Florida (39.41 percent); Sunnyvale, California (37.62 percent); Titusville, Florida (9.54 percent); Coulport, Scotland (5.70 percent); St. Mary's, Georgia (2.17 percent); Silverdale, Washington (2.11 percent); and various places below one percent (3.45 percent), with an expected level-of-effort completion date of March 31, 2020, and a deliverable items completion date of June 30, 2021. UK Funds in the amount of $17,976,489 will be obligated on this award. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was awarded on a sole source basis, pursuant to 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(4), and was previously synopsized on the Federal Business Opportunities website. Strategic Systems Programs, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems, Baltimore, Maryland, is being awarded a $13,429,873 firm fixed-price contract modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-18-C-4208) to exercise options to procure Machinery Control System (MCS) consoles and cabinets for the DDG 51 new construction ship program and DDG 51 midlife modernization program and associated land based engineering sites. The DDG 51 Class MCS provides control and monitoring capability of the ship's auxiliary, damage control, electrical, and propulsion systems. As part of its electrical capability, the MCS interfaces with the ship's power generation and electrical distribution system. Work will be performed in Orlando, Florida (90 percent); and Baltimore, Maryland (10 percent), and is expected to be completed by March 2021. Fiscal 2018 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy); fiscal 2019 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy); and fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) in the amount of $13,429,873 will be obligated at the time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington Navy Yard, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., San Diego, California, is being awarded a $12,872,342 modification (P00012) to a previously awarded fixed-price-incentive contract (N00019-17-C-0018). This modification upgrades three MQ-4C Triton aircraft from a baseline Integrated Functional Capability (IFC) 3 software configuration to a Multi-IFC 4 software configuration. Additionally, this modification updates drawings and associated technical data in support of the MQ-4C IFC software configuration upgrade. Work will be performed in Palmdale, California (48 percent); San Diego, California (38 percent); and Moss Point, California (14 percent), and is expected to be completed in October 2021. Fiscal 2018 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $12,872,342 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. SJC-BVIL,* Montrose Colorado, was awarded an $11,487,876 firm-fixed-price task order under a previously awarded design-build indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity unrestricted multiple awarded construction contract (N40084-19-F-4319) for commercial and institutional building construction contract to repair receiver site building Facility 201 at U.S. Naval Support Facility, Diego Garcia, British Indian Ocean Territory. The work to be performed provides replacement of engine generators of North Power Plant 730. The work includes architectural, civil/structural, electrical, mechanical and fire protection. The work will be performed in Diego Garcia, British Indian Ocean Territory, and is expected to be completed by April 2021. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $11,487,876 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, Far East, Diego Garcia, British Indian Ocean Territory, is the contracting activity. (Awarded March 31, 2019) T3W Business Solutions Inc.,* San Diego, California, is awarded a $9,629,274 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, cost-plus-fixed-fee multiple award contract for professional and administrative support services to support Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific (NIWC Pacific) corporate operations. Support includes total force manpower management; material control; travel services; facilities operations; data management and visualization; and general administrative support. This is one of three multiple award contracts. All awardees will have the opportunity to compete for task orders during the ordering period. This two-year contract includes two, two-year option periods which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to an estimated $30,132,338. All work will be performed in San Diego, California, and work for the base period is expected to be completed March 31, 2021. If all options are exercised, the period of performance would extend through March 31, 2025. No funds will be obligated at the time of award. Funds will be obligated as task orders are issued using working capital funds (Navy) and operations and maintenance (Navy) funds. This contract was competitively procured via Request for Proposal N66001-18-R-0177 which was published on the Federal Business Opportunities website and the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command e-Commerce Central website. Nineteen offers were received and three were selected for award. NIWC Pacific, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity (N66001-19-D-3420). Thor Solutions LLC,* Arlington, Virginia, is awarded a $9,482,581 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, cost-plus-fixed-fee, multiple award contract for professional and administrative support services to support Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific (NIWC Pacific) corporate operations. Support includes total force manpower management; material control; travel services; facilities operations; data management and visualization; and general administrative support. This is one of three multiple award contracts. All awardees will have the opportunity to compete for task orders during the ordering period. This two-year contract includes two, two-year option periods which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to an estimated $28,719,124. All work will be performed in San Diego, California, and work for the base period is expected to be completed March 31, 2021. If all options are exercised, the period of performance would extend through March 31, 2025. No funds will be obligated at the time of award. Funds will be obligated as task orders are issued using working capital funds (Navy); and operations and maintenance (Navy) funds. This contract was competitively procured via Request for Proposal N66001-18-R-0177 which was published on the Federal Business Opportunities website and the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command e-Commerce Central website. Nineteen offers were received and three were selected for award. NIWC Pacific, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity (N66001-19-D-3421). Kros-Wise Inc.,* San Diego, California, is awarded a $9,382,074 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, cost-plus-fixed-fee multiple award contract for professional and administrative support services to support Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific (NIWC Pacific) corporate operations. Support includes total force manpower management; material control; travel services; facilities operations; data management and visualization; and general administrative support. This is one of three multiple award contracts. All awardees will have the opportunity to compete for task orders during the ordering period. This two-year contract includes two, two-year option periods which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to an estimated $28,378,360. All work will be performed in San Diego, California, and work for the base period is expected to be completed March 31, 2021. If all options are exercised, the period of performance would extend through March 31, 2025. No funds will be obligated at the time of award. Funds will be obligated as task orders are issued using working capital funds (Navy) and operations and maintenance (Navy) funds. This contract was competitively procured via Request for Proposal N66001-18-R-0177 which was published on the Federal Business Opportunities website and the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command e-Commerce Central website. Nineteen offers were received and three were selected for award. NIWC Pacific, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity (N66001-19-D-3419). Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., San Diego, California, is being awarded a $7,241,880 advance acquisition contract modification (P00002) to a previously awarded cost-reimbursable contract (N00019-18-C-1028). This modification extends the period of performance and provides additional funding to procure long lead components, material, parts and associated efforts required to maintain the MQ-4C Triton Unmanned Aircraft System planned low rate initial production, lot 4 production schedule. Work will be performed in San Diego, California (25.3 percent); Baltimore, Maryland (22.7 percent); Salt Lake City, Utah (20.2 percent); Bridgeport, West Virginia (8.2 percent); Red Oak, Texas (4.7 percent); Vandalia, Ohio (.2 percent); various locations within the continental U.S. (15.1 percent); and various locations outside the continental U.S. (3.6 percent), and is expected to be completed in May 2019. Fiscal 2018 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $7,241,880 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. DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY American Water Operations and Maintenance LLC, Voorhees, New Jersey, has been awarded a maximum $49,144,712 modification (P00145) to a 50-year contract (SP0600-08-C-8257) with no option periods for the ownership, operation and maintenance of the water and wastewater utility systems at Fort Polk, Louisiana. This is a fixed-price prospective redetermination contract. Locations of performance are Louisiana and New Jersey, with a Jan. 31, 2059, performance completion date. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2017 through 2059 Army operations and maintenance funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Energy, Fort Polk, Louisiana. ARMY Burns & McDonnell, Kansas City, Missouri, was awarded a $48,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for architect-engineering services. Bids were solicited via the internet with four received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 30, 2024. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Kansas City, Missouri, is the contracting activity (W912DQ-19-D-4007). Korean Airlines Co. Ltd., Seoul, Republic of Korea, was awarded a $9,446,385 modification (P00003) to contract W91QVN-17-D-0003 for depot level helicopter maintenance. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of March 31, 2020. 411th Combat Support Brigade, Seoul, South Korea, is the contracting activity. World Wide Technology, St. Louis, Missouri, was awarded a $7,883,995 firm-fixed-price contract for information technology hardware. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will be performed in St. Louis, Missouri, with an estimated completion date of May 3, 2019. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance, Army funds in the amount of $2,739,383 were obligated at the time of the award. 409th Combat Support Brigade, Wiesbaden, Germany, is the contracting activity (W912CM-19-F-0013). CDW Government LLC, Vernon Hills, Illinois, was awarded a $7,701,689 firm-fixed-price contract for hardware supply, specialty notebooks, standard desktop, performance desktop, Standard Micro Form Factor, Performance Micro Form Factor, rugged tablets and monitors. Bids were solicited via the internet with three received. Work will be performed in Bruchmuehlbach-Miesau, Germany, with an estimated completion date of May 6, 2019. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance, Army funds in the amount of $7,701,689 were obligated at the time of the award. 409th Combat Support Brigade, Wiesbaden, Germany, is the contracting activity (W912CM-19-F-0018). Raytheon Co., McKinney, Texas, was awarded a $7,383,058 firm-fixed-price contract for logistics maintenance capability, repair parts, replenishment material, configuration management, product assurance support, special engineering studies, system engineering, failure analysis, test and evaluation, equipment publications, obsolescence redesigns, test evaluation material for repairs, field service representative technical assistance, and contractor repair in support of the Tube-launched, Optically-tracked, Wireless-guided Improved Target Acquisition System. One bid was solicited with one bid received. Work will be performed in McKinney, Texas, with an estimated completion date of March 31, 2022. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance, Army funds in the amount of $7,383,058 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity (W31P4Q-19-C-0069). *Small business https://dod.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/1802502/

  • General Dynamics Land Systems awarded $769 million to advance to next phase of OMFV competition

    June 28, 2023 | International, Land

    General Dynamics Land Systems awarded $769 million to advance to next phase of OMFV competition

    The U.S. Army Contracting Command awarded General Dynamics Land Systems $768.7 million firm-fixed-price contract for Phase III and IV detailed design and prototype build and testing.

  • Viasat to supply Britain’s future frigate with satellite communications tech

    November 3, 2020 | International, Naval, C4ISR

    Viasat to supply Britain’s future frigate with satellite communications tech

    By: Andrew Chuter LONDON — Progress toward boosting the British Royal Navy's frigate numbers with a new class of ship continues to advance, with the Babcock International-led consortium contracted to build the warships adding on satellite communication supplier Viasat to its list of subcontractors. A deal to supply ultrahigh-frequency satellite communications for five general-purpose frigates being built for the Royal Navy has gone to Viasat UK, the company announced Nov 3. Viasat is based in the U.S. and was ranked No. 69 on Defense News' latest list of the top 100 defense companies around the world. Ultrahigh-frequency SATCOM is a mission-critical capability that will provide the Type 31 with beyond-line-of-sight, secure, integrated voice and data services. The deal is the latest in a sequence of contract awards by Babcock over the last few months. This time last year, the Ministry of Defence hired the firm to design and build a British version of the Danish Iver Huitfeldt-class warship. About 75 percent of the Type 31 subcontracts have now been awarded, and Babcock remains confident the program is on schedule despite problems presented by the coronavirus pandemic. The Viasat deal follows a recent announcement from BAE Systems that it had come to an agreement with Babcock to deliver two Bofors 40 Mk4 and one Bofors 57 Mk3 multipurpose gun systems per ship. BAE said its Karlskoga facility in Sweden will deliver the weapons in 2023 and 2024. All of the major supply chain contracts on Type 31 have been decided, including the Thales Tacticos-based combat management system; MTU main engines and diesel generators; Renk main reduction gearboxes; MAN Energy Solutions propellers and propeller shaft lines; and Raytheon Anschutz's warship-integrated navigation and bridge system. Babcock and its partners BMT, Fraser Nash, OMT and Thales — collectively known as Babcock Team 31 — are to start construction of the first 6,000-ton warship next year, with 2027 set as the year it's to enter service. A covered construction hall capable of holding two Type 31s is progressing at Babcock's Rosyth shipyard in Scotland, where the Royal Navy's two 65,000-ton Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers were recently completed. All five of the new frigates are due to have been completed — at an average cost of £250 million (U.S. $324 million) per ship — by 2028 to replace aging Type 23 frigates. Babcock announced in August that it had weeks earlier successfully completed the preliminary design review of the entire ship. BAE is also building Britain's Type 26 anti-submarine warfare frigate. The company has a contract for the first three warships, with the Royal Navy having an eventual requirement for eight vessels. As for Viasat UK, the SATCOM contract is the second defense deal it has secured in the last few days. Last week the company announced that, along with CDW UK, it had been awarded a two-year technical innovation contract for command, control and communication support for a program known as Lelantos. The agile experimentation initiative is to empower the headquarters of NATO's Allied Rapid Reaction Corps in Gloucester, England, with superior decision-making, cross-domain integration and fast maneuver in a conflict. https://www.defensenews.com/industry/2020/11/03/viasat-to-supply-britains-future-frigate-with-satellite-communications-tech

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