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July 29, 2020 | International, Land

GOP coronavirus bill includes at least $7 billion for weapons programs

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WASHINGTON ― Senate Republicans' proposed $1 trillion coronavirus relief package includes at least $7 billion for weapons programs, part of $29 billion for defense overall.

The 177-page draft appropriations legislation unveiled Monday would include funding for military helicopters, aircraft, ships and missile defense systems.

The bill also includes $11 billion to reimburse defense contractors for coronavirus-related expenses, as authorized by Section 3610 of the CARES Act. Defense firms and trade associations have lobbied for the funding, fearing the Pentagon would otherwise have to tap modernization and readiness accounts.

The legislation's release marks the end of weeks of wrangling between the White House and congressional Republicans, who are still divided over its price tag. It also kicks off the start of formal negotiations with Democrats.

“The American people need more help. They need it to be comprehensive. And they need it to be carefully tailored to this crossroads,” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said on the Senate floor Monday.

The inclusion of defense spending, which Republicans have reportedly touted as essential for the economy and national defense, was just one aspect criticized by Senate Appropriations Committee Vice Chairman Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., who said the overall package was inadequate to protect Americans

“If all of this were not bad enough, the bill contains billions of dollars for programs unrelated to the coronavirus, including over $8 billion for what appears to be a wish-list from the Department of Defense for manufacturing of planes, ships, and other weapons systems,” Leahy said in a statement.

The pandemic has created weapons program slowdowns, temporary factory closures and cash flow problems, particularly for smaller firms. The Pentagon was been working in close communication to respond to the problems, largely by making billions of dollars in advance payments to contractors.

Congress previously sent the Defense Department $10.5 billion under the CARES Act.

Defense primes Boeing and Lockheed Martin appear to be the major beneficiaries of procurement dollars in the proposed bill.

The bill includes more than $1 billion for Boeing P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol planes for the Navy.

The Air Force would receive $686 million for additional Lockheed F–35A jets, $720 million for Lockheed C–130Js and $650 million for A–10 wing replacements―which Boeing is contracted to perform.

Shipbuilding funds include $1.45 billion for four expeditionary medical ships, $260 million for one expeditionary fast transport ship, with $250 million for for amphibious shipbuilding and $250 for the surface combatant supplier base program.

The Army would receive $375 million more to upgrade the Double V-Hull Strykers and $283 million for new AH–64 Apache Block IIIB helicopters.

The bill would boost missile defense accounts, with more than $300 million for the the Lockheed Martin-made Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) program and its Raytheon-made AN/TPY-2 radar. Another $200 million would be to extend the life of the Ground-Based Midcourse Defense (GMD) system, for which Boeing is the prime contractor.

https://www.defensenews.com/congress/2020/07/27/gop-coronavirus-bill-includes-at-least-7-billion-for-weapons-programs/

On the same subject

  • Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - February 03, 2020

    February 4, 2020 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security

    Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - February 03, 2020

    AIR FORCE The following eight firm-fixed price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, multiple award task order contracts (MATOC) -- each with a not to exceed price of $90,000,000 -- have been awarded to the following: Doyon Management Services, Federal Way, Washington (FA4626-20-D-0010); Geranios Enterprises Inc., Great Falls, Montana (FA4626-20-D-0011); Guy Tabacco Construction Co., Black Eagle, Montana (FA4626-20-D-0012); James Talcott Construction, Great Falls, Montana (FA4626-20-D-0013); JE Hurley Inc., Colorado Springs, Colorado (FA4626-20-D-0014); NorthCon Inc., Hayden, Idaho (FA4626-20-D-0015); Sealaska Construction Solutions LLC., Seattle, Washington (FA4626-20-D-0016); and Wadsworth Builders Co. Inc., Great Falls, Montana (FA4626-20-D-0017). This MATOC contract is a design-build, bid-build construction acquisition based on a general statement of work further defined with each individual task order. Work to be performed under the MATOC will be the general construction category, to include maintenance, repair, alteration, mechanical, electrical, heating/air conditioning, demolition, painting and earthwork. Work will be performed at Malmstrom Air Force Base, Montana, and is to be completed as specified in each individual task order by Feb. 2, 2027. This award is the result of a competitive solicitation to total small businesses, 8(a) small business, and HUBZone small businesses; 16 offers were received. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $4,000 ($500 each) are being obligated at the time of award. The 341st Contracting Squadron, Malmstrom Air Force Base, Montana, is the contracting activity. Rolls-Royce Corp., Indianapolis, Indiana, has been awarded a $57,360,519 delivery order modification (FA8504-20-F-0007-P00002) to previously awarded contract FA8504-17-D-0002 for C-130J propulsion long term sustainment. This order provides funding for Option Three and Power By The Hour flying hours. The work is expected to be completed Feb. 1, 2021. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $57,360,519 are being obligated at the time of award. The total cumulative face value of the contract is $57,360,519. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, is the contracting activity. Merrill Corp., Clearfield, Utah, has been awarded a firm-fixed price requirement type contract in the amount of $21,477,000 for the overhaul of duct assembly. Work will be performed in Clearfield, Utah, and is expected to be complete by Feb. 2, 2025. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Fiscal 2020-2025 procurement funds will be used. The base award is estimated at $4,020,084; Option One is $4,000,467; Option Two is $4,346,985; Option Three is $4,641,164; and Option Four is $4,468,298. Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, is the contracting activity (FA8119-20-D-0001). The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Missouri, has been awarded a firm-fixed-price requirement type contract in the amount of $7,907,471 for the repair of KC-135 cowling and fan ducts. Work will be performed in St. Louis, Missouri, and is expected to be complete by Feb. 2, 2025. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Fiscal 2020-2025 procurement funds will be used. The base award (three year amount) is estimated at $4,941,509. Option One is $1,444,206; Option Two is $1,521,756. Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, is the contracting activity (FA8119-20-D-0002). NAVY Manson Construction Co., Seattle, Washington, is awarded an $89,370,000 firm-fixed-price contract that provides for design-bid-build services for the construction of Seawolf Class Service Pier Extension, Naval Base Kitsap Bangor. The total cumulative face value of the contract including the award of four options will be $89,370,000. This contract award does not involve foreign military sales. The work to be performed provides for the construction of a 520 foot by 68-foot single level, reinforced concrete, general-purpose submarine berthing pier extension to the existing pier, with pier-side utilities, communication systems and two-580-square-foot concrete floating camels. The pier extension includes engineered pile and caps to support the pier deck, a fixed crane, equipment pads, mobile cranes and utility buildings. The project also configures and adds to the existing wave screen attenuation system and modifies the existing small craft berthing at the service pier. Additionally, the project constructs a low-rise compressor building on the pier for new tool air compressors and breathing air compressors and alters an existing building to accommodate new and existing lift stations, sewage equipment, storm drainage, industrial wastewater services and provides a new emergency generator. Work will be performed in Silverdale, Washington, and is expected to be completed by July 2022. The solicitation was competitively procured via Federal Business Opportunities with five offers received. Fiscal 2020 military construction funds for $89,370,000 are obligated on this award. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Northwest, Silverdale, Washington, is the contracting activity (N44255-20-C-2002). Rockwell Collins Simulation and Training Solutions, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was awarded a $20,337,451 modification (P00016) to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (N61340-17-C-0014). This modification procures updates to the Delta Software System Configuration #3 software baseline to include the visual system and cyber security on tactics and flight trainer devices. Additionally, this modification provides technology refresh and aircraft concurrency updates on tactics devices, aircraft concurrency and aerial refueling updates on the flight devices, tactics and flight device training and associated technical data in support of the E-2D Hawkeye Integrated Training System. Work will be performed in Point Mugu, California, and is expected to be completed in June 2022. Fiscal 2018 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $2,016,274; fiscal 2019 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $13,061,234; and fiscal 2020 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $5,259,943 will be obligated at time of award, $2,016,274 of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Warfare Training Systems Division, Orlando, Florida, is the contracting activity. (Awarded Jan. 31, 2020) Raytheon Co., Integrated Defense Systems, Marlborough, Massachusetts, is awarded a $9,107,841 cost-plus-fixed-fee undefinitized contract action under a previously awarded basic ordering agreement N00024-19-G-5107 to repair and test the USS Sampson (DDG 102) SPY-1D(V) transmitter suite. This order covers repair, refurbishment, reassembly and testing of the AEGIS Weapon System (AWS) AN/SPY-1D(V) Transmitter Group in support of USS Sampson (DDG 102) as well as associated testing support. Work will be performed in Andover, Massachusetts (65%); Keyport, Washington (16%); Moorestown, New Jersey (10%); and Marlborough, Massachusetts (9%), and is expected to be completed by September 2021. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Navy) funding for $4,108,940 will be obligated at the time of award and expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This order was not competitively procured in accordance with 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1) (only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements). The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity (N00024-20-F-5105). Zenetex LLC, Herndon, Virginia, was awarded a $7,521,702 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to provide contractor support services (CSS) to temporarily augment government personnel to assist in the acquisition, management and sustainment of Navy training systems. CSS support includes corporate operations, research and technology, program management, logistics, engineering, instructional systems and test and evaluation support services for various training systems managed by the Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division. Work will be performed in Orlando, Florida, and is expected to be completed in May 2020. Fiscal 2019 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $432,783; fiscal 2019 other procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $138,112; fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $278,344; fiscal 2020 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $1,002,318; fiscal 2020 other procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $357,920; fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $507,119; fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $101,022; working capital (Navy) funds in the amount of $1,204,302; and Foreign Military Sales funds in the amount of $520,643 will be obligated at time of award, $785,463 of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. The Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division, Orlando, Florida, is the contracting activity (N61340-20-C-0009). (Awarded Jan. 31, 2020) ARMY H2 Direct LLC,* Gulf Breeze, Florida, was awarded a $39,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for personnel, equipment, supplies, facilities, transportation, tools, materials, supervision and other items and non-personal services necessary to provide information technology management support services. Bids were solicited via the internet with eight received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Feb. 28, 2025. The 418th Contracting Support Brigade, Fort Hood, Texas, is the contracting activity (W91151-20-D-0009). Cray Inc., Seattle, Washington, was awarded a $26,480,000 firm-fixed-price contract for Department of Defense high performance computing modernization. Bids were solicited via the internet with three received. Work will be performed in Stennis Space Center, Mississippi, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 1, 2025. Fiscal 2020 other procurement, Army funds in the amount of $26,480,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Huntsville, Alabama, is the contracting activity (W912DY-20-F-0126). Sustainable System Solutions LLC,* Herndon, Virginia, was awarded a $9,563,615 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to provide the design, development, integration, testing and fielding of test capabilities systems and/or related test infrastructure among ranges within the Department of Defense test and evaluation community. 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 Feb. 2, 2030. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Orlando, Florida, is the contracting activity (W900KK-20-D-0003). Escal Institute Advanced Tech, North Bethesda, Maryland, was awarded an $8,805,373 firm-fixed-price contract to provide training and certifications to verify and validate student proficiency in cybersecurity roles. 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 Feb. 2, 2021. Fort Gordon, Georgia, is the contracting activity (W911S0-20-F-0111). U.S. SPECIAL OPERATIONS COMMAND The Boeing Co., Ridley Park, Pennsylvania, was awarded an $18,186,000 firm-fixed-price type delivery order (H92241-20-F-0020) under basic ordering agreement W91215-16-G-0001 to procure the long lead components and parts in support of MH-47G rotary wing aircraft. This action is required to satisfy an urgent need to sustain U.S. Special Operations Forces (SOF) heavy assault, rotary wing aircraft and to mitigate the impact of the MH-47G aircraft availability in light of increased SOF operational demands. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Fiscal 2020 aircraft procurement, Army funds in the amount of $18,186,000 were obligated at the time of award. The majority of the work will be performed in Ridley Park. U.S. Special Operations Command, Tampa, Florida, is the contracting activity. *Small business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2073298/source/GovDelivery/

  • PZL Mielec Delivers S-70 Black Hawk helicopter to the Polish National Police

    December 4, 2024 | International, Aerospace

    PZL Mielec Delivers S-70 Black Hawk helicopter to the Polish National Police

    This latest delivery completes the contract requirements signed in December 2022 for two helicopters and continues to bolster their mission capabilities and increase safety throughout the region

  • Netherlands signs letter of acceptance for $1.2 billion Apache helicopter upgrade

    September 18, 2018 | International, Aerospace

    Netherlands signs letter of acceptance for $1.2 billion Apache helicopter upgrade

    Officials from the Netherlands signed a letter of offer and acceptance to proceed with a $1.2 billion (€878 million) upgrade of the Dutch fleet of AH-64D Apache helicopters with the United States. State Secretary of Defence for the Netherlands, Barbara Visser and U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency Principal Director for Security Assistance Michèle Hizon signed the letter at Gilze-Rijen Air Base on Friday, September 14, the DSCA said. The agreement was first announced in February when the U.S. State Department approved the upgrade of 28 Dutch AH-64D Apache attack helicopters to the AH-64E configuration for an estimated cost of $1.191 billion. The principal contractors are Boeing and Lockheed Martin. The Netherlands received its last Apache delivery in 2002 and the helicopters have become technically and operationally out of date after 20 years of service. The first aircraft will be modernized beginning in 2021 and the first modernized Apaches will be reintroduced to the fleet by mid-2022, according to the U.S. Embassy in the Netherlands. “Reinforcing the armed forces is in full swing. This contract signing is a good example of this. Our operations in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Mali have demonstrated the importance of Apaches,” Visser said on Friday. With this modernization our Apaches remain the versatile combat helicopters that our armed forces need.” Also on Friday, Prime Minister Mark Rutte said the Netherlands would pull its F-16 fighter jets from the Islamic State mission in Iraq and Syria by the end of the year. A handful of Dutch special forces will stay in the country to continue training Iraqi forces, while a further 20 military and civil experts will remain part of NATO's capacity-building mission in Iraq, which focuses “on the strengthening of the Iraqi security sector,” the government said. In June, the Dutch defense ministry said that the Netherlands would end its troop contribution to the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Mali next May. Those troops will be sent to Afghanistan to “extend and intensify” the Dutch contribution to NATO's Resolute Support mission, according to the ministry. https://thedefensepost.com/2018/09/17/netherlands-apache-helicopter-upgrade-letter/

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