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June 10, 2019 | International, Other Defence

How industry can build better AI for the military

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As AI becomes more prominent in the national security community, officials are grappling with where to use it most effectively.

During a panel discussion at the C4ISRNET conference June 6, leaders discussed the role of industry building AI that will be used by the military.

After studying small and big companies creating AI technology, Col. Stoney Trent, the chief of operations at the Pentagon's Joint Artificial Intelligence Center, said he found commercial groups do not have the same motivations that exist in the government.

“Commercial groups are poorly incentivized for rigorous testing. For them that represents a business risk,” Trent said. Because of this, he the government needs to work with the commercial sector to create these technologies.

“What the Defense Department has to offer in this space is encouragement, an incentive structure for better testing tools and methods that allows us to understand how a product is going to perform when we are under conditions of national consequence because I can't wait,” Trent said. “Hopefully, the nation will be at peace long enough to not have a high bandwidth of experiences with weapons implementations, but when that happens, we need them to absolutely work. That's a quality of commercial technology development.”

For this to take place, the Department of Defense needs to help create the right environment.

“All of this is predicated on the Pentagon doing things as well,” said Kara Frederick, associate fellow for the technology and national security program at the Center for a New American Security. “Making an environment conducive to the behaviors that you are seeking to encourage. That environment can be the IT environment, common standards for data processing, common standards for interactions with industry, I think would help.”

Panelists said national security leaders also need to weigh the risks of relying more on AI technology, one of which is non-state actors using AI for nefarious purposes.

Trent said he sees AI as the new arms race but noted that in this arena, destruction may be easier than creation.

“AI is the modern-day armor anti-armor arms race,” Trent said. “The Joint AI Center, one of the important features of it is that it does offer convergence for best practices, data sources, data standards, etc. The flip side is we fully understand there are a variety of ways you can undermine artificial intelligence and most of those are actually easier than developing good resilient AI.”

Frederick said part of this problem stems from the structure of the AI community.

“I think what's so singular about the AI community, especially the AI research community, is that its so open,” Frederick said. “Even at Facebook, we open source some of these algorithms and we put it our there for people to manipulate. [There is this] idea that non-state actors, especially those without strategic intent or ones that we can't pin strategic intent to, could get a hold of some of these ways to code in certain malicious inputs [and] we need to start being serious about it.”

However, before tackling any of these problems, leaders need to first decide when it is appropriate to use AI

Rob Monto, lead of the Army's Advanced Concepts and Experimentation office, described this process as an evolution that takes place between AI and its users.

“AI is like electricity,” he said. “It can be anywhere and everywhere. You can either get electrocuted by it or you target specific applications for it. You need to know what you want the AI to do, and then you spend months and years building out. If you don't have your data set available, you do that upfront architecture and collection of information. Then you train your algorithms and build that specifically to support that specific use case...AI is for targeted applications to aid decisions, at least in the military space, to aid the user.”

Once the decision is made how and where to use AI, there are other technologies that must make advances to meet AI. One the biggest challenges, said Chad Hutchinson, director of engineering at the Crystal Group., is the question of hardware and characteristics such as thermal performance.

“AI itself is pushing the boundaries of what the hardware can do,” Hutchinson said.

Hardware technology is not the only obstacle in AI's path. These issues could stem from policy or human resource shortfalls.

“What we find is the non-technology barriers are far more significant than the technology barriers,” Trent said.

https://www.c4isrnet.com/show-reporter/c4isrnet-conference/2019/06/09/how-industry-can-build-better-ai-for-the-military/

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  • Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - January 29, 2021

    February 1, 2021 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security

    Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - January 29, 2021

    ARMY KBRwyle Technical Solutions LLC, Columbia, Maryland, was awarded a $78,252,029 modification (000286) to contract W52P1J-12-G-0061 for maintenance, supply, transportation and other logistics functions for the Army Prepositioned Stock-3 Charleston Afloat program. Work will be performed in Goose Creek, South Carolina, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 14, 2022. Fiscal 2010 operation and maintenance (Army) funds in the amount of $12,000,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois, is the contracting activity. High Desert Support Services, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, was awarded a $54,000,000 modification (P00034) to contract W9124B-18-C-0004 for operations support services at Fort Irwin U.S. Army Garrison. Work will be performed in Fort Irwin, California, with an estimated completion date of Jan. 31, 2022. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance (Army) funds in the amount of $4,172,214 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army 418th Contracting Support Brigade, Fort Irwin, California, is the contracting activity. GP Strategies Corp., Columbia, Maryland, was awarded a $40,671,032 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for life cycle logistics support and chemical demilitarization training facility operations and maintenance to facilitate the mission of the Chemical Materiel Training Facility at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland. Bids were solicited via the internet with three received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of April 15, 2026. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois, is the contracting activity (W52P1J-21-D-0015). ACC Construction Co. Inc., Augusta, Georgia, was awarded a $31,229,066 firm-fixed-price contract for construction of a consolidated mission complex at Warner Robins Air Force Base. Bids were solicited via the internet with three received. Work will be performed at Warner Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, with an estimated completion date of Feb. 23, 2023. Fiscal 2017 and 2020 military construction (defense-wide) funds in the amount of $31,229,066 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Louisville, Kentucky, is the contracting activity (W912QR-21-C-0009). The Boeing Co., Mesa, Arizona, was awarded a $20,333,921 modification (P00070) to contract W58RGZ-16-C-0023 for long lead integrated logistics support, initial spares package and peculiar ground support equipment for the Royal Moroccan Air Force. Work will be performed in Mesa, Arizona, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 31, 2024. Fiscal 2010 Foreign Military Sales (Morocco); and 2019 and 2020 aircraft procurement (Army) funds in the amount of $20,333,921, were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity. Lockheed Martin Corp., Orlando, Florida, was awarded a $15,925,901 modification (P00026) to contract W31P4Q-18-C-0130 to develop a second source for the qualification and facilitization of the Electromechanical Control Actuation System for the Hellfire missile. Work will be performed in Orlando, Florida, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 28, 2021. Fiscal 2019 procurement of ammunition (Army) funds in the amount of $3,625,819 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity. Vectrus Systems Corp., Colorado Springs, Colorado, was awarded a $15,785,417 modification (P00059) to contract W91RUS-17-C-0010 for information technology services to support the mission of the 2nd Theater Signal Brigade. Work will be performed in Germany and Italy, with an estimated completion date of Jan. 31, 2022. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance (Army) funds in the amount of $11,768,377 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity. Oshkosh Defense LLC, Oshkosh, Wisconsin, was awarded a $15,261,587 modification (P00079) to contract W56HZV-20-C-0050 to exercise available options for Marine Corps procurement of vehicles and kits for the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle family of vehicles. Work will be performed in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, with an estimated completion date of Oct. 31, 2022. Fiscal 2021 Foreign Military Sales (Macedonia, Slovenia and Montenegro) and 2021 USMC procurement funds in the amount of $15,261,587 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Detroit Arsenal, Michigan, is the contracting activity. Pond Constructors Inc., Peachtree Corners, Georgia, was awarded a $9,468,778 firm-fixed-price contract to maintain and repair petroleum systems and facilities. Bids were solicited via the internet with two received. Work will be performed in Anchorage, Alaska; Fairbanks Alaska; Delta Junction, Alaska; Shemya, Alaska; King Salmon, Alaska; Pohakuloa, Hawaii; Honolulu, Hawaii; Pearl Harbor, Hawaii; Ewa Beach, Hawaii; and Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, with an estimated completion date of Jan. 31, 2022. Fiscal 2021 revolving funds in the amount of $9,468,778 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Huntsville, Alabama, is the contracting activity (W912DY-21-F-0025). AIR FORCE Teradyne Inc., North Reading, Massachusetts, has been awarded a $78,232,776 firm-fixed-price requirements contract for the purchase of Versatile Diagnostic Automatic Test Station (VDATS) kits. The VDATS is an organically designed test station with open architecture and virtual modular equipment extensions for instrumentation technology. The VDATS consists of standardized, commercially available test equipment, components and software. There are two configurations of VDATS, the Digital Analog (DA)-1 and DA-2. Currently, these configurations support the A-10, B-1, B-2, B-52, C-5, C-17, C-130, E-3, E-8C, F-15, F16, F-22, H-53, H-60, KC-135 MC-4, MQ-9, Navy ships and UH-1 weapon systems. This contract will consist of five ordering periods with a period of performance of Feb. 1 2021, through Dec. 31, 2025, and work will be performed in North Reading, Massachusetts. No funds are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Sustainment Center, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, is the contracting activity (FA8571-21-D-0001). Lockheed Martin, Owego, New York, has been awarded a $64,266,809 supply contract for F-16 Foreign Military Sales (FMS) mission planning. This contract provides for the development, integration, test and delivery of the Joint Mission Planning System Unique Planning Component/Mission Planning Environment software updates. Work will be performed in Owego, New York, and is expected to be completed by January 2029. This contract involves FMS to Slovakia, Bulgaria, Taiwan, Morocco, Greece, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Chile, Colombia, Croatia, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Jordan, Korea, Oman, Pakistan, Philippines, Poland, Romania, Singapore, Slovenia and Thailand. This award is the result of a directed-source acquisition. FMS funds in the amount of $17,172,548 are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts, is the contracting activity (FA8730-21-C-0001). Taitech Inc., Dayton, Ohio, has been awarded a not-to-exceed $31,587,310 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (FA8650-21-D-2400) for technology for sustained supersonic combustion (TSSC). The mission of TSSC is to provide research and development for investigation of basic concepts, components, sub-systems, and diagnostics, for high-speed air breathing propulsion systems, airframe structures and internal/external aerodynamics including integration into air vehicles, weapons and launch systems. Work will be performed at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, and is expected to be completed by February 2028. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition and four offers were received. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $75,000 will fund the initial task order at time of award. Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, is the contracting activity. (FA8650-21-F-2402) Technica Corp., Sterling, Virginia, has been awarded a $22,040,950 cost-plus-fixed-fee task order (FA8307-19-F-0098) for weapon system engineering and maintenance services to include incremental software version development and installation, security patch installations, preventative maintenance, trouble shooting and responsive Tier 1, 2 and 3 support for the Cyberspace Vulnerability Assessment/Hunter weapon system. Work will be performed in Sterling, Virginia, and is expected to be completed Aug. 14, 2025. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition and seven offers were received. Fiscal 2021 research, development, test and evaluation funds; fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance funds; and fiscal 2021 Air National Guard procurement funds, in the full amount are being obligated at the time award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, is the contracting activity (FA8732-14-D-0015). Booz Allen Hamilton Inc., McLean, Virginia, has been awarded a $21,744,548 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification (P00032) to contract FA8750-17-F-0105 for enterprise exploitation and information assurance. This contract modification provides for additional hours to facilitate development of electro-optical emerging data sources as part of the Assured Cyber Enterprise for the Intelligence Community Program. Work will be performed in McLean, Virginia, and is expected to be completed Sept. 28, 2021. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $74,381 are being obligated at the time of award. Total cumulative face value of the contract is $71,427,681. Air Force Research Laboratory, Rome, New York, is the contracting activity. Walga Ross Group, Topeka, Kansas, has been awarded an $8,575,943 firm-fixed-price contract, to repair/replace heat, ventilation and air conditioning to Building 2210 located on Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma. The work is expected to be completed June 13, 2022. This award is the result of Tribal/American Native Corp. set aside. Non-expiring Depot Maintenance Activity Group funds in the full amount are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Sustainment Center, Tinker AFB, Oklahoma, is the contracting activity (FA8137-21-C-0009). NAVY Rolls-Royce Corp., Indianapolis, Indiana, is awarded a $72,874,164 firm-fixed-price modification (P00024) to previously awarded contract N00019-17-C-0081. This modification exercises an option to procure 33 production AE1107C V-22 Osprey engines; 14 for the Marine Corps and 19 for the Navy for production of MV-22 and CMV-22 tiltrotor aircraft. Work will be performed in Indianapolis, Indiana, and is expected to be completed in December 2022. Fiscal 2021 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $39,749,544; fiscal 2020 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $11,041,540; and fiscal 2019 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $22,083,080 will be obligated at the time of award, $22,083,080 of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. La Playa Inc. of Virginia,* Chesapeake, Virginia (N64498-21-D-0002); Life Cycle Engineering Inc.,* North Charleston, South Carolina (N64498-21-D-0003); Q.E.D. Systems Inc.,* Virginia Beach, Virginia (N64498-21-D-0004); Epsilon Systems Solutions Inc.,* Portsmouth, Virginia (N64498-21-D-0005); and Continental Tide Defense Systems Inc.,* Wyomissing, Pennsylvania (N64498-21-D-0006), are awarded a combined $67,512,167 cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the procurement of support services for the Navy's air conditioning and refrigeration systems on all types of military vessels and small crafts. Each awardee will be awarded $2,200 (minimum contract guarantee per awardee) at contract award. Work will be assigned according to individual delivery orders and is expected to be completed by February 2027. It is estimated that work will be performed on the West Coast (41%); outside the continental U.S. (31%); and the East Coast (28%), at the following locations: Norfolk, Virginia; Mayport, Florida; Bremerton, Washington; Pearl Harbor, Hawaii; Yokosuka, Japan; Bahrain; United Arab Emirates; San Diego, California; Groton, Connecticut; Portsmouth, New Hampshire; Seattle, Washington; and Guam. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance funding in the amount of $11,000 will be obligated at time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. All other funding will be made available at the delivery order level as contracting actions occur. This multiple award contract was competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities website with five offers received. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Philadelphia Division, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is the contracting activity. Bering Global Solutions LLC,* Anchorage, Alaska, is awarded a maximum-value $44,636,195 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for base operations support services to be performed at Naval Support Activity Northwest Annex, Chesapeake, Virginia. Work will be performed in Chesapeake, Virginia, and is expected to be completed by September 2029. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $4,387,967 for recurring work will be obligated under the initial task order at time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Work on the initial task order is expected to be completed by March 2022. This contract was competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities website with five proposals received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command, Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N62470-21-D-0006). The Whiting-Turner Contracting Co., Baltimore, Maryland, is awarded a $32,070,700 firm-fixed-price task order (N400-85-F-4540) under previously awarded multiple-award construction contract N40085-19-D-9070 for the construction of design-build project P224 Operations Support Facility and P999 Training Facility at Joint Expeditionary Base, Little Creek, Virginia. P224 will design and construct an operations support facility. The project includes all pertinent site preparations and site improvements, mechanical and electrical utilities, telecommunications, emergency generator, landscaping, drainage, parking and exterior lighting. Built-in equipment includes equipment cages, passenger/freight elevator, lockers and emergency generator. P999 will design and construct an operations training facility, to include administrative spaces with both private and open offices, open workstations, conference rooms, cage rooms to secure personal belongings, shower rooms and supporting spaces including server rooms, mechanical rooms, restrooms, break rooms, janitor closets and circulation spaces. Work will be performed at Joint Expeditionary Base, Little Creek, Virginia Beach, Virginia, and is expected to be completed by December 2023. Fiscal 2021 military construction funds in the amount of $32,070,700 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Five proposals were received for this task order. The Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command, Mid-Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity. The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, Cambridge, Massachusetts, is awarded a $23,185,000 option under modification P00012 to previously awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee contract N0003020-C-0004 to provide guidance, navigation, and control (GN&C) subject matter expertise and resources to explore and evaluate current maturing concepts and technologies to enable follow on, full-scale development of strategic guidance, navigation, and control solutions for the Second Life Extension (D5LE2) of the Trident II (D5) Strategic Weapon System. This contract also provides research and development into new and alternate GN&C technologies and concepts to support alternate and developing strategic systems programs missions. Work will be performed in Cambridge, Massachusetts (100%), with an expected completion date of Sept. 30, 2021. The contract will be incrementally funded with fiscal 2021 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $5,423,823 and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was a sole-source acquisition pursuant to 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1). Strategic Systems Programs, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity. The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Missouri, is being awarded $19,680,950 for a firm-fixed-priced delivery order N00383-21-F-AY04 under previously awarded basic ordering agreement N00383-18-G-AY01 for the repair of various avionics equipment used on the F/A-18 aircraft and AV-8B aircraft. Work will be performed in Lemoore, California (99%); and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (1%). Work will be begin February 2021, and will be completed by December 2023. Fiscal 2021 working capital funds (Navy) in the full amount of $19,680,950 will be obligated at the time of award and funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. One source was solicited for this non-competitive requirement pursuant to the authority set forth in 10 U.S. Code 2304 (c)(1) and one offer was received. Naval Supply Systems Command, Weapon Systems Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is the contracting activity. East Coast Repair and Fabrication LLC, Portsmouth, Virginia, is awarded a $12,131,903 firm-fixed-price contract for a 50-calendar day shipyard availability. The work to be performed provides services for the mid-term availability of the fleet replenishment oiler USNS Kanawha (T-AO 196). The contract also contains five unexercised options, which if exercised, would increase cumulative contract value to $13,566,323. Work will be performed in Newport News, Virginia, and is expected to be completed by April 19, 2021. Fiscal 2021 working capital contract funds (Navy) in the amount of $12,131,903 are obligated on this award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the beta.SAM.gov website with four proposals received. The Military Sealift Command, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N32205-21-C-4008). Lockheed Martin Space, Titusville, Florida, is awarded a $10,952,454 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification (P00006) to exercise options under previously awarded contract N00030-20-C-0100 for Trident II (D5) deployed systems support. Work will be performed in Denver, Colorado (40.1%); Bangor, Washington (17.9%); Kings Bay, Georgia (8.8%); Magna, Utah (8.2%); Oak Ridge, Tennessee (7.3%); Washington, D.C. (6.3%); Sunnyvale, California (5.6%); Cape Canaveral, Florida (3.5%); and other various locations (less than 1% each, 2.3% total). Work is expected to be completed Sept. 30, 2025. Fiscal 2021 weapons procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $7,907,204; and fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $1,500,000 are being obligated on this award, $1,500,000 of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract is being awarded to the contractor on a sole-source basis under 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1) and was previously synopsized on the Federal Business Opportunities website. Strategic Systems Programs, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity. Martin-Baker Aircraft Co. Ltd., Uxbridge, United Kingdom, is awarded an $8,764,364 firm-fixed-price contract for the manufacture of 581 explosive cartridges kits and 1,116 each of different explosive cartridges used in the Martin-Baker US16E ejection seat in F-35 aircraft for the Joint Strike Fighter program. The contract does not contain a provision for an option quantity. All work will be performed in Uxbridge, United Kingdom, and work is expected to be completed by October 2022. The total value of $8,764,364 will be obligated at the time of award. Funding sources include fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance (O&M) (International Partner Funding) funds (31%); fiscal 2021 O&M (Air Force) funds (22%); fiscal 2021 procurement (Air Force) funds (18%); fiscal 2021 procurement (Marine Corps) funds (8%); fiscal 2021 procurement (Navy) funds (5%); fiscal 2021 O&M (Marine Corps) funds (5%); fiscal 2021 O&M (Navy) funds (3%); Foreign Military Sales (FMS) Japan funds (3%); FMS Israel funds (3%); FMS Belgium funds (1%); and FMS Korea funds (1%). Funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. One source was solicited for this non-competitive requirement under authority 10 U.S. Code 2304 (c) (1), with one offer received. Naval Supply Systems Command, Weapon Systems Support, Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, is the contracting activity (N00104-21-C-K014). DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY DRS Network & Imaging Services, Melbourne, Florida, has been awarded a maximum $55,678,715 firm-fixed-price, requirements base subsumable contract to repair and return Bradley weapon system parts. This is a sole-source acquisition using justification 10 U.S. Code 2304 (c)(1), as stated in Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1 (a)(2). This is a nine-year contract with repricing occurring every three years. Location of performance is Florida, with a Jan. 28, 2030, performance completion date. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal year 2021 Army working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama (SPRRA2-21-D-0014). U.S. SPECIAL OPERATIONS COMMAND Rockwell Collins Inc., Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received a ceiling increase modification in the amount of $12,797,070 to an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (H92241-17-D-0004) to provide life-cycle contractor support and hardware for the Common Avionics Architecture System, Cockpit Management System, Airborne Mission Network, Secure Real Time Video and Aircraft Management Systems. This modification raises the contract ceiling to $43,529,330. The majority of the work is being performed in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and ordering periods will end in July 2022. This modification was a non-competitive award in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. U.S. Special Operations Command, Tampa, Florida, is the contracting activity. *Small business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2487798/source/GovDelivery/

  • Karem, Northrop, Raytheon team for Army’s future attack recon helo competition

    July 2, 2019 | International, Aerospace

    Karem, Northrop, Raytheon team for Army’s future attack recon helo competition

    By: Jen Judson WASHINGTON — Karem Aircraft has forged a team with Northrop Grumman and Raytheon to compete in the Army's Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA) competition, according to a July 1 company statement. Karem was one of five companies awarded a prototyping development contract in April. While details are scant as to how each company will contribute to the overall design, due in January or February of 2020, the teaming announcement says the three companies together “will apply decades of combined knowledge, skills and abilities to bring the best of vehicle and systems technologies and processes to the first aircraft within the Future Vertical Lift family of systems.” Karem is bringing its “unique active variable speed rotor technologies,” which have been developed over the last 10 years through collaboration with the Army, to the teaming effort. The company's experience “will be augmented with Northrop Grumman's manned and autonomous military aircraft development, system integration, production and support expertise and Raytheon's systems architecture, mission equipment and weapons capabilities,” the company statement adds. While Karem competed to be one of two teams selected to build a flying aircraft for the Army's Joint Multi-Role Technology Demonstrator (JMR TD), it was not selected. Instead, the Army awarded it a smaller technology development contract to continue to refine its unique technology. The JMR TD program will inform a Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) program of record to replace UH-60 Black Hawks and AH-64 Apache helicopters. The JMR TD program is not a head-to-head competition between the Sikorsky-Boeing SB-1 Defiant coaxial helicopter and the Bell V-280 Valor tiltrotor aircraft, but will inform the FLRAA program. Bell and a Sikorsky-Boeing team have each built a JMR TD aircraft which is flying in that program. AVX Aircraft Co. also received a smaller technology development contract similar to Karem's award. The Karem-Northrop-Raytheon team will compete with an AVX-L-3 Communications Integrated Systems team, Bell, Boeing and Lockheed Martin-owned Sikorsky to provide design plans to the Army for FARA. The Army will choose just two teams to advance to build a flyable prototype, much like it did for the JMR TD program — except this time, one of those aircraft will be chosen for production. The Army has set an ambitious schedule for FARA, with plans to fly prototypes in 2023. A production decision could happen in 2028, but the service is looking at any way possible to speed up that timeline. Truncating the timelines for both FLRAA and FARA has been on the table for many years and the service continues to assess any way possible to bring the aircraft online faster. With the advent of the new Army Futures Command — focused on six major modernization priorities, of which FVL is third — the service is moving faster on prototyping capability to ultimately procure major weapon systems at a somewhat unprecedented speed. Through the AFC and the use of contracting mechanisms like OTAs, the Army has found a way to compress parts of the acquisition process that previously took three-to-five years into periods of time often amounting to less than a year. FARA is intended to fill a critical capability gap currently being addressed by the AH-64E Apache attack helicopter teamed with Shadow unmanned aircraft, following the retirement of the OH-58D Kiowa Warrior helicopters. The service has tried and failed three times to fill the gap with an aircraft. https://www.defensenews.com/land/2019/07/01/karem-northrop-raytheon-forge-team-for-armys-future-attack-recon-helo-competition/

  • BlueHalo to Integrate Directed Energy Capability on U.S. Marine Corps Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV)

    November 12, 2023 | International, Naval

    BlueHalo to Integrate Directed Energy Capability on U.S. Marine Corps Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV)

    The company will adapt its LOCUST Laser Weapon System (LWS) for integration onto a JLTV, providing warfighters with advanced mobile air defense against unmanned aerial system (UAS) threats.

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