December 2, 2019 | International, C4ISR, Security
Earlier this year, the Defense Digital Service — the Pentagon's cadre of coders and hackers performing a short stint in government — finished the second phase of a pilot program to streamline cyber training for the Army.
The Army wanted to streamline two phases of cyber training: the Joint Cyber Analytics Course, or JCAC, which takes 27 weeks in Pensacola, Florida, and provides basic cyber training for joint forces that have no prior experience in cyber; and the more tactical training that happens at Fort Gordon in Georgia. Combined, the two phases take a minimum of 36 weeks.
To accomplish this, the Defense Digital Service, working with the Army Cyber Center of Excellence and a private vendor, built a course to conduct training in three months — everything a cyberwarrior needed to know from JCAC, said Clair Koroma, a bureaucracy hacker at DDS.
Phase two — which combines tactics involving hardware, offensive and defensive cyber, and networking — takes seven months. It excluded the classified course, Koroma added.
At this point, she said, DDS has transitioned all of its materials to the Cyber School, which will pick up the third phase of the pilot training, though DDS will still be available for assistance.
“The plan is that eventually the 17Cs, [who execute offensive and defensive cyberspace operations], will come to Fort Gordon on inception and do their entry and mid-level training at Gordon. They will run this as the course for those soldiers,” she said.
Koroma said success of the pilot will be measured from the operational world — evaluating the skill sets of the soldiers that graduate from the pilot program and comparing them to prior classes. Thus far, she added, no graduates from the pilot program have been overwhelmed in operations.
Students during the second pilot were also evaluated by senior leaders within the Army cyber community and commands where they might be assigned during their final project and presentation. Students needed to identify issues on the network and conduct an outbrief to these leaders.
“Senior leaders then got an opportunity to ask them questions,” Koroma said. “Every single person who was in that presentation said that they were impressed by the delivery of the students and the quality of the presentation that the students gave.”
In fact, Koroma said, there are two students she's aware of whose orders were changed at the conclusion of training because leaders who attended the presentation wanted them on their team.
August 28, 2021 | International, Aerospace
NASA’s Space Launch System and Orion are big-government programs trying to keep pace in a marketplace increasingly dominated by commercial industry, meanwhile, the U.S. military is looking to build bridges to international partners, that same commercial industry and to the intelligence community.
August 13, 2020 | International, Aerospace
by Rahul Bedi India's Ministry of Defence (MoD) has approved the procurement of indigenously developed platforms and weapon systems worth INR87.22 billion (USD1.17 billion) for the country's three military services, including basic trainer aircraft for the Indian Air Force (IAF). The Indian government's Press Information Bureau (PIB) announced on 11 August that the MoD's Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), which is headed by Minister of Defence Rajnath Singh, agreed to acquire an initial 70 Hindustan Turbo Trainer-40 (HTT-40) aircraft from public-sector company Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) following their certification. An additional 36 tandem-seat HTT-40s are expected to be acquired thereafter, once the IAF has operationalised the first lot of trainers. A HTT-40 prototype powered by a Honeywell TPE331-12B turboprop engine made its maiden test flight in June 2016, following a six-year delay, but the aircraft has yet to enter series production. The HTT-40 was developed to replace the HAL-designed HPT-32 Deepak, which was grounded in July 2009 following recurring accidents. Once inducted, the HTT-40 is meant to supplement 75 Pilatus PC-7 Mk II basic trainers that have been in IAF service since 2013. The DAC also cleared the procurement of an unspecified number of upgraded 127 mm/64 cal ‘super rapid' guns from state-owned Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) for fitment onto Indian Navy (IN) and Indian Coast Guard (ICG) vessels. Industry sources told Janes that the IN plans to arm an initial 13 frontline warships – including the indigenously designed and built Shivalik-class frigates and Delhi-class destroyers – with these guns. https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/indian-mod-approves-procurements-worth-usd117-billion
November 23, 2020 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security
U.S. TRANSPORTATION COMMAND Four additional companies -- Alaska Airlines, Seattle, Washington (HTC711-21-D-CC01); Hawaiian Airlines Inc., Honolulu, Hawaii (HTC711-21-D-CC02); Jet Blue Airways, Long Island City, New York (HTC711-21-D-CC03); and Swift Air LLC, Greensboro, North Carolina (HTC711-21-D-CC04) -- have been awarded firm-fixed-price contracts under the Domestic Airlift Charter Services, Federal Aviation Administration Part 121, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, fixed-price contract, at estimated program value of $697,000,000. These funds were obligated on individual task orders issued among 16 contracts. The program initially began in October 2018. The contracts provide domestic air cargo and passenger charter services. Services shall be provided for the Department of Defense and other federal government agencies. Work will be performed within the continental U.S., all U.S. territories, Mexico, Canada, and the Caribbean Islands. Period of performance is from Nov. 20, 2020, to Sept. 30, 2023. Ordering is decentralized and will be determined at the task order level. The U.S. Transportation Command, Directorate of Acquisition, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, is the contracting activity. DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Sysco-Central Alabama, Calera, Alabama, has been awarded a maximum $136,226,979 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for full-line food distribution. This was a competitive acquisition with two responses received. This is a four-year contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Alabama, with a Nov. 23, 2024, ordering period end date. Using customers are Air Force, Army, Marine Corps, Coast Guard and federal civilian agencies. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2025 defense working capital funds. The contracting agency is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE300-21-D-3311). SupplyCore Inc., Rockford, Illinois, has been awarded a maximum $92,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for supply, storage and distribution of water purification systems. This was a competitive acquisition with two responses received. This is a four-year base contract with one one-year option period. Location of performance is Illinois, with a Nov. 19, 2024, performance completion date. Using services are Army and Marine Corps. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2021 through 2025 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime, Columbus, Ohio (SPE7MX-21-D-0016). Creighton AB Inc., Reidsville, North Carolina, has been awarded a maximum $7,788,263 modification (P00002) exercising the first one-year option period of a one-year base contract (SPE1C1-20-D-1213) with four one-year option periods for men's broadfall trousers. This is a firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. Locations of performance are New York and North Carolina, with a Nov. 24, 2021, ordering period end date. Using military service is Navy. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2021 through 2022 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. AIR FORCE PAE Applied Technologies LLC, Fort Worth, Texas, has been awarded a ceiling $98,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for U.S. Air forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa (USAFE-AFAFRICA) electronic warfare operations training and infrastructure maintenance services. This contract provides electronic warfare aircrew tactics evaluation, electronic warfare combat training, operation and maintenance of equipment and electronic warfare range infrastructure maintenance for USAFE-AFAFRICA. Work will be performed at various locations in Germany, the United Kingdom and Italy. The basic contract has a five-year ordering period ending Nov. 19, 2025. This award is result of a competitive acquisition and three offers were received. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance funds in the amount of $8,091,999 will be obligated via the first task order, which will be awarded immediately after the basic contract, and is expected to be completed Jan. 31, 2026. The 764th Enterprise Sourcing Squadron, Ramstein Air Base, Germany, is the contracting activity (FA5641-21-D-0001). ViaSat Inc., Carlsbad, California, has been awarded a $50,800,000 cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for development on prototype space systems. The contractor will provide studies, design, manufacturing, integration, performance qualification, network space segment elements, launch, flight and demonstration of prototype space systems. This also includes the development, integration and demonstration with ground terminals in conjunction with the government Ground Segment to reduce risk and assess performance and functionality for future protected service. It includes the associated program management, system engineering, certification, integration, test and evaluation and configuration management. Work will be performed in Carlsbad, California, and is expected to be completed Feb. 20, 2026. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition with one offer received. Fiscal 2020 and fiscal 2021 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $737,646 are being obligated to the first task order at time of award. Air Force Research Laboratory, Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico, is the contracting activity (FA9453-21-D-0029; task order: FA9453-21-F-0001). NAVY Kellogg Brown and Root Services Inc., Houston, Texas, was awarded a $64,827,880 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity modification for the exercise of Option Three for base operating support services at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti; Chabelley Airfield, Djibouti; and Camp Simba, Kenya. The work to be performed provides for all management and administration, security, fire and emergency, air operations, ordnance, material management and supply, facilities management and investment, pest control, integrated solid waste, pavement clearance, utilities, base support vehicles and equipment, morale, welfare and recreation support, galley, unaccompanied housing, custodial, grounds maintenance and landscaping and environmental services to provide base operations support services. After award of this option, the total cumulative contract value will be $263,190,457. Work will be performed in Djibouti City, Djibouti (89%); Manda Bay, Kenya (8%); and Chabelley, Djibouti (3%). This option period is from November 2020 to November 2021. No funds will be obligated at time of award. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance (O&M) (Navy); fiscal 2021 O&M (Air Force); and fiscal 2021 O&M (National Security Agency) contract funds in the amount of $61,043,871 for recurring work will be obligated on individual task orders issued during the option period. The Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command, Europe Africa Central, Naples, Italy, is the contracting activity (N62470-17-D-4012). (Awarded Nov. 19, 2020) BAE Systems Technology Solutions & Services Inc., doing business as BAE Systems, Rockville, Maryland, is awarded a $16,506,245 firm-fixed-price contract modification (P00012) under previously awarded contract N00604-19-C-4001 to exercise Option Year Two for the operation and maintenance of Navy communication, electronic and computer systems. The contract included a 12-month base period and four one-year option periods. The exercise of this option will bring the estimated value of the contract to $46,060,784 and if all options are exercised, it will bring the total value to $80,115,425. Work will be performed in Oahu, Hawaii (94%); and Geraldton, Australia (6%). Work will begin December 2020 and is expected to be completed by November 2021; if all options are exercised, work will be completed by November 2023. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $4,048,611 will be obligated at the time of award and funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was solicited on a full and open, unrestricted basis with two offers received. Naval Supply Systems Command, Fleet Logistics Center, Pearl Harbor Regional Contracting Department, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, is the contracting activity. EMR Inc.,* Niceville, Florida, is awarded firm-fixed-price task order N69450-21-F-1409 at $13,968,592 under a multiple award construction contract for the munition storage area utilities project at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. The work to be performed includes civil and electrical disciplines. The civil work includes the replacement of the water distribution mains within the munitions storage area. The electrical work includes the replacement of all existing underground primary conductors with the exception of the existing underground emergency circuit. Work will be performed in Bossier City, Louisiana, and is expected to be completed by November 2022. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance (Air Force) contract funds in the amount of $13,986,592 are obligated on this award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Two proposals were received for this task order. The Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command, Southeast, Jacksonville, Florida, is the contracting activity (N69450-18-D-1318). Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Bethpage, New York, is awarded a $10,713,544 firm-fixed-price modification to previously awarded contract N00024-17-C-6311 to procure two additional Surface-to-Surface Missile Modules (SSMM) for integration into the Littoral Combat Ship framework. The SSMM fires a Longbow Hellfire missile that will be added to the surface warfare mission module aboard the Littoral Combat Ship. Work will be performed in Huntsville, Alabama (80%); Bethpage, New York (18%); and Hollywood, Maryland (2%), and is expected to be completed by November 2022. Fiscal 2021 other procurement (Navy) (82%); and fiscal 2020 other procurement (Navy) (18%) funding in the amount of $10,713,544 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, D.C., is the contracting activity. Iridium Satellite LLC, Tempe, Arizona, is awarded a $9,667,301 cost-plus-fixed-fee option to support commercial satellite-based network services for the Department of Defense in the areas of satellite, ground node, user equipment/terminal software and hardware development, integration and testing. Work will be performed in in McLean, Virginia (50%); and Tempe, Arizona (50%), and is expected to be complete in November 2021. This contract includes a base year and options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $45,807,778. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funding in the amount of $100,000 will be obligated at time of the option exercise and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was solicited on a sole-source basis via a synopsis posted in Federal Business Opportunities website 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 Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren Division, Dahlgren, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N00178-17-C-0001). Vigor Marine Shipyard LLC, Portland, Oregon, is awarded an $8,562,943 firm-fixed-price contract (N32205-21-C-4117) for a 50-calendar day shipyard availability for the mid-term availability on the USNS Matthew Perry (T-AKE 9). The contract includes options, which if exercised, would bring the total contract value to $8,821,718. Work will be performed in Portland, Oregon, and is expected to be completed by March 8, 2021. Contract funds in the amount of $8,562,943 are obligated in fiscal 2021 using working capital funds (Navy). 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. ARMY Amentum Services Inc., Germantown, Maryland, was awarded a $7,819,920 modification (000280) to contract W52P1J-12-G-0028 for logistics support services for Army prepositioned stocks. Work will be performed in Mannheim, Germany, with an estimated completion date of Nov. 21, 2021. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance (Army) funds in the amount of $7,819,920 were obligated at the time of the award. The U.S. Army Contracting Command, Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois, is the contracting activity. *Small business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2423533/source/GovDelivery/