Huntington Ingalls Industries awarded LCS Planning Yard Contract Worth a Potential $107.9 million

On the same subject

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  December 4, 2020 | International, Aerospace

  This company wants to launch satellites into space via drone

  Nathan Strout WASHINGTON — Could drones hold the answer to putting satellites on orbit faster? Space logistics company Aevum is betting on it with its new Ravn X drone, which it built in the hopes of launching rockets into orbit every three hours. “Aevum is completely reimagining access to space,” said Jay Skylus, Aevum's founder and chief executive, said in a statement unveiling the new launch solution Dec. 3. “U.S. leadership has identified the critical need for extremely fast access to low Earth orbit. We're faster than anybody. “Through our autonomous technologies, Aevum will shorten the lead time of launches from years to months, and when our customers demand it, minutes,” he added. Founded in 2016, the company has been developing its product in stealth mode for years. On Dec. 3, they officially unveiled the new Ravn X autonomous launch solution ― an 80-foot long drone designed to launch small payloads into low Earth orbit. The company has yet to conduct its first test flight but is working toward airworthiness certification. Leaders hope to launch a payload for the military before the end of 2021. “We have a small launch vehicle that's more or less designed from scratch to be reusable and for responsive space access,” Skylus told C4ISRNET in an interview. “We do this by operating this sort of three stage launch vehicle stack. The first stage is an unmanned aircraft that is completely autonomous. The second and third stages are rocket systems.” Following take off, the drone rises to between 30,000 and 60,000 feet, where the rocket separates and ignites, launching the payload into orbit. Ravn X can take off and land horizontally on any airstrip at least one mile long. “The entire system is designed for a turnaround time and response time of about 180 minutes,” Skylus explained. The idea of launching satellites into space from the air isn't a new concept. For example, Northrop Grumman's Pegasus rocket ― designed to be launched into orbit from a carrier aircraft ― has been used for Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Air Force and NASA missions since the 1990s, with the most recent mission taking place in October 2019. A more recent entrant into the air-launch-to-orbit arena is Virgin Orbit's LauncherOne rocket. The company's first test flight, which failed to reach orbit, was conducted in May 2020. Aevum thinks of itself as taking the concept one step further by adding autonomy to the launch process. “This entire process is more or less fully autonomous, and this allows us to basically reduce the cost of labor that's required by about 90 percent,” said Skylus. Aevum's approach also gets at one of the most frustrating issues with launch: weather. In 2018, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency announced the DARPA Launch Challenge, where small launch companies were asked to show that they could put a payload into space within just 30 days. While about 50 companies applied, by 2019 their were only three companies remaining in the competition. By 2020, there was just one: Astra Space. The company came close to achieving its goal, ultimately failing after inclement weather forced them to scrub multiple launch attempts. Ravn X is largely impervious to those issues. “Because of the architecture, we're really not dependent on weather and those types of things. We expect to be available more than 96 percent of the year,” said Skylus. The company is already drawing attention from the Department of Defense. Ravn X's first mission will be the ASLON-45 mission for the U.S. Space Force, a $5 million contract. With that mission, the focus is on showing how the company can get a payload into orbit in 24 hours or less, said Skylus. That launch is expected to be complete before the end of 2021. In addition, the company has received a Phase II Small Business Innovation Research award, a classified contract, and is one of eight company's to receive a $986 million indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract for Orbital Services Program-4. “I'm excited to see the bold innovation and responsiveness in development today by our small launch industry partners to support emerging war fighter needs” said Lt. Col. Ryan Rose, Chief of the Space and Missile Systems Center's Small Launch and Targets Division, in a statement coordinated with Aevum's announcement. “The U.S. Space Force is proactively partnering with industry to support U.S. space superiority objectives. Having a robust U.S. industry providing responsive launch capability is key to ensuring the U.S. Space Force can respond to future threats.” The Pentagon has been pushing industry for responsive launch solutions, ensuring that they can place payloads into orbit with little notice. Aevum's focus on software and automation gives them an edge in meeting those elusive responsive launch requirements, Skylus said. “The responsive space launch type of problem has been a problem for several decades now, and the government has been seeking a solution to this. While others, our peers, are trying to tackle this from a technology/engineering perspective, Aevum is really tackling the problem from a system level perspective,” said Skylus. That's meant taking proven hardware solutions and applying autonomous software solutions to the ground processes and mission assurance elements. “If you look at our financials and things like that, we really do look more like a software company as opposed to a launch company,” said Skylus. “Which is great, because that means we're profitable right out of the gate.” For Aevum, the focus is on being that dependable, responsive launch service, and that may come at a premium for prospective customers, including the Pentagon. “We're not looking to be the lowest cost provider. That was never something that we claimed to be,” said Skylus. “Our focus has been: How do we make sure that we can go when our customers need to go? “Our niche market is going to be composed of customers like the Department of Defense who can't afford to wait a week to gather intel ... Or a customer like a commercial constellation customer who if they're down for over a week, they're going to lose more in revenue than they would be willing to pay for a launch,” he continued. “Those are the customers that we're really targeting.” https://www.c4isrnet.com/battlefield-tech/space/2020/12/03/this-company-wants-to-launch-satellites-into-space-via-drone/

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  September 11, 2024 | International, Land

  Leonardo in talks on alliances and joint ventures, CEO says

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  October 30, 2020 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security

  Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - October 29, 2020

  AIR FORCE The Boeing Co., Seattle, Washington, has been awarded a $342,120,528 firm-fixed-price modification (P00009) to contract FA8609-18-F-0006 for KC-46A Aircraft 3 and 4 for Japan. This modification provides for the exercise of an option for an additional quantity of two KC-46A Japan aircraft being produced under the basic contract. Work will be performed in Everett, Washington, and is expected to be completed June 30, 2023. Foreign Military Sales funds in the full amount are being obligated at the time of award. The total cumulative face value of this contract is $800,972,411. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity. The Raytheon Co., Tucson, Arizona, has been awarded a $192,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM) field team and lab support. This contract provides support for the AMRAAM system development test activities to include laboratory management, field-team test support, testing and analysis. Work will be performed in Tucson, Arizona; Fort Worth, Texas; St. Louis, Missouri; Seattle, Washington; Edwards Air Force Base, California; Hill AFB, Utah; and Eglin AFB, Florida, and is expected to be completed Sept. 30, 2030. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation (RDT&E) funds in the amount of $479,372; and fiscal 2021 RDT&E funds in the amount of $800,000 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Eglin AFB, Florida, is the contracting activity (FA86785-21-D-0030). Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Northridge, California, has been awarded a $75,006,130 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, requirements contract for common munition built-in-tester reprogramming equipment (CMBRE) system. This contract provides for the program management support, sustaining engineering, repairs, consumable parts depot, and production of CMBRE systems, initial spares kits and associated items belonging to the CMBRE configuration. Work will be performed in Northridge, California, and is expected to be completed Oct. 29, 2026. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Fiscal 2021 operations and maintenance funds will be used and obligated via an individual delivery order against the contract as requirements are made known. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, is the contracting activity (FA8533-21-D-0001). ARMY Eli Lilly and Co., Indianapolis, Indiana, was awarded a $312,500,000 firm-fixed-price contract for procurement of monoclonal antibody therapeutic LY-CoV555. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will be performed in Indianapolis, Indiana, with an estimated completion date of June 30, 2021. Fiscal 2021 Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act funds in the amount of $312,500,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W911QY-21-C-0016). (Awarded Oct. 27, 2020) Astrazeneca Pharmaceuticals LP, Wilmington, Delaware, was awarded a $286,927,159 firm-fixed-price contract for the delivery of 200 million doses of AZD1222 vaccine for COVID- 19. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will be performed in West Chester Township, Ohio; and Albuquerque, New Mexico, with an estimated completion date of June 30, 2021. Fiscal 2021 other procurement (Army) funds in the amount of $286,927,159 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Newark, New Jersey, is the contracting activity (W15QKN-21-C-0003). (Awarded Oct. 28, 2020) DEFENSE FINANCE AND ACCOUNTING SERVICE KPMG LLP, McLean, Virginia, is being awarded a maximum $224,033,259 labor hour contract for audit services for the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General audits of the Army financial statements. Work will be performed in McLean, Virginia, with an expected completion date of Dec. 31, 2021. The contract has a one-year base period with four individual one-year option periods, and is the result of a competitive acquisition for which three quotes were received. Fiscal 2021 operations and maintenance (Army) funds in the amount of $43,696,323 are being obligated at the time of the award. The Defense Finance and Accounting Service, Contract Services Directorate, Columbus, Ohio, is the contracting activity (HQ0423-21-F-0005). Ernst and Young LLP, New York, New York, is being awarded a maximum $98,142,615 labor hour contract for audit services for the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General audits of the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) financial statements, with an expected completion date of Dec. 31, 2021. The contract has a one-year base period with four individual one-year option periods, and is the result of a competitive acquisition for which two quotes were received. Subject to availability of funding, fiscal 2021 operations and maintenance (DLA) funds in the amount of $18,838,861 will be obligated when funds are available for this contract. The Defense Finance and Accounting Service, Contract Services Directorate, Columbus, Ohio, is the contracting activity (HQ0423-21-F-0010). DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY WGL Energy Services Inc., Vienna, Virginia (SPE604-21-D-8005, $84,270,116); Reliant Energy Northeast LLC, Houston, Texas (SPE604-21-D-8004, $48,256,472); AEP Energy Inc., Chicago, Illinois (SPE604-21-D-8000, $15,924,871); MP2 Energy NE LLC, The Woodlands, Texas (SPE604-21-D-8003, $15,124,148); and Dynegy Energy Services (East) LLC, Cincinnati, Ohio (SPE604-21-D-8006, $9,060,198), have each been awarded a firm-fixed-price, requirements-type contract under solicitation SPE604-20-R-0408 to supply and deliver retail electricity and ancillary/incidental services. These were competitive acquisitions with nine responses received. They are two-year contracts with no option periods. Locations of performance are Illinois, Pennsylvania, Texas, Washington, D.C., Maryland, New Jersey, Virginia, Maryland and Ohio, with a Dec. 31, 2022, performance completion date. Using customers are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Army Reserve, Argonne National Laboratory, Bettis Atomic Power Laboratory, U.S. National Arboretum, Naval Research Laboratory, National Institutes of Health, Department of Veterans Affairs, Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, Communication Support System Group, National Agricultural Library, Army Corps of Engineers, Defense Intelligence Agency, Defense Information Systems Agency, Defense Logistics Agency, Defense Contract Management Agency and other federal civilian agencies. Using customers are solely responsible for funding this contract and vary in appropriation type and fiscal year. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Energy, Fort Belvoir, Virginia. Raytheon Co., Marlborough, Massachusetts, has been awarded a $9,455,861 firm-fixed-price delivery order (SPRMM1-21-F-DK02) against five-year basic ordering agreement SPRMM1-18-G-DK01 for electronic switches. This was a sole-source acquisition using justification 10 U.S. Code 2304 (c)(1), as stated in Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. This is a 35-month contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Massachusetts, with a Sept. 30, 2023, performance completion date. Using military service is Navy. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2021 Navy working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime, Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. (Awarded Oct. 27, 2020) Raytheon Co., Tucson, Arizona, has been awarded a maximum $9,008,686 firm-fixed-price, one-time buy, requirements contract for cooler reservoirs used in the Air to Air Stinger weapon system parts. This was 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 29-month contract with no option periods. Locations of performance are Arizona and India, with a Nov. 30, 2022, performance delivery date. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2021 Army working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama (SPRRA2-20-C-0039). Burlington Industries LLC, Greensboro, North Carolina, has been awarded a maximum $8,134,668 modification (P00006) exercising the second one-year option period of a one-year base contract (SPE1C1-19-D-1112) with four one-year option periods for wool, serge, sponged mothproof cloth. This is a firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. Location of performance is North Carolina, with a Nov. 4, 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. NAVY Bowen Engineering Corp., Indianapolis, Indiana, is awarded an $83,424,684 firm-fixed-price contract for construction of an underwater launch test facility at Naval Support Activity, Crane, Indiana. The work to be performed provides construction of a new underwater launch test facility, to include a launch test pit, operational support building, warehouse building, water treatment building, mechanical and electrical building, waste staging area, electrical substation and other site improvements. This contract contains an option which, if exercised, would increase the cumulative contract value to $84,624,684. Work will be performed in Crane, Indiana, and is expected to be completed by August 2022. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $3,882,001 will be obligated at time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the beta.SAM.gov website, with five proposals received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command Mid-Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N40085-21-C-0009). Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is awarded a $73,844,598 modification to previously awarded cost-plus-incentive-fee contract N00019-20-C-0037. This contract modification exercises an option to provide continued F-35 development lab infrastructure activities as well as recurring administration, maintenance and preparation of the F-35 laboratories to test developed configurations across the F-35 platform. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas, and is expected to be completed in October 2021. Fiscal 2021 operations and maintenance (Air Force) funds in the amount of $15,128,657; fiscal 2021 operations and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $7,564,329; fiscal 2021 operations and maintenance (Marine Corps) funds in the amount of $7,564,329; and non-Department of Defense participant funds in the amount of $6,664,984 will be obligated at time of award, $30,257,315 of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity Dyncorp International LLC, Fort Worth, Texas, is awarded a $60,040,851 modification (P00046) to previously awarded firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee, cost reimbursable contract N68936-17-C-0052. This modification exercises an option to provide organizational level aircraft maintenance and logistics support on aircraft, systems, subsystems, aircrew systems, search and rescue equipment and support equipment for P-3 Orion, C-130 Hercules, F/A-18 Hornet, E/A-18 Growler, AV-8B Harrier II, H-60 Seahawk and E-2D Hawkeye aircraft in support of the Naval Test Wing Pacific Command. Work will be performed in China Lake, California (50%); Point Mugu, California (40%); Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii (2%); Naval Air Station, Lemoore, California (2%); Patrick Air Force Base, Florida (1%); Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico (1%); Naval Air Station, Patuxent River, Maryland (1%); Marine Corps Air Station, Yuma, Arizona (1%); Marine Corps Air Station, Miramar, California (1%); and North Island, California (1%), and is expected to be completed in October 2021. Working capital (Navy) funds in the amount of $46,709,814 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Warfare Center, Weapons Division, China Lake, California, is the contracting activity. Aircraft Readiness Alliance LLC,* Anchorage, Alaska, is awarded a $56,339,955 modification (P00016) to previously awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee contract N68936-17-C-0081. This modification exercises an option to provide depot level maintenance services for aircraft, aircraft engines, associated systems, equipment, components and materials. These services may involve rework of existing aviation end items, systems and components and the manufacture of items and component parts that are otherwise not available, modernization, conversion, in-service repair and disassembly for AV-8B, C-130, C-2, E-2, EA-6B, F/A-18, H-1, H-53, H-60, MQ-8, P-3, P-8, F-35 and V-22 aircrafts in support of Fleet Readiness Center Southwest. Work will be performed in San Diego, California (79.5%); Lemoore, California (8.5%); Camp Pendleton, California (3.4%); Yuma, Arizona (2.4%); Miramar, California (2.2%); Whidbey Island, Washington (1.7%); Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii (1%); Nellis, Nevada (1%); and Fallon, California (0.3%), and is expected to be completed in October 2021. Fiscal 2021 working capital (Navy) funds in the amount of $20,073,043 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Warfare Center, Weapons Division, China Lake, California, is the contracting activity. Vigor Marine LLC, Portland, Oregon, is awarded a $17,861,520 modification to previously awarded contract N00024-19-C-4447 to support USS Chosin (CG 65) extended dry-docking selected restricted availability. This modification will provide production work in the superstructure for various interior spaces to USS Chosin (CG 65) during the performance of the extended availability at Vigor Shipyard, Seattle, Washington. Work will be performed in Seattle, Washington, and is expected to be completed by October 2021. Fiscal 2021 operations and maintenance (Navy) funding in the amount of $17,861,520 will be obligated at the time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility, Everett, Washington, is the contracting activity. Detyens Shipyard Inc., Charleston, South Carolina, is awarded a $10,884,056 firm-fixed-price contract for a 75-calendar day shipyard availability. The work to be performed provides for services for the post shakedown availability and dry-docking of the expeditionary fast transport USNS Puerto Rico (T-EPF 11). The contract also contains nine unexercised options, which if exercised, would increase cumulative contract value to $13,039,037. Work will be performed in Charleston, South Carolina, and is expected to be completed by April 2021. Fiscal 2021 working capital contract funds (Navy) in the amount of $10,884,056 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 two proposals received. The Military Sealift Command, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N32205-20-C-4088). Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems, Syracuse, New York, is awarded a $7,659,000 cost-plus incentive-fee modification to previously awarded task order N00024-19-F-6201 under indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract N00024-19-D-6200 for the design, prototyping and qualification testing for the Technical Insertion-20 AN/BLQ-10 electronic warfare system. Work will be performed in Syracuse, New York, and is expected to be completed by February 2021. Fiscal 2021 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) in the amount of $7,659,000 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington Navy Yard, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity (N00024-19-D-6200). *Small business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2399096/source/GovDelivery/