IAI and Aerotor Unmanned Systems have signed an MOU

On the same subject

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  September 12, 2019 | International, Aerospace

  US Air Force restricts KC-46 from carrying cargo and passengers

  By: Valerie Insinna WASHINGTON — In a move that could have major impacts on the already-delayed tanker program, the U.S. Air Force has indefinitely barred the KC-46 from carrying cargo and passengers, Defense News has learned. The decision was made after an incident occurred where the cargo locks on the bottom of the floor of the aircraft became unlocked during a recent flight, creating concerns that airmen could potentially be hurt or even killed by heavy equipment that suddenly bursts free during a flight. “As a result of this discovery, the Air Force has submitted a Category 1 deficiency report and is working with Boeing to identify a solution,” Air Force Mobility Command spokesman Col. Damien Pickart said in a statement. The service uses the term Category 1 to describe serious technical issues that could endanger the aircrew and aircraft or have other major effects. “Until we find a viable solution with Boeing to remedy this problem, we can't jeopardize the safety of our aircrew and this aircraft,” he said. The problem was discovered during a recent overseas operational test and evaluation flight, when KC-46 aircrew noticed that numerous cargo restraint devices had come unlocked over the course of the multiple legs of the trip. “Prior to departing for each of these missions, aircrew fully installed, locked and thoroughly inspected each restraint, and performed routine inspections of the restraints in flight,” Pickart said. “Despite these safety measures, the unlocking of cargo floor restraints occurred during flight, although no cargo or equipment moved and there was no specific risk to the aircraft or crew.” A source with knowledge of the issue told Defense News that if all restraints on a particular pallet had become unlocked, it would be able to roll freely throughout the cabin. If all cargo became unlatched, it could pose a safety risk to aircrew or even unbalance the aircraft — making the plane “difficult, if not impossible” to control. While this problem has only been observed on one KC-46, the Air Force does not have enough information to rule out other aircraft having a similar defect. The problem also poses a danger to the tanker's operational test schedule, Pickart said. The program was set to start initial operational test and evaluation this fall, with pre-IOT&E activities already initiated. “This is a multi-mission aircraft, it's for carrying cargo and passengers, it's for refueling and also the aeromedical evacuation mission,” he said. “If you can't carry cargo pallets and patient litters, a significant amount of your core missions cannot be properly tested.” In a statement, KC-46 manufacturer Boeing acknowledged that it had been notified of the new issue. “The company and the Air Force are cooperatively analyzing the locks to determine a root cause,” Boeing stated. “The safety of KC-46 aircraft and crew is our top priority. Once a cause has been identified, the tanker team will implement any required actions as quickly as possible.” But the problem could be bad news for Boeing's bottom line. The company is locked into a fixed-price contract for where it is responsible for paying for any expenses beyond the initial $4.9 billion award for development of the aircraft. So far, the company has paid more than $3.5 billion of its own money to fund corrections to ongoing technical issues. The latest Cat-1 deficiency brings the total up to four: The tanker's remote vision system or RVS — the camera system that allows KC-46 boom operators to steer the boom into a receiver aircraft without having to look out a window and use visual cues — provides imagery in certain lighting conditions that appears warped or misleading. Boeing has agreed to pay for potentially extensive hardware and software fixes, but the Air Force believes it will be three or four years until the system is fully functional. The Air Force has recorded instances of the boom scraping against the airframe of receiver aircraft. Boeing and the Air Force believe this problem is a symptom of the RVS's acuity problems and will be eliminated once the camera system is fixed. Boeing must redesign the boom to accommodate the A-10, which currently does not generate the thrust necessary to push into the boom for refueling. This problem is a requirements change by the Air Force, which approved Boeing's design in 2016. Last month, Boeing received a $55.5 million contract to begin work on the new boom actuator. While the KC-46 program has clocked several key milestones this year, it has also hit some publicly embarrassing stumbles. After several years of delays, the Air Force finally signed off on the acceptance of the first tanker. However, due to the list of technical problems, Boeing was forced to accept an agreement where the service could withhold up to $28 million per aircraft upon delivery. About $360 million has been withheld so far, Defense One reported in July. The Air Force plans to buy 179 KC-46s over the life of the program, and 52 are currently on contract. So far, Boeing has delivered 18 tankers to McConnell Air Force Base, Kan.; Altus Air Force Base, Okla; and Pease Air National Guard Base, N.H. But deliveries were interrupted earlier this year by the discovery of foreign object debris in multiple planes. The Air Force suspended KC-46 flights at Boeing's production line in Everett, Wash., this February after finding debris. Then it paused all tanker deliveries in March as the service investigated the extent of the problem. The service began accepting tankers again later that month, only for deliveries to stop — and restart — in April due to similar problems. Will Roper, the service's acquisition executive, told reporters at the Paris Air Show this July that the service expects to find foreign object debris in KC-46s moving through the line, and it may be months before planes are reliably clean. “As those airplanes flow forward down the line, we think it's going to take some time for the new quality assurance inspection processes to start early enough so that airplanes will flow that are FOD-free,” he said, according to Defense One. “It's not the way we want to get airplanes into the Air Force, but it's what we're going to have to do in the meantime.” https://www.defensenews.com/breaking-news/2019/09/11/air-force-restricts-kc-46-from-carrying-cargo-and-personnel

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  February 28, 2020 | International, Aerospace

  Lockheed Seeks Options As F-35 Cost Pressure Rises

  Steve Trimble ORLANDO, Florida—Lockheed Martin sees Poland's defense industry as a potential low-cost manufacturing source for the F-35 program, as “upward pressure” continues to grow on aircraft prices beyond Lot 14 partly due to the loss of Turkey as a low-cost manufacturing source. “Poland is a new opportunity to provide higher quality and lower cost,” said Greg Ulmer, Lockheed's vice president and general manager of the F-35, speaking to journalists at the Air Warfare Symposium here. Last month, Poland signed an order to buy 32 F-35As from production lots 16-23. The acquisition helps the NATO member that shares a border with Russia to replace its remaining fleet of Soviet-era fighters. But the deal also opens a new industrial source for the overall program. Meanwhile, the U.S.-led Joint Program Office is still working out procedures for finally expelling Turkey from the F-35 supply chain. A decision by Ankara last July to accept deliveries of Russian S-400 air defense systems prompted the U.S. government to cancel Turkey's remaining F-35 orders and suspend the country from participating in the program. An executive steering group is continuing to finalize plans to expel Turkey's companies, Ulmer said. The loss of Turkey's industrial base comes as the F-35 production system enters a transition period. After annual output more than doubled to 134 aircraft in 2019 from 66 in 2017, the pace of growth is slowing, with about 170 deliveries expected by 2023 as upgraded Lot 15 jets roll off the assembly line. The production ramp-up helped Lockheed dramatically lower prices, with F-35As from Lot 14 delivered in 2022 projected to cost $78.9 million each. As the pace of the ramp-up slows, Lockheed is starting to see “upward pressure” on recurring procurement costs after Lot 14, Ulmer said. A request for proposals sent by the U.S. program office to Lockheed recently for Lot 15 includes a greater variance between guaranteed orders and priced options than the company has seen before, Ulmer said. The minimum number would decline in annual production after Lot 14, he said, and the maximum could increase deliveries. The insertion in Lot 15 of Technical Refresh 3 upgrades under the Block 4 modernization program should not change recurring production costs, Ulmer added. The upgrades, which include a new integrated core processor, panoramic cockpit display and additional computer memory, should be a “cost neutral” upgrade, Ulmer said. https://aviationweek.com/shows-events/air-warfare-symposium/lockheed-seeks-options-f-35-cost-pressure-rises

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  February 18, 2019 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security, Other Defence

  Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - February 14, 2019

  NAVY GE Aviation Systems LLC, Vandalia, Ohio, is awarded a $68,177,707 long-term contract for repair of 33 items that are part of the G2/G3 generator converter units used on the F/A-18 aircraft. The contract will include a three-year contract with one two-year option period which, if exercised, the total value of the contract will be $87,116,502. Work will be performed in Coronado, California (70 percent); and Vandalia, Ohio (30 percent). Work is expected to be completed by February 2022; if the option is exercised, work will be completed by February 2024. 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-source, non-competitive requirement pursuant to the authority set forth in 10 U.S. Code 2304(C)(1) and Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. The requirement was posted to the Federal Business Opportunities website and the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website, with one offer received. Naval Supply Systems Command Weapon Systems Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is the contracting activity (N00383-19-D-UJ01). CDM Federal Programs Corp., doing business as CDM Smith, Fairfax, Virginia, is awarded a $33,000,000 modification to increase the maximum dollar value of an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (N62470-15-D-4002) for architect–engineering services for utilities engineering and management support projects located throughout the Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) area of responsibility (AOR) worldwide. The primary tasks anticipated under this contract include producing utility system master plans, engineering studies, surveying, field testing, hydraulic modeling, recommended treatment and distribution improvements, electric load and demand modeling, arc-flash and safety hazard analysis, relay coordination, life cycle cost analysis, 1391 documentation and design, development and implementation of standard processes and tools to inventory and manage utility assets, collecting direct condition ratings; performing risk assessment on functional groups of assets, creating a risk based investment strategy, and capital improvement plans; development of standard operating procedures, preventive maintenance plans, and operator training; process and instrumentation drawings/electric system one-line drawings for utility systems; development of Geographic Information Systems for utilities using GPS and mobile field data development and integration of utility information systems to increase the reliable, safe and efficient delivery of utility services; development of best practices and documentation, development of staffing plans, and organizational analysis of public works departments with staffing recommendations, organizational improvements and other related services. After award of this modification, the total cumulative not-to-exceed contract value will be $55,000,000. Critical projects are planned to be performed in the NAVFAC AOR worldwide, including but not limited to, Japan (24 percent); Florida (22 percent); Italy (22 percent); Hawaii (19 percent); Texas (10 percent); and Washington, District of Columbia (2 percent). The term of the contract is not to exceed 60 months, with an expected completion date of February 2020. Future task orders will be primarily funded by fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance (Navy) funds. NAVFAC Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity. L3 Communication Systems - West, Salt Lake City, Utah, is awarded a $29,610,900 firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee delivery order to previously awarded basic ordering agreement (N00024-19-G-2304) for the manufacture, integration, test, and delivery of the Tactical Common Data Link Maritime Shipboard Terminal Surface Terminal Equipment (TCDL MST STE) system. This order is for the procurement of the TCDL MST STE system equipment, program management, and respective support, integration, and fitting out. Work will be performed in Salt Lake City, Utah, and is expected to be completed by September 2023. Fiscal 2017, 2018, and 2019 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funding in the amount of $25,424,516 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, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. L-3Communications Vertex Aerospace LLC, Madison, Mississippi, is awarded a $23,420,937 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract to provide contractor owned and operated aircraft for airborne threat simulation capabilities to train shipboard and aircraft squadron weapon systems operations and aircrew to counter enemy electronic warfare and electronic attach operations. Work will be performed at various locations inside and outside the continental U.S., and is expected to be completed in February 2022. No funds are being obligated at time of award; funds will be obligated on individual orders as they are issued. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N00421-19-D-0031). Bahfed Corp.,* Portland, Oregon (N6893619D0011); Impact Components, a California Limited Partnership,* San Diego, California (N6893619D0012); Laguna Components Inc.,* Laguna Beach, California (N6893619D0013); Pacific IC Source,* Yucaipa, California (N6893619D0014); and Vizocom ICT LLC,* El Cajon, California (N6893619D0015), are each awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contracts. The estimated aggregate ceiling for all contracts is $20,000,000, with the companies having an opportunity to compete for individual orders. These contracts provide for various types of commercially-available electronic components, manufactured from several different materials, in different forms, shapes, sizes, and complexity in support of the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division's Applied Manufacturing Technology Division (Code 475000D). Work will be performed in Portland, Oregon (20 percent); San Diego, California (20 percent); Laguna Beach, California (20 percent); Yucaipa, California (20 percent); and El Cajon, California (20 percent), and is expected to be completed in February 2024. Fiscal 2019 working capital funds (Navy) in the amount of $21,886 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. These contracts were competitively procured via a 100 percent small business set-aside electronic request for proposals with six offers received. The Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division, China Lake, California, is the contracting activity. Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems, Manassas, Virginia, is awarded a $17,288,213 cost-plus-incentive-fee contract modification to previously-awarded contract N00024-17-C-6259 to exercise options for Navy equipment, engineering services and required material. Work will be performed in Manassas, Virginia (65 percent); Clearwater, Florida (32 percent); Syracuse, New York (2 percent); and Marion, Florida (1 percent), and is expected to be completed by September 2022. Fiscal 2019 other procurement (Navy); fiscal 2019 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy); and fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funding in the amount of $16,823,290 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, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. Bell Boeing Joint Project Office, Amarillo, Texas, was awarded $10,656,686 for modification P00002 to a previously issued delivery order (N0001918F1645) placed against basic ordering agreement, N00019-17-G-0002. This modification exercises the option to procure 12 A-Kits to retrofit legacy fleet aircraft with the AN/APR-39D(V)2, AN/AAQ-24B(V)27, and the ALE-47 Power Performance Computing, upgrading the MV-22 from Configuration A to Configuration C. In addition, this modification provides for the procurement of 12 APR-39D(V)2 A-Kits to install the AN/APR-39D (V)2 system on any of the 48 previously Integrated Aircraft Survivability Equipment retrofitted aircraft, upgrading the MV-22 from Configuration B to Configuration C. Work will be performed in Ridley Park, Pennsylvania (65 percent); Miramar, California (14 percent); New River, North Carolina (13 percent); Fort Worth, Texas (6 percent); St. Louis, Missouri (1 percent); and various locations within the continental U.S. (1 percent), and is expected to be completed in September 2023. Fiscal 2019 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $10,656,686 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. (Awarded Feb.11, 2019) AIR FORCE Tecolote Research Inc., El Segundo, California, has been awarded a $38,784,990 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for Space and Missile Systems Center acquisition and financial support services. This contract provides the Remote Sensing Systems Directorate with a broad range of acquisition, financial, and administrative capabilities to execute effective and responsive integrated program management of space-related research, development, production, sustainment, and lifecycle acquisition activities. Work will be performed in El Segundo, California, and is expected to be complete by Aug. 17, 2024. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition and one offer was received. Fiscal 2019 space procurement funds in the amount of $939,196; fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $707,006; and fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $4,952,516 are being obligated at the time of award. Space and Missile Systems Center Remote Sensing Systems Contracting Division, Los Angeles Air Force Base, California, is the contracting activity (FA8810-19-F-0003). Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Redondo Beach, California, has been awarded a not-to-exceed $20,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contract for Advanced Turbine Technologies for Affordable Mission (ATTAM) capability Phase I. The mission of the ATTAM Phase I program is to develop, demonstrate, and transition advanced turbine propulsion, power and thermal technologies that provides improvement in affordable mission capability. This approach extends to a range of legacy, emerging, and future military propulsion, power and thermal technology needs in multiple applications. Work will be performed in Redondo Beach, California, and is expected to be completed by Feb. 8, 2027. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition and 54 offers were received. No specific funds are obligated on the basic IDIQ, although in conjunction with the basic IDIQ award, the first task order is incrementally funded with fiscal 2018 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $5,000; and fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $315,000 at the time of award. Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8650-19-D-2060, FA8650-19-F-2075). ARMY PAE Government Systems Inc., Arlington, Virginia, was awarded a $27,574,855 modification (P00010) to Foreign Military Sales (Afghanistan) contract W56HZV-17-C-0117 for contractor logistic support efforts to the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces. Work will be performed in Hikia, Afghanistan, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 30, 2022. Fiscal 2019 other procurement, Army funds in the amount of $27,574,855 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Warren, Michigan, is the contracting activity. Norfolk Dredging Co., Chesapeake, Virginia, was awarded a $9,136,250 firm-fixed-price contract for Canaveral Harbor maintenance dredging. Bids were solicited via the internet with four received. Work will be performed in Canaveral, Florida, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 30, 2019. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance, Army funds in the amount of $9,163,250 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville, Florida, is the contracting activity (W912EP-19-C-0010). DEFENSE ADVANCED RESEARCH PROJECTS AGENCY System High Corp., Chantilly, Virginia, has been awarded a $24,200,840 modification (P00019) to previously awarded task order HR0011-17-F-0001 for program security services. The modification brings the total cumulative face value of the task order to $69,223,019 from $45,022,179. Work will be performed in Arlington, Virginia, with an expected completion date of March 2020. Fiscal 2019 research and development funds in the amount of $21,769,143 are being obligated at time of award. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting activity. U.S. TRANSPORTATION COMMAND Vane Line Bunkering Inc., Baltimore, Maryland, has been awarded contract modification (P00030) on contract HTC71113CW015 in the amount of $16,952,486. This modification provides continued transportation of bulk jet fuel and marine diesel fuel by barge for the Defense Logistics Agency-Energy in the U.S. Atlantic Region. Performance is from Mar. 1, 2019, to Aug. 31, 2019. Fiscal 2019 defense working capital funds were obligated at award. This modification brings the total cumulative face value of the contract to $139,538,998 from $122,586,512. U.S. Transportation Command, Directorate of Acquisition, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, is the contracting activity. WASHINGTON HEADQUARTERS SERVICES Johns Hopkins University, Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, Maryland, has been awarded a $9,763,000 cost-plus fixed-fee contract. The contract is to provide assessments and alternatives of offensive capabilities within the domains of air, land, sea, space and cyberspace, missions and warfare areas that asymmetrically mitigate threat effectiveness, impose cost, and/or create ambiguity in adversary decision-making. Work performance will take place in the National Capital Region, including Arlington and Alexandria, Virginia. Fiscal 2018 - fiscal 2019 research, development, test, and evaluation funds in the amount of $5,460,000; fiscal 2019 – fiscal 2020 research, development, test, and evaluation funds in the amount of $3,576,000; and fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $727,000 are being obligated on this award. The expected completion date is Dec. 29, 2019. Washington Headquarters Services, Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting activity (HQ0034-13-D-0003). *Small Business https://dod.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/1758484/source/GovDelivery/