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September 17, 2018 | International, Land

India lifts blacklisting of South African defense firm Denel

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NEW DELHI — After 13 years of a punitive suspension from carrying out defense business in India, the country's Ministry of Defence has officially withdrawn South African company Denel from its blacklisting.

The ban was recently lifted following a May 2018 judgement by the Supreme Court, which dropped all corruption changes against the defense company, according to an MoD official.

Denel, who is ranked 84 on this year's Defense News Top 100 list, was one of the prime contenders for small arms, ammunition and artillery programs in the 1980s in India.

The blacklisting was also lifted following a personal request from South African President Cyril Ramaphosa to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a July meeting in Johannesburg.

A few months earlier in April, India's national investigation agency, the Central Bureau of Investigation, had filed the closure report on the corruption case against Denel in the Supreme Court.

Another MoD official said the South African company waived a $100 million penalty that was imposed on the MoD by the Supreme Court following arbitration proceedings.

Denel was blacklisted in 2005 by the then-United Progressive Alliance-run government over allegations that the company paying kickbacks to secure a deal from the year 2000 for the Indian Army's global tender to purchase of 1,000 NTW-20 anti-materiel rifles along with 398,000 rounds of ammunition.

Under the deal, 700 anti-materiel rifles were to have been purchased directly and the remaining 300 rifles produced under license in one of the factories of the state-owned Ordnance Factory Board, out of which only 400 rifles were inducted; the remaining were put on hold.

https://www.defensenews.com/industry/2018/09/14/india-lifts-blacklisting-of-south-african-defense-firm-denel

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  • US Air Force ready to test tech for new battle management system

    July 9, 2020 | International, Aerospace

    US Air Force ready to test tech for new battle management system

    Valerie Insinna WASHINGTON — The Air Force is ramping up its efforts to test and field a suite of new hardware and software that will become the military's command and control backbone. Since February, the Air Force has published three separate broad area announcements seeking technologies that could be funneled inside the Advanced Battle Management System, the service's effort to seamlessly connect all of the Department of Defense's equipment and pool together its data to form a complete picture of the battlespace. Then, in May and July, it awarded the first two mega-batches of ABMS contracts, with 46 companies in total winning $1000 and a chance to compete for more money down the road. “We want a wide variety of companies, and we definitely want fresh blood in the ABMS competition,” Will Roper, the Air Force's acquisition executive, told reporters on May 14. “There is a lot that can be contributed from companies that are commercially focused, that know a lot about data, that know a lot about machine learning and AI and know a lot about analytics. Those are going to be the most important parts of the Advanced Battle Management System.” ABMS is the Air Force's piece of the military's fledgling Joint All Domain Command and Control concept. The vision involves networking every shooter and sensor to a cloud computing environment and using artificial intelligence to ensure that relevant information is immediately sent to whichever platform needs it. In practice, that could look like compiling data from a Global Hawk drone and a naval destroyer to help cue a fighter jet to lock its missile on a nearby target. While the Air Force has some big picture ideas of the products that will comprise ABMS — such as cloud computing tools, machine learning technologies and apps — it hasn't set firm requirements or laid out exactly what products it needs to build out the system. Through the BAAs, the government plans on bringing in companies using different styles of contracts and agreements, which Roper said will allow startups, commercial tech firms and other nontraditional players to “find their fit with this mission.” Those companies will then bring their products and technologies for week-long field tests, held three times a year. The next phase of experiments is planned to start on Aug. 31. While the service had already performed one experiment with technologies that could become part of ABMS and had put several dozen companies on contract prior to May, the Air Force sees the broad area announcements as vehicles to capture a wider array of technology firms that may not already do business with the government, Roper said. Each BAA has multiple rolling deadlines, with the Air Force hoping to award contracts anywhere from four to six weeks after a company submits a proposal. The first announcement seeks out proposals for traditional indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contracts. The second solicits ideas and technologies through a two-step process, where industry would submit information about the concept before being invited to submit a formal proposal, which the service says will allow participation from contractors “who are unsure about how they want to proceed but want to share their idea.” The third announcement invites companies with existing products to join ongoing ABMS technology demonstrations — at no cost to the government — through cooperative research and development agreements. The service also held a series of industry days, starting May 13, to help answer questions about the effort, especially from businesses that don't usually work with the Defense Department. “We had over a hundred companies just in the first day, and we are expecting more than 300 before the end of this first event,” Roper said. “Three hundred companies for the first industry day ... is a good start. That's certainly broader than the number of defense primes that we have or even the major suppliers.” Each of the announcements specify seven broad areas where the service is seeking new technologies or ideas: Digital architecture, standards and concepts: The Air Force is looking for digital modeling and simulation technologies, trade studies and other standards development tools and processes that it can use to map out the entire ABMS architecture virtually and test how it would work in practice. Sensor integration: In essence, the service wants any hardware or software that will allow different equipment to share data. “A key interest of ABMS is the compatibility and interoperability capabilities through the use of open interfaces to enable improved control of systems and the processing of their data,” the service said in the BAA. Data: The Air Force is also interested in “cloud-based data repositories” that could pass information across domains to the different services. These libraries of data points will be “meta tagged,” analyzed and then fused using AI algorithms to help inform military decision makers. Secure processing: The service needs technologies that will be able to move the appropriate data across technologies with different security levels, ensuring that classified information stays protected while sharing what is feasible. It also includes deployment, training and support services for all devices and processing environments. Connectivity: These tools include line-of-sight and beyond line-of-sight communications networks, as well as technologies that can turn a platform into a data node, reduce latency, provide improved anti-jamming capabilities or other functions that improve the speed and breadth of communications gear. Applications: iPhone analogies have become Defense Department clichés at this point, but the Air Force is hoping to commission the design and development of apps to process, fuse and help present data to different audiences across domains. Effects integration: These involve networked weapons that can be integrated with existing platforms for a greater combined effect. “This includes, but is not limited to smart munitions and low-cost autonomous platforms” that can carry out functions such as data relay. The Air Force is slated to spend $300 million on the Advanced Battle Management System through fiscal year 2021, according to the Government Accountability Office, which has also warned that the nontraditional structure of the program could put it “at greater risk for schedule delays, cost growth, and integration issues.” Preston Dunlap, the Air Force's chief architect charged with overseeing the ABMS effort, said the the price of technologies will undeniably be an important criteria, and the service will try to reduce costs by using affordable and readily available commercial products whenever possible. “That's one of the core principles that we have to manage costs,” he said during a May 7 event hosted by the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies. “We're able to take advantage of the commercial pressures and marketplace to keep the costs down. That's different. Normally it's flipped. If we're the primary customer here, we've got to be very concerned about cost growth associated with that. Right now, in some sense, we're the small buyer.” While the Air Force will better be able estimate the total cost of ABMS as experiments go on, the current focus of the effort is figuring out how to inject innovative commercial tech into the military system as quickly as it becomes available, Dunlap said. “I'm less worried at the moment about some of those cost issues because if we're in that cycle we're probably not doing it right,” he said. https://www.c4isrnet.com/battlefield-tech/c2-comms/2020/07/08/us-air-force-ready-to-test-tech-for-new-battle-management-system/

  • Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - February 10, 2021

    February 11, 2021 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security

    Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - February 10, 2021

    NAVY BAE Systems Land & Armaments L.P., Sterling Heights, Michigan, is awarded an $183,840,645 fixed-price incentive (firm target) modification to previously awarded contract M67854-16-0006 for Amphibious Combat Vehicles (ACVs). The total cumulative face value of the contract is $3,304,536,113. This modification provides for the exercise of options for the procurement of 36 full rate production ACVs and associated production and fielding and support costs. Work will be performed in York, Pennsylvania (60%); Aiken, South Carolina (15%); San Jose, California (15%); Sterling Heights, Michigan (5%); and Stafford, Virginia (5%). Work is expected to be completed in April 2023. Fiscal 2021 procurement (Marine Corps) funds in the amount of $183,840,645 will be obligated at the time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Virginia, is the contracting activity (M67854-16-C-0006). Utility Works JV, Virginia Beach, Virginia, is awarded a not-to-exceed $70,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for architect-engineer services for utilities engineering and management support for Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAVFAC) worldwide. The work to be performed includes, but is not limited to, utility engineering, infrastructure management, operation and maintenance and utility management services, which will support electrical generation, transmission and distribution systems; water supply, transmission, treatment and distribution systems; wastewater collection and treatment systems; steam generation, transmission and distribution systems; compressed air generation and distribution systems; and natural gas transmission and distribution systems. No task orders are being awarded at this time. All work will be performed at various Navy and Marine Corps facilities and other government facilities within the NAVFAC Atlantic and Pacific areas of operations, and worldwide including, but not limited to California (20 %); Virginia (20%); Florida (15%); North Carolina (5%); South Carolina (5%); Maryland (5%); Washington state (5%); Georgia (5%); Hawaii (5%); Texas (5%); Europe, Africa, Central (5%); and Far East (5%). The term of the contract is not to exceed 60 months with an expected completion date of February 2026. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance (Navy) (O&M,N) contract funds in the amount of $10,000 are obligated on this award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Future task orders will be primarily funded by (O&M,N) funds. This contract was competitively procured via the beta.SAM.gov website with two proposals received. NAVFAC Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N62470-21-D-0005). Detyens Shipyards Inc., North Charleston, South Carolina, is awarded an $11,510,913 firm-fixed-price contract for a 50-calendar day shipyard availability. The work to be performed provides for services for the mid-term availability of the fleet oiler USNS John Lenthall (T-AO 189). The contract also contains seven unexercised options, which if exercised, would increase cumulative contract value to $12,329,310. Work will be performed in North Charleston, South Carolina, and is expected to be completed by June 2, 2021. Fiscal 2021 working capital contract funds (Navy) in the amount of $11,510,913 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-4009). ARMY Raytheon Co., Tucson, Arizona, was awarded a $53,861,439 modification (P00009) to contract W15QKN-19-C-0017 for Excalibur Ib projectiles. Work will be performed in Healdsburg, California; Karlskoga, Sweden; East Camden, Arizona; Cedar Rapids, Iowa; Southway, United Kingdom; Cincinnati, Ohio; Glenrothes, Scotland; Salt Lake City, Utah; Joplin, Missouri; Gilbert, Arizona; Lansdale, Pennsylvania; Santa Clara, California; Woodridge, Illinois; Trenton, Texas; Valencia, California; Cookstown, New Jersey; Tucson, Arizona; Phoenix, Arizona; Anniston, Alabama; Chino, California; Inglewood, California; McAlester, Oklahoma; and Farmington, New Mexico, with an estimated completion date of April 29, 2024. Fiscal 2019 and 2021 other procurement (Army) funds in the amount of $53,861,439 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Newark, New Jersey, is the contracting activity. Mnemonics Inc.,* Melbourne, Florida, was awarded a $48,954,000 firm-fixed-price contract for the production and delivery of the Receiver Radio Firing Device, Nonelectric Blasting Cap Actuating M17A1 and the Trainer, Receiver, Radio Firing Device, Nonexplosive M85A1. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Feb. 9, 2026. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Newark, New Jersey, is the contracting activity (W15QKN-21-D-0012). Kilgore Flares Co. LLC, Toone, Tennessee, was awarded a $29,089,992 firm-fixed-price contract for Flare Aircraft Countermeasure M206 and Flare Aircraft Countermeasure MJU-7A/B. Bids were solicited via the internet with three received. Work will be performed in Toone, Tennessee, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 31, 2026. Fiscal 2019 and 2020 aircraft procurement appropriations funds in the amount of $29,089,992 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois, is the contracting activity (W52P1J-21-F-0103). Resource Management Associates Inc., Davis, California, was awarded an $11,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for hydrologic and hydraulic computer programming. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 9, 2022. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Sacramento, California, is the contracting activity (W91238-21-D-0001). DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Leading Technology Composites Inc., doing business as LTC Inc., Wichita, Kansas, has been awarded a maximum $28,542,400 modification (P00019) exercising the third one-year option period of a one-year base contract (SPE1C1-18-D-1073) with three one-year option periods for enhanced side ballistic inserts. This is a firm-fixed-price, indefinite-quantity contract. Location of performance is Kansas, with a Feb. 9, 2022, ordering period end date. Using customers are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard. 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 Armorworks Enterprises Inc., Chandler, Arizona, has been awarded a $14,488,133 firm-fixed-price contract modification for the Minuteman III Payload Transporter Replacement (PTR) program for the exercise of Option Two, which provides the purchase of two production PTR vehicles. Work will be performed in Chandler, Arizona, and is expected to be completed Oct. 10, 2022. Fiscal 2021 missile procurement funds in the full amount are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center, Hill Air Force Base, Utah, is the contracting activity (FA8204-19-C-0005). Rohde & Schwarz USA Inc., Columbia, Maryland, has been awarded a $9,218,160 firm-fixed-price, requirements contract for the purchase of Versatile Diagnostic Automatic Test Station (VDATS) kits. The purpose of this acquisition is to procure the kits required to assemble the VDATS stations. The VDATS is an organically designed test station with open architecture and virtual modular equipment extensions for instrumentation technology. Work will be performed in Columbia, Maryland, and is expected to be completed Feb. 9, 2026, and 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-0006). DEFENSE ADVANCED RESEARCH PROJECTS AGENCY Raytheon Co., Tewksbury, Massachusetts, has been awarded a $7,580,414 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for the Airspace TacticaL Automation System (ATLAS) effort supporting the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency Air Space Total Awareness for Rapid Tactical Execution (ASTARTE) program, Phase One. This contract provides for the research, development and demonstration of virtual and live testbed for airspace management systems, a series of algorithms for airspace planning and operations and a sensor network for delivering real-time spatial and temporal tracking of airborne platforms. Work will be performed in Tewksbury, Massachusetts (32%); Cedar Rapids, Iowa (3%); Fulton, Maryland (7%); Cambridge, Massachusetts (48%); Dulles, Virginia (5%); and Durham, North Carolina (5%), with an estimated completion date of February 2021. Fiscal 2020 research and development funds in the amount of $670,000; and Fiscal 2021 research and development funds in the amount of $1,724,000 are being obligated at the time of award. This contract is a competitive acquisition in accordance with the original broad agency announcement HR0011-20-S-0039. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting activity. *Small business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2500379/source/GovDelivery/

  • Western Military Transport Aircraft Deliveries/ Retirements: 2020-2029

    March 16, 2020 | International, Aerospace

    Western Military Transport Aircraft Deliveries/ Retirements: 2020-2029

    Aviation Week Network forecasts that over the next decade 888 new, Western-designed aircraft performing military transport missions will be built, while 634 will be retired. This figure includes aircraft of all sizes, everything from four-seat general aviation aircraft ferrying VIPs to the enormous C-5 Galaxy. It also includes aerial refueling tankers that perform transport missions, but not aircraft devoted full time to gunship, C4ISR, or maritime missions. The Lockheed Martin C-130 holds the number one spot for both deliveries and retirements over the forecast. The C-130 will make up 18.4% of deliveries and 34.9% of retirements as the ubiquitous prop transport sees many of its legacy models leaving military service at a more rapid pace than the newest J models enter. The Boeing 767-based KC-46 holds a solid second place in deliveries thanks to the U.S. Air Force's (USAF) planned acquisition of airframes over the next decade, making up 16.8% of the global delivery total. These aircraft are expected to replace the rapidly aging Boeing KC-135 and KC-10s in service with the USAF, which make up the fourth and fifth largest number of retirements. While the United States holds the top two delivery spots, the rest of the top ten is defined by a diverse array of transports from around the world. With over a quarter of transports in service in 2029 still undefined beyond requirements and open competitions, there is ample opportunity for the A400M, CN235/C295, C-27 or others to increase their market share, replacing both legacy western and Soviet-era transports. Source: Aviation Week Intelligence Network (AWIN) 2020 Military Fleet & MRO Forecast. For more information about the 2020 Forecast and other Aviation Week data products, please see: http://pages.aviationweek.com/Forecasts https://aviationweek.com/defense-space/z/western-military-transport-aircraft-deliveries-retirements-2020-2029

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