July 22, 2020 | International, Land
by Ashley Roque
The US Army is asking industry to provide feedback on its updated Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle (OMFV) programme before it finalises a solicitation for its fourth and latest attempt at fielding a new infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) to replace its M2 Bradley Fighting Vehicle fleet. On 17 July, the service released its OMFV draft request for proposal (RFP) and tasked industry with weighing in by 28 August.
As we continue to progress through the first phase of our five-phased approach for the OMFV programme, communication, inclusive feedback and innovative thinking from industry remains key, Major General Brian Cummings, the army's programme executive officer for Ground Combat Systems, said in a statement. We are looking forward to receiving feedback and learning from industry what's in the realm of the possible as we continue to develop this truly transformational vehicle for our soldiers.
This time around, the army said it wants to provide industry with the space and freedom to innovatively design a vehicle. Therefore, the service said it was avoiding “quantifying or prescribing critical levels of performance wherever possible” and that items derived from updated OMFV characteristics are non-mandatory.
“Accurately defining the desired set of capabilities without over-constraining the design is critically important, Brigadier General Ross Coffman, director of the Next Generation Combat Vehicles Cross Functional Team, wrote in the announcement. The army is committed to open communication with industry to ensure the characteristics and eventual requirements of the OMFV are informed by technological advances.
Earlier this year, the service unveiled nine OMFV ‘characteristics' starting with the most critical – survivability, mobility, growth, lethality, weight, logistics, transportability, manning, and training.
“Survivability is more important than mobility which is significantly more important than lethality,” the army wrote in the draft document.
https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/industry-set-to-weigh-in-on-us-armys-latest-omfv-plan
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March 26, 2019 | International, Aerospace
Le systémier Saab cherche à placer ses moyens de guerre électronique en France, notamment auprès d'Airbus Helicopters et de Dassault aviation. [...] https://www.lalettrea.fr/entreprises_defense-et-aeronautique/2019/03/20/le-marche-francais-de-la-defense-aiguise-l-appetit-du-suedois-saab,108349684-brl
July 15, 2019 | International, Other Defence
ICF International has received a contract from the US Navy to provide cyberspace technical, management and professional services. The multiple-award indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contract is with the Navy Information Warfare Center Pacific (NIWC Pacific). With a potential ceiling value of $800m, the seven-year contract includes a base period of three years and two two-year options. The base period has a ceiling of $330m. ICF cyber line of business senior vice-president Jonathan Sholtis said: “We view cyber as an enabler for resilience, one of many domains that affect the security of the entire enterprise. “At ICF, we're focused on providing holistic solutions designed to secure all systems, from IT to people and processes to physical infrastructure, where clients have access to a diverse set of capabilities designed to meet the full scale of diffuse and asymmetric cyber threats.” Under the contract, ICF will provide cyber services to NIWC Pacific and any US Navy client agencies. The range of services will include supporting technology assessments, research and development in cybersecurity, quick prototyping and integration, cybersecurity operations, vulnerability evaluations, and simulation and training. The contract will allow the company to further expand its cyber services offering within the armed services. ICF also provides cyber services support to the Army Research Laboratory (ARL) and the US Air Force's Air Combat Command (ACC). ICF cyber and enterprise resilience business development senior vice-president Baris Yener said: “The navy win is a natural extension of our overall growth strategy: to extend ICF's cyber and resilience capabilities from our work with ARL and ACC to additional defence clients. “We're truly honoured to have been selected by the navy to support its ongoing cyber mission.” https://www.naval-technology.com/news/icf-secures-cyber-services-contract-from-us-navy/