“Innovations for FCAS”: Airbus concludes cooperative pilot phase with startup companies in Germany

On the same subject

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  March 25, 2024 | International, Naval

  Eurodrone program bags fresh round of EU subsidies

  The four-nation effort, which aims for a maiden flight in 2027, is in line for €100 million from the European Defence Fund.

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  October 16, 2018 | International, Aerospace

  Most F-35s return to flight operations after fuel tube problem

  By: Valerie Insinna WASHINGTON — After a fuel tube problem sidelined all operational F-35 aircraft last week, more than 80 percent of jets have been cleared to return to flight, the F-35 joint program office stated Monday. In a Oct. 15 statement, the JPO confirmed that the U.S. services and international partners have completed inspections of their F-35 inventories for faulty fuel tubes. The aircraft that are not impacted by the bad tubes — which are a component in Pratt & Whitney's F135 engine — are back in flying status. “The F-35 Joint Program Office continues to work closely with the military services to prioritize fuel tube replacements using the current spares inventory,” the JPO said. “Pratt & Whitney is rapidly procuring more parts to minimize the overall repair timeline for the remaining jets. Current inventory will restore about half of the impacted jets to flight operations, and the remaining aircraft are expected to be cleared for flight over the coming weeks.” Last week, all U.S. and international F-35s were momentarily grounded to allow for an enterprise-wide fuel tube inspection. The review began as a result of an investigation into a Sept. 28 Marine Corps' F-35B crash near Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort in South Carolina — the first F-35 crash in the jet's history. It is still unclear exactly how the defective fuel tubes impact the jet's performance or how serious a safety threat they pose during flight operations. Joe DellaVedova, a spokesman for the JPO, declined to discuss the specific problems that led the program office to call for a fleetwide inspection, saying that details could not be released until the Marine Corps completes its accident investigation. Also still up in the air is whether the Pentagon or Pratt & Whitney will be stuck paying the tab for retrofitting the fleet. Spokesmen from the U.S. Air Force, Marine Corps and Navy declined to lay out exactly how many of their aircraft had been impacted by the faulty fuel tubes. However, as Lockheed Martin delivered its 300th F-35 in June, 20 percent of the operational F-35 fleet can be estimated to be about 60 aircraft across the U.S. and international operators. The JPO called the fuel tube problem an “isolated incident” that would not impact F-35 deliveries. A total of 91 F-35s are planned to be delivered to the U.S. military and foreign customers this year. “The primary goal following any mishap is the prevention of future incidents,” the office said. “We will take every measure to ensure safe operations while we deliver, sustain and modernize the F-35 for the warfighter and our defense partners.” The problem with the defective fuel tubes is the latest in a string of recent supply chain issues that have plagued F-35 prime contractor Lockheed Martin and engine manufacturer Pratt & Whitney, and comes as Defense Secretary Jim Mattis sent a memo directing the Air Force, Marine Corps and Navy to boost the F-35′s mission capable rate to 80 percent. The Pentagon halted F-35 deliveries in March amid disagreements over whether the department or Lockheed should foot the bill for retrofitting part of the fleet that had not received corrosion-preventing primer in certain fastener holes. Deliveries resumed in May once the parties hammered out an agreement — although it was never revealed to the public exactly how the expenses would be paid off. In 2016, certain F-35As were grounded after it was found that coolant lines inside the jets' fuel tanks were rimmed with faulty insulation, which was prone to disintegrating. https://www.defensenews.com/air/2018/10/15/most-f-35s-return-to-flight-operations-after-fuel-tube-problem

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  March 20, 2019 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security, Other Defence

  Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - March 19, 2019

  ARMY McCarthy HITT – Next NGA West JV, St. Louis, Missouri, was awarded a $711,651,970 firm-fixed-price contract for construction of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency's new facility. Bids were solicited via the internet with three received. Work will be performed in St. Louis, Missouri, with an estimated completion date of April 24, 2023. Fiscal 2018 and 2019 military construction funds in the amount of $407,965,869 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Kansas City, Missouri, is the contracting activity (W912DQ-19-C-7001). Pinnacle Solutions Inc.,* Huntsville, Alabama, was awarded a $553,200,000 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for instruction, mission support, information technology network support, operations and logistics. Bids were solicited via the internet with 11 received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of March 18, 2026. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Orlando, Florida, is the contracting activity (W900KK-19-D-0006). Eastern Construction & Electric,* Wrightstown, New Jersey, was awarded a $10,369,000 firm-fixed-price contract for P-650 aircraft apron, taxiway and support facilities. Bids were solicited via the internet with 10 received. Work will be performed in Trenton, New Jersey, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 31, 2020. Fiscal 2019 other procurement, Army funds in the amount of $10,369,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New York, New York, is the contracting activity (W912DS-19-C-0003). NAVY The Boeing Co., Seattle, Washington, is awarded $326,295,367 for cost-plus-fixed-fee Delivery Order 2005 against a previously issued basic ordering agreement (N00019-16-G-0001) to develop, integrate and test Increment 3 Block capabilities into the P-8A aircraft for the Navy and the government of Australia. Work will be performed in Puget Sound, Washington (86.9 percent); Greenlawn, New York (6.7 percent); Rockford, Illinois (2.6 percent); Rancho Santa Margarita, California (1.6 percent); Patuxent River, Maryland (1 percent); Mesa, Arizona (0.8 percent); St. Louis, Missouri (0.3 percent); and Jacksonville, Florida (0.1 percent), and is expected to be completed in March 2024. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $14,442,320; and Cooperative Engagement Agreement funds in the amount of $19,200,000 are being obligated on this 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. Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is awarded a $264,655,025 modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (N00019-15-C-0003). This modification provides for additional operation and technical services in support of the government of Korea's F-35 Lightning II program. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas, and is expected to be completed in June 2020. Foreign military sales funds in the amount of $264,655,025 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. URS Group Inc., Morrisville, North Carolina, is awarded a $9,800,000 modification on a firm-fixed-price task order under a previously awarded multiple award construction contract (N62470-13-D-6022) for phase one of Hurricane Michael repairs for stabilization and repairs to multiple buildings at Naval Support Activity Panama City. The work to be performed provides for removal of carpet, walls, windows and other unsalvageable items due to water penetration, clean-up of roofing materials and tarping of rooftops to mitigate further water intrusion. Repairs include roof replacement, roof decking, and sealing roof penetrations. The repairs also include correction of architectural, structural, plumbing, heating, ventilation and air conditioning, fire protection, electrical deficiencies and any other incidental related work as found due to the hurricane. After award of this modification, the total task order value will be $52,795,320. Work will be performed in Panama City, Florida, and is expected to be completed by September 2019. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $9,800,000 are obligated on this award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southeast, Jacksonville, Florida, is the contracting activity. Concurrent Technologies Corp., Johnstown, Pennsylvania, is awarded $7,614,277 for modification number P00001 to task order M9549418F0016 under previously awarded contract GS00Q14OADU112. This modification exercises an option for support services in efforts to meet Marine Corps' energy reliability and resilience requirements for utility distribution systems and various energy security positions supporting headquarters, regions and installations. This modification increases the value of the basic task order to a new total value of $12,394,838. The task order includes four one-year option periods which, if exercised, could bring the cumulative value of this task order to $36,194,304. Work will be performed in Arlington, Virginia (40 percent); Lejeune, North Carolina (12 percent); Okinawa Prefecture, Japan (12 percent); San Diego, California (11 percent); Quantico, Virginia (10 percent); Bridgeport, California (4 percent); New River, North Carolina (3 percent); Cherry Point, North Carolina (3 percent); Barstow, California (3 percent); Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan (1 percent); and Pohang, Republic of Korea (1 percent). Work is expected to be completed March 2020. If all options are exercised, work will continue through March 2023. Fiscal year 2019 operations and maintenance (Marine Corps) funds in the amount of $7,614,277 will be obligated at the time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This task order was competitively solicited via General Services Administration One Acquisition Solution for Integrated Services, with two proposals received. The Marine Corps Installations Command Headquarters Contracting Office, Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting activity. AIR FORCE Goodrich Corp., Westford, Massachusetts, has been awarded a $92,890,000 cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for Hyperspectral Imaging, AgilePod®, Standoff High Resolution Imaging Next Era, and Multi-Mode Lidar research and development. This contract provides for research and integration of existing electro-optical, infrared, radio frequency, multispectral imaging, hyperspectral imaging, and lidar sensors and related Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) technologies in order to develop the Air Force's next generation ISR sensor. Work will be performed in Westford, Massachusetts, and is expected to be complete by Sept. 29, 2025. Fiscal 2019 research and development funds in the amount of $18,387,498 are being obligated on two initial task orders at the time of award. Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8650-19-D-1014). KT Consulting Inc, Phoenix, Arizona, has been awarded an $11,935,070 firm-fixed-price task order for F‐16 Weapons System support. This task order provides for F‐16 academic instruction, Aircrew Training Device instruction/console/cockpit operations, comprehensive courseware development, and training support. Work will be performed at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona; and Holloman AFB, New Mexico, and is expected to be complete by March 31, 2024. This contract involves foreign military sales to Republic of Singapore. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition and five offers were received. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $4,435,581; and Singapore National Funds in the amount of $34,969 are being obligated at the time of award. The 338th Specialized Contracting Squadron, Joint Base San Antonio‐Randolph, Texas, is the contracting activity (FA3002‐19‐F‐A040). DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Hamilton Sundstrand Corp., Windsor Locks, Connecticut, has been awarded an estimated $29,216,493 firm-fixed-priced delivery order (SPRPA1-19-F-L30G) against a five-year basic ordering agreement (SPRPA1-13-G-001X) for constant frequency generators. 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 five-year, six-month contract with no option periods. Locations of performance are Connecticut and Illinois, with a Sept. 30, 2024, performance completion date. Using customers are Navy and Japanese Armed Forces. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 Navy working capital funds and foreign military sales funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Freightliner of Savannah Inc.,* Savannah, Georgia, has been awarded a maximum $7,312,500 firm-fixed-price contract for diesel engines. This is a three-year contract with no option periods. This was an acquisition permitting other than full and open competition with two responses received, using justification 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1), as stated in Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. Location of performance is Georgia, with a March 19, 2022, performance completion date. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2022 Army working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime, Warren, Michigan (SPRDL1-19-D-0077). DEFENSE INFORMATION SYSTEMS AGENCY AT&T Corp., Columbia, Maryland, was awarded a firm-fixed-price contract modification (P00012) with a face value of $12,080,764, to exercise Option Year Three of previously awarded sole-source contract HC1013-16-C-0001 for the Northstar Long-Haul Telecommunications Network and associated transmission circuits for an Ultra-High Frequency/Line of Sight communications system network. The modification is funded by fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance funds. Total cumulative face value of the contract is $56,131,776. Performance will be at various sites geographically dispersed across the continental U.S. The period of performance for this action is May 1, 2019, to April 30, 2020. The Defense Information Technology Contracting Organization, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, is the contracting activity. *Small business https://dod.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/1789590/