June 19, 2019 | International, Aerospace, Other Defence
By: Seth J. Frantzman and Kelsey D. Atherton
Rafael Advanced Defense System's Spice bombs now have a new technological breakthrough as the Israeli company enables its Spice 250 with artificial intelligence alongside automatic target recognition to be used with scene-matching technology.
The Spice 250, which can be deployed on quad racks under the wings of warplanes like the F-16, has a 75-kilogram warhead and a maximum range of 100 kilometers with its deployable wings.
Its electro-optic scene-matching technology — which involves uploading terrain data onto the bomb and combining it with real-time electro-optic imagery — allows the weapon to work in GPS-denied environments. And the bomb can use this autonomous capability to navigate and correct its location, according to Gideon Weiss, Rafael's deputy general manager of marketing and business development at the company's air and C4I division.
With its AI and “deep learning” technologies, the weapon has the ability to identity moving ground targets and distinguish them from other objects and terrain. This is based on 3D models uploaded to the bomb as well as algorithms. As the weapon identifies and homes in on its target, such as a convoy of vehicles, it separates the convoy of interest from other vehicles it has “learned” to ignore.
“The deep-learning algorithm is indifferent to the actual data fed to it for modeling targets of interest and embedding their pertaining characteristics into the system," Weiss said. "However, the more the data used for modeling is representative of the target of interest, the more robust the recognition probability will be in real life.”
Rafael has completed the development and testing phase of the Spice 250, including flight tests, which have “proven the robustness of the ATA and ATR, so it is mature for delivery,” Weiss said, using acronyms for automatic target acquisition and recognition.
Asked if the ATR algorithm will select a secondary target if the computer cannot find the initial human-selected target, Weiss said: “This goes into the area of user-defined policies and rules of engagement, and it is up to the users to decide on how to apply the weapon, when and where to use it, and how to define target recognition probabilities and its eventuality.”
Automatically selecting a secondary target may eventually become part of the upgrade profile for the munition, if customers express significant interest in the feature.
With a two-way data link and a video-streaming capability, the bomb can be aborted or told to re-target up until a “few second before the weapon hits its target,” Weiss explained. That two-way data-link, enabled by the weapon's mounting on a Smart Quad Rack, or SQR, will enable future deep learning to be based on data extracted from earlier launches. Data recorded will include either live-streaming video or a burst of still images of the entire homing phase up until impact.
“These are automatically and simultaneously recorded on the SQR — enabling two functions: (a) real-time and post-mission BDI (Bomb Damage Indication); (b) post-mission target data extraction for intel updates, etc.," Weiss said. "The ATR capability, including its deep learning updates, must be more agile than the enemy's ability to conceal and/or change its battlefield footprint, tactics, appearance or anything else which might impede the ATR from accurately recognizing and destroying targets.”
The Spice family of weapons is operational with the Israeli Air Force and international customers.
August 2, 2023 | International, Land, Security, Other Defence
The expansion and the upgrade of our production infrastructure enables the provision of rapid production of a range of high quality solutions to the Israel Ministry of Defense
November 8, 2019 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security
DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Cardinal Health 200 LLC, Waukegan, Illinois, has been awarded a maximum $2,250,000,000 modification (P00023) exercising the first 30-month option period of a 30-month base contract (SPE2DV-17-D-0001) with three 30-month option periods for worldwide ordering and distribution of consumable, commercial, brand name and generic medical surgical supplies. This is a firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. Locations of performance are Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia and Washington, with a June 6, 2022, performance completion date. Using customers are Air Force, Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard and federal civilian agencies. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2023 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Owens and Minor Distribution Inc., Mechanicsville, Virginia, has been awarded a maximum $1,125,000,000 modification (P00018) exercising the first 30-month option period of a 30-month base contract (SPE2DV-17-D-0002) with three 30-month option periods for worldwide ordering and distribution of consumable, commercial, brand name and generic medical surgical supplies. This is a firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. Locations of performance are Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia and Washington, with a June 6, 2022, performance completion date. Using customers are Air Force, Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard and federal civilian agencies. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2023 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems, Portsmouth, Rhode Island, has been awarded a maximum $24,942,879, firm-fixed-price contract for receiver transmitters. This was a sole-source acquisition using justification 10 U.S.C. 2304 (c)(1), as stated in Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. This is a three-year, two-month contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Rhode Island, with a Jan. 31, 2023, performance completion date. Using military service is Navy. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2023 Navy working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPRPA1-20-F-LY00). Mayfield Dairy Farms LLC, Marietta, Georgia, has been awarded a maximum $19,057,500 firm-fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for milk and dairy products. This was a competitive acquisition with one response received. This is a 36-month contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Georgia, with a Nov. 19, 2022, performance completion date. Using military services are Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2023 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE300-20-D V350). Peck and Hale LLC, W. Sayville, New York, has been awarded a maximum $13,000,000 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the production of spare parts in support of the MK-2551 A/U grounding kit. This was a competitive acquisition with one response received. This is a five-year contract with no option periods. Location of performance is New York, with a Nov. 6, 2024, performance completion date. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2024 Army working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland (SPRBL1-20-D-0009). NAVY Ameresco Select Inc., Framingham, Massachusetts, is awarded firm-fixed-price task order (N3943020F9904) at $170,993,668, under a multiple award, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, energy savings performance contract at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. The work to be performed provides for the construction, operations, and maintenance of energy conservations to improve energy efficiency and reliability, which includes compressed air upgrades, motor and pump replacements, micro-grid for energy security, power plant improvements and steam traps. Work will be performed at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Kittery, Maine, and is expected to be completed in 23 years and four months by January 2044. No funds will be obligated with this award, as private financing obtained by the contractor will be used for the 28-month construction/implementation phase of the project. Two proposals were received for this task order. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command Engineering and Expeditionary Warfare Center, Port Hueneme, California, is the contracting activity for the task order. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Golden, Colorado, is the contracting activity for the basic contract (DE-AM36-09GO29029). J.F. Taylor Inc.,* Lexington Park, Maryland, is awarded a $109,433,818 cost-plus-fixed-fee, cost reimbursable, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. This contract provides for development of simulation systems and software to support training activities as well as acquisition development and lifecycle support for the Integrated Battlespace Simulation and Test Department, Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division 5.4.3, Simulation Division. Work will be performed in Lexington Park, Maryland (75%); and Patuxent River, Maryland (25%), and is expected to be completed in November 2024. No funds will be obligated at the time of award. Funds will be obligated on individual orders as they are issued. This contract was competitively procured, as a small business set-aside, via an electronic request for proposal; one offer was received. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N00421-20-D-0008). Bell-Boeing Joint Project Office, Amarillo, Texas, is awarded a $68,189,550 cost-plus-fixed-fee, firm-fixed-price order (N0001920F0315) against a previously issued basic ordering agreement (N00019-17-G-0002). This order provides non-recurring and recurring engineering associated with the development, qualification test, integration, airworthiness substantiation, flight test demonstration and validation/verification of the government of Japan unique configuration into MV-22B Block C aircraft and the MV-22 Containerized Flight Training Device. This effort also includes logistics and training efforts, to include post-delivery reach-back support, aircraft preservation and de-preservation, storage, aircraft transit support as well as the remaining unique kits and installs in support of the government of Japan. Work will be performed in Ridley Park, Pennsylvania (50.8%); Fort Worth, Texas (27.2%); Hyogo, Japan (6.9%); Chantilly, Virginia (6.7%); Huntsville, Alabama (2.2%); Olathe, Kansas (0.8%); Red Oak, Texas (0.7%); Bangalore, Indiana (0.6%); various locations within the continental U.S. (3%); and various locations outside the continental U.S. (1.1%), and is expected to be completed in August 2024. Foreign Military Sales funds for $68,189,550 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. KBR Diego Garcia LLC, Houston, Texas, is awarded a $60,635,283 modification for the exercise of the option two under an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for base operations support services at U.S. Navy Support Facility Diego Garcia. After award of this option, the total cumulative contract value will be $178,629,215. The work to be performed provides for general management and administration services; command and staff (information technology services, information technology support and management, telephone services, telecommunication services, antenna maintenance); public safety (fire protection and emergency services); air operations (ground electronics, airfield facilities, and passenger terminal and cargo handling); port operations; supply (supply services and petroleum, oil and lubricant management and operations, and ship's store service activities); morale, welfare and recreation support; galley; bachelor quarters; facilities support (facility management, facility investment sustainment, restoration and modernization, custodial, pest control, integrated solid waste management, grounds maintenance, and pavement clearance); utilities (electrical, compressed gases, wastewater, steam, hot water and demineralized water, and potable water); base support vehicles and equipment; and environmental to provide integrated base operating services. Work will be performed in Diego Garcia, British Indian Ocean Territory, and is expected to be completed by November 2020. No funds will be obligated at time of award. Fiscal 2020 operation and maintenance (Navy and Air Force); and fiscal 2020 non-appropriated funds in the amount of $42,168,950 for recurring work will be obligated on individual task orders issued during the option period, of which $42,168,950 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Far East, Yokosuka, Japan, is the contracting activity (N62742-17-D-3600). Lockheed Martin Corp., Rotary and Mission Systems, Syracuse, New York, is awarded a $13,968,568 cost-plus-fixed-fee and cost-only modification to previously-awarded contract N00024-18-C-5300 to exercise options for AN/SLQ-32(V)6 design agent engineering services and travel. This option exercise is for engineering services and travel for the AN/SLQ-32(V)6 design agent contract under the Surface Electronic Warfare Improvement Program (SEWIP). SEWIP is an evolutionary acquisition and incremental development program. AN/SLQ-32(V)6 upgrades the existing AN/SLQ-32(V) electronic warfare system by incorporating SEWIP Block 1B3 and SEWIP Block 2 systems. Work will be performed in Syracuse, New York, and is expected to be completed by September 2020. Fiscal 2020 operation and maintenance (Navy); and fiscal 2020 other procurement (Navy) funding for $3,017,000 will be obligated at time of award, and $617,000 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. Vigor Marine LLC, Portland, Oregon, is awarded a $7,706,240 firm, fixed-price contract (N3220520C4004) for a 50-calendar day shipyard availability for the mid-term availability of the USNS Yukon (T-AO 202). The $7,706,240 consists of the amounts listed in the following areas: Category “A” work item cost, additional government requirement, other direct costs, and the general and administrative costs. Work will include furnish general services, shipboard access and security, clean and gas free tanks, voids, cofferdams and spaces, tank deck overhead preservation, window regasketing and repair, aft mooring station overhead preservation, deck preservation, tie down replacement, pump room bilge preservation, miscellaneous steel replacement, tank preservation, house preservation, bridge, 06 level, radio air handler overhaul, accommodation vent system cleaning, highling cargo winch and motor, and winch refurbishment. The contract includes options, which, if exercised, would bring the total contract value to $8,825,852. Funds will be obligated Nov. 7, 2019. Contract completion will be Feb. 24, 2020. Work will be performed in Portland, Oregon, and is expected to begin Jan. 6, 2020. Contract funds for $7,706,240 excluding options, are obligated for fiscal 20 using (Navy) working capital funds. This contract was competitively procured, with proposals solicited via the Federal Business Opportunities website and two offers were received. The U.S. Navy's Military Sealift Command, headquartered in Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N3220520C4004). Raytheon Co., Marlborough, Massachusetts, is awarded a $7,590,539 firm-fixed-price modification to a previously awarded contract N00024-14-C-5315 to procure provisioned item spares for the Air and Missile Defense Radar (AMDR) program and radar suite controller low-rate initial production. This modification will provide provisioned item spares for combat systems engineering development site power equipment and development back-end processing equipment group to support AMDR and radar suite controller low-rate initial production. Work will be performed in Cerritos, California (91%); and Marlborough, Massachusetts (9%), and is expected to be completed by June 2020. Fiscal 2018 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funding for $7,590,539 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. ARMY Weeks Marine Inc., Covington, Louisiana, was awarded a $151,305,750 firm-fixed-price contract for Savannah Harbor expansion project, maintenance and dredging. Bids were solicited via the internet with four received. Work will be performed in Savannah, Georgia, with an estimated completion date of Feb. 1, 2022. Fiscal 2020 civil construction, operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $151,305,750 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Savannah, Georgia, is the contracting activity (W912HN-20-C-5001). CDO Technologies Inc.,* Dayton, Ohio (W52P1J-20-D-0001); and Lowry Holding Company Inc.,* (W52P1J-20-D-0002) will compete for each order of the $48,100,712 firm-fixed-price contract for Automatic Identification Technology data communications, hardware, software, documentation, incidental services, technical engineering services, training and warranty. Bids were solicited via the internet with three received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Nov. 10, 2024. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois, is the contracting activity. Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Co. LLC, Oak Brook, Illinois, was awarded a $13,800,336 firm-fixed-price contract for Tybee Island shore protection project. Bids were solicited via the internet with two received. Work will be performed in Savannah, Georgia, with an estimated completion date of Feb. 16, 2020. Fiscal 2018 and 2020 river and harbor contributed; and civil construction funds in the amount of $13,800,336 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Savannah, Georgia, is the contracting activity (W912HN-20-C-5002). AIR FORCE The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Missouri, has been awarded a $22,482,383 contract for Laser Small Diameter Bomb all up rounds and warhead shipping containers. This contract provides 522 all up rounds and 131 warhead shipping containers for use by U.S. Special Operations Detachment 1. Work will be performed at St. Louis, Missouri, and is expected to be complete by Feb. 8, 2021. This award is the result of a sole source delivery order. Fiscal 2020 procurement funds in the amount of $21,533,816; and fiscal 2019 research, development, test, and evaluation funds in the amount of $948,567 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, is the contracting activity (FA8656-19-F-1005). *Small Business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2011830/source/GovDelivery/
May 25, 2020 | International, Aerospace
The U.S. Navy is spending $13 billion buying 72 MQ-25 Stingray tanker drones for its 11 aircraft carriers. The idea is for the Boeing BA-made MQ-25s to refuel manned fighters, extending their range while also relieving the fighter squadrons of their own tanking duties. But the MQ-25 always had potential to be more than just an aerial-refueler. With its stealthy airframe and high endurance, it could be a surveillance plane and even a light strike platform, too. At least one fleet community isn't waiting for the Navy and Boeing to adapt the MQ-25 to other missions. The fleet's airborne command-and-control weapons school at Naval Base Ventura County in Point Mugu, California, already thinks of the Stingray as more than a tanker. Robbin Laird, a military analyst and writer, spoke to Cmdr. Christopher Hulitt, the head of the school, and summarized the conversation at Second Line of Defense. Laird and Hulitt's main point is that the Navy is acquiring new aircraft with highly-sophisticated communications systems and sensors. The F-35C stealth fighter. The E-2D early-warning plane. The MQ-4C high-altitude drone. And the MQ-25. Where before, E-2s would fly over a maritime battle, detecting targets and relaying commands to fighters, now a new system is coming together. The F-35C, E-2D, MQ-4C and MQ-25 all possess the qualities of a sensor- and command-and-control platform. So instead of passing information just one way—from an E-2 to a fighter—in coming years info could begin moving in all directions. An F-35C in stealth mode might detect an enemy ship using its passive sensors and beam, via secure datalink, the target's general location to the nearby MQ-25 that just refueled the F-35C. The MQ-25 could hand off the data to an E-2D. The E-2D crew could instruct the operators of an MQ-4C to steer their drone toward the enemy ship's location. Once the MQ-4C pinpoints the ship, the E-2D could then pass the targeting data back to the F-35C as well as to other allied vessels and planes, all of which could fire missiles. Imagine this whole process happening in minutes. “It is about deploying an extended trusted sensor network, which can be tapped through various waveforms, and then being able to shape how the decision-making arc can best deliver the desired combat effect,” Laird wrote. The Navy hopes to deploy the first MQ-25s as early as 2024. https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidaxe/2020/05/22/the-us-navys-new-drone-could-team-up-with-stealth-fighters/#9bc4fd875e2e