Back to news

November 2, 2020 | International, Aerospace

Japan names contractor to build its future fighter jet

By:

MELBOURNE, Australia — Japan has named Mitsubishi Heavy Industries as the prime contractor to build its next-generation fighter jet, with the Defense Ministry announcing earlier Friday that it signed a contract with the company.

“We will steadily proceed with the development of the next fighter (F-X) together with the company,” the ministry said in a brief statement posted on it website.

Local media is reporting Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi said the country will select an overseas partner by the end of this year for collaboration on aircraft technology, with stealth technology being one area of focus.

The selection of MHI as the prime contractor for the F-X program comes as little surprise, given Japan was determined to restart its indigenous fighter aircraft capabilities. The company is the only one in Japan with experience in this area. The firm took the 21st spot on Defense News' most recent ranking of the top 100 defense companies in the world.

Reuters previously reported the contract for the aircraft is worth up to $40 billion. Defense News emailed the Defense Ministry's Acquisition, Technology and Logistics Agency for an update on the contract value but did not receive a response by press time.

The Defense Ministry is also seeking more funding for F-X research and development in its latest budget request submitted to the country's Finance Ministry in late September. The Defense Ministry requested $555.8 million for the main program and an additional $113.6 million for R&D of fighter subsystems, such as radars and mission systems integration.

The funding will allow Japan to continue its R&D work into fighter technology, which it has kept up over the past decade despite the end of production on the Mitsubishi F-2 fighter jet and the decision to buy the Lockheed Martin F-35.

Work the country plans to continue includes the development and refinement of stealth designs and materials, active electronically scanned array radars, and afterburning turbofan engines. Toward that end, local engine manufacturer IHI is expected to continue work on its XF9-1 afterburning turbofan.

Japan conducted a series of test flights of a locally designed and built fighter technology demonstrator from 2016 to 2018 to validate its work. The country used the data gleaned from the test program to further refine its indigenous capabilities.

The ministry previously said it wants to launch the basic design process for the F-X airframe and engine before the end of the current Japanese fiscal year, which ends March 31, 2021. This would be followed by the production of the first prototype, which is planned to begin in 2024, with flight tests earmarked to start in 2028 following finalization of the design and production plans.

Japan plans to replace its fleet of approximately 90 F-2 jets with the new fighter jet starting around 2035. The F-2 was developed in conjunction with Lockheed in the 1990s, and resembles a larger version of the American company's F-16 multirole fighter but is primarily equipped with indigenous systems.

Japan also plans to acquire 147 F-35s, which will include 42 of the short-takeoff-and-vertical-landing variants. That version, the F-35B, will operate from a pair of helicopter destroyers currently undergoing modifications to handle the jet.

Japan also recently selected Boeing to upgrade 98 of its license-built Mitsubishi F-15J/DJ Eagle interceptors that will see the jets fitted with newer radars and integrated with standoff land-attack missiles.

https://www.defensenews.com/industry/2020/10/30/japan-names-contractor-to-build-its-future-fighter-jet/

On the same subject

  • L'intelligence artificielle fait évoluer le paysage de la défense

    April 16, 2020 | International, C4ISR

    L'intelligence artificielle fait évoluer le paysage de la défense

    Une étude vient mettre en avant l'impact de l'intelligence artificielle dans les armées, à la fois sur un plan opérationnel et industriel. L'IA, facteur d'innovation. La révolution et les évolutions apportées par l'intelligence artificielle ne sont plus à démontrer. Dans le monde civil comme militaire, algorithmes et IA viennent apporter un complément d'information et représentent une plus-value, d'autant plus incontestable dans le domaine militaire. L'ensemble des armées du monde ont bien compris la nécessité de se tourner vers le big data et l'IA afin d'innover et de parvenir à conserver une supériorité opérationnelle sur l'adversaire. Les stratégies d'IA appliquées à la défense se multiplient et s'accompagnent généralement de réflexions sur les questions éthiques, dans un contexte occidental où l'emploi de SALA est vivement critiqué. Compétition internationale. Market Forecast a consacré une étude à ce sujet, et est venu analyser les impacts de l'IA au domaine de la Défense. C'est-à-dire aussi bien les apports pour les armées que la façon dont les travaux sont menés par les industriels. Nommé « Artificial Intelligence will arm defense contractors for global growth », ce rapport met en avant la façon dont les Etats se sont tournés vers cette nouvelle technologie afin de venir compléter les moyens de leurs armées. « Des nations comme la Chine ou la Russie réalisent des investissements substantiels dans l'IA pour des applications militaires, venant parfois poser des questions au regard du droit international et des droits humains », peut-on lire dans le rapport de Market Forecast. Des investissements visant ainsi à concurrencer les pays membres de l'OTAN, qui se sont eux aussi tournés largement vers l'intelligence artificielle afin de renforcer les capacités de leurs plateformes. Volet industriel. Mais l'adoption de l'IA dans les technologies de défense vient également questionner le tissu industriel. Selon Market Forecast, dans une grande majorité des cas, les Etats devront se tourner vers de nouvelles entreprises, plus petites et souvent non issues du secteur de la Défense afin de pouvoir se doter d'algorithmes performants. « Par exemple, aux Etats-Unis, plus de 60% des contrats tournés vers l'IA, inscrits dans le budget présidentiel de l'année fiscale 2017, sont menés par des acteurs non traditionnels de la Défense et des petits fournisseurs », rapporte Market Forecast. S'il n'y a aucun doute sur le fait que les géants de la défense et fournisseurs historiques continueront à mener leur activité, beaucoup s'appuieront donc sur de plus petites structures, spécialisées, afin d'intégrer la brique IA. En France, on peut ainsi penser à la petite entreprise EarthCube, qui malgré sa taille réduite et son jeune 'ge fait fortement parler d'elle et est parvenue à décrocher d'importants contrats dans la défense. Elle en a même fait son cœur d'activité. A l'avenir, les géants de la défense devront donc marcher aux côtés des plus petits et apprendre à collaborer avec ces structures qui portent elles aussi l'innovation. Car en effet, le marché de l'IA pour la défense devrait connaître un taux de croissance annuel moyen de 10,29% entre 2020 et 2028, démontrant l'importance de cette technologie qui offre d'importants débouchés commerciaux. https://www.air-cosmos.com/article/lintelligence-artificielle-fait-voluer-le-paysage-de-la-dfense-22924

  • Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - August 13, 2020

    August 14, 2020 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security

    Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - August 13, 2020

    NAVY BAE Systems San Diego Ship Repair, San Diego, California, is awarded a $103,590,841 firm-fixed-price contract to prepare for and accomplish repair and alteration requirements for USS Preble (DDG 88) Chief of Naval Operations scheduled depot maintenance period. This contract includes options, which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $117,754,630. The purpose is to maintain, modernize, and repair the USS Preble. The USS Preble will receive comprehensive modernization for DDG-51 class ships to ensure a mission relevant service life. This is a “long-term” availability and was solicited on a coast-wide (West Coast) basis without limiting the place of performance to the vessel's homeport. BAE Systems will provide the facilities and human resources capable of completing, coordinating, and integrating multiple areas of ship maintenance, repair, and modernization for USS Preble. Work will be performed in San Diego, California, and is expected to be complete by February 2022. Fiscal 2020 other procurement (Navy) (89.8%); and operations and maintenance (Navy) (10.2%) funding in the amount of $103,590,841 will be obligated at time of award, of which $10,553,208 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured using full and open competition via the Federal Business Opportunities website with two competitive proposals received in response to Solicitation No. N00024-20-R-4400. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity (N00024-20-C-4400). Ribcraft USA LLC,* Marblehead, Massachusetts, is awarded a $38,608,278 firm-fixed price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, single award contract for construction of 132 seven-meter (7M) Rigid Hull Inflatable Boats (RHIBs). The total contract is for the construction and delivery of up to 278 7M RHIBs. The base contract also included options for associated support efforts related to the construction and delivery for engineering and industrial services, and provisioned items orders. At the time of contract award, 48 7M RHIBs are being purchased. Work under the first order will be performed in Marblehead, Massachusetts, and is expected to be complete by March 2023. This contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $78,241,197. Fiscal 2020 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) (69%); and other procurement (Navy) (31%) funding in the amount of $12,649,937 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was procured as a small business set-aside. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity (N00024-20-D-2210). RQ Construction LLC, Carlsbad, California, is awarded a $33,602,000 firm-fixed-price contract for 5th Battalion, 10th Marines High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) located at the Marine Corps Base in Camp Lejeune. Work will be performed in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina and is expected to be completed by March 2023. The construction project will result in an operations complex for the activation of 5th Battalion, 10th Marines HIMARS. The work to be performed provides for construction of a battalion/company headquarters, automotive vehicle maintenance shop, humidity-controlled warehouse, electronics communications maintenance shop, combat vehicle maintenance shop, armory addition, and a high-explosive magazine to comply with UFC 4-420-01 ammunitions and explosives storage magazines. All structures will be low-rise steel frame with reinforced concrete masonry unit with reinforced masonry walls, brick veneer, reinforced concrete floors, and standing seam metal roof. The battalion/company headquarters facility includes the necessary administrative space to conduct the day-to-day operations of both the battalion and its companies. The automotive vehicle maintenance shop includes administrative and support space, work bays for inspection, maintenance and repair of transportation equipment, classrooms, and storage areas for parts and supplies. The humidity-controlled warehouse will be a high bay facility that will house a 10-ton capacity overhead crane. The facility includes administrative and support space, storage bays, secured storage, and shipping/receiving area. The electronics communication maintenance shop includes administrative and support space, equipment maintenance and training areas, and storage areas for parts and supplies. The combat vehicle maintenance shop includes administrative and support space, work bays for inspection, maintenance and repair of transportation equipment, classrooms, and storage areas for parts and supplies. The armory addition includes administrative and support space for armorers/custodians, secure space for storing and maintaining weapons and a covered outdoor weapons cleaning area. The magazine will be used for the storage and handling of reduced range practice rounds to support live-fire HIMARS training. Fiscal 2020 military construction, (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $33,602,000 are obligated on this award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Government Point of Entry Contract Opportunities on beta.SAM.com with 10 proposals received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Mid-Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N40085-20-C-0145). Pacific Maritime Industries Corp.,* San Diego, California (N00189-20-D-0021); Tri-Way Industries Inc.,* Auburn, Washington (N00189-20-D-0022); and Spec-Built Systems Inc.,* San Diego, California (N00189-20-D-0023), are awarded an estimated $25,938,325 multiple award, firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract that will include terms and conditions for the placement of firm-fixed-price task orders to provide a means to purchase of light weight modular berths and related materials in support of the Shipboard Habitability Improvement Program at competitive prices in accordance with the delivery schedules listed on the statement of work. The contracts will run concurrently and will include a 60-month base ordering period with an additional six-month ordering period option pursuant of Federal Acquisition Regulation 52.217-8, which if exercised, will bring the total value of this contract to $28,996,501. The base ordering period is expected to be completed by August 2025; if the option is exercised, the ordering period will be completed by February 2026. Specific requirements for habitability support cannot be predicted at this time; therefore, the various locations of where the supplies will be delivered cannot be determined at this time. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $7,500 ($2,500 on each of the three contracts) will be obligated to fund the contracts' minimum amounts, and funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Individual task orders will be subsequently funded with appropriate fiscal year appropriations at the time of their issuance. This contract was competitively procured with the solicitation posted on beta.sam.gov as a small business set-aside, with four offers received. Naval Supply Systems Command Fleet Logistics Center Norfolk, Contracting Department Norfolk Office, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity. PTC Inc., Boston, Massachusetts, is awarded a $17,131,314 firm-fixed-price contract modification to previously awarded contract N00024-20-C-6121 to exercise and fund an option for integration and development efforts in support of Model Based Production Support. This option exercises and funds an option for Model Based Production Support integration and development support. Work will be performed in Boston, Massachusetts, and is expected to be complete by June 2025. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Navy) funding in the amount of $370,949 will be obligated at the time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C. is the contracting activity. Boston Ship Repair LLC, Boston, Massachusetts, is awarded a $16,567,594 firm-fixed-price contract (N3220520C4002) for a 64-calendar day shipyard availability for the mid-term availability of the fleet replenishment oiler USNS Walter S. Diehl (T-AO 193). The $16,567,594 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 main and emergency switchboard cleaning; lifeboat and rescue boat davit maintenance and testing; 6,000-hour overhaul of port and starboard main engine exhaust valves, port and starboard main engine fuel injection pumps; annual firefighting inspection and certification; inspection and overhaul of shaft brakes; preparation and paint saltwater ballast tanks 10 port and starboard; preparation and paint fore peak tank; preparation and paint distillate fuel marine cargo tank seven port; preparation and paint jet propellant 5 contaminated tank; preparation and paint distillate fuel marine contaminated tank; tank deck non-slip renewal frames 20 through 40; miscellaneous steel repairs; miscellaneous valve and actuator repairs; tank deck overhead preservation; bi-annual gauge calibration; blast and paint 02 Level lifeboats; pump room bilge preservation; number one and two constant tension winch overhaul; refrigeration plant room; tank deck sprinkler system flush; inspection and painting of the distillate fuel marine piping; sea valve and waster piece overhaul; replace anti-slip on 05, 06 and 07 Levels, various pump overhauls; underway replenishment station permanent repairs to Stations Three, Four and Eight; various steel deck renewals; miscellaneous pipe repair; and underway replenishment gear maintenance. The contract includes options, which, if exercised, would bring the total contract value to $17,860,194. Funds will be obligated Aug. 12, 2020. Contract completion will be Dec. 4, 2020. Work will be performed in Boston, Massachusetts, and is expected to begin Oct. 1, 2020. Contract funds in the amount of $16,567,594, excluding options, are obligated for fiscal 2021 using working capital funds (Navy). This contract was competitively procured, with proposals solicited via the beta.sam.gov website and three offers were received. The U. S. Navy's Military Sealift Command, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N3220520C4002). GM/Bulltrack JV LLC,* Clackamas, Oregon, is awarded firm-fixed-price task order N6247820F4221 at $9,165,646 under a multiple award construction contract for Wharf 2 structural repairs at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. The work to be performed includes performing spall and crack repairs to concrete pile caps, beams, curtain wall, utility vault, deck (above and below), deck curbs, and mooring foundations; replacing timber deck curbing with concrete; repairing concrete piles by installing epoxy-filled fiberglass jackets; installing a cathodic protection system for the steel sheet piles; replacing timber fender piles with precast concrete fender piles with rub strips; replacing timber wales and chocks at the deck level and timber framing near the waterline with plastic lumber; refurbishing steel cleats and connection hardware; replacing potable water piping and deteriorated utility hangers. Work will be performed in Oahu, Hawaii and is expected to be completed by September 2021. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $9,165,646 are obligated on this award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Four proposals were received for this task order. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Hawaii, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, is the contracting activity (N62478-18-D-4027). Katmai Integrated Solutions LLC, Anchorage, Alaska, is awarded an $8,004,940 hybrid firm-fixed-price, time and materials, and cost reimbursement contract for a wide range of experimentation, business, and operational support services in support of the U.S. Marine Corps Combat Development Command Warfighting Laboratory. This contract includes a 12-month base period, four 12-month option periods, and one six-month option period which, if exercised, could bring the cumulative value of this contract to $59,492,149. Work will be performed in Quantico, Virginia (92%); and with the Marine Corps Expeditionary Forces (8%). Work is expected to be completed Aug. 14, 2021. If all options are exercised, work will continue through Feb. 14, 2026. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Marine Corps); and research and development (Navy) funds will be utilized to award this contract. The contract will be incrementally funded at award with $670,000 in fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Marine Corps) funds; and $2,291,661 in fiscal 2020 research and development (Navy) funds, for a total of $2,925,825. This amount will be obligated at the time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively solicited via beta.SAM.gov, with 10 proposals received. The Marine Corps Installations National Capital Region-Regional Contracting Office, Quantico, Virginia, is the contracting activity (M00264-20-C-0006). ARMY Power and Instrumentation Service Inc.,* Vega Baja, Puerto Rico, was awarded a $45,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for numerous rapid-response temporary roofing projects in the U.S. Virgin Islands in the event of an emergency. Bids were solicited via the internet with five received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of March 31, 2027. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha, Nebraska, is the contracting activity (W9128F-20-D-0044). KBRwyle Technology Solutions LLC, Columbia, Maryland, was awarded a $23,727,971 modification (000274) to contract W52P1J-12-G-0061 for maintenance, supply, transportation and other logistics functions for the Army Prepositioned Stock-3 Charleston Afloat Program. Work will be performed in Goose Lake, South Carolina, with an estimated completion date of Feb. 14, 2021. Fiscal 2020 operation and maintenance, Army funds in the amount of $4,462,109 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois, is the contracting activity. Native American Services Corp.,* Kellogg, Idaho, was awarded an $8,315,231 firm-fixed-price contract for construction of a standard design general purpose storage building. Bids were solicited via the internet with five received. Work will be performed at Fort Hood, Texas, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 21, 2020. Fiscal 2020 military construction, Army funds in the amount of $8,315,231 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Fort Worth, Texas, is the contracting activity (W9126G-20-C-0005). Barnett Southern Corporation Inc.,* Washington, Georgia, was awarded a $7,775,643 firm-fixed-price contract for furnishing all plant, equipment, labor, transportation, fuel, lubricant, supplies and materials; and performing all operations in connection with raising dikes and berms, and installation of new spillway systems in the Atlantic Intercoastal Water Way in South Carolina. Bids were solicited via the internet with four received. Work will be performed in Charleston, South Carolina, with an estimated completion date of Oct. 29, 2022. Fiscal 2020 civil operation and maintenance funds in the amount of $7,775,643 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Charleston, South Carolina, is the contracting activity (W912HP-20-C-0005). R&D Maintenance Services Inc.,* Tulsa, Oklahoma, was awarded a $7,146,969 hybrid (cost-plus-fixed-fee, firm-fixed-price) contract for operation and maintenance of government-owned facilities and equipment at Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway and Okatibbee Lake projects in Alabama and Mississippi. Bids were solicited via the internet with three received. Work will be performed in Columbus, Mississippi, with an estimated completion date of Nov. 30, 2025. Fiscal 2020 civil operation and maintenance funds in the amount of $364,430 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mobile, Alabama, is the contracting activity (W91278-20-C-0018). AIR FORCE First RF Corp.,* Boulder, Colorado, has been awarded a maximum $24,900,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract with cost-plus-fixed-fee completion orders for radio frequency electronic antenna cancellation/beamforming technology software/hardware prototypes. This contract provides for research, development, testing, evaluating and deploying advanced radio frequency (RF) systems. These systems may support any of the various RF functions such as radar, communications, electronic warfare, signals intelligence, direction finding, etc. Work will be performed in Boulder, Colorado, and is expected to be completed Aug. 13, 2026. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $300,000 are being obligated at the time of award on the first task order. Air Force Research Laboratory, Rome, New York, is the contracting activity (FA8750-20-D-0500). *Small Business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2312498/source/GovDelivery/

  • The Lightweight Laser Designator Rangefinder 2H provides highly accurate targeting capabilities to ground forces

    July 10, 2019 | International, C4ISR

    The Lightweight Laser Designator Rangefinder 2H provides highly accurate targeting capabilities to ground forces

    APOPKA, Fla. – July 9, 2019 – Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) has received a $17.6 million award from the U.S. Army to upgrade Target Locator Modules (TLMs). The TLMs will be retrofitted with high accuracy capability to modernize the Lightweight Laser Designator Rangefinder 2H (LLDR 2H) man-portable targeting system. “The LLDR has been at the core of Army ground targeting for more than a decade, and the innovations in the 2H provide even greater accuracy to support the Army's missions into the future,” said Bob Gough, vice president, land and avionics C4ISR, Northrop Grumman. The LLDR 2H hybrid sensor solution fuses data from a digital magnetic compass and celestial navigation sensors to provide high accuracy target location and long-range imaging to allow warfighters greater leverage to shape the field of engagement. Interconnectivity within the digitized battlefield enables the operator to use LLDR 2H to quickly acquire, locate and designate high-value targets. The LLDR 2H system also features Northrop Grumman's patented thermal diode pumping technology for designation, which consumes less power than older lasers, yet yields greater output energy and lower beam divergence. More than 2,700 LLDR systems have been delivered and fielded to date. Northrop Grumman is a leading global security company providing innovative systems, products and solutions in autonomous systems, cyber, C4ISR, space, strike, and logistics and modernization to customers worldwide. https://news.northropgrumman.com/news/releases/northrop-grumman-receives-award-to-upgrade-us-army-lightweight-laser-designator-rangefinder-systems

All news