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May 28, 2020 | International, C4ISR, Security

Joint AI Center Turns To Air Force cloudONE As JEDI Stalls

The Joint Artificial Intelligence Center needs three things: new acquisition authorities, more staff, and the cloud. With JEDI delayed ‘potentially many more months,' director Lt. Gen. Jack Shanahan said, he's turning to an Air Force alternative.

By on May 27, 2020 at 2:25 PM

WASHINGTON: The legal battle over the JEDI cloud-computing contract has slowed down the Pentagon's AI program, the director of the Joint Artificial Intelligence Center acknowledges. In the meantime, Lt. Gen. Jack Shanahan told an AFCEA webcast last week, JAIC will turn to a new Air Force program our longtime readers are already familiar with: cloudONE.

Cloud computing matters for AI because machine-learning algorithms need lots of data and lots of processing power. A shared cloud can offer both with far greater efficiencies of scale than any single organization's in-house network. JEDI was meant to provide a single “general purpose” cloud to all users across the Defense Department, including Shanahan's Joint AI Center. But it has been mired for months in legal battles over which company should have won the contract, Microsoft Azure or Amazon Web Services.

“It slowed us down, no question about it,” Shanahan told the AFCEA audience.

“Azure, AWS, I will never get into a company discussion. I'm agnostic,” he said. “[But] if we want to make worldwide updates to all these algorithms in the space of minutes, not in the space of months running around gold disks, we've got to have an enterprise cloud solution.”

JEDI can't be that solution today, Shanahan acknowledged, but “we now have a good plan to account for the fact that it will be delayed potentially many more months.”

For instance, as the COVID-19 pandemic spread, the Joint AI Center urgently stood up what they call Project Salus – named for the Roman goddess of health and safety – to pull data from 70 different sources, find patterns, and predict trends for US Northern Command and the National Guard. Salus went from a sketch on a “bar napkin” to a functional bare-bones system (what's called a Minimum Viable Product) in 29 days, Shanahan said. With JEDI unavailable, he turned to an existing Air Force cloud run out of Hanscom Air Force Base, which he'd previously used as head of Project Maven.

But the Hanscom-based cloud is “an interim solution that will end ... here later in the fall,” Shanahan said. “Because of that, we are pivoting to the cloudONE environment.”

CloudONE & Beyond

So what's cloudONE? Like JEDI, it's a new cloud-computing capability that the Air Force hopes will be available to a wide range of users from across the Department of Defense. Unlike JEDI, it's not a joint program run by the Office of the Secretary of Defense, but a service program, run by the Air Force.

In fact, cloudOne is part of a whole package of computing initiatives – deviceONE, dataONE, et al – that the Air Force acquisition chief, Will Roper, began pushing (and branding) aggressively last year. Further, while JEDI is meant as the Defense Department's “general purpose” cloud, Roper's many ONEs are all intended to serve a single purpose, albeit a broad one: military command and control.

Together, Roper's projects will make up what the Air Force is calling its Advanced Battle Management System. ABMS, in turn, will be an Air Force component of the future Joint All-Domain Command and Control (JADC2) meta-network to share battle data between all the armed services across all five “domains” of warfare: land, sea, air, space, and cyberspace.

Artificial intelligence is essential for JADC2, since human analysts can't pull together that much data from that many sources fast enough to make a difference in combat. The JAIC is far too small to build the whole JADC2 network – that's up to the far better-resourced services – but it can help.

“We're not here to build JADC2,” he said. “We're here to find AI-enabled solutions that stitch seams together from all the services, who're [each] developing some version of JADC2.”

The objective is to automate and accelerate the often-laborious process of bringing American firepower to bear. That “kill chain” includes everything from spotting a potential target with some kind of sensor, confirming what it is with other sensors, deciding to strike it, picking an aircraft, warship, or artillery battery to execute the strike, and then giving that shooter precise targeting data. Currently most of that requires human beings relaying coordinates and orders over the radio, typing them into terminals by hand, or even scrawling them on sticky notes because one network can't transfer data to another.

“Accelerated sensor-to-shooter timelines are so important – to me, this is what the next couple of years will be about, and each of the services has a really strong programs in sensor-to-shooter,” Shanahan said. “What we're trying to bring is the AI/ML solutions.”

To do that job, however, the JAIC needs more people and more legal authorities to conduct acquisitions on its own – although it will never be the size of the services' acquisition bureaucracies.

For example, while Shanahan initially focused on lower-risk, non-combat applications of AI like maintenance, on May 18 the JAIC awarded Booz Allen Hamilton a landmark contract worth up to $800 million for AI “to support warfighting operations [and] decision-making and analysis at all tiers of DoD operations.” But JAIC did so in partnership with the civilian General Services Administration (using GSA's Alliant 2 contract vehicle), just as it's done past contracts through the Defense Information Systems Agency and other established organizations, because it doesn't have the necessary authorities and personnel in-house – yet.

“I couldn't ask for better support,” Shanahan said, “but it's not going to be fast enough as we start putting more and more money into this capability development. We need our own acquisition authority.” In particular, he sees JAIC as a potential early adopter of the new streamlined process for software development and acquisition recently rolled out by the Pentagon's acquisition chief, Ellen Lord.

The JAIC also needs to get bigger. Founded in summer 2018 with just four staff, JAIC has now grown to 175 personnel (counting contractors) and must keep growing, Shanahan said. But that larger staff won't include Shanahan: JAIC's founding director retires from the Air Force next month.

https://breakingdefense.com/2020/05/joint-ai-center-turns-to-air-force-cloudone-as-jedi-stalls/

On the same subject

  • Warship selected by Canada won’t be in U.S. competition – Americans accepting only proven designs

    June 25, 2019 | International, Naval

    Warship selected by Canada won’t be in U.S. competition – Americans accepting only proven designs

    DAVID PUGLIESE The US Navy is moving ahead with its frigate program but the ship design selected by Canada, the United Kingdom and Australia won't be considered as the Americans are only considering proven vessels. Because the U.S. FFG(X) future frigate competition will only accept proven, at-sea designs, BAE Systems of the United Kingdom has decided not to enter its Type 26 Global Combat Ship in the competition, the U.S. Naval Institute's publication, USNI News, reports. The Canadian government plans to buy 15 Type 26 warships in a project now estimated by the Parliamentary Budget Officer to cost $70 billion. The project, known as Canadian Surface Combatant, is the largest single expenditure in Canadian government history. The Liberal government announced in February that it had entered into a contract with Irving Shipbuilding to acquire new warships based on the Type 26 design being built in the United Kingdom. With Canada ordering 15 of the warships, the Royal Canadian Navy will be the number one user of the Type 26 in the world. The United Kingdom had planned to buy 13 of the ships for its Royal Navy but cut that down to eight. Australia plans to buy nine of the vessels designed by BAE. But the Type 26 design is unproven. Construction of the first ship for the Royal Navy began in the summer of 2017 but that vessel is not expected to be accepted into service until 2025. Canada hopes to begin construction of its first Type 26 in the early 2020s. Alan Baribeau, a spokesman for U.S. Naval Sea Systems Command, told USNI News, the U.S. Navy requires a proven, in-the-water design for its future frigate program. “To promote and provide for full and open competition, the Navy will consider any hull form — foreign and domestic — that meets the requirements, will be built in a U.S. shipyard and has a parent design that has been through production and demonstrated (full scale) at sea,” Baribeau told USNI News. The entry of the BAE Type 26 warship in the Canadian competition was controversial from the start and sparked complaints the procurement process was skewed to favour that vessel. Previously the Liberal government had said only mature existing designs or designs of ships already in service with other navies would be accepted, on the grounds they could be built faster and would be less risky. Unproven designs can face challenges as problems are found once the vessel is in the water and operating. But the requirement for a mature design was changed and the government and Irving accepted the BAE design, though at the time it existed only on the drawing board. Company claims about what the Type 26 ship can do, including how fast it can go, are based on simulations or projections. The two other bidders in the Canadian program had ships actually in service with other navies so their capabilities were known. The Canadian Surface Combatant program is being run by Irving Shipbuilding to replace the navy's fleet of Halifax-class frigates and the Iroquois-class destroyers the navy previously operated. The updated estimate on the surface combatant program, compiled by the Parliamentary Budget Office and released June 21, covers the cost of project development, production of the ships, two years of spare parts and ammunition, training, government program management, upgrades to existing facilities, and applicable taxes. The previous Conservative government originally estimated the cost of the ships to be around $26 billion. The Department of National Defence now states that its estimate is between $56 billion and $60 billion. BAE Systems told USNI News that it would not be submitting any proposals for the U.S. FFG(X) program unless the U.S. Navy dumps its requirements for a proven hull design. The U.S. does not have any intention of changing its requirements. Four companies are expected to submit bids for the U.S. program– Austal USA, Fincantieri Marine, General Dynamics Bath Iron Works and Ingalls Shipbuilding – with deadlines of August 22 for technical proposals and September 26 for pricing proposals, the USNI News reported. The Canadian Surface Combatant program is currently in the development phase. The government projects the acquisition phase to begin in the early 2020s with deliveries to begin in the mid-2020s. The delivery of the 15th ship, slated for the late 2040s, will mark the end of that project. https://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/defence-watch/warship-selected-by-canada-wont-be-in-u-s-competition-americans-accepting-only-proven-designs

  • Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - March 22, 2019

    March 26, 2019 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security, Other Defence

    Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - March 22, 2019

    MISSLE DEFENSE AGENCY The Boeing Co., Huntsville, Alabama, was awarded $4,141,315,338 (contract modification HQ0147-19-C-0004 P00001), partially definitizing the $6,560,000,000 undefinitized contract action (UCA) issued Jan. 31, 2018, on contract HQ0147-12-C-0004, Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD) Development and Sustainment Contract (DSC). The UCA extended the DSC period of performance from January 2018 through December 2023, and added the requirements to execute the GMD portion of the presidential mandated and congressionally enacted Missile Defeat and Defense Enhancements. This effort includes delivery of a new missile field with 20 silos and two additional silos in a previously constructed missile field at Fort Greely, Alaska. The MDA is deferring the production of the 20 additional Ground Based Interceptors (GBIs) (estimated not to exceed (NTE) value of $1,300,000,000) at this time due to the delay associated with not meeting the entrance criteria for the Redesigned Kill Vehicle (RKV) critical design review. A portion of the effort to deliver 11 boost vehicles for flight tests and spares (estimated NTE value of $474,000,000) will remain under the UCA at this time. This modification brings the total cumulative value of the contract, including options, to $10,799,794,123. The definitized scope of work includes technical capabilities to expand and improve a state-of-the-art missile defense system to ensure defensive capabilities remain both relevant and current, to include but not limited to: Boost Vehicle (BV) development; providing GBI assets for labs and test events; development, integration, testing and deployment of ground systems software builds to address emerging threats; development and fielding of upgraded launch support equipment; expanded systems testing through all ground and flight testing; cyber security support and testing; and, operations and support via performance based logistics approach. Work will be performed at multiple locations, including Huntsville, Alabama; Fort Greely, Alaska; Vandenberg Air Force Base, California; Schriever AFB, Colorado; Peterson AFB, Colorado; Cheyenne Mountain Air Station, Colorado; Colorado Springs, Colorado; Tucson, Arizona; other contractor designated prime, subcontractor, and supplier operating locations; and other government designated sites. The definitized effort will be performed by an industry team consisting of The Boeing Co., Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems, Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Raytheon Co., and many other subcontractors. This acquisition was executed on a sole-source basis under the statutory authority of 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1), as implemented by Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1, only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. Boeing, as the GMD DSC prime contractor, along with its subcontractors, collectively have demonstrated special capabilities and/or expertise and that no other companies would have been able to satisfactorily perform the required services without unacceptable delays in fulfilling the agency's requirements. Fiscal 2018 and 2019 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $26,951,213 were obligated at the time of award. The Missile Defense Agency, Huntsville, Alabama, is the contracting activity. U.S. TRANSPORTATION COMMAND Twenty-five companies have been awarded a firm-fixed-price contract under the following Global Heavyweight Service, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, fixed-price contracts with an estimated value of $284,932,621: ABX Air Inc., Wilmington, Ohio (HTC71119DC002); Air Transport International Inc., Wilmington, Ohio (HTC71119DC003); Alaska Airlines Inc., Seattle, Washington (HTC71119DC004); Allegiant Air LLC, Las Vegas, Nevada (HTC71119DC005); American Airlines, Fort Worth, Texas (HTC71119DC006); Amerijet International Inc., Fort Lauderdale, Florida (HTC71119DC007); Atlas Air Inc., Purchase, New York (HTC71119DC008;) Delta Air Lines Inc., Atlanta, Georgia (HTC71119DC009); Federal Express Corp., Washington, District of Columbia (HTC71119DC010); Hawaiian Airlines, Honolulu, Hawaii (HTC71119DC011); Jet Blue, Long Island City, New York (HTC71119DC012); Kalitta Air LLC, Ypsilanti, Michigan (HTC71119DC013); Lynden Air Cargo LLC, Anchorage, Alaska (HTC71119DC014); Miami Air International Inc., Miami, Florida (HTC71119DC015); MN Airlines, doing business as Sun Country, Eagan, Minnesota (HTC71119DC016); National Air Cargo Group Inc., Orlando, Florida (HTC71119DC017); Northern Air Cargo Inc., Anchorage, Alaska (HTC71119DC018); Omni Air International LLC, Tulsa, Oklahoma (HTC71119DC019); Polar Air Cargo Worldwide Inc., Purchase, New York (HTC71119DC020); Southwest Airlines, Dallas, Texas (HTC71119DC021); Tantonduk Outfitters Ltd., Fairbanks, Alaska (HTC71119DC022); United Airlines Inc., Chicago, Illinois (HTC71119DC023); United Parcel Service Co. (UPS), Louisville, Kentucky (HTC71119DC024); USA Jet Airlines, Belleville, Michigan (HTC71119DC025); and Western Global Airlines (WGA), Estero, Florida (HTC71119DC026). This contract provides heavyweight delivery services for domestic and international shipments. Services shall be provided for the Department of Defense, other federal government agencies, and contractors who have a cost-reimbursable contract line item number under another government contract which includes transportation of freight (cost-reimbursable contractors). Services required include door-to-door, time-definite, pick-up and delivery, transportation, timely and accurate shipment tracking, government Third Party Payment System participation, customs clearance processing (if applicable) and shipment data reporting. Work will be performed internationally and domestically, with an expected completion date of Sept. 30, 2022. Ordering is decentralized and funding is provided by multiple government agencies. U.S. Transportation Command, Directorate of Acquisition, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, is the contracting activity. (Awarded March 19, 2019) AAR Airlift Group Inc., Palm Bay, Florida, has been awarded a task order modification (HTC711-18-F-R029 P00005) on contract HTC711-17-D-R016 in the amount of $34,093,983. This modification provides continued support of NATO Air Command-Afghanistan/Combined Security Transition Command. The services provide dedicated rotary wing air transportation to move passengers, cargo, and human remains as well as perform casualty evacuation in support of the Afghan Air Force within the borders of the government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. The option period of performance is from March 19, 2019, to March 18, 2020. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2018 and 2019 Afghanistan Security Force Funds (Army). This modification brings the total cumulative face value of the task order to $67,575,617 from $33,481,634. U.S. Transportation Command, Directorate of Acquisition, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, is the contracting activity. (Awarded March 19, 2019) NAVY Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Herndon, Virginia, is awarded a $245,048,211 firm-fixed-price modification to previously awarded contract N00024-17-C-6327 to exercise options for the Joint Counter-Radio-Controlled Improvised Explosive Device Electronic Warfare (JCREW) Increment 1 Block 1 (I1B1) systems full-rate production in support of the Expeditionary Warfare Program Office. CREW systems are designed to provide protection for foot soldiers, vehicles and permanent structures. The JCREW I1B1 system is the first-generation system that develops a common open architecture across all three capabilities and provides protection for worldwide military operations. This integrated design maximizes commonality across all capabilities, reduces life cycle costs and provides increased protection against worldwide threats. Work will be performed in San Diego, California, and is expected to be completed by January 2021. Foreign military sales funding from the government of Australia in the amount of $2,159,560 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. Patriot Contract Services LLC, Concord, California, is awarded a $77,030,190 modification for the fixed-price portion of a previously awarded contract (N0003314C3210). This modification is for a 12-month bridge contract for the operation and maintenance of eight government-owned Watson-class large medium-speed roll-on/roll-off ships. The ships will continue to support Military Sealift Command's worldwide prepositioning requirements. Work will be performed at sea worldwide beginning April 1, 2019, and is expected to be completed by March 31, 2020. Working capital funds (Navy and Transportation) funds in the amount of $77,030,190 are obligated at the time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract extension was not competitively procured. The contract was prepared in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1 and 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1). The U.S. Navy's Military Sealift Command, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity. L-3 Chesapeake Sciences Corp., Millersville, Maryland, is being awarded a $43,094,331 fixed-price-incentive, firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee, cost-type modification to previously-awarded contract N00024-16-C-6251 to exercise options for the production of TB-29C towed arrays. Work will be performed in Liverpool, New York (48 percent); Millersville, Maryland (32 percent); and Ashaway, Rhode Island (20 percent), and is expected to be completed by January 2022. Fiscal 2018 and 2019 other procurement (Navy); and fiscal 2016 and 2017 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funding in the amount of $43,094,331 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. Rolls-Royce Marine North America Inc., Walpole, Massachusetts, is being awarded a $32,462,990 firm-fixed-price delivery order (N0002419F4123) under previously-awarded contract N00024-19-G-4108 for two spare MT30 and one MT5S Marine Gas Turbine Engines (MGTEs). The material procured under this basic ordering agreement will build a rotatable pool of spare MT30 and MT5S MGTEs and related material. These MGTEs are installed in LCS 1-variant littoral combat ships (hulls 5 through 25 only) and DDG 1000-class destroyers. Work will be performed in Bristol, United Kingdom (93 percent); and Indianapolis, Indiana (7 percent), and is expected to be completed by March 2021. Fiscal 2018 other procurement (Navy); and fiscal 2019 other procurement (Navy) funding in the amount of $32,462,990 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured, in accordance with 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1) (only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements). The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. Bell Boeing Joint Program Office, Amarillo, Texas, is being awarded an $18,663,905 modification (P00003) to a firm-fixed-price delivery order (N0001919F0305) against a previously issued basic ordering agreement (N00019-17-G-0002). This modification exercises an option to procure 60 MV-22 Proprotor Hub spring and drive link kits for the Marine Corps; and 10 CV-22 Proprotor Hub spring and drive link kits and six CV-22 Hub Spring Mod spare kits for the Air Force. Additionally, this modification provides for the procurement of 12 interim spare drive links, three interim spare hub springs and nine proprotor hub spring and drive link kits in support of the government of Japan. Work will be performed in Amarillo, Texas, and is expected to be completed in March 2021. Fiscal 2019 aircraft procurement (Navy and Air Force); and Foreign Military Sales funds in the amount of $18,663,905 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This modification combines purchases for the Marine Corps ($13,355,718; 72 percent), the Air Force ($2,891,600; 15 percent); and the government of Japan ($2,416,587; 13 percent). The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY SRI International, Menlo Park, California, has been awarded a maximum $87,707,816 long-term, indefinite-delivery, hybrid cost-plus-fixed-fee, firm-fixed-price, requirements type contract for the generalized emulation of microcircuits production program. 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 contract with one six-month option period. Locations of performance are New Jersey and California, with a Jan. 31, 2024, performance completion date. Using military services are Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps. Type of appropriations are fiscal 2019 through 2024 operations and maintenance; and defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime, Columbus, Ohio (SPE7MX-19-D-0025). Moog Inc., Elma, New York, has been awarded a maximum $18,618,768 firm-fixed-price requirements-type contract in support of the F/A-18 aircraft. 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 three-year contract with no option periods. Locations of performance are New York and California, with a March 21, 2022, performance completion date. Using military service is Navy. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2022 Navy working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE4AX-17-D-9415). Top Flight Aerostructures Inc.,* Dallas, Georgia, has been awarded a maximum $10,000,000 modification (P00006) exercising the two-year option period of a three-year base contract (SPRWA1-16-D-0007) with one two-year option period for consumable and depot-level repairables for C5 panels. This is a firm-fixed-price contract. Location of performance is Georgia, with a March 22, 2021, performance completion date. Using military service is Air Force. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2021 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Richmond, Virginia. Aero Components Inc.,* Fort Worth, Texas, has been awarded a maximum $10,000,000 modification (P00008) exercising the two-year option period of a three-year base contract (SPRWA1-16-D-0002) with one two-year option period for consumable and depot-level repairables for C5 panels. This is a firm-fixed-price contract. Location of performance is Texas, with a March 22, 2021, performance completion date. Using military service is Air Force. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2021 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Richmond, Virginia. Truman Arnold Companies, doing business as TAC Air, Fort Smith, Arkansas, has been awarded a minimum $7,376,860 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment contract for fuel. This was a competitive acquisition with 148 responses received. This is a 47-month contract with a six-month option period. Location of performance is Arkansas, with a March 31, 2023, performance completion date. Using customers are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and federal civilian agencies. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2023 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Energy, Fort Belvoir, Virginia (SPE607-19-D-0026). The Boeing Co., Seattle, Washington, has been awarded a maximum $7,123,294 firm-fixed-price delivery order (SPRPA1-19-F-MQ03) against a five-year basic ordering agreement (SPE4A1-19-G-0013) with no option periods for turret drive units for the P-8 aircraft. 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, two-month contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Washington, with a May 30, 2024, performance completion date. Using customers are Navy and Foreign Military Sales to the United Kingdom. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2024 Navy working capital funds and foreign military sales funding. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. AIR FORCE Range Generation Next, LLC (RGNext), Sterling, Virginia, has been awarded an $81,597,046 fixed-price-incentive-firm modification (P00231) to previously awarded contract FA8806-15-C-0001 for Launch and Test Range System Integrated Support Contract operations, maintenance, and sustainment. This modification provides for support of an increase in operational requirements. Work will be performed primarily at the Western Range at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California; and the Eastern Range at Patrick Air Force Base, Florida. Work is expected to be complete by Sept. 30, 2022. No funds are being obligated at the time of award. Space and Missile Systems Center, Peterson AFB, Colorado, is the contracting activity (FA8806-15-C-0001). L-3 Communications, Greenville, Texas, has been awarded a $48,417,986 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification (P00005) to previously to previously awarded delivery order FA8620-18-F-4801, against basic ordering agreement FA8620-16-G-3027, for an additional engineering effort. This modification provides for non-recurring engineering for the design effort of the ground system. Work will be performed in Greenville, Texas, and is expected to be complete by Dec. 24, 2021. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition, and contract involves 100 percent foreign military sales. Foreign military sales funds in the full amount are being obligated at the time of award. This modification brings the total cumulative face value of the contract to $258,236,191. The 645th Aeronautical Systems Group, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity. General Dynamics, Ordnance and Tactical Systems, Niceville, Florida, has been awarded a $27,600,096 firm-fixed-price modification (P00012) to previously awarded contract FA8681-16-C-0002 for the BLU-134/B Improved Lethality Warhead. This modification provides for the exercise of an option for a quantity of BLU-134/B warheads produced under the basic development contract. Work will be performed in Niceville, Florida, and is expected to be complete by Sept. 30, 2020. Fiscal year 2019 procurement funds in the full amount are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, is the contracting activity. Atmospheric and Environmental Research (AER), Lexington, Massachusetts, has been awarded a $21,559,320 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for research and development. This contract will provide for comprehensive, next-generation space environment model development, verification and validation, space environment related product development support, and design/prototyping of advanced space weather sensors. Work will be performed in Lexington, Massachusetts; and Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico, and is expected to be complete by July 1, 2024. The award is the result of a competitive acquisition and four offers were received. Research and development funds in the amount of $2,107,785 are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Research Laboratory, Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico, is the contracting activity (FA9453-19-C-0400). The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Missouri, has been awarded a not-to-exceed $20,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for Advanced Turbine Technologies for Affordable Mission-Capability Phase I. This contract provides for the development, demonstration, and transition of advanced turbine propulsion, power and thermal technologies that provide improvement in affordable mission capability. Work will be performed in St. Louis, Missouri, and is expected to be complete by March 2027. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition and 54 offers were received. Fiscal 2018 and 2019 research and development funds in the amounts of $5,000 and $315,000, respectively, are being obligated on the first task order at the time of award. Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8650-19-D-2055). Boston College, Institute for Scientific Research, Boston, Massachusetts, has been awarded a $10,632,835 cost reimbursable contract for research and development. This contract provides for extending and exploiting existing tools, assets and information to maximize near-term benefits to the government, while simultaneously generating new ideas, innovations and basic research for next-generation technologies promising new, in some cases revolutionary, capabilities for the warfighter. Work will be performed at Boston College, Massachusetts; and Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico; and a few other locations in the U.S., and is expected to be complete by April 1, 2024. The award is the result of a competitive acquisition and four offers were received. Fiscal 2019 research and development funds in the amount of $681,932 are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Research Laboratory, Kirtland AFB, New Mexico, is the contracting activity (FA9453-19-C-0401). Lockheed Martin Corp. Rotary and Mission Systems, King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, been awarded a $9,127,496 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM) Enterprise Management System 8.0. This contract provides for enhancements to the software package known as the JASSM Enterprise Management System. Work will be performed in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, and is expected to be complete by March 21, 2020. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $7,950,826 are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Eglin, Air Force Base, Florida, is the contracting activity (FA8682-19-C-0012). General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc., Poway, California, has been awarded a not-to-exceed $8,925,748 undefinitized contract action for the France MQ-9 Block 1 Weapons integration effort. This contract provides for the production and integration of weapons kits onto the French Air Force MQ-9 Block 1 aircraft. Work will be performed in Poway, California, and is expected to be complete by Sept. 30, 2020. This contract involves 100 percent foreign military sales to France. Foreign military sales funds in the amount of $4,373,617 are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8620-19-F-2388). Summit Technical Solutions LLC, Colorado Springs, Colorado, has been awarded a $7,399,030 modification (P00024) to previously awarded contract FA2517-17-C-8000 for the Perimeter Acquisition Radar Attack Characterization System (PARCS). This modification provides for the exercise of Option Year Two and the management, operation, maintenance and logistical support of PARCS. Work will be performed at Cavalier Air Force Station, North Dakota, and is expected to be complete by April 30, 2020. Fiscal 2019 operational and maintenance funds in the amount of $6,825,574; and fiscal 2018 other procurement funds in the amount of $882,912 are being obligated at the time of award. This modification brings the total cumulative face value of the contract to $46,920,785. The 21st Contracting Squadron, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado, is the contracting activity. ARMY U.S. Facilities Inc., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was awarded a $20,047,415 firm-fixed-price contract for Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway facilities operations and maintenance. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will be performed in Chesapeake, Virginia, with an estimated completion date of April 1, 2024. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance Army funds in the amount of $3,792,940 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (W91236-19-C-0008). The Urban Collaborative LLC,* Eugene, Oregon (W912BV-19-D-0004); HB&A - The Schreifer Group JV,* Colorado Springs, Colorado (W912BV-19-D-0005); and Onyx of Alexandria Inc.,* Alexandria, Virginia (W912BV-19-D-0006), will compete for each order of the $20,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for investigative studies, design services and other support services. Bids were solicited via the internet with six received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of March 21, 2024. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Tulsa, Oklahoma, is the contracting activity. Valley Foods Inc.,* Youngstown, Ohio, was awarded a $10,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for subsistence items and meals for the Virginia National Guard. 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. 29, 2024. U.S. Property and Fiscal Office Virginia is the contracting activity (W912LQ-19-D-0001). Goodfellow Bros. Inc., Wenatchee, Washington, was awarded a $6,917,330 modification (P00001) to contract W912CN-18-D-0008 for rock crushing services at Pohakuloa Training Area, Hawaii. 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 April 23, 2023. 413th Combat Support Brigade, Hawaii, is the contracting activity. *Small business https://dod.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/1793336/

  • Boeing gets U.S. approval to offer F-15EX to India

    January 29, 2021 | International, Aerospace

    Boeing gets U.S. approval to offer F-15EX to India

    By Aditi Shah Boeing will compete with Sweden's Gripen and France's Rafale among others for the Indian air force's plan to buy 114 multi-role aircraft to replace its Soviet-era fleet. Ankur Kanaglekar, director, India Fighters Lead, Boeing Defense, Space & Security, told reporters discussions on the F-15EX had taken place earlier between the two governments. “Now that we have the marketing licence it allows us to talk to the Indian Air Force directly about the capability of the fighter. We have started doing that in a small way,” he said, adding conversations were expected to gather pace during the Aero India show next week. India and the United States have built close defence ties, with the Indian military buying over $20 billion worth of weapons in the last 15 years. Lockheed Martin is also pitching its F-21 fighter to the Indian air force, offering to build the plane in the country to win the deal estimated to be worth more than $18 billion. Boeing is bullish on India for both its defence and commercial aviation businesses, even as the COVID-19 pandemic has hit demand for air travel, forcing airlines to first get their finances in order before ordering new planes. Boeing expects domestic passenger traffic to return to 2019 levels by the end of this year, Salil Gupte, the company's India head said, adding international traffic would return to pre-COVID levels only by 2023. One of the planemaker's biggest customers is Indian low-cost carrier SpiceJet Ltd, which has a large order for its narrowbody 737 MAX planes. Boeing on Wednesday got the green light from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) to return its 737 MAX planes to service after a 22-month ban and Gupte said it was working to get approvals from the Indian regulator. https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSKBN29X0UP

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