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  April 6, 2021 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security

  Contracts for April 5, 2021

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  January 10, 2020 | International, Aerospace, C4ISR

  U.S. satellites, intercepts of Iranian communications could support claims missile destroyed passenger jet

  DAVID PUGLIESE, OTTAWA CITIZEN Updated: January 10, 2020 Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Thursday that Canada has intelligence indicating a Ukrainian passenger jet that crashed outside Tehran was shot down by an Iranian-surface-to-air missile. Trudeau declined to get into details about where that information came from but U.S. missile defence satellites likely played a key role in providing some of that intelligence data. Ukrainian International Airlines Flight 752 was destroyed Wednesday shortly after it took off from Tehran. All 176 people on board died, including 63 Canadians. “We have intelligence from multiple sources, including our allies and our own intelligence,” Trudeau said at a news conference Thursday. “The evidence indicates that the plane was shot down by an Iranian surface-to-air missile.” U.S. officials were already stating the same conclusion earlier in the day. The U.S. has a constellation of missile warning satellites that are equipped with various sensors that use, among other capabilities, infrared technologies to detect the launch of a rocket. Many of the details about how the system works and transfers information are secret. But the Space Based Infrared System or SBIRS consists of four main satellites, each costing more than $2 billion. The first was launched in 2011 and the latest put in orbit in 2018. The U.S. military also has the capability to intercept communications between Iranian commanders and anti-aircraft missile batteries which would have provided the Pentagon insight into what might have transpired around the time the Ukrainian passenger jet crashed. Canada also has its own communications intelligence gathering capabilities which are considered top notch. The Canadian government didn't release any information on what type of surface-to-air missile could have been involved. But photos that are said to have been taken near the crash site have been circulating on social media. IHS Markit, which includes the Jane's military publications, reported that the photographs appeared to show the guidance portion of a Russian-built Tor SA-15 short-range, surface-to-air missile. Russia sold 29 Tor systems to Iran in 2007. The system is designed for destroying aircraft, helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles. It can hit targets up to 12 kilometres away. U.S. government officials also told CBS News that American surveillance systems detected that shortly before the Ukrainian airline crash, Iranian anti-aircraft radars were activated. U.S. surveillance satellites then detected two heat signatures, believed to be the launch of two SA-15 missiles, according to CBS. Another heat signature detected shortly after was believed to be the Ukrainian passenger jet exploding. But why would the Iranians allegedly shoot down an aircraft full of its own citizens? Human error or bad intelligence could be to blame. The crash took place just hours after Iran launched ballistic missiles against American bases in Iraq in retaliation for the U.S. assassination of a top Iranian general in Bagdad. Iran's anti-aircraft missile crews would have been on high alert for any U.S. military response. “This may well have been unintentional,” Trudeau said of the alleged missile launch. U.S. President Donald Trump, like Trudeau, has also suggested the crash could have been the result of a mistake. “It was flying in a pretty rough neighborhood,” the president said of the Ukraine Airlines passenger jet. “Someone could have made a mistake on the other side.” Iran, however, denies that the aircraft was shot down by one of its missiles. Iranian Gen. Abolfazl Shekarchi dismissed such allegations as “psychological warfare” being spread by foreign-based Iranian opposition groups. Ali Abedzadeh of Iran's Civil Aviation Organization also dismissed such claims. “Scientifically, it is impossible that a missile hit the Ukrainian plane and such rumors are illogical,” he stated. He noted that several domestic and foreign flights were flying at the same altitude of 8,000 feet as the Ukrainian passenger jet at the time of the incident. But shortly before the crash, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration announced an emergency flight restriction for U.S. airlines flying over areas of Iraq and Iran. The FAA warned of the “potential for miscalculation or misidentification” of civilian planes because of increased military tensions in those areas. https://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/defence-watch/u-s-satellites-intercepts-of-iranian-communications-could-support-claims-missile-destroyed-passenger-jet

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  January 2, 2019 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security

  Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - December 31, 2018

  ARMY Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Co. LLC, Oak Brook, Illinois, was awarded a $92,551,470 firm-fixed-price contract for channel improvement project, entrance channel with extension, and dredging. Bids were solicited via the internet with two received. Work will be performed in Corpus Christi, Texas, with an estimated completion date of Jan. 31, 2020. Fiscal 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 operations and maintenance; general construction; and non-federal funds in the combined amount of $92,551,470 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Galveston, Texas, is the contracting activity (W912HY-19-C-0002). BAE Systems Ordnance Systems Inc., Radford, Virginia, was awarded an $89,520,585 modification (0053 09) to contract W52P1J-11-G-0053 for operations and maintenance of Radford Army Ammunition Plant. Work will be performed in Radford, Virginia, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 31, 2019. Fiscal 2010, 2016 and 2017 other procurement, Army funds in the combined amount of $8,929,605 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois, is the contracting activity. BAE Systems Ordnance Systems Inc., Kingsport, Tennessee, was awarded a $74,756,071 modification (P00678) to contract DAAA09-98-E-0006 for Building G-3 NQ/RDX recrystallization construction at Holston Army Ammunition Plant. Work will be performed in Kingsport, Tennessee, with an estimated completion date of Nov. 30, 2021. Fiscal 2018 other procurement, Army funds in the amount of $74,756,071 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois, is the contracting activity. Honeywell International Inc., Phoenix, Arizona, was awarded a $20,335,554 modification (P00100) to contract W56HZV-12-C-0344 for hardware services. Work will be performed in Phoenix, Arizona, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 31, 2019. Fiscal 2019 other procurement, Army; and Army working capital funds in the amount of $20,335,554 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Warren, Michigan, is the contracting activity. STG Inc.,* Reston, Virginia, was awarded a $17,098,410 modification (P00011) to contract W91RUS-18-C-0007 for information technology support services. Work will be performed in Fort Huachuca, Arizona, with an estimated completion date of June 30, 2019. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance Army funds in the amount of $17,098,410 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity. Melwood Horticultural Training Center Inc., Upper Marlboro, Maryland, was awarded a $9,986,235 modification (P00014) to contract W91QV1-18-C-0008 for base operations. Work will be performed in Fort Meade, Maryland, with an estimated completion date of June 30, 2019. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $9,986,235 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Mission and Installation Contracting Command, Fort Belvoir, Virginia, is the contracting activity. AIR FORCE DynCorp International LLC, Fort Worth, Texas, has been awarded a $75,020,715 firm-fixed-price contract for rotary wing aircraft maintenance. This contract provides for services to support all management, personnel, equipment and services necessary to perform 811th Operations Group rotary wing flight line maintenance. Work will be performed at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, and is expected to be complete by June 30, 2024. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition and five offers were received. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $28,555, are being obligated at the time of award. 11th Contracting Squadron, Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, is the contracting activity (FA2860-19-C-0005). (Awarded Dec. 27, 2018) Pinnacle Solutions Inc., Huntsville, Alabama, has been awarded a $20,562,123 firm-fixed-price modification (P00040) to previously awarded contract FA8621-16-C-6281 for support of the KC-10 training system. This modification provides for the exercise of the fourth year option and incorporates within scope changes to contractual requirements resulting from a mutual agreement of the parties, and brings the total cumulative face value of the contract to $100,583,419. Work will be performed at Travis Air Force Base, California; Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey; and Fairfield, California. Work is expected to be complete by Dec. 31, 2019. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $20,316,980 are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, is the contracting activity. *Small business https://dod.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/1722766/source/GovDelivery/