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February 16, 2018 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR

La France va adapter son « secret-défense » pour mieux échanger avec ses alliés

Le niveau de classification « confidentiel défense » sera supprimé d'ici à fin 2019.

LE MONDE | 30.01.2018 à 16h17 • Mis à jour le 31.01.2018 à 11h15 | Par Nathalie Guibert

Le « secret-défense » occupe une place centrale dans la démocratie française : 400 000 personnes habilitées dans l'appareil d'Etat en 2017, 4 000 officiers de sécurité dans les entreprises et les administrations, 5 millions de documents classifiés et un accès parcimonieux imposé aux archives historiques.

Il va être réformé d'ici à fin 2019, a annoncé le secrétariat général pour la défense et la sécurité nationale (SGDSN) mardi 30 janvier, en dévoilant ces chiffres. Cet organe dépendant du premier ministre publie son deuxième rapport sur le sujet en espérant en faire « la pédagogie auprès du Parlement et de l'opinion ».

Une concertation interministérielle est en cours pour satisfaire deux priorités : « Faciliter les échanges de données avec les pays alliés en alignant les niveaux de classification » et « améliorer la protection de l'information classifiée dématérialisée face à la menace cyber ». Les grands alliés de la France, les Etats-Unis et le Royaume-Uni en tête, ont des classifications équivalentes et la réforme aura pour but de faciliter les échanges de renseignement bilatéraux, mais aussi dans l'OTAN et au sein de l'Union européenne (UE), qui ont édicté des cadres communs.

De trois à deux niveaux de classification

Paris a signé 41 accords généraux de sécurité avec des Etats étrangers, rappelle le SGDSN. Dans le cadre des exportations d'armement, le volet protection du secret est majeur : il a fait l'objet d'un long travail pour aboutir à un accord gouvernemental particulier entre la France et l'industriel Naval Group (ex-DCNS) dans le cadre de la vente de sous-marins à l'Australie. Les autorités de Canberra s'étaient vivement inquiétées après des fuites de données sur le précédent contrat de vente de navires à l'Inde.

l s'agit également de simplifier les procédures, afin « d'éviter une inflation inutile de données classifiées », assure le secrétaire général, Louis Gautier, alors que chercheurs, juges d'instruction et associations de défense des droits de l'homme critiquent aujourd'hui les excès du secret-défense.

Des trois niveaux de classification – « confidentiel défense », « secret défense » et « très secret défense » – seul les deux derniers subsisteront. Dans les faits, la grande majorité des informations, classées « confidentiel défense » seront intégrées au niveau supérieur « secret défense » (10 % des documents aujourd'hui).

Au sein du « très secret », une classification spéciale « X secret » sera apposée sur les informations les plus sensibles, accessibles à des groupes très restreints de personnes (moins d'une dizaine) et bénéficiant de réseaux de transmission particuliers.

Entrent dans la classification la plus haute la plupart des documents opérationnels (opérations militaires, de chiffrement, cyber-opérations), ainsi que les données de recherche présentant un risque de prolifération pour des armes de destruction massive et les informations de la dissuasion nucléaire.

Faciliter l'accès aux archives historiques

Ainsi, « une note informant le président de la République du mode d'action et du pays responsable d'une attaque informatique contre une entreprise, qui pouvait relever du “confidentiel” sera à l'avenir “secret défense” ; le planning de sortie des sous-marins nucléaires sera classé “très secret” ; et les plans de renouvellement des armes nucléaires sera “X secret” », illustre un spécialiste du SGDSN.

Le gouvernement « réfléchit » par ailleurs à un moyen de faciliter l'accès aux archives historiques, avec un système d'ouverture semi-automatisé lorsque les dates de prescription (50 ans ou 100 ans selon les cas) sont atteintes.

La mandature de François Hollande a été marquée par un « effort de déclassification », assure encore le SGDSN, avec 3 672 documents déclassifiés par le ministère de l'intérieur, 2 569 par celui des armées, et 38 par celui de l'agriculture pour l'année 2016.

Le SGDSN cite la promesse d'ouvrir les archives de l'Elysée sur le génocide du Rwanda. Mais cet engagement de 2015 n'a pas été suivi d'effets, avait dénoncé dans Le Monde en août 2017 un collectif d'historiens et d'avocats. Le président de la République Emmanuel Macron a pour sa part promis en novembre 2017 lors de sa visite au Burkina Faso de déclassifier la part française des archives relatives à l'ancien président Thomas Sankara, assassiné lors d'un putsch dans ce pays en 1987.

Une dizaine de procédures sont en cours devant la justice pénale pour compromission du secret-défense, dont deux concernent des officiers du ministère des armées.

http://www.lemonde.fr/politique/article/2018/01/30/la-france-va-adapter-son-secret-defense-pour-mieux-echanger-avec-ses-allies_5249279_823448.html

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  • Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - February 18, 2020

    February 19, 2020 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security

    Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - February 18, 2020

    NAVY East Coast Repair & Fabrication LLC,* Norfolk, Virginia (N00024-20-D-4411; Lot 1) (N00024-20-D-4413; Lot 2); and Colonna's Shipyard Inc.,* Norfolk, Virginia (N00024-20-D-4412; Lot 1) (N00024-20-D-4414; Lot 2), are awarded firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contracts for ship repair, maintenance and modernization of non-nuclear surface ships assigned to or visiting Norfolk, Virginia, via the rolling admissions solicitation process. Awards reflecting the final option period under Lot 1 have a maximum ceiling value of $250,000,000; awards reflecting the final option period under Lot 2 have a maximum ceiling value of $100,000,000. At the time of the IDIQ awards, each awardee under both Lot 1 and Lot 2 will receive the $10,000 minimum guarantee via delivery order. These multiple award IDIQ contracts are for repair, maintenance and modernization of non-nuclear Navy surface ships undergoing Chief of Naval Operations-scheduled maintenance availabilities in Norfolk, Virginia. These availabilities can be docking or non-docking availabilities and will be procured via competitive delivery order solicitations amongst the IDIQ contract holder. Each awardee of a delivery order for an availability will provide the facilities and human resources capable of completing, coordinating and integrating multiple areas of ship maintenance, repair and modernization. Work will be performed in Norfolk, Virginia, and is expected to be completed by February 2021. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Navy) funding in the amount of $10,000 per delivery order (four delivery orders total; $40,000 total) will be obligated at time of each IDIQ award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. These contracts were competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities website, with two offers received in response to solicitation N00024-19-R-4412. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. Rolls-Royce Corp., Indianapolis, Indiana, is awarded a $62,400,402 modification (P00016) to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (N00019-17-C-0081). This modification exercises an option to procure 29 AE1107C engines for Navy V-22 aircraft. Work will be performed in Indianapolis, Indiana, and is expected to be completed December 2021. Fiscal 2019 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $21,517,380; and fiscal 2020 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $40,883,022 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. General Atomics, San Diego, California, is awarded a $25,200,747 cost-plus-fixed-fee delivery order (N00019-20-F-0521) against a previously issued basic ordering agreement (N00019-16-G-0006). This delivery order procures Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) Depot Planning Phase II efforts, including depot level logistics support analysis, engineering support for logistics, supportability analysis, maintenance planning, reliability maintenance, technical manual development and engineering support as it directly correlates to depot planning for the USS Gerald Ford (CVN 78) and USS John F. Kennedy (CVN 79). Additional efforts include those required to complete the Depot Planning EMALS logistics products necessary in support of an in-service EMALS. Work will be performed in San Diego, California (99.9%); and Tupelo, Mississippi (0.1%), and is expected to be completed February 2022. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $4,787,000 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. Boston Ship Repair LLC, Boston, Massachusetts, is awarded a $14,358,866 firm-fixed-price contract (N32205-20-C-4006) for a 90-calendar day shipyard availability for the overhaul dry-docking availability of USNS John Lenthall (T-AO 189). The $14,358,866 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, hull steel replacement, tank painting, stability testing, degaussing conduit removal from tanks and inserting bulkheads, diesel engine repair, structural steel gauging surveys, flight deck non-skid, flight deck safety net inspection and weight testing, steel replacement and underway replenishment systems repairs. The contract includes options, which, if exercised, would bring the total contract value to $16,867,699. Funds will be obligated Feb. 18, 2020. Work will be performed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and is expected to begin on March 9, 2020, and is expected to be completed by June 6, 2020. Fiscal 2020 Navy working capital funds in the amount of $14,358,866 excluding options, are obligated at the time of the award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured, with proposals solicited via the Federal Business Opportunities website and two offers were received. The Navy Military Sealift Command, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity. General Atomics, Electromagnetics Systems Group, San Diego, California, is awarded a $10,364,470 modification (P00047) to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (N00019-14-C-0037). This modification procures hardware and installation support services for the System Functional Demonstrator and Shipset Control Lab sites for the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System. Work will be performed in San Diego, California (95%); and Tupelo, Mississippi (5%), and is expected to be completed December 2021. Fiscal 2018 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funds in the amount of $10,364,470 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. DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Coastal Pacific Food Distributors Inc., Stockton, California, has been awarded a maximum $246,750,000 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment, indefinite-quantity contract for full-line food distribution. This was a competitive acquisition with two responses received. This is a five-year contract with no option periods. Locations of performance are California and Washington state, with a Feb. 15, 2025, performance completion date. Using military service is Navy. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2025 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE300-20-D-3259). Sysco Seattle Inc., Kent, Washington, has been awarded a maximum $176,250,000 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment, indefinite-quantity contract for full-line food distribution. This was a competitive acquisition with two responses received. This is a five-year contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Washington state, with a Feb. 15, 2025, performance completion date. Using military services are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2025 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE300-20-D-3260). Science Applications International Corp., Fairfield, New Jersey, has been awarded a maximum $90,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for facilities maintenance, repair and operations items. 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 an 18-month bridge contract with no option periods. Location of performance is the Southwest Region Zone 2 of the U.S., with an Aug. 18, 2021, performance completion date. Using military services are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2021 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE8E3-20-D-0007). SupplyCore Inc.,* Rockford, Illinois, has been awarded a maximum $90,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for facilities maintenance, repair and operations items. 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 an 18-month bridge contract with no option periods. Location of performance is the Southwest Region Zone 1 of the U.S., with an Aug. 18, 2021, performance completion date. Using military services are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard. Type of appropriate is fiscal 2020 through 2021 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE8E3-20-D-0006). ARMY 313 Industries Inc.,* Warren, Michigan (W56HZV-20-D-L001); Mettle Craft Manufacturing LLC,* Sterling Heights, Michigan (W56HZV-20-D-L002); Milton Manufacturing Inc.,* Detroit, Michigan (W56HZV-20-D-L003); and Rose-A-Lee Technologies Inc.,* Sterling Heights, Michigan (W56HZV-20-D-L004), will compete for each order of the $19,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract to provide surge support for build-to-print component requirements through fabrication and manufacturing for the Combat Capabilities Development Command Ground Vehicle System Center. Bids were solicited via the internet with four received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Feb. 15, 2025. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Detroit Arsenal, Michigan, is the contracting activity. Canco LLC,* Canton, Ohio, was awarded a $10,050,000 firm-fixed-price contract to replace an existing fire station. Bids were solicited via the internet with seven received. Work will be performed in Mansfield, Ohio, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 31, 2021. Fiscal 2019 -Air National Guard military construction funds in the amount of $10,050,000 were obligated at the time of the award. The United States Property and Fiscal Office, Columbus, Ohio, is the contracting activity (W50S8R-20-C-0003). U.S. TRANSPORTATION COMMAND Vane Line Bunkering Inc., Baltimore, Maryland, has been awarded contract modification P00040 on contract HTC711-13-C-W015 in the amount of $11,516,430. This modification provides continued transportation of bulk jet fuel and marine diesel fuel by barge for the Defense Logistics Agency-Energy in the Atlantic Region. Work will be performed in ports and points along the inland waterways and East Coast locations in the Atlantic Region. Period of performance is March 1, 2020, to Aug. 31, 2020. Fiscal 2020 defense working capital funds were obligated at award. This modification brings the total cumulative face value of the contract to $178,740,305 from $167,223,875. U.S. Transportation Command, Directorate of Acquisition, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, is the contracting activity. DEFENSE ADVANCED RESEARCH PROJECTS AGENCY Two Six Labs LLC,* Arlington, Virginia, has been awarded a $7,970,711 modification (P00008) to previously awarded contract HR0011-18-C-0134 for additional in-scope work under a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency research project. Work will be performed in Arlington, Virginia, with an expected completion date of September 2022. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation funding in the amount of $850,108 is being obligated at time of award. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting activity. *Small business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2086591/source/GovDelivery/

  • Exclusive: Trump administration advances $2.9 billion drone sale to UAE - sources

    November 6, 2020 | International, Aerospace

    Exclusive: Trump administration advances $2.9 billion drone sale to UAE - sources

    By Mike Stone, Patricia Zengerle WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. State Department gave Congress notification it plans to sell 18 sophisticated armed MQ-9B aerial drones to the United Arab Emirates in a deal worth as much as $2.9 billion, people briefed on the notification said. The move comes on the heels of last week's notification of a potential sale of F-35 fighter jets to the middle-eastern country. This would mark the first armed drone export since the Trump administration reinterpreted a Cold War-era arms agreement between 34 nations to allow U.S. defense contractors to sell more drones to allies. Reuters has reported that UAE has long shown interest in purchasing drones from the United States and would be among the first customers in line after U.S. export policy changed this summer. A $600 million deal to sell four unarmed but weapons-ready MQ-9B SeaGuardian drones to Taiwan was the first to be formally notified to Congress on Tuesday. This informal notification for the Reaper-style drones is the precursor to the State Department's formal and public notification. The U.S. Senate Foreign Relations and House of Representatives Foreign Affairs committees - whose members have criticized UAE's role in civilian deaths in Yemen's civil war - have the ability to review and block weapons sales under an informal review process before the State Department sends its formal notification to the legislative branch. The U.S. State Department may wait to formally notify Congress of the sale once staff and members are briefed on the potential sale, one of the people said. The formal notification gives Congress 30 days to object to any sales. A U.S. State Department spokesman told Reuters, “As a matter of policy, the United States does not confirm or comment on proposed defense sales or transfers until they are formally notified to Congress.” The armed MQ-9B drones will also be equipped with maritime radar and could be delivered in 2024. The package notified to Congress is for 15 with an option for three additional drones, one of the people said. The UAE is also seeking a package of Boeing Co EA-18G Growlers, an electronic warfare version of the two-seat F/A-18F Super Hornet aircraft, that are capable of jamming radar and other advanced capabilities. Growlers are operated buy the U.S. and Australia. The United Arab Emirates, one of Washington's closest Middle East allies, has long expressed interest in acquiring the stealthy F-35 jets and was promised a chance to buy them in a side deal made when they agreed to normalize relations with Israel. The informal notification for 50 Lockheed Martin Co F-35 jets was made on Oct. 29. But any deal the U.S. makes to sell weapons in the region must satisfy decades of agreement with Israel where the U.S.-made weapon must not impair Israel's “qualitative military edge,” guaranteeing U.S. weapons furnished to Israel are “superior in capability” to those sold to its neighbors. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-emirates-drones-exclusive/exclusive-trump-administration-advances-2-9-billion-drone-sale-to-uae-sources-idUSKBN27M06L

  • En France, l’aviation de chasse est à la peine

    November 16, 2021 | International, Aerospace

    En France, l’aviation de chasse est à la peine

    DÉFENSE En France, l'aviation de chasse est à la peine Dans une vaste enquête, Air & Cosmos pointe les fortes tensions qui pèsent sur les flottes de l'armée française, en particulier dans le secteur stratégique de la chasse. Si au Sahel, 58% des frappes aériennes en 2020 ont été réalisées par des drones Reaper, cette efficacité apparait en partie due à la nature asymétrique du conflit qui se joue dans la bande sahélo-saharienne. Or, la plupart des autres conflits nécessiteront probablement des chasseurs, polyvalents, réactifs et adaptables. Dans ce contexte, l'Armée de l'Air et de l'Espace (AAE), qui s'est vu prélever 12 appareils à destination de la Grèce, fait face à une réduction de ses équipements, alors qu'au moins 12 autres avions devraient suivre afin d'honorer le contrat passé avec la Croatie. Une situation qui, d'après Air & Cosmos met à mal la situation de l'AAE, fragilisée par le manque de personnels (ses effectifs ont décru de 25% en quelques années) et les ponctions export. Une situation qui justifierait l'établissement d'un plan d'urgence pour assurer la modernisation et la soutenabilité des équipements des armées françaises. Air & Cosmos du 12 novembre

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