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  August 24, 2020 | International, Aerospace

  Rolls-Royce backs hypersonic-power specialist Reaction Engines with new investment

  By: Andrew Chuter LONDON – Rolls-Royce has formed a strategic partnership with British hypersonic-power experts Reaction Engines and is backing that up with a new investment in the company. The new partnership is aimed at developing high-speed propulsion systems for defense and civil applications as well as exploring Reaction Engines' key thermal management technology as part of Rolls-Royce's own gas turbine engines and hybrid-electric systems. Rolls-Royce will invest £20 million ($26 million) over the next two years, building on an initial equity investment made in 2018. Other investors like BAE Systems, Boeing Horizon-X and financial institutions could follow suit, said a Reaction Engines spokesman. The announcement comes as Rolls-Royce steps up its interest in supersonic flight. Earlier in August, Virgin Galactic revealed a delta-winged Mach 3 sub-orbital vehicle concept powered by Rolls-Royce. Earlier this year the British engine builder said it was collaborating with the U.S. company Boom Aerospace on propulsion options for a Mach 2.2 airliner called Overture. “We have been working closely with Reaction Engines for the past two years, including exploring the potential of high-Mach systems for defense applications, and I am delighted that we are able to strengthen that relationship,” said Mark Thompson, director of global strategy and business development at Rolls-Royce.” “Reaction Engines' thermal-management skills, added to our suite of existing technologies and capabilities, will further assist us as we explore opportunities in supersonic and hypersonic aviation,” Thompson added. The two companies have also been involved with BAE and the UK Ministry of Defence in the first phase of a contract related to high-Mach advanced propulsion systems which could eventually find their way on to the British Tempest sixth-generation combat aircraft development. Aerospace and defense consultant Howard Wheeldon, of Wheeldon Strategic Advisory, said the tie-up demonstrated the determination of both companies to be at the forefront of high-speed engine development going forward. “The future of aerospace development from here on is about creating greater efficiency of operation and sustainability. Speed, including supersonic and hypersonic aviation development, will be an important part of this, and high-Mach advanced propulsion systems combined with the potential to apply some of the developed Reaction Engines technology within existing gas turbine engines together with what this offers for future hybrid-electric systems is of huge importance to a world-leading aerospace company such as Rolls-Royce,” he said. Reaction Engines CEO Mark Thomas said the partnership will help speed commercialization of the technology. “This strategic partnership is about developing market-ready applications for Reaction Engines' technology in next-generation engines and is a significant step forward for our technology commercialization plans,” said Thomas. Based at Culham, southern England, and with a test site at Denver, Colorado, Reaction Engines has been developing technology to power aircraft and rockets at supersonic and hypersonic speeds of Mach 5 and above – more than twice the speed of the Concorde. Last October Reaction Engines announced its key lightweight air cooling technology had been tested at its Colorado facility as part of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency's HTX project. At the time Reaction Engines said its heat exchanger had been exposed to hypersonic conditions approaching 1,000 degrees centigrade (1,800 degrees F). The heat exchanger performed its precooler function by quenching about 1,800-degree Fahrenheit temperatures in less than one-twentieth of a second. Wheeldon said the Colorado test was a significant step in the development of Reaction Engines' SABRE rocket engine program. “As an enabling technology for a potentially large range of other precooled propulsion systems that have potential commercial applications, the successful testing last year by Reaction Engines of its precooler heat exchanger at airflow temperatures conditions representing Mach 5 was a significant milestone in the development of its revolutionary SABRE air-breathing rocket engine. The new strategic partnership with Rolls-Royce offers further the commercial opportunities and potential for both companies,” said Wheeldon. SABRE, which stands for Synergetic Air Breathing Rocket Engine, is a propulsion system being developed to operate in air breathing and rocket modes using the pre-cooler technology. https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2020/08/21/rolls-royce-backs-hypersonic-power-specialist-reaction-engines-with-new-investment/

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  October 16, 2020 | International, C4ISR

  Army tactical network office wants industry info on SATCOM as a service

  Andrew Eversden WASHINGTON — The U.S. Army's tactical network modernization office released a request for information Wednesday for commercial satellite communications as a service. The RFI, released by Program Executive Office Command, Control, Communications-Tactical, will give the Army tactical network team an improved understanding of existing industry best practices, technological advancements and innovative business models for commercially managed satellites that could replace the operating design of its logistics network, known as the sustainment tactical network. “We are looking to our industry partners to provide us with inventive approaches to meet our logistics transport capabilities needs,” said Col. Shane Taylor, the Army's project manager for Tactical Network (PM TN), in a press release. “This includes both end item material solutions, as well as what corresponding leasing cost models could look like to enable the Army to maximize capabilities while balancing long-term affordability.” Commercially managed SATCOM would be an improvement over the standard SATCOM capabilities because currently the Army must purchase all the hardware, software, maintenance and sustainment needs, along with other related capabilities, on independent, standalone contracts, the press release said. With SATCOM as a service, the PEO C3T will procure all the capabilities under a single contract, paying for each leased Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) ground satellite terminal. "We want to deliver the right STN SATCOM capability at the right price, while keeping current with technology and ahead of obsolescence,” said Lt. Col. Natashia Coleman, product lead for Unified Network Capabilities and Integration. “To do that we need to better understand how and what industry can provide, what their different managed services models would look like, how they could each best support our hardware and support services requirements, and then compare that to the more traditional way we are providing the capability now and determine which would work best. “Whatever the outcome, taking the time upfront to review all of the options will enable us to deliver the best solution for the Army,” she added. According to Paul Mehney, communications director for PEO C3T, the program office expects industry to demonstrate their SATCOM as a service capabilities for engineer and operational assessment. Mehney said that the office will consider the companies' ability to provide and maintain terminals, obtain host nation agreements for use of bandwidth, provide a help desk to address network access issues, and technical support to users and VSAT systems. Mehney also said that the logistics network modernization efforts aligns with increased capacity, resiliency and convergence goals of Capability Set '23, the next iteration of new network tools set to be delivered in fiscal 2023. “We are looking to incorporate STN design goals as part of CS23 and beyond; providing initial STN elements for CS23 (such as modernized VSAT and Local Transport capabilities) to support CS priorities over time,” Mehney said. Responses are due Nov. 6. https://www.c4isrnet.com/show-reporter/ausa/2020/10/14/army-tactical-network-office-released-rfi-for-satcom-as-a-service/

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  January 29, 2020 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security

  Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - January 27, 2020

  NAVY National Technologies Associates Inc., California, Maryland, is awarded a $104,947,467 cost-plus-fixed-fee, cost reimbursable indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. This contract provides contractor logistics; research, development, test and evaluation; limited engineering and aircraft maintenance support on designated aircraft in direct support of the Presidential Helicopters Program Office, Helicopter Marine Squadron One (HMX-1), and Air Test and Evaluation Squadron Twenty-One (HX-21). Work will be performed in Patuxent River, Maryland (90%); and Quantico, Virginia (10%), and is expected to be completed in February 2025. No funds will be obligated at the time of award. Funds will be obligated on individual orders as they are issued. This contract was competitively procured via an electronic request for proposal; two offers were received. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N00421-20-D-0023). Jacobs Technology Inc., Tullahoma, Tennessee, is awarded a $52,317,627 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for base operating support (BOS) services at naval installations located in Jefferson and Kitsap counties, Washington referred to as West Sound (WSBOS). BOS services to be performed include general information, management and administration, fire and emergency services, facilities support (including facility management, facility investment, Bureau of Medicine and Surgery facility investment and pavement clearance), wastewater transportation and environmental services. The maximum dollar value including the base period and seven option periods is $418,981,521 that includes potential maximum award fee. Work will be performed in Jefferson (4%) and Kitsap (96%) Counties, Washington, and is expected to be complete by May 2028. No funds will be obligated at time of award. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $29,217,632 for recurring work will be obligated on an individual task order issued during the base period. This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website with seven proposals received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N62470-20-D-0001). Science Applications International Corp., Reston, Virginia, is awarded a $13,894,236 cost-plus-fixed-fee and cost-reimbursement-type contract to provide animal care, training, and maintenance and operation of marine mammals participating in the Navy Marine Mammal Program. This one-year contract includes four one-year option periods that, if exercised, would bring the overall potential value of this contract to an estimated $73,251,343. Work will be performed at government facilities in San Diego, California (53%); Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, Georgia (24%); and Naval Base Kitsap in Bangor, Washington (23%). The period of performance of the base award is from Jan. 27, 2020, through Jan. 26, 2021. If all options were exercised, the period of performance would extend through Jan. 26, 2025. Fiscal 2020 funds will be obligated using Navy working capital funds. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract is awarded using other than full and open competition in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation Subpart 6.302-1 and 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1), only one responsible source. The Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity (N66001-20-C-3416). Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems, Manassas, Virginia, is awarded a $13,598,776 firm-fixed-price delivery order N00024-20-F-5608 under previously awarded contract N00024-15-D-5217 for 98 Technical Insertion Sixteen (TI-16) Common Display System (CDS) Variant A air-cooled production consoles. The CDS is a set of watch station consoles designed to support the implementation of open architecture in Navy combat systems. The TI-16 CDS is the next evolution in the CDS family and consists of a three-eyed horizontal display console. This delivery order combines purchases for the Navy (98%) and Coast Guard (2%). Work will be performed in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, and is expected to be completed by November 2020. Fiscal 2020 other procurement (Navy) (37%); fiscal 2020 weapons procurement (Navy) (2%); fiscal 2020 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) (44%); and fiscal 2018 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) (17%) funding for $13,598,776 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. DRS Laurel Technologies, Johnstown, Pennsylvania, is awarded an $8,686,145 firm-fixed-price contract for Launch Control Unit Mk 235 Mods 11 and 12 production in support of the Vertical Launch System (VLS). The launch control units are used to select and issue pre-launch and launch commands to selected missiles in the VLS. This order will provide for the fabrication, assembly, test, final acceptance and delivery of VLS Launch Control Unit Mk 235 Mod 11, part number 7104280-119, and Mk 235 Mod 12, part number 7104280-129. The VLS is equipped with two redundant launch control units, each of which is electrically interfaced with all of the launch sequencers in the system. This contract includes options that, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $44,306,594. This contract combines purchases for the Navy (73%); and the government of Norway (27%) under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program. Work will be performed in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, and is expected to be completed by October 2020. If all options are exercised, work will continue through October 2022. Fiscal 2020 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funding for $4,185,153; and fiscal 2020 FMS funding for $4,500,992 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities website, with three offers received. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Port Hueneme Division, Port Hueneme, California, is the contracting activity (N-63394-20-C-0002). ARMY Leidos Inc., Reston, Virginia, was awarded a $72,575,612 firm-fixed-price contract for services in support of the existing Night Eagle System. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will be performed in Reston, Virginia, with an estimated completion date of April 25, 2022. Fiscal 2020, 2021 and 2022 operations and maintenance, Army funds in the amount of $72,575,612 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Orlando, Florida, is the contracting activity (W900KK-20-C-0021). (Awarded Jan. 25, 2020) The Boeing Co., Mesa, Arizona, was awarded a $54,446,000 modification (P00047) to contract W58RGZ-16-C-0023 for retrofit kits and software development for the Apache attack helicopter. Work will be performed in Mesa, Arizona, with an estimated completion date of Nov. 30, 2021. Fiscal 2018 aircraft procurement, Army funds in the amount of $26,678,540 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity. Syracuse Research Corp. Inc., North Syracuse, New York, was awarded a $22,075,156 modification (P000013) to contract W31P4Q-19-C-0005 for a six-month extension for support to the Counter-Unmanned Aerial System, Expeditionary, Low Slow Small Unmanned Aerial System Integrated Defeat System program. Work will be performed in North Syracuse, New York, with an estimated completion date of July 27, 2020. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation; operations and maintenance, Army; and other procurement, Army funds in the combined amount of $22,075,156 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity. U.S. TRANSPORTATION COMMAND Thirteen companies have been awarded Option Year Two modifications under the following Category A III, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, fixed-price contracts: American Airlines, Fort Worth, Texas (HTC711-18-D-C003); Air Transportation International, Irving, Texas (HTC711-18-D-C004); Atlas Air, Purchase, New York (HTC711-18-D-C005); Delta Air Lines Inc., Atlanta, Georgia (HTC711-18-D-C006); FedEx, Washington, District of Columbia (HTC711-18-D-C007); Hawaiian Airlines Inc., Honolulu, Hawaii (HTC711-18-D-C008); JetBlue Airways, Long Island City, New York (HTC711-18-D-C009); Miami Air International, Miami, Florida (HTC711-18-D-C010); National Air Cargo Inc., Orlando, Florida (HTC711-18-D-C011); Polar Air Cargo Worldwide Inc., Purchase, New York (HTC711-18-D-C012); United Parcel Service Co., Louisville, Kentucky (HTC711-18-D-C013); USA Jet Airlines, Belleville, Michigan (HTC711-18-D-C014); and Western Global Airlines, Estero, Florida (HTC711-18-D-C015). The companies are eligible to compete at the task order level for an option year estimated amount of $41,441,067. The program's cumulative value increased from $82,884,634 to an estimated $124,325,701. This modification provides international commercial scheduled air cargo transportation services. Services encompass time-definite, door-to-door pick-up and delivery, transportation, intransit visibility, government-approved third party payment system participation and expedited customs processing and clearance of less than full planeloads for the movement of regular and recurring hazardous, refrigerated/cold chain, life and death, narcotics and other regular recurring cargo shipments. Work will be performed world-wide. Option Year Two period of performance is Feb. 1, 2020, to Jan. 31, 2021. U.S. Transportation Command, Directorate of Acquisition, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, is the contracting activity. DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY UnWrapped Inc., Lowell, Massachusetts, has been awarded a maximum $16,786,440 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery contract for leather gloves. This was a competitive acquisition with seven responses received. This is a one-year base contract with three one-year option periods. Location of performance is Massachusetts, with a Jan. 27, 2021, performance completion date. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2021 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE1C1-20-D-1235). https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2066978/source/GovDelivery/