Lockheed Martin defends value of F-35 as USAF programme under new pressure

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  December 27, 2018 | International, Naval

  The US Navy’s surface fleet: Here’s what’s ahead in 2019

  By: David B. Larter WASHINGTON — The U.S. surface fleet has a big year in store for 2019, and we're going to start getting more details very soon on what the future has in store for surface warriors. But surface leadership has been dropping clues on where things are going. Here's a handy reference guide for heading into January's Surface Navy Association annual symposium and for what the fleet has up its sleeve for the coming months. Robot wars The Chief of Naval Operations' Surface Navy Director Rear Adm. Ron Boxall forecast what was on his mind at a recent training and simulation conference in Orlando. The focus for Boxall and the N96 shop will be to get more sensors and weapons into the battlespace, distributed and networked, so that a smaller number of larger warships can act as command and control for smaller units. “If you think about what we are trying to do with the surface force, we have large and small surface combatants that will [ultimately make up part of the 355-ship Navy] but we have no requirement for unmanned surface vessels right now, which I see as an absolutely critical part of distributed lethality, distributed maritime operations environment that we are moving into,” Boxall said. “Ultimately I need more nodes out there.” N96 is looking closely at what might be needed for a large unmanned surface vessel, much like the Sea Hunter drone developed by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. “I think these are what you need to go in the water and carry large things and be more places at less cost,” Boxall said. “So, in that nodal structure, we are looking at them becoming large sensors or large shooters, but we are still working out the requirement.” Developing unmanned vessels for military use was a key component of a recent agreement with NATO forged during the July summit. Future frigate Next year is the crucial year for FFG(X), the year when the Navy finalizes its requirements and puts the first hull out to bid for a 2020 detailed design and construction award. Look for news to creep out on this ship throughout the year but Boxall had some remarks on how it will fit into the fleet now in development. Boxall hinted that the planned 20 hulls may be a low-ball figure, and that he's looking to maybe keep the program going beyond that. “It will be a very capable ship, but it won't have a lot of capacity,” he said. “But it will be able to both sense and shoot and do command and control at a smaller level. It will be a much less expensive platform and I can have more of them.” Training Training is a major focus of Surface Navy boss Vice Adm. Richard Brown, and some ongoing efforts will start to bear fruit in 2019. Earlier in 2018, the Navy reprogrammed $24 million to build a Maritime Skills Training Program, which will be heavily reliant on simulators to bring together officer and enlisted watchstanders from both the bridge and the combat information center to train on equipment and work as a unit. “We've secured the funding for the maritime skills training centers, which is going to do two things: individual officer training through the [officer of the deck training],” Brown said earlier this year. “So that, in conjunction with building out the navigation, seamanship and ship-handling trainers in the fleet concentration areas, will give us integrated bridge and [combat information center] training at the high end. That's my No. 1 priority.” Those facilities will be ready for use by the waterfront in the 2021 time frame, Brown said. Upgrades to existing simulators are being rolled out this month. DDG-1000 Look for news on the future of DDG-1000. The first of the class, the Zumwalt, is wrapping up its combat systems installation in San Diego and will start the process of integrating the three-ship class into the fleet. We're going to find out more about its new mission – surface strike – and how the Navy plans to employ its behemoth new surface combatant. The Navy has pivoted away from its long odyssey to find a use for its advanced gun system, with requirements boss Vice Adm. William Merz saying in testimony in April that the Sisyphean task of getting a working gun on Zumwalt was holding the ship back. “Even at the high cost, we still weren't really getting what we had asked for,” he said. “So what we've elected to do is to separate the gun effort from the ship effort because we really got to the point where now we're holding up the ship.” Instead, efforts are going to focus on getting Zumwalt into the fleet and on the hunt for ships to kill. Large surface combatant Last up, the Large Surface Combatant should start getting some meat on its bones in 2019. Boxall and company are aiming to put the fleet on a course to buy its cruiser and destroyer replacement in 2023 or 2024, which means a request for information from industry could be in the near future. What we know is that, like the small surface combatant, the Navy wants commonality with other nodes in the network. That means a similar radar as on FFG(X), the same combat system and as much overlapping equipment as the fleet can manage to tamp down on compatibility issues and on how much specialized training sailors need to be on one platform or another. https://www.defensenews.com/naval/2018/12/26/the-us-navys-surface-fleet-heres-whats-ahead-in-2019/

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  September 6, 2023 | International, Naval

  Marines to establish ‘overdue’ safety center led by general officer

  The Marine Corps will elevate its safety division to fall under the command of a general officer, to ensure more uniform safety compliance across the force

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  December 22, 2020 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security

  Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - December 21, 2020

  AIR FORCE Voly Defense Solutions LLC, Concord, California, has been awarded an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract with a shared ceiling of $400,000,000 for all subsequent competitively selected delivery orders in support of the Skyborg Vanguard Program. The Skyborg prototyping, experimentation and autonomy development contract will be used to deliver missionized prototypes in support of operational experimentation and develop the first Skyborg air platform with modular hardware and software payloads that will incorporate the Skyborg autonomy core system and enable manned/unmanned teaming. The locations of performance are to be determined at the order level and are expected to be completed July 2026. These awards are being made as a result of a competitive acquisition and 18 offers were received. No funds are being obligated on the awards and funding will be provided on each individual order. The Air Force Life Cycle Management, Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8694-21-D-1400). National Aerospace Solutions LLC, Arnold Air Force Base, Tennessee, has been awarded a $108,309,387 modification (P00127) to contract FA9101-15-C-0500 for test operations and sustainment. This modification provides for test operations, technology development, equipment and facility sustainment, capital improvements and some support services for the Arnold Engineering Development Complex. Work will be performed at Arnold Air Force Base, Tennessee, and is expected to be completed June 30, 2021. The overall value of the contract is $1,323,841,609. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance; and research, development, test and evaluation funds are being used and no funds are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Test Center, Arnold Air Force Base, Tennessee, is the contracting activity. General Electric Co., Cincinnati, Ohio, has been awarded a $20,049,879 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, requirements contract to provide contractor engineering and technical services engine support for Air National Guard and Foreign Military Sales (FMS) partners. Work will be performed in Bahrain, Egypt, Israel, Korea, Saudi Arabia, and Cincinnati, Ohio, and is expected to be completed Dec. 21, 2022. FMS funds will be used, with no funds being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8604-21-D-8004). Northrop Grumman, doing business as Alliant Techsystems Inc., Fort Worth, Texas, has been awarded a $15,152,856 firm-fixed-price modification (P00061) to contract FA8106-16-C-0004 for contractor logistic support for the Iraqi Air Force's Cessna 208 and 172 fleet. Work will be performed in Balad Airbase, Iraq, and is expected to be completed June 30, 2021. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Foreign Military Sales funds in the full amount are being obligated at the time of award. The total cumulative face value of the contract is $235,000,000. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, is the contracting activity. ARMY ASRC Federal Data Network Technologies, Beltsville, Maryland, was awarded a $249,000,000 hybrid (cost-plus-fixed-fee and firm-fixed-price) contract to support program management activities across the Department of Defense High Performance Computing Modernization program. Bids were solicited via the internet with nine received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 21, 2025. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Huntsville, Alabama, is the contracting activity (W912DY-21-D-0030). General Dynamics Land Systems Inc., Sterling Heights, Michigan, was awarded a $15,509,730 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for contractor logistics support services for M1A1SA Abrams tanks and M88A1/A2 recovery vehicles. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will be performed in Camp Taji, Iraq, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 31, 2022. Fiscal 2020 Foreign Military Sales (Iraq) funds in the amount of $15,509,730 were obligated at the time of the award. The U.S. Army Contracting Command, Detroit Arsenal, Michigan, is the contracting activity (W56HZV-21-C-0072). Amentum Services Inc., Germantown, Maryland, was awarded an $11,622,300 modification (0001CG) to contract W52P1J-12-G-0028 for logistics support services. Work will be performed at Fort Polk, Louisiana, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 17, 2021. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance (Army) funds in the amount of $11,622,300 were obligated at the time of the award. The U.S. Army Contracting Command, Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois, is the contracting activity. MORSE Corp Inc.,* Cambridge, Massachusetts, was awarded a $10,861,000 modification (P00002) to contract W911NF-19-C-0101 to develop novel artificial intelligence/machine learning test, evaluation and algorithmic ensembling capabilities. Work will be performed in Cambridge, Massachusetts, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 30, 2021. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation (Defense-wide) funds in the amount of $9,038,737 were obligated at the time of the award. The U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity. New South Associates Inc.,* Stone Mountain, Georgia, was awarded a $10,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for cultural resources services. Bids were solicited via the internet with eight received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 20, 2025. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mobile, Alabama, is the contracting activity (W91278-21-D-0017). NAVY AttainX Inc.,* Fairfax, Virginia (N39430-21-D-2305); Golden IT-JV,* Olathe, Kansas (N39430-21-D-2306); OM Group Inc.,* Piscataway, New Jersey (N39430-21-D-2307); Stellar Innovations & Solutions Inc.,* Moraine, Ohio (N39430-21-D-2308); and Yakshna Solutions Inc.,* Herndon, Virginia (N39430-21-D-2309), are awarded an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract with a maximum amount of $151,000,000 to provide full information technology (IT) lifecycle support to Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command's (NAVFAC) core facilities management, construction management and installation management systems. The work to be performed is IT services and solutions through the performance of broad ranges of services across multiple functional areas, including but are not limited to, systems development lifecycle support, cybersecurity support, business systems operations and support, IT operations management and enterprise, cloud operations/migration/system development, secure infrastructure and analysis and management services. No task orders are being issued at this time. Work on this contract could be performed in the following sites, but is not limited to, Port Hueneme, California; San Diego, California; Washington, D.C.; Pearl Harbor, Hawaii; Norfolk, Virginia; Kansas City, Missouri; Bremerton, Washington; and Yokosuka, Japan. The term of the contract is not to exceed 66 months with an expected completion date of August 2026. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance (Navy) (O&M,N) contract funds in the amount of $10,000 minimums for each contractor are obligated on this award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Future task orders will be primarily funded by O&M,N; and military construction (Navy). This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website and Federal Business Opportunities website with 28 proposals received. NAVFAC Engineering and Expeditionary Warfare Center, Port Hueneme, California, is the contracting activity. Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission System, Orlando, Florida, is awarded a $101,001,289 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract. This contract procures instructor services and associated administrative support including control account managers, functional managers, program managers, security, operational planning, contract, finance and lab support to meet integrated weapons systems and Aegis training requirements for Foreign Military Sales (FMS) customers. Work will be performed in Dahlgren, Virginia (35%); Moorestown, New Jersey (35%); Maizuru (2%), Sasebo (3%), and Yokosuka (10%), Japan; Sydney, Australia (10%); Busan (1%), Chinhae (1%), and Jeju Island (1%), South Korea; and Bergen, Norway (2%), and is expected to be completed December 2025. FMS incremental funds in the amount of $9,451,623 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-4. The Naval Air Warfare Center, Training Systems Division, Orlando, Florida, is the contracting activity (N61340-21-C-0010). Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems, Marlborough, Massachusetts, is awarded a $48,773,600 modification to previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract N00039-16-C-0050 to produce, test and deliver fully integrated Navy multiband terminals (NMT) and spare parts. NMT is a multiband capable satellite communications terminal that provides protected and wideband communications. The total cumulative face value of the contract is $557,882,121. Work will be performed at Largo, Florida (54%); South Deerfield, Massachusetts (25%); Stow, Massachusetts (13%); and Marlborough, Massachusetts (8%), with an expected completion date of May 2022. Fiscal 2020 other procurement (Navy); fiscal 2021 other procurement (Navy); fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance (Navy); fiscal 2021 Navy working capital funds; fiscal 2020 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy); and fiscal 2021 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funds in the amount of $48,773,600 will be obligated at the time of award. Operation and maintenance (Navy) funds will expire at the end of the fiscal year; all other funds will not expire at the end of the fiscal year. This sole-source contract was not competitively procured in accordance with 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1). The Naval Information Warfare Systems Command, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity. The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Missouri, is awarded a $29,396,312 firm-fixed-price, order (N00019-21-F-0038) against previously issued basic ordering agreement N00019-16-G-0001. This order procures various parts and quantities for main and nose landing gear critical components retrofit kits in support of F/A-18A-D aircraft modification efforts. Work will be performed in St. Louis, Missouri, and is expected to be completed in February 2024. Fiscal 2020 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $19,675,745; and fiscal 2019 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $9,720,567 will be obligated at time of award, of which $9,720,567 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems, Manassas, Virginia, is awarded a $27,986,162 cost-plus-fixed-fee and cost-only modification to previously awarded contract N00024-19-C-6400 for systems engineering and integration on Navy submarines. Work will be performed in Manassas, Virginia (68%); Waterford, Connecticut (10%); Groton, Connecticut (10%); Middletown, Rhode Island (7%); and Newport, Rhode Island (5%), and is expected to be completed by December 2021. Fiscal 2020 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funds in the amount of $11,758,838 (95%); and 2021 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $647,350 (5%), 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, D.C., is the contracting activity. Meggitt Defense Systems Inc., Irvine, California, is awarded a not-to-exceed $27,425,431 modification (P00002) to previously awarded firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract N00019-19-D-0039. This modification adds scope for the procurement of additional P-8A liquid palletized systems in ordering Years Two, Three and Four, with 10 units in Year Two, 11 units in Year Three and 11 units in Year Four, in support of the Navy P-8A aircraft. Work will be performed in Irvine, California (78%); Sumner, Washington (8%); Niagara, New York (4%); and various locations within the continental U.S. (10%), and is expected to be completed in November 2024. No funds will be obligated at the time of award and will be obligated on individual orders as they are issued. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. Raytheon Technologies, Portsmouth, Rhode Island, is awarded a $26,686,060 firm-fixed-price modification to previously awarded contract N00024-16-C-6423 to exercise options for the production of the MK54 Lightweight Torpedo MOD 0 and MOD 1 common part kits and spare torpedo components. This contract combines purchases for the Navy (30%); and the governments of Belgium, Netherlands and New Zealand (70%), under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program. Work will be performed in Portsmouth, Rhode Island (95%); and Keyport, Washington (5%), and is expected to be completed by December 2023. Fiscal 2021 weapons procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $8,122,692 (30%); and FMS funds in the amount of $18,563,368 (70%), 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, D.C., is the contracting activity. Saab Inc., East Syracuse, New York, is awarded an $18,182,043 firm-fixed-price and cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to previously awarded contract N00024-17-C-5381 to exercise options for production and engineering support of the Multi-Mode Radar (MMR) systems. Under this contract, Saab Inc. manufactures, inspects, tests and delivers MMR systems to be deployed on Navy Expeditionary Support Base ships and Coast Guard (USCG) Offshore Patrol Cutter (OPC) and provide engineering support of delivered MMR systems. The MMR serves as the primary sensor for air surveillance, surface surveillance and gun weapon system cueing for the USCG OPC. Work will be performed in East Syracuse, New York (64%); and Gothenburg, Sweden (36%), and is expected to be completed by April 2022. Fiscal 2021 other procurement (Navy); fiscal 2019 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy); and fiscal 2020 other procurement (Navy) funding in the amount of $17,789,572 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 Navy Yard, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity. Raytheon Missiles and Defense, Tucson, Arizona, is awarded a $9,624,136 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to previously awarded contract N00024-17-C-5405 to exercise Option Year Four for design agent engineering and technical support services for the Phalanx Close-In Weapon System, SeaRAM and land-based Phalanx Weapon System. This contract combines purchases for the Army (69%); and the governments of United Kingdom, Australia, Greece, South Korea, Taiwan, Japan, Egypt, Turkey, Bahrain, New Zealand and Saudi Arabia (31%) under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program. Work will be performed in Tucson, Arizona (68%); El Segundo, California (18%); Louisville, Kentucky (5%); Camarillo, California (2%); Minneapolis, Minnesota (2%); Dallas, Texas (1%); Bohemia, New York (1%); Melbourne, Florida (1%); and various locations with less than 1% each (2%), and is expected to be completed by January 2021. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance (Army) funds in the amount of $6,640,000 (69%); FMS (United Kingdom) funds in the amount of $724,655 (8%); FMS (Australia) funds in the amount of $200,000 (2%); FMS (Taiwan) funds in the amount of $605,000 (6%); FMS (Japan) funds in the amount of $406,996 (4%); FMS (New Zealand) funds in the amount of $299,485 (3%); and FMS (Saudi Arabia) funds in the amount of $784,000 (8%), will be obligated at time of award, of which funds in the amount of $6,640,000 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year, in accordance with 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1). This contract was not competitively procured, only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity. Bowhead Base Operations LLC,* Springfield, Virginia, is awarded a $9,178,182 firm-fixed-price contract. This contract procures logistics support services, including processing material and service requests, identifying alternative parts and sources of supply for materials and services, validating requirements utilizing technical publications, receiving and tracking all incoming materials and services, maintaining warehouse-stocking levels, receiving and transferring parts between Fleet Readiness Center Aviation Support Equipment locations. Work will be performed in Solomons Island, Maryland (80%); Portsmouth, Virginia (10%); and New Orleans, Louisiana (10%), and is expected to be completed in December 2024. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $566,849 will be obligated at time of award, all of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(5). The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Lakehurst, New Jersey, is the contracting activity (N68335-21-C-0146). DEFENSE INFORMATION SYSTEMS AGENCY RKF Engineering Solutions, Washington, D.C., was awarded a competitive, single-award indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract with a ceiling value of $26,599,072 in support of the Defense Spectrum Organization, Electromagnetic Spectrum Services, Electromagnetic Environmental Effects program, Strategic Planning and Applied Engineering Support - Mobile Service Provider. The place of performance will be at the Defense Information Systems Agency headquarters, Fort Meade, Maryland; and the Mission Partner Defense Spectrum Organization, Annapolis, Maryland. The period of performance for the base period is Jan. 4, 2021, to Jan. 3, 2022, with four one-year option periods. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance funds will be used for the contract's $500 minimum guarantee. The Defense Information Technology Contracting Organization, National Capital Region, Fort Meade, Maryland, is the contracting activity (HC1047-21-D-0001). DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Epic Foods LLC,* Columbia, South Carolina, has been awarded a maximum $18,860,000 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for pouched bacon. This was a competitive acquisition with one response received. This is a five-year contract with no option periods. Locations of performance are South Carolina and North Carolina, with a Dec. 21, 2025, ordering period end date. Using military services are Army, Navy and Marine Corps. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2021 through 2026 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE3S1-21-D-Z231). DEFENSE ADVANCED RESEARCH PROJECTS AGENCY Systems and Technology Research (STR), Woburn, Massachusetts, was awarded a $15,177,171 cost-plus-fixed-fee completion contract for a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency research project for the Joint All-Domain Warfighting Software (JAWS) program. JAWS seeks to develop a software suite to maximize the effectiveness of military force through theater scale battle management command and control with automation and predictive analytics. This capability would develop the enabling software for the warfighter to adaptably set up and execute synchronized kill webs encompassing the undersea, sea surface, land, air, space and electromagnetic domains. Work will be performed in Woburn, Massachusetts (54%); Alexandria, Virginia (15%); Dayton, Ohio (14%); Menlo Park, California (13%); Columbia, Maryland (2%); and Fairfax, Virginia (2%), with an expected completion date of March 2022. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $1,420,486; and fiscal 2021 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $3,979,425 are being obligated at the time of award. This contract was a competitive acquisition in which 12 offers were received. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting activity (HR0011-21-C-0011). *Small business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2454191/source/GovDelivery/