Lockheed nets $80M contract for Aegis system upgrades

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  September 22, 2020 | International, Land, C4ISR

  Laying the groundwork: US Army unveils rough plan to formalize robotic combat vehicles effort

  Jen Judson WASHINGTON — The U.S. Army is preparing to enter into programs of record for light- and medium-class robotic combat vehicles in a few years, with plans to award separate contracts for a lead systems integrator for each program, according to the service's robotic combat vehicles product manager. The service wants to field a light, medium and heavy robotic combat vehicle, and it is experimenting with technology and how the vehicles might fit into future formations through the Army's Next-Generation Combat Vehicle modernization office. Developing NGCV capability is the second-highest priority for the Army. The plan is to make a decision to move the Army's RCV-Light out of technical maturation and into the engineering and manufacturing development phase in the second quarter of fiscal 2023. The service would do the same with the RCV-Medium program in FY24, Lt. Col. Chris Orlowski said Sept. 10 during a conference hosted by the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International. Orlowski noted that the potential RCV-Heavy program of record would fall behind the start of the medium and light programs by “a pretty significant margin.” At the same conference during a separate keynote presentation, Bruce Jette, the Army's acquisition chief, said decisions were made that “put pieces in place that will establish a formal program for robotic systems with the [program manager], not just following the tech base but in fact being the centerpiece for building light and medium systems inside of an architecture that fits within the entire operational vehicle architecture. In fact, it will leap over into the aircraft as well. It will be everything from driving to operations of the vehicle to visual sensing to probably a broader array of technical capabilities that you may not have even thought possible.” The Army plans to award a contract to a lead systems integrator that will combine the RCV's control station, network, platform, software and payloads, Orlowski said. Anticipated government-furnished equipment for the programs would include autonomy software, radios, war-fighter machine interface software, aided target recognition software and lethality payloads “minus the turret,” according to Orlowski. Other potential government-furnished equipment could be a tethered drone; assured position, navigation and timing technology; hostile fire detection; and other vehicle protection systems, he said. As the Army ventures into developing robotic vehicles that don't just do the dull, dirty and dangerous work, “the biggest thing is going to be software development, improving autonomous and automation software,” he added. “Teleoperation is nice; it works OK if you've got the right radios and the right environments, but long term, when those environments become tested, I think teleoperation will be less viable and we will have to really push the automation and autonomy on these platforms. But also, that being said, there is always going to have to be some soldier interaction with the platforms. How do we improve that interaction for the soldiers, reducing that cognitive burden?" he said. “I know everybody likes cool, big, awesome robots, but it's really a software thing that is going to make these things go, so anything that is kind of tied to software I think is a critical technology in my view,” he added. The Army's rough acquisition strategy for the robots calls for a first unit to receive RCV-Light vehicles in FY28 and a first unit to receive RCV-Medium in FY30, according to a slide from Orlowski's conference presentation. The Army recently wrapped up its first phase of experimentation with RCV-Heavy surrogates fashioned out of M113 armored personnel carriers at Camp Red Devil on Fort Carson, Colorado, which added complexity to an ongoing evaluation of the government-developed platforms. The Army also awarded contracts to a Textron and Howe & Howe team to build an RCV-Medium prototype, and to a QinetiQ North America and Pratt & Miller team to build the lighter version late last year and early this year. Those are being built now. Orlowski stressed those prototypes are being built “primarily to support future planned experimentation” in FY22 and FY24 and “in support of defining and informing requirements for the RCV program of record.” He added there is no plan to transition any of those systems into any type of limited fielding. “They are not designed for that. They are designed for a campaign of learning,” he said. Now that the first major experiment is done, the Army plans to build up to a company-level operation in the first quarter of FY22 at Fort Hood, Texas, with four RCV-Medium and four RCV-Light prototypes. While the experimentation at Fort Carson with RCV-Heavy was focused on cavalry operations where the robots served more in a scout mission and proved they could be effective in a reconnaissance and security role, the experiment in FY22 will move the robots into more of an attack-and-defend role. While the Army has to officially complete a critical technology assessment from the Fort Carson experimentation, Orlowski said the autonomy software “needs to improve.” The experimentation in FY22 will focus on improvements and the Army will work with industry partners to “improve that tether,” he said. “It needs to be robust in contested environments, which we haven't fully explored yet.” The service will also need to look at some alternate communications pathways between the control vehicle and the robots. Aided target recognition needs more maturity, Orlowski explained, “especially on the move to support the platforms.” Anything that reduces the soldier interaction with the platforms will also be incorporated, “and there are other things that soldiers asked for, which when we are ready to release we will. [The ideas from the feedback] were pretty perceptive," he said. "So how critical that becomes, we will see.” https://www.defensenews.com/land/2020/09/21/laying-the-groundwork-us-army-unveils-rough-plan-to-formalize-robotic-combat-vehicles-effort/

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  January 21, 2020 | International, Aerospace

  Technical Failure or Unrealistic Expectations? Report Shows U.K. Police Drones Fall in Heavy Rains

  Whether technical failure or simply unrealistic expectations, a new report published in the U.K. indicates that the DJI Matrice Series drones fall during heavy rains. As reported by CNN, the U.K.'s Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) found that 16 DJI Matrice 200 series drones crashed due to “technical failures” while flying in the rain. This month's AAIB bulletin reports on one specific incident that took place in a flight over a sporting event: The DJI Matrice 210 small unmanned aircraft was being operated commercially to record video footage of an outdoor athletics event. The pilot started to position the aircraft back towards the landing site due to an increase in the rainfall. The pilot then saw the aircraft“wobble” slightly and as it neared the landing site it flipped over before descending rapidly to the ground from a height of about 3 m (10 ft). No one was injured. During the accident flightthe aircraft had been operating at heights of up to about 30 m (100 ft) near to, and above people on the ground. This investigation reviewed other similar accidents and the risk of injury to people on the ground. It's important to note that the professional pilot handled the situation correctly and according to protocol – and as a result, his aircraft was damaged but there were no injuries or issues with the spectators or participants in the event. The event began in light rain, but, as can happen in the U.K., a drizzle became a downpour. In a statement to CNN, DJI reiterated that safety is a priority: “The DJI Matrice 200 Series has been independently certified by a third party that it has an IP43 rating,” it said. “This certifies that ‘water falling as a spray at any angle up to 60° from the vertical shall have no harmful effect'. However, the M200 is not suitable, and should not, be operated in conditions or precipitation greater than those stated by the certification. “All users of M200 series drones should refer to our current maintenance guidelines and safety information here to help manage their aircraft and maximise flight safety.” The problem may not be as much about a “failure,” which implies the unexpected, as it is one of unrealistic expectations. Much of the advantage of an sUAS is in its small form factor. While the technical capabilities of drones have increased over the last several years, and commercial drones can now maintain stability in a wider range of environments, they aren't airplanes and they aren't designed to be flown in all weather conditions – including a downpour. https://dronelife.com/2020/01/17/technical-failure-or-unrealistic-expectations-report-shows-u-k-police-drones-fall-in-heavy-rains/

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  February 10, 2020 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security

  Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - February 07, 2020

  AIR FORCE Honeywell Inc., Clearwater, Florida, has been awarded an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract with estimated ceiling of $3,517,000,000 for Embedded GPS Inertial Navigation System Modernization (EGI/EGI-M) follow-on production and sustainment. This contract provides production, sustainment and engineering technical services in support of the EGI/EGI-M system. Work will be performed in Clearwater, Florida, and is expected to be completed by Dec. 31, 2035. This contract will allow foreign military sales. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Fiscal 2020 procurement funds in the amount of $1,635,018 are being obligated for the first order of EGIs for the F-15 aircraft. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, is the contracting activity (FA8576-20-D-0001). Engility Corp., Andover, Massachusetts, has been awarded a $655,000,000 firm-fixed-price, cost reimbursable indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for services supporting the Space and Missile Systems Center Development Corps Innovation & Prototype Operations at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico. This contract provides engineering, development, integration, and sustainment services supporting the current Ground System Enterprise throughout its evolution, including the transition to and buildout of Enterprise Ground Services. Work will be performed at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico; and Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado, and is expected to be complete by July 2, 2027. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition with five proposals received. The Space and Missile Systems Center, Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico, is the contracting activity (FA8818-20-D-0009). Highlight Technologies LLC, Fairfax, Virginia, has been awarded a $7,708,136 hybrid firm-fixed-price, time and materials modification (P00004) to previously-awarded contract FA8730-19-F-0176 for the Kessel Run Enterprise Services Software Environment for Kessel Run Experimentation Labs. This modification provides the software environment management services for the Kessel Run Experimentation Labs and brings the total cumulative face value of the contract to $14,502,143. Work will be performed in Boston, Massachusetts, and is expected to be complete by Aug. 14, 2020. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $2,483,737 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts, is the contracting activity. NAVY Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is awarded a not-to-exceed $347,714,510 modification to a previously-awarded fixed-price-incentive-firm-target advance acquisition contract (N00019-20-C-0009). This modification procures long lead materials, parts, components and support necessary to maintain on-time production and delivery of 43 lot 15 F-35 aircraft for non-Department of Defense (DoD) participants and Foreign Military Sales (FMS) customers. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas (30%); El Segundo, California (25%); Warton, United Kingdom (20%); Orlando, Florida (10%); Nashua, New Hampshire (5%); Nagoya, Japan (5%); and Baltimore, Maryland (5%), and is expected to be completed in December 2023. Non-DoD participant funds in the amount of $204,964,510; and FMS funds in the amount of $142,750,000, 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. WSP USA Inc., Federal Way, Washington, is awarded a $100,000,000 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity architect-engineering contract for waterfront projects at various locations in the Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Northwest (NW) area of operations. Initial task order is being awarded at $5,900,965 for multi-mission dry dock alternatives feasibility and engineering study in support of environmental impact statement development, Naval Base Kitsap and Puget Sound Naval Shipyard. The work to be performed provides for an interdisciplinary team to furnish engineering and design services for waterfront projects at various locations predominantly serviced by NAVFAC NW. The design and engineering services will require expertise in architectural, mechanical, electrical, civil, structural, geotechnical, corrosion control, coastal, naval architect, fire protection, survey, cost and environmental disciplines as it pertains to Department of Defense facilities and systems. Work for this task order is expected to be completed by March 2021. All work on this contract will be performed in Washington state (90%); Alaska (1%); Idaho (1%); Iowa (1%); Minnesota (1%); Montana (1%); Nebraska (1%); Oregon (1%); North Dakota (1%); South Dakota (1%); and Wyoming (1%). The term of the contract is not to exceed 60 months with an expected completion date of January 2025. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance, Navy (O&M,N) contract funds in the amount of $5,900,965 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. This contract was competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities website with four proposals received. NAVFAC NW, Silverdale, Washington, is the contracting activity (N44255-20-D-0001). Electric Boat Corp., Groton, Connecticut, is awarded a $38,204,181 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to a previously-awarded contract N00024-12-C-2115 to exercise options to procure onboard repair parts for Virginia class attack submarines Pre Commissioning Unit (PCU) Arkansas (SSN 800) and PCU Utah (SSN 801). Work will be performed in Groton, Connecticut, and is expected to be completed by February 2023 for PCU Arkansas and August 2023 for PCU Utah. Fiscal 2018 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funding in the amount of $9,797,000 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. The statutory authority for this sole-source award is in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1(a)(2)(iii) - 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. BAE Systems Platforms & Services, Minneapolis, Minnesota, is awarded a $19,187,652 fixed-price-incentive (firm target) modification to previously-awarded contract N00024-15-C-4103 for long lead time materials in support of the Virginia class attack submarines (SSN 804) and (SSN 805) propulsor components. This modification provides the required long lead time materials needed for the fixed components in support of the SSN 804 and SSN 805 Virginia class submarine propulsor. Work will be performed in Louisville, Kentucky (90%); and Minneapolis, Minnesota (10%), and is expected to be completed by February 2024. Fiscal 2019 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funding in the amount of $19,187,652 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. American Petroleum Tankers LLC, Blue Bay, Pennsylvania, is awarded $15,792,900 for a firm-fixed-price modification with reimbursable elements to a previously-awarded contract N32205-17-C-3502. This modification provides for the second one-year option for one U.S.-flagged vessel in support of the Department of Defense Logistics Agency Energy aboard the Motor Vessel Evergreen State. Work will be performed worldwide, and is expected to be completed, if all options are exercised by Jan. 8, 2023. This contract includes a one-year firm period of performance, three one-year option periods and one 11-month option period. Working capital funds (Navy) in the amount of $10,140,250 for fiscal 2020; and $5,652,650 for fiscal 2021, are obligated and will not expire. The Navy's Military Sealift Command, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity. Raytheon Co., Integrated Defense Systems, Marlborough, Massachusetts, is awarded a $12,941,188 firm-fixed-price delivery order under previously-awarded basic ordering agreement N00024-19-G-5107 for shipboard and shore-based spare parts. This order covers installation and checkout, coordinated shipboard allowance list and coordinated shore-based material/maintenance allowance list spares. Work will be performed in Andover, Massachusetts (86%); Marlborough, Massachusetts (9%); and Chesapeake, Virginia (5%), and is expected to be completed by March 2022. This contract involves foreign military sales to the Republic of Korea (51%); and government of Japan (49%). Foreign Military Sales funding in the amount of $12,941,188 will be obligated at the time of award. This order was not competitively procured in accordance with 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1), this order was not competitively procured (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 (N00024-20-F-5108). POWER Engineers Inc., Hailey, Idaho, is awarded a $10,493,283 firm-fixed-price task order N62742-20-F-0306 modification P00003 under an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for various electrical engineering projects and related services at various locations in the Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Pacific area of operations. The work to be performed provides design and engineering services to prepare a design-bid-build construction package consisting of full plans, specifications, detailed cost estimate and other services as required to construct a new multi-story operations center to replace Building 112. Also included are two new single-story warehouses at U. S. Naval Computer and Telecommunications Station Finegayan and at United States Naval Base Guam (U.S. NBG); an underground pathway and ducting to support a 23-mile 288-strand fiber optic cable between Andersen Air Force Base and U.S. NBG. Work will be performed in Dededo, Guam, and is expected to be completed by November 2020. Fiscal 2019 military construction (planning and design) contract funds in the amount of $10,493,283 are obligated on this award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. NAVFAC Pacific, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, is the contracting activity (N62742-16-D-0002). CORRECTION: A contract action announced on Feb. 6, 2020, to Electric Boat Corp., Groton, Connecticut, for $7,598,226 should have identified a definitized contract action to previously-awarded contract N00024-16-C-2111, not “undefinitized.” All other information in the announcement is correct. ARMY L3 Technologies Inc., Muskegon, Michigan, was awarded a $59,056,763 contract for 235 eHydro-Mechanically Propelled Operational Reliability [THOR] II Transmission 800s in a mix of both new and remanufactured configurations. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will be performed in Muskegon, Michigan, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 31, 2021. Fiscal 2020 Army working capital funds in the amount of $59,037,500 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Detroit Arsenal, Michigan, is the contracting activity (W56HZV-15-C-0119). EA-SCF JV,* Hunt Valley, Maryland, was awarded a $45,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for environmental services at Fort Belvoir. 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. 6, 2025. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W912DR-20-D-0014). Dyncorp International LLC, Fort Worth, Texas, was awarded an $11,361,712 modification (P00028) to contract W58RGZ-19-C-0025 for aviation maintenance services. Work will be performed at Fort Campbell, Kentucky; Fort Bragg, North Carolina; Bangor, Maine; and Kuwait, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 30, 2020. Fiscal 2020 aircraft procurement, Army; and operations and maintenance, Army funds in the amount of $11,361,712 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama is the contracting activity. Escal Institute of Advanced Technologies Inc., North Bethesda, Maryland, was awarded a $9,258,000 modification (P00001) to contract W911S0-19-D-0009 to provide industry standard, nationally recognized training and certifications to verify and validate student proficiency in cybersecurity roles as defined in the Joint Cyberspace Training and Certification Standards Concept of Operations. 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. 5, 2021. Fort Gordon, Georgia, is the contracting activity. DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Otis Products Inc.,* Lyons Falls, New York, has been awarded a maximum $33,688,736 firm-fixed-price contract for gun cleaning kits. This was a competitive acquisition with two offers received. This is a three-year base contract with two one-year option periods. Location of performance is New York, with a Feb. 6, 2023, performance completion date. Using military services are Army, Navy and Marine Corps. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2023 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime, Columbus, Ohio (SPE7LX-20-D-0076). UPDATE: Atlantic Diving Supply Inc., doing businesses as ADS Inc., Virginia Beach, Virginia (SPE8EC-20-D-0051), has been added as an awardee to the multiple award contract issued against solicitation SPE8EC-17-R-0010 announced May 31, 2017. UPDATE: Truck Country of Wisconsin Inc., De Forest, Wisconsin (SPE8EC-20-D-0053), has been added as an awardee to the multiple award contract issued against solicitation SPE8EC-17-R-0008 announced April 20, 2017. UPDATE: Wright & Wright Machinery Co., Inc.,** Monticello, Kentucky (SPE8EC-20-D-0054), has been added as an awardee to the multiple-award contract issued against solicitation SPE8EC-17-R-0002 announced Nov. 8, 2016. *Small business **Veteran-owned small business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2078385/source/GovDelivery/