Lockheed to Produce 105 Additional F-35 Fighters for US Military

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  December 4, 2019 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security

  How to take EU-NATO relations from words to action

  By: Jeffrey A. Stacey After the successful 2011 Libya operation, it appeared the U.S. and European allies were on the cusp of a new era of working together on international crises, only to stall out thanks to economic austerity and populist elections. Now that the refugee crisis in Europe is subsiding and allied troops and equipment have deployed to Poland and the Baltics, the window of opportunity has once again opened for deepening relations between the European Union and NATO. By setting up an EU-NATO informal track, regularizing operational transitions and embarking on expanded coordination in out-of-area operations — all of which are more crucial, given a potential Brexit and the 2020 U.S. election — these two crucial, overlapping alliances can step into a new era. There are two logical diplomatic tracks to be pursued: a formal track centered on implementation of EU and NATO ministerials/summits, as well as an informal track centered on working through difficult issues and preparing them for decision-makers. Senior officials from both organizations have commented recently that the informal track would be particularly useful for the kind of deep-dive, “peer around the corner” strategizing that busy officials are rarely afforded an opportunity to engage in. The EU is a global leader in what it calls “crisis management,” and what NATO refers to as “stabilization and reconstruction.” Joint planning ahead of such operations, aligning civil/military planning in advance, will allow for improved outcomes in theater. In general, NATO would gain a new capability to act in the immediate aftermath of its military operations when a crisis occurs, and the EU would gain the opportunity to spearhead joint Western crisis management as a matter of course. Taking a cue from the so-called changing of berets in the 2004 NATO mission in Bosnia — when European soldiers involved in the terminating NATO mission simply changed their uniforms out for EU uniforms and remained in place to take part in the EU follow-on mission — there is a strong likelihood that a similar arrangement can be made for deployed civilians. The EU and NATO have ample reasons to agree to regularize operational leadership transitions in moving from the military phase of a conflict to the post-conflict stabilization phase. Here's how it could work: The EU would be designated to spearhead the stabilization phase, having jointly planned this phase of the operation with NATO civilian planners at Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe. NATO would commit to always selecting a European as the head of the NATO temporary civilian operation, and would call up a modest number of civilian experts from the nations, who would deploy to theater and engage in a delimited number of core stabilization tasks with the plan for a larger EU-led civilian deployment to absorb the NATO operation. NATO civilian operators would focus on a discrete set of core stabilization tasks awaiting the follow-on EU mission to become more comprehensive. Once a decision to deploy a civilian mission occurs in Brussels, the NATO stabilization mission would devolve to the EU. Most of the civilian experts will already be from EU countries, with the mission head also European. The rest of the NATO civilians can be seconded to the civilian operation mission via framework agreements such as the extant one between the U.S. and the EU that already has seconded Americans to EU missions in Africa. This operational compromise would prevent either alliance from playing second fiddle, ushering in a new era of co-planning and cooperating for both. Why can't both sides “just do it,” i.e., simply enact a leadership transition in theater whenever the need arises? Pragmatism can work in the moment, but it doesn't set precedents, as proven by the fact this is not already happening; past “impromptu” experiences of working together on the ground have not led to any pattern or even expectation of repeat or improved cooperating since. This proposal is firmly in the EU's interests, as it will put it fully in the driver's seat of crisis management and bring the EU the recognition it deserves for its existing capabilities and substantial operational experience. This proposal is also firmly in NATO's interests, for the alliance that almost split over its ongoing Afghanistan operation has no interest in further prolonged field deployments. There is also an additional strategic opportunity for both, as closer EU-NATO cooperation would be an important means for keeping the U.K. connected with its EU partners in the security and defense field following Brexit. But with crises around the world proliferating, in more pressing terms these two critical overlapping alliances among Western allies need to jointly become more operationally ready. Despite the political challenges in numerous Western countries, an agreement to overcome the EU-NATO operational impasse is on the cards. Prior to the negative impact of U.S. President Donald Trump's arrival, NATO-EU relations had been at their pinnacle. With an EU-NATO informal track and a means for overcoming the operational hurdle in hand, substantial progress can still be made prior to the next U.S. administration. https://www.defensenews.com/opinion/commentary/2019/12/03/how-to-take-eu-nato-relations-from-words-to-action/

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  November 26, 2020 | International, C4ISR

  Could soldiers silently communicate using brain signals in the future?

  Andrew Eversden WASHINGTON — A breakthrough in decoding brain signals could be the first step toward a future where soldiers silently communicate during operations. New research funded by the U.S. Army Research Office successfully separated brain signals that influence action or behavior from signals that do not. Using an algorithm and complex mathematics, the team was able to identify which brain signals were directing motion, or behavior-relevant signals, and then remove those signals from the other brain signals — behavior-irrelevant ones. “Here we're not only measuring signals, but we're interpreting them,” said Hamid Krim, a program manager for the Army Research Office. The service wants to get to the point where the machine can provide feedback to soldier's brains to allow them to take corrective action before something takes place, a capability that could protect the health of a war fighter. Krim pointed to stress and fatigue signals that the brain gives out before someone actually realizes they are stressed or tired, thus letting troops know when they should take a break. The only limit to the possibilities is the imagination, he said. Another potential future use is silent communication, Krim said. Researchers could build on the research to allow the brain and computers to communicate so soldiers can silently talk via a computer in the field. “In a theater, you can have two people talking to each other without ... even whispering a word,” Krim said. “So you and I are out there in the theater and we have to ... talk about something that we're confronting. I basically talked to my computer — your computer can be in your pocket, it can be your mobile phone or whatever — and that computer talks to ... your teammate's computer. And then his or her computer is going to talk to your teammate.” In the experiment, the researchers monitored the brain signals from a monkey reaching for a ball over and over again in order to separate brain signals. But more work is to be done, as any sort of battle-ready machine-human interface using brain signals is likely decades away, Krim said. What's next? Researchers will now try to identify other signals outside of motion signals. “You can read anything you want; doesn't mean that you understand it,” Krim said. “The next step after that is to be able to understand it. The next step after that is to break it down into into words so that ... you can synthesize in a sense, like you learn your vocabulary and your alphabet, then you are able to compose. “At the end of the day, that is the original intent mainly: to have the computer actually being in a full duplex communication mode with the brain.” The Army Research Office-backed program was led by researchers at the University of Southern California, with additional U.S. partners at the University of California, Los Angeles; the University of California, Berkeley; Duke University; and New York University. The program also involved several universities in the United Kingdom, including Essex, Oxford and Imperial College. The Army is providing up to $6.25 million in funding over five years. https://www.c4isrnet.com/battlefield-tech/it-networks/2020/11/25/could-soldiers-silently-communicate-using-brain-signals-in-the-future/

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  November 20, 2018 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security

  Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - November 19, 2018

  ARMY Arora Group Inc.,* Gaithersburg, Maryland, was awarded an $85,457,545 firm-fixed-price contract to provide personal and non-personal services. Bids were solicited via the internet with 25 received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 30, 2023. U.S. Army Health Contracting Activity, San Antonio, Texas, is the contracting activity (W81K00-19-D-0002). Birdon America Inc.,* Denver, Colorado, was awarded a $44,452,448 modification (P00062) to contract W56HZV-14-C-0015 for bridge erection boats and crew protection kits. Work will be performed in Denver, Colorado, with an estimated completion date of March 31, 2020. Fiscal 2019 other procurement, Army funds in the amount of $44,452,448 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Warren, Michigan, is the contracting activity. URS Federal Services Inc., Germantown, Maryland, was awarded a $20,000,000 modification (0002 36) to contract W52P1J-12-G-0028 for logistic support services, maintenance, supply and transportation. Work will be performed in Mannheim and Dulmen, Germany, with an estimated completion date of Nov. 20, 2021. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance Army funds in the amount of $20,000,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois, is the contracting activity. CSRA LLC, Huntsville, Alabama, was awarded an $8,790,283 modification (000033) to Foreign Military Sales (Uganda, Iraq, Croatia, Greece, Tunisia, Indonesia, Kenya, Saudi Arabia and Afghanistan) contract W31P4Q-05-A-0028 for non-standard rotary wing aircraft project office systems engineering and technical assistance support services. Work will be performed in Huntsville, Alabama, with an estimated completion date of Nov. 19, 2019. Fiscal 2018 other procurement, Army; and foreign military sales funds in the amount of $8,790,283 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity. NAVY Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Herndon, Virginia (N00189-19-D-Z006); Capstone Corp., Alexandria, Virginia (N00189-19-D-Z007); Science Applications Information Corp., Reston, Virginia (N00189-19-D-Z008); General Dynamic Information Technology, Fairfax, Virginia (N00189-19-D-Z009); Booz Allen Hamilton Inc., McLean, Virginia (N00189-19-D-Z010); and CALIBRE Systems Inc., Alexandria, Virginia (N00189-19-D-Z011), are awarded an estimated $577,471,075 in multiple award cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contracts that will include terms and conditions for the placement of both cost-plus-fixed-fee and firm-fixed-price task orders to provide Joint Force development and training support services to enhance and improve the joint fighter's ability to adapt and overcome an ever-evolving threat environment in support of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The contracts will run concurrently and include a 60-month base ordering period with an option for an additional six-month ordering period. If the option period is exercised, the total estimated value of the contracts combined will be $636,917,163. Work will be performed at government facilities in Suffolk, Virginia (90 percent); and at various contractor locations throughout the U.S. (10 percent). The percentage of work at each of the contractor facilities cannot be determined at this time. The base ordering period of the contract is anticipated to begin May 2019 and is expected to be completed by April 2024; if all options are exercised, the ordering period will be completed by October 2024. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance (Defense Acquisition) funds in the amount of $60,000 will be obligated ($10,000 on each of the six contracts to fund the contracts' minimum amounts); and funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured for the award of multiple contracts pursuant to the authority set forth in Federal Acquisition Regulation 16.504. The requirement was solicited through the Federal Business Opportunities website, with eight offers received. Naval Supply Systems Command Fleet Logistics Center Norfolk, Contracting Department Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is the contracting activity. Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is awarded a $41,509,096 firm-fixed-price delivery order (N00019-18-F-2494) against a previously issued basic ordering agreement (N00019-14-G-0020). This modification procures Xilinx and Intel-Altera Diminishing Manufacturing Sources parts that have reached end-of-life in order to support future aircraft deliveries for the Air Force, Marine Corps, and Navy as well as Foreign Military Sales (FMS) customers. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas, and is expected to be completed in February 2019. Fiscal 2017 aircraft procurement (Air Force); 2018 aircraft procurement (Air Force, Marine Corps and Navy); 2019 operations and maintenance (Air Force, Marine Corps, and Navy); and FMS funding in the amount of $41,509,096 will be obligated at time of award, $32,836,293 of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This delivery order combines purchases for the Air Force ($22,936,546; 55 percent); Marine Corps ($13,505,208; 33 percent); Navy ($4,766,733; 11 percent); and FMS ($300,609; 1 percent). The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. CRP Contracting,* Columbus, Ohio, is awarded a $31,116,904 firm-fixed-price contract for airfield lighting repairs at Naval Air Station Kingsville. The work to be performed provides for repairs to the airfield electrical infrastructure. The work also includes removal and installation of a new standing seam roof and removal and replacement of windows and incidental related work. Work will be performed in Kingsville, Texas, and is expected to be completed by November 2020. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $31,116,904 are obligated on this award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website, with two proposals received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southeast, Jacksonville, Florida, is the contracting activity (N69450-19-C-0503). Triton Marine Construction Corp., Bremerton, Washington, was awarded a $17,914,200 firm-fixed-price contract for the repair of trestle box beams at Naval Weapons Station Earle. The work to be performed provides for concrete spall repairs on the underside of Trestle 1A to the pile caps, beams, and deck; carbon fiber reinforced polymer strengthening of existing reinforced concrete box beams using the wet layup process; and installation of five new pile bents ten new piles will be driven on Trestle 1A to strengthen the existing box beams. Work will be performed in Colts Neck, New Jersey, and is expected to be completed by March 2024. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $17,914,200 are obligated on this award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website, with six proposals received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Mid-Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N40085-19-C-9032). (Awarded Nov. 16, 2018). Telephonics Corp., Farmingdale, New York, is awarded a $15,130,351 firm-fixed-price indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. This contract provides for the procurement of a maximum quantity of 50 Identification Friend or Foe Interrogator (IFFI) AN/UPX-43(V) 1 and 50 IFFI mounting trays, repair of repairables and required technical data in support of P-8A Poseidon Production Lots 9, 10, and 11 for the Navy, partner countries and foreign military sales (FMS) customers. Work will be performed in Farmingdale, New York, and is expected to be completed in November 2021. Fiscal 2018 aircraft procurement (Navy); and FMS funds in the amount of $3,588,904 will be obligated at time of award; none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The first order combines purchases for the Navy ($2,687,946; 75 percent); and the government of the United Kingdom ($900,958; 25 percent). This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1). The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Lakehurst, New Jersey, is the contracting activity (N68335-19-D-0002). CFM International Inc., West Chester, Ohio, is awarded $13,033,283 for modification P00002 to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (N0001918C1071) to exercise an option for the procurement of one Poseidon CFM56-7B27AE engine for the government of Norway in support of the P-8 Poseidon aircraft under the Foreign Military Sales program. Work will be performed in Villaroche, France (53 percent); Evendale, Ohio (43 percent); Singapore (3 percent); and Bromont, Canada (1 percent), and is expected to be completed in September 2019. Foreign Military Sales funds in the amount of $13,033,283 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. Colonna's Shipyard Inc.,* Norfolk, Virginia, is awarded an $11,884,493 firm-fixed-price contract for a 90-calendar day shipyard availability for the post shakedown availability and dry docking of USNS City of Bismarck (T-EPF 9). Work will include clean and gas-free tanks, voids, cofferdams and spaces, heater exchangers; modify fore peak structure, perform annual stern ramp maintenance, install heat tracing and thermal insulation on piping, perform annual maintenance of ride control system, bilge cleaning, reduction gear maintenance, self-contained breathing apparatus annual certification, high expansion foam system certification, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system annual maintenance, annual sewage plant maintenance, docking and undocking, evacuation system annual certification, waterjet hydraulics maintenance, and installation of the adaptive force package. The contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the total contract value of this contract to $13,593,593. Work will be performed in Norfolk, Virginia, and is expected to begin Jan. 7, 2019, with completion by April 6, 2019. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $13,593,593 are obligated at the time of award. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured as a small business set-aside, with more than two companies solicited via the Federal Business Opportunities website, with two offers received, with two found to be in the competitive range. The Navy's Military Sealift Command, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N3220519C6702). 3 Phoenix Inc.,* Chantilly, Virginia, is awarded a $10,271,000 cost-plus-fixed-fee, cost only modification to previously awarded contract N00024-13-C-6264 to exercise an option for engineering and technical services and other direct costs in support thereof for the Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) Phase III contract, topic number N04-138-Real-time Data Fusion and Visualization Interface for Environmental Research Data. Work will be performed in Chantilly, Virginia (40 percent); Wake Forest, North Carolina (40 percent); and Hanover, Maryland (20 percent), and is expected to be completed by October 2019. Fiscal 2017 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy); fiscal 2018 and 2019 other procurement (Navy); and fiscal 2018 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funding in the amount of $6,753,273 will be obligated at the time of award and funding in the amount of $724,610 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. Kellogg Brown and Root Services Inc., Houston, Texas, is awarded $9,847,635 for task order A00012 under previously awarded firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract N62470-17-D-4012 for modification of the first option period for base operations support services at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, and other areas within Africa. The work to be performed provides for all management and administration, public safety, galley, ordnance, air operations, fire and emergency services, bachelor quarters, housing, pest control, integrated solid waste, base support vehicles and equipment, custodial, electrical, water, wastewater, port operations, supply, morale-welfare-recreation, facilities investment, and environmental services to provide base operations support services. After award of this option, the total cumulative contract value will be $132,110,862. Work will be performed at various installations in territory of Djibouti, Africa; and other areas within Africa, and is expected to be completed November 2019. No funds will be obligated at time of award. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Europe Africa Southwest Asia, Naples, Italy, is the contracting activity. VT Halter Marine Inc., Pascagoula, Mississippi, was awarded a not-to-exceed $9,000,0000 undefinitized contract action for functional design engineering, procurement of long-lead time material, and limited advanced production to support the Oceanographic Survey Ship (T-AGS 67). Work will be performed in Pascagoula, Mississippi (85 percent); Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (13 percent); and New Orleans, Louisiana (2 percent), and is expected to be completed by May 2019. Fiscal 2018 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funding in the amount of $6,750,000 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, in accordance with 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1) - 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 (N00024-18-C-2208). (Awarded Nov. 16, 2018) Lockheed Martin Corp. Mission Systems and Training, Baltimore, Maryland, is awarded $7,105,135 for a firm-fixed-price contract for the manufacture of spare and repair parts used in the MK-41 Vertical Launching System. This is a one-year contract with no option periods. Work will be performed in Ventura, California (85 percent); and Baltimore, Maryland (15 percent), and will be completed by November 2019. Fiscal 2018 and 2019 working capital funds (Navy) in the amount of $7,105,135 will be issued as a delivery order that will be awarded concurrently with the contract. Funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. One company was solicited for this non-competitive requirement and one offer was received in response to the original solicitation in accordance with 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1). Naval Supply Systems Command Weapon Systems Support, Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, is the contracting activity (N00104-19-D-ZD21). AIR FORCE Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems, San Diego, has been awarded a $489,924,430 definitization and increase in scope fixed-price-incentive-fee and cost-plus-incentive-fee contract (FA8620-18-C-1000 PZ0004) for the Japan Global Hawk program. The contract provides for: three RQ-4 Global Hawk Block 30i air vehicles each containing an enhanced integrated sensor suite payload, two ground control elements, spares and support equipment, system engineering and program management tasks required to execute, manage, control, and report on all program activities, and a site survey. Work will be performed in San Diego and is expected to be completed by Sept. 1, 2022. This contract involves foreign military sales (FMS) to Japan and is the result of a sole-source acquisition. This action will increase funding by $294,542,454 for a total of $425,012,030 in FMS funding. FMS funding in the amount of $64,912,400 will be awarded as priced options to be exercised as soon as Japan releases the remaining funds. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity. Thales Air Traffic Management Inc., Clarksburg, Maryland, has been awarded a $30,634,338 firm-fixed-price contract option for Deployable Instrument Landing System (D-ILS) production units and spare parts. This contract option provides 9 D-ILS to be deployed worldwide. Work will be performed in Clarksburg, Maryland, and is expected to be completed September 2020. Fiscal 2017 and 2018 procurement funds in the amount of $30,634,338 are being obligated at the time of award. The total cumulative face value of the contract is $126,104,149 and has not changed with this award. Aerospace Management Systems Contracting Office, Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts, is the contracting activity (FA8730-18-C-0034). Engility Corp., Andover, Massachusetts, has been awarded a $30,304,806 cost-plus-incentive-fee contract for systems engineering and integration follow-on services. This contract provides support to ensure the Air Force Space Overhead Persistent Infrared and Space Based Environmental Monitoring program requirements are met in a timely manner. Work will be performed in El Segundo, California, and is expected to be completed by Feb. 28, 2021. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition and one offer was received. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $15,48,920; space procurement funds in the amount of $783,582; and operations and maintenance funds in the amount of 1,934,075 will be obligated at the time of award. Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles Air Force Base, California, is the contracting activity (FA8810-19-F-0001). MISSILE DEFENSE AGENCY Lockheed Martin Corp. - Rotary and Mission Systems, Colorado Springs, Colorado, is being competitively awarded an indefinite-delivery/indefinite quantity contract with a maximum amount of $240,000,000. Under this new contract, the contractor will support the development, deployment and sustainment of the Objective Simulation Framework Modeling & Simulation framework that leverages existing or mature capabilities with a modular, scalable, reconfigurable, and composeable architecture. A task order in the amount of $49,703,444 is being issued immediately after the award of this contract. The work will be performed in Huntsville, Alabama. The ordering period is from Nov. 19, 2018, through Nov. 18, 2023. This contract was competitively procured via publication on the Federal Business Opportunities website with three proposals received. Fiscal 2018 research and development funds in the amount of $1,700,000 are being obligated on the award of the first task order and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Missile Defense Agency, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity (HQ0147-19-D-0002). DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Coastal Pacific Food Distributors, Stockton, California, has been awarded a maximum $52,000,000 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for full food-line distribution. This is a 142-day bridge contract, which could possibly end early when the guaranteed minimum is met. Locations of performance are California, Japan, Singapore, Philippines and Diego Garcia, with an April 30, 2019, performance completion date. Using military services are Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 defense working capital funds. The contracting agency is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE300-19-D-4046). Burlington Apparel Fabrics, Greensboro, North Carolina, has been awarded a maximum $47,951,352 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery contract for blue poly/wool cloth. This was a competitive acquisition with one response received. This is a one-year contract with four one-year option periods. The maximum dollar amount is for the life of the contract. Location of performance is North Carolina, with a Nov. 18, 2023, performance completion date. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2023 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE1C1-19-D-1113). *Small business https://dod.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/1694434/source/GovDelivery/