February 15, 2023 | International, Other Defence
Des munitions plutôt que des avions. Réunis ce mardi et mercredi à Bruxelles, les ministres de la Défense de l'Otan explorent les moyens d'accélérer la livraison des nouvelles armes promises à l'Ukraine et de relancer la production de munitions.
May 8, 2024 | International, Land
Good morning everyone. Thank you very much for this kind introduction and the warm welcome that I've received. I would like to begin, as we always should, by acknowledging that we are gathered on the traditional territory of the Algonquin Anishinabek peoples...
September 24, 2019 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security
MISSILE DEFENSE AGENCY Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems, Woburn, Massachusetts, is being awarded a modification on indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract HQ0147-18-D-0002. The value of this contract modification is $500,615,405, which increases the total ceiling value from $461,492,695 to $962,108,100. The contractor will continue to perform research and development support for the Army Navy Transportable Radar Surveillance Control Model-2 and Sea-Based X-Band radar. The modification also includes continued product improvement, warfighter support, engineering services, Ballistic Missile Defense System test subject matter experts (SME) support, modeling and simulation SME support, and cybersecurity. No task orders are being issued at this time. The work will continue to be performed in Woburn, Massachusetts. The period of performance remains the same, which is from Nov. 1, 2017, through Oct. 31, 2022, with a one year option. The Missile Defense Agency, Huntsville, Alabama, is the contracting activity. DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., San Diego, California, has been awarded a maximum $375,792,189 firm-fixed-price delivery order (SPRPA1-19-F-E31N) against a five year basic ordering agreement (N00019-15-G-0026) for Multi Function Active Sensor Radar Systems for the MQ-4C Triton unmanned aircraft system. This was a sole source acquisition using justification 10 U.S. Code 2304 (c)(1), as stated in Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. This is a six-year contract with no option periods. Location of performance is California, with a Dec. 31, 2025, performance completion date. Using military service is Navy. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2025 Navy working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. American Water Operations and Maintenance Inc., Voorhees, New Jersey, has been awarded a $15,934,838 modification (P00116) to a 50-year utilities privatization contract (SP0600-07-C-8254) with no option periods incorporating an increase to the operations, maintenance, renewal and replacement charges for water and wastewater utility service systems. This is a fixed-price prospective redetermination contract. Location of performance is Virginia, with a Dec. 20, 2057, performance completion date. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is operations and maintenance funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Energy, Fort Belvoir, Virginia. Crane Electronics Inc., Fort Walton Beach, Florida, has been awarded an estimated $9,283,185 fixed-price, requirements contract for AN/ALR-56C radar warning receiver low voltage power supplies in support of the F-15 aircraft. This was a sole source acquisition using justification 10 U.S. Code 2304 (c)(1), as stated in Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. This is a five-year contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Florida, with a Sept. 18, 2024, performance completion date. Using military service is the Air Force. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2024 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Warner Robins, Georgia (SPRWA1-19-D-0010). Twigg Corp., Martinsville, Indiana, has been awarded a maximum $9,270,251 firm-fixed-price contract for T404 support turbine assemblies. This was a competitive acquisition with two offers received. This is an 11-month contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Indiana, with a June 19, 2023, performance completion date. Using military service is Navy. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 Navy working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPRPA1-19-C-Z059). NAVY Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is being awarded a $352,672,006 modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (N00019-19-D-0015). This modification increases the ceiling and scope of the contract to include the procurement of Lot 12-14 Generation 3 helmet mounted displays in support of the F-35 Lightning II program. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas, and is expected to be completed in December 2020. No funds are being obligated at time of award; funds will be obligated on individual orders as they are issued. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Missouri, is being awarded $227,000,000 for ceiling-priced delivery order N00383-19-F-A34Y under previously awarded basic ordering agreement N00383-17-G-A301 for the procurement of main and nose landing gear assemblies in support of the F/A-18E/F and EA-18G aircrafts. The period of performance for this delivery order begins October 2019 and will be completed by March 2023 with no option periods. Work will be performed in St. Louis, Missouri. Annual working capital funds (Navy) in the amount of $111,230,000 will be will be obligated at the time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. One company was solicited for this sole sourced requirement under authority 10 U.S. Code 2304 (c)(1), with one offer received. Naval Supply Systems Command Weapon Systems Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is the contracting activity. General Electric Co., Lynn, Massachusetts, is being awarded a $219,407,194 modification (PZ0002) to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (N00019-18-C-1061) to procure 48 F414-GE-400 install engines and engine devices for Lot 23 F/A-18E/F aircraft. Work will be performed in Lynn, Massachusetts (59%); Hooksett, New Hampshire (18%); Rutland, Vermont (12%); and Madisonville, Kentucky (11%), and is expected to be completed in August 2021. Fiscal 2019 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount $219,407,194 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. Raytheon Co., Largo, Florida, is being awarded a $52,857,202 cost-plus-fixed-fee and cost-plus-incentive-fee modification to previously awarded contract N00024-19-C-5200 to exercise options for design agent and engineering services to support the Cooperative Engagement Capability (CEC) program. This option exercise is for design agent and engineering services to perform advanced studies and integration efforts as well as software sustainment and support. The CEC program provides a sensor network with integrated fire control capability that significantly improves strike force air and missile defense capabilities by coordinating measurement data from strike force air search sensors on CEC-equipped units into a single, integrated real-time, composite track air picture. CEC improves battle force effectiveness by improving overall situational awareness and by enabling longer range, cooperative, multiple, or layered engagement strategies. Work will be performed in Largo, Florida, and is expected to be completed by September 2020. Fiscal 2019 other procurement (Navy); fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy); fiscal 2019 operation and maintenance (Navy); and Foreign Military Sales funding in the amount of $7,130,069 will be obligated at time of award, and funds in the amount of $984,939 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. Robertson Fuel Systems LLC, Tempe, Arizona, is being awarded a $31,101,308 firm-fixed-price contract to manufacture and deliver eight V-22 mission auxiliary tank systems for extended range of flight requirements in support of V-22 aircraft for the Navy (3); Marine Corps (2); Air Force (1); and the government of Japan (2). Work will be performed in Tempe, Arizona, and is expected to be completed in November 2021. Fiscal 2017 and 2018 aircraft procurement (Air Force and Navy); and Foreign Military Sales (FMS) funds in the amount of $31,101,308 will be obligated at time of award, $14,729,731 of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This modification combines purchases for the Marine Corps and Navy ($20,702,984; 66%); Air Force ($1,213,255; 4 %); and the government of Japan ($9,185,069; 30%) under the FMS program. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to 10 U.S.Code 2304(c)(1). The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N00019-19-C-0042). Proaim Americas LLC, Grover, Missouri, is being awarded a $19,979,089 firm-fixed-price contract for Enterprise Ocular Picture Archiving and Communication System (OPACS) on behalf of multiple Department of Defense medical treatment facilities, within and outside the contiguous U.S. This is a five-year single award contract and work is expected to be completed by Sept. 30, 2024. Fiscal 2019 Defense Health Program other procurement funds in the amount of $3,737,387 will be obligated on an initial task order at the time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was a non-competitive sole source procurement in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1(c) issued via the Federal Business Opportunities website, with one proposal received. The Naval Medical Logistics Command, Fort Detrick, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N62645-19-D-5012). Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems, Liverpool, New York, is being awarded a $17,202,359 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract in support of the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye program to provide depot level repair capability for the AN/APY-9 radar line replaceable modules (LRMs). This contract provides technical services in support of development of electronic Consolidated Automated Support System (eCASS) compatibility reports and the associated technical data for AN/APY-9 radar avionics LRM. In addition, this contract provides for technical services for development system specifications that define the functional performance requirements for the operational test program sets to test the LRMs on the eCASS. Work will be performed in Liverpool, New York (45%); El Segundo, California (25%); Melbourne, Florida (24%); and Baltimore, Maryland (6%); and is expected to be completed in August 2021. Fiscal 2017 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $17,202,359 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)1. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Lakehurst, New Jersey, is the contracting activity (N68335-19-C-0248). Sealift Inc., Oyster Bay, New York, is being awarded a $14,608,000 modification under a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (N3220519C3512) to fund the fifth one-year option period. The option will continue to provide one U.S. flagged vessel (M/V Capt. David I. Lyon) for the transportation and prepositioning of cargo including, but not limited to; hazardous cargoes, explosives, ammunition, vehicular, containerized, and general cargoes, and for military readiness for the Department of the Air Force. The vessel is capable of deployment to worldwide locations. The current contract is approximately 111-day firm period with four one-year option periods, and a 212-day option period. Work will be performed worldwide, and is expected to be completed by Sept. 30, 2020. Fiscal 2020 working capital funds in the amount of $14,608,000 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the fiscal year. Military Sealift Command, headquartered in Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N3220519C3512). BAE Systems, Rockville, Maryland, is being awarded $10,144,531 for firm-fixed-price contract modification P00004 under a previously awarded contract (N00604-18-C-4001) to exercise Option Period Two for munitions handling and management services which includes receiving, storing, segregating, issuing, inspecting, and transporting various types of ammunition, explosives, expendable and technical ordnance material and weapons for Joint Service commands. This contract includes a nine month base period, and four 12-month option periods. The exercise of this option will bring the estimated value of the contract to $25,127,912, and if all options are exercised, it will bring the total value to $45,516,525. Work will be performed in Ewa Beach, Hawaii, and work is expected to be completed by September 2020; if all options on the contract are exercised, work will be completed by September 2022. Fiscal 2020 operation and maintenance funds (Navy) in the full amount of $10,144,531will be obligated once the modification to exercise option year one is awarded, and funds will not expire before the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured with the solicitation posted to the Federal Business Opportunities and Navy Electronic Commerce Online websites, with one offer received. Naval Supply Systems Command Fleet Logistics Center Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, is the contracting activity. Sealift Inc., Oyster Bay, New York, is being awarded an $8,688,118 modification under a previously awarded, firm-fixed-price contract (N3220515C3201) to fund the fifth one-year option period. The option will continue to provide one U.S. flagged vessel (M/V LTC John D. Page) for the transportation and prepositioning of cargo including, but not limited to, hazardous cargoes, explosives, ammunition, vehicular, containerized, and general cargoes; and for military readiness for the Department of the Army. The vessel is capable of deployment to worldwide locations. The current contract includes a two month firm period of the performance, four one-year option periods, and one nine-month option period. Work will be performed worldwide, and is expected to be completed by July 5, 2020. Fiscal 2019 and 2020 working capital funds in the amount of $8,688,118 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the fiscal year. Military Sealift Command, headquartered in Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N3220515C3201). Gilbane Federal, Concord, California, is being awarded an $8,644,506 firm-fixed-price modification to increase the maximum dollar value of task order N6247318F5305 under an environmental multiple award contract for radiological confirmation sampling and surveying at Hunters Point Naval Shipyard. The work to be performed is to provide radiological confirmation investigation, survey, and reporting activities within Parcel C, at Hunters Point Naval Shipyard. The contractor shall provide all labor, supervision, engineering, materials, equipment, tools, parts, supplies and transportation to perform all work described in the request for proposal. After award of this modification, the total cumulative task order value will be $21,002,538. Work will be performed in San Francisco, California, and is expected to be completed by December 2023. Fiscal 2019 base realignment and closure, environmental, (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $8,644,506 are obligated on this award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southwest, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity (N62473-17-D-0005). Bell-Boeing Joint Program Office, Amarillo, Texas, is being awarded a $7,985,270 modification (P00095) to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (N00019-12-C-2001). This modification provides for the modification of government furnished tooling as well as the acquisition of new tooling in support of V-22 aircraft production. A total of 47 tooling parts will be procured under this modification. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas, and is expected to be completed in September 2021. Fiscal 2017 aircraft procurement (Air Force) funds in the amount of $7,985,270 will be obligated at time of award, all of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. ARMY Science and Engineering Services LLC,* Huntsville, Alabama, was awarded a $54,931,995 modification (P00003) to Foreign Military Sales (Afghanistan) W58RGZ-18-F-0063 for maintenance on UH-60 helicopters. One bid was solicited via the internet with one bid received. Work will be performed in Kandahar, Afghanistan, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 31, 2020. Fiscal 2019 Afghanistan Security Forces funds in the amount of $54,931,995 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity. Meggitt Defense Systems Inc., Irvine, California, was awarded a $48,563,836 hybrid (cost-plus-fixed-fee and firm-fixed-price) contract for development, production, field operations support, installation support, training, cyber security support, systems and spares production and repairs of the Aerial Weapons Scoring System. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 8, 2024. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Orlando, Florida, is the contracting activity (W900KK-19-D-0010). Thoma-Sea Marine Constructors,* Houma, Louisiana, was awarded a $24,491,400 firm-fixed-price contract for procurement and delivery of a steel barge. Bids were solicited via the internet with two received. Work will be performed in Houma, Louisiana, with an estimated completion date of July 19, 2023. Fiscal 2019 Mississippi River and Tributaries funds in the amount of $24,491,400 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is the contracting activity (W912BU-19-C-0042). S & E Services Inc.,* Edison, New Jersey, was awarded a $16,526,000 firm-fixed-price contract to construct a new Security Forces and Communications training facility. Bids were solicited via the internet with six received. Work will be performed in Westhampton Beach, New York, with an estimated completion date of Jan. 11, 2021. Fiscal 2019 military construction, Army National Guard funds in the amount of $16,526,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Property and Fiscal Office, New Jersey, is the contracting activity (W912PQ-19-C-9001). Lead Builders Inc.,* Thousand Oaks, California, was awarded a $10,655,000 firm-fixed-price contract for building renovation. Bids were solicited via the internet with four received. Work will be performed in Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, with an estimated completion date of Oct. 30, 2020. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $10,655,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Los Angeles, California, is the contracting activity (W912PL-19-C-0027). Simmonds Precision Products Inc., Vergennes, Vermont, was awarded a $10,155,178 firm-fixed-price contract for maintenance and overhaul. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 22, 2024. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity (W58RGZ-19-D-0128). CEMS-RS & H JV,* Summerville, South Carolina, was awarded a $9,900,000 firm-fixed-price contract for investigation, construction, renovation, planning and design services. Bids were solicited via the internet with seven received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 23, 2024. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New York, New York, is the contracting activity (W912DS-19-D-0007). Colby Co. LLC,* Portland, Maine, was awarded a $9,900,000 firm-fixed-price contract for architect and engineering services. Bids were solicited via the internet with seven received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 23, 2024. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New York, New York, is the contracting activity (W912DS-19-D-0012). Burns & McDonnell Engineering Co., Kansas City, Missouri, was awarded a $9,900,000 firm-fixed-price contract for architect and engineering 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 Aug. 23, 2024. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New York, New York, is the contracting activity (W912DS-19-D-0011). Lockheed Martin Corp. Rotary and Mission Systems, Orlando, Florida, was awarded a $9,725,000 firm-fixed-price Foreign Military Sales (Iraq) contract for procurement of Mobile M1A1 Situational Awareness Platoon Mobile Advanced Gunnery training system, mobile pre-brief, after action review capability, spare parts package, installation, on-site testing, training, design, development, test, management, documentation, hardware, software, and spares. One bid was solicited with one bid received. Work will be performed in Orlando, Florida, with an estimated completion date of Nov. 22, 2021. Fiscal 2010 counter-ISIS train and equip funds in the amount of $9,725,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Orlando, Florida, is the contracting activity (W900KK-19-C-0057). Oracle America Inc., Reston, Virginia, was awarded a $7,577,868 firm-fixed-price contract for the Army Corps of Engineers Financial Management System. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will be performed in Reston, Virginia, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 22, 2024. Fiscal 2019 revolving; and operations and maintenance, Army funds in the amount of $7,577,868 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Alexandria, Virginia, is the contracting activity (W912HQ-19-F-0136). AIR FORCE Herrick Technology Laboratories Inc.,* Manchester, New Hampshire, has been awarded a $40,712,166 cost-plus-fixed-fee completion contract for Spectrum-Agile, Location Aware, Enhanced Electromagnetic Kit (SLEEK) hardware and software. This contract provides for research, develop, integrate, prototype, demonstrate, validate and verify new software capabilities for a software-defined and reprogrammable transceiver that has broad applicability to military-relevant missions. Work will be performed at Germantown, Maryland; Manchester, New Hampshire; and Rome, New York, and is expected to be completed by October 2022. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition and two offers were received. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $1,500,000 are being obligated at time of award. The Air Force Research Laboratory, Rome, New York, is the contracting activity (FA8750-19-C-0530). Cornerstone Construction Services LLC, Woburn, Massachusetts (FA2835-19-D-0007); Maron Construction Co. Inc., Providence, Rhode Island (FA2835-19-D-0008); and Tantara Corp., Worcester, Massachusetts (FA2835-19-D-0009), have been awarded an aggregate, total maximum program/contract ceiling of a $20,000,000 multiple award construction indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract. This contract will provide for complex construction projects involving multiple trades that may require detailed engineering design to be performed by registered/licensed engineers and architects. The contractors shall provide all management, labor, material, equipment, transportation, supervision, and architectural engineering services to accomplish simultaneous maintenance, sustainment, repair, and minor construction projects. Work will be performed at Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts; Hanscom Air Force Base Family Campground, Bedford, Massachusetts; Patriot Golf Course, Bedford, Massachusetts; Sagamore Hill Solar Observatory, Hamilton, Massachusetts; Fourth Cliff Recreation Annex, Humarock, Massachusetts; Cape Cod Air Force Station, Massachusetts; and New Boston Air Force Station, New Hampshire. These awards were the result of a competitive 100% Small Business Set Aside acquisition and 16 offers were received. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance in the amount of $5,000 funds to each awardees are being obligated at time of award. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts, is the contracting activity. Raytheon Co. Missile Systems, Tucson, Arizona, has been awarded a $16,289,702 agreement for one prototype Phaser high power microwave system. This agreement provides for outside continental U.S. (OCONUS) field assessment for purposes of experimentation. Experimentation includes, but is not limited to 12 months of in-field operation by Air Force personnel against unmanned aerial systems threats. In addition, experimentation includes but is not limited to operator training, in theater maintenance of systems while collecting availability (full mission capable, partial mission capable, non-mission capable), reliability, maintainability and supportability data, and system operation against real-world or simulated hostile vignettes without disrupting other necessary installation operations. The location of performance is OCONUS and is expected to be completed by Dec. 20, 2020. This award is the result of a sole source acquisition. Fiscal 2018 and 2019 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $16,289,702 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8650-19-9-9325). Raytheon Co., El Segundo, California, has been awarded a $10,942,488 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for Technologies for the Mixed-mode Ultra Scaled Integrated Circuits (T-MUSIC) effort. This effort will develop advanced mixed-mode RF components and sub-systems leveraging the T-MUSIC platform. T-MUSIC technology combines advanced silicon-germanium with advanced CMOS to enable ultra-wide bandwidth, high spurious free dynamic range and fine data converter resolution with high effective number of bits beyond current state-of-the-art. Work will be performed at El Segundo, California; Andover, Maryland; and Thousand Oaks, California, and is expected to be completed Dec. 20, 2023. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition and 18 compliant offers were received. Fiscal 2019 and 2020 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $1,318,325 is being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8650-19-C-7934). BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc., Nashua, New Hampshire, has been awarded an $8,076,227 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for Technologies for Mixed-mode Ultra Scaled Integrated Circuits (T-MUSIC) and the Disruptive SiGe Circuits fabricated Onshore (DiSCO) effort. This effort will develop advanced mixed-mode RF components and sub-systems leveraging the T-MUSIC platform. T-MUSIC technology combines advanced silicon-germanium with advanced CMOS to enable ultra-wide bandwidth, high spurious free dynamic range and fine data converter resolution with high effective number of bits beyond current state-of-the-art. Toward that end, DiSCO will develop critical Department of Defense components and sub-systems to assess advancements derived from T-MUSIC technology. These circuits include Phase-locked Loop, ultra-high speed Divider (200GHz final goal), and high speed, high resolution Analog-to-Digital Converter. In addition, the option phase will develop high speed Direct Digital Synthesis for next generation transmitter technology. Work will be performed at Nashua, New Hampshire and is expected to be completed by Dec. 19, 2023. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition and 18 offers were received. Fiscal 2019 and 2020 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $364,723 is being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8650-19-C-7935). Communications & Power Industries LLC, Palo Alto, California, has been awarded an $8,058,269 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contract for Twystron Electron Tube Repair program. This contract provides for teardown, test, evaluation and repair of Twystron electron tubes in support of Unmanned Threat Emitter weapons system. Work will be performed at Palo Alto, California, and is expected to be completed by Sept. 30, 2025. This award is the result of a sole source acquisition. Fiscal 2019 working capital funds in the amount of $1,623,488 are obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Sustainment Center, Hill Air Force Base, Utah, is the contracting activity (FA8250-19-D-0001). *Small Business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/1968631/source/GovDelivery/
June 15, 2020 | International, Aerospace
By: Valerie Insinna WASHINGTON — Deliveries of a new precision-guided bomb under development by Raytheon for the F-35 and other fighter jets have been at a standstill for about a year as the company struggles to correct a technical problem involving a key component. A fix for the issue, which brought production of the Small Diameter Bomb II to a halt in July 2019, could be approved by the government as soon as July, said Air Force spokesman Capt. Jake Bailey in response to questions by Defense News. However, a June report by the Government Accountability Office pointed out that continued technical issues have already caused a delay in fielding the munition, with Raytheon forced to redesign a key component and retrofit all 598 bombs already delivered to the Air Force and Navy. The Small Diameter Bomb II — also known as the GBU-53 StormBreaker — was designed with a tri-mode seeker that includes a millimeter wave radar, imaging infrared and semi-active laser that allow the weapon to engage targets in all weather conditions and environments where visibility is obscured by dust and debris. The Air Force and Navy plan to integrate SDB II with a range of fighter aircraft including the F-15, F/A-18 Super Hornet and F-35 joint strike fighter, but the munition has been mired in development for more than a decade. This latest stoppage in production was prompted by internal audits by Raytheon, which found that the clips used to hold the bomb's fins in place “suffered vibration fatigue over long flight hours,” Bailey said. The clips serve “as the backup fin storage device” used to keep the fins in place in case other components fail, noted Bailey, who added that there have been no incidents during tests involving the SDB II fins inadvertently deploying. However, the GAO wrote that the premature deployment of the fins, which help guide the bomb in flight, could damage the weapon as well as cause a safety hazard for the aircraft carrying it. “While this problem could affect all aircraft carrying the bomb, officials said the greatest impact is to the F-35, because the bomb is carried in the aircraft's internal weapons bay and could cause serious damage if the fins deploy while the bomb is in the bay,” the GAO stated. Raytheon declined to comment on this story, directing questions to the Air Force. Raytheon plans on mitigating the issue with a newly designed clip that reduces the vibration of the fins, and will completely pay for developing the fix and retrofitting it on the bombs that have already been delivered, the GAO said. The Air Force confirmed that testing of the new device has already been completed and is going through final reviews. But while Raytheon and the Air Force had hoped to restart production in April, travel restrictions caused by the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic contributed to further delays. The government now hopes to approve the fix in July, after which production will restart and the retrofit process for existing bombs will begin. “The fin clip failure is the sole reason production was partially halted; once final government approval is obtained, ‘all up round' production can resume,” Bailey said, using a phrase that describes a fully assembled weapon. The Air Force estimates that retrofits will be completed by August, as Raytheon's supplier has already begun manufacturing the replacement component, which are easily installed on the outside of the weapon. “Until production resumes, the total Lot 3 deliveries remain at 204 of the 312 assets on contract,” Bailey said. All this puts initial operational capability at least a year later than the service's original timeline, which predicted IOC would occur in September 2019. The Air Force declined to name a current estimate for when IOC would be achieved, but said it would happen after a separate milestone known as the “initial fielding decision,” which involves the approval of the head of Air Combat Command and is set for the third quarter of 2020. The issue with SDB II's fins is just one of several technical problems with which Raytheon is grappling. The program completed operational tests in 2019, but hardware and software changes are needed after 11 failures were reported. Two hardware fixes have already been put in place, and eight failures were related to software problems that will be addressed in future updates, the GAO said. The sole outstanding issue involves an anomaly with SDB II's guidance system. Fixing it could require Raytheon to redesign the component and conduct retrofits on all bombs already delivered, according to GAO. A review board of the problem is in the “final stages of analysis,” Bailey said. The Air Force and Raytheon plan to establish whether a replacement component is necessary no later than June 30. Although the weapon has not even been officially fielded, some components are already becoming obsolete. A Raytheon subcontractor that makes circuit cards used in the guidance system is expected to stop producing those components years sooner than anticipated. As a result, that the Defense Department may have to order all circuit cards needed for the program of record before December, according to the GAO. That timeline has now been extended to January 2022, “which provides ample time for program office action before the new deadline,” Bailey said. Despite the bomb's ongoing problems, Raytheon continues to rake in contracts for the program. In February, the Defense Department awarded a $15 million increase to a previous SDB II contract for additional technical support. In September, the company received a $200 million contract for lifecycle support during the bomb's engineering and manufacturing development phase. According to a Raytheon news release, the Navy recently completed the first guided release of SDB II from a F/A-18E/F Super Hornet. https://www.defensenews.com/air/2020/06/12/production-of-one-of-the-f-35s-most-anticipated-bombs-has-been-on-hold-for-almost-a-year