July 27, 2020 | International, C4ISR
WASHINGTON — The COVID-19 pandemic is evidence that Russia and China have accelerated adoption of their age-old influence and disinformation tactics to the modern era, national security experts and military leaders said.
Those countries are leveraging U.S. laws, social media platforms and divisions within society to their larger strategic advantage and as a way to weaken the United States.
“This pandemic crisis has made it very, very clear that Russia, China and others intend to strategically use cyber-enable information operations against the U.S.,” Lt. Gen. Mary O'Brien, deputy chief of staff for intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and cyber effects operations, said during a Joint Service Academy Cybersecurity Conference webinar June 11.
“They're injecting disinformation, which is not a new concept in itself, but now by incorporating cyber means, they're reaching millions of people to exacerbate existing tensions within the U.S. and between us, our allies and partners.”
She said these efforts include spreading conspiracy theories and confusing messages about the virus such as its origins and risks.
Such tactics are here to stay.
“Our adversaries have made it very clear that this aspect of strategic competition will be enduring,” O'Brien added.
These tactics, which include waging influence campaigns below the threshold of armed conflict, have forced the military, and U.S. government more broadly, to rethink its strategies and views toward conflict. Traditionally, the United States government has taken a binary view of war and peace, while adversaries such as Russia in particular have viewed conflict on a perpetual continuum.
“In many ways, we have trained ourselves as a service at every Red Flag we've gone to that conflict begins when two fighters engage or we find a target on the battlespace. So we've really trained ourselves that conflict begins at that moment,” Lt. Gen. Timothy Haugh, commander of 16th Air Force, the service's first information warfare command, said at a July 15 Mitchell Institute webcast. Red Flag is the Air Force's premier tactical training event.
“Was the first element really when we got into conflict in the information environment ... the first day that one of our companies was hacked that the intellectual property theft of one of our weapon systems stole?” he said. “Was that really when conflict began? Was it the day that Russian hackers hacked into the DNC? Was that really the day that conflict began for our nation and how we should be thinking about it when the adversaries went to another level of using some level of malign activity that is outside of things that we would consider norms.”
As such, the military is looking at ways to expose this activity abroad when it can.
“Sixteenth Air Force units are focused on developing tactics, techniques and procedures and they're looking to identify, expose and when directed, countering the threat from the state sponsored disinformation campaigns,” O'Brien said. “This is continuing, I think we'll see it again as we address the racial discrimination.”
Adversaries have exploited U.S. laws and principles, such as the freedom of speech with online platforms, which makes outright banning accounts difficult. They've also targeted existing divisions within society such as protests over police tactics and racial equality.
“[Adversaries] also are in a position where they can take advantage of a lot of the disinformation/misinformation that's created right here at home in the United States by actual Americans who understand the language in a way Moscow couldn't at a native level,” Cindy Otis, vice president of analysis at Alethea Group, a start-up that counters disinformation and social media manipulation. told C4ISRNET.
Experts explained that adversaries in many cases don't have to create content, although many choose to.
“At the end of the day they're really just amplifying our existing social divisions. We suspect, especially lately, that they've really done enough amplification that they're just kind of allowing things to snowball now ...There's enough existing division that it really only requires tiny nudges at this point to amplify,” Maj. Jessica Dawson, research lead for information warfare and an assistant professor at the Army Cyber Institute, told C4ISRNET.
One way they do this is called memetic warfare, which involves sharing memes on various social media platforms to stoke a particular reaction from various groups.
“When we think about memetic warfare, what's really happening is we're taking these sort of deep seeded emotional stories and we're collapsing them down into a picture, usually it's something that has a very, very quick emotional punch,” she said. “They're collapsing these narratives down into images that are often not attributed, that's one of the things about memes is they really aren't, someone usually isn't signing them, going ‘I'm the artist.' There [are] these really emotional punches that are shared very, very quickly, they're self replicating in a lot of ways because you see it, you react and then you immediately pass it on.”
While many experts noted that these tactics are nothing new, the difference is the internet.
“The major change throughout history is today they're able to spread and amplify and reach people where they are all over the world in a way that was never possible before,” Otis, who previously was a CIA analyst, said.
Previously, nations such as the Soviet Union had to prop up media outlets and place stories in newspapers around the world hoping they'd be picked up in English language outlets. Now, they just have to tweet.
In some cases, they are overt social media channels and actors might not even hide their origin, but other more covert cases, states might use certain influencers or cut outs to do their bidding.
What's the point?
The goal of these operations varies slightly, but experts said they serve the ultimate purpose of put down the United States compared to their own nations.
“For Russia it all goes back to the desire to undermine United States' global credibility but also show their own population ‘hey, you know that democracy you want, it's actually not a great thing ... look how it's turning out for the United States,‘” Otis said.
She added that Russia tries to undermine the credibility of the United States on issues such as human rights, something the United States is active in promoting on the world stage, by highlighting social divisions such as potential police brutality and racial injustice.
Dawson noted this can also distract from what Russia is doing abroad.
Russia also wants to discourage citizens from voting, Otis said by making large swaths of the population feel disenfranchised. Often times, these actors will play both sides of an issue to maximize reach and discord.
When it comes to China, Dawson noted that they are trying to appear more benevolent on the world stage to present itself as a world power, which is much harder. They are also good at making information disappear online, she said, citing information on the Tiananmen Square massacre.
Otis pointed to Chinese benevolent efforts such as providing medical aid to nations such as Italy during the ongoing pandemic.
Combating these efforts, including those focused internally at domestic populations and undermining government, can be difficult given the existing divisions within society and the broad speech freedoms guaranteed.
Otis explained that the government can sometimes be mired in its own bureaucratic processes, noting it can be its own worst enemy.
She provided the example of Taliban forces in Afghanistan publishing in their media channels that the United States and NATO forces bombed a school killing scores of children. Those stories would go viral in their circles and sometimes make their way to mainstream outlets. When questioned about those claims by reporters, U.S. officials would explain they have to conduct an investigation, which could take months. By the time the investigation is concluded and the claim is found to hold no truth, the damage is already done and the Taliban have successfully recruited against it.
Dawson noted that one way to begin combating disinformation is building trust from the local to the national level while also addressing the underlying domestic problems adversaries are exploiting from abroad.
June 19, 2024 | International, Aerospace, C4ISR
He cited the example of the Bayraktar drone, “the king of the war” at the start of the conflict in Ukraine, that is no longer being used.
November 19, 2018 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security
AIR FORCE Space Vector Corp., Chatsworth, California (FA8818-19-D-0001); and OrbitalATK Inc., Chandler, Arizona (FA8818-19-D-0002), have been awarded a combined ceiling $424,000,000 multiple-award, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, cost-plus-incentive-fee, firm-fixed-price and cost-plus-fixed-fee for Sounding Rocket Program-4 (SRP-4). The SRP-4 contract provides suborbital launch services and launch support services necessary to accomplish the Rocket Systems Launch Program's suborbital mission. This contract will be used to meet Department of Defense and other government agency requirements for sub-orbital research, development, and test launch services, including prototype demonstrations and missile defense targets. Work will primarily be performed in Chatsworth, California; Chandler, Arizona, and a variety of government launch sites, depending on mission requirements. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition with a seven-year ordering period. Space and Missile Systems Center, Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico, is the contracting activity. DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Labatt Food Service, San Antonio, Texas, has been awarded a maximum $295,636,225 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity with economic-price-adjustment contract for full line food distribution support for the San Antonio region. This was a competitive acquisition with three responses received. This is a two-year base contract with one one-year option period, and one two-year option period. Location of performance is Texas, with a Nov. 15, 2023, performance completion date. Using military services are Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2024 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE300-19-D-3206). Allison Transmission, Indianapolis, Indiana, has been awarded a maximum $20,781,402 firm-fixed-price contract for transmission overhaul kits. 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 13-month contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Indiana, with a Dec. 31, 2019, performance completion date. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime, Warren, Michigan (SPRDL1-19-C-0057). Peckham Vocational Industries,** Lansing, Michigan, has been awarded an $8,609,660modification (P00003) exercising the first one-year option period of a one-year base contract (SPE1C1-18-D-N029) with two one-year option periods for drawers. This is a firm-fixed-price contract. Location of performance is Michigan, with a Nov. 21, 2019, performance completion date. Using military services are Army and Air Force. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NAVY Lockheed Martin Corp., Baltimore, Maryland, is awarded a $282,085,646 not-to-exceed undefinitized contract action modification to previously-awarded contract N00024-18-C-2301 for long-lead-time material and detail design in support of the construction of four Multi-Mission Surface Combatant ships (MMSC). The MMSC is a lethal and highly maneuverable surface combatant capable of littoral and open-ocean operation. This contract involves foreign military sales to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Work will be performed in Marinette, Wisconsin (55 percent); Baltimore, Maryland (23 percent); Herndon, Virginia (11 percent); Moorestown, New Jersey (6 percent); Manassas, Virginia (1 percent); San Diego, California (1 percent); and various places below one percent (3 percent), and is expected to be completed by October 2025. Foreign military sales (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia) funding in the amount of $124,201,733 will be obligated at the 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)(4) (international agreement). The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. Booz Allen Hamilton Inc., McLean, Virginia (N00189-19-D-Z012); Cydecor Inc., Arlington, Virginia (N00189-19-D-Z013); and Whitney, Bradley and Brown Inc., Reston, Virginia (N00189-19-D-Z014), are awarded an estimated $69,920,361 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 management support services to facilitate warfighting, manpower and business transformation initiatives in support of the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations, Information Dominance. The contracts will run concurrently and will include a 60-month base ordering period with no additional options. Work will be performed at government facilities in Arlington, Virginia (90 percent), and at the various contractor locations in which the percentage of work at each of those locations cannot be determined at this time (10 percent). The ordering period will begin March 2019 and is expected to be completed by February 2024. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $100,000 will be obligated (approximately $33,333 on each of the three 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 posted to the Federal Business Opportunities website, with ten offers received. Naval Supply Systems Command Fleet Logistics Center Norfolk, Contracting Department Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is the contracting activity. Kellogg Brown and Root Services Inc., Houston, Texas, is awarded $55,452,842 for task order A00011 under previously awarded firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (N62470-17-D-4012) to exercise 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 $122,263,227. Work will be performed at various installations in Territory of Djibouti, Africa and other areas within Africa, and work 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. Lockheed Martin Space, Sunnyvale, California is being awarded a cost-plus-fixed-fee, cost-plus-incentive-fee $49,069,660 modification (P00002) to a previously awarded contract (N00030-18-C-0100) for Trident II (D5) missile production and deployed system support. The work will be performed in Kings Bay, Georgia (22.25 percent); Bangor, Washington (22.80 percent); Cape Canaveral, Florida (22.22 percent); Sunnyvale, California (12.59 percent); Borgo San Dalmazzo, Italy (6.81 percent); Biddeford, Maine (3.70 percent); Denver, Colorado (2.06 percent); and other various locations (less than 1.00 percent each; 7.57 percent total), and work is expected to be completed Sept. 30, 2023. Fiscal 2019 weapons procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $31,281,073; and fiscal 2019 research, development, test, and evaluation funds in the amount of $17,788,587 will be obligated on this award. No funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Strategic Systems Programs, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. Lockheed Martin Space, Sunnyvale, California, is awarded $41,329,513 for cost-plus-incentive-fee, cost-plus-fixed-fee modification P00016 to a previously awarded contract (N00030-17-C-0100) for Trident II (D5) missile production and deployed system support. The work will be performed in Sunnyvale, California (69.71 percent); Denver, Colorado (10.92 percent); Clearwater, Florida (8.78 percent); Cape Canaveral, Florida (3.04 percent); Valley Forge, Pennsylvania (1.99 percent); Santa Clara, California (1.06 percent); and other various locations (less than 1.00 percent each; 4.50 percent total) with work expected to be completed by Sept. 30, 2023. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test, and evaluation funds in the amount of $11,513,121; and fiscal 2019 weapons procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $29,816,392 are being obligated on this award. No funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Strategic Systems Programs, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Military Aircraft Systems, Melbourne, Florida, is being awarded $32,730,879 for modification P00003 to a previously awarded advance acquisition contract (N00019-18-C-1037) for long-lead items for Japan E-2D Aircraft JAA5 under the Foreign Military Sales program. Work will be performed in Syracuse, New York (22.04 percent); Potez, Aire-sur-l'Adour, France (11.50 percent); Edgewood, New York (8.42 percent); Menlo Park, California (6.12 percent); Woodland Hills, California (5.53 percent); Rolling Meadows, Illinois (5.01 percent); Marlborough, Massachusetts (4.59 percent); Greenlawn, New York (3.06 percent); Owego, New York (3.06 percent); Independence, Ohio (3.06 percent); Gardena, California (2.29 percent); Melbourne, Florida (2.09 percent); Clemmons, North Carolina (1.81 percent); Falls Church, Virginia (1.53 percent); Melville, New York (1.49 percent); Long Beach, California (1.17 percent); Laval, Quebec, Canada (0.04 percent); and various locations within the U.S. (17.19 percent), and is expected to be completed in August 2022. Foreign military sales funds in the amount of $32,730,879 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. IAP Worldwide Services Inc., Cape Canaveral, Florida, is awarded a $20,881,626 contract modification for recurring/non-recurring services type contract for base operations services at Naval Support Activity Annapolis. The work to be performed provides for all management, supervision, labor hours, training, equipment, and supplies necessary to perform base operating services to include but not limited to facility investment, service calls, pest control, operation of utility plants, refuse collection, special events, and snow and ice removal. Work will be performed in Annapolis, Maryland, and work is expected to be completed July 2019. No funds will be obligated at time of award. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance (Navy); and fiscal 2019 Navy working capital funds in the amount of $14,629,883.85 for recurring work will be obligated on individual task orders issued during the contract period. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity (N40080-18-D-0500). Triton Marine Construction Corp., Bremerton, Washington, is awarded a $17,914,200 firm-fixed-price contract for the repair of trestle box beams at Naval Weapons Station (NWS) 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 at NWS Earle waterfront complex. 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). EMR Inc.,* Niceville, Florida, is awarded $16,897,000 for firm-fixed-price task order N6945019F1000 under a previously awarded multiple award construction contract (N69450-17-D-0507) for renovations to Colmer Dining Facility Building 367 at Naval Construction Battalion Center Gulfport. Renovations include expansion of cold storage areas, improvements to electrical and mechanical systems, updated parking and architectural components. In addition, a temporary kitchen facility composed of modular units will be placed in service at a separate location. 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. Work will be performed in Gulfport, Mississippi, and is expected to be completed by Nov. 2021. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $16,897,000 are obligated on this award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. One proposal was received for this task order. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southeast, Jacksonville, Florida, is the contracting activity. Technology Unlimited Group,* San Diego, California, is awarded a $15,059,071 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, cost-plus-fixed-fee, multiple-award contract to provide systems engineering support for Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Pacific command, control, communications, computers, and intelligence programs. This is one of six contracts awarded. All awardees will have the opportunity to compete for task orders during the ordering period. This two-year contract includes three, one-year options which, if exercised, would bring the potential value of this contract to an estimated $38,798,332. All work will be performed in San Diego, California. The period of performance of the base award is from Nov. 16, 2018 through Nov. 15, 2020. If the options are exercised, the period of performance would extend through Nov. 15, 2023. No funds will be obligated at the time of award. Funds will be obligated as task orders are issued using research, development, test and evaluation (Navy, Air Force and Defense Agency); operations and maintenance (Navy, Air Force and Defense Agency); other procurement (Navy and Air Force); foreign military sales; and Navy working capital funds. This contract was competitively procured via Request for Proposal N66001-16-R-0180 published on the Federal Business Opportunities and the SPAWAR e-Commerce Central website, with 21 offers received and six selected for award. Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Pacific, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity (N66001-19-D-0005). Harmonia Holdings Group LLC,* Blacksburg, Virginia, is awarded a $15,028,289 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, cost-plus-fixed-fee, multiple-award contract to provide systems engineering support for Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Pacific command, control, communications, computers, and intelligence programs. This is one of six contracts awarded. All awardees will have the opportunity to compete for task orders during the ordering period. This two-year contract includes three, one-year options which, if exercised, would bring the potential value of this contract to an estimated $39,540,512. Work will be performed at government facilities in San Diego, California (90 percent), and at contractor facilities in Blacksburg, Virginia (10 percent). The period of performance of the base award is from Nov. 16, 2018 through Nov. 15, 2020. If the options are exercised, the period of performance would extend through Nov. 15, 2023. No funds will be obligated at the time of award. Funds will be obligated as task orders are issued using research, development, test and evaluation (Navy, Air Force and Defense Agency); operations and maintenance (Navy, Air Force and Defense Agency); other procurement (Navy and Air Force); foreign military sales; and Navy working capital funds. This contract was competitively procured via Request for Proposal N66001-16-R-0180 published on the Federal Business Opportunities and the SPAWAR e-Commerce Central website, with 21 offers received and six selected for award. Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Pacific, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity (N66001-19-D-0004). Effecture LLC,* San Diego, California, is awarded a $14,803,612 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, cost-plus-fixed-fee, multiple-award contract to provide systems engineering support for Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Pacific command, control, communications, computers, and intelligence programs. This is one of six contracts awarded. All awardees will have the opportunity to compete for task orders during the ordering period. This two-year contract includes three, one-year options which, if exercised, would bring the potential value of this contract to an estimated $38,403,117. All work will be performed in San Diego, California. The period of performance of the base award is from Nov. 16, 2018 through Nov. 15, 2020. If the options are exercised, the period of performance would extend through Nov. 15, 2023. No funds will be obligated at the time of award. Funds will be obligated as task orders are issued using research, development, test and evaluation (Navy, Air Force and Defense Agency); operations and maintenance (Navy, Air Force and Defense Agency); other procurement (Navy and Air Force); foreign military sales; and Navy working capital funds. This contract was competitively procured via Request for Proposal N66001-16-R-0180 published on the Federal Business Opportunities and the SPAWAR e-Commerce Central website, with 21 offers received and six selected for award. Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Pacific, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity (N66001-19-D-0002). Trabus Technologies Inc.,* San Diego, California, is awarded a $14,704,521 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, cost-plus-fixed-fee, multiple-award contract to provide systems engineering support for Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Pacific command, control, communications, computers, and intelligence programs. This is one of six contracts awarded. All awardees will have the opportunity to compete for task orders during the ordering period. This two-year contract includes three, one-year options which, if exercised, would bring the potential value of this contract to an estimated $38,129,755. All work will be performed in San Diego, California. The period of performance of the base award is from Nov. 16, 2018 through Nov, 15, 2020. If the options are exercised, the period of performance would extend through Nov. 15, 2023. No funds will be obligated at the time of award. Funds will be obligated as task orders are issued using research, development, test and evaluation (Navy, Air Force and Defense Agency); operations and maintenance (Navy, Air Force and Defense Agency); other procurement (Navy and Air Force); foreign military sales; and Navy working capital funds. This contract was competitively procured via Request for Proposal N66001-16-R-0180 published on the Federal Business Opportunities and the SPAWAR e-Commerce Central website, with 21 offers received and six selected for award. Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Pacific, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity (N66001-19-D-0007). Grove Resource Solutions Inc.,* Frederick, Maryland, is awarded a $14,704,521 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, cost-plus-fixed-fee, multiple-award contract to provide systems engineering support for Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Pacific command, control, communications, computers, and intelligence programs. This is one of six contracts awarded. All awardees will have the opportunity to compete for task orders during the ordering period. This two-year contract includes three, one-year options which, if exercised, would bring the potential value of this contract to an estimated $39,258,893. Work will be performed at Government facilities in San Diego (90 percent) and at contractor facilities in Frederick, Maryland (10 percent). The period of performance of the base award is from Nov. 16, 2018 through Nov.15, 2020. If the options are exercised, the period of performance would extend through Nov. 15, 2023. No funds will be obligated at the time of award. Funds will be obligated as task orders are issued using research, development, test and evaluation (Navy, Air Force and Defense Agency); operations and maintenance (Navy, Air Force and Defense Agency); other procurement (Navy and Air Force); foreign military sales; and Navy working capital funds. This contract was competitively procured via Request for Proposal N66001-16-R-0180 published on the Federal Business Opportunities and the SPAWAR e-Commerce Central website, with 21 offers received and six selected for award. Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Pacific, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity (N66001-19-D-0003). Vigor Marine LLC, Portland, Oregon, is awarded an $11,668,324 firm-fixed-price contract for a 56-calendar day shipyard availability for the regular overhaul and dry docking of USNS Rappahannock (T-AO 204). Work includes general services, structural steel repairs, repair oil leaks in both port and starboard main engines, replace ballast tank level indicators, repairs to the emergency diesel generator, tank repairs and preservation to the marine sanitation device and vacuum collection holding and transfer tanks, renew valves for the ballast system, repairs to the main seawater piping, overhaul number one main seawater cooling, pump, overhaul number three ships service diesel generator turbocharger, repairs to staterooms, ship dry-docking and undocking, preservation to the ship's underwater hull and freeboard, refurbish the hauling winch assembly and motors on station number three, refurbishment of the rollers on the sliding block/transfer head/guide and refurbishment to the kingpost for station three. The contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the total contract value to $13,586,233. Work will be performed in Portland, Oregon, and is expected to begin on Jan. 7, 2019 and is expected to be completed by March 3, 2019. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $11,668,324 will be obligated. Funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured with proposals solicited via the Federal Business Opportunities website, with one offer received. The U.S. Navy's Military Sealift Command, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N3220519C4001). Trandes Corp.,* Lanham, Maryland, is awarded an estimated $11,619,097 contract modification to increase the ceiling of an existing indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, cost-plus-fixed-fee and cost-reimbursement contract (N66001-15-D-0146). Support includes removal of old and installation of new commercial-off-the-shelf precision approach radar; logistics and training support; remote landing site tower generator repair; tactical air navigation systems installation support; and Marine Air Traffic Control and Landing System, and Amphibious Assault Direction System sustainment support. This modification increases the estimated value of the contract from $19,226,946 to $30,846,043. This ceiling increase does not obligate funds. Funding will be obligated via task/delivery orders, which will be placed using operations and maintenance (Navy); and other procurement (Navy) funds. This modification is issued using other than full and open competition in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation Subpart 6.302-1 and 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1) - only one responsible source. Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Pacific, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity. Data Intelligence LLC,* Marlton, New Jersey, is awarded a $11,314,171 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, cost-plus-fixed-fee, multiple-award contract to provide systems engineering support for Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Pacific command, control, communications, computers, and intelligence programs. This is one of six contracts awarded. All awardees will have the opportunity to compete for task orders during the ordering period. This two-year contract includes three, one-year options which, if exercised, would bring the potential value of this contract to an estimated $28,840,430. Work will be performed at government facilities in San Diego, California (90 percent), and at contractor facilities in Marlton, New Jersey (10 percent). The period of performance of the base award is from Nov. 16, 2018 through Nov. 15, 2020. If the options are exercised, the period of performance would extend through Nov. 15, 2023. No funds will be obligated at the time of award. Funds will be obligated as task orders are issued using research, development, test and evaluation (Navy, Air Force and Defense Agency); operations and maintenance (Navy, Air Force and Defense Agency); other procurement (Navy and Air Force); foreign military sales; and Navy working capital funds. This contract was competitively procured via Request for Proposal N66001-16-R-0180 published on the Federal Business Opportunities and the SPAWAR e-Commerce Central website, with 21 offers received and six selected for award. Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Pacific, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity (N66001-19-D-0006). Ratcliff Construction Inc.,* Orange Park, Florida, is awarded $9,990,000 for firm-fixed-price task order N6945019F0850 under a previously awarded multiple award construction contract (N69450-18-D-1315) for consolidation and repair of Aviation Hangar 600 at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay. The work to be performed provides for complete exterior and interior repairs consisting of underutilized space in the west “lean-to” two story structure. Remotely located areas will be consolidated into renovated spaces. This includes complete renovation of Aviation Hangar 600 to include demolition of structures and repair by replacement of mechanical, electrical, plumbing and fire protection systems. Work will be performed in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and is expected to be completed by August 2020. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $9,990,000 are obligated on this award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Six proposals were received for this task order. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southeast, Jacksonville, Florida, is the contracting activity. ARMY DRS Sustainment Systems Inc., St. Louis, Missouri, was awarded a $30,439,974 firm-fixed-price contract for small enclosure kits to support production of the Chemical Biological Protective 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 Nov. 15, 2023. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois, is the contracting activity (W52P1J-19-D-3009). General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems, St. Petersburg, Florida, was awarded a $14,413,028 firm-fixed-price contract for Army Ground Mobility Vehicles and associated kits. Bids were solicited via the internet with three received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Nov. 16, 2019. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Warren, Michigan, is the contracting activity (W56HZV-19-F-0072). VSE Corp., Alexandria, Virginia, was awarded a $13,068,557 modification (P00014) to contract W911SA-16-C-0002 for labor, equipment and transportation necessary to provide logistics readiness support services to perform and assist with property accountability, vehicle operations and supporting functions, maintenance management services, field and sustainment level maintenance, storage site operations, hands-on-training mission support, and refurbishment support at various locations in Arizona, California, Texas, Oklahoma, Nevada, Arkansas and New Mexico. Work will be performed in Mountain View, California, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 29, 2019. Fiscal 2019 other funds in the amount of $11,715,802 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Mission and Installation Contracting Command, Fort McCoy, Wisconsin, is the contracting activity. *Small business **Mandatory source https://dod.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/1693147/source/GovDelivery/
February 5, 2020 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security
By: Sebastian Sprenger COLOGNE, Germany — European leaders should modify rules to include Britain and the United States in their defense-cooperation efforts, ending a simmering dispute that could turn toxic over time, according to the director general of the European Union Military Staff. “We will find a way [on] how to engage the United States and other third-party states,” Lt. Gen. Esa Pulkkinen told Defense News in an interview in Washington last week. But he cautioned that the unresolved issue could become a “permanent” thorn in the side of relations with the United States, in particular. At issue are the conditions for access to the multibillion-dollar European Defence Fund and its associated collaboration scheme, the Permanent Structured Cooperation, or PESCO. The funds are meant to nurse the nascent defense capabilities of the continent's member states, with the idea that NATO would be strengthened in the process. Officials have left the door open for the U.K., which recently left the EU, as well as its defense companies to partake in individual projects, given the country's importance as a key European provider of military capabilities. But the exact terms have yet to be spelled out, requiring a balancing act between framing member states as primary PESCO beneficiaries while providing a way in for key allies. Defense officials in Washington previously criticized the EU initiative, complaining that it would needlessly shut out American contractors. European leaders countered that the program is first and foremost meant to streamline the bloc's disparate military capabilities, stressing that avenues for trans-Atlantic cooperation exist elsewhere. “EDF and PESCO isn't everything in the world,” Pulkkinen said in Washington. “We are not going to violate any U.S. defense industrial interests. “The defense industry is already so globalized, they will find a way [on] how to work together.” While European governments have circulated draft rules for third-party access to the EU's defense-cooperation mechanism, a final ruling is not expected until discussions about the bloc's budget for 2021-2027 are further along, according to issue experts. Officials at the European Defence Agency, which manages PESCO, are taking something of a strategic pause to determine whether the dozens of projects begun over the past few years are delivering results. Sophia Besch, a senior research fellow with the Centre for European Reform, said the jury is still out over that assessment. “The big question is whether the European Union can prove that the initiatives improve the operational capabilities,” she said. Aside from the bureaucratic workings of the PESCO scheme, the German-French alliance — seen as an engine of European defense cooperation — has begun to sputter, according to Besch. In particular, Berlin and Paris cannot seem to come together on operational terms — whether in the Sahel or the Strait of Hormuz — at a time when Europe's newfound defense prowess runs the risk of becoming a mostly theoretical exercise, Besch said. The EU members' ambitions remain uneven when it comes to defense, a situation that is unlikely to change anytime soon, according to a recent report by the German Marshall Fund of the United States. “The dispute around the concept of strategic autonomy has not led to any constructive consensus, and it will likely affect debates in the future,” the document stated. “Member states and the EU institutions will continue to promote different concepts that encapsulate their own vision of defense cooperation.” https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2020/02/04/brexit-turns-up-the-heat-on-access-rules-to-eu-defense-coffers