January 15, 2019 | International, C4ISR
By Liam Tung
Microsoft wins a five-year services deal with Department of Defense, Coast Guard, and intelligence community.
Microsoft has scored a major win with the US Department of Defense (DoD) to supply services to the value of $1.76bn over five years.
The Pentagon on Friday announced the deal, which will see Microsoft provide enterprise services to the DoD, Coast Guard, and intelligence community.
In a statement announcing the deal, the Pentagon explains that support includes, "Microsoft product engineering services for software developers and product teams to leverage a range of proprietary resources and source code, and Microsoft premier support for tools, knowledge database, problem resolution assistance, and custom changes to Microsoft source code when applicable."
The five-year 'indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity' (IDIQ) contract has a completion date of January 10, 2024. This contract allows Microsoft to provide an indefinite quantity of services during the period.
The contract allows DoD to pay Microsoft on individual task orders using primarily operations and maintenance funds.
Microsoft's win comes as the DoD assesses proposals for its $10bn, 10-year cloud contract known as JEDI or Joint Enterprise Defense Infrastructure. The Pentagon is expected to announce a single winner of the JEDI deal in the first quarter.
Full article: https://www.zdnet.com/article/microsofts-big-win-pentagon-signs-massive-1-76bn-contract
August 18, 2024 | International, Aerospace
Opinion: Large-scale Air Force exercise rescripted to address growing threats to large installations, argue analysts Bradley Bowman and Lydia LaFavor.
July 7, 2020 | International, Aerospace
Saab Aeronautica Montagens (SAM), Saab's first aerostructures plant outside of Sweden for the new Gripen E/F fighter, reached another important milestone recently with the start of production. This site builds sections of Gripen, which will then be delivered to the final assembly facilities at the Embraer plant in Gaviao Peixoto, Sao Paulo, Brazil and to Linkoping, Sweden. In 2014, Saab signed a contract with the Brazilian government for the development and production of 36 Gripen E/F aircraft. In September last year, the first Brazilian Gripen E aircraft was delivered to start the flight test program. Now, another milestone is reached, as Gripen production starts at the SAM plant, which is located in Sao Bernardo do Campo, a city in the metropolitan area of Sao Paulo in Brazil. The tail cone and front fuselage of the single-seat version of the Gripen fighter are the first aerostructures to enter into production at SAM. Subsequently, the aerodynamic brakes, rear fuselage, wing box and front fuselage for the two-seater version will also be manufactured at SAM. “This is another outcome of the transfer of technology (ToT) of the Gripen program. Based on theoretical and practical on-the-job training of Brazilian engineers and assemblers at Saab in Linkoping, we were able to establish a highly qualified production line at SAM, following the same standards that we have in our factory in Sweden,” said Jonas Hjelm, head of Saab's business area. Currently, SAM has more than 70 highly qualified employees, half of whom are participating or have already participated in the ToT Program in Sweden. Part of these employees have already completed the training and returned to initiate the production in Brazil. https://www.skiesmag.com/press-releases/saab-starts-gripen-production-in-brazil
March 1, 2023 | International, Aerospace, C4ISR
The board will consider the risks and challenges associated with using satellites to perform the mission alongside aircraft.