March 30, 2020 | International, Aerospace
Steve Trimble
The design of the Northrop Grumman B-21's trailing edge has led to speculation about a high-altitude role for the secretive stealth bomber, and new U.S. Air Force statements appear to confirm that analysis.
As the U.S. Air Force enters a legally required environmental impact review process for basing the new bomber, service officials disclosed a few new details about the design on large poster boards displayed at public meetings since February. The posters are now available on B21EIS.com, a clearinghouse web site set up by the Air Force to share data during the year-long process to complete the final environmental impact statement.
“The B-21 is not expected to use low altitude training routes,” the Air Force poster says.
The B-2 was originally conceived as a high-altitude bomber, but a last-minute requirements change during the development phase forced Northrop Grumman to redesign the bomber for a low-altitude mission. As a result, the trailing edge was transformed from a simple W-shape to the sawtooth design seen today. The B-2, like the preceding B-52 and B-1B fleets, need low-altitude training routes.
The renderings of the B-21 released by the Air Force so far reveal a trailing edge that resembles the original, high-altitude design for the B-2. The Air Force has never confirmed operational details about the future stealth bomber.
Another comment on the Air Force's poster provides the first official description of the B-21's acoustic signature, as well as the performance of the engines.
“The B-21 engine noise is expected to be quieter than the B-1B and about the same or quieter than the B-2,” the poster says.
Previously, the only detail released by the Air Force about the B-21's engines is that Pratt & Whitney is named as one of seven of Northrop's suppliers. The poster data appears to confirm expectations that the B-21 would use a non-afterburning engine, like the similarly subsonic, flying wing-shaped, B-2. The supersonic B-1B is powered by afterburning engines.
The Air Force has selected Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakora as the site for the first B-21 operational squadron, followed by Dyess AFB in Texas and Whiteman AFB, Missouri. The environmental impact review is evaluating Ellsworth and Dyess for the main operating beddown 1 location.
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Phishers exploit HubSpot Free Forms to target 20,000 European users, compromising Azure accounts and bypassing security measures with advanced tactics
November 12, 2020 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security
DEFENSE MICROELECTRONICS ACTIVITY Globalfoundries U.S. 2 LLC, Hopewell Junction, New York, has been awarded a ceiling increase of $400,000,000 under modification P00068 to previously awarded contract HQ0727-16-C-0001 for access to leading edge, current and legacy microelectronics and trusted processes for the Department of Defense and other federal agencies. Increase in interest for leading edge technology and lifetime orders for end of life technology initiated the need for this ceiling increase. The modification brings the total cumulative face value of the contract to $1,114,632,911 from $714,632,911. Work will be performed at Burlington, Vermont; East Fishkill, New York; and Malta, New York, with an expected completion date of March 31, 2021. The contract is being incrementally funded and no funds are being obligated at time of award. The Defense Microelectronics Activity, McClellan, California, is the contracting activity. NAVY AgustaWestland Philadelphia Corp., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is awarded a $171,047,763 modification (P00006) to previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract N61340-20-C-0007. This modification exercises options for the production and delivery of 36 TH-73A aircraft in support of the Advanced Helicopter Training System program. Work will be performed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (87%); Mineral Wells, Texas (5%); and various locations outside the continental U.S. (8%), and is expected to be completed in December 2022. Fiscal 2021 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $171,047,763 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. J. Walter Thompson U.S.A. LLC, doing business as Wunderman Thompson, Atlanta, Georgia, is awarded an $80,056,529 modification to previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract M95494-19-C-0020. This modification exercises Option Period One to furnish supplies and services to enhance the Marine Corps' recruiting efforts. These services include a full range of services from the development of a tactical advertising strategy to the production of a wide-range of advertising formats (e.g., television, radio, print media, internet and direct marketing). Work will be performed in Atlanta, Georgia, with an expected completion date of December 2021. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance (Marine Corps) funds in the amount of $80,056,529 are obligated at time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Marine Corps Installations Command Contracting Office, Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting activity. Honeywell International Inc., Tempe, Arizona, is awarded a $72,944,708 for a long-term, firm-fixed-priced requirements contract for the repair of six weapon repairable assemblies in support of the V-22 aircraft. This contract includes a five-year base period with no options. Work will be performed in Torrance, California (44%); Tucson, Arizona (35%); San Diego, California (15%); and Tempe, Arizona (6%). Work is expected to be completed by November 2025. Annual working capital funds (Navy) will be obligated as individual task orders are issued and funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. One firm was solicited for this non-competitive requirement under authority 10 U.S. Code 2304 (c)(1), with one offer received. The Naval Supply Systems Command, Weapon Systems Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is the contracting activity (N00383-21-D-XP01). Raytheon Co., El Segundo, California, is awarded a $53,440,000 modification (P00004) to previously awarded fixed-price-incentive-fee contract N00019-20-C-0001. This modification exercises an option to procure 16 AN/APG-79(V)4 radar systems. Additionally, this modification includes software, obsolescence management, engineering support and associated technical, financial and administrative data necessary for retrofit integration into the F/A-18C/D aircraft for the Marine Corps. Work will be performed in Forest, Mississippi (41.1%); El Segundo, California (32.6%); Andover, Massachusetts (18.3%); and Dallas, Texas (8%), and is expected to be completed in June 2022. Fiscal 2021 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $53,440,000 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. Vigor Marine LLC, Portland, Oregon, is awarded a $24,049,402 modification to previously awarded contract N00024-19-C-4447 to support USS Chosin (CG 65) extended dry-docking selected restricted availability. Work will be performed in Seattle, Washington, and is expected to be complete by October 2021. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance (Navy) funding in the amount of $24,049,402 will be obligated at the time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility, Everett, Washington, is the contracting activity. AIR FORCE General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc., Poway, California, has been awarded an $81,866,402 cost-plus-fixed-fee and firm-fixed-price modification (P00014) to contract FA8620-18-C-2009 for the U.K. MQ-9B Protector program. This modification provides for the design, development, integration and component-level testing of additional capabilities being added to the baseline program. Work will be performed in Poway, California, and is expected to be completed Aug. 31, 2021. Total cumulative face value of the contract is not-to-exceed $174,889,865. Foreign Military Sales funds in the amount of $71,563,692 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity. L-3 Communications Integrated Systems, Greenville, Texas, has been awarded a not-to-exceed $24,500,078 cost-plus-fixed-fee undefinitized contract action for procurement of Group B material and the Ground System Integration Lab. Work will be performed in Greenville, Texas, and is expected to be completed March 2024. This contract involves 100% Foreign Military Sales (FMS). This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. FMS funds in the amount of $14,006,934 are being obligated at the time of award. The 645th Aeronautical Systems Group, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8620-19-F-4872 P00005). DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Baxter Healthcare Corp., Deerfield, Illinois, has been awarded a maximum $40,000,000 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for infusion pumps and accessories. This was a competitive acquisition with 105 offers received. This is a five-year contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Illinois, with a Nov. 11, 2025, ordering period end date. Using customers are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and federal civilian agencies. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2021 through 2026 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE2D1-21-D-0001). Cummins Inc., Commercial and Government Entity, Memphis, Tennessee, has been awarded an estimated $24,869,181 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment for multiple weapon systems program support. 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 two-year base contract with four two-year option periods. Location of performance is Tennessee, with a Nov. 11, 2022, performance completion date. Using military services are Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2021 through 2023 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime, Columbus, Ohio (SPE7LX-21-D-0007). ARMY Tutor Perini Corp., Sylmar, California, was awarded a $25,998,795 firm-fixed-price contract for renovation of the Cadet Field House at the U.S. Air Force Academy. Bids were solicited via the internet with five received. Work will be performed in Colorado Springs, Colorado, with an estimated completion date of Nov. 24, 2022. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance (Air Force) funds in the amount of $25,998,795 were obligated at the time of the award. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha, Nebraska, is the contracting activity (W9128F-21-C-0004). *Small business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2413459/
June 19, 2024 | International, Security
Discover the latest cybersecurity threat targeting Chinese-speaking users with malicious VPN installers and AI-driven malware campaigns.