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August 22, 2024 | International, Aerospace

North Korea slams US sale of Apache helicopters to South Korea as 'provocative'

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  • Lithuania enlists EMSA’s RPAS services to monitor ship emissions

    April 8, 2021 | International, Aerospace, Naval

    Lithuania enlists EMSA’s RPAS services to monitor ship emissions

    In response to a request from the Environmental Protection Department of Lithuania's Ministry of the Environment, EMSA is providing the country with Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS) services to assist in monitoring ship emissions, protect the marine environment and improve maritime safety. The services which began on 23 March will run for three months and will see EMSA RPAS being used to calculate the sulphur content of the fuel being used by the passing ships. Sensors on board the RPAS will measure the emissions from the exhaust plumes of vessels travelling in the main shipping lanes and when at anchorage around the Lithuanian port of Klaipeda. The sulphur content of marine fuel in this Sulphur Emission Control Area (SECA) should be no greater than 0.1%. While great interest has been shown in the emissions monitoring capability of EMSA's RPAS service, the Environmental Protection Department will also be working in collaboration with other Lithuanian authorities - including the Navy, MRCC and fisheries control services – to conduct other types of maritime surveillance missions. The aircraft being used for this service is the Schiebel CAMCOPTER® S100 and it is under contract to EMSA via a consortium led by Nordic Unmanned AS. The model is a vertical take-off and landing drone and is fitted with gas sensors and cameras covering optical and infrared spectral ranges to better detect vessel plumes and conduct maritime surveillance as required. All the information is transmitted in real-time to trained users through EMSA's RPAS Data Centre. Records of the emission measurements are encoded automatically into the THETIS-EU information sharing system. This system is operated by EMSA to assist in the enforcement of the EU sulphur directive as well as to support port inspectors when targeting vessels to be inspected. ABOUT RPAS RPAS services, offered free to all EU Member States by EMSA, have been developed to assist in ship emission monitoring and maritime surveillance operations and can operate in all seas surrounding the European Union. RPAS services can provide support to traditional coast guard functions, including search and rescue and pollution prevention and response. The services are offered to Member States individually and as part of EMSA's regional RPAS strategy, which allows multiple coast guard functions in several EU Member States to be supported by one or more RPAS services. Further expansion of RPAS regionally is planned in 2021 and 2022. ABOUT EMSA The European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) is a decentralised agency of the EU, based in Lisbon, Portugal. EMSA serves the EU's maritime interests for a safe, secure, green and competitive maritime sector through support for pollution prevention and response, maritime surveillance, safety and security, digitalisation and the provision of integrated maritime services, and technical assistance. Any requests for further information can be sent to: information@emsa.europa.eu

  • Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - January 15, 2021

    January 18, 2021 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security

    Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - January 15, 2021

    MISSILE DEFENSE AGENCY Lockheed Martin Space, Sunnyvale, California, is being awarded a sole-source, cost-plus-incentive-fee, cost-plus-fixed-fee, firm-fixed-price definite contract under a Foreign Military Sales (FMS) case to the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The total value of this contract is $254,708,912. Under this follow-on contract, the contractor will provide maintenance and sustainment for two Terminal High Altitude Area Defense batteries for UAE. The maintenance and sustainment scope of work includes providing logistics management, logistics product database, training, missile and ground repair and return, hardware/software development and sustainment, hardware in the loop, engineering services, missile field surveillance program and country unique specialty engineering for FMS client. The work will be performed in Sunnyvale, California; Grande Prairie, Texas; Camden, Arkansas; Huntsville, Alabama; Anniston, Alabama; and Troy, Alabama. The performance period is from Jan. 15, 2021, through Jan. 14, 2026. One offer was solicited and one offer was received. UAE FMS funds in the amount of $254,708,912 will be used to fund this effort. The Missile Defense Agency, Huntsville, Alabama, is the contracting activity (HQ0147-19-C-5001). NAVY Huntington Ingalls Industries Fleet Support Group, Newport News, Virginia, is awarded a $174,910,371 cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract to provide Navy aircraft carrier Elevator Support Unit maintenance and repair. Work will be performed aboard Navy CVNs (aircraft carrier nuclear propulsion) within the continental U.S.; outside the continental U.S.; and forward deployed locations according to individual task orders, and is expected to be completed by January 2026. No funds will be obligated at the time of award. Funding will be obligated on individual orders as they are issued. This contract was competitively procured and solicited via the beta.SAM.gov website. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity (N00024-21-D-4103). CSRA LLC, Washington, D.C., is awarded a $57,000,000 modification (P00002) to previously awarded, firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract N61340-18-D-0002. This modification increases the ceiling to provide the Navigation Seamanship Shiphandling Trainers program, training systems and upgrades to meet fleet emergent requirements based on the Chief of Naval Operations mandated expansion in navigation related training hours and navigation related training capability at schoolhouses throughout the world. Work will be performed in Norfolk, Virginia (44%); Everett, Washington (14%); Pearl Harbor, Hawaii (14%); Yokosuka, Japan (14%); Rota, Spain (13%); San Diego, California (0.5%); and Sasebo, Japan (0.5%), and is expected to be completed in September 2022. No funds will be obligated at time of award and funds will be issued against individual orders as they are issued. The Naval Air Warfare Center, Training Systems Division, Orlando, Florida, is the contracting activity. EG Designbuild LLC,* Germantown, Maryland, is awarded a $16,239,000 firm-fixed-price task order (N69450-21-F-0872) under previously-awarded multiple-award contract N69450-19-D-0919 for construction of a Special Operations Forces watercraft maintenance facility at Naval Air Station, Key West, Florida. The task order also contains three unexercised options which, if exercised, would increase the cumulative task order value to $18,385,020. The work to be performed includes construction of a new maintenance facility for the repair of special operations forces' hard-hulled and soft-hulled watercraft, including electrical, mechanical, plumbing and fire protection utilities. This includes demolition of the existing bunker, KW-800, currently used as a climate-controlled exercise facility by facility personnel; construction of a new vehicular entrance ramp and exit ramp to the maintenance facility; and modifications to the existing storm water permit to address the new construction. The options, if exercised, provide for a hard-hull shop, vehicular ramp and overhead cooling door, and furniture, fixtures and equipment. Three proposals were received for this task order. Work will be performed in Key West, Florida, and is expected to be completed by October 2022. Fiscal 2020 military construction (Army) funds in the amount of $16,239,000 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command, Southeast, Jacksonville, Florida, is the contracting activity. Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is awarded a $13,036,252 cost-plus-fixed-fee order (N00019-21-F-0227) against previously issued basic ordering agreement N00019-19-G-0008. This modification procures non-recurring site stand-up activity, capability development, information technology systems integration and associated changes to F-35 Lightning II program and industry processes as needed to allow the Defense Logistics Agency and U.S. Transportation Command to assume North American regional warehouse and global transportation and distribution product support provider responsibilities. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas (63.9%); Orlando, Florida (26.6%); Bethesda, Maryland (8.5%); and Greenville, South Carolina (1%), and is expected to be completed in March 2022. Fiscal 2021 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $6,518,126; and fiscal 2019 aircraft procurement (Air Force) funds in the amount of $6,518,126, will be obligated at time of award, $6,518,126 of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. EC America Inc., McLean, Virginia, is awarded a $9,053,930 firm-fixed-price order (M67854-21-F-4906) against previously issued Department of Defense Enterprise Initiative blanket purchase agreement N66001-19-A-0057. This blanket purchase agreement call order provides for the renewal of Tanium brand software license subscriptions currently deployed in the Marine Corps Enterprise Network environment and associated onsite technical support in Quantico, Virginia (100%). Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance (Marine Corps) funds in the amount of $9,053,930 will be obligated at the time of award and funds will expire Sept. 30, 2021. This was a limited-source acquisition in accordance with the policy and guidelines in the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement, Section 208.74 and the Federal Acquisition Regulation, Part 8.405-6. The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Virginia, is the contracting activity (M67854-21-F-4906). Raytheon Missiles & Defense, Tewksbury, Massachusetts, is awarded an $8,963,961 cost-plus-incentive-fee modification to previously awarded contract N00024-17-C-5145 to exercise options for DDG 1000 ship class integrated logistics support. The Total Ship Activation (TSA) contract includes mission system activation, hull mechanical and electrical activation efforts to include waterfront integration, activation and test of Zumwalt class mission systems and mission system equipment at the system and subsystem levels; development and conduct of the Zumwalt class TSA test program; personnel, program management, planning, training and other efforts required to effectively support the execution of the Zumwalt class TSA; development and review of design drawings, technical data packages, installation control drawings and change documentation in support of Zumwalt class TSA; and development and implementation of government-approved proposed changes and the implementation of Zumwalt class cybersecurity/information assurance requirements. Work will be performed in Portsmouth, Rhode Island (50%); and Tewksbury, Massachusetts (50%), and is expected to be completed by January 2022. Fiscal 2020 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funding in the amount of $138,349 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was procured under the statutory authority of 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1). Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity. AIR FORCE Continuus Pharmaceuticals Inc., Woburn, Massachusetts, has been awarded a $69,300,000 firm-fixed-price contract to develop a domestic production capability for critical active pharmaceutical ingredients and final dosage form medicines using their proprietary integrated continuous manufacturing technology. These medicines are currently used to treat critically ill COVID-19 patients. Work will be performed in Woburn, Massachusetts, and is expected to be completed April 15, 2023. Fiscal 2021 other procurement funds in the full amount are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, is the contracting activity (FA8505-20-S-0002). Mile Two LLC, Dayton, Ohio, has been awarded a $14,788,874 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for support to the Air Force Research Laboratory Autonomy Capabilities Team Three mission through the development of production level software systems and rapid prototyping of new operational concepts that leverage best practices for application development operations by expanding, extending, or enhancing work performed under the Air Force Small Business Innovation Research Phase II, Air Force Topic 183-005, FA8751-19-C-A048, entitled “TechSuite: TechScout and Project Tracking Prototype Applications.” Work will be performed in Dayton, Ohio, and is expected to be completed Jan. 15, 2026. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $2,297,394, will be obligated at the time of award. Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8751-19-C-A048). ARMY Nordic Industries Inc., Olivehurst, California, was awarded a $29,554,401 firm-fixed-price contract for construction of approximately 1.8 miles of varying types of seepage cutoff walls. Bids were solicited via the internet with four received. Work will be performed in Sacramento, California, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 15, 2021. Fiscal 2018 civil construction funds in the amount of $29,554,401 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Sacramento, California, is the contracting activity (W91238-21-C-0010). DynCorp International LLC, Fort Worth, Texas, was awarded a $27,700,947 modification (P00028) to contract W58RGZ-16-C-0016 for maintenance support services for Saudi Arabia's Royal Saudi Land Forces Aviation Command Aviation program. Work will be performed in Saudi Arabia, with an estimated completion date of Jul. 31, 2022. Fiscal 2021 Foreign Military Sales funds in the amount of $27,700,947 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity. DEFENSE ADVANCED RESEARCH PROJECTS AGENCY Raytheon Co., Tewksbury, Massachusetts, was awarded a $10,448,906 cost-plus-fixed-fee completion contract for a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency research project for the Joint All-Domain Warfighting Software (JAWS) program. JAWS seeks to develop a software suite to maximize the effectiveness of military force through theater scale battle management command and control with automation and predictive analytics. This capability would develop the enabling software for the warfighter to adaptably setup and execute synchronized kill webs encompassing the undersea, sea surface, land, air, space and electromagnetic domains. Work will be performed in Tewksbury, Massachusetts (59%); Cambridge, Massachusetts (11%); Richardson, Texas (3%); McKinney, Texas (8%); Centennial, Colorado (1%); Nashua, New Hampshire (3%); and Woburn, Massachusetts (15%), with an expected completion date of April 2022. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $1,000,000; and fiscal 2021 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $2,918,181, are being obligated at the time of award. This contract was a competitive acquisition in which 12 offers were received. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting activity (HR0011-21-C-0010). *Small business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2474326/source/GovDelivery/

  • Northrop Grumman to Modernize and Advance AFRL Intelligence Information Systems

    January 18, 2023 | International, C4ISR

    Northrop Grumman to Modernize and Advance AFRL Intelligence Information Systems

    InSITE will modernize the AFRL/RI’s intelligence information collection, sharing and analysis capabilities by implementing state-of-the-art artificial intelligence solutions

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