Outgunned and outranged: Why the Army must get more from cannons and missiles

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  December 2, 2019 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security

  Britain’s defense ties to the EU are still up in the air post-Brexit

  By: Martin Banks BRUSSELS – The Dutch chief of defense says it would be “stupid” if the UK did not continue to be closely involved in EU-funded defense projects even when it is no longer a member of the bloc. But British future involvement in EU-led initiatives such as the European Defence Fund and PESCO (Permanent Structured Cooperation) remains unclear, with EU member states yet to decide on a legal framework for third-party participation. With Brexit, the UK will technically become an outsider to the European Union's push for greater defense autonomy. That means London will no longer take part in EU decision-making or operational entities, and any British contribution to an EU operation will be subject to the rules that apply to third countries. Adm. Rob Bauer, chief of defense in The Netherlands, told Defense News he believes it is “imperative” that the UK remains “very closely” involved in such projects. Speaking at the sidelines of the annual European Defence Agency conference in Brussels on Thursday, Bauer said, “Remember, from a military point of view, the UK, even after Brexit, will still be a member of NATO and part of Europe. It is leaving the EU, not Europe. If the focus in Europe is on security then the UK should be part of that. To do otherwise would be stupid.” The PESCO initiative aims to develop and deploy forces at the EU level. Nearly 50 projects have been unveiled to date with the aim of pushing member states to work more closely together in the area of security and defense. So far, €13 billion has been allocated to the EDF which seeks to promote cross-border collaboration on defense research and technology projects, plus another €6.5 billion in the pipeline to upgrade roads, bridges, rail lines, ports and airports for military mobility, and €16 billion on space programs. Formal rules on third-party access to PESCO projects and the EDF are still being decided. Discussions are continuing at EU member state level, and no final decision is expected until the UK formally exits the EU, officials here said. London's departure has been delayed for the third time until Jan. 31, 2020. Bauer said, “I have spoken to the Brits about this and they have told me how difficult these discussions have been and continue to be. It is clear that agreement on access is certainly not a done deal.” “But we need to be pragmatic about this and continue to work together in the future.” His comments were broadly echoed by Lieutenant General Franz Leitgeb, Austria's Military Representative to the EU and NATO, another attendee at the EDA summit who told Defense News, “After Brexit, the UK will have third-party status, so third-party partnership rules will apply regarding its contribution to and participation in EU-funded projects like PESCO. “We still need to decide what precisely this means in the UK case but, whatever transpires, the UK has to realise this is a two-way street. That means that if the UK and its defense industry is to have access to EU-funded schemes and projects it has to contribute to these.” “Whatever happens we're going to need the current close relations on defense between the two sides to continue.” Further comment came from Benedikt Zimmer, state secretary at the German defense ministry, who took part in a session on PESCO and the EDF and said, “The more open cooperation is after Brexit, the better.” In a keynote address, Michel Barnier, the EU's chief Brexit negotiator, warned that UK involvement in EU defense and security would only become clearer once discussions start, probably at the start of 2020, on a political agreement between the two sides. Barnier told the packed audience, comprising senior military officials and personnel, that reaching agreement will be an “enormous challenge,” adding, “I do not want to interfere in the current UK election campaign but I am sure the Brits will still have an appetite for continued cooperation in the defense field. But, even so, they have to realize it will no longer be business as normal. I hope that UK defense companies, providing the rules are met, will still participate in European defense. We have the tools to make it happen but we still need to find a new framework for future cooperation.” More than 50 non-EU states have participated in Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) operations since its first mission in 2003, including four regional powers – namely Turkey, Russia, Brazil and South Africa. The official British position on security and defense is ambitious about the possible scope of the UK-EU relationship post-Brexit, talking about a “deep and special partnership” that would go “beyond existing third country arrangements.” However, little in the recent past suggests the UK would seek much CSDP involvement once no longer a member: the UK has not been the most enthusiastic supporter of the EU's defense agenda thus far, and it's questionable if this would change after Brexit. https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2019/11/29/britains-defense-ties-to-the-eu-are-still-up-in-the-air-post-brexit/

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  September 4, 2024 | International, C4ISR

  Clearview AI Faces €30.5M Fine for Building Illegal Facial Recognition Database

  Clearview AI fined €30.5M by Dutch authorities for illegal facial data collection and GDPR violations.

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  March 3, 2020 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security

  Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - March 02, 2020

  DEFENSE INTELLIGENCE AGENCY Applied Research Associates, Albuquerque, New Mexico (HHM402-20-D-0007); Booz Allen Hamilton Inc., McLean, Virginia (HHM402-20-D-0008); CACI NSS Inc., Reston, Virginia (HHM402-20-D-0009); Centauri LLC, Chantilly, Virginia (HHM402-20-D-0010); General Dynamics Information Technology Inc., Herndon, Virginia (HHM402-20-D-0011); Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Cincinnati, Ohio (HHM402-20-D-0012); and Radiant Geospatial Solutions, Gaithersburg, Maryland (HHM402-20-D-0013), were awarded a five-year indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ), multiple-award contract called DORE2 with a combined ceiling value of $990,000,000. Through this award, the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) will procure Data Science, Operations, Requirements, Exploitation and Engineering (DORE2) services to support DIA Directorate for Science and Technology missions. Work will be performed at contractor facilities and at government facilities in the National Capital Region with an estimated completion date of March 1, 2025. The contract was awarded through a full and open solicitation and eight offers were received. Each company will receive a $10,000 minimum guarantee. Task Orders (TO) will be issued competitively under this IDIQ which will allow for the following TO contract types: firm-fixed-price; fixed price, level of effort term; fixed-price incentive (FPI includes firm and successive targets; fixed-price-award-fee; cost-plus incentive-fee; cost-plus-award-fee; cost-plus-fixed-fee term and completion; and time-and-material or labor hour). The Virginia Contracting Activity, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. NAVY Andromeda Systems Inc.,* Virginia Beach, Virginia, is awarded an $89,104,038 cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. This contract provides reliability-centered maintenance for service aircraft, engines, systems (weapons, aircrew escape, avionics and electrical systems), support equipment (avionics support equipment, non-avionics support equipment and aircraft launch/recovery equipment), and a Fleet Readiness Center/depot plant equipment to include modifications during all life cycle phases and levels of maintenance. Work will be performed in various locations within the continental U.S. and is expected to be completed by March 2025. No funds will be obligated at the time of award. Funds will be obligated on individual orders as they are issued. This contract was a small-business set-aside and competitively procured via Federal Business Opportunities; one offer was received. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N00421-20-D-0028). Architecture, Engineering, Consulting, Operations, and Maintenance (AECOM) Technical Services Inc., Los Angeles, California, is being awarded a $75,000,000 maximum amount, firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, architect-engineering contract for preparation of Navy and Marine Corps facilities' planning and environmental documentation in the Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Europe, Africa, Central (EURAFCENT) area of operations (AO). Work will be performed at various locations within the NAVFAC/EURAFCENT/AO to include but not limited to: Naples, Italy; Sigonella, Italy; Souda Bay, Greece; Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain; Djibouti, Africa; Rota, Spain; and Vicenza, Italy. The work to be performed provides for design projects including, but not limited to: administration buildings, religious facilities, community buildings, dining facilities, recreational facilities, security buildings, child development centers, bachelor quarters, Navy lodges, airfield facilities, waterfront facilities, operational facilities, base housing, water treatment facilities and associated work, central plant utility system upgrades and other infrastructure. No task orders are being issued at this time. The term of the contract is not to exceed 60 months with an expected completion date of February 2024. Contract funds are fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance, Navy (O&M, N). Future task orders will be primarily funded by O&M, N. This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website with five proposals received. NAVFAC EURAFCENT, Naples, Italy, is the contracting activity (N33191-20-D-0605). Vernadero Group Inc.,* Phoenix, Arizona (N62473-20-D-0021); Gulf South Research Corp.,* Baton Rouge, Louisiana (N62473-20-D-0022); BioResource Consultants Inc.,* Ojai, California (N62473-20-D-0023); and Hercules JV,* Yuma, Arizona (N62473-20-D-0024), are awarded a combined $30,000,000 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, multiple award contract for natural resources-related services at various locations within Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Southwest's area of operations (AO), including but not limited to: California (94%); Arizona (1%); Colorado (1%); Nevada (1%); New Mexico (1%); Oregon (1%); and Washington (1%). The work to be performed provides natural resources-related services for botanical, ornithological, mammal, amphibian, reptile and invertebrate surveys, wetlands delineations, biological monitoring, soil sampling and analysis, natural resources and fire management plans, native plant community planning and restoration, wildland erosion control plans, research and analysis of the effects of military training or similar extensive land uses (e.g. off-road vehicle use) for natural resources on the species, community and landscape scale. Use of this information will predict ecological trends, natural resource and model development for land use (including both conceptual and mathematical modeling through aerial photo interpretation), use of natural resources in non-urban areas, geographic information systems and for the preparation of interpretive materials (e.g. informational pamphlets and signage). The maximum dollar value, including the one two-year base period and one three-year option period for all four contracts combined is not to exceed $30,000,000. The term of the contract is not to exceed 60 months and is expected to be complete by February 2025. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $20,000 are being obligated on this award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. No task orders are being issued at this time. This contract was competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities website and six proposals were received. The four contractors may compete for the task orders under the terms and conditions of the awarded contract. NAVFAC Southwest, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity. Bechtel Plant Machinery Inc., Monroeville, Pennsylvania, is awarded an $18,350,860 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to previously awarded contract N00024-19-C-2112 for naval nuclear propulsion components. Work will be performed in Monroeville, Pennsylvania (93%); and Schenectady, New York (7%). Fiscal 2020 other procurement for shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funding in the amount of $18,350,860 will be obligated at time of award and funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulations 6.302-1 with only one responsible source. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. Textron Aviation Inc., Wichita, Kansas, is awarded a $14,291,437 modification (P00005) to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (N00019-17-C-0004) and provides modification for the production and delivery of one King Air 350C Cargo Slick aircraft modified to a UC-12W. Work will be performed in Wichita, Kansas, and is expected to be completed in March 2021. Fiscal 2020 aircraft procurement funds in the amount of $14,291,437 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. Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is awarded a $9,627,065 cost-plus-fixed-fee order (N00019-20-F-0532) against a previously issued basic ordering agreement (N00019-19-G-0008). This order procures program management support to execute the planning, procurement and delivery of initial aircraft spares in support of the F-35 Air Force, Marine Corps and Navy, non-Department of Defense (DoD) participants and Foreign Military Sales (FMS) customers operational aircraft. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas, and is expected to be complete in December 2020. Fiscal 2020 aircraft procurement (Air Force) funds in the amount of $3,833,787; fiscal 2020 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $2,374,818; non-DoD participant funds in the amount of $2,225,726; and FMS funds in the amount of $1,192,734 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. Bell Boeing Joint Project Office, Amarillo, Texas, is awarded a $7,272,135 modification (P00007) to a previously awarded, cost-plus-fixed-fee delivery order (N00019-18-F-0016) against basic ordering agreement (N00019-17-G-0002). Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas (84%); Ridley Park, Pennsylvania (5%); Patuxent River, Maryland (4%); Fort Walton Beach, Florida (4%); and Amarillo, Texas (3%), and is expected to be completed in May 2021. This modification provides additional funding to support non-recurring engineering and the associated efforts required to incorporate optimized wiring and structural improvements on the nacelle into the V-22 aircraft production line and retrofit of fleet aircraft during depot level maintenance and supports Navy, Marines Corps, Air Force and the government of Japan. Fiscal 2020 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $4,312,376; fiscal 2019 aircraft procurement (Air Force) funds in the amount of $1,133,645; fiscal 2018 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $1,088,396; and Foreign Military Sales funds in the amount of $737,718 will be obligated at time of award, $1,088,396 of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. MISSILE DEFENSE AGENCY Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Redondo Beach, California, is being awarded a $20,808,229 modification (P00374) to a previously awarded F04701-02-C-0009 contract to exercise an option period. The value of this contract is increased from $1,921,265,055 to $1,942,073,285. Under this modification, the contractor will provide on-orbit operations and sustainment for the Space Tracking and Surveillance System. The work will be performed at the Missile Defense Space Center, Colorado Springs, Colorado; and at Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Redondo Beach, California. The performance period is from April 1, 2020, to March 31, 2021. Fiscal 2019 and 2020 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $13,811,905 is certified available for modification award. The Missile Defense Agency, Colorado Springs, Colorado, is the contracting activity. U.S. TRANSPORTATION COMMAND Three companies were awarded Option Year One modifications under the following master lease contract, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, fixed price contracts: SeaCube Leasing International Inc., Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey (HTC711-19-D-R008); Textainer Equipment Management, San Francisco California (HTC711-19-D-R009); and Triton Container International Limited, Hamilton HM 12, Bermuda (HTC711-19-D-R-010). The companies are eligible to compete at the task order level for an option year estimated amount of $17,253,689. This modification provides for intermodal equipment leasing and transportation services, and related container support functions, to include interfacing with government systems to meet the government missions and exercises. Work will be performed on a global basis. Option Year One period of performance is March 1, 2020, to Feb. 28, 2021. This modification brings the total cumulative estimated face value of the contract to $33,480,935 from $16,227,246. U.S. Transportation Command, Directorate of Acquisition, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, is the contracting activity. (Awarded Feb. 28, 2020) ARMY Dawson Technical Inc.,* San Antonio, Texas, was awarded a $14,719,129 firm-fixed-price contract to provide total facilities operation and maintenance for the Army Chemical Defense Training Facility, Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. Bids were solicited via the internet with two received. Work will be performed in Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, with an estimated completion date of March 31, 2025. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance, Army funds in the amount of $14,719,129 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Field Directorate Office, Fort Eustis, Virginia, is the contracting activity (W911S7-20-C-0003). EMC Inc.,* Grenada, Mississippi (W912HY-20-D-0013); and Florabama Geospatial Solutions LLC,* Defuniak Springs, Florida (W912HY-20-D-0014), will compete for each order of the $10,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for architect and engineering services for professional surveying and mapping 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 March 1, 2025. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Galveston, Texas, is the contracting activity. AIR FORCE General Electric Co.-GE Research, Niskayuna, New York, has been awarded a $10,431,151 cost-type contract for Rapid Assurance Curation Kit (RACK) software. This contract provides for the research, development and demonstration of the RACK software to enable certifiers to rapidly determine system risk acceptability. This effort will provide a common evidence representation and efficient ingestion Application Programming Interface, automatic feedback to evidence providers, automatic decomposition of evidence, a polystore that organizes diverse evidence items, the ability to accept and store provenance metadata and an efficient query interface. The location of performance is Niskayuna, New York, and work is expected to be complete by March 2, 2024. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition and 34 offers were received. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $470,444 are being obligated at time of award; this is not a multi-year contract. The Air Force Research Laboratory, Rome, New York, is the contracting activity (FA8750-20-C-0203). DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Meggitt Polymers and Composites, Rockmart, Georgia, has been awarded a maximum $10,073,708 firm-fixed-price delivery order (SPRPA1-20-F-LW09) against a five-year basic ordering agreement (SPRPA1-15-G-003X) for fuel tanks for the F/A-18 aircraft. This was a competitive acquisition with two responses received. This is a three-year contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Georgia, with a Nov. 30, 2023, performance completion date. Using military service is Navy. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2023 Navy working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. CORRECTION: The contract announced on Feb. 28, 2020, for Rosenbauer America LLC, Lyons, South Dakota (SPE8EC-20-D-0055) was announced with an incorrect award date. The correct award date is March 2, 2020. *Small business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2099625/source/GovDelivery/