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  January 29, 2020 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security

  Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - January 27, 2020

  NAVY National Technologies Associates Inc., California, Maryland, is awarded a $104,947,467 cost-plus-fixed-fee, cost reimbursable indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. This contract provides contractor logistics; research, development, test and evaluation; limited engineering and aircraft maintenance support on designated aircraft in direct support of the Presidential Helicopters Program Office, Helicopter Marine Squadron One (HMX-1), and Air Test and Evaluation Squadron Twenty-One (HX-21). Work will be performed in Patuxent River, Maryland (90%); and Quantico, Virginia (10%), and is expected to be completed in February 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 competitively procured via an electronic request for proposal; two offers were received. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N00421-20-D-0023). Jacobs Technology Inc., Tullahoma, Tennessee, is awarded a $52,317,627 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for base operating support (BOS) services at naval installations located in Jefferson and Kitsap counties, Washington referred to as West Sound (WSBOS). BOS services to be performed include general information, management and administration, fire and emergency services, facilities support (including facility management, facility investment, Bureau of Medicine and Surgery facility investment and pavement clearance), wastewater transportation and environmental services. The maximum dollar value including the base period and seven option periods is $418,981,521 that includes potential maximum award fee. Work will be performed in Jefferson (4%) and Kitsap (96%) Counties, Washington, and is expected to be complete by May 2028. No funds will be obligated at time of award. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $29,217,632 for recurring work will be obligated on an individual task order issued during the base period. This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website with seven proposals received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N62470-20-D-0001). Science Applications International Corp., Reston, Virginia, is awarded a $13,894,236 cost-plus-fixed-fee and cost-reimbursement-type contract to provide animal care, training, and maintenance and operation of marine mammals participating in the Navy Marine Mammal Program. This one-year contract includes four one-year option periods that, if exercised, would bring the overall potential value of this contract to an estimated $73,251,343. Work will be performed at government facilities in San Diego, California (53%); Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, Georgia (24%); and Naval Base Kitsap in Bangor, Washington (23%). The period of performance of the base award is from Jan. 27, 2020, through Jan. 26, 2021. If all options were exercised, the period of performance would extend through Jan. 26, 2025. Fiscal 2020 funds will be obligated using Navy working capital funds. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract is awarded 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. The Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity (N66001-20-C-3416). Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems, Manassas, Virginia, is awarded a $13,598,776 firm-fixed-price delivery order N00024-20-F-5608 under previously awarded contract N00024-15-D-5217 for 98 Technical Insertion Sixteen (TI-16) Common Display System (CDS) Variant A air-cooled production consoles. The CDS is a set of watch station consoles designed to support the implementation of open architecture in Navy combat systems. The TI-16 CDS is the next evolution in the CDS family and consists of a three-eyed horizontal display console. This delivery order combines purchases for the Navy (98%) and Coast Guard (2%). Work will be performed in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, and is expected to be completed by November 2020. Fiscal 2020 other procurement (Navy) (37%); fiscal 2020 weapons procurement (Navy) (2%); fiscal 2020 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) (44%); and fiscal 2018 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) (17%) funding for $13,598,776 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. DRS Laurel Technologies, Johnstown, Pennsylvania, is awarded an $8,686,145 firm-fixed-price contract for Launch Control Unit Mk 235 Mods 11 and 12 production in support of the Vertical Launch System (VLS). The launch control units are used to select and issue pre-launch and launch commands to selected missiles in the VLS. This order will provide for the fabrication, assembly, test, final acceptance and delivery of VLS Launch Control Unit Mk 235 Mod 11, part number 7104280-119, and Mk 235 Mod 12, part number 7104280-129. The VLS is equipped with two redundant launch control units, each of which is electrically interfaced with all of the launch sequencers in the system. This contract includes options that, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $44,306,594. This contract combines purchases for the Navy (73%); and the government of Norway (27%) under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program. Work will be performed in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, and is expected to be completed by October 2020. If all options are exercised, work will continue through October 2022. Fiscal 2020 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funding for $4,185,153; and fiscal 2020 FMS funding for $4,500,992 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities website, with three offers received. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Port Hueneme Division, Port Hueneme, California, is the contracting activity (N-63394-20-C-0002). ARMY Leidos Inc., Reston, Virginia, was awarded a $72,575,612 firm-fixed-price contract for services in support of the existing Night Eagle System. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will be performed in Reston, Virginia, with an estimated completion date of April 25, 2022. Fiscal 2020, 2021 and 2022 operations and maintenance, Army funds in the amount of $72,575,612 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Orlando, Florida, is the contracting activity (W900KK-20-C-0021). (Awarded Jan. 25, 2020) The Boeing Co., Mesa, Arizona, was awarded a $54,446,000 modification (P00047) to contract W58RGZ-16-C-0023 for retrofit kits and software development for the Apache attack helicopter. Work will be performed in Mesa, Arizona, with an estimated completion date of Nov. 30, 2021. Fiscal 2018 aircraft procurement, Army funds in the amount of $26,678,540 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity. Syracuse Research Corp. Inc., North Syracuse, New York, was awarded a $22,075,156 modification (P000013) to contract W31P4Q-19-C-0005 for a six-month extension for support to the Counter-Unmanned Aerial System, Expeditionary, Low Slow Small Unmanned Aerial System Integrated Defeat System program. Work will be performed in North Syracuse, New York, with an estimated completion date of July 27, 2020. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation; operations and maintenance, Army; and other procurement, Army funds in the combined amount of $22,075,156 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity. U.S. TRANSPORTATION COMMAND Thirteen companies have been awarded Option Year Two modifications under the following Category A III, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, fixed-price contracts: American Airlines, Fort Worth, Texas (HTC711-18-D-C003); Air Transportation International, Irving, Texas (HTC711-18-D-C004); Atlas Air, Purchase, New York (HTC711-18-D-C005); Delta Air Lines Inc., Atlanta, Georgia (HTC711-18-D-C006); FedEx, Washington, District of Columbia (HTC711-18-D-C007); Hawaiian Airlines Inc., Honolulu, Hawaii (HTC711-18-D-C008); JetBlue Airways, Long Island City, New York (HTC711-18-D-C009); Miami Air International, Miami, Florida (HTC711-18-D-C010); National Air Cargo Inc., Orlando, Florida (HTC711-18-D-C011); Polar Air Cargo Worldwide Inc., Purchase, New York (HTC711-18-D-C012); United Parcel Service Co., Louisville, Kentucky (HTC711-18-D-C013); USA Jet Airlines, Belleville, Michigan (HTC711-18-D-C014); and Western Global Airlines, Estero, Florida (HTC711-18-D-C015). The companies are eligible to compete at the task order level for an option year estimated amount of $41,441,067. The program's cumulative value increased from $82,884,634 to an estimated $124,325,701. This modification provides international commercial scheduled air cargo transportation services. Services encompass time-definite, door-to-door pick-up and delivery, transportation, intransit visibility, government-approved third party payment system participation and expedited customs processing and clearance of less than full planeloads for the movement of regular and recurring hazardous, refrigerated/cold chain, life and death, narcotics and other regular recurring cargo shipments. Work will be performed world-wide. Option Year Two period of performance is Feb. 1, 2020, to Jan. 31, 2021. U.S. Transportation Command, Directorate of Acquisition, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, is the contracting activity. DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY UnWrapped Inc., Lowell, Massachusetts, has been awarded a maximum $16,786,440 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery contract for leather gloves. This was a competitive acquisition with seven responses received. This is a one-year base contract with three one-year option periods. Location of performance is Massachusetts, with a Jan. 27, 2021, performance completion date. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2021 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE1C1-20-D-1235). https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2066978/source/GovDelivery/

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  November 8, 2019 | International, Aerospace

  Boeing Awarded US Military Load Planning and Tracking Sustainment Contract

  San Diego, November 7, 2019 - Boeing (NYSE: BA) was awarded a re-compete contract from the U.S. Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM) to enhance and sustain the Integrated Computerized Deployment System (ICODES). ICODES is a logistics software application that automates load planning and tracks cargo movements across land, air and sea for the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD). ICODES provides near real-time, end-to-end planning, tracking and forecasting of cargo stowage for aircraft, ships, rail and terminal yards, and supports unit move activities. The system's ability to interface with multiple transportation and defense information systems enables users to seamlessly exchange critical data across the defense transportation network. “With ICODES, our customers have a common operating picture for managing global cargo and passenger movements. It helps ensures safe, efficient cargo placement while significantly reducing load planning time and operational costs,” said Debbie Churchill, vice president, Mission Products & Services, Tapestry Solutions. “This award is a true testament of our customer-first commitment and deep domain experience across USTRANSCOM's Joint Deployment and Distribution Enterprise.” Work is being performed by Tapestry Solutions, part of Boeing Global Services, and teammates UNCOMN LLC and Jasper Solutions, Inc. ICODES was originally developed in 1993 at a California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) research lab in San Luis Obispo and culminated into a small business effort. Boeing acquired the business and later transferred the ICODES program to Tapestry under a contract novation agreement. Today, the Service Oriented Architecture-based ICODES system serves as the DOD's program of record for multimodal load planning. Boeing is the world's largest aerospace company and leading provider of commercial airplanes, defense, space and security systems, and global services. As the top U.S. exporter, the company supports commercial and government customers in more than 150 countries. Boeing employs more than 150,000 people worldwide and leverages the talents of a global supplier base. Building on a legacy of aerospace leadership, Boeing continues to lead in technology and innovation, deliver for its customers and invest in its people and future growth. ### Contact: Janet Dayton Boeing Communications Phone: +1 858-677-2101 janet.l.dayton@boeing.com View source version on Boeing Newsroom: https://boeing.mediaroom.com/Boeing-Awarded-US-Military-Load-Planning-and-Tracking-Sustainment-Contract

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  January 6, 2020 | International, Aerospace

  Pilatus PC-21: This simulator burns jet fuel

  Posted on January 6, 2020 by Robert Erdos The dogfight was over in seconds. Our radar painted a bogey closing on us from about 20 miles. Selecting the radar to “Track” mode, a tone in our helmets confirmed that a radar-guided missile had locked on the target, and with a squeeze of the trigger we dispatched a lethal message about virtue and democracy. Splash one bad guy. There was something unusual about our air combat victory: there was no bogey, no radar, and no missile. The entire engagement was an elaborate airborne simulation. It was all in a day's work for the PC-21; Pilatus' latest concept in pilot training. Pilatus Aircraft Limited invited Skies to its factory in Stans, Switzerland, to experience something new and innovative in military pilot training. At first, the experience was, frankly, a bit boggling. Would we be flying or were we simulating? Well, both. Modern technology allows training to be conducted on the ground in simulators, often to a high degree of fidelity but, as any pilot knows, simulators have their limitations, particularly in the realm of dynamic manoeuvring. With the PC-21, Pilatus has blended the in-air and in-the-box experiences, creating a form of high fidelity, in-flight simulation. It's a capability that is a game changer in the complex and expensive business of military pilot training. What's new in flight training? Pilatus lists the PC-21's design objectives as increased performance, enhanced maintainability, lower operating costs and added capability. While it scores points on all counts, the “added capabilities” are at the heart of what makes the PC-21 unique, in that those capabilities include full-spectrum mission-systems simulation embedded within the aircraft. As combat aircraft become more sophisticated, they become easier to fly; however, increased complexity of the sensors, weapons, countermeasures and tactics make them similarly harder to fight. Introducing tactical systems and procedures early in the training makes sense. The collateral benefit of doing so in a turboprop PC-21 versus an operational combat aircraft also makes economic sense. Pilatus touts the PC-21 as a trainer that can take an ab initio pilot from their first flying lesson through fighter lead-in training. To say I was skeptical is an understatement. In my experience, a trainer that is easy enough for a new student to fly would be ill-suited for advanced air combat training. Similarly, an aircraft with sufficient performance and systems to credibly perform air combat would be too “hot” for a student. Military budget managers might eschew operating multiple types, but no single type would suffice. Pilatus was eager to prove otherwise. Two sorties were scheduled for my visit. For the first, I would ostensibly be an ab initio student. My plan was simply to strap-in and fly the PC-21, reasoning that a good trainer should be sufficiently conventional and forgiving that it shouldn't present any obstacles to a trained pilot. Admittedly, I learned to fly in an analog environment several decades ago, but that shouldn't be an impediment, right? My PC-21 training began in the simulator, a fixed-base device which replicates the aircraft with sufficient fidelity to habituate me to normal procedures, systems and basic handling. An hour in the “box” left me feeling ready to strap in and find the important levers and switches – provided that I had adult supervision. I would fly my first sortie with Pilatus' experimental test pilot Matthew “Fish” Hartkop, an ex-U.S. Navy F/A-18 pilot. Teaching the fundamentals Strapping into the Martin-Baker ejection seat – survival kit, leg restraints, oxygen hose, G-suit, communications, harnesses – puts one in a tactical frame of mind. The cockpit layout roughly emulates an F-18, with a heads-up display, three reconfigurable 6×8-inch portrait-style displays and a fighter-style up-front control panel as the interface for avionics and simulated weapons systems. The stick and throttle emulate a fighter's hands-on-throttle-and-stick (HOTAS) design. The cockpit layout was snug and utilitarian. Hartkop talked me through the start-up of the digitally controlled engine, and we were ready to taxi in about three minutes. The mechanical nosewheel steering was tight and responsive, with only a touch of brake required to regulate speed. The field of view from the front seat through the single-piece canopy was expansive, and I was beginning to think that the PC-21 was no big deal. Then I opened the throttle. To tame propeller torque, full throttle is scheduled to deliver “just” 1080 HP below 80 knots indicated airspeed (KIAS), increasing to its rated 1600 HP above 200 KIAS. Initial acceleration was brisk behind 1080 HP, and remained strong as we cleaned up landing gear and flaps and accelerated to the scheduled 190 KIAS climb speed, where we were rewarded by a spectacular 3,900 foot-per-minute initial climb rate. In addition to taming the natural directional instability of a propeller, the speed-scheduled power limits gave the PC-21 the characteristic long slow push of a pure jet, allowing me, as Hartkop put it, to “quickly forget about the propeller.” Aerobatics are a productive way to get acquainted with a new airplane. Flying in the highly segmented Swiss airspace was a bit like learning to swim in a bathtub! Most of our aerobatics seemed to occur out of necessity as we bounced off the corners of the tiny country, but I was in pilot heaven. Friendly handling I found the simple, reversible, mechanical flight controls – with hydraulically-boosted ailerons augmented by roll spoilers – to be light, crisp and predictable. The published maximum roll rate of 200 degrees per second is sufficient to replicate tactical manoeuvring. Wind-up turns to for ‘g' displayed a well-balanced stick-force gradient estimated at 10 pounds per ‘g.' Overall, the control harmony and response of the PC-21 were delightful throughout the flight envelope. Cruising in slow flight at 95 KIAS in the landing configuration, I did some crisp roll attitude capture tasks, expecting to need copious rudder co-ordination, but the PC-21 rewarded me with cleanly decoupled roll response. The published stalling speed of 81 KIAS makes the PC-21 a fairly hot single-engine airplane, but the stall characteristics in both the clean and landing configuration were entirely benign, with a distinct pitch break at the stall, retaining full lateral control throughout. Having marvelled at how “unpropeller-like” the airplane was at low speed, Hartkop suggested a similar demonstration at high speed. We shoved the throttle forward, unleashing all 1600 HP as I accelerated at low level up a Swiss alpine valley. I saw 294 KIAS, which equates to an impressive 323 knots true airspeed. With 1,200 pounds usable fuel onboard, low level fuel flow averages 700 pounds per hour. At higher altitudes, Hartkop uses 300 to 400 pounds per hour as a fuel flow rule of thumb. Retaining a turboprop powerplant is a decision driven by economy, yet the expectation is that students will graduate to fly high-performance tactical jets. That is, the propeller is a training distraction that is ideally transparent to the budding jet pilot. In an effort to mask its effects, the PC-21 features a sophisticated computerized rudder trim aid device (TAD) that moves the rudder trim tab based on inputs of airspeed, engine torque, angle of attack, and load factor. The trim aid device kept the aircraft co-ordinated as we accelerated, as evidenced by a slow migration of the rudder pedals underfoot, but pilot workload to co-ordinate that big propeller was effectively nil. Something else I wouldn't have noticed unless Hartkop mentioned it: the ride. It was like rumpled velvet. The sky around us was a roiling mess of torn cumulus, so I could see that the conditions were turbulent, but the PC-21's high wing loading gave us a ride that could only be described as “jet-like.” We returned via a vectored-ILS at the nearby Swiss Air Force base at Emmen, before returning to work the airfield at Stans. Equipped with a glass cockpit, autopilot, dual civil-certified flight management systems, dual inertial reference units, dual GPS and instrument landing system (ILS) receivers, the PC-21 is very well equipped for instrument flight training. Hartkop let me loose in the circuit, and with his prompting I did a suitable job with several touch-and-go landings, a closed pattern, a flapless approach, and a practice forced landing. My experiment was to simply strap into the PC-21 and safely take it flying, figuring those first impressions would reveal any quirks awaiting the new trainee. After about 90 minutes in the front seat of the PC-21, my growing confidence with the aircraft was ample proof of its merits as a trainer. Meet the PC-21 Pilatus has been building airplanes since 1939, and is perhaps best known today for the success of its PC-12 single-engine turboprop design. However, it has long been a key player in the military training market with its PC-7 and PC-9 designs, of which over 800 have been delivered, as well as licensed variants of the PC-9, called the T-6 Texan/Harvard II. The PC-21 is an entirely new design, although by this point a mature one, having first flown in July 2002. As a trainer, the PC-21 seems exceptionally well equipped, including a heads-up display (HUD), airbrakes, health and usage monitoring system (HUMS), single-point refuelling, cockpit pressurization, onboard oxygen generating system (OBOGS) and anti-skid brakes. Pilatus claims that the turn-around between flights can be performed in 12 minutes by a single technician. The aircraft features a single digitally-controlled 1,600 horsepower (HP) Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-68B engine that drives a five-blade graphite propeller. For reference, that's a better pounds-per-horsepower ratio (power loading) than a Second World War P-51 Mustang, so rather satisfying performance might be anticipated. It's maximum operating speed (Vmo) is 370 KIAS (0.72 Mach). Planning for combat Our second mission was to demonstrate the PC-21's simulated tactical capabilities in a composite air-to-air and air-to-ground mission. I flew with Pilatus test pilot Reto “Obi” Obrist. Mission planning requires downloading topographic and tactical data to a removable hard drive, called a “brick.” Alternatively, an instructor in either seat in the PC-21 can enhance the scenario by assuming a degree of real-time control of the threat aircraft. It also records DATA for post-flight playback, along with HUD video, cockpit audio, and a reconstruction of all the players in the three-dimensional battle space. “Fox three” I rode the back seat as Obrist demonstrated how quickly he could make the PC-21 emulate a multi-mission fighter. Using the instructor's pages on the MFD, he “loaded” imaginary missiles onto imaginary rails on our very real aluminum wings, adding a few notional free-fall bombs and some virtual chaff and flares until we were virtually bristling with simulated firepower. We launched in a two-ship formation of PC-21s, with Hartkop departing first in the “threat” aircraft. Our aircraft split to a distance of about 30 miles and then turned toward each other. Hartkop's aircraft was continually visible on the multi-function display, based on real-time high-bandwidth datalink. Obrist obligingly explained that he had selected a “six bar scan” on the F/A-18 radar emulation. I was quickly recalling that I don't understand fighter pilot talk, but the HUD symbology indicated that a weapon had locked onto Hartkop's aircraft at a range of 16 miles, allowing Obrist to squeeze the trigger. “Fox 3,” he called on the radio, indicating a radar-guided missile shot. Hartkop was dead, sort of, until Obrist “reset” him for the next engagement. We did four air-to-air engagements. Our first engagement was simply a missile shot, but it let me experience the basic functionality of the F/A-18's AN/APG-73 radar and its associated weapons systems in a very realistic setting. The training scenarios proceeded incrementally. We set up for another engagement, but this time Hartkop seemed inclined to shoot back. The warning tone of his missile trying to lock onto our aircraft sent us into a defensive manoeuvre with some additional radar work to widen the sector scan to obtain a weapons lock. Things were getting interesting. On the next, a simulated missile was launched against us, requiring Obrist to employ the radar countermeasures. We survived. Obrist made no claims about the fidelity of the radar or weapons simulations. The performance and behaviour of the tactical systems relies upon unclassified commercial models of weapons and sensors that Pilatus has integrated into the aircraft. Exact realism isn't the objective, however. Rather, the goal is effective training. The purpose of the tactical scenarios is to teach the pilot to behave appropriately and to do so in a setting where their judgment, timing and skills are critical to the outcome. The only thing missing from complete realism were live warheads. Interestingly, some simulation models have been modified to enhance training effectiveness. For example, Hartkop explained that in the interest of improved training, the onboard dynamic model of the air-to-air missiles needed to be slowed down to give realistic time-of-flight between turboprop trainers engaging at slower speeds and shorter distances than actual fighter aircraft. Bombs without the boom There is a lovely lakeside town south of Stans that needed a bit of friendly bombing, so we split our formation, set the radar to Ground Mode, and set course for the target. I was impressed by the air-to-air radar simulation capability, but utterly gobsmacked when Obrist selected the air-to-ground mode. The synthetic radar display depicted a pseudo-photographic image of the terrain ahead. Let's take a moment to appreciate what we were seeing: In the absence of an actual radar, the radar return was simulated; meaning that the software “knew” the shape and texture of the local terrain, “knew” the characteristics of an AN/APG-73 radar beam, including all the fancy features and modes such as Doppler beam sharpening, “knew” where the radar beam was in space, and calculated what the reflected radar image should look like under those conditions. Impressive! Our navigation system put a waypoint near the target, allowing Obrist to visually identify and update the target designator during our low-level ingress to the target. The HUD guided us through a pop-up manoeuvre to the continually computed release point (CCRP), where it simulated release of the weapon. The PC-21 can simulate – and even score – gun, rocket or bomb delivery. Taking simulation airbourne The PC-21 wasn't a fighter, but you couldn't tell from where I was sitting. Taking stock of the experience, the PC-21 isn't an airplane and it isn't a simulator, but rather combines the best aspects of both to provide a unique training capability. It can't deliver a weapon, but if the need ever arises the PC-21 can teach you how. https://www.skiesmag.com/features/pilatus-pc-21-this-simulator-burns-jet-fuel