November 24, 2020 | International, Aerospace

Pentagon expected to increase Space Force funding in coming years

WASHINGTON — U.S. Space Force leadership is confident the new service's budget will increase in the coming years as the Pentagon continues to prioritize spending on space systems, according to the head of the Space Force's main acquisitions body.

“If you thought space was going to be a priority in a kind of one-and-done way, that's not clearly what's been happening, right?” Lt. Gen. John Thompson, commander of the Space and Missile Systems Center, said during the virtual 6th annual Schriever Space Futures Forum. “So three years in a row budgets have gone to the Hill with foundational changes to the space budget.”

That's despite the fact that space systems and their supporting equipment are very expensive.

“ Everybody knows the space enterprise is a really expensive one, even with the reductions in cost that we've seen over the past couple decades. Launch services, space vehicles, ground segments — everybody knows they ain't cheap, right?” Thompson said.

The real shift in prioritizing spending on space came with the fiscal 2019 budget request, with the Pentagon declaring space a war-fighting domain.

“I think we made some real progress. As we acknowledged space as a war-fighting domain, we had some really strong shifts in the budget,” Thompson said.

For fiscal 2021, the Department of the Air Force requested $15.4 billion for the new Space Force. That's $800 million more than the $14.6 billion the department requested for that same enterprise in fiscal 2020, according to the Air Force's own calculations.

“The '21 [Program Objective Memorandum] was another landmark event. It was not only the first POM approved by the Chief of Space Operations ... but during the cycle the Deputy's Management Action Group, [or DMAG] ... the folks that advise the secretary of defense on investment, continued to label space as one of the big strategic areas that DoD needs to address,” Thompson explained.

And while the fiscal 2022 request has not been finalized or released yet, Thompson said it will include a marked increase in spending on space.

“We plused up the space portfolio significantly to address users' needs,” he explained. “I can't give you the exact dollars and obviously it's all pre-decisional. But the DMAG and many other DoD leaders are clearly sending a message that across the [Future Years Defense Program], the importance of the space enterprise is growing and needs to grow further.”

Even further out, Thompson noted the fiscal 2023 request will continue the military's trend of prioritizing space in the budget.

“For the '23 POM, which many of you know we're already working, we're trying to take an unprecedented enterprise approach to where we take the force design that we need along with the operational requirements associated with it, and we pair that up with the acquisition programs that are required to deliver the war-fighting capability that Gen. [John] Raymond and our combatant command, Gen. [John] Dickinson, are absolutely demanding,” Thompson said.

He added that the Space Force's funding strategy will balance innovation, international and commercial partnerships, and the need to rapidly provide capabilities to troops. Thompson pointed to the Space Force's recently released planning guidance as shaping that strategy.

Thompson credited the Space Force's flexibility to maneuver within budget discussions to the service's lean staff, something that's been one of Raymond's top priorities in establishing the new branch of the armed services.

“That collaboration, as many of you know, within the Department of the Air Force or in any large service, is really, really hard because so much of the budget is set,” he explained. “We as a service, though, have a little bit more trade space. The chief of space operations has a smaller, more nimble team. There's not as many spoons banging on highchairs demanding something that they've always been given. And so determining where to spend the next space dollar is really, really exciting, and it's a team effort between operators, acquirers and the entire small, nimble team that is Space Force.”

https://www.c4isrnet.com/battlefield-tech/space/2020/11/20/pentagon-expected-to-increase-space-force-funding-in-coming-years/

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June 8, 2020 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security

Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - June 05, 2020
NAVY General Electric Co. GE Aviation, Lynn, Massachusetts, is awarded a $180,599,648 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. This contract procures commercial depot level services for the repair and overhaul of T700-GE-401/401C turbo shaft engines, cold section modules and power turbine modules for the Navy H-60 Seahawk helicopter as well as the Marine Corps H-1 Cobra and Bell UH-1 Huey aircraft. Work will be performed in Wingsfield, Kansas, and is expected to be complete by June 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 not competitively procured pursuant to 10 U.S. Code 2304 (c)(1). The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N00421-20-D-0115). Vigor Marine LLC, Portland, Oregon, is awarded a $56,450,644 firm-fixed-price contract for a 210-calendar day split shipyard availability for the regular overhaul and dry docking of the hospital ship U.S. Naval Ship Mercy (T-AH 19). Work will be performed in Portland, Oregon, and is expected to be complete by August 2021. This contract includes one base period and 17 options and, if exercised, will bring the cumulative value to $61,201,329. Fiscal 2020 and 2021 working capital funds (Navy) are obligated in the amount of $56,450,644 and will not expire at the end of the fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured. Proposals were solicited via the Government Point of Entry website, and one offer was received. The Navy's Military Sealift Command, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N32205). Systems Engineering Associates Corp. (SEA CORP),* Middletown, Rhode Island, is awarded a $26,643,618 cost-plus-fixed-fee and cost-only contract for services to develop, upgrade and apply the Extensible Markup Language Test Data Analysis Tool (XTDAS). Work will be performed in Middletown, Rhode Island (55%); Newport, Rhode Island (25%); Port Canaveral, Florida (5%); Andros Island, Bahamas (5%); other contractor labs and facilities (5%); and on-board platforms and ranges (5%), and is expected to be complete by June 2025. This contract was not competitively procured in accordance with 10 U.S. Code 2304(b)(2) because the Systems Engineering Associates Corp. developed the XTDAS under the Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) program and its continued performance constitutes an SBIR Phase III contract. Per the Small Business Administration SBIR policy directive, to the greatest extent practicable, agencies shall issue Phase III awards relating to technology, including sole-source awards, to the SBIR awardee (in this instance SEA CORP) that developed the technology. Fiscal 2020 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funds in the amount of $314,977 will be obligated at the time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division Newport, Newport, Rhode Island, is the contracting activity (N66604-20-D-L000). Booz Allen Hamilton Inc., McLean, Virginia, is awarded a $12,355,663 firm-fixed-price modification to previously awarded contract M67400-18-F-0065 to exercise Option Year Two for analytics support for III Marine Expeditionary Force and Marine Corps Installations Pacific (MCIPAC). Work will be performed in Okinawa, Japan, and is expected to be complete by July 2021. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Marine Corps) funding in the amount of $12,355,663 will be obligated at the time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The MCIPAC Regional Contracting Office, Marine Corps Base Camp Butler, Okinawa, Japan, is the contracting activity. Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Apopka, Florida, is awarded a $7,289,968 modification to firm-fixed-price, supply job order N00164-17-F-J272 under basic ordering agreement N00164-17-G-JQ08 for the procurement of 56 single-color diode-pumped laser designators. Work will be performed in Apopka, Florida. This procurement of 56 laser designators will support the Common Sensor Payload Program's Multi-spectral Targeting System (MTS) Family of Electro-optic Infrared (EO/IR) Sensors. Work is expected be complete by June 2022. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Army) funding in the amount of $7,289,968 will be obligated at the time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. In accordance with 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1), this job order was not competitively procured; only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. The laser designators are in support of the MTS EO/IR sensor, which has been deployed on Army Gray Eagle aircraft to facilitate and enable the delivery of laser-guided munitions. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane, Indiana, is the contracting activity. DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Janz Corp.,* Reynoldsburg, Ohio, has been awarded a maximum $45,000,000 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for surgical lasers, tables and their related accessories. This was a competitive acquisition with 105 responses received. This is a five-year contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Ohio, with a June 4, 2025, ordering period end date. Using customers are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and federal civilian agencies. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2025 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE2D1-20-D-0010). Outdoor Venture Corp.,* Stearns, Kentucky, has been awarded a maximum $9,696,612 firm-fixed-priced, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for military standard Temper tents. This was a competitive acquisition with two responses received. This is a one-year base contract with four, one-year option periods. Location of performance is Kentucky, with a June 2, 2021, performance completion date. Using military services are Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps. 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-1249). Blind Industries and Services of Maryland,** Baltimore, Maryland, has been awarded a maximum $8,750,000 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-quantity contract for face covers. This is a one-year contract with no option periods. This was a sole-source acquisition using authority granted by the expanded AbilityOne procurement list, make-to-order notice dated April 9, 2020. Location of performance is Maryland, with a June 4, 2021, performance completion date. Using military services are Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps. 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-B089). AIR FORCE Trident Systems Inc.,* Fairfax, Virginia, has been awarded a $35,000,000 maximum ordering amount, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, cost-plus-fixed-fee and firm-fixed-price orders for Secure Collaborative Technology (SCTECH) software and hardware. This contract provides for the research, adaptation, enhancement and transition of critical Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) technologies to provide new capabilities which are secure and provide access between multiple levels of security domains and bridge between different chat protocols. This effort will result in the delivery of several software releases to the SCTECH user community, to include computer software, technical documentation, hardware, installation and maintenance of the current systems located at existing customer sites. Work will be performed in Fairfax, Virginia; and Morrisville, North Carolina, and is expected to be completed June 5, 2025. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition under the SBIR program. Air Force Research Laboratory, Rome, New York, is the contracting activity (FA8750-20-D-0600). Work Services Corp., Wichita Falls, Texas, has been awarded a $20,537,296 firm-fixed-price modification (P00010) to contract FA3020-18-C-0013 for food services. Work will be performed at Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas, and is expected to be completed June 30, 2021. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $10,104,410 are being obligated at the time of award. The total cumulative face value of the contract is $57,366,955. The 82nd Contracting Squadron, Sheppard AFB, Texas, is the contracting activity (FA3020-18-C-0013). General Electric Co., Cincinnati, Ohio, has been awarded a $20,000,000 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification (P00053) to contract FA8626-16-2138 for COVID-19 industrial base support. The contract modification is for the execution of an out-of-scope modification with a new statement of work and justification and approval to issue an undefinitized contract action, which is being used to preserve an at risk industrial base impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Work will be performed in Cincinnati, Ohio, and is expected to be completed Jan. 31, 2021. Fiscal 2020 Defense Production Act Title III funds in the amount of $15,868,844 are being obligated at the time of award. Total cumulative face value of the contract is $1,449,920,786. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity. Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Clearfield, Utah, has awarded a ceiling $11,345,659 firm-fixed-price modification (P00022) to contract SPE4AX-19-D-9404 for left-hand and right-hand wing tips for the T-38 weapon system. Work will be performed in Stockton, California, and is expected to be completed July 2027. Fiscal 2020 working capital funds in the amount of $2,624,384 are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Sustainment Center, Hill Air Force Base, Utah, is the contracting activity. ARMY Novavax Inc.,* Gaithersburg, Maryland, was awarded a $21,952,384 cost-no-fee contract for the development and production of the Novavax nanoparticle vaccine against COVID-19. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will be performed in Gaithersburg, Maryland, with an estimated completion date of June 3, 2021. Fiscal 2020 Defense Health Agency Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act funds in the amount of $21,952,384 were obligated at the time of award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W911QY-20-C-0077). (Awarded June 4, 2020) Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Herndon, Virginia, was awarded a $21,703,157 modification (P00063) to contract W58RGZ-17-C-0014 for logistics support services for government-owned fixed wing fleet performing special electronic mission aircraft missions. Work will be performed in Herndon, Virginia, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 31, 2021. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Army) funds in the amount of $21,703,157 were obligated at the time of award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity. Science Applications International Corp., Reston, Virginia, was awarded a $10,693,344 modification (000182) to contract W31P4Q-18-A-0011 for converged infrastructure engineering support; technical modeling support, containerized weapon system mission data analysis and engineering support; implementation support; and precision fires manager engineering and analysis. Work will be performed at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina, with an estimated completion date of June 4, 2021. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Army) funds in the amount of $10,693,344 were obligated at the time of award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity. Ocean Construction Services Inc.,* Virginia Beach, Virginia, was awarded a $9,492,405 firm-fixed-price contract for road repairs at Arlington National Cemetery. Bids were solicited via the internet with 11 received. Work will be performed in Arlington, Virginia, with an estimated completion date of Oct. 5, 2021. Fiscal 2020 cemeterial expenses (Army) funds in the amount of $9,492,405 were obligated at the time of award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (W91236-20-C-0019). *Small Business **Mandatory Source https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2210304/source/GovDelivery/
February 6, 2019 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security, Other Defence

Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - February 5, 2019
NAVY Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is awarded a $90,345,180 modification to a previously awarded cost-plus-incentive-fee contract (N00019-17-C-0001). This modification provides for the identification and execution of cost reduction initiatives to reduce the cost of the F-35 Lightning II Air System. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas, and is expected to be completed in June 2022. Fiscal 2017 aircraft procurement (Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps) funds in the amount of $90,345,180 will be obligated at time of award, all of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This modification combines purchases for the Air Force ($44,929,818; 50 percent); Navy ($26,000,000; 29 percent); and the Marine Corps ($19,415,362; 21 percent). The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. Q.E.D. Systems Inc., Virginia Beach, Virginia, was awarded an $11,503,892 cost modification to previously-awarded contract N00024-15-C-4400 for third party advanced planning services in support of Chief of Naval Operations availabilities, Continuous Maintenance Availabilities (CMAVs), inactivation CMAVs, sustainment availabilities, phased modernization availabilities, re-commissioning availabilities, continuous maintenance and emergent maintenance windows of opportunity for Navy surface combatant ship classes (CG 47/DDG 51). Work will be performed in Norfolk, Virginia (53 percent); San Diego, California (36 percent); and Everett, Washington (11 percent), and is expected to be completed by February 2020. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance (Navy); and fiscal 2019 other procurement (Navy) funding in the amount of $6,282,400 will be obligated at time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. (Awarded Feb. 1,2019) ARMY CACI-ISS Inc., Arlington, Virginia, was awarded a $37,234,235 modification (P00048) to contract W15QKN-15-C-0049 for the Integrated Personnel and Pay System. Work will be performed in Arlington, Virginia, with an estimated completion date of May 31, 2019. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $35,387,111 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, New Jersey, is the contracting activity. DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY SOPAKCO Inc., Mullins, South Carolina, has been awarded a maximum $26,214,300 firm-fixed-price contract for religious and halal Meal Ready to Eat. This was a competitive acquisition with three responses received. This is a five-year contract with no option periods. Location of performance is South Carolina, with a Feb. 4, 2024, performance completion date. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2024 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE3S1-19-DZ117). UPDATE: Hoist Liftruck Manufacturing,* East Chicago, Indiana (SPE8EC-19-D-0038), has been added as an awardee to the multiple-award contract for commercial trucks and trailers, issued against solicitation SPE8EC-17-R-0008, announced April 20, 2017. DEFENSE HEALTH AGENCY Bluewater Federal Solutions Inc., Chantilly, Virginia, was awarded a firm-fixed-price contract for $8,194,502 on Jan. 22, 2019. The contract has an effective date of Feb. 1, 2019 and was awarded following a competitive solicitation conducted amongst small businesses in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation 8.405, using General Services Administration eBuy Schedule 70, Special Item Number 132-56. This award provides for non-personal information technology services in support of mobile application development, web design, web development, and necessary support (to include testing, information assurance compliance and risk mitigation in accordance with Department of Defense standards) for Military Health System internet, intranet, and extranet websites, web applications, and mobile applications. The contractor place of performance is Falls Church, Virginia. In addition, this contract provides for four option periods, if exercised. This contract is funded with fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance appropriations in the amount of $8,194,502. The Defense Health Agency, Contracting Office – Health Information Technology, San Antonio, Texas, is the contracting activity (HT0015-19-F-0022). *Small Business https://dod.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/1749121/source/GovDelivery/
January 11, 2021 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security

IISS analysts: Russian and Western defense firms face greater competition
By: Tom Waldwyn and Haena Jo Over the next decade, companies from emerging defense industrial nations will provide greater competition for the Western and Russian firms that have previously assisted in their development. Successive Turkish, South Korean, Brazilian and Polish governments have invested heavily in their defense industries over the past decade, leading to much-improved capabilities and the introduction of complex platforms. While many of these are license-builds of Western equipment, a growing share is of original designs. However, their reliance on key subsystems from Western and Russian companies will likely continue for much of this period, presenting a potential vulnerability. License-building platforms with technology transfer has been used as a means of developing a local industrial capability with a more realistic chance of success than starting from scratch. For example, in the 1980s and 1990s, Turkey and South Korea assembled hundreds of F-16 fighter jets, and both have also license-built German submarines, as has Brazil. Significant investment in these programs has meant that these countries now have the industrial capability to produce an increasing number of platforms with original designs. South Korea's T-50 Golden Eagle (a trainer and light-attack aircraft with multiple variants) was developed based on both the country's experience and technology transfer from assembling F-16s. Poland's initial license-build of Finnish armored personnel carriers has now led to several local variants based on that design, and Turkey has begun to design a new attack helicopter based on its experience building the Italian-designed T129. This has gone hand in hand with procurement and industry reform. South Korea created the Defense Acquisition Program Administration in 2006 to manage procurement and develop industrial capability. Poland consolidated most of its state-owned industry under the PGZ holding company in 2015. South Korea's threefold increase in defense exports over the past decade — $1.52 billion in 2019 with a record high of $2.36 billion in 2016 — has been boosted by its companies winning contracts against European and Russian competitors. The aforementioned T-50 family has won competitions in countries such as Iraq, Indonesia and Thailand at the expense of Western and Russian aircraft. Similarly, South Korean shipyards have now signed deals to export frigates and tankers to a variety of countries including Thailand and the U.K. Significantly, in 2011, a South Korean shipyard secured a contract to supply Indonesia with submarines, beating the German original equipment manufacturer that transferred technology to South Korea in the 1980s for license-production. Although Turkey's high-profile export successes have largely come due to its political relationships rather than success in open competition, it too has seen its defense and aerospace (including civil) exports more than treble during this time, reaching $2.78 billion in 2019. Brazil's export successes ($1.3 billion in 2019) have largely come in the aerospace sector with the A-29 Super Tucano trainer/light-attack aircraft being widely exported. Recently the country has begun to secure the first sales of its KC-390 transport aircraft. Despite strong growth in defense manufacturing capability (both South Korea and Turkey report overall localization rates of around 70 percent, for example), these nations continue to rely on Western and Russian suppliers for key subsystems, with high-end electronics and engines being particular weaknesses. Attempts to fit a locally designed power pack into the K2 Black Panther main battle tank have been wracked with difficulty, forcing South Korea to order additional engines and transmissions from German suppliers. Similarly, Poland's production of its Krab howitzer ran into problems early on due to technical issues with the chassis and engine, forcing a switch to South Korean and German replacements, respectively. Turkey provides a case study of what can happen when a reliance on foreign subsystems clashes with those countries taking a dim view of your actions. Since the mid-2000s, development of the Altay main battle tank proceeded relatively smoothly, in part because the prototypes were fitted with proven German power packs. However, arms embargoes since 2016 have derailed series production. A 2015 contract to develop a local propulsion system was canceled in 2017 when the Austrian company selected to assist pulled out. Similar issues have hampered the sale of attack helicopters to Pakistan (an Italian design fitted with American engines) as well as the production of armed UAVs (Canadian sensors and engines). Beyond these emerging challengers for defense exports, other nations also warrant consideration. Japan, a country with a high localization rate since the 1990s, produces a variety of advanced platforms across different sectors. However, changing government and business practices to support export campaigns will take time. India has also invested heavily in its industry, yet bureaucratic conflicts and technical challenges have made fulfilling local requirements a challenge. The United Arab Emirates has begun to export equipment, albeit low-tech materiel. All this being said, the impact of COVID-19 on government spending will likely be felt for several years, with some importer nations already postponing programs. Whether local demand in exporter nations can make up for this remains to be seen. Tom Waldwyn is a research associate for defense and military analysis at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, where Haena Jo is a research analyst for defense and military analysis. https://www.defensenews.com/outlook/2021/01/11/iiss-analysts-russian-and-western-defense-firms-face-greater-competition/

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