October 31, 2022 | International, Aerospace
Pentagon seeks additive manufacturing to spur hypersonic development
The Growing Additive Manufacturing Maturity for Airbreathing Hypersonics, or GAMMA-H, initiative targets materials and processes.
June 19, 2018 | International, Land, C4ISR
Pentagon Grounds Marines’ ‘Eyes in the Sky’ Drones Over Cyber Security Concerns
The Marine Corps has shelved several new, small drones – at least temporarily – amid a Pentagon ban and assessment on the cybersecurity of commercial, off-the-shelf, unmanned aerial systems, a service spokesman told USNI News on Monday.
The Department of Defense issued a ban last month on the purchase and use of all commercial off-the-shelf drones until the Pentagon develops a plan to mitigate security risks. The online site sUAS News obtained a copy of the May 23 memo written by Deputy Defense Secretary Patrick M. Shanahan ordering the temporary ban due to “unmanned aerial vehicle systems cybersecurity vulnerabilities.”
Military.com reported on the memo's effect on the Marines last week.
The Marine Corps officials are asking defense officials to exempt eight systems so Marines can continue to use and train with the drones, Capt. Joshua Pena, a Marine Corps Combat Development Command spokesman, told USNI News Monday.
Pena said exemption requests were being drafted and reviewed by senior leaders and for submission to the Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for these systems: Black Hornet 2 and Black Hornet 3, manufactured by FLIR Systems, Inc.; SkyRanger (Aeryon Labs); InstantEye Mk-2 Gen-3 and InstantEye Mk2 Gen-5 (Physical Sciences Inc.); Indago (Lockheed Martin); and DJI Phantom 3 Pro and DJI Phantom 4 Pro (DJI).
InstantEye is a centerpiece of the “Quads for Squads” initiative driven by the commandant, Gen. Robert Neller, to equip infantry units with innovative, high-tech capabilities to make Marines more lethal and effective in a cyber battle space, including micro and small drones. The small quadcopter, manufactured by InstantEye Robotics, a division of Andover, Mass.,-based Physical Sciences, Inc., is getting fielded to squads across the Marine Corps' three infantry divisions.
Neller, speaking June 12 at the 69th Current Strategy Forum held at the Naval War College, touted the service's push to bolster its cyber capabilities to include using the small quadcopter, according to the Fifth Domain newsletter.
But the Pentagon's decision has forced Marines to stop using InstantEye until it can get the green light from the Pentagon. It's considered a COTS product, Pena said, and “the system has been grounded.” The ban “also applies to all UAS ground command and control elements including smartphones or tablets with associated software and hardware,” he added.
So far, the first battalions have received 600 of the Marine Corps' initial buy of 800 Mk-2 Gen-3 drones for the “Quads for Squads,” and the remaining 200 are pending shipment, he said. “The policy has not affected that schedule,” he added.
In suspending all COTS unmanned aerial systems, Shanahan cited a May 14 DoD inspector general finding that “the DoD has not implemented an adequate process to assess cybersecurity risks associated with using commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS).”
“Effective immediately, you must suspend purchases of COTS UAS for operational use until the DoD develops a strategy to adequately assess and mitigate the risks associated with their use. In addition, you must suspend the use of COTS UASs until the DoD identifies and fields a solution to mitigate known cybersecurity risks,” he wrote in the memo.
Shanahan noted his authority to approve any “requests for exemptions, on a case by case basis, to support urgent needs.” He directed military officials and agencies to report to him within 30 days “to identify and account for all COTS UAS.”
The memo doesn't indicate what prompted the suspension of the military's use of drones, which include some popular commercially-available drones sold to consumers and manufactured by U.S. or foreign companies. However, last month, Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., wrote to Defense Secretary James Mattis about “a potential national security threat” in products manufactured by DJI, or Da-Jiang Innovations, a technology company based in China.
In his letter, dated May 7, Murphy cited an Army decision last year to halt the use of DJI commercial UAS and an “intelligence bulletin” issued by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement “asserting that DJI was using its products to provide critical infrastructure and law enforcement data to the Chinese government.”
“These vulnerabilities pose a tremendous national security risk, as the information obtained by the Chinese government could be used to conduct physical or cyber-attacks against U.S. civilian and military targets,” wrote Murphy, whose Senate committee assignments include appropriations and foreign relations.
DJI, or SZ DJI Technology Co., Ltd., as noted on the company's website, is based in Shenzhen, China, and manufactures drones, including several popular with consumers and drones hobbyists and used by military and federal agencies, and interest remains in recent UAS solicitations including by the Army.
Murphy didn't cite any specific example of a security breach or hacking by DJI but raised concerns about vulnerabilities particularly with foreign-made systems. “I encourage you to, at a minimum, consider a DoD-wide directive banning the use of UAS owned or manufactured in a foreign nation until further threat-assessments can be completed,” he wrote. He noted the “deluge of foreign-made military equipment” the military has bought and opined that “if the hundreds of DJI drones purchased by the U.S. government in the last several years had been American-made, we would not have subjected ourselves to this massive potential intrusion and exploitation of sensitive U.S. sites.”
Two years ago, security concerns about DJI products prompted the company to issue a statement that “DJI does not routinely share customer information or drone video with Chinese authorities' and cited its privacy policy.
https://news.usni.org/2018/06/18/pentagon-grounds-marines-eyes-sky-drones-cyber-security-concerns
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January 4, 2019 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security
Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - January 4, 2019
ARMY Avon Protection Systems, Cadillac, Michigan, was awarded a $92,670,255 firm-fixed-price contract for the joint service aircrew mask, engineering support, special tooling and spare parts. One bid was solicited with one bid received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 21, 2024. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W911SR-19-D-0002). AIR FORCE Lockheed Martin, Santa Maria, California, has been awarded a $52,700,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, cost-plus, and award-fee type, modification (P0009) to contract FA8818-17-D-0001 for engineering, development and sustainment services supporting the Air Force Multi-Mission Satellite Operation Center. This increase provides for continuous services to operate experimental and demonstration satellites; act as the focal point and center of expertise for Department of Defense experimental and demonstrations space and missile operations; support space and missile research, development, test and evaluation and initial operational test and evaluation. Work will be performed in Kirtland Air Force Base, Albuquerque, New Mexico, and is expected to be completed by Jan. 5, 2019. This modification is for work within scope of the contract. Fiscal 2019 other procurement funds will fund this contract. Space and Missile Systems Center, Kirkland Air Force Base, New Mexico, is the contracting activity. NAVY Advanced Management Strategies Group LLC,* Dumfries, Virginia (M00264-19-D-0001); Atkinson Aeronautics and Technology Inc.,* Fredericksburg, Virginia (M00264-19-D-0002); Emerging Technology Support LLC,* Mooresville, North Carolina (M00264-19-D-0003); Get It Done Solutions LLC,* Fredericksburg, Virginia (M00264-19-D-0004); Strategic Ventures Consulting Group LLC,* Falls Church, Virginia (M00264-19-D-0005); and Vickers and Nolan Enterprises LLC,* Stafford, Virginia (M00264-19-D-0006), are each awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contracts with five-year ordering periods and an option to extend services for up to six months for technical, analytical, and engineering support for the Marine Corps Capabilities Development Directorate. The estimated aggregate ceiling of the contracts is a combined $43,891,128. If the option is exercised, the contract value will be $48,280,241. Each company will have an opportunity to compete for individual firm-fixed-price task orders. The majority of work will be performed at the contractor facilities in Mooresville, North Carolina; Dumfries, Virginia; Fredericksburg, Virginia; Falls Church, Virginia; and Stanford, Virginia, as determined by task orders awarded. Work is expected to be completed in January 2024. With the option exercised, work will continue through July 2024. No funds will be obligated at the time of award. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance (Marine Corps); and research and development (Navy) funds will be obligated on individual task orders as they are issued. These contracts were competitively procured via solicitation on the Federal Business Opportunities website, with nine proposals received. The Marine Corps Installations Command, National Capital Region, Regional Contracting Office, Quantico, Virginia, is the contracting activity. Coffin Turbo Pump Inc., Englewood, New Jersey, is awarded a $15,523,669 indefinite-delivery/indefinite quantity, firm-fixed-priced contract, for up to 33 turbine driven main feed pumps for LHD-1 class main propulsion boilers. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Philadelphia Division requires the production of a non-commercial main feed pump unit that will be driven by a steam turbine on a common solid shaft (no couplings). The main feed pump unit is designed to provide feed water to the Navy LHD-1 class main propulsion boilers. Work will be performed in Englewood, New Jersey, and is expected to be complete by January 2024. Fiscal 2017 other procurement (Navy) funding in the total amount of $1,299,325 will be obligated at time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities website, with two offers received. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Philadelphia Division, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is the contracting activity (N64498-19-D-4004). Fairbanks Morse Engine, Beloit, Wisconsin, is awarded a $13,552,041 cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract with firm-fixed-priced ordering provisions for engineering, logistics and program management services in support of the Navy diesel engine systems. Work includes engineering and technical services, logistics support, engine training, and program management services. Work will be performed in Beloit, Wisconsin, (52 percent); San Diego, California (30 percent); and Norfolk, Virginia (18 percent), and is expected to be complete by January 2024. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance (Navy) funding in the amount of $720,000 will be obligated at time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured in accordance with 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1) - only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. The Naval Surface Warfare Center Philadelphia Division, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is the contracting activity (N64498-19-D-4001). *Small business https://dod.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/1724565/
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March 3, 2021 | International, C4ISR
KAI and IAI Enter a Collaboration Agreement for Manned and Unmanned Teaming Systems
As part of the MOU, KAI and IAI are aiming to expand their long cooperation to market the loitering munitions to ROK Army requirements.