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February 3, 2020 | International, C4ISR

Pentagon’s top artificial intelligence official to retire

By: Mike Gruss and Jeff Martin

The Pentagon plans to announce Jan. 31 that Lt. Gen. Jack Shanahan, the Department of Defense's top artificial intelligence official, will retire from the Air Force this summer, C4ISRNET has learned.

Shanahan has served as the first director of the Pentagon's Joint Artificial Intelligence Center, an effort to accelerate the Pentagon's adoption and integration of AI at scale, since December 2018.

Lt. Cmdr. Arlo Abrahamson, a spokesman for the center, confirmed the retirement in a Jan. 30 email and said a search for the next director is underway.

Shanahan previously oversaw the Pentagon's algorithmic warfare cross-functional team, better known as Project Maven, a pathfinder effort to apply AI and machine learning in analyzing full-motion video.

Pentagon leaders created the JAIC after noting nearly 600 projects and programs across the department had come to touch on artificial intelligence in some way. Officials wanted a central hub to help facilitate progress. In late 2018, Dana Deasy, the Defense Department's chief information officer, appointed Shanahan to lead the new center.

During his tenure, Shanahan served as a voice of reason on how artificial intelligence could be used by the military and avoided the often popular science fiction comparisons that accompany discussions of AI. In an interview with C4ISRNET last year, Shanahan said the center has focused on using artificial intelligence for predictive maintenance efforts and to improve humanitarian relief. He also advocated for a greater understanding of the subject.

“On one side of the emerging tech equation, we need far more national security professionals who understand what this technology can do or, equally important, what it cannot do,” Shanahan said during a talk at the Naval War College in December. “On the other side of the equation, we desperately need more people who grasp the societal implications of new technology, who are capable of looking at this new data-driven world through geopolitical, international relations, humanitarian and even philosophical lenses,” he said.

Lawmakers approved $183 million for the center in the fiscal year 2020 budget.

Shanahan also has been a vocal proponent for improving the department's cloud capabilities and specifically the Joint Enterprise Defense Infrastructure (JEDI) contract, which is expected to provide the infrastructure the Pentagon needs to boost artificial intelligence.

https://www.c4isrnet.com/artificial-intelligence/2020/01/31/pentagons-top-artificial-intelligence-official-to-retire/

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  • Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - March 17, 2020

    March 18, 2020 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security

    Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - March 17, 2020

    ARMY Phoenix Logistics Inc.,* Gilbert, Arizona, was awarded a $516,000,000 cost-no-fee, cost-plus-fixed-fee, cost-plus-incentive-fee, firm-fixed-price contract to provide capabilities to the Joint Land Component Constructive Training Capability across the range of warfighting functions. Bids were solicited via the internet with two received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of March 16, 2030. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Orlando, Florida, is the contracting activity (W900KK-20-D-0010). Rock Island Integrated Services, Rock Island, Illinois, was awarded a $7,463,098 modification (P00024) to contract W52P1-J-19-C-5003 for base operations support services. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will be performed in Rock Island, Illinois, with an estimated completion date of March 14, 2021. Army Contracting Command, Rock Island, Illinois, is the contracting activity. NAVY DynCorp International LLC, Fort Worth, Texas, is awarded a $104,085,696 modification (P00050) to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee and cost reimbursable contract (N00421-17-C-0033). This modification exercises an option to provide maintenance and logistics support on all aircraft and support equipment for which the Naval Test Wing Atlantic has maintenance responsibility. Work will be performed in Patuxent River, Maryland, and is expected to be complete by March 2021. Fiscal 2020 working capital (Navy) funds in the amount of $47,233,324; fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $13,038,915; and fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $921,844 will be obligated at the time of award, $13,038,915 of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. Honeywell International Inc., Defense & Space, Tempe, Arizona, is awarded $72,817,953 for an indefinite-delivery, performance-based logistics requirements contract for the repair, replacement and program support for auxiliary power units used on combat jets, maritime surveillance and cargo aircraft models (the F/A-18, A-G, P-3 and C-2). Work will be performed in Jacksonville, Florida (50%); Cherry Point, North Carolina (39%); and various contractor facilities (11%). Work is expected to be complete by March 2022. The work performed also provides coverage for the main fuel controls and electronic control unit used on the F/A-18 and the P-3 engine driven compressor. This contract includes a two-year base period with no options. Annual working capital funds (Navy) in the amount of $36,555,518 will be obligated for delivery order (N00383-20-F-0WP0) that will be awarded concurrently with the contract. Funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. One company was solicited for this non-competitive requirement under authority 10 U.S. Code 2304 (c)(1) and Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1, with one offer received. Naval Supply Systems Command Weapon Systems Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is the contracting activity (N00383-20-D-WP01). Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems, Manassas, Virginia, is awarded a $65,815,333 cost-plus-incentive, fixed-price-incentive modification to previously awarded contract N00024-13-C-5225 for the production and engineering services of the Navy's Undersea Warfare Systems (model AN/SQQ-89A(V)15) for surface ships. Work will be performed in Lemont Furnace, Pennsylvania (54%); Clearwater, Florida (22%); Syracuse, New York (7%); Manassas, Virginia (6%); Hauppauge, New York (5%); Oswego, New York (5%); and Tewksbury, Massachusetts (1%), and is expected to be complete by May 2022. Fiscal 2020 other procurement (Navy); 2020 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy); 2020 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy); 2019 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy); 2020 operations and maintenance (Navy); and 2018 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funding in the amount $65,815,333 will be obligated at the time of award, and $50,000 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. The Haskell Co., Jacksonville, Florida, is awarded a $9,498,353 firm-fixed-price contract for construction of the P680 CH-53K cargo loading tower at the Marine Corps Air Station in New River, North Carolina. Work will be performed in New River, North Carolina, and is expected to be complete by April 2022. The work to be performed will provide a high-bay facility that will house an operations trainer to support CH-53K helicopter pilot and crew chief training program. Construction includes a deep pile foundation, grade beams and reinforced concrete slabs to provide the building's base while reinforced concrete masonry unit exterior walls and a standing seam metal roof provide the building enclosure. This facility will provide a covered, all-weather training environment for the ground operations aircrew trainer, a fuselage trainer device, pallet storage, retrieval and build-out packages associated with troop deployment and mobility. The facility includes high-bay roll-up doors and concrete drive aprons to accommodate moving the aircraft frame in and out of the building. Fiscal 2020 military construction (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $9,498,353 are obligated on this award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website with five proposals received. Naval Facilities Engineering Command Mid-Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N40085-20-C-0066). AIR FORCE InDyne Inc., Sterling, Virginia, has been awarded a $51,386,233 modification (P00042) to previously awarded contract FA2517-18-C-8000 for Solid State Phased Array Radar Systems (SSPARS). This modification provides for the exercise Option Year Two for the management, operation, maintenance, and logistical support of SSPARS. Work will be performed at Beale Air Force Base, California; Cape Cod Air Force Station, Massachusetts; Clear Air Force Station, Alaska; Thule Air Base, Greenland; and Royal Air Force Fylingdales, United Kingdom, and is expected to be complete by April 30, 2021. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds in the full amount were obligated at the time of award. The total cumulative face value of the contract is $143,875,078. The 21st Contracting Squadron, Peterson AFB, Colorado, is the contracting activity. The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory Inc., Cambridge, Massachusetts, has been awarded a $45,000,000 indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contract for the Quicksilver Device prototype. This contract provides for the design, build, and test of an operational Quicksilver Device prototype. Work will be performed in Cambridge, Massachusetts; and Reston, Virginia, and is expected to be completed March 18, 2027. This award is the result of a sole source acquisition, and fiscal 2020 research and development funds in the amount of $7,491,567 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8684-20-D-4000). (Awarded March 16, 2020) Data Computer Corp. of America, Ellicott City, Maryland, has been awarded a $7,201,113 fixed-price incentive-firm target modification (P00025) to contract FA880-6-16-F-0002 for the Western Range Modernization Network operations, maintenance and sustainment. This modification supports an increase in operational requirements. Work will be performed at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, and is expected to be completed by Aug. 31, 2023. Fiscal 2019 and space procurement funds are being obligated at the time of award. Space and Missile Systems Center, Peterson AFB, Colorado, is the contracting activity. DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Capps Shoe Co.,* Lynchburg, Virginia, has been awarded a maximum $15,396,000 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for men's poromeric shoes. This was a competitive acquisition with two responses received. This is a one-year base year contract with two one-year option periods. Location of performance is Virginia, with a March 17, 2021, performance completion date. Using military services are Army, 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-1246). The Raytheon Co., McKinney, Texas, has been awarded a maximum $9,312,000 undefinitized, firm-fixed-price delivery order (SPRPA1-20-F-CB04) against a five-year basic ordering agreement (SPRPA1-19-G-CB01) for electronic modules for the H-53 aircraft. This was a sole-source acquisition using justification 10 U.S. Code 2304 (c)(1), as stated in Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. This is a two-year contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Texas, with a March 7, 2022, performance completion date. Using military service is Navy. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 Navy working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. CORRECTION: The contract announced on March 12, 2020, for American Autoclave Co., Jasper, Georgia (SPE4A8-20-C-0001), was announced with an incorrect award date. The correct award date is March 17, 2020. *Small Business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2115416/source/GovDelivery/

  • Northrop Grumman to Support the Australian Defence Force’s Joint Data Network

    November 8, 2019 | International, Aerospace

    Northrop Grumman to Support the Australian Defence Force’s Joint Data Network

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    March 11, 2022 | International, Aerospace

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