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April 26, 2023 | International, C4ISR

Pentagon’s top software official stresses data-centric military

The Pentagon's top software official and the Space Force's chief information officer stressed the importance of software factories to train troops.

https://www.c4isrnet.com/it-networks/2023/04/26/pentagons-top-software-official-stresses-data-centric-military/

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  • Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - August 14, 2019

    August 15, 2019 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security

    Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - August 14, 2019

    NAVY Advanced Technology International, Summerville, South Carolina, is awarded a $99,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the Navy Manufacturing Technology (ManTech) Center for Innovative Naval Shipbuilding and Advanced Manufacturing. Work will be performed in Summerville, South Carolina, and is expected to be completed August 2024. Two task orders will be awarded upon award of the contract obligating fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $450,000. No funds will expire at end of current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured under N00014-18-R-0006, with two proposals received in response to the solicitation. The Office of Naval Research, Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N00014-19-D-7001). Heffler Contracting Group,* El Cajon, California, is awarded a maximum amount $49,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for commercial and institutional building construction alterations, renovations, and repair projects at Marine Corps Base, Camp Pendleton. Projects will be primarily design-bid-build (fully designed) task orders or task order with minimal design effort (e.g., shop drawings). Projects may include, but are not limited to, alterations, repairs, and construction of administration buildings, maintenance/repair facilities, aircraft control towers, hangars, fire stations, office buildings, laboratories, dining facilities and related structures. Work will be performed in Oceanside, California. The term of the contract is not to exceed 60 months with an expected completion date of August 2024. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $5,000 are obligated on this award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Future task orders will be primarily funded by operations and maintenance (Navy). This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website, with six proposals received. Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southwest, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity (N62473-19-D-2632). Sabre Systems Inc., Warrington, Pennsylvania, is awarded $42,999,468 for cost-plus-fixed-fee delivery order N68335-19-F-0533 against a previously issued basic ordering agreement (N68335-16-G-0022). This delivery order provides for the research and development of cyber resilient and full spectrum cyber warfare capabilities in support of the Integrated Battlespace Simulation and Test Department, Research, Development, Test and Evaluation Infrastructure Division. Work will be performed in Patuxent River, Maryland, and is expected to be completed in August 2024. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $50,000 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Warfare Center, Aircraft Division, Lakehurst, New Jersey, is the contracting activity. Rockwell Collins Simulation and Training Solutions, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, is awarded $31,133,702 for modification P00013 to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (N61340-17-C-0014). This modification provides for one E-2D Hawkeye Integrated Training System III Weapons Systems Trainer and one Aircrew Procedures Trainer, including technical data. Work will be performed in Norfolk, Virginia, and is expected to be completed in April 2024. Fiscal 2017 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $31,133,702 will be obligated at time of award, all of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Warfare Center, Training Systems Division, Orlando, Florida, is the contracting activity. Diversified Maintenance Systems Inc.,* Sandy, Utah, is awarded a maximum amount $25,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for electrical systems construction alterations, renovations and repair projects at Naval Base Ventura County. Projects will be primarily design-bid-build (fully designed) task orders or task order with minimal design effort (e.g., shop drawings). Projects may include, but are not limited to, alterations, repairs and construction of electrical systems projects. Work will be performed in Port Hueneme, California (50%); and Point Mugu, California (50%). The term of the contract is not to exceed 60 months with an expected completion date of August 2024. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $5,000 are obligated on this award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Future task orders will be primarily funded by operation and maintenance (Navy). This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website, with two proposals received. Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southwest, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity (N62473-19-D-2628). G-W Management Services LLC,* Rockville, Maryland, is awarded $12,742,282 for firm-fixed-price task order N40080-19-F-4870 under a previously awarded multiple award construction contract (N40080-19-D-0015) for construction of an Ammunition Supply Point Upgrade, located at the Marine Corps Base Quantico. The work to be performed provides for the construction of six new, standard design, high explosive concrete magazines, and the associated site work. The site work associated with this project includes an extension of an asphalt roadway to magazines and related site utility improvements to serve the new magazines. Additional site improvements include the demolition of three existing high explosive concrete magazines and incidental related work. Work will be performed in Quantico, Virginia, and is expected to be completed by March 2021. Fiscal 2019 military construction (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $12,742,282 are obligated on this award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Six proposals were received for this task order. Naval Facilities Engineering Command Washington, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. ARMY KBRwyle Technical Solutions LLC, Columbia, Maryland, was awarded a $45,452,730 modification (0002 55) to contract W52P1J-12-G-0061 for maintenance, supply, transportation and other logistics functions for the Army Prepositioned Stock-3. Work will be performed in Goose Creek, South Carolina, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 14, 2020. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance, Army funds in the amount of $24,706,865 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois, is the contracting activity. Inland Dredging Co. LLC, Dyersburg, Tennessee, was awarded a $24,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for the rental of 20-24 inch Cutterhead Pipeline Dredge and Attendant Plant for dredging in Alabama, Mississippi and Florida. Bids were solicited via the internet with four received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Oct. 14, 2020. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mobile, Alabama, is the contracting activity (W91278-19-D-0039). Raytheon Lockheed Martin Javelin JV, Tucson, Arizona, was awarded an $11,100,544 modification (P00017) to contract W31P4Q-19-C-0038 for engineering services for the Spiral 3 Test and Evaluation Plan, Spiral 3 System Hardware Qualification, and Worldwide Ammunition Reporting System requirements to support the Javelin Missile System. Work will be performed in Tucson, Arizona, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 1, 2021. Fiscal 2019 missile procurement, Army funds in the amount of $11,100,544 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity. DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Leading Technology Composites Inc., doing business as LTC Inc., Wichita, Kansas, has been awarded a maximum $26,382,656 modification (P00005) exercising the first one-year option period to a one-year contract (SPE1C1-18-D-1073) with three one-year option periods for enhanced side ballistic inserts. This is a firm-fixed-price, indefinite-quantity contract. Location of performance is Kansas, with an Aug. 15, 2020, performance completion date. Using military services are Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2020 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. General Dynamics Mission Systems Inc., Scottsdale, Arizona, has been awarded a maximum $12,973,184 firm-fixed-price contract for the Warfighter Information Network-Tactical Increment 2 system. This was a sole-source acquisition using justification 41 U.S. Code 1903, as stated in Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. This is a one-time procurement contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Arizona, with a Feb. 9, 2021, performance completion date. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 Army working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency, Land and Maritime, Aberdeen Proving Grounds, Maryland (SPRBL1-19-P-0047). Alliance Technical Services Inc.,* Norfolk, Virginia, has been awarded a maximum $9,760,579 modification (P00005) exercising the first one-year option period of a one-year base contract (SP3300-18-C-5001) with four one-year option periods for third party logistics hazmat support services. This is a firm-fixed-price, cost-reimbursement contract. This was a competitive acquisition with three offers received. Locations of performance are Virginia and Texas, with an Aug. 26, 2020, performance completion date. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 Army working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Distribution, New Cumberland, Pennsylvania. United Technologies Corp., doing business as Pratt & Whitney Military Engines Division, East Hartford, Connecticut, has been awarded a maximum $7,114,128 firm-fixed-price contract for aircraft engine combustion chamber ducts. This was a sole-source acquisition using justification 10 U.S. Code 2304 (c)(1), as stated in Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.301-1. This is a two-year, ten-month contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Connecticut, with an Oct. 31, 2022, performance completion date. Using military service is Air Force. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (SPRTA1-19-F-0406). AIR FORCE Alloy Surfaces Co. Inc., Chester Township, Pennsylvania, has been awarded a $25,000,000, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for MJU-52 A/B aircraft decoy flares. This contract provides a highly specialized decoy with the capability to protect military aircraft from Man Portable Air Defense Systems and air-to-air missiles. Work will be performed at Chester Township, Pennsylvania, and is expected to be completed by August 2025. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Fiscal 2018 ammunition procurement funds in the amount of $5,280,860 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Hill Air Force Base, Utah, is the contracting activity (FA8213-19-D-0011). Verdis-Takisaki JV, Coeur d-Alene, Idaho (FA4620-19-D-A007); National Native American Construction Inc., Coeur d-Alene, Idaho (FA4620-19-D-A010); Imperial Construction NW LLC, Wapato, Washington (FA4620-19-D-A012); and Sealaska Construction Solutions LLC, Seattle, Washington (FA4620-19-D-A013), have been awarded a combined, not-to-exceed $23,000,000 indefinite-quantity, multiple award, task order contract for design-build construction efforts. Work will be performed at Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington, and is to be expected to be complete by July 31, 2024. These awards are the result of a competitive acquisition in which eight offers were received. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $500 are being obligated to each company at the time of award. The 92d Contracting Squadron, Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington, is the contracting activity. Lockheed Martin Co., doing business as Lockheed Martin Space, Sunnyvale, California, has been awarded a $15,555,158 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification (P00150) to previously awarded contract FA8810-13-C-0002 for Space-Based Infrared System contractor logistics support for fiscal 2019 projects. This contract will provide an in-scope bilateral supplemental agreement executed in accordance with the terms of special clause requirement H00005. Work will be performed at Peterson Air Force Base, Buckley AFB, Greeley Air National Guard Station, and Boulder, Colorado, and is expected to be completed by Oct. 31, 2021. Fiscal 2019 3400 funds are being obligated at the time of award. Total cumulative face value of the contract is $1,500,933,962. The Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center, Peterson AFB, Colorado Springs, Colorado, is the contracting activity. (Awarded Aug. 13, 2019) Phase Sensitive Innovations, Newark, Delaware, has been awarded a $10,553,397 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for research and development. This contract will design, develop and demonstrate RF-photonic systems, sub-systems, components and devices for the Coherent Homodyne Integrated RF-Photonic System. Work will be performed at Newark, Delaware, and is to be completed by Nov. 15, 2023. This award is the result of a Small Business Innovation Research III request for proposal acquisition with one offer received. Fiscal 2018 research and development funds in the amount of $10,553,397 are being obligated at time of award for the effort. The Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8650-19-C-1027). DEFENSE ADVANCED RESEARCH PROJECTS AGENCY Raytheon BBN Technologies Corp., Cambridge, Massachusetts, was awarded a $13,130,426 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency research project. Work will be performed in Cambridge, Massachusetts; and Columbia, Maryland, with an expected completion date of August 2023. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $1,653,000 are being obligated at time of award. This contract was a competitive acquisition under an open broad agency announcement and nine offers were received. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting activity (HR001119C0102). *Small Business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/1934626/source/GovDelivery/

  • Special Operations Command is reorganizing to focus on software and AI

    June 8, 2020 | International, C4ISR

    Special Operations Command is reorganizing to focus on software and AI

    Andrew Eversden and Nathan Strout Special Operations Command has formally created a new program executive office that is dedicated to software June 1. The command's head of acquisitions said the organization is reorganizing as it shifts its focus to software-defined systems and artificial intelligence. “I have made the decision to reorganize SOF (Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics) slightly in respect to the National Defense Strategy,” said James Smith, the command's acquisition executive. “The first thing we did was decide to stand up a PEO for SOF Digital Applications.” Smith acknowledged the decision was made in response to shortcomings when it comes to developing artificial intelligence and machine learning for Special Forces applications. “The idea that the SOF acquisition force sucks when it comes to artificial intelligence and machine learning--okay, guilty ... this is our major effort to get better, to build competency,” said Smith. “I am looking to this PEO to start to lead us and lead the Department of Defense in excellence in acquisition of software to include artificial intelligence and machine learning.” The new PEO represents a shift for the command as it looks to embrace a more software-forward approach. “Everything I've asked you for over the last decade has been hardware defined and then software enabled,” Smith told members of industry. “We really need to move to a relationship where I'm asking you for things that are software defined and hardware enabled.” Army Col. Paul Weizer, who was originally brought in to lead PEO Rotary Wing, was tapped to lead the new office, and he said he's looking for all the help from industry he can get. “Right now, my structure is in Jell-O,” Weizer said at the virtual Special Operations Forces Industry Conference. “If you've always had some burning issue or nagging concern about how the organization is structured and how you're able to interact, what you're able to do to interact and there's always been something you wanted, this is the time. Contact me and my office. I have an opportunity to change and shape and form this organization." The new office aspires to become the “one-stop shop” for software intensive digital applications for special operations forces and industry to share what capabilities they can provide. To achieve that, SOF offices that are “software intensive” will be folded into the new approach, Weizer said. These programs include the Distributed Common Ground System-SOF; Mission Command/Current Operating Picture; Tactical Assault Kit-Core; Special Operations Mission Planning and Execution; SOF Planning, Rehearsal, and Execution Preparation; and the SOF Digital Ecosystem. Weizer said he expects SDA to reach initial operating capability in 60 to 90 days. Following that milestone, SDA will hold industry days. The office will continue to operate in Tampa, Fla., with satellite offices in Fort Belvoir, Va. and Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va. Weizer also said that he does not expect the technical workforce to be made up primarily of active-duty military. Instead, he said that SDA will serve as program managers and contract out development to industry. In the meantime, his biggest challenge will be finding talent well-versed in software procurement to join the ranks of SDA. In his senior ranks, he's looking for people who want to help out. “I'm looking for the individual who's already made too much money and has been successful in software and really wants to help out the SOF community," Weizer said. “If you're that individual that's ready to take one for the team, come give me a call.” He is also keen to meet with contractors that do not typically work in the defense industry but might have innovative ideas for the new office. “[If] you have some ... great banking algorithm and now you also think it might help find terrorists, I'd like to know that. I'd like to see that,” Weizer said. https://www.c4isrnet.com/it-networks/2020/06/05/special-operations-command-is-reorganizing-to-focus-on-software-and-ai/

  • US Air Force wants to retire all A-10s by 2029

    March 9, 2023 | International, Aerospace

    US Air Force wants to retire all A-10s by 2029

    “The A-10 is a great airplane … in an uncontested environment,” Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. CQ Brown said.

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