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July 30, 2020 | International, Aerospace

Raytheon to design weather satellite prototype for US Space Force

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Space Force has selected Raytheon Intelligence & Space to build an advanced weather satellite prototype that can provide the military with theater weather imaging and cloud characterization, the company announced July 22.

The Next Generation Electro-Optical Infrared Weather Satellite is intended to replace the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program, or DMSP, a series of satellites that have provided weather data for military operations since the 1960s.

In 2015, Congress directed the Air Force to replace DMSP with a new weather system. As of last year, the satellites in the DMSP constellation were reaching the end of their service life, and the Pentagon expressed concerns that they may not last until a new satellite is launched in 2024.

ORS-8, a planned replacement slated to launch in 2020 in partnership with NASA, was canceled by the space agency following protests. A free-flying spacecraft that could help provide weather data in the interim was scrapped by the Pentagon last year in favor of a distributed low-Earth orbit architecture.

Raytheon says it can design the new satellite in eight months by leveraging weather system technology used on the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer. Raytheon did not disclose the prototype contract value.

“Our system will gather all the info needed to not only build an accurate weather forecast, but to really understand what's going on in the atmosphere — both of which are essential to planning and executing a mission,” said Wallis Laughrey, vice president of space and command-and-control systems at Raytheon Intelligence & Space. “Understanding clouds and cloud movement could be used for things as simple as route planning for air-to-air refueling or to know where clouds might be covering an area of interest.”

https://www.c4isrnet.com/battlefield-tech/space/2020/07/29/raytheon-designing-weather-satellite-prototype-for-the-space-force/

On the same subject

  • Turkey provides tax breaks, loans to attract investment in local defense programs

    April 24, 2018 | International, Aerospace, Land, C4ISR

    Turkey provides tax breaks, loans to attract investment in local defense programs

    By: Burak Ege Bekdil ANKARA, Turkey — In an effort to boost indigenous defense programs, Turkey is providing incentives, which include generous tax breaks, tax reductions and exemptions from import duties. The incentives include additional levies and soft loans. In just the first two months of 2018, the government incorporated 13 defense investment projects submitted by 12 companies into its incentives program. These investments are worth $350 million. The largest investment program benefiting from the incentives during the January/February time frame was Roketsan's new production line. The state-controlled missile maker's investment plan is worth $217 million. Military electronics specialist Aselsan, Turkey's largest defense company, has won incentives support for its new $35 million investment in electronic systems and new $40 million investment in aerial and missile systems. Official figures show a boom in private defense investment, too. According to the Ministry of Economy, $1.9 billion of defense investment by private companies will be subsidized by government incentives this year. These investment plans include a total of $220 million for armored vehicles, a laser gun and unmanned land vehicles; and $125 million in diesel tank engines by armored vehicle producer BMC, a Turkish-Qatari private joint venture. Private firm Most Makina will receive government incentives for its planned $385 million investment in steel equipment for defense systems. Turkish Aerospace Industries, or TAI, will invest $1.2 billion in its TF-X program, an ambitious plan for the design, development and production of Turkey's first indigenous fighter jet. TAI is developing the TF-X with BAE Systems. https://www.defensenews.com/industry/2018/04/16/turkey-provides-tax-breaks-loans-to-attract-investment-in-local-defense-programs/

  • Pentagon AI center shifts focus to joint war-fighting operations

    July 10, 2020 | International, C4ISR, Security

    Pentagon AI center shifts focus to joint war-fighting operations

    Nathan Strout The Pentagon's artificial intelligence hub is shifting its focus to enabling joint war-fighting operations, developing artificial intelligence tools that will be integrated into the Department of Defense's Joint All-Domain Command and Control efforts. “As we have matured, we are now devoting special focus on our joint war-fighting operation and its mission initiative, which is focused on the priorities of the National Defense Strategy and its goal of preserving America's military and technological advantages over our strategic competitors,” Nand Mulchandani, acting director of the Joint Artificial Intelligence Center, told reporters July 8. “The AI capabilities JAIC is developing as part of the joint war-fighting operations mission initiative will use mature AI technology to create a decisive advantage for the American war fighter.” That marks a significant change from where JAIC stood more than a year ago, when the organization was still being stood up with a focus on using AI for efforts like predictive maintenance. That transformation appears to be driven by the DoD's focus on developing JADC2, a system of systems approach that will connect sensors to shooters in near-real time. “JADC2 is not a single product. It is a collection of platforms that get stitched together — woven together ― into effectively a platform. And JAIC is spending a lot of time and resources focused on building the AI component on top of JADC2,” said the acting director. According to Mulchandani, the fiscal 2020 spending on the joint war-fighting operations initiative is greater than JAIC spending on all other mission initiatives combined. In May, the organization awarded Booz Allen Hamilton a five-year, $800 million task order to support the joint war-fighting operations initiative. As Mulchandani acknowledged to reporters, that task order exceeds JAIC's budget for the next few years and it will not be spending all of that money. One example of the organization's joint war-fighting work is the fire support cognitive system, an effort JAIC was pursuing in partnership with the Marine Corps Warfighting Lab and the U.S. Army's Program Executive Office Command, Control and Communications-Tactical. That system, Mulchandani said, will manage and triage all incoming communications in support of JADC2. Mulchandani added that JAIC was about to begin testing its new flagship joint war-fighting project, which he did not identify by name. “We do have a project going on under joint war fighting which we are going to be actually go into testing,” he said. “They are very tactical edge AI is the way I'd describe it. That work is going to be tested. It's actually promising work — we're very excited about it.” “As I talked about the pivot from predictive maintenance and others to joint war fighting, that is probably the flagship project that we're sort of thinking about and talking about that will go out there,” he added. While left unnamed, the acting director assured reporters that the project would involve human operators and full human control. “We believe that the current crop of AI systems today [...] are going to be cognitive assistance,” he said. “Those types of information overload cleanup are the types of products that we're actually going to be investing in.” “Cognitive assistance, JADC2, command and control—these are all pieces,” he added. https://www.c4isrnet.com/artificial-intelligence/2020/07/08/pentagon-ai-center-shifts-focus-to-joint-warfighting-operations/

  • Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - July 18, 2019

    July 19, 2019 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security, Other Defence

    Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - July 18, 2019

    NAVY ERAPSCO, Joint Venture of Sparton and USSI, Columbia City, Indiana, is awarded a not-to-exceed $1,041,042,690 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the manufacture and delivery of a maximum quantity of 37,500 AN/SSQ-36B, 685,000 AN/SSQ-53G, 120,000 AN/SSQ-62F, and 90,000 AN/SSQ-101B production sonobuoys for fiscal years 2019-2023. Sonobuoys are air launched expendable, electro-mechanical anti-submarine warfare acoustic sensors designed to relay underwater sounds associated with ships and submarines. Work will be performed in De Leon Spring, Florida (51%); and Columbia City, Indiana (49%), and is expected to be completed in September 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 Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N00019-19-D-0032). MW Services Inc.,* Temecula, California, is awarded a maximum amount $99,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for commercial and institutional building construction alterations, renovations and repair projects at Naval Bases Coronado, Point Loma, and San Diego; and Marine Corps Air Station, Miramar. 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 San Diego, California, with the term of the contract not to exceed 60 months with an expected completion date of July 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 18 proposals received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southwest, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity (N62473-19-D-2625). Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is being awarded a $77,708,000 modification (P00019) to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price, fixed-price-incentive-firm-target advanced acquisition contract (N00019-17-C-0001). This modification provides for the procurement of software data loads as well as long lead material and parts for the delivery of F-35 Lightning II low-rate initial production Lots 12, 13 and 14. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas (30%); El Segundo, California (25%); Warton, United Kingdom (20%); Orlando, Florida (10%); Nashua, New Hampshire (5%); Nagoya, Japan (5%); and Baltimore, Maryland (5%), and is expected to be completed in March 2023. International partner funds in the amount of $77,708,000 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is awarded a $34,670,000 undefinitized cost-plus-incentive-fee contract to develop and deliver an engineering change proposal to enable the production cut-in of the Fuselage Station 425 Bulkhead structural modification required for F-35A and F-35C to allow full-envelope internal carriage of aft heavy weaponry. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas, and is expected to be completed in July 2022. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation (Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps); and non-U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) participant funds in the amount of $9,953,400 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to U.S. Code 2304(c)(1). This undefinitized contract combines purchases for the Air Force ($13,787,219; 39.77%); Navy ($6,893,610; 19.88%); Marine Corps ($6,893,609; 19.88%); and non-U.S. DoD participants ($7,095,562; 20.46%). The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N00019-19-C-0010). Lockheed Martin, Rotary and Mission Systems, Moorestown, New Jersey, is awarded a $22,558,157 cost-plus-incentive-fee modification to previously awarded contract N00024-16-C-5102 to exercise options for AEGIS Baseline 9 integration and delivery, Aegis Baseline 5.4 and 9A2A post-certification support. This contract provides for the completion of the development and fielding of the AEGIS Baseline 9 AEGIS Weapon System and integrated AEGIS Combat System on the remaining AEGIS Technical Insertion (TI) 12 configured destroyers as well as TI 12 and TI 08 configured cruisers. Work will be performed in Moorestown, New Jersey, and is expected to be completed by July 2020. Fiscal 2018 other procurement (Navy); fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance (Navy); fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy); fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation (Missile Defense Agency); and fiscal 2014 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funds in the amount of $8,925,765 will be obligated at time of award and funding in the amount of $2,456,011 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. R.A. Burch Construction Co. Inc., Ramona, California, is awarded $17,521,988 for firm-fixed-price task order N62473-19-F-4738 under a previously awarded multiple award construction contract (N62473-18-D-5852) for the construction of a forklift rework facility at Naval Base Coronado. The work to be performed provides for implementation of site improvements such as vehicle parking, storage and laydown yard, landscaping, and low-impact design storm water features as well as incidental related work. The facility is required in order to relocate existing tenants away from a separate project site area to make a complete and useable airfield facility. Work will be performed in San Diego, California, and is expected to be completed by December 2021. Fiscal 2019 military construction (Navy) contract funds for $17,521,988 are obligated on this award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Five proposals were received for this task order. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southwest, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity. San Diego Gas and Electric (SDG&E) Co., a public utility company regulated by the California Public Utilities Commission, San Diego, California, is awarded $13,509,411 for firm-fixed-price task order N62473-19-F-4704 under the basic ordering agreement (BOA) N62473-18-G-5615 for energy conservation measures at Marine Corps Air Station, Miramar. The work to be performed provides for energy conservation and resiliency that includes light emitted diode retrofits, replacement of cooling towers and water source heat pumps, and installation of variable frequency drives. This project will utilize the installation's reclaimed water source to provide reliability, resource reduction, and lower costs. Work will be performed in San Diego, California, and is expected to be completed by December 2020. No funds will be obligated at the time of award. This project will utilize third party financing through the utility company in the amount of $13,509,411. The energy conservation project will be amortized for a term of 20 years with an annual rate of 3.123% and the payment will be included as a separate utility bill submitted annually based upon the amortization schedule for a grand total cost of $18,970,106.57. This task order falls under the terms and conditions of the BOA with SDG&E. The BOA allows for services without full and open competition pursuant to the statutory authorities of 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(5) and 10 U.S. Code 2913. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southwest, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity (N62473-18-G-5615). International Business Machines Corp. (IBM), Yorktown, New York, is awarded a $12,000,000 cost-type contract to provide research and development of computational models that mimic core cognitive capabilities of children to include machines with the general-purpose common sense of an 18-month old to advance scientific “reverse-engineering” accounts of a child's mind. This is a four-year contract with no option periods. Work will be performed in Yorktown, New York, and work is expected to be completed July 17, 2023. Research, development, test and evaluation (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) funds in the amount of $2,042,919 will be obligated at the time of award. This contract was competitively procured via Broad Agency Announcement and publication on the Federal Business Opportunities website, with 42 proposals submitted and nine selected for award. Naval Information Warfare Center, Pacific, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity (N66001-19-C-4027). Lockheed Martin Aculight Corp., Bothell, Washington, is awarded an $8,184,205 cost-plus-fixed-fee, cost-only modification to previously awarded contract N00024-18-C-5392 to exercise options for technical and field engineering services and a cost-only line item for travel in support of Surface Navy Laser Weapon System Increment 1, High Energy Laser and Integrated Optical-dazzler with Surveillance (HELIOS) system. Work will be performed in Bothell, Washington, and is expected to be complete by July 2020. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $249,882 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. Alliance Steel Construction Inc.,* Superior, Wisconsin, is awarded a $7,600,000 firm-fixed-price contract to demolish the central heating plant, steam piping and steam pits at Marine Corps Base (MCB) Camp Lejeune, and Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS), New River. The work to be performed provides the complete demolition of building 1700, which is approximately 42,000 square feet at MCB, Camp Lejeune, and the demolition of steam piping, steam pits and the central steam plant at MCAS, New River. Work will be performed in Jacksonville, North Carolina, and is expected to be completed by October 2020. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance (Marine Corps) contract funds in the amount of $7,600,000 are obligated on this award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website with three proposals received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Mid-Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N40085-19-C-8087). DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Point Blank Enterprises, Pompano Beach, Florida, has been awarded a $63,491,328 firm-fixed-price contract for medium size enhanced small arms protective inserts. This was a competitive acquisition with three responses received. This is a 15-month contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Florida, with a May 30, 2021, performance completion date. Using military services are Army and Air Force. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency, Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE1C1-19-C-0010). Leading Technology Composites, Wichita, Kansas, has been awarded a $41,888,000 firm-fixed-price contract for medium sized enhanced small arms protective inserts. This was a competitive acquisition with three responses received. This is a one-year contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Kansas, with an April 30, 2021, performance completion date. Using military services are Army and Air Force. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE1C1-19-C-0011). Gossner Foods Inc.,** Logan, Utah, has been awarded a maximum $30,319,835 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment contract for ultra-high temperature milk. This contract was a competitive acquisition with one response received. This is a five-year contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Utah, with a July 26, 2024, performance completion date. Using military services are Army and Marine Corps. 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-D-Z210). ARMY Crowley Holdings LLC,* New Orleans, Louisiana, was awarded a $21,053,340 firm-fixed-price contract for shot rock to support the temporary repair of levees at Mill Creek and Big Tarkio in Missouri. Bids were solicited via the internet with three received. Work will be performed in Craig, Missouri, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 19, 2019. Fiscal 2019 civil flood control and coastal emergencies funds in the amount of $21,053,340 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Kansas City, Missouri, is the contracting activity (W912DQ-19-C-1082). Advanced Technology Systems Co. Inc.,* McLean, Virginia, was awarded a $17,896,404 firm-fixed-price contract for helicopter maintenance. Bids were solicited via the internet with nine received. Work will be performed in Fort Benning, Georgia, with an estimated completion date of June 27, 2024. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance, Army funds in the amount of $400,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Mission and Installation Contracting Command, Fort Benning, Georgia, is the contracting activity (W911SF-19-C-0019). Buchanan & Edwards Inc., Arlington, Virginia, was awarded a $9,283,593 time-and-materials contract for data frameworks initiative information technology support. One bid was solicited with one bid received. Work will be performed in Fairfield, California, with an estimated completion date of July 17, 2020. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance, Army funds in the amount of $1,384,778 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, New Jersey, is the contracting activity (W15QKN-19-F-1264). Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., McLean, Virginia, was awarded an $8,665,561 modification (P00002) to contract W91RUS-14-D-0002 for non-personal information technology support services for the U.S. Army Regional Cyber Center-Europe. Work will be performed in Wiesbaden-Erbenheim, Germany, with an estimated completion date of July 18, 2020. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance, Army funds in the amount of $5,837,950 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity. Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Co. LLC, Oak Brook, Illinois, was awarded a $7,689,500 firm-fixed-price contract for Cape May beach fill. Bids were solicited via the internet with four received. Work will be performed in Cape May, New Jersey, with an estimated completion date of Feb. 28, 2020. Fiscal 2019 civil construction funds in the amount of $7,689,500 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is the contracting activity (W912BU-19-C-0026). InfoScitex Corp., Littleton, Massachusetts, was awarded a $7,011,545 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to develop and demonstrate advanced teaming of manned and unmanned aviation assets to execute tactical missions with minimal human intervention, while operating as part of a combined arms team in a complex operating environment. Bids were solicited via the internet with 46 received. Work will be performed in Littleton, Massachusetts, with an estimated completion date of March 17, 2022. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $1,545,576 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity (W911W6-19-C-0067). *Small Business **Small Woman-owned Business https://dod.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/1909668/source/GovDelivery/

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