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May 11, 2021 | International, Land

Rheinmetall plants roots in Michigan

American Rheinmetall Vehicles is investing in its pursuit to build the U.S. Army's Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle by opening up a large facility to aid its design and prototyping efforts.

https://www.defensenews.com/land/2021/05/10/rheinmetall-plants-roots-in-michigan/

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  • Could soldiers silently communicate using brain signals in the future?

    November 26, 2020 | International, C4ISR

    Could soldiers silently communicate using brain signals in the future?

    Andrew Eversden WASHINGTON — A breakthrough in decoding brain signals could be the first step toward a future where soldiers silently communicate during operations. New research funded by the U.S. Army Research Office successfully separated brain signals that influence action or behavior from signals that do not. Using an algorithm and complex mathematics, the team was able to identify which brain signals were directing motion, or behavior-relevant signals, and then remove those signals from the other brain signals — behavior-irrelevant ones. “Here we're not only measuring signals, but we're interpreting them,” said Hamid Krim, a program manager for the Army Research Office. The service wants to get to the point where the machine can provide feedback to soldier's brains to allow them to take corrective action before something takes place, a capability that could protect the health of a war fighter. Krim pointed to stress and fatigue signals that the brain gives out before someone actually realizes they are stressed or tired, thus letting troops know when they should take a break. The only limit to the possibilities is the imagination, he said. Another potential future use is silent communication, Krim said. Researchers could build on the research to allow the brain and computers to communicate so soldiers can silently talk via a computer in the field. “In a theater, you can have two people talking to each other without ... even whispering a word,” Krim said. “So you and I are out there in the theater and we have to ... talk about something that we're confronting. I basically talked to my computer — your computer can be in your pocket, it can be your mobile phone or whatever — and that computer talks to ... your teammate's computer. And then his or her computer is going to talk to your teammate.” In the experiment, the researchers monitored the brain signals from a monkey reaching for a ball over and over again in order to separate brain signals. But more work is to be done, as any sort of battle-ready machine-human interface using brain signals is likely decades away, Krim said. What's next? Researchers will now try to identify other signals outside of motion signals. “You can read anything you want; doesn't mean that you understand it,” Krim said. “The next step after that is to be able to understand it. The next step after that is to break it down into into words so that ... you can synthesize in a sense, like you learn your vocabulary and your alphabet, then you are able to compose. “At the end of the day, that is the original intent mainly: to have the computer actually being in a full duplex communication mode with the brain.” The Army Research Office-backed program was led by researchers at the University of Southern California, with additional U.S. partners at the University of California, Los Angeles; the University of California, Berkeley; Duke University; and New York University. The program also involved several universities in the United Kingdom, including Essex, Oxford and Imperial College. The Army is providing up to $6.25 million in funding over five years. https://www.c4isrnet.com/battlefield-tech/it-networks/2020/11/25/could-soldiers-silently-communicate-using-brain-signals-in-the-future/

  • Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - August 07, 2020

    August 10, 2020 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security

    Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - August 07, 2020

    AIR FORCE United Launch Services LLC, Centennial, Colorado, has been awarded task orders for $337,000,000 for the National Security Space Launch (NSSL) Phase 2 contract. The NSSL Phase 2 contract is a firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery requirements contract for launch service procurements supporting launches planned between fiscal 2022 through fiscal 2027. This launch service contract includes early integration studies, launch service support, fleet surveillance, launch vehicle production, mission integration, mission launch operations, mission assurance, spaceflight worthiness, and mission unique activities for each mission. Work will be performed in Centennial, Colorado; Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida; and Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, and is expected to be completed March 2028. Future launch services and launch service support will be placed annually on subsequent task orders, and will be publically announced upon issuance. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition, and four offers were received. Fiscal 2020 space procurement funds in the amount of $337,000,000 will be obligated in the first order year for launch service and launch service support task orders to United Launch Services. Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles Air Force Base, California, is the contracting activity (FA8811-20-D-0001). Space Exploration Technologies Corp., Hawthorne, California, has been awarded task orders for $316,000,000 for the National Security Space Launch (NSSL) Phase 2 contract. The NSSL Phase 2 contract is a firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery requirements contract for launch service procurements supporting launches planned between fiscal 2022 through fiscal 2027. This launch service contract includes early integration studies, launch service support, fleet surveillance, launch vehicle production, mission integration, mission launch operations, mission assurance, spaceflight worthiness, and mission unique activities for each mission. Work will be performed in Hawthorne, California; Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida; and Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, and is expected to be completed March 2028. Future launch services and launch service support will be placed annually on subsequent task orders, and will be publically announced upon issuance. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition, and four offers were received. Fiscal 2020 space procurement funds in the amount of $316,000,000 will be obligated in the first order year for launch service and launch service support task orders to Space Exploration Technologies Corp. Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles Air Force Base, California, is the contracting activity (FA2211-20-D-0002). BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration, Greenlawn, New York, has been awarded an estimated $144,000,000 five-year firm-fixed-price requirements contract for common avionics and electronic components applicable to B1-B, ASQ-151, APX-113, ALQ-172, USM-464, AN/ALQ-155, ALQ-161, USM-638, B-52 platforms. This contract provides for sustainment of spares/buys, repairs and engineering services related to various systems and components that are sole source to BAE. Work will be performed in Greenlawn, New York; San Diego, California; and Nashua, New Hampshire, and is expected to be completed March 22, 2026. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Fiscal 2020 Consolidated Sustainment Activity Group funds will be used, but no funds are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Sustainment Center, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, is the contracting activity (FA8538-20-D-0008). J G Contracting, Nipomo, California, has been awarded a $55,000,000 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for simplified acquisition of base engineering requirements. The contract provides all management, labor, material, equipment, transportation, supervision and minimal designs to accomplish numerous, concurrent projects for a broad range of maintenance, repair and minor construction work. Work will be performed at Edwards Air Force Base, California; and Air Force owned/operated facilities located at Plant 42 in Palmdale, California, and is expected to be completed July 31, 2025. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition and 12 offers were received. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $142,743 are being obligated at the time of award. The Directorate of Contracting, Edwards AFB, California, is the contracting activity (FA9301-20-D-0004). Apogee Research LLC,* Arlington, Virginia, has been awarded a $41,663,526 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification (P00001) to contract FA8750-20-C-1510 for deliverables that include software and technical reports. The contract modification is for the development and testing of technologies to enable the transition of system technology integration tool chain for heterogeneous electronic systems. This will allow capabilities to rapidly integrate into new mission capabilities for interoperability within and across Department of Defense platforms. Work will be performed in Arlington, Virginia; Menlo Park, California; Woburn, Massachusetts; and Malden, Massachusetts, and is expected to be completed July 31, 2025. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $489,650 are being obligated at the time of award. Total cumulative face value of the contract is $48,250,998. Air Force Research Laboratory, Rome, New York, is the contracting activity. Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Herndon, Virginia, has been awarded a $21,948,817 cost-plus-award-fee task order under the ground subsystems sustainment contract for the Minuteman III Fast Rising B-Plug service life extension. Work will be performed in Layton, Utah, and is expected to be completed Nov. 17, 2022. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $3,356,951 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center, Hill Air Force Base, Utah, is the contracting activity (FA8204-20-F-0077). NAVY BAE Systems Jacksonville Ship Repair LLC, Jacksonville, Florida, is awarded an $83,501,649 firm-fixed-price contract for the execution of USS Carney (DDG 64) fiscal 2020 extended dry-docking selected restricted availability and the USS Winston Churchill (DDG 81) fiscal 2021 depot modernization period. These availabilities will include a combination of maintenance, modernization and repair for both the USS Carney and USS Winston Churchill. This contract includes options, which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $211,604,822. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Navy); and other procurement (Navy) funding in the amount of $83,501,649 are obligated at time of award, $66,389,135 of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Work will be performed in both Jacksonville, Florida, and is expected to be complete by July 2022. This contract was competitively solicited via the Federal Business Opportunities website with one offer received in response to Solicitation No. N00024-19-R-4468. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity. Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is awarded a $77,400,000 undefinitized contract modification (P00041) to previously awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee contract N00019-17-C-0001. This modification provides for the development and installation of flight test instrumentation on one F-35B Lot 14 aircraft and one F-35C Lot 14 aircraft for government testing in support of the F-35 program. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas (65%); Palmdale, California (32%); Grenaa, Denmark (2%); and Hoogerheide, Netherlands (1%), and is expected to be completed in June 2023. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation (Air Force) funds in the amount of $23,255,516; and non-Department of Defense funds in the amount of $6,088,968 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. Black Construction-Tutor Perini JV, Barrigada, Guam, is being awarded firm-fixed-price task order N62742-20-F-9924 at $44,093,863 under a multiple award construction contract for design and construction of explosive ordnance compound facilities at Naval Base Guam. The work to be performed provides for the design and construction of a consolidated operations facility, maintenance facility, armory and multipurpose/training facility. The options, if exercised, provide for a civil engineering support equipment canopy, a service craft and boat accounting report canopy, electronic security systems, audiovisual equipment, furniture fixtures and equipment, munitions and explosives of concern and material potentially presenting an explosive hazard work and additional concrete piles. The task order also contains eight unexercised options, which if exercised, would increase cumulative task order value to $50,937,800. Work will be performed in Apra Harbor, Guam, and is expected to be completed by December 2022. Fiscal 2020 military construction (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $44,093,863 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, Pacific, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, is the contracting activity (N62742-19-D-1328). PrimeTech International Inc.,* North Kansas City, Missouri, is being awarded a $19,185,938 firm-fixed-price, time-and-materials bridge contract for a six-month base period with three one-month option periods for logistics services to manage, support and operate the Marine Corps Consolidated Storage Program warehouse network. Work will be performed in Barstow, California (23%); Camp Lejeune, North Carolina (18%); Camp Pendleton, California (13%); Okinawa, Japan (10%); Miramar, California (9%); Camp Geiger, North Carolina (7%); Twenty-nine Palms, California (4%); Cherry Point, North Carolina (4%); Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii (3%); Yuma, Arizona (2%); Beaufort, South Carolina (2%); Iwakuni, Japan (2%); New River, North Carolina (2%); and Bridgeport, California (1%). Work is expected to be completed June 2021. Fiscal 2020 overseas contingency operations funds in the amount of $12,623,942; and operations and maintenance funds (Marine Corps) in the amount of $161,657.82 will be obligated at the time of award and funds will be made available for each option period which 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 Marine Corps Logistics Command, Albany, Georgia, is the contracting activity (M67004-20-P-2004). Pole/Zero Acquisition Inc., West Chester, Ohio, was awarded an $8,858,994 modification (P00005) to previously awarded firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract N68335-18-D-0050. This modification increases the ceiling of the contract to provide for the production and delivery of up to 12 additional Ultra High Frequency (UHF) Antenna Interface Units (AIUs); 22 Very/Ultra High Frequency (V/UHF) AIUs; 12 UHF AIU Communications Tray (COMM-Tray); and 18 V/UHF AIU COMM-Tray assemblies and subassemblies in support of the P-8A aircraft. Work will be performed in West Chester, Ohio, and is expected to be completed in March 2023. No funds will be obligated at the time of award. Funds will be obligated on individual orders as they are issued. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Lakehurst, New Jersey, is the contracting activity. (Awarded July 27, 2020) DEFENSE HEALTH AGENCY Ernst & Young LLP, New York, New York (HT0011-16-F-0014), was awarded a fourth year option to a five year contract (one-year base and four option periods) with an estimated value of $61,223,977 to support the Defense Health Agency (DHA) with a period of performance from Aug. 8, 2020, through Aug. 7, 2021. This non-personal services contract provides audit readiness support. The contractor provides all personnel, equipment, supplies, facilities, transportation, tools, materials, supervision, and other items necessary to perform audit readiness support. The Financial Operations Directorate (J-8), Defense Health Program Financial Reporting & Compliance Division has a continuing need for the services. Exercising the fourth option is the most advantageous method of fulfilling the government's need with regards to price efficiency, past performance and experience. Ernst & Young's performance is satisfactory and fulfills the contract's needs. The fourth year option will be funded with fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funding in amount of $13,218,137. The DHA Professional Services Contracting Division, Falls Church, Virginia, is the contracting activity. ARMY Rhoads Industries, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was awarded a $49,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract to furnish construction related industrial support services to the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Philadelphia Division. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 6, 2025. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is the contracting activity (W912BU-20-D-0009). Duopross Meditech Corp.,* Farmingdale, New York, was awarded a $48,310,000 firm-fixed-price contract for safety needles/syringes in support of the COVID-19 pandemic response and Operation Warp Speed. V Bids were solicited via the internet with 16 received. Work will be performed in Farmingdale, New York, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 2, 2021. Fiscal 2020 public health and social services emergency funds in the amount of $48,310,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W911SR-20-C-0045). (Awarded Aug. 3, 2020) Bates Engineers/Contractors Inc.,* Bainbridge, Georgia, was awarded a $46,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for rehabilitation/modernization of buildings, new building construction, demolition, paving, grading, drainage, excavation, clearing and grubbing, utility work of all types, environmental permitting related to construction, incidental design related to construction efforts, site safety and health efforts and field investigations related to construction projects for the North Alabama Area Office Region. Bids were solicited via the internet with 23 received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 6, 2025. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mobile, Alabama, is the contracting activity (W91278-20-D-0072). Pacific Federal Contractors LLC, Honolulu, Hawaii, was awarded a $20,402,508 firm-fixed-price contract for construction of a single 61,800 square-foot hangar bay addition at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. Bids were solicited via the internet with two received. Work will be performed at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, with an estimated completion date of March 6, 2022. Fiscal 2019 military construction (Air Force) funds in the amount of $20,402,508 were obligated at the time of the award. National Guard Bureau, Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting activity (W912J6-20-C-0001). Cardinal Health Inc., Dublin, Ohio, was awarded a $14,826,870 firm-fixed-price contract for safety needles/syringes in support of the COVID-19 pandemic response and Operation Warp Speed. Bids were solicited via the internet with 16 received. Work will be performed in Dublin, Ohio, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 3, 2021. Fiscal 2020 public health and social services emergency funds in the amount of $14,826,870 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W911SR-20-C-0044). (Awarded Aug. 4, 2020) J. F. Brennan Company Inc.,* La Crosse, Wisconsin, was awarded a $13,617,770 firm-fixed-price contract for dredging of Duluth-Superior Harbor. Bids were solicited via the internet with three received. Work will be performed in Superior, Wisconsin, with an estimated completion date of Nov. 22, 2022. Fiscal 2020 civil construction funds in the amount of $13,617,770 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Detroit Arsenal, Michigan, is the contracting activity (W911XK-20-C-0017). Gold Coast Medical Supply L.P.,* Camarillo, California, was awarded a $13,575,307 firm-fixed-price contract for safety needles/syringes in support of the COVID-19 pandemic response and Operation Warp Speed. Bids were solicited via the internet with 16 received. Work will be performed in Camarillo, California, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 2, 2021. Fiscal 2020 public health and social services emergency funds in the amount of $13,575,307 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W911SR-20-C-0047). (Awarded Aug. 3, 2020) HTL-Strefa Inc.,* Marietta, Georgia, was awarded a $12,330,000 firm-fixed-price contract for safety needles/syringes in support of the COVID-19 pandemic response and Operation Warp Speed. Bids were solicited via the internet with 16 received. Work will be performed in Marietta, Georgia, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 2, 2021. Fiscal 2020 public health and social services emergency funds in the amount of $12,330,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W911SR-20-C-0049). (Awarded Aug. 3, 2020) Quality Impact Inc.,* Foster City, California, was awarded an $8,800,000 firm-fixed-price contract for safety needles/syringes in support of the COVID-19 pandemic response and Operation Warp Speed. Bids were solicited via the internet with 16 received. Work will be performed in Foster City, California, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 2, 2021. V Fiscal 2020 public health and social services emergency funds in the amount of $8,800,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W911SR-20-C-0050). (Awarded Aug. 3, 2020) CORRECTION: The 50,998,450 firm-fixed-price contract announced on July 31, 2020, to Duke Energy Progress LLC, Raleigh, North Carolina (W9124J-20-F-0052), to furnish financing, personnel, management, supplies, equipment, transportation and any other items and services not government furnished to install the energy conservation measures to meet Fort Bragg's energy goals and objectives, was actually awarded on Aug. 6, 2020. U.S. SPECIAL OPERATIONS COMMAND Airbus DS Military Aircraft Inc., Mobile, Alabama, was awarded a $10,000,000 maximum ceiling firm-fixed-price contract (H92241-20-C-0005) in support of U.S. Army Special Operations Aviation Command for the sustainment and modernization of five CASA 212-200 CC60 aircraft with new avionics suites and aircraft maintenance refreshes. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $8,759,134 are being obligated at the time of award. The majority of the work will be performed in Mobile, Alabama, and is expected to be completed by August 2023. This contract is a non-competitive award and is in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302.1. U.S. Special Operations Command, Tampa, Florida, is the contracting activity. *Small Business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2305454/source/GovDelivery/

  • Esper: F-35 Won’t Hit 80% Readiness, Cites Stealth Parts

    July 19, 2019 | International, Aerospace

    Esper: F-35 Won’t Hit 80% Readiness, Cites Stealth Parts

    By COLIN CLARK WASHINGTON: Presumptive Defense Secretary Mark Esper says flatly the F-35 “is not expected” to meet the 80 percent readiness goal set for it this year because of problems with a cockpit part that improves stealth performance. “Transparency (canopy) supply shortages continue to be the main obstacle to achieving this. We are seeking additional sources to fix unserviceable canopies,” Esper said in response to written questions from the Senate Armed Services Committe (SASC). The Government Accountability Office (GAO) mentioned the canopy issue in a recent report, calling it a “special coating on the F-35 canopy that enables the aircraft to maintain its stealth.” That, the congressional watchdog said. “failed more frequently than expected” so F-35 prime contractor Lockheed Martin went looking for more manufactures to produce enough canopies to meet demands. GAO also said the F-35 program was considering a new design. This is all apiece with the general problem the F-35 program has had with obtaining new and spare parts. “A key contributor to spare parts shortages is the F-35 program's limited capacity to repair broken parts,” the GAO says in its April report. “The average time to repair an F-35 part was more than 6 months, or about 188 days for repairs completed between September and November 2018—more than twice that of the program's objective of 60-90 days.” Lockheed late last night sent comments on the transparency and its general efforts to improve F-35 readiness. UPDATE BEGINS “We are working closely with our F-35 transparency provider to build production and repair capacity and we are standing up a second source of supply. As these actions deliver results, we expect to improve supply availability and overall fleet readiness,” F-35 program spokesman Mike Friedman said, “We continue to see improvements in F-35 readiness rates and are receiving positive feedback from our customers, most recently from the Air Force who have several squadrons simultaneously deployed in the Middle East and across Europe for joint exercises and operations,” Friedman added. “Newer F-35 aircraft are averaging greater than 60 percent mission capable rates, with some operational squadrons consistently at or above 70 percent. We're taking aggressive action across the full F-35 enterprise to achieve the 80 percent mission capable rate target as soon as possible.”UPDATE ENDS As the SASC noted, former Defense Secretary Jim Mattis ordered the Air Force and Navy to increase mission capable rates for the F-35, F-22, F-16, and F-18 inventories to above 80 percent by the end of September 2019. “What progress,” the committee asked in the written questions, “has the Department made in increasing mission capable rates and decreasing costs for all four platforms?” The good news for the Air Force is that F-16 rates are better because the service has been able to increase parts supplies and add maintenance shifts. The F-16 fleet is expected to meet the 80 percent goal this year, Esper wrote. Not so, the F-22. It too faces stealth maintenance issue, made worse, Esper noted, “by the extreme damage at Tyndall Air Force Base from the effects of Hurricane Michael.” The F-22 fleet rates are improving but it probably won't make 80 percent this year. Oh, and Congress: “Improving mission capable rates for both fleets required additional funding investment for this fiscal year.” The Navy's fleet of F-18 is on track to meet the goal by September 2019. The Navy created a Maintenance Operations Center (MOC) to coordinate maintenance activities and optimize resources and reformed its depot and front-line maintenance process, thus improving regular inspections. Among a host of other changes, the Navy implemented supply chain reform that made it easier to track data across multiple sources. In the meantime, to address the gap in part repair capabilities at the military depots, the prime contractor Boeing has begun incentivizing manufacturers to increase their capacity to repair spare parts by establishing performance-based repair agreements. As of October 2018, according to program documentation, Boeing had established seven such agreements, with six more planned by May 2019. I contacted Lockheed and the F-35 Joint Program Office for comment and will add it when it arrives. https://breakingdefense.com/2019/07/esper-f-35-wont-hit-80-readiness-cites-stealth-parts/

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