SCORPION: The temporary company grouping awarded for MEPAC contract for mounted mortar systems on the Griffon

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  October 2, 2020 | International, Aerospace

  One KC-46 delivery has been halted due to electrical system problems

  Valerie Insinna WASHINGTON — The U.S. Air Force halted a delivery of the KC-46 yet again after problems with the electrical system were found on one new tanker slated to make its way to the service. The issue was first disclosed during an Oct. 1 hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee, when Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., said that a KC-46 that was supposed to have been delivered Sept. 25 by Boeing to Pease Air National Guard Base had been delayed. “They just learned that that delivery was canceled due to electrical problems with the aircraft,” she said to Ellen Lord, the Pentagon's top acquisition official. In a statement, Boeing said a “minor electrical issue” on a single KC-46 was found by the company during acceptance tests. “In flight, one of the radar warning receivers is indicating a fault through the plane's fault management system,” Boeing spokesman Larry Chambers said. “We think it may be a poor electrical connection that needs to be re-seated. We are currently evaluating a fix. Resolving this has caused a minor delay to delivery of this single airplane. Boeing expects to conclude this activity within the next several days and is working with the Air Force on a new delivery schedule.” The issue is not a design or safety-of-flight issue that would pose risk to the aircrew, he added. But Shaheen, speaking at the hearing, expressed frustration with Boeing over its repeated difficulties designing and building the new tankers, with challenges over the life span of the program that have included wiring issues and problems with the vision system that allows boom operators to safely refuel other planes. “I've spoken to a whole number of officials from Boeing from our military leadership as recently as last week with Gen. [Jacqueline] Van Ovost, who is the head of Air Mobility Command, all of whom have assured me that we've had good conversations between the [Department of Defense] and Boeing, and that the problems are being worked out. We're not going to continue to see these challenges,” Shaheen said. “And yet we've got another aircraft that's not being delivered because of another problem. So how do we fix this? Because it is an ongoing challenge that's affecting our ability to our national security, long term if we don't get these refueling tankers up and running.” Lord responded that KC-46 problems have included design and engineering flaws as well as issues occurring during the manufacturing of the jet. “The KC 46 has been an extremely problematical program. I speak with Leanne Caret, the CEO of the defense side of Boeing, on a regular basis about it,” Lord said. “One issue is frankly the technical solution. That was the original design [and] is now being redesigned, but also we have had a myriad of manufacturing issues with [foreign object debris] and other issues.” However, she said the root cause of the problems is the fixed-price firm contract used for the KC-46 program, which makes Boeing financially responsible for any costs beyond the $4.9 billion ceiling. So far, Boeing has spent more than $4.7 billion in company funds on the KC-46 program — almost equivalent to the Air Force's own investment in the program. The Air Force plans to buy 179 tankers, 38 of which have already been delivered to the service. Seven KC-46s have gone to Pease ANGB. https://www.defensenews.com/air/2020/10/01/kc-46-deliveries-have-been-halted-due-to-electrical-system-problems/

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  October 30, 2019 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security

  Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - October 30, 2019

  NAVY CubicGATR Technologies Inc., Huntsville, Alabama, is awarded a $325,000,000 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the purchase of up to a maximum 172 Next Generation Troposcatter system manufacturing and delivery, test support, technical data delivery, logistics data delivery, training data delivery and training support, fielding support and sustainment support. Work will be performed in Huntsville, Alabama, and is expected to be complete by October 2029. Fiscal 2019 procurement (Marine Corps) funds in the amount of $28,820,220 will be obligated on the first delivery order immediately following contract award, and funds will not expire at the end of current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities website, with two offers received. The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Virginia, is the contracting activity (M67854-20-D-2000). BAE Systems Land & Armaments LP, Sterling Heights, Michigan, is awarded a $119,938,228 modification to exercise options for the fixed-price-incentive (firm target) and firm-fixed price contract line item numbers (CLINs) 4000, 4003 and 4004 portions of a previously awarded contract (M67854-16-C-0006). This modification is for the purchase of 30 Amphibious Combat Vehicles and associated production, fielding and support costs and depot support products. Work will be performed in York, Pennsylvania (60%); Aiken, South Carolina (15%); San Jose, California (15%); Sterling Heights, Michigan (5%); and Stafford, Virginia (5%), and is expected to be completed in January 2022. Fiscal 2020 procurement (Marine Corps) funds in the amount of $119,938,228 will be obligated at the time of award, and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The contract was based on full and open competition with the solicitation publicized on the Federal Business Opportunities website with five offers received. The option CLINs were included within that contract and are being exercised in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation 52.217-7 Option for Increased Quantity-Separately Priced Line Item. The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Virginia, is the contracting activity (M67854-16-C-0006). Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation-Marine Systems, Sunnyvale, California, is awarded a cost-plus-fixed-fee $7,542,234 contract modification (P00024) to a previously awarded contract (N00030-16-C-0015) to provide support for technical engineering services, design and development engineering, component and full scale test and evaluation engineering and tactical underwater launcher hardware production to support the development and production of the Common Missile Compartment. Work will be performed in Sunnyvale, California (55%); Ridgecrest, California (20%); Cape Canaveral, Florida (10%); Bangor, Washington (5%); Kings Bay, Georgia (5%); Barrow-In-Furness, England (2%); New London, Connecticut (1%); Quonset Point, Rhode Island (1%); and Arlington, Virginia (1%), with an expected completion date of Sept. 30, 2020. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $315,604; and United Kingdom funding in the amount of $5,454,694 are being obligated on this award. Funds in the amount of $315,604 expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Subject to the availability of funding, fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation and United Kingdom funding in the amount of $1,771,936 will be obligated on this award. Strategic Systems Programs, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Stonewin Capital LP, New York, New York, has been awarded a minimum $34,494,452 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment contract for marine gas oil. This was a competitive acquisition with 41 responses received. This is a 60-month contract with one six-month option period. Locations of performance are New York, California, Texas and South Carolina, with an Oct. 31, 2024, performance completion date. Using customers are Army, Navy, Military Sealift Command, Coast Guard and federal civilian agencies. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2024 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Energy, Fort Belvoir, Virginia (SPE608-20-D-0350). AvKare Inc., Pulaski, Tennessee, has been awarded an estimated $10,600,000 firm-fixed-price requirements contract for Metformin HCL ER tablets. This was a competitive acquisition with one response received. This is a one-year base contract with four one-year option periods. Locations of performance are Tennessee, New York and Kentucky with an Oct. 28, 2020, performance completion date. Using customers are Department of Defense, Department of Veterans Affairs, Indian Health Services, and Federal Bureau of Prisons. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2021 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE2D2-20-D-0084). AIR FORCE L‐3 Communications Vertex Aerospace LLC, Madison, Mississippi, has been awarded an estimated $30,000,000 firm-fixed‐price, indefinite‐delivery/indefinite‐quantity modification (P00019) to previously awarded contract FA8106‐17‐D‐0001 for contractor logistic support of the Air Force C‐12 fleet. Work will be performed in Madison, Mississippi; San Angelo, Texas; Okmulgee, Oklahoma; Buenos Ares, Argentina; Gaborone, Botswana; Brasilia, Brazil; Bogota, Columbia; Cairo, Egypt; Accra, Ghana; Tegucigalpa, Honduras; Budapest, Hungary; Joint Base Andrews, Maryland; Nairobi, Kenya, Rabat, Morocco; Manila, Philippines; Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; Bangkok, Thailand; Ankara, Turkey; Edwards Air Force Base, California; Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico; Joint Base Elmendorf‐Richardson, Alaska; Oslo, Norway; and Yokota Air Base, Japan, and is expected to be completed by Dec. 31, 2020. The estimated cumulative face value of the contract is $120,000,000. Fiscal 2020 aircraft procurement funds are being used and no funds are being obligated at the time of the award. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, is the contracting activity. DEFENSE HEALTH AGENCY InteIillidyne LLC, Falls Church, Virginia, has been awarded a $27,041,715 firm-fixed-price contract to provide direct support to the Defense Health Agency (DHA) Global Service Center and the enterprise to fully support the integration of all desk side support, remote, or onsite troubleshooting, onsite information technology touch labor, network support services activity program management, network security and infrastructure assurance activities to include risk management framework support, in-room video teleconferencing support, Defense Health Headquarters site asset management and network/systems engineering, where required, into the Military Health System Joint Active Directory Management and the Military Health System Medical Community of Interest network environment systems and infrastructure. This award is the result of a sole source acquisition. This contract will have a one year period of performance, Oct. 30, 2019, to Oct, 29, 2020, with one six-month option period. This contract provides continuity of services until DHA is able to conduct a competitive award anticipated in the third quarter of fiscal 2020. This award utilizes fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $27,041,715. The Defense Health Agency, Falls Church, Virginia, is the contracting activity. ARMY Quasonix LLC,* West Chester, Ohio, was awarded a $21,736,371 firm-fixed-price contract for Quasonix telemetry transmitters in support of live fire testing. One bid was solicited via the internet with one bid received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Oct. 28, 2024. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W91CRB-20-D-0003). MISSILE DEFENSE AGENCY Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Azusa, California, is being awarded a firm-fixed-price prototype award with a total value of $20,000,000 through the Missile Defense Agency's authority under 10 U.S. Code § 2371b. This prototype award was competitively solicited via publication through the Space Enterprise Consortium Other Transaction Agreement between Space and Missile Systems Center and Advanced Technology International (FA8814-18-9-0002). Twelve proposals were received. Under this award, the performer will provide the Missile Defense Agency's Hypersonic and Ballistic Tracking Space Sensor Program with prototype payload design and signal-chain processing risk reduction demonstration. The work will be performed in Azusa, California, with an estimated completion date of Oct. 31, 2020. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $15,000,000 will be obligated at the time of award. These funds will expire at the end of the 2020 fiscal year. Missile Defense Agency, Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado, is the contracting activity (HQ0857-20-9-0003). Leidos Inc., Reston, Virginia, is being awarded a firm-fixed-price prototype award with a total value of $19,995,345 through the Missile Defense Agency's authority under 10 U.S. Code § 2371b. This prototype award was competitively solicited via publication through the Space Enterprise Consortium Other Transaction Agreement between Space and Missile Systems Center and Advanced Technology International (FA8814-18-9-0002). Twelve proposals were received. Under this award, the performer will provide the Missile Defense Agency's Hypersonic and Ballistic Tracking Space Sensor Program with prototype payload design and signal-chain processing risk reduction demonstration. The work will be performed in San Diego, California, with an estimated completion date of Oct. 31, 2020. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $15,000,000 will be obligated at the time of award. These funds will expire at the end of the 2020 fiscal year. Missile Defense Agency, Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado, is the contracting activity (HQ0857-20-9-0002). Harris Corp., Fort Wayne, Indiana, is being awarded a firm-fixed-price prototype award with a total value of $19,994,752 through the Missile Defense Agency's authority under 10 U.S. Code § 2371b. This prototype award was competitively solicited via publication through the Space Enterprise Consortium Other Transaction Agreement between Space and Missile Systems Center and Advanced Technology International (FA8814-18-9-0002). Twelve proposals were received. Under this award, the performer will provide the Missile Defense Agency's Hypersonic and Ballistic Tracking Space Sensor Program with prototype payload design and signal-chain processing risk reduction demonstration. The work will be performed in Fort Wayne, Indiana, with an estimated completion date of Oct. 31, 2020. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $15,000,000 will be obligated at the time of award. These funds will expire at the end of the 2020 fiscal year. Missile Defense Agency, Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado, is the contracting activity (HQ0857-20-9-0001). Raytheon Co., El Segundo, California, is being awarded a firm-fixed-price prototype award with a total value of $19,958,883 through the Missile Defense Agency's authority under 10 U.S. Code § 2371b. This prototype award was competitively solicited via publication through the Space Enterprise Consortium Other Transaction Agreement between Space and Missile Systems Center and Advanced Technology International (FA8814-18-9-0002). Twelve proposals were received. Under this award, the contractor will provide the Missile Defense Agency's Hypersonic and Ballistic Tracking Space Sensor Program with prototype payload design and signal-chain processing risk reduction demonstration. The work will be performed in El Segundo, California, with an estimated completion date of Oct. 31, 2020. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $15,000,000 will be obligated at the time of award. These funds will expire at the end of the 2020 fiscal year. Missile Defense Agency, Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado, is the contracting activity (HQ0857-20-9-0004). *Small Business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2002532/source/GovDelivery/

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  April 14, 2023 | International, Aerospace

  Sweden, Colombia interested in Embraer's KC-390, says Brazilian minister

  Brazilian Defense Minister Jose Mucio said late Thursday that countries such as Sweden and Colombia had expressed interest in buying Embraer's KC-390 military cargo aircraft.