April 4, 2024 | International, Aerospace
Bolster sanctions to stop Iran’s growing military space capabilities
Opinion: The entire free world needs to fully appreciate the potential danger of Iran’s increasing launch capability.
October 16, 2020 | International, Land
Soldiers to evaluate new light tank prototypes
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Army is preparing a soldier vehicle assessment of two different light tank prototypes for infantry brigade combat teams that will start in January 2021 at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
The assessment will run through June 2021, according to the service.
BAE Systems and General Dynamics Land Systems were chosen in December 2018 to each build 12 prototypes of the Army's future mobile protected firepower, or MPF, vehicle identified in the service's ground combat vehicle strategy published in 2015. The service had found the capability one the service lacks.
GDLS is building a vehicle that takes the United Kingdom's AJAX chassis and combines it with an M1 Abrams tank turret.
BAE Systems' design is an updated M8 Buford armored gun system with new capabilities and components.
“I just had my deep dive today on the SVA [soldier vehicle assessment] with the 82nd [Airborne],” Maj. Gen. Brian Cummings, the Army's program executive officer for ground combat systems, told Defense News in a recent interview.
Work is ongoing to prepare ranges and roads for the arrival of the prototypes, he said.
The MPF is going to be critical for the infantry because it provides infantry brigade combat teams with an organic capability to take care of impediments to forward progression such as gunfire from a machine gun nest or another enemy vehicle.
The Army is expected to choose a winner in 2022. The first units will get MPF in fiscal 2025. The Army plans to initially build 26 vehicles, with an option to build 28 more and retrofit eight prototypes.
GDLS told Defense News in an interview ahead of the Association of the U.S. Army's annual conference that it has delivered three vehicles to the Army. One is at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, going through characterization and mobility testing and preparing for firing. Another is at Yuma Proving Grounds, Arizona, undergoing desert testing and preparing for soldier training.
Five more prototypes are in “some form of checkout, getting ready for their final inspection report to deliver to the government,” a GDLS spokesperson said, and the company is on track to deliver all of the vehicles this year.
BAE is looking forward to the assessment because the two prototypes are so different from one another, said Jim Miller, the company's senior business development director for combat vehicles.
The BAE's offering is smaller — fitting in between the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle and a Stryker in terms of size — while GDLS' vehicle is bigger, as it's based on the M1 Abrams chassis.
The BAE's MPF prototype can be transported via a C-130 aircraft. Three can fit on a C-17 aircraft. And even though it is small, it has the survivability of BAE's Armored Multipurpose Vehicle, Miller said.
The Army is requiring the vehicle be C-17 transportable.
Soldier assessments for other recent competitions have weighed heavily into decisions, Miller added. “I think the soldier vehicle assessment is going to be really important,” he said. “Did we get this right? Now which one is closer to the mark?”
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January 3, 2019 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security
Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - January 2, 2019
NAVY Risk Mitigation Consulting Inc.,* Destin, Florida, is awarded a maximum amount $95,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for mission assurance assessments of installation/facilities infrastructure and facility-related control systems for the Department of the Navy . The work includes, but is not limited to the collection and evaluation of data concerning the criticality of facilities, utilities, industrial control systems, and supporting infrastructure based on mission impacts, probable threats and hazards, and degrees of vulnerability to determine the overall risk posture of the asset. Work will be performed at various Navy and Marine Corps installations at various locations within the Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Atlantic area of responsibility, both inside and outside the continentalU.S., including, but not limited to, California (24.6 percent); Virginia (13.0 percent); Florida (10.1 percent); Maryland (7.2 percent); Washington (5.8 percent); Hawaii (4.3 percent); Texas (4.3 percent); South Carolina (4.3 percent); Washington, District of Columbia (2.9 percent); North Carolina (2.9 percent); Mississippi (2.9 percent); Georgia (2.9 percent); Tennessee (1.5 percent); Rhode Island (1.5 percent); Pennsylvania (1.5 percent); New York (1.5 percent); New Jersey (1.5 percent); Louisiana (1.5 percent); Indiana (1.5 percent); Illinois (1.5 percent); Connecticut (1.4 percent); and Arizona (1.4 percent). The term of the contract is not to exceed 60 months with an expected completion date of January 1, 2024. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $10,000 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 and Marine Corps). This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website and Federal Business Opportunities website, with six proposals received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N62470-19-D-2002). Raytheon Co., El Segundo, California, was awarded $81,224,627 for modification P00007 to a previously awarded fixed-price-incentive=-firm-target contract (N00019-17-C-0042). This modification provides for the procurement of 228 configuration components required for completion of Configuration D Retrofit Component engineering change proposals for the F/A-18E/F and EA-18G aircraft for the Navy and the government of Australia. Work will be performed in Forest, Mississippi (53 percent); Andover, Massachusetts (36 percent); and El Segundo, California (11 percent), and is expected to be completed in February 2022. Fiscal 2019 aircraft procurement (Navy); and Foreign Military Sales (FMS) funds in the amount of $81,224,627 will be obligated at time of award. No funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This modification combines purchases for the Navy ($80,692,484; 99 percent) and the government of Australia ($532,143; 1 percent) under the FMS program. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. Lockheed Martin, Rotary and Mission Systems, Moorestown, New Jersey, is awarded a $28,882,337 cost-plus-incentive-fee modification to previously awarded contract N00024-16-C-5102 for AEGIS Baseline 9 Integration and Delivery, TI-08 CG Upgrade, AEGIS Baseline 9 Capability Development, Capability Improvements, Baseline 9 Sea Based Non-Cooperative Target Recognition Development and Radar Engineering. Work will be performed in Moorestown, New Jersey, and is expected to be complete by July 2019. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy); fiscal 2013 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy); fiscal 2019 other procurement (Navy); 2019 operations and maintenance (Navy); and 2019 weapons procurement (Navy), funding in the amount of $28,882,337 will be obligated at time of award and funds in the amount of $1,530,764 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. Bell-Boeing JPO, Amarillo, Texas, is being awarded $23,325,145 for cost-plus- fixed-fee delivery order N0001918F5004 against a previously issued basic ordering agreement (N00019-17-G-0002) in support of the V-22. This order provides support of ongoing flight test and evaluation of the V-22 test aircraft. Work will be performed at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland (90 percent); and Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Arizona (10 percent), and is expected to be completed in December 2018. Fiscal 2018 aircraft procurement (Navy); and fiscal 2018 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $23,325,145 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. SRA International Inc., Chantilly, Virginia, was awarded an $11,336,940 firm-fixed-price contract for command, control, communications, and computer system afloat operations and sustainment support for capabilities aboard the Military Sealift Command (MSC) fleet of ships, and the MSC network operations centers. This contract includes a six-month period of performance. Work will be performed in Norfolk, Virginia, and work is scheduled to commence Jan. 1, 2019, and is scheduled to be completed June 30, 2019. This contract will be funded with Navy working capital funds; and U.S. Transportation Command working capital funds. Funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was awarded as an other than full and open requirement under unusual and compelling urgency procedures. Only one offer was solicited and received. The Navy's Military Sealift Command, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity. (N3220519C1000) (Awarded Dec. 31, 2018) Structural Associates Inc., * East Syracuse, New York, is awarded $10,008,000 for firm-fixed-price task order N4008519F4299 under a previously awarded multiple award construction contract (N40085-17-D-5048) for repairs for insulator shop relocation Building 166 at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. The work to be performed provides building repairs and modernization to the historic 1941 Building 166. Exterior envelope repairs and replacement will include, but are not be limited to, roofing and wall systems, trim, windows and window systems, skylights, door repairs, concrete, the installation of roof and wall insulation, and reconfiguration of the building entrance to provide accessibility. Interior repair and renovation includes, but is not limited to, reconfiguration of existing toilet facilities, the renovation of electrical and plumbing systems, the replacement of deteriorated heating ventilation and air conditioning equipment and controls, and the modernization of fire protection systems. Work will include egress paths in order to improve space utilization, accessibility and life safety. The task order also contains five unexercised options, which, if exercised, would increase cumulative task order value to $10,691,110. Work will be performed in Kittery, Maine, and is expected to be completed by March 2020. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $10,008,000 are obligated on this award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Four proposals were received for this task order. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Mid-Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity. Correction: Contract awarded on Dec. 27, 2018 to Bell Boeing JPO, Amarillo, Texas, was announced with the incorrect award amount and contracting activity. The contract should have stated the award amount of $ $24,448,390 and that the contracting activity is the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Lakehurst, New Jersey. All other contract information is correct. ARMY O'gara-Hess & Eisenhardt Armoring Co. LLC,* Fairfield, Ohio, was awarded a $60,736,752 firm-fixed-price contract to procure Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles protection kits. Bids were solicited via the internet with six received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 31, 2023. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Warren, Michigan, is the contracting activity (W56HZV-19-D-0041). Endeavor Robotics Inc., Chelmsford, Massachusetts, was awarded a $32,400,000 firm-fixed-price contract for reset, sustainment, maintenance, and recap parts for Robot Logistics Support Center technicians to support the overall sustainment actions of the entire Endeavor family of small, medium, and large robots. 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 Jan. 2, 2024. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Warren, Michigan, is the contracting activity (W56HZV-19-D-0031). CORRECTION: An $89,520,585 modification (0053 09) to contract W52P1J-11-G-0053 awarded to BAE Systems Ordnance Systems Inc., Radford, Virginia, announced Dec. 31, 2018, listed the wrong amount of funds obligated. The correct amount of obligated funds is $7,895,422. All other information in the announcement was correct. AIR FORCE BAE Systems Information and Electronics Systems Integration, Nashua, New Hampshire (FA8604-19-D-4021); The Boeing Co., Defense, Space & Security, St. Louis, Missouri (FA8604-19-D-4022); General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc.(GS-ASI), Poway, California (FA8604-19-D-4020); Goodrich Corp., UTC Aerospace Systems, ISR Systems, Westford, Massachusetts (FA8604-19-D-4023); Harris Corp., Electronic Systems, Integrated Electronic Warfare Systems, Clifton, New Jersey (FA8604-19-D-4027); Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas (FA8604-19-D-4026); Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems, Melbourne, Florida (FA8604-19-D-4024); and Raytheon Co., Raytheon, El Segundo, California (FA8604-19-D-40250), have been awarded $22,500,000 ceiling indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contracts for the formation of a collaborative working group of various industry partners to work as single extended entity to develop, evolve, update via pre-planned product improvement initiatives, as well as manage and provide configuration control of the open mission systems and universal command and control interface standards, collectively referred to as the Open Architecture Standards. These contracts provide for the development, updating and management of the above standards with the following business goals, promote adaptability, flexibility, and expandability; support a variety of missions and domains; simplify integration; reduce technical risk and overall cost of ownership of weapon system programs; enable affordable technology refresh and capability evolution; enable reuse; enable independent development and deployment of system elements; and accommodate a range of cybersecurity approaches. Work will be performed at the industry partner facilities in Nashua, New Hampshire; St. Louis, Poway, California; Westford Massachusetts; Clifton New Hampshire; Fort Worth, Texas; and Melbourne, Florida, and is expected to be complete by December 31, 2022. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Air Force Life Cycle Management, Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity. *Small business https://dod.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/1723366/
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December 7, 2018 | International, Aerospace
Japanese acquisition officials reveal next steps in search for advanced fighter jet
By: Mike Yeo TOKYO — Japan is pushing ahead with research and development into advanced fighter jet technology, despite uncertainty over its acquisition strategy for a next-generation fighter and questions about the degree to which Japanese industry will be involved in the program. These technologies include a new fighter engine, thrust vectoring control, stealth shaping for low observability as well as the weapons carriage and release mechanism for internal weapons bays, according to representatives from Japan's Acquisition, Technical and Logistics Agency, or ATLA, who spoke at the Japan International Aerospace Exhibition in Tokyo, which ended Nov. 30. Several of these technologies were fitted on the Mitsubishi X-2, a technology demonstrator built by the Japanese and used to test and validate several of these features. Since then Japan has continued development work on the 15-ton thrust XF-9 afterburning turbofan. That turbofan displayed an improvement up to 70 percent during the time it took to spool up to full thrust from idle, when compared to the earlier XF-5 used by the X-2, said Lt. Gen. Hiroaki Uchimura, director general of aerial systems at ATLA. Japan is also working on an advanced active electronically scanned array radar, as well as manufacturing techniques to reduce or eliminate the need for fasteners in aircraft structures. Neither feature found its way to the X-2, but work continues on both fronts, with the radar having been tested in the laboratory and slated for flight tests onboard a Mitsubishi F-2 fighter jet test bed. The continuing R&D effort is reflected in the budget requests the Ministry of Defense made for next fiscal year, which begins in April 2019. This includes $194.6 million for research into fighter “mission system integration studies and manned-unmanned aircraft teaming technology,” and is on top of the $1.7 billion Japan has invested in fighter research since 2009. That first figure is also more than 10 times the amount spent on R&D for Japan's Mitsubishi F-2 fighter, according to Uchimura. Japan's next-generation fighter will replace the F-2 around the mid-2030s, and both Uchimura and ATLA Commissioner Nobuaki Miyama, who spoke at different conference sessions at the aerospace exhibition, touched on five critical attributes for Japan's next fighter program. These include its ability to secure air superiority over potential adversaries; the ease of upgrading as new technologies emerge; the latitude to domestically perform upgrades and sustainment without requiring overseas approval; the level of involvement of local industries in performing those upgrades and sustainment; and the need for the fighter and program as a whole to have a “realistic and feasible” cost. Japan is currently studying several different procurement strategies for its next-generation fighter, including a wholly domestically developed and manufactured design, an international collaboration, or what it calls a “spinoff” development of an existing design. Japan and the United Kingdom have agreed to exchange information with each other for their respective fighter programs. Reuters previously reported that both Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman responded to Japan's request for information on potential fighter offerings, with the former said to have an “F-22/F-35 hybrid” in mind. https://www.defensenews.com/digital-show-dailies/japan-aerospace/2018/11/30/japanese-acquisition-officials-reveal-next-steps-in-search-for-advanced-fighter-jet