September 1, 2020 | International, Aerospace, C4ISR

Space Development Agency orders its first satellites

WASHINGTON — The Space Development Agency has selected Lockheed Martin and York Space Systems to build the satellites for the first tranche of its transport layer ― an on-orbit mesh network that is key to the Pentagon's plans to connect on orbit sensors with terrestrial shooters ― the agency announced Aug. 31.

Each company will build 10 satellites for SDA, though at vastly different prices. While York Space Systems will receive $94 million to build its 10 satellites, Lockheed Martin will receive $188 million for the same number. According to SDA Director Derek Tournear, that difference reflects the agency's firm-fixed-price contract approach to this solicitation, where they asked companies to give them a price point to meet SDA's detailed specifications.

“We have two providers roughly providing the same thing at different prices. How does that work? It works simply as we put out a solicitation that gave requirements and gave a schedule, and we asked for firm-fixed-price bids based on those requirements and schedule,” explained Tournear in a media call following the announcement. “We had several providers that bid that came back with a range of different technical solutions and a range of prices.

“We awarded them based completely on the technical merit and what we thought was their ability to be able to make schedule and provide a solution, and then price was factored into that,” he added. “That's what led York and Lockheed Martin to come out on top.”

The satellites will comprise Tranche 0 of the agency's planned transport layer, a constellation of satellites that can transfer data globally through optical intersatellite links. Tournear has previously noted the space-based mesh network will form the space component to the Defense Department's Joint All-Domain Command and Control enterprise, or JADC2.

“The transport layer, which is what the draft [request for proposals] and the industry day was talking about today, is going to be the unifying effort across the department. That is going to be what we use for low-latency [communications] to be able to pull these networks together, and that, in essence, is going to be the main unifying truss for the JADC2 and that effort moving forward. That is going to be the space network that is utilized for that,” Tournear explained in April.

Six of the 20 satellites will have Link-16 transmitters, allowing them to connect to warfighters through the military's tactical network.

The contracts include on-time delivery of space vehicles and paths to optical intersatellite link interoperability. Work is expected to kick off within 30 days, said Tournear.

While Tranche 0 will be made up of just 20 satellites in low Earth orbit, SDA plans to add more satellites every two years as part of a spiral development approach. The transport layer will serve as the base for the new multi-layered National Defense Space Architecture, which will be made up of hundreds of interconnected satellites serving a number of missions — including tracking hypersonic weapons and providing beyond-line-of-sight targeting--primarily from low Earth orbit.

SDA plans to launch Tranche 0 into orbit in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2022.

“We're looking about this time in exactly two years, we will be launching 20 satellites from two different performers to make up the nucleus of our Tranche 0 transport layer,” said Tournear.

According to the May 1 contract solicitation, the agency has six goals for its Tranche 0 transport layer:

Demonstrate low-latency data transport to the war fighter over the optical cross link mesh network.
Demonstrate the ability to deliver data from an external, space-based sensor to the war fighter via the transport layer.
Demonstrate a limited battle management C3 functionality.
Transfer Integrated Broadcast System data across the mesh network to the war fighter.
Store, relay and transmit Link 16 data over the network in near real time.
Operate a common timing reference independent of GPS.

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November 6, 2019 | International, Aerospace

Finland warns fighter contenders to keep their budget-busting offers real
By: Gerard O'Dwyer HELSINKI — Finland has issued a formal notification to industry candidates in its multibillion-dollar fighter program, urging them to keep their proposals within the prescribed budget constraints. “We do not envisage that we will see withdrawals because of the revised request for quotations. We expect no change there,” said Lauri Puranen, who directs the Finnish Air Forces' HX-fighter program. He said the move was meant simply to stress the need for all of the five international contenders to respect the program's €10 billion, or $11.1 billion, limit. Defense officials here have conceded that all five bidders, including Saab (Gripen), Dassault Rafale, the pan-European Eurofighter Typhoon, Boeing (F/A-18 Super Hornet), Lockheed Martin (F-35) have struggled with the project's rigid budgetary ceiling. "The budget set for the HX project has been an issue for all bidders and candidate aircraft,“ said Maj. Gen. Kari Renko, the deputy chief of the Finnish Defense Force's Logistics Command. Finland's recently-elected, conservative-left coalition government has shown no willingness or flexibility to deviate from the billion budget cap. The defense ministry has been instructed to look for a fighter replacement solution within the budgetary range of €7 billion to €10 billion, or $7.7 billion to $11.1 billion. Whatever flexibility exists in the HX project will impact the number of fighter aircraft purchased and weapons selected as part of the total acquisition program to replace the air force's Boeing F/A-18C/D Hornets. The last of the service's Hornets are expected to be retired by 2030. The defense ministry is seeking responses to the reviews request for quotations to be submitted by the end of January 2020. This will be followed by a request for final offers during the second half of 2020, a process that will commence after stage-two negotiations. The Finnish government plans to reach a decision on the HX fighter platform in 2021. The decision will cover the acquisition of a new aircraft, weapons, sensors, training, and spare parts. Bidders are expected to use their responses to the revised solicitation to clarify the industrial-cooperation elements of their respective offers. Finland is looking for a solution that will benefit the country's defense industry, and where parts and systems connected to the eventual contract will be produced under collaborative partnership contracts and joint venture agreements in Finland. https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2019/11/05/finland-warns-fighter-contenders-to-keep-their-budget-busting-offers-real/
July 28, 2023 | International, Security

Exclusive: New Taiwan weapons package to be announced soon, US officials say
The United States is expected to announce as early as Friday that it will provide Taiwan with military assistance worth more than $300 million, two U.S. officials told Reuters, a move likely to anger China.
October 29, 2019 | International, Aerospace, Naval

Navy C-40 Fleet Deliveries Complete
Adds Two Airplanes, One Squadron The Navy's C-40 fleet has undergone some major changes in the last few months - adding two airplanes, one squadron and completing its current planned aircraft procurements. The Tactical Airlift Program Office (PMA-207) took delivery of the Navy's 16th aircraft in June and 17th aircraft on September 26. The Navy's latest C-40A aircraft will be assigned to U.S. Naval Reserve Fleet Logistics Support Squadron (VR) 57. These last two deliveries have allowed the C-40 fleet to realign and expand its horizons. "The C-40 plays an important role in the Navy Unique Fleet Essential Airlift (NUFEA) fleet," said CAPT Steve Nassau, PMA-207 Program Manager. “These extremely flexible logistics support aircraft are an integral part of every type of maritime mission, from humanitarian assistance to long-range, high priority deliveries.” The sixth Navy C-40 squadron was established last month. VR-51, nicknamed the Windjammers, deploying from Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, received two C-40 aircraft from the fleet. The squadron will be fully operational in October, following receipt of its “Safe for Flight” certification. “The Safe for Flight certification is an entire program overview in which the government ensures that all contractor, air crew, and government operating procedures are in place and functioning correctly,” said Darwin Lazo, PMA-207 Medium Lift DAPML. “It is the final certification for a new squadron.” VR-51 will soon begin entering the VR deployment rotation. “There is always a C-40 deployed to US Central Command (CENTCOM), US European Command (EUCOM) and US Pacific Command (PACOM) to meet mission requirements,” said Donna Elliott, PMA-207 Medium Lift IPTL. Over the past year, the C-40 fleet logged 24,374 hours of flight time, completed 1,555 missions, transported 95,746 passengers and 20,012,934 tons of cargo. In doing so, the aircraft has maintained a 90% readiness rating and has played a vital role in providing military transport not available with contract or commercial carriers. The C-40, a commercial derivative of the Boeing 737-700C, is the mainstay of the Navy's medium lift capability. http://www.aero-news.net/index.cfm?do=main.textpost&id=b3d6746e-726d-4821-85ff-9b750f723f13

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Space Development Agency orders its first satellites

On the same subject

Exclusive: New Taiwan weapons package to be announced soon, US officials say The United States is expected to announce as early as Friday that it will provide Taiwan with military assistance worth more than $300 million, two U.S. officials told Reuters, a move likely to anger China.

Exclusive: New Taiwan weapons package to be announced soon, US officials say
The United States is expected to announce as early as Friday that it will provide Taiwan with military assistance worth more than $300 million, two U.S. officials told Reuters, a move likely to anger China.