Space Force should consider alternative launch sites, lawmakers say

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  April 21, 2020 | International, Aerospace

  The Air Force made a surprise decision to sole-source the Long Range Standoff Weapon. Here’s who will move forward.

  By: Valerie Insinna WASHINGTON — In a surprise move, the Air Force on Friday announced plans to continue its Long Range Standoff Weapon program with Raytheon as the prime contractor. The LRSO program, which aims to field a new air-launched cruise missile capable of both nuclear and conventional strikes, is currently in its technology maturation and risk reduction phase, with both Raytheon and Lockheed Martin developing their own versions of the weapon. Typically, the Air Force would downselect to a single company in fiscal year 2022, when it awarded the engineering and manufacturing development contract that precedes low-rate production. However, the Air Force decided to press ahead with Raytheon's design after an “extensive evaluation” of the company's technology as presented during the preliminary design review, said Maj. Gen. Shaun Morris, who leads the Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center. “Our competitive TMRR phase, which included both Lockheed Martin and Raytheon as the prime contractors, enabled us to select a high-confidence design at this point in the acquisition process,” he said, according to an Air Force release. “And this early off-ramp of a contractor is completely in line with the existing LRSO acquisition strategy, which included periodic reviews to assess contractor designs,” Morris said. “Lockheed Martin has been an excellent contractor and partner throughout the TMRR effort and this pivot to Raytheon does not represent a lack of effort or commitment on their part. Lockheed Martin has supported the nuclear enterprise for decades and we continue to value their expertise in sensors and nuclear certification and surety.” Elizabeth Thorn, the service's program manager, characterized the decision as “not a downselect, per se,” adding that the Air Force will continue to work with Lockheed on specific technologies that could drive down risk to the LRSO design or otherwise be beneficial to the program. The Air Force noted that the company had begun the “closeout process” to stop work on risk reduction phase of the program, leaving Lockheed's precise role in the LRSO program unclear. “We've supported our nation's nuclear triad for more than 60 years and look forward to working with the USAF to support the LRSO mission, specifically leveraging our sensor technology and nuclear certification and surety expertise,” Lockheed said in a statement. LRSO is set to replace the AGM-86B Air Launched Cruise Missile or ALCM, but the program has come under intermittent fire from lawmakers who believe that arming aircraft with a weapon that could be either nuclear or conventional could unnecessarily raise the risk of miscalculation, triggering a nuclear war. The Air Force has argued that it needs a nuclear missile that can be fired from standoff distances to enable the non-stealthy B-52 to remain a credible deterrent to adversaries with advanced air defense systems. Due to the decision to select Raytheon early, the Air Force wants to shift funding that will allow the company to begin certain work early, such as flight tests, the service said. A contract award for the next phase of the program is still scheduled for fiscal year 2022. Morris added that the service was also confident in its ability to keep the program affordable in a sole-source environment, despite the lack of competition that usually helps the government negotiate a lower-cost product. Roman Schweizer, a defense analyst with Cowen Washington Research Group, said the Air Force's announcement prompts additional questions about Lockheed's future role and the information both companies presented during the preliminary design view. “It's possible the USAF made an industrial base/cost decision based on other long-range weapons,” he wrote in an email to investors. “Singling up on LRSO could have been an industrial base decision or a way to reduce cost and speed up development.” In a statement, Raytheon noted that the company is on track to complete risk reduction efforts by January 2022. “LRSO will be a critical contributor to the air-launched portion of America's nuclear triad,” said Wes Kremer, president of Raytheon Missiles and Defense. https://www.defensenews.com/smr/nuclear-arsenal/2020/04/20/the-air-force-made-a-surprise-decision-to-sole-source-the-long-range-standoff-weapon-heres-who-will-move-forward/

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  November 26, 2019 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security

  Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - November 25, 2019

  ARMY General Electric Co. - GE Aviation, Lynn, Massachusetts, was awarded a $1,336,809,577 modification (P00021) to contract W58RGZ-15-D-0048 for T700 engine deliveries in support of the Army H-60 and AH-64 programs, Navy H-60 programs, Air Force programs, Foreign Military Sales and other government agencies. 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 Dec. 31, 2024. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity. AXXIS,* Fort Worth, Texas (W912DY-20-F-0001); Chinook Systems Inc.,* Cocoa Beach, Florida (W912DY-20-F-0002); Dewberry Design-Builders Inc., Raleigh, North Carolina (W912DY-20-F-0003); EPC Service Inc.,* Aiea, Hawaii (W912DY-20-F-0004); Honeywell International Inc., Morris Plains, New Jersey (W912DY-20-F-0005); Johnson Controls Building Automation Systems Inc., Huntsville, Alabama (W912DY-20-F-0006); KBRwyle Technology Solutions LLC, Columbia, Maryland (W912DY-20-F-0007); M. C. Dean, Tysons, Virginia (W912DY-20-F-0008); Parsons Technical Services Inc., Pasadena, California (W912DY-20-F-0009); Prime Mechanical of Wisconsin LLC,* Poynette, Wisconsin (W912DY-20-F-0010); SEI Group Inc.,* Huntsville, Alabama (W912DY-20-F-0011); Siemens Government Technologies Inc., Arlington, Virginia ( W912DY-20-F-0012); Spectrum Solutions Inc.,* Madison, Alabama (W912DY-20-F-0013); and Stewart Group Enterprises LLC,* Benson, North Carolina (W912DY-20-F-0014), will compete for each order of the $1,200,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for procurement and installation of utility monitoring and control systems and similar services such as heating, ventilating and air conditioning systems. Bids were solicited via the internet with 28 received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Nov. 24, 2026. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Huntsville, Alabama, is the contracting activity. Navistar Defense LLC, Lisle, Illinois, was awarded a $26,748,087 firm-fixed-price Foreign Military Sales (Somalia) contract for two commercial Medium Tactical Vehicle Variants -- the 6x6 General Transport Truck and the 6x6 Wrecker Vehicle Recovery Truck, and spare parts. Bids were solicited via the internet with three received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Nov. 25, 2022. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Warren, Michigan, is the contracting activity (W56HZV-20-D-0016). Detyens Shipyards Inc.,* North Charleston, South Carolina, was awarded an $11,991,749 firm-fixed-price contract for dry dock and repair of the Dredge Wheeler, labor, materials and equipment. Bids were solicited via the internet with two received. Work will be performed in North Charleston, South Carolina, with an estimated completion date of Jan. 26, 2020. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance, civil works funds in the amount of $11,991,749 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans, Louisiana, is the contracting activity (W912P8-20-C-0004). NAVY Raytheon Co., El Segundo, California, is awarded a $403,301,277 modification (P00062) to a previously awarded cost-plus-incentive-fee contract (N00019-16-C-0002). This modification increases the scope of the contract to procure an additional seven System Demonstration Test Articles (SDTA) shipsets, 60 SDTA pod subsystems, 27 pieces of peculiar support equipment, one fatigue test pod and one static test pod in support of the initial operational test and evaluation phase of the Next Generation Jammer Mid-Band Program. Work will be performed in Dallas, Texas (33%); Forest, Mississippi (33%); El Segundo, California (22%); Andover, Massachusetts (7%); and Fort Wayne, Indiana (5%), and is expected to be completed in December 2022. No funds are being obligated at time of award. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Missouri, is awarded a $172,233,232 modification to a previously awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (N00019-18-D-0001). This modification increases the ceiling of the contract to continue service life modifications to extend the operational service life from 6,000 flight hours to 10,000 flight hours of up to 23 F/A-18E/F aircraft. Work will be performed in San Antonio, Texas (59%); El Segundo, California (25%); and St. Louis, Missouri (16%), and is expected to be completed in May 2022. No funds are being obligated at time of award; funds will be obligated on individual orders as they are issued. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. Applied Physical Sciences Corp., Groton, Connecticut, is awarded a $23,225,953 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for the multi-disciplinary tools, technologies and experimental methods in support of future Naval platform stealth and operations. Work will be performed in Groton, Connecticut (87%); and Cheswick, Pennsylvania (13%), with an expected completion date of October 2024. The total cumulative value of this contract including the base period is $23,225,953. This contract has no options. Fiscal 2019 research, development test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $146,749 are being obligated the time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured under N00014-19-S-B001, "Long Range Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) for Navy and Marine Corps Science and Technology." Proposals will be received throughout the year under the long range BAA and the number of proposals received in response to the solicitation is unknown. The Office of Naval Research, Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N00014- 20-C-0001). Marine Solutions Inc.,* Nicholasville, Kentucky, is awarded a maximum $10,000,000 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity architect-engineering for inspection, structural engineering, design and post-construction award services for bridge structures at Navy and Department of Defense installations worldwide. The work to be performed provides for architect-engineer services to include, but not limited to: topside and underwater bridge inspections; bridge load capacity analysis and load ratings; analysis of existing conditions and comparison to previous inspections reports; design of bridge repairs, inclusive of plans and specifications, report preparation and cost estimates for bridge rehabilitations, and the review of such documents produced by others in accordance with the Naval Facilities Engineering and Expeditionary Warfare Center (NAVFAC EXWC) criteria and the National Bridge Inspection Standards. No task orders are being issued at this time. All work on this contract will be performed at various Navy and Marine Corps facilities and other government facilities predominantly in the U.S., but also worldwide. The term of the contract is not to exceed 60 months with an expected completion date of November 2024. Fiscal 2020 operation and maintenance, Navy (O&M, N)) contract 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 O&M, N funds. This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website and Federal Business Opportunities website with seven proposals received. The NAVFAC EXWC, Port Hueneme, California, is the contracting activity (N39430-20-D-2206). Advanced Alliant Solutions Team, Fairfax, Virginia, is awarded a $9,038,301 modification (P00021) to a previously awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee contract (N00421-16-C-0068) to exercise an option for information assurance services in support of the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division's Digital Networks Applications. Work will be performed in Patuxent River, Maryland, and is expected to be completed by November 2020. Fiscal 2020 working capital funds (Navy) in the amount of $8,007,190 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. AIR FORCE Canyon Consulting, Los Angeles, California, has been awarded an $18,928,670 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract under the Small Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase-III program for the Advanced Global Positioning System technologies. This contract provides for wideband global positioning system digital payload and architecture. Work will be performed at Los Angeles, California, and is expected to be complete by Feb. 28, 2025. The total cumulative face value of the contract is $18,928,670. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $700,000 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Research Laboratory Geospace Technologies Branch, Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico, is the contracting activity. Sierra Nevada Corp., Sparks, Nevada, has been awarded a $13,720,071 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification (P00029) to previously awarded contract FA8509-17-C-0002 for the permanent installation of the MC-130J Airborne Mission Networking program. This out-of-scope modification provides for the procurement of an additional trial kit install, travel and interim contractor support. Work will be performed at Centennial, Colorado, and is expected to be completed by Nov. 16, 2021. This modification brings the total cumulative face value of the contract to $86,000,000. Fiscal 2019 and 2020 research, development, testing and evaluation funds in the amount of $1,162,453 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, is the contracting activity. DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Optim LLC, Sturbridge, Massachusetts, has been awarded a maximum $18,750,000 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for medical equipment. This was a competitive acquisition with 63 responses received. This is a five-year contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Massachusetts, with a Nov. 24, 2024, performance completion date. Using customers are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and federal civilian agencies. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2025 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE2D1-20-D-0003). MISSILE DEFENSE AGENCY Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems, Moorestown, New Jersey, has been awarded a $9,800,000 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification (P00347) under contract HQ0276-10-C-0001. This modification increases the total cumulative contract value by $9,800,000 from $3,162,719,877 to $3,172,519,877. Under this modification, the contractor will perform engineering and design support services necessary for continuation of planning efforts executed under the Technical Assistance Case to support the Aegis Ashore Japan Foreign Military Sales Main Case. The work will be performed in Moorestown, New Jersey, with an expected completion date of July 31, 2020. Funds from the government of Japan in the amount of $9,800,000 are being obligated at the time of award. This contract modification is the result of a sole source acquisition. The Missile Defense Agency, Dahlgren, Virginia, is the contracting activity. U.S. TRANSPORTATION COMMAND Phoenix Air Group Inc., Cartersville, Georgia, has been awarded a task order (HTC711-20-F-R013) under contract HTC711-16-D-R001 in the amount of $8,832,188. The task order provides continued charter air transportation services to the Headquarters U.S. Africa Command. Work will be performed in Stuttgart Army Airfield, Germany, to various points throughout Africa and Europe. The period of performance is from Jan. 1, 2020, to Dec. 31, 2020. Fiscal 2020 Air Force operations and maintenance funds were obligated at award of the task order. This task order brings the total cumulative face value of the contract value to $56,982,110 from $48,149,922. U.S. Transportation Command, Directorate of Acquisition, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, is the contracting activity. *Small Business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2026407/source/GovDelivery/

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  May 27, 2021 | International, Aerospace

  U.S. Air Force’s Newest Fighter Completes First Exercise

  Participation in Northern Edge in Alaska provided the combined F-15EX Eagle II test team with a chance to wring out the new fighter in a major exercise.