February 26, 2021 | International, Aerospace
Boeing’s T-7 Red Hawk trainer enters production in the U.S. - Skies Mag
Static test airframe and first production aircraft set to enter joint flight-test campaign.
May 29, 2020 | International, Naval
Support Swells For New Indo-Pacom Funding; Will Money Follow
The National Defense Strategy called the Indo-Pacific the DoD's priority theater. “But all of us also recognize that strategy is budget and budget is strategy, and the budget numbers have not supported, to date, the Indo Pacific's role as the primary theater.”
By PAUL MCLEARYon May 29, 2020 at 4:01 AM
WASHINGTON: Two prominent senators and a top Pentagon official have come out in support of a new fund aimed at boosting the Indo-Pacific command's logistic, training, and missile-defense missions. The Pacific initiative will have to contend with the federal government's massive COVID-19 response and an exploding federal debt, however, some of which may be countered by the increasingly acrimonious relations with China.
The idea of a funding package that would build training ranges across the Pacific and beef up missile defense systems in Guam and Hawaii was proposed in April by Indo-Pacom commander Adm. Philip Davidson, who sent a plan to Congress for $20 billion in funding between 2021 and 2026 to bulk up the US presence in the region.
The plan received some bipartisan support on Capitol Hill, and will now find its way into the debate hammering out the 2021 budget markup this summer, Sen. Jim Inhofe, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee said Thursday. In a joint op-ed with the top Democrat on the committee Sen. Jack Reed, the duo wrote that “with the stakes so high, the time for action is now. That's why this year we intend to establish a Pacific Deterrence Initiative in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021.”
The fund will “focus resources on key military capabilities to deter China. The initiative will also reassure U.S. allies and partners, and send a strong signal to the Chinese Communist Party that the American people are committed to defending U.S. interests in the Indo-Pacific.”
In a Thursday video conference hosted by the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments, Heino Klinck, deputy assistant Secretary for East Asia said he also supports the idea, while acknowledging that “it'll be a slog” to get the enhanced funding through Congress while so many other funding priorities are competing for federal dollars.
“Obviously, when the National Defense Strategy came out it very clearly stated that the priority theater is for us the Indo-Pacific,” he said. “But all of us also recognize that strategy is budget and budget is strategy, and the budget numbers have not supported, to date, the Indo Pacific's role as the primary theater.”
Part of the reason for that has been the Trump administration's inability to extricate itself from ongoing wars in the Middle East, including the fight against ISIS and ongoing tensions with Iran that led to thousands more US troops, aircraft, and aircraft carriers heading to the Middle East over the past year.
There have been some signs that the Pentagon is looking to shift focus, however.
On Thursday, the USS Mustin destroyer sailed within 12 nautical miles of Woody Island in the Paracel Island chain, where China maintains an airfield although the island is claimed by two other countries and has landed bomber aircraft in the past.
The Mustin's pass by was the third time in the past month that American ships have challenged Chinese claims to the Paracel and Spratly islands, and the third since March.
US B-1 bombers have also flown over the South China Sea recently, and earlier this month, two Navy ships sailed into the middle of a simmering dispute between China and Malaysia in the South China Sea, while being trailed by a shadowing Chinese warship.
The Littoral Combat Ship USS Montgomery and supply ship USNS Cesar Chavez sailed close to a Malaysian drillship, the West Capella, a signal to Chinese warships who spent weeks harassing the vessel in international waters illegally claimed by Beijing.
These and “other organic decisions that have come out of the [Pentagon] have demonstrated that we're putting more and more resources into the Indo-Pacific,” Klinck said.
“I think the president's intent of reducing our footprint in the Middle East and in Central Asia will also lead to additional resources being available for the Indo-Pacific,” he added, “so I think the trend lines are positive, but it will be a slog particularly now in this COVID environment as resources are even tighter.”
Davidson's original proposal called for $1.6 billion in the fiscal 2021 budget submitted earlier this year, and $18.4 billion between 2022 and 2026.
The biggest funding recommendation is $5.2 billion over the five-year projection for investments in 360-degree air and missile defense systems, long-range precision fires, and ground- and space-based radars. Davidson also identified as “my number one unfunded priority,” the Homeland Defense System-Guam.
It's not clear what the overall contours of the Inhofe-Reed plan might be, but they suggest it will have “the aim of injecting uncertainty and risk into Beijing's calculus, leaving just one conclusion: ‘Not today. You, militarily, cannot win it, so don't even try it.'”
House Armed Services Committee leaders have also expressed bipartisan support for the idea, with chairman Adam Smith publicly backing the idea, though he hasn't disclosed any detailed plans. Ranking member Mac Thornberry has suggested finding $6 billion in the 2021 budget on things like air and missile defense systems and new military construction in partner countries.
That kind of new spending would likely face an uphill battle finding approval across parties and committees with their own priorities, and with flat budget projections going forward, money will be tighter than in previous years.
https://breakingdefense.com/2020/05/support-swells-for-new-indo-pacom-funding-will-money-follow
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May 10, 2019 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security, Other Defence
Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - May 9, 2019
AIR FORCE United Launch Services, Centennial, Colorado, has been awarded a $149,376,775 firm-fixed-price modification (P00002) to previously awarded contract FA8811-19-C-0002 for National Security Space Launch Delta IV heavy launch services. This modification provides for launch vehicle production services for National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) Launch Mission Two, the second of three planned NRO launch missions under this contract. Work will be performed in Centennial, Colorado; Decatur, Alabama; and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, and is expected to be complete by December 2022. This modification brings the total cumulative face value of the contract to $449,813,010. Fiscal 2019 missile procurement funds in the amount of $139,028,436 are being obligated at the time of award. Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles Air Force Base, California, is the contracting activity. Systems & Technology Research,* Woburn, Massachusetts, has been awarded a $28,680,552 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for research, development, operations and maintenance. This contract provides for the Dynamic Exploitation Modeling for Operational Systems (DEMOS) program, with an objective to implement automated tools for generating indications and warning and transition prototype systems to operational end users for a variety of missions. Work will be performed in Woburn, Massachusetts, and is expected to be complete by July 26, 2023. Fiscal 2018 and 2019 (Office of the Secretary of Defense) research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $4,955,000; and fiscal 2019 (Defense Intelligence Agency) operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $700,000 are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8650-19-C-1030). UPDATE: An $18,300,000 contract announced on March 28, 2019, to Merex Aircraft Co. Inc., Camarillo, California (FA8212-19-D-0001), for the acquisition of A-10 flap assemblies has been terminated due to a bid protest. CORRECTION: The contract announced on May 2, 2019, for Engility Corp., Andover, Massachusetts (FA8650-19-C-6024), for research and development, included an incorrect award amount, as did a subsequent correction. The correct award amount is $58,296,527. DEFENSE INTELLIGENCE AGENCY Engility Corp., Chantilly, Virginia was awarded an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (HHM402-19-D-0003) with a maximum ceiling value of $106,000,000 for exploitation management support services to the Defense Intelligence Agency's (DIA) National Media Exploitation Center (NMEC), Bethesda, Maryland. This contract has a five-year base ordering period and five one-year options, with a June 1, 2019, start date and a potential completion date of May 31, 2029. Through this award, DIA will procure document and media management, program support, and related intelligence support services for NMEC. Work is to be performed in the National Capital Region. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $5,474,490 are being obligated for a cost-plus fixed-fee task order at the time of award. This was a competitive unrestricted acquisition and four offers were received. The Virginia Contracting Activity, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. NAVY Airborne Tactical Advantage Co. LLC, Newport News, Virginia, is awarded $55,611,547 for modification P00018 to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price, cost reimbursable contract (N00019-15-D-0026). This modification exercises the fourth option year in support of the Contracted Air Services program. This modification provides contractor-owned and operated Type III high subsonic and Type IV supersonic aircraft to Navy fleet customers for a wide variety of airborne threat simulation capabilities. Work will be performed in Newport News, Virginia (44 percent); Point Mugu, California (37 percent); and various locations outside the continental U.S. (19 percent), and is expected to be completed in May 2020. 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. B3 Enterprises LLC,* Woodbridge, Virginia (N44255-17-D-4011); Iron Mike - Bristol JV, LLC,* Centennial, Colorado (N44255-17-D-4012); Macnak Construction LLC,* Lakewood, Washington (N44255-17-D-4013); Tompco Inc.,* Seabeck, Washington (N44255-17-D-4014); and Veterans Northwest Construction LLC,* Seattle, Washington (N44255-17-D-4015), are awarded a firm-fixed-price modification under previously awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract to increase the maximum not-to-exceed amount by $50,000,000 for design-build or design-bid-build construction projects located primarily within the Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Northwest (NW) area of operations (AO). The work to be performed provides for new construction, renovation, alteration, demolition and repair work by design-build or design-bid-build of facilities. Types of projects include, but are not limited to administrative and industrial facilities, housing renovation, child care centers, lodges, recreation/fitness centers, retail complexes, warehouses, housing offices, community centers, commercial and institutional buildings, manufacturing and industrial buildings and other similar facilities. With the award of this modification, the value of this contract is now $149,000,000. All work on this contract will be performed primarily within the NAVFAC NW AO which includes Washington (92 percent); Alaska (2 percent); Oregon (2 percent); Idaho (1 percent); Montana (1 percent); Wyoming (1 percent); and work for this contract may also be performed in the remainder of the U.S. (1 percent). The term of the contract is not to exceed 60 months, with an expected completion date of April 2022. No funds will be obligated at the time of award and no funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Funds will be obligated as task orders are issued. Task orders have been and will be primarily funded by military construction (Navy); operations and maintenance (Navy); and Navy working capital funds. This contract was competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities website with 16 proposals received. These five contractors may compete for task orders under the terms and conditions of the awarded contract. NAVFAC NW, Silverdale, Washington, is the contracting activity. DAV-Force Inc.,* Norman, Oklahoma (N0003919D0026); GLOTECH Inc.,* Rockville, Maryland (N0003919D0027); INDUS Technology Inc.,* San Diego, California (N0003919D0028); and North American Consulting Services Inc.,* Point Pleasant, West Virginia (N0003919D0029), are each awarded a $40,433,013 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, hybrid, firm-fixed-price, cost-reimbursable-type, multiple award contract for communications security accounting and special inventory manager support services in support of U.S. security assistance and security cooperation programs. Work will be performed in various overseas locations based on the requirement for each task order placed. The ordering period is five years with an expected completion date of May 2024. Foreign military sales funds in the amount of a minimum of $5,000 per awardee will be obligated at the time of award via a task order to each awardee. Funds in the amount of $10,000 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured with small business proposals solicited via the Federal Business Opportunities website and the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command e-Commerce Central website, with seven offers received. The Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity. Great Eastern Group Inc.,* Fort Lauderdale, Florida, is awarded a $12,220,564 firm-fixed-price contract with reimbursable elements, for logistic support of SBX-1 by the Offshore Support Vessel MV Hercules. This contract includes a one-year base period with three one-year option periods and an 11-month option period, which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $48,189,426. Work will be performed in Dutch Harbor, Alaska, and is expected to be completed by July 2020. If all options are exercised, work will continue through June 25, 2024. Research development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $3,734,457 are obligated at the time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was solicited as a small business set-aside with more than 50 companies solicited via the Federal Business Opportunities website and six offers received. The Navy's Military Sealift Command, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N3220519C3500). Rolls-Royce Corp., Indianapolis, Indiana, is awarded an $8,622,670 firm-fixed-price modification to previously-awarded contract N00019-17-C-0081. This modification is for the procurement of 10 MT7 marine turbine installation parts kit shipsets for the Landing Craft, Air Cushion (LCAC) 100 Class craft. This procurement is in support of the Ship-to-Shore Connector Program. An MT7 installation parts kit is one “shipset” (craft) consisting of four engine intakes, two right-hand engine exhausts and two left-hand engine exhausts. Work to be performed includes production of the installation parts kit shipsets and delivery to Textron Marine and Land Systems for the assembly of the LCAC 100 Class craft. Work will be performed in Indianapolis, Indiana, and is expected to be completed by January 2021. Fiscal 2017 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funding in the amount of $1,724,534; and fiscal 2018 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funding in the amount of $6,898,136 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity, working in conjunction with the Naval Air Systems Command. Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Woodland Hills, California, was awarded $7,203,829 for modification P00001 to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (N0001919D0025). This modification provides for the procurement of up to 42 additional technical refresh mission computers for AH-1Z aircraft, including trainer units and spare units for the government of Bahrain under the Foreign Military Sales program. Work will be performed in Salt Lake City, Utah (55 percent); Baltimore, Maryland (25 percent); and Woodland Hills, California (20 percent), and is expected to be completed in December 2023. No funds will be obligated at the time of award; funds will be obligated on individual delivery orders as they are issued. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. (Awarded April 29, 2019) ARMY Ripple Effect Communications Inc.,* Rockville, Maryland, was awarded a $38,513,810 modification (P00005) to contract W81XWH-17-D-0003 for program administration and technical support services. Bids were solicited via the internet with 18 received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of May 22, 2022. U.S. Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity, Fort Detrick, Maryland, is the contracting activity. IronMountain Solutions Inc.,* Huntsville, Alabama, was awarded a $22,705,832 time-and-materials Foreign Military Sales (Afghanistan, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Tunisia, Thailand, Taiwan, Sweden, Egypt, Jordan, Latvia, Mexico, Saudi Arabia and Slovakia) contract for technical support services. Bids were solicited via the internet with three received. Work will be performed in Huntsville, Alabama, with an estimated completion date of May 8, 2020. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test, and evaluation; operations and maintenance, Army; and other procurement, Army funds in the amount of $22,705,832 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity (W31P4Q-17- R-0001). Tocci Building Corp, Woburn, Massachusetts, was awarded a $20,612,338 firm-fixed-price contract for replacement family housing design and build. Bids were solicited via the internet with six received. Work will be performed in Natick, Massachusetts, with an estimated completion date of May 10, 2021. Fiscal 2015 and 2018 Army family housing construction funds in the amount of $20,612,338 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Concord, Massachusetts, is the contracting activity (W912WJ-18-R-0006). Tsay/Ferguson-Williams LLC,* San Juan Pueblo, New Mexico, was awarded a $17,982,082 cost-plus-award-fee contract for operations and maintenance services. Bids were solicited via the internet with 13 received. Work will be performed in Fort Stewart, Georgia, with an estimated completion date of Jan. 31, 2020. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance, Army funds in the amount of $4,579,182 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Mission and Installation Contracting Command, Fort Stewart, Georgia, is the contracting activity (W912WJ-19-C-0011). Quantitech Inc.,* Huntsville, Alabama, was awarded a $16,026,683 time-and-materials Foreign Military Sales (Afghanistan, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Tunisia, Thailand, Taiwan, Sweden, Egypt, Jordan, Latvia, Mexico, and Slovakia) contract for support services. Bids were solicited via the internet with two received. Work will be performed in Huntsville, Alabama, with an estimated completion date of May 8, 2020. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test, and evaluation; operations and maintenance, Army; and other procurement, Army funds in the amount of $16,026,683 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity (W31P4Q-16-R-0010). WASHINGTON HEADQUARTERS SERVICES Cherokee Nation Environmental Solutions LLC, Tulsa, Oklahoma, has been awarded a $15,100,000 firm-fixed-price contract. The contract expands existing mission critical chilled water distribution to provide mission critical cooling to mission critical rooms and equipment. The contract acquires design-build construction of a redundant chilled water loop in the Pentagon A-ring tunnels, risers for lateral distribution of chilled water, and a new secondary distribution pump. Work performance will take place at the Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia. Fiscal 2015 military construction funds in the amount of $15,100,000 are being awarded. This contract was a sole-source acquisition. The expected completion date is June 10, 2021. Washington Headquarters Services, Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting activity (HQ0034-19-C-0043). *Small business https://dod.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/1843457/source/GovDelivery/
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February 11, 2019 | International, Aerospace, Naval
La Navy débarque le Hornet alors que le Super Hornet marque des points
Boeing, qui a pris le contrôle du programme F/A-18 en rachetant McDonnell Douglas, peut-être satisfait : alors que l'US Navy retire ses derniers F/A-18 Hornet des unités de première ligne, son successeur, le Super Hornet, reste bien présent sur le marché des avions de combat où il tient tête (Canada, Finlande, Allemagne...) au F-35 de Lockheed [...](...) https://www.aerocontact.com/actualite-aeronautique-spatiale/57137-la-navy-debarque-le-hornet-alors-que-le-super-hornet-marque-des-points