Thales Supplies System Lifetime Extension Program on 13 ILS and DME Navigation Systems to Royal Netherlands Air Force

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  August 2, 2023 | International, Naval

  Russia launches live-fire Baltic naval drills on Europe’s doorstep

  Russia last carried out mass military exercises in the Baltic Sea in June, two months after Finland became NATO’s newest member.

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  March 20, 2019 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security, Other Defence

  Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - March 18, 2019

  NAVY General Dynamics Electric Boat, Groton, Connecticut, is awarded a $2,039,763,908 modification to previously awarded contract N00024-17-C-2100 for additional material (to include Long Lead Time Material and Economic Ordering Quantity) associated with the Fiscal 2019 – Fiscal 2023 Virginia class submarines (SSNs 802 – 811). Work will be performed in Sunnyvale, California (19 percent); Annapolis, Maryland (6 percent); Tucson, Arizona (3 percent); Spring Grove, Illinois (3 percent); Stoughton, Massachusetts (3 percent); Bethlehem, Pennsylvania (3 percent); Jacksonville, Florida (3 percent); Arvada, Colorado (3 percent); Minneapolis, Minnesota (2 percent); Groton, Connecticut (2 percent); Windsor Locks, Connecticut (2 percent); Florence, New Jersey (2 percent); York, Pennsylvania (2 percent); Arlington, Texas (2 percent); Newport News, Virginia (2 percent); Depew, New York (1 percent); Peoria, Illinois (1 percent); Warren, Massachusetts (1 percent); Manassas, Virginia (1 percent); Portsmouth, New Hampshire (1 percent); El Cajon, California (1 percent); Fort Walton Beach, Florida (1 percent); Farmingdale, New York (1 percent); South El Monte, California (1 percent); Cleveland, Ohio (1 percent); Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (1 percent); Syracuse, New York (1 percent); Manchester, New Hampshire (1 percent); Westfield, Massachusetts (1 percent); Loanhead, United Kingdom (1 percent); Linden, New Jersey (1 percent); Louisville, Kentucky (1 percent); Orrville, Ohio (1 percent); and other U.S. sites, each less than 1 percent (25 percent). Fiscal 2019 and 2018 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funding in the amount of $2,039,763,908 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The statutory authority for this sole-source award is in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1(a)(2)(iii) - only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. Advantaged Solutions Inc., Washington, District of Columbia (N66001-19-A-0008); Alamo City Engineering, San Antonio, Texas (N66001-19-A-0009); Carahsoft Technology Corp., Reston, Virginia (N66001-19-A-0010); and Oakland Consulting Group, Lanham, Maryland (N66001-19-A-0011), are awarded a multiple-award, firm-fixed-price, Department of Defense (DoD) Enterprise Software Initiative (ESI) blanket purchase agreement (BPA) in accordance with the firms' General Services Administration (GSA) Federal Supply Schedule contracts. The overall estimated value of this BPA is $975,980,000. The four individual agreements are awarded for SAP Public Services Inc. (SAP) commercial-off-the-shelf software; software maintenance support; information technology professional services; and Cloud services in support of DoD ESI and under the direction of Office of Management and Budget Enterprise Software Category Team. The BPA provides for purchase of these products and services by the DoD, U.S. intelligence community, Coast Guard, and the federal government community world-wide. The ordering period will be for a maximum of 10 years from March 12, 2019, through March 11, 2029. This BPA is issued under DoD ESI in accordance with the policy and guidelines in the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement, Section 208.74. This BPA will not obligate funds at the time of award. Funds will be obligated as task orders using operations and maintenance (DoD) funds. Requirements will be competed among the awardees in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation 8.403-3(c)(2), and the successful contractor will receive firm-fixed-price orders. This BPA was competitively procured via the GSA E-Buy website among 679 vendors. Four offers were received and four selected for award. Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity. East Coast Repair and Fabrication LLC,* Norfolk, Virginia, is awarded a not-to-exceed $212,967,725 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) multiple award contract (MAC) for ship repair, maintenance, and modernization of surface combatants (DDG and CG) class ships and amphibious (LSD, LPD and LHD) class ships homeported in Mayport, Florida, under Lot 1. This award was made under rolling admissions of the current IDIQ-MAC Lot 1. This contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $376,964,825. Work will be performed in Mayport, Florida, and is expected to be complete by November 2019. If all options are exercised work is expected to continue through November 2021. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance (Navy) funding in the amount of $10,000 will be obligated at time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities website, with one offer received. The Southeast Regional Maintenance Center, Mayport, Florida, is the contracting activity (N4002719D1001). Raytheon Missile Systems, Tucson, Arizona, is awarded a $97,784,232 cost only modification to previously awarded contract N00024-19-C-5418 for long-lead material in support of fiscal 2019 Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile (ESSM) Block 2 low-rate initial production requirements. The Evolved SEASPARROW Missile (ESSM) program is an international cooperative effort to design, develop, test, and procure ESSM missiles. The ESSM provides enhanced ship defense. Work will be performed in Ontario, Canada (14 percent); Andover, Massachusetts (11 percent); Munich, Germany (11 percent); Edinburgh, Australia (10 percent); San Jose, California (9 percent); Hengelo, Netherlands (8 percent); Madrid, Spain (6 percent); Nogales, Mexico (5 percent); Athens, Greece (5 percent); Aarhus, Denmark (4 percent); Ankara, Turkey (4 percent); West Village, California (4 percent); Cincinnati, Ohio (4 percent); Canton, New York (2 percent); Portland, Oregon (1 percent); Marinha Grande, Portugal (1 percent); and Tampa, Florida (1 percent), and is expected to be completed by March 2023. Non-expiring other funds; fiscal 2019 and 2018 weapons procurement (Navy); and fiscal 2018 and 2017 other procurement (Navy) and funding in the amount of $20,930,156 will be obligated at time of award, and funds in the amount of $26,881 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. BAE Systems Technology Solutions and Services Inc., Rockville, Maryland, is awarded a $93,962,658 firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract to design, procure, integrate, test, train, deliver, and support command, control, communications, computers and intelligence (C4I) systems, information and computer systems, and sensor systems for various platforms, including ships, unmanned aerial systems (UAS), shore installations and ground based systems. Services are in support of Program Executive Office (PEO) Ships, the Naval Sea Systems Command, Naval Air Systems Command, PEO C4I, and other federal agencies. Work will be performed in St. Inigoes, Maryland (35 percent); and various locations throughout the continental U.S. (65 percent), and is expected to be completed in March 2025. No funds will be obligated at time of award; funds will be obligated on individual task orders as they are issued. This contract was competitively procured via an electronic request for proposals; two offers were received. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N00019-19-D-0047). RAM-System, Gesellschaft Mit Beschrankter Haftung, Ottobrunn, Germany, is awarded 81,411,978 Euro and $1,137,479 for firm-fixed-price definitization modification PZ000 to previously undefinitized contract N00024-18-C-5403 for fiscal 2018-2919 German Navy's requirements for Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) MK 49 guided missile launching systems, and associated shipboard hardware and spares. This contract will be funded 100 percent by the Federal Republic of Germany. The RAM MK 31 guided missile weapon system is an international cooperative development, production and in-service program between the U.S. and German governments. The participating governments operate under a series of memorandums of agreement/memorandums of understanding that establish the business principles for program execution along with contracting and financial agreements. RAM is a missile system designed to provide anti-ship missile defense for multiple ship platforms. This contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to 121,271,557 Euro and $29,619,115. Work will be performed in Tucson, Arizona (21 percent); Louisville, Kentucky (21 percent); Ulm, Germany (17 percent); Roethenbach, Germany (16 percent); Schrobenhausen, Germany (16 percent); Ottobrunn, Germany (9 percent); and is expected to be complete by December 2023. German funding in the amount of 61,709,018 Euro and $1,137,479 will be obligated at the time of award and funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured under the exception 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(4), International Agreement. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. Research and Engineering Development LLC, California, Maryland, is awarded a $42,791,557 cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract to provide engineering services in support of the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division Human Systems Department. The Human Systems Department identifies, develops, and implements Human Engineering and Human Systems Integration analysis and design solutions for various Navy and Marine Corps aviation flight and weapon systems, and their associated maintenance and training elements. Work will be performed in Patuxent River, Maryland, and is expected to be completed in March 2022. No funds will be obligated at the time of award. Funds will be obligated on individual orders as they are issued. This contract was competitively procured via an electronic request for proposal; two offers were received. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N00421-19-D-0042). Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is awarded $14,587,657 for modification P00003 to a previously issued firm-fixed-price delivery order (N0001918F2048) placed against basic ordering agreement N00019-14-G-0020. This order procures 62 low-rate initial production Organic Light Emitting Diode Helmet Display Units and spares in support of the F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Aircraft for the Navy and Marine Corps. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas, and is expected to be completed in February 2020. Fiscal 2017 and 2019 aircraft procurement (Navy and Marine Corps) funds in the amount of $14,587,657 will be obligated at time of award, $11,764,239 of which will expire at the end of the fiscal year. This order combines purchases for the Navy ($7,293,829; 50 percent) and Marine Corps ($7,293,828; 50 percent). The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. Wiley Wilson Burns & McDonnell JV, Alexandria, Virginia, is awarded $9,337,864 for firm-fixed-price task order N4008019F4289 under a previously awarded, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (N40080-15-D-0452) for the preparation of a design bid build construction package for the construction of the Wargaming Center at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia. The design bid build construction package consists of full plans, specifications, detailed cost estimate, and other services as requested by the scope of work. The package is to constructs a new wargaming facility, parking structure, and area distributed node facility. The project replaces the Cinder City Switching Station and demolishes eight existing structures in the project area. Work will be performed in Quantico, Virginia, and is expected to be completed by October 2020. Fiscal 2019 military construction, planning and development, contract funds in the amount of $9,337,864 are obligated on this award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. One proposal was received for this task order. Naval Facilities Engineering Command Washington, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. AIR FORCE Scientific Applications Research Associates Inc., Cypress, California, has been awarded a $100,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the Golden Horde Science and Technology demonstration effort. This contract provides for support research and development of emerging munition technologies, as well as integrated weapon demonstrations. The effort is conceptualized as a fast-paced Air Force Research Laboratory-led demonstration project executed under the auspices of the Team Eglin Weapon Consortium. Work will be performed in Cypress, California, and is expected to be complete by December 2021. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition under the Small Business Innovation Research Program. Fiscal 2019 research and development funds in the amount of $15,000,000 are being obligated on the first task order at the time of award. Air Force Research Laboratory, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, is the contracting activity (FA8651-19-D-0072). ARMY Torch Technologies Inc., Huntsville, Alabama, was awarded an $8,815,000 modification (000057) to contract W31P4Q-09-A-0021 for strategic systems engineering, integration, test and analysis. Work will be performed in Huntsville, Alabama, with an estimated completion date of March 17, 2020. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $8,815,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity. *Small business https://dod.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/1788196/

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  May 12, 2020 | International, Land, C4ISR

  COVID Disrupts Network Tests – But Army Presses On

  The Army pushed hard to field-test new tech with real soldiers. Then came the coronavirus. Now the service will have to rely much more on lab testing. By SYDNEY J. FREEDBERG JR.on May 11, 2020 at 5:11 PM WASHINGTON: The Army is taking a calculated risk to field much-needed network upgrades known as Capability Set 21 on time next year. To do that, the service needs to start buying radios, computers, satellite terminals, and much more in bulk this year so it can start fielding them to four combat infantry brigades in early 2021. Many Army weapons programs are staying on schedule because they're still doing digital design work and long-term R&D, much of which can be done online. But Capability Set 21 is so far along that much of its technology was already in field tests with real soldiers — testing that has been badly disrupted by precautions against the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, said Maj. Gen. David Bassett, Program Executive Officer for Command, Control, & Communications – Tactical (PEO-C3T), the Army may have to rely on more testing data from the lab to make up for limited testing in the field. “As soon as we possibly can, we're going to get this back in the hands of soldiers,” Basset told the C4ISRNet online conference last week. “In the meantime, we know an awful lot from the lab-based risk reduction that we've done.” “The risk,” he said, “is pretty manageable.” Risk & Return The field tests done before the pandemic, combined with extensive lab tests, should be enough to prove the technology will work, Bassett said. In fact, the Army already largely decided what technologies to buy for the upgrade package known as Capability Set 21, he said. What it still wanted soldiers to figure out in field tests, he said, was how they would use it in the field. That feedback from those “soldier touchpoints” would help both fine-tune the tech itself and figure out exactly how much to buy of each item – say, single-channel radios versus multi-channel ones — for each unit. Going ahead without all the planned field-testing means the Army will have to make more fixes after the equipment is already fielded, a more laborious, time-consuming, and costly process than fixing it in prototype before going into mass production. It may also mean the Army initially buys more of some kit than its units actually need and less than needed of other items. But CS 21 is a rolling roll-out of new tech to four brigades a year, not a once-and-done big bang, Bassett explained. So if they buy too much X and too little Y for the first brigade or two, he said, they can adjust the amounts in the next buy and redistribute gear among the units as needed. It's important to make clear that the Army's new technologies have already gone through much more hands-on field testing from actual soldiers than any traditional program, and have improved as a result. In the most dramatic example — not from CS 21 itself but a closely related system — blunt feedback from soldiers and quick fixes by engineers led to major improvements in prototype IVAS augmented reality goggles, a militarized Microsoft HoloLens that can now show soldiers everything from live drone feeds to a cross-hairs for targeting their rifle. Doing such “soldier touchpoints” early and often throughout the development process is central to the 20-year-month Army Futures Command's attempt to fix the service's notoriously disfunctional acquisition system. But to stem the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus, the Army – like businesses, schools, and churches around the world – has dramatically cut down on routine activities. “Units are either not training, or they're training with significant control measures put in place – social distancing, protective equipment, and things like that,” said Maj. Gen. Peter Gallagher, head of the Network Cross Functional Team at Army Futures Command. That's disrupted the “access to soldiers and the feedback loop that's been so critical to our efforts.” Nevertheless, the Army feels it has enough data to move ahead. It may also assess that the risk of moving ahead – even it requires some inefficient fixes later – is lower than the risk of leaving combat units with their existing network tech, which is less capable, less secure against hacking and less resilient against physical or electronic attack. 2021 And Beyond Capability Set 21 focuses on the Army's light infantry brigades, which don't have many vehicles to carry heavy-duty equipment, as well as rapidly deployable communications units called Expeditionary Signal Battalions. It includes a significant increase in the number of ground terminals for satellite communications, the generals said, though not quite as many as they'd hoped to be able to afford. It'll be followed by Capability Set 23, focused on medium and heavy mechanized units riding in 20-plus ton 8×8 Strykers and 40-plus-ton tracked vehicles. While units with lots of vehicles can carry much more gear, they also cover much larger distances in a day. That means CS 23 will include much more long-range communications through satellites in Low and Medium Earth Orbit, “which give us significantly more bandwidth at lower latency,” Gallagher said. “In some cases, it's almost having fiber optic cable through a space-based satellite link.” Even with CS 21 still in final testing, the Army's already gotten started on CS 23. It's reviewed over 140 white paper proposals submitted by interested companies in January, held “shark tank” pitch sessions with the most promising prospects in March, and is now negotiating with vendors. An Army slide summing up the systems being issued as part of the Integrated Tactical Network. Note the mix of Commercial Off The Shelf (COTS) and military-unique Program Of Record (POR) technologies. There has been some impact from COVID,” Gallagher said, “[but] we will have all the contracts probably let no later than July.” The chosen technologies will go into prototype testing next year, with a Preliminary Design Review of the whole Capability Set in April and a Critical Design Review in April 2022. Further Capability Set upgrades are planned for every two years indefinitely, each focusing on different key technologies and different parts of the Army. Meanwhile, Bassett's PEO shop is urgently pushing out more of its existing network tech to regular, Reserve, and National Guard troops deployed nationwide to help combat COVID-19, Bassett said. That includes everything from satellite communications links to military software on an Android phone, known as the Android Tactical Assault Kit (ATAK). Originally developed to help troops navigate and coordinate on battlefields, ATAK is now being upgraded to provide public health data like rapid updates on coronavirus cases. “Any soldier that was responding to this COVID crisis that needed network equipment, we wanted them to have a one-stop shop,” Bassett told the conference. “They would come to us and we'd go get it for them.” https://breakingdefense.com/2020/05/covid-disrupts-network-tests-but-army-presses-on