July 16, 2018 | International, Land

The Army’s next machine gun could fire caseless ammo — and one of these companies might build it

The replacement for the Army's 5.56mm Squad Automatic Weapon could be an entirely new type of light machine gun that fires not only a different caliber round, but caseless ammunition.

That's because one of the five companies recently awarded contracts to produce a weapon prototype by this time next year has been building weapons to fire that type of ammo for the past 14 years.

A notice posted Thursday included the identities of the five companies:

AAI Corporation Textron Systems in Hunt Valley, Maryland.
FN America LLC.in Columbia, South Carolina.
General Dynamics-OTS Inc.
PCP Tactical, LLC. in Vero Beach, Florida.
Sig Sauer Inc. in Newington, New Hampshire.

The companies were awarded a contract to provide a prototype for the Army's Next Generation Squad Automatic Rifle, or NGSAR. The light machine gun is the first planned major overhaul of small arms in decades.

Based on the notice, it appears that FN America has been granted an award to provide two prototypes, while the other four companies will provide a single prototype.

Those prototypes will help the Army decide what's possible given their extensive requirements for the new weapon. There will then be an open competition following those submissions, where more companies can try to get in on the weapon that will utlimately replace the M249 SAW and influence the M4 replacement, as well.

It is also the first weapon of its type that could mean a dramatic shift in all small arms, with follow-on changes planned for an individual carbine that will likely incorporate the machine gun changes, officials have said.

Current efforts include work on a lighter machine gun that fires a government-designed 6.8mm round, which falls between the lighter 5.56mm and heavier 7.62mm used in heavy machine guns. But submissions can include other calibers, so long as they meet accuracy and lethality requirements for the new weapon, officials have said.

In the Textron release, the company says the prototype will be based on their cased-telescoped weapons and ammunition portfolio. The company has designed both a carbine and light machine gun variant, which have been displayed publicly in recent years.

The NGSAR will be an “intermediate caliber, high-velocity, magazine-fed system,” according to the release. It will weigh less than 12 pounds with ammunition that weighs 20 percent less than the traditional brass case ammo.

The weapon will be at most 35 inches long and be able to fire 60 rounds per minute for 15 minutes without a barrel change.

Accuracy matters too. A shooter must be able to hit standard targets at 50 meters while standing, with three- to five-round bursts at least 70 percent of the time.

The companies also received awards for advanced weapons and fire control technologies, for the Next Generation Squad Weapons Technologies, the umbrella program for advancing small arms, and for the fire control capability.

Wayne Prender, vice president of Applied Technologies & Advanced Programs at Textron Systems, told Army Times Thursday that he couldn't discuss details of their fire control submissions configuration. But he did talk about some of the capabilites they plan to provide.

“We're offering up a solution set, day/night system optics with a laser range finder, integrated ballistic computer for computation of the target,” Prender said.

Last year Textron unveiled a 6.5mm carbine using their ammunition. The NSGW program aims to use an intermediate caliber, likely in the 6mm range, such as their 6.8mm ammunition development.

But Prender said he couldn't discuss details of the caliber submission for the weapon prototype.

Army leaders have said that advancements will come in stages and initial fire controls will be a part of the first fielded system, but that improved fire controls with additional upgrades will be incorporated into the system.

https://www.armytimes.com/news/your-army/2018/07/12/the-armys-next-machine-gun-could-fire-caseless-ammo-and-one-of-these-companies-might-build-it/

On the same subject

June 10, 2020 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security

Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - June 09, 2020
NAVY APTIM Federal Services LLC, Alexandria, Virginia, is awarded a $129,174,167 firm-fixed-price contract for the dismantlement and disposal of the Surface Ship Support Barge, a radiologically controlled Navy support facility. Work will be performed in Mobile, Alabama (65%); Norfolk, Virginia (25%); and Andrews, Texas (10%). This contract will accomplish engineering planning efforts, dismantlement, transport and disposal of the Surface Ship Support Barge. Work is expected to be complete by June 2023. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Navy) funding in the amount of $129,174,167 will be obligated at time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via Beta.Sam.gov website and one offer was received. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity (N00024-20-C-4139). Lockheed Martin Corp., Rotary and Mission Systems, Moorestown, New Jersey, is awarded a $70,165,869 cost-plus-incentive-fee and cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to previously awarded contract N00024-18-C-5103 to exercise Option Year Two in support of Aegis development and test sites operations and maintenance. This contract combines purchases for the Navy (73.4%); and the governments of Japan, Republic of Korea and Norway (26.6%), under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program. Work will be performed in Moorestown, New Jersey. This option exercise is for the continued technical engineering, configuration management, associated equipment/supplies, quality assurance, information assurance and other operations and maintenance efforts required for the Aegis development and test sites. This contract modification will provide continuing site maintenance and planned improvements of the sites for Aegis combat system and Aegis weapon system upgrades to the U.S. Ship Ticonderoga CG-47 and U.S. Ship Arleigh Burke DDG-51 through the completion of Advanced Capability Build 20 and Technology Insertion 16, in addition to Aegis ballistic missile defense and FMS requirements. Work is expected to be complete by June 2021. Fiscal 2016 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funds; FMS Japan, Republic of Korea and Norway funds; 2020 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds; 2020 research, development, test and evaluation funds; 2020 operations and maintenance funds; and fiscal 2020 other procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $24,220,069 will be obligated at time of award. Funding in the amount of $1,886,754 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity. PAE Applied Technologies LLC, Fort Worth, Texas, is awarded a $38,556,254 modification (P00100) to previously awarded cost reimbursable, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract N00421-14-C-0038. This modification exercises an option to extend services and adds hours in support of range engineering, and operations and maintenance for the Atlantic Test Range and Atlantic Targets and Marine Operations. Work will be performed in Patuxent River, Maryland, and is expected to be complete by December 2020. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $1,933,227; fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $1,577,000; fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation (Defense-wide) funds in the amount of $982,810; fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation (Defense-wide) funds in the amount of $110,000; and fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $55,000 will be obligated at the time of award, $3,620,227 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. Nagamine Okawa Engineers Inc.,* Honolulu, Hawaii, is awarded $30,000,000 for an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, architect-engineering contract with a maximum amount of $30,000,000 for architect-engineer services and other projects at various Navy, Marine Corps and other government facilities within the Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC), Hawaii, area of operations. All work on this contract will be performed in, but not limited to Hawaii (95%); and other South Pacific Islands (5%). The work to be performed will provide for architect-engineer services for structural projects with associated multi-discipline architect-engineer support services. The type of design and engineering services expected to be performed under this contract are primarily for request for proposal (RFP) documentation for design-bid-build structural projects with associated multi-discipline, architect-engineering support services for new construction, alteration, repair and installation of mechanical systems and associated facilities. Other design and engineering services may include, but are not limited to, design-build RFP documentation, engineering investigations/concept studies, functional analysis concept development/charrettes and post construction award services. Work is expected to be complete by June 2025. The term of the contract is not to exceed 60 months. No task orders are being issued at this time. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Navy)(O&M, N) contract funds for the minimum guarantee in the amount of $5,000 are obligated on this award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Future task orders will be funded primarily with O&M, N funds. This contract was competitively procured via the Beta.Sam.gov website and two proposals were received. The NAVFAC, Honolulu, Hawaii, is the contracting activity (N62478-20-D-5038). Archer Western Federal JV, Chicago, Illinois, is awarded $26,515,000 for firm-fixed-price task order N69450-20-F-0702 under a multiple award construction contract for the Targeting and Surveillance System facility, Naval Air Station, Jacksonville, Florida. Work will be performed in Jacksonville, Florida, and provides for construction of a new +/- 49,000 square foot Targeting And Surveillance System facility that will accommodate avionics workload, personnel and equipment for the Joint Strike Fighter program. The facility includes areas for engineering and administrative personnel. Work is expected to be complete by November 2022. Fiscal 2020 military construction (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $26,515,000 are obligated on this award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Two proposals were received for this task order. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southeast, Jacksonville, Florida, is the contracting activity (N69450-19-D-0907). General Dynamics NASSCO-Norfolk, Norfolk, Virginia, is awarded a $17,694,948 modification to previously awarded cost-plus award fee and cost-plus-incentive-fee contract N00024-16-C-4306 for the U.S. Ship Harry S Truman (CVN-75) fiscal 2020 extended continuous incremental availability. Work will be performed in Portsmouth, Virginia. An extended continuous incremental availability (ECIA) includes the planning and execution of depot-level maintenance, alterations and modifications that will update and improve the ship's military and technical capabilities. The fiscal 2020 U.S. Ship Harry S. Truman ECIA is comprised of 117 total work items. The nuclear aircraft carrier's (CVN) private sector maintenance addresses the maintenance, repair and modernization efforts for CVN 68 Class home, ported-in and visiting the Hampton Roads, Virginia, area, as well as for selected non-nuclear propulsion plant repairs while coordinating with the Naval Supervising Activity, Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY), to properly integrate their efforts with nuclear propulsion plant work conducted by NNSY. Work is expected to be complete by January 2021. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Navy); and fiscal 2020 other procurement (Navy) funding in the amount of $16,468,117 will be obligated at time of award, and funding in the amount of $17,694,948 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Mid Atlantic Regional Maintenance Center, Norfolk, Virginia, is the administrative contracting activity (N00024-16-C-4306). DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY I-Solutions Direct Inc., doing business as I-Solutions Group, Fort Washington, Pennsylvania, has been awarded a maximum $84,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for commercial metal products. This was a sole-source acquisition using justification 10 U.S. Code 2304 (c)(1), as stated in Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. This is an 18-month bridge contract with no option periods. Locations of performance are Pennsylvania, Arkansas, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas and Wisconsin, with a Dec. 8, 2021, performance completion date. Using military services are Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2022 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE8E5-20-D-0006). Mechanix Wear, Inc.,* Valencia, California, has been awarded a maximum $7,415,000 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for Army combat-capacitive gloves. This was a competitive acquisition with six responses received. This is a one-year base contract with three one-year option periods. Locations of performance are California and Rhode Island, with a June 8, 2021, ordering period end date. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2021 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE1C1-20-D-1209). DEFENSE ADVANCED RESEARCH PROJECTS AGENCY SA Photonics Inc.,* Los Gatos, California, has been awarded a $16,361,123 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for the Blackjack Track A (Payload) Phases 2 and 3 program. Work will be performed in Los Gatos, California (89%); and Redwood City, California (11%), with an estimated completion date of March 2021. Fiscal 2020 research and development funds in the amount of $16,130,000 are being obligated at the time of award. This contract is a competitive acquisition in accordance with the original broad agency announcement, HR001118S0032. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting activity (HR001120C0095). DEFENSE HEALTH AGENCY Kreative Technologies LLC, Fairfax, Virginia, was awarded a firm-fixed-price contract in the amount of $9,996,142 for enterprise information management (EIM) support. This contract provides non-personal services for operations, sustainment and engineering support of work-flows and capabilities utilizing agile methodology that will incorporate a more efficient and streamlined process to identify, develop and deploy system updates resulting in improved user experience, system performance and system availability. The contractor will also provide system administration and user support associated with software operation and maintenance, provide Tier III application and system support remotely, and provide "tiger team" on-site support as needed. The contract scope also includes the EIM sustainment and updates of non-production environments. The contract has a period of performance for 12 months and a transition out period for three months. The contract was awarded through the Small Business Administration 8(a) Business Development Program. The place of performance is Falls Church, Virginia. The Defense Health Agency, Enterprise Medical Services Contracting Division, Joint Base San Antonio, Texas, is the contracting activity (HT001520F0024). *Small Business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2213629/source/GovDelivery/
April 7, 2020 | International, Aerospace

How Will Coronavirus Change The Aftermarket?
Alex Derber If the ongoing corona-crisis does effect a structural shift in the air transport market, both the production and aftermarket sectors will have to adjust. Much has been made of aviation's ability to weather previous external shocks such as 9/11, SARS and the financial crash, but the present upheaval is likely to outdo all others in its severity, and there is a good chance we won't see demand bounce back as quickly as in the past. In fact, the best comparison may not be with other external shocks at all, but rather with the profound impact that low-cost carriers (LCCs) had upon the established airline sector. Granted, this occurred region by region on a rolling basis over many years, rather than as a discrete global event like coronavirus, but the demand hit to full-service short- and medium-haul operations was huge. The LCCs also prompted significant changes in the MRO market, including: a move away from letter checks to more flexible maintenance programs; a rise in outsourcing and full-service maintenance contracts; and consolidation as larger MRO providers sought to enhance their nose-to-tail capabilities. So, what further changes might be wrought by the present crisis? Much will depend on the extent of the disruption and the demand profile thereafter, but certain tentative predictions can be made. For example: many airlines will probably fail; the survivors will emerge as smaller operations; many older aircraft will retire earlier; and business travel may never recover its pre-crisis highs. For the aftermarket this may mean: more competition for contracts and a need to find greater cost efficiencies; a greater focus on new-technology inspection, testing and repair capabilities, such as for carbon fiber and the latest engines; and a trend towards simpler cabins. Also a fair bet, of course, is that the most significant ramifications of coronavirus for the aftermarket are ones that almost no-one is considering currently. For an in-depth look at the factors that have shaped the MRO market to this point, see the next Inside MRO. https://aviationweek.com/mro/how-will-coronavirus-change-aftermarket
October 19, 2020 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security, Other Defence

Contract Awards by US Department of Defense – October 16, 2020
U.S. SPECIAL OPERATIONS COMMAND Barbaricum LLC, Washington, D.C. (H92401-21-D-0001); iGov Technologies Inc., Reston, Virginia (H92401-21-D-0002); and NexTech Solutions LLC, Orange Park, Florida (H92401-21-D-0003), were awarded three indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contracts with a maximum combined ceiling of $780,000,000 under the Targeted Requirement Execution multiple award contract for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance related equipment solutions as well as related incidental development and/or other services in the following four categories: system integration, hardware and modifications, specialized communications solutions, and networks and signal processing capabilities. Fiscal 2020 procurement funds in the amount of $2,500 are being obligated for each contract at the time of award. The majority of the work will be performed at the contractors' facilities and is expected to be completed by October 2025. The contracts were competitively awarded using Federal Acquisition Regulation Part 15 procedures. U.S. Special Operations Command, Tampa, Florida, is the contracting activity. ARMY Navistar Defense, Melrose Park, Illinois, was awarded a $44,817,631 modification (P00013) to contract W56HZV-15-D-0037 for technical support services for Mine Resistant Ambush Protected MaxxPro family of vehicles. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of March 31, 2023. Army Contracting Command, Detroit Arsenal, Michigan, is the contracting activity is the contracting activity. NAVY BAE Systems Land & Armaments L.P., Armament Systems Division, Louisville, Kentucky, is being awarded a $33,673,319 firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to previously awarded contract N00174-19-C-0004 for two overhauled/upgraded MK45 Mod 4 gun mounts, and their associated components, to include Mk63 Mod 1 weather shields, Mod 4 manufacture kits, and Mod 0 gun barrels. Work will be performed in Louisville, Kentucky, and is expected to be completed by October 2025. Fiscal 2020 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funding in the amount of $33,673,319 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Indian Head Division, Indian Head, Maryland, is the contracting activity. General Dynamics Electric Boat Corp., Groton, Connecticut, is awarded a $25,053,891 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to previously awarded contract N00024-20-C-2120 for additional fiscal 2021 development studies and design efforts for Virginia-class submarines. Work will be performed in McLeansville, North Carolina, and is expected to be completed by September 2021. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funding in the amount of $15,000,000 will be obligated at time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity. *Small business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2385079/

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