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March 18, 2022 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security

The Defense Department Is a Bad Customer. Let’s Change That.

Two active duty officers spent time at tech firms. Here’s what they learned.

https://www.defenseone.com/ideas/2022/03/defense-department-bad-customer-lets-change/363149/

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  • Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - June 26, 2020

    June 29, 2020 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security

    Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - June 26, 2020

    MISSILE DEFENSE AGENCY Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems, Woburn, Massachusetts, is being awarded a sole-source contract in the amount of $2,271,181,543 under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). The contract type will be a hybrid firm-fixed-price, fixed-price-incentive-fee, cost-plus-award-fee and cost-plus-incentive-fee contract. Under this production contract, the contractor will provide seven Army/Navy Transportable Surveillance and Control Model 2 radars, radar spares, obsolescence design, sustainment services and initial contractor logistics support for KSA. The work will be performed in Woburn, Massachusetts. The performance period is June 26, 2020, to Aug. 31, 2027. KSA FMS funds in the amount of $2,271,181,543 will be used to fund this effort. The Missile Defense Agency, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity (HQ0862-20-C-0002). AIR FORCE L3 Technologies Inc., Arlington, Texas, has been awarded a $900,000,000 ceiling, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for simulator common architecture requirements and standards (SCARS). This contract provides for the definition, design, delivery, deployment and sustainment of a simulator common architecture across the Air Force's training portfolio, along with the creation of a security operations center and library and the execution of SCARS management services. The SCARS initiative will also incrementally implement a modular open systems approach, as well as a set of common standards for Air Force simulators. The primary location of performance is Orlando, Florida. SCARS has a 10-year ordering period through June 2030. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition and six offers were received. Fiscal 2020 other procurement funds in the amount of $1,216,598; and fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $14,278,992 are being obligated under the first task order. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8621-20-D-0013). Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Azusa, California, has been awarded a $222,507,873 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for the Defense Support Program (DSP) Operations, Mission Threat Analysis and Engineering Sustainment (DOMES). This contract provides on-orbit satellite and anomaly resolution support, root cause analysis, mission threat analysis, mission test bed and space awareness and global exploitation as key components of the lifetime extension of the DSP. Work will be performed in Azusa, California; Redondo Beach, California; Aurora, Colorado; and Colorado Springs, Colorado, and is expected to be completed March 31, 2030. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $18,000,000 is being obligated at the time of award. Space and Missile Systems Center, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado, is the contracting activity (FA8823-20-C-0002). VectorCSP LLC, Elizabeth City, North Carolina, has been awarded a $16,286,599 firm-fixed-price contract for Combat Air Force (CAF) Fighter Squadron (FS), U.S. Air Force Warfare Center (USAFWC) and Air Support Operations Squadron (ASOS) support services to Air Combat Command. This contract provides in-garrison active fighter squadron's functional support for typical additional duties assigned to squadron personnel, such as operations scheduling, training, standards and evaluations, weapons and tactics, mobility, non-aviation programs and readiness, equipment managers and armorer support. Work will be performed at various locations throughout USAFWCs, ASOSs and CAFs in the U.S., and is expected to be completed June 25, 2025. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition and seven offers were received. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $8,920,289 are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Management and Integration Center, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia, is the contracting activity (FA4890-20-F-0048). Apogee Research LLC,* Arlington, Virginia, has been awarded a $13,398,315 cost-plus-fixed-fee completion type contract for SymLang, an invariant driven approach to software via symmetries and software. The objective of this effort includes developing novel software systems that enable automated adaptation of the resulting software system to radical changes in requirements and computational environments. SymLang, new programming language and its associated toolchain will allow for the rapid development and adaption of code that is efficient at run-time over a wide range of operating conditions. Work will be performed in Arlington, Virginia; Menlo Park, California; and Medford, Massachusetts, and is expected to be completed by June 26, 2024. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition and 20 offers were received. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $766,404 are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Research Laboratory, Rome, New York, is the contracting activity (FA8750-20-C-0520). GrammaTech Inc.,* Ithaca, New York, has been awarded a $12,220,510 cost-plus-fixed-fee completion contract for Artemis Framework prototype software. This contract provides for research, design, development, demonstration, test, integration and delivery of the Artemis Framework that will enable rapid adaptation of software to changes in requirements, platforms and computational resources at a scale and speed appropriate for the complex software ecosystem. Work will be performed in Ithaca, New York, and is expected to be completed June 26, 2024. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition and 20 offers were received. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $750, 818 are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Research Laboratory, Rome, New York, is the contracting activity (FA8750-20-C-0208). Raytheon Technologies, Woburn, Massachusetts, has been awarded a $9,223,822, firm-fixed-price modification (P00052) to contract FA8730-17-C-0010 for the Qatar Early Warning Radar (QEWR). This modification is for the construction of the communications infrastructure at the QEWR site. Work will be performed in Woburn, Massachusetts; and Qatar, and is expected to be completed by December 2020. The modification brings the total cumulative face value of the contract to $1,117,574,971. This modification involves 100% Foreign Military Sales (FMS) to the country of Qatar. FMS funds in the amount of $9,223,822 are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts, is the contracting activity. ARMY JCB Inc., Pooler, Georgia, was awarded a $269,425,883 firm-fixed-price contract for electric over hydraulic High Mobility Engineer Excavators, related hardware and ancillary services. 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 June 23, 2028. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Detroit Arsenal, Michigan, is the contracting activity (W56HZV-20-D-0084). GM Defense LLC, Detroit, Michigan, was awarded a $214,297,869 firm-fixed-price contract for acquisition of the Infantry Squad Vehicle, installation kits, ancillary hardware and logistical support. 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 June 24, 2028. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Detroit Arsenal, Michigan, is the contracting activity (W56HZV-20-D-0066). Walsh Federal LLC, Chicago, Illinois, was awarded a $38,027,000 firm-fixed-price contract for construction of an information system facility at Joint Base Lewis-McChord. Bids were solicited via the internet with two received. Work will be performed in Tacoma, Washington, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 31, 2022. Fiscal 2020 military construction (Army) funds in the amount of $38,027,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Seattle, Washington, is the contracting activity (W912DW-20-C-0007). KT Consulting, Phoenix, Arizona, was awarded a $12,235,930 firm-fixed-price contract for logistics research and analytic support. Bids were solicited via the internet with two received. Work will be performed in Washington, D.C., with an estimated completion date of Aug. 3, 2025. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Army) funds in the amount of $6,142,964 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois, is the contracting activity (W52P1J-20-F-0465). GM Defense LLC, Detroit, Michigan, was awarded an $8,580,666 firm-fixed-price contract for initial delivery of Infantry Squad Vehicles and integrated product support. 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 June 24, 2021. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Detroit Arsenal, Michigan, is the contracting activity (W56HZV-20-D-0066). MCR Federal LLC, McLean, Virginia, was awarded an $8,579,438 modification (000127) to contract W31P4Q-16-A-0016 for technical engineering services in support of the Fixed Wing Project Office. Work will be performed in Huntsville, Alabama, with an estimated completion date of July 28, 2021. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Army) funds; and 2018 aircraft procurement (Army) funds in the amount of $8,579,438 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity. Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., McLean, Virginia, was awarded an $8,440,579 modification (P00019) to contract W15QKN-17-F-0006 to accelerate enhancements to the identity, credential and access management system, as well as continuation of the Army Knowledge Online enterprise services modernization. Bids were solicited via the internet with two received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of March 26, 2021. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Newark, New Jersey, is the contracting activity. Aerovironment,* Monrovia, California, was awarded a $7,596,820 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to exercise an option for repair, maintenance, training, flight support and field service representatives. Work will be performed in Simi Valley, California, with an estimated completion date of March 31, 2021. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Army) funds in the amount of $7,596,819 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity (W31P4Q-17-C-0171). NAVY Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine, is awarded a $132,000,000 cost modification to previously awarded contract N00024-18-C-2305 to fund capital expenditure projects for shipbuilder and supplier industrial base efforts in support of the USS Arleigh Burke DDG-51 class destroyer program. This modification will fund shipbuilder and supplier base efforts to address supply chain fragility and to ensure future readiness for the fleet. Work will be performed in Bath, Maine, and is expected to be completed by June 2028. Fiscal 2013, fiscal 2018 and fiscal 2020 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funds in the amount of $132,000,000 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, D.C., is the contracting activity. Didlake Inc., Manassas, Virginia, is awarded a $62,116,404 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for annual custodial services at Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNS) and annexes; the Portsmouth and Little Creek site; and the Naval Amphibious Base (NAB) Little Creek-Fort Story. Work will be performed in Virginia Beach, Virginia (75%); and Portsmouth, Virginia (25%). The work to be performed provides for annual custodial services, but is not limited to all management, supervision, tools, materials, supplies, labor and transportation services. They are necessary to perform custodial services for office space, restrooms and other types of rooms at the NNS and annexes, Portsmouth and Little Creek site and NAB Little Creek-Fort Story. Work is expected to be completed by June 2025. No funds will be obligated at time of award. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $12,128,835 for recurring and non-recurring work will be obligated on individual task orders issued during the base period. This contract was procured as a sole-source AbilityOne requirement. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Mid-Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N40085-20-D-0055). Huntington Ingalls Inc., Pascagoula, Mississippi, is awarded a $62,000,000 cost modification to previously awarded contract N00024-18-C-2307 to fund capital expenditure projects for shipbuilding supplier industrial base efforts in support of the Arleigh Burke DDG 51 class destroyer program. This modification will fund supplier base efforts to address supply chain fragility that ensures future readiness for the fleet. Work will be performed in Pascagoula, Mississippi, and is expected to be completed by April 2029. Fiscal 2013 and fiscal 2014 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funding in the amount of $62,000,000 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, D.C., is the contracting activity. Baldi Bros Inc.,* Beaumont, California, is awarded a $50,630,423 firm-fixed-price task order N62473-20-F-4817 under a multiple award construction contract for the construction of a runway and taxiway extension at the Naval Air Weapons Station, China Lake, California. Work will be performed in Ridgecrest, California. The work to be performed provides for the construction of extending and widening of Runway 08/26, the construction of Taxiway H and two aircraft arrestor systems, the installation of taxiway lighting on Runway 03/21 and the storm drainage to support the runway and other incidental related work. The runway and taxiway extension project includes, but is not limited to demolition, earthwork, provide drainage, paving, arresting gear, two concrete pads, lighting, airfield signage, power circuitry and control circuitry. Work also provides temporary construction that includes a temporary water line, jersey barriers and access roadwork. Work is expected to be completed by April 2022. Fiscal 2020 military construction (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $50,630,423 are obligated on this award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Three proposals were received for this task order. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southwest, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity (N62473-19-D-2438). Huntington Ingalls Inc., Newport News, Virginia, is awarded a $22,791,081 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to previously awarded contract N00024-18-C-4314 for the USS Boise (SSN 764) Smart Start that encompasses continued advance planning, execution services, production and availability preparations for fiscal 2020 USS Boise engineered overhaul. This contract modification includes options, which if exercised, will bring the cumulative value of this action to $22,999,003. Work will be performed in Newport News, Virginia. The contracted requirements also include continued advance planning, execution services, production and availability preparations necessary to repair and maintain unrestricted operation of the submarine. It also includes upgrades and modernization efforts required to ensure the submarine is operating at full technical capacity as defined in the availability work package during the chief of naval operation's scheduled availability. Work is expected to be completed by September 2020. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funding in the amount of $22,791,081 will be obligated at time of award, and funding in the amount of $22,791,081 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity. Embree Machine Inc.,* Springville, Indiana (N00164-20-D-JN88); J&R Tool Inc.,* Loogootee, Indiana (N00164-20-D-JN89); Loughmiller Machine, Tool & Die,* Loogootee, Indiana (N00164-20-D-JN90); MSP Aviation Inc.,* Bloomington, Indiana (N00164-20-D-JN91); Specialty CNC Inc.,* Bloomington, Indiana (N00164-20-D-JN92); and United Support Solutions – LMT Inc.,* Cedar Grove, New Jersey (N00164-20-D-JN93), are awarded a $17,500,000 five-year, firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, multiple award contracts for build-to-print machined parts for military projects. These contracts includes options which may bring the cumulative value of each contract to $35,000,000, if exercised. Work will be performed at various locations across the U.S. based on each individual task order. These build-to-print machined parts are used for military projects including, but not limited to, the fixed forward firing weapons and interface unit automatic processor systems that are utilized on the MH-60R Seahawk and MH-60S Knighthawk helicopters. Work is expected to be completed by June 2025, or June 2030 if all options are exercised. Working capital funding of a $3,000 minimum contractual award for each vendor ($18,000 total) will be obligated at the time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract were competitively procured via the beta.SAM.gov website and 11 offers were received. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division, Crane, Indiana, is the contracting activity. Poole Fire Protection Inc.,* Olathe, Kansas, is awarded an $10,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity architect-engineer contract for architect-engineer services for fire protection testing, inspection, studies and surveys at various locations in all areas under the cognizance of Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Pacific. No task orders are being issued at this time. Work will be performed at various Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force and other government facilities within the NAVFAC Pacific area of operations including, but not limited to Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands (40%); Japan (40%); Australia (10%); and Diego Garcia (10%). The work to be performed provides for the following services final acceptance testing and inspection of all types of installed fire protection systems, fire protection and life safety studies, surveys and water flow testing. The term of the contract is not to exceed 60 months and work is expected to be complete by June 2025. Fiscal 2018 military construction (MILCON) (planning and design) contract funds in the amount of $10,000 are obligated on this award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Future task orders will be primarily funded by MILCON (planning and design). This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website and four proposals were received. The NAVFAC Pacific, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, is the contracting activity (N62742-20-D-0005). DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY U.S. Foods Inc., Port Orange, Florida, has been awarded a maximum $28,710,000 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment, indefinite-quantity contract for full-line food distribution. 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 a 262-day bridge contract with no option periods. Locations of performance are Florida; Cuba; and the Bahamas, with a Nov. 8, 2020, ordering period end date. Using military services are Army, Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 and 2021 defense working capital funds. The contracting agency is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE300-20-D-3279). Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Melbourne, Florida, has been awarded a not-to-exceed $26,696,992 undefinitized delivery order (SPRPA1-20-F-M40H) against a five-year basic ordering agreement (SPE4A1-16-G-003Z) for aircraft rotodomes. 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 a five-year nine-month contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Florida, with a March 31, 2026, performance completion date. Using military service is Navy. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 Navy working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Merchants Foodservice, Hattiesburg, Mississippi, has been awarded a maximum $16,160,350 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment, indefinite-quantity contract for full-line food distribution. 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 a 241-day bridge contract with no option periods. Locations of performance are Louisiana and Mississippi, with a Feb. 21, 2021, ordering period end date. Using military services are Army, Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2021 defense working capital funds. The contracting agency is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE300-20-D-3280). Fort Riley Utility Services Inc., Fort Riley, Kansas, has been awarded a maximum $9,461,376 modification (P00026) to a 50-year contract (SP0600-17-C-8328), with no option periods for water and wastewater utility services at Fort Riley, Kansas. This is a fixed-priced with economic-price-adjustment contract. This modification increases the obligated value from $33,267,059 to $34,393,260. Locations of performance are Kansas and California, with a June 30, 2068, performance completion date. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2018 through 2068 Army operations and maintenance funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Energy, Fort Belvoir, Virginia. International Business Machines Corp., Reston, Virginia, has been awarded a maximum $7,635,577 modification (P00005) exercising the second one-year option period of a one-year base contract (SP4701-18-C-0048) with four one-year option periods for technical and functional services for the Defense Agencies Initiative. This is a firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-incentive-fee contract. Locations of performance are Virginia and other areas in the continental U.S., with a July 31, 2021, performance completion date. Using customer is Defense Logistics Agency. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2021 operations and maintenance funds; and research, development, test and evaluation funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Contracting Services Office, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. American Water Operations and Maintenance LLC, Camden, New Jersey, has been awarded a $15,943,623 modification (P00161) to a 50-year contract (SP0600-08-C-8250) with no options periods for the ownership, operation and maintenance of water and wastewater utility systems at Fort Hood, Texas. This is a fixed‐price with prospective-price-redetermination contract. Locations of performance are New Jersey and Texas, with a Jan. 8, 2059, performance completion date. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2059 Army operations and maintenance funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Energy, Fort Belvoir, Virginia. (Awarded June 23, 2020) U.S. SPECIAL OPERATIONS COMMAND Arcticom LLC, Anchorage, Alaska, was awarded an $18,772,155 maximum single award “C” type contract (H92240-20-C-0004) with options included to extend services in support of Naval Special Warfare Command (NSWC) enterprise requirements for NSW Preparatory Course training and support services. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $3,329,539 are being obligated at the time of award. The work will be performed in Great Lakes, Illinois, and may continue through fiscal 2026 if all options are exercised. The contract was awarded competitively using Federal Acquisition Regulation Part 15 procedures with eight proposals received. NSWC, Coronado, California, is the contracting activity. *Small Business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2234393/source/GovDelivery/

  • Canadian satellites vulnerable to cyberattack, internal Defence note warns

    October 25, 2018 | International, C4ISR

    Canadian satellites vulnerable to cyberattack, internal Defence note warns

    Jim Bronskill / The Canadian Press OTTAWA — Satellites vital to Canadian military operations are vulnerable to cyberattack or even a direct missile strike — just one example of why the country's defence policy must extend fully into the burgeoning space frontier, an internal Defence Department note warns. The Canadian military already heavily depends on space-based assets for basic tasks such as navigation, positioning, intelligence-gathering, surveillance and communications. Canada is also working on the next generation of satellites to assist with search-and-rescue and round-the-clock surveillance of maritime approaches to the country, including the Arctic. But those important roles could be endangered as technological advances and lower costs allow more countries, including adversaries, to cause trouble in orbit. Powers such as China and Russia are developing the ability to wage technological attacks in space, the note points out. "Easier access could also open the door to non-state actors or to failed states with nothing to lose from disrupting space." Canada's new defence policy underscores the importance of space, creating a need for "innovative investment" to ensure National Defence has the tools and know-how to fend off threats, the internal document adds. A copy of the note, Space Technology Trends: Threats and Opportunities, was recently obtained by The Canadian Press through the Access to Information Act. Several sensitive passages were stripped from the note, prepared last November for the deputy minister of National Defence. In a statement, the department called the intention to protect and defend military space technology a "very important change" in the new policy. "What 'defending and protecting' these assets means in practice will evolve, as technology and international discussions mature." Despite public perception, the militarization of space actually happened decades ago, said Dave Perry, vice-president and senior analyst at the Canadian Global Affairs Institute. "Militaries the world over depend on an extraordinary amount of infrastructure that's space-based, even if there are no physical weapons in space," he said in an interview. "Space is well-emerged, but we keep calling it emerging." Even so, the internal note points out space is becoming ever more congested due to the advent of commercial space companies and the dawn of space tourism. "In addition, more and more nations are becoming space-capable and will expect their share of access to space." The most direct threat to Canada's space capabilities comes from adversaries with the ability to attack satellites, the note bluntly states. China, for example, has demonstrated the ability to destroy one of its aging low-orbit weather satellites with a ballistic missile, creating plenty of space debris. Other possible tactics include a directed energy attack, electronic jamming or a cyberattack, which can temporarily or permanently disable a satellite, the note adds. It says Canada is working with the U.S. and other allies on the idea of being able to quickly dispatch replacements for critical space assets that are damaged or destroyed. As artificial intelligence becomes more prevalent in operating space technology, such as a robotic arm, it will be easier for a hostile player to sabotage it, Perry said. "If you can figure out a way to affect the software, then that's a potential vulnerability. Whereas before you would have (needed to fly) someone there, and actually put them on the piece of equipment, to be able to do something." High-resolution images of the Earth captured by space satellites, once exclusive to the military, have become increasingly available to other government agencies, companies, the public and hostile players — essentially "whomever is willing to pay," the note says. The accessibility of this data and the ability to link it with other sources, such as social media, "will present immense challenges" to privacy and public safety. As space-based sensing and communication technologies rapidly improve, they become capable of scooping up more information, creating another headache for the military, the note says. "The challenge of collecting, handling, storing, processing and accessing this data will become more and more severe as the data volume, velocity and variety continues to increase." — Follow @JimBronskill on Twitter https://www.richmond-news.com/canadian-satellites-vulnerable-to-cyberattack-internal-defence-note-warns-1.23474192

  • The Air Force’s KC-46 tanker has another serious technical deficiency, and Boeing is stuck paying for it

    April 1, 2020 | International, Aerospace

    The Air Force’s KC-46 tanker has another serious technical deficiency, and Boeing is stuck paying for it

    By: Valerie Insinna WASHINGTON — The Air Force on Monday logged another critical technical flaw for the KC-46 tanker, this time revolving around excessive fuel leaks. Under its contract with the service, KC-46 manufacturer Boeing is responsible for paying for a fix to the problem, Air Force spokeswoman Capt. Cara Bousie said in a statement. “The Air Force and Boeing are working together to determine the root cause and implement corrective actions,” she said. “The KC-46 program office continues to monitor the entire KC-46 fleet and is enhancing acceptance testing of the fuel system to identify potential leaks at the factory where they can be repaired prior to delivery.” The problem was first discovered in July 2019, but the Air Force did not say why the issue had been escalated to Category 1 status — the designation given to problems with a significant impact on operations or safety. The service also did not immediately comment on questions about what sort of receiver aircraft were most involved with the deficiency or the severity of the problem. A Boeing spokesman said that the Air Force had discovered 16 aircraft in need of repair, and that seven have already been fixed. “The KC-46 fuel system is equipped with redundant protection for fuel containment. In some cases with this issue, aircraft maintenance crews are finding fuel between the primary and secondary fuel protection barriers within the system,” the company said in a statement. Boeing is working with “utmost urgency” to address the problem and implement a fix to the remaining aircraft, the statement said. A Boeing spokesman added it would take about 10 days to retrofit each aircraft at the rapid response depot facility in San Antonio, Texas. The fix was also being incorporated into production line in Everett, Wash., which is currently undergoing a temporary suspension due to COVID-19. The latest Category 1 deficiency brings the total up to four: The tanker's remote vision system or RVS — the camera system that allows KC-46 boom operators to steer the boom into a receiver aircraft without having to look out a window and use visual cues — provides imagery in certain lighting conditions that appears warped or misleading. Boeing has agreed to pay for potentially extensive hardware and software fixes, but the Air Force believes it will system won't be fully functional until 2023-2024. The Air Force has recorded instances of the boom scraping against the airframe of receiver aircraft. Boeing and the Air Force believe this problem is a symptom of the RVS's acuity problems and will be eliminated once the camera system is fixed. Boeing must redesign the boom to accommodate the A-10, which currently does not generate the thrust necessary to push into the boom for refueling. This problem is a requirements change by the Air Force, which approved Boeing's design in 2016. Last year, Boeing received a $55.5 million contract to begin work on the new boom actuator. Boeing's fixed-priced firm contract for the development of the KC-46 has a $4.9 billion ceiling that leaves the company responsible for any expenses billed in excess of that amount. So far, the company has paid more than $3.5 billion of its own money to fund corrections to ongoing technical issues. https://www.defensenews.com/air/2020/03/31/the-air-forces-kc-46-tanker-has-another-serious-technical-deficiency-and-boeing-is-stuck-paying-for-it/

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