The next tool the Army needs for information advantage

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  March 23, 2022 | International, Land

  Lockheed joins Hanwha team for British artillery competition

  Hanwha is offering its K9A2 howitzer for the British effort likely to attract competition from several rivals.

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  May 6, 2020 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security

  Esper: Flat budget could speed cutting of legacy programs

  By: Aaron Mehta WASHINGTON — If the Pentagon faces tighter budgets in the coming years, departmental planners should look to cut legacy programs first in order to preserve funding for modernization requirements, Defense Secretary Mark Esper told reporters Tuesday. “Frankly, my inclination is not to risk any in the modernization programs; it's to go back and pull out more of the legacy programs,” Esper said in response to a question about what modernization priorities, such as shipbuilding, might be on the table. “We need to move away from legacy [programs] and we need to invest those dollars into the future. We have a lot of legacy programs out there right now. I could pick dozens out from all branches of the services. So that is where I would start,” he continued. “What that would mean is probably accepting some near-term risk, but I think that is something [that has to happen], given the trajectory that we see China is on, and we know where Russia may be going in the coming years. So that is one place where I would begin, but we're going to be working through this course of action.” The secretary also emphasized that he's not going to “risk the strategic deterrent,” reiterating that modernizing America's nuclear capabilities remains the department's top priority. Budgets were already expected to be flat or decline slightly in the coming years before the coronavirus pandemic, which has required the U.S. government to pump trillions of dollars into the economy. Esper said that “tremendous load” is something the department must consider as it plots a budget strategy for fiscal 2022 and beyond. His comments match what the secretary said Monday during an appearance at the Brookings Institution, where he said the spending spree in response to the spread of COVID-19 means the department's ongoing efforts to find internal efficiencies must continue to bear fruit. The department claimed savings of $6.5 billion in FY19 through process reforms and the sale of obsolete equipment, with another $5.7 billion in spending reallocated from legacy programs to modernization priorities. During the Brookings event, Esper noted that the department will “likely need” extra money from Congress if a fourth coronavirus supplemental fund is worked out, in order to help cover costs for medical supplies procured by the Pentagon. At the start of his press event, the secretary used prepared remarks to note that top defense leaders will be appearing at the Senate Armed Services Committee tomorrow to discuss the Federal Communications Commission's decision to allow Ligado to operate in the L-band spectrum, a move long opposed by the department because of concerns it will negatively impact GPS. Esper said the decision “disregards the many objections of industry and the inner agency, grounded in years of hard data and science. Ultimately this will cause harmful interference to the GPS network, jeopardizing our nation's security, prosperity and way of life.” The secretary declined to comment on why the FCC moved ahead with the decision. C4ISRNET, a sister publication of Defense News, has reported the decision came amid political pressure from top Trump administration officials. https://www.defensenews.com/pentagon/2020/05/05/esper-flat-budget-could-speed-cutting-legacy-programs/

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  November 9, 2020 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security

  Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - November 06, 2020

  AIR FORCE Rockwell Collins Inc., Cedar Rapids, Iowa (FA8807-21-C-0005); Interstate Electronics Corp., Anaheim, California (FA8807-21-C-0006); and Raytheon Technologies Inc., El Segundo, California (FA8807-21-C-0007), have collectively been awarded contracts totaling $552,583,932 for a cost-plus-incentive-fee, cost-plus-award-fee contract for Military GPS Users Equipment Miniature Serial Interface Increment 2 Application Specific Integrated Circuit (MGUE Inc 2 MSI ASIC). This contract provides for all activities to design, develop, build, integrate, qualify the MSI receiver card with next generation ASIC to enable production of M-Code-capable GPS receiver products for various service applications identified in the MGUE Inc 2 Capability Development Document and all other user platforms that require secure positioning navigation and timing capability. Work will be performed in Cedar Rapids, Iowa; Anaheim, California; and El Segundo, California, and is expected to be completed by Sept. 30, 2025. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition with offers received. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $32,000,000 are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Space Command, Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles Air Force Base, California, is the contracting activity. Wichita State University, Wichita, Kansas, has been awarded a $13,750,000 cost-reimbursement, additional-work modification (P00005) to contract FA8650-19-C-5212 for research and development. The contract modification adds additional funding to expand various operational spectra (e.g., fighter, bomber, transport, etc.) to explore damage growth behavior representative design details such as wing-to-spar joint that exhibits multiple competing failure modes. Work will be performed in Wichita, Kansas, and is expected to be completed by Nov. 7, 2023. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $13,250,000 are being obligated at the time of award. Total cumulative face value of the contract is $37,250,000. Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity. Millennium Health & Fitness Inc., Scottsdale, Arizona, is awarded a $9,200,000 firm-fixed-price contract for Civilian Health Promotion Services (CHPS). This requirement provides health promotion professionals that will develop, manage, and promote CHPS to all civilian employees in Air Force Materiel Command and Air Mobility Command. The CHPS program may include depending on location, but is not limited to, individual health counseling, group health education classes, telephonic wellness coaching, cardiac risk blood profile (HDL, LDL, cholesterol ratio and glucose), body composition analysis, online health risk appraisal, wellness challenges, and health awareness campaigns. The CHPS is a mobile worksite wellness program. The CHPS health promotion professionals will provide services at twelve staffed Air Force bases (including the CHPS office) and eight un-staffed/visited base locations appropriate for mass screenings and work is expected to be completed by Jan. 31, 2021. This award is the result of a 100% Small Business Set-aside acquisition. Fiscal 2020 operation and maintenance funds in the amount of $1,235,167 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Installation Contracting Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8003-20-C-0004). ARMY Lockheed Martin Corp., Baltimore, Maryland, was awarded an Other Transaction Authority agreement with a ceiling of $339,318,582 for the Mid-Range Capability. Work will be performed in Baltimore, Maryland; Akron, Ohio; Clearwater, Florida; Moorestown, New Jersey; Owego, New York; Syracuse, New York; and Orlando, Florida, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 31, 2023. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation, Army funds in the amount of $57,959,033 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office, Alexandria, Virginia, is the contracting activity (W50RAJ-2-19-0001). InBios International Inc., Seattle, Washington, was awarded a $9,804,306 modification (P00001) to contract W81XWH-20-F-0253 for development, design controls, production and analytical studies and clinical trials for rapid human diagnostic component assays for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARSCoV-2) infection. Work will be performed in Seattle, Washington, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 30, 2022. Fiscal 2010 research, development, test and evaluation, Army funds in the amount of $9,804,306 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity, Fort Detrick, Maryland, is the contracting activity. NAVY Capital Center for Credibility Assessment Corp.,* Dublin, Virginia, is awarded a ceiling-priced $29,233,903 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract to conduct Counter Intelligence Scope Polygraph examinations throughout the U.S. to support the Naval Criminal Investigative Service's Polygraph Services Field Office. The contract includes a five-year ordering period with no options and is expected to be completed by November 2025. Work will be performed at various contractor facilities (95%); and various government facilities (5%) throughout the U.S. in which the percentage of work at each of those locations cannot be determined at this time. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $100,000 will be obligated to fund the contract's minimum amount and funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Individual task orders will be subsequently funded with appropriate fiscal year appropriations at the time of their issuance. This contract was competitively procured with the solicitation posted on Navy Electronic Commerce Online and beta.SAM.gov as a 100 percent 8(a) small business set-aside requirement, with three offers received. Naval Supply Systems Command Fleet Logistics Center Norfolk, Contracting Department, Philadelphia Office, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is the contracting activity (N00189-21-D-Z010). MNDPI Pacific JV, Honolulu, Hawaii, is awarded a firm-fixed-price task order (N6274221F0302) at $25,978,991 under an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for various structural and waterfront projects and other projects at locations under the cognizance of Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAVFAC) Pacific. The work to be performed provides architect-engineer services to conduct a functional analysis concept development and prepare the 35% conceptual submittal of the design-build request for proposal documents (Phase 1), including construction package consisting of project requirements, concept plans, specifications, detailed cost estimate, and other services for the Dry Dock #3 Replacement, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam (JBPHH), Hawaii – Design Phase 1. Work will be performed at JBPHH, Hawaii, and is expected to be completed by December 2021. Fiscal 2020 military construction (design) contract funds in the amount of $25,978,991 are obligated on this award, of which $24,848 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. NAVFAC Pacific, JBPHH, Hawaii, is the contracting activity (N62742-20-D-0004). Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems, Baltimore, Maryland, is awarded a $17,509,022 cost-plus-fixed-fee and cost-only modification to a previously awarded contract (N00024-20-C-5392) to exercise options to provide design agent engineering services for the MK 41 Vertical Launching System (VLS) electronic systems and computer programs. This option exercise is for software design, systems engineering, ship/missile integration services, and depot operations services for the MK 41 VLS module electronics and launch control system. These services include new missile integration into MK 41 VLS including launcher design, launcher integration into new ship classes and the new AEGIS shore based component, Life Cycle Support Facility depot operations, system product improvements, predictability enhancements, reliability enhancements, and failure investigations. Work will be performed in Baltimore, Maryland (35%); Norfolk, Virginia (18%); Seattle, Washington (18%); San Diego, California (18%); and Ventura, California (11%), and is expected to be completed by July 2021. Fiscal 2020 other procurement (Navy) funding in the amount of $2,980,656 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 Navy Yard, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity. Brantley Construction Services LLC,* Charleston, South Carolina, is awarded a firm-fixed-price task order (N6945021F0870) at $16,540,566 under a multiple award construction contract for Destroyer Slip South Quay Wall restoration at Naval Station Mayport. The work to be performed includes replacement of the entire 550-foot wharf quay wall with a new steel sheet pile bulkhead, replacement of the existing fender system and connections to water, electrical, oily waste and sanitary sewer utilities. It also includes the procurement and installation of a pedestrian turnstile and vehicular gate. Work will be performed in Jacksonville, Florida, and is expected to be completed by May 2022. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance, (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $16,540,566 are obligated on this award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Five proposals were received for this task order. The Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command, Southeast, Jacksonville, Florida, is the contracting activity (N69450-19-D-0916). Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is awarded a modification to exercise Option Year One to a previously awarded cost contract (N65236-19-C-8017) in the amount of $10,967,203 for Next-Generation Non-Surgical Neurotechnology (N3). Work will be performed in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and is expected to be completed by May 2022. This modification brings the total cumulative value of the contract to $14,079,282. Fiscal 2020 research, development, testing and evaluation (Department of Defense) funds in the amount of $1,500,000 will be obligated at time of award. Funds will expire at the end of the fiscal year. Naval Information Warfare Center Atlantic, Charleston, South Carolina, is the contracting activity. Innovative Defense Technologies LLC, Arlington, Virginia, was awarded an $8,163,883 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract modification to a previously awarded contract (N00024-20-C-6116) to exercise and fund options for Navy engineering services and material. Work will be performed in Fall River, Massachusetts, and is expected to be completed by December 2021. Fiscal 2021 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funding in the amount of, $1,000,000 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 Navy Yard, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity. (Awarded Nov. 2, 2020) DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Sysco Central Texas Inc., New Braunfels, Texas, has been awarded a maximum $24,858,000 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 356-day bridge contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Texas, with an Oct. 30, 2021, ordering period end date. Using customers are Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2021 defense working capital funds. The contracting agency is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE300-21-D-3308). US Foods Inc., Port Orange, Florida, has been awarded a maximum $22,500,000 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 102-day bridge contract with no option periods. Locations of performance are Florida, Cuba and Bahamas, with a Feb. 18, 2021, ordering period end date. Using military services are Army, Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2021 defense working capital funds. The contracting agency is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE300-21-D-3301). MISSILE DEFENSE AGENCY Lockheed Martin Overseas, Moorestown, New Jersey, is being awarded a $14,252,771 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification (P00031) under the Poland Aegis Ashore Engineering Agent contract. This modification increases the total cumulative contract value by $10,123,968 from $83,536,564, to $93,660,532. Under this modification, the contractor will configure the Poland Aegis Ashore REU Integration Site (POL-AARIS) and perform integration, test, maintenance and upgrades of the Aegis Combat System prior to final installation within the Aegis Ashore Ballistic Missile Defense System. This contract modification contains options which, if exercised, will increase the cumulative value of this contract to $97,789,335. The work will be performed in both Moorestown, New Jersey (15%); and in Redzikowo, Poland (85%), with an expected completion date of Jan. 26, 2022. Procurement defense wide funds in the amount of $9,892,973 (Fiscal 2019: $2,422,418; Fiscal 2020: $7,470,555), are being obligated at the time of award. This contract modification is the result of a sole-source acquisition. The Missile Defense Agency, Dahlgren, Virginia, is the contracting activity (HQ0276-16-C-0001). *Small business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2408669/source/GovDelivery/