May 8, 2019 | International, Naval

The US Navy is eyeing a big change to its new stealth destroyers

NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. — The U.S. Navy is considering a significant change to its new stealth destroyers, one driven by the change of mission announced in last year's budget documents, the head of the program said May 7 at the Sea-Air-Space conference.

The service has been struggling to find a use for the ship's advanced gun system — the largest of its type fielded by the service since World War II — and now is considering stripping them off the platform entirely, said Capt. Kevin Smith, the DDG-1000 program manager at Program Executive Officer Ships.

The Navy sidelined the guns after the service truncated the buy to just three ships, and after the ammunition, called the Long-Range Land-Attack Projectile, ballooned in price to more than $800,000 per round.

"The guns are in layup,” Smith said. “We're waiting for that bullet to come around that will give us the most range possible. But given that that is offensive surface strike, we're going to look at other capabilities potentially that we could use in that volume.”

The ships shifted missions from land attack to ship-hunting and -killing last year. The Navy is integrating the SM-6 missile, which has a surface-attack mode, and are integrating the maritime strike Tomahawk to fill out the new capabilities.

In April testimony, the Navy's top requirements officer, Vice Adm. William Merz, told Congress that the slow development of the Advanced Gun System was holding back the Zumwalt.

“Even at the high cost, we still weren't really getting what we had asked for,” he said. “So what we've elected to do is to separate the gun effort from the ship effort because we really got to the point where now we're holding up the ship.”

The Navy has touted the ship's excess space, weight, power and cooling as advantages the service would want throughout the ship's life. Everything from directed energy and electromagnetic rail guns to electronic warfare equipment has been floated as add-ons to the Zumwalt-class destroyers.

The Navy got in its present pickle with the 155mm/.62-caliber gun with automated magazine and handling system because the service cut the buy from 28 ships, to seven, and finally to three.

The AGS was developed specifically for the Zumwalt class, as was the LRLAP round it was intended to shoot. There was no backup plan, so when the buy went from 28 to three, the costs remained static, driving the price of the rounds through the roof.

The program itself is coming along, said Smith.

The Zumwalt is going through trials as its combat system installation wraps up; the Michael Monsoor is heading into the yards for its combat system installation; and the Lyndon B. Johnson is nearly 85 percent complete.

The remaining work on Johnson involves running cables, painting spaces and otherwise putting the finishing touches on the ship. The ship will then leave Bath, Maine, and head toward its home port of San Diego, California.

“We're going to energize high voltage in September, lighting off the generators in the spring, then we'll be going to test and activation for the [hull, mechanical and electrical systems], trials in the fall, then delivery.”

https://www.defensenews.com/digital-show-dailies/navy-league/2019/05/07/the-us-navy-is-eyeing-a-big-change-to-its-new-stealth-destroyers

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February 13, 2019 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security, Other Defence

Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - February 11, 2019
NAVY Lockheed Martin Corp., Rotary and Mission Systems, Moorestown, New Jersey, is awarded a $211,996,197 cost-plus-incentive-fee, cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to previously-awarded contract N00024-18-C-5105 for incorporation of remaining Baseline J7 scope for new-construction DDG Aegis Weapon System J7 Baseline development and integration in support of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF). This modification will provide for continued JMSDF Aegis Combat System J7 Baseline development and integration. These efforts include full operational capability at the development test sites, execution of J7 Baseline development and integration activities, integration of Japanese domestic ship systems, in-country integrated test team support and provision of technical manuals, logistics and staging activities. Work will be performed in Moorestown, New Jersey (73 percent); Yokohama, Japan (11 percent); Mount Laurel, New Jersey (6 percent); Kawasaki, Japan (3 percent); Nasu, Japan (3 percent); Nagoya, Japan (2 percent); Tokyo, Japan (1 percent); and Washington, District of Columbia (1 percent), and is expected to be completed by October 2021. Foreign Military Sales funding in the amount of $211,996,197 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. The Raytheon Co., El Segundo, California, is awarded an $88,443,303 cost-plus-fixed-fee indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the modification and upgrade of the sensor system software and hardware for the F/A-18/EA-18G aircraft to incorporate updates, improvements, and enhancements of tactical capabilities. Services to be provided include technical support for hardware and software anomaly investigation, design, development, documentation, integration, test, and evaluation of systems and support equipment. Work will be performed in El Segundo, California, and is expected to be completed in February 2024. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $1,399,824 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. The Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division, China Lake, California, is the contracting activity (N6893619D0001). Amee Bay LLC,* Hanahan, South Carolina (N64498-19-D-4013); Aviation Maritime Support Services LLC,* Chesapeake, Virginia (N64498-19-D-4014); and Thermcor Inc.,* Norfolk, Virginia (N64498-19-D-4015), were each awarded a cost-plus-fixed fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite quantity multiple award contract with firm-fixed-priced ordering provisions for engineering and technical services to support the Naval Surface Warfare Center Philadelphia Division's (NSWCPD) Hull, Mechanical and Electrical (HM&E) modernization programs. Amee Bay LLC is awarded $57,337,423; Aviation Maritime Support Services LLC is awarded $63,775,817; and Thermcor Inc. is awarded $63,795,441. The mission of NSWCPD is to transition hull, mechanical and electrical machinery technology to the Navy active/reserve fleet, and support various sponsors for Navy modernization programs. This requires development and execution of various ship changes and ship alterations to upgrade and maintain in a more cost-effective and timely manner the system/equipment readiness of various Navy HM&E and electronic systems. The engineering and technical support services for this requirement are primarily small, minimally intrusive, turn-key equipment level modernization projects that are generally accomplished pierside at the various homeports outside of Chief Naval Operations availabilities. The installation process consists of several phases, including advance planning, ship check, assessments, fabrication, prototype evaluation and installation, final design shipboard installation, testing and completion. Work will be performed at various Navy bases, shipyards, repair facilities and contractor facilities in the continental U.S. and is expected to be completed by January 2024. Fiscal 2018 and 2019 other procurement (Navy) funding in the amount of $520,000 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance (Navy) funding in the amount of $108,000 will also 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 five offers received. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Philadelphia Division, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is the contracting activity. (Awarded Feb. 8, 2019) McKinsey & Co. Inc., Washington, District of Columbia, is awarded $15,730,560 for modification P00002 to a firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-price delivery order N6833518F0362 previously issued against blanket purchase agreement (N68335-18-A-0042) in support of the F-35 Lightning II affordability campaign for the Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force. The modification provides for maturation of the current effort through expansion and refinement of existing scope, including strategic sourcing, senior leadership team offsite, and major contract actions. Work will be performed in Arlington, Virginia, and is expected to be completed in June 2019. Fiscal 2018 aircraft procurement (Navy); and fiscal 2019 aircraft procurement (Marine Corps and Air Force) funds in the amount of $15,730,560 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the fiscal year. This modification combines purchases for the Navy ($6,001,250; 38 percent); Marine Corps ($6,001,250; 38 percent), and Air Force ($3,728,060; 24 percent). The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. DEFENSE FINANCE AND ACCOUNTING SERVICE CACI Inc. Federal, Chantilly, Virginia, has been awarded a not-to-exceed $11,530,702 modification (P00010) to previously awarded contract HQ0423-15-F-5001 for comptroller mission systems support for the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller). This modification exercises Option Year 4 with a period of performance of Feb. 16, 2019, through Feb. 15, 2020. The modification brings the total cumulative face value of the contract to $51,604,376 from $40,073,674. Work will be performed at the Pentagon and in remote locations within the National Capital Region with an expected completion date of Feb. 15, 2020. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance Defense-wide funds in the amount of $11,530,702 are being obligated at time of award. The Defense Finance and Accounting Service, Columbus, Ohio, is the contracting activity. *Small Business https://dod.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/1754592/
August 9, 2018 | International, Aerospace

Studies Seek to Industrialize Additive Manufacturing for Aerospace
Lindsay Bjerregaard Oerlikon is partnering with Boeing and Lufthansa Technik to research standardization and qualification of additive manufacturing processes. Oerlikon is pairing up with major aerospace players to make additive manufacturing (AM) a more feasible option for industrialization. The Swiss technology and engineering group has signed agreements this year with Lufthansa Technik (LHT) and Boeing to collaborate on research into ways AM for aerospace can be more easily standardized and qualified. The most recent of these agreements is the memorandum of understanding (MoU) with LHT, which aims to establish “robust and repeatable processes for AM in the aircraft MRO industry.” According to a spokesperson for Oerlikon, the collaboration's research seeks to understand what process variability exists when the same component geometries are built on the same machine using the same powder batch, heat treatment, testing conditions and build parameters in different global locations. Oerlikon and LHT will print these components using an Oerlikon-produced IN718 powder alloy on identical printers at LHT Hamburg and Oerlikon's locations in Charlotte, North Carolina and Barleben, Germany. Once the variables are identified, the study's objective is to understand how they can be controlled to achieve repeatable processes—which will ensure that all parts meet quality requirements and reduce the cost of recurring quality validation, according to Oerlikon. The company says this repeatability could also provide potential savings in procurement, warehousing and supply chain management. For now, the partnership is set for a one-year period, but the companies say the scope and timeframe is likely to increase. Meeting the challenges of qualifying AM materials and processes for aerospace is also at the heart of Oerlikon's collaboration agreement with Boeing. The five-year agreement, which was signed in February, seeks to develop standard materials and processes for metal-based AM. The collaboration's research will initially focus on industrializing titanium powder bed fusion AM. The companies say that in addition to meeting qualification challenges, it will enable them to “provide a route for the adoption of AM with a qualified supply chain that achieves quality and cost targets.” Full Article: https://www.mro-network.com/emerging-technology/studies-seek-industrialize-additive-manufacturing-aerospace
October 4, 2019 | International, Aerospace

Meggitt Awarded $48 million contract for supply of Aerial Weapons Scoring Systems to the US Army
October 4, 2019 - Meggitt PLC, a leading international company specializing in high performance components and sub-systems for the aerospace, defence and energy markets, has secured an IDIQ contract valued at $48million for the supply of Aerial Weapons Scoring Systems (AWSS) to the US Army. This full-service contract will be supplied by Meggitt's specialist defence division in Irvine, California, and includes product development, training, installation, field and cyber support, maintenance and repairs. AWSS provides essential gunnery training for defence customers worldwide, ensuring safe, efficient operation of targeting systems. “Our AWSS technology enables gunnery crews to simulate real-life defence scenarios, providing essential training and ensuring safe, optimal performance of all equipment. We are proud that our technology has been selected by the US Army and we look forward to working closely with local teams as we roll out our AWSS solution.” said Gerry Janicki, Vice President Strategy for Meggitt Defense Systems Inc. Enquiries: Kathryn Moss Group Director of Communications Meggitt PLC Tel: +44 (0) 7464 677987 Email: press.office@meggitt.com About Meggitt PLC Headquartered in the United Kingdom, this international group operates in North America, Europe and Asia. Known for its specialised extreme environment engineering, Meggitt is a world leader in aerospace, defence and energy. Meggitt employs more than 12,000 people at over 40 manufacturing facilities and regional offices worldwide. https://www.meggitt.com/news/meggitt-awarded-48-million-contract-for-supply-of-aerial-weapons-scoring-systems-to-the-us-army/

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