These Baltic nations could build Europe’s next ground drone

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  March 5, 2019 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security, Other Defence

  Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - March 4, 2019

  MISSILE DEFENSE AGENCY Lockheed Martin Corporation Missiles and Fire Control, Dallas, Texas, is being awarded a non-competitive hybrid contract line item numbers type (cost-plus-incentive-fee, firm-fixed-price and cost reimbursement) contract under Foreign Military Sale (FMS) cases to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). The total estimated value of this contract is $945,900,000. Under this undefinitized contract action, the contractor will provide Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) FMS KSA Phase I long lead items, obsolescence, tooling and test equipment, key personnel, line requalification activities, initial training development, System Integration Lab and testbeds, three-level maintenance concept, exportability, and early engineering development. The work will be performed in: Dallas, Texas; Lufkin, Texas; Huntsville, Alabama; Anniston, Alabama; Camden, Arkansas; Troy, Alabama; and Sunnyvale, California. The performance period is from Feb. 28, 2019, through Oct. 31, 2026. KSA FMS funds in the amount of $945,900,000 will be used to fund this effort. The Missile Defense Agency, Huntsville, Alabama, is the contracting activity (HQ0147-19-C-0007). NAVY Corvid Technologies LLC,* Mooresville, North Carolina, is awarded a $223,277,038 firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee, cost-reimbursable, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the delivery of hardware, equipment and components for manufacturing and integration of short- and medium-range sub-orbital flight vehicles supporting Navy, other government agencies, and Foreign Military Sales testing over a five-year ordering period. The flight vehicles are exo-atmospheric rocket-based vehicles specifically configured to deliver payloads and test articles into a flight regime of interest for systems under test. This contract combines purchases for the Navy (76 percent); other government agencies (12 percent); and Foreign Military Sales to the government of Japan (12 percent). Work will be performed at the White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico (70 percent); Mooresville, North Carolina (10 percent); Herndon, Virginia (5 percent); Glen Burnie, Maryland (5 percent); Las Cruces, New Mexico (5 percent); and Huntsville, Alabama (5 percent), and is expected to be completed by February 2024. Foreign Military Sales (Japan) funding in the amount of $8,021,855 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities website, with two offers received. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren Division, Dahlgren, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N00178-19-D-5001). General Dynamics Electric Boat Corp., Groton, Connecticut, is being awarded a $76,210,586 cost-plus-fixed-fee completion undefinitized contract action under previously-awarded contract N00024-16-C-2111 to perform planning and execution efforts and alterations during USS South Dakota's (SSN 790) post-delivery work period. Work will be performed in Groton, Connecticut, and is expected to be completed by December 2020. Fiscal 2019 and 2020 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funding in the amount $38,320,000 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Conversion and Repair, Groton, Connecticut, is the contracting activity. General Dynamics Electric Boat Corp., Groton, Connecticut is awarded a $60,000,000 cost-plus-fixed-fee, level-of-effort undefinitized contract action under previously-awarded contract N00024-09-C-2104 to provide additional support and services during USS South Dakota's (SSN 790) post-delivery work period. Work will be performed in Groton, Connecticut, and is expected to be completed by December 2020. Fiscal 2019 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funding in the amount of $30,000,000 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Conversion and Repair, Groton, Connecticut, is the contracting activity. General Dynamics Electric Boat Corp., Groton, Connecticut, is awarded a $55,077,981 cost-plus-fixed-fee, level-of-effort undefinitized contract action under previously-awarded contract N00024-16-C-2111 to perform the planning and execution efforts and installation of the Stern Area System during USS South Dakota's (SSN 790) post-delivery work period. Work will be performed in Groton, Connecticut, and is expected to be complete by December 2020. Fiscal 2019 and fiscal 2020 (subject to availability of funds) research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funding in the amount $27,680,000 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Conversion and Repair, Groton, Connecticut, is the contracting activity. Serco Inc., Reston, Virginia, is awarded a $41,304,910 modification under fixed-price contract (N39430-16-C-1811) to exercise Option Period Three for lifecycle sustainment of physical security/access control and command, control, communications, computers, and intelligence systems in support of the Naval Facilities Engineering Command Anti-Terrorism/Force Protection Ashore Program at various Navy installations worldwide. The work to be performed provides for preventive maintenance of hardware, associated firmware, and software; response and resolution of service calls for corrective maintenance to include equipment repair, overhaul, or replacement; information assurance vulnerability alert to include version control, patch management, and vulnerability scanning; asset management to track, maintain, upgrade, and dispose of systems; configuration management to establish and maintain consistency of the system attributes with operational requirements and evolving technical baseline; technical refreshments, upgrades and installation of new systems; and programmatic trend analysis to identify systemic sustainment issues such as technology obsolescence. After award of this option, the total cumulative contract value will be $160,741,210. Work will be performed at various installations worldwide, and work is expected to be completed March 2020. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance, (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $41,304,910 are obligated on this award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Facilities Engineering and Expeditionary Warfare Center, Port Hueneme, California, is the contracting activity. Gilbane Federal, Concord, California, is awarded an $8,403,802 firm-fixed-price modification to decrease the value of the contract for the cleaning, inspection, and repair of fuel storage tanks 602, 604 and 605 at Defense Fuel Support Point (DFSP) Tsurumi, Japan, from the task order scope of work. After award of this modification, the total remaining task order value will be $4,733,405. Work will be performed in Tsurumi, Japan, and is expected to be completed by May 2019. Fiscal 2016 defense working capital (Defense Logistics Agency) contract funds in the amount of $8,403,802 will be de-obligated on this award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Facilities Engineering and Expeditionary Warfare Center, Port Hueneme, California, is the contracting activity (N39430-15-D-1634). ARMY REEL COH Inc., Mobile, Alabama (W9128F-19-D-0019); PaR Sytstems, Shoreview, Minnesota (W9128F-19-D-0020); Knight Construction & Supply Inc.,* Deer Park, Washington (W9128F-19-D-0021); Crane Technologies,* Rochester Hills, Minnesota (W9128F-19-D-0022); and Garco WEMCO JV, Spokane, Washington (W9128F-19-D-0023), will compete for each order of the $99,900,000 contract for crane rehabilitation and replacement. Bids were solicited via the internet with nine received. Work locations and funding will be determined with an estimated completion date of March 3, 2024. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha, Nebraska, is the contracting activity. Lockheed Martin Missiles Fire Control, Grand Prairie, Texas, was awarded an $8,469,594 modification (P00026) to Foreign Military Sales (Japan, Saudi Arabia, Republic of Korea, Kuwait, Qatar, Taiwan, United Arab Emirates, Germany and Netherlands) contract W31P4Q-17-D-0026 for Phased Array Tracking Radar to Intercept On Target Advanced Capability-3 Missile Support Center Field Missile Activities. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of May 31, 2020. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity. DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Steris Corp., Mentor, Ohio, has been awarded a maximum $48,000,000 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for hospital equipment and accessories. This was a competitive acquisition with 74 responses received. This is a five-year contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Ohio, with a March 3, 2024, performance completion date. Using military services are Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2024 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE2DH-19-D-0011). Aurora Industries LLC,* Camuy, Puerto Rico, has been awarded a maximum $18,672,261 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for coats for the Army Combat Uniform and Improved Hot Weather Combat Uniform. This was a competitive acquisition with three responses received. This is a two-year contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Puerto Rico, with a Sept. 3, 2021, performance completion date. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2021 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE1C1-19-D-1137). AIR FORCE The Boeing Co., Defense Space Security, St. Louis, Missouri, has been awarded a not-to-exceed $40,000,000 undefinitized fixed-price-incentive-firm modification (P00003) to previously awarded contract FA8634-18-C-2697 for Infra-Red Search and Track Block II Ship Sets. This modification provides for the production of an additional six Block II IRST Ship Sets. Work will be performed in St. Louis, Missouri; and Orlando, Florida, and is expected to be complete by Oct. 31, 2022. Fiscal 2017 procurement funds in the amount of $19,600,000 are being obligated at the time of award. This modification brings the total cumulative face value of the contract to $249,784,825. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity. JASR Systems LLC, La Jolla, California, has been awarded an $8,107,308 firm-fixed-price contract for research and development. This contract provides for the development of chip-scale Optical Phased Arrays and Light Detection and Ranging systems that leverages Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency Modular Optical Aperture Building Blocks (MOABB) Phase 1, and maps to Phases 2 and 3 of the MOABB program respectively. Work will be performed in La Jolla, California, and is expected to be complete by Nov. 1, 2020. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition and one offer was received. Fiscal 2018 research, test, development and evaluation funds in the amount of $1,400,000 are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8650-19-C-7916). * Small Business https://dod.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/1774554/

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  May 21, 2024 | International, Land

  US Army exports multinational combat training center to Philippines

  The Army is taking a full-scale exportable Joint Pacific Multinational Training Center west of the International Date Line for the first time.

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  December 20, 2017 | International, Aerospace

  Here’s how the Trump administration could make it easier to sell military drones

  WASHINGTON — The United States is actively pursuing a change to a major arms control treaty that would open the door for wider exports of military drones. The proposed change to the Missile Technology Control Regime would make it easier for nations to sell the systems, also known as unmanned aerial vehicles or UAVs, that fly under 650 km per hour, according to multiple sources who are aware of the efforts. The MTCR is an agreement among 35 nations that governs the export of missiles and UAVs. Under the terms of the MTCR, any “category-1” system capable of carrying 500-kilogram payloads for more than 300 kilometers is subject to a “strong presumption of denial.” Proponents of UAV exports argue that language, while appropriate for curtailing the sale of cruise missiles, should not group together expandable weapons and unmanned systems. Instead, they argue, UAVs should be looked at the same way fighter jets or other high-tech military vehicles are. As part of an effort to find a compromise, American officials floated a white paper during the latest plenary session on the MTCR in October, proposing new language to the treaty: that any air vehicle that flies under 650 kilometers per hour would drop to “category-2” and thus be subject to approval on a case-by-case basis. A State Department official confirmed to Defense News that the U.S. presented the white paper, and that American negotiators have zeroed in on the speed of the vehicles as a potential change to the treaty. However, the official declined to comment on the exact speed under consideration. “I can't confirm any specific numbers because it's treated — inside the MTCR — as proprietary ... particularly because there's a deliberative process,” the official said. “But I can tell you that speed is the thing that we, based on industry input and all, have looked at. And that's what we have discussed with partners. And I know other governments are also looking at speed as well, so we're all sort of coming to a similar conclusion.” Under the MTCR, a “presumption of denial” about exports for category-1 systems exists. In essence, that means countries tied into the MTCR need to have a very compelling case to sell them. However, the speed change, if adopted, would result in most drones used by the U.S. military dropping down from category-1 to category-2, allowing the U.S. to sell them through the traditional foreign military sale or direct commercial sale methods. “Treating drones as missiles is fundamentally incoherent. It reflects a 1980s view of the technology,” said Michael Horowitz, a former Pentagon official now with the University of Pennsylvania who has studied drone issues. “To the extent creating a speed delineation helps you get around that problem, it's a good practical solution.” The impact of speed Most medium-altitude, long-endurance systems like General Atomics' MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper fly at slow speeds, with the Reaper clocking in with a cruise speed of 230 mph or 370 kph, according to an Air Force facts sheet. Northrop Grumman's RQ-4 Global Hawk, a high-altitude ISR drone, flies only at a cruise speed of about 357 mph or 575 kph. The 650 kph ceiling would also keep the door open for companies developing cutting-edge rotorcraft that could be modified in the future to be unmanned — a key request made by the companies involved in the Future Vertical Lift consortium, said one industry source. Those companies include Bell Helicopter and a Sikorsky-Boeing team, both of which are developing high-speed rotorcraft that can fly at excess of 463 kph, or 250 knots, for the Army's Joint Multi Role technology demonstrator program. However, the limitation would ensure that some of the United States' most technologically advanced UAVs stay out of the grasp of other nations. For example, it would prevent the proliferation of jet-powered, fast moving flying wing drones like Boeing's Phantom Ray and Northrop Grumman's X-47B demonstrators, both of which can cruise at near-supersonic speeds. While the UAV industry wants the U.S. government to pick up the pace on drone export reform, the State Department and other agencies argue that a prudent approach is needed. For example, any change to the MTCR that loosens restrictions on low-speed drones also needs to be closely examined to ensure that missile technology is still strictly controlled. “We don't want any unintended consequences, so it has to be crafted carefully. We don't want to inadvertently drop something else out like a cruise missile,” the State Department official said. The focus on speed is particularly smart at a time when countries are focused on increasing the speed of their munitions, Horowitz said. He pointed to growing investments in hypersonic weapons as an example where creating a speed delineation in the MTCR would allow the U.S. to push for greater UAV exports while “holding the line on exports of next-generation missiles.” Industry desires Industry has long argued that the United States has taken an overly proscriptive route, hamstringing potential drone sales to allies and pushing them into the arms of more nefarious actors such as China, the other major UAV producer on the worldwide market. Modifying the MTCR is just one facet of the Trump administration's review of drone export policy, which also includes taking a second look at domestic regulations that can be amended by the president at will. Because changes to the MTCR require consensus among the regime's 35 member countries, industry sees it as a direly-needed, but long-term solution. “Now we have lighter-than-air vehicles; we have intelligence, surveillance reconnaissance [UAVs]. We still have cruise missiles, we have aircraft that could autonomous for cargo and other purposes. But [the MTCR] doesn't distinguish between any of that, so a revisit of those MTCR rules is in order for things that fly and can fly autonomously,” said Aerospace Industries Association President David Melcher during a December 14 roundtable with reporters. American firms are particularly concerned about losing out on sales in the Middle East. China has already exported its Wing Loong — a medium altitude, long endurance UAV that resembles General Atomics' MQ-1 Predator — to multiple countries worldwide, including some close U.S. partners such as Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Meanwhile, sales of U.S.-made drones have been rarer, with many Middle Eastern countries such as the UAE only able to buy unarmed versions of American UAVs, even though those nations regularly purchase more technologically advanced weaponry like fighter jets from the United States. The State official noted that any change in the MTCR would not need to wait until the next plenary session, but could be introduced in some form as early as an April technical meeting. And at least one industry source was optimistic about the administration's MTCR reform plan. “They're taking a pretty smart process in not trying to tackle everything at once, but trying to get some of the language corrected in small bites,” the source said. “I don't see this as being an overnight process. I don't think we're going to end up in the next six months with a brand new MTCR policy.” However, Horowitz warned that the nature of the MTCR, where any single country could veto such a change, means getting any changes will not be easy. Russia, for example, could block the move not on technical reasons but geopolitical ones, given relations between Moscow and Washington. If that happens, Horowitz noted, the U.S. could potentially look to apply the 650 kph speed definition on its own, something possible because of the voluntary nature of the MTCR. https://www.defensenews.com/air/2017/12/19/heres-how-the-trump-administration-could-make-it-easier-to-sell-military-drones/