October 29, 2023 | International, Land
US to build new nuclear gravity bomb
Experts say this new higher-yield nuclear bomb appears intended to pave the way for retiring the older B83 megaton bomb.
May 21, 2020 | International, C4ISR
This platform will help train AI algorithms for the military
After landing a contract with the U.S. Air Force in April, California-based company Labelbox announced May 20 it is making its artificial intelligence training data platform available more widely to the federal government and intelligence community.
Labelbox offers a software platform by the same name that allows development teams to manage the data used to train machine learning algorithms. For instance, in order for a machine learning tool to successfully begin identifying missile launchers in satellite imagery, it needs to be fed hundreds — or even millions — of pre-labeled pictures identifying the objects it needs to identify. The more accurate training data is fed to the algorithm, the better it works. Some government machine learning projects need to process petabytes of data per day, the company says, a flow of data that can be overwhelming.
“Labelbox is an integrated solution for data science teams to not only create the training data but also to manage it in one place,” said CEO Manu Sharma in a statement. “It's the foundational infrastructure for customers to build their machine learning pipeline.”
The platform can be used in the cloud or on-premises, allowing data science teams to work together across agencies or locations, the company claims.
In April, the company announced it had won an Air Force Innovation Hub Network (AFWERX) Phase 1 Small Business Innovation Research contract to conduct feasibility studies on how their platform could integrate with ongoing Air Force efforts.
Now, the company is partnering with Carahsoft Technology Corp. to make their platform more widely available to the federal government and the intelligence community. Carahsoft will be able to provide the platform to interested agencies through its NASA Solutions for enterprise-wide procurement contracts and reseller partners, the company announced May 20.
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July 6, 2020 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security
Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - July 02, 2020
ARMY EA-Baker JV, Hunt Valley, Maryland, was awarded a $99,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract to support the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in executing the Defense Logistics Agency Energy fuels infrastructure mission for fuel leak detection. 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 July 2, 2025. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha, Nebraska, is the contracting activity (W9128F-20-D-0028). NCI Information System, Reston, Virginia, was awarded a $57,285,857 contract for information technology and audiovisual engineering and installation services. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will be performed in Fort Belvoir, Virginia, with an estimated completion date of July 1, 2022. Fiscal 2020 procurement, defense-wide funds in the amount of $57,285,857 were obligated at the time of the award. The Army Contracting Command, Detroit Arsenal, Michigan, is the contracting activity. (W50NH9-20-F-0039). Don Jon Marine Co., Hillside, New Jersey, was awarded a $19,697,607 modification (P00004) to contract W912DS-19-C-0013 for dredging the Newark Bay main channel. Work will be performed in Newark, New Jersey, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 27, 2020. Fiscal 2018, 2019, and 2020 civil construction funds in the amount of $19,697,607 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New York, New York, is the contracting activity. LGC Global Inc.,* Detroit, Michigan, was awarded a $7,506,196 firm-fixed-price contract for construction of a youth center annex at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst. Bids were solicited via the internet with 11 received. Work will be performed at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey, with an estimated completion date of July 16, 2021. Fiscal 2020 non-appropriated funds in the amount of $7,506,196 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New York, New York, is the contracting activity (W912DS-20-C-0016). AIR FORCE LinQuest Corp., Los Angeles, California, has been awarded a $76,637,171 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification (P00014) to contract FA8808-19-C-0006 for system engineering, integration and test support for programs with increased security requirements. The modification includes an eight-month base, valued at $11,165,983, and six year-long options. Work will be performed in El Segundo, California, and is expected to be completed February 2027. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $400,000 are being obligated at the time of award. Total cumulative face value of the contract is $142,307,233. Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles Air Force Base, California, is the contracting activity. SRC Inc., North Syracuse, New York, has been awarded a $7,458,946 follow-on task order for baseline support services under the indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract FA7037-17-D-0001 for the sensor beam program. The contractor will research, analyze, technically document and perform reviews on electromagnetic systems, events and signatures required by all services and other U.S. agencies. Work will be performed at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, and is expected to be completed Aug. 1, 2021. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $7,314,490 are being obligated at the time of award. Acquisition Management and Integration Center-Detachment 2, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, is the contracting activity. NAVY Huntington Ingalls Industries - Newport News Shipbuilding, Newport News, Virginia, is awarded a $36,566,645 cost-plus-fixed-fee option exercise modification to previously awarded contract N00024-20-C-2109 for engineering, technical, trade and program management support of industrial type work for operational and decommissioning submarines, submarines undergoing availabilities/conversion, special mission submersibles and submarine support facilities. Work will be performed in Newport News, Virginia (90%); Kings Bay, Georgia (3%), Bremerton, Washington (2%); Pearl Harbor, Hawaii (2%); Kittery, Maine (2%); and Groton, Connecticut (1%). This contract includes advanced submarine research and development, including studies to support the future development, production and sustainment phases of the platforms. Work is expected to be completed by September 2022. This contract was not competitively procured. Fiscal 2020 other procurement (Navy) funding in the amount of $5,461,081 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. L3 Technologies Inc. KEO, Northampton, Massachusetts, is awarded a $25,713,600 cost-plus-incentive-fee contract for engineering and technical services for the design, development, testing, system support and production of submarine photonics masts. This contract includes options which, if exercised, will bring the cumulative value of this contract to $135,810,491. Work will be performed in Northampton, Massachusetts, and is expected to be completed by June 2025. Fiscal 2020 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funding in the amount of $25,514,600; and fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation funding in the amount of $199,000 will be obligated at time of award. Funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity (N00024-20-C-6249). Bristol General Contractors LLC, Anchorage, Alaska, is awarded a $22,974,412 firm-fixed-price contract for the Mission Training Complex at Shaw Air Force Base. Work will be performed in Sumter, South Carolina. The work to be performed provides for the construction of a small standard design mission training complex, to include the following: security access facility, tactical operations center pads, building information systems, energy monitoring and control system connection and intrusion detection system installation. Work is expected to be complete by May 2022. Fiscal 2018 military construction contract funds in the amount of $22,974,412 are obligated on this award and will expire at the end of fiscal 2023. This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website and four proposals were received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southeast, Jacksonville, Florida, is the contracting activity (N69450-20-C-0040). R. A. Burch Construction Co. Inc.,* Ramona, California, is awarded an $8,359,504 firm-fixed-price task order (N62473-20-F-4857) under a multiple award construction contract for the design and construction to renovate Building F at Naval Air Station North Island (NASNI), Naval Base Coronado. The task order also contains one planned modification, which, if issued will increase cumulative task order value to $9,045,991. Work will be performed in San Diego, California. The work to be performed includes all services, labor, materials and equipment necessary to design and build critical infrastructure to support installation and renovation to Building F at NASNI. The project also includes interior improvements to create additional office space on the north side of the building, landscape improvements for the southern courtyard and provide exposed ceilings in the building. The planned modification, if issued, provide for furniture, fixtures and equipment. Work is expected to be completed by January 2022. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $8,359,504 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 Command, Southwest, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity (N62473-15-D-2485). DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY New Market Veterans,* New York, New York (SPE1C1-20-D-1296, $15,061,167); Big Apple Visual Group,* New York, New York (SPE1C1-20-D-1294, $14,604,768); and Hilo Enterprises,* McLean, Virginia (SPE1C1-20-D-1295, $13,235,571), have each been awarded a maximum firm-fixed-price, indefinite-quantity contract under solicitation SPE1C1-20-R-0102 for surgical masks. These were competitive acquisitions with 98 offers received. They are five-month contracts with no option periods. Locations of performance are Virginia, New York, China, and Taiwan, with a Dec. 31, 2020, ordering period end date. Using customer is Health and Human Services. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. DEFENSE ADVANCED RESEARCH PROJECTS AGENCY Mercury Defense Systems Inc., Cypress, California, was awarded a $7,280,300 modification (P00006) to previously awarded contract HR0011-18-C-0133 for additional in-scope work on a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency research project. Work will be performed in Cypress, California, with an expected completion date of October 2022. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $2,208,097 are being obligated at time of award. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting activity. *Small Business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2246455/source/GovDelivery/
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April 14, 2024 | International, Aerospace
US must be transparent about realistic prospects for cooperation in space
Opinion: The Pentagon's work to strengthen allied space cooperation remains insufficient to achieve stated policy objectives.