February 11, 2022 | International, Naval
EMSA/CPNEG/1/2022
Service Contracts for stand-by oil spill recovery vessels – Atlantic North The Agency provides additional response capacity to that of the pollution response m ...
April 3, 2020 | International, Aerospace, Naval
Top Marine ‘signaling’ to industry that F-35 cuts are on the table
By: Aaron Mehta
How will US Marines adjust for the future fight? | Reagan Defense Forum 2019
WASHINGTON — The top officer in the U.S. Marine Corps is sticking to the planned procurement of the F-35 joint strike fighter — but indicated a willingness to cut planes in the future if analysis says it makes sense.
Marine Commandant Gen. David Berger told reporters Wednesday that he is a firm believer in the capabilities the F-35 is bringing, in particular the jump-jet B model favored by the service. However, Berger made it clear he's not wedded to long-term procurement plans, at a time the corps is shedding legacy missions as it pivots to focus to a primarily naval-focused service.
“Right now, the program of record plows ahead as it is,” he said. “But I'm signaling to the industry, we have to be prepared to adjust as the operating environment adjusts. Right now, the program of record stays the same, but we will — we must — adapt to the adversary and we must adapt to the operating environment that we're challenged with being in.”
Berger noted that an upcoming independent review of his force posture plans, expected to be completed in the next few months, could be a forcing function for more changes. Already, his planning guidance to the corps changed how many planes are featured in each F-35 squad, from 16 to 10.
Longstanding plans call for the Marines to procure 353 of the F-35B and 67 of the F-35C carrier variants.
“There's nothing like it,” Berger said of the jet. “The F-35B, the ability to operate from austere airfields and ships both, [is] incredible. In wargames, it's one of the handful of capabilities that really caused an adversary problems, because it is so flexible, it's deployable ashore or from ship. Gamechanger is sort of an overused phrase, but I'm a huge advocate of the F-35 and its capabilities.”
Broadly speaking, Berger said, what will drive how many F-35s are in a squadron going forward, or how many the Corps eventually buys, comes down to maintenance — a longstanding issue for the stealthy jet.
“If the maintenance readiness of the F-35 proves to be very, very strong, then of course, like any other system you need less of them because more of them are up all the time. On the other hand, if it turns out not to be so, then you're going to need more of them, to account for the ones that are in repair, that are down right now,” he said.
Complicating that issue is what he called the “unique” supply chain for the jet, which in theory lets parts flow in from all over the world, as opposed to the traditional U.S. based supply.
“In all aspects, we absolutely know we will learn along the way, and if its appropriate we will make adjustments” to either the squad level or the overall buy, Berger said. “But it's not a lack of confidence in the airframe at all.”
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August 21, 2020 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security
Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - August 17, 2020
AIR FORCE L3Harris Technologies Inc., Clifton, New Jersey, has been awarded a $55,000,000 single-award, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract with cost-plus-fixed-fee task orders for innovative research and development and to provide the Integrated Demonstrations and Applications Laboratory simulation and testbed capabilities required to rapidly develop, integrate, mature, insert and transition technologies/systems to meet critical/urgent warfighter mission requirements. Work will be performed at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, and is expected to be completed by Aug. 18, 2027. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition and one offer was received. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $2,785,000 are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Research Lab, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8650-20-D-1960). NAVY B.L. Harbert International LLC, Birmingham, Alabama, was awarded a$23,160,000 firm-fixed-price task order N69450-20-F-0891 under a multiple award construction contract for entry control facility (ECF) upgrades at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base, New Orleans. The work to be performed provides for both on-site and off-site work to construct an ECF consisting of single story steel‐framed, reinforced concrete masonry units with standing seam metal roofs and pile foundations. It also constructs a reinforced concrete bridge to cross the Barriere Canal. The options, if exercised, provide for the visitor control center building and parking, commercial vehicle inspection office, canopy and parking and furniture, fixtures and equipment for the ECF, visitor control center and commercial vehicle inspection office. The task order also contained five unexercised options, which if exercised, would increase cumulative task order value to $26,175,624. Work will be performed in New Orleans, Louisiana, and is expected to be completed by January 2023. Fiscal 2020 military construction (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $23,160,000 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, Southeast, Jacksonville, Florida, is the contracting activity (N69450-19-D-0908). (Awarded Aug. 13, 2020) ARMY CPP Construction, Gaithersburg, Maryland, was awarded a $9,627,000 firm-fixed-price contract for the McMillan backwash discharge to sewer construction project. Bids were solicited via the internet with seven received. Work will be performed in Washington, D.C., with an estimated completion date of Nov. 23, 2021. Fiscal 2020 Washington aqueduct capital improvement funds in the amount of $9,627,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W912DR-20-C-0033). Curtin Maritime Corp.,* Long Beach, California, was awarded a $7,999,999 firm-fixed-price contract for to deepen the Port of Hueneme federal navigation channels in Ventura County, California. Bids were solicited via the internet with three received. Work will be performed in Port Hueneme, California, with an estimated completion date of March 15, 2021. Fiscal 2020 civil Navy funds in the amount of $7,999,999 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Los Angeles, California, is the contracting activity (W912PL-20-C-0029). *Small Business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2315678/source/GovDelivery/
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March 5, 2024 | International, Land
Thales posts higher profit, tackles weak telecom satellite market