Two Biden-Era Flashpoints Where The F-35 Fighter Could Prove Decisive

On the same subject

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  October 7, 2020 | International, C4ISR

  DIA awards nearly $800 million in work to major defense primes

  Andrew Eversden WASHINGTON — The U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency awarded nearly $800 million in contacts to two major defense contractors to improve data storage and network modernization. The DIA, a military intelligence agency, chose Northrop Grumman to deliver its Transforming All-Source Analysis with Location-Based Object Services (TALOS) program, which focuses on building new big data systems. The contract is worth $690 million. A spokesperson for Northrop Grumman declined to provide the performance period. The platform will include the DIA's Machine-Assisted Rapid-Repository System (MARS), according to a Sept. 30 press release from the defense giant. MARS is a massive new DIA database that manages foreign military infrastructure data that is critical for operations planning and targeting. “Transforming current databases housing foundational military intelligence into multi-dimensional, flexible and rigorous data environments, MARS will create a military intelligence environment that will be accessed for up-to-date information by the Intelligence Community and warfighters,” a press release from Northrop Grumman said Sept. 30. Northrop Grumman will serve as the enterprise modular integrator for MARS under the contract and will use artificial intelligence and machine learning “to develop a big data processing system capable of ingesting and managing large volumes of data to inform warfighting decisions," the release said. The contract was awarded Aug. 14 using the General Service Administration's Alliant 2 Government-wide Acquisition Contract. The DIA also awarded a $100 million contract to General Dynamics Information Technology for IT system modernization. Under the contract, GDIT will “provide worldwide engineering support to DIA's core IT infrastructure to include system design, architecture, testing plans, and security accreditation,” according to an Oct. 6 press release. GDIT was awarded an Infrastructure Services Enterprise Engineering task order as part of the DIA's Enhanced Solutions for the Information Technology Enterprise contract. The task order has a base period of one year with four option years with an additional six-month option. “GDIT is excited to continue our 35-year relationship supporting DIA and their complex national security mission. The ISEE award is a true testament to GDIT's ability to develop and deliver enterprise IT Infrastructure solutions at scale,” said Deb Davis, vice president and general manager of mission solutions and service sector for GDIT's Intelligence & Homeland Security Division. “As a mission support leader and trusted partner for DIA's IT backbone, we look forward to supporting the ongoing modernization of the DoDIIS Enterprise.” https://www.c4isrnet.com/it-networks/2020/10/06/dia-awards-nearly-800-million-in-work-to-major-defense-primes/

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  June 14, 2021 | International, Aerospace, Naval

  Northrop Grumman Gets $54M US Navy RQ-4A BAMS Contract

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  May 11, 2020 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security

  US Defense Firms Hiring Thousands Amid Record Unemployment

  Pentagon spending on missiles, satellites, and nuclear weapons fuels a production boom, as firms fight off commercial aerospace downturn. As U.S. unemployment reached its highest level since the Great Depression amid the coronavirus pandemic, some of America's largest defense firms are hiring thousands of workers to build fast-flying missiles, satellites and nuclear weapons. Even amid nationwide social distancing practices, companies are interviewing job candidates through video conferencing and other technology as they look to fill positions on national security projects that Pentagon leaders want to keep on schedule. “[W]e recognize that providing jobs during this period of economic downturn is also critically important,” Lockheed Martin CEO Marillyn Hewson said last month on the company's quarterly earnings call. “We are committed to continued hiring during this crisis.” Lockheed, the world's largest defense company, already has hired more than 2,365 new employees since March when many U.S. companies began furloughing or layoff workers amid coronavirus stay-at-home orders. In addition, Lockheed is “actively recruiting for over 4,600 roles,” in 39 states and Washington, D.C., the company said in a statement Friday. Northrop Grumman says it could hire as many 10,000 this year. Raytheon Technologies another 2,000. Boeing, which is preparing to cut 10 percent of its 160,000-employee workforce as the airlines predict at least a three-year drop in sales, is advertising more than 600 open positions in the United States, largely in its defense, space, cybersecurity and intelligence units. Pentagon spending on missiles, satellites, and nuclear weapons fuels a production boom, as firms fight off commercial aerospace downturn. As U.S. unemployment reached its highest level since the Great Depression amid the coronavirus pandemic, some of America's largest defense firms are hiring thousands of workers to build fast-flying missiles, satellites and nuclear weapons. Even amid nationwide social distancing practices, companies are interviewing job candidates through video conferencing and other technology as they look to fill positions on national security projects that Pentagon leaders want to keep on schedule. “[W]e recognize that providing jobs during this period of economic downturn is also critically important,” Lockheed Martin CEO Marillyn Hewson said last month on the company's quarterly earnings call. “We are committed to continued hiring during this crisis.” Lockheed, the world's largest defense company, already has hired more than 2,365 new employees since March when many U.S. companies began furloughing or layoff workers amid coronavirus stay-at-home orders. In addition, Lockheed is “actively recruiting for over 4,600 roles,” in 39 states and Washington, D.C., the company said in a statement Friday. Northrop Grumman says it could hire as many 10,000 this year. Raytheon Technologies another 2,000. Boeing, which is preparing to cut 10 percent of its 160,000-employee workforce as the airlines predict at least a three-year drop in sales, is advertising more than 600 open positions in the United States, largely in its defense, space, cybersecurity and intelligence units. Northrop Grumman, the fourth-largest U.S. defense company, expects “significant headcount growth this year because of the program volume increases... sales growth, as well as the anticipated awards in the latter half of this year,” CEO Kathy Warden said on the company's quarterly earnings call last week. The company also has been increasingly winning classified contracts as the U.S. military has shifted spending to develop new weapons to counter China. Northrop is building a new stealth bomber and a new intercontinental ballistic missile for the Air Force. “We are actively recruiting for 10,000 open positions and we hired more than 3,500 people in the first quarter, which included more than 1,300 new hires in March,” Warden said. That said, those 10,000 might not all materialize as attrition rates drop as the broad job market contracts. A portion of those positions that would only make it on the books should Northrop win new government contracts. “[W]e only do that hiring if we indeed get those awards as we look forward,” Warden said. https://www.defenseone.com/business/2020/05/us-defense-firms-hiring-thousands-amid-record-unemployment/165270/