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May 10, 2019 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security, Other Defence

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  • Boeing’s KC-46 tanker now has a pathway for autonomous aerial refueling

    April 9, 2020 | International, Aerospace

    Boeing’s KC-46 tanker now has a pathway for autonomous aerial refueling

    By: Valerie Insinna WASHINGTON — Last week's deal between Boeing and the U.S. Air Force on a fix for the KC-46 could pave the way for the tanker to refuel other aircraft without a person needed to manually control the process, a top service official said Thursday. On April 2, Boeing agreed to fix the KC-46's troubled Remote Vision System by creating an overhauled RVS 2.0 with new hardware and software. Air Force acquisition executive Will Roper told reporters those changes would include the addition of 4K high-definition cameras that will display imagery in color as well as modern processors and LiDAR (light detecting and ranging) sensors that will help improve depth perception. “A proper RVS like that is right on the doorstep to autonomy,” Roper said. “All you have to do is take that data that tells the world inside the jet the reality of geometries between the airplane and the boom outside the jet. Once you have that, you simply need to translate it into algorithms that allow the tanker to tank itself.” The KC-46's Remote Vision System has been a thorn in the side of the aircraft program since 2017, when issues with the system were first discovered. The RVS is basically a suite of cameras, sensors and software that is supposed to allow boom operators sitting inside the aircraft to safety steer the boom into the aircraft needing fuel. But in certain conditions, the system produces distorted imagery that increases the risk of the boom hitting another aircraft. The new LIDAR system will be key to fixing that problem, said Roper, who likened it to a backup camera on a car that also provides cues to a driver for parallel parking or assessing whether a vehicle is aligned flush to a curb. “We'll have something very similar to that for the boom operators, so telling them are they left, right and how close are they getting to the airplane,” he said. “[It's] something very intuitive and easy to work with, and I think that will help significantly with them understanding their distance [from the other aircraft] because LIDAR is extremely accurate.” Because Boeing is locked into a firm fixed-price contract for the development of the KC-46, it will have to pay for the upgrade to RVS 2.0 out of its own pocket, as the Air Force maintains that the current system does not meet requirements. But the service is so confident in the prospect of using the RVS 2.0 as a stepping stone to an autonomous tanker that it included an option in last week's agreement to fund the development of technologies that enable autonomous or semiautonomous refueling. “We have added an engineering change proposal into the deal with a not-to-exceed threshold of $55 million, so that when RVS 2.0 is done, we can then take the next step beyond 2.0 to develop those autonomy algorithms and install them if we think we can certify them for safe use,” Roper said. “We took that step because, one, we're excited about being on the doorsteps of autonomy and, [two], we wanted to send a clear signal in the deal that this is our tanker for the future,” he said. If the Air Force decides to move forward with those design changes, more will need to be done to hammer out the contractual details, said Jamie Burgess, Boeing's KC-46 program manager. “There was no commitment one way or another on who pays for what. But there's definitely a strong partnership between Boeing and the Air Force as far as developing this technology,” he said. Autonomous refueling capability has been of increasing interest to the Air Force over the past few years, as sensing and artificial intelligence technologies grow by leaps and bounds. Boeing previously signaled it could include such technology as part of a menu of potential upgrade options for the KC-46, as reported by FlightGlobal in 2018. https://www.defensenews.com/air/2020/04/08/boeings-kc-46-tanker-now-has-a-pathway-for-autonomous-aerial-refueling

  • Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - October 01, 2019

    October 2, 2019 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security

    Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - October 01, 2019

    AIR FORCE Faxon Machining Inc., Cincinnati, Ohio (FA8681-20-D-0001); and Major Tool & Machine Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana (FA8681-20-D-0002), have been awarded a $600,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for BLU-136/B next generation area attack warhead case production. This contract provides for the procurement of 15,000 BLU-136/B next generation area attack warhead cases. Work will be performed at Cincinnati, Ohio; and Indianapolis, Indiana, and is expected to be complete by Sept. 30, 2026. This award is the result of a competitive small business set-aside acquisition. Fiscal 2019 ammunition production funds in the amount of $109,500 is being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Direct Attack Division, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, is the contracting activity. United Launch Services, Centennial, Colorado, has been awarded a $98,549,235 firm-fixed-price contract for Atlas V Completion launch services. This contract provides launch service completion for three National Security Space Launch Atlas V missions (two Air Force and one National Reconnaissance Office) previously ordered under contract FA8811-13-C-0003. Work will be performed at Centennial, Colorado; Decatur, Alabama; and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, and is expected to be completed by Nov. 30, 2020. This award is the result of a sole source acquisition. Fiscal 2019 and 2020 procurement funds are being obligated at the time of award. The Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles Air Force Base, California, is the contracting activity (FA8811-20-C-0001). Tunista Logistics Solutions LLC, Honolulu, Hawaii, has been awarded a $90,000,000 contract for Barry M. Goldwater Range operations and maintenance services. This contract provides for operation and maintenance services of the government-owned, contractor-operated facilities at Gila Bend Air Force Auxiliary Field, Gila Bend, Arizona, and support services for operation of the Barry M. Goldwater Range in support of training missions for the F-35, F-16 and A-10 aircraft pilots for Air Force and other Department of Defense agencies. Ranges are broadly categorized as either primary training ranges or major range and test facility bases. The Barry M. Goldwater Range is considered a primary training range. Services include airfield management, target and range maintenance, civil engineering, fire and emergency services, security, logistics, air traffic control, custodial, trash and refuse, environmental engineering, biological and environmental monitoring. Work will be performed at Gila Bend Air Force Auxiliary Field, and is expected to be completed by Sept. 30, 2026. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition and three offers were received. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of approximately $13,000,000 are being obligated at the time of award. The 56th Contracting Squadron, Luke Air Force Base, Arizona, is the contracting activity (FA4887-20-D-0001). Teletronics Technology Corp., Newtown, Pennsylvania, has been awarded a $90,000,000 indefinite-quantity contract, for high speed data acquisition systems (HSDAS) and support. This contract provides the 59th Test and Evaluation Squadron with HSDAS and ancillary support services. The contract provides for configured systems, signal conditioning, data acquisition, multiplexing, recording and radio frequency telemetry functionality primarily used for flight and ground test. The contractor shall provide HSDAS commercial-off-the-shelf products and associated HSDAS services. Work will be performed at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, and is expected to be complete by March 2025. This award is the result of a sole source acquisition. Fiscal 2019 research and development funds in the amount of $58,967 are being obligated at the time of award. The 99th Contracting Squadron, Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, is the contracting activity (FA4861-19-D-A006). Intelligent Waves LLC, Reston, Virginia, has been awarded an $89,200,000 indefinite-quantity contract for crowd sourced data support services. This contract provides the 59th Test and Evaluation Squadron with crowd support data support services. The contractor shall provide flight test mission instrumentation modifications, improvements and operations for 53rd Wing test aircraft test instrumentation packages at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, and other operational flight-testing locations. The contractor shall evaluate, upgrade, modify and operate instrumentation systems before, during, and after test missions. This work may include design, integration, functional checkouts and mission data capture activities for each period of performance. Work will be performed at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada; Yuma, Arizona; Patuxent River, Maryland; Norfolk, Virginia; Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio; and Hill Air Force Base, Utah, and is expected to be completed by March 2025. This award is the result of a sole source acquisition. Fiscal 2019 research and development funds in the amount of $1,600,000 are being obligated at the time of award. The 99th Contracting Squadron, Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, is the contracting activity (FA4861-19-D-A005). DynCorp International LLC, Fort Worth, Texas, has been awarded a $68,400,284 modification (P00033) to previously awarded contract FA4890-17-C-0005 for Air Force Central Command war reserve materiel. The contract modification provides for the exercise of Option Year Three period of performance for services being provided under the basic contract. The location of performance is Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina; Kuwait; Oman; Qatar; and United Arab Emirates, and work is expected to be completed by Sept. 30, 2020. The total cumulative face value of the contract is $255,195,955. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $68,379,284 are being obligated at the time of award. The Acquisition Management and Integration Center, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Hampton, Virginia, is the contracting activity. ASRC Communications Ltd., Beltsville, Maryland, has been awarded a $66,954,742 firm-fixe-price single contract modification (P00039) to previously awarded contract FA3002-16-C-0004 for acquisition of base operations support services. Work will be performed at Vance Air Force Base, Oklahoma, and is expected to be completed by Sept. 30, 2020. This award is the result of a competitive source acquisition and six offers were received. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds are being used and no funds are being obligated at the time of the award. The Air Force Installation Contracting Center, the 338th Specialized Contracting Squadron, Joint Base San Antonio, Texas, is the contracting activity. Reliance Test & Technology, Crestview, Florida, has been awarded a $49,032,036 modification (P00056) to previously awarded contract FA2486-16-C-0002 for Eglin Operation and Maintenance Support Service. This contract modification increases the value of cost-type contract line item numbers for Option Period One. Work will be performed at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, and is expected to be completed by March 31, 2020. The total cumulative face value of the contract to $1,266,287,845. Fiscal 2019 research and development funds in the amount of $6,200,000 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Test Center, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, is the contracting activity. Crew Training International Inc., Memphis, Tennessee, has been awarded a $42,279,639 firm-fixed-price modification (P00009) to previously awarded contract FA4890-19-C-0003 for the MQ9 Aircrew Training and Courseware Development contract. The contract modification is for the exercise of option year one. Work will be performed at Creech Air Force Base, Nevada; Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico; March Air Reserve Base, California; and Hancock Air National Guard Base, New York, and is expected to be completed by Sept. 30, 2020. The total cumulative face value of the contract is $223,630,953. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $30,376,922 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Combat Command Acquisition Management and Integration Center, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia, is the contracting activity. L-3 Communications Integrated Systems, Greenville, Texas, has been awarded a $17,518,309 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract modification for aircraft engineering, procurement and fabrication. Work will be performed in Greenville, Texas, and is expected to be completed by December 2022. This contract involves 100% foreign military sales. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Foreign Military Sales funds in the amount of $17,518,309 are being obligated at the time of award. The 645th Aeronautical Systems Group, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8620-18-F-4802 P00006). SES Electrical LLC, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, has been awarded an $11,298,386 firm-fixed-price contract to repair main perimeter fence. As the result of Hurricane Michael, the contract is comprised of the removal and disposal of old damaged fence, removal and disposal of previously installed temporary fencing and replacement with new approved fencing materials at specific locations identified on Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida. Work will be performed at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, and is expected to be completed by Sept. 30, 2020. This award is the result of a sole source 8(a) Alaska Native Corporation acquisition. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance funding in the amount of $11,298,386 are being obligated at the time of award. The 325th Contracting Squadron, Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, is the contracting activity (FA4819-19-C-A033). U.S. TRANSPORTATION COMMAND Twelve companies have been awarded task orders under the following International Charter Airlift Services in Support of the Civil Reserve Air Fleet contracts: HTC71118DCC37 -- Atlas Air Inc., Purchase, New York (HTC71120F1025, HTC71120F1026; $287,285,594); Federal Express, Memphis, Tennessee (HTC71120F1027; $38,903,491); Amerijet International, Fort Lauderdale, Florida (HTC71120F1041; $2,496,649); HTC71118DCC38 -- Miami Air International, Miami, Florida (HTC71120F1028; $7,084,737); Sun Country Airlines, Eagan, Minnesota (HTC71120F1029; $3,025,704); HTC71118DCC39 -- ABX Air, Wilmington, Ohio (HTC71120F1030; $9,394,053), Air Transport International Inc., Wilmington, Ohio (HTC71120F1031; $17,450,997); Kalitta Air LLC, Ypsilanti, Michigan (HTC71120F1032; $159,942,597); Omni Air International Inc., Tulsa, Oklahoma (HTC71120F1033; $77,654,435); United Parcel Service Co., Louisville, Kentucky (HTC71120F1034; $13,710,325); Western Global Airlines, Estero, Florida (HTC71120F1035; $17,812,110); and HTC71118DCC40 -- National Airlines, Orlando, Florida (HTC71120F1036; $12,464,771). The task orders provide international long-range and short-range charter airlift services for the Department of Defense. Work will be performed globally. The task order period of performance is from Oct. 1, 2019, to Sept. 30, 2020. Type of appropriation is Fiscal 2020 transportation working capital funds. U.S. Transportation Command, Directorate of Acquisition, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, is the contracting activity. Air Transport International, Wilmington, Ohio, has been awarded task order (HTC71120F1037) on contract HTC71118DCC16 in the estimated amount of $86,633,164. This contract provides global air charter transportation services utilizing part 121 aircraft configured to simultaneously transport both passengers and cargo. Services required include full planeload port to port airlift transportation services, commercial equivalent economy passenger services, 463L pallet cargo services, and mission coordination. Work will be performed globally. Task order period of performance is Oct. 1, 2019, to Sept. 30, 2020. Fiscal 2020 transportation working capital funds were obligated at time of award. This task order will bring the total cumulative face value of the contract to $212,167,393 from $125,534,229. U.S. Transportation Command, Directorate of Acquisition, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, is the contracting activity. Jacobs Technology Inc., Tampa, Florida, has been awarded a contract modification (P00029) on contract HTC71117CD001 obligating funds in the amount of $22,360,471. This modification provides continued information technology service management enterprise support to the U.S. Transportation Command. Work will be performed primarily on-site at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, and other locations: Defense Information Systems Agency Defense Enterprise Computing Center, St. Louis, Missouri; U.S. TRANSCOM Office, Washington, District of Columbia; Joint Enabling Capabilities Command, Norfolk, Virginia; and the Pentagon. The option period of performance is from Oct. 1, 2019, to Sept. 30, 2020. Fiscal 2020 transportation working capital funds, operations; and operations and maintenance funds were obligated at award. This modification brings the total cumulative face value of the contract to $74,346,425 from $51,985,954. U.S. TRANSCOM, Directorate of Acquisition, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, is the contracting activity. DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Rolls-Royce Corp., Indianapolis, Indiana, has been awarded a maximum $109,252,327 requirements contract for supplies related to the support of the T56 family of aircraft engines. This was a sole source acquisition using justification 10 U.S. Code 2304 (c)(1), as stated in Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. This is a five-year base contract with one five-year option period. Location of performance is Indiana, with a Sept. 30, 2024, performance completion date. Using military services are Air Force and Navy. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2024 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Richmond, Virginia (SPE4AX-20-D-9400). Woodward Inc., Loves Park, Illinois, has been awarded a maximum $113,429,656 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for aviation turbine engine main fuel controls. This was a competitive acquisition with one offer received. This is a five-year contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Illinois, with a Sept. 20, 2025, performance completion date. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2024 Army working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama (SPRRA1-19-D-0133). (Awarded Sept. 28, 2019) NAVY Progeny Systems,* Manassas, Virginia, was awarded a $25,689,916 cost-plus-fixed-fee, cost-plus-incentive-fee, and cost only contract for the procurement of Navy systems engineering. This contract includes options, which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $98,044,894. Work will be performed in Middletown, Rhode Island (70%); and Manassas, Virginia (30%), and is expected to be completed by September 2021. If all options are exercised, work will continue through September 2027. Fiscal 2019 research, development test and evaluation (Navy) funding in the amount of $800,000 will be obligated at time of award. This contract was competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities website, with one offer received. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington Navy Yard, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity (N00024-19-C-6201). (Awarded Sept. 30, 2019) Systems Application and Technologies Inc.,* Oxnard, California, is awarded a $25,275,828 modification (P00016) to a previously awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee/cost contract (N68936-18-C-0046) to maintain and operate aerial and seaborne assets and associated equipment for the Pacific Targets and Marine Operations Division of the Naval Air Warfare Center, Weapons Division (NAWCWD), Point Mugu, California. Work will be performed at Naval Base Ventura County, California (85%); China Lake, California (6%); and Las Cruces, New Mexico (3%); Kauai, Hawaii (2%); Salt Lake City, Utah (2%); Lompoc, California (1%); and various locations outside the continental U.S. (1%), and is expected to be completed in September 2020. Major range and test facility base; and working capital (Navy) funds in the amount of $11,690,000 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The NAWCWD, Point Mugu, California, is the contracting activity. Life Cycle Engineering Inc., North Charleston, South Carolina, was awarded an $8,696,376 firm-fixed-price task order (N32253-19-F-3000) off of the SeaPort-e multiple-award contract N00178-07-D-4077 for the procurement of technical, engineering, management, programmatic, logistics, and education (TEMPLE) services at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility, Hawaii. This procurement of TEMPLE services will provide advisory and assistance services to various departments (C135 Quality Assurance, C200 Engineering, C300 Operations, C710 Lifting and Handling, C900T Resource and Training, and C2300 Nuclear Engineering Planning Department) at the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard. This task order includes one option period which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this task order to $17,563,077. Work will be performed in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, and is expected to be completed by September 2020. If the option period is exercised, work will continue through September 2021. Fiscal 2019 operation and maintenance (Navy) funding in the amount of $8,696,376 was obligated at time of award and would have expired at the end of fiscal year 2019. This task order was competitively procured via SeaPort-e, with one offer received. The Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, is the contracting activity. (Awarded Sept. 28, 2019) CORRECTION: The Sept. 30, 2019, announcement of a $43,889,245 delivery order (N0002419F5637) under previously awarded contract N00024-15-D-5217 to Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems, Manassas, Virginia, for 281 Technical Insertion Sixteen (TI-16) Common Display System Variant A water-cooled and air-cooled production consoles, included the incorrect completion month. The work is expected to be complete by September 2020. All other information in the announcement is correct. CORRECTION: The Sept. 30, 2019, announcement of an $8,004,622 modification (P00006) to a previously awarded contract (N00019-19-C-0004) to Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, included an incorrect work location. The correct location is Edwards Air Force Base, California. All other information in the announcement is correct. CORRECTION: The $67,371,583 contract awarded to EMCube Inc., Alexandria, Virginia (N00030-20-C-0009), to provide services for the U.S. and United Kingdom Trident II D5 Strategic Weapon System programs and the United Kingdom Dreadnought program, was incorrectly announced on Sept. 30, 2019. The contract is being awarded Oct. 1, 2019. All other information in the announcement is correct. DEFENSE HEALTH AGENCY Alutiiq Solutions LLC, Anchorage, Alaska, has been awarded a $11,910,439 firm-fixed-price contract, HT0014-19-C-0012. This contract provides support to the Defense Health Agency for continuation of information management and information technology services at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, the Fort Belvoir Community Hospital, and other joint medical facilities and components within the National Capital Region. The work includes, but is not limited to, project management, application and web development, clinical informatics, information assurance, help desk, data center and network operations, system architecture and engineering, and telecommunications support. Work will be performed in Maryland and Virginia, beginning Sept. 30, 2019, with an estimated completion date of March 29, 2020. The contract includes a six-month base period. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $11,910,439 are obligated on this award. This was an 8(a) direct award. The Defense Health Agency, Falls Church, Virginia, is the contracting activity. *Small Business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/1976774/source/GovDelivery/

  • Netherlands to deploy Reapers to Romania

    January 15, 2024 | International, Aerospace

    Netherlands to deploy Reapers to Romania

    The Netherlands is to deploy General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc (GA-ASI) MQ-9A Reaper unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to Romania to help bolster NATO's eastern flank, it was announced on 12 January. The Royal Netherlands Air Force is r...

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