October 29, 2018 | International, Aerospace
By: Jeff Martin
GRAPEVINE, Texas — The U.S. Air Force is exploring the logistics of space-based cargo operations under the purview of Air Mobility Command, even as the impact of a new Space Force on the mobility community remains to be seen.
“I don't know how it will affect mobility, but most of you know space affects mobility every day,” Gen. Paul Selva, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said Thursday at the 2018 Airlift/Tanker Symposium outside Dallas, Texas.
“Whatever the Space Force is or does, it has to protect our national interest in space,” he said, adding that GPS is critical to the air mobility community.
As for what space cargo operations could look like, the previous head of Air Mobility Command, Gen. Carlton Everhart, espoused the possibility of moving cargo using rocketsduring a Defense Writers Group breakfast in August.
“Think about this. Thirty minutes, 150 metric tons [and] less than the cost of a C-5,” he said at the time.
Apart from cargo operations, such a focuses space presence could help with pre-positioning equipment and supplies in orbit, ready to be dropped to Earth.
But in a roundtable with reporters Friday, the new commander of AMC, Gen. Maryanne Miller, said while the command continues to study the possibility, space cargo operations remain at the conceptual stage.
“We're continuing, our [planning] community is going to continue to have discussions with the space companies, and we have agreed to just sit with them and just stay up to date with where they're going with their future plans, to just be at the table with them” she said. “We won't commit any resources, but we've committed to work with them to see how quickly they progress through that."
One potential would be SpaceX's next-generation reusable BFR rocket, currently under development. During the roundtable, Miller confirmed that the Air Force had spoken to SpaceX about the idea.
“They have talked about moving cargo in space, and we've sat down with SpaceX and had that discussion. But it's really just discussion at this point," she said. “Our connection with space is really just going to be at the table with them, to look at how much progress they're making.”
As for what type of cargo could possibly be moved, that's still being discussed. But in August, Everhart said he'd be willing to stick “anything” in space.
September 11, 2024 | International, Aerospace
The program calls for Teledyne FLIR Defense to deliver ten Star SAFIRE 380-HLD systems over the next three years.
June 19, 2020 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security
NAVY BAE Systems Technology Solutions and Services Inc., Rockville, Maryland, is awarded an $85,912,640 cost-plus-fixed-fee, cost reimbursable, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. This contract provides for in-service engineering activity and production services for various Navy identification and data link systems in support of the Combat Integration and Identification Systems Division at the Naval Air Warfare Center Webster Outlying Field. Work will be performed in Patuxent River, Maryland (77%); and Rockville, Maryland (23%). Services will support integration and production efforts, including design and feasibility evaluation, component and system design, system integration, production, installation testing and evaluation, in-service engineering, logistics, repair and validation, training, lab maintenance, quality assurance and technical management on a worldwide range of naval ship and shore platforms. Work is expected to be complete by June 2025. No funds will be obligated at the time of award. Funds will be obligated on individual orders as they are issued. This contract was competitively procured via an electronic request for proposal, and one offer was received. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N00421-20-D-0117). BAE Systems Land & Armaments LP, Minneapolis, Minnesota, is awarded an $18,771,034 firm-fixed-price modification to previously awarded contract N00174-17-C-0022 to exercise Option Year Three for the fiscal 2017-2020 production of the MK 38 MOD 3 machine gun system (MGS) and associated spares. Work will be performed in Hafia, Israel (67%); and Louisville, Kentucky (33%). The production of the MGS is derived from the application of an ordnance alteration to the MK 38 MOD 1 25mm MGS. Once installed, this version will incorporate two-axis stabilizations, an improved electro-optical sight system, improved multi-function display, a modified main control panel, a new main computing unit, a 7.62mm machine gun and remote control operation. Work is expected to be complete by November 2021. Fiscal 2020 weapon procurement (Coast Guard) funds; 2017 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funds; and 2020 weapon procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $18,771,034 will be obligated at the time of award. Funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Indian Head Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technology Division, Indian Head, Maryland, is the contracting activity. AV3 Inc., Mechanicsville, Maryland, is awarded a $9,770,558 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. This contract procures the audio and visual video teleconference equipment for the integration of specialized network video teleconference systems in support of the integrated command, control and intelligence divisions of the Joint Staff and combatant commanders, Department of Defense agencies and services, and Department of Homeland Security operational and support components. Work will be performed in Mechanicsville, Maryland, and supports the command, control, communications, computers, cyber, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions. Work is expected to be complete by June 2022. No funds will be obligated at the time of award. Funds will be obligated on individual orders as they are issued. This contract was competitively procured via an electronic request for proposal and two offers were received. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Lakehurst, New Jersey, is the contracting activity (N68335-20-D-0028). ARMY Raytheon, Fort Wayne, Indiana, was awarded a $29,237,124 hybrid (cost-plus-fixed-fee and firm-fixed-price) contract for procurement of Jordan's Advanced Field Artillery Tactical Data System. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will be performed in Fort Wayne, Indiana, with an estimated completion date of Oct. 31, 2024. Fiscal 2020 Foreign Military Sales (Jordan) funds in the amount of $29,237,124 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W91CRB-20-C-5016). Sigmatech Inc.,* Huntsville, Alabama, was awarded an $8,220,049 modification (000240) to contract W31P4Q-15-A-0028 for technical support for the unmanned aircraft systems project manager's office. Work will be performed in Huntsville, Alabama, with an estimated completion date of June 18, 2021. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Army) funds in the amount of $8,220,049 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity. DRS Sustainment Systems Inc., St. Louis, Missouri, was awarded a $7,985,880 modification (P00069) to contract W56HZV-16-C-0028 for seven Joint Assault Bridge Systems. Work will be performed in West Plains, Missouri, with an estimated completion date of May 11, 2024. Fiscal 2019 other procurement (Army) funds in the amount of $7,985,880 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Detroit Arsenal, Michigan, is the contracting activity. DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY DMG Mori USA Inc., Hoffman Estates, Illinois, has been awarded a maximum $17,302,222 firm-fixed-price contract for integrated manufacturing cell axis machining centers and machines. 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 two-year contract with no option periods. Locations of performance are Illinois; California; and Germany, with a March 3, 2022, performance completion date. Using military service is Navy. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2022 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Richmond, Virginia (SPE4A8-20-C-0007). Honeywell International Inc., Phoenix, Arizona, has been awarded a maximum $7,785,286 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity delivery order SPRRA1-20-F-0197 against a one-year contract (SPRRA1-20-D-0038) with no option periods for clutch assemblies. This was a sole-source acquisition using justification 10 U.S. Code 2304 (c)(1), as stated in Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. Location of performance is Arizona, with a June 30, 2021, ordering period end date. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2021 Army working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama. CORRECTION: The contract announced on June 16, 2020, for Pentaq Manufacturing Corp., Sabana Grande, Puerto Rico (SPE1C1-20-D-1258), for $33,645,750 was announced with an incorrect award date. The correct award date is June 17, 2020. CORRECTION: The delivery order (SPRRA2-20-F-0087) announced on May 27, 2020, for Raytheon Co., Andover, Massachusetts (SPRBL1-15-D-0017), for $14,494,050 was announced with an incorrect dollar amount. The correct dollar amount is $14,971,905. U.S. TRANSPORTATION COMMAND Science Applications International Corp., Reston, Virginia, has been awarded hybrid (labor hour and firm-fixed-price) task order HTC711-20-F-D061 in the amount of $8,863,576. The task order provides software engineering services to the U.S. Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command. Requirement to obtain software engineering services to support U.S. Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command's integrated booking system. Services include requirements definition, software maintenance, development, configuration management, area manager support, training, implementation, documentation, technical support and project management. Work will be performed at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. The contract base period of performance is from Oct. 1, 2020, to Sept. 30, 2021. No funds were obligated at award; award was made subject to the availability of fiscal 2021 funds. U.S. Transportation Command, Directorate of Acquisition, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, is the contracting activity. *Small Business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2225212/source/GovDelivery/
July 21, 2024 | International, Aerospace, C4ISR