May 6, 2022 | International, Land
The Army is further afield to get a vehicle protection capability in place for its current fleet against rockets and drones, and the service has provided no funding to procure an interim system for its Bradley in the meantime.
June 17, 2022 | International, Naval
The Marine Corps wants the option to covertly launch unmanned boats out the back of its amphibious ships. HII has tested that enabler for the first time.
March 9, 2020 | International, Aerospace
The format of the U.S. Air Force's “fireside chat” series is well-understood. A technology pioneer such as Jeff Bezos, Richard Branson or Mark Cuban appears onstage at an Air Force-affiliated event, counsels an audience of pilots and airmen about innovation and, not least, tries not to offend anyone. Elon Musk arrived at the Air Warfare Symposium on Feb. 28 with a different plan. The founder of SpaceX and Tesla, who seems to delight in publicly tweaking established competitors in the space market such as Boeing and Lockheed Martin, sat on the Air Force Association's (AFA) stage and declared that the fighter aircraft—for decades the heart of the Air Force's tactical combat capability—is already irrelevant. “The fighter-jet era has passed,” Musk said, provoking audible gasps and murmurs in an audience peppered with officers clad in flight suits. Lt. Gen. John Thompson, Musk's interviewer, quickly changed the subject. Hours later, Musk clarified in a tweeted reply to Aviation Week that he meant the fighter aircraft remains relevant, just not the pilot onboard. “The competitor [to a manned fighter] should be a drone fighter plane that is remote-controlled by a human, but with its maneuvers augmented by autonomy,” Musk writes. Musk's comments on airpower should be taken with a grain of salt. Although his companies have sought to disrupt the space, automotive and mining industries, Musk has no track record in the aircraft sector. One of his symposium hosts, David Deptula, a retired lieutenant general who is now dean of the AFA's Mitchell Institute, also pointed out in a rapidly published rebuttal in Forbes that Musk's predictions about autonomy are often wrong, even when it concerns the self-driving capabilities of Tesla cars. But Musk's remarks only differed with those of senior Air Force officials at the same event in the details of timing and scope. For over a year, Will Roper, assistant secretary of the Air Force for acquisition, technology and logistics, has championed a vision of future airpower populated by numerous, small batches of autonomous aircraft augmenting manned fighters with specialized capabilities. For the first time, Gen. James Holmes, head of Air Combat Command (ACC), offered a path to introducing such aircraft into the fleet around 2025-27. In the near term, the Air Force is focused on replacing aging F-15C/Ds with a mix of Boeing F-15EXs and Lockheed Martin F-35As. The Air Force decided to add the F-15EX to its inventory last year even as the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) began experimenting with a new class of low-cost aircraft with an “attritable” value. The first such experimental aircraft, the Kratos XQ-58A Valkyrie, in March 2019 completed the first of four flights made to date. Next year, the Air Force plans to fly the XQ-58A or a similar aircraft with an artificial intelligence “brain,” which allows the so-called Skyborg aircraft to learn maneuvers as it flies. Such capabilities are not far from Musk's vision of future air combat, but they are too immature to replace a fleet of F-15Cs on the verge of being grounded; hence, the decision to buy the F-15EX instead. The next opportunity to introduce a new kind of aircraft comes in about 5-8 years, Holmes says. That timing dovetails, perhaps intentionally, with the schedule for maturing aircraft such as the XQ-58A and Skyborg. The Air Force will need to replace hundreds of F-16 Block 25s and Block 30s, which entered production in the mid-1980s. “There's an opportunity there if we want to cut in something new, a low-cost attritable, loyal wingman and the different things that we're looking at and experimenting with,” Holmes says. In late February, Holmes and Roper met to discuss the meaning of a “fighter aircraft” in the future with the Next-Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) program in the backdrop. The program office for NGAD began operations in October, with a focus on inventing a new production process capable of affordably producing small batches of advanced aircraft every 3-5 years. But Air Force officials are still grappling with the definition of basic requirements such as range and payload, as operations in the vast Pacific Ocean dominate the calculations. “The equation and the kind of math that we use for a fighter still works pretty well in the European environment—the range and payload and distance,” Holmes says. “It's not as effective a solution in the Pacific, because of the great distances. So as you look at NGAD and you look at the following programs, I wouldn't expect it to produce things that necessarily look like a traditional fighter.” The exhibit hall at the Air Warfare Symposium offered some clues. Besides the usual displays and posters of F-35s and F-15s, some new concepts appeared. General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. (GA-ASI) showed a concept design called “Defender,” an apparent variant of the Predator C Avenger, armed with air-to-air missiles and infrared search-and-track sensors. The Defender would protect an “outside force” of enablers, such as tankers and surveillance aircraft, from aerial attack while an inside force of stealth bombers and fighters engaged targets downrange, a GA-ASI spokesman says. Kratos, meanwhile, continues working on the XQ-58. The AFRL initially funded five test flights, but despite a crash landing on the third flight, all test objectives were met after the third test, says Steve Fendley, president of Kratos' Unmanned Systems Division. The AFRL now is accelerating the “missionization” of the XQ-58, Fendley says, adding payloads and potentially weapons. The first payload integration will be demonstrated in April, when the XQ-58 serves as a communication conduit between the F-35 and the F-22. Meanwhile, Kratos has started production, with 12 XQ-58s scheduled off the assembly line by the first quarter of 2021. The fleet will be assigned to multiple demonstration programs, funded by several agencies, Fendley says. The XQ-58's performance helps define the new class of aircraft, called “loyal wingman” in the U.S. and “remote carriers” in Europe. A critical feature shared by the XQ-58 and similar aircraft such as the Boeing Airpower Teaming System (ATS) is range. Both are capable of flying 3,000 nm unrefueled, almost three times the range of the F-35. Unlike the ATS, the XQ-58 does not need a runway to land, and instead deploys a parachute. Both aircraft seem unrecognizable from the typical next-generation fighter favored by ACC, but the command is changing its approach, Holmes says. “In the past at Air Combat Command, we would have built something that we call a fighter road map . . . to figure out what our fighter force will look like for the next 30 years,” Holmes said. “What I would rather build is a capabilities road map that shows how we're going to accomplish the missions for the Air Force that we traditionally had done with fighters.” At the same time, Holmes' counterparts in the Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC) are also changing their approach to fighter acquisition. Last October, the AFMC established the Advanced Aircraft Program Executive Office, which is tasked with reinventing the acquisition process for the next class of fighters. A modern fighter is typically developed over a decade and then sustained for several more. For the next generation, the Air Force now prefers to produce multiple aircraft in small batches, in development cycles lasting only five years. The sustainment phase would be minimal, as the aircraft would be phased out after a brief operational career. The approach requires that the Air Force make the design phase profitable for contractors, which now lose money in design and earn profits during the sustainment phase. The approach means paying higher prices up front for the design, but theoretically less overall during the shorter lifespan of the aircraft. The Air Force is still trying to craft the contractual mechanism for such an acquisition approach, says Gen. Arnold Bunch, the head of AFMC. “Industry is going to have to rethink how they want to go do this. They're gonna have to talk to their boards in a different way,” Bunch says. “[Something] we also have to factor into that is: How do I do my cost estimates? How do I do my financial planning? How do I interact with Congress?” https://aviationweek.com/defense-space/aircraft-propulsion/us-air-force-plots-fleet-insertion-path-loyal-wingman
March 12, 2019 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security, Other Defence
ARMY Unit-ASRC Construction LLC, Anchorage, Alaska, was awarded a $128,657,500 firm-fixed-price contract for construction of Long Range Discrimination Radar power plant at Clear Air Force Station, Alaska. Bids were solicited via the internet with three received. Work will be performed in Anderson, Alaska, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 31, 2021. Fiscal 2019 military construction; and research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $128,657,500 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Anchorage, Alaska, is the contracting activity (W911KB-19-C-0001). Carothers Construction Inc., Oxford, Mississippi, was awarded a $22,821,540 firm-fixed-price contract for the construction a standard-design, general-purpose storage building with loading dock. Bids were solicited via the internet with four received. Work will be performed in El Paso, Texas, with an estimated completion date of Oct. 7, 2020. Fiscal 2015 and 2019 military construction funds in the amount of $22,821,540 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Fort Worth, Texas, is the contracting activity (W9126G-19-C-0020). DynCorp International LLC, Fort Worth, Texas, was awarded a $19,502,855 modification (P00207) to domestic and foreign military sales (Netherlands and Kuwait) contract W58RGZ-13-C-0040 for aviation field maintenance services. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas; Germany; and Kuwait, with an estimated completion date of June 30, 2019. Fiscal 2010 and 2019 foreign military sales; and operations and maintenance, Army funds in the combined amount of $19,502,855 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity. Metova Federal,* Cabot, Arizona, was awarded a $16,706,404 hybrid (cost and firm-fixed-price) contract for Security Force Assistance Brigade support. Bids were solicited via the internet with three received. Work will be performed in Fort Benning, Georgia, with an estimated completion date of April 14, 2020. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance, Army funds in the amount of $6,922,987 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Mission and Installation Contracting Command, Fort Benning, Georgia, is the contracting activity (W911SF-19-F-0014). NAVY Bell Boeing Joint Project Office, Amarillo, Texas, is awarded $85,718,447 for modification P00017 to a previously awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee, fixed-price-incentive-firm target contract (N00019-17-C-0015). This modification provides for the upgrade of four MV-22 aircraft from the Block B to the Block C configuration in support of the Common Configuration Readiness and Modernization Program (CC-RAM). In addition, this modification provides for the planned maintenance interval effort for one of the CC-RAM aircraft. Work will be performed in Ridley Park, Pennsylvania (93 percent); and Fort Worth, Texas (7 percent), and is expected to be completed in March 2021. Fiscal 2017, 2018, and 2019 aircraft procurement (Navy); and 2019 operation and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $85,718,447 will be obligated at time of award, $22,314,593 of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. General Dynamics Electric Boat Corp., Groton, Connecticut, is awarded a $41,835,268 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to previously-awarded contract N00024-18-C-4301 to staff, operate and accomplish the efforts associated with supporting a nuclear regional maintenance department at Naval Submarine Base New London, Groton, Connecticut, in support of returning mission-ready submarines to the fleet. Work will be performed in Groton, Connecticut, and is expected to be completed by March 2020. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance (Navy) funding in the amount of $17,400,000 will be obligated at time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Conversion and Repair, Groton, Connecticut, is the contracting activity. SRI International, Menlo Park, California, is awarded an $11,312,731 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for low frequency high power satellite calibration research and development. This contract contains options, which if exercised, will bring the contract value to a total of $63,482,059. The places of performance will be at the contractor's facility located in Menlo Park, California (65 percent); and at the Bluestar Antenna Facility in Stanford, California (35 percent). Work is expected to be completed March 7, 2020. If all options are exercised, work will continue through March 2024. Fiscal 2019 Navy Working Capital funds in the amount of $50,000 will be obligated at the time of award, and no funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was procured using sole-source procedures under request for proposal N00173-18-R-WR07. The Naval Research Laboratory, Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N00173-19-C-6000). Cabrillo Enterprises* (doing business as R.W. Little*), National City, California (N55236-16-D-0005); South Bay Sand Blasting and Tank Cleaning Inc.,* San Diego, California (N55236-16-D-0006); and Surface Technologies Corp.,* Atlantic Beach, Florida (N55236-16-D-0007), are awarded a combined $10,000,000 for modifications under previously awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, multiple-award contracts to exercise Option Year Three for deck covering removal and non-skid installation services on board Navy ships. Each contractor shall provide all management, administrative services, materials, tools, equipment, labor, rigging, scaffolding, utilities (i.e. air, water and electricity, etc.) and required services/support to accomplish deck covering removal and non-skid installation on board Navy ships within a 50-mile radius of San Diego, which may include Oceanside, California. Work will be performed in San Diego, California, which may include Oceanside, California, and is expected to be complete by April 2020. No funding is being obligated at the time of award. The Southwest Regional Maintenance Center, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity. ALLTRACK, Inc.,* Pendleton, Indiana, is awarded a maximum amount $10,000,000 requirements contract for railroad maintenance and repair services at the Naval Support Activity, Crane. The work to be performed provides for maintenance and repairs on railroad trackage. Services include, but are not limited to, replacement of rails, ties, crossings and accessories, surfacing, alignment, dressing of ballast, ditch maintenance, and incidental related work. No task orders are being issued at this time. All work will be performed in Crane, Indiana, and the term of the contract is not to exceed 48 months, with an expected completion date of March 2023. No funds will be obligated at the time of award. Funds will be obligated as future task orders will be primarily funded by working capital (Army) and working capital (Navy). This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website, with four proposals received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Mid-Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N40085-19-D-7701). Web Business Solutions Inc.,** Fredericksburg, Virginia, is awarded a $9,595,573 task order (M67854-19-F-7822) under previously awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (M67854-18-D-7821) for support services to the Command and Control Training and Education Center of Excellence (C2TECOE). The C2TECOE main effort is to provide a continuum of standards-based C2 systems instruction and home station training. Work will be performed at Camp Pendleton, California (27 percent); Quantico, Virginia (23 percent); Camp Lejeune, North Carolina (17 percent); Okinawa, Japan (16 percent); Twentynine Palms, California (10 percent); and Marine Corps Base Hawaii (7 percent), and is expected to be completed by March 10, 2020. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance (Marine Corps) funds in the amount of $9,595,573 will be obligated at the time of award and funds will expire the end of the current fiscal year. The base contract was competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities website with four offers received. The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Virginia, is the contract activity. AIR FORCE Sierra Nevada Corp., Sparks, Nevada, has been awarded a $23,702,941 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification (P-00021) to previously awarded contract FA8509-17-C-0002 for the permanent installation of the MC-130J Airborne Mission Networking (AbMN) Program. This modification provides for the procurement of additional hardware and labor necessary to support the AbMN program through flight test. Work will be performed in Sparks, Nevada, and is expected to be complete by Nov. 16, 2021. Fiscal year 2018 procurement funds in the amount of $12,293,268; and fiscal year 2019 procurement funds in the amount of $11,409,673 are being obligated at the time of award. This modification brings the total cumulative face value of the contract to $67,977,580. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, is the contracting activity. S&K Engineering & Research, St. Ignatius, Montana, has been awarded an $18,581,032 indefinitely-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the Reliability, Availability, and Maintainability Logistics Engineering Support System for Pods and Integrated Systems program. This contract provides for RAMPOD, which supports the collection of maintenance and inventory data for all Air Force pods, support equipment and specialized avionics. The services to be provided are continuous operations, system engineering, and software sustainment support for RAMPOD program, servers, applications and users. Work will be performed in St. Ignatius, Montana, and is expected to be complete by March 31, 2022. Fiscal 2022 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $6,408,000 are being obligated (on the first task order) at the time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, is the contracting activity (FA8523-19-D-0003). Peerless Technologies, Fairborn, Ohio, has been awarded an $18,470,211 task order under the General Services Administration One Acquisition Solution for Integrated Services (OASIS) indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for engineering and technical support services to the gravity systems program. This task order provides for efforts to transition from procurement to sustainment require a diverse staff to formulate a solid framework for systems engineering, testing, sustainment, and operational support for integration of the B61-12 All Up Round and legacy gravity systems. Work will be performed at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico, and is expected to be complete by March 7, 2024. This award is the result of a competitive and four offers were received. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test, and evaluation funds in the amount of $4,300,000 are being obligated at the time of award. Foreign Military Sales funds will also be used during the task order period of performance. The Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center, Kirtland AFB, New Mexico, is the contracting activity (FA9422-19-F-5003). DEFENSE FINANCE AND ACCOUNTING SERVICE Guidehouse LLP, McLean, Virginia, is being awarded a maximum $12,473,349 labor hour contract modification to previously awarded contract HQ042318F0055 to exercise an option for audit finding remediation support services. Work will be performed in McLean, Virginia, with an expected completion date of March 31, 2020. Fiscal 2019 Defense-wide operation and maintenance funds in the amount of $12,473,349 are being obligated at the time of this option award. This award brings the total cumulative value of the contract to $24,537,771. The Defense Finance and Accounting Service, Contract Services Directorate, Columbus, Ohio, is the contracting activity (HQ0423-18-F-0055). DEFENSE ADVANCED RESEARCH PROJECTS AGENCY Galois Inc., Portland, Oregon, was awarded a $9,925,508 modification to previously awarded contract HR0011-18-C-0013 for the System Security Integrated Through Hardware and firmware (SSITH) program. The modification brings the total cumulative face value of the contract to $16,553,298 from $6,627,790. Work will be performed in Portland, Oregon (88 percent); Menlo Park, California (7 percent); Framingham, Massachusetts (4 percent); and San Francisco, California (1 percent), with an expected completion date of March 2020. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $2,949,500 are being obligated at time of award. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting activity. *Small business **Service disabled veteran-owned small business https://dod.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/1780721/