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March 8, 2021 | International, Aerospace

U.S. General Says Unmanned Aircraft Need Too Many People

U.S. Special Operations Command is looking at Reaper drones for the new Armed Overwatch role. But although the Reaper may be uncrewed, it takes a lot of people on the ground to keep it flying -- maybe too many to be viable.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidhambling/2021/03/05/us-general-says-unmanned-aircraft-need-too-many-people/

On the same subject

  • Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - February 06, 2020

    February 7, 2020 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security

    Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - February 06, 2020

    NAVY Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., San Diego, California, is awarded a $172,424,000 modification (P00004) to a previously awarded fixed-price-incentive-firm-target contract (N00019-19-C-0008). This modification exercises options for the production and delivery of two MQ-4 Triton unmanned air systems for the Navy, one Navy main operating base, trade studies and associated technical and administrative data. Work will be performed in San Diego, California (30.5%); Red Oak, Texas (12%); Palmdale, California (10%); Baltimore, Maryland (9.7%); Salt Lake City, Utah (7.9%); Bridgeport, West Virginia (4.9%); Indianapolis, Indiana (3.8%); Moss Point, Mississippi (3.6); Chantilly, Virginia (3.5%); Waco, Texas (1.7%); San Clemente, California (1.3%); Newton, North Dakota (.9%); various locations within the continental U.S. (8.8%); and various locations outside the continental U.S. (1.4%), and is expected to be completed in January 2024. Fiscal 2020 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $172,424,000 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. Toland & Mizell Architects Inc.,* Atlanta, Georgia, is awarded a firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity architect-engineering contract with a maximum amount of $30,000,000 for professional architectural and engineering services in the Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Southeast (SE) area of operations (AO). Initial task order is being awarded at $267,865 to provide engineering design for Server Rooms 1 and 2 within Building 514 at Naval Air Station Jacksonville. Work for this task order is expected to be completed by September 2020. All work on this contract will be performed at various Navy and Marine Corps installations in the NAVFAC Southeast AOR including, but not limited to Florida (20%); Georgia (17%); South Carolina (15%); Louisiana (10%); Mississippi (10%); Texas (10%); Andros Island, Bahamas (5%); Guantanamo Bay, Cuba (5%); Tennessee (3%); Alabama (1%); Arkansas (1%); Kansas (1%); Missouri (1%); and Oklahoma (1%), and is expected to be completed by February 2025. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Navy) (O&M N) contract funds in the amount of $267,865 are obligated on this award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Future task orders will be primarily funded by O&M N and military construction (Navy). This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website with 26 proposals received. NAVFAC SE, Jacksonville, Florida, is the contracting activity (N69450-20-D-0001). Progeny Systems Corp.,* Manassas, Virginia, is awarded a $14,822,628 cost-plus-fixed-fee and cost-only modification to previously-awarded contract N00024-19-C-6204 to exercise options to provide engineering and technical services for Navy submarines and aircraft carriers via the software infrastructure and build process related to a maintenance management tool. This option exercise is under Small Business Innovation Research Topic N05-051 for software build production, engineering and technical services, and includes all material travel, subsistence and incidental material in support of the related production orders and services. Work will be performed in Manassas, Virginia (30%); Groton, Connecticut (25%); Bremerton, Washington (15%); Las Vegas, Nevada (10%); Cleveland, Ohio (10%); Chesapeake, Virginia (4%); Pearl Harbor, Hawaii (2%); San Diego, California (2%); and Kings Bay, Georgia (2%), and is expected to be completed by January 2021. Fiscal 2018 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funding in the amount of $4,058,930 was obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. Electric Boat Corp., Groton, Connecticut, is awarded a $7,598,226 undefinitized contract action to the previously awarded contract N00024-16-C-2111 to perform Phase III of the Virginia Class Main Propulsion Machinery control systems effort. Work will be performed in Sunnyvale, California, and is scheduled to be completed by March 2021. Fiscal 2016 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funding in the amount of $7,598,226 will be obligated at time of award and funding will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Supervisor of Shipbuilding Conversion and Repair, Groton, Connecticut, is the contracting activity. U.S. TRANSPORTATION COMMAND Construction Helicopters Inc., Howell, Michigan, has been awarded a contract modification, P00009, on contract HTC711-17-D-R007 in the amount of $168,964,521. This modification provides continued rotary- and fixed-wing airlift support services, including passenger, cargo, casualty evacuation, personnel recovery, air drop and limited door-to-door services to U.S. Africa Command. Work will be performed in continental Africa, African islands and countries supporting operations in Africa, such as Germany and Italy. The option period of performance is from Feb. 2, 2020, to Feb. 1, 2021. This modification brings the total cumulative face value of the contract to $703,381,606 from $534,417,085. U.S. Transportation Command, Directorate of Acquisition, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, is the contracting activity. (Awarded Jan. 28, 2020) Berry Aviation Inc., San Marcos, Texas, has been awarded a contract modification, P00009, on contract HTC711-17-D-R008 in the amount of $157,889,835. This modification provides continued rotary- and fixed-wing airlift support services, including passenger, cargo, casualty evacuation, personnel recovery, air drop and limited door-to-door services to U.S. Africa Command. Work will be performed in continental Africa, African islands and countries supporting operations in Africa, such as Germany and Italy. The option period of performance is from Feb. 2, 2020, to Feb. 1, 2021. This modification brings the total cumulative face value of the contract to $674,556,717 from $516,666,882. U.S. Transportation Command, Directorate of Acquisition, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, is the contracting activity. (Awarded Jan. 28, 2020) Erickson Helicopters Inc., Portland, Oregon, has been awarded a contract modification, P00007, on contract HTC711-17-D-R009 in the amount of $93,601,765. This modification provides continued rotary- and fixed-wing airlift support services, including passenger, cargo, casualty evacuation, personnel recovery, air drop and limited door-to-door services to U.S. Africa Command. Work will be performed in continental Africa, African islands and countries supporting operations in Africa, such as Germany and Italy. The option period of performance is from Feb. 2, 2020, to Feb. 1, 2021. This modification brings the total cumulative face value of the contract to $379,378,242 from $285,776,477. U.S. Transportation Command, Directorate of Acquisition, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, is the contracting activity. (Awarded Jan. 28, 2020) ARMY Akima Support Operations LLC, Herndon, Virginia, was awarded a $101,329,977 cost-no-fee, cost-plus-fixed-fee, firm-fixed-price contract for Enhanced Army Global Logistics Enterprise logistics support and services at Fort Hood, Texas. Bids were solicited via the internet with 11 received. Work will be performed at Fort Hood, Texas, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 7, 2025. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois, is the contracting activity (W52P1J-20-F-0137). Federal Resources Supply Co.,* Stevensville, Maryland, was awarded a $40,365,948 firm-fixed-price contract for metal working and machine shop set shelters. Bids were solicited via the internet with four received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Feb. 25, 2025. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Rock Island Arsenal, is the contracting activity (W9098S-20-D-0005). Vectrus Systems Corp, Colorado Springs, Colorado, was awarded a $23,026,701 modification (P00012) to contract W52P1J-18-C-0025 to provide all personnel, equipment, supplies, transportation, tools, materials, supervision, and other items and non-personal services necessary to perform Area Support Group-Kuwait Dining Facility food services. Work will be performed in Kuwait City, Kuwait, with an estimated completion date of Feb. 9, 2021. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance, Army; defense cooperation agreement operations and maintenance; and Air Force operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $23,026,701 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois, is the contracting activity. Pine Bluff Sand And Gravel Co., White Hall, Arkansas, was awarded a $16,389,850 firm-fixed-price contract for Mississippi River maintenance dredging. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will be performed in New Orleans and Black Hawk, Louisiana, with an estimated completion date of Feb. 9, 2023. Fiscal 2020 civil construction funds in the amount of $16,389,850 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans, Louisiana, is the contracting activity (W912P8-20-C-0002). Messer Construction Co., Cincinnati, Ohio, was awarded a $13,960,000 firm-fixed-price contract for replacement and relocation of an existing fuel farm located at Wright Patterson Air Force Base. Bids were solicited via the internet with four received. Work will be performed at Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, with an estimated completion date of June 17, 2021. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Louisville, Kentucky, is the contracting activity (W912QR-20-C-0006). Skookum Educational Programs, Bremerton, Washington, was awarded a $7,335,413 modification (P00006) to contract W911S8-18-D-0004 to provide regularly scheduled custodial services to a multitude of federal facilities at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington. Work will be performed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington, with an estimated completion date of Feb. 28, 2023. The 418th Contracting Support Brigade, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington, is the contracting activity. DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Federal Prison Industries Inc.,** Washington, District of Columbia, has been awarded a maximum $24,465,000 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for various types of trousers. This is a one-year base contract with four one-year option periods. Locations of performance are Washington, District of Columbia, Texas, Illinois and North Carolina, with an Oct. 5, 2021, performance completion date. Using customers are Army and Air Force. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2021 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE1C1-20-D-F057). *Small business **Mandatory source https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2077018/source/GovDelivery/

  • Finland launches HX evaluations for F-35A

    February 12, 2020 | International, Aerospace

    Finland launches HX evaluations for F-35A

    Lockheed Martin has officially launched the flight evaluation phase of its F-35A Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) for Finland's HX programme, with a pair of aircraft arriving at Tampere-Pirkkala Airbase north of Helsinki on 9 February. The two aircraft were part of a flight of four that departed Luke Air Force Base (AFB) in Arizona on 5 February but problems with the aerial refuelling tankers assigned to support the aircraft on their trans-Atlantic crossing meant that only two F-35As were able to make the journey. Lockheed Martin's arrival in Finland for its HX Challenge evaluation followed earlier stints from the Eurofighter Typhoon from 9 to 17 January, the Dassault Rafale from 20 to 28 January, and the Saab Gripen E and GlobalEye airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft from 30 January to 6 February. With the F-35A evaluation set to run through to 17 February, Boeing will conclude proceedings with its F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and EA-18G Growler aircraft from 18 to 26 February. For the HX evaluations, Finland is assessing a potential replacement for the air force's 55 Boeing F/A-18C and seven F/A-18D Hornet fighters. The government's request for quotations (RFQs) calls for a "capability" to be delivered for EUR10 billion (USD13 billion), which includes the cost of acquiring the aircraft, infrastructure, training, and support from the arrival of the first aircraft in 2025, through the declaration of initial operating capability (IOC) in 2027 and full-operating capability (FOC) in 2030. After this time, support and sustainment funding will move from the acquisition to the operations budget. The evaluations are being held in three phases against the Finnish Air Force's concept of operations (CONOPS). https://www.janes.com/article/94239/finland-launches-hx-evaluations-for-f-35a?from_rss=1

  • Kratos Wins $579M Single Award IDIQ for Space Force SATCOM C2 System

    February 15, 2024 | International, Land

    Kratos Wins $579M Single Award IDIQ for Space Force SATCOM C2 System

    The CCS-C program develops the C2 system for most U.S. MILSATCOM systems including the Defense Satellite Communications System, Milstar, Wideband Global SATCOM and Advanced Extremely High Frequency satellites.

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