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January 31, 2023 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land

U.S. military seeking international innovators specializing in advanced manufacturing and materials

The U.S. Army, in partnership with the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy, is now accepting concept white papers for its xTechInternational Competition. The competition is open to international entities including small to medium businesses and academic and research institutions interested in tackling current challenges in the advanced manufacturing and materials space. Up to $530,000 in cash prizes will be awarded to eligible participants, which includes Canadian innovators. 

 In addition to the cash prizes, the xTechInternational competition will provide:

  • Direct access to Department of Defense and international stakeholders;
  • Transparent and detailed feedback from multi-disciplinary experts; and
  • Mentoring and educational opportunities through their accelerator programming.

The competition is open now and accepting concept white paper submissions until 13:00 GMT (8:00 a.m. EST) March 2, 2023.

For more information, visit the xTechInternational competition web page

On the same subject

  • Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - July 24, 2020

    July 27, 2020 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security

    Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - July 24, 2020

    DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY General Electric Aviation, Cincinnati, Ohio, has been awarded an estimated $259,403,817 modification (P00051) exercising the three-year option period of an eight-year base contract (SPE4AX-15-D-9412) with one three-year option period for supplies related to airplane engine platform support. This modification brings the total cumulative face value of the contract to $892,596,638 from $633,192,821. This is a firm-fixed-price, requirements-type contract. Location of performance is Ohio, with a May 31, 2023, performance completion date. Using customers are Air Force, Navy and Foreign Military Sales partner countries. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2023 defense working capital funds and Foreign Military Sales funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Richmond, Virginia (SPE4AX-15-D-9412). EFW Inc., Fort Worth, Texas, has been awarded a maximum $11,999,844 firm-fixed-price contract for Bradley Fighting Vehicle controller grip 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. This is a three-year contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Texas, with a July 31, 2023, performance completion date. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2023 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime, Warren, Michigan (SPRDL1-20-D-0020). Curtiss-Wright Defense Systems, Santa Clarita, California, has been awarded a maximum $7,532,963 firm-fixed-price contract for an advanced mission management system in support of the MQ4-C Triton aircraft program. 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 19-month contract with no option periods. Location of performance is California, with a Feb. 28, 2022, performance completion date. Using military service is Navy. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 Navy operations, maintenance and procurement funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPRPA1-20-C-K019). NAVY RQ-DPR JV, Carlsbad, California, is awarded a $143,587,704 firm-fixed-price contract for the construction of Hurricane Florence Recovery Package 2, Headquarters, located at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. The contract also contains 45 unexercised planned modifications and 19 unexercised options, which if exercised will increase the cumulative contract value to $178,308,510. Work will be performed in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. This contract provides replacements for buildings damaged during Hurricane Florence. The construction is divided into eight separate projects encompassing the following areas: Combat Logistics Battalion Headquarters Facilities; 2nd Marine Division Tank Battalion and Company Headquarters and Armory; Regimental Headquarters, 2nd Marine Division; 1/8 Battalion Headquarters; 24th and 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit Headquarters; 2nd Marine Division Transportation Support Battalion Headquarters; Environmental Management Division; and Marine Corps Advisor Battalion Headquarters. Work is expected to be completed by March 2025. Fiscal 2019 military construction (Marine Corps) contract funds in the amount of $120,616,899; and fiscal 2020 military construction (Marine Corps) contract funds in the amount of $22,970,805 are obligated on this award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the beta.SAM.gov website, and 13 proposals were received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command Mid-Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N40085-20-C-0044). Archer Western Construction, Tampa, Florida, is awarded an $117,995,000 firm-fixed-price contract for the construction of Hurricane Florence Recovery Package 4, Bridges, located in Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. Work will be performed in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. This contract provides replacements for bridges damaged during Hurricane Florence. The construction is divided into two separate projects encompassing a moveable bridge across the Intracoastal Waterway, the White Oak River and Queens Creek Trestles. Work is expected to be completed by March 2025. Fiscal 2019 military construction (Marine Corps) contract funds in the amount of $117,995,000 are obligated on this award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the beta.SAM.gov website, and six proposals were received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command Mid-Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N40085-20-C-8505). American Petroleum Tankers LLC, Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, is awarded a $26,462,500 firm-fixed-price contract with reimbursable elements for the U.S. Flagged, West Coast, Jones Act tanker vessel M/T Empire State. This contract includes one 12-month firm period, three one-year options and one 11-month option period, which if exercised will bring the cumulative value of this contract to $190,364,159. Work will be performed worldwide, and is expected to be completed by July 2025. Transportation Working Capital Funds in the amount of $26,462,500 are obligated for fiscal 2020 and fiscal 2021, and will expire at the end of the fiscal 2021. This contract was competitively procured with proposals solicited via the Federal Business Opportunities website, and two offers were received. The U.S. Navy's Military Sealift Command, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N32205-20-C-4105). Analysis, Computing & Engineering Solutions Inc., Columbia, Maryland, is awarded a $19,062,904 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) Systems design and development. This contract includes options which, if exercised, will bring the cumulative value of this contract to $100,273,144. Work will be performed in Washington, D.C. The services to be acquired consist of continuing advanced research and development for scientific, technical and engineering efforts associated with the development and integration of C4ISR systems. Work is expected to be completed by July 2025. Fiscal 2020 Working Capital Funds (Navy) in the amount of $2,395,802; and fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) in the amount of $150,000 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured and three offers were received via Federal Business Opportunities (FedBizOpps). This contract was a negotiated acquisition under the authority of Title 10 U.S. Code 2304(b)(2), as stated in Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.203. The U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity (N00173-20-C-6002). Deloitte Consulting, Arlington, Virginia, is awarded a $13,296,822 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for complete engineering changes to the Order to Payment System (OTPS), also known as NEST. The objective of this contract is to enable effective management of the current Next Generation Enterprise Network contracts, as well as to obtain the full range of systems engineering, software engineering, project management, integration and application sustainment services to assist and support the Navy's Program Executive Office Digital and Enterprise Services to complete OPTS/NEST engineering changes. The three option periods, if exercised, will bring the cumulative value of this contract to an estimated $49,158,628. Work will be performed in Arlington, Virginia, and is expected to be completed by January 2024 if all options are exercised. $3,486,500 in fiscal 2020 operation and maintenance (Navy); and $5,456,500 in fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funding will be applied to this contract after contract award. $3,486,500 of the obligated funds would have expired at the end of the current fiscal year if this award had not been made. This contract was not competitively procured because it is a sole source acquisition pursuant to the authority of 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1). There is only one responsible source under the Federal Acquisition Regulation subpart 6.302-1. The Naval Information Warfare Systems Command, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity (N00039-20-C-0011). Oceanetics Inc., doing business as Truston Technologies,* Annapolis, Maryland, is awarded a $11,811,782 firm-fixed-price contract for the detailed design, fabrication and installation of a waterside security barrier (WSB) system at three commercial shipyards located in San Diego Bay: General Dynamics (National Steel and Shipbuilding Co.), BAE Systems Inc. and Huntington-Ingalls Industries. The effort will also include the training of personnel on the maintenance and operation of the WSB system and an initial suite of spares and repair parts. Work will be performed in Welch, West Virginia (75%); San Diego, California, (20%); and Annapolis, Maryland (5%). The new WSB will meet force protection requirements and allow for the cessation of manned security patrols. Work is expected to be completed by February 2022. Fiscal 2018 other procurement (Navy) funding in the amount of $11,811,782 will be obligated at time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities website, and three offers were received. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity (N00024-20-C-6303). DRS Laurel Technologies, Johnstown, Pennsylvania, is awarded a $10,048,979 firm-fixed-price modification to previously awarded contract N00024-15-C-5228 to exercise options for the production of Cooperative Engagement Capability (CEC) AN/USG-3B equipment sets and installation and checkout replacement components. Work will be performed in Largo, Florida (60%); Johnstown, Pennsylvania (30%); and Menlo Park, California (10%). The CEC is a sensor netting system that significantly improves battle force capability by extracting and distributing sensor-derived information, such as the superset of data that is available to all participating CEC units. The CEC also improves overall situational awareness by enabling longer range, cooperative, multiple, or layered engagement strategies. Work is expected to be completed by January 2022. Fiscal 2020 aircraft procurement (Navy); fiscal 2020 other procurement (Navy); fiscal 2019 procurement Marine Corps; and fiscal 2018 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funding in the amount of $10,048,979 will be obligated at the time of award, and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity. Vigor Marine LLC, Portland, Oregon, is awarded a $10,000,000 modification to previously awarded contract N00024-19-C-4447 to support USS Chosin (CG 65) extended dry-docking selected restricted availability. Work will be performed in Seattle, Washington. This modification will provide docking and pier-side services to USS Chosin (CG 65) during the performance of the extended availability at Vigor Shipyard, Seattle, Washington. The contract will include all necessary docking and pier-side services, labor, material and equipment deemed necessary to support the performance of depot level repairs. Work is expected to be completed by October 2021. Fiscal 2020 other procurement (Navy) funding in the amount of $5,454,170 will be obligated at the time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Navy) funding in the amount of $4,545,830 will be obligated at the time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility, Bremerton, Washington, is the contracting activity. ARMY Airfield Contracting,* Columbus, Ohio, was awarded a $21,456,750 firm-fixed-price contract to repair airfield drainage at Laughlin Air Force Base. Bids were solicited via the internet with three received. Work will be performed in at Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas, with an estimated completion date of March 26, 2021. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Air Force) funds in the amount of $21,456,750 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Fort Worth, Texas, is the contracting activity (W9126G-20-C-0026). Government Marketing and Procurement LLC,* Wimberley, Texas, was awarded an $18,000,000 modification (P00005) to contract W912DY-18-D-0024 for Vocera wireless hands-free communications systems and supporting hardware/software infrastructure. Work will be performed in Wimberley, Texas, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 1, 2023. Fiscal 2020 Defense Health Program funds in the amount of $18,000,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Huntsville, Alabama, is the contracting activity. AIR FORCE Kearney & Company P.C., Alexandria, Virginia, has been awarded an $11,119,320 firm-fixed-price modification (P00011) to contract FA7014-18-F-1022 for advisory and assistance support. This modification exercises Option Year Two that continues support for Total Force analysis to include capability and capacity analysis of Air Force mission areas; linking results to the strategy, planning, and programming process; performing planning, programming, and budgeting study excursions; analytically supporting Total Force initiatives, strategy review and assessment, and planning support. Work will be performed in Washington, D.C., and if all options are exercised, work is expected to be completed July 31, 2023. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition with one offer received. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $5,399,055 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force District of Washington Contracting Directorate, Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, is the contracting activity. *Small Business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2287902/source/GovDelivery/

  • Les atouts des Rafale Marine pour l'opération Chammal

    December 7, 2020 | International, Aerospace

    Les atouts des Rafale Marine pour l'opération Chammal

    Le Dassault Rafale Marine déploiera la GBU-16 de 500kg à l'occasion de ce cinquième mandat de l'opération Chammal. CINQUIEME MANDAT Dans un mois et demi, le groupe aérien embarqué du porte-avions Charles-de-Gaulle sera à nouveau mobilisé au profit de l'opération Chammal, offrant une capacité appréciable, avec une vingtaine d'avions de combat Dassault Rafale Marine (quatre fois plus que d'habitude sur la base H5 avec l'Armée de l'Air et de l'Espace, (AAE) et E-2C Hawkeye. Ces Rafale Marine assurent le cinquième mandat sur place depuis 2014 : quatre ont été menés depuis le Charles de Gaulle et le cinquième à terre, durant l'arrêt technique majeur du porte-avions. Bombe GBU Cette fois, les chasseurs embarqués vont déployer une série d'atouts nouveaux. Ce sera le cas dans le domaine munitionnaire, ils pourront emporter la bombe GBU-16 de 500 kg offrant ainsi un spectre plus large qu'avant, à base de 250 kg (GBU-12, AASM) ou 1000 kg (GBU-24). Cette avancée est symptomatique du travail permanent de la chasse embarquée pour trouver les munitions les plus adaptées aux réalités opérationnelles. Rappelons que ses SEM avaient, en leur temps, déployé la GBU-49 sur le thé'tre afghan avant qu'elle n'apparaisse sur Mirage 2000D. De même, les ATL-2 disposent des GBU-12, GBU-51, GBU-58. Ciblage pour le missile MBDA Meteor Les Rafale Marine vont aussi pour la première fois déployer la nacelle de ciblage Talios le missile air-air à longue portée Meteor. L'AAE, qui vient de déployer ses premiers Rafale F3R en Jordanie, doit aussi, a priori avant la Marine, mettre en service le Talios sur ce thé'tre irako-syrien. Le Meteor de MBDA est, évidemment, dans le contexte troublé de la Méditerranée orientale, un game changer que les pays alliés pourront voir de près, notamment les Grecs, futurs clients du Rafale. https://www.air-cosmos.com/article/les-atouts-des-rafale-marine-pour-lopration-chammal-23945

  • US Army seeks new airborne tech to detect, defeat radar systems

    August 17, 2020 | International, Aerospace, C4ISR

    US Army seeks new airborne tech to detect, defeat radar systems

    Mark Pomerleau WASHINGTON — The U.S. Army is seeking industry input on new technology allowing aircraft to survive and defeat systems in sophisticated adversarial environments made up of sensitive radars and integrated air defense systems. A notice posted online Aug. 12 from the Army Combat Capabilities Development Command's Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Cyber, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Center is asking industry for ideas ahead of an industry day in September that will provide additional information regarding the technical specifications. The service will also answer questions in depth at the event. “The future multi-domain operational environment will present a highly lethal and complex set of traditional and non-traditional targets. These targets will include networked and mobile air defense systems with extended ranges, and long and mid-range fires systems that will deny freedom of maneuver,” the notices stated. To maintain an advantage, the notice stated, the Army aviation community must modernize its reconnaissance, surveillance, target acquisition and lethality with an advanced team of manned and unmanned aircraft as part of its Future Vertical Lift modernization effort, which calls for a future attack reconnaissance aircraft. The desired end state of this interconnected ecosystem will enable the penetration, disintegration and exploitation of an adversary's anti-access/area denial environment comprised of an integrated air defense system as well as surveillance and targeting systems, command-and-control capabilities, and communications technology. It will do this through a series of air-launched effects, which are a family of large and small unmanned or launched systems capable of detecting, identifying, locating and reporting threats while also delivering nonlethal effects. Some of the sensors described include those that can passively detect and locate threats within the radio frequency/electro-optical/infrared spectrums, active detection, electronic or GPS-based decoys, and sensors able to disrupt the detection of friendly systems through cyberspace or the electromagnetic spectrum. The notice lists five technology areas of interest: Hardware for the mission payloads. Hardware, software or techniques for distributed collaborative teaming capabilities to include processing technologies, cyber protection and data links to enable command and control of air-launched effects. Software or algorithms that can fuse, process, decide and act on sensor data allowing air-launched effects to autonomously react and adapt to countermeasures. Multimode/multifunction technologies consisting of payloads for synthetic aperture/moving target indicator radar or combined electronic warfare, radar and communication functions that share common apertures. Modular open-systems architecture. https://www.c4isrnet.com/battlefield-tech/2020/08/14/us-army-seeks-new-airborne-tech-to-detect-defeat-radar-systems/

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