July 4, 2019 | International, Security, Other Defence

U.S. Security Requires Multiple Elements of Deterrence

In the context of U.S. defense policy, "deterrence" is typically understood to mean "nuclear." And America's nuclear triad — ground-based missiles, air-delivered bombs, and submarine-launched missiles — serves as America's biggest form of deterrence, which underwrites everything its men and women in uniform do.

But according to Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John M. Richardson, nuclear weapons are just one of multiple elements of deterrence the U.S. must consider either for itself, or for being aware that other nations might be using them. During a July 2 breakfast presentation hosted by the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies in Washington, Richardson laid out five such elements of deterrence already in use or that must be considered more deeply.

Nuclear

"It's an incredibly powerful military capability where potentially everybody gets destroyed," Richardson said. "We must maintain our ability to be competitive and relevant in this domain ... [and] strike back at anybody who can pose an existential nuclear threat to the homeland."

The triad itself includes ground-based missiles — commonly referred to as intercontinental ballistic missiles; submarine-launched ballistic missiles; and air-launched cruise missiles dropped from bomber aircraft. In all three areas the U.S. is underway with modernization efforts.

But the nuclear environment globally is changing, Richardson said.

"More nations are seeking to join the club," he said. Some of those nations can bring high-tech weapons, while some are using low-tech, including dirty bombs and systems that can be manufactured with 3-D printers. Additionally, not all nuclear weapons are "strategic" in nature. Some are smaller "tactical" weapons.

"The nuclear element of this mix remains very relevant, very active, and deserves a lot more attention in my mind," Richardson said.

Cyber

Richardson said when it comes to cyber as a deterrent, the U.S. can't maintain only defensive capabilities. "We have to have an ability for offensive cyber to truly achieve a sense of deterrence there," he said.

Recent cyber provocations, he said, are "multidimensional in ways that may or may not have been expected." Included there, he said, are theft of intellectual property, invasion of privacy, invasion of identity, distortion of identity, "and most recently, perception management. This perception management idea ... might be kind of our new Sputnik moment."

Space

"The competition is absolutely heating up in space," Richardson said. "Of these elements that are going to constitute a tailored strategic deterrent approach, space has got to be one of those."

Richard posited that in space, it might become apparent that, using directed energy weapons, it proves far easier to destroy something in space than it is to put something back up into space. "These things operate really fast ... and space goes away as an asset," he said. "You can see kind of a mutually assured destruction scenario in space pretty easily. Have we thought about that going forward?"

Chemical, Biological Capabilities

Increasingly, Richardson said, chemical and biological deterrence will come into the mix, especially as technologies such as CRISPR — a genome editing tool — allow for more tailored capabilities.

"One of the self-deterrent aspects of chemical/biological is that it's very hard to control. It goes viral, if you will," he said. "But with these tailoring things, you can get a lot more specific. It becomes a lot more targetable. And so, it's something we have to mind."

Conventional Weapons

U.S. deterrence advantages in conventional weapons have relied, so far, on superior targeting ability, Richardson said. But that may become less important.

"We have better sensors, better satellites, better ways to connect that data with our command and control systems, our targeting systems," he said. "We had an advantage in terms of precision."

Now, he said, such sensors are ubiquitous, and commercial and military sensors are going up into space. There are cameras everywhere.

"This idea of being able to locate things with precision is becoming more ubiquitous," he said. "It's less of an advantage. It's really the team that can manage that information better that's going to achieve the advantage."

https://www.defense.gov/explore/story/Article/1896147/us-security-requires-multiple-elements-of-deterrence/

On the same subject

July 29, 2019 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security, Other Defence

Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - July 26, 2019
Contracts for July 26, 2019 ARMY Blue Tech Inc.,* San Diego, California (W52P1J-19-D-0051); Ace Computers doing business as JC Technology Inc.,* Elk Grove Village, Illinois (W52P1J-19-D-0055); Strategic Communications LLC,* Louisville, Kentucky (W52P1J-19-D-0050); NCS Technologies Inc.,* Gainesville, Virginia (W52P1J-19-D-0048); HPI Federal LLC, Washington, District of Columbia (W52P1J-19-D-0054); Dell Federal Systems LP, Round Rock, Texas (W52P1J-19-D-0049); Iron Bow Technologies LLC, Herndon, Virginia (W52P1J-19-D-0052); and Sterling Computers Corp.,* North Sioux City, South Dakota (W52P1J-19-D-0053), will compete for each order of the $5,000,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for Army Desktop and Mobile Computing-3. Bids were solicited via the internet with 58 received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Oct. 23, 2029. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois, is the contracting activity. BCF Solutions Inc.,* Arlington, Virginia (W15QKN-18-C-0088); BCF Solutions Inc.,* Arlington, Virginia (W15QKN-19-D-0089); Trijicon Inc.,* Wixom, Michigan (W15QKN-19-D-0095); and Trijicon Inc.,* Wixom, Michigan (W15QKN-19-D-0094), will compete for each order of the $48,800,000 firm-fixed-price contract for mounted machine gun optic mounts on the M2 and M2A1 machine guns, the M240 family of machine guns, and the MK19 grenade launcher. Bids were solicited via the internet with five received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of July 26, 2024. U.S. Army Contracting Command, New Jersey, is the contracting activity. Riverside Construction Co. Inc.,* Vicksburg, Mississippi, was awarded a $24,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for stone repairs to revetments and dikes, flood control and channel improvement to the Mississippi River Basin and tributaries. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 30, 2020. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Vicksburg, Mississippi, is the contracting activity (W912EE-19-D-0011). PROJECTXYZ Inc.,* Huntsville, Alabama, was awarded a $17,227,000 firm-fixed-price Foreign Military Sales (Egypt) contract to develop and deliver M48A3 Chaparral Fire Unit system modifications. One bid was solicited with one bid received. Work will be performed in Cairo, Egypt, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 30, 2020. Fiscal 2019 Foreign Military Sales funds in the amount of $17,227,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity (W31P4Q-19-C-0105). HNTB Corp., Kansas City, Missouri, was awarded a $13,500,000 modification (P00007) to contract W91236-14-D-0035 for multidiscipline design and architect-engineer services for planning and design support to the southern expansion project at Arlington National Cemetery. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of July 28, 2024. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity. Modern Technology Solutions Inc.,* Alexandria, Virginia, was awarded an $8,458,222 modification (P00019) to contract W9133L-16-F-0027 for modernization and engineering support. Work will be performed in Tucson, Arizona, with an estimated completion date of July 25, 2020. Fiscal 2019 National Guard Bureau funds in the amount of $8,458,222 were obligated at the time of the award. National Guard Bureau, Operations Contracting, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. NAVY AAR Government Services Inc., Wood Dale, Illinois, is awarded an $118,616,793 firm-fixed-price contract for the procurement, modification and delivery of two C-40 aircraft and associated peculiar support equipment and common support equipment for the Marine Corps (USMC). This contract is for the acquisition, modification, acceptance and delivery of two Boeing 737-700 Increased Gross Weight (IGW) series commercial aircraft that will meet USMC C-9B replacement medium lift requirements and will be designated C-40A. This statement of work (SOW) will procure and modify a 737-700 IGW series airframe and engines that will meet cargo/passenger, communication, navigation, safety and military mission system capabilities. The military mission systems consist of requirements for military navigation and communication system. The aircraft shall be certified in accordance with 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 25 (airworthiness standards) for an all-passenger configuration that can carry 121 passengers and an all-cargo configuration of eight 463L (HCU-6/E) cargo pallets. A passenger-cargo configuration (combi-configuration) shall be certified to meet 14 CFR Part 25 or military airworthiness standards that will consist of seating and cargo pallets that will provide the USMC the added mission flexibility to configure the aircraft in a cargo-passenger configuration. Naval Aviation (NAVAIR) will be responsible for the airworthiness related to the combination configuration unless the configuration falls within an existing Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certification. The contract will also require training the aircrew (pilots, crew chiefs and loadmasters) and training for unique equipment. Work will be performed in Wood Dale, Illinois (79%); Indianapolis, Indiana (11%); Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (9%); Miami, Florida (1%); and is expected to be completed in September 2021. Fiscal 2018 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $118,616,793 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via an electronic request for proposal; two offers were received. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N00019-19-C-0070). Nan Inc., Honolulu, Hawaii, is awarded a $49,777,312 firm-fixed-price contract for communications/crypto facility at Naval Computer Telecommunications Area, Maser Station, Pacific. The work includes renovating three existing buildings, Buildings 261, 105 and 10. Building 261 renovation work consists of removing walls, equipment, electrical mechanical, fire sprinklers, communication and security systems; renovate restroom facilities, power, uninterruptible power supply, heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, ceiling, doors, painting interior and exterior and penetration of secure areas. Building 105 renovation of work consists of removing walls and raised access flooring; modifying electrical, mechanical, fire sprinklers, lighting, communication, security systems, interior painting and doors. Building 10 renovation work consists of replacing window air conditioning units and doors, modifying electrical and communication systems and incidental work. The option, if exercised, provides for furniture, fixtures and equipment. Work will be performed at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Wahiawa Annex, Hawaii, and is expected to be completed by April 2021. The contract also contains one unexercised option, which, if exercised, would increase the cumulative contract value to $50,286,129. Fiscal 2018 military construction (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $49,777,312 are obligated on this award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online and Federal Business Opportunities website with three proposals received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Pacific, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, is the contracting activity (N62742-19-C-1317). General Dynamics Mission Systems, Fairfax, Virginia, is awarded a $27,713,041 cost-plus-incentive-fee and cost-only modification to previously-awarded contract N00024-09-C-6250 for the procurement of Navy systems engineering services. This contract is for the completion and modernization of Navy systems. This contract involves foreign military sales to Australia. Work will be performed in Fairfax, Virginia, and is expected to be completed by July 2021. Fiscal 2017 other procurement (Navy) funding in the amount of $1,367,558; fiscal 2018 other procurement (Navy) funding in the amount of $2,532,437; fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funding in the amount of $499,914 and Royal Australian Navy funding in the amount of $728,283 will be obligated at time of award, and $499,914 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Modification is pursuant to 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1) (only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements). The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. Progeny Systems Corp.,* Manassas, Virginia, is awarded a $17,633,753 cost-plus-fixed fee level-of-effort and cost-only modification to previously awarded contract N00024-18-C-6265 to exercise options for the procurement of engineering and technical services, including software development, commercial off-the-shelf products, hardware and software integration for submarine and undersea warfare weapons systems. Work will be performed in Manassas, Virginia (65%); Middletown, Rhode Island (25%); and San Diego, California (10%), and is expected to be complete by July 2020. Fiscal 2019 and 2018 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy); 2016 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy); and 2018 other procurement (Navy) funding in the amount of $13,083,051 will be 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 (N00024-18-C-6265). Draeger Inc., Teleford, Pennsylvania, is awarded a $9,945,261 firm-fixed-price contract for anesthesia recording and monitoring devices (ARMD) sustainment services in support of Navy, Army, Air Force, and National Capital Region military treatment facilities inside and outside the continental U.S. Work may be performed at locations throughout the U.S. to include: San Antonio Military Medical Center, Texas (7%); Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Maryland (7%); Naval Medical Center, Portsmouth, Virginia (6%); Naval Medical Center, San Diego, California (5%); Fort Belvoir Community Hospital, Virginia (3%); Fort Bliss, Texas (3%); Fort Bragg, North Carolina (3%); Tripler Army Medical Center, Hawaii (3%); Lackland Air Force Base, Texas (3%); Eglin Air Force Base Hospital, Florida (2%); Fort Benning, Georgia (2%); Fort Campbell, Kentucky (2%); Fort Carson, Colorado (2%); Fort Gordon, Georgia (2%); Fort Hood, Texas (2%); Fort Stewart, Georgia (2%); Keesler Air Force Base, Georgia (2%); Naval Hospital, Camp Pendleton, California (2%); Naval Hospital Pensacola, Florida (2%); Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada (2%); United States Army Institute of Surgical Research, Texas (2%); Wright-Patterson Air Force Medical Center, Ohio (2%); Andrews Air Force Base Hospital, Maryland (1%); Langley Air Force Base Medical Center, Virginia (1%); Elmendorf Air Force Base Hospital, Alaska (1%); Travis Air Force Base, California (1%); Fort Wainwright, Alaska (1%); West Point Academy, New York (1%); Fort Riley, Kansas (1%); Fort Meade, Maryland (1%); Fort Irwin, California (1%); Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri (1%); Fort Polk, Louisiana (1%); Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Maryland (1%); Naval Hospital, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina (1%); Naval Hospital, Jacksonville, Florida (1%); Naval Hospital, Lemoore, California (1%); Naval Hospital, Beaufort, South Carolina (1%); Naval Hospital, Twentynine Palms, California (1%); Naval Hospital, Cherry Point, North Carolina (1%); and Air Force Medical Operations Agency Lab, Texas (less than 1%). Work may be performed at locations outside of the contiguous United States to include Landsuhl Regional Medical Center, Germany (3%); Aviano Air Base Hospital, Italy (1%); Lakenheath Air Force Base Hospital, United Kingdom (1%); Misawa Air Force Base, Japan (1%); Naval Hospital, Guam, Guam (1%); Naval Hospital, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba (1%); Naval Hospital, Naples, Italy (1%); Naval Hospital, Okinawa, Japan (1%); Osan Air Base Hospital, Korea (1%); Naval Hospital, Rota, Spain (1%); Naval Hospital, Sigonella, Italy (1%); Waegwan (Seoul), South Korea (1%); Naval Hospital, Yokosuka, Japan and Iwakuni, Japan (1%); and Yokota Air Force Base Hospital, Japan (1%). This contract has a five-year period of performance and all work is expected to be completed by July 26, 2024. Fiscal 2019 Defense Health Program operation & maintenance funds will be obligated at the time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was a non-competitive, sole-source procurement in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1(c) issued via the Federal Business Opportunities website, with one proposal received. The Naval Medical Logistics Command, Fort Detrick, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N62645-19-C-0005). Coastal Marine Services,* San Diego, California (N55236-19-D-0007); DLP Enterprises,* National City, California (N55236-19-D-0008); Paige Floor Covering Services,* San Diego, California (N55236-19-D-0009); Surface Technologies Corp.,* San Diego, California (N55236-19-D-0010); and YYK Enterprises,* National City, California (N55236-19-D-0011), are awarded a combined $8,750,359 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, multiple award contracts with a five-year base ordering period to provide interior decking onboard Navy ships vessels within a 50-mile radius of San Diego, California. Each contractor shall provide services, equipment, and materials for interior decking on Navy ships and other government vessels within a 50-mile radius of San Diego, California, which may include Oceanside, California. Further, the contractor must be familiar with and conform to all prescribed procedures set forth in applicable instructions, directives, publications, etc. issued by the Department of Defense (DoD), Secretary of the Navy, Chief of Naval Operations, Navy Supply Systems Command, Navy Sea Systems Command, Commander, Naval Air Forces, Pacific Fleet, Fleet Forces Command and other DoD-related activities. These five companies will have an opportunity to compete for individual delivery orders. Work will be performed in or near San Diego, California, and will be complete by July 2024. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance (Navy) funding in the amount of $50,000 ($10,000 for minimum guarantee per contract) will be obligated under each contract's initial delivery order and expire at the end of the current fiscal year. These contracts were competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities website with seven offers received. The Southwest Regional Maintenance Center, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity. AIR FORCE CPI Aerostructures, Edgewood, New York, has been awarded a $65,700,000 ceiling contract for T-38A/B/C sustainment. This contract provides for T-38 A/B/C structural and fastener kits. Work will be performed at Edgewood, New York, and is expected to be completed by July 25, 2030. This award is the result of a competitive-source acquisition with three offers received. Fiscal 2018 and 2019 procurement funds in the amount of $3,398,478 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Hill Air Force Base, Roy, Utah, is the contracting activity (FA8220-19-D-0002). Smiths Detection Inc., Edgewood, Maryland, has been awarded a $16,314,800 firm-fixed-price contract for Azerbaijan X-rays and screening equipment. This contract provides for X-ray screening systems, installation, initial spares, training and extended warranty and maintenance support for Republic of Azerbaijan, State Customs Committee, supporting U.S. European Command Theater Campaign Plan line of effort to counter transnational threats. Work will be performed in the Republic of Azerbaijan, and expected to be completed by Sept. 30, 2021. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $16,314,800 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Combat Command, Acquisition Management & Integration Center, Langley Air Force Base, Virginia, is the contracting activity (FA4890-19-C-A015). Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., Stratford, Connecticut, has been awarded a $9,453,990 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification (P00088) to previously awarded contract FA8629-14-C-2403 for initial capabilities upgrades. This contract modification provides for the engineering analysis and integration (or removal) of capabilities such as situational awareness data link, automatic direction finder, distributed aperture infrared countermeasures and electro-optical/infrared with primary flight reference symbology. Work will be performed at Stratford, Connecticut; and Owego, New York, and is expected to be completed by July 24, 2020. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $9,453,990 are being obligated at the time of award. Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton, Ohio, is the contracting activity. DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Carter Enterprises LLC, doing business as Mil-Spec Enterprises, Brooklyn, New York, has been awarded a maximum $24,252,013 modification (P00029) to a one-year contract (SPE1C1-16-D-1071) with three one-year option periods for the Improved Outer Tactical Vest, Generation IV. This is a firm-fixed price, indefinite-quantity contract. Location of performance is New York, with a Sept. 15, 2020, performance completion date. Using military services are Army and Air Force. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2020 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Cutter Aviation Phoenix Inc.,* Phoenix, Arizona, has been awarded a maximum $9,490,256 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment contract for fuel. This was a competitive acquisition with 148 responses received. This is a 44-month contract with a six-month option period. Location of performance is Arizona, with a March 31, 2023, performance completion date. Using customers are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and federal civilian agencies. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2023 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Energy, Fort Belvoir, Virginia (SPE607-19-D-0110). CORRECTION: The contract announced on July 24, 2019, Communications & Power Industries, Palo Alto, California (SPE7LX-19-D-0169) for $7,050,384 was announced with an incorrect award date. The correct award date is July 26, 2019. *Small Business https://dod.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/1918406/
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