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Lee Hudson The Pentagon predicts there will be a three-month slowdown for major defense acquisition programs because of the novel coronavirus pandemic. Aerospace, shipbuilding and small launch are the most vulnerable sectors in the wake of COVID-19, Pentagon acquisition executive Ellen Lord told reporters April 20. Out of the 10,509 major prime contractors, 106 have shuttered their doors, and 68 have closed and reopened. Of 11,413 vendor-based companies, 427 are shut down, with 147 having closed and reopened, she said. Lord's team has not identified specific programs but anticipates there will be schedule delays, she said. One of the measures the military is taking to support the defense industrial base is boosting progress payment rates to contractors, raising them for large businesses from 80% to 90% and for small businesses from 90% to 95%. “Based on submitted invoices, we expect payments at the higher progress payments to start this week, helping provide $3 billion in increased cash flow to industry,” Lord said. “I commend Lockheed Martin and Boeing for both publicly committing to ensure this cash flow goes quickly down the supply chain to small businesses who need it most.” The DOD is hoping other large defense contractors will make similar public announcements. The Pentagon's small business program office hosted a webinar with more than 1,000 companies to address their unique concerns, she said. Over the last few weeks, Lord's team has focused on supply chain “illumination” tools and found “international dependencies.” Specifically, the defense industrial base is being hit hard by supplier closures in Mexico and India. Lord spoke with the U.S. ambassador to Mexico on April 17 and on April 20 was sending a letter to the Mexican foreign minister asking for help in reopening international suppliers. The Pentagon also is hoping for additional aid from the American people via the second Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Lord would not pinpoint a particular amount, but the money sought is incremental funding for inefficiencies related to contracting, Defense Production Act (DPA) Title III, the defense industrial base and medical resources. In the inaugural CARES Act, DOD received $1 billion for DPA Title III, $750 million for medical resources and $250 million for the defense industrial base. The DPA Title III medical resources priorities are N95 masks, ventilators, active pharmaceutical ingredients, testing kits, suppliers and reagents, vaccines and delivery systems. The defense sector focus areas for DPA Title III include machine tools and industrial controls, aircraft supply chain illumination, chem bio, directed energy, radar, munitions, missiles, space, shipbuilding, soldier systems and ground systems. To date, the Defense Logistics Agency has provided more than 1.8 million N95 respirator masks, 3.2 million nonmedical and surgical masks, 54.8 million exam gloves, 8,000 ventilators and 275,000 isolation and surgical gowns to the military services, combatant commands, and several federal agencies, Lord said. “We have ordered face coverings for the workforce, 3 million active duty, guard, reserve and government civilians with deliveries starting this week,” she said. “We expect 135,000 by the end of April and 580,000 by the end of May.” For the first time ever, U.S. Transportation Command (Transcom) was able to use the Defense Threat Reduction Agency-developed transport isolation system to move three COVID-19 positive patients from Afghanistan to Germany. The system was developed in 2014 during the Ebola crisis. “The joint staff, Transcom, and the Air Force continue to work to ensure that we can safely transport COVID-19 patients from overseas locations to the United States,” Lord said. “We just issued a memo that directs contracting officers to support a U.S. Forces Afghanistan memo to redeploy at-risk contractor employees due to insufficient medical capability in-country.” The Pentagon anticipates this will affect fewer than 1,000 personnel. https://aviationweek.com/defense-space/budget-policy-operations/pentagon-predicts-three-month-major-program-delay

Le gouvernement sud-coréen décide de réduire de 2 % le budget de défense initialement prévu pour 2020 et qui s'inscrivait sur une hausse de 7,4 %. L'avion de combat F-35 en est la première victime. Moins que prévu pour la défense Conséquence de la mobilisation budgétaire pour amortir les conséquences économiques de la pandémie de coronavirus ou covid-19, le gouvernement sud-coréen, par la voix de son ministre de l'Economie et des finances, annonce une réduction du budget de défense initialement programmé pour l'année 2020. Ce budget avait été b'ti sur une hausse de 7,4 % pour s'élever à 41 Md$. Il baissera finalement de 2 %, soit près de 740 M$ de moins que prévu. Sur ce total, les réductions portent essentiellement sur les achats d'équipements de matériels programmés, soit 582 M$. F-35 et Aegis Dans la même temps, le ministère sud-coréen de la Défense a commencé de négocier avec Lockheed Martin le report des paiements prévus sur les avions de combat F-35 acquis par la Corée du Sud ainsi que sur le système combat Aegis qui associe radars haute puissance et missiles anti-navires et missiles anti-aérien. https://air-cosmos.com/article/coronavirus-la-core-du-sud-rduit-son-budget-de-dfense-22948

Le ministère de l'Intérieur vient de diffuser un appel d'offres portant sur 645 drones en quatre lots. Le volume total atteindrait les 3,8 M€. 645 drones de toutes tailles Le service de l'achat, de l'innovation et de la logistique du ministère de l'Intérieur (SAELSI) recherche 645 drones de toutes tailles, apprend-on dans un appel d'offres diffusé le 15 avril. Le volume atteindrait les 3,8 M€ en quatre lots. Le premier concerne les drones du quotidien, un programme initié par la gendarmerie, et qui désormais semble profiter aussi à la police nationale. Le contexte d'emploi principal concerne des opérations diurnes. Ce lot de 1,8 M€ concerne à la fois la formation, la fourniture de drones (565) et leur maintenance pour des unités non spécialisées. Tout le territoire et l'outremer pourront être ainsi dotés. Nano-drones Le deuxième lot équipera des drones pour les unités nationales spécialisées, pour une valeur de 1,58 M€. Les mini-drones concernés sont utilisables de jour comme de nuit, et plus résilients, mais aussi plus chers. Là aussi, le lot concerne la formation, le MCO et la livraison des 66 drones, de quoi équiper notamment le GIGN, le RAID et leurs antennes. Tous sont aujourd'hui dotés d'une kyrielle de modèles. Les nano-drones spécialisés constituent le troisième lot. Il sera là aussi réservé aux unités dont certaines, comme le GIGN, disposent déjà de Black Hornet. Le volume peut sembler assez minime puisque seulement 175 000 euros sont réservés. Ce qui, au prix, du Black Hornet 3 représente assez peu de systèmes. Les prévisions sont néanmoins assez élevées, pas moins de 20 nano-drones. Le quatrième et dernier lot concerne les capacités de communication afférentes, pour une valeur de 240.000 euros. 300 passerelles wi-fi sont attendues. Barkhane La gendarmerie a été motrice sur l'engagement de drones, via le GIGN, mais aussi lors de manœuvres de maintien de l'ordre, à Notre-Dame des Landes, lors des manifestations des gilets jaunes. Elle a notamment utilisée des DJI Phantom IV et des micro drones NX70 et NX110 de Novadem. Elle a rencontré des difficultés avec les NX70 de première génération, interdits de vol plusieurs mois. Ces problèmes ont apparemment été réglés sur la deuxième génération, car les militaires qui les utilisent à Barkhane n'en font pas état. L'expérimentation de drone du quotidien, qui vient de s'achever, a concerné 48 micro-drones, notamment des Mavic Pro et des Anafi du Français Parrot qui a manifestement une belle carte à jouer. https://air-cosmos.com/article/la-place-beauvau-recherche-645-drones-22936

April 17, 2020 On today's Defence Deconstructed Podcast, we are rebroadcasting a recording of the “The future of NORAD and continental defence” panel with moderator Sarah Goldfeder and featuring Michael Dawson, Richard Heitkamp, and Stephen Fuhr from our 29 Jan. 2020 Modernizing North American Defence conference. Defence Deconstructed is part of the CGAI Podcast Network and today's episode is brought to you by the Canadian Association of Defence and Security Industries (CADSI). This conference was made possible by the MINDS program from the Department of National Defence. Participant Biographies: Dave Perry (host): Senior Analyst and Vice President with the Canadian Global Affairs Institute. Sarah Goldfeder: CGAI Fellow, Principal, Earnscliffe Strategy Group. Michael Dawson: Former Political Advisor to the Commander of NORAD and NORTHCOM. Richard Heitkamp: Deputy Director, Politico-Military Affairs (Western Hemisphere), U.S. Army JS J5. Stephen Fuhr: former Chair, House of Commons Standing Committee on National Defence. https://www.cgai.ca/the_future_of_norad_and_continental_defence

At Skies, we've heard from a number of North American aviation product, support and services businesses that are doing their best to keep our industry moving during this global pandemic. To ensure that operators can still access the support they need, here is a non-exhaustive list of companies who are still open for business in some capacity. This list will be updated regularly. If you would like your company to be added to the list, please email news@skiesmag.com. Aero Aviation Ltd. Airborne Engines Ltd. Airbus Helicopters Canada Air Comm Corporation Air Georgian AirSuite Inc. AJW Technique Alpine Aerotech Altitude Aerospace Inc. Anodyne Electronics Manufacturing Corp. Apex Industries Inc. ARTEX Atlantic Avionics Aurora Jet Partners Avialta Helicopter Maintenance Ltd. Avianor Inc. Aviation Business Support Inc. Aviation Ground Fueling Technologies Avicor Aviation International Avmax Avstar Media AvroTecknik Aviation B.C. Aviation Council Bella Coola Air Ltd. Boeing Distribution Inc. Bridger Aerospace Group, LLC Brotech Precision CNC Inc. Cadorath Calm Air International Canadian Airports Council Canadian Air Parts, Ltd. Canadian Air Transport Security Authority Canadian Business Aviation Association Canadian Council for Aviation & Aerospace CanRep Inc. CanWest Aerospace Inc. CarteNav Solutions (Mission systems) Cascade Aerospace Custom Helicopters DART Aerospace De Havilland Aircraft of Canada Ltd. Diamond Aircraft Industries Inc. (London, Ont.) Eagle Copters EFC Developments Elisen & Associés Inc. Essential Turbines, Inc. EuroTec Canada Exchange Petroleum Execaire Executive Flight Centre Fast Air – Air Charter Services Fast Air Jet Centre (FBO) FDC Aero Composites Field Aviation (Calgary and Toronto) Firkus Aircraft Inc. Flight Data Systems Flightdeck Solutions Flightdocs FlightPath International FlightSafety Canada FlightSafety International Flying Colours Corp. FlyRite Accessory Overhauls Inc. Freedom Aero Service Inc. FreeFlight Systems Global Airparts Inc. Helicopter Accessory Service South, LLC. Helicopter Accessory Service, Inc. Heli-Lynx Helicopters Heli-One Heliproducts Industries Helitowcart Helitrades Heliwelders Canada Ltd. HM Aero Aviation Consulting Hopkinson Aircraft Sales ICARUS Aero, Inc. Image Air IMP Aerospace Innotech Aviation JITbase KADEX Aero Supply Ltd. Keewatin Air (Aircraft maintenance and hangarage) KF Aerospace Latitude Technologies Lee Aerospace Levaero Aviation Longview Aviation Capital Marshall Aerospace Canada Inc. Maxcraft Avionics Ltd. Meridian Helicopters LLC Mid-Canada Mod Center Moncton Flight College Morningstar Air Express National Airlines Council of Canada National Helicopters Inc. Nav Canada Northwest Helicopters NovaJet Aviation Group Pacific Coastal Airlines (Emergency charter services and reduced WestJet Link flights) PAL Aerospace PAL Airlines PAL Aviation Services (Full-service FBO) Passport Helico (Commercial 702/703 and AMO) Perimeter Aviation Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp. Precision Aero Components Premier Aviation Québec Inc. Priority 1 Air Rescue Professional Aircraft Accessories Professional Aircraft Associates Propair Inc. PropWorks Propeller Systems QualaTech Aero Consulting Ltd. Rocky Mountain Aircraft Rotorcorp, LLC Rotor Services Ltd. Sander Geophysics Limited (Air cargo) Sealand Aviation Ltd. Sealand Aerospace Ltd. Sealand Flight SEI Industries Select Helicopter Services Ltd. Signature Flight Support – Edmonton Skyservice Business Aviation SKYTRAC Systems Springer Aerospace StandardAero Summit Aviation Sunwest Aviation Szabo Aviation International TEAAM Aeromedical Technisonic Industries Ltd. Tempest Aviation Thunder Airlines Tradewind International, LLC Transwest Helicopters Ltd. TSL Aerospace Technologies Ltd. Turbolyft Aerospace United Aero Group Upper Valley Aviation Ltd. Vanguard Air Care VIH Aerospace Viking Air Ltd. Vmo Solutions Voyageur Aviation Corp. Wasaya Airways Westcan Aircraft Sales & Salvage Ltd. Western Aircraft Western Propeller Westholme Graphics, Inc. Wilderness Helicopters WinAir We're all in this together! https://www.skiesmag.com/news/canadian-aviation-product-support-services-businesses-that-are-remaining-open-during-the-covid-19-crisis/

By: Valerie Insinna WASHINGTON — After a two-week closure due to the coronavirus pandemic, Boeing on April 20 is set to reopen the Philadelphia-area facility where the H-47 Chinook and several other military helicopters are built, the company announced on Friday. Boeing manufactures the H-47 Chinnook cargo helicopter, the V-22 Osprey and the MH-138 Grey Wolf helicopter at its production line in Ridley Park, Pennsylvania. Operations at that installation have been suspended since April 3. During that time, the company cleaned the entire facility, Boeing said in a statement. Employees who can work from home will still have the option to telework, but Boeing has added hand-sanitizing stations and will make face masks available for workers at the facility. The company is also requiring employees coming into work to go through a temperature screening before starting a shift, and workstations will be spaced farther apart to reduce the risk of transmission. “The number one priority is and will continue to be protecting the health and safety of our employees, their families and all of our stakeholders,” the company said in a statement. The decision to open the plant in the Philadelphia area follows a similar one made by Boeing earlier this week to restart operations at its facilities in the region near Puget Sound, Washington. The company restarted production of the P-8 maritime surveillance plane and KC-46 tanker this past Monday and will resume production of commercial airliners made at those facilities on April 20. https://www.defensenews.com/industry/2020/04/17/boeing-set-to-reopen-major-military-helicopter-production-hub-for-h-47-and-mh-139/

WICHITA, Kan. — A major aircraft parts supplier in Kansas is expected to bring about 2,100 furloughed workers back to work next week as Boeing prepares to resume production of its commercial airplanes. Spirit AeroSystems also is planning resume work for more than 1,700 other workers in Wichita over the next three weeks, The Wichita Eagle reported. “As our customer, Boeing, begins to resume production, Spirit AeroSystems will work with our employees, customers and suppliers to begin a phased-in return to work for some furloughed employees," Spirit spokeswoman Keturah Austin said. She added that “this will be a slow process as we work to continue to support our customer's operations in a manner that is safe for all involved.” Boeing said Thursday it will restart production of its commercial airplanes next week in the Seattle area, putting about 27,000 people back to work at its facilities in the Seattle area after operations were suspended because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Boeing employees for the 737, 747, 767 and 777 airplanes will return as early as Monday with most returning to work by Tuesday, Boeing is Spirit AeroSystem's biggest customer, and the impact has rippled to its suppliers. About 2,100 workers, hourly and salaried, are scheduled to return to various production lines at the Spirit plant in Wichita on Monday, according to a union officials and numbers obtained by the newspaper. They'll be joined by another 200 workers on April 27; an additional 1,100 on April 29; and nearly 400 on May 4. Cornell Beard, president of Machinists District Lodge 70, said the returning union workers are still a fraction of the plant's full workforce, “but anything's better than nothing.” The coronavirus has exacerbated Boeing's crisis surrounding the 737 Max, which remains grounded after two deadly crashes. Boeing said Thursday its 737 program “”will resume working toward restarting production"" of the 737 MAX. Spirit produces about 70 percent of the 737 Max, including the fuselage. Contracts with Boeing for the Max represents more than half of Spirit's annual income. Future callbacks at Spirit will be largely dependent on Boeing's performance in getting the 737 Max back in the air, Beard said. “If another mistake is found, or another defect, or if we just encounter another problem, those projections will change again (and) we're going to be right back in this pickle,” Beard said. https://www.defensenews.com/industry/2020/04/17/spirit-aerosystems-bringing-back-some-furloughed-workers

17 Apr 2020 Military.com | By Gina Harkins The Navy has awarded a new contract for the long-awaited replacement connector that will ferry Marines, weapons and other equipment ashore. Textron Systems was awarded $386 million to build 15 new ship-to-shore connectors, Naval Sea Systems Command announced on Thursday. The connectors will replace the aging fleet of Landing Craft, Air Cushion vehicles, known as LCACs, which have been in operation since the 1980s and are nearing the end of their service lives. The new 92-footlong connectors will have further range and lift capabilities than the legacy LCACs. They can carry 74 tons and will be compatible with amphibious ships that have well decks, along with expeditionary transfer dock and sea bases. "As the program continues to move forward with delivering these important capabilities to the fleet, the procurement of these additional craft is critical," Tom Rivers, program manager of the Amphibious Warfare Program Office for the Program Executive Office Ships, said in a statement. The contract award is an important milestone for a program that plays a big part in the Marine Corps' future missions. That service is focusing its sights on the Asia-Pacific region, where Commandant Gen. David Berger said Marines and sailors will likely be called on to respond to China's growing influence. China has militarized tiny man-made islands in the South China Sea. The islands have airstrips, hangars, barracks and lookout points. As the country's military invests in new weapons systems that can target ships further away from the shore, the Navy and Marine Corps will need next-generation landing craft to get people and equipment from amphibious ships onto nearby beaches. The new connectors can be loaded with an enclosed personnel transport module that can carry up to 145 Marines in full combat gear, according to Textron. The craft can also carry vehicles and other heavy equipment. Textron will do most of its work on the 15 new vessels in New Orleans. The Navy already accepted delivery of the first next-gen landing craft, called the Ship to Shore Connector Craft 100, in February. The sea services will continue testing it and training on that platform in Panama City, Florida. The Navy plans to buy 73 of the new ship-to-shore connectors, according to its program summary. https://www.military.com/daily-news/2020/04/17/navy-awards-big-contract-lcac-replacement-ship-shore-connectors.html

Par latribune.fr Les drones pourront surveiller "les mouvements ennemis à une distance considérable" et seront capables d'effectuer des missions de combat, selon le ministre de la Défense iranien L'Iran poursuit la modernisation de ses armées avec de nouveaux systèmes de défense "Made in Iran". Ainsi, les forces armées iraniennes ont fait l'acquisition de trois drones de combat dotés d'une capacité de portée de 1.500 kilomètres, a annoncé samedi le ministre iranien de la Défense Amir Hatami. Les drones pourront surveiller "les mouvements ennemis à une distance considérable" et seront capables d'effectuer des missions de combat, a déclaré Amir Hatami à la télévision d'Etat. Ces appareils peuvent être équipés de bombes et de missiles, et voler à une altitude allant jusqu'à 45.000 pieds (13.716 mètres), a-t-il ajouté, sans préciser le nom des nouveaux drones. Les drones ont été fabriqués par l'industrie militaire iranienne avec la participation d'universités locales, a encore dit Amir Hatami. Les drones sont déterminants pour la surveillance des frontières de l'Iran, en particulier dans les eaux du Golfe autour du détroit d'Ormuz, par où transite un cinquième de l'approvisionnement mondial en pétrole. https://www.latribune.fr/entreprises-finance/industrie/aeronautique-defense/l-iran-dote-son-armee-de-trois-drones-made-in-iran-d-une-portee-de-1-500-km-845512.html