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Par Olivier Gosset Trois accords industriels lient désormais des entreprises de notre pays à Lockheed Martin. Paradoxe du contrat belge: des filiales de groupes français devraient monter à bord du programme F-35. Près d'un an après la décision du gouvernement belge d'acquérir 34 appareils de combat américains F-35, l'industrie aéronautique belge commence à apercevoir les premiers bénéfices de cette commande. Trois accords industriels ont en effet été conclus par le groupe américain de défense Lockheed Martin avec des entreprises belges dans le cadre de potentielles retombées économiques liées à ce contrat de 3,8 milliards, a indiqué lundi un responsable de Lockheed, Yung Le. Le groupe Sabca, présent dans les trois Régions du pays et la société bruxelloise Ilias Solutions, spécialisée dans les logiciels logistiques, ont chacun signé dimanche un accord de coopération industrielle avec le géant américain. Une initiative qui leur donne un ticket d'entrée pour rejoindre le programme F-35. Les accords signés ne sont pas encore des contrats en bonne et due forme. Mais ils permettent aux entreprises retenues de se positionner en tant que fournisseurs potentiels de Lockheed, de ses filiales et de ses partenaires. L'accord avec Ilias Solution semble néanmoins le plus avancé, puisque son directeur général, Jean-Pierre Wildschut, a indiqué que son entreprise pouvait espérer conclure des contrats avec Lockheed Martin à hauteur de 5 millions de dollars par an, soit une croissance de 15 à 20% au cours des cinq prochaines années. Ilias Solution, qui a débuté ses activités dans la foulée du contrat du F-16, espère que cet accord avec LM ouvrira la voie à d'autres missions au service des flottes d'autres pays, pour les F-35 et éventuellement d'autres plateformes. L'accord conclu avec la Sabca porte quant à lui sur des systèmes d'actionnement (servo-commandes), une compétence que le constructeur belge, qui fournit des actuateurs pour les lanceurs spatiaux européens, aimerait développer dans le secteur de l'aviation (lire ci-dessous). Des projets complexes En juin, Sabena Aerospace (Zaventem), spécialisée dans la maintenance aéronautique, avait obtenu de Lockheed Martin la prolongation pour dix ans de son statut de centre de service agréé pour l'entretien et la mise à niveau des avions de transport C-130 Hercules, eux aussi contruits par le groupe américain. À cela, a rappelé Yung Le, il faut ajouter un contrat concret accordé il y a deux ans à Asco – soit avant la décision belge d'opter pour le F-35 – par Fokker Technologies, une entreprise néerlandaise appartenant au groupe britannique GKN Aerospace, pour la fourniture d'ailerons haute vitesse pour le F-35. "Nous voulons accélérer ces accords" avec d'autres entreprises car dès qu'ils sont conclus, l'industrie belge peut travailler sur le programme F-35, a ajouté Yung Le, en rappelant qu'environ 35 projets de coopération avaient été identifiés dans le cadre de la préservation des "intérêts essentiels de sécurité" invoqués par la Belgique pour obtenir des retombées économiques liées à l'achat du F-35. "Certains de ces projets sont simples, d'autres complexes. Certains concernent des petites entreprises, d'autres des grandes", a commenté le responsable américain, conscient de l'impatience des industriels belges. L'un des gros contrats attendus concerne Sabca, Sonaca et Asco. Les trois poids lourds belges du secteur sont associés pour tenter de décrocher la fabrication de volets horizontaux mobiles à l'arrière du F-35. "Mais jusqu'ici, on n'a aucune idée de combien de pièces il pourrait s'agir, ni à partir de quand", déplore un responsable d'une des trois entreprises concernées. De son côté, Safran Aero Boosters, la filiale liégeoise du motoriste français Safran, est engagée dans une dynamique similaire avec Pratt & Whitney, fabricant du moteur F135 qui équipe le chasseur américain. Les deux entreprises ont également signé ces derniers jours un accord actant leur intention de formaliser des opportunités de collaboration – sans les nommer – sur le moteur F135. Paradoxe du contrat belge, des sociétés faisant partie de groupes français (Sabca appartient encore pour l'instant à Dassault, qui souhaite le revendre) devraient donc monter prochainement à bord du programme F-35, grand rival du Rafale construit par nos voisins du sud... https://www.lecho.be/entreprises/aviation/les-retombees-du-contrat-f-35-commencent-a-se-concretiser/10162821.html

ARMY Raytheon Co., McKinney, Texas, was awarded a $427,298,588 hybrid (cost-plus-fixed-fee and firm-fixed-price) contract for procurement of Common Sensor Payload systems, spare parts and engineering and system support services. One bid was were solicited with one bid received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 12, 2024. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W56KGY-19-D-0005). Honeywell International Inc., Phoenix, Arizona, was awarded a $46,965,295 firm-fixed-price contract for overhaul and repair of the T55-GA-714A engine. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will be performed in Phoenix, Arizona, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 30, 2020. Fiscal 2010 Army working capital funds in the amount of $46,965,295 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity (W58RGZ-19-C-0051). Oshkosh Defense LLC, Oshkosh, Wisconsin, was awarded a $24,397,228 modification (P00261) to contract W56HZV-15-C-0095 to provide total package fielding for the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle. Work will be performed in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, with an estimated completion date of Oct. 30, 2020. Fiscal 2019 other procurement, Army funds in the amount of $24,397,228 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Warren, Michigan, is the contracting activity. Great Lakes Dredge and Dock Co. LLC, Oak Brook, Illinois, was awarded a $15,577,450 firm-fixed-price contract for maintenance dredging. Bids were solicited via the internet with four received. Work will be performed in Saint Marys, Georgia, with an estimated completion date of April 15, 2020. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance, Army funds in the amount of $15,580,450 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville, Florida, is the contracting activity (W912EP-19-C-0029). Pontchartrain Partners LLC,* New Orleans, Louisiana, was awarded a $9,956,700 firm-fixed-price contract for mobilization and demobilization, clearing and grubbing, stripping, containment dike construction, interior and semi-compacted berm construction, demolition and construction of drop-outlet structure, turfing, and as-built drawings. Bids were solicited via the internet with two received. Work will be performed in Corpus Christi, Texas, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 31, 2020. Fiscal 2019 civil construction funds in the amount of $9,956,700 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Galveston, Texas, is the contracting activity (W912HY-19-C-0016). PAF Electrical Inc., Portland, Oregon, was awarded a $7,393,100 firm-fixed-price contract for the delivery of four generator step up power transformers and accessories to Fort Randall power plant in Pickstown, South Dakota. Bids were solicited via the internet with eight received. Work will be performed in Pickstown, South Dakota, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 31, 2023. Fiscal 2019 civil construction funds in the amount of $7,393,100 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha, Nebraska, is the contracting activity (W9128F-19-C-0035). DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Philips Healthcare Informatics Inc., Pleasanton, California, has been awarded a maximum $400,000,000 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for digital imaging network picture archiving communications system products and maintenance. This was a competitive acquisition with ten offers received. This is the seventh contract competitively awarded under the open solicitation, SPE2D1-15-R-0004. This is a five-year base contract with one five-year option period. Locations of performance are California, and other areas located within and outside the continental U.S., with a Sept. 12, 2024, performance completion date. Using customers are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and federal civilian agencies. Type of appropriation is fiscal year 2019 through 2024 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE2D1-19-D-0036). Science Applications International Corp., Fairfield, New Jersey, has been awarded a maximum $92,000,000 firm-fixed-price, 15-month bridge contract for facilities maintenance, repair and operations items. This was a sole-source acquisition using justification 10 U.S. Code 2304 (c)(1), as stated in Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. Locations of performance are Hawaii, Guam and New Jersey, with a Dec. 14, 2020, performance completion date. Using military services are Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2020 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE8E3-19-D0015). AJ Wholesale Produce Inc.,* Sheboygan, Wisconsin, has been awarded a maximum $48,600,000 firm-fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for fresh fruits and vegetables. This was a competitive acquisition with four responses received. This is a 54-month contract with no option periods. Locations of performance are Michigan and Wisconsin, with a March 9, 2024, performance completion date. Using customers are Department of Agriculture schools and Reservations. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2024 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE300-19-D-S734). Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, has been awarded a minimum $42,838,512 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-quantity contract for the manufacture of B-2 hot trailing edge production units. This is 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 four-year base contract with one five-year option period. Locations of performance are Oklahoma, Ohio, Missouri, and California, with an Oct. 1, 2024, performance completion date. Using military service is Air Force. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma (SPRTA1-19-D-0001). Moog Inc., Elma, New York, has been awarded a maximum $41,773,400 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for aviation cylinder assemblies. This was a competitive acquisition with one offer received. This is a five-year contract with no option periods. Location of performance is New York, with a Sept. 1, 2024, performance completion date. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2024 Army working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama (SPRRA1-19-D-0121). Raytheon Co., Andover, Massachusetts, has been awarded a maximum $23,774,837 firm-fixed-price contract for traveling wave tubes. 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 one-time procurement contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Massachusetts, with a Jan. 31, 2023, performance completion date. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 Army working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama (SPRRA1-18-C-0061). AIR FORCE ITility LLC, Herndon, Virginia (FA5641-19-DA-006); ValidaTek Inc., McLean, Virginia (FA5641-19-DA-007); and CAE USA Mission Solutions Inc., Tampa, Florida (FA5641-19-DA-008), have been awarded a $95,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for advisory and assistance services. This contract provides for technical and analytical services to support and improve policy development, decision making, management, administration, and systems operation. Work will be performed primarily at Headquarters U.S. Air Forces in Europe (USAFE), USAFE bases, USAFE geographically separated units, U.S. European Command, U.S. Africa Command, and U.S. Army in Europe, including Installation Management Command and is expected to be completed by Sept. 12, 2026. This contract is the result of a competitive acquisition and eleven offers received. Fiscal 2019 operation and maintenance funds in the amount of $2,500 are being obligated for each awardee at the time of the award. The 764th Specialized Contracting Squadron, Ramstein Air Base, Germany, is the contracting activity. Rand and Jones Enterprises Co., Inc., Buffalo, New York, has been awarded a $9,500,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for a Simplified Acquisition of Base Engineering Requirements (SABER) contract for completion of minor, non-complex construction projects requiring minimum design. This contract consists of a number of general construction disciplines including, but not limited to, plumbing, masonry, electrical, mechanical, carpentry, architectural, painting and HVAC. Work will be performed at Rome, Newport and Stockbridge, New York, and is expected to be completed by Sept. 12, 2024. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition and one offer was received. Fiscal 2019 research and development funds will be used and no funds are being obligated at the time of the award. The Air Force Research Laboratory Specialized Acquisition & Operational Contracting Branch, Rome, New York, is the contracting activity. NAVY Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Herndon, Virginia, is awarded a $57,462,554 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to a previously awarded contract N00024-17-C-6327 to exercise options for engineering support services for the Joint Counter Radio-Controlled Improvised Explosive Device Electronic Warfare Increment One Block One (I1B1) Systems full-rate production in support of the Expeditionary Warfare program office. This option exercise is for Engineering Support Services for Joint Counter Radio-Controlled Improvised Explosive Device Electronic Warfare (JCREW) to introduce new technologies; address diminishing material and depot repairs to keep JCREW systems viable for future production; and maintain operational readiness for the field. Work will be performed in San Diego, California, and is expected to be complete by September 2020. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test, and evaluation funding in the amount of $2,971,124; and 2019 other procurement (Navy) funding in the amount of $1,406,871 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. American Petroleum Tankers LLC, Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, is awarded a $31,548,000 modification under a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract N62387-15-C-5405 to fund the fourth one-year option period. The option will continue to provide one U.S. flagged Jones Act tanker (M/T Empire State), for the transportation of petroleum product in support of the Defense Logistics Agency–Energy in accordance with the terms of the charter. The vessel is capable of deployment to worldwide locations. The current contract includes a one-year firm period of performance, three one-year option periods and one 11-month final option period. Work will be performed worldwide, and is expected to be completed by Aug. 20, 2020. The option will be funded by transportation working capital funds for fiscal 2019 and 2020. Military Sealift Command, headquartered in Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N62387-15-C-5405). University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, is awarded an $11,882,737 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract, which includes one unexercised option task valued at $792,524, for the statement of work, "Backbone Components of an Arctic Mobile Observing System: seagliders, floats, SA and C2." Work will be performed in Seattle, Washington, and is expected to be completed September 2024. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test, and evaluation (Navy) funds for $1,839,015 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at end of current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured under N00014-19-S-B001, entitled "Long Range Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) for Navy and Marine Corps Science & Technology." Since proposals will be received throughout the year under the long range BAA, the number of proposals received in response to the solicitation is unknown. The Office of Naval Research, Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N00014-19-C-2076). DEFENSE INFORMATION SYSTEMS AGENCY Iridium Government Services LLC., Tempe, Arizona, was awarded a non-competitive, firm-fixed price contract on Sept. 13, 2019, for unlimited access to Iridium's global commercial satellite network for enhanced mobile satellite airtime communication services. The original solicitation was issued on the basis of other than full and open competition pursuant to 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1), only one responsible source and no other type of supplies or services would satisfy agency requirements. The face value of this action is $16,666,666 funded by fiscal 2019 defense working capital funds. The total cumulative face value of the contract is $738,500,000. Performance will be at the contractor's facility. The period of performance is seven years, from Sept. 15, 2019, through Sept. 14, 2026. The Defense Information Technology Contracting Organization, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, is the contracting activity (HC1013-19-C-0006). DEFENSE ADVANCED RESEARCH PROJECTS AGENCY Exquadrum Inc., Adelanto, California, has been awarded a $9,810,053 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification (P00003) exercising the option period on previously awarded HR0011-18-C-0138 for a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency research program. Fiscal 2019 research and development funds in the amount of $2,400,000 are being obligated at the time of award. Work will be performed in Adelanto, California (58%); and Huntsville, Alabama (42%), with an estimated completion date of August 2020. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting activity. U.S. TRANSPORTATION COMMAND JAR Assets LLC, Mandeville, Louisiana, has been awarded a contract modification, P00026, on contract HTC711-16-C-W001 in the estimated amount of $8,869,099. This modification provides continued transportation of bulk jet fuel and marine diesel fuel by tug and barge for the Defense Logistics Agency. Work will be performed at ports and points along the inland waterways and Gulf Coast locations in the Gulf Region. The option period of performance is from Oct. 1, 2019, to Sept. 30, 2020. Fiscal 2020 defense working capital funds will be obligated at the start of performance. This modification brings the total cumulative estimated face value of the contract from $35,011,884 to $43,880,983. U.S. Transportation Command, Directorate of Acquisition, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, is the contracting activity. *Small Business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/1960562/source/GovDelivery/

En avril 2019, la ministre des Armées Florence Parly énonçait les grandes priorités et l'ambition de la France en matière d'intelligence artificielle. La ministre chargeait alors une équipe dédiée au sein du ministère des Armées de rédiger un rapport exhaustif sur le sujet. Rendu en juillet, le ministère des Armées décide aujourd'hui d'en diffuser une version publique. https://www.decideo.fr/Publication-du-rapport-du-ministere-des-Armees-sur-l-intelligence-artificielle_a11313.html

Steve Trimble Raytheon has unveiled an internally funded program to develop a new air-to-air missile called Peregrine that combines the reach of the medium-range AIM-120 and the maneuverability of the short-range AIM-9X, but in a smaller form factor to increase the magazine depth of tactical aircraft. The unveiling of a Peregrine mockup on Sept. 16 at the Air Force Association's annual National Convention in Washington comes just three months after U.S. Air Force officials confirmed the ongoing development of the Lockheed Martin AIM-260, which is intended to replace the AIM-120 with a longer-range missile of the same length. The Peregrine missile is being pitched to U.S. and international customers that want AIM-120 performance in a smaller package to double missile loads in the internal weapon bays of stealth fighters or triple the magazine depth on the external weapon stations of nonstealth aircraft, says Mark Noyes, vice president of business development and strategy for Raytheon Missile Systems. “What we see it as is a complement to our [AIM-120] Amraam and AIM-9X,” Noyes says Raytheon's internal development project follows the introduction of multiple weapons boasting longer range than the nearly three-decade-old AIM-120 design. In addition to the MBDA Meteor, the PL-15 is being developed by China and the Vympel K-77M has been ordered by the Russian government. The Peregrine also fits into a new category typified by the 2013 unveiling of Lockheed Martin's Cuda concept, which offered the Air Force a missile with AIM-120-like range—or slightly better—in a package half the size and weight. The Cuda received support from an Air Force Research Laboratory project called Small Advanced Capabilities Missile. Raytheon lists the Peregrine with a length of 6 ft. (1.8 m) and a total weight of about 150 lb. (68 kg), or roughly half the length and mass of the 12-ft., 335-lb. AIM-120. Although Peregrine shares a common stature with Lockheed's Cuda concept, there are distinct differences. Lockheed designed the Cuda as a hit-to-kill weapon, but the Peregrine destroys the target with a blast-fragmentation warhead. The missile is guided to the target with a “multimode autonomous seeker,” says Noyes, but he declined to elaborate. A multimode guidance system places the Peregrine in a different category than the radar-guided AIM-120 and infrared homing AIM-9X. It could more closely reflect the multimode guidance system installed in the Raytheon/Rafael Stunner surface-to-air missile, which combines radar and infrared sensors into a dolphin nose-shaped radome. A “new, high-performance propulsion section” will accelerate the Peregrine to supersonic speed to achieve potentially slightly better range than the AIM-120, but Noyes declined to describe the specific type of propulsion technology selected for the new missile. Several options are available to modern missile designers. The Stunner uses a multipulse rocket motor, while the MBDA powers the Meteor missile with a ramjet-augmented rocket. Missile developers also have been experimenting with new propellant technologies, including exotic gels. Even at a range equivalent to that of the AIM-120, the Peregrine should provide similar endgame maneuverability as the super agile AIM-9X, Noyes says. “It will go supersonic and that's attributable to that new lightweight airframe and high-performance modular control system,” he says. “That permits it [to] go and do incredible maneuvers, especially at the endgame where it's needed most.” How long Raytheon has been developing the Peregrine is not clear. In a blow to Raytheon's hopes to deliver the successor of the AIM-120, the Air Force awarded the AIM-160 development contract to Lockheed in 2017. Raytheon filed a trademark application for a new guided missile called Peregrine on Aug. 14, 2018. The company is testing components and is “seeing tremendous progress,” Noyes adds. “We are making a commitment to mature this so our service customers will resonate with its capabilities and demonstrated performance,” he says. https://aviationweek.com/defense/raytheon-unveils-medium-range-air-air-missile-project

PALMDALE, Calif., Sept. 16, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) Skunk Works®, the Missile Defense Agency and the U.S. Air Force successfully connected an F-35, U-2 and a multi-domain ground station in a ground-breaking test demonstrating multi-domain operations and the secure distribution of sensitive information across multiple platforms. During the demonstration, called Project Riot, an F-35 detected a long-range missile launch with its onboard sensors and shared the information through the U-2 to the air defense commander on the ground, enabling the commander to quickly make the decision to target the threat. This next-level connectivity reduces the data-to-decision timeline from minutes to seconds, which is critical in fighting today's adversaries and advanced threats. In partnership with the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center at Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts, and the Missile Defense Agency, Skunk Works' Project Riot builds on a series of open systems architecture demonstrations proving how incremental increases in capability can be rapidly fielded to enable a connected network across air, ground, sea, space and cyber domains. "This demonstration continues our commitment to provide complete battlespace awareness and seamless interoperability to enable multi-domain operations," said John Clark, vice president of ISR & UAS at Lockheed Martin Skunk Works. "With its long-range standoff sensors, on-board processing and ability to operate in and around contested environments, the U-2 continues to play a critical role in demonstrating new capabilities today, while transforming operations for tomorrow's battlespace." Leveraging common industry standards to drive down cost and shorten schedules, the team achieved four mission critical data points in less than four months: Demonstrated the ability to leverage F-35 sensor data for missile defense Leveraged the modernized U-2's extensive payload capacity, modular design and open architecture to provide beyond line of sight communications between the F-35 and a multi-domain ground station Established two new data paths to securely transmit 5th generation sensor data at multiple levels of security to the warfighter, enabling a multi-domain network of legacy and 5th generation systems Disseminated 5th generation data using the Air Force's Universal Command and Control Interface and Open Mission Systems standards for faster capability deployment and seamless connection between systems "The F-35, with its advanced sensors and connectivity, is able to gather and seamlessly share critical information enabling the joint force to be safer and more effective," said Greg Ulmer, Lockheed Martin vice president and general manager for the F-35 program. "No other fighter jet in the world has this capability – and this test was a critical step on the path to unlocking its full potential for multi-domain operations." This demonstration builds on successful flight tests completed since 2013 that establish the foundation for a distributed, systems-of-systems architecture in the not-too-distant future. For additional information, visit our website: www.lockheedmartin.com/MDO https://news.lockheedmartin.com/2019-09-16-Lockheed-Martin-Skunk-Works-R-Project-Riot-Demonstrates-Multi-Domain-Operations

By: Aaron Mehta WASHINGTON — The U.S. State Department has OK'd Poland to buy the F-35, America's most advanced fighter, setting up the country as the newest customer for the fifth-generation jet. The proposed order covers 32 of the conventional-takeoff-and-landing F-35A variants, with an estimated price tag of $6.5 billion, according to a Wednesday announcement on the website of the Defense Security Cooperation Agency. As with all DSCA notifications, quantities and dollar figures can change during negotiations. While Congress can still act to block the sale, it's expected to run smoothly through Capitol Hill. “This proposed sale of F-35s will provide Poland with a credible defense capability to deter aggression in the region and ensure interoperability with U.S. forces,” the DSCA announcement reads. “The proposed sale will augment Poland's operational aircraft inventory and enhance its air-to-air and air-to-ground self-defense capability.” Poland formally sent its request for the F-35 in May with the goal of replacing its legacy MiG-29 and Su-22 fleets. Procuring the F-35 is part of a broader defense modernization effort from Warsaw, which will see the country spend $47 billion by 2026 on new equipment. Along with the fighters, the proposed package includes 33 F135 engines, electronic warfare and C4 systems, access to the fighter's Autonomic Logistics Information System, a full mission trainer, and other support capabilities. Lockheed Martin is the prime contractor on the plane, and Pratt & Whitney is the engine manufacturer. The deal will include some form of industrial offset, to be negotiated between the companies and Warsaw at a later date. Lockheed executives said Poland will get planes with the Block 4 package installed. Greg Ulmer, Lockheed's vice president and general manager for the program, has expressed an interest in having Poland take part in the industrial base for the planes. “Once Polish companies are approved as our supplier partners, they could make parts not only for the Polish aircraft but also for those supplied to other countries, such as the U.S. or Japan,” Ulmer said. However, Poland shouldn't get its hopes up about becoming a full-on partner with the F-35 Joint Strike Figher program, as the Pentagon has been adamant that the broad industrial participation program is locked in place. https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2019/09/11/poland-cleared-to-buy-f-35-fleet

By: Valerie Insinna WASHINGTON — The U.S. Air Force is preparing to radically alter the acquisition strategy for its next generation of fighter jets, with a new plan that could require industry to design, develop and produce a new fighter in five years or less. On Oct. 1, the service will officially reshape its next-generation fighter program, known as Next Generation Air Dominance, or NGAD, Will Roper, the Air Force's acquisition executive, said during an exclusive interview with Defense News. Under a new office headed by a yet-unnamed program manager, the NGAD program will adopt a rapid approach to developing small batches of fighters with multiple companies, much like the Century Series of aircraft built in the 1950s, Roper said. “Based on what industry thinks they can do and what my team will tell me, we will need to set a cadence of how fast we think we build a new airplane from scratch. Right now, my estimate is five years. I may be wrong,” he said. “I'm hoping we can get faster than that — I think that will be insufficient in the long term [to meet future threats] — but five years is so much better than where we are now with normal acquisition.” The Century Series approach would be a notable departure from the Air Force's former thinking on its future fighter. In its “Air Superiority 2030” study released in 2016, the Air Force described a long-range, stealthy sensor-shooter called “Penetrating Counter Air,” which would act as NGAD's central node networked with sensors, drones and other platforms. The Air Force would use prototyping to speed along key technologies in the hope of maturing them early enough for inclusion in advanced aircraft fielded in the early 2030s. But what Roper calls the “Digital Century Series” would flip that paradigm: Instead of maturing technologies over time to create an exquisite fighter, the Air Force's goal would be to quickly build the best fighter that industry can muster over a couple years, integrating whatever emerging technology exists. The service would downselect, put a small number of aircraft under contract and then restart another round of competition among fighter manufacturers, which would revise their fighter designs and explore newer leaps in technology. The result would be a networked family of fighters — some more interrelated than others — developed to meet specific requirements and including best-in-breed technologies aboard a single airframe. One jet might be optimized around a revolutionary capability, like an airborne laser. Another fighter might prioritize state-of-the-art sensors and include artificial intelligence. One might be an unmanned weapons truck. But the point, Roper said, is that instead of trying to hone requirements to meet an unknown threat 25 years into the future, the Air Force would rapidly churn out aircraft with new technologies — a tactic that could impose uncertainty on near-peer competitors like Russia and China and force them to deal with the U.S. military on its own terms. Imagine “every four or five years there was the F-200, F-201, F-202 and it was vague and mysterious [on what the planes] have, but it's clear it's a real program and there are real airplanes flying. Well now you have to figure out: What are we bringing to the fight? What improved? How certain are you that you've got the best airplane to win?” Roper wondered. “How do you deal with a threat if you don't know what the future technology is? Be the threat — always have a new airplane coming out.” How does the Air Force get there? Three industrial technologies enable a Century Series approach for NGAD and will set requirements for participants, Roper said. The first is agile software development — a practice where programmers quickly write, test and release code, soliciting feedback along the way from users. The second, open architecture, has long been a buzzword in the defense community, but Roper said industry often uses it to describe a system with plug-and-play hardware. NGAD, ideally, would be fully open, with interchangeable hardware and the ability for a third party to develop software for the system. The final technology, digital engineering, is the most nascent and possibly the most revolutionary, Roper said. While aerospace engineers have used computers for decades to aid in the creation of aircraft, only recently have defense companies developed 3D-modeling tools that can model an entire life cycle — design, production and sustainment — with a high level of accuracy and fidelity. The process would allow companies to not only map out an aircraft in extreme detail, but also model how a production line would work using different levels of manning or how maintainers would carry out repairs at a depot. “You could start learning so much before you ever bent the first piece of metal and turned the first wrench, so that when you did do it for the first time, you already have learned. You're already up to a level of proficiency that in the past you would have to be in the 100th aircraft to have,” he said. “And then if you kept going and you modeled the maintenance, then you could go after the part of the life cycle that constitutes the 70 percent of what we pay." Few defense programs have used digital engineering so far, Roper said. The Air Force is requiring Northrop Grumman and Boeing to use the technique to develop their respective versions of the Ground Based Strategic Deterrent. Boeing has also demonstrated the technology with its clean-sheet T-X trainer, taking its design from concept to first flight in three years and beating out two competitors that offered modified versions of existing jets. During a May visit to Boeing's production facility, Paul Niewald, the company's chief engineer for the T-X program, described how the company crafted its digital T-X design with such precision that parts could be joined without shims — the material used to fill in gaps between the pieces of an aircraft — and only one master tool was needed during the plane's production. In total, Boeing was able to reduce by 80 percent the manual labor needed to manufacture and assemble the aircraft, Niewald said. But creating a simple training jet like the T-X is much different than manufacturing a penetrating fighter jet like the NGAD, and there is no proof that those new manufacturing techniques will work for a more advanced aircraft, argued Richard Aboulafia, an aerospace analyst with the Teal Group. Aboulafia suggested the Air Force might be “overreacting” to the struggles of the F-35, where a “one-size-fits-all” approach and a focus on software and sensors produced a very expensive aircraft that took almost two decades to develop. But a Century Series approach, he warned, could prioritize the development of new air vehicles at the expense of investments in new weapons, radars, sensors, communications gear or other enabling technology. “With the F-35, we had too much [emphasis on] systems and not enough [on the] air vehicle. Maybe this is going too far in the other direction,” he said. “Isn't the truth somewhere in between where you have two or three air vehicles but a greater resource allocation for systems? In other words, the truth isn't the F-35 and the truth isn't the Century Series. Can't we just think in terms of something in between, a sensible compromise?” Rebecca Grant, an aerospace analyst with IRIS Independent Research, expressed enthusiasm for a new fighter design effort, saying that engineers could push out options for a Century Series style effort “extremely quickly.” However, she added that the choice of engine, the integration of its communications suite, and the decision whether to make the platform manned or unmanned would be key variables influencing the design of the air vehicle. “[A Century Series approach] strikes me that it truly is traditional in a way because this is how it was done in the past. And I think that's what they're trying to get to. They want fresh designs. But the difficulty is always as you start to make the most important trade-offs and identify the most important criteria,” she said. “Those become pretty serious driving functions pretty quickly." A (potential) game plan The new NGAD program office will determine the final acquisition strategy for the Digital Century Series — including the length of the development cycle, procurement quantities and contracting mechanisms. However, Roper revealed to Defense News his thinking for how the program might work: Put at least two manufacturers on contract to design a fighter jet. These could include the existing companies capable of building combat aircraft — Boeing, Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman — as well as new entrants that could bring a unique technology to the table. Have each company create a hyper-realistic “digital twin” of its fighter design using advanced 3D modeling. Use those models to run myriad simulations of how production and sustainment could occur, hypothetically optimizing both and reducing cost and labor hours. Award a contract to a single fighter manufacturer for an initial batch of aircraft. Roper said that industry could build about a squadron's worth of airplanes per year, or about 24 aircraft. Include options in the contract for additional batches of aircraft. Air Combat Command leadership has told Roper that 72 aircraft — about the number of aircraft in a typical Air Force wing — would be a viable amount for normal operations. While that vendor begins production, restart the competition, putting other companies on contract to begin designing the next aircraft. As it forms the NGAD acquisition strategy, the new program office will also explore how defense primes would be compensated for their work. Most current Air Force programs are awarded to the company that can provide the most capability at the lowest price, leading to a status quo where vendors underbid to secure a contract and reap profits only when platforms are mass-produced and sustained. But if a Digital Century Series construct is adopted, the Air Force may pay companies more money upfront during the design phase and require them to produce planes with a shorter design life; for instance, a jet with a lifespan of 6,000 flight hours instead of manufacturing aircraft designed to be kept in the skies for 20,000 hours, Roper said. "That opens up the opportunities to do things very differently, different structural designs, not doing full-scale fatigue testing and all of things we do on the geriatric Air Force to keep things flying,” he said. “Where is the sweet spot where we are keeping airplanes long enough to make a real difference but not so long that we're paying a premium to sustain them or not able to refresh them with better aircraft?” One obstacle to the Digital Century Series approach may be persuading Congress to approve the necessary funding. The House Armed Services Committee already recommended cutting funding for the NGAD program in the fiscal 2020 budget request, from $1 billion to $500 million — a sign that the committee may not be sold on the Air Force's path forward. Roper said the idea has generated a “good response” from the congressional defense committees but acknowledged that lawmakers have questions about the approach. He also noted there will need to be a means to pay the bills, particularly in the early stages of the development cycle when multiple companies are on contract to design aircraft. “I think the theory is sound, it's the funding required and how big of an industry base we can sustain,” he said. “I don't want to leave companies out, but I also don't want to go so big that we fail because of funding, not because of the soundness of the idea.” https://www.defensenews.com/digital-show-dailies/2019/09/16/the-us-air-forces-radical-plan-for-a-future-fighter-could-field-a-jet-in-5-years

COURTLAND, Ala., Sept. 16, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Making Northern Alabama its central location for Hypersonic Strike Work, Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) will establish a new facility for the assembly, integration and testing of hypersonics programs and locate the management and engineering workforce for many of these programs in Huntsville. The Courtland expansion will bring two new buildings in support of Lockheed Martin's portfolio of hypersonics programs. This decision brings 72 new jobs to Courtland and 200 new jobs to Huntsville over the next three years with additional job growth expected. During an official ceremony in Courtland today, Marillyn Hewson, Chairman, President and CEO for Lockheed Martin, with speakers Senator Richard Shelby, Governor Kay Ivey, Congressmen Robert Aderholt and Mo Brooks, and Rick Ambrose, Executive Vice President of Space for Lockheed Martin, spoke to the shared commitment it takes to expand operations in Northern Alabama and the collaborative effort between government and industry to provide this advanced capability to the warfighter. Rick Ambrose will host an event, later today in Huntsville, to celebrate the increased workforce expansion as part of this effort. Officials representing the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense, US Air Force, US Army and US Navy were in attendance to mark the occasion for the future site of the next hypersonic production facility. Lockheed Martin has a strong partnership with the state of Alabama that dates back several decades and includes research and development on rockets and space launch vehicles, tactical missiles, space exploration and air and missile defense targets. Lockheed Martin's Courtland and Huntsville employees are an established part of the community and weaved deeply into the fabric of the economy. The company employs over 2,000 people in the state of Alabama, who support local businesses, charitable organizations and volunteerism to multiple schools for STEM outreach and education. "The decision to bring hypersonic manufacturing to this region would not have been possible without the support of the State of Alabama, our local partners including Lawrence and Madison counties, the cities of Courtland and Huntsville and Tennessee Valley Authority as well as those elected representatives in Congress," said Scott Keller, vice president and general manager for Strategic and Missile Defense for Lockheed Martin. "On behalf of Lockheed Martin, we are honored to expand our presence in Northern Alabama and watch as the next cohort of innovators take advanced defense technology to levels we once thought were impossible." "Lockheed Martin has a longstanding relationship with the state of Alabama, and I am proud to see that strengthen even more as they make our state the flagship location for their hypersonic programs," said Governor Ivey. "Both Courtland and Huntsville will gain new jobs, which is always welcome news. I am proud and confident that Alabamians will help advance Lockheed Martin's goals as we begin working towards the advancements of the future." Lockheed Martin is proud to be an industry leader in the development, testing and fielding of hypersonic systems. Hypersonic Strike capabilities have been identified by the U.S. government as a critical capability that must be addressed in support of the U.S. National Security Strategy. Lockheed Martin is honored by the partnerships established with the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, and DARPA on key programs to meet this critical mission need. For additional information, visit our website: www.lockheedmartin.com/hypersonics https://news.lockheedmartin.com/2019-09-16-The-Next-Big-Thing-Lockheed-Martin-Makes-Northern-Alabama-Flagship-for-Hypersonic-Strike-Work

Posted By: Jason Reagan French drone company Novadem announced delivery this week of its latest model of micro-drone as the centerpiece of a $2.2 million contract with French armed forces. The Ministère des Armées purchased 55 micro-drones from Novadem's NX70 model line to provide security surveillance and reconnaissance over 24-hour periods. “For several years, we have put in place all necessary processes and documentations to be able to face, when the day arrives, this increase of the production rate,” Novadem CEO Pascal Zunino. “This major contract has allowed us to refine and validate our organization in order to make it replicable in the future and to reach the quality standards expected by the [ministry].” The contract includes training of more than a dozen users from France's 61st Artillery Regiment with a total of 100 or more trained operators expected to be trained in the future. Last year, Novadem introduced the first iteration of the NX70 under contract with France's national police agency, Gendarmerie Nationale. “Their feedback as well as feedback of other customers in France and abroad allowed us to continue research and development to develop the ‘Block 2' model of today,” Zunino said. “This marks a new step compared to the first generation.” Zunino added, the next generation of the NX70 drone improves image stabilization and night vision capabilities. “Radiofrequency links have also evolved to meet military requirements: defense frequency bands, data encryption and a radio range increased to more than 5 kilometers,” he added. French defense officials tested the micro-drones in June at the Mourmelon military camp. Earlier this year, Novadem launched a new tethered UAV platform, the NXWIRE 2.0 during AUVSI XPONENTIAL, the world's largest UAS trade show. The drone model offers a ground-based power supply that can be connected to a main supply or auxiliary power unit and a 50-meter cable to sustain electrical power from the ground to the drone. The company also produces LPS technology using terrestrial beacons much in the same way that GPS uses satellites to create a local positioning network. https://dronelife.com/2019/09/13/french-drone-firm-scores-major-military-contract/