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AIR FORCE The Massachusetts Institute of Technology Lincoln Laboratory, Lexington, Massachusetts, has been awarded a $2,038,147,146 modification (P00020) to previously awarded contract FA8702-15-D-0001 for the operation of the Lincoln Laboratory Federally Funded Research and Development Center. This modification provides for advanced technology research and development activities that focus on long-term technology development as well as rapid system prototyping and demonstration. Work will be performed in Lexington, Massachusetts, and is expected to be complete by March 31, 2020. This modification brings the total cumulative face value of the contract to $9,600,000,000, and no funds are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts, is the contracting activity. General Dynamics Missions Systems, Scottsdale, Arizona, has been awarded a $20,241,853 requirements contract for Identification Friend or Foe KIV-78 Mode 4/5 Cryptographic Applique production. The contract provides for KIV-78 units, Delorean Circuit Card Assemblies, data and technical support for United States and foreign military sales requirements. Work will be performed in Scottsdale, Arizona, and is expected to be complete by April 24, 2023. No funds are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Cryptologic and Cyber Systems Division, Joint-Base San Antonio, Texas, is the contracting activity (FA8307-19-D-0004). ARMY Lockheed Martin, Orlando, Florida, was awarded a $723,550,174 modification (P00011) to domestic and Foreign Military Sales (Lebanon, Netherlands and France) contract W31P4Q-18-C-0130 to procure a variety of HELLFIRE II missile variants. Work will be performed in Orlando, Florida, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 30, 2022. Fiscal 2017, 2018 and 2019 other procurement, Army funds in the amount of $723,550,174 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity. Korte Construction Co., St. Louis, Missouri, was awarded a $31,295,038 firm-fixed-price contract to design and build an Integrated Training Center Academics Building at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. Bids were solicited via the internet with six received. Work will be performed in Okaloosa, Florida, with an estimated completion date of April 30, 2021. Fiscal 2016 and 2019 military construction funds in the amount of $31,295,038 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mobile, Alabama, is the contracting activity (W91278-19-C-0013). Gentex Corp., Simpson, Pennsylvania, was awarded a $27,860,817 firm-fixed-price contract for the Head Gear Unit 56/P Rotary Wing Helmet. 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 April 25, 2024. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity (W58RGZ-19-D-0070). Yorktown Systems Group Inc.,* Huntsville, Alabama, was awarded a $23,650,768 modification (P00025) to contract W911S0-17-C-0007 for Asymmetric Warfare Group operations support services. Work will be performed in Fort Meade, Maryland, with an estimated completion date of May 14, 2021. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance Army funds in the amount of $18,800,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Mission and Installation Contracting Command, Fort Eustis, Virginia, is the contracting activity. NAVY British Aerospace Engineering Systems Technology Solutions and Services, Inc., Rockville, Maryland (N00421-19-D-0045); Booz Allen Hamilton, Inc., McLean, Virginia (N00421-19-D-0048); Coherent Technical Services, Inc., Lexington Park, Maryland (N00421-19-D-0049); Engility Corp., Andover, Maine (N00421-19-D-0050); Gryphon Technologies, LC., Washington, District of Columbia (N00421-19-D-0051); J.F. Taylor, Inc., Lexington Park, Maryland (N00421-19-D-0052) and Valkyrie Enterprises, Inc., Virginia Beach, Virginia (N00421-19-D-0053) are each awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee, multi-award indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contracts to provide engineering support services for Air Traffic Control and Landing Systems as well as developmental programs such as the Joint Precision Approach and Landing Systems (JPALS) and unmanned programs for the U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Air Force and other Department of Defense activities. The estimated aggregate ceiling for all contracts is $98,625,565 with the companies having an opportunity to compete for individual orders. Work will be performed in St. Inigoes, Maryland, and various awardee and customer sites to be determined on individual orders and is expected to be completed in April 2024. Funds will be obligated on individual orders as they are issued. These contracts were competitively procured via an electronic request for proposals, seven offers were received. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. Lockheed Martin Corp., Fort Worth, Texas, is awarded $90,773,387 for fixed-price-incentive-fee modification P00014 to a previously awarded contract (N0001918C1048). This modification will stand up organic depot repair capabilities for the F-35 integrated core processor. Work will be performed in McKinney, Texas (39.1 percent); Owego, New York (32.7 percent); Fort Worth, Texas (14.5 percent); Camden, New Jersey (5.9 percent); Clearwater, Florida (5 percent) and Melbourne, Florida (2.8 percent), and is expected to be completed in October 2022. Fiscal 2019 aircraft procurement (Air Force, Marine Corps and Navy) funds in the amount of $90,773,387 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This modification combines purchases for the U.S. Air Force ($45,386,693; 50 percent), U.S. Marine Corps ($22,693,347; 25 percent) and the U.S. Navy ($22,693,347; 25 percent). The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Missouri, is awarded an $89,011,500 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity task order contract for the technical and engineering services to integrate various external stores and alternative mission equipment onto the F/A-18E/F and EA-18G aircraft. Work will be performed in St. Louis, Missouri (40 percent), Patuxent River, Maryland (40 percent); Tullahoma, Tennessee (8 percent); Mountain View, California (8 percent); Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (2 percent); and Buffalo, New York (2 percent), and is expected to be completed in December 2022. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $482,841 will be obligated at time of award; none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N0001919D0021). Amethyst Builders, LLC*, Ewa Beach, Hawaii (N62478-19-D-4029); Concept 2 Completion, LLC*, Kailua, Hawaii (N62478-19-D-4030); D&D Construction, Inc.*, Waipahu, Hawaii (N62478-19-D-4031); and MEI Corp.*, Hauula, Hawaii (N62478-19-D-4032), are each awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity multiple award design-bid-build construction contracts for construction projects located primarily within the Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Hawaii area of responsibility (AOR). The maximum dollar value including the base period and four option years for all four contracts combined is $48,000,000. The work to be performed provides for, but is not limited to, new construction, addition, alteration, maintenance, and repair work by design-bid-build for the Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force and various Federal Agencies located in the State of Hawaii. These four contractors may compete for task orders under the terms and conditions of the awarded contract. No task orders are being issued at this time. All work on the contract will be performed within the NAVFAC Hawaii AOR. The term of the contract is not to exceed 60 months, with an expected completion date of April 2024. Fiscal 2019 Navy working capital funds in the amount of $20,000 are obligated on this award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Future task orders will be primarily funded by operation and maintenance (Navy). This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website, with 20 proposals received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Hawaii, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, is the contracting activity. DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Harris Corp., Roanoke, Virginia, has been awarded a maximum $50,000,000 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the production of Image Intensifying tubes in support of the AN/AVS-6 and AN/AVS-9 Aviator's Night Vision Imaging System (ANVIS). 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 five-year base contract with one five-year option period. Location of performance is Virginia, with an April 24, 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 Land and Maritime, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland (SPRBL1-19-D-0029). Seiler Instrument & Manufacturing Co., Inc.,* St. Louis, Missouri, has been awarded a maximum $11,902,218 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for telescope and quadrant mounts. This was a competitive acquisition with one response received. This is a five-year contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Missouri, with a March 25, 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 Land and Maritime, Warren, Michigan (SPRDL1-19-D-0083). *Small business https://dod.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/1824510/source/GovDelivery/

GUIDE À L'INTENTION DES ENTREPRISES QUI SOUHAITENT FAIRE DES AFFAIRES EN FRANCE https://www.desjardins.com/ressources/pdf/c00-entreprendre-le-marche-francais-f.pdf

DAVID PUGLIESE, OTTAWA CITIZEN The Canadian Forces and Department of National Defence has updated the status of a number of its major procurement programs including the Arctic Offshore Patrol Ships which it says will be fully operational by 2025. Under the schedule the first ship is to be delivered sometime this summer to the Royal Canadian Navy but won't be operational until 2020, according to the update. Other ships will follow over the years with the fleet being declared fully operational in 2025, according to the schedule. Each ship will go through various tests and sea trials, with ships being brought on line as those are finished and crews are trained. The Arctic Offshore Patrol Ships, or AOPS, being built by Irving Shipbuilding, were announced in 2007 by then prime minister Stephen Harper. The vessels were supposed to be in the water by 2013. But the program has faced delays. Critics have also questioned why Canada is paying around $400 million per ship when Denmark received similar vessels for $70 million each. In November 2018 the Liberal government announced it was building a sixth Arctic patrol ship to add to the five originally commissioned from Irving Shipbuilding. But it acknowledged that ship will cost taxpayers $800 million — double the price-tag of each of the other vessels. The Liberal government announced the construction of the sixth AOPS after a push by Irving and its employees for additional work. The project was originally to build five AOPS and only proceed with a sixth if Irving could find savings and work within the existing budget. That didn't happen, Department of National Defence officials noted. https://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/defence-watch/arctic-offshore-patrol-ship-fleet-to-fully-operational-in-2025-says-dnd

By: David B. Larter WASHINGTON — The U.S. Navy is shaking up its plan for acquiring a new, much larger and more deadly version of its Virginia-class attack submarine it aims to start buying this year. The plan heading into this year was to start a contract on the 5th block of Virginias in October, beginning with an upgraded version of the block-four Virginia (a “straight-stick” Virginia), then the second boat in 2019 would be the first boat with the added with 84-foot section known as the Virginia Payload Module, designed to expand the Virginia's Tomahawk strike missile load-out from 12 to 40. The rest of the 10-ship buy was suppose to have the VPM, a move designed to offset the retirement of the four 154-Tomahawk-packing guided missile submarines in the mid-2020s. But the Navy is looking for savings and things have changed heading into the 2020 budget cycle. Instead of nine of 10 block-five Virginias being VPM boats, the Navy is proposing to Congress that they add a third Virginia in 2020, but the first boat will be another “straight-stick.” Then in 2021, the Navy will return to buying two Virginias, but the first boat again will be a straight-stick and the second will have VPM. All the block five boats, VPM and otherwise, will have acoustic upgrades. The net effect will be one fewer Virginia Payload Module in the block-five buy. Instead of nine of 10 boats in the buy having VPM, the Navy is proposing that eight of 11 boats have the VPM, deferring the VPM presumably to Virginia Block Six, which is slated to begin in 2024. The last-minute shuffling of the deck on Virginia, which includes pushing out VPM boats for which Congress had already appropriated advanced procurement money, shifts what was originally supposed to be the end of the straight-stick Virginias this year to buying one new straight stick a year for the next three years. This has raised concerns among those in the submarine building industry because of the potential for disruptions in the workflow at the yards, which is carefully planned out years in advance, and could even bleed over into the new, strategically vital Columbia-class ballistic missile submarine program. “Just like there is one rule in real estate (‘location, location, location'), there is one rule in building ships: Predictability, predictability, predictability,” said Dan Gouré, a former Bush Administration defense official and military analyst with the Arlington-based Lexington Institute. “And they are messing with that now, for the first time in quite a while. And that makes no sense.” The late changes have also affected the timeline for contract negotiations, and a source with knowledge of the details said a planned April contract date for block five is now unlikely. The date had already slipped from the beginning of the fiscal year in October, according to 2018 budget documents. The Virginia-class program has begun seeing creeping delays which the Navy acknowledged this year will likely be between four and seven months on each boat for the foreseeable future. The service says it has struggled to meet more aggressive construction timelines because of issues within the supplier base, which are causing delays. A spokesman for the Navy's research, development and acquisition office said he wouldn't comment on precisely what savings would be achieved with the strategy, citing ongoing negotiations, but said the move of a matter of competing priorities within the budget. He also said the changes in the VPM schedule were not part of ongoing supplier challenges. “To support the Navy's PB-20 request the decision to delay VPMs in FY-20 and 21 was based on competing requirements,” said Capt. Danny Hernandez, RD&A spokesman. “This was not based on any issues with shipbuilding or supply chain.” Added Wrinkle The third boat in 2020 also adds a wrinkle to the schedule. According to the Navy's justification books, the third boat will not start construction until 2023, which is the year before the service plans to buy a second Columbia-class boomer. That means the shipyards will be building three Virginias in 2023. The Virginia Payload Module strategy of continuing to buy straight-stick Virginias into 2021, ensures that General Dynamics Electric Boat and Huntington Ingalls Newport News will be building both straight sticks and Virginia Payload Module Virginia-class boats and the Columbia class simultaneously through 2026 and beyond, according to Navy budget documents. That will stress the yards and the supplier base, raising the risk that Columbia could run late, according to an industry source who spoke on background. “The juxtaposition of Virginia VPM and Columbia will be an added challenge for the shipyards,” the source said. “VPM and Columbia will have no learning curves when both projects are started. As we saw with Seawolf and Virginia (and every other first of a class ship the Navy has ever built) first ships are late and over cost. “Unfortunately, with the delay to the original program, Congress and the Navy have run the clock down, so there is no margin for Columbia to be late.” The mounting challenges within the submarine building enterprise prompted RD&A chief James Geurts to stand up a new program office specifically for the Columbia class, which was previously organized under Program Executive Office Submarines. Rear Adm. Scott Pappano is heading the new enterprise. “My concern was with Columbia being our No. 1 acquisition priority and all the other submarine activities we have going on, do we have enough leadership bandwidth available to oversee and run all those programs simultaneously?” Geurts said in an early March roundtable with reporters. “As I understand the challenges going forward, [I wanted to] get PEO-level support to that program as it starts ramping up. And I didn't want to wait for a crisis for that to occur; I wanted to make sure we are proactively working the program.” https://www.defensenews.com/naval/2019/04/04/the-us-navy-seeking-savings-shakes-up-its-plans-for-more-lethal-attack-submarines/

The Navy on Wednesday released its first naval ship maintenance and modernization plan, underscoring the need for more dry docks because of the disparity between a backlog of repair work and repair shipyards' capabilities. The “Report to Congress on the... https://www.defensedaily.com/navys-first-maintenance-report-calls-dry-docks/navy-usmc/

DAVID PUGLIESE, OTTAWA CITIZEN MV Asterix is now operating with HMCS Regina in Middle Eastern waters as part of a Canadian-led coalition task force. The Asterix, a commercial ship converted by Davie shipyards in Quebec and leased to the federal government to perform a military supply role, has been going almost non-stop since it was launched. It has refueled both Canadian and allied warships. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said there is no need for a second such interim supply ship and the head of the Royal Canadian Navy, Vice Admiral Ron Lloyd, says he is happy with having the Asterix as the force's only supply ship until 2023 when the first of two Joint Support Ships, to be built at Seaspan in Vancouver, is expected to be ready. Davie, however, has offered to convert a second such ship, MV Obelix, to the same capabilities of Asterix and lease it to the government. At one point the navy had three of its own supply ships supporting its vessels. Information recently tabled in Parliament indicates that even though Asterix has been going full-tilt over the last year, there was still a requirement for Canadian warships to receive fuel and provisions from supply vessels operated by foreign navies or for Canadian ships to head to port to receive fuel and supplies. Here are the details from Parliament: The Asterix is also at the heart of federal government's case against Vice Admiral Mark Norman. Norman has been accused by the RCMP of warning Davie that Liberal cabinet ministers wanted to derail the Asterix project. That development leaked out to the news media and the resulting embarrassment was one of the factors that forced the Liberal government to back down on its plans and Asterix proceeded. Norman has denied any wrongdoing. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had twice predicted that Norman would eventually wind up in court, prompting concerns of political interference and concerns the Liberal government is punishing the officer. Norman's lawyers are in pre-trial trying to get documents they argue are needed so the officer can defend himself. Norman's trial is scheduled for August. https://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/defence-watch/the-case-for-a-second-interim-resupply-ship-new-stats-show-how-foreign-navies-continue-to-refuel-canadian-navy-ships

(B2) Il ne se passe pas de mois désormais sans qu'un dirigeant en responsabilité au niveau européen ne présente une idée ‘nouvelle' pour faire avancer l'Europe de la défense. En soi, c'est intéressant, cela anime le débat. Mais il serait nécessaire d'en savoir plus. Une foison d'entreprises On a mis en place une coopération structurée permanente. Puis est venue une initiative européenne d'intervention, dérivée d'une idée présentée par Emmanuel Macron il y a 18 mois, en septembre 2017. Ensuite sont venues plusieurs déclarations franco-allemandes (à Meseberg en juin 2018 et Aix-La-Chapelle en janvier 2019) qui ont évoqué une nouvelle solidarité militaire entre les deux pays et un conseil de sécurité de l'UE. Puis sont venues des déclarations de plusieurs leaders européens — tels le Français Emmanuel Macron, l'Allemand Angela Merkel, l'Espagnol Pedro Sanchez — annonçant un projet, « à terme », d'armée européenne (1). Des dirigeants de premier plan. Enfin, Emmanuel Macron a souhaité mettre en place un nouveau traité de défense avec non seulement l'Allemagne mais aussi le Royaume-Uni définissant une nouvelle clause de défense mutuelle et ce fameux Conseil de sécurité européen. Sans oublier le fameux porte-avion commun, que voudrait développer la CDU d'Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer. Cesser de mettre en bouche et expliquer Il serait peut-être désormais temps que les idées cessent d'être mises en bouche, mais qu'on arrive à saisir ce qu'elles recouvrent exactement. Paris et Berlin n'ont pas tout à fait peut-être la même idée du Conseil européen de sécurité ni de la défense européenne, il serait intéressant que ces nuances soient clarifiées pour que le débat puisse s'engager concrètement. Il serait aussi intéressant d'avoir un peu de cohérence dans tout ce feu d'artifice d'idées merveilleuses. Expliquer : une nécessité démocratique Les responsables politiques devraient prendre l'habitude, dans leurs grands discours, d'accompagner ceux-ci d'une petite notice explicative, détaillant en quelques phrases, comment leurs belles idées doivent être comprises. Cela aurait un intérêt : éviter des incompréhensions, permettre au débat de s'engager, faire avancer les projets. Cela aurait un avantage : clarifier si on est dans l'effet de manche, l'agitation ou le projet, l'action. Cela répondrait tout simplement à une nécessité démocratique. https://www.bruxelles2.eu/2019/03/31/arretons-de-declamer-detaillons/

(B2) Formation Continue Panthéon Sorbonne (FCPS) et la Fondation pour la recherche stratégique (FRS), en liaison avec le programme de recherche « Sorbonne War Studies », organisent le 10 avril prochain un colloque sur le thème « Industries et marchés de défense : dynamiques nationales et européennes ». Parmi les points abordés, la coopération nordique, l'axe franco-allemand, le partenariat stratégique France-Belgique CAMO, un état des lieux sur l'ouverture des marchés publics de défense à la concurrence, le programme PEDID et le futur Fonds européen de la défense, etc. Lieu : Amphi II A du centre Panthéon de l'université Paris I, 12 place du Panthéon, 75005 Paris. Inscription Télécharger le programme https://www.bruxelles2.eu/2019/03/30/industries-et-marches-de-defense-dynamiques-nationales-et-europeennes/

Par Michel Cabirol Cinq des dix start-up accompagnées par Generate, l'accélérateur du Groupement des Industries Françaises de Défense et de Sécurité Terrestres et Aéroterrestres (GICAT), sont devenues des scale-up. Qui a dit que la défense et la sécurité n'étaient plus un domaine d'innovations... Deux ans après le lancement de son accélérateur de start-up dans le domaine de la défense et de la sécurité (Generate), le Groupement des Industries Françaises de Défense et de Sécurité Terrestres et Aéroterrestres (GICAT) tire un bilan positif des deux premières promotions de start-up accompagnées. Sur les dix ayant intégré Generate dès le départ, cinq ont franchi un cap pour devenir les fameuses scale-up (ou TPE). Ce sont le cas d'Aleph Networks, qui explore le deep et le dark web, de CerbAir (lutte anti-drone), de Diodon (drones), d'Internest, qui améliore la sécurité des vols des drones et des hélicoptères et, enfin, de l'éditeur de logiciels Linkurious, qui fournit des analyses de réseaux sociaux. En revanche, Othello, qui a développé une approche scientifique du comportement humain, Numalis, qui analyse les logiciels pour détecter et corriger les vulnérabilités numériques, Physip, qui propose des solutions d'analyse automatique de l'activité cérébrale basées sur l'EEG (électroencéphalogramme) et Uniris, qui fournit des services inviolables d'authentification, vont rester une année supplémentaire au sein de Generate afin de d'essayer de passer le cap de start-up. Enfin, Sterblue, qui édite une solution de pilotage automatique adaptable à tous les drones du marché, va se consacrer aux marchés civils. Cette start-up nantaise, créée par des anciens d'Airbus, a réussi fin 2018 une première levée de fonds de 2 millions de dollars. 8 millions d'euros de levées En deux ans, 50% des start-up de Generate ont réussi à lever des fonds, nouer des partenariats industriels, remporter des contrats et se projeter à l'export. Ainsi, elles ont réussi à lever 8 millions d'euros de fonds auprès d'investisseurs publics, privés et notamment des Venture Capital d'industriels du GICAT. Elles ont réalisé un chiffre d'affaire de 4,8 millions d'euros et près d'une start-up sur deux est aujourd'hui présente à l'export et y remporte des marchés. Elles emploient aujourd'hui près d'une centaine de personnes, dont la moitié a été recrutée sur les deux dernières années. Enfin, elles ont remporté sept trophées et prix aussi bien dans la défense et la sécurité, mais également auprès d'organisme civil. Pour le GICAT, ces résultats confirment sa volonté de poursuivre le recrutement de nouvelles pépites, en développant son système de parrainage, en se faisant connaitre auprès d'investisseurs et en accompagnant nos partenaires institutionnels (Délégation générale de l'armement, Agence Innovation défense, Armées, Ministère de l'intérieur, etc.). Generate accueille ou a accueilli au total 28 start-up depuis ses débuts. https://www.latribune.fr/entreprises-finance/industrie/aeronautique-defense/les-start-up-specialisees-dans-la-defense-et-la-securite-poussent-tous-azimuts-811829.html