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By Anthony Capaccio The defense industry has made major strides reducing the impact of Covid-19 on operations, decreasing total closings of facilities to six on Monday from a high of 148 in mid-April, according to the Pentagon agency that oversees contracts. “We're seeing a significantly smaller fraction of the industrial base impacted on a daily basis” as contractors have become “better at restoring operational capability after potential exposures” to the coronavirus, Army Lieutenant General David Bassett, director of the Defense Contract Management Agency, said in an interview. “We've gone from having a substantial fraction of the industrial base impacted to today,” where it's “just a handful.” In total, 279 defense contracting locations were forced to shut down an average of 20 days since April because of the pandemic. In addition, 149 locations currently have reduced operations because of the virus, according to the agency, which tracks 10,509 locations of major defense contractors and their subcontractors. “These closures have generally been short-term in order to clean facilities” or to “reduce the potential exposure of employees,” according to agency spokesman Matthew Montgomery. Ellen Lord, the Defense Department's acquisitions chief, has warned that pandemic disruptions are expected to result in defense industry claims for reimbursement of more than $10 billion under the Cares Act, which provides economic aid including reimbursing contractors for payments to employees affected by disruptions such as plant closings. She has said a single contractor, which she didn't name, is estimated to have at least $1.5 billion in potential claims. Bassett said the decline in plant closings reflects that companies “have really got a plan in place so that they know what they have to do when they find people who have been exposed, how they have to handle the plant and then what they can do to get back up quickly and safely.” Bassett assumed command of the contract agency on June 3 after a career that included positions as the Army's top program manager for command-and-control networks and for ground-combat vehicles. “As we watch right now and cases are beginning to rise in certain areas of the country, I've asked all of our teams to really think about what we can do right now to make sure if we do end up in a shutdown we can avoid impacts to the industrial base and our deliveries,” he said. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-07-07/defense-industry-s-covid-closings-decline-pentagon-agency-says

In recent months, Turkey has deployed an array of air defense missile systems in Syria and Libya to deter and defend against air and drone attacks mounted by its rivals in these war zones. On February 27, airstrikes killed 34 Turkish soldiers deployed in Syria's northwest province of Idlib during clashes with pro-regime forces. It was the largest single loss of Turkish troops in a single incident in years. Turkey responded ferociously, launching Operation Spring Shield. It used its formidable armed drones to devastate Syrian ground forces and armor. Turkish Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon jet fighters shot down three Syrian warplanes with long-range AIM-120 AMRAAM air-to-air missiles without having to leave Turkish airspace. A Russian-brokered ceasefire ended the clashes in early March. However, Turkey quickly realized the importance of air defenses in the volatile region. It had already requested the U.S. deploy MIM-104 Patriot missiles on its southern border shortly after launching Operation Spring Shield. Aside from its controversial purchase of S-400 air defenses from Russia, which it hasn't activated yet, Turkey's air defenses are mostly short- and medium-range and relatively antiquated. The U.S. did not deploy any Patriots in Turkey this year. The only NATO country to deploy a Patriot battery in Turkey this year is Spain. Ankara has since deployed its own MIM-23 air defense missiles in Idlib. However, that system is much older and much less effective than the PAC-3 Patriot. The Turkish press also cited an official in early March saying that Turkey would deploy its domestically-built Hisar low-altitude air defense missiles to Idlib. However, it's unclear if any of these missiles were actually fielded. It's also been claimed that Turkey even deployed old Soviet-era S-200 air defense systems, acquired from Ukraine, in northern Idlib. This claim is unverified and also highly unlikely. The Turkish military is also becoming more deeply involved in the civil war in Libya where it's supporting the U.N.-recognized Government of National Accord (GNA), based in the capital Tripoli that controls the west, against General Khalifa Haftar's Libyan National Army (LNA), based in Benghazi that controls the east. In Libya, Turkey has deployed a formidable array of air defense missiles in the country's west and has also made significant headway in establishing an “air defense bubble” around Tripoli. As The Washington Institute for Near East Policy observed: “The combination of medium-range U.S.-made MIM-23 Hawk missile systems, Hisar short-range SAMs, and Korkut antiaircraft guns created a layered defense over critical infrastructure and reduced the threat to GNA drone ground stations and launch operations.” “This protection, combined with an increase in Turkish operators and equipment, allowed Libyan government forces to increase the number and effectiveness of their drone operations,” the report added. While formidable, Turkish air defenses in western Libya have their limitations. Turkish military analyst Metin Gurcan, recently pointed out that “medium- and high-altitude air defense is vital for air dominance in the Sirte-al-Jufra axis, but this remains a problem for Turkey, though low-altitude air defense has been secured through the deployment of the Hisar air defense systems in Libya.” Gurcan went on to note that Turkey's far more advanced high-altitude S-400s haven't been activated and the prospect of transferring those sophisticated missiles – which could establish a game-changing Anti Access/Area Denial (A2/AD) zone over wherever they are deployed – to Libya “is out of question.” Turkey also deployed two MIM-23 Hawk batteries at al-Watiya airbase. They did not seem to have hindered an airstrike on July 3 carried out by unidentified warplanes, although they may not yet have been fully set up when that strike occurred. The jets that attacked al-Watiya – which was captured from the LNA by a Turkish-backed GNA offensive in May that broke the LNA siege on Tripoli and enabled the GNA to go on the offensive – likely belonged to a foreign air force supporting the LNA. One Turkish official said the jets were Dassault Mirage fighters. If true, then they were most likely Mirage 2000 jets belonging to the United Arab Emirates, a key backer of Haftar. The Arab Weekly, on the other hand, cited informed sources who claim the aircraft were Dassault Rafale jets, not Mirages. This would limit the attackers to either Egypt or France, both of which possess those multirole fighter jets and both of which support the LNA. The LNA wants to prevent Turkey from establishing a base in al-Watiya and further solidify its growing presence in the country by creating more air defense bubbles across the west. Turkey wants to help the GNA push on its offensive and capture the strategically-important city of Sirte and the al-Jufra region, including the eponymous airbase where Russia delivered MiG-29 and Su-24 warplanes in May. What happens next in Libya is anyone's guess. Turkey is likely to retain its presence and increase the number of its air defense missiles in Libya, especially if the GNA advances further eastward in the coming weeks. https://www.forbes.com/sites/pauliddon/2020/07/07/turkey-is-deploying-lots-of-air-defense-systems-in-syria-and-libya/#727c5aae5555

Rolling Meadows, Ill. – July 7, 2020 – The U.S. Air Force has placed an initial order for Northrop Grumman Corporation's (NYSE: NOC) LITENING advanced targeting pods with full-color digital video capability and two-color laser spot search and track. “LITENING's color video capability works with the way we naturally see the world to give warfighters in the cockpit and on the ground more complete situational understanding in less time,” said Ryan Tintner, vice president, navigation, targeting and surveillance, Northrop Grumman. “Whether the mission is close air support, surveillance, search and rescue or training, LITENING's latest upgrade will help ensure that warfighters don't miss a thing.” The human eye can see millions of shades of color, an ability that enables everyday decision-making. In a combat environment, additional information can be critical, shortening the time required to confirm the identity of a target and take action. LITENING's digital color video, with greater than 1K x 1K resolution, will give warfighters a significantly more detailed understanding of their environment. Built with a modular design, any LITENING pod can be upgraded to the color configuration. This upgrade also includes the ability to record simultaneous video feeds from all sensors for post-mission analysis, automatic laser code display and an eye-safe mode that allows for more realistic training while using the laser. Northrop Grumman has delivered nearly 900 LITENING pods to U.S. and international customers. The pods have achieved more than one million combat hours. To see LITENING color images and video, please visit https://www.northropgrumman.com/air/litening-advanced-targeting-pod/ Northrop Grumman solves the toughest problems in space, aeronautics, defense and cyberspace to meet the ever evolving needs of our customers worldwide. Our 90,000 employees define possible every day using science, technology and engineering to create and deliver advanced systems, products and services. Media Contact Steve Lamb Land & Avionics C4ISR Mission Systems (224) 625-4627 stephen.lamb@ngc.com View source version on Northrop Grumman: https://news.northropgrumman.com/news/releases/us-air-force-orders-latest-northrop-grumman-litening-targeting-pod-upgrade

Vienna, July 6, 2020 – The Finnish Border Guard will operate the CAMCOPTER® S-100 for maritime surveillance purposes. The Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS) service is offered by the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) and will also extend to Estonia and Sweden. The CAMCOPTER® S-100 will support the Finnish authorities in carrying out Coast Guard functions, such as search and rescue, monitoring and surveillance, ship and port security, vessel traffic, environmental protection and response, ship casualty assistance, as well as accident and disaster response. The S-100 will execute these tasks equipped with an L3 Wescam Electro-Optical / Infra-Red (EO/IR) camera gimbal, an Overwatch Imaging PT-8 Oceanwatch, a Becker Avionics BD406 Emergency Beacon Locator and an Automatic Identification System (AIS) receiver. EMSA awarded the multi-year maritime surveillance contract for a Vertical Takeoff and Landing (VTOL) RPAS to Schiebel in November 2018. In execution of this contract, Schiebel provides simultaneous maritime surveillance services to several EU member states and EU bodies. Currently, the CAMCOPTER® S-100 is also operational in the Republic of Croatia supporting the Maritime Safety Directorate of the Ministry of Sea, Transport and Infrastructure of the Republic of Croatia. Hans Georg Schiebel, Chairman of the Schiebel Group, said: “The S-100 has extensive experience in the maritime domain. It is the UAS of choice when it comes to sophisticated maritime surveillance. We're proud to be EMSA's chosen RPAS providing vital surveillance services to its member states.” About Schiebel: Founded in 1951, the Vienna-based Schiebel Group focuses on the development, testing and production of state-of-the-art mine detection equipment and the revolutionary CAMCOPTER® S-100 Unmanned Air System (UAS). Certified to meet AS/EN 9100 standards, Schiebel has built an international reputation for producing quality defense and humanitarian products, which are backed by exceptional after-sales service and support. With headquarters in Vienna (Austria), Schiebel now maintains production facilities in Wiener Neustadt (Austria) and Abu Dhabi (UAE), as well as offices in Washington, DC (USA) and Shoalhaven (Australia). About the CAMCOPTER® S-100: Schiebel's CAMCOPTER® S-100 Unmanned Air System (UAS) is an operationally proven capability for military and civilian applications. The Vertical Takeoff and Landing (VTOL) UAS requires no prepared area or supporting equipment to enable launch and recovery. It operates by day and by night, under adverse weather conditions, with a beyond line-of-sight capability out to 200 km / 108 nm, over land and sea. Its carbon fiber and titanium fuselage provides capacity for a wide range of payload/endurance combinations up to a service ceiling of 5,500 m / 18,000 ft. In a typical configuration, the CAMCOPTER® S-100 carries a 34-kg / 75-lbs payload up to 10 hours and is powered with AVGas or JP-5 heavy fuel. High-definition payload imagery is transmitted to the control station in real time. In addition to its standard GPS waypoint or manual navigation, the S-100 can successfully operate in environments where GPS is not available, with missions planned and controlled via a simple point-andclick graphical user interface. The high-tech unmanned helicopter is backed by Schiebel's excellent customer support and training services. For further information, please contact us: Tel: +43 (1) 546 26-44 Email: pr@schiebel.net www.schiebel.net View source version on Schiebel,: https://schiebel.net/press-releases/

The U.S. Air Force is looking to fund research into “deep tech” for eVTOL aircraft through its next round of Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) contract awards. By Elan Head An award-winning journalist, Elan is also a commercial helicopter pilot and an FAA Gold Seal flight instructor with helicopter and instrument ratings. Follow her on Twitter @elanhead View more posts NEWS U.S. Air Force will fund research into tech that enables eVTOL aircraft Monday July 6, 2020 The U.S. Air Force is looking to fund research into “deep tech” for eVTOL aircraft through its next round of Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) contract awards. The focus on technology research is one more aspect of Agility Prime, the Air Force's effort to accelerate development of the commercial eVTOL industry with the goal of establishing U.S. dominance in this emerging field. Speaking during an Agility Prime webinar on July 1, Dr. Will Roper, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics, suggested that the Air Force could help fill a funding gap left by Silicon Valley investors who have increasingly prioritized software enterprises that promise faster returns. “We want to take risk by investing in deep tech,” he said. “For programs like Agility Prime that are going to be tackling a lot of really tough challenges — from power to flight safety to logistics — there's a lot of really cutting-edge tech that has to be created, has to be matured and developed, if we're ultimately going to bring this market to bear in the U.S. first. Well, STTR is a great place to start tackling the hard challenges now.” STTR is a federal government program created to help commercialize compelling technology from across the U.S. research community. Like the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program, it focuses on three phases — concept development, prototype development and commercialization — with various funding amounts available for different phases. Unlike SBIR, however, STTR requires that participating small businesses partner with an eligible nonprofit research institution. According to Roper, the Air Force devotes around $700 million per year to SBIR and another $200 million to STTR projects — not all of which will yield results. “We don't expect every company in STTR to succeed, just like we don't in SBIR,” he said. “This is an investment portfolio, so we're looking for return across the whole portfolio, not [on] a company-by-company basis. But we should start planting the long-lead seeds now, because if we don't, they're not going to bloom in time for us to harvest in a way that will benefit programs like Agility Prime.” The Air Force's next STTR Open Topic solicitation will include an Agility Prime focus area, intended to survey a large scope of technologies including autonomy, advanced aircraft materials and manufacturing, novel acoustics techniques, and sense-and-avoid systems, to name a few. The Air Force expects to award an estimated $10 million worth of phase one contracts for values up to $150,000 within 90 days. According to Jared Evans, a partner in AFVentures who also spoke during the webinar, phase two contracts are expected to have an initial value of $750,000, with the most promising projects then eligible for a “strategic fund increase” up to $30 million. “Ultimately, our end goal here is . . . transitioning to a full program of record,” he explained. “There's no STTR funding for that, but there's also no limit on government input or private investment.” In advance of the solicitation, the Air Force innovation division AFWERX will be hosting a virtual TeamUp event with the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) on July 15 and 16. The first day of the event will be open to the public and will include an overview of STTR funding opportunities, plus a virtual trade show. The second day will be restricted to Agility Prime ecosystem members who have chosen to register for a virtual booth, with the aim of facilitating connections that could lead to collaborative STTR proposals. Registration for the event is available here. “TeamUp events like this one will provide opportunities for multiple stakeholders to come together and compete with speed,” stated AFWERX director and Agility Prime team lead Col. Nathan Diller in a press release announcing the event. “Just like AFWERX and AFRL are teaming up to bring cutting-edge commercial technology together with world-class research, we are encouraging entrepreneurs and researchers from around the country to ‘TeamUp' in a way that strengthens our national security and prosperity.” https://evtol.com/news/air-force-agility-prime-sttr/

Saab Aeronautica Montagens (SAM), Saab's first aerostructures plant outside of Sweden for the new Gripen E/F fighter, reached another important milestone recently with the start of production. This site builds sections of Gripen, which will then be delivered to the final assembly facilities at the Embraer plant in Gaviao Peixoto, Sao Paulo, Brazil and to Linkoping, Sweden. In 2014, Saab signed a contract with the Brazilian government for the development and production of 36 Gripen E/F aircraft. In September last year, the first Brazilian Gripen E aircraft was delivered to start the flight test program. Now, another milestone is reached, as Gripen production starts at the SAM plant, which is located in Sao Bernardo do Campo, a city in the metropolitan area of Sao Paulo in Brazil. The tail cone and front fuselage of the single-seat version of the Gripen fighter are the first aerostructures to enter into production at SAM. Subsequently, the aerodynamic brakes, rear fuselage, wing box and front fuselage for the two-seater version will also be manufactured at SAM. “This is another outcome of the transfer of technology (ToT) of the Gripen program. Based on theoretical and practical on-the-job training of Brazilian engineers and assemblers at Saab in Linkoping, we were able to establish a highly qualified production line at SAM, following the same standards that we have in our factory in Sweden,” said Jonas Hjelm, head of Saab's business area. Currently, SAM has more than 70 highly qualified employees, half of whom are participating or have already participated in the ToT Program in Sweden. Part of these employees have already completed the training and returned to initiate the production in Brazil. https://www.skiesmag.com/press-releases/saab-starts-gripen-production-in-brazil

Nathan Strout L3Harris has successfully launched a new demonstrator satellite for the U.S. Air Force, the company announced July 6. The small satellite is part of a constellation of end-to-end small satellites the company is developing for the Air Force. While the company declined to discuss launch details due to the classified nature of the program, L3Harris noted in a press release that it is the prime contractor for the “responsive constellation contract” and is responsible for designing, developing, building, testing and deploying the satellites. “L3Harris has developed and supported various aspects of satellite missions over the last several decades as a component supplier or hosted payload,” said Ed Zoiss, president of space and airborne systems at L3Harris. “In collaboration with the U.S. Air Force, we pulled the pieces together to successfully plan, develop and execute an affordable, high-performance space mission, which is part of a responsive constellation contract.” The Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicles Secondary Payload Adapter (ESPA) satellite system features a reprogrammable payload that will allow operators to change the satellites' missions while on orbit. The payload will also utilize L3Harris' High Compaction Ratio unfurlable X-band antenna to enable high-speed data communication. https://www.c4isrnet.com/battlefield-tech/space/2020/07/06/l3harris-building-demonstration-constellation-for-the-air-force/

Integrating missile defense – shooting down incoming missiles – with missile offense – destroying the launchers before they fire again – requires major changes in how the military fights. By SYDNEY J. FREEDBERG JR.on July 07, 2020 at 4:00 AM WASHINGTON: Don't try to shoot down each arrow as it comes; shoot the archer. That's a time-honored military principle that US forces would struggle to implement in an actual war with China, Russia, North Korea, or Iran, warns a new report from thinktank CSIS. New technology, like the Army's IBCS command network – now entering a major field test — can be part of the solution, but it's only part, writes Brian Green, a veteran of 30 years in the Pentagon, Capitol Hill, and the aerospace industry. Equally important and problematic are the command-and-control arrangements that determine who makes the decision to fire what, at what, and when. Today, the military has completely different units, command systems, doctrines, and legal/regulatory authorities for missile defense – which tries to shoot down threats the enemy has already launched – and for long range offensive strikes – which could keep the enemy from launching in the first place, or at least from getting off a second salvo, by destroying launchers, command posts, and targeting systems. While generals and doctrine-writers have talked about “offense-defense integration” for almost two decades, Green says, the concept remains shallow and incomplete. “A thorough implementation of ODI would touch almost every aspect of the US military, including policy, doctrine, organization, training, materiel, and personnel,” Green writes. “It would require a fundamental rethinking of terms such as ‘offense' and ‘defense' and of how the joint force fights.” Indeed, it easily blurs into the even larger problem of coordinating all the services across all five domains of warfare – land, sea, air, space, and cyberspace – in what's known as Joint All-Domain Operations. The bifurcation between offense and defense runs from the loftiest strategic level down to tactical: At the highest level, US Strategic Command commands both the nation's nuclear deterrent and homeland missile defense. But these functions are split between three different subcommands within STRATCOM, one for Air Force ICBMs and bombers (offense), one for Navy ballistic missile submarines (also offense), and one for Integrated Missile Defense. In forward theaters, the Army provides ground-based missile defense, but those units – Patriot batteries, THAAD, Sentinel radars – belong to separate brigades from the Army's own long-range missile artillery, and they're even less connected to offensive airstrikes from the Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps. The Navy's AEGIS system arguably does the best job of integrating offense and defense in near-real-time, Green says, but even there, “different capabilities onboard a given ship can come under different commanders,” one with the authority to unleash Standard Missile interceptors against incoming threats and the other with the authority to fire Tomahawk missiles at the enemy launchers. This division of labor might have worked when warfare was slower. But China and Russia have invested massively in their arsenals of long-range, precision-guided missiles, along with the sensors and command networks to direct them to their targets. So, on a lesser scale, have North Korea and Iran. The former deputy secretary of defense, Bob Work, warned of future conflicts in which “salvo exchanges” of hundreds of missiles – hopefully not nuclear ones – might rocket across the war zone within hours. It's been obvious for over a decade that current missile defense systems simply can't cope with the sheer number of incoming threats involved, which led the chiefs of the Army and Navy to sign a famous “eight-star memo” in late 2014 that called, among other things, for stopping enemy missiles “left of launch.” But that approach would require real-time coordination between the offensive weapons, responsible for destroying enemy launchers, command posts, and targeting systems, and the defensive ones, responsible for shooting down whatever missiles made it into the air. While Navy Aegis and Army IBCS show some promise, Green writes, neither is yet capable of moving the data required among all the users who would need it: Indeed, IBCS is still years away from connecting all the Army's defensive systems, while Aegis only recently gained an offensive anti-ship option, a modified SM-6, alongside its defensive missiles. As two Army generals cautioned in a recent interview with Breaking Defense, missile defense and offense have distinctly different technical requirements that limit the potential of using a single system to run both. There are different legal restrictions as well: Even self-defense systems operate under strict limits, lest they accidentally shoot down friendly aircraft or civilian airliners, and offensive strikes can easily escalate a conflict. Green's 35-page paper doesn't solve these problems. But it's useful examination of how complex they can become. https://breakingdefense.com/2020/07/future-missile-war-needs-new-kind-of-command-csis/

DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Raytheon Co., Andover, Massachusetts, has been awarded a $6,000,000,000 modification (P00102) to six-year base contract SPRBL1-15-D-0017 with one four-year option period, to add an additional year of performance and increase funding for depot-level repairables and consumable spare parts, as well as repair and engineering services for multiple weapon systems. This modification increases the contract ceiling from $2,000,000,000 to $8,000,000,000. 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 an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract with both fixed-price and cost elements. Location of performance is Massachusetts, with a Sept. 27, 2021, ordering period end date. Using customer is the Department of Defense. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2021 Army working capital funds and other procurement funds as necessary. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland. Federal Prison Industries,** doing business as UNICOR, Washington, D.C., has been awarded a maximum $14,220,050 modification (P00006) exercising the second one-year option period of one-year base contract SPE1C1-18-D-1069 with two one-year option periods for physical fitness uniform trunks. This is a firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. Locations of performance are Washington, D.C.; Minnesota; Colorado; Louisiana; Kentucky; and New Jersey, with a July 11, 2021, ordering period end date. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2021 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Melton Sales & Service,* Columbus, New Jersey, has been awarded a maximum $10,093,553 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for transfer transmissions. This was a sole-source acquisition using justification 10 U.S. Code 2304 (c)(1), as stated in Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. This is a three-year contract with no option periods. Location of performance is New Jersey, with a July 6, 2023, ordering period end date. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2023 Army working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime, Warren, Michigan (SPRDL1-20-D-0117). Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations LLC, doing business as GCR Tire Service, Phoenix, Arizona, has been awarded a maximum $8,709,450 firm-fixed-price requirements contract for M870 series low bed semitrailer wheel pneumatic tires. This was a competitive acquisition with one response received. This is a three-year contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Arizona, with a July 5, 2023, performance completion date. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2023 Army working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime, Warren, Michigan (SPRDL1-20-D-0096). NAVY Vigor Marine LLC, Portland, Oregon, is awarded a $133,406,869 firm-fixed-price contract to prepare for and accomplish repair and alteration requirements for USS McCampbell (DDG 85) chief of naval operations scheduled depot maintenance availability. This contract includes options which, if exercised, will bring the cumulative value of this contract to $155,621,173. Work will be performed in Portland, Oregon. USS McCampbell will receive comprehensive modernization for DDG 51 class ships to ensure a mission relevant service life. These improvements will include hull, mechanical and electrical technology insertion; as well as provide critical warfighting improvements, such as upgraded machinery control system, integrated bridge and navigation system (to include physical throttles); advanced galley upgrade; wireless communications and digital video surveillance system upgrade; upgrade to a fiber optic local area network backbone; AEGIS baseline 9 upgrade (that includes updated guns weapons system); enhanced Vertical Launching System; multi-mission signal processor; and Ballistic Missile Defense 5.0 upgrade. Work is expected to be completed by November 2021. Fiscal 2020 operation and maintenance (Navy); and fiscal 2020 other procurement (Navy) funding in the amount of $154,319,412 will be obligated at time of award. Funds in the amount of $21,166,210 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. In accordance with 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(3), this contract was not competitively procured. The Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility, Bremerton, Washington, is the contracting activity (N4523A-20-D-0550). Cubic Defense Applications Inc., Orlando, Florida, is awarded a $99,100,000 firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. This contract supports the Surface Training Immersive Gaming and Simulations effort and provides for the development, delivery and total life cycle support of a new virtual environment training system. Work will be performed in Orlando, Florida. Life cycle support of the new training systems includes updates, maintenance, upgrades and modifications to surface ship trainers and associated courseware to maintain fleet operational readiness. This system will be one of the pillars under the overall Surface Training Advanced Virtual Environment Program. Work is expected to be completed by July 2025. No funds will be obligated at the time of award, but will be obligated on individual orders as they are issued. This contract was competitively procured via an electronic request for proposal and six offers were received. The Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division, Orlando, Florida, is the contracting activity (N61340-20-D-0018). Jacobs/B&M JV, Pasadena, California, is awarded a $99,000,000 maximum amount, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, architect-engineer contract for architect-engineer services. This includes the design, engineering, specification writing, cost estimating and related services at various locations under the cognizance of then Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Pacific. No task orders are being issued at this time. Work will be performed at various Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force and other government facilities within the NAVFAC Pacific area of operations, including but not limited to, Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands (75%); Australia (15%); Hawaii (5%); and Diego Garcia (5%). The work to be performed provides for the preparation of region/Facilities Engineering Command team; DD Form 1391 project documentation; engineering studies; specifications utilizing the Department of Defense SpecsIntact program; cost estimates utilizing the micro-computer aided cost estimating system (second generation); design and engineering services for functional analysis and concept development; request for proposal (RFP) documentation for design-build projects; and RFP documentation, plans and specifications for design-bid-build projects. The term of the contract is not to exceed 60 months and is expected to be completed by July 2025. Fiscal 2018 military construction (planning and design) contract funds in the amount of $10,000 are obligated on this award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Future task orders will be primarily funded by military construction (planning and design). This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website and two proposals were received. The NAVFAC Pacific, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, is the contracting activity (N62742-20-D-0002). HDR Environmental, Operations and Construction Inc., Englewood, Colorado, is awarded a $75,000,000 maximum amount, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract to conduct marine species monitoring services and implement components of the Navy's Integrated Comprehensive Monitoring Program. No task orders are being issued at this time. The primary geographic area covered by this contract encompasses the Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Atlantic and Pacific areas of operations. Additionally, tasks associated with this contract may be assigned anywhere in the world. The work to be performed will obtain services for performance of marine resources monitoring and program management in support of Navy environmental compliance and reporting requirements. Services may include, but are not limited to, literature review and data searches; aerial, shipboard, and/or underwater visual surveys; passive acoustic monitoring; assessments to determine potential impacts from military activities; behavioral studies and controlled exposure experiments; biopsy sampling; tagging and tracking; analysis of data and technical assistance to ensure legal compliance; preparation of necessary reports, consultation packages and permit applications; and management and coordination of complex projects with other Federal agencies, institutions and organizations spanning a wide range of geographic locations. The term of the contract is not to exceed 60 months with an expected completion date of July 2025. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Navy) (O&M, N) contract funds in the amount of $5,000 are obligated on this award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Future task orders will be primarily funded by O&M, N. This contract was competitively procured via the beta.SAM.gov website, and two proposals were received. The NAVFAC Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N62470-20-D-0016). Raytheon Missiles and Defense, Tucson, Arizona, is awarded a $34,749,670 modification (P00011) to previously-awarded fixed-price-incentive-firm contract N00019-18-C-1068. This modification provides for the production and delivery of 58 additional Lot 20 AIM-9X Block II all up round tactical missiles (29 for the Navy and 29 for the Air Force); an additional 61 Block II Captive Air Training Missiles (one for the Navy and 60 for the Air Force); an additional 35 all up round containers (12 for the Navy and 23 for the Air Force); and one lot of spares assets for the governments of Finland, Israel, the Netherlands, Norway, Singapore, Turkey and Poland. Work will be performed in Tucson, Arizona (31%); Andover, Massachusetts (10%); Keyser, West Virginia (9%); Santa Clarita, California (8%); Hillsboro, Oregon (5%); Ottawa, Ontario, Canada (5%); Goleta, California (4%); Cheshire, Connecticut (4%); Heilbronn, Germany (3%); Simsbury, Connecticut (2%); San Jose, California (2%); Valencia, California (2%); Anaheim, California (2%); Cajon, California (2%); Cincinnati, Ohio (1%); Anniston, Alabama (1%); San Diego, California (1%); Chatsworth, California (1%); Amesbury, Massachusetts (1%); Claremont, California (1%); Sumner, Washington (1%); and various locations within the continental U.S. (4%), and is expected to be completed by July 2023. Fiscal 2020 missile procurement (Air Force) funds in the amount of $23,081,565; fiscal 2020 weapons procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $11,021,806; fiscal 2019 missile procurement (Air Force) funds in the amount of $135,020; fiscal 2019 weapons procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $40,506; fiscal 2018 missile procurement (Air Force) funds in the amount of $40,506; fiscal 2018 weapons procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $13,502; and Foreign Military Sales funds in the amount of $416,765 will be obligated at the time of award, $54,008 of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. Avian-Precise Co.,* Lexington Park, Maryland, is awarded a $19,700,000 modification (P00006) to previously-awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee, cost reimbursable, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract N00421-18-D-0016. This modification provides sustainment engineering, training and tools in support of the Naval Air Systems Command engineering group. Work will be performed in Patuxent River, Maryland (91%); and Jacksonville, Florida (9%), and is expected to be completed by April 2023. No funds are being obligated at time of award, funds will be obligated on individual orders as they are issued. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. Signal Systems Corp.,* Millersville, Maryland, is awarded a $13,467,258 cost-plus-fixed-fee order (N68335-20-F-0324) against previously-issued basic ordering agreement N68335-20-G-1062. This order provides for advanced Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) products for airborne anti-submarine warfare (ASW) and undersea warfare continued research and development efforts under SBIR Topic N04-007, "Continuous Active Sonar Signal Processing;" Topic N093-168, "Target Localization Using Multi-Static Sonar with Drifting Sonobuoys;" and Topic N101-005, "Spread Spectrum Techniques for Sonar Ping Technology." Work will be performed in Millersville, Maryland (83%); and Lexington Park, Maryland (17%). The applications to be further developed include acoustic ASW sensors and systems; telemetry and recording systems; signal and data processing; algorithm development; mathematical modeling; system and application prototyping; active and passive display enhancements; information assurance, anti-tampering and cybersecurity concepts; and techniques and analysis to predict the performance of the associated ASW systems. Work is expected to be completed by July 2025. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $683,000 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Lakehurst, New Jersey, is the contracting activity. Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems, Baltimore, Maryland, is awarded a $12,805,321 not to exceed, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for materials and engineering services required to develop and integrate technological improvements for the DDG-51 hull; mechanical and electrical machinery control systems (MCS); Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) Freedom class MCS; and Landing Helicopter Dock/A (LHD/A) MCS installed onboard current Navy ships in support of Naval Surface Warfare Center, Philadelphia Division. Work will be performed in Orlando, Florida (65%); the remaining (35%) will be performed in Baltimore, Maryland; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; San Diego, California; Norfolk, Virginia; and Mayport, Florida, as determined by the individual task orders. The services under this contract will support the development, implementation, execution and life cycle sustainment of shipboard MCS for LCS class, LHD/A class and DDG class surface ship machinery control equipment and systems, as well as serve the Logistics Management Branch of the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Philadelphia Division. This statement of work requests highly specialized services that only Lockheed Martin can support. As such, Lockheed Martin has developed proprietary test scripts and test equipment to provide for delivery and support of MCS systems and components. Work is expected to be completed by July 2026. Fiscal 2017 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funding in the amount of $500 ($500 minimum guarantee for contract) will be obligated at time of award via an individual task order and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities. In accordance with 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1), this contract was not competitively procured; there was one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. The Naval Surface Warfare Center Philadelphia Division, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is the contracting activity (N64498-20-D-0009). ARMY General Dynamics Land Systems, Sterling Heights, Michigan, was awarded a $10,260,921 modification (P00110) to contract W56HZV-17-C-0067 for Abrams systems technical support. Work will be performed in Sterling Heights, Michigan, with an estimated completion date of March 31, 2022. Fiscal 2020 Foreign Military Sales (Taiwan) funds in the amount of $10,260,921 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Detroit Arsenal, Michigan, is the contracting activity. *Small Business **Mandatory Sour https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2261436/source/GovDelivery/