News

By Francois De Beaupuy and Tara Patel The French government will present a plan worth billions of euros to rescue its beleaguered aerospace industry, protect key suppliers from Chinese interests and may bring forward some defense orders, the transport minister said. The aid package to be presented Tuesday is aimed at European jet manufacturer Airbus SE, engine maker Safran SA, defense group Thales SA, and hundreds of French suppliers that have seen their businesses dry up during the coronavirus pandemic. The plan will be worth as much as 10 billion euros ($11.3 billion), Les Echos reported Monday, although it's not clear what will be included in the total. “We will invest several billions over a rather long period,” French Transport Minister Jean-Baptiste Djebbari said on LCI television Sunday. “The state will be here, the European Union will be present.” The package will aim to kickstart air transport, relaunch manufacturing, and develop less-polluting “hybrid planes” toward 2027 and “carbon neutral” aircraft by 2035, the minister said. In exchange, the industry will have to create or relocate as many jobs as it can in Europe, he said. However, the minister said the industry will probably have to cut jobs. With airlines grounding their fleets worldwide because of the health crisis, Airbus faces a 40% drop in its activity over at least two years, he said. Airlines around the world are struggling to survive, with European giants Deutsche Lufthansa AG and Air France-KLM getting state bailouts and carriers desperate to salvage business from what is normally the busy summer. The French government has extended loans and guarantees worth 7 billion euros to Air France-KLM, tying the funds to a reduction in carbon emissions and services on its domestic routes. The rescue will include the creation of several funds to consolidate the industry and to prevent key suppliers from being acquired by foreign investors, Djebbari said. Chinese companies are making “offers” to small and medium-sized companies with “critical skills” that are currently weakened by the crisis, he said. Many of the companies that have been hardest hit are small and medium-sized. While they have limited access to commercial bank funding, some are considered strategic because they are also defense suppliers. Read More: Macron Is Set to Unveil Rescue Package for French Aerospace Many European nations will probably agree to reopen air travel in the so-called Schengen area from June 15 assuming that the coronavirus crisis continue to recede, Djebbari added. The number of Air France's flights may rise from 5% of its usual level to 15% from June 15, and to 40% in mid-August, he said. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-06-07/france-plans-billions-of-euros-to-rescue-aerospace-industry

The Government of Canada recently announced it is replacing two Bombarder Challenger 601 utility aircraft with two Challenger 650s for the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) to allow for continuation of mission critical roles. The retiring aircraft that entered service in the 1980s fall short of operational requirements and are nearly obsolete due to new rules in the United States and Europe that will restrict their ability to fly internationally before the end of this year. The replacement ensures CAF can continue to operate a modern and flexible utility flight service fleet that serves a variety of roles — including reconnaissance and liaison missions with international partners, and the speedy deployment of specialized capabilities and expertise, including the Disaster Assistance Response Team. Without this needed replacement, the Royal Canadian Air Force's operational effectiveness for missions would be limited. The aircraft are used for the medical evacuation of military personnel serving overseas and the safe transport of CAF medical personnel and specialized equipment in the critical first few hours and days of someone being wounded. They are also used for the safe extraction and repatriation of personnel and citizens. The fleet further provides the ability to transport specialized teams from Canada to operational theatres around the world. Earlier this month, a Challenger quickly brought Royal Canadian Navy search experts to Naples, Italy, to support the search for the Cyclone helicopter lost in the Ionian Sea. This fleet provides critical abilities here at home. It has been used in the whole-of-government effort to support Northern, Indigenous and remote communities during COVID-19. In May 2020, it supported the delivery of COVID-19 testing supplies to Nunavut. The aircraft have been at the ready to help provincial and territorial partners with medical evacuations, if required. This fleet is also critical in facilitating the travel of senior government officials, as well as Parliamentarians from all parties due to security and safety considerations. The CAF's existing Challenger fleet consists of four aircraft, two purchased in the early 1980s and two purchased in the early 2000s. With the implementation of new international regulatory and interoperability requirements in 2020, only half of the fleet is fully compliant with international standards. That is why the Department of National Defence has been working on this consolidation initiative since 2018, and why the government entered into a contract with Bombardier this week, after negotiating the most cost-effective option for these capabilities, which were accounted and paid with existing funds in SSE's fiscal framework. The Challenger 650 aircraft is the current production version of the model that the CAF currently operates. This commonality will result in significant benefits in efficiency, cost, and interoperability, both in terms of training and support to operations. “This purchase is another example of our government's commitment to provide the Canadian Armed Forces with the modern equipment they need to carry out the critical work we ask of them. This fleet is a crucial operational capability and ensuring its continuity is another important investment in our women and men in uniform,” said Harjit S. Sajjan, minister of National Defence. “While helping to fulfill the Royal Canadian Air Force's (RCAF) operational requirements, this purchase also demonstrates our commitment to Canada's world-class aerospace industry. Having this ready, off-the-shelf option also offers long-term value to the RCAF and to Canada,” said Anita Anand, minister of Public Services and Procurement Canada. https://www.skiesmag.com/news/caf-inks-deal-with-bombardier-to-replace-two-30-year-old-challenger-aircraft

David Axe The Russian defense ministry has insured its new stealth drone and its control station for 1.4 billion rubles. That's $20 million. And it's probably worth every ruble. The S-70 Hunter-B, a jet-powered flying-wing drone, perhaps is the most significant new warplane to emerge in Russia since the Su-57 stealth fighter that first flew in 2010 and now is in low-rate production. The Hunter-B first appeared in January 2019 on the ground at an airfield in Novosibirsk in southern Russia. It flew for the first time on Aug. 3, 2019. The Sukhoi-designed drone zoomed over the airfield for more than 20 minutes at a maximum altitude of around 2,000 feet, according to TASS, the state news organization that also reported the value of the robot's insurance. It's easy to dismiss the Hunter-B as a developmental dead-end, owing to Russia's poor track record when it comes to fielding unmanned aerial vehicles and the satellite infrastructure that helps controllers on the ground direct a UAV's flight. But the likelihood of Hunter-B eventually entering front-line service with the Russian air force is "big," said Tom Cooper, an author and independent expert on Russian military. "The Russian military is running multiple UAV-related projects," Cooper said. "Thus the emergence of this project is perfectly normal." "At this point, it is going to be the heaviest and fastest UAV [in Russian service] if and when fielded,” said Samuel Bendett, an analyst with the Center for a New American Security in Washington, D.C. Bendett estimated the Hunter-B's weight at around 20 tons and its top speed at more than 600 miles per hour. The drone is in the same class as a manned lighter fighter. The Russian air force reportedly is considering assigning Hunter-Bs as robotic wingmen for Su-57 pilots, extending the coverage of an Su-57 flight's sensors and adding to the manned pilots' firepower. On Sept. 27, the sole Hunter-B prototype flew in formation with an Su-57. The U.S., Japanese and Australian air forces are developing their own wingman drones. But Sukhoi has its work cut out for it completing the Hunter-B. “A a host of aerodynamic, electronic and high-tech issues need to be worked out,” Bendett said. And to be stealthy, the drone needs a new engine layout. In its current configuration, the Hunter-B's AL-31F motor projects from the rear of the airframe, creating a major source of radar reflectivity. Sukhoi has tinkered with a new version of Hunter-B that buries that engine deep inside the airframe, in the same way that Western firms do with their own stealth drones. As the high-stakes development continues, Sukhoi at least can take comfort that its drone is fully insured. https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidaxe/2020/06/05/how-much-does-it-cost-to-insure-your-russian-made-stealth-drone/#5a88c68023aa

Team Invictus brings together programmatic and operational expertise to deliver a transformational, affordable scout aircraft to soldiers, the Bell 360 Invictus Fort Worth, Texas (June 4, 2020) – Bell Textron Inc., a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, has announced agreements with nine premier aerospace industry leaders to form Team Invictus. The companies are producing the Bell 360 Invictus prototype submission as part of the U.S. Army's Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA) program. Each industry partner brings unique experience and technological expertise to provide a low-risk path for the Army's acquisition of a lethal, affordable rotorcraft with advanced mission systems to modernize aviation for multi-domain operations (MDO). “Team Invictus is working together to show how cutting-edge technology will give soldiers the ability to confidently operate in the complex and contested battlespace of multi-domain operations,” said Chris Gehler, vice president and program director for FARA at Bell. “Future Vertical Lift is critical for the Army's ability to win in multi-domain operations with FARA defeating defensive layers and the Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) exploiting opened areas to achieve operational objectives.” Team members are working closely together to deliver the Bell 360 Invictus prototype using a configuration that emphasizes operational availability, sustainability, and maintainability. The members of Team Invictus include: Astronics Corporation for a modular framework of airframe power generation, conversion, and distribution products Collins Aerospace for integration of a new generation of avionics hardware and software featuring cyber-hardened and digital backbone solutions to configure and integrate mission systems GE Aviation for the 3,000-SHP T901 engine and working on the aircraft Health Awareness System (HAS) ITT-Enidine Inc. for the passive Liquid Inertia Vibration Eliminator (LIVE) units for all modes of operation including high speed L3Harris Technologies for the WESCAM™ MX-15D, an advanced, stabilized multi-sensor, multi-spectral imaging and targeting system Parker Lord for rotor dampers, the main rotor CF bearing, the tail rotor tension torsion strap, and the Active Vibration Control (AVC) System Mecaer Aviation Group, Inc. for a fully retractable, tail dragger landing gear system MOOG Inc. for flight control computer (FCC) electronics, software, and flight control actuation, critical components of the Bell fly-by-wire, Flight Control System (FCS) TRU Simulation + Training for a high-fidelity flight simulator that gives pilots a true sense of the aircraft flight controls Team Invictus is applying digital design and manufacturing technologies, including maintenance as part of the design process, and use of emerging commercial practices to bring a holistic view of digital models, processing and analysis to reduce lifecycle maintenance and servicing requirements—and thus reducing sustainment costs. “Each team member brings a capability that is vital to the success of the Bell 360 and we are honored to have proven, capable, and well-respected industry partners on Team Invictus,” stated Gehler. “This is an outstanding industry team, and we are working diligently to produce a FARA weapon system that is operationally effective and affordably sustainable, as well as complementary and in many ways common to the FLRAA program.” Following the selection of the Bell 360 Invictus for the competitive prototype in March 2020, Team Invictus continues to rapidly move forward. Team Invictus' collective expertise reduces program risk while preserving the Army's FARA schedule leading to a first flight targeted for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2022. To learn more about Bell 360 Invictus and FVL, please visit the Bell 360 Invictus website, and follow us on YouTube, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. https://news.bellflight.com/en-US/189083-bell-teams-with-industry-leaders-for-u-s-army-future-attack-reconnaissance-aircraft-program

Une donnée informative intitulée as, Les Avions De Combat market a été publiée par Report Consultant. Il examine de plus près les différents aspects des entreprises, qui alimentent la croissance des entreprises. En outre, il offre des facteurs importants, qui freinent le progrès des industries. Les analystes ont utilisé des techniques de recherche primaires et secondaires pour analyser efficacement les données. Le marché mondial Les Avions De Combat devrait croître dans un proche avenir. Il se concentre sur les scénarios actuels avec les documents historiques pour comprendre l'existant et futuriste portée. Les Avions De Combat le marché comprend les acteurs clés sont: Boeing, Lockheed Martin, BAE Systems, Airbus, Embraer, Dassault Aviation, Avions russes, Sukhoi, Pilatus Aircraft, Alenia Aermachhi, Saab AB, Eurofighter Typhoon Obtenir Un Exemple De Lien: https://www.reportconsultant.com/request_sample.php?id=10214 En outre, les principaux outils utilisés pour améliorer les résultats des entreprises sont Les Avions De Combat market. Pour les perspectives d'affaires solides et stables, différents paramètres ont été analysés dans les régions mondiales telles que L'Amérique du Nord, l'Amérique latine, L'Asie-Pacifique, L'Europe et L'Inde. L'augmentation rapide de Les Avions De Combat provoque également le développement des industries. Une compréhension claire du sujet a été examinée en fournissant une analyse approfondie des divers attributs des entreprises. Demander Le Lien De Remise: https://www.reportconsultant.com/ask_for_discount.php?id=10214 L'objectif principal de ce rapport de recherche est de fournir une analyse complète qui explique clairement comment les tendances récentes pourraient avoir un impact sur l'avenir du marché Les Avions De Combat. L'étude estime les facteurs pour stimuler la performance des entreprises. Différents facteurs internes et externes tels que sont examinés qui contribue à alimenter la croissance du marché Les Avions De Combat. Cette analyse complète offre les facteurs de retenue, ce qui permet de s'attaquer aux obstacles devant les entreprises. Le but de ce rapport informatif est de permettre aux lecteurs de comprendre les moyens de découvrir les opportunités mondiales dans l'espace du marché. Les Avions De Combat Marché fournit une connaissance détaillée du scénario de marché de la taille de l'industrie, part, croissance, tendances, développement régional, aperçu des principaux fabricants et 2028 prévisions. Le rapport offre une analyse complète et les perspectives de marché à venir sur la base des données passées et présentes recueillies, triées et analysées par année passée et présente. Pour plus D'informations, Cliquez ici: https://www.reportconsultant.com/checkout?id=10214 Les Avions De Combat rapport D'étude de marché TOC (table des matières): 1. à propos du marché Les Avions De Combat 2. Paysage De La Concurrence Sur Le Marché Mondial 3. La Part De Marché Mondial 4. Analyse De La Chaîne D'Approvisionnement 5. Les Profils D'Entreprise 6. Mondialisation et commerce Les Avions De Combat marché 7. Distributeurs et clients 8. Importation, exportation, consommation et valeur de consommation par grands pays http://pechealliance.com/les-avions-de-combat/

Kyle Rempfer Soldiers assessing aerial drones to help the Army replace its aging RQ-7 Shadow said the systems they've piloted can launch almost anywhere, offer a better chance of survival in combat against a peer adversary and have quieter motors that will prevent targets from detecting their presence. “There have been times where the Shadow is too loud to fly too close to an enemy, so we can't get many details on them,” said Pfc. Jacob Owens, a drone operator at the 1st Infantry Division who has been testing Arcturus UAV's JUMP 20 at Fort Riley. “Quieter can be a huge advantage to us because we can get closer to get details on the camera, like read a license plate on the back of a car.” Five brigades across the Army were selected to test unmanned aircraft systems and provide feedback to Army leadership looking to replace the RQ-7 Shadow, which was introduced in the mid-2000s. Owens and other soldiers spoke about the assessments they've participated in during a telephone call on Wednesday. Information gleaned from the assessments will inform the Army's future vertical lift cross-functional team as they develop specifications for a a future tactical unmanned aircraft system, which is supposed to sport advances in maneuverability, agility, lethality and reach, according to Army Futures Command. Futures Command began fielding the new drones to the five brigades across the force this spring, with 1st Infantry Division at Fort Riley, Kansas, receiving Arcturus UAV's JUMP 20 in mid-March. JUMP 20 is the largest of the four drones being tested, weighing in at 210 pounds with an 18-foot wingspan, which is roughly similar to the Shadow. The 17-hour flight time, vertical takeoff ability and reduced noise while in-flight will be a game-changer, said Sgt. 1st Class David Rodriguez, a platoon sergeant and standardization operator. “Without the noise, it allows us to get closer to targets and identify them over longer periods without being identified by the sound of the motors as we fly overhead,” Rodriguez added. The Army is looking for a Shadow replacement with reduced noise signature to retain the element of surprise and prevent targets from scattering if they see or hear the drone, noted the 1st Infantry Division Combat Aviation Brigade commander Col. Bryan Chivers, citing his experience in Afghanistan. “You could have a Gray Eagle or Predator [drone] on station, observing a particular target, and when the Shadow would come on-station, you knew because somebody announced it and if you were privy to the operation, you could see them looking up to the sky and sometimes hearing this system,” Chivers said. Vertical take-off is another specification the Army is seeking. It will allow launch and recovery at more locations, including austere ones without runways, and it should reduce the amount of equipment needed by soldiers. Soldiers at the 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, have been testing out Martin UAV's V-BAT. The V-BAT is unique in that it sits on its tail end during launches. It has a lot less equipment, soldiers said, but its flight time is roughly the same as the Shadow. “We can pretty much operate it anywhere; We don't need a runway,” said Spc. Alexander Albritton, a drone operator at Fort Campbell. A lot of the requirements the Army has put forth stemmed from an increasingly important operational need to be more “expeditious,” according to Maj. John Holcomb, the future tactical unmanned aircraft systems assistant product manager. “One requirement we looked at for all the systems is the entire system could be loaded up on two Air Force 463L pallets and fit inside of a CH-47 [helicopter],” Holcomb said. “A Shadow system takes C-130s to get into theater and move around all the equipment that's required.” These future drone systems will allow tactical commanders to not rely on airfields, noted Lt. Col. Brian Angell, a squadron commander at Fort Riley involved in the tests. That could be important in a future fight against peer competitors like China and Russia that are able to pound stationary airfields and hangers with long-range weapons. “It opens up options,” Angell said. “We'll be less predictable. We'll be able to maneuver this system on the battle space quicker, set it up, operate it and move it to another location faster. So that's a survivability standpoint, as well, that we'll gain with this system.” A brigade at the 2nd Infantry Division on Joint Base Lewis McChord, Washington, began their own assessment of a third drone, Textron Systems' Aerosonde HQ, this week, according to Army Futures Command. Later in the summer, the 1st Armored Division at Fort bliss, Texas, is scheduled to test L3 Harris' FVR-90 drone. Futures Command hopes to complete the fielding process with a brigade from the 82nd Airborne Division in September, when the paratroopers will test a second version of Arcturus UAV's JUMP 20 with different payloads. The assessments will culminate with brigade-level combat training center rotations at Fort Polk, Louisiana, or Fort Irwin, California. Army officials have tentatively stated previously that the plan is to have the first unit equipped with a Shadow replacement sometime in fiscal year 2024. https://www.armytimes.com/news/your-army/2020/06/04/vertical-lift-drones-brigades-are-assessing-fly-quieter-with-more-survivability-soldiers-say/

June 4, 2020 - CACI International Inc (NYSE: CACI) announced today that it has been awarded its largest contract in company history, a single-award Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract to provide transport and cybersecurity services to the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA). The single award IDIQ has a base period of five years plus five 1-year award term periods with a ceiling of $1.5 billion. Under the contract, CACI will provide enterprise Information Technology (IT) services to NGA and its mission partners. Specifically, CACI network and cybersecurity experts, located at NGA's headquarters and facilities in Springfield, VA, St. Louis, MO, and around the globe, will help design, engineer, procure, implement, operate, sustain, and enhance NGA networks and cybersecurity posture. The contract encompasses a significant expansion of CACI's continuing business with the NGA. CACI will also help NGA create efficiencies by making available an expansive service and material catalog to the agency that streamlines the acquisition of IT services from weeks to days for streamlined customer support. John Mengucci, CACI President and Chief Executive Officer, said, “This record award demonstrates CACI is delivering on its strategy to win larger, more enduring contracts. It also represents our steadfast commitment to protecting and defending our nation's networks so the NGA can deliver mission-critical geospatial intelligence to the warfighter around the globe.” CACI Executive Chairman and Chairman of the Board Dr. J.P. (Jack) London, said, “CACI is proud to support the NGA's mission of collecting, analyzing, and distributing geospatial intelligence in support of national security. Our work will always reflect CACI's culture of character, ethics, and integrity.” CACI's 23,000 talented employees are vigilant in providing the unique expertise and distinctive technology that address our customers' greatest enterprise and mission challenges. Our culture of good character, innovation, and excellence drives our success and earns us recognition as a Fortune World's Most Admired Company. As a member of the Fortune 1000 Largest Companies, the Russell 1000 Index, and the S&P MidCap 400 Index, we consistently deliver strong shareholder value. Visit us at www.caci.com. There are statements made herein which do not address historical facts, and therefore could be interpreted to be forward-looking statements as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements are subject to factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from anticipated results. The factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated include, but are not limited to, the risk factors set forth in CACI's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2019, and other such filings that CACI makes with the Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time. Any forward-looking statements should not be unduly relied upon and only speak as of the date hereof. CACI-Contract Award View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200604005132/en/

ARMY Harris, Rochester, New York, was awarded a $90,000,000 modification (P00019) to contract W91CRB-16-D-5006 to procure Harris family of radios, ancillaries, spare parts and services. 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 June 21, 2021. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity. Raytheon/Lockheed Martin Javelin JV, Tucson, Arizona, was awarded a $75,350,484 modification (P00019) to contract W31P4Q-19-C-0076 for Javelin weapon system full rate production primary deliverables. Work will be performed in Tucson, Arizona, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 31, 2023. Fiscal 2010, 2018 and 2020 missile procurement (Army) funds in the amount of $75,350,483 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity. Alberici Constructors Inc., St Louis, Missouri, was awarded a $35,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract to paint and repair the 15 Tainter Gates and Bridge Spans at Lock and Dam No. 24 on the Mississippi River. Bids were solicited via the internet with five received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of June 2, 2025. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Louis, Missouri, is the contracting activity (W912P9-20-D-0006). (Awarded June 3, 2020) Baskerville-Donovan Inc.,* Mobile, Alabama (W91278-20-D-0028); Jacobs Government Services, Orlando, Florida (W91278-20-D-0031); Mason & Hanger + Mead & Hunt JV, Tulsa, Oklahoma (W91278-20-D-0032); and Tetra Tech, Pasadena, California (W91278-20-D-0033), will compete for each order of the $34,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for architect and engineering services to support the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, South Atlantic Division Mobile District's Horizontal Design Program. Bids were solicited via the internet with 26 received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of June 3, 2025. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mobile, Alabama, is the contracting activity. Baskerville-Donovan Inc.,* Mobile, Alabama (W91278-20-D-0027); CEMS Engineering Inc.,* Summerville, South Carolina (W91278-20-D-0029); and Cypress Digital,* Ocean Spring, Mississippi, will compete for each order of the $15,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for architect and engineering services to support the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, South Atlantic Division Mobile District's Horizontal Design Program. Bids were solicited via the internet with 26 received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of June 3, 2025. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mobile, Alabama, is the contracting activity. The Dutra Group, San Rafael, California, was awarded an $11,999,875 firm-fixed-price contract for hopper dredging. Bids were solicited via the internet with two received. Work will be performed in Plaquemines, Louisiana, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 6, 2021. Fiscal 2020 civil operations and maintenance, Recovery Act funds in the amount of $11,999,875 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans, Louisiana, is the contracting activity (W912P8-20-C-0028). Mike Hooks LLC, Westlake, Louisiana, was awarded a $7,901,200 firm-fixed-price contract for pipeline maintenance dredging. Bids were solicited via the internet with four received. Work will be performed in Matagorda, Texas, with an estimated completion date of Nov. 30, 2020. Fiscal 2020 civil operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $7,901,200 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Galveston, Texas, is the contracting activity (W912HY-20-C-0020). NAVY ENCANTO Facility Services 2 LLC,* El Paso, Texas (N69450-20-D-0036); Bristol Prime Construction LLC,* Anchorage, Alaska (N69450-20-D-0037); MIK Construction Inc.,* Dallas, Texas (N69450-20-D-0038); WEIL Construction Inc.,* Alvarado, Texas (N69450-20-D-0040); and VELIZ Construction LLC,* El Paso, Texas (N69450-20-D-0041), are awarded $49,000,000 for a design-bid-build, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, multiple award construction contract for construction projects located at the Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base, Fort Worth, Texas. All work on this contract will be performed in Texas (100%) within the Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southeast (NAVFAC SE) area of operations. The work to be performed provides for, but is not limited to: general building type projects, new construction such as renovations, alterations, demolition, roofing and repair work for industrial infrastructure, administrative, training, community support and dormitory facilities. Work is expected to be complete by February 2021. ENCANTO Facility Services 2 LLC is awarded the initial task order of $907,847 for the renovation of Building 1428. The maximum dollar value for the five-year ordering period for all five contracts is a combined $49,000,000. The term of the contract is not to exceed 60 months, with an expected completion date of May 2025. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Navy) (O&M,N) contract funds in the amount of $911,847 are obligated on this award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Future task orders will be funded by O&M, N. This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website and 17 proposals were received. The five contractors may compete for task orders under the terms and conditions of the awarded contract. The NAVFAC SE, Jacksonville, Florida, is the contracting activity. Jacobs Technology Inc., Tullahoma, Tennessee, is awarded a $44,308,341 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (N69450-20-D-0045) for base operating support services at the Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay and outlying areas. Work will be performed in Kings Bay, Georgia (99%); and outlying areas (1%), and provides for base operating support services to include force protection, facility investment, swimming pools, electrical, wastewater, steam, water, compressed air, supervisory control and data acquisition, telecommunications, chiller plant, environmental services and base support equipment and vehicles. Work is expected to be complete by September 2021. The maximum dollar value is $385,758,331, which includes the base period and seven option years. No funds will be obligated at time of award. Fiscal 2021 operations and maintenance (Navy) (O&M, N) funds; fiscal 2021 Department of Defense health programs funds; and fiscal 2021 family housing (O&M, N) contract funds in the amount of $35,187,307 for recurring work will be obligated on individual task orders and will be issued during the base period. This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website and three proposals were received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southeast, Jacksonville, Florida, is the contracting activity. Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Herndon, Virginia, is awarded a $29,939,440 firm-fixed-price modification to previously awarded contract N00024-17-C-6327 to exercise options for mounted systems, dismounted systems and auxiliary kits 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. Work will be performed in San Diego, California. This option exercise is in support of Australia (Foreign Military Sales (FMS) case AT-P-LGA) for mounted systems, dismounted systems, auxiliary kits, support equipment, and operational and depot level spares to provide support needs. Work also includes diminishing material and depot repairs to keep FMS and I1B1 viable for future production and to maintain operational readiness for the field. Work is expected to be complete by April 2022. FMS Australia funding in the amount of $29,939,440 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, D.C., is the contracting activity. AUSTAL USA LLC, Mobile, Alabama, is awarded a $7,727,457 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract (N69316-20-F-4002) for the accomplishment of post shakedown availability (PSA) for the littoral combat ship (LCS) U.S. Ship Oakland (LCS-24). Work will be performed in San Diego, California. This effort encompasses all of the manpower, support services, material, non-standard equipment and associated technical data and documentation of the aforementioned. Work includes correcting government-responsible trial card deficiencies, new work identified between custody transfer and the time of PSA and incorporating the approved engineering changes that were not incorporated during the construction period (which are not otherwise the building yard's responsibility under the ship construction contract). Work is expected to be complete by December 2021. Fiscal 2020 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funding in the amount of $7,727,457 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured in accordance with 10 U.S. Code 2304 (c)(1). The Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Conversion and Repair, Gulf Coast, Pascagoula, Mississippi, is the contracting activity. AIR FORCE DynCorp International LLC, Fort Worth, Texas, has been awarded a $40,422,804 modification (P00015) on an existing firm-fixed-price contract for the executive airlift maintenance support contract. This contract provides the following services: aircraft maintenance and back shop support of aircraft assigned to the 11th Wing and 89th Wing at Joint Base Andrews-Naval Air Facility Washington, Maryland, and is expected to be completed Aug. 31, 2021. The cumulative face value of the contract is $105,218,774. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds in the full amount are being obligated at the time of award. The 11th Contracting Squadron, Services Flight, Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, is the contracting activity (FA7014-18-F-5045). Data Link Solutions LLC, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, has been awarded a $33,598,645 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, requirements contract for the Multifunctional Information Distribution System (MIDS) low volume terminal. The contract provides for repair services for current configuration line and shop replaceable units to ensure terminal-to-terminal interoperability between MIDS and Link-16 terminal platform variants. Work will be performed in Cedar Rapids, Iowa; and Wayne, New Jersey, and is expected to be completed June 4, 2023. Fiscal 2020 working capital funds in the amount of $3,898,790 are being obligated at the time of award. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Air Force Sustainment Center, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, is the contracting activity (FA8539-20-D-0005). DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Middle Atlantic Wholesale Lumber Inc.,* Baltimore, Maryland (SPE8E6-20-D-0016); Progressive Services Corp.,* Beaverton, Oregon (SPE8E6-20-D-0017); S&S Forest Products LLC,* Boerne, Texas (SPE8E6-20-D-0018); and Sylvan Forest Products LLC,* Portland, Oregon (SPE8E6-20-D-0019), are sharing a maximum $16,800,000 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract under solicitation SPE8E6-20-R-0002 for lumber, millwork and plywood for the Wood Products Tailored Logistics Support Program, East Region. This was a competitive acquisition with seven responses received. These are two-year base contracts with three one-year option periods. Locations of performance are Maryland, Oregon and Texas, with a June 3, 2022, ordering period end date. Using military services are Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force and Coast Guard. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2022 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. *Small business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2208735/source/GovDelivery/

WELLINGTON (Reuters) - New Zealand said on Friday that it will purchase five C-130J-30 Super Hercules transport aircraft from Lockheed Martin to replace its existing fleet. “Along with the new fleet, the $1.521 billion project will deliver a full mission flight simulator and other supporting infrastructure,” Defence Minister Ron Mark said in a statement. The first of the new Hercules will be delivered in 2024, with the full fleet operating from 2025, he said. New Zealand will also start work in 2021 on upgrading its air mobility capability, when options will be considered for replacing the two Boeing 757 aircraft operated by the Royal New Zealand Air Force. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-lockheed-newzealand/new-zealand-says-to-buy-five-new-super-hercules-aircraft-idUSKBN23C00V