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MARKHAM, Ontario--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Leading defence and military magazine, CANADIAN DEFENCE REVIEW, has just released its annual survey and ranking of Canada's Top Defence Companies. For 2020, CDR has named Lockheed Martin Canada, its Top Defence Company and it's their third time at the #1 spot over the 16 years the survey has been published. Parent company, Lockheed Martin, is the world's largest defence contractor but the Canadian operation constitutes a tiny sliver of the corporation, however, of particular interest to CDR, is the fact that its cutting edge naval technology is all home-grown! In commenting on the selection, Lorraine Ben, Lockheed Martin Canada Chief Executive, said, “... our success is founded upon long-standing partnerships with Canada, the Canadian Forces, and the country's defence supply sector.” She added, “This recognition by CDR is a true testament to our team and the extraordinary talent and dedication our employees have. And not only for our Lockheed Martin Canada team, but for our vast network of Canadian suppliers and partners – we have a rich history supporting collective success across Canadian industry and we are looking forward to growing this positive impact.” CDR Editor-in-Chief, Peter Kitchen, commented, “Lockheed Martin Canada has proven time and time again that it is a great corporate citizen and we were particularly impressed how the company not only develops its key naval technology in-country, but it also draws on the vast resources of the mother company in a very effective way.” There have been ten new companies added to the CDR survey this year, showing Canada's defence industry is vibrant and growing. An evaluation panel consisting of CDR editorial staff and independent advisors ranked the companies based on factors such as economic impact, innovation, contribution to the nation's security, corporate integrity and support for Canada's military. With the publication of its annual Top 75 Defence Companies Survey & Ranking, CDR's goal is to showcase Canada's defence industry and all that it has to offer. And that's why, in the current challenging environment, CDR is proud to be part of an industry that is fighting valiantly against the Covid-19 pandemic threatening the nation. Contacts Peter A. Kitchen, Editor-in-Chief Telephone: (905) 554-4586 Email: Comments@CanadianDefenceReview.com www.CanadianDefenceReview.com https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200504005040/en/CDR-Names-Lockheed-Martin-Canada-Top-Defence

Défense Filière aéronautique et défense : reprise d'activité et perspectives de relance Dans la filière aéronautique et défense, «la reprise de l'activité est assez rapide après un arrêt quasi complet», avait observé il y a une dizaine de jours Eric Trappier, président du GIFAS et PDG de Dassault Aviation, au moment de son audition à l'Assemblée nationale. Un constat partagé par le président du CIDEF (GIFAS, GICAT, GICAN), Stéphane Mayer : «au début de la crise, nous avions jusqu'à 60% des entreprises qui étaient à l'arrêt ou très perturbées. Aujourd'hui, nous observons une généralisation progressive des reprises mais avec un niveau très variable entre 30 et 60%, au maximum 70%, des effectifs au travail», dont 20 à 30% sur site. L'étape du 11 mai marquera la poursuite de l'amélioration voire «une accélération de ces ratios», a souligné M. Mayer. La Tribune rappelle que le GIFAS s'est mis en ordre de combat depuis le début de la crise : Eric Trappier a décidé de réunir autour de lui sur une base hebdomadaire les principaux dirigeants de la filière : Guillaume Faury (Airbus), Philippe Petitcolin (Safran), Patrice Caine (Thales), ainsi que le président du Groupe des Équipements Aéronautiques et de Défense Patrick Daher (Daher), le président du Comité Aéro-PME, Christophe Cador, PDG de Satys, et le Délégué général du GIFAS, Pierre Bourlot. Un plan de relance est en préparation dans la défense. Dans l'aéronautique civile, Eric Trappier rappelle que renouveler les avions «permettrait de redynamiser le secteur aéronautique et de rendre les compagnies aéronautiques encore plus vertueuses en ayant des avions plus verts». M. Trappier a rappelé que les États-Unis ont déterminé «deux priorités stratégiques de relance : l'aéronautique et l'industrie de défense», soit un plan de 50 milliards de dollars. «Est-ce que l'Europe va en mettre un en place ? Nous y travaillons, le commissaire Breton y réfléchit sérieusement», a-t-il expliqué. La Tribune du 5 mai

U.S. SPECIAL OPERATIONS COMMAND Core One Solutions LLC, Sterling, Virginia (H92400-20-D-0002); Crisis Response Co. LLC, Keller, Texas (H92400-20-D-0003); Consulting Services Group LLC, Herndon, Virginia (H92400-20-D-0004); D3 Air & Space Operations Inc., St. Augustine, Florida (H92400-20-D-0005); Defense Acquisition Inc., Huntsville, Alabama (H92400-20-D-0006); EnGenius, Huntsville, Alabama (H92400-20-D-0007); Firebird AST, Arlington, Virginia (H92400-20-D-0008); Federal Information Systems Inc., San Antonio, Texas (H92400-20-D-0009); FITT Scientific LCC, Colonial Heights, Virginia (H92400-20-D-0010); Gemini Industries Inc., Burlington, Massachusetts (H92400-20-D-0011); Global Dimensions LLC, Fredericksburg, Virginia (H92400-20-D-0012); Geo Owl LLC, Wilmington, North Carolina (H92400-20-D-0013); Iron EagleX, Tampa, Florida (H92400-20-D-0014); INTEROP-ISHPI JV LLC, Virginia Beach, Virginia (H92400-20-D-0015); ITELITRAC Inc., Ashburn, Virginia (H92400-20-D-0016); Infinity Technology LLC, McLean, Virginia (H9240-020-D-0017); K2 Solutions Inc., Southern Pines, North Carolina (H92400-20-D-0018); Legion Systems LLC, Tampa, Florida (H92400-20-D-0019); Lukos LCC, Tampa, Florida (H92400-20-D-0020); METIS Celestar JV LLC, Tampa, Florida (H92400-20-D-0021); MHM Innovations Inc., Fairfax, Virginia (H92400-20-D-0022); Nisga'a Tek LLC, Chantilly, Virginia (H92400-20-D-0023); OSCAR DEUCE LLC, Virginia Beach, Virginia (H92400-20-D-0024); Prescient Edge Corp., McLean, Virginia (H92400-20-D-0025); ProCleared LLC, Chantilly, Virginia (H92400-20-D-0026); Preting LLC, Springfield, Virginia (H92400-20-D-0027); Quiet Professionals, Tampa, Florida (H92400-20-D-0028); R3 Strategic Support Group Inc., Coronado, California (H92400-20-D-0029); The Red Gate Group Ltd., Chantilly, Virginia (H92400-20-D-0030); R&K Enterprise Solutions Inc., Newport News, Virginia (H92400-20-D-0031); RMGS Inc., Virginia Beach, Virginia (H92400-20-D-0032); Special Applications Group, Tampa, Florida (H92400-20-D-0033); SOLUTE Inc., San Diego, California (H92400-20-D-0034); Systems Plus Inc., Rockville, Maryland (H92400-20-D-0035); Spathe Systems LLC, Tampa, Florida (H92400-20-D-0036); Strategic Solutions Unlimited Inc., Fayetteville, North Carolina (H92400-20-D-0037); Streamline Defense LLC, Tampa, Florida (H92400-20-D-0038); T3i Inc., Imperial Beach, California (H92400-20-D-0039); TriDcor JV LLC, Wesley Chapel, Florida (H92400-20-D-0040); Tyoneck Global Services LLC, Anchorage, Alaska (H92400-20-D-0041); Threat Tec LLC, Hampton, Virginia (H92400-20-D-0042); Universal Strategy Group Inc., Franklin, Tennessee (H92400-20-D-0043); Vistra Communications LLC, Lutz, Florida (H92400-20-D-0044); VxL Enterprise LLC, Alexandria, Virginia (H92400-20-D-0045); Walsingham Group Inc., Fayetteville, North Carolina (H92400-20-D-0046); and Webworld Technologies Inc., Fairfax, Virginia (H92400-20-D-0047), were awarded 46 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contracts worth $950,000,000 maximum for Special Operations Forces core support services in support of U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) enterprise requirements in the U.S. and globally. Contracted subject matter expertise and knowledge-based services will support education, training, engineering, technical, professional, administrative, management support, program management and other requirements. Funding shall be provided on a delivery order basis. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds will be used to satisfy a $2,500 contract minimum guarantee. The contracts were awarded competitively using Federal Acquisition Regulation Part 15 procedures. USSOCOM, Tampa, Florida, is the contracting activity. AIR FORCE COLASKA Inc., North Pole, Alaska (FA5004-20-D-0001); HC Contractors Inc., North Pole, Alaska (FA5004-20-D-0002); Paving Products Inc., Fairbanks, Alaska (FA5004-20-D-0003); Great Northwest Inc., Fairbanks, Alaska (FA5004-20-D-0004); and Granite Construction Co., Watsonville, California (FA5004-20-D-0005), have been awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contracts with a maximum estimated aggregate value of $350,000,000 under a multiple award task order contract for airfield/roadway paving and striping. These contracts provide for all plant, labor, supervision, equipment and materials necessary to repair, maintain and construct roads, parking lots, airfields and associated incidental work. Work will be performed on Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska; Fort Wainwright, Alaska; Fort Greely, Alaska; Clear Air Force Station, Alaska; and 168th Air National Guard property, Alaska, and work is expected to be completed April 30, 2027, if all six options are exercised. These awards are the result of a competitive acquisition and five offers were received. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $500 are being obligated to each contractor at the time of award. The 354th Contracting Squadron Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, is the contracting activity. Point Junction Car Rental, Doha, Qatar, has been awarded a $95,000,000 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for lease vehicle services at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar. This is a non-personal services contract to provide vehicle lease service for the Expeditionary Logistic Readiness Support Squadron. Work will be completed Nov. 30, 2024, and is the result of a competitive acquisition with 21 offers received. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $30,713 will be obligated at the time of award. The 379th Expeditionary Contracting Squadron, Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, is the contracting activity (F5702-20-D-0201). The Applied Research Laboratory at University of Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii, has been awarded a $75,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to establish or maintain an essential engineering, research, or development capability to be provided by an educational or other nonprofit institution or a federally funded research and development center under the authority 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(3)(B). The purpose of the Vanguard Center's Unified University Affiliated Research Center (UARC) for Maui High Performance Computing Center (MHPCC) Support (VaCUUMS) is to leverage the UARC's core competencies to accomplish research, development, test, and evaluation (RDT&E). The Air Force Research Laboratory UARC is necessary to maintain essential engineering, research and development capabilities at the MHPCC Vanguard Center by conducting scientific and technology investigations and by providing scientific expertise, capabilities and interdisciplinary facilities required for progression from basic theories of knowledge to practical and realistic fielded application in the areas of: sensor development; image processing; command and control integration; advanced data visualization and analytics; machine learning; and autonomy. Work will be performed in Maui, Hawaii, and is expected to be completed May 2024. This award is the result of the sole-source acquisition, and fiscal 2020 RDT&E funds in the amount of $358,422 are being obligated under Task Order 0001 (FA9451-20-F-0004) at time of award. The Air Force Research Laboratory, Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico, is the contracting activity (FA9451-20-D-0004). Akima Support Operations LLC, Colorado Springs, Colorado, has been awarded a $14,499,202 firm-fixed-price, cost-reimbursement contract to exercise Option Period Four for civil engineer services. The contractor will provide non‐personal services for continued operational support and civil engineer services to include engineering, environmental, operations, maintenance and emergency management. Work will be performed at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, for the period of May 1, 2020, to April 30, 2021. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $14,499,202 is being obligated at the time of award. The 6th Contracting Squadron, MacDill AFB, Florida, is the contracting activity (FA4814‐17‐C‐0002). NAVY Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Rolling Meadows, Illinois, is awarded a $123,526,724 modification (P00001) to previously awarded, fixed-price, incentive-firm-target contract N00019-19-C-0011. This modification procures the necessary hardware, systems engineering, technical support, analysis and studies to integrate the Department of Navy Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasures system onto aircraft for the Navy, Army, Air Force and the governments of Norway and New Zealand. Work will be performed in Rolling Meadows, Illinois (34%); Goleta, California (30%); Longmont, Colorado (11%); Blacksburg, Virginia (6%); Lewisburg, Tennessee (3%); Boulder, Colorado (3%); Carlsbad, California (2%); Apopka, Florida (1%); and various locations within the continental U.S. (10%). Weapon replaceable assemblies hardware procurements are as follows: 418 Advanced Threat Warning (ATW) sensors, 272 High Capacity Cards (HCCs), 160 Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA) cards, 64 Guardian Laser Transmitter Assemblies (GLTAs), 64 GLTA shipping containers, 53 -2103 signal, 48 Control Indicator Unit Replaceable (CIURs), 14 Smart Connector Assemblies (SCAs) and six Multi-Role Electro-Optical End-to-End Test Sets (MEONs) for the Navy; 156 HCCs, 138 ATW sensors, 23 CIURs and 23 -2103 signal for the Army; 64 PCMCIA cards and 45 ATW sensors for the Air Force; six GLTAs, six GLTA shipping containers, six SCAs and four HCCs for the government of Norway; and 30 Infrared Missile Warning Sensors, five GLTAs, five GLTA shipping containers, five SCAs, three HCCs, two CIURs and two MEONs for the government of New Zealand. Work is expected to be complete by July 2022. Fiscal 2020 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $76,228,341; fiscal 2020 procurement (Air Force) funds in the amount of $2,926,699; fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation funds (Navy) in the amount of $2,802,286; fiscal 2019 procurement (defense-wide) funds in the amount of $3,418,527; fiscal 2019 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $410,223; fiscal 2018 aircraft procurement (Army) funds in the amount of $25,262,278; fiscal 2018 aircraft procurement funds (Navy) in the amount of $3,184,415; and Foreign Military Sales funds in the amount of $9,293,955 will be obligated will be obligated at time of award, $3,184,415 of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This modification combines purchases for the Navy ($82,625,265; 67%); Army ($25,262,278; 20%); Air Force (6,345,226; 5%); the government of New Zealand ($6,338,009; 5%); and the government of Norway ($2,955,946; 2%). The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. Alion Science and Technology Corp., Burr Ridge, Illinois, is awarded a $49,999,999 firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. This contract provides non-recurring engineering and logistics support for the Live, Virtual, and Constructive (LVC) family of training systems. Work will be performed in Mayport, Florida (20%); Jacksonville, Florida (20%); North Island, California (20%); Kaneohe, Hawaii (20%); and various locations outside the continental U.S. (20%). The LVC Integrated Training System is a networked, personal computer (PC) based deployable trainer designed to support integrated and coordinated tactical training and simulation. Additionally, this contract procures the current training system configuration comprised of PCs with each PC system representing a mission training station in a particular aircraft (i.e. SH-60B, SH-60F, P-3C), shipboard system or combat systems which, when in a networked environment, allow for integrated mission training. Work is expected to be complete by April 2025. No funds will be obligated at the time of award. Funds will be obligated on individual orders as they are issued. This contract was competitively procured via Federal Business Opportunities; one offer was received. The Naval Air Warfare Center, Training Systems Division, Orlando, Florida, is the contracting activity (N61340-20-D-0015). Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Charlottesville, Virginia, is awarded a $27,430,321 firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee and cost-only modification to previously awarded contract N00024-19-C-4101 to exercise options to procure integrated bridge and navigation systems for the DDG-51 (guided missile destroyer) New Construction Ship Program and DDG-51 Midlife Modernization Program with physical throttles kits and engineering services. Work will be performed in Charlottesville, Virginia. The integrated bridge and navigation system is a hull, mechanical and electrical upgrade. It is part of the comprehensive plan to modernize the DDG-51 class to ensure the ships remain combat relevant and affordable throughout their life. Work is expected to be complete by August 2021. Fiscal 2020 other procurement (Navy); and 2019 and 2020 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funding in the amount of $18,759,918 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. Lockheed Martin Corp., Rotary and Mission Systems, Moorestown, New Jersey, was awarded a $19,467,608 cost-plus-incentive fee, cost-plus-fixed-fee, undefinitized contract modification (N00024-20-C-5105) for the procurement of the Korean Gun Computing System development, software, and hardware and subassemblies for installation. This modification will finalize the Korean Gun Computing System interface design specifications for the integration with the Aegis combat system. This contract involves Foreign Military Sales (FMS) to the government of South Korea. Work will be performed in Seoul, South Korea (51%); Moorestown, New Jersey (46%); and Clearwater, Florida (3%), and is expected to be complete by July 2026. FMS funding in the amount of $1,975,021 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract modification was not competitively procured in accordance with the authority from 10 U.S. Code 2304 (c)(4). The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity. (Awarded April 29, 2020) Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems, Tewksbury, Massachusetts, is awarded a $17,220,849 cost-plus-fixed-fee, firm-fixed-price order under basic ordering agreement N00024-18-G-5501 for dual band radar systems engineering in support of CVN 78. Work will be performed in Portsmouth, Rhode Island (30%); Andover, Massachusetts (30%); Tewksbury, Massachusetts (20%); and Marlborough, Massachusetts (20%), and is expected to be complete by February 2022. Fiscal 2019 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funding in the amount of $17,220,849 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This order was not competitively procured, in accordance with 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1) with only one responsible source, and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity (N00024-20-F-5506). Ocean Ships Inc., Houston, Texas, is awarded a $15,114,743 modification for the fixed-price portion of previously awarded contract N32205-19-C-3003 to fund the operation and maintenance of two expeditionary transfer dock (ESD) vessels: U.S. Naval Ship (USNS) Montford Point (T-ESD 1) and USNS John Glenn (T-ESD 2). Work will be performed at sea worldwide, and the vessels will continue to support Military Sealift Command's world-wide prepositioning requirements. Work is expected to be complete by November 2024, if all options are exercised. This modification exercises the first of four one-year option periods of this contract. Working capital funds (Navy) in the amount of $15,114,743 are obligated for fiscal 2020 and fiscal 2021, and will not expire at the end of each year. The Military Sealift Command, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity. DRS Laurel Technologies, Johnstown, Pennsylvania, is awarded an $11,786,168 firm-fixed-price modification to previously awarded contract N00024-17-C-4109 to exercise options for procurement of AN/USQ-82(V) hardware in support of DDG-51 (guided missile destroyer) class new construction, DDG- 51 class modernization, and Aegis Ashore Japan. Work will be performed in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. The AN/USQ-82(V) Program is a control system network. Its purpose is to transfer mission critical data to and from users associated with combat, navigation, aviation, power, propulsion, steering, alarms indicating and damage control systems. Work is expected to be complete by August 2021. This contract combines purchases for the Navy (79%) and government of Japan (21%) under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program. Fiscal 2020 other procurement (Navy); 2020 and 2013 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy); and FMS Japan funding in the amount of $11,786,168 will be obligated at the time of the 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. DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Del Medical Inc., Bloomingdale, Illinois, has been awarded a maximum $100,000,000 firm‐fixed‐price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite‐quantity contract for radiology systems, accessories and training. This is a five‐year base contract with one five‐year option period. This was a competitive acquisition with 50 responses received. Location of performance is Illinois, with an April 30, 2025, performance completion date. Using customers are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and federal civilian agencies. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2025 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE2D1‐20‐D‐0009). Vitol Inc., Houston, Texas, has been awarded a maximum $99,594,897 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment contract for fuel. This was a competitive acquisition with 14 responses received. This is a one-year contract with a 30-day carry-over period. Locations of performance are Texas and the United Kingdom, with a July 30, 2021, performance completion date. Using customer is Defense Logistics Agency Energy. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2021 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Energy, Fort Belvoir, Virginia (SPE602-20-D-0482). First Nation Group LLC, doing business as Jordan Reses Supply, Niceville, Florida, has been awarded a maximum $47,500,000 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for medical equipment and accessories for the Defense Logistics Agency electronic catalog. This was a competitive acquisition with 115 responses received. This is a five-year contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Florida, with an April 30, 2025, performance completion date. Using military services are Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2025 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE2DH-20-D-0037). The Boeing Co., doing business as Boeing, St. Louis, Missouri, has been awarded a maximum $29,864,155 firm-fixed-price, fixed-quantity contract for B-52 hatches. This was a sole-source acquisition using justification 10 U.S. Code 2304 (c)(1), as stated in Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.301-1. This is a two-year, three-month contract with no option periods. Locations of performance are Missouri and Kansas, with a July 15, 2022, performance completion date. Using military service is Air Force. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2022 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (SPRTA1-20-F-0014). Tennier Industries Inc.,* Delray Beach, Florida, has been awarded a maximum $8,771,992 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for a variety of trousers and parkas. This is a one-year base contract with two one-year option periods. This was a competitive acquisition with one response received. Locations of performance are Florida and Tennessee, with an April 30, 2021, performance completion date. Using military services are the Marine Corp, Army and Air Force. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2021 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE1C1-20-D-1273). DEFENSE COUNTERINTELLIGENCE AND SECURITY AGENCY Next Tier Concepts, Vienna, Virginia, was awarded an estimated $24,919,863 firm-fixed-price contract modification (HS0021-19-D-0132-P00005) and task order modification (HS0021-19-F-0115-P00003) for the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA). These modifications extend performance for functions supporting the background investigation mission. Work will be performed in Boyers, Pennsylvania. This task order modification is funded with fiscal 2020 DCSA working capital funds with $15,045,937 obligated at time of award. The anticipated period of performance for the task order includes a three-month base period from May 1, 2020, to July 31, 2020, plus two one-month option periods of August 2020 and September 2020. This requirement was synopsized on the Federal Business Opportunities website as a sole-source requirement on April 15, 2020. This was a sole-source acquisition using justification 10 U.S. Code 2304 (c)(1), as stated in Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1, only one responsible source and no other supplies or services meet agency requirements. The justification and approval will be posted within 14 days of award. DCSA Acquisition and Contracting, Quantico, Virginia, is the contracting activity. ARMY Manson Construction Co., Seattle, Washington, was awarded a $16,695,000 firm-fixed-price contract for dredging of the Oakland, California, inner and outer harbor plus transportation of the dredged material. Bids were solicited via the internet with three received. Work will be performed in Oakland, California, with an estimated completion date of Nov. 30, 2020. Fiscal 2020 civil operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $16,695,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, San Francisco, California, is the contracting activity (W912P7-20-C-0005). *Small business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2173758/source/GovDelivery/

BY REBECCA KHEEL - 05/03/20 01:30 PM EDT Defense budget cuts are looming as the coronavirus pandemic places pressure on the federal budget across various agencies. The Pentagon had already been expecting relatively flat budgets for the next few years due to economic constraints caused by the widening deficits in the country. But with the pandemic, the deficit is projected to explode after Congress passed trillions of dollars in coronavirus relief packages, with more aid bills expected. Defense budget analysts are predicting that will mean cuts to defense spending down the line. Meanwhile, Democrats say the crisis should result in a rethinking of national security that gives less money to the Pentagon and more to areas like public health. The chairman of the House Armed Services Committee said this past week it's hard to predict where the defense budget will head after the crisis abates, but suggested the entire federal budget will need to be re-examined. “The economics of this get much more complicated than they were before this, and it's logical to assume that we are going to have to reevaluate our entire budget, both revenue and expenditures,” Chairman Adam Smith (D-Wash.) said on a teleconference in response to a question from The Hill. “Beyond that, it would be pure speculation as to what's gonna happen.” Smith, a long time opponent of the nuclear budget, specifically highlighted nuclear modernization as an area for potential cuts, but said defense portfolios are “all on the table to figure out how to spend the money more wisely.” In the meantime, defense hawks, progressives and deficit hawks alike are honing their arguments as they brace for defense cuts. The defense budget battles are already starting to play out as Congress debates further coronavirus relief bills. The Pentagon has said it expects to request “billions” of dollars in the next bill to help contractors hit by the virus. That funding would follow the $10.5 billion the Pentagon got in the third coronavirus stimulus package for the Defense Production Act, defense health programs, and military deployments related to the crisis and other areas. Smith, though, said this past week he would not support more Pentagon funding in further coronavirus bills, saying the department can find unused funding in its existing $738 billion-plus budget. Smith's comments came about a week after dozens of progressive organizations led by Win Without War argued in a letter to Congress that “any arguments that the Pentagon cannot use existing resources to respond to the crisis should be met with considerable skepticism.” But the Pentagon maintained after Smith's comments it cannot dip into its existing budget for coronavirus relief. Ellen Lord, the Pentagon's top weapons buyer, said the department may be able to use some operations and maintenance funds for coronavirus needs, but added money still has to be available for “pretty significant needs” in readiness and modernization. “I am not sure that we have the fiscal flexibility to encompass all of the new demands we have and the inefficiencies that we are seeing and perhaps may see in the future,” Lord said at a briefing. “But I respect what Chairman Smith is saying, and we will obviously do our best.” Looking further ahead, Pentagon officials have indicated they are preparing to tighten their belts at the other end of the crisis. In a webinar with the Brookings Institution this past week, Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy recalled “compressed budgets” in the wake of recovery bills for the 2008 financial crisis, culminating in the 2011 Budget Control Act that Pentagon officials now blame for readiness shortfalls. The law set budget caps that resulted in sequestration, continuing resolutions or government shutdowns in several years. “These are challenges we're thinking about now as we look at the [Future Years Defense Program] and whether or not this will pressurize Army budgets in the [fiscal year] 23, 24 timeframe, which are very critical to us and our modernization efforts and increasing our talent management within the force," he said. “We are watching that very closely, and we know that is a challenge that is out in front of us.” Late last month, the Congressional Budget Office projected that Congress' rescue and stimulus efforts will cause the federal deficit to quadruple to $3.7 trillion, the largest by far in U.S. history. Defense budget experts say the ballooning deficit likely spells defense cuts in the future, citing trends after previous rising deficits and economic downturns such after the 2008 financial crisis. “What has historically happened is, when Congress and fiscal conservatives come out and get serious about reducing the debt and reducing spending, defense is almost always part of what they come up with for a solution,” Todd Harrison, director of defense budget analysis at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said in a webinar. “So, we could be looking at a deficit-driven defense drawdown coming in the next two or three years. At least history would suggest that that is a real possibility.” In the same webinar, American Enterprise Institute resident fellow Mackenzie Eaglen predicted the “budget comes down sooner rather than later.” “There probably will be a total relook even at the [National Defense Strategy] fundamentals and what mission is going to have to go in response to this,” she added. But defense hawks are arguing the Pentagon should not be used to pay other bills,, saying the country still faces threats from Russia and China. Fred Bartels, a senior policy analyst for defense budgeting at the conservative Heritage Foundation, said the defense budget needs to match the National Defense Strategy, which has not changed despite the pandemic. The strategy calls for the military to be ready for so-called great power competition with China and Russia. “What you're going to have is likely empty promises, and that's the worst possible outcome for the military,” Bartels said of a budget cut without a strategy change. “If your national strategy tells the world that you're going to do that but you don't follow through, it's going to be harder and harder to operate.” But the pandemic has intensified calls from progressive lawmakers to rethink what constitutes national security. Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) told The Hill the crisis shows the definition of national security needs be expanded. “Lawmakers must view issues like climate change, biosecurity, cybersecurity and this pandemic as serious and real national security threats facing our nation,” Khanna said in a statement to The Hill. “For too long, we were myopically focused and spending trillions on traditional national security issues like terrorism and ‘great power' politics. These new threats impact our health, safety, and economy, requiring new funds to address them.” https://thehill.com/policy/defense/495762-defense-budget-brawl-looms-after-pandemic

Pat Host, Washington, DC - Jane's Defence Industry 02 May 2020 For the first time since the coronavirus (Covid-19) reached the United States, more defence contractors re-opened than closed over the past week, according to the Pentagon's top weapons buyer. Ellen Lord, under-secretary of defence for acquisition and sustainment (A&S), told reporters on 30 April that out of the 10,509 companies tracked by the Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA), 93 are closed, which is 13 fewer than last week. Of these, 141 had re-opened, 73 more than last week's tally of 68. Additionally, out of the 11,413 companies tracked by the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), 438 are closed while 237 that were closed have re-opened. https://www.janes.com/article/95908/covid-19-more-us-defence-contractors-re-open-than-close-for-first-time-since-virus-struck

Nathan Strout SEAKR Engineering will continue developing the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency's Pit Boss as the sole prime contractor, the company announced April 28. Pit Boss is the autonomous mission management system that will be used for DARPA's Project Blackjack, an initiative to demonstrate the value of a proliferated low earth orbit constellation that takes advantage of off-the-shelf commercial satellite technologies for military uses. According to DARPA, Pit Boss will be able to take data collected by the satellites, process it on orbit and then disseminate that information to users or platforms on Earth without human input. Pit Boss will be able to facilitate a number of functions, including augmenting position, navigation and timing capabilities, space-to-surface communications, and deliver persistent targeting and tracking data. DARPA selected three teams, led by BAE Systems, SEAKR and Scientific Systems Company, to develop Pit Boss solutions. SEAKR's team included Microsoft, Applied Technology Associates, Advanced Solutions Inc, Kythera Space Solutions and NKryptPhase. SEAKR said ithas received a Phase I Option II contract to continue its work on Pit Boss as the sole prime. “The award validates SEAKR's current program success in seeking on-orbit demonstration of state of the art processing capability incorporating autonomous operations, artificial intelligence, machine learning techniques, and bridged terrestrial and on-orbit technologies,” the company said in a statement. https://www.c4isrnet.com/battlefield-tech/space/2020/05/03/seakr-moving-forward-with-darpas-pit-boss-project

By: Joe Gould WASHINGTON―As the Pentagon works to defray the coronavirus pandemic's impact on its network of suppliers, it's worked hand-in-glove with defense and aerospace trade associations to find and address problems in the supply chain. The National Defense Industrial Association, whose members stretch into the lower tiers of the defense industrial base, surveyed more than 700 small businesses to find that cash-flow disruptions remained a problem as the Pentagon and major defense firms increase payments to suppliers. Retired Air Force Col. Wesley Hallman is NDIA's senior vice president of policy, charged with monitoring Capitol Hill on matters of concern to defense, including annual budgets, acquisition and procurement reform. This week, he spoke with Defense News about NDIA's priorities as Congress mulls how to follow its third coronavirus response bill, worth $2.2 trillion and intended to speed relief across the American economy. With NDIA's finger on the pulse of the supply chain and recent survey, how do you interpret the Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment Ellen Lord's numbers, demonstrating more defense firms that have closed now reopening? What are you seeing among your members? As you know, A&S has been holding a call on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and we've been participating in all of those. The Defense Contract Management Agency has really been the clearinghouse for all these companies' challenges, and in fact we've been pushing our member companies that are seeing challenges to go to the website and fill in information about what their challenges are what they're seeing. And DoD has been responsive when something has closed down for whatever reason. Undersecretary Lord herself has picked up the phone to make calls to state governors to explain that we work very hard to ensure that the defense industrial base is considered essential. That was a question when people were starting to call for shelters in place. The very issues these companies have been seeing are things you're expecting: the result of closures, and sometimes those closures aren't state and local but on installations. Many contractors have to go to work on installations, and installation commanders are the mayors of their bases; they're tasked with the safety and security of their installations, and sometimes they've made the call to close facilities that have an effect on those performing contracts. There's also a growing concern on liability. There's uncertainty surrounding contractors' liability during the crisis for heeding calls to keep everything turned on. They also have to make sure that they're keeping their workforce safe and secure, and sometimes that's an issue as you look at reopening everything. Our last NDIA survey was really about what kind of things do you need to reopen to get to a new normal, where we're producing on contracts. Access to personal protective equipment is a concern, safety is a concern and more. DCMA has been following up with those companies to see what those issues are and what would allow them to reopen. We all know the supply chain ― and I'm sure you remember our report on the health of the defense industrial base at the beginning of the year ― but one of the things we highlighted is we have a relatively fragile supply chain already. This is a concern of the associations, the Pentagon and particular House Armed Services Committee members. Cash flow was also identified as an issue in NDIA's survey, and it's been a feature of DoD's press conferences. Ellen Lord said she was relying on the trade associations to help DoD understand how its accelerated progress payments are trickling down the supply chain to smaller firms, from the primes. How detailed is the information the associations are providing, and are the primes doing what's expected of them? What I have is anecdotal. It's proprietary data, and our members don't necessarily share that with us. I did get calls from all of the majors asking about accelerating payments through the supply chain, and one company was very explicit that “we have access to capital to get through this, but our supply chain doesn't.” Lockheed Martin has been very public with their commitment, and I know they're worried, and they're incentivized to keep their supply chain healthy because they've got to produce. The companies know their supply chains better than anyone else, so they're incentivized to push those dollars. It's not the amount of money but the velocity, and they understand that. This is me talking, but what the Pentagon wants to show ― and you've seen multiple groups saying, “not a dime for defense” ― is that the money that's being accelerated to these companies is not going to line anybody's pocket. This is to allow folks to survive. And beyond the national security aspect of this, which we could talk about forever, these are real companies with real people, doing real jobs that are key to our economy. They're as valid as any of the other small businesses that apply for the Paycheck Protection Program. So, ‘not a dime for defense' is I think a very shortsighted bumper sticker, because these are real people developing real capabilities for the defense of our nation. There have been some progressive lawmakers, as well as the chairman of the House Armed Services Committee who have already pushed back on the Pentagon's upcoming request for funding. But more broadly, what would NDIA like to see legislatively in the next stimulus package, including policy―or are your priorities being addressed directly through the Pentagon? So there's only so much the Pentagon can do without appropriations. What we're looking at ― and we are a 501(c)3, non-lobbying organization, though we engage when asked what we think ― is we think, first off, there needs to be a plus-up in appropriations for FY20. We all know that there's a lot of challenges to performing on contracts right now that are going to extend the length of those contracts. There's been a slowdown in the ability to perform on contracts because of this, and in some cases it has made made delivery on contracts more expensive. We believe that should be reflected in appropriations, and that shouldn't steal from the future. You know, we have a National Defense Strategy, we have a future-years defense program, there's already president's budget in. We don't think that the FY21 should be paying the increased cost for FY20. So it would be a defense supplemental to cover the extra expense to produce on contract because of COVID-19. That's first and foremost. The other thing is ― and you may know the Defense Logistics Agency and others, they pay out of a working capital fund. Back in November, DLA stopped following the accelerated payment policy passed by Congress because their working capital fund didn't have the liquidity to make that happen. They backed off to a 30-day instead of a 15-day payout. Well, that was hard enough in November, December, January, February. But you start getting to March with COVID-19, and these folks that have already performed on contract and are waiting to get their money are waiting an extra 15 days because of the lack of liquidity in the working capital funds. That's not acceptable. So another thing we'd like to see is a bump up in the working capital fund so those accelerated payments can start happening the way that Congress intended. You referenced liability issues. There's been a movement afoot to shield companies from lawsuits as they seek to reopen that's been met with partisan pushback. Are liability protections something NDIA favors? You have to be very careful because you don't want companies to do something that is not smart or not safe, but you do have to look at it because there's a potential that this is a ripe avenue for liability suits. We would rather see that stemmed up front so we can focus on producing for the war fighter. On a positive note, are you seeing companies employing any novel solutions to problems stemming from the pandemic? The Defense Department has a Joint Acquisition Task Force where companies can go and say what they can produce. We have worked with a lot of companies who can do harnesses for parachutes or where they can shift production to make you masks or other PPE. So it's been kind of heartening to see. A lot of small businesses are saying, ‘Hey, we can do this.' And we direct them over to the Joint Acquisition Task Force, which can look at their capabilities and explore those. https://www.defensenews.com/congress/2020/05/02/interview-ndias-wesley-hallman-on-a-liability-shield-and-other-defense-priorities-for-the-next-stimulus

Airbus just bested Boeing, achieving a massive milestone in an area that's recently been haunting the American manufacturer: air-to-air refueling. In the latest match-up in the cross-ocean rivalry between the American and European manufacturers, an Airbus A310 MRTT tanker test aircraft successfully completed an automatic refueling operation with a Portuguese Air Force fighter jet. Boeing has not yet been able to achieve the feat, even with its newest aerial tanker. Airbus has been leading the charge in autonomous flight operations, with the newly-automated refueling process the latest step in reducing manual control in aerial procedures. In December, an Airbus A350 XWB successfully took off without pilot input, using software integrated to onboard cameras. The system has plans to be implemented on Airbus' newest tanker, the A330 MRTT, with the certification phase scheduled to begin next year. The Airbus A330 MRTT is the European competitor to Boeing's KC-46 Pegasus. Currently in use with the US Air Force, the KC-46 Pegasus is Boeing's newest jet but is also proving to be one of its most problematic. Boeing's Pegasus is nowhere near autonomous refueling, with the company needing to fix a key system before autonomy can be discussed, an Air Force official told DefenseNews. Take a look at how Airbus is making history with its flying gas station. https://www.businessinsider.com/airbus-a330-achieves-first-aerial-refueling-beats-boeing-2020-4

By: Valerie Insinna WASHINGTON — The U.S. Air Force is seeking information from industry about hypersonic cruise missile technology, with the hopes of starting up a new prototyping program in the near future. The service issued a sources sought notification on April 27 asking companies to submit information about air-breathing conventional hypersonic cruise missiles that could be launched from fighter jets and bombers. The responses will help the Air Force determine whether to begin funding a new program of record and figure out how quickly it will be able to field the new weapon, said Air Force acquisition executive Will Roper. “In the case of how fast we could go with the scramjet technology getting into cruise missile and missionizing it, I think we can go fast,” he told reporters April 30. “I don't know how fast — that's why we're reaching out to the street. But given how far scramjet technology has matured, I'd expect that we'll be able to go pretty quickly on this.” According to the solicitation, the service would aim to conduct a preliminary design review in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2021. The technologies offered should feature ramjet, scramjet or dual-mode propulsion — a major difference from the hypersonic weapons currently under development by the Defense Department, which are all boost glide missiles. There are multiple advantages to fielding air-breathing and boost glide hypersonic weapons, Roper said. Boost glide missiles fly just below space, above the “thick atmosphere” where scramjet missiles would fly. That allows scramjet missiles to take on certain missions and targets that boost-glide systems cannot engage. “In the world of competing technology, we can't afford to have any blind spots or cede any ground. So we're preparing to make sure we don't cede ground on scramjet technology and hypersonic cruise missiles as a whole,” Roper said. “We will have greater flexibility with this as a whole. That's one reason we're interested in accelerating the technology. It's mature, it's ready. It will give our operators greater flexibility.” It will also allow the Defense Department to diversify the number of companies that can produce hypersonic weapons, he said. “In the case of boost glide technology, a lot of our major programs in the department go to the same suppliers,” in part because those companies have pioneered materials and components that have not been replicated throughout industry, Roper said. “One of the reasons I'm excited about starting a hypersonic cruise missile program is that we will have different suppliers. It's a very different technology.” Roper said the hypersonic cruise missile effort would involve inputs from the Air Force Research Laboratory and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. In particular, DARPA's Hypersonic Air-breathing Weapon Concept, or HAWC, effort could inform the new program. As part of the effort, a Raytheon-Northrop Grumman team and a Lockheed Martin-Aerojet Rocketdyne team are building scramjet-powered hypersonic vehicles. “Scramjet technology has come a long way. I have been exceptionally impressed by what new manufacturing techniques are enabling,” Roper said. “I entered this job thinking scramjet will probably be a step behind boost glide. I am delighted to say that I was wrong. Scramjet is much more mature and ready to go than I originally thought.” The Air Force may be embarking on a new hypersonic weapons program just months after canceling one of its two development efforts, the Hypersonic Conventional Strike Weapon, or HCSW. Although HCSW showed promise and was on track for flight tests, the service killed it the fiscal 2021 budget rollout this February in favor of the Air-Launched Rapid Response Weapon. Both ARRW and HCSW are boost-glide weapons made by Lockheed, but the Air Force decided to pursue ARRW because it was more affordable and could be carried in larger quantities by the B-52 and F-15 aircraft, Roper said. https://www.defensenews.com/industry/techwatch/2020/04/30/the-air-force-wants-to-develop-a-hypersonic-cruise-missile/