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The Pentagon is considering purchasing new fourth-gen Boeing [BA] F-15EXs in addition to fifth-gen Lockheed Martin [LMT] F-35s to more quickly replace the Air Force's aging fighter fleet. Where did this scenario come from, and what's the rationale behind it? On this episode of THE BUSINESS END, John is joined by Congressional and Air Force reporter Vivienne Machi to explore the fighter modernization strategy and what the procurement of F-15EXs would mean for the F-35 program. The conversation also features Rep. Vicky Hartzler (R-Mo.), ranking member of the House Subcommittee on Tactical Air and Land Forces, and retired four-star General Mike Loh, former Commander of Air Combatant Command. Take a listen to this episode below, or click here to download the show from iTunes. (Spotify here, and Google Play here.) If you like the show, make sure to SUBSCRIBE so you get new episodes as soon as they're released! Got feedback on the show, or want to get in touch? Please get in touch! We look forward to hearing your thoughts. This episode of THE BUSINESS END is sponsored by Boeing. Sponsors have no input on editorial direction or coverage. https://www.defensedaily.com/podcast-pentagons-plan-mix-fourth-fifth-gen-fighters/air-force/

By: David B. Larter LONDON — The U.S. Navy has achieved a major milestone in its efforts to autonomously combat one of the most persistent threats it faces, the service's deputy head of the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations' mine warfare office said Monday. The Navy successfully demonstrated what's known as single-sortie mine hunting, which sends out an autonomous boat to sweep for mines with a sonar system, detect a mine-like object, classify it and then deploy another system that destroys the mine, according to Stephen Olson. It's a significant achievement in the yearslong effort to “get the man out of the minefield” by deploying robots to perform a job traditionally performed by manned minesweepers and highly trained divers. Beyond the safety benefits, it also quickens the process. The successful test opens up the possibility of having a small cadre of human operators who can oversee whole packs of robots as they sweep minefields on their own. “That single-sortied, detect-to-engage was a great example of something that would represent supervisory [control of unmanned systems],” Olson said. “It was a small group [of people] who oversaw the entire effort: Multiple systems were in operation together, working together and cueing each other.” When reached for comment on the successful test, the Navy would not divulge further details. “Currently the Navy cannot disclose any further details of the test beyond what Mr. Olson described,” Navy spokeswoman Lt. Brittany Stephens said. The systems under development in the pursuit of single-sortie mine hunting are Textron's Common Unmanned Surface Vehicle, or CUSV, about the size of a bass boat, which deploys Raytheon's AQS-20 sonar system to detect the mines. After an operator authorizes an engagement, the Barracuda Expendable Mine Neutralizer is deployed to autonomously reacquire and destroy the mine. “If you are familiar with mine warfare, it's painfully slow,” Olson said to an audience at the DSEI conference in London. “When leadership says, ‘We need to clear a minefield,' and you say, ‘How long do I have?,' they look at their watch when they should pull out a calendar. I'm going to tell them it is going to take weeks, and they're going to say: ‘I need it done now.' " In May, a Raytheon executive told Defense News that the company was closing in on demonstrating the capability. “All three of these pieces are maturing right around the same time,” Randy Brandenburg, a Raytheon business development executive with its Seapower Capability Systems division, said at the time. “We're working hard to put this together and we'll be demonstrating some of this ... this summer.” ‘Huge vulnerability' The Navy is also moving in on the ability to deliver an effective counter-mine mission package to the littoral combat ship, albeit more than a decade late. The mine-hunting mission package for LCS was supposed to achieve its initial operational capability declaration in 2008. But perhaps more importantly, the service may finally have an effective solution to combating a threat that has bedeviled it for years: cheap mines. “In the past it has been mostly divers — we'd sent [explosive ordnance disposal teams] out to go neutralize mines by putting some kind of charge on it,” said Bryan Clark, a retired submarine officer and analyst with the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments. “It's a hugely complicated, multistage operation with a lot of people involved. So going to single-sortie mine hunting, you are really saving a lot of time, certainly by at least a third the time it takes to clear an area that has mines in it. “You can now transition to a purely unmanned mine-clearance operation where I have a ship that has the AQS-20 getting towed behind the CUSV, searches for [a] mine and the CUSV can send out a mine-neutralization torpedo.” The breakthrough with single-sortie will mean the Navy is only limited by how many robots it can buy to do the job. “It's big not just because it gets people out of the minefield but because it's scalable now,” Clark said. “Once you take the people out the minefield, now you can search as big a minefield as I have unmanned vehicles, whereas in the past you were limited by how many minesweepers I have and how many humans I have to operate them. Scalability was constrained.” Ultimately, getting this mission right will prove that autonomous systems can have an impact on war fighting, Clark added. “This is the mission that the Navy absolutely had to get autonomous systems to go do,” he said. “It's crazy to have humans go out and remove mines. It's dangerous, it's not scalable, it takes forever — it's just a huge vulnerability that the Navy [has] that could be exploited by even the most primitive opponents. https://www.defensenews.com/digital-show-dailies/dsei/2019/09/10/the-us-navy-just-had-a-major-breakthrough-with-autonomous-weapons/

By: Sebastian Sprenger PARIS — Underway in Europe are two high-profile sixth-generation aircraft efforts: the Franco-German-Spanish Future Combat Air System, and Britain's Tempest fighter. But will they converge? Defense News asked the chief executive of the European Defence Agency, Jorge Domecq, for his take on the future of these programs. It's quite possible the FCAS program by Spain, Germany and France and the British Tempest program will lead to a situation of two fighters. What's your assessment? We'll have to see, but FCAS is not going to be just one platform. It's going to be a system of systems. It will be a very complex program; it will take many years. It will be very important for it to be sustainable, that it has the economies of scale that are necessary. And at the same time, as we have these three initial member states signing up, I do not exclude this would bring on other member states as we go long. What will happen with the Tempest project, I cannot say. But as the person that oversees FCAS, you would like to see some convergence, right? Europe would probably have to see convergence toward having a single system of systems, but as I underlined, it's not an issue of platform. As always, thinking of the competitiveness of the European defense industry, we have to think of program sustainability. Is the next generation of combat aircraft sustainable with several systems of systems in Europe? I have my doubts. Speaking of consolidation, there have been calls to consolidate the defense industry. What is the level of urgency for that? I think the urgency is there. In the next five to 10 years, the defense industry is going to know a real evolution of technology; disruptive technologies are going to change how we do business in defense. That is going to have an impact on the defense industry. The only way forward for defense in general is cooperation. Cooperation is the only way Europe will remain a credible partner in operational terms but also in technology-related industrial terms. That requires we pull together to do as many defense cooperation projects in the future. And the consolidation of the industry will happen around those cooperative endeavors. https://www.defensenews.com/digital-show-dailies/dsei/2019/09/08/3-questions-with-the-eu-defense-chief-on-europes-future-fighters/

By: Aaron Mehta WASHINGTON — U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper intends to implement changes from his review of Defense Department organizations on a rolling basis, rather than waiting until the review process is completely finished, according to the department's top spokesman. Jonathan Rath Hoffman, assistant to the secretary of defense for public affairs, said Monday that there's “no interest” from Esper to wait until the review is fully done or the start of the next fiscal year to start implementing program changes, including potential cuts. “It's going to be an ongoing process. If he makes a decision, it's not going to be ‘I have to look through everything and then make some decisions.' If he sees a program that needs to end or be moved, he'll make that decision as quickly as he can,” Hoffman told reporters. “He's going to make changes as we move forward. If he identifies changes that would save money, there's no interest in waiting until next year to start saving money.” An Aug. 2 memo kicked off a departmentwide review of programs ahead of the development for the fiscal 2021 budget request. The goal is to find savings and drive a “longer-term focus on structural reform, ensuring all [defensewide] activities are aligned to the National Defense Strategy while evaluating the division of functions between defense-wide organizations and the military departments," per the document. The so-called fourth estate of the department includes 27 agencies, such as the Defense Intelligence Agency, the Defense Information Systems Agency and the Missile Defense Agency. A September 2018 report from the Government Accountability Office estimated those agencies collectively have an annual budget of at least $106 billion. Esper has acknowledged the review sounds a lot like the “night court” process the Army used to find roughly $25 billion in savings that could then be reinvested into new capabilities. But he has so far declined to offer a target dollar figure for savings. "It's a long road. I'm spending two hours a week, 90 minutes to two hours a week on this in formal session, so we're just going to work our way through it week after week after week,” the secretary said Aug 27. “I'm looking for programs that don't have as much value relative to another critical war-fighting capability, absolutely.” Hoffman described the process as starting with internal reviews inside the various offices, looking at what projects are ongoing. Those are cross-checked with assessments from others in the department that are looking to find cost-sharing or cost-saving options. Those are collectively provided up to the deputy secretary of defense before being presented at regular meetings with Esper. Esper then “holds a review with all the parties that may have equities and go through it. I sat through one of these last week. He really digs into what are the appropriate roles, what are the appropriate missions, is there someone better or capable to hold this than the equity that has it now, is there better cost savings,” Hoffman said. Some have questioned whether Esper's plans will run into roadblocks in Congress. On Monday, Hoffman stressed that the department has been keeping Congress in the loop. “The secretary has been very adamant he wants to make sure Congress is fully informed,” he said. https://www.defensenews.com/pentagon/2019/09/09/program-cuts-from-espers-pentagon-wide-review-could-come-sooner-than-expected/

AIR FORCE Solid State Scientific Corp., Hollis, New Hampshire, has been awarded a $59,000,000 firm-fixed-price and cost-plus-fixed-fee hybrid contract for Air Force Weather Enterprise (AFW) Product-as-a-Service/Infrastructure-as-a-Service. This contract provides the migration to the cloud for the Air Force Weather Branch and is to design and build an Air Force Weather Virtual Private Cloud. It is required to expand to support the cloud migration and operations for all AFW applications. Work will be performed at and is expected to be completed by May 9, 2020, with two one-year options. This sole source award is a result of a Small Business Innovative Research Phase III follow-on. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $777,351 are being obligated at the time of award. The Aerospace Management Systems Division, Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts, is the contracting activity (FA8730-19-C-0041). BlackHorse Solutions Inc.,* Herndon, Virginia, has been awarded a $48,843,831 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for CDI2E software/hardware prototypes. This contract will advance global vigilance, global reach, and global power in the information environment through the application, research, development, and transition of emerging technologies and next-gen solutions. This includes rapid tool development, development of electronic warfare/cyber network attack software and hardware systems, analytical processing, cyber threat avoidance and cyber threat defense, test and evaluation, and to manage the development to ensure projects move forward at a rapid pace, that technical and process innovations incorporated into successive rounds of development. Work will be performed at Herndon, Virginia, and is expected to be completed by Sept. 9, 2024. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition and two offers were received. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $300,000 are being obligated at time of award. The Air Force Research Laboratory, Rome, New York, is the contracting activity. (FA8750-19-C-1528). ECSC LLC, Columbus, Mississippi, has been awarded a $45,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for Columbus Air Force Base paving and civil works. This contract provides for repair and construction of asphalt and concrete pavements including sub-base and base course, installation of associated utilities, drainage structures, sidewalks, curb and gutters, rubber removal and painting of runways, taxiways, and aprons, and turf. Work will be performed at Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi and Auxiliary Field, Shuqualak, Mississippi, and is expected to be complete by Aug. 31, 2026. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition and two offers were received. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $621,000 are being obligated at the time of award. The 14th Contracting Squadron, Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi, is the contracting activity (FA302219-D-A002). ajc architects, Salt Lake City, Utah (FA8201-19-D-A003); Architectural Nexus, Salt Lake City, Utah (FA8201-19-D-A005); CRSA, Salt Lake City, Utah (FA8201-19-D-A008); Design West Architects, Salt Lake City, Utah (FA8201-19-D-A010); GSBS, Salt Lake City, Utah (FA8201-19-D-A012); HDR, Salt Lake City, Utah (FA8201-19-D-A011); Jacobs Engineering Group Inc., Taylorsville, Utah (FA8201-19-D-A009); Michael Baker International Inc., Midvale, Utah (FA8201-19-D-A007); Stanley Consultants Inc., Murray, Utah (FA8201-19-D-A006); and Stantec Consulting Services Inc., Salt Lake City, Utah (FA8201-19-D-A004) have been awarded a not-to-exceed $36,000,000 firm-fixed price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for architectural and engineering services to support the 75th Civil Engineering Group mission. Work will be performed at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, or other geographically separated areas under their jurisdiction to include Little Mountain Test Annex, Utah Test and Training Range, and Boulder Seismic Station, and is expected to be completed by Sept. 8, 2024. This award is the result of a competitive, multiple award acquisition and 15 offers were received. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $500 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Sustainment Center, Hill Air Force Base, Utah, is the contracting activity. General Electric Aviation, Cincinnati, Ohio, has been awarded a $19,429,512 firm-fixed price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for F138 sustaining engineering, program management, and field service representative support. This contract provides the Air Force with the expertise required to support trending, diagnosis, analysis, and warranty administration for the F138 engine. Work will be performed at Dover Air Force Base, Delaware; Lackland Air Force Base, Texas; Robins Air Force Base, Georgia; Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma; Travis Air Force Base, California; Scott Air Force Base, Illinois; and Westover Air Force Base, Massachusetts, and is expected to be completed by Sept. 5, 2024. This award is the result of a sole source acquisition. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $1,831,638 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, is the contracting activity. (FA8124-19-D-0005). Lockheed Martin Corp., Orlando, Florida, has been awarded a $14,958,516 task order against contract FA8533-18-D-0002 for the execution of a baseline change request/engineering change proposal which upgrades 99 common organizational level testers and accessory kits to the new baseline removing obsolescence issues. Work will be performed in Orlando, Florida, and is expected to be completed by Sept. 8, 2022. This award is the result of a sole source acquisition. Fiscal 2017 aircraft procurement funds in the amount of $14,958,516 will be obligated at time of award. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, is the contracting activity (FA8533-19-F-0091). DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY TEK Precision Co. Ltd.,* Deer Park, New York, has been awarded a maximum $17,638,194 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for aviation servo coupling assemblies. This was a competitive acquisition with one offer received. This is a five year contract with no option periods. Location of performance is New York, with a June 24, 2025, performance completion date. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2024 Army working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama (SPRRA1-19-D-0124). York Precision Machining and Hydraulics LLC,* York, Pennsylvania, has been awarded a maximum $13,681,333 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for sliding and fixed cones for the Intercontinental Ballistic Missile system. This was a sole source acquisition using justification 10 U.S. Code 2304(c) (1), as stated in Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. This is a five-year base contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Pennsylvania, with a Sept. 5, 2024, performance completion date. Using military service is Air Force. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Hill Air Force Base, Utah (SPRHA2-19-D-0001). ARMY Alberici Constructors Inc., St. Louis, Missouri, was awarded a $14,610,600 firm-fixed-price contract for Miter Gate installation at Marseilles and Starved Rock Locks on the Illinois River Basin. Bids were solicited via the internet with two received. Work will be performed in Ottawa, Illinois, with an estimated completion date of Nov. 30, 2020. Fiscal 2019 civil construction funds in the amount of $14,610,600 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Rock Island, Illinois, is the contracting activity (W912EK-19-C-0035). Winkler-NNAC JV,* Newman Lake, Washington, was awarded an $8,555,103 firm-fixed-price contract to repair drainage failures. Bids were solicited via the internet with four received. Work will be performed in Fort Hood, Texas, with an estimated completion date of Oct. 7, 2020. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance, Army funds in the amount of $8,555,103 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Mission and Installation Contracting Command, Fort Hood, Texas, is the contracting activity (W91151-19-C-0035). NAVY DONJON Marine Co. Inc., Hillside, New Jersey, is being awarded a $12,499,201 modification to previously awarded cost-plus-award-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract N00024-18-D-4307 deliver order N00024-19-F4D02 for continuation of emergency floodwater pumping operations in Puerto Rico under Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE) mission assignment. Work will be performed in Puerto Rico and is expected to be complete by June 2020. Non-expiring ACOE funding in the amount of $11,440,916 will be obligated at the time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. BAE Systems Norfolk Ship Repair, Norfolk, Virginia, was awarded an $11,945,242 firm-fixed-price modification to previously-awarded contract N00024-18-C-4403 for additional growth requirements, including actions taken during Hurricane Florence, identified during the execution of the USS Tortuga (LSD 46) Fiscal 2018 Modernization Period (MODPRD) Chief of Naval Operations availability. Work will be performed in Norfolk, Virginia, and is expected to be completed by November 2019. Upward obligation of expired fiscal 2018 operation and maintenance (Navy) funding in the amount of $11,945,242 was used to fund this action in accordance with fiscal law. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. (Awarded Sept. 5, 2019) The University of California, Berkeley, California, is being awarded a $9,477,951 cooperative research agreement to study learning mechanisms to create computational models and enhance artificial intelligence approaches to learning, such as deep learning and reinforcement learning. All work will be performed at the University of California, Berkeley, California. This four-year agreement has no option periods. The period of performance is from Sept. 9, 2019, through Sept. 8, 2023. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation funds (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) in the amount of $1,477,559 will be obligated at the time of award. This research agreement was competitively procured via broad agency announcement (HR001119S0005) and publication on the Federal Business Opportunities website. Forty-two offers were received and nine were selected for award. The Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity (N66001-19-2-4034). DEFENSE INFORMATION SYSTEMS AGENCY CORRECTION: The Sept. 6, 2019, announcement of a contract award to Trace Systems Inc., Vienna, Virginia (HC1047-19-D-4002), in support of providing the full range of Mission Partner Environment (MPE)-compatible support services and associated equipment to design, implement and operate the MPE enterprise, included the incorrect ceiling value. The award's actual ceiling value is $998,000,000. All other information in the announcement is correct. CORRECTION: The contract announced on Sept. 6, 2019, to The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, LLC (JHU/APL), Laurel, Maryland (HC1047-19-D-0001), for essential engineering, research, and/or development capabilities, in line with the core competencies established by the assistant secretary of defense for research and engineering, has not yet been awarded. *Small Business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/1955489/source/GovDelivery/

WOOD DALE, Ill., Sept. 6, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- AAR (NYSE: AIR), a leading provider of aviation services to commercial airlines and governments worldwide, has secured a new $118.6 million contract with the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) to deliver two 737 aircraft and associated support equipment to the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC). The firm-fixed price contract, estimated to last two years, entails the acquisition, modification, acceptance and delivery of two 737-700 Increased Gross Weight (IGW) series commercial aircraft. The aircraft will meet USMC C-9B replacement medium lift requirements and be designated as C-40A aircraft when delivered. AAR leveraged expertise across its Government Programs, Parts Supply and MRO activities within the Aviation Services segment to deliver this innovative solution to NAVAIR. "We are honored to be selected by NAVAIR to manage the procurement, upgrade modification and delivery of these aircraft," said John Holmes, AAR President and CEO. "This integrated solution delivers an outstanding product focused on cost efficiency that directly aligns with the Secretary of the Navy's recently announced initiative to achieve greater output and faster turnaround times for their dollars spent. AAR is excited to promote this innovative partnership to all areas of government to highlight the benefits of utilizing commercial aftermarket solutions to meet military requirements." The aircraft will be certified in accordance with the 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 25 (airworthiness standards) in three aircraft configurations, all-passenger, all-cargo and a combined-passenger-cargo configuration. "Our engineered approach seamlessly delivers a comprehensive solution from across AAR's businesses that combines best practices from our industry-leading repair, engineering services and supply chain solutions," said Nick Gross, AAR Senior Vice President of Government Solutions. "We are eager to see these aircraft delivered for service in support of the Navy and Marine Corps." AAR will manage the program and provide parts distribution from the company's headquarters in Wood Dale, Illinois, perform engineering out of the Indianapolis MRO facility, and provide maintenance and modification services at the Oklahoma City MRO and Miami Landing Gear Services facilities. For further detail on the contract award, please view the U.S. Navy's public announcement here. About AAR AAR is a global aerospace and defense aftermarket solutions company that employs more than 6,000 people in over 20 countries. Headquartered in the Chicago area, AAR supports commercial and government customers through two operating segments: Aviation Services and Expeditionary Services. AAR's Aviation Services include Parts Supply; OEM Solutions; Integrated Solutions; maintenance, repair, overhaul; and engineering. AAR's Expeditionary Services include Mobility Systems and Composite Manufacturing operations. Additional information can be found at www.aarcorp.com. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/aar-secures-118m-c-40-aircraft-procurement-and-modification-contract-with-naval-air-systems-command-in-support-of-us-marine-corps-300913204.html

ROCKET CENTER, W.Va. – Sept. 5, 2019 – Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) has received its first production order from the U.S. Navy to manufacture the FMU-139D/B, a new all-electronic bomb fuze suitable for many general purpose bombs used by the U.S. Department of Defense and its allied nations. With the U.S. Navy's decision this January to authorize full rate production, the improved FMU-139D/B bomb fuze creates a uniform solution for general purpose bombs that increases performance and reliability, while decreasing cost. The FMU-139D/B replaces three legacy bomb fuzes – FMU-139C/B, FMU-152 and most FMU-143s – which were manufactured with technology that relied on mechanical mechanisms to safe and arm each fuze. In contrast, the FMU-139D/B relies on electronics to safe and arm the device, greatly improving its reliability as 100 percent of the fuze's electronic functionality can be tested before the fuze is delivered to the customer. “Increased flexibility and agility will enable the warfighter to cover a broader set of missions,” said Pat Nolan, vice president, missile products, Northrop Grumman. “The FMU-139D/B's all-electronic nature improves affordability. It is easier to manufacture, assemble and test than other legacy fuzes.” Under Northrop Grumman's contract with the U.S. Navy, the FMU-139D/B production orders have the potential to exceed $400 million over the next four years. FMU-139D/B will be used by both the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Air Force, and the Navy Program Office will manage the requirements. The FMU-139D/B will be produced at Northrop Grumman's Allegany Ballistics Laboratory (ABL) facility in Rocket Center, West Virginia. The FMU-139D/B is designed to be a multi-purpose fuze equipped with general purpose characteristics and also serves as a highly survivable fuze for penetrator weapons. This flexibility offers the U.S. Department of Defense and its allied nations a multi-purpose fuze solution. Learn more about the benefits of the FMU-139D/B, Northrop Grumman's new all-electronic fuze, in this video. Northrop Grumman is a leading global security company providing innovative systems, products and solutions in autonomous systems, cyber, C4ISR, space, strike, and logistics and modernization to customers worldwide. Please visit news.northropgrumman.com and follow us on Twitter, @NGCNews, for more information. https://news.northropgrumman.com/news/releases/northrop-grumman-to-manufacture-new-all-electronic-bomb-fuze

The EuroDASS consortium, which comprises Leonardo, Elettronica, Indra and Hensoldt, will spend 18 months exploring future upgrades for the Eurofighter Typhoon's world-class electronic warfare system. The Praetorian Defensive Aids Sub System (DASS) is highly-regarded by users and has kept Eurofighter Typhoon crews safe throughout peace-keeping operations in Libya and Syria. The study will support the ability of the Eurofighter Typhoon's defences to keep pace with new technology and techniques employed by rapidly-developing threat systems. Leonardo, on behalf of the EuroDASS consortium, has received a contract from BAE Systems that will see the consortium explore the future of the Eurofighter Typhoon's ‘Praetorian' Defensive Aids Sub System (DASS). The ‘Praetorian Long Term Evolution (LTE)' study will lay the groundwork for future development work which will ensure that the Typhoon's Electronic Warfare system will remain one of the most advanced in the world for decades to come. The contract is a key part of the wider Eurofighter Typhoon LTE study, which aims to identify a suite of technology enhancements for the Eurofighter Typhoon's weapons system infrastructure and propulsion to provide a clear road map for the future of the platform. The Praetorian DASS is provided by the EuroDASS consortium, which comprises Leonardo, Elettronica, Indra and Hensoldt. It equips the Eurofighter Typhoon with advanced protection from threats including Infra-Red (IR or heat-seeking) and radar-guided missiles. The system is well-regarded by users and has been battle-tested on peace-keeping operations in Libya and Syria. The LTE project will enable Eurofighter Typhoon to be a survivable and effective combat aircraft out to 2060 against a background of accelerating technology development by potential adversaries. The Praetorian Defensive Aids Sub System (DASS) is the Eurofighter Typhoon's protection system, which integrates sensors and jamming equipment to provide exceptional situational awareness and a digital stealth capability for the aircraft, achieved through advanced electronic deception techniques. The Praetorian LTE study will evaluate potential future DASS requirements, enabling the aircraft to cope faster, easier and more affordably with new threats as they arise in the future. The study is expected to deliver options for long-term technical solutions and enablers which will sustain the growth path of the platform in the future. Options are likely to coverboth improved architecture, which new capabilities can be added to in a more agile and lower-cost fashion, and improvements to the exploitation and fusion of sensors to support the multi-role flexibility of the platform. A number of options will be explored and presented to the Eurofighter partner nations to support informed decision making. https://www.eurofighter.com/news-and-events/2019/09/eurofighter-typhoon-defensive-aids-sub-system-enhancement-study-contract-awarded

Marc Garneau, minister of Transport, on behalf of Navdeep Bains, minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development and minister responsible for FedDev Ontario, announced a Government of Canada investment of up to $4.9 million over three years for the First Nations Technical Institute (FNTI). The FNTI is an Indigenous-owned post-secondary institute offering unique educational opportunities for Indigenous peoples. The First Peoples' Aviation Technology program at FNTI is the only Indigenous aviation post-secondary program of its kind in Canada. With this investment, the FNTI will strengthen its aviation training program. It will double the number of Indigenous students training to become commercial pilots, enabling more Indigenous peoples to take advantage of growing economic opportunities in the aviation sector. The Government of Canada investment will support Indigenous students through the purchase of five new training aircraft; hiring additional aircraft maintenance engineers, flight instructors, dispatch staff, academic faculty and student support facilitators; and acquiring innovative safety maintenance software. “The Government of Canada is pleased to support the First Nations Technical Institute in increasing its capacity while helping to break down some of the barriers currently facing Indigenous peoples in pursuing careers in aviation. This is an excellent time to help enable more candidates to enter this high demand field,” said Garneau. “FedDev Ontario's support for the expansion of this vital training program is so important. With new and more specialized capabilities, FNTI will be able to offer more Indigenous pilots the chance to join a dynamic and growing sector of the Canadian economy. This will not only bring benefits to communities right across the country, it will also help create good quality jobs for many years to come,” added Bains. “Today's investment in the First Peoples' Aviation Technology program is a game changer, and I share the excitement our friends and neighbours at FNTI as this program continues to grow. Programs like this are critical for the sustainability of Indigenous communities, particularly rural and northern ones, across Canada. The pilots and aviation experts trained by FNTI will have an incredible impact in helping deliver supplies to families, provide emergency support in times of need, and keep the communities reliant on aviation open and accessible when other forms of travel are unfeasible. With FNTI recently experiencing unprecedented student enrolment, particularly among women in the Aviation Technology Program, they are continuing to set themselves apart as leaders across Canada, and I am so proud that they are a fixture of our area,” said Mike Bossio, member of Parliament for Hastings-Lennox and Addington. “Through this support FNTI will be able to create more educational opportunities for Indigenous learners, reduce our waiting list, and ensure pathways for Indigenous graduates into the aviation industry. More students and more graduates will assist with creating sustainability in remote communities across Canada and help increase role models for the next generation of Indigenous pilots in the aviation industry,” explained Suzanne Brant, president, First Nations Technical Institute, Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory. ‎ “We greatly appreciate the financial support of the Government of Canada for this project. The Government of Canada's investment in the First Nations Technical Institute shows that our communities succeed when we work together. Our partnership with ministers Bains and Garneau is a strong one, and this initiative with FNTI will help increase labour force participation of the Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte community on and off the territory, and help Indigenous students across Canada, find good, well-paying jobs,” concluded Chief R. Donald Maracle, Tyendinaga Mohawk Council. https://www.skiesmag.com/press-releases/government-of-canada-invests-in-pilot-training-at-the-first-nations-technical-institute