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By: Jen Judson WASHINGTON — U.S. Army Futures Command is laying the groundwork to strengthen collaboration with academia and small businesses to solve some of the service's most major problems. The Army has struggled with relationships outside of the established defense industry, particularly with small businesses and Silicon Valley. Small businesses have expressed concerns about working with the government, mostly in regard to the time it takes to secure a contract award as well as the complex and cumbersome government-contracting process. The Government Accountability Office issued a report last week that found Army Futures Command could improve how it works with small businesses. The report was released on the eve of AFC's declaration of full operational capability, which is officially set for July 31. “The funny thing is if I talk to defense primes, they are convinced all we are working with is small business, and I talk to small business all they are convinced ... we are working with the defense primes,” Gen. Mike Murray, AFC commander, said during a July 18 press briefing at the Pentagon. “It's going to take a combination of both for us to accomplish our mission, and in many ways a combination of both working together” to achieve the command's goals in modernizing the Army, he said. But Murray agreed there is more to be done. To its credit, the command was built from scratch and was a “blank canvas” just a year ago, Murray said. The command went from 24 pioneers on the ground at its headquarters in Austin, Texas, to 24,000 soldiers and civilians in 25 states and in 15 countries, over the course of the past year. Since landing in Austin, the AFC has established “focused relationships” with industry and academia, he added. Engaging small businesses One critical step toward engagement with small businesses was the creation of the Army Applications Laboratory in Austin's Capital Factory — an innovation hub for entrepreneurs in the heart of the city's downtown. The venue, with more than 100 Army personnel, is to identify novel solutions to benefit the Army's modernization priorities. For example, the lab is kicking off a major effort this week to discover out-of-the-box solutions for an autoloader for its Extended Range Cannon Artillery system in development under its top priority — Long Range Precision Fires. Additionally, a capability the Army was eyeing a year ago — discovered at the Capital Factory — will be tested at the flight school at Fort Rucker, Alabama, as the service refines its new lot of virtual reality trainers being tested in a pilot program. The Senseye technology is software that can track a pilot's irises during flight simulation training to determine when a person has neurologically learned a task. The Air Force has already incorporated this technology into its simulators. The commander of the Aviation Center of Excellence at Fort Rucker said in April at the Army Aviation Association of America symposium that the technology is promising. If all goes well, the commander added, the tech could be used as part of the Army's Synthetic Training Environment. The Army has a cross-functional team, or CFT, within Futures Command focused on such an environment. The GAO recommended the AFC use its cross-functional teams to enhance small business engagement. The Army Applications Lab was also recently at Fort Hood, Texas, working with soldiers on the ground to identify problems that could be solved by small businesses. The lab also completed a trip overseas, Murray noted, but he would not discuss specifics on the location. “I'm not going to say particularly where. There was some specific re-coding of some mission command systems, which significantly helped,” he said. The GAO also recommended the command focus on better engaging small businesses for research and development programs. The command has established four related initiatives, according to the report: It set up the Army Research Laboratory Open Campus 2.0, which transitions scientific research from universities to Army technology development efforts. The command set up the Army Capability Accelerator to help small businesses mature concepts into prototypes and validate early-stage technology. This is managed within the Army Applications Lab. The Army Strategic Capital restructures a prior effort that takes venture capital to offset Army development costs by investing in existing Army Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer programs. Lastly, Halo is an effort to accelerate the “adaptation and transition of commercial and startup-derived products to Army applications and programs,” according to the GAO report. The Army Applications Lab will also manage the effort. Murray is in the process of hiring a lead for a small-business office within AFC. While the Army already has a servicewide small-business office, the GAO recommended AFC interface and use that office to improve relations with small businesses. The office will “make sure that we are at least knowledgeable focusing on capitalizing on anything that small businesses have to offer,” Murray said. AFC is also in the preliminary stage of arranging an event in Austin to establish relationships between small businesses and defense primes, Murray said. “One thing I worry about with small business is the ability to scale,” he said, “so there are a lot of ways they can scale, and one of the ways is working with a defense prime.” While defense primes have relationships with small business, Murray noted, the effort would foster new ones that might not exist. Academic pursuits AFC has also established the University Technology Development Division, which serves as the primary link between the command and its academic partners, Murray said. “That is taking root in several key places,” he explained, including Vanderbilt University, which is partnering with the 101st Airborne Division; Carnegie Mellon University, the home of the Army's Artificial Intelligence Task Force; and the University of Texas as well as Texas A&M, where the command is beginning work on several key programs. In addition to providing the building for AFC's headquarters and offering up roughly 10,000 square feet of office space and labs at its Cockrell School of Engineering, the University of Texas is building a robotics institute for the Army by converting an old building into a lab “at fairly significant cost,” Murray said. Murray has tasked engineers at the University of Texas to study the utility of robotics taking over the dirty and dangerous work while keeping soldiers out of harm's way, even bringing a leading engineering professor from the school on a recent trip to Yakima Air Force Base in Washington state to witness a robotic breach experiment that was part of the service's Joint Warfighting Assessment. The lab will also work on battery technologies, Murray added. The inventor of the lithium battery works at the University of Texas. Texas A&M is focused on hypersonics and directed-energy research, according to Murray. The university will eventually build a soldier-development facility at its RELLIS campus“where we will be able to marry up soldiers with graduate students and faculty to go into some agile development capability in solving problems for soldiers,” he said. https://www.defensenews.com/land/2019/07/22/can-futures-command-change-the-armys-relationship-with-academia-and-small-business/

DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Hamilton Medical Inc., Reno, Nevada, has been awarded a maximum $75,000,000 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for patient monitoring and capital equipment systems and accessories. This was a competitive acquisition with 36 responses received. This is a five-year base contract with one five-year option period. Location of performance is Nevada, with a July 21, 2024, performance completion date. Using customers are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and federal civilian agencies. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2024 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE2D1-19-D-0021). Draeger Inc., Telford, Pennsylvania, has been awarded a maximum $60,000,000 modification (P00021) exercising the fifth one-year option period of a one-year base contract (SPE2D1-14-D-0004) with nine one-year option periods for patient monitoring systems, subsystems, accessories, consumables and training. This is a fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment contract. Location of performance is Pennsylvania, with an Aug. 5, 2020, performance completion date. Using customers are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and federal civilian agencies. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2020 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. CenterPoint Energy Services Inc., Houston, Texas, has been awarded an estimated $12,337,969 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment requirements contract for pipeline quality direct supply natural gas. This was a competitive acquisition with five offers received. This is a two-year contract with a possible six-month carryover. Locations of performance are Arizona, New Mexico and Utah, with a Sept. 30, 2021, performance completion date. Using customers are Army, Air Force and federal civilian agencies. No money is obligated at the time of award; however, customers are solely responsible for funding. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Energy, Fort Belvoir, Virginia (SPE604-19-D-7515). International Business Machines Corp., Reston, Virginia, has been awarded a maximum $7,695,744 modification (P00002) exercising the first one-year option period of a one-year base contract (SP4701-18-C-0048) with four one-year option periods for technical and functional services for the Defense Agency Initiative. This is a firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-incentive-fee contract. Locations of performance are Virginia and other areas in the continental U.S., with a July 31, 2020, performance completion date. Using customer is Defense Logistics Agency. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2020 operations and maintenance funds, and research, development, test and evaluation funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Contracting Services Office, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Bell Helicopter, Fort Worth, Texas, has been awarded a maximum $7,394,295 firm-fixed-price delivery order (SPRPA1-19-F-M21B) against a five-year basic ordering agreement (SPRPA1-16-G-001W) for H-1 aircraft gear box assemblies. This was a sole-source acquisition using justification 10 U.S. Code 2304 (c)(1), as stated in Federal Acquisition Regulations 6.302-1. This is a five-year, two-month contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Texas, with an Aug. 31, 2022, performance completion date. Using military service is Navy. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2022 Navy working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. CORRECTION: The contract announced on July 19, 2019, for Brit Systems LLC, Dallas, Texas (SPE2D1-19-D-0020), for $400,000,000 was announced with an incorrect award date. The correct award date is July 22, 2019. AIR FORCE Frontier Technology Inc., Beavercreek, Ohio, has been awarded a $47,246,679 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for supporting the enterprise ground system and defensive cyber operations. This contract award provides for cross-domain solutions, design, integration and rapid delivery team services. Work will be performed in Colorado Springs, Colorado; Beverly, Massachusetts; and Los Angeles, California, and is expected to be completed by July 19, 2024. Fiscal 2019 research and development funds in the amount of $1,876,545 are being obligated at the time of award. This contract was the result of a sole-source acquisition. Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles Air Force Base, California, is the contracting activity (FA8806-19-C-0004). NAVY Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., San Diego, California, is awarded $33,755,229 for firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee delivery order N00019-19-F-0272 against a previously issued basic ordering agreement (N00019-15-G-0026) in support of the MQ-4C Triton unmanned aircraft system. This order procures material kits and retrofit labor to incorporate the Integrated Functional Capability 4.0 configuration into retrofit aircraft and ground segments. Work will be performed in San Diego, California (41.2%); Palmdale, California (30.7%); Waco, Texas (9.9%); Salt Lake City, Utah (2.9%); Newtown, North Dakota (2.5%) Verona, Wisconsin (1.6%); Sterling, Virginia (1.5%); Irvine, California (1%); San Clemente, California (0.7%); and various locations inside and outside the continental U.S. (7.9% and 0.1%, respectively). Work is expected to be completed in January 2022. Fiscal 2019 aircraft procurement (Navy); and fiscal 2018 and 2019 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $33,755,229 are being obligated at time of award, $1,719,061 of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems, Moorestown, New Jersey, is awarded a $15,707,204 cost-plus-incentive-fee modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-16-C-5136) for AEGIS Weapons System design requirements in support of Guided Missile Frigate (FFG(X)). The Frigate Combat Management System (CMS) contract includes the design of the CMS. The planned contract action will modify CMS capabilities under development and integrate increased combat system element capability, resulting in an AEGIS Weapon System that aligns with FFG(X) class ships. Work will be performed in Moorestown, New Jersey, and is expected to be completed by September 2021. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funding in the amount of $1,901,637 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, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., San Diego, California, is awarded $14,187,994 for modification P00037 to a previously awarded fixed-price, incentive-fee contract (N00019-15-C-0002) in support of the MQ-4C Triton unmanned aircraft system. This modification incorporates integrated functional capability 4.0 into low-rate initial production Lot 2 Aircraft B12. Work will be performed in Palmdale, California (41.6%); San Diego, California (34.2%); Waco, Texas (5.3%); Verona, Wisconsin (2.4%); Salt Lake City, Utah (1.7%); Irvine, California (1.5%); San Clemente, California (1%); Saint Peters, Missouri (0.7%); Menlo Park, California (0.7%); Ronkonkoma, New York (0.5%); and Grove, Oklahoma (0.5%); and various locations inside and outside the continental U.S. (9.8% and 0.1%, respectively). Work is expected to be completed in November 2021. Fiscal 2017 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $14,187,994 are being obligated at time of award, all of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. ARMY Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, was awarded a $9,107,025 cost-no-fee contract for the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency-based proposal titled "Diagnostic Epigenetics of Infectious agents and Chemical Toxicity." Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will be performed in Tempe, Arizona, with an estimated completion date of July 21, 2021. Fiscal 2018 and 2019 Defense Advanced Research Project Agency funds in the amount of $5,222,714 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W911NF-19-C-0039). *Small Business https://dod.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/1912513/source/GovDelivery/

The 88 jets are to replace the country's aging CF-18s, which have been in service for more than 35 years. After years of stop-and-start work on replacing them, the government launched the current procurement in 2016 and has been working on the details for nearly three years. Public Services and Procurement Canada says Saab, Airbus, Lockheed Martin and Boeing have until this fall to demonstrate that they can meet requirements for security and interoperability with allied countries' forces, and until 2020 to make what the government calls “initial proposals.” In announcing the call, the government points out that the bidders will have to show that they have plans to invest as much in economic benefits for Canada as the eventual contract is worth. A winning bidder is to be chosen in 2022 and the first planes are to arrive in 2025. https://ottawacitizen.com/pmn/news-pmn/canada-news-pmn/feds-officially-launch-contract-to-supply-88-new-fighter-jets/wcm/10762f5a-0cdb-4c70-9081-5311b2bf49a7

Intevac, Inc. (Nasdaq: IVAC) announced today it has received a $40 million contract award for the multi-year production of digital night vision cameras in support of the U.S. Government. “With this new order and increased backlog, we now have multi-year visibility for our manufacturing operations, and continued validation of our digital night vision technology.” “This award represents the largest single booking to date for Intevac Photonics, and increases our Photonics backlog to the historic level of just over $83 million,” commented Timothy Justyn, executive vice president and general manager of Intevac Photonics. “This award closely follows awards for both the U.S. Army's IVAS ground soldier program, and the Apache Helicopter's Pilot Night Vision Sensor (PNVS) foreign military sales announced last December, demonstrating Intevac's commitment to delivering the latest digital night vision technology to our Warfighters.” “We are very proud to have received this substantial order for our digital night vision technology,” added Wendell Blonigan, president and chief executive officer of Intevac. “With this new order and increased backlog, we now have multi-year visibility for our manufacturing operations, and continued validation of our digital night vision technology.” Intevac's digital night-vision sensors, based on its patented Electron Bombarded Active Pixel Sensor (EBAPS®) technology, provide state-of-the-art capability to the most advanced avionic fighting platforms in the U.S. Department of Defense inventory. Intevac was founded in 1991 and has two businesses: Thin-film Equipment and Photonics. In our Thin-film Equipment business, we are a leader in the design and development of high-productivity, thin-film processing systems. Our production-proven platforms are designed for high-volume manufacturing of substrates with precise thin film properties, such as the hard drive media, display cover panel, and solar photovoltaic markets we serve currently. In our Photonics business, we are a recognized leading developer of advanced high-sensitivity digital sensors, cameras and systems that primarily serve the defense industry. We are the provider of integrated digital imaging systems for most U.S. military night vision programs. For more information call 408-986-9888, or visit the Company's website at www.intevac.com . This press release includes statements that constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (the “Reform Act”). Intevac claims the protection of the safe-harbor for forward-looking statements contained in the Reform Act. These forward-looking statements are often characterized by the terms “may,” “believes,” “projects,” “expects,” or “anticipates,” and do not reflect historical facts. Specific forward-looking statements contained in this press release include, but are not limited to; the multi-year visibility of camera deliveries. The forward-looking statements contained herein involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the company's expectations. These risks include, but are not limited to: changes in planned shipment dates, which could have a material impact on our business, our financial results, and the company's stock price. These risks and other factors are detailed in the Company's periodic filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Source: Intevac, Inc.http://www.asdnews.com/news/defense/2019/07/18/intevac-receives-record-40-m-digital-night-vision-contract-award

3D Systems and the National Center for Manufacturing Sciences (NCMS) have been awarded a US$15 million contract by the Combat Capabilities Development Command Army Research Laboratory (ARL) to create what they say will be the ‘world's largest, fastest, and most precise metal 3D printer'. The machine will be used for long-range munitions, combat vehicles, helicopters, and air and missile defense applications, the company said. According to the US Army, it already uses additive manufacturing (AM) to refurbish worn parts and create custom tools. Plans are to develop large-scale systems for installation in its depots and labs. Subsequently, 3D Systems and its partners also aim to make the new 3D printer technology available to aerospace and defense suppliers. The printer's build envelope is planned to be 1000 mm x 1000 mm x 600 mm, with ability to build minimum wall thickness of 100 µm and layer thickness of 30 µm. This is a significant increase over current large-scale metal 3D printers with a build envelope of 500 mm x 500 mm x 500 mm, 3D Systems said. 'Up until now, powder bed laser 3D printers have been too small, too slow, and too imprecise to produce major ground combat subsystems at scale,' said Dr Joseph South, ARL program manager. 3D Systems also plans to integrate the new technologies and processes into its existing range of 3D printers. https://www.materialstoday.com/additive-manufacturing/news/us-army-commissions-worlds-largest-3d-printer/

With some aerospace and defense organizations lagging in the adoption of Industry 4.0, what can A&D companies do better to achieve digital transformation? INDUSTRY 4.0 technologies could be the key to unlocking future competitiveness. There is a clear and compelling case for aerospace and defense (A&D) companies to leverage these technologies and incorporate digital transformation throughout their organizations. In a global survey conducted by Deloitte to assess the current state of Industry 4.0 adoption across manufacturing industries, 84 percent of A&D executives said they consider leveraging new digital technologies as key to market differentiation—yet only a quarter of the A&D companies are currently using these technologies and tools to access, manage, analyze, and leverage data from their digital assets to inform decision-making in real time.1 Industry 4.0-driven technologies can impact every company that operates within the A&D industry, from original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to small suppliers. However, not all companies seem to be taking advantage of these technologies, whether for growing revenues or improving profitability. Designing new products and business models remains a significant challenge for most A&D companies, with 40 percent of the surveyed A&D executives identifying the establishment of new business or delivery models as the top challenge their organization faces as they pursue digital transformation initiatives.2 Furthermore, despite implementing Industry 4.0 technologies in areas such as factory manufacturing and supply chain, many A&D companies have been slow in adopting broader digital transformation initiatives that span the entire enterprise.3 This is because many surveyed companies in the industry note that they have not made Industry 4.0 a priority across the enterprise; rather, they have primarily invested in specific, focused technology implementations. Limiting the digital strategy to a few business functions may increase the risk of A&D companies being left behind in today's digital era. It is important, therefore, that companies across the industry understand and harness the power of new technologies to benefit from the opportunities of Industry 4.0 transformation. A&D companies, especially mid- and small-sized, could start small but scale enterprisewide to maximize the benefits of these technologies. Instead of viewing new technologies as an add-on to existing processes and practices, A&D executives should rethink how they do business leveraging those technologies. This report explores the lessons A&D companies appear to have learned in their journey in becoming digitally transformed enterprises and recommends how they could thrive in this age of Industry 4.0. For the full text of this article : https://www2.deloitte.com/insights/us/en/focus/industry-4-0/aerospace-defense-companies-digital-transformation.html

MISSILE DEFENSE AGENCY Lockheed Martin Corp., Missiles and Fire Control, Dallas, Texas, is being awarded a firm-fixed-price, $1,473,941,756 modification (P00019) to previously-awarded contract HQ0147-17-C-0032 for the procurement of Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) Interceptor support items in support of the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) case to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). The value of this contract is increased from $3,890,665,224 to $5,364,606,980. One offer was solicited with one offer received. The work will be performed in Dallas, Texas; Sunnyvale, California; Huntsville, Alabama; Camden, Arkansas; and Troy, Alabama. The period of performance is from July 19, 2019, through July 31, 2023. KSA FMS funds in the amount of $340,940,179 are being obligated at time of award. The Missile Defense Agency, Huntsville, Alabama, is the contracting activity. AIR FORCE United Technologies Corp., doing business as Pratt & Whitney Military Engines, East Hartford, Connecticut, has been awarded a $253,708,434 indefinite-delivery-requirements contract for engine module remanufacture. This contract provides for F100-PW-100/-200/-220/-220E/-229/-229EEP engine module remanufacture for Foreign Military Sales (FMS) partner countries. Work will be performed at East Hartford, Connecticut; Midland, Georgia; and Midwest City, Oklahoma, and is expected to be completed by July 30, 2024. This contract involves foreign military sales to Chile, Indonesia, Taiwan, Poland, Greece, Iraq, Pakistan, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Thailand and Morocco. No funds are being obligated at the time of award. This award is the result of a sole source acquisition. The Air Force Sustainment Center, Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, is the contracting activity (FA8121-19-D-0005). Raytheon Corp., Marlborough, Massachusetts, is being awarded a $191,011,135 modification (P00084) to previously awarded contract FA8705-14-C-0001 for exercising the production option under contract line numbers 0004, 0005, 0007, 0008 and 0018 for global aircrew strategic network terminal. This modification brings the total cumulative value of the contract from $499,014,088 to $690,025,223. Work will be performed at Largo, Florida, and is expected to be completed by Sept. 19, 2021. Fiscal 2019 procurement funds in the amount of $154,685,867 are being obligated at time of award. The Air Force Material Command, Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts, is the contracting activity. DynCorp International LLC., Fort Worth, Texas, is being awarded a $37,641,699 modification (P00004) to previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract FA7014-18-F-5045 for the executive airlift maintenance support contract. This contract provides for aircraft maintenance and back shop support of aircraft. Work will be performed at Joint Base Andrews, Naval Air Facility, Washington, and is expected to be completed by Aug. 31, 2020. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $37,641,699 will be obligated at the time of award. The 11th Contracting Squadron Services Flight, Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, is the contracting activity. The University of Toledo, Toledo, Ohio, has been awarded a $7,441,142 cost reimbursement contract for space solar array architecture, power generation, and energy storage and distribution research. This contract provides for the development of advanced materials, interfaces, and electrical contacts for high efficiency and high specific power tandem thin film photovoltaic technologies to meet the needs of the Air Force for on-demand power in space. Work will be performed at Bancroft, Ohio, and is expected to be completed by July 2024. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition and four offers were received. Fiscal 2018 and 2019 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $6,617,000 are being obligated at time of award. The Air Force Research Laboratory, Kirtland Air Force Base, Albuquerque, New Mexico, is the contracting activity (FA9453-19-C-1002). DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Brit Systems LLC, Dallas, Texas, has been awarded a maximum $400,000,000 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for digital imaging network picture archiving communications system products and maintenance. This was a competitive acquisition with nine offers received. This is the sixth contract competitively awarded under the open solicitation, SPE2D1-15-R-0004. This is a five-year base contract with one five-year option period. Locations of performance are Texas, and other areas located within and outside the continental U.S., with a July 18, 2024, performance completion date. Using customers are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and federal civilian agencies. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2024 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE2D1-19-D-0020). Hartford Provisions Co., doing business as HPC Foodservice, South Windsor, Connecticut, has been awarded a maximum $7,576,803 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment, indefinite-quantity contract for full-line food distribution for customers located in the southern New England area (Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island). This was a sole-source acquisition in accordance with 10 U.S. Code 2304 (c)(1), as stated in Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. This is a 219-day contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Connecticut, with a Feb. 22, 2020, performance completion date. Using military services are Army, Navy, Air Force, Air National Guard and federal civilian agencies. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 defense working capital funds. The contracting agency is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE300-19-D-3235). Awarded July 18, 2019 NAVY Allied Systems Co.,* Sherwood, Oregon, is awarded a $70,655,603 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract to provide for the design, development, test and manufacture of production of the new Carrier Crash and Salvage Crane (CCSC) and Amphibious Crash and Salvage Crane (ACSC). The CCSC and ACSC will be used for lifting and moving disabled aircraft on carrier vessel, nuclear and landing helicopter assault, and landing helicopter dock class ship flight decks. The CCSC and ACSC will replace the legacy A/S32A-35A and -52 Carrier Vessel Crash Cranes; and the A/S32A-36A and -53 Amphibious Assault Crash Cranes. This effort also includes engineering and logistics support. Work will be performed in Sherwood, Oregon, and is expected to be completed in July 2024. 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 an electronic request for proposal, with three offers received. The Naval Air Warfare Center, Aircraft Division, Lakehurst, New Jersey, is the contracting activity (N68335-19-D-0135). Progeny Systems Corp., Manassas, Virginia, is awarded a $51,071,180 firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for the procurement of Navy systems engineering services, hardware and software. This contract includes options, which if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $93,171,904. Work will be performed in Manassas, Virginia (70%); Virginia Beach, Virginia (10%); Charleroi, Pennsylvania (10%); and Middletown, Rhode Island (10%); and is expected to be complete by June 2020, and if all options are exercised, work would continue to completion by July 2027. Royal Australian Navy funding in the amount of $1,235,312; and fiscal 2019 research, development, test, and evaluation (Navy) funding in the amount of $709,443 will be obligated at time of award and does not expire at the end of the fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured in accordance with 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(5). The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington Navy Yard, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity (N00024-19-C-6118). Raytheon Co., Marlborough, Massachusetts, is awarded a $27,344,029 cost-plus, incentive-fee modification to previously awarded contract N00024-14-C-5315 to settle a request for equitable adjustment for contractor provision of Air and Missile Defense Radar (AMDR) program Pacific Missile Range Facility site generators and associated support hardware resulting from a government change order. The AMDR contract includes engineering and manufacturing development (EMD), as well as options for up to nine low-rate initial production shipsets. This modification increases the value of the AMDR EMD phase to account for new scope resulting from a government change order directing the contractor to provide Pacific Missile Range Facility site generators and support. Work was performed in Marlborough, Massachusetts (60%); and Kekaha, Hawaii (40%), and was completed in June 2018. Obligation of funds is not required. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington Navy Yard, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. General Dynamics Mission Systems, Fairfax, Virginia, is awarded a $26,053,985 cost-plus-fixed-fee, cost-only contract for the procurement of Navy systems engineering services. This contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $211,479,513. This contract involves foreign military sales to Australia. Work will be performed in Fairfax, Virginia (89%); Cape Canaveral, Florida (6%); and Pawcatuck, Connecticut (5%), and is expected to be completed by July 2021. If all options are exercised, work will continue through July 2027. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funding in the amount of $210,242; and Royal Australian Navy funding in the amount of $600,000 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities website, with three offers received. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity (N00024-19-C-6407). General Dynamics Mission Systems, Fairfax, Virginia, is awarded a $22,778,107 cost-plus-fixed-fee, cost-only modification to previously awarded contract N00024-19-C-6407 to exercise options for Navy systems engineering services. Work will be performed in Fairfax, Virginia, and is expected to be completed July 2022. If all options are exercised, work will continue through July 2027. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funding in the amount of $1,220,000 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, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. PC Mechanical Inc., Santa Maria, California, is awarded a $19,000,000 firm-fixed-price modification under a previously awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (N39430-15-D-1604) to exercise Option Four for inspection, overhaul, repair, refurbishment, preventive maintenance and logistics management information services to reconstitute the force of civil engineer support equipment (CESE) and civil engineer end items (CEEI) under the CESE/CEEI Life Extension Program (CLEP) at Naval Base, Ventura County. Work to be performed provides for management of CLEP to obtain inspection; overhaul; repair; refurbishment; preventive maintenance; and logistics management information services for automotive vehicles, construction equipment (motorized and non-motorized), special military construction and commercial support equipment, material and weight handling equipment, water well drilling equipment, mineral products and plant facility equipment, international standard organization shipping container assets, power production and environmental control unit equipment, fire and emergency response vehicles, and small boats and watercraft to support the Navy and other Department of Defense components worldwide. The total contract amount after exercise of this option will be $95,000,000. No task orders are being issued at this time. We work will be performed in Port Hueneme, California (60%); and Gulfport, Mississippi (40%), and is expected to be completed July 2020. No funds will be obligated at time of award. Funds will be obligated on individual task orders as they are issued. Task orders will be primarily funded by fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance (Navy). The Naval Facilities Engineering and Expeditionary Warfare Center, Port Hueneme, California, is the contracting activity. ARMY PAE Government Systems Inc., Arlington, Virginia, was awarded a $22,578,864 modification (P00012) to Foreign Military Sales (Afghanistan) contract W56HZV-17-C-0117 for contractor logistic support efforts to the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces. Work will be performed in Kabul, Afghanistan, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 30, 2022. Fiscal 2019 Afghanistan Security Forces funds in the amount of $22,578,864 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Warren, Michigan, is the contracting activity. TDX Quality LLC,* Anchorage, Alaska, was awarded a $19,315,709 firm-fixed-price contract for the construction of Alaska U.S. Property and Fiscal Office Building at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska. Bids were solicited via the internet with five received. Work will be performed in Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, with an estimated completion date of March 12, 2021. Fiscal 2019 military construction funds in the amount of $19,315,709 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Property and Fiscal Office, Alaska, is the contracting activity (W91ZRU-19-C-0003). Inland Dredging Co. LLC, Dyersburg, Tennessee, was awarded a $16,744,000 firm-fixed-price contract for furnishing one fully-crewed and equipped hydraulic pipeline cutterhead dredge on a rental basis for the removal and satisfactory disposal of shoal material. Bids were solicited via the internet with three received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of April 15, 2021. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans, Louisiana, is the contracting activity (W912P8-19-D-0012). DEFENSE INFORMATION SYSTEMS AGENCY Iridium Satellite LLC., Tempe, Arizona, was awarded a non-competitive, firm-fixed-price contract modification (P00013) for the extension of services on the current Airtime contract (HC104714C4000). The face value of this action is $8,836,000 funded by fiscal 2019 defense working capital funds. The total cumulative face value of the contract is $478,194,000. Performance will be at the contractor's facility. The original solicitation was issued on the basis of other than full and open competition pursuant to 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1), only one responsible source and no other type of supplies or services would satisfy agency requirements. The period of performance is July 22, 2019, through Aug. 21, 2019. The Defense Information Technology Organization, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, is the contracting activity. *Small Business

PAR JEAN-PAUL BAQUIAST Le temps n'est pas éloigné où les médias français ridiculisaient le Rafale de Dassault Aviation. Ils le présentaient comme une relique invendable et bientôt dépassée d'un temps où la France, dans la tradition gaulliste, voulait avoir des moyens de défense en propre au lieu de tout acheter aux Etats-Unis. Aujourd'hui le Rafale a finalement fait sa percée à l'exportation avec plus de 144 appareils commandées, dont 96 fermes. Mais il faut aussi prévoir l'avenir. Le 14 janvier, sur la chaîne de montage du Rafale à Mérignac, Florence Parly ministre de la défense a annoncé que le gouvernement voulait lancer les recherches pour une nouvelle version du Rafale, dit au standard F4, pour laquelle un budget de 2 milliards, malgré les restricitons, a déjà été prévu. Par ailleurs les armées françaises comptent augmenter leurs acquisitions à partir de 2022 portant si possible sur cette nouvelle génération du Rafale, livrables entre 2022 et 2030. Rappelons que le Rafale est le produit d'un ensemble d'industriels comprenant outre Dassault Aviation, Thales, Safran, MBDA-Missile Systems et des dizaines de sous-traitants. Inutile de préciser que chacun d'eux compte réutiliser dans le cadre d'autres produits militaires et civils le savoir-faire acquis. Le Rafale augmentera ainsi sa supériorité sur ses concurrents européens, Eurofighter et Gripen. Inutile de préciser aussi que dans le même temps les déboires du programme américain F-35 , qui tourne au scandale politique majeur, élimineront la concurrence de ce dernier. Les gouvernements européens qui avaient par complaisance servile avec les Etats-Unis, accepté de s'en équiper, devront vraisemblablement se rabattre sur le Rafale F4. Ils n'y perdront rien. Quant aux Su-35 et Su-57 russes, en dehors du marché indien où ils tentent de reprendre l'avantage sur le Rafale, ils ne sont en compétition avec lui quasiment nulle part, ce d'autant plus que le Rafale a déjà fait ses preuves dans divers engagements militaires en vraie grandeur, ce qui n'est pas autant que nous sachions le cas pour les russes. Les innovations du F4 concerneront principalement sa capacité à opérer en fusion de données au sein d'un dispositif interarmes et interarmées. Il sera en mesure, gr'ce à des logiciels opérant par radio, de recueillir et d'échanger des informations en temps réel avec l'ensemble des systèmes d'armes, aériens, terrestres, navals, spatiaux, qui seront engagés sur une zone de guerre. Ainsi navires, troupes au sol, satellites, plateformes aériennes pilotées et non pilotées (UCAV) qui opéreront à ses côtés, pourront bénéficier des échanges avec eux, soit pour être informés de la situation sur le terrain, soit en effectuant certaines missions pour leur compte. Le F4 sera doté d'un radar amélioré par rapport à l'actuel, dit AESA RBE2, qui pourra être plus précis pour des missions air-sol, plus puissant sur le mode air-air. Par ailleurs les spécialistes ont noté qu'il verra son système d'autoprotection SPECTRA ou Système de Protection et d'Évitement des Conduites de Tir et ses capacités de brouillage améliorées. Son optronique secteur frontal (OSF) sera doté d'infrarouge. Ceci améliorera les performances nocturnes de l'appareil jusqu'ici réduit à un capteur TV pour l'identification et la poursuite des objectifs aériens. Ajoutons que Thales apportera sur le F4 ses savoir-faire en matière de gestion des données en temps réel (Big Data) et d'intelligence artificielle (IA) pour offrir au F4 des outils de maintenance prédictive qui devraient permettre non seulement de réduire significativement le coût du maintien en condition opérationnelle mais aussi de rehausser le taux d'appareils immédiatement disponibles, qui ne dépasse pas actuellement du fait des nécessités de la maintenance environ 60%. On peut penser que le F4 sera est une nouvelle étape vers un Rafale F5, ou MLU (Mid-Life Upgrade), qui verra la pérennité de la filière pilotée assurée au-delà de l'horizon 2050, malgré les prédictions hasardeuses selon lesquelles les appareils pourront se passer de pilotes à bord. Enfin le Rafale F4 pourra emporter le missile AS4NG (air-sol nucléaire de quatrième génération), missile hypersonique capable de voler à plus de 5.000 km/h et devant entrer en service à l'horizon 2035. Il pourra ansi rivaliser avec les missiles hypersoniques dont seront seuls dotés la Russie, la Chine et sans doute les Etats-Unis, lesquels s'efforcent actuellement de rattraper leur retard en ce domaine. Il faut espérer que les futurs gouvernement français ne remettront pas en cause ces programmes, dans le désir de mieux financer la consommation ou de se conformer à des instructions de l'Otan. https://blogs.mediapart.fr/jean-paul-baquiast/blog/190719/defense-le-rafale-f4

ST. JOHN'S, July 17, 2019 /CNW/ - PAL Aerospace is pleased to announce that it has been awarded a contract to provide heavy maintenance services for the Royal Canadian Air Force's CT-142 Dash-8 Fleet. The contract covers an initial four-year period and includes opportunities for PAL Aerospace to earn contract extensions that increase the life of the agreement to seven years. "PAL Aerospace appreciates this new opportunity to continue building our relationship as a trusted partner of the Royal Canadian Air Force," said PAL Aerospace Senior Vice-President of Business Development John Turner. "We understand the important role these aircraft play in training Canada'snext generation of aviation professionals, and we look forward to working closely with the RCAF in ensuring the successful delivery of this contract." Flown by the 402 Squadron, the CT-142 is used to train Air Combat Systems Operators and Airborne Electronic Sensor Operators from the Royal Canadian Air Force and other Air Forces from around the world. Designed and produced in Canada, the CT-142 is a conversion of the twin turboprop Dash-8 airliner modified to include a suite of on-board training computers and a large radar system. PAL Aerospace will perform the maintenance services associated with this contract at our facilities in St. John's, Newfoundland; and Winnipeg, Manitoba. The awarding of this contract furthers PAL Aerospace's goal of expanding and developing our ISS capabilities across Canada. About PAL Aerospace: A member of the Exchange Income Corporation family of companies, PAL Aerospace is a Canadian-owned and operated international aerospace and defence company. With a focus on intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance; and in-service support solutions, PAL Aerospace is recognized by governments and militaries for on time/on budget delivery and high reliability rates. PAL's record of accomplishment now extends to operations in Canada, the Americas, the Caribbean, and the Middle East. PAL Aerospace offers a single point of accountability for its programs and takes pride in being the trusted choice for clients worldwide. For more information, please visit www.palaerospace.com SOURCE PAL Aerospace https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/pal-aerospace-awarded-heavy-maintenance-contract-for-royal-canadian-air-force-ct-142-fleet-800969168.html