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  • Germany’s KMW pitches bridge-launching Boxer vehicle

    July 24, 2020 | International, Land

    Germany’s KMW pitches bridge-launching Boxer vehicle

    By: Sebastian Sprenger COLOGNE, Germany — German tank-maker Krauss-Maffei Wegmann is developing a tactical bridge-launching capability for its Boxer vehicle that the company hopes to sell to its growing customer base. Executives still consider the module an internal prototype, with more testing planned in the coming months. But the premise of a bridge-launching capability in forces lighter than the heavy, tracked vehicles mostly used for that job today could garner interest, they said. The German military, Lithuania, the Netherlands, the U.K. and Australia are current or soon-to-be operators of Boxer fleets. The vehicles were developed in a joint venture with Germany's Rheinmetall. The rides are modular by design, consisting of base chassis that can be combined with payloads for troop transport, command and control, combat, or medical evacuation, for example. The new module will be able to deploy two types of bridges: a heavy variant that spans 14 meters and can carry 80 tons, and a longer version of 22 meters certified for 50 tons. Those weight limits are sufficient for heavy battle tanks and the slightly lighter infantry fighting vehicles, respectively. KMW officials had planned to debut the new development at the Eurosatory expo in Paris, France, last month before organizers canceled the event due to the coronavirus pandemic. The next chance to display the bridging module for would-be clients will be the U.K.-based DVD2020 conference, sponsored by the British Ministry of Defence, in November, according to the company. Modifications needed to operate the bridging module with the base version of the Boxer include a new drive output for siphoning power from the main engine to the hydraulic arms used to push the bridge from the vehicle to the ground, officials explained. https://www.defensenews.com/land/2020/07/23/germanys-kmw-pitches-bridge-launching-boxer-to-its-customer-base/

  • The unlikely way to improve Air Force information warfare: forums

    July 24, 2020 | International, Aerospace

    The unlikely way to improve Air Force information warfare: forums

    Mark Pomerleau One way the Air Force's new information warfare command is trying to bring together the disparate parts of the organization is through forums where leaders put representatives from different components in the same room. Sixteenth Air Force/Air Forces Cyber, created in October, combined what was previously known as 24th and 25th Air Force. The move placed cyber, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, electronic warfare and weather capabilities under one commander, serving as the Air Force's first information warfare entity. With all these new wings and capabilities now under a single unit, they need to understand what everyone is doing and how it can feed together. “How do we bring forums together where all of our wings that are focused on a problem can be in the same room and we start to build out what things are they all contributing,” Lt. Gen. Timothy Haugh, 16th Air Force's commander, told a webcast hosted by the Mitchell Institute. “Then taking it to the next layer, so all the weapons and tactics teams are talking. That simple act of creating a forum was built largely on our component responsibilities. We have very good forums ... for how do we support and produce cyber outcomes. We expanded that forum into an information warfare environment.” Some of this integration is already taking hold. Haugh explained he received a positive update earlier this month about how one meeting had led to fewer stovepipes and more data sharing. In addition, he said he'd like to see more components share intelligence as a way to enable others within the enterprise. For example, if a portion of the ISR enterprise, be it analysis or exploitation, in support of Air Forces Africa, discovers a Russian private military corporation conducting malign activities in Africa, they can pass that to the cyber enterprise to potentially pursue the adversary. Then the cyber element can feed their information or operation back to the ISR enterprise to produce better intelligence for the air component. “This is where for us, that art is starting to come together. Right now, it's very manual, and we're seeing the processes and the data flows start to fall in place that that will become a more automated and routine function that now becomes mutually supportive across our enterprise,” Haugh said. https://www.c4isrnet.com/smr/information-warfare/2020/07/22/the-unlikely-way-to-improve-air-force-information-warfare-forums/

  • Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - July 23, 2020

    July 24, 2020 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security

    Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - July 23, 2020

    AIR FORCE BAE Systems Technology Solutions and Services Inc., Rockville, Maryland, has been awarded a $495,482,136 firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee and cost-reimbursable indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the Instrumentation Range Support Program. This contract provides for serviceable components and subsystems for instrumentation tracking systems, worldwide for both foreign and domestic government agencies to include radars, telemetry and optical range mission systems, flight termination systems, data acquisition systems and Global Positioning Systems. Work will be performed on participating ranges in the program, including Air Force, Army, Navy, NASA, Department of Energy, as well as foreign ranges in the United Kingdom, Germany, Norway, Sweden, Republic of Korea and Switzerland. Work is expected to be completed Sept. 30, 2027. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition and three offers were received. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $116,235 are being obligated on a delivery order at the time of award. This contract has a ceiling amount of $945,234,462. The 45th Contracting Squadron, Patrick Air Force Base, Florida, is the contracting activity (FA2521-20-D-0005). The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Missouri (FA8694-20-D-0400); General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc., Poway, California (FA8694-20-D-0600); Kratos Unmanned Aerial Systems Inc., Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (FA8694-20-D-0700); and Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Palmdale, California (FA8694-20-D-0900), have each been awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contracts with a shared ceiling of $400,000,000 for all subsequent competitively selected delivery orders in support of the Skyborg Vanguard Program. Skyborg is an autonomous attritable aircraft capable of achieving a diverse set of missions to generate massed combat power; delivering a future Air Force which can deter, blunt and defeat peer adversaries. The Skyborg prototyping, experimentation and autonomy development contract will be used to deliver missionized prototypes in support of operational experimentation and develop the first Skyborg air platform with modular hardware and software payloads that will incorporate the Skyborg autonomy core system and enable manned/unmanned teaming. The locations of performance are to be determined at the order level and are expected to be completed by July 2026. These awards are being made as a result of a competitive acquisition and 18 offers were received. No funds are obligated on the awards and funding will be provided on each individual order. Air Force Life Cycle Management, Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity. Accenture Federal Services LLC, Arlington, Virginia, has been awarded an $89,615,577 multiple-year firm-fixed-price contract action to sustain existing infrastructures and establish new cloud common infrastructure and services for Air Force enterprise resource planning: Air Force Integrated Personnel and Pay System, Defense Enterprise Accounting and Management System, and maintenance, repair and overhaul initiative. Work will be performed in Arlington, Virginia; Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio; Maxwell AFB-Gunter Annex, Alabama; Randolph AFB, Texas; and other locations as required. Work is expected to be completed by July 31, 2025. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition and 28 offers were received. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $5,000,000; and fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $1,750,340 are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Maxwell AFB – Gunter Annex, Alabama, is the contracting activity (FA8771-20-C-0014). Advanced Concepts Enterprises Inc., Shalimar, Florida, has been awarded a $43,099,833 firm-fixed-price contract for command and control contract academic training, courseware development and distance learning training program. This contract provides services for training support/mission system interface and staff support services to the Control and Reporting Center, Battle Control Center, Air Operations Center and Tactical Air Control Party missions at various locations. The total cumulative face value of the contract is $43,099,834. Work is expected to be completed by Sept. 30, 2025. This award is a result of a 100% small business set-aside competitive acquisition and six offers were received. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $943,015 are being obligated at time of award for the phase-in period. Acquisition Management and Integration Center, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia, is the contracting activity (FA4890-20-C-0013). ARMY SRC Inc., North Syracuse, New York, was awarded a $425,870,432 hybrid (cost-no-fee, cost-plus-fixed-fee, firm-fixed-price) contract for development, production, deployment and support of the Expeditionary-Low, Slow, Small Unmanned Aircraft System Integrated Defeat System (E-LIDS). Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of July 26, 2025. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity (W31P4Q-20-D-0032). Addon Services LLC,* Warren, Michigan (W56HZV-20-D-L007); A&H-Ambica JV LLC,* Livonia, Michigan (W56HZV-20-D-L008); Angels General Construction Inc.,* Detroit, Michigan (W56HZV-20-D-L009); Custom Mechanical Systems Corp.,* Bargersville, Indiana (W56HZV-20-D-L010); Erie Affiliates Inc.,* Wickliffe, Ohio (W56HZV-20-D-L011); Expo Technologies LLC,* Pontiac, Michigan (W56HZV-20-D-L012); F.H. Martin Construction Co.,* Warren, Michigan (W56HZV-20-D-L013); Genoa Contracting LLC,* Saint Clair Shores, Michigan (W56HZV-20-D-L014); McGahey Construction LLC,* Sault Sainte Marie, Michigan (W56HZV-20-D-L015); Nisou LGC JV LLC,* Detroit, Michigan (W56HZV-20-D-L016); Pontiac Drywall Systems,* Pontiac, Michigan (W56HZV-20-D-L017); Q.B.S. Inc.,* Alliance, Ohio (W56HZV-20-D-L018); RB Construction Co.,* Mount Clemens, Michigan (W56HZV-20-D-L019); and Wolverine Fire Protection Co.,* Mount Morris, Michigan (W56HZV-20-D-L020), will compete for each order of the $92,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for construction support on Detroit Arsenal and surrounding locations. Bids were solicited via the internet with 17 received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 2, 2025. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Detroit Arsenal, Michigan, is the contracting activity. AHI, Grand Prairie, Texas, was awarded a $73,999,755 modification (PZ0014) to contract W58RGZ-18-C-0007 for 15 UH-72 D-2 production aircraft and options to procure three additional D-2 production aircraft, 18 jettisonable cockpit doors, 14 engine inlet barrier filters and 14 environmental control units. Work will be performed in Grand Prairie, Texas, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 31, 2022. Fiscal 2018, 2019 and 2020 aircraft procurement (Army) funds in the amount of $73,999,755 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity. Barlovento LLC, Dothan, Alabama, was awarded a $45,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract to support the advanced contract initiative for emergency temporary roof repairs for the Gulf Coast of the continental U.S. Bids were solicited via the internet with seven received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of May 31, 2027. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha, Nebraska, is the contracting activity (W9128F-20-D-0043). Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., Stratford, Connecticut, was awarded a $19,511,833 firm-fixed-price contract for overhaul and repair of the tail rotor blade with pitch horn replacement for UH60 Blackhawk aircraft. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of July 23, 2025. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity (W58RGZ-20-F-0473). Indtai Inc.,* Vienna, Virginia, was awarded a $9,598,566 firm-fixed-price contract for educational support services in support of the U.S. Army Continuing Education System. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will be performed at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, with an estimated completion date of Jan. 27, 2021. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Army) funds in the amount of $8,487,090 were obligated at the time of the award. The U.S. Army Field Directorate Office, Fort Sam Houston, Texas, is the contracting activity (W9124J-20-C-0012). Modern Technology Solutions Inc.,* Alexandria, Virginia, was awarded an $8,613,292 modification (P00023) to contract W9133L-16-F-0027 for continued modernization and engineering services for the Air National Guard Air Force Reserve Command Test Center. Work will be performed in Tucson, Arizona, with an estimated completion date of July 26, 2021. Fiscal 2020 operational test and evaluation, defense funds in the amount of $8,613,292 were obligated at the time of the award. National Guard Bureau, Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting activity. NAVY Alexandria Technical and Community College, Alexandria, Minnesota (N00189-20-D-Z800); Anne Arundel Community College, Arnold, Maryland (N00189-20-D-Z801); Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona (N00189-20-D-Z802); Ashford University, San Diego, California (N00189-20-D-Z803); Bethel University, St. Paul, Minnesota (N00189-20-D-Z804); Bismarck State College, Bismarck, North Dakota (N00189-20-D-Z805); Black Hills State University, Spearfish, South Dakota (N00189-20-D-Z806); Blackhawk Technical College, Janesville, Wisconsin (N00189-20-D-Z807); Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, Ohio (N00189-20-D-Z808); Brandman University, Irvine, California (N00189-20-D-Z809); Bristol Community College, Fall River, Massachusetts (N00189-20-D-Z810); California University of Pennsylvania, California, Pennsylvania (N00189-20-D-Z811); Cape Fear Community College, Wilmington, North Carolina (N00189-20-D-Z812); Capitol Technology University, Laurel, Maryland (N00189-20-D-Z813); Cecil College, North East, Maryland (N00189-20-D-Z814); Central Georgia Technical College, Macon, Georgia (N00189-20-D-Z815); Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, Michigan (N00189-20-D-Z816); Central Texas College, Killeen, Texas (N00189-20-D-Z817); Chesapeake College, Wye Mills, Maryland (N00189-20-D-Z818); Clarion University of Pennsylvania, Clarion, Pennsylvania (N00189-20-D-Z819); Cleveland State University, Cleveland, Ohio (N00189-20-D-Z820); Coastline College, Fountain Valley, California (N00189-20-D-Z821); Colorado Mountain College, Glenwood Springs, Colorado (N00189-20-D-Z822); Columbia College, Columbia, Missouri (N00189-20-D-Z823); Columbia Southern University, Orange Beach, Alabama (N00189-20-D-Z824); Community College of Baltimore County, Baltimore, Maryland (N00189-20-D-Z825); Dakota College at Bottineau, Bottineau, North Dakota (N00189-20-D-Z826); Dakota State University, Madison, South Dakota (N00189-20-D-Z827); Delaware Technical Community College, Dover, Delaware (N00189-20-D-Z828); Des Moines Area Community College, Ankeny, Iowa (N00189-20-D-Z829); East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina (N00189-20-D-Z830); Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona, Florida (N00189-20-D-Z831); Excelsior College, Albany, New York (N00189-20-D-Z832); Finger Lakes Community College, Canandaigua, New York (N00189-20-D-Z833); Florida State College at Jacksonville, Jacksonville, Florida (N00189-20-D-Z834); Frederick Community College, Frederick, Maryland (N00189-20-D-Z835); George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia (N00189-20-D-Z836); Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, Georgia (N00189-20-D-Z837); Iowa Central Community College, Fort Dodge, Iowa (N00189-20-D-Z838); Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana, Indianapolis, Indiana (N00189-20-D-Z839); Jackson College, Jackson, Michigan (N00189-20-D-Z840); Jefferson Community and Technical College, Louisville, Kentucky (N00189-20-D-Z841); Kent State University, College of Applied and Technical Studies, Kent, Ohio (N00189-20-D-Z842); Lake Area Technical College, Watertown, South Dakota (N00189-20-D-Z843); Lake Region State College, Devils Lake, North Dakota (N00189-20-D-Z844); Lake Superior College, Duluth, Minnesota (N00189-20-D-Z845); Macomb Community College, Warren, Michigan (N00189-20-D-Z846); Mid-State Technical College, Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin (N00189-20-D-Z847); Minerva Schools Keck Graduate Institute, San Francisco, California (N00189-20-D-Z848); Minnesota State University Moorhead, Moorhead, Minnesota (N00189-20-D-Z849); Mississippi Community College Board, Jackson, Mississippi (N00189-20-D-Z850); Monroe Community College, Rochester, New York (N00189-20-D-Z851); Montgomery College, Rockville, Maryland (N00189-20-D-Z852); North Dakota State College of Science, Wahpeton, North Dakota (N00189-20-D-Z853); North Dakota University System, Bismarck, North Dakota (N00189-20-D-Z854); Northeast Iowa Community College, Calmar, Iowa (N00189-20-D-Z855); Northeastern Technical College, Cheraw, South Carolina (N00189-20-D-Z856); Northeastern University-College of Professional Studies, Boston, Massachusetts (N00189-20-D-Z857); Northern Essex Community College, Haverhill, Massachusetts (N00189-20-D-Z858); Northern State University, Aberdeen, South Dakota (N00189-20-D-Z859); Northern Virginia Community College, Annandale, Virginia (N00189-20-D-Z860); Northwest Technical College, Bemidji, Minnesota (N00189-20-D-Z861); Northwestern Michigan College, Traverse City, Michigan (N00189-20-D-Z862); Norwich University, Northfield, Vermont (N00189-20-D-Z863); Ocean County College, Toms River, New Jersey (N00189-20-D-Z864); Oklahoma City Community College, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (N00189-20-D-Z865); Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia (N00189-20-D-Z866); Oregon Institute of Technology, Klamath Falls, Oregon (N00189-20-D-Z867); Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon (N00189-20-D-Z868); Paris Junior College, Paris, Texas (N00189-20-D-Z869); Park University, Parkville, Missouri (N00189-20-D-Z870); Parkland College, Champaign, Illinois (N00189-20-D-Z871); Prince George's Community College, Largo, Maryland (N00189-20-D-Z872); Purdue University Global, Indianapolis, Indiana (N00189-20-D-Z873); Quinsigamond Community College, Worcester, Massachusetts (N00189-20-D-Z874); Rio Salado College, Tempe, Arizona (N00189-20-D-Z875); Saint Leo University, Saint Leo, Florida (N00189-20-D-Z876); San Diego Community College District, San Diego, California (N00189-20-D-Z877); San Diego State University, San Diego, California (N00189-20-D-Z878); San Jacinto Community College District, La Porte, Texas (N00189-20-D-Z879); San Juan College, Farmington, New Mexico (N00189-20-D-Z880); Savannah Technical College, Savannah, Georgia (N00189-20-D-Z881); Seminole State College of Florida, Sanford, Florida (N00189-20-D-Z882); Sinclair Community College, Dayton, Ohio (N00189-20-D-Z883); South Dakota State University, Brookings, South Dakota (N00189-20-D-Z884); South Florida State College, Avon Park, Florida (N00189-20-D-Z885); South Orange County Community College District doing business as Saddleback College, Mission Viejo, California (N00189-20-D-Z886); Southern New Hampshire University, Manchester, New Hampshire (N00189-20-D-Z887); Stark State College of Technology, North Canton, Ohio (N00189-20-D-Z888); State University of New York (SUNY) System Administration, Albany, New York (N00189-20-D-Z889); Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York (N00189-20-D-Z890); Tallahassee Community College, Tallahassee, Florida (N00189-20-D-Z891); Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (N00189-20-D-Z892); The Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C. (N00189-20-D-Z893); The College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, Virginia (N00189-20-D-Z894); The University of Toledo, Toledo, Ohio (N00189-20-D-Z895); Thomas Edison State University, Trenton, New Jersey (N00189-20-D-Z896); Trident Technical College, Charleston, South Carolina (N00189-20-D-Z897); University at Albany, SUNY, Albany, New York (N00189-20-D-Z898); University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, Arkansas (N00189-20-D-Z899); University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona (N00189-20-D-Z900); University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida (N00189-20-D-Z901); University of Charleston, Charleston, West Virginia (N00189-20-D-Z902); University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio (N00189-20-D-Z903); University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida (N00189-20-D-Z904); University of Hawaii Community College System, Honolulu, Hawaii (N00189-20-D-Z905); University of Mary Washington, Fredericksburg, Virginia (N00189-20-D-Z906); University of Maryland Global Campus, Adelphi, Maryland (N00189-20-D-Z907); University of South Dakota, Vermillion, South Dakota (N00189-20-D-Z908); Villanova University-College of Professional Studies, Villanova, Pennsylvania (N00189-20-D-Z909); Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia (N00189-20-D-Z910); Virginia Community College System, Richmond, Virginia (N00189-20-D-Z911); Waldorf University, Forest City, Iowa (N00189-20-D-Z912); Wallace State Community College, Hanceville, Alabama (N00189-20-D-Z913); Webster University, Webster Groves, Missouri (N00189-20-D-Z914); Western Governors University, Salt Lake City, Utah (N00189-20-D-Z915); White Mountains Community College, Berlin, New Hampshire (N00189-20-D-Z916); Williston State College, Williston, North Dakota (N00189-20-D-Z917); and Wilmington University, Dover, Delaware (N00189-20-D-Z918), are awarded $147,050,000 in multiple-award, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contracts to provide educational services to the entire enlisted workforce and to establish the U.S. Naval Community College in support of the Office of the Chief Learning Officer. The contracts will run concurrently with no option period. The ordering period of the contracts is anticipated to begin August 2020, and is expected to be completed by July 2025. Work will be performed at various locations across 37 states and the District of Columbia. The percentage of work at each of the facilities cannot be determined at this time. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $59,500 will be obligated ($500 on each of the 119 contracts to fund the contracts' minimum amounts), and funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The funding for task orders to be issued under these contracts will come from a variety of sources and will be consistent with the purpose for which the funds were appropriated. This contract was competitively procured with the solicitation posted through beta.SAM.gov and 245 offers were received. The Naval Supply Systems Command Fleet Logistics Center, Norfolk, Contracting Department, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is the contracting activity. Wu and Associates Inc.,* Mt. Laurel, New Jersey (N62473-20-D-1103); Macro Z Technology,* Santa Ana, California (N62473-20-D-1104); Corbara MGS JV,* National City, California (N62473-20-D-1105); Pacific West Builders,* Simi Valley, California (N62473-20-D-1106); Ahtna-CDM JV,* Irvine, California (N62473-20-D-1107); Insight Pacific LLC,* Brea, California (N62473-20-D-1108); Dimensions Construction Inc.,* San Diego, California (N62473-20-D-1112); and I. E. Pacific Inc.,* Escondido, California (N62473-20-D-1120), are awarded a $99,999,000 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, multiple award construction contract for new construction, renovation and repair by design-build or design-bid-build of general construction projects located primarily within the Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Southwest area of responsibility in California. The maximum dollar value including one two-year base period and one three-year option period for all eight contracts combined is $99,999,000. Wu and Associates Inc. is being awarded an initial task order at $633,000 to design and construct repairs for Building 16139, Naval Air Weapons Station, China Lake, California. All work on these contracts will be performed at various government installations located in California. The work to be performed provides for new construction, renovation and repair within the North American Industry Classification System (Code 236220). The various types of construction projects may include, but are not limited to, administration buildings; academic and applied instruction training facilities; maintenance/repair facilities; military operations facilities; aircraft hangars; fire stations; office buildings; laboratories; dining facilities; related structures; and other similar facilities located in California. Work for this task order is expected to be completed by July 2021. The terms of the contracts are not to exceed 60 months and work is expected to be completed by July 2025. Fiscal 2020 Navy working capital funds; and operations and maintenance (Navy) (O&M, N) contract funds in the amount of $668,000 are obligated on this award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Future task orders will be primarily funded by military construction (Navy); Navy working capital funds; O&M, N; and O&M, Marine Corps. This contract was competitively procured as a small business set-aside via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website and 36 proposals were received. These eight contractors may compete for task orders under the terms and conditions of the awarded contract. The NAVFAC Southwest, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity. Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, Florida, is awarded an $11,179,001 cost reimbursement contract for the development of a next-generation, high-intake, compact, defined excitation bathyphotometer sensor for natural oceanic bioluminescence assessments. Work will be performed in Boca Raton, Florida, and is expected to be completed by July 2025. The total cumulative value of this contract, including a 48-month base period and one 12-month option year, is $11,179,001. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $10,179,001 are obligated at time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured under N00014-20-S-B001, “Long Range broad agency announcement (BAA) for Navy and Marine Corps Science and Technology.” Since proposals are received throughout the year under the long range BAA, the number of proposals received in response to the solicitation is unknown. The Office of Naval Research, Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N00014-20-C-2035). DEFENSE ADVANCED RESEARCH PROJECTS AGENCY SRI International, Menlo Park, California, was awarded a $10,991,741 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for a research project under the Semantic Forensics (SemaFor) program. The SemaFor program will develop technologies to automatically detect, attribute and characterize falsified, multi-modal media assets (e.g., text, audio, image, video) to defend against large-scale, automated disinformation attacks. Work will be performed in Menlo Park, California; Baltimore, Maryland; Buffalo, New York; and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with an expected completion date of July 2024. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $1,713,323 are being obligated at time of award. This contract was a competitive acquisition under an open broad agency announcement and 37 offers were received. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting activity (HR0011-20-C-0124). DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY DCX-CHOL Enterprises Inc., Los Angeles, California, has been awarded a maximum $8,125,000 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for grip assemblies. This was a competitive acquisition with two responses received. This is a five-year contract with no option periods. The initial delivery order (SPRDL1-20-F-0297) for $225,000 will be issued at the same time as the contract. Location of performance California, with a July 20, 2025, ordering period end date. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2025 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime, Warren, Michigan (SPRDL1-20-D-0108). *Small Business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2286392/source/GovDelivery/

  • U.S. Army Awards Distributed Common Ground System Capability Drop 2 to BAE Systems

    July 24, 2020 | International, Land

    U.S. Army Awards Distributed Common Ground System Capability Drop 2 to BAE Systems

    July 23, 2020 - The U.S. Army has awarded BAE Systems an initial order under its Distributed Common Ground System (DCGS) Capability Drop 2 Program. The multiple award, Indefinite Delivery-Indefinite Quantity contract is worth up to $823 million, and provides enhanced intelligence to see and better understand threats and other relevant aspects of the operational environment. The company's solution for Capability Drop 2 is the Intelligence Knowledge Environment (IKE). It's a software framework of modular data and artificial intelligence analytic capabilities built to autonomously transform information into knowledge. “With a focus on a user-centric analyst experience, IKE rapidly transforms data into intelligence in an easy to learn and scalable manner,” said Dave Logan, vice president and general manager of C4ISR Systems at BAE Systems. “It helps analysts translate information into actionable intelligence using a collection of tools – some interactive, others that operate autonomously – to enhance the effectiveness of the analyst.” The Capability Drop development model allows the Army to rapidly insert new technology upgrades to DCGS by breaking requirements into small bundles, enabling agile and rapid acquisition. The company's Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance systems provide robust processing and exploitation capabilities that enable the analysis of intelligence data from a variety of sources, in any mission environment. BAE Systems developed the IKE framework at its site in San Diego, California. Ref. No. 068/2020 View source version on BAE Systems: https://www.baesystems.com/en/article/u-s--army-awards-distributed-common-ground-system-capability-drop-2-to-bae-systems

  • Intelligence Agencies Release AI Ethics Principles

    July 24, 2020 | International, C4ISR, Security

    Intelligence Agencies Release AI Ethics Principles

    Getting it right doesn't just mean staying within the bounds of the law. It means making sure that the AI delivers reports that accurate and useful to policymakers. By KELSEY ATHERTON ALBUQUERQUE — Today, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence released what the first take on an evolving set of principles for the ethical use of artificial intelligence. The six principles, ranging from privacy to transparency to cybersecurity, are described as Version 1.0, approved by DNI John Ratcliffe last month. The six principles are pitched as a guide for the nation's many intelligence especially, especially to help them work with the private companies that will build AI for the government. As such, they provide an explicit complement to the Pentagon's AI principles put forth by Defense Secretary Mark Esper back in February. “These AI ethics principles don't diminish our ability to achieve our national security mission,” said Ben Huebner, who heads the Office of Civil Liberties, Privacy, and Transparency at ODNI. “To the contrary, they help us ensure that our AI or use of AI provides unbiased, objective and actionable intelligence policymakers require that is fundamentally our mission.” The Pentagon's AI ethics principles came at the tail end of a long process set in motion by workers at Google. These workers called upon the tech giant to withdraw from a contract to build image-processing AI for Project Maven, which sought to identify objects in video recorded by the military. While ODNI's principles come with an accompanying six-page ethics framework, there is no extensive 80-page supporting annex, like that put forth by the Department of Defense. “We need to spend our time under framework and the guidelines that we're putting out to make sure that we're staying within the guidelines,” said Dean Souleles, Chief Technology Advisor at ODNI. “This is a fast-moving train with this technology. Within our working groups, we are actively working on many, many different standards and procedures for practitioners to use and begin to adopt these technologies.” Governing AI as it is developed is a lot like laying out the tracks ahead while the train is in motion. It's a tricky proposition for all involved — but the technology is evolving too fast and unpredictable to try to carve commandments in stone for all time. Here are the six principles, in the document's own words: Respect the Law and Act with Integrity. We will employ AI in a manner that respects human dignity, rights, and freedoms. Our use of AI will fully comply with applicable legal authorities and with policies and procedures that protect privacy, civil rights, and civil liberties. Transparent and Accountable. We will provide appropriate transparency to the public and our customers regarding our AI methods, applications, and uses within the bounds of security, technology, and releasability by law and policy, and consistent with the Principles of Intelligence Transparency for the IC. We will develop and employ mechanisms to identify responsibilities and provide accountability for the use of AI and its outcomes. Objective and Equitable. Consistent with our commitment to providing objective intelligence, we will take affirmative steps to identify and mitigate bias. Human-Centered Development and Use. We will develop and use AI to augment our national security and enhance our trusted partnerships by tempering technological guidance with the application of human judgment, especially when an action has the potential to deprive individuals of constitutional rights or interfere with their free exercise of civil liberties. Secure and Resilient. We will develop and employ best practices for maximizing reliability, security, and accuracy of AI design, development, and use. We will employ security best practices to build resilience and minimize potential for adversarial influence. Informed by Science and Technology. We will apply rigor in our development and use of AI by actively engaging both across the IC and with the broader scientific and technology communities to utilize advances in research and best practices from the public and private sector. The accompanying framework offers further questions for people to ask when programming, evaluating, sourcing, using, and interpreting information informed by AI. While bulk processing of data by algorithm is not a new phenomenon for the intelligence agencies, having a learning algorithm try to parse that data and summarize it for a human is a relatively recent feature. Getting it right doesn't just mean staying within the bounds of the law, it means making sure that the data produced by the inquiry is accurate and useful when handed off to the people who use intelligence products to make policy. “We are absolutely welcoming public comment and feedback on this,” said Huebner, noting that there will be a way for public feedback at Intel.gov. “No question at all that there's going to be aspects of what we do that are and remain classified. I think though, what we can do is talk in general terms about some of the things that we are doing.” Internal legal review, as well as classified assessments from the Inspectors General, will likely be what makes the classified data processing AI accountable to policymakers. For the general public, as it offers comment on intelligence service use of AI, examples will have to come from outside classification, and will likely center on examples of AI in the private sector. “We think there's a big overlap between what the intelligence community needs and frankly, what the private sector needs that we can and should be working on, collectively together,” said Souleles. He specifically pointed to the task of threat identification, using AI to spot malicious actors that seek to cause harm to networks, be they e-commerce giants or three-letter agencies. Depending on one's feelings towards the collection and processing of information by private companies vis-à-vis the government, it is either reassuring or ominous that when it comes to performing public accountability for spy AI, the intelligence community will have business examples to turn to. “There's many areas that I think we're going to be able to talk about going forward, where there's overlap that does not expose our classified sources and methods,” said Souleles, “because many, many, many of these things are really really common problems.” https://breakingdefense.com/2020/07/intelligence-agencies-release-ai-ethics-principles/

  • L3Harris Technologies Awarded $380 Million IDIQ Contract for WESCAM MX™-Series Products and Support

    July 24, 2020 | International, Aerospace, C4ISR

    L3Harris Technologies Awarded $380 Million IDIQ Contract for WESCAM MX™-Series Products and Support

    July 22, 2020 - The Canadian Commercial Corporation (CCC) has awarded L3Harris Technologies (NYSE:LHX) an eight-year, $380 million indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract to procure WESCAM MX-Series products and services in support of global U.S. Army surveillance and targeting operations. The contract enables continued upgrades and support for the U.S. Army's robust installed base of fixed-wing, aerostat and unmanned platforms while supporting expanding Foreign Military Sales (FMS) requirements. “L3Harris is proud to once again supply its WESCAM MX technologies and solutions to the U.S. Army, as it highlights our role as a trusted global supplier of advanced imaging solutions to the defense industry,” said Sean Stackley, President, Integrated Mission Systems, L3Harris. “Through this contract, our highly specialized optics and leading technologies can continue to meet the needs of emerging mission portfolios, including time-sensitive response operations.” L3Harris' WESCAM MX-Series products have successfully supported U.S. Army aviation programs for more than two decades. WESCAM MX-Series systems have logged over 4 million hours of combat operations with the U.S. Army and continue to be a resource in on-going global intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) missions. L3Harris' portfolio of WESCAM MX-Series systems provide high-precision situational awareness – while delivering an advanced capability to collect critical mission information that assist in overcoming emerging threats. In addition to the U.S. Army, WESCAM MX systems are operational within the U.S Navy and Air Force Special Operations Command where they continue to support programs in the fight against global terrorism. The CCC is Canada's government-to-government contracting organization for sales of defense and security technology and expertise from Canada. Each CCC contract provides the U.S. DOD with the Government of Canada's assurance that the contract will be fulfilled in accordance with its terms and conditions. About L3Harris Technologies L3Harris Technologies is an agile global aerospace and defense technology innovator, delivering end-to-end solutions that meet customers' mission-critical needs. The company provides advanced defense and commercial technologies across air, land, sea, space and cyber domains. L3Harris has approximately $18 billion in annual revenue and 48,000 employees, with customers in more than 100 countries. L3Harris.com. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements that reflect management's current expectations, assumptions and estimates of future performance and economic conditions. Such statements are made in reliance upon the safe harbor provisions of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The company cautions investors that any forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results and future trends to differ materially from those matters expressed in or implied by such forward-looking statements. Statements about the value or expected value of orders, contracts or programs and about our system capabilities are forward-looking and involve risks and uncertainties. L3Harris disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200722005473/en/

  • Lockheed Martin-Led Team Begins Construction On Navy’s Littoral Combat Ship, The Future USS Beloit

    July 24, 2020 | International, Naval

    Lockheed Martin-Led Team Begins Construction On Navy’s Littoral Combat Ship, The Future USS Beloit

    Marinette, Wis., July 22, 2020 – Lockheed Martin and Fincantieri Marinette Marine marked the beginning of construction on Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) 29, the future USS Beloit, with a ceremony in Marinette. As part of a ship-building tradition dating back centuries, a shipyard worker welded into the ship's keel plate the initials of Major General Marcia M. Anderson (U.S. Army, Retired), USS Beloit ship sponsor and a Beloit, Wisconsin, native. This plate will be affixed to the ship and travel with Beloit throughout its commissioned life. LCS 29 will be the 15th Freedom-variant LCS and will join a class of more than 30 ships. To date, four Freedom-variant LCS have deployed to support U.S. Navy presence and peacekeeping missions. In May, LCS 7 (USS Detroit) partnered with a U.S. Navy destroyer and Coast Guard teams to serve interdiction missions in the U.S. Southern Command Area of Responsibility. “With two deployments so far this year, Freedom-variant LCS have proven that they are capable and can serve a unique role in the U.S. Navy's fleet,” said Joe DePietro, vice president and general manager of Small Combatants and Ship Systems. “LCS' speed, maneuverability and flexibility allows the ship to serve a multitude of missions by quickly integrating equipment and deploying manned and unmanned aerial, surface or sub-surface vehicles.” In total, there are more than 500,000 nautical miles under the keel of Freedom-variant LCS. The ship delivers advanced capability in anti-submarine, surface, and mine countermeasure missions, and was designed to evolve with the changing security environment. As near-peer competition from large nation states increases, Lockheed Martin is partnering with the Navy to evolve LCS to meet these threats. Targeted upgrades are already underway with naval strike missiles being installed in support of upcoming deployments. Future installs of improved electronic warfare and decoy launching systems are under development. LCS 29 is the first Navy ship to be named after Beloit, Wisconsin, and the ship's sponsor has personal ties to Beloit. During a long career with the U.S. military, Major General Anderson became the first African American woman to obtain the rank of major general in the U. S. Army and U. S. Army Reserve. As a citizen-soldier, Anderson was employed for 28 years by the United States Courts, where she served as the Clerk of the Bankruptcy Court, Western District of Wisconsin, located in Madison, Wisconsin, until her retirement in late 2019. "The construction of the Navy's newest Littoral Combat Ship and naming it after the city of Beloit, with its rich and storied history of supporting our nation's national security, is more than fitting,” said Major General Anderson. “When completed, the USS Beloit's voyages will be part of the tradition of small cities and towns in America sharing our story around the world." Beloit is one of six LCS in various stages of construction and test at the Fincantieri Marinette Marine shipyard. “We are proud to celebrate the future USS Beloit today,” said Jan Allman, CEO of Fincantieri Marinette Marine. “The Fincantieri Marinette Marine shipyard is honored to build this capable warship, named for another city from the wonderful state of Wisconsin. I think this is a true testament to the hard work and patriotism of Midwesterners, and we look forward to working with the City of Beloit as we continue building LCS 29 for our US Navy partner.” For additional information, visit our website: www.lockheedmartin.com/lcs. About Lockheed Martin Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace company that employs approximately 105,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. About Fincantieri Marinette Marine Fincantieri is the leading western shipbuilder with a rich history dating back more than 230 years, and a track record of building more than 7,000 ships. Fincantieri Marine Group is the American subsidiary of Fincantieri, and operates three Great Lakes Shipyards: Fincantieri Marinette Marine, Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding, and Fincantieri ACE Marine. Fincantieri Marine Group's more than 2,100 steelworkers, craftsman, engineers and technicians in the United States specialize in the design, construction and maintenance of merchant ships and government vessels, including for the United States Navy and Coast Guard. About Gibbs & Cox Gibbs & Cox, the nation's leading independent maritime solutions firm specializing in naval architecture, marine engineering and design, is headquartered in Arlington, Virginia. The company, founded in 1929, has provided designs for nearly 80 percent of the current U.S. Navy surface combatant fleet; approaching 7,000 naval and commercial ships have been built to Gibbs & Cox designs. View source version on Lockheed Martin: https://news.lockheedmartin.com/lockheed-martin-led-team-begins-construction-on-navys-littoral-combat-ship-the-future-uss-beloit

  • Thales launches a new integrated 24/7 NOC-SOC in the Netherlands

    July 24, 2020 | International, C4ISR, Security

    Thales launches a new integrated 24/7 NOC-SOC in the Netherlands

    July 21, 2020 - Thales has expanded managed services for its customers with the launch of a new integrated Network Operations Center (NOC)/ Cybersecurity Operations Center (SOC) in the Netherlands. With trained experts present 24/7, the integrated NOC-SOC can provide organisations with premium services for IS-IT asset management and cybersecurity supervision, a critical necessity following the explosion of remote working during the Covid-19 crisis. With more than 40 years of expertise, Thales already serves more than 40 clients around the world through its five existing Cybersecurity Operations Centres (Canada, France, Hong Kong, Netherlands, United-Kingdom). Forming part of Thales's international network of premium Cybersecurity Operations Centres, the Group's first integrated Network Operations Centre (NOC) and Security Operations Centre (SOC) will simultaneously monitor customers' IT and OT infrastructure 24/7. Since IT/OT assets in the new NOC/SOC are monitored from the Netherlands, data remain in the country and sensitive information is viewed only by screened personnel. Being able to deliver these secure integrated managed services in the Netherlands is a first for Thales. As a rule, organisations outsource night-time monitoring to SOCs in other countries. From now on, Thales will be able to offer this service for and from the Netherlands. The NOC currently analyses anonymised transaction data from public transport companies 24/7 in order to rectify faults, and the SOC focuses on monitoring the computer and network activities of critical infrastructure companies, while keeping the networks physically separate. The NOC monitors mainly systems availability, while the SOC monitors cyber security. This enables both services to intervene quickly in the event of an incident, shortening any downtime and reducing damage. Now the two centres have been merged so that the teams have everything at their disposal to further optimise service levels and meet the highest standards of security. SOC and NOC employees are screened and trained to meet far-reaching Dutch quality standards and SOC services fully comply with Dutch legislation and regulations (ISO 27001 and NEN 7510). Thales has more than 15 years' experience in managed cybersecurity services worldwide. The Group is positioned as the trusted partner of choice for the most demanding organisations worldwide in terms of cybersecurity, operating five premium Cybersecurity Operations Centers around the world, in France, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Canada and Hong Kong. "I am proud of this next step in our provision of services, as a result of which we are the first to offer 24/7 monitoring of assets and IT on Dutch soil," said Mark Donderwinkel, VP Thales Secure Communications and Information Systems."As a result of Covid-19, much more use is being made of remote collaboration tools. This is making organisations more vulnerable, and the number of cyber attacks is rising sharply. Now that we are in a phase of opening up our infrastructure and networks, it is crucial that downtime is kept to the absolute minimum. In order to achieve this, better monitoring is necessary, both of assets and of computer and network activities. We can now provide our customers with the highest and continuous level of service for both asset management and cyber security." View source version on Thales: https://www.thalesgroup.com/en/group/press-release/thales-launches-new-integrated-247-noc-soc-netherlands-0

  • BAE Systems Receives $33 Million Contract to Produce Long Range Artillery Guidance System

    July 24, 2020 | International, Aerospace

    BAE Systems Receives $33 Million Contract to Produce Long Range Artillery Guidance System

    July 22, 2020 - BAE Systems has received a $33 million multi-year contract from the U.S. Army to further develop its Long Range Precision Guidance Kit (LR-PGK) for 155mm artillery shells, enabling the Army to conduct long range precision strikes in challenging electromagnetic environments. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200722005518/en/ LR-PGK is a critical program in the Army's 155mm Extended Range Cannon Artillery (ERCA) munitions suite, designed to deliver accurate, lethal fires at greater ranges than near-peer adversaries. The BAE Systems solution builds on proven, mature technology, offering greater performance than current guidance kits through increased maneuverability and an incorporated anti-jam capability. “We're helping the Army meet its precision strike objectives with this critical long range artillery capability,” said John Watkins, vice president of Precision Strike at BAE Systems. “Our experience in precision guidance, rugged electronics, and artillery platforms has helped us develop a kit that improves mission effectiveness.” Under the new contract, BAE Systems will produce a series of LR-PGK fuzes for live-fire testing, further validating the solution and demonstrating its accuracy and reliability in challenging battlefield conditions. Prior to the award, BAE Systems successfully demonstrated the LR-PGK capability and performance at Yuma Proving Ground in September 2019. The company committed significant investment to deliver on the Army's modernization goals by intentionally designing the LR-PGK's modular architecture for low-cost production and upgradeability. LR-PGK is one of several BAE Systems programs that support Long Range Precision Fires, one of the U.S. Army's top modernization priorities. In addition to designing and manufacturing the M109 family of Self-Propelled Howitzers, BAE Systems has developed and delivered guidance systems for precision munitions for decades and is a major supplier of artillery round explosives and propellants. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200722005518/en/

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