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By: Joe Gould HALIFAX, Canada — A top uniformed NATO official warned Friday the European Union army concept endorsed by French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel would be “duplicative” and “unwise.” In an interview at the Halifax International Security Forum, UK Air Marshal Sir Stuart Peach, chairman of the NATO Military Committee, pointed to NATO's strength as a single set of forces, with a unique command and control network and planning process. “It's not rhetoric based. It's real planning based on real data,” Peach said. “And therefore, why would you wish to duplicate or replicate the strengths of an existing strong alliance.” The comments came after Merkel on Tuesday floated the idea of a “real, true European army,” to compliment NATO during a speech before a session of the European Parliament. Those remarks virtually echoed Macron's call a week earlier, in an interview with Europe 1. U.S. President Donald Trump called Macron's comments “very insulting” in a spate of Twitter posts as the two held a meeting last week in Paris. Trump himself has tested the strained bonds with some of America's closest allies by pressuring NATO allies to rely less on the U.S. and dedicate a greater percentage of their gross domestic products to defense. On Tuesday, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg alluded the proposal of a European force at a NATO conference in Berlin, saying he welcomed, “increased EU efforts on defense, because I think that can actually help to strengthen NATO.” European allied militaries can act without the U.S. so long as they use NATO command structures, Stoltenberg said. “It will be not a wise decision by all those nations who are members of both NATO and the European Union to start to have two sets of command structures, or duplicate what NATO is doing,” Stoltenberg said. On Friday, Peach referred to Stoltenberg's remarks, saying, “Of course, as chairman of the military committee, I agree with [Stoltenberg]. It's unwise to duplicate.” Peach emphasized that NATO has a, “single set of forces, and in our processes, those forces are trained, and assured and certified by NATO.” At the conference, Peach had a broader message that the alliance's 29 members member remain committed to it — and that it is adapting with the times. “Throughout the history of the alliance there have been inevitable tussles about how to go forward,” Peach said. “But throughout as a military alliance, we have adapted our command and control structure, responded to new challenges, embraced new members and continued to adapt to new types of warfare and new threats.” Separately, Finland and Norway intend to launch diplomatic discussions with Moscow over suspected GPS signal-jamming by Russia's military, which overlapped with NATO's Trident Juncture exercises, the largest maneuvers in the High North since the end of the Cold War. Peach on Friday would not confirm the interference took place, but called the principle of freedom of navigation, “very, very important, both to NATO and the International community.” “Freedom of navigation is not just freedom of navigation at sea, so we need to analyze claims with data. And anything that interrupts freedom of navigation is important to be reported," he said. How to manage and operate within the electromagnetic spectrum are important topics that deserve more attention, he said. https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2018/11/17/nato-official-warns-eu-force-would-be-unwise/

ADELAIDE, Australia--(BUSINESS WIRE)--General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI), the world's leading manufacturer of Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS), has been advised that, following consideration by the Australian Government, it has been selected to provide the Armed Remotely Piloted Aircraft System under Project Air 7003 for the Australian Defence Force (ADF). “We look forward to providing our world-leading RPAS to meet the Air 7003 requirements,” said Linden Blue, CEO of GA-ASI. “We'll work closely with Team Reaper® Australia partners to provide a highly capable and affordable RPAS to the ADF, while creating meaningful and enduring Australian jobs.” The ADF joins other top-tier military forces in choosing a MQ-9 variant because of its proven multi-role combat performance. Known as the “operators” choice, the MQ-9 is part of GA-ASI's Predator® series of RPAS, which is the world's most trusted and capable Armed Medium-Altitude, Long-Endurance (MALE) RPAS, and hails from a family of RPAS which recently surpassed five million flight hours. GA-ASI announced its intention to offer a MALE RPAS to the ADF during AVALON 2017 – the Australian International Aerospace and Defence Exposition – with the launch of Team Reaper Australia, a robust grouping of Australian industry partners. The team currently consists of ten Australian companies providing a range of innovative sensor, communication, manufacturing and life-cycle support capabilities that includes Cobham, CAE, Raytheon, Flight Data Systems, TAE Aerospace, Quickstep, AirSpeed, Rockwell Collins Australia, Ultra, and SentientVision. About GA-ASI General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI), an affiliate of General Atomics, is the world's leading designer and manufacturer of proven, reliable Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS), radars, and electro-optic and related mission systems, including the Predator®, Reaper® and Gray Eagle UAS programs of record and the Lynx® Multi-mode Radar. With more than five million flight hours, GA-ASI provides long-endurance, multi-mission capable aircraft with integrated sensor and data link systems required to deliver persistent flight, enabling situational awareness and rapid strike. The company also produces a variety of ground control stations and sensor control/image analysis software, offers pilot training and support services, and develops meta-material antennas. For more information, visit www.ga-asi.com. Predator, Reaper, and Lynx are registered trademarks of General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181115006098/en/

NAVY Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is awarded a $348,915,105 cost-plus-incentive-fee contract to provide the infrastructure to support developmental laboratory facilities and flight test activities in support of F-35 development, production and sustainment. Work will be performed at Edwards Air Force Base, California (35 percent); Patuxent River, Maryland (35 percent); and Fort Worth, Texas (30 percent), and is expected to be completed in March 2020. Fiscal 2018 research, development, test and evaluation (Air Force, Marine Corps and Navy); and non-Department of Defense (DOD) participant funds in the amount of $177,042,349 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract combines purchases for the Air Force ($70,932,017; 40 percent); Marine Corps ($35,466,009; 20 percent); Navy ($35,466,008; 20 percent) and non-DOD participants ($35,178,315; 20 percent). This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, is the contracting activity (N00019-19-C-0004). Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is awarded a not-to-exceed value $83,100,000 undefinitized contract action. This contract provides for the development, integration, certification, and testing of dual capable aircraft capability to include hardware and software into the Air Force F-35A. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas (70 percent); Edwards Air Force Base, California (29 percent); and St. Charles, Missouri (1 percent), and is expected to be completed in February 2024. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation (Air Force) funding in the amount of $24,630,000 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1). The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N00019-19-C-0010). CSRA LLC, a General Dynamics Information Technology Co., Falls Church, Virginia, is awarded a $64,664,646 cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. This contract provides project management and engineering support for Navy and Marine Corps land, sea, and air platforms with a responsive, efficient, and reliable means to collect, detect, assess, identify, exploit, neutralize, and disseminate products to the U.S. and its interests. The procurement supports the execution of systems engineering activities to meet current and future electronic warfare mission information engineering capabilities and security protection needs for Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division integrated product teams. Work will be performed in Point Mugu, California (80 percent); Eglin Air Force Base, Florida (15 percent); and other locations in the U.S. (5 percent), and is expected to be completed in November 2023. Fiscal 2018 working capital funds (Navy) in the amount of $50,000 will be obligated at the time of award. This contract was competitively procured via an electronic request for proposals; three offers were received. The Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division, China Lake, California, is the contracting activity (N68936-19-D-0016). Rolls-Royce Corp., Indianapolis, Indiana, is awarded a $40,890,720 firm-fixed-price modification to previously-awarded contract N00019-17-C-0081 for the procurement of 20 production MT7 marine turbine engines for Landing Craft, Air Cushion (LCAC) 100 class craft 109 through 113. This procurement is in support of the Ship-to-Shore Connector program. Each LCAC 100 craft incorporates four MT7 engines. Work to be performed includes production of the MT7 engines and delivery to Textron Marine Systems for the assembly of the LCAC 100 class craft. Work will be performed in Indianapolis, Indiana, and is expected to be completed by January, 2020. Fiscal 2017 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funding in the amount of $16,356,288; and fiscal 2018 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funding in the amount of $24,534,432 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, working in conjunction with the Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland. Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems, St. Petersburg, Florida, is awarded a $33,848,885 cost-plus-incentive-fee modification to previously-awarded contract N00024-13-C-5230 for Common Array Block antenna pre-production unit requirements in support of the Cooperative Engagement Capability (CEC) program. The Common Array Block antenna is an integral component of the CEC system. CEC is a sensor netting system that significantly improves battle force anti-air warfare capability by extracting and distributing sensor-derived information such that the superset of this data is available to all participating CEC units. CEC improves battle force effectiveness by improving overall situational awareness and by enabling longer range, cooperative, multiple, or layered engagement strategies. Work will be performed in Largo, Florida (70 percent); and Andover, Massachusetts (30 percent), and is expected to be completed by October 2020. Fiscal 2019 and 2018 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funding in the amount of $14,930,655 will be obligated at time of award, and funds in the amount of $2,494,788 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. AIR FORCE Lockheed Martin Corp., Orlando, Florida, is awarded a $172,145,533 fixed-price incentive-fee contract for long range anti-ship missiles (LRASMs) Lot 2 production. The contract allows for the production of 50 LRASMs. Work will be performed in Orlando, Florida, and is expected to be completed by Dec. 31, 2021. The award is the result of sole- source acquisition. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, is the contracting activity (FA8682-19-C-0010). Avix-BGI JV LLC, Yorktown, Virginia, is awarded a $45,262,100 firm-fixed-price contract for the EC-130H/A-10C Contract Aircrew Training and Courseware Development program. The contractor shall furnish all personnel, equipment, tools, materials, supervision and all other items and services that are required to perform the contract. Work will be performed at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona; Moody AFB, Georgia; and other places as required. Work is expected to be completed by Jan. 31, 2024. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition and seven offers were received. The Acquisition Management and Integration Center, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia, is the contracting activity (FA4890-19-C-0004). Parker-Hannifin Corp, Irvine, California, is awarded a $39,026,578 modification to contract FA8109-18-D-0004 for 12 additional spare national stock numbers items and the remanufacture of 11additional national stock numbers to support the A-10, B-1, B-52, C-135, C-5, C-130, C-17, E-3, F-15, F-16, and HH-60 aircraft. These items also support the TF33, F100, F101, F110, and F118 engines. Work will be performed in Irvine, California; Glendale, Arizona; Mentor, Ohio; and Kalamazoo, Michigan, and is expected to be completed by April 5, 2027. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. This is a requirements contract, so no funding is being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Sustainment Center, Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, is the contracting activity. Bismark Construction Corp., Newark, New Jersey, is awarded a $17,108,065 modification (P00007) to contract FA4484‐16‐D‐0003 for maintenance and repair services. The maintenance and repair contract is a large tri-service indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity that supports physical infrastructure. Work will be performed at Joint Base McGuire‐Dix‐Lakehurst, New Jersey, and is expected to be completed by Nov. 15, 2019. No funds are being obligated at the time of award. The 87th Contracting Squadron, JB McGuire‐Dix‐Lakehurst, New Jersey, is the contracting activity. DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Federal Prison Industries Inc.,* doing business as Unicor, Washington, District of Columbia, has been awarded a maximum $49,920,000 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for various types of trousers. This is a four-year contract with no option periods. Locations of performance are District of Columbia, Texas and Alabama, with a May 15, 2023, performance completion date. Using military services are Army and Air Force. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2023 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE1C1-19-D-F016). Southeast Power Systems of Orlando Inc.,** Orlando, Florida, has been awarded a maximum $9,342,729 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for fuel pumps for the High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle. This was a sole-source acquisition using justification 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1), as stated in Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. This is a five-year contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Florida, with a Nov. 14, 2023, performance completion date. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2024 Army working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime, Warren, Michigan (SPRDL1-19-D-0013). DEFENSE INFORMATION SYSTEMS AGENCY Peraton Government Communications Inc., Herndon, Virginia, was awarded a $9,289,610 contract modification (P00021) exercising Option Period Three on task order GS-35F-5497H / HC1013-16-F-0005. Performance directly supports American national security interests on the continent of Africa. This action is funded by fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance funds. The total cumulative face value of the task order is $50,089,527. Proposals were solicited via the General Services Administration's Federal Supply Schedule, Information Technology Schedule 70, and two proposals were received from 27 proposals solicited. The period of performance for Option Period Three is Nov. 15, 2018 – Nov. 14, 2019, and there is one remaining unexercised option period for this task order. The Defense Information Technology Contracting Organization, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, is the contracting activity. (Awarded Nov. 14, 2018) *Mandatory Source **Small business https://dod.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/1691653/source/GovDelivery/

Ministry of Defence, Defence Equipment and Support, and The Rt Hon Gavin Williamson CBE MP The multi-million-pound contract signed will see the UK own 35 stealth jets by end of 2022 with Britain manufacturing 15% of the overall global order for 255 aircraft. The UK is set to double its number of world-beating F-35 stealth jets after ordering 17 more aircraft, Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson has announced. The 17 new F-35B aircraft will be delivered between 2020 and 2022 and will complement the 16 British aircraft currently based at RAF Marham and in the US, as well as two additional aircraft which are already on order. Overall, the UK has committed to procure 138 aircraft over the life of the programme. Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson said: I am delighted to confirm that we are doubling the size of our F-35 force into a formidable fleet of 35 stealth fighters. This is another massive order in the biggest defence programme in history. Our military and industry are playing a leading role in the F-35 programme. We are now building this game-changing capability that will soon be ready for frontline action. This programme is set to bring an immense boost of £35 billion into the British economy, and it will be welcome news to our firms that many more jets are now set for production. The 17 jets being ordered are part of a $6 billion contract for 255 aircraft being built for the global F-35 enterprise. The announcement is also good news for the UK economy, as British companies are building approximately 15% by value of all 3,000-plus F-35s planned for production. It is projected that around £35 billion will be contributed to the UK economy through the F-35 programme, with around 25,000 British jobs also being supported. CEO of Defence Equipment and Support, Sir Simon Bollom said: As the largest operator of F-35s outside of the US, the acquisition of 17 more Lightning aircraft underscores our commitment to the programme. This new contract demonstrates how our Armed Forces are equipped by DE&S with the latest equipment and support. News of this latest order comes as F-35B aircraft are currently embarked on HMS Queen Elizabeth for flying trials in the US, which continue to progress well. The fighter jets will be jointly manned by the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy and can operate from land and sea, forming a vital part of Carrier Strike when operating from the Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-to-double-f-35-fleet-with-17-jet-order-defence-secretary-announces

News release November 14, 2018 Saint Hubert, Québec Canadian Coast Guard The Government of Canada is supporting the development of well-trained, skilled personnel to serve the aerospace industry of the future, by donating surplus Coast Guard assets to educational institutions across Canada. These donations are helping to support aircraft maintenance training in Canada, providing practical and hands-on experience to students. On behalf of the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, Sherry Romanado, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Seniors and Member of Parliament for Longueuil–Charles-LeMoyne, announced today that École nationale d'aérotechnique, affiliated with Cégep Édouard-Montpetit, along with nine other educational training institutions located across Canada, have received a Coast Guard Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm BO105 helicopter. The ten BO105 helicopters were in service in the Canadian Coast Guard for more than 30 years. The first BO 105 helicopter was purchased by Coast Guard in April 1985, and the last unit was purchased in April of 1988. The helicopter fleet plays an essential part in supporting programs such as icebreaking, marine communication, aids to navigation, environmental response, waterway protection, conservation and protection, science and support to other government departments as required. As part of the Coast Guard's Fleet Renewal Plan, the Government of Canada has purchased and deployed 22 new helicopters, including 15 light-lift helicopters (Bell Epi 429) and seven medium-lift helicopters (Bell Epi 412). Quotes “I am proud that these Coast Guard helicopters will help develop students across the country allowing them to have practical and hands-on experience. These assets have a lot of history and are part of the Coast Guard's heritage. I am glad that they will benefit the generations to come in building high-level aircraft maintenance expertise.” Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard “Students from l'École nationale d'aérotechnique, will benefit from the Government of Canada's donation. There is nothing like being able to provide students with the opportunity to grow and develop their skills by learning on real Coast Guard assets.” Sherry Romanado, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Seniors and Member of Parliament for Longueuil–Charles-LeMoyne “École nationale d'aérotechnique (ÉNA) is among the ten educational training institutions in Canada having received a BO-105 as a donation. By adding to the 37 aircrafts owned by ÉNA, it allows us to increase the educational value of laboratories and hands-on activities in the hangars on a new type of helicopter. We are very grateful to the Canadian Coast Guard for this donation that allows our students to acquire a training even more tailored to the needs of the industry, while at the same time renewing our aircraft fleet.” Sylvain Lambert, executive director of cégep Édouard-Montpetit, and ÉNA's director Quick facts In total, ten Transport Canada-approved training institutes offering aircraft maintenance engineer programs across Canada have received a donated BO105 helicopter. The Canadian Coast Guard has completed construction and delivery of 15 Bell 429 light-lift helicopters and seven Bell 412EPI medium-lift helicopters as part of its ongoing Fleet Renewal Plan. All 22 of the new helicopters have been deployed to Coast Guard bases across the country. The Canadian Coast Guard is currently building a full flight simulator that will provide a platform for training for the new fleet. The BO105s will be used by the recipient institutions for hands-on training for mechanical and engineering programs. https://www.canada.ca/en/fisheries-oceans/news/2018/11/the-government-of-canada-donates-surplus-coast-guard-helicopters.html

NAVY Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is being awarded a $22,712,874,822 not-to-exceed undefinitized contract modification to a previously awarded fixed-price-incentive-firm-target, firm-fixed-price advanced acquisition contract (N00019-17-C-0001) for 255 aircraft. This modification provides for the production and delivery of 106 F-35 aircraft for the U.S. services (64 F-35As Air Force; 26 F-35Bs Marine Corps; 16 F-35Cs Navy); 89 F-35s for non-Department of Defense (DoD) participants (71 F-35As, 18 F-35 Bs); and 60 F-35s for Foreign Military Sales customers (60 F-35As). The U.S. aircraft quantities are for the Lot 12 program of record plus fiscal 2018/fiscal 2019 aircraft quantity congressional adds. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas (57 percent); El Segundo, California (14 percent); Warton, United Kingdom (9 percent); Cameri, Italy (4 percent); Orlando, Florida (4 percent); Nashua, New Hampshire (3 percent); Baltimore, Maryland (3 percent); San Diego, California (2 percent); Nagoya, Japan (2 percent); and various locations outside the continental U.S. (2 percent), and is expected to be completed in March 2023. Fiscal 2018 and 2019 aircraft procurement funds (Air Force, Marine Corps and Navy) in the amount of $3,505,522,468 (59 percent); non-DoD participant funds in the amount of $1,578,531,164 (26 percent); and Foreign Military Sales funds in the amount of $916,667,000 (15 percent) for a total of $6,000,720,632 will be obligated at time of award, none 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 Corp., Owego, New York, is awarded a $382,000,000 not-to-exceed, firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee, undefinitized contract that provides for the production and delivery of eight MH-60R aircraft as well as associated systems engineering and program management support. Work will be performed in Owego, New York (52 percent); Stratford, Connecticut (40 percent); and Troy, Alabama (8 percent), and is expected to be completed in September 2020. Fiscal 2018 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $147,000,000 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to Federal Acquisition Regulations 6.302-1. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N00019-19-C-0013). Bethel-Garney Federal JV,* Anchorage, Alaska (N62473-19-D-1201); Frawner Corp.,* Anchorage, Alaska (N62473-19-D-1202); Transtar-Orion JV,* San Diego, California (N62473-19-D-1203); Pate Construction Co., Inc.,* Pueblo West, Colorado (N62473-19-D-1204); KEAR Civil Corp.,* Phoenix, Arizona (N62473-19-D-1205); West Point – Granite JV LLC,* Tucson, Arizona (N62473-19-D-1206); and Central Environmental Inc.,* Anchorage, Alaska (N62473-19-D-1207), are each being awarded an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, multiple award construction contract for new construction, renovation, and repair primarily by design-build or secondarily by design-bid-build, of wet utilities projects at various government installations located in California, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico. The maximum dollar value including the base period and four option years for all seven contracts combined is $249,000,000. Types of projects may include, but are not limited to: water, steam, wastewater, storm sewer, pumping stations, treatment plants, storage tanks, and related work. All structures (including buildings) that are integral parts of the water, steam, wastewater, pumping stations, treatment plants and storage tanks are included. This contract will not include environmental remediation, waterfront/marine construction or petroleum, oils, and lubricant systems construction. No task orders are being issued at this time. All work on these contracts will be performed at various government installations within the Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Southwest area of responsibility including, but not limited to, California (90 percent); Arizona (6 percent); Nevada (1 percent); Utah (1 percent); Colorado (1 percent); and New Mexico (1 percent). The terms of the contracts are not to exceed 60 months, with an expected completion date of November 2023. Fiscal 2018 operations and maintenance (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $35,000 are obligated at the time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Future task orders will be primarily funded by military construction (Navy); operations and maintenance (Navy and Marine Corps); and Navy working capital funds. This contract was competitively procured as a small business set-aside procurement via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website, with 16 proposals received. These seven contractors may compete for task orders under the terms and conditions of the awarded contracts. The NAVFAC Southwest, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity. AIR FORCE Kaman Precision Products Inc., Orlando, Florida; and Middletown, Connecticut, has been awarded a $52,026,000 firm-fixed-price modification (P00009) to contract FA8681-18-C-0009 for the Joint Programmable Fuzes. The contract modification is for the purchase of an additional 15,000 fuzes being produced under the basic contract. Work will be performed in Orlando, Florida; and Middletown, Connecticut, and is expected to be completed by June 1, 2020. Fiscal 2016, 2017 and 2018 ammunition procurement funds in the amount of $52,026,000 are being obligated at time of award. Total cumulative face value of the contract is $225,422,234. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, is the contracting activity. L-3 Communications Vertex Aerospace LLC, Madison, Mississippi, has been awarded a $35,000,000 firm-fixed- price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract modification to contracts FA8106-17-D-0001 for contractor logistic support of the Air Force C-12 fleet. Work will be performed in Madison, Mississippi; San Angelo, Texas; Okmulgee, Oklahoma; Buenos Ares, Argentina; Gaborone, Botswana; Brasilia, Brazil; Bogota, Columbia; Cairo, Egypt; Accra, Ghana; Tegucigalpa, Honduras; Budapest, Hungary; Joint Base Andrews, Maryland; Nairobi, Kenya; Rabat, Morocco; Manila, Philippines; Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; Bangkok, Thailand; Ankara, Turkey; Edwards Air Force Base, California; Holloman AFB, New Mexico; Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska; and Yokota Air Base, Japan. Work is expected to be completed by Dec. 31, 2018. Fiscal 2019 aircraft procurement funds in the amount of $2,000,000 will be obligated at the time of award. Total face value of obligated funds for this contract is $30,913,890. Air Force Lifecycle Management Center, Tinker AFB, Oklahoma, is the contracting activity. DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY McRae Industries Inc.,* Mt. Gilead, North Carolina, has been awarded a maximum $7,558,498 modification (P00003) exercising the first one-year option period of a one-year base contract (SPE1C1-18-D-1011) with four one-year option periods for hot-weather combat boots. This is a firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. Location of performance is North Carolina, with a Nov. 14, 2019, performance completion date. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. *Small business https://dod.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/1690639/source/GovDelivery/

Like several of its Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) neighbors, Bahrain is gearing up for a rapid modernization of its military capabilities. Having signed up to purchase new-build Block 70-standard F-16 Fighting Falcons last year from Lockheed Martin, the Gulf island state also is investing in new attack helicopters in the form of Bell's AH-1Z Viper and has taken delivery of its first tactical airlifter, one of two ex-British Royal Air Force Lockheed C-130J Hercules. By ... http://aviationweek.com/defense/fighters-and-attack-helicopters-center-bahrain-modernization

By Reuters WASHINGTON — Lockheed Martin Corp has won a preliminary contract valued at up to $22.7 billion to build a batch of 255 F-35 jets for the U.S. military and its allies, the U.S. Defense Department said on Wednesday. The department said the deal would allow Lockheed to receive $6 billion in funding immediately, a move aimed at preventing major delays in production of the new stealthy fighter jets. This contract is the first to lock in multiyear commitments from U.S. allies as Lockheed anticipates that buying components in larger quantities will help move the price of the most common F-35 jet to below $80 million by 2020. The most common variation of the jet, the F-35 A, had a price of $89.2 million after the most recent round of contract negotiations announced in September. Lockheed is developing and building three models of the new warplanes for the U.S. military and 10 other countries that have signed up to buy the jets: Britain, Australia, Italy, Turkey, Norway, the Netherlands, Israel, Japan, South Korea and Belgium. The Pentagon's chief arms buyer, Ellen Lord, told Reuters on Tuesday that she expected to finalize the interim terms of the deal, known as an "undefinitized contract action" or UCA, with Lockheed, its No. 1 supplier, by the spring of next year. A Lockheed representative said: "This is a smart approach for the taxpayer, the warfighter and for industry." According to the Pentagon, Wednesday's agreement means that U.S. allies buy 149 jets over the three-year period. In the United States' one-year deal, it will buy the remaining 106 jets for delivery beginning in 2020. The U.S. government will continue to buy jets in annual contracts, but is also purchasing components for future-year jets and will also benefit from the economies of scale allowed under the multiyear contract. The three-year deal, known as the "block buy" among the United States and allies, has been said to be worth more than $37 billion and encompass a record 440 jets. Wednesday's contract agrees to a high-water mark of $22.7 billion for all of the 255 jets, but that dollar figure is expected to come down during the negotiations while the jet count is considered a minimum commitment. The interim payment authorized on Wednesday will be deducted from the total contract when the two sides reach a final agreement. The Pentagon is negotiating a separate contract with Pratt & Whitney, a unit of United Technologies Corp, for engines to power the jets. (Reporting by Mike Stone in Washington; Editing by Matthew Lewis) https://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2018/11/14/business/14reuters-usa-lockheed-pentagon.html

By: Sebastian Sprenger BERLIN — Germany may be committed to a project with France aimed at building a new aircraft for Europe by 2040, but don't expect anything drastic or sudden to happen out of Berlin. That was the principal message delivered here to defense industry leaders by German Air Force Brig. Gen. Gerald Funke, who oversees Germany's planning for the Future Combat Air System, or FCAS. “Don't trust anyone who says they can make predictions about the characteristics of an air system in 2040,” Funke said at the International Fighter industry conference on Wednesday. That attitude means Germany is expected to wait as long as possible before closing the design phase of the envisioned weapon and moving toward production. “We need [a] sensible starting point that's worth spending money on,” Funke told Defense News on the sidelines of the conference. “The time pressure is not as acute as industry presents it.” Funke expects money to start flowing toward the project in 2019, when initial concept studies begin to refine plans for the weapon. He said it remains to be seen whether the initial investment will exceed €25 million (U.S. $28 million), the cutoff for parliamentary approval in Germany. Exactly what the new combat jet will look like is still up in the air. But a set of key “design drivers,” as Funke called them, has emerged and are meant to shape the types of questions analysts will pose as they forge a collection of actual capabilities. Autonomy will be a key feature for the jet and its accompanying drones, though never to a degree that humans are no longer involved in striking targets. Officials want it to be highly interoperable with allied aircraft and weapons, even older ones, and able to easily pass data between them. Costs, both for buying the system and operating it, also will be key considerations, especially in Germany, Funke said. The catchphrases “modularity” and “software” also are on the forefront of requirements developers. That means the Air Force eventually wants to have a base aircraft configuration that can be programmed on the fly for specific missions, like strike, reconnaissance or inflicting some sort of cyber damage to future foes. For Germany, a high degree of “tailorability” is a must-have feature, Funke said. Airbus, meanwhile, has some ideas about the physical appearance of the system and its associated components. According to the company, a typical FCAS fleet includes so-called command aircraft of varying configurations, surrounded by autonomous “remote carrier” drones that work in swarms to do anything from attack to surveillance. Additional, smaller unmanned flying sensors provide yet another layer of eyes and ears for the group, with support aircraft for aerial refueling or transport and even space assets counted as part of the FCAS family. The most important component is something called the “combat cloud ecosystem,” a kind of brain connecting all FCAS nodes through secure data arteries. Airbus project lead Bruno Fichefeux argued time is of the essence in developing the program, even though the envisioned fielding time is still decades away. “The technology needs time to mature,” he said. “If we mean the program seriously,” France and Germany should soon begin spending money on it. The Spanish military, meanwhile, is keeping an eye on the FCAS program and will decide at a later point whether to join. While Germany appears eager to pave a path for Madrid's participation, Spain is still keeping its options open, a Spanish defense official said. https://www.defensenews.com/air/2018/11/14/with-plans-for-drone-sidekicks-europes-futuristic-jet-program-slowly-comes-into-focus