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By: Jen Judson WASHINGTON — The Army has awarded Boeing a $265 million contract to build nine more MH-47G Block II Chinook helicopters for the service's Special Operations Aviation Command, according to a July 31 Defense Department contract announcement. The company is now under contract to build 24 of the G-model Chinooks. The service is expected to buy 69 special operations variants. The original plan was to procure 473 F-model Block II helicopters for the active force as well, but the Army decided in its fiscal 2020 budget request not to buy them for the conventional force and only field the latest variant to special operations, which was much in need of a replacement for the variant in its fleet. The service's decision to cut the aircraft from the active force was based on the need to free up future cash to cover the cost of an ambitious plan to buy two new future vertical lift aircraft for long-range assault and attack reconnaissance missions. Congress has since opposed the move, injecting $28 million in FY20 funding into the program to purchase long-lead items to manufacture F-model Block II Chinooks for the active Army. The Army's FY21 budget again provided no funding for the program. A similar plus-up in the congressional FY21 spending bill could continue to push the service back in the direction of buying more Block II variants. The contract award is the third in a series of awards to buy G-model Chinooks. Boeing received contracts in 2018 and 2019 as well. The Army approved the Block II effort to move into the engineering and manufacturing development phase in April 2017, and the program officially began in July 2017. The aircraft began flying in tests in mid-2019. The upgrades in the Block II version include newly designed rotorblades, major changes to the drive system and other improvements like non-segmented fuel cells. The aircraft is expected to buy back roughly 4,000 pounds of additional load capacity and adds range capability. https://www.defensenews.com/land/2020/07/31/boeing-wins-265-million-to-build-more-special-ops-chinook-helos

Steve Trimble July 31, 2020 Details of the first of two mostly secret initiatives to support the U.S. Air Force's five-year-old pursuit of a sixth-generation successor to the Lockheed Martin F-22 are now released and reveal that a critical technology for the Next-Generation Air Dominance program could become flightworthy by mid-2025. GE Aviation and Pratt & Whitney are scheduled to complete separate competitive designs for a Next-Generation Adaptive Propulsion (NGAP) system by the second quarter of 2022 and finish assessments on a full-scale engine three years later, according to Air Force budget documents. The schedule and spending details on the NGAP appeared for the first time in the Air Force's budget justification documents for fiscal 2021 that were submitted to Congress in February, but passed unnoticed for several months. The Air Force awarded GE and Pratt each a $427 million contract to support the NGAP program, but the details were shrouded in budget documents within the related Adaptive Engine Transition Program (AETP), an unclassified effort to develop a reengining candidate for the Lockheed F-35. After Senate authorizers cited the Air Force's lack of transparency for justifying a $270 million budget cut for AETP this year, service officials decided to break out funding for the NGAP in budget documents. In fact, the NGAP program reappeared in the fiscal 2021 budget documents for the first time in more than six years. The Air Force has kept all details about the Next-Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) program highly secret since 2016, but there was a brief, two-year window in 2014-15 when senior defense officials provided information about the underlying technology development efforts. The NGAP was first referenced in testimony by Alan Shaffer before House Armed Services Committee in March 2014. Shaffer is now the deputy to Ellen Lord, undersecretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment. Six years ago, he was the principal deputy to the director for research and engineering. In that role, Shaffer introduced the NGAP as an enabler to the NGAD program, along with another, complementary initiative focused on new airframes. “This program will develop and fly two X-plane prototypes that demonstrate advanced technologies for future aircraft,” Shaffer said in 2014. “Teams will compete to produce the X-plane prototypes, one focused on future Navy operational capabilities, and the other on future Air Force operational capabilities.” A year later, Frank Kendall, then undersecretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics, elaborated on the Aerospace Innovation Initiative (AII). The development of the X-planes would be led by DARPA, he said. “To be competitive, the Navy and the Air Force each will have variants focused on their mission requirements,” Kendall said. “There will be a technology period leading up to development of the prototypes. This will lead to the systems that ultimately will come after the F-35.” The results of the AII program have not been released or even acknowledged by Air Force or defense officials since 2015, but the initiative suggests that one or two X-plane aircraft could be in testing now. Kendall's remarks to Congress in 2015 came a year before the Air Force received the results of an Enterprise Capability Collaboration Team on the Air Superiority 2030 Flight Plan, which urged the development of a family of systems anchored by a next-generation fighter to replace the F-22. The Flight Plan prompted the Air Force to commission an analysis of alternatives (AoA) in late 2016. The results of that study were originally scheduled to be released by the end of 2017, but the analysis continued until early 2019. Meanwhile, a 2015 presentation by the Air Force Research Laboratory showed a notional schedule for the NGAD program; a contract award to launch the engineering and manufacturing development (EMD) phase is set for fiscal 2023. As late as the Air Force's fiscal 2019 budget request, the financial resources devoted to the NGAD appeared to support that schedule: A significant increase in funding starts in fiscal 2023, and $13 billion is set aside overall between fiscal 2019 and 2023. Last year, however, as the results of the AoA study became available, the Air Force appeared to defer the launch of the EMD by at least a few years. The fiscal 2020 budget request included only $6.6 billion for the NGAD from fiscal 2020-24. Funding for the NGAD and NGAP programs is accounted for separately in Air Force budget documents. The fiscal 2021 budget justification documents reveal that the Air Force spent $106 million for the NGAP in fiscal 2019. Another $224 million is allocated to the NGAP this year. But the program has requested an additional $403 million in fiscal 2021, the budget documents show. “The Next-Generation Adaptive Propulsion effort consists of four phases: preliminary design, detailed design, engine fabrication and engine assessments,” the Air Force's budget documents state. “Program deliverables include military adaptive engine detailed design parameters and models, engine hardware (plus spare parts), matured technologies, major rig assessment data (controls, combustor, etc.), program reviews, and technology, affordability and sustainability studies for next generation fighter aircraft,” the documents add. https://aviationweek.com/defense-space/budget-policy-operations/budget-shows-flightworthy-sixth-generation-fighter-engines

From the U.S. quest to replace its Apache helicopters to India's effort to replenish its air force fighter and naval rotorcraft fleets, every corner of the globe is looking for new military aircraft. Aviation Week editors highlight a few of those contests – to discuss how those are being affected by the COVID pandemic and how the fortunes of companies may rise or fall based on the outcomes. This webinar was sponsored by Raytheon Technologies Listen to the panel in the full recording. Panelists: Craig Caffrey, Senior Aerospace Industry Analyst, Forecast & MRO, Aviation Week Network Michael Tint, Senior Manager, Defense Research & Analytics, Aviation Week Network Steve Trimble, Defense Editor, Aviation Week Network Moderated by Jen DiMascio, Executive Editor, Defense & Space, Aviation Week Network https://aviationweek.com/ad-week/ad-week-webinars/webinar-top-defense-aircraft-competitions

NEWS PROVIDED BY Public Services and Procurement Canada Jul 31, 2020, 12:49 ET GATINEAU, QC, July 31, 2020 /CNW/ - The Government of Canada is committed to providing members of the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) with the aircraft they need to do their jobs, while ensuring the best possible value for Canadians. Today marked a significant milestone in the process to replace Canada's fighter aircraft fleet. In response to the formal Request for Proposals released last summer, the following eligible suppliers have submitted proposals: Swedish Government—SAAB AB (publ)—Aeronautics with Diehl Defence GmbH & Co. KG, MBDA UK Ltd., and RAFAEL Advanced Defence Systems Ltd. United States Government—Lockheed Martin Corporation (Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company) with Pratt & Whitney United States Government—The Boeing Company with Peraton Canada Corp., CAE Inc., L3 Technologies MAS Inc., GE Canada and Raytheon Canada Limited Services and Support Division The proposals will be rigorously evaluated on elements of capability (60%), cost (20%) and economic benefits (20%). During the evaluation, a phased bid compliance process will be used to ensure that bidders have an opportunity to address non-compliance related to mandatory criteria in their proposals. The initial evaluation of proposals is anticipated to be completed by spring 2021, at which point Canada may choose to enter into dialogue with two or more compliant bidders and request revised proposals. Canada will finalize terms with the preferred bidder prior to the contract award, which is anticipated in 2022. Delivery of the first aircraft is expected as early as 2025. Quotes "I am extremely proud of the hard work and dedication in reaching this important milestone in the fighter fleet procurement process. I am confident that we will deliver on the government's commitment to provide the Royal Canadian Air Force with the right fighter jet, at the right price, with the right social and economic benefits for Canadians." The Honourable Anita Anand Minister of Public Services and Procurement "Through our fully costed and funded defence policy, Strong, Secure, Engaged, our government committed to purchasing a full fleet of 88 aircraft to be able to meet our NORAD and NATO obligations simultaneously. Efficient and modern fighter jets are an integral part of any air force and we continue to work diligently to make sure that we provide the members of the Royal Canadian Air Force the tools they need to protect Canada, both at home and abroad." The Honourable Harjit S. Sajjan Minister of National Defence "This project represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to support the competitiveness and growth of Canada's aerospace and defence industries. Our government will evaluate each of these proposals based on their plans to invest in Canada's economy and to support high-value Canadian jobs." The Honourable Navdeep Bains Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development Quick facts As part of its defence policy, Strong, Secure, Engaged, the government is acquiring 88 advanced fighter jets. This is the most significant investment in the RCAF in more than 30 years and is essential for protecting the safety and security of Canadians and meeting international obligations. Officials have conducted extensive engagement with Canadian aerospace and defence industries to ensure that they are well positioned to participate in the procurement. Canada's Industrial and Technological Benefits Policy, including Value Proposition applies to this procurement. This is expected to generate high-value jobs and economic growth for Canadian aerospace and defence businesses for decades to come. Bidders were required to demonstrate how they will fulfill the Government of Canada's economic benefits requirements. Those providing contractual guarantees will receive higher points in the evaluation of the Value Proposition. An independent fairness monitor is overseeing the entire process, to ensure a level playing field for all potential bidders. An independent third-party reviewer was also engaged to assess the quality and effectiveness of the procurement approach. Associated links Future Fighter Capability Project National Defence: Fighter jets Integrating Australian jets into the current Royal Canadian Air Force fighter fleet Follow us on Twitter Follow us on Facebook SOURCE Public Services and Procurement Canada For further information: Cecely Roy, Press Secretary, Office of the Honourable Anita Anand, 343-549-7293, cecely.roy@canada.ca; Media Relations, Public Services and Procurement Canada, 819-420-5501, media@pwgsc-tpsgc.gc.ca Related Links www.tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/government-of-canada-receives-proposals-to-replace-its-fighter-jets-801677231.html

AIR FORCE ARES Security, Vienna, Virginia (FA8612-20-D-0064); AT&T, Oakton, Virginia (FA8612-20-D-0050); Centauri, Chantilly, Virginia (FA8612-20-D-0051); Cogniac, San Jose, California (FA8612-20-D-0052); NanoVMs, San Francisco, California (FA8612-20-D-0057); Pacific Defense, El Segundo, California (FA8612-20-D-0040); SRC Inc., North Syracuse, New York (FA8612-20-D-0060); and Systematic, Centreville, Virginia (FA8612-20-D-0061), have been awarded $950,000,000 in indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contracts to compete for future efforts associated with the maturation, demonstration and proliferation of capability across platforms and domains, leveraging open systems design, modern software and algorithm development in order to enable Joint All Domain Command and Control (JADC2). These contracts provide for the development and operation of systems as a unified force across all domains (air, land, sea, space, cyber and electromagnetic spectrum) in an open architecture family of systems that enables capabilities via multiple integrated platforms. The locations of performance are to be determined at the contract direct order level and are expected to be completed May 28, 2025. These awards are the result of fair and open competition. Initial delivery orders will be fully funded using fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation funds. Air Force Life Cycle Management, Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity. FSCX Inc., Lawton, Oklahoma, has been awarded a not-to-exceed $82,000,000 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, single award contract for survival, evasion, resistance and escape (SERE) training support services. This contract provides for SERE training qualified contractor personnel to augment 336 Training Group active SERE specialists in the instruction of all aspects of SERE academics, laboratories and field operations. Work will be performed at Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington; and Joint Base San Antonio – Lackland, Texas, and is expected to be completed August 2026. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition and five offers were received. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $1,985,557 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Installation Contracting Center, Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas, is the contracting activity (FA3002-20-D-0009). Gotham LLC, San Diego, California, has been awarded a not-to-exceed $42,096,543 firm-fixed-price contract for operations of high capacity lab SARS-CoV-2 Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments certified lab, laboratory validation studies, training, custom software interfaces to the electronic health records and 250,000 collection kits, shipping, and test results. Work will be performed at all Department of Defense clinical military treatment facilities within the U.S. and is expected to be completed Oct. 31, 2020. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds in the full amount are being obligated at the time of award. Department of the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office, Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity (FA7014-20-C-031). Lockheed Martin Corp., Fort Worth, Texas, has been awarded a $34,177,354 firm-fixed-price modification (P00031) to contract FA8615-17-C-6045 for the Service Life Extension Program for the Republic of Korea's F-16 aircraft. Work will be performed in the Republic of Korea and is expected to be completed Aug. 15, 2026. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Foreign Military Sales in the full amount will be obligated at the time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity. METIS Solutions LLC, Arlington, Virginia, has been awarded a $26,951,536 firm-fixed-price modification (P0004) to contract FA4890-19-F-A095 for counter threat finance. The contract modification exercises Option Year One. Work will be performed in Afghanistan, National Capital Region, and Florida, and is expected to be completed Sept. 27, 2024. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $23,455,736 are being obligated at the time of award. Total cumulative face value of the contract is $50,348,521. Acquisition Management and Integration Center, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Hampton, Virginia, is the contracting activity. Range Generation Next LLC, Sterling, Virginia, has been awarded a $9,159,458 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification (P00305) to contract FA8806-15-C-0001 for the Range Communications Facility timing and sequencing project. This modification supports on-going launch and test range requirements. The primary locations of performance are the Eastern Range, Patrick Air Force Base, Florida; and the Western Range, Vandenberg AFB, California, and work is expected to be completed Sept. 26, 2024. Fiscal 2020 Space procurement funds in the full amount are being obligated at the time of award. The total cumulative face value of this contract is $923,704,040. Space and Missile Systems Center, Peterson AFB, Colorado, is the contracting activity. U.S. TRANSPORTATION COMMAND Crowley Government Services Inc., Jacksonville, Florida, has been awarded a modification (P00011) on contract HTC711-17-D-R003 in the estimated amount of $328,000,000. This modification provides continued surface transportation coordination services for the movement of freight within the continental U.S. (CONUS) and Canada under the Department of Defense Freight Transportation Services program to the Defense Logistics Agency and Defense Contract Management Agency. Work will be performed CONUS and in Canada. The period of performance is from Aug. 1, 2020, to July 31, 2021. Fiscal 2020 transportation working capital fund funds were obligated at award. This modification brings the total cumulative face value of the contract from $438,285,829 to $766,285,829. U.S. Transportation Command, Directorate of Acquisition, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, is the contracting activity. Erickson Helicopters Inc., Portland, Oregon, has been awarded a contract modification (P00008) on contract HTC711-18-D-R023 in the estimated amount of $30,180,354. This modification provides continued air transportation services to the U.S. Pacific Command. Work will be performed at Edwin Andrews Air Base, Philippines. The option period of performance is from Sept. 28, 2020, to Sept. 27, 2021. Fiscal 2020 transportation working capital funds will be obligated at task order award. This modification brings the total cumulative face value of the contract from $57,781,994 to $87,962,348. U.S. Transportation Command, Directorate of Acquisition, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, is the contracting activity. Jones Stevedoring Co., Seattle, Washington, has been awarded a $23,924,794 firm-fixed-price contract (HTC711-20-D-R045) to provide stevedoring and terminal services at ports in Tacoma, Olympia, Everett, and Grays Harbor, Washington. Work will be performed primarily at Tacoma, Olympia, Everett and Grays Harbor, Washington. The contract base period of performance is from Aug. 1, 2020, to July 31, 2025. Fiscal 2020 transportation working capital funds were obligated at award. U.S. Transportation Command, Directorate of Acquisition, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, is the contracting activity. Northrop Grumman Systems Corp. Inc., McLean, Virginia, has been awarded a $10,445,294 task order (HTC711-20-F-D069) to provide non-personal advisory and assistance service for analytic and engineering support for U.S. Transportation Command and its component commands in support of the Joint Deployment and Distribution Enterprise. Work will be performed at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. The contract base period of performance is from Oct. 1, 2020, to Sept. 30, 2021. Fiscal 2021 transportation working capital funds will be obligated at award. U.S. Transportation Command, Directorate of Acquisition, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, is the contracting activity. DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Tesoro Refining and Marketing Co., San Antonio, Texas (SPE602-20-D-0497, $474,879,154); BP North America Products Inc., Chicago, Illinois (SPE602-20-D-0502, $382,860,418); Valero Marketing and Supply Co., San Antonio, Texas (SPE602-20-D-0492, $292,395,776); PAR Hawaii Refining, Kapolei, Hawaii (SPE602-20-D-0494, $202,881,454); Petro Star Inc.,* Anchorage, Alaska (SPE602-20-D-0496, $143,705,408); US Oil and Refining Co., Tacoma, Washington (SPE602-20-D-0501, $133,711,119); Phillips 66 Co., Houston, Texas (SPE602-20-D-0499, $103,018,608); Chevron U.S.A. Inc., San Ramon, California (SPE602-20-D-0498, $62,422,099); Sinclair Oil Corp.,* doing business as Sinclair, Salt Lake City, Utah (SPE602-20-D-0495, $43,766,148); and Wyoming Refining Co., Houston, Texas (SPE602-20-D-0493, $12,203,836), have each been awarded a fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract under solicitation SPE602-20-R-0704 for various types of fuel. These were competitive acquisitions with 22 offers received. These are one-year contracts with a 30-day carryover. Locations of performance are Alaska, California, Wyoming, Texas, Washington, Hawaii, New Mexico, Utah, Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, Montana, Idaho, South Dakota and Oregon, with an Oct. 30, 2021, performance completion date. Using customer is Defense Logistics Agency Energy. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2021 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Energy, Fort Belvoir, Virginia. GMS Industrial Supply Inc., Virginia Beach, Virginia, has been awarded a maximum $92,711,938 firm-fixed-price contract for shop equipment. 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. Locations of performance are Virginia and California, with a Sept. 30, 2025, performance completion date. Using military services are Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2021 through 2025 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime, Columbus, Ohio (SPE7MX-20-D-0107). American Surgical Instrument Repair LLC, Bellefontaine, Ohio, has been awarded a maximum $33,000,000 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for medical equipment and accessories for the Defense Logistics Agency electronic catalog. This was a competitive acquisition with 127 responses received. This is a five-year contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Ohio, with a July 30, 2025, ordering period end date. Using military services are Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2025 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE2DH-20-D-0045). AM General LLC, South Bend, Indiana, has been awarded a maximum $29,096,971 firm-fixed-price, requirements contract for High Mobility Multi-Purpose Wheeled Vehicle diesel engines with containers. 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 three-year contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Indiana, with a July 30, 2023, ordering period end date. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2023 (Army) working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime, Warren, Michigan (SPRDL1-20-D-0126). Aurora Industries LLC, Camuy, Puerto Rico (SPE1C1-19-D-1133 (P00010), $17,203,245); and Coachys & Associates LLC,** Roswell, Georgia (SPE1C1-19-D-1134 (P00004), $15,965,766), have each been awarded a modification exercising the one-year option period of a one-year base contract with one one-year option period for extreme cold/wet weather jackets. These are firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contracts under solicitation SPE1C1-18-R-0115. Locations of performance are Puerto Rico and Georgia, with a July 31, 2021, ordering period end date. Using military services are Army and Air Force. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2021 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Missouri, has been awarded a maximum $16,414,050 firm-fixed-price, definite-quantity contract for KC-135 aircraft structural component fittings (landing gear trunnions). 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 one-year contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Missouri, with an Aug. 31, 2023, performance completion date. Using military service is Air Force. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2021 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Richmond, Virginia (SPE4A5-20-F-343D). Crown Clothing Co., Vineland, New Jersey, has been awarded a maximum $12,518,363 modification (P00014) exercising the second one-year option period of a one-year base contract (SPE1C1-18-D-1079) with four one-year option periods for various types of men's coats. This is a fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. Location of performance is New Jersey, with an Aug. 8, 2021, ordering period end date. Using military service is Marine Corps. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2021 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Synergy Logistics Services, North Kansas City, Missouri, has been awarded a maximum $10,480,079 modification (P00002) to five-year contract SP3300-20-D-5001 with no option periods for warehousing services. This is a hybrid fixed-price, incentive-fee, cost-plus-fixed-fee, cost-reimbursement-no-fee contract. This modification brings the total cumulative face value of the contract from $57,999,169 to $68,479,248. Locations of performance are Missouri and North Carolina, with an April 30, 2025, performance completion date. Using customer is Defense Logistics Agency Distribution. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2025 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Distribution, New Cumberland, Pennsylvania. Moog Inc., Components Group, Blacksburg, Virginia, has been awarded a maximum $9,587,599 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for slip ring assemblies. 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 Virginia, with a July 29, 2025, ordering period end date. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through fiscal 2025 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime, Warren, Michigan (SPRDL1-20-D-0066). U.S. SPECIAL OPERATIONS COMMAND The Boeing Co, Ridley Park, Pennsylvania, was awarded a $265,022,000 firm-fixed-price, delivery order contract modification (P00001) to contract H92241-19-F-0091 for the procurement of nine MH-47G Chinook aircraft in support of U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM). This modification raises the contract ceiling to $285,800,000. Fiscal 2020 procurement funds in the amount of $265,022,000 are being obligated at the time of award. The majority of the work will be performed in Ridley Park and is expected to be completed February 2023. This contract is a non-competitive award and is in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302.1. USSOCOM, Tampa, Florida, is the contracting activity. NAVY L3 Harris Corp., Clifton, New Jersey, is awarded a $104,029,328 firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract. This contract will procure 35 full rate production Lot 17 Integrated Defensive Electronic Countermeasures (IDECM) AN/ALQ-214A(V)4 Onboard Jammer (OBJ) systems; 14 Weapons Replaceable Assemblies (WRA)1 A(V)4s; 13 WRA2 A(V)4s, and repair of test assets and field support for in service IDECM AN/ALQ-214A(V)4 OBJ systems. Work will be performed in Clifton, New Jersey (59%); San Jose, California (14%); San Diego, California (7%); Rancho Cordova, California (5%); Mountain View, California (3%); and various locations within the continental U.S. (12%). Work is expected to be completed August 2023. Fiscal 2020 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $103,329,328; and fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $700,000 will be obligated at time of award, $700,000 of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N00019-20-C-0002). RQ Construction LLC, Carlsbad, California, is awarded a $61,305,341 firm-fixed-price contract modification under indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity multiple award construction contract task order N40085-19-F-7171 for construction services for the Mariner Skills Training Center, Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia. The total contract amount after exercise of this option will be $70,315,155. Work will be performed in Norfolk, Virginia. The construction of a new two-story building will accommodate office, administration and training spaces along with a high-bay area. The high-bay area will accommodate several large bridge trainers and bridge trainer areas will simulate conditions from the bridge of a ship with the purpose of training a limited number of personnel at one time. Work is expected to be completed January 2022. Fiscal 2020 military construction (Navy) contract funds will be obligated on this award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via a multiple award construction contract and six proposals were received. Naval Facilities Engineering Command Mid-Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N40085-19-D-9069). Duke Energy Progress, Raleigh, North Carolina, is awarded a $54,380,341 modification under firm-fixed-price task order N40085-19-F-9960 for the implementation of eight energy conservation measures at Marine Corps Base, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. The total task order value will be $92,375,334. Work will be performed in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. The work to be performed provides for implementation of energy conservation measures that include energy management control system integration; surgical control repairs and legacy designs; water/waste water infrastructure repair and enhancements; emergency operation centers for water/waste water; supervisory controls and data acquisition life cycle operational standards; bipolar ionization up-fits for air handling units at bachelor enlisted quarters buildings; and parking lot and roadway lighting controls. The primary goal of the project is to reduce energy consumption and provide more resilient and sustainable facility infrastructure. Work is expected to be completed July 2023. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Marine Corps) contract funds in the amount of $54,380,341 are obligated on this award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command Mid-Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (GS-00P-14-BSD-1055). Walsh Federal LLC, Chicago, Illinois, is awarded a $37,327,630 firm-fixed-price contract for the construction of an F-35 Lightning II combat aircraft training and simulator facility, Marine Corps Air Station, New River, North Carolina. Work will be performed in New River, North Carolina. The work to be performed will provide a one story simulator facility that will support six mission rehearsal trainers and full mission simulators, six deployable mission rehearsal trainers and support spaces which will include administrative, classroom and conference space. The facility will also include space for a Marine aviation training systems site and a night imaging and threat evaluation lab. The facility will be a reinforced concrete masonry unit building with seismic upgrades. It will be located on a pile of supported and reinforced concrete slabs on grade foundation with structural steel framing and a pre-finished insulated roof system with renewable energy features. Structural elements will allow for the expansion of the facility in the future if required. The facility will be constructed and certified for secure handling and storage of classified material and components to meet top secret/special access program facility classifications. Work is expected to be completed April 2022. Fiscal 2020 military construction (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $37,327,630 are obligated on this award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website and six proposals were received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command Mid-Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N40085-20-C-0039). AERMOR LCC, Virginia Beach, Virginia, is awarded $27,000,000 for a firm-fixed-price indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract to provide test and evaluation support services for the commander, Operational Test and Evaluation Force Undersea Warfare Division. The contract will include a 60-month base ordering period with an additional six-month ordering period option pursuant of Federal Acquisition Regulation 52.217-8, with an option to extend services. If options are exercised, the total ceiling value will increase to $30,000,000. All work will be performed in Norfolk, Virginia. The base ordering period is expected to be completed November 2025. If the option is exercised, the ordering period will be completed May 2026. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $2,500 will be obligated to fund the contract's minimum amount. Funds will be issued as individual task orders are received and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured with the solicitation posted on beta.SAM.gov as a service-disabled, veteran-owned, small business set-aside using commercial items procedures. Three offers were received. The Naval Supply Systems Command Fleet Logistics Center Norfolk, Contracting Department Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N00189-20-D-0014). Q.E.D. Systems Inc.,* Virginia Beach, Virginia, is awarded an $18,105,774 cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract in support of engineering services and technical services. Work will be performed at various locations throughout the world as assigned by each task order. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Philadelphia Division (NSWCPD) engineering, technical, production and subsequent logistic support services (including personnel and facilities) require establishment and maintenance of rotatable pools of steam propulsion plant main steam and auxiliary steam system components, steam boiler appurtenances and associated equipment and spares required by NSWCPD Code 412. Work is expected to be completed July 2025. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Navy) funding in the amount of $500,000 will be obligated at time of award on the initial task order and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the contracts opportunities at the beta.SAM.gov website and one offer was received. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Philadelphia Division, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is the contracting activity (N64498-20-D-4025). TEC-AECOM Pacific JV, Charlottesville, Virginia, is awarded a $15,000,000 firm-fixed-price modification to increase the maximum dollar value of an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for architect-engineering services. These services are for the preparation of National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) documents and environmental studies at various Navy and Marine Corps activities located within the Pacific Basin and Indian Ocean areas. After award of this modification, the total cumulative contract value will be $88,000,000. Work will be performed predominantly in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (90%); and other areas within the Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Pacific area of responsibility (AOR) and may include services for other Department of Defense (DOD) or federal agencies (10%). The work to be performed provides for, but is not limited to, environmental planning services in the preparation, updating and reviewing of NEPA documents, environmental studies and technical services related to such documents as may be requested by the Department of the Navy and NAVFAC Pacific AOR. Work may also include services for other DOD or federal agencies. Work is expected to be completed July 2023. No funds will be obligated at time of award; funds will be obligated on individual task order modifications as they are issued. Task order modifications will be primarily funded by customer reimbursable funds. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command Pacific, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, is the contracting activity (N62742-11-D-1801). Coastal Enterprises of Jacksonville Inc., Jacksonville, North Carolina, is awarded an $8,248,306 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity modification for the exercise of Option Four under contract for grounds maintenance services at Marine Corps Base, Camp Lejeune; Marine Corps Air Station, New River, North Carolina; and other outlying locations. After award of this option, the total cumulative contract value will be $39,851,930. Work will be performed in Jacksonville, North Carolina. The work to be performed provides for grounds maintenance services that will maintain landscaping, mowing, trimming grass, weed control and fire ant treatment for the Camp Lejeune Complex. This includes commands such as the Naval Hospital, Marine Corps Special Operations Command and Department of Defense dependent schools. The option period is from August 2020 to July 2021. No funds will be obligated at time of award. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Marine Corps) contract funds in the amount of $4,787,098 for recurring work will be obligated on individual task orders issued during the option period. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command Mid-Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N40085-16-D-6318). Bamforth Engineers and Surveyors Inc.,* Norfolk, Virginia, is awarded an $8,144,376 firm-fixed-price task order (N40085-20-F-6095) under an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity architect-engineering contract for the full design of aircraft maintenance hangar P475 at Marine Corps Air Station, Beaufort, South Carolina. Work will be performed at the Marine Corps Air Station, South Carolina. The work to be performed will provide design and engineering services for a nine-bay aircraft maintenance and training hangars and a parking structure. The aircraft maintenance hangar is comprised of four distinct areas: the hangar bay, the shop and maintenance area, the administration and operations area and a secure area. Work is expected to be completed July 2021. Fiscal 2020 military construction (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $8,144,376 are obligated on this award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce online website and three proposals were received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command Mid-Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N40085-19-D-9164). TOTE Services LLC, Jacksonville, Florida, is awarded a $7,965,634 modification for the firm-fixed-price portion of previously awarded contract N32205-18-C-3002 for operations and maintenance of the offshore petroleum discharge system vessels, USNS Wheeler and USNS Fast Tempo. This modification exercises the second of four one-year option periods of this contract. The vessels will continue to support the Military Sealift Command's world-wide prepositioning requirements. Work will be performed at sea, worldwide and is expected to be completed, if all options are exercised, by July 2023. Working capital funds (Navy) in the amount of $7,965,634 are obligated for fiscal 2020 and fiscal 2021 and will not expire at the end of the fiscal years. The Military Sealift Command, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity. L3 Harris Technologies Inc., Rochester, New York, is awarded a $7,791,645 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity modification to exercise Ordering Period One under previously awarded contract M67004-19-D-0002. This modification provides for the refurbishment of Marine Corps radio components associated with controlled cryptographic communications. The option ordering period is August 1, 2020, through July 31, 2021. The modification increases the value of the basic contract to $15,305,690. Work will be performed in Rochester, New York. Fiscal 2020 working capital (Navy) funds in the amount of $437,974 will be obligated on the first delivery order at the time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Marine Corps Logistics Command, Albany, Georgia, is the contracting activity. ARMY Duke Energy Progress LLC, Raleigh, North Carolina, was awarded a $50,998,450 firm-fixed-price contract to furnish financing, personnel, management, supplies, equipment, transportation and any other items and services not government furnished to install the energy conservation measures to meet Fort Bragg's energy goals and objectives. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will be performed in Fayetteville, North Carolina, with an estimated completion July 30, 2041. No funds were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Field Directorate Office, Fort Sam Houston, Texas, is the contracting activity (W9124J-20-F-0052). BAE Systems Ordnance Systems Inc., Radford, Virginia, was awarded a $35,683,004 modification (000824) to contract W52P1J-11-D-0013 for award of MK90 grain, the shipping of the grains and the return of the empty grain cages to Radford Army Ammunition Plant. Work will be performed in Radford, Virginia, with an estimated completion Dec. 21, 2021. Fiscal 2018, 2019 and 2020 procurement of ammunition (Army) funds; and Foreign Military Sales (Afghanistan, Indonesia, Iraq, Morocco, Netherlands, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia and Singapore) funds in the amount of $35,683,004 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois, is the contracting activity. Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Co. LLC, Oak Brook, Illinois, was awarded a $30,695,071 firm-fixed-price contract for beach nourishment from Brigantine Inlet to Great Egg Harbor Inlet, Absecon Island, Atlantic County, New Jersey. Bids were solicited via the internet with two received. Work will be performed in Brigantine, New Jersey, with an estimated completion March 31, 2021. Fiscal 2020 civil construction funds in the amount of $30,695,071 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is the contracting activity (W912BU-20-C-0036). Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Herndon, Virginia, was awarded a $20,715,078 modification (P00077) to contract W58RGZ-17-C-0014 for contractor logistics support services for government-owned, fixed-wing fleet performing Special Electronic Mission Aircraft missions. Work will be performed in Herndon, Virginia, with an estimated completion Aug. 31, 2021. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Army) funds in the amount of $20,715,078 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity. The Boeing Co., Mesa, Arizona, was awarded a $16,800,000 modification (P00050) to contract W58RGZ-16-C-0023 for the United Arab Emirates Apache AH-64E Program. Work will be performed in Mesa, Arizona, with an estimated completion Dec. 31, 2024. Fiscal 2010 Foreign Military Sales (United Arab Emirates) funds in the amount of $16,800,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity. General Dynamics Land Systems, Sterling Heights, Michigan, was awarded a $9,203,685 modification (000312) to contract W56HZV-18-D-0012 to adjust delivery schedule for 217 Kuwait M1A2K Abrams tanks. Work will be performed in Lima, Ohio, with an estimated completion June 30, 2022. Fiscal 2020 Foreign Military Sales (Kuwait) funds in the amount of $9,203,685 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Detroit Arsenal, Michigan, is the contracting activity. Oshkosh Defense LLC, Oshkosh, Wisconsin, was awarded a $9,073,083 modification (P00333) to contract W56HZV-15-C-0095 to exercise available options to perform system technical support efforts. Work will be performed in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, with an estimated completion Sept. 30, 2022. Fiscal 2020 other procurement (Army) and procurement (defense-wide) funds in the amount of $9,073,083 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Detroit Arsenal, Michigan, is the contracting activity. Randy Kinder Excavating Inc.,* Dexter, Missouri, was awarded an $8,890,292 firm-fixed-price contract for clearing, snagging and channel excavation of Ditch 251 Upper in New Madrid and Pemiscot Counties, Missouri. Bids were solicited via the internet with four received. Work will be performed in Dexter, Missouri, with an estimated completion Sept. 30, 2021. Fiscal 2020 civil operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $8,890,292 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Memphis, Tennessee, is the contracting activity (W912EQ-20-C-0009). Nextech Solutions LLC,* Orange Park, Florida, was awarded an $8,873,184 firm-fixed-price contract for procuring REDCOM Sigma System core and maintenance. Bids were solicited via the internet with two received. Work will be performed at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, with an estimated completion June 14, 2025. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Army) funds in the amount of $8,873,184 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W56JSR-20-C-0006). Babcock SDV LLC,* Arkansas City, Kansas, was awarded a $7,962,753 firm-fixed-price contract for furnishing all plant, labor and materials for clearing and snagging, top bank shaping, channel excavation, disposal of excavated materials, shoal removal and seeding and mulching. Bids were solicited via the internet with three received. Work will be performed in Caruthersville, Missouri, with an estimated completion June 1, 2022. Fiscal 2020 civil construction funds in the amount of $7,962,753 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Memphis, Tennessee, is the contracting activity (W912EQ-20-C-0012). Ashford Leebcor Enterprises,* Williamsburg, Virginia, was awarded a $7,711,655 firm-fixed-price contract to renovate Building 32 into a fitness center at the Defense Logistics Agency and Defense Supply Center, Richmond, Virginia. Bids were solicited via the internet with eight received. Work will be performed in Richmond, Virginia, with an estimated completion Aug. 30, 2021. Fiscal 2018 sustainment, restoration, maintenance funds in the amount of $7,711,655 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (W91236-20-C-2011). Kearfott Corp.,* Black Mountain, North Carolina, was awarded a $7,190,506 firm-fixed-price contract for maintenance and overhaul of the electro-mechanical actuator, a Black Hawk helicopter part. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion July 30, 2025. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity (W58RGZ-20-F-0491). WASHINGTON HEADQUARTERS SERVICES Boston Consulting Group, Bethesda, Maryland, has been awarded an $8,340,080 firm-fixed-price contract. The contract provides planning, programming, budget execution and assessment, to include audit processes to modernize Marine Corps corporate governance. The objective of this action is to explore, rationalize, analyze, and report on requirements, resources, risks and their impacts (direct, secondary, tertiary). Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $8,340,080 are being awarded. The expected completion Dec. 18, 2020. Washington Headquarters Services, Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting activity (HQ0034-16-A-0003). DEFENSE ADVANCED RESEARCH PROJECTS AGENCY Raytheon Co. Missile Systems, Tucson, Arizona, was awarded a modification to exercise options totaling $7,788,259 to previously awarded contract HR0011-19-C-0008 for a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency research project. The modification brings the total cumulative face value of the contract from $51,895,419 to $59,683,678. Work will be performed in Tucson, Arizona, with an expected completion December 2021. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $3,703,322 are being obligated at time of award. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting activity. *Small Business **Service-disabled veteran owned small business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2296685/source/GovDelivery/

By: Lt. Gen. David Deptula (ret.) and Douglas A. Birkey With the U.S. election around the corner and the economic impact of COVID-19 mounting, calls for defense spending cuts are on the rise. The practicality of reductions is questionable given the scale and scope of the threat environment, the reality that key elements of the military are decaying, and that defense jobs represent one bright spot in an otherwise bleak economy. If cuts are coming, it is crucial to execute them in a fashion that prioritizes the most effective, efficient and valuable capabilities within the Department of Defense. This requires a new approach to assessing weapon systems' value. Defense programs are traditionally measured in a service-centric fashion based primarily upon two metrics: unit cost, and individual operating and support costs. Think about this in the context of buying a car and expenses associated with gas and maintenance. However, not all vehicles are created equal, with a compact car far different than a large SUV. Relative capabilities are essential when understanding how to best meet mission goals effectively and efficiently. To this point, when it comes to military systems, a much more relevant determination of merit is “cost per effect” — measuring the expense associated with achieving desired mission results. These sorts of comparisons are far from theoretical. On the first night of Desert Storm, it took 41 non-stealth aircraft to hit one target. At the same time, 20 F-117 stealth fighters struck 28 separate targets. Without the protection afforded by stealth, it took a large airborne team to protect the eight bomb-carrying aircraft striking one target. This gets to the crux of the cost-effectiveness challenge. Even though the non-stealth aircraft each cost less from an individual unit aircraft perspective, the F-117s yielded far more mission results at less risk for far less enterprise cost. However, during the last few budget downturns, decision-makers too often cut weapon systems that appeared “expensive” on a spreadsheet but actually delivered far greater effects for less cost. This year saw the Air Force seeking to retire 17 of its B-1 bombers even though a single B-1 can deliver as much or more ordnance than an entire aircraft carrier air wing, depending on the operational realities of range and payload. Production lines for the B-2 and F-22 — respectively the most advanced and capable bomber and fighter ever built — were terminated well before their validated military requirement was filled. Cost-per-effect analysis would have yielded very different determinations. These decisions continue to have very significant consequences. The security environment today is much more dangerous than at any time since the end of the Cold War, and U.S. forces are stretched thin. Smart investments are essential to yield necessary mission results. The U.S. military no longer has the capacity to bludgeon its way to victory through mass as it did in World War II. This is exactly why military leaders are embracing the need to harness information in their future war-fighting construct. Joint All-Domain Command and Control centers around understanding the battlespace in a real-time fashion to seek favorable pathways to achieve mission objectives, minimize the dangers posed by enemy threats and collaboratively team weapon systems to yield enhanced results. This is an incredibly smart approach. However, it is also wholly incongruous, with analysis centered around unit cost and individual operating expenses. If victory is going to be secured through the sum of parts, then we need to stop focusing on unilateral analysis absent broader context. Cost per effect can be applied to any mission area — the measurement points simply need to be tailored to relevant data sets. Accordingly, if we look at high-end air superiority and strike missions, it is important to consider the ability to net results in a precise fashion. This is simple — not only does “one bomb or missile, one target” save money, but it also frees up forces to execute other tasks. It is also important to consider survivability. Large, self-protecting, non-stealth strike packages akin to the Desert Storm example are incredibly expensive. Replacing a plane and pilot is not cheap. Additionally, losses reduce the force employment options available to commanders. Fifth-generation technology attributes are also crucial — the combination of stealth, sensors, processing power, fusion engines, and real-time command-and-control links to penetrate defended adversary regions and understand how best to attain desired effects, while minimizing vulnerability. Finally, range and payload are also very important — a single aircraft able to fly farther and carry more missiles or bombs drives effectiveness and efficiency. Assessing these attributes — all of which are measurable — validate precisely why aircraft like the F-35 and B-21 are so important. Nor should these assessments be restricted within a service. That is not how combat commanders fight. They focus on missions, not service ownership. If cuts to defense are coming, then it is crucial that the DoD maintain the most effective, efficient options, regardless of service. If past DoD budget cuts are any indicator, DoD budget “experts” will once again resort to their traditional monetary spreadsheets focused on unit cost and service-focused budget columns. Leadership from the very highest levels is crucial to ensure the very best options are preserved and prioritized. Joint cost-per-effect analysis is what will ensure a given amount of money will yield the most value at a time when it matters the most. Retired U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. David Deptula is dean of the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Power Studies. He has more than 3,000 flying hours under his belt, and he planned the Desert Storm air campaign and orchestrated air operations over Iraq and Afghanistan. Douglas A. Birkey is the executive director of the Mitchell Institute, where he researches issues relating to the future of aerospace and national security. https://www.defensenews.com/opinion/commentary/2020/07/31/potential-defense-budget-cuts-demand-a-new-calculus/

Andrew Eversden The Army's first iteration of new network tools, known as Capability Set '21, was heavily influenced by existing network gaps identified by the 82nd Airborne on more than a year's worth of deployments. According to Capt. Brian Delgado, S6 of the 82nd Airborne Division's 1st Brigade Combat Team, the “biggest game changer” for soldiers in the field provided in the integrated tactical network kit of Capability Set '21 was the secure but unclassified environment. The SBU environment allows soldiers to more easily share and receive information. In the current network, information that flows through the network is classified, and many lower-level users don't have proper clearances. “Army operational construct requires battalion formations to conduct combined arms missions, but today's network does not support the battalion's organic capacity to deconflict an air picture, nor an ability to combine dismounted, mounted, fires, intelligence and air pictures into a combined operating picture (COP),” Delgado said. “Part of this challenge is due to the fact that dismounted and most mounted COP tools like Nett Warrior (NW) and Joint Battle Command-Platform resided on the Secret enclave. The vast majority of users at the tactical level do not possess Secret clearances, which makes sharing and receiving key information difficult.” Capability Set '21 lets soldiers securely share controlled unclassified information across the network, allowing war fighters on the ground to receive important information regardless of their security clearance. With the new tools, the Army moved from a 100 percent classified network to a 75 percent SBU network. “This means we now were able to use software applications at the Unclassified level in a tactical environment. SBU allowed the utilization of tactical software like the Tactical Assault Kit (TAK) to provide a [combined operating picture] down to the lowest level of leaders,” Delgado said. Col. Garth Winterle, project manager for tactical radios at Army Program Executive Office Command, Control, Communications-Tactical, said in a May interview with C4ISRNET that the SBU architecture ”opens the door for a lot of different things,” including improved information sharing with coalition partners. The integrated tactical network kit also unifies the disparate operating picture into a single digital operating picture. The combined operating picture “directly reduces risk in the clearance of fires, combat air support and maneuvering in widely dispersed formations,” Delgado said. “It allowed battalion commanders to fight teams in a dispersed manner that would have been impossible with legacy systems, and therefore greatly reduced the risk to the battalion combat power that enemy indirect fires commonly present,” Delgado added. Capability Set '21 was focused on solving immediate network capability gaps with current technology, while also making network hardware far more expeditionary and while improving network transport capabilities. The capability set includes new radios as well as smaller and lighter servers and satellite terminals. It was designed through collaboration between Army PEO C3T and the Army Network Cross-Functional Team. The Army completed critical design review of Capability Set '21 earlier this year and started procuring new tools this month. Right now, the “majority” of the Army's command-and-control systems sit on large vehicles that aren't useful on expeditionary operations, Delgado said. With the new technology, the integrated tactical network “separated these systems from vehicles, allowing for more network access during early expeditionary operations that we performed,” reducing the reliance on vehicles and allowing soldiers to dismount systems based on needs. Delgado said the new integrated tactical network, or ITN, hardware is “orders of magnitude” smaller than existing tools, providing more flexibility in how units choose command-and-control equipment for operations. “We were able to load a battalion tactical operations center worth of equipment onto a nonstandard small tactical vehicle, and then move it in a matter of hours onto a UH-60 [Black Hawk helicopter] to function as a true command aircraft,” Delgado said. The Capability Set '21 ITN kit also includes radio waveforms that are more resilient, and it allows for data transmission. The 82nd Airborne has previously been reliant on the Single Channel Ground and Airborne Radio System as well as the Soldier Radio Waveform for tactical radio communications, but Delgado said that both had “limitations regarding their effectiveness and survivability for distributed formations,” and that they didn't allow for SBU transmissions. The Army is investing several new radios with more resilient waveforms as part of its modernization initiative, including the two-channel leader radio. “The ITN presents a significant increase in radio resiliency while operating in a contested environment. Most noteworthy are a resistance to tactical jamming, and a near-complete inability of the enemy to ... find radio broadcasts,” Delgado said. https://www.c4isrnet.com/battlefield-tech/it-networks/2020/07/31/soldiers-tout-new-network-tool-as-a-game-changer/

By: Jen Judson WASHINGTON — A high-stakes test of the U.S. Army's battle command system expected to control air and missile defense shooters and sensors is underway following a delay due to the coronavirus pandemic, Kenn Todorov, Northrop Grumman's vice president for missile defense solutions, told Defense News in a recent interview. Northrop Grumman is the developer of the Integrated Air and Missile Defense Battle Command System, or IBCS. The system's development and its fielding is the Army's top air and missile defense modernization priority. IBCS has had a long and marred history due to struggles in previous tests as well as increasing requirements causing a plethora of challenging software changes. But recent successful tests over the past several years have resulted in a deeper confidence of the system, and the Army has been racing to move through a limited-user test, or LUT, at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico, to reach a production decision. The test will decide the fate of the program. The program was supposed to reach initial operational capability last year, but those plans slipped in 2017 by four years following software problems in the system's first LUT in 2016. IBCS was originally meant to serve as the command-and-control system for the Army's future Integrated Air and Missile Defense system against regional ballistic missile threats, but now the service sees a much more expansive future for the technology, with plans to tie it to sensors and shooters capable of defeating complex threats like unmanned aircraft. According to Todorov, the Army and Northrop had to take a “COVID pause” to ensure the safety of all of the participants of the LUT before proceeding. Originally, the IBCS test was scheduled for earlier in the spring as COVID-19 was spreading quickly across the United States. Precautions are taken to ensure participants stay healthy, Todorov said, but he doesn't believe those measures will sacrifice any of the rigor within the test. The LUT will have a broader range of threats to counter than the original, from ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and air-breathing threats, and this test will include the integration of some joint air assets, Brig. Gen. Brian Gibson, the head of the Army's missile defense modernization effort, told Defense News last year. Northrop took the extra time from the pause caused by the pandemic to improve the system's readiness and develop policies and procedures to ensure employees take precautions to avoid the spread of the virus during the LUT. The test is expected to go through the month of August and include endurance runs as well as two major flight tests. In Northrop's second-quarter fiscal 2020 earnings call on July 30, CEO Kathy Warden said that “successful completion of this [engineering and manufacturing development] milestone will support IBCS production, deployment and fielding to execute the Army's [IAMD] modernization strategy,” adding that the program is on track to reach a production decision later this year. Warden also noted that success with the IBCS program and the Air Force's Advanced Battle Management System puts the company on a path to contribute heavily to an anticipated “next-generation” program called Joint All-Domain Command and Control. JADC2 is expected to provide an information architecture across all service and domains of warfare. Northrop's IBCS development efforts are seen as a springboard into work it could do to develop JADC2, Todorov said. He added that the IBCS system in particular has gone through “tremendous advances,” as it has adapted to maturing and changing threats. One of the reasons the system has been able to quickly evolve is due to its designation by Congress — among just a few Defense Department programs — to adopt an agile software-development process that allows the system to be frequently updated with software upgrades or patches, as opposed to big software drops that potentially happen only once a year. https://www.defensenews.com/land/2020/07/31/after-covid-delay-high-stakes-test-of-armys-critical-battle-command-system-underway/

Andrew Eversden WASHINGTON — The Pentagon's top IT official provided an update July 30 on a wide range of ongoing initiatives underway at the department as it continues to grapple with a remote workforce amid the coronavirus pandemic. Chief Information Officer Dana Deasy highlighted several ongoing projects related to artificial intelligence, big data and cloud computing, while also discussing the department's Commercial Virtual Remote Environment that's allowed nearly 1 million Department of Defense employees to collaborate while working from home Here's a roundup of what Deasy told reporters: Cloud developments The Defense Department has struggled for more than a year to procure its enterprisewide cloud, known as the Joint Enterprise Defense Infrastructure, a platform DoD leadership has continuously said will break down data silos and enhance artificial intelligence capabilities. But, as Deasy has stated repeatedly, JEDI is not going to be the DoD's only cloud. “Cloud has always been much more than JEDI,” Deasy said. Work on the JEDI cloud, which was awarded to Microsoft in October last year and subsequently protested by Amazon Web Services, is on hold after a federal judge issued an injunction earlier this year upon determining it was likely the DoD erred in its evaluations of the two tech companies' proposals. The DoD is taking corrective action on the award, with Deasy saying the department intends to re-announce the winner “probably sometimes towards the very end of August, barring any last minute, unforeseen additional issues that are raised.” In the meantime, the DoD has stamped the Air Force's Platform One cloud offering as an enterprise service, giving DoD components a certified place to go for DevSecOps, Deasy said. “What the big message there was, we actually for the first time had designated a cloud across DoD that could be used for a common way of doing DevSecOps,” he said. AI and JADC2 The Joint Artificial Intelligence Center is pivoting to focus on Joint All-Domain Command and Control, a Pentagon-led effort to connect sensors and shooters. Through its Joint Common Foundation, Deasy said, the JAIC has tools and capabilities to develop AI capabilities at scale. “That has now allowed us as we've matured to say: ‘What we've always known we really need to ... get JAIC focused on is the joint all-domain space,‘ ” Deasy said, adding that the center is looking at joint fires, the electromagnetic spectrum and strategic mobility. The JAIC, he said, is working on a cognitive assistant to deliver commanders relevant data from the hoards of information that come from the battlefield to quicken decision-making. But he added that the JAIC will expand into other areas of joint all-domain operations. “JADC2 is made up of a bunch of different areas ... including electromagnetic spectrum, how do we move forces, how do we target,” Deasy said. “But right now it's all about how do you take streams of information and allow the machine and human to interact together to make better decisions.” The new chief data officer In June, the DoD announced that former Special Operations Command chief data officer Dave Spirk would become the DoD's new CDO. Deasy told reporters July 30 that Spirk will focus on “strengthening data governance, interoperability, and data protection across the department,” which he went on to describe as a “major effort.” “The chief data officer is on a directed, 90-day listening tour where he is talking to senior leaders in the Pentagon, war fighters and at the combatant commands, industry and academia to assess the overall department's progress,” Deasy said. “At the conclusion of the 90-day tour, Dave will provide a written assessment with a plan of action.” Deasy added that a DoD data strategy will be released “in the coming months.” https://www.c4isrnet.com/battlefield-tech/it-networks/2020/07/31/pentagon-cio-provides-updates-on-several-it-initiatives/