News

By COLIN CLARK The head of Strategic Command must be very happy this evening, having learned that the Air Force is finally buying a new helicopter to guard America's ICBM fields. The Boeing-Leonardo team won the contract to supply 84 helicopters. WASHINGTON: The head of Strategic Command must be very happy this evening, having learned that the Air Force is finally buying a new helicopter to guard America's ICBM fields. The Boeing-Leonardo team won the contract to supply 84 helicopters. UPDATE BEGINS “The award of this contract is great news; today is a good day,” Gen. John Hyten, commander of U.S. Strategic Command said in a statement. “I've been vocal about the need to quickly replace the UH-1N, which is an important part of our multi-layered ICBM defense system. Awarding this contract is a huge step in the right direction in ensuring our Nation's nuclear deterrent remains safe, secure, effective, and ready. I'm grateful to the Air Force and Congress for prioritizing the UH-1N replacement.” UPDATE ENDS Here's how strongly Hyten felt: “Of all the things in my portfolio, I can't even describe how upset I get about the helicopter replacement program,” he told the Senate Armed Services Committee in April 2017. “It's a helicopter, for gosh sakes. We ought to be able to go out and buy a helicopter and put it in the hands of the people that need it. And we should be able to do that quickly.” The helicopters will execute a range of missions, including moving security crews in the event of threats to our nation's ICBM fields, escorting convoys moving nuclear weapons, flying senior government officials out of the capital in the event of an emergency and providing support to the US Embassy in Japan. The Air Force, clearly happy to be putting this tortured acquisition behind them, quoted Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson claiming the deal saved taxpayers $1.7 billion over the service's original estimate of $4.1 billion, thanks to “strong competition.” When Boeing, the prime on the program, showed the helicopter off to reporters last year executives stressed it would save the US taxpayer $1 billion. Lockheed Martin also bid for the program, offering its HH-60U. This evening's contract award of $375 million is for the first four helicopters and includes the integration of non-developmental items. The fixed price contract pays for up to “84 MH-139 helicopters, training devices, and associated support equipment.” The MH-139 has five rotor blades, which, with their tapered ends, significantly reduce the amount of vibration. The helicopter was also noticeably quieter than most of its conventional military competitors. We flew up to 150 knots and it felt as smooth as a large Mercedes sedan on the highway. The helicopters, based on Leonardo's commercial AW139 helicopter, will be assembled by the Italian company at its northeast Philadelphia plant. Boeing will integrate military components at its facility south of Philly. https://breakingdefense.com/2018/09/boeing-leonardo-team-scoops-up-2-38b-uh-1n-replacement-deal/

Michael Sheetz | @thesheetztweetz Blue Origin has won a contract to supply its next-generation engines for the massive rocket United Launch Alliance is developing, a person familiar with the negotiations told CNBC ULA – a joint venture of Boeing and Lockheed Martin – will announce the deal on Thursday, the person said. The companies confirmed CNBC's reporting in a press release Thursday afternoon Blue Origin, the space company founded by Jeff Bezos, has won a contract to supply its next-generation engines for the massive rocket United Launch Alliance is developing, a person familiar with the negotiations told CNBC. The company's BE-4 engine, the thunderous staple of Blue Origin's propulsion business, will power ULA's Vulcan rocket: a new heavy lift vehicle being built to compete with SpaceX for lucrative commercial and military contracts. ULA, a joint venture of Boeingand Lockheed Martin created in 2006, will announce the deal on Thursday, the person said. ULA confirmed CNBC's reporting in a press release Thursday afternoon. "We are pleased to enter into this partnership with Blue Origin and look forward to a successful first flight of our next-generation launch vehicle," ULA CEO said in a statement Thursday afternoon. Bezos is investing heavily in Blue Origin, pouring about $1 billion of his Amazon stock into the rocket venture each year. In a speech Sept. 19, Bezos said he plans to invest another $1 billion next year into the company's New Glenn rocket, which BE-4 will power. The engines of a rocket represent the majority of the cost, so the contract may be worth several billion dollars to Blue Origin. The Wall Street Journal first reported the contract win by the company. Blue Origin has long been the front-runner in a race against Aerojet Rocketdyne, which has been developing its AR1 engine. While AR1 was still technically in the running until now, Bruno had said he would prefer BE-4 for Vulcan, with AR1 potentially becoming a backup. Aerojet was behind in the development, while Blue Origin had already completed multiple tests, firing the BE-4 engine for long durations. Aerojet has not completely lost, even if AR1 ends up with no part in Vulcan. ULA announced in May it picked the Aerojet's smaller RL10 engine to power the upper-stage of Vulcan — the part of the rocket that places spacecraft into their intended orbits after a launch. ULA currently uses the RL10 for its Atlas V and Delta IV rockets. All eyes on the Air Force The deal also represents a key first step toward Blue Origin winning lucrative military contracts. The Pentagon is working to ensure that all the rockets it buys are built entirely in the U.S., making Blue Origin a potential propulsion supplier for several companies. Congress has set a deadline of 2022 for phasing out Russian-built rocket engine, which currently power ULA's Atlas V rocket. Vulcan's development began once the Pentagon started pushing to end reliance on Russian engines. The competition to launch U.S. military equipment is stiff. SpaceX is grabbing more and more share of the market from ULA — which was the sole provider of U.S. military launches for nearly a decade. Northrop Grumman may also get a foothold through its recent acquisition of Orbital ATK. Jefferies said on April 23 that the company's OmegA rocket "is starting at a high level of technology readiness given its leverage of current components." The next big milestone in the rocket business is an Air Force award expected later this year, with about $1.2 billion up for grabs over the next five years. Known as the Launch Services Agreement, the Air Force is looking to narrow the field of ULA, SpaceX, Northrop Grumman and Blue Origin. Each company won an initial development award in 2016, with the next step to narrow the field to three companies for the development of system prototype. "We have been working closely with the U.S. Air Force, and our certification plan is in place," Bruno said in his statement. The military is then anticipated to make a final decision in 2020, picking two suppliers to compete for 28 missions over five years. Blue Origin becoming a major player Morgan Stanley told clients earlier this month "to take notice" of Bezos investments in the space industry through Blue Origin, pointing to him as a "force" bringing financial muscle. "We believe investors may want to pay far more attention to another emerging force for the advancement of efforts in Space that has both the will and, increasingly, the financial muscle to put to work," Morgan Stanley analyst Adam Jonas said in a note. Morgan Stanley estimated that Bezos' Amazon shares are worth about $160 billion — "equal to around 16 years worth of NASA expenditures on Space exploration," the firm said. Morgan Stanley advised its clients to take note of that comparison as Bezos' wealth continues to grow. Blue Origin has "invested about $1 billion in the Space Coast," Bezos said in his recent speech, with funds going to the company's manufacturing facility and Launch Complex 36, which Blue Origin leased at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. Blue Origin has spent "over seven years developing this engine to make it reusable," CEO Bob Smith told CNBC on April 18. At the time, Smith said the company was "excited about the commercial opportunities" that BE-4 will provide. "United Launch Alliance is the premier launch service provider for national security missions, and we're thrilled to be part of their team and that mission," Smith said in a statement Thursday. Smith has also said before that the engine was "certainly demonstrating all the technical characteristics" that ULA needs for Vulcan – but Blue Origin expects to be able to sell BE-4 to other rocket companies, too. "We're going to offer it to whoever else will come out and say they need a new engine," Smith said at the time. Reusability remains the emphasis of Blue Origin, which already has launched and landed its smaller New Shepard rocket multiple times. Each BE-4 engine is designed to complete "100 full missions," Smith said in April. Reusability provides tremendous cost savings of 50 to 75 percent, Smith said — a claim made more believable by SpaceX's massive Falcon Heavy rocket coming with a price tag of just $150 million, at most. The first launches of New Glenn and Vulcan are not expected before 2020, the companies have said. Vulcan and New Glenn are expected to compete with Falcon Heavy on cost and power – but SpaceX remains undaunted. New Glenn will be a monstrous vehicle, standing as high as 313 feet, with seven BE-4 engines powering each rocket. The Vulcan rocket is 191 feet and capable of launching a more than 7 tons of payload into orbit. Falcon Heavy, on other hand, stands 230 feet tall and, after its launch in February, is the world's most powerful rocket since NASA's Saturn V. The space race is on After Falcon Heavy launched successfully, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk told reporters he thinks the historic flight will "encourage other companies and countries" to be ambitious in the same way as SpaceX. Musk's company helped the United States reclaim not just a portion but a majority in the global launch market in 2017 and represented more than 60 percent of U.S. launches while doing so. Bezos has said Blue Origin is "the most important work" he's doing. He also has said there should be "a permanent human settlement on one of the poles of the moon" and thinks it's not just time for humans to return to the moon, it's "time to stay." While SpaceX may be out to an earlier lead in the development of next-generation rockets, Blue Origin solidified itself as a true competitor with this BE-4 contract — one that may help ULA keep its competitive edge. https://www.cnbc.com/2018/09/27/blue-origin-lands-major-rocket-engine-deal-with-ula-source.html

By: Shawn Snow Marines will soon be getting their hands on a new lighter and better fitting plate carrier. On Wednesday, the Defense Department announced that a five-year contract of $62,612,464 was awarded to Vertical Protective Apparel LLC, a New Jersey-based company, to produce the Corps' Plate Carrier Generation III. The contract calls for a maximum of 225,886 new plate carriers over a five-year period. The Corps has been in collaboration with the Army for new lighter and better fitting plate carrier and ballistic armor since a policy update in 2016 from the Capabilities Development Directorate called for a fit update. “The legacy carrier fit the span of the Marine Corps, but this new system is more tailorable to fit Marines of various sizes with three new smaller-stature options,” Flora “Mackie” Jordan, body armor engineer for the Infantry Combat Equipment Team at Marine Corps Systems Command, said in a command release. “We wanted to give as much mobility back to Marines as possible by reducing the weight and bulk of the vest without decreasing ballistic protection. We were able to reduce the weight of the vest by 25 percent.” The Corps managed to shave an inch-and-a-half from the bottom and removed some material from the shoulders.The new fit will help lighten the load and reduce fatigue on the battlefield. The new plate carrier is "less bulky, lighter in weight, and provides a smaller overall footprint than the current plate carrier while maintaining the same soft armor coverage and protection level," Barbara Hamby, a spokeswoman for Marine Corps Systems Command, told Marine Corps Times last July, while describing a prototype of the new plate carrier. The new carrier also comes with a quick release, which will help Marines take the carrier off faster than the legacy system Marines are also amid plans to procure lighter ballistic armor. https://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/your-marine-corps/2018/09/27/marines-award-contract-for-new-plate-carrier

Par Emmanuel Huberdeau Thales présente au salon ADS Show un outil expérimental pour la maintenance prédictive. Depuis plusieurs mois, les équipes de Thales développent un outils expérimental de maintenance prédictive destiné à anticiper les pannes et les réparations sur les systèmes électroniques. Ce système de maintenance prédictive se nourrit de données récoltées par les utilisateurs, les responsable des réparations et les industriels. Un algorithme calcul ensuite les probabilités de panne de chaque équipement. L'outil peut ainsi identifier la probabilité qu'un matériel tombe en panne sur une période donnée et anticiper les pannes. L'utilisateur peut ainsi gérer sa flotte en opération en fonction de ces chiffres mais aussi optimiser sa logistique. Plus le volume de données est important plus les résultats de l'outil sont précis. C'est pourquoi Thales cherche a obtenir plus d'informations encore via l'intégration de capteurs dit HUMS capables d'enregistrer les paramètres liés à chaque équipements. Thales annonce être le premier industriel a développer des outils de maintenance prédictive pour des systèmes électroniques. Pour mener ses expérimentations, Thales s'est basé sur des équipements embarqués sur le Rafale. Les essais ont démontré une capacité du système à prévoir huit pannes sur dix. Les expérimentations ayant porté leurs fruits, Thales prévoit désormais de présenter mi 2019 un système industrialisé. Celui-ci pourra alors servir de base pour développer une interface homme-machine adaptée aux besoins des militaires français. Outre le Rafale, Thales pense pouvoir appliquer son outils de maintenance prédictive dans un premier temps à l'ATL2 et à l'hélicoptère Tigre. http://www.air-cosmos.com/ads-show-thales-avance-sur-la-maintenance-predictive-115353

Supply Chain Competition Continues to Reduce Cost and Enhance Capability FORT WORTH, Texas, Sept. 27, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) has selected Harris Corporation (NYSE: HRS) to develop and deliver the next generation Integrated Core Processor (ICP) for the F-35 fighter jet. The Lockheed Martin-led competition within the F-35 supply chain will significantly reduce cost and enhance capability. The F-35's ICP acts as the brains of the F-35, processing data for the aircraft's communications, sensors, electronic warfare, guidance and control, cockpit and helmet displays. "We are aggressively pursuing cost reduction across the F-35 enterprise and, after conducting a thorough review and robust competition, we're confident the next generation Integrated Core Processor will reduce costs and deliver transformational capabilities for the warfighter," said Greg Ulmer, Lockheed Martin vice president and general manager of the F-35 program. "The next generation Integrated Core Processor for the F-35 will have positive benefits for all customers in terms of life cycle cost, capability, reliability and more." The new Integrated Core Processor is a key element of the planned "Technology Refresh 3" modernization that takes advantage of fast evolving computing power to ensure the advanced F-35 remains ahead of evolving threats. Additional elements in the tech refresh include the Panoramic Cockpit Display Electronic Unit and Aircraft Memory System, which were also recompeted and awarded to Harrislast year. Reduce Costs, Increased Performance The Harris-built ICP will be integrated into F-35 aircraft starting with Lot 15 aircraft, expected to begin deliveries in 2023. The next generation ICP system is targeted to generate the following results compared to the current system: 75 percent reduction in unit cost 25 times increase in computing power to support planned capability enhancements Greater software stability, higher reliability, and increased diagnostics resulting in lower sustainment costs An Open System Architecture to enable the flexibility to add, upgrade and update future capabilities "The new F-35 ICP will pave the way for system scalability well into the future," said Ed Zoiss, president, Harris Electronic Systems. "Open systems are the future of avionics and Harris has invested substantial R&D to deliver more affordable and higher performance solutions than would have been possible using proprietary technology." Supply Chain Optimization The ICP selection comes on the heels of Lockheed Martin's selection of Raytheon for the Next Gen Distributed Aperture System, which will reduce lifecycle costs by more than $3 billion, enhance reliability and increased capability. "With production ramping up and the operational fleet growing fast, we are looking at every layer of our global supply chain to find opportunities to increase capacity, reduce production and sustainment costs, improve parts reliability and enhance capabilities," said Ulmer. In addition to competition, the company is transitioning several F-35 suppliers to longer term Performance Based Logistics contracts to enhance parts availability and reduce sustainment costs. Previously under annual contracts, the new 5-year PBLs allow each supplier to make longer term investments and actions to reduce costs and improve efficiencies. With radar evading stealth technology, advanced sensors, enhanced weapons capacity, supersonic speed and superior range, the F-35 is the most lethal, survivable and connected fighter aircraft ever built. More than a fighter jet, the F-35's ability to collect, analyze and share data is a powerful force multiplier enhancing all airborne, surface and ground-based assets in the battlespace and enabling men and women in uniform to execute their mission and come home safe. For additional information, visit www.f35.com. About Lockheed Martin Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace company that employs approximately 100,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. This year the company received three Edison Awards for ground-breaking innovations in autonomy, satellite technology and directed energy. About Harris Corporation Harris Corporation is a leading technology innovator, solving customers' toughest mission-critical challenges by providing solutions that connect, inform and protect. Harris supports government and commercial customers in more than 100 countries and has approximately $6 billion in annual revenue. The company is organized into three business segments: Communication Systems, Space and Intelligence Systems, and Electronic Systems. Learn more at harris.com. SOURCE Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company https://news.lockheedmartin.com/2018-09-27-Lockheed-Martin-Selects-Harris-Corporation-to-Deliver-F-35s-Next-Generation-Computer-Processor

Ryan Pickrell Russia's most advanced fighter jet, the Sukhoi Su-57, will reportedly carry the hypersonic R-37M long-range air-to-air missile, a new weapon with the ability to strike targets hundreds of miles away. The Chinese are developing similar systems for their fighter jets. These weapons, assuming US rivals can take them from testing to deployment, could pose a threat to rear support aircraft such as early warning and aerial refueling aircraft, key force multipliers for American jets like the F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter. Russia reportedly plans to arm its most advanced fighter jet with a powerful hypersonic air-to-air missile that can take aim at aircraft nearly two hundred miles away, making them a potential threat to critical US air assets. The Su-57 multipurpose fighter jet, a fifth-generation stealth fighter built for air superiority and complex attack operations that is still in development, will be armed with the new R-37M, an upgraded version of an older long-range air-to-air missile, Russia Today reported Thursday, citing defense officials. The Russian Ministry of Defense is reportedly close to completing testing for this weapon, the development of which began after the turn of the century. With a reported operational range of 186 to 248 miles and a top speed of Mach 6 (4,500 mph), the R-37M is designed to eliminate rear support aircraft, critical force multipliers such as early warning and aerial refueling aircraft. Russia asserts that the missile possesses an active-seeker homing system that allows it to target fighter jets during the terminal phase of flight. While Russia initially intended to see the weapon carried by the MiG-31 interceptors, these missiles are now expected to become the primary weapons of the fourth-generation Su-30s and Su-35s, as well as the next-generation Su-57s. The weapon's specifications were modified to meet these demands. The Russians are also apparently developing another very long-range air-to-air missile — the KS-172, a two-stage missile with a range said to be in excess of the R-37M's capabilities, although the latter is reportedly much closer to deployment. China, another US competitor, is also reportedly developing advanced long-range air-to-air missiles that could be carried by the reportedly fifth-generation J-20 stealth fighter. The China Dailyreported in January 2017 that photos of a J-11B from the Red Sword 2016 combat drills appeared to show a new beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile. "China has developed a new missile that can hit high-value targets such as early-warning planes and aerial refueling aircraft, which stay far from conflict zones," the state-run media outlet reported, citing Fu Qianshao, an equipment researcher with the People's Liberation Army Air Force. Slow, vulnerable rear-support aircraft improve the overall effectiveness of key front-line fighter units, such as America's F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter, which just conducted its first combat mission. The best strategy to deal with this kind of advanced system is to "send a super-maneuverable fighter jet with very-long-range missiles to destroy those high-value targets, which are 'eyes' of enemy jets," Fu told the China Daily, calling the suspected development of this type of weapon a "major breakthrough." The missiles being developed by US rivals reportedly have a greater range than the American AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM), giving them a potential edge over US military aircraft. The Russian Su-57 is expected to enter service in 2019, although the Russian military is currently investing more heavily in fourth-generation fighters like the MiG-29SMT Fulcrum and Su-35S Flanker E, which meet the country's air combat needs for the time being. Russia canceled plans for the mass production of the Su-57 in July after a string of development problems. There is some evidence the aircraft may have been active in Syria earlier this year, but the plane remains unready for combat at this time. Military analyst Michael Kofman previously told Business Insider that the Su-57 is "a poor man's stealth aircraft," adding that it doesn't quite stack up to the F-35 or F-22. https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-plans-to-arm-su-57-jets-with-new-hypersonic-air-to-air-missiles-2018-9

By: Shawn Snow The Corps is in the beginning stages of researching a new, lighter alternative ballistic body armorplate for counterinsurgency style conflicts that is nearly six pounds lighter than the legacy plates. And on Thursday, it held an industry day with 16 companies vying to produce the Corps' latest body armor. The goal is to reduce battlefield fatigue and provide commanders with flexibility on the type of armor protection they decide to carry into combat, according to Keith Pierce, the armor team lead for Infantry Combat Equipment at Marine Corps Systems Command. While the current Enhanced Small Arms Protective, or ESAPI, have been highly effective in saving lives on the battlefield, they weigh nearly a combined 15 pounds, the Corps wants to shave that down to roughly 8.6 pounds for a medium-sized Marine, Pierce said. But don't expect the ESAPI to disappear just yet. The new plates are being crafted for low intensity threat environments like the counterinsurgency style wars that have embroiled American forces for nearly 20 years. While the new plates will “defeat a preponderance of threats” in low intensity conflicts, the ESAPIs will still be “critical in some threat environments,” Pierce explained to Marine Corps Times. But the changes to the new plates are still likely to be minimal. The Corps has decided to keep the same basic shape of the ESAPI, and there's unlikely to be any major changes in materials used to construct the armor plates “The materials for plates haven't had a big tech leap,” Pierce said. “A lot of people are trying to find that next leap.” The Army recently fielded a new plate, but its relatively of the same construction as the ESAPI, according to Pierce. “There may be incremental changes ... like the ceramic improving a little bit,” Pierce explained. But Pierce said he didn't expect any major changes over the next five years. “We are looking at some unique things,” he added. A lot of data and analysis is being pored over, to include assessments of the threat environment by the intelligence community for the construction of the new plates. So far, the Corps has tested a prototype of the lighter plates and found Marines had nearly eight percent faster mobility over the heavier ESAPIs. The new plates — when combined with the new Plate Carrier Gen III system — will reduce a Marine's load burden by a total of eight to 10 pounds, according to Pierce. The Corps expects to award a contract sometime in fiscal 2019 for the lightweight plates, and fielding might kick off in 2020, Pierce said. https://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/your-marine-corps/2018/09/27/heres-how-the-corps-wants-to-shave-about-6-pounds-off-body-armor/

By: Valerie Insinna WASHINGTON — A Boeing-Saab partnership has won a $9.2 billion contract to produce the U.S. Air Force's next-generation training jet. Boeing's award for the T-X trainer program marks the third major victory by the company in about a month, following an $805 million contract to build the Navy's first four MQ-25 unmanned tankers, and a contract worth up to $2.38 billion to manufacture the Air Force's Huey replacement helicopter. The T-X downselect was first reported by Reuters. As the winners of the competition, Boeing and Swedish aerospace firm Saab are set to capture sales of at least 351 training jets to the U.S. Air Force, with possibly more in the international market. The program promises to keep Boeing's tactical aircraft business strong after the F-15 and F/A-18 Super Hornet lines disappear in the next decade. "Today's announcement is the culmination of years of unwavering focus by the Boeing and Saab team,” said Leanne Caret, president and CEO of Boeing's defense business. “It is a direct result of our joint investment in developing a system centered on the unique requirements of the U.S. Air Force. We expect T-X to be a franchise program for much of this century.” The indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract will allow the Air Force to buy up to 475 aircraft and 120 simulators, the Air Force said in a Sept. 27 statement, although the current plan is to buy 351 T-X aircraft, 46 simulators and associated ground equipment. The Air Force stated that the T-X program originally was to cost about $19.7 billion, and that Boeing's bid shaved $10 billion off that amount. “This new aircraft will provide the advanced training capabilities we need to increase the lethality and effectiveness of future Air Force pilots,” Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson said in the news release. “Through competition we will save at least $10 billion on the T-X program.” Although the contract could be worth up to $9.2 billion, that sum is by no means a sure thing for Boeing. During a briefing with reporters on Thursday afternoon, Will Roper, the service's acquisition executive, and Lt. Gen. Arnold Bunch, its top uniformed acquisition official, said the $9.2 billion amount would be obligated to Boeing if the service executes all of options that would allow it to buy more aircraft at a quicker pace, purchasing all 475 planes. Additionally, Boeing assumes the preponderance of the risk with the T-X program, which starts as a fixed-price incentive fee contract, but at the fifth lot will transition to a firm-fixed price structure, Roper and Bunch said. Boeing and Saab's clean-sheet trainer, designed specifically for the Air Force, beat out Leonardo DRS and a Lockheed Martin-Korea Aerospace Industries partnership. Throughout the competition, the Boeing-Saab jet was seen as the front-runner by analysts like Roman Schweizer of Cowen Washington Research Group, who pointed to Boeing's aggressive bidding strategy and ability to absorb financial losses on programs like the KC-46 tanker aircraft. The T-X program is the Air Force's last major aircraft procurement opportunity up for grabs for some time, as the service's contracts for its next-generation fighter, tanker and bomber have already been awarded, as have the last remaining new-start helicopter contracts. As such, the decision could potentially trigger a protest with the Government Accountability Office. But Roper and Bunch pointed to the repeated interaction with industry through the competition, which could shield it from a protest, and lessons learned from previous programs on how to structure a competition. Roper also defended the service's selection of Boeing's design, which was the only proposed aircraft that was not a modified version of an existing plane. “We have a very deliberate process to evaluate risk, cost, and technical factors in the program and so its rigorous because we do have to evaluate things that have variances in them. The team looked at that, rolled up cost benefit, technical factors sand risk, to give best value to the government and overall our assessment was Boeing had a proposal that was best value,” Roper said. Under the initial $813 million award, Boeing will be responsible for delivering five T-X aircraft and seven simulators, with the first simulators arriving at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas, in 2023. According to the T-X request for proposals issued in December 2016, the Air Force will then execute contract options for two batches of low-rate production and eight rounds of full-rate production. The contract also includes ground training systems, mission planning and processing systems, support equipment, and spares. Initial operating capability is planned by the end of fiscal 2024 when the first squadron and its associated simulators are all available for training. Full operational capability is projected for 2034. Beyond the 351-aircraft program of record, analysts have speculated there could be significant international interest in T-X from countries that plan to fly the F-35 fighter jet or from the U.S. Air Force as it considers buying new aggressor aircraft for air-to-air combat training, making the opportunity potentially even more lucrative. Although each of the three competing teams offered very different trainers to the Air Force, they were united by their cooperation with international aircraft manufacturers. Boeing partnered with Saab, which is building the aircraft's aft fuselage and other systems. The team produced two single-engine, twin-tailed prototypes, which were unveiled at Boeing's St. Louis, Missouri, facility to much fanfare in 2016. Saab promised that, should the partnership emerge victorious, it would build a new plant in the United States for its T-X work, although a location has not been announced. Leonardo DRS and Lockheed Martin offered modified versions of existent designs, hoping that a mature aircraft would be more palatable as the U.S. Air Force continues to foresee budgetary challenges in its future. DRS' T-100 is based on the Leonardo M-346 trainer, which is being sold to two F-35 users — Italy and Israel — as well as Singapore. Leonardo initially looked to partner with a big-name U.S. defense prime, first joining with General Dynamics and then, when that teaming agreement fell apart, Raytheon. Ultimately, Leonardo and Raytheon couldn't agree on pricing for the T-100, leading that partnership to also break up in January 2017. After Leonardo DRS was tapped to prime the program, the company announced its intention to do structural subassembly, final assembly and check out of the aircraft stateside at Moton Field in Tuskegee, Alabama, where it would build a new $200 million facility. Lockheed Martin meanwhile joined with Korea Aerospace Industries — a longtime collaborator who manufactured South Korea's version of the F-16 — for a modified version of KAI's T-50. Lockheed said that its T-50A would be built in Greenville, South Carolina, where it also plans to fabricate the F-16 in the future. https://www.defensenews.com/breaking-news/2018/09/27/reuters-air-force-awards-9b-contract-to-boeing-for-next-training-jet/

Les récentes déclarations de François Hollande au journal Mediapart sur le choix du partenaire local du projet Rafale (l'entreprise Reliance), et qui a également financé le film de sa compagne Julie Gayet, ont relancé la polémique en Inde sur les conditions d'attributions et d'achat de ces avions de combat. Pour autant, au-delà du potentiel conflit d'intérêts, cette histoire cache une réalité beaucoup plus complexe qu'il n'y peut paraître vu de France. Cet énorme contrat mêle, de façon concomitante, des enjeux de politique interne, de relations internationales mais aussi des enjeux industriels et économiques. La phrase ambiguë de François Hollande Afin de bien comprendre pourquoi les propos de François Hollande ont eu autant de retentissement en Inde, il est bon de recontextualiser l'histoire. Vendredi dernier, François Hollande interrogé sur le financement d'un film de Julie Gayet par le groupe indien Reliance, chargée également de fabriquer des pièces de l'avion de chasse Rafale dans le cadre d'une joint-venture avec Dassault Aviation, a déclaré à Mediapartque le gouvernement français n'avait pas eu de mot à dire sur le choix du partenaire indien : « C'est le gouvernement indien qui a proposé ce type de services, et Dassault qui a négocié avec Anil Ambani (le PDG de Reliance) [...] Nous n'avons pas eu le choix, nous avons pris l'interlocuteur qui nous a été donné. » Cette phrase ambiguë a permis à l'opposition, et notamment au Parti du Congrès, de prendre à partie le gouvernement de Narendra Modi et de l'accuser une nouvelle fois d'avoir favorisé Ambani et Reliance pour l'obtention de ce contrat. Une polémique ancienne Pourtant, cette polémique est bien plus ancienne et complexe. Celle-ci commence en avril 2015 lorsque le premier ministre Narendra Modi, en visite officielle à Paris, annonce que l'Inde achètera 36 Rafales pour un montant d'environ 8 milliards d'euros. Cette annonce remet en cause l'accord négocié par le précédent gouvernement UPA (une coalition entre le parti du Congrès et d'autres partis) en 2008 et qui proposait l'achat de 126 avions Rafale pour 20 milliards de dollars. Le gouvernement Modi avait jugé cet accord trop cher, d'une durée trop longue (plus de 10 ans) et limitant ainsi les plans de modernisation de l'armée indienne. L'acquisition à court terme de ces avions était aussi liée à la nécessité de rapidement remplacer une flotte de combat vieillissante et en sous-effectif. Les débats ont alors porté sur trois éléments que l'on retrouve encore aujourd'hui dans la controverse : le coût d'acquisition de ces avions Rafale ; le choix de la compagnie en charge de construire certains éléments aéronautiques ; et enfin le fait qu'il n'y ait pas de réel transfert de technologie compris dans l'accord. L'opposition maintient que ces Rafales sont plus chers sous ce nouveau contrat que sous l'accord passé en 2008. Le gouvernement indien prétend que ce nouvel accord permet, au contraire, une baisse de coût de 9 % de moins par avion par rapport à l'ancien accord. Mais, dans le même temps, il refuse de s'exprimer devant le Parlement sur le prix total, mettant en avant l'accord de confidentialité signé en janvier 2016 avec la France et Dassault et des considérations de secret défense et de sécurité nationale. Une préférence du privé au public qui pose question L'opposition questionne aussi vivement le fait que le gouvernement ait autorisé que le partenaire de Dassault soit une compagnie de défense privée (Reliance Aerospace Limited) dans le cadre de l'accord de 2016 et n'ayant qu'une expérience très limitée dans le domaine de l'aéronautique de défense. Par ailleurs, celle-ci, au moment de l'accord, connaissait de fortes pertes financières. L'ancien accord prévoyait que le partenaire principal soit l'entreprise publique Hindustan Aeronotics Limited (HAL) qui possède une importante expertise dans l'industrie des avions de combat depuis l'Indépendance. Cette préférence du privé au public, couplée à la question de la compétence, ont suffi pour jeter la suspicion sur l'aval donné à ce choix. D'autant plus que les frères Mukesh et Anil Ambani, originaires du Gujarat (État à l'ouest du pays), tout comme le premier ministre, sont considérés comme très proches de ce dernier. Ainsi que l'a dit François Hollande, le gouvernement indien a toujours maintenu le fait que la compagnie privée retenue a été du choix du vendeur français et que les gouvernements ne sont pas intervenus dans ce choix. Ils sont rejoints par les déclarations de Dassault qui revendique cette liberté de décision. Comment Reliance Aeronotics s'est imposé Ce qui est plus intéressant dans cette polémique, c'est de comprendre pourquoi Reliance Aeronotics Limited, entreprise ayant peu d'expérience et très endettée, s'est imposé par rapport à Hindustan Aeronotics. Reliance Aeronotics avait déjà discuté avec Dassault dans le cadre du premier accord de 2008. À cette époque, l'entreprise était sous l'égide de l'aîné des Ambani, Mukesh, et ce dernier n'avait pas souhaité participer au projet jugeant les procédures administratives et légales trop contraignantes. Ce n'est qu'après 2012, quand Anil Ambani a pris la direction de Reliance Aeronotics à la place de son frère, que les discussions ont repris. Les plans d'une joint-venture auraient été discutés lors d'Aero India (le salon aéronautique indien) deux mois avant l'annonce par Modi du nouvel accord. Or, une vidéo d'Éric Trappier (le PDG de Dassault Aviation) prise 15 jours avant l'annonce du nouveau contrat de 2015 le montre se réjouissant d'un partenariat avec Hindustan Aeronotics Limited. Dassault se défend en expliquant que cette vidéo a été prise avant que le nouvel accord ait été proposé et que cette phase était logique dans le cadre de l'ancien accord ou Hindustan Aeronotics apparaissait. L'enjeu central des transferts de technologie Ce qui est plus probable, c'est que ce changement d'accord opportun ait permis à Dassaut d'avoir plus de coudées franches par rapport au projet, l'évitant ainsi d'avoir à faire un transfert de technologie trop important. Les discussions préliminaires avec Hindustan Aeronotics portaient a priori sur le fait de construire sur place une partie des structures du Rafale alors que l'accord avec Reliance Aeronotics prévoit la participation de Reliance sur la construction de certains composants d'avions d'affaire (comme le Falcon 2000), et de façon anecdotique ceux du Rafale (dont l'assemblage sera fait en France). Et c'est sans doute bien sur ce point que les commentaires des opposants au nouveau deal sont les plus pertinents. En effet, à son arrivée au pouvoir, Modi a souhaité faire en sorte que tout nouvel accord avec des entreprises étrangères réponde au cahier des charges de sa politique du « Make in India » : la production ou l'assemblage doit être en partie localisée en Inde. Ici, ce cahier des charges n'est pas réellement complet, même si, par le nouveau contrat, Dassault s'est engagé à réinvestir la moitié de la somme du contrat (qui est de presque 8 milliards d'euros) à travers le système des offset (investissements compensatoires). Le partenariat avec Reliance Aeronotics et la joint-venture ne porte, pour l'instant, que sur 100 millions d'euros pour l'usine commune qui est construite à Nagpur. Dans son communiqué de presse du 21 septembre, Dassault indique néanmoins d'autres partenariats vont être signés avec d'autres entreprises comme BTSL, DEFSYS, Kinetic, Mahindra, Maini, et SAMTEL. La bataille politique de l'armement en Inde Les controverses autour du Rafale et la véhémence du Parti du Congrès contre le BJP s'inscrivent en fait dans la longue continuation de la bataille politique entre le Congrès et ses opposants depuis les années 1980 vis-à-vis de la question de l'armement. Chaque contrat avec des puissances étrangères a fait l'objet des mêmes attaques pour un gouvernement comme pour l'autre, et un nombre substantiel de contrats n'ont pu voir le jour. La conséquence de ce jeu politique n'est pas neutre pour l'Inde. Le pays a été contraint de faire ses achats d'armements sans réelle cohérence dans la construction de sa politique de défense, plus souvent basée sur le contrat créant le moins de polémiques que sur l'efficacité technique ou la cohérence des commandes. Par contre, Narendra Modi, en refusant d'apporter un peu plus de transparence sur le prix et les conditions d'achat du Rafale, fait sans doute une erreur tactique. Et il semble retomber dans le même travers que Rajiv Gandhi (le père de Rahul Gandhi, le plus véhément principal opposant de Modi sur cette affaire et leader du parti du Congrès) lors du scandale Bofors dans les années 1980. Ce dernier y perdit ses soutiens politiques dans son propre parti, le soutien de l'armée et cette affaire provoqua la chute du gouvernement (et l'arrêt du contrat par la même occasion). En fin tacticien, c'est certainement avec le souvenir de cette histoire en tête que Rahul Gandhi cherche à préparer le terrain des élections générales de l'année prochaine. L'art délicat de la diplomatie des ventes d'armes Par ces propos ambigus, François Hollande a certainement cherché à se prémunir contre toute attaque vis-à-vis d'un conflit d'intérêts entre les choix stratégiques de la France et sa vie privée. Cette priorisation de l'intérêt personnel par rapport aux intérêts français est une option risquée et qui a d'ailleurs conduit l'ancien Président à faire machine arrière sur ses propos suite à une contredéclaration du Quai d'Orsay. Cet incident pourrait néanmoins porter à long terme préjudice à la France. N'oublions pas que l'Inde est le premier importateur d'armes au monde et le premier client export de Dassault Aviation ainsi que de la France en termes d'armement sur la période 2007-2016. L'achat de matériel militaire ne se joue pas uniquement sur la performance de celui-ci mais est un art délicat de diplomatie et d'équilibre des rapports de pouvoir entre les États et les entreprises. Et l'ancien Président est pourtant bien placé pour le savoir. https://theconversation.com/histoire-dun-faux-pas-ce-qui-se-joue-vraiment-derriere-laffaire-du-rafale-en-inde-104014