News

(B2) Pour « mettre en œuvre le Traité d'Aix-la-Chapelle », Français et Allemands ont ciblé « 15 projets prioritaires, dont le suivi sera assuré par le Conseil des ministres franco-allemand ». En voici la liste : sympathique, mais pas vraiment très enthousiasmant... Coopération accrue au sein du Conseil de sécurité des Nations Unies, à l'occasion du mandat de deux ans de l'Allemagne, notamment par le « jumelage » des deux présidences du Conseil de sécurité (la France en mars et l'Allemagne en avril 2019, en 2020 soit en mai/juin soit en juin/juillet). Création de quatre instituts culturels franco-allemands intégrés (Rio, Palerme, Erbil, Bichkek) et co-localisation de cinq instituts français et allemands (Cordoba, Atlanta, Glasgow, Minsk, Ramallah). Création d'une plateforme numérique franco-allemande de contenus audiovisuels et d'information. Élargissement des programmes de mobilité, par exemple dans le cadre de l'Office franco-allemand pour la Jeunesse, notamment pour les jeunes ayant des besoins spécifiques, les stagiaires et les apprentis, et fixation d'objectifs quantifiables. Mise en place d'un Fonds citoyen commun destiné à appuyer les projets conjoints d'acteurs de la société civile, notamment les initiatives citoyennes et les jumelages de communes. Mise en place d'un comité de coopération transfrontalière chargé de définir une stratégie commune pour le choix de projets prioritaires, d'assurer le suivi des difficultés rencontrées dans les territoires frontaliers et d'émettre des propositions en vue d'y remédier. Mise en œuvre conjointe d'un projet de territoire portant sur la reconversion de la zone de proximité de la centrale nucléaire de Fessenheim dans le contexte de sa fermeture, au travers d'un parc d'activités économiques et d'innovation franco-allemand, de projets dans le domaine de la mobilité transfrontalière, de la transition énergétique et de l'innovation. Amélioration des liaisons ferroviaires transfrontalières, par exemple : Colmar-Fribourg, en reconstruisant le pont traversant le Rhin en fonction des résultats de l'étude de faisabilité en cours, mais aussi liaison entre Strasbourg et l'aéroport de Francfort, liaison Strasbourg-Palatinat, liaison entre Sarrebruck et Paris. Renforcement de la coopération bilatérale de haut niveau en matière d'énergie et de climat, notamment concernant les plans nationaux pour l'énergie et le climat. Cela doit permettre de partager des hypothèses sur l'évolution du mix électrique, d'étudier la possibilité d'instaurer un plan commun franco-allemand dans les stratégies nationales, et de créer des incitations afin de faciliter la réalisation des objectifs nationaux en matière de transition énergétique. Création d'un réseau franco-allemand de recherche et d'innovation (« centre virtuel ») pour l'intelligence artificielle, reposant sur les structures existantes des deux pays. Coopération dans le secteur spatial en suivant trois axes prioritaires : promotion d'une stratégie commune pour une Europe plus innovante au sein de la nouvelle économie spatiale ; coopération permettant d'accroître la compétitivité de l'industrie spatiale, notamment dans un cadre industriel optimisé ; consolidation de l'accès autonome de l'Europe à l'espace gr'ce à des investissements en recherche et développement, la rationalisation industrielle et la préférence accordée aux lanceurs européens. Promotion de directives au niveau international sur l'éthique des nouvelles technologies et de valeurs communes dans la sphère du numérique et la société numérique. Création d'un groupe d'experts dans le domaine social, comprenant les partenaires sociaux, sur « l'avenir du travail ». Coopération au sein de l'Union européenne dans le domaine des services et des marchés financiers, afin de parvenir à un cadre de régulation de haute qualité, notamment sur la finance durable. https://www.bruxelles2.eu/2019/01/22/les-15-projets-prioritaires-du-couple-franco-allemand-la-liste/

By SYDNEY J. FREEDBERG JR. The Marines want Vertical Launch System missile tubes on their new amphibious ships -- but the Navy isn't planning to leave room for them. ARLINGTON: The Marines want better-armed amphibious warships for high-end combat, but there's no money in the budget and little room on the ships for their preferred solution, the Vertical Launch System. That leaves them looking at less capable but more affordable upgrades. Those range from bolting small Naval Strike Missile pods onto the deck – as on the Littoral Combat Ship – to parking a HIMARS missile-launcher truck on the back of the ship – as they tested during last year's Dawn Blitz wargames. Why does this matter? In a major war against Russia or China, or even Iran, amphibious warships — as currently equipped — would have to rely on escorting destroyers both defensively, to shoot down attacking missiles and airplanes, and offensively, sinking enemy ships and bombarding targets ashore. But those destroyers might not always be available and, even if they are, they might overwhelmed by the sheer volume of incoming fire. So the Marines want better-armed amphibs that can, ideally, operate unescorted or, at minimum, take on some of the burden of their own defense. To do that, “the naval force must upgrade the C2 (command and control) suites and introduce Vertical Launch Systems,” Lt. Gen. Brian Beaudreault, the Marines' three-star deputy commandant for plans, policies, & operations, told the Surface Navy Association conference on Wednesday. But, I asked him during Q&A, is there actually any money in the budget to add VLS to amphibs? “I'm not aware that there's funding in the program for VLS,” said Beaudreault, who oversees Marine budgeting. “We can't afford as a Marine Corps to put it in there.” Full article: https://breakingdefense.com/2019/01/marines-navy-wrestle-with-how-to-upgun-amphibs

(B2) Passées quelques généralités, il faut lire attentivement le traité d'Aix-la-Chapelle. Celui-ci recèle quelques beautés cachées qui méritent une attention, notamment en matière de défense et de diplomatie La salle du couronnement de l'Hôtel de ville d'Aix-la-Chapelle, qui accueille ce mardi (22 janvier) la Chancelière Angela Merkel et le président Emmanuel Macron sous le blason de Charlemagne, qui unit le lys français à l'aigle allemand, aurait sans doute mérité un peu plus d'enthousiasme et d'explications. Tel un vieux diesel poussif, qui recrache plus de scories que d'énergie, le traité d'Aix-la-Chapelle, qui vient s'ajouter au bon vieux traité de l'Elysée de 1963, manque d'un grand projet qui pourrait faire vibrer un peu nos nations endormies. Il reste souvent limité dans son ambition, marquée par toute une série de réserves, hésitant entre l'emphase et le réalisme précautionneux, et finalement moins concret que son aîné. Mais il ne faut pas s'arrêter à un premier survol, naturellement critique. Ce texte recèle aussi plusieurs vertus qu'il importe de bien détailler. De nombreux engagements, anodins en apparence, donneront bien du fil à retordre à leurs auteurs pour être mis en œuvre jusqu'au bout. Ne pas les mettre en valeur serait une erreur. Une vertu stratégique : le couple franco-allemand dans l'Europe La première vertu stratégique de ce texte est de resituer le franco-allemand dans le contexte actuel. Il permet d'affirmer, haut et fort, combien la nécessaire coopération entre Paris et Berlin est nécessaire et utile non seulement pour les Français et les Allemands, mais aussi pour les Européens. Avec le départ du Royaume-Uni, la France et l'Allemagne restent plus que jamais les deux principales puissances de l'Union européenne, rassemblant près d'un Européen sur trois. C'est dans ce cadre que Français et Allemands situent désormais leur action et non plus seulement dans leur dialogue intuitu personae. C'est l'élément fondamental qui distingue à 55 ans de distance l'écrit de l'Elysée de celui d'Aix-la-Chapelle. « L'amitié étroite entre la France et l'Allemagne demeure un élément indispensable d'une Union européenne unie, efficace, souveraine et forte » est-il indiqué. Le mot Europe est inscrit à tous les tournants, tellement conjugué régulièrement à toutes les politiques, qu'on l'oublierait presque. Ainsi Paris et Berlin s'engagent à « renforcer leur coopération » en matière de politique étrangère, de défense ou de sécurité intérieure « tout en renforçant la capacité de l'Europe à agir de manière indépendante ». En matière de défense, ils s'engagent à la fois « à renforcer la capacité d'action de l'Europe » comme à « investir conjointement pour combler ses lacunes capacitaires » dans des projets industriels, etc. Une approche commune entre les deux armées La seconde vertu de ce texte est de mettre le curseur sur quelques difficultés qui empêchent d'avancer. Il entend ainsi jeter les bases d'une approche commune plus serrée entre les armées française et allemande. La volonté « d'instaurer d'une culture commune » est affirmée, tout comme celle « d'opérer des déploiements conjoints ». C'était déjà l'esprit du traité de l'Elysée, au moins pour la partie doctrinale. Mais on ne peut pas dire que les réalisations suivantes, notamment la création de la brigade franco-allemande, aient produit l'effet escompté. Les « doctrines » d'intervention restent différentes. Même si Français et Allemands se retrouvent souvent sur les mêmes terrains (Afghanistan, Mali...), ce sont souvent des déploiements juxtaposés (au mieux!) que des déploiements conjoints. Y arriver va nécessiter beaucoup d'efforts de part et d'autre : pour les Français il faudra être un peu plus patients et inclusifs et pour les Allemands être un peu plus volontaires et ... efficaces. C'est une vraie gageure. « Ce n'est pas facile » comme le dit Définir une politique d'armements commune Troisième ‘beauté cachée' : la mise en place d'une « approche commune en matière d'exportation d'armements ». Ce n'est pas gagné non plus. Les règles allemandes sont plus strictes que les règles françaises. Et le contexte politique national outre-Rhin est plus sensible à certaines exportations qu'en France. Mais c'est une nécessité à la fois politique et économique. Certes cette approche n'est valable que pour les « projets communs », et chaque pays restera maitre chez lui pour des projets purement nationaux. Mais, du moins pour les investissements lourds, l'investissement en commun va devenir la règle. Entre l'avion de transport militaire, A400M, les hélicoptères d'attaque Tigre ou de transport NH90, le futur char lourd, l'avion du futur (l'après Rafale) et le drone de surveillance européen (Eurodrone MALE), ils ne manquent pas. Ne pas définir une règle commune d'exportation serait mettre en péril certains projets industriels communs. Une clause de solidarité alternative Quatrième engagement : la volonté commune de défendre les frontières de l'autre s'il venait à être agressé. Les pays entendent se garantir mutuellement « aide et assistance éventuelle en cas d'attaque armée de leurs territoires ». Ce « par tous les moyens dont ils disposent, y compris la force armée ». Rien de nouveau en apparence. C'est la répétition du cadre des clauses dites de défense mutuelle ou d'assistance mutuelle prise dans le cadre de l'OTAN ou de l'Union européenne, avec toutes les limites qui s'imposent. L'assistance mutuelle ne se déclenche ainsi qu'en cas d'évènement très grave : une attaque armée, venant de l'extérieur, sur le territoire ‘européen' d'un des deux pays. Cette clause est donc surtout « symbolique et politique » ainsi que me l'a confié un haut gradé. Y voir quelque chose de totalement inutile est cependant une erreur. C'est plutôt une ‘double' assurance, qui n'aurait à s'actionner que si, pour une raison ou une autre, l'OTAN serait paralysée. En matière militaire, le superflu est parfois nécessaire... Militer pour une réforme du Conseil de sécurité de l'ONU Dernière vertu du texte, défendre la revendication allemande d'avoir un siège permanent au Conseil de sécurité des Nations unies. Ce n'est pas illogique au regard du poids économique et politique de l'Allemagne. Cette avancée est cependant liée à une réforme plus globale du Conseil de sécurité des Nations unies que les deux pays s'engagent à pousser. C'est en fait un cadeau fait à la coalition au pouvoir à Berlin qui a fait de cette présence un des points clés de sa politique étrangère. Paris n'entend pas céder donc son siège permanent au Conseil de sécurité et son droit de veto. C'est un des ressorts de la puissance diplomatique hexagonale. On est là face à des contradictions de la relation franco-allemande qu'il faudra bien résoudre demain. (Nicolas Gros-Verheyde) article paru chez Euractiv https://www.bruxelles2.eu/2019/01/22/les-cinq-beautes-cachees-du-traite-daix-la-chapelle/

The Italian Ministry of Defence's Naval Armament Directorate is gearing up to launch its acquisition programme for a new multirole submarine rescue vessel by mid-2019. The Special and Diving Operations - Submarine Rescue Ship (SDO-SuRS), for which EUR424 million (USD481.7 million) has been earmarked from 2018, is intended to replace the ageing salvage ship, Anteo . Jane's understands that the vessel will have a modular design in order to carry out its three main tasks of submarine rescue in addition to supporting special forces and diving operations carried out by the Italian Navy's Comando Subacquei ed Incursori (COMSUBIN) special forces and divers command. Basic specifications include a full-load displacement of about 8,500 tonnes, an overall length of 120 m, and a 20 m beam. The ship will be powered by an integrated full-electric propulsion system (IFEP) - using two azimuthal propulsion pods and two bow-mounted thrusters - able to achieve a maximum speed of 15 kt. Full article: https://www.janes.com/article/85856/italy-prepares-to-launch-submarine-rescue-vessel-programme

DAVID PUGLIESE, OTTAWA CITIZEN HMCS Corner Brook will be the first Canadian submarine to be equipped with a new communications system. The Universal Modular Masts or UMM for Canada's Victoria class submarines are part of an equipment suite provided by the Protected Military Satellite Communications project, according to the Department of National Defence. The estimated project cost for the submarine equipment suite, including installation, is approximately $70 million, while the overall PMSC project cost is approximately $592 million. The Protected Military Satellite Communication project is in collaboration with the U.S. and other allied nations and provides the Canadian military with secure, protected, jamming-resistant satellite communications on a near world-wide basis. The UMM will improve the Victoria-class as an intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance platform, according to the DND. The mast and its associated equipment suite will provide near real-time high-speed communications with shore. Corner Brook is in its Extended Docking Work Period and installation of the mast is now underway. Babcock Canada Inc. is handling the installation under the aegis of the Victoria In-Service Support Contract. It is being done at CFB Esquimalt in British Columbia. The equipment was acquired through a foreign military sales acquisition. The cost for PMSC-supplied submarine equipment, including UMMs, is approximately $35 million, according to the DND. Installation of the UMM on Corner Brook will be complete in 2020. Installation on the other three submarines will be finished by 2026. https://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/defence-watch/hmcs-corner-brook-to-become-first-sub-equipped-with-new-communications-system

NAVY Bell Helicopter Textron Inc., Fort Worth, Texas, is awarded $439,563,841 for modification P00008 to a previously awarded fixed-price-incentive contract (N00019-17-C-0030). This modification exercises an option for the production and delivery of 25 Lot 16 AH-1Z aircraft and 25 stores control units. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas (60 percent); and Amarillo, Texas (40 percent), and is expected to be completed in January 2022. Fiscal 2018 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $439,563,841 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. Global PCCI, Irvine, California, a joint venture, is awarded a maximum value $250,000,000 cost-plus-award-fee, fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the Emergency Ship Salvage Material (ESSM) system. The primary purpose of this contract is to manage the facilities with emergency response equipment stockpiles pre-positioned to support and augment the Navy fleet capability in the areas of salvage, diving, pollution response, and underwater ship husbandry maintained by the Supervisor of Salvage, SEA 00C. This contract includes five ordering periods, which if executed, would make the maximum value of this contract $250,000,000. Work will be performed worldwide, and is expected to be completed by January 2024 when all five ordering periods have been executed. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance (Navy) funding in the amount of $5,000 will be obligated at the time of award and will expire at the end of the fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities website, with one offer received. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity (N00024-19-D-4323). Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems, Tewksbury, Massachusetts, is awarded a $38,140,569 cost-plus-fixed fee, cost only contract for Dual Band Radar (DBR) Design Agent Technical Engineering support efforts. The work to be performed is for engineering services for DBR system upgrades or redesigns, engineering change proposals, product support, test equipment procurement, installation integration support, combat system integration testing, program management support, studies and analysis. This contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $98,839,761. Work will be performed in Tewksbury, Massachusetts (70 percent); Andover, Massachusetts (20 percent); Moorestown, New Jersey (5 percent); and Arvonia, Virginia (5 percent). Fiscal 2019 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) in the amount of $1,737,000; and fiscal 2019 research, development, test, and evaluation funding in the amount of $800,000 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was procured using other than full and open competition under the statutory authority of 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1) - only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity (N00024-19-C-5509). DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Bell Boeing Joint Project Office, California, Maryland, has been awarded an estimated $143,863,184 firm-fixed-price requirements contract for performance based logistics and engineering support for the V-22 platform. 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 an 11-month base contract with four one-year option periods. Locations of performance are Texas and Pennsylvania, with a Nov. 30, 2019, performance completion date. Using military services are Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2020 various Air Force, SOCOM and Navy appropriated funding. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE4AX-19-D-9410). ARMY AECOM Energy & Construction, Greenwood Village, Colorado, was awarded a $63,007,995 modification (P00003) to contract W912EK-19-C-0002 for Illinois River Basin, LaGrange Lock and Dam, major rehabilitation, demolition; temporary facilities, surveying, dewatering, protecting lock chamber, blasting, removing and replacing horizontal concrete. Work will be performed in Versailles, Illinois, with an estimated completion date of July 27, 2021. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance Army funds in the amount of $24,700,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Rock Island, Illinois, is the contracting activity. Odyssey International Inc.,* Mesa, Arizona, was awarded a $14,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for construction of a company operations facility. Bids were solicited via the internet with eight received. Work will be performed in Fort Gordon, Georgia, with an estimated completion date of May 22, 2020. Fiscal 2015 and 2017 military construction funds in the amount of $14,000,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Savannah, Georgia, is the contracting activity (W912HN-19-C-3000). Oshkosh Defense LLC, Oshkosh, Wisconsin, was awarded an $8,048,749 modification (P00150) to contract W56HZV-15-C-0095 for test and field service support for the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle. Work will be performed in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 30, 2019. Fiscal 2019 other procurement, Army funds in the amount of $8,048,749 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Warren, Michigan, is the contracting activity. *Small Business https://dod.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/1736461/source/GovDelivery/

by Jeffrey F. Collins CGAI Fellow Executive Summary While both Canada and Australia share similar constitutional frameworks and imperial histories, they are also no stranger to procurement challenges. Cost overruns, delays, regionalism, and protracted intellectual property disputes have all been part of major defence acquisition projects in recent decades. This Policy Paper analyzes the largest and most expensive procurement projects undertaken by either country, Canada's $73 billion (estimated) National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS), launched in 2010, and Australia's A$90 billion Naval Shipbuilding Plan (NSP), launched in 2017. Each project represents an attempt to implement a rational, multi-decade approach to naval acquisition. Driven by a desire to overcome previous boom-and-bust cycles, the NSS and NSP aim to create a sustainable shipbuilding sector capable of meeting the immediate and future naval demands of Ottawa and Canberra. Neither country has attempted a shipbuilding plan on this scale before. The NSS and NSP are still in their early stages but some common themes have emerged. On implementation challenges, old problems persist. For one, the rational approach to naval shipbuilding is not devoid of procurement politics and regionalism. Determining which province or state will be home to billions in contracts over many years remains a zero-sum game no matter how arms-length the process of yard selection. Cost increases also remain a reality. Building domestically can carry a 30 per cent to 40 per cent premium. Project delays increase this premium, something Canada has already experienced when initial NSS acquisition costs, pegged at $37.7 billion nearly a decade ago, jumped to an estimated $73 billion today. Australia's delays in securing an agreement with France's Naval Group on its $A50 billion future submarine project could mean additional cost increases. In this context, schedule is king and avoiding cost increases requires keeping to planned shipbuilding schedules. Failure to do so opens production gaps and necessitates going with alternative options including building overseas (Australia) or converting commercial vessels for naval and coast guard use (Canada). Prolonged cost sensitivities raise the consideration of trade-offs on committing more money to continuous shipbuilding at the expense of acquiring other military capabilities. Canada, for instance, will need to make decisions at some point on whether to spend billions on replacing the North Warning System in the country's North. Australia will have to grapple with an Indo-Pacific region proliferating with relatively cheaper but lethal anti-ship missiles. In this context, money spent on surface combatants may be perhaps better spent on other capabilities. None of this is to say that progress has not occurred in either the NSS or NSP. Ships are getting built, including Arctic Offshore Patrol Ships in Canada, and Offshore Patrol Vessels in Australia. In 2018, both countries selected the British Type-26 as their preferred design for a new generation of surface combatants. It is very possible that these respective strategies will achieve their goals of bypassing the boom-and-bust eras, but ongoing challenges serve as a reminder that even with the best-laid plans, naval shipbuilding is a complicated affair. 1 https://www.cgai.ca/overcoming_boom_and_bust_analyzing_national_shipbuilding_plans_in_canada_and_australia

ARMY Talbert Manufacturing Inc.,* Rensselaer, Indiana, was awarded a $360,249,853 firm-fixed-price contract for the procurement of M872A4 semitrailers and associated items. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Jan. 16, 2024. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Warren, Michigan, is the contracting activity (W56HZV-19-D-0036). Stantec Consulting Services Inc., Raleigh, North Carolina, was awarded a $20,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for architect-engineer general design services. Bids were solicited via the internet with 36 received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Jan. 16, 2024. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Savannah, Georgia, is the contracting activity (W912HN-19-D-2000). NAVY Fortis Nova A JV LLC,* Phoenix, Arizona (N62473-19-D-2426); Galindo Electric Inc.,* Vista, California (N62473-19-D-2427); Power Pro Plus Inc.,* Rancho Cucamonga, California (N62473-19-D-2428); Souza Construction Inc.,* Farmersville, California (N62473-19-D-2429); Synergy Electric Co. Inc.,* Santee, California (N62473-19-D-2430); and Tri-Technic Inc.,* Sonora, California (N62473-19-D-2431), are each awarded an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity multiple award construction contract for new construction, renovation, and repair of dry utilities construction projects at various government installations located in California, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico. The maximum dollar value including the base period and one option period for all six contracts combined is $249,000,000. Types of projects may include, but are not limited to: electrical distribution systems, exterior lighting systems, controls, airfield lighting systems, communications and security systems, grounding systems, and alternative energy structures. These six contractors may compete for task orders under the terms and conditions of the awarded contracts. No task orders are being issued at this time. All work on these contracts will be performed at various government installations within the Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Southwest area of responsibility including, but not limited to, California (90 percent); Arizona (6 percent); Nevada (1 percent); Utah (1 percent); Colorado (1 percent), and New Mexico (1 percent). The terms of the contracts are not to exceed 60 months, with an expected completion date of January 2024. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $35,000 are obligated on this award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Future task orders will be primarily funded by military construction (Navy); operations and maintenance (Navy and Marine Corps); and Navy working capital funds. This contract was competitively procured as a small business set-aside procurement via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website, with 14 proposals received. Naval Facilities Engineering CommandSouthwest, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity. Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems, Manassas, Virginia, was awarded a $77,758,481 cost-plus-incentive-fee, fixed-price-incentive, cost-only modification to previously awarded contract N00024-13-C-5225 for production of the Navy's AN/SQQ-89A(V)15 Surface Ship Undersea Warfare System (UWS). The AN/SQQ-89A(V)15 is the Surface Ship Undersea Warfare combat system with the capabilities to search, detect, classify, localize and track undersea contacts, and to engage and evade submarines, mine-like small objects and torpedo threats. The contract is for development, integration and production of future advanced capability build and technical insertion baselines of the AN/SQQ-89A(V)15 USW systems. Work will be performed in Lemont Furnace, Pennsylvania (54 percent); Clearwater, Florida (22 percent); Syracuse, New York (7 percent); Manassas, Virginia (6 percent); Hauppauge, New York (5 percent); Owego, New York (5 percent); Tewksbury, Massachusetts (1 percent), and is expected to be completed by May 2021. Fiscal 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy); fiscal 2019 other procurement (Navy); fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation; and Foreign Military Sales funding in the amount $77,187,872 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. (Awarded Jan. 16, 2019) DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Oshkosh Defense LLC, Oshkosh, Wisconsin, has been awarded a maximum $37,659,687 modification (P00026) to a three-year base contract (SPE7LX-17-D-0077) with two one-year option periods adding eleven spare parts within the scope of the original contract. This modification brings the total cumulative face value of the contract to $63,767,640. This is a firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. Location of performance is Wisconsin, with an Aug. 15, 2022, performance completion date. Using military services are Army, Navy and Marine Corps. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2022 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime, Columbus, Ohio. Colt's Manufacturing Company LLC, West Hartford, Connecticut, has been awarded a maximum $7,953,750 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for bolt breech's. This was a competitive acquisition with two responses received. This is a five-year contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Connecticut, with a Jan. 17, 2024, performance completion date. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2024 Army working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime, Warren, Michigan (SPRDL1-19-D-0001). AIR FORCE General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc., Poway, California, has been awarded a $37,100,316 firm-fixed-price modification (P00001) to contract FA8620-18-F-2303 for fiscal 2017 aircraft production. The contract modification provides for the cut-in of force and vortex capabilities onto the existing FY17 aircraft production configuration. Work will be performed in Poway, California, and is expected to be completed by July 31, 2021. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Fiscal year 2017 aircraft procurement funds in the amount of $37,100,316 are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity. (Awarded Jan. 16, 2019) Siemens Government Technologies, Arlington, Virginia, has been awarded a $24,586,803 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the reactivation and maintenance of Teamcenter software. This contract provides for the reactivation and maintenance of the Teamcenter software, as well as original equipment manufacturer support for the Air Force. Work will be performed at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, and is expected to be completed by Jan. 17, 2024. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Funding will be obligated on the initial order of the IDIQ contract. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8770-19-D-0517). *Small Business https://dod.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/1734769/source/GovDelivery/

By: Ben Werner ARLINGTON, Va. – Balancing the desire to build the Navy the nation needs with the ability to fight with the fleet the nation has is at the core of the mission of U.S. Fleet Forces Command mission, its commander said on Thursday. The Navy's high-end warfare plan – dubbed Distributed Maritime Operations (DMO) – relies on fleet commanders considering future technologies, integrating new capabilities into existing systems and provided the right level of manning. In the meantime, commanders need to fight with the equipment and manning they currently have, a task complicated by uneven funding levels Fleet Forces commander Adm. Christopher Grady said at the Surface Navy Association Symposium. “Seventy five percent of the fighting force today will be what we fight with in 2030,” Grady said. “We must sustain what we have now to defend our interests in the future.” Grady said the demand for maintenance capability is outpacing the industrial base's growth rate. At risk, he said, is the industrial base's ability to build new ships while keeping current ships in operations. “Right now, the industrial base is optimized for cost efficiency,” Grady said. In an era of renewed great power competition the Navy and industrial base needs to rethink how to work some flexibility into how quickly shipbuilders and maintainers can adjust their operations, Grady said. “At issue is how do we grow our capacity for both maintenance and modernization,” Grady said. “This is challenging.” As an example, many of the critical parts the Navy relies on are from sole-source suppliers, Grady said. Then there are the firms that could bid on Navy projects but don't because of various barriers making it difficult or impossible to submit competitive bids. Since 2000 the entire defense industrial base lost more than 20,500 contractors, according to a Pentagon report released in September. The shipbuilding industry took a particularly hard hit and growing that sector is key to building the 355-ship fleet, the report said. “Expanding the number of companies involved in Navy shipbuilding is important to maintaining a healthy industrial base that can fulfill the 355-ship fleet and support the Navy's long-range shipbuilding plan,” the report said. Changing how the industrial base and Navy interact is a critical part of solving the building and maintenance capacity issues, Grady said. He wants the Navy's interaction with industry to seen as a partnership. One example he proposed was buying portable dry docks that could be moved and leased to shipyards. More shipyards could bid on work by removing what Grady said is a significant barrier to entry into the marketplace – the significant capital investment required to handle Navy maintenance work. “The ideal would be to come to the table and share notes,” Grady said. “What can we do for each other that's good for the nation.” https://news.usni.org/2019/01/17/navy-and-industry-must-balance-new-construction-with-maintaining-existing-platforms