News

NAVY Resource Management Concepts Inc.,* Lexington Park, Maryland, is awarded a $101,231,753 cost-plus-fixed-fee, cost-reimbursable, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. This contract provides for information technology engineering and management services for aircraft, avionics, and weapons system requirements in support of the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division's Integrated Battlespace Simulation and Test Department (AD 5.4). Work will be performed in Patuxent River, Maryland (71 percent); Orlando, Florida (7 percent); San Diego, California (6 percent); Jacksonville, Florida (6 percent); Point Mugu, California (5 percent); and Cherry Point, North Carolina (5 percent), and is expected to be completed in July 2023. No funds are being obligated at time of award, funds will be obligated on individual task orders as they are issued. This contract was competitively procured via an electronic request for proposals as a 100 percent small business set-aside; two offers were received. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N00421-19-D-0065). Harper Construction Co. Inc., San Diego, California, is awarded $56,127,477 for firm-fixed-price task order N6247317F4705 under a previously awarded multiple award construction contract (N62473-16-D-1881) for construction of a maintenance hangar, maintenance shop and administrative building at Marine Corps Air Station, Yuma, Arizona. The work to be performed provides for the construction of three facilities in support of project P612 which includes a maintenance hangar, maintenance shop, and an administrative building. Associated work at all three sites includes, but is not limited to, testing and abatement for hazardous materials, demolition/disposal, site grading/prep, utility infrastructure work and relocation of aircraft point-of-service power, repair and install of airfield and other paving, optional photovoltaic system at the hangar site, testing, commissioning, and all incidental related work necessary to provide complete and usable facilities. The task order also contains one unexercised option, which if exercised would increase the cumulative task order value to $56,826,414. Work will be performed in Yuma, Arizona, and is expected to be completed by April 2022. Fiscal 2017 military construction (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $56,127,477 are obligated on this award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Four proposals were received for this task order. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southwest, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity. Multi-MAC JV,* Yuma, Arizona, is awarded a maximum amount $50,000,000 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity architect-engineering contract for compliance with air emission regulations, Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act regulations, greenhouse gas and all other environmental media regulations to support Navy, Marine Corps, and other Department of Defense installations and federal agencies worldwide. No task orders are being issued at this time. All work on this contract will be performed at various Navy and Marine Corps facilities and other government facilities within the Naval Facilities Engineering Command Atlantic area of responsibility including, but not limited to, California (45 percent); Virginia (15 percent); North Carolina (15 percent); Florida (5 percent); Maryland (5 percent); Washington (5 percent); Georgia (5 percent); and Europe Africa Southwest Asia (5 percent). The term of the contract is not to exceed 60 months with an expected completion date of June 2024. Fiscal 2019 operation and maintenance (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $10,000 are obligated on this award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Future task orders will be primarily funded by operation and maintenance (Navy). This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website, with three proposals received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N62470-19-D-4010). Technical Data Analysis Inc.,* Falls Church, Virginia, is awarded a $37,735,874 cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract to provide engineering and technical support services for the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division Air Vehicle Department. Engineering and technical support services for this effort shall include analysis, development, and integration of warfare systems, aircraft structural life surveillance, service life assessments and service life extensions in support of various Navy and Marine Corps platforms. Work will be performed in Patuxent River, Maryland, and is expected to be completed in August 2024. No funds will be obligated at the time of award. Funds will be obligated on individual orders as they are issued. This contract was a small business set-aside, competitively procured via an electronic request for proposal; one offer was received. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N00421-19-D-0069). Raytheon Co., Goleta, California, is awarded a $32,977,260 firm-fixed-price contract to conduct a demonstration of existing technologies (DET) in support of the Dual Band Decoy Program. This DET will demonstrate expanded capabilities of the Integrated Defensive Electronic Countermeasures AN/ALE-55 Fiber Optic Towed Decoy and AN/ALE-50 Advanced Airborne Expendable Decoy used on the F/A-18E/F aircraft. Work will be performed in Goleta, California, and is expected to be completed in September 2021. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $12,000,000 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via a broad agency announcement, with three offers received. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N0001919C1026). Cape Environmental Management Inc.,* Honolulu, Hawaii, is awarded $13,611,247 for cost-plus-award-fee task order N6274219F0129 under a previously awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (N62742-16-D-1807) for implementation of remedial alternatives to address sediments contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyls and metals at the Pearl Harbor sediment site. The selected remedies to be implemented will include placement of a thin-layer of clean material for enhanced natural recovery (ENR) and treatment of contaminated sediment with activated carbon amendment material in under-pier areas where dredging or other active remedies are impracticable. The remedy action also includes pre-ENR dredging of sediment where necessary, to provide sufficient clearance below the authorized maintenance dredging elevation for the placement of clean material for ENR. Work will be performed in Oahu, Hawaii, and is expected to be completed by June 2022. Fiscal 2019 environmental restoration (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $13,611,247 are obligated on this award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. One proposal was received for this task order. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Pacific, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, is the contracting activity. WR Systems, Fairfax, Virginia, is awarded a $10,918,406 cost-plus-fixed-fee, firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the production, engineering, technical and logistical services associated with delivery and technical support of the AN/SPA-25H Indicator Group. These systems support surface ships and are the standard data and distribution system from radar sensors to navigational and tactical displays. Additionally, the Navy has a need to procure durable and reliable state-of the-art switchboards, decoders, converters, switches and upgrades, for existing AN/SPA-25G and AN/SPA-25H installations. Work will be performed in Norfolk, Virginia (90 percent); and various Navy shipyards (10 percent), and is expected to be completed by May 2024. Fiscal 2018 and 2019 other procurement (Navy); and fiscal 2016 and 2017 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funding in the amount of $2,335,439 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured on the basis of full and open competition via the Federal Business Opportunities website, with four offers received. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren Division, Dahlgren, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N0017819D4505). ARMY Baker Jacobs JV, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was awarded a $46,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for architect-engineer services. Bids were solicited via the internet with nine received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of June 12, 2024. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Louisville, Kentucky, is the contracting activity (W912QR-19-D-0030). CGI Federal Inc., Fairfax, Virginia, was awarded a $34,414,693 modification (P00049) to contract W911S0-15-C-0004 for Operational and Environment Core functions support services. Work will be performed in Fort Eustis, Virginia, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 9, 2020. Fiscal 2190 operations and maintenance, Army funds in the amount of $23,000,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Mission and Installation Contracting Command, Fort Eustis, Virginia, is the contracting activity. TiER1 Performance Solutions LLC,* was awarded a $19,000,000 hybrid (cost-plus-fixed-fee and firm-fixed-price) contract for research and development. Bids were solicited via the internet with 63 received. Work locations and funds will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of June 13, 2024. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W911NF-19-D-0002). Oshkosh Defense LLC, Oshkosh, Wisconsin, was awarded a $17,335,100 hybrid (cost-plus-fixed-fee and firm-fixed-price) contract for re-baselining the current production configuration and the procurement of capability enhancements to Government Furnished M1070A1 Heavy Equipment Transporters. One bid was solicited with one received. Work will be performed in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, with an estimated completion date of July 31, 2020. Fiscal 2019 other procurement, Army funds in the amount of $17,355,100 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Warren, Michigan, is the contracting activity (W56HZV-15-D-0031). Avion Solutions Inc.,* Huntsville, Alabama, was awarded a $15,189,965 modification (0002 18) to Foreign Military Sales (Afghanistan, Bahrain, Croatia, Egypt, Jordan, Latvia, Saudi Arabia, Slovakia, Sweden, Tunisia and United Arab Emirates) contract W31P4Q-15-A-0029 for logistics support services. Work will be performed in Huntsville, Alabama, with an estimated completion date of June 16, 2020. Fiscal 2019 Foreign Military Sales; other procurement, Army; operations and maintenance, Army; and research, development, test, and evaluation funds in the amount of $15,189,965 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity. GTA Containers Inc.,* South Bend, Indiana, was awarded a $14,706,913 firm-fixed-price contract for procurement of collapsible fabric tanks. Two bids were solicited with two bids received. Work will be performed in South Bend, Indiana, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 6, 2022. Fiscal 2019 Army working capital funds in the amount of $14,706,913 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Warren, Michigan, is the contracting activity (W56HZV-19-F-0409). Goodrich Corp., Brea, California, was awarded a $12,634,182 firm-fixed-price contract for maintenance and overhaul of the Hoist, Internal Rescue. 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 June 10, 2024. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity (W58RGZ-19-D-0037). Oxford Federal LLC, Sheridan, Wyoming, was awarded a $7,762,098 firm-fixed-price Foreign Military Sales (Israel) contract for Site 13900. Six bids were solicited with three bids received. Work will be performed in Tel Aviv, Israel, with an estimated completion date of July 31, 2020. Fiscal 2019 Foreign Military Sales funds in the amount of $7,762,098 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Wiesbaden, Germany, is the contracting activity (W912GB-19-F-0111). CORRECTION: A contract announced on June 12, 2019, for IBM Corp., Bethesda, Maryland (W912DY-19-F-0396), for $9,500,000 incorrectly identified the purpose of the contract. The contract is for the Department Of Defense High Performance Computing Modernization Program, Technology Insertion, Army Research Laboratory, Order 17 - Containerized Machine Learning System. All other information in the announcement was correct. U.S. SPECIAL OPERATIONS COMMAND The Boeing Co., Ridley Park, Pennsylvania, was awarded a $30,778,000 firm-fixed-price type delivery order (H92241-19-F-0091) under an existing contract (W91215-16-G-0001) to procure components and parts in support of MH-47G rotary wing aircraft. This action is required to satisfy an urgent need to sustain U.S. Special Operations Forces (SOF) heavy assault, rotary wing aircraft, to mitigate the impact of the MH-47G aircraft availability in light of increased SOF operational demands and to procure H-47 long-range, rotary wing aircraft under foreign military sales acquisition procedures for the United Kingdom. Fiscal 2019 Aircraft Procurement, Army funds in the amount of $20,778,000 and no-year Foreign Military Spending funding from the United Kingdom in the amount of $10,000,000 shall be obligated at time of award for the acquisition of long-lead components and parts in support of the MH-47G Block II Production Program. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The majority of the work will be performed in Ridley Park. U.S. Special Operations Command Headquarters, Tampa, Florida, is the contracting activity. DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Sea Box,* Cinnaminson, New Jersey, has been awarded a maximum $7,364,845 firm-fixed-price contract for TRICON containers. This was a sole-source acquisition using justification 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(2) and 41 U.S. Code 3304(A)(2), as stated in Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-2(a)(2). This is a one-year base contract with no option periods. Location of performance is New Jersey, with Dec. 31, 2019, performance completion date. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime, Warren, Michigan (SPRD11-19-C-0220). *Small business https://dod.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/1875427/source/GovDelivery/

By: Valerie Insinna WASHINGTON — The Pentagon's latest deal with Lockheed Martin for new F-35 jets includes some for Turkey, raising the question of what will happen if the country is pushed out of the program. The handshake agreement announced Monday totals about $34 billion for 478 new F-35s over lots 12 through 14, including about five to 10 jets for Turkey per lot, one source told Defense News. But that might not complicate the process of finalizing the contract agreement, aerospace analysts and other sources close to the program said — even as the Defense Department begins “unwinding” Turkey's participation in the program. At issue is Turkey's purchase of the S-400, a Russian air defense system that U.S. and NATO officials say is at odds with the alliance's plan to field the F-35. Despite months of discussions between Ankara and Washington, Turkish leaders have emphatically maintained that it will not cancel the S-400 order. In response, acting U.S. Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan on June 6 approved a plan to strip Turkey from the F-35 program. Turkish pilots and maintainers undergoing training at U.S. bases are required to leave the United States by July 31, and contracts with Turkish defense companies could end in 2020. Ankara has since doubled down on its intent to buy the S-400. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Wednesday that the purchase is already “a done deal” and that the Russian air defense system will be delivered in July, according to Reuters. “We will call to account in every platform Turkey being excluded from the F-35 program for reasons without rationale or legitimacy,” Erdogan said. So what if Turkey leaves? Sources told Defense News that Turkey's potential exit from the program isn't expected to have much of an impact on the deal for lots 12 through 14. The Pentagon hasn't provided exact costs per unit for the new F-35s, but it has acknowledged that unit flyaway costs will decrease by about 8.8 percent in Lot 12, made up of 157 jets. The department also estimates unit prices will drop by about 15 percent from Lot 11 to Lot 14 across all variants. By that framework, F-35 customers will be able to buy an F-35A conventional-takeoff-and-landing model for less than $80 million by Lot 13 — one year earlier than expected. That isn't expected to change, even if Turkey is knocked from the program, a department source said. Rebecca Grant of IRIS Independent Research said it's likely the number of jets and the negotiated prices in the handshake agreement will stand, adding that the Defense Department still has options on the table. “They can let Turkey go ahead and have those jets [and] park them in the desert [until this issue is resolved]. They can switch to a customer that wants earlier deliveries — also an option,” she said. Dealing with these types of problems isn't new for the United States, added Grant, who pointed to the U.S. arms embargo on Pakistan in 1990, which resulted in the country's F-16s being placed into storage. Richard Aboulafia, an aerospace analyst at the Teal Group, said there are multiple ways for the Pentagon to deal with the fallout of a Turkish exit from the program. Countries like Singapore and Poland, which have expressed interest in buying F-35s, could join the program and pick up the slack. If Congress adds F-35s to upcoming budget cycles — which has been typical in recent years — the U.S. armed services could buy Turkey's jets. “I really don't see it as a challenge,” Aboulafia said. “This is not the same as building white tails in the commercial aviation business.” Another option was outlined by Marillyn Hewson, the head of F-35 manufacturer Lockheed Martin, in May: Sell Turkey's jets to existing international customers. “It's not a significant number of aircraft that if there was a sanction that they couldn't receive those aircraft now or in the future; it will be backfilled,” she said at Bernstein's Strategic Decisions Conference, according to Defense One. “In fact, a lot of countries say: ‘We'll take their [production line] slots.' They [other countries] really want the aircraft. I don't envision that being an impact on us from a Turkey standpoint.” U.S. officials remain hopeful that Turkey will cancel its S-400 order, and they have made it clear that Turkey's participation in the F-35 program will continue if that happens. “Turkey still has the option to change course. If Turkey does not accept delivery of the S-400, we will enable Turkey to return to normal F-35 program activities,” Ellen Lord, the Pentagon's acquisition chief, said June 7. The U.S. government is no rush to expel Turkey from the program, Grant said. Including Turkey in the current contract negotiations helps send that message. “We need Turkey in NATO, and we'd like to see a Turkish Air Force with F-35s,” she said. “This is going to take some diplomacy.” Aboulafia noted that Turkey benefits from its involvement in the F-35 program, with its companies manufacturing parts for the jet's F135 engine and a second supplier providing the center fuselage. The country has made the development of its defense industry a priority, and risks becoming a cottage industry if it alienates its NATO allies, he said. “This does not do it any favors. They are going to have to line up partners and programs very fast," he added. But the prospect of a happy resolution is looking increasing grim, he said. “There is no room for compromise [on the U.S. side], and on the other side you have a populist, who is making this a test of his leadership. There is a lot of ego here.” https://www.defensenews.com/air/2019/06/13/there-are-turkish-jets-in-the-pentagons-latest-f-35-deal-heres-why-thats-not-a-big-problem/

Pascal Schmuck avec ats Le Gripen E de Saab est exclu de la procédure d'évaluation pour un nouvel avion de combat. La décision a été prise par l'Office fédéral de l'armement (armasuisse) après que le constructeur suédois a indiqué qu'il ne participerait pas aux essais en vol. Un rattrapage ultérieur des tests en vol et au sol irait à l'encontre de l'égalité de traitement de tous les candidats et n'est pas une option, indique jeudi armasuisse dans un communiqué. Saab avait précédemment indiqué que le calendrier de développement de son avion n'était pas adapté au plan suisse visant à tester des appareils pleinement opérationnels dès 2019. Solutions alternatives Saab avait soumis diverses solutions alternatives pour pouvoir participer aux essais en vol de cette année. Armasuisse avait rejeté la proposition du constructeur suédois de mettre à disposition un Gripen C pleinement opérationnel en plus d'un avion d'essai Gripen E pour les tests en vol et au sol. Saab estime que d'autres concurrents ont également démontré leurs capacités sur des plateformes existantes, qui diffèrent des versions définitives à livrer. Dans la procédure d'évaluation en vue de l'acquisition d'un nouvel avion de combat - en remplacement du F/A-18 - l'avion furtif Lockheed Martin F-35, le F/A-18 Super Hornet de Boeing, le Rafale du constructeur français Dassault et l'Eurofighter d'Airbus restent en course. Ils ont subi de nombreux essais en vol à Payerne (VD). Les essais en vol font partie de la procédure d'évaluation concernant l'acquisition d'un nouvel avion de combat à partir de 2025, pour un montant maximal de six milliards de francs. Le choix du type d'appareil reviendra au Conseil fédéral. «Le meilleur choix» Dans son communiqué, Saab se disait convaincu que le Gripen E représente le meilleur choix pour la Suisse. Ce modèle se distingue de ses concurrents en étant le tout dernier système d'avions de combat, selon le constructeur suédois. Sa production a déjà commencé et le premier avion sera livré cette année. L'offre soumise en janvier dernier est toujours valable. Saab est prêt à s'engager à livrer 40 Gripen E-fighter dans les délais et à respecter toutes les spécifications et le budget prévu. L'offre inclut également un programme de support complet, impliquant les fournisseurs locaux, afin d'assurer des coûts d'exploitation les plus bas possible, ainsi que la plus grande autonomie. Déjà un échec en 2014 Lors du dernier processus d'acquisition d'un nouvel avion de combat, Saab avait déjà proposé à la Suisse l'achat du Gripen E, en commun avec les forces aériennes suédoises. A l'époque, le calendrier de développement prévoyait une livraison à la Suisse en 2021. Mais, en mai 2014, la population a rejeté en votation l'achat de 22 avions de combat Gripen pour 3,1 milliards de francs. Saab a alors modifié le calendrier et l'a adapté aux besoins de la Suède et du Brésil. Comparaison au second semestre 2020 Pour chaque candidat, armasuisse, en coopération avec l'Etat-major de l'armée, les Forces aériennes, la Base logistique de l'armée et la Base d'aide au commandement, rassemblera dans des rapports spécialisés les résultats de la phase d'analyse et d'essais. Ces rapports techniques constitueront la base d'une comparaison systématique et complète entre les différents candidats, qui sera effectuée au cours du second semestre 2020. Ils serviront également à déterminer pour chaque modèle d'avion la taille nécessaire de la flotte. Sur cette base, armasuisse préparera un deuxième appel d'offres, conformément au calendrier actuel, et le remettra aux candidats. Une fois les résultats reçus, l'office fédéral comparera les différents postulants sur la base des rapports spécialisés et déterminera l'utilité globale pour chacun d'entre eux. Un rapport d'évaluation sera ensuite établi, dans lequel l'utilité globale sera comparée aux coûts d'acquisition et de fonctionnement pendant trente ans. (nxp) https://www.tdg.ch/suisse/Saab-retire-le-Gripen-des-essais-pour-l-armee/story/19614607

By: Leo Shane III and Joe Gould WASHINGTON ― House lawmakers advanced a $733 billion defense policy bill on Thursday after nearly 21 hours of sometimes heated debate on the size of the Pentagon budget, the size of the country's nuclear arsenal and a host of other military priorities for next year. The 33-24 final vote by the House Armed Services Committee on the draft of the defense authorization bill marked one of the most divided stances from the committee in years, as Republicans voiced concerns with Democrats' priorities in the measure. The legislation, which sets military spending policy for the upcoming fiscal year, has been adopted by Congress for 58 consecutive years, usually by sizable bipartisan margins. Committee officials insist that's because the needs of the military usually rise above the partisan politics of Capitol Hill. But this year, the narrow passage out of committee illustrated the stark divide in defense policy between the two parties, and hints at a lengthy battle to come as the measure moves across Capitol Hill to the Republican-controlled Senate in the coming weeks. Committee Chairman Adam Smith, D-Wash., in recent days said he is committed to finding a palatable bill for both Republicans and Democrats. But during the marathon debate he repeatedly defended his party's plans for $733 billion in defense spending for fiscal 2020 as a responsible and sufficient mark. “By a reasonably comfortable margin, this is the largest budget we will have ever passed in Congress (for defense) and it's a significant improvement on where we were before,” he said before the committee vote. Smith had already set aside some of his own priorities in a bid to win support from the panel's hawkish Republicans, who are likely to influence their caucus when it comes time to vote the bill out of the House. Without that support, Democrats may struggle to gather enough votes from progressives in their own caucus, who have questioned even the lower level of spending. But Senate Republicans have already set their authorization bill draft at $750 billion, a mark recommended by the White House and defended by HASC ranking member Mac Thornberry, R-Texas. He said that the figure is needed to keep pace with military modernization and readiness needs. Thornberry's amendment included a lengthy laundry list of weapons and platforms left out of the bill. “I worry that we talk about this like it's just numbers we're pulling out of the air,” he said. “These are real things. An aircraft carrier gets delayed a year if $733 billion is the way it comes out.” The bill includes a 3.1 percent pay raise for troops next January — a point of agreement on both sides that Smith repeatedly referenced — and provisions for increased protections for sexual assault victims, increased oversight of military housing problems and parameters for a new Space Corps within the Air Force. But fights over the effects of climate change on national security, limitations on the use of the Guantanamo Bay detention camp and a provision mandating gender integration in Marine Corps basic training further divided the committee. On a series of Republican amendments aimed at preserving funds for the nuclear arsenal — including one to protect deployment of low-yield nuclear weapons on submarines — Democrats repeatedly defeated Republican proposals. Similarly, the committee upheld several provisions designed to put a check on President Donald Trump's ability to shift resources from the Defense Department to the U.S. southern border with Mexico. Democrats have accused Trump of abusing his emergency powers to shift Department of Defense funds for the border and send thousands of troops there. In the committee debate, Republicans generally argued Trump is taking necessary and normal steps to secure the border given political resistance to addressing the issue. “I want everybody to understand we have been sending DoD assets to the border since the Alamo,” said Rep. Mike Rogers, who sponsored one of the amendments. “We have to do it in order to keep our border secure and deal with the humanitarian crisis.” The measure now shifts to the full House, where Smith and Democratic leadership will have to build a coalition of supporters to get the measure to negotiations with the Senate. That chamber will vote on its draft next week. Work on a compromise draft between the House and Senate is expected to last through most of the summer and fall. https://www.defensenews.com/congress/2019/06/13/house-panel-advances-733b-defense-budget-bill-over-gop-objections/

Par Propos recueillis par Michel Cabirol ENTRETIEN. Dans une interview accordée à "La Tribune", le Délégué général pour l'armement Joël Barre fait un tour d'horizon complet sur les programmes aéronautique et terrestre en cours ainsi que sur la politique industrielle et d'exportation. D'ici à la fin de l'année, de grands programmes d'armement européens comme le futur avion de combat (SCAF), le futur drone Male (Eurodrone), l'avion de patrouille maritime (MAUWS) et le futur char de combat (MGGS) vont être lancés sur la base de coopérations franco-allemandes. LA TRIBUNE - Les négociations entre Dassault Aviation et Airbus pour l'accouchement du programme SCAF semblent être difficiles. Quels sont les points bloquants ? JOËL BARRE - Il n'y a pas de point bloquant, il y a simplement des points de discussions qui méritent d'être analysés entre les industriels impliqués dans le programme SCAF. Il faut tout d'abord se féliciter de l'initialisation de cette démarche en juillet 2017 par le Président de la République Emmanuel Macron et son homologue allemande la chancelière Angela Merkel, et du chemin parcouru depuis, avec la signature des lettres d'intention et des spécifications communes en 2018 et la signature du premier contrat d'études (Joint Concept Study) fin janvier 2019. Nous préparons les phases ultérieures et notamment les études technologiques qui sont nécessaires, et pour cela nous avons toute une série de travaux à lancer. Nous voulons faire un démonstrateur du futur avion de combat à l'horizon 2025/2026. C'est un projet qui doit reposer sur les capacités de Dassault en France et d'Airbus en Allemagne. Nous devons également travailler sur un moteur de nouvelle génération, qui devra être prêt à l'horizon 2040, dans le cadre d'une coopération entre Safran et MTU. Il faut également travailler sur les constituants des « remote carriers » (drones, missiles ndlr) ce qui impliquera Airbus en Allemagne et MBDA en France, ainsi que sur le système de systèmes, c'est-à-dire sur les technologies du combat collaboratif connecté, ce qui impliquera Airbus et Thales. Nous devons développer de nouvelles technologies pour l'ensemble des composantes du programme SCAF. C'est sur tous ces aspects que nous sommes en train de négocier l'offre industrielle, afin d'être capable de notifier le contrat à la fin de cet été. Quels sont les délais prévus pour la phase de maturation technologique ? Nous visons une phase de développement technologique, qui ira jusqu'à 2030. Elle passe par la mise en vol de démonstrateurs, que nous avons pour objectif de réaliser à l'horizon 2025/2026. La plupart des opérations extérieures se font dans le cadre de coalitions internationales. Le futur avion de combat européen pourra-t-il dialoguer dans le cadre du fameux combat collaboratif avec le F-35 et son successeur ? Avez-vous entamé des discussions avec les Etats-Unis ? C'est effectivement un sujet majeur sur lequel nous travaillons. Des discussions ont lieu dans le cadre de l'Otan, dans lesquelles les opérationnels sont impliqués. Il est clair que le SCAF devra être capable de dialoguer avec les aéronefs de nos alliés. Safran semble être à la peine pour le développement du moteur Silvercrest. Avez-vous des inquiétudes sur la fourniture d'un nouveau moteur destiné à équiper l'avion de combat du futur ? Pour le Silvercrest, il y a eu des difficultés qui l'ont conduit à renoncer à ce moteur pour les futurs Falcon ; mais le programme Silvercrest se poursuit en vue d'équiper un appareil de l'avionneur américain Cessna. Je n'ai pas de doute que Safran puisse développer le moteur Silvercrest et le livrer. En ce qui concerne les compétences et les technologies nécessaires pour l'avion de combat du futur, le moteur M88 remonte à un certain temps. C'est pour cela que nous avons accéléré les travaux de développements technologiques en notifiant à Safran le contrat d'innovation Turenne 2 en début d'année, qui a permis de relancer l'activité des bureaux d'études de Safran. Je n'ai pas d'inquiétudes quant au fait que Safran sache faire un moteur innovant et qui réponde aux besoins de nos forces armées. Est-ce que Thales sera bien sur le SCAF ? Mais Thales fait déjà partie du SCAF, dès aujourd'hui ! Et ce sera bien sûr un partenaire majeur tout au long du programme. Avec l'acquisition de Gemalto, certains observateurs estiment que Thales pourrait vendre ses activités dans la défense. Qu'en pensez-vous ? Je n'imagine pas un instant que Thales quitte le secteur de la défense, et je ne crois pas non plus que ce soit dans les plans de son PDG ! Nous avons besoin de Thales, et Thales a besoin de la défense. La France a lancé toute une série de coopérations avec l'Allemagne. C'est le cas d'un avion de patrouille maritime. Quand allez-vous décider du choix de la plateforme qui sera celle d'Airbus ou de Dassault ? Concernant le MAWS (Maritime Airborne Warfare Systems), nous sommes d'accord avec les Allemands pour engager la préparation en commun. Nous avons déjà signé une lettre d'intention (LoI) et un besoin commun en 2018. Nous voulons mettre au point d'ici à l'été une demande de proposition de première étude à l'industrie pour lancer les premiers travaux fin 2019 qui devraient durer un peu plus d'un an. Le programme MAWS est avant tout un système et pas uniquement une plateforme. Nous allons donc démarrer avec une étude d'architecture de systèmes et des options de plateformes telles que celles évoquées. Une plateforme japonaise avant était également évoquée. Ce n'est plus le cas ? Dans les discussions avec nos partenaires allemands, il est absolument clair entre nous que nous privilégierons une solution européenne. Dans le même temps il faut bien sûr que les industriels européens nous fassent des propositions qui soient abordables. Cela devra s'étudier dans le cadre des études d'architectures que nous prévoyons de démarrer cette année. Où en est le programme Eurodrone ? Il s'agit maintenant de passer de la phase des études à la phase de réalisation. Le deuxième semestre de cette année sera consacré à la négociation de l'offre, et nous avons pour objectif de boucler les négociations pour la fin de l'année. Nous avons une exigence collective de réussite de ce projet. Mais là aussi, il n'y a pas de chèque en blanc : c'est d'abord aux industriels de démontrer leur compétitivité. Avec ses deux moteurs, l'Eurodrone, qui a beaucoup grossi, est-il un programme exportable ? Comme je vous l'ai dit, nous avons une exigence très forte de compétitivité pour nos propres drones. Si nos industriels sont capables de faire une proposition compétitive en prix de série, ils pourront le vendre à l'export. Il faut un rapport coût/qualité qui soit acceptable. Le programme MGCS a pris du retard. Est-ce lié aux nouvelles exigences capitalistiques de Rheinmetall ? Sur le MGCS, nous avons signé en 2018 une lettre d'intention, ainsi que le document de besoin opérationnel conjoint, pour avoir une base initiale de coopération. Il faut maintenant démarrer par une étude d'architecture système. Elle est en cours de préparation. L'étude pour le char devrait être engagée à l'été 2019. Nous avons des discussions sur l'organisation industrielle de cette première étude d'architecture. Dans tous les cas, la France est attachée au rôle que jouera KNDS dans ce programme, qui est une entreprise qui a précisément été créée pour porter des projets tels que le MGCS. Et sur la question capitalistique ? La question capitalistique n'est pas un sujet à ce stade. La priorité, c'est de lancer les études du char du futur. Quand les allemands ont demandé à faire venir Rheinmetall, pourquoi la France n'en a pas profité pour faire venir Thales ? Il est normal que l'Allemagne sollicite Rheinmetall qui est un acteur historique de l'armement terrestre allemand, pour être partie prenante du MGCS. Mais il est clair que Thales aura également naturellement sa place dans le projet ! Etant donné sa responsabilité en matière de combat collaboratif connecté pour la France dans le programme Scorpion, Thales sera naturellement amené à jouer un rôle de choix dans le MGCS. La France, à travers Thales, a une avance technologique en matière de vétronique. Le groupe d'électronique fera-t-il toute la vétronique du programme ? Il est clair que Thales a de fortes compétences en la matière. Et pour structurer ce programme, nous prendrons en compte les capacités des différents industriels. En anglais, on appelle cela le principe du « best athlete ». Sur les programmes français, êtes-vous satisfaits des industriels en matière de délais de livraison ? Il faut que nos industriels soient conscients des responsabilités qu'ils ont quand on leur confie des programmes qui représentent pour nous des enjeux significatifs, tant en termes opérationnels que financiers. La loi de programmation militaire (LPM) portée par la ministre Florence Parly représente un effort budgétaire particulièrement conséquent. Nous sommes entrés dans la LPM dans des conditions nominales, conformes à ce qui était prévu. La première année de notre programmation militaire traduit donc une augmentation du budget consacrée aux investissements. C'est une bonne chose pour nos armées et notre base industrielle, après des périodes de déflation. Mais cela nous oblige tous : pour la DGA, nous devons être un architecte efficace et performant des systèmes de défense, en lien avec les armées, mais pour l'industrie, la tenue des engagements contractuels et la performance sont impératifs. La ministre y est extrêmement attentive, et notre feuille de route à cet égard est très claire. Le véhicule blindé multi-rôles Griffon est-il sur la bonne voie ? Le Griffon doit être qualifié à l'été et nous attendons les livraisons pour les premiers d'entre eux, une dizaine cet été, et 92 au total pour fin 2019. Il nous faudra une vétronique (Thales), un véhicule (Nexter) et un tourelleau (Arquus) en état de marche. Tout le monde est sur le pont pour tenir ces engagements, avec l'objectif que le Griffon défile fièrement lors du 14 juillet. En attendant la parole présidentielle sur le spatial militaire, avez-vous déjà réfléchi au post-CSO ? Effectivement, même si le premier satellite CSO est en orbite depuis seulement quelques mois (et les premières images que le système fournit sont exceptionnelles), nous nous attelons déjà à la préparation de la prochaine génération de satellite. Le dossier sera présenté début juin à Florence Parly. Nous prévoyons de lancer d'ici la fin de l'année 2019 les premiers travaux de préparation avec les industriels associés. Airbus Defence and Space et Thales Alenia Space vont-ils collaborer ou proposer des solutions différentes ? La question de l'organisation industrielle est en effet cruciale. Mais la balle est largement dans leur camp, et nous verrons quelles sont leurs propositions. Pourquoi ne pas fusionner ces deux entreprises qui se livrent une guerre féroce à l'export et se disputent les PEA ? C'est d'abord une question à poser aux entreprises concernées ! Cette idée est ancienne, et croyez-moi ce n'est pas un dossier simple, sans quoi il aurait été résolu depuis longtemps. Il est certain que la situation de compétition entre Airbus et Thales peut être pénalisante pour ces deux entreprises à l'export. Quant au plan strictement national, nous veillons à ne pas dupliquer les investissements publics entre les deux sociétés, tout en maintenant les compétences critiques pour notre souveraineté. En matière de plateformes satellitaires et de technologies de télécommunication et optiques de haute précision, nous avons la chance d'avoir en France des équipes industrielles de classe mondiale. Il faut s'en féliciter. Une solution consistant à confier l'observation à Thales, les télécoms à Airbus aurait-elle du sens ? Encore une fois, les choses ne sont pas aussi simples. Dans l'équation que vous décrivez, il ne faut pas oublier la dimension très fortement européenne de notre industrie satellitaire : occulter cette question, c'est renoncer à dessiner des solutions crédibles. Dans le domaine des lanceurs, quelle est la priorité pour le ministère des Armées ? Notre premier besoin est celui de l'autonomie d'accès à l'espace, qui passe par un lanceur Ariane. C'est pourquoi il faut remplacer Ariane 5 par Ariane 6, dont la compétitivité accrue permettra à la France de garder son rang dans la compétition qui fait rage sur le marché commercial. Il faut faire Ariane 6 et au plus vite. Ariane 6 ne sera-t-elle pas déjà obsolète quand elle arrivera sur le marché ? Je ne sais pas ce qui vous permet de dire cela. La notion d'obsolescence d'un lanceur pose la question de rapport coût /efficacité. Il faut qu'Ariane 6 tienne l'objectif de performances et de réduction de prix. Et pour le moment Ariane 6 le tient. Nous avons besoin, nous Défense, d'une Ariane 6 qui tienne ses objectifs et sommes prêts à lancer CSO 3 sur Ariane 6. La France respecte toujours la préférence européenne, mais pas l'Allemagne. Ainsi, le lancement des satellites Sarah sera effectué par l'américain SpaceX... La France est constante dans sa position : il faut appliquer la préférence européenne dans notre politique de lancement. C'est la clé de notre autonomie stratégique pour l'accès à l'espace. Mais le marché est biaisé par les Américains. Les institutionnels américains paient le prix fort, ce qui permet aux industriels comme SpaceX de faire du dumping à l'international. Ce qui n'est pas le cas en Europe où Arianespace doit faire des efforts de prix pour les institutionnels... Bien sûr, mais la France et l'Europe soutiennent également la filière des lanceurs. La clé est maintenant que nos partenaires appliquent la préférence européenne. En France, nous la pratiquons depuis l'origine du programme spatial dans les années 1970. L'ESA doit-elle lancer Vega E, qui sera un concurrent d'Ariane 6 ? C'est au CNES qu'il faut poser cette question. Ce que je sais, c'est qu'il ne doit pas y avoir de recouvrement entre différents lanceurs européens. Cela n'aurait aucun sens d'avoir des compétitions internes à l'Europe alors que nous essayons de mieux organiser l'industrie des lanceurs en Europe. Le PACS entre Naval Group et Fincantieri est-il près d'être signé ? Nous souhaitons en effet aboutir rapidement sur la constitution de la société commune Poséidon entre Naval Group et Fincantieri dans le domaine des b'timents de surface. Nous verrons comment cette société, qui aura des activités notamment dans les domaines de l'exportation et de la R&D, se développe, avant d'éventuelles étapes ultérieures. Il faut que les deux parties, auparavant concurrentes, apprennent à travailler en confiance et de manière efficace. La France et l'Italie ont une longue histoire de coopération dans le domaine naval, et la constitution de cette société commune s'inscrit naturellement dans ce sillon. L'exportation sera-t-elle la clé de la réussite de la société commune ? Bien sûr, c'est un des objectifs majeurs de cette société commune. L'objectif est de gagner ensemble plutôt que de perdre séparément. Concernant l'exportation, 2018 a été une année meilleure que prévue... J'avais dit 7 milliards d'euros en novembre dernier lors de ma conférence de presse et, finalement, la France a exporté pour 9 milliards en 2018. L'année dernière a donc été une bonne année en matière exportation et c'est également bien parti pour 2019. La nouveauté, c'est 2 milliards de plus d'exportations en Europe. L'exportation est indispensable pour le « business model » français. La France peut offrir un partenariat stratégique avec des pays acheteurs. Pourtant, les industriels français sont plus efficaces sur le grand export qu'en Europe. Quelles sont les raisons de ce changement ? Le problème de base, c'est d'abord que les européens appliquent trop peu la préférence européenne ! Ensuite, nous avons cette année 25% d'exportations qui concernent l'Europe, contre 10% les années précédentes ! C'est une augmentation spectaculaire, qui résulte de l'engagement européen du gouvernement. Avec le programme CaMo par exemple (des véhicules blindés vendus à la Belgique, ndlr), nous avons signé le premier contrat de partenariat gouvernemental dans lequel la France achète aux industriels au nom et pour le compte du pays client. Nous sommes convaincus qu'il y aura d'autres contrats de ce type. L'exportation est nécessaire : elle représente 30% du chiffre d'affaires de l'industrie d'armement et elle est également un facteur de compétitivité. Les entreprises doivent se battre à l'export, ce qui les oblige à être compétitives puisque elles sont soumises à une rude concurrence. Avez-vous pu régler le problème des exportations des matériels franco-allemands avec Berlin et celui de la réglementation ITAR avec les Etats-Unis ? Nous avons des discussions en cours avec les Américains et les Allemands, au plus haut niveau politique. Sur la réglementation ITAR, la France a pris le taureau par les cornes... Nous y sommes effectivement extrêmement attentifs : nous souhaitons désormais avoir une autonomie stratégique en matière d'équipements, et dépendre le moins possible d'autorisations étrangères pour exporter. C'est ce que nous faisons par exemple avec le programme de missile MICA nouvelle génération de MBDA, qui ne comportera pas de composants ITAR. Le fonds européen peut-il vous aider en favorisant la création d'une filière de composants stratégiques ? Nous promouvons la mise au point de filières européennes pour être aussi indépendants que possible dans nos exportations. Il faudra du temps, mais nous avons déjà lancé des travaux soutenus par Bruxelles dans le cadre de l'action préparatoire pour la recherche en matière de défense, qui est l'une des actions de préfiguration du fonds européen de Défense. Avec l'Allemagne, faut-il faire du « German free » comme certains industriels le pensent ? Il faut coopérer avec l'Allemagne. Si l'on veut faire une coopération européenne en matière d'armement, c'est indispensable. Il faut arriver à trouver un accord qui nous satisfasse les uns et les autres sur les conditions d'exportation. C'est le but des discussions en cours, pilotées au plus haut niveau par le Président et le Secrétariat général de la défense et de la sécurité nationale (SGDSN), avec l'implication personnelle très forte de la ministre des Armées Florence Parly. La DGA apporte son expertise technique à ces discussions. En matière d'exportation, un nouveau contrat Rafale vous ferait-il plaisir ? Ce qui me ferait plaisir, ce serait de continuer à avoir des résultats d'exportation semblables à ceux de 2018 : d'abord car cela ancre les partenariats stratégiques que nous avons tissé depuis des années avec de nombreux pays, et ensuite car cela nous permet de conserver une base industrielle nationale au premier plan mondial. Continuons sur cette voie-là. Pour Thales et Naval Group dans le naval, pour Thales et Airbus dans le spatial, l'Etat doit-il gérer la compétition de façon à la clarifier pour les industriels et les clients étrangers ? Nous encourageons un alignement du camp industriel français pour les offres export. Mais il n'y a pas de dogmatisme à avoir, et il faut s'interroger prospect par prospect. Dans certains cas, lorsque des clients font des appels d'offres, il peut arriver que celles-ci se présentent en ordre dispersé. Dans ces cas-là, que le meilleur gagne. Comment la DGA favorise-t-elle l'innovation ? Nous avons mis en place au sein du Ministère le 1er septembre 2018 l'agence de l'innovation de défense, à présent composée d'une centaine de personnes. Cette agence est relayée au sein de la DGA en province par des clusters d'innovation technologique, créés sur notre initiative. Il y en a déjà quatre, deux dans le naval à Toulon et Brest, un dans le NRBC à Vert-le-Petit et un dans le terrestre à Bourges. Cela montre que la capacité d'ingénierie, d'expertise et d'essais de la DGA, localisée dans nos centres techniques en province et qui a toujours été essentielle dans notre mission de maîtrise d'ouvrage des programmes d'armement, peut servir de catalyseur pour les innovations technologiques au sein des tissus industriels qui entourent nos centres. Gr'ce à ce contexte favorable, nos équipes innovent tant au niveau des technologies que des méthodes. Il faut à présent réussir à faire la symbiose entre ces innovations nées dans nos centres, la politique d'innovation qui relève de l'agence que nous avons mise en place et ce qui apparaît dans les écosystèmes locaux. Et cette dynamique d'innovation démarre sous de bons augures. La DGA va-t-elle bien ? La DGA va bien si on passe en revue nos missions : l'équipement des forces avec des crédits de la LPM en hausse, l'innovation, la coopération européenne et l'exportation. Tout cela repose sur notre capacité d'ingénierie, d'expertise, d'essais, qui fait de nous un maître d'ouvrage compétent, capable de discuter avec les industriels et de négocier les marchés au mieux des intérêts de la puissance publique et des armées. C'est fondamental. Avez-vous des difficultés à recruter ? Nous n'avons pas de difficultés à recruter gr'ce à notre politique de ressources humaines. Dans le cyber, nous avons réussi notre montée en puissance avec le recrutement de 500 ingénieurs depuis cinq ans. Nous avons certes du turn-overmais nous le gérons. En politique RH, nous avons la contrainte de la rémunération du secteur public, mais l'intérêt du travail que nous proposons compte énormément, et c'est ce que nous constatons au vu de la bonne dynamique de nos recrutements. https://www.latribune.fr/entreprises-finance/industrie/aeronautique-defense/sur-le-scaf-il-n-y-a-pas-de-point-bloquant-joel-barre-delegue-general-pour-l-armement-819490.html

PHILADELPHIA, Pa., June 13, 2019 — Boeing [NYSE: BA] will build next-generation MH-47G Chinooks for the U.S. Army Special Operations Aviation Command. The Block II configuration will enhance the Army's ability to safely carry out the most challenging missions around the world. The $194 million contract is for a second lot of MH-47G Block II aircraft, to be delivered starting in 2021. Block II Chinooks feature technological advancements to extend the fleet's service life and enhance performance. “The MH-47G is the world's best, most reliable heavy-lift helicopter and will help Special Operations execute their difficult missions,” said Chuck Dabundo, vice president and MH-47 program manager. “Nearly a quarter of the Special Ops fleet is now on contract for Block II, and we look forward to delivering this capability to them on schedule.” The Army has a large number of MH-47G Chinook helicopters. Boeing is now on contract for a total of 15 MH-47G Block II Chinooks. The first MH-47G Block II aircraft is scheduled to begin final assembly this year. https://boeing.mediaroom.com/2019-06-13-Boeing-to-Build-MH-47G-Block-II-Chinooks-for-Special-Ops

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The aerospace and defense (A&D) industry will be more affected by artificial intelligence (AI) than by any other major emerging technology over the next three years, according to Aerospace & Defense Technology Vision 2019, the annual report from Accenture (NYSE: ACN) that predicts key technology trends likely to redefine business. The study also underscores the growing importance of reskilling programs as a competitive lever. AI, comprising technologies that range from machine learning to natural language processing, enables machines to sense, comprehend, act and learn in order to extend human capabilities. One-third (33%) of A&D executives surveyed cited AI as the technology that will have the greatest impact on their organization over the next three years — more than quantum computing, distributed ledger or extended reality. In fact, two-thirds (67%) of A&D executives said they have either adopted AI within their business or are piloting the technology. Benefits of AI for the industry include enabling predictive analytics for maintenance; facilitating smart manufacturing with connected devices that provide real-time information to workers on the shop floor; providing advanced automation that enables the workforce to offload repetitive tasks; and enhancing real-time responses to customer issues and complaints, among others. “AI has the potential to be a major growth driver for the A&D industry,” said John Schmidt, global leader of Accenture's Aerospace & Defense practice. “However, AI technology is advancing faster than the pace at which many companies are adopting it. A&D executives need to find ways to accelerate their adoption of broader AI solutions that can deliver breakthrough outcomes by focusing not just on the technology but also on how they want to transform their workforce and capabilities.” Workforce Reskilling The importance of reskilling the A&D workforce to ensure success within companies is a prominent theme in the report. More than two-thirds (69%) of A&D executives believe that the speed at which members of the workforce move between roles and organizations has increased the need for reskilling in their organization. In addition, two-thirds (67%) of A&D executives believe that more than 40% of their workforce will move into new roles requiring substantial reskilling within three years. AI is both a cause for and a solution to workforce reskilling. For instance, aerospace specialists can now work alongside AI-assisted design technology to quickly cycle through countless design options and test configurations, with intelligent software learning and improving with each iteration. AI will also play a key role in identifying workers' hidden and adjacent skills and will help them reskill and retain displaced workers. “The rapid adoption of AI has triggered urgent calls for reskilling to prepare for a different way of working,” Schmidt said. “The majority of jobs will be reconfigured as people and intelligent machines collaborate. A&D leaders must reimagine the very nature of work and then build the right training to meet that vision.” Data & The Customer The report also notes the growing role of digital data and demographics and their role in the A&D industry. Nearly all (95%) of the A&D executives surveyed expect the amount of data their organization manages about their operators' digital demographics to increase over the next two years, with nearly three-quarters (74%) expecting it to increase either “significantly” or “exponentially.” The increase in available data could prove beneficial for A&D companies. For example, three-quarters (76%) of executives said that digital demographics give their organizations a new way to identify market opportunities for unmet customer needs. “Insights from digital demographics data allow A&D companies to create a new generation of offerings that foster an ongoing, trustworthy relationship with operators,” said Jeff Wheless, research lead for Accenture's Aerospace & Defense practice. “Maintenance solutions can be fine-tuned to an aircraft operator's specific operating environment or enhanced flight planning, which can maximize fuel savings and minimize greenhouse emissions.” About the Methodology Accenture's Aerospace & Defense Technology Vision 2019 report is based on responses from 113 aerospace and defense executives surveyed as part of the Accenture Technology Vision 2019. The research process for Accenture Technology Vision 2019, which is developed annually by the Accenture Labs and Accenture Research, included gathering input from the Technology Vision External Advisory Board, a group comprising more than two dozen experienced individuals from the public and private sectors, academia, venture capital firms and entrepreneurial companies. In addition, the Technology Vision team conducted interviews with technology luminaries and industry experts, as well as with nearly 100 Accenture business leaders. In parallel, Accenture Research conducted a global online survey of 6,672 business and IT executives to capture insights into the adoption of emerging technologies. The survey helped identify the key issues and priorities for technology adoption and investment. Respondents were C-level executives and directors at companies across 27 countries and 20 industries, with the majority having annual revenues greater than US$6 billion. About Accenture Accenture is a leading global professional services company, providing a broad range of services and solutions in strategy, consulting, digital, technology and operations. Combining unmatched experience and specialized skills across more than 40 industries and all business functions — underpinned by the world's largest delivery network — Accenture works at the intersection of business and technology to help clients improve their performance and create sustainable value for their stakeholders. With 477,000 people serving clients in more than 120 countries, Accenture drives innovation to improve the way the world works and lives. Visit us at www.accenture.com. https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190613005051/en

NAVY Huntington Ingalls Industries' Newport News Shipbuilding division, Newport News, Virginia, is awarded a maximum-value $687,090,000 cost and cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for early service life period work on USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78). The purpose of this contract is to support ship repair and modernization during continuous incremental availabilities, planned incremental availabilities, full-ship shock trials and continuous maintenance and emergent maintenance during the ship's early service life period. This contract includes five ordering periods totaling 60 months, with a maximum order value of $687,090,000. Work for the initial delivery order will be performed in Newport News, Virginia, and is expected to be completed by June 2020. Work under all five delivery orders is expected to be completed by June 2024. Fiscal 2019 operation and maintenance (Navy) funding in the amount of $1,719,107 will be obligated at time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured, in accordance with 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-D-4306). The Whiting-Turner Contracting Co., Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, is awarded a $62,596,317 firm-fixed-price contract for construction of a Submarine Propulsor Manufacturing Support Facility located at the Philadelphia Navy Yard. Work will be performed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and is expected to be completed by February 2022. Fiscal 2019 military construction (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $62,596,317 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, with two proposals received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Mid-Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N4008519-C-9057). The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Missouri, is awarded not-to-exceed $41,000,000 for delivery order N6833519F0442 against a previously issued basic ordering agreement (N68335-15-G-0022) to procure 2,763 pieces of peculiar support equipment, support equipment spares and test equipment for the maintenance and repair of F/A-18E/F aircraft for the government of Kuwait. Work will be performed in St. Louis, Missouri, and is expected to be completed in June 2022. Foreign Military Sales funds in the amount of $20,500,000 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the fiscal year. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Lakehurst, New Jersey, is the contracting activity. Risk Mitigation Consulting, Destin, Florida, is awarded a $10,278,694 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for methodology and field research for evaluating cybersecurity of Navy control systems effort. Works will be performed at places unknown at this time. Places will be defined at a later date based on needs at U.S. naval installations outside and inside the U.S. Work is expected to be completed May 30, 2020. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $4,808,000 will be obligated at the time of award. No funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured under N00014-18-S-B001 “Long Range Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) for Navy and Marine Corps Science and Technology.” Proposal will be received throughout the year under the BAA, therefore, the number of proposals received in response to the solicitation is unknown. The Office of Naval Research, Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N00014-19-C-1015). Curtiss-Wright Defense Solutions Division, Fairborn, Ohio, is awarded a $9,999,999 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for removable media cartridges (RMC). This procurement is in support of the Trident Ballistic Missile Submarine (SSBN) program. A system upgrade is incorporating requirement changes to increase performance and address obsolescence. Work will be performed in Fairborn, Ohio, and is expected to be completed by October 2024. This contract includes foreign military sales to the United Kingdom. Fiscal 2019 other procurement (Navy) funding in the amount of $3,351,024; and Foreign Military Sales (United Kingdom) funding in the amount of $1,186,376 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This was a sole-source procurement under statutory authority 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1) - only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division, Crane, Indiana, is the contracting activity (N00164-19-D-GP55). AIR FORCE LinQuest Corp., Los Angeles, California, has been awarded a $562,302,987 cost-plus-incentive-fee base plus six option years contract for systems engineering, integration and test (SEIT) support. The initial base period award is valued at $118,363,040. This contract provides for SEIT support for the Space and Missile Systems Center, Military Satellite Communications Systems directorate. Work will be performed in El Segundo, California, and is expected to be complete by December 2026. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition and two offers were received. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $13,523,792; fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $3,377,304; and fiscal 2017 procurement funds in the amount of $3,770,745 are being obligated at the time of award. Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles Air Force Base, California, is the contracting activity (FA8808-19-C-0006). U.S. SPECIAL OPERATIONS COMMAND The Boeing Co., Ridley Park, Pennsylvania, was awarded a $194,224,723 cost-plus-fixed-fee type delivery order modification (P00001) under a current contract (W91215-16-G-0001) to procure six renew-build and one new-build MH-47G rotary wing aircraft. This action is required to sustain U.S. Special Operations Forces (SOF) heavy assault, rotary wing aircraft and to mitigate the impact of the MH-47G aircraft availability in light of increased SOF operational demands. Fiscal 2019 procurement, defense-wide appropriations in the amount of $77,360,723; and fiscal 2019 aircraft procurement, Army funds in the amount of $116,864,000 were obligated at the time of award. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The majority of the work will be performed in Ridley Park, Pennsylvania. U.S. Special Operations Command headquarters, Tampa, Florida is the contracting activity. DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY KBRwyle Technology Solutions LLC, Columbia, Maryland (SP4702-19-D-0003); BAE Systems Technology Solutions & Services Inc., Rockville, Maryland (SP4702-19-D-0004); and ENGlobal Government Services Inc., Tulsa, Oklahoma (SP4702-19-D-0005), are sharing a maximum $124,000,000 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract under solicitation SP4702-18-R-0510 for Automated Fuel Systems Installation. This was a competitive acquisition with three responses received. These are five-year contracts with no option periods. Locations of performance are worldwide, with a June 11, 2024, performance completion date. Using customers are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Defense Logistics Agency, National Guard and Coast Guard. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2024 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Contracting Services Office, Columbus, Ohio. CORRECTION: The contract announced on May 31, 2019, for CACI Inc.-Federal, Chantilly, Virginia (SP4701-19-C-0024), for $10,760,666 was announced with an incorrect award date. The correct award date is June 3, 2019. ARMY L3 Fuzing and Ordnace Systems Inc., Cincinnati, Ohio, was awarded a $51,600,000 firm-fixed-price contract for Fuze Munition Unit (FMU)-153 A/B Point Detonating/Delay (PD/DLY) fuzes. Bids were solicited via the internet with two received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of June 12, 2019. U.S. Army Contracting Command, New Jersey is the contracting activity (W15QKN-19-D-0067). Tetra Tech Inc., Marlborough, Massachusetts, was awarded a $46,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for architect-engineer services within the Transatlantic Middle East District (TAM) areas of responsibility/mission boundaries. Bids were solicited via the internet with nine received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of June 12, 2019. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Louisville, Kentucky, is the contracting activity (W912QR-19-D-0029). Stanley Consultants Inc., Muscatine, Iowa, was awarded a $46,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for architect-engineer services within the Transatlantic Middle East District (TAM) area of responsibility/mission boundaries. Bids were solicited via the internet with nine received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of June 22, 2024. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Louisville, Kentucky, is the contracting activity (W912QR-19-D-0031). ICF Inc., Fairfax, Virginia, was awarded a $32,216,823 modification (P00026) to contract W911QX-17-C-0018 for the ARL Cyber Security Service Provider (CSSP) program. Work will be performed in Adelphi, Maryland, with an estimated completion date of June 15, 2020. Fiscal 2017 research, development, test, and evaluation, Army funds in the amount of $3,500,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Adelphi, Maryland, is the contracting activity. Massman Construction Co., Leawood, Kansas, was awarded a $30,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for floating plat. 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 June 12, 2019. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Louis, Missouri, is the contracting activity (W912P9-19-D-0008). Bristol Design Build Services LLC,* Anchorage, Alaska, was awarded an $18,687,206 firm-fixed-price contract for an F-35A missile maintenance facility. Bids were solicited via the internet with three received. Work will be performed in Eielson, Alaska, with an estimated completion date of Nov. 8, 2020. Fiscal 2019 military construction, Army funds in the amount of $18,687,206 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Alaska, is the contracting activity (W911KB-19-C-0009). Frazier Engineering Inc.,* Melbourne, Florida, was awarded a $13,157,500 firm-fixed-price contract for building renovation. Bids were solicited via the internet with two received. Work will be performed in Orlando, Florida, with an estimated completion date of March 16, 2020. Fiscal 2019 developmental test and evaluation, Defense funds in the amount of $13,157,500 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mobile, Alabama, is the contracting activity (W91278-19-C-0020). IBM Corp., Bethesda, Maryland, was awarded a $9,500,000 firm-fixed-price contract for a containerized machine learning system. Four bids were solicited with three bids received. Work will be performed in Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 2, 2024. Fiscal 2018 and 2019 other procurement, Army funds in the amount of $9,500,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Huntsville, Alabama, is the contracting activity (W912DY-19-F-0396). *Small business https://dod.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/1874073/source/GovDelivery/

By: Sebastian Sprenger MADRID – The Spanish navy and air force are still interested in the American F-35 fighter jet, even though the government is about to join a Franco-German program to develop a new European plane. The two services are in the beginning stages of an analysis in which the Lockheed Martin-made aircraft is emerging as a key contender, officials told reporters on the sidelines of the FEINDEF defense expo here in late May. For the navy, the choice for the short-takeoff-and-landing variant of the jet, dubbed the F-35B, appears to be more clear-cut than for the air force. The Spanish navy wants to replace its 12 Harrier jets, which are launched from the LPH Juan Carlos I. That ship's short, ski-jump deck makes the F-35B the only option on the market, according to Cdr. Antonio Estevan, a staff officer at the service's plans and policy division. “From a technical point of view, it's a very interesting option for us,” Estevan said. “The problem is the cost. The version for us would be, as far as I know, $100 million; the air force version $80 million. We are talking about high prices. Even the American president was surprised when he realized the cost.” Air force officials, meanwhile, are keeping their options more open when it comes to replacing the service's 84 Boeing-made F-18s. Twenty planes of the “A” variant, stationed on the Canary Islands, need to be replaced first, by 2025, according to Brig Gen. Juan Pablo Sanchez de Lara, chief of the Spanish Air Force's plans division. Airbus has its eyes on that business and is offering to outfit the squadron with the Eurofighter. While that outcome is also the air force's expectation, a replacement for the rest of the F-18 fleet, 64 planes of the “M” designation, is still up for grabs, according to Sanchez de Lara. The two services cooperating on the requirements of a potentially joint program means the F-35 is on the table in some form or another, though it's unclear how compatible the branches' needs will be in the end. “For the navy, it's a very simple solution because they need an aircraft for vertical, short takeoff,” Sanchez de Lara said. “For us, it's different.” Both services want new aircraft by around 2030. That would be ten years before the Future Combat Air System program, led by Airbus and Dassault, is scheduled to field a new combat aircraft. The situation in Spain is reminiscent of the choice Germany faced about the F-35, and the government's decision earlier this year to ditch the plane as a contender to replace the Tornado. The Luftwaffe, the German air force, was reportedly in favor of the American fifth-generation plane, while the defense ministry's civilian leadership preferred an upgraded version of the Eurofighter Typhoon. Airbus had lobbied hard against the F-35, arguing that the pick of a new U.S. aircraft at this stage would effectively sink the entire FCAS project. Meanwhile, two F-35s arrived at Llanos Air Base near Albacete, Spain, earlier this week for training with other NATO air forces, according to announcements from the U.S. Air Force and NATO. During the Tactical Leadership Program officials practiced integrating the aircraft into a search-and-rescue drill to extract friendly forces from enemy territory, a June 11 alliance statement reads. https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2019/06/12/spains-military-still-has-eyes-for-the-f-35-despite-european-fighter-push/