31 juillet 2018 | International, Terrestre

A new cold war: How the Army is preparing for a fight in the Arctic

By:

As Russia beefs up its Arctic presence with new units, equipment and weaponry for the cold weather fight, the Army has slowly begun to shift some resources to improving its own capabilities — though it lags behind its Arctic allies and lacks large-scale capacity to train or provide high numbers of troops for a potential Arctic battle.

Melting polar ice is opening a region once thought nearly impenetrable to competition for shipping traffic, natural resources and potential land grabs some experts think could start a new Cold War.

In recent years, Canada, Norway and Russia have realigned their focus to improving and expanding their Arctic capabilities.

Along with those neighboring nations, which include Denmark, Finland and Sweden, the United States and United Kingdom all have varying levels of competing claims on Arctic resources.

It wasn't always so.

As recently as 2012, experts such as Siemon Weizeman with the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute were analyzing cooperative efforts between Russia, the United States and other Arctic nations.

In the U.S. Department of Defense 2013 Arctic Strategy, Russia is barely mentioned.

But following the 2014 war in Ukraine, stoked by Russia, leaders have shifted their view about the nation's role in the Arctic.

In that time, Russia has pushed resources in that direction. Its 2014 Russian Military Doctrine paper for the first time included the task of “protecting Russian interests in the Arctic.”

So far, that's included building up to 40 heavy icebreaking ships, more than a dozen new airfields, 16 deep-water ports, a broad range of tactical airpower, dedicated training centers, and stationing of paratroopers, counterterrorism, electronic warfare and other forces in the region, said Maj. Gen. Laurie Hummel, adjutant general of the Alaska National Guard, at a June conference on Guard interests in the Arctic. The talk was put on by the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.

Those ground forces include naval infantry and two army brigades on the Kola Peninsula, with aims to guard the Northern Sea route.

And all of that is tied together under a recently established Russian Arctic Strategic Command, Hummel said.

In addition, although China does not border the Arctic, it has “aspirational” goals for the region and wants to exploit sea lane passages for shipping and fishing waters, she said.

In January, China released its first Arctic strategy white paper titled the “Polar Silk Road.”

The paper focuses on Arctic shipping routes and states a cooperative goal for infrastructure and other development. China's polar strategy echoes its One Belt One Road policy in Africa, which seeks partnerships to provide natural resources such as oil, gas and minerals.

The Chinese government is looking to a liquefied natural gas project in northern Russia called Yamal to supply it with millions of tons of fuel a year upon program fruition.

These and other factors are pushing key U.S. military and government leaders to look at how to shore up Arctic capabilities.

“It is time for our nation to have a comprehensive and overarching arctic strategy,” Hummel said at the Wilson Center conference.

Shifting priorities

Right now, the U.S. military's ground forces under U.S. Army Alaska, which falls under Indo-Pacific Command, includes a combined force of only 25,000 active duty, National Guard and Reserve troops.

That's about 2.5 percent of the entire force.

In recent years, the Army has increased unit training in the Arctic, including airborne operations in 2014, armored vehicle deployment exercises in 2015, and the return of the 75th Ranger Regiment to Alaska for training for the first time since 2001.

As of 2016, the Northern Warfare Training Center hosted an estimated 1,400 troops annually for training in an arctic region.

The Northern Warfare Training Center in Alaska provided the following numbers of troops trained there over the past decade:

  • Cold Weather Leaders Course — 3,025
  • Cold Weather Orientation Course — 1,188
  • Basic Military Mountaineering Course — 1,440
  • Advanced Military Mountaineering Course — 150
  • Mountain Warfare Orientation Course — 360
  • Military Ski Course — 36
  • Total all events (some not listed) — 7,100

NWTC focuses on small units and training unit leaders in effective cold weather and mountaineering skills. It seldom hosts large units, said John Pennell, spokesman for U.S. Army Pacific Command.

Other training areas are available, though they are more accurately classified as subarctic than Arctic, and that has major implications.

In 2015, Fort Drum, New York, home of the 10th Mountain Division, was reclassified from Zone 5 to Zone 7, which put it in the ranks of Fort Wainwright, Alaska, and Camp Ethan Allen in Jericho, Vermont.

The shift pushed an additional $12.5 million in funding for equipment and infrastructure to the site.

Some Army funding has also gone to upgrade individual equipment for soldiers at Fort Drum, Fort Wainwright and in Italy.

New items include new gloves, headgear, sleds and skis.

In June, the Army posted a Request for Information from industry on building an over-the-snow vehicle capable of operating in 50-below conditions.

Dubbed the Joint All Weather All Terrain Support Vehicle, or JAASV, it would replace the decades-old Small Unit Support Vehicle, or SUSV, a tracked vehicle that typically supports an infantry platoon-sized element.

How cold is too cold?

New equipment, even a new vehicle, doesn't necessarily equal a force ready to perform in truly Arctic conditions.

Capt. Nathan Fry, the officer-in-charge of the U.S. Army Mountain Warfare School's training division, told Army Times that people unfamiliar with Arctic environments often confuse “northern training,” which can be cold weather or high-altitude focused, with Arctic training.

But the two are not equal.

As Fry noted, gear that works well in freezing conditions can fail spectacularly when temperatures drop to minus-50 Fahrenheit.

He would know. For the past few years, he's been one of the U.S. representatives on the Guerrier Nordique team that spends weeks in Arctic and sub-Arctic areas of Canada.

The exercise began in 2012 and was, in some ways, a small-scale attempt to recapture lost lessons of Arctic warfare that were explored regularly and in depth by the U.S. military throughout the 1940s and 1950s, as the United States prepared for a potential Cold War through operations such as Ice Cap in Greenland, Nanook, Snow Chute, Snow Drop, Snow Fall and Snow Storm.

There must be a better understanding of the differences between cold weather and Arctic training, Fry said.

Some think that if soldiers can fight in minus-10-degree weather, then they can do it at 60 degrees below zero.

“That's just not true,” Fry said. “It's just like the mountain warfare fight, it's really tricky.”

Fry left active duty Army service in part to go to his current post at the Guard-run mountain warfare school and push for more work and preparation in the Arctic sphere.

Outside of the annual Arctic Eagle Exercise with U.S. Army Alaska and the recent Fort Drum conference, Fry said he's not seen a lot of improved Arctic policy.

“From my foxhole, I haven't seen a whole lot of forward progress,” Fry said.

But the interest is there.

Fry said that his school has seen a drastic increase in demand for mountain and cold weather training, and they began running extra classes to meet the need. And next year's calendar is filling quickly.

Though a byproduct of the school's mountain and cold weather training can better inform soldiers on how to plan, survive and fight in some ways in extreme conditions, it is not Arctic focused.

Items that are simple in normal weather conditions — how much fuel will people and vehicles need to stay warm and conduct operations? What rate of travel can be expected for either mounted or dismounted soldiers? How much water will soldiers need? — are complicated in extreme cold weather.

Soldiers can have a frozen 5-gallon water jug but not be able to use it.

“If I can't melt it, then I can't drink it,” Fry said. “Lack of fuel will absolutely shut you down.”

While some cold weather training teaches students to use snow, the amount of water yield from snow is far less than ice. And leaders must plan for fuel use to melt the snow or the ice in ways they wouldn't have to in a desert or woodland environment.

Fitting it all in

And most training, from that being done in Alaska, Vermont or New York, is at the small unit, tactical level.

“We are not thinking in terms of a staff exercise,” Fry said. “We're not testing brigade staff on how to conduct resupply missions in cold weather environments.”

And that's a problem when soldiers are in extreme, austere environments where the only resources are those that they bring with them.

Fry pointed to work that the Marines have long done with the Norwegians as something the Army should consider. Marines rotate a force of 300 to Norway for extended joint training. That number was recently more than doubled to 700.

One suggestion the captain has might be to value Arctic training the same way the Army does airborne qualifications, including with a Skill Qualification Identifier.

That number makes it easier for leadership to track how many soldiers have the appropriate training. And that mentality, coupled with an integrated Arctic focus similar to that given to airborne training, would help commanders prioritize unit training to emphasize those qualifications and seek more training opportunities.

For example, the 10th Mountain Division is designated as a light infantry unit.

That means that although its soldiers have access to mountain training and the current commander has emphasized “putting the mountain back into 10th Mountain,” without Army-directed prioritization those skills can fall to the bottom of the checklist.

Small changes, such as a Skill Qualification Identifier, can direct the focus of commanders and resources, Fry said.

“It's like being in the 82nd Airborne Division,” Fry said. “Do we do range time or refresher jumps? Somehow they fit it all in.”

https://www.armytimes.com/news/your-army/2018/07/30/a-new-cold-war-how-the-army-is-preparing-for-a-fight-in-the-arctic/

Sur le même sujet

  • Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - August 29, 2019

    30 août 2019 | International, Aérospatial, Naval, Terrestre, C4ISR, Sécurité

    Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - August 29, 2019

    DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Arthrex Inc., Naples, Florida, has been awarded a maximum $375,000,000 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for hospital equipment and accessories for the Defense Logistics Agency electronic catalog. This is a five-year contract with no option periods. This was a competitive acquisition with 89 responses received; 21 contracts have been awarded to date. Using customers are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and other federal organizations. Location of performance is Florida, with a Sept. 1, 2024, performance completion date. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2024 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE2DH-19-D-0014). Meggitt Defense Systems Inc., Irvine, California, has been awarded a maximum $22,189,186 firm-fixed-price contract for magazine assemblies for the Apache AH-64. This was a sole source acquisition using justification 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1), as stated in Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. This is a one-time procurement contract, which includes a quantity option which was exercised at time of award. Location of performance is California, with an April 15, 2021, 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, Warren, Michigan (SPRDL1-19-C-0250). ARMY Warbud SA SKE Support Services GMBH MATO, Warszawa, Poland (W912GB-19-D-0056); Bryan 77 Construction JV, Colorado Springs, Colorado (W912GB-19-D-0058); BBGS SP ZOO, Warszawa, Poland (W912GB-19-D-0057); Wolff & Mueller Government Services GMBH, Stuttgart, Germany (W912GB-19-D-0059); Oxford Federal Doraco Construction JV, Castle Rock, Colorado (W912GB-19-D-0060); and Zafer Taahhut Insaat Ve Ticaret Anonim, Ankara, Turkey (W912GB-19-D-0061), will compete for each order of the $249,950,000 firm-fixed-price contract for design-build and design-bid-build for real property repair, maintenance and construction services throughout the Republic of Poland. Bids were solicited via the internet with 15 received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 29, 2024. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Wiesbaden, Germany, is the contracting activity. S.J. Amoroso Construction Co. Inc., Redwood City, California, was awarded a $143,594,000 firm-fixed-price contract for Department of Veteran's Affairs Palo Alto Healthcare System construction. Bids were solicited via the internet with two received. Work will be performed in French Camp, California, with an estimated completion date of April 20, 2022. Fiscal 2016 civil construction funds in the amount of $143,594,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Sacramento, California, is the contracting activity (W91238-19-C-0013). Jacobs Technology Inc., Tullahoma, Tennessee, was awarded a $97,762,528 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for test support services. One bid was solicited with one bid received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 31, 2020. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W91CRB-15-D-0018). Battistella SPA, Pordenone, Italy (W912GB-19-D-0045); BB Government Services SRL, Vicenza, Italy (W912GB-19-D-0046); Environmental Chemical Corp. Italy, Limena, Italy (W912GB-19-D-0047); Eiffage Infraestructuras SA, Sevilla, Spain (W912GB-19-D-0048); JV SKE ITALY 2012, Vicenza, Italy (W912GB-19-D-0049); Tiber River Construction LLC, McLean, Virginia (W912GB-19-D-0050); and Consorzio WMC, Campolongo Maggiore, Italy (W912GB-19-D-0051), will compete for each order of the $49,950,000 firm-fixed-price contract for design-build and design-bid-build services. Bids were solicited via the internet with 12 received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 28, 2024. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Wiesbaden, Germany, is the contracting activity. Semper Tek Inc.,* Lexington, Kentucky, was awarded a $49,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for construction services. Bids were solicited via the internet with 13 received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 29, 2024. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Savannah, Georgia, is the contracting activity (W912HN-19-D-4002). Rockwell Collins Inc., Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was awarded a $40,333,758 hybrid (cost-no-fee, cost-plus-fixed-fee and firm-fixed-price) contract for software development, updates, and improvements to include development, engineering, and technical support. One bid was solicited with one bid received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 31, 2024. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W56KGY-19-D-0022). Lockheed Martin Global Inc., Orlando, Florida, was awarded a $25,165,589 firm-fixed-price Foreign Military Sales (Saudi Arabia) contract for procurement of Armor Corps Advanced Gunnery Training systems and contractor logistics support. One bid was solicited with one bid received. Work will be performed in Orlando, Florida; and Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, with an estimated completion date of Oct. 31, 2022. Fiscal 2017 funds in the amount of $25,165,589 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Orlando, Florida, is the contracting activity (W900KK-19-C-0052). MW Builders Inc., Pflugerville, Texas, was awarded a $23,477,000 firm-fixed-price contract for barracks renovation and modernization. Bids were solicited via the internet with three received. Work will be performed in Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 28, 2020. Fiscal 2010 military construction funds in the amount of $23,477,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Kansas City, Missouri, is the contracting activity (W912DQ-19-C-4012). MEB General Contractors Inc., Chesapeake, Virginia, was awarded a $20,557,000 firm-fixed-price contract for a truck fueling system. Bids were solicited via the internet with four received. Work will be performed in Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina, with an estimated completion date of Feb. 19, 2021. Fiscal 2017 and 2018 military construction funds in the amount of $20,557,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Savannah, Georgia, is the contracting activity (W912HN-19-C-3009). General Dynamics Land Systems, Sterling Heights, Michigan, was awarded a $19,027,802 modification (P00086) to contract W56HZV-17-C-0067 P00086 for Abrams systems technical support. Work will be performed in Sterling Heights, Michigan, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 28, 2020. Fiscal 2017, 2018 and 2019 operations and maintenance, Army; and procurement of weapons and tracked combat vehicles, Army funds in the amount of $19,027,802 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Warren, Michigan, is the contracting activity. PRIDE Industries, Roseville, California, was awarded a $17,421,355 modification (P00015) to contract W9124G-18-C-0005 for base operation support. Work will be performed in Fort Rucker, Alabama, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 31, 2023. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance, Army funds in the amount of $2,877,369 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Mission and Installation Contracting Command, Fort Rucker, Alabama, is the contracting activity. Meridian Engineering Co., Tucson, Arizona, was awarded a $16,950,000 firm-fixed-price contract for Homeland Security Border Patrol facilities and tactical infrastructure. Bids were solicited via the internet with five received. Work will be performed in Sales, Arizona, with an estimated completion date of July 7, 2020. Fiscal 2019 civil construction funds in the amount of $16,950,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Los Angeles, California, is the contracting activity (W912PL-19-C-0031). Cerebral,* Des Moines, Iowa (W91243-19-D-0001); Ironhide Construction Inc.,* Lincoln, Nebraska (W91243-19-D-0002); Kingery Construction Co.,* Lincoln, Nebraska (W91243-19-D-0003); L&J Building Co. LLC,* Kansas City, Missouri (W91243-19-D-0004); K&S LLC,* Souix City, Iowa (W91243-19-D-0005); Nemaha Landscape Construction,* Lincoln, Nebraska (W91243-19-D-0006); Pro-Mark Services Inc.,* West Fargo, North Dakota (W91243-19-D-0007); RGC Constructors Inc.,* Omaha, Nebraska (W91243-19-D-0008); and Venus Unlimited LLC,* Waverly, Nebraska (W91243-19-D-0009), will compete for each order of the $15,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for construction projects in support of the National Guard. Bids were solicited via the internet with 13 received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 28, 2024. U.S. Property and Fiscal Officer Nebraska, is the contracting activity. The Boeing Co., Mesa, Arizona, was awarded a $14,746,801 modification (P00033) to contract W58RGZ-16-C-0023 for the remanufacture of Longbow Crew trainers and spares. Work will be performed in Mesa, Arizona, with an estimated completion date of March 30, 2025. Fiscal 2017 aircraft procurement, Army funds in the amount of $14,746,801 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity. Raytheon Southeast Asia Systems Co., Andover, Massachusetts, was awarded a $10,843,249 modification (P00019) to Foreign Military Sales (Kuwait) contract W31P4Q-16-C-0022 for technical assistance, planning, training, maintenance and sustainment of the Kuwait Phased Array Tracking Radar to Intercept on Target (PATRIOT) missile weapon systems, associated PATRIOT equipment, and PATRIOT logistics support elements. One bid were solicited with one bid received. Work will be performed in Andover, Massachusetts, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 31, 2020. Fiscal 2019 other funds in the combined amount of $10,843,249 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity. Kokosing Construction Co./O'Brien & Gere JV, Fredericktown, Ohio, was awarded a $10,268,652 firm-fixed price contract for construction management services that include extensive water treatment management services and dredging material disposal. 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 Sept. 30, 2020. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Chicago, Illinois, is the contracting activity (W912P6-16-D-0004). Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems, Fullerton, California, was awarded a $9,306,511 modification (P00010) to contract W31P4Q-19-C-0044 for field service representatives to deploy, operate, and sustain Sentinel Radars. Work will be performed in Fullerton, California, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 31, 2020. Fiscal 2019 other procurement, Army funds in the amount of $9,306,511 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity. CORRECTION: A $38,441,877 contract award to Diversified Technical Systems Inc., Seal Beach, California (W900KK-19-D-0011), was announced Aug. 28, 2019, with an incorrect estimated completion date. The correct estimated completion date is Aug. 27, 2024. All other information in the announcement is correct. DEFENSE INFORMATION SYSTEMS AGENCY Oracle America Inc., Redwood Shores, California, is awarded a competitive single award, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, firm-fixed-price contract for Integrated Processor Capacity Services - SPARC Compatible (IPCS-SC). The contract ceiling is $137,837,975. The period of performance (PoP) consists of a five-year base period and five one-year option periods, for a total contract life cycle of ten years. The PoP for the base period is Sept. 3, 2019, through Sept. 2, 2024, and the option years follow consecutively through Sept. 2, 2029. Performance will be at current Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) data centers or future DISA or DISA-approved locations where DISA assumes an operational responsibility for support of mission partner service requirements. Solicitation HC1084-18-R-0010 was posted on the internet as competitive action and one proposal was received. The Defense Information Technology Contracting Organization, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, is the contracting activity. NAVY Stanley Consultants Inc., Muscatine, Iowa, is awarded a maximum amount $95,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for architectural design and engineering services for industrial type facilities in the Naval Facilities and Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Europe, Africa and Southwest Asia (EURAFSWA) area of responsibility and also worldwide. No task orders are being issued at this time. Work will be performed at locations worldwide. The term of the contract is not to exceed 60 months with an expected completion date of August 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 military construction funds. This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website, with five proposals received. Naval Facilities Engineering Command Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N62470-19-D-5014). Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Aerospace Systems, Melbourne, Florida, is awarded $68,883,048 for modification P00008 to previously awarded fixed-price-incentive-firm target contract (N00019-18-C-1037). This modification is for non-recurring engineering and obsolescence management to support delivery of 24 E-2D Advanced Hawkeye full-rate production Lot 7 – 11 aircraft. Work will be performed in Melbourne, Florida (33%); Syracuse, New York (19%); St. Augustine, Florida (6%); Falls Church, Virginia (6%); Beavercreek, Ohio (6%); El Segundo, California (5%); Woodland Hills, California (3%); Indianapolis, Indiana (3%); Menlo Park, California (3%); Edgewood, New York (3%); Pomezia, Italy (2%); and Ronkonkima, New York (2%), Aire-Sur-L'Adour, France (2%); Grand Rapids, Michigan (1%); Irvine, California (1%); Independence, Ohio (1%); New Port Richey, Florida (1%); and various locations within the continental U.S. (3%). Work is expected to be completed no later than January 2023. Fiscal 2018 and 2019 aircraft procurement (Navy); and Foreign Military Sales funds in the amount of $68,883,048 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. L3 Electronic Devices Inc., Williamsport, Pennsylvania, is awarded a $33,082,096 five-year, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract with both firm-fixed-priced and cost-plus-fixed-fee line items for the production, repair and engineering services of the Aegis Cross Field Amplifiers. The Cross Field Amplifiers are microwave tubes installed in the AN/SPY-1 radar system used on board the DDG51 Class AEGIS destroyers and CG 52 Class AEGIS cruisers. The AN/SPY-1 radar is an air/surface search and tracking system and is used for ballistic missile defense requirements. Work will be performed in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, and is expected to be complete by August 2024. Fiscal 2019 and 2018 other procurement (Navy); and fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance (Navy) funding in the amount of $2,165,183 will be obligated at time of award and funding in the amount of $728,847 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This is a restricted competition procurement in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1 - only one responsible source or a limited number of responsible sources. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division, Crane, Indiana, is the contracting activity (N00164-19-D-WP70). Communications and Power Industries, Beverly, Massachusetts, is awarded a $30,938,890 five-year, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract with both firm-fixed-priced and cost-plus-fixed-fee line items for the production, repair and engineering services of the Aegis Cross Field Amplifiers (CFA). The CFAs are used in the AN/SPY-1B/D/D(V) radar. The CFAs are microwave tubes installed in the AN/SPY-1 radar system used on board the DDG51 Class AEGIS Destroyers and CG 52 Class AEGIS Cruisers. The AN/SPY-1 radar is an air/surface search and tracking system and is used for ballistic missile defense requirements. Work will be performed in Beverly, Massachusetts, and is expected to be completed by August 2024. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance (Navy); and fiscal 2019 other procurement (Navy) funding in the amount of $2,029,440 is being obligated at time of award and funding in the amount of $679,728 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract is a restricted competition procurement in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1 - only one responsible source or a limited number of responsible sources. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division, Crane, Indiana, is the contracting activity (N00164-19-D-WP27). CH2M—Burns & McDonnell JV, Englewood, Colorado, is awarded a maximum amount $15,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, architect-engineering contract for architectural design and engineering services for air operations and to support facility modernization located throughout the Naval Facilities Engineering Command area of responsibility worldwide. The work to be performed provides for architectural design and engineering services for air operations and support facilities predominantly for sustainment, restoration, and modernization projects, but also including military construction projects and airfield assessments. Work will be performed worldwide. The term of the contract is not to exceed 60 months with an expected completion date of August 2024. Navy working capital funds in the amount of $5,000 are obligated on this award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. No task orders are being issued at this time. Future task orders will be primarily funded by the Navy working capital funds. This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website, with seven proposals received. Naval Facilities Engineering Command Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N62470-19-D-5023). Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Linthicum Heights, Maryland, is awarded a $14,092,012 modification for the cost-plus-fixed-fee portion of a previously awarded contract (M67854-16-C-0211) for software release and advanced emplacement displacement simultaneous motion component required to support ongoing Ground/Air Task Oriented Radar Gallium Nitride efforts in support of Program Executive Officer Land Systems, Quantico, Virginia. Work will be performed in Linthicum Heights, Maryland (66%); and East Syracuse, New York (34%), and is expected to be completed by Sept. 28, 2020. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation (Marine Corps) funds in the amount of $4,455,332 will be obligated at the time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Fiscal 2018 research, development, test and evaluation (Marine Corps) funds in the amount of $228,000 will be obligated at the time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The contract was not competitively procured, in accordance with 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1), with only one proposal solicited and one proposal received. The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Virginia, is the contracting activity (M67854-16-C-0211). Provengo LLC, * Merrick, New York, is awarded a $13,702,500 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the purchase of up to a maximum 70,000 tropical boots. Work will be performed in Merrick, New York, and is expected to be complete by August 2024. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance (Marine Corps) funds in the amount of $19,575 will be obligated on the first delivery order immediately following contract award and funds will expire the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities website, with two offers received. The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Virginia, is the contracting activity (M67854-19-D-1604). Bahfed Corp.,* Portland, Oregon (N68936-19-D-0042); Laguna Components Inc.,* Laguna Beach, California (N68936-19-D-0043); Centeva LLC,* South Jordan, Utah (N68936-19-D-0044); and Unistar-Sparco Computers, Millington, Tennessee (N68936-19-D-0045), are each awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contracts. These contracts provide various types of commercially available digital information technology and services in support of the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division, China Lake's Energetics Department (Code 470000D). The estimated cumulative aggregate ceiling for all contracts is $11,500,000 with the companies having an opportunity to compete for individual orders under the individual functional areas for which they competed. Work will be performed at various contractor facilities within the continental U.S., and is expected to be completed in August 2024. No funds are being obligated at time of award. Funds will be obligated on individual orders as they are issued. These contracts were competitively procured via an electronic request for proposals, as a small business set-aside, with a total of nine offers received. The Naval Air Warfare Center, Weapons Division, China Lake, California, is the contracting activity. Atlantic Diving Supply Inc.,* Virginia Beach, Virginia, is awarded an $11,104,250 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the purchase of up to a maximum 70,000 tropical boots. Work will be performed in Virginia Beach, Virginia, and is expected to be complete by August 2024. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance (Marine Corps) funds in the amount of $15,860 will be obligated on the first delivery order immediately following contract award, and funds will expire the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities website, with two offers received. The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Virginia, is the contracting activity (M67854-19-D-1538). IAP World Services Inc., Cape Canaveral, Florida, is awarded a $10,950,782 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for base operating support services at Naval Air Station, Patuxent River, Maryland. The work to be performed provides for management and administration, air operations, supply, facilities support (to include facility management, facility investment, integrated solid waste management, swimming pools, special events), utilities (to include utility management, wastewater, water) and environmental. The maximum dollar value, including the base period and two option periods, is $20,879,122. Work will be performed in Patuxent River, Maryland, and is expected to be completed by June 2020. No funds will be obligated at time of award. Fiscal 2019 operation and maintenance (Navy) contract funds for $7,357,718 for recurring work will be obligated on individual task orders issued during the base period of the contract extension. Naval Facilities Engineering Command Washington, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity (N40080-14-D-0302). The Boeing Co., Seattle, Washington, is awarded $10,926,195 for cost-plus-fixed-fee delivery order N00019-19-F-2496 against a previously issued basic ordering agreement (N00019-16-G-0001). This order provides for Tactical Open Mission Software Airborne Weapons Simulator (AWS) software capability for the P-8A to serve as a training tool for the combat aircrews. Tasking will consist of the design, development, test and integration, configuration management, and all logistics support elements of the AWS software update. Work will be performed in Puget Sound, Washington, and is expected to be completed in January 2022. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $10,926,195 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. AT&T Government Solutions Inc., Vienna, Virginia, is awarded an $8,132,606 modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (N66001-17-C-0295) to exercise Option Two for continuation of services and sustainment support of Navy Enterprise 911 Routing and Management Service. This modification increases the estimated value of the contract from $13,845,920 to $21,978,526. Work will be performed throughout the continental U.S.; Commander Navy Region, Hawaii; and Commander Joint Region, Marianas. Work is expected to be completed Aug. 28, 2020. Fiscal 2019 operation and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $8,132,606 will be obligated funds at the time of award. Funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Information Warfare Center, Pacific, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity. Integrated Systems Development Corp.,* Glen Allen, Virginia, is awarded a $7,034,345, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for facility support services at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, Washington, District of Columbia. The work to be performed provides for facility management, facility investment, fire protection, janitorial, pest control, ground maintenance, street sweeping and snow removal services. The maximum dollar value including the base period, four option years and an option to extend services is $38,957,271. Work will be performed in Washington, District of Columbia, and is expected to be completed by February 2025. No funds will be obligated at time of award. Fiscal 2019 operation and maintenance (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $2,461,675 for recurring work will be obligated on individual task orders issued during the base period. This contract was competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities website with four proposals received. Naval Facilities Engineering Command Washington, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity (N40080-19-D-0303). U.S. SPECIAL OPERATIONS COMMAND General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. (GA-ASI) of Poway, California. was awarded a maximum $78,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (H92403-18-D-0006) with firm-fixed-price and cost-plus-fixed-fee contract line items with potential maximum estimated values of $93,000,000 for the integration and testing support for the Medium Altitude Long Endurance Tactical (MALET) MQ-9 and MQ-1C Special Operations Forces Peculiar (SOF-p) modifications; procurement of GA-ASI developed and produced aircraft modification kits; and analysis and studies to inform government decision on potential future MALET MQ-9 and MQ-1C SOF-p modifications. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation; procurement; or operation and maintenance funding may be used depending on the requirement. The ordering period for this contract is valid for five years. The majority of work will be performed in Poway and is expected to be completed by September 2023. This contract was awarded in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation Authority 6.302-1, - only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. U.S. Special Operations Command Headquarters, Tampa, Florida, is the contracting activity. 9Line LLC,* of Tampa, Florida, was awarded a $10,262,787 firm-fixed-price contract (H92222-19-C-0007) to provide non-clinical case management and advocate training support for wounded, ill and injured Special Operations Forces Recovering Service Members (RSMs). The focus areas are in recovery care coordination, military adaptive sports, benevolence, career transition and operations as it relates to the U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) Warrior Care Program. This contract also contains four unexercised options, which if exercised, would increase the cumulative contract value to $59,029,287. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds will be used for funding of the base year subject to the availability of funds. The work will be performed in 20 locations throughout the U.S. and overseas, and if all options are exercised, will continue through fiscal 2024. This contract was awarded competitively as a service-disabled, veteran-owned, small business set aside with seven proposals received. U.S. Special Operations Command Headquarters, Tampa, Florida, is the contracting activity. AIR FORCE Honeywell International Inc. Aerospace, Phoenix, Arizona, has been awarded a $23,522,971 firm-fixed-price contract for the repair and upgrade of the C-5M Super Galaxy's Versatile Integrated Avionics/Avionics Integrated Units (VIA/AIU) repair and upgrade. This contract provides for the repair and upgrade of the existing 903 and 904 configuration VIA/AIUs to the 905 configuration. The C-5M VIA/AIU repair and upgrade effort is a key component to the overall core mission computer/weather radar aircraft modification/installation kit. Work will be performed at Phoenix, Arizona, and is expected to be completed by July 5, 2022. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Fiscal 2018 and 2019 aircraft procurement funds for a total amount of $17,107,578 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8625-19-F-6803). Northrup Grumman, Herndon, Virginia, has been awarded a $19,077,364 cost-plus-fixed-fee task order for Product Data Management and Migration Support Services. This contract provides for all labor, supplies and technical support services necessary to operate and maintain Robins Air Force Base product data hardware and software; to aid government customers in managing and executing technical data generation, acceptance and sustainment activities, processes, and products within the product data environment; and to support data improvement, cleansing and migration efforts necessary to prepare data for transition into modernized and/or U.S. Air Force (USAF) enterprise‐level systems, such as the Enhanced Technical Information Management System, the Technical Order Authoring and Publishing initiative, solutions resulting from the USAF Product Lifecycle Management Initiative and other system solutions which may result from system and data center consolidation activities. Work will be performed at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, and is expected to be complete by Sept. 9, 2020. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $19,077,364.00 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Sustainment Center ‐ Robins Operational Maintenance Contracting, Warner Robins, Georgia, is the contracting activity (FA8501‐19‐F‐A060). DEFENSE HEALTH AGENCY Pohaku Pacific LLC,* Honolulu, Hawaii, was awarded a firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity single award contract with a maximum of $21,830,133. HT0038-19-D-0001 provides program management, enterprise sustainment and license maintenance of the Joint Legacy Viewer (JLV) software. This effort has an eight-month base period of performance with one 24-month optional ordering period, and one 22-month optional ordering period. The estimated completion date is March 31, 2024. Work location is task order dependent but primarily will occur at Honolulu, Hawaii. The base task order will be funded by fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance funds. This contract was non-competitively solicited. The contracting activity is the Defense Health Agency, Falls Church, Virginia. Booz Allen Hamilton, McLean, Virginia, was awarded a $12,464,707 firm-fixed-price contract modification exercising Option Period Three on previously awarded task order HT0011-16-F-0011 for integrated professional services across the Military Health System (MHS). The underlying task order provides professional services to support acceleration of the transformation of the MHS to be a High Reliability Organization. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $12,464,707 are being obligated, increasing the overall value of the task order to $52,483,548. The total potential value of the task order, if all options are exercised, is $64,215,727. The Defense Health Agency, Falls Church, Virginia, is the contracting activity. (Awarded Aug. 21, 2019) *Small Business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/1948303/source/GovDelivery/

  • Norway To Add Sikorsky MH-60R Helicopters For Critical Maritime Missions

    29 octobre 2023 | International, Aérospatial

    Norway To Add Sikorsky MH-60R Helicopters For Critical Maritime Missions

    Norway’s order marks the second MH-60R contract award in less than a month

  • More than one company could get cash to build the Air Force’s AI-equipped Skyborg drone

    21 mai 2020 | International, Aérospatial, C4ISR

    More than one company could get cash to build the Air Force’s AI-equipped Skyborg drone

    By: Valerie Insinna WASHINGTON — The U.S. Air Force has kicked off a competition for one of its most highly anticipated tech programs, a drone known as Skyborg that will use artificial intelligence to make decisions in battle. The service released a solicitation May 15 for Skyborg prototypes, which will merge autonomous, low-cost aircraft with a suite of artificial intelligence capabilities. The Air Force envisions Skyborg as a family of drones — each designed for a specific mission or set of missions — with modular hardware and software payloads and a common AI backbone, which will allow software to be rapidly updated across the fleet. The Air Force intends to give multiple companies $400 million to develop different versions of the Skyborg system, although it reserves the right to award just one or no contracts. Proposals are due June 15, with awards projected around July 8, according to the solicitation. Once under contract, companies will “conduct research to develop, demonstrate, integrate and transition air vehicle, payload and autonomy technologies and systems that will provide affordable, revolutionary capabilities to the warfighter through the Skyborg program,” the Air Force said. The service previously intended to use experimentation and prototyping to have Skyborg operational by 2023. Skyborg will be what the service calls an attritable system, meaning that aircraft loss is expected and can be tolerated even though the system is not considered expendable and can be reused. Aircraft should “generate massed combat power with minimal logistical footprints,” with cost per unit and the price of operating and maintaining the air vehicles a “small fraction” for that of the Air Force's existing fighter inventory, according to the solicitation. Air Force acquisition executive Will Roper has compared Skyborg to R2-D2, the Star Wars droid that feeds Luke Skywalker helpful information while piloting an X-Wing. Skyborg would build up efficacy on its own via artificial intelligence by working with manned pilots, who would issue commands to the drone and provide feedback on the data presented by it. Last year, Roper told Defense News that the service was exploring the possibility of teaming Skyborg both with the Lockheed Martin F-35 and the Boeing F-15EX aircraft. The ability to team manned fighter jets with smart, autonomous drones could “open up the door for an entirely different way to do aerial combat,” he said in May 2019. “We can take risk with some systems to keep others safer,” he said at the time. “We can separate the sensor and the shooter. Right now they're collocated on a single platform with a person in it. In the future, we can separate them out, put sensors ahead of shooters, put our manned systems behind the unmanned.” Numerous aircraft companies are expected to bid on the Skyborg solicitation. Kratos Defense and Security Solutions is already working with the Air Force on its XQ-58A Valkyrie drone, which logged its fourth successful flight test in January as part of the Low Cost Attritable Aircraft Technology program. Earlier this month, Boeing rolled out its own loyal wingman drone, the Airpower Teaming System. The Royal Australian Air Force has committed to buy three of those systems for experimentation under its Loyal Wingman Advanced Development Program. General Atomics and Lockheed Martin's Skunk Works each plan to offer their own aircraft proposals, according to Air Force Magazine. In fiscal 2021, the Air Force intends to spend $157.6 million across its three “vanguard programs,” which includes the Skyborg effort. The service also included an additional $25 million for Skyborg on its unfunded priorities list, which would allow it to begin integrating UAVs with artificial intelligence software. https://www.defensenews.com/air/2020/05/20/more-than-one-company-could-get-cash-to-build-the-air-forces-ai-equipped-skyborg-drone

Toutes les nouvelles