28 septembre 2020 | International, Terrestre, C4ISR, Sécurité

Air Force awards laser-armed RADBO contract to Parsons

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Air Force has awarded a nearly $40 million contract to Parsons to produce ground vehicles that can clear mines or unexploded ordnance from airfields — using a laser.

The package covers the procurement of 13 Recovery of Airbase Denied by Ordnance (RADBO) vehicles, as well as three spares. The system is made up of a Cougar MRAP, Parsons' three-kilowatt ZEUS laser weapon, and an arm assembly that can move debris or other objects out of the way.

The idea behind the RADBO is to allow airmen to clear threats from current or future airfields – hardly the laser warfare capability sought by Pentagon planners for decades, but still a potentially important step, as it represents the first DoD ground-based laser system to be ordered into full production.

The service awarded Parsons the sole-source contract on Sept. 23. Work will be performed in Huntsville, Ala., with a completion date of Sept. 2023. According to a 2018 video from the Air Force's Installation and Mission Support Center, the majority of development work on the RADBO design was done at the Army's Redstone Arsenal near Huntsville.

Parsons claims the ZEUS design can hit targets “more than 300 meters away from the vehicle and is powerful enough to detonate small submunitions from cluster bombs, land mines, general purposed bombs and thick-cased artillery rounds,” per a company announcement.

“This is Parsons innovation: delivering a game changing warfighting product,” Hector Cuevas, Parsons executive vice president of missile defense and C5ISR, said in a statement. “We're proud to partner with the Air Force in deploying this critical force protection and mission enabling technology that will greatly increase safe and effective explosive ordnance disposal operations.”

https://www.c4isrnet.com/industry/2020/09/25/air-force-awards-laser-armed-radbo-contract-to-parsons/

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  • Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - December 28, 2018

    31 décembre 2018 | International, Aérospatial, Naval, Terrestre, C4ISR, Sécurité

    Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - December 28, 2018

    NAVY Raytheon Missile Systems, Tucson, Arizona, is awarded a not-to-exceed $434,389,104 for undefinitized modification P00001 to a previously awarded, fixed-price-incentive-firm contract (N00019-18-C-1068). This modification provides for the procurement of AIM-9X Lot 18 production requirements to include 766 AIM-9X Block II all up round tactical missiles for the Navy (138); Air Force (197); and the governments of Israel (11); Norway (20); Qatar (40); South Korea (60); and the United Arab Emirates (300), as well as 160 AIM-9X Block II+ all up round missiles for the Navy (12); Air Force (75); and the governments of Australia (49); Israel (7); and the Netherlands (17). In addition, this award provides for the procurement of 170 Block II Captive Air Training Missiles for the Navy (40), Air Force (64), and the governments of Israel (6), Qatar (20), and the United Arab Emirates (40); 12 Special Air Training Missiles for the Navy (4) and the government of Australia (8); 309 all up round containers for the Navy (53), Air Force (94), and the governments of Australia (21), the United Arab Emirates (91), South Korea (17), Norway (5), Israel (7), the Netherlands (5), and Qatar (16); eight Spare Advanced Optical Target Detectors for the governments of Australia (4), the United Arab Emirates (2), and Qatar (2); 50 Spare Guidance Units (Live Battery) for the governments of the United Arab Emirates (26), South Korea (4) and Qatar (20); 35 Spare Captive Air Training Missile Guidance Units for the governments of the United Arab Emirates (15) and Qatar (20); 50 Guidance Unit Containers for the governments of the United Arab Emirates (26), South Korea (4), and Qatar (20); six Spare Advanced Optical Target Detector Containers for the governments of Australia (4) and the United Arab Emirates (2); and one Spare Block II Propulsion Steering Section for the government of Australia (1). 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Fiscal 2017 and 2018 missile procurement (Air Force); fiscal 2017 and 2018 weapons procurement (Navy); fiscal 2018 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy); and foreign military sales funds in the amount of $321,622,863will be obligated at time of award, $8,527,158 of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This modification combines purchases for the Air Force ($121,460,276, 28 percent); Navy ($68,351,757, 16 percent); the governments of the United Arab Emirates ($140,486,747, 32 percent); Australia ($26,632,099, 6 percent); Qatar ($26,187,923, 6 percent); South Korea ($25,791,386, 6 percent); Israel ($9,197,285, 2 percent); Norway ($8,295,593, 2 percent); and the Netherlands ($7,986,038, 2 percent). The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. Bell Boeing Joint Project Office, Amarillo, Texas, is awarded $366,623,144 for modification P00014 to a previously awarded fixed-price-incentive-firm contract (N00019-17-C-0015). This modification provides for the production and delivery of three CMV-22B variation in quantity aircraft for the Navy and two MV-22B variation in quantity aircraft for the Marine Corps. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas (30 percent); Ridley Park, Pennsylvania (15 percent); Amarillo, Texas (13 percent); Red Oak, Texas (3 percent); East Aurora, New York (3 percent); Park City, Utah (2 percent); McKinney, Texas (1 percent); Endicott, New York (1 percent); various locations within the continental U.S. (27 percent); and various locations outside the continental U.S. (4 percent), and is expected to be completed in October 2023. Fiscal 2019 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $366,623,144 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. 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Raytheon Co., Tucson, Arizona, is awarded an $81,311,942 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to exercise an option under previously-awarded contract N00024-17-C-5405 for design agent engineering and technical support services for the Phalanx Close-In Weapon System (CIWS), SeaRAM, and Land-based Phalanx Weapon System. Phalanx CIWS is a fast-reaction terminal defense against low- and high-flying, high-speed maneuvering anti-ship missile threats that have penetrated all other defenses. CIWS is an integral element of the Fleet Defense In-Depth concept and the Ship Self-Defense Program. Operating either autonomously or integrated with a combat system, it is an automatic terminal defense weapon system designed to detect, track, engage and destroy anti-ship missile threats penetrating outer defense envelopes. The design agent engineering and technical support services are required for maintainability, reliability and improvements. 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The work provides for the construction of a high capacity modular storage systems and commissioning of applicable systems of Building 169. The work also includes the construction of a sensitive compartmented information facility in Building 46. After award of these options, the total cumulative contract value will be $40,653,000. Work will be performed in Washington, District of Columbia, and is expected to be completed by March 2022. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $14,676,000 are obligated on this award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Washington, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. AIR FORCE The Boeing Co., Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, has been awarded a $400,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for B-1 and B-52 bomber engineering services. 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Fiscal 2017 special defense acquisition funds; fiscal 2011 foreign military sales funds; fiscal 2018 research, development, test and evaluation funds; and fiscal 2018 other procurement funds are funding the contract. This modification involves foreign military sales to the Kingdom of Bahrain. The total cumulative face value of the contract is $33,578,408. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, is the contract activity. (Awarded Dec. 18, 2018) ARMY Raytheon Co. Missile Systems, Tucson, Arizona, was awarded a $205,205,445 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for land-based Phalanx weapon system. 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 Dec. 27, 2023. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity (W31P4Q-19-D-0015). Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems, Fullerton, California, was awarded a $51,901,116 firm-fixed-price contract for the procurement of 50 Enhanced Sentinel A3 radars and associated spares. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will be performed in Fullerton, California, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 30, 2022. Fiscal 2018 other procurement, Army funds in the amount of $51,901,116 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity (W31P4Q-19-C-0018). Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems, Fullerton, California, was awarded a $28,912,871 hybrid (cost-plus-fixed-fee and firm-fixed-price) contract for Sentinel life cycle support. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will be performed in Fullerton, California, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 31, 2022. 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  • Defense firm advocates for ‘hybrid procurement system’ to save billions in the UK

    19 mai 2020 | International, Aérospatial, Naval, Terrestre, C4ISR, Sécurité

    Defense firm advocates for ‘hybrid procurement system’ to save billions in the UK

    By: Andrew Chuter LONDON – Adopting a new hybrid procurement system could save Britain's Ministry of Defence billions of pounds and get cutting edge technology in the hands of troops faster, a top American satellite communications company argued to the parliamentary Defence Committee. Written evidence from Viasat's U.K. arm advocating a shake-up in British procurement processes was published by the committee May 13 as part of its inquiry into the procurement and prosperity aspects of the country's defense industrial policy. Top of the list of proposals submitted by the company is a hybrid approach to procurement that saves money and leads to experimentation to deliver missions faster, said Viasat UK Managing Director Steve Beeching in an interview with Defense News following publication of the evidence. “We need a hyrid process with a platform-centric approach for very long lead, complex structural equipment elements," said Beeching, adding that more agile,, adaptive procurement for technology is required to meet the mission threat. "At the end of the day buying outdated technology doesn't deliver the mission,” Beeching said. The hybrid idea is among a raft of potential procurement changes proposed by Viasat. The company also advocated for ‘test before you buy' solutions from industry to reduce MoD costs and risk; building trusted partnerships between government and the private sector to drive information advantage; sharing risk and design obligations, thereby alleviating the burden on existing program processes; and executing an outcomes-based assessment program. The proposals come as the company is considering a potentially significant investment in the U.K. From a U.K. base near Farnborough, southern England, Viasat has a growing presence in the defense and security sector providing UHF satellite communications, tactical data system, sovereign information assurance and other services. It is currently considering investing about £300 million, or $366 million, in the U.K. and doubling its workforce of some 80 people with additional network and cyber personnel. Viasat, which is headquartered in Carlsbad, California, said a change of direction on procurement in the upcoming integrated review of defense and security could bring big rewards for government, the military and the domestic defense industry. “The 2020 strategic defense and security review will, if carried out correctly, give the MoD an opportunity to save billions of pounds, end complex procurement procedures and ensure that U.K. armed forces have available the most up-to-date equipment,” Viasat said in its evidence. “This will help to meet the rapidly changing adversarial environment the U.K. is facing. The review must provide a process to deliver a stronger industrial base, with more UK jobs at higher skill levels, achieving greater foreign investment and opportunity for exports,” the company told the committee. “To improve, the MoD needs to simplify the complexity of its huge defense organization into elements that can deliver change for the benefit of the nation, troops and way of life. Behavioral challenges occur where the MoD manages risk and outcomes as the primary objective [to keep the nation safe], but to move forward requires risk-taking,” said the evidence. The MoD's performance has been heavily criticized over many years for late delivery and cost overruns; although often the fault lays with government or the military rather than procurement officials. Despite several efforts to reform procurement, most recently through the Levene and Gray reviews, the right remedy to the problem has been elusive, despite some performance gains. Now, the new integrated defense review, virtually paused for the next few months as a result of the COVID-19 crisis, is likely to have another go at getting it right. Beeching, said that the present procurement policy was failing to produce the required results. “Current procurement procedures have yielded program delays, overspending and higher risks to the MoD. We feel very strongly that a more agile, fused-hybrid approach is needed to procure the appropriate systems and services required to keep pace with technology advancement. By modernizing the procurement process, MoD can work toward better processes to keep the nation safer,” said Beeching. “Its about approach and behaviors. We are not advocating stripping everything apart,” he said. With the COVID-19 crisis grabbing most of the government's attention, a major overhaul of defense procurement may not be on the list of priorities. Beeching, though, said if you wait for the perfect time it will never exist. “The lessons we are learning through things like COVID-19, through other things that are happening in the world, make more imperative that an achievable plan like the one we are proposing moves forward. It will give us more options to get the required capabilities to our service men and women, the government and the cabinet office much quicker than we do today,” he said. https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2020/05/14/defense-firm-advocates-hybrid-procurement-system-to-save-billions-in-the-uk/

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