19 juillet 2019 | International, Autre défense
By Matthew Cox
The Army general in charge of modernizing soldier lethality said recently he is confident that the service will begin replacing both M249 squad automatic weapons and the M4 carbines in infantry brigades in 2023.
Army testers are currently shooting the first 6.8mm rounds through a variety of rifle and automatic rifle prototypes of the Next Generation Squad Weapon (NGSW) at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, Brig. Gen. David Hodne told Military.com at a June 16 Army Futures Command media event.
The service's goal is to select a final design for both weapons from a single provider in the first quarter of 2022 and begin replacing M4s and M249s in an infantry brigade combat team (IBCT) in the first quarter of 2023, said Hodne, director of the Army's Soldier Lethality Cross Functional Team.
"We are going to do both," he said, explaining the Army won't be sure how long it will take to equip that first IBCT until it can evaluate the winner's production capability.
"The first unit equipped spans a period of months, and that first unit equipped will include both [weapons]," Hodne said.
The NGSW effort is part of the modernization strategy being orchestrated by Army Futures Command (AFC). Based in Austin, Texas, the command will reach full operating capability as of July 31, AFC Commander Gen. Mike Murray told reporters at the event.
Both the NGSW carbine and automatic rifle are being designed to fire a special, government-designed 6.8mm projectile that Army leaders say will penetrate modern enemy body armor at greater distances than the current M855A1 5.56mm Enhanced Performance Round.
The Army intends to conduct live-fire tests on NGSW prototypes from several gun makers until August, when it is scheduled to select up to three vendors that will move to the next phase of testing, Hodne said.
The August down-select will involve the companies that participated in the Army's second prototyping opportunity notice (PON), released in January, that directed gun makers to develop prototypes of both the rifle and auto rifle versions of the NGSW to ensure both work with the common 6.8mm projectile.
Army officials would not release the names of the companies chosen to make prototypes for the second PON effort.
Last July, the service awarded contracts for the first PON effort to several companies, but that effort involved only prototypes for the automatic rifle version of the NGSW.
"We learned a lot in this process. ... Industry took a very hard problem, and they have developed some very innovative solutions," Hodne said. "The first prototyping opportunity notice was centered around an automatic rifle. What we learned was -- to get the best rifle and the best automatic rifle -- we realized the approach had to be centered around a common cartridge that was supportable by both systems."
The Army left it up to vendors to design the type of 6.8mm cartridge they wanted to use in their prototypes, Hodne said, adding that some gun makers went with "traditional bottleneck" brass cartridges while others used newer, case-telescoped cartridges.
Another part of the NGSW effort is the advanced fire control system, which is being designed to calculate range to target, atmospheric conditions, and the ballistics of both weapon and ammunition, according to the May 30 prototype opportunity notice.
The Army expects to receive fire-control prototypes sometime in October, according to Brig. Gen. Anthony Potts, commander of Program Executive Office Soldier.
"People as, 'Is the technology going to be there?' " Potts said. "The answer is yes. ... I am very enthused about next generation squad weapon ... it's not just an evolution in capability. It's a revolution in capability. It really will change the lethality of our squads."
30 décembre 2024 | International, C4ISR, Sécurité
HHS proposes new HIPAA rules to combat rising cyber threats, including 72-hour data restoration, encryption mandates, and annual audits.
12 août 2020 | International, Naval
August 11, 2020 - BAE Systems has received an $83.5 million contract from the U.S. Navy to modernize the guided-missile destroyers USS Carney (DDG 64) and USS Winston S. Churchill (DDG 81). The modernization work will be performed sequentially by the company's shipyard in Jacksonville. The contracts include options that, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value to $211.6 million. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200811005766/en/ The USS Carney will be first in the shipyard, arriving in September 2020. The 23-year-old ship just returned from a six-year operational period in Rota, Spain, and will undergo extensive repair and upgrade work that will take more than 400 days to complete. The shipyard will drydock the ship and perform maintenance of the underwater hull, renovation of crew habitability spaces and upgrades to shipboard systems. The modernization is scheduled to be completed in November 2021. The Winston S. Churchill will undergo a 390-day maintenance period when the ship arrives in June 2021. The shipyard's work aboard the 18-year-old ship will include drydocking, replacement of steel structures onboard and support of the electronic systems upgrades. The modernization of the Winston S. Churchill is scheduled to be completed in July 2022. “The modernization work aboard the Carney and Winston S. Churchill are significant for our Jacksonville maritime team and important for the service lives and mission capability of these combatants,” said Tim Spratto, general manager of BAE Systems Jacksonville Ship Repair. “The back-to-back sequencing of work is efficient and beneficial for our employees, our subcontractors and our Navy customer.” BAE Systems' Jacksonville shipyard has posted jobs and is expecting to hire workers in a number of trades, including welders, pipefitters, electricians, and painters, over the next two years to work on the two destroyers and for its ongoing repair and modernization work on other ships. The award of these two ships will also provide work for our team of subcontractor partners and third-party vendors in the port. Commissioned in 1996, the USS Carney is named after Admiral Robert Carney, who served as chief of naval operations during the Eisenhower administration. The USS Winston S. Churchill is named after the renowned British prime minister and was commissioned in 2001. BAE Systems is a leading provider of ship repair, maintenance, modernization, conversion, and overhaul services for the Navy, other government agencies, and select commercial customers. The company operates four full-service shipyards in California, Florida, Hawaii and Virginia, and offers a highly skilled, experienced workforce, eight dry docks/marine railways, and significant pier space and ship support services. For information about company jobs, visit www.jobs.baesystems.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200811005766/en/ (Photo credit: BAE Systems)
29 novembre 2018 | International, Aérospatial, Naval, Terrestre, C4ISR, Sécurité
AIR FORCE Sierra Nevada Corp., Centennial, Colorado, has been awarded a $329,076,750 undefinitized contract action (UCA) for 12 A-29 aircraft for the Nigerian Air Force. The total not-to-exceed amount of the UCA is approved at $344,727,439 to include a Forward Looking Infrared System for six of the aircraft. This piece is projected to be funded soon after UCA award. In addition to the 12 aircraft, this contract provides for ground training devices, mission planning systems, mission debrief systems, spares, ground support equipment, alternate mission equipment, contiguous U.S. interim contractor support, outside of continental U.S. (OCONUS) contractor logistic support, and five field service representatives for OCONUS support for three years. Work will be performed in Jacksonville, Florida, and is expected to be completed May 2024. Foreign military sales funds in the amount of $220,167,735 are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8637-19-C-6009). Honeywell International Inc., Tempe, Arizona, has been awarded a $32,114,856 face-value, bilateral modification (P00145) to contract FA8208-07-C-0001 for secondary power systems support for ground start carts, C-130, B-2, F-15, B-1 and FMS and other services for F-15, C-130 and ground start carts. The contract modification extends the period of performance by three months. Work will be performed in Tempe, Arizona, and is expected to be completed by Feb. 28, 2019. This modification involves foreign military sales to Republic of Korea, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Bahrain, Japan, Mexico, Taiwan, Jordan, Australia, NATO, Argentina, Kuwait and Pakistan. Fiscal 2019 working capital funds are being obligated at the time of modification. Air Force Sustainment Center, Hill Air Force Base, Utah, is the contracting activity. AGTeck Inc., Cocoa, Florida (FA8232-19-D-0007); Aero-Glen International LLC, DFW International Airport, Texas (FA8232-19-D-0008); Borsight Inc., Ogden, Utah (FA8232-19-D-0009); Cherokee Nation Aerospace and Defense LLC, Pryor, Oklahoma (FA8232-19-D-0010); and TFAB Defense Systems LLC, Madison, Alabama (FA8232-19-D-0011) have been awarded a $20,000,000 total firm-fixed-priced, multiple-award, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for F-16 bracket parts and kKit assemblies. This contract provides for low cost and rapid delivery of diverse bracket parts and kits for the F-16 fleet to include all block aircraft. Work will be performed at Cocoa, Florida; DFW International Airport, Texas; Ogden, Utah; Pryor, Oklahoma; and Madison, Alabama, and is expected to be completed by Nov. 30, 2023. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition. Fiscal 2017 Air National Guard funds in the amount of $79,883.75 are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Hill Air Force Base, Utah, is the contracting activity. ARMY Communications and Power Industries LLC, Palo Alto, California, was awarded a $24,780,643 firm-fixed-price Foreign Military Sales (Bahrain, Egypt, Japan, Republic of Korea, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Spain, Taiwan, Turkey, and United Arab Emirates) contract to acquire Klystron Tubes spares to support the Homing All the Way Killer missile system. One bid was solicited with one received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Nov. 27, 2023. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity (W31P4Q-19-D-0008). Oshkosh Defense LLC, Oshkosh, Wisconsin, was awarded a $20,103,984 modification (P00113) to contract W56HZV-15-C-0095 for Joint Light Tactical Vehicle fielding. Work will be performed in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 30, 2019. Fiscal 2017 and 2018 other procurement, Army funds in the amount of $20,103,984 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Warren, Michigan, is the contracting activity. Trace Systems Inc., Vienna, Virginia, was awarded an $11,857,548 modification (P00006) to contract W91RUS-17-C-0044 for information technology engineering and logistics support services. Work will be performed in Camp Arifjan, Kuwait; Camp As Sayliyah, Qatar; and Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, with an estimated completion date of Nov. 30, 2019. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance Army funds in the amount of $11,857,548 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity. NAVY Bell-Boeing Joint Project Office, Amarillo, Texas, is awarded $20,512,216 formodification P00056 to increase the ceiling of a previously awarded fixed-price incentive contract (N00019-09-D-0008) for additional Joint Performance Based Logistics support for the Marine Corps MV-22 and the Air Force and Special Forces Operations Command CV-22 aircraft. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas (46.6 percent); Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (41.4 percent); Fort Walton Beach, Florida 6.1 percent); Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (4.3 percent); and St. Louis, Missouri (1.6 percent), and is expected to be completed in January 2019. No funding will be obligated at time of award; funds will be obligated on individual orders as they are issued. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., a Lockheed Martin Co., Stratford, Connecticut, is awarded $14,976,124 for cost, cost-plus-fixed-fee, firm-fixed-price task order N0001919F2578 against a previously awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite quantity contract (N00019-16-D-1000). This task order provides for security, project engineering, sustainment engineering, integrated logistics support, material support, program support and training for the VH-3D/VH-60N executive helicopter special progressive aircraft rework. Work will be performed in Stratford, Connecticut (88 percent); and Quantico, Virginia (12 percent), and is expected to be completed in November 2019. Fiscal 2019 operation and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $14,976,124 will be obligated at time of award; all of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. Advanced Alliant Solutions Joint Venture Team, Fairfax, Virginia, is awarded $8,806,234 for modification P00014 to a previously awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee contract (N00421-16-C-0068) to exercise an option for information assurance services in support of the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division's Information Technology/Cyber Security Department. Work will be performed in Patuxent River, Maryland (99 percent); and Lakehurst, New Jersey (1 percent), and is expected to be completed in November 2019. Fiscal 2019 working capital funds (Navy) in the amount of $4,035,039 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. Q.B.S. Inc.,* Alliance, Ohio, is awarded $8,422,000 for firm-fixed-price task order N4008519F4222 under a previously awarded firm-fixed-price multiple award construction contract (N40085-17-D-5040) for the replacement of a concrete batch plant located in Building 20 at the Philadelphia Navy Yard. This requirement includes the procurement, design, and installation of four new 45-cubic-foot cement mixers with sand and cement delivery systems and various structural components, spare parts, technical documentation, training, and the demolition and removal/disposal of the existing cement plant. Work will be performed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and is expected to be completed by November 2019. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation, (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $8,422,000 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 three proposals received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Mid-Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity. Melwood Horticultural Training Center Inc., Upper Marlboro, Maryland, is awarded an $8,217,493 modification under a previously awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (N40080-16-D-0303) to exercise option three for custodial services at the U.S. Naval Academy Complex, Annapolis. The work to be performed provides for custodial services such as trash removal, cleaning, vacuuming, floor cleaning and scrubbing, re-lamping, specialized cleaning of the John Paul Jones Crypt, and basketball floor installation and removal. After award of this option, the total cumulative contract value will be $32,956,636. Work will be performed in Annapolis, Maryland, and work is expected to be completed November 2019. No funds will be obligated at time of award. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $8,217,493 for recurring work will be obligated on individual task orders issued during the option period. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Washington, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY LVI, Pendergrass, Georgia, has been awarded a $7,532,249 modification (P00030) exercising the third one-year option period of a three-year base contract (SPM1C1-14-C-0002) with four one-year option periods for warehousing, storage, logistics and distribution functions. This is a fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment contract. Location of performance is Georgia, with a Dec. 1, 2019, performance completion date. Using customers are Army and Defense Logistics Agency. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2020 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. General Dynamics Land Systems, Sterling Heights, Michigan, has been awarded a $7,064,050 modification (P00001) exercising the one-year option period of a one-year base contract (SPRDL1-19-C-0009) with one one-year option period for distribution boxes. This is firm-fixed-price contract. This was a sole source acquisition using justification 10 U.S.C. 2304 (c)(1), as stated in Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. Locations of performance are Michigan and Florida, with a May 29, 2020, 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. *Small business https://dod.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/1700404/source/GovDelivery/