25 février 2020 | International, Aérospatial
Tony Osborne
LONDON—For decades, the top role as Chief of Air Staff in Britain's Royal Air Force (RAF) has been the preserve of either pilots or aircrewmen. But that tradition could be turned on its head.
Senior officers are undertaking a transformation plan called Astra that aims to better harness the RAF's personnel and prepare the air arm for new technologies and multidomain warfare. This includes those in space and cyberspace as the service strives to be ready for the 2040s.
And one of the most tangible changes could be a move away from pilots taking up the most senior command posts.
Since 1950, only one Chief of the Air Staff has not had a background flying either fighters or bombers, said Air Chief Marshal Sir Andrew Pulford, who served in the role from 2013 to 2016 with a background as a helicopter pilot. The current air chief, Air Marshal Michael Wigston, previously flew the Panavia Tornado.
Before 1950, some of the most famous chiefs, including Sir Hugh Trenchard—often described as the father of the RAF—and Sir Arthur Tedder served in the infantry.
“In the old days, predominantly it was what the pilots said that mattered. That's because we operated in a domain that was an exclusive preserve of pilots,” said Air Vice Marshall Ian Gale, assistant chief of the air staff for strategy. He spoke to journalists here on Feb. 24 as the air arm gears up for its annual Air and Space Power conference in July. “We have quite significant amounts of untapped cognitive diversity that we are trying to break into and give a voice to.”
Always selecting pilots for the top job is seen by those in other air force posts as a career-limiting glass ceiling. But Gale argues the role should in the future should go to the “best person for the job,” and that could be a “battlespace manager, a cyber specialist or a space specialist.”
Selection of a nonpilot for the role of Chief of Air Staff would, Gale said, “send a zero-message outside the air force, but a huge message inside it ... knowing that they may have a role in directing the future of the organization.”
Other benefits of Astra will be the introduction of greater automation into tasks, with Gale hinting at new approaches to air traffic control. This is an issue of particular relevance as the RAF is suffering personnel shortages in this area, which is impacting training operations at some bases. This may suggest the RAF is looking at remote tower operations for some of its quieter airfields.
https://aviationweek.com/defense-space/astra-transformation-could-enable-nonpilots-command-raf
30 mars 2021 | International, Naval
Austal broke ground in March on a new facility that could make it a contender as a second shipyard for the Navy's new Constellation-class frigate program.
18 mars 2022 | International, Aérospatial
Turkey's drone powerhouse Baykar Makina is accelerating two advanced programs, including development of what the company brands as Turkey's first unmanned fighter jet.
30 janvier 2019 | International, Aérospatial, Naval, Terrestre, C4ISR, Sécurité
ARMY Syracuse Research Corp., Syracuse, New York, was awarded a $108,209,591 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for Vehicle Integrated Defeat System. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will be performed in Syracuse, New York, with an estimated completion date of Jan. 30, 2020. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation; operations and maintenance, Army; and other procurement, Army funds in the combined amount of $53,022,699 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity (W31P4Q-19-C-0005). NAVY The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Missouri, is awarded a $56,755,269 cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract that provides program management support as well as engineering and integrated logistics support by the original equipment manufacturer for the post-production support phase of the T-45 aircraft lifecycle. This contract includes special tooling and test equipment, data accessibility and obsolescence identification, and resolution in addition to field services support that will provide subject matter expertise in the areas of environmental control systems, cockpit pressurization and On-Board Oxygen Generation Systems integration. Work will be performed in St. Louis, Missouri (96.1 percent); Meridian, Mississippi (1.3 percent); Kingsville, Texas (1.3 percent); and Pensacola, Florida (1.3 percent), and is expected to be completed in January 2022. No funds will be obligated at the time of award. Funds will be obligated on individual orders as they are issued. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1). The Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division, Orlando, Florida, is the contracting activity (N61340-19-D-0003). Lockheed Martin Corp., Fort Worth, Texas, is awarded $31,335,203 for modification P00044 to a previously awarded cost-plus-incentive fee, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract (N00019-16-C-0004) for sustainment services for F-35 Lightning II low-rate initial production Lot X aircraft for the government of Australia. Work will be performed in Williamtown, Australia, and is expected to be completed in January 2021. Non-U.S. Department of Defense participant funds in the amount of $31,335,203 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. Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control, Archbald, Pennsylvania, is awarded $16,089,088 for modification P00005 to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (N00019-17-C-0022). This modification provides for the procurement of 4,320 Laser Guided Training Rounds BDU-59B/B. Work will be performed in Archbald, Pennsylvania (45 percent); Marlton, New Jersey (10 percent); Vaudreuil-Dorion, Canada (6.5 percent); Rochester, New York (5.5 percent); Westford, Massachusetts (3 percent); Plainville, Connecticut (2.75 percent); Joplin, Missouri (2.75 percent); Hauppage, New York (1.5 percent); Quakertown, Pennsylvania (1.5 percent); San Jose, California (1.5 percent); Laconia, New Hampshire (1.5 percent); Dunedin, Florida (1 percent); Clifton, New Jersey (1 percent); Londonderry, New Hampshire (1 percent); Canton, Pennsylvania (1 percent); Honesdale, Pennsylvania (1 percent); Mount Laurel, New Jersey (1 percent); Medford, New Jersey (1 percent); Irvine, California (.5 percent); and various locations within the continental U.S. (11 percent). Work is expected to be completed in December 2021. Fiscal 2018 and 2019 procurement of ammunition (Navy and Marine Corps) funds in the amount of $16,089,088 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, Lakehurst, New Jersey, is the contracting activity. Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems, Moorestown, New Jersey, is awarded a $10,930,390 fixed-price incentive (firm target) modification to previously awarded contract N00024-14-C-5106 to exercise options for AEGIS Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) 4.0.2 equipment for Shipset 23 and BMD spares. Work will be performed in Moorestown, New Jersey (54 percent); and Clearwater, Florida (46 percent), and is expected to be complete by November 2020. Fiscal 2019 Defense Wide Procurement funding in the amount of $10,339,481; and fiscal 2013 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funding in the amount of $590,909 will be obligated at time of award, and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. General Dynamics Electric Boat Corp., Groton, Connecticut, is awarded a $9,998,560 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to previously-awarded contract N00024-14-C-2104 for digital voltage regulator system material. The contractor will be providing five ship sets of material and one ship set ready for ship installation. Work will be performed in Groton, Connecticut, and is expected to be completed by December 2020. Fiscal 2019 other procurement (Navy) funding in the amount of $9,998,560 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Groton, Connecticut, is the contracting activity. AIR FORCE Multibeam Corp., Santa Clara, California, has been awarded a $22,900,000 firm-fixed-price modification to contract FA9453-17-C-0015 for the Electron-Beam Direct Write subsystems. This contract is to continue demonstration of the advanced lithography tool for government integrated circuits developed under the basic contract. Work will be performed in Santa Clara, California, and is expected to be completed May 19, 2021. Fiscal 2017 Defense Production Act Title III funds in the amount of $22,900,000 are being obligated at the time of award. Total cumulative face value of the contract is $32,300,000. Air Force Research Laboratory, Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico, is the contracting activity. U.S. TRANSPORTATION COMMAND SeaCube Container Leasing International, Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey (HTC71119DR008); Textainer Equipment Management, San Francisco, California (HTC71119DR009); and Triton Container International, Hamilton, Bermuda (HTC71119DR010), have been awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, firm-fixed-price contracts for leasing and transportation of intermodal container equipment, in the amount of $16,227,246 (estimated) for the base year. Performance is from March 1, 2019, to Feb. 29, 2020. Work will be performed at multiple continental U.S. and outside continental U.S. locations. The contracts utilize fiscal 2019 and fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funding. The U.S. Transportation Command, Directorate of Acquisition, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, is the contracting activity. Schuyler Line Navigation Co. LLC, Annapolis, Maryland, has been awarded a fixed-price with economic price adjustment contract (HTC71119DW001) in the amount of $7,101,934. The contract provides ocean liner service between Jacksonville/Blount Island, Florida, and Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to the Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command. The contract base period of performance is from March 1, 2019, to Feb. 29, 2020. Fiscal 2019 Transportation Working Capital Funds were obligated at award. U.S. Transportation Command, Directorate of Acquisition, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, is the contracting activity. *Small business https://dod.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/1742153/source/GovDelivery/