BAE Systems receives $256 million full-rate production contract from U.S. Marine Corps for additional Amphibious Combat Vehicles

Sur le même sujet

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  1 octobre 2018 | International, Naval

  LOCKHEED MARTIN CONTRACT TO MARRY MACHINE LEARNING WITH 3-D PRINTING FOR MORE RELIABLE PARTS

  U.S. Navy research contract could make complex metal additive manufacturing a reality both in production centers and deep in the field DENVER, Oct. 1, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, 3-D printing generates parts used in ships, planes, vehicles and spacecraft, but it also requires a lot of babysitting. High-value and intricate parts sometimes require constant monitoring by expert specialists to get them right. Furthermore, if any one section of a part is below par, it can render the whole part unusable. That's why Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) and the Office of Naval Research are exploring how to apply artificial intelligence to train robots to independently oversee—and optimize—3-D printing of complex parts. The two-year, $5.8 million contract specifically studies and will customize multi-axis robots that use laser beams to deposit material. The team will develop software models and sensor modifications for the robots to build better components. Lockheed Martin Metal 3D printer "We will research ways machines can observe, learn and make decisions by themselves to make better parts that are more consistent, which is crucial as 3-D printed parts become more and more common," said Brian Griffith, Lockheed Martin's project manager. "Machines should monitor and make adjustments on their own during printing to ensure that they create the right material properties during production." Researchers will apply machine learning techniques to additive manufacturing so variables can be monitored and controlled by the robot during fabrication. "When you can trust a robotic system to make a quality part, that opens the door to who can build usable parts and where you build them," said Zach Loftus, Lockheed Martin Fellow for additive manufacturing. "Think about sustainment and how a maintainer can print a replacement part at sea, or a mechanic print a replacement part for a truck deep in the desert. This takes 3-D printing to the next, big step of deployment." Currently, technicians spend many hours per build testing quality after fabrication, but that's not the only waste in developing a complex part. It's common practice to build each part compensating for the weakest section for a part and allowing more margin and mass in the rest of the structure. Lockheed Martin's research will help machines make decisions about how to optimize structures based on previously verified analysis. That verified analysis and integration into a 3-D printing robotic system is core to this new contract. Lockheed Martin, along with its strong team, will vet common types of microstructures used in an additive build. Although invisible from the outside, a part could have slightly different microstructures on the inside. The team will measure the performance attributes of the machine parameters, these microstructures and align them to material properties before integrating this knowledge into a working system. With this complete set of information, machines will be able to make decisions about how to print a part that ensures good performance. The team is starting with the most common titanium alloy, Ti-6AI-4V, and integrating the related research with seven industry, national lab and university partners. About Lockheed Martin Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace company that employs approximately 100,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. This year the company received three Edison Awards for ground-breaking innovations in autonomy, satellite technology and directed energy. SOURCE Lockheed Martin https://news.lockheedmartin.com/2018-10-01-Lockheed-Martin-Contract-to-Marry-Machine-Learning-with-3-D-Printing-for-More-Reliable-Parts

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  25 mars 2020 | International, Aérospatial, Naval, C4ISR, Sécurité

  Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - March 24, 2020

  MISSILE DEFENSE AGENCY Lockheed Martin Corp., Missiles and Fire Control, Dallas, Texas, is being awarded a $932,836,737 modification (P00026) to previously-awarded contract HQ0147-17-C-0032 to exercise an option for the production of Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) interceptors and associated one-shot devices to support the U.S. government (USG) and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) Foreign Military Sales (FMS) case requirements. The THAAD interceptors and associated one-shot devices will be procured under fixed-price incentive (firm target) contract line items. The value of this contract is increased from $5,366,947,800 to $6,299,784,537. The work will be performed in Dallas, Texas; Sunnyvale, California; Huntsville, Alabama; Camden, Arkansas; and Troy, Alabama, with an expected completion date of April 1, 2026. Fiscal 2020 USG procurement funds in the amount of $327,498,097; and KSA FMS funds in the amount of $605,338,640 are being obligated at time of award. The Missile Defense Agency, Huntsville, Alabama, is the contracting activity. NAVY CACI Inc. - Federal, Chantilly, Virginia, is awarded $180,336,750 for a single award, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, performance based, cost-plus-fixed-fee, level-of-effort contract (N65236-20-D-8003) to provide special operations communications systems, satellite communications (SATCOM) and network support services. Work will be performed in Fayetteville, North Carolina (65%); continental U.S. (20%); outside continental U.S. (10%); and Tampa, Florida (5%). This contract will require command, control, communications, computers, combat systems, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance to exercise planning and evaluation, systems integration, operational systems, fielding, training, certification, maintenance, logistics, configuration management, systems engineering, network engineering, documentation and graphics support, program management, quality assurance and life-cycle sustainment management and support of deployable tactical SATCOM systems and military information, support operations and equipment for various joint warfighting customers at multiple locations within the global area of responsibility. Work is expected to be complete by March 2025. If the option is exercised, work may continue until September 2025. The contract includes a five-year ordering period and one six-month option with the cumulative value (ceiling) of this contract being $199,486,199. Fiscal 2019 procurement defense agency funding in the amount of $10,000 will be obligated at time of award. Funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The contract was competitively procured by full and open competition via the Naval Information Warfare Systems Command E-Commerce Central website and two offers were received. The Naval Information Warfare Center Atlantic, Charleston, South Carolina, is the contracting activity. VT Halter Marine Inc., Pascagoula, Mississippi, is awarded a $39,906,609 firm-fixed-price modification to previously awarded contract N00024-18-C-2230 to exercise an option for the detail design and construction of an Auxiliary Personnel Lighter – Small (APL(S)). Work will be performed in Pascagoula, Mississippi (58%); Boca Raton, Florida (25%); Mandeville, Louisiana (5%); Metairie, Louisiana (5%); Gautier, Mississippi (4%); and Billerica, Massachusetts (3%), and is expected to be complete by May 2021. The initial contract was for the detail design and construction of the lead and second craft in the APL(S) 67 class; this option exercise is for the fourth craft. Construction of all APL(S) craft is firm-fixed-price. The contract also includes options for associated support efforts related to the craft design and construction for deployment spare parts, crew familiarization, international delivery and production-level technical data package and rights. Fiscal 2020 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funding in the amount of $39,906,609 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. Honeywell International Inc., Minneapolis, Minnesota, is awarded a $10,340,614 cost-plus-fixed-fee job order under basic ordering agreement N00164-18-G-GM66 for engineering sustainment support services of the strategic radiation-hardened microelectronics facility and production capability. Work will be performed in Plymouth, Minnesota, and is expected to be complete by March 2022. The sustainment services under the job order cover engineering efforts to sustain Honeywell International's strategic radiation-hardened microelectronics capability through researching extensions of existing products and technology, radiation testing and analysis, and sustaining existing application specific integrated circuit product support and multi-project wafer test/modeling capability. The services are required to maintain a domestic, trusted source for strategic radiation-hardened microelectronics to meet the Department of Defense certification to Congress, as stipulated by the fiscal 2018 National Defense Authorization Act Section 1670. Defense Production Act Title III funding in the amount of $10,340,614 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured in accordance with 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(3), and was awarded to a particular source in order to maintain a facility, producer, manufacturer or other supplier available for furnishing property or services to achieve industrial mobilization. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division, Crane, Indiana, is the contracting activity (N00164-20-F-G001). Pratt and Whitney - United Technologies Corp., Hartford, Connecticut, is awarded a $7,681,734 firm-fixed-price delivery order (N00019-20-F-0658) against a previously issued basic ordering agreement (N00019-17-G-8008). This order provides for the production and delivery of seven Lift Fan Inter Stage Vane (LF ISV) kits for the Marine Corps in support of the Joint Strike Fighter program. Work will be performed in Indianapolis, Indiana. The new LF ISV will provide lift fan operations over an increased temperature range, improved trailing edge angle conformance and will address vibration and flutter concerns. Work is expected to be complete by July 2021. Fiscal 2020 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $7,681,734 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. DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Ceradyne Inc., Irvine, California, has been awarded a maximum $111,100,000 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for enhanced small arms protective inserts. This was a competitive acquisition with two responses received. This is an 18-month base contract with two one-year option periods. Location of performance is California, with a Dec. 30, 2021, performance completion date. Using military services are Army and Air Force. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2021 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE1C1-20-D-1242). SupplyCore Inc.,* Rockford, Illinois, has been awarded a maximum $75,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for facilities maintenance, repair and operations items. 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 an 18-month bridge contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Illinois, with a Sept. 24, 2021, performance completion date. Using military services are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2021 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE8E3-20-D-0008). TW Metals Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois, has been awarded a maximum $62,000,000 firm-fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment contract for commercial metal products. 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 an 18-month bridge contract. Locations of performance are Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Illinois and West Virginia, with a Sept. 24, 2021, performance completion date. Using military services are Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2021 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE8E5-20-D-0001). AIR FORCE L-3 Communications Integrated Systems, Greenville, Texas, has been awarded a not-to-exceed $85,000,005 firm-fixed-price, undefinitized contract for engineering, procurement and fabrication which will result in Phase One modification to the mission aircraft. Work will be performed in Greenville, Texas, and is expected to be completed by October 2022. This contract involves 100% foreign military sales and is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Foreign Military Sales funds in the amount of $41,600,000 are being obligated at the time of award. The 645th Aeronautical Systems Group, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8620-20-F-4837). JW Clark Enterprises Inc., Chesapeake, Virginia, has been awarded a $16,000,000 modification (P00006) to previously awarded contract FA4800-16-D-0001 to exercise Option Year Four. This modification provides simplified acquisition of Base Civil Engineer Requirements support for Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia. The contract provides all labor, tools, equipment, transportation, materials, supervision and all other necessary supplies and services required to perform a broad range of maintenance, repair, minor and new construction work on real property on Joint Base Langley-Eustis. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds will be used to fund individual task orders awarded. Zero funds will be obligated at time of exercising this option year modification. This modification brings the total cumulative face value of the contract to $75,000,000. Work will be performed on Fort Eustis and Langley Air Force Base, and is expected to be complete by March 24, 2021. The 633 Contracting Squadron, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia, is the contracting activity. The Boeing Co., Layton, Utah, has been awarded an $8,330,128 firm-fixed-price contract modification (P00011) to previously award contract FA8204-19-C-0001 for the Intercontinental Ballistic Missile Cryptography Upgrade Increment II production. This modification exercises production Lot 3, Options 2, 4, 8 and 9, and provides the government 176 A-4 drawers. Work will be performed in Huntsville, Alabama; Huntington Beach, California; and Layton, Utah, and is expected to be completed by Feb. 17, 2023. The total cumulative face value is $112,543,853. Fiscal 2019 missiles procurement funds in the amount of $1,639,817; and fiscal 2020 missiles procurement funds in the amount of $6,690,311 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center, ICBM (intercontinental ballistic missile) Contracting Division, Hill Air Force Base, Utah, is the contracting activity. (Awarded March 23, 2020) ARMY Vali Cooper International LLC,* Covington, Louisiana, was awarded a $30,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for architect-engineer technical support services for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care System. Bids were solicited via the internet with received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of March 23, 2030. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha, Nebraska, is the contracting activity (W9128F-20-D-0027). CORRECTION: A $19,940,157 firm-fixed-price contract announced yesterday, March 23, 2020, to SGS LLC,* Yukon, Oklahoma (W912BV-20-C-0005), for design-build construction of a fire rescue center, was actually awarded today, March 24, 2020. *Small business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2123763/source/GovDelivery/

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  9 juillet 2019 | International, Aérospatial

  Enhancing Unmanned Operations in Extreme Conditions with the Power of Two-Stroke

  Peter Lietz, Head of International Business Development for Hirth Engines, explains why engine manufacturers must raise the endurance bar for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to advance capabilities in extreme weather conditions. Drones have become a popular choice for various exploits, from hobbyist aerial photography to large organisations such as Amazon exploring the future of delivery services. In the same vein, governments, militaries and research groups are exploring the use of UAVs to enable highly effective monitoring of unforgiving terrains without risking manned aircraft or land-based patrols. The need for unmanned aerial systems to navigate harsh environments is vital for the maritime, military and commercial sectors. Providing reliable and to the minute information on the status of, and threats to, environments like the Arctic is crucial as governments prepare to take action against significant issues such as climate change and increases in populations. UAVs will play a crucial role in this future considering the need for operators to monitor harsh environments and difficult to reach terrains, especially rotary UAVs. Reaching inhospitable locations can present a variety of logistical challenges, not least of which is the cost of sending land-based patrols or manned aircraft often from navy ships or other maritime vessels. This is where UAVs can enable operators to safely monitor terrains in a cost-effective and efficient way to better understand complex habitats. Carrying out monitoring exercises in areas such as the Artic where there is a real risk to life can be a major challenge. Through the use of well-engineered rotary UAVs, organisations are able to perform a variety of tasks with ease. The responsibility to advance the endurance capabilities of UAVs falls on engine manufacturers. For this reason, we must continue to innovate to increase performance. Over the last few years, rotary UAVs have grown in complexity, not only in terms of the platforms themselves but also the robustness and performance of the engines they run on. As the operational requirements for UAVs grows, engine manufacturers must continually innovate to improve power-to-weight ratios, reduce emissions, and accelerate capabilities in harsh environments. For a long time, fixed-wing UAVs were considered the optimal choice for endurance and speed over their rotary counterparts. However, this is changing rapidly thanks to enhancements in engine design. Rotary UAVs are now becoming a platform of choice due to their reduced logistical footprint and the ability to take off and land in a confined or limited space, especially in maritime environments such as on-board navy ships and coastguard cutters for example. The requirement for rotary UAVs to operate in extreme temperatures such as the cold of the Arctic or the severe heat of warmer climates is essential for operators. This is where two-stroke propulsion engines play a vital role. Two-stroke applications present rotary UAV manufacturers with a range of benefits, including ease of maintenance due to less moving parts and the ability to operate on heavy fuels which are a must for corrosive marine environments. Alongside this, two-stroke powered rotary UAVs are often capable of flying missions with a full payload in extreme conditions for more than five hours without overhaul. With this as a backdrop, it is vital for UAV and engine manufacturers to accelerate the development of propulsion systems capable of operating in extreme locations around the globe. As the industry moves towards hybrid and electric propulsion new challenges will arise and it is crucial that OEMs raise the bar to power the next generation of UAVs. In order to advance the endurance and capabilities of rotary UAVs, engine manufactures must look to innovate the propulsion technology used. Electric is an increasingly popular option for commercial drones. However, electric comes with its own challenges and limitations, such as operational endurance and increased weight of the electrical motors. Considering the performance of batteries in extreme temperatures in comparison to their fuel-based counterparts, there is a long way to go before pure electric UAVs will be capable of flying extended missions in harsh terrains. Hybrid applications that utilise both a combustion engine and electric propulsion systems will provide a bridge toward the future of pure electric flight. A clear advantage for hybrid applications is improving power to weight ratios to enable increased payload capacities. Hybrid UAV applications can be used in various functions, such as: electrically powered take-off and landing with conventional engines powering horizontal flight; or powering flight using only electrical motors whilst the combustion engine acts solely as a generator. In addition, safety is a key purpose behind the pursuit of hybrid applications. For UAV manufacturers, having the ability to convert to an electric battery should the combustion engine fail could make all the difference in enabling a safe landing. Operating UAVs in extreme weather conditions reduces the chances of potential health and safety issues associated with deploying staff or manned systems into harsh environments. In addition, a further key benefit of using UAVs is enabling the deployment of cost-effective systems that perform safely in extreme locations. Ultimately, developing UAVs that can fly farther and for longer in harsh environments will require engine manufacturers to consider alternative fuel and power systems such as heavy fuel two-stroke applications. Heavy fuel is widely considered a must in the maritime industry when dealing with complex environments due to its resistance to extreme temperatures. At Hirth, pairing a robust heavy fuel combustion engine with electrical propulsion is something we are pursuing to advance the future capabilities of unmanned systems and bridge the gap to pure electric flight. For further information about Hirth's portfolio of engines, visit: http://hirthengines.com/ About Hirth Hirth Engines GmbH, based near Stuttgart, with global sales operated from Vienna, has a long pedigree in the development of propulsion systems, stretching back to The innovative company was founded by German aviation pioneer and World War I ace Helmuth Hirth, a student of US inventor Thomas Edison, and collaborator with the Wright Brothers and Zeppelin. The company has set its sights on consolidating its leading role in the development of two-stroke engines for a range of diverse sectors including:  Unmanned and manned light and experimental aircraft (fixed wing and helicopters)  Hovercraft Next generation R&D will focus on hybrid engines, based on the company's winning formula of providing easy to maintain power to weight ratio propulsion technology across civilian and military applications. https://dronescrunch.com/enhancing-unmanned-operations-in-extreme-conditions-with-the-power-of-two-stroke/