3 février 2021 | International, Aérospatial

Boeing’s F-15EX jet makes its first flight

By:

WASHINGTON — Boeing's first F-15EX took to the skies for its inaugural flight on Feb. 2, a milestone that will allow the company to deliver the first two planes to the U.S. Air Force by the end of March.

After a couple of hours of delays due to weather — which also held up plans to conduct a first flight on Feb. 1 — Boeing test pilot Matt “Phat” Giese took off from Lambert International Airport in St. Louis, Missouri, at approximately 1:57 p.m. EST.

The flight lasted approximately 90 minutes, and the plane performed as expected, Boeing said in a news release.

“Today's successful flight proves the jet's safety and readiness to join our nation's fighter fleet,” said Prat Kumar, Boeing vice president and F-15 program manager. “Our workforce is excited to build a modern fighter aircraft for the U.S. Air Force. Our customer can feel confident in its decision to invest in this platform that is capable of incorporating the latest advanced battle management systems, sensors and weapons due to the jet's digital airframe design and open mission systems architecture.”

The Air Force first added the F-15EX to its fiscal 2020 budget at the behest of the Defense Department's Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation office, or CAPE.

With the Air Force and Air National Guard's fleet of 1970s-era F-15C/D jets showing signs of age, the service needed to either conduct an expensive life extension or buy new planes to replace them.

But with F-35 operations and sustainment costs still financially burdensome, CAPE officials argued that buying an upgraded version of the F-15E Strike Eagle — with new features developed primarily at the cost of foreign customers like Qatar and Saudi Arabia — would be a more cost-conscious option.

The Air Force placed its first order for the F-15EX in July 2020, awarding a contract for the first lot of eight jets with a value not to exceed about $1.2 billion. The entire program has a ceiling value of $23 billion.

The new jets come with a host of modern features, including Honeywell's ADCP-II mission computer, the Eagle Passive/Active Warning and Survivability System electronic warfare system made by BAE Systems, the Raytheon Technologies' AN/APG-82 radar, fly-by-wire flight controls, and a digital cockpit.

The service expects to buy at least 144 F-15EX aircraft, but the contract includes options to allow the Air Force to purchase up to 200 jets.

Congress first included funds in December to purchase eight F-15EXs through the fiscal 2020 spending bill, and lawmakers approved spending $1.2 billion to buy 12 F-15EXs in fiscal 2021. According to the Air Force's FY21 budget request, the service plans to buy another dozen planes in FY22, procuring 14 F-15EXs in FY23, and ramping up to 19 jets per year in both FY24 and FY25.

Once delivered to the Air Force, the first two F-15EXs will go Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, for testing, with the remaining six aircraft set to be delivered to the base in FY23.

https://www.defensenews.com/air/2021/02/02/the-f-15ex-just-made-its-first-flight

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  • Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - February 7, 2019

    11 février 2019 | International, Aérospatial, Naval, Terrestre, C4ISR, Sécurité, Autre défense

    Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - February 7, 2019

    NAVY BAE Systems San Diego Ship Repair, San Diego, California (N00024-16-D-4419); Huntington Ingalls Industries Inc., San Diego, California (N00024-16-D-4420); and General Dynamics, National Steel and Shipbuilding Co., San Diego, California (N00024-16-D-4421), are each awarded firm-fixed-price modifications to exercise Option Period Three under previously-awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity multiple-award contracts for complex, emergent and continuous maintenance and Chief of Naval Operations availabilities on amphibious ships. Each company will have the opportunity to provide offers for individual delivery orders during Option Period Three, with an estimated cumulative combined value of $406,853,897. Work will be performed in San Diego, California, and is expected to be complete by March 2020. No funding will be obligated at time of award. Funding will be provided as individual delivery orders are issued. The Southwest Regional Maintenance Center, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity. Bell Helicopter Textron Inc., Fort Worth, Texas, is awarded $240,266,448 for modification P00009 to a previously awarded fixed-price-incentive contract (N00019-17-C-0030) for the manufacture and delivery of 12 Lot 16 AH-1Z aircraft for the kingdom of Bahrain under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas (60 percent); and Amarillo, Texas (40 percent), and is expected to be completed in August 2022. FMS funds in the amount of $240,266,448 are being obligated at the 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. Leidos Inc., Reston, Virginia, is awarded a $33,001,816 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity supply contract with cost-reimbursable services for the Digital Video Surveillance System in support of guided-missile destroyer (DDG) modernization. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Philadelphia Division is the Navy's agent for the coordination and planning of all the engineering and technical support services for the modernization program. The modernization program provides a full spectrum of technical support encompassing all phases of the alteration installation process. Supplies are to be delivered to various Navy bases, shipyards, repair facilities and contractor facilities in the continental U.S. Work will be performed in Reston, Virginia (85 percent); and at various places below one percent (15 percent), and is expected to be completed by February 2024. Fiscal 2018 other procurement (Navy) funding in the amount of $2,916,500 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities website, with one offer received. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Philadelphia Division, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is the contracting activity. (N64498-19-D-4011) The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Missouri, is awarded $23,108,547 for firm-fixed-priced delivery order N00383-19-F-0AY1 under previously awarded basic ordering agreement N00383-18-G-AY01 for the repair of various avionics equipment used on the F/A-18 aircraft. Work will be performed in Lemoore, California (99 percent); and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (1 percent). Work is expected to be completed by December 2021. Working capital funds (Navy) in the amount of $23,108,547 will be obligated at the time of award and funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. One source was solicited for this non-competitive requirement pursuant to the authority set forth in 10 U.S. Code 2304 (c)(1) in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1, and one offer was received. Naval Supply Systems Command Weapon Systems Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is the contracting activity. URS Group Inc., Morrisville, North Carolina, is awarded a $21,000,000 modification on a firm-fixed-price task order under a previously awarded multiple award construction contract (N62470-13-D-6022) for Phase One of Hurricane Michael repairs for stabilization and repairs to multiple buildings at Naval Support Activity Panama City, Florida. The work to be performed provides for removal of carpet, walls, windows and other unsalvageable items due to water penetration, clean-up of roofing materials and tarping of rooftops to mitigate further water intrusion. Repairs include roof replacement, roof decking, and sealing roof penetrations. The repairs also include correction of architectural, structural, plumbing, heating, ventilation and air conditioning, fire protection, electrical deficiencies and any other incidental related work as found due to damage from the hurricane. After award of this modification, the total task order value will be $42,510,000. Work will be performed in Panama City, Florida, and is expected to be completed by September 2019. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $21,000,000 are obligated on this award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southeast, Jacksonville, Florida, is the contracting activity. Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is awarded $18,265,659 for modification P00045 to a previously awarded cost-plus-incentive-fee contract (N00019-16-C-0004). This modification provides for the maintenance and operation of the Australia, Canada, United Kingdom Reprogramming Laboratory (ACURL). This effort includes support for all ACURL systems to include consumables for the F-35 aircraft in support of the governments of Australia, Canada and the U.K. Work will be performed in Valparaiso, Florida, and is expected to be completed in February 2020. Non-Department of Defense participant funds in the amount of $18,265,659 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. Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems, Marlborough, Massachusetts, is awarded a $16,680,230 modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (N00039-16-C-0050) to exercise options to deliver spare items for the Navy Multiband Terminal (NMT) system and to produce, test and deliver fully integrated NMT. NMT is a multiband capable satellite communications terminal that provides protected and wideband communications. NMT supports Extremely High Frequency (EHF) / Advanced EHF Low Data Rate / Medium Data Rate / Extended Data Rate, Super High Frequency, Military Ka (transmit and receive) and Global Broadcast Service receive-only communications. Work will be performed in Largo, Florida (54 percent); South Deerfield, Massachusetts (25 percent); Stow, Massachusetts (13 percent); and Marlborough, Massachusetts (8 percent), and is expected to be completed by February 2020. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance (Navy); fiscal 2019 other procurement (Navy); Navy working capital funds; and Foreign Military Sales funds in the amount of $16,680,230 will be obligated at the time of award. Funds will not expire at the end of the fiscal year. This sole-source contract was not competitively procured in accordance with 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1). The Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity. General Dynamics, Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine, is awarded a $15,637,609 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification, against previously awarded contract N00024-14-C-4313 for LCS Planning Yard Services. This modification procures waterjet assembly battle spares for the LCS-6 and follow ships (Independence Class). Work will be performed in Chesapeake, Virginia (99 percent); and Bath, Maine (1 percent), and is expected to be complete by March 2021. Fiscal 2018 other procurement (Navy) funding in the amount of $15,637,609 will be obligated at award, and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Conversion, and Repair, Bath, Maine, is the contracting activity. American Petroleum Tankers LLC, Blue Bay, Pennsylvania, is awarded a $15,111,000 firm-fixed-price option with reimbursable elements under a previously awarded contract (N3220517C3502) to exercise Option One for the vessel the M/V Evergreen State in support of the Department of Defense Logistics Agency Energy. The U.S. flagged vessel provided under the contract is employed in the worldwide transportation of petroleum products. The vessel will primarily be expected to operate in, but not limited to, the U.S. East Coast/Gulf Coast region, in accordance with the terms of this charter. Work for this option is expected to be completed February 2020. Working capital funds in the amount of $9,687,600 are obligated on this award. The cumulative value of this contract, if all options are exercised, is $81,048,250. This procurement was released under full and open competition, with an unlimited number of companies solicited via the Federal Business Opportunities website, with three offers received. The U.S. Navy's Military Sealift Command, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity. General Dynamics Mission Systems, Fairfax, Virginia, is awarded a $14,512,050 firm-fixed-price modification to previously awarded contract N00024-16-C-5352 to exercise options for Surface Electronic Warfare Improvement Program (SEWIP) Block 1B3 full-rate production. SEWIP is an evolutionary acquisition and incremental development program to upgrade the existing AN/SLQ-32(V) electronic warfare system. SEWIP provides enhanced shipboard electronic warfare for early detection, analysis, threat warning, and protection from anti-ship missiles. SEWIP Block 1 focuses on obsolescence mitigation and special signal intercept. Work will be performed in Pittsfield, Massachusetts (55 percent); Thousand Oaks, California (25 percent); Mountain View, California (15 percent); and Fairfax, Virginia (5 percent), and is expected to be complete by May 2020. Fiscal 2019 other procurement (Navy); and fiscal 2019 and 2017 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funds in the amount of $14,512,050 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. Assurance Technology Corp., Carlisle, Massachusetts, is awarded $11,471,334 for cost-plus-fixed-fee modification P00029 to task order N00173-15-F-6201 under previously awarded contract (N00173-15-F-6201). This contract action is for research, development, and integration as it relates to Software Definable/Reconfigurable Systems design. This modification provides additional level of effort to be executed under the task order. The total cumulative face value of this task order is $46,792,500. Work will be performed in Washington, District of Columbia (93 percent); and Carlisle, Massachusetts (7 percent), and work is expected to be completed in July 2019. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $1,500,000 are obligated at the time of award. Funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. ARMY The Raytheon Co., Fort Wayne, Indiana, was awarded a $406,280,000 hybrid (cost, cost-plus-fixed-fee, firm-fixed-price and fixed-price-incentive) contract for AN/ARC-231 Multiple-Mode Aviation Radio Suite, hardware components, repair services, technical, engineering and logistical 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 Dec. 31, 2023. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W56JSR-19-D-0014). Oshkosh Defense LLC, Oshkosh, Wisconsin, was awarded a $107,390,788 fixed-price-incentive contract for recapitalized Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Trucks, Palletized Load System (PLS) trucks, and new PLS trailers. One bid was solicited with one bid received. Work will be performed in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, with an estimated completion date of Oct. 31, 2020. Fiscal 2017 and 2019 other procurement Army funds in the amount of $107,390,788 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Warren, Michigan, is the contracting activity (W56HZV-19-F-0193). Oshkosh Defense LLC, Oshkosh, Wisconsin, was awarded a $55,093,787 fixed-price-incentive contract for recapitalized Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Trucks, Palletized Load System (PLS) trucks, and new PLS trailers. One bid was solicited via the internet with one bid received. Work will be performed in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, with an estimated completion date of Nov. 30, 2020. Fiscal 2017, 2018 and 2019 other procurement Army funds in the amount of $55,093,787 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Warren, Michigan, is the contracting activity (W56HZV-19-F-0192). Oshkosh Defense LLC, Oshkosh, Wisconsin, was awarded a $40,946,478 fixed-price-incentive contract for recapitalized Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Trucks. One bid was solicited with one bid received. Work will be performed in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, with an estimated completion date of July 31, 2020. Fiscal 2019 other procurement Army funds in the amount of $40,946,478 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Warren, Michigan, is the contracting activity (W56HZV-19-F-0194). Oshkosh Defense LLC, Oshkosh, Wisconsin, was awarded a $29,319,096 fixed-price-incentive contract for recapitalized Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Trucks. One bid was solicited with one bid received. Work will be performed in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, with an estimated completion date of Oct. 31, 2020. Fiscal 2017 other procurement Army funds in the amount of $29,319,096 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Warren, Michigan, is the contracting activity (W56HZV-19-F-0195). Record Steel and Construction Inc., Boise, Idaho, was awarded a $25,393,000 firm-fixed-price contract for design and construction of an E-3G mission and flight simulator training facility at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma. Bids were solicited via the internet with eight received. Work will be performed in Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, with an estimated completion date of Feb. 21, 2021. Fiscal 2017 military construction funds in the amount of $25,393,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Tulsa, Oklahoma, is the contracting activity (W912BV-19-C-0002). STANTEC Consulting Services, Raleigh, North Carolina, was awarded a $12,250,000 firm-fixed-price contract for vertical architectural and engineering. Bids were solicited via the internet with 28 received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Feb. 6, 2024. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Wilmington, North Carolina, is the contracting activity (W912PM-19-D-0001). Clark Nexsen Inc., Virginia Beach, Virginia, was awarded a $12,250,000 firm-fixed-price contract for vertical architectural and engineering. Bids were solicited via the internet with 28 received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Feb. 6, 2024. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Wilmington, North Carolina, is the contracting activity (W912PM-19-D-0002). AECOM Technical Services Inc., Los Angeles, California, was awarded a $12,250,000 firm-fixed-price contract for vertical architectural and engineering. Bids were solicited via the internet with 28 received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Feb. 6, 2024. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Wilmington, North Carolina, is the contracting activity (W912PM-19-D-0003). Whitman, Requardt and Associates LLP, Baltimore, Maryland, was awarded a $12,250,000 firm-fixed-price contract for vertical architectural and engineering. Bids were solicited via the internet with 28 received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Feb. 6, 2024. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Wilmington, North Carolina, is the contracting activity (W912PM-19-D-0004). AAI Corp. doing business as Textron Systems, Hunt Valley, Maryland, was awarded a $7,050,000 modification (0004 10) to Foreign Military Sales (Australia) contract W58RGZ-17-D-0006 for contractor logistics support of the One System Remote Video Terminal. Work will be performed in Hunt Valley, Maryland, with an estimated completion date of May 7, 2019. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance Army; and Foreign Military Sales funds in the amount of $7,050,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity. AIR FORCE Parsons, Pasadena, California, has been awarded a $94,359,257 firm-fixed-price contract, for Launch Manifest Systems Integrator (LMSI). This acquisition will allow for necessary integration and manifesting services for the LMSI requirement. Work will be performed in Pasadena and Torrance, California, and is expected to be completed by Feb. 6, 2024. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition and one offer was received. Fiscal 2019 space procurement funds in the amount of $5,898,895 will be obligated at the time of award. The Contracting Division, Launch Systems Enterprise Directorate, Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles Air Force Base, California, is the contracting activity (FA8811-19-F-0003). https://dod.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/1751801/source/GovDelivery/

  • Air Force moves to enact space acquisition reforms, despite hold up of legislative proposals

    6 août 2020 | International, Aérospatial

    Air Force moves to enact space acquisition reforms, despite hold up of legislative proposals

    Nathan Strout WASHINGTON - The Pentagon is trying to move ahead with reforms to how it acquires space systems, even as a report outlining significant legislative changes has gotten held up by the Office of Management and Budget. Released in May, the Department of the Air Force report recommends nine specific proposals to improve contracting under the newly established U.S. Space Force. While most of the changes can be undertaken independently by the Department of Defense, three recommendations would require legislative action by Congress. But according to Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Space Acquisition and Integration Shawn Barnes, the report has yet to get past OMB, which oversees the President's budget proposals and ensures legislation proposed by agencies is consistent with the administration. “[It's] still not on the hill. I'm a little frustrated by that, but I think we're very close with OMB at this point and I think we're just about there,” said Barnes during a July 30 call with reporters. “There are a couple of sticking points, but I'm not going to talk about those directly here.” Barnes continued on to say that OMB had no issues with the vast majority of the report. And while the Air Force has to wait for legislative action on some recommendations, Barnes said they are already moving ahead with internal reforms, such as establishing a distinct Space Force budget. “We're in the process of figuring out how to implement those actions within the alt-acquisition report that don't require any legislative change, and of the somewhat less than ten of those specific actions, probably six of them are within the Department of Defense's ability to get after. So we're building implementation plans for that,” he said. The most important recommendation in the report, at least according to the Air Force, is budgetary. They want to be able to consolidate Space Force budget line items along mission portfolios, such as missile warning or communications, instead of by platforms, allowing them more flexibility to move funding between related systems without having to submit reprogramming requests to Congress. This was a point of contention between the Pentagon and legislators last year, as the Air Force issued repeated reprogramming requests to secure the funding needed to push up the delivery date of the first Next Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared satellite. Barnes insisted that managing funding at the portfolio would give the Space Force more flexibility to react to program developments without sacrificing transparency. While funding would not longer be broken out at the program level, it could still be expressed at a lower level, he said. “We would still be breaking it down at a subordinate level but what we would hope is that we would have the ability to still move money from one of those subordinate levels to another, and that's where we can have that transparency,” he explained. https://www.c4isrnet.com/battlefield-tech/space/2020/07/30/air-force-moves-to-enact-space-acquisition-reforms-despite-hold-up-of-legislative-proposals

  • How Army Futures Command plans to grow soldiers’ artificial intelligence skills

    29 mai 2020 | International, C4ISR

    How Army Futures Command plans to grow soldiers’ artificial intelligence skills

    By: Aaron Mehta WASHINGTON — With artificial intelligence expected to form the backbone of the U.S. military in the coming decades, the Army is launching a trio of new efforts to ensure it doesn't get left behind, according to the head of Army Futures Command. While speaking at an event Wednesday hosted by the Defense Writers Group, Gen. Mike Murray was asked about areas that need more attention as his command works to modernize the force. Murray pointed to a change in how the service does long-term planning, as well as two personnel efforts that could pay off in the long run. The first is something Murray has dubbed “Team Ignite,” which he described as “ad hoc, right now,” with a hope to formalize the process in the future. In essence, this means bringing in the teams that write the concept of operations for the military and having them work next to the technologists driving research and development efforts so that everything is incorporated early. “It has occurred to me for a long time that when we prepare concepts about how we will fight in the future, they are usually not informed by scientists and what is potentially out there in terms of technology,” Murray said. “And when we invest in technologies, rarely do we consult the concept writers to understand what type of technology will fundamentally change the way we fight in the future.” In Murray's vision, this means soon there will be “a concept writer saying, ‘If only I could [do something we can't do now], this would fundamentally change the way we would fight,' and a scientist or technologist saying, ‘Well, actually we can, you know, another 10-15 years,' and then vice versa,” he said. “Really using that to drive where we're investing our science and technology dollars, so that in 10 or 15 years we actually can fundamentally change the way we're going to fight.” The Futures Command chief also laid out two new efforts to seed understanding of AI throughout the force, saying that “a key component of the Army moving more and more into the area of artificial intelligence is the talent that we're going to need in the formation to do that.” Murray described a ”recently approved” masters program to be run through Carnegie Mellon University, focusing on bringing in “young officers, noncommissioned officers and warrant officers” to teach them about artificial intelligence. The course features four to five months of actual learning in the classroom, followed by five or six months working for the Army's AI Task Force. After that, the officers are sent back the force, bringing with them their AI experience. Additionally, Murray is in the early stages of standing up what he described as a “software factory” to try and identify individual service members who have some computer skills, pull them out of their normal rotations and give them training on “basic coding skills” before sending them back to the force. “We're going to need a lot of these types of people. This is just [the] beginning, to seed the Army with the types of talent we're going to need in the future if we're going to take advantage of data, if we're going to take advantage of artificial intelligence in the future,” he said. https://www.defensenews.com/land/2020/05/28/how-army-futures-command-plans-to-grow-ai-skills-in-the-service/

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