16 août 2023 | International, Aérospatial
GKN Aerospace, Marshall, and Parker Aerospace join forces to explore liquid hydrogen fuel systems for zero emission aircraft
Partnership MoU covers intent to develop hydrogen fuel systems.
3 novembre 2020 | International, Naval
BWXT CEO: Navy’s Next-Generation SSN(X) Attack Boat Will Build Off Columbia Class
By: Sam LaGrone
November 2, 2020 6:52 PM
The Navy's next attack submarine will feature technology in the Columbia-class program and be significantly larger than the current class of the Virginia-class attack submarines, the chief executive of BWX Technologies said on Monday as part of the company's third-quarter earnings call.
The head of the company that builds the nuclear reactors for the Navy's aircraft carriers and submarines said the follow-on to the Virginia SSN would be significantly larger than the current crop of attack boats.
“We do expect it will be a larger type of submarine, probably in the size class of the Columbia, but there's not much more to tell than that. But we're working with our Navy customer in what that would look like and how we could take that into production,” Rex Geveden said.
“It has the moniker SSN(X) until it gets a class name, and there's some thought, discussion and analysis. It would be the follow-on to the Virginia fast-attack submarine, and it would feather in sometime in the late 2030s.”
USNI News understands that Geveden was referring to the submarine's diameter rather than its underwater displacement. The Columbia class is planned to displace about 20,000 tons – about 2,000 more than the current Ohio ballistic missile submarines. The current Virginias displace about 8,000 tons. The Columbia-class hulls are about 42-feet in diameter, while the Virginias are 36-feet wide.
A wider hull for submarines can improve characteristics like stealth, allowing ship designers to build in more sound-deadening technology and allow room to develop systems to increase a boat's speed, but it is more expansive to build.
The comments are in line with remarks from Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Mike Gilday, who called for the development of a more aggressive attack submarine as a lynchpin of future fleet build-up.
“The advantage we have in the undersea is an advantage that we need to not only maintain, but we need to expand. I want to own the undersea for forever because I know that I can be really lethal from the undersea,” he said last month.
“When you think attack boat, you're thinking, that can move around the timing and tempo of an operational commander's need to deliver ordinance on target in a timely fashion. And so it's got to be a fast sub as well.”
After the Cold War, the U.S. submarine fleet pivoted from the deep-diving, heavily armed Seawolf-class of attack submarines to the Virginia-class, which was optimized to perform signals intelligence and special operations missions in the littorals.
“Specifically, the Navy indicates that the next-generation attack submarine should be faster, stealthier, and able to carry more torpedoes than the Virginia class—similar to the Seawolf-class submarine,” the CBO said in late 2018.
The return to a more heavily armed, faster submarine is in line with the latest National Security Strategy that places Russia and China at the top of the threat list.
Geveden was optimistic on BWXT's outlook for work to build reactors for the Navy's carriers and submarines well into the future.
“The nuclear operations groups has really ramped up on the first Columbia, and we are having expectational performance on that program for the Navy customer, and we anticipate another order in the next multi-year pricing agreement,” he said.
“We also had an exceptional year of performance on aircraft carriers benefitting from the acceleration of the Ford-class and believe this program will continue for decades as the U.S.'s main force projection asset.”
While the company is bullish on the outlook for submarine work, it remains unclear at what rate the Navy will be buying them.
Like General Dynamics Electric Boat, which briefed investors last week, BWXT has not received a clear signal from the Navy that it would need to build submarines at the rate of three a year, in line with a call from Secretary of Defense Mark Esper as part of his Battle Force 2045 plan.
“In the previous shipbuilding plan, there were 48 fast attack submarines. In the current one, it went to 66. Esper said he was looking at something like 70 to 80 fast attack submarines in the fleet,” Geveden said.
“When we last discussed any capital needs around that, what we said was if there was a single year of a third Virginia, we could probably accommodate that without any additional buildout. We haven't evaluated a permanent three-Virginia tempo, and we haven't discussed any capital needs around that, but we would have to invest in that case.”
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26 juin 2019 | International, Aérospatial, Naval, Terrestre, C4ISR, Sécurité, Autre défense
Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - June 25, 2019
ARMY Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., Stratford, Connecticut, was awarded a $91,291,064 hybrid (cost-plus-fixed-fee and firm-fixed-price) contract to provide engineering and other support services for all versions of the H-60 Blackhawk. One bid was solicited with one bid received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of June 27, 2024. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity (W58RGZ-19-D-0079). DynCorp International LLC, Fort Worth, Texas, was awarded a $12,337,211 modification (P00034) to contract W58RGZ-17-C-0011 for modification of five C-12R aircraft to a C-12V. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas, with an estimated completion date of May 31, 2023. Fiscal 2019 aircraft procurement, Army funds in the amount of $12,337,211 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity. MCR Federal LLC,* McLean, Virginia, was awarded an $8,135,050 modification (0001 20) to contract W31P4Q-16-A-0016 for technical engineering support services. Work will be performed in Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, with an estimated completion date of June 29, 2020. Fiscal 2019 foreign military sales admin and other procurement, Army funds in the amount of $8,135,050 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity. NAVY Leidos Inc., Reston, Virginia, is awarded a $62,975,474 cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for engineering and technical services to meet fleet requirements for Synthetic Signature Generation based training systems. This contract will provide scientific, engineering, and technical services required for the design, development, fabrication, integration, test, fleet implementation and maintenance. Work will be performed in Bethesda, Maryland, and is expected to be complete by December 2022. Fiscal 2019 other procurement (Navy), fiscal 2017 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy), and fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funding in the amount of $10,762,779 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, Carderock Division, West Bethesda, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N00167-19-D-0004). L3 Systems Co., Camden, New Jersey, is awarded an estimated $41,518,454 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, firm-fixed-price, cost-plus fixed-fee contract. The Battle Force Tactical Network program requires the procurement and integration of commercial, off-the-shelf (COTS) high frequency internet protocol and subnet relay hardware, COTS software and government off-the-shelf software into a specified configuration for the Program Executive Office Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Intelligence. This contract has a five-year ordering period up to the contract award amount. There are no options. Work will be performed in Camden, New Jersey, and work is expected to be completed by June 2024. No funding is being placed on contract and obligated at the time of award. Contract actions will be issued and funds obligated as individual delivery orders. This contract was competitively procured as a full and open competition with proposals solicited via the Federal Business Opportunities website, with three offers received. The Naval Information Warfare Systems Command, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity (N00039-19-D-0035). Wyle Laboratories Inc. (aka, KBRwyle), Huntsville, Alabama, is awarded a $41,081,160 cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract to provide engineering, technical, operational, test and logistics services in support of the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division's (NAWCAD's) Surface/Aviation Interoperability Laboratory. In addition, this contract provides for facilities testing and laboratory equipment, installed avionics and ship-combat systems maintenance. Work will be performed at NAWCAD, Patuxent River, Maryland, and is expected to be completed in July 2024. No funds will be obligated at time of award; funds will be obligated on individual orders as they are issued. This contract was competitively procured via an electronic request for proposals; four offers were received. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N00421-19-D-0070). Gilbane Federal, Concord, California, is awarded a $31,683,336 firm-fixed-price contract for unaccompanied enlisted housing at the Naval Base Guam. Buildings 5, 6, 18 and 20, will undergo conversion and alteration of each structure to house double-occupancy, permanent-party housing units and building common areas including multipurpose spaces, shared kitchens, vending areas, shared laundries and other miscellaneous support spaces. This project will also include the full renovation of the second floor existing double-occupancy permanent-party housing units in Building 18. The contract also contains one unexercised option, which if exercised, would increase cumulative contract value to $32,966,436. Work will be performed in Joint Region Marianas, Guam, and is expected to be completed by October 2022. Fiscal 2019 military construction (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $31,683,336 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 four proposals received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Pacific, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, is the contracting activity (N62742-19-C-1310). BAE Systems Land & Armaments L.P., Louisville, Kentucky, is awarded $14,134,492 for a firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to previously awarded contract N00174-19-C-0004 for one overhauled/upgraded MK45 Mod 4 gun mount, and their associated components. The 5-inch MK 45 light weight gun mount system provides an effective weapon for anti-surface, naval surface fire support, and anti-air warfare missions, and is installed aboard DDG- 51 and CG-47 class ships. This contract is to provide all necessary material and services required to overhaul and upgrade MK 45 gun mounts to support AEGIS Modernization and Arleigh Burke new construction requirements. Work will be performed in Louisville, Kentucky, and is expected to be complete by October 2023. Fiscal 2019 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funding in the amount of $14,134,492 will be obligated at time of award and not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Indian Head Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technology Division, Indian Head, Maryland, is the contracting activity. AIR FORCE Innovative Technologies International Inc., Lynchburg, Virginia, has been awarded a $7,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for Katana Hardware Fabrication effort. The contract provides for concept design analysis and advanced fabrication capabilities to rapidly manufacture products meeting specific characteristics through a partnering arrangement by fulfilling research, development, test and evaluation requirements for Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, with organization-specific tasks. Work will be performed at Lynchburg, Virginia, and is expected to be completed by June 25, 2024. This contract is the result of a sole source award. Fiscal 2018 research and development funds in the amount of $24,897.00 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Research Laboratory, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, is the contracting activity, Eglin AFB, Florida (FA8651-19). *Small business https://dod.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/1887115/source/GovDelivery/
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29 janvier 2021 | International, Terrestre
Northrop Grumman Says It Will Walk Away From Cluster Bomb Contract
The company's CEO says the decision is part of a move to "be thoughtful about potential human rights implications" of its products. Northrop Grumman said Thursday that it would walk away from a U.S. government cluster bomb contract as the company moves to distance itself from the deadly weapons commonly associated with civilian casualties. The contract involves the “testing of cluster munition components” and is “structured to help remove cluster munitions safely,” Northrop CEO Kathy Warden said on her company's quarterly earnings call on Thursday. The company does not make cluster munitions, which are air or ground-launched bombs that contain submunitions that spread indiscriminately over a wide area. Unexploded weapons from wars decades ago are still killing civilians. “We recognize that even supporting an area like cluster munitions for investors is of concern, because safe removal implies that at one point there was an embracing of the use of these products,” she said. “When we look at our portfolio, we are going to continue to recognize, we support our government and our allies in the important work of enabling our troops to do their work, but at the same time, be thoughtful about potential human rights implications, and how these technologies may be used in the future and provides equal consideration to safeguards associated with them.” With Democrats now controlling the White House and Congress, Warden used the earnings call to tout the company's environment, sustainability, and workforce-diversification efforts. “When we look through the lens of sustainability at our portfolio, we look at not only what capability we're providing, but how it's being used, or how we expect the customer to use that capability going forward,” she said. Still, Warden said, she expects no “significant changes” to the company's portfolio. Her comments come as the Biden administration has reportedly frozen several controversial weapons sales to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The Trump administration cleared multibillion-deals to sell F-35 stealth fighters and armed drones to UAE. It also reportedly approved a $500 million deal that would have allowed Raytheon to sell smart bombs to Saudi Arabia. Earlier this week, Raytheon CEO Greg Hayes said he expects the Biden administration to block that deal. “Generally speaking, when it comes to arms sales, it is typical at the start of an administration to review any pending sales to make sure that what is being considered is something that advances our strategic objectives and advances our foreign policy,” Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said Wednesday. “So that's what we're doing at this moment.” Saudi and UAE airstrikes have killed thousands of civilians in Yemen's civil war, according to UN reports.“We already have a portfolio where we have looked through that lens in making decisions about where we invest and what work we undertake,” she said. “This was just one small contract that came to us through the acquisition, and we've made a decision to stop performing in that area.” Northrop's decision to abandon the contract represents “a symbol of the stigma attached to these weapons,” said Jeff Abramson, coordinator of the U.S. Campaign to Ban Landmines and Cluster Munition Coalition. “Investors have gotten a lot of pressure not to invest in companies touching cluster munitions,” he said. Warden said Northrop would walk away from the cluster munition “surveillance” contract by the end of the year. “A stockpile surveillance program is a continuing process of testing of a stockpile to track its reliability as it sits in storage for the balance of its shelf life,” said Mark Hiznay, associate director of the Arms Division of Human Rights Watch. Textron, the last U.S. company to make cluster bombs, announced in 2016 that it would quit producing them, after the Obama administration banned sales to Saidi Arabia. ATK was a supplier to the CBU-87 and Sensor Fuzed Weapon cluster munitions. Warden, who became CEO of Northrop in January 2019, touted Northrop's recently being named in the top 25 of gender-balanced S&P 500 firms as well as being named to DiversityInc's list of Top 50 Companies for Diversity for more than a decade. The Biden administration has assembled what is believed to be the most diverse Cabinet in U.S. history. “In our endeavor to enable global security and human advancement, we recognize the importance of our environmental, social and governance responsibilities, and we expect to continue leading our industry forward,” Warden said. https://www.defenseone.com/business/2021/01/northrop-grumman-says-it-will-walk-away-cluster-bomb-contract/171713/