12 février 2020 | International, Aérospatial, Naval
by Robert Farley Follow drfarls on TwitterL
Key Point: Paris has a long history of building aircraft carriers, including their current nuclear-powered Charles de Gaulle. If France wants to remain a relevant great power, it needs to think about what comes next after its carrier reaches retirement.
France's first carrier entered service in the interwar period, but for a very long time the French navy trailed behind international counterparts in naval aviation. This changed in the Cold War, however, and today France operates the world's most advanced carrier outside of the U.S. Navy. How did France build its naval aviation force, what does it do today and what direction will France take next?
The History of French Carriers
Soon after World War I, France joined the international carrier community through the conversion of the battleship hulk Bearn. Although large, Bearn did not carry many aircraft and never actively participated in combat, even during World War II. The construction of two additional large carriers was suspended by World War II, but after the war the French navy gained access to light carriers transferred from Britain and the United States.
Four in total, these carriers helped the French navy develop its naval aviation muscles. The next step was big; France constructed a pair of CATOBAR aircraft carriers, Clemenceau and Foch. Commissioned in 1961 and 1963, the ships displaced 30,000 tons and could carry around forty modern aircraft. A third carrier, the much larger Verdun, was cancelled before being laid down. Clemenceau and Foch, operating the F-8 Crusader and later the Super Etendard, would form the backbone of the world's second largest carrier force for the latter half of the Cold War. After nearly forty years of hard service, the two ships were decommissioned in favor of France's next carrier, the nuclear-powered Charles de Gaulle.
10 mars 2021 | International, Aérospatial, Naval
PATUXENT RIVER, Md. — The U.S. Navy awarded Vertex Aerospace LLC (Vertex) a contract for $71.4 million on March 2 for the base year for the Contractor Logistics and Maintenance Support (CLS) in support of the Advanced Helicopter Training System...
6 août 2020 | International, Aérospatial, Naval, Terrestre, C4ISR, Sécurité
AIR FORCE HHI Corp., Ogden, Utah (FA2517-20-D-0011); Pro-Mark Services, Inc., West Fargo, North Dakota (FA2517-20-D-0010); Native American Services Corp., Kellogg, Idaho (FA2517-20-D-0009); and Creative Times Dayschool LLC, Ogden, Utah (FA2517-20-D-0007), have collectively been awarded contracts valued at $422,222,224 in support of an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, multiple-award construction contract. This contract provides for a broad range of design-bid-build/design-build services up to 100% and maintenance, repair and minor construction work on real property along the Front Range of Colorado and Wyoming. Work will be primarily performed at Fort Carson Army Base, Colorado, to include Pinon Canyon Maneuver Site, and Pueblo Chemical Depot; Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Station, Colorado; Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado; Schriever AFB, Colorado; United States Air Force Academy, Colorado, to include Farish Memorial Recreation and Bulls Eye Auxiliary Airfield; Buckley AFB, Colorado; and F.E. Warren AFB, Wyoming. Work is expected to be completed Feb. 2, 2028. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition and 32 offers were received. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $5,000 will be awarded to each contractor at the time of award. The 21st Contracting Squadron Peterson AFB, Colorado, is the contracting activity. DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Chico Produce Inc.,* doing business as ProPacific Fresh, Durham, California (SPE300-20-D-P351, $135,000,000), and Coast Citrus Distributors,* doing business as Coast Tropical, Union City, California (SPE300-20-D-S742, $15,000,000) have each been awarded a fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract under solicitation SPE300-19-R-0006 for fresh fruit and vegetable support for the Northern California and Northwestern Nevada zones. These were competitive acquisitions with two responses received. They are five-year contracts with no option periods. Locations of performance are California and Nevada, with an Aug. 5, 2025, ordering period end date. Using customers are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, Department of Agriculture schools and tribal reservations. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2025 defense working capital funds. The contracting agency is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NAVY General Dynamics National Steel and Shipbuilding Co. – Norfolk, Norfolk, Virginia, is awarded a $106,923,080, firm-fixed-price contract for the execution of the USS Bataan (LHD 5) fiscal 2020 selected restricted availability. This availability will include a combination of maintenance, modernization and repair of the USS Bataan (LHD 5). This contract includes options which, if exercised, will bring the cumulative value of this contract to $130,861,394. Work will be performed in Norfolk, Virginia. This is a “long-term” non-docking availability and was solicited on a coast-wide (east and Gulf coasts) basis without limiting the place of performance to the vessel's homeport. General Dynamics NASSCO – Norfolk will provide the facilities and human resources capable of completing, coordinating and integrating multiple areas of ship maintenance, repair and modernization for USS Bataan (LHD 5). Work is expected to be completed by December 2021. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Navy); and 2020 other procurement (Navy) funding in the amount of $106,923,080 will be obligated upon contract award and funds in the amount of $1,816,383 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured using full and open competition via the Federal Business Opportunities website and one offer was received in response to Solicitation No. N00024-19-R-4467. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity (N00024-20-C-4467). Kellogg Brown and Root Services Inc., Houston, Texas, is awarded a $75,000,000 maximum amount, firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity job order contract for construction projects at Camp Lemonnier and Chabelley Air Field, Djibouti. No task orders are being issued at this time. Work will be performed in Djibouti, Africa. The work to be performed provides for various renovations, repairs, maintenance, replacements, alterations, demolition and construction projects for Camp Lemonnier and Chabelley Air Field, Djibouti. The construction may include minor alteration, repair of real property (industrial and commercial) and utilities. The term of the contract is not to exceed 60 months and work is expected to be completed by September 2025. Fiscal 2020 military operations and maintenance (Navy) (O&M, N) contract funds in the amount of $5,000 are obligated on this award for the guaranteed minimum and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Future task orders will be primarily funded by O&M, N and military construction (Navy). This contract was competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities website and six proposals were received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Europe Africa Central, is the contracting activity (N33191-20-D-0811). General Dynamics National Steel and Shipbuilding Co. San Diego, San Diego, California, was awarded a $37,195,489, firm-fixed-price contract for the execution of the USS Lake Erie (CG 70) fiscal 2021 Selected Restricted Availability. This availability will include a combination of maintenance, modernization and repair of the USS Lake Erie. This contract includes a base period and options which, if exercised, will bring the cumulative value of this contract to $62,991,030. Work will be performed in San Diego, California. This is a “long-term” availability and was solicited on a coast-wide (west coast) basis without limiting the place of performance to the vessel's homeport. National Steel and Shipbuilding Co. will provide the facilities and human resources capable of completing, coordinating and integrating multiple areas of ship maintenance, repair and modernization for USS Lake Erie. Work is expected to be completed by January 2022. Fiscal 2020 other procurement (Navy); and 2020 operations and maintenance (Navy) funding in the amount of $37,195,489 will be obligated at time of award and funds in the amount of $3,633,807 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured using full and open competition via the Federal Business Opportunities website and three offers were received in response to Solicitation No. N00024-20-R-4401. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity. (Awarded July 31, 2020) ARMY Leidos Inc., Reston, Virginia, was awarded an $11,916,585 modification (P00001) to contract W58RGZ-20-C-0024 to support the continued system operations and sustainment services and test and training services in support of the Saturn Arch Aerial Intelligence Systems Quick Reaction Capability Program. Work will be performed in Reston, Virginia; Bridgewater, Virginia; and Huntsville, Alabama, with an estimated completion date of March 16, 2024. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Army) funds in the amount of $11,916,585 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity. DR Reed and Associates Inc.,* Nederland, Colorado, was awarded a $9,800,000 firm-fixed-price contract for architecture and engineering services for civil works projects at various locations in the Los Angeles District. Bids were solicited via the internet with five received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 4, 2025. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Los Angeles, California, is the contracting activity (W912PL-20-D-0032). CORRECTION: It was previously-announced that contract W911QY-20-C-0086 had been awarded on Aug. 3, 2020. The actual award date was Aug. 4, 2020. *Small Business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2302143/source/GovDelivery/
7 août 2019 | International, Aérospatial
L'armée suisse va démarrer prochainement les essais des systèmes radar destinés à renouveler sa défense sol-air de longue portée. Deux systèmes sont dans la course: le Patriot de la société américaine Raytheon et le SAMP/T du consortium français Eurosam. L'achat de ces systèmes est lié au programme d'acquisition des nouveaux avions de combat. Les essais auront lieu sur l'ancienne place d'exercice de Menzingen dans le canton de Zoug, a indiqué mercredi le Département fédéral de la défense (DDPS). Les détecteurs du Patriot seront testés du 19 au 30 août et ceux du SAMP/T du 16 au 27 septembre. Au total, dix missions spécifiques seront réalisées pour évaluer les aspects techniques et opérationnels de ces appareils. Il s'agira d'effectuer des mesures au sol et de sonder l'espace aérien à la recherche d'avions des Forces aériennes. Pas d'essais de tir Les deux candidats accompliront le même programme d'essai afin d'assurer l'égalité de traitement, a expliqué Marc Dürr, de l'Office fédéral de l'armement armasuisse, responsable des essais. Aucun essai n'aura lieu les jours fériés ou le week-end. Et il n'y aura pas de tir. Les tests ont lieu en Suisse car la topographie a une influence sur les détecteurs, a ajouté M. Dürr. La situation n'est pas la même dans le massif alpin ou dans une zone côtière. Le choix se portera sur un modèle qui sera utilisé tel quel et qui ne nécessitera pas d'adaptations pour la Suisse. Les résultats de chaque candidat seront ensuite comparés. Suivra alors un deuxième appel d'offres comme pour le nouvel avion de combat. Le Conseil fédéral tranchera à fin 2020 ou début 2021 sur la base des évaluations et des rapports des experts de l'armée. Huit milliards au total La surface à couvrir par la défense sol-air doit être de 15'000 km2 au moins. Le système doit atteindre une altitude d'engagement de plus de 12'000 m et une portée supérieure à 50 km. Il n'est pas nécessaire de disposer d'une capacité de défense contre des missiles balistiques. L'achat d'un système de défense sol-air se fera dans le cadre des programmes d'armement ordinaires. L'acquisition des avions de combat sera en revanche soumise au vote, probablement en septembre ou novembre 2020. La facture totale ne devait pas dépasser 8 milliards de francs. L'arrêté de planification doit comporter un volume de financement maximal pour les avions de 6 milliards, le reste étant dévolu à la défense sol-air. L'achat des avions et du système de défense sol-air sera coordonné sur le plan technique et du point de vue du calendrier. Quatre avions en lice Quatre jets ont été évalués entre avril et juin à Payerne pour remplacer les Tiger et les F/A-18 de l'armée. Le français Rafale (Dassault), l'européen Eurofighter (Airbus) et les deux avions américains: le successeur du FA-18, le Super Hornet de Boeing, et le F-35A de Lockheed-Martin. Le suédois Saab a retiré le Gripen E de l'évaluation. Les deux derniers projets d'achats de jets avaient été marqués par un scrutin populaire. L'acquisition de F/A-18 avait été rendue possible après l'échec en 1993 de l'initiative populaire s'y opposant. L'achat de Gripen a été rejeté en 2014 après un référendum contre le fonds qui aurait dû être mis sur pied pour le financer. https://www.rtn.ch/rtn/Actualite/economie/Les-nouveaux-systemes-de-defense-sol-air-de-l-armee-bientot-testes.html