Canada promised to deliver a $400M air defence system to Ukraine a year ago. It still hasn't arrived.

Sur le même sujet

• 

  27 juin 2019 | International, Aérospatial, Autre défense

  The Air Force’s 5 principles to advance artificial intelligence

  By: Kelsey Reichmann The Air Force has been on an almost three-year journey to integrate artificial intelligence into operations and that effort will soon be more apparent as the service plans to declassify its artificial intelligence strategy, Capt. Michael Kanaan, the service's co-chair for artificial intelligence, said June 26 at the AI World Government Conference in Washington, D.C. “We had to find a way to get us to a place where we could talk about AI in a pragmatic, principled, meaningful way,” said Kanaan. During his speech, Kanaan laid out five principles that have guided the Air Force with artificial intelligence in the meantime. They are: 1. Technological barriers will be a significant hurdle. Kanaan said the service has made it a point to limit technological obstacles. However, one problem contractors may face is higher priced products geared toward security-driven government programs versus the same, less expensive commercial programs. A new attitude toward commercial off-the-shelf technology within the service can help, he said. “Too often working with our agencies, they have to take risks in the framework of time, people and bespoke unique solutions to deploy on your systems,” Kanaan said. However, this does not have to be the case. “Accept commercial standards because unclassified does not mean un-secured." 2. Data needs to be treated like a strategic asset. “We used to ask the question, if a tree falls in the forest does it make a sound. Well, in the 21st century the real question to ask is was something there to measure it,” he said. He explained this involves looking at when and how to digitize workflows. 3. The Air Force must be able to democratize access to AI. “This is an opportunity now to say, machine learning as our end state, if done right, should be readable to everyone else,” Kanaan said. This will involve balancing support and operations and taking into consider the reality that the demographics of the traditional workforce are going to shift, Kanaan explained. “Not looking at the top one percent, but focusing on the 99 percent of our workforce,” he said. “The Air Force, of those 450,000 people, 88 percent are millennials [adults under 40]." Looking to digital natives in the integration process will be valuable because this younger slice of the workforce already has insights into how this technology works. 4. Computer skills must be viewed as strategic assets. Just as the Defense Department has treated foreign language skills as an asset, Kanaan said, the Air Force must view computer skills the same way. In the United States, 50,000 graduates qualified for 500,000 technology-based jobs each year, and the Air Force must promote emerging technology skills the way it did traditional electrical engineering, astronautics and aeronautics during the space race, Kanaan said. “I believe that it is time for another national defense education act," Kanaan said. 5. Communication, transparency and cooperation are imperative. As innovations are made, communication, transparency and cooperation are necessary for discussions with international governments, industry and academic partners, Kanaan said. “As Americans we should be communicating about the ethics of artificial intelligence and how we view society every single day. These are important topics and they do provide that signal to the rest of the world that we view our society in different ways than maybe some others and our values and norms are important because AI at its end state bolsters our biases.” Most importantly, these issues must be addressed sooner rather than later, Kanaan said. https://www.c4isrnet.com/artificial-intelligence/2019/06/26/the-air-forces-5-principles-to-advance-artificial-intelligence/

• 

  9 juillet 2019 | International, Aérospatial, Naval, Terrestre, C4ISR, Sécurité, Autre défense

  Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - July 8, 2019

  DEFENSE INFORMATION SYSTEMS AGENCY Affinity Innovations LLC,* Hanover, Maryland (HC1047-19-D-2020); Applied Systems Engineering Joint Venture LLC,* Annapolis Junction, Maryland (HC1047-19-D-2021); A Square Group LLC,* Rockville, Maryland (HC1047-19-D-2022); Business Computers Management Consulting Group LLC,* Falls Church, Virginia (HC1047-19-D-2023); Bluestone Logic LLC,* Washington, District of Columbia (HC1047-19-D-2024); Credence Management Solutions LLC,* Vienna, Virginia (HC1047-19-D-2025); DHPC Technologies Inc.,* Woodbridge, New Jersey (HC1047-19-D-2026); InCadence Strategic Solutions Corp.,* Manassas, Virginia (HC1047-19-D-2027); INNOPLEX LLC,* Columbia, Maryland (HC1047-19-D-2028); Innovation Evolution Technologies JV LLC,* Reston, Virginia (HC1047-19-D-2029); Innovative Government Solutions JV LLC,* Virginia Beach, Virginia (HC1047-19-D-2030); Integrated Systems Inc.,* Tysons Corner, Virginia (HC1047-19-D-2031); Interactive Process Technology LLC,* Billerica, Massachusetts (HC1047-19-D-2032); Mission Support LP,* McLean, Virginia (HC1047-19-D-2033); NetCentric Technologies Inc.,* Wall, New Jersey (HC1047-19-D-2034); Riverside Engineering LLC,* Vienna, Virginia (HC1047-19-D-2035); Semper AASKI Alliance Inc.,* Canyon Lake, Texas (HC1047-19-D-2036); Superlative Technologies Inc.,* Ashburn, Virginia (HC1047-19-D-2037); Synergy Business Innovation & Solutions Inc.,* Arlington, Virginia (HC1047-19-D-2038); TekSynap Corp.,* Reston, Virginia (HC1047-19-D-2039); Tiber Creek Consulting Inc.,* Fairfax, Virginia (HC1047-19-D-2040); ValidaTek Inc.,* Arlington, Virginia (HC1047-19-D-2041); and VOLANT Associates LLC,* Chantilly, Virginia (HC1047-19-D-2042), were each awarded an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (ID/IQ) contract for Systems Engineering, Technology and Innovation (SETI). This was a competitive solicitation for a multiple-award ID/IQ contract. Two pools were solicited, one unrestricted and one restricted for small businesses. These awards are for the restricted pool. The contracts in the unrestricted pool were awarded on June 14, 2018. The face value of the entire ID/IQ is a ceiling amount of $7,500,000,000. Awardees will each receive a minimum guarantee of $500 applicable to the base ordering period only. All other funding will be obligated at the task order level. Performance locations will be identified at the task order level and may be worldwide. Proposals were solicited via the Federal Business Opportunities website and 99 proposals were received for the restricted pool. The period of performance is a five-year base period with one five-year option period. The Defense Information Technology Contracting Organization, National Capital Region, is the contracting activity. NAVY Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is awarded $41,269,021 for modification P00002 to a previously awarded order (N00019-19-F-2474) placed against basic ordering agreement N00019-14-G-0020. This modification exercises an option for the design, procurement and integration of flight test instrumentation and data processing solutions for F-35 Lightning II development test aircraft to support the Tech Refresh-3 and the Follow on Modernization Block 4 mission systems configuration. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas, and is expected to be completed in February 2021. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation (Air Force) and non-U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) participant funds in the amount of $2,470,993 are being obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This modification combines purchases for the Air Force ($16,501,005; 40%); Navy ($8,250,503; 20%); Marine Corps ($8,250,503; 20%); and non-U.S. DoD participants ($8,267,010; 20%). The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. Deloitte Consulting LLP, Arlington, Virginia, is awarded a $21,656,574 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for execution of sustainment and technical support for special projects and electronic systems for experimental, demonstration and developmental technology for the Navy, Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection and other government agencies. This is one of four multiple-award contracts. All awardees will have the opportunity to compete for task orders during the ordering period. This three-year contract includes two two-year option periods, which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to an estimated $52,659,079. Work will be performed in San Diego, California, and work is expected to be completed July 7, 2022. If all options are exercised, the period of performance would extend through July 7, 2026. No funds will be obligated at the time of award. Funds will be obligated as task orders and are issued using research, development, test and evaluation (Navy); operations and maintenance (Navy); other procurement (Navy); and Department of Homeland Security. This contract was competitively procured via Request for Proposal N66001-18-R-0110, which was published on the Federal Business Opportunities website and the Naval Information Warfare Systems Command e-Commerce Central website. Four offers were received and four were selected for award. Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity (N66001-19-D-0111). Serco Inc., Herndon, Virginia, is awarded an $18,163,831 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for execution of sustainment and technical support for special projects and electronic systems for experimental, demonstration and developmental technology for the U.S. Navy, Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection and other government agencies. This is one of four multiple-award contracts. All awardees will have the opportunity to compete for task orders during the ordering period. This three-year contract includes two two-year option periods, which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to an estimated $44,421,226. Work will be performed in San Diego, California, and work is expected to be completed July 7, 2022. If all options are exercised, the period of performance would extend through July 7, 2026. No funds will be obligated at the time of award. Funds will be obligated as task orders and are issued using research, development, test and evaluation (Navy); operations and maintenance (Navy); other procurement (Navy); and Department of Homeland Security. This contract was competitively procured via Request for Proposal N66001-18-R-0110, which was published on the Federal Business Opportunities website and the Naval Information Warfare Systems Command e-Commerce Central website. Four offers were received and four were selected for award. Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity (N66001-19-D-0113). McKean Defense Group LLC, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is awarded a $17,594,138 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for execution of sustainment and technical support for special projects and electronic systems for experimental, demonstration and developmental technology for the Navy, Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection and other government agencies. This is one of four multiple-award contracts. All awardees will have the opportunity to compete for task orders during the ordering period. This three-year contract includes two two-year option periods, which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to an estimated $42,574,062. Work will be performed in San Diego, California, and work is expected to be completed July 7, 2022. If all options are exercised, the period of performance would extend through July 7, 2026. No funds will be obligated at the time of award. Funds will be obligated as task orders and are issued using research, development, test and evaluation (Navy); operations and maintenance (Navy); other procurement (Navy); and Department of Homeland Security. This contract was competitively procured via Request for Proposal N66001-18-R-0110, which was published on the Federal Business Opportunities website and the Naval Information Warfare Systems Command e-Commerce Central website. Four offers were received and four were selected for award. Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity (N66001-19-D-0112). Alutiiq Information Management LLC, Kodiak, Alaska, is awarded a $15,292,491 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for execution of sustainment and technical support for special projects and electronic systems for experimental, demonstration and developmental technology for the Navy, Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection and other government agencies. This is one of four multiple-award contracts. All awardees will have the opportunity to compete for task orders during the ordering period. This three-year contract includes two two-year option periods, which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to an estimated $36,742,366. Work will be performed in San Diego, California, and work is expected to be completed July 7, 2022. If all options are exercised, the period of performance would extend through July 7, 2026. No funds will be obligated at the time of award. Funds will be obligated as task orders are issued using research, development, test and evaluation (Navy); operations and maintenance (Navy); other procurement (Navy); and Department of Homeland Security. This contract was competitively procured via Request for Proposal N66001-18-R-0110, which was published on the Federal Business Opportunities website and the Naval Information Warfare Systems Command e-Commerce Central website. Four offers were received and four were selected for award. Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity (N66001-19-D-0110). ARMY The Boeing Co., Mesa, Arizona, was awarded a $21,567,229 modification (P00004) to foreign military sales (United Kingdom) contract W58RGZ-17-D-0052 for engineering services. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 2, 2022. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity. Princeton Hydro LLC,* Ringoes, New Jersey, was awarded a $9,900,000 firm-fixed-price contract for architect-engineering services for navigation and flood damage projects. Bids were solicited via the internet with four received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of July 7, 2024. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New York, New York, is the contracting activity (W912DS-19-D-0003). DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Parker Hannifin Corp., Irvine, California, has been awarded a maximum $13,828,991 firm-fixed-price delivery order (SPRPA1-19-F-KP2V) against a five-year basic ordering agreement (SPE4A1-17-G-0011) for F/A-18 spare parts. 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 a 47-month contract with no option periods. Location of performance is California, with a June 30, 2023 performance completion date. Using military service is Navy. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2023 Navy aircraft procurement funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. UPDATE: Easy Street JD&S LLC, Carol Stream, Illinois (SPE8EC-19-D-0041), has been added as an awardee to the multiple award contract issued against solicitation SPE8EC-17-R-0002 announced Nov. 8, 2016. *Small business https://dod.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/1898178/source/GovDelivery/

• 

  5 novembre 2018 | International, C4ISR

  After Hurricane Michael, the Air Force moved Tyndall AFB’s contracting data to the cloud

  By: Valerie Insinna WASHINGTON — After Hurricane Michael ravaged Tyndall Air Force Base in October, airmen took on an unusual mission: recovering the servers base officials used to write, release and award contracts. Reclaiming those servers — which contain data and contract vehicles used by Tyndall's two contracting squadrons to order everything for the base from supplies for the base to spare parts for aircraft — was a relatively minor victory when compared to the larger devastation faced by the installation. But the mission was an important one in that it allowed remaining base personnel to manage contracts in the wake of the disaster, Air Force officials told Defense News. “Obviously, the base is devastated ... but it's clear that there were open, existing contracts whether that was for simple things like cutting the lawn or delivering food to the chow hall on base,” said Richard Aldridge, the Air Force's program executive officer for business and enterprise systems. “Someone has got to either terminate them, or put them on pause or make sure vendors are getting paid for work that they had already done before the contract.” In the days after the hurricane, airmen from Gunter Annex in Alabama worked with the state's civil air patrol to fly into the Florida panhandle, obtain Tyndall's servers and transport them back to Maxwell Air Force Base, where Gunter is located. Then, the service transferred data from the legacy contract writing system into a new cloud-based system called CON-IT, short for Contracting Information Technology. The servers from Tyndall weren't necessary for base officials to use CON-IT, said Mike Allen, the Air Force's CON-IT program manager. But without them, contract officers would be left with no digital record of past contracts, and would be forced to draw up new contracts for mundane goods and services that would normally be bought through indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contracts that allow for multiple orders. "We were then able to migrate [the data from the servers] into CON-IT so that existing [indefinite delivery-indefinite quantity contracts] or ordering vehicles were available to them, and all of their existing contracts would be available to work with,” said Allen. “They weren't starting from a blank piece of paper.” And moving to a cloud-based environment means that Tyndall's contracting data will no longer be vulnerable to future disasters, Aldridge added. “It's ubiquitous; it doesn't matter where you are, you can access it,” he said. Allen and Aldridge said the program office was able to transition Tyndall's data and train users on the new system, but were unable to provide details on how Tyndall's contracting officers had since used the new system. The plan is to move all of the Air Force's current contract data from existing legacy systems to CON-IT by the end of 2019. The system, built by and originally developed by Appian for use by the Defense Information Systems Agency, has deployed to 1,100 users in 30 locations so far, Allen said. CON-IT will replace three legacy systems: the standard procurement system that supports operational users; ConWrite, which supports the weapon system acquisition and research and development; and the automated contract preparation system for logistics contracts. https://www.c4isrnet.com/it-networks/2018/11/02/after-hurricane-michael-the-air-force-moved-tyndall-afbs-contracting-data-to-the-cloud