12 décembre 2019 | International, Aérospatial

Connected Cockpit: Inflight Internet Access—Safety Tool Or Hazard?

James Albright

When we bought our current airplane, just over 10 years ago, I had a decision to make that I had never faced previously: Do we want access to the internet? Back then, the system of choice was expensive and slow, but since it would be useful for email and limited downloads, it was still worth considering. Interestingly, the passengers were strongly opposed. They regarded the airplane as their refuge from the world and a chance to unplug for several hours. While it would have been nice for we pilots to download weather products and flight plans, the system was so sluggish as to be of limited use. So, I decided against any internet access at all.

During the decade that followed, I heard from my more “connected” peers about pilots who quickly bring up social media accounts just a few minutes after the wheels are in the well. Some started out saying the internet was for flight-related purposes only, then they added access to online aviation magazines — that's flight related, isn't it? — and then came an aviation flick or two. After all, if “The Right Stuff” isn't aviation related, what is? A contract pilot friend of mine tells me of a pilot who became so engrossed in a “flight-related” video game, he was surprised by his aircraft's top of descent chime. As the years went on, I felt my original decision was vindicated. But I also realized there were times when having that internet connection would have saved me a last-minute divert or could have rescued us from an hours-long ATC delay.

And now that we are about to take delivery of another new airplane, I was faced with the same internet question. The passengers still wanted refuge from the connected world and the new systems were still very expensive, but the capability of the new equipment has improved dramatically. Not only can we now rapidly download weather and flight plans, but we can also view nearly real-time weather radar animations. Most of the aviation world has embraced the internet allowing us to negotiate slot times, adjust ETAs, arrange destination support, get maintenance help and do just about anything from the air that was once reserved for before takeoff or after landing. So, my decision this time was different. We will have broadband internet access in our new cockpit. The only thing left to do about that was to come up with a policy to avoid all those horror stories involving pilots disconnecting from their airplane as they connect to the World Wide Web.

The Regs

Relevant U.S. Federal Regulations point only to 14 CFR 121.542(d), which says “no flight crewmember may use, nor may any pilot in command permit the use of, a personal wireless communications device (as defined in 49 U.S.C. 44732(d)) or laptop computer while at a flight crewmember duty station unless the purpose is directly related to operation of the aircraft, or for emergency, safety-related or employment-related communications, in accordance with air carrier procedures approved by the administrator.” This doesn't apply to us in the non-Part 121 world, but what about using a company-provided “non-personal” device or something you could broadly classify as a “non-communications device.”

The FAA clarifies the prohibition in Vol. 79, No. 29 of the Federal Register (Feb. 12, 2014): The final rule does not require an ‘‘ownership'' test regarding the laptop computer or personal wireless communications device. It doesn't matter who owns the device. The Federal Register also retains a broad category of included devices because a list of specific devices would ignore the reality of evolving technology. This broad category includes, but is not limited to, devices such as cellphones, smartphones, personal digital assistants, tablets, e-readers, some (but not all) gaming systems, iPods and MP3 players, as well as netbooks and notebook computers.

It appears Part 121 crews are tightly restricted but the rest of us are not, unless we operators have come up with rules of our own. As a Part 91 operator, that responsibility fell on my shoulders. Advisory Circular 91.21-D, “Use of Portable Electronic Devices Aboard Aircraft,” guides Part 91 operators on how to ensure these devices can be used but is silent on the subject of internet access. Should I restrict my crews (and myself) or should that mystical concept of “pilot judgment” be allowed to rule the day? When I don't know what to do, my first step is to find out what everyone else is doing.

A Non-Scientific Poll

Most of the flight departments that I asked rely on sound pilot judgment when deciding when the internet can be accessed in the cockpit and for what purposes. How is that working out? Many claim no problems, at least no problems worth noting. But many others admit things have gotten out of hand. Those flight departments with set SOPs usually recognize critical phases of flight and the nature of the internet browsing as key factors in the when and what questions. But these are not the only factors.

Phases of flight. Most, but not all, SOPs recognized that internet browsing should be limited to non-critical phases of flight. Critical phases were usually defined as whenever below 10,000 ft. but sometimes included whenever the aircraft was in a climb or descent. While no canvassed operator included it, I thought I might consider short versus long flights or oceanic versus non-oceanic flights when deciding for or against internet usage.

Permissible Uses. Everyone I asked agreed that using the internet for weather, air traffic delay information and other flight-related needs was acceptable. Some operators specified that “flight-related” meant pertaining only to that particular flight. Many allowed crewmembers to check personal email, but some restricted this to just a few minutes each hour. (One operator scheduled this so one pilot checks at the top of the hour, the other at the bottom.) Social media usage was specifically banned by some but not mentioned at all by others. A few specifically allowed pilots to use the internet to do a brief check of the news and sports. Those without any kind of internet policy admitted that some pilots would watch entire games or spend hours browsing on subjects completely unrelated to the flight in progress.

Most of the SOPs seem to deal with holding costs down more than reducing cockpit distractions. Streaming video is an obvious way to up the monthly charges, but other, more insidious expenses often play as big a role. One company found that its passengers were allowing software updates and other downloads that did not need to be done from 35,000 ft. Their typical passenger was boarding with three internet devices, each serving to monopolize the bandwidth, especially if an automatic company or device update was in progress. Although cabin SOP to reduce monthly charges is certainly useful, what I needed was an internet SOP for the cockpit crew.

The most complete SOP I found for internet usage by pilots is a hybrid approach that gives wide latitude during non-critical phases of flight but permits only flight-related activities otherwise:

“On aircraft equipped with inflight internet, flight crews must not allow the internet to become a distraction. Crews may connect their internet-enabled devices and may use the internet. Crew devices must not be utilized during any portion of a climb or descent unless they are being used for flight-critical functions such as checking weather, NOTAMs, etc. In these situations, one crewmember must be heads-up and dedicated to monitoring the aircraft. Playing games, watching movies or similar distracting activities are never authorized during climb, cruise or descent.”

When this policy was instituted a pilot asked about reading internet websites and was told only aviation-related websites were permitted. The pilot then cheekily commented that, “It is OK to be distracted as long as you were reading an article about removing distractions in the cockpit.”

I came away from this investigation wondering why there have not been any aviation accidents due to this kind of “distracted driving” that is illegal on the streets and highways of many states. I set out to prove a case against inflight internet browsing using the many, many aviation accidents that surely happened as a result of pilots distracted by a phone, iPad or other connected device.

Accidents: Real and Imagined

That list of many, many accidents turned out to contain just one. There must be more, but I found only one. On Aug. 26, 2011, a Eurocopter AS350 B2, operating under Part 135, impacted terrain following an engine failure near the airport in Mosby, Missouri. The helicopter experienced fuel exhaustion because the pilot departed without ensuring that the aircraft had an adequate supply of Jet-A. The investigation determined that the pilot engaged in frequent personal texting, both before and during the accident flight. He, the flight nurse, flight paramedic and patient were all killed as a result.

An addendum to that list might be the Oct. 21, 2009, flight of a Northwest Airlines Airbus A320 that continued on past Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (KMSP), its intended terminus. Early speculation was that both pilots fell asleep, but the NTSB later determined that they were using their laptop computers while discussing the airline's crew scheduling process. The NTSB report concluded, “The computers not only restricted the pilots' direct visual scan of all cockpit instruments but also further focused their attention on non-operational issues, contributing to a reduction in their monitoring activities, loss of situational awareness and lack of awareness of the passage of time.” They were only alerted to their situation when a flight attendant asked about their arrival time.

Although there has only been a single reported accident involving internet distraction, I suspected there have been many close calls. Yet a scan of thousands of NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System reports turned up only 243 incidents containing the word “internet” and of those only five involved distractions. And of those, three involved air traffic control towers or centers. The two pilot reports were both of captains complaining about their first officers.

Since there has been only one solitary accident from texting, cellphone use or internet access, should we conclude the risk is negligible? Or have we just been lucky all these years?

Internet Temptations

I've noticed a common theme among many cockpit internet users: Once allowed a limited number of acceptable uses, they gradually so expand the list that any limit becomes meaningless. I am worried about seeing this happen in my flight department because so many aviators I thought impervious to temptation have succumbed. The list of legitimate internet uses is a slippery slope indeed:

(1) Email and texts. It can't hurt to check now and then, especially considering many of these are work related. A message from a family member might be urgent. Or there may be a job opening you've been working on. Opportunity, they say, only knocks once.

(2) News. Wouldn't it be useful to know the president is showing up at or near your destination at about the same time? Indeed, there is a lot of news that can impact the success of your trip: blackouts, floods, earthquakes and forest fires, to name just a few. News can affect your livelihood as well. Just because you are flying doesn't mean your stock portfolio needs to suffer.

(3) Personal self-development. Some call it surfing and others call it browsing. Perhaps we can call it education. Why not spend those idle hours at altitude learning to be a better pilot? There are lots of good aviation websites and “e-zines” ready for that very purpose. Who couldn't benefit from a how-to in the most recent bow hunting magazine?

(4) Entertainment. A happy pilot is a safe pilot, everyone knows. (If they don't know that, they should.) As aviators we are professional multi-taskers and switching between a 4 DVD set of “Godfather” movies and your oceanic crossing post position plotting is child's play for any seasoned international pilot.

I am still a few months away from delivery of my new airplane, equipped with Ka-band high-speed internet. I am told we will be able to download a complete weather package with satellite imagery just as easily as we can stream the latest blockbuster from Hollywood. My initial attitude is to forbid anything remotely connected to entertainment or personal communications while in flight. But so many others have felt this way when starting out on the cockpit information superhighway and have given in. Will I be next?

Advantages of Cockpit Internet

The pilots of my flight department were starting to suspect that I had already made a decision about internet usage, focusing only on the negative. On our last flight to Europe, my cockpit partner wondered out loud how nice it would be to have real-time weather for the Continent. Flying from Florida to the Northeast, he wondered aloud about ground stops in the New York area. His hints were obvious, of course. But they had the intended effect. I needed to explore the pluses as well as the minuses.

Our flight department is paperless: Each pilot has an iPad with an international cellular account and we do not spare expenses when it comes to quality applications. There are a number of apps that we use during flight that would be even more useful if connected to the internet. We also use several websites that are only accessible with an active internet connection.

ARINCDirect. We do all of our flight planning through Collins' ARINCDirect application. The company's iPad app gives us access to updated winds, turbulence and icing reports; destination weather reports; updated NOTAMs; flight hazards; TFRs; and other reports we normally get before departure but never while en route. Having all of this real-time information can be a useful decision-making tool.

ForeFlight. Our favorite weather tool is the suite of imagery available in ForeFlight. Here you will find just about everything available in the U.S. government-provided weather sites, but they seem to download more quickly and getting to the page you want is easier. Weather charts are available for most of the Americas, Europe, the Atlantic and the Pacific.

MyRadar NOAA Weather Radar. If you are tracking a system along your flight path or at your destination, the MyRadar app is a good one to keep open because it updates quickly and the continuous loop gives a good sense of what the weather is doing and how it is moving.

Turbulence Forecast. This app is our “go-to” source of U.S. turbulence information. The information is available in some of the other applications, but this is a quick way to get it, if that is all you want.

We normally update these applications prior to engine start, so as to have the most recent information. We also use a number of internet websites that are only available to us through our cellular connections; they are inaccessible in flight without an internet connection. We frequently check http://www.faa.gov for airport status and delays. And when things in the national airspace get really messy, we check http://www.fly.faa.gov/ois/ for any ground stops or airspace flow
programs.

I was starting to soften on the subject of internet access, thinking maybe a very strict policy of only using a specified list of applications and websites might do the trick. On our way back from Europe last month I noticed the other pilot nod off once and I have to admit I felt the urge as well. We got a “Resume Normal Speed” message through data link, a first for us both, and that set off a mad scramble through our available resources to find out what it meant. Once we landed, I quickly found out — using the internet — that the ICAO EUR/NAT office had just released a new Ops Bulletin allowing “Operations Without an Assigned Fixed Speed (OWAFS) in the NAT.” (If you haven't heard of OWAFS, check out NAT OPS Bulletin 2019_001.)

Thinking about the flight, I realized that with an internet connection we could have taken advantage of the resume normal speed message. But I also realized that our bout of sleepiness was instantly cured by the task at hand. Having something engaging to do solved any drowsiness for the remainder of the flight. I remember more than a few oceanic crossings when the urge to nod off was cured by having an interesting discussion topic come up. Perhaps there was something to be said for allowing other types of internet access.

Our Cockpit Internet SOP

Our team concluded that we should take advantage of the great situational awareness afforded by having internet access in the cockpit, as well as the ability to keep pilots from nodding off on those long oceanic trips. But we needed to avoid the distractions caused by keeping connected with email, text messages, sports, news and all other things pulling our brains out of the cockpit. We mulled this over and came up with our first cockpit internet SOP:

(1) Two types of cockpit internet usage are permitted: flight-related and non-flight related. Flight-related usage pertains to internet access that has a direct bearing on the trip currently in progress. This category includes downloading weather products, making passenger arrangements, adjusting subsequent flight plans or anything needed to assure the success of the current trip. Everything else, even if tied to company business or aviation, is considered non-flight related.

(2) No internet access is permitted during critical phases of flight, which we defined as any flight time below 10,000 ft. (except while in cruise flight with the autopilot engaged), or whenever within 1,000 ft. of a level-off, even above 10,000 ft.

(3) Non-flight-related internet access is only permitted during flights with more than 1 hr. in cruise flight, and is limited to 5 min. continuous time per pilot each hour.

(4) Any internet access (flight- or non-flight-related) can only be made by one pilot at a time and will be treated as if that pilot was absent from the flight deck. Before “departing,” the pilot flying (PF) will give a situational awareness briefing. For example: “The autopilot is engaged using long-range navigation. We are in cruise condition talking to New York center. You are cleared off.” Upon completion, the PF will again brief the returning pilot, e.g.: “There have been no changes to aircraft configuration or navigation, but we are now talking to Boston Center and have been given a pilot's discretion descent to flight level three two zero.”

(5) All internet-capable devices will be placed in “airplane mode” prior to engine start and will remain so until after engine shutdown. Audible notifications will be silenced for the duration of the flight. Pilots will ensure devices are not allowed to download software updates that may restrict internet bandwidth needed by the passengers or flight-related cockpit use.

(6) Crews will add a discussion of cockpit distractions to each day's post-flight critique. Our traditional “What's the DEAL?” check will become the “Were we IDEAL?” check:

I — Internet and other distractions: Did we live up to our SOP?

D — Departure: How did everything go from planning to wheels in the well?

E — En route: How was the en route portion?

A — Arrival: How did we handle the approach, landing and shutdown?

L — Logbook: Was there anything to report as far as maintenance or other record-keeping requirements?

So, the deed is done. We created our first cockpit internet SOP just in time to receive our new airplane. Not every flight department is this proactive. But even those that start with a well-intentioned internet SOP soon seem to abandon it because the lure of connectedness is too great. I hope to avoid this and have come up with a way to give us a “reality check” after we've grown accustomed to our new connected cockpit lives. We'll add inflight internet usage as a topic to our quarterly safety meetings.

In addition, I have asked each pilot to come up with a list of safety of flight risks that we “promise” to avoid. I will put these in a sealed envelope and one year after delivery we will see how we made out. I am hoping those risks remain avoided. If not, we may have to rethink all of this.

https://aviationweek.com/business-aviation/connected-cockpit-inflight-internet-access-safety-tool-or-hazard?

Sur le même sujet

30 septembre 2019 | International, Aérospatial, Naval, Terrestre, C4ISR, Sécurité

Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - September 27, 2019
AIR FORCE The Boeing Co., Seattle, Washington, has been awarded a $2,628,005,872 modification (P00165) to previously awarded contract FA8625-11-C-6600 for Lot 5 production KC-46 aircraft, initial spares, and support equipment. The contract modification provides for the exercise of an option for an additional quantity of 15 KC-46 aircraft, data, two spare engines, five wing refueling pod kits, initial spares, support equipment, subscriptions and licenses, and G081 flat file being produced under the basic contract. Work will be performed in Seattle, Washington, and is expected to be completed by March 2023. Fiscal 2017 aircraft procurement funds in the amount of $112,957,314; fiscal 2018 aircraft procurement funds in the amount of $363,104,247; and fiscal 2019 aircraft procurement funds in the amount of $2,151,944,310 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity. Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Woodland Hills, California, has been awarded, a $1,392,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for Embedded GPS Inertial Navigation System Modernization (EGI/EGI-M) follow-on production and sustainment. This contract provides for production, sustainment and engineering technical services in support of the EGI/EGI-M system. Work will be performed at Woodland Hills, California; and Salt Lake City, Utah, and is expected to be completed by Sept. 26, 2032. This contract will allow foreign military sales. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Funding types that can be used at the order level are aircraft procurement, operations and maintenance, research and development and foreign military sales. Foreign Military Sales funds in the amount of $17,645 is being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, is the contracting activity (FA8576-19-D-0001). Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems, Melbourne, Florida, has been awarded a $495,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (JSTARS) aircraft. This contract provides for modernization and sustainment of 16 mission and one trainer aircraft. The contract will support the current JSTARS Program Office and Air Combat Command projections of improvements to increase or maintain E-8C performance, capability, reliability, and maintainability. Work will be provided at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia; and Melbourne, Florida, and is expected to be completed by Sept. 26, 2024. This award is the result of a sole source acquisition. Fiscal 2019 Air National Guard operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $55,345 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, is the contracting activity (FA8529-19-D-0002). United Technologies Corp., doing business as Pratt & Whitney Military Engines, East Hartford, Connecticut, has been awarded a $78,118,288 indefinite-delivery-requirements contract for engine module remanufacture. This contract provides for F100-PW-220/-220E engine module remanufacture for Foreign Military Sales partner country of Jordan. This contract involves 100% foreign military sales to Jordan. Work will be performed at East Hartford, Connecticut; Midland, Georgia; and Midwest City, Oklahoma, and is expected to be completed by Sept. 30, 2024. This award is the result of a sole source acquisition. No funds are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Sustainment Center, Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, is the contracting activity (FA8121-19-D-0001). Kudu Dynamics LLC,* Chantilly, Virginia, has been awarded a $49,211,463 cost-plus-fixed-fee completion contract for Tactical Proficiency Synthesis software/hardware prototypes. This contract will provide the Air Force and their mission partners with state-of-the-art cyber capabilities by performing multiple activities through the research, development and integration of cyber capabilities across all war-fighting domains to advance cyber dominance. Work will be performed at Chantilly, Virginia, and is expected to be complete by Sept. 26, 2024. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition and two offers were received. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $100,000 are being obligated at time of award. The Air Force Research Laboratory, Rome, New York, is the contracting activity (FA8750-19-C-1529). Microsoft Corp., Redmond, Washington, has been awarded a $44,985,323 modification (P0004) to previously awarded FA8726-18-9-0002 for Network as a Service. The contract modification adds Wi-Fi, public cellular connectivity, Base Area Network transformation and dual path Wide Area Network connectivity at all three bases on the agreement. Work will be performed at Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico; Hurlburt Air Force Base, Florida; and Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, and is expected to be completed by Sept. 30, 2021. This modification brings the total cumulative face value of the agreement to $109,815,137. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $25,578,356 are being obligated at the time of award. The Enterprise IT and Cyber Infrastructure Division, Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts, is the contracting activity. CAE USA Inc., Tampa, Florida, has been awarded a $33,093,470 modification (P00151) to previously awarded contract FA8223‐10‐C‐0013. This modification exercises the fiscal 2020 option to extend the KC‐135 Aircraft Training System contract. Work will be performed at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base, Ohio; Grissom Air Reserve Base, Indiana; Scott Air Force Base, Illinois; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington; Altus Air Force Base, Oklahoma; March Air Reserve Base, California; Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii; Kadena Air Base, Japan; Ramstein Air Base, Germany; and Royal Air Force Mildenhall, England; and is expected to be completed by Sept. 30, 2020. This modification brings the total cumulative face value of the contract to $505,527,083. No funds are being obligated at the time of the award. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity. CDO Technologies Inc., Dayton, Ohio, has been awarded a $27,145,759 firm-fixed price and cost reimbursement contract. This contract provides for the installation hardware and software to provide Voice Over Internet Protocol capability. Work will be performed at 180 Air Force installations world-wide and is expected to be completed by Jan. 5, 2025. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition and five offers were received. Fiscal 2018 and 2019 other procurement funds in the amount of $7,868,771 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Cryptologic and Cyber Systems Division, Joint-Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, is the contracting activity (FA8307-19-F-0006). Northrop Grumman Corp., Aerospace Systems, Azusa, California, has been awarded a $23,454,970 modification (P00031) to a previously awarded contract FA8810-15-C-0001 for the Defense Support Program (DSP) on-orbit satellite and anomaly resolution support. This support provides root cause analysis as a key component of the lifetime extension of DSP. Work will be performed in Azusa, California; Aurora, Colorado; and Colorado Springs, Colorado, and is expected to be completed by June 30, 2020. The total cumulative face value is $132,431,047. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds are being used and no funds are being obligated at the time of the award. The Space and Missile Systems Center, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado, is the contracting activity. Four Tribes Enterprises LLC, Los Angeles, California, has been awarded a $22,000,000 firm-fixed price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning services. The contract provides for all labor, materials, equipment and supervision required to perform repair, maintenance, and replacement of HVAC systems inclusive of energy management and control systems. Work will be performed at Edwards Air Force Base, California, and is expected to be completed by Sept. 27, 2024. This award was made on a direct 8(a) award basis. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $157,278 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Test Center, Edwards Air Force Base, California, is the contracting activity (FA9301-19-D-A009). L3Harris Technologies Inc., Colorado Springs, Colorado, has been awarded a $17,952,383, cost-plus-incentive-fee contract modification (P01001) to a previously awarded contract F19628-02-C-0010 for fiscal year 2020 Distributed Space Command and Control – Dahlgren (DSC2-D) Sustainment Support. This contract modification provides a range of system sustainment and support activities for the Mission Processing System (MPS). The MPS is the computation center and directly supports the DSC2-D mission by providing space control data from all space surveillance sensors. The DSC2-D functions as the backup to U.S. Strategic Command's 18th Space Control Squadron Space Situational Awareness Operations cell. Work will be performed in Dahlgren, Virginia, and is expected to be completed by June 30, 2020. The total cumulative face value is $17,952,383. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds are being used and no funds are being obligated at time of award. The Space and Missile Systems Center, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado, is the contracting activity. Vectrus Systems Corp., Colorado Springs, Colorado, has been awarded a $13,519,008 modification (A0007) exercising option year one on the previously awarded contract FA3002-18-C-0003 for Base Maintenance Service Contract (BMC). This contract will provide all labor, supplies, materials, parts, supervision and other items or services necessary to perform the management and operation of the Base Maintenance Contract services. Work will be performed at Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas; Frederick Airfield, Oklahoma; and Sheppard Annex at Lake Texoma, Texas, and is expected to be completed by Sep. 30, 2020. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds will be used and no funds will be obligated at the time of the award. The 82nd Contracting Squadron, Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas, is the contracting activity. The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Missouri, has been awarded a total cumulative face value of $13,420,210 firm fixed price, cost plus fixed fee contract under Delivery Order FA8634-19-F-0011 for F-15 Non-ADCP II Video Situational Display Replacement (NA-VSDR) program. This contract provides for the production and integration of the NA-VSDR units and related equipment into the F-15 Air National Guard platform. Work will be performed at St. Louis, Missouri and is expected to be completed by June 30, 2023. This award is the result of a sole source acquisition. Fiscal 2018 National Guard and Reserve equipment appropriation funds in the amount of $12,157,659 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Fighter/Bomber Directorate, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio is the contracting activity (FA8634-17-D-2696). Systems and Technology Research, Woburn, Massachusetts, has been awarded a $10,413,599 cost plus, fixed fee contract for the Mercury Program, a Top Secret/Special Compartmented Information Special Access Program. The overall objective of the program is to research electronic warfare. Work will be performed at Woburn, Massachusetts and is expected to be completed by Feb. 28, 2021. This award is being awarded under limited competition and six offers were received. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $4,744,123 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8650-19-C-7927). BAE Systems, Merrimack, New Hampshire, has been awarded a $10,076,247 cost plus, fixed fee contract for the Mercury Program, a Top Secret/Special Compartmented Information Special Access Program. The overall objective of the program is to research electronic warfare. Work will be performed at Merrimack, New Hampshire and is expected to be completed by Feb. 28, 2021. This award is being awarded under limited competition and six offers were received. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $4,500,000 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8650-19-C-7925). CUBRC Inc., Buffalo, New York, has been awarded a $ $9,687,554 cost plus, fixed fee completion contract for Enhanced Exploitation of Multi-Int Data For Space Situational Awareness. The objective of this contract is to research, develop and mature innovative concepts to support space situational awareness. The effort addresses concepts including: enhanced tracking and characterization of space objects, exploitation of non-traditional data sources, ontology development, anomaly detection, rendezvous and proximity operations, decision support and further develop several current capabilities to address known, current operational needs. Work will be performed at Buffalo, New York, and is expected to be completed by Sept. 25, 2023. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition and two offers were received. Fiscal 2019 research and development funds in the amount of $93,000 are being obligated at time of award. The Air Force Research Laboratory, Rome, New York is the contracting activity (FA8750-19-C-0214). The Boeing Co., Defense Space Security, Saint Louis, Missouri has been awarded an $8,522,717 fixed price incentive firm modification (P00007) to previously awarded FA8634-18-C-2697 for Infra-Red Search and Track (IRST) Low Rate Initial Production 2. The contract modification provides for the purchase of an additional quantity of three LRIP 2 pods. Work will be performed at Saint Louis, Missouri and Orlando, Florida and is expected to be completed by Feb. 1, 2021. The total cumulative face value of the contract is $315,227,059. Fiscal 2019 aircraft procurement funds in the amount of $8,522,717 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio is the contracting activity. L3Harris Technologies, Inc., Colorado Springs, Colorado has been awarded an $8,123,263 cost-plus-incentive-fee contract modification (P01009) to a previously awarded contract F19628-02-C-0010 for the National Space Defense Center (NSDC) Sustainment effort. This modification provides sustainment support for the NSDC at Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado which is housed within the Distributed Space Command and Control – Dahlgren program of record. Work will be performed at Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado and is expected to be completed by Jan. 15, 2020. The total cumulative face value is $10,509,482. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $8,123,263 are being obligated at time of award. The Space and Missile Systems Center, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado Springs, Colorado is the contracting activity. BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration, FAST Labs – Advanced Information Technologies, Burlington, Massachusetts has been awarded a $7,850,071 cost plus, fixed fee contract for the MAPLE Exploits Multi-INT Data for Directed Energy Weapons Discovery software. This contract provides for the addressing of topics including multi-source data (radar, optical and other) exploitation and analysis and fusion for timely, accurate and complete characterization of space objects and mathematical approaches for fusing, assessing and characterizing data from new sensor and information sources to provide robust threat detection, prediction and decision aids based on complex patterns of events. Work will be performed at Burlington, Massachusetts and is expected to be completed by Sep. 27, 2023. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition and two offers were received. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $45,000 are being obligated at time of award. The Air Force Research Laboratory, Rome New York is the contracting activity (FA8750-19-C-0529). United Technologies Corp. doing business as Pratt & Whitney Military Engines, East Harford, Connecticut, has been awarded a $7,647,790 firm-fixed price delivery order on Basic Ordering Agreement SPE4A1-15-G-0006. This order provides the new manufacture of the F100-220 Digital Electronic Engine Control Assembly build sets for Foreign Military Sales Partner Countries. Work will be performed at East Hartford, Connecticut and is expected to be complete Dec. 31, 2021. This order involves foreign military sales to Chile, Denmark, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Taiwan, Portugal and Belgium. This award is the result of a sole source acquisition. Foreign Military Sales funds in the amount of $7,647,790 will be obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Sustainment Center, Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, is the contracting activity. NAVY Fluor Marine Propulsion LLC, Arlington, Virginia, is awarded a $1,071,180,002 cost-plus-fixed fee modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-18-C-2130) to exercise the fiscal 2020 option for Naval Nuclear Propulsion work at the Naval Nuclear Laboratory. Work will be performed in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (46%), Schenectady, New York (45%), and Idaho Falls, Idaho (9%). No funds are being obligated at time of award. For more than 60 years, the Naval Nuclear Laboratory has been developing advanced naval nuclear propulsion technology and providing technical support to ensure the safe and reliable operation of our nation's submarine and aircraft carrier fleets. The Laboratories are solely dedicated to the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program, which is a joint Navy-Department of Energy program responsible for the research, design, construction, testing, operation, maintenance, and ultimate disposition of naval nuclear propulsion plants. The solicitation required a transition of the entire incumbent workforce at their current pay levels and will not result in a reduction in force. Operations will continue at all sites. No completion date or other additional information is provided on Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program contracts. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. Vigor Marine LLC, Seattle, Washington, was awarded a $254,566,432 firm-fixed-price contract for the execution of USS Chosin (CG 65) and USS Cape St. George (CG 71) modernization periods (MODPRD). These availabilities will include a combination of maintenance, modernization, and repair of USS Chosin (CG 65) and USS Cape St. George (CG 71). These are Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) scheduled MODPRDs. This is a “long-term” availability and was competed on a coast-wide (West Coast) basis without limiting the place of performance to the vessel's homeport. Vigor will provide the facilities and human resources capable of completing, coordinating, and integrating multiple areas of ship maintenance, repair, and modernization for the USS Chosin and USS Cape St. George. This contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $303,677,110. Work will be performed in Seattle, Washington, and is expected to be completed by November 2021. Fiscal 2019 operation and maintenance (Navy) and fiscal 2019 other procurement (Navy) funding in the amount of in the amount of $254,566,432 will be obligated at time of award, and funding in the amount of $185,170,177 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 with three offers received. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity (N00024-19-C-4447). (Awarded Sept. 25, 2019) Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is awarded a $150,544,969 modification (P00022) to a previously awarded cost-plus-incentive-fee, fixed-price-incentive-firm, cost-plus-fixed-fee, firm-fixed-price contract (N0001919C1048). This modification provides for Autonomic Logistics Information System hardware and support equipment in support of low rate initial production Lot 11 Lightning II aircraft for the Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, non-U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) Participants, and Foreign Military Sales (FMS) customers. Work will be performed in Orlando, Florida (35%); Fort Worth, Texas (20%); Redondo Beach, California (18%); Windsor, Connecticut (13%); Franklin, Ohio (3%); Rome, Italy (3%); Winter Springs, Florida (2%); Riverside, California (2%); Chatsworth, California (2%); and Bend, Oregon (2%). Work is expected to be completed in November 2023. Fiscal 2017 and 2019 aircraft procurement (Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps); non-U.S. DoD Participant; and FMS funds in the amount of $150,544,969 are being obligated at time of award, $11,150,805 of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This modification combines purchases for the Air Force ($24,176,311; 16.06%); Navy ($11,150,805; 7.41%); Marine Corps ($9,630,405; 6.40%); non-U.S. DoD Participants ($80,050,789; 53.17%); and FMS customers ($25,536,659; 16.96%). The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. Raytheon Co., Integrated Defense Systems, Marlborough, Massachusetts, is awarded a $123,968,905 firm-fixed-price and cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to previously awarded contract N00024-19-C-5112 for fiscal years 2018 and 2019 production of AEGIS Weapon System fire control system MK 99 equipment, AEGIS Modernization production requirements, and associated engineering services. This contract combines purchases for the U.S. Navy (99%), and the government of Japan (1%) under the foreign military sales (FMS) program. Work will be performed in Andover, Massachusetts (66%); Chesapeake, Virginia (15%); Marlborough, Massachusetts (13%); Portsmouth, Rhode Island (3%); San Diego, California (2%); and Burlington, Massachusetts (1%), and is expected to be completed by April 2023. Fiscal 2019 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy); 2019 other procurement (Navy), Defense-wide procurement; and FMS case funding in the amount of $123,968,905 will be obligated at the 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)(1). Raytheon IDS is the only existing source that has the specific production engineering background and in-depth technical expertise to produce and deliver fully functionally tested Missile Fire Control System MK99 ship sets without adverse impact to scheduled deliveries and ship deployment requirements for operational use. These services are in support of DDG 51 Class Flight III destroyers. This contract also covers the production of Multi-Mission Signal Processor (MMSP) Ordnance Alteration (ORDALT) kits, Kill Assessment System (KAS) ORDALT kits and spares, Radio Frequency Coherent Combiner kits, High Voltage Power Supply Sidewall Capacitors, and Solid State Switch Assembly kits. The AMOD program fields combat system upgrades that will enhance the Anti-Air Warfare and Ballistic Missile Defense capabilities of AEGIS equipped DDG 51 Arleigh Burke-class destroyers and CG 47 Ticonderoga-class cruisers. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems, Manassas, Virginia, is awarded a $113,252,163 cost-plus-incentive-fee contract modification to previously awarded contract N00024-17-C-6259 to exercise, and fund options for Navy engineering services and required materials. Work will be performed in Manassas, Virginia (65%); Clearwater, Florida (32%); Syracuse, New York (2%); and Marion, Florida (1%), and is expected to be complete by June 2021. Fiscal 2019 other procurement (Navy), 2018 other procurement (Navy), and 2019 research development test and evaluation (Navy) funding in the amount of $13,494,031 will be obligated at the time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Fiscal 2017 other procurement (Navy) funding in the amount of $498,198 will also be obligated at the time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington Navy Yard, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. Port Madison Enterprises Construction Corp.,* Suquamish, Washington, is awarded with a maximum not-to-exceed $99,000,000 indefinite-delivery indefinite-quantity job order contract for construction, repair, and alteration of non-complex construction projects in the Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Northwest area of responsibility (AOR). Initial task order is being awarded at $197,577 for installation of a fence at the controlled industrial area of Naval Base Kitsap, Bremerton. This contract is intended to provide rapid response for construction, maintenance, rehabilitation, demolition, and repair of real property in a cost effective manner. Firm-fixed-price task orders for construction will be placed against the contract. The majority of projects will be performed in the Puget Sound region of Washington State. The remainder of projects will be performed in other outlying areas within the NAVFAC Northwest AOR, which includes Alaska, Idaho, Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Washington, and Wyoming. Work for this task order is expected to be completed by December 2019. The term of the contract is not to exceed 60 months with an expected completion date of September 2024. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance, (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $ 197,577 are obligated on this award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Future task orders will be primarily funded by operations and maintenance, (Navy). This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website and Federal Business Opportunities website with five proposals received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command Northwest, Silverdale, Washington, is the contracting activity (N44255-19-D-0008). Dawson Enterprises LLC,* Honolulu, Hawaii (N62478-19-D-4039); Interior Alaska Roofing Inc., * Fairbanks, Alaska (N62478-19-D-4040); Southwest Construction & Property Management, * San Bruno, California (N62478-19-D-4041); and TABCON Inc., * Queen Creek, Arizona (N62478-19-D-4042), are each awarded a maximum dollar value including the base period and four option years for all four contracts combined $98,000,000 indefinite-delivery indefinite-quantity multiple award design-build/design-bid-build construction contracts for construction projects located primarily within the Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Hawaii area of responsibility (AOR). The work to be performed provides for, but is not limited to, reroofing, recovering, removal of existing roofing materials (including asbestos abatement for asbestos containing material), abatement of lead-based containing paint and lead-based contaminated materials along with other associated work by design-build or design-bid-build for JBPHH, Marine Corp Base Hawaii, Camp Smith, Pacific Missile Range Facilities, and other Federal facilities. No task orders are being issued at this time. All work on the contract will be performed within the NAVFAC Hawaii AOR. The term of the contract is not to exceed 60 months, with an expected completion date of September 2024. Fiscal 2019 operation and maintenance, (Navy) (O&M,N) contract funds in the amount of $20,000 are obligated on this award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Future task orders will be primarily funded by O&M,N. This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website with nine proposals received. These four contractors may compete for task orders under the terms and conditions of the awarded contract. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Hawaii, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam (JBPHH), Hawaii, is the contracting activity. COSMEZZ S.a.r.l.,* Djibouti, Africa (N33191-19-D-0831); INNOX, LLC JV,* Alexandria, Virginia (N33191-19-D-0836); Sea Pac Engineering,* Los Angeles, California (N33191-19-D-0835); Kellogg Brown & Root Services Inc., Houston, Texas, (N33191-19-D-0833); Consorzio Stabile GMG S.c.ar.l,* Catania, Italy (N33191-19-D-0832); Prime Projects International,* Dubai, United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.) (N33191-19-D-0834); and United Infrastructure Projects,* Dubai, U.A.E. (N33191-19-D-0837), are each being awarded a maximum total combined amount of $95,000,000 including the base period and four option years indefinite-delivery indefinite-quantity multiple award design-build and design-bid-build contract for construction projects located primarily within the Naval Facilities Engineering Command Europe Africa Southwest Asia area of responsibility. COSMEZZ S.a.r.l. is awarded the initial task order of $899,999 for the combat aircraft loading area hangar drainage repair at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, Africa. The work to be performed provides for general building type projects including new construction, renovations, alterations, demolition, repair work and any necessary design work. All work on this contract will be performed in Djibouti and Kenya including, but not limited to, Camp Lemonnier and Chabelley Airfield in Djibouti and Camp Simba and Manda Bay in Kenya. Work for this task order is expected to be completed by September 2020. The term of the contract is not to exceed 60 months, with an expected completion date of September 2024. Fiscal 2019 operation and maintenance, (Navy) (O&M,N) contract funds in the amount of $30,000 for the guaranteed minimums are obligated on these awards and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Future task orders will be primarily funded by O&M,N funds. This contract was competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities website with 27 proposals received. These seven contractors may compete for task orders under the terms and conditions of the awarded contract. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command Europe Africa Southwest Asia, Naples, Italy, is the contracting activity. A&D GC Inc.,* Santee, California (N62473-15-D-2403); Bristol General Contractors LLC,* Anchorage, Alaska (N62473-15-D-2404); Cox Construction Co.,* Vista, California (N62473-15-D-2405); I.E.-Pacific Inc.,* Escondido, California (N62473-15-D-2406); and Insight Pacific LLC,* Brea, California (N62473-15-D-2407), are awarded $92,000,000 to increase the aggregate capacity of the previously awarded suite of firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery indefinite-quantity, multiple award construction contracts. The maximum dollar value including the base year and four option years for all five contracts combined is increased from $105,000,000 to $197,000,000. The contracts are for new construction, repair, and renovation of commercial and institutional buildings at various locations within the Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Southwest area of responsibility. All work will be performed at various federal sites within the NAVFAC Southwest area of responsibility. No funds are being obligated on this award. No funds will expire. Future task orders will be primarily funded by military construction, Navy, and operation and maintenance (O&M), (Navy). The original contract was competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities website, with 42 proposals received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southwest, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity. Huntington Ingalls Inc., Newport News, Virginia, is awarded a $67,000,000 cost plus fixed fee modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-15-C-4301) to continue performance of the repair, maintenance, upgrades, and modernization efforts on USS Columbus (SSN 762) Engineered Overhaul. The contracted requirements include the continuance of execution and new work efforts arising from the Availability Work Package (AWP) and additional required work discovered during the inspection of shipboard components. This work is necessary to ensure the submarine is operating at full technical capacity as defined in the AWP during the CNO scheduled availability. Work will be performed in Newport News, Virginia, and is expected to be completed by November 2020. Fiscal 2019 operation and maintenance (Navy) funding in the amount of $67,000,000 will be obligated at time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Conversion and Repair, USN, Newport News, Virginia, is the contracting activity. American Systems Corp., Chantilly, Virginia (N6660419DL901); Oceaneering International Inc., Chesapeake, Virginia (N6660419DL902); and Serco Inc., Herndon, Virginia (N6660419DL903), are awarded a $49,452,651 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (ID/IQ) multiple-award contract to fabricate hardware, and provide technical and engineering services. For these base ID/IQ five-year contracts, funding will not be obligated at time of award; the $1,000 minimum guarantee will be executed on each awardee's initial task order. Work will be performed at the contractors' site and minimally at government locations, and is expected to be completed by September 2024. This multiple-award contract was competitively procured with three offers received via the Federal Business Opportunities website. In accordance with 10 U.S.C. 2304(c)(1), only a limited number of responsible sources and no other supplies or services will satisfy the needs of the agency for the Deep Submergence Systems – Scope of Certification tasking (65%). This requirement is to provide hardware, systems, subsystems, software, and supporting engineering and technical services required to support Dry Deck Shelter Payload Integration efforts that fall within the scope of the Deep Submergence Systems – Scope of Certification (DSS-SOC) program (65%). This tasking was limited to those activities qualified to perform DSS-SOC work per the NAVSEA Notice 5000. The remaining tasking at 35% was competitive. The Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division Newport, Newport, Rhode Island, is the contracting activity. Teledyne Brown Engineering Inc., Huntsville, Alabama, is awarded a $41,446,604 firm-fixed price, cost and cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to produce MK11 Shallow Water Combat Submersibles and provide related engineering services. Work will be performed in Huntsville, Alabama, and is expected to be completed by December 2022. This contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $178,181,112, and be complete by December 2023. Fiscal 2019 procurement (Department of Defense) funding in the amount of $41,446,604 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 (N00024-19-C-6402). Chugach Federal Solutions Inc.,* Anchorage, Alaska, was awarded a $40,047,866 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (ID/IQ) modification for the exercise of option six under an IDIQ contract for base operations support at various installations in the Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Northwest area of responsibility (AOR). After award of this option, the total cumulative contract value will be $374,597,725. The work to be performed provides for all management and administration, visual services, security, fire and emergency, facilities management and investment, pest control, pavement clearance, base support vehicles and equipment, and environmental services for base operations support services. Work will be performed at various installations in the NAVFAC Northwest AOR, including, but not limited to, Washington (90%), Alaska (1%), Idaho (1%), Iowa (1%), Minnesota (1%), Montana (1%), Nebraska (1%), Oregon (1%), North Dakota (1%), South Dakota (1%), and Wyoming (1%). This option period is from October 2019 to March 2020. No funds will be obligated at time of award. Fiscal 2020 operation and maintenance, (Navy) and fiscal 2020 Defense health program contract funds in the amount of $22,348,104 for recurring work will be obligated on individual task orders issued during the option period. The NAVFAC Northwest, Silverdale, Washington, is the contracting activity (N44255-14-D-9000). Hornbeck Offshore Operators LLC, Covington, Louisiana, is awarded a $36,030,519 modification for the fixed-price portion of a previously awarded firm, fixed-price contract (N6238715C2507) to exercise a one-year option period for the operation and maintenance of four modified offshore-Supply vessels identified as T-AGSEs serving as blocking vessels in support of the U.S. Navy. The contract includes a 215-day base period, nine one-year option periods and one 150-day option period. Work for this option period will be performed at sea worldwide, and is expected to be completed by Sept. 30, 2020. Transportation working capital funds in the amount of $36,030,519 are obligated for fiscal 2020, and will not expire at the end of the fiscal year. This contract was issued on an other than full and open competition basis. The U. S. Navy's Military Sealift Command, headquartered in Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N6238715C2507). U.S. Marine Management Inc., Norfolk, Virginia (N3220517C3000), is awarded a $35,219,188 modification under previously awarded firm fixed-price contract to fund the second one-year option period. Contract option two is being exercised in the amount of $35,219,188 from the firm, fixed-price contract. This contract is for operation and maintenance of seven USNS Bob Hope class surge large, medium-speed roll-on/roll-off vessels. This contract includes one 12-month base period, four 12-month option periods and one six-month option under Federal Acquisition Regulation 52.217-8, which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $196,303,408. Work will be performed at sea worldwide, which has commenced Oct. 1, 2017, and is expected to be completed, if all options are exercised, by March 31, 2022. Working capital contract funds in the amount of $35,219,188 are obligated for fiscal 2020, and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The U.S. Navy's Military Sealift Command, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N3220517C3000). Triton Marine Construction Corp., Bremerton, Washington, is awarded a $34,635,584 firm-fixed-price contract for the Poseidon Wharf repairs at Naval Ordnance Test Unit Cape Canaveral, Florida. The work to be performed provides for repairs and improvements to the Poseidon Wharf, to include the following: demolition of the wharf deck down to the piles caps; installation of new precast concrete piles and new wharf deck consisting of concrete deck panels and concrete toping; repair to structural components including deteriorated concrete pile caps, piling, superstructure, and appurtenances; placement of concrete filled fiberglass reinforced plastic jackets with passive cathodic protection; and repairs to existing mechanical and electrical systems. Work will be performed in Cape Canaveral, Florida, and is expected to be completed by September 2021. Fiscal 2019 operation & maintenance, (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $34,635,584 are obligated on this award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website with three proposals received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southeast, Jacksonville, Florida, is the contracting activity (N69450-19-C-0906). Skookum Educational Programs, Bremerton, Washington, is awarded a $34,569,805 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (ID/IQ) modification for the exercise of option number one under an ID/IQ contract for base operations support services at various installations in the NAVFAC Northwest area of responsibility (AOR). After award of this option, the total cumulative contract value will be $68,914,088. The work to be performed provides for janitorial services, grounds maintenance, facility investment, pest control, regulated medical waste, chemical toilets, pavement clearance, and warehousing services. Work will be performed in the NAVFAC Northwest AOR, including but not limited to, Washington (97%), Idaho (1%), Montana (1%), and Oregon (1%). This option period is from October 2019 to September 2020. No funds will be obligated at time of award. Fiscal 2020 operation and maintenance, (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $28,619,705 for recurring work will be obligated on individual task orders issued during the option period. The contract was awarded under the AbilityOne program, Federal Acquisition Regulation Part 8.7, Acquisition from Non-Profit Agencies Employing People Who Are Blind or Severely Handicapped. Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Northwest, Silverdale, Washington, is the contracting activity (N44255-18-D-5009). Skookum Educational Programs, Bremerton, Washington, is awarded a $30,243,269 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (ID/IQ) modification for the exercise of option two under an ID/IQ contract for base operations support services at various installations in the Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Northwest area of responsibility (AOR). After award of this option, the total cumulative contract value will be $87,820,579. The work to be performed provides for all management and administration, facilities management and investment, pest control, integrated solid waste, pavement clearance, utilities management, base support vehicles and equipment, and environmental services for base operations support services. Work will be performed at various installations in the NAVFAC Northwest AOR, including, but not limited to, Washington (90%), Alaska (1%), Idaho (1%), Iowa (1%), Minnesota (1%), Montana (1%), Nebraska (1%), North Dakota (1%), Oregon (1%), South Dakota (1%), and Wyoming (1%). This option period is from October 2019 to September 2020. No funds will be obligated at time of award. Fiscal 2020 operation and maintenance, (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $22,431,983 will be obligated on individual task orders issued during the option period. The contract was awarded under the AbilityOne program, Federal Acquisition Regulation Part 8.7, Acquisition from Non Profit Agencies Employing People Who Are Blind or Severely Handicapped. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Northwest, Silverdale, Washington, is the contracting activity (N44255-17-D-4039). Bamforth Enginers & Surveyors,* Norfolk, Virginia, is awarded a firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity architect-engineering contract with a maximum amount of $30,000,000 for civil and geotechnical architect-engineering (A-E) services for projects primarily in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia. The work to be performed provides A-E design and engineering services for various civil, structural, and geotechnical related projects and other projects under the cognizance of Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Mid-Atlantic. Projects will primarily be for civil and/or geotechnical design and engineering services, but may also include multi-discipline services. Projects may involve single or multiple disciplines, including, but not limited to, architectural, structural, mechanical, electrical, civil, landscape design, fire protection, and interior design. Planned projects include primarily, but are not limited to, Navy military construction projects, special projects, investigations, studies, and minor construction projects involving new construction, repair, replacement, investigation, studies, and alteration of waterfront/marine facilities, and other shore-based facility projects. Task order 0001 is being issued in the amount of $187,318. The term of the contract is not to exceed 60 months with an expected completion date of September 2024. Fiscal 17 operations and maintenance, (Marine Corps) funds in the amount of $187,318 are obligated on this award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Future task orders will be primarily funded by military construction. This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website with eight proposals received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Mid-Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N40085-19-D-9164). Northrop Grumman Systems Corp. Marine Systems, Sunnyvale, California, is being awarded a cost-plus incentive-fee $28,805,731 contract modification (P00041) to exercise an option to a previously awarded and announced contract (N00030-16-C-0010) to provide support for technical engineering services, design and development engineering, component and full scale test and evaluation engineering to support the Underwater Launcher Subsystem ULS. Work will be performed in Sunnyvale, California (55%); Ridgecrest, California (20 %); Cape Canaveral, Florida (10%); Bangor, Washington (5%); Kings Bay, Georgia (5%); Barrow-In-Furness, England (2%); New London, Connecticut (1%); Quonset Point, Rhode Island (1%); and Arlington, Virginia (1%) with an expected completion date of Sept. 30, 2020. Fiscal 2019 other procurement funds in the amount of $96,506 are being obligated on this award. No funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Subject to the availability of funding, fiscal year 2020 operations and maintenance and United Kingdom funding in the amount of $28,709,225 will be obligated on this award. Strategic Systems Programs, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. Raytheon Missile Systems, Tucson, Arizona, is awarded a $28,319,306 firm fixed price contract for spare parts and section level spares in support of the Evolved Seas Sparrow Missile Block 1 Program. Work will be performed in Mississauga, Canada (30%); Rothenbach, Germany (27%); Raufoss, Norway (22%); Hengelo, Netherlands (9%); Ankara, Turkey (4%); Adelaide, Australia (2%); Joplin, Missouri (2%); and various locations below one % (4%), and is expected to be completed by December 2022. This contract is for the procurement of ESSM Block 1 spare parts and assembly-level components for the U.S. and the NATO Sea Sparrow Consortium nations. The ESSM program is an international cooperative effort to design, develop, test and procure ESSM missiles. The ESSM provides enhanced ship defense. This is a sole-source award under 10 U.S. Code 2304 (c)(4) authority pursuant to an international agreement between the United States and NATO Sea Sparrow Consortium nations. Fiscal 2019 operation and maintenance (Navy); fiscal 2019 weapons procurement (Navy); and fiscal 2019 other customer funds in the amount of $28,319,306 will be obligated at time of award, and $17,988,971 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities website, in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-4 (international agreement). The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contract activity (N00024-19-F-5424). The Whiting-Turner Contracting Co., Greenbelt, Maryland, is awarded a $22,911,402 firm-fixed-price contract for construction of medical/dental replacement at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune. The work to be performed provides for construction of a new two story freestanding medical/dental replacement located at the Marine Corps Base, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. All Engineering systems will be furnished including structural; fire suppression; plumbing; heating, ventilation and air conditioning; electrical; and communications. The basic structural frame will be comprised of steel beams supporting a steel bar joist and steel deck roof system. Work will be performed at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, and is expected to be completed by October 2021. Fiscal 2018 military construction (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $22,911,402 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 three proposals received. Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Mid-Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N40085-19-C-9265). The Whiting-Turner Contracting Co., Greenbelt, Maryland, is awarded a $21,875,257 firm-fixed-price contract for construction of medical/dental replacement at Marine Corps Base (MCB) Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. The work to be performed will construct a medical/dental clinic replacement to deliver primary medical and dental care to incorporate new two- team marine centered medical homeport (MCMH) concept in supporting marine active duty personnel currently being seen in substandard battalion aid stations located across MCB Camp Lejeune. Exterior shall be compatible with base exterior appearance plan and Branch Health Clinic French Creek existing structure. Temporary buildings numbers 67 A,B,C,D,G,H,I,J and Interim MCMH will be demolished. Supporting facilities include utilities, site improvements, access drive, parking, and shall include low impact development. Work will be performed in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, and is expected to be completed by October 2021. Fiscal 2018 military construction, (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $21,875,257 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 three proposals received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Mid-Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N40085-19-C-9266). Crowley Government Services Inc., Jacksonville, Florida (N6238715C5301), is awarded a $17,427,389 modification under a previously awarded firm, fixed-price contract to fund the fourth, one-year option period. Contract option four is being exercised in the amount of $17,427,389. This contract is for operation and maintenance of five roll-on/roll-off and container vessels. This contract includes a 12-month base period and four 12-month option periods, which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $137,812,218. Work will be performed at sea worldwide and is expected to be completed, if all options are exercised, by Sept. 30, 2020. Working capital contract funds in the amount of $17,427,389 are obligated for fiscal 2020, and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The U.S. Navy's Military Sealift Command, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N6238715C5301). 3e Technologies International Inc., Rockville, Maryland, is awarded a $17,119,084 modification to previously awarded cost plus fixed fee, firm fixed price contract (N00174-16-C-0046) to exercise option year III (three) for continued naval facility infrastructure support. This SBIR Phase III Critical Infrastructure Control and Monitoring System project is structured to provide Naval Surface Warfare Center Indian Head Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technology Division Indian Head, Maryland (NSWC IHEODTD) and other selected ashore Naval shore facilities the ability to monitor critical areas for anti-terrorism/force protection (AT/FP) intrusions, provide a decision support and command control system that will optimize the use of energy systems and utilities assets by automating energy systems monitoring, and provide real-time sensor network connectivity for NSWC IHEODTD and ashore infrastructure to facilitate collaboration within the local Command Center, AT/FP security responders, and public works/utility systems providers via Critical Infrastructure Monitoring of existing Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition/Direct Digital Control systems into a central monitoring capability. Work will be performed at Joint Base Pearl Harbor Hickam, Hawaii (56%), San Diego, California (44 %), and is expected to be complete by September 2020. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance (Navy), 2019 operations and maintenance, (Air Force), working capital fund (Navy), and 2019 operations and maintenance (Army National Guard) funding in the amount of $1,499,961 will be obligated upon execution of this modification and expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Working capital funds (Navy) are true working capital funds however, they included a note upon acceptance stating funds expire and must be executed by September 30, 2019. This contract was awarded on a sole-source basis in September 2016 in accordance with FAR 6.302-5: Authorized or Required by Statute – 10 U.S.C. 2304 (c) (5). The Naval Surface Warfare Center Indian Head Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technology Division Indian Head, Maryland, is the contracting activity. The Boeing Co., Seattle, Washington, is awarded a $13,489,070 cost-plus-fixed-fee delivery order (N0001919F2968) against a previously issued basic ordering agreement (N00019-16-G-0001) for supplies and engineering services in support of government flight operations on the P-8A flight test aircraft and the Naval Air Station System Integration Laboratory. Work will be performed in Patuxent River, Maryland (64%); Seattle, Washington (33%); and St. Louis, Missouri (3%), and is expected to be completed in September 2020. Fiscal 2018 and 2019 aircraft procurement (Navy) funding in the amount of $13,489,070 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. CounterTrade Products Inc., Arvada, Colorado, is awarded a $13,332,995 modification for the option exercise of a previously awarded contract (M67854-19-F-2038). This modification is to exercise certain option contract line items for the previously agreed upon quantities. Work will be performed in Altoona, Pennsylvania. Items will be delivered according to the schedule appearing in the awarded contract. All deliveries are expected to be complete by July 2020. Fiscal 2019 procurement (Marine Corps) funds in the amount of $13,332,995 will be obligated for the modification and funds will not expire the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured using full and open competition after exclusion of sources as a Small Business Set-aside via National Aeronautics and Space Administration Solutions for Enterprise-Wide Procurement website with six offers received. The Marine Corps Systems Command in Quantico, Virginia, is the contracting activity (M67854-19-F-2038). General Dynamics Electric Boat (GDEB) Corp., Groton, Connecticut, is awarded a $13,032,726 not-to-exceed, undefinitized delivery order under a previously awarded multiple-award indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (ID/IQ) contract (N00024-16-D-4300) for the planning, material procurement, and repair work for USS Indiana (SSN 789). Work will be performed in Groton, Connecticut and is expected to be completed by December 2019. Fiscal 2019 operation and maintenance (Navy) funding in the amount of $6,516,363 will be obligated at time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. In accordance with 10 U.S.C. 2304(c)(1), a Fair Opportunity Notice was issued to both multiple award contracts ID/IQ holders Sept.5, 2019. Only GDEB expressed interest in performing the work. The Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Conversion and Repair, Groton, Connecticut, is the contracting activity. Global Connections to Employment Inc., Pensacola, Florida, is awarded $12,147,228 for modification P00013 to extend the previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (N68836-17-C-0005) to exercise Federal Acquisition Regulation 52.217-9 for option period three for full food and mess attendant services in support of Naval Air Station, Pensacola and Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal School Elgin Air Force Base (AFB), and mess attendant services in support of Naval Construction Battalion Center, Gulfport. The contract includes a one-month base period, two 12-month option periods, one 11-month option period, and a six-month extension option under Federal Acquisition Regulation 52.217-8, which if all options are exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $45,737,677. Work will be performed in Pensacola, Florida (60%); Elgin AFB, Florida (20%); and Gulfport, Mississippi (20%), and work is expected to be completed by August 2020. If all options on the contract are exercised, work will be completed by February 2021. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $2,532,017 will be incrementally funded throughout the period of performance, and funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract is a sole-source procurement under the Ability One Program (Federal Acquisition Regulation Part 8.704), with one offer received. Naval Supply Systems Command Fleet Logistics Center Jacksonville, Florida, is the contracting activity. EG Designbuild LLC,* Germantown, Maryland, is awarded a firm-fixed-price task order N4008519F7102 at $11,677,128 under a small business design-build/design-bid-build general construction multiple award construction contract for the repair and renovation of Bachelor Enlisted Quarters 288 at Navy Medical Center Portsmouth. The work to be performed provides for renovation of the residential units, laundry rooms, common and administrative areas; and replacement of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems and associated equipment consisting of ductwork, piping, hardwired programmable thermostat controls, occupancy sensors, exhaust systems, water booster pump and architectural finishes. Repair of fire protection systems, plumbing systems with fixtures and exterior residential unit doors with latching/locking. Work will be performed in Portsmouth, Virginia, and is expected to be completed by November 2020. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance, (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $11,677,128 are obligated on this award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Four proposals were received for this task order. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Mid-Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N40085-18-D-1126). Hexagon US Federal Inc., Huntsville, Alabama, is awarded an $11,601,118 firm-fixed-price contract for the purchase of Consolidated Emergency Response 2.0 System Integration and Installation at Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Yuma, Arizona; MCAS Iwakuni, Japan; and Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. Work will be performed at MCAS Yuma (26%); MCAS Iwakuni (37%); and MCB Camp Lejeune (37%). Full System and start of warranty is to be delivered no later than Sept. 29, 2020, with completion of warranty and ultimate contract completion no later than Sept. 29, 2021. Fiscal 2019 procurement Marine Corps (PMC) funds in the amount of $11,601,118 will be obligated for the two-year delivery. This contract was awarded utilizing the authority of other than full and open competition in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR 6.302-1). The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Virginia, is the contracting activity (M67854-19-C-4924). TOTE Services Inc., Jacksonville, Florida, is awarded an $11,594,773 modification under a previously awarded firm, fixed-price contract (N3220518C3101) to exercise a one-year option for the operation and maintenance of the Sea-Based X-Band Radar Platform (SBX-1). The vessel is operated for the Missile Defense Agency to provide limited test support services and is a contingency component of the ground based mid-course defense element of the ballistic missile defense system for the U.S. Strategic Command. The vessel may also be used for other government missions as directed or placed in a reduced operating status. Work will be performed in the Pacific Ocean operating area, and is expected to be completed by Sept. 30, 2020. Working capital contract funds in the amount of $11,594,773 are obligated for fiscal 2020, and will not expire at the end of the fiscal year. The U.S. Navy's Military Sealift Command is the contracting activity. The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Missouri, is awarded an $11,256,447 firm-fixed-price delivery order (N6833519F0696) against a previously issued basic ordering agreement (N68335-15-G-0022). This delivery order procures 34 peculiar support equipment (PSE) end items and radar PSE for the APG-79 antenna in support of organizational and intermediate levels of maintenance for the F/A-18E/F and EA-18G aircraft. Work will be performed in St. Louis, Missouri, and is expected to be completed in September 2021. Fiscal 2017 and 2019 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $11,256,447 will be obligated at time of award, $9,805,015 of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Lakehurst, New Jersey, is the contracting activity. Opportunities and Resources, Inc., Wahiawa, Hawaii, is awarded a $10,749,214 modification under an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the exercise of option three for custodial services at various locations on Oahu. The work to be performed provides for custodial services to ensure facilities are clean and sightly. The work includes, but is not limited to, emptying waste containers, low area cleaning, high area cleaning, interior and exterior window cleaning, floor care, restroom cleaning services, and building perimeter services for approximately 545 buildings. Total amount of the option (recurring and non-recurring) is $10,749,214 -- recurring $10,198,440 and non-recurring $550,774. After award of this option, the total cumulative contract value will be $41,290,273. Work will be performed in Oahu, Hawaii, and this option period is from October 2019 to September 2020. No funds will be obligated at time of award. Fiscal 2020 operation and maintenance, (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $10,198,440 for recurring work will be obligated on individual task orders during the option period. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Hawaii, Joint Base Pearl-Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, is the contracting activity (N62478-16-D-2452). Shape Construction, Inc.,* Poulsbo, Washington, is awarded a firm-fixed-price task order N4425519F4431 at $10,374,690 under a multiple award construction contract. The work will renovate building 1 located at Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC), Keyport, Washington. The work to be performed includes seismic retrofit, fire protection and renovations including structural, architectural, mechanical, plumbing, electrical, communications, elevator upgrades, with incidental related work. The task order also contains two unexercised options and a furniture, fixtures, and equipment contract line item number, which, if exercised, would increase cumulative task order value to $13,214,293. Work will be performed in Keyport, Washington, and is expected to be completed by April 2021. Fiscal 2019 Navy working capital fund, contract funds in the amount of $10,374,690 are obligated on this award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Three proposals were received for this task order. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Northwest, Silverdale, Washington, is the contracting activity (N44255-17-D-4006). Harris Corp., Palm Bay, Florida, is awarded a $10,113,048 modification (P00014) to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (N00421-17-C-0024). This modification is for the procurement of 114 Fibre Channel Network Switches for the U.S. Nav
14 janvier 2019 | International, Terrestre

Here are the four prizes Textron Systems is watching in 2019
By: Valerie Insinna WASHINGTON — Textron Systems is focusing on the U.S. Army this year, with its chief executive naming four unmanned and small arms programs with the service as the company's “need to win” items in 2019. Speaking to reporters Jan. 10, Textron President and CEO Lisa Atherton laid out the company's top priorities: 1. Squad Mobility Equipment Transport With its recent acquisition of Howe & Howe Technologies, Textron finds itself a player in the Army's Squad Mobility Equipment Transport competition. The Army wants to buy a robotic equipment carrier that troops can load with their gear, and Howe & Howe's tracked RS2-H1 robot is competing alongside three other companies for the contract. “We believe that program will progress this year, and we look forward to moving that to low-rate production,” Atherton said. The other competitors undergoing tests with the Army and Marine Corps are the Polaris MRZR X, a four-wheeled vehicle based on the Polaris MRZR currently in service with the Marines; the General Dynamics four-wheel drive Multi-Utility Tactical Transport; and the six-wheeled HDT Global Hunter WOLF, or Wheeled Offload Logistics Follower, Army Times reported last year. Each company delivered prototypes to two Army infantry brigade combat teams and a Marine Corps unit for tests last year. “They asked us to deliver eight vehicles and then just give them to the soldiers and let the soldiers do what they will with them and basically try to break them,” Atherton said. The vehicles have now come back to Textron in good working condition, which Atherton said is a “testament to the robustness of that capability.” After a year of tests, the Army will make a decision on the way forward with the program, which could involve a downselect to a single SMET provider, Army Times has reported. 2. Robotic combat vehicle As the Army looks to replace the Bradley Fighting Vehicle with what the service is calling the Next Generation Combat Vehicle, it is also hoping to develop an unmanned tank that can accompany it into battle as a robotic “wingman.” Again, Textron's acquisition of Howe & Howe gives the company an entry point into the competition, Atherton said. “We believe that the Ripsaw is tailor-made for that,” she said, referring to the light unmanned tank developed by Howe & Howe. “So this year we will be focused on responding to the [requests for proposals] that come out for the prototypes.” Ripsaw's appearance on the show “Jay Leno's Garage” attracted Atherton's attention to Howe & Howe and laid the foundation for the company's eventual acquisition. The robotic tank has been featured in numerous TV and movie spots, including the film “Mad Max: Fury Road.” The Army previously tested it at Picatinny Arsenal in New Jersey. Atherton said Textron will make investments to improve the survivability of Ripsaw, as well as add “other innovations.” Brig. Gen. David Lesperance, who is leading the NGCV Cross-Functional Team, said in March that both NGCV and robot combat vehicle prototypes will be ready for soldier evaluations by 2020, with follow-on prototypes ready by 2022 and 2024. 3. Future tactical unmanned aerial system As the Army looks to replace its RQ-7 Shadow drones, it's testing a number of small, nondevelopmental unmanned aerial systems with the hopes of buying something off the shelf. As part of that effort, Textron was chosen to demonstrate Aerosonde HQ at Dugway Proving Ground, Utah, last month, Atherton said. Aerosonde HQ is a version of Textron's small Aerosonde UAS and includes a kit that allows it to take off and land vertically. “Our team widely exceeded the threshold requirements,” she said. “So we're very proud of what we were able to do: very rapidly integrate those techniques and procedures and technologies into the Aerosonde to be able to provide that to the Army for the future tactical UAS.” 4. Next Generation Squad Weapons Textron also believes it has strong offerings for the Army's Next Generation Squad Weapons effort, an umbrella program to replace soldiers' small arms, Atherton said. Reducing the weight of small arms is a major goal of the program, and Textron previously developed case-telescoped weapons it claims are lighter in weight and more lethal than current weaponry. “We believe we are the leaders in the case-telescoped prototypes for the Army's next-generation squad weapon with our lightweight small arms technologies,” Atherton said. The company showcased a 5.56mm light machine gun variant and a 6.5mm caseless service rifle variant at the Association of the U.S. Army's annual meeting in 2017, Army Times reported. The service has awarded contracts to Textron; FN America, LLC; General Dynamics; PCP Tactical; and Sig Sauer to build prototypes of a Next Generation Squad Automatic Rifle, or NGSAR. The prototypes are due to be delivered this year. That weapon would replace the M249 Squad Automatic Weapon, which fires 5.56mm rounds. The program also seeks to find a replacement for the M4, which it calls the Next Generation Squad Weapon Rifle, or NGSW-Rifle. Both NGSW-Rifle and NGSAR will fire 6.8mm rounds. https://www.defensenews.com/land/2019/01/11/here-are-the-four-prizes-textron-systems-is-watching-in-2019
26 août 2020 | International, Aérospatial

Malaysia to launch competition for drones and manned maritime patrol aircraft
By: Mike Yeo MELBOURNE, Australia — Malaysia is moving ahead with its plans to acquire much-needed manned and unmanned aircraft to enhance maritime security, with the Southeast Asian country announcing that it will be issuing separate tenders for each type. The Aug. 25 announcement comes in the wake of its coast guard killing a Vietnamese fisherman following a confrontation off the Malaysian coast. And both countries along with China were recently involved in a three-way standoff over oil exploration in a part of the South China Sea claimed by all three nations. According to the tender announcement, Malaysia is seeking two maritime patrol aircraft and three medium-altitude, long-endurance unmanned aerial systems. The announcement was sent to “selected embassies” and published in two of Malaysia's national newspapers as well as the government's online tender portal. The government said the full tender documents will be available Sept. 3 and that interested parties must submit bids no later than Nov. 26. This announcement confirms earlier reports that Malaysia will split its requirement for maritime patrol aircraft and maritime UAS into two tranches, with this first tranche coming under the country's 2021-2025 five-year spending plan. Under its Capability 55 plan, the Royal Malaysian Air Force has an eventual requirement for four maritime patrol aircraft and six UAS to improve maritime domain awareness. Potential manned aircraft in the running include Leonardo's ATR 72MP, Airbus' C-295, PTDI's CN-235, Boeing's P-8A Poseidon and Kawasaki Heavy Industries' P-1. However, it's unlikely P-8A or P-1 will be chosen due to their respective costs. The drone requirement is likely to attract interest from General Atomics with its MQ-9 Reaper; Aviation Industry Corporation of China with its Wing Loong family of systems; Leonardo with the Falco; and Turkish Aerospace Industries' Anka series. Malaysia is one of six claimants to the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea, and it has faced other maritime issues such as piracy and smuggling. Despite its desire to bolster its maritime patrol fleet, Malaysia's fiscal troubles and political uncertainty has stymied efforts to acquire new aircraft. The country has undergone two changes in government since then-Defence Minister Hishammuddin Hussein gave the go-ahead to acquire a new maritime patrol aircraft type in September 2017. The program has since languished like much of Malaysia's other defense procurement programs. The Royal Malaysian Air Force currently operates three Beechcraft B200T King Airs in a maritime surveillance role, while the U.S. government has started deliveries of six Insitu ScanEagle drones to the Royal Malaysian Navy, donated using funding from the U.S. Maritime Security Initiative. The American program aims to improve maritime domain awareness capabilities of partner countries in the Asia-Pacific region. Malaysia also previously announced it will convert two of its fleet of seven Indonesian-built CN-235 transport aircraft into maritime patrol platforms using funds from the Maritime Security Initiative. https://www.defensenews.com/global/asia-pacific/2020/08/25/malaysia-to-launch-competition-for-drones-and-manned-maritime-patrol-aircraft/

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