30 mai 2023 | International, Autre défense
Denmark plans to invest 143 billion Danish crowns ($21 billion) in defence over the next 10 years, which combined with increased military aid to Ukraine will help it achieve NATO's spending target this year, its government said.
31 octobre 2023 | International, Naval, C4ISR
A submarine community reorganization is allowing greater focus on submarine sustainment, weapons production and new capabilities like Project Overmatch.
14 août 2019 | International, Aérospatial
By: Kelsey D. Atherton This may be a flying saucer, but don't call it a UFO. Carefully named, the All DIrections Flying Object, or ADIFO, is instead a saucer-like contraption, a flying prototype built at exploring the aerodynamic potential of an alien craft. It is, at its core, an omnidirectional flying wing built around a quadcopter with jets attached. Its designers see a future for the airframe as an unmanned combat aerial vehicle. In a video posted July 1, a narrator discusses the design process and aerodynamics of the craft. Like many VTOL tools built on a quadcopter frame, ducted fans provide initial lift and mobility at low altitudes and low speeds. The addition of vectored jets on the rear of the craft, combined with four vertical vents and four side-facing vents, promising greater maneuverability at high speeds. The ADIFO is the invention of Romanian engineer Razan Sabie in conjunction with Iosif Taposu, a scientist with a long career in aerospace research for the Romanian government. “The aerodynamics behind this aircraft is the result of more than two decades of work and is very well reasoned in hundreds of pages and confirmed by computer simulations and wind tunnel tests,” Sabie told Vice, in the pair's first American interview. That story explores both the specific nature of the ADIFO, and the long and mostly failed history of flying saucer design. Like many other ideas for the first decades of aviation, the possibility of operating the craft without a human on board opens up greater potential in what an airframe can actually do. Human pilots are subject to the limitations of a body and perception, and a flying disk changing directions suddenly at high speed is not the ideal place for a human to be. Uncrewed craft can take on novel forms, and execute turns and twists beyond those human limits. While maneuverability is likely the primary selling point for a future role as combat aircraft, the smooth and fin-free form could easily have stealth characteristics built in, and could be further adapted by a dedicated team to fully realizing that stealth flight. What might a military planner or designer do with such a machine? The proof-of-concept offers little in the way of information about storage space or sensors. With wide enough lenses, a handful of cameras could match the circular symmetry of the vehicle and provide and omnidirectional surveillance presence. The high speeds and potentially low radar profile suggest a role akin to earlier, Cold War spy planes, taking specific pictures in contested space and returning before anti-air systems can act. And as with any aircraft, the potential is likely there for it to release an explosive payload, taking the flying saucer from an extraterrestrial fear to a terrestrial threat. ADIFO might not be the future of anything. The project's home page says the team is still attracting partners, and aviation history is littered with proofs-of-concept that failed to materialize in a meaningful way. Yet there is something to the idea of a flying saucer working the moment it no longer has to transport a human. It is an old aviation frontier that likely warrants further exploration. https://www.c4isrnet.com/unmanned/2019/08/12/what-might-a-military-want-with-a-romanian-flying-saucer/
11 juillet 2019 | International, Aérospatial, Naval, Terrestre, C4ISR, Sécurité, Autre défense
NAVY Wyle Laboratories Inc.,* Huntsville, Alabama, is being awarded an $81,220,643 cost-plus-fixed-fee, cost-reimbursable, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. This contract provides for certified and qualified operational contractor support services aircrew to support mission essential testing and evaluation of all manned air vehicles under the operational responsibility of the Naval Test Wing Atlantic/Pacific squadrons. Work will be performed at the Naval Air Station (NAS) Patuxent River, Maryland (94%); NAS Pt. Mugu, California (5%); and NAS China Lake, California (1%), and is expected to be completed in September 2024. No funds are being obligated at time of award; funds will be obligated on individual task orders as they are issued. This contract was competitively procured via an electronic request for proposals; two offers were received. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N00421-19-D-0071). CCI Construction Services LLC,* Honolulu, Hawaii (N62478-16-D-4012); Dawson Federal Inc.,* Honolulu, Hawaii (N62478-16-D-4014); and TKH-ASI LLC,* Kahului, Hawaii (N62478-16-D-4016), are being awarded a $75,000,000 firm-fixed-price modification to increase the maximum dollar value of an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, multiple award design-build/design-bid-build construction contract for construction projects located primarily within the Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Hawaii area of operations (AO). The work to be performed provides for, but is not limited to labor, supervision, tools, materials and equipment necessary to perform new construction, repair, alteration and related demolition of existing infrastructure based on design-build, or design-bid-build (full plans and specifications) for infrastructure within the state of Hawaii. After award of this modification, the total cumulative contract value will be $320,000,000. No task orders are being issued at this time. Work will be performed at various Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force and miscellaneous federal and other facilities in the NAVFAC Hawaii AO. Work is expected to be completed by June 2021. No funds will be obligated at time of award; funds will be obligated on individual task orders as they are issued. Task orders will be primarily funded by operations and maintenance (Navy); and Navy working capital funds. NAVFAC Hawaii, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, is the contracting activity. (Awarded July 9, 2019) Paradigm Mechanical Corp.,* Lemon Grove, California, is being awarded an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract with a maximum amount of $49,000,000 for plumbing, heating, and air conditioning construction alterations, renovations and repair projects at Naval Air Weapons Station, China Lake; Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms; Marine Corps Logistics Base, Barstow; and Mountain Warfare Training Center, Bridgeport. Projects will be primarily design-bid-build (fully designed) task orders with minimal design effort (e.g. shop drawings). Projects may include, but are not limited to, alterations, repairs, and construction of plumbing, heating, and air-conditioning system installation projects. Work will be performed in China Lake, California (25%); Twentynine Palms, California (25%); Barstow, California (25%); and Bridgeport, California (25%). The term of the contract is not to exceed 60 months with an expected completion date of July 2024. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance, (Navy) (O&M, N) contract funds in the amount of $5,000 are being obligated at time of 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 one proposal received. Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southwest, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity (N62473-19-D-2602). R.C. Construction Co. Inc., Greenwood, Mississippi, is being awarded a $33,116,313 firm-fixed-price contract for construction of range improvements and modernization located at Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island, South Carolina. This project constructs a new rifle range in the same location as the existing Hue City Range. This range will meet applicable Marine Corps requirements for known distance (KD) ranges as set forth in MIL HDBK 1027.3B, range facilities and miscellaneous training facilities other than buildings, and Marine Corps Orders (MCO) 3570.1C, 3550.9, and 3574.2L. Range support buildings to be constructed include target storage, control house and toilet facilities. All facilities will be concrete or reinforced concrete masonry unit structures with stucco exterior and concrete slab on grade. A target-area berm, retaining walls, safety sidewalls, a safety tunnel and 600-yard range berm will be constructed, and sidewalls with acoustic insulation will also be included. Earth berm structures include a behind-the-target bullet impact berm with side and rear retaining walls as appropriate with flat lead mining equipment maintenance surfaces. Built-in equipment will include the target system benches, target numbers and relocated target lifters, flagpoles and firing line benches. Special costs include post construction award services and geospatial mapping and survey. Work will be performed in Parris Island, South Carolina, and is expected to be completed by August 2021. Fiscal 2019 military construction, (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $28,326,200 are being obligated at time of 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-9017). The Raytheon Co., Tucson, Arizona, is being awarded a $17,777,245 firm-fixed-price contract to procure 114 High Speed Anti-Radiation Missile command launch computers to include two pre-production units, one first article test unit and 111 production units in support of the Navy. Work will be performed in Tucson, Arizona, and is expected to be completed in October 2021. Working capital (Navy); and fiscal 2017, 2018 and 2019 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $17,777,245 will be obligated at time of award, $6,243,087 of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N00019-19-C-0026). Diversified Maintenance Systems Inc.,* Sandy, Utah, is being awarded a not-to-exceed the amount of $15,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for commercial and institutional building construction alterations, renovations and repair projects at Naval Weapons Station, Seal Beach. Projects will be primarily design-bid-build (fully designed) task orders with minimal design effort (e.g. shop drawings). Projects may include, but are not limited to, alterations, repairs and construction of administration buildings, maintenance/repair facilities, aircraft control towers, hangars, fire stations, office buildings, laboratories, dining facilities and related structures. Work will be performed in Seal Beach, California. The term of the contract is not to exceed 60 months with an expected completion date of July 2024. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance, (Navy) (O&M, N) contract funds in the amount of $5,000 are being obligated at time of this 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 13 proposals received. Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southwest, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity (N62473-19-D-2621). ARMY Amherst Madison Inc., Charleston, West Virginia (W91237-19-D-0019); and Mi-De-Con Inc.,* Ironton, Ohio (W91237-19-D-0020), will compete for each order of the $49,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for small construction projects. Bids were solicited via the internet with three received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of July 9, 2024. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Huntington, West Virginia, is the contracting activity. Burns & McDonnell Engineering Co. Inc., Kansas City, Missouri, was awarded a $49,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for architect and engineering services. Bids were solicited via the internet with six received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of July 9, 2024. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mobile, Alabama, is the contracting activity (W91278-19-D-0032). Specialized Materials and Chemicals LLC, Brigham City, Utah, was awarded a $38,600,000 firm-fixed-price contract for the procurement of ammonium Perchlorate. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of July 9, 2022. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois, is the contracting activity (W52P1J-19-D-3021). Walga Ross Group 2 JV,* Topeka, Kansas, was awarded a $21,808,640 firm-fixed-price contract for the construction of the South Access Control Point for the Fort Bliss Replacement Hospital at Fort Bliss, Texas. Bids were solicited via the internet with two received. Work will be performed in El Paso, Texas, with an estimated completion date of Nov. 8, 2020. Fiscal 2018 military construction funds in the amount of $21,808,640 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Fort Worth, Texas, is the contracting activity (W9126G-19-C-0032). Seatrax Inc.,* Houston, Texas, was awarded a $15,098,156 firm-fixed-price contract for a new floating crane to perform the duty cycle bank grading work in support of the revetment mission on the Mississippi River. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will be performed in Houston, Texas, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 30, 2021. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance, civil funds in the amount of $15,098,156 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S Army Corps of Engineers, Memphis, Tennessee, is the contracting activity (W912EQ-19-C-0007). Walga Ross Group 2 JV,* Topeka, Kansas, was awarded a $12,219,560 firm-fixed-price contract for the construction of the North Access Control Point for the Fort Bliss Replacement Hospital at Fort Bliss, Texas. Bids were solicited via the internet with two received. Work will be performed in El Paso, Texas, with an estimated completion date of Nov. 8, 2020. Fiscal 2018 military construction funds in the amount of $21,808,640 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Fort Worth, Texas, is the contracting activity (W9126G-19-C-0031). AIR FORCE Nomlaki Technologies, Sacramento, California, has been awarded a $10,402,000 firm-fixed-price contract for repairing four bridges. This contract provides demolition and disposal of all debris of four reinforced concrete bridges at Beale Air Force Base, in accordance with all local city ordinances, state and federal regulations and design and construction of a bridge system (up to four bridges) to cross the four waterways and replace the original bridges. Work will be performed at Beale AFB, California, and is expected to be completed by Oct. 24, 2020. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $10,402,000 are being obligated at the time of award. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition with five offers received. The 9th Contracting Squadron, Beale AFB, Marysville, California, is the contracting activity (FA4686-19-C-A004). DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Goodrich Corp., Rome, New York, has been awarded a maximum $9,148,161 firm‐fixed‐price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite‐quantity contract for ball bearing units. This was a sole-source acquisition using justification 10 U.S. Code 2304 (c)(2) from Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302‐1. This is a five-year contract with no option periods. Location of performance is New York, with a July 30, 2024, performance completion date. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2024 Army working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama (SPRRA1‐19‐D‐0077). *Small business https://dod.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/1901092/source/GovDelivery/