18 janvier 2021 | International, Aérospatial
By Dan Gouré
In a year where the Department of Defense struggled to address a global pandemic, uncertainty at home, and multiple security challenges abroad, the F-35 program stands out as a success story. The aircraft continues to provide exceptional capability for three U.S. Armed Services and more than a dozen foreign operators. In the face of COVID-19 slamming their supply chains on the home front, the F-35 industrial team still managed to produce a near-record 123 fighters. 2020 also saw the roll-out of the first version of the Operational Data Integrated Network (ODIN), the new logistics support program. This is a remarkable record for any large, complex defense program in normal times, much less while struggling to deal with the human and economic toll caused by a global pandemic.
COVID-19 has brought heartache and death to this country. It has also disrupted the operations of businesses large and small. The Department of Defense (DoD) has struggled along with every other organization to protect its people while conducting the necessary business of defending the nation, maintaining force readiness and ensuring the continuation of modernization efforts. In addition, the U.S. military deployed to support state and local governments with their pandemic responses and even helped with the development of COVID vaccines.
The defense and aerospace industry also responded to the challenges posed by the virus. Protection of its workforce was and remains the number one priority. At the same time, industry knew that it had to continue to make progress on programs and plans to equip the military.
An example of how well DoD and the defense industry has coped with the ravages of the pandemic is the Lockheed Martin F-35 program. For example, the pre-COVID plan called for producing 141 F-35s in 2020. This was revised downward in May to between 117 and 123, as DoD planners and industry saw what was happening. The Lockheed Martin team was proactive in changing its production plans and cleaning methods to protect workers. Nevertheless, the program reached its new goal, delivering 123 aircraft, including nearly 50 to foreign partners and countries using the Foreign Military Sales system. 2020 also saw the delivery of the 500th F-35 and the completion of more than 250,000 flight hours across the global fleet.
The cost for the F-35 continues to decline, with the price for the benchmark F-35A projected to drop to under 80 million dollars by 2021. According to industry sources, the F-35's reliability continues to improve. The newest production aircraft average greater than 70% mission capable rates, and some are consistently near 75%.
Last year saw F-35s from all three Services participate in numerous exercises and training events. One of the most noteworthy of these was Project Convergence, an Army Futures Command program designed to help develop an artificial intelligence and machine learning-based battle management system to direct a host of new weapons systems, such as the Extended Range Cannon Artillery. In a major exercise, the ability to conduct fire missions based on sensor data from Marine Corps F-35Bs passed to Army long-range artillery was demonstrated.
Having declared the carrier-variant of the F-35 — the C model — fully operational, the Navy and Marine Corps spent 2020 getting ready to deploy it aboard U.S. aircraft carriers. Together with deployments of advanced versions of the Boeing F/A-18E/F, the Northrop Grumman E-2D Hawkeye, the Bell Boeing CMV-22B Osprey, and the new Boeing MQ-25 aerial refueling drone, the F-35C will transform the carrier air wing.
Despite limitations imposed on close contact because of the pandemic, countries acquiring the F-35 continued to induct aircraft, stand up units and conduct training missions during 2020. In July, Italian Air Force F-35s returning home from an air policing mission in Iceland stopped in the United Kingdom to train alongside Royal Air Force F-35Bs.
The U.S. has also participated with many partner countries and overseas allies in training exercises with the F-35. Last October, the Israeli Air Force and U.S. Air Force conducted a joint exercise in Israeli skies.
Defying COVID, the United Kingdom sent its newest aircraft carrier, the Queen Elizabeth, to sea for a pre-deployment exercise in late 2020. Not only did the Queen Elizabeth demonstrate its ability to operate the short-takeoff and landing variant of the F-35, the F-35B, it also hosted a squadron of U.S. Marine Corp F-35s in a clear demonstration of how the F-35 enhances interoperability with allies.
In 2020, more countries also entered the Joint Strike Fighter community. In a landmark agreement, the United States will sell the United Arab Emirates up to 50 F-35s, along with advanced unmanned aerial systems and air-delivered munitions. An agreement between Warsaw and Washington for Poland to acquire 32 F-35s was signed in early 2020.
Given the impacts of COVID on virtually all the Department of Defense's activities, it would be surprising if there were no problems with the F-35 program. One such virus-related impact was the need to delay a decision on full-rate production, previously planned for March 2021 to a later date. This was not due to problems with the F-35 itself, production lines, or deployment of software. Rather, it reflected problems in operational test and evaluation, as the need for social distancing made it difficult to complete a number of required test and evaluation activities.
In addition, the pandemic forced delays in completion of the Joint Simulation Environment (JSE), an extremely sophisticated virtual testing regime being built to assess the performance of advanced aircraft, particularly the F-35. According to the Office of the Secretary of Defense, a combination of technical challenges and the impact of COVID‐19 was delaying the maturation of the JSE. This will prevent the completion of F‐35 Block 3F software's Initial Operational Test & Evaluation by the original target date of March 2021.
2020 proved the resilience of the U.S military and the defense and aerospace, industrial base. Despite the COVID-19-created delay in fielding the JSE and conducting the full operation test and evaluation program, F-35s continues to roll off the production line, enter service and perform extraordinarily well in exercises and on operational deployments. All in all, 2020 can be recorded as a remarkable success for the F-35 program.
2 octobre 2023 | International, Naval
The Ministry of Defence has awarded £3.95 billion of funding to BAE Systems for the next phase of the UK's next-generation nuclear-powered attack submarine programme, known as SSN-AUKUS.
16 octobre 2023 | International, Aérospatial, Naval, Terrestre, C4ISR, Sécurité
South Korea will kick off its largest-ever defence exhibition this week, as the country seeks to turbocharge its arms sales and showcase a rare appearance by a U.S. nuclear-capable bomber.
21 octobre 2020 | International, Aérospatial, Naval, Terrestre, C4ISR, Sécurité, Autre défense
MISSILE DEFENSE AGENCY a.i. solutions Inc.,* Lanham, Maryland, is being awarded a $203,204,319 competitive, cost-plus-fixed-fee, level-of-effort contract with a three-year base value of $77,728,390 and two one-year options for quality and mission assurance advisory and assistance services. The work will be performed in the National Capital Region; Dahlgren, Virginia; Huntsville, Alabama; Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico; Fort Greely, Alaska; Orlando, Florida; Moorestown, New Jersey; Tucson, Arizona; Salt Lake City, Utah; Promontory, Utah; Joplin, Missouri; and other locations as directed, with an estimated completion date of December 2025. This contract was competitively procured via publication on the beta.SAM.gov website with two proposals received. Fiscal 2020 and 2021 research, development, test and evaluation; and Foreign Military Sales funds in the amount of $4,513,906 are being obligated at time of award. The Missile Defense Agency, Huntsville, Alabama, is the contracting activity (HQ0858-21-C-0010). NAVY Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is awarded a $138,769,282 modification (P00027) to previously awarded cost-plus-award-fee, cost-plus-incentive-fee contract N00019-19-C-0010. This modification adds scope to continue the development of pilot training device software to align the F-35 air system with continued capability development. Additionally, this modification provides for testing and continuous re-certification activities for dual capable F-35 aircraft as Block 4 capabilities are developed, matured and fielded in support of the Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force and non-Department of Defense (DOD) participants. Work will be performed in Orlando, Florida (51%); and Fort Worth, Texas (49%), and is expected to be completed in June 2024. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation (Air Force) funds in the amount of $4,623,119; fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $3,325,900; and non-DOD participant funds in the amount of $1,071,980 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. L3 Technologies Inc., Global Communications Solutions Division, Victor, New York, is awarded a firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract with a ceiling of $87,712,000 for the purchase of up to a maximum 169 production Marine Corps Wideband Satellite – Expeditionary systems. Work will be performed in Rochester, New York, and is expected to be complete by October 2025. Fiscal 2020 procurement (Marine Corps) funds in the amount of $20,673,900 will be obligated on the first delivery order immediately following contract award and funds will not expire at the end of current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the beta.sam.gov website, with four offers received. The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Virginia, is the contracting activity (M67854-21-D-2025). Technology Security Associates Inc.,* California, Maryland, is awarded an $83,287,546 cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. This contract provides a full range of platform security and related support services to include, security modeling, program security management, trusted systems and network, cybersecurity, anti-tamper, system security engineering, international programs security support, acquisition security support, communications security support and physical security, force protection, anti-terrorism, and emergency management support for the Naval Air System Command and the Naval Air Warfare Centers. Work will be performed at Patuxent River, Maryland (90%); St. Inigoes, Maryland (2%); Lakehurst, New Jersey (2%); Orlando, Florida (1%); China Lake, California (1%); Point Mugu, California (1%); North Island, California (1%); Cherry Point, North Carolina (1%); and Jacksonville, Florida (1%), and is expected to be completed in October 2025. No funds will be obligated at the time of award; funds will be obligated on individual orders as they are issued. This contract was competitively procured as a small business set-aside; two offers were received. The Naval Air Warfare Center, Aircraft Division, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N00421-21-D-0005). Lockheed Martin Corp., Fort Worth, Texas, is awarded a $12,663,878 modification (P00088) to previously awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee contract N00019-16-C-0033. This modification adds scope in support of the F-35 Lightning II Lot 11 diminishing manufacturing sources redesign of the Electrical Optical Targeting System, 270V Battery Cell Separator and a component for the Helmet Mounted Display System for Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force and non-Department of Defense (DOD) participants. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas, and is expected to be completed in January 2024. Fiscal 2020 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $5,198,654; fiscal 2019 aircraft procurement (Air Force) funds in the amount of $5,198,654; and non-DOD participant funds in the amount of $2,266,570 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. AIR FORCE Privoro, Tempe, Arizona, has been awarded a $37,100,000 firm-fixed-price agreement for prototyping and pilot work to support the establishment of a trusted platform for secure mobility that will bring the advantages of commercial mobile technology to government agencies. Work will be performed in Phoenix, Arizona, and is expected to be completed Aug. 1, 2024. Fiscal 2019 and 2020 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $2,668,000 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Research Laboratory, Dayton, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8650-19-9-9333). U.S. SPECIAL OPERATIONS COMMAND Trofholz Technologies Inc., Rocklin, California, was awarded a $15,000,000 maximum single award, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (H92240-21-D-0001) with an ordering period of up to five years for contractor-provided non-personal Integrated Electronic Security System services in support of Naval Special Warfare Command (NSWC) enterprise requirements. Fiscal 2021 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $145,899 are being obligated at the time of award. The work will be performed in various locations inside and outside the U.S. and may continue through fiscal 2026, depending on timing of orders placed by NSWC. The contract was awarded competitively using Federal Acquisition Regulation Part 15 procedures with four proposals received. NSWC, Coronado, California, is the contracting activity. ARMY Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., Stratford, Connecticut, was awarded a $13,739,845 modification (P00152) to contract W58RGZ-17-C-0009 for one UH-60M Black Hawk helicopter. Work will be performed in Stratford, Connecticut, with an estimated completion date of Nov. 30, 2020. Fiscal 2010 Foreign Military Sales (Jordan) funds in the amount of $13,739,845 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity. DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Oshkosh Defense LLC, Oshkosh, Wisconsin, has been awarded an $11,340,637 firm-fixed-price, requirements-type contract for tire and wheel assemblies. This was a competitive acquisition with one offer received. This is a three-year contract with no option periods. Locations of performance are Wisconsin and New Jersey, with an Oct. 20, 2023, ordering period end date. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2021 through 2024 Army working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency, Land and Maritime, Warren, Michigan (SPRDL1-21-D-0004). *Small business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2388282/source/GovDelivery/