21 septembre 2018 | International, Aérospatial

Dutch defense chief opens door for more F-35s

By:

COLOGNE, Germany – Dutch defense minister Ank Bijleveld has eliminated the country's budget cap for F-35 purchases, opening the possibility of buying more planes in the future, a spokesman confirmed to Defense News.

The defense ministry spokesman described the move as “just a formality” that would not require parliamentary approval, as the Dutch objective of buying 37 copies of the Lockheed Martin-made jet for €4.7 billion remains in place. But it means “we leave the option open to buy new planes” beyond those already envisioned in the budget, the spokesman said.

The development was first reported by the Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf, which wrote that the air force was angling to eventually get 67 aircraft. That amount would be enough to field four squadrons in the Netherlands, according to the newspaper.

Dick Zandee, a defense analyst at the Dutch Clingendael foreign policy think tank, said the recently released 2019 budget still reflects the government's target of buying 37 planes. But the budget cap elimination at this time could set the stage for additional contracts in a few years' time, once deliveries of the batch already on order are nearing completion.

The Dutch are set to take delivery of eight F-35s in 2019. That's in addition to two test aircraft already produced. The fifth-generation aircraft are meant to replace the country's fleet of 60 or so F-16s, with yearly deliveries scheduled between six to eight planes until the target number of 37 is reached.

That inventory will allow the Netherlands to field four F-35s for operations, considering that a certain number is always set aside for training, undergoing maintenance or otherwise unavailable to deploy, said Zandee.

“There is a lot of pressure from NATO that 37 are not enough,” he said, adding that there has been talk in Dutch defense circles to up the number to 52. “The air force always wants more” of the planes, and the service would consider an increase to 52 as an intermediate step to get an even greater number later, Zandee told Defense News.

Meanwhile, the jet is facing some pushback in the Netherlands over its development price tag and the high cost of ownership. “The criticism is that you're buying an aircraft that is not fully developed yet," said Zandee.

But, he added,"The attitude is that the Americans are throwing so many billions at the program that problems will be solved."

https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2018/09/20/dutch-defense-chief-opens-door-for-more-f-35s

Sur le même sujet

  • Airbus remodèle des avions sans pièces allemandes

    1 mars 2019 | International, Aérospatial

    Airbus remodèle des avions sans pièces allemandes

    BERLIN (Reuters) - Airbus, frustré par la décision de l'Allemagne de geler les exportations d'armes à l'Arabie saoudite, a décidé de revoir la conception de son avion de transport militaire C295 assemblé en Espagne afin d'en enlever les composants allemands, ont dit des sources du groupe à Reuters. L'Allemagne a décidé de manière unilatérale en octobre de refuser toute future licence d'exportation d'armes à l'Arabie saoudite après le meurtre du journaliste Jamal Khashoggi. Elle a en outre gelé la livraison de tous les équipements ayant déjà été autorisés. Les accords existants permettent à l'Allemagne de bloquer les exportations d'armes contenant des pièces allemandes. “Nous sommes en train d'exclure (les composants allemands) de l'avion”, a dit une source informée de ces projets. Les phares d'atterrissage du C295, par exemple, sont fabriqués en Allemagne et environ 4% des pièces de l'appareil sont d'origine allemande, a dit cette source. Airbus a reçu 208 commandes de 28 pays pour cet avion de transport militaire, dont 166 exemplaires sont actuellement opérationnels dans le monde. D'après une deuxième source, Airbus s'efforce de déterminer si des pièces en provenance d'Allemagne sont aussi susceptibles d'être remplacées sur d'autres modèles d'avions contenant moins de composants allemands. Cette source a ajouté qu'il serait difficile, voire impossible, de modifier la conception de l'Eurofighter Typhoon, un programme multinational composé pour environ un tiers de pièces allemandes. Le gel décidé par l'Allemagne a retardé les efforts du gouvernement britannique pour finaliser la vente de 48 nouveaux Typhoon à l'Arabie saoudite pour 10 milliards de livres (11,7 milliards d'euros). Le Parti social-démocrate (SPD), partenaire de coalition des conservateurs de la chancelière Angela Merkel à Berlin, a exprimé cette semaine sa volonté de prolonger cet embargo au-delà de la date butoir actuellement fixée au 9 mars, malgré les pressions de la France et de la Grande-Bretagne en faveur d'une levée de cette interdiction. Angela Merkel a refusé de dire si ce gel serait prolongé. Des élus conservateurs allemands de premier plan ont dit n'avoir constaté aucun progrès vers un assouplissement éventuel de la position du gouvernement. https://fr.reuters.com/article/businessNews/idFRKCN1QG2O3-OFRBS

  • Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - May 07, 2020

    8 mai 2020 | International, Aérospatial, Naval, Terrestre, C4ISR, Sécurité

    Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - May 07, 2020

    DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Royal Food Service Co.,* Atlanta, Georgia, has been awarded a maximum $465,000,000 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for fresh fruits and vegetables. This was a competitive acquisition with three responses received. This is a five-year contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Georgia, with a May 6, 2025, performance completion date. Using customers are Army, Navy and Department of Agriculture schools. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2025 defense working capital funds. The contracting agency is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE300-20-D-P353). Inficon Inc., East Syracuse, New York, has been awarded a maximum $45,000,000 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for medical equipment and accessories for the Defense Logistics Agency electronic catalog. This was a competitive acquisition with 115 responses received. This is a five-year contract with no option periods. Location of performance is New York, with a May 6, 2025, performance completion date. Using military services are Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2025 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE2DH-20-D-0034). Emergent LLC,* Virginia Beach, Virginia, has been awarded a maximum $13,787,428 firm-fixed-price task order (SP4701-20-F-0075) against a five-year base contract (SP4701-20-Q-0030) with one five-year option period for Oracle software licenses and maintenance renewal. This was a competitive acquisition with three responses received. This is a one-year contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Virginia, with a May 29, 2021, performance completion date. Using customer is Defense Logistics Agency. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2021 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Contracting Services Office, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Extra Packaging LLC,* Boca Raton, Florida, has been awarded a maximum $7,562,500 modification (P00005) exercising the first 20-month option period and second 20-month option period simultaneously of a 20-month base contract (SPE2DS-19-D-0082) with two 20-month option periods for human remains pouches. This is a firm-fixed price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. Locations of performance are Texas and Florida, with a Jan. 7, 2022, performance completion date. Using customers are Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, Federal Emergency Management Agency and federal civilian agencies. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2022 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. MISSILE DEFENSE AGENCY The Boeing Co., Huntsville, Alabama, is being awarded a $128,481,291 contract modification (P00542/P00051) to previously awarded HQ0147-12-C-0004/19-C-0004 on the Ground-based Midcourse Defense development and sustainment contract. The value of this contract, including options, is increased from $11,208,915,599 to $11,337,396,890. The definitized scope of work requires continued support to Ground-based Midcourse Defense by manufacturing C2 boost vehicles, booster spare parts and associated avionics to maintain fleet and flight test programs. The period of performance is from Jan. 31, 2018, to Sept., 30, 2022. This acquisition was executed on a sole-source basis. Fiscal 2017 and 2018 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $52,890,819 have been obligated. To definitize the contract action, fiscal 2019 and 2020 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $65,070,681 were obligated at the time of award. The Missile Defense Agency, Huntsville, Alabama, is the contracting activity. AIR FORCE Lockheed Martin Corp., Orlando, Florida, has been awarded a $49,856,351 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification (P00004) to contract FA8682-19-C-0008 to procure additional equipment and tooling needed to increase Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile production. Work will be performed in Orlando, Florida, and is expected to be complete by March 31, 2023. This award is the result of sole-source acquisition. Fiscal 2019 missile procurement funds in the full amount are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, is the contracting activity. ARMY MD Helicopters Inc., Mesa, Arizona, was awarded a $35,823,838 modification (P00032) to contract W58RGZ-17-C-0038 for logistics support for the Afghanistan Air Force MD-530F aircraft fleet. Work will be performed in Mesa, Arizona; and Kabul, Afghanistan, with an estimated completion date of Nov. 30, 2020. Fiscal 2020 Afghanistan Security Forces funds (Army) in the amount of $35,823,838 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity. General Dynamics Land Systems, Sterling Heights, Michigan, was awarded a $14,719,719 modification (P00104) to contract W56HZV-17-C-0067 for Abrams systems technical support. Work will be performed in Sterling Heights, Michigan, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 30, 2023. Fiscal 2018 research, development, test and evaluation (Army) funds; and 2019 procurement of weapons and tracked combat vehicles (Army) funds in the amount of $14,719,719 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Detroit Arsenal, Michigan, is the contracting activity. Science Applications International Corp., Reston, Virginia, was awarded a $9,699,157 modification (000179) to contract W31P4Q-18-A-0011 for live virtual constructive modeling and simulation support to U.S. Army Central. Work will be performed at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina, with an estimated completion date of May 6, 2021. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Army) funds in the amount of $9,699,157 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity. NAVY Raytheon Co., Largo, Florida, is awarded a $32,740,207 firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed- fee, cost-only contract for Planar Array Antenna Assembly (PAAA) production requirements to support the Cooperative Engagement Capability (CEC) program. This contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $237,882,026. Work will be performed in Largo, Florida (58%); McKinney, Texas (32%); St. Petersburg, Florida (7%); and Andover, Massachusetts (3%). The PAAA is a multi-face antenna assembly used in the shipboard AN/USG-2x CEC configuration. The CEC program supports integrated fire control capability. CEC provides the means to network sensors, thereby significantly improving strike force air and missile defense capabilities by coordinating measurement data from strike force air search sensors on CEC-equipped units into a single, integrated real-time, composite track air picture. CEC improves battle force effectiveness by improving overall situational awareness and by enabling longer range, cooperative, multiple, or layered engagement strategies. This contract will include scope for performance and delivery of PAAA production units, PAAA spare parts and engineering services with option quantities in support of both Foreign Military Sales and Navy requirements. Work is expected to be complete by June 2022. If all options are exercised, work will continue through April 2025. Fiscal 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funds; and 2019 and 2020 other procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $31,996,107 will be obligated at time of award, and funding in the amount of $5,182,158 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities website, with two offers received. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity (N00024-20-C-5203). Raytheon Missile Systems, Tucson, Arizona, is awarded a $19,061,000 firm-fixed-price modification to previously awarded contract N00024-19-C-5404 to exercise options for fiscal 2020 Navy Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) Mod 5 Guided Missile Launching System (GMLS) requirements. Work will be performed in St. Petersburg, Florida (36%); Louisville, Kentucky (21%); Tucson, Arizona (15%); Huntsville, Alabama (10%); Ottobrunn, Germany (8%); San Diego, California (4%); Tulsa, Oklahoma (3%); and various locations within the continental U.S. (3%). The RAM Guided Missile Weapon System is co-developed and co-produced under an international cooperative program between the U.S. and Federal Republic of Germany governments. RAM is a missile system designed to provide anti-ship missile defense for multiple ship platforms. This contract is to procure material, fabricate parts, assemble and test, and deliver RAM MK 49 Mod 5 GMLS and GMLS ordnance alteration kits. Work is expected to be complete by December 2022. Federal Republic of Germany funds in the amount of $19,061,000 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured under the exception 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(4), international agreement. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity. Bowman, Foster & Associates,* Norfolk, Virginia, is awarded a $15,000,000 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, architect-engineering contract for mechanical and electrical architect-engineering services for projects located primarily at Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia; and Naval Support Activity, Hampton Roads, Virginia. Initial task order is being awarded $170,471 for design and engineering of boiler replacement at Navy Medical Center, Portsmouth, Virginia. All work on this contract will be performed at various Navy and Marine Corps facilities and other government facilities within the Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Mid-Atlantic area of responsibility. Work provides for comprehensive architect-engineering services required for projects that may involve single or multiple disciplines, primarily for mechanical and electrical, but may also include fire protection and/or other disciplines that may be deemed incidental. Work is expected to be complete by December 2020. The term of the contract is not to exceed 60 months with an expected completion date of May 2025. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $170,471 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 16 proposals were received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Mid-Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N40085-20-D-0005). Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems, Marlborough, Massachusetts, is awarded an $8,548,173 modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract N00039-16-C-0050 to exercise options to deliver spare items for the Navy Multiband Terminal (NMT) system. Work will be performed in Largo, Florida (54%); South Deerfield, Massachusetts (25%); Stow, Massachusetts (13%); and Marlborough, Massachusetts (8%). NMT is a multiband capable satellite communications terminal that provides protected and wideband communications. NMT supports extremely high frequency (EHF)/advanced EHF low data rate, medium data rate, extended data rate, super high frequency, Military Ka (transmit and receive) and global broadcast service receive-only communications. Work is expected to be complete by May 2022. Fiscal 2020 other procurement (Navy); fiscal 2020 other customer funds (Naval Supply Systems Command and Coast Guard); and fiscal 2020 Foreign Military Sales (Canada, United Kingdom and Netherlands) funds in the amount of $8,548,173 will be obligated at the time of award. Funds will not expire at the end of the fiscal year. This sole-source contract was not competitively procured in accordance with 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1). The Naval Information Warfare Systems Command, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity (N00039). Joyce & Associates Construction Inc.,* Newport, North Carolina, is awarded an $8,145,647 firm-fixed-price task order (N40085-20-F-5204) under a multiple award construction contract for the replacement of Vacuum Test Chamber Building 137, Marine Corp Air Station, Cherry Point, North Carolina. Work will be performed in Havelock, North Carolina, and provides for the installation and replacement of aircraft vacuum component test system in Building 137. Project consists of equipment, equipment installation, repair and minor construction funding. Equipment cost includes the vacuum chamber and seven 50-horse power vacuum pumps. Equipment installation includes interior electrical hook-ups, new roof penetrations and vacuum piping. Repair work includes demo of existing electrical wiring, demo of existing vacuum piping, removal of existing vacuum chamber, removal of two existing 75-horse power vacuum pumps and patching of old roof penetrations. Minor construction includes concrete pad, new exterior electrical utilities for vacuum pumps and support structure for exterior overhead vacuum piping. Work is expected to be complete by April 2022. Fiscal 2018 aircraft procurement (Navy) contract funds; and fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $8,145,647 are obligated on this award, of which $197,826 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 (N40085-16-D-6302). Lockheed Martin, Mission Systems and Training, Baltimore, Maryland, is awarded a $7,267,110 cost-plus fixed-fee order (N62786-20-F-0014) against the previously awarded basic ordering agreement N00024-19-G-2319 to provide advance planning, accomplishment and emergent availabilities for LCS-19 post shakedown availability. Work will be performed in Mayport, Florida (55%); Virginia Beach, Virginia (19%); Moorestown, New Jersey (14%); and Washington, D.C. (12%). This delivery order is expected to be completed by September 2021. Fiscal 2020 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funds in the amount of $7,267,110 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Conversion and Repair, Bath, Maine, is the contracting activity. WASHINGTON HEADQUARTERS SERVICES Eccalon LLC, Hanover, Maryland, has been awarded a $7,078,869 firm-fixed-price contract. This contract provides National Security Technology Accelerator program support for the Office of Manufacturing and Industrial Base Policy. Work performance will take place at the Mark Center, Alexandria, Virginia. Fiscal 2020 and 2021 research, development, test, and evaluation funds in the amount of $7,078,869 are being awarded. The expected completion date is Sept. 27, 2023. Washington Headquarters Services, Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting activity (HQ0034-18-F-0572). *Small business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2180277/source/GovDelivery/

  • US deploys B-1B bombers for separate drills with South Korea, Japan | Reuters

    30 août 2023 | International, Aérospatial

    US deploys B-1B bombers for separate drills with South Korea, Japan | Reuters

    The United States separately deployed B-1B bombers for joint drills with South Korea and Japan on Wednesday, as the three allies have stepped up responses to threats from North Korea.

Toutes les nouvelles