Electronic warfare system production starts for U.S. Air Force F-15s

Sur le même sujet

• 

  29 janvier 2021 | International, Aérospatial, Naval, Terrestre, C4ISR, Sécurité

  Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - January 28, 2021

  AIR FORCE Gulfstream Aerospace Corp., Savannah, Georgia, has been awarded a $612,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for C20/C37 engineering services support. The contractor will provide the engineering and data support on a recurring basis for all Gulfstream executive aircraft for the duration of the contract. Work will be performed for the Air Force, Army, Navy, Marines and Coast Guard in Savannah, Georgia; Naval Air Station Sigonella, Italy; Ramstein Air Base, Germany; Joint Base Andrews, Maryland; Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii; Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Hawaii; and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Washington, D.C. The work is expected to be completed Jan. 31, 2031. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance funds in the amount of $10,872,957 are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Tinker AFB, Oklahoma, is the contracting activity (FA8134-21-D-0001). Filius Corp., Centreville, Virginia, has been awarded a $70,617,597 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for AN/TYQ-23A Tactical Air Operations Modules contractor logistics support. The contractor will provide all labor, tools, equipment, technical data/manuals, materials, supplies, parts, original equipment manufacturer service bulletins and the service necessary to provide contractor logistics support. Work will be performed in Centreville, Virginia, and is expected to be completed by January 2026. Fiscal 2020 operation and maintenance funds in the amount of $400,000 are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Hill Air Force Base, Utah, is the contracting activity (FA8217-21-D-0001). L3Harris Technologies Inc., Colorado Springs, Colorado, has been awarded a $9,513,345, cost-reimbursable modification (P00021) to contract FA8823-20-C-0004 for exercising Option Period Two for Space Situational Awareness Integrated Capabilities system sustainment services. Work will be performed in Colorado Springs, Colorado; and Dahlgren, Virginia, and is expected to be completed Jan. 31, 2022. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance funds in the full amount are being obligated at the time of award. Total cumulative face value of the contract is $328,221,755. Space and Missile Systems Center, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado Springs, Colorado, is the contracting activity. U.S. TRANSPORTATION COMMAND Berry Aviation Inc., San Marcos, Texas, has been awarded a contract modification (P00011) on contract HTC711-17-D-R008 in the amount of $179,451,602. This modification provides continued rotary and fixed-wing airlift support services, including passenger, cargo, casualty evacuation, personnel recovery, air drop and limited door-to-door services to U.S. Africa Command. Work will be performed in continental Africa, African islands and countries supporting operations in Africa, such as Germany and Italy. The option period of performance is from Feb. 2, 2021, to Feb. 1, 2022. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance funds will be obligated at task order award. This modification brings the total cumulative face value of the contract to $854,008,319, from $674,556,717. U.S. Transportation Command, Directorate of Acquisition, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, is the contracting activity. DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Abel Unlimited Inc.,* West Palm Beach, Florida (SPE1C1-21-D-1422, $160,548,560); Hilo Enterprises LLC,* McLean, Virginia (SPE1C1-21-D-1424, $149,109,475); Odell International LLC,* Mooresville, North Carolina (SPE1C1-21-D-1425, $90,509,251); At Ease Sustainment LLC,* Pataskala, Ohio (SPE1C1-21-D-1421, $50,171,425); and Seaich Card & Souvenir Corp.,* Salt Lake City, Utah (SPE1C1-21-D-1426, $35,251,200), have each been awarded a fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract under solicitation SPE1C1-20-R-0137 for disposable surgical gowns. These were competitive acquisitions with 73 offers received. They are one-year contracts with no option periods. Locations of performance are Texas, Ohio, Florida, Virginia, North Carolina and Utah, with a Jan. 27, 2022, ordering period end date. Using customers are the Department of Health and Human Services and Federal Emergency Management Agency. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2021 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NAVY ACE Maintenance & Services Inc.,* Austin, Texas, is awarded a maximum value $90,175,044 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for janitorial services at Naval Support Activity Bethesda, Maryland. The work to be performed provides for all labor, management supervision, tools, materials and equipment required to perform base janitorial services. Future task orders will be primarily funded by operation and maintenance (Navy); operation and maintenance (Army); Navy working capital funds; and Defense Health Program funds. Work will be performed in Bethesda, Maryland, and is expected to be completed by March 2026. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance (Navy); fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance (Army); Navy working capital funds; and fiscal 2021 Defense Health Program funds in the amount of $17,855,592 will be obligated under the initial task order at time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Work under the initial task order is expected to be completed by February 2022. This contract was competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities website with three proposals received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity (N40080-21-D-0004). BAE Systems Land & Armaments L.P., Sterling Heights, Michigan, is awarded a $77,475,197 five-year, firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for interim contractor support for Amphibious Combat Vehicle replacement parts, support and test equipment and the repair of repairables/repairable parts. Work will be performed in York, Pennsylvania (70%); Aiken, South Carolina (20%); Sterling Heights, Michigan (5%); and Stafford, Virginia (5%), and is expected to be completed in January 2026. No funds will be obligated at time of award. Funds will be obligated on individual delivery orders as they are issued. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1(a)(ii). The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Virginia, is the contracting activity (M67854-21-D-0001). Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Marietta, Georgia, is awarded a $33,229,494 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. This contract provides for the procurement of up to a maximum quantity of 38 large aircraft infrared countermeasures (LAIRCM) A-kits, up to 38 supplemental kits, five bench stock kits and LAIRCM-advanced threat warning a-kit replacement parts in support of the C/KC-130J aircraft. Work will be performed in Marietta, Georgia, and is expected to be completed in December 2025. No funds will be obligated at the time of award. Funds will be obligated on individual task orders as they are issued. 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 (N00019-21-D-0011). DynCorp International LLC, Fort Worth, Texas, is awarded a $32,521,640 firm-fixed-price, cost reimbursement, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. This contract procures organizational, selected intermediate, limited depot level maintenance and logistics support services for F/A-18C/D/E/F, EA-18G, MH-60S, F-16A/B, and E-2C/D aircraft for the Navy. Work will be performed in Fallon, Nevada, and is expected to be completed in September 2021. No funds will be obligated at the time of award and obligated on individual orders as they are issued. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N00421-21-D-0014). Barkley Andross Corp.,* Hesperia, California, is awarded a maximum value $20,000,000 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity job order contract for electrical and other wiring installation projects at various installations located within the Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command, Southwest area of responsibility. Work will be performed in the Marine Corps Base, Camp Pendleton, California; and Naval Weapons Station, Seal Beach, California, areas and is expected to be completed by January 2026. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $2,000 will be obligated at time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the beta.SAM.gov website with eight proposals received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command, Southwest, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity (N62473-21-D-2603). GSE Dynamics Inc.,* Hauppauge, New York, is awarded an $18,889,829 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, not-to-exceed contract with firm-fixed-price and cost-plus-fixed-fee task order provisions to manufacture, test and deliver composite structures. Work will be performed in Hauppauge, New York, and is expected to be completed by January 2026. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $640,000 will be obligated at time of award via an individual task order and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The contract was competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities website with one offer received. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Philadelphia Division, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is the contracting activity (N64498-21-D-4012). Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., Stratford, Connecticut, is awarded a $10,587,984 cost-plus-fixed-fee order (N00019-21-F-0159) against previously issued basic ordering agreement N00019-19-G-0029. This order provides for the development of Phase One structural repair manuals for the CH-53K aircraft. The repair manuals address organizational level repairs pertaining to airframe skins, doors and covers, tail cone, main and tail blade erosion repair, as well as non-destructive inspection procedures and standards. Work will be performed in Shelton, Connecticut (43%); Stratford, Connecticut (41%); and Bohemia, New York (16%), and is expected to be completed in April 2023. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $4,930,357 will be obligated at the 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. Alutiiq Solutions LLC,* Anchorage, Alaska, is awarded a $7,677,543 modification (P00003) to previously awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract N00421-20-D-0007. This modification exercises an option to provide research and analysis, strategic initiative, executive leadership management, administrative, operational and technical program support for the Command Strategic Leadership Service Team in support of the commander, Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) and direct reporting teams, the NAVAIR Corporate Operations Group, the Business Financial Management Competency, the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) front office, and the NAVAIR Washington Liaison Office. Work will be performed in Patuxent River, Maryland (60%); and Arlington, Virginia (40%), and is expected to be completed in February 2025. No funds will be obligated at the time of award; funds will be obligated on individual orders as they are issued. The Naval Air Warfare Center, Aircraft Division, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. ARMY Black & Veatch Special Projects Corp., Overland Park, Kansas (W912GB-21-D-0014); Coplan-Merrick JV LLP, Greenwood Village, Colorado (W912GB-21-D-0015); and WSP USA Solutions Inc., Washington, D.C. (W912GB-21-D-0016), will compete for each order of the $49,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for General Architect-Engineer Services in Bulgaria, Hungary, and Romania. 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 Jan. 27, 2026. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Wiesbaden, Germany, is the contracting activity. The Boeing Co., Mesa, Arizona, was awarded a $25,343,186 modification (P00069) to contract W58RGZ-16-C-0023 for to improve the quality of the Apache Attack Helicopter (AH)-64E and lessen the associated post production maintenance burden. Work will be performed in Mesa, Arizona, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 31, 2024. Fiscal 2019 aircraft procurement (Army) funds in the amount of $25,343,186 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity. Buffalo Group LLC., Reston, Virginia, was awarded a $14,093,489 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for the Department of the Army Intelligence Information Services intelligence operations support services. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will be performed in Fort Belvoir, Virginia, with an estimated completion date of Jan. 24, 2022. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance (Army) funds in the amount of $14,093,489 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Detroit Arsenal, Michigan, is the contracting activity (W50NH9-21-C-0002). InSynergy Engineering, Inc.,* Honolulu, Hawaii (W9128A-21-D-0010); MK Engineers Ltd.,* Mililani, Hawaii (W9128A-21-D-0011); and Nakamura Oyama and Associates, Inc.,* Honolulu, Hawaii (W9128A-21-D-0012), will compete for each order of the $9,900,000 firm-fixed-price contract for an architect-engineer electrical services in the Honolulu, Hawaii area. Bids were solicited via the internet with seven received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Jan. 27, 2026. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Honolulu, Hawaii, is the contracting activity. Manson Construction Co., Seattle, Washington, was awarded a $9,847,000 firm-fixed-price contract for maintenance dredging in the Port of Alaska. Bids were solicited via the internet with two received. Work will be performed in Anchorage, Alaska, with an estimated completion date of Jan. 26, 2022. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance (Army) funds in the amount of $9,847,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, is the contracting activity (W911KB-21-C-0006). *Small business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2486177/

• 

  25 février 2020 | International, Aérospatial

  Convincing Congress: Secretive programs could prove harmful to Air Force funding plans

  By: Valerie Insinna WASHINGTON — The words “classified program” conjure up images of experimental planes, highly advanced super weapons and unidentified flying objects operating under cloak and dagger at Area 51. But as the U.S. Air Force gears up to defend its fiscal 2021 budget on Capitol Hill, lifting the veil of secrecy on some of these programs will be key to getting lawmakers on board with controversial retirements of legacy aircraft, defense analysts said. In its FY21 budget proposal, the Air Force asked to cut 17 B-1 bombers, 44 A-10 jet aircraft, 24 Global Hawk Block 2 and 3 surveillance drones, as well as 13 KC-135 and 16 KC-10 tankers. It is also cutting the number of contractor-flown MQ-9 Reaper combat air patrols, and it will replace 24 C-130H airlifters with 19 C-130Js coming online. Those reductions net $21 billion in savings over the next five years, with about 40 percent of that spent on classified programs buried in the black budget, creating the initial appearance of capabilities disappearing without any kind of a replacement and no obvious boost to research and development funds. That could create a challenge for the Air Force as it tries to get members of Congress and their staff on board, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Dave Goldfein acknowledged during an exclusive interview on Feb. 18 with Defense News. “Most of what we're giving up is unclassified. On the minus column you're going to see things that are real, that are flying right now that are all legacy, real legacy capability. It's a real risk to combatant commanders today. What we're buying — not all but a lot of it — is in the classified realm,” Goldfein said. “As we go forward with Congress, I think our biggest challenge, quite frankly, is we were able to talk up to the secret level and above inside the Department of Defense in most of our conversations. That's harder to do with Congress,” he added. The Air Force is trying to combat that by “doubling down” on office calls with lawmakers and congressional staff to discuss the classified investments. Goldfein said the service has done “well over 20” meetings with members of the congressional defense committees and is on track to brief every lawmaker willing to sit down for a classified briefing before public budget hearings start next month. But Mackenzie Eaglen, a defense budget expert at the American Enterprise Institute, noted that such briefings are time-consuming and may not be of interest to most lawmakers. "The members that are going to take the time to go to a [secure room] and get read in and figure out what's what — there are even some members of the armed services [that won't do that]. It's pretty limited who is going to have that kind of time,” she said. It will be important for the Air Force to publicly justify — at unclassified hearings and other venues — what its classified investments are going to enable, said Todd Harrison, a budget analyst with the Center for Strategic and International Studies. “How does it contribute to implementation of the [National Defense Strategy]? How does it address vulnerabilities in the force? How does it create strategic challenges for our adversaries? If they can talk about that and then [be] more explicit with Congress about how the money is being used, I think that could help mitigate some of this,” Harrison said. “If you can't talk about the new investment, the positive aspect for 40 percent of the cases, I think the Air Force is effectively going into this fight with one arm tied behind its back.” While the large investment in classified programs is a challenge, it is not insurmountable, said David Deptula, the dean of the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies and a retired Air Force lieutenant general. “Because a good chunk is classified, that's a good thing. These are truly strategic advantages that we're investing in, and they're not items that you'd want out there in the public space,” he said. Goldfein is confident he will be able to convey to Congress the importance of retiring key aircraft at this point in time. “At least we can lay out the why,” he said. “It's going to be hard. Asking Congress to retire legacy aircraft is always hard. But I think we have a really positive story to tell, with the analysis behind it.” Across the board — whether the Air Force has to defend cuts to the B-1, A-10, Global Hawk or tanker fleet — the argument comes down to fleet management, he said. “We're putting on the table 17 B-1s, at least to this point,” Goldfein said. “Many of those 17 B-1s are on the ramp, but they were not flying. Then you do your business case on what it would take to actually get them back to a high enough readiness rate, and the business case actually doesn't justify it. “You'll see the same methodology we used for each of those weapons systems. How do you retire the oldest of each, refunnel that money into the remaining fleet so you can keep that fleet flying for longer?” But any skeptics in Congress will want to see hard data proving there are benefits to retiring some of these aircraft, or a plan to drive down risk, Harrison said. For instance, the Air Force is retiring its oldest, least capable B-1 bombers, but it will keep all associated maintainers and infrastructure, which cuts down on the savings. To make a case to Congress, the Air Force must make a strong argument on why that reduction could improve mission-capable rates, and the service must provide the statistics, he said. Regarding the KC-10 and KC-135 tanker reductions, Harrison said the Air Force must describe exactly what it will do to ameliorate a demand for aerial refueling that already exceeds what the service can provide. “What is the Air Force going to do over the next few years to mitigate the lack of tanker support? Is the Air Force going to go forward with some of the plans they've previously had to do contracted tanking as an interim solution like the Navy has been doing?” he wondered. And to justify the Global Hawk fleet, Harrison said, the Air Force may be called to defend why it is getting rid of those highly utilized assets instead of the aging inventory of U-2 spy planes. The biggest arguments in favor of keeping legacy aircraft will likely come from lawmakers in districts affected by retirements of legacy aircraft. It will be up to the Air Force to explain to those members what capabilities will come on board to replace it, or why these divestments need to take place even if there is no immediate replacement, Deptula said. “We'll see what happens,” he said. “I think in some districts you'll see understanding and support. If you look at the bomber issue ... with the promise of modernized B-21s that are coming on board, I think that there are some congressional districts and members who will go: ‘Yeah, OK, we understand that logic.' ” https://www.defensenews.com/digital-show-dailies/air-warfare-symposium/2020/02/24/convincing-congress-secretive-programs-could-prove-harmful-to-air-force-funding-plans/

• 

  27 avril 2021 | International, Aérospatial, Naval, Terrestre, C4ISR, Sécurité

  Les dépenses militaires ont dépassé le seuil des 2% du PIB en France en 2020

  DÉFENSE Les dépenses militaires ont dépassé le seuil des 2% du PIB en France en 2020 Le SIPRI (Institut international de recherche sur la paix de Stockholm) a publié sa dernière étude le 26 avril. L'institut révèle que les dépenses militaires dans le monde ont crû de 2,6% en 2020 par rapport à 2019, pour s'établir à 1981 milliards de dollars (1637 milliards d'euros). Une progression d'autant plus impressionnante que le PIB mondial a reculé de 4,4% durant la même période en raison de la pandémie mondiale, souligne le SIPRI. Les dépenses militaires représentent 2,4% du PIB mondial en 2020. A eux seuls, cinq pays concentrent 62% des dépenses : les Etats-Unis ont consacré 778 milliards de dollars à leur armée, soit 39% des dépenses mondiales, un budget en hausse de 4,4% ; viennent ensuite la Chine (13% des dépenses mondiales), l'Inde (3,7%), la Russie (3,1%) et le Royaume-Uni (3%), qui a le plus investi parmi les pays européens pour ses armées. L'Allemagne et la France arrivent respectivement à la 7ème et 8ème position avec un niveau de dépenses quasiment identique, à 52,7 milliards de dollars, soit 2,7% des dépenses mondiales. La France franchit pour la première fois le seuil des 2% de son PIB pour son effort de défense depuis 2009. Ces 2% du PIB correspondent au seuil d'investissement conseillé par l'OTAN (Organisation du Traité de l'Atlantique Nord). L'Usine Nouvelle du 27 avril