F-22, F-35 jets won’t hit Mattis’ readiness targets

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  8 juillet 2019 | International, Autre défense

  Pentagon Looks into Virtual Reality to Prepare Troops for Nuclear War

  By JACK CORRIGAN The Defense Department is considering investing in virtual reality platforms to prepare troops to face nuclear threats. The Defense Threat Reduction Agency on Tuesday began seeking information on virtual reality training systems that would allow troops to rehearse different scenarios involving “radiological threats.” The agency, which focuses on countering weapons of mass destruction, could one day use the tech to train troops to intercept radiological weapons on the battlefield, respond to radioactive contamination and even prepare for full-fledged nuclear war, officials wrote in the solicitation. While virtual and augmented platforms wouldn't entirely replace the agency's current training regimen, they would expose troops to more training exercises than they could ever experience in the real world. Physical training is expensive and time-consuming, but through virtual reality, troops could run through more exercises more frequently and at a lower cost. Under the solicitation, officials are looking for industry to outline their own virtual reality platforms, the hardware required to use them and how environments can be modified to accommodate new exercises. Officials plan to use the information collected under the solicitation to inform potential future acquisitions. Responses are due Aug. 12. This wouldn't be the first time the Pentagon turned to virtual platforms to train troops for real-world scenarios. Last year, Microsoft won a $480 million contract with the Army to adapt its HoloLens augmented reality headsets for use in military training and combat operations. The headsets would be outfitted with artificial intelligence and machine-learning capabilities, and provide troops with “increased lethality, mobility, and situational awareness.” In February, Microsoft employees wrote a letter to executives demanding the company pull out of the contract, saying they “refuse to create technology for warfare and oppression.” The company opted to stand by its partnership with the Pentagon. https://www.nextgov.com/emerging-tech/2019/07/pentagon-looks-virtual-reality-prepare-troops-nuclear-war/158227/

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  20 mars 2020 | International, Aérospatial, Naval, Terrestre, C4ISR, Sécurité

  Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - March 19, 2020

  NAVY Lockheed Martin Space, Titusville, Florida, is awarded a $601,332,075 fixed-price-incentive, cost-plus-incentive-fee and cost-plus-fixed-fee modification (P00005) to exercise options under a previously awarded and announced contract N00030-19-C-0100 for the submarine-launched ballistic missile (model) Trident II D5 production and deployed systems support. Work will be performed in Magna, Utah (33.5%); Sunnyvale, California (13.7%); Denver, Colorado (10.6%); Cape Canaveral, Florida (6.9%); Titusville, Florida (4.7%); Orange, Virginia (4.4%); Kings Bay, Georgia (3.4%); Kingsport, Tennessee (3.4%); Pittsfield, Massachusetts (3.3%); El Segundo, California (2.4%); Lancaster, Pennsylvania (2.2%); Inglewood, California (1.6%); Clearwater, Florida (1.3%); and other various locations (less than 1% each, 8.6% total). Work is expected to be complete by September 2024. Fiscal 2020 weapons procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $499,278,762; United Kingdom funds in the amount of $93,325,301; and incremental fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $500,000 are obligated on this award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was awarded on a sole-source basis under 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1) and was previously synopsized on the Federal Business Opportunities website. Strategic Systems Programs, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. AECOM Technical Services Inc., Los Angeles, California (N62470-19-D-8022); Aptim Federal Services LLC, Alexandria, Virginia (N62470-19-D-8023); CH2M Hill Constructors Inc., Englewood, Colorado (N62470-19-D-8024); Environmental Chemical Corp., Burlingame, California (N62470-19-D-8025); Fluor Intercontinental Inc., Greensville, South Carolina (N62470-19-D-8026); and Perini Management Services Inc., Framingham, Massachusetts (N62470-19-D-8027), are awarded an $85,000,000 modification to increase the maximum dollar value of an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, multiple award contract for global contingency construction projects. Work will be predominately construction, worldwide and is expected to be complete by March 2024. The work to be performed provides for the Navy on behalf of the Navy, Department of Defense and other federal agencies. The construction and related engineering services will respond to natural disasters, humanitarian assistance, conflict and various projects with similar characteristics. The contractor may be required to provide initial base operating support services in support of the construction effort, which will be incidental to construction efforts. After award of this modification, the total cumulative contract value will be $1,060,000,000. The term of the contract is not to exceed 60 months. No funds will be obligated at time of award; funds will be obligated on subsequent modifications for work on existing individual task orders. Naval Facilities Engineering Command Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity. Environmental Chemical Corp., Burlingame, California, is awarded a $9,788,756 firm-fixed-price task order modification (N62470-20-F-9001) under the global contingency construction, multiple award contract for the exercise of Option One, which provides for the design, fabrication, transportation and installation of a waterside obstacle system at Mina Salman, Naval Support Activity (NSA) Bahrain. Work will be performed at Mina Salman, NSA Bahrain, and is expected to be complete by August 2020. The total task order amount after exercise of this option will be $14,772,620. The task order also contains three unexercised options, which if exercised will increase the cumulative task order value to $16,427,558. Fiscal 2020 other procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $9,788,756 are obligated on this award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Europe Africa Central is the contracting activity (N62470-19-D-8025). KOAM Engineering Systems Inc., San Diego, California, is awarded a $9,711,022 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract. All work will be performed in San Diego, California, at government facilities (50%) and contractors' facilities (50%). The work provides for systems engineering integration, engineering analysis, installation, testing and evaluation, fleet troubleshooting, configuration management, integrated logistics support, deploying group systems integration testing and combat systems ship qualification trials of tactical data link systems. The period of performance of the base award is from March 19, 2020, to March 18, 2021. If all options are exercised, the period of performance would extend through March 18, 2027. This one-year contract includes six one-year options, which will bring the potential value of this contact to an estimated $71,051,742 if exercised. No funds will be obligated at the time of award. Funds will be obligated as task orders are issued using operations and maintenance (Navy); other procurement (Navy); research, development, test and evaluation (Navy); Foreign Military Sales; and funding from other government agencies such as the Air Force on fiscal year spending plans. This contract was competitively procured as a small business set-aside solicitation by a request for proposal N66001-19-R-0044, which was published on the Federal Business Opportunities website and the Naval Information Warfare Systems Command's e-Commerce website. Four proposals were received and one was selected for the award. Naval Information Warfare Center, Pacific, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity (N66001-20-D-0044). Innovative Defense Technologies LLC, Arlington, Virginia, is awarded an $8,067,432 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract modification to previously awarded contract N00024-20-C-6116 to exercise and fund options for Navy engineering services, required material and travel. Work will be performed in Fall River, Massachusetts, and is expected to be complete by December 2020. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funding in the amount of $3,300,000 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 Navy Yard, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. General Dynamics Electric Boat Corp., Groton, Connecticut, is awarded a $7,307,480 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to exercise Options 5 through 9 to previously awarded contract N00024-09-C-2104 for planning and execution of U.S. ship South Dakota (SSN 790) guaranty. Work will be performed in Groton, Connecticut, and is expected to be complete by December 2020. Electric Boat Corp. will perform planning and execution efforts and material procurement in preparation to accomplish work on the U.S. ship South Dakota (model SSN 790) during its guaranty period. Fiscal 2020 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funding in the amount of $7,307,480 will be obligated at award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. These exercised options will bring the total cost-plus-fixed-fee award to $16,889,161. The Supervisor of Shipbuilding Conversion and Repair, Groton, Connecticut, is the contracting activity. AIR FORCE AECOM International Inc., Neu-Isenburg, Germany (FA5641‐20‐D‐0003); Arcadis, London, United Kingdom (FA5641‐20‐D‐0004); Cardno GS Inc., Charlottesville, Virginia (FA5641‐20‐D‐0005); Jacobs Government Services Co., Arlington, Virginia (FA5641‐20‐D‐0006); Tetra Tech Inc., Pasadena, California (FA5641‐20‐D‐0007); and Wood Environment and Infrastructure Solutions Inc., Blue Bell, Pennsylvania (FA5641‐20‐D‐0008), have been awarded a $90,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for environmental services and environmental construction. This contract provides a broad range of environmental services including operations and maintenance activities associated with environmental programs, environmental construction, repair and demolition work including remediation, restoration and abatement on real property in support of the Department of Defense environmental mission. Work will be performed at various installations within the U.S. European Command and U.S. Africa Command areas of operation and is expected to be completed by June 14, 2031. This contract is the result of a competitive acquisition and six offers were received. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $2,500 are being obligated for each awardee at the time of the award. The 764th Enterprise Sourcing Squadron, Ramstein Air Base, Germany, is the contracting activity. ARMY Lagan Construction LLC, Woodbridge, Virginia, was awarded a $29,716,940 firm-fixed-price contract for the design, build repair and replacement of runways and overruns. Bids were solicited via the internet with three received. Work will be performed at Westover Air Reserve Base, Massachusetts, with an estimated completion date of July 9, 2021. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance, Defense funds in the amount of $29,716,940 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Louisville, Kentucky, is the contracting activity (W912QR-20-C-0010). AECOM Management Services Inc., Germantown, Maryland, was awarded a $22,497,260 modification (P00005) to contract W58RGZ-19-F-0301 for repair or recap efforts of aircraft structures, engines, transmissions, blades, and components for various rotary wing aircraft. Work will be performed in Corpus Christi, Texas, with an estimated completion date of March 31, 2022. Fiscal 2020 Army working capital funds in the amount of $22,497,260 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Red Stone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity. CHC/SJH JV LLC, Miami, Florida, was awarded a $21,481,049 firm-fixed price contract for long-term riprap repair of the Walter F. George Dam. Bids were solicited via the internet with five received. Work will be performed at Fort Rucker, Alabama, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 10, 2021. Fiscal 2019 civil works funds in the amount of $21,481,049 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mobile, Alabama, is the contracting activity (W91278-20-C-0011). AECOM Management Services Inc., Germantown, Maryland, was awarded a $12,177,497 modification (P00003) to contract W58RGZ19-F-0304 to support the Aircraft and Aircraft Components Production Directorate, including facilities maintenance, supply logistics and administrative duties. Work will be performed in Corpus Christi, Texas, with an estimated completion date of March 31, 2022. Fiscal 2020 Army working capital funds in the amount of $12,177,497 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity. DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Federal Prison Industries,** doing business as UNICOR, Washington, District of Columbia, has been awarded a maximum $12,720,000 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for Army physical fitness uniform jackets. This is a one-year base contract with two one-year option periods. Locations of performance are Florida and Washington, District of Columbia, with a March 18, 2021, performance completion date. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2021 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE1C1-20-D-F055). UPDATE: Kohler Co., Sheboygan, Wisconsin (SPE8EC-20-D-0056), has been added as an awardee to the multiple award contract for commercial portable power equipment, issued against solicitation SPE8EC-17-R-0010 and announced Dec. 10, 2018. (Awarded March 18, 2020) *Small business **Mandatory source https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2118872/source/GovDelivery/

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  2 avril 2020 | International, C4ISR

  Panel wants to double federal spending on AI

  Aaron Mehta A congressionally mandated panel of technology experts has issued its first set of recommendations for the government, including doubling the amount of money spent on artificial intelligence outside the defense department and elevating a key Pentagon office to report directly to the Secretary of Defense. Created by the National Defense Authorization Act in 2018, the National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence is tasked with reviewing “advances in artificial intelligence, related machine learning developments, and associated technologies,” for the express purpose of addressing “the national and economic security needs of the United States, including economic risk, and any other associated issues.” The commission issued an initial report in November, at the time pledging to slowly roll out its actual policy recommendations over the course of the next year. Today's report represents the first of those conclusions — 43 of them in fact, tied to legislative language that can easily be inserted by Congress during the fiscal year 2021 budget process. Bob Work, the former deputy secretary of defense who is the vice-chairman of the commission, said the report is tied into a broader effort to move DoD away from a focus on large platforms. “What you're seeing is a transformation to a digital enterprise, where everyone is intent on making the DoD more like a software company. Because in the future, algorithmic warfare, relying on AI and AI enabled autonomy, is the thing that will provide us with the greatest military competitive advantage,” he said during a Wednesday call with reporters. Among the key recommendations: The government should “immediately double non-defense AI R&D funding” to $2 billion for FY21, a quick cash infusion which should work to strengthen academic center and national labs working on AI issues. The funding should “increase agency topline levels, not repurpose funds from within existing agency budgets, and be used by agencies to fund new research and initiatives, not to support re-labeled existing efforts.” Work noted that he recommends this R&D to double again in FY22. The commission leaves open the possibility of recommendations for increasing DoD's AI investments as well, but said it wants to study the issue more before making such a request. In FY21, the department requested roughly $800 million in AI developmental funding and another $1.7 billion in AI enabled autonomy, which Work said is the right ratio going forward. “We're really focused on non-defense R&D in this first quarter, because that's where we felt we were falling further behind,” he said. “We expect DoD AI R&D spending also to increase” going forward. The Director of the Joint Artificial Intelligence Center (JAIC) should report directly to the Secretary of Defense, and should continue to be led by a three-star officer or someone with “significant operational experience.” The first head of the JAIC, Lt. Gen. Jack Shanahan, is retiring this summer; currently the JAIC falls under the office of the Chief Information Officer, who in turn reporters to the secretary. Work said the commission views the move as necessary in order to make sure leadership in the department is “driving" investment in AI, given all the competing budgetary requirements. The DoD and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) should establish a steering committee on emerging technology, tri-chaired by the Deputy Secretary of Defense, the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the Principal Deputy Director of ODNI, in order to “drive action on emerging technologies that otherwise may not be prioritized” across the national security sphere. Government microelectronics programs related to AI should be expanded in order to “develop novel and resilient sources for producing, integrating, assembling, and testing AI-enabling microelectronics.” In addition, the commission calls for articulating a “national for microelectronics and associated infrastructure.” Funding for DARPA's microelectronics program should be increased to $500 million. The commission also recommends the establishment of a $20 million pilot microelectronics program to be run by the Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA), focused on AI hardware. The establishment of a new office, tentatively called the National Security Point of Contact for AI, and encourage allied government to do the same in order to strengthen coordination at an international level. The first goal for that office would be to develop an assessment of allied AI research and applications, starting with the Five Eyes nations and then expanding to NATO. One issue identified early by the commission is the question of ethical AI. The commission recommends mandatory training on the limits of artificial intelligence in the AI workforce, which should include discussions around ethical issues. The group also calls for the Secretary of Homeland Security and the director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation to “share their ethical and responsible AI training programs with state, local, tribal, and territorial law enforcement officials,” and track which jurisdictions take advantage of those programs over a five year period. Missing from the report: any mention of the Pentagon's Directive 3000.09, a 2012 order laying out the rules about how AI can be used on the battlefield. Last year C4ISRNet revealed that there was an ongoing debate among AI leaders, including Work, on whether that directive was still relevant. While not reflected in the recommendations, Eric Schmidt, the former Google executive who chairs the commission, noted that his team is starting to look at how AI can help with the ongoing COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak, saying "“We're in an extraordinary time... we're all looking forward to working hard to help anyway that we can.” The full report can be read here. https://www.c4isrnet.com/artificial-intelligence/2020/04/01/panel-wants-to-double-federal-spending-on-ai/