6 février 2024 | International, Aérospatial
25 novembre 2020 | International, Aérospatial, Naval, Terrestre, C4ISR, Sécurité
Four factors to consider in keeping NATO relevant
By: Hans Binnendijk and Daniel S. Hamilton
The NATO alliance survived four years of U.S. President Donald Trump due largely to strong congressional support and clever leadership by Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. After the bell ringing and fireworks end in European capitals to welcome President-elect Joe Biden, the alliance will need to realize that it can not go back to business as usual. The world has moved on during those four years and the alliance will need to continue to rejuvenate in order to remain relevant.
That rejuvenation process will be enshrined in a new Strategic Concept, which should emerge over the next year or so. Stoltenberg already has a so-called reflection process underway designed to identify key areas where change is needed. Biden's foreign policy team will now weigh in.
NATO's rejuvenation might unfold under what we call the “Four Cs.” We should want an alliance that is more coherent, more capable, more comprehensive in scope and with a more co-equal balance of contributions to the common defense.
The return of Joe Biden alone will contribute to NATO's coherence, and reverse poisonous trans-Atlantic political relations. But the problem is deeper.
Threat perceptions differ markedly across the alliance. There is broad lack of confidence in commitments to the North Atlantic Treaty, including its mutual defense Article V. There is democratic backsliding among several NATO members. Allies are facing off against each other in the Eastern Mediterranean. There are differing attitudes about Russian behavior around the Black and Baltic sea. There are differences about the endgame in Afghanistan. And there are uncertainties of how the alliance should address China's growing security role in Europe and the global commons.
The new Strategic Concept will need to enhance coherence by reaffirming common democratic values and recommitting to the common defense. This will be the most important element of a new Strategic Concept. A review of the Strategic Concept can provide a process through which allies can assess mechanisms to uphold their mutual commitment to strengthen their free institutions, avoid straying from agreed democratic practices and prevent allies from confronting each other militarily.
Second, the alliance needs to continue its efforts to strengthen its capabilities in two distinct areas: conventional military might and resilience against so-called hybrid or non-kinetic attacks.
Since the Russian annexation of Crimea in 2014, NATO nations have begun to focus again on a major power competitor. Four NATO battlegroups are forward-deployed to the Baltic states and Poland. A small, very high-readiness force and a larger readiness initiative were undertaken to back up those battalions. A mobilization initiative was designed to make sure ready forces can forward-deploy quickly. But European defense budgets constrained by COVID-19 will put those initiatives in jeopardy. The Strategic Concept will need to prioritize those programs.
The alliance must also more methodically address unconventional challenges to human security from Russia such as media disinformation, corrosive cyber operations, supply chain disruptions and energy intimidation. The Strategic Concept needs to design resilience programs so that alliance members can better protect the critical functions of our societies to such disruptive dangers.
Next, the scope of NATO's mission needs to be more comprehensive. NATO's core tasks of collective defense, crisis management and cooperative security must be expanded to include countering challenges that contribute to global instability. Those challenges would range from managing global warming and pandemics through the refugee crisis to the rise of China.
NATO has recently used its mobility and civil defense assets to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. NATO navies have contributed to saving the lives of refugees at sea. In addition, the consequences of a major ice melt will have a significant security impact in the Arctic, along urban coastlines and on further refugee flows. To remain relevant, NATO must begin to define its role in these areas.
Stoltenberg has focused the alliance's attention on China. That nation is increasingly partnering with Russia in the military arena including defense industrial cooperation and joint exercises. It also has invested in European strategic infrastructure, created technology dependencies and used coercive diplomacy to stifle European voices. NATO's expanded role should include reducing those dependencies and developing much closer partnership ties with America's Asian allies.
Finally, the new Strategic Concept should result in more co-equal trans-Atlantic distribution of military capabilities and responsibilities. This is less about traditional burden-sharing than it is about responding to two historical trends. Europe's response to the Trump years has been to seek greater strategic autonomy. China's military challenge has American planners focusing on Asia first.
Many American friends of Europe are discussing a possible new division of labor, with the United States focusing more on China and European militaries focusing on Russia. This, however, could leave Europe poorly defended and open to coercion. The Strategic Concept will need to divine an elegant solution, perhaps with Europe accepting the responsibility to provide half of the capability needed to defend against a major Russian attack.
NATO has remained history's strongest alliance precisely because it has adapted to new strategic conditions. It can do so again.
Hans Binnendijk is a distinguished fellow at the Atlantic Council and formerly served as the U.S. National Security Council's senior director for defense policy. Daniel S. Hamilton is an Austrian Marshall Plan distinguished fellow and the director of the Global Europe Program at the Woodrow Wilson Center.
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3 mars 2020 | International, Aérospatial, Naval, Terrestre, C4ISR, Sécurité
Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - March 02, 2020
DEFENSE INTELLIGENCE AGENCY Applied Research Associates, Albuquerque, New Mexico (HHM402-20-D-0007); Booz Allen Hamilton Inc., McLean, Virginia (HHM402-20-D-0008); CACI NSS Inc., Reston, Virginia (HHM402-20-D-0009); Centauri LLC, Chantilly, Virginia (HHM402-20-D-0010); General Dynamics Information Technology Inc., Herndon, Virginia (HHM402-20-D-0011); Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Cincinnati, Ohio (HHM402-20-D-0012); and Radiant Geospatial Solutions, Gaithersburg, Maryland (HHM402-20-D-0013), were awarded a five-year indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ), multiple-award contract called DORE2 with a combined ceiling value of $990,000,000. Through this award, the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) will procure Data Science, Operations, Requirements, Exploitation and Engineering (DORE2) services to support DIA Directorate for Science and Technology missions. Work will be performed at contractor facilities and at government facilities in the National Capital Region with an estimated completion date of March 1, 2025. The contract was awarded through a full and open solicitation and eight offers were received. Each company will receive a $10,000 minimum guarantee. Task Orders (TO) will be issued competitively under this IDIQ which will allow for the following TO contract types: firm-fixed-price; fixed price, level of effort term; fixed-price incentive (FPI includes firm and successive targets; fixed-price-award-fee; cost-plus incentive-fee; cost-plus-award-fee; cost-plus-fixed-fee term and completion; and time-and-material or labor hour). The Virginia Contracting Activity, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. NAVY Andromeda Systems Inc.,* Virginia Beach, Virginia, is awarded an $89,104,038 cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. This contract provides reliability-centered maintenance for service aircraft, engines, systems (weapons, aircrew escape, avionics and electrical systems), support equipment (avionics support equipment, non-avionics support equipment and aircraft launch/recovery equipment), and a Fleet Readiness Center/depot plant equipment to include modifications during all life cycle phases and levels of maintenance. Work will be performed in various locations within the continental U.S. and is expected to be completed by March 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 a small-business set-aside and competitively procured via Federal Business Opportunities; one offer was received. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N00421-20-D-0028). Architecture, Engineering, Consulting, Operations, and Maintenance (AECOM) Technical Services Inc., Los Angeles, California, is being awarded a $75,000,000 maximum amount, firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, architect-engineering contract for preparation of Navy and Marine Corps facilities' planning and environmental documentation in the Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Europe, Africa, Central (EURAFCENT) area of operations (AO). Work will be performed at various locations within the NAVFAC/EURAFCENT/AO to include but not limited to: Naples, Italy; Sigonella, Italy; Souda Bay, Greece; Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain; Djibouti, Africa; Rota, Spain; and Vicenza, Italy. The work to be performed provides for design projects including, but not limited to: administration buildings, religious facilities, community buildings, dining facilities, recreational facilities, security buildings, child development centers, bachelor quarters, Navy lodges, airfield facilities, waterfront facilities, operational facilities, base housing, water treatment facilities and associated work, central plant utility system upgrades and other infrastructure. No task orders are being issued at this time. The term of the contract is not to exceed 60 months with an expected completion date of February 2024. Contract funds are fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance, Navy (O&M, N). Future task orders will be primarily funded by O&M, N. This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website with five proposals received. NAVFAC EURAFCENT, Naples, Italy, is the contracting activity (N33191-20-D-0605). Vernadero Group Inc.,* Phoenix, Arizona (N62473-20-D-0021); Gulf South Research Corp.,* Baton Rouge, Louisiana (N62473-20-D-0022); BioResource Consultants Inc.,* Ojai, California (N62473-20-D-0023); and Hercules JV,* Yuma, Arizona (N62473-20-D-0024), are awarded a combined $30,000,000 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, multiple award contract for natural resources-related services at various locations within Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Southwest's area of operations (AO), including but not limited to: California (94%); Arizona (1%); Colorado (1%); Nevada (1%); New Mexico (1%); Oregon (1%); and Washington (1%). The work to be performed provides natural resources-related services for botanical, ornithological, mammal, amphibian, reptile and invertebrate surveys, wetlands delineations, biological monitoring, soil sampling and analysis, natural resources and fire management plans, native plant community planning and restoration, wildland erosion control plans, research and analysis of the effects of military training or similar extensive land uses (e.g. off-road vehicle use) for natural resources on the species, community and landscape scale. Use of this information will predict ecological trends, natural resource and model development for land use (including both conceptual and mathematical modeling through aerial photo interpretation), use of natural resources in non-urban areas, geographic information systems and for the preparation of interpretive materials (e.g. informational pamphlets and signage). The maximum dollar value, including the one two-year base period and one three-year option period for all four contracts combined is not to exceed $30,000,000. The term of the contract is not to exceed 60 months and is expected to be complete by February 2025. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $20,000 are being obligated on this award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. No task orders are being issued at this time. This contract was competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities website and six proposals were received. The four contractors may compete for the task orders under the terms and conditions of the awarded contract. NAVFAC Southwest, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity. Bechtel Plant Machinery Inc., Monroeville, Pennsylvania, is awarded an $18,350,860 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to previously awarded contract N00024-19-C-2112 for naval nuclear propulsion components. Work will be performed in Monroeville, Pennsylvania (93%); and Schenectady, New York (7%). Fiscal 2020 other procurement for shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funding in the amount of $18,350,860 will be obligated at time of award and funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulations 6.302-1 with only one responsible source. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. Textron Aviation Inc., Wichita, Kansas, is awarded a $14,291,437 modification (P00005) to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (N00019-17-C-0004) and provides modification for the production and delivery of one King Air 350C Cargo Slick aircraft modified to a UC-12W. Work will be performed in Wichita, Kansas, and is expected to be completed in March 2021. Fiscal 2020 aircraft procurement funds in the amount of $14,291,437 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. Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is awarded a $9,627,065 cost-plus-fixed-fee order (N00019-20-F-0532) against a previously issued basic ordering agreement (N00019-19-G-0008). This order procures program management support to execute the planning, procurement and delivery of initial aircraft spares in support of the F-35 Air Force, Marine Corps and Navy, non-Department of Defense (DoD) participants and Foreign Military Sales (FMS) customers operational aircraft. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas, and is expected to be complete in December 2020. Fiscal 2020 aircraft procurement (Air Force) funds in the amount of $3,833,787; fiscal 2020 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $2,374,818; non-DoD participant funds in the amount of $2,225,726; and FMS funds in the amount of $1,192,734 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. Bell Boeing Joint Project Office, Amarillo, Texas, is awarded a $7,272,135 modification (P00007) to a previously awarded, cost-plus-fixed-fee delivery order (N00019-18-F-0016) against basic ordering agreement (N00019-17-G-0002). Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas (84%); Ridley Park, Pennsylvania (5%); Patuxent River, Maryland (4%); Fort Walton Beach, Florida (4%); and Amarillo, Texas (3%), and is expected to be completed in May 2021. This modification provides additional funding to support non-recurring engineering and the associated efforts required to incorporate optimized wiring and structural improvements on the nacelle into the V-22 aircraft production line and retrofit of fleet aircraft during depot level maintenance and supports Navy, Marines Corps, Air Force and the government of Japan. Fiscal 2020 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $4,312,376; fiscal 2019 aircraft procurement (Air Force) funds in the amount of $1,133,645; fiscal 2018 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $1,088,396; and Foreign Military Sales funds in the amount of $737,718 will be obligated at time of award, $1,088,396 of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. MISSILE DEFENSE AGENCY Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Redondo Beach, California, is being awarded a $20,808,229 modification (P00374) to a previously awarded F04701-02-C-0009 contract to exercise an option period. The value of this contract is increased from $1,921,265,055 to $1,942,073,285. Under this modification, the contractor will provide on-orbit operations and sustainment for the Space Tracking and Surveillance System. The work will be performed at the Missile Defense Space Center, Colorado Springs, Colorado; and at Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Redondo Beach, California. The performance period is from April 1, 2020, to March 31, 2021. Fiscal 2019 and 2020 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $13,811,905 is certified available for modification award. The Missile Defense Agency, Colorado Springs, Colorado, is the contracting activity. U.S. TRANSPORTATION COMMAND Three companies were awarded Option Year One modifications under the following master lease contract, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, fixed price contracts: SeaCube Leasing International Inc., Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey (HTC711-19-D-R008); Textainer Equipment Management, San Francisco California (HTC711-19-D-R009); and Triton Container International Limited, Hamilton HM 12, Bermuda (HTC711-19-D-R-010). The companies are eligible to compete at the task order level for an option year estimated amount of $17,253,689. This modification provides for intermodal equipment leasing and transportation services, and related container support functions, to include interfacing with government systems to meet the government missions and exercises. Work will be performed on a global basis. Option Year One period of performance is March 1, 2020, to Feb. 28, 2021. This modification brings the total cumulative estimated face value of the contract to $33,480,935 from $16,227,246. U.S. Transportation Command, Directorate of Acquisition, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, is the contracting activity. (Awarded Feb. 28, 2020) ARMY Dawson Technical Inc.,* San Antonio, Texas, was awarded a $14,719,129 firm-fixed-price contract to provide total facilities operation and maintenance for the Army Chemical Defense Training Facility, Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. Bids were solicited via the internet with two received. Work will be performed in Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, with an estimated completion date of March 31, 2025. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance, Army funds in the amount of $14,719,129 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Field Directorate Office, Fort Eustis, Virginia, is the contracting activity (W911S7-20-C-0003). EMC Inc.,* Grenada, Mississippi (W912HY-20-D-0013); and Florabama Geospatial Solutions LLC,* Defuniak Springs, Florida (W912HY-20-D-0014), will compete for each order of the $10,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for architect and engineering services for professional surveying and mapping services. 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 March 1, 2025. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Galveston, Texas, is the contracting activity. AIR FORCE General Electric Co.-GE Research, Niskayuna, New York, has been awarded a $10,431,151 cost-type contract for Rapid Assurance Curation Kit (RACK) software. This contract provides for the research, development and demonstration of the RACK software to enable certifiers to rapidly determine system risk acceptability. This effort will provide a common evidence representation and efficient ingestion Application Programming Interface, automatic feedback to evidence providers, automatic decomposition of evidence, a polystore that organizes diverse evidence items, the ability to accept and store provenance metadata and an efficient query interface. The location of performance is Niskayuna, New York, and work is expected to be complete by March 2, 2024. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition and 34 offers were received. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $470,444 are being obligated at time of award; this is not a multi-year contract. The Air Force Research Laboratory, Rome, New York, is the contracting activity (FA8750-20-C-0203). DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Meggitt Polymers and Composites, Rockmart, Georgia, has been awarded a maximum $10,073,708 firm-fixed-price delivery order (SPRPA1-20-F-LW09) against a five-year basic ordering agreement (SPRPA1-15-G-003X) for fuel tanks for the F/A-18 aircraft. This was a competitive acquisition with two responses received. This is a three-year contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Georgia, with a Nov. 30, 2023, performance completion date. Using military service is Navy. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2023 Navy working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. CORRECTION: The contract announced on Feb. 28, 2020, for Rosenbauer America LLC, Lyons, South Dakota (SPE8EC-20-D-0055) was announced with an incorrect award date. The correct award date is March 2, 2020. *Small business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2099625/source/GovDelivery/