1 août 2019 | International, Aérospatial

France Creates Space Command To Help Bid To Be Third Space Power

By Thierry Dubois

Luch Olymp, a Russian satellite, is French Armed Forces Minister Florence Parly's favorite enemy. Last year, she revealed it had, in 2017, moved into close proximity to Athena-Fidus—a Franco-Italian satellite used for military communications—and tried to intercept its signal. The French military have kept a close eye on Luch Olymp. “I can't resist telling you the latest—it left a business card to another eight satellites belonging to various countries,” she says.

The French government uses Luch Olymp as an example of the mounting threats against the country's space-based assets. A feeling of vulnerability was the basis for the government's decision, announced last year, to devise a space defense strategy. Now officially unveiled, it includes developing patrol satellites and space-based directed-energy weapons.

The move confirms the trend for nations to consider space as an additional theater of operations for future conflicts.

In the U.S., President Donald Trump signed off on a detailed plan on how to organize military space in February. The document, dubbed Space Policy Directive-4, proposes the creation of a sixth military service focused on space. The House and Senate are in agreement that a separate space service is necessary, but they are at odds on the details. Both chambers will enter conference this summer to hash out the specifics and are hopeful an agreement will be reached this fall.

Last year, a report on worldwide threats to Congress stated that Russian and Chinese anti-satellite (ASAT) weapons would probably become operational within the next few years. “Both countries also are advancing directed-energy weapons technologies for the purpose of fielding ASAT weapons that could blind or damage sensitive space-based optical sensors, such as those used for remote sensing or missile defense.”

Referring to China and the U.S., Parly says she believes in France asserting itself as the world's third space power.

A space command with an initial 220 personnel will be created Sept. 1. One of its roles will be to establish French space doctrine. The operations center of the space command is to open in 2024 in Toulouse, where it is expected to benefit from local synergies with the space industry.

As the space command will be part of the French Air Force, the latter is to become the Air and Space Force (Armee de l'Air et de l'Espace).

The space command to be integrated into the air force will replace the existing Joint Space Command, created in 2010. The Joint Space Command did help French forces with their space ambitions, says Parly. However, it is believed not to be effective because of a lack of unity in the command chain and the development of a military space policy, as well as geographically scattered sites.

“Space is a new front,” Parly says. She earlier requested the integration of cameras into the Syracuse 4A and 4B communications satellites, due to be launched in the early 2020s. The cameras will monitor the satellites' close environment.

Parly wants to see nanosatellites patrolling in orbit as soon as 2023. They will be used to detect threats and may also carry high-power lasers.

Such weapons, which may also be integrated into France's “valuable” satellites, will be able to “dazzle” a threatening spacecraft, says Parly. France is behind in high-power lasers, she admits, but she is confident the country's research laboratories and OEMs will catch up.

In fact, aerospace research center ONERA has already conducted a test that temporarily made inoperative the optical sensors of an Earth-observation satellite at the end of its life. According to a report by two members of the French National Assembly, ONERA could build a system that would make such sensors inoperative permanently. ONERA is also taking part in the TALOS project. Launched last year by the European Defense Agency to create high-power laser beam weapons, TALOS is led by CILAS, an ArianeGroup subsidiary.

Other ideas for “active defense” include repurposing systems currently developed under a European Space Agency program to remove debris from orbit, using a net or harpoon.

France's military programming law for 2019-25 already includes €3.6 billion ($4 billion) for the renewal of satellites—such as launching the CSO Earth-observation satellites. Parly announced another €700 million will be added over that period. They will be used, among other expenditures, to create demonstrators. “Full capacity” of the space command is expected in 2030.

On the ground, the existing Graves radar, which monitors low Earth orbit, will be upgraded in 2022. Parly has requested its successor deliver an initial operational capability in 2025, sooner than initially planned. Eventually, it will have to detect an object “the size of a shoe box” at 1,500 km (930 mi.).

Debris is a concern, as well as illegal launches such as that of Swarm Technologies' picosatellites last year.

The government is counting on European cooperation, especially with Germany and Italy, to make future surveillance equipment and weapons affordable.

https://aviationweek.com/space/france-creates-space-command-help-bid-be-third-space-power

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  • How contractors can guard against cyber intrusions

    17 juin 2019 | International, Sécurité, Autre défense

    How contractors can guard against cyber intrusions

    By: Mark Pomerleau Contractors, facing an increasing barrage of cyber intrusions by foreign entities, should protect themselves using traditional regulatory approaches but also new techniques such as blockchain and artificial intelligence, according to a new report from Deloitte. As companies in the defense supply chain began following the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) cybersecurity regulations and the Department of Defense started to assess how adoption went, “we started to form our own ideas on what we see as emerging issues and solutions that [can] ... improve the cybersecurity posture against our enemies,” Jeff Lucy, managing director in cyber risk services practice at Deloitte, told Fifth Domain. On the regulatory side, the report, titled “Third-party risk management: Cybersecurity in the Defense Industrial Base,” says prime contractors must comply with the defense regulations measuring their companies' compliance with national cybersecurity standards. They should also create awareness among their subcontractors and smaller companies by providing training. Third, primes should create third party assessment programs for performing cybersecurity evaluations of their suppliers. However, the paper also suggests non-regulatory approaches, including automating supply chain functions, integrating blockchain to boost cybersecurity and using artificial intelligence to gain real time visibility into the threat landscape. Lucy noted that the Pentagon is beginning to take these regulations seriously and the problems aren't going away. “In 2019 we've seen that the DoD has started to move forward, start to take action to enforce their expectations around the DFARS requirements,” he said. “It's clear now with the steps that we're seeing with [Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment] Ellen Lord getting the [Defense Contract Management Agency] on board to start auditing the suppliers processes for assessing their suppliers.” Cyber intrusions into the supply chains of defense contractors have become more prevalent in recent years. In a recent example, the Chinese government was blamed for a series of hacks and while the information they stole was not technically classified, in aggregate, it was considered to be quite damaging to the U.S. This year's Department-wide annual report on Chinese military activity included a new section highlighting that China's exfiltration of sensitive military information from the defense industrial base could allow it to gain a military advantage. Ultimately, Lucy said the solution to the supply chain and cybersecurity for the defense industrial base is manageable. “Most primes, from what I've seen with interactions with our customers, have put some level of the basic elements for a supplier assessment program in place already,” he said. “They've done some level of canvassing their suppliers, critical suppliers, taking a risk based approach to understand whether their suppliers are in adopting” standards. https://www.fifthdomain.com/industry/2019/06/14/how-contractors-can-guard-against-cyber-intrusions/

  • Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - March 20, 2019

    26 mars 2019 | International, Aérospatial, Naval, Terrestre, C4ISR, Sécurité, Autre défense

    Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - March 20, 2019

    NAVY The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Missouri, is awarded a ceiling priced $4,040,458,297 modification to convert a previously awarded advanced acquisition contract (N00019-18-C-1046) to a fixed-price-incentive-firm-target multi-year contract. The target price for this multi-year contract is $4,001,410,000. This modification provides for the full-rate production and delivery of 78 F/A-18 aircraft, specifically 61 F/A-18E and 17 F/A-18F aircraft for fiscal years 2018 through 2021. Work will be performed in El Segundo, California (61 percent); Hazelwood, Missouri (9 percent); Longueuil, Quebec, Canada (2 percent); Torrance, California (2 percent); Bloomington, Minnesota (2 percent); Ajax, Ontario, Canada (2 percent); Vandalia, Ohio (1 percent); Fort Worth, Texas (1 percent); Irvine, California (1 percent); Palm Bay, Florida (1 percent); Santa Clarita, California (1 percent); Grand Rapids, Michigan (1 percent); Greenlawn, New York (1 percent); Endicott, New York (1 percent); Marion, Virginia (1 percent); and various locations within the continental U.S. (13 percent). Work is expected to be completed in April 2024. Fiscal 2018 and 2019 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $1,557,334,000 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. American Systems Corp., Chantilly, Virginia (M67854-19-D-7870); Calibre Systems Inc., Alexandria, Virginia (M67854-19-D-7871); Corps Solutions, Stafford, Virginia (M67854-19-D-7872); Obsidian Solutions Group,* Fredericksburg, Virginia (M67854-19-D-7873); Science Applications International Corp., Reston, Virginia (M67854-19-D-7874); Solutions Through Innovative Technologies Inc., Fairborn, Ohio (M67854-19-D-7875); and Valiant Global Defense Services Inc., San Diego, California (M67854-19-D-7876), are awarded a multiple award, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract with firm-fixed-pricing arrangements for the procurement of Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF) Training Systems Support (MTSS), with a combined maximum ceiling amount of $245,000,000. MTSS provides pre-deployment training to the Marine Corps Operating Forces within a joint and combined environment to improve warfighting skills. Training includes realistic computer-based simulation training; command, control, computers, communications, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance training; combined arms staff trainer training; MAGTF tactical warfare simulation; and Deployable Virtual Training Environment. Work will be performed at Quantico, Virginia (55 percent); Camp Lejeune, North Carolina (15 percent); Camp Pendleton, California (10 percent); Twentynine Palms, California (10 percent); and Okinawa, Japan (10 percent), and is expected to be completed by March 19, 2029. No funds will be obligated at the time of award. Funds will be obligated as task orders are issued. The companies will compete for task orders under the terms and conditions of the awarded contract. This contract was competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities website, with seven offers received. The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Virginia, is the contracting activity. Merrill Technologies Group,* Saginaw, Michigan (N68335-19-D-0038); and Precision Custom Components LLC,* York, Pennsylvania (N68335-19-D-0039), are each being awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contracts. These contracts provide for the delivery of various components in support of the aircraft launch and recovery and support equipment programs, to include critical safety item/critical application item. The estimated aggregate ceiling for all contracts is $42,240,000, with the companies having an opportunity to compete for individual orders. Work will be performed at contractor facilities in Merrill, Michigan; and York, Pennsylvania, and is expected to be completed in March 2024. No funds are being obligated at time of award; funds will be obligated on individual orders as they are issued. These contracts were competitively procured via a 100 percent small business set-aside electronic request for proposals; three offers were received. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Lakehurst, New Jersey, is the contracting activity. Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Herndon, Virginia, is awarded $37,496,252 for modification P00002 to firm-fixed-price delivery order N0001918F0478 against a previously issued basic ordering agreement (N00019-15-G-0026). This modification provides for the procurement and delivery of seven MR-TCDL B-Kits, one Mission Avionics Systems Trainer B-Kit, and associated A- and B-Kit spares for the MR-TCDL upgrade to the E-6B Mercury aircraft. Work will be performed in Salt Lake City, Utah (73 percent); San Diego, California (25 percent); and Boston, Massachusetts (2 percent), and is expected to be completed in October 2021. Fiscal 2018 and 2019 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $37,496,252 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 Rotary and Mission Systems, Syracuse, New York, is awarded a $27,510,334 cost-plus-incentive-fee modification to previously-awarded contract N00024-09-C-6247 for the procurement of fiscal 2019 electronic warfare AN/BLQ-10 kits and spares to support program requirements. Work will be performed in Syracuse, New York (99 percent); and Manassas, Virginia (1 percent), and is expected to be completed by October 2022. Fiscal 2019 other procurement (Navy) funding in the amount of $27,510,334 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, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. MEB General Contractors Inc., Chesapeake, Virginia, is awarded a $20,334,000 firm-fixed-price contract for consolidated fuel facilities at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina. The work to be performed provides for the construction of a new 6400 sq. ft. petroleum, oils, and lubricants operations facility with privately-owned vehicle parking for 60 vehicles; a new 2400 gallons per minute (gpm) Type III pump house facility and control room; four new 600 gpm high speed truck fillstands; a new reinforced concrete parking area for 20 fuel refueler trucks; piping modifications to the three existing aboveground storage tanks; new interconnecting piping; spill containment provision; a cathodic protection system; and supporting site work and utilities for the new facilities. Work will be performed in Sumter, South Carolina, and is expected to be completed by March 2021. Fiscal 2018 military construction (Defense Logistics Agency) contract funds in the amount of $20,334,000 are obligated on this award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. 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U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Anchorage, Alaska, is the contracting activity. Applied Visual Technology Inc.,* Orlando, Florida, was awarded a $10,153,464 modification (P00005) to contract W900KK-18-D-0019 for systems engineering and software support. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of March 19, 2020. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Orlando, Florida, is the contracting activity. AIR FORCE Company Deloitte Consulting LLP, Arlington, Virginia, has been awarded a $39,933,653 firm-fixed-price contract for technical and programmatic expertise and recommendations. This contract provides for force optimization analysis support to HQ Air Combat Command. Work will take place at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia, and is expected to be completed by June 15, 2022. This contract is the result of a competitive acquisition and three offers were received. 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The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Energy, Fort Belvoir, Virginia (SPE607-19-D-0008). M&M Manufacturing LLC,** Lajas, Puerto Rico, has been awarded a maximum $13,781,250 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for Navy Working Uniform blouses and Army Combat Uniform coats. This was a competitive acquisition with six responses received. This is an 18-month base contract with three one-year option periods. Location of performance is Puerto Rico, with a March 19, 2021, estimated performance completion date. Using military services are Navy and Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2021 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE1C1-19-D-1145). Eaton Aeroquip LLC, Jackson, Michigan, has been awarded a maximum $8,992,216 firm-fixed-price contract for hoses, assemblies and other related parts. This was a competitive acquisition with one offer received. This is a three-year contract with two one-year option periods. Location of performance is Michigan, with a March 20, 2022, performance completion date. Using military services are Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2022 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime, Columbus, Ohio (SPE7LX-19-D-0016). *Small business **Woman-owned small business in historically underutilized business zones https://dod.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/1790554/

  • F-35 Factories In Italy, Japan Are Reopening After Closing for Coronavirus

    18 mars 2020 | International, Aérospatial

    F-35 Factories In Italy, Japan Are Reopening After Closing for Coronavirus

    Both of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter assembly plants outside the United States are expected to be up and running by Wednesday after brief coronavirus-related shutdowns. Leonardo's final-assembly-and-checkout plant in Cameri, Italy, closed Monday and Tuesday for “deep cleaning and sanitization,” a person familiar with the F-35 program said Tuesday. That assembly plant is expected to reopen on Wednesday. And Mitsubishi Heavy Industries' F-35 plant in Japan reopened this week after being closed last week, the person said. Meanwhile the Lockheed Martin factory in Fort Worth, Texas, which builds F-35s for the U.S. military and most overseas customers, has not been affected by COVID-19, which has shuttered businesses and prompted firms across the United States to allow some employees to work from home. “There's been no significant impact to production or supply chain at this time,” the person familiar with the program said on the condition of anonymity. In an emailed statement, Lockheed Martin, the lead F-35 contractor said: “As we monitor global developments we continue to use best practices to mitigate risks related to Coronavirus (COVID-19), while supporting the critical missions of our customers.” Lockheed Martin has been urging employees potentially exposed to COVID-19 to work remotely and self-quarantine. https://www.defenseone.com/business/2020/03/italys-f-35-line-shuts-down-japans-reopens/163862

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