French Defence Staff chief: France is making moves to guarantee its survival in the face of existential threats

Sur le même sujet

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  30 mars 2022 | International, Aérospatial

  Turkish firm says it has made a supersonic target drone

  The 3-meter-long drone, now undergoing flight testing, features a mini-turbojet engine that helps it fly at least as fast as Mach 1.

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

  Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - February 28, 2020

  ARMY Ceradyne Inc., Irvine, California (W91CRB-20-D-0007); and TenCate Advanced Armor USA Inc., Hebron, Ohio (W91CRB-20-D-0008), will compete for each order of the $264,638,260 cost-plus-fixed-fee, firm-fixed-price contract for X-Side Ballistic Insert hard armor plates. Bids were solicited via the internet with two received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Feb. 27, 2024. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity. Southwest Valley Constructors Co., Albuquerque, New Mexico, was awarded a $175,415,000 firm-fixed-price contract for the design-build of the Rio Grande Valley Sector 07 border infrastructure construction project. Bids were solicited via the internet with five received. Work will be performed in Rio Grande City, Texas, with an estimated completion date of Oct. 4, 2021. Fiscal 2018 and 2019 appropriation funds in the amount of $175,415,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Louisville, Kentucky, is the contracting activity (W9126G-20-F-A001). Vectrus Systems Corp., Colorado Springs, Colorado, was awarded a $121,777,015 modification (P00053) to contract W91RUS-13-C-0006 for continued support of critical operation, maintenance and defense of Army communications. Work will be performed in Kuwait, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 28, 2020. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $121,777,015 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity. Fechheimer Brothers Co, Cincinnati, Ohio, was awarded a $99,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for procurement of the Army Green Service Uniform. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Feb. 25, 2021. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W911QY-20-D-0012). J & J Maintenance Inc., Austin, Texas, was awarded an $86,190,738 modification (P00004) to contract W81K04-19-D-0011 for healthcare environmental services in support of San Antonio Military Medical Center-North. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Jan. 31, 2021. U.S. Army Health Contracting Activity, San Antonio, Texas, is the contracting activity. General Dynamics Land Systems, Sterling Heights, Michigan, was awarded an $83,859,066 modification (P00074) to contract W56HZV16-D-0025 to extend the period of performance by 12 months on the contractor's efforts to maintain and deploy the Stryker Family of Vehicles. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Feb. 28, 2021. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Detroit Arsenal, Michigan, is the contracting activity. Leidos Inc., Gaithersburg, Maryland, was awarded a $33,330,855 modification (P00030) to contract W58RGZ-17-C-0058 for contractor logistics support services in Afghanistan in support of the Afghanistan Air Force and Special Mission Wing. Work will be performed in Kabul, Afghanistan, and Gaithersburg, Maryland, with an estimated completion date of May 31, 2020. Fiscal 2020 Afghanistan Security Forces, Army and operations and maintenance, Army funds in the amount of $33,330,855 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity. Raytheon/Lockheed Martin Javelin JV, Tucson, Arizona, was awarded an $18,431,215 modification (P00022) to contract W31P4Q-19-C-0059. Work will be performed in Tucson, Arizona, with an estimated completion date of June 25, 2020. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance, Army, and foreign military sales (Australia, Czech Republic, Estonia, France, Georgia, Indonesia, Ireland, Jordan, Lithuania, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Qatar, Turkey, Ukraine and United Arab Emirates) funds in the amount of $18,431,215 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity. Rore Corp, San Diego, California, was awarded a $17,249,182 firm-fixed-price contract for construction of a new jet fuel complex with field erected vertical storage tanks, pump shelter, truck fill stands, offloads, and refueler truck parking at the Air National Guard Base at the Fresno-Yosemite International Airport. Bids were solicited via the internet with three received. Work will be performed in Fresno, California, with an estimated completion date of Feb. 28, 2022. Fiscal 2016 military construction, defense-wide funds in the amount of $17,249,182 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Sacramento, California, is the contracting activity (W91238-20-C-0005). National Conferencing Inc., Dumfries, Virginia, was awarded a $22,483,731 cost-no-fee contract for event planning and logistical support services for the Office of the Chief of Chaplains. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will be performed in Dumfries, Virginia, with an estimated completion date of June, 30, 2020. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance, Army funds and overseas contingency operations, defense funds in the amount of $14,714,154 were obligated at the time of the award. Field Directorate Office, Fort Sam Houston, Texas, is the contracting activity (W9124J-20-C-0005). National Industries for the Blind, Alexandria, Virginia, was awarded a $13,641,430 modification (P00005) to contract W911QY-19-C-0025 for Advanced Combat Shirts. Work will be performed in Alexandria, Virginia, with an estimated completion date of Feb. 28, 2021. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance, Army funds in the amount of $13,641,430 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity. Kiewit Infrastructure West Co, Vancouver, Washington, was awarded a $10,150,000 modification (P00017) to contract W912DW-18-C-0011 for construction of a fish passage facility at Mud Mountain Dam. Work will be performed in Buckley, Washington, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 22, 2022. Fiscal 2018 civil construction funds in the amount of $10,150,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Seattle, Washington, is the contracting activity. AIR FORCE Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Linthicum Heights, Maryland, has been awarded a $262,281,057 firm-fixed price modification (P00027) to previously awarded contract FA8615-17-C-6047 for Active Electronically Scanned Array radars of Air Force F-16 aircraft. This modification is for the exercise of options to include 15 engineering, manufacturing and development and 90 production radars, as well as associated support equipment and spares. Work will be performed at Linthicum Heights, Maryland, and is expected to be completed by Dec. 2022. The total cumulative face value of the contract is $553,448,803. Fiscal 2020 research and development funds in the amount of $34,182,567; fiscal 2018 procurement funds in the amount of $88,201,189; and fiscal 2020 procurement funds in the amount of $197,955,911 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Fighter Bomber Directorate, F-16 Division, Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity. Teledyne Brown Engineering Inc., Huntsville, Alabama, has been awarded a $40,000,000 ceiling, hybrid indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, firm-fixed-price and cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for the production of the Automated Radioxenon Concentrator and Spectrometer (ARCS) production units and spares. This contract will produce a multiple high sensitivity radioxenon sampler systems for the nuclear test monitoring requirements of the United States Atomic Energy Detection System network to verify international treaties. The current ARCS system was developed with the needs of both the Air Force Technical Applications Center and the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO) in mind. The CTBTO operates a world-wide network of nuclear sensing stations called the International Monitoring System. The work is expected to be completed by Jan. 31, 2028. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Fiscal 2020 other procurement funding in the amount of $4,519,077 will be obligated in Task Order 0001 at the time of award. The Acquisition Management Integration Center, Patrick Air Force Base, Florida, is the contracting activity (FA7022-20-D-0003). Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas, has been awarded a $17,957,968 cost reimbursable, no-fee contract for Seismic-Acoustic Monitoring Program IV. This contract provides operations and maintenance (O&M) and research and development (R&D) support to the Air Force Technical Applications Center mission by operating, maintaining and sustaining geophysical equipment in Korea. Work will be performed in Dallas, Texas, and locations in Korea, and is expected to be completed by Nov. 30, 2028. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Fiscal 2020 O&M funds in the amount of $1,023,637 and R&D funds in the amount of $418,105 are being obligated at the time of award. The Acquisition Management Integration Center, Patrick Air Force Base, Florida, is the contracting activity (FA7022-20-C-0003). Tyonek Global Services LLC, Anchorage, Alaska, has been awarded a $15,060,087 contract modification (P00006) to previously awarded FA8773-19-C-A004 for cyber operations formal training support. The contract modification exercises option year one of the four year contract. Work will be performed at Hurlburt Field, Florida, and Joint Base San Antonio, Texas, and is expected to be complete by Feb. 28, 2021. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $ $3,765,021 are being obligated at the time of award. The 38th Contracting Squadron, Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, is the contracting activity. 22nd Century Technologies Inc., Somerset, New Jersey, has been awarded a firm-fixed price contract for $9,060,499 to execute option four (P00016) of previously awarded multi-year contract FA8773-15-C-0067 for essential capabilities to support the 33rd Network Warfare Squadron (33 NWS) in conducting its mission of Defense Cyber Operations (DCO) for the Air Force (AF) and supported unified commands and their combatant commands. The contractor plans, implements and executes the 33 NWS managed AF DCO Mission. In addition, support is required for conducting analysis of all network defense events, alerts and traffic on all network Intrusion Detection System and Intrusion Prevention System, Non-secure Internet Protocol Router Network and Secure Internet Protocol Router Network for the 33 NWS. Work will be performed at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, and is expected to be complete by Feb. 28, 2021. The award is the result of a competitive acquisition with eight proposals received. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $8,315,457 are being obligated at the time of the award. The 38th Contracting Squadron, Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, is the contracting activity. Data Computer Corp. of America, Ellicott City, Maryland, has been awarded a $7,201,112 contract modification (P00025) to a previously awarded contract FA8806-16-F-0002 for Western Range Modernization Network. This contract modification is for an engineering change proposal that supports the modernization of the Western Range Communications Subsystems to an IP-based network that supports data, voice and video mission communication, ensuring that there is continuity of services. The location of performance is Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, and is estimated to be completed by March 31, 2023. Fiscal 2019 space and procurement funds are being obligated at the time of award. The total cumulative face value of the contract is $89,028,641. Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado Springs, Colorado, is the contracting activity. NAVY Bell-Boeing Joint Project Office, Amarillo, Texas, is awarded a $165,275,894 modification (P00028) to a previously awarded fixed-price-incentive-firm-target, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract (N00019-17-C-0015) for the manufacture and delivery of two MV-22B variation in quantity aircraft for the Marine Corps and to provide funding for additional repairs in support of the Common Configuration-Readiness and Modernization Program. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas (30%); Ridley Park, Pennsylvania (15%); Amarillo, Texas (13%); Red Oak, Texas (3%); East Aurora, New York (3%); Park City, Utah (2%); McKinney, Texas (1%); Endicott, New York (1%); various other locations within the continental U.S. (CONUS) (28%); and various other locations outside CONUS (4%); expected completion by September 2023. Fiscal 2020 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $165,275,894 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 Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas is awarded a $141,655,639 modification (P00028) to a previously awarded fixed-price-incentive-firm-target contract (N00019-18-C-1048). This modification provides for the stand-up of organic level repair capabilities for the combat aircraft F-35 communications, navigation and information system. Work will be performed in San Diego, California (39%); Fort Worth, Texas (28%); Melbourne, Florida (12%); Genoa, Italy (10%); White Plains, New York (5%); Oslo, Norway (4%); and Beverly, Massachusetts (2%), and is expected to be completed by June 2024. Fiscal 2019 aircraft procurement (Air Force) funds in the amount of $70,827,820, fiscal 2019 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $35,413,910 and fiscal 2019 aircraft procurement (Marine Corps) funds in the amount of $35,413,909 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. AAI Corp. (doing business as Textron Systems), Hunt Valley, Maryland, is awarded a $21,795,236 fixed-price incentive modification to previously awarded contract N00024-14-C-6322 for low rate initial production for the Unmanned Influence Sweep System (UISS) Unmanned Surface Vehicle Program. Work will be performed in Hunt Valley, Maryland (70%), and Slidell, Louisiana (30%), and is expected to be completed by August 2021. The UISS will allow the littoral combat ship to perform its mine countermeasure sweep mission and will target acoustic, magnetic, and magnetic/acoustic combination mine types. The UISS program will satisfy the Navy's need for a rapid, wide-area coverage mine clearance capability, required to neutralize magnetic/acoustic influence mines. UISS seeks to provide a high area coverage rate in a small, lightweight package with minimal impact on the host platform. Fiscal 2018 other procurement (Navy) and fiscal 2019 other procurement (Navy) funding in the amount of $21,795,236 will be obligated at time of award. Funds in the amount of $7,950,616 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. ACE Maintenance and Services Inc.,* Austin, Texas, is awarded an $18,382,094 for an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) modification contract extension under an IDIQ contract for janitorial services at Naval Support Activity Bethesda. Work will be performed in Bethesda, Maryland. The work provides all labor, management supervision, tools, materials and equipment required for base janitorial services. After award of this modification, the total cumulative contract value will be $98,217,616 with an option period from March 2020 to February 2021. No funds will be obligated at time of award. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (O&M), (Navy); O&M, (Army); Navy working capital fund; and fiscal 2020 Defense Health Program funds in the amount of $18,195,525 for recurring work will be obligated on individual task orders issued during the option/extension period. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity (N40080-15-D-0305). PERC Water Corp.,* Costa Mesa, California, is being awarded a $17,209,469 firm-fixed-price contract for the operation and maintenance of the southern and northern tertiary treatment plants on Marine Corps Base (MCB) Camp Pendleton, California. Work will be performed in Camp Pendleton, California, and is expected to be completed by March 2025. The work to be performed provides for labor, supervision, management and materials to simultaneously perform the operation and maintenance services of the southern regional tertiary treatment plant and the northern regional tertiary treatment plant on MCB Camp Pendleton, including wastewater, custodial, pest control, integrated solid waste management, grounds maintenance and landscaping. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance contract funds in the amount of $2,930,349 are obligated on this award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the beta.SAM.gov website with two proposals received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southwest, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity (N62473-20-D-0019). Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems, Liverpool, New York, is awarded a $16,388,917 firm-fixed-price contract for the procurement of towed arrays and provisioned item orders to support an indefinite quantity of spares; cost-plus-fixed-fee for engineering services for post-delivery support, including repairs and engineering upgrades, the array refurbishment program, cost-only for travel and material in support of engineering services and refurbishments. Work will be performed in Liverpool, New York, and is expected to be completed by February 2025 for the production, integration, assembly, test and delivery of towed arrays as well as engineering services for repairs and refurbishment of existing towed arrays. This contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to an estimated $286,797,228. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Navy) funding in the amount of $300,000 will be obligated at time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Fiscal 2019 other procurement (Navy) funding in the amount of $9,008,489 and fiscal 2020 other procurement (Navy) in the amount of $2,201,055 will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured because it is a sole-source acquisition pursuant to the authority of 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1) with only one responsible source (Federal Acquisition Regulation subpart 6.302-1). The Naval Information Warfare Systems Command, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity (N00039-20-C-0003). VSE Corp., Alexandria, Virginia, is awarded a $10,034,417 firm-fixed-price contract with cost contract line items for materials, shipping and travel to support the procurement of equipment maintenance and test support services. This contract will provide vehicle maintenance and configuration support for the Assault Amphibious Vehicle and Amphibious Combat Vehicle family of vehicles in support of Program Executive Officer Land Systems, Quantico, Virginia. Work will be performed in Caroline County, Virginia, and is expected to be completed in April 2021. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Marine Corps) funds in the amount of $240,000, fiscal 2020 procurement (Marine Corps) funds in the amount of $2,772,662 and fiscal 2020 research development test and evaluation (Marine Corps) funds in the amount of $1,507,003 will be obligated at the time of award. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Marine Corps) funds in the amount of $240,000 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured and was prepared in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1 and 10 U.S. Code § 2304(c)(1). The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Virginia, is the contracting activity (M67854-20-C-0030). RQ Construction LLC., Carlsbad, California, is awarded an $8,634,814 for a firm-fixed-price contract modification under indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity multiple award construction contract task order (N40085-19-F-7171) for construction services for the Mariner Skills Training Center at Naval Station Norfolk. Work will be performed in Norfolk, Virginia, and is expected to be completed by August 2021 and provides construction services for site work, rough grade, pile caps and grade beams. The total contract amount after exercise of this option will be $9,009,814. Fiscal 2020 military construction and Navy contract funds will be obligated on this award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured by a multiple award construction contract with six proposals received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Mid-Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N40085-19-D-9069). RIBCRAFT USA LLC,* Marblehead, Massachusetts, is awarded an $8,477,452 for a firm-fixed-price delivery order to previously awarded contract N00024-19-D-2220 for construction of 10 Expeditionary 11 Meter Rigid Hull Inflatable Boats (RIB). Work will be performed in Marblehead, Massachusetts, and is expected to be completed by April 2022. With these 10 boats, 17 of the 48 possible RIBs will be under contract. The base contract also included options for associated support efforts related to the construction and delivery for crew familiarization, special studies, engineering and industrial services and provisioned items orders. Fiscal 2020 other procurement (Navy) funding in the amount of $8,477,452 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. Bell Helicopter Textron Inc., Fort Worth, Texas, is awarded an $8,346,395 firm-fixed-price modification (P00013) to a previously awarded fixed-price-incentive-fee contract (N00019-17-C-0030). Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas, and is expected to be completed in December 2020. This modification provides for the production and delivery of a fully assembled flight training device for an AH-1Z attack helicopter, excluding software integration, for the government of Bahrain. Foreign military sales funds in the amount of $6,259,796 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. DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Medical Digital Developers LLC, doing business as D-Scope Systems, New Rochelle, New York, has been awarded a maximum $45,000,000 firm‐fixed‐price, indefinite‐delivery/indefinite‐quantity contract for supply integrated video imaging sharing systems and other available items for these systems. This was a competitive acquisition with five responses received. This is a five-year contract with no option periods. Location of performance is New York, with a Feb. 27, 2025, performance completion date. Using customers are Army, Navy, Air Force and other federal civilian agencies. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2025 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE2D1‐20‐D‐0004). White Hand Global LLC,* Harrisonburg, Virginia, has been awarded a maximum $8,698,744 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for Bradley Fighting Vehicle metering fuel pump. This was a competitive acquisition with five responses received. This is a five-year contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Indiana, with a June 29, 2025, performance completion date. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2025 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime, Warren, Michigan (SPRDL1-20-D-0069). UPDATE: Rosenbauer America LLC,* Lyons, South Dakota (SPE8EC-20-D-0055) has been added as an awardee to the multiple award contract issued against solicitation SPE8EC-17-R-0006 announced April 19, 2017. *Small business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2098309/source/GovDelivery/

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  18 novembre 2020 | International, Aérospatial

  US Air Force chief’s top modernization priorities aren’t what you think they are

  By: Valerie Insinna WASHINGTON — The U.S. Air Force is spending tens of billions of dollars every year to buy new aircraft, including F-35 Joint Strike Fighters, KC-46 tankers, the T-7A trainer jet and more. But none of those platforms makes the list of Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Charles Q. Brown's top three modernization priorities. “In some cases, I'm not so much enamored with airplanes, although, you know, I flew airplanes,” Brown said during a Nov. 12 interview where Defense News asked him to list his top three weapons priorities for the Air Force. “It's really the capability” that matters, he said. "And as we look at, you know, future conflicts, we may be fighting differently. I don't know that for a fact. But when I came in, cyber wasn't a thing. Now it is. Space was a benign environment. Now, not as much. Here's what Brown put on his list: 1. Nuclear modernization Brown pointed to the recapitalization of the Air Force's nuclear weapons and delivery systems as his No. 1 modernization priority. “Nuclear modernization is there at the top,” Brown said. “That's important.” The Air Force plans to field new ICBMs and develop a new stealth bomber, almost concurrently, through the Ground Based Strategic Deterrent and B-21 Raider programs. During Brown's four years as chief of staff, both efforts will hit critical milestones. The B-21 program is further along, having completed a critical design review in 2018. The first B-21 bomber is currently under construction by Northrop Grumman at the company's facilities in Palmdale, California. In August, Maj. Gen. Mark Weatherington, commander of Eighth Air Force, said the aircraft would fly in 2022. The Air Force plans to buy at least 100 B-21s, though it is considering a larger program of record. Meanwhile, the Air Force awarded Northrop a $13 billion contract for the GBSD program in September. Although the legacy Minuteman III ICBMs won't begin to be retired and replaced until 2029, it will be Brown's job to ensure the program stays on track and gets the funding it needs during the pivotal early days of its engineering and manufacturing development stage. Aside from major delivery systems, the Air Force is also pursuing a dual-capable air-launched cruise missile: the Long Range Standoff Missile. The Air Force is responsible for two legs of the nuclear triad — intercontinental ballistic missiles and nuclear bombers — with the Navy responsible for ballistic missile submarines. With the Navy currently replacing its current Ohio-class ballistic missile submarines with the Columbia class, all of the nation's major nuclear modernization bills will be coming to a head around the same time. That may create pressure on the Air Force's and the Navy's budgets in the coming years, especially as spending is projected to flatten. But the services have contended there is no time to waste when it comes to nuclear modernization — all programs must stay on schedule. 2. Advanced Battle Management System Like his predecessor, now-retired Gen. Dave Goldfein, Brown wants the Air Force's shooters and sensors to be able to instantaneously share data with the joint force — a concept the military has termed Combined Joint All-Domain Command and Control. Brown's second priority, the Advanced Battle Management System, is the Air Force's effort to field a series of technologies that will make CJADC2 a reality. “I look at ABMS [as critical] because that's going to help us enable our decision-making and how we contribute to Joint All-Domain Command and Control,” Brown said. (The “C” in the concept's name was recently added.) However, Brown acknowledged the service has more work to do to convince lawmakers of the viability of the ABMS program. The Air Force envisions ABMS as a family of systems — think everything from cloud computing technologies, artificial intelligence algorithms and smart devices alongside traditional communications gear like radios. Instead of issuing exact requirements, the service wants to test what industry has available in a series of “on ramp” exercises, eventually buying what works after technologies are customized to meet user needs. Congress, however, has been skeptical. While the Air Force requested $302 million for the program in fiscal 2021, the House and Senate Appropriations committees would subtract anywhere from $50 million to almost $100 million from that sum, citing concerns about the service's acquisition strategy and lack of detailed requirements. “That's feedback to me, feedback to the Air Force that something is maybe being lost in the translation,” Brown said. “We're doing this a bit different than we have done a traditional acquisition program. ... And for us, for the Hill, it is a bit different. I think it's an area that we, as an Air Force, do need to do a little bit better job of how we talk it up.” 3. Cutting-edge acquisition methods Brown's third modernization priority isn't a program at all: He wants to see continued advancements in new acquisition methods that allow the Air Force to more quickly buy new equipment at lower prices. Currently, “by the time [new technology] gets to the hands of the war fighter, the software that's in it is a decade or two decades or 15 years old. How are we able to do things a bit faster in that regard?” Brown said. He pointed to advanced manufacturing processes like digital engineering, which employs detailed data and models during the design of a product, and simulates how it will be manufactured, tested, operated and sustained throughout its life cycle. Air Force acquisition executive Will Roper has heralded techniques like digital engineering for enabling the rapid development and recent first flight of a full-scale demonstrator aircraft, which was tested as part of the service's Next Generation Air Dominance program. Roper told Defense News in September that it will be up to Brown and other Air Force leaders to decide whether it's worth buying into the Digital Century Series plan for NGAD, which would involve the service more rapidly purchasing small batches of aircraft from various manufacturers. While Brown didn't comment on whether the Air Force has committed to the Digital Century Series model for purchasing future combat jets, he cited the approach as one that could potentially speed up the fielding of new technologies. “If we keep doing the same approach we have since I've been in the Air Force and expect a different result, then we're not going to do very well,” Brown said. “We have to change our approach. And this drives change in our thinking, change about how we think about acquisition, it changes how we as an Air Force engage with and collaborate with [the Office of the Secretary of Defense], with [the Pentagon's Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation office], with the Hill, with industry. And, you know, I think we've gotten some traction in certain areas, but it's going to require constant dialogue and collaboration and transparency.” https://www.defensenews.com/air/2020/11/17/the-air-force-chiefs-top-modernization-priorities-arent-what-you-think-they-are/