General Dynamics opens new unmanned underwater vehicle manufacturing center

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  14 mai 2020 | International, Aérospatial

  Some F-35 suppliers are having trouble delivering parts on schedule, and Turkey’s departure could make that worse

  By: Valerie Insinna WASHINGTON — Lockheed Martin's F-35 Joint Strike Fighter is on the verge of full-rate production, with a decision slated for early 2021. But a congressional watchdog group is concerned that as the company ramps up F-35 production, its suppliers are falling behind. And those supply chain problems could get even worse as Turkish defense manufacturers are pushed out of the program, the Government Accountability Office said in a May 12 report. According to the GAO, the number of F-35 parts delivered late skyrocketed from less than 2,000 in August 2017 to upward of 10,000 in July 2019. The number of parts shortages per month also climbed from 875 in July 2018 to more than 8,000 in July 2019. More than 60 percent of that sum was concentrated among 20 suppliers, it said. “To mitigate late deliveries and parts shortages — and deliver more aircraft on time — the airframe contractor has utilized methods such as reconfiguring the assembly line and moving planned work between different stations along the assembly line,” the GAO said. “According to the program office, such steps can cause production to be less efficient, which, in turn, can increase the number of labor hours necessary to build each aircraft,” which then drives up cost, the GAO added. Those problems could be compounded by Turkey's expulsion from the F-35 program, which was announced last year after the country moved forward with buying the Russian S-400 air defense system. Although Turkey financially contributed to the development of the F-35 as a partner in the program, the U.S. Defense Department has maintained that Turkey cannot buy or operate the F-35 until it gives up the S-400. The Pentagon has also taken action to begin stripping Turkish industry from the aircraft's supply chain, a process that involves finding new companies to make 1,005 parts, some of which are sole-sourced by Turkish companies. Ellen Lord, the Pentagon's undersecretary for acquisition and sustainment, had hoped to stop contracting with Turkish suppliers by March 2020, but in January she said that some contracts would extend through the year, according to Defense One. While the Defense Department has found new suppliers to manufacture the parts currently made in Turkey, it is uncertain whether the price of those components will be more expensive. Furthermore, as of December 2019, the new production rates for 15 components were lagging behind that of the legacy Turkish producers. “According to program officials, some of these new parts suppliers will not be producing at the rate required until next year, as roughly 10 percent are new to the F-35 program,” the GAO said. “Airframe contractor representatives stated it would take over a year to stand up these new suppliers, with lead times dependent on several factors, such as part complexity, quantity, and the supplier's production maturity. In addition, these new suppliers are required to go through qualification and testing to ensure the design integrity for their parts.” The F-35 Joint Program Office disagreed with the GAO's recommendation to provide certain information to Congress ahead of the full-rate production decision, including an evaluation of production risks and a readiness assessment of the suppliers that are replacing Turkish companies. In its statement, the JPO said it is already providing an acceptable number of updates on the program's readiness for full-rate production. Hard times for the F-35's engine supplier Not all F-35 production trends reported by the GAO were bad for the aircraft. Since 2016, Lockheed has made progress in delivering a greater proportion of F-35s on schedule, with 117 of 134 F-35s delivered on time in 2019. However, one of the biggest subsystems of the F-35 — the F135 engine produced by Pratt & Whitney — drifted in the opposite direction, with a whopping 91 percent of engines delivered behind schedule. At one point in 2019, Pratt & Whitney stopped deliveries of the F135 for an unspecified period due to test failures, which also contributed to the reduction of on-time deliveries. According to the Defense Contracts Management Agency, “there have been 18 engine test failures in 2019, which is eight more than in 2018, each requiring disassembly and rework,” the GAO wrote. “To address this issue, the engine contractor has developed new tooling for the assembly line and has established a team to identify characteristics leading to the test failures. Plans are also in place for additional training for employees.” https://www.defensenews.com/air/2020/05/12/some-f-35-suppliers-are-having-trouble-delivering-parts-on-schedule-and-turkeys-departure-could-make-that-worse/

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

  Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - March 28, 2019

  ARMY Architects Pacific Inc.,* Honolulu, Hawaii (W9128A-19-D-0006); Bowers + Kubota Management Inc., Waipahu, Hawaii (W9128A-19-D-0007); Burns & McDonnell + Group 70 Ho'ohui'ia JV, Honolulu, Hawaii (W9128A-19-D-0008); Fung Associates Inc.,* Honolulu, Hawaii (W9128A-19-D-0009); Ink Arch LLC,* Honolulu, Hawaii (W9128A-19-D-0010); Jacobs and Architects Hawaii JV, Honolulu, Hawaii (W9128A-19-D-0011); RIM/DPI JV LLC, Honolulu, Hawaii (W9128A-19-D-0012); and RMA-SA JV LLC, Honolulu, Hawaii (W9128A-19-D-0013), will compete for each order of the $150,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for architect-engineer services. Bids were solicited via the internet with 16 received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of March 27, 2026. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Honolulu, Hawaii, is the contracting activity. Martin UAV LLC,* Plano, Maryland (W911QY-19-D-0032); and Textron, AAI Corp., Hunt Valley, Maryland (W911QY-19-D-0033), will compete for each order of the $99,500,000 firm-fixed-price contract for procurement of non-developmental tactical unmanned aerial systems. Bids were solicited via the internet with 11 received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of March 27, 2022. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity. Hensel Phelps Construction Co., Tysons Corner, Virginia, was awarded a $71,528,710 firm-fixed-price contract for East Campus Building 3 construction project at Fort George G. Meade, Maryland. Bids were solicited via the internet with two received. Work will be performed in Fort George G. Meade, Maryland, with an estimated completion date of March 27, 2023. Fiscal 2019 military construction funds in the amount of $71,528,710 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W912DR-19-C-0013). AECOM Energy and Construction Inc., Greenwood Village, Colorado, was awarded a $59,639,368 modification (P00007) to contract W912P5-17-C-0007 for Chickamauga Lock Chamber replacement. Work will be performed in Chattanooga, Tennessee, with an estimated completion date of Nov. 14, 2020. Fiscal 2019 general construction funds in the amount of $59,639,368 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Nashville, Tennessee, is the contracting activity. Edmond Scientific Co.,* Alexandria, Virginia, was awarded a $46,750,681 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for scientific services. 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 Sept. 27, 2024. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W911NF-19-D-0005). General Dynamics Land Systems, Sterling Heights, Michigan, was awarded a $46,249,658 modification (P00078) to contract W56HZV-17-C-0067 for Abrams systems technical support. Work will be performed in Sterling Heights, Michigan, with an estimated completion date of March 31, 2020. Fiscal 2018 and 2019 other procurement, Army funds in the amount of $46,249,658 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Warren, Michigan, is the contracting activity. Palomar Display Products Inc.,* was awarded a $40,714,894 modification (P00007) to contract W909MY-15-D-0003 for repairs, engineering support and technical services of the Binocular Image Control Units. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Feb. 13, 2020. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity. Kiple Acquisition Science Technology Logistics & Engineering,* Forest Hill, Maryland, was awarded a $10,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract to provide technical and analytical expertise, and administrative assistance. One bid was solicited with one bid received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of March 27, 2024. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W911QY-19-D-0031). CORRECTION: A $1,135,410,156 contract modification announced on March 27, 2019, for Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control, Grand Prairie, Texas (P00010) to contract W31P4Q-18-C-0049, stated that it was a Foreign Military Sales (Poland, Bahrain and Romania) contract, however the contract also includes domestic procurement supporting the Army and Marine Corps. All other information in the announcement is correct. NAVY The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Missouri, is awarded a $71,345,504 cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract to provide engineering and integrated logistics support to maintain the T/AV-8B Harrier during the aircraft's Post-Production Support Phase. Work will be performed at St. Louis, Missouri (75 percent); Warton, Lancashire, United Kingdom (11 percent); Cherry Point, North Carolina (10 percent); Yuma, Arizona (3 percent); and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (1 percent), and is expected to be completed in December 2023. No funds will be obligated at time of award; funds will be obligated on individual delivery orders as they are issued. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N0001919D0004). BAE Systems Land & Armaments L.P., Armament Systems Division, Louisville, Kentucky, is awarded a $70,672,462 firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for five overhauled/upgraded Mk 45 Mod 4 gun mounts and their associated components, to include Mk 63 Mod 1 weather shields, Mod 4 manufacture kits, and Mod 4 machine parts kits. The 5-inch Mk 45 Light Weight Gun Mount System provides an effective weapon for anti-surface, naval surface fire support, and anti-air warfare missions, and is installed aboard DDG 51- and CG 47-class ships. Work will be performed in Louisville, Kentucky, and is expected to be completed by July 2023. Fiscal 2016, 2017 and 2018 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funding in the amount of $70,672,462 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured, in accordance with 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1) - only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Indian Head Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technology Division, Indian Head, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N00174-19-C-0004). Helix Electric Inc., San Diego, California, is awarded a $32,740,000 firm-fixed-price contract for the construction of the Harbor Drive switching station at Naval Base San Diego, California. The work to be performed provides for relocations and upgrades to the primary and secondary switching stations. Electrical components include switchgears with medium voltage circuit breakers, busses, underground primary and secondary cabling, protective relaying, power system automation communication line, communication line for supervisory control and data acquisition system connected to the head-end equipment, smart meters, lighting and other associated electrical appurtenances. The contract also contains two unexercised options, which if exercised would increase the cumulative contract value to $36,500,000. Work will be performed in San Diego, California, and is expected to be completed by August 2021. Fiscal 2019 military construction (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $32,740,000 are obligated on this award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website, with two proposals received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southwest, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity (N62473-19-C-1209). Joseph J. Henderson & Son Inc., Gurnee, Illinois, is awarded a $30,700,000 firm-fixed-price contract for the repair of the wastewater treatment plant at Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, Texas. The work to be performed provides for substantial upgrade of domestic and industrial wastewater treatment facilities to be completed while maintaining continuous operation. Demolition includes major structures including equipment in the structures, utility connections to the structures, and small ancillary facilities. Additionally, rehabilitation of structures for process and architectural upgrades, removal of two interior doors with hazardous levels of lead based paint, and remediation in three structures to remove asbestos containing material are required. New major facilities and ancillary systems, such as site electrical power, utilities, and paving and grading are required. Work will be performed in Corpus Christi, Texas, and is expected to be completed by February 2021. Fiscal 2019 Navy working capital contract funds in the amount of $30,700,000 are obligated on this award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website, with two proposals received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southeast, Jacksonville, Florida, is the contracting activity (N69450-19-C-0912). Support Services LLC, Cape Canaveral, Florida, is awarded $22,977,890 for a modification under a previously awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (N69450-18-D-2013) to exercise Option One for base operations support services at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida, and outlying areas Saufley Field, Corry Station, and Bronson Field. The work to be performed provides for all management, supervision, labor, equipment, materials, supplies, and tools necessary to perform facilities management, facilities investment, facility maintenance services (non-family housing), utility plant and distribution system operations and maintenance (chiller, electrical, gas, wastewater, steam and water), environmental services, and base support vehicles and equipment. After award of this option, the total cumulative contract value will be $45,863,832. Work will be performed in Pensacola, Florida, and work for this option period is expected to be completed March 2020. No funds will be obligated at time of award. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance, (Navy); fiscal 2019 Navy working capital funds; and fiscal 2019 Defense Health Program funds in the amount of $18,442,613 for recurring work will be obligated on individual task orders issued during the option period. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southeast, Jacksonville, Florida, is the contracting activity. Booz Allen Hamilton Inc., McLean, Virginia, is awarded $18,143,171 for modification P00007 to a previously awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee, cost delivery order contract. This modification provides for additional technical, analytical and managerial services in support of the Naval Aviation Enterprise. Work will be performed in Patuxent River, Maryland, and is expected to be completed in February 2022. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $5,124,508 will be obligated at time of award, all of which will expire at the end of the fiscal year. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. Archer Western Construction LLC, Chicago, Illinois, is awarded $17,820,000 for firm-fixed-price task order N6945019F0708 under a previously awarded multiple award construction contract (N69450-12-D-1267) for the design and construction of P426 Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) parking garage at Naval Station, Mayport, Florida. The work to be performed provides for the design and construction of a five-story, 1,355-vehicle structured parking facility. The facility shall be fully handicapped accessible and be an open “public” parking structure. Work will be performed in Jacksonville, Florida, and is expected to be completed by April 2021. Fiscal 2019 military construction (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $17,820,000 are obligated on this award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Two proposals were received for this task order. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southeast, Jacksonville, Florida, is the contracting activity. The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Missouri, is awarded a $16,187,822 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for engineering services in support of the development of the T/AV-8B aircraft, including system configuration set updates, avionics and weapons integration, and avionics obsolescence mitigation. Work will be performed in St. Louis, Missouri, and is expected to be completed in March 2024. Fiscal 2018 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $2,000,000 will be obligated at time of award none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. The Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division, China Lake, California, is the contracting activity (N689361919D0010). Rockwell Collins Inc., Cedar Rapids, Iowa, is awarded $14,824,692 for delivery order N0001919F0012 against a previously issued basic ordering agreement (N00019-14-G-0021) in support of the E-6B Mercury aircraft. This order provides for non-recurring engineering for development of the facilities, equipment, and material required to implement the Block II Sustainment and Support System. Work will be performed in Richardson, Texas, and is expected to be completed in December 2020. Fiscal 2017 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $14,824,692 will be obligated at time of award, all of which will expire at the end of the fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. Assurance Technology Corp., Carlisle, Massachusetts, is awarded a $13,959,231 modification to previously awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee contract N00173-18-C-6007 for research and development for the Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) System for Naval Research Laboratory Space Systems Development Department. After award of this modification, the total cumulative value of this contract is $25,470,666. Work will be performed at the Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, District of Columbia, and work is expected to be completed Sept. 28, 2019. Fiscal 2019 working capital funds (Navy) in the amount of $230,000 will be obligated at the time of award. No funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity (N00173-18-C-6007). General Dynamics Mission Systems, Pittsfield, Massachusetts, is awarded a $10,070,668 cost-with-no-fee contract (N00030-19-C-0024) for capital maintenance of the Navy Industrial Reserve Ordnance Plant in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. Work will be performed in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, and is expected to be completed March 31, 2022. Fiscal 2018 other procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $7,725,000; and fiscal 2019 other procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $2,345,668 will be obligated at time of award. Funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract is awarded on a sole-source basis in accordance with 10 U.S. Code 2304 (c)(1) and was previously synopsized on the Federal Business Opportunity website. Strategic Systems Programs, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. AIR FORCE FlightSafety Services Corp., Centennial, Colorado, has been awarded a not-to-exceed $29,496,514 modification (P00029) to previously awarded contract FA8621-13-C-6247 for the exercise of the KC-46 Aircrew Training System production year four options. The contract modification is for the exercise of option contract line item numbers for an additional weapon system trainer, boom operator trainer, fuselage trainer, pilot part task trainer, boom operator part task trainer, additional learning management workstations, support equipment, McGuire Air Force Base and Altus AFB site activations, systems engineering and program management, summative evaluation, visual database airfield models, new refresher training scenarios, and one Aerial Refueling Airplane Simulator Qualification certification. Work will be performed in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, and is expected to be complete by February 2021. Fiscal 2018 purchasing and procurement funds in the amount of $14,453,292 are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, is the contracting activity. Merex Aircraft Co., Inc., Camarillo, California, has been awarded an $18,300,000 estimated ceiling indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the acquisition of A-10 flap assemblies. This contract provides for the acquisition of left and right outboard flap assemblies (NSNs 1560-01-591-4392FJ and 1560-01-591-4394FJ); and left and right inboard flap assemblies (NSNs 1560-01-591-8913FJ and 1560-01-591-5806FJ). Work will be performed in Camarillo, California, and is expected to be complete by March 27, 2025. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition and five offers were received. Consolidated Sustainment Activity Group working capital funds in the amount of $4,887,547 are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Management, Hill Air Force Base, Utah, is the contracting activity (FA8212-19-D-0001). Telephonics Corp., Farmingdale, New York, has been awarded a $12,623,588 firm-fixed-price contract for the Royal Saudi Air Force Airborne Warning and Control System (RSAF AWACS) Next Generation Identification Friend or Foe. This contract provides for manufacture, test, and delivery of Next Generation Identification Friend or Foe AN/UPX-40 Interrogator shipsets and installation kits for the RSAF AWACS fleet. Work will be performed in Farmingdale, New York, and is expected to be complete by Dec. 31, 2021. This contract involves 100 percent foreign military sales to the kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Saudi Arabian Letter of Offer and Acceptance case funds in the full amount are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts, is the contracting activity (FA8730-19-C-0010). DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Truman Arnold Companies, doing business as TAC Air, Amarillo, Texas, has been awarded a maximum $13,775,007 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment contract for fuel. This was a competitive acquisition with 148 responses received. This is a 47-month contract with one six-month option period. Location of performance is Texas, with a March 31, 2023, performance completion date. Using customers are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and federal civilian agencies. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through fiscal 2023 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Energy, Fort Belvoir, Virginia (SPE607-19-D-0013). Hamilton Sundstrand Corp., Windsor Locks, Connecticut, has been awarded a maximum $13,099,996 firm-fixed-priced delivery order (SPRPA1-19-F-L305) against a five-year basic ordering agreement (SPRPA1-13-G-001X) with no option periods for spare parts in support of the F/A-18 aircraft. This was a sole-source acquisition using justification 10 U.S. Code 2304 (c)(1), as stated in Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. Location of performance is Connecticut, with a June 30, 2021, performance completion date. Using military service is Navy. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2021 Navy working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. MISSILE DEFENSE AGENCY L3 Applied Technologies Inc. (L3 ATI), San Leandro, California, was awarded an $8,272,568 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for modeling and experimentation of laser interaction with plasma. The contract award includes a base period in the amount of $4,036,518 and an option period in the amount of $4,236,050. L3 ATI will investigate, model, and execute proof-of-principle and scaled ground-test demonstrations to assess the ability of a laser to enhance and impart effects on plasma. The work will be performed in San Leandro, California. The period of performance for the base period is eight months, from March 2019 through November 2019. The period of performance for the option period is five months, from December 2019 through April 2020. This contract was competitively procured through publication on the Federal Business Opportunities website under the Missile Defense Agency's broad agency announcement for advanced technology innovation, HQ0147-17-S-0001. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $3,586,824 are being obligated at the time of award. The Missile Defense Agency, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity (HQ0147-19-C-6504). *Small business https://dod.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/1799365/

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  7 avril 2023 | International, Aérospatial

  Lockheed unit loses protest of Army tiltrotor award to Textron’s Bell

  The Government Accountability Office rejected Sikorsky's protest of the Army's decision to choose Bell to build its Future Long Range Assault Aircraft.