Germany picks its lead vendor for European tactical radio program

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  17 juin 2020 | International, Aérospatial, C4ISR

  Leading UK space industry consortium calls for greater SME engagement for future satcom services

  Stevenage, June 16, 2020 – The UK's space industry leader Airbus, has teamed with KBR, Leidos UK, Northrop Grumman and QinetiQ to bring new thinking to future space solutions and to launch the Open Innovation – Space initiative. The aim of Open Innovation – Space is to further increase SME involvement in UK future satellite communications services and space activities creating high value jobs and growth across the UK. The consortium, comprising the UK leader in space and sovereign military satellite communication services, and leading defence companies in their fields, have extensive experience in mission critical communication services and associated space, ground and management segments. With proven track records of modernising defence services, the consortium partners already engage with many SMEs to serve government and commercial customers. Open Innovation – Space will look to significantly raise this SME engagement to accelerate regional recovery by broadening potential investment in novel solutions and ideas. Companies from across the UK are being encouraged to participate with a dedicated portal at www.openinnovationspace.uk to engage with the team. Richard Franklin, Managing Director, Airbus Defence and Space UK said: “The space industry will play an increasingly important and visible role in the economic recovery of Britain, underpinning not only critical national infrastructure but also day to day services such as weather forecasting and satellite navigation. As space services and applications continue to expand and touch everyone's lives even more, we are calling on SMEs to engage with us further to see how we can bring greater innovation and new ways of thinking in future satcom services to grow the UK's space capability and industrial expertise.” The consortium partners have been at the heart of the UK's defence and space sector for more than 50 years having developed leading edge design, manufacturing, systems and service capabilities across the entire space domain. Airbus in the UK is recognised as a global leader in the design and manufacture of advanced telecommunications satellites and is a trusted prime contractor for some of the most complex space science and exploration missions in the world. Airbus provides a range of space-based services to customers worldwide including the support of the UK Armed Forces, and its NATO Allies, by delivering and operating the Skynet military communications system, providing 24/7 services across the world for more than 15 years. The consortium partners include leaders in modernising defence information technology systems as well as trusted providers of research, technology advice, products and mission rehearsal services. With proven capabilities to enable interoperability with allies, including the US, NATO, Five Eyes etc, the consortium share a vision of the future and a commitment to grow the UK's industrial footprint through SME engagement. Your Contact Jeremy Close Media Relations Space Systems, UK +44 776 653 6572 jeremy.close@airbus.com View source version on Airbus: https://www.airbus.com/newsroom/press-releases/en/2020/06/leading-uk-space-industry-consortium-calls-for-greater-sme-engagement-for-future-satcom-services.html

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  21 janvier 2019 | International, Aérospatial

  Bell Boeing awarded $144 million for V-22 support

  Contract adds support for U.S. Navy CMV-22B variant to existing U.S. Air Force and U.S. Marine Corps customers Contract expands and advances work that Bell Boeing has performed since 2008 PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 18, 2019 – The Bell Boeing Joint Program Office has been awarded an estimated $143,863,184 firm-fixed-price requirements contract for performance-based logistics and engineering support for the V-22 platform. This is an 11-month base contract with four one-year option periods. Locations of performance are Texas and Pennsylvania for V-22 aircraft belonging to the U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force and U.S. Marine Corps. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. “As one of the most in-demand assets for the U.S. military, the V-22 needs a support team that understands the technical aspects of the aircraft as well as customers' operational needs,” said Pat Walsh, retired Admiral and Boeing vice president for U.S. Navy and Marine Corps Services. “Bell Boeing is excited to bring our OEM expertise to the V-22 fleet and deliver solutions that help ensure the aircraft are ready for any mission.” In July, Bell Boeing received a $4 billion contract that included the manufacture and delivery of 39 CMV-22B aircraft for the Navy; 14 MV-22B aircraft for the Marine Corps; and one CV-22B for the Air Force. Under this performance-based logistics (PBL) contract, which expands on work done since 2008 and now adds support for the Navy's CMV-22B variant, Bell Boeing will focus on improving aircraft maintainability and mission readiness for the Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps V-22 fleets. The team's responsibilities include site activation, maintenance planning, training and trainer support, support equipment, and dedicated field personnel for all V-22 squadrons around the globe. Bell Boeing incorporates data analytics into maintenance efforts, yielding innovative approaches such as predictive and condition-based maintenance to improve aircraft availability and readiness. ”The Bell Boeing team is dedicated to providing the safest and most reliable aircraft to the warfighter,” said Chris Gehler, Bell Vice President for the V-22 Program. “We will continue to produce innovative solutions and deliver technical expertise, training, and maintenance to enhance readiness.” Operating as one of Boeing's three business units, Global Services is headquartered in the Dallas area. For more information, visit www.boeing.com/services. ABOUT BELL Thinking above and beyond is what we do. For more than 80 years, we've been reimagining the experience of flight – and where it can take us. We are pioneers. We were the first to break the sound barrier and to certify a commercial helicopter. We were aboard NASA's first lunar mission and brought advanced tiltrotor systems to market. Today, we're defining the future of on-demand mobility. Headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas – as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Textron Inc., – we have strategic locations around the globe. And with nearly one quarter of our workforce having served, helping our military achieve their missions is a passion of ours. Above all, our breakthrough innovations deliver exceptional experiences to our customers. Efficiently. Reliably. And always, with safety at the forefront. CONTACT Jessica Carlton Communications Office: +1 256-937-5692 Mobile: +1 256-603-7137 jessica.m.carlton@boeing.com Felicia Carpenito Bell Office: +1 817-280-3936 Mobile: +1 817-235-1542 fcarpenito@bellflight.com https://boeing.mediaroom.com/2019-01-18-Bell-Boeing-awarded-144-million-for-V-22-support

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  18 janvier 2021 | International, Aérospatial

  Despite Hard Times, The F-35 Program Demonstrated Stellar Performance In 2020

  By Dan Gouré In a year where the Department of Defense struggled to address a global pandemic, uncertainty at home, and multiple security challenges abroad, the F-35 program stands out as a success story. The aircraft continues to provide exceptional capability for three U.S. Armed Services and more than a dozen foreign operators. In the face of COVID-19 slamming their supply chains on the home front, the F-35 industrial team still managed to produce a near-record 123 fighters. 2020 also saw the roll-out of the first version of the Operational Data Integrated Network (ODIN), the new logistics support program. This is a remarkable record for any large, complex defense program in normal times, much less while struggling to deal with the human and economic toll caused by a global pandemic. COVID-19 has brought heartache and death to this country. It has also disrupted the operations of businesses large and small. The Department of Defense (DoD) has struggled along with every other organization to protect its people while conducting the necessary business of defending the nation, maintaining force readiness and ensuring the continuation of modernization efforts. In addition, the U.S. military deployed to support state and local governments with their pandemic responses and even helped with the development of COVID vaccines. The defense and aerospace industry also responded to the challenges posed by the virus. Protection of its workforce was and remains the number one priority. At the same time, industry knew that it had to continue to make progress on programs and plans to equip the military. An example of how well DoD and the defense industry has coped with the ravages of the pandemic is the Lockheed Martin F-35 program. For example, the pre-COVID plan called for producing 141 F-35s in 2020. This was revised downward in May to between 117 and 123, as DoD planners and industry saw what was happening. The Lockheed Martin team was proactive in changing its production plans and cleaning methods to protect workers. Nevertheless, the program reached its new goal, delivering 123 aircraft, including nearly 50 to foreign partners and countries using the Foreign Military Sales system. 2020 also saw the delivery of the 500th F-35 and the completion of more than 250,000 flight hours across the global fleet. The cost for the F-35 continues to decline, with the price for the benchmark F-35A projected to drop to under 80 million dollars by 2021. According to industry sources, the F-35's reliability continues to improve. The newest production aircraft average greater than 70% mission capable rates, and some are consistently near 75%. Last year saw F-35s from all three Services participate in numerous exercises and training events. One of the most noteworthy of these was Project Convergence, an Army Futures Command program designed to help develop an artificial intelligence and machine learning-based battle management system to direct a host of new weapons systems, such as the Extended Range Cannon Artillery. In a major exercise, the ability to conduct fire missions based on sensor data from Marine Corps F-35Bs passed to Army long-range artillery was demonstrated. Having declared the carrier-variant of the F-35 — the C model — fully operational, the Navy and Marine Corps spent 2020 getting ready to deploy it aboard U.S. aircraft carriers. Together with deployments of advanced versions of the Boeing F/A-18E/F, the Northrop Grumman E-2D Hawkeye, the Bell Boeing CMV-22B Osprey, and the new Boeing MQ-25 aerial refueling drone, the F-35C will transform the carrier air wing. Despite limitations imposed on close contact because of the pandemic, countries acquiring the F-35 continued to induct aircraft, stand up units and conduct training missions during 2020. In July, Italian Air Force F-35s returning home from an air policing mission in Iceland stopped in the United Kingdom to train alongside Royal Air Force F-35Bs. The U.S. has also participated with many partner countries and overseas allies in training exercises with the F-35. Last October, the Israeli Air Force and U.S. Air Force conducted a joint exercise in Israeli skies. Defying COVID, the United Kingdom sent its newest aircraft carrier, the Queen Elizabeth, to sea for a pre-deployment exercise in late 2020. Not only did the Queen Elizabeth demonstrate its ability to operate the short-takeoff and landing variant of the F-35, the F-35B, it also hosted a squadron of U.S. Marine Corp F-35s in a clear demonstration of how the F-35 enhances interoperability with allies. In 2020, more countries also entered the Joint Strike Fighter community. In a landmark agreement, the United States will sell the United Arab Emirates up to 50 F-35s, along with advanced unmanned aerial systems and air-delivered munitions. An agreement between Warsaw and Washington for Poland to acquire 32 F-35s was signed in early 2020. Given the impacts of COVID on virtually all the Department of Defense's activities, it would be surprising if there were no problems with the F-35 program. One such virus-related impact was the need to delay a decision on full-rate production, previously planned for March 2021 to a later date. This was not due to problems with the F-35 itself, production lines, or deployment of software. Rather, it reflected problems in operational test and evaluation, as the need for social distancing made it difficult to complete a number of required test and evaluation activities. In addition, the pandemic forced delays in completion of the Joint Simulation Environment (JSE), an extremely sophisticated virtual testing regime being built to assess the performance of advanced aircraft, particularly the F-35. According to the Office of the Secretary of Defense, a combination of technical challenges and the impact of COVID‐19 was delaying the maturation of the JSE. This will prevent the completion of F‐35 Block 3F software's Initial Operational Test & Evaluation by the original target date of March 2021. 2020 proved the resilience of the U.S military and the defense and aerospace, industrial base. Despite the COVID-19-created delay in fielding the JSE and conducting the full operation test and evaluation program, F-35s continues to roll off the production line, enter service and perform extraordinarily well in exercises and on operational deployments. All in all, 2020 can be recorded as a remarkable success for the F-35 program. https://www.realcleardefense.com/articles/2021/01/16/despite_hard_times_the_f-35_program_demonstrated_stellar_performance_in_2020_656776.html