House Appropriators Add 12 F-35s, Boost Weapons Spending, But…

Sur le même sujet

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  26 avril 2018 | International, Aérospatial

  No stealth? No problem ― Eurofighter makes its pitch against F-35 in Berlin

  By: Sebastian Sprenger BERLIN ― Eurofighter officials are downplaying the F-35 fighter′s stealth capability at the Berlin Air Show, positing that the consortium's non-stealthy Typhoon still beats out the American competition in the race to replace Germany's Tornado fleet. “Stealth is only 10 percent of the capability mix,” Eurofighter marketing chief Raffael Klaschke told Defense News on Wednesday. “We're still better at the other 90 percent,” he argued, referring to the aircraft's combat capabilities. While the company could rest easy with the German Defence Ministry's recent proclamation that the Eurofighter is the preferred path for the upcoming multibillion-dollar Tornado-replacement program, Lockheed Martin's massive showing at the air show may have some officials nervous. Eurofighter CEO Volker Paltzo doubled down on the argument that the Typhoon would guarantee continued vibrancy in the European military aircraft market. “I want to underscore that every euro spent on Eurofighter within Europe stays in Europe,” he told reporters. Executives also stressed that the European aircraft would come free of any “black boxes,” a reference to the expectation that all technological and operational details would be owned by Europeans, which may not be the case with the F-35. F-35 advocates have touted the fifth-generation aircraft's stealth and other advanced capabilities for deep-strike and standoff combat, and there are some in Germany, especially in the Air Force, who believe that European technology simply cannot compare. At the same time, whatever follow-on aircraft Berlin chooses for its 90-strong Tornado fleet is only expected to be a bridge toward a brand-new development, raising the question of whether a costly acquisition of the U.S. planes would be a worthwhile investment. Klaschke described stealth as a “niche capability,” adding with a nod to the F-35′s competition: “We're not scared.” Officials were less willing to discuss the expected nuclear-weapons capability of the Eurofighter, which it would pick up from the Tornado. Paltzo pointed to “confidentiality” in discussing the topic, referring to the Defence Ministry for information. What is clear, however, is that the Eurofighter will be able to carry forward Germany's pledge to deploy U.S. atomic arms at the behest of NATO, according to Paltzo. And while the U.S. Defense Department must certify the aircraft-weapon pairing, the CEO said he does not expect America to influence the fighter decision toward its own industry's product. “This is a subject where we would not expect leverage by the U.S. over the Eurofighter,” Paltzo said. https://www.defensenews.com/industry/2018/04/25/no-stealth-no-problem-eurofighter-makes-its-pitch-against-f-35-in-berlin/

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  18 juin 2019 | International, C4ISR, Autre défense

  What’s the best way for the Army to demonstrate force via electronic warfare?

  By: Mark Pomerleau When the Russian military attacked Ukraine, it prevented units from communicating with each other by turning to powerful electronic jamming tools. The U.S. Army, however, is not interested in the same raw demonstration of force. Instead, U.S. officials are following a philosophy that relies on “surgical” attacks. This could include creating an image on enemy's radar, projecting an aircraft at one location when enemies think it is at another, or impairing the command and control links of adversaries' unmanned aerial systems. “When the Russians emit like that, they're letting the entire world know where they are,” Col. Mark Dotson, the Army's capabilities manager for electronic warfare said on a media call with two reporters June 14. “What we're looking at in the future ... [is] surgical electronic attack, electronic intrusion or 21st century electron attack. We're looking for much more discrete ways of conducting electronic attack. Using low power to affect the signal and to affect it in such a way that it may not even be detectable that you're interfering with what they're doing.” Dotson said instead of sheer power, future capabilities should focus on the end result, such as whether it's hurting an enemy's ability to communicate or to use radar. “There's a variety of different approaches that can be taken to create the effect necessary without having to do what we refer to as traditional jamming, which is just increasing the signal to noise ratio,” Dave May, senior cyber intelligence advisor at the Cyber Center of Excellence, said. Finding materiel solutions The officials spoke at the conclusion of Cyber Quest, a week-long technology experimentation that took place at Fort Gordon. Cyber Quest is a prototyping event that allows the Army to test technologies and concepts from industry to help solve future problems. This year, Army leaders focused on several areas. They include: Improving the requirements for the Terrestrial Layer System, an integrated electronic warfare and signals intelligence system that will provide a much-needed jamming capability to formations; Identifying candidates for rapid acquisition, and Conducting risk reduction against current programs and identifying candidates for electronic warfare capabilities to outfit the Intelligence, Information, Cyber, Electronic Warfare and Space detachment or I2CEWS, a battalion-sized unit described as the “brain” of the Army's multidomain task force. “Cyber Quest helps ... in that we are able to take these difficult challenges to industry, walk them through what we're trying to accomplish and let industry come back to us with novel approaches,” May said. “This pre-prototyping philosophy allows us to work through concepts, [tactics, techniques and procedures], and actually start the concept for doctrine.” At Cyber Quest, Army officials focused on the overall TLS system and two subsets: the Tactical Electronic Warfare System (TEWS) and the Tactical Signals Intelligence Vehicle. Both are integrated platforms the Army is using to experiment with different technologies that would allow for sensing, signals intelligence, electronic warfare and RF-enabled cyberattacks. May said these subsystems are in the pre-prototype phase. Army leaders also tested a spectrum analyzer tool that will notify commanders of the health of their systems within the electromagnetic spectrum. Such a tool would provide details on the footprint of blue force electromagnetic spectrum. The Army's current spectrum management program of record, Electronic Warfare Planning and Management Tool, only offers details on red force's in the spectrum relying on sensors in the field. By contrast, the spectrum analyzer tool the Army looked at during Cyber Quest is a handheld system that doesn't need to rely on the sensors that belong to tactical operational tools. There's been a focus across all the services in recent years to better understand their own electromagnetic spectrum as a way to prevent themselves from being detected and jammed or detected and killed. The details for when these capabilities would reach soldiers, however, is still in flux. If the Army has approved a requirement, a new product can be fielded to certain units under what the Army refers to as a buy, try, decide model. Capabilities can be fielded faster if they are funneled through the Rapid Equipping Force, though, they wouldn't become a program of record, but could be fielded to operational units that need it between 90 days and six months. If a capability goes through the Rapid Capabilities Office, it could take six to 18 months to get to units, Dotson said. May said the goal for TLS is to deliver a “validated requirement” to the program manager by third quarter of fiscal year 2020. That puts fielding in the 2022 or 2023 timeframe. Officials were a bit more circumspect on the Multi-Functional Electronic Warfare Air Large program, a first of its kind brigade-organic aerial electronic attack pod that will be mounted on unmanned systems. Lockheed Martin was awarded was awarded two sequential 18-month contracts valued at $18 million in January. Officials said it should be flying within the next 12 months but added that they want to see the product that ends up flying before forecasting a timeline for when it would reach units. https://www.c4isrnet.com/electronic-warfare/2019/06/17/whats-the-best-way-for-the-army-to-demonstrate-force-via-electronic-warfare/

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

  Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - March 6, 2019

  ARMY Ceradyne Inc., Irvine, California (W91CRB-19-D-0012); Leading Technology Composites,* Wichita, Kansas (W91CRB-19-D-0013); and TenCate Advanced Armor USA Inc., Hebron, Ohio (W91CRB-19-D-0014), will compete for each order of the $704,238,806 hybrid (cost-plus-fixed-fee and firm-fixed-price) contract for Enhanced Small Arms Protective Insert and X-Small Arms Protective Insert hard armor plates. Bids were solicited via the internet with three received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of March 5, 2023. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity. Salient Federal Solutions, also known as Salient CRGT, Fairfax, Virginia, was awarded a $21,295,700 firm-fixed-price contract for mission critical information-technology communications infrastructure and services. One bid was solicited with one bid received. Work will be performed in Fayetteville, North Carolina; and Bagram, Afghanistan, with an estimated completion date of March 14, 2023. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance, Army funds in the amount of $21,295,700 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois, is the contracting activity (W52P1J-18-C-0020). Conti Federal Services Inc., Edison, New Jersey, was awarded a $15,346,734 firm-fixed-price Foreign Military Sales (Israel) contract for construction and renovation of an existing kitchen and runway renovations. Six bids were solicited with four bids received. Work will be performed in Tel Aviv, Israel, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 17, 2020. Fiscal 2019 military construction funds in the amount of $15,346,734 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Wiesbaden, Germany, is the contracting activity (W912GB-19-F-0027). Bosch Rexroth Corp., Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, was awarded an $11,401,973 firm-fixed-price contract to install replacement hydraulic doors on Building 27496 at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will be performed in Albuquerque, New Mexico, with an estimated completion date of March 31, 2023. Fiscal 2019 military construction funds in the amount of $11,401,973 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Albuquerque, New Mexico, is the contracting activity (W912PP-19-C-0015). Southern Dredging Co. Inc.,* Charleston, South Carolina, was awarded a $9,773,000 firm-fixed-price contract for maintenance dredging. Bids were solicited via the internet with two received. Work will be performed in Kings Bay, Georgia, with an estimated completion date of Jan. 31, 2020. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance, Army funds in the amount of $9,773,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville, Florida, is the contracting activity (W912EP-19-C-0013). AIR FORCE General Dynamics Information Technology, Falls Church, Virginia, has been awarded a not-to-exceed $217,000,000 task order under General Services Administration Alliant 2 Unrestricted Government-Wide (GWAC) for the 480th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Wing technical operations support. This task order provides for support of the Distributed Common Ground System network weapon system and all supporting activities, such as the development, integration, maintenance, administration, management, documentation, assessment, disposal and troubleshooting of 480 ISRW information technology assets from the network and enterprise level. Work will be performed at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia; and Beale Air Force Base, California, and is expected to be complete by Jan. 31, 2027. This task order is the result of a competitive acquisition and five offers were received. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $11,589,147 are being obligated at the time of award. Headquarters Air Combat Command, Acquisition Management and Integration Center, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia, is the contracting activity (FA4890-19-F-A022). Assured Information Security Inc.,* Rome, New York, has been awarded a $48,444,066 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for full spectrum cyber capabilities. The objective of this effort is to provide the Air Force with tools and technologies to aid in cyber warfare. This contract provides for research, development, and transition of cyber technologies to enable rapid cyber operations and will result in the accelerated delivery of innovative cyber solutions to the warfighter. Work will be performed in Rome, New York, and is expected to be completed by March 5, 2024. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition and two offers were received. Air Force Research Laboratory, Rome, New York, is the contracting activity (FA8750-19-C-0013). NAVY Huntington Ingalls Industries, San Diego Shipyard Inc., San Diego, California, is awarded a $118,446,807 firm-fixed-price contract for the execution of USS Rushmore (LSD 47) fiscal 2019 drydock selected restricted availability. This is a “long-term” availability and was competed on a coast-wide (West coast) basis without limiting the place of performance to the vessel's homeport. This availability will include a combination of maintenance, modernization, and repair of USS Rushmore. This contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $154,235,955. Work will be performed in San Diego, California, and is expected to be complete by May 2020. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance (Navy); and 2019 other procurement (Navy) funding in the amount of $118,446,807 will be obligated at time of award, and $108,971,062 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured using full and open competition via the Federal Business Opportunities website with three offers were received in response to solicitation no. N00024-18-R-4410. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity (N00024-19-C-4410). Raytheon Missile Systems, Tucson, Arizona, is awarded a $91,872,559 firm-fixed-price option to previously awarded contract N00024-18-C-5425 for fiscal 2019 Navy procurements of Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) Block 2 guided missile round pack and spare replacement components. The RAM Guided Missile Weapon System is co-developed and co-produced under an International Cooperative Program between the U.S.' and Federal Republic of Germany's governments. RAM is a missile system designed to provide anti-ship missile defense for multiple ship platforms. Work will be performed in Ottobrunn, Germany (44 percent); Tucson, Arizona (35 percent); Rocket Center, West Virginia (9 percent); Dallas, Texas (2 percent); Mason, Ohio (2 percent); Glenrothes, Scotland (1 percent); Cincinnati, Ohio (1 percent); Andover, Massachusetts (1 percent); and other U.S. locations (5 percent), and is expected to be completed by November 2021. Fiscal 2019 weapons procurement (Navy) funding in the amount of $91,872,559 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. GHD-COWI JV, San Diego, California, is awarded a maximum amount $30,000,000 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity architect-engineer contract for waterfront engineering services located in the Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Southwest (SW) Area of Responsibility (AOR). The work to be performed provides for the preparation of design-build requests for proposals; design-bid-build construction contract packages; reports/studies including utilities studies; technical reviews of government pre-prepared request for proposal packages for design-build projects and government pre-prepared design documents for design-bid-build projects; site investigations to support new development of facilities on raw land or redevelopment of existing facilities on developed sites; support and coordination of various technical disciplines; preparation of DD Form 1391 or similar planning and programming related documents; and post construction award services. No task orders are being issued at this time. Work will be performed at various Navy and Marine Corps facilities and other government facilities within the NAVFAC SW AOR including, but not limited to California (87 percent); Arizona (5 percent); Nevada (5 percent); Colorado (1 percent); New Mexico (1 percent); and Utah (1 percent), and is expected to be completed by March 2024. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $5,000 are obligated on this award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Future task orders will be primarily funded by operations and maintenance (Navy and Marine Corps). This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website with five proposals received. Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southwest, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity (N62473-19-D-2432). General Dynamics, Electric Boat Corp., Groton, Connecticut, is awarded a $23,689,683 delivery order under a previously awarded, multiple award, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract N00024-16-D-4300 for the planning and material procurement requirements associated with repair work for USS John Warner (SSN 785). Work will be performed in Groton, Connecticut, and is expected to be complete by June 2019. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance (Navy) funding in the amount of $6,200,000 will be obligated at the time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Supervisor of Shipbuilding Conversion and Repair, Groton, Connecticut, is the contracting activity. Raytheon Co., El Segundo, California, is awarded a $12,192,816 cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for engineering and test support services for the ALQ-249 Next Generation Jammer (NGJ) currently in development for the Navy EA-18G aircraft. Services to be provided include software support for NGJ pod and integration, including requirements analysis, design, development, integration, testing, training, and tools related to and in support of ALQ-249 and advanced electronic warfare initiatives. Work will be performed in El Segundo, California (75 percent); and Point Mugu, California (25 percent), and is expected to be completed in March 2024. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $349,858 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, Point Mugu, California, is the contracting activity (N68936-19-D-0017). Optics 1 Inc., Bedford, New Hampshire, is awarded a $12,000,000 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract action for production, repair, and engineering support services for the ground based operational surveillance system light optical camera. The primary work is to manufacture and deliver a tripod mounted electro-optical and infrared sensor that provides both daylight and night vision imagery for detecting, classifying, and identifying targets to be mounted on a variant of the ground based operational surveillance system. Work will be performed in Bedford, New Hampshire, and is expected to be complete by March 2024. Fiscal 2019 and 2018 research, development, test, and evaluation (Navy) funding in the amount of $253,413 will be obligated at time of award, and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities website, with two offers received. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division, Crane, Indiana, is the contracting activity (N0016419DJV28). SimVentions Inc., Fredericksburg, Virginia, is awarded a $12,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the continued development, extension, and upgrade of the AN/SLQ-32(V)X Tactical Simulator tools and capabilities delivered in support of Navy training and integration and test efforts. Work will be performed in Fredericksburg, Virginia (88 percent); Fairmont, West Virginia (8 percent); and Pensacola, Florida (4 percent), and is expected to be completed by February 2024. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test, and evaluation (Navy); and fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance (Navy) funding in the amount of $1,514,452 will be obligated at time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1(a)(2)(ii) - only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren Division, Dahlgren, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N00178-19-D-4502). Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine, is awarded a $10,950,758 cost-plus-award-fee modification to previously-awarded contract N00024-18-C-2313 for DDG 51 class lead yard services, including engineering and technical assistance for new-construction DDG 51-class ships. This modification to the contract is for continued lead yard services for the DDG 51 Class Destroyer Program. Lead yard services include liaison for follow ship construction, general class services, class design contractor services, class change design services for follow ships, and ship trials and post-shakedown availability support. Work will be performed in Bath, Maine (96 percent); Brunswick, Maine (3 percent); and other locations below one percent (1 percent), and is expected to be completed by July 2019. Fiscal 2014 and 2015 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funding in the amount of $10,379,684 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. DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Datex-Ohmeda Inc., Madison, Wisconsin, has been awarded a maximum $100,000,000 firm‐fixed‐price, indefinite‐delivery/indefinite‐quantity contract for patient monitoring systems, accessories and training. This was a competitive acquisition with 36 responses received. This is a five-year base contract with one five‐year option period. Location of performance is Wisconsin, with a March 5, 2024, performance completion date. Using customers are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and federal civilian agencies. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2024 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE2D1-19-D-0013). Raytheon Co., El Segundo, California, has been awarded an estimated $17,828,176 firm-fixed-priced delivery order (SPRPA1-19-F-C303) against a five-year basic ordering agreement (SPRPA1-17-G-C301) for aircraft radar system spare parts. This was a sole-source acquisition using justification 10 U.S. Code 2304 (c)(1), as stated in Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. This is a three-year contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Mississippi, with a Dec. 20, 2021, performance completion date. Using customers are Navy and Canadian Armed Forces. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 Navy working capital funds and Foreign Military Sales. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. MISSILE DEFENSE AGENCY Raytheon Missile Systems, Tucson, Arizona, is being awarded a sole-source cost-plus-fixed-fee modification in the amount of $14,162,806 to previously awarded contract HQ0276-15-C-0005, Contract Line Item Number 3002, to provide continued production support and engineering for the Standard Missile SM-3 Block IB program. This modification increases the total cumulative face value of the contract by $14,162,806 from $1,794,948,196 to $1,809,111,002. The work will be performed in Tucson, Arizona, with an expected completion date of October 2019. Fiscal 2019 Defense Wide Procurement funding in the amount of $14,162,806.00 will be obligated at the time of award. The Missile Defense Agency, Dahlgren, Virginia, is the contracting activity. *Small business https://dod.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/1777799/