10 juin 2019 | International, Aérospatial

How did the two offerings competing to be the US Army’s future engine measure up?

By:

WASHINGTON — Cost appears to have played a major role in the Army's decision to pick GE Aviation's T901 engine for its future helicopter engine, based on a look at documents laying out the service's post-award analysis, obtained by Defense News.

Yet, other factors not shown could have also contributed to the Army's choice, which the Government Accountability Office upheld following a protest from losing team Advanced Turbine Engine Company (ATEC) — a partnership between Honeywell and Pratt & Whitney.

The GAO is expected to release a redacted version of its decision next week, which could shed more light on how the Army decided to move forward with GE.

While the cost of GE'S engine seems to have been a deciding factor, the document outlining the service's criteria to determine a winning engine design to move into the engineering and manufacturing development phase states that “all non-cost/price factors when combined are significantly more important than cost/price factor.”

According to that chart, the Army said it would primarily measure the engine submissions against its engine design and development, followed by cost/price, followed by life-cycle costs and then small business participation in order of importance.

The Army assessed ATEC's and GE's technical risk as good and gave ATEC a risk rating of low while it gave GE a risk rating of moderate when considering engineering design and development for each offering.

Both GE and ATEC had moderate risk ratings when it came to engine design and performance.

And while GE received a technical risk rating of moderate for component design and systems test and evaluation, ATEC received low risk ratings for both.

Almost all other technology risk assessments and risk ratings were the same for both engine offerings.

GE scored “outstanding” in platform integration capabilities.

Based off the chart, it appears ATEC won, so its likely the documents are not an exhaustive representation of how the Army decided to move forward with GE.

While both ATEC and GE offered prices within the Army's requirements, GE came in 30 percent lower in cost.

And according to Brig. Gen. Thomas Todd, the program executive officer for aviation, in an interview with Defense News in April, GE was also working on trying to shrink the timeline within the EMD phase by roughly a year.

But, in ATEC's view, the charts show it had offered the best value product to the Army.

ATEC's president, Craig Madden, told Defense News that the company took the Army's selection criteria laid out in the request for proposals seriously across the board from engineering design and development factors to cost to even small business participation, where it scored higher than GE in the analysis chart.

“We did come in higher in cost but this was considered a best value evaluation and not lowest price, technically acceptable,” Madden said. “I think low price is good for a plastic canteen or a bayonet, it's not good for a highly technical turbine engine.”

And despite coming in at a higher cost, Jerry Wheeler, ATEC's vice president said, the up front cost in the EMD phase will be higher but the delta would shrink when considering life-cycle costs of both engine offerings.

Both ATEC and GE received good technical ratings and were given risk ratings of low.

When just going by the chart, GE's four moderate risk ratings in key categories means “they could have disruption in schedule, increased cost and degradation of performance,” Madden said.

He added ATEC was also focused on lowering risk, so that, although the Army offered incentives to finish the EMD phase earlier than 66 months, ATEC presented a plan to complete at 66 months with a plan to look at acceleration wherever possible.

ATEC is now pushing to be a part of the EMD phase, essentially extending the competition, so that more data on engines can be garnered.

The Army had periodically weighed keeping the EMD phase competitive with two vendors, but ultimately chose to downselect to one.

For GE, the Army made the right decision and had enough data to do so.

“The U.S. Army competitively selected GE's T901 engine over ATEC T900 engine after more than 12 years of development,” David Wilson told Defense News in a statement.

“Those 12 years included the Advanced Affordable Turbine Engine (AATE) program, during which both companies ran tow full engine tests,” he said.

Additionally, both companies executed a 24-month technology maturation and risk reduction contract where GE self-funded and successfully completed and tested a third engine, a full-sized T901 prototype engine, with successful tests on all components, Wilson said.

“We've done three full-engine tests and provided an unprecedented amount of test data to the Army for them to determine which engine was the best to move forward with in EMD,” he added.

Funding a second engine through EMD would cost more than twice as much and delay critical Army modernization by at least two years, Wilson argued.

https://www.defensenews.com/land/2019/06/07/how-did-the-two-offerings-competing-to-be-the-us-armys-future-engine-measure-up/

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  • Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - April 22, 2020

    23 avril 2020 | International, Aérospatial, Naval, Terrestre, C4ISR, Sécurité

    Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - April 22, 2020

    NAVY Lockheed Martin Corp., Rotary and Mission Systems, Moorestown, New Jersey, was awarded a $519,063,283 cost-plus-incentive-fee, cost-plus-fixed-fee undefinitized contract for the procurement of international Aegis fire control loop development, Solid State S-Band Radar Processing Group, tools and test equipment and spares for five new multi-mission frigates supporting the Aegis combat system (Baseline 9C.2). Work will be performed in Moorestown, New Jersey (72%); Verona, Wisconsin (6%); Mt. Laurel, New Jersey (5%); Ferrol, Spain (6%); Andover, Massachusetts (3%); Washington, District of Columbia (2%); Pleasanton, California (2%); Sunnyvale, California (1%); Rota, Spain (1%); Herndon, Virginia (1%); and Clearwater, Florida (1%), and is expected to be complete by April 2030. This contract involves Foreign Military Sales (FMS) to the Kingdom of Spain. FMS funding in the amount of $90,702,286 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 the authority from 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(4) (international agreement). The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity (N00024-20-C-5105). (Awarded April 17, 2020) Lockheed Martin Corp., King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, is awarded an $88,988,000 cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. This contract provides management and maintenance of the Tactical Tomahawk Weapons Control System software product baseline, required system and software documentation for the Navy and the government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Work will be performed at King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, and is expected to be complete by January 2024. No funds will be obligated at the time of award. Funds will be obligated on individual orders as they are issued. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N00019-20-D-0017). Clark Construction Group LLC, Bethesda, Maryland, is awarded a $78,211,055 modification under a firm-fixed-price contract to allot the second increment which provides for the construction of the VC-25B hangar complex at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland. The total contract amount after allotting these funds will be $298,211,055. Work will be performed in Camp Springs, Maryland, and provides for the construction of a hangar complex, an aircraft access taxiway/parking apron, associated lighting, engine run-up pads and a hydrant refueling system with storage tanks. Additional requirements include, but are not limited to, site preparation, wetland/stream mitigation, storm water management, a parking lot, and a fire detection and suppression system. Work is expected to be complete by April 2022. Fiscal 2020 military construction, (Air Force) contract funds in the amount of $78,211,055 are obligated on this award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Washington, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity (N40080-19-C-0008). Pennsylvania State University, Applied Research Laboratory, Electro Optics Center, Freeport, Pennsylvania, is awarded a $50,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the Navy Manufacturing Technology (ManTech) Electro Optics Center of Excellence (herein the center). Work will be performed in Freeport, Pennsylvania, and provides for the operation and management of the center in its mission to develop naval platform-related manufacturing technologies and transition the technology for implementation in U.S. electro optics and other industrial facilities. In addition to accomplishing the center's core mission, the contractor shall manage, operate, sustain and enhance the center's ability to function as a Navy ManTech Center of Excellence. Work is expected to be complete by April 2025. The total cumulative value of this contract is $50,000,000. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amounts of $350,000 and $225,000 are obligated on two task orders at the time of award. These funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured under N00014-19-R-0003. One proposal was received in response to the solicitation. The Office of Naval Research, Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N00014-20-D-7001). Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems, Manassas, Virginia, is awarded a $41,946,591 cost-plus-incentive-fee modification to previously awarded contract N00024-13-C-5225 to exercise options for engineering services in support of the Navy's AN/SQQ-89A(V)15 Surface Ship Undersea Warfare Systems. This modification includes purchases for the Navy (54%); and the government of Japan (46%) under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program. Work will be performed in Manassas, Virginia (83%); Lemont Furnace, Pennsylvania (10%); Syracuse, New York (6%); and Hauppauge, New York (1%). This option exercise is for Japan FMS; advanced capability build (ACB) engineering services; lab technician support; and integrated logistics support, production and engineering support of AN/SQQ-89A(V)15 Surface Ship Undersea Warfare (USW) Combat System Technical Insertion (TI)-20 systems. AN/SQQ-89A(V)15 is the Surface Ship USW combat system with the capabilities to search, detect, classify, localize and track undersea contacts and to engage and evade submarines, mine-like small objects and torpedo threats. The contract is for development, integration and production of future ACB and TI baselines of the AN/SQQ-89A(V)15 USW Systems. Work is expected to be complete by May 2021. FMS Japan; fiscal 2020 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy); 2020 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy); 2020 other procurement (Navy); 2020 operations and maintenance (Navy); 2019 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy); and 2018 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funding in the amount $13,153,266 will be obligated at the time of award and funding in the amount of $184,698 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems, Manassas, Virginia, is awarded a $33,806,558 cost-plus-incentive-fee contract modification to previously-awarded contract N00024-17-C-6259 to exercise and fund options for Navy equipment, production support, engineering services and required materials. Work will be performed in Manassas, Virginia (65%); Clearwater, Florida (32%); Syracuse, New York (2%); and Marion, Florida (1%), and is expected to be complete by August 2030. Fiscal 2019 and 2020 other procurement (Navy); and fiscal 2020 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funding in the amount of $33,806,558 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. ASR International Corp., doing business as ASR Management & Technical Services,* Hauppauge, New York (N64498-20-D-4001); The McHenry Management Group Inc.,* Chesapeake, Virginia (N64498-20-D-4002); EHS Technologies Corp.,* Moorestown, New Jersey (N64498-20-D-4003); NDI Engineering Co.,* Thorofare, New Jersey (N64498-20-D-4004); Advanced Internet Marketing Inc., doing business as The GBS Group,* Virginia Beach, Virginia (N64409-20-D-4016); and Transtecs Corp.,* Wichita, Kansas (N64498-20-D-4017), are each awarded $26 million – $34 million (approximately) for an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract with firm-fixed-price task order provisions for integrated logistics services to support logistics functional areas for planning, implementation and management of hull, mechanical and electrical new acquisition/construction systems. The contract awarded to ASR Management & Technical Services is not to exceed $29,400,673; the contract awarded to The McHenry Management Group is not to exceed $28,564,387; the contract awarded to EHS Technologies Corp. is not to exceed $29,583,745; the contract being awarded to NDI Engineering Company is not to exceed $28,551,630; the contract awarded to The GBS Group is not to exceed $33,757,971; and the contract awarded to Transtecs Corp. is not to exceed $34,165,405. Work will be performed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (24%); and the remaining (76%) will be performed in Washington, District of Columbia; Pearl Harbor, Hawaii; Pascagoula, Mississippi; Norfolk, Virginia; Bath, Maine; Panama City, Florida; Slidell, Louisiana; San Diego, California; Port Hueneme, California; Keyport, Washington; Japan; and Sigonella, Sicily, Italy, as determined by individual task order awards. This requirement is to provide integrated logistics services (ILS) to support logistics functional areas for planning, implementation and management of hull, mechanical and electrical new acquisition/construction systems and initiatives. Services performed by the contractors shall include various logistics support tasks necessary for continued operational readiness of the organization. The services required include: acquisition program support; logistics program support; engineering program support; manpower, personnel and training support; planned maintenance/technical feedback support; ILS certification support; configuration support and associated analysis. Work is expected to be complete by April 2026. Fiscal 2013 and fiscal 2017 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funding in the amount of $60,000 ($10,000 minimum guarantee per contract) will be obligated at time of award via individual task orders and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. These contracts were competitively procured using full and open competition via the Federal Business Opportunities website, with eight offers received. The Naval Surface Warfare Center Philadelphia Division, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is the contracting activity. Advanced Acoustic Concepts LLC, Hauppauge, New York, is awarded a $12,307,858 cost-plus-fixed-fee and firm-fixed-price modification to previously awarded contract N00024-19-C-6311 in support of the Littoral Combat Ship mission module program. The award is to build, deliver and install the three mission package computing equipment (MPCE) kits, one mission package portable control station, and one common mission package trainer for use with the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) mission modules. Additionally, the contractor will assist the Navy in the development of a new MPCE baseline. Work will be performed in Lemont Furnace, Pennsylvania (50%); Hauppauge, New York (36%); Columbia, Maryland (7%); Washington, District of Columbia (5%); and San Diego, California (2%). This contract procures the hardware and software that comprise the mission package computers, software, and trainers for the Navy's Littoral Combat Ship program, including the computing environment MPCE; hosted software (mission package operating environment); and mission package services. Work is expected to be complete by September 2021. Fiscal 2019 and fiscal 2020 other procurement (Navy); and fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation funding in the amount of $12,521,155 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. Raytheon Co., Goleta, California, is awarded a $10,081,390 firm-fixed-price delivery order (N00383-20-F-BV03) under a previously awarded basic ordering agreement (N00383-17-G-BV01) for the repair of the ALE-50 towed decoy system used in support of the F/A-18 Super Hornet warfare air craft. Work will be performed in Forest, Mississippi, and is expected to be complete by October 2022, with no option periods. Fiscal 2020 working capital funds (Navy) in the full amount of $10,081,390 will be obligated at the time of award and funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. One firm was solicited for this non-competitive requirement in accordance with 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1) with one offer received. Naval Supply Systems Command Weapon Systems Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is the contracting activity. Raytheon Missiles & Defense, Portsmouth, Rhode Island, is awarded a $7,006,525 modification to previously-awarded contract N00024-17-C-6305 to exercise options for fabrication, procurement, assembly, test and delivery of airborne mine neutralization system launch and handling system low-rate initial production units and associated engineering support services. Work will be performed in Portsmouth, Rhode Island. This action is to exercise Option Year Three for fabrication, procurement, assembly, test and delivery of two Airborne Mine Neutralization System load handling system and low rate initial production units and associated engineering support. Work is expected to be complete by December 2021. Fiscal 2020 other procurement (Navy) funding in the amount of $6,099,047 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. ARMY Ahtna Engineering Inc.,* Anchorage, Alaska (W911KB-20-D-0001); Brice Engineering LLC,* Anchorage, Alaska (W911KB-20-D-0002); Bristol Environmental Remediation Services LLC,* Anchorage, Alaska (W911KB-20-D-0003); Cape-Weston JV2 LLC,* Anchorage, Alaska (W911KB-20-D-0004); Paragon-Jacobs JV,* Anchorage, Alaska (W911KB-20-D-0005); North Wind-EA JV LLC,* Idaho Falls, Idaho (W911KB-20-D-0012); FPM Remediations Inc.,* Oneida, New York (W911KB-20-D-0013); and Bethel Environmental Solutions LLC,* Anchorage, Alaska (W911KB-20-D-0014), will compete for each order of the $140,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for environmental remediation services at various locations in Alaska, U.S. Pacific Command and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Alaska Pacific Ocean Division areas of responsibility. 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 Oct. 22, 2025. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson, Alaska, is the contracting activity. Leidos Inc., Gaithersburg, Maryland, was awarded a $100,752,878 modification (P00021) to contract W912DY-18-F-0153 to provide enterprise-wide information management/information technology services in support of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' customers. Bids were solicited via the internet with four received. Work will be performed in Vicksburg, Mississippi, with an estimated completion date of April 25, 2021. Fiscal 2020 revolving funds in the amount of $100,752,878 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Huntsville, Alabama, is the contracting activity. S.E.A. Construction LLC,* Raymond, Washington, was awarded a $22,103,000 firm-fixed-price contract to repair damaged areas on the Humboldt North and South Jetties located near the Humboldt Bay entrance near Eureka, California. Bids were solicited via the internet with six received. Work will be performed in Eureka, California, with an estimated completion date of June 30, 2022. Fiscal 2020 civil operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $22,103,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, San Francisco, California, is the contracting activity (W912P7-20-C-0004). Turner Construction, New York, New York, was awarded a $19,500,000 modification (PZ0001) to contract W912DS-20-C-0008 to definitize contract for New York State alternative care facilities. Work will be performed in Stony Brook, New York, with an estimated completion date of April 24, 2020. Fiscal 2020 defense emergency response funds in the amount of $19,500,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New York, New York, is the contracting activity. (Awarded April 21, 2020) General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems Inc., St. Petersburg, Florida, was awarded a $19,100,140 modification (P00029) to contract W52P1J-17-C0024 to procure 120mm M865A1 new production cartridges for 120mm tank training ammunition. Bids were solicited via the internet with two received. Work will be performed in St. Petersburg, Florida, with an estimated completion date of March 31, 2022. Fiscal 2019 and 2020 procurement of ammunition, Army funds in the amount of $19,100,140 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois, is the contracting activity. Haugland Energy Group LLC, Plainview, New York, was awarded a $12,950,000 modification (PZ0001) to contract W912DS-20-C-0010 to definitize letter contract for New York State alternative care facilities. Work will be performed in White Plains, New York, with an estimated completion date of April 22, 2020. Fiscal 2020 defense emergency response funds in the amount of $12,950,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New York, New York, is the contracting activity. (Awarded April 20, 2020) Gen-Probe Inc., Marlborough, Massachusetts, was awarded a $12,600,000 firm-fixed-price contract for COVID-19 testing kits. 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 April 19, 2021. U.S. Army Health Readiness Contracting Office, Fort Sam Houston, Texas, is the contracting activity (W81K04-20-F-1113). (Awarded April 20, 2020) Khotol Services Corp,* Galena, Alaska, was awarded a $12,000,000 modification (P00005) to contract W911SA-17-D-2001 for sustainment, modernization and improvement projects for the 88th Army Reserve Centers throughout the Ozark Region, to include Iowa and Missouri. Bids were solicited via the internet with six received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of May 1, 2022. The 419th Contracting Support Brigade, Fort McCoy, Wisconsin, is the contracting activity. Troop Contracting Inc.,* Willowbrook, Illinois, was awarded a $12,000,000 modification (P00003) to contract W911SA-17-D-2002 for sustainment, modernization and improvement projects for the 88th Army Reserve Centers throughout the Hoosier Region, to include Indiana. 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 May 1, 2022. The 419th Contracting Support Brigade, Fort McCoy, Wisconsin, is the contracting activity. U.S. SPECIAL OPERATIONS COMMAND Sierra Nevada Corp., Sparks, Nevada, was awarded an $88,000,000 modification on an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee, and cost reimbursable contract (H92241-19-D-0009) in support of U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) for the Degraded Visual Environment Pilotage System. This modification raises the contract ceiling to $110,000,000. Fiscal 2019 procurement funds in the amount of $5,000,000 are being obligated at the time of award. The majority of the work will be performed in Sparks, Nevada. This contract is a non-competitive award and is in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302.1. USSOCOM Headquarters, Tampa, Florida, is the contracting activity. *Small business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2161130/source/GovDelivery/

  • Germany to send Ukraine $1B in air defense tech, plus more tanks

    11 octobre 2023 | International, Terrestre, Sécurité

    Germany to send Ukraine $1B in air defense tech, plus more tanks

    The additional Leopard 1 tanks and Gepard guns, 15 armored transport vehicles, and 20 armored ambulances will arrive in Ukraine in the coming weeks.

  • US Army confident any tech schedule slips are recoverable

    24 avril 2020 | International, Terrestre

    US Army confident any tech schedule slips are recoverable

    By: Joe Gould WASHINGTON — The U.S. Army is girding for modernization program delays and a rise in acquisition costs as the coronavirus pandemic ripples across its installations and through its network of suppliers. Army leaders told reporters Thursday they are confident the service can juggle schedules to make up for any emerging delays and would ask Congress to help address future cost growth. While some larger prime contractors have adapted quickly, officials said, they warned that lower-tier companies with less slack in their workforces remain vulnerable. The Army's Integrated Air and Missile Defense Battle Command System had several major tests and evaluations scheduled, including a long-awaited limited-user test, or LUT. However, Army Futures Command chief Gen. Mike Murray said in a call with reporters that the testing schedule “will slide a little bit, but we will be on time” for the program's other milestone decisions. “I am very confident we will get the LUT done this summer or early fall,” he said. The Army is in the third year of an ambitious modernization overhaul, which depends in part on “soldier touchpoints,” or user evaluations of new equipment. The modernization efforts are now in question as commanders apply physical distancing measures to protect their soldiers. For example, a touchpoint at Fort Riley, Kansas, for a future replacement of the RQ-7 Shadow unmanned aircraft system is going ahead, but the commander at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, decided to postpone one there. Whether wider program delays are coming, “we're still watching very closely, and what I am very much focused on is there may be some slips in key decisions and soldier touchpoints,” Murray said. “The current estimate is we will deliver that [UAS] capability to our soldiers by the time we said we would.” The Army will also push a critical touchpoint for the Integrated Visual Augmentation System from the summer to the fall after Microsoft — a subcontractor for the prime — temporarily closed. The device is a set of goggles meant to provide soldiers next-level night and thermal vision as well as enhance navigation and targeting. “Not only for that program but for all our programs, input from the soldiers that were actually asked to use this equipment has been critical,” Murray said. “That has been impacted.” The comments came as the Pentagon expects a broader three-month delay for major acquisition programs and speeds progress payments to primes that should trickle to small businesses. Army acquisitions officials have worked to help get second- and third-tier suppliers access to small business loans as well as facilitate cash flow to them. “The supply chain does have some challenges, and that's probably where the vast majority of any slips would occur that are tied to individual companies,” said Bruce Jette, the Army's acquisition chief. “These companies are small, and if one person gets COVID in the company, the next thing you know you've lost 14 days with the company because everybody that didn't get it is in quarantine.” BAE Systems coordinated a temporary closure with the Army and plans to scrap a planned summer break to make up the time. Boeing's closure in Philadelphia also came and went. “It's like that down [the] chain for the primes: They tend to be coming back online,” Jette said. “The ones where we end up with two or three weeks are the ones where we've got small individual companies of maybe 20 to 30 people who were suppliers of cables, or connectors and things like that. “There's something there that tends to have a bigger impact or take a little bit longer time. And with them, we try to execute those portions of the program which aren't dependent upon those components, and then we'll come back and clean up the battlespace.” Some big agenda items for the Army don't appear to have been knocked off balance. For example, the Army is still planning on another flight test of Lockheed Martin's Precision Strike Munition, or PrSM, by April 30, which will deliver a new long-range precision fires capability to the battlefield. The capability is the Army's No. 1 modernization priority. “I'm confident enough that we're going to do the next test flight [of] PrSM that I scheduled a military aircraft to go out and see it, so I'm very confident,” Murray said. The Army's latest “night court” review — used to divest the service of unneeded programs — proceeded virtually, as much of the Pentagon shifted to remote work. As part of the review, Army leaders recently received the final brief concerning equipment. “A lot of the recommendations are pretty much close to being finalized,” Murray said. https://www.defensenews.com/land/2020/04/23/us-army-confident-any-tech-schedule-slips-are-recoverable/

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