How high-speed drone racing could aid struggling Air Force recruitment

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  10 novembre 2024 | International, Naval

  NATO allies ready sea drones for the task of repelling enemy warships

  A key exercise next year will focus on the feasibility of using unmanned vessels to enforce a security perimeter at sea.

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  12 juin 2020 | International, Aérospatial, Naval, Terrestre, C4ISR, Sécurité

  Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - June 11, 2020

  DEFENSE MICROELECTRONICS ACTIVITY Lockheed Martin Corp., Owego, New York (HQ0727-16-D-0001); BAE Systems Information and Electronics, Nashua, New Hampshire (HQ0727-16-D-0002); General Dynamics Mission Systems, Bloomington, Minnesota (HQ0727-16-D-0003); Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Linthicum Heights, Maryland (HQ0727-16-D-0004); Cobham Advanced Electronics Solutions Inc., Lansdale, Pennsylvania (HQ0727-16-D-0005); Raytheon Co., El Segundo, California (HQ0727-16-D-0006); The Boeing Co., Hazelwood, Missouri (HQ0727-16-D-0007); and Honeywell International Inc., Albuquerque, New Mexico (HQ0727-16-D-0008), are being awarded a maximum $10,271,000,000 modification on existing indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, Advanced Technology Support Program IV (ATSP4) contracts. The modification raises the ceiling on the current ATSP4 contracts from $7,200,000,000 to $17,471,000,000. ATSP4 are multiple-award, indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contracts for engineering services designed to resolve problems with obsolete, unreliable, unmaintainable, underperforming, or incapable electronics hardware and software through development of advanced technology insertions and applications to meet the requirements of the Department of Defense for a quick reaction capability. With all options exercised, the ordering period goes until March 31, 2026. The contracts were competitively procured via a February 2015 solicitation resulting in nine proposals and eight awards. No funds are being obligated on award. Funding will occur through individual task orders. The Defense Microelectronics Activity, McClellan, California, is the contracting activity. NAVY Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is awarded a $368,194,942 not-to-exceed, undefinitized contract modification (P00036) to previously awarded fixed-price-incentive-firm-target, firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract N00019-17-C-0001. This modification provides for the procurement of five F-35A Lightning II lot 14 aircraft, one F-35B lot 14 combat aircrafts and associated red gear for the government of Italy. It also authorizes the common capability scope of work at the Final Assembly and Checkout Facility in Cameri, Italy. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas (35%); Cameri, Italy (28%); El Segundo, California (15%); Warton, United Kingdom (8%); Orlando, Florida (4%); Nashua, New Hampshire (3%); Baltimore, Maryland (3%); San Diego, California (2%); various locations within the continental U.S. (1.3%) and various locations outside the continental U.S. (0.7%). Work is expected to be complete by June 2023. Non-Department of Defense funds for $184,429,857 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. DRS Systems Inc., Melbourne, Florida, is awarded a $120,009,046 not-to-exceed, cost-plus-incentive-fee, firm-fixed-price, cost undefinitized contract to provide non-recurring engineering to design, develop, integrate and test engineering development models and production representative models of weapons replaceable assemblies for the AN/AAQ-45 Distributed Aperture Infrared Countermeasure system. Work will be performed in Dallas, Texas (61%); San Diego, California (31%); Fort Walton Beach, Florida (7%); and Melbourne, Florida (1%), and is expected to be complete by June 2024. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $23,497,884 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 Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N00019-20-C-0041). Harper Construction Co. Inc., San Diego, California, is awarded a $65,165,290 firm-fixed-price contract for the design and construction of a high-bay maintenance hangar for the Bell Boeing V-22 aircraft at Naval Base Coronado. The contract also contains one unexercised option and two planned modifications, which will increase the cumulative contract value to $66,148,955, if exercised. Work will be performed in San Diego, California. The work to be performed provides for the design and construction of a steel-framed and high-bay maintenance hangar for aircraft, to include one and a half modules of hangar space and associated airfield pavement for aircraft ingress and egress to hangars. The new facility will contain high-bay space, shops and maintenance space, operation, training, administrative space and supporting site infrastructure improvements. The project also includes construction of a hangar access apron. The option, if exercised, provides for reconstruction of the existing north parking lot. The planned modifications, if issued, provide for furniture, fixtures and audiovisual equipment. Work is expected to be complete by January 2023. Fiscal 2019 military construction (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $644,756 and fiscal 2020 military construction (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $64,520,534 are obligated on this award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities website and seven proposals were received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southwest, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity (N62473-20-C-0553). Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is awarded $31,065,000 for a not-to-exceed, undefinitized contract modification (P00006) to previously issued order 0097 against basic ordering agreement N00019-14-G-0020. This modification provides supplier non-recurring engineering, development of design documentation and the creation of modification instructions for the developmental test fleet in support of the Joint Strike Fighter aircraft for the Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and non-Department of Defense (DOD) participants. Work will be performed in El Segundo, California (85%); and Fort Worth, Texas (15%). These efforts will support service life extensions and enable the developmental test fleet to maintain currency with delivered technology. Work is expected to be complete by February 2022. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $3,698,820; fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation (Air Force) funds in the amount of $3,698,820 and non-DOD participant funds in the amount of $1,602,360 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. Fukunaga & Associates Inc.,* Honolulu, Hawaii, is awarded a $30,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, architect-engineering contract with a maximum amount of $30,000,000 for architect-engineer services for various utility projects and other projects primarily under the cognizance of Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Hawaii. The initial task order is being awarded at $929,417 for the replacement of a 24-inch waterline at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii. The work to be performed provides for architect-engineer services for utility projects with associated multi-discipline architect-engineer support services. The type of design and engineering services expected to be performed under this contract are primarily for request for proposal (RFP) documentation for the design-bid-build utility projects with associated multi-discipline architect-engineering support services for new construction, alteration, repair and installation of mechanical systems and associated facilities. Other design and engineering services may include, but are not limited to, design-build RFP documentation, engineering investigations/concept studies, functional analysis concept development/charrettes and post construction award services. Work for this task order is expected to be complete by March 2021. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Navy) (O&M,N) contract funds in the amount of $929,417 are obligated on this award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The term of the contract is not to exceed 60 months with an expected completion date of June 2025. Future task orders will be primarily funded by O&M,N funds. This contract was competitively procured via the beta.SAM website and two proposals were received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Hawaii, is the contracting activity (N62478-20-D-5037). Leidos Inc., Reston, Virginia, is awarded a $7,456,371 firm-fixed-price and cost reimbursement task order under the General Services Administration One Acquisition Solution for Integrated Services (GSA OASIS). This indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract is also for a wide range of operational, analytical and management support services in support of the U.S. Marine Corps Central Command. Work will be performed in Tampa, Florida (90%); and Bahrain (10%). Work is expected to be complete by June 2021. If all options are exercised, work will continue through December 2025. This task order includes a 12-month base period, four 12-month option periods and one six-month option period, which, will bring the cumulative value of this task order to $48,846,236 if exercised. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Marine Corps) funds in the amount of $7,456,371 will be obligated at the time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This task order was competitively solicited via the GSA OASIS Pool 1 and four proposals were received. The Marine Corps Installations National Capital Region-Regional Contracting Office, Quantico, Virginia, is the contracting activity (M00264-20-F-0227). ARMY INTEC Group LLC,* Paducah, Kentucky (W912QR20D0021); Dawn Inc.,* Warren, Ohio (W912QR-20-D-0022); RJ Runge,* Port Clinton, Ohio (W912QR-20-D-0023); G.M. Hill Engineering Inc.,* Jacksonville, Florida (W912QR-20-D-0024); and Nisou LGC JV LLC,* Detroit, Michigan (W912QR-20-D-0025), will compete for each order of the $45,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for Great Lakes and Ohio River Division mission boundaries construction 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 June 10, 2023. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Louisville, Kentucky, is the contracting activity. Dyncorp International LLC, Fort Worth, Texas, was awarded a $22,161,082 hybrid (cost-no-fee, cost-plus-fixed-fee, time-and-materials) contract modification (P00055) for aviation maintenance services. Bids were solicited via the internet with five received. Work will be performed Fort Bragg, North Carolina; Afghanistan; and Iraq with an estimated completion date of Nov. 30, 2020. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Army) funds in the amount of $22,161,082 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity (W58RGZ-19-C-0025). Alliant Techsystems Operations LLC, Plymouth, Minnesota, was awarded a $16,986,480 modification (P00074) to contract W15QKN-13-C-0074 for Global Positioning System receiver for precision guidance kit M1156. Work will be performed in Plymouth, Minnesota, with an estimated completion date of June 3, 2024. Fiscal 2020 procurement of ammunition (Army) funds in the amount of 16,986,480 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Newark, New Jersey, is the contracting activity. U.S. SPECIAL OPERATIONS COMMAND T3i Inc., Imperial Beach, California, was awarded a $26,413,688 maximum single award “C” type contract (H92240-20-C-0003) with options included to extend services for survival, evasion, resistance, escape and personnel recovery training in support of Naval Special Warfare Command (NSWC) enterprise requirements. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $384,347 are being obligated at the time of award. The work will be performed in various locations in the U.S. and may continue through fiscal 2026, if all options are exercised. The contract was awarded competitively using Federal Acquisition Regulation Part 15 procedures with six proposals received. NSWC, Coronado, California, is the contracting activity. DEFENSE ADVANCED RESEARCH PROJECTS AGENCY Raytheon BBN Technologies Corp., Cambridge, Massachusetts, was awarded a $12,039,376 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for a research project under the Fast Network Interface Cards (FastNICs) program. The FastNICs program will speed up applications such as the distributed training of machine learning classifiers by 100 times through the development, implementation, integration and validation of novel, clean-slate network subsystems. Work will be performed in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and Seattle, Washington, with an expected completion date of June 2024. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $1,670,000 are being obligated at time of award. This contract was a competitive acquisition under an open broad agency announcement and eight offers were received. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting activity (HR0011-20-C-0089). DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Oshkosh Defense LLC, Oshkosh, Wisconsin, has been awarded a maximum $10,836,726 firm-fixed-price, requirements contract for pneumatic tires for palletized load system vehicle wheels. This was a competitive acquisition with one response received. This is a three-year contract with no option periods. Locations of performance are Wisconsin and New Jersey, with a June 10, 2023, performance completion date. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2023 Army working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime, Warren, Michigan (SPRDL1-20-D0065). *Small Business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2217371/source/GovDelivery/

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  4 juillet 2019 | International, Aérospatial, C4ISR

  The Pentagon’s new space agency has an idea about the future

  By: Nathan Strout The Defense Department's next generation space architecture would consist of several layers based around a mesh network of small communications satellites, according to a document released by the Space Development Agency July 1. A request for information lays out an early outline of what that new satellite architecture would look like and how the commercial sector can contribute to the effort. The SDA is a new entity that the Pentagon established less than four months ago as part of the Trump administration's focus on reorganizing the military's space structure. The agency's initial goal is to develop a next generation space architecture for military satellites in the face of near-peer adversaries' growing interest in space. “In an era of renewed great power competition with an emergent China and a resurgent Russia, maintaining our advantage in space is critical to winning these long-term strategic competitions,” read a request for information posted to the Federal Business Opportunities web site. “These potential adversaries are developing and demonstrating multi-domain threats to national security much faster than we can deploy responsive, space-based capabilities.” The agency wants the new architecture to provide eight essential capabilities identified in a 2018 Pentagon report. In addition, the Pentagon wants to include development of deterrent capability, space situational awareness, a resilient common ground-based space support infrastructure, command and control systems and artificial intelligence-enabled global surveillance. The Space Development Agency's notional architecture is made up of several layers, each of which would contribute to at least one of the eight essential capabilities. They include: A space transport layer: A global mesh network providing 24/7 data and communications. A tracking layer: Provides tracking, targeting and advanced warning of missile threats. A custody layer: Provides “all-weather custody of all identified time-critical targets.” A deterrence layer: Provides space situational awareness—detecting and tracking objects in space to help satellites avoid collisions. A navigation layer: Provides alternative positioning, navigation and timing services in case GPS is blocked or unavailable. A battle management layer: A command, control and communications network augmented by artificial intelligence that provides self-tasking, self-prioritization, on-board processing and dissemination. A support layer: Ground command and control facilities and user terminals, as well as rapid-response launch services. The SDA's immediate goal is the development of a transport layer consisting of a mesh network for communications and data in low earth orbit. As the agency has stated previously, that effort will rely heavily on DARPA's Blackjack program - a project that will establish an initial transport layer with a 20 satellite constellation. The SDA wants to build sub-constellations around the Blackjack program to meet some of the needs it has identified, such as missile defense warnings and targeting, alternative positioning, navigation and timing services, and more. The constellation and associated sub-constellations will be made up of small mass-produced satellites in the agency's vision, ranging from 50 to 500kg. The next-generation space architecture posting is the first request for information that the agency has posted in its brief existence, and sets a tone for what it's looking for from the commercial sector. Specifically, the SDA wants to know what capabilities and concepts the commercial sector can bring to bear on satellite buses, payloads, appliques and launches. Any proposal should fall into at least one of the suggested layers, the SDA stated. “SDA intends to leverage investments made by the private sector in space capabilities (...), as well as industry best practices (e.g., mass production techniques for spacecraft buses, sensors, and user terminals),” stated the agency. Among other things, the agency wants proposals for the following items: Small and cheap payloads that can provide high-bandwidth links between satellites; software that can track missiles from low earth orbit; software that can facilitate autonomous space sensor collection, processing and dissemination, and alternative methods for positioning, navigation and timing in case GPS is unavailable. In addition, the SDA wants feedback on the overall structure of its notional architecture. The SDA is also interested in industry concerns about data rights, security and protection, acquisition approaches and more. In building this new architecture, the SDA is clear that it wants to be agile and flexible in adapting to new technology and threats, meaning it wants to be able to integrate upgrades within two year windows. While it's not clear in the document how quickly the SDA wants to have the new architecture in place, the agency does emphasize that it is looking for efforts that can be demonstrated in less than 18 months. Responses are due on August 5. The SDA plans to hold an Industry Day to connect with the commercial sector in the near future. The document's release comes shortly on the heels of Space Development Agency Director Fred Kennedy's resignation in late June. Kennedy was the agency's first director, having been originally appointed to the position by acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan when the agency was stood up March 12. Derek Tournear, the assistant director for space within the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research & Engineering, was named the acting director of the agency June 24. Prior to taking the assistant director position, Tournear was the director of Harris Space and Intelligence research and development. He has also served stints at the Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. A Department of Defense spokesperson stated that Kennedy stepping down would not change the mission of activities of the agency. All of this comes as the U.S. military has worked to revamp its efforts in space. In addition to the stand up of the SDA, the Trump administration is also pushing for the creation of Space Force, a proposed sixth branch of the military that would be housed within the Air Force. While the Senate Armed Services Committee endorsed a version of Space Force, the House Armed Services Committee proposed a Space Corps, which would not be an independent branch of the military. https://www.c4isrnet.com/battlefield-tech/2019/07/03/the-pentagons-new-space-agency-has-an-idea-about-the-future/