1 août 2019 | International, Aérospatial

Integrated Hypersonic Plan Forms Amid Overlap Concerns

WEST LAFAYETTE, Indiana—The U.S. Defense Department says data from an upcoming four-year test campaign covering 40 flights and three basic vehicle concepts will lay the foundation for a comprehensive hypersonic weapon road map that should allay growing congressional concerns over potential overlaps in costly weapons development capability.

To a quarter of the tests, representing as many as 10 flights, will be focused on air-breathing scramjet-powered vehicles, says Mike White, assistant director for hypersonics at the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering. Speaking to Aerospace DAILY on the sidelines of the inaugural National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA) hypersonics capability conference at Purdue University here, White says test results from both boosted glide vehicle flights and powered missiles will form the basis for the integrated development plan.

The overarching road map also will include the integration of a counter hypersonic development strategy, the preliminary steps toward which have been proposed by both the recently formed Space Development Agency (SDA) and the Missile Defense Agency. The SDA is studying a space-based distributed satellite architecture, while the latter has proposed a Hypersonic and Ballistic Tracking and Surveillance System (HBTSS). “Offensive and defensive coordination is my job,” White says.

The bulk of the prototype tests will be conducted using the common hypersonic glide body (C-HGB). Developed by Sandia National Laboratories, the bi-conic re-entry vehicle has been adopted as the basis for near-term boosted glide weapons by the U.S. Air Force, Army and Navy, with only minor differences in each version planned to reflect the varying operational characteristics of each role.

The Army, which plans to ground launch the Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW) from transporter erector vehicles, is meanwhile making the first moves toward industrializing production of what up to now has been small batch manufacturing runs of experimental vehicles. The service has issued a solicitation for transition of the design and production capability of the initial prototype LRHW C-HGB variant out of Sandia into industry. A contract award is expected to be issued this month.

Other versions of the C-HGB are in development for the Navy's vertically launched Intermediate Range Conventional Strike Weapon (IR-CPS), and the Air Force's Hypersonic Conventional Strike Weapon (HCSW). Underwater launch tests of the IR-CPS, which follows the successful Flight Experiment-1 test in October 2017, from the Pacific Missile Range Facility in Kauai, Hawaii, are due to run through 2024. The Air Force is scheduled to complete critical design review of the HCSW in 2020 prior to launch tests from a B-52.

At least five other flight-test campaigns make up the remainder of the hectic four-year plan, three of which will be focused on the DARPA-led Tactical Boost Glide (TBG) vehicle and two proposed follow-on air-launched rapid response weapon (ARRW) vehicles in competitive development by Lockheed Martin and Raytheon. The balance are two air breathing vehicles, also in development by Lockheed/Aerojet Rocketdyne and Raytheon/Northrop Grumman, which will be evaluated under the Air Force's Hypersonic Air-Breathing Weapon Concept (HAWC) program.

Despite the ongoing efforts to refine the hypersonic road map, the proliferation of prototype vehicle programs continues to cause concern in Congress. Warning that not all programs will receive the funding requested in the fiscal 2020 budget, Peter Visclosky, chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, says some reductions are planned. Commenting at the NDIA event, he says, “Justifications in the budget for this effort receive the same scrutiny as every other program in the department and unfortunately certain aspects of that 2020 budget request were lacking.”

Without identifying particular initiatives, Visclosky adds, “There were cuts to those specific programs where the justifications did not lead to a review. Each of the services impacted have been made aware of the issues that the committee has raised and the need to better define the strategy for the investment in these systems.”

Visclosky also cautions that hypersonics, which is provisionally funded with a budget of $2.3 billion for fiscal 2020 and $10.5 billion over the period to 2024, also faces broader threats at a time of increased spending on other high-profile defense programs. “I am concerned about affordability in the future because this is a competitive process,” he said. “We have a nuclear modernization process that is underway and there is going to be a bulge in the federal budget. There is a new submarine and there is going to be a bulge in the budget. It is the same for the new [B-21] bomber under development and, while the Army doesn't have that ‘one' new program, collectively for the modernization program there is going to be one.

“We need to make sure there is a concerted effort for commonality and collaboration to a common technical standard and system architecture. I think this will drive better affordability into the sustainment of the system,” he adds.

https://aviationweek.com/defense/integrated-hypersonic-plan-forms-amid-overlap-concerns

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  • Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - October 31, 2019

    1 novembre 2019 | International, Aérospatial, Naval, Terrestre, C4ISR, Sécurité

    Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - October 31, 2019

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Fiscal 2019 and 2020 research, development, test and evaluation; fiscal 2018, 2019 and 2020 procurement defense wide; and fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $12,080,453 will be obligated at the time of award. The Missile Defense Agency, Dahlgren, Virginia, is the contracting activity. NAVY General Dynamics Mission Systems, Pittsfield, Massachusetts, is awarded a $90,686,673 cost-plus-incentive-fee, cost-plus-fixed-fee and firm-fixed-price contract for sustainment of the Littoral Combat Ship Integrated Combat Management System and associated combat system elements. The work includes development, integration, test and delivery of future combat system baseline upgrades for in-service ships; supporting ship integration, installation and checkout; developmental test/operational test; developing training and logistics products; providing field technical support for the combat system; providing hardware engineering and equipment procurement; providing life-cycle supportability engineering; and providing fleet support for fielded baselines. Work will be performed in Pittsfield, Massachusetts (79.4%); San Diego, California (19.3%); and Mobile, Alabama (1.3%), and is expected to be completed by October 2024. This contract includes options, which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $393,837,142. Work is expected to be complete by October 2024. Fiscal 2018 other procurement (Navy) funding in the amount of $1,013,124 will be obligated at the 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 Sea Systems Command, Washington, District of Columbia., is the contracting activity (N00024-20-C-5603). Management Services Group Inc., doing business as Global Technical Systems,* Virginia Beach, Virginia, is awarded an $83,726,453 cost-plus-fixed-fee, firm-fixed-price, and cost-only contract modification to previously awarded contract N63394-19-C-0008 to exercise options for the sustainment of the Common Processing System. This option exercise is for production and installation of ordnance alteration (ORDALT) kits and associated engineering services, logistics and incidental materials in support of the Common Processing System. ORDALT kits are anticipated to be installed on Aegis destroyers, Aegis cruisers, Landing Helicopter Deck, Landing Ship Dock, aircraft carriers and Japanese destroyers. Work will be performed in Norfolk, Virginia (21%); San Diego, California (16%); Yokosuka, Japan (11%); Honolulu, Hawaii (8%); Dahlgren, Virginia (6.5%); Wallops Island (6.5%); Aegis Ashore (5%); Everett, Washington (5%); Mayport, Florida (5%); Moorestown, New Jersey (5%); Port Hueneme, California (5%); Washington, District of Columbia (3%); Rota, Spain (3%); Deveselu, Romania (2.5%); and Redzikowo, Poland (2.5%), and is expected to be complete by October 2020. This contract includes options, which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $116,436,973 and be complete by July 2024. Fiscal 2014 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funding for $1,483,823 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Port Hueneme Division, Port Hueneme, California, is the contracting activity. Dyncorp International LLC, Fort Worth, Texas, is awarded a $56,496,749 modification (P00033) to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee, cost-reimbursable contract (N68936-17-C-0052). This modification exercises an option that provides aircraft maintenance, modification and aircrew support. This modification includes organizational-level aircraft maintenance and logistics support on aircraft, systems/subsystems, aircrew systems, search-and-rescue equipment and support equipment for P-3 Orion, C-130 Hercules, F/A-18 Hornet, E/A-18 Growler, AV-8B Harrier II and H-60 Seahawk for the Naval Test Wing Pacific. Work will be performed in China Lake, California (50%); Point Mugu, California (40%); Hickman Air Force Base, Hawaii (2%); Lemoore, California (2%); Patrick Air Force Base, Florida (1%); Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico (1%); Patuxent River, Maryland (1%); Yuma, Arizona (1%); Miramar, California (1%) and North Island, California (1%), and is expected to be completed in October 2020. Fiscal 2020 working capital (Navy) funds for $42,121,234 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Warfare Center, Weapons Division, China Lake, California, is the contracting activity. General Dynamics Information Technology Inc., Fairfax, Virginia, is awarded a $46,103,818 modification (P00024) to a previously awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (W15QKN-15-D-0001) to execute Award Term 4 for integrated logistics support for multiple Foreign Military Sales customers. Work will be performed at Patuxent River, Maryland (52%); Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania (5.5%); Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (5.5%); Jacksonville, Florida (2.5%); Pensacola, Florida (2.5%); various other locations within the continental U.S. (4%); Kuwait City, Kuwait (24%); Atsugi, Japan (1%) Iwakuni, Japan (1%); Koahsiung, Taiwan (1%); and Cairo, Egypt (1%), and is expected to be completed in October 2020. No funds will be obligated at time of award. Funds will be obligated on individual task orders as they are issued. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. Boston Consulting Group, Bethesda, Maryland, is awarded a $16,054,435 modification (P00007) to a previously issued firm-fixed-price order (N00421-19-F-0106) against a General Services Administration, Federal Supply Schedule contract (GS-10-F-0253V). This modification exercises the option to continue the implementation of a new Naval Sustainment System (NSS) to include the development of governance, coordination and accountability mechanisms across the Naval Aviation Enterprise. The Commander for the Fleet Readiness Center's contribution to the NSS will deploy commercial maintenance best practices, tailored to the Navy's operational requirements and starting position; in order to reduce component repair and heavy maintenance periodic maintenance inspection turnaround times and better enable aviation readiness recovery. Work will be performed in Bethesda, Maryland, and is expected to be completed in April 2020. Fiscal 2020 operation and maintenance (Navy) funds for $16,054,435 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. Raytheon Co., Tewksbury, Massachusetts, is awarded an $11,517,079 cost-plus-fixed-fee and cost-plus-incentive-fee modification to a previously awarded contract N00024-17-C-5145 to exercise options for DDG 1000 ship class integrated logistics support and engineering services. The DDG 1000 ship class is a multi-mission surface combatant designed to fulfill volume firepower and precision strike requirements. DDG 1000 combat systems provide offensive, distributed and precise firepower, and long ranges in support of forces ashore, while incorporating signature reduction, active and passive self-defense systems and enhanced survivability features. Work will be performed in Portsmouth, Rhode Island (51%); Tewksbury, Massachusetts (21%); San Diego, California (11%); Nashua, New Hampshire (6%); Bath, Maine (5%); Los Angeles, California (3%); Marlboro, Massachusetts (2%); and Fort Wayne, Indiana (1%), and is expected to be completed by October 2020. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy); and operation and maintenance (Navy) funding for $3,164,948 will be obligated at time of award, and funds for $712,934 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Missouri, is awarded a $10,000,353 modification (P00003) to a previously awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee contract (N00019-19-C-0016). This modification extends the period of performance and increases scope to include obsolescence redesign in support of the production and delivery of Harpoon Block II missiles for the government of Saudi Arabia. Work will be performed in McKinney, Texas (63.46%); Minneapolis, Minnesota (21.61%); and St. Louis, Missouri (14.93%), and is expected to be completed in November 2019. Foreign Military Sales funds for $10,000,353 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. Physical Optics Corp.,* Torrance, California, is awarded an $8,631,282 firm-fixed-price indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. This contract provides for the design, test, production and delivery of up to 503 C-Band radar tracking transponders in support of the Aerial Targets program. Work will be performed in Torrance, California, and is expected to be completed in October 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 competitively procured as a small business set-aside via an electronic request for proposal; three offers were received. The Naval Air Warfare Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N00019-20-D-0005). Sealift Inc., Oyster Bay, New York, is awarded an $8,592,948 modification under a previously awarded firm, fixed-price contract (N32205-17-C-3510) to fund the third one-year option period. The option will continue to provide one U.S. flagged vessel (M/V Bernard Fisher) for prepositioning and transportation of cargo for the Department of the Air Force. The current contract includes a 12-month base period, four 12-month option periods, and one 212-day option period. Work will be performed worldwide, and is expected to be completed by Nov. 5, 2020. This contract option will be funded by fiscal 2020 working capital funds for $7,747,740; and fiscal 2021 for $845,208, for a total amount of $8,592,948. Military Sealift Command, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N32205-17-C-3510). DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Raytheon Co., Marlborough, Massachusetts, has been awarded a maximum $36,306,061 firm-fixed-price contract for multiple radar equipment components. 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