Italy plans to spend 8.2 billion euros on new tanks, sources say

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

  Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - November 11, 2019

  U.S. TRANSPORTATION COMMAND Seventeen companies have been awarded firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contracts under the Worldwide Airlift Services Program, contracts with an estimated program value of $5,700,000,000: Air Center Helicopters, Burleson, Texas (HTC71120DR005); Berry Aviation Inc., San Marcos, Texas (HTC71120DR006); Bighorn Airways, Sheridan, Wyoming (HTC71120DR007); Careflight Ltd., Northmead, New South Wales, Australia (HTC71120DR009); CHI Aviation, Howell, Michigan (HTC71120DR010); Columbia Helicopters Inc., Aurora, Oregon (HTC71120DR011); Contour Aviation, Smyrna, Tennessee (HTC71120DR012); CSI Aviation Inc., Albuquerque, New Mexico (HTC71120DR013); East Coast Flight Services Inc., Easton, Maryland (HTC71120DR014); Erickson Helicopters Inc., Portland, Oregon (HTC71120DR015); Flightworks Inc., Kennesaw, Georgia (HTC71120DR016); Hillsboro Aviation, Hillsboro, Oregon (HTC71120DR017); Jet Logistics Inc., Charlotte, North Carolina (HTC71120DR018); Mountain Aviation Inc., Broomfield, Colorado (HTC71120DR019); Omni Air Transport, Tulsa, Oklahoma (HTC71120DR020); Phoenix Air Group Inc., Cartersville, Georgia (HTC71120DR021); and Rampart Aviation, Colorado Springs, Colorado (HTC71120DR022). This contract provides worldwide Federal Aviation Regulation (FAR) Part 135 airlift services utilizing fixed and/or rotary wing aircraft to transport Department of Defense (DoD) and other federal agency personnel and cargo for domestic and international shipments. Services shall be provided for DoD and other federal government agencies. Services required include aircrew, ground personnel, supplies, ancillary support services and equipment to perform dedicated and/or ad hoc FAR Part 135 or equivalent Civil Aviation Authority airlift operations (at both military and commercial airports/airfields/landing zones). Operations could include the movement of passengers and cargo (or combination thereof), air ambulance, medical evacuation, sling-load cargo operations, delivery of Class I-X supplies, and U.S. Mail and/or other like services. Work will be performed internationally and domestically, with an expected completion date of Nov. 11, 2024. Ordering may be centralized or decentralized and will be determined at the task order level. Funding is provided by multiple government agencies. The contracting activity is U.S. Transportation Command, Directorate of Acquisition, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. (Awarded Nov. 7, 2019) NAVY General Dynamics Mission Systems, Scottsdale, Arizona, is awarded a $731,876,547 cost-plus-award-fee and firm-fixed-price indefinite delivery/ indefinite quantity contract for Mobile User Objective System (MUOS) ground system sustainment. MUOS is a narrowband military satellite communications system that supports a worldwide, multiservice population of users, providing modern netcentric communications capabilities while supporting legacy terminals. Fiscal 2020-2029 weapons procurement (Navy); fiscal 2020-2029 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy); and fiscal 2020-2029 operation and maintenance (Navy) funding will be applied to task orders after the contract award. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Work will be performed in Scottsdale, Arizona (94%); Wahiawa, Hawaii (2%); San Diego, California (1%); Niscemi, Italy (1%); Chesapeake, Virginia (1%); and Geraldton, Australia (1%). Work is expected to be completed by November 2029. This contract was not competitively procured because it is a sole source acquisition pursuant to the authority of 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1); only one responsible source (Federal Acquisition Regulation subpart 6.302-1). The Naval Information Warfare Systems Command, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity (N00039-20-D-0146). L3/Harris Technologies, Clifton, New Jersey, is awarded a $51,852,571 cost-plus-fixed-fee order (N0001920F0394) against a previously issued basic ordering agreement (N00019-16-G-0003). This order procures modifications to the AN/ALQ-214A(V)4 Integrated Defensive Electronic Countermeasures System. This order provides non-recurring engineering to develop, integrate, test and deliver software and firmware as well as all technical data. In addition, this order provides engineering and technical support for test efforts including correction of deficiencies discovered during testing in support of a Foreign Military Sales (FMS) customer. Work will be performed in Clifton, New Jersey, and is expected to be completed in November 2022. FMS funds for $9,000,000 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. BAE Systems Land & Armaments L.P., Sterling Heights, Michigan, is awarded a $27,100,050 modification to exercise an option for a fixed-price-incentive (firm target) contract line item number (CLIN) 4002 portion of a previously awarded contract (M67854-16-C-0006). This modification is for the purchase of other production costs, which includes program management, vehicle tooling, acceptance testing, and transportation, related to the low rate initial production Lot 3A Amphibious Combat Vehicles. Work will be performed in York, Pennsylvania (60%); Aiken, South Carolina (15 %); San Jose, California (15%); Sterling Heights, Michigan (5%); and Stafford, Virginia (5%), and is expected to be completed in January 2022. Fiscal 2020 procurement (Marine Corps) funds for $27,100,050 will be obligated at the time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The contract was based on full and open competition with the solicitation publicized on the Federal Business Opportunities website with five offers received. The option CLIN was included within that contract and is being exercised in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation 52.217-7 Option for Increased Quantity-Separately Priced Line Item. The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Virginia, is the contracting activity (M67854-16-C-0006). Progeny Systems Corp,* Manassas, Virginia, is awarded a $9,653,476 fixed-price-incentive-firm target contract modification to previously awarded contract N00024-19-C-6201 to exercise options for Navy systems support. This effort will award the procurement of Navy equipment. Work will be performed in Manassas, Virginia (50%); and Charleroi, Pennsylvania (50%), and is expected to be completed by August 2021. Fiscal 2019 other procurement (Navy) funding for $9,653,476 will be obligated at time of award and funding will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington Navy Yard, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY UTS Systems LLC,* Fort Walton Beach, Florida, has been awarded a maximum $200,000,000 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for commercial shelters. This is a one-year base contract with three one-year option periods. Location of performance is Florida, with a Nov. 7, 2020, performance completion date. Using military services are Army, Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2021 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE1C1-20-D-1210). DRS Network & Imaging Systems LLC, Melbourne, Florida, has been awarded a maximum $15,751,977 firm-fixed-price contract for 43 separate parts in support of the Direct Support Electrical System Test Set and Next Generation Automated Test System. This contract 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 two-year base contract with one one-year option period. Location of performance is Alabama, with a Nov. 30, 2021, performance completion date. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 Army working capital funds. The contracting activity is Defense Logistics Agency Land, Warren, Michigan (SPRDL1-20-C-0005). The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Missouri, has been awarded an estimated $11,318,767 firm-fixed-priced delivery order (SPRPA1-20-F-QM0P) against a five-year basic ordering agreement (SPE4A1-19-G-0013) for aircraft movable canopies. 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 five-year, four-month contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Missouri, with a March 20, 2025 performance completion date. Using military service is Navy. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 Navy working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Knox County Association for Remarkable Citizens,** Vincennes, Indiana, has been awarded a maximum $9,351,147 modification (P00008) exercising the second one-year option of a one-year base contract (SPE1C1-18-D-N024) with two one-year option periods for the GEN III, Layer II, Mid-Weight Undershirt. This is a firm-fixed-price contract. Location of performance is Indiana, with a Nov. 12, 2020, performance completion date. Using services are Army and Air Force. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2021 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Meggitt Polymers and Composites, Rockmart, Georgia, has been awarded a maximum $8,623,152 firm-fixed-price delivery order (SPRPA1-20-F-LW00) against a five-year basic ordering agreement (SPE4A1-19-G-0013) for F/A-18 fuel tanks. This was a sole-source acquisition using justification 10 U.S. Code 2304 (c)(1), as stated in the Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. Location of performance is Georgia, with a Jan. 31, 2021, performance completion date. Using military service is Navy. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 Navy working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. ARMY General Dynamic Land Systems Inc., Sterling Heights, Michigan, was awarded a $34,873,995 hybrid (cost-plus-fixed-fee and firm-fixed-price) contract to procure Improved Fire Control Electronics Units. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will be performed in Tallahassee, Florida, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 30, 2021. Fiscal 2020 procurement of weapons and tracked combat vehicles, Army funds in the amount of $2,245,559 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Warren, Michigan, is the contracting activity (W56HZV-20-F-0060). JSR Inc.,* Schertz, Texas, was awarded a $9,260,232 firm-fixed-price contract for renovation of Buildings 820 and 829. Bids were solicited via the internet with six received. Work will be performed in San Antonio, Texas, with an estimated completion date of May 22, 2021. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $9,260,232 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Louisville, Kentucky, is the contracting activity (W912QR-20-C-0004). AIR FORCE Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Herndon, Virginia, has been awarded a $32,134,563 modification (P00015) to the previously awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee task order FA8204-16-F-0020 for the Strategic Automated Command and Control System Replacement (SACCS-R). This modification is to definitize a change order and award the added scope for the Time Division Multiplexing to Internet Protocol (TDM-IP). This modification provides for TDM-IP to be implemented and develop a hardware solution to meet the OMNI sunset date using serial-to-IP Adapters to convert messages for transport over the Defense Information System Network. Work will be performed at Hill Air Force Base, Utah; Malmstrom AFB, Montana; Minot AFB, North Dakota; and F.E. Warren AFB, Wyoming, and is expected to be completed by July 31, 2023. The total cumulative face value of the contract is $52,706,639. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $2,440,888 will be obligated at the time of the award. The Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center, Hill AFB, Utah, is the contracting activity. Lockheed Martin Corp., Ft. Worth, Texas, has been awarded a $15,746,610 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for Universal Armament Interface. This contract provides for system engineering and program management for universal armament interface development. Work will be performed in Ft. Worth, Texas, and is expected to be completed by Nov. 19, 2024. This award is the result of a sole source acquisition. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $780,000 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity. (FA8628-20-C-2266). Anduril Industries Inc., Irvine, California, has been awarded a $12,000,000 firm-fixed-price Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) contract for Advanced Battle Management System Sensing Network. This contract provides for an Advanced Battle Management System prototype to process vast quantities of data from thousands of sources to be accessible anywhere. Work will be performed at Irvine, California, and is expected to be complete by July 31, 2021. This award is the result of a sole source acquisition, sequential SBIR Phase 2 contract. Fiscal 2019 research and development SBIR funding; and fiscal 2019 research and development Rapid Capability Office funding in the amount of $12,000,000 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Research Lab, Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8650-20-C-9300). Quinn Construction, Rapid City, South Dakota (FA469020D0003); All American Contract Solutions, Rapid City, South Dakota (FA469020D0004); and Pedersen and Rangel, Spearfish, South Dakota (FA469020D0005), have each been awarded a $9,000,000 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for a multiple award construction contract (MACC). This contract is a design-build, bid-build construction acquisition based on a general statement of work further defined with each individual task order. Work to be performed under the MACC will be the general construction category, to include maintenance, repair, alteration, mechanical, electrical, heating/air conditioning, demolition, painting, paving, and earthwork as well as industrial/office buildings on Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota, including Military Family Housing. (NOTE: Extent of work to be accomplished under this contract concerning military family housing on Ellsworth AFB does not include normal maintenance, repair, painting heating, air conditioning, some mechanical, etc., which is covered under the Military Family Housing Maintenance contract). Work is to be completed as specified in each individual task order and the contract completion date is June 29, 2021. This award is the result of a competitive solicitation to small business HUB Zones, Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business, and concerns in the 8(a) program only and 11 offers were received. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $500 are being obligated to each contractor at the time of award. The 28th Contracting Squadron, Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota, is the contracting activity. *Small Business **Mandatory source https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2012852/source/GovDelivery/

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  14 août 2020 | International, Aérospatial

  Boeing Delivers Next Generation Interceptor Proposal to the U.S. Missile Defense Agency

  Huntsville, Ala., August 12, 2020 - Today, Boeing [NYSE: BA] submitted its offer to the U.S. Missile Defense Agency for the Next Generation Interceptor (NGI) competition, proposing a design that leverages the company's more than 60-year track record and expertise in strategic missile and weapon systems. “Boeing's NGI proposal delivers unmatched performance, affordability and reliability for the nation and the warfighter,” said Norm Tew, Missile and Weapon Systems vice president and general manager, and Huntsville site senior executive. “Building upon our prior investments and proven technologies, our innovative proposal offers a creative, compelling and game-changing technical approach to outpace, out-innovate, deter and defeat rapidly evolving advanced threats.” If selected, Boeing will utilize its proven capabilities along with a best-of-industry team to ensure its unique offering is delivered to the warfighter on time. “Boeing is well-positioned to deliver innovative solutions that greatly expand this key missile defense capability, ever focused on supporting the warfighter,” said Tew. “We are leveraging our unparalleled mission knowledge to design, develop and deliver a low-risk, highly-effective solution for the MDA.” The NGI will be used to maintain ready deterrence and ensure the continued protection of the U.S. homeland from intercontinental ballistic missiles. A contract award is expected later this year. For more information on Boeing's NGI offering, visit http://www.boeing.com/defense/missile-defense/ngi. Follow us on Twitter: @BoeingDefense and @BoeingSpace. # # # Contact Megan Gessner Defense, Space & Security Mobile: +1 256-640-3036 Megan.Gessner@Boeing.com Jerry Drelling Defense, Space & Security Mobile: +1 714-318-7594 Jerry.a.Drelling@Boeing.com The views expressed are those of The Boeing Company and do not constitute an endorsement by the Missile Defense Agency (MDA). View source version on Boeing Newsroom: https://boeing.mediaroom.com/2020-08-12-Boeing-Delivers-Next-Generation-Interceptor-Proposal-to-the-U-S-Missile-Defense-Agency

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  4 novembre 2020 | International, C4ISR

  Joint Artificial Intelligence Center Keeps Branching Out

  By Yasmin Tadjdeh When the Pentagon's Joint Artificial Intelligence Center was stood up in 2018, it was established to bring together the Defense Department's various AI programs and projects. Two years later, JAIC is pivoting to new mission sets, expanding its portfolio and more closely working with industry. The organization is currently working on 30 different projects across six different areas including joint warfighting operations, warfighter health, business process transformation, threat reduction and protection, joint logistics and joint information warfare. The center is built “around getting a spark going or getting a prototype or making a market in some way, and then handing it off for transition and scaling right to a customer,” said Nand Mulchandani, JAIC chief technology officer. “We're now starting to demonstrate great and exciting success across those products.” The joint warfighting mission initiative is the organization's flagship product and is looking at means to transform the way the United States will go to war, Mulchandani said during an exclusive interview with National Defense on his first day back as chief technology officer after serving as the acting head of JAIC. In late September, Marine Corps Maj. Gen. Michael Groen was confirmed by the Senate to serve as its director. “Our early products ... were really focused on kind of starter AI projects when it came to things like predictive maintenance and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief,” Mulchandani said. “The algorithms were not that hard. ... [However,] joint warfighting is the hardest problem at the DoD for us to take on.” The center is starting with technology such as human-machine teaming and decision support, Mulchandani said. “There are different ways of displaying information, about communicating information, about absorbing information,” he said. “We're spending time with our commanders, with training and education, etc., on how to absorb AI-enabled systems. And we want to do that in a very systematic, deliberate way where we start out with human-machine teaming, decision support, etc., and then work our way toward things like autonomy and others.” Joint warfighting will contribute to many Pentagon efforts such as joint all-domain command-and-control and the Air Force's Advanced Battle Management System program, he said. In May, the center awarded the joint warfighting operations initiative's prime contract to Booz Allen Hamilton. The contract has an $806 million ceiling. However, the center would likely not spend all of the funding because the entire budget of the JAIC over a couple of years is around $800 million, Mulchandani said during a recent briefing with reporters. Despite the center being gung-ho about the initiative, a continuing resolution for fiscal year 2021 — which began Oct. 1 — could have an outsized effect on joint warfighting programs, he noted. “What this really impacts ... is new starts, our ability to start a bigger new project that we have been potentially forecasting for starting with new FY ‘21 money,” he said. That will require some programs to be delayed. However, JAIC “will be receiving some money as part of the CR that will allow us to kick-start some of these new projects and things along the way, and then scale them ... when we get out of the CR mode” after a full-year appropriations bill is passed by Congress, he added. JAIC had been planning for a continuing resolution for some time, Mulchandani noted. “Many of our projects and products ... have actually been pre-funded through much of the money that we got in FY ‘20,” he said. “We have contracts and vendors and other things working months and months out into the new fiscal year. ... We're not in a crisis mode at all.” Meanwhile, JAIC's relationship with industry has continued to improve over the past two years, Mulchandani said. When it was first stood up, much attention was put on what some perceived to be a reluctance from Silicon Valley to work with the Pentagon. “A lot of people ask us [about] the whole thing with Google and Project Maven and whether that's still” a strained relationship, he said, referring to a 2018 incident where thousands of Google employees signed a letter objecting to the company's work with the Defense Department's Project Maven, a pathfinder AI effort to better analyze drone footage. Google subsequently backed out of the program. However, JAIC collaborates closely with the tech giant now, he said. “We're working with Google on a number of projects directly ... whether it be health or other types ... of products there,” he said. “We have contracts with Google that we're working on, but all the other bigger vendors as well.” Mulchandani said JAIC is working with all of the largest technology companies in Silicon Valley. “Name an AI vendor and we either have work going on with them, or they're involved in some way in some of the newer projects that we're doing,” he said. As the organization continues to work with industry, it is setting up initiatives to better take advantage of rapid acquisition, Mulchandani said. It currently has partnerships with a number of contracting vehicle organizations such as the General Services Administration, the Defense Innovation Unit and the Defense Information Systems Agency. Additionally, legislation is currently in front of Congress that could grant JAIC direct acquisition authority. “We obviously are very excited about that, [but] it's not done yet,” he said. “When the final vote happens and we do get it, we'll be very pleased and happy, and if we don't get it, well, we'll still be obviously continuing business with the partners that we have.” The center is also working on an acquisition effort called Project Tradewind which is a way for JAIC and the Defense Department writ large to better reach out to small companies, he said. Contract vehicles will be created that any organization across the department will be able to use to gain access to “teensy weensy, little companies that normally would hate to work with — or wouldn't know how to work with — the DoD,” Mulchandani said. “They can use Project Tradewind's acquisition frameworks to be able to interact with us in a very low overhead way.” During remarks at the Defense Department's Artificial Intelligence Symposium and Exposition, Secretary of Defense Mark Esper touted the work JAIC has done since its inception. “We have come a long way since establishing the JAIC two years ago,” he said. “Today, more than 200 talented civil service and military professionals work diligently to accelerate AI solutions and deliver these capabilities to the warfighter. From helping the Joint Force organize, fight and win at machine speed, to enhancing wildfire and flood responses through computer vision technology, the JAIC is utilizing every aspect of AI as a transformative instrument at home and abroad.” The center is lowering technical barriers to AI adoption by building a cloud-based platform to allow Defense Department components to test, validate and field capabilities with greater speed and at greater scale, he said. “The goal is to make AI tools and data accessible across the force, which will help synchronize projects and reduce redundancy, among many other benefits,” he said. JAIC is also working on ways to better train the Defense Department's acquisition workforce to buy AI products, Esper noted. The organization, in partnership with the Defense Acquisition University and the Naval Postgraduate School, was slated to launch an intensive six-week pilot course in October to train over 80 defense acquisition professionals of all ranks and grades. The trainees will learn how to apply AI and data science skills to operations, Esper said. The Defense Department plans to request additional funding from Congress for the services to grow the effort over time, he said. Dana Deasy, the Pentagon's chief information officer, noted JAIC's journey is still evolving. Meanwhile, the military is “generating positive momentum from our early days as AI pioneers toward a mature organization of AI practitioners,” he said. The center is now starting to deliver real AI solutions to the warfighter while leading the Defense Department in AI ethics and governance, he noted. Its budget is also growing. It went from $89 million in fiscal year 2019 to $268 million in fiscal year 2020, and the Pentagon plans to spend more than $1.6 billion over the next few years thanks to strong bipartisan support from Congress and Defense Department leadership, Deasy said. The organization is already generating early returns on investment in its mission initiatives, from predictive maintenance to business process transformation, Deasy noted. The center recently delivered an innovative engine health model predictive maintenance capability that is being utilized by Black Hawk helicopter maintainers from the U.S. Army's Special Operations Aviation Regiment, he said. Additionally, JAIC — via its business process transformation initiative — is delivering language-processing AI applications to the Washington Headquarters Service and the Pentagon's administrative and financial management teams, Deasy said. “These capabilities are automating the review of thousands of documents and memos for consistency, accuracy and compliance, thus increasing speed and efficiency while reducing manual, laborious processes,” he said. The center is also laying down the foundations for the Joint Common Foundation, an AI development environment that will broaden opportunities for developers across the Pentagon to build and deliver artificial intelligence capabilities in a secure DevSecOps infrastructure, he said. According to the General Services Administration, DevSecOps promotes a cohesive collaboration between development, security and operations teams as they work toward continuous integration and delivery of products. However, “while we develop and deliver these important near-term projects, we have to be ready for the contingencies of a changing and unpredictable operating environment,” Deasy said. “This is why I believe the true long-term success of the JAIC will depend on how the organization adapts and delivers real-world solutions when the strategic landscape and priorities change.” The organization is already proving it can adapt via its Project Salus effort — which is named after the Roman goddess of health and well-being — that has helped with the federal government's COVID-19 response, he said. “Working alongside a team of private industry partners, the JAIC developed a predictive-logistics AI dashboard platform for the U.S. Northern Command that enabled National Guard teams to assist states and municipalities with mitigating panic buying and managing supply chains,” he said. “That project went from concept to code in a matter of weeks. More importantly, it demonstrated the JAIC's ability to support the emergent needs of a combatant commander and deliver real AI solutions during a national emergency.” https://www.nationaldefensemagazine.org/articles/2020/11/3/joint-artificial-intelligence-center-keeps-branching-out