7 août 2023 | International, Terrestre

Italy signs nearly $1 billion deal to upgrade Ariete tanks

The government also inked a contract with Leonardo and Italian shipyard Fincantieri for the purchase of three offshore patrol vessels.

https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2023/08/04/italy-signs-nearly-1-billion-deal-to-upgrade-ariete-tanks/

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  • Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - May 15, 2020

    19 mai 2020 | International, Aérospatial, Naval, Terrestre, C4ISR, Sécurité

    Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - May 15, 2020

    DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY BAE Systems Controls Inc., Fort Wayne, Indiana, has been awarded a maximum $1,116,966,065 modification (P00014) exercising the five-year option period of a 10-year base contract (SPE4AX-15-D-94l4) with one five-year option period for consumable and depot-level repairables supporting multiple weapon systems platforms. This is a firm-fixed-price requirements prospective price redetermination contract. Locations of performance are Indiana, Texas, Arizona, California, New Jersey, New York and New Hampshire, with a March 22, 2025, performance completion date. Using customers are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Defense Logistics Agency and federal civilian agencies. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2025 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Richmond, Virginia. Labatt Food Service, San Antonio, Texas, has been awarded a maximum $78,373,493 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment, indefinite-quantity contract for full-line food distribution. This was a competitive acquisition with three responses received. This is a two-year base contract with one one-year option period and one two-year option period. Locations of performance are Texas and New Mexico, with a May 10, 2022, performance completion date. Using military services are Air Force, Army, Marine Corps and civilian federal agencies. Type of appropriation is fiscal year 2020 through 2022 defense working capital funds. The contracting agency is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE300-20-D-3250). AM General LLC, South Bend, Indiana, has been awarded a maximum $7,042,059 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for diesel cylinder heads. This is a three-year contract with no option periods. This was a sole-source acquisition using justification 10 U.S. Code 2304 (c)(1), as stated in Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. Location of performance is Indiana, with a May 15, 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-D-0097). AIR FORCE J Davis Construction Management Inc., Oxnard, California (FA8003-20-D-0008); Bishop Inc.,* Orange, California (FA8003-20-D-0009); SMNC Properties LLC, Saint Mary's, Alaska (FA8003-20-D-0011); BC Schmidt Construction Inc.,* Colusa, California (FA8003-20-D-0016); Pacific Federal-Pacific Tech JV 2, Longview, Washington (FA8003-20-D-0010); MIWOK Construction LLC, Las Vegas, Nevada (FA8003-20-D-0012); ENH LLC, Garden Grove, California (FA8003-20-D-0013); Heffler Contracting Group, El Cajon, California (FA8003-20-D-0014); Aleut Field Services LLC, Fairbanks, Alaska (FA8003-20-D-0015); Chatmon-VJR JV LLC, La Place, Louisiana (FA8003-20-D-0017); Good-Men Roofing and Construction Inc.,* San Diego, California (FA8003-20-D-0018); Prairie Band Construction Inc., Mayetta, Kansas (FA8003-20-D-0020); DKJR Roofing LLC,* Le Mars, Iowa (FA8003-20-D-0021); A-Vet Roofing & Construction LLC, Warner Robins, Georgia (FA8003-20-D-0019); PMR Services LLC, Watford City, North Dakota (FA8003-20-D-0022); RSSI Roofing Co.,* Essex, Maryland (FA8003-20-D-0028); Doliveira DJB JV LLC, Annapolis, Maryland (FA8003-20-D-0029); Kunj Construction Corp., Northvale, New Jersey (FA8003-20-D-0030); D.A. Nolt Inc.,* Berlin, New Jersey (FA8003-20-D-0023); Ocean Construction LLC, Marmora, New Jersey (FA8003-20-D-0024); Roofing Resources Inc.,* Kennett Square, Pennsylvania (FA8003-20-D-0025); Carroll's Roofing and Construction LLC, Arlington, Tennessee (FA8003-20-D-0026); Swan Contracting, Peterborough, New Hampshire (FA8003-20-D-0027); ACTS/Meltech JV1 LLC,* Virginia Beach, Virginia, (FA8003-20-D-0031); A-Vet Roofing & Construction LLC, Warner Robins, Georgia, (FA8003-20-D-0032); The Roof & Metal Co., El Paso, Texas (FA8003-20-D-0037); AR6-Cram Roofing JV,* New Braunfels, Texas (FA8003-20-D-0041); Brazos Roofing Intl of South Dakota,* Waco, Texas (FA8003-20-D-0042); CUE Enterprises Inc.,* Jacksonville, Florida (FA8003-20-D-0033); Carmen Express JV LLC,* McKinney, Texas (FA8003-20-D-0034); MIWOK Construction LLC, Las Vegas, Nevada (FA8003-20-D-0035); Platinum Roofing,* Sheridan, Arkansas (FA8003-20-D-0036); ENH LLC, Garden Grove, California (FA8003-20-D-0038); RYCARS Construction LLC,* Kenner, Louisiana (FA8003-20-D-0039); Good-Men Roofing and Construction Inc.,* San Diego, California (FA8003-20-D-0040); Topside Contracting LLC,* San Antonio, Texas (FA8003-20-D-0043); Heffler Contracting Group, El Cajon, California (FA8003-20-D-0044); PMR Services LLC, Watford City, North Dakota (FA8003-20-D-0045); Legacy JV Group LLC,* Warner Robins, Georgia (FA8003-20-D-0046); Advon Construction Corp.,* Tallahassee, Florida (FA8003-20-D-0048); Jordon Construction Co., Greenville, South Carolina (FA8003-20-D-0051); Best Value Management LLC,* Jacksonville, Florida (FA8003-20-D-0056); Associates Roofing & Construction Inc.,* Murrells Inlet, South Carolina ((FA8003-20-D-0057); Yerkes South-Advanced Roofing Inc., Crestview, Florida (FA8003-20-D-0060); Inland Construction and Engineering,* Panama City, Florida (FA8003-20-D-0067); Legacy JV Group LLC,* Warner Robins, Georgia (FA8003-20-D-0047); Carmen Express JV LLC,* McKinney, Texas (FA8003-20-D-0049); D.A. Nolt Inc.,* Berlin, New Jersey (FA8003-20-D-0050); Ocean Construction LLC, Marmora, New Jersey (FA8003-20-D-0052); Pacific Federal-Pacific Tech JV 1, Longview, Washington (FA8003-20-D-0053); Platinum Roofing,* Sheridan, Arkansas (FA8003-20-D-0054); Topside Contracting LLC,* San Antonio, Texas (FA8003-20-D-0055); Chatmon-VJR JV LLC, La Place, Louisiana (FA8003-20-D-0058); Ames1 DayNight JV, Anchorage, Alaska (FA8003-20-D-0059); ACTS/Meltech JV1 LLC,* Virginia Beach, Virginia (FA8003-20-D-0061); RYCARS Construction LLC,* Kenner, Louisiana (FA8003-20-D-0062); CYE Enterprises Inc.,* Jacksonville, Florida (FA8003-20-D-0063); Swan Contracting, Peterborough, New Hampshire (FA8003-20-D-0064); Roofing Resources Inc.,* Kennett Square, Pennsylvania (FA8003-20-D-0065); Carroll's Roofing and Construction LLC, Arlington, Tennessee (FA8003-20-D-0066); Consolidated Enterprises Inc.,* Anchorage, Alaska (FA8003-20-D-0002); Interior Alaska Roofing Inc.,* Fairbanks, Alaska (FA8003-20-D-0004); EP Roofing,* Anchorage, Alaska (FA8003-20-D-0003); Orion Construction Inc.,* Wasilla, Alaska (FA8003-20-D-0005); Aleut Field Services LLC, Fairbanks, Alaska (FA8003-20-D-0007); and Ames1 DayNight JV, Anchorage, Alaska (FA8003-20-D-0006), have been awarded a not-to-exceed $325,000,000 (all-inclusive/program wide) firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract to 43 contract holders with 66 contracts for roofing repair, replacement and maintenance. Work will be performed at various Air Force contiguous U.S. installations and installations in Alaska, with work expected to be completed by May 14, 2025. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition and 69 offers were received. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $66,000 ($1,000 to each contract) are being obligated at the time of award. The 771st Enterprise Sourcing Squadron, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity. PAE Aviation and Technical Services LLC, Arlington, Virginia, has been awarded a $157,990,274 firm-fixed-price and cost reimbursable contract for performance of the Eglin backshop maintenance services contract. This contract provides for support for repair, maintenance and modification of F-15, F-16, UH1N, C-130 and other required aircraft, including maintaining support equipment and providing crash recovery services. Work will be performed at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. The period of performance includes a 30-day transition period, a one-year base year with six one-year options and an option to extend services for six months. This award is the result of a full and open competitive acquisition and six offers were received. Fiscal 2020 research, test, development and evaluation funds in the amount of $7,098,853 are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Test Center, Eglin AFB, Florida, is the contracting activity (FA2486-20-C-0003). Vectrus Systems Corp., Colorado Springs, Colorado, has been awarded a $17,382,577 firm-fixed-price modification (A00072) to contract FA3002-17-C-0001 for base operations support services at Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi. Work will be performed at Keesler AFB and is expected to be completed May 31, 2021. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $17,365,577 are being obligated at the time of award. Total cumulative face value of the contract is $78,311,850. The 81st Contracting Squadron, Keesler AFB, Mississippi, is the contracting activity. Raytheon Missiles and Defense, Tucson, Arizona, has been awarded a $17,354,159 firm-fixed-price modification (P00024) to contract FA8675-18-C-0003 for the Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile program. This modification provides for procurement of two new final assembly test sets and upgrade of two existing final assembly test sets. Work will be performed in Tucson, Arizona, and is expected to be completed by May 31, 2023. This contract involves unclassified Foreign Military Sales (FMS) to Australia, Indonesia, Japan, Poland, Qatar, Spain and Romania. Fiscal 2019 missile procurement (Air Force) funds in the amount of $4,589,102; fiscal 2018 weapons procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $9,928,382; and FMS funds in the amount of $2,836,675 are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, is the contracting activity. NISQA'A TEK LLC, Chantilly, Virginia, has been awarded a $7,608,038 firm-fixed-price contract for information technology services. This contract provides for Cyber Operations for Base Resilient Architectures (COBRA) support. Work will be performed at various locations throughout Pacific Air Force bases and is expected to be completed by May 14, 2021. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $7,608,038 are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force District of Washington Contracting Office, Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, is the contracting activity (FA7014-20-C-0021). NAVY Alutiiq Logistics and Maintenance Services LLC,* Anchorage, Alaska, is awarded a $196,309,084 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for base operating support services at Naval Air Station China Lake, California. The maximum dollar value including the base period, seven option periods and a six-month option to extend services is $196,309,084. Work will be performed in China Lake, California, and provides for labor, supervision, management and materials (except those specified as government furnished) to perform various base operating support service functions. This includes operations support; supply services; facilities investment; custodial; pest control; refuse and recycling collection; grounds maintenance; street sweeping and snow removal; base support vehicle and equipment rental; and environmental services. Work is expected to be complete by December 2028. No funds will be obligated at time of contract award. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Navy); fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Marine Corps); fiscal 2020 working capital funds (Navy); and fiscal 2020 Defense Health Program contract funds in the amount of $17,237,567 will be obligated for recurring services on an individual task order during the base period. This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website with four proposals received. Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southwest, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity (N62473-20-D-0051). Mare Island Dry Dock LLC, Vallejo, California, is awarded a $33,532,308 firm-fixed-price contract for a 150-calendar day shipyard availability for the regular overhaul and dry-docking of U.S. Ship Emory S. Land (AS 39). Work will be performed in Vallejo, California, and is expected to be complete by January 2021. This contract includes a base period and three options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $36,228,717. Working capital funds (Navy) in the amount of $33,532,308 are obligated for fiscal 2020 and 2021, and will not expire at the end of the fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured with proposals solicited via the Government Point of Entry website and two offers received. The Naval Military Sealift Command, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N32205-18-C-4552). S&K Aerospace LLC,* St. Ignatius, Montana, is awarded a $30,844,497 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the repair, overhaul and upgrade of 361 commercial common items used on the P-8A Poseidon maritime aircraft. Work will be performed at various contractor supplier locations (85%); and Byron, Georgia (15%). Work is expected to be completed by May 2025. This contract includes a five-year base period with no options. Working capital (Navy) funds will be obligated as individual orders are issued and funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured with the solicitation posted to the Federal Business Opportunities website as an 8(a) small business set-aside requirement, and eight offers were received. The Naval Supply Systems Command Weapon Systems Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is the contracting activity (N00383-20-D-XE01). The Nutmeg Co. Inc.,* Norwich, Connecticut, is awarded a $27,029,098 firm-fixed-price design-bid-build contract for the repair of Submarine A School Bachelor Quarters Building (BQB) 488, Naval Submarine Base, New London, Connecticut. Work will be performed at New London, Connecticut, and provides for whole building repairs to BQB 488, construction of a new sidewalk on the north side of the building and site grading in the courtyard area to channel water away from the building foundation. Interior repairs include, but are not limited to, an upgrade of existing fire protection; interior finishes; electrical; elevators; heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems; plumbing and provide exterior enclosure repairs. Work is expected to be completed by November 2021. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $27,029,098 are obligated on this award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the beta.SAM website with seven proposals received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command Mid-Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N40085-20-C-0025). Huntington Ingalls Industries, Pascagoula, Mississippi, is awarded $16,931,540 for a not-to-exceed, undefinitized contract action for long-lead-time material in support of one Amphibious Assault Ship (General Purpose) Replacement (LHA(R)) Flight 1 ship (LHA 9). Work will be performed in Erie, Pennsylvania (47%); Tacoma, Washington (22%), Pascagoula, Mississippi (17%); Sheffield, United Kingdom (12%); and St. Louis, Missouri (2%), and provides the procurement of long-lead-time material for LHA 9, the fourth LHA(R), America class and the second LHA(R) Flight 1 variant. Work is expected to be complete by February 2024. Fiscal 2019 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) advance procurement funding in the amount of $16,931,540 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 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1) and only one responsible source with no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity (N00024-20-C-2437). General Dynamics Electric Boat, Groton, Connecticut, is awarded a $16,022,000 undefinitized contract action under previously awarded contract N00024-18-C-2101 to perform Large-Scale Vehicle (LSV) 2 system refurbishment. Work will be performed in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. General Dynamics Electric Boat will obtain vendor services from Leonard DRS Naval Power Systems to support LSV 2 refurbishment. Work is expected to be complete by February 2023. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount $4,000,000 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Supervisor of Shipbuilding Conversion and Repair, Groton, Connecticut, is the contracting activity. The Boeing Co., Huntington Beach, California, is awarded a $13,229,197 firm-fixed-price modification to previously awarded contract N00024-17-C-4108 to exercise options for hardware procurement for the AN/USQ-82(V) Program in support of DDG-51 class new construction, DDG-51 class modernization and Foreign Military Sales (FMS) cases. This contract combines purchases for the Navy (80%); and the governments of Japan (16%) and Australia (4%) under the FMS program. AN/USQ-82(V) Program is a control system network. Its purpose is to transfer mission critical data to and from users associated with combat, navigation, aviation, power, propulsion, steering, alarms and indicating, and damage control systems. Work will be performed in Smithfield, Pennsylvania, and is expected to be complete by August 2021. Fiscal 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2020 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy); 2020 other procurement (Navy); and FMS Japan and Australia funds in the amount of $13,229,197 will be obligated at the time of the award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity. Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems, Liverpool, New York, is awarded a $7,894,505 firm-fixed-price modification to previously awarded contract N00024-14-C-6227 to exercise an option for the procurement of Navy equipment. Work will be performed in Liverpool, New York, and is expected to be complete by October 2021. Fiscal 2020 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy); and 2020 other procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $7,894,505 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, D.C., is the contracting activity. Huang-Gaghan JV Two,* Alexandria, Virginia, is awarded a $7,624,432 firm-fixed-price task order (N40080-20-F-4623) under a multiple award construction contract for the replacement of the heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system at Building 1864, Naval Support Activity South Potomac, Naval Support Facility, Indian Head, Maryland. Work will be performed in Indian Head, Maryland, and will demolish the existing HVAC system at Building 1864 and provide a new HVAC system. Building 1864 is a single story laboratory of approximately 20,000 square feet that is used for the testing and evaluation of energetic material. Construction is primarily focused on airside equipment. Replacement equipment and systems includes replacement of three rooftop air handling units and associated distribution ductwork, three central exhaust systems, local exhaust systems, remote variable air volume (VAV) supply terminals with hot water reheat and associated air volume tracking exhaust VAV terminals, steam humidifiers, steam generator for humidification, direct digital controls and other miscellaneous items. A new water treatment plant shall be provided to treat water for building humidification. Support from other construction trades is required to perform the HVAC system replacement. Roof structure and closure shall be modified, fire-rated partitions and penetrations shall be provided and electrical power and grounding shall be provided along with other miscellaneous work. Work is expected to be complete by January 2022. Fiscal 2020 Navy working capital contract funds in the amount of $7,624,432 are obligated on this award and will expire at the end of fiscal year 2022. Four proposals were received for this task order. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity (N40080-19-D-0001). ARMY Palomar Display Products,* Carlsbad, California, was awarded an $89,237,780 firm-fixed-price contract for biocular image control units, assorted spares and engineering services and repairs. 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 May 14, 2027. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W909MY-20-D-0006). The Boeing Co., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was awarded a $28,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for advanced procurement of long lead helicopter parts. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will be performed in Ridley Park, Pennsylvania, with an estimated completion date of June 30, 2022. Fiscal 2020 aircraft procurement (Army) funds in the amount of $28,000,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity (W58RGZ-20-F-0380). Greenland Enterprises Inc., Hampton, Virginia, was awarded a $19,635,242 firm-fixed-price contract to repair a hot water line. Bids were solicited via the internet with two received. Work will be performed at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, with an estimated completion date of Jan. 15, 2022. Fiscal 2020 military construction funds in the amount of $19,635,242 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Louisville, Kentucky is the contracting activity (W912QR-20-C-0008). CORRECTION: The contract announced on April 30, 2020, to L3 Technologies Inc., Londonderry, New Hampshire (W56HZV-20-F-0308), for illuminator infrared parts, is actually being awarded today. The award is for $7,450,000, not $17,135,000 as previously announced. DEFENSE ADVANCED RESEARCH PROJECTS AGENCY Applied Physical Sciences Corp., Groton, Connecticut, has been awarded an $18,822,358 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for the base period of a research and development effort for undersea sensing systems. Work will be performed in Groton, Connecticut (60%); Woburn, Massachusetts (20%); Arlington, Virginia (7%); Pawcatuck, Connecticut (4%); Northridge, California (3%); Waltham, Massachusetts (3%); Orange, California (2%); and Concord, Massachusetts (1%), with an estimated completion date of October 2021. Fiscal 2020 research and development funds in the amount of $15,062,029 are being obligated at the time of award. This contract is the result of a competitive acquisition in accordance with original broad agency announcement HR0011-17-S-0034. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting activity (HR0011-20-C-0100). *Small business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2188998/source/GovDelivery/

  • Production of one of the F-35′s most anticipated bombs has been on hold for almost a year

    15 juin 2020 | International, Aérospatial

    Production of one of the F-35′s most anticipated bombs has been on hold for almost a year

    By: Valerie Insinna WASHINGTON — Deliveries of a new precision-guided bomb under development by Raytheon for the F-35 and other fighter jets have been at a standstill for about a year as the company struggles to correct a technical problem involving a key component. A fix for the issue, which brought production of the Small Diameter Bomb II to a halt in July 2019, could be approved by the government as soon as July, said Air Force spokesman Capt. Jake Bailey in response to questions by Defense News. However, a June report by the Government Accountability Office pointed out that continued technical issues have already caused a delay in fielding the munition, with Raytheon forced to redesign a key component and retrofit all 598 bombs already delivered to the Air Force and Navy. The Small Diameter Bomb II — also known as the GBU-53 StormBreaker — was designed with a tri-mode seeker that includes a millimeter wave radar, imaging infrared and semi-active laser that allow the weapon to engage targets in all weather conditions and environments where visibility is obscured by dust and debris. The Air Force and Navy plan to integrate SDB II with a range of fighter aircraft including the F-15, F/A-18 Super Hornet and F-35 joint strike fighter, but the munition has been mired in development for more than a decade. This latest stoppage in production was prompted by internal audits by Raytheon, which found that the clips used to hold the bomb's fins in place “suffered vibration fatigue over long flight hours,” Bailey said. The clips serve “as the backup fin storage device” used to keep the fins in place in case other components fail, noted Bailey, who added that there have been no incidents during tests involving the SDB II fins inadvertently deploying. However, the GAO wrote that the premature deployment of the fins, which help guide the bomb in flight, could damage the weapon as well as cause a safety hazard for the aircraft carrying it. “While this problem could affect all aircraft carrying the bomb, officials said the greatest impact is to the F-35, because the bomb is carried in the aircraft's internal weapons bay and could cause serious damage if the fins deploy while the bomb is in the bay,” the GAO stated. Raytheon declined to comment on this story, directing questions to the Air Force. Raytheon plans on mitigating the issue with a newly designed clip that reduces the vibration of the fins, and will completely pay for developing the fix and retrofitting it on the bombs that have already been delivered, the GAO said. The Air Force confirmed that testing of the new device has already been completed and is going through final reviews. But while Raytheon and the Air Force had hoped to restart production in April, travel restrictions caused by the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic contributed to further delays. The government now hopes to approve the fix in July, after which production will restart and the retrofit process for existing bombs will begin. “The fin clip failure is the sole reason production was partially halted; once final government approval is obtained, ‘all up round' production can resume,” Bailey said, using a phrase that describes a fully assembled weapon. The Air Force estimates that retrofits will be completed by August, as Raytheon's supplier has already begun manufacturing the replacement component, which are easily installed on the outside of the weapon. “Until production resumes, the total Lot 3 deliveries remain at 204 of the 312 assets on contract,” Bailey said. All this puts initial operational capability at least a year later than the service's original timeline, which predicted IOC would occur in September 2019. The Air Force declined to name a current estimate for when IOC would be achieved, but said it would happen after a separate milestone known as the “initial fielding decision,” which involves the approval of the head of Air Combat Command and is set for the third quarter of 2020. The issue with SDB II's fins is just one of several technical problems with which Raytheon is grappling. The program completed operational tests in 2019, but hardware and software changes are needed after 11 failures were reported. Two hardware fixes have already been put in place, and eight failures were related to software problems that will be addressed in future updates, the GAO said. The sole outstanding issue involves an anomaly with SDB II's guidance system. Fixing it could require Raytheon to redesign the component and conduct retrofits on all bombs already delivered, according to GAO. A review board of the problem is in the “final stages of analysis,” Bailey said. The Air Force and Raytheon plan to establish whether a replacement component is necessary no later than June 30. Although the weapon has not even been officially fielded, some components are already becoming obsolete. A Raytheon subcontractor that makes circuit cards used in the guidance system is expected to stop producing those components years sooner than anticipated. As a result, that the Defense Department may have to order all circuit cards needed for the program of record before December, according to the GAO. That timeline has now been extended to January 2022, “which provides ample time for program office action before the new deadline,” Bailey said. Despite the bomb's ongoing problems, Raytheon continues to rake in contracts for the program. In February, the Defense Department awarded a $15 million increase to a previous SDB II contract for additional technical support. In September, the company received a $200 million contract for lifecycle support during the bomb's engineering and manufacturing development phase. According to a Raytheon news release, the Navy recently completed the first guided release of SDB II from a F/A-18E/F Super Hornet. https://www.defensenews.com/air/2020/06/12/production-of-one-of-the-f-35s-most-anticipated-bombs-has-been-on-hold-for-almost-a-year

  • With billions planned in funding, the US Navy charts its unmanned future

    7 mai 2019 | International, Naval

    With billions planned in funding, the US Navy charts its unmanned future

    By: David B. Larter WASHINGTON — With the U.S. Navy poised to dive headlong into a future of robotic ships, the surface fleet is preparing to map out how best it can employ new unmanned sidekicks against potential adversaries Russia and China. At the Coronado, California, headquarters of the Navy's top surface warfare officer, the staff is cobbling together a plan stand up a development squadron to experiment with new technology for which the Navy has requested $2.7 billion for the next five years. “That's happening,” Vice Adm. Richard Brown, the head of naval surface forces in the Pacific, said in a recent interview. “We're going to have large [unmanned surface vessels], we're going to have medium-displacement USVs. I've got Sea Hunter running around. I've got no place to put those things. That was the impetus behind the development of the Surface Development Squadron.” The Sea Hunter is an unmanned vessel developed by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. The surface Navy is on the precipice of launching into a very different future than the Aegis fleet of the late 1970s, the 1980s and the post-Cold War era. It's a future that eschews the ballooning costs of packing evermore sophisticated strike, air defense, counter-electronic warfare, counter-surface and counter-submarine technologies into massive manned combatants that cost billions of dollars. The Navy wants to prepare for a future where off-board aerial, surface and subsurface drones with sophisticated sensors search for, detect and engage enemy combatants, submarines and aircraft with humans in the loop who are based on manned combatants that attempt to stay undetected. The problem is the Navy doesn't know how to do that or how it would introduce those technologies into a fleet that has for the most part fought the same way since the Cold War. “We've got to figure out command and control,” Brown said. “We've got to figure out the man, train and equip aspects — there's got to be an administrative commander in charge of them, got to be a guy who equips those things, got to be a guy who oversees the training of the people who interact with and use the USVs.” That is a tall order, and Brown and his staff are relying on the Surface Development Squadron, or SURFDEVRON, to figure it out. “Let's say I have a ship going over the horizon and it has three USVs it's operating with. I've got to have a ship that's manned and trained to operate those USVs, and that ship has to be equipped with the comms architecture, and I've got to make sure the USVs are manned, trained and equipped," Brown said. “Right now I don't even know what that looks like. We are going to experiment the hell out of it in the SURFDEVRON.” The development squadron, which mirrors similar efforts in the submarine and aviation communities, will also be responsible for developing the three new stealth destroyers, which the Navy sees as highly capable platforms that can be used to develop new concepts. Alongside the Zumwalt-class destroyers, the Navy plans to place the Sea Hunter under the auspices of SURFDEVRON, Brown said. Moving fast The development squadron aims to speed up the pace of experimentation in the fleet and empower the squadron's officers to integrate new technologies into naval platforms. This is crucial to the Navy's forthcoming “distributed maritime operations” concept meant to counter rising threats, primarily from China, in the vast expanse of the western Pacific. “The surface force has been key in the [distributed maritime operations] discussion because there is an incredible amount of firepower located on our ships,” Brown said. “But once you buy into a distributed maritime operations concept, you've got to experiment, you've got to work it out. And what better place to do that than the SURFDEVRON? ... You need platforms.” Providing the squadron with ships, such as the Zumwalt, the destroyer Michael Monsoor and the Sea Hunter, will allow ideas to flourish rather than die on the vine. “Someone has an idea for this new laser, it will take you two years to get the approval process,” Brown said. “Look at the laser we are trying to put on [the amphibious transport dock] Portland: We've been talking about that since I've been in this job. It's still not on there. “[With SURFDEVRON], I think we're talking about weeks to months — it's this idea of rapid acceleration of experimentation.” Too fast? The speed at which the Navy moved on efforts for unmanned surface vessels, as reflected in this year's budget proposal, raised questions about whether the technology pursued by the Navy is mature enough to be reliable in a fight. But with prototypes such as Sea Hunter already performing complicated tasks at sea, the state of technology is less a barrier that previous thought, said Bryan Clark, an analyst with the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments and a retired submarine officer. The Navy's goals for the first large USVs are limited, Clark said, and developing the platforms makes sense. “The state of technology, especially for unmanned surface vessels, I don't think that's the issue,” he said. “The technology is mature enough to support what the Navy wants to do with these vehicles, especially the initial set of missions because they are going to be done in concert with manned platforms. So you'll have the ability to have people manage them as opposed to being independent steamers.” The way the Navy pursues USVs makes sense as well, Clark said. The service wants to buy eight large USVs, each about 2,000 tons with the ability to autonomously navigate waters. The drones would be equipped with enough space, power and cooling to host a variety of different systems. The service also plans to develop a smaller, medium-sized USV. “Is this 2,000-ton large surface vessel the right vessel?” Clark asked. “And I think given the fact that it's more or less a hull or a truck — that's how the Navy is looking at it — there's less risk of buyer's remorse to say: ‘Well, I wish I'd designed it very differently.' Because if it's a truck and it's got at least the space and weight [and] cooling you need, you can pretty much cover any [concept of operations] you might envision for it.” Another question is whether the Navy can develop a reliable communications network as a way to link to distant unmanned vessels. One benefit of distributing sensors is that detectable electronic signals are a considerable distance from the manned platform, meaning that platform has the advantage of active radars but without exposing itself to adversaries armed with signal-sniffing equipment. In a distributed construct, the drones spread out across an area while the manned ship passively receives the data at a distance. But it's a challenge to accomplish that in environments where an adversary such as China or Russia actively jams communications signals. However, it's a challenge the Navy must address, said Bob Work, the former deputy secretary of defense who championed unmanned technologies under the Obama administration. “This is like carrier aviation in the interwar period,” Work said. “This is an integration problem with systems that ultimately are going to change the way the Navy fights and considers combat power. The first thing is to get things into the fleet to test them and say: ‘How do these things work together?' ” Work said the Navy's concept of operations currently under development doesn't need to be the final word, but he added it's imperative the Navy begin experimenting. “It's very rudimentary right now — the medium-displacement surface vessels are the sensor guys, and the large surface vessels are more missile magazines. Hell, I can see all kinds of permutations, but for the first time we actually have platforms that are in the program that are being procured and will form the basis for fleet problems on human-machine surface action groups, human-machine undersea combat groups. I'm very excited about the way this is going," he said. “Are these the final ones? No, they'll change. But first the Navy had to commit to unmanned surface vehicles. People say, ‘Well, they'll never be able to talk to each other,' or that ‘under admiralty law, unmanned vessels are considered hazards to navigation.' And I'm just thinking: ‘Will you just stop?' Start thinking about how you work through those problems.” https://www.defensenews.com/digital-show-dailies/navy-league/2019/05/06/with-billions-planned-in-funding-the-us-navy-charts-its-unmanned-future/

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