31 juillet 2020 | International, Aérospatial
by Jon Grevatt
The Japanese Ministry of Defense (MoD) has confirmed plans to continue the local production of Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter aircraft.
The move reverses a decision in late 2018 to cease local production at Japan's final assembly and checkout (FACO) facility in Nagoya and instead focus on the localised maintenance, repair, overhaul and upgrade (MRO&U) of F-35s. That move was previously prompted by the high cost of building the F-35s at the facility.
However, a spokesperson from the MoD told Janes that the new decision to continue building the aircraft at the Japanese FACO facility was influenced by the declining costs of producing the F-35 locally. Producing the aircraft locally, said the spokesperson, is now cheaper than importing the F-35 from the United States.
The spokesperson was speaking to Janes nearly three weeks after the United States government approved a potential USD23 billion deal to sell Japan an additional 105 F-35s.
This Foreign Military Sale means Japan will operate a total of 147 F-35s, becoming the second-largest operator of the aircraft in the world.
These aircraft will comprise 105 conventional take-off and landing (CTOL) F-35A aircraft and 42 units of the short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) F-35B.
The spokesperson said, “For the acquisition of F-35As in fiscal years (FY) 2019 and 2020... the Japanese MoD has decided to use domestic manufacturing at the FACO... It is confirmed that the unit cost of aircraft produced at the domestic FACO [facility] is less, compared to the unit cost of imported aircraft.”
https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/japan-commits-to-local-f-35-production
24 août 2022 | International, Terrestre
BAE Systems will build the Army's new Cold-Weather All-Terrain Vehicle, meant to replace aging vehicles as the service beefs up its Arctic focus.
2 septembre 2020 | International, Aérospatial, Naval, Terrestre, C4ISR, Sécurité, Autre défense
Andrew Eversden WASHINGTON — The Pentagon's top artificial intelligence office released a request for information Aug. 28 outlining interest in establishing a new acquisition approach for standardizing the development and procurement process for AI tools. According to the solicitation, the Joint Artificial Intelligence Center is “considering” starting a competition for a 501(c) nonprofit manager or managers of its prototype “Artificial Intelligence Acquisition Business Model” that looks to use other transaction authorities to more quickly purchase AI products. The JAIC's prototype business model could deliver “AI capabilities through meaningful market research/front-end collaboration and optimal teaming arrangements of both traditional and non-traditional companies for AI product procurement,” the RFI said. If the plan moves forward, the JAIC would also “explore the possibilities of using the model to enable agile AI acquisition processes to the DoD at scale.” The JAIC is the Defense Department's main hub for artificial intelligence and is responsible for increasing adoption of AI across the department. It works with the services and combatant commands to develop AI tools that have practical use. To meet the military's needs, the JAIC uses the traditional government contracting process, known as Federal Acquisition Regulation-based contracts, and works with the General Services Administration, the Defense Information Systems Agency and the Defense Innovation Unit. The traditional acquisition strategy currently being used is unlikely sufficient enough to help the JAIC carry out its mission, the RFI stated. “To scale this strategy to other DoD service requirements or respond to emergent requirements such as COVID-19 is challenging and may not be the most efficient use of acquisition tools,” the RFI read. “The JAIC will therefore prototype a new AI Acquisition Business Model to assess the potential for non-FAR-based contracts mixed with FAR-based contracts to meet JAIC requirements.” JAIC's goals are to streamline awards while maintaining flexibility between FAR and non-FAR awards, and to maximize competition while minimizing restrictions, the RFI explained. The JAIC recently awarded major contracts through DISA and GSA. In May, it awarded a five-year contract with an $800 million ceiling to Booz Allen Hamilton through the GSA for its new joint war-fighting national mission initiative, though JAIC officials have continuously noted that the value of the contract won't hit $800 million. https://www.c4isrnet.com/artificial-intelligence/2020/09/01/pentagons-central-ai-office-wants-to-standardize-its-acquisition-process/
30 novembre 2018 | International, Aérospatial, Naval, Terrestre, C4ISR, Sécurité
Par Nathalie Guibert Il a déjà remis une note d'étape à Emmanuel Macron, son rapport sera bouclé à la fin de l'année. Missionné par le président sur le sujet piégé de l'Europe de la défense, l'ancien secrétaire général pour la défense et la sécurité nationale, Louis Gautier (par ailleurs membre du conseil de surveillance du Monde), suggère des décisions fortes. Sa mission s'achèvera en février 2019 après des consultations diplomatiques pour tester les idées retenues par l'Elysée. « En parlant d'armée européenne, Emmanuel Macron permet d'incarner le projet pour nos concitoyens, de secouer la technostructure, de pousser à la clarification des choix, car le moment de vérité arrive pour les Européens », indique-t-il. Tout l'inverse des petits pas symbolisés par « l'initiative européenne d'intervention » avancée par le même Macron en septembre 2017, un concept dit « pragmatique » d'échange stratégique – hors des cadres formels dédiés de l'Union européenne –, sur lequel la ministre des armées, Florence Parly, travaille. M. Gautier considère ce projet comme un pis-aller à court terme, le résultat tangible minimum dans la période de crise politique que connaît l'Europe. « Beaucoup sont déçus par les résultats opérationnels de la défense européenne dans les administrations, aux affaires étrangères comme à la défense. Ils pensent que le militaire restera toujours du ressort national ou de l'OTAN, et que l'Europe ne servira qu'à financer les ... Article complet: https://www.lemonde.fr/international/article/2018/11/28/europe-de-la-defense-emmanuel-macron-attend-de-nouvelles-propositions_5389767_3210.html