14 juin 2018 | International, Aérospatial

La Belgique a survolé l'offre de Dassault pour le remplacement des F-16

L'offre française de partenariat stratégique n'a jamais été étudiée dans le détail. La version complète n'a d'ailleurs pas été déposée auprès des autorités du pays.

La proposition de partenariat stratégique mise sur la table par Paris pour le remplacement des F-16 n'a jusqu'ici pas été examinée en détail par la Belgique, dont les autorités ne sont même pas en possession de l'offre complète, a-t-on appris d'une source proche du dossier.

La France a décidé de ne pas participer à l'appel d'offres (Request for Government Proposal ou RfGP) lancé en mars 2017 par la Belgique pour l'achat de 34 chasseurs-bombardiers de nouvelle génération. S'engageant dans une autre voie, Paris a fait parvenir le 6 septembre 2017 au cabinet du ministre belge de la Défense, Steven Vandeput, une lettre proposant un "partenariat approfondi et structurant" fondé sur l'avion de combat Rafale. Une coopération allant bien au-delà de la seule fourniture d'avions de combat, selon les responsables français.

La proposition française est restée cantonnée au niveau du cabinet de la Défense.
Quelques éléments de cette offre ont filtré, principalement en ce qui concerne les retombées industrielles potentielles si la Belgique achète le Rafale. Des retours économiques que la France chiffre à 20 milliards d'euros sur 20 ans. Ensuite, plus rien! Du moins jusqu'au 15 mai dernier, lorsqu'une délégation de membres du cabinet de la ministre française des Armées, Florence Parly, s'est rendue à Bruxelles – pour la première fois en huit mois – dans le but d'expliciter auprès de leurs homologues belges l'offre française.

Mais la proposition n'a pas été réellement scrutée à la loupe ni examinée sous tous les angles, puisque le document complet, qui fait plus de 3.000 pages, n'a jamais été formellement déposé en Belgique. À l'exception de la Défense, aucun cabinet belge n'a été autorisé à recevoir des représentants de l'Hexagone, et encore moins à réceptionner le volumineux dossier. Que ce soit au niveau du Premier ministre ou des Affaires étrangères. Aucun contact, même informel, ne semble avoir eu lieu non plus avec le SPF Économie ou le cabinet qui le chapeaute. Bref, la proposition française – ou du moins son résumé – est restée cantonnée au niveau du cabinet de la Défense qui, de son côté il est vrai, était tenu de travailler dans le seul cadre de l'appel d'offres en l'absence de décision politique du gouvernement remettant cette procédure en cause.

Rien de nouveau?
Dans ces conditions, il n'est pas étonnant que ce même cabinet ait toujours jugé non pertinente l'offre française. Ou qu'il ait indiqué n'avoir "rien entendu de nouveau" lors de la visite des émissaires français il y a quelques semaines.

Que les experts militaires de l'équipe Accap, chargée d'évaluer les deux offres finales considérées comme juridiquement valables, n'aient pas pris en compte la proposition française, rien de plus normal. Pour rappel, les deux candidats qui ont remis des offres en bonne et due forme sont les Etats-Unis avec le F-35 Lightning II de Lockheed Martin et l'Eurofighter Typhoon du consortium européen éponyme. Le rapport de ces experts se trouve désormais sur le bureau de leur ministre, qui doit le transmettre au kern.

Par contre, que le contenu du partenariat français n'ait jamais été examiné de près à un autre niveau en l'absence de tout engagement, voilà qui a de quoi surprendre. D'abord parce qu'il contient visiblement des éléments intéressants, comme une éventuelle participation au programme de Système de combat aérien du futur (Scaf) franco-allemand, ou encore, selon nos informations, une période très courte (sur moins de trois ans) pour la livraison des 34 appareils, quel que soit le moment où le contrat serait signé.

Par ailleurs, le gouvernement belge serait bien avisé de garder plusieurs fers au feu. Parce que le résultat de l'appel d'offres risque de se heurter à des obstacles géopolitiques imprévus. Il ne va pas être très aisé en effet de justifier l'éventuelle acquisition d'appareils américains alors que l'administration Trump a déclaré une guerre commerciale au Vieux continent et que Paris et Berlin tentent de relancer l'Europe de la défense.

https://www.lecho.be/entreprises/defense-aeronautique/la-belgique-a-survole-l-offre-de-dassault-pour-le-remplacement-des-f-16/10021780.html

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  • DARPA Seeks Secure Microchip Supply Chain

    1 juin 2020 | International, C4ISR

    DARPA Seeks Secure Microchip Supply Chain

    "Once a chip is designed, adding security after the fact or making changes to address newly discovered threats is nearly impossible," explains a DARPA spokesperson. By THERESA HITCHENSon May 29, 2020 at 2:46 PM WASHINGTON: DARPA has launched a four-year project to find ways to design security features into microchips as they are being made to help ensure the future supply chain. While the name of the project is daunting — Automatic Implementation of Secure Silicon (AISS) — and the technical requirements are a serious challenge, the concept is pretty simple. “AISS aims to automate the process of incorporating security into chip designs, making it easier and potentially more cost effective for any organization with even a small design team (start-ups, mid-size companies, etc.) to build security measures into their designs,” a DARPA spokesperson told Breaking D today. “Overall, with AISS DARPA aims to bring greater automation to the chip design process to profoundly decrease the burden of including security measures,” the spokesperson said. The two winning teams, according to a May 27 DARPA press release, are: The two AISS research teams are: Synopsys, Arm, Boeing, Florida Institute for Cybersecurity Research at the University of Florida, Texas A&M University, UltraSoC, and the University of California, San Diego Northrop Grumman, IBM, University of Arkansas, and University of Florida “Research and development on the $75 million program was commenced two weeks ago and incremental capabilities are expected to roll out to the chip design community over the next four years,” the spokesperson said in an email. “Our hope is that many of the capabilities will start appearing as features in commercial design automation software before the program completion.” Digital integrated circuits are the engines that drive modern computers, and everyday digital devices such as smart phones. They are critical to the evolution of the Internet of Things (IoT). As such, they increasingly have become a key target of hacking by US adversaries and cyber criminals alike, DARPA explains. “Threats to IC chips are well known, and despite various measures designed to mitigate them, hardware developers have largely been slow to implement security solutions due to limited expertise, high cost and complexity,” the DARPA release says. “Further, when unsecure circuits are used in critical systems, the lack of embedded countermeasures exposes them to exploitation.” Indeed, the Department of Commerce on May 15 took another swipe at Chinese telecoms behemoth Huawei and tightened its earlier efforts to block it from exporting its semiconductors and products to the US and allies. The Trump administration alleges that Huawei's hardware and software, in particular that related to 5G wireless technology, are full of deliberate security holes in order to enable Chinese government spying. The ruling by Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security, which will take effect in September, seeks to prevent companies around the world from using American-made software and machinery develop chips for Huawei or its subsidiary firms. The problem for device-makers, particularly in the IoT world where the market is largely for commercial products (think smart refrigerators), is that fixing potential security holes often isn't seen as worth the time, effort and most importantly, money. “The inclusion of security also often requires certain trade-offs with the typical design objectives, such as size, performance, and power dissipation,” the DARPA spokesperson said. “For example, something like a sprinkler isn't likely to require the highest level of security protections. Investing in security mechanisms that take up a lot of space on the underlying chip, or significantly impact chip performance likely doesn't make sense based on the sprinkler's expected use and application.” And yet, that future IoT sprinkler also will be other IoT devices and computer networks in operation by an individual, a company or a facility, such as a weapons depot. Even more unfortunately, the spokesperson explained, “modern chip design methods are unforgiving – once a chip is designed, adding security after the fact or making changes to address newly discovered threats is nearly impossible.” Thus, the AISS program is aimed at spurring research into two areas that can address four types of microchip vulnerability, the release says: “side channel attacks, hardware Trojans, reverse engineering, and supply chain attacks, such as counterfeiting, recycling, re-marking, cloning, and over-production.” The first area of research will be focusing on “development of a ‘security engine' that combines the latest academic research and commercial technology into an upgradable platform that can be used to defend chips against attacks, and provide an infrastructure to manage these hardened chips as they progress through their lifecycle,” DARPA said. The second area, led by software specialists Synopsys, “involves integrating the security engine technology developed in the first research area into system-on-chip (SOC) platforms in a highly automated way,” the DARPA release said. The Synopsys team also will be working on how to integrate new security designs and manufacturing tools with currently available off-the-shelf products. Nicholas Paraskevopoulous, sector VP for emerging capabilities development at Northrop Grumman, said in a May 27 press release that the firm's “design tools will enable the development of secure and trusted integrated circuits with reduced costs.” Northrop Grumman is involved in the first AISS research area. Synopsis could not be reached for comment by press time. https://breakingdefense.com/2020/05/darpa-seeks-secure-microchip-supply-chain/

  • RAF Retiring Reaper In 2024, Paving Way For Protector

    30 juillet 2019 | International, Aérospatial

    RAF Retiring Reaper In 2024, Paving Way For Protector

    By Tony Osborne LONDON—Britain is planning to retire its General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aircraft systems in 2024 as the Royal Air Force transitions to its new Protector platform. Although Royal Air Force (RAF) officers have not detailed when the first of the new Protector aircraft will arrive, there will be a transition as crews retrain from Reaper onto Protector, with the Reaper complementing the Protector on operations, Wing Commander Judith Graham, the RAF's Protector Program Manager, told Aerospace DAILY at the Royal International Air Tattoo earlier this month. “Reaper is an extraordinarily valuable capability for the UK government, so we don't want there to be a capability gap,” Graham said. The plan for avoiding a capability gap between Reaper and Protector suggests that a significant number of Protectors will have entered service by the time the Reaper is retired. The UK currently has 10 MQ-9 Reapers that it purchased as an urgent operational requirement for operations in Afghanistan. Today, they operate over Iraq and Syria, but none are destined for use in UK airspace. Work also is underway to select the site for a new facility at RAF Waddington, UK, from which the Protector fleet and the UK's new E-7 Wedgetail airborne early warning aircraft will be operated. Graham said the facility needs “to be ready for Protector by the end of 2021,” suggesting that first Protector deliveries could take place in 2022. Britain plans to centralize its Protector operations from Waddington, resulting in the UK presence at Creech AFB, Nevada being scaled down. Because of the Protector's ability to self-deploy and perform autonomous landing and take-off, there also is a significantly reduced need for forward-based personnel to land the aircraft at forward-operating locations, further reducing the personnel burden. The UK currently is planning to buy 16 Protectors, a derivative of General Atomics' self-developed, certifiable SkyGuardian platform, which has been redesigned to pave the way for it to meet military airworthiness requirements. As a result, the aircraft now features an all-weather capability with an electro-expulsive de-icing system that blows the ice off the leading edges of the wings and Y-stabilizers. General Atomics also has increased the fatigue life and damage tolerance of the aircraft and produced flight-critical software certifiable to the DO-178 standard. British Protectors will be armed with the Raytheon Paveway IV laser-guided-bomb and MBDA Brimstone air-to-ground missile. There also are plans to fit it with Leonardo's Sage Electronic Support Measures system. The aircraft will also be equipped with General Atomics' Lynx synthetic aperture radar, but there are studies to look at installing a larger radar, such as Leonardo's Seaspray surface-search radar. Work on the integration of such a radar, which could allow the Protector to support the UK's new P-8 Poseidon in the maritime patrol role, is being scoped but is not yet funded. RAF officers are working alongside General Atomics at its San Diego, California, facility as part of a combined test team to pave the way for the platform's certification by the UK Military Aviation Authority, which the RAF hopes will allow the aircraft to fly in non-segregated airspace for training and support to national authorities. They are hoping to do this even without the immediate installation of General Atomics internally developed sense-and-avoid radar. The RAF's Protectors will be compatible, but not immediately equipped, with the active electronically scanned array radar, but Graham said work was underway with the UK's newly renamed Strategic Command (formerly Joint Forces Command) to understand the requirement for the radar, and test and evaluation work was underway. Officials state that the radar likely will be introduced as part of the full operational capability for the platform. The UK also will use the General Atomics Advanced Cockpit ground control station, which uses a similar flight management system to the Beechcraft King Air 350. Under current plans, the British Protectors will be flown by a crew of three—a pilot, a sensor operator and a mission intelligence coordinator. Rather than flying the aircraft from inside transportable containers, the seven ground control stations will occupy a permanent building with room for expansion. There also will be scope to add an additional mission specialist, should a particular mission require it, officials say. https://aviationweek.com/defense/raf-retiring-reaper-2024-paving-way-protector

  • Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - December 12, 2019

    13 décembre 2019 | International, Aérospatial, Naval, Terrestre, C4ISR, Sécurité

    Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - December 12, 2019

    NAVY Ameresco Select Inc., Framingham, Massachusetts, is awarded a firm-fixed-price task order (N39430-19-F-9901) at $402,833,556, under a multiple award indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for energy conservation measures at Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Portsmouth, Virginia. The work to be performed provides for the construction, operations and maintenance of energy conservations to improve energy efficiency and reliability, which include steam distribution upgrades to decrease steam energy loss, energy security upgrades for energy related process improvements, replacement of transformers to improve equipment reliability and water treatment plant improvements to reduce operational and safety risks. Work will be performed at Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Portsmouth, Virginia, and is expected to be completed by January 2043. No funds will be obligated with this award as private financing obtained by the contractor, will be used for the 36-month construction (i.e. implementation) phase of the project. Two proposals were received for this task order. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command Engineering and Expeditionary Warfare Center, Port Hueneme, California, is the contracting activity for the task order. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy, Golden, Colorado, is the contracting activity for the basic contract (DE-AM36-09GO29029). Lightforce USA Inc., doing business as Nightforce Optics,* Orofino, Idaho, is awarded a $53,735,930 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract with a five-year ordering period for Precision-Variable Power Scopes (P-VPS). This procurement is for the P-VPS Standard and the P-VPS Standard, Long Range. The P-VPS is a precision direct view optic with continuously variable magnification ranging from 3x to less than or equal to 7x and greater than or equal to 25x continuous zoom for U.S. Special Operations Command. Work will be performed in Orofino, Idaho, and is expected to be complete by December 2024. Fiscal 2020 defense procurement funding in the amount of $2,351,124 will be obligated at the time of award and will expire at the end of the current continuing resolution period. This contract was competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities website with two offers received. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division, Crane, Indiana, is the contracting activity (N00164-20-D-JQ57). Orion Construction Corp.,* Vista, California, is awarded a $32,363,000 firm-fixed-price contract for the construction of potable water distribution improvements at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California. The work to be performed provides for the construction of potable water supply pipelines to transport potable water from the 24 Area to the 20 Area potable water storage tanks on Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton. This project provides necessary waterline valves, appurtenances and tie-ins to meet operational needs of the Southern Water System and meet applicable standards and codes. The contract also contains one unexercised deductive option, which, if exercised, would decrease cumulative contract value to $30,893,000. Work will be performed in Oceanside, California, and is expected to be completed by May 2022. Fiscal 2019 military construction, (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $32,363,000 are obligated on this award and the funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website with two proposals received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southwest, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity (N62473-20-C-0612). Jacobs Technology Inc., Tullahoma, Tennessee, is awarded a $30,429,224 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity modification for the exercise of Option One to extend services for base operations support services at Naval Station Mayport, Marine Corps Support Facility, Blount Island, and outlying areas. The work to be performed provides for base operations support services to include port operations, facility investment, custodial, pest control, integrated solid waste management, other (swimming pools), grounds maintenance and landscaping, utilities management, electrical, wastewater, steam, water, base support vehicles and equipment and environmental. After award of this option, the total cumulative contract value will be $61,139,761. Work will be performed in Jacksonville, Florida, Naval Station Mayport (62%); Blount Island (37%); and outlying areas (1%). This option period is from January 2020 to December 2020. No funds will be obligated at time of award. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Navy) (O&M,N); fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Marine Corps); fiscal 2020 Navy working capital funds; and fiscal 2020 family housing O&M,N contract funds in the amount of $24,895,628 for recurring work will be obligated on individual task orders issued during the option period. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southeast, Jacksonville, Florida, is the contracting activity (N69450-18-D-1800). VLJM LLC,* Fullerton, California, is awarded a maximum $25,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for paving construction alterations, renovations and repair projects at Naval Bases Ventura County, Port Hueneme, California. Projects will be primarily design-bid-build (fully designed) task orders or task order with minimal design effort (e.g. shop drawings). Projects may include, but are not limited to, alterations, repairs and construction of road paving projects. Work will be performed in Port Hueneme (50%); and Point Mugu (50%), California. The term of the contract is not to exceed 60 months with an expected completion date of December 2024. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Navy) (O&M,N) contract funds in the amount of $5,000 are obligated on this award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Future task orders will be primarily funded by O&M,N. This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website with three proposals received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southwest, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity (N62473-20-D-0014). Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is awarded an $18,055,674 modification (P00055) to a previously awarded cost-plus-incentive-fee contract (N00019-16-C-0004). This modification provides for the maintenance and operation of the Australia, Canada, United Kingdom Reprogramming Laboratory (ACURL). This effort includes sustainment support for all ACURL systems to include consumables for the F-35 aircraft in support of the governments of Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom. Work will be performed in Eglin, Florida, and is expected to be completed in February 2021. Non-U.S. Department of Defense participant funds in the amount of $18,055,674 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. Northrop Grumman, Charlottesville, Virginia, is awarded a $16,055,006 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ), cost-plus-fixed-fee and firm-fixed-price delivery order for engineering and technical services for the design, development, testing, integration and system support of the AN/BPS-16(V)5 radar system. The work will be performed in Charlottesville, Virginia, and is expected to be completed by December 2020. The IDIQ ordering vehicle includes options, which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $83,253,974 and expire in December 2024. Fiscal 2013 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funding in the amount of $410,000 will be obligated at time of award and will expire on Aug. 30, 2020. Fiscal 2019 other procurement (Navy) funding in the amount of $300,000 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 under the authority of 10 U.S Code 2304(c)(1), as implemented by Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1(a)(2)(ii), only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington Navy Yard, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity (N00024-20-D-6203). Zero Waste Solutions Inc.,* Concord, California, is awarded a maximum $14,288,305 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity firm-fixed-price contract for integrated solid waste management services at various Navy and Marine Corps installations within the San Diego metropolitan area, as well as three outlying naval training installations in the San Diego County area. The work to be performed provides for labor, supervision, management and materials (except those specified as government furnished), to perform various integrated solid waste management service functions as follows: refuse and recycling collection and disposal services. Initial task order is being awarded at $371,768 for integrated solid waste management services at Naval Base San Diego (45%); Marine Corps Air Station Miramar (24.2%); Naval Base Point Loma (23.7%); Marine Corps Recruit Depot (5.8%); Camp Michael Monsoor (0.6%); Remote Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape Camp Warner Springs (0.4%); and Camp Morena, California (0.3%). Work for this task order is expected to be completed by December 2020. The term of the contract is not to exceed 60 months with an expected completion date of December 2024. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance, Navy (O&M,N); operations and maintenance, Defense Health Program (O&M, DHP); and Navy working capital (NWC) contract funds in the amount of $371,768 are obligated on this award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Future task orders will be primarily funded by O&M,N; O&M, DHP; and NWC contract funds. This contract was competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities website with four proposals received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southwest, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity (N62473-20-D-0015). DMR Consulting Inc.,* Panama City Beach, Florida, is awarded an $8,991,202 firm-fixed-price modification to previously awarded contract N61331-19-D-0002 to exercise the option for the depot level repair, overhaul and modification for the MK-105 Magnetic Minesweeping Gear. This option exercise is for depot level repair and maintenance of the MK105 Magnetic Minesweeping Gear. The MK105 Magnetic Influence Minesweeping System, better known as the "sled," is a high-speed catamaran hydrofoil platform, which is towed behind the MH-53E helicopter and is used to sweep magnetic influence mines. Work will be performed in Panama City, Florida, and is expected to be completed by December 2020. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Panama City Division, Panama City, Florida, is the contracting activity. ARMY HDR Architecture Inc., Seattle, Washington, was awarded a $25,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for architectural and engineering. One bid was solicited with five bids received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 11, 2024. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Portland, Oregon, is the contracting activity (W9127N-20-D-0001). Weeks Marine Inc., Covington, Louisiana, was awarded a $13,071,000 firm-fixed-price contract for maintenance dredging. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will be performed in Plaquemines, Louisiana, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 31, 2020. Fiscal 2020 Recovery Act; civil works and operation and maintenance funds in the amount of $13,071,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans, Louisiana, is the contracting activity (W912P8-20-C-0007). AIR FORCE The Boeing Co., Seattle, Washington, has been awarded a $12,011,819 firm-fixed-price contract modification (P00047) to previously-awarded contract FA8625-16-C-6599 for the incorporation of two engine Airworthiness Directives (ADs) and 29 engine service bulletins (SBs) on the program's eight Genx-2B engines. This contract modification will allow for VC-25B operational benefits and cost efficiencies with the work being performed concurrently with the VC-25B-specific modifications to the program's 747-8 aircraft engines under the engineering and manufacturing development activity. This contract modification will allow for the avoidance of increased costs and operational capability interruptions to the presidential aircraft by allowing for the incorporation of the ADs and SBs prior to final delivery of the VC-25B aircraft. Work will be performed at San Antonio, Texas; and Peebles, Ohio, and is expected to be completed by November 2021. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Fiscal 2019 research and development funds in the amount of $7,831,032 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. *Small Business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2039244/source/GovDelivery/

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