20 juillet 2020 | International, Aérospatial, Naval, Terrestre

Lord hopes to loosen weapon export restrictions in next six months

By:

WASHINGTON — The Pentagon's top weapons acquisition official on Thursday called for another review of what defense technology is export-restricted, in an attempt to ensure the United States remains a defense technology provider of choice for other nations.

Speaking at an event hosted by the Reagan Foundation, Ellen Lord said she has in recent months become “passionate” about revisiting export controls.

“In the next six months, I very much hope to open the envelope, particularly on some of the weapons technology that we can export,” Lord said.

“I am concerned that sometimes we are losing international competitions, because we have — as we have increased our capability, we have not increased the capabilities that we export in a commensurate fashion,” she added. “And we sometimes are having some of our potential customers, typically in the Mideast turn to Russia or China — you see the same thing in India, for instance.”

Export control reform is hardly a new issue. In 2018, the Trump administration unveiled new defense export policies that it said should increase sales of U.S. weapons abroad; during the rollout, officials used some of the same phrasing about the need to think “strategically” as Lord did on Thursday.

And in a process that started under the Obama administration and continued into the Trump administration, the U.S. State Department reviewed the 21 categories on the U.S. Munitions List, moving thousands of pieces of technology into categories that allow for straight commercial sales without a government review.

Many of those technologies that were reviewed are systems that are no longer unique to America, or are so prevalent in commercial systems that to restrict them would be to harm broad swathes of American industry. But Lord's comments indicated that she feels not enough has been done in the realm of making it easier to export defense items.

“We are having a very focused discussion on: Let's rethink this from a strategic point of view” she said. “A lot of this technology — frankly, the magic sauce is in the manufacturing of it, the technical data package doesn't always give it to you. So obviously we have to make sure we're very careful not to have things that could be disassembled and understood and so forth.”

Lord also noted a desire to “beef up” the National Technology and Industrial Base, or NTIB, which currently covers Canada, the United Kingdom and Australia. Countries in the NTIB are considered part of the American defense industrial base, making it easier to collaborate on materiel.

The U.S. remains the largest arms exporter in the world. Per data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, America represented about 35 percent of all arms exports from 2015-2019; Russia, at 18 percent, was a distant second.

https://www.defensenews.com/industry/2020/07/16/lord-hopes-to-loosen-weapon-export-restrictions-in-next-six-months/

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  • Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - March 7, 2019

    12 mars 2019 | International, Aérospatial, Naval, Terrestre, C4ISR, Sécurité, Autre défense

    Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - March 7, 2019

    DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Tactical & Survival Specialties,* Harrisonburg, Virginia (SPE8EJ-19-D-0001); W.S. Darley & Co.,* Itasca, Illinois (SPE8EJ-19-D-0002); Atlantic Diving Supply Inc.,* doing business as ADS, Virginia Beach, Virginia (SPE8EJ-19-D-0003); Federal Resources Supply Co.,* Stevensville, Maryland (SPE8EJ-19-D-0004); Unifire Inc.,* Spokane, Washington (SPE8EJ-19-D-0005); and Quantico Tactical,* Aberdeen, North Carolina (SPE8EJ-19-D-0006), are sharing a maximum $4,000,000,000 bridge contract under solicitation SPM8EJ-13-R-0001 for special operations equipment. These are firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, 365-day bridge contracts. These were sole-source acquisitions using justification 10 U.S. Code 2304 (c)(1), as stated in Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. Locations of performance are Virginia, Illinois, Maryland, Washington and North Carolina, with a March 6, 2020, performance completion date. Using military services are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NAVY Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems, Northridge, California, is awarded a $322,504,595 cost-plus-incentive-fee contract to provide for the engineering and manufacturing development (EMD) of the AGM-88G, Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile – Extended Range (AARGM-ER). The EMD effort includes the design, integration and test of a new solid rocket motor for the AARGM-ER for use on the F/A-18E/F, EA-18G and F-35A/C aircraft platforms. Work will be performed in Northridge, California (98 percent); and Ridgecrest, California (2 percent), and is expected to be completed in December 2023. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $55,087,929 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N00019-19-C-0050). Harris Corp., Clifton, New Jersey, is being awarded $43,263,695 for modification P00013 to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (N00019-17-C-0090). This modification is for the procurement of additional full-rate production Lot 16 Integrated Defensive Electronic Countermeasures AN/ALQ-214 A(V)4/5 Onboard Jammer systems for the F/A-18 E/F aircraft for the government of Kuwait under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program. Work will be performed in Clifton, New Jersey (59 percent); San Jose, California (14 percent); San Diego, California (7 percent); Rancho Cordova, California (5 percent), Mountain View, California (3 percent); and various locations throughout the continental U.S. (12 percent), and is expected to be completed in August 2022. FMS funds in the amount of $43,263,695 are being obligated at time of award, none of which expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. Lockheed Martin Corp., Owego, New York, is awarded a $23,882,121 cost-plus-fixed-fee, cost-reimbursable indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. This contract provides engineering, logistics, tooling management support and technical data services for sustainment, operation, maintenance, and training in support of all domestic and foreign H-60 variants. Work will be performed at Owego, New York (55 percent); and Stratford, Connecticut (45 percent), and is expected to be completed in March 2024. No funds will be obligated at the time of award. Funds will be obligated on individual orders as they are issued. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N00019-19-D-0001). Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems, Manassas, Virginia, was awarded a $20,889,135 cost-plus-incentive-fee, cost-only modification to previously-awarded contract N00024-18-C-5218 to exercise an option and provide incremental funding in support of the continued development, integration and production of the Navy's AN/SQQ-89A(V)15 Surface Ship Undersea Warfare System. The AN/SQQ-89A(V)15 is the Surface Ship Undersea Warfare combat system, with the capability to search, detect, classify, localize and track undersea contacts, and to engage and evade submarines, mine-like small objects and torpedo threats. The contract is for development, integration and production of future advanced capability build and technical insertion baselines. Work will be performed in Manassas, Virginia (83 percent); Lemont Furnace, Pennsylvania (10 percent); Syracuse, New York (6 percent); and Hauppauge, New York (1 percent), and is expected to be completed by March 2020. Fiscal 2014, 2016, 2018 and 2019 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy); fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy); and foreign military sales (Australia) funding in the amount of $20,889,135 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, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. (Awarded March 6, 2019) Gravois Aluminum Boats LLC, doing business as Metal Shark,* Jeanerette, Louisiana, is awarded a $20,628,477 delivery order to previously awarded, indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity, firm-fixed price contract N00024-17-D-2209 for 12, 40-foot patrol boats, complete with basic boat equipment, shipping, long term preservation, boat familiarization, and crew original equipment manufacturer and waterjet training. Work under this delivery order will be performed in Jeanerette, Louisiana, and is expected to be complete by August 2022. Fiscal 2019 other procurement (Navy) (Overseas Contingency Operations); and fiscal 2019 other procurement (Navy) funding in the amount of $20,628,477 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, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. B.L. Harbert, Birmingham, Alabama, is awarded a $20,599,777 firm-fixed-price contract for construction of a combat vehicle warehouse at Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany, Georgia. The work to be performed provides a dehumidified warehouse for the storage of ground weapon system principal end items and associated collateral material. The structure will have a low profile sloped roof to minimize the volume of interior space to be dehumidified. The structure will be supported on a shallow foundation with a reinforced concrete slab on grade. Work will be performed in Albany, Georgia, and is expected to be completed by May 2021. Fiscal 2018 military construction (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $20,599,777 are obligated on this award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website, with three proposals received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Mid-Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N40085-19-C-9126). G-W Management Services LLC,* Rockville, Maryland, is awarded a $19,754,000 firm-fixed-price contract for the improvement of Fuller Road at Marine Corps Base Quantico. The work includes the reconstruction, widening and minor realignment of existing Fuller Road from each of U.S. Route 1 to Mason Drive, and new entry control facility/access control point with entrance security building(s). The security facilities include new gate house, two sentry houses, inspection shelters, a canopy structure, and personnel weather shelters. The work includes: forest clearing, demolition and removals, grading, retaining walls, utility relocations, site utilities (storm drain, sanitary sewer, telecom, and power), buildings structures, vehicle inspection canopy, active vehicle barrier, and incidental related work. Work will be performed in Quantico, Virginia, and is expected to be completed by November 2020. Fiscal 2018 military construction (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $19,754,000 are obligated on this award and will expire on March 8, 2019. This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website with five proposals received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Washington, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity (N40080-19-C-0010). ARMY Accurate Energetic Systems LLC,* McEwen, Tennessee (W52P1J-19-D-0028); and Spectra Technologies LLC,* East Camden, Arkansas (W52P1J-19-D-0029), will compete for each order of the $45,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for Trinitrotoluene and plastic bonded explosive N-9. Bids were solicited via the internet with four received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of March 6, 2024. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois, is the contracting activity. Tribalco LLC,* Bethesda, Maryland, was awarded a $12,043,813 modification (P00010) to contract W912DY-16-D-0021 for radio systems and services. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of March 12, 2020. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Huntsville, Alabama, is the contracting activity. Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Co., Oak Brook, Illinois, was awarded a $10,610,812 modification (P00016) to contract W912BU-15-C-0054 for dredging and rock removal. Work will be performed in Chester, Pennsylvania, with an estimated completion date of March 15, 2019. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance Army funds in the amount of $10,610,812 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is the contracting activity. UNIFORMED SERVICES UNIVERSITY OF THE HEALTH SCIENCES Angayut LLC, Arlington, Virginia, has been awarded a firm-fixed-price, indefinite-quantity/indefinite-delivery contract (HU000119D0001) with a minimum award amount of $100,000 and a maximum ceiling/face value of $20,000,000 for professional, scientific, and administrative support services. Performance will occur in Bethesda, Maryland; and San Antonio, Texas, from March 5, 2019, to March 4, 2024. The contract does not include options. Angayut is an 8(a) Alaskan Native Corporation in the SBA's 8(a) Business Development Program. Operations and maintenance funds will be applied at the task order level. In accordance with Section 8(a) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S. Code 637(a)(1)) and the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 19.8, and the executed partnership agreement between the Small Business Administration (SBA) and the Department of Defense. Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland, is the contracting activity. (Awarded March 5, 2019) DEFENSE HEALTH AGENCY QBase LLC, Reston, Virginia (HT0015-19-F-0036), was awarded a firm-fixed-price $7,546,347 contract for non-personal information technology (IT) services in support of the Defense Health Agency (DHA), Health Information Technology (HIT), Infrastructure and Operations Division (I&O), Enterprise Systems Branch. These support services include virtual and physical server administration; database administration; IT system patching and mitigation of system vulnerabilities; application deployment, data at rest; technical writing; security scanning; Tiers 2 and 3 system administration services; operating system deployments; backup and storage services; and network and application vulnerability scanning. The award was made as a small business competitive solicitation in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation 8.405, using General Services Administration eBuy Schedule 70, Special Item Number 132-56. Seventeen quotes were received in response to the solicitation. The contractor place of performance is Falls Church, Virginia. The contract provides for four option periods, if exercised. This contract is funded with fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance appropriations in the amount of $7,546,347. The Defense Health Agency, Contracting Office – Health Information Technology, San Antonio, Texas, is the contracting activity. (Awarded Feb. 28, 2019) AIR FORCE CORRECTION: A $48,444,066 contract announced on March 6, 2019, for Assured Information Security Inc.,* Rome, New York (FA8750-19-C-0013), for full spectrum cyber capabilities was actually awarded today. All other information in the March 6, 2019, announcement is correct. *Small business https://dod.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/1779133/

  • BAE Systems receives $500 million contract to provide new turret for Netherlands’ CV90s

    15 janvier 2021 | International, Terrestre

    BAE Systems receives $500 million contract to provide new turret for Netherlands’ CV90s

    January 14, 2021 - BAE Systems will provide the Royal Netherlands Army with a new turret for 122 CV90s as part of an extensive mid-life upgrade program. BAE Systems has signed an extensive mid-life upgrade contract worth more than $500 million with the Dutch Defence Materiel Organization (DMO) for the Royal Netherlands Army's fleet of 122 CV90s, with an option for an additional 19 vehicles. The upgrade program with a new turret will vastly improve the vehicle's capabilities while providing crews with improved protection and ergonomics for increased combat efficiency. The new CV90 turret, developed by BAE Systems Hägglunds in Örnsköldsvik, Sweden, represents a leap forward in design and functionality. The main weapon position is changed to provide even better vehicle balance and enable new ways to introduce a variety of weaponry for increased lethality. It also offers significant ergonomic improvements to benefit the vehicle's crew. The enhanced turret design is built on years of combat-proven experience, continuous vehicle improvements, and data analysis from the CV90 User Club – the seven nations currently operating CV90 fleets. The improvements are also based on a recent study conducted by the Royal Netherlands Army, and a BAE Systems' analysis of cognitive load on Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV) crews to address man-machine interaction. The result gives crews increased advantages, such as the ability to choose intuitive and effective modes of operation as well as shorten the time to detection, identification, decision-making, and engagement. “This is an important step to make sure that our Infantry Fighting Vehicles and our Army are well prepared for many years to come. This mid-life upgrade will also result in a lowering of the vehicles lifetime cost, at the same time as keeping our soldiers safe in the face of new threats,” said Colonel Norbert Moerkens, the Royal Netherlands Army's head of strategy and plans. Work is already underway to equip the Dutch CV9035 vehicles with several enhanced capabilities such as an Active Protection System (APS) and Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM), as well as a new Electro-Optic Aiming System (EOPS) which gives additional situation awareness. The latest upgrade also includes future-proofing the electronics by upgrading to the fourth generation digital backbone, with embedded and more robust cybersecurity. “We are committed to delivering the most modern and adaptable IFVs to meet our customers' requirements and are extremely proud of the technological developments underway as part of this significant mid-life upgrade program,” said Tommy Gustafsson-Rask, managing director of BAE Systems Hägglunds. “We look forward to supporting our Dutch customer increase its combat efficiency on the future battlefield.” More than 20 Dutch companies are involved in the supply chain for the mid-life upgrade program to include mechanical and electrical components to BAE Systems Hägglunds and the main subsystem suppliers, which will support the Dutch defense industrial base for many years to come. There are about 1,300 CV90s of numerous variants in service with Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, and the Netherlands. The vehicle has a combat-proven track record and is designed to accommodate future growth to meet evolving missions. Contact Ola Thorén Director, Communications Platforms & Services BAE Systems Hägglunds Office: +46 660 80506 Mobile: +46 708 335000 Contact Rebecca Surtees Head of International Communications Platforms & Services Platforms & Services +44 (0) 7825 948274 View source version on BAE Systems: https://www.baesystems.com/en/article/bae-systems-receives-contract-to-provide-new-turret-for-netherlands-cv90s

  • Guerre électronique : Le ministère des Armées lance la réalisation du programme ARCHANGE

    25 novembre 2019 | International, Aérospatial

    Guerre électronique : Le ministère des Armées lance la réalisation du programme ARCHANGE

    PAR LAURENT LAGNEAU En février 2018, la ministre des Armées, Florence Parly, avait annoncé le lancement du programme « CUGE » pour « Capacité universelle de guerre électronique », destiné à remplacer les deux avions C-160 Gabriel actuellement en service au sein de l'Escadron électronique aéroporté 00.054 « Dunkerque ». Il était question d'équiper non pas deux mais trois avions avec cette nouvelle charge de guerre électronique. La seule indication donnée était qu'ils appartiendraient à la gamme « Falcon » de Dassault Aviation. Il fallut attendre le dernier salon de l'aéronautique et de l'espace du Bourget pour apprendre qu'il s'agirait de trois Falcon 8X, capables de franchir la distance de 6.450 nautiques [11.945 km] et de voler à la vitesse maximale de Mach 0,9 à l'altitude de 51.000 pieds [15.545 m]. Le tout en étant 30% plus « éco-efficient » que les autres appareils de mpeme catégorie. Restait alors à lancer le développement et l'acquisition de ces trois Falcon 8X adaptés à recevoir cette capacité universelle de guerre électronique. Ce qui vient d'être fait, à l'issue d'un comité ministériel d'investissement réuni le 18 novembre. « Le renseignement est indispensable à nos opérations militaires. Fruit de 10 ans d'études, le programme ARCHANGE équipera l'armée de l'air dès 2025. Sa mission : la guerre électronique, soit l'interception d'émissions radio et radar », a commenté Mme Parly, via Twitter. Pour rappel, ARCHANGE signifie « Avions de Renseignement à CHArge utile de Nouvelle GEnération. » « Résultat de dix années d'études sur des technologies de pointe, l'ensemble des capteurs constituant la charge utile sera développé par Thales. Cette charge utile, basée sur des technologies innovantes [antennes multi-polarisation, intelligence artificielle pour améliorer les traitements automatiques], permettra de détecter et d'analyser les signaux radar et de communication gr'ce à des capteurs intégrés sur un avion d'affaire Falcon 8X construit par Dassault Aviation », a expliqué le ministère des Armées. Outre la livraison des trois Falcon 8X « ARCHANGE », il est prévu de mettre en place une plateforme d'entraînement pour leurs futurs équipages sur la base aérienne d'Évreux. « Les systèmes ARCHANGE accroîtront significativement les capacités de renseignement électromagnétique aéroporté français et contribueront à l'effort particulier sur la fonction stratégique ‘connaissance et anticipation', gage de l'autonomie de décision de la France et de sa supériorité en opération », fait encore valoir le ministère des Armées. Mis en service il y a maintenant 30 ans, le remplacement des deux C-160 Gabriel est une priorité, d'autant plus que la flotte de Transall C-160 ne tardera pas à s'éteindre. Ces appareils sont essentiels pour le renseignement militaire français dans la mesure ils permettent de collecter et d'analyser des signaux électromagnétiques, et donc de pouvoir évaluer les forces d'un adversaire et d'adapter, par exemple, les contre-mesures électroniques à ses moyens de protection. http://www.opex360.com/2019/11/22/guerre-electronique-le-ministere-des-armees-lance-la-realisation-du-programme-archange/

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