11 mai 2020 | International, Naval, Terrestre

Pandemic Delays Industry Day for Marine Corps Light Armored Vehicle Replacement

8 May 2020

Military.com | By Matthew Cox

The novel coronavirus pandemic has forced the Marine Corps to postpone the industry day it had scheduled this month for its new reconnaissance vehicle effort. But the service still plans to invite industry to submit ideas for vehicle prototypes next spring.

The Corps announced plans in April 2019 to begin replacing its legacy Light Armored Vehicle with the Armored Reconnaissance Vehicle, or ARV, in the late 2020s. Since then, officials managing the Light Armored Vehicles program have been talking with the defense industry to see which firms are capable of building the new vehicle, which will feature enhanced vision technologies for increased situational awareness and advanced target tracking and weapon systems.

The COVID-19 pandemic forced the postponement of the industry day, at which officials had planned to answer questions about the request for information the Corps released last year.

"We still want to hold an industry day, so we can have an open discussion with industry, provide more clarification and answer any questions from our industry partners," Maryann Lawson, Marine Corp Systems Command's project lead for the ARV effort, said in a recent announcement.

The event is now scheduled for the fourth quarter of this fiscal year.

The Marine Corps also plans to release a draft request for prototypes for the ARV base variant before the end of this fiscal year, according to the release. The Corps wants feedback from defense firms to help shape the requirement for the final prototypes request, which is scheduled for publication in spring 2021.

The Army is also working on its Next Generation Combat Vehicle, an effort to replace the Cold War-era Bradley fighting vehicle. Part of the effort will be to field an Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle, or OMFV.

In late January, Army officials announced that the service would restart the high-priority OMFV effort after receiving only one valid bid for the $45 billion program.

Marine ARV program officials are coordinating with Army OMFV officials, recognizing the commonalities that exist between the two programs, the release states.

In 2019, the Office of Naval Research selected two defense companies to design, build and test full-scale technology-demonstration vehicles, an ARV science and technology effort which is part of the Navy's Future Naval Capabilities program, according to a September release.

General Dynamics Land Systems is building a vehicle that will incorporate advanced technologies available today for the "base vehicle" approach, the release states.

The Virginia-based IT company SAIC is building an "at-the-edge" vehicle designed around technologies that currently may not be fully mature but could be incorporated into the ARV as new capabilities, when threats and missions evolve, the release adds.

Both vehicles are expected to be ready for evaluation in the fourth quarter of this fiscal year, Marine Corps Systems Command officials said.

Last year, the Corps conducted a capability-based assessment that focused on armored reconnaissance, according to the release, which described how the assessment pitted Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalions against a peer threat, and identified shortfalls and gaps in capability.

Marine Corps Combat Development Command, Combat Development and Integration produced an initial capabilities document -- which was validated by the Joint Requirements Oversight Council in 2019.

"As the core-manned, next-generation system, ARV must possess transformational capabilities to enable LAR Battalions to gain contact with and collect on peer-threat forces," Marine Corps Systems Command officials said. "It must accomplish this goal without becoming decisively engaged, while also successfully waging the counter-reconnaissance fight."

As the effort evolves, the Marine Corps has begun to view the ARV as more than just a replacement for the LAV, the release states.

"Over time, officials began to view the ARV as a vehicle platform equipped with a suite of advanced reconnaissance capabilities, with an open-system architecture that can sense, shoot, move, communicate and remain transportable as part of the Naval Expeditionary Force," it adds.

https://www.military.com/daily-news/2020/05/08/pandemic-delays-marine-corps-plans-replace-light-armored-vehicles.html

Sur le même sujet

3 août 2020 | International, C4ISR

Pentagon CIO says the department’s cloud efforts are more than just JEDI
Andrew Eversden WASHINGTON — The Pentagon's top IT official provided an update July 30 on a wide range of ongoing initiatives underway at the department as it continues to grapple with a remote workforce amid the coronavirus pandemic. Chief Information Officer Dana Deasy highlighted several ongoing projects related to artificial intelligence, big data and cloud computing, while also discussing the department's Commercial Virtual Remote Environment that's allowed nearly 1 million Department of Defense employees to collaborate while working from home Here's a roundup of what Deasy told reporters: Cloud developments The Defense Department has struggled for more than a year to procure its enterprisewide cloud, known as the Joint Enterprise Defense Infrastructure, a platform DoD leadership has continuously said will break down data silos and enhance artificial intelligence capabilities. But, as Deasy has stated repeatedly, JEDI is not going to be the DoD's only cloud. “Cloud has always been much more than JEDI,” Deasy said. Work on the JEDI cloud, which was awarded to Microsoft in October last year and subsequently protested by Amazon Web Services, is on hold after a federal judge issued an injunction earlier this year upon determining it was likely the DoD erred in its evaluations of the two tech companies' proposals. The DoD is taking corrective action on the award, with Deasy saying the department intends to re-announce the winner “probably sometimes towards the very end of August, barring any last minute, unforeseen additional issues that are raised.” In the meantime, the DoD has stamped the Air Force's Platform One cloud offering as an enterprise service, giving DoD components a certified place to go for DevSecOps, Deasy said. “What the big message there was, we actually for the first time had designated a cloud across DoD that could be used for a common way of doing DevSecOps,” he said. AI and JADC2 The Joint Artificial Intelligence Center is pivoting to focus on Joint All-Domain Command and Control, a Pentagon-led effort to connect sensors and shooters. Through its Joint Common Foundation, Deasy said, the JAIC has tools and capabilities to develop AI capabilities at scale. “That has now allowed us as we've matured to say: ‘What we've always known we really need to ... get JAIC focused on is the joint all-domain space,‘ ” Deasy said, adding that the center is looking at joint fires, the electromagnetic spectrum and strategic mobility. The JAIC, he said, is working on a cognitive assistant to deliver commanders relevant data from the hoards of information that come from the battlefield to quicken decision-making. But he added that the JAIC will expand into other areas of joint all-domain operations. “JADC2 is made up of a bunch of different areas ... including electromagnetic spectrum, how do we move forces, how do we target,” Deasy said. “But right now it's all about how do you take streams of information and allow the machine and human to interact together to make better decisions.” The new chief data officer In June, the DoD announced that former Special Operations Command chief data officer Dave Spirk would become the DoD's new CDO. Deasy told reporters July 30 that Spirk will focus on “strengthening data governance, interoperability, and data protection across the department,” which he went on to describe as a “major effort.” “The chief data officer is on a directed, 90-day listening tour where he is talking to senior leaders in the Pentagon, war fighters and at the combatant commands, industry and academia to assess the overall department's progress,” Deasy said. “At the conclusion of the 90-day tour, Dave will provide a written assessment with a plan of action.” Deasy added that a DoD data strategy will be released “in the coming months.” https://www.c4isrnet.com/battlefield-tech/it-networks/2020/07/31/pentagon-cio-provides-updates-on-several-it-initiatives/
4 juin 2020 | International, Aérospatial

US Should Pull Drones From Missile Control Regime: Mitchell Institute
"I have great hopes that this administration, with its bold unilateral actions on so many fronts, would take unilateral action with this regime on UAVs," says Keith Webster, former DoD head of defense cooperation. By THERESA HITCHENSon June 03, 2020 at 12:48 PM WASHINGTON: The Trump administration should unilaterally declare that it will no longer subject drone sales to export control restrictions under the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), says a new Mitchell Institute study. And Congress should use the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to redefine unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) as aircraft, which not only remove them from MTCR restrictions but also would ease US domestic export controls, asserts the paper, “”Modernizing UAV Export Policy for Effective Coalition Forces,”. “The US Congress should craft language in the 2021 NDAA that defines UAVs as aircraft, not cruise missiles, but as aircraft, and subject to the same export considerations as any other military aircraft,” said Heather Penny, senior resident fellow at Mitchell and the paper's author, during a webinar today. “We believe that this language, a statute, would be sufficient to be able to remove UAVs from being subject to the MTCR guidelines.” The 35-nation MTCR agreement requires a “strong presumption of denial” for sales of so-called Category 1 drones — those that can carry a 500 kilogram payload more than 300 kilometers. The Category 1 definition is considered as the minimum capability a missile needs to carry a nuclear warhead. Smaller unmanned aerial vehicles also are covered under MTCR's Category 2 rules, but those export restrictions are less stringent. Even the treaty-hating Trump administration sees the MTCR — a political agreement rather than a treaty — as a key tool in preventing the proliferation of ballistic and cruise missiles. This is despite its long-standing efforts to ease drone sales to allies, including through revamping US domestic law to allow “Direct Commercial Sales” by companies, rather than requiring all sales to go through the formal Foreign Military Sales process that requires approval by DoD, the State Department and Congress. Indeed, over the past year the administration tried — and failed — to convince its MTCR partners to revamp the rules to allow drones flying less than 800 kilometers per hour to slip out from under the Category 1 rules, said Penny. Washington is now expected to try again at the annual MTCR signatories meeting, she said, instead suggesting a 600 kph speed limit as the line of demarcation between the two categories of export restrictions. (The meetings are usually held in the fall, although there has yet to be an announcement of the 2020 dates.) But, Penny argued, even if this new effort comes to fruition, it would fail to fix the underlying problem of allowing allies to buy high-end US combat drones — and preventing them from fully integrating with US operations. Secondly, she asserted, complying with MTCR rules “distort the market” in favor of Chinese sales, she said, since China is not a member of the MTCR and has few formal restrictions on arms exports. “Continuing to adhere to and apply MTCR guidelines to UAVs facilitates Chinese strategic interests,” Penny said. “It's working against US interests.” Keith Webster, former DoD head of defense cooperation, agreed — calling efforts to revise the MTCR as a “Band-Aid” that would soon loose viability because of the rapid pace of technology improvement. “I wish we would act unilaterally,” he told the Mitchell Institute webinar. “We have the ability to act unilaterally. And I would like to see us do so very soon. I have great hopes that this administration, with its bold unilateral actions on so many fronts, would take unilateral action with this regime on UAVs.” That doesn't mean, Webster hastened to add, pulling out of MTCR itself. “Stay in the MTCR,” he said. “It served its purpose.” The experts acknowledged that a unilateral US move to exempt UAVs from MTCR could spur other nations to do the same for their own weapons systems that could exacerbate nuclear proliferation. Penny stressed that it was key for the US to renew its commitment to nonproliferation of ballistic and cruise missiles, and support MTCR's rules for those systems. Saying that “we need to be honest with ourselves about the implications” while seeking “creative solutions” to the UAV issue, Webster seemed to suggest that ultimately the US may decide the MTCR itself isn't worth the trade off. “There are challenges with compliance within the regime with at least one member,” he warned. As Breaking D readers know, US military leaders and Congress have sounded the alarm on the proliferation of cruise missiles by Russia (an MTCR member) and China that can more easily slip through US ballistic missile defense systems. This is especially true for hypersonic missiles, which have speeds above Mach 5 and while visible on radar are extremely hard to target. https://breakingdefense.com/2020/06/us-should-pull-drones-from-missile-control-regime-mitchell-institute/
15 novembre 2019 | International, Aérospatial, Naval, Terrestre, C4ISR, Sécurité

Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - November 14, 2019
NAVY Rolls-Royce Corp., Indianapolis, Indiana, is awarded a $1,207,968,973 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. This contract provides sustainment support of the V-22 AE1107C engine at various V-22 aircraft production, test and operating sites. Sustainment support includes program management, integrated logistics support, sustaining engineering, maintenance, repair, reliability improvements, configuration management and site support. Work will be performed in Indianapolis, Indiana, and various locations within and outside the continental U.S., and is expected to be completed in February 2025. 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 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1). The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N00019-20-D-0004). BAE Systems San Diego Ship Repair, San Diego, California (N00024-16-D-4416); Continental Maritime of San Diego, San Diego, California (N00024-16-D-4417); and General Dynamics, NASSCO, San Diego, California (N00024-16-D-4418), are being awarded a $299,342,235 ceiling increase to the maximum potential cumulative total of orders for all firm-fixed price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, multiple award contracts to $838,522,014 for complex emergent and continuous maintenance and Chief of Naval Operations availabilities on surface combatants (DDG and CG) class ships. Each contractor shall furnish the facilities and human resources capable of completing complex emergent and continuous maintenance, repair, modernization and Chief of Naval Operations availabilities on surface ships assigned to or visiting the port of San Diego, California. These three companies will have the opportunity to offer on individual delivery orders. Work will be performed in San Diego, California, and is expected to be complete by March 2021. No funding is being obligated through this contract modification. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. Raytheon Co., Marlborough, Massachusetts, is awarded $209,636,983 for a ceiling-priced, indefinite-delivery, performance-based logistics requirements contract for the repair, upgrade or replacement of 361 NIINs within two of the 13 major subsystems of the Aegis Weapon System: the MK99 fire control system and the Army Navy Joint Electronics Type Designation Systems Water/Surface Ship Radar Surveillance and Control (AN-SPY-i) Transmitter Group. Work will be performed in Chesapeake, Virginia (70%); and Marlborough, Massachusetts (30%). This contract includes a five-year base period with no options. Work is expected to be completed by November 2024. Annual working capital funds (Navy) in the amount of $34,290,659 will be issued for delivery order (N00383-20-F-0W80) that will be awarded concurrently with the contract and will initially be obligated at the time of award as an undefinitized contract action with a commitment of $11,430,220 for a year's period of performance. Funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. One firm was solicited for this non-competitive requirement under authority 10 U.S. Code 2304 (c)(1) and Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1, with one offer received. Naval Supply Systems Command Weapon Systems Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is the contracting activity (N00383-20-D-W801). Huntington Ingalls Industries, Newport News Shipbuilding Inc., Newport News, Virginia, is awarded a $15,029,055 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to previously awarded contract N00024-16-C-2116 for the purchase of additional Ford (CVN 78) Class shore based spares in support of the Ford Class. Work will be performed in Santa Fe Springs, California (99%); and Newport News, Virginia (1%), and is expected to be completed by May 2022. Fiscal 2019 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funding in the amount of $15,029,055 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The design and construction of a nuclear powered aircraft carrier requires highly technical and specialized knowledge of the ship's mission, design, systems and nuclear reactor plants. Huntington Ingalls Industries, Newport News Shipbuilding Inc. (HII-NNS) is the nation's only designer and builder of nuclear powered aircraft carriers. HII-NNS has developed a unique capability encompassing all aspects of aircraft carrier design, construction, modernization, repair and technical and engineering support which, because of its uniqueness, cannot be acquired elsewhere. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington Navy Yard, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. Integral Aerospace LLC, Santa Ana, California, is awarded a $9,292,108 modification (P00003) to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (N00019-18-C-1036). This modification exercises an option to manufacture, test and deliver 72 FPU012/A 480 gallon external fuel tanks in support of the F/A-18E/F aircraft. Work will be performed in Santa Ana, California, and is expected to be completed in May 2021. Fiscal 2019 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $9,292,108 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. AAR Aircraft Services Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana, is awarded an $8,457,049 firm-fixed-price, time and materials delivery order (N00019-20-F-0337) against a previously awarded, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (N00019-18-D-0111). This delivery order provides depot level maintenance and repair of four P-8A Poseidon aircraft in support of the Navy. Work will be performed in Indianapolis, Indiana, and is expected to be completed in December 2020. Fiscal 2020 operation and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $8,457,049 will be obligated at time of award, all of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. ARMY Endeavor Robotics Inc., Chelmsford, Massachusetts, was awarded a $109,044,937 hybrid (cost plus-fixed-fee and firm-fixed-price) contract for procurement of up to 350 Common Robotic System - Heavy systems, refurbishment of systems associated spare parts, test support, user training support and logistics development. Two bids were solicited with two bids received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Nov. 12, 2024. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Warren, Michigan, is the contracting activity (W56HZV-20-D-0017). Teichert-Odin JV,* Sacramento, California, was awarded a $49,283,800 firm-fixed-price contract for a levee improvement construction. Bids were solicited via the internet with three received. Work will be performed in Sacramento, California, with an estimated completion date of July 2, 2022. Fiscal 2019 non-federal sponsor, civil construction funds in the amount of $49,283,800 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Sacramento, California, is the contracting activity (W91238-20-C-0002). Bauer Foundation Group, Odessa, Florida, was awarded a $32,301,199 firm-fixed-price contract for construction of a deep soil-cement cutoff wall. Bids were solicited via the internet with four received. Work will be performed in East St. Louis, Illinois, with an estimated completion date of Nov. 15, 2021. Fiscal 2020 civil works, operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $32,301,199 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Louis, Illinois, is the contracting activity (W912P9-20-C-0002). General Dynamics Land Systems, Sterling Heights, Michigan, was awarded a $32,256,984 modification (P00092) to contract W56HZV-17-C-0067 for Abrams Systems technical support. Work will be performed in Sterling Heights, Michigan, with an estimated completion date of May 31, 2020. Fiscal 2019 and 2020 procurement of weapons and tracked combat vehicles; and operation and maintenance, Army funds in the amount of $32,256,984 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Warren, Michigan, is the contracting activity. Oshkosh Defense LLC, Oshkosh, Wisconsin, was awarded a $21,791,160 modification (P00275) to contract W56HZV-15-C-0095 for contractor support, labor hours, material and travel for the Marine Corps' efforts for the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle. Work will be performed in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 30, 2020. Fiscal 2020 procurement, Marine Corps funds in the amount of $21,791,160 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Warren, Michigan, is the contracting activity. AIR FORCE Raytheon Co. Missile Systems Division, Tucson, Arizona, has been awarded an $18,569,662 modification (P00003) exercising the first option year of three options to previously awarded FA8675-19-C-0004 for fiscal 2020 High-speed Anti-Radiation Missile (HARM) Targeting System (HTS) Contractor Logistics Support (CLS) services. The contract modification is for HTS POD CLS depot repairs and sustainment activities. Work will be performed at Tucson, Arizona, and is expected to be completed by Nov. 30, 2020. The total cumulative face value of the contract is $37,260,817. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $18,569,662 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, is the contracting activity. Sonalysts Inc., Waterford, Connecticut, has being awarded a $9,071,850 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification (P00010) to the previously awarded FA8806-19-C-0002 for the Standard Space Trainer (SST) Space-Based Infrared System (SBIRS) Mission-Specific Vendor Plug-in (MSVP) Continuation Development and Option for Geosynchronous Earth Orbit (GEO) 5 and 6. This modification provides for the development of the training system supporting SIBRS operations under the management of the Space Training Acquisition Office. Work will be performed in Waterford, Connecticut, and is expected to be completed by Nov. 15, 2021. Total cumulative face value of the contract is $44,281,437. Fiscal 2019 research and development funds in the amount of $6,041,416 are being obligated at the time of award. The Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles Air Force Base, California, is the contracting activity. General Electric Research, Niskayuna, New York, has been awarded a $7,147,058 cost-reimbursable contract for the Materials Architecture and Characterization for Hypersonics (MACH) effort. This contract provides for the design and experimental validation of a transpiration cooling system to reduce heating at the leading edge and control part temperature in line with material capability. Work will be performed at Niskayuna, New York, and is expected to be complete by April 8, 2022. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition and 24 offers were received. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $924,218 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8650-20-C-7011). DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Design West Technologies Inc.,** Tustin, California, has been awarded a maximum $7,472,100 firm-fixed-price contract for miscellaneous artillery fuze setters. This was a competitive small business set-aside acquisition with one offer received. This is a five-year contract with no option periods. Location of performance is California, with a Nov. 14, 2024, performance completion date. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2024 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime, Warren, Michigan (SPRDL1-20-D-0018). *Small Business **Small Disadvantaged Business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2017225/source/GovDelivery/

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