Pentagon science office launches program to develop manufacturing in space ... and on the moon

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  9 novembre 2018 | International, Aérospatial, Naval, Terrestre, C4ISR, Sécurité

  Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - November 8, 2018

  AIR FORCE Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp., Boulder, Colorado, has been awarded a $255,418,494 firm-fixed-price contract modification (P00008) to previously awarded contract FA8810-18-C-0002 for the Weather System Follow-on Microwave. This contract modification provides for the exercise of an option for development and fabrication of the Weather System Follow-on Microwave Space Vehicle 1. Work will be performed in Boulder, Colorado, and is expected to be completed by Jan. 15, 2023. Fiscal 2018 research, development, test and evaluation funds are being obligated at the time of award. The total cumulative face value of the contract is $349,552,413. The Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles Air Force Base, California, is the contracting activity. Crew Training International Inc., Memphis, Tennessee, has been awarded a $241,410,854 firm-fixed-price contract for the MQ-9 Contract Aircrew Training and Courseware Development training program. Work will be performed at Creech Air Force Base, Nevada; Holloman AFB, New Mexico; March Air Reserve Base, California; Hancock Field Air National Guard Base, New York, and other locations that may be required in the future in accordance with the performance work statement. Work is expected to be completed by Sept. 30, 2023. This award is a result of a competitive acquisition and eight offers were received. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $1,006,536 are being obligated at time of award for the phase-in period. Acquisition Management and Integration Center, Join Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia, is the contracting activity (FA4890-19-C-0003). (Awarded Nov. 7, 2018) UNKS Construction, Las Vegas, Nevada (FA4686-19-D-A001); Trinity North Star Construction JV, Plumas Lake, California (FA4686-19-D-A002); Hesperia Construction Co., Pleasanton, California (FA4686-19-D-A003); Utility Construction, Mesa, Arizona (FA4686-19-D-A004); Atwood Hay Inc., Beale Air Force Base, California (FA4686-19-D-A005); Synergy Electric Co. Inc., Santee, California (FA4686-19-D-A006); Tri-Technic Inc., Sonora, California (FA4686-19-D-A007); and Nomlaki Technologies, Yuba City, California (FA4686-19-D-A008), have been awarded a not-to-exceed $93,000,000 firm-fixed-price, multiple-award, electric-construction, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. Task orders will provide the execution of a broad range of projects, including, but not limited to, construction, repair, replacement and installation of various electrical distribution components. Work will be performed at Beale AFB, California, and is expected to be completed November 8, 2023. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition and 10 offers were received. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $16,000 ($2,000 for each awardee) are being obligated at the time of award. The 9th Contracting Squadron, Beale AFB, California, is the contracting activity. ARMY Colt's Manufacturing Company LLC, West Hartford, Connecticut, was awarded an $88,607,109 modification (P00008) to contract W15QKN-15-D-0102 for M4 and M4A1 carbines. Work will be performed in West Hartford, Connecticut, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 25, 2020. Fiscal 2019 and 2020 operations and maintenance, Army funds in the amount of $88,607,109 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, New Jersey, is the contracting activity. FN America LLC, Columbia, South Carolina, was awarded an $88,607,109 modification (P00009) to contract W15QKN-15-D-0072 for M4 and M4A1 carbines. Work will be performed in Columbia, South Carolina, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 25, 2020. Fiscal 2019 and 2020 operations and maintenance, Army funds in the amount of $88,607,709 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, New Jersey, is the contracting activity. Deloitte & Touche LLP, Arlington, Virginia, was awarded an $18,056,941 firm-fixed-price contract to provide a cyberspace analytics capability. Twenty-eight bids were solicited with four received. Work will be performed in Arlington, Virginia, with an estimated completion date of Nov. 7, 2023. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $1,250,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois, is the contracting activity (W52P1J-19-C-0004). Parsons Government Services Inc., Pasadena, California, was awarded a $15,837,195 firm-fixed-price contract to provide Defensive Cyberspace Operations Mission Planning program. Nineteen bids were solicited with seven received. Work will be performed in Centerville, Virginia, with an estimated completion date of Nov. 7, 2019. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $1,000,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois, is the contracting activity (W52P1J-19-C-0005). Great Lakes Dredge and Dock Co. LLC, Oak Brook, Illinois, was awarded a $10,779,850 firm-fixed-price contract for maintenance dredging. Bids were solicited via the internet with three received. Work will be performed in Mayport, Florida, with an estimated completion date of May 30, 2019. Fiscal 2019 other funds in the amount of $10,779,850 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville, Florida, is the contracting activity (W912EP-19-C-0002). IronMountain Solutions Inc.,* Huntsville, Alabama, was awarded a $9,000,081 Foreign Military Sales (Brazil, Egypt, Jordan, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Slovakia, Sweden, Tunisia, Thailand and United Arab Emirates) modification (000024) to contract W31P4Q-17-A-0001 for support services for non-AMRDEC technical support for the Utility Helicopter Project Office. Bids were solicited via the internet with three bids received. Work will be performed in Huntsville, Alabama, with an estimated completion date of May 14, 2019. Fiscal 2018 foreign military sales; research, development, test and evaluation; and other procurement, Army funds in the amount of $9,000,081 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity. Longbow LLC, Orlando, Florida, was awarded an $8,973,759 modification (P00073) to contract W31P4Q-16-C-0035 for laser and longbow HELLFIRE engineering services. Work will be performed in Orlando and Ocala, Florida, with an estimated completion date of Nov. 7, 2019. Fiscal 2018 other procurement, Army funds in the amount of $8,973,759 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity. MISSILE DEFENSE AGENCY Raytheon Missile Systems Co., Tucson, Arizona, is being awarded a $74,847,815 sole-source, cost-plus-incentive-fee modification (P00049) to contract HQ0276-15-C-0003. This modification award is for the execution of the Guidance Electronics Unit (GEU) Phase III procurement under the Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) Block IIA contract. Congress was notified of the Phase II procurement in December 2016. Under this contract, the contractor will continue efforts for qualification, test and integration of the enhanced GEU capability to the SM-3 Block IIA missile. The modification brings the total face value of the SM-3 BLK IIA contract to $1,192,183,647 from $1,117,335,832. The work will be performed in Tucson, Arizona, with an expected Phase III completion date of Sept. 30, 2020. The performance period is from Oct. 1, 2018, through Sept. 30, 2020. Fiscal 2018 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $1,000,000 will be obligated at the time of award. The Missile Defense Agency, Dahlgren, Virginia, is the contracting activity (HQ0276-15-C-0003). DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY General Dynamics Land Systems Inc., Sterling Heights, Michigan, has been awarded a maximum $12,243,227 firm-fixed-price contract for tank periscope head assemblies with storage containers for the M1A1 Abrams tank. This is a one-year base contract with one 180-day option period being exercised at time of award. This was a sole-source acquisition using justification 10 U.S. Code 2304 (c)(1), as stated in Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. Locations of performance are South Carolina and Michigan, with a Dec. 15, 2022, performance completion date. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2022 Army working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime, Warren, Michigan (SPRDL1-18-C-0317). Knox County Association for Retarded Citizens,** Vincennes, Indiana, has been awarded a $8,999,635 modification (P0002) exercising the first option period of a one-year base contract (SPE1C1-18-D-N024) with two one-year option periods for undershirts. This is a firm-fixed-price contract. Location of performance is Indiana, with a Nov. 12, 2019, performance completion date. Using military services are Army and Air Force. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Central Power Systems & Services Inc.,* Liberty, Missouri, has been awarded a maximum $7,240,000 firm-fixed-price contract for diesel engines. This is a three-year contract with no option periods. This was an acquisition permitting other than full and open competition for manufacturer parts with two responses received, using justification 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1), as stated in Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. Location of performance is Missouri, with a Nov. 8, 2021, performance completion date. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2021 Army working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime, Warren, Michigan (SPRDL1-19-D-0012). NAVY DRS Laurel Technologies, Johnstown, Pennsylvania, is awarded $8,608,626 for firm-fixed-price delivery order N0002419F5601 under previously-awarded contract N00024-15-D-5201 for 18 Technical Insertion (TI) 16 Common Processing System (CPS) water-cooled core computing system production cabinets and six TI-16 CPS water-cooled advanced storage area network production cabinets. The CPS provides the computer processing and memory, data storage and extraction and input/output interfaces to support host software applications of Navy combat systems. This delivery order involves foreign military sales to the Republic of Korea. Work will be performed in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, and is expected to be completed by December 2019. Foreign military sales funding in the amount of $8,608,626 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. *Small business **Mandatory source https://dod.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/1686733/source/GovDelivery/

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  21 octobre 2020 | International, Terrestre

  MPF: Light Tank Competitors BAE & GD Head For Soldier Tests

  BAE and General Dynamics are vying to build 504 Mobile Protected Firepower vehicles to support light infantry units, especially in places the massive M1 Abrams cannot go. SYDNEY J. FREEDBERG JR. WASHINGTON: After 24 years without a light tank in Army service, soldiers will climb aboard brand-new Mobile Protected Firepower prototypes this January. “It's not just PowerPoint” anymore, Maj. Gen. Bryan Cummings, the Army's Program Executive Officer for Ground Combat Systems (PEO-GCS), told me in an interview. “On Jan. 4th, we will have ... vehicles arriving at Fort Bragg.” Army experts have already started safety testing on prototype MPF vehicles, officials told me. Actual combat soldiers will start training on two platoons of prototypes in January – four MPFs from BAE, four from rival General Dynamics – with field tests scheduled to begin in April. A formal Limited User Test will start in August or September, with the Army choosing the winning design in 2022 and the first operational unit of MPF entering active service in 2025. A General Dynamics spokesperson told me they've already delivered five MPF prototypes to the Army, with two more in final checkouts and another five being built for delivery by the end of the year. BAE Systems is also building 12 prototypes, but they declined to say whether they'd delivered vehicles yet or not. While the Army can't comment on either contractor while the competition is ongoing, Cummings said, “both are on track to meet the major milestones” – despite the disruptions of COVID-19. After three months of training, the troops will start what's being called the Soldier Vehicle Assessment (SVA): four to five months of intensive field testing, including force-on-force wargames. It's all part of the Army's new emphasis on getting real soldiers' feedback on new weapons early and often. “The soldiers actually get to drive the vehicles around, shoot them, train with them,” BAE business developer James Miller told me. “Their feedback [is] likely to be the most critical factor ... in the decision the Army's going to make about who wins this contract.” The soldier assessment isn't just testing out the vehicles, however, Cummings told me: It's also a test of the Army. Specifically, how can light infantry brigades, which today have few vehicles or mechanics, sustain and operate a 20-plus-ton tank? The crucial distinction: MPF is not going to the Army's heavy brigades, which have lots of support troops and specialized equipment to take care of tracked armored vehicles. Instead, 14 MPFs per brigade will go to airborne and other light infantry units, which haven't had tracked armor since the M551 Sheridan was retired and its replacement cancelled in 1990s. Now, MPF won't be as fuel-hungry or maintenance-intensive as the massive M1 Abrams, America's mainstay main battle tank. Even with add-on armor kits for high-threat deployments, it'll be less than half as heavy as the M1. That's because MPF isn't meant to take on enemy tanks, at least not modern ones. Instead, it's designed to be light enough to deploy rapidly by air, simple enough to sustain at the end of a long and tenuous supply line, but potent enough to take on enemy light armored vehicles, bunkers, dug-in machineguns, and the like. That's a tricky balance to strike. In fact, the Army has never found a light tank it really liked despite decades of trying. Only six M22 Locusts actually fought in World War II, the M41 Walker Bulldog was too heavy for airborne units, the M551 Sheridan was plagued by technical problems throughout its service from Vietnam to Panama, the M8 Armored Gun System and the Future Combat System were both cancelled. So how do BAE and General Dynamics plan to square this circle? General Dynamics emphasized lethality in their interview with me. Their Lima tank plant builds the M1 Abrams, and while the MPF is smaller – though the company didn't divulge details, GD's version reportedly has a 105mm cannon, compared to the Abrams' 120mm – it will have the same fire controls and electronics as the latest model of its big brother. “If you sat in a Mobile Protected Firepower turret, you would think you were sitting in a [M1] SEPV3 turret,” a GD spokesperson told me. “It's all the same displays, architectures, power distribution, etc.” GD's design evolved from their Griffin demonstrators, prominently displayed for several years at AUSA annual meetings. It's got automotive components derived from the ASCOD/Ajax family widely used in Europe and an 800 horsepower engine. GD didn't tell me how much their vehicle weighed, but, depending on the armor package installed, the demonstrators ranged from 28 tons to 50 tons. Those figures would give horsepower/weight ratios ranging from 28 hp/ton, better than any model of the Abrams, to 16, which would make MPF much more sluggish. BAE, by contrast, emphasized their design's compactness and ease of maintenance – considerations as critical as firepower for a light infantry unit. BAE actually built the M8 AGS cancelled in the '90s drawdown, and while they've thoroughly overhauled that design for MPS with a new engine, new electronics, and underbody blast-proofing against roadside bombs, they've tried to preserve its airborne-friendly qualities. “The old M8 fit inside a C-130; in fact, it was air droppable,” Miller told me. “There's no requirement for that in the current MPF program, but we decided to stick with that as a design constraint: [Our MPF can] fit inside a C-130; we can do three on a C-17.” BAE's engine is less potent than GD's, with only 550 horsepower. With the base configuration coming in at under 30 tons, that equates to over 18 hp/ton, with heavier armor packages reducing performance from there. But the big selling point of the engine is ease of access, Miller argued. Engine maintenance on a tank requires a crane and partially disassembling the armor, but a mechanic can slide the BAE MPF's engine in and out of the chassis with a hand crank. If the MPF breaks down or gets stuck, it can be towed away by a truck, without requiring a special heavy recovery vehicle as an M1 does. “The infantry brigades are light. They don't have long logistics tails. They don't have a ton of mechanics and recovery vehicles,” Miller emphasized. “The vehicle has to be as mobile as them and fit inside their organization.” The Army estimates the life-cycle cost of MPF, from development to procurement to maintenance and retirement, at $16 billion. Whichever vehicle wins the Army contract will have an edge in sales worldwide – including, potentially, to the Marine Corps, which is retiring its M1s as too heavy for modern amphibious warfare. https://breakingdefense.com/2020/10/mpf-light-tank-competitors-bae-gd-head-for-soldier-tests/

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  10 novembre 2021 | International, Aérospatial

  Airbus unveils jet trainer with eyes on Spain

  The Spanish Air Force is interested in replacing its Northrop F-5M and CASA C-101 Aviojet aircraft.