28 novembre 2023 | International, Terrestre
Pratt & Whitney also expects to finish its preliminary design for the Engine Core Upgrade in December, and face the government's review in January.
13 mai 2022 | International, Naval
The commandant wants a Concept for 21st Century Amphibious Operations by the end of the year, after earlier Force Design 2030 modernization efforts have focused on stand-in forces operating as smaller units on smaller vessels.
19 décembre 2018 | International, Aérospatial, Naval, Terrestre, C4ISR, Sécurité
By: Andrew Chuter LONDON — Britain is to rebuild weapon stockpiles, strengthen Joint Forces Command and earmark cash to rapidly innovate as part of a long-awaited defense modernization review revealed Tuesday by Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson. The defense secretary told Parliament on Dec. 18 that the review, known as the Modernising Defence Programme, would improve the lethality, reach and mass of the armed forces. However, he stopped short on detailing where the cash would coming from and who the long-term winners and losers might be in regard to capabilities and programs as priorities change. Although Williamson told lawmakers he would do “everything within my power to make sure that the U.K. remains a tier-one military power,” his statement disappointed some in the defense sector for its blandness. Labour, the main opposition party in Britian, called the statement “waffle” and said Williamson had done nothing to address a funding shortfall of between £7 billion and £15 billion (U.S. $8.8 billion and $18.9 billion) in equipment budgets over the next 10 years. Some analysts also felt the yearlong review had failed to deliver. “It's an announcement about future announcements, it's the [Ministry of Defence] keeping lots of option open, “ said Jon Louth, the director of defense, industries and society at the Royal United Services Institute think tank in London. “It's all about seeing what can be achieved in next year's governmentwide departmental spending review." Howard Wheeldon, a British-based defense commentator, said the review had “hardly a specific detail of anything that really matters other than some minimal strategic intentions to be found amongst the prose. Perhaps the best that can be said is that while it contains many strategic positives, loads of ambition and intent, at the very least it doesn't contain any new specifics in relation to planned cuts.” Alex Ashbourne-Walmsley of Ashbourne Strategic Consulting said the review was an “anti-climax.” “We have waited all year for this, and what we have is a very thin document. It's hard to fault the aspiration, but making it a reality is a different matter. Where's the money coming from?” she said. Ashbourne-Walmsley and Louth agreed the MoD's success, or otherwise, in securing additional funds when the government's departmental medium-term spending plans are agreed sometime next year is the key. “For the MoD, it's all about next year's departmental spending review. It's unfortunate that the moment the review came on the horizon, that invalidated most of the things that the modernizing defense review could have hoped to achieve,” Ashbourne-Walmsley said. “A lot of these plans are hostage to fortune in terms of the spending review [known as the comprehensive spending review], economic damage from Brexit and even a change of government,” she added. The MoD has secured an additional £1.8 billion in funding this year from the Treasury for spending on items like the nuclear deterrent, anti-submarine warfare and cipher capabilities, but the department still has considerable work to do to balance the books on a total budget slated to top £39 billion next year. The National Audit Office, the government's financial watchdog, reckons the MoD is at least £7 billion overcommitted on its 10-year, £186 billion equipment plan. But, the office admits, it could be a lot more. Williamson acknowledged the MoD had to create “financial headroom for modernization,” but told Parliament this could be achieved through efficiencies. “Based on our work to date, we expect to achieve over the next decade the very demanding efficiency targets we were set in 2015, including through investment in a program of digital transformation,” he said. Analysts here reckon that's an optimistic target without capability cuts; although there was no mention of any reductions in the statement. “We all know that you cannot [achieve efficiency targets] without taking the knife to something. So what we may be able to deduce or fear is that hidden out there somewhere is a chapter of probable announcements of what might yet be to come,” Wheeldon said. One thing appears: Spending priorities are set to change as the MoD reacts to the growing threat from potential adversaries. That includes rebuilding depleted weapons stockpiles. “To improve the combat effectiveness of our forces, we will re-prioritize the current defense program to increase weapon stockpiles. And we are accelerating work to assure the resilience of our defense systems and capabilities,“ Williamson said. “We will improve the readiness and availability of a range of key defense platforms: major warships, attack submarines, helicopters and a range of ISTAR platforms,” he added, without concrete details. Williamson also said Joint Forces Command capabilities are set to be upgraded. “A major new step will involve an improved Joint Forces Command that will be in a better position so that defense can play a major role in preventing conflict in the future and improve our cyber operations and capabilities across the armed forces, but also across government as well,” he said. “Our adversaries and competitors are accelerating the development of new capabilities and strategies. We must keep pace and conceive of our joint force as consisting of five domains — air, land, sea, cyber and space — rather than the traditional three,” he told lawmakers. The review might have been short on details, but the MoD is pledging to drive the military modernization effort with funding, albeit a small amount, for innovation. Britain already has a small defense innovation fund, which this year has £20 million to put toward projects in areas including unmanned air systems, virtual reality training and enhanced digital communications. The fund will grow to £50 million in the next financial year. New “Spearhead” innovation programs will apply cutting-edge technologies to areas including subsurface threats to submarines; intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities; and command and control in the land environment. For now, the MoD is investing £160 million to create a transformation fund, but additional money may be available in the upcoming comprehensive spending review if Williamson can make the case for it. “I will ring-fence £160 million of MoD's budget to create this [transformation] fund available for innovative new military capabilities. I will look to make a further £340 million available as part of the spending review. This fund will be available for new innovative military capabilities, which allows us to stay one step ahead of our adversaries," Williamson argued. https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2018/12/18/britain-eyes-a-more-lethal-force-in-newly-revealed-defense-modernization-review
14 décembre 2018 | International, Aérospatial, Naval, Terrestre, C4ISR, Sécurité
DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Michelin North America Inc., Greenville, South Carolina, has been awarded a maximum $51,004,943 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-quantity, requirements contract to provide tire support for the global tires program. This was a competitive acquisition with seven responses received. This is a three-year contract with no option periods. Location of performance is South Carolina, with a Dec. 10, 2021, performance completion date. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2018 through 2021 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime, Columbus, Ohio (SPE7L1-19-D-0006). Practicon Inc., Greenville, North Carolina, has been awarded a maximum $40,000,000 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for dental consumable items. This is a one-year base contract with four one-year option periods. Maximum dollar amount is for the life of the contract, including options. This was a competitive acquisition with 25 offers received. Location of performance is North Carolina, with a Dec. 10, 2023, performance completion date. Using customers are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and federal civilian agencies. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2023 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE2DE-19-D-0001). Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co., Akron, Ohio, has been awarded a maximum $31,242,109 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-quantity, requirements contract to provide tire support for the global tires program. This was a competitive acquisition with seven responses received. This is a three-year contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Ohio, with a Dec. 10, 2021, performance completion date. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2018 through 2021 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime, Columbus, Ohio (SPE7L1-19-D-0005). NAVY Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., a Lockheed Martin Co., Stratford, Connecticut, is awarded $38,170,404 for cost-plus-fixed-fee delivery order N0001919F2503, against a previously issued basic ordering agreement (N00019-19-G-0029). This delivery order provides for the development and delivery of a provisioning parts database of technical information to include 2D drawings that support all organizational, intermediate and depot levels in support of initial operational capability for the CH-53K program. Work will be performed in Stratford, Connecticut, and is expected to be completed in November 2023. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $8,600,000, will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. General Dynamics Electric Boat, Groton, Connecticut, is awarded a $24,770,301 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to previously-awarded contract N00024-18-C-2101, to exercise an option for engineering and technical design effort to support research and development concept formulation of undersea technology for current and future submarine platforms. This contract procures advanced submarine research and development, including studies to support manufacturability, maintainability, producibility, electronic obsolescence, reliability, manning, survivability, hull integrity, performance, structural, weight/margin, stability, arrangements, main and auxiliary machinery systems, fluid systems, acoustics, non-acoustics, hydrodynamics, ship control, logistics, human factors, materials, stowage, submarine safety, automation and affordability. Work will be performed in Groton, Connecticut (99 percent); and Newport, Rhode Island (1 percent), and is expected to be completed by October 2019. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funding in the amount of $1,310,000 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. Lockheed Martin, Mission Systems and Training, Baltimore, Maryland, is awarded $16,158,990 for cost-plus-award-fee order N6278619F0001, against previously awarded basic ordering agreement (N00024-15-G-2303), to provide engineering and management services for LCS-13 post shakedown availability. Lockheed Martin will provide engineering and management services in support of 65,000 man-hours level of effort, and to provide the work specification, pre-fabrication, and material. Work will be performed in Baltimore, Maryland (33 percent); New York, New York (60 percent); and Marinette, Wisconsin (7 percent), and is expected to be completed by February 2020. Fiscal 2013 and fiscal 2019 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funding in the amount of $15,087,040 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end at the end of the current fiscal year. The Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Conversion, and Repair, Bath, Maine, is the contracting activity. Bluestone-Ch2m JV ,* Berwyn, Pennsylvania, is awarded a maximum amount $10,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity architect-engineering contract for professional hazardous material and waste management environmental compliance, and engineering services in the Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Southeast (SE) area of responsibility (AOR). Initial task order is being awarded at $163,789 to prepare a Resource Conservation and Recovery Act-compliant closure of Building 257 at Naval Air Station, Corpus Christi, Texas. Work for this task order is expected to be completed by December 2019. All work on this contract will be performed at various Navy and Marine Corps installations in the NAVFAC SE AOR. The term of the contract is not to exceed 60 months with an expected completion date of December 2023. Fiscal 2018 military construction (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $163,789 are obligated on this award and will expire at the end of the 2021 fiscal year. Future task orders will be primarily funded by operations and maintenance (Navy). This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website, with seven offers received. Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Jacksonville, Florida, is the contracting activity (N69450-19-D-0105). ARMY World Wide Technology, Maryland Heights, Missouri, was awarded a $26,232,882 modification (P00003), to contract W15QKN-18-C-0108, for Army End Point Management Solutions-as-a-Service. Work will be performed in Maryland Heights, Missouri, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 26, 2019. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance, Army funds in the amount of $26,232,882, were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, New Jersey, is the contracting activity. Rockwell Collins Inc., Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was awarded a $15,123,120 firm-fixed-price contract for small mission computer hardware and software. One bids was solicited with one bid received. Work will be performed in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, with an estimated completion date of July 11, 2021. Fiscal 2017 and 2018 other procurement, Army funds in the amount of $15,123,120 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W911QY-19-C-0014). Raytheon Lockheed Martin Javelin JV, Tucson, Arizona, was awarded a $12,055,715 cost contract for Javelin engineering services. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will be performed in Tucson, Arizona, with an estimated completion date of Oct. 30, 2019. Fiscal 2018 other procurement, Army funds in the amount of $12,055,715, were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity (W31P4Q-19-C-0038). The Protective Group, A Point Blank Co.,* Miami Lakes, Florida, was awarded an $11,924,240 firm-fixed-price contract for the procurement of enhanced ballistic armor protection system kits. One bid was solicited with one bid received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 10, 2022. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity (W58RGZ-19-D-0013). Construction Co. Inc.,* Dayton, Ohio, was awarded a $9,429,000 firm-fixed-price contract for design and interior renovation and repair (Building 20) at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. Bids were solicited with three received. Work will be performed in Dayton, Ohio, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 24, 2020. Fiscal 2018 military construction funds in the amount of $9,429,000, were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Louisville, Kentucky, is the contracting activity (W912QR-19-C-0007). AIR FORCE The Boeing Co., El Segundo, California, has been awarded a $22,772,840 modification (P00028) to contract FA8819-15-C-0007, to exercise Option Four for Space Based Space Surveillance Block 10 sustainment. This modification provides for the exercise of an option for the sustainment and required development necessary for Air Force operations and maintenance of the Space Based Space Surveillance system and Red Local Area Network. This effort includes systems engineering, operations, operations support, and contractor logistics support. Work will be performed in El Segundo, California; and Colorado Springs, Colorado, and is expected to be completed by June 20, 2022. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $14,943,930 are being obligated at the time of award. Space Superiority Systems Directorate, Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles Air Force Base, California, is the contracting activity. *Small business https://dod.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/1710661/