Pratt & Whitney awarded $5.2 bln contract to develop engines for F-35 Lightning II

Sur le même sujet

• 

  20 mars 2020 | International, Aérospatial

  Reaper : des équipages espagnols viennent se former en France

  L'Armée de l'air a accueilli deux équipages de Reaper venus d'Espagne, à l'occasion de leur stage de requalification. 33e escadre de surveillance, de reconnaissance et d'attaque. Le 13 mars, l'Armée de l'air française a annoncé avoir participé à la formation de deux équipages de drones Reaper espagnols. Il s'agissait en fait d'un stage de requalification, une procédure courante pour les pilotes de drones, qui s'est déroulé au sein de la base 709 de Cognac-Chateaubernard, qui accueille la 33e escadre de surveillance, de reconnaissance et d'attaque. La 33e ESRA est celle qui met en œuvre les drones Reaper français et forment les équipages à travers l'Escadron de transformation opérationnelle drone (ETOD) 3/33 « Moselle ». Coopération franco-espagnole. Les deux équipages espagnols ont ainsi pu suivre ce stage du 3 au 14 février. Le capitaine Redondo, de l'Ejercito del Aire, a déclaré à cette occasion : « c'est une grande chance pour nous de pouvoir bénéficier du retour d'expérience des pilotes et instructeurs français qui travaillent sur ces drones depuis plus longtemps. Nous avons pu échanger sur nos connaissances et nos missions respectives et sommes reconnaissants d'avoir pu apprendre de leur vécu », rapporte l'armée de l'Air. En effet, la livraison du premier système de drones Reaper à la France remonte à 2013, lequel a immédiatement été employé en Opex, dans le cadre de l'opération Barkhane. Un dispositif différent. La France a ainsi accompagné les deux pilotes et les deux opérateurs capteurs espagnols dans ce stage de requalification, qu'ils ont pu valider à l'issue de deux semaines de formation. Les équipages ont particulièrement travaillé sur les procédures de décollage et d'atterrissage de l'aéronef, sur l'emploi du radar ainsi que sur les différentes procédures d'urgence. Mais alors que les équipages espagnols s'articulent autour de deux personnes, la France adopte une approche différente dans ce domaine, avec un équipage à quatre. « Nous travaillons en équipage de deux personnes et les informations recueillies sont envoyées par satellite pour traitement. L'Armée de l'air française forme quant à elle deux personnes de plus qui intègrent l'équipage : un officier renseignement et un opérateur qui traitent les informations instantanément et sont en liaison directe avec leur commandement », met en avant l'Ejercito del Aire. Une distinction dont la France est fière et qui lui permet de transmettre rapidement un renseignement enrichi auprès des décideurs et du C2 lors des missions Reaper. https://www.air-cosmos.com/article/reaper-des-quipages-espagnols-viennent-se-former-en-france-22777

• 

  20 septembre 2018 | International, Aérospatial, C4ISR

  The new critical capabilities for unmanned systems

  By: Ryan Hazlett With unmanned systems becoming ever more ubiquitous on the battlefield, the question of where unmanned systems and accompanying technologies, such as autonomy, are headed is in the limelight. First, to better understand the future direction of the unmanned field, it is instructive to note some important trends. The number of uses for unmanned systems on the battlefield has increased significantly in the post-9/11 conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq, with the U.S. Army's Shadow® Tactical Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) program having logged nearly 1 million flight hours in those areas of operation. The proliferation and commoditization of UAS capabilities is a global phenomenon, as demonstrated by both the widespread possession of UAS hardware as well as the ability to indigenously produce at least rudimentary unmanned systems. Growth of the nascent commercial unmanned systems market has added to this trend, as has the government's emphasis on a greater use of commercial off-the-shelf solutions. But while commoditization has occurred at the platform level — particularly among smaller airborne vehicles — overcoming the challenges of adversaries employing anti-access area-denial (A2AD) military strategies requires far more capable solutions than simply having hordes of cheap drones. In this environment, how will U.S. and allied forces retain their advantage? Critical capabilities and technologies are necessary. These include the ability to dynamically swarm, conduct automatic target recognition, possess on-board autonomy and artificial intelligence, as well as have interoperable communications capabilities. First, future platforms — manned or unmanned — will increasingly need better collaboration between the sensors and payloads they carry and with allied forces. This growing level of collaboration and autonomy is already happening. Driven by advances in onboard computing power, as well as smaller and less power-intensive sensors and advanced algorithms, tomorrow's unmanned systems will be able to better communicate among themselves and make their own decisions on basic functions, such as navigation, to enable dynamic swarming or to identify areas of interest during intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions. Next, systems that can seamlessly operate and communicate with other military platforms across domains will be the most successful. Gone are the days when largely mission-specific platforms dominated the force composition. With platforms needing to be highly capable to meet A2AD threats, a mission-specific approach will simply be unaffordable. Instead, increasingly we see platforms that can act as highly capable but also flexible “trucks” that can easily swap payloads designed for specific missions, while the overall platform serves many needs. Multi-domain abilities for conducting command and control (C2) and other tasks will also be vital as technologies move from remote-control type operations to more of a “man monitoring the loop” concept. Technological progress in providing secure communications and a level of onboard artificial intelligence are necessary enablers, as will be data fusion technologies. Initial versions of these multi-domain C2 solutions for unmanned systems are already here. For example, the U.S. Army has years of experience operating the Universal Ground Control Station and One System Remote Video Terminal that allow soldiers in tactical units to access overhead sensor video from unmanned aircraft. Next-generation, multi-domain control and collaboration technologies to take the concept to a new level are mature, allowing a single user to simultaneously operate multiple vehicles and sensors, including the ability to control numerous types of aircraft and other multi-domain unmanned systems from different manufacturers. In addition, these systems are ready to incorporate the best available software applications as “plug-ins” to an open architecture. Industry is also investing in additional technology to ensure that tomorrow's unmanned systems continue to meet U.S. and allied needs. Among them are advanced power generation, systems with improved maneuverability, and vehicles designed to deploy with lighter support and operational footprints. Done smartly, the application of technologies such as autonomy can be better integrated into unmanned systems to enable improved navigation, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, as well as other tasks, while leaving a man in the loop for the use of weapons. Moreover, defense users can rightly leverage the commercial sector's work on areas such as self-driving cars and unmanned taxis that are at the forefront of artificial intelligence for navigation. But while the military can leverage such commercial developments, there are, and will remain, cyber hardening, survivability and other specific requirements that are unique to the defense marketplace and require experienced industrial partners with deep knowledge of national security needs. The ongoing move away from only long-term programs of record to the embrace of the “buy, try, and decide” model, as well as greater uses of funded prototyping, is helping to fast-track many of these promising new technologies. Companies can now match their internal research and development funding to move that innovation along and ensure the United States and its allies remain at the forefront of unmanned technologies. Ryan Hazlett is senior vice president at Textron Systems. https://www.c4isrnet.com/thought-leadership/2018/09/19/the-new-critical-capabilities-for-unmanned-systems

• 

  29 août 2019 | International, Aérospatial, Naval, Terrestre, C4ISR, Sécurité

  Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - August 28, 2019

  AIR FORCE The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Missouri, has been awarded a not-to-exceed $500,000,000, firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity single award contract for Qatar Emiri Air Force (QAEF) F-15QA aircrew and maintenance training. This contract will provide F-15QA aircrew and maintenance training to support the QEAF. Work will be performed at St. Louis, Missouri, and moving to Qatar in 2021 and is expected to be completed August 2026. This is a sole-source requirement as the Boeing Co. has been country-designated as the sole-source provider for the F-15QA program, including F-15QA specific training, under the QEAF Foreign Military Sales (FMS) case QA-D-TAH. FMS funds in the amount of $262,147,569 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Installation Contracting Agency/338th Specialized Contracting Squadron, Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas, is the contracting activity (FA3002-19-D-A007). Rolls-Royce Corp., Indianapolis, Indiana, has been awarded a $47,959,610 delivery order (FA8504-19-F-0018) to previously awarded contract FA8504-17-D-0002 for C-130J propulsion long-term sustainment. This order provides funding for Option II. The total cumulative face value of the contract is $47,959,610. Work will be performed at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, and other various locations supporting C-130J propulsion long-term sustainment and is expected to be completed when the last engines are delivered. Fiscal 2019 aircraft procurement funds in the amount of $47,959,610 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, is the contracting activity. NAVY Raytheon Co., Tucson, Arizona, is awarded a $349,014,465 cost-plus-incentive-fee contract for Phase 2 of the Maritime Strike Tomahawk Rapid Deployment Capability for completion of the Phase 1 design and integration efforts as well as test and evaluation. Work will be performed in Tucson, Arizona (69.3%); Dallas, Texas (6.6%); Boulder, Colorado (5.8%); Walled Lake, Michigan (3.9%); Englewood, Colorado (2.7%); Bristol, Pennsylvania (2.5%); North Logan, Utah (1.9%); Suwanee, Georgia (0.6%); and various locations within the U.S. (6.7%), and is expected to be completed in February 2023. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $44,577,180 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 to Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N00019-19-C-0079). Reyes Construction Inc., Pomona, California, is awarded $21,899,000 for firm-fixed-price task order N62473-19-F-5131 under a previously awarded, multiple award construction contract (N62473-16-D-1804) for design-bid-build to retrofit the graving dock at Naval Base, San Diego. The work to be performed provides for the retrofit the graving dock and includes asbestos and lead base paint abatement. The project includes demolition of the graving dock concrete deck; drill, grout and install micro piles; and install new reinforcement bars and cast-in-place concrete forming the sonar pit. Project includes installation of automated in-haul system to provide more precise horizontal control and in-haul of vessels during evolutions. The in-haul system will consist of capstan at end of dry dock for in-haul and a rail on each side of the dry dock with a series of trolleys fastened to mooring lines from the vessel. Work will be performed in San Diego, California, and is expected to be completed by March 2022. Fiscal 2019 operation and maintenance (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $21,899,000 are obligated on this award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Four proposals were received for this task order. Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southwest, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity. Harper Construction Co. Inc., San Diego, California, is awarded $17,737,397 for firm-fixed-price task order N62473-19-F-5130 under a previously awarded, multiple award construction contract (N62473-18-D-5853) for the design-build construction of a directed energy integration laboratory at Naval Base, Ventura County. The work to be performed provides for the construction of a three-story building with laboratory and office space, site improvements, and all utilities. The options, if exercised, provide for an additional square footage of administrative space and open laboratory space. The task order also contains two unexercised options, which if exercised would increase cumulative task order value to $18,947,274. Work will be performed in Point Mugu, California, and is expected to be completed by January 2021. Fiscal 2019 military construction (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $17,737,397 are obligated on this award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Five proposals were received for this task order. Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southwest, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity. Teradyne Inc.,* Reading, Massachusetts, is awarded a $14,456,731 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract with a five-year period of performance, to procure Enhanced Tactical Pod Tester (e-TPT). The e-TPT is a portable operational level test platform system, specifically for the AN/ALQ-99 airborne electronic warfare jamming system, found on EA-6B and EA-18G military aircraft. Work will be performed in Reading, Massachusetts, and is expected to be complete by August 2024. Fiscal 2018 and 2019 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $2,594,641will be obligated at the time of contract award, and $247,571 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured in accordance with 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1). The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division, Crane, Indiana, is the contracting activity (N00164-19-D-WS26). Advanced Technology International, Summerville, South Carolina (N00174-18-D-0009); and PAE National Security Solutions LLC, Fredericksburg, Virginia (N00174-18-D-0008), are each awarded a modification to their respective previously-awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contracts to exercise Option Two for support services for the Naval Surface Warfare Center Indian Head Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technology Division Demonstration and Assessment Team. This requirement will provide support services to the Demonstration and Assessment Team for coordination of operational forces, to include warfighter workshops and other engagement activities, preparation and facilitation of technology demonstration and assessment planning and readiness meetings, and analysis and reporting of warfighting/warfighter inputs and concepts. Each task order will be competitively procured. Advanced Technology International will be awarded an $8,777,905 modification, which brings the cumulative value of this contract to $25,848,029. PAE National Security Solutions LLC will be awarded an $8,328,452 modification, which brings the cumulative value of this contract to $24,513,838. The location of the work will be determined by individual task orders and is expected to be completed by September 2022. No additional funds are being obligated at the time of this action. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Indian Head Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technology Division, Indian Head, Maryland, is the contracting activity. Wyle Laboratories Inc., Huntsville, Alabama, is awarded $8,433,703 for modification P00004 to a previously awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee, cost-reimbursable contract (N00421-17-C-0056). This modification provides program management services for the F/A-18 Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program in support of the government of Australia. Work will be performed at Patuxent River, Maryland (83%); Whidbey Island, Washington (7%); Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (4%); North Island, California (3%); Amberley, Australia (2%); and Oceana, Virginia (1%), and is expected to be completed in August 2020. FMS funds in the amount of $6,807,165 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Warfare Center, Aircraft Division, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. ARMY BAE, Kingsport, Tennessee, was awarded a $202,437,733 fixed-price-incentive contract for the production and delivery of explosives and components at Holston Army Ammunition Plant, Tennessee. One bid was solicited with one bid received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 30, 2020. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois, is the contracting activity (W52P1J-19-D-0074). Parsons Government Services Inc., Pasadena, California, was awarded a $139,123,690 firm-fixed-price contract for runway repair at Bucholz Army Airfield, Kwajalein Atoll, Republic of the Marshall Islands. Bids were solicited via the internet with three received. Work will be performed in Kwajalein Atoll, Republic of the Marshall Islands, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 22, 2022. Fiscal 2018 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $139,123,690 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Honolulu, Hawaii, is the contracting activity (W9128A-19-C-0005). FLIR Surveillance Inc., Wilsonville, Oregon, was awarded a $92,875,276 firm-fixed-price contract for repair and refurbishment and logistics support. One bid was solicited with one bid received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 29, 2024. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W909MY-19-D-0016). Korte Construction Co., St. Louis, Missouri, was awarded a $63,921,812 firm-fixed-price contract to design and build a KC-46A Depot Maintenance Hangar at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma. Bids were solicited via the internet with four received. Work will be performed in Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, with an estimated completion date of April 30, 2022. Fiscal 2019 military construction funds in the amount of $63,921,812 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Tulsa, Oklahoma, is the contracting activity (W912BV-19-C-0015). Diversified Technical Systems Inc.,* Seal Beach, California, was awarded a $38,441,877 firm-fixed-price contract for the purchase of Warrior Injury Assessment Manikin anthropomorphic test devices. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 27, 2019. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Orlando, Florida, is the contracting activity (W900KK-19-D-0011). The Boeing Co., Mesa, Arizona, was awarded a $33,581,477 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for non-recurring engineering design activities for integrating the Improved Turbine Engine into the AH-64E Apache helicopter. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will be performed in Mesa, Arizona, with an estimated completion date of Feb. 28, 2022. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $10,000,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity (W58RGZ-19-C-0054). Valiant Global Defense Services Inc., San Diego, California, was awarded a $10,645,455 hybrid (cost-no-fee and firm-fixed-price) contract for Korea Battle Simulation Center operations and wide area networking support services. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will be performed in Pyeongtaek, Republic of Korea, with an estimated completion date of March 31, 2025. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance, Army funds in the amount of $4,827,976 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army 411th Contracting Support Brigade, Republic of Korea, is the contracting activity (W91QVN-19-F-0139). DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Noble Supply and Logistics,* Rockland, Massachusetts, has been awarded a maximum $90,000,000 firm-fixed-price bridge contract for facilities maintenance, repair and operations items. This was a sole-source acquisition using justification 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1), as stated in Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. This is a 15-month contract with no option periods. Location of performance is the Southeast Region Zone 2 of the U.S., with a Nov. 28, 2020, performance completion date. Using military services are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2020 defense working capital funds. The contract activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE8E3-19-D-0010). SupplyCore Inc.,* Rockford, Illinois, has been awarded a maximum $77,500,000 firm-fixed-price bridge contract for facilities maintenance, repair and operations items. This was a sole-source acquisition using justification 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1), as stated in Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. This is a 15-month contract with no option periods. Location of performance is the Southeast Region Zone 1 of the U.S., with a Nov. 28, 2020, performance completion date. Using military services are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2020 defense working capital funds. The contract activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE8E3-19-D-0009). A-dec Inc., Newberg, Oregon, has been awarded a maximum $49,500,000 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for hospital equipment and accessories for the Defense Logistics Agency electronic catalog. This is a five-year contract with no option periods. This was a competitive acquisition with 88 responses received; 22 contracts have been awarded to date. Using military services are Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps. Location of performance is Oregon, with an Aug. 31, 2024, performance completion date. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2024 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE2DH-19-D-0015). Latina Boulevard Produce LLC,* Cheektowaga, New York, has been awarded a maximum $49,353,705 firm-fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for fresh fruits and vegetables. This was a competitive acquisition with four responses received. This is a 54-month contract with no option periods. Location of performance is New York, with a Feb. 27, 2024, performance completion date. Using customers are Army, Air Force and Department of Agriculture schools and reservations. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2024 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE300-19-D-P346). The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Missouri, has been awarded a maximum $27,000,000 undefinitized contractual action delivery order (SPRPA1-19-F-0LB9) against a five-year base contract (SPRPA1-14-D-002U) with one five-year option period for E-6B repair. This was a sole-source acquisition using justification 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1), as stated in Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. Location of performance is Oklahoma, with a March 1, 2021, performance completion date. Using military service is Navy. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. *Small Business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/1946835/source/GovDelivery/