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14 janvier 2020 | International, Aérospatial

‘Red Air’ providers prep for a big year of war games

By: Valerie Insinna

WASHINGTON — Last year, the Air Force tapped seven defense companies for a $6.4 billion opportunity for “Red Air” training where contracted pilots pose as aggressors in air-to-air combat. With the fiscal 2020 budget finally approved, those firms are hungry to hear for more information about when and where they start flying.

The companies — Air USA Inc., Airborne Tactical Advantage Company (ATAC), Blue Air Training, Coastal Defense, Draken International, Tactical Air Support and Top Aces Corp. — currently find themselves waiting for the next phase of the competition, when the Air Force will issue individual work orders for a total of 22 bases that will allow contractors to begin flying this year.

“I think we've all watched the Air Force program develop over the last two years kind of in awe at the size of it and the ambition, the commitment they're making to have enough adversaries out there to challenge their pilots,” said Russ Bartlett, CEO of Textron Airborne Solutions, which is the parent company of ATAC. “That's great for industry, because the Air Force knows they need to do that.”

Unlike major programs for weapon systems, which have a dedicated line item in the budget, the work orders for adversary air services will be paid out of the operations and maintenance account, which is more flexible. While the Air Force's FY20 budget request flags a $151 million increase for “contract air training,” it's unclear how much of that amount will ultimately be set aside for that adversary air services.

It will be up to Air Combat Command “to decide how much money they're going to put against the adversary air budget. So we're really just waiting to figure out how that all works,” said Russ Quinn, president of Top Aces. “We and the program office are looking very forward to hearing how Air Combat Command is planning on funding the contract.”

Draken International is already conducting aggressor flights at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., as part of a five-year contract awarded in 2018. That work is helping the company keep its Red Air planes ready ahead of work at other bases, said Sean Gustafson, Draken's vice president of business development.

"We're flying 6,000 to 7,000 hours a year out there right now,” he said. “We're excited for the task orders to come out shortly, looking to expand and set up operations on the East Coast and then supporting those bases.”

The Draken pilots, who currently fly the Aero Vodochody L-159E Honey Badger and Douglas A-4 Skyhawk, regularly deploy from Nellis AFB and visit other installations, including Hill AFB in Utah, Eglin AFB in Fla., and Holloman AFB in N.M.

The company will begin adding Mirage F1s to the mix next month, Gustafson said.

“We're very excited about that, because that will be the first radar-equipped, supersonic aircraft in the industry. We have the first three [of 24 total] going out there in February,” he said. The company has also purchased 12 radar- equipped, supersonic Atlas Cheetah fighters that will help cover Air Force requirements outside of Nellis.

Meanwhile, the other companies are doing training and modifications necessary to get their aggressor fleets ready to fly whenever the U.S. Air Force decides it needs those planes.

Top Aces has purchased 29 used F-16s from an undisclosed user specifically for the Air Force's adversary air contract. Those aircraft are not yet in the United States, but Quinn is confident that the company will have the aircraft in hand in early spring, he said.

After that, Top Aces will begin modifying each jet with an open architecture system that will allow the company to more easily outfit the aircraft with a range of radar, sensors, electronic warfare pods or other technologies that increase the capability of Red Air forces, he said.

Depending on whether the company wins a contract with Germany for adversary air services, it may also have excess capacity with its Douglas A-4N Skyhawk fleet, which it could also offer to help supplement the U.S. Air Force's needs, Quinn said.

ATAC plans to use its new fleet of Mirage F1 jets to meet the Air Force's requirements. So far, the company has fully trained one F1 pilot, who flew the first ATAC Mirage in August. Another two pilots were set to begin training in December, Bartlett said late last year.

“On the airplane side, we're in really good shape. Sixty-three airplanes is a huge win for us. There are a lot of economies of scale that we intend to capitalize on,” he said. “The challenge is going to be — of course — hiring and retaining pilots. The services are trying keep their pilots and grow their pilot cadres; the airlines are hiring aggressively and paying lucrative salaries, and this industry is growing by leaps and bounds with just this Air Force program.”

So far, recruiting pilots has not been a problem for Draken, Gustafson said. The company has employed 52 aggressor pilots to meet the demands of its contract with Nellis, and has a “stack of resumes” from pilots that jobs as the company expands to other bases.

“We're doing well on [hiring],” he said. “Some folks, they don't want to go to the airlines. They recently retired from the military and they want to keep flying fighters.”

The company is looking to grow its fleet with new aircraft, as well, he added.

“We should have some pretty exciting news about five to six months from now,” he said.

https://www.defensenews.com/air/2020/01/13/red-air-providers-prep-for-a-big-year

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  • Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - November 25, 2020

    26 novembre 2020 | International, Aérospatial, Naval, Terrestre, C4ISR, Sécurité

    Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - November 25, 2020

    AIR FORCE Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., San Diego, California, has been awarded a $4,800,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for Global Hawk development, modernization, retrofit and sustainment activities for all Air Force Global Hawk variants. This contract provides for management, including program, business and technical areas; engineering efforts, including configuration management, data management, reliability, availability and maintainability, and related areas of concern such as technical refresh, diminishing manufacturing sources, etc.; studies and analyses; design, development, integration, test and evaluation; contract/production line closeout/shutdown; training; sparing; overseas contingency operations support; fielding; cyber security/information assurance; interoperability support; facilities modifications/renovation; integrated logistics support; requirements management specification management; and quality assurance. Additional, and more specific, guidance will be included within each individual delivery order/task order statement of work and performance work statement regarding these and other tasks. This contract provides flexibility to accommodate the broad enterprise of activities associated with the Global Hawk program. Work will be performed in San Diego, California, and is expected to be completed Sept. 30, 2030. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Multiple fiscal years and types of funds will be used for this contract. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the primary contracting activity (FA8690-21-D-1009). Raytheon Technologies Corp., East Hartford, Connecticut, has been awarded a $453,057,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the aircraft engine Component Improvement Program. This contract provides for the following work: the Component Improvement Program establishes prioritized list of projects each calendar year to include developing engineering changes to the engines, developing organizational, intermediate and depot level repairs as needed, and designing modifications to existing support equipment as well as initiating new support equipment designs as required by engine driven changes. The program also provides support to resolve service-revealed deficiencies and maintain or extend the life limits of aircraft engines. Work will be performed in East Hartford, Connecticut, and is expected to be completed Dec. 31, 2029. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $557,347 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8626-21-D-0001). The Boeing Co., Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, has been awarded Option Five to its indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract FA8106-16-D-0002 under order FA8134-21-F-0001, in the estimated amount of $196,477,863. The Option Five exercise will provide E4B program management, field service representatives, system integration laboratory support, emergency support, spare procurement, spare repair and overhaul, engine sustainment and scheduled and unscheduled depot maintenance. Work will be performed in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska; and San Antonio, Texas, and is expected to be completed Nov. 30, 2021. This contract is a sole-source order. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance funds in the amount of $75,677,863 are being obligated at time of award. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Tinker AFB, Oklahoma, is the contracting activity. Lockheed Martin Missile and Fire Control, Orlando, Florida, has been awarded a $42,100,000 undefinitized modification (P00016) to contract FA8682-18-C-0009 for the Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM) group one development. This contract modification supports the Global Positioning System receiver development and the development of the missile control unit gigabit cables. Work will be performed in Orlando, Florida, and is expected to be completed Dec. 31, 2023. Fiscal 2020 procurement; and fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $6,774,932 are being obligated at the time of award. Total cumulative face value of the contract is $214,912,654. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, is the contracting activity. DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY The Bell Boeing Joint Project Office, California, Maryland, has been awarded a maximum $188,572,655 modification (P00010) exercising the second one-year option period of a one-year base contract (SPRPA1-17-D-009U) with four one-year option periods for performance-based logistics and engineering support for the V-22 platform. This is a firm-fixed-price requirements contract. Locations of performance are Maryland, Texas and Pennsylvania, with a Nov. 30, 2021, performance completion date. Using customers are Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps and military services in Japan. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2021 through 2022 (Air Force, Navy, Special Operations Command and Foreign Military Sales) appropriated funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. SupplyCore Inc.,* Rockford, Illinois (SPE8E3-21-D-0001, $90,000,000); and Noble Supply and Logistics,* Rockland, Massachusetts (SPE8E3-21-D-0002, $90,000,000) have each been awarded a firm-fixed-price contract under solicitation SPE8EG-13-R-0002 for facilities maintenance, repair and operations. These were sole-source acquisitions using justification 10 U.S. Code 2304 (c)(1), as stated in Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. They are 365-day bridge contracts with no option periods. Locations of performance are Illinois, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Tennessee, with a Nov. 28, 2021, performance completion date. Using customers are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2021 through 2022 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Linthicum Heights, Maryland, has been awarded an estimated $16,881,210 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract to add pricing for the repair of modular receiver exciters and common radar processor components and other depot-level reparable 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 three-year base contract with one five-year option period. Location of performance is Maryland, with a Sept. 9, 2023, ordering period end date. Using military service is Air Force. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2021 through 2023 Air Force operation and maintenance funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma (SPRTA1-21-D-0001). Creighton AB Inc., Reidsville, North Carolina, has been awarded a maximum $7,788,263 modification (P00002) exercising the first one-year option period of a one-year base contract (SPE1C1-20-D-1213) with four one-year option periods for men's broadfall trousers. This is a firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. Locations of performance are New York and North Carolina, with a Nov. 24, 2021, ordering period end date. Using military service is Navy. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2021 through 2022 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NAVY Adept Process Services Inc. (APS Marine), National City, California (N55236-21-D-0001); Amee Bay LLC, Hanahan, South Carolina (N55236-21-D-0002); Delphinus Engineering Inc., Eddystone, Pennsylvania (N55236-21-D-0003); Epsilon Systems Solutions Inc., San Diego, California (N55236-21-D-0004); Integrated Marine Services Inc., Chula Vista, California (N55236-21-D-0005); Marine Group Boat Works LLC, Chula Vista, California (N55236-21-D-0006); Q.E.D. Systems Inc., Virginia Beach, Virginia (N55236-21-D-0007); and Willard Marine Inc., Anaheim, California (N55235-21-D-0008), are awarded an overall maximum ceiling value of $64,349,360 in firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, multiple award contracts with a five base year ordering period to provide marine boatyard services (Lot 1) including specific modifications, upgrades, service life extension and repairs to non-commissioned boats, craft, and lighterage/service crafts that can be transported via roadway by a trailer that is less than 15 meters or 50 feet in length. It includes their associated systems (i.e., hull, mechanical, electrical and electronic systems; trailers; transporters; deployment systems; slings and hoisting systems; launch and retrieval systems, etc.) and periodic maintenance. These eight companies will have an opportunity to compete for individual delivery orders. Work will be performed within the San Diego-Los Angeles County areas. These contracts have a five-year base ordering period and work is expected to be completed by November 2025. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance (Navy) funding in the amount of $80,000 ($10,000 for minimum guarantee per contract) will be obligated under each contract's initial delivery order and funding will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. These contracts were competitively procured via the beta.sam.gov website; nine offers were received. The Southwest Regional Maintenance Center, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity. Barnhart-Reese Construction Inc.,* San Diego, California, is awarded firm-fixed-price task order N62473-21-F-4139 at $15,814,642 under a multiple award construction contract for design-build repair to Bachelors Enlisted Quarters (BEQ) Building 210905 at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California. The scope of work includes repairs to building subsurface slab and waste line; interior walls, doors, floors, shower enclosures and restroom fixtures; exterior doors and hardware, downspouts, gutters, cracks on walls and balconies, paint walls and rails; electrical lines and walkways; provides an air-cooled chiller, pumps, controls and associated appurtenances; and any incidental related work. Work will be performed in Oceanside, California, and is expected to be completed by June 2022. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $15,814,642 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 Systems Command, Southwest, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity (N62473-17-D-4629). Innovative Defense Technologies,* Arlington, Virginia, is awarded a $14,071,754 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for automated test and analysis capability supporting Navy surface combatant combat system development. Work will be performed in Arlington, Virginia (50%); and Mount Laurel, New Jersey (50%), and is expected to be completed by November 2021. This contract includes options, which if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $90,490,587 and be completed in November 2025. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funding in the amount of $500,000 will be obligated at time of award and 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)(5). This award is the result of a Small Business Innovative Research Phase III sole-source acquisition. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity (N00024-21-C-5100). Perspecta Engineering Inc., Chantilly, Virginia, is awarded a $9,731,342 cost-plus-fixed-fee, cost-reimbursable, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. This contract provides engineering services in support of test and evaluation and systems engineering activities related to AEGIS Ballistic Missile Defense on behalf of the Missile Defense Agency. Work will be performed in Kauai, Hawaii (90%); Oahu, Hawaii (4%); Santa Clara, California (3%); Point Mugu, California (2%); and Chantilly, Virginia (1%). Work is expected to be completed in November 2025. No funds will be obligated at the time of award and 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 Warfare Center, Weapons Division, China Lake, California, is the contracting activity (N68936-21-D-0007). Bristol Engineering Services Co. LLC,* Anchorage, Alaska, is awarded firm-fixed-price task order N62473-21-F-4135 at $8,257,745 under a multiple award construction contract for construction and repair of natural gas lines at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, California. The work to be performed provides for construction and repair of high pressure natural gas systems' main and laterals lines. This project repairs approximately 108,000 linear feet of underground high pressure (400 psi) main piping, medium pressure piping, and low pressure (45 to 20 psi) branch natural gas piping system. Work will be performed in Twentynine Palms, California, and is expected to be completed by February 2022. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance (Marine Corps) contract funds in the amount of $8,257,745 are obligated on this award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Three proposals were received for this task order. The Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command, Southwest, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity (N39430-20-D-2221). ARMY Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Herndon, Virginia, was awarded an $11,538,508 modification (P00014) to contract W911S0-18-C-0004 to provide mission support for planning, coordination and execution of exercises conducted by the Army's Mission Command Training Program. Work will be performed in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, with an estimated completion date of Oct. 14, 2024. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance (Army) funds in the amount of $11,538,508 were obligated at the time of the award. The U.S. Army Field Directorate Office, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, is the contracting activity. *Small business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2428368/source/GovDelivery/

  • European Nations Are Teaming Up to Make a 6th-Gen Fighter. Can the US Keep Up?

    19 juin 2019 | International, Aérospatial

    European Nations Are Teaming Up to Make a 6th-Gen Fighter. Can the US Keep Up?

    By Oriana Pawlyk SALON DU BOURGET, PARIS -- France made a splash at this year's Paris Air Show, unveiling a sixth-generation fighter design, the Future Combat Air System. The Dassault-made aircraft, which is set to be made in collaboration with Airbus and acquired by Spain and Germany as well as France, represents a renaissance in European aviation, French President Emmanuel Macron said. The unveiling comes just a year after BAE Systems debuted a concept model for a future British 6th-generation fighter, the Tempest. Is Europe now on a trajectory to beat the U.S. to acquisition of 6th-generation fighter technology? "I would have to say no," Acting Air Force Secretary Matt Donovan said here Monday during the airshow. Donovan and Dr. Will Roper, assistant secretary of the Air Force for acquisition, technology and logistics, both noted last year upon the unveiling of the Tempest fighter in the U.K. that, while competition is "a good thing," any fighter NATO partners and allies aim to produce in the future should be complementary to U.S. capabilities. They stressed the same message after France unveiled the Future Combat Air System. "We're putting a lot of focus into our next-generation programs right now to make sure we're going to lead the way to sixth-generation systems," Roper said. Roper and Donovan said they have yet to have a full briefing about what Europe's latest fighters, including the United Kingdom's Tempest jet, look like beneath the surface design. "We would just like to cooperate and collaborate ... as well as to share technology, [which is] absolutely important for future interoperability if we're going to go to war as coalitions, which we always do, so that's really important," Donovan said. Roper said it's not just about what a fighter can do, but also how it's made. Discussions are ongoing within the Air Force about the need for a sixth-gen fighter, he said. Leveraging the use of "digital engineering," which sometimes allows the service to bypass the regular manufacturing process for parts, will give developers the ability to design and change blueprints with more flexibility, Roper said. The Air Force is currently using digital engineering for A-10 Warthogs, as well as the Ground Based Strategic Deterrent program, which is set to replace the Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile system. "We [believe the] production technology may be the most game-changing component if it allows us to move into a different paradigm of doing rapid design spirals and updates," Roper told reporters here, adding that technology growth paired with digital engineering will allow for faster production of future aircraft. Roper said the Defense Department is used to outdated acquisition practices, out of step with what the pilot may need to outpace adversaries. "In addition to looking at a lot of classified capabilities we want to give future warfighters, we also want to give manufacturers a different way of making that cutting-edge technology. Expect [that] for what we bring to the table for sixth-gen," he said. "We're here to also ... connect with the future," Roper added. "Aviation is a booming business right now in Europe, so we're interested in seeing who the new movers and shakers are, engaging with some of the companies here in France, but also showing that some of the systems that we bring to bear from the U.S. are the best in the world, and we see a future where we maintain that edge far past our successors." https://www.military.com/daily-news/2019/06/18/european-nations-are-teaming-make-6th-gen-fighter-can-us-keep.html

  • US Army moves to full-rate production on tactical radios essential for multidomain operations

    27 septembre 2021 | International, C4ISR

    US Army moves to full-rate production on tactical radios essential for multidomain operations

    The radios provide critical capabilities allowing forces multiple paths of communication.

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