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  13 juin 2019 | International, Aérospatial, Sécurité

  India to launch a defense-based space research agency

  By: Vivek Raghuvanshi NEW DELHI — In a move to bolster India's space warfare capabilities, the ruling National Democratic Alliance government has approved the creation of the Defence Space Research Organisation. DSRO will provide technical and research support to its parent organization, the Defence Space Agency. Last week, India's Cabinet Committee on Security, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the creation of DSRO to also develop space warfare systems and associated technology, according to a Ministry of Defence official. DSRO will be headed by a senior defense scientist who will lead a team of other scientists. The agency is expected to be operational by the end of this year. The organization is also charged with finding and implementing defense applications for India's entire spectrum of space technologies. In April, the government established the Defence Space Agency, or DSA, to command the space assets of the Army, Navy and Air Force, including the military's anti-satellite capability. The agency is also to formulate a strategy to protect India's interests in space, including addressing space-based threats. The MoD official noted that the creation of the two agencies is aimed at developing a multidimensional approach to using outer space for strategic purposes. The DSA will be headed by an Air Force vice marshal and will have a staff of 200 personnel from three wings of the armed forces, according to another MoD official. In addition, the DSA will seek input on space as a domain of warfare from the Indian Space Research Organisation and the Defence Research and Development Organization. India's existing military space agencies — including the Defence Imagery Processing and Analysis Centre, located in New Delhi, and the Defence Satellite Control Centre, located in Bhopal — will be merged with DSA. In March, India also conducted an anti-satellite test, which demonstrated its capability to shoot down satellites in space. https://www.defensenews.com/space/2019/06/12/india-to-launch-a-defense-based-space-research-agency/

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  11 novembre 2019 | International, Aérospatial, Naval, Terrestre, C4ISR, Sécurité

  Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - November 11, 2019

  U.S. TRANSPORTATION COMMAND Seventeen companies have been awarded firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contracts under the Worldwide Airlift Services Program, contracts with an estimated program value of $5,700,000,000: Air Center Helicopters, Burleson, Texas (HTC71120DR005); Berry Aviation Inc., San Marcos, Texas (HTC71120DR006); Bighorn Airways, Sheridan, Wyoming (HTC71120DR007); Careflight Ltd., Northmead, New South Wales, Australia (HTC71120DR009); CHI Aviation, Howell, Michigan (HTC71120DR010); Columbia Helicopters Inc., Aurora, Oregon (HTC71120DR011); Contour Aviation, Smyrna, Tennessee (HTC71120DR012); CSI Aviation Inc., Albuquerque, New Mexico (HTC71120DR013); East Coast Flight Services Inc., Easton, Maryland (HTC71120DR014); Erickson Helicopters Inc., Portland, Oregon (HTC71120DR015); Flightworks Inc., Kennesaw, Georgia (HTC71120DR016); Hillsboro Aviation, Hillsboro, Oregon (HTC71120DR017); Jet Logistics Inc., Charlotte, North Carolina (HTC71120DR018); Mountain Aviation Inc., Broomfield, Colorado (HTC71120DR019); Omni Air Transport, Tulsa, Oklahoma (HTC71120DR020); Phoenix Air Group Inc., Cartersville, Georgia (HTC71120DR021); and Rampart Aviation, Colorado Springs, Colorado (HTC71120DR022). This contract provides worldwide Federal Aviation Regulation (FAR) Part 135 airlift services utilizing fixed and/or rotary wing aircraft to transport Department of Defense (DoD) and other federal agency personnel and cargo for domestic and international shipments. Services shall be provided for DoD and other federal government agencies. Services required include aircrew, ground personnel, supplies, ancillary support services and equipment to perform dedicated and/or ad hoc FAR Part 135 or equivalent Civil Aviation Authority airlift operations (at both military and commercial airports/airfields/landing zones). Operations could include the movement of passengers and cargo (or combination thereof), air ambulance, medical evacuation, sling-load cargo operations, delivery of Class I-X supplies, and U.S. Mail and/or other like services. Work will be performed internationally and domestically, with an expected completion date of Nov. 11, 2024. Ordering may be centralized or decentralized and will be determined at the task order level. Funding is provided by multiple government agencies. The contracting activity is U.S. Transportation Command, Directorate of Acquisition, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. (Awarded Nov. 7, 2019) NAVY General Dynamics Mission Systems, Scottsdale, Arizona, is awarded a $731,876,547 cost-plus-award-fee and firm-fixed-price indefinite delivery/ indefinite quantity contract for Mobile User Objective System (MUOS) ground system sustainment. MUOS is a narrowband military satellite communications system that supports a worldwide, multiservice population of users, providing modern netcentric communications capabilities while supporting legacy terminals. Fiscal 2020-2029 weapons procurement (Navy); fiscal 2020-2029 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy); and fiscal 2020-2029 operation and maintenance (Navy) funding will be applied to task orders after the contract award. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Work will be performed in Scottsdale, Arizona (94%); Wahiawa, Hawaii (2%); San Diego, California (1%); Niscemi, Italy (1%); Chesapeake, Virginia (1%); and Geraldton, Australia (1%). Work is expected to be completed by November 2029. This contract was not competitively procured because it is a sole source acquisition pursuant to the authority of 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1); only one responsible source (Federal Acquisition Regulation subpart 6.302-1). The Naval Information Warfare Systems Command, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity (N00039-20-D-0146). L3/Harris Technologies, Clifton, New Jersey, is awarded a $51,852,571 cost-plus-fixed-fee order (N0001920F0394) against a previously issued basic ordering agreement (N00019-16-G-0003). This order procures modifications to the AN/ALQ-214A(V)4 Integrated Defensive Electronic Countermeasures System. This order provides non-recurring engineering to develop, integrate, test and deliver software and firmware as well as all technical data. In addition, this order provides engineering and technical support for test efforts including correction of deficiencies discovered during testing in support of a Foreign Military Sales (FMS) customer. Work will be performed in Clifton, New Jersey, and is expected to be completed in November 2022. FMS funds for $9,000,000 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. BAE Systems Land & Armaments L.P., Sterling Heights, Michigan, is awarded a $27,100,050 modification to exercise an option for a fixed-price-incentive (firm target) contract line item number (CLIN) 4002 portion of a previously awarded contract (M67854-16-C-0006). This modification is for the purchase of other production costs, which includes program management, vehicle tooling, acceptance testing, and transportation, related to the low rate initial production Lot 3A Amphibious Combat Vehicles. Work will be performed in York, Pennsylvania (60%); Aiken, South Carolina (15 %); San Jose, California (15%); Sterling Heights, Michigan (5%); and Stafford, Virginia (5%), and is expected to be completed in January 2022. Fiscal 2020 procurement (Marine Corps) funds for $27,100,050 will be obligated at the time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The contract was based on full and open competition with the solicitation publicized on the Federal Business Opportunities website with five offers received. The option CLIN was included within that contract and is being exercised in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation 52.217-7 Option for Increased Quantity-Separately Priced Line Item. The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Virginia, is the contracting activity (M67854-16-C-0006). Progeny Systems Corp,* Manassas, Virginia, is awarded a $9,653,476 fixed-price-incentive-firm target contract modification to previously awarded contract N00024-19-C-6201 to exercise options for Navy systems support. This effort will award the procurement of Navy equipment. Work will be performed in Manassas, Virginia (50%); and Charleroi, Pennsylvania (50%), and is expected to be completed by August 2021. Fiscal 2019 other procurement (Navy) funding for $9,653,476 will be obligated at time of award and funding will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington Navy Yard, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY UTS Systems LLC,* Fort Walton Beach, Florida, has been awarded a maximum $200,000,000 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for commercial shelters. This is a one-year base contract with three one-year option periods. Location of performance is Florida, with a Nov. 7, 2020, performance completion date. Using military services are Army, Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2021 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE1C1-20-D-1210). DRS Network & Imaging Systems LLC, Melbourne, Florida, has been awarded a maximum $15,751,977 firm-fixed-price contract for 43 separate parts in support of the Direct Support Electrical System Test Set and Next Generation Automated Test System. This contract 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 two-year base contract with one one-year option period. Location of performance is Alabama, with a Nov. 30, 2021, performance completion date. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 Army working capital funds. The contracting activity is Defense Logistics Agency Land, Warren, Michigan (SPRDL1-20-C-0005). The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Missouri, has been awarded an estimated $11,318,767 firm-fixed-priced delivery order (SPRPA1-20-F-QM0P) against a five-year basic ordering agreement (SPE4A1-19-G-0013) for aircraft movable canopies. 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 five-year, four-month contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Missouri, with a March 20, 2025 performance completion date. Using military service is Navy. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 Navy working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Knox County Association for Remarkable Citizens,** Vincennes, Indiana, has been awarded a maximum $9,351,147 modification (P00008) exercising the second one-year option of a one-year base contract (SPE1C1-18-D-N024) with two one-year option periods for the GEN III, Layer II, Mid-Weight Undershirt. This is a firm-fixed-price contract. Location of performance is Indiana, with a Nov. 12, 2020, performance completion date. Using services are Army and Air Force. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2021 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Meggitt Polymers and Composites, Rockmart, Georgia, has been awarded a maximum $8,623,152 firm-fixed-price delivery order (SPRPA1-20-F-LW00) against a five-year basic ordering agreement (SPE4A1-19-G-0013) for F/A-18 fuel tanks. This was a sole-source acquisition using justification 10 U.S. Code 2304 (c)(1), as stated in the Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. Location of performance is Georgia, with a Jan. 31, 2021, performance completion date. Using military service is Navy. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 Navy working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. ARMY General Dynamic Land Systems Inc., Sterling Heights, Michigan, was awarded a $34,873,995 hybrid (cost-plus-fixed-fee and firm-fixed-price) contract to procure Improved Fire Control Electronics Units. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will be performed in Tallahassee, Florida, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 30, 2021. Fiscal 2020 procurement of weapons and tracked combat vehicles, Army funds in the amount of $2,245,559 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Warren, Michigan, is the contracting activity (W56HZV-20-F-0060). JSR Inc.,* Schertz, Texas, was awarded a $9,260,232 firm-fixed-price contract for renovation of Buildings 820 and 829. Bids were solicited via the internet with six received. Work will be performed in San Antonio, Texas, with an estimated completion date of May 22, 2021. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $9,260,232 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Louisville, Kentucky, is the contracting activity (W912QR-20-C-0004). AIR FORCE Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Herndon, Virginia, has been awarded a $32,134,563 modification (P00015) to the previously awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee task order FA8204-16-F-0020 for the Strategic Automated Command and Control System Replacement (SACCS-R). This modification is to definitize a change order and award the added scope for the Time Division Multiplexing to Internet Protocol (TDM-IP). This modification provides for TDM-IP to be implemented and develop a hardware solution to meet the OMNI sunset date using serial-to-IP Adapters to convert messages for transport over the Defense Information System Network. Work will be performed at Hill Air Force Base, Utah; Malmstrom AFB, Montana; Minot AFB, North Dakota; and F.E. Warren AFB, Wyoming, and is expected to be completed by July 31, 2023. The total cumulative face value of the contract is $52,706,639. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $2,440,888 will be obligated at the time of the award. The Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center, Hill AFB, Utah, is the contracting activity. Lockheed Martin Corp., Ft. Worth, Texas, has been awarded a $15,746,610 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for Universal Armament Interface. This contract provides for system engineering and program management for universal armament interface development. Work will be performed in Ft. Worth, Texas, and is expected to be completed by Nov. 19, 2024. This award is the result of a sole source acquisition. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $780,000 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. (FA8628-20-C-2266). Anduril Industries Inc., Irvine, California, has been awarded a $12,000,000 firm-fixed-price Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) contract for Advanced Battle Management System Sensing Network. This contract provides for an Advanced Battle Management System prototype to process vast quantities of data from thousands of sources to be accessible anywhere. Work will be performed at Irvine, California, and is expected to be complete by July 31, 2021. This award is the result of a sole source acquisition, sequential SBIR Phase 2 contract. Fiscal 2019 research and development SBIR funding; and fiscal 2019 research and development Rapid Capability Office funding in the amount of $12,000,000 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Research Lab, Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8650-20-C-9300). Quinn Construction, Rapid City, South Dakota (FA469020D0003); All American Contract Solutions, Rapid City, South Dakota (FA469020D0004); and Pedersen and Rangel, Spearfish, South Dakota (FA469020D0005), have each been awarded a $9,000,000 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for a multiple award construction contract (MACC). This contract is a design-build, bid-build construction acquisition based on a general statement of work further defined with each individual task order. Work to be performed under the MACC will be the general construction category, to include maintenance, repair, alteration, mechanical, electrical, heating/air conditioning, demolition, painting, paving, and earthwork as well as industrial/office buildings on Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota, including Military Family Housing. (NOTE: Extent of work to be accomplished under this contract concerning military family housing on Ellsworth AFB does not include normal maintenance, repair, painting heating, air conditioning, some mechanical, etc., which is covered under the Military Family Housing Maintenance contract). Work is to be completed as specified in each individual task order and the contract completion date is June 29, 2021. This award is the result of a competitive solicitation to small business HUB Zones, Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business, and concerns in the 8(a) program only and 11 offers were received. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $500 are being obligated to each contractor at the time of award. The 28th Contracting Squadron, Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota, is the contracting activity. *Small Business **Mandatory source https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2012852/source/GovDelivery/

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  14 janvier 2019 | International, Terrestre, C4ISR

  What to look for in the upcoming Missile Defense Review

  By: Aaron Mehta WASHINGTON — The Pentagon's Missile Defense Review is in the final stages of pre-release, sources tell Defense News, after more than a year of release delays. The review, a congressionally mandated document looking at the status of America's missile defense capabilities, could be unveiled as soon as the next week, although it has yet to be briefed to Congress, sources say. And while there appears to be significant momentum to actually releasing the document soon, the release has seemed imminent in the past, only to be pulled back at the last minute. The document has been the focus of intense speculation from both the missile defense and nonproliferation communities, with a wide expectation that the document will call for investments in new missile defense technologies and, potentially, a notable change in America's missile defense posture toward Russia and China. For years, America has maintained that missile defense systems capable of defeating major strategic systems are being designed and deployed not at another great power, but only at rogue actors — chiefly Iran and North Korea — who might seek to strike at the U.S. or its allies. The National Security Strategy — the overall security guidance released by the Trump administration in late 2017 — underlines this thinking, stating that “the United States is deploying a layered missile defense system focused on North Korea and Iran to defend our homeland against missile attacks. This system will include the ability to defeat missile threats prior to launch. Enhanced missile defense is not intended to undermine strategic stability or disrupt longstanding strategic relationships with Russia or China.” But analysts, such as Thomas Karako of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, have argued that in an era of great power competition, as illustrated in the National Defense Strategy, it's foolish to lack a plan for defending American assets and allies against China and Russia. “For so many decades we've been standing there like Samson, pushing apart Russia and China on the one hand and missile defenses on the other, saying they're not related,” Karako said. “So in some ways, that implicit connection [from previous reviews] could become much more explicit and pursued more aggressively, and really it should be.” Citing a need to defend against Russian and Chinese weapons is simply stating a need to defend against a major challenger. But China particularly seems to grow as a concern year over year for the U.S. government; it's notable that acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan's message to his staff upon taking over the top job at the Pentagon was to focus on “China, China, China.” Members of the nonproliferation community, such as Laura Grego of the Union of Concerned Scientists, argue that the technology needed to ensure America can defeat a major nation's use of strategic weapons is so expensive and technically challenging that getting to that point will divert funding from better projects. That spending decision would also encourage potential adversaries to invest more, not less, in nuclear weapons to counter America's perceived missile defense improvements, the argument goes. “Even absent a specific policy to take on Russia and China more explicitly, planned missile defense plans continue to be made in patterns that Russia and particularly China will not be able to ignore,” she said. “Trying to counter China and Russia's strategic deterrent with missile defense is of course a fool's errand and gets us further from reducing nuclear weapons, not closer. I hope that wiser heads prevail.” It is important to differentiate between regional missile defense systems being placed to defend allies against Russia or China, and the bigger homeland defense mission, said Kingston Reif of the Arms Control Association. For example, based on congressional guidance, it is expected the review will include ideas for countering hypersonic weapons, a threat currently originating from only Russia and China. “If the review goes so far as to broaden the role of missile defense to defend the U.S. homeland against Russian and Chinese missile attack[s], that would mark a major and radical change in U.S. policy,” Reif said. “The United States, Russia and China aren't taking into account the concerns the others have about their offensive and defensive developments sufficiently seriously to avoid increased risks of instability.” Technical capabilities While the great power competition may be a key driver, it is unlikely to be the only new aspect of the report. Karako hopes to see a layout for how missile defense capabilities fit into America's overall deterrence strategy, noting: “All capabilities are finite. So how is it that finite active missile defenses can contribute to deterring a Russia or China?" “Everyone knows if they want to, they could overwhelm a given defense. But it really comes down to how do certain capabilities deter aggression, opportunism, limited strikes, all these kind of things,” he said. “So I'll be looking for the articulation of how it contributes to overall deterrence for ourselves and our allies.” He's also keeping an eye out for how the document defines “integrated” missile defense systems, and whether planners can avoid stovepiping capabilities. Reif, for his part, is looking to see if there are increases in the Ground-Based Interceptor force in Alaska and California, or the creation of an East Coast missile defense site. Technologically, the report is expected to push for so-called left-of-launch technologies — capabilities that can take out a potential missile threat before it even leaves the launcher. “If you can see it early, you can kill it early,” Gen. John Hyten, the head of U.S. Strategic Command, said in August. “Driving that equation to the left has huge operational advantages because to actually shoot down a missile that somebody launched that comes back down on their head, do you think they are going to shoot another one? I don't think so. They are not going to shoot another one because it's just going to come right back down on their head, and so they stop shooting. Isn't that the whole point?” It's also expected the MDR will call for investment in laser systems, with Michael Griffin, the Pentagon's research and engineering head, saying in November that “you're going to see in upcoming budgets for missile defense a renewed emphasis on laser scaling across several” technology areas. In addition, expect talk of a space-based layer for missile defense, although that may be primarily focused on sensors rather than intercept capabilities — at least for now. Asked about space-based interceptors, Reif said: “Like a zombie that can't be killed, the idea keeps coming back. Pursuing space-based interceptors would be unaffordable, technically dubious and highly destabilizing.” The document, as ordered by Congress, must include milestone targets for developing new capabilities. It requires statements of five- and 10-year programmatic goals for developing capabilities, “as well as desired end states and milestones for integration and interoperability with allies, and a statement on the role of international cooperation,” per congressional guidance. Getting the MDR published has proven to be a nearly Sisyphean task for the Trump administration. Pentagon officials originally said the document would be released in late 2017 — then February, then mid-May and then late in the summer. In September, John Rood, who as undersecretary of defense for policy is the point man for the MDR, indicated the report could come out in a matter of weeks. And in October, Shanahan, then the deputy secretary of defense, said the document had been done “for some time.” There is also widespread speculation in the missile defense community that the review has been delayed, at least in part because of the warmed relations between the Trump administration and North Korea. Notably, the mid-May time frame for release, which was floated by Shanahan in April, lined up President Donald Trump's planned meeting in Singapore with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. While that meeting was canceled and then eventually happened in June, there was a sense the Pentagon did not want to do anything that could jeopardize those talks, such as releasing a report discussing how the U.S. could counter North Korean capabilities. https://www.defensenews.com/pentagon/2019/01/11/what-to-look-for-in-the-upcoming-missile-defense-review