12 juin 2019 | International, Aérospatial, Sécurité

Sikorsky Gets $542M Navy Contract to Build 6 New Presidential Helicopters

By Gina Harkins

The winner of the next presidential election will be the first to fly in one of six new helicopters built for the commander in chief.

Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company, will deliver half a dozen VH-92A aircraft starting in 2021 as part of a new $542 million contract, Navy officials announced Monday. The six aircraft will be the first of 23 new presidential helicopters the company will deliver by 2023.

The contract from Naval Air Systems Command includes support equipment, parts replenishment and spares, according to the announcement.

Dave Banquer, Sikorsky's VH-92A program director, said the latest modifications to the aircraft make it capable of transporting the president anywhere around the world at any time. The aircraft has undergone rigorous testing and operational assessments, including on the south lawn of the White House, according to a Sikorsky news release.

"The VH-92A has flown over 520 flight test hours establishing the aircraft's technical maturity and readiness of its mission systems," it states.

The Quantico, Virginia-based Marine Helicopter One Squadron flies the aircraft that transport the president, vice president and foreign heads of state. The squadron includes a fleet of "White Top" VH-3D Sea Kings, VH-60N "White Hawks" and "Green Top" MV-22B Osprey tiltrotor aircraft.

The VH-92A will "increase performance and payload over the current presidential helicopters," which have been flying for more than 40 years, a Navy release states. That includes better communication capabilities and maintainability.

Most of the work on the new helicopters will be done in Connecticut and Pennsylvania, with some also taking place in New York, Maryland and Virginia.

James Geurts, assistant secretary of the Navy for research, development and acquisition, said the government and contract teams were able to move the deal into initial production at more than "$1 billion less than the program's cost baseline."

Marines in Quantico have been learning how to fly the new helos since earlier this year on a new training device. The replica VH-92A cockpit gives pilots "mission-oriented flight training in a simulation-based training device," Sikorsky said in its release.

"The training suite allows maintainers to hone their skills to effectively maintain the aircraft and practice troubleshooting," it states.

https://www.military.com/daily-news/2019/06/11/sikorsky-gets-542m-navy-contract-build-6-new-presidential-helicopters.html

Sur le même sujet

  • Norway’s allies share their views on the country’s new defense plan

    17 avril 2020 | International, Aérospatial, Naval, Terrestre, C4ISR, Sécurité

    Norway’s allies share their views on the country’s new defense plan

    By: Stephen J. Flanagan and James Black As countries around the world grapple with the unfolding coronavirus pandemic, the wider business of government continues. Norway's Ministry of Defence will shortly publish its next Long Term Plan, which will then be debated by parliament. The plan outlines how the Armed Forces, in tandem with other elements of government and society, can best address the threats to Norway from hostile states, terrorists, and fragile and failing states. The plan also examines how to bolster national resilience to deal with other risks including hybrid warfare, climate change and pandemics. A new Rand report, commissioned by the MoD to inform its strategy and policy development, offers perspectives from its closest allies on the emerging security challenges and strategic options facing Norway. We found broad alignment of Norwegian and allied assessments across Denmark, France, Germany, the U.K., the U.S. and NATO institutions, but some enduring differences in emphasis and priorities. Other allies recognize Norway as punching above its weight and playing a critical role in the defense of the North Atlantic and High North. At the same time, our research concludes there is no time for complacency. Norway's key allies agree that the most significant threat in the High North is not a crisis directed against Norway itself. The more plausible danger is “horizontal escalation” — a crisis elsewhere in Europe rapidly growing into a wider conflict that threatens Norwegian waters, airspace and territory. Russia continues to demonstrate hostile intent, and its military capabilities threaten the ability of Norway and its allies to operate military forces, secure critical infrastructure and protect civilian populations. The collapse of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty in 2019 brings an increased threat from medium-range ballistic missiles, requiring Norwegian and allied defense planners to adjust to new threats to the homeland and region. Improvements in the Russian Northern Fleet, including surface vessels and submarines armed with modern cruise missiles, also pose an increased threat to NATO operations in the Norwegian Sea, to undersea internet cables and to sea lines of communication essential to reinforcing Norway from North America or Europe in the event of any conflict. There is also strong consensus on the enduring threats posed by terrorism, nonstate actors and challenges such as climate change in the Arctic. While all allies recognize the need to consider the strategic implications of a rising China, the United States sees China as a more direct and imminent security threat. Allies also welcome Norway's contributions to missions on NATO's eastern and southern flanks. Allies perceive Norway as having an impressive mix of high-end capabilities for a country of its size and a mature total defense concept — its strategy for engaging all elements of society in national defense. These capabilities and commitments, coupled with a well-respected approach to strategy development, have allowed Norway to have significant influence on strategic thinking within NATO. Nevertheless, significant security challenges remain, and to address them our report suggests a number of options for Norwegian leaders to consider: Strengthen deterrence in Norway: Expand surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities; increase the military posture in northern Norway; enhance the protection of bases and forces against air and missile threats; maximize the F-35 fighter jet's potential to aid joint operations; and prepare for operations in contested cyber, space and electromagnetic environments. Expand capacity to receive allied reinforcements: Build on lessons from the joint Trident Juncture 2018 exercise, which allies viewed as an important milestone but not a full stress test; pursue increasingly challenging training scenarios; ensure sufficient pre-positioned stocks of consumables and equipment; upgrade and expand infrastructure along with concepts for dispersing forces to prevent attack; and deepen cooperation to enhance military mobility and interoperability. Explore concepts to hold potential adversaries at risk: Invite allies with more advanced reconnaissance and deep-attack systems to deploy them to Norway periodically; develop longer-range weapons for Norwegian forces; explore the utility of low-cost, unmanned assets; collaborate with key allies on concepts to deny adversaries access to the sea and to better project forces onto the littoral; and refine parallel strategic communications to control escalation. Enhance national and societal resilience: Test and refine Norway's whole-of-government approach and the mechanisms for civil support to the military; contribute to NATO's strategy for addressing hybrid threats, such as disinformation, economic pressure and cyberattacks; and explore further measures to enhance collective preparedness and will to fight. Solidify Norwegian contributions to NATO and partners: Continue contributions to NATO operations beyond the north; help to address variations in defense expenditure across all NATO nations and rebalance trans-Atlantic burden-sharing; promote deeper NATO cooperation with Sweden and Finland; and use innovation and industry to enable influence within NATO. Other countries can learn from how Norway chooses to tackle these emerging challenges, and they can benefit from its lessons learned, particularly with respect to the total defense concept. Pursuit of some of these options, along with the Norwegian government's ongoing efforts to seek allied views, could help enhance deterrence in the north and overall NATO defense. Stephen J. Flanagan is a senior political scientist at the think tank Rand. James Black is a senior analyst in the defense, security and infrastructure program at Rand Europe. https://www.defensenews.com/opinion/commentary/2020/04/16/allies-share-views-on-enhancing-defense-of-norway-and-the-high-north/

  • AECOM wins contract with U.S. Department of State to provide Diplomatic Platform Support Services

    26 juin 2019 | International, Autre défense

    AECOM wins contract with U.S. Department of State to provide Diplomatic Platform Support Services

    GERMANTOWN, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--AECOM (NYSE:ACM), a premier, fully integrated global infrastructure firm, has been awarded a Multiple Award, Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity contract by the U.S. Department of State for Diplomatic Platform Support Services. The contract ceiling is $6 billion over a five-year period and provides an opportunity for AECOM to expand its proven global logistical and operations and maintenance capabilities. “This is a significant program of work with the Department of State and expands our market share in providing logistical and mission support for many branches of the U.S. Government,” said John Vollmer, AECOM's president of its Management Services group. “We have made significant investments in asset management solutions which are paying dividends in our growth in this market.” The contract requires Program Management, Procurement of Critical Items, Life Support Services, Logistics Services, Operation and Maintenance Services, and Construction and Renovation Projects for U.S. Department of State facilities, and other U.S. Government facilities overseas, with a focus on high-threat contingency environments. “We look forward to the opportunity to deliver these key services to the Department of State, partnering with them to provide world-class support for the conduct of U.S. foreign policy,” said Dr. Karl Spinnenweber, AECOM's executive vice president and general manager of its Mission Readiness business. For over 100 years, AECOM and its legacy companies have worked with governments around the world, providing cost-effective and innovative solutions to help them achieve mission success. AECOM leverages its global defense, civilian and commercial expertise to deliver services across the entire life cycle for clients' most challenging projects – from concept design, development, construction, acquisition, management and operation to testing, training, sustainment and supply chain management. About AECOM AECOM is built to deliver a better world. We design, build, finance and operate critical infrastructure assets for governments, businesses and organizations. As a fully integrated firm, we connect knowledge and experience across our global network of experts to help clients solve their most complex challenges. From high-performance buildings and infrastructure, to resilient communities and environments, to stable and secure nations, our work is transformative, differentiated and vital. A Fortune 500 firm, AECOM had revenue of approximately $20.2 billion during fiscal year 2018. See how we deliver what others can only imagine at aecom.com and @AECOM. Forward-Looking Statements: All statements in this press release other than statements of historical fact are “forward-looking statements” for purposes of federal and state securities laws, including the future term, price, performance and financial impact of the Department of State support service agreement as well as other future business and economic conditions. Actual results could differ materially from those projected or assumed in any of our forward-looking statements. Important risk factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from our forward-looking statements are set forth in AECOM's periodic report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2019, and other reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. AECOM does not intend, and undertakes no obligation, to update any forward-looking statements. https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190626005114/en

  • Lockheed Martin Receives First F-16 For Depot Sustainment Program

    17 mars 2021 | International, Aérospatial

    Lockheed Martin Receives First F-16 For Depot Sustainment Program

    Lockheed Martin received its first F-16 from the U.S. Air Force as part of the $900 million IDIQ contract to provide sustainment support and depot-overflow services for F-16 aircraft.

Toutes les nouvelles