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Poland, Italy are unfazed by F-35 upgrade snags
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Soldiers tout new network tool as a ‘game changer’
The Army's first iteration of new network tools, known as Capability Set '21, was heavily influenced by existing network gaps identified by the 82nd Airborne on more than a year's worth of deployments.
According to Capt. Brian Delgado, S6 of the 82nd Airborne Division's 1st Brigade Combat Team, the “biggest game changer” for soldiers in the field provided in the integrated tactical network kit of Capability Set '21 was the secure but unclassified environment.
The SBU environment allows soldiers to more easily share and receive information. In the current network, information that flows through the network is classified, and many lower-level users don't have proper clearances.
“Army operational construct requires battalion formations to conduct combined arms missions, but today's network does not support the battalion's organic capacity to deconflict an air picture, nor an ability to combine dismounted, mounted, fires, intelligence and air pictures into a combined operating picture (COP),” Delgado said. “Part of this challenge is due to the fact that dismounted and most mounted COP tools like Nett Warrior (NW) and Joint Battle Command-Platform resided on the Secret enclave. The vast majority of users at the tactical level do not possess Secret clearances, which makes sharing and receiving key information difficult.”
Capability Set '21 lets soldiers securely share controlled unclassified information across the network, allowing war fighters on the ground to receive important information regardless of their security clearance. With the new tools, the Army moved from a 100 percent classified network to a 75 percent SBU network.
“This means we now were able to use software applications at the Unclassified level in a tactical environment. SBU allowed the utilization of tactical software like the Tactical Assault Kit (TAK) to provide a [combined operating picture] down to the lowest level of leaders,” Delgado said.
Col. Garth Winterle, project manager for tactical radios at Army Program Executive Office Command, Control, Communications-Tactical, said in a May interview with C4ISRNET that the SBU architecture ”opens the door for a lot of different things,” including improved information sharing with coalition partners.
The integrated tactical network kit also unifies the disparate operating picture into a single digital operating picture. The combined operating picture “directly reduces risk in the clearance of fires, combat air support and maneuvering in widely dispersed formations,” Delgado said.
“It allowed battalion commanders to fight teams in a dispersed manner that would have been impossible with legacy systems, and therefore greatly reduced the risk to the battalion combat power that enemy indirect fires commonly present,” Delgado added.
Capability Set '21 was focused on solving immediate network capability gaps with current technology, while also making network hardware far more expeditionary and while improving network transport capabilities. The capability set includes new radios as well as smaller and lighter servers and satellite terminals. It was designed through collaboration between Army PEO C3T and the Army Network Cross-Functional Team.
The Army completed critical design review of Capability Set '21 earlier this year and started procuring new tools this month.
Right now, the “majority” of the Army's command-and-control systems sit on large vehicles that aren't useful on expeditionary operations, Delgado said. With the new technology, the integrated tactical network “separated these systems from vehicles, allowing for more network access during early expeditionary operations that we performed,” reducing the reliance on vehicles and allowing soldiers to dismount systems based on needs.
Delgado said the new integrated tactical network, or ITN, hardware is “orders of magnitude” smaller than existing tools, providing more flexibility in how units choose command-and-control equipment for operations.
“We were able to load a battalion tactical operations center worth of equipment onto a nonstandard small tactical vehicle, and then move it in a matter of hours onto a UH-60 [Black Hawk helicopter] to function as a true command aircraft,” Delgado said.
The Capability Set '21 ITN kit also includes radio waveforms that are more resilient, and it allows for data transmission. The 82nd Airborne has previously been reliant on the Single Channel Ground and Airborne Radio System as well as the Soldier Radio Waveform for tactical radio communications, but Delgado said that both had “limitations regarding their effectiveness and survivability for distributed formations,” and that they didn't allow for SBU transmissions.
The Army is investing several new radios with more resilient waveforms as part of its modernization initiative, including the two-channel leader radio.
“The ITN presents a significant increase in radio resiliency while operating in a contested environment. Most noteworthy are a resistance to tactical jamming, and a near-complete inability of the enemy to ... find radio broadcasts,” Delgado said.
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Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - October 24, 2018
DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Honeywell International Inc., Phoenix, Arizona, has been awarded an estimated $1,036,726,575 firm-fixed-price requirements contract for support of the following platforms: Ground Start Carts, C-130 Auxiliary Power Units (APU), B-2 APU, F-15 components, A-10 APU, E-3 APU, B-1 APU and F-16 turbine power units. 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, six-month base contract with one three-year option, and one three-year and six-month option period. Using military service is Air Force. Location of performance is Utah, with a July 31, 2028, performance completion date. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2029 Air Force working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPRPA1-18-D-001U). NAVY Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., Stratford, Connecticut, is awarded a $717,410,825 firm-fixed-priced, performance-based logistics requirements contract for logistics and repair support for 98 components in support of CH-53 and MH-53 aircraft weapon replaceable assembly components and their related shop replaceable assembly components. This contract includes a 50-month base period with no options. Work will be performed in Stratford, Connecticut (75 percent); and Cherry Point, North Carolina (25 percent). Work is expected to be completed by December 2022. Working capital (Navy) funds in the amount of $142,662,162 will be issued for delivery order (N00383-19-F-0U00) that will be awarded concurrently with the contract. Fiscal 2018-2022 working capital (Navy) funds will be obligated to fund delivery orders as they are issued, and funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. One source was solicited for this non-competitive requirement pursuant to the authority set forth in 10 U.S. Code 2304 (c)(1), in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1, with one offer received. Naval Supply Systems Command Weapon Systems Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is the contracting activity (N00383-19-D-U001). Canadian Commercial Corp., Ontario, Canada, is awarded a $27,673,372 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity single-award contract for the Mk 200 Mod 0 Propelling Charge. This contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of the contract to $74,920,000. This contract involves foreign military sales to Australia and India. Work will be performed by General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems in Quebec, Canada, and is expected to be completed by November 2019. Fiscal 2018 procurement of ammunition (Navy and Marine Corps) funding in the amount of $15,001,914; fiscal 2019 procurement of ammunition (Navy and Marine Corps) funding in the amount of $7,337,384; and foreign military sales (Australia) funding in the amount of $5,334,074 will be obligated on the first delivery order at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities website, with three offers received. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Indian Head Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technology Division, Indian Head, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N00174-19-D-0002). Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Charlottesville, Virginia, is awarded an $18,118,858 firm-fixed-price contract to provide common Integrated Bridge and Navigation Systems (IBNS) for the DDG-51 New Construction Ship Program and DDG-51 Midlife Modernization Program. The IBNS is a hull, mechanical and electrical upgrade and part of the comprehensive plan to modernize the DDG-51 class to ensure the ships remain combat relevant and affordable throughout their life. This contract will serve as the base hardware production contract for IBNS systems. The contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value to $163,963,639. Work will be performed in Charlottesville, Virginia, and is expected to be completed by February 2020. Fiscal 2018 other procurement (Navy); and fiscal 2018 and 2016 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funding in the total amount of $18,118,858 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities website, with one offer received. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity (N00024-19-C-4101). AIR FORCE KIRA Training Services LLC, Boulder, Colorado, has been awarded a $221,379,030 firm-fixed-price contract for civil engineering services. This contract provides for engineering services, installation management services, facilities/infrastructure maintenance and repair services, emergency management services, and housing management services. Work will be performed at the U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado, and is expected to be completed by Nov. 30, 2025. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition with 12 proposals received. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $100,134 will be obligated on Oct. 1, 2018. The 10th Contracting Squadron, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado, is the contracting activity (FA7000-19-C-0001). United Launch Services, Centennial, Colorado, has been awarded a $152,429,417 firm-fixed-price contract for Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle Delta IV heavy launch services. This contract provides launch vehicle production services for National Reconnaissance Office Launch Mission One. Work will be performed in Centennial, Colorado; and Decatur, Alabama, and the launch will occur in Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida; or Vandenberg Air Force Base, California. The work is expected to be completed by June 30, 2021. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Fiscal 2018 missile procurement funds in the amount of $152,429,417 are being obligated at the time of award. Space and Missile Systems Center Los Angeles Air Force Station, California, is the contracting activity (FA8811-19-C-0002). L3 Technologies Inc., Salt Lake City, Utah, has been awarded a $55,382,155 firm-fixed-price, cost-plus fixed-fee, cost-reimbursable contract for the Organic Depot Activation of the MQ-9 communications and data link parts at Tobyhanna Army Depot, Pennsylvania; and Warner-Robins Air Logistics Complex, Georgia. Work will be performed at Tobyhanna Army Depot and Warner-Robins Air Logistics Complex, and is expected to be completed by Oct 21, 2021. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Fiscal 2017 and 2018 aircraft procurement funds in the amount of $44,425,521 are being obligated at time of award. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8620-19-C-2008). DynCorp International LLC, McLean, Virginia, has been awarded a $22,500,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for Egypt personnel support services. This contract provides for housing, transportation, security, vehicles and labor to support defense contractor employees and department of defense employees. Work will be performed in Egypt and is expected to be completed by Sept. 24, 2023. This contract involves foreign military sales (FMS) to Egypt and is the result of a sole-source acquisition. FMS funds in the amount of $2,742,237 are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8630-19-D-5016). TF Powers Construction Co., Fargo, North Dakota, has been awarded a $12,374,000 firm-fixed-price contract for construction services. Contractor will provide all plant, labor, materials, equipment, supplies and supervision necessary for the construction and renovation of building 541 for the Ground Segment Modernization Program: to replace building systems and construct server rooms, offices, auditoriums and conference rooms, a mission control/operation center, remote equipment control rooms, and substantial communications infrastructure all built to security standards. Work will be performed at Grand Forks Air Force Base, North Dakota, and is expected to be completed by Dec. 12, 2019. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition and four offers received. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $12,374,000 are being obligated at the time of award. The 319th Contracting Flight, Grand Forks AFB, North Dakota, is the contracting activity (FA4659-19-C-C001). ARMY HDR Engineering, Omaha, Nebraska (W912UM-19-D-0001); Jacobs Government Services Co., Pasadena (W912UM-19-D-0002); Stanley-WSP JV, Muscatine, Iowa (W912UM-19-D-0003); Tetra Tech Inc., Marlborough, Massachusetts (W912UM-19-D-0004); and Thomas J. Davis Inc.,* Seguin, Texas (W912UM-19-D-0005), will compete for each order of the $100,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for architect and engineer services. Bids were solicited via the internet with 10 received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Oct. 23, 2023. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Seoul, Republic of Korea, is the contracting activity. Norfolk Dredging Co., Chesapeake, Virginia, was awarded a $13,501,500 firm-fixed-price contract for maintenance dredging of the Delaware River. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will be performed in New Castle, Delaware, with an estimated completion date of March 13, 2019. Fiscal 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 operations and maintenance, Army funds in the amount of $13,501,500 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is the contracting activity (W912BU-19-C-0002). West Consultants Inc.,* San Diego, California (W912BV-19-D-0001); and Halff Associates Inc., Fort Worth, Texas (W912BV-19-D-0002), will compete for each order of the $8,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for engineering, design, and construction phase services for hydrologic and hydraulic engineering, design, modeling and manual development services. Bids were solicited via the internet with six received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Oct. 21, 2021. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Tulsa Oklahoma, is the contracting activity. *Small Business https://dod.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/1671864/