9 juin 2020 | International, Aérospatial
By: Mike Yeo
MELBOURNE, Australia — The development of South Korea's indigenous KF-X fighter jet has taken another step forward with GE Aviation delivering the first engine for program, although development partner Indonesia continues to rack up overdue payments for its share.
The engine manufacturer announced Friday that it delivered the first F414-GE-400K engine to Korea Aerospace Industries in May. KAI is developing the KF-X for the South Korean Air Force, which intends to replace its fleet of McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II and Northrop F-5E/F Tiger II fighters with the new jet.
“GE is thrilled to reach this important milestone in the KF-X program,” said Al DiLibero, general manager of GE's Medium Combat and Trainer Engines department. “Our success so far on this program reflects the strong relationship between the [Republic of Korea Air Force] ROKAF, our South Korean industry partners and GE Aviation, and the long and successful history of our engines powering ROKAF aircraft."
KAI selected GE Aviation in May 2016 to supply F414-GE-400K engines for the KF-X fighter, with an eventual total of 240 F414s plus spares to be supplied to KAI to power 120 KF-X jets for South Korea.
A total of 15 engines and six prototypes are expected to be produced for the program by 2021, with first flight expected in 2022. Development is expected to be completed by 2026.
The F414 also powers the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, the Saab JAS 39E/F Gripen and India's HAL Tejas Mark 2 combat aircraft.
South Korea plans to primarily equip the KF-X with indigenous avionics. These will come mostly from LIG Nex1 and Hanwha, although Israel's Elbit Systems will supply terrain following/avoidance systems for the active electronically scanned array radar under development by Hanwha. The Israeli company announced the $43 million contract in early February.
The KF-X is also to be compatible with European air-to-air missiles. South Korea signed a contract with European missile-maker MBDA in November 2019 to integrate the Meteor, while Diehl-BGT is also reportedly set to sign a similar contract for its IRIS-T.
It was also reported that the American Paveway laser-guided bomb, the satellite-guided Joint Direct Attack Munition and Textron's CBU-105 Wind Corrected Munitions Dispenser will be integrated on the KF-X, whose development is being co-funded by Indonesia.
The Southeast Asian nation signed onto the program in 2010, agreeing to pay for 20 percent of the development costs in exchange for one prototype aircraft, design participation, technical data and production sharing.
Since then, however, Indonesia has missed a number of payments amid a budget crunch, with newspaper The Korea Herald reporting in late May that as of April, Indonesia owes $415 million in overdue payments to the program.
6 septembre 2023 | International, Terrestre
The Pentagon rolled out its largest-ever innovation and modernization budget earlier this year, requesting $145 billion from Congress for fiscal 2024.
22 juillet 2019 | International, Aérospatial
PAR JEAN-PAUL BAQUIAST Le temps n'est pas éloigné où les médias français ridiculisaient le Rafale de Dassault Aviation. Ils le présentaient comme une relique invendable et bientôt dépassée d'un temps où la France, dans la tradition gaulliste, voulait avoir des moyens de défense en propre au lieu de tout acheter aux Etats-Unis. Aujourd'hui le Rafale a finalement fait sa percée à l'exportation avec plus de 144 appareils commandées, dont 96 fermes. Mais il faut aussi prévoir l'avenir. Le 14 janvier, sur la chaîne de montage du Rafale à Mérignac, Florence Parly ministre de la défense a annoncé que le gouvernement voulait lancer les recherches pour une nouvelle version du Rafale, dit au standard F4, pour laquelle un budget de 2 milliards, malgré les restricitons, a déjà été prévu. Par ailleurs les armées françaises comptent augmenter leurs acquisitions à partir de 2022 portant si possible sur cette nouvelle génération du Rafale, livrables entre 2022 et 2030. Rappelons que le Rafale est le produit d'un ensemble d'industriels comprenant outre Dassault Aviation, Thales, Safran, MBDA-Missile Systems et des dizaines de sous-traitants. Inutile de préciser que chacun d'eux compte réutiliser dans le cadre d'autres produits militaires et civils le savoir-faire acquis. Le Rafale augmentera ainsi sa supériorité sur ses concurrents européens, Eurofighter et Gripen. Inutile de préciser aussi que dans le même temps les déboires du programme américain F-35 , qui tourne au scandale politique majeur, élimineront la concurrence de ce dernier. Les gouvernements européens qui avaient par complaisance servile avec les Etats-Unis, accepté de s'en équiper, devront vraisemblablement se rabattre sur le Rafale F4. Ils n'y perdront rien. Quant aux Su-35 et Su-57 russes, en dehors du marché indien où ils tentent de reprendre l'avantage sur le Rafale, ils ne sont en compétition avec lui quasiment nulle part, ce d'autant plus que le Rafale a déjà fait ses preuves dans divers engagements militaires en vraie grandeur, ce qui n'est pas autant que nous sachions le cas pour les russes. Les innovations du F4 concerneront principalement sa capacité à opérer en fusion de données au sein d'un dispositif interarmes et interarmées. Il sera en mesure, gr'ce à des logiciels opérant par radio, de recueillir et d'échanger des informations en temps réel avec l'ensemble des systèmes d'armes, aériens, terrestres, navals, spatiaux, qui seront engagés sur une zone de guerre. Ainsi navires, troupes au sol, satellites, plateformes aériennes pilotées et non pilotées (UCAV) qui opéreront à ses côtés, pourront bénéficier des échanges avec eux, soit pour être informés de la situation sur le terrain, soit en effectuant certaines missions pour leur compte. Le F4 sera doté d'un radar amélioré par rapport à l'actuel, dit AESA RBE2, qui pourra être plus précis pour des missions air-sol, plus puissant sur le mode air-air. Par ailleurs les spécialistes ont noté qu'il verra son système d'autoprotection SPECTRA ou Système de Protection et d'Évitement des Conduites de Tir et ses capacités de brouillage améliorées. Son optronique secteur frontal (OSF) sera doté d'infrarouge. Ceci améliorera les performances nocturnes de l'appareil jusqu'ici réduit à un capteur TV pour l'identification et la poursuite des objectifs aériens. Ajoutons que Thales apportera sur le F4 ses savoir-faire en matière de gestion des données en temps réel (Big Data) et d'intelligence artificielle (IA) pour offrir au F4 des outils de maintenance prédictive qui devraient permettre non seulement de réduire significativement le coût du maintien en condition opérationnelle mais aussi de rehausser le taux d'appareils immédiatement disponibles, qui ne dépasse pas actuellement du fait des nécessités de la maintenance environ 60%. On peut penser que le F4 sera est une nouvelle étape vers un Rafale F5, ou MLU (Mid-Life Upgrade), qui verra la pérennité de la filière pilotée assurée au-delà de l'horizon 2050, malgré les prédictions hasardeuses selon lesquelles les appareils pourront se passer de pilotes à bord. Enfin le Rafale F4 pourra emporter le missile AS4NG (air-sol nucléaire de quatrième génération), missile hypersonique capable de voler à plus de 5.000 km/h et devant entrer en service à l'horizon 2035. Il pourra ansi rivaliser avec les missiles hypersoniques dont seront seuls dotés la Russie, la Chine et sans doute les Etats-Unis, lesquels s'efforcent actuellement de rattraper leur retard en ce domaine. Il faut espérer que les futurs gouvernement français ne remettront pas en cause ces programmes, dans le désir de mieux financer la consommation ou de se conformer à des instructions de l'Otan. https://blogs.mediapart.fr/jean-paul-baquiast/blog/190719/defense-le-rafale-f4
16 décembre 2019 | International, Aérospatial, Naval, Terrestre, C4ISR, Sécurité
ARMY BAE Systems Land & Armaments LP, York, Pennsylvania, was awarded a $249,152,760 modification (P00042) to contract W56HZV-17-C-0001 for the Self-Propelled Howitzer and carrier, ammunition, tracked vehicles and their associated support under the production contract to build and deliver M109A7s and M992A3s. Work will be performed in York, Pennsylvania, with an estimated completion date of Jan. 31, 2023. Fiscal 2018 and 2019 other procurement, Army funds in the amount of $249,152,760 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Warren, Michigan, is the contracting activity. Palantir USG Inc., Palo Alto, California, was awarded an $110,814,893 other transaction agreement contract for numerous databases across the Army enterprise integrated on one platform. One bid was solicited via the internet with one bid received. Work will be performed in Washington, District of Columbia, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 15, 2023. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance, Army funds in the amount of $32,545,300 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, New Jersey, is the contracting activity (W15QKN-20-9-P001). Conco Inc.,* Louisville, Kentucky (W15QKN-20-D-0003); and Delfasco LLC,* Afton, Tennessee (W15QKN-20-D-0004), will compete for each order of the $46,200,000 firm-fixed-price contract for manufacture, inspect, test, and deliver metal containers and covers for the M231 and M232 series for the Modular Artillery Charge Systems. 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 Dec. 12, 2024. U.S. Army Contracting Command, New Jersey, is the contracting activity. Alabama Department of Rehabilitation, Montgomery, Alabama, was awarded a $32,150,000 firm-fixed-price contract for full food service operations of an Army dining facility, receiving, storing, preparing, requisitioning, and serving food. 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 June 13, 2025. U.S. Army Mission Installation Contracting Command, Fort Sam Houston, Texas, is the contracting activity (W9124J-20-D-0005). Lockheed Martin Corp., Orlando, Florida, was awarded a $15,547,894 modification (P00084) to contract W31P4Q-15-C-0102 for the Joint Air-to-Ground Missile production line for a rate ramp increase of 50 to 100 missiles per month. Work will be performed in Orlando, Florida, with an estimated completion date of March 30, 2022. Fiscal 2018 and 2019 procurement of ammunition, Army funds in the amount of $15,547,894 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity. AM General LLC, South Bend, Indiana, was awarded a $15,118,831 firm-fixed-price Foreign Military Sales (Jordan) contract for hardware support to reset and upgrade a fleet of 200 M998 High Mobility Multi-Wheeled Vehicles. One bid was solicited via the internet with one bid received. Work will be performed in Amman, Jordan, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 13, 2020. Fiscal 2020 Foreign Military Sales funds in the amount of $15,118,831 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Warren, Michigan, is the contracting activity (W56HZV-20-C-0037). Primus, Beltsville, Maryland, was awarded an $8,782,763 firm-fixed-price contract for cold and hot aviation refuel and defuel services, personnel, management, parts, supplies, transportation and vehicles/trucks. One bid was solicited via the internet with one bid received. Work will be performed in Daleville, Alabama, with an estimated completion date of June 16, 2020. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance, Army funds in the amount of $5,000,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Mission Installation Contracting Command, Fort Eustis, Virginia, is the contracting activity (W9124G-20-C-0004). NAVY Noresco LLC, Westborough, Massachusetts, is awarded firm-fixed-price task order (N3943020F9905) at $169,331,394, under a multiple award, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for energy conservation measures at Naval Submarine Base New London, Groton, Connecticut. The work to be performed provides for the construction, operations, and maintenance of energy conservations to improve energy efficiency and reliability, which include energy management control system upgrades, combined heat power and micro-grid expansion, lighting upgrades, and steam distribution improvements. Work will be performed at Naval Submarine Base New London, Groton, Connecticut, and is expected to be completed in 21 years by December 2040. No funds will be obligated with this award, as private financing obtained by the contractor will be used for the 36-month construction (i.e. implementation) phase of the project. Five proposals were received for this task order. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command Engineering and Expeditionary Warfare Center, Port Hueneme, California, is the contracting activity for the task order. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy, Golden, Colorado, is the contracting activity for the basic contract (DE-AM36-09GO29039). Raytheon Co., Integrated Defense Systems, Marlborough, Massachusetts, is awarded a $123,532,573 firm-fixed-price and cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-19-C-5112) to exercise options for fiscal 2020 production of AEGIS Weapon System Fire Control System (FCS) MK 99 equipment, AEGIS modernization production requirements, and associated engineering services. These services are in support of DDG 51 Class Flight III destroyers and the Spanish navy's F-110 program. This modification also covers the production of the AEGIS BMD Kill Assessment Ordnance Alteration (ORDALT) Kits and Solid State Switch Assembly (SSSA) Special Test Equipment (STE). The AMOD program fields combat system upgrades that will enhance the Anti-Air Warfare (AAW) and Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) capabilities of AEGIS equipped DDG 51 Arleigh Burke-class destroyers. Work will be performed in Andover, Massachusetts (81%); Marlborough, Massachusetts (10%); Chesapeake, Virginia (3 %); Portsmouth, Rhode Island (3%); San Diego, California (2%); and Burlington, Massachusetts (1%), and is expected to be completed by April 2023. Foreign Military Sales; fiscal 2020 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy); fiscal 2020 other procurement (Navy); and fiscal 2020 defense wide procurement funding in the amount of $123,532,573 will be obligated at the time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. Anchor Innovation, Inc.,* Virginia Beach, Virginia (N00167-20-D-0001); Auxiliary Systems Inc.,* Norfolk, Virginia (N00167-20-D-0002); Colonna's Shipyard Inc.,* Norfolk, Virginia (N00167-20-D-0003); Fairlead Boatworks Inc.,* Newport News, Virginia (N00167-20-D-0004); Gryphon Technologies LC, Washington, District of Columbia (N00167-20-D-0005); Q.E.D. Systems Inc.,* Virginia Beach, Virginia (N00167-20-D-0006); and United States Marine Inc.,* Gulfport, Mississippi (N00167-20-D-0007), are awarded a combined maximum $43,109,222 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity multiple-award contract for watercraft industrial services and supplies in support covering all phases of watercraft total life cycle to include construction, proof of design, model development and realization, fabrication, modernization, repair, overhaul quality assurance, and testing of the Naval Surface Warfare Center Carderock Division Detachment Norfolk, Combatant Craft Division. The contractor shall perform in a wide variety of locations both within the continental U.S. and outside the continental U.S. (OCONUS). The expected work distribution by performance location includes Mid Atlantic U.S. (60%); Southwest U.S. (15%); U.S. Gulf Coast (2%); Northwest U.S. (2%); Northeast U.S. (1%); other/OCONUS (20%). OCONUS locations typically include, but are not limited to Bahrain, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Spain, Italy, Horn of Africa, Guam, Japan, Hawaii and Alaska. Work is expected to be complete by December 2022. Fiscal 2020 service cost center (Navy) funding in the total amount of $12,000 will be obligated at time of award to meet the minimum guarantee under each contract and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities website, with seven offers received. The Naval Surface Warfare Center Carderock Division, Detachment Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity. John C. Grimberg Co. Inc., Rockville, Maryland, is awarded a $27,830,000 firm-fixed-price contract for the construction repair of a solid state electronic devices laboratory at Naval Research Laboratory. The work to be performed will repair Building 74, including conversion of existing high bay storage into laboratory spaces, and will repair Building 81. Repair work in Building 74 includes replacement and repair of structural and architectural systems including steel framing, second floor assembly, roof, windows, doors, exterior finishes, exterior egress stairs, elevator, partitions, interior finished, laboratory facilities and abatement of hazardous materials. The renovation also includes replacement of mechanical and electrical systems including controls, chilled water system, air handling system, fire protection, clean room and laboratory systems (water, gas, ventilation, pressurization, and filtration), lighting, power and electrical distribution. Repairs in Building 81 will replace deteriorated components while additional construction will alter the building height to accommodate specialized equipment. Work will be performed in Washington, District of Columbia, and is expected to be completed by January 2022. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance, (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $27,830,000 are obligated on this award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website with two proposals received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Washington, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity (N40080-20-C-0004). Arete Associates Inc.,* Northridge, California, is awarded a $17,561,860 firm-fixed-price modification to a previously-awarded contract (N61331-18-D-0012) to exercise Option 2, to provide Coastal Battlefield Reconnaissance and Analysis (COBRA) Block I systems. Work will be performed in Tucson, Arizona (35%); Destin, Florida (35%); and Santa Rosa, California (30%), and is expected to be completed by July 2022. No funding will be obligated at time of award. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Panama City Division, Panama City, Florida, is the contracting activity. Noresco LLC, Westborough, Massachusetts, is awarded a $16,988,494 firm-fixed-price task order (N3943020F9903) under a multiple award, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, energy savings performance contract at Naval Support Activity Hampton Roads, Norfolk, Virginia. The work to be performed provides for the design, construction, and installation of energy conservation measures for boiler plant improvements, water and sewer conservation systems and water resiliency. The work also provides for performance period services consisting of measurement and verification, operations and maintenance, and repair and replacement services. Work will be performed at Naval Support Activity Hampton Roads, Norfolk, Virginia, and is expected to be completed in 22 years by December 2041. No funds will be obligated with this award, as private financing obtained by the contractor will be used for the 24-month construction (i.e. implementation) phase of the project. Nine proposals were received for this task order. The Naval Facilities Engineering and Expeditionary Warfare Center, Port Hueneme, California, is the contracting activity for the task order. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Golden, Colorado, is the contracting activity for the basic contract (DE-AM36-90GO29039). AIR FORCE Pinnacle Solutions Inc., Huntsville, Alabama, has been awarded a $21,395,866 modification (P00049) to previously awarded FA8621-16-C-6281 for support of the KC-10 training system. This contract modification provides for the exercise of Option Year Four. Work will be performed at Travis Air Force Base, California; Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey; and the Training System Support Center in Fairfield, California, and is expected to be complete by Dec. 31, 2020. The total cumulative face value of the contract is $105,964,368. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $14,965,279 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. Edaptive Computing Inc., Dayton, Ohio, has been awarded a $14,865,271 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for research and development of the Joint Federated Assurance Center Trust Lab Enterprise effort. This effort seeks to enhance, deploy, transition, and support decision-aiding tools for the Air Force Research Laboratory Joint Federated Assurance Center trust laboratory research and development of analysis, design and verification tools to promote trusted systems engineering for integrated circuits electronics. Work will be performed at Dayton, Ohio, and the work is expected to be completed by March 13, 2024. This award is the result of a non-competitive acquisition. Fiscal 2020 research and development funds in the amount of $12,500,000 are being obligated at time of award. The Air Force Research Lab, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8650-20-F-1956). DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Ultrax Aerospace Inc., Lees Summit, Montana, has been awarded a maximum $13,000,000 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for spares/repairs in support of the UH-60 Black Hawk Helicopter Automated Flight Control line replaceable 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 five-year base contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Montana, with a Dec. 12, 2024, performance completion date. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2025 Army working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland (SPRBL1-20-D-0004). DEFENSE FINANCE AND ACCOUNTING SERVICE Kearney and Company PC, Alexandria, Virginia, is being awarded a labor-hour contract option with a maximum value of $10,721,966 for audit services of the Defense Health Program (DHP). Work will be performed in various locations including the DHP headquarters in Falls Church, Virginia, as well as other federal locations in Texas, Ohio, Indianapolis, Maryland, Colorado, New York, and Maine, with an expected completion date of Dec. 31, 2020. This contract is the result of a competitive acquisition in which two bids were received. This award brings the total cumulative value of the contract to $36,598,260. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance, defense wide funds in the amount of $10,721,966 are being obligated at the time of this option award. The Defense Finance and Accounting Service, Contract Services Directorate, Columbus, Ohio, is the contracting activity (HQ0423-17-F-0096). *Small Business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2040280/source/GovDelivery/