6 octobre 2020 | International, C4ISR
WASHINGTON —SpaceX and and L3 Harris will contribute satellites to track hypersonic weapons to the Space Development Agency's planned mega-constellation, with the nascent agency announcing it had selected the two companies to build its first wide field of view satellites Oct. 5.
Under the contracts, each company will design and develop four satellites equipped with wide field of view (WFOV) overhead persistent infrared (OPIR) sensors. Operating in low Earth orbit, the sensors will make up the inaugural tranche of the SDA's tracking layer—the Pentagon's new effort to track hypersonic weapons from space.
“This SDA tracking layer is going to consist of a proliferated, heterogeneous constellation of WFOV space vehicles that provide persistent global coverage and custody capability. That's going to combine with activities in the Missile Defense Agency as they build toward their Hypersonic and Ballistic Tracking Space Sensor (HBTSS) medium field of view (MFOV) space vehicles,” Acting Deputy Undersecretary for Research and Engineering Mark Lewis told C4ISRNET.
According to the announcement, SpaceX will receive $149 million while L3 Harris will receive $193 million. According to SDA Director Derek Tournear, the awards were the result of a full and open competition, with the selection based purely on technical merit.
SpaceX has made waves with its Starlink constellation—a series of satellites built to provide commercial broadband from low Earth orbit—and the Department of Defense has tested using Starlink to connect various weapon systems. However, the company does not have a history building OPIR sensors. According to Tournear, the company will work with partners to develop the sensor, which it will then place on a bus it is providing. SpaceX already has a production line in place to build a bus based on its Starlink technologies, added Tournear.
“SpaceX had a very credible story along that line—a very compelling proposal. It was outstanding,” he said. “They are one of the ones that have been at the forefront of this commercialization and commodification route.”
L3 Harris will develop an OPIR solution based on decades of experience with small satellites, small telescopes and OPIR technologies.
“They had an extremely capable solution. They have a lot of experience flying affordable, rapid, small satellite buses for the department,” noted Tournear. “They had the plant and the line in place in order to produce these to hit our schedule.”
Tracking hypersonic weapons
The contracts are the latest development as the SDA fleshes out its National Defense Space Architecture (NDSA), a new constellation to be comprised of hundreds of satellites primarily operating in low Earth orbit. These satellites are expected to make up tranche 0 of the SDA's tracking layer, which will provide global coverage for tracking hypersonic threats.
The glue that holds the NDSA together will be the transport layer, a space-based mesh network made up of satellites connected by optical intersatellite links. Like most planned SDA satellites, WFOV satellites will plug directly into that network.
“The idea is it connects to the National Defense Space Architecture—the NDSA transport layer—via optical intersatellite links,” said Lewis. “And that will enable low latency dissemination for missile warning indications. It will provide track directly to the joint war fighters.”
SDA issued two contracts in August for its first 20 transport layer satellites. York Space Systems was awarded $94 million to build its 10 satellites, while Lockheed Martin was awarded $188 million.
That transport layer capability is essential to the tracking layer's mission.
Because they are so much closer to the Earth's surface than the U.S. Space Force's missile tracking satellites in geosynchronous orbit, the WFOV sensors will naturally have a much more limited field of vision. In order to track globe traversing hypersonic missiles, the WFOV satellites will have to work together. Once the first satellite picks up a threat, it will begin tracking it until it disappears over the horizon. During that time, it is expected to transmit its tracking data to other WFOV satellites over the transport layer. So as the first satellite loses sight of the threat over the horizon, the next WFOV is ready to pick it up, and so on and so forth.
From there, the WFOV satellites will pass the tracking data — either directly or via the transport layer — on to the medium field of view satellites being developed by the Missile Defense Agency as their HBTSS.
“SDA is developing the low cost proliferated WFOV space vehicles that provide the missile warning and the tracking information for national defense authorities, as well as tracking and cueing data for missile defense elements,” explained Lewis. “Meanwhile, the Missile Defense Agency is developing the high resolution HBTSS MFOV space vehicles — those can receive cues from other sources including the WFOV system—and they'll provide low latency fire control quality tracking data.”
“The MFOV HBTSS satellites will then be able to hone in and actually be able to calculate the fire control solution for that missile, send those data to the transport satellites with a laser comms system ... and then the transport system will disseminate that to the weapons platform as well as back to [the continental United States, where MDA can broadcast that information],” added Tournear.
MDA issued $20 million contracts to Northrop Grumman, Leidos, Harris Corporation and Raytheon to develop HBTSS prototypes in Oct. 2019. Tournear noted that proposals for HBTSS “are being written as we speak.”
Together, HBTSS and the SDA's tracking layer are meant to provide the data needed to take out hypersonic threats—which Congress is increasingly concerned by.
“It's part of an integrated DoD OPIR strategy. So the wide field of view sensors and the medium field of view sensors are really integral to this whole NDSA system and legacy strategic missile warning capability,” said Lewis, praising MDA and SDA for working together to build a heterogeneous solution.
Spiral development
Of course, this initial tranche won't provide global coverage up front. As part of its spiral development approach, SDA plans to continuously add satellites to its mega-constellation in two-year tranches, with each tranche including more advanced technology. The tracking layer is not expected to reach global coverage until 2026, said Tournear.
But as the constellation is built out, the more limited initial capabilities will be used to help integrate the space-based assets with war fighters.
“We call tranche 0 our war fighter immersion tranche,” said Tournear. “What that means is, its goal is to provide the data in a format that the war fighters are used to seeing on tactical timelines that they can be expected to see once we actually become operational. The whole purpose of tranche 0 is to allow the war fighters to start to train and develop tactics, techniques and procedures so that they can create operational plans for a battle where they would actually incorporate these data.”
With tranche 1 in 2024, the tracking and transport layers will essentially reach initial operating capability, said Tournear. That will include persistent regional coverage.
According to Tournear, the tranche 0 satellites are set to launch in September 2022.
Tournear told C4ISRNET his agency is planning to issue a separate solicitation for launch services later this week. That solicitation will cover all of the tranche 0 satellites, including the 20 transport layer satellites the agency ordered in August, the eight WFOV satellites and the HBTSS satellites
5 mars 2019 | International, Naval
Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) released a draft request for proposals (RFP) for the detail design and construction (DD&C) of the future guided frigate program (FFG(X)) on March 1. The first DD&C contract will cover up to 10 of the expected 20 frigates... https://www.defensedaily.com/navy-releases-draft-rfp-ffgx-future-frigate/navy-usmc/
30 juin 2020 | International, Aérospatial, Naval, Terrestre, C4ISR, Sécurité
NAVY Huntington Ingalls Inc., Pascagoula, Mississippi, is awarded a $936,032,309 fixed-price-incentive-firm-target modification to previously awarded contract N00024-18-C-2307 to exercise the fiscal 2020 option for the construction of a USS Arleigh Burke DDG-51 class ship (DDG 135). This modification also includes options for engineering change proposals, design budgeting requirements and post-delivery availabilities on the fiscal 2020 option ship. If exercised, the cumulative value of the fiscal 2020 option ship will increase to $947,695,871. Work will be performed in Pascagoula, Mississippi (91%); Erie, Pennsylvania (1%); and other locations below 1% (collectively totaling 8%), and is expected to be completed by June 2027. Fiscal 2019 and 2020 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funding in the amount of $926,032,309 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, D.C., is the contracting activity. Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is awarded a $360,800,000 not-to-exceed undefinitized contract modification (P00038) to previously awarded fixed-price-incentive-firm-target contract N00019-17-C-0001. This modification provides for the procurement of four F-35C Carrier Variant Lot 14 aircraft for the Navy. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas (63%); El Segundo, California (14%); Warton, United Kingdom (9%); Orlando, Florida (4%); Nashua, New Hampshire (3%); Baltimore, Maryland (3%); San Diego, California (2%); various locations within the continental U.S. (1.3%); and various locations outside the continental U.S. (0.7%). Work is expected to be completed by May 2023. Fiscal 2020 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds for $170,000,000 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. Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is awarded a $67,690,000 not-to-exceed modification (P00004) to previously awarded fixed-price-incentive-firm-target advance acquisition contract N00019-20-C-0009. This modification procures long lead materials, parts, components and support necessary to maintain on-time production and delivery of nine lot 16 F-35A Lightning II aircraft for the government of The Netherlands, as well as seven F-35A semiconductors and two F-35B Lightning II aircraft for the government of Italy. Work will be performed in Cameri, Italy (24%); Fort Worth, Texas (22%); El Segundo, California (11%); Warton, United Kingdom (7%); Baltimore, Maryland (4%); Nashua, New Hampshire (3%); San Diego, California (2%); various locations within the continental U.S. (21%); and various locations outside the continental U.S. (6%). Work is expected to be completed by May 2025. Non-Department of Defense participant funds in the amount of $67,690,000 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. Applied Systems Engineering, Niceville, Florida, is awarded a $48,640,357 indefinite- delivery/indefinite-quantity, firm-fixed-price delivery orders contract with a five-year ordering period to provide Selective Availability Anti-Spoofing Module (SAASM) Advanced Tactical Navigator (ATACNAV) units, SAASM ATACNAV-High Accuracy (HA) units, SAASM ATACNAV-HA-Single Enclosure. ATACNAV mini purchases, ATACNAV units, reconfigurable avionics test sets and global positioning system military code receivers. In addition to procurement of ATACNAV units, system upgrades and repairs from Applied Systems Engineering will be required throughout the life of the contract. The program is in support of the Weapons Control and Integration Department (H) of the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren Division and Battle Management Systems Program. This contract does not include options. Work will be performed in Niceville, Florida, and is expected to be completed by June 2025. Fiscal 2018 procurement defense agencies funding in the amount of $692,493 will be obligated on the first delivery order at the time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was procured sole-source in accordance with 10 U.S. Code 2304c1, with one responsible source. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren Division, Dahlgren, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N00178-20-D-4400). IAP World Services Inc., Cape Canaveral, Florida, is awarded a $13,586,127 firm-fixed-price modification to increase the maximum dollar value of an indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract for the exercise of an option for base operating support services at the Naval Air Station Patuxent River. After award of this option, the total cumulative contract value will be $119,645,912. Work will be performed in Patuxent River, Maryland. The work to be performed provides for recurring and non-recurring facility maintenance; facility investment; integrated solid waste management; swimming pool; wastewater; water; and environmental management. Work is expected to be completed by December 2020. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $13,586,127 are obligated on this award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This award is issued under Federal Acquisition Regulation Part 6.302-2, “Unusually and Compelling Urgency.” The purpose of this modification is to ensure critical services continue as the agency responds to a post-award protest on the re-procurement of this contract. A total funding amount of $8,808,011 will be obligated at the time of award. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity (N40080-14-D-0302). Lockheed Martin Corp., Fort Worth, Texas, is awarded an $11,610,581 firm-fixed-price order (N00019-20-F-0022) against previously issued basic ordering agreement N00019-19-G-0008. This order procures intel diminishing manufacturing sources parts that have reached end of life in support of the F-35 Lightning II Program future aircraft deliveries for the Air Force, Navy, Foreign Military Sales customers and non-Department of Defense (DOD) participants. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas, and is expected to be completed by October 2020. Fiscal 2018 aircraft procurement (Air Force) funds in the amount of $2,356,880; fiscal 2018 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $2,056,717; fiscal 2020 aircraft procurement (Air Force) funds in the amount of $1,619,315; fiscal 2020 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $631,782; non-DOD participant funds in the amount of $3,982,886; and Foreign Military Sales funds in the amount of $963,001, will be obligated at time of award, $4,413,597 of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Herndon, Virginia, is awarded a $9,528,561 modification (P00028) to previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract N00019-17-C-0009. This modification provides for the installation of the multi-role tactical common data link into two E-6B Mercury aircraft. Work will be performed in San Diego, California (56%); and Lake Charles, Louisiana (44%), and is expected to be completed by October 2021. Fiscal 2020 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds for $9,528,561 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. AREPII SA Hotel LLC, doing business as Sheraton Atlanta Hotel, Atlanta, Georgia, is awarded an $8,139,274 firm-fixed-price, three-month contract for lodging, meal and laundry services. This contract includes one three-month option period which, if exercised, will bring the cumulative value of this contract to $15,970,741. Work will be performed in Atlanta, Georgia. Work is expected to be completed October 2020. If all options are exercised, work will continue through January 2021. Fiscal 2020 military personnel (Marine Corps) funds in the amount of $8,139,274 will be obligated at the time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the beta.SAM.gov website and 23 proposals were received. The Regional Contracting Office, Parris Island, South Carolina, is the contracting activity for (M00263-20-C-0001). ARMY Sharp Minds LLC,* Alexandria, Virginia, was awarded a $473,021,064 hybrid (firm-fixed-price and time-and-materials) contract to provide Letterkenny Army Depot with labor support. Bids were solicited via the internet with five received. Work will be performed in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, with an estimated completion date of Jan. 31, 2026. Fiscal 2020 Army working capital funds in the amount of $26,577,042 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity (W911N2-20-F-0494). Raytheon/Lockheed Martin Javelin JV, Tucson, Arizona, was awarded a $25,408,756 modification (P00353) to contract W31P4Q-04-C-0046 for support services for the Javelin weapon system. Work will be performed in Tucson, Arizona, with an estimated completion date of June 30, 2025. Fiscal 2020 Foreign Military Sales (United Kingdom) funds in the amount of $25,408,756 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity. General Dynamics Mission Systems, Taunton, Massachusetts, was awarded a $19,298,469 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to procure engineering and testing contractor support services. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will be performed in Taunton, Massachusetts, with an estimated completion date of June 30, 2021. Fiscal 2018 and 2020 other procurement (Army) funds in the amount of $19,298,469 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W15P7T-20-F-0159). Welch Construction Inc.,* Marcellus, New York, was awarded a $15,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for repair and construction of real property facilities at Watervliet Arsenal, New York. Bids were solicited via the internet with four received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of June 21, 2025. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New York, New York, is the contracting activity (W912DS-20-D-0005). Skookum Educational Programs, Bremerton, Washington, was awarded a $9,971,669 firm-fixed-price contract for inspection, testing and maintenance work; demand maintenance order work; and preventative maintenance order work and sustainment, restoration and modernization services in support of Fort Riley. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will be performed at Fort Riley, Kansas, with an estimated completion date of June 28, 2021. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $3,500,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Huntsville, Alabama, is the contracting activity (W912DY-20-C-0026). Techwerks LLC,* Arlington Heights, Illinois, was awarded an $8,685,042 modification (P00024) to contract W911QY-17-C-0101 for labor, other direct costs and travel in support of the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research. Work will be performed in Arlington Heights, Illinois, with an estimated completion date of July 1, 2021. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation (Army) funds in the amount of $178,340 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity. Ross Island Sand & Gravel Co., Portland, Oregon, was awarded an $8,362,290 firm-fixed-price contract for annual maintenance dredging of the Stockton Deep Water Ship Channel. Bids were solicited via the internet with three received. Work will be performed in Stockton, California, with an estimated completion date of Nov. 30, 2020. Fiscal 2020 civil operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $8,362,290 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, San Francisco, California, is the contracting activity (W912P7-20-C-0009). AIR FORCE Georgia Tech Applied Research Corp., Atlanta, Georgia, has been awarded a $22,562,480 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification (P00008) to contract FA8523-18-C-0002 for reactivation of the Band 8 transmitter associated with the AN/ALQ-161A defensive avionics system supporting the B-1B aircraft. The contract modification is for the delivery of a Band 8 reactivation fleet-wide implementation plan. Work will be performed in Atlanta, Georgia, and is expected to be completed June 29, 2022. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds in the full amount are being obligated at the time of award. The Electronic Warfare Contracting Branch, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, is the contracting activity. Spartan Air Academy Iraq LLC, Irving, Texas, has been awarded a $14,769,952 firm-fixed-price modification (P00006) to contract FA8617-20-C-6232 for the Iraq T-6A contractor logistics support and training maintenance program. The modification provides for the exercise of an option to extend the term of the contract for the continued services needed in order to effectively maintain and operate a fleet of 15 T-6A training aircraft. Work will be performed at Balad Air Base, Iraq, and is expected to be completed Dec. 31, 2020. This modification involves 100% Foreign Military Sales (FMS) to Iraq. FMS funds in the full amount will be obligated at the time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity. Lockheed Martin Corp., Colorado Springs, Colorado, has been awarded a $7,038,279 firmed-fixed-price contract with some cost-plus-fixed-fee and cost-reimbursable contract line item numbers for follow-on support sustainment of the Republic of Korea Peace Krypton Program. This contract provides for support of the field service representatives, program management, core/field engineering, System Depot Support Facility sustainment, technical manuals sustainment and obsolescence management. Work will be performed in Colorado Springs, Colorado; and Seoul, Republic of Korea, and is expected to be completed Dec. 31, 2020. This contract involves Foreign Military Sales (FMS) to Republic of Korea and is the result of a sole-source acquisition. FMS funds in the full amount are being obligated at the time of the award. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright‐Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity. (FA8620‐20-C-3099). DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Jamaica Bearings,* New Hyde Park, New York, has been awarded a maximum $18,230,335 firm-fixed-price contract for wire ring race kits. This is an 18-month contract with a one-year option period. This was a competitive acquisition with one offer received. Locations of performance are South Carolina and New York, with a Dec. 17, 2021, performance completion date. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2021 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime, Warren, Michigan (SPRDL1-20-C-0034). U.S. SPECIAL OPERATIONS COMMAND CORRECTION: The contract announced on June 26, 2020, to Arcticom LLC, Anchorage, Alaska (H92240-20-C-0004), for $18,772,155, was announced with an incorrect award date. The correct award date is June 29, 2020. *Small Business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2241727/source/GovDelivery/
8 octobre 2024 | International, C4ISR, Sécurité