9 octobre 2020 | International, C4ISR, Sécurité
WASHINGTON — Now that the Space Development Agency has selected four contractors to build its first 28 satellites, the organization is looking for a launch provider to ferry them into orbit.
According to a solicitation posted Oct. 6, the agency plans to select one company to provide launch services for all 28 satellites, with the first launch taking place in September 2022.
Those 28 satellites will comprise tranche 0 of SDA's National Defense Space Architecture, a new proliferated constellation providing a whole host of services primarily from low Earth orbit. Among other things, the NDSA is anticipated to provide beyond-line-of-site targeting, hypersonic missile warning and tracking, and a space-based mesh network that will connect all of the services as part of the Pentagon's new Combined Joint All-Domain Command and Control (CJADC2) approach.
The constellation will ultimately include hundreds of satellites, but SDA isn't putting them all up at once. Rather, the agency has adopted a spiral development approach, where the most mature and ready technology is added to the constellation in two year tranches.
This launch solicitation covers the first tranche, otherwise known as tranche 0. Slated to go into orbit in fall 2022, tranche 0 is what SDA calls its “war fighter immersion tranche.”
“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,” SDA Director Derek Tournear told C4ISRNET. “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 just 28 satellites, tranche 0 will not provide global, persistent coverage. Instead, it will provide periodic, regional capabilities. Tranche 0 will feature the inaugural satellites in the transport and tracking layers. The 20 transport layer satellites will form the base of a space-based mesh network, passing data from satellites to weapon systems along a high-speed, on-orbit corridor. Tournear has previously stated that the transport layer will serve as the space component of CJADC2, the Pentagon's effort to connect sensors to shooters across domains and services.
The inaugural tracking layer will be made up of eight satellites. The tracking layer will be used to detect and track hypersonic threats, working with the transport layer to pass tracking data and custody from satellite to satellite—collaborating to keep an eye on globe-traversing missiles that can evade current missile warning capabilities.
SDA has selected Lockheed Martin and York Space Systems to each build 10 of the transport layer satellites, while SpaceX and L3 Harris will split the eight tracking layer satellites.
Because the SDA has given vendors flexibility in the designs of their satellites, there is some variety to the weight of the space vehicles being launched into orbit. While all 20 transport layer satellites will weigh approximately 200 kilograms, give or take 20 kilograms, there is a significant difference in the size of the eight tracking layer satellites. One vendor—either SpaceX or L3 Harris—will be contributing four tracking layer space vehicles weighing approximately 1,068 kg each. The other vendor's space vehicles will be significantly lighter at just 249 kg.
In total, SDA is looking to put as much as 10,164 kg of hardware into orbit. The agency wants all 28 satellites delivered to two circular, 950 km near-polar orbits, with the tranche divided evenly into two planes of 14 satellites. The launch provider has until March 31, 2023, to put all payloads on orbit and has discretion as to how many launches it will use to do that. The goal is to have as many satellites up as close to September 2022 as possible.
Proposals are due by Nov. 5 at 4 p.m. EST.
28 novembre 2023 | International, Terrestre
Opinion: MOSA uses standardized connections between major parts of a system that allows easy replacement of major components, subsystems and software.
4 février 2020 | International, Aérospatial
Tucson will become the new headquarters for a combined business unit made up of Tucson-based Raytheon Missile Systems and a Massachusetts-based Raytheon business when parent Raytheon Co. and United Technologies Corp. finalize their merger. A Raytheon Missile Systems spokesman confirmed Friday that Tucson will become headquarters for the new Raytheon Missiles & Defense business, which will combine Missile Systems and Raytheon Integrated Defense, now headquartered in Tewksbury, Massachusetts. “We shared with our employees that upon merger close, our consolidated businesses will be named Raytheon Missiles & Defense and Raytheon Intelligence & Space," Raytheon spokesman John Patterson said. "They'll be headquartered in Tucson, Arizona and Arlington, Virginia respectively. We look forward to sharing more information once the merger closes — anticipated early in the second quarter of this year.” Raytheon — Southern Arizona's largest employer — announced in late October that Wes Kremer, president of Raytheon Missile Systems since last March, will become president of the combined missile and integrated defense unit as part of the merged parent company, which will be called Raytheon Technologies Corp. Raytheon Intelligence & Space will be formed from Raytheon's Space and Airborne Systems and Intelligence, Information and Services units, and UTC Mission Systems and Raytheon's Forcepoint cybersecurity unit. Together with two of UTC's current businesses — engine maker Pratt & Whitney and Collins Aerospace — they will form the four main business units of the merged company. But the company said it would not announce the headquarters location of the new business units until the merger was finalized. The so-called "merger of equals" will create an aerospace and defense behemoth with annual revenues of $74 billion, second only to Boeing in the industry. Raytheon and United Technologies shareholders have approved the merger of the two companies, which is also contingent on United Technologies' successful spinoff of its Carrier heating, ventilation and air-conditioning business and its Otis Elevator subsidiary. The deal is also subject to federal anti-trust approval, which is expected after the Defense Department said it had few concerns about the merger. Raytheon is the Tucson region's largest employer with about 13,000 local workers. The company has been working to expand its campus at Tucson International Airport amid a plan to add more than 2,000 jobs. Raytheon also has significant operations at the University of Arizona Tech Park. The company makes many of the nation's front-line defense systems, including the Tomahawk cruise missile and the Standard Missile series of ship-defense and ballistic missile interceptors, and more recently has been working on hypersonic missiles and laser weapons to defeat drones and other threats. https://tucson.com/news/local/raytheon-chooses-tucson-for-headquarters-of-combined-missiles-defense-unit/article_ee884dfe-4489-11ea-8617-6b5185c6107b.html
17 décembre 2020 | International, Aérospatial, Naval, Terrestre, C4ISR, Sécurité
ARMY Central Lake Armor Express,* Central Lake, Michigan (W91CRB-21-D-0004); Bethel Industries Inc.,* Jersey City, New Jersey (W91CRB-21-D-0005); Carter Enterprises LLC,* Brooklyn, New York (W91CRB-21-D-0006); Point Blank Enterprises Inc., Pompano Beach, Florida (W91CRB-21-D-0007); and Slate Solutions Inc.,* Sunrise, Florida (W91CRB-21-D-0080), will compete for each order of the $837,591,519 firm-fixed-price contract for the Soldier Protection System. Bids were solicited via the internet with 11 received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 14, 2029. The U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity. Towill Inc., Concord, California, was awarded a $22,666,666 firm-fixed-price contract for photogrammetric and Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) surveying and mapping. Bids were solicited via the internet with 38 received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 15, 2025. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Louis, Missouri, is the contracting activity (W912P9-21-D-0022). Oxford Federal LLC, Lone Tree, Colorado, was awarded an $11,554,000 firm-fixed-price contract for design-build construction at sites in Israel. Bids were solicited via the internet with three received. Work will be performed in Tel Aviv, Israel, with an estimated completion date of June 8, 2022. Fiscal 2021 Foreign Military Sales (Israel) funds in the amount of $11,554,000 were obligated at the time of the award. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Europe District, is the contracting activity (W912GB-21-F-0023). DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Belmont Instrument LLC, Billerica, Massachusetts, has been awarded a maximum $133,570,787 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract under solicitation SPE2DH-16-R-0002 for a hospital and portable rapid blood infuser product line, military kits, associated consumables and accessories. This was a competitive acquisition with 132 responses received. This is a five-year contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Massachusetts, with a Dec. 15, 2025, performance completion date. Using customers are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and federal civilian agencies. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2021 through 2026 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE2D1-21-D-0004). The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Missouri, has been awarded an estimated $108,537,739 modification (P00122) to five-year base contract SPRPA1-14-D-002U with one five-year option period adding consumable items supporting various aircraft. Location of performance is Missouri, with a Sept. 16, 2024, performance completion date. Using customers are Army, Navy, Air Force and military forces in Australia, Finland, France, Israel, Greece, Kuwait and Switzerland. Types of appropriation are fiscal 2021 defense working capital funds and Foreign Military Sales funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Missouri, has been awarded a maximum $41,709,797 cost-plus-fixed-fee delivery order (SPRPA1-21-D-9002) against five-year basic ordering agreement SPRPA1-14-D-002U for consumable and depot-level repairable parts for the KC-46 military unique program. 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 base contract with two one-year option periods. Location of performance is Missouri, with a Dec. 15, 2023, performance completion date. Using military service is Air Force. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2021 through 2024 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. OFD Foods LLC,* Albany, Oregon, has been awarded a maximum $34,162,535 fixed-priced with economic-price-adjustment, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for boil-in-bag dehydrated egg mix. This was a competitive acquisition with three responses received. This is a four-year contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Oregon, with a Dec. 11, 2024, ordering period end date. Using military services are Army, Navy and Marine Corps. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2021 through 2025 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE3S1-21-D-Z230). The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Missouri, has been awarded a $10,849,059 modification (P00122) against five-year basic ordering agreement SPRPA1-14-D-002U for additional F/A-18 A-D and E-G aircraft integrated product support. This is a firm-fixed-price contract. Locations of performance are Missouri, California, Virginia, Washington, Nevada and South Carolina, with a Dec. 31, 2023, performance completion date. Using military service is Navy. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2021 Navy operation, maintenance and procurement funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NAVY Huntington Ingalls Inc., Pascagoula, Mississippi, is awarded a $43,498,975 cost-plus-award-fee modification to previously awarded contract N00024-20-C-4203 to exercise Option Period One for the accomplishment of follow on CG 47 class integrated planning yard services. Work will be performed in Pascagoula, Mississippi, and is expected to be completed by December 2024. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance (Navy); and other procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $1,176,352 will be obligated at time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea System Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity. Jacobs Technology Inc., Tullahoma, Tennessee, is awarded a $30,618,831 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity modification for the exercise of Option Two to extend services for a base operations support services contract at Naval Station (NAVSTA), Mayport, Florida; Marine Corps Support Facility (MCSF) Blount Island, Florida; and outlying areas. The work to be performed provides for base operations support services to include port operations, facility investment, custodial, pest control, integrated solid waste management, grounds maintenance and landscaping, utilities management, electrical, wastewater, steam, water, base support vehicles and equipment and environmental. After award of this option, the total cumulative contract value will be $89,063,257. Work will be performed in Jacksonville, Florida, at NAVSTA Mayport (62%); MCSF Blount Island (37%); and outlying areas (1%). This option period is from January 2020 to December 2020. No funds will be obligated at time of award. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance (O&M) (Navy); fiscal 2021 O&M (Marine Corps); fiscal 2021 Navy working capital funds; and fiscal 2021 family housing O&M (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $24,963,973 for recurring work will be obligated on individual task orders issued during the option period. Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command Southeast, Jacksonville, Florida, is the contracting activity (N69450-18-D-1800). Ark Construction Management LLC,* Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, is awarded a $25,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for roof maintenance in the Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAVFAC), Public Works Department, Pennsylvania, area of responsibility. This work to be performed under this contract will include provide roofing repair and replacement at locations in and around the Philadelphia and Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, areas. A task order in the amount of $5,000 is being issued to fulfill the minimum guarantee. Work will be performed in Philadelphia and Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. The term of the contract is not to exceed 60 months with an expected completion date of December 2025. Fiscal 2021 Navy working capital contract funds in the amount of $5,000 are obligated on this award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Future task orders will be primarily funded by Navy working capital funds and operation and maintenance (Navy). This contract was competitively procured via the beta.SAM.gov website with five proposals received. NAVFAC Mid-Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N40085-21-D-0014). DynCorp International LLC, McLean, Virginia, is awarded an $18,120,424 modification under contract N62742-17-C-3570 in the amount of $18,120,424 which provides for the exercise of the fourth option period under a cost-plus-incentive-fee contract for various support services to Department of Defense (DOD) components. The work to be performed provides for various support services to DOD components (e.g., Naval Mobile Construction Battalions, Naval Expeditionary Combat Command Pacific, Explosive Ordnance Detachment Group One, Coastal Riverine Group One, etc.) conducting humanitarian assistance, civic assistance, minor military construction projects, contingency efforts, supporting various exercises and other projects located at various sites, usually in remote areas in the Philippines, Cambodia, Timor-Leste and other countries in South Asia, Southeast Asia and Oceania. After award of this option, the total cumulative contract value will be $135,215,620. Work will be performed at various locations in Southeast Asia, South Asia and Oceania, and this option period is from January 2021 to December 2021. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $3,187,500 are obligated on this award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Naval Facilities Engineering Command Pacific, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, is the contracting activity. Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems, Manassas, Virginia, is awarded a $9,297,472 cost-plus-incentive-fee modification to previously-awarded contract N00024-17-C-6259 to exercise an option for Foreign Military Sales (FMS) engineering services, materials and spares. Work will be performed in Manassas, Virginia (65%); Clearwater, Florida (32%); Syracuse, New York (2%); and Marion, Florida (1%), and is expected to be completed by August 2024. FMS funds in the amount of $2,968,429 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Country name(s) are withheld due to international agreement. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity. Hyatt Equities LLC, doing business as Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront, Jacksonville, Florida, is being awarded an $8,324,815 firm-fixed-price, three-month contract for lodging, meal and laundry services. This contract includes one three-month option period which, if exercised, could bring the cumulative value of this contract to $16,729,503. Work will be performed in Jacksonville, Florida. Work is expected to be completed April 12, 2021. If all options are exercised, work will continue through July 11, 2021. Fiscal 2021 military personnel (Marine Corps) funds in the amount of $8,324,815 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, with 16 proposals received. The Regional Contracting Office, Parris Island, South Carolina, is the contracting activity (M00263-21-C-0001). AIR FORCE CORRECTION: The $79,569,583 contract announced on Dec. 14, 2020, to The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Missouri (FA8634-21-C-2702) for F-15 Eagle Passive Active Warning and Survivability System low rate initial production was actually awarded today, Dec. 16, 2020. *Small business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2449367/source/GovDelivery/