2 juillet 2019 | International, Aérospatial

Strategic Air Bases Receive First Counter-UAS Systems

RACHEL S. COHEN

Several Air Force installations with strategic assets are now armed with systems to protect against small unmanned aircraft that might loiter nearby.

Steve Wert, the Air Force's digital program executive officer helping to roll out counter-UAS systems, said the service had fielded initial capabilities to an undisclosed number of US Strategic Command and Air Force Global Strike Command sites. Speaking at an Air Force Life Cycle Management Conference recently in Dayton, Ohio, Wert described the new systems as “a command-and-control capability integrated with some detection and some jamming,” but did not mention kinetic attacks.

“Much more work to do,” he said. “We're finding the typical problems you will find on some bases. In order to have a radar providing detection, you actually have to build a tower. Building towers is hard because you have to do environmental assessments.”

The systems provide “a composite suite of options” to sense and defeat drones attempting to enter restricted airspace around nuclear, space, electronic warfare, long-range strike, and missile defense resources, Air Force spokeswoman Laura McAndrews said.

“The concept of ‘tailored and layered defense' provides the ability to execute kinetic solutions, such as traditional ballistic rounds and capture nets, coupled with other countermeasures that disrupt the operator's ability to navigate drones in our restricted airspace,” she said.

The Air Force and Army are also collaborating on using 40 mm ammunition with nets that deploy and wrap around the drones to bring them down.

“We've had some recent success working with the Army on kinetic defeat, successful test round firings,” Wert said. “The idea of a net round is probably a good solution, but that system's becoming accurate enough where the training rounds are directly hitting UAVs, so very good results there.”

In May, Pentagon acquisition chief Ellen Lord told reporters Defense Department officials were concerned that military personnel weren't aware of their options for addressing UAVs and the services weren't sharing their ideas. Combatant command representatives and acquisition officials meet each month to discuss the right way forward.

That's generated a list of counter-UAS systems in the DOD with details on their maturity, how many are deployed, and how they are used, Lord said. The Air Force is also working toward laser and microwave weapons for that purpose.

The FAA already regulates how and where small UAS are allowed to fly, though those rules are evolving in collaboration with the Pentagon, which called the issue a high priority earlier this year.

“I really do think of these UAVs as something that's low-cost, it's easy to manipulate,” then-acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan told the Senate Appropriations Committee in May. “We need to develop the capabilities and the rules because, quite frankly, this airspace is shared by so many different authorities, so it's as much about rules to operate in space as it is the technologies to defeat them.”

Over the past few years, Defense Department officials have pointed to instances of enemy combatants dispatching small drones for strike and intelligence-gathering in the Middle East and of unmanned aerial vehicles lingering near high-end aircraft. US Strategic Command did not answer how many little aircraft have been spotted lately or if the number is growing.

"So far, they've been incidental activities,” STRATCOM boss Gen. John Hyten said at a 2017 Senate Armed Services Committee hearing. "But the fact that they're occurring, and then if you watch what is happening overseas in the [US Central Command theater] with the use of lethal UAVs and the use of UAVs for surveillance on the part of a terrorist adversary, I'm very concerned that those same kind of UAVs could be employed against our weapon storage facilities, especially on the nuclear weapon storage facilities."

Air Combat Command chief Gen. Mike Holmes in 2017 also noted two incidents that interfered with operations on the same day and required reports to Air Force leadership. Conventional military assets need similar policies and protections as STRATCOM has put in place over the past few years, allowing workers to track and engage drones when needed, he argued.

"At one base, the gate guard watched one fly over the top of the gate shack, tracked it while it flew over the flight line for a little while, and then flew back out and left," Holmes said. "The other incident was an F-22 . . . had a near collision with a small UAS, and I don't have anything that I can do about it."

http://www.airforcemag.com/Features/Pages/2019/July%202019/Strategic-Air-Bases-Receive-First-Counter-UAS-Systems.aspx

Sur le même sujet

  • Safran prolongé sur la maintenance des moteurs des hélicoptères Merlin et Apache britanniques

    2 juillet 2019 | International, Aérospatial

    Safran prolongé sur la maintenance des moteurs des hélicoptères Merlin et Apache britanniques

    Fareham Safran Helicopter Engines a signé avec le Defence Equipment and Support du Ministère de la Défense du Royaume-Uni, une prolongation de trois ans du contrat assurant la disponibilité des moteurs RTM322 équipant les hélicoptères Merlin de la Royal Navy et Apache AH Mk1 de la British Army. Portant sur une flotte de plus de 400 moteurs, ce contrat avait démarré en 2013, année du rachat par Safran des parts de Rolls-Royce dans le programme RTM322. Depuis, le Groupe a significativement amélioré la fiabilité de ce moteur et a affiché durant quatre années consécutives une disponibilité des moteurs, accessoires et pièces détachées, supérieure aux objectifs fixés. Safran Helicopter Engines conduira ce contrat depuis ses installations de Fareham (Hampshire) au Royaume-Uni, où plus de 40 personnes sont directement impliquées. Ce contrat intègre l'approvisionnement en moteurs, modules, accessoires et pièces détachées, la maintenance et la réparation, le support technique et logistique, et la fourniture de la documentation technique. Ce contrat est ainsi prolongé jusqu'au 31 mars 2022, avec une option pour deux années supplémentaires. « Safran Helicopter Engines fournit à notre flotte de moteurs RTM322 un support performant, fiable et réactif, garantissant un haut niveau de disponibilité. Nous sommes heureux de signer la prolongation de ce contrat qui maintient une continuité pour les utilisateurs finaux », a déclaré le Vice-Maréchal de l'air Graham Russell, Directeur de la branche Hélicoptères au sein du Defence Equipment and Support Organisation du Ministère de la Défense du Royaume-Uni. « Nous nous réjouissons de la prolongation de ce contrat qui témoigne du haut niveau de confiance qu'accorde le Ministère de la Défense du Royaume-Uni à nos solutions de motorisation et à nos équipes. Nous ferons en sorte de mériter cette confiance en leur fournissant le meilleur service possible, à l'heure où se déploient ces hélicoptères sur les nouveaux porte-avions britanniques », a déclaré Franck Saudo, Président de Safran Helicopter Engines. https://www.safran-helicopter-engines.com/fr/media/safran-prolonge-sur-la-maintenance-des-moteurs-des-helicopteres-merlin-et-apache-britanniques-20190624

  • Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - June 12, 2020

    15 juin 2020 | International, Aérospatial, Naval, Terrestre, C4ISR, Sécurité

    Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - June 12, 2020

    DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY US Foods, Los Angeles, California, has been awarded a maximum $525,250,000 firm-fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for full-line food distribution. This was a competitive acquisition with three responses received. This is a five-year contract with no option periods. Location of performance is California, with a June 12, 2025, ordering period end date. Using customers are Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard and federal civilian agencies. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2025 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE300-20-D-3278). Sysco Hampton Roads, Inc., Suffolk, Virginia, has been awarded a maximum $377,791,948 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment, indefinite-quantity contract for full-line food distribution. This was a competitive acquisition with two responses received. This is a two-year base contract with one one-year option period and one two-year option period. Location of performance is Virginia, with a June 9, 2025, ordering period end date. Using military services are Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps and Navy. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2025 defense working capital funds. The contracting agency is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE300-20-D-3277). Federal Contracts Corp., Tampa, Florida, is sharing a maximum $189,261,484 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for agricultural equipment. This was a competitive acquisition with 10 responses received. Other contracts have been awarded under this solicitation (SPE8EC-17-R-0007) and additional awards are expected. Awardees will compete for a portion of the maximum dollar value. This is a five-year base contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Florida, with a June 11, 2025, ordering period end date. Using customers are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and federal civilian agencies. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2025 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE8EC-20-D-0060). NAVY Lockheed Martin Corp., Owego, New York, is awarded a not-to-exceed $375,488,269 undefinitized contract modification (P00014) to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract (N00019-19-C-0013). This modification provides non-recurring efforts to design and develop unique hardware and software for the Multi-Role Helicopter MH-60R development program for the government of India. Work will be performed in Owego, New York (81%); and Stratford, Connecticut (19%), and is expected to be complete by June 2025. Foreign Military Sales funds for $117,700,000 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 $183,815,073 modification (P00096) to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price, fixed-price-incentive-fee, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract (N00019-15-C-0003). This modification incorporates additional operation, security and technical services in support of the F-35 Lightning II program for the Republic of Korea. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas, and is expected to be complete by January 2021. Foreign Military Sales funds in the amount of $183,815,073 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. Scientific Systems Co. Inc.*, Woburn, Massachusetts, is awarded a $9,575,556 cost-plus-fixed-fee order (N68335-20-F-0006) against a previously issued basic ordering agreement (N68335-15-G-0030). This order provides for continuing improvement of the software development processes to enhance cybersecurity and software safety for the Image Based Navigation for Vertical Take-off and Landing Tactical Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Shipboard Landing program in support of the MQ-8 Fire Scout unmanned air vehicle. This is a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase III for research and development performed under the SBIR topic numbers N112-127, N03-025 and AF06-149. Work will be performed in Woburn, Massachusetts (95%); and Bedford, New Hampshire (5%), and is expected to be complete by June 2023. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds for $50,000 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Lakehurst, New Jersey, is the contracting activity. Engility Corp., Andover, Massachusetts, is awarded a $7,956,180 modification (P00010) to a previously awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee, cost reimbursable order (N68936-19-F-0379) against a General Services Administration One Acquisition Solution for Integrated Services Multiple Award Contract (GS00Q14OADU336). Work will be performed in Point Mugu, California (90%); Whidbey Island, Washington (1.67%); Patuxent River, Maryland (1.67%); China Lake, California (1.67%); Baltimore, Maryland (1.67%); St. Louis, Missouri (1.67%); and El Segundo, California (1.65%). This modification exercises an option for engineering, technical and programmatic support services for the development of electronic attack and electronic warfare products within the Airborne Electronic Attack Integrated Program. Work is expected to be complete by June 2021. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $829,056 will be obligated at the time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the fiscal year. The Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division, Point Mugu, California, is the contracting activity. Johnson Controls Government Systems LLC, Rockville, Maryland, is awarded a $7,836,200 firm-fixed-price modification to increase the dollar of a contract task order for the upgrade of a cogeneration power plant, government-maintained buildings and the Metasys building automation software under the Energy Savings Performance Contract within the Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Southwest area of operations. Work will be performed in Twentynine Palms, California, and provides for contractors to complete the upgrade of the cogeneration plant, government-maintained buildings and the Metasys building automation software. Work is expected to be complete by November 2026. After the award of this modification, the total cumulative task order value will be $194,104,318. For this project, Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms has agreed to pay for the costs of services and construction from project financing, which will be obtained by Johnson Controls Government Systems LLC. The NAVFAC Engineering and Expeditionary Warfare Center, Port Hueneme, California, is the contracting activity (DACA87-97-D-0069-EJP3). ARMY Versar Inc., Springfield, Virginia (W912PL-20-D-0028); E3 Federal Solutions LLC, McLean, Virginia (W912PL-20-D-0029); Accura Engineering,* Atlanta, Georgia (W912PL-20-D-0030); and Stanley Consultants, Austin, Texas (W912PL-20-D-0031), will compete for each order of the $300,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract to support various construction activities along the southern border of the U.S. Bids were solicited via the internet with eight received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of June 11, 2025. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Los Angeles, California, is the contracting activity. Advanced Technology International, Summerville, South Carolina, was awarded an Other Transaction Authority agreement with a ceiling of $180,752,982 for enhanced technology maturation and risk reduction for Precision Strike Missile. Work will be performed in Grand Prairie, Texas; and Summerville, South Carolina, with an estimated completion date of Nov. 20, 2021. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation, Army funds in the amount of $180,752,982 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Newark, New Jersey, is the contracting activity (W15QKN-18-9-1008). Valiant Integrated Services, San Diego, California, was awarded a $68,045,249 hybrid (cost-no fee, firm-fixed-price) contract to provide an immersive training environment. Bids were solicited via the internet with three received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of July 31, 2025. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Orlando, Florida, is the contracting activity (W900KK-20-D-0013). L3 Combat Propulsion Systems, Muskegon, Michigan, was awarded a $44,529,726 firm-fixed-price contract to procure hydro-mechanically propelled transmission, operational reliability, 800 series transmissions in two configurations. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will be performed in Muskegon, Michigan, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 30, 2022. Fiscal 2018 and 2019 weapons and tracked combat vehicle procurement, Army funds; 2019 overseas contingency operations funds; and 2020 Army working capital funds in the amount of $44,529,726 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Detroit Arsenal, Michigan, is the contracting activity (W56HZV-20-C-0124). Kiewit Infrastructure West Co., Vancouver, Washington, was awarded a $38,875,500 firm-fixed-price contract to replace a full-depth concrete ramp, taxiways and shoulders. Bids were solicited via the internet with two received. Work will be performed in Klamath Falls, Oregon, with an estimated completion date of June 27, 2022. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance, Army National Guard funds in the amount of $38,875,500 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Property and Fiscal Office, Oregon, is the contracting activity (W50S8Z-20-C-0002). Walsh Federal LLC, Chicago, Illinois, was awarded a $22,955,000 firm-fixed-price contract to provide labor, materials, equipment and supervision necessary for upgrading the main gate access control point at Defense Depot San Joaquin. Bids were solicited via the internet with three received. Work will be performed in Tracy, California, with an estimated completion date of Nov. 23, 2021. Fiscal 2020 military construction, Army funds in the amount of $22,955,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Sacramento, California, is the contracting activity (W91238-20-C-0011). Avion Solutions Inc.,* Huntsville, Alabama, was awarded a $19,825,503 modification (0002 33) to time-and-materials Foreign Military Sales (Bahrain, Egypt, Latvia, Saudi Arabia, Slovakia, Sweden, Taiwan, and United Arab Emirates) contract for utility helicopter logistics support services. Bids were solicited via the internet with four received. Work will be performed in Huntsville, Alabama, with an estimated completion date of June 11, 2021. Fiscal 2020 other procurement, Army; and Foreign Military Sales funds in the amount of $19,825,503 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity (W31P4Q-15-A-0029). ICF Inc. LLC, Fairfax, Virginia, was awarded a $13,444,607 modification (P00036) to contract W911QX-17-C-0018 to extend mission critical defense cyber operation services provided by ICF. Work will be performed in Adelphi, Columbia, Fort Meade, and Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland; Fort Belvoir, Virginia; San Antonio, Texas; and Colorado Springs, Colorado, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 15, 2020. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation, Army funds in the amount of $13,444,607 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity. Orion Marine Construction Inc., Tampa, Florida, was awarded a $10,499,080 firm-fixed-price contract for maintenance dredging. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will be performed in Corpus Christi, Texas, with an estimated completion date of March 30, 2021. Fiscal 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020 civil construction funds; and 2017, 2018 and 2020 non-federal funds in the amount of $10,499,080 were obligated at the time of the award. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Galveston, Texas, is the contracting activity (W912HY-20-C-0015). Torch Technologies Inc., Huntsville, Alabama, was awarded a $7,484,308 modification (P00049) to contract W31P4Q-19-F-C003 for technical and engineering support for research and development. Work will be performed in Huntsville, Alabama, with an estimated completion date of July 10, 2020. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation, Army funds in the amount of $7,484,308 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity. (Awarded June 10, 2020) AIR FORCE Raytheon Co., El Segundo, California, has been awarded a $202,600,272 definitive contract for F-15 sustainment. The estimated value of the options is $112,670,298. This contract provides support for the APG 82(V)1 radar modernization program depot activation in support of the Air Force. These services will include the engineering services required to support depot activation. Work will be performed in El Segundo, California; Forest, Mississippi; and McKinney, Texas. Work is expected to complete Dec. 11, 2024. This award is a result of a sole-source acquisition. Fiscal 2018 aircraft procurement funds in the amount of $89,929,974 are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, is the contracting activity (FA8505-20-C-0001). The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Missouri, has been awarded a $24,570,275 definitized, fixed-price-incentive-fee, cost-plus-fixed-fee modification (PZ0011) to contract FA2103-18-C-0061 for the B61-12 Life Extension Program. The contract modification is to definitize contract action for Lot One and Lot Two. Work will be performed in Saint Charles, Missouri, and is expected to be completed Dec. 31, 2022. Fiscal 2019 ammunition procurement funds in the amount of $72,091,114; and 2020 ammunition procurement funds in the amount of $19,545,218 are being obligated at the time of award. Total cumulative face value of the contract is $148,572,879. Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, is the contracting activity. IBM Corp., Reston, Virginia, has been awarded an $8,964,932 firm-fixed-price modification (P00010) to contract FA7014-19-F-A152 for advisory and assistance support. This modification exercises Option Year One that continues support for the development, implementations, analysis and provision of policies, guidance, oversight, career field management and human capital management programs across the civil engineer enterprise. Work will be performed in Washington, D.C., and if all options are exercised, work is expected to be completed Aug. 2, 2024. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition with three offers received. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $4,340,387 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force District of Washington Contracting Directorate, Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, is the contracting activity. DEFENSE ADVANCED RESEARCH PROJECTS AGENCY Raytheon Co., El Segundo, California, has been awarded a $37,442,009 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for the Blackjack program, Phase 2. This contract provides for the research, development, and demonstration of an Overhead Persistent Infrared (OPIR) payload for Blackjack. Raytheon will complete design, fabricate, test, and deliver in quantity space-flight ready OPIR payloads capable of integrating with multiple Blackjack buses and Pit Boss subsystem supporting an on-orbit constellation level demonstration. Work will be performed in El Segundo, California, with an estimated completion date of April 2023. Fiscal 2019 research and development funds in the amount of $24,934,144; and fiscal 2020 research and development funds in the amount of $8,000,000 are being obligated at the time of award. This contract is a competitive acquisition in accordance with the original broad agency announcement, HR001118S0032. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting activity (HR001120C0096). *Small Business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2218996/source/GovDelivery/

  • Germany took step toward clearing Turkey's Eurofighter jet buy, Turkish official says
Toutes les nouvelles