12 décembre 2024 | International, Terrestre
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22 janvier 2019 | International, Aérospatial
The Corps is going all in on small tactical drones as it preps for future war
By: Shawn Snow
A briefing to Congress in January 2018 on the Corps' family of small tactical droneshighlighted the Marines' desire to incorporate thousands of drones from the battalion level down to the squad.
The briefing slides, obtained by Marine Corps Times via Freedom of Information Act request, displayed a wide variety of small tactical drones generally weighing under 55 pounds with an array of capabilities and varying flight radii.
Marine Corps Combat Development Command/ Combat Development & Integration, or MCCDC/CD&I, told Marine Corps Times that the slides were no longer current and that “significant updates” have already been made to the Corps' fixed wing and vertical take-off and landing systems.
But the drone briefing last January does provide a window into the Corps' desire to stretch the range of its drones, its growing reliance on unmanned systems, its preparation for future warfare, and how the Corps is trying to keep pace with a technology rapidly evolving.
“In the near future, maneuver elements will have a blend of VTOL [vertical take-off and landing] and Fixed Wing SUAS [small unmanned aerial system] based on the capabilities,” MCCDC/ CD&I explained. “The idea is to provide capability to lower echelons, understanding there comes with it increased human tasks and gear.”
Small tactical drones “organic to tactical maneuver units, generally at the battalion level and below provide battlespace awareness and target development in support of squads, platoons, companies, battalions and Marine Special Operations Teams and Companies,” MCCDC/CD&I said.
Included in the brief were the fixed wing Stalker XE and quadcopter Aeryon SkyRanger.
These systems have not been highly publicized as being in the Corps' fleet of tactical drone systems, unlike the widely known Instant Eye already fielded across the Corps' squads.
Lockheed's Stalker XE is a roughly 26 lbs fixed wing drone with a 50 km range that can fly up to eight hours with a fuel cell. The drone has been in use with Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command, or MARSOC.
According to the briefing slides, MARSOC had high praise for the system, calling it as flexible and a force multiplier.
The Aeryon SkyRanger is a quadcopter drone with a roughly 5 km range.
Both these drones may find their way into the inventories of conventional Marine forces.
However, MCCDC/CD&I said the drones highlighted in the presentation were “representative” platforms based on the capabilities they provide.
“For example, the Stalker XE offers a capability desired by the infantry battalions but no decision has been made on a future performer for this capability at that level in the regular Marine Corps formation,” MCCDC/CD&I said.
Though, the Stalker XE did participate in the 2017 iteration of the Steel Knight exercise held aboard Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, California.
Moreover, the Corps is about to kick off a field user evaluation with a series of small tactical drones that will include PSI Tactical Robotics' InstantEye Gen 5, Aeryon Lab's SkyRanger, FLIR's PD 100 Black Hornet and Lockheed Martin's Indago, according to Jamie Cosgrove, a spokesman for Naval Air Systems Command.
“The Marines routinely perform field user evaluations (FUE) to determine if the particular system meets their requirements for SUAS,” Cosgrove said. “Based on the FUE, the Marine Corps may end up using a combination of systems to meet their needs.”
The evolution and proliferation of drone technology has been moving at light speed, which is creating a slew of challenges for the Corps as it tries to keep pace with advancements and changing dynamics on the battlefield.
But MCCDC/CD&I said the Corps' drone acquisition strategy is focused on capability sets and interoperability, not necessarily any specific platform.
“Future fielding numbers are in flux pending results of a formal study on SUAS utilization and budgetary decisions,” MCCDC/ CD&I said. “The numbers and types of systems we want to buy is changing as demand increases beyond the Ground Combat Element.”
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Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - January 28, 2021
AIR FORCE Gulfstream Aerospace Corp., Savannah, Georgia, has been awarded a $612,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for C20/C37 engineering services support. The contractor will provide the engineering and data support on a recurring basis for all Gulfstream executive aircraft for the duration of the contract. Work will be performed for the Air Force, Army, Navy, Marines and Coast Guard in Savannah, Georgia; Naval Air Station Sigonella, Italy; Ramstein Air Base, Germany; Joint Base Andrews, Maryland; Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii; Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Hawaii; and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Washington, D.C. The work is expected to be completed Jan. 31, 2031. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance funds in the amount of $10,872,957 are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Tinker AFB, Oklahoma, is the contracting activity (FA8134-21-D-0001). Filius Corp., Centreville, Virginia, has been awarded a $70,617,597 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for AN/TYQ-23A Tactical Air Operations Modules contractor logistics support. The contractor will provide all labor, tools, equipment, technical data/manuals, materials, supplies, parts, original equipment manufacturer service bulletins and the service necessary to provide contractor logistics support. Work will be performed in Centreville, Virginia, and is expected to be completed by January 2026. Fiscal 2020 operation and maintenance funds in the amount of $400,000 are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Hill Air Force Base, Utah, is the contracting activity (FA8217-21-D-0001). L3Harris Technologies Inc., Colorado Springs, Colorado, has been awarded a $9,513,345, cost-reimbursable modification (P00021) to contract FA8823-20-C-0004 for exercising Option Period Two for Space Situational Awareness Integrated Capabilities system sustainment services. Work will be performed in Colorado Springs, Colorado; and Dahlgren, Virginia, and is expected to be completed Jan. 31, 2022. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance funds in the full amount are being obligated at the time of award. Total cumulative face value of the contract is $328,221,755. Space and Missile Systems Center, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado Springs, Colorado, is the contracting activity. U.S. TRANSPORTATION COMMAND Berry Aviation Inc., San Marcos, Texas, has been awarded a contract modification (P00011) on contract HTC711-17-D-R008 in the amount of $179,451,602. This modification provides continued rotary and fixed-wing airlift support services, including passenger, cargo, casualty evacuation, personnel recovery, air drop and limited door-to-door services to U.S. Africa Command. Work will be performed in continental Africa, African islands and countries supporting operations in Africa, such as Germany and Italy. The option period of performance is from Feb. 2, 2021, to Feb. 1, 2022. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance funds will be obligated at task order award. This modification brings the total cumulative face value of the contract to $854,008,319, from $674,556,717. U.S. Transportation Command, Directorate of Acquisition, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, is the contracting activity. DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Abel Unlimited Inc.,* West Palm Beach, Florida (SPE1C1-21-D-1422, $160,548,560); Hilo Enterprises LLC,* McLean, Virginia (SPE1C1-21-D-1424, $149,109,475); Odell International LLC,* Mooresville, North Carolina (SPE1C1-21-D-1425, $90,509,251); At Ease Sustainment LLC,* Pataskala, Ohio (SPE1C1-21-D-1421, $50,171,425); and Seaich Card & Souvenir Corp.,* Salt Lake City, Utah (SPE1C1-21-D-1426, $35,251,200), have each been awarded a fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract under solicitation SPE1C1-20-R-0137 for disposable surgical gowns. These were competitive acquisitions with 73 offers received. They are one-year contracts with no option periods. Locations of performance are Texas, Ohio, Florida, Virginia, North Carolina and Utah, with a Jan. 27, 2022, ordering period end date. Using customers are the Department of Health and Human Services and Federal Emergency Management Agency. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2021 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NAVY ACE Maintenance & Services Inc.,* Austin, Texas, is awarded a maximum value $90,175,044 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for janitorial services at Naval Support Activity Bethesda, Maryland. The work to be performed provides for all labor, management supervision, tools, materials and equipment required to perform base janitorial services. Future task orders will be primarily funded by operation and maintenance (Navy); operation and maintenance (Army); Navy working capital funds; and Defense Health Program funds. Work will be performed in Bethesda, Maryland, and is expected to be completed by March 2026. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance (Navy); fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance (Army); Navy working capital funds; and fiscal 2021 Defense Health Program funds in the amount of $17,855,592 will be obligated under the initial task order at time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Work under the initial task order is expected to be completed by February 2022. This contract was competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities website with three proposals received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity (N40080-21-D-0004). BAE Systems Land & Armaments L.P., Sterling Heights, Michigan, is awarded a $77,475,197 five-year, firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for interim contractor support for Amphibious Combat Vehicle replacement parts, support and test equipment and the repair of repairables/repairable parts. Work will be performed in York, Pennsylvania (70%); Aiken, South Carolina (20%); Sterling Heights, Michigan (5%); and Stafford, Virginia (5%), and is expected to be completed in January 2026. No funds will be obligated at time of award. Funds will be obligated on individual delivery orders as they are issued. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1(a)(ii). The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Virginia, is the contracting activity (M67854-21-D-0001). Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Marietta, Georgia, is awarded a $33,229,494 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. This contract provides for the procurement of up to a maximum quantity of 38 large aircraft infrared countermeasures (LAIRCM) A-kits, up to 38 supplemental kits, five bench stock kits and LAIRCM-advanced threat warning a-kit replacement parts in support of the C/KC-130J aircraft. Work will be performed in Marietta, Georgia, and is expected to be completed in December 2025. No funds will be obligated at the time of award. Funds will be obligated on individual task orders as they are issued. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N00019-21-D-0011). DynCorp International LLC, Fort Worth, Texas, is awarded a $32,521,640 firm-fixed-price, cost reimbursement, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. This contract procures organizational, selected intermediate, limited depot level maintenance and logistics support services for F/A-18C/D/E/F, EA-18G, MH-60S, F-16A/B, and E-2C/D aircraft for the Navy. Work will be performed in Fallon, Nevada, and is expected to be completed in September 2021. No funds will be obligated at the time of award and obligated on individual orders as they are issued. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N00421-21-D-0014). Barkley Andross Corp.,* Hesperia, California, is awarded a maximum value $20,000,000 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity job order contract for electrical and other wiring installation projects at various installations located within the Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command, Southwest area of responsibility. Work will be performed in the Marine Corps Base, Camp Pendleton, California; and Naval Weapons Station, Seal Beach, California, areas and is expected to be completed by January 2026. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $2,000 will be obligated at 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 eight proposals received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command, Southwest, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity (N62473-21-D-2603). GSE Dynamics Inc.,* Hauppauge, New York, is awarded an $18,889,829 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, not-to-exceed contract with firm-fixed-price and cost-plus-fixed-fee task order provisions to manufacture, test and deliver composite structures. Work will be performed in Hauppauge, New York, and is expected to be completed by January 2026. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $640,000 will be obligated at time of award via an individual task order and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The contract was competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities website with one offer received. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Philadelphia Division, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is the contracting activity (N64498-21-D-4012). Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., Stratford, Connecticut, is awarded a $10,587,984 cost-plus-fixed-fee order (N00019-21-F-0159) against previously issued basic ordering agreement N00019-19-G-0029. This order provides for the development of Phase One structural repair manuals for the CH-53K aircraft. The repair manuals address organizational level repairs pertaining to airframe skins, doors and covers, tail cone, main and tail blade erosion repair, as well as non-destructive inspection procedures and standards. Work will be performed in Shelton, Connecticut (43%); Stratford, Connecticut (41%); and Bohemia, New York (16%), and is expected to be completed in April 2023. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $4,930,357 will be obligated at the 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. Alutiiq Solutions LLC,* Anchorage, Alaska, is awarded a $7,677,543 modification (P00003) to previously awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract N00421-20-D-0007. This modification exercises an option to provide research and analysis, strategic initiative, executive leadership management, administrative, operational and technical program support for the Command Strategic Leadership Service Team in support of the commander, Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) and direct reporting teams, the NAVAIR Corporate Operations Group, the Business Financial Management Competency, the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) front office, and the NAVAIR Washington Liaison Office. Work will be performed in Patuxent River, Maryland (60%); and Arlington, Virginia (40%), and is expected to be completed in February 2025. No funds will be obligated at the time of award; funds will be obligated on individual orders as they are issued. The Naval Air Warfare Center, Aircraft Division, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. ARMY Black & Veatch Special Projects Corp., Overland Park, Kansas (W912GB-21-D-0014); Coplan-Merrick JV LLP, Greenwood Village, Colorado (W912GB-21-D-0015); and WSP USA Solutions Inc., Washington, D.C. (W912GB-21-D-0016), will compete for each order of the $49,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for General Architect-Engineer Services in Bulgaria, Hungary, and Romania. 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 Jan. 27, 2026. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Wiesbaden, Germany, is the contracting activity. The Boeing Co., Mesa, Arizona, was awarded a $25,343,186 modification (P00069) to contract W58RGZ-16-C-0023 for to improve the quality of the Apache Attack Helicopter (AH)-64E and lessen the associated post production maintenance burden. Work will be performed in Mesa, Arizona, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 31, 2024. Fiscal 2019 aircraft procurement (Army) funds in the amount of $25,343,186 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity. Buffalo Group LLC., Reston, Virginia, was awarded a $14,093,489 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for the Department of the Army Intelligence Information Services intelligence operations support services. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will be performed in Fort Belvoir, Virginia, with an estimated completion date of Jan. 24, 2022. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance (Army) funds in the amount of $14,093,489 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Detroit Arsenal, Michigan, is the contracting activity (W50NH9-21-C-0002). InSynergy Engineering, Inc.,* Honolulu, Hawaii (W9128A-21-D-0010); MK Engineers Ltd.,* Mililani, Hawaii (W9128A-21-D-0011); and Nakamura Oyama and Associates, Inc.,* Honolulu, Hawaii (W9128A-21-D-0012), will compete for each order of the $9,900,000 firm-fixed-price contract for an architect-engineer electrical services in the Honolulu, Hawaii area. Bids were solicited via the internet with seven received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Jan. 27, 2026. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Honolulu, Hawaii, is the contracting activity. Manson Construction Co., Seattle, Washington, was awarded a $9,847,000 firm-fixed-price contract for maintenance dredging in the Port of Alaska. Bids were solicited via the internet with two received. Work will be performed in Anchorage, Alaska, with an estimated completion date of Jan. 26, 2022. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance (Army) funds in the amount of $9,847,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, is the contracting activity (W911KB-21-C-0006). *Small business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2486177/