9 avril 2020 | International, Naval, Terrestre
Shawn Snow
A series of wargames conducted between 2018 and 2019 helped inform the Corps' decision to divest of tanks and outmoded units and equipment that will have trouble surviving in fight with peer adversaries like China, according to a Marine Corps force redesign report.
From those wargames the Corps learned that the unit that shoots first has a “decisive advantage” on the battlefield and forces that can operate inside the range of enemy long-range precision fires “are more operationally relevant than forces which must rapidly maneuver to positions outside the ”weapons engagement zone, the report reads.
The Corps' decision to divest of tanks, cut ground cannon artillery and light attack air platforms has stoked some criticism. Tanks historically have had success in high-end and urban warfare for decades boasting devastating firepower highly lethal to ground forces.
But tanks and armored vehicles have had trouble surviving against the threat of precision strike and the plethora of drone and reconnaissance systems flooding conflict zones across the Middle East.
For recent evidence, a Turkish launched operation targeting Syrian regime army troops in late February decimated more than a hundred tanks and armored vehicles, dozens of artillery pieces and hundreds of Syrian forces, according to the Turkish National Ministry of Defense.
Turkey posted videos highlighting a mixed role of drones, Paladin artillery systems and aircraft pounding Syrian armor from the skies over the course of several days. The Syrian army appeared helpless to defend from the onslaught of long range systems. Even tanks camouflaged by buildings and bushes were no match for sensors and thermal imaging watching from the skies.
The problem is exacerbated by the number of sophisticated anti-tank systems flooding counterinsurgency conflicts across the globe and access to long range drones once only in control by state actors are now being operated by militia groups.
In Libya, the Libyan National Army has the upper hand in its drone war with the UN-backed Tripoli government. It's equipped with an alleged UAE-supplied Chinese drone known as the Wing Long II that boasts a 2,000 km range through a satellite link and is reportedly armed with Chinese manufactured Blue Arrow 7 precision strike air-to-surface missiles.
“Mobility inside the WEZ [ weapons engagement zone] is a competitive advantage and an operational imperative,” the Marine Corps report reads.
The Corps instead is looking for mobile systems and units that can survive within the reach of precision fires to “attrit adversary forces," create dilemmas for the enemy and “consume adversary ISR resources,” according to the report.
“The hider-versus finder competition is real. Losing this competition has enormous and potentially catastrophic consequences,” the report reads.
Reconnaissance and counter-reconnaissance capabilities will be key on the modern battlefield.
“We have sufficient evidence to conclude that this capability [tanks], despite its long and honorable history in the wars of the past, is operationally unsuitable for our highest-priority challenges in the future,” the report said about the divestment of Marine tanks.
But tanks aren't disappearing from the fight. The Corps says heavy ground armor will still be provided by the Army.
The Corps says it plans to develop heavily into unmanned ground and air systems and rocket artillery and long range fires. According to the report, the Corps is increasing its rocket artillery batteries by 14 to 21 over a 10-year period.
Wargaming that inferred the Corps' force redesign efforts were carried out by the Marine Corps Warfighting Lab, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, among others.
22 avril 2024 | International, Terrestre
What is the M10 Booker? This little-known platform, which is somewhere between an IFV and an MBT, will provide much-needed infantry support.
15 juillet 2020 | International, Naval
By: Sam LaGrone July 14, 2020 8:48 PM • Updated: July 15, 2020 6:38 AM The Navy has awarded a contract for the first unmanned surface vessel it will design and build on its own, a key milestone for the eventual family of unmanned systems that will be a key component of the future surface fleet, according to a Monday contract announcement from the Pentagon. L3 Technologies won a $35-million contract to develop a prototype medium unmanned surface vehicle (MUSV) on Monday, which could grow to $281 million if options for eight follow-on craft are exercised, Naval Sea Systems Command announced. The contract calls for delivering the first prototype by the end of the Fiscal Year 2023, according to a release from NAVSEA. “The president's 2021 budget request for the Navy includes additional funding for a second MUSV prototype in FY23. The acquisition strategy for the FY23 vessel is to be determined, however, for flexibility, the development contract contains options for additional USVs,” read the statement. The award to L3 for MUSV is the Navy's first bite at the apple for developing a USV. DARPA contracted for two Sea Hunter vessels in what was originally the Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) Continuous Trail Unmanned Vessel (ACTUV) program but has since shifted its focus to be the predecessor to MUSV. A Pentagon office also contracted for two Large USVs as part of the Overlord program, and the Navy will also take those vessels and use them to shape an eventual LUSV program of its own. The Navy envisions a family of unmanned systems that will be the backbone of a future fleet of netted “attritable” platforms that will provide lower-cost options compared to manned surface combatants like the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer or the new FFG(X) frigate program. “The initial focus is on the design, fabrication, testing and support of funded MUSV prototype vehicles. Rapid prototyping efforts will inform procurement of additional MUSV units,” Navy spokesman Capt. Danny Hernandez told USNI News on Tuesday. “The Navy will continue to assess the MUSV acquisition plan and has the option to conduct new or additional competitions, if warranted.” According to a notional list of requirements reviewed by USNI News in 2019, the MUSV would “function as a sensor and communications relay as part of a family of unmanned surface systems being developed by the service. The craft will be able to carry a payload equivalent to a 40-foot shipping container, will operate on its own for at least 60 days before needing to return to port, and be capable of refueling at sea,” reported USNI News. “The craft will have to also be able to autonomously operate under the rules of the maritime road at a cruising speed of about 16 knots with a minimum range of about 4,500 nautical miles and operate via a government-provided communication relay system.” L3 served as a subcontractor for Leidos, the lead contractor for the Sea Hunter program that DARPA contracted for before passing it off to the Navy. However, the next version of the MUSV will be different from the Sea Hunter, Navy officials told USNI News this week. “The MUSV and the existing Sea Hunter vessel have differing missions and requirements. The existing Sea Hunter vessel was designed and built with the mission of anti-submarine warfare and would be capable of tracking and following submarines using a hull-mounted sonar array over long distances. The MUSV will provide and improve distributed situational awareness in maritime areas of responsibility through [intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance] and [electronic warfare] implemented by modular payloads,” Hernandez told USNI News. While the program is under development, the current Sea Hunter has been assigned to Surface Development Squadron 1 and is set to operate with a carrier strike group in the near future. L3 Technologies Inc., Camden, New Jersey, is awarded a $34,999,948 fixed-price-incentive-firm-target contract for the detail design and fabrication of a prototype Medium Unmanned Surface Vehicle (MUSV). This contract includes options for up to eight additional MUSVs, logistics packages, engineering support, technical data, and other direct costs, which, if exercised, will bring the cumulative value of this contract to $281,435,446. Work will be performed in Morgan City, Louisiana (72.7%); Arlington, Virginia (9.8%); Jeanerette, Louisiana (8.1%); New Orleans, Louisiana (6.6%); Worthington, Ohio (1.7%); Lafayette, Louisiana (0.9 %); and Gautier, Mississippi (0.2%), and is expected to be completed by December 2022. If all options are exercised, work will continue through June 2027. Fiscal 2019 and 2020 research, development, test and evaluation funding in the amount of $34,999,948 will be obligated at the time of award, and $29,779,038 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. https://news.usni.org/2020/07/14/navy-awards-contract-for-first-vessel-in-its-family-of-unmanned-surface-vehicles
5 septembre 2019 | International, Aérospatial, Naval, Terrestre, C4ISR, Sécurité
NAVY General Electric Aviation, Lynn, Massachusetts, was awarded $143,680,709 for modification P00005 to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract (N00019-18-C-1007). This modification is for 24 low rate initial production Lot 3 T408-GE-400 turboshaft engines and three Lot 2 T408-GE-400 engines for the CH-53K helicopter. In addition, this modification provides for associated engine and programmatic support, logistics support, peculiar support equipment and spares. Work will be performed in Lynn, Massachusetts, and is expected to be completed in December 2022. Fiscal 2018 and 2019 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $143,680,709 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. (Awarded Aug. 29, 2019) University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina (N00189-19-D-Z033); and University of Virginia Darden School Foundation Inc., Charlottesville, Virginia (N00189-19-D-Z034), are being awarded multiple award, firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contracts worth $24,535,554 that will include terms and conditions for the placement of firm-fixed-price task orders to provide academic programs to educate the Department of the Navy acquisition personnel in support of the assistant secretary of the Navy for research, development and acquisition. The contracts will run concurrently and will include a 60-month base ordering period and an option for a six-month ordering period; if exercised, the total value of this contract will be $27,496,527. The base ordering period of the contract is expected to be completed by September 2024; if the option is exercised, the ordering period will be completed by March 2025. All work will be performed at various contractor locations throughout the U.S., and the percentage of work at each of the contractor facilities cannot be determined at this time. Fiscal 2019 acquisition workforce development funds (Department of Defense) in the amount of $2,000 will be obligated ($1,000 on each of the two contracts to fund the contracts' minimum amounts), and funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured for the award of multiple contracts pursuant to the authority set forth in Federal Acquisition Regulation 16.504. The requirement was solicited through the Federal Business Opportunities website, with two offers received. Naval Supply Systems Command Fleet, Logistics Center Norfolk, Contracting Department, Philadelphia Office, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is the contracting activity. ARMY Science Applications International Corp., Reston, Virginia, was awarded a $97,530,579 modification (P00064) to contract W912DY-16-F-0093 for management and technical support necessary to advance high performance computing services, capabilities, infrastructure and technologies. Work will be performed in Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio; Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland; Stennis Space Center, Mississippi; Vicksburg, Mississippi; and Lorton, Virginia, with an estimated completion date of Oct. 18, 2020. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $1,012,268 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Huntsville, Alabama, is the contracting activity. RLB Contracting Inc.,* Port Lavaca, Texas, was awarded a $9,571,200 firm-fixed-price contract for maintenance dredging of Houston ship channel. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will be performed in Brady Island, Texas, with an estimated completion date of March 5, 2020. Fiscal 2017, 2018 and 2019 operations and maintenance, civil funds in the amount of $9,571,200 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Galveston, Texas, is the contracting activity (W912HY-19-C-0015). Lockheed Martin Corp., Orlando, Florida, was awarded an $8,126,438 modification (P00015) to contract W31P4Q-18-C-0070 for the acquisition of Joint-Air-To-Ground missile engineering services. Work will be performed in Orlando, Florida, with an estimated completion date of March 2, 2021. Fiscal 2019 procurement, Air Force; and operations and maintenance, Army funds in the amount of $8,126,438 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity. DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY The Boeing Co.,* St. Louis, Missouri, has been awarded a maximum $25,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for engineering and supply chain analysis sustainment support and for various spare parts. 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 one-year base contract with four one-year option periods. Location of performance is Missouri, with a Sept. 6, 2020, performance completion date. Using customer is Defense Logistics Agency. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 warstopper funds and defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Richmond, Virginia (SPE4AX-18-D-9450). CORRECTION: The modification announced on Sept. 3, 2019, for General Dynamics Land Systems Inc., Sterling Heights, Michigan (SPE7MX-16-D-0100), for $38,040,445 was announced with an incorrect award date. The correct award date is Sept. 4, 2019. AIR FORCE Raytheon Missile Systems, Tucson, Arizona, has been awarded a $8,422,148 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification (P00032) to previously awarded contract FA8675-16-C-0067 for field team support services for Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM) development test mission support including, test planning, test operations, test reporting and telemetry analysis. This contract modification provides for exercise of the third option for an additional 12 months of services to support ground tests, captive flight tests and live fire tests conducted for developmental purposes up to and including operational test readiness reviews. The effort also encompasses management and maintenance of AMRAAM separation test vehicles and other assets used for the test programs. Total cumulative face value of the contract is $46,807,656. Work will be performed at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, and is expected to be completed by Sept. 5, 2020. This award is the result of a sole source acquisition and only one source was solicited and received. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $2,000,000; and Foreign Military Sales funds in the amount of $99,600 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, is the contracting activity. The Boeing Co., Defense, Space & Security – Network, Newark, Ohio, has been awarded a $7,494,440 firm-fixed-price delivery order, FA8119-19-F-0094, to basic contract FA8119-14-D-0003 for Air Launched Cruise Missile warhead arming devices remanufacture. This delivery order provides for the remanufacture of 110 Air Launched Cruise Missile warhead arming devices for the fifth option period. Work will be performed at Newark, Ohio, and is expected to be completed by May 9, 2020. This award is the result of a sole source acquisition. Fiscal 2019 missiles procurement funds in the amount of $7,494,440.00 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Sustainment Center, Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, is the contracting activity. *Small Business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/1952112/source/GovDelivery/