These Marine-generated tech ideas are becoming prototypes for actual field use

Sur le même sujet

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  11 septembre 2018 | International, Aérospatial

  Israel Keeps Eyes On F-35Bs; Lockheed-Boeing Battle It Out For Fighters, Choppers

  By ARIE EGOZI TEL AVIV: Until last week there was a shadow war, fought behind closed doors, mainly in the highly guarded complex of the Israeli Defense Ministry and the Israeli Air Force headquarters in Tel Aviv. And in some newspapers. But now the war has gone public and the big guns could be heard all over Israel's national security establishment when one of the opponents sent a high level delegation to Israel. The war is between Lockheed Martin and Boeing. The battles are between F-35's or advanced F-15's, and between the CH-53K and the CH-47 Chinook. The proposed deal to purchase additional F-15 for the Israeli airforce ( IAF) includes the upgrade of the existing F-15I. The deal may have a total price of almost $4 billion for 25 F-15Is. This version has an airframe with an extended life span and large area display cockpit. A high-ranking Lockheed Martin delegation met in recent days with the top figures in the Israeli Defense Ministry and Air Force headquarters. Full article: https://breakingdefense.com/2018/09/israel-keeps-eyes-on-f-35bs-lockheed-boeing-battle-it-out-for-fighters-choppers

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  10 juillet 2018 | International, Naval

  Has the US Navy thought this new frigate through? New report raises questions.

  By: David B. Larter WASHINGTON ― The U.S. Navy is rapidly moving toward procuring the first hull in its new class of frigate in 2020, but a new report is raising questions about whether the Navy has done detailed analysis about what it needs out of the ship before barging ahead. The Navy may not have done an adequate job of analyzing gaps and capabilities shortfalls before it set itself on a fast-track to buying the so-called FFG(X) as an adaptation from a parent design, said influential Navy analyst Ron O'Rourke in a new Congressional Research Service report. In essence, the CRS report questions whether the Navy looked at what capabilities the service already has in the fleet, what capabilities it's missing and whether the FFG(X) is the optimal solution to address any identified shortfalls. O'Rourke suggests Congress push the Navy on “whether procuring a new class of FFGs is the best or most promising general approach for addressing the identified capability gaps and mission needs, and whether the Navy has performed a formal, rigorous analysis of this issue, as opposed to relying solely on subjective judgments of Navy or [Defense Department] leaders.” ““Subjective judgments, though helpful, can overlook counter-intuitive results regarding the best or most promising general approach,” the report reads. “Potential alternative general approaches for addressing identified capability gaps and mission needs in this instance include (to cite a few possibilities) modified LCSs, FFs, destroyers, aircraft, unmanned vehicles, or some combination of these platforms.” The Navy is looking to adapt its FFG(X) from an existing design such as Fincantieri's FREMM, one of the two existing littoral combat ships or the Coast Guard's national security cutter as a means of getting updated capabilities into a small surface combatant and into the fleet quickly. A better approach, O'Rourke suggests, would be to make a formal, rigorous analysis of alternatives to its current course. Failure to do so has led to a series of setbacks with the Navy's current small surface combatant program, the LCS. “The Navy did not perform a formal, rigorous analysis of this kind prior to announcing the start of the LCS program in November 2001, and this can be viewed as a root cause of much of the debate and controversy that attended the LCS program, and of the program's ultimate restructurings in February 2014 and December 2015,” O'Rourke writes. O'Rourke further suggests the Navy is relying too much on subjective opinions of Navy and Defense Department leaders, instead of a legitimate analysis. And indeed, the Navy has made rapid acquisition of the new ship the hallmark of the program. “Subjective judgments can be helpful, particularly in terms of capturing knowledge and experience that is not easily reduced to numbers, in taking advantage of the ‘wisdom of the crowd,‘ and in coming to conclusions and making decisions quickly,” O'Rourke argues. “On the other hand, a process that relies heavily on subjective judgments can be vulnerable to group-think, can overlook counter-intuitive results regarding capability gaps and mission needs, and, depending on the leaders involved, can emphasize those leaders' understanding of the Navy's needs.” Read the full report here. https://www.defensenews.com/naval/2018/07/09/has-the-us-navy-thought-this-new-frigate-through-new-report-raises-questions/

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  15 juillet 2019 | International, Aérospatial, Naval, Terrestre, C4ISR, Sécurité, Autre défense

  Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - July 11, 2019

  NAVY General Dynamics Electric Boat Corp., Groton, Connecticut, is being awarded a $173,805,431 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for engineering, technical, design agent and planning yard support for operational strategic and attack submarines. The contract provides for drawings and related technical data; design change documentation; logistics technical data; configuration management; hull, mechanical and electrical engineering; submarine safety design review; non-propulsion plant electrical system engineering; propulsion plant engineering; maintenance engineering; refit/availability technical support; on-site support; configuration change program design and installation support; configuration change program material support; submarine technical trade support; training and facility support; research development test and evaluation (Navy) program support; research and development submarine/submersibles support; miscellaneous special studies; temporary alteration support; modernization of submarine/submersible systems/subsystems; and affordability/cost reduction technical support. Work will be performed in Groton, Connecticut (70%); Kings Bay, Georgia (13%); Bangor, Washington (10%); Pearl Harbor, Hawaii (3%); North Kingston, Rhode Island (2%); and Newport, Rhode Island (2%), and is expected to be completed by September 2023. This contract includes options, which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $1,043,513,079, and be complete by September 2023. Fiscal 2019 other procurement (Navy); 2019 operations and maintenance (Navy); and 2018 other procurement (Navy) funding in the amount of $24,556,100 will be obligated at time of award, and $4,415,300 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. In accordance with 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1), this contract was not competitively procured (only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements). The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity (N00024-19-C-2125). Massa Products Corp., Hingham, Massachusetts, is being awarded a $32,419,133 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contract for the design, document, manufacture, test, package and delivery of hydrophones. This requirement is to deliver hydrophones for new-construction platforms to support shipyard installation schedules and to replace failed hydrophones for all in-service platforms. As this is an IDIQ contract, in which only a minimum guarantee is established and all firm government requirements will be established at the order level, it does not include options. Work will be performed in Hingham, Massachusetts, and is expected to be completed by July 2024. Fiscal 2019 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funding in the amount of $1,051,578 will be obligated at time of award via the first delivery order and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities website, with one offer received. The Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division Newport, Newport, Rhode Island, is the contracting activity (N66604-19-D-F900). Gryphon Technologies LC, Washington, District of Columbia, is being awarded a $23,842,331 cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity services contract with cost reimbursable services for aircraft carrier program management, engineering, technical and logistics support services. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Philadelphia Division, is the Navy's agent for the program management, engineering, technical and logistical support for hull, mechanical and electrical systems and equipment on Navy aircraft carriers. To execute these responsibilities, the Navy requires the support of engineering, technical, logistical and program management personnel to assist in the support of aircraft carrier type commanders and other Navy activities on Navy aircraft carriers while in port or underway. There are provisions for firm-fixed-price completion orders. As emergent requirements arise, work will be performed at various Navy bases, shipyards, repair facilities and contractor facilities in the continental U.S. and outside of the continental U.S., and is expected to be complete by July 2024. Fiscal 2019 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funding in the amount of $62,999 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities website with two offers received. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Philadelphia Division, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is the contracting activity (N64498-19-D-4022). BAE Systems Technology Solutions & Services, Rockville, Maryland, is being awarded a $23,456,568 modification (P00043) to a previously awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee contract (N00421-15-C-0008). This modification provides for services in support of the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division's Special Communications Mission Solutions Division, to support integrated communications and information systems radio communications for Navy ships. Work will be performed in St. Inigoes, Maryland, and is expected to be completed in July 2024. Fiscal 2019 working capital funds (Navy) in the amount of $4,000,000 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the fiscal year. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. The Boeing Co., Seattle, Washington, is being awarded a $23,375,361 cost-plus-fixed-fee order (N00019-19-F-4058) against a previously issued basic ordering agreement (N00019-16-G-0001). This order procures contractor logistics support for the United Kingdom's (UK's) P-8A program and aircraft. Contractor logistics support includes initial acceptance and breakdown of four aircraft and provision of training with an eight-month detachment to the UK to establish initial operational capability as well as subsequent full operational capability, scheduled aircraft maintenance, support equipment maintenance, engineering reach back and technical assistance. Work will be performed in Lossiemouth, Scotland (59%); Seattle, Washington (21%); and Jacksonville, Florida (20%), and is expected to be completed in December 2020. Foreign military sales funds in the amount of $23,375,361 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. Aptim Federal Services LLC, Alexandria, Virginia, is being awarded a $15,309,450 firm-fixed-price task order 0005 (modification 02) under a multiple award construction contract for the cleaning, inspection and repair of mined-in-place military petroleum storage tanks (Red Hill Tanks 14, 17, and 18). The work to be performed provides for the additional repairs in Tank 17 as identified by Aptim Federal Services LLC, and subcontractor, Enterprise Engineering Inc.'s comprehensive American Petroleum Institute 653 out-of-service internal integrity inspection and suitability for service evaluation inspection report. After award of this modification, the total cumulative contract value will be $36,078,000. Work will be performed at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, and is expected to be completed by May 2022. Fiscal 2016 working capital funds (Navy) in the amount of $15,309,450 are obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Hawaii, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, is the contracting activity (N39430-15-D-1632). U.S. SPECIAL OPERATIONS COMMAND Gentex Corp., Simpson, Pennsylvania, was a awarded a $95,000,000 maximum, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, firm-fixed-price contract (H92403-19-D-0004) for the purchase of SOF personal equipment advance requirements (SPEAR) coxswain helmet systems, in support of U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) procurement division. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $150,000 are being obligated at time of award. This is a five-year contract with a two-year option period. The majority of work will be performed in Simpson and is expected to be completed by July 2024. This contract was awarded through full and open competition and two proposals were received. USSOCOM headquarters, Tampa, Florida, is the contracting activity. ARMY Walsh Federal LLC, Chicago, Illinois, was awarded a $52,929,000 firm-fixed-price contract for the construction of a new two-bay general purpose aircraft maintenance hangar. Bids were solicited via the internet with three received. Work will be performed in Burlington, New Jersey, with an estimated completion date of June 18, 2021. Fiscal 2018 military construction (Air Force) funds in the amount of $52,929,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New York, New York, is the contracting activity (W912DS-19-C-0011). Pontchartrain Partners LLC,* New Orleans, Louisiana, was awarded an $8,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for Mississippi River stone bank paving, Mississippi River and tributaries flood control, and channel improvement project. 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 Sept. 30, 2020. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Vicksburg, Mississippi, is the contracting activity (W912EE-19-D-0010). DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Melbourne, Florida, has been awarded a $17,045,952 delivery order (SPRPA1-19-F-KY01) against a long-term contract (SPM4AX-12-D-9401) for E-2 aircraft high voltage power supplies. This is a firm-fixed-price contract. This was a sole-source acquisition using justification 10 U.S. Code 2304 (c)(1), as stated in Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. Location of performance is Florida, with an Oct. 30, 2021 performance completion date. Using military service is Navy. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2022 Navy working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Melbourne, Florida, has been awarded an $11,063,832 delivery order (SPRPA1-19-F-KY00) against a long-term contract (SPM4AX-12-D-9401) for E-2 aircraft power amplifier modules. This is a firm-fixed-price contract. This was a sole source acquisition using justification 10 U.S. Code 2304 (c)(1), as stated in Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. Location of performance is Florida, with an Oct. 30, 2022 performance completion date. Using military service is Navy. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2022 Navy working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. *Small business https://dod.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/1902689/source/GovDelivery/