10 juin 2020 | International, Aérospatial

US Air Force delays full-rate production decision for KC-46 aircraft

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WASHINGTON — The U.S. Air Force will delay a full-rate production milestone for the KC-46 aerial refueling tanker to the end of fiscal 2024 to correspond with a fix for one of the aircraft's key systems, the service announced late Monday.

The Pentagon's independent weapons tester — Director of Operational Test and Evaluation Robert Behler — intends to conclude operational testing of the KC-46 only after prime contractor Boeing fixes the tanker's critical deficiencies and has finalized its production configuration.

“Accordingly, the Air Force will defer the KC-46 full rate production decision until after the completion of [initial operational test and evaluation], and the receipt of the statutorily-required Beyond Low Rate Initial Production report from [Behler],” the Air Force said in a statement.

The KC-46 program has several remaining category 1 deficiencies, the term used by the Pentagon to describe the most serious form of technical problems.

Two of the deficiencies involve the aircraft's remote vision system, which is a series of cameras and sensors used by the boom operator to see outside the KC-46 and refuel other aircraft. The Air Force has contended that the RVS does not properly function in all weather and lighting conditions; the service has refused to deploy the KC-46 until the problem is fixed.

Boeing in April agreed to completely redesign the system on its own dime, which will take until at least 2023.

One other issue involves the KC-46 boom, which was developed to meet NATO-specific requirements but cannot refuel the A-10 aircraft. The Air Force is paying to redesign the boom actuator, as the service signed off on the original design and did not realize until afterward that it did not meet the specifications needed to refuel the A-10.

In March, the Air Force announced an additional category 1 deficiency after maintainers found fuel leaking between the tanker's primary and secondary fuel protection barriers. It is unclear whether this is still a problem, as Boeing had already developed a fix and began retrofitting aircraft when the issue was revealed.

“Given its confidence in deficiency resolution timelines for both the aerial refueling boom and Remote Vision System, the Air Force is rescheduling the KC-46's Full Rate Production Decision milestone to late Fiscal Year 2024,” the service stated.

The Air Force notes that delaying the full-rate production decision will not affect the program's cost — which is locked into place courtesy of a firm, fixed-price deal with Boeing that holds the contractor financially responsible for cost overruns;nor will it cause the service to alter its current delivery schedule.

Boeing is already producing KC-46s at “full rate,” which for the program is 15 tankers per year. It delivered the first KC-46 to McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas, in January 2019. Since then, Altus Air Force Base, Oklahoma, and Pease Air National Guard Base, New Hampshire, have also taken on new KC-46s.

Boeing is set to produce 179 KC-46s over the program of record. The company has racked up cost overruns of about $4.6 billion in excess of the $4.9 billion contract it was awarded in 2011.

https://www.defensenews.com/air/2020/06/09/the-air-force-delays-a-full-rate-production-decision-for-the-kc-46/

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  • Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - January 31, 2019

    4 février 2019 | International, Aérospatial, Naval, Terrestre, C4ISR, Sécurité, Autre défense

    Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - January 31, 2019

    NAVY Huntington Ingalls Industries - Newport News Shipbuilding, Newport News, Virginia, is awarded the detail design and construction (DD&C) efforts for nuclear-powered aircraft carriers Enterprise (CVN 80) and unnamed CVN 81 under the following contract actions: (1) A $14,917,738,145 fixed-price-incentive-firm target modification to previously awarded contract N00024-16-C-2116 for DD&C efforts for the future USS Enterprise (CVN 80) and unnamed CVN 81. The current contract for advance procurement funded efforts has been in place since 2016. (2) A $263,096,868 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to previously awarded contract N00024-16-C-2116 for associated research and development efforts. (3) A $31,097,671 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification for additional level-of-effort in support of maintenance of the CVN 78 class specification, design efforts, feasibility and tradeoff studies, and scoping and estimating. Work under this contract will be performed in Newport News, Virginia (62 percent); Sunnyvale, California (5 percent); Coatesville, Pennsylvania (3 percent); Wellsville, New York (1 percent); Cincinnati, Ohio (1 percent); Milwaukee, Wisconsin (1 percent); and various locations below one percent (27 percent), and is expected to be completed by February 2032. Fiscal 2018 and 2019 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funding; and fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funding in the amount of $889,830,279 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured, in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1(a)(2)(iii) - 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. AECOM Construction Inc., Arlington, Virginia (N40085-19-D-9066); Archer Western Federal JV, Chicago, Illinois (N40085-19-D-9067); Hourigan Construction Co., Virginia Beach, Virginia (N40085-19-D-9068); RQ Construction LLC, Carlsbad, California (N40085-19-D-9069); The Whiting Turner Contracting Co., Greenbelt, Maryland (N40085-19-D-9070); and W.M. Jordan Co. Inc., Newport News, Virginia (N40085-19-D-9089), are each awarded an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, multiple-award design-build/design-bid-build construction contract for construction projects, located primarily within the Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Mid-Atlantic Hampton Roads area of responsibility (AOR). The maximum dollar value for all six contracts combined is $249,000,000. The work to be performed provides for but is not limited to, new construction, renovation, alteration, demolition, and repair work for industrial, warehouses, airfield, aircraft hangar, aircraft traffic control, infrastructure, administrative, training, dormitory, recruit barracks, mess facilities, assembly facilities, medical facilities and community support facilities. AECOM Construction Inc. is awarded the initial task order at $27,640,890 for the design and construction of a new bachelor enlisted quarters at Naval Weapons Station Yorktown, Virginia. The task order also contains three planned modifications, which if exercised would increase cumulative contract value to $29,272,575. Work for this task order is expected to be completed by May 2021. All work on this contract will be performed in the NAVFAC Mid-Atlantic Hampton Roads AOR, Virginia. The term of the contract is not to exceed 60 months, with an expected completion of January 2024. Fiscal 2018 military construction (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $27,640,890 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 operations and maintenance (Navy); and military construction (Navy). This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website, with 18 proposals received. These six contractors may compete for task orders under the terms and conditions of the awarded contract. NAVFAC Mid-Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity. Bechtel Plant Machinery Inc., Monroeville, Pennsylvania, is awarded a $95,257,528 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to previously awarded contract N00024-16-C-2106 to exercise an option for naval nuclear propulsion components. Work will be performed in Monroeville, Pennsylvania (94 percent); and Schenectady, New York (6 percent), and is expected to be complete by September 2028. Fiscal 2019 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funding in the amount of $95,257,528 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. No additional information is provided on Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program contracts. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. Kay and Associates Inc., Buffalo Grove, Illinois, is awarded $63,016,210 for modification P00007 to a previously awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee contract (N0042117C0044) to exercise an option for maintenance and support services for F/A-18 C/D and associated equipment in support of the government of Kuwait. Work will be performed at various locations in Kuwait including Almed Al-Jaber Air Base (98.38 percent); Kuwaiti Air Force Headquarters (6.04 percent); Air Institute/Air Defense Base (1.89 percent); and Subhan/Air Defense Base (1.13 percent). Work is expected to be completed in January 2020. Foreign Military Sales funds in the amount of $63,016,210 are being 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, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. Rolls-Royce Corp., Indianapolis, Indiana, is awarded a $41,967,720 modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract N00019-17-C-0081 for the procurement of 20 production Marine Turbine (MT7) engines for the Landing Craft, Air Cushion (LCAC) 100 Class craft in support of the Ship to Shore Connector program. Each LCAC 100 craft consists of four MT7 engines. Work to be performed includes production of the MT7 engines and delivery to Textron Marine Systems for the assembly of the LCAC 100 Class craft. Work will be performed in Indianapolis, Indiana, and is expected to be complete by December 2020. Fiscal 2018 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funding in the amount of $41,967,720 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. Hamilton Sundstrand Corp., Windsor Locks, Connecticut, is awarded a $27,705,545 cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract in support of engineering services and on-site support services to explore and resolve issues associated with various submarine air revitalization, monitoring, oxygen generation and ventilation systems on U.S. naval ships. Work will be performed at various locations including New London, Connecticut; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Norfolk, Virginia; Kings Bay, Georgia; San Diego, California; Bremerton, Washington; Pearl Harbor, Hawaii; and Norway, and is expected to be completed by January 2024. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance (Navy) funding in the amount of $29,081 will be obligated at time of award on the initial task order and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured, in accordance with 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1) - only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Philadelphia Division, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is the contracting activity (N64498-18-D-4000). L-3 Communications Vertex Aerospace LLC, Madison, Mississippi, is awarded $18,721,174 for modification P00037 to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price, labor hour, cost-reimbursement indefinite-delivery, requirements contract (N00019-13-D-0007). This modification extends the period of performance and increases the ceiling of the contract to provide TH-57 contractor logistics support. This modification provides all logistics services and materials for organizational and depot level repairs required to support and maintain the TH-57 fleet. Work will be performed in Milton, Florida, and is expected to be completed in March 2019. No funds are being obligated at time of award. Funds will be obligated on individual orders as they are issued. The Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division, Orlando, Florida, is the contracting activity. Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Herndon, Virginia, is awarded a $17,774,920 firm-fixed-price modification to previously awarded contract N00024-17-C-6327 to exercise options for the Joint Counter Radio-Controlled Improvised Explosive Device Electronic Warfare Increment One Block One Systems full-rate production in support of the Expeditionary Warfare Program Office. Work will be performed in San Diego, California, and is expected to be complete by November 2020. Fiscal 2019 and 2018 Overseas Contingency Operations other procurement (Navy); and 2018 other procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $9,967,278 will be obligated at time of award and not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. Raytheon Co., Tewksbury, Massachusetts, is awarded a $15,850,000 firm-fixed-price modification to previously-awarded contract N00024-10-C-5126 for a provisioned items order of DDG 1000 class mission systems equipment interim spares in support of the Zumwalt Class combat systems program office. The DDG 1000 ship class is a multi-mission surface combatant designed to fulfill volume firepower and precision strike requirements. DDG 1000 combat systems provide offensive, distributed and precision firepower and long ranges in support of forces ashore, while incorporating signature reduction, active and passive self-defense systems and enhanced survivability features. 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    Sorry, France: This Fighter Jet Is No F-35 Stealth Fighter

    It has a radar cross-section similar to that of a Super Hornet. That means it is nowhere near as stealthy as an F-35. by Sebastien Roblin In January 2019, French Defense Minister Florence Parly announced France would commit $2.3 billion to develop an F4 generation of the Dassault Rafale twin-engine multirole fighter. This would include production in 2022–2024 of the last twenty-eight of the original order of 180 Rafales, followed by the purchase of an additional thirty Rafales F4.2s between 2027–2030, for a total of 210. Since 2008, France has deployed land- and carrier-based Rafales into combat in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Mali and Syria. Despite incorporating stealth technology, the Rafale (“Burst of Fire” or “Gust of Wind”), is not a true stealth aircraft like the F-35. True, the French jet's wings and fuselage are primarily composed of radar-absorbent composite materials and lightweight titanium. Other stealthy design features include S-shaped engine inlets, serrated edges and a channel exhaust cooling scheme designed to reduce infrared signature. These give the Rafale an estimated Radar Cross Section (RCS) of slightly above one square meters—comparable to peers like the Super Hornet and Typhoon, but orders of magnitude greater than that of the F-35 jet. Land-based Rafales are currently priced $76–$82 million per plane, only modestly cheaper than the F-35A which benefits from vastly greater economy of scale, though the Rafale's operating costs are likely lower. Paris particularly prizes maintaining an independent domestic arms industry and has never seriously considered purchasing F-35s. Instead, France is working with Germany and other partners to develop a sixth-generation Future Combat Air System stealth jet to enter service in 2035-2040. Until then, France is doubling down on the 4.5-generation Rafale by integrating additional F-35-style avionics and improving its network-centric warfare capabilities. The Rafale is much more agile than the F-35, with superior climb rate, sustained turn performance, and ability to super-cruise (maintain supersonic flight without using fuel-gulping afterburners) at Mach 1.4 while carrying weapons. The Rafale's all-moving canards—a second set of small wings near the nose—give the Rafale excellent lift and low-altitude speed and performance, as you can see in this majestic airshow display. However, compared to larger fourth-generation twin-engine jets like the Su-35 or F-15, the Rafale can't fly quite as high (service-ceiling of 50,000 instead of 60,000 ft), and has a lower maximum speed (only Mach 1.8 compared to Mach 2-2.5). The Rafale's agility won't help as much if it is engaged at long distances by enemy surface-to-air missiles and stealth jets. To compensate, the Rafale boasts an advanced Spectra electronic warfare system that supposedly can reduce the Rafale's cross-section several times over—it is rumored by reflecting back signals using ‘active canceling.' Spectra also incorporates powerful jammers and flare and chaff dispensers, provides 360-degree early-warning, and can even assist Rafale pilots in targeting weapons to retaliate against attackers. Spectra's capabilities reportedly allowed Rafales to deploy on raids over Libyan airspace in 2011 before air defense missiles had been knocked out. Other key capabilities include sensor fusion of the Rafale's RBE-2AA Active Electronically Scanned Array multi-mode radar, which can track numerous targets over 124 miles away, with its discrete OSF infrared-search and track system, which has an unusually long range of sixty-two miles. Rafale pilots also benefit from uncluttered instrumentation combining voice command with flat-panel touch screens. The multirole jet carries a punchy thirty-millimeter revolver cannon and up to twenty-one thousand pounds of weapons on fourteen hardpoints, making it a versatile air-to-ground platform. Because Paris requires expeditionary capability in Africa, the Rafale can refuel in flight and carry up to five fuel tanks for very long transits, and can be operated from relatively unprepared airfields, unlike most high-performance jets. What's new in the Rafale F4? Dassault produces three basic types of Rafales: the single-seat Rafale-C, the two-seat Rafale-B (the additional weapon systems officer being preferred for strike and reconnaissance missions) and the carrier-based single-seat Rafale-M, which has an arrestor hook, reinforced landing gear and buddy-refueling pod capability. Each type has evolved in common generations designated F1, F2, F3 and F3R. The F4 generation introduces additional network-centric warfare capabilities and data-logistics similar to those on the F-35 Lightning, enabling Rafales on patrol to build a more accurate picture of the battlespace by pooling their sensors over a secure network, and even exchange data using new satellite communications antenna. The pilots also benefit from improved helmet-mounted displays. The Spectra defensive system will receive more powerful jammers and new threat libraries tailored to meet the improving capabilities of potential adversaries. Furthermore, Dassault seeks to use “Big Data” technology to develop a predictive maintenance system reminiscent of the F-35's troubled ALIS system to cost-efficiently implement preventative repairs. Other systems to be tweaked include the air-to-ground mode of the RBE-2AA radar, the M88 turbofan's digital computers, and a new AI-system for its reconnaissance and targeting pod allowing it to rapidly analyze and present information to the pilot. Rafale-Ms will also receive a new automated carrier landing system. New weapons set for integration most notably an improved model of the Mica short-to-medium range air-to-air missile, which has a range of forty-nine miles. The Mica can be launched without initially being locked and guided remotely by a data link on the fighter before engaging either an infrared or AESA radar seeker to close in for the kill, using a vector-thrust motor to pull off tight maneuvers. Because both the Rafale and the Mica missile can employ passive infrared targeting without using an indiscrete active-radar for guidance, the MICA can be launched with little warning for the target. The Mica-NG model will incorporate new infrared-matrix sensors for better performance versus stealth fighters, carry additional propellant for longer range, and integrate internal sensors to reduce maintenance costs. Its dual pulse motor will allow it to accelerate just prior to detonation for a greater probability of achieving a kill. For longer range engagements, newer Rafales F3Rs and F4s can launch British Meteor missiles which can sustain Mach 4 speeds. Another weapon set for integration is heavier 2,200-pound variants of the AASM HAMMER, a guidance kit similar to the U.S. JDAM. Previously, the Rafale could only carry 485-pound variants of the weapon which can use either GPS-, laser- or -infrared guidance to deliver precise strikes. Unlike the JDAM, the HAMMER also incorporates a rocket-motor, allowing it to hit targets up to thirty-seven miles away when released at high altitude. The Rafale will also be modified to integrate future upgrades of the French SCALP-EG stealthy subsonic cruise missile and the supersonic ASMP-A cruise missile which carries a 300-kiloton-yield nuclear warhead. Reportedly France may develop a hypersonic AS4NG variant increasing range from 300 miles to over 660 miles. Currently, the French Armée de l'Aire has three Rafale multi-role squadrons and two nuclear-strike squadrons based in Mont-de-Marsan (south-western France), Saint-Dizier (north-eastern France) and al-Dhafra in the UAE. There are also an operational conversion unit and a testing and evaluation squadron. The French Navy has three Rafale-M squadrons which rotate onboard France's nuclear-powered carrier Charles de Gaulle. In 2018, a squadron of Rafale-Ms proved their capability to operate from the U.S. carrier George H. W. Bush. The forthcoming Rafale F4s will progressively replace France's fourth-generation Mirage 2000s, over 110 of which remain in service today. French periodical Le Figaro claims that older Rafales will also eventually be updated to the F4 standard. Abroad, Dassault is finish delivery of orders from Egypt (twenty-four), Qatar (thirty-six) and India (thirty-six). All three countries may order additional Rafales, though the price of its initial Rafale order has caused a political scandal in New Delhi. As France must wait nearly two decades before a European stealth fighter can enter service, its armed forces are betting that in the interim adding networked sensors and weapons to the Rafale's superior kinematic performance and powerful electronic warfare systems will keep the agile jet relevant in an era of proliferating stealth aircraft and long-range surface-to-air missiles. Sébastien Roblin holds a master's degree in conflict resolution from Georgetown University and served as a university instructor for the Peace Corps in China. He has also worked in education, editing, and refugee resettlement in France and the United States. He currently writes on security and military history for War Is Boring. This first appeared early in June 2018. https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/sorry-france-fighter-jet-no-f-35-stealth-fighter-90616

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