US approves Osprey sale to Indonesia as Japan preps to deploy the aircraft

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  24 janvier 2019 | International, Terrestre

  Report: Army’s new modernization command risks cost overruns and delays

  By: Meghann Myers When the Army first announced its intention to stand up a new four-star Futures Command, senior leadership said the days of years-long, expensive modernization programs and murky requirements were over. While failing early and often can prevent some of those issues before an idea becomes a program of record, there are still some risks that, by trying to be a more nimble and innovative enterprise, AFC could still run into cost increases and drawn-out timelines if it jumps too hard on emerging technologies, according to a Government Accountability Office report released Wednesday. “There are a variety of ways to fail when it comes to developing these technologies,” Jon Ludwigson, the GAO's acting director of contracting and national security acquisitions, told Army Times in a Wednesday phone interview. “I guess the way that I would look at it is, you can make sure that you have it right, or hope that you'll get it right.” The study was mandated by the 2018 National Defense Authorization Act, to take the temperature of Futures Command as it stood up. The Army officially activated the command in August, headquartered at the University of Texas in Austin. In general, the report found, the Army has applied best practices that GAO has previously touted, including close collaboration with senior leadership. On the other hand, the report found, there were a couple things that could be improved. AFC's plans to develop weapons systems with emerging technology could come back to hurt it, the report said. “GAO has raised concerns about this type of practice for almost two decades for other Army acquisitions, because proceeding into weapon systems development at earlier stages of technology maturity raises the risk that the resulting systems could experience cost increases, delivery delays, or failure to deliver desired capabilities,” according to the report. The GAO, Lugwigson said, is wary of creating programs around emerging technologies, before having a chance to test them in an operational environment. “As the Army identifies the capability, there are technologies that are used to achieve that capability,” he said. “What GAO has found is, there's an advantage to maturing those technologies before you begin what's called a program of record.” https://www.armytimes.com/news/your-army/2019/01/23/report-armys-new-modernization-command-risks-cost-overruns-and-delays

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  10 décembre 2020 | International, Aérospatial

  New Images Of The Tempest Sixth-Generation Aircraft Revealed During UK Industry Engagement Event

  Development for the new Tempest sixth-generation fighter is moving on with some revolutionary concepts. Team Tempest and the Royal Air Force recently held a virtual event to provide an update about the development opportunities of the new sixth generation aircraft to industry and government representatives from Northern Ireland, the first of a series of events to engage with industries across the UK. Within the press release there is also some new renderings of the aircraft which, we have to note, is not in its final shape as it's being designed “from the inside out” and the airframe's exterior design may change to reflect changes in the internal systems. According to the press release, “Delegates heard from Air Chief Marshal Sir Michael Wigston and other RAF senior leaders who highlighted how Team Tempest is taking a revolutionary approach to partnership, engaging with a wide range of leading companies, SMEs and academia to bring leading innovators into the endeavour and ensure the UK remains at the leading edge of Combat Air systems development. The RAF Capability leadership team highlighted updates in emerging strategy and identified examples of innovation and future opportunities. Key members from the Team Tempest industry partner community also provided attendees with updates on the programme and explained how Tempest is working in radical ways to develop world-leading capability, with a focus on affordability and efficiency.” Team Tempest is currently made of the core industry partners BAE Systems, Rolls Royce, Leonardo UK and MBDA UK, which were joined last year by Leonardo Italy, Elettronica, Avio Aero, MBDA Italy, Saab and GKN Aerospace Sweden and, more recently, by Thales UK, Bombardier Belfast, Collins Aerospace, GE Aviation UK, GKN Aerospace, Martin Baker and QinetiQ. A widespread industry participation is considered essential for the programme to bring the best expertise to work on the more than 60 technology demonstrations which are currently in progress. According to a statement shared by the UK Ministry of Defence and the core industry partners, “Tempest is one of the UK's most ambitious technological endeavours and designed to deliver a highly advanced, adaptable combat air system to come into service from the mid-2030s. This next generation combat aircraft, which forms part of a wider combat air system, will exploit new technologies as they evolve to respond to the changing nature of the battlespace, addressing increasingly high-tech and complex threats and conflict.” Back in October, engineers working on the project revealed some of the highly innovative systems that are being developed for Tempest as part of the Future Combat Air System Technology Initiative (FCAS TI) programme. Here is what has been disclosed to the public so far. Leonardo, which is the project lead for electronics, is developing a new radar technology called Multi-Function Radar Frequency System. The new sensor will reportedly collect and process 10'000 times more data than existing systems, or “equivalent to the internet traffic of a large city every second”, providing the operators with a clear view of the battlespace and of potential targets. According to the company, complete sub-systems have already been built and successfully tested, paving the way eventually to future airborne testing. BAE Systems if working on another revolutionary concept, the “wearable cockpit”. In this case, the cockpit as we know it, full of switches, gauges and screens, becomes completely digital and all physical controls are replaced by Augmented and Virtual Reality systems. The new cockpit would be projected inside the pilot's helmet and completely customizable according to the pilot's preference and mission's needs. As human-AI teaming, a virtual copilot is being developed to interact with the pilot and provide support during the flight. “Psycho-physiological” technologies are also being trialed to study the operator's physical and cognitive processes to better understand increasing exertion, stress, workload and fatigue. According to the company, some of these technologies are being tested controlled test flight conditions aboard the Typhoon to inform further development. MBDA UK is also working on the wearable cockpit concept to integrate weapons systems information and operations. Rolls-Royce is working on the advanced combustion system technology that will power Tempest. The next-generation system is being designed to be hotter than previous ones to increase the efficiency of the engine, its range and speed, while reducing carbon dioxide emissions. Together with the higher-temperature combustion, there will be a new thermal management system that will use the turbine as a heat sink to recycle thermal energy, removing the need for overboard venting and improving the efficiency, and an increased electrical power production, reportedly in the order of one megawatt, that will be used to power all the aircraft's subsystems. This follows the assessment by Rolls Royce that future fighter aircraft will have unprecedented levels of electrical power demand and thermal load that need to be managed accordingly to maintain the airframe's low observability. Being more specific, the company stated that they will integrate an Electrical Embedded Starter Generator that will function both as an APU and as an electrical generator after the engine is spooled up. The Tempest is expected to have also his own loyal wingman, currently being developed as the Lightweight Affordable Novel Combat Aircraft (LANCA) concept. According to the MoD, LANCA will offer “increased protection, survivability and information for the manned aircraft – and could even provide an unmanned combat air ‘fleet' in the future.” A demonstration project, called “Moquito” and comparable to the Skyborg program of the U.S. Air Force, is currently in its first phase of evaluation. Three teams, Boeing Defence UK, Team Avenger (led by Blue Bear Systems Research), and Team Blackdawn (Callen-Lenz, Bombardier Belfast and Northrop Grumman UK), submitted designs for the flight demonstrations phase, which could begin in 2022-2023, after two finalists are selected during second phase of evaluation. LANCA will reportedly be a transonic aircraft costing one-tenth of a fighter aircraft, able to employ multi-role sensors, Electronic Warfare suites and both air-to-air and air-to-surface weapons. The unmanned aircraft project, led by the RAF Rapid Capabilities Office and the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, originated in 2015, three years before the Tempest announcement. While a timeline for its entry into service has not been disclosed, the LANCA may be first deployed alongside the Typhoon and the F-35, before the entry into service of the new Tempest in 2035. https://theaviationist.com/2020/12/09/new-images-of-the-tempest-sixth-generation-aircraft-revealed-during-uk-industry-engagement-event/

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  26 août 2020 | International, Aérospatial, Naval, Terrestre, C4ISR, Sécurité, Autre défense

  Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - August 25, 2020

  DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Oklahoma City Water Utilities Trust, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, has been awarded a $617,452,596 regulated tariff contract for the ownership, operation and maintenance of the water and wastewater utility systems at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma. 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 50-year contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Oklahoma, with an Aug. 31, 2071, performance completion date. Using military service is the Air Force. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2071 Air Force operations and maintenance funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Energy, Fort Belvoir, Virginia (SP0600-20-C-8331). Atlantic Diving Supply Inc., doing business as ADS, Virginia Beach, Virginia, has been awarded a maximum $28,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for facility maintenance, repair and operations supplies and related incidental services. 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 327-day bridge contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Southwest Africa, with a July 19, 2021, ordering period end date. Using customers are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and federal civilian agencies. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2021 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support Europe and Africa, Kaiserslautern, Germany (SPE5B1-20-D-0003). CORRECTION: The contract modification announced on Aug. 20, 2020, for Bremen-Bowdon Investment Co., Bowdon, Georgia (SPE1C1-17-D-1085 P00012), for $8,125,822, was actually awarded on Aug. 21, 2020. NAVY FlightSafety Services Corp., Denver, Colorado, is awarded a $220,766,476 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for aircrew training services for the TH-73A Advanced Helicopter Training System to include flight training devices (FTD) and classroom instruction to train student naval aviators (SNAs) to the standards necessary to meet an annual pilot production rate of over 600 advanced rotary wing and intermediate tilt-rotor SNAs. Additionally, it provides for the operation and maintenance of FTDs. Work will be performed in Milton, Florida, and is expected to be completed in June 2026. No funds will be obligated at the time of award. Funds will be obligated on individual orders as they are issued. This contract was competitively procured via an electronic request for proposal; two offers were received. The Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division, Orlando, Florida, is the contracting activity (N61340-20-D-0021). Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems, Manassas, Virginia, is awarded a $191,723,019 cost-plus-incentive-fee contract (N00024-20-C-6117) for the procurement of engineering design development services and associated material and travel, supporting the fleet of Navy submarines and Foreign Military Sales requirements. This contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $2,224,208,878. This contract combines purchases for the Navy (90%); and the governments of Canada (8%); Japan (1%); and Australia (1%). Work will be performed in Manassas, Virginia (85 %); Virginia Beach, Virginia (11%); Fairfax, Virginia (2%); San Diego, California (1%); and Waterford, Connecticut (1%), and is expected to be completed by June 2030. If all options are exercised, work will continue through June 2030. Fiscal 2020 other procurement (Navy) funding in the amount of $500,000 will be obligated at time of award and will not 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 Navy Yard, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity (N00024-20-C-6117). SeaLandAire Technologies Inc.,* Jackson, Michigan, is awarded a $9,706,013 cost-plus-fixed-fee order (N68335-20-F-0456) against previously issued basic ordering agreement N68335-20-G-1049. This order provides for continued advanced technology research and development efforts for Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) products for airborne anti-submarine warfare systems under SBIR topic N010-014 titled, “High Gain Array of Velocity Sensors.” Further development and research efforts will include systems engineering, modeling and analyses, measurement of target and environment data, architecture, fabrication, installation, test, maintenance, aircrew training and procurement activities. Additionally, this order provides engineering services for prototyping and delivery of 36 digital directional frequency analysis and reporting vertical line array sonobuoys in order to transfer this SBIR technology to the UnderSea Advantage Next Generation Multistatic Active Coherent system. Work will be performed in Jackson, Michigan (90%); Columbia City, Indiana (5%); and Key West, Florida (5%), and is expected to be completed in August 2025. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $370,770 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. U.S. TRANSPORTATION COMMAND Construction Helicopters Inc., Howell, Michigan, has been awarded a $168,759,265 modification (P00010) to contract HTC711-17-D-R016 for continued rotary wing airlift support within the U.S. Central Command Area of Responsibility. The option period of performance is from Sept. 1, 2020, to Aug. 31, 2021. Funds were not obligated at award. This modification brings the total cumulative face value of the contract to $653,647,312 from $484,888,047. U.S. Transportation Command, Directorate of Acquisition, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, is the contracting activity. AIR FORCE Kekolu Contracting LLC, La Plata, Maryland, has been awarded a not-to-exceed $111,700,000 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity enterprise contract. Work will be performed at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland; and Joint Base Anacostia Bolling, Washington, D.C., and is expected to be completed May 23, 2025. This contract is for streamlined acquisition base engineering requirements, providing minor construction projects, maintenance and repair of real property. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition and seven offers were received. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $192,943 are being obligated at the time of award. The 316th Contracting Squadron, Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, is the contracting activity (FA2860-20-D-0004). PAE Aviation and Technical Services LLC, Marlton, New Jersey, has been awarded a $19,766,706 modification (P00063) to contract FA4890-15-C-0018 for the Aerial Targets Program. The contract modification provides for the exercise of an option for an additional year of service under the multiple year contract which directly supports live-fire weapon system testing and enables the 53rd Weapons Evaluation Group to perform developmental and operational weapons testing for all air-to-air missiles for F-15, F-16, F-22, and F-35 aircraft. Work will be performed at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida; and Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico, and is expected to be completed Sept. 30, 2021. Fiscal 2021 operations and maintenance funds will be used but no funds will be obligated at time of award. Acquisition Management and Integration Center, Joint Base Langley-Eustis Air Force Base, Virginia, is the contracting activity. ARMY HD CW JV, Charlotte, North Carolina (W912HN-20-D-2000); GHD Inc., Duluth, Georgia (W912HN-20-D-2001); and CDM Federal Programs Corp., Jacksonville, Florida (W912HN-20-D-2002), will compete for each order of the $15,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for architect-engineer general design services for civil works. Bids were solicited via the internet with 10 received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 24, 2025. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Savannah, Georgia, is the contracting activity. Nora Contracting LLC,* Detroit, Michigan, was awarded a $10,576,854 firm-fixed-price contract to construct a columbarium for the Veterans Administration (VA) at the Crown Hill Cemetery in Indianapolis. Bids were solicited via the internet with two received. Work will be performed in Indianapolis, Indiana, with an estimated completion date of Feb. 26, 2022. Fiscal 2019 and 2020 VA construction funds in the amount of $10,576,854 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Louisville, Kentucky, is the contracting activity (W912QR-20-C-0033). DEFENSE ADVANCED RESEARCH PROJECTS AGENCY Radiance Technologies Inc,* Huntsville, Alabama, was awarded a $10,110,811 cost-plus-fixed-fee completion contract for a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency research project for the Secure Advanced Framework for Simulation and Modeling (SAFE-SiM) program. SAFE-SiM seeks to build a government-owned and controlled, faster-than-real time modeling and simulation (M&S) capability for theater-wide, mission-level M&S. This capability would enable rapid analysis supporting senior-level decisions for concept of operations development, force structure composition, resource allocation and targeted technology insertion. Work will be performed in Huntsville, Alabama (50%); Cambridge, Massachusetts (14%); Albuquerque, New Mexico (13%); Chantilly, Virginia (12%); San Diego, California (6%); and Rome, New York (5%), with an expected completion date of August 2021. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $3,750,000 are being obligated at the time of award. This contract was a competitive acquisition in which 10 offers were received. The Defense Advanced Research Agency, Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting activity (HR0011-20-C-0146). Cole Engineering Services Inc., Orlando, Florida, was awarded a $9,141,146 cost-plus-fixed-fee completion contract for a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency research project for the Secure Advanced Framework for Simulation and Modeling (SAFE-SiM) program. SAFE-SiM seeks to build a government-owned and controlled, faster-than-real time modeling and simulation (M&S) capability for theater-wide, mission-level M&S. This capability would enable rapid analysis supporting senior-level decisions for concept of operations development, force structure composition, resource allocation and targeted technology insertion. Work will be performed in Orlando, Florida (65%); and Austin, Texas (35%), with an expected completion date of August 2021. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $3,310,000 are being obligated at the time of award. This contract was a competitive acquisition in which 10 offers were received. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting activity (HR0011-20-C-0144). *Small Business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2324805/source/GovDelivery/