US Senate defeats bid to stop F-16 fighter jet sale to Turkey

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  2 octobre 2018 | International, Aérospatial, Naval, Terrestre, C4ISR, Sécurité

  Macedonia just took a big step to becoming NATO’s 30th member

  By: Aaron Mehta and The Associated Press WASHINGTON — A national referendum on changing Macedonia's name won with overwhelming support Sunday, paving the way for the nation to join NATO as the alliance's 30th member. The referendum, pushed by Prime Minister Zoran Zaev, received international attention in recent weeks, with U.S. Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis and German chancellor Angela Merkel among other world leaders travelling to Skopje to show support for the vote. The result: upholding Zaev's agreement with Greece to name the former Yugoslav republic to “North Macedonia.” Greece, arguing its neighbor's name implied territorial ambitions on its own province of the same name, has blocked Macedonia's efforts to join NATO since 1990; Greece has agreed to drop its opposition with the name change. Pentagon spokeswoman Dana White issued a statement following the results, saying the department “strongly” supports the vote and calling it a “historical moment.” Defense officials in Washington have been vocal with their support of Macedonia coming into NATO, with Mattis, during his visit to Skopje, noting it would represent a blow to Russia. In July, NATO formally opened the door for Macedonia to join the alliance if the name referendum passed, with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg warning that the vote represents a “once in a lifetime” chance for the nation to enter the alliance. In a joint statement Monday, Stoltenberg and the President of the European Union Donald Tusk praised the vote, saying “The name agreement between Athens and Skopje has created a historic opportunity for the country to join the transatlantic and European community as an equal member. This would change the life of the people of the country and that of their children for the better.” “It is now in the hands of politicians in Skopje to decide on the way forward,” the two added. “The decisions they take in the next days and weeks will determine the fate of their country and their people for many generations to come. We encourage them to seize this historic opportunity.” Low turnout marred what should have been a major victory for Zaev and his supports. Results from more than 97 percent of polling stations showed 91.3 percent of voters approving the deal. However, turnout stood at just 36.8 percent, a far cry from the massive support the government had hoped for. Opponents to the name change had called for a boycott of the vote and celebrated in the street outside Parliament when turnout figures were announced, chanting slogans and waving flags. "The people made a great choice and said 'yes' to our future. It is time for lawmakers to follow the voice of the people and to provide support," Zaev said. "There will be no better agreement with Greece, nor an alternative for NATO and the EU." The agreement faces more hurdles before it can be finalized. If the constitutional amendments are approved by Macedonia's parliament, Greece will then also need to ratify it. But Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras faces political problems of his own. His governing coalition partner, right-wing Independent Greeks head Panos Kammenos, has vowed to vote against the deal, leaving Tsipras reliant on opposition parties and independent lawmakers to push it through. Should everything go right, Macedonia will begin the long process of joining the alliance. How long remains to be seen, with analysts predicting the process will not be finished by the time world leaders gather for the 2020 NATO Summit. With Elena Becatoros and Konstantin Testorides, Associated Press. AP reporters Ivana Bzganovic and Nicolae Dumitrache in Skopje and Demetri Nellas in Athens, Greece contributed to this report. https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2018/10/01/macedonia-just-took-a-big-step-to-becoming-natos-30th-member/

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  17 décembre 2020 | International, Aérospatial, Naval, Terrestre, C4ISR, Sécurité

  Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - December 16, 2020

  ARMY Central Lake Armor Express,* Central Lake, Michigan (W91CRB-21-D-0004); Bethel Industries Inc.,* Jersey City, New Jersey (W91CRB-21-D-0005); Carter Enterprises LLC,* Brooklyn, New York (W91CRB-21-D-0006); Point Blank Enterprises Inc., Pompano Beach, Florida (W91CRB-21-D-0007); and Slate Solutions Inc.,* Sunrise, Florida (W91CRB-21-D-0080), will compete for each order of the $837,591,519 firm-fixed-price contract for the Soldier Protection System. Bids were solicited via the internet with 11 received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 14, 2029. The U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity. Towill Inc., Concord, California, was awarded a $22,666,666 firm-fixed-price contract for photogrammetric and Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) surveying and mapping. Bids were solicited via the internet with 38 received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 15, 2025. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Louis, Missouri, is the contracting activity (W912P9-21-D-0022). Oxford Federal LLC, Lone Tree, Colorado, was awarded an $11,554,000 firm-fixed-price contract for design-build construction at sites in Israel. Bids were solicited via the internet with three received. Work will be performed in Tel Aviv, Israel, with an estimated completion date of June 8, 2022. Fiscal 2021 Foreign Military Sales (Israel) funds in the amount of $11,554,000 were obligated at the time of the award. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Europe District, is the contracting activity (W912GB-21-F-0023). DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Belmont Instrument LLC, Billerica, Massachusetts, has been awarded a maximum $133,570,787 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract under solicitation SPE2DH-16-R-0002 for a hospital and portable rapid blood infuser product line, military kits, associated consumables and accessories. This was a competitive acquisition with 132 responses received. This is a five-year contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Massachusetts, with a Dec. 15, 2025, performance completion date. Using customers are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and federal civilian agencies. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2021 through 2026 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE2D1-21-D-0004). The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Missouri, has been awarded an estimated $108,537,739 modification (P00122) to five-year base contract SPRPA1-14-D-002U with one five-year option period adding consumable items supporting various aircraft. Location of performance is Missouri, with a Sept. 16, 2024, performance completion date. Using customers are Army, Navy, Air Force and military forces in Australia, Finland, France, Israel, Greece, Kuwait and Switzerland. Types of appropriation are fiscal 2021 defense working capital funds and Foreign Military Sales funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Missouri, has been awarded a maximum $41,709,797 cost-plus-fixed-fee delivery order (SPRPA1-21-D-9002) against five-year basic ordering agreement SPRPA1-14-D-002U for consumable and depot-level repairable parts for the KC-46 military unique program. 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 three-year base contract with two one-year option periods. Location of performance is Missouri, with a Dec. 15, 2023, performance completion date. Using military service is Air Force. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2021 through 2024 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. OFD Foods LLC,* Albany, Oregon, has been awarded a maximum $34,162,535 fixed-priced with economic-price-adjustment, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for boil-in-bag dehydrated egg mix. This was a competitive acquisition with three responses received. This is a four-year contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Oregon, with a Dec. 11, 2024, ordering period end date. Using military services are Army, Navy and Marine Corps. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2021 through 2025 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE3S1-21-D-Z230). The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Missouri, has been awarded a $10,849,059 modification (P00122) against five-year basic ordering agreement SPRPA1-14-D-002U for additional F/A-18 A-D and E-G aircraft integrated product support. This is a firm-fixed-price contract. Locations of performance are Missouri, California, Virginia, Washington, Nevada and South Carolina, with a Dec. 31, 2023, performance completion date. Using military service is Navy. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2021 Navy operation, maintenance and procurement funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NAVY Huntington Ingalls Inc., Pascagoula, Mississippi, is awarded a $43,498,975 cost-plus-award-fee modification to previously awarded contract N00024-20-C-4203 to exercise Option Period One for the accomplishment of follow on CG 47 class integrated planning yard services. Work will be performed in Pascagoula, Mississippi, and is expected to be completed by December 2024. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance (Navy); and other procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $1,176,352 will be obligated at time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea System Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity. Jacobs Technology Inc., Tullahoma, Tennessee, is awarded a $30,618,831 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity modification for the exercise of Option Two to extend services for a base operations support services contract at Naval Station (NAVSTA), Mayport, Florida; Marine Corps Support Facility (MCSF) Blount Island, Florida; and outlying areas. The work to be performed provides for base operations support services to include port operations, facility investment, custodial, pest control, integrated solid waste management, grounds maintenance and landscaping, utilities management, electrical, wastewater, steam, water, base support vehicles and equipment and environmental. After award of this option, the total cumulative contract value will be $89,063,257. Work will be performed in Jacksonville, Florida, at NAVSTA Mayport (62%); MCSF Blount Island (37%); and outlying areas (1%). This option period is from January 2020 to December 2020. No funds will be obligated at time of award. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance (O&M) (Navy); fiscal 2021 O&M (Marine Corps); fiscal 2021 Navy working capital funds; and fiscal 2021 family housing O&M (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $24,963,973 for recurring work will be obligated on individual task orders issued during the option period. Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command Southeast, Jacksonville, Florida, is the contracting activity (N69450-18-D-1800). Ark Construction Management LLC,* Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, is awarded a $25,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for roof maintenance in the Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAVFAC), Public Works Department, Pennsylvania, area of responsibility. This work to be performed under this contract will include provide roofing repair and replacement at locations in and around the Philadelphia and Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, areas. A task order in the amount of $5,000 is being issued to fulfill the minimum guarantee. Work will be performed in Philadelphia and Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. The term of the contract is not to exceed 60 months with an expected completion date of December 2025. Fiscal 2021 Navy working capital contract funds in the amount of $5,000 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 Navy working capital funds and operation and maintenance (Navy). This contract was competitively procured via the beta.SAM.gov website with five proposals received. NAVFAC Mid-Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N40085-21-D-0014). DynCorp International LLC, McLean, Virginia, is awarded an $18,120,424 modification under contract N62742-17-C-3570 in the amount of $18,120,424 which provides for the exercise of the fourth option period under a cost-plus-incentive-fee contract for various support services to Department of Defense (DOD) components. The work to be performed provides for various support services to DOD components (e.g., Naval Mobile Construction Battalions, Naval Expeditionary Combat Command Pacific, Explosive Ordnance Detachment Group One, Coastal Riverine Group One, etc.) conducting humanitarian assistance, civic assistance, minor military construction projects, contingency efforts, supporting various exercises and other projects located at various sites, usually in remote areas in the Philippines, Cambodia, Timor-Leste and other countries in South Asia, Southeast Asia and Oceania. After award of this option, the total cumulative contract value will be $135,215,620. Work will be performed at various locations in Southeast Asia, South Asia and Oceania, and this option period is from January 2021 to December 2021. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $3,187,500 are obligated on this award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Naval Facilities Engineering Command Pacific, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, is the contracting activity. Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems, Manassas, Virginia, is awarded a $9,297,472 cost-plus-incentive-fee modification to previously-awarded contract N00024-17-C-6259 to exercise an option for Foreign Military Sales (FMS) engineering services, materials and spares. Work will be performed in Manassas, Virginia (65%); Clearwater, Florida (32%); Syracuse, New York (2%); and Marion, Florida (1%), and is expected to be completed by August 2024. FMS funds in the amount of $2,968,429 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Country name(s) are withheld due to international agreement. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity. Hyatt Equities LLC, doing business as Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront, Jacksonville, Florida, is being awarded an $8,324,815 firm-fixed-price, three-month contract for lodging, meal and laundry services. This contract includes one three-month option period which, if exercised, could bring the cumulative value of this contract to $16,729,503. Work will be performed in Jacksonville, Florida. Work is expected to be completed April 12, 2021. If all options are exercised, work will continue through July 11, 2021. Fiscal 2021 military personnel (Marine Corps) funds in the amount of $8,324,815 will be obligated at the 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 16 proposals received. The Regional Contracting Office, Parris Island, South Carolina, is the contracting activity (M00263-21-C-0001). AIR FORCE CORRECTION: The $79,569,583 contract announced on Dec. 14, 2020, to The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Missouri (FA8634-21-C-2702) for F-15 Eagle Passive Active Warning and Survivability System low rate initial production was actually awarded today, Dec. 16, 2020. *Small business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2449367/source/GovDelivery/

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  4 décembre 2020 | International, Aérospatial

  The US Air Force wants to buy a big robot to help with bomb disposal

  By: Valerie Insinna and Jen Judson UPDATE — This story has been updated to add comment from L3Harris on its participation in the competition. WASHINGTON — A year after the U.S. Army awarded a contract to build a heavy-duty robot able to dispose of bombs and other explosives, the Air Force is looking for its own system — and it wants to see what's on the market before committing to purchasing what the Army buys. The Air Force in October released a solicitation for a large explosive ordnance disposal robot, a commercial off-the-shelf system equipped with a maneuverable arm and a camera system that can function in all terrain types, environments and weather conditions. An Air Force spokesman declined to confirm how many companies submitted bids for the program, which were due Nov. 20. One competitor has already come forward: FLIR, which is set to rake in as much as $109 million building its Kobra robot for the Army's Common Robotic System-Heavy program. The company began full-rate production of Kobra last month and is confident the Air Force will follow the Army's example by choosing the same system. “As the chosen provider for the Army's Common Robotic System-Heavy (CRS-H) program, FLIR believes its extensively tested and proven unmanned ground system meets the Air Force needs in the large EOD robot category, while enabling commonality of equipment with other services' EOD forces,” said Tom Frost, who runs FLIR's unmanned ground systems business. QinetiQ, which lost out to FLIR in the CRS-H competition, did not respond to a query about whether it had bid on the Air Force program. An L3Harris spokesperson confirmed to Defense News that it had submitted its T7 EOD robot to the Air Force competition. L3Harris said it wanted to be chosen for the CRS-H program in 2018. The company unveiled the robot at the Association of the US Army's annual conference in 2016 letting show attendees take a crack at operating the arm on the robot. The controller looks like the back end of a gun making it easy to hold, and is hooked to sensors that transfer information to the robotic arm on the T7. The United Kingdom is a customer of the T7 for EOD missions. At times, the Air Force has joined Army robot programs without needing to hold a competition. But in the case of larger EOD robots, the two services have differing requirements that have led the Air Force to seek out its own system instead of jumping into the CRS-H program, said S. Chase Cooper, a contracting officer who is managing the EOD robot solicitation on behalf of the Air Force's 772nd Enterprise Sourcing Squadron “The major difference is that the Army's mission is primarily to operate ‘outside the wire' ” — that is, outside of a secure military installation — “where the Air Force's mission is primarily ‘inside the wire.' These are two entirely different environments,” he said in a statement to Defense News. Cooper also pointed to additional considerations such as the size and weight of the system. Most Air Force EOD missions occur after bombs or other improvised explosive devices are found at a base or installation. When that happens, teams load robots and other gear into a Base Response Vehicle or Bomb Squad Emergency Response Vehicle, drive out to the location of the explosive device, and safely dispose of the explosive. Whatever robot the Air Force chooses must be small enough to fit inside those vehicles, Cooper said. That includes passing through a 32-inch-wide door opening and parking into a space 91 inches long and 63 inches high. The Air Force's requirement for weight, which is set at a maximum of 1,000 pounds, is less stringent than the Army's 700-pound limit. The Air Force also called for a system with a minimum 800-meter, line-of-sight radio range, and a 3-hour runtime that will allow it complete the majority of EOD missions. Cooper noted that the Air Force's decision to pursue an open competition does not preclude the FLIR robot from being chosen by the service. “It is unknown at this time if that system would meet our requirements,” Cooper said. “Through our contracting process, we are evaluating all of the proposed large robot systems against the Air Force's requirement so we can make sure the system we purchase is the best one for our airmen.” The Air Force has a history of both collaborating with the Army on EOD robots and going its own way. For its medium-sized unmanned ground vehicle, the Air Force opted to use the Army's existing contract under the Man Transportable Robotic System Increment II program for FLIR's Centaur UGV, which is also being purchased by the Navy and Marine Corps. But while QinetiQ beat out FLIR in the Army's competition for CRS-Individual — a man-packable robot that is less than 25 pounds — the Air Force ended up pursuing a separate contract to meet its own unique needs for small unmanned ground vehicles. https://www.defensenews.com/air/2020/12/03/the-air-force-wants-to-buy-a-big-robot-to-help-with-bomb-disposal/