18 juin 2019 | International, C4ISR, Autre défense

What’s the best way for the Army to demonstrate force via electronic warfare?

When the Russian military attacked Ukraine, it prevented units from communicating with each other by turning to powerful electronic jamming tools.

The U.S. Army, however, is not interested in the same raw demonstration of force. Instead, U.S. officials are following a philosophy that relies on “surgical” attacks. This could include creating an image on enemy's radar, projecting an aircraft at one location when enemies think it is at another, or impairing the command and control links of adversaries' unmanned aerial systems.

“When the Russians emit like that, they're letting the entire world know where they are,” Col. Mark Dotson, the Army's capabilities manager for electronic warfare said on a media call with two reporters June 14. “What we're looking at in the future ... [is] surgical electronic attack, electronic intrusion or 21st century electron attack. We're looking for much more discrete ways of conducting electronic attack. Using low power to affect the signal and to affect it in such a way that it may not even be detectable that you're interfering with what they're doing.”

Dotson said instead of sheer power, future capabilities should focus on the end result, such as whether it's hurting an enemy's ability to communicate or to use radar.

“There's a variety of different approaches that can be taken to create the effect necessary without having to do what we refer to as traditional jamming, which is just increasing the signal to noise ratio,” Dave May, senior cyber intelligence advisor at the Cyber Center of Excellence, said.

Finding materiel solutions

The officials spoke at the conclusion of Cyber Quest, a week-long technology experimentation that took place at Fort Gordon. Cyber Quest is a prototyping event that allows the Army to test technologies and concepts from industry to help solve future problems.

This year, Army leaders focused on several areas. They include:

Improving the requirements for the Terrestrial Layer System, an integrated electronic warfare and signals intelligence system that will provide a much-needed jamming capability to formations;
Identifying candidates for rapid acquisition, and
Conducting risk reduction against current programs and identifying candidates for electronic warfare capabilities to outfit the Intelligence, Information, Cyber, Electronic Warfare and Space detachment or I2CEWS, a battalion-sized unit described as the “brain” of the Army's multidomain task force.

“Cyber Quest helps ... in that we are able to take these difficult challenges to industry, walk them through what we're trying to accomplish and let industry come back to us with novel approaches,” May said. “This pre-prototyping philosophy allows us to work through concepts, [tactics, techniques and procedures], and actually start the concept for doctrine.”

At Cyber Quest, Army officials focused on the overall TLS system and two subsets: the Tactical Electronic Warfare System (TEWS) and the Tactical Signals Intelligence Vehicle. Both are integrated platforms the Army is using to experiment with different technologies that would allow for sensing, signals intelligence, electronic warfare and RF-enabled cyberattacks. May said these subsystems are in the pre-prototype phase.

Army leaders also tested a spectrum analyzer tool that will notify commanders of the health of their systems within the electromagnetic spectrum. Such a tool would provide details on the footprint of blue force electromagnetic spectrum. The Army's current spectrum management program of record, Electronic Warfare Planning and Management Tool, only offers details on red force's in the spectrum relying on sensors in the field. By contrast, the spectrum analyzer tool the Army looked at during Cyber Quest is a handheld system that doesn't need to rely on the sensors that belong to tactical operational tools.

There's been a focus across all the services in recent years to better understand their own electromagnetic spectrum as a way to prevent themselves from being detected and jammed or detected and killed.

The details for when these capabilities would reach soldiers, however, is still in flux. If the Army has approved a requirement, a new product can be fielded to certain units under what the Army refers to as a buy, try, decide model. Capabilities can be fielded faster if they are funneled through the Rapid Equipping Force, though, they wouldn't become a program of record, but could be fielded to operational units that need it between 90 days and six months. If a capability goes through the Rapid Capabilities Office, it could take six to 18 months to get to units, Dotson said.

May said the goal for TLS is to deliver a “validated requirement” to the program manager by third quarter of fiscal year 2020. That puts fielding in the 2022 or 2023 timeframe.

Officials were a bit more circumspect on the Multi-Functional Electronic Warfare Air Large program, a first of its kind brigade-organic aerial electronic attack pod that will be mounted on unmanned systems.

Lockheed Martin was awarded was awarded two sequential 18-month contracts valued at $18 million in January.

Officials said it should be flying within the next 12 months but added that they want to see the product that ends up flying before forecasting a timeline for when it would reach units.

https://www.c4isrnet.com/electronic-warfare/2019/06/17/whats-the-best-way-for-the-army-to-demonstrate-force-via-electronic-warfare/

Sur le même sujet

2 mars 2020 | International, Aérospatial

Musk Tells USAF Fighter Era Is Over
Lee Hudson ORLANDO, Florida—Billionaire entrepreneur and SpaceX founder Elon Musk has told the U.S. Air Force the fighter era is over. “The really dangerous future” is autonomous drone warfare, Musk said Feb. 28 during the annual Air Warfare Symposium here. Musk said he does not necessarily like this idea but it will become reality. Another controversial opinion he offered is that the Lockheed Martin F-35 should have a competitor. A few hours after his presentation, Musk elaborated on Twitter: “The competitor should be a drone fighter plane that's remote controlled by a human, but with its maneuvers augemented by autonomy. The F-35 would have no chance against it.” Over the next five years, artificial intelligence will be the most transformative technology to shape the space industry, Musk says. Accordingly, he encourages young people to study physics and computer science. The Pentagon continues to invest in this technology and is proposing that a substantial amount of its research and development dollars go toward artificial intelligence. Musk warns if the U.S. does not invest heavily in space it will fall behind adversaries, but said establishing a Space Force is a step in the right direction. The nation must rapidly innovate and instill the idea that failure is acceptable, he added. If the U.S. military does not let its people innovate and fail, Musk cautions, the nation may fall behind when developing future technology. For example, when SpaceX developed its Starlink constellation it started manufacturing satellites while still evolving the design. This helped the team discover what parts were difficult to build and redesign those sections for easier production. https://aviationweek.com/shows-events/air-warfare-symposium/musk-tells-usaf-fighter-era-over
19 janvier 2021 | International, Terrestre

French Army orders 364 Serval armored vehicles
By: Christina Mackenzie &emsp; PARIS — The French Army is expected to receive 108 Serval armored vehicles in 2022 as part of an order from manufacturers Nexter and Texelis totaling 364. The contract was finalized through the DGA procurement agency on Dec. 23 but was not announced until Jan. 15. The two companies, which formed a temporary joint operation to build the light-armored, multirole Serval, will deliver the first 12 production vehicles in the first half of 2022, followed by a further 96 in the second half. The government previously allocated funding for the vehicle order, so the Army is expected to have a total of 978 Servals by 2030. The Serval is a four-wheel drive, 15-ton vehicle designed to replace the 40-year-old VAB, an armored personnel carrier and support vehicle. It complements the much bigger 24-ton Griffon armored vehicle, and these two, together with the Jaguar reconnaissance and combat vehicle, form the core of the French Army's Scorpion program to replace all French front-line fighting vehicles. They will be linked via a new communications and battlefield management system, the Scorpion Combat Information System. Three main versions of the Serval — patrol; intelligence and reconnaissance; and communications — will each have their own variants. Designed to operate in combat zones, the Serval combines flexibility, strategic mobility and payload-carrying capacity. The DGA said that despite difficulties caused by the coronavirus pandemic, testing of the vehicle, which began in September 2019, was sufficiently advanced to allow this first production phase to take place before the end of 2020, as planned in France's 2019-2025 Military Program Law. In addition, as part of a procedure undertaken by the gendarmerie (national police force) to renew its fleet of armored vehicles, the Nexter-Texelis team has proposed a vehicle based on the Serval capable of operating in mainland France and overseas. https://www.defensenews.com/land/2021/01/15/french-army-orders-364-serval-armored-vehicles/
11 janvier 2019 | International, Aérospatial, Naval, Terrestre, C4ISR, Sécurité

Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - January 10, 2019
ARMY Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Linthicum Heights, Maryland, was awarded an $86,200,000 hybrid cost-plus-fixed-fee and firm-fixed-price contract for Starlite system support. One bid was solicited with one bid received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Jan. 31, 2023. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W56KGY-19-D-0002). Torch Technologies Inc., Huntsville, Alabama, was awarded a $9,102,000 modification (000044) to contract W31P4Q-09-A-0021 for strategic systems engineering, integration, test and analysis. Work will be performed in Huntsville, Alabama, with an estimated completion date of Nov. 6, 2019. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $9,102,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity. U.S. TRANSPORTATION COMMAND Fourteen companies have been awarded Option Year 1 modifications under the following Category A III, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, fixed-price contracts: ABX Air Inc., Wilmington, Ohio (HTC711-18-D-C002); American Airlines, Fort Worth, Texas (HTC711-18-D-C003); Air Transportation International, Irving, Texas (HTC711-18-D-C004); Atlas Air of Purchase (HTC711-18-D-C005); Delta Air Lines Inc., Atlanta, Georgia (HTC711-18-D-C006); FedEx, Washington, D.C. (HTC711-18-D-C007); Hawaiian Airlines Inc., Honolulu, Hawaii (HTC711-18-D-C008); JetBlue Airways, Long Island City, New York (HTC711-18-D-C009); Miami Air International, Miami, Florida (HTC711-18-D-C010); National Air Cargo Inc., Orlando, Florida (HTC711-18-D-C011); Polar Air Cargo Worldwide Inc., Purchase, New York (HTC711-18-D-C012); United Parcel Service Co., Louisville, Kentucky (HTC711-18-D-C013); USA Jet Airlines, Belleville, Michigan (HTC711-18-D-C014); and Western Global Airlines, Estero, Florida (HTC711-18-D-C015). The companies are eligible to compete at the task order level for an option year estimated amount of $41,441,067. The program's cumulative value increased from $41,441,067 to $82,882,134 (estimated). This modification provides international commercial scheduled air cargo transportation services. Services encompass time-definite, door-to-door pick-up and delivery, transportation, in-transit visibility, government-approved third party payment system participation, and expedited customs processing and clearance of less than full planeloads for the movement of regular and recurring hazardous, refrigerated/cold chain (perishable), life and death, narcotics, and other regular recurring cargo shipments. Work will be performed world-wide. Option Year 1 period of performance is Feb. 1, 2019, to Jan. 31, 2020. U.S. Transportation Command, Directorate of Acquisition, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, is the contracting activity. MISSILE DEFENSE AGENCY Lockheed Martin Overseas LLC, Moorestown, New Jersey, is being awarded a $23,023,786 sole-source, fixed-price incentive and cost-plus-fixed-fee modification (P00020) under contract HQ0276-16-C-0001, inclusive of all options. The total cumulative face value of the contract will increase from $53,809,908 to $76,833,694. Under Contract Line Item Numbers (CLIN) 0001, 0101, 0102, 0103, and 0105, the contractor will provide Poland Aegis Ashore Engineering Agent (AAEA) engineering and security support, AAEA test and site updates, risk mitigation support, and continued completion effort for the Aegis Ashore Poland site. The work will be performed in Redzikowo, Poland, with an expected completion date of December 2020. Fiscal 2018 defense-wide procurement funds in the amount of $17,637,800 are being obligated at the time of award. The Missile Defense Agency, Dahlgren, Virginia, is the contracting activity. NAVY MA Federal Inc.,* doing business as iGov, Reston, Virginia, is awarded a $22,238,503 firm-fixed-price task order from a previously awarded contract for the purchase of Small Form Factor suite production, acquisition, engineering management support, logistics, and sustainment support services. Work will be performed in Tampa, Florida (80 percent); and Herndon, Virginia (20 percent), and is expected to be completed by January 2024. Fiscal 2018 procurement (Marine Corps) funds in the amount of $15,971,649; and fiscal 2019 procurement (Marine Corps) in the amount of $6,266,854 will be obligated at task order award and no funds will expire the end of the current fiscal year. This task order was competitively procured via the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Solutions for Enterprise-Wide Procurement, with three offers received. The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Virginia, is the contracting activity (M67854-19-F-2025.) Kapili Services LLC,* Orlando, Florida, is awarded a ceiling $21,966,450 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract to provide program manager training systems delta contract support. The ordering period is five years. Work will be performed in Orlando, Florida (95 percent); and the remaining performed worldwide in various places (5 percent), and work is expected to be completed by Jan. 9, 2024. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance (Marine Corps) funds in the amount of $2,145,638 will be obligated on the first task order immediately following contract award and funds will expire the end of the current fiscal year. Fiscal 2018 research, development, test and evaluation (Marine Corps) funds in the amount of $154,560 will be obligated on the first task order immediately following contract award and funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-5 and 15 U.S. Code 637. The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Virginia, is the contract activity (M67854-19-D-7815). AAI Corp. Hunt Valley, Maryland, is awarded a $10,839,582 cost-plus-fixed-fee, cost-only, firm-fixed-price modification to previously awarded contract N00024-14-C-6322 to exercise options for engineering and technical services for the Unmanned Influence Sweep System (UISS) unmanned surface vehicle platform. The UISS is one of the systems, which will allow the littoral combat ship to perform its mine warfare sweep mission. UISS will target acoustic, magnetic, and magnetic/acoustic combination mine types only. The UISS program will satisfy the Navy's need for a rapid, wide-area coverage mine clearance capability, required to neutralize magnetic/acoustic influence mines. UISS seeks to provide a high area coverage rate in a small, lightweight package with minimal impact on the host platform. Work will be performed in Hunt Valley, Maryland (70 percent); and Slidell, Louisiana (30 percent), and is expected to be complete by September 2019. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funding in the amount of $10,839,582 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. AIR FORCE The Aerospace Corp., El Segundo, California, has been awarded a $22,000,000 modification (P00006) to contract FA8802-19-C-0001 for federally funded research and development centers. Work will be performed in El Segundo, California, and is expected to be completed by Sept. 30, 2019. No funds are being obligated at the time of award. Total cumulative face value of the contract is $1,073,818,540. Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles Air Force Base, El Segundo, California, is the contracting activity. Raytheon Missile Systems, Tucson, Arizona, has been awarded a $21,000,000 modification (P00004) to the ceiling amount of the previously-awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (FA8675-15-D-0135) for advanced medium range air-to-air missile system improvement program software architecture and design risk reduction efforts to counter evolving threats. This modification provides an increase in the maximum ordering amount of the contract, from $50,000,000 to $71,000,000, to facilitate new task orders. Work will be performed in Tucson, Arizona. All orders under this contract will be placed on or before Sept. 30, 2019 with a period of performance not to exceed Sept. 30, 2022. No additional funds are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, is the contracting activity. SRC Inc., North Syracuse, New York, has been awarded a $13,531,249 modification (P0007) to exercise an option on contract FA7037-17-D-0001 for the sensor beam program. Contractor will research, analyze, technically document, and perform reviews on electromagnetic systems, events and signatures required by the all services and other U.S. agencies. Work will be performed at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, and is expected to be completed by Jan. 31, 2020. No funds are being obligated at the time of award. Acquisition Management and Integration Center-Detachment 2, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, is the contracting activity. *Small business https://dod.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/1729037/source/GovDelivery/

Toutes les nouvelles