18 août 2020 | International, Aérospatial
August 17, 2020
Many nations have suffered significant financial losses as a result of the COVID-19 crisis. Will next-generation combat aircraft programs be delayed by future defense budgets cuts?
Aviation Week's Executive Editor for Defense and Space, Jen DiMascio, answers:
Even though defense budgets are likely to remain stable in the U.S. during the coming year, relief funding to combat the COVID-19 pandemic is likely to put pressure on spending over time. As a result, projects such as the U.S. Air Force's Next-Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) program could be slowed. Pentagon spending was already predicted to level off in the next few years, and the economic drop-off caused by the novel coronavirus and the torrent of debt the government is taking on to combat the pandemic adds even more pressure.
The situation today is even more extreme than during the 2008-09 global economic crisis, according to Craig Caffrey, senior aerospace industry analyst for forecast and MRO at the Aviation Week Network. Caffrey forecasts that COVID-19 could shrink the global economy by 4-6% over the next five years, sending worldwide defense spending down 5%, or $70-80 billion.
What all that means for next-generation fighter programs is difficult to say. The U.S. is already sacrificing NGAD funding for near-term needs. A bill to provide $700 billion for defense in fiscal 2021 in the House of Representatives would approximately halve funding for NGAD by $500 million for fiscal 2021 to offset an Air Force shortfall in fighter availability. Could such cutbacks slow development of next-generation efforts? It is hard to say, but constraints on spending are unlikely to ease.
In Europe, the UK is aiming to field its next-generation Tempest in 2035. So far, £2 billion ($2.6 billion) has been allocated for technology development and maturation, but Caffrey foresees strong economic headwinds over the next five years. “I don't see where the money comes from for the full scope of Tempest as currently envisaged,” he says.
The French-German Future Air Combat System (FCAS) may have more breathing room because the program is not expected to enter service until 2040. In the near-term, France, Germany and their new partner, Spain, are providing government aid to such high-tech programs to retain jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic. The real test will be whether funding can be sustained in 2022-23.
Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury is lobbying for efforts such as EuroDrone and FCAS to continue, saying they will be required in the future. “We have the DNA to make them successful,” Faury told Aviation Week's Jens Flottau recently. “Europe feels the need to prepare for the sovereignty of the future, which includes the air and space power to protect your territory from the skies. I am very happy and optimistic that this is moving forward.”
9 novembre 2023 | International, Terrestre
The soldiers piloting Ukraine's fleet of small, cheap assault drones are voicing concerns that, despite pioneering their use, they are now being leapfrogged by their adversary as Moscow pumps money and resources into its drone sector.
2 octobre 2020 | International, C4ISR
Mark Pomerleau WASHINGTON — In what some observers might view as back to the future, the U.S. Army is altering the way it fights to keep up with sophisticated adversaries, which means shifting from the brigade-centered focus of the last decade to bringing the division and corps levels into the fold. As a result, new capabilities are under development to increase range, fight deeper and bolster presence on the nonphysical battlefield, such as the electromagnetic spectrum. Officials said a fight against a nation-state like Russia or China must begin at the corps level, where the focus is destroying high-priority systems to lay the groundwork for lower echelons. They added that the corps level must eliminate these targets first, passing them to the lower echelons to include division and brigade, which are both designed for a closer fight to move the enemy back. “We have got to be able to see deep. If we don't have the ability to sense at the corps level, really what we're doing is we're deferring that fight down to the brigade level,” Col. Clint Tracy, III Corps cyber and electromagnetic activities chief, said during a Sept. 29 virtual panel hosted by the Association of Old Crows. “If we build the other way up, from the brigades to corps ... they may not necessarily be equipped without additional enablers to kill those things in the battlespace.” Enter what officials are calling the Terrestrial Layer System-Echelons Above Brigade, or TLS-EAB, formerly referred to as TLS-Extended Range. Army leaders this week detailed the first initial notional concepts and timeline for the new capability, which will be mainly a division and corps asset capable of reaching and prosecuting targets that the TLS system at the brigade combat team level cannot. “TLS-EAB is intended to provide commanders at echelons above brigade the ability to sense, provide improved precision geolocation, conduct non-kinetic fires and support kinetic targeting for a broad coverage of targets ... [that] are unreachable by TLS at BCT,” Col. Jennifer McAfee, Army capability manager for terrestrial layer and identity, said during the same event. TLS-BCT, or Terrestrial Layer System-Brigade Combat Team, is the Army's first brigade-focused, integrated signals intelligence, electronic warfare and cyber platform. “TLS-EAB also provides defensive electronic attack to protect our critical nodes, i.e., our command posts and other critical nodes vulnerable to the adversary's precision fires,” McAfee added. She also said TLS-EAB will address several gaps in large-scale combat operations to include deep sensing to help target enemy systems in anti-access/area denial environments, and to conduct reconnaissance and security at long ranges. It will also provide capabilities for signals intelligence and electronic warfare teams within the Multidomain Task Force's Intelligence, Information, Cyber, Electronic Warfare and Space (I2CEWS) battalion, as well as signals intelligence and electronic warfare battalions at the division and corps levels. How is TLS-EAB different from existing capabilities? The key difference between TLS-EAB and other electronic warfare, intelligence and cyber platforms — both airborne or ground-based — is that the former protects static assets from enemy missiles and unmanned systems that use radar fusing and homing. Officials said the new system will be broken into two broad threat categories: the aforementioned protection against precision-guided munitions dependent on the electromagnetic spectrum; and theater, corps and division targets to include ISR, command and control, low- and mid-altitude beyond-line-of-sight comminutions, navigation, and air and ground radars. The service will achieve these effects through advanced electronic attack techniques, radio frequency-delivered cyber effects, military information support operations (formerly called psychological operations), and the deception of adversary sensors. More granularly, TLS-EAB will be broken into two subsystems for those two missions: one for long-range collection, electronic support and effects; and one for defensive electronic attack. Each will include a trailer attached to the eventual vehicle the Army determines for TLS-EAB. While a specific platform hasn't specifically been identified for TLS-EAB, officials said they are eyeing something wheeled from the family of medium tactical vehicles. Interoperability and long range Moreover, the system will connect with other reconnaissance systems in an attempt to shorten the sensor-to-shooter timeline, which involves rapidly delivery sensitive data from sensors to the platforms or individuals who take action. These include the Tactical Intelligence Targeting Access Node, or TITAN; the Multidomain Sensing System; TLS-BCT; the Electronic Planning and Management Tool; the Multifunction Electronic Warfare-Air Large; and the integrated tactical network. TLS-EAB is one of the top priorities of the Army's ISR Task Force, which is modernizing the service's ability to see across huge ranges through a layered approach that involves the ground, air and space domains. U.S. adversaries have invested in capabilities that aim to keep forces at bay, such as advanced missiles and radars. To allow American forces to penetrate those capabilities and move back ground-based adversaries, larger echelons such as the corps must be able to see and understand these regions in full, which could be over thousands of miles. This also means sifting through all the noise in the congested electromagnetic spectrum to understand and prioritize specific targets. As such, the corps level must see more of the spectrum than the brigade, said Tracy of III Corps, because if the higher echelons did their jobs right, there shouldn't be a whole lot left for brigades to deal with in the non-kinetic realm when they are eventually deployed. Timeline Units aren't expected to first receive TLS-EAB until at least fiscal 2022, the same year as TLS-BCT. The current plan outlined by officials, which they stressed is all notional, is to have a total of 67 TLS-EABs: four per I2CEWS equaling 16; three per corps equaling nine; four per division equaling 40; and two at training locations. The sketch provided by Army leaders is an industry day in January, with a draft request for proposals set for February and bids in October. https://www.c4isrnet.com/electronic-warfare/2020/10/01/us-army-to-upgrade-bigger-units-with-new-electronic-warfare-gear/
6 août 2019 | International, Aérospatial, Naval, Terrestre, C4ISR, Sécurité
DEFENSE INTELLIGENCE AGENCY BAE Systems Technology Solutions & Services Inc., Rockville, Maryland (HHM402-19-D-0005); Bluehawk LLC,* West Palm Beach, Florida (HHM402-19-D-0008); Booz Allen Hamilton Inc., McLean, Virginia (HHM402-19-D-0007); CACI Inc. – Federal, Arlington, Virginia (HHM402-19-D-0015); Calhoun International LLC,* Tampa, Florida (HHM402-19-D-0009); Celestar Corp.,* Tampa, Florida (HHM402-19-D-0010); CSRA LLC, Falls Church, Virginia (HHM402-19-D-0016); Edge Analytic Solutions LLC,* McLean, Virginia (HHM402-19-D-0012); Fulcrum IT Services LLC, Centerville, Virginia (HHM402-19-D-0017); Invictus International Consulting LLC,* Alexandria, Virginia (HHM402-19-D-0013); Leidos Inc., Reston, Virginia (HHM402-19-D-0018); Mission Essential Personnel LLC, New Albany, Ohio (HHM402-19-D-0019); Preting LLC,* Alexandria, Virginia (HHM402-19-D-0014); SOS International LLC, Reston, Virginia (HHM402-19-D-0020); The Buffalo Group LLC, Reston, Virginia (HHM402-19-D-0021); and Vencore/Perspecta, Chantilly, Virginia (HHM402-19-D-0022), were awarded a five-year base plus five one-year option indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (ID/IQ), multiple-award contract called Solutions for Intelligence Analysis 3 (SIA 3) with a combined ceiling value of $17,100,000,000. This contract will provide worldwide coverage, support and assistance to the Defense Intelligence Agency by delivering timely, objective and cogent military intelligence to warfighters, defense planners and defense and national security policy makers, all vital to the security of the U.S. Work will be performed at contractor facilities and at government facilities in multiple locations in the continental U.S. and overseas with a start date of Aug. 5, 2019, and an estimated completion date of Aug. 4, 2029. The SIA 3 contract was awarded through a full and open solicitation and 29 offers were received. Six of the 16 awardees are small businesses. Each company will receive a $1,000 minimum guarantee. Task orders (TO) will be issued competitively under this ID/IQ, which will allow for the following TO contract types: firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-incentive-fee, cost-plus-award-fee and time-and-material. The Virginia Contracting Activity, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. ARMY ZGF-Leo A. Daly JV, Omaha, Nebraska, was awarded a $130,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for engineering, architectural, renovation, construction of new specialty care building, construction of a new parking garage, upgrades to utility and energy plant, demolition of buildings, development and evaluation of alternatives, design, and support during construction. Bids were solicited via the internet with five received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 4, 2024. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Portland, Oregon, is the contracting activity (W9127N-19-D-0002). AECOM Technical Services Inc., Los Angeles, California (W9128F-19-D-0009); Burns & McDonnel, Kansas, Missouri (W9128F-19-D-0007); Jacobs Engineering Group Inc., St. Louis, Missouri (W9128F-19-D-0010); and HDR Engineering Inc., Omaha, Nebraska (W9128F-19-D-0008), will compete for each order of the $49,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for architect-engineer services, preparation of studies, analysis and design. Bids were solicited via the internet with 13 received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 4, 2024. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha, Nebraska, is the contracting activity. Tetra Tech Inc., Marlborough, Massachusetts, was awarded a $45,000,000 firm-fixed-price Foreign Military Sales (Saudi Arabia) contract for architect-engineer design, quality control, master planning, planning and programming documentation, transportation, force protection, construction phase services and subject matter expert support. 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 Aug. 4, 2024. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Winchester, Virginia, is the contracting activity (W912ER-19-D-0013). Messer Construction Co., Cincinnati, Ohio, was awarded a $28,968,000 firm-fixed-price contract for construction of a maintenance hangar, maintenance hangar area, general purpose shop area, corrosion control area and avionics shop area. Bids were solicited via the internet with four received. Work will be performed in Louisville, Tennessee, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 15, 2021. Fiscal 2019 military construction funds in the amount of $28,968,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Property and Fiscal Office, Tennessee, is the contracting activity (W912L7-19-C-7001). HDR Engineering Inc., Omaha, Nebraska, was awarded a $20,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for architect, engineering and design services. Bids were solicited via the internet with seven received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 6, 2024. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Kansas City, Missouri, is the contracting activity (W912DQ-19-D-4010). Missouri Department of Social Services, Jefferson City, Missouri, was awarded a $16,675,000 modification (P00005) to contract W911S7-18-C-0011 for full food service. Work will be performed in Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, with an estimated completion date of Feb. 5, 2020. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance, Army funds in the amount of $9,000,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Mission Installation Contracting Command, Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, is the contracting activity. Science Applications International, Reston, Virginia, was awarded a $16,498,835 modification (0001 44) to contract W31P4Q-18-A-0011 for systems engineering support. Work will be performed in Huntsville, Alabama, with an estimated completion date of May 31, 2020. Fiscal 2019 Foreign Military Sales; and operations and maintenance, Army funds in the amount of $16,498,835 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity. SourceAmerica, Vienna, Virginia, was awarded a $9,998,043 firm-fixed-price contract for manufacturing and development of the Army Green Service Uniform. One bid was solicited with one bid received. Work will be performed in Vienna, Virginia, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 4, 2020. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation; and military personnel, Army funds in the amount of $9,998,043 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W911QY-19-C-0063). Integrated Environmental Solutions Inc.,* Crestwood, Illinois, was awarded a $9,737,430 firm-fixed-price contract to stabilize the existing crib structure for the Chicago Lock's North Pier. Bids were solicited via the internet with three received. Work will be performed in Chicago, Illinois, with an estimated completion date of May 31, 2021. Fiscal 2017, 2018 and 2019 civil construction funds in the amount of $9,737,430 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Chicago, Illinois, is the contracting activity (W912P6-19-C-0009). NAVY ShadowObjects LLC, Leonardtown, Maryland, is awarded a $34,060,886 cost-plus-fixed-fee, labor hour, cost-reimbursable indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contract. This contract provides support services to include acquisition management, acquisition planning, acquisition execution and administration, program management, systems engineering, process automation and financial management in support of the Naval Air Systems Command Logistics and Industrial Operations group; Commander, Fleet Readiness Centers, Corporate Business Office and other Department of Defense commands and activities. Work will be performed in Patuxent River, Maryland (74%); and Lexington Park, Maryland (26%), and is expected to be completed in August 2024. 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; six offers were received. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N00421-19-D-0073). The Boeing Co., Seattle, Washington, is awarded $32,078,298 for modification P00149 to a previously awarded fixed-price-incentive-firm-target, firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract (N00019-14-C-0067). This modification provides for the performance of damage tolerance analysis on the P-8A aircraft to determine the damage tolerance rating. Additionally, this modification will provide non-destructive inspections for structural components on the P-8A aircraft. Work will be performed in Seattle, Washington (74%); St. Louis, Missouri (21%); and Huntsville, Alabama (5%), and is expected to be completed in March 2023. Fiscal 2017 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $32,078,298 will be obligated at time of award, all of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. Harris Corp., RF Communications, Rochester, New York, is awarded an $18,739,106 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the procurement of and repair of various radios and associated communications equipment for the Tactical Air Control Party – Modernization (TACP-M) program. This action supports the Air Force TACP-M program's Air Support Operations Center Gateway Systems, Gateway Lite Systems, Stryker Systems, Mobile Communication Systems and Dismounted Systems. The Harris Corp. radios are hardware that provide tactical communications in a man-pack portable kit that is designed to be packed into a bag or case that can be easily carried or worn by the user. Each of the radios has unique properties. The Harris Corp. radios and related equipment have proven interoperability within the existing TACP-M architecture. Work will be performed in Rochester, New York, and is expected to be complete by December 2024. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance (Air Force) funding in the amount of $120,080 is obligated at contract award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This sole-source contract was not competitively procured in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1, only one responsible source. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division, Crane, Indiana, is the contracting activity (N00164-19-D-JV38). The Raytheon Co., Indianapolis, Indiana, is awarded $17,486,136 for modification P00002 to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (N00019-19-C-0056) to procure 72 LAU-115 D/A missile launchers; 16 LAU-116 B/A missile launchers left hand; and 32 LAU-116 B/A missile launchers right hand. Work will be performed in Indianapolis, Indiana, and is expected to be completed in February 2023. Fiscal 2017 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $17,486,136 will be obligated at time of award, all of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. The University of Southern California (USC), Los Angeles, California, is awarded a $9,338,631 cooperative research agreement to research development of an artificial intelligence system that acquires machine common sense through observation from images, video and text by absorbing knowledge from both manually created sources and by human guidance. This research seeks capabilities that can enable artificial intelligence agents to support search and rescue efforts, autonomous vehicle navigation in unfamiliar terrain and machines that can adapt to unforeseen circumstances. This is a four-year contract with no options. Work will be performed at USC in Los Angeles, California, and is expected to be completed Aug. 4, 2023. Research, development, test and evaluation (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) funds in the amount of $1,018,876 will be obligated at the time of award. This agreement was competitively procured via a broad agency announcement and publication on the Federal Business Opportunities website, with 23 proposals received and nine selected for award. Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity (N66001-19-2-4032). Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems, Portsmouth, Rhode Island, is awarded $8,611,774 for cost-plus-fixed-fee modification P00037 under previously awarded contract N66604-15-C-086C on a sole-source basis to provide additional engineering services. The modification includes 35,000 hours and other direct costs associated with system and shipboard integration, required system changes and support of government led testing and training. Under this modification, Raytheon will provide the required services and deliverables to achieve weight reduction of the Escort Mission Module (EMM) towed systems and associated dry-end components in support of Littoral Combat Ship Anti-Submarine Warfare Mission Package. Raytheon is responsible for fabrication, test and delivery of the EMM components. Work will be performed at various contractor site and Department of Defense facilities in Portsmouth, Rhode Island (90%); Ft. Pierce, Florida (5%); and San Diego, California (5%), and is expected to be complete in December 2021. Fiscal 2019 and 2018 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funding in the amount of $2,053,121 will be obligated at award, and will not expire at the end of the fiscal year. The Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division, Newport, Newport, Rhode Island, is the contracting activity. U.S. TRANSPORTATION COMMAND Harley Marine Services Inc., Seattle, Washington, has been awarded a firm fixed-price contract, HTC711-19-C-W002, in the estimated amount of $19,819,032. The contract provides transportation of Department of Defense-owned fuel and marine diesel by tug and barge to the Defense Logistics Agency. Work will be performed in all ordered U.S. ports and points on the Atlantic and Gulf Coast and their connecting waterways, inland waterways, coastal waterways, rivers and tributaries. The contract base period of performance is from Nov. 1, 2019, to Oct. 31, 2020. Fiscal 2020 defense working capital funds will be obligated at the start of performance. U.S. Transportation Command, Directorate of Acquisition, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, is the contracting activity. DEFENSE ADVANCED RESEARCH PROJECTS AGENCY Raytheon Co., Goleta, California, was awarded a modification to exercise an option totaling $8,263,421 to previously awarded contract HR0011-19-C-0010 for a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency research project. The modification brings the total cumulative face value of the contract from $4,334,736 to $12,598,157. Work will be performed in Goleta, California; Waltham, Massachusetts; Irvine, California; Oxnard, California; and Joplin, Missouri, with an expected completion date of Nov. 4, 2020. Fiscal 2018 and 2019 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $6,723,915 are being obligated at time of award. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting activity. *Small Business https://dod.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/1926294/source/GovDelivery/