Nouvelles

By Christen McCurdy Dec. 1 (UPI) -- Raytheon has been awarded a $235.6 million multi-year contract for production and delivery of the Silent Knight Radar for U.S. Special Operations Command, according to the Pentagon. Work on this contract will be performed in McKinney and Forest, Miss., and is expected to be completed by July 2025, the Pentagon said. The Silent Knight radar is designed to be outfitted on the MH-47G Chinook and MH-60M Blackhawk helicopters, MC-130 transports and CV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft. The Silent Knight is built for safe navigation through low altitudes at night or in bad weather. In June 2019 Raytheon was awarded a $96.6 million contract for the initial production of the Silent Knight system for Special Operations Command. This summer tilt and rotary wing test squadron pilots at Eglin Air Force base logged their first CV-22 Osprey flight using the Silent Knight system, which the Air Force intends to continue testing for the next two years. https://www.upi.com/Defense-News/2020/12/01/Raytheon-awarded-2356M-for-production-of-Silent-Knight-Radar/3121606871049

By Christen McCurdy Dec. 1 (UPI) -- Oshkosh Defense inked two deals $911 million this week to deliver Joint Light Tactical Vehicles to the U.S. and overseas partners. On Tuesday, the defense contractor announced that U.S. Army Contracting Command had placed an order for 2,738 JLTVs for the U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Air Force, "along with a select group of NATO and non-NATO allies." The Pentagon also announced the domestic sale on Monday night. Under the deal, valued at $888.4 million, Oshkosh is contracted to deliver 2,679 JLTVs, 1,001 trailers and 6,725 kits to the four branches of the U.S. military, with a completion date of Oct. 31, 2022. Oshkosh also inked a $23 million deal this week to provide 59 vehicles to Brazil, Lithuania and North Macedonia. "The men and women of Oshkosh Defense take great pride in what they do," said George Mansfield, Vice President and General Manager of Joint Programs for Oshkosh Defense. "Designing, building, and delivering the world's most capable light tactical vehicle, the Oshkosh JLTV, is one of our greatest accomplishments. And we plan to continue building the Oshkosh JLTV for many years to come," Mansfield said. This week's deals follow several lucrative awards for the vehicles -- which were developed by the Marines and the Army as a replacement for Humvee -- in the past calendar year. This week's deals come nearly a year after Oshkosh was awarded an $803.9 million contract to provide JLTVs to the U.S. military and military of Montenegro. In July, the U.S. Army Contracting Command ordered the construction of 248 Joint Light Tactical Vehicles by Oshkosh, a deal worth $127.7 million, and in February Oshkosh was awarded a $407.3 million contract modification to procure joint light tactical vehicles for the Army. https://www.upi.com/Defense-News/2020/12/01/Oshkosh-nabs-911M-for-JLTVs-for-US-Lithuania-Brazil-Macedonia/5731606846235

by Gareth Jennings Lockheed Martin has been awarded USD1.4 billion to support future Foreign Military Sales (FMS) work on the C-130J Hercules through to 30 November 2030. The indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract, which was announced by the US Department of Defense (DoD) on 30 November, covers FMS sustainment and support work related to the four-engined airlifter built at the company's Marietta facility in Georgia. “Services include programme management support, spares, supply support services, support equipment, diminishing manufacturing sources, sustaining engineering services, sustaining engineering/technical services, field services representatives, logistics service representatives, technical order updates, technical order print and distribution, country standard time compliance technical orders and depot maintenance,” the DoD said. The DoD added that the sole-source acquisition involves 100% FMS funding, but that no funds have yet been obligated. This award follows an IDIQ agreement for USD15 billion signed earlier in 2020 to support all remaining domestic and FMS C-130J Hercules work through to 16 July 2030, which itself followed an earlier USD10 billion deal from 2016. https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/lockheed-martin-receive-usd14-billion-for-fms-c-130j-work

By: Valerie Insinna WASHINGTON — Boeing has begun production of the first T-7A ground-based training systems, preparing the way for the company to make its first deliveries in 2023. Workers at Boeing's plant in St. Louis, Missouri, are currently assembling the first two weapon systems trainers and one operational flight trainer, the company said in a news release Tuesday. Those assets will be among the first simulators the company expects to deliver to Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas, in 2023. The high-fidelity simulators include 8K native projectors that supports imagery that is 16 times the clarity of high-definition video, and the crew stations are equipped with motion seats that simulate the sensation of flight, Boeing stated. The ground-based trainers will be able to connect to a physical T-7A, meaning that pilots virtually training can team up with those performing live flights in the T-7 aircraft. Because the simulators were built with an open-architecture backbone, it can be easily modified with new software applications. “The Red Hawk's training system is arguably the most advanced in the world. It's a game changer,” said Chuck Dabundo, Boeing's vice president of the T-7 programs. “This system is 100% integrated with the pilot's real-world experience, offering ‘real-as-it-gets' simulation. We're working closely with the U.S. Air Force and look forward to testing and fielding the devices.” In 2018, Boeing won the $9.2 billion contract for the T-X program after submitting a bid that shaved about $10 billion off the Air Force's initial estimates. The indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract allows the Air Force to buy up to 475 aircraft and 120 simulators, although the current plan is to buy 351 T-7 aircraft, 46 simulators and associated ground equipment. Under the initial $813 million award, Boeing will deliver five T-7 aircraft and seven simulators. Initial operating capability is planned by the end of fiscal 2024 when the first squadron of T-7A aircraft and its associated simulators are all available for training. Full operational capability is projected for 2034. https://www.defensenews.com/training-sim/2020/12/01/boeing-starts-production-of-t-7-training-jet-simulators/

WASHINGTON — Mass telework brought on by the coronavirus pandemic has made 2020 a busy year for the Defense Information Systems Agency. Throughout the year, the Pentagon's top IT organization has had a hand in the department's Commercial Virtual Remote Environment, which provides collaboration tools for more than 1 million users. DISA has also helped set up IT capabilities for the Navy's two hospital ships as they docked in New York City and Los Angeles to assist with the COVID-19 response. As a result, it has also been a busy year for Debra Daniels, DISA's vice procurement services executive and deputy director of the Defense Information Technology Contracting Organization. Daniels started at DISA in March, right as workers were being sent home. She joined from the Small Business Administration after about 30 years with the Army and now helps oversee a $17 billion portfolio at DISA. C4ISRNET interviewed Daniels about her new position, the unexpected tool she uses to communicate and meeting small business goals. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. What is it like to take over a massive IT portfolio during a pandemic? It makes you think differently and do things differently. It definitely increases communication as DISA provides IT and cybersecurity support. One of the most basic things that I use to make sure to communicate and get on board is the telephone. It works well on picking up and introducing yourself to not only the workforce but the mission partners themselves, stakeholders, small business, in order to do the job. It just makes you reach out more. But I'm going to tell you: DISA has all of the tools in place that allow us to stay in and keep connected so far. DISA never shut down during the pandemic. We just moved from a federal workspace to our own home workspaces and kept going. And what I can say about the contracting force is they never lost momentum, they never lost focus on the priorities at all in doing that. How have your first six months gone? As our contracting operations moved to a home space, it never shut down, never closed, it never lost a beat. I would say probably the momentum increased with the contracting force on just what they were doing in reaching out, making sure that the war fighter had the capability. I'm proud of the fact that, again, we definitely met or exceeded our small business goals. [Specifically], there's about five new records that were [recently] set that continue to build the small business industrial base. This fiscal year, we did $7.6 billion in obligations, which was about a billion dollars more than they did in FY19, I would say just with increasing requirements in the need for the IT and cyber solutions across the Department of Defense but also probably related to some of the pandemic-related urgent and emerging requirements that we provided in that. This is a very difficult time for small business. What should small businesses expect when interacting with your office? What I would want small businesses to know is they're definitely vital to us meeting our goals and our demands and capabilities for the war fighter. And they help us meet those demands. More often, as you know, we get great support — even greater support from them. We could not do it without them. So for industry I would like to say they always want to know how can they participate in the request for information. I would definitely say to continue to reach out, but I would ask them [to] definitely do [your] homework [related to] whatever product or solution they're seeking to provide to make sure that it fits within DISA's capability and its needs. We also partner right now in contracting; definitely a key member at the table at the beginning of acquisition planning is our Office of Small Business Programs here in DISA. Definitely reach out to them, I would say, particularly if [you] want to partner with us to be invited to one of the DISA one-on-one small business orientation offerings that says how you can partner with us. I'll also say that as we get ready in this season to prepare for the DISA Forecast to Industry virtual conference, we will give our industry partners, particularly to include small business, our forecasts. I would say if you want to, you can probably see on the DISA website the forecast from fiscal 2019, and we actually updated that forecast of offerings for the upcoming years. We posted that earlier this summer. So you get an indication of what we're looking for. I would also say a biggie for industry to participate with us is answer requests for information and attend the industry days so you can definitely learn about DISA's mission and what it's seeking, particularly war fighter-specific [needs] and the capability we're looking for. What do small businesses need to know about the cybersecurity requirements at DISA? That is one of the main focuses of DISA as the premier IT support agency and [a trusted provider that] connects and protects the war fighter in cyberspace. So cybersecurity is very important to us, and also should be important to our industry and our small business partners. I think they want to protect their intellectual property and capital just as much as we do. So if you're wanting to work with DISA and the DoD, be accountable also for cybersecurity throughout the life cycle of the capability you're providing. What is DISA doing in relation to the new Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification — the new cybersecurity audit standards? As we're tracking right now, we do have new requirements that are coming out [because of] the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification in the DoD. So as that starts in its implementation process, the Procurement Services Directorate is definitely working to understand these new interim rules — and following [those rules] so we can implement that cybersecurity process once we have the application and accreditation requirements. So we definitely know it will impact all of our industry partners. It will not impact or affect our cybersecurity posture. So if you're going to work with us, cybersecurity is definitely a key. There's a perception that we want to prioritize speed of delivery in deployment over cybersecurity. No. In DISA, in the department — again, I can't harp on [enough] — cybersecurity is one of our utmost priorities, and that is something that we will not diminish or lower the standard on. So it's important that while we deliver with speed and relevance to meet the needs, we're also maintaining our cybersecurity. https://www.c4isrnet.com/show-reporter/disa-forecast-industry/2020/12/01/5-questions-with-the-deputy-director-of-disas-contracting-arm

By: Aaron Mehta WASHINGTON — The U.S. State Department on Tuesday cleared six Foreign Military Sales cases, potentially worth a combined total of $1.55 billion. The six cases, spread across South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, Croatia, Lebanon and Canada, were announced on the website of the Defense Security Cooperation Agency. DSCA announcements mean that the State Department has decided the potential FMS cases meet its standards, but this does not guarantee the sales will happen in their announced forms. Once approved by Congress, the foreign customer begins to negotiate on price and quantity, both of which can change during the final negotiations. Here are the details on each case: Croatia: The largest dollar value of the announced FMS cases comes from Croatia, which seeks to spend $757 million on refurbishing its 76 M2A2 Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicles. The NATO ally operates older models dating to Operation Desert Storm, and is looking to upgrade capabilities. In addition to maintenance, upgraded radios, armor and simulators, the package includes 84 M240 machine guns, 1,103 TOW 2A radio frequency missiles, 100 TOW 2B radio frequency missiles and 500 TOW bunker buster radio frequency missiles. Work will primarily be done by BAE Systems' York, Pennsylvania, facility as well as Raytheon Missile Systems in Tucson, Arizona. Canada: America's northern neighbor wants to upgrade its fleet of five C-17 transport aircraft to the tune of $275 million. The package includes “aircraft hardware and software modification and support; software delivery and support; ground handling equipment; component, parts and accessories; GPS receivers; alternative mission equipment; publications and technical documentation; contractor logistics support and Globemaster III Sustainment Program (G3) participation; other U.S. Government and contractor engineering, technical, and logistical support services; and related elements of program and logistical support,” according to the DSCA announcement. Boeing would perform the work. Saudi Arabia: The most unique of the six cases, the Saudi request involved $350 million in support services for five years, covered through the U.S. Military Training Mission to Saudi Arabia, or USMTM, located in Riyadh — an office of roughly 330 service members and U.S. contractors who help train the Saudi military. Services included in the package are “pay and allowances for U.S. Military, U.S. Government, and Foreign National staff members; USMTM communications support costs; local contracting costs; construction and renovation costs of housing area; transportation costs; U.S. Mail services support costs; dependent education (grades K through 12); administrative costs; temporary duty costs for USMTM personnel; Value Added Taxes (VAT) assessed by Saudi Arabia; and future transition costs to move USMTM” to a proposed new housing location in Saudi Arabia, per DSCA. Brazil: The government in Brazil wants to spend $70 million on 22 MK 54 conversion kits, which would convert existing MK 46 Mod 5 A(S) torpedoes to MK 54 Mod 0 lightweight torpedoes. Those would be equipped on the country's fleet of Sikorsky S-70B Seahawk helicopters and its surface ships. Work would be performed at Raytheon Integrated Defense System's Portsmouth, Rhode Island, facility. Lebanon: The country seeks to spend $55.5 million to procure 300 M1152 High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles in two tranches of 150 each. Beirut currently operates more than 1,000 HMMWVs of various designs, according to the DSCA, which are primarily used to “counter violent extremist organizations and to secure its border.” The primary contractor would be American General, with work happening in its South Bend, Indiana, facility. This is the first FMS case cleared for Lebanon since the start of the Trump administration. South Korea: A frequent customer of U.S. weapons, South Korea now seeks to purchase two MK 15 MOD 25 Phalanx Close-In Weapons System Block 1B Baseline 2 systems for $39 million. This anti-missile defense weapon for ships would come along with training and 4,000 rounds. According to DSCA, Seoul plans to use the systems aboard its first KDX III Batch II-class ship “to provide it with effective means of detecting and defending itself against incoming airborne threats.” The primary contractor is Raytheon, with work to be done at its be Louisville, Kentucky, location. All told, the six notifications mean the Trump administration has cleared 23 FMS cases since Oct. 1, the start of fiscal 2021, with an estimated price tag of $58.75 billion. However, that number is inflated by the inclusion of two pre-cleared cases for Finland's fighter competition; while Finland may pick either the F-35 (for $12.5 billion) or the F/A-18 (for $14.7 billion), it would only select one, and may still choose a European bidder instead. https://www.defensenews.com/global/mideast-africa/2020/12/01/us-clears-weapon-sales-for-saudi-arabia-lebanon-croatia-canada-brazil-and-south-korea

St. Louis, December 1, 2020 — The U.S. Air Force is one step closer to receiving its next-generation trainer as Boeing [NYSE: BA] started producing the T-7A Red Hawk's “real-as-it-gets” ground-based training system (GBTS). Boeing teams are currently assembling the first two weapons systems trainers and an operational flight trainer at the company's St. Louis site. These simulators, which are the foundation for pilot training and key to the Air Force's readiness, can digitally connect to actual T-7A aircraft and enable live virtual constructive and embedded training scenarios. “The Red Hawk's training system is arguably the most advanced in the world. It's a game changer,” said Chuck Dabundo, vice president of Boeing T-7 Programs. “This system is 100% integrated with the pilot's real-world experience, offering ‘real-as-it-gets' simulation. We're working closely with the U.S. Air Force and look forward to testing and fielding the devices.” The training simulators are equipped with high-fidelity crew stations that include dynamic motion seats and the Boeing Constant Resolution Visual System's 8K native projectors, offering 16 times the clarity of traditional high-definition video (1080p). “This is the most accurate, immersive experience that any pilot can have outside the aircraft,” said Sherri Koehnemann, T-7A Training & Sustainment director at Boeing Global Services. “We've integrated the training across the board, including ‘one push' software updates. What a pilot sees in the classroom, on his or her desktop training devices, and in the operational and weapon systems trainers will be what they see in the jet. Future pilots can expect more holistic, immersive training.” The T-7A's GBTS was built on an open systems architecture of hardware and digital software that will allow it to grow with the Air Force's evolving needs. Boeing expects to deliver the first T-7A Red Hawk simulators to the Air Force in 2023. Boeing is the world's largest aerospace company and leading provider of commercial airplanes, defense, space and security systems, and global services. As the top U.S. exporter, the company supports commercial and government customers in more than 150 countries and leverages the talents of a global supplier base. Building on a legacy of aerospace leadership, Boeing continues to lead in technology and innovation, deliver for its customers and invest in its people and future growth. # # # Contact: Zeyad Maasarani T-7A Training & Sustainment Boeing Global Services +1-562-400-5533 zeyad.maasarani@boeing.com Randy Jackson T-7A Program Boeing Defense, Space & Security +1 314-435-7588 randy.jackson@boeing.com View source version on Boeing: https://boeing.mediaroom.com/news-releases-statements?item=130776

Satory, France, November 26, 2020 - On 13 November 2020, the French Delegation for Armaments (DGA) qualified the command post vehicle (EPC) variant of the GRIFFON vehicle. At the same time, the first examples are being submitted for acceptance by the DGA's quality department at the Roanne site. Therefore, the three first GRIFFON EPC have been delivered to the Army technical section (STAT) which will continue the operational evaluation of this equipment with its rapid deployment within the regiments in sight. The GME (temporary grouping of companies) EBMR (Engins Blindés Multi-Rôles) comprised of Nexter, Arquus and Thales is fully mobilized on the production of the first 35 series GRIFFON EPCs to be presented to verification operations by the end of 2020. Ultimately, the SCORPION program calls for the acquisition of 333 units of this variant, half of which will be delivered by 2025. As a reminder, the SCORPION program aims to modernize the Army's combat capabilities and in particular to improve command through new information resources. The GRIFFON EPC can accommodate a pilot and a gunner in the front, and five soldiers in the rear of the vehicle. From an external point of view, the silhouette of the EPC does not differ from the VTT Félin variant (troop transport vehicle). Only the armament changes, with the integration on the roof of a new-generation T2 remotely operated turret armed with a 7.62mm caliber. Inside, on the other hand, the GRIFFON EPC is fully equipped to accommodate a command post: communication means, large screens, a board and a printer. This variant is designed to accommodate latest-generation electronic equipment for collaborative combat: the vetronics common to the SCORPION platforms, the CONTACT joint radio, the SCORPION Combat Information System (SICS), the ANTARES optronic system offering the crew a 360° vision of the environment, as well as a gunfire location detector (or SLA, for Acoustic Localization System). In addition, the air-conditioning system adapts to all environments to guarantee crew's comfort and the proper functioning of onboard electronics. Thanks to its level of protection and mobility, the EPC variant of the GRIFFON enables a command post to be deployed quickly at the heart of operations. The force commander can thus conduct an engagement or monitor the progress of a regimental or brigade-level action. The arrival of the GRIFFON EPC is complementary to the GRIFFON VTT Félin, with the goal of projecting a joint battle group (GTIA) into a foreign theatre of operations by 2021. Stéphane Mayer is delighted, on behalf of the GME formed by the three companies Arquus, Thales and Nexter (of which he is Chairman and CEO), that this new milestone has been reached on time: "this qualification marks a new stage in the modernization of the French Army's equipment". View source version on Nexter : https://www.nexter-group.fr/en/actualites/nos-dernieres-actualites/scorpion-griffon-command-post-qualified.html

November 30, 2020 - BAE Systems has been awarded a new 15-year contract for the supply of munitions to the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD). The contract, worth £2.4bn, will sustain approximately 4,000 jobs across the UK. This new agreement, which will supersede the current contract due to conclude at the end of 2022, will guarantee the delivery of munitions products and engineering support to the UK Armed Forces. BAE Systems directly employs 1,260 people who are involved in either munitions manufacturing or test and evaluation at five sites across the UK; Glascoed in Monmouthshire, Radway Green in Cheshire, Washington in Tyne & Wear, Bishopton near Glasgow, and Ridsdale in Northumberland. It is anticipated that the contract will also help sustain a further 1,500 jobs in the UK supply chain and support a further 1,300 jobs induced by consumer spending in economies local to sites. The agreement enables BAE Systems to invest £70 million on the refurbishment and upgrade of manufacturing lines, with 75% of this value being invested by 2026. The Company will also spend up to £350m with UK-based companies on raw materials and machine components. Charles Woodburn, Chief Executive, BAE Systems, said: “This contract secures the future of a highly technical and critical industry which supports thousands of manufacturing jobs in several areas throughout the UK. By investing in new technology and skills to further develop our expertise, we can continue to deliver essential sovereign capability to the Armed Forces at competitive prices.” Defence Minister Jeremy Quin said: “This vital multi-billion pound contract will provide our service men and women with fire power on the front line for years to come whilst investing in British industry, British jobs and British infrastructure. Defence underpins hundreds of thousands of jobs across all four corners of the nation, and ongoing investment is crucial as we work together to build back better and stronger from the Covid-19 pandemic.” The contract, called the ‘Next Generation Munitions Solution' (NGMS), is due to commence in January 2023 and will succeed the current ‘Munitions Acquisition, the Supply Solution' (MASS) contract, which commenced in 2008. It represents the enduring partnership between BAE Systems and the UK Armed Forces, particularly the British Army. Contact Default Profile ImagePhilippa Mason Media Manager Head Office Corporate Communications +44 (0)7384 249518 View source version on BAE Systems: https://www.baesystems.com/en/article/bae-systems-awarded-gbp-2-4-billion-munitions-contract-to-equip-uk-armed-forces