Nouvelles

Christen McCurdy Sept. 24 (UPI) -- The Air Force has awarded three contracts totaling $38 million to improve the airfield at Naval Air Station Keflavik in Iceland. The Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center's Detachment 4 will direct the construction project with support from Naval Facilities Engineering Command Europe Africa Central, the Air Force said Thursday. The work includes expansion of the airfield's parking aprons, beddown site preparation and an upgrade to the airfield's hazardous cargo pad for the safe unloading and unloading of explosives. "We are upgrading infrastructure at Naval Air Station Keflavik to provide a high level of readiness for U.S. Air Forces in Europe," said Col. David Norton, director of AFCEC's Facility Engineering Directorate. "We have incorporated innovative design and construction techniques to build resilient facilities to ensure the longest lifespan at the overall lowest life cycle cost." The construction projects support the European Deterrence Initiative implemented by U.S. European Command -- an initiative intended to increase the responsiveness of U.S. Air Forces and NATO members and allies in Europe. The EDI includes military exercises and training -- including the annual Dynamic Mongoose exercise, which this year was held off the coast of Iceland -- as well as a rotational presence of U.S. forces in Europe. An April Department of Defense memo said Defense Mark Esper planned to divert funding from overseas military construction projects -- including, critics said, some projects under the auspices of EDI -- to domestic military construction in order to compensate for funding lost to wall construction along the U.S.-Mexico border. https://www.upi.com/Defense-News/2020/09/24/Air-Force-awards-38M-in-contracts-for-upgrades-to-airfield-in-Iceland/6351600969330/

Aaron Mehta WASHINGTON — The U.S. State Department on Thursday OK'd two potential arms deals for a pair of NATO allies. The Netherlands was cleared to purchase 34 Patriot Advanced Capability‑3 (PAC-3) missiles, with an estimated price tag of $241 million. The United Kingdom, meanwhile, was cleared to purchase $401.3 million worth of logistics support for its fleet of C-17 aircraft. The announcements, posted on the website of the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, do not represent final locked-in sales. All Foreign Military Sales announcements must be cleared by Congress, after which dollar and equipment totals can change in final negotiations. The Netherlands deal would include the 35 PAC-3 missiles, as well eight kitted 2-pack PAC-3 MSE Missile Round Trainers, six kitted 2-pack PAC-3 MSE Empty Round Trainers, four PAC-3 MSE Skid Kits, one lot of Classified PAC-3 MSE Concurrent Spare Parts and one lot of Unclassified PAC-3 MSE CSPs, along with logistics support. “The Netherlands will use the enhanced capability to strengthen its homeland defense and deter regional threats, and provide direct support to coalition and security cooperation efforts,” per the DSCA. The Netherlands operates four Patriot batteries. The prime contractor would be Lockheed Martin. The Netherlands typically requires industrial offsets when buying foreign-made weapons, which are to be negotiated later between Lockheed and the Dutch. The U.K. request includes “aircraft component spare and repair parts; accessories; publications and technical documentation; software and software support; U.S. Government and contractor engineering, technical and logistical support services; and other related elements of logistical and program support” for its C-17s. Boeing will be the prime contractor. “This proposed sale will improve the United Kingdom's capability to meet current and future threats by ensuring the operational readiness of the Royal Air Force. Its C-17 aircraft fleet provides strategic airlift capabilities that directly support U.S. and coalition operations around the world,” per the DSCA announcement. Since the start of fiscal 2017, the Netherlands has been cleared for 11 other FMS cases, totaling $1.95 billion in potential sales. In that same period the U.K. has been cleared for seven FMS cases, worth a potential $7.35 billion https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2020/09/24/dutch-patriot-missiles-uk-c-17-support-cleared-by-us-state-department/

AIR FORCE Amazon Web Services Inc., Seattle, Washington (FA8612-20-D-0065); Anduril Industries Inc., Irvine, California (FA8612-20-D-0066); Colorado Engineering Inc., Colorado Springs, Colorado (FA8612-20-D-0067); Edgy Bees Inc., Palo Alto, California (FA8612-20-D-0068); Environmental Systems Research Institute Inc., Redlands, California (FA8612-20-D-0069); Global C2 Integration Technologies LLC, Las Vegas, Nevada (FA8612-20-D-0070); General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc., Poway, California (FA8612-20-D-0054); Grey Wolf Aerospace LLC, Delaware, Ohio (FA8612-20-D-0071); Kratos Technology and Training Solutions Inc., San Diego, California(FA8612-20-D-0055); LinQuest Corp., Los Angeles, California (FA8612-20-D-0056); Oddball Inc., Washington, D.C. (FA8612-20-D-0058); Red River Technology LLC, Claremont, New Hampshire (FA8612-20-D-0073); SES Government Solutions Inc., Reston, Virginia (FA8612-20-D-0074); Venator Solutions LLC, San Diego, California (FA8612-20-D-0063); and VivSoft Technologies LLC, Brambleton, Virginia (FA8612-20-D-0075), have been awarded a $950,000,000 ceiling in indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contracts to compete for future efforts associated with the maturation, demonstration and proliferation of capability across platforms and domains, leveraging open systems design, modern software and algorithm development in order to enable Joint All Domain Command and Control. These contracts provide for the development and operation of systems as a unified force across all domains (air, land, sea, space, cyber and electromagnetic spectrum) in an open architecture family of systems that enables capabilities via multiple integrated platforms. Work will be performed at locations determined at the contract direct order level and is expected to be complete by May 28, 2025. Air Force Life Cycle Management, Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity. L-3 Communications Integrated Systems, Greenville, Texas, has been awarded a $90,000,104 not-to-exceed, firm-fixed-price, undefinitized contract modification (P00003) to contract FA8620-20-F-4837 for engineering, procurement and fabrication, which will result in Phase One modification to the mission aircraft. Work will be performed in Greenville, Texas, and is expected to be completed by Oct. 31, 2023. This contract involves 100% Foreign Military Sales (FMS) and is the result of a sole-source acquisition. FMS funds in the amount of $44,100,031 are being obligated at the time of award. The 645th Aeronautical Systems Group, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity. Alion Science and Technology Corp., McLean, Virginia, has been awarded a $40,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, firm-fixed-price contract for information technology services. This contract provides for support with the enterprise protection risk management, utilizing the information technology application/software, countermeasures risk analysis software. The support will assess risk and implement countermeasures to mitigate the compromise, loss, unauthorized access/disclosure, destruction, distortion or non-accessibility of mission-related assets. Work will be performed in McLean, Virginia, and is expected to be complete by Sept. 24, 2025. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $352,000 are being obligated on the first task order at the time of award. Air Force District of Washington, Air Force Enterprise Support Division, Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, is the contracting activity (FA7014-20-D-0002). Parsons Government Services Inc., Huntsville, Alabama, has been awarded a $39,934,030 contract for the Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) Recovery of Airbase Denied by Ordnance (RADBO) vehicle. The contract provides for 13 fully operational MRAP RADBO systems (Cougar, Laser, and Arm) and three spares systems that will provide the warfighter with the ability to effectively identify, disarm and clear unexploded ordnance from an airfield while inside an MRAP Cougar (CAT1A1) vehicle, with little to no collateral damage. Work will be performed in Huntsville, Alabama, and is expected to be completed by September 2023. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, is the contracting activity (FA8534-20-C-0001). General Electric Co., Cincinnati, Ohio, has been awarded a $23,472,820 firm-fixed-price, requirements-type contract with a five-year year ordering period for the remanufacture of the F108 Module 13/15 low pressure turbine union assembly. Work will be performed in Cincinnati, Ohio, and is expected to be completed by Sept. 22, 2025. This contract is the result of a competitive acquisition and three offers were received. Defense agencies working capital funds will be made available at the issuing of delivery orders against this contract. Air Force Sustainment Center, Tinker, Air Force Base, Oklahoma, is the contracting activity (FA8122-20-D-0007). Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Herndon, Virginia, will be awarded a $22,990,520 cost-plus-fixed-fee task order for the Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) Operational Software Sustainment program. This contract provides a capability to correct existing software deficiencies, implements changes in Minuteman operational software domains and maintains the ICBM operational software update capability. Work will be performed at Hill Air Force Base, Utah; Huntington Beach, California; Colorado Springs, Colorado; and Space Park, California, and is expected to be completed by Sept. 30, 2022. This award is a sole-source task order. The total cumulative face value of the contract is $22,990,520 for a base and one option year. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds will be used with no funds being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center, Hill AFB, Utah, is the contracting activity (FA8204-20-F-0079). M1 Support Services, Denton, Texas, has been awarded a $12,244,288 firm-fixed-price modification (A00046) to contract FA3002-15-C-0006 for trainer maintenance services. Work will be performed at Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas; and Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida, and is expected to be completed by Sept. 30, 2021. This action is to exercise Option Period Six. The total cumulative face value of the contract. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds will be used with no funds being obligated at the time of award. The 82nd Contracting Squadron, Sheppard AFB, Texas, is the contracting activity. BAE Systems Technology Solutions and Services Inc., Rockville, Maryland, has been awarded a $9,947,644 delivery order against contract FA2521-16-D-0010 for serviceable components and subsystems for instrumentation tracking systems, world-wide for both foreign and domestic government agencies to include radars, telemetry and optical instrumentation tracking systems. The contract delivery order is for Eglin Radar Transmitter Replacement Project – First Article, for the Space and Missile System Center Space Superiority Systems Directorate. Work will be performed at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, and is expected to be completed by Dec. 31, 2021. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds will be used with none being obligated at the time of award. The 45th Contracting Squadron, Patrick Air Force Base, Florida, is the contracting activity. DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY American Water Military Services LLC, Camden, New Jersey, has been awarded a $771,347,903 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment contract for the ownership, operation and maintenance of the water and wastewater utility systems at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington. This was a competitive acquisition with 11 responses received. This is a 50-year contract with no option periods. Locations of performance are Washington and New Jersey, with a Sept. 30, 2071, performance completion date. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2071 Army operations and maintenance funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Energy, Fort Belvoir, Virginia (SP0600-20-C-8330). Noble Sales Co., Inc.,* doing business as Noble Supply and Logistics, Rockland, Massachusetts, has been awarded a maximum $93,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity bridge contract for facility maintenance, repair and operations supplies and related incidental services. This was a sole-source acquisition using justification 10 U.S. Code 2304 (c)(1), as stated in Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. This is a 300-day contract with no option periods. Locations of performance are Massachusetts and Northern Europe, with a July 19, 2021, ordering period end date. Using customers are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and North American Treaty Organization. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2021 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Europe and Africa, Kaiserslautern, Germany (SPE5B1-20-D-0005). SRCTec LLC, Syracuse, New York, has been awarded a maximum $93,000,000 firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for hardware spare and repair components of the AN/TPQ-50 Counterfire Target Acquisition Radar System. This was a competitive acquisition with one response received. This is a five-year base contract with one five-year option period. Location of performance is New York, with a Sept. 23, 2025, ordering period end date. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2025 Army working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland (SPRBL1-20-D-0056). Simmonds Precision Products Inc., Vergennes, Vermont, has been awarded a maximum $50,182,405 firm-fixed-price, requirements contract for control data analysis. This was a competitive acquisition with one response received. This is a five-year contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Vermont, with a Sept. 22, 2025, performance completion date. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2025 Army working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama (SPRRA1-20-D-0066). Thales Components Corp., Piscataway, New Jersey, has been awarded a maximum $21,494,100 firm-fixed-price, definitive contract for traveling wave tubes. 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 one-year contract with no option periods. Locations of performance are New Jersey and France, with a March 30, 2021, performance completion date. Using military service is Air Force. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2021 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Ogden, Utah (SPRHA3-20-C-0002). Lockheed Martin Corp., Colorado Springs, Colorado, has been awarded a maximum $15,172,684 firm-fixed-price definitive contract for the Voice Control Panel Matrix on the Minuteman III weapon system. 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 31-month contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Colorado, with an April 23, 2023, performance completion date. Using military service is Air Force. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Hill Air Force Base, Utah (SPRHA2-20-C-0005). Simmonds Precision Products, Vergennes, Vermont, has been awarded a $43,347,590 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for electro-mechanical helicopter actuators. 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 one-year base contract with four one-year options periods. Location of performance is Vermont with a Sept. 22, 2021, performance completion date. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2021 Army working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama (SPRRA1-20-D-0073). (Awarded Sept. 22, 2020) Ham Produce and Seafood Inc.,* Honolulu, Hawaii, has been awarded a $9,900,000 modification (P00003) to contract SPE302-20-D-P004 to lift a stop work order. This is a firm-fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for fresh fruits and vegetables. Location of performance is Hawaii, with a Sept. 29, 2023, ordering period end date. Using customer is Defense Department. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2023 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support Indo-Pacific, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Honolulu, Hawaii. (Awarded Sept. 3, 2020). ARMY Kokosing Alberici LLC, Westerville, Ohio, was awarded an $111,259,000 firm-fixed-price contract for construction of new upstream approach walls at the Soo Lock Complex, Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. Bids were solicited via the internet with three received. Work will be performed in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, with an estimated completion date of Oct. 16, 2023. Fiscal 2020 civil construction funds in the amount of $111,259,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit, Michigan, is the contracting activity (W911XK-20-C-0018). Great Lakes Dredge and Dock Co. LLC, Oak Brook, Illinois, was awarded a $104,979,350 firm-fixed-price contract for dredging in Duval County, Florida. Bids were solicited via the internet with two received. Work will be performed in Jacksonville, Florida, with an estimated completion date of Oct. 15, 2022. Fiscal 2017, 2019 and 2020 civil construction funds; 2020 civil operations and maintenance funds; and 2020 non-federal funds in the amount of $104,979,350 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville, Florida, is the contracting activity (W912EP-20-C-0010). HGL-APTIM JV LLC,* Reston, Virginia, was awarded a $43,138,765 firm-fixed-price contract for environmental remediation activities at Hill Air Force Base. Bids were solicited via the internet with four received. Work will be performed at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 22, 2030. Fiscal 2020 revolving funds in the amount of $43,138,765 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Sacramento, California, is the contracting activity (W91238-20-C-0014). BAE Systems Land and Armaments L.P., San Jose, California, was awarded a $39,754,114 modification (P00147) to contract W56HZV-15-C-0099 for engineering, logistics and fielding support for the Multiple Launch Rocket System Carrier. Work will be performed in San Jose, California, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 29, 2023. Fiscal 2020 weapons and tracked combat vehicle procurement (Army) funds in the amount of $39,754,114 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Detroit Arsenal, Michigan, is the contracting activity. Breeze-Eastern LLC, Whippany, New Jersey, was awarded a $25,792,268 firm-fixed-price contract for the maintenance and overhaul of the winch, aircraft mounted. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 22, 2025. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity (W58RGZ-20-F-0582). StructSure Projects Inc., Kansas City, Missouri, was awarded a $23,766,565 firm-fixed-price contract for design and construction facility restoration of an Army Reserve Center. Bids were solicited via the internet with six received. Work will be performed in North Little Rock, Arkansas, with an estimated completion date of April 23. 2023. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Army Reserve) funds in the amount of $23,766,565 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Louisville, Kentucky, is the contracting activity (W912QR-20-C-0044). American Ordnance LLC, Middletown, Iowa, was awarded a $20,000,000 modification (P00003) to contract W52P1J-19-F-0370 to design a long-range precision artillery production line at Iowa Army Ammunition Plant. Work will be performed in Middletown, Iowa, with an estimated completion date of Jan. 31, 2022. Fiscal 2020 procurement of ammunition (Army) funds in the amount of $20,000,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois, is the contracting activity. Orion Marine Construction Inc., Tampa, Florida, was awarded a $15,855,250 firm-fixed-price contract for dredging in Galveston County, Texas. Bids were solicited via the internet with two received. Work will be performed in Galveston, Texas, with an estimated completion date of Oct. 20, 2021. Fiscal 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020 civil operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $15,855,250 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Galveston, Texas, is the contracting activity (W912HY-20-C-0033). Knight's Armament Co.,* Titusville, Florida, was awarded a $13,480,110 firm-fixed-price contract for the M110 semiautomatic sniper system and various M110 configurations. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 25, 2025. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Newark, New Jersey, is the contracting activity (W15QKN-20-D-0044). AirTronic USA LLC,* Spring Branch, Texas, was awarded a $13,322,593 firm-fixed-price contract for Precision Shoulder-fired Rocket Launchers, VirTra 100 shooting simulators, installation and training. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 23, 2025. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Newark, New Jersey, is the contracting activity (W15QKN-20-D-0045). Oshkosh Defense LLC, Oshkosh, Wisconsin, was awarded an $11,101,830 modification (P00406) to contract W56HZV-15-C-0095 to retrofit mufflers, forward facing cameras, rear-door transparent armor and muffler robustness into the baseline configuration of the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle family of vehicles. Work will be performed in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 23, 2021. Fiscal 2019 and 2020 Marine Corps procurement funds in the amount of $11,101,830 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Detroit Arsenal, Michigan, is the contracting activity. Kinsley Construction Inc., York, Pennsylvania, was awarded a $9,992,147 firm-fixed-price contract for construction of an administrative facility for Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron located at Joint Base Andrews. Bids were solicited via the internet with six received. Work will be performed in at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, with an estimated completion date of April 5, 2022. Fiscal 2020 military construction (Air Force Reserve) funds in the amount of $9,992,147 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Louisville, Kentucky, is the contracting activity (W912QR-20-C-0049). Raytheon Co., Tucson, Arizona, was awarded a $9,776,331 modification (P00007) to contract W15QKN-19-C-0017 for to procure Excalibur Ib projectiles. Work will be performed in Healdsburg, California; Karlskoga, Sweden; East Camden, Arizona; Cedar Rapids, Iowa; Plymouth, United Kingdom; Cincinnati, Ohio; Glenrothes, United Kingdom; Salt Lake City, Utah; Joplin, Missouri; Gilbert, Arizona; Lansdale, Pennsylvania; Santa Clara, California; Woodridge, Illinois; Trenton, Texas; Valencia, California; Cookstown, New Jersey; Phoenix, Arizona; Anniston, Alabama; Chino, California; Inglewood, California; Tucson, Arizona; McAlester, Oklahoma; and Farmington, New Mexico, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 31, 2022. Fiscal 2020 other procurement (Army) funds in the amount of $9,776,331 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Newark, New Jersey, is the contracting activity. Great Lakes Dredge and Dock Co. LLC, Oak Brook, Illinois, was awarded an $8,092,700 firm-fixed-price contract for dredging Morehead City Harbor. Bids were solicited via the internet with two received. Work will be performed in Brunswick, Georgia; and Savannah, Georgia, with an estimated completion date of July 31, 2021. Fiscal 2019 and 2020 civil operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $8,092,700 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Wilmington, North Carolina, is the contracting activity (W912PM-20-C-0030). General Dynamics Information Technology, Fairfax, Virginia, was awarded a $7,913,730 modification (P00010) to contract W52P1J-19-F-0727 for logistical staff augmentation support throughout the Central Command area of responsibility. Work will be performed in Bagram, Afghanistan; and Kuwait City, Kuwait, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 25, 2021. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Army) funds in the amount of $4,716,991 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois, is the contracting activity. NAVY BAE Systems Land and Armaments L.P., Armament Systems Division, Louisville, Kentucky, is awarded an $80,384,866 firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to previously awarded contract N00174-19-C-0004 for five overhauled/upgraded MK45 Mod 4 Gun mounts and their associated components. Work will be performed in Louisville, Kentucky, and is expected to be completed by June 2025. Fiscal 2020 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy; 60%); and fiscal 2019 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy; 40%), funding in the amount of $80,384,866 will be obligated at time of award and not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Indian Head Division, Indian Head, Maryland, is the contracting activity. Lockheed Martin Sippican Inc., Marion, Massachusetts, is awarded a $72,171,182 firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee and cost only modification to previously awarded contract N00024-16-C-6412 to exercise options for the production of MK 48 Mod 7 Heavyweight guidance and control sections, upgrade Common Broadband Advanced Sonar System kits and torpedo equipment and support. This modification combines purchases for the Navy (87%); and the governments of Australia (7%); Taiwan (5%); and Turkey (1%) under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program. Work will be performed in Marion, Massachusetts (81%); Braintree, Massachusetts (18%); and Lemont Furnace, Pennsylvania (1%), and is expected to be completed by December 2023. Fiscal 2020 weapons procurement (Navy; 86%); FMS and Armament Cooperative Program (13%); and fiscal 2018 weapons procurement (Navy; 1%), funding in the amount of $72,171,182 will be obligated at the time of award, of which, $180,003 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity. Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., a Lockheed Martin Co., Stratford, Connecticut, is awarded a $52,761,020 modification (P00097) to previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract N00019-14-C-0050. This modification procures support equipment and additional spares in support of VH-92A aircraft Lot II low rate initial production. Work will be performed in Stratford, Connecticut (70%); Woodland, Washington (17%); Owego, New York (9%); and Cedar Rapids, Iowa (4%), and is expected to be completed by December 2022. Fiscal 2020 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $52,761,020 will be obligated at the time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. Skookum Educational Programs, Bremerton, Washington, is being awarded a $40,327,106 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity modification for the exercise of Option Two for base operations support services at various installations in the Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Northwest area of responsibility (AOR). The work to be performed provides for facility maintenance services including janitorial services, grounds maintenance, facility investment, pest control, regulated medical waste, chemical toilets, pavement clearance, lighting maintenance and warehousing services. After award of this option, the total cumulative contract value will be $111,812,749. Work will be performed in the NAVFAC Northwest AOR, including but not limited to, Washington (96%); Idaho (1%); Minnesota (1%); Montana (1%); and Oregon (1%). This option period is from October 2020 to September 2021. No funds will be obligated at time of award. Fiscal 2021 operations and maintenance (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $33,201,547 for recurring work will be obligated on individual task orders issued during the option period. The contract was awarded under the AbilityOne program, Federal Acquisitions Regulation Part 8.7, Acquisition from Non-Profit Agencies Employing People Who Are Blind or Severely Handicapped. Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Northwest, Silverdale, Washington, is the contracting activity (N44255-18-D-5009). Skookum Educational Programs, Bremerton, Washington, is awarded a $31,157,545 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity modification for the exercise of Option Three for base operations support services at various installations in the Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Northwest area of responsibility (AOR). The work to be performed provides for all management and administration, facilities management and investment, pest control, integrated solid waste, pavement clearance, utilities management, base support vehicles and equipment and environmental services for base operations support services. After award of this option, the total cumulative contract value will be $119,425,916. Work will be performed at various installations in the NAVFAC Northwest AOR, including but not limited to, Washington (90%); Alaska (1%); Idaho (1%); Iowa (1%); Minnesota (1%); Montana (1%); Nebraska (1%); North Dakota (1%); Oregon (1%); South Dakota (1%); and Wyoming (1%). This option period is from October 2020 to September 2021. No funds will be obligated at time of award. Fiscal 2021 operations and maintenance (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $23,270,333 will be obligated on individual task orders issued during the option period. The contract was awarded under the AbilityOne program, Federal Acquisitions Regulation Part 8.7, Acquisition from Non-Profit Agencies Employing People Who Are Blind or Severely Handicapped. Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Northwest, Silverdale, Washington, is the contracting activity (N44255-17-D-4039). Clark Construction Group LLC, Bethesda, Maryland, is awarded an $18,372,142 firm-fixed-price contract for construction of a taxiway at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland. The work to be performed will construct a new taxiway utilizing economical construction methods to satisfy operational and mission requirements at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland. Construction includes demolition of existing pavement, construction of storm water management facilities, taxiway lighting, site preparation, full depth concrete pavement with asphalt shoulders and all other supports necessary to make a complete and usable taxiway. Work will be performed in Camp Springs, Maryland, and is expected to be completed by January 2022. Fiscal 2018 other procurement (Air Force) contract funds in the amount of $18,372,142 are obligated on this award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Pursuant to Federal Acquisitions Regulation 6.302-1(a)(2)(iii), which authorizes the use of other than full and open competition when there is only one available source, this contract was sole-sourced to Clark Construction Group LLC, because of their uniquely qualified and position to perform the required work. Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Washington, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity (N40080-20-C-0024). Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems, Tewksbury, Massachusetts, is awarded a $17,024,177 firm-fixed-price modification to previously awarded order N00024-20-F-5518 under basic ordering agreement N00024-18-G-5501 for dual band radar spares in support of DDG 1000. Work will be performed in Tewksbury, Massachusetts (50%); Andover, Massachusetts (27%); Portsmouth, Massachusetts (14%); and Marlborough, Massachusetts (9%), and is expected to be completed by July 2024. Fiscal 2020 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy; 94%); fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Navy; 3%); fiscal 2020 other procurement (Navy; 2%); fiscal 2019 other procurement (Navy; less than 1%); and fiscal 2018 other procurement (Navy; less than 1%), funding in the amount of $17,024,177 will be obligated at time of award, of which, funds in the amount of $542,009 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity. Niking Corp.,* Wahiawa, Hawaii, is awarded a $16,406,600 firm-fixed-price contract for construction of a new entry control point (ECP) facility and security improvements at the perimeter gate on Mokapu Road, Marine Corps Base, Hawaii. The work to be performed includes construction of a new ECP facility and security improvements to meet anti-terrorism/force protection requirements. The ECP facilities will include an overwatch tower and station, generator/toilet/communications building, gate/controls house with a guard booth and canopy and a privately-owned-vehicle inspection area with canopy. Work will be performed in Kaneohe, Hawaii, and is expected to be completed by January 2022. Fiscal 2018 military construction (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $16,406,600 are obligated on this award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the beta.SAM.gov website with four proposals received. Naval Facilities Engineering Command Pacific, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, is the contracting activity (N62742-20-C-1304). Hydroid Inc., Pocasset, Massachusetts, is awarded a $16,301,288 modification to previously awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract N00174-19–D-0010 to exercise option year one for engineering support and training services for the MK 18 Family of Systems (FOS) – Unmanned Underwater Vehicle systems. Work will be performed in Pocasset, Massachusetts, and is expected to be completed by September 2021. No funding is being obligated at modification award but according to future task orders. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Indian Head Division, Indian Head, Maryland, is the contracting activity. Diversified Service Contracting Inc., Dunn, North Carolina, is awarded a $15,871,115 firm-fixed-price modification for the exercise of an option for the base operating support services contract at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland. The work to be performed provides for recurring and non-recurring facility maintenance, janitorial services, pest control services, grounds maintenance, sweeping and snow removal, base support vehicles and equipment. After award of this option, the total cumulative contract value will be $117,616,402. Work will be performed in Patuxent River, Maryland, and is expected to be completed by September 2021. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $6,582,754 are obligated on this award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This award is issued under Federal Acquisition Regulation Part 6.302-2 Unusually and Compelling Urgency. The purpose of this modification is to ensure critical services continue as the agency responds to a post-award protest on the re-procurement of this contract. No funds will be obligated at the time of award. Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Washington, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity (N40080-11-D-3020). North Star Scientific Corp.,* Kapolei, Hawaii, is awarded a $13,211,025 cost-plus-fixed-fee, firm-fixed-price order (N68335-20-F-0003) against previously issued basic ordering agreement N68335-19-G-0037. This order provides for continued research and development efforts for Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) products for the High Gain Ultra High Frequency Electronically Scanned Antenna under SBIR topic N06-125 titled, “L-Band Solid-State High Power Amplifier for Airborne Platforms.” Further development and research efforts will provide one prototype radar transceiver assembly, one high power balanced amplifier, and various laboratory and radome parts. Additionally, it will provide data deliverables to include technical reports and hardware design descriptions. Work will be performed in Kapolei, Hawaii (76%); Stockton, California (12%); San Diego, California (6%); Newark, Delaware (3%); and San Ramon, California (3%), and is expected to be completed by September 2022. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $5,279,534; and fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $7,931,491 will be obligated at time of award, $7,931,491 of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Lakehurst, New Jersey, is the contracting activity. Sierra Nevada Corp., Sparks, Nevada, is awarded a $10,550,368 firm-fixed-price order (N68335-20-F-0809) against previously issued basic ordering agreement N68335-19-G-0013. This order procures hardware components for 30 Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Common Automatic Recovery System version 2 tracking subsystems for the Fire Scout Unmanned Aerial Vehicle in support of Webster Outlying Field Air Traffic Control and Landing Systems Division. Work will be performed in Sparks, Nevada, and is expected to be completed by September 2022. Fiscal 2018 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $3,516,789; fiscal 2019 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $4,923,505; and fiscal 2020 aircraft procurement (Navy), funds in the amount of $2,110,074 will be obligated at time of award, $3,516,789 of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Lakehurst, New Jersey is the contracting activity. Lockheed Martin Corp., Rotary and Mission Systems, Liverpool, New York, is awarded an $8,890,000 firm-fixed-price modification to previously awarded contract N00024-20-C-5503 to exercise options for increased low rate initial production quantities of Surface Electronic Warfare Improvement Program AN/SLQ-32C(V)6. Work will be performed in Liverpool, New York (78%); and Lansdale, Pennsylvania (22%), and is expected to be completed by January 2022. Fiscal 2020 other procurement (Navy) funding in the amount of $8,890,000 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, D.C. is the contracting activity. L-3 Technologies Inc. KEO, a subsidiary of L3Harris Technologies Inc., Northampton, Massachusetts, was awarded a cost-plus fixed-fee contract with a potential value of $7,952,871 with options. This effort is to procure Multi-Function Mast (OE-538B) Antenna Group and upgrade kits as a second source. The Navy requires delivery of first antenna within 18 months of contract award and the second antenna within 24 months of contract award. This contract includes options for engineering services and provisional items required to support installations, repairs and sustainment, and if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to an estimated $7,952,871. If all options are exercised, work could continue until August 2024. Work will be performed in Northampton, Massachusetts, with an expected completion date of August 2024. Fiscal 2020 other procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $6,452,871 will be obligated at the time of award. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract is awarded as a sole-source under the under the authority of 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(3) - "Industrial Mobilization; Engineering, Development or Research Capability or Expert Services." The Naval Information Warfare Systems Command, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity (N00039-20-C-0030). (Awarded Sept. 21, 2020) *Small business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2358917/source/GovDelivery/

Jen Judson WASHINGTON — Partnering helicopters and unmanned aircraft just a few years ago meant that a pilot could control a drone to fly ahead to conduct reconnaissance. Maybe it meant a pilot could control payloads or even the weapon systems on that drone. But at Project Convergence at Yuma Proving Ground, Arizona, this month, manned-unmanned teaming took on a far more advanced meaning. The Army's Future Vertical Lift team rolled into the service's weeks-long “campaign of learning” with 19 semi truck trailers and almost 200 people, Brig. Gen. Wally Rugen, who is in charge of the Army's FVL modernization efforts, told Defense News in a Sept. 22 interview. The effort brings together future weapons and capabilities envisioned for a 2030s battlefield against near-peer adversaries such as Russia and China. It includes using a machine learning and artificial intelligence-enabled battle management system that is in development. Rugen said he was “very, very proud” to see technology at the event mature to the point that allowed for data to be pushed across networks “faster than we've done in the past” through a tight-knit kill chain that included space, air and ground assets underpinned by Assured Position, Navigation and Timing (APNT) and an advanced network. The team had 127 technical objectives it wanted to meet through 11 use cases and the three mission threads. The breadth of the effort reflects that the Army is at a critical juncture when it comes to modernizing its fleet. The service is attempting to develop and field both a Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA) and Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) as well as a variety of Air-Launched Effects (ALE) capabilities along with a modular open system architecture that makes it easier to upgrade and modernize as time goes on. Leaders want all of this by 2030. The next level of algorithmic warfare A year ago, the Army's Architecture, Automation, Autonomy and Interfaces capability, or A3I, was put to the test at China Lake, California. In that effort, an operator with a tablet in the back of an MH-47 Chinook cargo helicopter took control of a Gray Eagle drone and tasked it to fire a small, precision-glide munition at an enemy target located on the ground. At the last second, a higher level threat was detected and the munition was rapidly redirected toward a different threat, taking it out within seconds. At Project Convergence, the final shot of the campaign came from a soldier on the ground taking control of a Long-Range Precision Fires (LRPF) munition surrogate (a Hellfire missile) on a Gray Eagle — representing a FARA — and firing on the target. This takes critical seconds out of the operation as the pilot of the aircraft wouldn't have to focus on trying to locate the target himself, aiming and firing the missile. At China Lake, the Army was able to use automation to reroute the Gray Eagle around poor weather. This year the aircraft were avoiding threat weapon systems, Rugen said. And while the Dynetics GBU-69 small glide munition used last year was inert, this time the Army used live rounds. The Army also used an open system architecture that was flexible enough for payloads and capabilities to be swapped in out of its A3I Gray Eagles without having to rely on the original equipment manufacturer to do it, Rugen highlighted. Multidomain aviation During the first mission thread, which focused on the penetration phase laid out in the Army's Multidomain Operations warfighting concept, aircraft partnered with space-based assets, APNT, and LRPF capabilities to locate, then degrade and destroy enemy assets modeled after the Russian Pantsir air defense systems and other weapons. The ALE pushed ingested data forward through the network to get it to the right shooters, whether that would be an Extended Range Cannon Artillery (ERCA) system on the ground or a Gray Eagle or another ALE. During the exercise, the team launched six ALEs “flooding the zone with our drones for the first time and we did that multiple times over,” Rugen said. Flooding the zone brought a variety of capabilities to the overall force during the three phases of operations. First, the Army was able to extend the ALE capability out to almost 62 kilometers, which provides deep standoff for manned aircraft like FARA. “For a division commander,” Rugen said, “that's just transforming his or her battlefield geometry.” The ALEs performed both the reconnaissance, surveillance and targeting acquisition mission and worked as a mesh network to extend the battlefield. Two ALEs were truck launched and four were air launched. “We did prove we could launch up to 80 knots forward speed on our FARA surrogate aircraft,” Rugen said. The team was also able to recover all of its ALEs from the operation using the Flying Launch and Recovery System (FLAReS). Rather than letting the drones belly land in the sand or on a runway, which would result in damage, FLAReS has a hook on the edge of the wing that catches the ALE's wing in flight. “It's been wonderful to see that innovation,” Rugen said. In a classified operation related to the penetration phase of battle, an ALE dropped off a Gray Eagle at an operationally relevant altitude for the first time, Rugen noted. In the dis-integrate mission thread, which aims to destroy and disrupt subcomponents of enemy capability such as command and control systems and intelligence capabilitiesas well as other critical nodes, the ALEs helped refine targeting information in a GPS-denied environment and passed it back to the ERCA system for long-range shots. In that phase, a Gray Eagle, serving as a “munitions mule,” flew outside of the enemy weapon engagement zone, and another aircraft took control of a sensor-enabled munition deployed from the Gray Eagle. In the third mission phase, where the goal is to exploit freedom of maneuver gained in the penetrate and dis-integrate phases in order to defeat enemy objectives, the air assets and Next-Generation Combat Vehicles were able to pass information back and forth using an internally developed system called Firestorm that works as the machine-to-machine brain. During the phase, the team was able to demonstrate the ability to automatically route the engagement, Rugen said. This means the aircraft or vehicle was able to ingest data and then the machine automatically sets up its route to engage the target with no involvement from the pilot. “Keeping the aviator out of it was the ingenious thing we were able to do,” Rugen said. Project Convergence also wasn't just about the technology but the tactics, techniques and procedures through which the Army worked, according to Rugen. “We're not just hitting the technology button here,” he said. “Some of it is the advanced ingress techniques against our pacing threats.” Overall, the interoperability between various battlefield capabilities from the ground all the way to space was an achievement, according to Rugen. "I'm not saying it's flawless, but we are not in our stove pipes and it's made us, at times, uncomfortable. But being uncomfortable is not necessarily bad. “We definitely had to converge because we were forced to, and there was some forcing to it, but it's been great,” he added. https://www.defensenews.com/land/2020/09/23/flooding-the-zone-future-aviation-capability-tightens-kill-chain-at-project-convergence/

Christina Mackenzie PARIS – The French Ministry of the Armed Forces has announced a firm order for a second tranche of the Jaguar and Griffon armored vehicles that lie at the core of its ambitious Scorpion program to reconfigure how its army wages war. This second tranche is for 42 Jaguar combat and reconnaissance armored vehicles and 271 Griffon multirole armored vehicles. The first tranche, ordered in 2017, was for 319 Griffons and 20 Jaguars. So far the Army has received 105 Griffons and earlier this month took two of them to Djibouti, in the Horn of Africa. Forces there are testing them in hot, desert conditions before the first vehicles are deployed to Mali next year in support of France's Barkhane anti-terrorist operation. The first four Jaguars are scheduled for delivery to the army before the end of this year. The Griffon and Jaguar are both manufactured by a conglomerate of three major French defense industries: Nexter, Arquus and Thales. The latest delivery of 13 Griffons was to the 21st Marine Infantry Regiment which received them in July. The regiment's Scorpion officer, described in an army video only as “Major Laurent” in keeping with French security protocol for lower-ranking officers, praised the vehicle for its speed, precise firing system and armor. “So far, we have trained 16 pilots and eight instructors. They will then be responsible within the Regiment for training our pilots and our gunners,” the officer said. Other regiments that have already received the Griffon are the 3rd Marine Infantry Regiment, the 13th Battalion of Chasseurs Alpins and the 1st Infantry Regiment. Sign up for our Early Bird Brief Get the defense industry's most comprehensive news and information straight to your inbox Subscribe According to Col. Tugdual Barbarin, commander of the 3rd Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment (RPIMA), his formation will not be equipped with the Griffon as planned but, instead, will be getting the Serval, the third of the new vehicles being developed in the Scorpion program. This decision, he said, was made by Army Chief of Staff Gen. Thierry Burkhard earlier this month. France's 2019-2025 military program law has imposed an acceleration in deliveries of the Scorpion vehicles, establishing that 50 percent of the 1,872 Griffons and 300 Jaguars which the Ministry of the Armed Forces expects to order in total must be delivered by 2025. That means the army will have 936 Griffons and 150 Jaguars by the end of 2024. https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2020/09/23/french-forces-to-get-new-batch-of-jaguar-griffon-armored-vehicles/

Aaron Mehta WASHINGTON — While the phrase “tsunami of data” seems to have exited everyday use by Defense Department officials, the problem remains the same: The Pentagon simply cannot exploit the sheer amount of information that comes in every day to its fullest. It's a challenge that will only get worse as more sources of information come online, with each branch having its own data sets, which often don't talk to each other. At the same time, the lack of ability to properly sort, catalog and exploit the data means the department cannot fully achieve its goals of using artificial intelligence to its fullest. After almost a decade of talking about the problem, military leaders appear to have a target date for when the department will get its arms around the problem, according to Gen. John Hyten, the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. By 2030, the Pentagon expects handling data will no longer be an overwhelming challenge, Hyten said Monday during an event organized by the Defense Innovation Unit. But, he added, the department is looking at any way to move that date closer, including by reworking how requirements are developed in the Joint Requirements Oversight Council, or JROC, a group chaired by Hyten, which serves as an oversight body on the development of new capabilities and acquisition efforts. Currently, “a service develops the capability, it comes up through the various coordination boards in the JROC, eventually getting to the JROC where we validate a service concept and make sure it meets the joint interoperability requirement,” Hyten explained. “But what was intended is the JROC would develop joint requirements and push those out to the services and tell the services ‘you have to meet those joint requirements.'” To get back to that top-down model, Hyten plans to push out a list of joint requirements for two major department priorities in all domain command and control and logistics for joint fires, which will have specific requirements for data and software. “They're not going to be the traditional requirements that you've looked at for years, capability description documents and capability production documents. They're going to capabilities and attributes that programs have to have,” he said. “And if you don't meet these, you don't meet the joint requirements and therefore you don't get through the gate, you don't get money. That's how we're going to hold it.” Hyten added that the goal is to have those data requirements out to the services around the end of the year, shortly after the expected publication of the new joint warfighting concept. That concept — which Hyten has previously described as essentially eliminating lines between units and services on the battlefield — inherently relies on the ability to combine data to be successful, he noted. https://www.defensenews.com/pentagon/2020/09/23/hyten-to-issue-new-joint-requirements-on-handling-data/

Burak Ege Bekdil ANKARA— Turkish government officials and industry executives are hoping to find new sales in what they see as emerging export markets in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. “These are promising markets for Turkish manufacturers,” said one senior procurement official. A Turkish diplomat familiar with the three countries said that “smooth, friendly, problem-free political relations” with all three Asian countries promise export deals for Turkish companies. “As more Turkish-made systems become combat-proven [by local use], interest from those countries will increase,” he said. Hakan Kurt, chairman of Capital Exhibition, calls Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan as “hot markets” for Turkish defense and aerospace industries. Capital Exhibition organizes Defence Port Turkey South Asia. “Turkish manufacturers do not have the problem of ‘lack of sellable platforms' like they had a decade ago,” Kurt said. Kurt expects that Turkish defense and aerospace exports to the three Asian countries could reach $5 billion in the next 10 years. Turkey's overall defense exports stood at $2.74 billion in 2019, down from the official target of $3 billion. A defense specialist in Ankara advised caution about Asian markets. “These countries need hardware. They have good political ties with Turkey. But their economies are often cash-strapped. Turkey may also have licensing problems in any potential export deal as it depends on foreign technology for local production,” he said. In 2018, Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) signed a $1.5 billion agreement to sell a batch of 30 T129 attack helicopters to Pakistan. But the deal has not moved forward as TAI has failed to secure U.S. export licenses for the contract. The T129 is a twin-engine multirole attack helicopter produced under license from the Italian-British company AgustaWestland. It's powered by two LHTEC T800-4A turboshaft engines. Each engine can produce 1,014 kilowatts of output power. The T800-4A is an export version of the CTS800 engine. LHTEC, the maker of the engine, is a joint venture between the American firm Honeywell and the British company Rolls-Royce. The defense specialist said that most likely Turkish hardware to go into Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan would include naval vessels and patrol boats (except Afghanistan), smart ammunition, drones and armored vehicles. https://www.defensenews.com/global/2020/09/23/turkey-eyes-new-markets-for-exports/

Steve Trimble Developing larger and longer-ranged fighters, weaponizing the Boeing KC-46 fleet, and possibly fielding a new type of unmanned, small and stealthy tanker are all now in discussion by U.S. Air Force leaders, assistant secretary of the Air Force Will Roper said on Sept. 23. As the head of acquisition, technology and logistics, Roper said he and the new chief of Air Mobility Command, Gen. Jacqueline Van Ovost, are “excited” now about the direction of the long-troubled KC-46 program, as the Air Force and Boeing continue to finalize the Remote Vision System 2.0 upgrade. The KC-46's turnaround, Roper said, is allowing acquisition and mobility officials to turn their attention to addressing another Air Force refueling problem: How to solve a yawning gap between refueling capacity and operational need for inflight refueling, especially at the forward edge of a ring of contested airspace, where large and, for now, relatively defenseless aircraft such as the KC-46 are most vulnerable. Building a more survivable and responsive air refueling capability that can be used in a contested war zone was the focus of a meeting this week between Roper and Van Ovost, he said. “One of those next strategic questions for the Air Force is going to be can you defend a tanker against an onslaught of fighters who know that every tanker you kill, it's like killing a lot of fighters or bombers or drones that it supports,” Roper said. Roper prefers not to take a one-size-fits-all solution, such as a single major new acquisition program that buys only one type of aircraft. Instead, the Air Force should evaluate the solution to the contested aerial refueling problem as an architecture, with multiple options that can be dialed back and forth. One option for reducing demand on tankers is a new fighter aircraft that is designed to carry more fuel. “Maybe having [the] small, currently sized fighters is not the way to go in [the] future,” Roper said. “And since we're all abuzz with digital engineering and thinking about what the future fighter force could look like, thinking about bigger fighters is a natural question.” Another way to make the KC-46 fleet more survivable, and thus operate closer to the forward edge of contested airspace, is to weaponize the aircraft, he said. “We don't put weapons and sensors on tankers to shoot down aircraft, but the current KC-46 is a big airplane with the ability to mount sensors and weapons under the wings,” Roper said. “We just don't do it because we can use a fighter combat air patrol to defend high-value assets.” The Air Force also may need a different kind of tanker in the future, he said. Two options are possible: A larger aircraft than the KC-46 that could carry more fuel, but needs to stay farther away from potential threats, or much smaller, unmanned and stealthy “micro-tankers” that could operate much closer or even inside defended airspace, Roper said. “I expect that as we really look at airpower in the truly contested environment that we'll be looking at fuel very strategically,” Roper said. https://aviationweek.com/defense-space/aircraft-propulsion/usaf-discussing-larger-fighters-weaponized-kc-46-roper-says

Michael Tint The COVID-19 crisis has hit the commercial MRO industry hard. How is the military aftermarket sector faring? Michael Tint, head of defense analytics at Aviation Week, responds: COVID-19 has not caused military aviation anything like the degree of disruption it has for civil aviation. Defense budgets for 2020 were largely allocated before its onset, and there have been only minor reductions in military operations as a result of the pandemic. Procurement has been similarly steady, with only small production delays so far. However, the nature of military budgeting in most countries means that major cuts in spending will not be felt for at least a year or two. Meanwhile, rising global tensions are likely to ensure that defense spending remains a priority—even if the longer-term economic consequences of the pandemic prove severe. Growing Military Engine Repair, 2020-29 (U.S. $ billions) Jet engines powering Western-designed fighters and training aircraft will generate $50.5 billion in maintenance, repair and overhaul demand over the next decade—rising from $4.5 billion in 2020 to $5.6 billion in 2029, for a compound annual growth rate of 2.05%. Most of the growth will come from Pratt & Whitney's F135, the engine on Lockheed Martin's F-35. As military flying continues, so too must military engine maintenance, repair and overhaul. Aviation Week forecasts that $85.4 billion dollars will be spent on depot-level engine maintenance for Western-designed military aircraft over the next decade. Of this total, $50.5 billion will be spent on the engines powering fighters and jet-powered trainers. Demand for these engines will rise from $4.5 billion in 2020 to $5.6 billion in 2029, a compound annual growth rate of 2.05%. General Electric F404/F414s in Boeing's F/A-18 and T-7, Saab's Gripen, and KAI's KF-X and T-50 will produce the largest share of this demand (22.4%), but most of the growth will come from Pratt & Whitney F135s powering Lockheed Martin F-35s. Demand for this engine will rise from $424 million in 2020 to $1.4 billion in 2029, a rate of 14.19% per year https://aviationweek.com/mro/hows-military-aftermarket-sector-faring-amid-covid-19-crisis