Nouvelles

By: Aaron Mehta WASHINGTON — As the Pentagon focuses on developing new technologies such as artificial intelligence and directed energy, department officials have declared the need to ensure foreign nations are not buying their way into the defense-industrial base. But a new report warns China may already have ownership over a key focus: hypersonic weapons. Hypersonic missiles, which are capable of going faster than five times the speed of sound, are expected to become a backbone of the U.S. military in the coming decades. As part of its annual Federal Scorecard, data and analytics firm Govini found that tier one suppliers in the hypersonic supply chain — seven major companies that are working most closely with the Department of Defense on the technology development — has done a good job of keeping Chinese-owned companies out of the process. But at the tier three level, where companies provide smaller but still critical components, the exposure to Chinese suppliers jumps to nearly 10 percent. And that exposure grows slightly by the time it reaches tier five suppliers, with Govini seeing signs of overlap among companies at those lower levels. “This does not necessarily mean that Chinese parts are ending up in DoD'a hypersonics,” explained Jim Mitre, Govini's senior vice president for strategy and analysis. “However, China may have opportunities to jeopardize the development [of] hypersonics through engagement in the supply chain, and it's critically important for DoD and industry to ensure that's not the case.” That is “an area that we're regularly working with the department on exploring and unpacking” to understand the challenges in the supply chain, Mitre added. A series of Pentagon reports in the last two years have raised concerns about the defense-industrial base, particularly when it comes to high-end materials and design knowledge for missiles. In some cases, the only supplier for critical materials come from China, the exact country the U.S. is looking to counter by investing in hypersonic weapons. In March, the Pentagon announced it was launching a deep dive into the hypersonic industrial base specifically to understand the vulnerabilities at the lower-tier suppliers. That study is ongoing. Meanwhile, officials have acknowledged that smaller suppliers have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Govini also found that the U.S. is under investing compared to China in the realm of quantum technologies, with the Pentagon's fiscal 2021 research, development, testing and evaluation budget for quantum-related programs decreasing by nearly 10 percent from the previous year. The department has requested $3.2 billion for RDT&E funds related to hypersonic weapons in FY21. https://www.defensenews.com/pentagon/2020/06/09/is-china-already-inside-americas-hypersonic-industrial-base/

By: Valerie Insinna WASHINGTON — The U.S. Air Force is on track to finalize a business case for its ambitious next-generation fighter this summer, its top acquisition official said Tuesday, and the results could be a make or break moment for the program. The Air Force wants to radically shift its future fighter program — also known as Next Generation Air Dominance — to a model that the service's acquisition executive Will Roper calls the “Digital Century Series.” This model would use new development techniques like digital engineering, open architecture and advances in software development techniques like DevSecOps to field advanced aircraft more quickly and cheaply. At least, that's the theory. Last September, Roper told Defense News that the program's first order of business would be to present an acquisition strategy that would prove whether the Digital Century Series program is technologically feasible, how it should be structured and whether it would be cheaper than traditional forms of development. Now, the plan is almost ready, Roper said during a Tuesday event held by the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies. “I hope to have the acquisition plan for NGAD rolling into the Digital Century Series this summer,” he said. “I don't want to go more specific than that and timeline and drumbeat for the team, because I have given them an unprecedented task.” The Digital Century Series is much different than the Air Force's initial sixth-generation fighter project, known as Penetrating Counter Air, which the service wanted to field the early 2030s. That jet would be part of a networked family of systems that include drones, sensors and other platforms formed after a decade of prototyping efforts. In contrast, the Digital Century Series model would require multiple defense contractors to develop new fighter jets in a matter of years using whatever technological advances have recently emerged. The Air Force would then downselect to a single vendor, buy a small number of aircraft and restart the process — allowing for companies to constantly be designing and producing planes. The entire process, Roper said, could take as little as five years. In October, Col. Dale White was named head of the program executive office for advanced aircraft, which manages the NGAD portfolio of systems and oversees the Digital Century Series acquisition plan. That program office will become PEO Fighters and Advanced Aircraft at the end of June, with White having been selected for promotion to brigadier general. The Air Force has asked for $1 billion for the NGAD program in fiscal 2021. It received $905 million for the program the previous year. However, it's likely the Air Force will need to greatly increase that sum in future budgets. Roper has projected that aircraft development under a Digital Century Series model could be more expensive than legacy methods due to having multiple companies under contract and requiring them to design and prototype aircraft very quickly. However, he also believes sustainment and modernization costs will be far lower. If that theory can be proved out in the acquisition strategy, Congress might more likely agree to fund an unconventional, experimental program. “How long we keep the aircraft is one of the variables that they are weighing [as part of the business case]. How many years make sense? It's clearly not two, three, four, five, but we don't want it to be 30 either. So they're looking at that,” Roper said Tuesday. “They're looking at the amount of modernization that would be expected — what we would expect that to cost and if it gets easier with digital tools. And then summing it all up to see whether the cost of having a lethal airplane per year is less than for the Digital Century Series model than for the traditional." “If it is, that is going to really help us, I hope, because we'll show that data and argue that it is not just better from a ‘competing with China and lethality' standpoint. It's just better from a business standpoint,” Roper said. “If it breaks even or is less [than traditional methods], I will be exceptionally happy. If it's more expensive — and I hope not exceptionally more — then we're going to have to argue” on behalf of the program. https://www.defensenews.com/air/2020/06/09/this-summer-could-be-a-make-or-break-moment-for-the-air-forces-next-fighter-program/

By: Valerie Insinna WASHINGTON — The U.S. Air Force will delay a full-rate production milestone for the KC-46 aerial refueling tanker to the end of fiscal 2024 to correspond with a fix for one of the aircraft's key systems, the service announced late Monday. The Pentagon's independent weapons tester — Director of Operational Test and Evaluation Robert Behler — intends to conclude operational testing of the KC-46 only after prime contractor Boeing fixes the tanker's critical deficiencies and has finalized its production configuration. “Accordingly, the Air Force will defer the KC-46 full rate production decision until after the completion of [initial operational test and evaluation], and the receipt of the statutorily-required Beyond Low Rate Initial Production report from [Behler],” the Air Force said in a statement. The KC-46 program has several remaining category 1 deficiencies, the term used by the Pentagon to describe the most serious form of technical problems. Two of the deficiencies involve the aircraft's remote vision system, which is a series of cameras and sensors used by the boom operator to see outside the KC-46 and refuel other aircraft. The Air Force has contended that the RVS does not properly function in all weather and lighting conditions; the service has refused to deploy the KC-46 until the problem is fixed. Boeing in April agreed to completely redesign the system on its own dime, which will take until at least 2023. One other issue involves the KC-46 boom, which was developed to meet NATO-specific requirements but cannot refuel the A-10 aircraft. The Air Force is paying to redesign the boom actuator, as the service signed off on the original design and did not realize until afterward that it did not meet the specifications needed to refuel the A-10. In March, the Air Force announced an additional category 1 deficiency after maintainers found fuel leaking between the tanker's primary and secondary fuel protection barriers. It is unclear whether this is still a problem, as Boeing had already developed a fix and began retrofitting aircraft when the issue was revealed. “Given its confidence in deficiency resolution timelines for both the aerial refueling boom and Remote Vision System, the Air Force is rescheduling the KC-46's Full Rate Production Decision milestone to late Fiscal Year 2024,” the service stated. The Air Force notes that delaying the full-rate production decision will not affect the program's cost — which is locked into place courtesy of a firm, fixed-price deal with Boeing that holds the contractor financially responsible for cost overruns;nor will it cause the service to alter its current delivery schedule. Boeing is already producing KC-46s at “full rate,” which for the program is 15 tankers per year. It delivered the first KC-46 to McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas, in January 2019. Since then, Altus Air Force Base, Oklahoma, and Pease Air National Guard Base, New Hampshire, have also taken on new KC-46s. Boeing is set to produce 179 KC-46s over the program of record. The company has racked up cost overruns of about $4.6 billion in excess of the $4.9 billion contract it was awarded in 2011. https://www.defensenews.com/air/2020/06/09/the-air-force-delays-a-full-rate-production-decision-for-the-kc-46/

By: Wayne Prender and David Phillips To counter expected adversary anti-access/area denial strategies, U.S. naval forces will face significant challenges resupplying dispersed units under emerging distributed operations concepts, particularly in the large geographical distances of the Western Pacific. Future Marine littoral regiments, for example, will require layers of manned and unmanned vessels capable of moving personnel and materiel in decentralized operations to complicate enemy decision-making and targeting. Naval leaders have made clear such decentralized resupply of small, but lethal, expeditionary teams is key to defeating anti-access/area denial threats. With the Department of the Navy already challenged to affordably build and sustain a larger combat fleet, designing, buying and commissioning significant numbers of purpose-built craft solely for this purpose is not ideal. Rather, the Navy should look to adapt fleets of scaled derivative versions of existing or planned naval craft types — particularly those which can be unmanned or optionally manned for specific missions. This option provides the Navy with a greater breadth of capabilities at a more affordable cost. A future fleet of unmanned logistical connectors can leverage existing and planned programs of record. The technology already exists to optionally man or unman such vessels. Appropriately scaled and tailored derivatives of these vessels would conduct logistical cargo missions when required, in addition to performing the existing vital functions the craft already carry out for the fleet. The unmanned logistics fleet would be a necessary adjunct to larger planned manned assets, such as a next-generation light amphibious warship. Naval planners will have to strike a balance between size, capability and affordability. However, even with a lower cost, the vessels must still be large and flexible enough to be capable of performing multiple missions with different payloads. The resulting craft should also be able to reliably operate autonomously over a wide range of environmental conditions at significant distances, have a light logistics footprint and possess sufficient cargo-carrying capacity. Rather than a homogeneous unmanned cargo fleet, the Navy could instead utilize several derivatives of existing vessels it already operates or has planned, which will ease any additional maintenance or training burden. Marines operating in the wide-open spaces of the Western Pacific might, for example, use larger variants capable of hauling cargo over greater distances, while units in other geographic locations are equipped with smaller versions more appropriate for their specific environments. The ability to repurpose multiple craft types would allow a more diverse fleet composition of manned and unmanned vessels teamed for mission-tailored flexibility. Moreover, craft that can accommodate interchangeable payloads would also be available to naval planners for additional missions. For example, the vessels could be equipped with a variety of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance sensors to improve fleet situational awareness while also performing the cargo resupply missions. Buying scaled derivatives of existing program craft will bring additional benefits, including cost savings through economies of scale for acquisition, while minimizing any upfront developmental costs, as hull forms, key components and systems largely already exist. Moreover, because much of the basic systems and components will be common, training, maintenance and repair functions can be streamlined, adding yet more savings over the vessels' life cycles. Likewise, the technologies for unmanning and optionally manning are well along in their development, while autonomous behaviors and autonomy technologies developed for other programs can be reused rather than having to be created anew. For example, autonomous behaviors and control technologies developed for unmanned aircraft systems can be leveraged for naval applications, while similar autonomy technologies for unmanned ground vehicles are also progressing. Within the naval domain, experimentation such as Advanced Naval Technology Exercise 2019 and Exercise Citadel Shield-Solid Curtain earlier this year have already demonstrated that unmanned surface vessels can autonomously station keep, navigate around obstacles, protect high-value assets and conduct other necessary core functions. As autonomy technologies further develop, unmanned naval craft of the size and complexity envisioned for logistics and cargo hauling will be able to add new missions and functionality. Longer term, delivery of logistical payloads to Marines on a beachhead can be done completely with unmanned platforms. For example, small to medium robotic ground vehicles loaded with supplies could be carried by one of these unmanned logistical craft. Rather than Marines exposing themselves to hostile fire while unloading supplies on the beach, robotic ground vehicles or aerial drones disembark from the vessels and deliver cargo directly to the Marines in a more secure location. Such vehicles need not be fully autonomous, but rather could be partially autonomous or remotely operated from the security of the protected location. While many details of this concept require further exploration and refinement, conducting experimentation to bring truly multidomain capabilities to bear on the resupply challenge is a worthy endeavor. Getting these and related technologies into the hands of sailors, Marines and other U.S. forces to test and refine will be the quickest and most fruitful way to develop the new concepts and field the necessary capabilities. Wayne Prender and David Phillips are senior vice presidents at Textron Systems. https://www.defensenews.com/opinion/commentary/2020/06/09/use-existing-and-planned-craft-for-unmanned-logistical-resupply/

NAVY APTIM Federal Services LLC, Alexandria, Virginia, is awarded a $129,174,167 firm-fixed-price contract for the dismantlement and disposal of the Surface Ship Support Barge, a radiologically controlled Navy support facility. Work will be performed in Mobile, Alabama (65%); Norfolk, Virginia (25%); and Andrews, Texas (10%). This contract will accomplish engineering planning efforts, dismantlement, transport and disposal of the Surface Ship Support Barge. Work is expected to be complete by June 2023. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Navy) funding in the amount of $129,174,167 will be obligated at time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via Beta.Sam.gov website and one offer was received. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity (N00024-20-C-4139). Lockheed Martin Corp., Rotary and Mission Systems, Moorestown, New Jersey, is awarded a $70,165,869 cost-plus-incentive-fee and cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to previously awarded contract N00024-18-C-5103 to exercise Option Year Two in support of Aegis development and test sites operations and maintenance. This contract combines purchases for the Navy (73.4%); and the governments of Japan, Republic of Korea and Norway (26.6%), under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program. Work will be performed in Moorestown, New Jersey. This option exercise is for the continued technical engineering, configuration management, associated equipment/supplies, quality assurance, information assurance and other operations and maintenance efforts required for the Aegis development and test sites. This contract modification will provide continuing site maintenance and planned improvements of the sites for Aegis combat system and Aegis weapon system upgrades to the U.S. Ship Ticonderoga CG-47 and U.S. Ship Arleigh Burke DDG-51 through the completion of Advanced Capability Build 20 and Technology Insertion 16, in addition to Aegis ballistic missile defense and FMS requirements. Work is expected to be complete by June 2021. Fiscal 2016 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funds; FMS Japan, Republic of Korea and Norway funds; 2020 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds; 2020 research, development, test and evaluation funds; 2020 operations and maintenance funds; and fiscal 2020 other procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $24,220,069 will be obligated at time of award. Funding in the amount of $1,886,754 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity. PAE Applied Technologies LLC, Fort Worth, Texas, is awarded a $38,556,254 modification (P00100) to previously awarded cost reimbursable, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract N00421-14-C-0038. This modification exercises an option to extend services and adds hours in support of range engineering, and operations and maintenance for the Atlantic Test Range and Atlantic Targets and Marine Operations. Work will be performed in Patuxent River, Maryland, and is expected to be complete by December 2020. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $1,933,227; fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $1,577,000; fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation (Defense-wide) funds in the amount of $982,810; fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation (Defense-wide) funds in the amount of $110,000; and fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $55,000 will be obligated at the time of award, $3,620,227 of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. Nagamine Okawa Engineers Inc.,* Honolulu, Hawaii, is awarded $30,000,000 for an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, architect-engineering contract with a maximum amount of $30,000,000 for architect-engineer services and other projects at various Navy, Marine Corps and other government facilities within the Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC), Hawaii, area of operations. All work on this contract will be performed in, but not limited to Hawaii (95%); and other South Pacific Islands (5%). The work to be performed will provide for architect-engineer services for structural projects with associated multi-discipline architect-engineer support services. The type of design and engineering services expected to be performed under this contract are primarily for request for proposal (RFP) documentation for design-bid-build structural projects with associated multi-discipline, architect-engineering support services for new construction, alteration, repair and installation of mechanical systems and associated facilities. Other design and engineering services may include, but are not limited to, design-build RFP documentation, engineering investigations/concept studies, functional analysis concept development/charrettes and post construction award services. Work is expected to be complete by June 2025. The term of the contract is not to exceed 60 months. No task orders are being issued at this time. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Navy)(O&M, N) contract funds for the minimum guarantee in the amount of $5,000 are obligated on this award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Future task orders will be funded primarily with O&M, N funds. This contract was competitively procured via the Beta.Sam.gov website and two proposals were received. The NAVFAC, Honolulu, Hawaii, is the contracting activity (N62478-20-D-5038). Archer Western Federal JV, Chicago, Illinois, is awarded $26,515,000 for firm-fixed-price task order N69450-20-F-0702 under a multiple award construction contract for the Targeting and Surveillance System facility, Naval Air Station, Jacksonville, Florida. Work will be performed in Jacksonville, Florida, and provides for construction of a new +/- 49,000 square foot Targeting And Surveillance System facility that will accommodate avionics workload, personnel and equipment for the Joint Strike Fighter program. The facility includes areas for engineering and administrative personnel. Work is expected to be complete by November 2022. Fiscal 2020 military construction (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $26,515,000 are obligated on this award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Two proposals were received for this task order. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southeast, Jacksonville, Florida, is the contracting activity (N69450-19-D-0907). General Dynamics NASSCO-Norfolk, Norfolk, Virginia, is awarded a $17,694,948 modification to previously awarded cost-plus award fee and cost-plus-incentive-fee contract N00024-16-C-4306 for the U.S. Ship Harry S Truman (CVN-75) fiscal 2020 extended continuous incremental availability. Work will be performed in Portsmouth, Virginia. An extended continuous incremental availability (ECIA) includes the planning and execution of depot-level maintenance, alterations and modifications that will update and improve the ship's military and technical capabilities. The fiscal 2020 U.S. Ship Harry S. Truman ECIA is comprised of 117 total work items. The nuclear aircraft carrier's (CVN) private sector maintenance addresses the maintenance, repair and modernization efforts for CVN 68 Class home, ported-in and visiting the Hampton Roads, Virginia, area, as well as for selected non-nuclear propulsion plant repairs while coordinating with the Naval Supervising Activity, Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY), to properly integrate their efforts with nuclear propulsion plant work conducted by NNSY. Work is expected to be complete by January 2021. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Navy); and fiscal 2020 other procurement (Navy) funding in the amount of $16,468,117 will be obligated at time of award, and funding in the amount of $17,694,948 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Mid Atlantic Regional Maintenance Center, Norfolk, Virginia, is the administrative contracting activity (N00024-16-C-4306). DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY I-Solutions Direct Inc., doing business as I-Solutions Group, Fort Washington, Pennsylvania, has been awarded a maximum $84,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for commercial metal products. 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 an 18-month bridge contract with no option periods. Locations of performance are Pennsylvania, Arkansas, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas and Wisconsin, with a Dec. 8, 2021, performance completion date. Using military services are Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2022 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE8E5-20-D-0006). Mechanix Wear, Inc.,* Valencia, California, has been awarded a maximum $7,415,000 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for Army combat-capacitive gloves. This was a competitive acquisition with six responses received. This is a one-year base contract with three one-year option periods. Locations of performance are California and Rhode Island, with a June 8, 2021, ordering period end date. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2021 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE1C1-20-D-1209). DEFENSE ADVANCED RESEARCH PROJECTS AGENCY SA Photonics Inc.,* Los Gatos, California, has been awarded a $16,361,123 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for the Blackjack Track A (Payload) Phases 2 and 3 program. Work will be performed in Los Gatos, California (89%); and Redwood City, California (11%), with an estimated completion date of March 2021. Fiscal 2020 research and development funds in the amount of $16,130,000 are being obligated at the time of award. This contract is a competitive acquisition in accordance with the original broad agency announcement, HR001118S0032. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting activity (HR001120C0095). DEFENSE HEALTH AGENCY Kreative Technologies LLC, Fairfax, Virginia, was awarded a firm-fixed-price contract in the amount of $9,996,142 for enterprise information management (EIM) support. This contract provides non-personal services for operations, sustainment and engineering support of work-flows and capabilities utilizing agile methodology that will incorporate a more efficient and streamlined process to identify, develop and deploy system updates resulting in improved user experience, system performance and system availability. The contractor will also provide system administration and user support associated with software operation and maintenance, provide Tier III application and system support remotely, and provide "tiger team" on-site support as needed. The contract scope also includes the EIM sustainment and updates of non-production environments. The contract has a period of performance for 12 months and a transition out period for three months. The contract was awarded through the Small Business Administration 8(a) Business Development Program. The place of performance is Falls Church, Virginia. The Defense Health Agency, Enterprise Medical Services Contracting Division, Joint Base San Antonio, Texas, is the contracting activity (HT001520F0024). *Small Business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2213629/source/GovDelivery/

“I certainly hope the Pentagon is not going to come back after studying this again, saying there's no need," for more Arctic infrastructure, said Sen. Dan Sullivan. "The infrastructure is not fine. It doesn't exist. And we need it to exist.” By PAUL MCLEARYon June 09, 2020 at 5:37 PM WASHINGTON: The White House today ordered a major rethink of current plans for a new Coast Guard heavy icebreaker fleet, calling for the ability to launch drones, install intelligence-collection systems, and consider “defensive armament” to “defend against threats by near-peer competitors” and consider the “potential for nuclear-powered propulsion.” The call to consider new designs for at least three ships already slated to be built over the next half-decade is a sure sign of growing concern in Washington over Russian and Chinese advances in putting more heavy, nuclear-powered ships in the water while the US remains stuck with just two 40 year-old operational breakers. The Coast Guard already has plans for three new, non-nuclear icebreakers to be built by 2026, with several medium icebreakers to follow in later years. It's not clear if the White House is asking for a complete redesign of those ships, but the memo clearly indicates a desire to expand their capabilities significantly. The memo gives acting Homeland Security secretary Chad Wolf, in conjunction with the State and Defense departments, just 60 days to come up with a plan to run a study of how to build a new icebreaking fleet that consists of “at least” three heavy polar-class security cutters that are “operationally tested and fully deployable by Fiscal Year 2029.” The ships should be able to perform “the full range of national and economic security missions (including the facilitation of resource exploration and exploitation and undersea cable laying and maintenance),” the memo states, a clear nod to worries that both China and Russia are rushing to secure natural resources long trapped under the polar ice caps. The Pentagon and Navy are slated to take part in the snap 60-day assessment, which includes a demand for recommendations for least two new bases in the US, and at least two new international bases. At least one of those bases would likely be in Alaska, meeting a years-long demand from Alaska Senator Dan Sullivan, who is waiting for the Pentagon to finish a study on a potential strategic port in his state later this summer. Sullivan managed to get language in the 2020 defense authorization bill ordering the Pentagon to study new ports in Alaska, after years of the military saying there was no need. “At long last, the federal government has woken up to the fact that the Arctic is a region of great strategic competition,” the senator said in an emailed statement. “Unfortunately, our adversaries are well ahead of the United States when it comes to Arctic infrastructure.” Noting his efforts to bring the Pentagon's attention to these issues, he added, “this presidential memo will add weight to these efforts and will send a signal to our adversaries and those who are laying claim to the Arctic that the United States will not cede ground in this strategic location.” Pentagon officials have said privately that refurbishing existing ports in Alaska for military use would be expensive, and they're not fully convinced there is a need. Sullivan, aware of those arguments, added, “I certainly hope the Pentagon is not going to come back after studying this again, saying there's no need. The infrastructure is not fine. It doesn't exist. And we need it to exist.” One congressional staffer who is familiar with with the issue said part of the problem Arctic advocates have encountered is that “there is no clear official within the Department of Defense that handles Arctic issues,” and despite some efforts on Capitol Hill to create a new deputy assistant secretary of defense for the Arctic, military leaders see the region as “not as high a priority as some other things — the Department of Defense seems to be one of the last federal agencies in the country to understand the strategic importance and relevance of the Arctic.” While the Coast Guard already has an icebreaker plan in hand, this new White House push might scramble those if the executive branch demands significant changes to the class, the first of which is slated to begin construction in 2021. As Washington ponders the possibility of building nuclear-powered icebreakers, two Russian companies are already at work building the world's most powerful nuclear breaker, the first step in an ambitious new Arctic strategy Moscow hopes will open lucrative new shipping routes in the Arctic. The country currently operates 40 icebreakers along the Northern Sea Route in the high north. Moscow has also unveiled plans to build dozens of non-nuclear new icebreakers in the coming years, including at least 13 heavy icebreakers, nine of which would be nuclear-powered, if plans laid out by Russian President Vladimir Putin hold. For its part, China has already matched the US in the number of icebreakers it has in its fleet, though only one of the two was built domestically. Beijing has expressed a desire to float a nuclear-powered breaker at some point in the future, though plans remain unclear. The first ship, MV Xuelong, was built at a Ukrainian shipyard but has since been upgraded by Chinese shipyards. https://breakingdefense.com/2020/06/white-house-orders-new-icebreaker-strategy-for-coast-guard

Jun 8, 2020 - Special Mission Aircraft which are designed and developed in IAI are used primarily for collecting strategic intelligence. Israel Aerospace Industries has received a 350$ Million Special Mission Aircraft related contract from a major European country. The Contract will be executed by IAI's ELTA Systems, a global leader in the Special Mission Aircraft domain. IAI delivered Special Mission Aircraft to Israel Defence Forces (IDF) and numerous countries worldwide, and are considered to be strategic assets. IAI is one of a select few companies which have these technology capabilities in-house. IAI achieved a major breakthrough in Special Mission Aircraft thanks to advanced sensor miniaturization technology coupled with Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning software applications, allowing high-performance business jets to be used as Special Mission Aircraft. Previously, most of the Special Mission Aircraft in the world were based on converted cargo or passenger planes. Gideon Landa, ELTA VP and GM Airborne Systems: “As part of IAI's strategy, we are bolstering our presence in Europe for leveraging our business and extending cooperation. IAI's Special Mission Aircraft offer advanced and unique technological capabilities to meet a broad range of most demanding intelligence missions. Europe represents a strategic business region for IAI, and we will continue to broaden our products and services to bring our unique technologies to the benefit of our customer's evolving operational requirements.” IAI/ELTA offers four lines of Special Mission Aircraft: AEW&C (Airborne Early Warning & Control) Aircraft utilizing AESA radar and IFF (Identification, Friend or Foe), SIGINT and Communication systems to generate and disseminate an Air and Maritime Situational Picture. It also contains an Air Battle Management and Strike Aircraft Guidance System. ELTA's CAEW (Conformal Airborne Early Warning) aircraft is fitted with a dual band AESA radar providing complete uncompromised 360° azimuthal coverage and is an example of a leading in the class system based on a business jet. IAI has entered into cooperation agreements with Airbus and Embraer to develop and market additional AEW&C aircraft variants. AGS (Air to Ground Surveillance) aircraft using advanced AESA SAR/GMTI radar, SIGINT and EO/IR sensors and an Intelligence Management System to cover large areas, providing Real-time detection, identification, tracking and distribution of surface targets from standoff range in all weather and visibility conditions. A leading product in this category is the IAI MARS2 that includes a breakthrough Digital AESA SAR/GMTI radar and latest generation SIGINT integrated with an advanced Multi-INT system, carried by a high performance business jet. MPA (Maritime Patrol Aircraft) equipped with high performance AESA radar, SIGINT and EO/IR sensors to create an up-to-date maritime picture during Search And Rescue missions, Maritime policing, Environmental Monitoring, Anti Surface Warfare (ASuW) and Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) in support of Naval and Coast Guard operations. ELTA's MPAs are based on business jets and turboprop platforms featuring the world leader combat proven ELM-2022 radar family, serving in many countries on all continents. SIGINT (Signal Intelligence) aircraft monitoring the electromagnetic spectrum to detect and accurately locate emitter arrays and communication networks, creating a complete Electromagnetic Order of Battle over the entire large arena of interest. ELTA has developed and provided most advanced SIGINT aircraft to the IDF on business jet platform and supplied airborne SIGINT systems to many Special Mission Aircraft worldwide. View source version on Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI): https://www.iai.co.il/350-million-usd-special-mission-aircraft-contract-with-major-european-country

The Army's drive to modernize by 2035 is too big for traditional five-year spending plans, acquisition chief Bruce Jette said. So he's reviving long-term economic forecasting used in the Cold War. By SYDNEY J. FREEDBERG JR.on June 09, 2020 at 12:37 PM WASHINGTON: The Army's acquisition chief says the service is sticking with its 34 top-priority programs – in the face of budget pressure from the pandemic. But most of those programs will only move from prototypes to mass production in the second half of the 2020s; then they stay in service for decades with repeated upgrades. So, assistant secretary Bruce Jette says, the Army needs to exploit new technologies like 3D printing and modular upgrades to reduce long-term costs – but also revive long-term economic forecasting techniques largely neglected since the Cold War. “At this point, we're remaining on schedule with the ‘31 plus 3,'” Jette said during an Association of the US Army webcast yesterday. (The Army divides the 34 programs this way because 31 of them, from intermediate-range missiles to smart rifles, are managed by Army Futures Command, but three of the most technologically challenging – hypersonic missiles and two types of missile defense lasers – belong to the independent Rapid Capabilities & Critical Technologies Office). But the service needs to do more planning: “A second thing in the background that we are doing is taking a look at a holistic model, an economic model of the Army.” “We are taking some steps to provide additional data in case there's a prioritization that does come down the road, due to changes in the budget profiles,” Jette said. “That business requires us to have this long-term full understanding of economics, which is what we're focused on trying to develop over the next year.” That study will help inform Army leaders if they have to make a hard choice on which of the 34 priority programs to put first – and, while Jette didn't say so aloud, which may be cut back or canceled entirely. Beyond 2026 The Pentagon normally builds its annual budget two years ahead of time. Congress is now considering the 2021 request, largely drafted in 2019. Those budgets include a less-detailed annex, called the Future Years Defense Program (FYDP) that outlines the five years ahead. Now, some of the Army's new weapons will enter service in that timeframe, in limited numbers, including new hypersonic and intermediate-range missiles in 2023. But many, including some of the most expensive, will take longer. So new armored vehicles won't enter service until 2028, new high-speed aircraft not until 2030. Actually building enough to equip a sizable combat force takes even longer. The Army aims to build a decisive counter to Russian aggression by 2028, but expect a force adequate to counter China only by 2035. “I have to have a much longer view of the battlespace, the economic battle space,” Jette said. “The objective [is] to lay a foundation upon which we can take a serious look at what the long-term implications of owning a piece of equipment,” he said. So “I'm working with the G-8 [the Army's deputy chief of staff for resourcing]. In fact, we just had a meeting on this last week to pull out some models that were actually used more in the Cold War, that we sort of let wane [during] Iraq and Afghanistan.... Next week I go up to West Point to have ORSA [Operations Research/Systems Analysis] cell up there that specifically is focused on economics.” New Tricks Now, the Army doesn't plan to simply repeat its Cold War past. The Reagan-era “Big Five” – the M1 Abrams and M2 Bradley armored vehicles, Apache and Black Hawk helicopters, and Patriot missile defense system – have been repeatedly upgraded since their inception. But these platforms are running out of room for more horsepower, armor protection, and firepower, and they were never designed to allow the constant upgrades required to keep pace with modern advances in electronics. The M1 Abrams, for instance, is literally hard-wired. “There are literally, in a tank, over a couple of tons of cabling, all tremendously expensive and all very, very structured,” said Jette, a former tanker himself. “So if you want to change something ... you have to re-cable large portions of it.” The Army must account not only for the up-front cost to research, develop, and build the new weapons, Jette emphasized, but also the much larger long-term bill to operate, maintain and upgrade them. “If we don't think about how it's going to be enhance-able, upgradable, and modified for different uses over a period of time,” he said, “we're missing things, because we do keep them for 30, 40 years. “For industry, if you have a good idea and a new component, how do we get them in a vehicle without having to replace half of the components?” he asked. That requires a new approach called modular open systems architecture that allows you to plug-and-play any new component as long as it meets certain technical standards. “By getting this much more open architecture in place on these vehicles,” he said, “we think that we're going to be able to keep them growing to the future over that 30 to 40 year period.” The Army is also eager to use digital designs, 3D printing, and other advanced manufacturing techniques so it can print out spare parts as needed, rather than stockpile vast quantities of everything it might need for every system. (Jette just visited the Army's 3-D printing hub at Rock Island Arsenal, he said enthusiastically). But this vision raises complex issues of not only managing the technical data but wrangling out the legal rights to use it. Many companies depend on the long-term revenue from selling spares and upgrades, and they're not It's a knotty intellectual property issue that Jette is keenly aware of, being a patent-holder and former small businessman himself. “I do understand ... what type of risk it is. I'll frankly admit that many of the people in the military who fundamentally only been in the military don't understand,” Jette said. “If the risk is totally on you, and it makes no economic sense, I recommend you not answering the RFP.” If too few companies respond to an official Request For Proposals, Jette said, that provides valuable feedback to the Army that maybe it's doing something wrong – feedback he can use in his own quest to educate the service. “Sometimes,” he said, “challenges to RFPs are a good way for you to help me to make sure that people understand that this is too much risk we're asking of industry.” https://breakingdefense.com/2020/06/army-study-asks-how-much-modernization-can-we-afford

Rome June 9, 2020 - Leonardo has signed a twenty-year framework agreement with the Danish Defence Acquisition and Logistics Organisation (DALO) which provides for logistics support and the possible future upgrade of the seventeen 76/62 Super Rapid Gun Mounts which are in-service on the Danish Navy's Iver Huitfeldt Class Frigates, Thetis Class Inspection Ships and Knud Rasmussen Class Inspection Ships. The agreement is worth up to a total value of 70 million Euros and can be extended in line with the needs of DALO and future budgets. The 76/62 Super Rapid (SR) Gun Mount is a lightweight, rapid-fire naval gun which delivers performance and flexibility in all air defence and anti-surface roles, particularly in an anti-missile role. The 76/62 SR is suitable for installation on ships of any type and class, including small naval units. The scope of the agreement between Leonardo and DALO ranges from basic support supplies, such as spare parts, tools and technical logistics services, up to gun upgrades and the provision of brand new 76/62 SR guns in their most up-to-date configurations. The first purchase orders are expected to be for materials necessary to maintain operational guns and for a plan to replace all original consoles with a new digital version. The deal highlights Leonardo's ability to ensure customers to perform their mission, by offering logistics solutions which maximise the value and utility of its products over time. It consolidates the Company's partnership with DALO, one of the most important customers in the naval defence systems sector, a relationship which formed in the 1980s and is projected to last long into the future. View source version on Leonardo: https://www.leonardocompany.com/en/press-release-detail/-/detail/09-06-2020-leonardo-signs-a-framework-agreement-for-the-maintenance-of-defence-systems-in-service-with-the-danish-navy