Nouvelles

By: Mike Yeo Correction: Airbus has not confirmed its H145 multipurpose helicopter will be chosen to compete in Japan's search for a new attack helicopter. TOKYO — Japan is requiring its new attack helicopters be equipped for shipboard operations, as the country looks to replace its legacy Bell/Fuji Heavy Industries AH-1S Cobra attack helos. Japan's request for information issued earlier this year called for the new helicopters to be marinized and able to operate from “expeditionary airfields or sea bases,”, said retired Lt. Gen. George Trautman, an adviser to Bell. Speaking to Defense News at the Japan International Aerospace Exhibition in Tokyo, the former U.S. Marine aviator and commander of Marine Corps aviation said the RFI requested pricing and information for “30, 40 and 50” helicopters. He added that a request for proposals is expected in the next three to four months. Apart from Bell's AH-1Z Viper offer, Japanese firm Mitsubishi Heavy Industries is proposing its UH-60J/JA Black Hawk helicopter fitted with stub wings and weapons stations. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries has produced several variants of the Black Hawk and SH-60 Seahawk for the Japan Self-Defense Forces under licence with Sikorsky since the 1990s. European manufacturer Airbus confirmed to Defense News that it is not offering its Tiger attack helicopter, and has not made a final decision on its offering. The company already has a footprint in Japan, as local emergency medical services operate the civilian H145, manufactured by Airbus. The company has also announced it is adding a maintenance, repair and overhaul complex adjacent to its existing facility in Kobe, Japan. Other possible contenders for the competition include Boeing with the AH-64E Apache as well as Italy's Leonardo with its AW249 attack helicopter currently in development. Japan already uses the Apache, with 13 license-produced AH-64Ds currently in service. However, this was a much smaller number than the 62 helicopters it originally planned to manufacture, and like neighboring South Korea, Japan is reportedly unimpressed with the performance of the Apache's Longbow radar. https://www.defensenews.com/digital-show-dailies/japan-aerospace/2018/11/29/japan-sets-naval-friendly-requirement-in-search-to-replace-ah-1s-cobra-fleet

By: Mark Pomerleau Sophisticated adversaries have been leveraging the electromagnetic spectrum to create significant dilemmas for U.S. and allied forces, say officials, and transformative efforts are needed to deal with an increasing complicated threat. “China is outspending us probably 10 to 1 on trying to figure out how to use and manipulate the electromagnetic spectrum. Russia showed us what they're going to do with it in their incursion into Ukraine ... Electromagnetic warfare, electronic warfare at the maneuver level,” Gen. Paul Selva, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said at the annual Association of Old Crows symposium held Nov. 28 in Washington, D.C. “We haven't designed ourselves to fight that fight. They have demonstrated that they are not only willing, but they're [also] capable of deploying and employing electronic countermeasures at the ground and maneuver level. It is a reality that we are going to have to adjust to.” The capabilities forces need For the Army, it's not going to be one thing, Col. Mark Dotson, the capabilities manager for electronic warfare at the Cyber Center of Excellence, said at the symposium Nov. 27. There have to be layered capabilities and effects, each increasing range and sensing capability. “We're still sorting through that,” Dotson said, noting the need to develop from the current tactical focus all the way to the strategic level. “We're trying to expand our scope and get into what are those other things we need. Do we need artillery delivered capability? Do we need loitering munitions? Is it going to manned or is it an unmanned aircraft?” In addition, Dotson said, the Army needs systems integrating EW, cyber and signals intelligence, and the service has started generating requirements working with the Intelligence Center of Excellence and the Cyber Center of Excellence. “I think SIGINT and EW go hand in hand, so us not sharing going forward and working like a team like we do now makes no sense,” Col. Jennifer McAfee, Dotson's counterpart for Terrestrial and Identity at the Army Intelligence Center of Excellence, told C4ISRNET in a November interview. McAfee added that the team is also joining up with the other centers of excellence to ensure that when they are pursuing requirements for airborne or ground systems, the Intelligence and Cyber centers are plugged in to leverage EW expertise and not create duplicative efforts. Geolocating solutions Others across the joint force have expressed the desire for more decoys, physical or non-physical, to confuse or confound enemy systems. “It's network electronic warfare from air, sea and land; it's smart warfare combined with advanced decoys, whether they're physical decoys or cyber decoys out there; drones, swarms and jamming drones,” Col. John Edwards, commander of the 28th Bomb Wing, said at the symposium. “Things that go out there to where an air defense operator cannot distinguish between what is cyber and what is real out there.” Such aerial systems can be used to either overwhelm or distract air defenses, allowing strike aircraft to penetrate, or take the point jamming the air defenses and thus assuming all the risk leaving the more expensive and manned systems in the rear. On the ground side, officials have also discussed the need for more investments in decoys. Lt. Gen. Stephen Fogarty, commander of Army Cyber Command, told reporters in August that big investments needed to be made in this area. He envisioned forces being able to drop a decoy emitting strong signals off a truck at a fork in the road, thus drawing enemy attention to it. “Now we're presenting multiple dilemmas to the adversary,” he said. One of the difficulties of modern warfare is all jammers and sensors emit some kind of a signal in the electromagnetic spectrum, meaning they can be geolocated and targeted. This means if an enemy wants to use it, they have to take into account a risk calculus in revealing their position. “Jammers are emitters, emitters are targets. I think that's something we really ought to be thinking about,” Selva said. “If you're going to operate in an electronically dense environment ... the tools actually reveal their position." Similarly, decoys can be used to throw adversaries off the trail of friendly forces or distract from other items forces might want to protect. ”If I have something like a counterfire radar, that's really important to me. Maybe what I want to do, again, is push an alternate threat to the adversary," Fogarty said. In these complex environments, Selva said forces need to be able to identify, localize and characterize the jammer. If that's possible, then forces can decide what to do with it. If the answer is they want to kill it, they have to have a tool to kill it. “If you can't do all three of those things, the jamming is very effective,” he said. https://www.c4isrnet.com/electronic-warfare/2018/11/29/what-will-forces-need-in-complex-ew-environment

By: Sebastian Sprenger COLOGNE, Germany — Missile-maker MBDA is banking on a new European Union project to help boost wider adoption of its Missile Moyenne Portée anti-tank weapon on the continent. The confidence by executives stems from last week's European Council approval of a Beyond-Line-of-Sight Land Battlefield Missile System. The project is one of 34 efforts under the union's new Permanent Structured Cooperation scheme, or PESCO. The framework is meant to unify military capabilities of the member nations with an eye toward establishing the EU as a military player on the world stage. The new missile project offers an glimpse into PESCO's nascent process for turning political ambitions into actual hardware made by national vendors. Such is the case here, says MBDA, which released a statement saying its MMP anti-tank weapon had been “endorsed” by the EU even though the official, one-paragraph project description makes no mention of a specific weapon. Company executives told Defense News that the MMP is what defense officials in France — which has the project lead together with Belgium and Cyprus — had in mind from the start when offering the project under an EU umbrella. The weapon, they argue, is the natural choice because it is already in service with French forces and because it is the sole wholly European option available. (MBDA is a joint venture of Airbus, BAE Systems and Leonardo.) A spokeswoman for the French delegation to the EU in Brussels did not respond to multiple requests for comment. The guided MMP, which boasts a range of 4 kilometers, can be fired by dismounted soldiers or from vehicles. Its competitors include the American-made Javelin and variants of the Spike, designed by Israel's Rafael. The Israelis market their offering through the Germany-based company Eurospike, and the missiles are produced in that country. But MBDA argues the “design authority” for both competitors lies outside of Europe, which means the joint venture would be ineligible for a role — and funding — under PESCO or its associated funding stream, the proposed €13 billion (U.S. $15 billion) European Defence Fund. It remains to be seen whether the apparent PESCO blessing can help propel the MMP weapon to greater popularity in European armies. There is already lower-hanging fruit included in the partnership with project co-sponsor Belgium: Brussels plans to buy a new fleet of armored combat vehicles from France's Nexter, a portion of which stands to be equipped with an anti-tank weapon. That's where EU funding support could come into play. Players of any PESCO project can get EU co-financing for the modification work required to make one weapon interoperable for several partner forces. On paper, the EU missile project has ambitious goals. The weapon eventually chosen — presumably the MMP — “is intended to be integrated on an extensive variety of platforms,” a PESCO project overview states. “The project includes joint training and formation aspects. A dedicated ‘users club' is envisioned develop a common European doctrine on BLOS firing.” Industry officials expect an initial kickoff meeting of the partner nations to hammer out a way ahead, though the timing is unclear. At that point, there could be a formal commitment to the MMP weapon. MBDA, for its part, is painting a purely altruistic picture of what's to come for the missile. “France is opening a collaborative approach for how to use it,” a spokesman told Defense News. https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2018/11/29/with-nod-to-paris-mbda-claims-lead-on-eu-tank-killing-missile

Par Alain Barluet L'espace, les effectifs, la protection aérienne du territoire et le système de combat du futur sont les priorités du nouveau chef d'état-major de l'armée de l'air. «Ce n'est pas un plan de rupture», prévient le général Philippe Lavigne. Arrivé à son poste début septembre, le nouveau chef d'état-major de l'armée de l'air (Cemaa) a tracé ses perspectives stratégiques sur la base des travaux largement entamés par son prédécesseur. Néanmoins, précise-t-il, «il m'appartient d'infléchir la trajectoire de l'armée de l'air pour lui permettre de prendre en compte les nouveaux enjeux des prochaines années». C'est ce «plan de vol» - une expression parlante pour tous les aviateurs - que le nouveau Cemaa a présenté jeudi à l'École militaire. Un projet qui, souligne-t-il, «s'appuiera sur l'ADN des aviateurs: agilité, précision, audace et passion». Selon la formule, directe, du général Lavigne, «l'objet de la mission sera de vaincre et protéger ensemble par les airs». Parmi ses priorités: le rôle futur de l'armée de l'air vis-à-vis de l'espace, qui s'affirme comme un thé'tre de conflictualité entre les puissances. «Nous devons désormais répondre à l'enjeu de ... Article complet: http://www.lefigaro.fr/international/2018/11/29/01003-20181129ARTFIG00299-armee-de-l-air-le-plan-de-vol-du-general-lavigne.php

Par Nathalie Guibert Il a déjà remis une note d'étape à Emmanuel Macron, son rapport sera bouclé à la fin de l'année. Missionné par le président sur le sujet piégé de l'Europe de la défense, l'ancien secrétaire général pour la défense et la sécurité nationale, Louis Gautier (par ailleurs membre du conseil de surveillance du Monde), suggère des décisions fortes. Sa mission s'achèvera en février 2019 après des consultations diplomatiques pour tester les idées retenues par l'Elysée. « En parlant d'armée européenne, Emmanuel Macron permet d'incarner le projet pour nos concitoyens, de secouer la technostructure, de pousser à la clarification des choix, car le moment de vérité arrive pour les Européens », indique-t-il. Tout l'inverse des petits pas symbolisés par « l'initiative européenne d'intervention » avancée par le même Macron en septembre 2017, un concept dit « pragmatique » d'échange stratégique – hors des cadres formels dédiés de l'Union européenne –, sur lequel la ministre des armées, Florence Parly, travaille. M. Gautier considère ce projet comme un pis-aller à court terme, le résultat tangible minimum dans la période de crise politique que connaît l'Europe. « Beaucoup sont déçus par les résultats opérationnels de la défense européenne dans les administrations, aux affaires étrangères comme à la défense. Ils pensent que le militaire restera toujours du ressort national ou de l'OTAN, et que l'Europe ne servira qu'à financer les ... Article complet: https://www.lemonde.fr/international/article/2018/11/28/europe-de-la-defense-emmanuel-macron-attend-de-nouvelles-propositions_5389767_3210.html

NAVY CDWG Government LLC, Vernon Hills, Illinois (N66001-19-A-0002); Dell Federal Systems LP, Round Rock, Texas (N66001-19-A-0003); GovConnection Inc., Rockville, Maryland (N66001-19-A-0004); Insight Public Sector Inc., Chantilly, Virginia (N66001-19-A-0005); Minburn Technology Group LLC, Great Falls, Virginia (N66001-19-A-0006); and SHI International Corp. Somerset, New Jersey (N66001-19-A-0007), are awarded multiple-award, firm-fixed-price blanket purchase agreements (BPA) in accordance with a General Services Administration Federal Supply Schedule contract. The overall estimated value of this BPA is $3,170,000,000. This agreement will provide commercially available Microsoft brand name perpetual software licenses and annual subscriptions for the Department of Defense (DOD), U.S. intelligence community, and U.S. Coast Guard activities worldwide. The products provided are commercial off-the-shelf products that will meet functional requirements for desktop software solutions, operating systems, virtualization, management tools, mobility, and software assurance. This BPA is issued under the DOD Enterprise Software Initiative (ESI) in accordance with the policy and guidelines in the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement Section 208.74. DoD ESI streamlines software licensing acquisition and provides information technology products that are compliant with DOD technical standards and represent the best value for the DOD. Places of performance will be determined by each individual delivery order. The ordering period will be for 10 years from Nov. 29, 2018, through Nov. 27, 2028. This agreement will not obligate funds at the time of award. Funds will be obligated under delivery orders primarily using operations and maintenance funds (DOD). Future requirements will be competed among six awardees in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation 8.403-3(c)(2). This contract was competitively solicited from among 895 vendors with six proposals received and six selected for award. The Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Pacific, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity. General Dynamics Information Technology Inc., Fairfax, Virginia, is awarded an $85,916,000 single award, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, performance based service contract utilizing cost-plus-fixed-fee and firm-fixed-price task orders for Navy secure voice systems and services. Tasks will include systems engineering and life-cycle sustainment as an in-service engineering activity as well as programmatic support services. The contract includes a five-year ordering period with one four-year option and one six-month option period which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to an estimated $91,194,000. Funds in the amount of $25,000 will be placed on the first task order and obligated at the time of award. Work will be performed worldwide and is expected to be completed by November 2023. If all options are exercised, work could continue until November 2029. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured using full and open competition in accordance with 10 U.S. Code 2304(a)(1), via the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command e-Commerce and Federal Business Opportunities websites, with one timely offer received. Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Atlantic, Charleston, South Carolina, is the contracting activity (N6523619D8002). IAP Worldwide Services Inc., Cape Canaveral, Florida, is awarded $76,815,335 for modification P00050 to a previously awarded firm-fixed price, cost reimbursable contract (N00019-15-C-0120) to exercise the third option year for logistics support services on the E-6B aircraft. This contract provides for maintaining and supporting the E-6B Take Charge and Move Out and Airborne Command Post aircraft, support equipment, aircraft weapon system parts, associated support sites, and supporting organizations. Work will be performed in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (70 percent); Patuxent River, Maryland (10 percent); Bellevue, Nebraska (10 percent), and Fairfield, California (10 percent), and is expected to be completed in November 2019. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $51,582,789 will be obligated at time of award, all of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. Sierra Nevada Corp. Sparks, Nevada, is awarded a $30,835,738 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract to procure standoff precision guided munitions modified cargo doors, sensor conversion units, spares, data and other related support. Work will be performed in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and is expected to be completed by December 2024. Fiscal 2018 procurement (Defense) funding in the amount of $1,118,276 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of fiscal 2019. This contract was not competitively procured and awarded on a sole source basis in accordance with the statutory authority of 10 U.S. Code 2304(c) (1) as implemented by Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1 - only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane, Indiana, is the contracting activity (N00164-19-D-JQ42). Science and Engineering Services LLC,* Huntsville, Alabama, is awarded an undefinitized contract action with a not-to-exceed value of $25,437,426 for the refurbishment, modification, and delivery of four SH-60F aircraft for the government of Spain under the Foreign Military Sales program. Work will be performed in Huntsville, Alabama, and is expected to be completed in March 2021. Foreign Military Sales funds in the amount of $6,035,232 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-4. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N00019-19-C-0022). Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is awarded an $18,497,196 modification to a previously awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee, firm-fixed-price indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (N00019-18-D-0129). This modification exercises the ordering period for the first option year and provides for emerging capabilities and analysis systems engineering activities to include programmatic and logistics tasks that will analyze the F-35 air system's ability to meet future operational requirements, investigating cost and weight reduction program options, and conducting modeling and simulation activities. Additional assessments may include such efforts as analyzing changes to design life, operational readiness, reliability, and air system design and configuration. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas, and is expected to be completed in December 2019. No funds will be obligated at time of award. Funds will be obligated on individual task orders as they are issued. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Missouri, is awarded $13,827,828 for cost-plus-fixed-fee delivery order N00019F2589 against a previously issued basic ordering agreement (N00019-16-G-0001). This order provides for production engineering support for the installation and integration of systems required to initiate, evaluate, and integrate modifications to F/A-18E/F and EA-18G aircraft for continued system effectiveness and product assurance for aircraft testing. Work will be performed in Patuxent River, Maryland (82 percent); and St. Louis, Missouri (18 percent), and is expected to be completed in December 2019. Fiscal 2018 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $12,927,965 are being obligated on this 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. Kellogg Brown and Root Services Inc., Houston, Texas, is awarded a $13,191,746 modification under a previously awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (N62470-17-D-4007) to exercise the first option for base operations support services at Naval Support Activity (NSA), Kingdom of Bahrain. The work to be performed provides for but is not limited to, all management, supervision, tools, materials, supplies, labor and transportation services necessary to perform security operations, galley services, unaccompanied housing, facility management, emergency service requests, urgent service, routing service, facilities investment, custodial, pest control service, integrated solid waste, grounds maintenance, utility management, wastewater, operate reverse osmosis water treatment system, chiller and transportation, at NSA. After award of this option, the total cumulative contract value will be $26,645,633. Work will be performed in NSA, Kingdom of Bahrain, and work is expected to be completed December 2019. No funds will be obligated at time of award. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $9,051,252 for non-recurring work will be obligated on individual task orders issued during the option period. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Europe Africa and Southwest Asia, Naples, Italy, is the contracting activity. Archer Technologies International Inc.*, Shawnee, Oklahoma, is awarded an $11,896,710 firm-fixed-price indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contract. This contract provides for supplies and repair services in support of the U.S. Navy and U.S. Air Force Guided Bomb Unit (GBU)-10, GBU-12, GBUU-28, and GBU-32 weapon system. Supplies and repair services to be provided include Universal Wing Actuator Tools (UWAT) full assemblies; super bolts (with spherical tip) full assembly, individual parts for the UWAT full assembly, individual parts for the Super Bolt full assembly, individual parts for the PaveWay Systems Parts, and repair services in support of U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy PaveWay II and PaveWay III GBU Airfoil Group Maintenance & Repair lines. Work will be performed in Shawnee, Oklahoma (90 percent) and China Lake, California (10 percent), and is expected to be completed in November 2023. Fiscal 2019 procurement of ammunition (Navy and Marine Corps) and fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance (Air Force) funds in the amount of $262,862 will be obligated at time of award, $47,100 of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via an electronic request for proposals as a 100 percent small business set-aside; one offer was received. The Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division, China Lake, California, is the contracting activity (N68936-19-D-0019). Vigor Marine LLC, Portland, Oregon, is awarded a $10,796,799 firm-fixed-price contract for a 51-calendar day shipyard availability for the regular overhaul and dry docking of USNS Washington Chambers (T-AKE 11). Work will include furnishing general services for the ship, forward aqueous firefighting foam system piping replacement, cargo pump room pipe replacement, docking and un-docking vessel, propeller shaft and stern tube inspection, underwater hull spot blast and painting, freshwater stern tube lubrication system installation, and flight deck nonskid renewal. The contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the total contract value to $11,140,130. Work will be performed in Portland, Oregon, will commence Jan. 15, 2019, and is expected to be completed by March 7, 2019. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $11,140,130 are obligated at the time of award. Funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured with proposals solicited via the Federal Business Opportunities website, with one offer received. The U.S. Navy's Military Sealift Command, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N3220519C6003). General Electric Aviation, Evandale, Ohio, is awarded $8,422,109 for modification P00001 to a firm-fixed-price delivery order (N0042118F0121) previously issued against basic ordering agreement FA8122-14-G-0001. This modification provides for supplies and services required to complete Engineering Change Proposal G414-A-18, “F414-GE-400 spraybar B-nut rework” for the F/A-18E/F and EA-18G aircraft, including main short and ignition spraybars and bolts. Work will be performed in Lynn, Massachusetts, and is expected to be completed in July 2020. Fiscal 2018 and 2019 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $8,422,109 are being obligated on this award, none 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. ARMY Vectrus Systems Corp., Colorado Springs, Colorado, was awarded a $247,852,066 modification (P00041) to contract W91RUS-13-C-0006 for operation, maintenance, and communications services. Work will be performed in Kuwait City, Kuwait; Camp As Sayliyah, Qatar; Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan; FOB Union III, Iraq; Camp Red Leg, United Arab Emirates; and Jordan, Jordan, with an estimated completion date of Feb. 28, 2020. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance Army funds in the amount of $178,019,615 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity. Technica LLC,* Charleston, South Carolina, was awarded a $33,948,159 modification (0004 93) to contract W52P1J-12-G-0018 for logistics support services, including maintenance, transportation, and supply support. Work will be performed in El Paso, Texas, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 2, 2019. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance Army funds in the amount of $28,468,083 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois, is the contracting activity. Radiance Technologies Inc.,* Huntsville, Alabama, was awarded a $28,217,815 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for high energy laser lethality assessment and program support. Twenty-three bids were solicited with one bid received. Work will be performed in Huntsville, Alabama, with an estimated completion date of Nov. 15, 2023. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $724,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity (W9113M-19-F-0015). Oshkosh Defense LLC, Oshkosh, Wisconsin, was awarded a $13,746,496 modification (P00168) to contract W56HZV-15-C-0095 for Joint Light Tactical Vehicle fielding. Work will be performed in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, with an estimated completion date of June 30, 2019. Fiscal 2017 and 2018 procurement, Marine Corps; Office of Army Reserve; and other procurement, Army funds in the combined amount of $13,746,496 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Warren, Michigan, is the contracting activity. AIR FORCE Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Woodland Hills, California, has been awarded a $60,638,210 modification (P00011) to contract FA8540-14-D-0001 for Embedded Global Positioning Systems and Inertial Navigation Systems (INS). The contract modification is to extend and increase the ceiling of the current indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract, consisting of platform integration, modernization, diminishing manufacturing sources, flight test support, technical support following integration efforts, training, engineering support/studies, contractor depot repair, spares, and data for the INS. Work will be performed in Woodland Hills, California, and is expected to be completed by June 30, 2019. This modification involves foreign military sales and no funds are being obligated at the time of award. Total cumulative face value of the contract is $260,638,210. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, is the contracting activity. Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Woodland Hills, California, has been awarded a not-to-exceed $59,120,543 contract for engineering, manufacturing and development of the Embedded Global Positioning Systems and Inertial Navigation Systems. Work will be performed in Woodland Hills, California, and is expected to be completed by Sept. 30, 2019. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition and one offer was received. Fiscal 2018 and 2019 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $28,969,066 is being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, is the contracting activity (FA8540-19-C-0001). (Awarded Nov. 28, 2018) Scientific Research Corp., Atlanta, has been awarded an $11,966,292 firm-fixed-price contract to exercise option one in previously awarded contract FA8617-17-C-6227 for T-6A aircraft kit production and installation. Work will be performed at Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi; Vance AFB, Oklahoma; Laughlin AFB, Texas; Sheppard AFB, Texas; Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida, and Joint Base San Antonio – Randolph, Texas, and is expected to be completed by Jan. 1, 2020. Fiscal 2019 aircraft procurement funds in the amount of $11,966,292 are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, is the contracting activity (FA8617-17-C-6227-P00007). (Awarded Nov. 26, 2018). Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, has been awarded an $11,070,493 cost contract for Cognitive Human Enhancements For Cyber Reasoning Systems (CHECRS) software system. This contract provides for research, design, development, demonstration, test, integration, collaboration, and delivery of a CHECRS software system that will enable computers and humans to collaboratively reason over software artifacts (source code, compiled binaries, etc.) with the goal of finding zero day vulnerabilities at a scale and speed appropriate for the complex software ecosystem. Work will be performed at Tempe, Arizona, and is expected to be completed by May 29, 2022. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition and 50 offers were received. Air Force Research Laboratory, Rome, New York, is the contracting activity (FA8750-19-C-0003). *Small business https://dod.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/1701429/source/GovDelivery/

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. State Department has approved the possible sale of a THAAD anti-missile defence system to Saudi Arabia at an estimated cost of $15 billion (11.48 billion pounds), the Pentagon said on Friday, citing Iran among regional threats. The approval opens the way for Saudi Arabia to purchase 44 Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) launchers and 360 missiles, as well as fire control stations and radars. “This sale furthers U.S. national security and foreign policy interests, and supports the long-term security of Saudi Arabia and the Gulf region in the face of Iranian and other regional threats,” the Pentagon's Defense Security Cooperation agency said in a statement. Saudi Arabia and the United States are highly critical of what they consider Iran's aggressive behaviour in the Middle East. Iran also has one of the biggest ballistic missile programs in the Middle East, viewing it as an essential precautionary defence against the United States and other adversaries, primarily Gulf Arab states and Israel. THAAD missile systems are deployed to defend against ballistic missile attacks. Saudi-owned al Arabiya television reported on Thursday that the kingdom had agreed to buy Russian S-400 surface-to-air missile systems, an announcement that came as Saudi King Salman made during his visit to Russia, the first by a Saudi monarch. Full article: https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-usa-saudi-missiles/us-approves-possible-15-billion-sale-of-thaad-missiles-to-saudi-arabia-idUKKBN1CB2L9

By: Valerie Insinna SURAT THANI AIR FORCE BASE, Thailand — The Royal Thai Air Force's Wing 7, home to all of the country's Saab Gripen aircraft, wants more jets. The question is whether the country's defense budget will allow for it, one official said Tuesday. “As operators, we know that this is a very good aircraft, and we would love to have more,” said Group Capt. Prachya Tippayarat, deputy commander of the RTAF's Wing 7. “But it's just that I don't know when. The Air Force will have to think about that.” The RTAF currently operates 11 Gripen C/D fighter jets, bought from the Swedish government and manufactured by Saab. The Air Force lost one Gripen in a 2017 crash that destroyed the jet and killed the pilot. With 11 jets left, it is more difficult to accomplish both training and maintenance, Tippayarat said. “So of course we are looking for the replacement for the 12th one. It's just a matter of when. As the operator, we cannot tell when we are going to have that aircraft,” he said, adding that the service might have other budget priorities. Thailand's 11 Gripen aircraft are operated from Surat Thani Air Force Base, located about 328 miles south of Bangkok. Defense News visited the base Nov. 27-28 and accepted airfare and accommodations from Saab. Surat Thani plays a key role in defending southern Thailand. Although the nation also operates Northrop Grumman F-5s and Lockheed Martin F-16s, Wing 7's Gripens are the Royal Thai Air Force's premier fighters, used primarily for air-to-air and air-to-ground combat, and for secondary missions such as reconnaissance, Tippayarat said. The Thai government is also considering an upgrade of the RTAF Gripens' software suite, he added. The jets are currently configured to the MS19 standard, but the potential upgrade to MS20 would bring the jets into the most advanced configuration for the Gripen C/D. The MS20 software adds capabilities that make the Gripen a more formidable jet for air-to-ground attacks, including an electro-optical pod that allows the jet to drop laser-guided weapons, the addition of Boeing's Small Diameter Bomb and MBDA's Meteor missile, and new radar modes. One MS20 enhancement that the RTAF won't need is the addition of Link 16 capability, the data link used by NATO and its partner nations. The RTAF Gripens run on the Thai military's indigenous network, Link T. If Link 16 functionality is needed, the service can use its F-16s, but operating Link T on the Gripen allows Thailand to protect its homegrown capabilities and information, Tippayarat said. Saab delivered the first Gripens to Thailand in 2011. Other Gripen C/D users include Sweden, Hungary, the Czech Republic and South Africa. https://www.defensenews.com/global/asia-pacific/2018/11/28/will-the-thai-air-force-get-more-gripens

By: Shawn Snow The U.S. military has long complained about the penetration capabilities of 5.56 mm ammunition, and now the Navy and the Corps are looking to remedy the issue with a new barrier-penetrating 5.56 round. On Nov. 20, the DoD announced a $41,181,315 contract award to Federal Cartridge Co. for 5.56 ammunition that can defeat some barriers like auto windshields and doors. UPI reported that the new round, known as the MK 318 MOD 0 round, was tested by the Corps following complaints about the standard 5.56 ammunition. Before lawmakers in March, Army Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Milley complained that the standard 5.56 mm round had trouble penetrating some forms of body armor. “The 5.56 round, we recognize there is a type of body armor it does not penetrate, and adversarial states are selling that stuff on the Internet for about 250 bucks,” Milley said. https://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/your-marine-corps/2018/11/28/the-navy-and-marine-corps-are-dropping-some-money-on-barrier-penetrating-556-mm-ammo