Nouvelles

By: Kelsey D. Atherton Snails and slugs are so commonplace that we overlook the weirdness of how they move, gliding on a thin film across all sorts of terrain and obstacles. Popular imagination focuses on how slow this movement is, the snail defined by its pace, but it is at least as remarkable that the same mechanism lets a snail climb walls and move along ceilings. The movement is novel enough that there is now a snail-inspired robot, sliding across surfaces on an adhesive membrane, powered by a laser. The snail robot, produced by a joint research team at the University of Warsaw Poland, together with colleagues from Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University in Suzhou, China, created a centimeter-long robot powered by light. The research, published July in Macromolecular Rapid Communications, sheds new insight on how animals move in the wild, and on how small machines could be built to take advantage of that same motion. Why might military planners or designers be interested in snail-like movement? The ability to scale surfaces and cling to them alone is worth study and possibly future adaptation. There's also the simple efficiency of a creature that maneuvers on a single, durable foot. “Gastropods' adhesive locomotion has some unique properties: Using a thin layer of mucus, snails and slugs can navigate challenging environments, including glass, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE, Teflon), metal surfaces, sand, and (famously) razor blades, with only few super-hydrophobic coatings able to prevent them from crawling up a vertical surface,” write the authors. “The low complexity of a single continuous foot promises advantages in design and fabrication as well as resistance to adverse external conditions and wear, while constant contact with the surface provides a high margin of failure resistance (e.g., slip or detachment).” Snails can literally move along the edge of the spear unscathed. Surely, there's something in a robot that can do the same. The small snail robot looks like nothing so much as a discarded stick of gum, and is much smaller. At just a centimeter in length, this is not a platform capable of demonstrating much more than movement. The machine is made of Liquid Crystalline Elastomers, which can change shape when scanned by light. Combined with an artificial mucus later formed of glycerin, the robot is able to move, climb over surfaces, and even up a vertical wall, on a glass ceiling, and over obstacles, while it is powered by a laser. It does all of this at 1/50th the speed a snail would. This leaves the implications of such technology in a more distant future. Imagine a sensor that could crawl into position on the side of a building, and then stay there as combat roars around it. Or perhaps the application is as a robot adhesive, crawling charges into place at the remote direction of imperceptible light. Directing a robot into an unexpected position, and having it stay there with adhesive, could be a useful tool for future operations, and one that would be built upon research like this. The robot may be comically slow now. The pace of the technologies around it is not. https://www.c4isrnet.com/unmanned/robotics/2019/08/19/do-snail-robots-foreshadow-the-sticky-grenades-of-the-future/

By: Jen Judson HUNTSVILLE, Alabama — The Missile Defense Agency has a new director, Vice Admiral Jon Hill, who will be tasked to carry out major missile defense endeavors laid out in the Missile Defense Review released in January. Hill is the son of an Army air defender and became deputy director of the agency in 2016. Prior to that he served as the U.S. Navy's Program Executive Officer for Integrated Warfare Systems (PEO IWS) beginning in 2014. The new director will have to guide the agency through a series of major decisions in the coming years —from refining its approach to a global, layered missile defense, to tackling advanced threats like hypersonic missiles, upgrading homeland defense to protect against, ballistic missiles, to designing, developing and initiating a space-based sensor layer, just to name a few. With his expansive plate full, Hill said he's prepared to ensure the agency has investment in the right places and that efforts move as quickly as they can to outpace current and emerging missile threats. Defense News sat down with Hill in an exclusive interview at the Space and Missile Defense Symposium in Huntsville, Alabama, to discuss his goals and the challenges ahead. What are your major priorities as you take up your post as Missile Defense Agency director and what do you believe will be your biggest challenges on the job? I would say the number one challenge is the poorly defined term of “transfer to the services.” After looking at this problem very closely, considering congressional language, looking at how it's interpreted differently, I really do think that, we, as a country, need to say what is the right thing to do to take care of the war fighter. That should be the number one issue here. So there's been lots of discussion about the [Terminal High Altitude Area Defense System]and the SM-3 [missile] transfer to the services. What does that mean? If it's operations and sustainment, that's done. Put it in the done pile. The Army invests heavily in the operations and sustainment of THAAD. I don't know what more we would want out of them. ... The [Army and Navy] are not running away from the mission. They want to execute the mission, and again, they do operations and sustainment very well. I often hear that we don't know how to transfer. Look at the Aegis ships today. Navy procures those ships with Ballistic Missile Defense capability. The Navy has come in and said, “Hey, we're going to build a multi-mission radar to include BMD capability in SPY-6.” Man, what's wrong with that? That's fantastic. You look at the SM-6, where the Navy procures, produces that missile. It's a multi-mission missile. We insert sea-based terminal capability. So it tends to come down to those two systems that are BMD focused — SM-3 and THAAD — and so that's why it gets suspicious when we don't have a fully defined term because all it really results in is fracturing a program during a time where it's most critical to have those programs stable and taking care of the warfighter. What are some other priorities and challenges you will tackle? I would say the bigger challenge though is really driven by the threat today and Dr. [Michael] Griffin [under secretary for research and engineering in the Office of the Secretary of Defense] speaks about the Space Development Agency. We're aligned with the strategy, we're aligned with their architecture and their engineering of [a space] constellation because we bring the capability for hypersonic and ballistic tracking. We have support from Congress to do that. The department wants and needs us to go do that. It's just important to get that deployed as soon as possible. So we have to maintain stable investment. We need to get to a near-term, on-orbit demo as fast as we can, and then we need to build out the constellation in concert with the Space Development Agency. If we do that, we're in a great place. And in parallel, we need to start looking at our existing systems, which we have been doing. We're making modifications to today's sensors, both terrestrial and in space today on ships, on land, and we're modifying those today to deal with that new, high-end threat. We're also looking at existing weapons. What can they do? Somewhere in that battle space though, there's probably the need for more capability and that's really the next step and where we as a country need to go. You advocated for a Hawaiian missile defense radar and noted that while the Ground-Based Midcourse Defense System, designed to protect the homeland, is a good system, more radars need to be in place. Can you talk more about the advanced threat and the need to enhance missile defense sensing capability? When you look at a ballistic flight for example, you boost, you have things like V-Bands and separation mechanisms, you've got staging, you've got post-boost vehicles, and you've got the lethal object; that's messy from the standpoint of a radar. So when the radar's staring at all that mess — the word discrimination means, “Hey, I've have got to discriminate all the garbage and make sure I'm pointing at the right thing.” Reduce the amount of radar energy I'm putting on all the garbage, so I've got to very quickly discriminate. So discrimination's important. And as they become more complex, the radar, in a sense of the architecture we have today, is not ready to take on larger numbers coming in and more complexity. Having a large radar on the island allows you to see out far. So the bigger the aperture is, the more fine detail it gets too. I think we owe it to the Hawaiian people. We owe it to that state. It's part of this country and they deserve to be defended and they want to be defended. We have great congressional support. So at the federal level we're good, at the state level, we're good. We're at the sensitive level now where the local communities are concerned about what it means for the environment and we understand that. So we're working very closely with them. It's an important capability. It fills out the sensor architecture and takes us to the next level in terms of central architecture in that region. Why do we need a space-based missile defense sensor layer? We're running out of islands to put radars on and the ships that the Navy has, they are equipped with 360-degree radars, very powerful radars that can discriminate. But ... we need to free up those ships as much as we can and get as much persistent sensor coverage as we possibly can. And space really answers the mail on all those aspects, it frees up those other assets that we can go use for other missions. An analysis of alternatives has been completed on hypersonic defense. Is there anything you can share about the findings in the AOA and how that is guiding the path forward? For that space mission you have to look at the sum total of the detection, the control and the engagement. [It is] the sensors, it is the command-and-control, it is the fire control and it is the weapons, whether they're hard kill or non-kinetic. So, it's all of that. It provides the department a broad view: here is the threat space we're dealing with, here's the architecture, here are the pieces of that architecture that do detection, control and engagement. And now Department of Defense, where shall we put our next dollar? Could be that next dollar goes to space. It could be that next dollar goes toward fire control improvements so that you can handle something that's flying this fast, greater than Mach 5. It could be that we're going to put another dollar on improving an existing system or that we need a new engagement system. So that's what it does. It's really a tool. It's not the answer. I've seen a lot of the reports that say, “Oh my God, it's so expensive. We'll never execute it.” The intent is never to go fully execute what's in an AOA. It's the full trade space. Now we've got to go pick from that trade space and so we finished up a [Cost Assessment Program Evaluation] sufficiency review. Not only have we done the work to do the alternatives ... the CAPE has come in and they've costed those out to say, here's what's a reasonable set. The department can make a decision as to what would be best. Is the SM-3 Block IIA missile test that goes up against an intercontinental ballistic missile threat still scheduled for next year? It is still scheduled for next year. Now what you should know is that Congress has sent us some messaging that says maybe we don't want to do that, maybe we should more fully explore the battle space for which the missile was designed. ... Congress first told us to go against an ICBM. That's what we're focused in on. And so if the appropriations come through and there's a change, then we have to go back and replan. Would the delay in the test result in overall program delays? It wouldn't delay the program. But it makes it difficult for us to say that there is a potential for an underlay. So, if we want to give the combatant commanders a layered defense against ICBMs, it kind of takes that off the table or it delays that for awhile and we'll use the IIAs for their intended battle space and we won't try to expand it. What's happening with the “strategic pause” on the Redesigned Kill Vehicle for the GMD system? We're still in a decision space. ... Dr. Griffin is going through the end-game of discussions now within the building. We're in full support and in the end we'll make a decision and we'll press forward with that. Do you have a timeline for making a decision on the RKV? We're definitely pressured and what drives that pressure is the fact that we were on a path to deliver the additional 20 [ground-based interceptors]. ... We're building out the missile field. So there is pressure to come to a decision quickly so that we can then get back to work. https://www.defensenews.com/pentagon/2019/08/19/us-missile-defense-agency-boss-reveals-his-goals-challenges-on-the-job/

BETHESDA, Md., Aug. 19, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) will serve as the title sponsor for the first-ever Lockheed Martin Space and Air Show, Oct. 31 to Nov. 1, 2020. It will be held at the Orlando Sanford International Airport, near downtown Orlando. The show will be headlined by the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, and it will feature numerous company air, ground and space assets. Lockheed Martin has a 60-year history in central Florida, including executing programs in the Orlando, Tampa, and Space Coast areas. This work includes aviation, space exploration, missiles, fire control, and training and simulation programs. The company's regional workforce is growing and currently has hundreds of jobs available in central Florida to support recent contract wins. "We look forward to giving visitors from central Florida and from across the nation a firsthand glimpse into the exciting technologies and capabilities we provide our military and our allies to help them protect lives and liberties around the world," said Marillyn Hewson, chairman, president and CEO, Lockheed Martin. The space and air show is produced by B. Lilley Productions, an event management company specializing in the production of air shows. In 2020, they'll also produce events in New York, New York, Atlanta, Georgia, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and Ocean City, Maryland. "Our entire organization is extremely honored to work with Lockheed Martin in creating this signature North American aerospace event," said Bryan Lilley, chief executive officer, B. Lilley Productions. "Showcasing Lockheed Martin's vast portfolio brings together an unprecedented display of air, ground and space assets." The Orlando Sanford International Airport serves three million passengers annually. It was opened in 1942 as a World War II fighter and bomber training base. "With the Orlando area's first space and air show of the new millennium, we are excited to bring this unique thrill and excitement to central Florida," said Diane Crews, Orlando Sanford Airport CEO. "Lockheed Martin's reputation for excellence will propel the show to a national level. We can't wait!" Tickets go on sale during Veterans' Day weekend in November 2019 with pricing announced then. The dedicated LMSAS website is www.spaceandairshow.com. https://news.lockheedmartin.com/2019-08-19-Lockheed-Martin-Announces-First-Title-Sponsored-Space-and-Air-Show-U-S-Air-Force-Thunderbirds-to-Fly

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) is asking Congress for an 8.7 percent increase in the military's research and development budget next year, in what would be a major boost for crucial enabling technologies in communications, surveillance, computers, electronic warfare (EW), electro-optics, and related electronics technologies. By John Keller WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) is asking Congress for an 8.7 percent increase in the military research and development budget next year, in what would be a major boost for crucial enabling technologies in communications, surveillance, computers, electronic warfare (EW), electro-optics, and related electronics technologies. DOD officials are asking for $104.29 billion for electronics-rich research, development, test, and evaluation (RDT&E) projects in the department's fiscal 2020 budget request, which was released this week. That's up 8.7 percent from the $95.96 billion DOD researchers received this year. Federal fiscal year 2020 begins next Oct. 1. The research budget typically is heavy in technology development, and is where the Pentagon pays for electronics technologies considered to be critical for tomorrow's weapon systems. Of this RDT&E request, the U.S. Air Force is asking for $46.07 billion; defense agencies for $25.17 billion; the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps for $20.43 billion; and the U.S. Army for $12.4 billion. This represents a plus-up for each service branch over this year: 11 percent for the Air Force; 4.6 percent for defense agencies; 9.5 percent for the Navy and Marine Corps; and 9 percent for the Army. The U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), one of the Pentagon's premiere research organizations, would receive a 3.8 percent increase in 2020, increasing from $3.43 billion to $3.56 billion. In applied research in 2020, DARPA is asking for $512.4 million for network-centric warfare technologies -- an 18.1 percent increase; $232.1 million for command, control, and communications systems -- a 24.8 percent increase; $163.9 million for sensor technologies -- an 11.7 percent reduction; and $128.6 million for advanced electronics technologies -- a 15.8 percent increase. In basic research DARPA is asking for $442.6 million for information and communications technologies -- a 9.3 percent increase; $337.6 million for tactical technology -- a 9.1 percent increase; and $332.2 million for electronics technology -- a 5 percent reduction. In other defense agencies, the U.S. Missile Defense Agency (MDA) in 2020 is asking for $7.25 billion -- a 1.7 percent increase. In advanced technology development, MDA is asking for $1.16 billion for the ballistic missile defense midcourse defense segment -- a 44 percent increase; $727.5 million for Aegis shipboard ballistic missile defense -- an 18.7 percent reduction; $571.5 million for ballistic missile defense enabling programs -- an 8.6 percent reduction; and $564.2 million for ballistic missile defense command and control -- an 11.1 percent increase. The Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) is asking for $5.29 billion for research and development in 2020 -- a 10.2 percent reduction; the Chemical and Biological Defense program is asking for $1.05 billion -- a 5.4 percent increase; the U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) is asking for $820.3 million -- a 34 percent increase; and the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) is asking for $542.9 million -- a 92.4 percent increase. In Special Operations Command advanced technology development programs, SOCOM is asking for $245.8 million for aviation systems -- a 39.8 percent increase; $167.6 million for operational enhancements -- a 62.8 percent increase; $72.6 million for maritime systems -- a 71 percent increase; $68.3 million for warrior systems -- a 9.1 percent reduction; $42.4 million for unmanned intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) -- a 6.1 percent reduction; and $20.7 million for the MQ-9 Reaper surveillance and attack unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) -- a 12.5 percent increase. https://www.militaryaerospace.com/computers/article/16721966/pentagon-seeks-10429-billion-military-research-budget-for-2020-an-increase-of-87-percent

Aug. 16 (UPI) -- FLIR Surveillance Inc. received a $12.6 million contract for supplies, repairs and upgrades to sensor systems aboard U.S. Navy littoral combat ships. The contract, announced Thursday by the Defense Department, refers to FLIR's Saffire III Electro-Optics Sensor Systems. The systems offer image stabilization, long-range and thermal imaging and color and low-light cameras. The systems are useful in search and rescue operations, reconnaissance, border and coastal patrol and target identification, the manufacturer said. Thousands of the ball-shaped 22-pound systems, which attach to horizontal planes of a vessel or aircraft, have been affixed to helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft, as well as on the shallow-water littoral combat ships. The unit includes an optional sensor system for chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear detection. In May, the company received a $48.1 million contract with the U.S. Army for reconnaissance vehicle sensor suite upgrades. Work in the new contract is expected to be completed by August 2024. https://www.upi.com/Defense-News/2019/08/16/FLIR-Surveillance-awarded-126M-for-sensors-aboard-littoral-combat-ships/4651565975028/

By Ed Adamczyk Aug. 16 (UPI) -- Lockheed Martin received an $80 million contract from the U.S. Navy for electronic equipment upgrades to the Aegis missile system, the Pentagon announced. The new contract modification, announced Thursday by the Department of Defense, calls for Lockheed Martin's Rotary and Mission Systems division to cover the production, test and delivery of multi-mission signal processor equipment sets, electronic equipment fluid coolers, AEGIS Weapon System AMOD [Aegis Modernization] upgrade equipment and Kill Assessment System equipment and spare parts. The deal calls for the Navy to underwrite 78.1 percent of the expenses, with Australia and Japan, where some of the equipment is located, to pay for 21.9 percent. The Aegis Combat System is an integrated naval weapons system using radar and computer technology to track and guide weapons in destroying enemy targets. The project was started by the U.S. Navy in 1964 to defend ships from missile threats, and with constant upgrades is now a feature on over 100 U.S. and NATO ships, as well as those of Australia, Norway and South Korea. It is also an integral part of NATO's European missile defense system. In July, Lockheed Martin was awarded a $22.5 million modification to a prior contract for integration and delivery of the Aegis Baseline 9 weapons system. It called for the modernization of existing U.S. Navy systems using open architecture principles and software upgrades to increase the lethality of the surface Navy. Through the improvements, newer and more powerful missiles can be fired from ships, and the use of the latest Aegis weapons systems capabilities can be used against air and missile threats, the Navy said. Work on the contract is expected to be finished by 2023. https://www.upi.com/Defense-News/2019/08/16/Lockheed-nets-80M-contract-for-Aegis-system-upgrades/6591565971398/

By Joseph Marks LAS VEGAS — In a Cosmopolitan hotel suite 16 stories above the Def Con cybersecurity conference this weekend, a team of highly vetted hackers tried to sabotage a vital flight system for a U.S. military fighter jet. And they succeeded. It was the first time outside researchers were allowed physical access to the critical F-15 system to search for weaknesses. And after two long days, the seven hackers found a mother lode of vulnerabilities that — if exploited in real life — could have completely shut down the Trusted Aircraft Information Download Station, which collects reams of data from video cameras and sensors while the jet is in flight. They even found bugs that the Air Force had tried but failed to fix after the same group of hackers performed similar tests in November without actually touching the device. “They were able to get back in through the back doors they already knew were open,” Will Roper, the Air Force's top acquisition official, told me in an exclusive briefing of the results. The hackers lobbed a variety of attacks — including injecting the system with malware and even going at it with pliers and screwdrivers. When I saw it, the metal box that's usually secure on the aircraft had wires hanging out the front. The hackers briefed Roper on the findings on Saturday afternoon. He was surrounded by discarded pizza boxes, iced coffee drinks — and the hotel's drinking glasses filled with screws, nuts and bolts removed from five fully dismantled TADS devices, which run about $20,000 a pop. He'd expected the results to be about this bad, Roper told me on a private tour of the hacking event. He pinned the weaknesses on decades of neglect of cybersecurity as a key issue in developing its products, as the Air Force prioritized time, cost and efficiency. He's trying to turn that around, and is hopeful about the results of the U.S. government's newfound openness to ethical hackers. He'd come straight from Def Con's first-ever Aviation Village, which the Air Force helped establish, and was wearing a gray T-shirt with the words “No, Mr. Bond, I expect you to hack,” emblazoned on the front — a riff on a classic line from the 1964 James Bond film “Goldfinger.” This is a drastic change from previous years, when the military would not allow hackers to try to search for vulnerabilities in extremely sensitive equipment, let alone take a literal whack at it. But the Air Force is convinced that unless it allows America's best hackers to search out all the digital vulnerabilities in its planes and weapons systems, then the best hackers from adversaries such as Russia, Iran and North Korea will find and exploit those vulnerabilities first, Roper told me. “There are millions of lines of code that are in all of our aircraft and if there's one of them that's flawed, then a country that can't build a fighter to shoot down that aircraft might take it out with just a few keystrokes,” he said. Roper wants to put his military hardware where his mouth is. During next year's Def Con conference, he wants to bring vetted hackers to Nellis or Creech Air Force bases near Las Vegas where they can probe for bugs on every digital system in a military plane, including for ways that bugs in one system can allow hackers to exploit other systems until they've gained effective control of the entire plane. He also wants to open up the ground control system for an operational military satellite for hacker testing, he said. “We want to bring this community to bear on real weapons systems and real airplanes,” Roper told me. “And if they have vulnerabilities, it would be best to find them before we go into conflict.” Those hacking challenges will also be useful for the private sector because military planes and satellites share many of their computer systems with the commercial versions of those products, Roper said, and the Air Force can share its findings. The seven hackers probing the TADS devices were all brought to Vegas by the cybersecurity company Synack, which sells the Pentagon third-party vulnerability testing services, under a contract with the Defense Digital Service, a team of mostly private-sector technology stars who try to solve some of the Pentagon's thorniest technology problems during short-term tours. The Defense Digital Service started by organizing large-scale hacking competitions in 2016, with names such as “Hack the Pentagon” and, eventually, “Hack the Air Force.” These were open to almost anybody — but included only public-facing hacking targets such as military service websites and apps. Shortly after, they also began opening more sensitive systems to a smaller number of vetted hackers who sign nondisclosure agreements. DDS has run about a dozen of those more sensitive hacking competitions so far, but this is the first time it has offered up the same system for hacking twice, said Brett Goldstein, DDS's director, who earned a reputation in technology as Open Table's IT director and chief data officer for the city of Chicago. “That's important because security is a continuous process,” he told me. “You can't do an exercise and say, ‘Oh, we found everything' and check the box. You need to constantly go back and reevaluate.” They also allowed the hackers to be more aggressive this time and to physically disassemble the TADS systems to get a better idea of what kinds of digital attacks might be effective, Goldstein said. That meant the hackers could simulate a cyberattack from adversaries that had infiltrated the vast network of suppliers that make TADS components and had sophisticated knowledge about how to compromise those elements. They could also advise the Air Force about flaws in how the TADS hardware was built that make it more susceptible to digital attacks. Moving forward, Roper told me, he wants to start using that knowledge to mandate that Air Force vendors build better software and hardware security controls into their planes and weapons systems upfront so the Air Force doesn't have to do so much cybersecurity work on the back end. He's up against an arcane and byzantine military contracting process, however, that's going to make those sorts of fundamental reforms extremely difficult, he acknowledged. In some cases, the company that built an Air Force system owns the software embedded in that system and won't let the Air Force open it up for outside testing, he says. In other cases, the Air Force is stuck with legacy IT systems that are so out of date that it's difficult for even the best technologists to make them more secure. “It's difficult to do this going backward, but we're doing our best,” Roper told me. “I can't underscore enough, we just got into the batter's box for what's going to be a long baseball game.” https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/paloma/the-cybersecurity-202/2019/08/14/the-cybersecurity-202-hackers-just-found-serious-vulnerabilities-in-a-u-s-military-fighter-jet/5d53111988e0fa79e5481f68/

De : Défense nationale Communiqué de presse Le 16 août 2019 – London (Ontario) – Défense nationale/Forces armées canadiennes Le gouvernement du Canada franchit une autre étape pour procurer aux Forces armées canadiennes (FAC) l'équipement moderne dont elles ont besoin pour fonctionner dans tout le spectre des opérations, et ce, mieux protégées contre diverses menaces, comme le souligne la politique de défense du Canada Protection, Sécurité, Engagement. L'honorable Harjit S. Sajjan, ministre de la Défense nationale, a annoncé que le gouvernement achètera 360 véhicules blindés légers (VBL) d'appui tactique de la General Dynamics Land Systems-Canada (GDLS-C). Les fonds nécessaires sont compris dans le budget approuvé réservé à la mise en œuvre de la politique de défense susmentionnée. Le gouvernement du Canada a également l'intention de fournir un prêt à remboursement à la GDLS-C. Afin d'accroître au maximum les retombées économiques de ce projet pour la population canadienne, le fournisseur réinvestira une somme rigoureusement égale à la valeur de ce contrat dans l'économie canadienne afin de créer des emplois et des possibilités en matière d'innovation. En plus des quelque 1 650 emplois existant à l'usine de la General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS) à London, des travailleurs occupant près de 8 500 autres emplois disséminés dans tout le Canada aideront à fournir les pièces et l'équipement nécessaires à la construction des véhicules blindés légers. Le VBL est essentiel au parc de véhicules de combat de l'Armée et il appuie nos militaires, femmes et hommes, dans toute une gamme d'opérations, y compris les missions de soutien de la paix à l'étranger et les opérations de secours qui ont été menées lors des vastes inondations s'étant produites au Nouveau‑Brunswick, au Québec et en Ontario. Le VBL est une plateforme qui a fait ses preuves et qui répond aux besoins de l'Armée canadienne. La présence de véhicules d'appui tactique semblables dans le parc des Forces armées canadiennes offrira de nombreux avantages opérationnels, y compris la réduction du coût de l'instruction et du maintien en puissance et la disponibilité de pièces de rechange communes pour réparer les véhicules rapidement au cours d'opérations critiques. Les véhicules blindés d'appui tactique remplissent des rôles clés et servent notamment de postes de commandement, d'ambulances et d'ateliers mobiles de réparation. Cette nouvelle flotte offrira la protection et la mobilité dont les membres des FAC ont besoin pour exécuter leur travail dans les environnements opérationnels. Citations « Le VBL est l'épine dorsale de la flotte de véhicules de combat de l'Armée et il soutient nos militaires, femmes et hommes, dans tout un éventail d'opérations, allant des interventions de secours en cas de catastrophe au Canada telles que l'opération LENTUS aux missions de soutien de la paix à l'étranger. Je suis heureux de pouvoir renforcer notre flotte de véhicules blindés d'appui tactique, comme notre gouvernement s'est engagé à le faire dans la politique de défense Protection, Sécurité, Engagement, tout en soutenant des emplois canadiens et en favorisant l'innovation gr'ce à notre partenariat avec GDLS-C. » – Le ministre de la Défense nationale, Harjit S. Sajjan « Nous sommes résolus à fournir à nos militaires, femmes et hommes, l'équipement qu'il leur faut pour exécuter leur travail important. Dans le cadre de la politique de défense du Canada Protection, Sécurité, Engagement, l'annonce d'aujourd'hui nous fait avancer dans l'exécution de notre plan qui vise à fournir aux Forces armées canadiennes l'équipement moderne dont elles ont besoin, dans les limites du budget établi, tout en garantissant des emplois à la classe moyenne dans l'ensemble du pays. » – La ministre des Services publics, de l'Approvisionnement et de l'Accessibilité, Carla Qualtrough « Notre gouvernement continue de créer de bons emplois et des possibilités économiques pour les canadiennes et les canadiens. Chaque dollar dépensé aux fins de ce projet sera réinvesti dans l'économie canadienne en créant des débouchés pour les fournisseurs canadiens et en soutenant de bons emplois pour la classe moyenne. » – Le ministre de l'Innovation, des Sciences et du Développement économique, Navdeep Bains Faits en bref La flotte actuelle de véhicules blindés d'appui comprend des VBL II Bison et des VBL chenillés M113. Le gouvernement du Canada en est aux dernières étapes de la négociation d'un contrat avec GDLS-C. Le coût estimatif du projet pourrait atteindre trois milliards de dollars, et le prêt remboursable atteindra jusqu'à 650 millions de dollars. Ce premier montant comprend aussi le coût de la nouvelle infrastructure où les véhicules seront logés et entretenus. Les véhicules blindés d'appui tactique des FAC seront livrés en huit versions et pourront ainsi remplir divers rôles tels que: ambulances, récupération de véhicules, travaux de génie, atelier mobile de réparation, guerre électronique, transport de troupes et postes de commandement. En acquérant les véhicules maintenant, le Ministère épargnera les frais liés à l'entretien et à la prolongation de la durée de vie de la flotte actuelle de véhicules. La politique de défense du Canada Protection, Sécurité, Engagement contient l'engagement « d'intégrer l'analyse comparative entre les sexes plus (ACS+) dans toutes les activités liées à la défense dans l'ensemble des Forces armées canadiennes et au ministère de la Défense nationale ». Cela garantit que chaque activité, y compris l'acquisition de nouvelles plateformes majeures, prend en compte l'ACS+. L'opération LENTUS correspond aux interventions des Forces armées canadiennes (FAC) en cas de catastrophes naturelles au Canada. Elle suit un plan d'action établi pour soutenir les collectivités en crise. Les FAC peuvent alors utiliser des navires, des véhicules, des aéronefs et divers autres équipements. La Politique des retombées industrielles et technologiques est le principal outil dont dispose le gouvernement pour assurer les retombées économiques des grands marchés de défense, ce qui signifie que le fournisseur réinvestira dans l'économie canadienne un montant rigoureusement égal à la valeur du contrat. Liens connexes Protection, Sécurité, Engagement : la politique de défense du Canada Véhicule blindé d'appui tactique – Programme des capacités de la Défense Personnes-ressources Todd Lane Attaché de presse Cabinet du ministre de la Défense nationale Téléphone : 613-996-3100 Relations avec les médias Ministère de la Défense nationale Téléphone : 613-996-2353 Courriel : mlo-blm@forces.gc.ca https://www.canada.ca/fr/ministere-defense-nationale/nouvelles/2019/08/le-canada-negocie-lachat-de-nouveaux-vehicules-blindes-dappui-tactique.html

NAVY Raytheon Missile Systems, Tucson, Arizona, is awarded a $199,591,538 firm-fixed-price contract for MK 15 Close-In Weapon System (CIWS) upgrades and conversions, system overhauls, and associated hardware. CIWS is a fast-reaction terminal defense against low- and high-flying, high-speed maneuvering anti-ship missile threats that have penetrated all other defenses. This contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $367,195,456. Work will be performed in Louisville, Kentucky (29%); Tucson, Arizona (20%); El Segundo, California (9%); Melbourne, Florida (5%); Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (3%); Andover, Massachusetts (2%); Ottobrunn, Germany (2%); Williston, Vermont (2%); Tempe, Arizona (1%); Grand Rapids, Michigan (1%); Hauppauge, New York (1%); Ashburn, Virginia (1%); East Syracuse, New York (1%); Camarillo, California (1%); Phoenix, Arizona (1%); Joplin, Missouri (1%); Murray, Utah (1%); Dallas, Texas (1%); Corona, California (1%); Huntsville, Alabama (1%); Minneapolis, Minnesota (1%); Valencia, California (1%); Palo Alto, California (1%); and various locations with less than 1% each (13%). Work is expected to be completed by October 2023. This contract combines purchases for the U.S. government (85%); Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (8%); and the United Kingdom (7%) under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance (Navy); 2019 other procurement (Army); 2019 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy); FMS Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; FMS United Kingdom; and 2019 weapons procurement (Navy) funding in the amount of $199,591,538 will be obligated at time of award. Funds in the amount of $59,964,768 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured in accordance with 10 U.S. Code 2304 (c) (1). Raytheon is the only source that can provide the MK 15 CIWS to fulfill Navy, Army, Coast Guard, and FMS requirements without unacceptable delays and substantial duplication of costs that cannot be recovered through competition. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity (N00024-19-C-5406). Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems, Manassas, Virginia, is awarded a $27,303,596 cost-plus-incentive-fee, cost only modification to previously awarded contract N00024-18-C-6258 to exercise option for engineering services and other direct costs in support of the Integrated Submarine Imaging System. Work will be performed in Manassas, Virginia (73.5%); Virginia Beach, Virginia (15%); Northampton, Massachusetts (5.5%); Fairfax, Virginia (3%); Arlington, Virginia (2%); and Newport, Rhode Island (1%), and is expected to be completed by September 2020. Fiscal 2019 other procurement (Navy); and fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) in the amount of $2,633,461 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, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. The Whiting-Turner Contracting Co., Baltimore, Maryland, is awarded $15,300,139 for a firm-fixed-price modification under a previously awarded contract (N40085-15-C-8739) for design and installation of a fire protection system for the Power Propulsion Facility, Building (Bldg) 633, at the Philadelphia Navy Yard. This modification will provide for the full design and installation of the fire protection system for the P-547 power propulsion facility, Bldg. 633, Bldg. 519, Bldg. 520, and the P-104 test cell. Work will be performed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and is expected to be completed by September 2021. Fiscal 2013 military construction (Navy); and 2019 working capital fund (Navy) in the amount of $15,300,139 are obligated on this award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. One proposal was received for this modification. Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Mid-Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity. Wolverine Fire Protection Co., Mount Morris, Michigan, is awarded $11,104,895 for firm-fixed-price task order number N69450-19-F-0715 under a previously multiple award construction contract for fire protection upgrades at Naval Air Station, Jacksonville, Florida. The work to be performed provides for the repairs and replacement of various existing fire alarm and additional associated systems (electrical, sprinkler systems, piping, and fire pumps) of Buildings 171, 175 and 176. Work will be performed in Jacksonville, Florida, and is expected to be completed by February 2021. Fiscal 2019 defense working capital contract funds in the amount of $11,104,895 are obligated on this award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Three proposals were received for this task order. Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southeast, Jacksonville, Florida, is the contracting activity (N69450-16-D-0613). AIR FORCE International Business Machines Corp., IBM Research - Almaden, San Jose, California, has been awarded a $59,999,958 cost reimbursement contract for NorthPole Software/Hardware. This contract provides for the design, verification, fabrication, and testing of a prototype artificial intelligence and machine learning IBM NorthPole neural inference processor that will be mounted on a test board. Work will be performed in San Jose, California. The work is expected to be complete by Nov. 16, 2021. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition and two offers were received. Air Force Research Laboratory/RIKF, Rome, New York, is the contracting activity (FA8750-19-C-1518). Raytheon Missile Systems, Tucson, Arizona, has been awarded a $47,917,924 for 469 Laser Maverick units. This contract provides for the manufacture and delivery of 469 each Laser Maverick units. Work will be performed in Tucson, Arizona. The work is expected to be complete by Sept. 30, 2021. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Fiscal 2017, 2018 and 2019 3020 operations and maintenance funds in the amount $43,809,367 are being obligated at the time of award. AFLCMC/EBHK is the contracting activity, Hill Air Force Base, Ogden, Utah (FA8213-19-F-1006). Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Rolling Meadows, Illinois; and Warner Robins, Georgia, has been awarded a $7,013,331, follow-on contract FA8523-19-D-0007, for DRE, Netherlands. This contract will provide action for the Royal Netherlands Air Force AN/ALQ-131 (V) electronics countermeasures pod upgrade. This program is focused on the redesign of the ALQ-131 Digital Receiver Exciter and ALM-256 Intermediate Level Support Equipment. Work will be performed in Rolling Meadows, Illinois, and is expected to be completed by Feb. 15, 2022. This contract involves 100% foreign military sales to the Royal Netherlands Air Force. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, is the contracting activity. CORRECTION: An Aug. 14, 2019, announcement that Alloy Surfaces Company Inc., Chester Township, Pennsylvania (FA8213-19-D-0011), was awarded a $25,000,000 contract for MJU-52 A/B aircraft decoy flares included an incorrect amount of funds being obligated at the time of award. The correct amount of fiscal 2018 ammunition procurement funds being obligated at the time of award is actually $5,281,631. All other information in the announcement is correct. ARMY WMR-532 LLC, Athens, Alabama, was awarded a $49,900,000 firm-fixed-price contract for operations, maintenance and technical support. Bids were solicited via the internet with three received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 18, 2024. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mobile, Alabama, is the contracting activity (W91278-19-D-0038). T.W. LaQuay Marine LLC,* Port Lavaca, Texas, was awarded a $10,736,570 firm-fixed-price contract for pipeline dredging. Bids were solicited via the internet with three received. Work will be performed in Port Isabel, Texas, with an estimated completion date of April 30, 2020. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance, Army funds in the amount of $10,736,570 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Galveston, Texas, is the contracting activity (W912HY-19-C-0010). American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Language, White Plains, New York, was awarded a $10,654,800 firm-fixed-price contract for oral proficiency interviews. 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. 16, 2020. U.S. Army Mission Installation Contracting Command, Presidio of Monterey, California, is the contracting activity (W9124N-16-D-0001). DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Choctawhatchee Electric Cooperative Inc., Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, has been awarded a maximum $13,700,591 modification (P00027) to the existing 50-year contract (SP0600-16-C-8314) for electric operations and maintenance and renewal and replacement utility service charge. This is a fixed-price contract being modified to incorporate the economic price-adjustment agreement to the third-year. Location of performance is Florida, with a July 31, 2067, performance completion date. Using military service is Air Force. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance funds. The Defense Logistics Agency Energy, Fort Belvoir, Virginia, is the contracting activity. CORRECTION: The contract announced on Aug. 14, 2019, for General Dynamics Mission Systems Inc., Scottsdale, Arizona (SPRBL1-19-P-0047), for $12,973,184 was announced with an incorrect award date. The correct award date is Aug. 15, 2019. *Small Busines https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/1936972/source/GovDelivery/