Nouvelles

8 May 2020 Military.com | By Matthew Cox The novel coronavirus pandemic has forced the Marine Corps to postpone the industry day it had scheduled this month for its new reconnaissance vehicle effort. But the service still plans to invite industry to submit ideas for vehicle prototypes next spring. The Corps announced plans in April 2019 to begin replacing its legacy Light Armored Vehicle with the Armored Reconnaissance Vehicle, or ARV, in the late 2020s. Since then, officials managing the Light Armored Vehicles program have been talking with the defense industry to see which firms are capable of building the new vehicle, which will feature enhanced vision technologies for increased situational awareness and advanced target tracking and weapon systems. The COVID-19 pandemic forced the postponement of the industry day, at which officials had planned to answer questions about the request for information the Corps released last year. "We still want to hold an industry day, so we can have an open discussion with industry, provide more clarification and answer any questions from our industry partners," Maryann Lawson, Marine Corp Systems Command's project lead for the ARV effort, said in a recent announcement. The event is now scheduled for the fourth quarter of this fiscal year. The Marine Corps also plans to release a draft request for prototypes for the ARV base variant before the end of this fiscal year, according to the release. The Corps wants feedback from defense firms to help shape the requirement for the final prototypes request, which is scheduled for publication in spring 2021. The Army is also working on its Next Generation Combat Vehicle, an effort to replace the Cold War-era Bradley fighting vehicle. Part of the effort will be to field an Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle, or OMFV. In late January, Army officials announced that the service would restart the high-priority OMFV effort after receiving only one valid bid for the $45 billion program. Marine ARV program officials are coordinating with Army OMFV officials, recognizing the commonalities that exist between the two programs, the release states. In 2019, the Office of Naval Research selected two defense companies to design, build and test full-scale technology-demonstration vehicles, an ARV science and technology effort which is part of the Navy's Future Naval Capabilities program, according to a September release. General Dynamics Land Systems is building a vehicle that will incorporate advanced technologies available today for the "base vehicle" approach, the release states. The Virginia-based IT company SAIC is building an "at-the-edge" vehicle designed around technologies that currently may not be fully mature but could be incorporated into the ARV as new capabilities, when threats and missions evolve, the release adds. Both vehicles are expected to be ready for evaluation in the fourth quarter of this fiscal year, Marine Corps Systems Command officials said. Last year, the Corps conducted a capability-based assessment that focused on armored reconnaissance, according to the release, which described how the assessment pitted Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalions against a peer threat, and identified shortfalls and gaps in capability. Marine Corps Combat Development Command, Combat Development and Integration produced an initial capabilities document -- which was validated by the Joint Requirements Oversight Council in 2019. "As the core-manned, next-generation system, ARV must possess transformational capabilities to enable LAR Battalions to gain contact with and collect on peer-threat forces," Marine Corps Systems Command officials said. "It must accomplish this goal without becoming decisively engaged, while also successfully waging the counter-reconnaissance fight." As the effort evolves, the Marine Corps has begun to view the ARV as more than just a replacement for the LAV, the release states. "Over time, officials began to view the ARV as a vehicle platform equipped with a suite of advanced reconnaissance capabilities, with an open-system architecture that can sense, shoot, move, communicate and remain transportable as part of the Naval Expeditionary Force," it adds. https://www.military.com/daily-news/2020/05/08/pandemic-delays-marine-corps-plans-replace-light-armored-vehicles.html

Défense Cyberdéfense : la France, «nation la plus forte dans l'Union européenne» Le général de division aérienne Didier Tisseyre, commandant de la cyberdéfense, s'exprime dans La Tribune. Il estime que la France est «la nation la plus forte dans l'Union européenne» dans le domaine de la cyberdéfense. Il relève notamment que la France a su rester souveraine sur le plan du chiffrement : «ce sont des chiffreurs français, avec des composants français, toute une procédure française», note-t-il. La France s'est dotée d'une doctrine de lutte informatique offensive à des fins militaires. Pour le général, «celui qui maîtrisera le cyberespace aura un avantage, non seulement pour se protéger, mais aussi pour assurer sa supériorité opérationnelle». Une supériorité opérationnelle qui peut être remise en question avec les nouvelles technologies comme l'intelligence artificielle : «nous avons bien conscience des enjeux et travaillons énormément dans le domaine des IA», assure le général Tisseyre. La Tribune du 11 mai

By: Valerie Insinna and Stephen Losey WASHINGTON — The U.S. Air Force has officially abandoned a directive to get its F-35, F-22 and F-16 jets up to an 80 percent mission-capable rate after failing to meet that goal in fiscal 2019, the service's presumptive chief of staff indicated Thursday. According to written responses by Air Force Gen. Charles Q. Brown ahead of his May 7 confirmation hearing, “the F-16 mission capable rate reached a high of 75% in June 2019, the F-22 mission capable rate achieved a high of 68% in April 2019 and the F-35 mission capability rate climbed to a high of 74% in September 2019.” However, data obtained exclusively by Air Force Times and Defense News revealed the mission-capable rates for those three aircraft over the whole of FY19 — while, in some cases, an improvement over the previous year — fell well short of the 80 percent goal mandated by then-Defense Secretary Jim Mattis in October 2018. And the overall rates for the year were lower — in some cases, much lower — than the high-water marks cited by Brown. The Air Force's newest fighter jet, the F-35A conventional-takeoff-and-landing model, showed the most improvement, increasing from a mission-capable rate of about 50 percent in FY18 to 62 percent in FY19. The F-16 mission-capable rate grew modestly, with the F-16C increasing from 70 percent in FY18 to 73 percent in FY19. The F-16D's mission-capable rate rose from 66 percent to 70 percent over that time period. However, the F-22's mission-capable rate actually decreased from 52 percent in FY18 to 51 percent in FY19. This is likely due to the continued maintenance challenges after 17 Raptors were left behind at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, during Hurricane Michael in 2018, damaging a portion of the fleet. Ultimately, Pentagon leadership decided not to renew the effort in FY20, Brown told the Senate Armed Services Committee. “The Office of the Secretary of Defense determined the FY19 80-percent Mission Capable (MC) Rate initiative is not an FY20 requirement,” wrote Brown, who is currently the commander of Pacific Air Forces. Instead, the Air Force has returned to its usual practice of letting commanders set their own readiness objectives, with no definitive requirements for mission-capable rates, he said. “We continue to balance near term readiness recovery with investment long-term combat capability,” Brown said. “While maintaining all of our aging fleets are difficult and expensive, we continuously examine emerging technologies, commercial best practices, and other methods to reduce the sustainment costs for our Air Force.” Although the services tried to meet Mattis' 80 percent mandate, even after he resigned in December 2018, the goal was never popular among Air Force leadership. If confirmed by the Senate as the uniformed head of the Air Force, Brown will replace Gen. Dave Goldfein, who argued that the readiness of the service's aircraft inventory could better be measured by other metrics. In an interview with Air Force Times in August, Goldfein said readiness can truly be measured by how well the Air Force can carry out its missions, which requires more than mission-capable aircraft. It also requires trained and ready air crew, maintainers and other airmen as well as enough spare parts and resources, he said. Goldfein also cited increases in flying hours and pilot training as other indicators of progress. Instead of driving toward an 80 percent mission-capable rate, the Air Force is implementing a new “strategic sustainment framework” that will aim to increase readiness by improving the service's repair network and expanding the use of conditions-based maintenance, Brown wrote in his response to the SASC. The service's inspector general is also conducting a comprehensive classified review of readiness assessments across the Air Force, he said. In his hearing, Brown reiterated the Air Force's need to grow to 386 squadrons over the long term. When asked by Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Neb., whether the Air Force is now large enough to carry out the National Defense Strategy, Brown said: “To an extent.” “In the immediate term, I think we are, but we've still got to be able to grow to the 386” squadrons, Brown said. “Anything less than 386 incurs risk.” However, he acknowledged the Air Force may come close but might not completely meet that goal, which was first laid out by previous Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson. But the Air Force's improved capabilities, including making better use of unmanned platforms, will help make up some of that difference, he said. “We may be a little bit smaller than 386, but we'll be more capable,” Brown said. “It's not just the manned platforms; it's also how we do manned-unmanned teaming. The XQ-58 Valkyrie [combat drone] is one of those systems that we can team up with, particularly some of our fifth-gen capability to increase our range, increase our awareness, to increase our strike capability.” https://www.defensenews.com/air/2020/05/07/the-air-force-bails-on-mattis-era-fighter-jet-readiness-goal/

By: Andrew Chuter LONDON — Britain is set to restart a competition later this year to build up to three large logistics ships to support deployment of the Royal Navy's new aircraft carrier fleet, having suspended the procurement effort last year. Ministry of Defence officials are refusing to give an exact date for the restart, despite Defence Secretary Ben Wallace recently telling the parliamentary Defence Committee that he thought it would take place in September. “It will be, I think, in September, but I can correct that if I am wrong. We are hopefully going to reissue the competition sooner rather than later,” he told lawmakers. A Defence Committee spokeswomen said the panel is still waiting on a concrete date from the MoD. “Following the session with the secretary of state for defense, Ben Wallace, the committee wrote to the department asking for clarification on a number of issues, including the timing of the Fleet Solid Support program. The committee has not yet heard back from the Ministry of Defence,” she said. The competition to build up to three 40,000-ton vessels in a requirement known locally as the Fleet Solid Support program was expected to have been worth as much as £1.5 billion (U.S. $1.9 billion) at the time the competition was unexpectedly terminated Nov. 5. The MoD said at the time that it took the action due to a failure to find a value-for-money solution in negotiations with shipbuilders. In his evidence to the committee, Wallace described the program as “ effectively delinquent.” The warships, which will be operated by the Royal Navy's logistics supplier, the Royal Fleet Auxiliary, are a key element of Britain's plan to replace aging Fort-class ships with modern support ships to supply ammunition, dry stores and spares to aircraft carrier strike groups and other maritime task groups. The program had been mired in controversy since the Conservative government opted to open the design to international competition, rather that adopt a “Buy British” policy. The move caused an outcry from politicians, industry and unions who believed naval logistics vessels should be included in the list of warships, like frigates and destroyers, that are off limits to foreign shipbuilders. Ministers and procurement officials argued they had no choice but to follow European Union competition rules, which say logistics ships are not warships and are therefore subject to regulations requiring open competition. Critics pointed out that other European Union member states have previously blocked foreign bids for similar ships. Industry executives suspected the the cash-strapped MoD was running an open competition to keep the procurement cost to a minimum, following in the example of its purchase of four new fleet oilers for the Royal Fleet Auxiliary built by South Korea's Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering. The U.K. has now left the European Union but is in a transitory period where trade rules still apply. That period is currently set to end Dec. 31. The MoD declined to answer Defense News' question on whether the new competition will be held under EU rules, or whether the U.K. will exempt itself from the rule, opening up the possibility for a British-only bid. Defence Procurement Minister James Heappey told Parliament this year that the MoD is reviewing the procurement strategy, the requirements and the schedule ahead of the competition restart. MoD officials said this week that the review is still underway. Defense consultant Howard Wheeldon of Wheeldon Strategic Advisory said with the new coronavirus taking its toll on the country's economy, there should be no question that the procurement is limited to local business. “Having pulled the plug on the original plan, and with potential new U.K. players back in the fray, such as Harland and Wolff, the MoD would risk a very damaging backlash if it tried to do another foreign deal — and rightly so,” he said. “Buying on the basis of lowest cost is rarely the right solution for defense equipment procurement. The new world order that I see emerging elsewhere allows freedom to put national interests first. Thus for the U.K., the right decision on future solid support ships is that these vessels should be British-designed and -built.” What about the original competition? The MoD brought the original competition to a close on the eve of the Conservative government calling a general election for Dec. 12, 2019. Campaigners took that as a sign the government was moving toward a “Buy British” policy. Their position was reinforced last autumn when the MoD published an updated, independent review of the nation's national shipbuilding strategy, which advocated for a policy change that would see logistics ships and other types of vessels added to the list warships closed to foreign bids. The review, conducted by former shipbuilding chief executive John Parker, said Britain was not currently adopting “the right strategic approach” in allowing ships like the fleet solid support vessels to be built overseas. By the time the MoD suspended the competition, two of the five short-listed bidders remained: Navantia of Spain; and Team UK, a consortium of BAE Systems, Babcock International, Cammell Laird and Rolls-Royce. A BAE Systems spokesperson told Defense News on Wednesday that the company is waiting for the MoD to show its hand on the procurement process, and in the meantime remains focused on its commitment to build Type 26 frigates for the Royal Navy. “We are engaged with our U.K. partners and await guidance from the MoD on next steps in the procurement process for the Fleet Solid Support program. We have a long-term commitment to shipbuilding in the U.K. with continuity of production in Glasgow through into the 2030s, and we are focused on delivering our existing commitments,” the spokesperson said. https://www.defensenews.com/naval/2020/05/07/britain-to-restart-competition-for-fleet-solid-support-ships-but-whos-allowed-to-bid/

David B. Larter WASHINGTON – A project inside the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency has the potential to pull the Navy's unmanned surface vessel aspirations forward a decade, a senior DARPA official said Wednesday at the annual C4ISR Conference. DARPA's effort to develop a ship designed from the keel up to operate without humans, known as “NOMARS” for “no mariners,” is a separate effort from the Navy's quest to develop a family of large and medium unmanned surface vessels. But the benefits of that program, if successful, could be a giant leap forward for the concept the Navy is developing, said Mike Leahy, who heads the Tactical Technology Office at DARPA. The Navy “will only be able to go so far with where the technology has matured,” Leahy said. “What we're able to do is link to that group [developing USVs for the Navy], get information about what missions they are trying to accomplish, the sizing and other constraints, feed that into NOMARS project so that we can take the same class of ship – looking at the same ideas in terms of a hull form – and when we are successful we can dump that right into their tranche and pull that forward a decade from where it might have been on a traditional path.” The Navy and DARPA have been closely linked in efforts to develop unmanned platforms but DARPA's NOMARs will remain an independent effort, Leahy said. The Navy has “been involved in the source selection, they're involved in the testing we're doing, so that we can make sure that information is flowing,” Leahy said. “But we will reserve the right to take risks that may not be in the direction they want to go. Because sometimes learning what does not work is even more valuable than what does. “The physics is going to tell you what you need to know, and you can't cheat it.” Maintaining separate lines of effort is important because DARPA has the freedom to fail whereas failure in an acquisition program has higher stakes, he said. “NOMARS is going and looking at ‘Can I take people completely off ships,'” he explained. “That's a risky endeavor. We don't know if we're going to be able to do that. We don't know if that's going to pan out. You would not want to link an acquisition program directly to that.” Another Option The Navy is currently pursuing both a large and medium unmanned surface vessel that can perform missions for the surface Navy as a means of increasing aggregate naval power without wrapping a $2 billion hull around 96 missile tubes, as Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Michael Gilday has said publicly, referencing the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer. Maintaining separate lines of effort is important because DARPA has the freedom to fail whereas failure in an acquisition program has higher stakes, he said. “NOMARS is going and looking at ‘Can I take people completely off ships,'” he explained. “That's a risky endeavor. We don't know if we're going to be able to do that. We don't know if that's going to pan out. You would not want to link an acquisition program directly to that.” Another Option The Navy is currently pursuing both a large and medium unmanned surface vessel that can perform missions for the surface Navy as a means of increasing aggregate naval power without wrapping a $2 billion hull around 96 missile tubes, as Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Michael Gilday has said publicly, referencing the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer. https://www.c4isrnet.com/2020/05/06/heres-the-darpa-project-it-says-could-pull-the-navy-a-decade-forward-in-unmanned-technology/

Nathan Strout The U.S. Air Force has begun deploying thousands of personal devices to military personnel and health care providers that allow them to access classified information from home or outside of the office, even though the devices themselves are unclassified. The devices were supposed to be demonstrated during a test of the Air Force's Advanced Battle Management System in April, which was delayed to August or September due to the ongoing COVID-19 situation. With the test pushed back, the Air Force decided to begin rolling out the devices to support the fight against COVID-19. “Even in a virtual, COVID environment, the team pulled together very rapidly to do something that we were going to demonstrate in April as a prototype,” said Air Force Chief Architect Preston Dunlap during a virtual Mitchell Institute event May 7. The devices are loaded with SecureView, a software architecture built on an “unclassified at rest” model. “(The software has) the ability to process classified information on a device that's unclassified when you're not using it. So you could literally throw it on the street—no problem. I wouldn't recommend it, but no problem. But then when you use it, you actually can operate and access the information you need much like you would in your office,” explained Dunlap. “We're deploying about 1,000 of those in about three week sort of cycles now to get them out to the force,” said Dunlap. In addition, the Northern Command ABMS team was able to deploy unclassified tablets with SecureView to healthcare workers in New York City and aboard the hospital ship previously deployed to New York City, the USNS Comfort. The team is also pushing out data and applications to those devices to give users real time awareness of patients' health status, Dunlap said. He also said they were using artificial intelligence algorithms to predict how COVID-19 will spread. The software was developed by the Air Force Research Laboratory as part of DeviceOne, a line of effort under the Air Force's ABMS family of systems. ABMS is the Air Force's contribution to the Department of Defense's Joint All-Domain Command and Control concept, an ongoing effort to ensure connectivity between the services. Under JADC2, the Department's leaders want sensors to feed data to shooters in near-real time, regardless of domain. As envisioned, JADC2 systems should enable National Reconnaissance Office satellites to feed data to U.S. Army shooters, or U.S. Navy sensors to feed data to Air Force shooters. Dunlap noted that the use of DeviceONE to fight COVID-19 represented a real world on ramp of ABMS. “So from both a classified and unclassified world, seamless devices, mobility, data and applications where you need it, when you need it, are actually being demonstrated before our eyes in a real world current operation,” said Dunlap. “In some sense, you could call that we're actually doing a current ops on ramp to be able to support people and keep people safe.” The Air Force is largely agnostic towards which hardware is used for DeviceONE, said Dunlap. The program utilizes off-the-shelf consumer devices, enabling easy upgrades and keeping costs low compared to other DoD technology efforts. “For DeviceONE, all of the work that the team did was software-based and software security-based, and the hardware piece of that (we) are procuring and competing across the vendors that can provide the laptops, the tablets, the servers in the backend and so forth,” said Dunlap. While the system can be used to access any classification level, the configuration rolled out for COVID-19 support was limited to just the secret level. However, Dunlap said the software can be used for any classification level and was currently in use around the world by several combatant commanders. “It's incumbent for us to be able to provide the security and software on top of (the hardware) that enables our operators to be on that island, on that aircraft, in that Humvee, in the tents, and be able to get the information they need,” said Dunlap. And Dunlap added that the delayed ABMS test will be expanded when it does occur, incorporating Strategic Command and Space Command. Dunlap also hinted that the ABMS test after the August/September test will include Indo-Pacific Command, bringing the on ramp to the operational edge. “There's going to be a variety of key adjustments there,” said Dunlap. “Before, in December, it was mostly a Northern Command focus. We now have a Space Command and a Space Force, and so the predominant thing here is we're going to have the U.S. Space Command Commander, Gen. (John) Raymond, actually be the supported commander for the first time as opposed to a supporting commander.” https://www.c4isrnet.com/air/2020/05/07/air-force-rolls-out-advanced-battle-management-system-devices-in-covid-19-fight/

DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Royal Food Service Co.,* Atlanta, Georgia, has been awarded a maximum $465,000,000 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for fresh fruits and vegetables. This was a competitive acquisition with three responses received. This is a five-year contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Georgia, with a May 6, 2025, performance completion date. Using customers are Army, Navy and Department of Agriculture schools. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2025 defense working capital funds. The contracting agency is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE300-20-D-P353). Inficon Inc., East Syracuse, New York, has been awarded a maximum $45,000,000 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for medical equipment and accessories for the Defense Logistics Agency electronic catalog. This was a competitive acquisition with 115 responses received. This is a five-year contract with no option periods. Location of performance is New York, with a May 6, 2025, performance completion date. Using military services are Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2025 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE2DH-20-D-0034). Emergent LLC,* Virginia Beach, Virginia, has been awarded a maximum $13,787,428 firm-fixed-price task order (SP4701-20-F-0075) against a five-year base contract (SP4701-20-Q-0030) with one five-year option period for Oracle software licenses and maintenance renewal. This was a competitive acquisition with three responses received. This is a one-year contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Virginia, with a May 29, 2021, performance completion date. Using customer is Defense Logistics Agency. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2021 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Contracting Services Office, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Extra Packaging LLC,* Boca Raton, Florida, has been awarded a maximum $7,562,500 modification (P00005) exercising the first 20-month option period and second 20-month option period simultaneously of a 20-month base contract (SPE2DS-19-D-0082) with two 20-month option periods for human remains pouches. This is a firm-fixed price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. Locations of performance are Texas and Florida, with a Jan. 7, 2022, performance completion date. Using customers are Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, Federal Emergency Management Agency and federal civilian agencies. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2022 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. MISSILE DEFENSE AGENCY The Boeing Co., Huntsville, Alabama, is being awarded a $128,481,291 contract modification (P00542/P00051) to previously awarded HQ0147-12-C-0004/19-C-0004 on the Ground-based Midcourse Defense development and sustainment contract. The value of this contract, including options, is increased from $11,208,915,599 to $11,337,396,890. The definitized scope of work requires continued support to Ground-based Midcourse Defense by manufacturing C2 boost vehicles, booster spare parts and associated avionics to maintain fleet and flight test programs. The period of performance is from Jan. 31, 2018, to Sept., 30, 2022. This acquisition was executed on a sole-source basis. Fiscal 2017 and 2018 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $52,890,819 have been obligated. To definitize the contract action, fiscal 2019 and 2020 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $65,070,681 were obligated at the time of award. The Missile Defense Agency, Huntsville, Alabama, is the contracting activity. AIR FORCE Lockheed Martin Corp., Orlando, Florida, has been awarded a $49,856,351 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification (P00004) to contract FA8682-19-C-0008 to procure additional equipment and tooling needed to increase Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile production. Work will be performed in Orlando, Florida, and is expected to be complete by March 31, 2023. This award is the result of sole-source acquisition. Fiscal 2019 missile procurement funds in the full amount are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, is the contracting activity. ARMY MD Helicopters Inc., Mesa, Arizona, was awarded a $35,823,838 modification (P00032) to contract W58RGZ-17-C-0038 for logistics support for the Afghanistan Air Force MD-530F aircraft fleet. Work will be performed in Mesa, Arizona; and Kabul, Afghanistan, with an estimated completion date of Nov. 30, 2020. Fiscal 2020 Afghanistan Security Forces funds (Army) in the amount of $35,823,838 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity. General Dynamics Land Systems, Sterling Heights, Michigan, was awarded a $14,719,719 modification (P00104) to contract W56HZV-17-C-0067 for Abrams systems technical support. Work will be performed in Sterling Heights, Michigan, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 30, 2023. Fiscal 2018 research, development, test and evaluation (Army) funds; and 2019 procurement of weapons and tracked combat vehicles (Army) funds in the amount of $14,719,719 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Detroit Arsenal, Michigan, is the contracting activity. Science Applications International Corp., Reston, Virginia, was awarded a $9,699,157 modification (000179) to contract W31P4Q-18-A-0011 for live virtual constructive modeling and simulation support to U.S. Army Central. Work will be performed at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina, with an estimated completion date of May 6, 2021. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Army) funds in the amount of $9,699,157 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity. NAVY Raytheon Co., Largo, Florida, is awarded a $32,740,207 firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed- fee, cost-only contract for Planar Array Antenna Assembly (PAAA) production requirements to support the Cooperative Engagement Capability (CEC) program. This contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $237,882,026. Work will be performed in Largo, Florida (58%); McKinney, Texas (32%); St. Petersburg, Florida (7%); and Andover, Massachusetts (3%). The PAAA is a multi-face antenna assembly used in the shipboard AN/USG-2x CEC configuration. The CEC program supports integrated fire control capability. CEC provides the means to network sensors, thereby significantly improving strike force air and missile defense capabilities by coordinating measurement data from strike force air search sensors on CEC-equipped units into a single, integrated real-time, composite track air picture. CEC improves battle force effectiveness by improving overall situational awareness and by enabling longer range, cooperative, multiple, or layered engagement strategies. This contract will include scope for performance and delivery of PAAA production units, PAAA spare parts and engineering services with option quantities in support of both Foreign Military Sales and Navy requirements. Work is expected to be complete by June 2022. If all options are exercised, work will continue through April 2025. Fiscal 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funds; and 2019 and 2020 other procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $31,996,107 will be obligated at time of award, and funding in the amount of $5,182,158 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities website, with two offers received. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity (N00024-20-C-5203). Raytheon Missile Systems, Tucson, Arizona, is awarded a $19,061,000 firm-fixed-price modification to previously awarded contract N00024-19-C-5404 to exercise options for fiscal 2020 Navy Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) Mod 5 Guided Missile Launching System (GMLS) requirements. Work will be performed in St. Petersburg, Florida (36%); Louisville, Kentucky (21%); Tucson, Arizona (15%); Huntsville, Alabama (10%); Ottobrunn, Germany (8%); San Diego, California (4%); Tulsa, Oklahoma (3%); and various locations within the continental U.S. (3%). The RAM Guided Missile Weapon System is co-developed and co-produced under an international cooperative program between the U.S. and Federal Republic of Germany governments. RAM is a missile system designed to provide anti-ship missile defense for multiple ship platforms. This contract is to procure material, fabricate parts, assemble and test, and deliver RAM MK 49 Mod 5 GMLS and GMLS ordnance alteration kits. Work is expected to be complete by December 2022. Federal Republic of Germany funds in the amount of $19,061,000 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured under the exception 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(4), international agreement. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity. Bowman, Foster & Associates,* Norfolk, Virginia, is awarded a $15,000,000 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, architect-engineering contract for mechanical and electrical architect-engineering services for projects located primarily at Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia; and Naval Support Activity, Hampton Roads, Virginia. Initial task order is being awarded $170,471 for design and engineering of boiler replacement at Navy Medical Center, Portsmouth, Virginia. All work on this contract will be performed at various Navy and Marine Corps facilities and other government facilities within the Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Mid-Atlantic area of responsibility. Work provides for comprehensive architect-engineering services required for projects that may involve single or multiple disciplines, primarily for mechanical and electrical, but may also include fire protection and/or other disciplines that may be deemed incidental. Work is expected to be complete by December 2020. The term of the contract is not to exceed 60 months with an expected completion date of May 2025. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $170,471 are obligated on this award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Future task orders will be primarily funded by operations and maintenance (Navy). This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website, and 16 proposals were received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Mid-Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N40085-20-D-0005). Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems, Marlborough, Massachusetts, is awarded an $8,548,173 modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract N00039-16-C-0050 to exercise options to deliver spare items for the Navy Multiband Terminal (NMT) system. Work will be performed in Largo, Florida (54%); South Deerfield, Massachusetts (25%); Stow, Massachusetts (13%); and Marlborough, Massachusetts (8%). NMT is a multiband capable satellite communications terminal that provides protected and wideband communications. NMT supports extremely high frequency (EHF)/advanced EHF low data rate, medium data rate, extended data rate, super high frequency, Military Ka (transmit and receive) and global broadcast service receive-only communications. Work is expected to be complete by May 2022. Fiscal 2020 other procurement (Navy); fiscal 2020 other customer funds (Naval Supply Systems Command and Coast Guard); and fiscal 2020 Foreign Military Sales (Canada, United Kingdom and Netherlands) funds in the amount of $8,548,173 will be obligated at the time of award. Funds will not expire at the end of the fiscal year. This sole-source contract was not competitively procured in accordance with 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1). The Naval Information Warfare Systems Command, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity (N00039). Joyce & Associates Construction Inc.,* Newport, North Carolina, is awarded an $8,145,647 firm-fixed-price task order (N40085-20-F-5204) under a multiple award construction contract for the replacement of Vacuum Test Chamber Building 137, Marine Corp Air Station, Cherry Point, North Carolina. Work will be performed in Havelock, North Carolina, and provides for the installation and replacement of aircraft vacuum component test system in Building 137. Project consists of equipment, equipment installation, repair and minor construction funding. Equipment cost includes the vacuum chamber and seven 50-horse power vacuum pumps. Equipment installation includes interior electrical hook-ups, new roof penetrations and vacuum piping. Repair work includes demo of existing electrical wiring, demo of existing vacuum piping, removal of existing vacuum chamber, removal of two existing 75-horse power vacuum pumps and patching of old roof penetrations. Minor construction includes concrete pad, new exterior electrical utilities for vacuum pumps and support structure for exterior overhead vacuum piping. Work is expected to be complete by April 2022. Fiscal 2018 aircraft procurement (Navy) contract funds; and fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $8,145,647 are obligated on this award, of which $197,826 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Four proposals were received for this task order. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Mid-Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N40085-16-D-6302). Lockheed Martin, Mission Systems and Training, Baltimore, Maryland, is awarded a $7,267,110 cost-plus fixed-fee order (N62786-20-F-0014) against the previously awarded basic ordering agreement N00024-19-G-2319 to provide advance planning, accomplishment and emergent availabilities for LCS-19 post shakedown availability. Work will be performed in Mayport, Florida (55%); Virginia Beach, Virginia (19%); Moorestown, New Jersey (14%); and Washington, D.C. (12%). This delivery order is expected to be completed by September 2021. Fiscal 2020 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funds in the amount of $7,267,110 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Conversion and Repair, Bath, Maine, is the contracting activity. WASHINGTON HEADQUARTERS SERVICES Eccalon LLC, Hanover, Maryland, has been awarded a $7,078,869 firm-fixed-price contract. This contract provides National Security Technology Accelerator program support for the Office of Manufacturing and Industrial Base Policy. Work performance will take place at the Mark Center, Alexandria, Virginia. Fiscal 2020 and 2021 research, development, test, and evaluation funds in the amount of $7,078,869 are being awarded. The expected completion date is Sept. 27, 2023. Washington Headquarters Services, Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting activity (HQ0034-18-F-0572). *Small business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2180277/source/GovDelivery/

Despite disruptions worldwide, Future Vertical Lift flight tests, virtual industry days, and design reviews are all moving ahead on schedule or mere weeks behind. By SYDNEY J. FREEDBERG JR.on May 07, 2020 at 5:07 PM WASHINGTON: As the Army urgently develops weapons to counter Russia and China, it's largely staying on its tight schedule despite both the COVID-19 pandemic and the service's own history of dysfunction and delay. A prime example is the Future Vertical Lift initiative to replace existing helicopters and drones, which is on track for all but two of more than 20 major events – from field tests to contract awards – happening this year. Half a dozen are scheduled for May and June alone. What's the biggest impact COVID has had on FVL so far? Of the five project managers who spoke to reporters this morning, just one said he's definitely delaying something, a Critical Design Review for the new Improved Turbine Engine. How big was that delay? Just two weeks. The engine system CDR will start June 15th instead of June 1st, said the turbine PM, Col. Roger Kuykendall. But the deadline to complete the review wasn't until October, he went on, “so we're actually still ahead of our schedule.” The other major impact has been on combat units field-testing potential Future Tactical Unmanned Aerial System drones, but that's still in flux, said the unmanned aircraft PM, Col. Scott Anderson. Masked soldiers began flying one contending design, the Arcturus JUMP-20, began at Fort Riley a month ago. The second test unit, at Fort Campbell, started flying a different contender last week, as planned, Col. Anderson said. The third unit, at Fort Lewis, was scheduled to start in June: “The had asked to move back to July,” he said, “but it looks like, as of this morning, they're going to maybe try to come back to June.” That the FTUAS field tests are happening mostly on schedule is particularly remarkable, because it takes a team of soldiers to operate and maintain the drones, and they can't maintain social distancing all the time. Most of the other FVL projects are in different stages of development where schedules, while packed, are full of activities that are a lot easier to do online, like planning sessions and digital design. But even where physical objects have to be built or flown, the project managers stay they're staying on schedule. For the Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft to replace the Reagan-era UH-60 Black Hawk, PM Col. David Phillips said, “our demonstrators are continuing to fly.” Those are the Bell V-280 Valor tiltrotor and the Sikorsky-Boeing SB>1 Defiant compound helicopter, which despite the term of art “demonstrator” are de facto prototypes. The companies are now refining their designs and, in 2022, the Army will choose one for mass production. While Phillips didn't provide details like flight hours – the Defiant has had a lot fewer so far – he said both aircraft are still providing test data to mature key technologies like flight controls. FLRAA's smaller sister is the Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft, a light scout to replace the retired OH-58 Kiowa. Once again it's Bell and Sikorsky competing, but for FARA they haven't built the prototypes yet. Those are set to fly in 2023. (That said, Sikorsky's existing S-97 Raider is very close to their FARA design). Most of the work this year is being spent on digital design, said the FARA PM, Col. Gregory Fortier, but that should finish by December, so preparations to build the physical prototypes do have to get underway now. “We have currently seen no impact, [but] there are certainly concerns within Bell and Sikorsky about long lead materials and shipping and the [subcontractors] at the second and third tier,” Col Fortier said. “They are okay with the summer timeframe and into the fall,” Fortier said. “If this thing stretches six months to a year, then that's a different conversation.” The FARA scout, FLRAA transport, and future drones will all have as many components in common as possible, especially electronics, and need to seamlessly share both tactical and maintenance data. To make this happen, they're being designed to a common set of technical standards known as the Modular Open System Architecture, allowing the Army to plug-and-play MOSA-compliant components from any company for both maintenance and upgrades. While existing Army aircraft can't be retrofitted with the complete open architecture, the Army plans to upgrade them with a mini-MOSA called the Aviation Mission Common Server. AMCS will both provide some of the benefits of open architecture to the current fleet and real-world experience to help build the future system. AMCS, too, remains on schedule, the project manager said. “We are currently on track to award an OTA [Other Transaction Authority contract] in June 2020 and negotiations are currently ongoing,” Col. Johnathan Frasier said. The Schedule To Stay On Future Vertical Lift is doing a lot this year. Here's a list of most – not all – of the things they've accomplished so far and what they aim to do. A startling amount of it is due in June. Modular Open Systems Architecture (involves multiple project managers) April: Over 300 government and industry participants joined in a virtual meeting of the Architecture Collaboration Working Group fleshing out MOSA. June: A follow-on ACWG meeting is scheduled. The Army will award an Other Transaction Authority (OTA) contract for the Aviation Mission Common Server (AMCS). Engine & Electrical (PM: Col. Roger Kuykendal) May-June: Tentative date for an industry day on electrical systems, including batteries, generators, Auxiliary Power Units (APUs), and thermal management (i.e. cooling). June 15-19: Critical Design Review for the integrated engine system. October: Power management systems demonstration, conducted with the Army C5ISR center. Fall: Improved Turbine Engine testing begins. Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft (PM: Col. David Phillips) March 17: The Army awarded Bell and the Sikorsky-Boeing team contracts for Competitive Demonstration & Risk Reduction (CDRR) of their rival FLRAA designs. June: FLRAA and FARA will hold a joint industry day – virtually, of course – on their shared mission systems. And the FLRAA competitors will deliver conceptual designs to help shape the program's final requirements. Fall: Those FLRAA requirements will come up for review by the Army Requirements Oversight Council (AROC), a high-level body usually chaired by either the four-star boss of Army Futures Command or even the Army Chief of Staff himself. Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft (PM: Col. Gregory Fortier) March 25: The Army picked Bell and Sikorsky to build competing prototypes. May 15: Industry responses are due for a formal Request For Information (RFI) on FARA mission systems. June: FLRAA and FARA hold their joint industry day on shared mission systems. Boston Consulting Group will deliver the first of two studies on FARA-specific mission systems. Summer (month not specified): Deloitte will deliver the second FARA mission systems study. Sikorsky and Bell will both go through Preliminary Design Review. December: Sikorsky and Bell will submit their final designs. With those approved, they'll begin building the actual prototypes. Unmanned Aircraft Systems (PM: Col. Scott Anderson) April: The first FTUAS contender began field testing (formally “demonstrations”) at Fort Riley, Kan. May: The second FTUAS contender began field testing at Fort Campbell, Ken. May-June: This is the likely window for the Army to award three Other Transaction Authority contracts for the mini-drones known as Air-Launched Effects (ALE). June-July: Third FTUAS contender begins testing at Fort Lewis, Wash. July: Fourth contender begins testing at Fort Bliss, Tex. August-September: A fifth unit begins testing at Fort Bragg, NC. There are only four different designs being studied, so this brigade will double up on of the designs already in testing. Fall: The Army Requirements Oversight Council will review the final requirement for FTUAS – which will be based on how the contenders actually performed – as well as requirements for a highly automated Scalable Control Interface (SCI) for all future drones. https://breakingdefense.com/2020/05/covid-cant-stop-a-busy-summer-for-army-fvl

Jen DiMascio Tony Osborne Steve Trimble On the heels of Germany's proposal to purchase both Eurofighter Typhoons and Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornets, Aviation Week editors Jen DiMascio, Tony Osborne and Steve Trimble discuss ongoing fighter competitions around the world on Check 6, highlighting one of the most dynamic markets in aerospace. https://aviationweek.com/defense-space/podcast-international-fighter-competitions