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POLICY PERSPECTIVE by Ian Mack CGAI Fellow May 2020 DOWNLOAD PDF Introduction In the autumn of 2019, the federal government announced on www.buyandsell.gc.ca the creation of a discussion group to address in-service support for the Canadian Surface Combatants (CSCs). The objective of Canada's procurement is 15 warships and the project is in the early stages of modifying the design of the U.K.'s global combat ship (GCS), with the first Canadian ship delivery anticipated after 2025. It must be assumed that this discussion group formation is the first stage of industry consultation. The City-class Type 26 frigate design has been in development for over a decade and the first of eight U.K. Type 26 warships is now in production. BAE Systems won the contract for the design and construction work in the U.K. This design has been available for export under the moniker global combat ship, and both Canada and Australia have selected it – the latter intending to build nine Hunter-class frigates. While neither the Australian nor Canadian designs have been completed, the combat systems will apparently be quite different across the three nations. However, it is unlikely that the major platform design will change dramatically. If this assumption is correct, it could mean that the major equipment of the platforms of some 32 hulls would likely be substantially the same. And from an in-service support point of view, this clearly creates an opportunity for international co-operation wherever it makes sense. TOP OF PAGE Conventional Wisdom – International Programs There are indications that three-nation government-to-government meetings have taken place to exchange views on creating a user group during the acquisition activity. It would make sense to also explore a related arrangement for in-service support. Clearly, with the potential to support 32 equipment sets across the marine platforms, there are many opportunities for economies of scale which could reduce the costs for all three nations – for common design modifications, for spares through bulk buys, for depot-level maintenance with many more units, for common training of potentially two to four times individual nations' throughput/requirements and the like. Such synergies could be worth hundreds of millions of dollars in savings over the extended lives of these warships. But international programs are not always easy to establish and implement, for many reasons. Nations are very different. They place different priorities on defence matters so the simple co-ordination required to achieve timely agreements can be difficult. Governments also change and a falling-out between two nations can lead to reversals. Nations lose some of their autonomy in decision-making when they join such programs, which can be a major deterrent. And governments have approaches to contracting which are very different, so negotiations on behalf of multiple governments can become bogged down in disagreements as to what approaches nations will support. In a perfect world, Canadian and Australian officials might have included an option during the design selection competitions so that such international in-service support programs could have been enabled by adopting a number of mandatory attributes. Unfortunately, the variability in schedules driving Canada's and Australia's frigate programs, as well as the built-in challenges of running competitions, conspired against any detailed discussion of “what ifs”. Work share (or industrial benefits) is important – to the domestic industries and thus to governments that always care about high-value jobs of the sort one finds in defence-related work. Without doubt, companies in all three countries are already seeing dollar signs and/or may already have won certain rights during the competitions for selection. Hence, Australia and Canada would be unlikely to sign up if all the work is being done, say, in Europe because the bar to agree to collaborate for other reasons could be so high as to be a non-starter. And there could be a number of other challenging commercial issues related to such things as intellectual property that could affect the shape of work-share agreements. There are also many tactical issues. The three time zones are not conducive to ongoing dialogue; one should never underestimate the challenges of working across large distances. As simple as international meeting arrangements should be, one of the partners will not be able to make it at the 11th hour more often than one expects – much less the travel budget involved and/or the cost of personnel liaison/exchange programs between the countries. Canada's Treasury Board is frequently much more involved in expensive and long-term international contracts, routinely requiring the tedious achievement of annual approvals. Nations and organizations have different laws/regulations and standards respectively which must be synchronized upfront and as changes occur. And so it goes. One can conclude that, aside from international information exchange forums, complex business arrangements involving both governments and industries in international programs detrimentally impact a nation's autonomy in decision-making and often offer fewer economic benefits. They are not for the faint of heart. TOP OF PAGE Conventional Wisdom – The Opportunity If one were to consider an international three-party in-service support (ISS) program for common platform major equipment/systems which would leverage BAE Systems as the common ISS agent, wouldn't there be potentially significant benefits to Canada? On the face of it, one must assume that the answer is “maybe” and this is worth exploring. In reviewing this option from a Canadian perspective, it would be appropriate to assess the ISS outcomes against the four sustainment pillars as now mandated for inclusion in the business cases driving Department of National Defence (DND) ISS procurement decisions: performance (operational readiness), value for money (price at or below the market rate), flexibility (adaptable and scalable to accommodate change in operational tempo and available budgets) and economic benefits (jobs and economic growth for Canadian companies). As mentioned earlier, international programs often render economic benefits much more elusive. However, in terms of performance, flexibility and value for money, there is no doubt that the potential exists to see maximum return on investment. In the case under review, BAE Systems is reported to be the second largest Western defence contractor and therefore should be able to wield the clout that comes with it when dealing with major equipment system manufacturers (OEMs). And of course, the supplemental impact must also be understood and catered to – BAE Systems can choose to be difficult in any business arrangement without significantly affecting its bottom line. With respect to contractual response to major equipment and systems performance (which contributes to technical readiness), a client with a large work share is more likely to get attention for initiatives to maintain and improve performance than will smaller clients. This would be important in this case because the three navies operate in significantly different environments around the world with the concomitant variations in some performance requirements. As well an OEMs' failure to address the concerns of three allied navies could result in being blacklisted by BAE Systems when procuring equipment/systems for new ship designs, while timely and effective contractual response could lead to future opportunities. Low performance achievement could also deliver a much more significant blow to an OEM's reputation if more than one navy is impacted detrimentally – witness the Boeing scenario with the 737 Max. This can be important, as select foreign OEMs have essentially ignored Canada before when Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) equipment has suffered performance shortfalls. From a performance perspective, an international ISS program with BAE Systems at the centre could be a plus. In terms of providing adaptability and scalability, the presence of a number of clients can allow reductions in the demand for various services by one client (e.g., facing a budget downturn) to be picked up by another on an interim basis. Alternatively, the need for a surge in support by one navy (e.g., facing major unforeseen operations) may be easier to address by diverting some degree of effort from other clients. Only in the case where all clients are experiencing a similar variation in demand will such flexibility be jeopardized; but such a challenge can equally accrue whether in an international support program or not. Therefore, on balance, there can be greater flexibility in traditional circumstances for an international program, but there are limits. Value for money should be a strong argument for an international collaboration, if only because of economies of scale when considering, in this case, a fleet of 32 ship sets instead of eight, nine or 15 – and that is as-fitted, with spares increasing the overall numbers of common units of equipment. As an ISS client agent with much more maintenance, repair work and spares demand for an OEM, there would be greater interest in keeping multiple navies happy with the prices paid and the requirement over time to see support costs reduced. International programs frequently benefit by pooling spare units and ownership by OEMs, such that the number required (and hence the costs) are lower and risks to availability can be somewhat mitigated. Instead of each nation addressing emerging technical issues separately, sharing the costs should make it cheaper for all. So too are there potential benefits for OEM infrastructure, as top-notch physical plant and software assurance against cyber-attack are much more affordable to all concerned. Hence, the conventional wisdom is that such an international in-service support program should offer a better return on investment in terms of greater performance at lower costs, as well as the possibility for greater scalability to adapt to variations in demand for services. But as mentioned earlier, this comes typically with the potential for fewer economic benefits for Canada – clearly an important consideration. TOP OF PAGE Unique Considerations of the Case at Hand In exploring a possible international program for the U.K., Australia and Canada to leverage their selection of the same basic platform design and designer (BAE Systems), it is useful to accept the conventional wisdom but explore additional factors that should be weighed in a sustainment business case. What follows is a potpourri of additional considerations worthy of study. It is useful to address what could be included in the term “in-service support”. Based on common equipments and systems, it could include design agent services, maintenance, spares, training and documentation within an integrated data environment, to name the most important few. Nations could also select from among these options for hybrid arrangements. Near the top of the list for CSC is the fact that it is under the umbrella of the National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS). The strategy specifically prevents the NSS shipyards from providing a single day of in-service support once they are delivered to the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) unless such shipyards win those rights through a competitive procurement process. This is unique – a departure from past approaches in Canadian government shipbuilding – and quite frankly considered to be imprudent. In the very early days of a new class of complex ships, the prime contractor (often the build shipyard and/or designer) usually provides as a minimum a number of years of ISS. The shipbuilder typically has the best expert knowledge that exists for the initial years of services, along with the relationships and a degree of leverage with the major equipment/systems' OEMs. Normally, an in-service support bridging contract is awarded concurrent with the ship construction contract. Often, the prime contractor is then awarded a long-term ISS contract. There is a story as to why ship maintenance support for vessels delivered under NSS departed from the norm (there is always a story), and confirmation should be obtained as soon as possible that the earlier decision is reversible, to allow the business case to include all options. Related to the former paragraph, Canada has relatively recently awarded a contract to Thales for support services for the Arctic offshore patrol ships and the joint support ships. Although these ships have yet to be turned over to the RCN, one would expect that even at this early stage many lessons have been learned which should be taken into account when conducting the business case, such as whether the knowledge was/is available to support first-day-under-power with the RCN. BAE Systems is at the heart of the potential international program. From the internet alone, one observes that, among other classes of Royal Navy (RN) ships, BAE Systems manages design, equipment maintenance and ship modifications for the RN's Type 45 destroyers. It therefore would be important to ask the RN how well their approach is working and to explore the details of the existing contract, infrastructure arrangements, innovations introduced and performance to date. This would be a bellwether to the likelihood that the RN would be at least interested in an international support program for their Type 26 frigates in terms of capability and customer-focused cultural flexibility at BAE Systems. And if they have misgivings and/or if Australia is not interested, the international program option may be eliminated from the business case. One would expect that all three nations would support the generation of their own business cases and compare conclusions before making decisions. Earlier, I offered the assumption that the platform systems are likely to employ the same major equipment systems, but that the combat systems are unlikely to be common. But to overstate the obvious, warships are not like layer cakes – they do not have separate top and bottom halves. The three naval variants being procured are exceptionally integrated and complex super-systems. Therefore, in-service support must address both sets of major equipment/systems – platform and combat systems. BAE Systems is the overall combat systems integrator for the Type 26 frigates destined for the RN and an obvious choice to deliver in-service support. Lockheed Martin Canada is the equivalent for the CSC. And BAE Systems Australia is partnered with Lockheed Martin Australia and Saab Australia to deliver the combat system integration for the Hunter-class frigates. Therefore, an international – almost-whole-of-ship – ISS solution might even offer significant economic benefits to all three nations. This could create challenges based on the proverbial “too many eggs in one basket”, and certain safeguards would be required. It is worthwhile to note an anomaly in Canada's case regarding the construction of these warships. BAE Systems is responsible for building all of the ships in question in the U.K. and Australia, but Irving Shipbuilding is responsible under NSS to construct the CSCs. One should never underestimate the shipbuilder's knowledge when dealing with a complex seagoing vessel, and a sole platform-related focus on BAE Systems alone would, in the Canadian case, be a deficit in any international program. Irving Shipbuilding's contribution should therefore be considered in the business case for Canada. Should the business case be strong, there is an argument that a directed contract to an Irving-BAE partnership for in-country platform in-service support would make sense and be in the public's interest. As mentioned earlier, although this was prohibited under the original terms of the National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy, it could be waived in this instance for those warships that will be the backbone of Canada's maritime defence for 30 years. It would provide significant economic benefits as well. There is clearly the significant potential of operational value to such an arrangement, in addition to strong performance supporting day-to-day readiness. The three nations are on three different continents, and all three navies pursue global deployments. The availability of full ISS in or within the reach of Canada, the U.K. and Australia provides significant benefits to all three navies over their 30-year lives when breakdowns occur far from home port. The business case should take into account the fact that the U.K. may export the global combat ship design more broadly in the world. If an international consortium delivering in-service support were in place, it could become an important selling feature for potential buyers of the GCS. This undoubtedly could enhance value for money, flexibility and performance for the three plank owner nations. And from a Canadian perspective, as the nation with the largest stake in the game at 15 warships, we should be able to significantly influence the contractual arrangements with current and future parties to the international program. A typical and expensive part of the life cycle of warships is midlife conversions. Combat systems in particular require modernization to employ new technologies designed to address new threats. These are extremely complex endeavours. Once again, the degree of value for money through life could be even greater, depending on the degree of commonality of the equipment upgrade options selected. And the very fact that Canada would see opportunities worth considering as fully developed options would in itself offer potential cost benefits that would otherwise be unlikely to occur. As part of the business case analysis, it would be useful to study the commercial marine industry examples of international in-service support. Large ship operators and OEMs are very experienced in working across national and client boundaries to deliver economical services. Any business case should capture the pros and cons more broadly in the commercial business sector as well. There could be a benefit as part of an international program in terms of the people required. As the proverb goes, many hands make light work. Since the launch of what was then termed the National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy, Canada's marine HR challenges within government have become more pronounced. An international program could lighten the load while expanding the experience base for involved government and naval personnel in tackling the demands of supporting as complex a platform as the CSC. It would be important to understand the challenges surrounding the governance in the broadest sense. Though not at all unique, governance would likely need to be structured to address three separate functions – the integrated supplier-client engagement, the clients' government-to-government activity and industry-to-industry supplier co-ordination. While not uncommon when contracting for goods and services for complex systems, the international aspects, length of the arrangement and the ever-increasing volatility in the marketplace are noteworthy. With such complexity and the constantly changing stakeholders involved over 30 years, the mechanisms for a strong and appropriate relationship alignment would be critical to long-term success. When dealing with a high degree of complexity in an international program such as this, the business case needs to assess the likelihood that the collaboration can be created and maintained in terms of the critical enabling relationships. In the factors highlighted here and as with any business case, the importance of comparing the international program solution with what seems to be the more recent and typical Canadian in-service solution resulting from a competitive procurement cannot be underestimated. Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ships and Joint Support Ships In-Service Support (AJISS) is the latest Canadian example and must be carefully analyzed even at this early stage to determine the prognosis for achieving the desired outcomes. Again, engagement with allies to assess their experience with single-nation support scenarios would be important in establishing the right comparators to enable coherent business case recommendations. It would be prudent to consider the long view as part of the business case – including such things as the likelihood that nations would retire their warships at different times or even opt out of the international ISS program long before end-of life. While much can change, an early appreciation and understanding of various scenarios and the related risks would be important. As a final point, such complicated business case assessments are never easy. After assembling the assumption set and the criteria analysis, and after negotiating “les grandes lignes” of a contractual agreement, it would be important to avoid the common pitfall of allowing one or two pros or cons to dominate the decision-making. Too often, the complexity that defies the “kiss principle” leads to rejection of otherwise optimum solutions. But at the end of the day, one must accept that it will be a judgment call. TOP OF PAGE Concluding Material Under the five-year-old Defence Procurement Strategy, Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) is responsible for leading the industry engagement that launches defence procurement processes. More recently, the ISS procurement strategies have been based on the results of the sustainment initiative business case led by DND. At virtually every opportunity over the past decade, I have emphasized the importance of managing expectations. In every discussion with industry, it behooves those leading the CSC in-service support exploration activity to include the possibility of an international program solution. To eliminate that option without study would be both shortsighted and inexcusable. Also, failing to repeatedly ensure that all stakeholders are aware of the potential for such an outcome would lack transparency and be disingenuous. When the RCN's readiness to deliver operational capability is at stake, along with billions of Canadian taxpayers' dollars for CSC in-service support over 30 years, it matters. And an international in-service support program for the new frigates of Canada, the U.K. and Australia is an important option worth considering. TOP OF PAGE About the Author After a 38 year career with the Royal Canadian Navy, Ian Mack (Rear-Admiral Retired) served for a decade (2007-2017) as the Director-General in the Department of National Defence responsible for the conception, shaping and support of the launch and subsequent implementation of the National Shipbuilding Strategy, and for guiding the DND project managers for the Arctic Offshore Patrol Ships, the Joint Support Ships and the Canadian Surface Combatants. He also had responsibility for four vehicle projects for the Canadian Army until 2015. Since leaving the government, he has offered his shipbuilding and project management perspectives internationally. Ian is a longstanding Fellow of the International Centre for Complex Project Management. He also is allied with Strategic Relationships Solutions Inc. He is married to Alex, and has three grown children. With few accommodations for impaired mobility, he remains active. Upon retirement, he founded a small business, Xi Complexity Consulting Inc. in Ottawa Canada. TOP OF PAGE Canadian Global Affairs Institute The Canadian Global Affairs Institute focuses on the entire range of Canada's international relations in all its forms including (in partnership with the University of Calgary's School of Public Policy), trade investment and international capacity building. Successor to the Canadian Defence and Foreign Affairs Institute (CDFAI, which was established in 2001), the Institute works to inform Canadians about the importance of having a respected and influential voice in those parts of the globe where Canada has significant interests due to trade and investment, origins of Canada's population, geographic security (and especially security of North America in conjunction with the United States), social development, or the peace and freedom of allied nations. The Institute aims to demonstrate to Canadians the importance of comprehensive foreign, defence and trade policies which both express our values and represent our interests. The Institute was created to bridge the gap between what Canadians need to know about Canadian international activities and what they do know. Historically Canadians have tended to look abroad out of a search for markets because Canada depends heavily on foreign trade. In the modern post-Cold War world, however, global security and stability have become the bedrocks of global commerce and the free movement of people, goods and ideas across international boundaries. Canada has striven to open the world since the 1930s and was a driving factor behind the adoption of the main structures which underpin globalization such as the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, the World Trade Organization and emerging free trade networks connecting dozens of international economies. The Canadian Global Affairs Institute recognizes Canada's contribution to a globalized world and aims to inform Canadians about Canada's role in that process and the connection between globalization and security. In all its activities the Institute is a charitable, non-partisan, non-advocacy organization that provides a platform for a variety of viewpoints. It is supported financially by the contributions of individuals, foundations, and corporations. Conclusions or opinions expressed in Institute publications and programs are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Institute staff, fellows, directors, advisors or any individuals or organizations that provide financial support to, or collaborate with, the Institute. https://www.cgai.ca/an_in_service_support_opportunity

Waking up to the use of drones in its fight against the Covid-19 pandemic, the ministry of civil aviation and Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) have launched the GARUD portal. The platform will provide fast track exemptions to government agencies for using drones in their operations against the pandemic. GARUD or ‘Government Authorisation for Relief Using Drones' was developed by the National Informatics Centre in eight days. Providing exemptions to government agencies by changing Rule 160 of the Aircraft Rules, 1937, for easy and fast approvals for drone usage, any government department can apply for these exemptions on the GARUD platform. However, the government has also put restrictions on these exemptions. For instance, the government will provide permission to only battery-operated drones or remotely piloted aircraft (RPAs). Permission won't be granted to autonomous and fixed-wing RPAs. The order also makes the organisation responsible for ensuring safe operations of RPAs. Operations involving RPAs are to be conducted under the supervision of authorised entity while not risking lives, property, or any other aircraft. Moreover, the government has allowed all the government agencies to use either their own drones or use ones offered by third-party providers which are mostly startups. According to the rules, all the drones should have a valid unique identification number (UIN) or drone acknowledgement number (DAN) issued by the DGCA. The agency using the RPAs will have to update the details of the drone on DGCA's Digital Sky platform. Moreover, the drones shouldn't be weighing more than 25 KG and cannot pick up, drop or spray any substance. This provision leaves authorities to use these drones for surveillance. Other restrictions include no flight before sunrise and after sunset. The government also imposed a height limit of up to 200 metres for the drones. Besides surveillance, many drone startups in India are also looking to support the delivery of essentials. They are also being used to back on-ground medical staff. Pune and Silicon Valley-based FlytBase is offering drone services free to government officials until May 2020. Moreover, Hyderabad-based Marut Drones is delivering medicines and collecting blood samples. It has also been deployed to spray sanitizer in the city. Recently, the DGCA also allowed hyperlocal delivery provider Dunzo and Bengaluru-based drone maker Throttle Aerospace Systems to test their long-range drone delivery solutions. These startups are also expected to deliver grocery via drones in the near future. https://inc42.com/buzz/drones-cleared-for-take-off-as-govt-launches-garud-portal-to-simplify-norms/

SMi Reports: Royal Air Force's Wing Commander Judith Graham to brief on RPAS Capabilities at UAV Technology, this September. 05/04/20, 05:43 AM | Unmanned & Other Topics In recent news, the UK Royal Air Force is set to integrate the new Protector UAS, replacing the current Reaper models in service. As armed forces continue to invest in UAV developments, where remote combat UAS and ISR capabilities have solidified their importance to modern military operations, the RAF plans to acquire 16 Protectors by 2024.*With that said, SMi Group's 5th annual UAV Technology conference, reconvening on 28th and 29th September 2020 in London, UK and will further investigate RPAS capabilities. The 2020 event promises to provide a comprehensive overview of the latest wingmen programmes, long range ISR capabilities, regulation, counter-UAS technology and more. For Interested parties, there is an early bird saving of £300 for bookings made by 29th May. Register at http://www.uav-technology.org/robtomPR2 The Royal Air Force's Remotely Piloted Air Systems Programme Manager, Wing Commander Judith Graham will be providing an exclusive keynote presentation on ‘Transforming the Royal Air Force's RPAS Capabilities' covering: • Progress in delivering the Protector Remotely Piloted Air System to the Royal Air Force and testing the limits of the platform. • Advancing towards Airspace Integration and Certification. • Operational advantage of the Protector and how this will be leveraged in future operational planning, including Brimstone missiles, and upgraded sensor packages. • Looking further ahead: what part will the Protector play in future conflict both against near-peer and irregular adversaries. Delegates attending Europe's leading conference dedicated to UAV development will learn from high profile UK and international military speakers as they meet and share their insight and experiences with UAV technologies. For the full speakers and the programme, visit: http://www.uav-technology.org/robtomPR2 UAV Technology 28th - 29th September 2020 London, UK Sponsored by: AeroVironment, Fizoptika, Leonardo and Mynaric For sponsorship and exhibition queries please contact Justin Predescu jpredescu@smi-online.co.uk or call +44 (0) 20 7827 6130 For delegate queries please contact James Hitchen jhitchen@smi-online.co.uk or call +44(0)207 827 6054 For media queries please contact Carina Gozo at CGozo@smi-online.co.uk. *‘ RAF unveils deadly new Protector drone armed with ‘game-changing technology' (Express: August, 2019) https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/1169075/raf-news-drone-protector-drone-high-tech-armed-surveillance-aircraft --END— About SMi Group: Established since 1993, the SMi Group is a global event-production company that specializes in Business-to-Business Conferences, Workshops, Masterclasses and online Communities. We create and deliver events in the Defence, Security, Energy, Utilities, Finance and Pharmaceutical industries. We pride ourselves on having access to the world's most forward thinking opinion leaders and visionaries, allowing us to bring our communities together to Learn, Engage, Share and Network. More information can be found at http://www.smi-online.co.uk https://www.roboticstomorrow.com/news/2020/05/04/top-royal-air-force-representative-to-present-at-uav-technology-2020/15214/

MARKHAM, Ontario--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Leading defence and military magazine, CANADIAN DEFENCE REVIEW, has just released its annual survey and ranking of Canada's Top Defence Companies. For 2020, CDR has named Lockheed Martin Canada, its Top Defence Company and it's their third time at the #1 spot over the 16 years the survey has been published. Parent company, Lockheed Martin, is the world's largest defence contractor but the Canadian operation constitutes a tiny sliver of the corporation, however, of particular interest to CDR, is the fact that its cutting edge naval technology is all home-grown! In commenting on the selection, Lorraine Ben, Lockheed Martin Canada Chief Executive, said, “... our success is founded upon long-standing partnerships with Canada, the Canadian Forces, and the country's defence supply sector.” She added, “This recognition by CDR is a true testament to our team and the extraordinary talent and dedication our employees have. And not only for our Lockheed Martin Canada team, but for our vast network of Canadian suppliers and partners – we have a rich history supporting collective success across Canadian industry and we are looking forward to growing this positive impact.” CDR Editor-in-Chief, Peter Kitchen, commented, “Lockheed Martin Canada has proven time and time again that it is a great corporate citizen and we were particularly impressed how the company not only develops its key naval technology in-country, but it also draws on the vast resources of the mother company in a very effective way.” There have been ten new companies added to the CDR survey this year, showing Canada's defence industry is vibrant and growing. An evaluation panel consisting of CDR editorial staff and independent advisors ranked the companies based on factors such as economic impact, innovation, contribution to the nation's security, corporate integrity and support for Canada's military. With the publication of its annual Top 75 Defence Companies Survey & Ranking, CDR's goal is to showcase Canada's defence industry and all that it has to offer. And that's why, in the current challenging environment, CDR is proud to be part of an industry that is fighting valiantly against the Covid-19 pandemic threatening the nation. Contacts Peter A. Kitchen, Editor-in-Chief Telephone: (905) 554-4586 Email: Comments@CanadianDefenceReview.com www.CanadianDefenceReview.com https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200504005040/en/CDR-Names-Lockheed-Martin-Canada-Top-Defence

Défense Filière aéronautique et défense : reprise d'activité et perspectives de relance Dans la filière aéronautique et défense, «la reprise de l'activité est assez rapide après un arrêt quasi complet», avait observé il y a une dizaine de jours Eric Trappier, président du GIFAS et PDG de Dassault Aviation, au moment de son audition à l'Assemblée nationale. Un constat partagé par le président du CIDEF (GIFAS, GICAT, GICAN), Stéphane Mayer : «au début de la crise, nous avions jusqu'à 60% des entreprises qui étaient à l'arrêt ou très perturbées. Aujourd'hui, nous observons une généralisation progressive des reprises mais avec un niveau très variable entre 30 et 60%, au maximum 70%, des effectifs au travail», dont 20 à 30% sur site. L'étape du 11 mai marquera la poursuite de l'amélioration voire «une accélération de ces ratios», a souligné M. Mayer. La Tribune rappelle que le GIFAS s'est mis en ordre de combat depuis le début de la crise : Eric Trappier a décidé de réunir autour de lui sur une base hebdomadaire les principaux dirigeants de la filière : Guillaume Faury (Airbus), Philippe Petitcolin (Safran), Patrice Caine (Thales), ainsi que le président du Groupe des Équipements Aéronautiques et de Défense Patrick Daher (Daher), le président du Comité Aéro-PME, Christophe Cador, PDG de Satys, et le Délégué général du GIFAS, Pierre Bourlot. Un plan de relance est en préparation dans la défense. Dans l'aéronautique civile, Eric Trappier rappelle que renouveler les avions «permettrait de redynamiser le secteur aéronautique et de rendre les compagnies aéronautiques encore plus vertueuses en ayant des avions plus verts». M. Trappier a rappelé que les États-Unis ont déterminé «deux priorités stratégiques de relance : l'aéronautique et l'industrie de défense», soit un plan de 50 milliards de dollars. «Est-ce que l'Europe va en mettre un en place ? Nous y travaillons, le commissaire Breton y réfléchit sérieusement», a-t-il expliqué. La Tribune du 5 mai

By: Tom Kington ROME — As CEO of Italy's state-controlled Fincantieri since 2002, Giuseppe Bono, has built cruise, merchant and naval vessels, including the FREMM frigate, for the Italian navy. Last week the type was picked by the U.S. sea service for its newest frigate, the FFG(X), in a deal worth $5.58 billion if options for nine vessels are exercised after the first ship. The FFG(X) will be produced at Wisconsin's Marinette Marine shipyard, which Fincantieri bought in 2008 and where it already builds Freedom-class Littoral Combat Ships for the U.S. Navy and Saudi Arabia with Lockheed Martin. In an interview with Defense News, Bono explained why FREMM beat off the competition, why shipyards should always be prime contractors, and why building cruise ships makes you punctual. What are the reasons you won this competition? In the U.S., more than elsewhere, the quality-price ratio was crucial. And our vessel fit the requirement. The U.S. wanted a ship with anti-submarine capability and this ship is unique in its class because it has that capability. The other competitors offered ships derived from other designs. The customer also wanted a ship which was already at sea. In a way we were lucky. On paper, the other offerings might have been great, but we are operational. Our proposal was also more complete because the design is extremely flexible thanks to the possibility of fitting different defense systems. We had also studied an AEGIS version of the FREMM with Lockheed Martin and knew it would not need large, structural work. What was your reaction when you heard you had won? My colleagues were more emotional about than me. I pursue objectives and strategy. You teamed with Lockheed Martin on the LCS program but here you went alone. We never considered a U.S. partner. This bid was different to the past, with a new approach. In this case the shipbuilders were candidates to be prime contractors. And with a track record with 16 LCS orders for the U.S. and four for Saudi Arabia we are an American shipyard, this time with an Italian design. We have worked very well with Lockheed Martin, but as prime contractor on the Littoral Combat Ship it was the point of contact with the customer, meaning the yard was a step back and that sometimes led to a short circuit. When the shipyard is speaking to the customer as prime, it facilitates the relationships and leads to a better product and lower prices because certain decisions can be made faster. You will, however, work with U.S. firm Gibbs and Cox on the FFG(X). Gibbs and Cox frequently works with the U.S. Navy and knows its needs perfectly. We have a long and positive experience working with them on the LCS and we teamed with them to adapt the FREMM for the U.S. Navy. As work gets underway at Marinette will you need to hire new workers and make further infrastructure improvements? A lot of the work we needed to do at Marinette has already been done. When we first took over, in a springtime, we were shocked to find that the forecourts were muddy due to snowmelt. Now we have paved them over and increased efficiencies in terms of the yard's layout. We will need to find extra space because the FFG(X) will overlap with LCS construction, but we have shown we can build two FFG(X) vessels simultaneously as well as LCS vessels at Marinette. That said, depending on future programs, if the opportunity arose to buy a new yard, we will consider it. We would not be against the possibility, but it is not an issue now. There have been some legislative provisions requiring Buy American for certain FFG(X) components. How will this affect you going forward on this ship? On the LCS there are a number of Italian components, albeit a very limited number. The vessel also has Rolls Royce gas turbines, not GE, showing that price and quality always win out. On the LCS, the four diesel sets for power generation were built by our subsidiary Isotta Fraschini Motori. They are also on the Italian FREMMS. Now we will see if they can be used on the U.S. vessels. The Freedom LCS class experienced delays at the outset. How are you going to try and avoid that for FFG(X), understanding that there are always challenges with a first-of-class ship? There is a difference between a ship and other platforms like an aircraft or an helicopter. A ship does not have a prototype, only the first in class. The prototype of a ship becomes operational. This means the first vessel needs more time than the successive ships. On the LCS program the construction time sped up and prices fell as it accelerated. Is this the biggest ever win for an Italian firm in the U.S. defense market? Yes, I think so. It the result of working well and showing you are serious, of delivering on time and on budget. All these aspects are strongly taken into account by the customer and they give you an advantage. This is fundamental and one of our characteristics, derived in part from our work on cruise ships, which are built on a turnkey basis. The discipline there is unique. You need to deliver on a specific day which is established years earlier, otherwise the penalties never stop. Being punctual is in our DNA. Add to that we are always prime contractor, and a cruise ship is no less complex than a naval ship. In the military sector, delivering on time happens rarely. There are many examples of delays in some countries which can be almost infinite. Turning to Europe, there is ongoing consolidation in the German shipbuilding sector. How does that affect your plans to launch a type of European naval Airbus with French yard Naval Group? With Germany we have a consolidated and long-standing partnership related to the submarine sector. Consolidation must happen in Europe if it wants to count for something in the world, for this reason our goal must be a common defence. There are four of five major yards in the U.S. We cannot think of having more than that in Europe. We must consolidate. https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2020/05/04/interview-fincantieri-ceo-bono-on-winning-the-us-navys-frigate-competition/

U.S. SPECIAL OPERATIONS COMMAND Core One Solutions LLC, Sterling, Virginia (H92400-20-D-0002); Crisis Response Co. LLC, Keller, Texas (H92400-20-D-0003); Consulting Services Group LLC, Herndon, Virginia (H92400-20-D-0004); D3 Air & Space Operations Inc., St. Augustine, Florida (H92400-20-D-0005); Defense Acquisition Inc., Huntsville, Alabama (H92400-20-D-0006); EnGenius, Huntsville, Alabama (H92400-20-D-0007); Firebird AST, Arlington, Virginia (H92400-20-D-0008); Federal Information Systems Inc., San Antonio, Texas (H92400-20-D-0009); FITT Scientific LCC, Colonial Heights, Virginia (H92400-20-D-0010); Gemini Industries Inc., Burlington, Massachusetts (H92400-20-D-0011); Global Dimensions LLC, Fredericksburg, Virginia (H92400-20-D-0012); Geo Owl LLC, Wilmington, North Carolina (H92400-20-D-0013); Iron EagleX, Tampa, Florida (H92400-20-D-0014); INTEROP-ISHPI JV LLC, Virginia Beach, Virginia (H92400-20-D-0015); ITELITRAC Inc., Ashburn, Virginia (H92400-20-D-0016); Infinity Technology LLC, McLean, Virginia (H9240-020-D-0017); K2 Solutions Inc., Southern Pines, North Carolina (H92400-20-D-0018); Legion Systems LLC, Tampa, Florida (H92400-20-D-0019); Lukos LCC, Tampa, Florida (H92400-20-D-0020); METIS Celestar JV LLC, Tampa, Florida (H92400-20-D-0021); MHM Innovations Inc., Fairfax, Virginia (H92400-20-D-0022); Nisga'a Tek LLC, Chantilly, Virginia (H92400-20-D-0023); OSCAR DEUCE LLC, Virginia Beach, Virginia (H92400-20-D-0024); Prescient Edge Corp., McLean, Virginia (H92400-20-D-0025); ProCleared LLC, Chantilly, Virginia (H92400-20-D-0026); Preting LLC, Springfield, Virginia (H92400-20-D-0027); Quiet Professionals, Tampa, Florida (H92400-20-D-0028); R3 Strategic Support Group Inc., Coronado, California (H92400-20-D-0029); The Red Gate Group Ltd., Chantilly, Virginia (H92400-20-D-0030); R&K Enterprise Solutions Inc., Newport News, Virginia (H92400-20-D-0031); RMGS Inc., Virginia Beach, Virginia (H92400-20-D-0032); Special Applications Group, Tampa, Florida (H92400-20-D-0033); SOLUTE Inc., San Diego, California (H92400-20-D-0034); Systems Plus Inc., Rockville, Maryland (H92400-20-D-0035); Spathe Systems LLC, Tampa, Florida (H92400-20-D-0036); Strategic Solutions Unlimited Inc., Fayetteville, North Carolina (H92400-20-D-0037); Streamline Defense LLC, Tampa, Florida (H92400-20-D-0038); T3i Inc., Imperial Beach, California (H92400-20-D-0039); TriDcor JV LLC, Wesley Chapel, Florida (H92400-20-D-0040); Tyoneck Global Services LLC, Anchorage, Alaska (H92400-20-D-0041); Threat Tec LLC, Hampton, Virginia (H92400-20-D-0042); Universal Strategy Group Inc., Franklin, Tennessee (H92400-20-D-0043); Vistra Communications LLC, Lutz, Florida (H92400-20-D-0044); VxL Enterprise LLC, Alexandria, Virginia (H92400-20-D-0045); Walsingham Group Inc., Fayetteville, North Carolina (H92400-20-D-0046); and Webworld Technologies Inc., Fairfax, Virginia (H92400-20-D-0047), were awarded 46 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contracts worth $950,000,000 maximum for Special Operations Forces core support services in support of U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) enterprise requirements in the U.S. and globally. Contracted subject matter expertise and knowledge-based services will support education, training, engineering, technical, professional, administrative, management support, program management and other requirements. Funding shall be provided on a delivery order basis. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds will be used to satisfy a $2,500 contract minimum guarantee. The contracts were awarded competitively using Federal Acquisition Regulation Part 15 procedures. USSOCOM, Tampa, Florida, is the contracting activity. AIR FORCE COLASKA Inc., North Pole, Alaska (FA5004-20-D-0001); HC Contractors Inc., North Pole, Alaska (FA5004-20-D-0002); Paving Products Inc., Fairbanks, Alaska (FA5004-20-D-0003); Great Northwest Inc., Fairbanks, Alaska (FA5004-20-D-0004); and Granite Construction Co., Watsonville, California (FA5004-20-D-0005), have been awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contracts with a maximum estimated aggregate value of $350,000,000 under a multiple award task order contract for airfield/roadway paving and striping. These contracts provide for all plant, labor, supervision, equipment and materials necessary to repair, maintain and construct roads, parking lots, airfields and associated incidental work. Work will be performed on Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska; Fort Wainwright, Alaska; Fort Greely, Alaska; Clear Air Force Station, Alaska; and 168th Air National Guard property, Alaska, and work is expected to be completed April 30, 2027, if all six options are exercised. These awards are the result of a competitive acquisition and five offers were received. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $500 are being obligated to each contractor at the time of award. The 354th Contracting Squadron Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, is the contracting activity. Point Junction Car Rental, Doha, Qatar, has been awarded a $95,000,000 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for lease vehicle services at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar. This is a non-personal services contract to provide vehicle lease service for the Expeditionary Logistic Readiness Support Squadron. Work will be completed Nov. 30, 2024, and is the result of a competitive acquisition with 21 offers received. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $30,713 will be obligated at the time of award. The 379th Expeditionary Contracting Squadron, Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, is the contracting activity (F5702-20-D-0201). The Applied Research Laboratory at University of Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii, has been awarded a $75,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to establish or maintain an essential engineering, research, or development capability to be provided by an educational or other nonprofit institution or a federally funded research and development center under the authority 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(3)(B). The purpose of the Vanguard Center's Unified University Affiliated Research Center (UARC) for Maui High Performance Computing Center (MHPCC) Support (VaCUUMS) is to leverage the UARC's core competencies to accomplish research, development, test, and evaluation (RDT&E). The Air Force Research Laboratory UARC is necessary to maintain essential engineering, research and development capabilities at the MHPCC Vanguard Center by conducting scientific and technology investigations and by providing scientific expertise, capabilities and interdisciplinary facilities required for progression from basic theories of knowledge to practical and realistic fielded application in the areas of: sensor development; image processing; command and control integration; advanced data visualization and analytics; machine learning; and autonomy. Work will be performed in Maui, Hawaii, and is expected to be completed May 2024. This award is the result of the sole-source acquisition, and fiscal 2020 RDT&E funds in the amount of $358,422 are being obligated under Task Order 0001 (FA9451-20-F-0004) at time of award. The Air Force Research Laboratory, Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico, is the contracting activity (FA9451-20-D-0004). Akima Support Operations LLC, Colorado Springs, Colorado, has been awarded a $14,499,202 firm-fixed-price, cost-reimbursement contract to exercise Option Period Four for civil engineer services. The contractor will provide non‐personal services for continued operational support and civil engineer services to include engineering, environmental, operations, maintenance and emergency management. Work will be performed at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, for the period of May 1, 2020, to April 30, 2021. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $14,499,202 is being obligated at the time of award. The 6th Contracting Squadron, MacDill AFB, Florida, is the contracting activity (FA4814‐17‐C‐0002). NAVY Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Rolling Meadows, Illinois, is awarded a $123,526,724 modification (P00001) to previously awarded, fixed-price, incentive-firm-target contract N00019-19-C-0011. This modification procures the necessary hardware, systems engineering, technical support, analysis and studies to integrate the Department of Navy Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasures system onto aircraft for the Navy, Army, Air Force and the governments of Norway and New Zealand. Work will be performed in Rolling Meadows, Illinois (34%); Goleta, California (30%); Longmont, Colorado (11%); Blacksburg, Virginia (6%); Lewisburg, Tennessee (3%); Boulder, Colorado (3%); Carlsbad, California (2%); Apopka, Florida (1%); and various locations within the continental U.S. (10%). Weapon replaceable assemblies hardware procurements are as follows: 418 Advanced Threat Warning (ATW) sensors, 272 High Capacity Cards (HCCs), 160 Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA) cards, 64 Guardian Laser Transmitter Assemblies (GLTAs), 64 GLTA shipping containers, 53 -2103 signal, 48 Control Indicator Unit Replaceable (CIURs), 14 Smart Connector Assemblies (SCAs) and six Multi-Role Electro-Optical End-to-End Test Sets (MEONs) for the Navy; 156 HCCs, 138 ATW sensors, 23 CIURs and 23 -2103 signal for the Army; 64 PCMCIA cards and 45 ATW sensors for the Air Force; six GLTAs, six GLTA shipping containers, six SCAs and four HCCs for the government of Norway; and 30 Infrared Missile Warning Sensors, five GLTAs, five GLTA shipping containers, five SCAs, three HCCs, two CIURs and two MEONs for the government of New Zealand. Work is expected to be complete by July 2022. Fiscal 2020 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $76,228,341; fiscal 2020 procurement (Air Force) funds in the amount of $2,926,699; fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation funds (Navy) in the amount of $2,802,286; fiscal 2019 procurement (defense-wide) funds in the amount of $3,418,527; fiscal 2019 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $410,223; fiscal 2018 aircraft procurement (Army) funds in the amount of $25,262,278; fiscal 2018 aircraft procurement funds (Navy) in the amount of $3,184,415; and Foreign Military Sales funds in the amount of $9,293,955 will be obligated will be obligated at time of award, $3,184,415 of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This modification combines purchases for the Navy ($82,625,265; 67%); Army ($25,262,278; 20%); Air Force (6,345,226; 5%); the government of New Zealand ($6,338,009; 5%); and the government of Norway ($2,955,946; 2%). The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. Alion Science and Technology Corp., Burr Ridge, Illinois, is awarded a $49,999,999 firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. This contract provides non-recurring engineering and logistics support for the Live, Virtual, and Constructive (LVC) family of training systems. Work will be performed in Mayport, Florida (20%); Jacksonville, Florida (20%); North Island, California (20%); Kaneohe, Hawaii (20%); and various locations outside the continental U.S. (20%). The LVC Integrated Training System is a networked, personal computer (PC) based deployable trainer designed to support integrated and coordinated tactical training and simulation. Additionally, this contract procures the current training system configuration comprised of PCs with each PC system representing a mission training station in a particular aircraft (i.e. SH-60B, SH-60F, P-3C), shipboard system or combat systems which, when in a networked environment, allow for integrated mission training. Work is expected to be complete by April 2025. No funds will be obligated at the time of award. Funds will be obligated on individual orders as they are issued. This contract was competitively procured via Federal Business Opportunities; one offer was received. The Naval Air Warfare Center, Training Systems Division, Orlando, Florida, is the contracting activity (N61340-20-D-0015). Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Charlottesville, Virginia, is awarded a $27,430,321 firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee and cost-only modification to previously awarded contract N00024-19-C-4101 to exercise options to procure integrated bridge and navigation systems for the DDG-51 (guided missile destroyer) New Construction Ship Program and DDG-51 Midlife Modernization Program with physical throttles kits and engineering services. Work will be performed in Charlottesville, Virginia. The integrated bridge and navigation system is a hull, mechanical and electrical upgrade. It is part of the comprehensive plan to modernize the DDG-51 class to ensure the ships remain combat relevant and affordable throughout their life. Work is expected to be complete by August 2021. Fiscal 2020 other procurement (Navy); and 2019 and 2020 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funding in the amount of $18,759,918 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity. Lockheed Martin Corp., Rotary and Mission Systems, Moorestown, New Jersey, was awarded a $19,467,608 cost-plus-incentive fee, cost-plus-fixed-fee, undefinitized contract modification (N00024-20-C-5105) for the procurement of the Korean Gun Computing System development, software, and hardware and subassemblies for installation. This modification will finalize the Korean Gun Computing System interface design specifications for the integration with the Aegis combat system. This contract involves Foreign Military Sales (FMS) to the government of South Korea. Work will be performed in Seoul, South Korea (51%); Moorestown, New Jersey (46%); and Clearwater, Florida (3%), and is expected to be complete by July 2026. FMS funding in the amount of $1,975,021 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract modification was not competitively procured in accordance with the authority from 10 U.S. Code 2304 (c)(4). The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity. (Awarded April 29, 2020) Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems, Tewksbury, Massachusetts, is awarded a $17,220,849 cost-plus-fixed-fee, firm-fixed-price order under basic ordering agreement N00024-18-G-5501 for dual band radar systems engineering in support of CVN 78. Work will be performed in Portsmouth, Rhode Island (30%); Andover, Massachusetts (30%); Tewksbury, Massachusetts (20%); and Marlborough, Massachusetts (20%), and is expected to be complete by February 2022. Fiscal 2019 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funding in the amount of $17,220,849 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This order was not competitively procured, in accordance with 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1) with only one responsible source, and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity (N00024-20-F-5506). Ocean Ships Inc., Houston, Texas, is awarded a $15,114,743 modification for the fixed-price portion of previously awarded contract N32205-19-C-3003 to fund the operation and maintenance of two expeditionary transfer dock (ESD) vessels: U.S. Naval Ship (USNS) Montford Point (T-ESD 1) and USNS John Glenn (T-ESD 2). Work will be performed at sea worldwide, and the vessels will continue to support Military Sealift Command's world-wide prepositioning requirements. Work is expected to be complete by November 2024, if all options are exercised. This modification exercises the first of four one-year option periods of this contract. Working capital funds (Navy) in the amount of $15,114,743 are obligated for fiscal 2020 and fiscal 2021, and will not expire at the end of each year. The Military Sealift Command, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity. DRS Laurel Technologies, Johnstown, Pennsylvania, is awarded an $11,786,168 firm-fixed-price modification to previously awarded contract N00024-17-C-4109 to exercise options for procurement of AN/USQ-82(V) hardware in support of DDG-51 (guided missile destroyer) class new construction, DDG- 51 class modernization, and Aegis Ashore Japan. Work will be performed in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. The AN/USQ-82(V) Program is a control system network. Its purpose is to transfer mission critical data to and from users associated with combat, navigation, aviation, power, propulsion, steering, alarms indicating and damage control systems. Work is expected to be complete by August 2021. This contract combines purchases for the Navy (79%) and government of Japan (21%) under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program. Fiscal 2020 other procurement (Navy); 2020 and 2013 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy); and FMS Japan funding in the amount of $11,786,168 will be obligated at the time of the award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity. DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Del Medical Inc., Bloomingdale, Illinois, has been awarded a maximum $100,000,000 firm‐fixed‐price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite‐quantity contract for radiology systems, accessories and training. This is a five‐year base contract with one five‐year option period. This was a competitive acquisition with 50 responses received. Location of performance is Illinois, with an April 30, 2025, performance completion date. Using customers are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and federal civilian agencies. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2025 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE2D1‐20‐D‐0009). Vitol Inc., Houston, Texas, has been awarded a maximum $99,594,897 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment contract for fuel. This was a competitive acquisition with 14 responses received. This is a one-year contract with a 30-day carry-over period. Locations of performance are Texas and the United Kingdom, with a July 30, 2021, performance completion date. Using customer is Defense Logistics Agency Energy. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2021 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Energy, Fort Belvoir, Virginia (SPE602-20-D-0482). First Nation Group LLC, doing business as Jordan Reses Supply, Niceville, Florida, has been awarded a maximum $47,500,000 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 Florida, with an April 30, 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-0037). The Boeing Co., doing business as Boeing, St. Louis, Missouri, has been awarded a maximum $29,864,155 firm-fixed-price, fixed-quantity contract for B-52 hatches. This was a sole-source acquisition using justification 10 U.S. Code 2304 (c)(1), as stated in Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.301-1. This is a two-year, three-month contract with no option periods. Locations of performance are Missouri and Kansas, with a July 15, 2022, performance completion date. Using military service is Air Force. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2022 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (SPRTA1-20-F-0014). Tennier Industries Inc.,* Delray Beach, Florida, has been awarded a maximum $8,771,992 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for a variety of trousers and parkas. This is a one-year base contract with two one-year option periods. This was a competitive acquisition with one response received. Locations of performance are Florida and Tennessee, with an April 30, 2021, performance completion date. Using military services are the Marine Corp, Army and Air Force. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2021 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE1C1-20-D-1273). DEFENSE COUNTERINTELLIGENCE AND SECURITY AGENCY Next Tier Concepts, Vienna, Virginia, was awarded an estimated $24,919,863 firm-fixed-price contract modification (HS0021-19-D-0132-P00005) and task order modification (HS0021-19-F-0115-P00003) for the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA). These modifications extend performance for functions supporting the background investigation mission. Work will be performed in Boyers, Pennsylvania. This task order modification is funded with fiscal 2020 DCSA working capital funds with $15,045,937 obligated at time of award. The anticipated period of performance for the task order includes a three-month base period from May 1, 2020, to July 31, 2020, plus two one-month option periods of August 2020 and September 2020. This requirement was synopsized on the Federal Business Opportunities website as a sole-source requirement on April 15, 2020. This was a sole-source acquisition using justification 10 U.S. Code 2304 (c)(1), as stated in Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1, only one responsible source and no other supplies or services meet agency requirements. The justification and approval will be posted within 14 days of award. DCSA Acquisition and Contracting, Quantico, Virginia, is the contracting activity. ARMY Manson Construction Co., Seattle, Washington, was awarded a $16,695,000 firm-fixed-price contract for dredging of the Oakland, California, inner and outer harbor plus transportation of the dredged material. Bids were solicited via the internet with three received. Work will be performed in Oakland, California, with an estimated completion date of Nov. 30, 2020. Fiscal 2020 civil operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $16,695,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, San Francisco, California, is the contracting activity (W912P7-20-C-0005). *Small business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2173758/source/GovDelivery/

The Army plans to deploy more of the thermal sensors, originally developed to spot targets at night. By SYDNEY J. FREEDBERG JR.on May 01, 2020 at 3:18 PM WASHINGTON: Pentagon security has been using thermal cameras on tripods to check temperatures at the building's Visitor Center since April 22nd, the Army's Rapid Equipping Force announced today. The REF, famous for fielding defenses against roadside bombs in Afghanistan and Iraq, worked with the Army's C5ISR Center lab and Program Executive Officer – Soldier to convert infrared targeting sensors into hands-off thermometers to combat the COVID-19 coronavirus. The Pentagon Force Protection Agency wants to set up more of the sensors at other points around the massive headquarters, including the entrance to the Washington Metro subway system. The system was first deployed at Fort Belvoir, just south of Washington, D.C., which hosts PEO-Soldier's headquarters. Further deployments are planned around the D.C. area, at Army training centers, and US Army North HQ in Houston. As we've already reported, the Army's also modified its prototype IVAS targeting goggles to check for elevated temperatures. Today's release says that “thousands of people” at Fort Benning, Ga. have now been scanned with this Thermal Imaging for Fever Screening (TIFS) system. A similar TIFS capability has been also added to the FWS-I, a sophisticated targeting scope that goes on soldiers' rifles. Thermal sensors are widely available, especially in the military, but they have distinct limits as public health tools. That's especially true with COVID-19, most of whose carriers are asymptomatic, with no cough or fever, even as they remain contagious. The Army is also urgently fielding COVID-19 tests to training bases and other sites, including to West Point ahead of the controversial graduation ceremony there. https://breakingdefense.com/2020/05/army-ir-cameras-check-temperatures-at-pentagon/

An exclusive audio interview with Leonardo DRS CEO Bill Lynn discussing the role industry can play in helping the Navy and DoD achieve its next generation vision. By BREAKING DEFENSEon May 01, 2020 at 11:23 AM The Pentagon's plan to increase readiness, pursue modernization and advance the development of next-generation technologies is becoming increasingly clear. As the Navy budget continues to aim for a growing fleet and transformational capabilities, it will need to make decisions and trade-offs that impact the defense industrial base. Industry, which is pushing the rapid pace of technological innovation, can use its expertise to shape this future. In this brief podcast Bill Lynn, CEO of Leonardo DRS, discusses how the 2020-21 budget cycle creates opportunities for the defense industry to plan and partner with the Navy and DoD, using independent research and development and program investments. https://breakingdefense.com/2020/05/podcast-the-navy-budget-and-transformation-opportunities-and-challenges-ahead/