Nouvelles

NAVY Siemens Government Technologies Inc., Arlington, Virginia, was awarded $828,828,020 for firm-fixed-price task order N3943019F9909 under a previously awarded multiple award, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, energy savings performance contract (DE-AM36-09G29041) at Naval Base Guantanamo Bay. The work to be performed provides for the construction, operations and maintenance of energy conservation measures to improve energy efficiency and reliability, which include heating, ventilation and air conditioning upgrades, lighting upgrades, commercial refrigeration upgrades, distributed generation, renewable energy photovoltaic for both the demand and supply sides, energy storage, power control, supervisory control and data acquisition, water retrofits and wastewater. Work will be performed in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and is expected to be completed by April 2043. No funds will be obligated with this award, as private financing obtained by the contractor will be used for the 31-month construction (i.e. implementation) phase of the project. Eight proposals were received for this task order. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command Engineering and Expeditionary Warfare Center, Port Hueneme, California, is the contracting activity for the task order. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Golden, Colorado, is the contracting activity for the basic contract. (Awarded July 24, 2019) Baldi Brothers Inc.,* Beaumont, California, is awarded a $30,108,978 firm-fixed-price contract which includes an option for airfield improvements at Naval Base Coronado. The work includes demolishing the existing aircraft parking apron and constructing a new aircraft parking apron, apron expansion, a wash rack, a taxiway and renovating the helipad. The parking apron, taxiway and helipad will include high heat signature paving to support aircrafts. The option provides a thicker apron pavement section including concrete, aggregate base and compacted subgrade. Work will be performed in San Diego, California, and is expected to be completed by August 2022. Fiscal 2019 military construction, (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $30,108,978 are obligated on this award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website with three proposals received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southwest, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity (N62473-19-C-1211). United Technologies Corp., Pratt and Whitney Engines, East Hartford, Connecticut, is awarded a not-to-exceed $25,000,000 undefinitized firm-fixed-price modification (P00003) to a previously awarded cost-plus-incentive-fee contract (N00019-19-C-0054). This modification procures milling machines, fixtures and tooling to increase production capacity for critical F135 components. Work will be performed in East Hartford, Connecticut, and is expected to be completed in February 2022. Fiscal 2019 defense production act purchases (Defense) funds in the amount of $12,500,000 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. Sygnos Inc.,* San Diego, California, is awarded a $20,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for water and sewer line construction alterations, renovations and repair projects at Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach and Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton. Projects will be primarily design-bid-build (fully designed) task orders or task order with minimal design effort (e.g. shop drawings). Projects may include, but are not limited to, alterations, repairs and construction of water and sewer line installation projects. Work will be performed in Seal Beach, California (50 percent); and Oceanside, California (50 percent). The term of the contract is not to exceed 60 months with an expected completion date of July 2024. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $5,000 are obligated on this award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Future task orders will be primarily funded by operations and maintenance (Navy). This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website with two proposals received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southwest, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity (N62473-19-D-2607). ARMY Textron, AAI Corp., Hunt Valley, Maryland (W911QY-19-D-0033); Arcturus UAV,* Rohnert Park, California (W911QY-19-D-0050); Martin UAV,* Plano, Texas (W911QY-19-D-0032); and L3 Technologies, Ashburn, Virginia (W911QY19D0051), will compete for each order of the $99,500,000 firm-fixed-price contract for Future Tactical Unmanned Aerial Systems. Bids were solicited via the internet with 11 received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of July 24, 2022. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity. Solis Applied Science,* Falls Church, Virginia, was awarded a $77,383,996 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for National Ground Intelligence Center remote sensing and image science support services. Three bids were solicited with one bid received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of July 24, 2024. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Warren, Michigan, is the contracting activity (W911W5-19-D-0001). HCS Group P.C.,* Montgomery, Alabama (W91278-19-D-0033); HDR Engineering Inc. of the Carolinas, Charlotte, North Carolina (W91278-19-D-0014); ILSI-Arcadis Small Business JV LLC,* New Orleans, Louisiana (W91278-19-D-0024); Baskerville & Donovan Inc., Mobile, Alabama (W91278-19-D-0013); and Thompson Engineering/Mott MacDonald JV, Mobile, Alabama (W91278-19-D-0015), will compete for each order of the $30,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for architect engineer services to support planning, design and construction. Bids were solicited via the internet with 15 received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of July 24, 2024. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mobile, Alabama, is the contracting activity. Ati-Cti JV LLC,* Columbia, Maryland, was awarded a $9,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for architect engineer environmental services. Bids were solicited via the internet with nine received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of July 25, 2024. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Louisville, Kentucky, is the contracting activity (W912QR-19-D-0044). Messer Construction, Cincinnati, Ohio, was awarded a $7,375,000 firm-fixed-price contract for renovation of basement and addition to Building 45 at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. Bids were solicited via the internet with four received. Work will be performed in Dayton, Ohio, with an estimated completion date of March 11, 2021. Fiscal 2018 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $7,375,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Louisville, Kentucky, is the contracting activity (W912QR-19-C-0024). DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY City Public Services of San Antonio, doing business as CPS Energy, San Antonio, Texas, has been awarded a $39,858,681 modification (P00006) to a 50-year contract (SP0600-17-C-8324) with no option periods for additional utility services for the electric and natural gas distribution systems at Joint Base San Antonio, Texas. This is a fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment contract. Location of performance is Texas, with a June 30, 2069, performance completion date. Using military service is Air Force. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2069 Air Force operations and maintenance funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Energy, Fort Belvoir, Virginia. MISSILE DEFENSE AGENCY Aerojet Rocketdyne, Huntsville, Alabama, is being awarded a competitive $18,984,061 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for axial upper stage (AUS) technology risk reduction. The contract award includes a base period in the amount of $11,987,247 and an option period in the amount of $6,996,814. Aerojet Rocketdyne will mature AUS component technologies and analytical tools to demonstrate component, material and architecture solutions to support future development efforts. The work will be performed in Huntsville, Alabama. The period of performance for the base period is 24 months, from July 2019 through June 2021. The period of performance for the option period is 18 months, from July 2021 through January 2023. This contract was competitively procured via publication on the Federal Business Opportunities website under the Missile Defense Agency's Special Topic Broad Agency Announcement for Hypersonic Defense Component Technology, HQ0147-18-S-0002. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $8,000,000 are being obligated at the time of award. The Missile Defense Agency, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity (HQ0147-19-C-6501). AIR FORCE Cummins Power Generation Inc., Minneapolis, Minnesota, has been awarded an $8,412,000 delivery order (FA8534-19-F-0062) against previously awarded contract FA8533-09-D-0004 for basic expeditionary airfield resources power units. This delivery order brings the total cumulative face value of the contract to $263,906,007 from $255,494,007. Work will be performed in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and is expected to be completed by April 1, 2021. Fiscal 2018 procurement funds in the amount of $8,412,000 are being obligated at time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, is the contracting activity. *Small Business https://dod.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/1917119/

DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY GSL Solutions Inc., Vancouver, Washington, has been awarded a maximum $450,000,000 firm‐fixed‐price, indefinite‐delivery/indefinite‐quantity contract for automated pharmaceutical equipment, accessories, maintenance and training under the Patient Monitoring and Capital Equipment Program. This is a five-year base contract with one five‐year option period. This was a competitive acquisition with 36 responses received. Location of performance is Washington, with a July 23, 2024 performance completion date. Using customers are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and federal civilian agencies. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2024 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE2D1‐19‐D‐0016). Crown Clothing Co., Vineland, New Jersey, has been awarded a maximum $12,386,162 modification (P00009) exercising the first one-year option period of a one-year base contract (SPE1C1-18-D-1079), with four one-year option periods for men's coats and replacement collars. This is a fixed-price contract. Location of performance is New Jersey, with an Aug. 8, 2020, performance completion date. Using military service is Marine Corps. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2020 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. FN America LLC, Columbia, South Carolina, has been awarded a maximum $10,589,029 firm-fixed-price contract for receiver cartridges. This was a competitive acquisition with two responses received. This is a five-year contract with no option periods. Location of performance is South Carolina, with a July 26, 2024, performance completion date. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2024 Army working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime, Warren, Michigan (SPRDL1-19-D-0112). Communications & Power Industries, Palo Alto, California, has been awarded a maximum $7,050,384 firm-fixed-price contract for electron tubes. This was a sole-source acquisition using justification 10 U.S. Code 2304 (c)(1), as stated in Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. This is a three-year contract with no option periods. Location of performance is California, with a June 23, 2022 performance completion date. Using military services are Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2021 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime, Columbus, Ohio (SPE7LX-19-D-0169). NAVY Data Link Solutions LLC, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, is awarded a maximum potential value $62,300,000 modification to a previously awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity multiple award contract (N00039-15-D-0042) for the Block Upgrade II retrofit of Multifunctional Information Distribution System (MIDS) low volume terminals. The terminals provide secure, high-capacity, jam-resistant, digital data and voice communications capability for Navy, Air Force and Army platforms. Work will be performed in Wayne, New Jersey (50%); and Cedar Rapids, Iowa (50%). Work is expected to be completed by December 2026. No funding is being obligated on the contract at the time of award. Contract actions will be issued and funds obligated as individual delivery orders are issued. This contract modification was not competitively procured because it is a sole source acquisition pursuant to the authority of 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1) - only one responsible source (Federal Acquisition Regulation, subpart 6.302-1). The Naval Information Warfare Systems Command, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity and awarded the contract on behalf of the MIDS Program Office. Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems, Manassas, Virginia, is awarded a $27,425,442 for firm-fixed-price delivery order N00024-19-F-5632 under previously awarded contract N00024-15-D-5217 for 165 Technical Insertion Sixteen (TI-16) Common Display System (CDS) Variant A water-cooled production consoles. The CDS is a set of watch station consoles designed to support the implementation of Open Architecture in Navy combat systems. The TI 16 CDS is the next evolution in the CDS family and consists of a three-eyed horizontal display console. This delivery order combines purchases for the Navy (85%); and the government of Japan (15%) under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program. Work will be performed in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, and is expected to be complete by March 2020. Fiscal 2018 other procurement (Navy); fiscal 2014, 2016 and 2017 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy); and FMS Japan funding in the amount of $26,935,062 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. ARMY Baysinger-Bric JV,* Marion, Illinois (W91248-19-D-0005); Johnson-McAdams Firm P.A.,* Greenwood, Mississippi (W91248-19-D-0004); and American Engineers Inc.,* Glasgow, Kentucky (W91248-19-D-0006), will compete for each order of the $15,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for architect and engineering design services that include preparation of designs, plans, specifications and cost estimates for various projects at Fort Campbell, Kentucky; and Fort Sill, Oklahoma. Bids were solicited via the internet with three received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of July 31, 2024. U.S. Army Mission Installation Contracting Command, Fort Campbell, Kentucky, is the contracting activity. *Small Business https://dod.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/1915574/

Cette semaine, le Canada a annoncé l'ouverture du dépôt des propositions officielles pour remplacer sa flotte de CF-18. La semaine dernière, les États-Unis ont expulsé la Turquie du programme du F-35. Deux nouvelles en apparence distinctes, mais qui sont liées et qui vont très probablement voir le F-35 comme successeur au vénérable CF-18. Le F-35 dans la saga du remplacement des CF-18 canadiens Lors de l'élection fédérale de 2015, Justin Trudeau avait promis d'annuler le contrat d'achat des F-35 signé par le gouvernement Harper l'année précédente. Cette promesse peut maintenant être considérée comme partiellement tenue avec l'ouverture officielle cette semaine des appels d'offres pour le remplacement du CF-18. Si quatre fabricants sont toujours la course (Lockheed Martin, Airbus, Boeing et Saab), le F-35 de Lockheed Martin part avec une longueur d'avance qui va vraisemblablement lui assurer la victoire. D'un côté, Saab et Airbus partent avec plusieurs défauts, notamment le fait qu'ils ne sont pas intégrés à la filière industrielle militaire nord-américaine, en plus de présenter une interopérabilité moindre avec les Américains. C'est sans compter que lorsque Dassault a déclaré ne pas participer à l'appel d'offres, des spéculations autour de la participation d'Airbus se sont aussi faites entendre. Il ne resterait alors que Lockheed Martin et Boeing comme choix crédibles. Dans les faits, Boeing part avec deux prises contre lui, en raison de la saga du C Series de Bombardier. De plus, même si le Super Hornet de Boeing est un successeur naturel du CF-18, donc un appareil beaucoup plus facile à intégrer pour l'Aviation royale canadienne, l'establishment militaire canadien est déjà vendu au F-35 depuis longtemps, l'ayant recommandé chaudement au gouvernement Harper. D'ailleurs, lors du dernier spectacle aérien de Bagotville, le F-35 a été mis bien en évidence et sa présentation a été très clairement écrite par Lockheed Martin. L'impact de la Turquie Pour autant, Boeing avait encore une chance de se qualifier, le Super Hornet étant un appareil présentant plusieurs avantages pour le Canada. Mais c'était avant que la Turquie, malgré les pressions américaines, n'aille de l'avant avec l'achat de système antimissile russe. En réaction, les États-Unis ont expulsé la Turquie du programme du F-35, affirmant qu'un allié de l'OTAN ne pouvait pas se procurer de l'armement stratégique russe dans l'état actuel des relations actuelles entre l'Alliance atlantique et la Russie. Le problème avec cette riposte américaine est qu'elle va coûter au-delà de 500 millions $US à la défense américaine pour trouver et signer de nouveaux fournisseurs de pièces et composantes, puisque les fournisseurs turcs sont aussi expulsés du programme du F-35. Face à des coûts militaires imprévus importants à l'étranger, Washington a l'habitude de se tourner vers ses alliés pour l'aider à compenser. Sans que les alliés ne répondent toujours favorablement, ils finissent généralement par aider d'une façon où d'une autre les États-Unis. Le Canada comme sortie de secours pour les Américains et le F-35 On comprend alors mieux pourquoi le F-35 risque de s'imposer comme remplacement au CF-18. D'une part, le Canada est toujours membre du programme de développement du F-35, malgré l'annulation du contrat d'achat initial. Cela permettrait de rapidement trouver des fournisseurs de remplacement aux fournisseurs turcs, probablement à un meilleur coût. D'autre part, le lobbying de Lockheed Martin au Canada a toujours été très important et va certainement s'accentuer dans les mois à venir. C'est sans compter les pressions politiques en faveur du F-35 venant de la Maison blanche, peu importe la présidence, envers le Canada. Avec l'expulsion de la Turquie, il est évident que les États-Unis cherchent une porte de sortie pour continuer le programme du F-35 au meilleur coût possible. Leur regard est clairement tourné vers le Canada. Finalement, l'interopérabilité sera un argument de poids que tant les Américains que Lockheed Martin feront valoir en coulisses. En plus de celle avec les États-Unis, le Canada cherche aussi à maintenir une bonne interopérabilité avec quelques alliés-clé, autant au sein de l'OTAN qu'avec des membres du Commonwealth. À cet égard, les Pays-Bas, le Royaume-Uni et l'Australie possèdent tous des F-35. De plus, l'Australie pourrait être un excellent exemple pour le Canada, l'aviation australienne passant justement du F-18 au F-35. La sagesse populaire veut qu'on ne doit pas vendre la peau de l'ours avant de l'avoir tué. Dans le cas présent, même si l'ours est toujours en vie, il est clairement dans la mire du chasseur... http://www.45enord.ca/2019/07/remplacement-des-cf-18-canadiens-le-canada-pris-entre-les-etats-unis-et-la-turquie/

By Woodrow Bellamy III U.S. federal, state and local government aircraft performing sensitive operations are now permitted to fly with their installed automatic dependent surveillance broadcast (ADS-B) position reporting electronics turned off, according to a new rule published by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Thursday. Under the new rule, aircraft conducting operations related to homeland security, law enforcement, national defense and intelligence that could be compromised by transmitting real-time aircraft position information are permitted to disable ADS-B transmissions after obtaining proper authorization from the FAA. Changes to the FAA's ADS-B Out airspace requirement come following several years of interagency meetings held between the FAA, Defense Department (DOD), Department of Homeland Security, Federal Bureau of Investigation and other intelligence and law enforcement agencies. Leadership from those agencies expressed strong concerns about adversaries being able to easily gain public access to real time ADS-B flight identification and positional data. A provision in the fiscal 2019 National Defense Authorization Act also prevents the FAA from mandating ADS-B installations on certain DOD aircraft. Security concerns associated with ADS-B Out are not solely caused by the abilities of the ADS-B transponders, but instead by the proliferation and wide availability of new inexpensive ADS-B ground receivers and applications than can track ADS-B equipped flights for 100 to 300 miles. In comparison to older Mode S transponders, ADS-B provides more detailed information including aircraft registration number, longitude, latitude, dimensions and velocity. According to a description of the new policy, several alternatives to the new rule were considered that the FAA ultimately deemed too time consuming to meet the Jan. 1, 2020 ADS-B Out mandate, or required costly investments by DOD and other agencies. One alternative was to mask the identity of ADS-B Out equipped DOD aircraft, which defense officials determined still would not meet their needs because third parties would still be able to identify the aircraft location, velocity and altitude. Other alternatives included the use of encryption for sensitive aircraft or a new exemption process where agencies could petition the FAA for the authority to turn ADS-B Out transmissions off. However, since no encryption solution for ADS-B currently exists and an exemption process requires agencies to submit their requests at least 120 days in advance of the exemption need, these alternatives were also decided against. Through the rule change, the FAA has tasked its system operations security division with accepting requests from each individual agency requiring the authority to turn their ADS-B Out transmissions off. A major goal for the FAA is to avoid coordinating ADS-B Out transmission cancellations on a per-mission basis. Instead, the systems operations division will review requests submitted by the highest possibly agency organization level. “Once an agency has determined the broad mission sets that should be excepted from the transmitting requirement using its internal policies and assessment criteria, it must contact the FAA for authorization to conduct these broad mission sets without transmitting,” FAA officials wrote in the new policy statement. While the new rule is effective immediately, the FAA is allowing comments to be submitted about the rule change through September 16, 2019. https://www.aviationtoday.com/2019/07/23/new-rule-allows-military-aircraft-turn-ads-b-transmissions-off/

From Commander, Naval Surface Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet Public Affairs CINCINNATI, Ohio (NNS) -- The U.S. Navy has approved the commissioning date for the future littoral combat ship USS Cincinnati (LCS 20). The Navy will commission Cincinnati, Oct. 5, 2019 in Gulfport, Mississippi. The commissioning ceremony signifies the acceptance for service and the entrance of a ship into the active fleet of the U. S. Navy. Former U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker is the ship's sponsor. As the sponsor, Pritzker leads the time-honored Navy tradition of giving the order during the ceremony to “man our ship and bring her to life!” At that moment, the commissioning pennant is hoisted and Cincinnati becomes a proud ship of the fleet. Indianapolis, Indiana native Cmdr. Kurt Braeckel is the commanding officer of the littoral combat ship. Former Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus announced LCS 20 would be named for Cincinnati at the Cincinnati Reds baseball game, July 19, 2015. LCS 20 will be the fifth ship in naval history to be named Cincinnati. The first played an integral part in the Civil War; the second enforced neutrality laws during the Cuban Revolution and saw service during the Spanish-American War; the third acted as a patrol and flagship during World War II; and the fourth, a Los Angeles class submarine, was commissioned in 1978 and served during the Cold War. LCS is a highly maneuverable, lethal and adaptable ship designed to support focused mine countermeasures, anti-submarine warfare and surface warfare missions. The LCS class consists of two variants: the Freedom variant and the Independence variant. Indianapolis is a Freedom variant. The future Cincinnati will be homeported in Naval Base San Diego upon her commissioning. A fast, agile surface combatant, the LCS provides the required war fighting capabilities and operational flexibility to execute a variety of missions; areas such as mine warfare, anti-submarine warfare and surface warfare. https://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=110349&utm_source=phplist3030&utm_medium=email&utm_content=HTML&utm_campaign=Headlines

By Steve Trimble A crash-preventing upgrade for the Lockheed Martin F-35A is now being fielded after a nine-month test phase, program officials announced on July 24. The Automatic Ground Collision Avoidance System (Auto-GCAS) is being integrated on the U.S. Air Force variant first, but will also spread to the Navy and Marine Corps variants. Auto-GCAS, which is already fielded on the F-16, prevents crashes caused when a pilot partially or fully loses consciousness during aggressive flight maneuvers. The system can detect an imminent collision, take control and steer the aircraft to a safe heading. The Air Force credits Auto-GCAS for preventing eight F-16 crashes since 2014. “Auto-GCAS is a proven system that is long overdue,” said Lt. Gen. Eric Fick, F-35 program executive officer. https://aviationweek.com/defense/lockheed-martin-fields-safety-upgrade-f-35a-fleet?NL=AW-05&Issue=AW-05_20190725_AW-05_516&sfvc4enews=42&cl=article_2&utm_rid=CPEN1000015176279&utm_campaign=20501&utm_medium=email&elq2=71640d6c1c2a404d87e172f000eaa32d

By: Joe Gould WASHINGTON — The Trump administration's nominee for deputy defense secretary wants the Pentagon to apply data analytics and artificial intelligence to tackle jobs as diverse as technology development, the Pentagon audit and maintenance of the F-35 fighter jet. More broadly, David Norquist, the Pentagon comptroller who for most of this year has served as acting deputy defense secretary, told the Senate Armed Services Committee on Wednesday that the U.S. needs to more heavily invest in developing technology to execute the 2018 National Defense Strategy. The strategy focuses on competition with Russia and China. The strategy will be “hampered without appropriate funding, development and timely fielding of emerging technologies, notably cyber, space, artificial intelligence, and missiles,” Norquist said in written responses to questions posed in advance by the committee. He called modernizing the military to compete, deter and, if needed, prevail in a high-end fight one of the job's most significant challenges. Per the 2017 defense policy law, the undersecretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics was split between new undersecretaries of defense for research and engineering (R&E) and acquisition and sustainment (A&S). The R&E office was stood up specifically to push new technologies forward more quickly. Yet, the Pentagon “has made very little progress” to manifest those “key” changes, meant in part to help the Pentagon better harness advanced technologies, SASC ranking member Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., cautioned Norquist. He obtained Norquist's commitment to ensure the department implements the law. SASC Chairman Jim Inhofe, R-Okla., and Reed cited the need to better manage the Pentagon's acquisitions bureaucracy, acknowledging that a pending bipartisan budget agreement has created new headroom and stability. “Today, we find ourselves in a new and different moment in American security,” Inhofe said. “The American people take our military superiority for granted. China and Russia have passed us in a lot of key areas that we have discussed.” “Our overmatch in areas a decade ago was very clear. That overmatch has diminished,” Reed said, adding that the Department of Defense must extend its tech development efforts into academia and the private sector. Norquist also touted the administration's request for a $32 billion increase in research and development, to include cyber, missile range, hypersonics and lasers — but he called out artificial intelligence as unique. “Artificial Intelligence is different because the potential benefits are less clear; you know what you're going to get with a hypersonic missile,” he said. “But artificial intelligence has the potential to change a lot about how we use [unmanned aerial vehicles] and other items. That puts an emphasis on analytical skills, researching and prototyping." In a related exchange, Norquist touted a DoD project to harness AI in disasters to find people in need of rescue through video analysis — and said he wants more work with the private sector on similar projects. Norquist's hearing comes on the heels of the Senate's overwhelming confirmation of Mark Esper, the former Army secretary, as the 27th secretary of defense. Confirmation for Norquist and Esper, who replaces Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, is expected to hasten an end to the vacancies in other top Pentagon jobs. The hearing lasted 100 minutes and went smoothly, with the tone set at the very start, when Inhofe said he would vote for him. Inhofe said he had recommended Norquist to the president as an ideal No. 2 for a Pentagon with more than a dozen open civilian positions at the top. “I remember telling the president it doesn't matter who's secretary of defense,” Inhofe said, “as long as you have Norquist.” https://www.defensenews.com/pentagon/2019/07/24/norquist-has-one-word-for-you-analytics/?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=EBB%2007.25.19&utm_term=Editorial%20-%20Early%20Bird%20Brief

By: Aaron Mehta WASHINGTON – Newly installed U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper says he is happy with the two-year budget deal's recommendation for the Pentagon, despite it being $12 billion less than what the White House requested for fiscal 2020. Speaking to press just hours after taking office, Esper also said he is focused on filling empty spots at the Pentagon as quickly as possible to “make sure we have that civilian control of the military” firmly in place. The Trump administration's request for defense in FY20 was $750 billion, a number Democrats in Congress tried to reduce to $733 billion. The nearly $1.4 trillion spending plan announced Monday — which would prevent a government shutdown this fall and do away with the final two years of budget caps known as sequestration — includes about $738 billion in military funding for FY20. That's a 3 percent increase from current-year levels, which seems fine with the man now running America's military. “$738 [billion] is a good number. We also have two years. We expect to see two years' worth of numbers. To the degree we have predictability, to the degree we can avoid [continuing resolutions], those things allow us to plan and make more efficient use of our dollars,” Esper said. “So I'm good with those dollars. No complaints.” Esper is the first confirmed defense secretary since Jim Mattis resigned at the end of last year. But a number of spots — including 14 of 59 political spots, and four of the top six roles in the department — are still filled by acting individuals, something Esper highlighted as an issue he's hoping to quickly address. “My perspective was from a service secretary and I think it's always challenging — people in acting jobs, when you don't feel the full confidence in the role, sometimes folks tend to maybe not behave as confidently because you're unsure and you also don't want to bind the person-who-may-actually-be-confirmed's hands,” he said, adding he does not think the open spots impacted operations. “We need to get staffed up quickly,” he said. “We have to get stable leadership.” One of those empty spots is Army secretary, now vacant with Esper's promotion. Ryan McCarthy, the service undersecretary, has been nominated to fill the full role. Asked about advice for his successor, Esper joked that he hopes McCarthy won't “break anything,” before saying he expects McCarthy's nomination to arrive at the Senate in a “matter of days.” “His paperwork is at the White House, and everybody we put forth needs to be thoroughly vetted. So I think he should soon be coming out of the process,” Esper said. “The question is if it will be soon enough for the Senate Armed Services Committee to do its due diligence in a timely matter.” The secretary has also asked for new guidance to be issued to the field to inform service members on the “very important role of media and press” in society. https://www.defensenews.com/pentagon/2019/07/24/newly-installed-secdef-the-budget-deal-provides-a-good-number-for-defense/

La France va investir 700 millions d'euros supplémentaires dans le spatial militaire d'ici à 2025, pour renforcer ses moyens de surveillance et se doter de capacités d'auto-défense dans l'espace. Une somme qui s'ajoute aux 3,6 milliards d'euros déjà prévus pour le spatial de défense dans la Loi de programmation militaire française 2019-2025. « Aujourd'hui, nos alliés et nos adversaires militarisent l'espace. Et alors que le temps de la résilience se fait de plus en plus court, nous devons agir. Nous devons être prêts. » Jeudi 25 juillet, Florence Parly, ministre des Armées, s'est rendue au Commandement de défense aérienne et des opérations aériennes (CDAOA), situé sur la Base aérienne 942 de Lyon Mont-Verdun afin de présenter les grandes orientations militaires françaises dans le domaine spatial. Véritable enjeu, l'espace est devenu un lieu de confrontation de plus en plus militarisé. Indispensables au bon déroulement des opérations militaires, nos satellites et leur sauvegarde constituent un impératif stratégique. C'est pourquoi Florence Parly a annoncé que la France allait investir 700 millions d'euros supplémentaires dans le spatial militaire d'ici à 2025, pour renforcer ses moyens de surveillance et se doter de capacités d'auto-défense dans l'espace. Une somme qui s'ajoute aux 3,6 milliards d'euros déjà prévus pour le spatial de défense dans la Loi de programmation militaire française (LPM) 2019-2025. La stratégie spatiale dévoilée par la ministre des Armées se décline selon trois axes : organisationnel, juridique et capacitaire. Montée en puissance progressive du commandement de l'espace Ainsi, comme l'avait annoncé Emmanuel Macron le 13 juillet, un grand commandement de l'espace verra le jour le 1er septembre à Toulouse. Il sera placé sous l'autorité de l'armée de l'Air qui deviendra l'armée de l'Air et de l'espace. Son rôle : fédérer et coordonner tous les moyens consacrés au domaine spatial de défense. « A terme, il doit conduire l'ensemble de nos opérations spatiales, sous les ordres du chef d'état-major des armées et en lien avec le CPCO à l'instar de l'ensemble de nos opérations », a précisé Florence Parly. Doté d'une équipe de 220 personnes, ce commandement de l'espace montera progressivement en puissance sur la durée de la loi de programmation militaire, d'ici à 2025. Pour mettre en place sa stratégie spatiale, la ministre souhaite une évolution des textes régissant l'utilisation de l'espace pour intégrer la spécificité des opérations spatiales militaires. « J'ai décidé que le ministère des Armées assumerait la fonction d'opérateur spatial »explique-t-elle. « Si nous souhaitons être en mesure de mener de véritables opérations spatiales militaires, il nous faut développer une autonomie d'action. » Enfin, Florence Parly a annoncé vouloir perfectionner les capacités de défense spatiale, par le biais d'un nouveau programme d'armement nommé « Maîtrise de l'Espace ». Celui-ci intègrera deux volets : la surveillance et la défense active. Actuellement, la France est une des rares nations à disposer de ses propres capacités de surveillance de l'espace, gr'ce aux radars Graves et Satam ainsi qu'aux télescopes du CNRS et d'Ariane Group. « Demain, nous ferons appel à des moyens et des services plus sophistiqués encore », a souligné la ministre. « Le successeur de Graves devra être conçu pour déceler des satellites de la taille d'une boîte de chaussures à une distance de 1 500 kilomètres. » Afin de mieux protéger nos satellites, des actions seront menées, comme l'intégration de caméras de surveillance aux satellites de communication Syracuse pour leur autoprotection ou encore l'acquisition de nano-satellites patrouilleurs à partir de 2023. Gr'ce à ces futures capacités de surveillance, une défense active pourra être mise en place. La ministre prévient qu'il ne s'agit que d'autodéfense et non d'une stratégie offensive : « Si nos satellites sont menacés, nous envisagerons d'éblouir ceux de nos adversaires. Nous nous réservons le moment et les moyens de la riposte : cela pourra impliquer l'emploi de lasers de puissance déployés depuis nos satellites ou depuis nos nano-satellites patrouilleurs », a-t-elle précisé. https://www.defense.gouv.fr/actualites/articles/florence-parly-devoile-la-strategie-spatiale-francaise-de-defense