Nouvelles

By Matthew Cox Army modernization officials are getting help from the Navy to make the service's High Energy Laser program more than twice as powerful for fending off aerial attacks from swarms of enemy drones. Currently, the Army's High Energy Laser Tactical Vehicle Demonstrator (HEL TVD) features a 100-kilowatt laser designed to fit on Family of Medium Tactical Vehicle (FMTV) trucks. The service plans to conduct a demonstrationof the system's target acquisition, tracking and other capabilities against a range of targets in 2022. Meanwhile, the Army's Rapid Capabilities Office plans to take advantage of the Navy's 250-kilowatt laser program, a system that could be adapted to fit on the FMTV platform, Army Lt. Gen. Paul Ostrowski told an audience Tuesday at an Association of the United States Army Institute of Land Warfare breakfast. "The intent is to work with the Navy, and we are doing that right now, in order to increase the power of that laser system from beyond 100-kilowatt up to maybe the 250-kilowatt mark," said Ostrowski, the military deputy to the assistant secretary of the Army for acquisition, logistics and technology. The Army's 100-kilowatt HEL TVD is being designed to provide air and missile support to forward operating bases and airfields, Ostrowski said. The service also plans to field a platoon of four 50-kilowatt lasers, known as Maneuver Short Range Air Defense (M-SHORAD) that will be mounted on a Stryker combat vehicle in fiscal 2022. The advantage of the laser is having an "unlimited magazine" for unmanned aerial systems, as well as rockets, artillery and mortars, instead of "shooting $100,000 missiles at $7,000" unmanned aerial systems, Ostrowski said, adding that the Army hopes to expand the potential use of lasers on the battlefield beyond air defense. "We want to be able to put that capability on our tanks to potentially get after targets that our combat vehicles can go after, so this is just the beginning ... of where we see lasers going in the future," he said. One of the challenges of working with lasers, Ostrowski said, is controlling the heat buildup generated by the power source. "It's not just the ability to create the energy to fire the laser, but it's also to dissipate the heat," he said. It's still uncertain whether the Navy's 250-kilowatt laser program will work for the Army, but "we are not going to ignore" its potential for dealing with more complex enemy air attacks, Ostrowski said. "The power piece is extremely important. If you don't have the power, you don't have that unlimited magazine, and that unlimited magazine makes a difference in a swarm environment where you have multiple targets and you have to be able to ... recharge quickly and be able to shoot them all down," he said. https://www.military.com/daily-news/2019/07/16/army-eyeing-navys-high-powered-laser-fight-enemy-drone-swarms.html

By COLIN CLARK WASHINGTON: Presumptive Defense Secretary Mark Esper says flatly the F-35 “is not expected” to meet the 80 percent readiness goal set for it this year because of problems with a cockpit part that improves stealth performance. “Transparency (canopy) supply shortages continue to be the main obstacle to achieving this. We are seeking additional sources to fix unserviceable canopies,” Esper said in response to written questions from the Senate Armed Services Committe (SASC). The Government Accountability Office (GAO) mentioned the canopy issue in a recent report, calling it a “special coating on the F-35 canopy that enables the aircraft to maintain its stealth.” That, the congressional watchdog said. “failed more frequently than expected” so F-35 prime contractor Lockheed Martin went looking for more manufactures to produce enough canopies to meet demands. GAO also said the F-35 program was considering a new design. This is all apiece with the general problem the F-35 program has had with obtaining new and spare parts. “A key contributor to spare parts shortages is the F-35 program's limited capacity to repair broken parts,” the GAO says in its April report. “The average time to repair an F-35 part was more than 6 months, or about 188 days for repairs completed between September and November 2018—more than twice that of the program's objective of 60-90 days.” Lockheed late last night sent comments on the transparency and its general efforts to improve F-35 readiness. UPDATE BEGINS “We are working closely with our F-35 transparency provider to build production and repair capacity and we are standing up a second source of supply. As these actions deliver results, we expect to improve supply availability and overall fleet readiness,” F-35 program spokesman Mike Friedman said, “We continue to see improvements in F-35 readiness rates and are receiving positive feedback from our customers, most recently from the Air Force who have several squadrons simultaneously deployed in the Middle East and across Europe for joint exercises and operations,” Friedman added. “Newer F-35 aircraft are averaging greater than 60 percent mission capable rates, with some operational squadrons consistently at or above 70 percent. We're taking aggressive action across the full F-35 enterprise to achieve the 80 percent mission capable rate target as soon as possible.”UPDATE ENDS As the SASC noted, former Defense Secretary Jim Mattis ordered the Air Force and Navy to increase mission capable rates for the F-35, F-22, F-16, and F-18 inventories to above 80 percent by the end of September 2019. “What progress,” the committee asked in the written questions, “has the Department made in increasing mission capable rates and decreasing costs for all four platforms?” The good news for the Air Force is that F-16 rates are better because the service has been able to increase parts supplies and add maintenance shifts. The F-16 fleet is expected to meet the 80 percent goal this year, Esper wrote. Not so, the F-22. It too faces stealth maintenance issue, made worse, Esper noted, “by the extreme damage at Tyndall Air Force Base from the effects of Hurricane Michael.” The F-22 fleet rates are improving but it probably won't make 80 percent this year. Oh, and Congress: “Improving mission capable rates for both fleets required additional funding investment for this fiscal year.” The Navy's fleet of F-18 is on track to meet the goal by September 2019. The Navy created a Maintenance Operations Center (MOC) to coordinate maintenance activities and optimize resources and reformed its depot and front-line maintenance process, thus improving regular inspections. Among a host of other changes, the Navy implemented supply chain reform that made it easier to track data across multiple sources. In the meantime, to address the gap in part repair capabilities at the military depots, the prime contractor Boeing has begun incentivizing manufacturers to increase their capacity to repair spare parts by establishing performance-based repair agreements. As of October 2018, according to program documentation, Boeing had established seven such agreements, with six more planned by May 2019. I contacted Lockheed and the F-35 Joint Program Office for comment and will add it when it arrives. https://breakingdefense.com/2019/07/esper-f-35-wont-hit-80-readiness-cites-stealth-parts/

DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Seqirus Inc., Summit, New Jersey, has been awarded a maximum $68,777,956 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-quantity contract for the injectable influenza vaccine. This was a competitive acquisition with two offers received. This is a one-year contract with no option periods. Location of performance is New Jersey, with a performance completion date of July 15, 2020. Using customers are Army, Air Force, Navy and Coast Guard. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2020 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE2DP-19-D-0002). Bell Helicopter Textron Inc., Fort Worth, Texas, has been awarded a maximum $27,515,180 modification (P00018) against a five-year contract (SPE4AX-17-D-9410) adding five national stock numbers for stabilizer bar assemblies, pylon mast assemblies, trans case assemblies, quill assemblies and rotary wing blades in support of UH-1N and TH-1H helicopters. This is a fixed-price, requirements contract. Location of performance is Texas, with a Sep. 30, 2023, performance completion date. Using military service is Air Force. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2023 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. CORRECTION: The contract announced on June 28, 2019, for Valley Apparel LLC, Knoxville, Tennessee (SPE1C1-19-D-1172) for $10,794,000 was announced with an incorrect award date. The correct award date is July 15, 2019. NAVY Raytheon Co., Integrated Defense Systems, Marlborough, Massachusetts, is awarded a $40,211,517 modification to previously awarded contract N00024-16-C-5370 to exercise an option for fiscal 2019 production long lead material in support of the production of two AN/SPY-6(V) configuration variants – the SPY-6(V)2 Rotator Radar and the SPY-6(V)3 Fixed Face Radar. Work will be performed in Marlborough, Massachusetts, and is expected to be complete by June 2020. Fiscal 2018 and 2017 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funding in the amount of $40,211,517 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. AIR FORCE Agile Defense Inc., Reston, Virginia, has been awarded a $21,044,844 firm-fixed-price contract for combined air operations center communication services. This contract provides for operations and maintenance of all air operations center communication systems. Work will be performed in the Air Force Central Command's area of responsibility and is expected to be complete by June 2, 2020. This award is the result of a sole source acquisition. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $8,627,758 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Combat Command Acquisition Management and Integration Center, Langley Air Force Base, Hampton, Virginia, is the contracting activity (FA4890-19-F-A050). ARMY Relyant Global LLC,* Maryville, Tennessee, was awarded a $15,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for repair or replacement of historic windows and doors at Fort Riley, Kansas. Bids were solicited via the internet with two received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of July 14, 2024. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Kansas City, Missouri, is the contracting activity (W912DQ-19-D-4012). *Small Business https://dod.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/1906928/source/GovDelivery/

By Marco Vigliotti *The headline has been updated to clarify that a contract has not yet been awarded to Irving Shipbuilding. Shipyards in Quebec and B.C. have won contracts collectively worth $1 billion to repair aging warships, with another contract for a Nova Scotia facility to be completed shortly, the federal government announced today. It's part of the government's promised $7.5 billion investment in maintaining 12 Halifax-class frigates for the Royal Canadian Navy until they are retired in the early 2040s. The five-year, $500-million contracts for Quebec's Chantier Davie and Seaspan Victoria Shipyards Limited were officially announced during concurrent ceremonies at the facilities, both of which featured ministers from the area. Public Services and Procurement Minister Carla Qualthrough, who represents a Vancouver-area riding, made the announcement at Seaspan's facility in Victoria (the Liberals hold no seats in the region). Families, Children and Social Development Minister Jean-Yves Duclos made the announcement at Davie's plant in Lévis, Que. He represents a riding across the St. Lawrence River in Quebec City. “This vital, long-term work demonstrates the government's continued commitment to supporting the women and men of the Royal Canadian Navy by providing them with the equipment they need to protect Canadian interests at home and abroad,” Qualthrough said in a statement. A similar deal with Irving Shipbuilding in Halifax is also in the works, according to Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC). The contracts guarantee at least three frigates to repair for each facility, with work expected to begin in 2020. In a statement, Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer said the shipbuilding announcement was nothing but “cynical electioneering.” “There are less than 100 days to the next election, and the Trudeau government is once again campaigning on the taxpayers' dime, trying to buy people's votes with their own money,” reads his statement. “While it is good to see shipbuilding work go to Davie, today's announcement is nothing but cynical electioneering from a government that will do anything and say anything to cling to power.” https://ipolitics.ca/2019/07/16/feds-award-over-1-billion-in-contracts-to-three-shipyards-to-repair-aging-frigates/

PAL Aerospace has been awarded a contract to provide heavy maintenance services for the Royal Canadian Air Force's CT-142 Dash-8 Fleet. The contract covers an initial four-year period and includes the possibility of contract extensions that would increase the life of the agreement to seven years. "PAL Aerospace appreciates this new opportunity to continue building our relationship as a trusted partner of the Royal Canadian Air Force," said PAL Aerospace Senior Vice-President of Business Development John Turner. "We understand the important role these aircraft play in training Canada's next generation of aviation professionals, and we look forward to working closely with the RCAF in ensuring the successful delivery of this contract." Flown by the 402 Squadron, the CT-142 is used to train Air Combat Systems Operators and Airborne Electronic Sensor Operators from the Royal Canadian Air Force and other Air Forces from around the world. Designed and produced in Canada, the CT-142 is a conversion of the twin turboprop Dash-8 airliner modified to include a suite of on-board training computers and a large radar system. PAL Aerospace will perform the maintenance services associated with this contract at its facilities in St. John's, Newfoundland; and Winnipeg, Manitoba. http://www.canadiandefencereview.com/news?news/2702

The Canadian Government's Public Services and Procurement department has awarded a contract to Canadian Maritime Engineering to deliver four steel barges. The C$1.99m ($1.52m) contract was awarded on behalf of the Canadian Armed Forces to provide equipment for use by the nation's navy. The four steel barges will be supplied to Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt in British Columbia within 18 months from the contract award date. Under the contract, Canadian Maritime Engineering will also provide a complete technical data package and related training. The contract also includes an option to purchase spare parts. Canada Public Services and Procurement and Accessibility Minister Carla Qualtrough said: “Our government is providing the women and men of the Royal Canadian Navy with the equipment they need to do their important work. “This contract award is a prime example of the National Shipbuilding Strategy in action, providing meaningful opportunities for businesses and Canadians across Canada, and throughout British Columbia.” The steel barges will measure 12m-15m in length and have working decks of 75m². Set to replace six existing wooden barges, the planned steel barges will support maintenance work on the Canadian Navy's vessels. Canada Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan said: “Through our defence policy, ‘Strong, Secure, Engaged', we are providing the women and men of our Canadian Armed Forces with the equipment they need to do the important work we ask of them. “Barges are an essential part of the navy's fleet, and this contract for four steel barges will facilitate maintenance on its vessels to ensure the operational readiness of its fleet.” Under the National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS), the government aims to renew the country's federal fleet of combat and non-combat vessels. The programme includes providing the Canadian Navy and Coast Guard with vessels. The government formed partnerships with Irving's Halifax Shipyard and Seaspan's Vancouver Shipyards for the NSS. https://www.naval-technology.com/news/canadas-esquimalt-navy-base-to-receive-four-steel-barges/

Corp. (NASDAQ: CMTL) announced today, that during the fourth quarter of fiscal 2019, its Command & Control Technologies group, through its Maryland-based subsidiary, Comtech Mobile Datacom Corporation, which is part of Comtech's Government Solutions segment, was awarded $4.2 million in rapid innovation funding from the U.S. Army for an enhanced version of Comtech's next generation MT-2025 Blue Force Tracking (“BFT”) satellite terminal that will incorporate a dual-mode BFT satellite transceiver and new antenna nulling technology. Comtech's next generation MT-2025 transceiver, which is also known as the Blue Force Tracker-2 High Capacity ("BFT-2-HC") Satellite Transceiver, meets BFT-2 protocols, provides best-in-class reliability and is fully backward compatible with the U.S. Army's Blue-Force Tracking-1 system ("BFT-1"). “These awards demonstrate the Army's high confidence in Comtech's BFT technology and innovation capabilities that can be used on future BFT systems,” said Fred Kornberg, President and Chief Executive Officer of Comtech Telecommunications Corp. “Comtech remains committed to providing the U.S. Army and its soldiers with the most innovative technology, enabling them to successfully complete all their missions, regardless of electronic warfare environments.” Comtech currently provides sustaining support for the U.S Army's BFT-1 system and previously shipped over 100,000 BFT-1 mobile satellite transceivers. The Command & Control Technologies group is a leading provider of mission-critical, highly-mobile C4ISR solutions. Comtech Telecommunications Corp. designs, develops, produces and markets innovative products, systems and services for advanced communications solutions. The Company sells products to a diverse customer base in the global commercial and government communications markets. Certain information in this press release contains statements that are forward-looking in nature and involve certain significant risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially from such forward-looking information. The Company's Securities and Exchange Commission filings identify many such risks and uncertainties. Any forward-looking information in this press release is qualified in its entirety by the risks and uncertainties described in such Securities and Exchange Commission filings. https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190716005226/en

DALLAS, July 16, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) will produce High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) launchers and associated hardware for the U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corps, Romania and Poland under a $492 million contract, marking Poland's first acquisition of HIMARS launchers. The contract calls for the production and delivery of HIMARS launchers and associated equipment by 2022. The HIMARS vehicles will be produced from the ground up at Lockheed Martin's award-winning Camden, Ark., Precision Fires Center of Excellence. "Lockheed Martin is very pleased that Poland has procured its first HIMARS launchers," said Gaylia Campbell, vice president of Precision Fires/Combat Maneuver Systems at Lockheed Martin. "These new HIMARS launchers will provide unparalleled mobile firepower to light and early entry forces, and our allies can count on Lockheed Martin's ongoing support in maintaining these combat-proven capabilities." HIMARS launchers have exceeded 1.4 million operating hours and are currently demonstrating an operational reliability over six times the specified requirement. HIMARS is a lightweight mobile launcher, transportable via C-130 and larger aircraft for rapid deployment, that fires Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) rockets and Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) missiles. HIMARS consists of a launcher loader module and fire control system mounted on a five-ton truck chassis. A specialized armored cab provides additional protection to the three crew members that operate the system. Lockheed Martin's effectiveness and reliability combined with performance, interoperability, joint coalition operations and the added value of joint munitions procurement make HIMARS a sound option for nations seeking effective precision fires option for missions. For more than 40 years, Lockheed Martin has been the leading designer and manufacturer of long-range, surface-to-surface precision strike solutions, providing highly reliable, combat-proven systems like MLRS, HIMARS, ATACMS and GMLRS to domestic and international customers. For additional information, visit our website: www.lockheedmartin.com. https://news.lockheedmartin.com/2019-07-16-U-S-Army-Awards-Lockheed-Martin-492-Million-Contract-for-High-Mobility-Artillery-Rocket-System-Launchers

By Matthew Cox Next year, the Army plans to have soldiers fire at targets using remote-controlled robotic vehicles as part of a three-phase effort to learn how autonomous combat vehicles can make small units more effective on the battlefield. During the operational test scheduled for next March at Fort Carson, Colorado, soldiers will operate from specially modified Bradley fighting vehicles known as Mission Enabler Technologies-Demonstrators, or MET-Ds, according to a recent Army news release.The tricked-out vehicles feature remote turrets for the 25mm main gun, 360-degree situational awareness cameras and enhanced crew stations with touch screens. The first phase of testing will include two MET-Ds and four robotic combat vehicles on M113 armored personnel carrier surrogate platforms. Each MET-D will have a driver and gunner, as well as four soldiers in its rear, who will conduct platoon-level maneuvers with two surrogate vehicles that fire 7.62mm machine guns, according to the release. "We've never had soldiers operate MET-Ds before," said David Centeno Jr., chief of the Emerging Capabilities Office at the Combat Capabilities Development Command's Ground Vehicle Systems Center. "We're asking them to utilize the vehicles in a way that's never been done before." One goal for the autonomous vehicles is to learn how to penetrate an adversary's anti-access/aerial denial capabilities without putting soldiers in danger. "You're exposing forces to enemy fire, whether that be artillery, direct fire," Centeno said. "So, we have to find ways to penetrate that bubble, attrit their systems and allow for freedom of air and ground maneuver. These platforms buy us some of that, by giving us standoff." In late fiscal 2021, phase two of the effort will have soldiers conduct experiments at the company level with six MET-Ds and the same M113 surrogates, as well as four light and four medium surrogate robotic combat vehicles (RCVs) provided by industry, the release states. "The intent of this is to see how an RCV light integrates into a light infantry formation and performs reconnaissance and security tasks, as well as supports dismounted infantry operations," Maj. Cory Wallace, robotic combat vehicle-lead for the Next Generation Combat Vehicle Cross Functional Team, said in the release. Phase three is scheduled for fiscal 2023 and will add four medium and four heavy purpose-built RCVs to the mix, the release states. "This is not how we're used to fighting," Centeno said. "We're asking a lot. We're putting a lot of sensors, putting a lot of data in the hands of soldiers. We want to see how that impacts them. We want to see how it degrades or increases their performance." The family of RCVs includes three variants. Army officials envision the light version to be transportable by rotary wing. The medium variant would be able to fit onto a C-130 Hercules aircraft, and the heavy variant would fit onto a C-17 Globemaster aircraft, according to the release. Critics of the effort say it sounds very similar to the Army's failed Future Combat Systems (FCS), an ambitious effort to design a new fleet of lightweight manned and unmanned combat vehicles and other platforms designed to dominate future battlefields. Army officials have argued that the technology FCS depended on did not exist. The service spent billions on FCS, only to see it fail when then-Defense Secretary Robert Gates killed the 27-ton Manned Ground Vehicles portion of FCS in the 2010 budget while criticizing the advanced design as ill-suited to survive current battlefield threats. Army officials believe that the service's new Mobile Protected Firepower (MPF) vehicle could influence the development of the heavy RCV, the release states. In December, the Army awarded MPF contracts to two firms to build 12 prototypes each and begin delivering them to the service in early 2020. The goal is to down-select to a winner by fiscal 2022 and begin fielding the first of 504 of these lightweight tanks sometime in fiscal 2025, officials say. The heavy RCV is being designed to provide the enemy-armor killing power of an MPF with even less armor since it doesn't have to protect soldiers, the release states "An RCV reduces risk," Wallace said. "It does so by expanding the geometry of the battlefield so that, before the threat makes contact with the first human element, it has to make contact with the robots. That, in turn, gives commanders additional space and time to make decisions." https://www.military.com/daily-news/2019/07/15/soldiers-will-control-robotic-combat-vehicles-upcoming-test.html