Nouvelles

Mike Rees Raytheon Company has announced that it will deploy sustainment and cybersecurity experts around the world to support the ground control systems and onboard sensors used by the U.S. Air Force fleet of RQ-4 Global Hawk remotely piloted aircraft. Raytheon Intelligence, Information and Services will perform the work, which includes providing software upgrades to defend against cyber threats, as part of a $65 million subcontract from the aircraft manufacturer, Northrop Grumman. “Raytheon will help these unmanned aircraft meet tomorrow's threats,” said Todd Probert, vice president of Mission Support and Modernization at Raytheon IIS. “We have been improving the Global Hawk fleet's capabilities for 20 years by modernizing their ground and sensor systems and will now ensure their resiliency in the face of cyber threats.” Raytheon previously announced a $104 million effort to modernize the Global Hawk ground segment, moving payload and aircraft operators into mission control buildings. These new stations replace mission control, and launch and recovery elements previously housed in shelters. https://www.unmannedsystemstechnology.com/2019/01/raytheon-provides-cybersecurity-for-global-hawk-uas/

ARMY Donley Construction,* Aberdeen, Maryland (W912DQ-19-D-4000); LGC Global Inc.,* Detroit, Michigan (W912DQ-19-D-4001); Southwind Construction,* Edmond, Oklahoma (W912DQ-19-D-4002); Walga Ross Group JV,* Topeka, Kansas (W912DQ-19-D-4003); RM Builders,* Alamogordo, New Mexico (W912DQ-19-D-4004); and SES Construction and Fuel Services,* Oak Ridge, Tennessee (W912DQ-19-D-4006), will share in a $95,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for design-build and design-bid-build construction work. Bids were solicited via the internet with 40 received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Jan. 16, 2022. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Kansas City, Missouri, is the contracting activity. Inquip Associates Inc.,* McLean, Virginia, was awarded a $41,169,021 firm-fixed-price contract for levee improvement construction. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will be performed in Sacramento, California, with an estimated completion date of April 13, 2021. Fiscal 2017 and 2019 general construction and non-federal sponsor funds in the amount of $41,169,021 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Sacramento, California, is the contracting activity (W91238-19-C-0006). ACC Construction Co. Inc., Augusta, Georgia, was awarded a $21,039,018 firm-fixed-price contract for a special operations forces tactical-equipment maintenance facility. Bids were solicited via the internet with six received. Work will be performed in Fort Bragg, North Carolina, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 9, 2020. Fiscal 2018 military construction funds in the amount of $21,039,018 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Wilmington, North Carolina, is the contracting activity (W912PM-19-C-0011). Cottrell Contracting Corp.,* Chesapeake, Virginia, was awarded a $12,740,080 firm-fixed-price contract for maintenance dredging. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will be performed in Jekyll Island, Georgia; and Daufuskie Island, South Carolina, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 2, 2019. Fiscal 2017, 2018 and 2019 civil work Irma supplemental; civil work Matthew supplemental; and civil work operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $12,740,080 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Savannah, Georgia, is the contracting activity (W912HN-19-C-5001). Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Co. LLC, Oak Brook, Illinois, was awarded a $7,814,143 modification (P00004) to contract W912HP-18-C-0006 to increase cubic yards of beach fill. Work will be performed in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, with an estimated completion date of June 17, 2019. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance, Army funds in the amount of $7,814,143 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Charleston, South Carolina, is the contracting activity. Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Linthicum, Maryland, was awarded a $7,666,503 firm-fixed-price foreign military sales (Kuwait) contract for procurement of Army, Navy vehicle intercommunication systems. One bid was solicited via the internet with one bid received. Work will be performed in Elkridge, Maryland, with an estimated completion date of Nov. 23, 2020. Fiscal 2019 foreign military sales funds in the amount of $7,666,503 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W91CRB-19-C-5007). AIR FORCE Gulfstream Aerospace Corp., Savannah, Georgia, has been awarded an $80,607,877 firm-fixed-price modification (P00004) to contract FA8106-18-D-0002 for C-20/C-37 fleet sustainment. The contract modification is for exercise of Option Year II, to include issuance of task orders for one-year extension of contract term to support the C-20 and C-37 fleet for the Air Force, Army, Navy, Marines, and Coast Guard; and funding uninterrupted continuation of contractor logistics. Work will be performed at Savannah, Georgia; Naval Air Station Sigonella, Italy; Ramstein Air Base, Germany; Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland; Hickam AFB, Hawaii; Marine Corps Base Hawaii; MacDill AFB, Florida; and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Washington, District of Columbia. The work is expected to be completed by Jan. 31, 2020. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenances funds in the amount of $62,162,710 are being obligated at the time of award. Total cumulative face value of the contract is $594,429,554. Air Force Lifecycle Management Center, Tinker AFB, Oklahoma, is the contracting activity. DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Planmeca U.S.A. Inc., Roselle, Illinois, has been awarded a maximum $29,850,000 firm-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 70 responses received. This is a five-year contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Illinois, with a Jan. 22, 2024, performance completion date. Using customers are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and other federal civilian agencies. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2025 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE2D1-19-D-0009). NAVY General Atomics, Electromagnetics Systems Group, San Diego, California, is awarded $19,682,252 for firm-fixed-price delivery order N0001919F2406 against a previously issued basic ordering agreement (N00019-16-G-0006). This order provides for the manufacture, assembly, inspection, integration, test and delivery of Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) spare parts in support of the CVN-78 prior to the Advanced Arresting Gear and EMALS material support dates. Work will be performed in San Diego, California (37 percent); Boston, Massachusetts (18 percent); Tupelo, Mississippi (10.7 percent); Aston, Pennsylvania (5.8 percent); Guilford, Connecticut (4.4 percent); San Leandro, California (3.5 percent); Cincinnati, Ohio (2.6 percent); Randolph, New Jersey (2.4 percent); Mankato, Minnesota (1.4 percent); Middletown, Ohio (1.2 percent); Bindlach, Bavaria, Germany (.53 percent); and various locations within the continental U.S. (12.47 percent), and is expected to be completed in January 2023. Fiscal 2018 and 2019 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funds in the amount of $19,682,252 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. *Small business https://dod.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/1738850/source/GovDelivery/

Pat Host, Washington, DC - Jane's Defence Weekly The US Navy (USN) awarded Bell a USD440 million contract modification to produce and deliver 25 AH-1Z Viper attack helicopters on 18 January, according to a Pentagon statement. The contract modification, known as Lot 16, is part of the US Marine Corps' (USMC's) programme to acquire 189 AH-1Zs. The contract also includes the purchase of 25 store control units, which, according to Bell spokesman Michael Reilly, is the interface between the pilot and the weapon system that is used to manage the employment of the weapons loaded on the aircraft. Work is expected to be complete by January 2022. Reilly said it takes roughly 30-31 months to manufacture an AH-1Z aircraft. USN spokesman Greg Kuntz said on 23 January that Lot 16 is the final lot buy of AH-1Z for the service. The marinised AH-1Z features virtually identical front and rear 'glass' cockpits, fully-integrated weapons, avionics, and communications system. It also features a fully-integrated air-to-air missile capability. https://www.janes.com/article/85924/us-navy-awards-bell-contract-for-ah-1z-helicopters

By: Jeff Jeong SEOUL — It looked like Italy's aerospace group Leonardo was going to be an easy winner for South Korea's second batch of anti-submarine helicopters. The procurement program would seek 12 more AW-159 “Wildcat” helicopters, with no other competitors for the $840 million program. But the Defense Acquisition Program Administration, or DAPA, threw a curveball, deciding to accept a U.S. proposal for alternate option and to begin the competitive bidding process from the scratch. The plan for the maritime operational helicopter, or MOH, was originally to sign a direct commercial deal with a foreign helicopter maker, with three bidders — Leonardo, Lockheed Martin and NH Industries — showing interest. The two latter contenders failed to submit their proposals by the Oct. 31 deadline, leaving Leonardo seemingly as the only remaining bidder. According to sources from DAPA, however, the U.S. government in November sent a letter of price and availability of Lockheed Martin's MH-60R Seahawk, causing South Korea's arms procurement officials o rethink the acquisition approach. “We've decided to consider the U.S. FMS option,” DAPA spokesman Park Jung-eun told Defense News. “We're going to weigh in on both options of commercial and FMS contracts.” As dictated by acquisition regulation, two successive failed biddings mean that the agency can make a private contract with a sole bidder, but that's not mandatory. The agency is expected to issue a renewed request for proposals as early as March, according to DAPA officials. Leonardo would be a direct buy, while the Sikorsky bid would be a foreign military sale. Leonardo said in a statement that it would still pursue the South Korean naval helicopter program “in a fair and transparent manner.” A Leonardo spokesman said the AW-159 is optimized for the Korean theater of operations, pointing to an active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar for detecting North Korea's coastal weapon system and a missile firing range that is more than three times longer than Seahawk. “We do not really know about the details of the U.S. Navy's latest proposal,” a Lockheed Martin communications official said, declining to elaborate. “After an RFP is issued, we could be able to discuss with the service.” Pundits here expressed different reactions to the renewed MOH bidding process. Shin In-kyun, head of Korea Defense Network, a Seoul-based private defense think tank, said it's a better opportunity to acquire state-of-the-art naval helicopters with better performances. “The Seahawk is estimated to be more expensive by 20 to 30 percent than the Wildcat, but the former has performances about two times better than the latter,” said Shin. “The unit price of the MH-60R could be lowered through the FMS, as the U.S. and Indian Navies are also said to be procuring more than 40 MH-60Rs.” Shin Jong-woo, a senior analyst at the Korea Defense & Security Forum, said an FMS deal may not guarantee economic benefit for South Korea. “You give up offset programs should an FMS deal be made,” he said. “I'm not really sure how much the unit cost of the MH-60R could be lowered. If lowered, we may have to lose some optional functions of the helicopter.” Moreover, a possible MH-60R selection will bring more work to change the designs of warships, he added. “The Navy's existing warships, including the KDX-III Aegis destroyer, are not able to accommodate the MH-60R, so it's inevitable to change the design should the American helicopter be chosen.” The South Korean Navy currently operates eight AW-159s acquired under a 2012 deal. The helicopters fly missions aboard KDX-series destroyers and Incheon-class guided-missile frigates. The service plans to commission at least 12 more new frigates fitted with a flight deck and a hangar that can accommodate one Lynx helicopter. https://www.defensenews.com/2019/01/23/change-of-plans-seoul-decides-to-start-from-scratch-with-helo-competition

By: Megan Eckstein ARLINGTON, Va. – The Marine Corps is preparing for a high-end distributed fight inside island chains in the Pacific, and the service is pushing the Navy to invest in additional weapons and systems for amphibious ships to support this kind of battle in a contested environment. The Marine Corps is further developing concepts like the Expeditionary Advance Base Operations and Littoral Operations in a Contested Environment, but there are some materiel changes the Navy will need to make, such as upgunning amphibious ships and connecting amphibs into the surface combatants' and aircraft carriers' tactical grid, leaders said last week at the Surface Navy Association's annual national symposium. Maj. Gen. David Coffman, director of expeditionary operations (OPNAV N95), set the scene, describing a large-scale formation Navy ships and Marine landing forces beyond what the services typically rehearse today. “That level of integrated naval operations could be needed to take an island somewhere – natural or manmade. But it certainly will be required when a great power competition pits a whale against an elephant, or maybe two elephants – a global maritime power, that's us, against a regional land power hegemon with home-field advantage. In that long war, maritime superiority is necessary but not sufficient for the whale to beat the elephant,” Coffman said, noting the Marines were readying themselves to conduct day-to-day competition, deterrence against malign actions, and, if necessary, major combat operations in this high-end environment. “So what we need to do is reinvigorate naval maneuver warfare, linking sea control and power projection in order to win current and future fights.” Full article: https://news.usni.org/2019/01/23/marines-next-high-end-fight-call-larger-formations-tougher-amphibs

Military.com | By Oriana Pawlyk The U.S. Marine Corps' F/A-18C/D Hornet fighter fleet is getting a radar upgrade. The service selected Raytheon Co. to upgrade the aircraft to the APG-79(v)4 active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, according to a company announcement. The radar is a scaled version of the APG-79 AESA, which has been integrated into Super Hornets and EA-18G Growlers. The APG-79 gives pilots additional situational awareness, high-performance targeting and extended range. A contract amount was not disclosed. "With AESA radars, fighter jet pilots and crews tip the scales in their favor over their adversaries," said Eric Ditmars, vice president of Raytheon Secure Sensor Solutions, in a release. "Now that the APG-79(v)4 is slated to fly on the classic Hornet, Marine Corps pilots will be able to identify, track and engage more targets over a greater distance than ever before." Full article: https://www.military.com/defensetech/2019/01/22/marines-classic-hornet-jets-get-upgraded-radar.html

By: Meghann Myers When the Army first announced its intention to stand up a new four-star Futures Command, senior leadership said the days of years-long, expensive modernization programs and murky requirements were over. While failing early and often can prevent some of those issues before an idea becomes a program of record, there are still some risks that, by trying to be a more nimble and innovative enterprise, AFC could still run into cost increases and drawn-out timelines if it jumps too hard on emerging technologies, according to a Government Accountability Office report released Wednesday. “There are a variety of ways to fail when it comes to developing these technologies,” Jon Ludwigson, the GAO's acting director of contracting and national security acquisitions, told Army Times in a Wednesday phone interview. “I guess the way that I would look at it is, you can make sure that you have it right, or hope that you'll get it right.” The study was mandated by the 2018 National Defense Authorization Act, to take the temperature of Futures Command as it stood up. The Army officially activated the command in August, headquartered at the University of Texas in Austin. In general, the report found, the Army has applied best practices that GAO has previously touted, including close collaboration with senior leadership. On the other hand, the report found, there were a couple things that could be improved. AFC's plans to develop weapons systems with emerging technology could come back to hurt it, the report said. “GAO has raised concerns about this type of practice for almost two decades for other Army acquisitions, because proceeding into weapon systems development at earlier stages of technology maturity raises the risk that the resulting systems could experience cost increases, delivery delays, or failure to deliver desired capabilities,” according to the report. The GAO, Lugwigson said, is wary of creating programs around emerging technologies, before having a chance to test them in an operational environment. “As the Army identifies the capability, there are technologies that are used to achieve that capability,” he said. “What GAO has found is, there's an advantage to maturing those technologies before you begin what's called a program of record.” https://www.armytimes.com/news/your-army/2019/01/23/report-armys-new-modernization-command-risks-cost-overruns-and-delays

By Lee Berthiaume, The Canadian Press OTTAWA — The Department of National Defence is pushing ahead with plans to extend the lives of Canada's submarine fleet, with the head of the navy hoping some work will start in the coming months. The movement comes as countries around the world have stepped up investments in their submarine and anti-submarine fleets to protect their waters — and operate in waters not under their control. Canada's four Victoria-class submarines have a troubled history since they were bought second-hand from Britain in 1998, with successive governments investing hundreds of millions of dollars in constant repairs and upgrades. But in an interview with The Canadian Press, Royal Canadian Navy commander Vice-Admiral Ron Lloyd said the diesel-powered submarines — HMCS Chicoutimi, Victoria, Corner Brook and Windsor — have finally turned a corner. Lloyd specifically pointed to HMCS Chicoutimi's having recently spent 197 days in the Pacific and Asia even as HMCS Windsor was patrolling the Mediterranean with NATO as proof the submarines are living up to their potential. "The fact we had two boats concurrently deployed, if that doesn't speak to the success of the program, I don't know what does," said Lloyd, who will retire from the military later this year after three years as navy commander. The clock has been ticking on the four vessels: without upgrades, the first of the submarines will reach the end of its life in 2022, according to documents obtained through access to information, while the last will retire in 2027. But the Liberals' defence policy promised to extend the lives of the vessels and Lloyd said defence officials are now working through the details to make sure they can continue to operate into the 2030s. More extensive work is expected to start in about three or four years but Lloyd said efforts are underway to start implementing some minor upgrades by March. Exactly how much upgrading all four submarines will cost remains uncertain, but Lloyd said the figure that officials are working with is about $2 billion. Some experts have previously called for Canada to consider new submarines, rather than extending the lives of the ones it has, but the government has said upgrading the Victoria-class ships is more "prudent." Other experts have said the country doesn't need such expensive vessels. But many other countries around the world are investing in submarine and antisubmarine fleets. NATO has specifically raised concerns about Russian submarines in the North Atlantic, while Canadian frigate commanders patrolling in the Atlantic and Mediterranean have reported more foreign submarines in recent years. "The most proliferated weapon system right now on the planet are submarines," Lloyd said. "They by themselves can impact the outcome of a battle space. And so putting a submarine into a body of water instantly changes the calculus that are currently operating in those bodies of water." Aside from upgrading its submarines, the Canadian military has started to return to its Cold War role as a leader in antisubmarine warfare in the North Atlantic by upgrading its frigates and maritime patrol planes and adding new maritime helicopters. — Follow @leeberthiaume on Twitter. Lee Berthiaume, The Canadian Press https://www.nationalnewswatch.com/2019/01/22/canadian-navy-pressing-ahead-on-life-extensions-for-submarines/#.XEjDzVxKiUl

Le gouvernement du Canada accordera jusqu'à 500 000 $ à des jeunes entreprises innovantes du Québec Le 23 janvier 2019 – Montréal (Québec) – Développement économique Canada pour les régions du Québec (DEC) L'audace et l'ingéniosité des jeunes entrepreneurs innovants sont essentielles pour propulser le Québec dans l'économie de demain. C'est pourquoi le gouvernement du Canada lance aujourd'hui une nouvelle initiative pour les aider à concrétiser leurs projets d'affaires : le Défi propulsion DEC. Ce concours permettra aux jeunes entrepreneurs dynamiques de saisir les occasions offertes par des conditions économiques et technologiques en constante évolution. En lançant aujourd'hui le Défi, le ministre des Transports et député de Notre-Dame-de-Gr'ce—Westmount, l'honorable Marc Garneau, invite les jeunes de partout au Québec ayant la fibre entrepreneuriale et qui œuvrent dans les secteurs de pointe à soumettre, du 8 février au 1er avril 2019, leur plan d'affaires à Développement économique Canada pour les régions du Québec (DEC). En mai 2019, 20 entreprises finalistes seront invitées à présenter les projets les plus prometteurs à un jury d'experts. Les 10 meilleurs projets se verront remettre un prix de 50 000 $ pour concrétiser leur projet d'affaires. Les détails du Défi sont disponibles au canada.ca/defi-propulsion-dec. Citations « Le talent, particulièrement le talent entrepreneurial, est une importante ressource. Nous voulons favoriser l'émergence de nouvelles entreprises en investissant directement dans le développement des talents et des habiletés des Québécoises et des Québécois. Par cette initiative, notre gouvernement permettra à des jeunes de tous les coins du Québec de lancer leur entreprise et de concrétiser leur projet. » L'honorable Marc Garneau, député de Notre-Dame-de-Gr'ce—Westmount et ministre des Transports « Des initiatives comme le Défi propulsion DEC stimulent les entreprises innovantes à concrétiser leurs projets. En se dotant de la Stratégie fédérale d'innovation et de croissance pour les régions du Québec, le gouvernement du Canada a mis en place une approche ambitieuse pour stimuler l'innovation et la croissance pour tous. Il s'agit d'un engagement ferme pour contribuer au développement d'une culture d'innovation et, à terme, à la création de plus d'emplois de qualité pour les Québécois. » L'honorable Navdeep Bains, ministre responsable de DEC Faits en bref L'annonce d'aujourd'hui est faite au nom de l'honorable Navdeep Bains, ministre responsable du portefeuille de l'Innovation, des Sciences et du Développement économique, qui regroupe 17 ministères et organismes fédéraux, dont DEC et les cinq autres agences de développement régional. Le Défi propulsion DEC est une initiative qui découle de la Stratégie fédérale d'innovation et de croissance pour les régions du Québec. Pilotée par DEC, avec la participation d'autres ministères fédéraux, la Stratégie cible quatre priorités et quatorze pistes d'intervention pour favoriser l'adoption et le développement de pratiques innovatrices et assurer la croissance pour tous et pour toutes les régions du Québec. Les fonds ont été consentis en vertu du programme Croissance économique régionale par l'innovation (CERI) de DEC. Pour en savoir davantage sur DEC et ses priorités, consultez le Plan ministériel 2018-2019 ou visitez le www.dec-ced.gc.ca. Depuis maintenant 50 ans, le gouvernement du Canada participe activement au développement économique régional au Québec : un demi-siècle d'actions concrètes consacrées à l'essor des régions et des entreprises d'ici. https://www.canada.ca/fr/developpement-economique-regions-quebec/nouvelles/2019/01/les-jeunes-entreprises-innovantes-du-quebec-sont-invitees-a-participer-au-defi-propulsion-dec.html