Nouvelles

By: Jen Judson   WASHINGTON — The Marine Corps has awarded BAE Systems with a $184 million contract to deliver Amphibious Combat Vehicles (ACV) at full-rate production, according to a Dec. 10 company announcement. The first lot of FRP ACVs amounts to 36 vehicles but is expected to grow to 72 vehicles in early 2021, with the option for 80 vehicles annually over five years. The Marine Corps declared the ACV had met Initial Operational Capability (IOC) requirements on Nov. 13. The FRP decision was delayed due to issues related to the coronavirus pandemic. “As the ACV enters into service it will be providing highly advanced solutions for conducting maritime-based warfare operations and will play a vital role in the Marine Corps' complex and challenging missions,” John Swift, director of amphibious programs at BAE Systems, said in the statement. “For BAE Systems, full-rate production validates years of dedication and teamwork in partnership with the Marines to introduce this capability to the warfighter and leave our adversaries on the battlefield at a marked disadvantage.” BAE, with teammate IVECO Defence Vehicles, of Italy, beat out SAIC for the contract to build ACV following a competitive evaluation period in June 2018. That contract allowed the company to enter low-rate initial production with 30 vehicles expected by the fall of 2019 and valued at $198 million. The ACV offers “force protection capability three times greater” than its predecessor the Assault Amphibious Vehicle, the BAE statement notes. “It provides substantially increased horsepower, with its six-cylinder, 690 horsepower engine, making it capable of land speeds exceeding 55 mph while running extremely quietly. It's also designed to provide Marines the flexibility to address additional mission roles and future technologies through its modular design,” the statement adds. The BAE ACV provides space for 13 embarked Marines and a crew of three, which keeps the rifle squad together. The vehicle has a V-shaped hull to protect against underbody blasts, and the seat structure is completely suspended. BAE is currently under a $67 million contract modification awarded in June 2019, according to the company, to develop new variants for the ACV including adding a command vehicle and a version with a 30mm medium caliber cannon. The company notes that the design and development for both have begun. The Marines plan to field 204 of the vehicles. The total value of the contract with all options exercised is expected to amount to about $1.2 billion. https://www.defensenews.com/land/2020/12/10/marine-corps-amphibious-combat-vehicle-reaches-full-rate-production/

NAVY BAE Systems Land and Armaments L.P., Sterling Heights, Michigan, is awarded an $184,444,865 fixed-price-incentive (firm target) modification to previously awarded contract M67854-16-0006 for amphibious combat vehicles (ACV). This modification provides for the procurement of 36 full rate production ACVs and other associated production costs for the Marine Corps. Work will be performed in York, Pennsylvania (60%); Aiken, South Carolina (15%); San Jose, California (15%); Sterling Heights, Michigan (5%); and Stafford, Virginia (5%). Work is expected to be completed in November 2022. Fiscal 2021 procurement (Marine Corps) funds in the amount of $184,444,865 are being obligated at the time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Virginia, is the contracting activity (M67854-16-C-0006). Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems, Marlborough, Massachusetts, is awarded a $91,296,293 modification to a previously awarded Navy multiband terminals (NMT) firm-fixed-price contract to increase the ceiling and extend the engineering support services contract line item numbers to address obsolescence issues and other in-scope engineering service efforts over a three-year period. NMT is a multiband capable satellite communications terminal that provides protected and wideband communications. Work will be performed in Largo, Florida (54%); South Deerfield, Massachusetts (25%); Stow, Massachusetts (13%); Marlborough, Massachusetts (8%), and is expected to be completed by December 2023. No funds were obligated at the issuance of this contract modification. This sole-source contract was not competitively procured in accordance with 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1). The Naval Information Warfare Systems Command, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity (N00039-16-C-0050). Raytheon Missiles and Defense, Marlborough, Massachusetts, is awarded a $38,786,218 firm-fixed-price and cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to previously awarded contract N00024-19-C-5112 for the production of two Fire Control System MK 99 ship sets and the associated technical engineering services in support of the Aegis Combat System on DDG-51 class ships. Work will be performed in Andover, Massachusetts (81%); Marlborough, Massachusetts (10%); Chesapeake, Virginia (3%); Portsmouth, Rhode Island (3%); San Diego, California (2%); and Burlington, Massachusetts (1%), and is expected to be completed by August 2024. Fiscal 2020 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funds in the amount of $38,786,218 will be obligated at the 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. Pacific Architects and Engineers Applied Technologies LLC, Fort Worth, Texas, is awarded a $30,969,685 cost-plus-fixed-fee, cost reimbursable contract. This contract provides for the procurement of various types of support including system operations, laboratory and field testing, marine operations and target support services, engineering, range sustainability, maintenance, data reduction and analysis. Work will be performed in Patuxent River, Maryland, and is expected to be completed in April 2021. Fiscal 2021 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $9,957,500; and fiscal 2021 working capital (Navy) funds in the amount of $501,000 will be obligated at time of award, $501,000 of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1). The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N00421-21-C-0011). DCS Corp., Alexandria, Virginia, is awarded a $27,750,407 cost-plus-fixed-fee, cost-reimbursable, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. This contract provides for design, development, integration, test, evaluation, installation, maintenance, configuration management and logistics in support of the Air Traffic Control and Landing Systems Division systems and equipment. Work will be performed in Saint Inigoes, Maryland (80%); and Lexington Park, Maryland (20%), and is expected to be completed in December 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 an electronic request for proposal; one offer was received. The Naval Air Warfare Command Aircraft Division, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N00421-21-D-0011). Fincantieri Marine Systems North America Inc., Chesapeake, Virginia, is awarded a $13,343,620 modification to exercise Option Year Four of previously awarded firm-fixed price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract N55236-17-D-0009 to provide maintenance support for the Mine Countermeasure-1 Class main propulsion diesel engine and ship service diesel generator. The overall total contract value ceiling remains unchanged at $86,268,629. Work will be performed in the homeports of Sasebo, Japan; and Manama, Bahrain, and ports-of-call as required according to individual task orders, and is scheduled to be completed by January 2022. No funding is being obligated at time of award. The Southwest Regional Maintenance Center, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity. U.S. SPECIAL OPERATIONS COMMAND Raytheon Technologies, McKinney, Texas (H92408-21-D-0001), was awarded a $99,000,000 cost-plus-fixed-fee, firm-fixed-price, time and materials, cost reimbursement, no-fee contract for the procurement of Next-Generation Special Mission Processors (NextGen SMP) in support of U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) requirements. NextGen SMP enable Special Operations Forces tactical mission systems to integrate with AC/MC-130J aircraft controls and provide future software capabilities. Fiscal 2021 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $1,692,070; and procurement funds in the amount of $8,245,404 are being obligated at time of award. The work is expected to be completed by December 2027. This action is a follow-on production contract in accordance with 10 U.S. Code § 2371b (f) authorized or required by statue. USSOCOM, Tampa, Florida, is the contracting activity. AIR FORCE Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Hill Air Force Base, Utah, has been awarded a $73,194,742 firm-fixed-price delivery order under the Ground Subsystems Sustainment contract FA8214-15-D-0001 for Remote Visual Assessment II production and deployment for the Minutemen III. This delivery order provides for modification to the Remote Visual Assessment program by adding six capabilities to procure, produce, remove, install, audit, test and document the equipment. Work will be performed at Malmstrom Air Force Base, Montana; Minot AFB, North Dakota; and F.E. Warren AFB, Wyoming, and is expected to be completed July 31, 2023. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Fiscal 2020 missile procurement funds in the amount of $1,140,137 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center, Hill AFB, Utah, is the contracting activity (FA8214-21-F-0078). DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Ortho-Clinical Diagnostics Inc., Raritan, New Jersey, has been awarded a maximum $49,500,000 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for laboratory supplies and wares. This was a competitive acquisition with one response received. This is a five-year contract with no option periods. Location of performance is New Jersey, with a Dec. 9, 2025, ordering period end date. Using customers are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and federal civilian agencies. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2021 through 2026 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE2DE-21-D-0007). ARMY ORBCOMM Inc., Rochelle Park, New Jersey, was awarded a $45,611,528 firm-fixed-price contract for next-generation transponders. Bids were solicited via the internet with five received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 9, 2024. The U.S. Army Contracting Command, Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois, is the contracting activity (W52P1J-21-D-0007). RiverRestoration LLC,* Carbondale, Colorado, was awarded a $40,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for civil works and hydrology and hydraulics services. 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 Dec. 10, 2025. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Albuquerque, New Mexico, is the contracting activity (W912PP-21-D-0002). Direct Steel and Construction,* Crystal Lake, Illinois, was awarded a $16,880,228 firm-fixed-price contract for construction of the 69th ADA Supply Support Activity warehouse at Fort Hood. Bids were solicited via the internet with three received. Work will be performed at Fort Hood, Texas, with an estimated completion date of June 15, 2022. Fiscal 2018 military construction (Army) funds in the amount of $16,880,228 were obligated at the time of the award. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Fort Worth, Texas, is the contracting activity (W9126G-21-C-0003). The Boeing Co., Mesa, Arizona, was awarded a $13,900,000 modification (P00066) to contract W58RGZ-16-C-0023 for software upgrades to the flight management computer for the AH-64E. Work will be performed in Mesa, Arizona, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 31, 2024. Fiscal 2020 aircraft procurement (Army) funds in the amount of $2,780,000 were obligated at the time of the award. The U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity. General Dynamics Information Technology Inc., Falls Church, Virginia, was awarded a $12,432,932 modification (P00017) to contract W81K04-18-C-0001 for specialty medical training, equipment/site maintenance and administration support services. Work will be performed in Dublin, California; Fort Gordon, Georgia; and Fort McCoy, Wisconsin, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 31, 2021. Fiscal 2021 and 2022 operation and maintenance (Army Reserve) funds in the amount of $12,432,932 were obligated at the time of the award. The U.S. Army Health Contracting Activity, San Antonio, Texas, is the contracting activity. Lockheed Martin Corp., Orlando, Florida, was awarded a $10,395,412 modification (P00044) to contract W31P4Q-19-C-0071 for engineering services in support of the Hellfire Missile and Joint-Air-to-Ground Missile. Work will be performed in Orlando, Florida, with an estimated completion date of May 9, 2022. Fiscal 2020 and 2021 missile procurement (Army); 2021 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy); and 2020 missile procurement (Air Force) funds in the amount of $10,395,412 were obligated at the time of the award. The U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity. WASHINGTON HEADQUARTERS SERVICES Millennium Enterprises, doing business as Millennium Health and Fitness Inc., Scottsdale, Arizona (HQ0034-21-D-0005), is awarded an indefinite-delivery/indefinitely-quantify contract with a maximum amount of $25,000,000. The Defense Civilian Personnel Advisory Service (DCPAS) has a requirement to procure wellness and health promotion support services. The principal objective is for the contractor to provide the necessary staff to operate and manage Department of Defense wellness fitness centers, as well as agency specific programs and services to meet customer needs. The contractor shall provide all personnel, equipment, supplies, facilities, transportation, tools, materials, supervision and other items and non-personal services necessary to perform wellness and health promotion services in support of DCPAS. Work performance will take place in the Northern Capital Region, including Arlington, Virginia; Crystal City, Virginia; and Washington, D.C. No funds will be obligated at time of the award. Appropriate fiscal operations and maintenance funds will be obligated on all subsequent task orders. The expected completion date is Dec. 9, 2025. Washington Headquarters Services, Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting activity. DEFENSE FINANCE AND ACCOUNTING SERVICE Kearney and Company PC, Alexandria, Virginia, is being awarded a labor-hour contract option with a maximum value of $10,160,250 for audit services of the Defense Health Program (DHP). Work will be performed in various locations including the DHP headquarters, Falls Church, Virginia, as well as other federal locations in Texas, Ohio, Indianapolis, Maryland, Colorado, New York and Maine, with an expected completion date of Dec. 31, 2021. This contract is the result of a competitive acquisition in which two bids were received. This award brings the total cumulative value of the contract to $46,758,510. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance (Defense-wide) funds in the amount of $10,160,250 are being obligated at the time of this option award. The Defense Finance and Accounting Service, Contract Services Directorate, Columbus, Ohio, is the contracting activity (HQ0423-17-F-0096). DEFENSE ADVANCED RESEARCH PROJECTS AGENCY Battelle Memorial Institute, Columbus, Ohio, has been awarded a $9,472,919 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency's Rational Integrated Design of Energetics (RIDE) program. In Phase One, Battelle Memorial Institute proposes to develop a semi-automated system in order to provide an energetics formulation platform that addresses both powder-pressed and cast-cured formulations for explosives and propellants in support of the RIDE program. Work will be in Columbus, Ohio (25%); West Jefferson, Ohio (55%); and Centerbrook, Connecticut (20%), with an estimated completion date of March 2022. Fiscal 2020 and 2021 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $5,658,142 are being obligated at time of award. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting activity (HR0011-21-C-0027). *Small business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2443378/source/GovDelivery/

The MINDS Team is pleased to announce that the call for applications for the Collaborative Networks for FY 2021-22 is now open. Applications can be submitted until January 18 , 2021. If you are interested in presenting your research results to National Defence or the Canadian Armed Forces through the Expert Briefing Series, please contact MINDS@forces.gc.ca. Collaborative Networks Through the establishment of Collaborative Networks, MINDS is increasing and diversifying research on defence and security issues in Canada, with the aim to meet the Defence Team need for relevant and timely advice and broaden the spectrum of expert voices contributing to the conversation. Network Focus Collaborative Networks involve multi-disciplinary teams of experts from across Canada and abroad. They work together to research specific defence and security challenges in support of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces. Through these networks, the Defence Team will benefit from in-depth and nuanced analysis either to complement ongoing work or gain new insights in areas where there is interest and demand but limited expertise available. Who can apply This opportunity is open to multidisciplinary teams with interest in the domain of security and defence studies. We are looking for individuals or organizations that are engaged, dynamic, resourceful and interested in helping DND/CAF address key defence policy challenges. The primary affiliation of the network lead must be a Canadian institution. Federal and provincial crown corporations are not eligible for funding under this program. Network Requirements Successful network applicants will receive $250,000 per year for three years. During these three years, the networks will be required to meet a number of deliverables including creative approaches to research, conferences and workshops, witten and oral briefings to a Defence Team audience, and student support. For a complete list of network criteria and deliverables, please consult the application form. Applicants must demonstrate: Relevance, through alignment with one to three defence policy challenges, and linkage to SSE How the project incorporates diverse perspectives, including through the use of Gender-based Analysis Plus Innovation, creativity, vision Plans to creatively leverage technology A detailed spending strategy is essential to a successful application, including an estimated budget for the project with anticipated expenditures. Successful applicants will be required to sign a contribution agreement with MINDS that will govern the administration of funding. See funding results for previous rounds. If you have any questions related to the Collaborative Networks, please contact the MINDS team at MINDS@forces.gc.ca. https://www.canada.ca/en/department-national-defence/programs/minds/collaborative-networks.html

Posted on December 9, 2020 by Seapower Staff BETHESDA, Md. — Sailors will soon spend more time focused on the mission and less on aircraft and ship repairs with a new information system driven by artificial intelligence and predictive analytics, Lockheed Martin said in a Dec. 9 release. Digitally re-engineering more than 20 standalone applications into one integrated system, this new tool enables Sailors and Marine Corps maintainers, to anticipate and resolve potential maintenance issues or part failures on aircraft, ships and other systems. The U.S. Navy is digitally transforming its legacy maintenance systems with a fully modernized, responsive logistics information systems solution developed by Lockheed Martin. Lockheed Martin partnered with the Navy to rapidly develop and test the integrated logistics information systems solution, emphasizing simplified user interfaces, streamlined workflows, and time-saving features such as auto-population and smart searching. “Lockheed Martin's solution is both intuitive and streamlined to maximize end user efficiency,” said Capt. Allan Walters, former program manager of the Navy's Command and Control Systems Program Office. “The ability to execute rapid and flexible changes to the software is impressive and designed to improve Navy readiness both ashore and afloat through reduced failure rates and improved repair times.” The solution's advanced software capabilities use the latest Department of Defense-approved DevSecOps tools, so software updates can happen in days or weeks instead of months and years, enabling the Navy's vision of “Compile to Combat in 24 Hours.” Navy maintainers can create, view and complete maintenance work orders from a mobile device. Instead of referencing a paper or digital manual, sailors can view 3-D models of objects and see where they're located in the context of an entire ship or aircraft. “Our logistics solution provides a digital twin capability, integrating 3-D model visualization with material data, maintenance history and the entire operational environment,” said Reeves Valentine, vice president of Lockheed Martin Enterprise Sustainment Solutions. “Sailors can simulate a maintenance action and see its results before doing it on the real thing. Having this capability will result in a greater ability to predict part failure, resulting in optimized maintenance actions to improve asset readiness.” Smart searching and auto-population functionality help identify proper parts and common issues when creating work orders, which eliminates work and reducing errors. Lockheed Martin partnered with non-traditional vendors IFS – an enterprise software developer – and Beast Code, a Florida software start-up, to create the logistics information systems solution, which will be initially fielded at 10 Navy sites with about 10,000 users. The delivered solution is part of the U.S. Navy Naval Operational Business Logistics Enterprise (NOBLE) family of systems providing enhanced situational awareness, planning, execution, and management of maintenance and supply logistics and business functions for more than 200,000 sailors. https://seapowermagazine.org/lockheed-martin-ai-data-analytics-will-transform-navy-ship-aircraft-repairs/

ARMY Sikorksy Aircraft Corp., Stratford, Connecticut, was awarded a $507,036,949 modification (P00163) to contract W58RGZ-17-C-0009 for UH-60M HH-60M aircraft. Work will be performed in Stratford, Connecticut, with an estimated completion date of June 30, 2022. Fiscal 2021 aircraft procurement (Army) funds in the amount of $507,036,949 were obligated at the time of the award. The U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity. Lockheed Martin Corp., Orlando, Florida, was awarded a $31,123,618 modification (P00036) to contract W58RGZ-16-C-0008 for sustainment of the Modernized Target Acquisition Designation Sight/Pilot Night Vision Sensor Performance Based Logistics program. Work will be performed in Orlando, Florida, with an estimated completion date of June 30, 2021. Fiscal 2021 Army working capital funds in the amount of $31,123,618 were obligated at the time of the award. The U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity. Alliant Techsystems Operations LLC, Plymouth, Minnesota, was awarded a $12,045,421 modification (P00029) to contract W15QKN-15-C-0066 for 120mm Advanced Multipurpose XM1147 high explosive multi-purpose with tracer cartridges. Work will be performed in Plymouth, Minnesota; Rocket Center, West Virginia; Middletown, Iowa; Kingsport, Tennessee; Faribault, Minnesota; Forest Lake, Minnesota; Towanda, Pennsylvania; Cary, Illinois; Louisville, Kentucky; Falconer, New York; Clear Lake, South Dakota; Shafer, Minnesota; Green Bay, Wisconsin; Waunakee, Wisconsin; and Coachella, California, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 3, 2020. Fiscal 2020 other procurement (Army) funds; and 2019 and 2020 procurement of ammunition (Army) funds in the amount of $12,045,421 were obligated at the time of the award. The U.S. Army Contracting Command, Newark, New Jersey, is the contracting activity. NAVY Bell Boeing Joint Project Office, Amarillo, Texas, is awarded a $170,438,450 modification (P00035) against previously awarded, fixed-price-incentive-firm-target, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract N00019-17-C-0015. This modification adds scope for the production and delivery of one CMV-22B variation in quantity aircraft for the Navy and exercises options for V-22 Common Configuration Readiness and Modernization (CC-RAM) Lot 4 requirements. Additionally, this modification provides for planned maintenance interval inspections, repairs, shipping and storage containers and tooling in support of the V-22 CC-RAM program. Work will be performed in Ridley Park, Pennsylvania (91%); and Fort Worth, Texas (9%), and is expected to be completed in September 2024. Fiscal 2021 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $93,510,201; and fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $766,800 will be obligated at the time of award, of which $766,800 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. General Dynamic Electric Boat, Groton, Connecticut, is awarded a $49,808,303 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to previously awarded contract N00024-18-C-4321 to exercise options for the New England Maintenance Manpower Initiative for non-nuclear maintenance on submarines based at Naval Submarine Support Facility, New London. Work will be performed in Groton, Connecticut, and is expected to be completed by December 2022. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $10,050,000 will be obligated at time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity. General Dynamics Mission Systems, Pittsfield, Massachusetts, is being awarded a $43,212,827 cost-plus-incentive-fee modification (P00001) for the fiscal 2020-2023 Columbia (US01) and Dreadnought Class development, production and installation requirement. Work will be performed in Pittsfield, Massachusetts (90%); United Kingdom (6%); Quonset Point, Rhode Island (3%); and Groton, Connecticut (1%). Work is expected to be completed Nov. 29, 2024. Fiscal 2021 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funds in the amount of $28,099,033; United Kingdom funds in the amount of $1,784,240; and fiscal 2021 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $572,760 are being obligated on this award. Of this amount, no funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract is being awarded to the contractor on a sole-source basis under 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1) and (4) and was previously synopsized on the beta.sam.gov website. Strategic Systems Programs, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity. Kratos Unmanned Aerial Systems Inc., Sacramento, California, is awarded a $38,691,360 contract modification (P00002) to previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract N00019-20-C-0075. This modification exercises an option to procure 48 BQM-177A subsonic aerial targets for the Navy as well as associated technical and administrative data in support of full rate production lot two deliveries. Work will be performed in Sacramento, California (55.8%); Dallas, Texas (17.6%); Fort Walton Beach, Florida (4.6%); Springfield, Pennsylvania (2.6%); Newton, Kansas (2.1%); Concord, California (1.9%); Milwaukie, Oregon (1.8%); Santa Ana, California (1.8%); Chatsworth, California (1.5%); Greybull, Wyoming (1.3%); and various locations within the continental U.S. (9%), and is expected to be completed in February 2023. Fiscal 2021 weapons procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $38,691,360 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. $806,070 of the funds obligated for this effort were Foreign Military Sales funds converted to weapons procurement (Navy) funds for the replacement of one target expended by the government of Australia. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY LC Industries Inc., Durham, North Carolina, has been awarded a maximum $98,775,719 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-quantity contract for light chemiluminescent and shield light chemiluminescent. 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 five-year contract with no option periods. Location of performance is North Carolina, with a Dec. 9, 2025, performance completion date. Using military services are Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2021 through 2026 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Richmond, Virginia (SPE4A6-21-D-0030). AIR FORCE McCallie Associates, Bellevue, Nebraska, has been awarded a $27,635,192 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for C-5M sustainment. This contract is for the delivery of technical data for organizational maintenance of the C-5M using a common source database. Work will be performed in Bellevue, Nebraska, and is expected to be completed June 9, 2025. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance funds in the amount of $7,613,295 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, is the contracting activity (FA8525-21-C-00001). *Small business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2441580/source/GovDelivery/

[Montréal Canada; 10 décembre 2020] La technologie pour éviter les réparations coûteuses et prévoir les pannes d'équipement critiques des véhicules lourds vise à devenir courante au Québec gr'ce au soutien gouvernemental d'une initiative d'innovation. Spécialisée dans le déploiement de l'intelligence artificielle (IA) dans les industries, la start-up technologique montréalaise Zetane Systems a annoncé aujourd'hui l'octroi d'un financement par le ministère de l'Économie et de l'Innovation et Investissement Québec pour mettre en place des solutions d'entretien prédictif alimentées par l'IA avec l'entrepreneur de défense, Rheinmetall Canada, dont le siège social est à Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu. L'aide financière non remboursable de 350 000 $ est accordée à Zetane par le biais du volet 1 du Programme innovation. « En s'appuyant sur l'intelligence artificielle, Zetane contribue à diminuer les coûts associés à la maintenance des véhicules lourds et à réduire notre empreinte écologique. Plusieurs secteurs d'activité, comme l'aérospatiale et la construction, pourront tirer des avantages importants de la technologie développée par cette jeune entreprise innovante. Ce sont des initiatives novatrices comme celle-ci qui réaffirment le leadership du Québec en intelligence artificielle », a souligné le ministre de l'Économie et de l'Innovation, Pierre Fitzgibbon. Obtenir un soutien financier pour de telles initiatives nécessite un processus de demande hautement compétitif et une évaluation détaillée par des experts du gouvernement et de l'industrie. Gr'ce au soutien et à la collaboration du gouvernement du Québec, le projet servira à introduire de nouvelles technologies et des opérations industrielles à fort potentiel d'amélioration des facteurs économiques, sociaux et environnementaux au Québec. Le financement des initiatives en innovation du gouvernement du Québec sert à favoriser l'avancement de projets d'innovation à haut risque qui ont beaucoup de potentiel pour assurer la compétitivité de l'industrie québécoise. « Les opportunités de financement du gouvernement du Québec méritent un soutien accru. Ils rendent possible la collaboration entre de grandes entreprises innovantes telles que Rheinmetall, même pendant une période économique difficile. Les investissements gouvernementaux dans l'innovation appliquée sont toujours une allocation intelligente de nos ressources qui permettent aux startups québécoises prometteuses de rester compétitives et de développer plus de prospérité pour tous », a déclaré le PDG et cofondateur de Zetane, Guillaume Hervé. Un moyen plus efficace pour prévoir et prévenir les problèmes mécaniques Plusieurs grandes industries - comme la construction, l'aérospatiale, les travaux municipaux et les mines - nécessitent la gestion de flottes de véhicules lourds. Qu'il s'agisse de camions, d'avions ou de trains, s'assurer que ces véhicules sont bien entretenus évite les accidents et les retards de projet. Le fait d'être bien entretenu réduit également les émissions de gaz à effet de serre car il permet aux véhicules de fonctionner à des performances optimales. Un défi auquel ces industries sont confrontées aujourd'hui est l'incapacité de personnaliser les routines d'entretien pour les véhicules particuliers, ainsi que l'incapacité de prévoir avec précision les pannes d'équipement. L'IA fournit un nouveau moyen d'analyser les données historiques d'entretien et de traiter les données des capteurs sur les véhicules afin de prédire l'usure mécanique avant que des problèmes surviennent. La technologie de vision par ordinateur basée sur l'IA permet également l'automatisation de certaines t'ches pour les inspections quotidiennes des véhicules. La force particulière de Zetane dans le projet réside dans la fourniture de son logiciel conçu spécifiquement pour le développement plus intuitif et efficace des applications industrielles de l'IA. Une fois livrés, Rheinmetall Canada acquerra des technologies d'IA uniques pour mieux servir ses clients avec des services d'entretien plus efficaces, précis et moins coûteux et fournir des véhicules de transport plus performants. « Nos forces chez Rheinmetall Canada proviennent de notre acceptation du changement technologique. Le partenariat avec des start-ups innovantes comme Zetane nous donne non seulement accès à des outils d'IA pratiques et de pointe développés pour l'industrie, mais nous permet également d'exécuter rapidement des preuves de concept expérimentales qui répondent aux besoins spécifiques de nos clients », a déclaré Roger Bolduc, directeur principal d'ingénierie chez Rheinmetall Canada. Des avantages au-delà de l'innovation Ce projet d'innovation vise à optimiser les capacités de Zetane à introduire l'entretien prédictif dans de nombreux secteurs industriels. Une fois le projet complété, Zetane utilisera son expérience avec Rheinmetall pour commercialiser l'entretien prédictive de l'IA auprès de nouveaux clients, permettant ainsi à la start-up québécoise d'élargir ses offres de services ici et à l'international. D'autres avantages futurs du projet identifiés dans la demande pour le Programme innovation comprennent d'importants facteurs sociaux et environnementaux. L'un des avantages est de conserver et d'élargir les possibilités d'emploi enrichissantes en technologie à Montréal et à Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu. Les facteurs environnementaux comprennent la réduction des émissions de gaz à effet de serre gr'ce à des véhicules mieux entretenus. Les facteurs de santé et de sécurité incluent la possibilité d'avoir des espaces de travail plus sécuritaires gr'ce à la diminution des accidents causés par des pannes d'équipement. En plus de réduire les coûts d'exploitation dans le secteur privé, les économies réalisées gr'ce à l'entretien prédictif des véhicules municipaux peuvent réduire les coûts des travaux et des services municipaux financés par les citoyens. À propos de Zetane Systèmes Zetane Systems est une compagnie de logiciel spécialisée dans l'intelligence artificielle. Notre logiciel propriétaire s'intègre facilement aux plates-formes d'IA existantes et fournit un espace de travail visuel et intuitif pour la création de produits technologiques dans les sous-domaines de l'IA de l'apprentissage automatique. Le logiciel Zetane fournit un espace de travail digital pour développer des solutions d'IA visant à résoudre des problèmes réels en entreprise. Zetane veut rendre le développement de l'IA plus accessible dans les compagnies et promouvoir le développement des équipes internes capables d'exploiter, d'expliquer et de comprendre le fonctionnement des réseaux de neurones artificiels complexes. Pour ce faire, nous éliminons le problème de la boîte noire associé à l'IA et nous rendons l'IA plus disponible à divers professionnels dans divers secteurs d'activités gr'ce à notre logiciel facile-à-apprendre et à utiliser qui vient s'intégrer facilement aux outils de développement d'IA populaires. À propos de Rheinmetall Canada Rheinmetall Canada est fier d'être membre du groupe allemand Rheinmetall, le premier fournisseur européen de technologie militaire et un partenaire de longue date des forces armées. En tant qu'intégrateur de systèmes de renommée internationale, Rheinmetall Canada crée des solutions technologiquement avancées et entièrement personnalisées pour le marché mondial de la défense et de la sécurité. Situés dans ses installations de Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, d'Ottawa et d'autres endroits à travers le monde, plus de 375 employés mettent leur expertise au travail et repoussent leurs limites pour assurer l'innovation et la réussite de chaque mandat. Ministère de l'Économie et de l'Innovation sur les réseaux sociaux Facebook : facebook.com/EconomieQc LinkedIn : linkedin.com/company/économie-québec Twitter : twitter.com/economie_quebec Contact média : Jason Behrmann Directeur de marketing et communications info@zetane.com 514-835-7074

By: Christina Mackenzie   PARIS – French President Emmanuel Macron announced on Dec. 8 that his country's next aircraft-carrier will be nuclear-powered and should be operational by 2038 in time to replace the Charles de Gaulle, which entered active service in 2001. The new aircraft carrier is expected to be the biggest warship France has ever built. Florence Parly, the armed forces minister, said in October that the ship, whatever its propulsion, would be designed to deploy the future combat aircraft system (FCAS) and today her ministry confirmed that the vessel would deploy about 30 of these aircraft “which will be bigger than the Rafales.” The ministry said the ship would be in the 75,000 tonne class (82,673 tons), be around 300 meters long (984 feet) and be able to sail at 27 knots (31 mph), even bigger than the second aircraft carrier that Naval Group was working on in the early 2000s until that program was shelved by the government for lack of money. In comparison, the Charles de Gaulle is 261m (856 feet) long and weighs 42,000 tonnes (46,297 tons) fully loaded. The new ship will have a crew of about 2,000, including the air group. Speaking at Framatome, France's principal nuclear-power company headquartered at Le Creusot in the centre of France, Macron announced just four minutes before the end of his 28 minute speech that he had “decided that the future aircraft-carrier which will serve our country and our navy will, like the Charles de Gaulle, be nuclear-propelled.” It will have two K22 power generators each generating 220 megawatts (hence the 22) derived from the K15 (that generate 150 MW each) that currently power the Charles de Gaulle. Naval Group, which is the prime contractor for these major ship-building projects, immediately issued a statement hailing the decision, pledging to work with its major industrial partners Chantiers de l'Atlantique, TechnicAtome and Dassault Aviation. Pierre Eric Pommellet, chairman and CEO of Naval Group, said, “We are delighted with the announcement (...) which will enable France to maintain its position in the very restricted circle of major powers holding a nuclear aircraft carrier.” Echoing what Macron had said in his speech, Pommellet stressed the importance of projects like this to “ensure the continuity of our skills” and of developing innovative solutions “in the fields of propulsion and high added-value military systems, thus maintaining France's technological lead and its position as a key geostrategic player.” Now that the nuclear option has been chosen to power France's new aircraft carrier, other major decisions will have to be taken, notably concerning the catapults which are a vital part of the project. France has no expertise in this highly specialized technology and so will have to import the catapults from the United States, as it has done for the past 60 years. Those on the Charles de Gaulle are steam-powered, but those on the new aircraft carrier will be electromagnetic. Naval Group and its partners will now start a two-year preliminary design study, which sources said may use a number of the ideas that had been worked on for the aborted second aircraft carrier. That will be followed by more detailed plans with the development phase expected to finish at the end of 2025 at which point the ministry will order the ship. The design phase up to the end of 2025 is expected to cost some €900 million ($1.09 billion) of which €117 million ($142 million) will be spent in 2021. https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2020/12/08/macron-kicks-off-french-race-to-build-a-new-nuclear-powered-aircraft-carrier/

By: Lauren Speranza and Nicholas Nelson The incoming Biden administration is expected to reassert ties with Europe, hoping to leverage America's allies and partners at NATO in the great power competition with China and Russia. As U.S. and European leaders set their collective agenda at the next NATO summit, a top priority should be establishing a NATO framework for emerging and disruptive technologies (EDT). For the United States, it is important that the alliance adapt together to defend against algorithms and bots, as much as bullets and bombs. Europe shares this mindset but differs from the United States on key defense tech issues, such as regulation, data, and stakes in national champion companies. To avoid the dangerous transatlantic rifts of the last four years, Brussels and Washington must bridge that gap and forge an alliance approach to EDT. NATO has acknowledged the need to harness the power of such technologies, but current efforts have produced innovation theater, as opposed to fundamental organizational change. NATO lags behind in critical areas such as 5G, hypersonics, artificial intelligence (AI), unmanned systems, and quantum science. In the past, NATO has used frameworks to get member states to agree on priorities, dedicate resources, and empower authorities to act. Looking to the next NATO summit, transatlantic leaders should champion an EDT framework built around four practical pillars: Establishing an organic assessment and coordination capacity at the strategic level. To fulfill its potential as the transatlantic coordinating tool on the security dimensions of EDT, the alliance needs an in-house capability to assess challenges driven by rapidly evolving technologies. It must examine the advantages and vulnerabilities of adversaries and competitors, as well as gaps in NATO's approach and capabilities. NATO must explore how EDT can be applied to tackle below-threshold threats, enhance defense planning, boost exercises, and support decision-making. Building on ongoing efforts, this should occur at the strategic level of the alliance, fusing civil and military perspectives and data to inform the development and introduction of cutting-edge EDT. It must also include a more robust mechanism for aligning capabilities and gaps across members, key partners, and the European Union. As defense budgets contract amidst the Covid-19 crisis, this approach will maximize return on investment and improve NATO's strategic edge. Seeding the market by improving engagement with industry. A strategic assessment function will not be valuable unless industry leaders are engaged and incentivized. NATO needs to connect to the private sector early and often, clearly communicating its priorities and requirements while providing accessible opportunities for industry, including non-traditionals, to readily sell into the alliance. Too often national and international defense organizations do not provide discernable paths to revenue for these companies, artificially limiting their industrial bases. The long lead times for these projects are often unattractive or unfeasible, especially for small companies and start-ups where radical innovation takes place. To remedy this, the alliance should look to the U.S. Department of Defense, which has succeeded in attracting startups and non-traditionals to its ecosystem through rapid awards, proof-of-concept contracts, and matching venture capital funds that start-ups receive. Enhancing standardization and interoperability by creating a system of systems. To meet the challenges of future warfare, the alliance must be able communicate and operate across militaries, capabilities, and domains. This requires more standardized, secure, and resilient platforms, systems, and infrastructure. NATO needs an EDT strategy for integration, not just innovation. Leading candidates for Biden's Pentagon team have emphasized this priority, supporting a CJADC2 concept – a “network of networks” to ensure reliable command and control. The alliance should leverage CJADC2 as a better framework for standardization and interoperability, paving the way for more complex joint operations. This requires a change in doctrine and a shift away from platforms to create a system of systems. Going forward, NATO needs this same approach to rapidly develop and deploy emerging defense and dual-use technologies for conventional and hybrid conflicts. This involves placing big, transformative bets on critical technologies, such as unmanned air and maritime systems, artificial intelligence (AI), and hypersonics. Coordinate with the EU. NATO should better leverage its ability to assign capability and spending targets to encourage its members to innovate. For instance, to complement the 2 percent of GDP defense spending benchmark, NATO could mandate that allies invest a certain portion of that into emerging technologies. It should also rework the 2 percent metric to include civilian investment in dual-use technologies that may fall outside of traditional defense budgets. Where NATO lacks the capacity to enforce these standards, the European Union brings the legislative and budgetary authority to promote them. NATO and the EU should coordinate research and development, provide seed funding toward these targets, and reinforce them with legal tools where possible. NATO and the EU should also initiate a strategic dialogue to address fundamental issues of tech governance and data sharing. The ability to employ emerging and disruptive technologies more effectively than competitors such as China and Russia will shape the global role of the United States and the transatlantic alliance in the coming decades. NATO has begun to talk the talk, but now it must walk the walk. https://www.defensenews.com/opinion/2020/12/08/nato-needs-a-strategy-for-emerging-and-disruptive-technologies/

By: David B. Larter WASHINGTON – The name of the game in the Pacific is stand-off range. But with longer range torpedoes and anti-ship missiles in the arsenal, submariners are looking to a new domain to help them extend their deadly reach: The air. In an October request for information, Naval Sea Systems Command's Submarine Combat and Weapons Control Program Office asked industry for input into a “Submarine-Launched Unmanned Aerial System,” or SLUAS, currently in development. The Navy has been interested in sub-launched drones for some time and has been testing prototypes, but the RFI shows the service is getting serious about the idea as it adds longer-range torpedoes and anti-ship cruise missiles to the arsenal of its attack submarines. The idea for the SLUAS is an ambitious one. The drone would launch from a submerged submarine out of a 3-inch ejector tube used for sonobuoys, flares and countermeasures among other things. The battery-operated UAS would then deploy its wings and operate for an hour, well beyond the range visible from just the low-in-the-water periscope. Additionally, the UAS should have an “electro-optic capability with reliable target solution analysis,” the RFI said, adding that it should be able to “operate at ranges out to the line-of-sight radio horizon, and use a variable bandwidth encrypted datalink with at least 256-bit encryption strength. The drone should also have a degree of autonomy and “include the ability to operate in an emission-controlled environment and operate without constant radio communication links.” “Every submarine has a 3-inch launcher, so in theory, every submarine could operate with UASs,” said Bryan Clark, a retired submarine officer and senior fellow with The Hudson Institute. “The idea is that you would be about the size of a sonobuoy — it could be pretty long — and you'd put it inside a canister. Then you launch this in a canister, it floats to the surface and the USA deploys from there. “And from there it can either connect up with the submarine or it could connect with another unit, and it gives you the ability to have over-the-horizon surveillance.” “The demonstrations have been pretty successful,” Clark added. The responses to the RFI were due in November. https://www.defensenews.com/naval/2020/12/07/the-us-navy-wants-to-find-ships-to-kill-using-aerial-drones-launched-from-submarines/