Nouvelles

NAVY DRS Laurel Technologies Inc., Johnstown, Pennsylvania (N63394-21-D-0001); and VT Milcom Inc., Virginia Beach, Virginia (N63394-20-D-0002), are each awarded a cost-plus-fixed-fee and firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity multiple award contract to sustain the Technical Insertion 2016 equipment. The maximum dollar value for both contracts combined is $211,588,719. DRS Laurel Technologies Inc. is awarded a maximum value contract of $211,588,719. VT Milcom Inc. is awarded a maximum value contract of $188,428,823. This contract will provide for the manufacture, assembly, and testing of Technical Insertion 2016 equipment spares; associated engineering services, procurement, and harvesting; and installation of ordinance alteration kits and related products. Work will be performed in Dahlgren, Virginia (10%); Norfolk, Virginia (10%); Pascagoula, Mississippi (10%); Port Hueneme, California (10%); San Diego, California (10%); Virginia Beach, Virginia (10%); Wallops Island, Virginia (10%); Everett, Washington (5%); Honolulu, Hawaii (5%); Kauai, Hawaii (5%); Mayport, Florida (5%); Moorestown, New Jersey (5%); and Yokosuka, Japan (5%), and is expected to be completed by December 2025. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $10,000 ($5,000 per contract) will be obligated at time of award to satisfy the minimum guarantee and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. All other funding will be made available at the order level as contracting actions occur. This contract was competitively procured via beta.sam.gov with two offers received. The Naval Surface Warfare Center Port Hueneme Division, Port Hueneme, California, is the contracting activity. Southeastern Computer Consultants Inc., King George, Virginia, is awarded a $42,989,767 cost-plus-fixed-fee level of effort task order which shall provide Tactical Tomahawk Weapon Control System (TTWCS) Integrated Logistics Support (ILS) products and services in support of Training Support Activity responsibilities at Naval Surface Warfare Center, Port Hueneme Division. This is a single award, five-year, cost-plus-fixed-fee term level of effort task order that consists of one base year with four option years, which, if all line item quantities are ordered, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $42,989,767, with an ordering period through December 2025. Work will be performed in Norfolk, Virginia (26%); Dahlgren, Virginia (21%); Port Hueneme, California (11%); San Diego, California (8%); Norfolk, Virginia (8%); Mayport, Florida (6%); Bangor, Washington (6%); Kings Bay, Georgia (4%); Pearl Harbor, Hawaii (4%); Yokosuka, Japan (4%); and the United Kingdom (2%), and is expected to be complete in December 2021, and if all options are exercised, will be complete in December 2025. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance funding in the amount of $42,989,767 will be obligated at contract award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. A sources sought notice was posted to Seaport-NxG on Oct. 2, 2020, and closed on Feb. 24, 2020, to all large and small business primes in Seaport-NxG. In accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 5.202 (a)(6), a synopsis is not required if the proposed contract action is an order placed under FAR 16.505, Ordering. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Port Hueneme Division, Port Hueneme, California, is the contracting activity (N63394-20-F-3006). Lockheed Martin Space, Titusville, Florida, is awarded a $29,120,167 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification (P00003) to procure a pilot assessment of the contractor's property management system and exercise options under previously awarded contract N00030-20-C-0100 for Trident II (D5) missile production and deployed systems support. The modification includes a $5,000,000 not-to-exceed value for the pilot assessment, which is being awarded as an undefinitized contract action. Work will be performed in Denver, Colorado (28.9%); Magna, Utah (23.3%); Titusville, Florida (18.7%); Rockford, Illinois (16.3%); Elma, New York (11.2%); and Sunnyvale, California (1.6%). Work is expected to be completed Sept. 30, 2025. Fiscal 2021 weapons procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $15,039,964; fiscal 2020 weapons procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $9,080,203; and fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $2,500,000 are being obligated on this award, $2,500,000 of which 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 was previously synopsized on the Federal Business Opportunities website. The Strategic Systems Programs, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity. The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Missouri, is awarded a $20,704,459 firm-fixed-price order (N61340-21-F-0020) against previously issued basic ordering agreement N00019-16-G-0001. This order provides for the production and delivery of 48 retrofit kits, support equipment and special tooling in support of phase two of the T-45 Service Life Extension Program (SLEP) for SLEP production Lots Three and Four. In addition, this order provides retrofit engineering and logistics from the original equipment manufacturer to support the installation of associated technical directives. Work will be performed in St. Louis, Missouri, and is expected to be completed in May 2024. Fiscal 2020 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $10,259,695; and fiscal 2021 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $10,444,764 will be obligated at time of award; none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Warfare Center, Training Systems Command, Orlando, Florida, is the contracting activity. ARMY Dobco Inc., Wayne, New Jersey, was awarded a $137,836,600 firm-fixed-price contract for construction of the Cyber Engineering Academic Center structure and parking lot at the U.S. Military Academy. Bids were solicited via the internet with four received. Work will be performed in West Point, New York, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 4, 2024. Fiscal 2021 military construction (Army) funds in the amount of $137,836,600 were obligated at the time of the award. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New York, New York, is the contracting activity (W912DS-20-C-0002). Vectrus Mission Solutions Corp., Alexandria, Virginia, was awarded a $35,510,370 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for logistics support services at Fort Benning, Georgia. Bids were solicited via the internet with nine received. Work will be performed in Chattahoochee, Georgia, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 9, 2025. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance (Army) funds in the amount of $2,077,440 were obligated at the time of the award. The U.S. Army Contracting Command, Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois, is the contracting activity (W52P1J-21-F-0035). VS2 LLC, Alexandria, Virginia, was awarded a $9,513,800 modification (0001BG) to contract W52P1J-13-G-0029 for logistics support services at Fort Benning, Georgia. Work will be performed in Chattahoochee, Georgia, with an estimated completion date of March 9, 2021. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance (Army) funds in the amount of $9,513,800 were obligated at the time of the award. The U.S. Army Contracting Command, Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois, is the contracting activity. Butt Construction Co. Inc.,* Dayton, Ohio, was awarded a $9,061,000 fixed-price-award-fee contract for renovation of Human Performance Wing Building 441 at Wright Patterson Air Force Base. Bids were solicited via the internet with seven received. Work will be performed at Wright Patterson AFB, Ohio, with an estimated completion date of April 3, 2023. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance (Air Force) funds in the amount of $9,061,000 were obligated at the time of the award. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Louisville, Kentucky, is the contracting activity (W912QR-21-C-0004). DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Bell Textron Inc., Fort Worth, Texas, has been awarded a maximum $39,093,369 modification (P00030) to five-year contract SPE4AX-17-D-9410 with one five-year option period for H-1 consumables. This is a firm-fixed-price contract. Location of performance is Texas, with an April 14, 2023 performance completion date. Using military service is Navy. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2023 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Guardian Manufacturing LLC,** Willard, Ohio, has been awarded a maximum $9,315,618 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for butyl chemical protective gloves and toxicological agent protective gloves. This was a competitive acquisition with one offer received. This is a one-year base contract with one one-year option period. Location of performance is Ohio, with a Dec. 4, 2021, ordering period end date. Using military services are Army, Air Force and Navy. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2021 through 2022 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE1C1-21-D-1416). UPDATE: SupplyCore Inc., Rockford, Illinois (SPE8EC-21-D-0075), has been added as an awardee to the multiple award contract for commercial construction equipment, issued against solicitation SPE8EC-17-R-0005 and announced Aug. 29, 2017. AIR FORCE M1 Support Services, Denton, Texas, has been awarded a $23,459,155 firm-fixed-price modification (P00070) to contract FA4890-16-C-0005 for the back-shop and flight-line maintenance of multiple aircraft types. Work will be performed at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, and is expected to be completed March 31, 2021. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance funds in the full amount are being obligated at the time of award. The Acquisition Management and Integration Center, Langley-Eustis Air Force Base, Virginia, is the contracting activity. BlueForce Inc., Hampton, Virginia, has been awarded a $14,179,677 firm-fixed-price Option Two modification (P00004) to contract FA3002-19-F-A045 for continued support for the Royal Saudi Air Force English language training outside the continental U.S. program. Work will be performed at King Abdul Aziz Air Base, Saudi Arabia, and is expected to be completed Jan. 3, 2024. This contract involves 100% Foreign Military Sales (FMS) to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The total cumulative face value of the contract is $42,188,737. FMS funds in the full amount are being obligated at the time of award. The 338th Enterprise Sourcing Squadron, Joint Base San Antonio, Randolph, Texas, is the contracting activity. Apogee Engineering LLC, Colorado Springs, Colorado, has been awarded a $12,870,921 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification (P00001) to contract FA8730-21-F-8501 for advisory assistance services. Work will be performed at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska, and is expected to be completed Feb. 17, 2022. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $985,000 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Offutt AFB, Nebraska, is the contracting activity. *Small business **Small disadvantage business in historically underutilized business zones https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2436087/source/GovDelivery/

Par Le Figaro avec AFP Publié le 02/12/2020 à 14:55 Le «fonds innovation défense», doté de 200 millions d'euros et destiné à financer des start-up et PME portant des projets innovants, sera lancé vendredi, a annoncé mercredi la ministre des Armées Florence Parly en inaugurant le Forum innovation défense. «Je signerai cette semaine avec Bpifrance l'acte de naissance du fonds innovation défense qui s'inscrit dans la stratégie de développement de l'innovation que j'ai souhaitée», a affirmé la ministre dans une allocution retransmise en ligne. Cette signature doit avoir lieu vendredi, selon l'agenda de la ministre. Le fonds, nommé Definnov alors qu'il était au stade de projet, «sera destiné à des start-up et des PME qui développent des technologies innovantes, transverses et présentent un intérêt pour la défense», a-t-elle expliqué. Il «pourra aller jusqu'à 400 millions d'euros» avec la contribution de Bpifrance et la participation souhaitée d'industriels, selon le cabinet de la ministre. «À ce stade, quelques industriels se sont manifestés, pas forcément les plus grands maîtres d'œuvre industriels de défense que l'on connaît habituellement», selon cette source, sans plus de précisions. Le fonds innovation défense sera complémentaire du fonds «French Tech Souveraineté», a par ailleurs affirmé Mme Parly. Ce dernier, doté de 150 millions d'euros, vise à défendre les start-up françaises fragilisées par la crise de l'appétit de prédateurs étrangers. Le ministère des Armées prévoit de consacrer un milliard d'euros par an à partir de 2022 aux projets d'innovation ou «études amont», contre un peu plus de 700 millions en 2017. «En 2021, nous approchons du but, en investissant 901 millions d'euros pour les projets d'innovation», a détaillé la ministre. Organisé en ligne pendant trois jours par l'Agence de l'innovation de défense, le Forum innovation défense doit notamment se pencher sur les questions d'éthique de «soldat augmenté», le militaire dont les capacités physiques ou cognitives sont stimulées afin de renforcer son efficacité. Y seront également lancés les premiers travaux de la «Red Team», une équipe réunissant une dizaine d'auteurs de science-fiction chargés de réfléchir aux scénarios de menaces et de conflits à l'horizon 2030-2060. «Ce n'est pas un gadget, le but est d'imaginer des scénarios totalement disruptifs qu'on n'aurait pas imaginés dans le travail au quotidien», explique-t-on au cabinet de la ministre. https://www.lefigaro.fr/flash-eco/le-fonds-innovation-defense-dote-de-200-millions-d-euros-lance-vendredi-20201202

Par Le Figaro avec AFP Publié hier à 19:55 Le Sénat a adopté ce jeudi le budget 2021 des Armées, en hausse pour la troisième année consécutive (+4,5% sur un an) à 39,2 milliards d'euros. Ce budget «pour la troisième année consécutive respecte à la lettre les engagements et la trajectoire financière de la loi de programmation militaire» (LPM) 2019-2025, a fait valoir devant les sénateurs la ministre des Armées Florence Parly. «Nous le faisons malgré la crise sanitaire et malgré la crise économique qui prévaut actuellement. Donc c'est à la fois de la continuité, de la confiance par la visibilité donnée et de la relance», a-t-elle affirmé à l'AFP peu avant le vote des sénateurs. Lors du débat, la ministre a été interrogée sur le coût du remplacement de 12 avions Rafale prélevés sur l'inventaire de l'armée de l'Air au profit de la Grèce. Athènes a annoncé mi-septembre son intention d'acquérir six Rafale neufs et douze d'occasion, pour un montant compris «entre un et deux milliards d'euros», selon le cabinet de la ministre. «Les discussions pourraient aboutir d'ici la fin de l'année», selon Florence Parly. «Si ce contrat aboutit, alors le produit de la vente des Rafale d'occasion reviendra bien au ministère des Armées» et non au budget général de l'Etat, a-t-elle déclaré. «Nous avons eu toutes les assurances du ministère de l'Economie et des Finances à ce sujet.» Pour remplacer les 12 avions d'occasion vendus à la Grèce, Paris doit commander en parallèle 12 Rafale neufs pour les besoins de l'armée de l'Air française. Florence Parly a par ailleurs indiqué aux sénateurs que les surcoûts des opérations extérieures (Opex) et intérieures s'élevaient en 2020 à 1,46 milliard d'euros. Ils «sont couverts en 2020 à la fois par la provision constituée en loi de finances initiale (1,1 milliard, NDR), ainsi que par des contributions internationales et des redéploiements internes inférieurs à 60 millions d'euros et enfin par des ouvertures de crédits (...) pour 200 millions d'euros», a-t-elle détaillé. La ministre a toutefois indiqué avoir renoncé à ce dernier financement en raison du «contexte sanitaire» et «par solidarité interministérielle». Sur le milliard d'euros de crédits gelés en début d'année au titre de «réserve de précaution», «800 millions d'euros qui étaient gelés ont été dégelés dès la mi-novembre», a-t-elle plaidé auprès de l'AFP. Le budget 2021 doit faire l'objet d'une adoption définitive par le Parlement au plus tard le 18 décembre. https://www.lefigaro.fr/flash-eco/le-budget-defense-2021-adopte-par-le-senat-20201203

12/4/2020 By Jon Harper Business is still booming on the foreign military sales front even though the world is reeling from the economic effects of the COVID-19 crisis. Boosting exports of U.S.-made defense equipment has been a top policy goal of the Trump administration. The government finished fiscal year 2020 with a total of $84 billion in potential FMS sales that had been approved. Roman Schweizer, an analyst with the Cowen Washington Research Group, called it a “massive” case load. “This isn't technically the ‘real' number but it's still impressive,” he said in a newsletter, noting that not all of the deals had been consummated. In 2019, $68 billion in potential FMS cases were announced, with $55 billion in actual sales reported, according to the research group. The 2020 numbers were better than many observers anticipated. “Some of the concerns that have been initially identified in April have not come to fruition,” R. Clarke Cooper, assistant secretary of state for political-military affairs, told reporters in October. In July, the U.S. government processed the second highest amount of FMS case work in the history of the State Department, he noted. “On large items that would take a long train or trail in contracting and production, have we seen a change there? No,” he said. “If anything, the work toward getting significant procurement for, let's say, F-16s or a Patriot missile battery, those things have not abated.” What explains this dynamic? Some nations have had better than expected economic recoveries, Cooper said. “There has been a recommitment by states who at one point understandably could have put on park or pause their modernization plans,” he said. “Overall, if we're looking at long-term modernization plans across the board ... we're currently remaining on a trajectory of where we were in FY '19 going into '21.” That doesn't mean nothing will change, he noted. There will probably be fluctuations on payments and payment schedules, he said. Some buyers could seek foreign military financing or grant assistance, or sequence their procurements differently. While trends seem positive, government officials don't have a crystal ball when it comes to FMS in 2021 and beyond, he noted. The new fiscal year began strong, with the Defense Security Cooperation Agency announcing in October that it had cleared more than $4 billion worth of missiles to Taiwan, as well as $27.2 billion worth of aircraft to Finland including F/A-18E/F Super Hornets, EA-18G Growlers and F-35 joint strike fighters. https://www.nationaldefensemagazine.org/articles/2020/12/4/us-arms-sales-remain-robust-despite-pandemic

Le forum innovation défense, qui se tient du 2 au 4 décembre, en format digital, est l'occasion d'évoquer les ruptures technologiques en cours, dont les métamatériaux. Ces matériaux artificiels conçus au niveau atomique permettraient de rendre les avions de combats et les navires plus discrets vis à vis des radars et sonars adverses. Plusieurs projets de développement sont en cours. Le missilier MBDA mène ainsi des travaux pour exploiter cette technologie afin que ses missiles échappent aux défenses ennemies. « Pour rendre les missiles furtifs, les matériaux sont l'approche principale. Il s'agit d'éviter que des parties du missile n'émettent trop de radiations qui pourraient être détectées », explique Denis Gardin, directeur de l'innovation et des technologies futures pour MBDA. L'Usine Nouvelle du 3 décembre 2020

NAVY Lockheed Martin, Rotary and Mission Systems, Moorestown, New Jersey, is awarded a $48,699,897 cost-plus-incentive-fee and cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to previously awarded contract N00024-13-C-5116 to exercise an option for AEGIS Combat System Engineering Agent efforts for the design, development, integration, test and delivery of Advanced Capability Build 20. Work will be performed in Moorestown, New Jersey, and is expected to be completed by December 2021. Fiscal 2021 research, development, test, and evaluation (Navy) $42,843,613 (88%); 2017 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) $5,656,326 (11%); and 2021 operation and maintenance (Navy) $199,958 (1%) funding will be obligated at time of award, of which, funding in the amount of $199,958 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity. Rockwell Collins Inc., Cedar Rapids, Iowa, is awarded a $14,782,286 modification (P00005) to previously awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee order N00019-20-F-0460 against previously issued basic ordering agreement N00019-19-G-0031 in support of the E-6B Mercury aircraft. This modification exercises options to provide sustaining engineering support and diminishing manufacturing sources and material shortages management in support of the E-6B take charge and move out airborne command post aircraft. Work will be performed in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (80%); Patuxent River, Maryland (10%); and Bellevue, Nebraska (10%), and is expected to be completed in November 2021. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $7,472,683, will be obligated at time of award, all of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. CGI Federal Inc., Fairfax, Virginia, is awarded a $9,849,208 modification (P00055) to previously awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee contract M67004-16-C-0001 for plans and data support services. This modification extends services for a one-year period. Work will be performed in Jacksonville, Florida, with an expected completion date of Dec. 31, 2021. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance (Marine Corps) funds in the amount of $4,214,671 are being obligated at the time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract modification was not competed under the authority of Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1; only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. The Marine Corps, Blount Island Command, Jacksonville, Florida, is the contracting activity. ARMY BAE Systems Ordnance Systems, Kingsport, Tennessee, was awarded a $19,226,072 modification (P00733) to contract DAAA09-98-E-0006 to expand the landfill at Holston Army Ammunition Plant, Tennessee. Work will be performed in Kingsport, Tennessee, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 1, 2022. Fiscal 2021 procurement of ammunition (Army) funds in the amount of $19,226,072 were obligated at the time of the award. The U.S. Army Contracting Command, Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois, is the contracting activity. *Small business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2432887/source/GovDelivery/

Andrew Eversden WASHINGTON — Raytheon's intelligence and space business announced Wednesday it was awarded a five-year basic ordering agreement for software services by LevelUP, a U.S. Air Force software factory. The award to the defense giant comes after the company announced a $70 million contract for submarine communications sustainment with the Navy. A Raytheon spokesperson was unable to provide a contract value for the Air Force deal. According to Raytheon, the basic ordering agreement will be the “primary avenue” for the Air Force's Platform One system, which serves as the service's primary platform for software development. The deal also impacts the development of the Advanced Battle Management System, the Air Force's platform to enable the Joint All-Domain Command and Control concept. “To combat increasingly fast, capable and agile threats, we must be able to deliver services within hours, or even minutes,” said David Appel, vice president of defense and civil solutions for space and C2 systems with Raytheon Intelligence and Space. “This agreement provides an avenue for the Air Force to achieve that. We're now positioned to rapidly deliver agile cyber solutions to the Air Force and the Department of Defense.” The Air Force decided to create the LevelUP factory after its work developing U.S. Cyber Command's Unified Platform, the combatant command's first major weapons system. The Air Force wanted the factory to help other components with similar software projects. Submarine communications Meanwhile, below sea level, Raytheon was awarded a $70 million contract to provide sustainment services to Navy submarines, the defense giant announced Dec. 1. Under the five-year, indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract, Raytheon will provide test, inspection, evaluation and restoration services of Submarine High-Data Rate, or SubHDR, mast components. SubHDR connects submarines to the Defense Department's Global Broadcast Service, a network that allows for one-way communication of data and video files. The SubHDR systems relies on a special mast antenna that connects the subs to networks above the sea. The Global Broadcast Service relies on the Milstar satellite constellation and Defense Satellite Communication System. According to a Raytheon news release, SubHDR “vastly improves a submarine's mission capability and the quality of life for submariners by affording them high-data rate communications with the world outside of the sub.” “The SubHDR system was created to support protected high-data rate communications for submarines,” said Denis Donohue, vice president for communications and airspace modernization systems for Raytheon Intelligence and Space. “SubHDR mast is a protected, secure and survivable system to support all communications needs, from day-to-day messaging to ensuring the commander-in-chief can stay connected with his commanders.” Naval Undersea Warfare Center awarded the contract. https://www.c4isrnet.com/battlefield-tech/it-networks/2020/12/02/raytheon-wins-pair-of-air-force-and-navy-it-contracts/

Pour le directeur de l'Agence de l'innovation de défense, Emmanuel Chiva, il faut détecter plus vite les technologies capables d'arriver sur le champ de bataille pour imaginer les parades et les évaluer à des fins militaires. L'Usine Nouvelle. - Quel est l'objectif du ministère des Armées avec cette deuxième édition digitale du Forum innovation défense, du 2 au 4 décembre ? Emmanuel Chiva. - Nous souhaitons montrer à un large public la diversité de l'innovation de défense en termes de recherche, de projets et de préparation des futures capacités militaires. Nous voulons attirer des sociétés industrielles et des porteurs de projets innovants en les informant du soutien dont ils peuvent bénéficier. C'est également un moyen de susciter des vocations chez les ingénieurs et les chercheurs. Cet événement sera l'occasion de lancer notre fonds d'investissement dédié à l'innovation de défense et doté de 200 millions d'euros. Quel est le profil des entreprises ciblées ? Nous visons les entreprises qui ont un potentiel dual, à la fois civil et militaire dans des technologies qui sont importantes pour les armées : les technologies quantiques, l'intelligence artificielle, l'énergie, les matériaux... Ce qui nous intéresse, c'est de « capter » des technologies développées par des sociétés déjà établies sur leur marché primaire, mais qui présentent un intérêt pour la défense. Pourtant certaines sociétés innovantes nous disent qu'il n'est pas toujours simple de travailler avec le ministère. Comme le fabricant de drones Parrot... Je suis surpris. Des acteurs comme Parrot sont reçus à l'Agence et nous regardons comment nous pourrions intégrer leurs technologies... C'est typiquement le type d'innovation qui nous intéresse. De la même manière, nous travaillons avec Franky Zapata [l'inventeur du Flyboard, un engin à sustentation hydropropulsé, ndlr]. Nous réfléchissons à l'utilisation de sa technologie pour envisager un « robot-mule volant » à des fins d'évacuation sanitaire, de transport de munitions... Nous finançons ses travaux pour optimiser ses moteurs en termes d'autonomie et de discrétion acoustique, en partenariat avec l'Office national d'études et de recherches aérospatiales (Onera) et la société Poly-Shape, spécialiste de la fabrication additive à partir de métal. Auparavant, les grands programmes militaires dans le spatial, la dissuasion nucléaire, tiraient l'innovation civile... Aujourd'hui, l'inverse se produit. Pourquoi ? Ce qui a changé, c'est le rythme de l'innovation civile. On assiste à un raccourcissement des cycles entre l'idée, sa réalisation et son emploi sur un marché. La puissance des Gafam et de leurs équivalents chinois, les BATX, change aussi les équilibres. Ils investissent des sommes considérables dans les applications à base d'intelligence artificielle, d'où l'accélération et la démocratisation de l'accès à cette technologie. C'est une source d'opportunités pour les armées. Le secteur civil est mieux placé que nous pour développer certaines technologies car nous n'irons pas plus vite. C'est le cas des processeurs graphiques, tirés par l'industrie du jeu vidéo, ou de la propulsion électrique, tirée par l'industrie automobile. Néanmoins, ces technologies civiles vont nécessiter une adaptation. Une voiture électrique sur une autoroute européenne n'est pas soumise aux mêmes conditions d'emploi qu'un véhicule d'infanterie dans le nord du Mali, où les routes sont sommaires et les stations de recharge inexistantes ! Cette démocratisation des technologies ne représente-elle pas une menace ? Ce qui nous empêche de dormir, ce serait de rater les prochaines évolutions à très court cycle et que nos adversaires s'en emparent alors avant nous. Regardez les groupes terroristes : ils utilisent les drones, l'impression 3D pour fabriquer des armes... Plus vite nous détectons l'innovation, plus vite nous pouvons imaginer les parades pour nous en protéger et les évaluer pour un usage militaire. Nous sommes engagés dans une course. Comment l'agence s'organise-t-elle pour capter cette innovation tous azimuts ? La loi de programmation militaire 2019-2025 prévoit d'augmenter de 25 % les crédits annuels consacrés à l'innovation pour atteindre 1 milliard d'euros en 2022. Avec ses 100 salariés, l'Agence agit avant tout comme un chef d'orchestre de l'innovation. Et dans un orchestre, le chef ne joue pas tous les instruments ! Nous nous appuyons sur un réseau national qui comprend les laboratoires d'innovation des armées et les centres d'expertise technique et d'essais de la Direction générale de l'armement. Nous avons par ailleurs créé une cellule de détection et de captation, une petite équipe chargée de faire en quelque sorte « la chasse et la pêche » à l'innovation. Il s'agit de correspondants qui se rendent dans les incubateurs, les salons, les communautés d'innovations... Ces derniers ont permis à l'Agence de travailler avec la société SEAir, qui fabrique des foils rétractables pour les bateaux à coque semi-rigide. Demain, une embarcation des forces spéciales intégrera cette innovation. Nos équipes n'hésitent pas non plus à se rendre là où on ne les attend pas. Les salons de cosmétique par exemple ! Les géants du domaine réalisent des développements pour le traitement de la peau qui pourraient avoir un intérêt dans le soin aux grands brûlés. Dans certains domaines technologiques, par exemple les missiles hypervéloces, la France ne risque-t-elle pas de se faire déclasser ? Les États-Unis, la Russie et la Chine sont les plus actifs sur ce sujet. Si la France est plus discrète, elle n'a pas forcément de retard du fait des exigences technologiques dans le domaine des véhicules spatiaux liés au programme de dissuasion. Nous avons une expertise reconnue en matière de technologies spatiales, de propulsion, de guidage et de science des matériaux. Nous menons un programme structurant dans le domaine de l'hypervélocité qui s'incarne, par exemple, dans le développement par l'Agence d'un démonstrateur dédié à la montée en maturité des technologies d'un planeur hypersonique. Quelles sont vos priorités en matière de technologies quantiques ? À notre sens, l'ordinateur quantique n'est pas un sujet militaire en soi. La recherche d'un tel ordinateur est faite par l'industrie, au niveau mondial. En revanche, le ministère des Armées finance les travaux qui sont spécifiquement liés à une utilisation militaire possible des technologies quantiques. Les technologies de cryptographie post-quantique nous intéressent au premier plan. Nous suivons également de près l'évolution des capteurs quantiques. En particulier les travaux de l'Onera sur les gravimètres quantiques à atomes froids, qui peuvent avoir des applications dans la navigation sans GPS. Vous aviez en prévision la création d'une Red Team au sein du ministère des Armées, qui s'appuierait sur des auteurs de science-fiction. De quoi s'agit-il ? Nous profiterons du Digital forum innovation défense pour faire découvrir les auteurs qui ont intégré cette Red Team et pour rendre publics ses premiers travaux. Son but est d'identifier les menaces auxquelles nous pourrions être confrontés à l'horizon 2060 et la manière de les anticiper d'un point de vue technologique, organisationnel et sociétal... Pour illustrer la démarche, citons l'équipe de Los Alamos du programme nucléaire américain à la veille de la Seconde Guerre mondiale, qui a reconnu s'être inspirée des ouvrages de Robert Heinlein, un auteur de science-fiction, pour mettre au point le concept de la dissuasion nucléaire. Isaac Asimov, auteur de la série « Fondation », a également travaillé pour le gouvernement américain. Nous avons d'abord été surpris par le succès de notre appel à candidatures auprès des personnes travaillant dans le domaine de la science-fiction : auteurs, écrivains, dessinateurs... Plus de 600 candidatures ont été déposées alors que nous nous attentions à en recevoir une vingtaine ! https://www.usinenouvelle.com/editorial/nous-visons-les-entreprises-qui-ont-un-potentiel-dual-a-la-fois-civil-et-militaire-annonce-emmanuel-chiva-le-patron-de-l-agence-de-l-innovation-de-defense.N1034509

David Pugliese • Ottawa Citizen Dec 03, 2020 Companies must be based in Canada and the work has to be completed relatively quickly, creating or maintaining domestic jobs. After committing to spend more than $2 billion with American companies, the Liberal government wants to give a major boost to homegrown defence firms by moving ahead on projects that can purchase equipment for the Canadian military quickly from domestic companies to either create or shore up jobs. Department of National Defence officials began looking in late April at options to provide support to the defence industry as the new coronavirus pandemic rocked the economy. DND and the government hoped the fast-tracked purchases would help Canada's economic recovery. But so far, the four major purchases over the last several months for the Canadian military saw the Liberal government make major commitments with U.S.-based companies for work that will be done almost entirely in America and create or support hundreds of U.S. jobs. That includes the acquisition of new surveillance aircraft for Canadian special forces, the purchase of new systems and missiles for the air force's CF-18s, missiles for the navy and parts and equipment for C-17 transport planes. The particular equipment ordered isn't built in Canada. In some cases, the U.S. firms receiving the work are exempt from the government's requirement to match the value of the contracts with the reciprocal purchasing of services or supplies from Canadian companies. Now, the government has ordered DND officials to draw up lists of equipment that can be bought from Canadian firms. Companies must be based in Canada and the work has to be completed relatively quickly, creating or maintaining domestic jobs. DND spokesman Dan Le Bouthillier confirmed options are being examined to help minimize the impact of COVID-19 on the defence industry. “We are looking at ongoing procurement projects to determine what we may be able to prioritize in order to ensure our defence industry partners are supported,” he said. “This is ongoing at this time, though no decisions have been made at this point.” But Tamara Lorincz, a peace activist and PhD candidate in Global Governance at the Balsillie School for International Affairs, says many more jobs could be created in Canada if the money was directed into non-defence sectors of the economy. She pointed to the 2009 U.S. study by University of Massachusetts, which examined the impact of spending $1 billion on both military and non-military areas. The non-military areas included clean energy, health care, and education, as well as for tax cuts which produce increased levels of personal consumption. The study concluded substantially more jobs were created by non-military sectors. Lorincz noted that there were no comparable independent studies which have looked at the Canadian situation. Lorincz and various peace groups are also questioning the Liberal government's plans to spend $19 billion on new fighter jets in the coming years. The money should instead go towards programs like national pharmacare or child care, she added. Lorincz noted it costs $40,000 an hour to operate a F-35, one of the fighter jets being considered by the Liberals. That amount is close to the yearly salary of a long-term care facility employee, she added. Christyn Cianfarani, president of the Canadian Association of Defence and Security Industries, said the country's defence industry can play an important role in the federal government's COVID-19 economic recovery plan. The association has recommended to government that it accelerate military equipment project approvals, favour domestic firms as much as possible for future work, as well as focus on Canadian-based cyber firms for associated purchases as the government moves its employees to more remote work. Construction projects on bases could also provide local contractors with work, she added. Canada's defence industry actually fared better than other economic sectors during the pandemic, Cianfarani noted. There were no significant layoffs and most firms have been able to continue operations and production. In addition, some companies switched to producing medical equipment or protective gear for use by hospital staff during the pandemic. The Liberal government announced Monday it wants to spend up to $100 billion between 2021 and 2024 to help the economy recover from COVID-19. https://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/defence-watch/after-agreeing-to-2b-in-deals-with-u-s-based-defence-companies-liberals-ask-dnd-for-list-of-canadian-firms-to-quickly-buy-from