Nouvelles

By Matthew Cox The Army is finalizing a new, web-based modeling app -- developed by Microsoft -- that will allow soldier equipment officials to see how hanging new pieces of kit on close-combat troops could affect a squad's performance. "For a long, long, long time, we have struggled with the ability to be able to show in a quantitative manner how a new component or an upgraded component will affect the effectiveness of a soldier and squad," John Howell, current lead for the Army's new Adaptative Squad Architecture effort, told an audience Tuesday. He spoke at the first industry day for what Army officials hope will lead to a new framework developing future capability sets for dismounted soldiers that are far lighter and more streamlined than today's assortment of tactical gear. While still in its early stages, the Architectural Assessment Tool is designed to be a collaborative tool for project managers and requirements officials to view digital models of soldiers kitted-out in current-issue gear to form a baseline. In a quick demo, Howell made a copy of the squad leader configuration baseline and then replaced his M4A1 with an M249 squad automatic weapon and the accessories needed for it. "This is where you start to get into a little bit of the quantitative assessment piece," he said, showing how the app immediately calculates the weight added from the change. "What you notice immediately is that this special squad leader now weighs 30 pounds more." It's a simple example, "but just to get to this point is quite a big step," Howell said. "In order to treat the soldier as an integrated weapons platform, this is the kind of thing you need to be able to do." Adaptive Squad Architecture is the latest attempt by the Army to treat the soldier as a complete system, breaking away from the long practice of developing individual pieces of equipment and fielding them. "We build the soldier out like a Christmas tree and our products are like ornaments, and we just continue to hang products off our soldiers until the soldier gets so heavy, they can't move," said Brig. Gen. Anthony Potts, head of Program Executive Office Soldier. Potts told the mix of small and large defense companies in attendance that the Army needs a new approach to developing capability sets of equipment that are much lighter than the roughly 120-pound loads dismounted infantrymen carry today. "If I can give you an architecture ... you can look at this and say, 'You know what? I've got an idea that I can combine three of those capabilities into one,'" Potts said. "Those three capabilities might weigh 4.5 today and you go, 'You know, I can bring it to one and I can bring it to you for 2.75 pounds.' "Let me tell you something, if you do that, you have my interest." In addition to the web-based assessment tool, the Army is also conducting evaluations that involve running infantry squads through tactical lanes at Camp Shelby, Mississippi, to build a database of performance data, Potts said. "We are doing a correlation of data on squad performance, how the individual data on that soldier relates to the individual performance and how it relates to the entire squad's performance," he said, adding that he is sending a five-member team to Afghanistan in October to embed with the 75th Ranger Regiment to do more data collection. "We want to be able to make data-driven decisions on some of the places we are going for in materiel development in the future," Potts said. Under the soldier lethality priority in the Army's new modernization strategy, the service is developing advanced new kit such as the Integrated Visual Augmentation System, or IVAS, a Microsoft technology that will let soldiers view their weapon's sight reticle and other tactical information through a pair of tactical glasses. The Army is also developing the Next Generation Squad Weapon, a replacement for the M4A1 and M249 that promises to offer significant weight savings on the weapon as well as the ammunition, Army officials have said. But Potts realizes that it's still up to commanders to decide how much weight their soldiers carry into battle. "A commander may believe that if we gave him 20% lighter ammunition or 30% lighter ammunition and he feels like the fight he's going into ... means he can take 20 or 30% [more ammo], that's a commander's call," he said. On the other hand, Potts said a commander may decide "I'm going up a hill at 90 degrees; I'm going to take that 30% weight savings because that's what I think is the most important thing to me." "I think what we are going to do is give commanders more options on what they can do with their formations that they have never had before, because the basic load that we will provide through the architecture will be lighter. ... As we draw down the weight of our body armor, draw down the weight of our ammunition, draw down the weight of our automatic weapons, you are going to free up space in there that's going to make it lighter," Potts said. https://www.military.com/daily-news/2019/08/22/army-hopes-microsoft-app-will-help-reduce-heavy-soldier-loads.html

By: Jen Judson WASHINGTON — To avoid past mistakes that have all but crippled the Army's ability to procure new equipment, the service should ensure its top modernization priorities are aligned with its emerging warfighting doctrine, which could mean rearranging some of its top efforts, conservative think tank The Heritage Foundation is arguing in a new report. The assessment comes at a time when the Army is preparing to release a new modernization strategy in short order. “From 2002 to 2014, for a variety of reasons, nearly every major modernization program was terminated,” the report's author Thomas Spoehr writes. Spoehr is the director of the Center of National Defense at Heritage. His former Army career was partly spent helping to develop the service's future year financial plans. Spoehr acknowledges that with the advent of a new four-star command — Army Futures Command — the programs envisioned to modernize the Army “are well-conceived,” but urges the services to look through a lens of how its priorities measure up in Multi-Domain Operations — a concept under development that will grow into its key warfighting doctrine. Spoehr also warns the Army's leaders that there needs to be a balance “of the lure of technology with the necessity" to buy new equipment. The service is steadfastly marching down a path to modernize and develop its capability in Long-Range Precision Fires, Next-Generation Combat Vehicle, Future Vertical Lift, the network, air-and-missile defense and soldier lethality, in order of importance. But Spoehr is proposing to drop NGCV and FVL to the bottom of the list because they would serve less effective roles when carrying out operations in an environment where territory is well defended against enemies like Russia and China. “The need for long-range precision fires and a precision-strike missile with a range of 310 km, for example, is grounded in the need to strip away Russian surface-to-air missile batteries and gain access,” Spoehr writes. “The linkages of other programs and initiatives are not as obvious and would benefit from an Army effort to make the connections either more explicit or reconsider requirements.” Spoehr points out that it's not clear, for example, how a Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft and a Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft “might survive against near-peer sophisticated integrated air defense capabilities like the Russian's capable Pantsir-S1 SA-22 system. “Even if the aircraft's speed is doubled or tripled, it will not outrun the Pantsir's 9M335 missile,” he writes. “Nowhere in the MDO concept is a compelling case made for the use of Army aviation, combined with a relative youth of Army aviation fleets,” he adds. Instead, Spoehr said, the priorities “should be based on an evaluation of current versus required capabilities, assessed against the capability's overall criticality to success, and all tied to a future aim point-2030, by a force employing MDO doctrine.” This means, he argues, that the Army's network should be prioritized just below LRPF, followed by AMD and soldier lethality. Ranked at number five and six would be NGCV and FVL, respectively. According to Spoehr, “nothing has come forward to suggest that there is a technological advancement that will make a next generation of combat vehicles significantly better.” Additionally, the Army should not try to force the key requirement of making its Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicle replacement — the Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle — robotically operated or autonomous until the network matures to support the capability, the report notes. The Army needs a network “that is simple, reliable and less fragile than its current systems,” Spoehr says. “These capabilities may need to come at the expense of capacity,” which the Army appears to be doing, he notes. Spoehr also suggests that the Army invest less in hypersonic offensive capability and more in defensive capability. But ensuring effective modernization of the force and avoiding past failures is just as much a management challenge as it is overcoming technological and cost hurdles. One of the phenomena Spoehr observed during his time serving in the military, particularly at the Pentagon, is what he calls “groupthink,” where those who spend time together begin to think alike and make decisions without those around them questioning actions. Additionally, subordinates tend to avoid disagreeing with those in charge. Groupthink has been the culprit when it comes to major failure in development and acquisition programs in the past, so the Army should “zealously promote critical thinking and avoid groupthink,” Spoehr writes. The service should “promote a free and open dialogue in journals and forums” and “exercise caution when senior leaders endorse specific system attributes or requirements to avoid closing down discussion.” The report acknowledges that the Army “is making a concerted effort to change to meet the future,” such as standing up AFC and aligning its future doctrine with materiel solutions more closely. It's important the Army keep sight of what it's actually trying to do with its future capability, the report warns. “Rather than seeking to match and exceed each of our adversary's investments, the Army must focus on enabling its own operational concepts and seeking answers to tough operational and tactical problems,” it states. Elsewhere in the overarching analysis, Spoehr recommends growing the force, as well ensuring its effective modernization to include roughly 50 Brigade Combat Teams and an end-strength of at least 540,000 active soldiers. He suggests reducing investment in infantry brigade combat teams in favor of armored BCTs, but also to keep capability to fight in a counter-insurgency environment as well, such as keeping the Security Force Assistance Brigades. The third such formation is preparing to deploy to Afghanistan. The Army also needs to grow faster and must find ways to resolve recent problems with recruiting, Spoehr said, recommending that the service grow at a rate faster than 2,000 regular Army soldiers per year. And force allocation should also be reconsidered, Spoehr argues, recommending that the Army should create a new field headquarters in Europe and, when appropriate, do so in the Indo-Pacific. Overall, “the task for the Army is no less than to develop a force capable of deterring and defeating aggression by China and Russia, while also remaining prepared to deal with other regional adversaries (Iraq and North Korea), violent extremist organizations, and other unforeseen challenges,” Spoehr said. What's hard for the Army is that it lacks “the certainty of a single principal competitor” — the Soviet Union in 1980s, during the last buildup, for example, he noted. Because of the complicated global environment, Spoehr advocates for the Army to shift from thinking about a 20-year lead time for new, transformative capabilities and instead take a constant iterative and evolutionary approach to building the force. Under AFC, the Army is attempting to do just that. The Army can't wait “until the future is clear before acting,” he adds. “When dealing with a 1-million-person organization, equipping, training, and leader development typically takes at least a decade to make any substantive change,” Spoehr said. “The Army must therefore make bets now to remain a preeminent land power.” https://www.defensenews.com/land/2019/08/22/avoiding-past-mistakes-are-the-armys-modernization-plans-on-the-right-course/

TUCSON, Ariz., Aug. 21, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) will deliver additional tube-launched, optically tracked, wireless-guided missiles for the TOW® weapon system under a $101 million U.S. Army contract announced by the U.S. Department of Defense on May 10, 2019. The weapon system transitioned to wireless guidance in 2010 and is being produced for the Army, U.S. Marines and international customers. The TOW weapon system, with the multi-mission TOW 2A, TOW 2B Aero and TOW Bunker Buster missiles, is a long-range, heavy assault-precision anti-armor, anti-fortification and anti-amphibious landing weapon system used throughout the world. "TOW gives soldiers the upper hand in battle," said Sam Deneke, Raytheon Land Warfare Systems vice president. "The system easily defeats opponents at long range in main battle tanks, fortified bunkers or moving armored vehicles." The TOW missile will remain in the Army's inventory until at least 2034. Raytheon has delivered over 700,000 TOW weapon systems to U.S. and allied forces. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/raytheon-delivering-wireless-tow-missiles-to-us-army-300905247.html

AIR FORCE The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Missouri, has been awarded a $999,000,000 (ceiling) indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for A-10 wing replacements. This contract provides for up to 112 new A-10 wing assemblies and up to 15 wing kits. Work will be performed at multiple subcontractor locations in the U.S. and one subcontractor location in South Korea and is expected to be complete by Aug. 23, 2030. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition and two offers were received. Fiscal 2017, 2018 and 2019 procurement funds in the amount of $239,578,025 and are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Hill Air Force Base, Utah, is the contracting activity (FA8202-19-D-0004). Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Herndon, Virginia, is being awarded a $20,000,000 (estimated) indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for engineering services. This contract provides for engineering services on all of Northrop designed platforms managed by the 424th Supply Chain Management Squadron at Tinker Air Force Base. The location of performance is Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, and the ordering period will end August 2021. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. No funds will be obligated at time of award. The Air Force Sustainment Center, Tinker AFB, Oklahoma, is the contracting activity (FA8119-19-D-0002). NAVY Raytheon Missile Systems, Tucson, Arizona, is awarded a $190,523,870 fixed-price-incentive firm and firm-fixed-price modification to previously-awarded contract N00024-19-C-5418 for materials and spares in support of fiscal 2019 Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile (ESSM) Block 2 low-rate initial production requirements. This contract will procure the remaining materials in support of the ESSM fiscal 2019 low-rate initial production Lots One through Three all-up rounds and spares requirements. The ESSM program is an international cooperative effort to design, develop, test and procure ESSM missiles. The ESSM provides enhanced ship defense. Work will be performed in Tucson, Arizona (50%); Richmond, Australia (6%); Raufoss, Norway (6%); Andover, Massachusetts (5%); Mississauga, Canada (4%); Ottobrunn, Germany (3%); Hengelo Ov, Netherlands (3%); Grand Rapids, Michigan (3%); San Jose, California (2%); Ottawa, Canada (2%); Aranjuez, Spain (2%); San Diego, California (2%); Koropi Attica, Greece (2%); Hopewell Junction, New York (1%); Ankara, Turkey (1%); Westlake Village, California (1%); Eight Mile Plains, Brisbane, Australia (1%); Grenaa, Denmark (1%); Torrance, California (1%); Canton, New York (1%); Minneapolis, Minnesota (1%); and other locations below one percent (2%), and is expected to be completed by March 2023. Non-expiring other funds; fiscal 2019 and 2018 weapons procurement (Navy); and fiscal 2018 and 2017 other procurement (Navy) funding in the amount of $200,620,992 will be obligated at time of award, and funding in the amount of $105,890 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. General Dynamics-Ordnance and Tactical Systems Inc., Williston, Vermont, is awarded a $20,780,430 modification P00005 to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (N00019-18-C-1023). This modification provides for procurement of 66 M61A2 20 MM Gun Systems in support of F/A-18E/F aircraft production for the Navy (34); and the government of Kuwait (32). Work will be performed in Saco, Maine (41%); Westfield, Massachusetts (7%); Lyndonville, Vermont (6%); Miami, Florida (6%); Charlotte, North Carolina (6%); Chicago, Illinois (5%); Jacksonville, Florida (4%); St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin (3%); Saint Laurent, Canada (2%); Port Hueneme, California (2%); and various locations within the continental U.S. (18%), and is expected to be completed in March 2023. Fiscal 2018 and 2019 aircraft procurement (Navy); and Foreign Military Sales (FMS) funds in the amount of $20,780,430 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This modification combines purchases for the Navy ($10,703,798; 52%); and the government of Kuwait ($10,076,632; 48%) under the FMS program. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Charlottesville, Virginia, is awarded $15,750,807 for firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee delivery order N00024-19-F-5201 on previously awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract N00024-15-D-5208 to exercise a one-year option for the production Ring Laser Gyro Navigation (RLGN) System, provisioned items and associated technical program support of the Navy's WSN-7 navigation system. The AN/WSN-7(V) RLGN system is a self-contained inertial navigator designed for Navy surface ships. Work will be performed in Charlottesville, Virginia, and is expected to be completed by July 2021. Fiscal 2019 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy); and fiscal 2019 and 2018 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funding in the amount of $15,750,807 will be obligated at time of award, and $3,885,984 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. HII Mission Driven Innovative Solutions Inc., Huntsville, Alabama, is awarded a $15,604,482 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to exercise Option Period Two under previously awarded contract M95494-17-F-0021. The work to be performed provides Headquarters Marine Corps, Plans, Policies and Operations; and Marine Corps Installations Command with technical and engineering support for the Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and High-Yield Explosive Consequence Management Program. Work will be performed in Arlington, Virginia, and is expected to be completed August 2020. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance (Marine Corps) funds in the amount of $2,786,006 will be obligated at the time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Marine Corps Installations Command Headquarters Contracting Office, Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting activity. Sonalysts Inc., Waterford, Connecticut, is awarded a $9,440,639 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract to the German navy for the maintenance of the Dangerous Waters Naval Simulator to meet its simulation and training requirements, including proper levels of integration and interoperability. This contract includes purchases to Federal Republic of Germany under the Foreign Military Sales program. Work will be performed in Wilhelmshaven, Germany (50%); Virginia Beach, Virginia (25%); and San Diego, California (25%); and is expected to be complete by August 2023. Foreign Military Sales Federal Republic of Germany funding in the amount of $1,173,145 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1 - only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren Division, Dahlgren, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N00178-19-D-4500). ARMY The Boeing Co., Mesa, Arizona, was awarded a $145,892,870 modification (P00037) to Foreign Military Sales (Netherlands) contract W58RGZ-16-C-0023 for the remanufacture of 11 aircraft and new build Longbow Crew Trainer and spares. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will be performed in Mesa, Arizona, with an estimated completion date of March 29, 2024. Fiscal 2010 Foreign Military Sales funds in the amount of $145,892,870 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity. Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Herndon, Virginia, was awarded a $101,102,078 modification (P00037) to contract W58RGZ-17-C-0014 for contractor logistics support services. Work will be performed in Herndon, Virginia, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 31, 2020. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance, Army funds in the amount of $34,036,607 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity. Widman Inc.,* Godfrey, Illinois, was awarded a $30,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for upper river land repair. Bids were solicited via the internet with seven received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 20, 2024. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Louis, Missouri, is the contracting activity (W912P9-19-D-0012). MW Builder's Inc., Pflugerville, Texas, was awarded a $28,777,000 firm-fixed-price contract for design build construction and renovation to barracks. Bids were solicited via the internet with 11 received. Work will be performed in Fort Riley, Kansas, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 31, 2021. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance, Army funds in the amount of $28,777,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Kansas City, Missouri, is the contracting activity (W912DQ-19-C-4015). Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems, was awarded a $23,995,308 modification (P00005) to contract W31P4Q-19-C-0021 for acquisition of a production contract for signal data processor kits for Sentinel A3 radars. Work will be performed in Fullerton, California, with an estimated completion date of July 31, 2021. Fiscal 2019 other procurement, Army funds in the amount of $23,995,308 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity. Widman Inc.,* Godfrey, Illinois, was awarded a $15,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for lower river land repair. 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 Aug. 20, 2024. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Louis, Missouri, is the contracting activity (W912P9-19-D-0013). Raytheon Co., Marlborough, Massachusetts, was awarded a $14,052,864 modification (P00025) to contract W58RGZ-17-C-0070 for engineering services labor, travel, and material. Work will be performed in Marlborough, Massachusetts, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 24, 2020. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity. BAE Systems Land and Armaments, San Jose, California, was awarded a $13,688,402 modification (P00108) to contract W56HZV15-C-0099 for active protection system integration and urgent material release in support of the Bradley Fighting Vehicle. Work will be performed in San Jose, California, with an estimated completion date of June 30, 2020. Fiscal 2018 and 2019 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $13,688,402 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Warren, Michigan, is the contracting activity. Ameresco Inc., Washington, District of Columbia, was awarded a $7,140,290 firm-fixed-price contract for the installation of a natural gas driven reciprocating engine combined heat and power system, associated pumps, controls, interconnect fees and civil mechanical electrical upgrades. Bids were solicited via the internet with three received. Work will be performed in Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 1, 2020. Fiscal 2017 military construction funds in the amount of $7,140,290 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Kansas City, Missouri, is the contracting activity (W912DQ-19-C-4014). CORRECTION: A $32,753,836 contract announced on Aug. 20, 2019, to DynCorp International LLC, McLean, Virginia (W560MY-19-C-0002), to train, advise and assist, was not awarded on that date. It will be awarded today, Aug. 21, 2019, with an adjusted estimated completion date of Aug. 18, 2020. All other information in the announcement is correct. *Small Business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/1940606/source/GovDelivery/

By: Jen Judson UPDATE: This story has been updated to include a statement from Raytheon. WASHINGTON — The Pentagon has moved from taking a “strategic pause” on the Redesigned Kill Vehicle program to outright killing it. The Department of Defense decided to terminate the current Boeing contract to develop the RKV — effective Aug. 22 — “due to technical design problems,” according to an Aug. 21 statement by the department. Raytheon is the actual developer of the RKV and serves as a sub-contractor to Boeing. The RKV would have replaced the current Exoatmospheric Kill Vehicle (EKV) on the Ground-Based Interceptor, which makes up the Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD) system designed to protect the homeland from ballistic missile threats. It would have also been fielded on all future ground-based interceptors — a total of 64 ultimately. The EKV is designed to destroy targets in high-speed collisions after separating from the booster rocket. The EKV required technical changes in the past several years due to issues in tests. The Missile Defense Agency decided to initiate a program to redesign the kill vehicle. In the meantime, MDA has had several successful tests of the GMD system with the EKV following engineering changes. Now that the RKV is dead in the water, the Pentagon plans to move forward with a new, next-generation interceptor competition, the statement said. According to a defense official, no more ground-based interceptors will be built, and all future interceptors that are fielded as part of the GMD system will be the new interceptors. “Ending the program was the responsible thing to do,” Mike Griffin, undersecretary of defense for research and engineering, said in the statement. “Development programs sometimes encounter problems. After exercising due diligence, we decided the path we're going down wouldn't be fruitful, so we're not going down that path anymore. This decision supports our efforts to gain full value from every future taxpayer dollar spent on defense.” With the blessing of the undersecretary of defense, Griffin made the decision on Aug. 14 to terminate the program, one week after he told reporters at the Space and Missile Defense Symposium in Huntsville, Alabama, to expect a decision on the way forward for RKV soon. MDA and Boeing in December 2018 deferred a critical design review of the RKV “due to the failure of certain critical components to meet technical requirements as specified in the development contract,” the statement noted. After MDA assessed the issues, it issued a stop work order on the contract in May to analyze alternative options. “The department ultimately determined the technical design problems were so significant as to be either insurmountable or cost-prohibitive to correct,” the statement said. The DoD plans to take data garnered from research and testing of the RKV prior to its cancellation to inform the next-generation interceptor program, “which will include a new kill vehicle,” according to the statement. “The U.S. Missile Defense Agency is updating its requirements in the face of an increasingly complex threat environment," Raytheon said in a statement. The company “supports their decision to cease work on the Redesigned Kill Vehicle (RKV) and initiate a competition for the next-generation interceptor to meet these advanced threats. Raytheon will continue to develop and offer a wide range of advanced missile defense technologies available to protect the United States now and in the future.” There are 44 ground-based interceptorss in place at Fort Greely, Alaska, and Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, with plans to add 22 additional missile silos at Fort Greely to support 20 more ground-based interceptors. The defense official said the Pentagon is still working through the details of a new, next-generation interceptor competition, including when it will be initiated and the pace at which the technology will be developed and fielded. https://www.defensenews.com/pentagon/2019/08/21/dod-tanks-redesigned-kill-vehicle-program-for-homeland-defense-interceptor/

DEFENSE THREAT REDUCTION AGENCY Applied Research Associates Inc., Albuquerque, New Mexico, is being awarded a maximum ceiling $240,000,000, cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract with a five-year base ordering period and an additional five-year option period. Competitive proposals were solicited and two offers were received. The contract provides for 24/7/365 technical reachback operational and decision support analysis, as well as research and development, to develop and advance the Defense Threat Reduction Agency's (DTRA's) weapons of mass destruction operational support capabilities. The work will be performed at multiple DTRA locations, primarily at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $150,000 (the guaranteed minimum) are being obligated at time of award. DTRA, Fort Belvoir, Virginia, is the contracting activity (HDTRA1-19-D-0007). ARMY The Boeing Co., Mesa, Arizona, was awarded a $154,890,000 modification (P00026) to contract W58RGZ-16-C-0023 to procure new-build Apache AH 64E helicopters. Work will be performed in Mesa, Arizona, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 31, 2022. Fiscal 2018 and 2019 aircraft procurement, Army funds in the amount of $154,890,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity. Berg Manufacturing Inc.,* Spokane Valley, Washington, was awarded a $44,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for a self-service laundry system. Bids were solicited via the internet with six received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 19, 2024. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W911QY-19-D-0027). DynCorp International LLC, McLean, Virginia, was awarded a $32,753,836 time-and-materials contract to train, advise and assist. Bids were solicited via the internet with three received. Work will be performed in Afghanistan with an estimated completion date of Aug. 19, 2020. Fiscal 2019 Afghanistan security forces, Army funds in the amount of $32,753,836 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois, is the contracting activity (W560MY-19-C-0002). Manson Construction Co., Seattle, Washington, was awarded a $24,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for rental of a cutterhead pipeline dredge for dredging in Mobile Harbor, Alabama. Bids were solicited via the internet with two received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Oct. 13, 2020. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mobile, Alabama, is the contracting activity (W91278-19-D-0040). Manufacturing Support Industries Inc.,* Salisbury, Maryland, was awarded a $9,500,000 firm-fixed-price contract for M240 lightweight adjustable bipod. Bids were solicited via the internet with seven received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 20, 2024. U.S. Army Contracting Command, New Jersey, is the contracting activity (W15QKN-19-D-0097). AIR FORCE Akima Intra‐Data LLC, Colorado Springs, Colorado, has been awarded a $152,871,144 firm-fixed-price contract for Facility Support Services II. This contract will provide for industrial and test security; security services; command, control, and communication functions; fire and emergency services; environmental; safety; occupational and environmental health; base supply; cargo movement, and vehicle maintenance at Arnold Engineering Development Complex. Work will be performed at Arnold Air Force Base, Tennessee, with specific performance at White Oak, Maryland; and Moffett Field, California, and is expected to be completed by Nov. 30, 2027. This award is the result of a competitive small business set-aside acquisition utilizing a single solicitation and received two offers. No funds are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Test Center, Arnold Air Force Base, Tennessee, is the contracting activity (FA9101‐19‐C‐1000). The Stratagem Group Inc., Aurora, Colorado,* has been awarded a $32,600,866 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for Radio Frequency Identification, Detection, and Geolocation of Emitting Systems software/hardware. This contract provides for improved collection and processing capabilities across multiple intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance sensing sources in the detection and characterization of priority radar waveforms. Work will be performed at Aurora, Colorado, and is expected to be complete by Aug. 19, 2024. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition and two offers were received. The Air Force Research Laboratory, Rome, New York, is the contracting activity (FA8750-19-C-0072). NAVY BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems, Nashua, New Hampshire, is awarded a $74,990,530 firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to procure 1,440 Radio Frequency Countermeasures and the maintenance and repair of multi-function test stations in support of the F-35 aircraft. Work will be performed in Nashua, New Hampshire (74%); Landenberg, Pennsylvania (7%); Topsfield, Massachusetts (2.5%); Industry, California (1.6%); Hamilton, New Jersey (1.5%); Carson, California (1.3%); Dover, New Hampshire (1.1%); Londonderry, New Hampshire (1%); Chartley, Massachusetts (1%); and various locations within the continental U.S. (9%), and is expected to be completed in March 2022. Fiscal 2017, 2018 and 2019 aircraft procurement (Air Force); fiscal 2019 procurement ammunition (Navy, Marine Corps); and Foreign Military Sales (FMS) funds in the amount of $74,990,530 will be obligated at time of award, $2,394,867 of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract combines purchases for the Air Force ($37,068,372; 49%); Navy and Marine Corps ($13,556,992; 18%); and FMS countries ($24,365,166; 33%). This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1). The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N00019-19-C-0001). Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., a Lockheed Martin Co., Stratford, Connecticut, is awarded $48,325,008 for firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee order N00019-19-F-4126 against a previously issued basic ordering agreement (N00019-19-G-0029) to procure spare parts to repair and maintain CH-53K low-rate initial production Lot Three configuration aircraft. Work will be performed in Quebec, Canada (14.88%); Stratford, Connecticut (9.17%); Fort Walton Beach, Florida (2.32%); Rome, New York (2.06%); Bridgeport, West Virginia (2.02%); Chesterfield, Missouri (1.52%); Forest, Ohio (1.47%); Davenport, Iowa (1.38%); Rochester, Kent, United Kingdom (1.36%); Milford, Connecticut (1.22%); Windsor Locks, Connecticut (1.13%); various locations within the continental U.S. (53.97%); and various locations outside the continental U.S. (7.50%), and is expected to be completed in August 2024. Fiscal 2019 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $48,325,008 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. Raytheon Missile Systems, Tucson, Arizona, is awarded a $13,248,183 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to previously awarded contract N00024-17-C-5410 to exercise options for engineering and technical services in support of Standard Missile-2/6. This contract combines purchases for the U.S. government (96%); and the governments of Australia, Taiwan, Germany, Denmark, Korea and Japan (4% total) under the Foreign Military Sales program. Work will be performed in Tucson, Arizona, and is expected to be complete by December 2020. This contract includes options which, if exercised, be complete by April 2022. Fiscal 2019 and 2017 weapons procurement (Navy); fiscal 2019 and 2018 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy); fiscal 2019 other Department of Defense; and Foreign Military Sales (governments of Australia, Germany, Denmark, Taiwan, Korea and Japan) funding in the amount of $13,248,183 will be obligated at time of award and not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This modification is not competitively procured in accordance with 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1) and Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1(a)(2)(iii). The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Campbellsville Apparel Co., Campbellsville, Kentucky, has been awarded a maximum $7,562,400 modification (P00006) exercising the third one-year option period of a one-year base contract (SPE1C1-16-D-1083) with four one-year option periods for fuel handler's undershirts and moisture wicking t-shirts. This is an indefinite-delivery contract. Location of performance is Kentucky, with a Sept. 7, 2020, performance completion date. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2020 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. *Small Business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/1939263/source/GovDelivery/

By: Jen Judson WASHINGTON — The Army is nearing a decision on who will build its Lower-Tier Air-and-Missile Defense Sensor, or LTAMDS, which will provide the sensing capability for the future Integrated Air-and-Missile Defense System the service is developing. The service is planning to award a contract no later than the end of the fiscal year to one of the three vendors that participated in a “sense-off” competition at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico, over the spring, Daryl Youngman, the deputy director in charge of Army AMD modernization, told Defense News in a recent interview. According to other sources, that decision is expected next month. The radar is part of a new AMD system that will replace the Army's Raytheon-made Patriot system. Raytheon, Northrop Grumman and a Lockheed Martin-Elta Systems team all brought radars to the White Sands sense-off and subsequently submitted proposals for the prototype competition in July. The winner will build six prototypes by the end of FY22 to prove whether the radar can be built and then fielded to a unit for evaluation. A follow-on contract for 16 additional radars is expected if all goes well. The plan leaves an opening for other radar solutions to get back in the game if the prototyping effort does not pan out. While the Army has dropped its long-prioritized requirement for a radar capable of detecting threats from 360 degrees, it now seeks a broader baseline requirement to “expand the battle space beyond what the current Patriot radar has,” Youngman said. And the system will ideally have a lot of growth potential baked in, he added. Replacing the Patriot radar has been a long time coming. The radar was first fielded in the 1980s, and the Army previously attempted to replace the system with Lockheed Martin's Medium Extended Air Defense System through an international co-development effort with Germany and Italy. But that program was canceled in the U.S. after closing out a proof-of-concept phase roughly six years ago. Since then, the Army has studied and debated how to replace the Patriot radar while Raytheon continues to upgrade its radar to keep pace with current threats. It is acknowledged that there will come a point where radar upgrades will be unable to keep up with future threats. Taking years to decide, the service moved forward on a competition to replace the radar in 2017 and chose four companies to come up with design concepts for the capability — Raytheon, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman and Technovative Applications. Toward the end of 2018, Raytheon and Lockheed were chosen to continue technology development under that program. Defense News first broke the news last fall that the Army was attempting to hit the reset button on the LTAMDS program, deciding to host a “sense-off” to identify available radar capabilities. While LTAMDS is considered the fourth priority out of four major lines of effort with which the Cross-Functional Team in charge of AMD has defined, it is not because it's the least important, Youngman noted, but more related to schedule — where the system is in the development and fielding timeline. The AMD CFT's top priority is its command-and-control system — the Integrated Battle Command System — for its future IAMD architecture. Limited user testing will occur next spring with a decision to move into production in the fourth quarter of FY20. Manuever-Short-Range Air Defense — or M-SHORAD — is the second priority as the Army . The service is set to begin development testing of its prototypes this fall. The Indirect Fire Protection Capability (IFPC) Increment 2 program is ranked third as the Army prepares to take receipt of its interim cruise missile capability — two Iron Dome Systems — soon. The Army is in the midst of coming up with a new strategy for the IFPC system that will ultimately defend against rockets, artillery and mortar as well as cruise missiles and drone threats. The IFPC system will have to tie into the Army's IBCS system as well. https://www.defensenews.com/land/2019/08/20/us-army-nears-decision-on-who-will-build-new-missile-defense-radar-prototypes/

DAVID PUGLIESE, OTTAWA CITIZEN The Liberal government is buying new armoured vehicles for the Canadian Forces but the sole source deal will cost taxpayers double what was originally estimated. Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan announced Friday that the government would buy 360 combat support Light Armoured Vehicles from General Dynamics Land Systems-Canada, with the project costing $3 billion. The project was originally announced by the Liberal government with an estimated cost between $500 million and $1.5 billion. The plan was to award the contract in 2023 after a competition. But with the federal election looming the deal was fast-tracked by the Liberals, joining a series of recent defence-related funding announcements. A competition was jettisoned, replaced with a sole-source deal with General Dynamics, based in London, Ont. The deal includes a $650 million repayable loan, but the Department of National Defence said it had no details on that arrangement. It referred questions to Global Affairs Canada, which noted in an emailed statement that the federal government is “willing to provide a loan to General Dynamics Land Systems Canada to ensure the timely delivery of the Light Armoured Vehicles for our men and women in uniform. The Government of Canada is providing a loan to GDLS-C to support jobs and suppliers as GDLS-C navigates a challenging and dynamic international defence market.” The terms of the loan would be negotiated over the coming weeks, Global Affairs Canada added. The DND noted that the project costs include not only the vehicles but logistics support and new infrastructure to house and maintain the equipment. General Dynamics will provide the new vehicles in eight variants. They will be used as ambulances and in other roles such as vehicle recovery, engineering, mobile repair, electronic warfare and as command posts. The current fleet of armoured support vehicles is comprised of the LAV II Bison and the M113 tracked vehicle. The federal government said it is in the final stages of contract negotiations with General Dynamics. The contract is expected in the coming weeks. It noted in a news release that fast-tracking the deal would allow the Department of National Defence to save costs associated with maintaining or extending the life of the current fleet. The DND stated the contract was sole-sourced to General Dynamics as the firm builds most other armoured vehicles for the Canadian Forces and having a vehicle based on the same chassis allows for savings in maintenance and training. The company's light armoured vehicle is the core of the Canadian Forces armoured vehicle fleet. In addition, as the company has recently completed the conversion of the light armoured vehicle fleet to a new configuration so it has the skilled workforce in place, according to the DND. That would reduce the risk of delays in delivery of the new vehicles, stated the DND in an email. “For these reasons, we believe it would not be in the public interest to solicit bids,” it added in an email. General Dynamics Land Systems – Canada is also building similar light armoured vehicles for Saudi Arabia in a deal worth $15 billion. The Liberal government launched a review of that controversial contract after the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi inside the Saudi consulate in Turkey. Earlier this year a United Nations report determined that Saudi Arabia was responsible for the killing of Khashoggi who was a critic of that country's regime. Saudi Arabia has also faced severe criticism for its role in the ongoing war in Yemen, with allegations it has conducted unlawful airstrikes on civilians. A dozen organizations sent Prime Minister Justin Trudeau a letter earlier in August, questioning the status of the review and pointing out that no updates on progress have been provided. The lack of such information has brought “the sincerity of the effort into question,” according to the letter endorsed by organizations such as Oxfam Canada and Amnesty International. Various groups have demanded the Liberals cancel the Saudi deal, which was negotiated by the previous Conservative government. https://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/defence-watch/sole-source-armoured-vehicle-deal-with-general-dynamics-costs-double-original-estimates

By: Aaron Mehta WASHINGTON — The United States has tested a new ground-based cruise missile that is capable covering 500 kilometers in range, less than three weeks after officially exiting an arms treaty that banned such systems. The test occurred 2:30 PM Pacific time Sunday at San Nicolas Island, California, according to a Pentagon announcement. The missile “exited its ground mobile launcher and accurately impacted its target after more than 500 kilometers of flight,” the release said. “Data collected and lessons learned from this test will inform the Department of Defense's development of future intermediate-range capabilities.” The United States exited the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty Aug. 2, following through on a decision made late last year that the treaty no longer benefited American interests. The INF was a 1987 pact with the former Soviet Union that banned ground-launched nuclear and conventional ballistic and cruise missiles with ranges of 500 to 5,000 kilometers. However, the United States and NATO allies have for years declared Russia in violation of the agreement. American officials have stressed they do not plan on building a nuclear ground-based cruise missile capability, but Secretary of Defense Mark Esper has said his department will “fully pursue the development of these ground-launched conventional missiles as a prudent response to Russia's actions and as part of the joint force's broader portfolio of conventional strike options.” Imagery of the test shows the weapon was launched from a Mark 41 Vertical Launch System, the same launcher used in the Aegis Ashore missile defense system. That is notable, as Russia has often claimed the Mk41 presence in Europe as a violation of the INF treaty, with the belief that the Aegis Ashore systems in Poland and Romania could be converted to offensive systems. “The launcher used in Sunday's test is a MK 41; however, the system tested is not the same as the Aegis Ashore Missile Defense System currently operating in Romania and under construction in Poland," Lt. Col Robert Carver, a Pentagon spokesman, said. “Aegis Ashore is purely defensive. It is not capable of firing a Tomahawk missile. Aegis Ashore is not configured to fire offensive weapons of any type.” The weapon itself is a variant of the Tomahawk Land Attack Cruise Missile, and was made by Raytheon, Carver said. During a recent trip to the Pacific, Esper also said he would like such weapon systems to end up in Asia as a deterrent to China. The governments in both Australia and South Korea quickly denied that any discussions about such a deployment had occurred, and Esper later downplayed his comments as a future objective. Congress will have a say in how such systems are developed or deployed. On Capitol Hill, a flashpoint in the fight is $96 million the administration requested to research and test ground-launched missiles that could travel within the agreement's prohibited range. The Democrat-controlled House passed a spending bill that would deny the funding ― and a defense authorization bill that would deny it until the administration shares an explanation of whether existing sea- and air-launched missiles could suffice. Senate Republicans are expected to fight that language during the reconciliation process. https://www.defensenews.com/pentagon/2019/08/19/pentagon-tests-first-land-based-cruise-missile-in-a-post-inf-treaty-world/