Nouvelles

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

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

Le 23 janvier 2019 – Halifax (Nouvelle‑Écosse) – Défense nationale/Forces armées canadiennes Comme le prévoit la politique de défense du Canada Protection, Sécurité, Engagement, le gouvernement investit dans des projets d'infrastructure de la Défense modernes, fonctionnels et écologiques afin de répondre aux besoins changeants de nos forces armées. Aujourd'hui, Mme Bernadette Jordan, ministre du Développement économique rural et M. Andy Fillmore, secrétaire parlementaire du ministre du Patrimoine canadien et du Multiculturalisme, au nom du ministre de la Défense nationale Harjit S. Sajjan, ont participé à la cérémonie d'inauguration du nouveau manège militaire de Willow Park à Halifax. Ce projet évalué à 55,2 millions de dollars a été achevé selon l'échéancier et en deçà du budget établi et a procuré des avantages économiques importants à la communauté locale d'Halifax, créant quelque 250 emplois pendant la phase des travaux. Ce nouveau manège militaire d'une superficie de 8 574 m2 abritera trois unités de la Réserve de l'Armée de terre à Halifax : le 36e Bataillon des services, le 36e Régiment des transmissions et la 33e Ambulance de campagne. Il leur fournira des locaux administratifs et de formation modernes, des aires d'entreposage et d'entretien de l'équipement, des aires de mess communes, une vaste salle d'exercices et un b'timent d'entreposage extérieur pour les véhicules militaires. Gr'ce à ce nouveau b'timent, ces unités disposeront de l'espace et des installations nécessaires à l'exécution d'exercices opérationnels et d'entraînement essentiels tout en ayant l'espace nécessaire en vue de leur croissance future. Citations « Dans le cadre de la politique Protection, Sécurité, Engagement, notre gouvernement investit afin de soutenir une Force de réserve solide, moderne et compétente. Ce nouveau manège militaire fournira aux membres des unités de la Réserve de l'Armée de terre d'Halifax l'infrastructure fonctionnelle et écologique dont ils ont besoin pour effectuer leur important travail au pays et à l'étranger, tout en soutenant leur croissance continue. » Harjit S. Sajjan, ministre de la Défense nationale « Des hommes et des femmes sont au cœur de la réussite opérationnelle de nos forces armées. En investissant dans une nouvelle installation pour ces trois unités de la Réserve, nous faisons notre part pour soutenir leur bien‑être, tout en veillant à ce qu'ils aient les moyens nécessaires pour appuyer les opérations et l'instruction qui leur sont essentielles. » Mme Bernadette Jordan, ministre du Développement économique rural « L'ouverture de ce nouveau manège militaire représente une étape importante pour la communauté locale d'Halifax. En plus de soutenir directement l'important travail de nos Forces armées canadiennes, cette nouvelle installation a été construite avec comme objectif d'optimiser l'efficacité environnementale, contribuant ainsi à réduire notre empreinte carbone afin de rendre le Canada plus propre et écologique. » M. Andy Fillmore, secrétaire parlementaire du ministre du Patrimoine canadien et du Multiculturalisme Faits en bref Cette nouvelle installation sera utilisée par trois unités de la Réserve de l'Armée de terre, soit le 36e Bataillon des services, le 36e Régiment des transmissions et la 33e Ambulance de campagne. Des contrats ont été attribués à deux entreprises à Bedford, en N.‑É., pour ce projet. Bird Design-Build Construction Inc. a obtenu le contrat pour la conception et la construction du nouveau manège militaire ainsi que pour la démolition de deux b'timents désuets. Dexter Construction Company Ltd. s'est vu accorder un contrat pour la démolition d'un troisième b'timent désuet. Le nouveau manège militaire, dont les travaux de construction se sont achevés en août 2018, a été conçu en respectant les critères de la certification LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) de niveau « Argent », et intègre des concepts de b'timents écologiques afin de minimiser son empreinte. L'infrastructure écologique permettra à la Défense de réduire les émissions de gaz à effet de serre provenant de ses b'timents et de ses véhicules non militaires de 40 p. 100 (par rapport aux niveaux établis en 2005) d'ici 2030, et appuie le nouvel objectif fédéral de réduction des émissions de 80 p. 100 d'ici 2050. https://www.canada.ca/fr/ministere-defense-nationale/nouvelles/2019/01/le-gouvernement-inaugure-un-nouveau-manege-militaire-pour-la-reserve-de-larmee-de-terre-dhalifax.html

In early April, nine qualified teams will attempt to remotely navigate the dark and dirty corridors of Edgar Experimental Mine in Idaho Springs, Colorado, in preparation for the Circuits Stage of the DARPA Subterranean (SubT) Challenge later this year. The SubT Integration Exercise, known as STIX, offers teams an opportunity to try out their technologies, including robotics, sensors, and communications solutions, in a representative environment. The locations for the Circuits Stage events have not been announced. The Subterranean Challenge seeks to revolutionize how first responders and warfighters operate in human-made tunnel systems, urban underground settings, and natural cave networks that are too dangerous, dark, deep, and unknown to risk human lives. Teams are competing to develop breakthrough technologies that rapidly and remotely map, navigate, and search subterranean environments. To qualify for STIX, teams were required to demonstrate baseline performance capabilities and appropriate safety measures. The participating teams and members are as follows: CERBERUS: CollaborativE walking & flying RoBots for autonomous ExploRation in Underground Settings University of Nevada, Reno ETH Zurich, Switzerland Sierra Nevada Corporation University of California, Berkeley Flyability, Switzerland CoSTAR: Collaborative SubTerranean Autonomous Resilient Robots Jet Propulsion Laboratory California Institute of Technology Massachusetts Institute of Technology KAIST, South Korea CRAS: Center for Robotics and Autonomous Systems Czech Technological University, Czech Republic Université Laval, Canada CRETISE: Collaborative Robot Exploration and Teaming In Subterranean Environments Endeavor Robotics Neya Systems CSIRO Data61 Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Australia Emesent, Australia Georgia Institute of Technology Explorer Carnegie Mellon University Oregon State University MARBLE: Multi-agent Autonomy with Radar-Based Localization for Exploration University of Colorado, Boulder University of Colorado, Denver Scientific Systems Company, Inc. PLUTO: Pennsylvania Laboratory for Underground Tunnel Operations University of Pennsylvania Exyn Technologies Ghost Robotics Robotika.cz Robotika.cz, Czech Republic Czech University of Life Science, Czech Republic The SubT Challenge comprises two competitions – the Systems Competition, where teams will develop novel hardware solutions to compete in physical underground environments, and the Virtual Competition, where teams will develop software-based solutions to test in simulated scenarios. Teams will compete in three preliminary Circuit events and a Final event pursuing high-risk and high-reward approaches. The Final event, planned for 2021, will put teams to the test with courses that incorporate diverse challenges from all three environments. Teams in the Systems track will compete for up to $2 million in the Systems Final event, with up to $200,000 in additional prizes available for self-funded teams in each of the Systems Circuit events. Teams in the Virtual track will compete for up to $1.5 million in the Virtual Final event, with additional prizes of up to $500,000 for self-funded teams in each of the Virtual Circuit events. Other teams interested in participating in the SubT Challenge may submit their qualification materials to be eligible for future events. The next qualification deadline is April 22, 2019, to establish eligibility for the Tunnel Circuit in August. Requirements can be found in the SubT Qualification Guide available on the Resources Page. Interested teams are also encouraged to join the SubT Community Forum, where they can engage with other participants and ask any questions. For additional information on the DARPA Subterranean Challenge, please visit www.subtchallenge.com. Please email questions to SubTChallenge@darpa.mil. https://www.darpa.mil/news-events/2019-01-22

Measuring Biological Aptitude (MBA) aims to identify, understand, and monitor in real time the biology that underlies success in specialized roles A new program out of DARPA's Biological Technologies Office could help the Department of Defense enhance and sustain military readiness both by revolutionizing how troops train, perform, and recover, and by mitigating shortages of highly qualified candidates for extremely specialized roles. The anticipated outputs of the Measuring Biological Aptitude (MBA) program are a set of biomarkers — measurable indicators of biological processes — that correspond to traits of highly effective performance in a given role, along with new tools to measure and report on those biomarkers in real time. This information will enable individual warfighters to understand and affect the underlying biological processes that govern their success. MBA technologies could improve training, team formation, mission performance, and post-mission recovery, yielding a better prepared, more effective, more resilient force. At its core, MBA seeks to shed light on the biological factors and processes that support peak performance in each of a set of military specializations. The research will work backwards from phenotypes — that is, how an individual's fixed genetic code expresses as externally observable cognitive, behavioral, or physical traits — and attempt to establish the biological mechanisms that translate underlying genetic makeup into phenotypic traits. At present, those mechanisms of translation — also known as expression circuits — are largely a mystery. MBA researchers will develop new assays and technologies to monitor and report on the biomarkers that reveal the activity of key expression circuits. “With existing technology scientists are able to read out genotype and measure and observe certain aspects of phenotype. Most of what happens in between is a black box,” said Eric Van Gieson, the MBA program manager. “DARPA believes that the information inside the box — these expression circuits — can be predictive of how an individual will respond to a given stimulus or scenario, and more importantly, we believe it will help inform the individual on how to improve their performance throughout their career.” Researchers supporting MBA will initially analyze samples and other data collected from high-performing troops across select military specializations to identify biological signatures of successful performance in each of those roles and determine how they can be measured. For instance, maintaining a lowered heart rate during combat is a valuable trait and easily measured with existing wearable technology. Adaptable problem solving, resilience, and cognitive flexibility are extremely valuable, but less easily measured. MBA analyses should reveal an array of such traits and the expression circuits responsible for them. If DARPA succeeds, the resulting MBA system could support military readiness in various ways. The first improvement relates to how the military initially evaluates recruits and subsequently develops candidates for specialized roles. Many of these roles currently suffer from shortages of qualified candidates, even as more pervasive use of complex technologies and an expanding set of mission profiles are increasing demand for uniquely skilled personnel. For at least the past 50 years, initial assessment of military service members has remained essentially unchanged, comprising a basic medical screening, a standardized physical readiness test, and a written test known as the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) for enlisted personnel. Scores on the ASVAB feed into the preliminary determination of an individual's qualification for certain military occupational specialties. As a service member's career advances, future placement into other roles does not follow a prescribed protocol and can be based in large part on subjective measures. Against this backdrop, MBA technology could increase the objectivity of the criteria used by military selection committees, remove biases, and raise the baseline of performance for incoming recruits. Additionally, by taking biology into account, the results from MBA measurements could reveal to individuals career options that might not be apparent based on commonly accepted, externally observable traits alone. The second improvement ties to training, both before and after an individual pursues a military career. MBA technology could allow a user to assess his or her personal potential for specialized roles and proactively nurture the traits that are characteristic of successful performers. “Genotypes are fixed, but phenotypes are not. Biology is fundamentally adaptable, and that is the key to enabling performance improvements,” Van Gieson said. “What we're planning to deliver with MBA is a set of continuously updated information that empowers individuals to track their progress throughout their careers and quickly identify what aspects of training and preparation are the most productive.” Third, during missions commanders could employ real-time reporting of changes in service members' biomarkers to inform how a military operation unfolds, adding a layer of biological awareness to provide a more complete assessment of the mission space. Commanders could shift resources or adjust strategies and tactics based on how squad members are performing. Following a mission, biomarker reporting could likewise guide recovery practices and indicate potential health issues. The overall MBA program will be informed by consultations with independent expert advisors in the ethical, legal, social, and regulatory aspects of the work, with particular emphases on privacy, data protection, and responsible utilization of data by individuals. MBA performer teams will be required to provide medical guidance as part of any human study through an embedded genetic counselor, sports therapist, or similar specialist. “Human beings are extremely complex, and although we expect to gain valuable new insights by measuring biology, we also understand that people are not locked into predetermined fates,” Van Gieson explained. “Any breakthroughs we achieve in the MBA program will necessarily be used to address shortages in critical roles by expanding opportunities, not limiting them. If we can provide people with information on their unique biology, and empower them to affect and measure gains in key traits, we'll have opened career pathways that they may not have previously considered.” DARPA will hold a Proposers Day on February 12, 2019, in Arlington, Virginia, to provide more information about MBA and answer questions from potential proposers. For details of the event, visit https://go.usa.gov/xEZeT. A forthcoming Broad Agency Announcement will include complete program objectives, schedules, and metrics. Team should have experience in human performance, phenotyping, multi-scale biology, physiology, biomarker detection and tracking, device development, and various other aspects that will be specified in the announcement. https://www.darpa.mil/news-events/2019-01-22a

Posté dans Industrie, Politique de défense par Laurent Lagneau Le 22-01-2019 Certes, si la trajectoire financière établie par la Loi de programmation militaire [LPM] 2019-25, promulguée le 13 juillet dernier, est respectée, le budget des Armées va augmenter significativement au cours des prochaines années, avec, au total, une enveloppe de 295 milliards d'euros. Il s'agit de pouvoir moderniser des capacités clés, ce qui signifie un carnet de commandes bien rempli pour les industriels de l'armement. Pour autant, et comme l'avait déjà dit le président Macron en juillet 2017, « l'intérêt des armées doit primer sur les intérêts industriels. » Plus tard, lors de ses voeux aux Armées en janvier 2018, il avait remis une couche en évoquant un « meilleur rapport coût-efficacité » s'agissant des matériels. « L'État est aux côtés de ses industriels, il l'est pour les besoins de ses armées comme à l'export, mais j'attends la même exigence, la même transparence et le même esprit de responsabilité de nos industriels de défense. [...] Nous investissons [...] pour avoir les meilleurs prestations possibles », avait-il affirmé. Depuis, la transformation de la Direction générale de l'armement [DGA] a été amorcée. Il s'agit, entre autres, de revoir la façon dont sont conduits les programmes d'armement, en abandonnant la logique dite en « silo » au bénéfice d'un travail en « plateau ». L'objectif est ainsi de simplifier le cycle d'acquisition d'un équipement, tout en favorisant l'accélération et la réactivité des processus et en maîtrisant les coûts et les délais. Article complet: http://www.opex360.com/2019/01/22/mme-parly-le-ministere-des-armees-nest-pas-un-client-vache-a-lait/

NAVY AAR Government Services Inc., Wood Dale, Illinois (N61340-19-D-1000); ACET JV LLC,* Waldorf, Maryland (N61340-19-D-1001); Adams Communication & Engineering Technology Inc., Waldorf, Maryland (N61340-19-D-1002); Aircraft Readiness Alliance,* Anchorage, Alaska (N61340-19-D-1003); The Boeing Co., Jacksonville, Florida N61340-19-D-1004); The Boeing Co., Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (N61340-19-D-1005); DynCorp International, Fort Worth, Texas (N61340-19-D-1006); INNOVAIR LLC,* Chesapeake, Virginia (N61340-19-D-1007); Kay and Associates Inc., Buffalo Grove, Illinois (N61340-19-D-1008); L-3 Communications Integrated Systems LP, Waco, Texas (N61340-19-D-1009); L-3 Communications Vertex Aerospace LLC, Madison, Mississippi (N61340-19-D-1010); Leidos Innovations, Gaithersburg, Maryland (N61340-19-D-1011); M1 Support Services, Denton, Texas (N61340-19-D-1012); M7 Aerospace LLC, San Antonio, Texas (N61340-19-D-1013); Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Herndon, Virginia (N61340-19-D-1014); PAE Aviation and Technical Services LLC, Arlington, Virginia (N61340-19-D-1015); Rockwell Collins, Cedar Rapids, Iowa (N61340-19-D-1016); Sunrise Beach Corp., doing business as M2 Services Corp., Allen, Texas (N61340-19-D-1017); URS Federal Services, Germantown, Maryland (N61340-19-D-1018); and Yulista Standard Aero (JV),* Huntsville, Alabama (N61340-19-D-1019), are each awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contracts. These contracts provide for logistics services for the Contracted Maintenance, Modification, Aircrew and Related Services (CMMARS) Program in support of aviation platforms of various Navy and Air Force type/model/series aircraft, inter-related systems, subsystems, and services. CMMARS will provide contractor logistics services for fixed-wing, rotary-wing, unmanned aircraft vehicles, and lighter than air vehicles, as well as integrally related systems and weapon systems. Logistical support to be provided includes logistics functions and maintenance tasks required to keep U.S. and Foreign Military Sales (FMS) customers aircraft ready, available, and operating worldwide. CMMARS may be used for platforms at all phases of the acquisition life cycle. The estimated aggregate ceiling for all contracts is $12,599,999,930, with the companies having an opportunity to compete for individual orders. Work will be performed at various afloat and ashore locations inside the continental U.S. (99 percent); and outside the continental U.S. (1 percent), and is expected to be completed in January 2024. No funds are being obligated at time of award; funds will be obligated on individual orders as they are issued. These contracts were competitively procured via an electronic request for proposals; 21 offers were received. The Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division, Orlando, Florida, is the contracting activity. Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is being awarded a $542,225,679 firm-fixed-price indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for ancillary mission equipment (AME) and associated AME initial spares in support of Lot 13 F-35 Lightning II aircraft for the Air Force, Marine Corps, Navy, non-U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) participants, and Foreign Military Sales (FMS) customers. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas, and is expected to be completed in May 2023. Fiscal 2018 and 2019 aircraft procurement (Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force,); non-U.S. DoD participant, and FMS funds in the amount of $437,333,989 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N0001919D0015). Rolls-Royce Corp., Indianapolis, Indiana, is awarded $35,672,562 for modification P00007 to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (N00019-17-C-0081). This modification exercises an option to produce and deliver 17 AE1107C engines in support of the V-22 aircraft, to include one engine for the Marine Corps, eight engines for the Navy, and eight engines for the government of Japan. Work will be performed in Indianapolis, Indiana, and is expected to be completed in May 2020. Fiscal 2018 and 2019 aircraft procurement (Navy);and Foreign Military Sales (FMS) funds in the amount of $35,672,562 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 ($18,885,474; 53 percent); and the government of Japan ($16,787,088; 47 percent) under the FMS program. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. Coastal Marine Services,* San Diego, California (N55236-19-D-0001); and Thermcor,* Norfolk, Virginia (N55236-19-D-0002), are each awarded firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, multiple award contracts with a five-year base ordering period to provide pipe lagging onboard Navy ships vessels within a 50-mile radius of San Diego, California. These contracts have an overall combined maximum ceiling value of $7,142,499. These two companies will have an opportunity to compete for individual delivery orders. Work will be performed in the vicinity of San Diego, California, and is expected be complete by January 2024. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance (Navy) funding in the amount of $7,000 ($3,500 for minimum guarantee per contract) will be obligated under each contract's initial delivery order and expire at the end of the current fiscal year. These contracts were competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities website, with three offers received. The Southwest Regional Maintenance Center, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity. ARMY BAE Systems Land & Armaments LP, York, Pennsylvania, was awarded a $474,084,062 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for system technical support, sustainment system technical support, depot maintenance support, field service representatives, systems engineering, program management, engineering management, quality management, configuration management, logistics support, and software management and maintenance for the M109 Family of Vehicles. One bid was solicited via the internet with one bid received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Jan. 21, 2025. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Warren, Michigan, is the contracting activity (W56HZV-19-D-0040). General Dynamics C4 System Inc., Taunton, Massachusetts, was awarded a $26,767,467 firm-fixed-price contract for replenishment spares for the Warfighter Information Network-Tactical. One bid was solicited via the internet with one received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Jan. 23, 2020. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W15P7T-19-F-0030). Elbit Fort Worth Inc., Fort Worth, Texas, was awarded a $24,360,089 firm-fixed-price contract for the Common Helmet Mounted Display. Bids were solicited via the internet with three received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Jan. 21, 2024. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity (W58RGZ-19-D-0035). Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Co., Oak Brook, Illinois, was awarded a $14,136,343 modification (P00015) to contract W912BU-15-C-0054 for dredging and rock removal. Work will be performed in Chester, Pennsylvania, with an estimated completion date of March 15, 2019. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance, Army funds in the amount of $14,136,343 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is the contracting activity. Facility Services Management Inc.,* Clarksville, Tennessee, was awarded a $13,241,456 firm-fixed-price contract to plan, manage, perform operations and maintenance for the Department of Public Works functions in facility maintenance, water, fuel, sewage plant operations, land resource utilization, family housing maintenance, and Real Property maintenance activity supply management. Bids were solicited via the internet with 11 received. Work will be performed in Fort Huachuca, Arizona, with an estimated completion date of Jan. 31, 2024. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance, Army funds in the amount of $1,270,261 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W9124A-19-C-0002). DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Ready One Industries Inc.,** El Paso, Texas, has been awarded a maximum $186,375,600 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for Joint Service Lightweight Integrated Suit Technology (JSLIST). This is a one-year base contract with an 18-month ordering period and no option periods. Location of performance is Texas, with a July 22, 2020, performance completion date. Using military services are Army, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2020 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE1C1-19-D-N057). Atlantic Diving Supply, doing business as ADS,* Virginia Beach, Virginia (SPE8EG-16-D-0023); Berger Cummins JV, Washington, District of Columbia (SPE8EG-16-D-0024); Caterpillar, Mossville, Illinois (SPE8EG-16-D-0025); Inglett and Stubbs International,* Atlanta, Georgia (SPE8EG-16-D-0026); and Texas Power and Associates,* Dallas, Texas (SPE8EG-16-D-0027), are sharing a maximum $90,000,000 modification (P00005) to a five-year contract for generators and associated supplies. These are firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, 160-day bridge contracts. Locations of performance are Virginia; Washington, District of Columbia; Illinois; Georgia;and Texas, with a July 1, 2019, performance completion date. Using customer is Federal Emergency Management Agency. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. AIR FORCE Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., San Diego, has been awarded a $149,616,524 modification to contract FA8726-18-C-0005 to exercise Option Year One for Battlefield Airborne Communications Node, payload operations and sustainment. This modification brings the total cumulative value of the contract to $336,869,185. Work will be performed in San Diego and multiple international sites, and is expected to be completed on Jan. 23, 2020. Fiscal 2019 overseas contingency operations funds; and operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $149,616,524 are being obligated at time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts, is the contracting activity. Quantum Spatial Inc., Petersburg, Florida (FA4452-19-D-A001); Geographic Information Services Inc., Birmingham, Alabama (FA4452-19-D-A002); Booz Allen Hamilton, McLean, Virginia (FA4452-19-D-A003); Woolpert Inc., Dayton, Ohio (FA4452-19-D-A004); and KFS LLC, Huntsville, Alabama (FA4452-19-D-A005), have been awarded multiyear indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contracts with a combined cumulative face value of $46,564,206. These contracts will provide geospatial tasks and support functions for improved shared situational awareness and decision making across the various echelons of military hierarchy including individual level, installation level, and management headquarters level. Support may include technical assistance at Headquarters Air Force, field operating agencies, numbered Air Forces, main operating bases and reach-back support to forward deployed military personnel at forward operating locations, as well as a surge capability to quickly respond to wartime, contingencies and manmade or natural disasters. Work is expected to be completed by Jan. 21, 2024, and will be performed at various bases throughout the Air Force. These contracts are the result of a competitive acquisition and seven offers were received. Funds will be obligated on individual task orders. The 763d Specialized Contracting Squadron, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, is the contracting activity for the multiyear indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contracts. However, individual task orders will be decentralized. Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Herndon, Virginia, has been awarded a $44,428,104 service firm-fixed-price, cost-reimbursable contract in support of the Battlefield Airborne Communications Node E-11A platform maintenance requirement. This contract provides for logistics product support for four E-11A modified Bombardier BD-700 Global aircraft, as well as subsystems and support equipment in support of overseas contingency operations. Work will be performed in Kandahar, Afghanistan; and Maryland, and is expected to be completed by Jan. 23, 2020. This award is a result of a competitive acquisition, and two offers were received. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance funds in amount of $44,428,104 are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts, is the contracting activity (FA8726-17-C-0011). *Small business **Mandatory source https://dod.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/1737551/source/GovDelivery/

By: Jarosław Adamowski WARSAW, Poland — Latvia's public procurement watchdog IUB has stopped the defense ministry from signing a contract worth about €181 million ($206 million) to buy four-wheel-drive armored vehicles from Finland's Sisu Auto after two bidders, AM General from the United States and SouthAfrica's Paramount Group, filed complaints on the tender. Auditors have given the the ministry three months to overhaul the procedure of evaluating all vendors' offers. The development follows another round of controversy surrounding the procurement, as state-run broadcaster LSM reported that an adviser to Defense Minister Raimonds Bergmanis had lobbied for Paramount Group. The aide denied the allegations, saying he was not a member of the tender committee and he had not lobbied for the company since the procedure was launched. Bergmanis said he trusted the source-selection committee and had “no doubt about the persons that implemented the tender”. The defence ministry ranked Sisu Auto's offer as first, followed by the bids submitted by AM General, Turkey's Otokar, and Paramount Group, respectively. Sisu Auto offered its GTP 4x4 vehicle, AM General said it would supply the High Mobility Multi-PurposeWheeled Vehicle (HMMWV), Otokar offered the Cobra, while Paramount Group had offered its Marauder. https://www.defensenews.com/land/2019/01/22/latvia-halts-206-million-armored-vehicle-contract-amid-controversy

Rahul Bedi, New Delhi - Jane's Defence Weekly India's Larsen & Toubro (L&T) officially launched the country's first private-sector Armoured Systems Complex (ASC) on 19 January, in which the Indian Army's (IA's) K-9 Vajra (Thunderbolt) – a variant of the Hanwha Techwin K-9 Thunder 155 mm/52-calibre tracked self-propelled howitzer (SPH) – is already being built. Spread over 40 acres and located in the western coastal town of Hazira, the ASC, which was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, will be used to construct and integrate armoured platforms such as SPHs, future infantry combat vehicles and main battle tanks under the government's ‘Make in India' initiative. The company pointed out in a statement that it has already built 10 of the 100 K-9 SPHs ordered by the IA in mid-2017 for INR45 billion (USD630 million), which were handed over to the IA in November 2018: several months ahead of schedule. Delivery of the remaining SPHs is expected to be completed within the next 22 months. According to Ministry of Defence spokesperson Colonel Aman Anand, the first K-9 Vajra regiment is set to become operational by July. L&T pointed out in its statement that the K-9 Vajra, which was jointly developed by L&T and South Korea's Hanwha Techwin, is being produced with 50% indigenous content, which involves the local production of more than 13,000 components per gun by about 500 different manufacturers. https://www.janes.com/article/85878/india-launches-first-private-sector-howitzer-facility