Nouvelles

The Air Force leaders who sought to retire the A-10 in 2014 did not want to cut the aircraft, but they had no other choice due to the Budget Control Act of 2011. While that era has passed, the same dynamics are still at play— a service that is under-resourced, overtasked, compelled to retire aircraft to free up resources to modernize the remaining inventory of mostly geriatric aircraft. By DAVID DEPTULA In American politics people like to talk about third-rail issues, those that kill you when you touch them. For the Air Force, retiring the much-loved and much-misunderstood A-10 Warthog has been a third-rail issue. Army folks, generally not known for their knowledge of aircraft capabilities, LOVE the A-10, largely because it is something Army troops can see results from and it's really loud and looks aggressive, a combination ground pounders appreciate. Key members of Congress have loved the A-10 because it's based in their districts (the late Sen. John McCain) or because their spouse flew the airplane (former Sen. Kelly Ayotte.) OK, and a few really do believe the A-10 should be kept because it is the best close-air-support aircraft. In the 2021 budget, the Air Force is taking a new approach, trying to blend extending the life of most of the A-10 fleet while retiring some. The head of the Mitchell Institute, Dave Deptula, presents a detailed argument in favor of the new approach. Will the Air Force touch the rail or? Read on? The Editor. Some were surprised to see the Air Force again trying in the latest budget request to retire 44 A-10s from, bringing the total force of 281 Warthogs down to 237. Any discussion regarding the status of the A-10—or any other capability in the Air Force's inventory—needs to start with the fact that the Air Force is seriously underfunded. Between 1989 and 2001, the Air Force absorbed the largest cuts of all the services as a percentage of the overall defense budget. Between 2008 and 2011, the Air Force received its lowest share of the defense budget going all the way back to the Eisenhower Administration. On top of those slim budgets, the service does not even receive all that is allocated to it in its total budget. Roughly 20 percent is removed from its control as a budget pass-through to the Intelligence Community. In 2020, that equaled $39 billion—enough to buy 400 F-35As. The chronic deficiencies in Air Force funding were the motivating force behind service leaders releasing “The Air Force We Need,” a plan that calls for growing the number of operational squadrons from 312 today to the 386 required to execute the national defense strategy. While that assessment has yet to be met with funding from the administration or Congress it provides a realistic way to view risk; the difference between what the Air Force needs and what it currently possesses. Because of this disparity, the Air Force is continuously forced to trade existing force structure to pay for modern weapons. It does not matter that the Air Force fields the oldest and smallest aircraft force in its history, or that nearly every mission area is coded “high demand, low density.” The Air Force leaders who sought to retire the A-10 in 2014 did not actually want to cut the aircraft, but they had no other choice due to the Budget Control Act of 2011. While that era has passed, the same dynamics are still at play— a service that is under-resourced, overtasked, compelled to retire aircraft to free up resources to modernize the remaining inventory of mostly geriatric aircraft. With that background, it is important to understand the Air Force's plan to cover the panoply of mission requirements that it faces. Defense leaders today are anticipating a broad array of future threats ranging from non-state actors like the Islamic State and Boko Haram on the low end, North Korea and Iran in the middle, and China and Russia as peer adversaries on the top of the spectrum. The overlapping concurrency of these challenges makes for a difficult balancing act given the chronic underfunding of the Air Force and the fact that dealing with each threat demands a different set of tools. This is precisely why the Air Force wants to retain the bulk of the A-10 inventory. They are planning on doing it in a smart way to achieve two primary goals. First, to assure sufficient capacity to ensure that when combatant commanders need the aircraft the Air Force has enough aircraft so that one squadron can be continuously deployed for combat operations. Second, to assure sufficient capability, leaders are investing in re-winging all the remaining A-10 airframes, funding avionics improvements, and other critical upgrades. Taking these steps will ensure the A-10 can continue to fly and fight into the 2030s. The reason for this is simple: when it comes to effectively and efficiently dealing with certain missions in the low- to medium-threat environment, few aircraft can net better results than the A-10. These aircraft are incredibly precise, efficient to operate, can haul a tremendous load of munitions, and their ability to integrate with other aircraft as well as ground forces is legendary. However, when defense leaders consider operations at the higher end of the threat spectrum, the reality is that A-10 cannot survive. In such environments, commanders select appropriate capabilities rather than risking airmen or mission success. Close air support is a mission—not an aircraft—and it can be executed by many aircraft other than the A-10, particularly in higher threat scenarios. This is why A-10s were not employed over Syria. It would have put them at risk against sophisticated Russian air defenses and combat aircraft. Commanders prudently decided to harness F-22s, F-15Es, F/A-18s, F-16s, and others to secure desired objectives because these aircraft could better defend themselves against those threats. Such sophisticated defenses require continued investment in aircraft like the F-35 and B-21. These are the sorts of aircraft—empowered with fifth generation attributes like stealth, advanced sensors, and computing power—that will be far better equipped to handle mission demands against potential adversaries equipped with the most advanced weapons coming out of China or Russia. Preparing for the future demands adjusting the Air Force's existing aircraft inventory in response to budget realities. Dialing up investment in fifth-generation aircraft is an essential requirement, especially given that too few B-2s and F-22s were procured in the past. The types of combat scenarios that defined the post-9/11 world occurred in permissive airspace at the low end of the threat spectrum. America's interests demand a much more far reaching set of options able to operate and survive in high threat environments. That is why investments in A-10 modernization and newer designs like the F-35, B-21, and next generation air dominance aircraft are so important. However, capacity still matters. The Air Force needs to be properly resourced so it does not have to gut the very numbers that will prove essential in future engagements. No matter the theater in which a fight may erupt, the type of combat action, or the scale of the operation, the need for numbers of airframes is a constant—the same cannot be said for surface forces. It is well past time for leaders in the Department of Defense, the White House and on Capitol Hill to start properly scaling Air Force resources to align for the actual mission demand required by our National Defense Strategy. David Deptula, a member of the Breaking Defense Board of Contributors, is a retired Air Force lieutenant general with over 3,000 flying hours. He planned the Desert Storm air campaign, orchestrated air operations over Iraq and Afghanistan and is now dean of the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies. https://breakingdefense.com/2020/05/a-smart-approach-to-retaining-most-of-the-a-10s

Lee Hudson The Pentagon intends to request additional stimulus funding from Congress to support the defense industrial base in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, Defense Secretary Mark Esper says. The funding would go to small suppliers that have been hit hard by the spread of the novel coronavirus, Esper said May 4 during a Brookings Institution event. In recent weeks, Congress has passed about $3 trillion in emergency funding bills related to COVID-19. The Senate is in session this week, but the House has postponed votes. It is unknown when the next stimulus package will wrap up. “We anticipate the likely need for additional monies ... because we see again greater demand with regard to medical supplies and equipment,” Esper said. But House Armed Services Committee Chairman Adam Smith (D-Wash.) said the Pentagon should not receive stimulus funding from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act because the public health sector needs it more. Last week, Pentagon acquisition executive Ellen Lord said the Pentagon may have wiggle room to use some of its own operations and maintenance funding to pay for COVID-19-related efforts. Lord cautioned that the Pentagon may not have the fiscal flexibility to pay for new demands on the agency to battle COVID-19. “I will say that we continue to look at gaps in funding we have for specific issues. We continue to work with [the Office of Management and Budget] on that, and we will continue to talk to Congress about what we assess as our needs to really carry out our missions,” Lord said. The Defense Department (DOD) wants to continue supporting the defense industry by issuing progress payments to help with cash flow, Esper said. “DOD is not an island. We really rely heavily on the private sector, and so many of our private sector workforce has been affected by COVID-19,” Esper said. Some defense contractor personnel are infected with the virus, while others are working in states with shutdown orders and management does not want them coming into work because of tight quarters, he said. Separately, Esper is concerned the nation's additional debt incurred due to COVID-19 may result in smaller defense budgets during a critical time when China and Russia are strategic competitors of the U.S. The U.S. must recapitalize the nuclear triad and invest in hypersonic weapons, artificial intelligence, space capabilities and directed energy, Esper said. https://aviationweek.com/defense-space/budget-policy-operations/dod-seeking-more-covid-19-stimulus-funding-esper-says

By: Aaron Mehta WASHINGTON — Northrop Grumman and Raytheon Technologies are teaming up to fight for the right to build America's next missile interceptor, the companies announced Monday. The two companies hope to be one of two teams to be downselected by the Missile Defense Agency later this year, as the Pentagon seeks a replacement for the Redesigned Kill Vehicle program, which was cancelled last August after department officials decided the program was too technically challenged to continue. On April 24, the Pentagon formally issued a request for proposals for the new competition, known as the Next Generation Interceptor. The MDA requested $664.1 million in fiscal year 2021 for the NGI program, as part of a $4.9 billion five-year budget plan. “We have the right team, technology and expertise in place to meet our customer's needs for enhanced capabilities, from the identification of a ballistic missile launched by an adversary, all the way to its elimination,” Blake Larson, corporate vice president and president Northrop Grumman Space Systems, said in a statement. “The joining of true experts — with mastery from threat detection to interception — creates a team capable of developing a revolutionary solution that is designed to defeat emerging threats,” added Wes Kremer, president of Raytheon Missiles & Defense. The two companies have a depth of knowledge of the current missile defense architecture, with the press release claiming one or the other company currently provides “the interceptor booster, kill vehicle, ground systems, fire control and engagement coordination” systems for the Ground-Based Midcourse Defense system. In addition, while the RKV program was led by Boeing, Raytheon was the company actually building the kill vehicle as a sub-contractor. Raytheon Technologies, formed via a merger of Raytheon and United Technologies, began trading on the stock market at the start of April. https://www.defensenews.com/space/2020/05/04/northrop-raytheon-team-on-next-gen-interceptor-bid

Waking up to the use of drones in its fight against the Covid-19 pandemic, the ministry of civil aviation and Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) have launched the GARUD portal. The platform will provide fast track exemptions to government agencies for using drones in their operations against the pandemic. GARUD or ‘Government Authorisation for Relief Using Drones' was developed by the National Informatics Centre in eight days. Providing exemptions to government agencies by changing Rule 160 of the Aircraft Rules, 1937, for easy and fast approvals for drone usage, any government department can apply for these exemptions on the GARUD platform. However, the government has also put restrictions on these exemptions. For instance, the government will provide permission to only battery-operated drones or remotely piloted aircraft (RPAs). Permission won't be granted to autonomous and fixed-wing RPAs. The order also makes the organisation responsible for ensuring safe operations of RPAs. Operations involving RPAs are to be conducted under the supervision of authorised entity while not risking lives, property, or any other aircraft. Moreover, the government has allowed all the government agencies to use either their own drones or use ones offered by third-party providers which are mostly startups. According to the rules, all the drones should have a valid unique identification number (UIN) or drone acknowledgement number (DAN) issued by the DGCA. The agency using the RPAs will have to update the details of the drone on DGCA's Digital Sky platform. Moreover, the drones shouldn't be weighing more than 25 KG and cannot pick up, drop or spray any substance. This provision leaves authorities to use these drones for surveillance. Other restrictions include no flight before sunrise and after sunset. The government also imposed a height limit of up to 200 metres for the drones. Besides surveillance, many drone startups in India are also looking to support the delivery of essentials. They are also being used to back on-ground medical staff. Pune and Silicon Valley-based FlytBase is offering drone services free to government officials until May 2020. Moreover, Hyderabad-based Marut Drones is delivering medicines and collecting blood samples. It has also been deployed to spray sanitizer in the city. Recently, the DGCA also allowed hyperlocal delivery provider Dunzo and Bengaluru-based drone maker Throttle Aerospace Systems to test their long-range drone delivery solutions. These startups are also expected to deliver grocery via drones in the near future. https://inc42.com/buzz/drones-cleared-for-take-off-as-govt-launches-garud-portal-to-simplify-norms/

SMi Reports: Royal Air Force's Wing Commander Judith Graham to brief on RPAS Capabilities at UAV Technology, this September. 05/04/20, 05:43 AM | Unmanned & Other Topics In recent news, the UK Royal Air Force is set to integrate the new Protector UAS, replacing the current Reaper models in service. As armed forces continue to invest in UAV developments, where remote combat UAS and ISR capabilities have solidified their importance to modern military operations, the RAF plans to acquire 16 Protectors by 2024.*With that said, SMi Group's 5th annual UAV Technology conference, reconvening on 28th and 29th September 2020 in London, UK and will further investigate RPAS capabilities. The 2020 event promises to provide a comprehensive overview of the latest wingmen programmes, long range ISR capabilities, regulation, counter-UAS technology and more. For Interested parties, there is an early bird saving of £300 for bookings made by 29th May. Register at http://www.uav-technology.org/robtomPR2 The Royal Air Force's Remotely Piloted Air Systems Programme Manager, Wing Commander Judith Graham will be providing an exclusive keynote presentation on ‘Transforming the Royal Air Force's RPAS Capabilities' covering: • Progress in delivering the Protector Remotely Piloted Air System to the Royal Air Force and testing the limits of the platform. • Advancing towards Airspace Integration and Certification. • Operational advantage of the Protector and how this will be leveraged in future operational planning, including Brimstone missiles, and upgraded sensor packages. • Looking further ahead: what part will the Protector play in future conflict both against near-peer and irregular adversaries. Delegates attending Europe's leading conference dedicated to UAV development will learn from high profile UK and international military speakers as they meet and share their insight and experiences with UAV technologies. For the full speakers and the programme, visit: http://www.uav-technology.org/robtomPR2 UAV Technology 28th - 29th September 2020 London, UK Sponsored by: AeroVironment, Fizoptika, Leonardo and Mynaric For sponsorship and exhibition queries please contact Justin Predescu jpredescu@smi-online.co.uk or call +44 (0) 20 7827 6130 For delegate queries please contact James Hitchen jhitchen@smi-online.co.uk or call +44(0)207 827 6054 For media queries please contact Carina Gozo at CGozo@smi-online.co.uk. *‘ RAF unveils deadly new Protector drone armed with ‘game-changing technology' (Express: August, 2019) https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/1169075/raf-news-drone-protector-drone-high-tech-armed-surveillance-aircraft --END— About SMi Group: Established since 1993, the SMi Group is a global event-production company that specializes in Business-to-Business Conferences, Workshops, Masterclasses and online Communities. We create and deliver events in the Defence, Security, Energy, Utilities, Finance and Pharmaceutical industries. We pride ourselves on having access to the world's most forward thinking opinion leaders and visionaries, allowing us to bring our communities together to Learn, Engage, Share and Network. More information can be found at http://www.smi-online.co.uk https://www.roboticstomorrow.com/news/2020/05/04/top-royal-air-force-representative-to-present-at-uav-technology-2020/15214/

MARKHAM, Ontario--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Leading defence and military magazine, CANADIAN DEFENCE REVIEW, has just released its annual survey and ranking of Canada's Top Defence Companies. For 2020, CDR has named Lockheed Martin Canada, its Top Defence Company and it's their third time at the #1 spot over the 16 years the survey has been published. Parent company, Lockheed Martin, is the world's largest defence contractor but the Canadian operation constitutes a tiny sliver of the corporation, however, of particular interest to CDR, is the fact that its cutting edge naval technology is all home-grown! In commenting on the selection, Lorraine Ben, Lockheed Martin Canada Chief Executive, said, “... our success is founded upon long-standing partnerships with Canada, the Canadian Forces, and the country's defence supply sector.” She added, “This recognition by CDR is a true testament to our team and the extraordinary talent and dedication our employees have. And not only for our Lockheed Martin Canada team, but for our vast network of Canadian suppliers and partners – we have a rich history supporting collective success across Canadian industry and we are looking forward to growing this positive impact.” CDR Editor-in-Chief, Peter Kitchen, commented, “Lockheed Martin Canada has proven time and time again that it is a great corporate citizen and we were particularly impressed how the company not only develops its key naval technology in-country, but it also draws on the vast resources of the mother company in a very effective way.” There have been ten new companies added to the CDR survey this year, showing Canada's defence industry is vibrant and growing. An evaluation panel consisting of CDR editorial staff and independent advisors ranked the companies based on factors such as economic impact, innovation, contribution to the nation's security, corporate integrity and support for Canada's military. With the publication of its annual Top 75 Defence Companies Survey & Ranking, CDR's goal is to showcase Canada's defence industry and all that it has to offer. And that's why, in the current challenging environment, CDR is proud to be part of an industry that is fighting valiantly against the Covid-19 pandemic threatening the nation. Contacts Peter A. Kitchen, Editor-in-Chief Telephone: (905) 554-4586 Email: Comments@CanadianDefenceReview.com www.CanadianDefenceReview.com https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200504005040/en/CDR-Names-Lockheed-Martin-Canada-Top-Defence

Défense Filière aéronautique et défense : reprise d'activité et perspectives de relance Dans la filière aéronautique et défense, «la reprise de l'activité est assez rapide après un arrêt quasi complet», avait observé il y a une dizaine de jours Eric Trappier, président du GIFAS et PDG de Dassault Aviation, au moment de son audition à l'Assemblée nationale. Un constat partagé par le président du CIDEF (GIFAS, GICAT, GICAN), Stéphane Mayer : «au début de la crise, nous avions jusqu'à 60% des entreprises qui étaient à l'arrêt ou très perturbées. Aujourd'hui, nous observons une généralisation progressive des reprises mais avec un niveau très variable entre 30 et 60%, au maximum 70%, des effectifs au travail», dont 20 à 30% sur site. L'étape du 11 mai marquera la poursuite de l'amélioration voire «une accélération de ces ratios», a souligné M. Mayer. La Tribune rappelle que le GIFAS s'est mis en ordre de combat depuis le début de la crise : Eric Trappier a décidé de réunir autour de lui sur une base hebdomadaire les principaux dirigeants de la filière : Guillaume Faury (Airbus), Philippe Petitcolin (Safran), Patrice Caine (Thales), ainsi que le président du Groupe des Équipements Aéronautiques et de Défense Patrick Daher (Daher), le président du Comité Aéro-PME, Christophe Cador, PDG de Satys, et le Délégué général du GIFAS, Pierre Bourlot. Un plan de relance est en préparation dans la défense. Dans l'aéronautique civile, Eric Trappier rappelle que renouveler les avions «permettrait de redynamiser le secteur aéronautique et de rendre les compagnies aéronautiques encore plus vertueuses en ayant des avions plus verts». M. Trappier a rappelé que les États-Unis ont déterminé «deux priorités stratégiques de relance : l'aéronautique et l'industrie de défense», soit un plan de 50 milliards de dollars. «Est-ce que l'Europe va en mettre un en place ? Nous y travaillons, le commissaire Breton y réfléchit sérieusement», a-t-il expliqué. La Tribune du 5 mai

U.S. SPECIAL OPERATIONS COMMAND Core One Solutions LLC, Sterling, Virginia (H92400-20-D-0002); Crisis Response Co. LLC, Keller, Texas (H92400-20-D-0003); Consulting Services Group LLC, Herndon, Virginia (H92400-20-D-0004); D3 Air & Space Operations Inc., St. Augustine, Florida (H92400-20-D-0005); Defense Acquisition Inc., Huntsville, Alabama (H92400-20-D-0006); EnGenius, Huntsville, Alabama (H92400-20-D-0007); Firebird AST, Arlington, Virginia (H92400-20-D-0008); Federal Information Systems Inc., San Antonio, Texas (H92400-20-D-0009); FITT Scientific LCC, Colonial Heights, Virginia (H92400-20-D-0010); Gemini Industries Inc., Burlington, Massachusetts (H92400-20-D-0011); Global Dimensions LLC, Fredericksburg, Virginia (H92400-20-D-0012); Geo Owl LLC, Wilmington, North Carolina (H92400-20-D-0013); Iron EagleX, Tampa, Florida (H92400-20-D-0014); INTEROP-ISHPI JV LLC, Virginia Beach, Virginia (H92400-20-D-0015); ITELITRAC Inc., Ashburn, Virginia (H92400-20-D-0016); Infinity Technology LLC, McLean, Virginia (H9240-020-D-0017); K2 Solutions Inc., Southern Pines, North Carolina (H92400-20-D-0018); Legion Systems LLC, Tampa, Florida (H92400-20-D-0019); Lukos LCC, Tampa, Florida (H92400-20-D-0020); METIS Celestar JV LLC, Tampa, Florida (H92400-20-D-0021); MHM Innovations Inc., Fairfax, Virginia (H92400-20-D-0022); Nisga'a Tek LLC, Chantilly, Virginia (H92400-20-D-0023); OSCAR DEUCE LLC, Virginia Beach, Virginia (H92400-20-D-0024); Prescient Edge Corp., McLean, Virginia (H92400-20-D-0025); ProCleared LLC, Chantilly, Virginia (H92400-20-D-0026); Preting LLC, Springfield, Virginia (H92400-20-D-0027); Quiet Professionals, Tampa, Florida (H92400-20-D-0028); R3 Strategic Support Group Inc., Coronado, California (H92400-20-D-0029); The Red Gate Group Ltd., Chantilly, Virginia (H92400-20-D-0030); R&K Enterprise Solutions Inc., Newport News, Virginia (H92400-20-D-0031); RMGS Inc., Virginia Beach, Virginia (H92400-20-D-0032); Special Applications Group, Tampa, Florida (H92400-20-D-0033); SOLUTE Inc., San Diego, California (H92400-20-D-0034); Systems Plus Inc., Rockville, Maryland (H92400-20-D-0035); Spathe Systems LLC, Tampa, Florida (H92400-20-D-0036); Strategic Solutions Unlimited Inc., Fayetteville, North Carolina (H92400-20-D-0037); Streamline Defense LLC, Tampa, Florida (H92400-20-D-0038); T3i Inc., Imperial Beach, California (H92400-20-D-0039); TriDcor JV LLC, Wesley Chapel, Florida (H92400-20-D-0040); Tyoneck Global Services LLC, Anchorage, Alaska (H92400-20-D-0041); Threat Tec LLC, Hampton, Virginia (H92400-20-D-0042); Universal Strategy Group Inc., Franklin, Tennessee (H92400-20-D-0043); Vistra Communications LLC, Lutz, Florida (H92400-20-D-0044); VxL Enterprise LLC, Alexandria, Virginia (H92400-20-D-0045); Walsingham Group Inc., Fayetteville, North Carolina (H92400-20-D-0046); and Webworld Technologies Inc., Fairfax, Virginia (H92400-20-D-0047), were awarded 46 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contracts worth $950,000,000 maximum for Special Operations Forces core support services in support of U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) enterprise requirements in the U.S. and globally. Contracted subject matter expertise and knowledge-based services will support education, training, engineering, technical, professional, administrative, management support, program management and other requirements. Funding shall be provided on a delivery order basis. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds will be used to satisfy a $2,500 contract minimum guarantee. The contracts were awarded competitively using Federal Acquisition Regulation Part 15 procedures. USSOCOM, Tampa, Florida, is the contracting activity. AIR FORCE COLASKA Inc., North Pole, Alaska (FA5004-20-D-0001); HC Contractors Inc., North Pole, Alaska (FA5004-20-D-0002); Paving Products Inc., Fairbanks, Alaska (FA5004-20-D-0003); Great Northwest Inc., Fairbanks, Alaska (FA5004-20-D-0004); and Granite Construction Co., Watsonville, California (FA5004-20-D-0005), have been awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contracts with a maximum estimated aggregate value of $350,000,000 under a multiple award task order contract for airfield/roadway paving and striping. These contracts provide for all plant, labor, supervision, equipment and materials necessary to repair, maintain and construct roads, parking lots, airfields and associated incidental work. Work will be performed on Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska; Fort Wainwright, Alaska; Fort Greely, Alaska; Clear Air Force Station, Alaska; and 168th Air National Guard property, Alaska, and work is expected to be completed April 30, 2027, if all six options are exercised. These awards are the result of a competitive acquisition and five offers were received. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $500 are being obligated to each contractor at the time of award. The 354th Contracting Squadron Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, is the contracting activity. Point Junction Car Rental, Doha, Qatar, has been awarded a $95,000,000 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for lease vehicle services at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar. This is a non-personal services contract to provide vehicle lease service for the Expeditionary Logistic Readiness Support Squadron. Work will be completed Nov. 30, 2024, and is the result of a competitive acquisition with 21 offers received. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $30,713 will be obligated at the time of award. The 379th Expeditionary Contracting Squadron, Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, is the contracting activity (F5702-20-D-0201). The Applied Research Laboratory at University of Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii, has been awarded a $75,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to establish or maintain an essential engineering, research, or development capability to be provided by an educational or other nonprofit institution or a federally funded research and development center under the authority 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(3)(B). The purpose of the Vanguard Center's Unified University Affiliated Research Center (UARC) for Maui High Performance Computing Center (MHPCC) Support (VaCUUMS) is to leverage the UARC's core competencies to accomplish research, development, test, and evaluation (RDT&E). The Air Force Research Laboratory UARC is necessary to maintain essential engineering, research and development capabilities at the MHPCC Vanguard Center by conducting scientific and technology investigations and by providing scientific expertise, capabilities and interdisciplinary facilities required for progression from basic theories of knowledge to practical and realistic fielded application in the areas of: sensor development; image processing; command and control integration; advanced data visualization and analytics; machine learning; and autonomy. Work will be performed in Maui, Hawaii, and is expected to be completed May 2024. This award is the result of the sole-source acquisition, and fiscal 2020 RDT&E funds in the amount of $358,422 are being obligated under Task Order 0001 (FA9451-20-F-0004) at time of award. The Air Force Research Laboratory, Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico, is the contracting activity (FA9451-20-D-0004). Akima Support Operations LLC, Colorado Springs, Colorado, has been awarded a $14,499,202 firm-fixed-price, cost-reimbursement contract to exercise Option Period Four for civil engineer services. The contractor will provide non‐personal services for continued operational support and civil engineer services to include engineering, environmental, operations, maintenance and emergency management. Work will be performed at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, for the period of May 1, 2020, to April 30, 2021. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $14,499,202 is being obligated at the time of award. The 6th Contracting Squadron, MacDill AFB, Florida, is the contracting activity (FA4814‐17‐C‐0002). NAVY Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Rolling Meadows, Illinois, is awarded a $123,526,724 modification (P00001) to previously awarded, fixed-price, incentive-firm-target contract N00019-19-C-0011. This modification procures the necessary hardware, systems engineering, technical support, analysis and studies to integrate the Department of Navy Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasures system onto aircraft for the Navy, Army, Air Force and the governments of Norway and New Zealand. Work will be performed in Rolling Meadows, Illinois (34%); Goleta, California (30%); Longmont, Colorado (11%); Blacksburg, Virginia (6%); Lewisburg, Tennessee (3%); Boulder, Colorado (3%); Carlsbad, California (2%); Apopka, Florida (1%); and various locations within the continental U.S. (10%). Weapon replaceable assemblies hardware procurements are as follows: 418 Advanced Threat Warning (ATW) sensors, 272 High Capacity Cards (HCCs), 160 Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA) cards, 64 Guardian Laser Transmitter Assemblies (GLTAs), 64 GLTA shipping containers, 53 -2103 signal, 48 Control Indicator Unit Replaceable (CIURs), 14 Smart Connector Assemblies (SCAs) and six Multi-Role Electro-Optical End-to-End Test Sets (MEONs) for the Navy; 156 HCCs, 138 ATW sensors, 23 CIURs and 23 -2103 signal for the Army; 64 PCMCIA cards and 45 ATW sensors for the Air Force; six GLTAs, six GLTA shipping containers, six SCAs and four HCCs for the government of Norway; and 30 Infrared Missile Warning Sensors, five GLTAs, five GLTA shipping containers, five SCAs, three HCCs, two CIURs and two MEONs for the government of New Zealand. Work is expected to be complete by July 2022. Fiscal 2020 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $76,228,341; fiscal 2020 procurement (Air Force) funds in the amount of $2,926,699; fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation funds (Navy) in the amount of $2,802,286; fiscal 2019 procurement (defense-wide) funds in the amount of $3,418,527; fiscal 2019 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $410,223; fiscal 2018 aircraft procurement (Army) funds in the amount of $25,262,278; fiscal 2018 aircraft procurement funds (Navy) in the amount of $3,184,415; and Foreign Military Sales funds in the amount of $9,293,955 will be obligated will be obligated at time of award, $3,184,415 of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This modification combines purchases for the Navy ($82,625,265; 67%); Army ($25,262,278; 20%); Air Force (6,345,226; 5%); the government of New Zealand ($6,338,009; 5%); and the government of Norway ($2,955,946; 2%). The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. Alion Science and Technology Corp., Burr Ridge, Illinois, is awarded a $49,999,999 firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. This contract provides non-recurring engineering and logistics support for the Live, Virtual, and Constructive (LVC) family of training systems. Work will be performed in Mayport, Florida (20%); Jacksonville, Florida (20%); North Island, California (20%); Kaneohe, Hawaii (20%); and various locations outside the continental U.S. (20%). The LVC Integrated Training System is a networked, personal computer (PC) based deployable trainer designed to support integrated and coordinated tactical training and simulation. Additionally, this contract procures the current training system configuration comprised of PCs with each PC system representing a mission training station in a particular aircraft (i.e. SH-60B, SH-60F, P-3C), shipboard system or combat systems which, when in a networked environment, allow for integrated mission training. Work is expected to be complete by April 2025. No funds will be obligated at the time of award. Funds will be obligated on individual orders as they are issued. This contract was competitively procured via Federal Business Opportunities; one offer was received. The Naval Air Warfare Center, Training Systems Division, Orlando, Florida, is the contracting activity (N61340-20-D-0015). Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Charlottesville, Virginia, is awarded a $27,430,321 firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee and cost-only modification to previously awarded contract N00024-19-C-4101 to exercise options to procure integrated bridge and navigation systems for the DDG-51 (guided missile destroyer) New Construction Ship Program and DDG-51 Midlife Modernization Program with physical throttles kits and engineering services. Work will be performed in Charlottesville, Virginia. The integrated bridge and navigation system is a hull, mechanical and electrical upgrade. It is part of the comprehensive plan to modernize the DDG-51 class to ensure the ships remain combat relevant and affordable throughout their life. Work is expected to be complete by August 2021. Fiscal 2020 other procurement (Navy); and 2019 and 2020 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funding in the amount of $18,759,918 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity. Lockheed Martin Corp., Rotary and Mission Systems, Moorestown, New Jersey, was awarded a $19,467,608 cost-plus-incentive fee, cost-plus-fixed-fee, undefinitized contract modification (N00024-20-C-5105) for the procurement of the Korean Gun Computing System development, software, and hardware and subassemblies for installation. This modification will finalize the Korean Gun Computing System interface design specifications for the integration with the Aegis combat system. This contract involves Foreign Military Sales (FMS) to the government of South Korea. Work will be performed in Seoul, South Korea (51%); Moorestown, New Jersey (46%); and Clearwater, Florida (3%), and is expected to be complete by July 2026. FMS funding in the amount of $1,975,021 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract modification was not competitively procured in accordance with the authority from 10 U.S. Code 2304 (c)(4). The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity. (Awarded April 29, 2020) Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems, Tewksbury, Massachusetts, is awarded a $17,220,849 cost-plus-fixed-fee, firm-fixed-price order under basic ordering agreement N00024-18-G-5501 for dual band radar systems engineering in support of CVN 78. Work will be performed in Portsmouth, Rhode Island (30%); Andover, Massachusetts (30%); Tewksbury, Massachusetts (20%); and Marlborough, Massachusetts (20%), and is expected to be complete by February 2022. Fiscal 2019 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funding in the amount of $17,220,849 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This order was not competitively procured, in accordance with 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1) with only one responsible source, and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity (N00024-20-F-5506). Ocean Ships Inc., Houston, Texas, is awarded a $15,114,743 modification for the fixed-price portion of previously awarded contract N32205-19-C-3003 to fund the operation and maintenance of two expeditionary transfer dock (ESD) vessels: U.S. Naval Ship (USNS) Montford Point (T-ESD 1) and USNS John Glenn (T-ESD 2). Work will be performed at sea worldwide, and the vessels will continue to support Military Sealift Command's world-wide prepositioning requirements. Work is expected to be complete by November 2024, if all options are exercised. This modification exercises the first of four one-year option periods of this contract. Working capital funds (Navy) in the amount of $15,114,743 are obligated for fiscal 2020 and fiscal 2021, and will not expire at the end of each year. The Military Sealift Command, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity. DRS Laurel Technologies, Johnstown, Pennsylvania, is awarded an $11,786,168 firm-fixed-price modification to previously awarded contract N00024-17-C-4109 to exercise options for procurement of AN/USQ-82(V) hardware in support of DDG-51 (guided missile destroyer) class new construction, DDG- 51 class modernization, and Aegis Ashore Japan. Work will be performed in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. The AN/USQ-82(V) Program is a control system network. Its purpose is to transfer mission critical data to and from users associated with combat, navigation, aviation, power, propulsion, steering, alarms indicating and damage control systems. Work is expected to be complete by August 2021. This contract combines purchases for the Navy (79%) and government of Japan (21%) under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program. Fiscal 2020 other procurement (Navy); 2020 and 2013 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy); and FMS Japan funding in the amount of $11,786,168 will be obligated at the time of the award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity. DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Del Medical Inc., Bloomingdale, Illinois, has been awarded a maximum $100,000,000 firm‐fixed‐price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite‐quantity contract for radiology systems, accessories and training. This is a five‐year base contract with one five‐year option period. This was a competitive acquisition with 50 responses received. Location of performance is Illinois, with an April 30, 2025, performance completion date. Using customers are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and federal civilian agencies. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2025 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE2D1‐20‐D‐0009). Vitol Inc., Houston, Texas, has been awarded a maximum $99,594,897 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment contract for fuel. This was a competitive acquisition with 14 responses received. This is a one-year contract with a 30-day carry-over period. Locations of performance are Texas and the United Kingdom, with a July 30, 2021, performance completion date. Using customer is Defense Logistics Agency Energy. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2021 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Energy, Fort Belvoir, Virginia (SPE602-20-D-0482). First Nation Group LLC, doing business as Jordan Reses Supply, Niceville, Florida, has been awarded a maximum $47,500,000 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for medical equipment and accessories for the Defense Logistics Agency electronic catalog. This was a competitive acquisition with 115 responses received. This is a five-year contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Florida, with an April 30, 2025, performance completion date. Using military services are Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2025 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE2DH-20-D-0037). The Boeing Co., doing business as Boeing, St. Louis, Missouri, has been awarded a maximum $29,864,155 firm-fixed-price, fixed-quantity contract for B-52 hatches. This was a sole-source acquisition using justification 10 U.S. Code 2304 (c)(1), as stated in Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.301-1. This is a two-year, three-month contract with no option periods. Locations of performance are Missouri and Kansas, with a July 15, 2022, performance completion date. Using military service is Air Force. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2022 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (SPRTA1-20-F-0014). Tennier Industries Inc.,* Delray Beach, Florida, has been awarded a maximum $8,771,992 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for a variety of trousers and parkas. This is a one-year base contract with two one-year option periods. This was a competitive acquisition with one response received. Locations of performance are Florida and Tennessee, with an April 30, 2021, performance completion date. Using military services are the Marine Corp, Army and Air Force. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2021 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE1C1-20-D-1273). DEFENSE COUNTERINTELLIGENCE AND SECURITY AGENCY Next Tier Concepts, Vienna, Virginia, was awarded an estimated $24,919,863 firm-fixed-price contract modification (HS0021-19-D-0132-P00005) and task order modification (HS0021-19-F-0115-P00003) for the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA). These modifications extend performance for functions supporting the background investigation mission. Work will be performed in Boyers, Pennsylvania. This task order modification is funded with fiscal 2020 DCSA working capital funds with $15,045,937 obligated at time of award. The anticipated period of performance for the task order includes a three-month base period from May 1, 2020, to July 31, 2020, plus two one-month option periods of August 2020 and September 2020. This requirement was synopsized on the Federal Business Opportunities website as a sole-source requirement on April 15, 2020. This was a sole-source acquisition using justification 10 U.S. Code 2304 (c)(1), as stated in Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1, only one responsible source and no other supplies or services meet agency requirements. The justification and approval will be posted within 14 days of award. DCSA Acquisition and Contracting, Quantico, Virginia, is the contracting activity. ARMY Manson Construction Co., Seattle, Washington, was awarded a $16,695,000 firm-fixed-price contract for dredging of the Oakland, California, inner and outer harbor plus transportation of the dredged material. Bids were solicited via the internet with three received. Work will be performed in Oakland, California, with an estimated completion date of Nov. 30, 2020. Fiscal 2020 civil operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $16,695,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, San Francisco, California, is the contracting activity (W912P7-20-C-0005). *Small business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2173758/source/GovDelivery/

BY REBECCA KHEEL - 05/03/20 01:30 PM EDT Defense budget cuts are looming as the coronavirus pandemic places pressure on the federal budget across various agencies. The Pentagon had already been expecting relatively flat budgets for the next few years due to economic constraints caused by the widening deficits in the country. But with the pandemic, the deficit is projected to explode after Congress passed trillions of dollars in coronavirus relief packages, with more aid bills expected. Defense budget analysts are predicting that will mean cuts to defense spending down the line. Meanwhile, Democrats say the crisis should result in a rethinking of national security that gives less money to the Pentagon and more to areas like public health. The chairman of the House Armed Services Committee said this past week it's hard to predict where the defense budget will head after the crisis abates, but suggested the entire federal budget will need to be re-examined. “The economics of this get much more complicated than they were before this, and it's logical to assume that we are going to have to reevaluate our entire budget, both revenue and expenditures,” Chairman Adam Smith (D-Wash.) said on a teleconference in response to a question from The Hill. “Beyond that, it would be pure speculation as to what's gonna happen.” Smith, a long time opponent of the nuclear budget, specifically highlighted nuclear modernization as an area for potential cuts, but said defense portfolios are “all on the table to figure out how to spend the money more wisely.” In the meantime, defense hawks, progressives and deficit hawks alike are honing their arguments as they brace for defense cuts. The defense budget battles are already starting to play out as Congress debates further coronavirus relief bills. The Pentagon has said it expects to request “billions” of dollars in the next bill to help contractors hit by the virus. That funding would follow the $10.5 billion the Pentagon got in the third coronavirus stimulus package for the Defense Production Act, defense health programs, and military deployments related to the crisis and other areas. Smith, though, said this past week he would not support more Pentagon funding in further coronavirus bills, saying the department can find unused funding in its existing $738 billion-plus budget. Smith's comments came about a week after dozens of progressive organizations led by Win Without War argued in a letter to Congress that “any arguments that the Pentagon cannot use existing resources to respond to the crisis should be met with considerable skepticism.” But the Pentagon maintained after Smith's comments it cannot dip into its existing budget for coronavirus relief. Ellen Lord, the Pentagon's top weapons buyer, said the department may be able to use some operations and maintenance funds for coronavirus needs, but added money still has to be available for “pretty significant needs” in readiness and modernization. “I am not sure that we have the fiscal flexibility to encompass all of the new demands we have and the inefficiencies that we are seeing and perhaps may see in the future,” Lord said at a briefing. “But I respect what Chairman Smith is saying, and we will obviously do our best.” Looking further ahead, Pentagon officials have indicated they are preparing to tighten their belts at the other end of the crisis. In a webinar with the Brookings Institution this past week, Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy recalled “compressed budgets” in the wake of recovery bills for the 2008 financial crisis, culminating in the 2011 Budget Control Act that Pentagon officials now blame for readiness shortfalls. The law set budget caps that resulted in sequestration, continuing resolutions or government shutdowns in several years. “These are challenges we're thinking about now as we look at the [Future Years Defense Program] and whether or not this will pressurize Army budgets in the [fiscal year] 23, 24 timeframe, which are very critical to us and our modernization efforts and increasing our talent management within the force," he said. “We are watching that very closely, and we know that is a challenge that is out in front of us.” Late last month, the Congressional Budget Office projected that Congress' rescue and stimulus efforts will cause the federal deficit to quadruple to $3.7 trillion, the largest by far in U.S. history. Defense budget experts say the ballooning deficit likely spells defense cuts in the future, citing trends after previous rising deficits and economic downturns such after the 2008 financial crisis. “What has historically happened is, when Congress and fiscal conservatives come out and get serious about reducing the debt and reducing spending, defense is almost always part of what they come up with for a solution,” Todd Harrison, director of defense budget analysis at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said in a webinar. “So, we could be looking at a deficit-driven defense drawdown coming in the next two or three years. At least history would suggest that that is a real possibility.” In the same webinar, American Enterprise Institute resident fellow Mackenzie Eaglen predicted the “budget comes down sooner rather than later.” “There probably will be a total relook even at the [National Defense Strategy] fundamentals and what mission is going to have to go in response to this,” she added. But defense hawks are arguing the Pentagon should not be used to pay other bills,, saying the country still faces threats from Russia and China. Fred Bartels, a senior policy analyst for defense budgeting at the conservative Heritage Foundation, said the defense budget needs to match the National Defense Strategy, which has not changed despite the pandemic. The strategy calls for the military to be ready for so-called great power competition with China and Russia. “What you're going to have is likely empty promises, and that's the worst possible outcome for the military,” Bartels said of a budget cut without a strategy change. “If your national strategy tells the world that you're going to do that but you don't follow through, it's going to be harder and harder to operate.” But the pandemic has intensified calls from progressive lawmakers to rethink what constitutes national security. Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) told The Hill the crisis shows the definition of national security needs be expanded. “Lawmakers must view issues like climate change, biosecurity, cybersecurity and this pandemic as serious and real national security threats facing our nation,” Khanna said in a statement to The Hill. “For too long, we were myopically focused and spending trillions on traditional national security issues like terrorism and ‘great power' politics. These new threats impact our health, safety, and economy, requiring new funds to address them.” https://thehill.com/policy/defense/495762-defense-budget-brawl-looms-after-pandemic