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DART Aerospace recently acquired key product lines from Canadian helicopter mission equipment manufacturer Aero Design Ltd., as well as its brand trademark. Based in Powell River, B.C., Aero Design has been developing and manufacturing aerial cargo expansion products since 1999 and has created an extensive catalogue of helicopter baskets, steps, bearpaws and bicycle racks for a wide range of OEMs including Airbus, Bell, MD Helicopters and Robinson. The addition of key Aero Design product lines to DART's portfolio will allow DART to deepen its product offering, acquire over 30 supplemental type certificates (STCs) and optimize its current Canadian operational capabilities to contribute to its overall growth strategy. Following the acquisition, DART will remain the leading manufacturer of helicopter cargo expansion products globally. This is DART's second acquisition of 2019, following its purchase of Portland-based mission equipment manufacturer Simplex Aerospace at the beginning of October. As a result, DART's portfolio has grown from 900+ STCs earlier this year, to over 1,100+ STCs today. “Acquiring Aero Design's key product lines will enable DART to offer baskets to a wider range of aircraft models and gain market share as the main provider of helicopter cargo expansion products worldwide,” said Alain Madore, DART Aerospace's president and CEO. “Alongside our current aerial utility and heli-ski product offering, we are also looking forward to furthering our footprint in the adventure tourism sector with the addition of Aero Design's helicopter bicycle racks.” “The aerospace industry is changing at an astonishingly rapid pace. It is important to adjust our strategies and pool resources so we can help ensure that our industry meets the coming challenges as quickly and effectively as possible. I'm excited to see what comes next as we join the DART family and move forward together,” said Jason Rekve, Aero Design's president and general manager. Jeff Clarke, vice-president and quality assurance manager at Aero Design, added: “For the past 18 years, Aero Design has strived to create innovative, user-friendly products that meet the needs of operators worldwide. This transition to DART is very positive as we have seen their desire to maintain our product lines and their plans to expand on them by integrating the best parts of both companies' capabilities. I am confident that Aero Design's current and past partners will continue to see the quality and features they have come to expect moving forward.” Terms of the transaction have not been disclosed. https://www.skiesmag.com/press-releases/dart-acquires-key-product-lines-from-aero-design-ltd/

By Olena Goncharova. EDMONTON, Canada — As Canadians head to the polls on Oct. 21, the Ukrainian government may be wondering how a potential change in leadership could alter relations with Kyiv's closest overseas ally. Among the numerous parties represented on ballots across the country, there are six with enough legitimacy and reach to take part in nationally televised debates, and only three — the Liberal, Conservative and New Democratic parties — which will almost certainly garner the overwhelming majority of votes. And the real contest comes down to only two: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's Liberal Party and Andrew Scheer's Conservative Party, which have been exchanging leads or tied for almost the entirety of the parliamentary campaign. While the candidates are competing on an array of issues ranging from climate change to economic policy, this time foreign policy has played an even more substantial role than usual in how the parties have defined themselves. The 2019 campaign is different from previous ones due to an increasingly dangerous international environment and uncertainty over U.S.-Canadian relations. But no matter the election outcome, there is unlikely to be any significant change from Canada's current political stance vis-a-vis Ukraine, experts believe. The ruling Liberals put “democracy, human rights, international law, and environmental protection” at the heart of their foreign policy. In their campaign, they are calling for the establishment of the Canadian Center for Peace, Order, and Good Government, which will lend expertise and assistance to those seeking to build peace and advance justice. They also call for a continued increase in Canada's international development assistance every year until 2030 and want to ratchet up the Magnitsky sanctions regime on foreign human rights offenders. However, the Liberals do not have any specific points geared towards Ukraine. The Conservatives' promises are more detailed. They want to cut 25 percent of all foreign aid spending, strengthen ties with Japan, India, and Israel and deepen their commitment to Canada's democratic alliances — NATO and the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD). Under the Liberal government, international assistance in 2018 stood at $6.1 billion and accounted for almost 1.8 percent of federal budget spending. And $57 million of that aid went to Ukraine. In its campaign, the Conservative Party has promised to refocus aid away from middle-income and higher-income countries, a category which would seem to include Ukraine. However, Scheer says a Conservative government would increase military and other aid to Ukraine. Other Conservative platform positions include supplying the Ukrainian military with lethal defensive weapons, restoring the practice of sharing RADARSAT-2 imagery with the Ukrainian army and providing additional humanitarian assistance to support internally displaced people. Fen Hampson, an international affairs expert and professor at Carleton University in Ottawa, says both candidates “are and have been strongly pro-Ukraine” and will continue to apply sanctions against Russia and provide economic assistance to Kyiv. In fact, the biggest risk to Canadian support for Ukraine is likely connected not to which party is victorious, but to the absence of a winning party. “If we have a minority government as many are now predicting, which is to say neither party wins a majority in parliament and has to work with other parties, this may mean a government that is focused on internal as opposed to international issues,” Hampson said in a written comment to the Kyiv Post. “That could have an impact on the government's ability to do things proactively, including in foreign policy.” Other experts interviewed by the Kyiv Post share Hampson's take. Andrew Rasiulis, a former director of military training and co-operation at the Department of National Defence and a fellow at the Canadian Global Affairs Institute, agrees that the two parties have “pretty much the identical position on the issue of Ukraine.” Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky shifted the world's focus toward Ukraine by calling for peace in Donbas and opening negotiations with Russia in the so-called Normandy format peace talks. Canada might have a specific role to play in it, Rasiulis argues, but the new Canadian government will be very cautious in this realm. “They would not want Canada to be caught outside the game, because if there is a Normandy format summit — possibly in November — Canada has a choice to make,” Rasiulis told the Kyiv Post. “We can either be on the sidelines and won't talk to the Russians unless they leave Donbas and return Crimea. But on the other hand, if there are negotiations, then Canada could play a role in terms of offering a peacekeeping force. That force hasn't been discussed yet but I believe it will come up.” Rasiulis believes that if Ukraine implements the Steinmeier Formula as a potential way to reinvigorate negotiations with Russia over the war, which has killed more than 13,000 people in eastern Ukraine, Canada can offer its peacekeeping force to help secure the Russia-Ukraine border during local elections in Donbas and convince Russia that “this force can be objective.” Read More: What is the ‘Steinmeier Formula' and why are so many Ukrainians against it? Over the past four years of the Trudeau government, Canada's armed forces have been present in Ukraine as part of Operation Unifier, which runs until 2022. About 200 Canadian troops working in six-month cycles have trained over 13,000 members of Ukrainian security forces to date. Though Canada is not a major military power, its troops are efficient and well-trained and “have passed on some of their knowledge to those engaged in security issues” and the war in Donbas, argues David R. Marples, a historian and professor at the University of Alberta. Liberal Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland — who is of Ukrainian ancestry on her mother's side — has also been a consistent and outspoken supporter of Ukraine, and is banned from entering the Russian Federation as a result. “It seems clear, therefore, that Ukrainians will not be worse off if Trudeau and the Liberals are granted a second term in office,” Marples said. The historian stresses that the Conservative government's policies might be a bit harder to predict. “Though Scheer is unlikely to make any conciliatory moves toward Russia, the bigger question is whether Ukraine is on his horizon at all, insofar (as) his major focus is on China — he has demanded a much stiffer response to the recent actions of the Chinese government, which have included the arrest of three Canadian businessmen,” Marples said. “On the other hand, he has expressed concern about the lack of unity among NATO allies, with an implicit sideswipe at President Donald J. Trump and his nebulous policies and apparent kinship with dictators.” Moreover, Scheer is close to former Prime Minister Stephen Harper, who was a fervent opponent of Russian President Vladimir Putin. “Though the extent of Harper's influence in a future Conservative government is unclear, he has often appeared alongside Scheer at public events,” Marples told the Kyiv Post. “For Harper, the priority was dealing with Russia — which he often equated with Communism — rather than China. Scheer appears more reticent, even distant from such an ideological stance.” https://www.kyivpost.com/world/what-can-ukraine-expect-from-canadas-federal-election.html?cn-reloaded=1

La ministre de la Défense a indiqué dimanche que le commandement militaire de l'Espace, dont la création a été annoncée la veille par le président de la République, sera située à Toulouse. Elle a également précisé les premiers moyens qui seront alloués à cette nouvelle branche militaire. Le commandement militaire de l'espace dont le président Emmanuel Macron vient d'annoncer la création sera implanté à Toulouse, a affirmé dimanche la ministre des Armées Florence Parly sur France Inter. Ce grand commandement "va se localiser à Toulouse, qui est le grand lieu de l'espace francais", a-t-elle détaillé au lendemain de l'annonce du chef de l'Etat. "Nous allons rassembler tous les moyens qui sont dispersés dans nos armées et qui contribuent à la bonne utilisation des moyens spatiaux, et créer un commandement de l'espace", qui "va commencer par environ 200 personnes puis va monter en puissance au fil du temps", a souligné la ministre. Espionnage, brouillage, cyberattaques, armes antisatellites... L'espace, indispensable aux opérations militaires, est devenu un champ de confrontation entre nations, mettant la France au défi de muscler ses capacités dans ce thé'tre hautement stratégique et de plus en plus militarisé. Les plus grandes puissances spatiales mondiales -- Etats-Unis, Chine et Russie -- sont engagées depuis plusieurs années dans une course pour la domination de l'espace. Un budget de 3,6 milliards d'euros La Loi de programmation militaire française (LPM) 2019-2025 prévoit un budget de 3,6 milliards d'euros pour le spatial de défense. Il doit notamment permettre de financer le renouvellement des satellites français d'observation CSO et de communication (Syracuse), de lancer en orbite trois satellites d'écoute électromagnétique (CERES) et de moderniser le radar de surveillance spatiale GRAVES. Ce que nous avons constaté, c'est que l'espace est devenu un espace de conflictualité", a expliqué Mme Parly. "Il y a 1.500 satellites autour de la Terre, il y en aura 7.000 dans dix ans, et ces satellites sont de plus en plus considérés comme des objets qui peuvent être espionnés ou modifiés." "Il ne faut pas être naïf, il faut pouvoir protéger ce qui est vital pour le fonctionnement de nos systèmes de transport, nos systèmes aériens, nos hôpitaux (...) et ce qui est essentiel au bon fonctionnement de nos forces (armées, ndr)", a-t-elle conclu, en promettant de donner plus de détails "dans une dizaine de jours" sur la stratégie française dans le spatial militaire. https://www.latribune.fr/entreprises-finance/industrie/aeronautique-defense/le-commandement-de-l-espace-sera-installe-a-toulouse-823519.html

Saab offers Gripen technology transfer to Indian partner Bengaluru, Oct 17 (IANS) Swedish aerospace major Saab on Thursday offered technology transfer to its Indian partner for making its fighter Gripen if it wins the Indian Air Force (IAF) order to supply 114 jets. "We will transfer technology to our Indian partner for making Gripen in India if we win the IAF order," Saab India Technologies Managing Director Ola Rignell told reporters here. Technology transfer will also enable Saab to make India its production base for exporting aerospace components to countries where it has operations or customers, he said. Saab is in fray for the multi-billion-dollar global tender to make in India 110 advanced medium multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA) with five other global aerospace majors Dassault (Rafale), Eurofighter (Typhoon), Boeing (F-18A), Lockheed Martin (F-21) and Russian Aircraft Corporation (MiG-35). The decision to make 114 fighters indigenously was taken after India cancelled the global tender for supply 126 MMRCA in July 2015 and opted in 2016 to buy 36 Rafales from the French Dassault Aviation, which won the contract for an estimated $8.4 billion (Rs 59,000 crore) from the previous NDA government. The tender, floated in April 2018, mandates the bidder to accept an Indian partner chosen by the Indian government. "It is the Indian government''s prerogative to choose the strategic partner for making the fighters in India with the winner of the bid," Rignell said. All the six firms submitted their bids in July 2018, responding to the government''s Request for Proposal (RFP) after Request for Information (RFI) in 2017. Saab, however, decided to set up its India base in Bengaluru, which is also the country''s aerospace hub with the presence of the state-run defence major HAL and aircraft design and development organisations like ADA. "We want Bengaluru to be the base to make Gripen for the IAF as the city has talent as well as resources," Rignell said. Building an ecosystem and making investments is a part of the Swedish firm''s offer to be in contention for the fighter deal. https://www.outlookindia.com/newsscroll/saab-offers-gripen-technology-transfer-to-indian-partner/1642925

Defence takes a fifth of the federal budget and has often been a target for deficit cutters Murray Brewster The Conservatives have pledged to "protect" the budget of the Department of National Defence even as they work to eliminate the federal deficit. In their election platform, the Tories said they would find $5 billion in savings by cutting operational expenses, but were not clear on precisely what that meant, other than to say it would not affect services to Canadians. The Liberals, through their two-year-old defence policy, committed to increase defence spending by 70 per cent to $32 billion annually by 2024-25 — a program that would unfold at precisely the same time a potential Conservative government intends to cut expenditures.​​ The Liberals have also set in motion plans to buy two of the military's biggest-ticket items — new fighter jets and navy frigates. Conservative leader Andrew Scheer said Wednesday his party would stick with those purchases, but would be more efficient. "We are committed to the funding allocated to the Department of National Defence," he said during a campaign stop in in southwestern Ontario. "We will not do what the Liberals did, which is waste hundreds of millions of dollars stopping and starting the procurement process." The Conservatives have pledged to depoliticize the process of buying military equipment and have complained about the Liberal government's delivery timelines and decisions, including the plan to purchase used Australian F-18s to supplement the existing fighter jet force until a decision is made on brand-new warplanes. Says money wasted "They have wasted so much money when it comes to procurement," Scheer said, adding that Conservatives would "protect the budgets of National Defence [and] we're going to ensure that the money that's allocated to National Defence is spent wisely." At least two experts wonder how the Conservatives can live up to that pledge in light of the fact the Defence Department is the single biggest discretionary expense on the federal balance sheet and the last two times Conservatives — or Liberals — tried to balance the budget, military spending took major hits. Under the government of former prime minister Stephen Harper, the defence budget was cut by $2.1 billion annually and the department racked up sizeable chunks of lapsed spending, money that was appropriated by Parliament, but not spent. The reduction took place after the Afghan war and the department faced concurrent spending cuts through the Conservative strategy review and deficit reduction action plan. Both Liberal and Conservative governments in the 1990s cut defence spending and postponed buying new equipment, most notably new maritime helicopters, which only came into service in the last few years Defence spending an obvious target "Balancing a federal budget without looking at defence spending is extraordinarily difficult, to impossible," said Dave Perry, an analyst and expert in defence spending at the Canadian Global Affairs Institute. "Defence spending accounts for one-fifth of the federal budget." And even if the Conservatives did look for savings, a change to the accounting structure at Defence leaves little room for them to recoup much money by cancelling or postponing equipment purchases. Reducing the size of the military or the civil service was something previous governments did, but Perry said those kinds of cuts "take two years or more" to make their way through the system. Kevin Page, the former parliamentary budget officer and CEO of the Institute of Fiscal Studies and Democracy, said much of what all of the parties are proposing — and their ability to deliver — is contingent on the kind of Parliament that is elected on Monday. CANADA VOTES How much will the defence file matter to voters? PBO pushes up cost estimate for Canada's frigate build by $8 billion In a minority government scenario, the Conservatives might find themselves struggling to deliver savings outside of the Defence Department, he suggested. Would need majority "If elected, I would assume the Conservatives would need a majority government to push through the savings on direct program spending – infrastructure, wage bills, other operations, corporate and development assistance," Page said. The Liberal record on defence spending is up for debate. An internal DND slide presentation, obtained by CBC News, lays out projections for the department going to up to the 2036-37 fiscal year. Faced with extraordinary pressure from the Trump administration to meet NATO's goal of earmarking two per cent of gross domestic product for military spending, the Liberal government committed to a 70 per cent increase by 2024-25. The Feb. 25, 2019 slide presentation shows that spending will peak in 2026-27 and begin to fall again in the preceding decade. Used Australian fighter jets could cost $1.1B: Parliamentary budget officer The document also shows that, for two years running, the Liberals have not spent as much as they planned on new equipment. While $12.7 billion was set aside in their plan between 2017-19 for new military gear, the Trudeau government only asked Parliament for permission to spend $8.34 billion — leaving $4.4 billion still in the treasury. The slide presentation said part of the reason is that some existing projects came in under budget, but in one-third of the instances the spending delay was because the Defence Department — or the federal government in general — could not get the projects organized. https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/conservatives-defence-spending-1.5323618

Par Nicolas Barotte La crise couve depuis longtemps entre le Pastonia et le Dragonia. Dans la région que les deux pays se disputent, les tensions intercommunautaires se sont aggravées, exploitées par un groupe terroriste aux volontés séparatistes. Face au risque de conflit, le conseil des Nations unies est parvenu à signer une résolution. Une force franco-britannique va être déployée sur place... Au large de l'Écosse, entre le loch Ewe et le loch Linnhe, l'exercice «Griffin Strike» peut commencer. Il s'achève ce vendredi. Le calendrier ne manque pas d'ironie. Tandis qu'à Bruxelles, un accord a été signé pour permettre le divorce entre le Royaume-Uni et l'Union européenne, la Marine française et la Royal Navy ont mis en scène pendant deux semaines la profondeur de leur coopération. https://www.lefigaro.fr/international/a-l-heure-du-brexit-la-cooperation-militaire-franco-britannique-continue-20191017

ARMY AECOM + Tetra Tech JV, Boston, Massachusetts (W912DY-20-D-0013); Black & Veatch Special Projects Corp., Overland Park, Kansas (W912DY-20-D-0012); and Jacobs Government Services Co., Arlington, Colorado (W912DY-20-D-0014), will compete for each order of the $149,969,200 hybrid (cost-plus-fixed-fee and firm-fixed-price) contract for architect and design services. Bids were solicited via the internet with five received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Oct. 16, 2024. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Huntsville, Alabama, is the contracting activity. South Dade Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Inc.,* Plantersville, Alabama, was awarded a $11,600,230 firm-fixed-price contract for mechanical maintenance services. Bids were solicited via the internet with five received. Work will be performed in Vicksburg, Mississippi, with an estimated completion date of April 30, 2025. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance; and civil works funds in the amount of $11,600,230 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Vicksburg, Mississippi, is the contracting activity (W912HZ-20-C-0002). NAVY Raytheon Co., McKinney, Texas, is awarded a $17,897,746 cost-plus-incentive-fee order (N00019-20-F-0277) against a previously issued basic ordering agreement (N00019-15-G-0003). This order procures Advanced Targeting Forward Looking Infrared special test equipment updates to the Windows 10 operating system in support of the F/A-18E/F aircraft. Work will be performed in McKinney, Texas, and is expected to be completed in February 2022. Fiscal 2018 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $17,897,746 will be obligated at time of award, all of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. BAE Systems Technology Solutions and Services, Rockville, Maryland, is awarded a $7,930,867 modification (P00050) to a previously awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee contract N00421-15-C-0008. This modification exercises an option to provide engineering and technical services for integrated communications and information systems radio communications to Navy ships in support of the Ship and Air Integration Warfare Division, Naval Air Warfare Center – Webster Outlying Field. Work will be performed in Saint Inigoes, Maryland (60%); California, Maryland (30%); Bath, Maine (5%); and Pascagoula, Mississippi (5%), and is expected to be completed in October 2020. Fiscal 2020 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funds in the amount of $2,300,000 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. AIR FORCE Pride Industries, Roseville, California, has been awarded a $15,246,093 modification (P00059) to previously awarded contract FA2816-17-C-0001 for civil engineering services. The modification provides for operations and maintenance, engineering, environmental, and grounds maintenance for 61st Civil Engineer and Logistics Squadron. Work will be performed at Los Angeles Air Force Base, California; Fort MacArthur, California; and Defense Contract Management Agency, Carson, California, and is expected to be completed by Nov. 30, 2020. The total cumulative face value of the contract to $61,308,694. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $9,646,783 are being obligated at the time of award. The Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles Air Force Base, California, is the contracting activity. DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY National Industries for the Blind, Alexandria, Virginia, has been awarded a maximum $8,562,960 modification (P00005) exercising the first one-year option period of a one-year base contract (SPE1C1-19-D-B043) with four one-year option periods for moisture wicking T-shirts. This is an indefinite-delivery contract. Locations of performance are Virginia, North Carolina and Arkansas, with an Oct. 30, 2020, performance completion date. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2021 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. *Small Business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/1991710/source/GovDelivery/

NAVY The Boeing Co., Seattle, Washington, is awarded a $193,318,432 modification (P00003) to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price, time and material, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract N00019-18-D-0113. This modification provides CFM56-7B27A/3 and CFM56-7B27AE engine depot maintenance and repair, field assessment, maintenance repair and overhaul engine repair, and technical assistance for removal and replacement of engines for the P-8A Poseidon aircraft in support of the Navy, the government of Australia and Foreign Military Sales customers. Work will be performed in Atlanta, Georgia (94%); and Seattle, Washington (6%), and is expected to be completed in October 2020. No funds will be obligated at time of award. Funds will be obligated on individual orders as they are issued. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. StandardAero Inc., San Antonio, Texas, is awarded a $174,743,115 modification (P00004) to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price, time and material, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract N00019-18-D-0110. This modification provides CFM56-7B27A/3 and CFM56-7B27AE engine depot maintenance and repair, field assessment, maintenance repair and overhaul engine repair, and technical assistance for removal and replacement of engines for the P-8A Poseidon aircraft in support of the Navy, the government of Australia and Foreign Military Sales customers. Work will be performed in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada (93%); and San Antonio, Texas (7%), and is expected to be completed in October 2020. No funds will be obligated at time of award. Funds will be obligated on individual orders as they are issued. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. AAR Aircraft Services Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana, is awarded a $44,865,877 modification (P00005) to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price, time and material, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract N00019-18-D-0111. This modification provides P-8A Poseidon aircraft depot scheduled and unscheduled maintenance, fulfillment of depot in-service repair/planner and estimator requirements, technical directive incorporation, airframe modifications, aircraft on ground support, and removal and replacement of engines in support of the Navy, the government of Australia and Foreign Military Sales customers. Work will be performed in Indianapolis, Indiana, and is expected to be completed in October 2020. No funds will be obligated at time of award. Funds will be obligated on individual orders as they are issued. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. AIR FORCE Lockheed Martin Corp., King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, has been awarded a $108,322,296 contract for the Mk21A Reentry Vehicle (RV) program. This contract is to conduct technology maturation and risk reduction to provide a low technical risk and affordable RV capable of delivering the W87-1 warhead from the Ground Based Strategic Deterrent Weapon System. Work will be performed at King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, and other various locations as needed, and is expected to be completed by October 2022. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition and one offer was received. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $8,033,916 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center, Hill Air Force Base, Utah, is the contracting activity (FA8219-20-C-0001). DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY DRS Network & Imaging Systems LLC, Melbourne, Florida, has been awarded an $18,451,845 firm-fixed-price contract for wired housing assemblies. This was a sole source acquisition using justification 10 U.S. Code 2304 (c)(1), as stated in Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. This is a one year base contract with one one-year option period being exercised at the time of award. Location of performance is Florida, with a Nov. 27, 2021, performance completion date. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 Army working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime, Warren, Michigan (SPRDL1-20-C-0022). UPDATE: Textron GSE/TUG Technologies Inc., Kennesaw, Georgia (SPE8EC-20-D-0050), has been added as an awardee to the multiple award contract issued against solicitation SPE8EC-17-R-0002, announced Dec. 2, 2016. ARMY Bristol Construction Services LLC,* Anchorage, Alaska, was awarded a $10,086,761 modification (P00004) to contract W9126G-18-C-0066 for construction of open storage areas with fencing, lighting and limited security. Work will be performed in Texarkana, Texas, with an estimated completion date of Oct. 25, 2020. Fiscal 2018 military construction funds in the amount of $10,086,761 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Fort Worth, Texas, is the contracting activity. *Small Business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/1990450/source/GovDelivery/

The KC-46 Pegasus is a U.S. air-refueling tanker that is expected to reach initial operating capability (IOC) around 2017. It is produced by Boeing. The KC-46 is intended to replace the first third of the U.S. Air Force (USAF) KC-135 fleet in the primary role of air-refueling, as well as in secondary roles of transport and aeromedical evacuation. Compared to the KC-135, the new aircraft can deliver more fuel at all ranges; operate from shorter runways; and carry three times as many cargo pallets, twice the number of passengers and over 30% more aeromedical evacuation patients. https://aviationweek.com/kc-46-whats-happened-so-far