Nouvelles

ARMY Eli Lilly and Co., Indianapolis, Indiana, was awarded a $625,000,000 modification (P00007) to contract W911QY-21-C-0016 for 500,000 doses of LY-CoV555, a COVID-19 therapeutic drug treatment. Work will be performed in Indianapolis, Indiana, with an estimated completion date of Jan. 27, 2021. Fiscal 2021 Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act funds in the amount of $625,000,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity. (Awarded Jan. 26, 2021) Bay Ship & Yacht Co., Alameda, California (W56HZV-21-D-L002); Colonna's Shipyard Inc.,* Norfolk, Virginia (W56HZV-21-D-L003); Conley Marine Services,* Harvey, Louisiana (W56HZV-21-D-L004); Fairlead Boatworks Inc., Newport News, Virginia (W56HZV21DL005); GMD Shipyard Corp.,* Brooklyn, New York (W56HZV-21-D-L006); Gulf Copper & Manufacturing Corp.,* Galveston, Texas (W56HZV-21-D-L007); Lyon Shipyard Inc.,* Norfolk, Virginia (W56HZV-21-D-L008); Mare Island Dry Dock, Vallejo, California (W56HZV-21-D-L009); Metal Trades Inc.,* Yonges Island, South Carolina (W56HZV-21-D-L010); Murtech Inc.,* Glen Burnie, Maryland (W56HZV-21-D-L011); Platypus Marine Inc., Port Angeles, Washington (W56HZV-21-D-L012); Swiftships LLC,* Morgan City, Louisiana (W56HZV-21-D-L013); Vigor Marine LLC, Portland, Oregon (W56HZV-21-D-L014); and Yank Marine Services,* Dorchester, New Jersey (W56HZV-21-D-L015), will compete for each order of the $235,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for the purpose of performing on-condition cyclic maintenance, modifications, modernizations and repairs, requiring the use of a dry dock as well as sustainment maintenance, modernization efforts on the Army Watercraft Fleet of vessels. Bids were solicited via the internet with 16 received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Jan. 26, 2026. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Detroit Arsenal, Michigan, is the contracting activity. Swiftships LLC,* Morgan City, Louisiana (W56HZV-21-D-L018); Heavy Engineering Industries and Shipbuilding Co., Shuwaikh, Kuwait (W56HZV-21-D-L019); Japan Marine United Co., Yokohama, Japan (W56HZV-21-D-L020); Orient Shipyard Co. Ltd., Pusan, South Korea (W56HZV-21-D-L021); Sumitomo Heavy Industries Ltd., Yokosuka, Japan (W56HZV-21-D-L022); Sunjin Entech Co. Ltd, Pusan, South Korea (W56HZV-21-D-L023); and Yokohama Engineering Works Ltd., Yokohama, Japan (W56HZV-21-D-L024), will compete for each order of the $180,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for the follow-on efforts for the Watercraft Inspection Branch and Army Watercraft Systems Product Directorate to combine its shipyard efforts to efficiently execute modifications, modernizations and on-condition cyclic maintenance efforts for its existing fleet of vessels. Bids were solicited via the internet with seven received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Jan 26, 2026. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Detroit Arsenal, Michigan, is the contracting activity. Colonna's Shipyard Inc.,* Norfolk, Virginia (W56HZV-21-D-L025); Conley Marine Services LLC,* Harvey, Louisiana (W56HZV-21-D-L026); Continental Tide Defense Systems Inc., Wyomissing, Pennsylvania (W56HZV-21-D-L027); Epsilon Systems Solutions Inc., Portsmouth, Virginia (W56HZV-21-D-L028); Guam Industrial Services Inc., Agat, Guam (W56HZV-21-D-L029); Heavy Engineering Industries & Shipbuilding, Shuwaikh Port Area, Western Extension Shuwaikh, Kuwait (W56HZV-21-D-L030); HII Fleet Support Group LLC, Virginia Beach, Virginia (W56HZV-21-D-L031); L3 Unidyne Inc., Norfolk, Virginia (W56HZV-21-D-L032); Lyon Shipyard Inc., Norfolk, Virginia (W56HZV-21-D-L033); Metal Trades Inc.,* Yonges Island, South Carolina (W56HZV-21-D-L034); QED Systems Inc., Virginia Beach, Virginia (W56HZV-21-D-L035); Sumitomo Heavy Industries Ltd., Yokosuka, Kanagawa, Japan (W56HZV-21-D-L036); Sunjin Entech Co. Ltd., Pusan, South Korea (W56HZV-21-D-L037); and Yokohama Engineering Works Ltd., Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan (W56HZV-21-D-L038), will compete for each order of the $155,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for unprogrammed maintenance, emergency repair, modification and modernization efforts that do not require the use of a dry dock. Bids were solicited via the internet with 15 received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Jan. 26, 2026. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Detroit Arsenal, Michigan, is the contracting activity. Indtai Inc.,* Vienna, Virginia, was awarded an $8,021,713 modification (P00004) to contract W9124J-20-C-0012 to provide educational support services in education centers located on over 60 Army garrisons in the continental U.S., Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Japan and the Republic of Korea. Work will be performed in San Antonio, Texas, with an estimated completion date of Jul. 27, 2021. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance (Army) funds in the amount of $8,021,713 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Field Directorate Office, Fort Sam Houston, Texas, is the contracting activity. NAVY CH2M Hill Inc., Englewood, Colorado, is awarded a maximum value $480,000,000 cost-plus-award-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, architect-engineering contract for comprehensive long-term environmental action services in the Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAVFAC) Atlantic area of responsibility (AOR). The work to be performed provides for architectural and engineering services to provide program management and technical environmental services in support of the Department of the Navy's Environmental Restoration Program, Munitions Response Program and other similar programs at any Navy and Marine Corps activity in the AOR covered by NAVFAC Atlantic. Future task orders will be primarily funded by environmental restoration (Navy) funds. An initial task order is being awarded at $200,000 for architect-engineering services at the program management office in Virginia Beach, Virginia, and is expected to be completed by March 2022. All work on this contract will be performed within the NAVFAC Atlantic AOR including, but not limited to, North Carolina (25%); Puerto Rico (25%); Virginia (25%); Maryland (10%); California (5%); District of Columbia (3%); West Virginia (3%); Washington (2%); and Alaska (2%), and is expected to be completed by January 2026. Fiscal 2021 environmental restoration (Navy) funds in the amount of $200,000 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities website, with two proposals received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command, Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N62470-21-D-0007). Lockheed Martin Corp., Orlando, Florida, is awarded a not-to-exceed $49,663,781 undefinitized firm-fixed-price modification (P00001) to cost-plus-fixed-fee order N00019-21-F-0062 against previously issued basic ordering agreement N00019-19-G-0029. This modification adds scope for the production and delivery of 19 AN/AAQ-30A Target Sight Systems; 14 for the government of Bahrain and five for the government of the Czech Republic. Work will be performed in Orlando, Florida (36%); Burlington, Ontario, Canada (34%); Merrimack, New Hampshire (14%); Ocala, Florida (5%); Santa Barbara, California (3%); and various locations within the continental U.S. (8%), and is expected to be completed in January 2023. Foreign Military Sales funds in the amount of $7,433,265 will be obligated at the time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. (Awarded Jan. 26, 2021) Maxon Furniture Inc., Muscatine, Iowa, is awarded a $34,924,508 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. This contract provides furniture finishes and equipment to ensure office furniture standardization, sustainability and maximum flexibility of personnel office spaces including design services and installation. Work will be performed in Muscatine, Iowa, and is expected to be completed in January 2026. Fiscal 2021 working capital (Navy) funds in the amount of $2,733 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via an electronic request for proposal; three offers were received. The Naval Air Warfare Center, Weapons Division, China Lake, California, is the contracting activity (N68936-21-D-0011). Bell Boeing Joint Project Office, Amarillo, Texas, is awarded a $25,523,136 modification (P00005) to cost-plus-fixed-fee, firm-fixed-price order N00019-20-F-0315 against previously issued basic ordering agreement N00019-17-G-0002. This modification adds scope for the production and delivery of nine right aft sponson fuel tank kits in support of V-22 Production Aircraft 9-17 for the government of Japan. Additionally, this modification provides development and updates to existing technical data as well as services in support of aircraft deliveries and aircrew pilot and crew chief training for the government of Japan. Work will be performed in Jacksonville, North Carolina (35%); Chiba Provence, Japan (35%); Ridley Park, Pennsylvania (20%); Stennis, Mississippi (5%); and Fort Worth, Texas (5%), and is expected to be completed in March 2024. Foreign Military Sales funds in the amount of $25,523,136 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. Lockheed Martin Corp., Marietta, Georgia, is awarded a $11,403,660 cost-plus-fixed-fee indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. This contract provides engineering and logistics services in support of the Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance Aircraft program to monitor and manage fatigue and obsolescence issues and operational and/or technical problems arising from P-3 fleet usage for the Navy, Foreign Military Sales customers and other U.S. government agencies. Work will be performed in Marietta, Georgia, and is expected to be completed in January 2026. No funds will be obligated at the time of award; funds will be obligated on individual orders as they are issued. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Lakehurst, New Jersey, is the contracting activity (N68335-21-D-0045). Boeing Distribution Inc., Dallas, Texas, is awarded an $8,624,300 firm-fixed-price modification (P00008) to previously awarded contract N00019-18-C-0055. This modification adds scope for the production and delivery of two P-8A engine build up kits and associated mating to core engine; one for the government of New Zealand and one for the government of Australia. Work will be performed in Dallas, Texas (50%); and Everett, Washington (50%), and is expected to be completed in June 2022. Foreign Military Sales funds in the amount of $8,624,300 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. AIR FORCE Lockheed Martin Aeronautics, Marietta, Georgia, has been awarded a $129,363,552 firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee, cost-reimbursable, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for C-5 contractor logistic support services. This contract involves supply chain management, repair and technical support services. Work will be performed in Marietta, Georgia; and Greenville, South Carolina, and is expected to completed Jan. 31, 2022. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Fiscal 2021 Material Supply Division; and operation and maintenance funds in the amount of $31,544,612 are being obligated at the time of award by way of task order FA8525-21-F0003. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, is the contracting activity. L3Harris Technologies Inc., Colorado Springs, Colorado, has been awarded an $89,712,422 fixed-price-incentive-firm modification (P00024) to contract FA8823-20-C-0004 for system sustainment services Option Year Two. This modification updates and revises the Maintenance of Space Situational Awareness Integrated Capabilities system sustainment performance requirements for the current option year. Work will be performed in Colorado Springs, Colorado; and Dahlgren, Virginia, and is expected to be completed Jan 31, 2022. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance funds in the amount of $55,578,977 are being obligated at the time of award. Total cumulative face value of the contract is $315,420,730. Space and Missile Systems Center, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado, is the contracting activity. Gulfstream Aerospace Corp., Savannah, Georgia, has been awarded an $83,831,036 firm-fixed-price modification (P00014) to contract FA8106-18-D-0002 for C-20/C-37 fleet sustainment. The contract modification is for exercise of Option Year Four, to include issuance of task orders for a one-year extension of contract term to support the C-20 and C-37 fleet for the Air Force, Army, Navy, Marines and Coast Guard; funding uninterrupted continuation of contractor logistics. Work will be performed in Savannah, Georgia; Naval Air Station Sigonella, Italy; Ramstein Air Base, Germany; Joint Base Andrews, Maryland; Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii; Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Hawaii; and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Washington, D.C. The work is expected to be completed Jan. 31, 2022. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance funds in the amount of $44,482,293 are being obligated at the time of award. Total cumulative face value of the contract is $594,429,554. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Tinker AFB, Oklahoma, is the contracting activity. MilSup LLC, Las Vegas, Nevada, has been awarded a $50,628,080 firm-fixed-price contract for the RC/OC/WC-135 and E-4B Contract Aircrew Training (CAT) and Courseware Development (CWD) program. The contractor will furnish all personnel, equipment, tools, materials, supervision and all other items and services that are required to perform RC/OC/WC-135 and E-4B CAT and CWD. Work will be performed at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska, and is expected to be completed March 31, 2026. This award is the result of a competitive Service Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business acquisition and six offers were received. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance funds in the amount of $145,476 are being obligated at the time of award. Air Combat Command, Acquisition Management and Integration Center, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia, is the contracting activity (FA4890-21-C-0001). U.S. TRANSPORTATION COMMAND Eleven (11) companies have been awarded Option Year 3 modifications under the following Category A (CAT A) III, Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity, Fixed Price contracts: HTC711-18-D-C003/P00008 American Airlines of Fort Worth, TX; HTC711-18-D-C004/P00008 Air Transportation International (ATI) of Irving, TX; HTC711-18-D-C005/P00008 Atlas Air of Purchase, NY; HTC711-18-D-C006/P00008 Delta Air Lines, Inc. of Atlanta, GA; HTC711-18-D-C007/P00008 FedEx of Washington, DC; HTC711-18-D-C008/P00008 Hawaiian Airlines, Inc. of Honolulu, HI; HTC711-18-D-C011/P00008 National Air Cargo, Inc. of Orlando, FL; HTC711-18-D-C012/P00008 Polar Air Cargo Worldwide, Inc. of Purchase, NY; HTC711-18-D-C013/P00008 United Parcel Service Co. (UPS) of Louisville, KY; HTC711-18-D-C014/P00008 USA Jet Airlines of Belleville, MI; and HTC711-18-D-C015/P00008 Western Global Airlines (WGA) of Estero, FL. The companies are eligible to compete at the task order level for an option year estimated amount of $34,732,959. The program's cumulative value increased from $124,325,701 to $159,058,660 (estimated). This modification provides international commercial scheduled air cargo transportation services. Services encompass time-definite, door-to-door pick-up and delivery, transportation, Intransit Visibility (ITV), Government-Approved Third Party Payment System participation, and expedited customs processing and clearance of less than full planeloads for the movement of regular and recurring hazardous, refrigerated/cold chain (perishable), life and death, narcotics, and other regular recurring cargo shipments. Work will be performed world-wide. Option Year 3 period of performance is Feb. 1, 2021 to Jan. 31, 2022. United States Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM), Directorate of Acquisition, Scott Air Force Base, IL, 62225-5357, is the contracting activity. *Small business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2484774/source/GovDelivery/

Boeing, which saw no defense revenue growth last year, takes another financial hit from the tanker program. Boeing ceded its long-held top spot as America's largest aerospace and defense firms to Lockheed Martin after reporting financial results from an abysmal 2020 on Wednesday. The Chicago-based company also said it would lose another $275 million building Air Force KC-46 tankers because of “program primarily due to production inefficiencies including impacts of COVID-19 disruption.” The company has lost more than $4 billion on the project. The company closed 2020 — a year that saw the collapse of passenger air travel from the coronavirus pandemic and the return to flight of the 737 Max airliner — with just under $58.2 billion in revenue, down 24 percent from the previous year. While Lockheed — which on Tuesday reported $65.4 billion in 2020 sales — has long been the world's largest defense contractor, revenue from Boeing's commercial airplane business has combined with its military work to keep it atop the defense-and-aerospace category for decades. Boeing's defense and space sales were flat year-over-year at just shy of $26.3 billion. Its services business, which includes defense work, made $15.5 billion, down 16 percent as thousands of aircraft remain grounded due to the pandemic. “Overall, the government services and defense and space businesses remain significant and relatively stable and we continue to see solid global demand for our major programs,” CEO David Calhoun said on the company's quarterly earnings call Wednesday. “Nevertheless, the scale of government spending on COVID-19 response has the potential to add pressure to global defense spending in the years ahead.” U.S. defense spending is expected to flatten or decline in coming years as the Biden administration and a Democrat-controlled Congress focus more on domestic issues. Calhoun said the company expects its defense business to grow in the “lower end of the single digits” in coming years. “It's hard to commit to a big uptick in any way on growth rates anytime soon, in light of what I think are the pressures,” he said. Calhoun, who became CEO of the firm one year ago this month, said the coronavirus would continue to delay international defense contracts. “The order activity in those international markets has pushed to the right, somewhat of an almost entirely because of COVID-related stuff, not because of any competitive issue one way or the other,” he said. Like many of his colleagues in recent years, Calhoun touted Boeing's classified military work as being “incredibly encouraging and incredibly important to us.” Despite the continued problems with the KC-46, the Air Force has purchased 94 of a planned 179 aircraft. Just this month, it placed two orders totaling $3.8 billion for 27 aircraft. The FAA last month cleared the 737 Max for passenger flights in the United States. Some airlines have already resumed flights across North and South America. European regulators on Wednesday said the plane can resume flights across the continent. Boeing also disclosed Wednesday that it would not deliver its first 777X, a larger, more efficient version of the popular 777 jetliner, until late 2023. https://www.defenseone.com/business/2021/01/lockheed-overtakes-boeing-largest-us-aerospace-and-defense-firm/171684/

Posted on January 27, 2021 by Seapower Staff ARLINGTON, Va. — Leonardo DRS Inc. has received a contract from the U.S. Navy to supply critical system hardware and full life-cycle support for Aegis and Ship Self-Defense System Combat Management Systems, the company announced in a Jan. 27 release. The cost-plus-fixed-fee and firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity multiple award contract was awarded in December 2020 and is worth up to $211.5 million. Under the contract Leonardo DRS will provide sustainment of Technical Insertion (TI)-16 Combat Systems Processing, Network, Storage and Display Hardware fielded across the surface ship fleet. Included in the contract is the sustainment, manufacture, assembly, and testing of TI-16 hardware, spares; engineering services, procurement, and installation of ordinance alteration kits and related products. Leonardo DRS is the prime contractor for the surface navy, producing consoles, displays and peripherals (CDP) and the Common Processing System (CPS) TI-16 for the Navy's surface combatants. “We are excited about this award and proud to provide full life-cycle combat system hardware support to ensure fleet readiness remains high,” said Tracy Howard, senior vice president and general manager of the Leonardo DRS Naval Electronics business. “Additionally, our extensive experience will bring increased capability to the Fleet as the Integrated Combat System is fielded over the next 5 years in support of these future U.S. Navy requirements,” he said. Work will be done at the Leonardo DRS Laurel Technologies facilities in Johnstown, Pennsylvania and Chesapeake, Virginia. https://seapowermagazine.org/leonardo-drs-awarded-navy-contract-for-technical-insertion-of-surface-fleet-combat-management-systems/

By: David B. Larter WASHINGTON — General Dynamics' marine business expects its work in building submarines to drive hundreds of millions of dollars in annual revenue growth over the coming years, company head Phebe Novakovic told investors in a call Wednesday. The company is expecting a $300 million increase in revenue in 2021, with a rough estimate of between $400-500 million of growth a year, Novakovic said, citing submarines as a significant driver. The next-generation ballistic missile submarine Columbia will account for much of that growth, she said. General Dynamics Electric Boat and Huntington Ingalls Industries' Newport News shipyard are the nation's only two submarine builders. With China now operating the world's largest naval force, the U.S. is likely to look to submarines as its ace in the hole against an increasingly sophisticated competitor. “If you look at the U.S. Navy, submarines are its top priority and the Columbia in particular,” Novakovic said. “And why is that? It's because submarines remain a singular competitive advantage, a critical competitive advantage for the United States with near-peer competitors and peer competitors. “I am quite confident that given my belief that the defense budget is driven by the threats that are key elements of our marine group, growth will be nicely supported.” The company last year inked more than $10 billion in contracts for the first two Columbia-class boats. The Navy has consistently said fielding Columbia is its top acquisition priority. Electric Boat is also building the Virginia-class Block V submarine, along with HII Newport News. The Navy is expected to buy the Virginia class at a rate of two subs per year. General Dynamics, which also owns Arleigh Burke-class destroyer-builder Bath Iron Works, believes that platform will continue to be important to the Navy, Novakovic said. The Navy has been waffling about how many of its new Flight III Burkes it intends to buy. The service's 2021 budget proposal cut four destroyers from its five-year plan, proposing eight down from 2020′s proposal of 12. But General Dynamics continues to be bullish on submarines and is investing in its infrastructure at Electric Boat. The company spent nearly $1 billion on its facilities there in 2020, including $345 million in the fourth quarter alone. The investments are “in support of the unprecedented growth on the horizon,” Novakovic said. https://www.defensenews.com/naval/2021/01/27/with-columbia-revving-up-general-dynamics-expects-submarines-to-be-a-cash-cow

Seth J. Frantzman Elbit Systems' UK subsidiary secured a $137 million five-year deal for future target acquisition solutions for the British Armed Forces. It is part of the Dismounted Joint Fires Integration (D-JFI) program, which will provide close air support and other capabilities to infantry and other ground forces. The acquisition solutions are included in the joint terminal attack controllers and fire support teams portions of system, intended to be in operation by 2027. “We understand the need for full operational sovereignty and freedom of action for the UK. This is why we have invested in new facilities in Kent and Bristol in the last 18 months and will continue to invest in our people as we move forward with the delivery of these vital programs,” said Martin Fausset, the CEO of Elbit Systems UK. The contract is part of series of deals for Elbit in the UK, which has shown interest in Israeli technology. Last year Elbit brought its RHINO mobile command to the Army Warfighting Experiment on Salisbury Plain in the UK to showcase how armies can use more digital technology on the modern battlefield. The company also pitched its Hermes 900 UAV last year for maritime patrols in the UK and announced Jan. 11 that it had received a $166 million contract for modernization of a shore-based naval training facility. “Our successes are not just with the Armed Forces but for the UK as a whole. Last year, using the Hermes 900, we successfully delivered a series of search and rescue demonstrations for the Maritime and Coastguard Agency and the National Police Air Service, helping them assess their future fleet requirements and operational concepts,” said Fausset, who also pointed to the naval training and simulation contract. The company has seen a strong start to 2021, he said. “We will continue to build on our position in the UK market over the coming months and remain committed to providing high-technology products to the UK Armed Forces through our local supply chain.” The D-JFI solution “is a networked, passive and active target acquisition solution that acquires, generates and communicates target information to effector systems for effective engagement of joint precision and nonprecision fires,” according to the company. Powered with artificial intelligence, it integrates Torch-X and HattoriX systems that are used for precision targeting. Elbit rolled out HattoriX in 2018 and has demonstrated it for eight countries in Western Europe. It consists of a lightweight system with electro-optics that can be packed and deployed in the field. “The D-JFI solution will enable fast and secured transmission of target information across the British and allied armed forces, allowing swift and accurate utilization of artillery and close air support,” the company said. https://www.c4isrnet.com/industry/2021/01/27/elbit-systems-uk-to-supply-british-armed-forces-target-acquisition-solution

By: David B. Larter WASHINGTON – The Maritime Administration has inked a deal for two more training ships for its prospective Merchant Marine officers in a move that could provide the Navy with a suitable hull for special mission auxiliary ships in the future. MARAD contracted for two additional National Security Multi-Mission Vessels, adding on to the two it purchased last year. The ships are destined for use at Maine Maritime Academy in Castine, Maine, and Texas A&M Maritime Academy in Galveston, Texas. The contract, announced Jan. 19, with Philly Shipyard in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is worth approximately $600 million. If the last ship is contracted, it would bring the total buy to $1.5 billion, according to the marine trade publication gCaptain. The NMSVs are also national assets that can be used in humanitarian assistance missions, can accommodate up to 1,000 people and includes a modern medical facility. The vessels could also prove useful in the Navy's quest to identify a flexible hull that can meet a series of missions as it seeks to replace its aging logistics fleet, Sal Mercogliano, a former merchant mariner and maritime historian at Campbell University, told Defense News last year. “Those vessels serve as a potential hull form for maybe a hospital ship, maybe a command ship, an aviation logistics ship, a sub tender: There's potential there,” Mercogliano said. Questions remain around how the Navy will replace some of its special mission ships, such as the aging hospital ships, and the NMSV is worthy of consideration. For moving lots of tanks and howitzers across long distances, the NSMV isn't well-suited. But for many of the other missions the Navy needs to recapitalize, including its hospital ships, it could prove useful. “I don't think they'd be good for a roll-on/roll-off — it's not designed for a large mission bay,” Mercogliano said. “But I think for the hospital ship, a command ship, there's a lot of utility there.” https://www.defensenews.com/naval/2021/01/27/maritime-administration-inks-a-deal-for-two-more-multi-mission-support-ships

By: Burak Ege Bekdil ANKARA, Turkey — Kenya's military has ordered 118 four-wheel drive personnel carriers from Turkish armored vehicles manufacturer Katmerciler. Kenya Defence Forces spokesperson Col. Zipporah Kioko told local press that the Ministry of Defence is finalizing the deal for the mine-resistant, ambush-protected Hizir vehicles through Turkey's Export Credit Agency. “The Hizirs will provide the Kenyan troops protective mobility wherever they are deployed,” a Katmerciler official said. Kenya's military will primarily deploy the Hizir vehicles for counterterror operations against the al-Shabab militant group. The company official declined to comment on how soon the contract would be finalized, but a Turkish procurement source said the deal should be inked in a matter of weeks, if not days. The procurement source put the price of the contract at “nearly €60 million” (U.S. $73 million). Last month, Turkey and Tunisia signed a $150 million deal for the sale of scores of Turkish-made defense equipment, including BMC's Kirpi MRAP vehicles and Nurol's Ejder Yalcin four-wheel drive armored combat vehicles. “The deal augments the penetration into the African market of Turkish armored vehicles,” the Turkish procurement official said. Sources said Katmerciler defeated South African and North American rivals for the Kenyan contract. The Katmerciler official said the Hizir has a proven track record in Syria, where Turkish forces operate and face similar threats as Kenyan troops face along the border with Somalia. Tested in the Netherlands and certified by NATO, the Hizir can be used in various configurations, such as combat; command and control; chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear defense; weapon carrier; ambulance; border security; and reconnaissance. The vehicle is fitted with Turkish company Aselsan's Stabilized Advanced Remote Weapon Platform, which can be installed on tactical vehicles, fixed surveillance posts, towers and critical infrastructure. Depending on the operational requirements, remote weapon platform can be equipped with a 12.7mm machine gun, a 40mm automatic grenade launcher or a 7.62mm machine gun. The turret has advanced capabilities and options such as a fire-on-the-move capability, day and night imaging, automatic target tracking, laser range finder for accurate ballistics, last-round warning, and manual backup. The vehicle, which can carry up to nine personnel, is also equipped with a smoke grenade launcher on the top of the vehicle. It is designed on a V-hull monocoque chassis to increase vehicle and crew survivability by deflecting an upward directed blast — such as from a landmine or improvised explosive device — away from the vehicle. https://www.defensenews.com/land/2021/01/27/kenya-orders-118-armored-vehicles-from-turkey

By: Valerie Insinna Edited on 1/27/21 at 1:44 p.m. to provide more details on the cost overrun. WASHINGTON — With the Jan. 27 announcement of a new $275 million charge on the KC-46, Boeing has now paid as much in cost overruns for the troubled program as the U.S. Air Force invested in the tanker's development. The new charge, which the company reported as part of fourth-quarter 2020 earnings, means Boeing has now paid more than $5.0 billion out of pocket to pay for the myriad technical problems and production issues that have cropped up since the company won the program in 2011. Under the firm, fixed-price contract signed then, Boeing is responsible for paying for any costs in excess of the contract's $4.9 billion ceiling. The latest KC-46 overrun occurred “primarily due to production inefficiencies including impacts of COVID-19 disruption,” the company said. Steve Trimble of Aviation Week put together a list of KC-46 charges by year, finding that the program documented its largest overrun in 2020 despite seeing charges decrease to only $148 million in 2019. The company previously attributed $494 million in charges to the ongoing pandemic during the first, second and third quarters of 2020. The KC-46 is a commercial-derivative plane based on the Boeing 767 airliner. Because it is manufactured on the 767 production line in Everett, Washington, before undergoing military-specific upgrades, any slowdown in commercial plane volume also makes it more expensive to produce the KC-46. Boeing President and CEO Dave Calhoun said in October he believed the KC-46 had moved past the technical problems that plagued the program over the past few years, and the tanker would prove to be an asset for the company after the pandemic had run its course. “The tanker has been a drag on us for three or four years in every way you can think of with respect to investors,” he said at the time. “But we are continuing to clear the hurdle with our customers with respect to its performance in their fleet and their need for that tanker. “That whole relationship, I believe, will begin to transition next year, and opposed to being a drag on our franchise — which it's been — I believe it will become a strength in our franchise.” In an message to Boeing employees on Wednesday, Calhoun pointed to some key wins in the defense and space sector, including the first flight of the MQ-25 tanker drone with an aerial refueling store, and the demonstration of the F/A-18 Super Hornet's ski jump launch capability for the Indian Navy. Over the past month, Boeing has inked contracts with the U.S. Air Force for the sixth and seventh lots of KC-46 production, raking in $3.8 billion for an additional 27 tankers. However, during the earnings call, Calhoun noted that analysts should not count on Boeing's defense business to generate a massive amount of near-term growth in the wake of the pandemic. “We continue to believe that we're going to have stable growth, admittedly at the lower end of the single digits. That's the best guidance that we can talk about because we do believe there is pressure that will ultimately come down as a result of all of the COVID spending here in the United States,” he said. “But a large part of our business now is international market, and the order activity in those international markets is pushed to the right somewhat — and almost entirely because of COVID-related stuff,” he said. “We still like our position because we have a lot of ongoing programs that the military and of course our defense [spending] bills have been kind to.” The Air Force plans to buy 179 KC-46 aircraft over the program of record. The first KC-46 was delivered to the service in 2019. https://www.defensenews.com/industry/2021/01/27/boeings-cost-overruns-on-kc-46-now-exceed-its-initial-contract-with-the-air-force

January 25, 2021 Olivier Andries took over from Philippe Petitcolin as Safran CEO on Jan. 1, after the latter took drastic measures in 2020 to keep the company afloat. The Paris-based equipment manufacturer, a “super-Tier 1” in the aerospace industry, is starting the new year in a relatively good financial position... https://aviationweek.com/aerospace/new-safran-ceo-faces-short-long-term-challenges