Nouvelles

Tony Osborne October 30, 2020 Bell is pondering how to incorporate advanced technologies developed for its future military platforms into its commercial rotorcraft. Since its rebranding as more of a technology company than a helicopter OEM, CEO Mitch Snyder has been pushing the company on a course of innovation, investing in autonomous flight and electric propulsion as well as advancing defense capabilities. But there appears to be little obvious gain for Bell's line of civil rotorcraft. In the last couple of years, its commercial helicopters have received only fairly minor upgrades. The Model 407GXi light single-engine platform had its avionics upgraded so that it can fly under instrument flight rules, while the Model 412 medium twin received new avionics and uprated power. Yet both upgrades were essentially spun off from modifications for military programs. The 407 update was developed for the U.S. Navy's rotary-wing trainer requirement, which Bell lost to Leonardo, and the 412EPi was born from the type's selection by Japan for its UH-X military utility requirement. Bell's restraint in further developing commercial rotorcraft likely is due to its prolonged effort to bring the new Model 525 to market. Nor is it a great time to bring a new aircraft to market. Sales remain stubbornly slow in the aftermath of a fall in energy prices that dramatically reduced orders from the lucrative oil-and-gas support market. Progress in bringing the fly-by-wire, 9.3-metric-ton 525 super-medium to market—it was launched in 2012 and flown for the first time in 2015—has been painfully slow, in part due to the fatal loss of one prototype but also due to the need to convince certification authorities of fly-by-wire technology benefits. “The hurdle is higher now to try and get [the 525] certified,” Snyder told Aviation Week during a virtual roundtable on Oct. 19. “This technology brings all these benefits and makes the aircraft safer. . . . You have to walk them through and give them time to understand it,” he said. Snyder believes things are on track. “We feel very good about getting certified in 2021,” he added, noting that the company is finishing up testing and preparing for the submission of certification documentation to the FAA. He said Bell is continuing to evaluate new commercial platforms, although the cost of development and certification is prohibitive. “We're always looking to see if there's a clean-sheet out there that we may want to do,” he said. “But I can tell you, at least right now, our focus has been around derivatives to our military products and more about adapting upgrades to our existing models.” The approach appears to be in line with his views at last year's Paris Air Show, where he suggested Bell may not develop a new clean-sheet commercial conventional rotorcraft beyond the 525. One area of opportunity could be development of a single-engine medium helicopter, he hinted, building on Bell's Model 360 Invictus prototype for the U.S. Army's Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA) requirement. “Bell's got a lot of single-mediums out there,” said Snyder, noting that hundreds of Model 204/205 Iroquois helicopters remain in service with militaries, civilian operators and government agencies. Operators have become reliant on twin-engine helicopters, particularly because in some parts of the world, notably Europe, single-engine rotorcraft are banned from flying over urban areas. But Snyder said the 360 Invictus also features a supplemental power unit that can act as an auxiliary power unit as well as provide additional performance or auto-rotation power, and could be an enabler for a single-engine medium. It is possible that Bell is looking at a military utility variant of the 360 Invictus, pairing the aircraft with the attack version in the same way that its UH-1Y Venom and AH-1Z Viper platforms have built on the Huey and Cobra. Such a platform could receive interest from the U.S. special operations community, which is looking to replace the Boeing AH-6/MH-6 Little Bird family. Officials have noted that they would like to be able to adapt a FARA platform to carry troops. Sikorsky's Raider X can do so, but the Bell FARA cannot, until a more utilitarian version emerges (AW&ST June 1-14, p. 28). The Army's selection of Bell's V-280 tiltrotor as the larger Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft could enable a commercial spinoff of the platform, Snyder suggests. Bell is also looking to make commercial use of its Electrically Distributed Anti-Torque (EDAT) technology, a ducted electric tailrotor system tested on a Bell 429 light-twin. Flight tests for it were only revealed in February, despite the aircraft's flights in plain sight from its Mirabel, Quebec, facility since May 2019. Testing showed that the EDAT reduced noise levels, but there were also benefits in terms of safety, enabling the option of switching off the anti-torque system while the engines and main rotor are still turning. The EDAT eliminates complex tailrotor gearboxes and shafts and requires less costly inspections and maintenance as well. “We pulled in off-the-shelf technologies to make the demo occur within one year,” said Snyder. “Now we're evaluating what the real technology needs to be as far as repackaging it in the weight and size that we require.” Snyder said the EDAT technology will be aimed at a commercial rotorcraft, but for which product line or when it might be commercially available has yet to be decided. https://aviationweek.com/aerospace/aircraft-propulsion/military-technology-could-bolster-bells-commercial-helicopters

• Le système RAPIDFire développé par le GME Thales et Nexter a été choisi par la Direction générale de l'armement (DGA) afin d'équiper de prochains b'timents de la Marine nationale d'une nouvelle artillerie. • Ce nouveau système novateur et polyvalent de défense très courte portée permettra de doter des b'timents de surface d'une capacité d'auto-défense rapprochée contre les menaces modernes aériennes et de surface. Les forces navales sont aujourd'hui confrontées à des menaces multiples aux comportements complexes, comme celles représentées par les drones aériens et de surface, les avions légers et les missiles. Le RAPIDFire développé par Thales et Nexter répond à ce besoin de défense très courte portée des Forces armées en exploitant les savoir-faire des deux groupes. C'est un système d'artillerie de nouvelle génération, multi menaces (air et surface) et multi milieux (terre et naval), dont le coût d'engagement est adapté à celui de ces menaces. Le RAPIDFire est un système d'arme de grande précision gr'ce à son viseur optronique intégré sur la tourelle, ses algorithmes de conduite de tir performants, son canon et son système de gestion automatique des munitions permettant la meilleure réactivité et une efficacité optimale pour l'opérateur. Le RAPIDFire intègre le canon de 40 mm développé par CTAI, la filiale internationale de Nexter Systems et BAE Systems. Le système a la capacité d'utiliser toute la gamme de munitions développées dans le cadre des programmes terrestres et est prédisposé pour utiliser une future munition dite « intelligente » A3B (Anti-Aerial AirBurst). Le groupement momentané d'entreprises (GME) formé par Nexter et Thales pour le RAPIDFire s'inscrit dans la continuité du partenariat étroit initié par les deux groupes il y a dix ans. Aujourd'hui, le programme est en phase de développement. Suivront ensuite la qualification, la production et la livraison de systèmes d'armes dans les forces, dont le premier exemplaire sera livré en 2022. Développé dans une approche surface–air permettant l'utilisation à la mer mais également depuis la terre, le marché prévoit également une option pour préparer une future utilisation sur porteur terrestre. Le RAPIDFire, véritable solution interarmées, sera ainsi un système canon susceptible d'équiper les forces navales, terrestres et aériennes. « Nous sommes très heureux d'accompagner la Marine nationale dans le renforcement de ses solutions de défense. Parce qu'il allie rapidité de mise en œuvre et précision, le RAPIDFire développé en coopération avec Nexter constitue la meilleure réponse pour protéger les b'timents de la Marine nationale contre les menaces modernes et a vocation à devenir un élément essentiel et durable de notre offre de solutions avancées pour la protection de nos forces. » Thomas Got, Directeur Général Systèmes Intégrés pour la Protection de l'Espace Aérien, Thales. « Le 40 CTA présente des caractéristiques inégalées de puissance et de compacité, qui en font un système d'armes particulièrement adapté à la protection des b'timents de surface. Avec le RAPIDFire, Nexter se réjouit d'élargir le spectre d'emploi du CTA40 en coopération avec Thales et la Marine nationale. » Michel Vatrey, Directeur des Systèmes et Programmes, Nexter A propos de Nexter Nexter, société du groupe KNDS, est le leader français de la défense terrestre et le 3ème munitionnaire européen. Son domaine d'activité s'étend à la fourniture de systèmes et de munitions pour les forces aériennes et navales. Nexter propose également des systèmes et des solutions de protection dans le domaine de la sécurité. Le groupe confirme sa politique de développement à l'international avec 69% de prises de commandes à l'export en 2019. En France, Nexter est pleinement mobilisé pour répondre aux objectifs du programme SCORPION, à travers la rénovation du char Leclerc, la production des engins VBMR GRIFFON et EBRC JAGUAR au sein d'un GME (Nexter, Arquus, Thales) ainsi que le développement du VBMR Léger SERVAL. Le chiffre d'affaires de Nexter s'est établi pour 2019 à 1,1 milliard d'euros, dont 16% sont alloués aux activités de Recherche & Développement. Le groupe propose par ailleurs une large gamme de véhicules blindés comme le VBCI et le TITUS®, les systèmes d'artillerie CAESAR® et 105LG1, des munitions intelligentes (BONUS), les robots de la gamme NERVA®, de nombreux équipements ainsi que des services clients, de soutien et de revalorisation. Plus d'informations sur www.nexter-group.fr Contact Presse Louis Dosseur +33 1 39 49 32 31 l.dosseur@nexter-group.fr A propos de Thales Thales (Euronext Paris: HO) est un leader mondial des hautes technologies qui investit dans les innovations du numérique et de la « deeptech » – connectivité, bigdata, intelligence artificielle, cybersécurité et quantique – pour construire un avenir de confiance, essentiel au développement de nos sociétés. Thales propose des solutions, services et produits qui aident ses clients –entreprises, organisations, Etats – dans les domaines de la défense, de l'aéronautique, de l'espace, du transport et de l'identité et sécurité numériques, à remplir leurs missions critiques en plaçant l'humain au cœur des décisions. Thales compte 83 000 collaborateurs dans 68 pays. Le Groupe a réalisé un chiffre d'affaires de 19 milliards d'euros en 2019 (sur la base de données intégrant Gemalto sur 12 mois). Contact Presse Faïza Zaroual +33 (0)7 81 48 80 41 faiza.zaroual@thalesgroup.com https://www.thalesgroup.com/fr/group/journaliste/press_release/thales-et-nexter-equiperont-batiments-marine-nationale-dune

By: Andrew Chuter LONDON — Progress toward boosting the British Royal Navy's frigate numbers with a new class of ship continues to advance, with the Babcock International-led consortium contracted to build the warships adding on satellite communication supplier Viasat to its list of subcontractors. A deal to supply ultrahigh-frequency satellite communications for five general-purpose frigates being built for the Royal Navy has gone to Viasat UK, the company announced Nov 3. Viasat is based in the U.S. and was ranked No. 69 on Defense News' latest list of the top 100 defense companies around the world. Ultrahigh-frequency SATCOM is a mission-critical capability that will provide the Type 31 with beyond-line-of-sight, secure, integrated voice and data services. The deal is the latest in a sequence of contract awards by Babcock over the last few months. This time last year, the Ministry of Defence hired the firm to design and build a British version of the Danish Iver Huitfeldt-class warship. About 75 percent of the Type 31 subcontracts have now been awarded, and Babcock remains confident the program is on schedule despite problems presented by the coronavirus pandemic. The Viasat deal follows a recent announcement from BAE Systems that it had come to an agreement with Babcock to deliver two Bofors 40 Mk4 and one Bofors 57 Mk3 multipurpose gun systems per ship. BAE said its Karlskoga facility in Sweden will deliver the weapons in 2023 and 2024. All of the major supply chain contracts on Type 31 have been decided, including the Thales Tacticos-based combat management system; MTU main engines and diesel generators; Renk main reduction gearboxes; MAN Energy Solutions propellers and propeller shaft lines; and Raytheon Anschutz's warship-integrated navigation and bridge system. Babcock and its partners BMT, Fraser Nash, OMT and Thales — collectively known as Babcock Team 31 — are to start construction of the first 6,000-ton warship next year, with 2027 set as the year it's to enter service. A covered construction hall capable of holding two Type 31s is progressing at Babcock's Rosyth shipyard in Scotland, where the Royal Navy's two 65,000-ton Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers were recently completed. All five of the new frigates are due to have been completed — at an average cost of £250 million (U.S. $324 million) per ship — by 2028 to replace aging Type 23 frigates. Babcock announced in August that it had weeks earlier successfully completed the preliminary design review of the entire ship. BAE is also building Britain's Type 26 anti-submarine warfare frigate. The company has a contract for the first three warships, with the Royal Navy having an eventual requirement for eight vessels. As for Viasat UK, the SATCOM contract is the second defense deal it has secured in the last few days. Last week the company announced that, along with CDW UK, it had been awarded a two-year technical innovation contract for command, control and communication support for a program known as Lelantos. The agile experimentation initiative is to empower the headquarters of NATO's Allied Rapid Reaction Corps in Gloucester, England, with superior decision-making, cross-domain integration and fast maneuver in a conflict. https://www.defensenews.com/industry/2020/11/03/viasat-to-supply-britains-future-frigate-with-satellite-communications-tech

11/2/2020 By Connie Lee The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency has awarded contracts for its Sea Train program, which seeks to enable autonomous vessels to perform long-range transit operations. In September, Applied Physical Sciences Corp., Gibbs & Cox Maritime Solutions and Mar Technologies were chosen for the program, which will include two 18-month phases. The contract awards' total potential values were $31.2 million, $30.4 million and $28.5 million, respectively. Through the effort, DARPA wants “to provide some operational flexibility for medium-sized unmanned surface vessels,” said Andrew Nuss, a program manager within the agency's tactical technology office. Each company is “developing a unique approach to be able to address the goals of the Sea Train program.” Unmanned surface vessels are generally limited in operational range, typically 3,500 to 4,000 nautical miles, he said in an interview. However, DARPA hopes to extend that to about 14,000 nautical miles under the Sea Train program. Usually unmanned surface vessels must undergo multiple refuelings to go farther distances, he noted. “It's sort of a vicious cycle at that point, where you're constantly chasing efficiencies and whatnot,” he said. However, a Sea Train platform — which is expected to be 40 meters long and carry a 35-ton payload — could give an operational commander “the flexibility to deploy these highly capable medium-sized unmanned surface vessels from many different locations without having to rely on ... refueling operations.” DARPA plans to extend the range of USVs more efficiently by creating a “train” in which four autonomous vessels are physically connected until they reach their destination. The platforms would then detach, conduct their individual operations and then reconnect before returning to their starting point, Nuss said. Unmanned boats must overcome resistance and friction from waves as they move, but attaching the platforms may help increase their efficiency and allow them to travel longer distances, he said. “By physically connecting multiple vessels together, and extending the length of that interconnected system, we could move — in our case — four vessels with ... approximately the same efficiency of a single vessel,” Nuss said. The medium-sized platforms were picked for proof of concept, but the idea could be applied to smaller vessels or manned systems as well, he noted. https://www.nationaldefensemagazine.org/articles/2020/11/2/darpa-awards-contracts-for-autonomous-sea-train

By: Sam LaGrone November 2, 2020 6:52 PM The Navy's next attack submarine will feature technology in the Columbia-class program and be significantly larger than the current class of the Virginia-class attack submarines, the chief executive of BWX Technologies said on Monday as part of the company's third-quarter earnings call. The head of the company that builds the nuclear reactors for the Navy's aircraft carriers and submarines said the follow-on to the Virginia SSN would be significantly larger than the current crop of attack boats. “We do expect it will be a larger type of submarine, probably in the size class of the Columbia, but there's not much more to tell than that. But we're working with our Navy customer in what that would look like and how we could take that into production,” Rex Geveden said. “It has the moniker SSN(X) until it gets a class name, and there's some thought, discussion and analysis. It would be the follow-on to the Virginia fast-attack submarine, and it would feather in sometime in the late 2030s.” USNI News understands that Geveden was referring to the submarine's diameter rather than its underwater displacement. The Columbia class is planned to displace about 20,000 tons – about 2,000 more than the current Ohio ballistic missile submarines. The current Virginias displace about 8,000 tons. The Columbia-class hulls are about 42-feet in diameter, while the Virginias are 36-feet wide. A wider hull for submarines can improve characteristics like stealth, allowing ship designers to build in more sound-deadening technology and allow room to develop systems to increase a boat's speed, but it is more expansive to build. The comments are in line with remarks from Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Mike Gilday, who called for the development of a more aggressive attack submarine as a lynchpin of future fleet build-up. “The advantage we have in the undersea is an advantage that we need to not only maintain, but we need to expand. I want to own the undersea for forever because I know that I can be really lethal from the undersea,” he said last month. “When you think attack boat, you're thinking, that can move around the timing and tempo of an operational commander's need to deliver ordinance on target in a timely fashion. And so it's got to be a fast sub as well.” After the Cold War, the U.S. submarine fleet pivoted from the deep-diving, heavily armed Seawolf-class of attack submarines to the Virginia-class, which was optimized to perform signals intelligence and special operations missions in the littorals. “Specifically, the Navy indicates that the next-generation attack submarine should be faster, stealthier, and able to carry more torpedoes than the Virginia class—similar to the Seawolf-class submarine,” the CBO said in late 2018. The return to a more heavily armed, faster submarine is in line with the latest National Security Strategy that places Russia and China at the top of the threat list. Geveden was optimistic on BWXT's outlook for work to build reactors for the Navy's carriers and submarines well into the future. “The nuclear operations groups has really ramped up on the first Columbia, and we are having expectational performance on that program for the Navy customer, and we anticipate another order in the next multi-year pricing agreement,” he said. “We also had an exceptional year of performance on aircraft carriers benefitting from the acceleration of the Ford-class and believe this program will continue for decades as the U.S.'s main force projection asset.” While the company is bullish on the outlook for submarine work, it remains unclear at what rate the Navy will be buying them. Like General Dynamics Electric Boat, which briefed investors last week, BWXT has not received a clear signal from the Navy that it would need to build submarines at the rate of three a year, in line with a call from Secretary of Defense Mark Esper as part of his Battle Force 2045 plan. “In the previous shipbuilding plan, there were 48 fast attack submarines. In the current one, it went to 66. Esper said he was looking at something like 70 to 80 fast attack submarines in the fleet,” Geveden said. “When we last discussed any capital needs around that, what we said was if there was a single year of a third Virginia, we could probably accommodate that without any additional buildout. We haven't evaluated a permanent three-Virginia tempo, and we haven't discussed any capital needs around that, but we would have to invest in that case.” https://news.usni.org/2020/11/02/bwxt-ceo-navys-next-generation-ssnx-attack-boat-will-build-off-columbia-class

AIR FORCE Akima Logistics Services LLC, Herndon, Virginia (FA6800-21-D-0002); DynCorp International, Fort Worth, Texas (FA6800-21-D-0005); M1 Support Services LP, Denton, Texas (FA6800-21-D-0003); PAE Aviation and Technical Services LLC, Arlington, Virginia (FA6800-21-D-0001); and Vertex Aerospace LLC, South Madison, Mississippi (FA6800-21-D-0004), have collectively been awarded an $835,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity multiple award contract for helicopter maintenance services in support of Air Force Global Strike Command, Pacific Air Forces, Air Education and Training Command, and Air Force District of Washington requirements. This contract provides helicopter maintenance, aircrew flight equipment maintenance and weapons maintenance services 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Work will be performed at Malstrom Air Force Base, Montana; Minot AFB, North Dakota; F.E. Warren AFB, Wyoming; Yokota Air Base, Japan; Fairchild AFB, Washington; Kirtland AFB, New Mexico; and Andrews AFB, Maryland. This contract is the result of a competitive acquisition and 11 offers were received. Fiscal 2021 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $14,521,850 are collectively being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Installation Contracting Center, Barksdale AFB, Louisiana, is the contracting activity. NAVY Huntington-Ingalls Industries - Newport News Shipbuilding, Newport News, Virginia, is awarded a not to exceed $284,285,022 fixed-price-incentive (firm target) modification to previously awarded contract N00024-15-C-2114, and a not-to-exceed $30,714,978 cost-plus-fixed-fee and cost plus incentive fee modification to previously awarded contract N00024-09-C-2116, for the accomplishment of CVN 79 single phase delivery and Joint Strike Fighter (F-35C) capabilities. The Navy is transitioning to a single-phase delivery approach to meet both Fleet requirements and a congressional mandate of ensuring that CVN 79 is capable of operating and deploying Joint Strike Fighter (F-35C) aircraft before completing the post-shakedown availability as codified in Section 124 of the fiscal 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (Public Law 116-92). The single-phase delivery date is planned for June 30, 2024. Work will be performed in Newport News, Virginia, and is expected to be completed by June 2024. Fiscal 2018 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funding in the amount of $13,961,569 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. Sodexo Management Inc., Gaithersburg, Maryland, is awarded a $124,391,335 firm-fixed-price modification P00043 under previously awarded contract M95494-18-C-0018 for the management and operation of mess halls in support of the Marine Corps Regional Garrison Food Services Program. Work will be performed in Washington, D.C.; Indian Head, Maryland; Quantico, Virginia; Norfolk, Virginia; Camp Lejeune, North Carolina; Cherry Point, North Carolina; Bogue, North Carolina; New River, North Carolina; Beaufort, South Carolina; and Parris Island, South Carolina. Fiscal 2021 military personnel (Marine Corps) funding in the amount of $27,431,955 will be obligated at the time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Marine Corps Installation Command, Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting activity. Sodexo Management Inc., Gaithersburg, Maryland, is awarded a $121,791,100 firm-fixed-price modification P00038 under previously awarded contract M95494-18-C-0016 for the management and operation of mess halls in support of the Marine Corps Regional Garrison Food Services Program. Work will be performed in Camp Pendleton, California; San Diego, California; Twentynine Palms, California; Miramar, California; Yuma, Arizona; and Bridgeport, California. Fiscal 2021 military personnel (Marine Corps) funding in the amount of $27,440,774 will be obligated at the time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Marine Corps Installation Command, Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting activity. Booz Allen Hamilton, McLean, Virginia (N00189-18-D-Z067); CACI Inc. – Federal, Chantilly, Virginia (N00189-18-D-Z068); Science Application International Corp., Reston, Virginia (N00189-18-D-Z069); Capstone Corp., Alexandria, Virginia (N00189-18-D-Z070); and Serco Inc., Herndon, Virginia (N00189-18-D-Z071), are awarded an estimated increased multiple-award-program ceiling-price of $92,834,859 via modifications P00003 to a previously awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity multiple award contract program that included terms and conditions for the placement of both cost-plus-fixed-fee and firm-fixed-price task orders to provide technical support services for functions such as chief information officer strategic support; data and information management; engineering support; information technology system support; network support; information assurance/cyber security; enterprise business intelligence/enterprise business analytics; software analysis; hardware maintenance and development; and business process reengineering in support of the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations, the Bureau of Naval Personnel, Navy Personnel Command, the Navy Manpower Analysis Center, Commander Naval Education and Training and Commander Navy Recruiting Command. This modification brings the total cumulative multiple-award-program ceiling to $342,538,913. The contracts run concurrently and the ordering period is expected to be completed by September 2024. Work will be performed in Millington, Tennessee (45%); Pensacola, Florida (27%); Arlington, Virginia (10%); various locations throughout the continental U.S. (16%); and various contractor facilities (2%). Operations and maintenance (Navy) funds will fund individual task orders with appropriate fiscal year appropriations at the time of their issuance. This contract action for the modifications is being executed on a non-competitive basis. The original multiple award contracts were solicited under full and open competition; the multiple-award-program ceiling increase is non-competitive utilizing the authority of 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(2) as implemented by Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-2. The Naval Supply Systems Command, Fleet Logistics Center, Norfolk Contracting Department, Philadelphia Office, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is the contracting activity. Science Applications International Corp., Reston, Virginia, is awarded a $36,020,450 modification (P00005) to previously awarded, cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract N00421-18-D-0017. This modification increases the ceiling of the contract to continue to provide systems engineering support to include multi-discipline, integrated technical baseline evaluations, developmental progress assessments, cost, schedule, emerging technology and maturity of design assessments for all Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) acquisition programs in support of the NAVAIR Systems Engineering Department. Work will be performed in Patuxent River, Maryland (95%); various locations within the continental U.S. (4%); and various locations outside the continental U.S. (1%), and is expected to be completed in April 2023. No funds will be obligated at the time of award; funds will be obligated on individual orders as they are issued. The Naval Air Warfare Center, Aircraft Division, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. Integral Aerospace,* Santa Ana, California, is awarded a $9,230,400 modification (P00004) to previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract N00019-18-C-1036. This modification exercises an option for the production and delivery of 72 external fuel tanks in support of the F/A-18E/F and EA-18G aircraft. Work will be performed in Santa Ana, California, and is expected to be completed in May 2022. Fiscal 2021 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $9,230,400 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. DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Burlington Apparel Fabrics, Greensboro, North Carolina, has been awarded a maximum $8,122,500 modification (P00010) exercising the second one-year option period of a one-year base contract (SPE1C1-19-D-1100) with four one-year option periods for cloth. This is a firm-fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. Location of performance is North Carolina, with a Nov. 4, 2021, ordering period end date. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2021 through 2022 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/2402363/source/GovDelivery/

Volatus is the first RPAS provider added to Canada's National Standing Offer November 02, 2020 13:40 ET | Source: Volatus Aerospace Corp. Volatus is first to be added to Canada's National Standing Offer list of pre-approved drone services companies. MONTREAL, Nov. 02, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Public Works & Government Services Canada (PWGSC) began qualifying UAV services providers for publication to Canada's National Master Standing Offer (NMSO). Volatus Aerospace has been identified as the first UAV service provider to be put on the NMSO. The period for making call-ups against the NMSO is from its date of issuance to March 31, 2025. Through this process, Canada is seeking to increase its use of civilian, registered RPAS operators with the intent to harness commercially available drone technology for the next five years. Volatus Aerospace operates with a network of over one hundred Company trained pilots from coast-to-coast-to-coast and has been identified to provide services in all regions of the country. Company capabilities have qualified Volatus to be called upon for all five streams of service identified in the NMSO – Media, Agriculture, Forestry and Fire Fighting, Infrastructure and Real Property, and Security and Emergency Response. Commenting on being added to the list, Rob Walker, Vice President of Business Development for Volatus said, “The process by PWGSC is very welcomed by the industry, it's a massive undertaking to vet so many potential service providers. We are very proud to be first out of the gate.” About Volatus Aerospace: Volatus Aerospace is a vertically integrated drone services company dedicated to driving the full potential of unmanned technologies throughout industries in the Americas. Activities include UAV design manufacturing, distribution, sales, service, and training. In addition to its own long-range, high endurance drones, Volatus has joined forces with DJI, the world-leading drone company, in a strategic channel partner agreement encompassing enterprise equipment sales, support, and training. SOURCE Volatus Aerospace Corp. For more information: Rob Walker, Vice President, Business Development, Volatus Aerospace Corp. Phone: (514) 447-7986 Email: rob.walker@volatusaerospace.com www.volatusaerospace.com https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2020/11/02/2118741/0/en/PWGSC-Place-Volatus-Aerospace-on-Canada-s-Standing-Offer-List-for-RPAS-Services.html

Kevin Coggins The United States and our allies are increasingly dependent on unfettered access to space. However, it has become abundantly clear that our space systems have significant cybersecurity vulnerabilities that our adversaries are eager to exploit. Earlier this year, William Akoto wrote about the growing constellations of satellites operated by private industry, led by SpaceX, Blue Origin and others: “If hackers were to take control of these satellites, the consequences could be dire. On the mundane end of scale, hackers could simply shut satellites down, denying access to their services. Hackers could also jam or spoof the signals from satellites, creating havoc for critical infrastructure. This includes electric grids, water networks and transportation systems.” Space Policy Directive 5, recently issued by the White House, notes that “cybersecurity principles and practices that apply to terrestrial systems also apply to space systems” and that we must integrate these principles and practices into every phase of the space system life cycle. SPD-5 is charting the right course toward assuring our cybersecurity in the space domain. This article highlights the unique vulnerabilities of space systems and how innovative solutions like “digital twins” can help us protect systems in orbit today and design more secure ones for the future. Cyberattacks on space systems — comprised of satellites, ground control stations, and user terminals (e.g., GPS receivers) — are appealing to nation-states, criminal groups, hackers and other bad actors. It's a tremendous opportunity to breach data and disrupt operations in a low-risk way with a low cost of execution. The different components that make up space systems each come with their own set of cyber vulnerabilities, the ground segment in particular. Some space systems were built with speed to market rather than cybersecurity in mind. In contrast, for traditional defense-focused space systems, a slower design and development process has introduced vulnerabilities as well. Space systems operating today may have taken a full 20 years to go from paper to launch and lack the capabilities to recognize or respond to today's cyberthreats. Space systems are increasingly interconnected — a malicious attack can easily spread from a single point of vulnerability in a ground station to the satellites. Cybersecurity in space systems has struggled to keep pace with the rapid evolution of threat actors and exploits. Given these challenges, how can organizations with space systems stay ahead of cyberthreats and protect their missions and users? The older approach of paper-based assessments has significant limitations, like the inability to duplicate reactions to all possible scenarios. At the other end of the spectrum, full-scale replicas are expensive and time-consuming to build. In the middle is the “digital twin” concept — a virtual mirror model that synchronizes a physical object with a cyber representation. With this approach, organizations can test a satellite in different scenarios to identify vulnerabilities and develop protection strategies, even before the satellite is built. One specific project that demonstrated digital twins' strengths and capabilities: testing Air Force GPS space systems for vulnerabilities after the passage of Section 1647 of the 2016 National Defense Authorization Act. Starting with a model-based system engineering review of thousands of pages of design documents, we built a digital replica of critical GPS Block IIR satellite components launched between 1987 and 2004 that ran on a single laptop with lightweight applications. Our digital twin created the foundation for a flexible cyber test bed — a suite of scalable software applications to demonstrate and validate cyber vulnerabilities and protection strategies as the system is designed or modified. The test bed can connect with assets beyond the network to generate data, provide war-gaming support and explore attack scenarios. We need this flexibility and functionality for future space system protection. The next generation of satellites will encounter more extreme service conditions and increased, simultaneous cyberattack vectors over longer periods of time. To respond to these challenges, these space systems will need increasingly complex designs, and with such complexity comes potentially greater vulnerability to cyberattacks and threats. Digital twins and model-based system engineering approaches can strengthen security throughout the acquisition and sustainment phases. Use them to: Develop system requirements and analyze design trades. Create test scenarios for requirements clarification and reference systems. Simulate threats, anomalies and impacts without risk to critical infrastructure. Assess the impact of new threats or operational scenarios on an on-orbit system design. What can space system acquisition professionals, developers and operators learn here? Digital twins offer an innovative approach that can streamline and strengthen the testing and design process of our space assets. They can also provide insights on as-built systems and enable the buydown of risks across the space system life cycle, enabling affordability across the entire system life cycle. Now is the time to leverage their capabilities, to ensure that the space infrastructure so vital to our security and American way of life has the protection it requires. https://www.c4isrnet.com/opinion/2020/11/02/securing-the-final-frontier-digital-twins-satellites-and-cybersecurity/

By: Joe Gould WASHINGTON ― Anyone will tell you this is the most important election in U.S. history ― unless they happen to run a major American defense firm. In earnings call after earnings call, defense industry executives projected calm ahead of Tuesday's election, mainly because they see the coronavirus pandemic carrying greater uncertainty (especially for firms with commercial aviation businesses). But another reason is that, despite wide projections of flat 2021 defense budgets no matter who controls the White House, industry is confident in the Pentagon's commitment to modernization. “We continue to believe that bipartisan support for defense spending will endure and that our portfolio is well-aligned to support our National Defense Strategy,” Northrop Grumman CEO Kathy Warden said in remarks typical of third-quarter earnings calls last week. “While we plan for various budget scenarios, defense spending is largely threat-driven and today's threat environment warrants a strong defense. Emerging threats are intensifying, and we believe both political parties are committed to effectively countering these threats.” If defense firms are upbeat, then Wall Street seems skeptical, with pure-play defense firms down this year and lagging the stock market, said Capital Alpha Partners' aerospace and defense analyst Byron Callan. Partisan gridlock, he noted, is what led to the budget caps that bedeviled federal budgeting for the last decade. “You could argue that some of this underperformance is related to concerns about what the election's outcome could be. Even if the president wins, no one's predicting the House will flip, and then you'll still have gridlock in Congress,” Callan said. “Let's say there's a 50-50 split in the Senate. Things can get pretty sporty.” Defense executives were comfortable making warm predictions about 2021, but the lack of comment about 2022 and 2023 was telling, said Callan. Also, Pentagon officials have warned they will have to tap modernization and readiness funds if Congress does not appropriate about $10 billion for defense contractors' coronavirus-related expenses. So why didn't any CEOs use their earnings calls to amplify that message? “That was one of the dogs that didn't bark here. Either industry doesn't see it as an issue, or that it's inevitable it's not going to happen," Callan said. With Democrats readying to debate steep defense cuts if they sweep the election, the expectation is that swollen national deficits ― driven by pandemic aid and Republican-led tax cuts ― will pressure the defense budget downward. But industry is banking on Washington's drive to prepare militarily for a rising China, a disruptive Russia and an unpredictable North Korea. “Whether it's flat with a little bit of rise or flat with a little bit of fall may depend on the election, but I think that's a fairly narrow space you're working in politically, given the deficit and the threat vectors,” Bill Lynn, the CEO of defense and aerospace conglomerate Leonardo DRS, said in an interview. Lynn is a former deputy defense secretary and Raytheon lobbyist. Though there's been speculation Democrats would cut defense spending, former vice president Joe Biden, who is running against Republican President Donald Trump, would face pressure not to for economic and political reasons, said Michael Herson, president and chief executive at American Defense International, a defense lobbying firm. (Biden has said, if elected, he doesn't foresee major defense cuts.) “The first thing that Biden's going to worry about is COVID and the economic recovery,” Herson said in an interview. “So do you really want to touch defense spending, and add to your economic woes ― because it increases unemployment ― in the first year of your presidency?” Defense Secretary Mark Esper has warned that a flat budget will force the armed services to make budgetary trade-offs and likely cuts to legacy programs. But the Pentagon has also communicated a commitment to modernization, and that's part of industry's confidence. In September, Northrop won a $13.3 billion award for the Ground Based Strategic Deterrent program, the U.S. Air Force's effort to replace the LGM-30G Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile. But some Democrats have attempted to defund it, and investors grilled executives about the program's post-election survival prospects ― and those of Northrop's B-21 Raider. Warden, Northrop's CEO, argued the nuclear triad becomes more of a budgetary priority when conventional military forces are under pressure. “So we're confident that a new administration would recognize that value and continue to support the modernization efforts that are well underway for both GBSD and B-21,” she said. The Pentagon over recent years has oriented itself toward technological competition with China, with related investments in artificial intelligence, next-generation networks, cybersecurity and space. Companies did not see signs of that momentum reversing. “The government doesn't pivot on a dime,” Booz Allen Hamilton's chief financial officer, Lloyd Howell Jr., told investors. “And a lot of the programs that we currently support ... are increasingly tied to their missions, which is politically agnostic.” The CEO of infrared imaging maker FLIR Systems, Jim Cannon, acknowledged there will be “top-line pressure on the budget ... no matter what happens with the election,” but he put stock in Army leaders' assurances that the service must remedy long-underfunded modernization efforts. “The message that was sent out to industry loud and clear is that, after four decades largely without significant modernization transformation, now is the time,” Cannon said. “And if we look at the priorities that we're aligned against and the work that we've been doing for the past two years, we think we're well positioned there. But look: I agree there's a lot of uncertainty, a lot of work yet for us to do, but that's our perspective right now.” When asked, L3Harris downplayed how a drawdown from Afghanistan ― which Trump and Biden both favor ― or hypothetical cuts to end strength would impact the sales of radios or night vision goggles. “We're not even 40 percent through the modernization ramp with radio. So even if end strength comes down, as I expect it likely will, I don't think it's going to affect the growth rate in our radio business,” said CEO Bill Brown, arguing that night vision goggles and radios had “under-penetrated the force.” “So if anything, reduced end strength might actually free up some dollars to be put onto modernization investments that really affect a broad part of our business,” he added. Executives at companies without a stake in a specific major platform had a good story to tell, and several pointed to investments in cybersecurity or artificial intelligence. Leonardo DRS' Lynn said the firm's investments in communications, sensors and computing systems had made it “ambidextrous." "We can go in any direction,” he said. “The larger companies have greater exposure across the breadth of the defense budget. We're more in targeted areas and haven't got broad exposure. “We're in Army sensors, satellite communications; we're in 10 or 12 segments. We can be targeted, and frankly in a flat budget environment, that ability to target's important to grow at all.” https://www.defensenews.com/congress/2020/11/02/what-the-defense-industry-is-seeing-and-saying-about-the-election/