Nouvelles

By: Tom Kington ROME — Italy will stretch out the order of F-35 fighter jets, buying six or seven of the aircraft in the next five years instead of the previously planned 10 jets, a government source told Defense News. The decision follows a review of the program by Italy's populist government, which took office in June and is mulling defense spending cuts to pay for social welfare programs and cover tax cuts. The source said the plan did not envisage a reduction in orders, merely a slowdown of intake, which would leave the decision of the total F-35 purchase to a future government. Previous governments planned to buy 60 F-35As and 30 F-35Bs for a total of 90 aircraft. The new government will focus on spending plans over its five-year mandate and not beyond, the source said, adding that discussions are underway with the U.S. about the change in schedule. The decision on the slowdown keeps with Italian policy on the F-35 set out by Defence Minister Elisabetta Trenta after she took office in June. “What I would like to do is lighten the load, since we have other spending commitments in Europe. We will try to stretch out deliveries instead of cutting the order, which would reduce offsets and mean penalties,” she told Defense News at the time. Italy has taken delivery of 10 F-35As and one F-35B. Two of the "A" models as well as the "B" model are being used for training in the U.S., while eight "A" models are now based at the Italian Air Force's base in Amendola, southern Italy. Trenta was tapped for office by the Five Star party, one of two political parties in Italy's current coalition government. Five Star politicians took a hostile line toward the F-35 program before taking office, at one point promising to scrap it. However, a defense spending document released last month suggests the government will maintain spending on the program in the next two years, with €766 million (U.S. $874 million) due to be spent in 2019 and €783 million in 2020. Those figures should be treated as provisional until the overall budget is signed in Parliament in the coming weeks. Five Star politicians have also shown hostility toward another U.S. defense program — the ground station planned in Sicily to support the Mobile User Objective System, or MUOS, network, a U.S. Navy-run satellite network providing voice and data communications to U.S. military personnel and platforms around the world, even when they are under thick forest canopies. Long held up by legal challenges in Sicily amid health fears, sources have said the MUOS antenna in Sicily could soon see final approval from the Italian government. https://www.defensenews.com/air/2018/11/09/italy-signals-slowdown-on-f-35-orders

GASPÉ, QC, le 9 nov. 2018 /CNW Telbec/ - Aéro Montréal, la grappe québécoise de l'aérospatiale, a reçu aujourd'hui un financement de 2,977 millions de dollars afin de soutenir le développement de l'Initiative StartAero360°, lors du lancement de la Stratégie fédérale pour l'innovation et la croissance des régions du Québec. L'honorable Navdeep Bains, ministre de l'Innovation, des Sciences et du Développement économique et responsable de Développement économique Canada pour les régions du Québec (DEC), en a fait l'annonce ce matin, à Gaspé. Cette initiative vise à accompagner les PME technologiques aérospatiales du Québec dans la phase de pré-commercialisation de leurs produits innovants. Les PME de l'initiative seront accompagnées selon un processus structuré, dans le but de répondre de façon collaborative à une occasion d'affaires qui nécessite le développement d'une preuve de concept industriel. Cette Initiative permettra de : Favoriser et accélérer l'adoption des innovations de ruptures sur le marché ; Soutenir l'entrepreneuriat et la création d'emplois au Canada en permettant à des PME de croître à travers la commercialisation de nouveaux produits ; Accroître le rayonnement de l'industrie canadienne à l'échelle internationale gr'ce à l'adoption et à l'exportation de nouvelles technologies de niches avant-gardistes. Pour se développer, les PME aérospatiales doivent de plus en plus composer avec les technologies de ruptures, que sont les technologies numériques, les métadonnées, l'intelligence artificielle, la fabrication additive, etc. Notre rôle est de mettre à leur disposition des outils efficaces, en collaboration avec les deux paliers de gouvernement, pour encourager le virage des PME vers l'adoption des technologies de rupture. « Nos PME technologiques éprouvent encore beaucoup de difficultés à traverser la phase de pré-commercialisation, nécessaire pour assurer leur réussite commerciale. L'Initiative StartAéro360° a été développée pour permettre à nos PME de trouver le soutien nécessaire en vue de la pré-commercialisation de leurs produits les plus innovants », explique Suzanne M. Benoît, présidente-directrice générale d'Aéro Montréal. L'Initiative StartAéro360° vise l'accompagnement de 30 PME sur 3 ans. Ce programme sera doté d'un budget total de 4,385 millions de dollars, dont 1,4 million seront assumés par le secteur privé. À propos d'Aéro Montréal Créée en 2006, Aéro Montréal est un forum stratégique de concertation qui réunit l'ensemble des premiers dirigeants du secteur aérospatial québécois issus de l'industrie, des institutions d'enseignement, des centres de recherche et incluant les associations et les syndicats. Les activités d'Aéro Montréal sont rendues possibles gr'ce à la participation des gouvernements du Canada, du Québec et de la Communauté métropolitaine de Montréal, ainsi que des entreprises membres de la grappe. SOURCE Aéro Montréal Renseignements : Gwenaël Brisé, Responsable des communications et des relations médias, Aéro Montréal, 438 497-3857, gwenael.brise@aeromontreal.ca https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/strategie-federale-pour-linnovation-et-la-croissance-des-regions-du-quebec--pres-de-3-m-pour-les-pme-aerospatiales-700142081.html

DAVID PUGLIESE, OTTAWA CITIZEN Dassault Aviation has officially confirmed to Agence France-Presse that the firm has pulled out of Canada's future fighter program. The company had planned to offer the Rafale but decided against competing the aircraft because of the extensive Canadian requirements for interoperability with U.S. forces, according to a number of news reports, citing sources. The Canadian government confirmed the withdrawal after the news report became public. “On November 8, the French government officially notified Canada of its withdrawal from the competitive process to replace Canada's fighter jet fleet,” said Public Services and Procurement Canada spokesperson Rania Haddad. “We will continue to work closely with the remaining eligible suppliers to ensure they are well positioned to participate in the ongoing competition.” https://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/defence-watch/dassault-makes-it-official-rafale-is-out-of-canadian-competition

The Ministry of Defence has today announced plans for modernising its estate and establishing a broader and more diverse supply base. The Defence Infrastructure Organisation's (DIO) new procurement plan outlines a programme of major projects and contacts for the next five financial years. This includes work to construct new buildings, such as housing and accommodation, the refurbishment of current facilities; as well as services such as catering, waste management and cleaning. The plan also sets out ambitions to establish a broader and more diverse supply base, including doing more business with small and medium size enterprises (SMEs). Currently, around 75% of spending on maintenance at defence sites goes directly or indirectly to SMEs, and further diversifying the supply base will help build resilience into projects and provide more opportunities for smaller companies to work on key defence projects. By listing all the major projects and contracts, the procurement plan will make it easier for existing and potential suppliers to plan ahead, by offering advice on bidding for this work and greater transparency on working with the MOD. These measures will help in particular small businesses, who don't always have the skills and prior experience of working with the MOD in such areas. Minister for Defence People and Veterans Tobias Ellwood said: The defence estate is where our brave armed forces live, work and train and so it's crucial we give them the best supplies and facilities possible. Working with industry is critical to delivering this, and our new Procurement Plan ensures the private sector has a head start in bidding for this crucial work. Opportunities outlined in the Procurement Plan include the £4billion Defence Estate Optimisation Programme, the Future Defence Infrastructure Services contracts - which will provide facilities management across the UK's military bases- and the £1.3bn Clyde Infrastructure Programme. The plan also details several prominent works that demonstrate DIO's key role in supporting defence throughout the UK. These include essential maintenance work worth £568 million to support nuclear infrastructure capability at HMNB Clyde, as well as a £58m investment in a modern submarine training facility at the base. Alongside this, there are plans for an £8m investment in Bovington Camp to support the AJAX armoured vehicles which will enter service in 2020. Jacqui Rock, DIO Commercial Director, said: As DIO we recognise that our current and future suppliers are key to our success. We have worked with industry to produce the Procurement Plan and we are committed to building a broader, more diverse supplier base. We believe in being as transparent as possible in our procurements and through this new approach we are encouraging new entrants, including small and medium sized enterprises, to consider the benefits and opportunities that working with DIO can deliver. The Procurement Plan will help achieve the goals set out in our first ever Commercial Strategy. This set out our vision for how we do business and how we will work effectively with our suppliers. The Procurement Plan also sets out how DIO can deliver social and economic benefits throughout its supply chain by working to contribute to the government's aim of recruiting 20,000 apprentices through construction procurement and promoting sustainability through its supply chain. By 2020, DIO has committed to a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 30%, a 30% reduction in domestic business flights, a 50% reduction in paper usage and reducing waste going to the landfill to less than 10%. The full DIO Procurement Plan can be found here The DIO Commercial Strategy sets the direction for future DIO Procurement Plans. The full DIO Commercial Strategy can be found here https://www.gov.uk/government/news/mod-sets-out-vision-to-diversify-supply-base--2

By: Joe Gould and Aaron Mehta WASHINGTON — The American defense industry is warning that defense cuts proposed by the Trump administration could undermine the Pentagon's efforts to modernize the military and address threats from Russia, China, Iran, North Korea and transnational terrorism. The Aerospace Industries Association, with the weight of the country's large and small defense firms behind it, issued a statement Thursday warning President Donald Trump and Congress “to provide steady and stable growth in defense spending in the fiscal year 2020 budget request and beyond” if they want to be able to meet those threats. The message comes as Democrats — expected to prioritize domestic spending and question record defense increases — won the House this week, and after White House budget director Mick Mulvaney ordered the Pentagon to prepare for a $700 billion national defense budget proposal for fiscal 2020. (For comparison's sake, the Pentagon is also continuing to prep the $733 billion budget it was expecting.) AIA argued in its statement that the last two years of budget growth have helped the Department of Defense and industry turn things around after years of war and budget instability, but not entirely. “As a result, military readiness is improving, and our industry is responding with more innovation and advanced capabilities,” the statement reads. “But the shortfalls of the last decade cannot be erased in the space of two years, and now the Administration has announced potential reductions in defense investment that could undermine the improvements that are just now materializing.” Last year, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis testified that the Pentagon needed 3 to 5 percent annual growth above inflation through 2023 to stay ahead of near-peer adversaries Russia and China. Congress responded with a $700 billion national defense budget for 2018 and $716 billion for 2019 — but also a $1 trillion tax cut that's grown the national deficit. National security adviser John Bolton said publicly, days before Tuesday's election, that the national debt is “an existential threat to society” and that Pentagon spending will have to “flatten out” in the near term. Deputy Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan had signaled in recent weeks that modernization programs like hypersonic weapons systems would take a hit if the budget falls. “It comes down to a judgment call, how fast do we modernize? And that's probably the biggest knob that we have to turn,” he said. Along similar lines, AIA argued that to achieve the Pentagon's National Defense Strategy — which "requires armed forces that are large and capable enough to meet multiple threats in multiple environments” — “we must continue to invest in the most effective technology and weapons we can provide.” “America's competitors and adversaries have made huge strides in their offensive and defensive capabilities, from submarines to cyberspace, and continue to develop advanced technology and sophisticated operational concepts,” the statement warns. Though it's unclear how sensitive the administration will be to this call, it has been vocal about its focus on the defense-industrial base in concert with Trump's emphasis on the American economy. A Trump-ordered study found roughly 300 gaps and vulnerabilities across America's network of defense suppliers; Pentagon officials are hopeful a third of those issues will be addressed in the next year. Whatever the administration does with its budget submission, it will be up to the new Congress to tweak it. Following the midterm elections, analysts have predictedlawmakers in next year's divided government will overcome gridlock to reach a budget deal that maintains flat defense spending. https://www.defensenews.com/industry/2018/11/08/us-defense-industry-pushes-back-on-white-houses-proposed-33b-budget-cut

ANNE BAUER Pour le patron de la DGA Joël Barre, l'un des principaux défis de 2019 est de donner corps aux multiples programmes en partenariat avec d'autres pays européens. Le dialogue avec l'Allemagne est compliqué. Les restrictions budgétaires présentées mercredi par la loi de finances rectificative 2018 n'auront pas de conséquences significatives sur les livraisons d'équipements aux armées, a promis jeudi le directeur général de l'armement (DGA) Joël Barre. Son administration, chargée de l'équipement des forces, avait anticipé ce gel par une gestion prudente, a-t-il expliqué, en soulignant que les 319 millions d'euros d'annulations de crédits annoncés mercredi ne représentent que 3 % du budget d'équipement de 2018. 12,7 milliards de commandes Cette année, la DGA peut engager 12,7 milliards d'euros contre 11,2 milliards l'an dernier, tandis que le montant prévu en 2019, première année d'application de la nouvelle loi de programmation militaire, atteindra 14,3 milliards d'euros. Parmi les investissements importants, la marine commandera en 2018 et 2019 ses cinquième et sixième sous-marins Barracuda, 4 navires pétroliers ravitailleurs et plusieurs patrouilleurs. L'armée de l'air bénéficiera de la rénovation des avions Rafale au nouveau standard 3, avec notamment le nouveau missile air-air, MICA NG, dont 567 exemplaires seront commandés. Quant à l'armée de terre, elle recevra enfin ses premiers « Griffon », les blindés légers de nouvelle génération. Une année sans panache pour les exportations A l'exportation, l'industrie française de défense enregistre « une année normale », résume Joël Barre, en déclarant s'attendre en 2018 à quelque 7 milliards d'euros d'exportations, comme en 2017 - après 16 milliards en 2016 et 14 milliards en 2015, années de la vente de 12 sous-marins en Australie et de 96 Rafale à l'Egypte, le Qatar et l'Inde. Joël Barre a d'ailleurs confirmé que les négociations avec l'Australie se poursuivaient pour définir l'accord de partenariat stratégique et débloquer une nouvelle tranche de contrats de 1,5 milliard d'euros. Il a par ailleurs confirmé que la DGA avait estimé que « les conditions n'étaient pas réunies » pour que Dassault Aviation participe au futur appel d'offres que souhaite lancer le Canada en 2019 pour acquérir 88 avions de combat. Notamment parce que la France n'appartient pas à l'alliance dite des « Five Eyes » formée par les services de renseignement du monde anglo-saxon (Royaume-Uni, Australie, Canada et Nouvelle-Zélande). Ce qui aurait compliqué l'échange de renseignements avec les Américains. Multiples coopérations européennes Pour la DGA, les principaux défis de 2019 sont toutefois de donner vie à la coopération européenne. Avec le Royaume-Uni, la DGA cherche comment maintenir un courant d'échanges dans l'aviation de chasse « pour garder le contact », tandis que se poursuit le programme commun sur un nouveau missile, capable de remplacer les actuels missiles anti-navires Harpoon et Exocet, ainsi que les missiles de croisière Scalp et Storm Shadow. Deux nouveaux partenariats viennent d'être conclus, avec l'Italie via l'alliance entre Naval Group et Fincantieri, et avec la Belgique, qui vient de signer un accord intergouvernemental avec la France pour s'équiper comme l'armée de terre française en blindés. Reste le partenariat le plus ambitieux mais le plus compliqué à mettre en place : celui pour concevoir avec l'Allemagne le char du futur et le système de combat aérien du futur (Scaf). « Notre espoir est de pouvoir lancer les premières études sur le Scaf en janvier 2019 », a précisé Joël Barre, sans cacher que cet enjeu essentiel en développements technologiques et industriels faisait l'objet de discussions musclées. Alors que l'industrie aéronautique française est en avance sur l'allemande, les industriels français s'inquiètent des ambitions de leurs voisins. Anne Bauer https://www.lesechos.fr/industrie-services/air-defense/0600112092953-armement-les-cooperations-europeennes-se-multiplient-2220527.php

AIR FORCE Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp., Boulder, Colorado, has been awarded a $255,418,494 firm-fixed-price contract modification (P00008) to previously awarded contract FA8810-18-C-0002 for the Weather System Follow-on Microwave. This contract modification provides for the exercise of an option for development and fabrication of the Weather System Follow-on Microwave Space Vehicle 1. Work will be performed in Boulder, Colorado, and is expected to be completed by Jan. 15, 2023. Fiscal 2018 research, development, test and evaluation funds are being obligated at the time of award. The total cumulative face value of the contract is $349,552,413. The Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles Air Force Base, California, is the contracting activity. Crew Training International Inc., Memphis, Tennessee, has been awarded a $241,410,854 firm-fixed-price contract for the MQ-9 Contract Aircrew Training and Courseware Development training program. Work will be performed at Creech Air Force Base, Nevada; Holloman AFB, New Mexico; March Air Reserve Base, California; Hancock Field Air National Guard Base, New York, and other locations that may be required in the future in accordance with the performance work statement. Work is expected to be completed by Sept. 30, 2023. This award is a result of a competitive acquisition and eight offers were received. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $1,006,536 are being obligated at time of award for the phase-in period. Acquisition Management and Integration Center, Join Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia, is the contracting activity (FA4890-19-C-0003). (Awarded Nov. 7, 2018) UNKS Construction, Las Vegas, Nevada (FA4686-19-D-A001); Trinity North Star Construction JV, Plumas Lake, California (FA4686-19-D-A002); Hesperia Construction Co., Pleasanton, California (FA4686-19-D-A003); Utility Construction, Mesa, Arizona (FA4686-19-D-A004); Atwood Hay Inc., Beale Air Force Base, California (FA4686-19-D-A005); Synergy Electric Co. Inc., Santee, California (FA4686-19-D-A006); Tri-Technic Inc., Sonora, California (FA4686-19-D-A007); and Nomlaki Technologies, Yuba City, California (FA4686-19-D-A008), have been awarded a not-to-exceed $93,000,000 firm-fixed-price, multiple-award, electric-construction, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. Task orders will provide the execution of a broad range of projects, including, but not limited to, construction, repair, replacement and installation of various electrical distribution components. Work will be performed at Beale AFB, California, and is expected to be completed November 8, 2023. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition and 10 offers were received. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $16,000 ($2,000 for each awardee) are being obligated at the time of award. The 9th Contracting Squadron, Beale AFB, California, is the contracting activity. ARMY Colt's Manufacturing Company LLC, West Hartford, Connecticut, was awarded an $88,607,109 modification (P00008) to contract W15QKN-15-D-0102 for M4 and M4A1 carbines. Work will be performed in West Hartford, Connecticut, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 25, 2020. Fiscal 2019 and 2020 operations and maintenance, Army funds in the amount of $88,607,109 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, New Jersey, is the contracting activity. FN America LLC, Columbia, South Carolina, was awarded an $88,607,109 modification (P00009) to contract W15QKN-15-D-0072 for M4 and M4A1 carbines. Work will be performed in Columbia, South Carolina, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 25, 2020. Fiscal 2019 and 2020 operations and maintenance, Army funds in the amount of $88,607,709 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, New Jersey, is the contracting activity. Deloitte & Touche LLP, Arlington, Virginia, was awarded an $18,056,941 firm-fixed-price contract to provide a cyberspace analytics capability. Twenty-eight bids were solicited with four received. Work will be performed in Arlington, Virginia, with an estimated completion date of Nov. 7, 2023. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $1,250,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois, is the contracting activity (W52P1J-19-C-0004). Parsons Government Services Inc., Pasadena, California, was awarded a $15,837,195 firm-fixed-price contract to provide Defensive Cyberspace Operations Mission Planning program. Nineteen bids were solicited with seven received. Work will be performed in Centerville, Virginia, with an estimated completion date of Nov. 7, 2019. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $1,000,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois, is the contracting activity (W52P1J-19-C-0005). Great Lakes Dredge and Dock Co. LLC, Oak Brook, Illinois, was awarded a $10,779,850 firm-fixed-price contract for maintenance dredging. Bids were solicited via the internet with three received. Work will be performed in Mayport, Florida, with an estimated completion date of May 30, 2019. Fiscal 2019 other funds in the amount of $10,779,850 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville, Florida, is the contracting activity (W912EP-19-C-0002). IronMountain Solutions Inc.,* Huntsville, Alabama, was awarded a $9,000,081 Foreign Military Sales (Brazil, Egypt, Jordan, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Slovakia, Sweden, Tunisia, Thailand and United Arab Emirates) modification (000024) to contract W31P4Q-17-A-0001 for support services for non-AMRDEC technical support for the Utility Helicopter Project Office. Bids were solicited via the internet with three bids received. Work will be performed in Huntsville, Alabama, with an estimated completion date of May 14, 2019. Fiscal 2018 foreign military sales; research, development, test and evaluation; and other procurement, Army funds in the amount of $9,000,081 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity. Longbow LLC, Orlando, Florida, was awarded an $8,973,759 modification (P00073) to contract W31P4Q-16-C-0035 for laser and longbow HELLFIRE engineering services. Work will be performed in Orlando and Ocala, Florida, with an estimated completion date of Nov. 7, 2019. Fiscal 2018 other procurement, Army funds in the amount of $8,973,759 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity. MISSILE DEFENSE AGENCY Raytheon Missile Systems Co., Tucson, Arizona, is being awarded a $74,847,815 sole-source, cost-plus-incentive-fee modification (P00049) to contract HQ0276-15-C-0003. This modification award is for the execution of the Guidance Electronics Unit (GEU) Phase III procurement under the Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) Block IIA contract. Congress was notified of the Phase II procurement in December 2016. Under this contract, the contractor will continue efforts for qualification, test and integration of the enhanced GEU capability to the SM-3 Block IIA missile. The modification brings the total face value of the SM-3 BLK IIA contract to $1,192,183,647 from $1,117,335,832. The work will be performed in Tucson, Arizona, with an expected Phase III completion date of Sept. 30, 2020. The performance period is from Oct. 1, 2018, through Sept. 30, 2020. Fiscal 2018 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $1,000,000 will be obligated at the time of award. The Missile Defense Agency, Dahlgren, Virginia, is the contracting activity (HQ0276-15-C-0003). DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY General Dynamics Land Systems Inc., Sterling Heights, Michigan, has been awarded a maximum $12,243,227 firm-fixed-price contract for tank periscope head assemblies with storage containers for the M1A1 Abrams tank. This is a one-year base contract with one 180-day option period being exercised at time of award. This was a sole-source acquisition using justification 10 U.S. Code 2304 (c)(1), as stated in Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. Locations of performance are South Carolina and Michigan, with a Dec. 15, 2022, performance completion date. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2022 Army working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime, Warren, Michigan (SPRDL1-18-C-0317). Knox County Association for Retarded Citizens,** Vincennes, Indiana, has been awarded a $8,999,635 modification (P0002) exercising the first option period of a one-year base contract (SPE1C1-18-D-N024) with two one-year option periods for undershirts. This is a firm-fixed-price contract. Location of performance is Indiana, with a Nov. 12, 2019, performance completion date. Using military services are Army and Air Force. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Central Power Systems & Services Inc.,* Liberty, Missouri, has been awarded a maximum $7,240,000 firm-fixed-price contract for diesel engines. This is a three-year contract with no option periods. This was an acquisition permitting other than full and open competition for manufacturer parts with two responses received, using justification 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1), as stated in Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. Location of performance is Missouri, with a Nov. 8, 2021, performance completion date. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2021 Army working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime, Warren, Michigan (SPRDL1-19-D-0012). NAVY DRS Laurel Technologies, Johnstown, Pennsylvania, is awarded $8,608,626 for firm-fixed-price delivery order N0002419F5601 under previously-awarded contract N00024-15-D-5201 for 18 Technical Insertion (TI) 16 Common Processing System (CPS) water-cooled core computing system production cabinets and six TI-16 CPS water-cooled advanced storage area network production cabinets. The CPS provides the computer processing and memory, data storage and extraction and input/output interfaces to support host software applications of Navy combat systems. This delivery order involves foreign military sales to the Republic of Korea. Work will be performed in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, and is expected to be completed by December 2019. Foreign military sales funding in the amount of $8,608,626 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, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. *Small business **Mandatory source https://dod.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/1686733/source/GovDelivery/

Deux officiers à la retraite, proches du MR, ont défendu la décision du gouvernement de sélectionner l'avion de combat américain F-35 pour succéder aux F-16 vieillissants, en assurant dans une carte blanche qu'il s'agissait d'une "excellente nouvelle pour la défense européenne". "C'est au terme d'une sélection transparente présentée au Parlement, procédure unique au plan européen pour ce type d'investissements sensibles, que l'avion américain a remporté le marché en l'emportant dans l'intégralité des 7 critères majeurs retenus. Pour couronner le tout, le F-35 affiche le prix le plus bas", affirment l'ancien colonel aviateur Luc Gennart, désormais échevin MR à Namur, et le général de brigade Raymond Dory, ex-conseiller militaire du ministre des Affaires étrangères Didier Reynders. "Les retours sociétal et industriel vont pouvoir être maintenant négociés très concrètement entre l'avionneur et les acteurs institutionnels et industriels belges. Ils s'annoncent d'ores et déjà prometteurs", ajoutent les deux anciens officiers, dans une carte blanche adressée à plusieurs quotidiens. Ils rappellent que le choix du F-35 du groupe américain Lockheed Martin a provoqué des "réactions courroucées", principalement à Paris, qui avait proposé - mais en dehors de la procédure officielle - son avion de combat Rafale, alors que le Royaume-Uni promouvait l'Eurofighter Typhoon. Selon MM. Gennart et Dory, le reproche est fait à la Belgique d'affaiblir la défense européenne est "proprement inacceptable". "Le Danemark, l'Italie, le Royaume-Uni et les Pays-Bas (sans parler de la Norvège, hors UE) ont fait le choix du F-35, les accuse-t-on de torpiller la défense européenne? ", s'interrogent-ils. https://www.rtl.be/info/belgique/societe/deux-officiers-a-la-retraite-defendent-le-choix-du-chasseur-f-35-americain-1075326.aspx

In partnership with Maxar's SSL, team demonstrates collaborative approach to growing U.S. Government space programs pipeline HERNDON, VA, Nov. 8, 2018 /CNW/ - Radiant Solutions, a Maxar Technologies company (NYSE: MAXR) (TSX: MAXR), has been awarded a $2 million contract by the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to lead a team in designing, building, and demonstrating a next-generation optical telescope system for agile small satellite constellations. Radiant Solutions is partnered on this program with SSL, Maxar's spacecraft manufacturing business, demonstrating the power of combining unique capabilities from across Maxar to meet U.S. Defense and Intelligence agency demand for small form-factor satellites and grow Maxar's US Government space program pipeline. Radiant Solutions will provide world-class geospatial mission engineering expertise, augmented by SSL's decades of experience in providing powerful and resilient spacecraft systems. Both Radiant Solutions and SSL are focused on helping national security customers see, understand and anticipate activity across our changing planet in support of global mapping and intelligence missions. The companies' combined advanced capabilities are driving revenue growth for Maxar's Space Systems Segment by contributing to a variety of defense and intelligence missions which aim to accelerate innovation in support of global GEOINT missions, next-generation spacecraft design, missile defense, and end-to-end system engineering and integration support. The satellite telescope system's lightweight design and large field-of-view is expected to enable more capable small satellites that can be manufactured more rapidly and economically. The system can easily scale to many dozens of spacecraft for persistent, resilient coverage. To reduce mass, the system's design incorporates a robust, high-performance silicon carbide material designed for the most demanding applications in space. "Radiant Solutions is proud to play a major role in the development of disruptive, next-generation technologies that will transform satellite imaging missions and enhance global mapping and intelligence at scale," said Tony Frazier, President of Radiant Solutions. "With our team's extensive experience in highly specialized geospatial systems, we're uniquely positioned to accelerate the evolution of the DoD's most critical imaging infrastructure." "SSL brings unmatched integrated spacecraft system capabilities to deliver effective and affordable end-to-end solutions that build a better world and support our nation's leadership in space," said Richard White, president of SSL Government Systems. "We're delighted to be working closely with our colleagues at Maxar Technologies to solve problems from space." https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/maxars-radiant-solutions-selected-by-darpa-to-develop-next-generation-optical-system-for-agile-earth-observation-satellites-700016421.html