Nouvelles

The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) has added two new events to its fall calendar for its Deep-space Healthcare Initiative; a National Space Health Forum and a NanoRacks Industry Day. National Space Health Forum The National Space Health Forum is scheduled for November 13 and 15 at CSA headquarters. The event is described as follows; Envision the expanse of healthcare innovation to support human deep-space exploration. Get ready to become involved in shaping Canada's future in deep-space healthcare. Catalyze the growth of your network. NanoRacks Industry Day The NanoRacks Industry Day is scheduled for November 15, also at CSA headquarters. The event is described as follows; “The participants will meet Nanoracks, who will present their current product platform and future plans, and will be seeking to secure partnerships with Canadian space & health stakeholders. Registration details will be sent out shortly.” More information on these events and the CSA's Deep-space Healthcare Initiative is available here: http://www.asc-csa.gc.ca/eng/events/2019/deep-space-healthcare.asp Learn more about Canada's space health and innovation plans. http://spaceq.ca/canadian-space-agency-adds-new-events-for-its-deep-space-healthcare-initiative/

Leonardo and CAE USA have joined forces to collaborate in the United States to offer integrated solutions for helicopter training requirements for the government market. A memorandum of agreement (MoA) was signed recently between the companies that expands on the long-established relationship between Leonardo and CAE in helicopter training. The MoA is focused on delivering tailored helicopter-and-training packages to U.S. government operators and Foreign Military Sales (FMS) customers. The companies will provide low risk and best value by offering a comprehensive and integrated training solution that includes aircraft, simulators and courseware. Working together to create a cohesive flight training package, Leonardo and CAE will be at the forefront of integrated, live, and virtual training developed for specific aircraft missions. The integrated offerings from Leonardo and CAE could include advanced helicopters, simulators and training devices, courseware, training services, and training centers. Each arrangement will be specific to the customer and determined on a case-by-case basis. William Hunt, CEO AgustaWestland Philadelphia Corporation, said: “Leonardo has a long history of collaborating with CAE for helicopter training. By creating integrated training systems for the U.S. government together, we are able to offer forward-looking, cost effective solutions that ensure mission success.” “We look forward to collaborating with Leonardo on training opportunities in the U.S. military market related to Leonardo's range of helicopter platforms,” said Ray Duquette, president and general manager, CAE USA. “Our extensive experience in helicopter simulation and training and specifically on Leonardo helicopters means we will be able to offer timely, cost-effective and integrated training solutions to our U.S. customers.” https://www.verticalmag.com/press-releases/leonardo-cae-collaborate-on-helicopter-training-solutions-for-u-s-government/

DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Science Applications International Corp., doing business as SAIC, Fairfield, New Jersey, has been awarded a maximum $950,000,000 fixed-priced, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for a variety of Federal Supply Group 80 items. This was a competitive acquisition with three offers received. This is a three-year base contract with two, two-year option periods. Locations of performance are Pennsylvania, California, Georgia, Texas, New Jersey and Arizona, with a Sept. 5, 2022, performance completion date. Using military services are Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2022 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE8EG-19-D-0103). BOH Environmental LLC, Houston, Texas, has been awarded a maximum $70,000,000 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment contract for specialized shipping and storage containers. This was a sole source acquisition using justification 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1), as stated in Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. This is a two year base contract with three one year option periods. Location of performance is Texas, with a Sept. 5, 2021, performance completion date. Using customers are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and federal civilian agencies. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2021 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE8ED-19-D-0001). General Electric Co., Lynn, Massachusetts, has been awarded a maximum $14,874,824 firm-fixed-price delivery order (SPRPA1-19-F-QH06) against a five year basic ordering agreement (FA8122-19-G-0001) for engine exhaust frames. This was a sole source acquisition using justification 10 USC 2304(c)(1), as stated in Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. This is a 43 month contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Massachusetts, with an April 30, 2023, performance completion date. Using military service is Navy. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 Navy working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19111-5098. Pomp's Tire Service Inc., New Berlin, Wisconsin, has been awarded a maximum $11,465,836 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for wheel end assemblies. This was a competitive acquisition with two responses received. This is a three year contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Wisconsin, with a Sept. 6, 2022, 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-0159). NAVY DLT Solutions LLC, Herndon, Virginia (N66001-19-A-0045); EC America Inc., McLean, Virginia (N66001-19-A-0119); Carahsoft Technology Corp., Reston, Virginia (N66001-19-A-0120); RightStar Systems Inc.,Vienna, Virginia (N66001-19-A-0022); Belarc Inc., Maynard, Massachusetts (N66001-19-A-0118); and Immix Technologies, McLean, Virginia (N66001-19-A-0121), are being awarded a multiple-award, firm-fixed-price Department of Defense (DoD) Enterprise Software Initiative (ESI) blanket purchase agreement (BPA) in accordance with the firms' General Services Administration (GSA) Federal Supply Schedule contracts. This BPA provides for purchase of this category's software products and services by the DoD, U.S. intelligence community, and Coast Guard. The overall estimated value of this BPA is $820,450,000. The individual agreements are awarded for multi-reseller and multi-publisher providers of commercial-off-the-shelf information technology asset management software; software maintenance support; information technology professional services; and related services in support of DoD ESI in the enterprise software category. The resellers/software publishers are: DLT Solutions (Netscout and Tripwire); EC America (Riverbed, Netscout, Commvault and Microfocus Solutions); Carahsoft Technology (Safenet, Zscaler, Datalocker, Hytrust, Nlyte Microfocus Solutions, Beyond Trust, and Oblong); RightStar (Nlyte); Belarc Inc.; and Immix Technologies (BeyondTrust and Microfocus Solutions). The ordering period will be for a maximum of 10 years from Sept. 6, 2019, through July 11, 2029. The BPA is issued under DoD ESI in accordance with the policy and guidelines in the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement, Section 208.74. This BPA will not obligate funds at the time of award. Funds will be obligated as task orders using operations and maintenance (DoD) funds. Requirements will be competed among the awardees in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation 8.403-3(c)(2), and the successful contractor will receive firm fixed-price orders. This BPA was competitively procured via the GSA E-Buy web site among 679 vendors. Eight offers were received and eight were selected for award. Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity. Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is being awarded a $266,203,768 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract special tooling and special test equipment in support of F-35 Lightning II aircraft for the Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps and non-U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) participants. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas (50.30 percent); San Diego, California (13.18 percent); Orlando, Florida (7.30 percent); El Segundo, California (5.45 percent); Samlesbury, United Kingdom (5.23 percent); Papendrecht, Netherlands (3.90 percent); Cheltenham, United Kingdom, (2.49 percent); Rochester, United Kingdom (2.29 percent); Nashua, New Hampshire (1.95 percent); Phoenix, Arizona (1.66 percent); Williston, Vermont (1.47 percent); Marietta, Georgia (1 percent); Palmdale, California (0.73 percent); East Aurora, New York (0.59 percent); Endicott, New York (0.55 percent); Kongsberg, Norway (0.43 percent); Marion, Virginia (0.34 percent); Hauppauge, New York (0.30 percent); Boulder, Colorado (0.24 percent); Owego, New York (0.23 percent); Sylmar, California (0.22 percent); Mississauga, Canada (0.06 percent); Avon, Massachusetts (0.04 percent); Montmorency, Australia (0.02 percent); Garden Grove, California (0.02 percent); and Ontario, California (0.01 percent). Work is expected to be completed by July 2022. Fiscal 2019 aircraft procurement (Air Force, Marine Corps, and Navy); and non-U.S. DoD participant funds in the amount of $266,203,768 are being obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This modification combines purchases for the Air Force ($117,424,737; 44 percent); Navy ($80,246,876; 30 percent); Marine Corps ($36,674,989; 14 percent); and non-U.S. DoD participants ($31,857,166; 12 percent). The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N0001919C0074). Harris Corp., Roanoke, Virginia, is being awarded a maximum $249,000,000 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the purchase of Squad Binocular Night Vision Goggle systems; spare and repair parts; contractor logistics support; and test article refurbishment. Work will be performed in Roanoke, Virginia, and is expected to be complete by September 2024.Fiscal 2019 procurement (Marine Corps) funds in the amount of $328,203 will be obligated at time of award and funds will expire the end of fiscal 2021.This contract was competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities website, with six offers received. The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Virginia, is the contracting activity (M67854-19-D-1501). Orbis Sibro Inc., Mount Pleasant, South Carolina (N39040-18-D-0003); Q.E.D. Systems Inc., Virginia Beach, Virginia (N39040-18-D-0004), Delphinus Engineering, Eddystone, Pennsylvania (N39040-18-D-0005); and Oceaneering Intl., Chesapeake, Virginia (N39040-18-D-0006), are being awarded a combined cumulative $37,884,834 cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity multiple-award modification to exercise Option Period One to provide non-nuclear production support for U.S. naval submarine projects/repairs. The services under these contracts cover marine electrician, industrial fire watch/laborer, marine pipefitter, outside marine machinist, marine painter, weight handler, marine ship fitter, shipwright, welder, sheet metal, marine insulator, abrasive blaster, deck time setter and sound tile setter for upcoming submarine availabilities. Work will be performed in Kittery, Maine, and is expected to be completed by October 2020. No funding will be obligated at time of award. The Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Kittery, Maine, is the contracting activity. QED Systems Inc., Virginia Beach, Virginia (N64498-19-D-4006); and McKean Defense Group LLC, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (N64498-19-D-4032), are being awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity type contracts with cost-plus-fixed-fee and firm-fixed-price line items for engineering and technical services in support of Naval Surface Warfare Center Philadelphia Division (NSWCPD) Hull, Mechanical and Electrical (HM&E) systems Modernization Program. The contract being awarded to QED Systems Inc. (QED) will be awarded for $19,847,942, and the contract being awarded to McKean Defense Group LLC (McKean) will be awarded for $21,458,714. Work under the QED contract will be performed in Virginia Beach, Virginia (20 percent); Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (20 percent); and various Navy port locations worldwide (60 percent). The work under the McKean contract will be performed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (40 percent); and various Navy port locations worldwide (60 percent). Work at all locations is expected to be completed by September 2024. Fiscal 2019 Navy working capital funding in the amount of $100,000 ($50,000 per contract) will be obligated at time of award via individual task orders and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. In accordance with 10 U.S. Code 2304(a), these contracts are the result of a full and open competitive procurement via the Federal Business Opportunities portal, in which three offers were received. The Naval Surface Warfare Center Philadelphia Division, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is the contracting activity. American Scaffold, San Diego, California (N55236-16-D-0001); and W.V. Construction Co.,* Jamul, California (N55236-16-D-0002), are each being awarded firm-fixed-price contract modifications to exercise Option Year Four of their respective previously-awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, multiple-award contracts to provide scaffolding services to the Southwest Regional Maintenance Center's Commercial Industrial Services code in support of Navy ships and other government vessels within a 50-mile radius of San Diego, California, which may include Oceanside, California. American Scaffold is being awarded $10,869,649, and W.V. Construction Co. is being awarded $18,892,889. Each contractor shall provide management, administrative and production services, materials, tools, equipment and required support to accomplish scaffolding on board U.S. naval ships and other government vessels within a 50-mile radius of San Diego, which may include Oceanside, California. Scaffolding shall include rolling scaffolds, suspended scaffolds and tube-and-clamp-type scaffolds. Work will be performed in San Diego, California, and is expected to be completed by October 2020. No funding is being obligated at time of award. The Southwest Regional Maintenance Center, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity. AS and D Inc., Beltsville, Maryland, is being awarded a $16,118,830 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to previously awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract N00173-14-D-2016 for engineering and operational support for the command, control, data collection and mission management operations at Blossom Point Tracking Facility (BPTF). Work will be performed in Welcome, Maryland, and is expected to be complete by Aug. 26, 2020. Fiscal 2019 working capital funds (Navy) in the amount of $194,791; fiscal 2019 operation and maintenance funds (Navy) in the amount of $322,000; and fiscal 2019 research and development funds (Air Force) in the amount of $486,000, will be obligated at time of award. Contract funds in the amount of $516,791 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Contract funds in the amount of $486,000 will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. CORRECTION: The Sept. 5, 2019, announcement of a $9,500,000 delivery order (N68335-19-F-0393) against a previously awarded basic ordering agreement (N68335-16-G-0028) for Oceanit Laboratories Inc.*, Honolulu, Hawaii, included the incorrect contracting activity. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Lakehurst, New Jersey, is the contracting activity. CORRECTION: The Sept. 5, 2019, announcement of a $107,067,910 contract for Hexagon U.S. Federal Inc., Huntsville, Alabama (N00024-19-D-4114) included an incorrect completion date. The contract's expected completion date is actually September 2024. ARMY BAE Systems Inc., York, Pennsylvania, was awarded a $268,990,416 modification (P00015) to contract W56HZV-18-C-0133 for Bradley production. Work will be performed in York, Pennsylvania, with an estimated completion date of March 31, 2021. Fiscal 2018 procurement of weapons and tracked combat vehicles funds in the amount of $268,990,416 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Warren, Michigan, is the contracting activity. Heritage-M2C1 Joint Venture,* Delta Junction, Alaska, was awarded a $40,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract to execute sustainment, restoration, and modernization projects. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 12, 2024. U.S. Army 413th Contracting Support Battalion, Fort Wainwright, Alaska, is the contracting activity (W912D0-19-D-0005). Professional Contract Services Inc., Austin, Texas, was awarded a $26,688,913 modification (P00023) to contract W9124L-17-C-0005 for non-personal services to provide labor and supplies necessary to manage and operate the Fort Sill, Oklahoma, Directorate of Public Works. Work will be performed in Fort Sill, Oklahoma, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 30, 2022. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance Army funds in the amount of $26,688,913 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Mission and Installation Contracting Command, Fort Sill, Oklahoma, is the contracting activity. PAE Government Systems Inc., Arlington, Virginia, was awarded a $26,022,182 modification (P00014) to Foreign Military Sales (Afghanistan) W56HZV-17-C-0117 for the National Maintenance Strategy Ground Vehicle Support effort. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will be performed in Kabul, Afghanistan, with an estimated completion date of March 1, 2020. Fiscal 2019 Afghanistan Security Forces, Army funds in the combined amount of $26,022,182 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Warren, Michigan, is the contracting activity. Lynxnet LLC,* Suffolk, Virginia, was awarded an $18,207,432 firm-fixed-price contract to operate and maintain the command and control and infrastructure operations for headquarters, U.S. Army Intelligence and Security Command. One bid was solicited with one bid received. Work will be performed in Fort Belvoir, Virginia, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 18, 2020. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance, Army funds in the amount of $8,490,400 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Warren, Michigan, is the contracting activity (W911W4-19-C-0010). General Dynamics Land Systems Inc., Sterling Heights, Michigan, was awarded a $14,986,238 modification (P00071) to contract W56HZV-13-C-0319 to provide labor and vendor costs to furnish and install two new horizontal boring mill machines. Work will be performed in Lima, Ohio, with an estimated completion date of March 7, 2022. Fiscal 2019 procurement of weapons and tracked combat vehicles, Army funds in the amount of $14,986,238 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Warren, Michigan, is the contracting activity. Northbank Civil and Marine Inc.,* Vancouver, Washington, was awarded a $13,075,000 modification (P00001) to contract W9127N-18-C-0081 for rehabilitation, structural, mechanical, and electrical upgrades to tainter gate. Work will be performed in Detroit, Oregon, with an estimated completion date of May 1, 2022. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance, civil funds in the amount of $13,075,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Portland, Oregon, is the contracting activity. Motorola Solutions Inc., Linthicum Heights, Maryland, was awarded a $10,173,475 modification (P00002) to contract W52P1J-18-D-0036 to upgrade and expand the Pacific Japan and Korea land mobile radio system, connect sites to the current joint Japan land mobile radio system and to upgrade the Army backup core infrastructure in Japan. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of May 24, 2023. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois, is the contracting activity. DEFENSE INFORMATION SYSTEMS AGENCY The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory LLC (JHU/APL), Laurel, Maryland, was awarded a non-competitive, single-award, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for essential engineering, research, and/or development capabilities, in line with the core competencies established by the assistant secretary of defense for research and engineering, which designated JHU/APL as a University Affiliated Research Center (UARC). The place of performance will be at JHU/APL, Laurel, Maryland; and at the Defense Information Systems Agency, Fort Meade, Maryland. The contract ceiling value is $245,000,000, funded by multiple appropriation types. The minimum guarantee of $5,793,933 is satisfied through the issuance of the first task order in conjunction with the contract, which is funded by fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation funds. This is a sole source award, and as such, only one proposal was received. The ordering period is Sept. 30, 2019, through Sept. 29, 2024. The Defense Information Technology Contracting Organization, National Capital Region, is the contracting activity (HC1047-19-D-0001). Trace Systems Inc., Vienna, Virginia, was awarded a single-award, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract in support of providing the full range of Mission Partner Environment (MPE)-compatible support services and associated equipment to design, implement and operate the MPE enterprise. The contract ceiling value is $98,000,000. At the time of award, the minimum guarantee of $500 will be obligated using fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance funding. All other funding will be obligated at the task order level. The places of performance will be at contiguous U.S. and outside continental U.S. designated MPE Services (MPE-S) support sites including Washington, District of Columbia; Fort Meade, Maryland; Air Force facilities in Fairfax, Virginia; U.S. Africa Command, Stuttgart, Germany; U.S. Central Command, Tampa, Florida; Kuwait; Bahrain; Afghanistan; U.S. Southern Command, Miami, Florida; U.S. Northern Command, Colorado Spring, Colorado; U.S. Special Operations Command, Tampa, Florida; Joint Communication Support Element, Tampa, Florida; and U.S. Forces Korea, Youngsan Air Base, Osan Air Base, Kunsan Air Base, and Camp Humphries. Additional places of performance are to be determined based on customer requirements and real world events. The specific place(s) of performance will be specified in individual task orders. A competitive solicitation utilizing full and open competition was the basis for the single-award contract. Proposals were solicited via the Federal Business Opportunities website and four proposals were received. The ordering period is five years from the date of contract award. The Defense Information Technology Contracting Organization, National Capital Region, is the contracting activity (HC1047-19-D-4002). AIR FORCE Alliant Techsystems Operations LLC - ATK Tactical Propulsion and Control, Rocket Center, West Virginia, has been awarded a $109,929,339 firm-fixed-price contract for Hard Target Void Sensing Fuzes (HTVSF). This contract provides for the full rate production of Lot 2 and Lot 3 HTVSFs, as well as spares, trainers, and support. Work will be performed in Rocket Center, West Virginia, and is expected to be complete by July 31, 2023. This award is the result of a sole source acquisition. Fiscal 2017, 2018, and 2019 ammunition procurement funds in the amount of $109,929,339 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Hill Air Force Base, Utah, is the contracting activity (FA8213-19-C-0038). Bowhead Cybersecurity Solutions & Services LLC, Alexandria, Virginia, has been awarded a $19,689,460 firm-fixed-price contract for the Air Force National Tactical Integration Program. This contract provides for real-time, two-way interactive information exchange among the combined/joint force air component commander, other joint and Air Force customers, and the national intelligence community. Work will be performed at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas; Fort Meade, Maryland; Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio; Scott Air Force Base, Illinois; Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana; Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida; Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona; Fort Gordon, Georgia; Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina; Langley Air Force Base, Virginia; Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida; Hurlburt Field, Florida; Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii; and Creech Air Force Base, Nevada. The performance period includes four option periods with expected completion by Jan. 30, 2024. This award is the result of a sole source set-aside acquisition. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance funding in the amount of $1,446,615 are being obligated at time of the award. The Acquisition Management & Integration Center-Detachment 2, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, is the contracting activity (FA7037-19-C-A009). *Small Business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/1954307/source/GovDelivery/

By: Jen Judson NAVAL AIR WEAPONS STATION CHINA LAKE, Calif. — In the skies above China Lake, California, from the back of an MH-47 Chinook cargo helicopter, an operator with a tablet takes control of a Gray Eagle drone and tasks it with firing a small, precision-glide munition at an enemy target located on the ground. But at the last second, a higher level threat is detected and the munition is rapidly redirected toward a different threat, eliminating it within seconds. This was made possible through the architecture, automation, autonomy and interfaces capability, or A3I, built by the Army's Future Vertical Lift Cross-Functional Team under Army Futures Command. The demonstration showed the ability to nimbly pass control between operators of unmanned systems and munitions through a networked architecture of systems also receiving and filtering real-time, pertinent information to aid in operational decision-making. “It was our first jump into algorithmic warfare,” Brig. Gen. Wally Rugen, who is in charge of the Army's FVL modernization effort, told Defense News following the demonstration. “We definitely didn't jump into the deep end of the pool, but we jumped in and, again, we are into pursuing that as far as we can take it to help soldiers be lethal.” The Aug. 26 demonstration sought to tighten the kill chain and allow for more advanced teaming between air assets and troops on the ground using a resilient network. “When you talk about our kill chain, we are trying to take seconds out of our kill chain,” Rugen said. “We feel like we understand the reverse kill chain — the enemy coming to get us. Our kill chain is going to get them, and we want our decision-making to be as precise and as expeditious as possible,” using automation and autonomy, he added. AI3 was developed over the course of nine months and culminated in the demonstration at China Lake. "Going from a concept, and in a matter of months putting it into an experiment: That was probably the most impressive thing, particularly if you look back at the history of how we do these,” James McPherson, the official performing the duties of the undersecretary of the Army, told Defense News. McPherson attended the demonstration to emphasize the importance to senior Army leadership of modernization efforts within the service. The FVL effort in particular includes ensuring manned, unmanned, munition and other air-launched effects are all seamlessly networked together to fight in advanced formations in a congested environment, such as an urban area, and that they are prepared to fight across multiple domains. Using an interface called Arbitrator, the service networked together a variety of targeting identification and rapid automated processing, exploitation and distribution, or PED, capabilities as well as real-time weather information and several other features and capabilities to help operators of unmanned systems penetrate, in the case of the demonstration, an urban environment. AI3 in action During the demo, one of the systems integrated into the network tied to a ground sensor detected a possible threat on the ground. Seeing the threat detected in the system, a helicopter pilot then gained control of an extended-range Gray Eagle and tasked it to perform reconnaissance of the possible target. Using the UAS, the pilot identified the threat as an enemy surface-to-air missile system. The pilot then ordered the UAS to fire a Dynetics GBU-69 small glide munition to defeat the target, marking the first time the munition had been fired from a Gray Eagle. But as the munition closed in on the target, the system picks up on another threat deemed more important for elimination. The information for this decision came from the integrated PED systems that use machine-learning algorithms to accurately identify items of interest. Another operator then redirected the munition during its final seconds of flight to hit the new, more pressing threat. Why does the Army need A31 capability? To build the system, the government took the lead integration role, Chief Warrant Officer 5 Cory Anderson, the UAS branch chief for Army Special Operations Aviation Command, said at the demonstration. This ensured the service's ability to get the right levels of interoperability between subsystems. But almost all of the capabilities tied into the government's black box came from small businesses and academia. Much of the initial development has come from the special operations side of the house. The demonstration was viewed from a tactical operations center, with screens lining the walls of a large air-conditioned trailer, but the system has a scalable control interface and can be remotely accessed from a cockpit or even a tablet used by a soldier on the ground. This breaks the Army free from having to use a ground control station, Anderson said, meaning the footprint and logistics tail can be drastically reduced. To put together the tactical operations center and ground control station, it took roughly seven C-17 planes to move heavy equipment into China Lake. “We can't sustain that,” Anderson said. “We believe we can get it down to a two C-17 load-out just by minimizing the generational requirements alone.” By integrating PED systems that use machine learning into A3I, the Army no longer requires a large number of people — roughly 30 at a time — to conduct PED from full-motion video. The Arbitrator system allows for operators to pass control of various systems back and forth at different levels of control, from just receiving information from a sensor or UAS to controlling a payload to the entire system. The system is also under development to improve its automation levels. The utility of passing control to a relevant operator not tied to a ground station means taking out the middle man that doesn't have the same advantageous access to the tactical edge another possible operator might have. Rugen said that if there's an operator on the ground close to the action, it's much easier to take control of systems rather than try to direct someone far away to the right location to get eyes on a possible point of interest or target in order to make an actionable decision. “What if the squad leader could just grab the sensor because we have the hierarchy?” Rugen noted. While the capability was developed and demonstrated by the FVL Cross-Functional Team, the system has applications for almost everything on the battlefield, from applications to long-range precision fires targeting capabilities to next-generation combat vehicle teaming to soldier systems. Both directors for the Long-Range Precision Fires and the Network cross-functional teams were present at the demonstration. While the unclassified version of the demo didn't show capability, the classified version addresses the architecture's capability to protect itself against threat-representative electronic attack. “We want to make sure we have a resilient network,” Rugen said. The next step is to move the Arbitrator system onto an airborne platform, which would completely eliminate the ground control station. That will be demonstrated in roughly a year. https://www.defensenews.com/land/2019/09/05/jumping-into-algorithmic-warfare-army-aviation-tightens-kill-chain-with-networked-architecture/

By: Jill Aitoro The Pentagon's needs one central hub to manage all of the data supporting artificial intelligence across the services — and the newly stood-up Joint Artificial Intelligence Center should be the entity to take that on, said Steve Walker, director of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. DARPA has funded foundational AI work for 56 years, now concentrating on what Walker calls third wave AI that focuses on human and machine interaction as well as building “trust and explainability” of the data, Walker said during a panel discussion at the Defense News Conference on Sept. 4. “Everybody should own it, but I think there's a real need in [the Department of Defense] to understand how to do what we call AI engineering,” he said. “We can do the foundational part, the research, but who's going to manage the data? Who's going to update the data as it changes? Who's going to update the algorithms as the data changes? "I know that the Joint AI Center has stood up in the department. I've encouraged them to take that on for all of DoD and all the services. I think that would be an excellent role for them.” Established in June 2018, the Joint AI Center is an effort to accelerate the Pentagon's adoption and integration of AI at scale. As a center of excellence, Lt. Gen. Jack Shanahan, JAIC's director, said the organization was intended to expand beyond product delivery to include “strategic engagement and policy, plans and analysis, and intelligence and more.” It's been billed as a clearing house for organizing the DoD's thinking and projects related to AI. That said, it's too soon to know whether JAIC will take Walker's advice and serve as a central manager of sorts for AI data; he did say leadership seemed “amenable” to the idea. A centralized hub for data could also ease efforts underway by agencies. The Air Force has people plugged in with the JAIC effort, as well as DARPA and academic institutions. The service is starting an AI accelerator at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where members of the Air Force are embedding with the university's computer science and AI lab. “We're trying to make it real, to take some of what Dr. Walker and his team had been working on and turn it into something that our airmen out in the field can use across the spectrum,” said Gen. Stephen “Seve” Wilson, Air Force vice chief of staff. “Whether you're logistics, whether you're an operator, whether you're space. I would make it real.” At the end of the day, successful AI efforts are based on big data sets. Without that underlying data, the Pentagon is “building a house on sand,” said Juliana Vida, the chief technical adviser for the public sector at Splunk, Inc. “If you don't get the foundation right, the input into the machine-learning algorithm is not going to be complete. It's not going to be correct. Even though it's not cool and it doesn't go bang and it's not sexy, the data is the underlying piece to all of these other technologies,” Vida said. https://www.c4isrnet.com/artificial-intelligence/2019/09/06/who-should-control-the-pentagons-ai-data-darpas-director-has-a-suggestion/

By: Seth J. Frantzman JERUSALEM — Israeli defense company Rafael Advanced Defense Systems' acquisition of local firm Aeronautics Limited combines the former's expertise in intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance with the latter's ties to the UAS market. “We have a strong feeling and understanding that the world is changing and moving more operational requirements toward unmanned vehicles and specifically unmanned aerial vehicles,” said Yuval Miller, executive vice president of aerial and C4I systems divisions at Rafael. The 850 million shekel (U.S. $240 million) deal has been in the works for more than a year and received approval earlier this year. Under the agreement, announced Sept. 3, Rafael will hold a 50 percent stake in Aeronautics along with businessman Avichai Stolero. Rafael, which is known for its Iron Dome air defense system, Trophy active protection system, Litening pods and advances in artificial intelligence, sees an advantage in adding UAS to its global strategy. Aeronautics has a portfolio involving 50 countries and a spectrum of UAVs. Rafael says it has in-house capabilities such as sensors, systems and munitions that have been used on fighter jets and other platforms that can pair well with what it describes as Aeronautics' lower-tier UAVs. Rafael has historically cooperated with other local and foreign companies that make UAVs, such as Elbit Systems and Israel Aerospace Industries. For instance, its RecceLite pod was integrated on General Atomics' Predator B/MQ-9s with the Italian Air Force in 2016. But Rafael noticed even more potential in the platforms made by Aeronautics, including its Orbiter UAV products, such as the Orbiter 3 lightweight drone that has a range of 150 kilometers and is used for intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance missions. “These platforms are becoming more robust and their endurance has grown significantly,” Miller said. Indeed, the market is growing in size, to the tune of billions of more dollars in annual spending over the next decade alongside the bolstered capability and and further miniaturization of UAVs. “This has put us in a position to look for a partner, and we found that Aeronautics, which has an excellent portfolio in 50 countries around the world, and their UAV platforms on the lower tier are world leading, and binding that with Rafael's network and sensor capability looks like excellent synergy,” said Miller, who foresees a fast-growing business with the acquisition. Rafael plans to maintain Aeronautics as an independent company, which will evolve its business to Rafael's products. The two companies already partnered in acquiring Controp Precision Technologies in 2012. Controp makes electro-optical systems. Rafael envisions a productive meshing with its electro-optics for ISR missions and area surveillance. “We are talking about onboard advanced image processing and [artificial intelligence], and today that also is available in small and lightweight for lower-tier and low-cost UAVs,” Miller said. Currently, medium-altitude, long-endurance and high-altitude, long-endurance UAVs are costly, but stronger and smaller drones will evolve and combine more sensors and networks, fusing data for an overall customer gain, according to Rafael. Rafael did not discuss how it might mesh with Aeronautics' loitering munitions, such as the Orbiter 1K. The acquisition is part of a growing trend of consolidation in Israel, which saw Elbit acquire former state-owned IMI last year. In 2017 and 2018, Aeronautics was under several investigations that saw its exports restricted and stock price falter. Those hiccups now appear to be behind the firm. https://www.defensenews.com/industry/2019/09/05/rafael-acquires-drone-focused-firm-is-240m-deal

By: Shawn Snow The Corps' new tropical boots may be on the feet of some Marines by the end of 2019, according to Marine officials. The Corps awarded two contracts on Aug. 29 for up to 140,000 total pairs of two styles of tropical boots, according to Maj. Ken Kunze, a spokesman for Marine Corps Systems Command. Kunze said one contract was awarded to ADS Inc. for a maximum order of 70,000 pairs of the Rocky brand tropical boot. That contract award was valued at $11.1 million dollars, Kunze said. Another contract was awarded to Provengo LLC for 70,000 pairs of the Danner brand tropical boot, with a contract valued at $13.7 million, according to Kunze. Kunze said the initial order for the new tropical boots is being procured in September and they should start arriving in 60 days to 90 days. The boots have gone through rigorous training during the past several years. In 2017, Marines with 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines, evaluated three tropical boot prototypes from boot manufacturers Danner, Bates and Rocky while training in a jungle environment. The new boots will not be part of a Marine's general seabag issue. The boots are headed for the for the Consolidated Storage Program, and will be issued to Marines in predeployment training before heading to a hot or tropical climate, Manny Pacheco, a spokesman for Marine Corps Systems Command, previously told Marine Corps Times. https://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/your-marine-corps/2019/09/05/new-tropical-boots-coming-by-the-end-of-2019

The Air Force has been testing directed energy weapons—i.e., lasers, high-powered electromagnetic and other radiological weapons—and plans to integrate them into its planes and wargames by next year. But the service still isn't sure how those weapons will affect the people that use them. Air Force Materiel Command announced the award of a $30.8 million contract to General Dynamics Information Technology to establish a rigorous research and testing methodology to establish “scientifically based health and safety standards,” according to a notice on FedBizOpps. The contract is not looking at what happens to humans targeted by directed energy weapons, but rather “to promote maximum use of [radio frequency/high-power microwave] technologies while protecting Air Force personnel from radiation hazards and minimizing negative operational impact,” according to solicitation information archived on BidNet.com. “This requires an extensive research program in dosimetry and bioeffects of ... radiation.” The research contract also calls for GDIT to create “exposure assessment tools” that will alert operators when they have had too much contact with certain forms of energy radiation and preempt over-exposure. The results of this research will be integrated with U.S. and international health and safety standards and adopted by the Air Force Surgeon General for Occupational Health and Environmental Safety. “Our goal is to provide the USAF with the world's best ... radiation bioeffects research and science-based exposure standards, allowing maximum safe exploitation of [directed energy] for national defense,” the solicitation states. https://www.nextgov.com/emerging-tech/2019/09/air-force-spend-31m-research-how-lasers-energy-weapons-affect-operators/159675/

By: David B. Larter WASHINGTON — The U.S. Army's program-killing project known as “night court” will continue and become more aggressive in the coming years as demands for the service's modernization effort increase, the Army's acting secretary said Wednesday. Named after the 1980s-era sitcom and a nod to the long hours worked by staff to pull it off, night court in 2018 identified $25 billion in savings and scrapped modernization efforts that the Army plans to use to finance new technologies. Acting Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy announced another $10 billion of savings in May. But keeping night court alive will require a deliberate effort until it becomes routine, McCarthy told the audience at the third annual Defense News Conference. “Night court is kind of like working out: You've got to get up, you've got to get after it,” McCarthy said. “It's hard. It wears you out. You think: ‘Boy, it would be easier to just stay in bed.' But it's necessary to keep the institution strong. We believe it has been institutionalized. ... But we've got to keep up the repetitions, and over time it will become a behavior, like a reflex.” McCarthy, who is expected to face a confirmation hearing to become Army secretary later this month, said as Army Futures Command's cross-functional teams identify requirements for the next generation of Army systems, the effort must become more aggressive. “What we've done in the cross-functional teams, those efforts have been successful,” McCarthy said. "So as we continue to go down the development pipe, they are going to come back with a requirement we are going to need X numbers of systems to lay in across our formations. And as we scale that out over time, that will cost more money. “So, when you look at where are the opportunities, you have to make choices — divestiture. Legacy systems that we have enjoyed for decades that have performed for us in combat operations for going on 18 years now, some of them will have to go away.” Defense Secretary Mark Esper, who formerly served as the Army secretary and championed the service's effort, signaled he will continue night court Pentagon-wide, something that will test his political clout as services are often loathed to give up reliable legacy systems, and lawmakers is even less willing to give up jobs in their districts that would be threatened by program cuts. But, McCarthy said, the effort is necessary to finance the new technologies the Pentagon needs to gain an advantage over China and Russia. “Night court will continue. In fact, night court is going prime time with Secretary Esper down the hall,” he said. “It's necessary to find as much trade space within that [$741 billion] in the '20 and '21 budgets to find every penny we can to finance our ambitions. Every investment program has a divestiture.” https://www.defensenews.com/smr/defense-news-conference/2019/09/05/killing-programs-is-like-working-out-acting-army-secretary-says