Nouvelles

ByEd Adamczyk Feb. 17 (UPI) -- A solar-powered unmanned aircraft with a wingspan of 114 feet completed its maiden high-altitude flight in the stratosphere, maker BAE Systems said on Monday. The plane, called PHASA-35, which stands for Persistent High altitude Solar Aircraft and its wingspan measured in meters, is meant to fly about 32 miles above the earth in the space, in the upper atmosphere between conventional aircraft and satellites. The aircraft's solar-powered batteries could allow it to stay aloft for over a year at a time, providing a stable platform for monitoring, surveillance, communications and security applications. It can also offer military and commercial customers with capabilities not available from existing air and space platforms, and could be used in communications networks disaster relief and border protection at a fraction of the cost of satellites, BAE said in a statement. The plane, which went from proof of capability to testing in only 20 months, is underwritten by Britain's Science and Technology Laboratory and Australia's Defense Science and Technology Group, and built by BAE Systems and its subsidiary, Prismatic Ltd. Its flight trials were successfully completed at the Royal Australian Air Force Woomera Test Range in South Australia. "To go from design to flight in less than two years shows that we can rise to the challenge the U.K. government has set industry to deliver a Future Combat Air System within the next decade," said Ian Muldowney, engineering director at BAE Systems. Additional test are scheduled for later this year, with plans to enter initial operations with customers within 12 months. Airbus is among companies competing in the high-altitude, long-endurance category of planes, and in 2019 completed a 26-day test flight of its solar-powered Zephyr S "High Attitude Pseudo-Satellite." https://www.upi.com/Defense-News/2020/02/17/BAE-successfully-tests-solar-powered-high-altitude-plane

The Quebec government is defending its decision to invest $30 million in a project to build blimps or airships to transport heavy equipment and supplies to remote areas of the province that lack roads. In June, the government announced it was buying a minority stake in French blimp manufacturer Flying Whales that plans to build a production facility in the Montreal area within five years. The French company is developing a 150-metre-long airship capable of carrying up to 60 tonnes of cargo. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed. Quebec will join France and China as shareholders in the company founded in 2012. Flying Whales is working with Pratt & Whitney Canada (PWC) on a propulsion system that would be adapted from existing helicopter turbines. A spokesperson for PWC confirmed the company is a partner in the project, but said it is still too early in the process to add further comment. “I'm not even sure we've signed a contract with Flying Whales, but it's something very different than what's out there and we're always looking to be involved in advanced projects,” said Catherine Cunningham, assistant director, Public Relations and Communications at PWC. However, Quebec opposition parties are demanding access to a study that supports the project, claiming it's not economically feasible. In 2017, the previous Liberal government declined to partner with Flying Whales for a similar project. But the current Quebec government claims the new project is better laid out and is supported by many sources that were not identified. This isn't the first time a company has tried to build airships in the province. In 2015, LTA Aerostructures, a Montreal-based company with American and Canadian backers, announced plans to build a $60 million production facility in Mirabel to build airships capable of transporting up to 70 million tonnes of cargo. However, the plant was never built and the company's website is no longer active. https://www.skiesmag.com/news/quebec-defends-30-million-flying-whales-investment

Comment exploiter les marchés gouvernementaux québécois! Série de 5 webinaires GRATUITS Le gouvernement du Québec en partenariat avec le Réseau des Femmes d'affaires du Québec vous convient à une série de 5 webinaires pour vous informer des innombrables opportunités dont les petites et moyennes entreprises peuvent bénéficier en faisant affaire avec le gouvernement du Québec. Animé par Cyrille D'Almeida, chargé de cours à l'université Laval et gestionnaire principal à Stratégie Contact, Veille et promotions des contrats gouvernementaux. Mercredi 11 mars 2020 de 9 h à 10 h 30 Comprendre le processus d'approvisionnement et des achats du gouvernement du Québec Mercredi 1er avril 2020 de 9 h à 10 h 30 Identifier les opportunités de marchés Mercredi 22 avril 2020 de 9 h à 10 h 30 Se préparer à faire des offres et à les localiser sur les sites Mercredi 13 mai 2020 de 9 h à 10 h 30 S'inscrire en ligne comme fournisseur potentiel Mercredi 3 juin 2020 de 9 h à 10 h 30 Effectuer les suivis et post mortem des rencontres Coût : Gratuit Réservation en ligne obligatoire Un lien vous sera envoyé pour vous connecter quelques jours avant les webinaires Info : 514 521-5119, poste 116 ou 1 800 332-2683, lblondin@rfaq.ca Une initiative du : Secrétariat à la condition féminine Québec

Pendant longtemps l'Occident a constitué un "bloc" partageant les mêmes valeurs et parlant dans le monde d'une même voix pour la paix. Aujourd'hui les pays occidentaux doutent de leurs valeurs, n'y croient plus, et sont en même temps divisés entre eux. Le Président Emmanuel Macron a participé ce 15 février 2020 à la Conférence de sécurité de Munich qui appelle à un sursaut pour préserver une capacité d'action en matière de défense et de sécurité, pour promouvoir la paix. La Conférence de sécurité de Munich, historiquement, est une enceinte qui a été créée en 1962 par Ewald VON KLEIST, un ancien officier allemand qui était l'un des comploteurs contre Hitler en 1944, et l'un des rares survivants du complot. Il avait fondé cette conférence avec l'idée de promouvoir la paix par le dialogue. Souveraineté européenne, place de l'Europe comme puissance politique, en particulier comme puissance d'équilibre, complémentarité entre OTAN et Europe de la défense, relation avec la Russie, doctrine pour la dissuasion nucléaire, le Président de la République a exposé sa vision. « Nous avons besoin d'une stratégie européenne qui est celle de nous revivre comme une puissance politique stratégique. Je vois une Europe beaucoup plus souveraine, unie, démocratique. À horizon dix ans, je vois une Europe qui aura construit les leviers pour b'tir sa souveraineté technologique, de sécurité et de défense, sur les sujets migratoires, en termes alimentaire, climatique et environnemental, et dans sa relation avec son grand voisinage. » Emmanuel Macron, le 15 février 2020 à Munich. Discous disponibles ici : https://www.elysee.fr/emmanuel-macron/2020/02/15/conference-sur-la-securite-de-munich-faire-revivre-leurope-comme-une-puissance-politique-strategique

(Munich) Les dépenses militaires mondiales ont connu l'an dernier leur hausse la plus élevée depuis dix ans, sur fond de rivalités croissantes et de ce que le chef de l'État allemand a qualifié de « dynamique destructrice » au plan mondial. La progression a atteint au total 4 %, selon le rapport annuel de l'institut IISS publié vendredi peu avant le début de la Conférence sur la sécurité de Munich. En ouverture de cette grand-messe annuelle internationale sur les questions de défense, le président allemand Frank-Walter Steinmeier a planté le décor. « Année après année, nous nous éloignons de l'objectif d'une coopération internationale visant à créer un monde pacifique », a-t-il regretté. La « compétition des grandes puissances » gagne « toute la planète », a dit le président allemand, en critiquant l'égoïsme national répandu à ses yeux par les États-Unis de Donald Trump qui refusent « l'idée même d'une communauté internationale » . «Course aux armements» « Le monde ne peut pas se permettre une course aux armements », lui a fait écho la présidente démocrate de la Chambre des représentants, Nancy Pelosi, parlant d'« érosion préoccupante des cadres pour le contrôle qui ont rendu le monde sûr pendant des décennies ». Les dépenses militaires « ont augmenté avec la sortie des économies de la crise financière (de 2008) et sous l'effet d'une perception accrue des menaces », a relevé le directeur général de l'Institut international d'études stratégiques (IISS, International Institute for Strategic Studies). La mort du traité FNI sur les forces nucléaires intermédiaires (portée de 500 à 5500 km) en 2019 et l'extinction potentielle du traité New Start sur les armes nucléaires intercontinentales en 2021 bouscule l'ordre international post-Guerre froide, tout comme la montée en puissance de la Chine ainsi qu'une série de crises régionales, de l'Ukraine à la Libye. Dans un tel contexte, les deux plus gros budgets militaires mondiaux, ceux des États-Unis (685 milliards de dollars) et de la Chine (181 milliards), poursuivent leur croissance exponentielle, avec une hausse de 6,6 % dans les deux pays en 2019 par rapport à 2018. Les dépenses américaines ont augmenté à elles seules de 53,4 milliards de dollars l'an dernier, soit l'équivalent du septième budget mondial de la défense, après ceux de l'Arabie saoudite (3e), de la Russie (4e), mais avant ceux de la France (8e). « En Europe, les inquiétudes liées à la Russie continuent d'alimenter la croissance des dépenses avec une hausse de 4,2 % par rapport à 2018 », pointe également John Chipman. L'accroissement massif des capacités militaires chinoises est une source majeure d'inquiétude aux États-Unis comme auprès de leurs partenaires en Asie-Pacifique. La Chine s'est aussi lancée, comme la Russie, dans le développement d'armes hypersoniques susceptibles de déjouer les défenses antimissiles adverses, met en garde l'institut londonien. L'armée russe a annoncé en décembre la mise en service de ses premiers missiles hypersoniques Avangard, l'une des nouvelles armes vantées par le président Vladimir Poutine comme « invincibles » et « indétectables ». Europe bousculée En Europe, les interrogations grandissent devant le risque de désengagement des États-Unis, de plus en plus centrés sur l'Asie-Pacifique, même si ces derniers ont renforcé pour l'heure leur présence militaire dans l'est du continent face à la Russie, tout comme dans le Golfe face aux menaces iraniennes. Les pays membres de l'OTAN, Allemagne en tête, sont aussi budgétairement sous la pression du président américain Donald Trump qui leur réclame un effort plus massif pour arriver à l'objectif de dépenses égales à 2 % du PIB. Après Donald Trump en 2018, le président français Emmanuel Macron a en outre « semblé jeter le doute » à son tour sur l'engagement de solidarité collective au sein de l'Alliance en cas d'agression de l'un de ses membres, rappelle l'ISS. Il a aussi ébranlé ses partenaires en estimant l'OTAN en état de « mort cérébrale ». « Deux des trois puissances nucléaires de l'Alliance (la troisième étant le Royaume-Uni) ont ainsi semé l'incertitude sur cette question clé de la sécurité collective », souligne John Chipman. https://www.lapresse.ca/international/202002/14/01-5261007-plus-forte-hausse-depuis-dix-ans-pour-les-depenses-militaires-mondiales.php

BY AMANDA CONNOLLY AND KERRI BREEN The top U.S. official in Ottawa says in his country's view, Canada is not likely to hit the defence spending targets it has promised. Richard Mills, the U.S. Embassy's chargé d'affaires, said while there have been positive spending steps by the Canadian government, the view south of the border is that Canada will fall short in hitting its promised investment of two per cent of GDP on defence. “We were very pleased with some of the defence spending that's occurred under this government, including some effort to buy new frigates, some new airplanes,” he said in an interview with The West Block's Mercedes Stephenson. “But to be quite honest with you, Mercedes, the Canadian government is not on course to meet two per cent by 2024. In fact, they probably will reach a peak — in our estimate, around 1.4 per cent — in 2024 and then decline rapidly.” Canada, along with other NATO members, agreed in 2014 to increase spending on defence to the tune of two per cent of GDP by 2024. But according to NATO estimates from November, just nine of out of 29 member nations have met the goal. U.S. President Donald Trump has aggressively pushed allies to meet those promises since his election in 2016. And in November, Global News learned that the U.S. took the unusual step of sending a diplomatic letter criticizing Canadian military spending. Canada's prime minister and defence minister, however, have pointed out that a plan has been established to dramatically increase defence investment. In 2017, Ottawa announced it would boost the annual defence budget to almost $33 billion within a decade, an increase of 70 per cent. “The relationship with Canada and the U.S., the defence relationship, I think, is even stronger now, because they see a tangible plan that we have created,” Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan said on an episode of The West Block that aired on Nov. 24. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has also insisted that there are other ways to measure the value of a country's military contributions and frequently cites the steep costs Canadian soldiers and peacekeepers have paid on allied missions around the world. Canada currently sits at 1.31 per cent in terms of how much of its GDP goes towards defence spending. That's up from about 1 per cent in 2014. Mills said the U.S. views hitting the two per cent target — or at least getting close — as crucial in order for Canada to be taken seriously. “This is important because our common security requires common burden sharing and we want to see our Canadian friends and Canada have a voice in international relations, have a strong voice because we share the same outlook,” he said. “But to be listened to, there has to be something behind you and that requires investment in the military.” Mills is currently the highest-ranking official at the U.S. Embassy in Ottawa. Kelly Craft, the previous ambassador to Canada, was tapped to represent the U.S. at the United Nations last year. On Tuesday, the White House said Trump would nominate Dr. Aldona Wos to serve as the new ambassador. https://globalnews.ca/news/6556192/canada-2-defence-spending-pledge/

Hello, There is only one week left to apply for the Corrosion Detection in Ships Sandbox (applications due by 19 Feb)! We have received a number of technical questions from innovators and have prepared a short FAQ in response to help those interested to best complete their application. We are looking forward to seeing your ingenious ways of finding corrosion trouble spots for the Royal Canadian Navy in action. FAQs on the Corrosion Detection in Ships Sandbox Thank you, The IDEaS Team --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bonjour, Il ne reste plus qu'une semaine pour soumettre votre application pour l'Environnement protégé relatif à la détection de la corrosion sur les navires de la Marine royale canadienne (l'échéance est le 19 février)! Nous avons déjà reçu un certain nombre de questions techniques de la part d'innovateurs. Sur ce, nous avons préparé une foire aux questions dans le but d'offrir des réponses pour appuyer les personnes qui souhaitent compléter leur demande. Nous sommes prêts à recevoir vos solutions novatrices pour détecter la corrosion à bord des navires. Foire aux questions sur l'Environnement protégé relative à la détection de la corrosion sur les navires de la Marine royale canadienne Merci, L'équipe IDEeS Hello, There is only one week left to apply for the Corrosion Detection in Ships Sandbox (applications due by 19 Feb)! We have received a number of technical questions from innovators and have prepared a short FAQ in response to help those interested to best complete their application. We are looking forward to seeing your ingenious ways of finding corrosion trouble spots for the Royal Canadian Navy in action. FAQs on the Corrosion Detection in Ships Sandbox Thank you, The IDEaS Team --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bonjour, Il ne reste plus qu'une semaine pour soumettre votre application pour l'Environnement protégé relatif à la détection de la corrosion sur les navires de la Marine royale canadienne (l'échéance est le 19 février)! Nous avons déjà reçu un certain nombre de questions techniques de la part d'innovateurs. Sur ce, nous avons préparé une foire aux questions dans le but d'offrir des réponses pour appuyer les personnes qui souhaitent compléter leur demande. Nous sommes prêts à recevoir vos solutions novatrices pour détecter la corrosion à bord des navires. Foire aux questions sur l'Environnement protégé relative à la détection de la corrosion sur les navires de la Marine royale canadienne Merci, L'équipe IDEeS

ARMY Oshkosh Defense LLC, Oshkosh, Wisconsin, was awarded a $407,335,834 modification (P00291) to contract W56HZV-15-C-0095 to procure Joint Light Tactical Vehicles and associated kits. Work will be performed in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, with an estimated completion date of Jan. 31, 2022. Fiscal 2018 and 2020 other procurement, Army; procurement, U. S. Marine Corps; and Foreign Military Sales (Lithuania and Slovenia) funds in the amount of $407,335,834 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Detroit Arsenal, Michigan, is the contracting activity. Maloney Odin JV,* Novato, California, was awarded a $48,064,247 firm-fixed-price contract to degrade and reconstruct two miles of levee to support Sacramento River East Levee construction of both deep mix method and slurry trench cutoff walls. Bids were solicited via the internet with two received. Work will be performed in Sacramento, California, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 15, 2020. Fiscal 2020 civil construction funds in the amount of $48,064,247 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Sacramento, California, is the contracting activity (W91238-20-C-0004). General Dynamics Mission Systems Inc., Taunton, Massachusetts, was awarded a $26,869,595 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to procure Year 11 system engineering and program management services for product manager tactical network, systems, and equipment. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will be performed in Taunton, Massachusetts, with an estimated completion date of Jan. 22, 2021. Fiscal 2020 other procurement, Army, funds in the amount of $26,869,595 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W15P7T-20-F-0005). Cray Inc., Seattle, Washington, was awarded a $25,480,000 firm-fixed-price contract for Department Of Defense high-performance computing modernization programs. Bids were solicited via the internet with three received. Work will be performed at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 13, 2025. Fiscal 2020 other procurement, Army, funds in the amount of $25,480,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Huntsville, Alabama, is the contracting activity (W912DY-20-F-0147). Cybernet Systems Corp.,* Ann Arbor, Michigan, was awarded a $22,367,890 firm-fixed-price contract for ongoing development, manufacture, delivery, set-up and integration of up to 25 new and existing automated tactical ammunition classification systems and spent brass sorter units. 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 Feb. 13, 2025. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois, is the contracting activity (W52P1J-20-D-0012). DEFENSE INFORMATION SYSTEMS AGENCY Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co., San Jose, California (HC1084-20-D-0003), was awarded a competitive, single award, indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity, firm-fixed-price contract with a ceiling of $61,825,294 for integrated processor capacity services – X-86 (IPCS-X) for Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA), Operations Center. The place of performance will be at DISA data centers or future DISA or DISA-approved locations where DISA assumes an operational responsibility for support of Missions Partner service requirements. The solicitation, HC1082-18-R-0022, was posted on Federal Business Opportunities website (www.fbo.gov), now known as beta.SAM.gov website (www.beta.sam.gov). The solicitation was issued as a competitive action and four proposals were received. The period of performance (PoP) consists of a five-year base period and five one-year option periods for a total contract life cycle of ten years. The base period of performance is Feb. 14, 2020, through Feb. 13, 2025, and the option years follow consecutively through Feb. 13, 2030. The Defense Information Technology Contracting Organization, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, is the contracting activity (HC1084-20-D-0003). NAVY BAE Systems Jacksonville Ship Repair LLC, Jacksonville, Florida, is awarded a $24,569,851 cost-plus-award-fee contract for the accomplishment of post-shakedown-availability (PSA) for one Freedom-variant Littoral Combat Ship (LCS), with options for the accomplishment of PSAs for up to seven additional Freedom-variant LCSs. This contract includes options, which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $203,886,801. The PSA is accomplished within a period of approximately 16 weeks between the time of ship custody transfer to the Navy and the shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) obligation work limiting date. The PSA encompasses all of the manpower, support services, material, non-standard equipment and associated technical data and documentation required to prepare for and accomplish the PSA. The work to be performed will include correction of government-responsible trial card deficiencies, new work identified between custody transfer and the time of PSA, and incorporation of approved engineering changes that were not incorporated during the construction period which are not otherwise the building yard's responsibility under the ship construction contract. Work will be performed in Mayport, Florida, and is expected to be completed by March 2021. If all options are exercised, work will continue through November 2025. Fiscal 2020 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funding for $7,000,000 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities website, with one offer received. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity (N00024-20-C-2320). The Syncon LLC,* Chesapeake, Virginia, is awarded a $23,242,171 firm-fixed-price contract for the construction of Commander Undersea Surveillance intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance operations expansion located at Naval Air Station Oceana. This contract also included three planned modifications. The work to be performed provides for the construction of a new addition attached to the current facility. The new addition will be constructed of a structural steel frame, concrete slab, and a modified bitumen roof system. The existing building will be reconfigured to compliment the expanded spaces to meet mission requirements. Site improvements include but are not limited to demolition of the existing warehouse. The site will be reconfigured to accommodate 330 parking spaces, a new access road, a new loading dock, landscaping, flagpoles, site furnishings, dumpster relocation, exterior signage, free mitigation and storm water management. Work will be performed at Virginia Beach, Virginia, and is expected to be completed by March 2022. Fiscal 2018 military construction, Navy contract funds for $23,242,171 are obligated on this award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website with four proposals received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Mid-Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N40085-20-C-8503). Jacobs Ewingcole JV, Pasadena, California, is awarded a task order N62473-20-F-4323 at $15,865,000 under an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for design-build construction packages at Naval Air Weapons Station (NAWS), China Lake. The work to be performed provides design and engineering services for design-build request for proposals for various fiscal 2021 military construction (MILCON) projects impacted by last year's earthquakes onboard NAWS China Lake. Work will be performed in Ridgecrest, California, and is expected to be completed by November 2020. Fiscal 2020 MILCON, (Navy) contract funds for $7,932,500 are obligated on this award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southwest, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity (N62473-18-D-5801). Lockheed Martin Space, Titusville, Florida, is awarded a $13,860,565 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification (P00004) to exercise options under a previously awarded and announced contract (N00030-19-C-0100) for Trident II (D5) missile production and deployed systems support. Work will be performed in Cape Canaveral, Florida (62.3%); Sunnyvale, California (35.9%); and other various locations (less than 1% each; 1.8% total). Work is expected to be completed Sept. 30, 2024. Fiscal 2020 weapons procurement (Navy) funds for $13,860,565 are being obligated on this award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was awarded to the contractor on a sole-source basis under 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1) and was previously synopsized on the Federal Business Opportunities website. Strategic Systems Programs, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. PrimeTech International Inc.,* North Kansas City, Missouri, is awarded a $12,746,631 firm-fixed-price, time-and-materials six-month bridge contract for logistics services to manage, support and operate the Marine Corps Consolidated Storage Program warehouse network. Work will be performed in Barstow, California (23%); Camp Lejeune, North Carolina (18%); Camp Pendleton, California (13%); Okinawa, Japan (10%); Miramar, California (9%); Camp Geiger, North Carolina (7%); Twenty-nine Palms, California (4%); Cherry Point, North Carolina (4%); Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii (3%); Yuma, Arizona (2%); Beaufort, South Carolina (2%); Iwakuni, Japan (2%); New River, North Carolina (2%); and Bridgeport, California (1%). Work is expected to be completed September 2020. Fiscal 2020 overseas contingency operations funds for $12,583,974; and operations and maintenance funds (Marine Corps) for $161,658 will be obligated at the time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured in accordance with 10 U.S. Code 2304 (c)(1); only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. The Marine Corps Logistics Command, Albany, Georgia, is the contracting activity (M67004-20-P-2001). EPS Corp., Tinton Falls, New Jersey, is awarded an $8,531,520 modification to exercise an option to a previously awarded hybrid cost-plus-fixed-fee and firm-fixed price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (N00174-17-D-0026) for technical expertise in the development and testing of underwater weapons and underwater weapons systems components. This requirement is to develop an underwater weapons system acquisition/procurement program that provides underwater weapons systems (including authentic foreign mines) for research, development test and evaluation of underwater weapons systems and mine countermeasures systems. Work will be performed in Tinton Falls, New Jersey (95%); Montenegro (2%); Bulgaria (2%); and Italy (1%), and is expected to be completed by February 2021. No funding is being obligated at time of award. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Indian Head Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technology Division, Indian Head, Maryland, is the contracting activity. DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Sysco Seattle, Inc., Kent, Washington, has been awarded a maximum $7,150,000 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment, indefinite-quantity contract for full-line food distribution for Department of Defense support of Navy customers in the Seattle, Washington/Puget Sound Region. This was a sole-source acquisition using justification 10 U.S.C. 2304 (c)(1), as stated in Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. This is a 63-day bridge contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Washington, with an April 18, 2020, performance completion date. Using military service is the Navy.Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 defense working capital funds. The contracting agency is Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE300-20-D-3263). *Small business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2085466/source/GovDelivery/

Sebastian Sprenger MUNICH — A new German strategy document declares defense-related cyber technologies as key national assets, affording the domestic sector some protection from international competition. Government officials made the move with the publication of a paper this week outlining the types of technology Berlin wants to buy at home, in Europe or from global vendors. The designation of a key technology means the government can sidestep European Union rules requiring public acquisitions be open to companies throughout the bloc. The areas of artificial intelligence, electronic warfare, networked operations and cryptology, and defense-related information and communications technology are in the category deemed so crucial to national security that the government wants to keep the sector healthy. “A technological challenge for our security and defense lies in the area of digitalization and artificial intelligence,” read the strategy document, issued by the Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy. “Maintaining cybersecurity is the prerequisite for the digital advancement of the state, the economy and society, and it is equally important for the sovereignty of Germany and Europe,” it added. The new designation of cyber technologies as worthy of special protection sets up a delicate dance between maintaining a national industrial ecosystem while remaining true to the idea of a European Union with a single market. German Defence Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer said her agency remains focused on cyber capabilities from a European perspective. For example, officials are working to ensure the relevant U.K. authorities remain plugged into EU networks after Brexit. The bloc, she said, must increase its cooperation on cyber issues, or risk falling behind China and the United States, Kramp-Karrenbauer said at the Munich Security Conference on Thursday. Germany's contributions to the NATO Very High Readiness Joint Task Force drives the country's plans for fielding a new information backbone for the land forces of the Bundeswehr, she said. In that context, officials have begun studying new approaches to managing the electricity required to power new communications kit on the battlefield, the minister added. It remains to be seen how the government will use the new strategy document on key national technologies to make investment decisions, said Matthias Wachter, a defense analyst with the Federation of German Industries, or BDI. For example, the stated domestic preference in electronic-warfare technology will be put to the test with the Air Force's upcoming buy of new aircraft for electronic warfare, Wachter said. In the running are the Airbus-made Eurofighter as a local option and the Boeing F-18 Growler from the United States. “There is nothing legally binding” in the new document, the analyst said, which means the decision could go either way. “But if you take the paper seriously, the Growler would be out.” https://www.fifthdomain.com/smr/munich-security-conference/2020/02/14/germany-moves-to-protect-its-military-cyber-industry/