Nouvelles

Giles Ebbutt, Plymouth - Jane's International Defence Review Elbit Systems UK has been selected as the preferred bidder for the UK's Project Morpheus Battle Management Application (BMA) contract, Jane's has learned. The UK's Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S) confirmed the decision, but was unable to comment further because the contract is still at the “standstill” stage, which allows an unsuccessful bidder 10 days (until 18 September) to challenge the contract award. Morpheus is a major part of the Land Equipment Tactical Communication and Information Systems (LE TacCIS) programme and overall is worth GBP3.2 billion (USD4.1 billion). It will replace the current Bowman system and its ComBAT battle management system. https://www.janes.com/article/82879/elbit-emerges-as-preferred-bidder-for-uk-s-morpheus

By: Daniel Cebul The Defense Information Systems Agency has selected 20 small businesses for the opportunity to work on a range of information technology services for the Department of Defense, intelligence community and other federal agencies, according to a Sept. 10 announcement. The contract could run as long as 10 years and has a maximum value of $17.5 billion. The ENCORE III small business set-aside suite makes 20 small companies eligible to compete for contracts to provide services in 19 performance areas. Those areas range from requirements analysis to cloud professional services and enterprise IT policy planning. “One of the key advantages of leveraging the ENCORE III vehicle is that mission partners are able to team with us to determine the best acquisition strategy for their task,” Steve Francoeur, ENCORE III contracting officer, said in a press release. “Together, we are able to determine whether a best-value-trade-off or lowest price technically acceptable approach fits the mission requirement.” The announcement follows DISA's award of the ENCORE III full and open large business suite in March when another 20 businesses became eligible for task orders on the contract. https://www.c4isrnet.com/newsletters/daily-brief/2018/09/10/disa-chooses-20-small-businesses-for-big-it-contract

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Science Applications International Corp (SAIC) (SAIC.N) said on Monday it will acquire Engility Holdings Inc (EGL.N) for $1.5 billion in stock, a deal that will turn it into the second-largest independent U.S. government services contractor. The acquisition is the latest example of how increased defense spending under President Donald Trump and the Republican-led Congress is driving contractors to pursue mergers so they have more scale to bid on bigger projects, spanning everything from outdated computer systems to space exploration. Engility shareholders will receive $40.44 in SAIC stock for each of their shares, an 11.5 percent premium to Engility's closing price of $36.24 on Friday, the companies said. SAIC will assume $900 million in Engility debt, giving the deal a total value of about $2.5 billion. On completion of the deal early next year, SAIC's board will expand to 11 seats from nine, and SAIC shareholders will own about 72 percent of the combined company. Engility, based in Chantilly, Virginia, provides skilled personnel to the U.S. departments of defense, homeland security and justice, among others. The acquisition will boost SAIC's offerings to its space customers and expand its customer base in the intelligence community, SAIC Chief Executive Tony Moraco said in an interview. The increased U.S. defense budget and a two-year budget deal reached earlier this year that lifted caps on defense spending also emboldened SAIC to pursue the deal, Moraco added. Full article: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-engilityholdings-m-a-saic/saic-to-buy-rival-government-services-contractor-engility-for-1-5-billion-idUSKCN1LQ1CG

By: Mark Pomerleau The Department of Defense cyber community knows it has a critical need for a centralized platform for cyberwarriors, so the joint community is collaborating to ensure the final system has everything everyone needs. The Unified Platform, as it's known, will serve as the aircraft carrier, airplane or tank, so to speak, from which cyberwarriors plan and launch attacks. “We're working with Cyber Command to make sure we've got the requirement right for Unified Platform,” Lt. Gen. Stephen Fogarty, commander of Army Cyber Command, said during a keynote presentation at TechNet Augusta in August. He said there was a meeting in August to define what the Unified Platform is and what it is not as to develop it appropriately. “Where I think we've got to ensure is we don't make this so large that it just becomes unsustainable ... this very bloated program,” he told Fifth Domain in an interview during the same conference. There was some initial confusion with the Unified Platform, as it was conflated with the Military Cyber Operations Platform, Fogarty said. MCOP has been described in the past as the sum total of portfolios and capabilities Cyber Command's Capabilities Development Group manages with MCOP being CDG's top project. Others have described MCOP as an environment that will include the Unified Platform along with other services like analytics. In the most recent budget request, DoD asked for $52.4 million in fiscal 2019 under “Joint Common Services,” to include continued development of MCOP. Fogarty noted that while MCOP was the umbrella and the Unified Platform was one component underneath, sometimes the totality of MCOP was miscast as the Unified Platform, despite the Unified Platform being a more discrete piece of that. Fogarty added that there is a good understanding of what the essential elements of the Unified Platform are outside of what the services have been directed to do, noting there have been some good sessions with U.S. Cyber Command recently, who is the principal requirement owner. While the Air Force is serving as the executive agent for the program, Cyber Command's acquisition executive, speaking Sept. 6 at the Billington Cybersecurity Summit in Washington, said the full transition of the program to the Air Force won't occur until fiscal 2019. The official, Stephen Schanberger, said that while Cyber Command as the requirements owner for the program has a lot of influence to drive the first few deliverables and how they are implemented, each service cyber component will have their say in the program. Full article: https://www.fifthdomain.com/dod/cybercom/2018/09/07/refining-the-defense-departments-cyberwarrior-carrier/

By Catherine Stupp Estonia's first dedicated cyber ambassador took office on Monday, following several nations that are considering how diplomats can shape cybersecurity policy. The small Baltic country became known for prioritizing cybersecurity after a major cyber attack shut down websites for Estonia's government offices, banks and media in 2007. NATO's Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence, which organizes cyber defense exercises, opened in Tallinn one year after the attack. Full article: https://www.wsj.com/articles/estonias-first-cyber-ambassador-seeks-to-improve-global-cyber-defense-1536358734

By: Mark Pomerleau U.S. Cyber Command is still in the beginning stages of building out an acquisition capability. Eight years after its launch and about two years after being granted limited acquisition authority from Congress, the command is still working to demonstrate that its wares and abilities make good use of funds and that it is capable of managing contracts, its acquisition executive said. “I will say we are in our infancy from an acquisition perspective. We are putting the foundation of the personnel and the skills,” Stephen Schanberger said Sept. 6 at the Billington Cybersecurity Summit. “We're in the beginning stages right now.” In the fiscal 2016 defense authorization bill, Congress gave Cyber Command limited acquisition authority capped at $75 million with a sunsetting in 2021. Congressional aides have equated this authority to that of Special Operations Command, noting that they wanted to employ a crawl, walk, run mentality to make sure Cyber Command can execute it. Schanberger said the command is asking for more on both fronts, with a ceiling of $250 million and a sunset of 2025 — the timeline being the most important element as it makes it easier to work with vendors who know contracts might not be in doubt three years from now. For Congress's part, Schanberger said they want the command to show it can use the authority in the way it's supposed to and start to stand up the backbone of a contracting organization. This includes being able to put together solicitation packages, plan contracting strategy for years ahead and be able to effectively implement and put out proposals and award them without making a mess, he said. Schanberger said the command currently has one contracting officer and one specialist and a couple of contractors aside from himself in the contracting shop, though he expects those numbers to double in the next three months. Cyber Command issued its first contract under this limited authority in October 2017. Schanberger said the command awarded only one contract in fiscal 2017, due in part to the fact they lacked a contract writing system, which is now in place. In fiscal 2018, the command is on track to award roughly $40 million in contracts and in fiscal 2019 is on a path to get close to its cap, Schanberger said. Congress has also asked what the delineation lines are between the acquisition efforts of Cyber Command and those of the services, Schanberger said. “Right now what we really look at are what are the gaps between us and our service partners and how do we help fill those gaps,” he said. “Typically, there are a couple of programs where we did the prototyping efforts and we transitioned that to the services. That's where we see our most value ... things that can benefit all our service cyber components.” Some within Congress have expressed that Cyber Command has approached acquisition cautiously and are concerned the services aren't budgeting and providing the tools and capabilities that the cyber mission force needs. Schanberger said he thinks that command has demonstrated that it can issue contracts effectively, efficiently and quickly. However, he noted, he still does not think the command has the wherewithal internally to run something as big as the Unified Platform, one of DoD's most critical cyber programs, from a resource perspective. https://www.fifthdomain.com/dod/cybercom/2018/09/07/cyber-commands-acquisition-authority-still-in-its-infancy

B2) Alors que la rentrée va se faire sous l'angle de la défense — que ce soit au niveau européen avec les propositions de Emmanuel Macron ou le discours de l'état de l'Union de Jean-Claude Juncker — et avant les universités d'été de la défense, nous publions une série de papiers issus des Premiers Entretiens de la défense européenne à la Sorbonne que nous avons organisé en juin avec nos amis universitaires et chercheurs. Une panoplie d'acteurs industriels, de chercheurs et d'acteurs institutionnels, réunis autour d'un sujet majeur : dans quelle direction s'oriente l'Europe de la défense, en particulier l'industrie européenne de défense qui a fait l'objet de toutes les attentions des politiques ces derniers mois. Du côté industriel se dégage un certain consensus pour estimer que les dernières nouvelles venues de Bruxelles, avec la création du Fonds européen de défense, sont positives. Pour autant, elles ne peuvent pas solutionner certaines faiblesses notables. Pour Carole Ferrand, de la direction générale de l'armement DGA, créer une base industrielle et technique de défense européenne (BITDE) suppose une autonomie industrielle, c'est-à-dire sans pays tiers. Oui, mais elle doit être composée de champions forts à l'export, et pas seulement sur le marché européen, qui est trop petit pour avoir exister et innover, précise Olivier Martin de MBDA. Attention à bien définir les modalités du Fonds, relate Stéphane Abrial, de SAFRAN. Les acteurs institutionnels, eux, s'accordent sur un point en particulier : c'est à l'industrie de faire un pas en avant et lancer des projets rapidement, au moyen du Fonds européen de défense, comme l'ont martelé Pierre Delsaux, directeur général adjoint, et Anne Fort, chef d'unité adjoint, à la DG GROW à la Commission européenne, ainsi que Jean-Youri Martin, directeur adjoint de l'Agence européenne de défense. Quel chemin parcouru, a précisé Françoise Grossetête, eurodéputée, qui nous a fait part de son expérience de rapporteure du programme de développement industriel de défense, détaillant les circonstances, finalement favorables, qui a amené une majorité assez large, plutôt inédite quand on parle d'intégration européenne, des conservateurs aux sociaux-démocrates, pour approuver ce nouveau programme. Enfin nous avons pu avoir un portrait sans concession de la future coopération structurée permanente (PESCO) par F. Mauro ou de la situation des budgets européens de défense avec F. Coulomb. A noter sur vos agendas : Les seconds entretiens de la défense européenne auront lieu au printemps 2019, juste avant les élections européennes. Nous vous tiendrons informés sur ce site, comme sur celui des Entretiens. (Nicolas Gros-Verheyde avec Aurélie Pugnet, st.) https://www.bruxelles2.eu/2018/09/09/les-premiers-entretiens-de-leurope-de-la-defense-a-pantheon-sorbonne/

By Dean Cheng The Department of Defense has released the latest edition of its report on Chinese military and security developments. Mandated in the fiscal 2000 National Defense Authorization Act, the annual report is an important source of regular updates regarding China's growing military capabilities and its expanding range of security-related activities. Since the People's Republic of China halted the publication of its biennial defense white papers in 2015, there are few other good sources of information on one of the world's largest militaries. An important element of this year's report is the expanded discussion of China's security-related activities, providing a broader, fuller assessment. There is an extensive discussion of China's Belt and Road Initiative, its array of investment projects previously known as the “One Belt, One Road Initiative,” stretching from China to Europe, into the Indian Ocean to Africa, and even across the Pacific to South America. The report discusses the security implications of the Belt and Road Initiative, even though it is primarily a set of economic and political initiatives with limited direct military impact. Ad Feedback This more comprehensive analysis is important, as it captures the Chinese whole-of-society approach to national security. To understand Beijing's challenge to the U.S., it is vital to incorporate not only concerns about the People's Liberation Army and the Chinese government, but also consideration of its diplomatic and economic engagement globally. This year's report also exemplifies why issuing an annual report is important. It highlights the various changes that have been undertaken since the announcement in December 2015 of a series of fundamental overhauls and reforms of the People's Liberation Army. It thus provides a new snapshot of the various improvements and changes in the Chinese military as it continues to modernize all of its services. Much discussed, for example, has been the steady extension of the People's Liberation Army's reach. News reports emphasized that it is acquiring systems that will allow it to strike the United States. The report also notes that “one of the most significant [Navy] structural changes in 2017” has been the tripling of the size of the Chinese marine corps. Coupled with China's first official overseas military base (in Djibouti), it is clear that China is expanding its force-projection capacity. As important, however, have been the changes in the People's Liberation Army's organization and doctrine. This year's report devotes substantial discussion to the evolving organization of PLA Army forces, as well as changes in the Central Military Commission, which manages the overall military. These changes are fundamental, but have taken the past two years to become much more visible. The shift from divisions as the cornerstone of China's ground forces to brigades had long been discussed, but only now is there sufficient evidence to gauge Beijing's progress. The changes in the Central Military Commission structure have been even more complex. When the changes were first announced, the commission initially appeared to be expanding from four general departments to 15 departments, commissions, and offices. It is now clear, however, that in fact the commission has shrunk, with only seven members, rather than the pre-reform 10. Of particular note is the removal of the Logistics Work and Equipment Development departments from the main Central Military Commission structure. Full article: https://www.cnsnews.com/commentary/dean-cheng/pentagon-report-shows-chinas-continually-modernizing-and-growing-military

Le premier ministre Justin Trudeau a nommé un nouveau secrétaire parlementaire au ministre de la Défense: Serge Cormier, député d'Acadie-Bathurst au Nouveau-Brunswick et actuellement secrétaire parlementaire du ministre de l'Immigration, des Réfugiés et de la Citoyenneté, devient secrétaire parlementaire du ministre de la Défense nationale. Le premier ministre Justin Trudeau a également annoncé plusieurs autres changements parmi les secrétaires parlementaires. «Cette nouvelle équipe apporte avec elle une vaste expérience et un large éventail de compétences et de points de vue qui contribueront à la croissance économique et à la prospérité du Canada. Les secrétaires parlementaires appuieront leurs ministres respectifs en vue de produire des résultats concrets pour les Canadiens. Ils aideront également le gouvernement à continuer de faire croître l'économie et de renforcer la classe moyenne.», affirme le bureau du premier ministre dans le communiqué qui annonce ces changements. Les nominations entreront en vigueur le 31 août. Autre changement à noter, alors que Sherry Romanado, actuellement secrétaire parlementaire du ministre des Anciens Combattants et ministre associé de la Défense nationale, devient secrétaire parlementaire de la ministre des Aînés, Stéphane Lauzon, actuellement secrétaire parlementaire de la ministre des Sports et des Personnes handicapées, devient secrétaire parlementaire du ministre des Anciens Combattants et ministre associé de la Défense nationale. http://www.45enord.ca/2018/08/le-premier-ministre-nomme-un-nouveau-secretaire-parlementaire-a-la-defense/