UNITED KINGDOM
SEA
18 Sep 20. BAE Systems Technology Solutions and Services Inc., Rockville, Maryland, was awarded a $52,157,824 cost-plus-incentive-fee, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract modification (P00046) to previously awarded and announced contract N00030-17-C-0001 to provide services for the U.S. and United Kingdom Trident II D5 strategic weapon system programs, U.S. Guided Missile Submarine (SSGN) attack weapon systems, nuclear weapon surety, and future concepts. Work will be performed at Rockville, Maryland (60.4%); Washington, D.C. (18%); St. Mary’s, Georgia (5%); Silverdale, Washington (3%); Rochester, United Kingdom (1.3%); Cape Canaveral, Florida (1.3%); Portsmouth, Virginia (1.3%); Bremerton, Washington (1.3%); Tucson, Arizona (0.7%); Mechanicsburg, PA (0.7%); Wexford, Pennsylvania (0.7%); Groton, Connecticut (0.3%); Miami, Florida (0.3%); Ocala, Florida (0.3%); Rockledge, Florida (0.3%); Clarksburg, Maryland (0.3%); Columbia, Maryland (0.3%); Frederick, Maryland (0.3%); Gaithersburg, Maryland (0.3%); Ijamsville, Maryland (0.3%); Middletown, Maryland (0.3%); North Potomac, Maryland (0.3%); Olney, Maryland (0.3%); Jenison, Michigan (0.3%); Winston Salem, North Carolina (0.3%); Hudson, New Hampshire (0.3%); Buffalo, New York (0.3%); Valatie, New York (0.3%); Plain City, Ohio (0.3%); Downingtown, Pennsylvania (0.3%); Franklin, Tennessee (0.3%); and Plano, Texas (0.3%), with an expected completion date of Sept. 30, 2021. Subject to the availability of funding, fiscal 2021 operations and maintenance (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $40,214,390; and United Kingdom funds in the amount of $11,943,434 will be obligated. No funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was a sole-source acquisition in accordance with 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1) and (4). Strategic Systems Programs, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity (N00030-17-C-0001). (Awarded Sept. 14, 2020).
EUROPE
LAND
23 Sep 20. Armored Vehicles from French Industry. Florence Parly, Minister of the Armed Forces, welcomes the order by the General Directorate of Armaments (DGA) for 271 Griffon armored vehicles and 42 Jaguar armored vehicles, awarded on September 15, 2020 to Nexter, Arquus and Thales as part of the SCORPION program. The 2019-2025 Military Programming Law (LPM) provides for both an increase in the numbers of the SCORPION program and an acceleration of deliveries. The target in 2030 was thus raised to 1,872 Griffon and 300 Jaguar vehicles, half of which (respectively 936 and 150) will be delivered by 2025. In addition to schools and training centers, 5 regiments will have begun to receive the Griffon by the end of 2020, and 9 regiments at the end of 2021. (Unofficial translation by Defense-Aerospace.com) (Source: defense-aerospace.com/French Armed Forces Ministry)
24 Sep 20. Rheinmetall and the Dutch procurement agency Defence Materiel Organization (DMO) have renewed and expanded their longstanding framework agreement for the supply of various types of ammunition for a period of at least ten years. The framework agreement envisages annual call-offs of around €50m, meaning that total volume could come to €500m. The customer is already preparing for the first call-offs. The framework agreement encompasses the supply of 35mm medium-calibre ammunition for infantry fighting vehicles, 40mm ROSY smoke/obscurant cartridges, and a family of state-of-the-art 155mm artillery ammunition.
24 Sep 20. Spanish Ministry of Defence and Tess-Defence SA sign contract for the manufacture of 8×8 ‘Dragon’ Vehicles. Spanish Ministry of Defence and Tess-Defence SA sign contract for the manufacture of 8×8 “Dragon” Vehicles. On behalf of the Ministry of Defence, the contract was signed by the Deputy Purchasing Manager of the General Directorate of Armament and Material, and by Tess-Defence SA, its General Director, Mr. Luis Mayo. The event was attended by the Secretary of State for Defence, Esperanza Casteleiro, the Chief of the Defence Staff, Francisco Javier Varela, and representatives of the four companies that form Tess-Defence SA: Sapa Operaciones SL, Indra Sistemas SA, Escribano Mechanical & Engineering SL, and Santa Bárbara Sistemas SA. (Source: Armada)
SEA
21 Sep 20. ECA Robotics, a French subsidiary of ECA GROUP, has recently signed a contract worth several hundred million euros. This contract comprises the outsourcing to its Belgian subsidiary ECA Robotics Belgium of the manufacturing and delivery of unmanned vehicles dedicated to underwater mine countermeasures as part of the renewal of the mine countermeasures capacity. Belgium and the Netherlands have awarded the renewal programme to the consortium Belgium Naval & Robotics, set up by Naval Group and ECA GROUP. This programme consists of 12 new generation vessels (six for the Belgian Navy and six for the Royal Netherlands Navy) and containerized systems. It is the first programme that applies the stand-off concept by using a Toolbox. This Toolbox is comprised of several unmanned vehicles that operators can command and deploy from a safe distance in order to carry out autonomous mine countermeasure missions. The contract that ECA Robotics France awards to ECA Robotics Belgium involves the manufacturing, supplying and delivery of the following products:
- The USV INSPECTOR 125-M: surface drone capable of deploying all of the Toolbox elements in a specific zone
- The USV INSPECTOR 125-S: surface drone able to tow a sweep system for mine clearance
- The sweep system which will be equipped with magnetic and acoustic modules
- The AUV A18-M: underwater drone integrating the synthetic aperture sonar UMISAS used for mine detection
- Towed sonar T18-M: sonar towed by the USV and which also detects mines
- MIDS system (Mine Identification and Disposal System) consisting of the SEASCAN MK2 and the K-STER C. These two components respectively ensure the identification and the clearance of the mines
- Transfer and integration of the UMISOFT software for the management of the mission and data analysis
- Supply of UAV V200 Skeldar aerial drones with integrated payloads (LiDAR, optronics pod) for the detection and identification of surface mines, and communication relay
- Acceptance tests and trials for the systems
- Training
- Programme management
The unmanned vehicles will be manufactured in a new, very modern plant to be built in Ostend, Belgium. Building will start early 2021 so that production can commence in 2022.
AIR
22 Sep 20. Austrian Defence Minister Klaudia Tanner has announced that her country has placed an order for 18 AW169M helicopters from Leonardo, following recommendation of Chief of Staff Robert Brieger. The procurement is to replace and expand on the capability of the Alouete III fleet, which has provided 50 years of service and will be retiring from mid-2022 with the last of the remaining fleet landing at the end of 2023. Austria has a long-standing relationship with Leonardo, having operated fleets of AB204, AB206 and AB212 helicopters, built by Leonardo (under its earlier name Agusta) under licence from Bell. The contract price of around €300m includes not just the aircraft themselves, but all the technology, logistics, training and infrastructure requirements. The first AW169M is expected to be delivered to Austria in mid-2022. Twelve of these helicopters will be deployed from as emergency helicopters from the base at Aigen im Ennstal, while six will be stationed for training at Langenlebarn. The AW169M won the procurement against the Bell 429 and the Airbus H145M. (Source: News Now/HeliHub)
TECHNOLOGY
21 Sep 20. US Army mints new cyber research and development agreement with Estonia. The US Army has signed a cooperative research and development deal with Estonia focused on cyber defense and other technologies. The Sept. 14th agreement, signed by the Army Futures Command’s Combat Capabilities Development Command’s Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Cyber, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C5ISR) Center and the ministry of defense, will establish a working group to identify new technologies mutually beneficial to each nation, mostly in the multidomain operations sphere. (Source: Defense News)
USA
LAND
24 Sep 20. Alliant Techsystems Operations LLC, Plymouth, Minnesota, was awarded a $37,669,772 firm-fixed-price contract to buy long lead items for the production of XM813 Cannons for the Stryker Medium Caliber Weapon System 30mm Lethality Upgrade program. 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. 24, 2020. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Detroit Arsenal, Michigan, is the contracting activity (W56HZV-20-D-0108).
24 Sep 20. Avon Rubber p.l.c. confirms the award of a sole-source contract worth up to $93m to develop and supply the U.S. Army with the Next-Generation Integrated Head Protection System. The contract will follow on from the existing low-rate initial production contract for the Integrated Head Protection System which comes to an end in 2021.
18 Sep 20. BAE, Kingsport, Tennessee, was awarded a $91,919,386 modification (P00004) to contract W52P1J-19-D-0074 for the production and delivery of explosives. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 31, 2023. Army Contracting Command, Rock Island, Illinois, is the contracting activity.
24 Sep 20. BAE Systems Ordnance System, Kingsport, Tennessee, was awarded a $144,345,776 modification (P00728) to contract DAAA09-98-E-0006 to construct a new weak acetic acid recovery process facility and associated tank farm at Holston Army Ammunition Plant. Work will be performed in Kingsport, Tennessee, with an estimated completion date of June 30, 2023. Fiscal 2020 procurement of ammunition, Army funds in the amount of $144,345,776 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois, is the contracting activity.
18 Sep 20. Cubic Corporation (NYSE:CUB) today announced its Cubic Mission and Performance Solutions (CMPS) business division was awarded a contract to continue delivering support for its P5 Combat Training System (P5CTS) for the United States Air Force (USAF) and a number of international partners currently using the system. The contract will assist the USAF-installed base of close to 1,000 P5CTS Airborne Subsystems (AS) and associated range infrastructure on over 20 USAF bases and training ranges. The contract will also support a number of current international P5CTS users including Australia, Egypt, Morocco, Oman, Poland, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore and United Kingdom. (Source: BUSINESS WIRE)
22 Sep 20. FN America LLC, Columbia, South Carolina, was awarded a $78,709,973 firm-fixed-price contract for M249 Squad Automatic Weapons. 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. 19, 2025. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Newark, New Jersey, is the contracting activity (W15QKN-20-D-0036).
23 Sep 20. Knight’s Armament Co.,* Titusville, Florida, was awarded a $13,480,110 firm-fixed-price contract for the M110 semiautomatic sniper system and various M110 configurations. 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. 25, 2025. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Newark, New Jersey, is the contracting activity (W15QKN-20-D-0044).
21 Sep 20. Kongsberg Protech Systems USA has been awarded a contract to qualify an XM914 (30mmx113mm) remote weapon station (RWS) in support of the United States Marine Corps’ (USMC) Program Manager Ground Based Air Defense Office. The systems will be integrated on the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) and will include a number of specialized counter-unmanned aircraft systems (C-UAS) and air defense capabilities. Kongsberg USA will deliver test articles and assist the USMC in performing Design Verification Testing (DVT) toward future production deliveries. The Kongsberg XM914 RWS is the first 30mm remote weapon station to be qualified on the JLTV platform. It includes the XM914E1 30mmx113mm DC driven cannon with a co-axial M240 (7.62mm) machine gun, an integration kit for the Stinger Air-To-Air Launcher (ATAL) and provisions for future C-UAS defeat systems. The XM914 RWS leverages a significant number of components, Line Replaceable Units (LRUs), and capabilities from other Kongsberg RWS and Medium Caliber Turrets already delivered to both the USMC and the United States Army to bring logistical support efficiencies and overall commonality.
21 Sep 20. L3Harris Technologies Inc., Colorado Springs, Colorado, has been awarded a $119,172,657 cost-plus-incentive-fee modification (P00007) to contract FA8823-20-C-0004 for the Ground-Based Electro Optical Deep Space Surveillance (GEODSS) System upgrade on Ground-Based Optical Sensor System (GBOSS) engineering and manufacturing development (EMD) pre-priced option. This modification provides for the exercise of an option for the GBOSS EMD Phase to complete the design for the integrated system; develop and/or modify software required to support the system; design and build new European and Pacific sites and add an additional sensor tower enclosure to the GEODSS White Sands Missile Range site; upgrade and/or acquire, integrate, test and field the 12 GEODSS Enhanced Technology sensor towers; and design, develop and/or acquire, integrate, test and field the three Advanced Technology Sensor towers. Work will be performed in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and is expected to be completed by June 27, 2024. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $12,000,000 are being obligated at the time of award. Total cumulative face value of the contract is $218,167,008. The Space and Missile Systems Center Directorate of Contracting, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado, is the contracting activity.
18 Sep 20. Lewis Machine and Tool, Eldridge, Iowa, was awarded a $17,031,520.00 firm-fixed-price contract to order M203/M203A2 grenade launchers and spare parts. Bids were solicited via the internet with three received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 18, 2025. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Detroit Arsenal, Michigan, is the contracting activity (W56HZV-20-D-0107).
21 Sep 20. Maxar Selected to Deliver Portable Satellite Imagery Ground Systems to U.S. Army. Maxar Technologies (NYSE:MAXR) (TSX:MAXR), a trusted partner and innovator in Earth Intelligence and Space Infrastructure, today announced that it has been selected by the U.S. Army Geospatial Center to deliver multiple highly portable, direct-downlink tactical ground systems that provide critical geospatial intelligence to users in remote locations. Maxar was awarded a sole-source, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contract valued at up to $49m over eight years and two initial task orders worth a combined value of $8m. (Source: BUSINESS WIRE)
23 Sep 20. Oshkosh Defense LLC, Oshkosh, Wisconsin, was awarded an $11,101,830 modification (P00406) to contract W56HZV-15-C-0095 to retrofit mufflers, forward facing cameras, rear-door transparent armor and muffler robustness into the baseline configuration of the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle family of vehicles. Work will be performed in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 23, 2021. Fiscal 2019 and 2020 Marine Corps procurement funds in the amount of $11,101,830 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Detroit Arsenal, Michigan, is the contracting activity.
22 Sep 20. PacStar Awarded U.S. Army Tactical Communications Contract to Support Expeditionary Warfare. PacStar®, a leading developer and supplier of advanced communications solutions for the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), today announced that it has been awarded a tactical network communications contract by the U.S. Army Program Executive Office Command, Control, Communications-Tactical (PEO C3T). Under the contract, PacStar will deliver its PacStar 400-Series platform for SCOUT (Scalable Class of Unified Terminals) in support of the U.S. Army Integrated Tactical Network (ITN) program. The ITN is a concept that incorporates the Army’s current tactical network environment with commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) components and transport capabilities to enable communications in disconnected, intermittent and limited (DIL) bandwidth environments. SCOUT provides small teams with expeditionary satellite capabilities for low bandwidth communications and exchange of secure and non-secure data, voice, and video. PacStar 400-Series solutions will be delivered to four Infantry Brigade Combat Teams (IBCTs) as part of the ITN Capability Set 21 rollout, delivering key capabilities optimized for small, agile units. This will enable: (Source: BUSINESS WIRE)
23 Sep 20. RRDS, Inc., Southern California based federal contractor, is a solution-based systems integrator, known to provide custom-procurement, logistics and program management services to the Department of Defense, Department of State, intelligence community, various federal agencies and ally nations across the world. This contract is awarded to RRDS under the GSA Fleet Vehicle Purchasing Program, the mandatory source for purchases of new non-tactical vehicles for Department of Defense and federal executive agencies. More than 50,000 vehicles are purchased annually through GSA Fleet Vehicle contracts, providing significant benefits and cost savings to the DOD and executive branch agencies. (Source: PR Newswire)
23 Sep 20. SimpleSense, a tech start-up delivering critical response technology, announced that on September 14, 2020 the Air Force Civil Engineer Center awarded the company a $9m opportunity to develop the Installation Resilience Operations Center (IROC), an innovative prototype to enhance base security and facility operations. The Installation of the Future requires immediate awareness, response, and prediction of major incidents, whether a 911 call or equipment failure. The objective of IROC is to modernize response operations to enable real time data collection and analysis of operational technology systems from smart buildings to physical security systems. Breaking down the stovepipes that separate data enables a safer, more productive, and resilient installation. In developing their winning proposal, SimpleSense partnered with Novetta, a leader in advanced analytics. The companies combined SimpleSense’s innovative approach to interconnecting safety and security organizations with Novetta’s data analytics and PICARD sensor integration platform. (Source: PR Newswire)
23 Sep 20. Ultra announced that the U.S. Marine Corps Systems Command branch has placed a US $31m order for Ultra ORION X500 radio systems for the Line of Sight Radio System (LRS) Project supported by the Terrestrial High Capacity Communications Program Office. The order will be placed under the $497M indefinite award/indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract awarded to Ultra TCS earlier in 2019 in support of the U.S. Army’s TRILOS Radio Program of Record. The U.S. Marine Corps, a longtime customer of Ultra TCS, will be a new primary user of the ORION X500 radio system. Ultra TCS recently signed a separate contract with the U.S. Navy with the announcement of the ATCS contract in August of 2020. The U.S. Army has purchased several generations of the company’s tactical communications systems over the years, including the ORION. With the latest addition of the Marine Corps, several major branches of the U.S. DoD will be direct users of the ORION radio system. Marine Corps Systems Command serves as the Department of the Navy’s systems command for Marine Corps ground weapon and information technology system programs in order to equip and sustain Marine forces with full-spectrum, current and future expeditionary and crisis-response capabilities. The Marine Corps chose the ORION for its small size, power and weight, its high-bandwidth capacity and long-range line-of-sight communications capabilities as well as its ability to be rapidly deployed. The LRS project aims to replace the legacy AN/MRC-142 and WPPL radio platforms, and the ORION was selected because it satisfies all Marine Corps requirements in a single platform. Adoption of the ORION by the Marine Corps will ensure interoperability with other deployed communications assets already in use across the Department of Defense, including the U.S. Army, U.S. Navy and U.S. Special Forces. The ORION radio system is a software-defined, multi-channel, multi-band, MIMO radio platform that enables a Unified Heterogeneous Wireless Network (HETNET) capable of supporting a diversity of user requirements and resilient network operations in contested and congested environments.
SEA
23 Sep 20. BAE Systems Land and Armaments L.P., Armament Systems Division, Louisville, Kentucky, is awarded an $80,384,866 firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to previously awarded contract N00174-19-C-0004 for five overhauled/upgraded MK45 Mod 4 Gun mounts and their associated components. Work will be performed in Louisville, Kentucky, and is expected to be completed by June 2025. Fiscal 2020 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy; 60%); and fiscal 2019 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy; 40%), funding in the amount of $80,384,866 will be obligated at time of award and not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Indian Head Division, Indian Head, Maryland, is the contracting activity.
21 Sep 20. Huntington Ingalls Inc., Newport News, Virginia, is awarded a $351,810,277 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to previously awarded contract N00024-18-C-4314 for the USS Boise (SSN 764) early production period that encompasses continued advance planning, execution services, production and availability preparations for the USS Boise engineered overhaul. This contract modification includes options, which if exercised, will bring the cumulative value of this action to $355,015,496. Work will be performed in Newport News, Virginia, and is expected to be completed by May 2023. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Navy) funding in the amount of $351,810,277 will be obligated at time of award, of which, funds in the amount of $351,810,277 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity.
AIR
22 Sep 20. AirMap, the leading digital airspace and automation company serving the drone economy, was awarded a contract to provide unmanned aircraft system (UAS) traffic management (UTM) services to the United States Air Force (USAF)’s Agility Prime program. The USAF will use AirMap’s UTM platform to support testing of electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft in preparation for scaling of advanced air mobility operations. The USAF recently launched Agility Prime, a non-traditional program seeking to accelerate the commercial market for advanced air mobility vehicles (i.e., “flying cars“). Leveraging unique testing resources and government use cases for distributed logistics and disaster response, the USAF plans to mitigate current commercial market and regulatory risks. The air vehicles tested throughout the program will be used for a variety of operations, including shuttling security forces across missile fields as well as search-and-rescue and logistics missions. AirMap was awarded a $1m Direct to Phase 2 Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) by AFWERX to provide its UTM platform for Agility Prime. (Source: BUSINESS WIRE)
24 Sep 20. The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Missouri, has been awarded a $2,239,707,532 fixed-price-incentive, firm-target contract for the Small Diameter Bomb Increment I weapon program. This contract provides for a guaranteed minimum Lot 15 award and a five-year ordering period for Small Diameter Bomb Increment I, focused lethality munition, containers and carriages for the Department of Defense and Foreign Military Sales partner nations. Work will be performed in St. Louis, Missouri, and is expected to be complete by September 2027. This contract involves Foreign Military Sales to Australia, Belgium, Israel, Japan, Korea, Netherlands and Norway. This award is result of a sole-source acquisition. Fiscal 2018, 2019, and 2020 missile procurement funds in the amount of $247,508,960 are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, is the contracting activity (FA8672-20-D-0001).
23 Sep 20. General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) has been awarded a $13.5m contract to upgrade MQ-9 Block 1 and Block 5 Remotely Piloted Aircraft for the Air National Guard (ANG). The procurement includes Generator Power Distribution Modules (GPDM) and kits to integrate the Beyond Line of Sight (BLOS) pod, LITENING pod and other mission payloads. The GPDM and pod kits will provide ANG with the ability to distribute more electrical AC and DC power to payloads integrated onto MQ-9 aircraft. The BLOS kits provide common aircraft interfaces to payloads integrated on the aircraft’s outboard wing hard points. This will enable 5th generation fighter aircraft (F-35 and F-22) to communicate and share data with 4th generation fighter aircraft (F-15 and F-16). In June 2020, GA-ASI was awarded a $12.1m contract to upgrade MQ-9 Block 1 and Block 5 Remotely Piloted Aircraft and Block 25 Dual Control Module Ground Control Station (DCMGCS) and Block 30 Ground Control Station (GCS) for the Air National Guard (ANG). That procurement included kits for High-Definition (HD) displays and special router/multiplexer, as well as Multi-Intelligence Smart Processing (MISP).
24 Sep 20. Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is awarded a $245,449,719 modification (P00006) to definitize previously awarded cost-plus-incentive-fee undefinitized contract N00019-20-C-0037. This modification extends services and adds hours in support of engineering, maintenance, logistics manpower and material support to continue to develop, sustain and produce software builds as well as carryout developmental flight tests for the Joint Strike Fighter aircraft in support of the Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force and non-Department of Defense (DoD) participants. Additionally, this modification provides unique sea trials on aircraft carriers for non-DoD participants. Work will be performed at Edwards Air Force Base, California (40%); Patuxent River, Maryland (39%); and Fort Worth, Texas (21%), and is expected to be completed in March 2022. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $2,673,158; fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation (Air Force) funds in the amount of $2,673,157; fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Air Force) funds in the amount of $373,471; fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $373,470; and non-DoD participant funds in the amount of $7,472,589 will be obligated at time of award, $746,941 of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity.
14 Sep 20. Orbit Logic has been awarded an AFWERX Direct to Phase II Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract from the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL). The award will enhance the Heimdall Fire Space Situational Awareness (SSA) planning solution. Heimdall Fire is an existing software solution consisting of Orbit Logic COTS software products configured for SSA observation planning. This Phase II SBIR effort will start with the installation and configuration of the Heimdall Fire planning solution at the Catalyst Campus in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and enhancements to interface with and ingest commercial SSA observation plans. Commercial observation plans will be automatically converted to a standard Integrated Sensor Support Plan (ISSP) format. These commercial ISSPs will be distributed for use by Department of Defnese (DoD) SSA planning and analysis systems. The contracted effort will also enhance Heimdall Fire to predict orbit accuracy based on planned observations and allow planning to achieve a user-specified orbit accuracy goal for any object at a specified time. The SBIR response is planned to include technology provided by Orbit Logic partner the University of Texas – Austin, and commercial observation interfaces and data from LeoLabs and Numerica. The Heimdall Fire solution is commercially-available, scalable, configurable for new missions, and operationally-proven. The enhancements to be implemented under this contract will allow the software to meet even more government SSA needs out of the box. (Source: Satnews)
24 Sep 20. Raytheon Missile and Defense, Tucson, Arizona, is being awarded a $9,790,653, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to mature a non-kinetic defense capability, accelerate lethality analysis and procure long lead items for a potential Microwave Technology Testbed project that evolves the High Power Microwave concept development acquired under the Hypersonic Defense Weapon Systems broad agency announcement HQ0147-18-S-0001 and competitively awarded contracts HQ0147-18-C-6516 and HQ0147-19-C-6561. The effort will include refinement of baseline designs, advanced technology insertion evaluation and test planning and preparation to support potential future phases for integration of a Missile Defense Agency Microwave Testbed Technology project. Work will be performed in Tucson, Arizona, and is expected to be complete by December 2021. This is a sole-source contract award. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $9,790,653 are being obligated at the time of award. The Missile Defense Agency, Albuquerque, New Mexico, is the contracting activity (HQ0860-20-C-0010).
24 Sep 20. Rolls-Royce Corp., Indianapolis, Indiana, is awarded a $197,035,852 modification (P00004) to previously awarded firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery requirements contract N61340-19-D-0004. This modification exercises an option to continue to provide intermediate and depot level maintenance, logistics and engineering support for the F405-RR-401 engine and the 096 MKII Gas Turbine Starter System. Work will be performed in Kingsville, Texas (45%); Meridian, Mississippi (43%); Pensacola, Florida (11%); and Patuxent River, Maryland (1%), and is expected to be completed in September 2021. No funds will be obligated at time of award; funds will be obligated against individual orders as they are issued. The Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division, Orlando, Florida, is the contracting activity.
23 Sep 20. Isotropic Systems Signs Contract with SES GS to Initiate Multi-Orbit Trials of Next-Gen Multi-beam Antenna Technologies for U.S. Military. SES Government Solutions (SES GS), a fully-owned affiliate of SES, and Isotropic Systems, a leading developer of transformational broadband terminal technologies, today announced a two-phased antenna evaluation contract with the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory, working in close collaboration with the U.S. Army Research Engineering Team, for tests of Isotropic Systems’ multi-beam terminal over SES’s O3b Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) constellation to ultimately unleash next-gen connectivity across the battlefield. It is the first customer contract between Isotropic Systems and SES Government Solutions and follows on from the significant developmental partnership currently ongoing between the two companies to produce scalable, cost-effective terminals capable of providing government, military, and commercial access to the existing O3b constellation and the groundbreaking O3b mPOWER system set to launch late next year. (Source: BUSINESS WIRE)
25 Sep 20. Saber Astronautics has won a Phase I Small Business Innovative Research grant to continue the development of its drag sail for deorbiting spacecraft at the end of their life. Drag sails are a passive way of moving a spacecraft without onboard fuel, using special material in ways which are similar to conventional sails here on Earth. Saber Astronautics’ drag sail concept (named “DragEN”) was first developed from Saber’s Australian laboratory and tested on a series of NASA parabolic flights in 2014 and 2015. Rather than using conventional drag, the DragEN tether interacts with Earth’s large magnetic field by unrolling a conductive tether and converting the Spacecraft’s kinetic energy into electrical energy and drag. This gently pulls the spacecraft back down to Earth where it can burn up in a safe and controlled fashion. The NASA tests were flown at Johnson Space Centre with the NASA Flight Opportunities program to validate DragEN’s mechanical design. (Source: Space Connect)
TECHNOLOGY
23 Sep 20. Alion Science and Technology Corp., McLean, Virginia, has been awarded a $40,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, firm-fixed-price contract for information technology services. This contract provides for support with the enterprise protection risk management, utilizing the information technology application/software, countermeasures risk analysis software. The support will assess risk and implement countermeasures to mitigate the compromise, loss, unauthorized access/disclosure, destruction, distortion or non-accessibility of mission-related assets. Work will be performed in McLean, Virginia, and is expected to be complete by Sept. 24, 2025. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $352,000 are being obligated on the first task order at the time of award. Air Force District of Washington, Air Force Enterprise Support Division, Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, is the contracting activity (FA7014-20-D-0002).
21 Sep 20. Alion Science and Technology announces today that it has been awarded an $87m task order with a 60-month period of performance to provide Special Projects and Operational Testing for Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC), Panama City Division (PCD). Alion will support NSWC PCD’s mission by performing research, analysis, design, systems engineering, integration, prototyping, testing, and validating technology and resources including unmanned vehicles and their related systems, weapons, and special project needs that will enable United States (U.S.) warfighters to win in complex littoral and maritime environments. This task order was awarded under the Department of Defense Information Analysis Center Multi-Award Contract Multiple Award Contract (DoD IAC MAC), issued by the 774 Enterprise Sourcing Squadron (774 ESS)/ Plans/Programs (PKP). This material is based upon work supported by the DoD IAC Program Management Office (PMO), sponsored by the Defense Technical Information Center (DTIC) under Contract No. FA807518D0002. . (Source: PR Newswire)
23 Sep 20. AT&T will deliver network tools and 5G to three U.S. Air Force bases, the telecommunications giant announced Wednesday. The company will provide the bases with its networking-as-a-service capabilities to 24,000 personnel across Buckley Air Force Base, Colo., Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, and Offutt Air Force Base, Neb. The company has completed 5G system design across the installations and expects to complete delivery of the services by the end of 2021. (Source: C4ISR & Networks)
21 Sep 20. Parsons Corporation (NYSE: PSN) has been selected for three task orders totaling $69m under the company’s Global Application Research, Development, Engineering, and Maintenance (GARDEM) indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract with the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL). The task orders are expected to be awarded in 2020. All contracts are three-year efforts that deliver worldwide on-site mission support and software application enhancements to the AFRL’s operational command and control, situational awareness, and space capabilities. Parsons has provided mission support to the AFRL for more than 20 years. (Source: PR Newswire)
REST OF THE WORLD
LAND
25 Sep 20. Raytheon Technologies, Woburn, Massachusetts is being awarded a sole-source contract in the amount of $212,760,106 under a Foreign Military Sale (FMS) case to the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The contract type will be a hybrid firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-incentive-fee, cost-plus-fixed-fee and cost-reimbursement contract. The contractor will provide one Prime Power Unit and five years of sustainment services for two Terminal High Altitude Area Defense Army/Navy Transportable Radar Surveillance and Control-Series 2 (AN/TPY-2) Radars for this contract. The work will be performed in Woburn, Massachusetts, and some support services will be provided in-country. The performance period is Oct. 1, 2020, through Sept. 30, 2025. UAE FMS funds in the amount of $212,760,106 will be used to fund this effort. The Missile Defense Agency, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity (HQ0862-20-C-0001).
24 Sep 20. Saab has secured a $337m contract with the Australian Department of Defence to deliver deployable health modules for the Joint Project 2060 Deployable Health Capability Program. The first five years of the contract will see Saab Australia enhance the ADF’s clinical healthcare response capability by delivering more than 500 deployable health modules. The modules will provide functions enabling clinical treatment and care up to hospitalisation, and incorporate critical support infrastructure such as shelters, internal power reticulation and waste management. Saab has partnered with Aspen Medical, Philips Healthcare Australia & NZ, Broadspectrum and Marshall Land Systems to deliver more than 550 deployable medical modules – the order worth $337m provides support for the years 2020-2027, including five years of support. (Source: Defence Connect)
SEA
23 Sep 20. Lockheed Martin Sippican Inc., Marion, Massachusetts, is awarded a $72,171,182 firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee and cost only modification to previously awarded contract N00024-16-C-6412 to exercise options for the production of MK 48 Mod 7 Heavyweight guidance and control sections, upgrade Common Broadband Advanced Sonar System kits and torpedo equipment and support. This modification combines purchases for the Navy (87%); and the governments of Australia (7%); Taiwan (5%); and Turkey (1%) under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program. Work will be performed in Marion, Massachusetts (81%); Braintree, Massachusetts (18%); and Lemont Furnace, Pennsylvania (1%), and is expected to be completed by December 2023. Fiscal 2020 weapons procurement (Navy; 86%); FMS and Armament Cooperative Program (13%); and fiscal 2018 weapons procurement (Navy; 1%), funding in the amount of $72,171,182 will be obligated at the time of award, of which, $180,003 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity.
AIR
23 Sep 20. Currawong Engineering, a Tasmania-based producer of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), has been named as a recipient of the $150,000 Defence Global Competitiveness Grant — available to SMEs looking to expand globally. According to Minister for Defence Industry Melissa Price, the grant would be used by Currawong to purchase specialist plant equipment to increase electronics production capability for parts used in UAVs. (Source: Defence Connect)
18 Sep 20. Hanwha Systems selected as preferred bidder for KDDX combat system and multi-function radar. Hanwha Systems was selected on 16 September as the final preferred bidder to provide the combat system and multifunction radar for South Korea’s KDDX destroyer programme, the company said in a press release. The combat system, to be developed by Hanwha Systems and South Korea’s Agency for Defense Development (ADD), will integrate the ship’s various sensors, weapons, communications, and command systems, with real-time tactical information-processing technology and multiple datalinks built in to optimise the ship’s combat capabilities. The KDDX’s integrated mast (I-MST), which improves the stealth capability of the ship, will house a dual-band multifunction phased-array radar using the S-band for long-range anti-aircraft and ballistic missile detection and tracking, alongside the X-band for short-range anti-aircraft and sea-level target detection and tracking. Infrared search and tracking (IRST) sensors, and identification friend-or-foe (IFF) devices will also be installed on the mast. (Source: Jane’s)
23 Sep 20. L-3 Communications Integrated Systems, Greenville, Texas, has been awarded a $90,000,104 not-to-exceed, firm-fixed-price, undefinitized contract modification (P00003) to contract FA8620-20-F-4837 for engineering, procurement and fabrication, which will result in Phase One modification to the mission aircraft. Work will be performed in Greenville, Texas, and is expected to be completed by Oct. 31, 2023. This contract involves 100% Foreign Military Sales (FMS) and is the result of a sole-source acquisition. FMS funds in the amount of $44,100,031 are being obligated at the time of award. The 645th Aeronautical Systems Group, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity.
23 Sep 20. Israel Orders Final Batch of AW119KX Helicopters from Italy. Italy and Israeli have concluded a reciprocal procurement agreement under which Israel will buy five additional Leonardo AW119KX training helicopters and Italy will buy an additional batch of Spike anti-tank missiles and simulators. The agreement was signed via teleconference on Tuesday due to COVID-19 restrictions by the Director-General of Israel’s MoD, Maj. Gen. (Res.) Amir Eshel, and his Italian counterpart, National Armaments Director Nicolò Falsaperna. The agreement is the final step in a broader deal concluded by the two countries in February 2019, and which covered Israel’s purchase of 12 AW119 training helicopters and two simulators to replace the Bell 206s in service with the Israeli Air Force’s Flight School since the 1970s. The first seven helicopters were ordered at the time, and the final five were ordered on Tuesday. (Source: defense-aerospace.com)