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Defence Industries
2009-07-08 22:58:59
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Iraqis Take Lead in Tactical Ops With Up-Armored Vehicles
2009-05-19 21:46:47
The 6th Iraqi Army Division's military police frequently patrol the streets of Baghdad in light-utility vehicles that offer no more protection than a standard pickup truck. But thanks to the Iraqi Ministry of Defense, MPs are getting a new, professional look this year. The 6th Iraqi Army Division's military police company received four Polish army vehicles in March as part of an initiative by the Iraqi Defense Ministry to provide updated equipment to soldiers. The Dzik-3s are a huge upgrade from the light utility vehicles the MPs have used since the start of the war. Photo by Sgt. Kristin Kemplin, USA (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. Driving 4.5-ton Polish-made armored personnel carriers emblazoned with the Iraqi flag, these MPs now look like a formidable force on the streets. The aptly named "Dzik-3" -- dzik is Polish for "wild boar" -- is a super-utility vehicle with all-around armor, bulletproof windows, puncture-proof tires and smoke launchers. The unique structure of the firing ports built into the vehicle gives it a competitive edge against the enemy. "Now these soldiers are protected from any attack, because the rifle muzzle is the only thing outside the vehicle," said Lt. Col. Ahmed Joseph Ibraheem, commander of the 6th division's military police company. "We are in 2006 and we are trying to build a new army. So why not bring new equipment and vehicles to match with the year we are in?" said Ibraheem, whose company received four of the brand-new vehicles at the end of March. Iraq's defense ministry "saw the need for the MPs to get better vehicles and get out into the fight," said U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Jeff Rogers, an adviser with the 4th Infantry Division's military transition team. After purchasing 600 of the vehicles from the Polish army for a reported $100 million last November, the Iraqi Defense Ministry launched the first Dzik training course last month. Instructors from the ministry began teaching selected soldiers from all the brigades within the division on the vehicle's basic weapons systems, driving techniques and communication systems. Using the techniques of the American military, the Defense Ministry conducted an experiment with "train the trainer" teaching methods and encouraged the 30 members of the first class to return to their respective units and train up their personnel. The training is still in the experimental phase. Once the soldiers have successfully trained themselves and conducted missions while reducing lost lives on the battlefield, more vehicles will be handed down to the units. "The insurgents will see this vehicle, which is armored and equipped with the best technology, and it will give the soldiers more trust and intimidate the insurgents," said Warrant Officer Ali Houssen Abed, an instructor at the Ministry of Defense Up-armored Vehicles Training Facility. The MP company commander hopes to receive more vehicles if the experiment proves to be successful. After graduating from the course March 16, the military police company's eight drivers "went back and trained their other soldiers," said Rogers, who said he considers Fort Hood, Texas, his hometown. "They are about 80 percent complete in training the rest of the company on the Dzik." Working with coalition forces, the MP company conducted its first mission with the Dziks on March 29. The mission was a personal security detail, with American soldiers in the lead. Since the success of that mission, the troops have continued to go on missions and have gained confidence in the vehicles. They have advanced so quickly that they are now taking the lead in personal security convoys with coalition forces. "They are in the lead," said Rogers. "They've got a lot more swagger in their step now that they are leading." The vehicles will enhance the visibility of Iraqi soldiers on Baghdad's streets as well as separate them from terrorists, who commonly use pickup trucks to direct small-arms fire at coalition forces. These vehicles, stenciled with proper markings and identification, will identify the soldiers as legitimate military police if they ever need to cross over into another Iraqi brigade's battlespace, said Rogers. But the training has not been without its challenges, said Ibraheem. The instructors and leaders alike felt it would be beneficial for the Polish army to come and give them hands-on training with the vehicles. "The communication system is not an American product. It is also new to the Americans," said Ibraheem. He praised the military transition team for its ability to adapt and help the soldiers to work with a system that is foreign to both countries' armies. Getting 11 people to fit in the vehicle as the Polish have designed it is another challenge, said Abed. Another daunting task for the Iraqi army is proving itself as a good army, said Rogers. "(Iraqis) are building their army in the middle of a war," said Rogers. "They are standing up an army in a combat operations tempo, and they are doing an unbelievable job." "Now if we have a mission anywhere, even a harsh, dangerous place, the soldiers in my platoon compete to get on the missions," said Ibraheem.
Her Majesty's Royal Coast Guard
2009-05-27 11:46:26
Under current plans, the Royal Navy circa 2020 will be a very strange force. There will be just six high-end warships to protect two 65,000-ton super-carriers, plus a mixed flotilla of old Type 23s and FSCs numbering just over a dozen. It’ll be a top-heavy force with too few destroyers to escort the carriers into a shooting war, and too few frigates to perform day-to-day patrolling during peacetime. It’s a fleet optimized for nothing. For the past few decades, Her Majesty's Armed Forces have steered away from the preservation of empire and colonies, instead configuring themselves in such a way that they can provide a solid bulwark to the US Armed Forces, while operating independently in a single theater, Falklands style scenario. But, the backbone of any British strategy -from the pre-Victorian age all the way up until the Labour Party victory in the mid 1990s- has always been a powerful Royal Navy. The fleet's demise over the past several years has been one of the great tragedies in recent memory. There was a time when the Union Jack protected every major sea lane and trade route on the globe -- today the British can barely protect their own coastline. That's a terrible fall for what was once a mighty sea-faring empire. What's troubling about this report, to me at least, is that the Brits are shaping their fleet in such a way that it will be largely reliant on American protection. Instead of existing as a powerful, independent ally that can operate jointly or independently with its US counterpart, the Royal Navy is becoming a welfare case -- where supporting it with anti-sub and anti-air protection becomes more of a drain on our own resources than a benefit. Watching the British lose confidence in themselves, the oft-lamented "Suez Syndrome," is terrible. But, as much as it pains me to say so, perhaps it's time we look for new, stronger allies for our special defense relationship -- perhaps in the Aussies or Japanese.
Her Majesty's Royal Coast Guard
2009-05-27 11:46:26
Under current plans, the Royal Navy circa 2020 will be a very strange force. There will be just six high-end warships to protect two 65,000-ton super-carriers, plus a mixed flotilla of old Type 23s and FSCs numbering just over a dozen. It’ll be a top-heavy force with too few destroyers to escort the carriers into a shooting war, and too few frigates to perform day-to-day patrolling during peacetime. It’s a fleet optimized for nothing. For the past few decades, Her Majesty's Armed Forces have steered away from the preservation of empire and colonies, instead configuring themselves in such a way that they can provide a solid bulwark to the US Armed Forces, while operating independently in a single theater, Falklands style scenario. But, the backbone of any British strategy -from the pre-Victorian age all the way up until the Labour Party victory in the mid 1990s- has always been a powerful Royal Navy. The fleet's demise over the past several years has been one of the great tragedies in recent memory. There was a time when the Union Jack protected every major sea lane and trade route on the globe -- today the British can barely protect their own coastline. That's a terrible fall for what was once a mighty sea-faring empire. What's troubling about this report, to me at least, is that the Brits are shaping their fleet in such a way that it will be largely reliant on American protection. Instead of existing as a powerful, independent ally that can operate jointly or independently with its US counterpart, the Royal Navy is becoming a welfare case -- where supporting it with anti-sub and anti-air protection becomes more of a drain on our own resources than a benefit. Watching the British lose confidence in themselves, the oft-lamented "Suez Syndrome," is terrible. But, as much as it pains me to say so, perhaps it's time we look for new, stronger allies for our special defense relationship -- perhaps in the Aussies or Japanese.
Pentagon Seeks More Power From Vehicles
2009-06-10 11:44:52
This article first appeared in Defense Technology International. A strong argument could be made that given the recent innovations in ground-vehicle armor, and vehicle-mounted communications and sensor equipment brought about by the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the U.S. military is in a "Golden Age" for tactical vehicles. It's jarring to think that just a few years ago, U.S. forces entered Iraq in thin-skinned, often doorless or roofless Humvees, vehicles that now seem more appropriate for museums than combat zones. The unforeseen needs of extra armor, especially underbelly armor to deflect roadside bombs, and the exponentially greater power-generation requirements of a force that increasingly relies on sensors and communications gear, has strained the fleet to its limits, and led to a revolution in vehicle technology. Many of the changes this has spawned can be seen in two new development projects: the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV), envisioned as the battlefield replacement of the Humvee, and the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) All-Terrain Vehicle (M-ATV), an interim replacement for Humvees in the rugged terrain of Afghanistan until the JLTV is fielded in 2015. But while the attention of the military and industry is fixed on these two designs, with their electronics, sturdier suspension systems, lightweight composite armor and increased payloads, Brig. Gen. Brian Layer, commander of the Army's Transportation Center, calls attention to the Expanded Capacity Vehicle-2 (ECV2) from AM General, an upgraded and improved Humvee that he says is the "middle piece" that will get the military through until the JLTV is fielded. The ECV2 incorporates lessons learned in Iraq and Afghanistan, and so offers better power production capabilities, an engine moved forward, raised profile, more room in the crew compartment and electronic controls -- features that take into account the growing power needs and space requirements of sensors and communications gear. The ECV2 isn't slated to hit the dirt until 2010, but one selling point is that it provides the same 3,500-lb. payload Humvees had before being weighed down with bolt-on armor in-theater. For whatever reason -- probably due to its flashier JLTV, MRAP and M-ATV cousins -- the ECV2 has been largely ignored in the rush to get new vehicles to troops in the field. Considering that it comes in at roughly half the cost of the JLTV (but without most of its technological upgrades and cutting-edge armor), it seems to be a capable vehicle that might get another look in budget-conscious times. Throwing a little drama into the mix, Marine Corps Commandant Gen. James Conway warned in April that the service would not participate in the JLTV program if prototypes do not get lighter. The Marine Corps, he said, "will not buy a vehicle that's 20,000 lb." Depending on what the "evolution of development looks like, we may have to depart that buy and rehabilitate what we've got," Conway said. But to add all of these capabilities to existing or in-development programs requires the vehicles to produce much more electrical wattage than they have been able to generate. Requirements for the JLTV, for example, call for each vehicle to have a 30-kw. generator. Michael Gallagher, program manager for expeditionary power systems for the Marine Corps, says the service is trying to meet the need for juice by retrofitting 400-amp. alternators with reduced-diameter pulleys on Humvees to generate more electricity. "One of the key incentives for this was that more power is needed, but more power was really needed at lower speeds, when vehicles are idling, or [moving slowly]," he said at a tactical vehicle conference in April. Gallagher reported that his office received economic stimulus funding for the project, and is using the cash to bring the system to a reasonable level of maturity before turning it over to industry later this year in an open competition, with the goal of testing it in 2010 and 2011. Gallagher admitted, though, that "400 amps can only get us so far for so long -- in the future 400 amps will not be enough power," especially considering that he was talking about DC power. One approach the Marines are looking at is giving Humvees 20 kw. (800 amps) of onboard power. To put this in perspective, when Humvees were first fielded in the 1980s, they had 60-amp. alternators. Compare that to the 600-800-amp. alternators the M-ATV and JLTV are expected to use. But even that exponentially enhanced requirement, Gallagher admitted, might not be enough on a future battlefield. Vehicles today are expected to support a mix of military and commercial off-the-shelf electronics, he said, all with different power requirements. And the need will grow. There is concern as well in the Stryker vehicle community about power generation. The 8 X 8 infantry vehicle, made by General Dynamics, doesn't generate enough power to run all of its electronics simultaneously, according to Robert Hobbs, deputy capability manager at the Army's Training and Doctrine Command. The vehicle uses an analog system, which the Army wants to replace with digital technology. Hobbs also spoke about suspension issues the vehicle could face if more armor is added to an already-stressed frame, which is "at the edge" of the weight the suspension system can accommodate. Originally designed at about 38,000 lb., with various armor packages Strykers now clock in at about 52,000 lb. Program managers, as a result, are looking at a semiactive suspension to handle the weight. All of this work on power generation and suspension gear, and meeting the urgent battlefield needs of Iraq and Afghanistan, is siphoning cash away from other vehicles. Hobbs said work on the Stryker M1133 Medical Evacuation Vehicle (MEV) was "moving forward," and General Dynamics had been given the go-ahead to build the MEV to replace M113s. That order, however, was put on hold. "We took the money that was scheduled to go into the 113 divesture and moved it to buy equipment for a Stryker brigade going to Afghanistan." With all this movement across the wheeled tactical vehicle fleet, Col. Mike Smith, director of training doctrine and combat command at the Army's Armor Center, didn't inspire much confidence when he called into question the next big-ticket tactical vehicle, the JLTV. Smith told the conference that he's "not sure" if the Defense Dept. "has figured out what it really wants us to do with JLTV yet. The lighter family of vehicles crapped out on us and is no longer cost-effective." He said the Defense Dept. is trying to get ahead of the issue, "but I'm not sure if we've figured out what it is we want in terms of" how the vehicle should perform in combat.
Saudis take delivery of first Typhoon jets
2009-06-15 16:44:07
Saudi Arabia has taken delivery of two Eurofighter Typhoon combat jets, Britain's Ministry of Defence (MoD) said Friday, the first of a massive order which fell into doubt over an arms scandal. Saudi Assistant Defence and Aviation Minister Prince Khaled bin Sultan received the two fighter jets on Thursday in a ceremony at manufacturer BAE Systems' Warton site in northwest England. Saudi Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz and Britain's armed forces minister Bill Rammell also attended, the MoD said. The two fighters were the first out of an order for an eventual 72 that has been valued at up to 20 billion pounds (32.9 billion dollars), including armaments and long-term servicing. Saudi Arabia is the first country outside Europe to have the Typhoon, a multi-role aircraft produced by a BAE Systems-led consortium of European firms. The deal was first announced in August 2006, but then fell into doubt due to a British investigation into massive corruption allegations in earlier arms deals between Saudi Arabia and BAE Systems that implicated senior officials of both countries. The investigation into the so-called Yamamah deals was called off by the British government in December 2006 on grounds of "national security" and "public interest," and the final contract for the Typhoon aircraft was signed in September 2007. The purchase will help the Saudis upgrade their air force from its current fleet of BAE's 1980s-vintage Tornado F3s and US-made Boeing F-15s. Under the original deal, BAE is to deliver 24 Typhoons completely built to the Saudis, and another 48 are to be assembled inside Saudi Arabia as the country seeks to build up its own aeronautic industry capabilities. "The Royal Saudi Air Force is getting a fantastic aircraft," said Rammell. "Typhoon is a world-class, multi-role aircraft and will provide the RSAF with the defence capability it needs to meet the defence challenges of today and for the foreseeable future. "The industrial benefits of the project are also substantial for both nations and will help to sustain several thousand, skilled jobs in the UK and Saudi Arabia over the next 10 years." Prince Khaled, who also commands the RSAF, said the new aircraft were "not to threaten anyone but to protect and secure the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia over the coming decades," Saudi state news agency SPA reported. But Riyadh is known to want to maintain air superiority over rival Iran amid fears that Tehran is seeking to extend the range of its air force to full region-wide capability. According to Lebanon-based defence news service Tactical Newswires, the Saudis will soon begin meetings with US officials to discuss buying F-16 fighters.
Russian Zenit Rocket Puts Malaysian Satellite Into Orbit
2009-07-01 09:32:22
A Russian Zenit-3SLB carrier rocket launched from the Baikonur space center put Malaysia's Measat-3a communications satellite into orbit on Monday, a Federal Space Agency Roscosmos official said. "The Russian carrier successfully put the foreign satellite into transfer orbit. Control over the satellite has been transferred to the client, who is responsible for putting the apparatus into geostationary orbit," the official said. Measat-3a carries 12 Ku-band and 12 C-band active transponders along with three antennas, and has a service life of 15 years. The satellite will serve C-band markets throughout the Asia Pacific region with a global beam, while Ku-band beams will serve direct-to-home broadcasting markets in Malaysia and Indonesia. The Zenit-3SLB is a modernized three-stage version of the Zenit-3SL, which was previously used at Sea Launch's floating platform in the Pacific Ocean.
Cage Armor Applied to New Vehicles
2009-07-24 12:21:38
Look for the bar-like fencing helping to defend Army Buffalos from rocket-propelled grenade attacks to find their way onto RG31 and Couger vehicles beginning in January. And BAE, the company behind the L-ROD rails, is already developing the system for its RG33s and Caimans, which also are mine resistant ambush protected vehicles, MRAPs. The L-ROD kit is basically an easy to install or remove "cage" that is an extra layer of protection around a vehicle. It can't stop an RPG but as the weapon penetrates the cage the bars begin stripping away at the explosive's casing -- and much of its lethality -- even before impact. William Kellner, director of special programs and sensor systems for BAE Systems of Reston, Va., said the simple design and standard sizes of the L-ROD system make for efficiencies in commonality that translates into making it easier to keep forward locations supplied with them. The L-RODS have been used on the Buffalo vehicles since about 2005, Kellner said. The bars are made of the same material as aircraft wings, so that they're flexible -- you can even climb up and down them -- but they don't bend, he said.
U.S. Department of Defense Announces Latest Contract Awards
2010-02-17 10:08:27
Navistar Defense, LLC, Warrenville, Ill., was awarded on Feb. 12 a $751,514,198 firm-fixed-priced delivery order #0014 for the procurement of Category I Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) low rate initial production vehicles with engineering change proposal upgrades for enhanced maneuverability. This order will also be used for the procurement of Category I MRAP vehicles which provide protection of U.S. military personnel supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. Work will be performed in WestPoint, Miss. and the period of performance is expected to be completed by the end of August 2010. Procurement funds in the amount of $751,514,198 will expire on Sept. 30, 2012. This contract was competitively procured. The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Va., is the contracting activity (M67854-07-D-5032 / D.O.0009). CACI, Inc., Chantilly, Va. (N00039-10-D-0005); Computer Sciences Corp., San Diego (N00039-10-D-0006); G2 Software Systems, Inc.*, San Diego, Calif. (N00039-10-D-0007); Northrop Grumman, Herndon, Va. (N00039-10-D-0008); and Science Applications International Corp., San Diego, Calif. (N00039-10-D-0009), were each awarded on Feb. 11, 2010, an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity multiple award contract for Department of Defense command and control (C2) software development, as well as modification and enhancement of existing C2 systems. Services that may be ordered under these contracts include software design, development, and modification; software integration at the unit- and system-level; related test and evaluation support; software systems engineering support; and support functions including integrated logistics support, configuration and program management support. Each contractor will be awarded a $5,000 task order at the time of contract award. These contracts include a three-year base period and two one-year award terms, making the potential period of performance five years. The five-year estimated amounts of each of these contracts range from $493 million to $648 million. These five contractors may compete for task orders under the terms and conditions of the awarded contracts. Work will be performed in the contractors’ facilities and is expected to be completed by January 2015. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This requirement was solicited using full and open competition via the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command e-commerce Web site and the Federal Business Opportunities Web site, with 13 offers received. The Space and Naval Warfare System Command, San Diego, Calif., awarded the contracts on behalf of its organizational partner, the Navy’s Program Executive Office for Command, Control, Communication, Computers and Intelligence. General Dynamics Land Systems-Canada, London, Ontario, was awarded on Feb. 12, 2010, a $227,380,750 firm-fixed-priced delivery order #0007. The procurement is for 250 MRAP RG-31A2 vehicles and associated engineering change proposal upgrades to include an independent suspension system. The work is expected to be completed no later than Oct. 30, 2010. The major production and assembly work will be performed in South Africa. Major subassemblies will be purchased from companies in Fairfield, Ohio; Buffalo, N.Y.; and Ogdensburg, N.Y. This contract delivery order was sole source procurement. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Va., is the contracting activity (M67854-07-D-5028). Raytheon Co., Tucson, Ariz., was awarded on Feb. 9 a $143,882,042 modification to previously awarded contract for the FY10 STANDARD Missile II option for production of all-up-round missiles, missiles serviced under the service life extension program, section level spares, post production spares, shipping containers, and associated data. Work will be performed in Tucson, Ariz. (74 percent); Andover, Mass. (18 percent); Camden, Ark. (5 percent); and Farmington, N.M. (3 percent). Work is expected to be completed by December 2012. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity (N00024-09-C-5301). BAE Systems Land & Armaments, Ground Systems Division, York, Pa., was awarded on Feb. 12 a $90,561,200.00 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity delivery order #0012 for the purchase of 58 U.S. Special Operations Command Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Category I vehicles including independent suspension systems, engineering change proposals and integrated logistics support sustainment. Work will be performed in York, Pa., and is expected to be completed by March 2011. Contract funds of $44,820,000 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Va., is the contracting activity (M67854-07-D-5025). ITT Electronic Systems, Clifton, N.J., is being awarded a $44,703,060 modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract to exercise an option for the full rate production Lot 7 of 17 AN/ALQ-214(V)2 on-board jammers, a component of the F/A-18 E/F Integrated Defensive Electronic Countermeasure for the Navy and the government of Australia. In addition, this option provides for spare AN/ALQ-214(V)3 weapons replacement assemblies for installation on F/A-18E/F aircraft. Work will be performed in Clifton, N.J. (34.4 percent); East Syracuse, N.Y. (8.8 percent); San Diego, Calif. (8.3 percent); Rancho Cordova, Calif. (5 percent); and at various locations throughout the United States (43.5 percent). Work is expected to be completed in October 2012. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This modification combines purchases for the U.S. Navy ($35,566,060; 79.57 percent) and the government of Australia ($9,137,000; 20.43 percent) under the Foreign Military Sales program. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity (N00019-05-C-0054). Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding, Inc., Pascagoula, Miss., was awarded on Feb. 10 a $41,288,005 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for life cycle engineering and support services on the LPD 17 class amphibious transport dock ship program. Work will be performed in Pascagoula, Miss., and is expected to be completed by December 2010. Contract funds in the amount of $186,963 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity (N00024-10-C-2203). BAE Systems, Information and Electronics Systems Integration, Nashua, N.H., was awarded on Feb. 9 a firm-fixed-price requirements performance-based logistics contract in the amount of $31,215,444 for support of the AN/ALQ-12B electronic countermeasures system used in support of the F/A-18A-D and AV-8B aircraft. Work will be performed in Jacksonville, Fla. (55 percent), Nashua, N.H. (33 percent), and Crane, Ind. (12 percent). Work is to be completed by February 2015. Funding is provided by Navy Working Capital Fund. Contract funds will not expire before the end of the fiscal year. This announcement does not include foreign military sales. This contract was not competitively awarded. One company was solicited and one offer was received. The Naval Inventory Control Point, Philadelphia, Pa., is the contracting activity (N00383-10-D-027G). Electric Boat Corp., Groton, Conn., is being awarded a $26,310,047 modification to previously awarded contract for continued procurement of common missile compartment prototype material, manufacturing and test. Work will be performed in Groton, Conn., and is expected to be completed by January 2012. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity (N00024-09-C-2100). Pacific Science and Engineering Group, San Diego, Calif., is being awarded a $23,674,727, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for command and control (C2) technologies and capabilities and C2-related capabilities in the areas of research, systems engineering, architecture, design, development, integration, test, experimentation and implementation. Work will support C2 net-centric operations, information management and decision support operations dealing with joint, Navy, Marine Corps, Army, and the Air Force, and their interfacing with civil and non-government components and capabilities. This contract is one of five total contracts awarded; all awardees will compete for task orders during the ordering period. This five-year contract does not include any options. Work will be performed at government and contractor sites in the San Diego area. The period of performance of the contract is from Feb. 16, 2010, through Feb. 15, 2015. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via publication on the Federal Business Opportunities Web site and posting to the SPAWAR e-Commerce Central Web site. Five viable offers were received. The Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Pacific, San Diego, Calif., is the contracting activity (N66001-10-D-0018). BAE Systems Norfolk Ship Repair, Norfolk, Va., is being awarded a $21,853,550 modification to previously awarded contract for the USS Bataan (LHD-5) FY10 phased maintenance availability. Work will be performed in Portsmouth, Va., and is expected to be completed by August 2010. Contract funds in the amount of $20,454,853 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Norfolk Ship Support Activity, Norfolk, Va., is the contracting activity (N00024-05-C-4403). ISPA Technology, LLC, Alexandria, Va., is being awarded a $17,681,498 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for command and control (C2) technologies and capabilities and C2-related capabilities in the areas of research, systems engineering, architecture, design, development, integration, test, experimentation and implementation. Work will support C2 net-centric operations, information management and decision support operations dealing with joint, Navy, Marine Corps, Army and the Air Force, and their interfacing with civil and non-government components and capabilities. This contract is one of five total contracts awarded; all awardees will compete for task orders during the ordering period. This five-year contract does not include any options. Work will be performed at government and contractor sites in the San Diego area. The period of performance of the contract is from Feb. 16, 2010, through Feb. 15, 2015. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via publication on the Federal Business Opportunities Web site and posting to the SPAWAR e-Commerce Central Web site. Five viable offers were received. The Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Pacific, San Diego, Calif., is the contracting activity (N66001-10-D-0017). The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Mo, was awarded an $11,392,787 firm-fixed-price contract for the production acceptance test and evaluation of the direct attack moving target capability. Work will be performed in St. Louis, Mo., and is expected to be completed in February 2012. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via electronic request for proposal and one offer was received. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity (N00019-10-C-0030). Stauder Technologies*, St. Peters, Mo., is being awarded a $9,256,117 modification to a previously awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for nine lab prototype and engineering development StrikeLink/airborne units and the associated data package, to provide a prototype communications capability for use in the U.S. Marine Corps AV-8B Harrier aircraft. Work will be performed in St. Peters, Mo. (95 percent), and China Lake, Calif. (5 percent), and is expected to be completed in July 2012. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division, China Lake, Calif., is the contracting activity (N68936-07-C-0004). General Electric Aircraft Engines, Lynn, Mass., is being awarded a $7,340,382 modification to a previously issued order under basic ordering agreement. This contract action provides additional funding for the demonstration of new technologies, with the goal of reducing the specific fuel consumption of the F414-GE-400 engine by three percent. The F414-GE-400 engine powers the F/A-18E/F and E/A-18G Navy aircraft. This effort is in support of the Near Term Energy Efficiency Technology Demonstration and Research Project, under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Work will be performed in Lynn, Mass. (89 percent), and Evendale, Ohio (11 percent), and is expected to be completed in December 2010. Contract funds in the amount of $7,340,382 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity (N00019-09-G-0009). Rockwell Collins, Inc., Cedar Rapids, Iowa, is being awarded a $7,323,056 modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-priced contract to exercise an option for the procurement of 208 ARC-210 radio high power amplifiers and LNA diplexers for the Air Force F-16 Block 40/50 aircraft. Work will be performed in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and is expected to be completed in July 2011. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity (N00019-09-C-0069). AMEC Earth and Environmental, Inc.*, San Diego, Calif., was awarded on Feb. 11 a firm-fixed-price task order 0002 modification at $6,930,966 for the pre-design sampling and analysis plan and expansion of Area 1a; remedial action for Area 6; and full time radiological health and safety support to increase the maximum dollar value of an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract task order for the remedial design and remedial action installation Restoration Site 1, 1943-1956 disposal area at Alameda Point. After award of this modification, the total cumulative contract value will be $21,563,531. Work will be performed in Alameda, Calif., and is expected to be completed by March 2012. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southwest, San Diego, Calif., is the contracting activity (N62473-08-D-8816). Sierra Nevada Corp., Sparks, Nev., is being awarded a $5,698,440 modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract to exercise an option for the procurement of 60 AN/APN-245 radio beacon sets in support of the AN/SON46 automatic carrier landing system capability and the F/A-18-E/F/G series aircraft. Work will be performed in Sparks, Nev., and is expected to be completed in February 2011. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity (N00421-08-D-0032). DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Thermo Pac, LLC, Stone Mountain, Ga., is being awarded a maximum $22,735,230 firm-fixed-price contract for various food items. There are no other locations of performance. Using services are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and federal civilian agencies. There were originally 30 proposals solicited with three responses. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is Feb. 13, 2011. The Defense Supply Center Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pa., is the contracting activity (SPM3S1-06-D-Z135). AIR FORCE Boeing Co., Newark, Ohio, was awarded a $15,533,727 contract which will provide incremental funding for the ICBM Minuteman III missile system guidance repair. At this time, the entire amount has been obligated. 526 ICBMSG/PKE, Hill Air Force Base, Utah, is the contracting activity (F42610-99-D-0006).
Robot Pack Mule To Carry Loads For G.I.s On The Move
2010-02-24 14:32:19
Boston Dynamics's Legged Squad Support System is the latest challenge for robotics pioneer Marc Raibert. Within the next three years, the U.S. military will test the feasibility of sending a quadruped robot out into the field as a trusty pack mule to carry supplies for its troops, wherever they go. If the testing goes well for Boston Dynamics's Legged Squad Support System (LS3), company founder Marc Raibert will have come a long way from the one-legged hopping robots he pioneered in the 1980s. Actually Raibert has already come a long way, to the point where the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency's (DARPA) Tactical Technology Office and the U.S. Marine Corps awarded his company a 30-month, $32-million contract last week to deliver a prototype LS3. This would be the first step in fulfilling the military's call for an autonomous, legged robot that can carry up to 181 kilograms of supplies for at least 32 kilometers without refueling. The military already uses unmanned aerial vehicles for reconnaissance or to attack enemy targets, and DARPA has sponsored several contests in recent years to determine the feasibility of developing autonomic ground transportation. Automation has been much more difficult to introduce to the infantry, however, because of the need to traverse rough terrain where robots operating on wheels or tracks cannot go. The LS3 is the latest in a series of legged robots developed by Raibert, who got his start in 1980, when he founded a robotics workshop at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh called the Leg Laboratory. Raibert moved the Leg Lab to Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1986 after becoming a professor of electrical engineering and computer science there. The lab, which he directed until 1995, did good work, he informs "but it always felt like we were kicking the can down the street, making scientific progress, but not worrying about a system that could operate out in the real world." Boston Dynamics, which Raibert founded in 1992, scored a breakthrough in 2003 when DARPA began funding the development of BigDog, a 75-kilogram mechanical workhorse and the LS3's predecessor. BigDog did not use cameras or laser sensors to determine its location. Instead, it stepped first and then reacted to the terrain, quickly determining its position at any given time and comparing that with its desired position, immediately taking corrective action based on the difference between these two. But BigDog was not an instant success. "In the first year or so it was creaky, I'll tell you," Raibert says. Getting the robot's legs, each of which featured four joints, to move in a synchronized fashion—not to mention adjust dynamically to slippery surfaces such as ice—proved challenging. Over time, however, the quadruped robot's endurance and stamina improved—as did its software for balance and control—to the point where it could maneuver out in the real world. "There reached a point about three years ago with BigDog where we started to see the light at the end of the tunnel," he informed. With BigDog, Boston Dynamics demonstrated to DARPA the feasibility of a legged robot, which was significant for its potential to traverse sand, rocks, mud and snow under conditions that would strand a robot that ran on wheels or tracks. The company tested its technology at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia, where it showed that BigDog could carry about half its own body weight up difficult hiking trails and that it could carry 1.5 times its body weight on flat level terrain. Testing also showed that it could operate without a driver, using an onboard computer vision system to follow a leader who wore a special vest (not unlike an actual dog tagging along behind its master), and that it could travel autonomously using a global positioning system to locations specified on a map (correcting for balance on uneven terrain as it went). The BigDog could march 19 kilometers before needing to refuel. The LS3—which could end up resembling the Imperial walkers from the Star Wars movies, albeit on a smaller scale—is essentially "BigDog on steroids," Raibert informed. The LS3 will have a leg up on its predecessor via its ability to travel autonomously without the need for preset coordinates or soldiers to wear special clothing. The new quadruped will have "a higher level of maturity in terms of system and autonomous operation," Raibert says. "The challenge is to make this fit within a certain size." One of DARPA's specifications is that the LS3 weigh no more than 570 kilograms when fully loaded. Although LS3's propulsion system is still being designed, BigDog's used a two-stroke, go-kart gasoline combustion engine to drive a hydraulic pump. Whereas BigDog had an 18-horsepower engine, Raibert says he wants the LS3's power plant to be at least 40 horsepower. The LS3 will also have to operate no louder than 70 decibels, significantly quieter than BigDog. The first 30 months of the project constitute phase 1, at the end of which Boston Dynamics will have to deliver two prototype LS3s that can carry the required weight (181 kilograms) a required distance (at least 32 kilometers) across a relatively flat surface. The LS3s will also have to be able to run up to 16 kilometers per hour and feature at least a rudimentary version of the systems it will need to operate autonomously. Boston Dynamics has enlisted the aid of engineers and scientists at defense contractor AAI Corp., aircraft-maker Bell Helicopter, Carnegie Mellon's National Robotics Engineering Center, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory and motion-control systems provider Woodward HRT to develop the LS3's hydraulics, propulsion and guidance systems. Although JPL previously did some work with Boston Dynamics on the BigDog's vision guidance systems, this is the first time the company has collaborated outside its walls to develop its robots.