ITT Industries Gilfillan Division in Van Nuys, CA received a not-to-exceed $9.8 million firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee letter contract for the upgrade and refurbishment of two AN/SPS-48E radar systems, plus engineering and maintenance support services, field change kits, technical manual updates, technical documentation, and associated data. Work will be performed in Van Nuys, CA and is expected to be complete by November 2009. The contract was not competitively procured. The Naval Sea Systems Command in Washington, D.C issued the contract (N00024-05-C-4304).
The AN/SPS-48 is a medium-range, three-dimensional (height, range, and bearing) air search radar whose primary function is to provide target position data to a weapon system and a ship command and control system. It is installed on U.S. carriers, LHA and LHD “pocket carrier” amphibious assault ships, and LPD-17 San Antonio Class amphibious transport dock ships. The system provides for detection of targets as high as 100,000 feet and over a distance of 2 to 200 miles.
Small business qualifier National Technologies Associates, Inc. in Alexandria, VA received a $7.8 million modification to a previously awarded time and materials indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity contract (N00421-02-D-3205), exercising an option to support the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division’s Comptroller in the areas of management studies; program records/library support; operational security program analysis; training systems technology and financial analysis. The contract will include engineering, technical and administrative services, and work will be performed in Patuxent River, MD (90%); Lakehurst, NJ (5%); and St. Inigoes, MD (5%); work is expected to be completed in July 2006. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division in Patuxent River, MD issued the contract.
The DD (X) National Team, led by Northrop Grumman Corporation and Raytheon Company, in partnership with General Dynamics, BAE Systems and Lockheed Martin, has successfully completed the initial critical design review for the overall system design for the DD (X) multi-mission destroyer. The engineering development models are elements of the Navy’s risk-reduction strategy for the Flight 1 ship design. This milestone event demonstrated that the program is ready for the Flag-level review in September, and that the DD (X) Flight 1 system design is complete, stable and mature enough to enter detail design. Nevertheless, major program issues remain.
The DD (X) program’s roughest waters are likely to be political. The DD (X) National Team has successfully completed nearly a dozen incremental design review milestones. Nevertheless, recent Congressional testimony from the CBO and GAO indicates that cost estimates have risen from $1 billion to $3.2 billion average per ship, ship life cycle costs are likely to be about double that of the DDG 51 Arleigh Burk Class ($4 Billion vs. $2.1 billion), further cost increases are possible, and technical project risks remain. Congressional scrutiny and interference, proposed funding cost caps per ship, a shrinking force request (from 32 originally to 10, which affects per-ship cost) and consideration of reactivating battleships as alternative ground support options are also part of the controversy surrounding the program.
ICE, The breadbox-sized Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) Countermeasure Equipment, was developed by a team of engineers, scientists and soldiers at White Sands Missile Range, NM using commercial and military technology. Their goal: to defeat IEDs. These impromptu land mines are the most prominent threat to deployed service members in Iraq. Which is why thousands of ICE systems are in use by all of the military services, and thousands of more are on order.
For their engineering efforts team leader Maj. Raymond D. Pickering, lead White Sands ICE engineer Shane Cunico, and lead engineer Sam Mares of New Mexico State University, recently shared one of the U.S. Army’s “Greatest Inventions Awards” for 2004.
The DSCA has notified Congress that the Government of Israel wishes to contract for a fleet management program. This will cover U.S. Government and contractor management and logistics support of Israeli Air Force F-15 and F-16A/B Pratt and Whitney F-100 model engines, and accompanying spares, technical and logistics support, documentation and training. The estimated cost if all options are exercised is $600 million.
The DSCA has notified Congress that the Government of Bahrain wishes to contract for logistics support services and equipment for its F-16 aircraft, ALR-69 radar warning receiver, ALQ-131 electric countermeasure pods, radar systems, and engines. The estimated cost if all options are exercised is $150 million.
L-3 Communications Corp. in Arlington, TX received a $240.9 million indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity contract. This is a warfighter readiness science and technology program. This effort is to research, develop, demonstrate, evaluate, and transition leading edge technologies and methods to improve warfighter readiness and optimize human-centered logistic processes, enabling the Aerospace Expeditionary Force (AEFs) to achieve their mission goals. The Air Force is issuing a task order up to the maximum amount indicated above, although actual requirements may necessitate less than the amount above.
To understand this contract, it’s necessary to understand the AEF concept, and also some of the recent issues with the system.
Small business qualifier Structural Associates Inc. of East Syracuse, NY received a $32.9 million firm-fixed-price contract for the construction of an aircraft hangar at Fort Drum, NY. Among others, Fort Drum is the home of the 10th Mountain Division. Work is expected to be completed by Nov. 1, 2006. There were 30 bids solicited on April 19, 2005, and one bid was received. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Baltimore, MD issued the contract (W912DR-05-C-0026).
A series of contract announcements last week all point toward multi-level development of critical anti-ballistic missile (ABM) defenses and components in the USA, mirroring a similar series of recent announcements from its main partner Japan. Contracts included industrial partnership augmentation [added], SM-3 missiles, midcourse kill vehicles, sensor technologies, and algorithms, and totaled up to $471.9 million.
Firms involved in these contracts include Advanced Product Transitions Corp., Raytheon Missile Systems, Northrop Grumman Mission Systems, Lockheed Martin Space and Missiles Co., and Trex Enterprises Corp.
MTC Technologies in Dayton, OH received a $10 million indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity Air Force Technical Applications Center (AFTAC) maintenance and technical support contract. The objective is to help AFTAC meet operational mission requirements for monitoring treaties and countering the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.
