A General Atomics Predator. Photo: General Atomics
The Coast Guard on Tuesday said it is canceling plans for to conduct a land-based technology demonstration of long-range unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) because the funding for the project has been rescinded.Congress previously appropriated $17.5 million in fiscal year 2017 research and development funds for the Coast Guard to demonstrate the Long-Range/Ultra Long-Endurance (LR/ULE) UAS capabilities for helping with detection and monitoring of illegal drug and migrant activities in the transit zone. The Coast Guard wants more assets to help…
R&M Government Services,* Las Cruces, New Mexico, has been awarded a maximum $23,894,784 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-quantity contract for battery compartments. This was a sole-source acquisition using justification 10 U.S. Code 3204 (a)(1), as stated in the Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. This…
L3Harris Technologies Inc., Clifton, New Jersey, is being awarded $9,571,947 for a firm-fixed-price contract for the procurement of 74 radio frequency amplifiers in support of Navy F/A-18E/F/G aircraft. The contract does not include an option provision. All work will be…
Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., a Lockheed Martin Co., Stratford, Connecticut, is awarded a not-to-exceed $21,600,000 cost reimbursable undefinitized order (N0001926F1016) against a previously issued basic ordering agreement (N0001923G0002). This order provides for instantaneous access to 105% Transient Engine Torque test and…
Amentum Mitie Pacific LLC, Chantilly, Virginia, is awarded an $85,236,794 fixed-price-award-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for base operating support services at Navy Support Facility, Diego Garcia. Work will be performed at Diego Garcia, British Indian Ocean Territory, and is expected to be…
The Coast Guard on Tuesday said it is canceling plans for to conduct a land-based technology demonstration of long-range unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) because the funding for the project has been rescinded.
Congress previously appropriated $17.5 million in fiscal year 2017 research and development funds for the Coast Guard to demonstrate the Long-Range/Ultra Long-Endurance (LR/ULE) UAS capabilities for helping with detection and monitoring of illegal drug and migrant activities in the transit zone. The Coast Guard wants more assets to help in tracking illegal activities, particularly drug shipments in the Eastern Pacific Ocean.
A General Atomics Predator. Photo: General Atomics
Former Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Paul Zukunft said in April that 80 percent of the illegal drugs coming out of Columbia transit the Eastern Pacific before landing in Central America where they are processed into smaller packages for shipment in vehicles and small vessels into the U.S. The Coast Guard and allied navies in Central America have the surface assets to intercept the drug carrying vessels but lack the surveillance assets to detect and track them.
Earlier this year the Coast Guard issued a solicitation for the demonstration. The service wants to deploy the LR/ULE UAS potentially in El Salvador at a U.S. base to provide 24-hour surveillance using a mix of sensors, communications and data links.
The funding was rescinded by Senate appropriators.
Customs and Border Protection, which like the Coast Guard is part of the Department of Homeland Security, operates Predator B UAS for border security and maritime patrol missions. Two of the Predators are marinized to the Guardian configuration for the maritime missions. The Coast Guard contributes pilots for the Predator operations.
Earlier this year, the Coast Guard awarded a contract to Boeing’s [BA] Insitu unit to operate ScanEagle small UAS from the service’s fleet of National Security Cutters. The ScanEagle will give ship commanders more flexibility in conducting intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions.
R&M Government Services,* Las Cruces, New Mexico, has been awarded a maximum $23,894,784 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-quantity contract for battery compartments. This was a sole-source acquisition using justification 10 U.S. Code 3204 (a)(1), as stated in the Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. This…
L3Harris Technologies Inc., Clifton, New Jersey, is being awarded $9,571,947 for a firm-fixed-price contract for the procurement of 74 radio frequency amplifiers in support of Navy F/A-18E/F/G aircraft. The contract does not include an option provision. All work will be…
Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., a Lockheed Martin Co., Stratford, Connecticut, is awarded a not-to-exceed $21,600,000 cost reimbursable undefinitized order (N0001926F1016) against a previously issued basic ordering agreement (N0001923G0002). This order provides for instantaneous access to 105% Transient Engine Torque test and…
Amentum Mitie Pacific LLC, Chantilly, Virginia, is awarded an $85,236,794 fixed-price-award-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for base operating support services at Navy Support Facility, Diego Garcia. Work will be performed at Diego Garcia, British Indian Ocean Territory, and is expected to be…
By 
