Osprey Upgrades. The Bell-Boeing V-22 Osprey industry team is working with the U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) to structure a Common Configuration Readiness and Modernization (CCRAM) program to upgrade the tiltrotor aircraft’s airframe, subsystems and engine nacelle components, according to a Bell-Boeing statement. The changes would “improve current aircraft reliability, increase fleet readiness levels, and enhance overall mission performance,” the statement says. If approved, the CCRAM upgrades could start as early as 2018. Bell’s comments came after the AFSOC commander told reporters in late September about the need to overcome “challenges” with the V-22 to improve aircraft availability.
LDUUV Contracts. Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) says it plans to award “a series of contracts” to industry in fiscal year 2017 to support prototype design work for the Large Displacement Unmanned Undersea Vehicle (LDUUV) program. The Naval Undersea Warfare Center in Newport, R.I., will be the program’s lead systems integrator. Delivery of the first prototype is expected to occur in FY 2019. NAVSEA intends to develop LDUUV vehicles to perform intelligence, surveillance and mine-countermeasure missions. The vehicles will be launched and recovered by several platform types, including Littoral Combat Ships and Ohio-class and Virginia-class submarines.
Threat Terminology. Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson says the Navy should stop using the term “anti-access, area denial,” or A2AD, because it is an imprecise, one-size-fits-all way to describe mission challenges. The term “creates confusion, not clarity,” says Richardson, who spoke Oct. 3 at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington, D.C. “I think that we just owe it to ourselves, to the country, to be better than that.” He would prefer to focus on discussing the specific capabilities or geographic features that make a particular adversary’s defenses hard to penetrate.
Zumwalt’s Travels. The Navy’s first Zumwalt-class DDG-1000 destroyer was scheduled to leave Naval Station Norfolk in Virginia Oct. 7 and head to Baltimore to participate in Maryland Fleet Week and its Oct. 15 commissioning ceremony. The departure was moved up two days due to the approach of Hurricane Matthew, the Navy says. In early September, the stealthy, guided-missile ship left General Dynamics Bath Iron Works in Maine, where it was built, to take part in at-sea training exercises and port visits.
Black Dart Dates. The U.S. military plans to move up the timing of its annual Black Dart counter-drone exercise, partly to avoid a potential conflict with Florida’s hurricane season. Instead of holding the event in September, as the military did this year, the 2017 event will take place in mid-May, says Navy Lt. Cmdr. Ryan Leary, the Joint Staff’s Black Dart project officer. The location will remain the same: Eglin Air Force Base. “The planning cycle is going to kick off pretty soon,” Leary says.
Murtha’s Ship. The Navy was scheduled to commission the amphibious transport dock ship John P. Murtha (LPD-26) in Philadelphia Oct. 8. Named after a war veteran and former chairman of the House Appropriations Committee’s defense panel who died in 2010, the LPD-26 was built by Huntington Ingalls Industries and is the Navy’s 10th San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship. It has a flight deck to accommodate CH-46 Sea Knight helicopters and MV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft, and a well deck to launch and recover landing craft and amphibious vehicles.
Army Radios. The Army placed an initial $10 million order for Harris Falcon III AN/VRC-118 Mid-tier Networking Vehicular Radios (MNVR) after receiving a Milestone C decision and authorization for a limited rate production of the radios. The two-channel Harris MNVR is based on the company’s Falcon III tactical wideband networking technology and uses the Wideband Networking Waveform (WNW) and Soldier Radio Waveform (SRW). It enables troops to share voice, data and video and also operates as a node in a mobile network — so information can be transmitted from one MNVR system to another until it reaches its destination. The Army has deemed the radio operationally effective and stated that it enhances solider effectiveness. The radios will be used to field the 1st and 3rd Brigades of the 82nd Airborne Division as part of Capability Set 17. “MNVR has proven that it provides the Army a robust capability between battalion and above and company and below to allow continued brigade operations in satellite denied environments,” says Brendan O’Connell, president of Harris Tactical Communications. “The MNVR supports the warfighters’ mission and exceeds system reliability, operational availability and maintainability requirements.”
SECDEF Travels. Secretary of Defense Ash Carter travels to Trinidad and Tobago Oct. 10-11 to meet with security partners and participate in the 12th Conference of Defense Ministers of the Americas (CDMA). He is expected to participate in conference discussions regarding the changing international defense and security environment, environmental protection, and strengthening humanitarian disaster response throughout the hemisphere. He is also expected to conduct bilateral meetings with several of his counterparts from Western Hemisphere nations. The secretary had hoped to begin this trip with a visit to Colombia. Because of the potential impact of Hurricane Matthew on the East Coast including to DoD facilities and personnel, and because of the department’s potential role in recovery efforts, the secretary decided to postpone the Colombia portion of his trip. Colombia will be represented at CDMA, and the secretary looks forward to engaging with Colombian officials and expressing continued U.S. support for the peace process in that country.
LCS-8 Damaged. The Navy’s eighth Littoral Combat Ship, the USS Montgomery (LCS-8), sustained a crack to its hull while leaving Naval Station Mayport in Florida Oct. 4, according to a statement from Naval Surface Forces. “This crack resulted in minor seawater intrusion, but was contained by the crew,” the statement says. “An investigation into possible causes is underway, and the ship will receive more permanent repairs upon her return to port.”
E-SITE IT Awards. The U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) awarded General Dynamics Information Technology a five-year time and materials Enterprise Communications Services 2 task order with a maximum ceiling value of nearly $155 million. The order supports Directorate for Information Management and Chief Information Officer (CIO) Operations and Management functions. The action was solicited via the July 2015 awarded Enhanced Solutions for the Information Technology Enterprise (E-SITE) multiple award, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contract vehicle. Three proposals were originally received. The five-year ordering period for the task order is expected to expire Sept. 28, 2021. Work will primarily be performed in the National Capital Region. The contracting activity is the Virginia Contracting Activity, Washington, DC.
…Second Award. DIA also awarded a three-year time and materials task order with a maximum ceiling value of $12.6 million to 23rd Century Technologies Inc. This action was also solicited via the E-SITE IDIQ contract vehicle and supports directorate information technology requirements for the Defense Intelligence Agency’s National Media Exploitation Center. Thirteen proposals were received and work will be performed in the National Capital Region. The potential task order end date is Feb. 8, 2020 if all options are exercised. The contracting activity is the Virginia Contracting Activity, Washington, DC.
…Third Award. DIA awarded a five-year time and materials task order with a maximum ceiling value of nearly $39 million solicited using the previously awarded E-SITE IDIQ contract vehicle. The order supports directorate information technology requirements for the Defense Intelligence Agency’s National Media Exploitation Center. Eight proposals were originally received for this order. Work will be performed in the National Capital Region with an end date of Feb. 22, 2022 if all options are exercised
Second Set Of E-SITE Awards. The U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency awarded Booz Allen Hamilton (BAH) a five-year time and materials Enterprise Platform Services task order with a maximum ceiling value of almost $144 million. The order supports the Directorate for Information Management and Chief Information Officer Operations and Management functions. This action was solicited via the E-SITE multiple award IDIQ contract vehicle. Three proposals were originally received before BAH was chosen. The potential task order end date is Sept. 28, 2021 if all options are exercised. Work will be performed in the National Capital Region. The contracting activity is the Virginia Contracting Activity in Washington, DC.
…And Another. DIA also awarded a five-year time and materials task order with a maximum ceiling value of $51.5 million to Cyberspace Solutions LLC under the E-SITE contract vehicle. The order supports the Intelligence Community Security Coordination Center (ICSCC) in the Division of Cyber and Enterprise Operations. Originally 10 proposals were received for this task order. The order’s potential end date is May 31, 2021 if all options are exercised. Work will be performed in the National Capital region with the same Virginia Contracting Activity in Washington, D.C.
C4ISR and Cyber Contract. The U.S. Air Force awarded the COLSA Corp. a $45 million modification to exercise the option on a previously awarded contract for technical and management advisory services including command, control, communications, computer, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (C4ISR) as well as cyber support. COLSA will provide additional research, development, test and evaluation, and acquisition support services being provided under the basic task order. The contract involves a small amount of foreign military sales (FMS). Fiscal 2017 research, development, test, and evaluation (RDT&E); production; and operations and maintenance (O&M) funds of over $9 million is obligated at award time. Work will be performed at Eglin AFB, Fla.; Hanscom AFB, Mass.; Gunter Annex, Ala.; Patrick AFB, Fla.; Edwards AFB, Calif.; and San Antonio, Texas with an expected completion date of Sept. 30, 2017. The contracting activity is the Air Force Test Center at Eglin.
CRS Explanation. The Congressional Service released a report in September examining the role of the Defense Department in Presidential Policy Directive (PPD) 41, United States Cyber Incident Coordination. It explains what the PPD says, the relevant departments covered by it, and questions over its limitations and directions.
STG Cyber. Retired Army Brig. Gen. William Scott joined STG Group, Inc. as vice president for cyber security and secure information systems. Scott will work with the sector general manager and STG senior leadership to help establish and execute sector growth strategies, manage company resources, and develop solutions to secure highly sensitive, mission-critical national security networks. Scott previously served as vice president for solutions integration at L-3 National Security Systems. His most recent Army experience entails serving as director of Architectures, Operations, Networks and Space (AONS) for the Army Chief Information Office (CIO)/G6.
AF IT Contract. The U.S. Air Force awarded Valdez International Corp. a $33 million firm-fixed-price contract for support services to operate, sustain, and assure availability of the Air Force Information Network to enable war-fighter mission execution. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition with 11 offers received. Fiscal 2016 O&M funds of the full amount was obligated at award time. Work is expected to be finished by Sept. 25, 2017 at several locations: Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va.; Peterson AFB, Colo.; Andrews AFB, Md.; Scott AFB, Ill.; Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio; and Lackland AFB, Texas. The contracting activity is the 38th Cyberspace Engineering Installation Group at the Tinker AFB, Okla.
Invincea CISO. Invincea, an endpoint security company that uses machine learning, appointed Christopher Day as chief information security officer (CISO). In this role, Day will lead the strategic cybersecurity vision of the company with customers and other key stakeholders in industry and government, Invincea says. Day previously served as chief technology officer (CTO) for Packet Forensics, LLC, a company that provides cybersecurity products and large-scale threat and commercial intelligence services for government and the private sector. Earlier, Day served as chief security architect at Teamwork Worldwide, Inc., where he launched the information security practice before it was acquired by Verizon. Day has served on the U.S. Defense Department’s Defense Science Board since 2013.
California Cyber. California Gov. Jerry Brown (D) appointed Keith Tresh as commander of the California Cybersecurity Integration Center in the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services. Tresh previously served as the chief information officer (CIO) at the California High-Speed Rail Authority in 2016 and earlier served as chief information security officer at the Orange County Executive Office from 2014 to 2016. Tresh’s earlier roles include information security leadership positions at the California National Guard; California Technology Agency, Office of Information Security; and brigade communications officer in the U.S. Army.