Trucks used to experiment with next-generation mobile communications technologies could deploy for operations after being ruggedized, according to Amanda Toman, the acting principal director for the Pentagon’s 5G to Future Generation Initiative.
Electronic Warfare
The Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS’s) counter-jamming exercise known as JamX 2022, which was conducted April 25-29 at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico, served two purposes: to assess the effectiveness of resilient communications training for operational and technical personnel and to assess technologies designed to identify, locate and mitigate spectrum interference and measure the impact of that interference on communications networks.
Northrop Grumman Corp., Rolling Meadows, Illinois, has been awarded a not-to-exceed $91,277,706 modification (P00048) to previously awarded FA8615-19-C-6061 for electronic warfare radio frequency compatibility. The contract modification provides for software development, support for developmental testing and operational testing, initial production capabilities maturation, and hardware qualification testing. Work will be performed in Rolling Meadows, Illinois, and is expected to be completed by Aug. 31, 2024. Fiscal 2022 research, development, test, and evaluation funds in the amount of $11,000,000 is being obligated at the time of award.
The U.S. Army is conducting a pilot program to evaluate new and emerging commercial network on-the-move technologies integrated onto armored vehicles. The new equipment dramatically improves communications capabilities and could potentially eliminate the need for big-tent tactical operations centers (TOCs).
The John Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, Maryland, has been awarded a $50,000,000 modification (P00002) to previously awarded contract FA8656-20-D-0005 for Air Warfare Systems. The modification provides services for advanced development, acquisition and test and evaluation of aerospace systems, to include munitions, cyber warfare and electronic warfare elements. Work will be performed in Laurel, Maryland, and is expected to be completed by July 31, 2026. No funds are being obligated at the time of award, and the total cumulative face value of the contract is $99,999,000. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, is the contracting activity.
The U.S. Army needs to conduct five essential tasks to achieve the kind of information advantage that will allow commanders to make faster, more effective decisions than their adversaries. Those tasks are to enable decision making, protect friendly information, inform and educate domestic audiences, inform and influence international audiences and conduct information warfare.
The tasks were approved as part of a larger “logic map” during a February forum of one-, two- and three-star generals, according to Brig. Gen. Paul Craft, USA, commandant, U.S. Army Cyber School. Gen. Craft moderated a panel during the AFCEA TechNet Augusta conference in Augusta, Georgia.
Management Services Group Inc., doing business as Global Technical Systems (GTS),* Virginia Beach, Virginia, is awarded an $81,339,518 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. This contract provides for the procurement of one lot of DLQ-9 pods, associated hardware for DLQ-9 pod modifications, and technical data in support of electronic attack/electronic warfare threat simulation for weapons development, test, and evaluation, fleet training, and target applications for the Department of Defense. Work will be performed in Virginia Beach, Virginia, and is expected to be completed in August 2026. No funds will be obligated at the time of award. Funds will be obligated on individual orders as they are issued.
SEACORP,* Middletown, Rhode Island, is awarded a $36,072,373 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract containing cost reimbursement type provisions. This is a Phase III Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract for the continued development, upgrade, and application of the next generation electronic warfare human machine interface software, which derives from and extends the contractor’s efforts performed under Phases I and II. Work will be performed in Middletown, Rhode Island (80%); Newport, Rhode Island (10%); and on-board U.S. ships and ranges (10%). The ordering period is established at five years.
The U.S. Army released its annual budget last Friday, requesting $173 billion for fiscal year 2022. The amount reflects $3.6 billion in cuts from the service’s enacted FY2021 budget. The need to reduce expenditures had Army officials evaluating which priorities to continue to pursue and which efforts to drop. Funding for the service’s six modernization priorities and its so-called 31+4 signature efforts were not included in the cuts.
Researchers have learned some surprising lessons from the technologies developed under the Defense Department’s Squad X program, which will end this year. For example, artificial intelligence may not help warfighters make faster decisions, but it does provide a planning advantage over adversaries. Furthermore, when it comes to detecting and electronically attacking enemy signals, systems can make smart decisions without artificial intelligence.
First Division Consulting Inc.,* Burke, Virginia, is awarded a $24,140,408 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract to procure full-time equivalents for field service representative support for current and future electronic warfare systems. Field service representative support will be performed at various locations outside the continental U.S. This contract will have a five-year ordering period and will expire in March 2026. This contract was solicited as a 100% set-aside for small business concerns. Fiscal year 2021 operation and maintenance (Navy) funding in the amount of $218,091 will be obligated at time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year.
Vertex Aerospace LLC, Madison, Mississippi, is awarded a $24,514,965 modification (P00007) to previously awarded firm-fixed-price, cost, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract N00421-19-D-0031. This modification exercises an option to provide contractor owned and operated aircraft to Navy fleet customers, Foreign Military Sales customers, as well as Department of Defense and other government agencies in support of the Contracted Air Services (CAS) program. The CAS program provides airborne threat simulation capabilities to train shipboard and aircraft squadron weapon systems operators and aircrew on how to counter potential enemy electronic warfare and electronic attack operations in today's electronic combat environment.
Over the last several years, the U.S. Army has worked pointedly to build up its electronic warfare capabilities. From the early days of only having small groups of electronic warfare soldiers that ventured to counter radio-controlled improvised explosive devices in Afghanistan and Iraq, the Army has since retooled its efforts. The service is pursuing a broad campaign of development, is continuing to identify capability gaps and has successfully fielded more advanced tools to operate and dominate in the electromagnetic spectrum.
L3 Harris Technologies Inc., Clifton, New Jersey, has been awarded a $97,505,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract to provide repair and return (R&R) services for unclassified and classified line-replaceable unit/standard equipment module assets of the ALQ-211 (V)4, (V)8, and (V)9 systems of the airborne F-16 Advanced Integrated Defense Electronic Warfare Suite (AIDEWS) weapon systems. This contract involves Foreign Military Sales (FMS) to support air forces of Chile, India, Oman, Pakistan, Poland, Turkey, Iraq and Morocco. Procurement of these R&R logistical support services is necessary to restore F-16 AIDEWS systems to mission capable condition and to equip partnering F-16 FMS fleets with airborne self-defense a
During an October 27 telephonic roundtable discussion with reporters, Lt. Gen. John Morrison, USA, Army Deputy Chief of Staff, G-6, revealed four pillars for the restructured office. They include building a unified network; posturing signal, cyber and electronic warfare forces for multidomain operations; reforming and operationalizing cybersecurity processes; and driving effective and efficient network and cyber investments.
The U.S. Army continues to improve the cyberspace and electronic warfare capabilities of its soldiers. A key part of this effort are the changes the service is making to its Cyber Corps formations, and how they organize and add cyberspace and electronic warfare (EW) personnel to their ranks, said Brig. Gen. Paul Craft, USA, chief of cyber and commandant of the U.S. Army Cyber School headquartered at Fort Gordon, Georgia.
During the Army’s Network Modernization Experiment 2020 that kicked off last week, researchers are attacking fledgling systems with electronic warfare capabilities that near-peer adversaries are not expected to possess for years to come, officials say.
The U.S. Army Cyber Command is transferring some of its cyber defense responsibilities for the service’s networks to the Army Network Enterprise Technology Command, commonly known as NETCOM. The change, which officially took effect on June 1, transfers authority for the Army’s worldwide regional cyber centers to NETCOM, allows Cyber Command to increase its focus on electronic warfare and information operations and provides one primary point of contact for warfighters in need of network support.
Engility Corp., Andover, Massachusetts, is awarded a $7,956,180 modification (P00010) to a previously awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee, cost reimbursable order (N68936-19-F-0379) against a General Services Administration One Acquisition Solution for Integrated Services Multiple Award Contract (GS00Q14OADU336). Work will be performed in Point Mugu, California (90%); Whidbey Island, Washington (1.67%); Patuxent River, Maryland (1.67%); China Lake, California (1.67%); Baltimore, Maryland (1.67%); St. Louis, Missouri (1.67%); and El Segundo, California (1.65%).
L3Harris Technologies Inc., Clifton, New Jersey, has been awarded an estimated $70,000,746 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery requirements contract for AN/ALQ-161A radio frequency surveillance/electronic countermeasures system line replaceable units and shop replaceable units. This contract provides for the repair of 154 national stock numbers applicable to the B1-B aircraft/electronic countermeasures. Work will be performed in Amityville, New York, and is expected to be completed June 5, 2025. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Fiscal 2020 consolidated sustainment activity group-engineering funds will be used to fund individual orders issued against the basic contract.
Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., has been awarded a $19,354,527 firm-fixed-price requirements contract for the repairs, spares and engineering services relating to the electronic systems test set, ALQ-155 power management system, ALQ-161 defensive avionics system (DAS) and Band 6/7/9 of B-1B ALQ-161 DAS. Work will be performed in Rolling Meadows, Illinois, and is expected to be completed by Sept. 9, 2028. This award is the result of a non-competitive acquisition. Fiscal 2020 defense working capital funds are being used and no funds are being obligated at the time of the award. The Air Force Sustainment Center, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, is the contracting activity (FA8524-20-D-0011).
Strategic Airborne Operations JV LLC,* Newport News, Virginia, is awarded a $146,834,175 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. The contract acquires the High Endurance Electronic Warfare Jet (HEEWJ) capability. Work will be performed in Cherry Point, North Carolina (5%); and various locations within and outside the continental U.S.
The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Missouri, is awarded a $9,669,789 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification (P00034) to previously awarded contract N00019-16-C-0032. This modification provides engineering, manufacturing and development support to integrate BRR3.1 software to the Next Generation Jammer on Boeing EA-18G Growler carrier-based electronic warfare aircraft, resulting in BRR3.1 software initial operating capability. Work will be performed in St. Louis, Missouri, and is expected to be complete by December 2020. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $3,000,000 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year.
This year the Army will take several steps in the march toward reintroducing cutting-edge electronic warfare systems capable of countering near-peer competitors.
The U.S. Army’s work on advancing its tactical network through its “capability package construct” will pull in significant capacity, added resiliency and interoperability, leaders say. The Army is leveraging more commercial solutions than ever, as well as its own Science and Technology Directorate research and development, to bring a competitive edge.
As part of its latest pursuit of solutions for the Integrated Tactical Network concept, or ITN, the Army is going after high capacity commercial satellite communications, protected waveforms, mid-earth-orbit constellations, and space-based Internet.
Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems, Syracuse, New York, is awarded a $40,000,000 cost-plus-incentive-fee and cost-only modification to a previously-awarded delivery order N00024-19-F-6201 under an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (N00024-19-D-6200) for the design, prototyping and qualification testing for electronic warfare systems equipment. This effort will award the design of Navy equipment. Work will be performed in Syracuse, New York, and is expected to be completed by February 2021. Fiscal year 2020 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funding for $8,207,000 will be obligated at time of award and not expire at the end of the current fiscal year.
Boeing and the U.S. Navy successfully flew two autonomously controlled EA-18G Growlers at Naval Air Station Patuxent River as unmanned air systems using a third Growler as a mission controller for the other two, Boeing has announced.
The flights, conducted during the Navy Warfare Development Command’s annual fleet experiment (FLEX) exercises, proved the effectiveness of technology allowing F/A-18 Super Hornets and EA-18G Growlers to perform combat missions with unmanned systems.
Lockheed Martin Corp., Rotary Mission Systems, Liverpool, New York, is awarded a $185,025,000 firm-fixed-price contract for follow-on full rate production of Surface Electronic Warfare Improvement Program AN/SLQ-32(V)6, AN/SLQ-32A(V)6 and AN/SLQ-32C(V)6 systems. Surface Electronic Warfare Improvement Program (SEWIP) is an evolutionary acquisition and incremental development program to upgrade the existing AN/SLQ-32(V) electronic warfare system.
In an era of complex geopolitics of peer and near-peer adversaries racing to advance electronic warfare (EW), the U.S. Marine Corps, like the other services, is centering on improving its signals intelligence (SIGINT) and electronic warfare operations. The service is examining its training and how it integrates the capabilities into its battalions.
The Marine Corps’ efforts in so-called SIGINT and EW was the focus of this year’s Signals Intelligence Day held on Capitol Hill and organized by the Association of Old Crows Advocacy’s Signals Intelligence Industry Partnership.
The Army is transforming its Cyber Command to meet the challenges of a multidomain battlefield. Just over eight years old, the command, located at Ft. Gordon, Georgia, will evolve by 2028 into something possibly called the Army Information Warfare Operations Command, which will fully incorporate cyber, electronic warfare and information operations.
Less than two months on the job, Lt. Gen. Timothy Haugh, USAF, commander of the 16th Air Force (Air Forces Cyber), is already shaping the structure of the service’s new information warfare Numbered Air Force (NAF). Stood up in October, the NAF combines the service’s cyber operations; intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities; electronic warfare and information operations, including capabilities folded in from the 24th and 25th Air Forces.
New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, Socorro, New Mexico, has been awarded a $92,980,000 cost-reimbursement, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for Playas Electronic Attack & Cyber Environment research and development. This contract will define, develop and deploy cyber electronic warfare (EW) capabilities for research and development, evaluation, test and training in support of employment of cyber EW effects. DOD reported that the effort would "provide a unique and enduring environment to support Department of Defense assets for the employment of cyber and EW effects." Work will be performed in Playas, New Mexico, and is expected to be completed by October 7, 2026.
Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Herndon, Virginia, is awarded a $57,462,554 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to a previously awarded contract N00024-17-C-6327 to exercise options for engineering support services for the Joint Counter Radio-Controlled Improvised Explosive Device Electronic Warfare Increment One Block One (I1B1) Systems full-rate production in support of the Expeditionary Warfare program office. This option exercise is for Engineering Support Services for Joint Counter Radio-Controlled Improvised Explosive Device Electronic Warfare (JCREW) to introduce new technologies; address diminishing material and depot repairs to keep JCREW systems viable for future production; and maintain operational readiness for the field. Work
The U.S. Army is enjoying a renaissance period for cyber and electronic warfare (EW) technologies and has a chance to lay a foundation of interoperability in cyber systems, says Col. Kevin Finch, USA, program manager for electronic warfare and cyber within the Program Executive Office-Intelligence, Electronic Warfare and Sensors.
Col. Finch made the comments on the final day of the AFCEA TechNet Augusta conference 2019 in Augusta, Georgia. AFCEA added an extra day to the annual conference to highlight procurement and acquisition.
Georgia Tech Applied Research Corp., Atlanta, Georgia, has been awarded a $245,994,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for electronic warfare and avionics system support Georgia Tech Applied Research University and Affiliated Research Center. This contract provides for essential engineering, research and development capabilities and services for the development and sustainment of systems. Work will be performed at Atlanta, Georgia, and is expected to be completed by July 8, 2029. Future orders may include foreign military sales to multiple countries. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition.
Rohde & Schwarz USA, Inc., Columbia, Maryland, is awarded a $7,327,350 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for vector network analyzers to support the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Corona Division, Measurement Science and Engineering Department. The vector network analyzers are used to calibrate various devices such as attenuators, power sensors, filters, terminations and other microwave passive devices. Work will be performed in Columbia, Maryland, and is expected to be completed by June 2024. Fiscal year 2019 other procurement (Navy) funding in the amount of $146,547 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year.
On May 17, the 53rd Wing of the U.S. Air Force at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida celebrated the establishment of its new 87th Electronic Warfare Squadron that will join the wing’s 53rd Electronic Warfare Group.
American Electronic Warfare Associates Inc., California, Maryland, is awarded a $99,749,577 cost-plus-fixed-fee, cost reimbursable indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. The contract provides engineering and technical services in support of the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division’s Battlespace Modeling and Simulation.
Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems, Syracuse, New York, is awarded a $27,510,334 cost-plus-incentive-fee modification to previously-awarded contract N00024-09-C-6247 for the procurement of fiscal year 2019 electronic warfare AN/BLQ-10 kits and spares to support program requirements. Work will be performed in Syracuse, New York (99 percent); and Manassas, Virginia (1 percent), and is expected to be completed by October 2022. Fiscal year 2019 other procurement (Navy) funding in the amount of $27,510,334 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity.
The newly created Cyber and Non-Kinetic Operations Division within the Air Combat Command is expected to reach full strength this summer. The new organization integrates multiple missions, including cyber, electronic warfare, intelligence and information warfare.
Bell Boeing Joint Project Office, Amarillo, Texas, was awarded $10,656,686 for modification P00002 to a previously issued delivery order (N0001918F1645) placed against basic ordering agreement, N00019-17-G-0002. This modification exercises the option to procure 12 A-Kits to retrofit legacy fleet aircraft with the AN/APR-39D(V)2, AN/AAQ-24B(V)27, and the ALE-47 Power Performance Computing, upgrading the MV-22 from Configuration A to Configuration C. In addition, this modification provides for the procurement of 12 APR-39D(V)2 A-Kits to install the AN/APR-39D (V)2 system on any of the 48 previously Integrated Aircraft Survivability Equipment retrofitted aircraft, upgrading the MV-22 from Configuration B to Configuration C.
Global Technical Systems Inc.*, Virginia Beach, Virginia, is awarded an $8,510,970 firm-fixed–price delivery order N00024-19-F-5610 under previously awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract N00024-14-D-5213 for the procurement of 15 Common Processing System (CPS) Technical Instruction Twelve Hybrid (TI-12H) water-cooled production units for Surface Electronic Warfare Improvement Program and two CPS TI-12H air-cooled production units for ship self defense systems.
Data from mobile device signals such as GSM may be an untapped resource for signals intelligence on the battlefield. Although the payload of a communication system is encoded, information about the nature of the communication that is included in the GSM signal is not and should not be overlooked. This information, known as metadata, could prove to be an important tool for warfighters, experts say.
For three years, the U.S. Army has been asking questions about how to converge cyberspace operations, electronic warfare and spectrum management capabilities at the corps level and below to deny, degrade, destroy and manipulate enemy capabilities. Now, officials say, they are drawing closer to answers.
In 2015, the service created a pilot program known as Cyberspace Electromagnetic Activity (CEMA) Support to Corps and Below. The CEMA concept integrates elements from offensive and defensive cyber, electronic warfare, and intelligence into expeditionary teams that support tactical units.
Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., doing business as Northrop Grumman Mission Systems Sector, Bethpage, New York, is awarded a $697,029,788 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for system upgrades for the EA-18G system configuration sets, Airborne Electronic Attack and Electronic Warfare systems and final upgrades for the EA-6B system for the Navy and the government of Australia under the Foreign Military Sales program. Work will be performed in Pt. Mugu, California (50 percent); Baltimore, Maryland (29 percent); Bethpage, New York (20 percent); and Rolling Meadows, Illinois (1 percent), and is expected to be completed in October 2023.
The U.S. Army’s Cyber Blitz experimental exercise September 17-28 turned out to be an eye-opener for one maneuver officer regarding cyber’s capabilities on the battlefield.
Military leaders often describe the “speed of cyber” as being measured in milliseconds or microseconds, which means the operations tempo in the cyber realm is incredibly high and decisions are made rapidly. But an offensive cyber campaign can sometimes take much longer than maneuver commanders might expect. In a teleconference with reporters to discuss Cyber Blitz results, Lt. Col. John Newman, USA, deputy commanding officer, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, reports that the experiment proved to be a revelation.
Work is needed to improve temporal, spectral and information understanding within the layers of the cyber domain to facilitate useful cyber-spectral and information maneuver. These advances could be incorporated into tactics, techniques and procedures as well as tactical and operational systems to enhance the overall military commanders’ decision process to achieve information dominance.
Most of the tactical cyberspace domain is spectrum-dependent and administered solely at the physical layer. Currently, warfighters cannot comprehend, much less maneuver within, a space that is inaccessible to them because they are not in a dimensionality to understand it. They operate in a cyber-spectral flatland.
DCS Corp., Alexandria, Virginia, has been awarded a $16,252,479 modification (P00045) to previously awarded FA2486-16-F-0032 for Technical and Management Advisory Services Electronic Warfare support. The contractor will provide additional research, development, test and evaluation, and acquisition support services. Work will be performed at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida; and Edwards Air Force Base, California, and is expected to be completed by September 30, 2019. Fiscal year 2018 and 2019 research and development; procurement; and operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $2,161,841 are being obligated at the time of award. Total cumulative face value of the contract is $30,469,693.
Northrup Grumman Systems Corp., Linthicum Heights, Maryland, is awarded a $9,000,000 cost-only modification to previously awarded contract N00024-15-C-5319 for long lead material for Surface Electronic Warfare Improvement Program (SEWIP) Block 3 low-rate initial production. The SEWIP is an evolutionary acquisition and incremental development program to upgrade the existing AN/SLQ-32(V) electronic warfare system. SEWIP Block 3 will provide select Navy surface ships a scalable electronic warfare enterprise suite with improved electronic attack capabilities. Work will be performed in Linthicum, Maryland (98 percent); and Los Angeles, California (2 percent), and is expected to be completed by November 2020.
SRC Inc., North Syracuse, New York, was awarded a $33,280,064 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for Electronic Warfare Integrated Reprogramming, analysis, production and process support services. One bid was solicited with one bid received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of August 26, 2023. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Warren, Michigan, is the contracting activity (W911W5-18-D-0002).