DTN News: U.S. Department of Defense Contracts Dated January 7, 2013

Defense News: DTN News: U.S. Department of Defense Contracts Dated January 7, 2013

Source: U.S. DoD issued No.  009-13 January 7, 2013

(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - January 7, 2013: U.S. Department of Defense, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs) Contracts issued  January 7, 2013  are undermentioned;

CONTRACTS

NAVY

            CSC Applied Technologies L.L.C., Lexington Park, Md., is being awarded a $60,036,297 cost-plus-fixed-fee level of effort contract for range engineering and operations and maintenance services in support of the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Divisions’ Atlantic Test Range and Atlantic Targets and Marine Operations Division.  The estimated level of effort is 707,955 man-hours.  Work will be performed in Patuxent River, Md., and is expected to be completed in January 2014.  Contract funds in the amount of $1,000,000 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year.  This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to 10 U.S.C. 2304(c)(1).  The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity (N00421-13-C-0007). 

            Booze Allen Hamilton Inc., McLean, Va. (N00189-13-D-Z004); Science Applications International Corp., McLean, Va. (N00189-13-D-Z005); URS Group Inc., Washington, D.C. (N00189-13-D-Z006), and Whitney, Bradley, and Brown Inc., Reston, Va. (N00189-13-D-Z007), are each being awarded a cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, multiple award contract to provide program management, technical environmental compliance, information technology programming and governance, financial and policy analysis, public outreach, and administrative services in support of The Office of the Chief of Naval Operations (OPNAV), Energy and Environmental Readiness Division (N45).  These contracts include a base period and one option period.  For Booze Allen Hamilton Inc., the base amount is $13,993,386 and the estimated amount if the option is exercised will be $28,695,179.  For Science Applications International Corp., the base amount is $14,810,221 and the estimated amount if the option is exercised will be $30,540,941.  For URS Group Inc., the base amount is $15,566,983 and the estimated amount if the option is exercised will be $32,230,553.  For Whitney, Bradley, and Brown Inc., the base amount is $14,909,914 and the estimated amount if the option is exercised will be $30,110,943.  These four contractors will compete for task orders under the terms and conditions of the awarded contract.  Work will be performed at the contractor facilities competing for each task order either in McLean, Va., Washington, D.C., Reston, Va. (63 percent) and Arlington, Va. (37 percent), and work is expected to be completed Feb. 14, 2016.  If all options are exercised, work will continue through Feb. 14, 2019.  The applicable fiscal 2013 Operations and Maintenance, Navy funds in the amount of $150,000 will be obligated at the time of award and will be equally divided between the contractors and serves as the minimum guarantee.  These funds will not expire before the end of the current fiscal year.  These contracts are awarded through full and open competition, with five offers received in response to this solicitation.  The Naval Supply Systems Command Fleet Logistics Center, Norfolk, Va., contracting department, Philadelphia Office, is the contracting activity. 

ARMY

            Cajun Constructors Inc., Baton Rouge, La., was awarded a $46,181,916 firm-fixed-price contract.  The award will provide for the construction of a concrete covered canal.  Work will be performed in New Orleans, La., with an estimated completion date of Jan. 6, 2017.  The bid was solicited through the Internet, with seven bids received.  The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans, La., is the contracting activity (W912P8-13-C-0009). 

            Promotion Plus Inc., North Royalton, Ohio, was awarded a firm-fixed-price contact with a maximum value of $42,000,000.  The award will provide for the procurement of Army combat gloves.  Work location will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Jan. 2, 2018.  The bid was solicited through the Internet, with eight bids received.  The U.S. Army Contracting Command, Natick, Mass., is the contracting activity (W911QY-13-D-0078). 

            General Dynamics Ordnance Systems, Repentigny, Canada, was awarded a $16,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract.  The award will provide for the procurement of M1037 5.56mm short range training ammunition.  Work location will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 11, 2017.  The bid was solicited through the Internet, with one bid received.  The U.S. Army Contracting Command, Picatinny Arsenal, N.J., is the contracting activity (W15QKN-13-D-0021). 

            Thales Raytheon Systems, Fullerton, Calif., was awarded a $14,102,920 firm-fixed-price contract.  The award will provide for the contractor support services for the Sentinel radar.  Work will be performed in Fullerton, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 31, 2013.  One bid was solicited, with one bid received.  The U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Ala., is the contracting activity (W31P4Q-13-C-0091).

            Colt Defense L.L.C., West Hartford, Conn., was awarded a $13,981,350 firm-fixed-price contract.  The award will provide for the procurement of the M4 Product Improvement Program replacement barrel and front sight assembly.  Work location will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 30, 2016.  The bid was solicited through the Internet, with six bids received.  The U.S. Army Contracting Command, Warren, Mich., is the contracting activity (W56HZV-13-D-0040). 

            DRS C3 and Aviation Co., Gaithersburg, Md., was awarded a $13,794,226 firm-fixed-price contract.  The award will provide for the infrastructure upgrade and equipment supply services in support of Foreign Military Sales.  Work will be performed in Gaithersburg and Jordan, with an estimated completion date of Oct. 18, 2013.  The bid was solicited through the Internet, with three bids received.  The U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md., is the contracting activity (W15P7T-13-C-D500). 

            Turner Construction Co., New York, N.Y., was awarded a $13,640,000 firm-fixed-price contract.  The award will provide for the construction of a Border Patrol Station in Detroit, Mich.  Work will be performed in Detroit, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 28, 2014.  The bid was solicited through the Internet, with 22 bids received.  The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit, Mich., is the contracting activity (W911XK-13-C-0001). 

            SCOLA, McClelland, Iowa, was awarded a $13,335,756 firm-fixed-price contract.  The award will provide for the modification of an existing contract to procure foreign language television access and associated foreign media research and language content.  Work will be performed in Monterey, Calif., with an estimated completion date of Dec. 25, 2013.  The bid was solicited through the Internet, with one bid received.  The U.S. Army Contracting Command, Presidio of Monterey, Calif., is the contracting activity (W91LV2-11-C-0009). 

            TYR Tactical, Peoria, Ariz., was awarded a $13,258,343 firm-fixed-price contract.  The award will provide for the procurement of fragmentation/shrapnel vests and projectile protection in support of Foreign Military Sales.  Work will be performed in Peoria, with an estimated completion date of April 15, 2013.  One bid was solicited through the Internet, with one bid received.  The U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md., is the contracting activity (W91CRB-13-C-0010). 

            General Dynamics -- C4 Systems Inc., Taunton, Mass., was awarded a $12,778,901 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract.  The award will provide for the production and support services of lower tactical Internet data products.  Work will be performed in Taiwan, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 28, 2015.  One bid was solicited, with one bid received.  The U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md., is the contracting activity (W15P7T-13-C-0011). 

            Lockheed Martin Corp. -- Missiles and Fire Control, Grand Prairie, Texas, was awarded a $12,500,000 cost-plus-incentive-fee contract.  The award will provide for the establishment of a Patriot Advanced Capability-3/Missile Segment Enhancement Missile Field Test Program.  Work will be performed in Grand Prairie, with an estimated completion date of March 31, 2014.  The bid was solicited through the Internet, with one bid received.  The U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Ala., is the contracting activity (W31P4Q-13-C-0094). 

            Mythics Inc., Virginia Beach, Va., was awarded a $12,312,042 firm-fixed-price contract.  The award will provide for the modification of an existing contract for maintenance support services.  Work will be performed in Alexandria, Va., with an estimated completion date of Dec. 31, 2013.  One bid was solicited, with one bid received.  The U.S. Army Contracting Command, Rock Island, Ill., is the contracting activity (W91QUZ-06-A-0003). 

            Johnson Evan and Sons Construction Co., Inc., Jackson, Miss., was awarded an $11,322,000 firm-fixed-price contract.  The award will provide for the construction services.  Work will be performed in Vicksburg, Miss., with an estimated completion date of Jan. 29, 2014.  Six bids were solicited, with six bids received.  The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Vicksburg, Miss., is the contracting activity (W912EE-13-C-0004). 

            Strategic Resources Inc., McLean, Va., was awarded an $11,320,927 firm-fixed-price contract.  The award will provide for the base support services.  Work will be performed in Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM), Wash., with an estimated completion date of Dec. 26, 2013.  Six bids were solicited, with six bids received.  The U.S. Army Contracting Command, Fort Lewis, Wash., is the contracting activity (W9124D-11-C-9000). 

            Oshkosh Corp., Oshkosh, Wis., was awarded a $10,812,006 firm-fixed-price contract.  The award will provide for the field service representative to support the M-ATV program.  Work will be performed in Oshkosh and Afghanistan, with an estimated completion date of April 30, 2013.  One bid was solicited, with one bid received.  The U.S. Army Contracting Command, Warren, Mich., is the contracting activity (W56HZV-12-C-0281). 

            Raytheon Co., McKinney, Texas, was awarded a $10,707,828 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract.  The award will provide for the modification of an existing contract to procure services for the improved target acquisition systems for the tube launched, optically tracked, wireless guided missile system.  Work will be performed in McKinney and Afghanistan, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 5, 2013.  One bid was solicited, with one bid received.  The U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Ala., is the contracting activity (W31P4Q-07-C-0088). 

            Navistar Defense L.L.C., Lisle, Ill., was awarded a $10,620,634 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract.  The award will provide for the modification of an existing contract to procure maintenance services on the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle.  Work will be performed in Lisle; Yuma, Ariz.; Aberdeen, Md; and Afghanistan; with an estimated completion date of March 25, 2013.  One bid was solicited, with one bid received.  The U.S. Army Contracting Command, Warren, Mich., is the contracting activity (W56HZV-10-C-0011). 

            Hodges Transportation, Silver Springs, Nev., was awarded a $9,500,000 firm-fixed-price level-of-effort contract.  The award will provide for the prototype, testing and evaluation services.  Work location will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 25, 2015.  The bid was solicited through the Internet, with one bid received.  The U.S. Army Contracting Command, Warren, Mich., is the contracting activity (W56HZV-13-D-L001). 

            Yulista Aviation Inc., Anchorage, Alaska, was awarded a $9,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract.  The award will provide for the procurement of a Transportable Flight Proficiency Simulator and Lift System in support of Foreign Military Sales.  Work will be performed in Huntsville, Ala., with an estimated completion date of June 30, 2014.  The bid was solicited through the Internet, with one bid received.  The U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Ala., is the contracting activity (W58RGZ-13-C-0030).

            Exelis Inc., Alexandria, Va., was awarded an $8,972,902 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract.  The award will provide for the modification of an existing contract to procure lethality testing services.  Work will be performed in Huntsville, Ala., with an estimated completion date of Sept. 30, 2013.  The bid was solicited through the Internet, with one bid received.  The U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command, Huntsville, Ala., is the contracting activity (W9113M-05-C-0219). 

            TSS-Garco Joint Venture, Richland, Wash., was awarded an $8,912,000 firm-fixed-price contract.  The award will provide for the construction of a company operations facility on Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.  Work will be performed in JBLM, with an estimated completion date of June 30, 2014.  The bid was solicited through the Internet, with 12 bids received.  The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Seattle, Wash., is the contracting activity (W912DW-13-C-0019). 

            Anthony and Gordon Construction Co., Knoxville, Tenn., was awarded an $8,603,000 firm-fixed-price contract.  The award will provide for the construction of a tactical equipment maintenance facility and a company operations facility.  Work will be performed in San Antonio, Texas, with an estimated completion date of July 5, 2014.  The bid was solicited through the Internet, with 12 bids received.  The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Fort Worth, Texas, is the contracting activity (W9126G-13-C-0005). 

            ABB Inc., St. Laurent, Quebec, Canada, was awarded a $7,680,210 firm-fixed-price contract.  The award will provide for the delivery of digital static excitation systems.  Work will be performed in Bridgeport, Wash., with an estimated completion date of April 15, 2015.  The bid was solicited through the Internet, with four bids received.  The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Seattle, Wash., is the contracting activity (W912DW-13-C-0017). 

            DRS Test and Energy Management L.L.C., Huntsville, Ala., was awarded a $7,569,343 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract.  The award will provide for the modification of an existing contract to support the upgrade of direct support electrical test sets.  Work will be performed in Huntsville, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 10, 2014.  One bid was solicited, with one bid received.  The U.S. Army Contracting Command, Warren, Mich., is the contracting activity (W52H09-06-G-0001). 

            Alliant Techsystems Operations, Plymouth, Minn., was awarded a $7,563,969 firm-fixed-price contract.  The award will provide for the modification of an existing contract to procure precision guidance kits.  Work will be completed in Plymouth, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 27, 2013.  One bid was solicited, with one bid received.  The U.S. Army Contracting Command, Picatinny Arsenal, N.J., is the contracting activity (W15QKN-06-C-0130). 

            Data Networks Inc., Reston, Va., was awarded a $7,539,009 cost-plus-award-fee contract.  The award will provide for the design, development and sustainment of the Medical Situational Awareness in Theater and the Theater Medical Data Store.  Work will be performed in Reston, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 18, 2013.  The bid was solicited through the Internet, with two bids received.  The U.S. Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity, Frederick, Md., is the contracting activity (W81XWH-12-F-0335). 

            BAE Systems Land and Armaments L.P., York, Pa., was awarded a $7,508,199 firm-fixed-price contract.  The award will provide for the procurement of fire support sensor system modification kits.  Work will be performed in York, with an estimated completion date of July 31, 2013.  One bid was solicited, with one bid received.  The U.S. Army Contracting Command, Warren, Mich., is the contracting activity (W56HZV-13-C-0103). 

            Data Solutions and Technology Inc., Lanham, Md., was awarded a $7,417,838 firm-fixed-price contract.  The award will provide for the modification of an existing contract procure vehicle operations and vehicle control services.  Work will be performed in Fort Polk, La., with an estimated completion date of Dec. 31, 2013.  Eighteen bids were solicited, with 14 bids received.  The U.S. Army Contracting Command, Fort Polk, La., is the contracting activity (W911SE-07-D-0036). 

            Thales Raytheon Systems Co., L.L.C., Fullerton, Calif., was awarded a $7,295,000 firm-fixed-price contract.  The award will provide for the procurement of Sentinel Mode 5 kits and spares.  Work will be performed in Fullerton, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 31, 2015.  One bid was solicited, with one bid received.  The U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Ala., is the contracting activity (W31P4Q-13-C-0082). 

            BAE Systems Inc., Nashua, N.H., was awarded a $7,070,000 firm-fixed-price contract.  The award will provide for the modification of an existing contract to procure Laser Target Locator Modules.  Work will be performed in Nashua, with an estimated completion date of Feb. 17, 2014.  Two bids were solicited, with one bid received.  The U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md., is the contracting activity (W91CRB-09-D-0029). 

            Robertson Aviation, Tempe, Ariz., was awarded a $6,945,000 firm-fixed-price contract.  The award will provide for the procurement of Mi-17 internal auxiliary fuel tank systems.  Work location will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 31, 2015.  One bid was solicited, with one bid received.  The U.S. Army Contracting Command, Fort Eustis, Va., is the contracting activity (W911W6-13-D-0002). 

            Oracle America Inc., Reston, Va., was awarded a $6,895,405 firm-fixed-price contract.  The award will provide for the modification of an existing contract to procure software license renewals and maintenance for Army, Navy and Air Force.  Work will be performed in Reston, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 20, 2013.  The bid was solicited through the Internet, with three bids received.  The U.S. Army Contracting Command, Picatinny Arsenal, N.J., is the contracting activity (N00024-01-C-6110). 

            Esterline Defense Products, Coachella, Calif., was awarded a $6,637,866 firm-fixed-price contract.  The award will provide for the modification of an existing contract to procure M231/M232A1 Combustible Case Assemblies.  Work will be performed in Coachella, with an estimated completion date of April 30, 2015.  One bid was solicited, with one bid received.  The U.S. Army Contracting Command, Picatinny Arsenal, N.J., is the contracting activity (W15QKN-08-C-0437).

*Link for This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources U.S. DoD issued No.  009-13 January 7, 2013
*Speaking Image - Creation of DTN News ~ Defense Technology News 
*This article is being posted from Toronto, Canada By DTN News ~ Defense-Technology News Contact:dtnnews@ymail.com 
©COPYRIGHT (C) DTN NEWS DEFENSE-TECHNOLOGY NEWS

DTN News - STEALTH TECHNOLOGY NEWS: Korea's Neighbors Catch Up With U.S. Stealth Technology

Defense News: DTN News - STEALTH TECHNOLOGY NEWS: Korea's Neighbors Catch Up With U.S. Stealth Technology
*DTN News has enhanced and further elaborated on the subject of the relevant topic respectively for the benefit of the readers with due respect to the author of this article.

Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources The Chosunilbo

(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - January 7, 2013: China's Navy deployed a new high-speed stealth vessel called DaoDanTing Type 022 during its military drill last month. The vessel is capable of carrying eight missiles with a maximum range of 200 km and traveling at 36 knots per hour while avoiding radar and infrared detection. China has 80 of the ships. 

China's Type 022 stealth vessel
The Type 022 (NATO designation: Houbei class) missile boat is a ship class in the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy. The first boat was launched in April 2004 by the Qiuxin Shipbuilding Factory at Shanghai. The boats incorporate stealth features and are based off an Australian-designed wave-piercing catamaran hulls that are more stable than other fast missile craft in high sea conditions. Approximately 83 of these missile boats are currently in service with three flotillas having been produced over a span of seven years. 


The Houbei class fast attack craft are China's entry into a growing list of missile-armed attack craft which include Finland's Hamina class missile boat, and Norway's Skjold class patrol boat. The Australian AMD cataraman design may mean as much as a 50% reduction in vessel speed penalty in high sea conditions (in which monohulls may only perform at half or less of their maximum capability). Further, seasickness and disorientation is significantly reduced, improving the combat readiness/situational awareness of the small-craft operators during such conditions.

In addition to the stealthy polygonal-designed superstructure with its stealthy gun mount, the Houbei has an advanced C4 datalink[6] that may represent some kind of capability to allow AWACS planes or other ships to vector the Type 22's missiles. (The US Navy is as well exploring a battery ship concept.)

Russia's Sukhoi T-50 Stealth fighter jet

In January this year, Russia held its first test flight of the Sukhoi T-50 stealth fighter jet in the far eastern region of Komsomolsk-on-Amur. Last month, the second test flight was completed. Moscow plans to deploy the T-50 in active units from 2015 to counter the U.S. military's state-of-the-art F-22 stealth fighter jet.


The Sukhoi PAK FA  is a twin-engine jet fighter being developed by Sukhoi for the Russian Air Force. The Sukhoi T-50 is the prototype for PAK FA. The PAK FA is one of only a handful of stealth jet programs globally.

The PAK FA, a fifth generation jet fighter, is intended to be the successor to the MiG-29 and Su-27 in the Russian inventory and serve as the basis of the Sukhoi/HAL FGFA being developed with India. The T-50 prototype performed its first flight 29 January 2010. By 31 August 2010, it had made 17 flights and by mid-November, 40 in total. The second T-50 was to start its flight test by the end of 2010, but this was delayed until March 2011.

The Russian Defence Ministry will purchase the first 10 evaluation example aircraft after 2012 and then 60 production standard aircraft after 2016. The first batch of fighters will be delivered with current technology engines. The PAK-FA is expected to have a service life of about 30–35 years.

U.S. dominance over stealth technology has ended, and major powers neighboring Korea already have considerable stealth technology. Japan's Maritime Self Defense Force has a large number of Hayabusa high-speed patrol boats with stealth capabilities, although not as advanced as the Type 022. Japan is also seeking to purchase F-35 stealth fighters from the U.S., and Mitsubishi is in the process of developing a stealth fighter called ATD-X. 

Japan's ATD-X stealth fighter

The Mitsubishi ATD-X Shinshin is a prototype fifth-generation jet fighter that uses advanced stealth technology. It is being developed by the Japanese Ministry of Defense Technical Research and Development Institute (TRDI) for research purposes. The main contractor of the project is Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. Many consider this aircraft to be Japan's first domestically made stealth fighter. ATD-X is an acronym meaning "Advanced Technology Demonstrator – X". The aircraft's Japanese name is Shinshin (心神?, literally "mind"). The aircraft's first flight is scheduled for 2014.

The ATD-X will be used as a technology demonstrator and research prototype to determine whether domestic advanced technologies for a fifth generation fighter aircraft are viable, and is a 1/3 size model of a possible full-production aircraft.  The aircraft also features 3D thrust vectoring capability. Thrust is controlled in the ATD-X by the use of 3 paddles on each engine nozzle similar to the system used on the Rockwell X-31, while an axis-symmetric thrust vectoring engine is also being developed for the full scale production model. The nozzles on the prototype appear to be uncovered and might have a slight adverse effect on the aircraft's stealth characteristics.

Among the features the ATD-X is to have is a fly-by-optics flight control system, which by substituting optical fibers for wires, allows data to be transferred faster and with immunity to electromagnetic disturbance.

Its radar will be an active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar called the 'Multifunction RF Sensor', which is intended to have broad spectrum agility, capabilities for electronic countermeasures (ECM), electronic support measures (ESM), communications functions, and possibly even microwave weapon functions.


Wayne Ulman, head of the U.S. National Air and Space Intelligence Center (NASIC) told the Senate in May that China's next-generation stealth fighter J-XX will be deployed around 2018. 

Some military analysts claim China already has stealth bombers. Since witnessing the formidable power of U.S. stealth fighters in the first Gulf War in 1991, Beijing has gone all out to acquire the technology. The airframe design for the B-2 stealth bomber was apparently leaked to China in 2005. The Wall Street Journal said Chinese hackers obtained classified documents related to the F-35 when they attacked the Pentagon server in April last year.

Russia has the most advanced stealth submarine in the world. Developed in 2007, it has been evaluated as having the best underwater navigation and sonar-avoiding capabilities, in addition to the "Typhoon" developed in Soviet times. China's submarine technology is not as advanced but developing rapidly. In 2006, China's Song class diesel submarine approached within 9 km of the U.S. aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk without being detected by the submarines and battleships that had been escorting it, shocking American military officials. That range is within the kill zone of a torpedo. 

China and Russia have been developing the technology to counter U.S. stealth fighters. A RAND Corporation study showed that U.S. air power in the Pacific would be inadequate to thwart an attack in a hypothetical Chinese attack on Taiwan in 2020, with American stealth fighters being unable to evade China's CETC Y-27 radars. The state-of-the-art radar system, developed with Russian technology, uses VHF mode, and computer simulations showed a high chance of U.S. stealth fighters failing to attack Chinese military bases, while American air craft carriers and the airbase in Okinawa could be destroyed.

Why are China, Russia and Japan trying so hard to keep up with the U.S. stealth technology? The answer is that it is impossible to fight an invisible enemy. In 2006, the U.S. military held a mock battle in Alaska between the F-22 Raptor and the F-15, F-16 and F-18 conventional fighter jets. The result was 108 conventional fighters lost, but not a single F-22.

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*Link for This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources The Chosunilbo
*Speaking Image - Creation of DTN News ~ Defense Technology News 
*This article is being posted from Toronto, Canada By DTN News ~ Defense-Technology News Contact:dtnnews@ymail.com 
©COPYRIGHT (C) DTN NEWS DEFENSE-TECHNOLOGY NEWS

DTN News - DEFENSE NEWS: The Booming Business of Drones

Defense News: DTN News - DEFENSE NEWS: The Booming Business of Drones
*Drones are everywhere.

Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources By Mitch Joel - Harvard Business Review
(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - January 6, 2013: Less than a decade ago, the Pentagon had about fifty unmanned combat air vehicles (known as drones or UAV — unmanned aerial vehicles). It is estimated that they currently have about seven thousand of them (and Congress asked for about $5 billion worth of more drones in 2012). There's a scene in Showtime's hit television series, Homeland, where Nicholas Brody (the former prisoner of war and current United States congressman) is told by David Estes (the director of the CIA's Counterterrorism Center) that the use of drones in the war on terrorism has moved from forty unmanned combat air vehicles to nearly four thousand in no time at all. 

While that was a fictitious scene, it was the type of statement that would make anybody raise an eyebrow. What makes it all that more interesting, is that those fictional numbers aren't even close to the staggering reality of how many drones are in operation. And, that's just the work being done by the United States. The International Institute for Strategic Studies has identified fifty six different types of drones being used in over ten countries (and this data does not include places like China, Turkey and Russia).

Now, drones are moving from the battlefield to your neighborhood, and it's about to create a brand new industry right along with it.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration, the use of commercial drones in United States airspace could become official starting in 2015. As the New York Times wrote in a December 25 editorial: "The drone go-ahead, signed in February by President Obama in the F.A.A. reauthorization law, envisions a $5 billion-plus industry of camera drones being used for all sorts of purposes from real estate advertising to crop dusting to environmental monitoring and police work." But this is just the beginning — industry analysts predict the market to double in less than a decade.
The business and civilian adoption of military technology is nothing new; we had mass adoption of the wristwatch after World War I when soldiers began attaching their pocket watches to their wrists for more practical purposes. A lot of the work and innovation coming out of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is created for military usage, but then becomes commercialized for business application (this includes computer networking and the first hypertext system, which was an early form of the graphical user interface). With so many products that begin as something specialized for the military and then turned over to us every day citizens, it's becoming apparent that drones are on the verge of something big.

So what could a drone-based business look like?

Chris Anderson is the former editor-in-chief at Wired along with being a three-time bestselling business book author (The Long Tail, Free and Makers). He recently left his post at Wired to work on his own passion project-(DIY Drones)-turned-startup (3D Robotics), which recently raised five million dollars in venture funding. He was thinking about drones being used commercially roughly half a decade before the FAA woke up to it. In a 2009 blog post, you can feel the nascent thinking about just how powerful a drone-based network could be for businesses in the not-too-distant future. Fred Smith, the founder of FedEx, then wanted drone usage in his business as quickly as possible. From the post: 

"Unmanned cargo freighters have lots of advantages for FedEx: safer, cheaper, and much larger capacity. The ideal form is the 'blended wing.' That design doesn't make a clear a distinction between wings and body, so almost all the interior of both can be used for cargo. The result is that the price premium for air over sea would fall from 10x to 2X (with all the speed advantages of air)."

The post goes on: "the key thing is having NO people on board, not even as backup. A single person in the craft requires a completely different design, along with radically different economics and logistics. The efficiencies come with 100% robotic operation."

Today, years later, Anderson still doesn't think we're there, just yet. He's currently selling a $500 drone that is a small and light aircraft that is only usable in non-urbanized zones and must follow specific laws to not interfere with FAA authority (which includes carrying payloads and other uses that are currently illegal).

Will the rise of commercial drones — yet more automation — resultant loss of jobs? It's too early to tell, but it's important to remember that we will require a significant labor force to design, program, maintain and organize this type of business. Drone usage at the domestic work level is going to create a significant number of jobs where both the talent and title doesn't even exist today. Imagine the hybrid of aviation, logistics, technology, supply chain management and more that will be required to be an effective employee in the near-future for the drone industry. Will that amount of new labor be able to fully offset those who currently have jobs that can be replaced by drones? It depends on several unknown factors at this moment in time, but change is coming. Increasingly, the stuff we see in science fiction and comic books, becomes a business reality. Fast.

This isn't just about building a better FedEx. The fact remains, that with all of the privacy, legal, and FAA hurdles that will have to be overcome, this is the dawn of a new industry. As Anderson has already stated on countless occasions: the advanced technology that encapsulates a smartphone (GPS, accelerometers, gyroscopes and simple-to-use software and interfaces mixed with sophisticated and light hardware) means that cheap solutions to unmanned air vehicles are a certainty.

Once drones are being used in domestic settings beyond a few niche sectors and wealthy hobbyists — and citizens feel like their privacy is not being breached — it's not hard to imagine businesses and marketers coming up with new and inventive ways to use drones to better commercialize their businesses.

Currently, Geologists like Jan Grygar are using drones to take high-definition photographs, while Simon Jardine and his business, Eye In The Sky, are using drones to sell aerial photography. Interestingly, both Grygar and Jardine have also started companies to manufacture and sell drones to other businesses. "The analogy is closer to the PC coming after the mainframe," Anderson concedes. "Which is to say, that these are not the most powerful drones in the world, but they will be the cheapest and they will be the ones available to regular people. Fundamentally, those people are going to find new applications for the platform that the traditional industries never thought of."

Now, we're beginning to see uses for drones in agriculture, 3D modeling, security (like saving rhinos in South Africa), environmental analysis, news reporting, filming, human rights monitoring and more. Just imagine what will be as more venture capital, entrepreneurs, inventors and every day people start exploring the new business opportunities that drones will create.

I, for one, welcome our new drone overlords.

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