L3 Technologies Inc., Arlington, Texas, has been awarded a $900,000,000 ceiling, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for simulator common architecture requirements and standards (SCARS). This contract provides for the definition, design, delivery, deployment and sustainment of a simulator common architecture across the Air Force’s training portfolio, along with the creation of a security operations center and library and the execution of SCARS management services. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity
The SCARS initiative will also incrementally implement a modular open systems approach, as well as a set of common standards for Air Force simulators. The primary location of performance is Orlando, Florida. SCARS has a 10-year ordering period through June 2030. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition and six offers were received. Fiscal 2020 other procurement funds in the amount of $1,216,598; and fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $14,278,992 are being obligated under the first task order.
The U.S. Air Force is working on a common software backbone for its simulator systems that will make it easier and less expensive for it to sustain its simulators and push through cyber security updates. Because the service has more than 48 simulators in its inventory made by various manufacturers with different interfaces, updating those systems is a very cumbersome process, said Lynda Rutledge, program executive officer and director for the agile combat support directorate, which includes the portfolio for the U.S. Air Force simulators.
Over the next few years the Air Force hopes to establish a new program, called Simulator Common Architecture Requirements and Standards (SCARS), that will allow the service to modernize its simulators without having issue multiple contracts with several companies to do basically the same thing, Rutledge said during a briefing at Interservice/Industry Training, Simulation and Education Conference (I/ITSEC). After the service solicits comments from defense contractors, it will begin identifying the first simulators that will undergo the modifications necessary to bring them in line with SCARS.
