Army awards $249M contract for electronic warfare support

The deal to 16 small businesses continues the military service’s effort to get ahead of the game in EW.

The Army continues to put its resource into developing electronic warfare capabilities, giving 16 small businesses a spot on a five-year, $248.8 million contract for intelligence electronic warfare and sensors.

The companies will share in the cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to “acquire broad technical, program, operations, acquisition, and business services that support Program Executive Office,” according to a Defense department announcement.

Military officials have said that, during than a dozen years focusing on the relatively uncontested airspace in the Middle East, they tended to ignore the importance of defending and exploiting the electromagnetic spectrum. But as the Defense Department’s focus shifts toward the Asian Pacific, and more technologically capable countries such as Russia and China, leaders have ramped up their focus on EW.

DOD is considering declaring the electromagnetic spectrum the sixth domain of warfare, along with land, sea, air, space and cyberspace. And a number of solicitations have sought out EW tools, while the Army, like the other services, have conducted exercises focused on incorporating cyber and EW activities into military operations.

The 16 companies named to the Army’s most recent contract are:

  • Millennium Corp.
  • QED Systems
  • DHPC Technologies
  • Exter Information Technology Services
  • Future Skys
  • Envision Innovative Solutions
  • Synergy ECP
  • Vortechx Applied Technologies
  • Nexagen Networks
  • Sumaria Systems
  • OST Inc.
  • Patricio Enterprises
  • Middle Bay Solutions
  • Mayvin Consulting Group
  • Hi-Tec Systems
  • Cortek Inc.

Work under the contract is expected to be completed by Sept. 5, 2021.