* The US Army released the complete draft RFP for the HMMWV Modernized Expanded Capacity Vehicle (HMMWV MECV) Research Development Test and Evaluation (RDTE) phase. This recap program intends to modernize M1151 and M1152 Humvees. The Industry Daily for source selection is scheduled on October 7 at Selfridge Air National Guard Base (SANG), MI. Up to 3 RDTE contracts will be rewarded out of that 1st phase with a finalized RFP due on Nov. 10. The Production Phase RFP is tentatively scheduled to be released 1QFY13 (i.e. less that 15 months from now) and source from a single producer, with an aim of capping unit manufacturing cost at $180K. According to Defense News, so far the 4 following teams have lined up: Granite Tactical Vehicles/Textron Systems, AM General, BAE Systems and Oshkosh.
* The San Diego Union-Tribune says the US Marines’ aviation is facing a period of turbulence.
* Lockheed Martin is still pushing for the sale of new F-16 C/Ds to Taiwan, according to Reuters, based on a memo they have seen that the manufacturer sent to US lawmakers. The firm doesn’t seem to believe F-35s to be a credible option.
* France is working on its 2012 defense budget. The government asked for slightly less than 32 billion euros (about $43B) excluding pension costs. This translates into a 3% increase for “equipment” (procurement and maintenance). New acquisitions would include 11 Rafale jets, 8 NH90 helicopters, 1 FREMM frigate and 100 VBCI infantry vehicles – MinDef, DSI [both in French]. The original 1958 constitution of the Fifth Republic gave very strong powers to the executive branch, but constitutional reforms in past years have increased legislative budgetary review powers. The overall process is still much shorter than the protracted back-and-forths known in the US.
* The dog ate my homework while I was at my grandma’s funeral. As expected, the US House of Representative approved a short stopgap bill. More voting will be necessary to lengthen the continuing resolution into November, then at some point the budget for the fiscal year starting tomorrow will actually be wrapped up.
* The US Office of Federal Procurement Policy (OFPP) at the White House’s Office of Management of Budget (OMB) would like to increase inter-agency procurement [PDF] in order to reduce waste by duplication, says FPP administrator Daniel Gordon. Deduplication efforts will cost money and time too…
* (Former) U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense William J. Lynn III reviews the recent progress made on cyberstrategy. But daunting challenges are ahead. For one, the Pentagon wants to know the cost of industrial espionage by hacking.
* The FBI raided Boeing’s Ridley Park, PA plant to charge 37 people with distributing or trying to get prescription drugs such as oxycodone, a powerful opioid painkiller. V-22 Ospreys and CH-47 Chinooks are manufactured there.
* US Army Gen. Martin Dempsey is replacing Adm. Mike Mullen as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Gen. Raymond T. Odierno replaced Dempsey as Chief of Staff of the Army earlier this month. On Mullen’s departure: WSJ, Stars & Stripes.
* X-47B flight test video embedded below, taken at Edwards AFB, CA where the UCAS had its first flight back in February: