Showing results 1 - 10 of 57 for the search terms: POGO.
Results for "POGO"
INS Vikramaditya: Waiting for Gorshkov…
17-Nov-2009 14:06 EST |
Related Stories: Alliances, Americas - USA, Asia - India, Boeing, Contracts - Awards, Contracts - Intent, Events, Fighters & Attack, Force Structure, Helicopters & Rotary, Issues - International, Issues - Political, Northrop-Grumman, Other Corporation, Rumours, Russia, Spotlight articles, Support Functions - Other, Surface Ships - Combat
Adm. Gorshkov: Before.
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This free-to-view DID Spotlight article offers an in-depth look at India’s troubled attempt to convert and field a full-size aircraft carrier, before time and wear force it to retire its existing naval aviation and ships.
Right now, there are 2 major concerns in India. One is slipping timelines. INS Viraat was scheduled to retire in 2009. It’s only semi-operational, and nearing the limits of its mechanical life, even as shortages of flyable Sea Harrier fighters are creating issues of their own. Meanwhile, the delivery date for India’s locally-built 37,000t escort carrier project appears to be slipping to 2015 or so. This leaves India’s Navy with a serious scheduling problem, and no significant carrier force.
The other concern involves Vikramaditya’s 3-fold cost increase, including worries that Russia will raise it rates yet again once India is deeper into the commitment trap. The carrier purchase has now become the subject of high level diplomacy, involving a shipyard that can’t even execute on commercial contracts. An agreement in principle reportedly exists, but negotiations that began in 2007 have yet to lead to a revised contract.
Recent Russian demands have continued to raise the price, even as advance work related to India’s new MiG-29K naval fighters continues. The latest news is a report that India is expressing interest in buying one of Britain’s 65,000t CVF carriers, as negotiations with Russia remain stalled…
The USAF’s KC-X Aerial Tanker RFP
16-Nov-2009 11:12 EST |
Related Stories: Americas - USA, Boeing, EADS, Issues - Political, Lobbying, Northrop-Grumman, Power Projection, RFPs, Rumours, Specialty Aircraft, Spotlight articles, Transport & Utility
Old as the hills…
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DID’s FOCUS articles cover major weapons acquisition programs – and no program is more important to the USAF than its current bid to replace its aerial tanker fleet. In January 2007, the big question was whether there would be a competition for the USA’s KC-X proposal, which will cover 175 production aircraft and 4 test platforms. The cost for this first phase alone is likely to reach $35+ billion spread over about 20 years, but America’s 40-50 year old aerial tanker fleet demands new planes. Otherwise, unpredictable age or fatigue issues, like the ones its F-15A-D fleet experienced in 2008, could ground its aerial tankers – and with them, a substantial slice of the USA’s total airpower. KC-Y and KC-Z contracts may follow in subsequent decades, in order to replace all 530 KC-135s/ Boeing 707s (195 active; ANG 251; Reserve 84) that were delivered until 1965, as well as the USAF’s 59 larger KC-10 tankers delivered from 1979-1987.
In the end, it was Team Boeing’s KC-767 Advanced (767-200 derivative) vs. the Team Northrop Grumman KC-30B (Airbus A330-200 derivative), both within the Pentagon and in the halls of Congress. Most observers correctly pointed out that all this lobbying was important, since the financial stakes guaranteed a huge political fight no matter which side won. A fight that ended up sinking, and restarting, the entire program.
Recent additions revolve around the KC-X v2.0 draft RFP’s release, as the canceled competition is on again, with a decision expected by mid-2010. As expected, complaints regarding the structure and process have already begun. The latest additions include a pair of milestones for the Airbus entry, and political battles around the RFP’s chosen selection process…
V-22 Osprey: The Multi-Year Program
03-Nov-2009 16:36 EST |
Related Stories: Americas - USA, Boeing, Contracts - Modifications, Engines - Aircraft, Europe - E.U., GE, Helicopters & Rotary, Issues - Political, New Systems Tech, Other Corporation, Policy - Procurement, Rolls Royce, Spotlight articles
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In March 2008, the Bell Boeing Joint Project Office in Amarillo, TX received a $10.4 billion modification that converted the previous advance acquisition contract (N00019-07-C-0001) to a fixed-price-incentive-fee, multi-year contract. The new contract now sits at $10.8 billion, and will be used to buy 141 MV-22 (for USMC) and 31 CV-22 (Air Force Special Operations) Osprey aircraft, plus associated manufacturing tooling to move the aircraft into full production.
The V-22 tilt-rotor program has been beset by controversy throughout its 20-year development period. DID’s “V-22 Osprey: A Flying Shame?” offers a focused look at a number of specific allegations associated with the program, with material from Pentagon test reports, critical reviews, ongoing news reports, and the US military’s responses. Despite these issues, and the emergence of competitive but more conventional compound helicopter technologies like Piasecki’s X-49 Speedhawk and Sikorsky’s X2, the V-22 program continues to move forward. This DID Spotlight article looks at the V-22’s new multi-year purchase contract, associated contracts for key V-22 systems, and program developments that arise after the contract conversion.
The latest developments involve a slew of minor contracts, and a very negative GAO report on the program. Which does nothing to change the program…
F-22 Raptor: Procurement & Events (updated)
29-Oct-2009 18:10 EDT |
Related Stories: Americas - USA, Asia - Japan, Australia & S. Pacific, Boeing, Budgets, Contracts - Awards, Contracts - Modifications, Delivery & Task Orders, Engines - Aircraft, FOCUS Articles, Fighters & Attack, Issues - International, Issues - Political, Lobbying, Lockheed Martin, Official Reports, Support & Maintenance, Support Functions - Other, Transformation, United Technologies
Into that good night
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The 5th-generation F-22A Raptor fighter program has been the subject of fierce controversy, with advocates and detractors aplenty. On the one hand, the aircraft offers full stealth, revolutionary radar and sensor capabilities, dual air-air and air-ground SEAD (Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses) capabilities, the ability to cruise above Mach 1 without afterburners, thrust-vectoring super-maneuverability… and a ridiculously lopsided kill record in exercises against the best American fighters. On the other hand, critics charge that it’s too expensive, too limited, and cripples the USAF’s overall force structure. Meanwhile, close American allies like Australia, Japan and Israel, and other allies like Korea, are pressing the USA to abandon its “no export” policy. Most already fly F-15s, but they’re interested in an export version of the F-22 in order to help them deal with advanced – and advancing – Russian-designed aircraft, air-to-air missiles, and surface-to-air missile systems.
This DID FOCUS Article covers both sides of the F-22 controversies in the USA and abroad, and it will also be updated over time to cover and backfill contracts and events related to the F-22A Raptor program. This article has been restored to full public access, as F-22 program winds down to its end.
Recent updates include significant votes in the House and Senate, which will effectively end American F-22 production. But contracts continue, including a $474.2 million contract for 4 Lot X F-22A aircraft…
JHMCS: Fighter Pilot “Look & Shoot” Helmets’ Upgrade, Ups & Downs
27-Oct-2009 11:28 EDT |
Related Stories: Americas - Other, Americas - USA, Asia - Other, Australia & S. Pacific, Avionics, BAE, Boeing, Contracts - Modifications, Electronics - General, Europe - Other, L3 Communications, Middle East - Israel, New Systems Tech, Official Reports, Policy - Procurement, Procurement Innovations, Project Management, Scandals & Investigations, Simulation & Training, Spotlight articles, Testing & Evaluation, Transformation, Warfare - Lessons
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In the 1970s, fighter aircraft began to appear with Head-Up Displays (HUD) that projected key information, targeting crosshairs etc. onto a seemingly clear piece of glass. HUDs allowed pilots to keep their eyes in the sky, instead of looking down at their instruments. Ever since, we’ve been wondering when we’d see them in our automobiles. In the 1990s, another innovation appeared: helmet-mounted displays (HMDs) put the HUD inside the pilot’s helmet, providing this information even when the pilot wasn’t looking straight ahead. The Israelis were already pioneering a system called DASH when a set of former East German MiG-29s equipped with Soviet HMDs slaughtered USAF F-16s in NATO exercises. Suddenly, helmet-mounted displays became must-haves for modern fighters – and a key partnership positioned Elbit to take DASH to the next level.
This DID Spotlight article offered insights into the rocky past, overall state, and future of a program that has experienced its share of snags and controversy – but went on to become the #1 helmet-mounted sight in the world today. It also details the JHMCS’ game-changing effects on air combat, its production sets and known customers, and all contracts since full-rate production began.
The latest item is a some aditional gear for the US Navy…
Russia’s Changing Aircraft Industry: Models and Futures
23-Aug-2009 19:17 EDT |
Related Stories: EADS, Europe - France, Industry & Trends, Mergers & Acquisitions, Other Corporation, Partnerships & Consortia, Russia
Emerging clusters, 2005
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Russia’s aircraft industry remains one of the country’s defense export standbys, and Russian companies are beginning to partner with foreign firms in ways that could increase their reach. In December 2005, Moscow Defense Brief took a look at key trends, especially the consolidation trends as private maneuverings and state ‘encouragement’ to join a “Unified Aircraft-Building Corporation” (UABC) began to consolidate the various players.
At the time, names like Mikoyan, Sukhoi, Antonov, Ilyushin, Yakolev et. al. appeared to be coalescing around Irkut Corporation, with a second smaller pole around Sukhoi. Recent events are shifting away a French “sesquipolar” model, and toward a unipolar model. The question is whether this will result in success and profitability for a Russian defense industry that is struggling to regain its footing. Recent announcements at the MAKS 2009 indicate that more financial aid is on the way, but the powers that be are less than happy…
- Makienko’s 2005 Analysis
- Key Events & Developments
- Additional Readings
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Alaska Native Corporations: IGs and Issues
28-Jul-2009 15:21 EDT |
Related Stories: Americas - USA, Bases & Infrastructure, Contracts - Awards, Industry & Trends, Issues - Political, Legal, Official Reports, Other Corporation, Policy - Procurement, Small Business
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Last week, Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act Corporation Chugach World Services Inc in Anchorage, Alaska received a $55 million Indefinite Quantity firm-fixed-price contract to revitalize Buildings 2266 and 2264 at Fort Sam Houston, TX. Work is to be performed in San Antonio, TX with an estimated completion date of July 30/11. One bid solicited with one bid received by the U.S. Army Engineer District in Fort Worth, TX (W9126G-09-C-0055).
If an Alaska corporation seems like an odd single-solicitation choice for work in Texas, you’re not alone. Chugach has a long history of federal contracts for similar work all over the USA, however, which makes them an experienced partner. They’re not alone, either. ANCs’ share of federal contracting has grown from $1.1 billion in FY 2004 to $3.9 billion in 2008, including some key front-line contracts. That’s 26% of 8(a) dollars, going to 2% of registered 8(a) firms. Meanwhile, the US Small Business Administration’s Inspector General has released a pair of reports in the past 2 years, documenting issues with ANCs…
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The UK’s FRES Transformational Armored Vehicles
09-Jul-2009 13:01 EDT |
Related Stories: Alliances, Americas - USA, BAE, Britain/U.K., Contracts - Awards, Design Innovations, Electronics - General, Engineering Vehicles, Europe - E.U., FOCUS Articles, Force Structure, General Dynamics, IT - Cyber-Security, IT - General, IT - Networks & Bandwidth, IT - Software & Integration, Issues - International, Issues - Political, Lobbying, Lockheed Martin, Materials Innovations, New Systems Tech, Other Corporation, Other Equipment - Land, People, Policy - Doctrine, Policy - Procurement, Procurement Innovations, Project Methodologies, R&D - Contracted, Signals Radio & Wireless, Tanks & Mechanized, Thales, Transformation, University-related, Warfare - Trends
FRES-U finalists:
There can be… none?
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Many of Britain’s army vehicles are old and worn, and the necessities of hard service on the battlefield are only accelerating that wear. The multi-billion pound “Future Rapid Effects System” (FRES) aims to recapitalize the core of Britain’s armored vehicle fleet over the next decade or more, filling many of the same medium armor roles as the Stryker Family of armored wheeled vehicles and/or the Future Combat Systems’ Manned Ground Vehicle family. Current estimates indicate a potential requirement for over 3,700 FRES vehicles, including utility and reconnaissance variants. Even so, one should be cautioned that actual numbers bought usually fall short of intended figures for early-stage defense programs.
DID’s FOCUS articles offer in-depth, updated looks at significant military programs of record. The FRES program was spawned by the UK’s withdrawal from the German-Dutch-UK Boxer MRAV modular wheeled APC program, in order to develop a more deployable vehicle that fit Britain’s exact requirements. Those initial requirements were challenging, however, and experience in Iraq and Afghanistan led to decisions that changed a number of requirements, and raised the acceptable weight limit. The UK MoD has taken some criticism for its selection of wheeled APCs as its FRES-U infantry fighting vehicle finalists, and even more criticism for making the Boxer MRAV one of those finalists after spending all that time and sterling on FRES development. In the end, GD MOWAG’s Piranha V won the utility vehicle competition.
FRES-U is not the end of the competition, however, or the contracts. In fact, FRES has just seen the winning bidder’s preferred status revoked, and that entire phase will now take a back seat to the FRS-SV scout version. For which the MoD has now issued 2 Invitations to Tender…
CSAR-X… “Canceled for Convenience”
03-Jun-2009 14:32 EDT |
Related Stories: Americas - USA, Boeing, Finmeccanica, Helicopters & Rotary, Lobbying, Lockheed Martin, Official Reports, Policy - Procurement, United Technologies
HH-47 Concept
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Several DID articles have covered the $10-15 billion CSAR-X competition aimed at replacing the USAF’s HH-60G Pave Hawk combat search-and-rescue helicopters, and noted its twists and turns. From profiles of the original options, to transfers of program responsibility between AFSOC and the USAF and the withdrawal of the PRV-22 Osprey from competition, to Sikorsky’s decision to offer the H-92 Superhawk, to our FOCUS Article covering the Boeing HH-47 Chinook’s contract win in November 2006, the CSAR-X/PRV program has been eventful.
February 26, 2007 added one more big event: the US Government Accountability Office, a non-partisan agency of Congress, upheld Sikorsky and Lockheed Martin’s protests over Boeing’s win. Would the GAO ruling be interpreted narrowly, triggering a double-checking exercise, or more broadly, triggering a renewed evaluation process? Worse, could the GAO’s follow-up defining the award’s problem areas create so many issues that further protests from whomever loses bring the program to a halt? The USAF released its RFP v2.0, but Sikorsky and Lockheed Martin filed renewed protests even before the new RFP’s due date. The USAF kept trying to push forward with an accelerated process, but barriers have mounted as it has lost – repeatedly. Meanwhile, the Pave Hawks aren’t getting any younger, or more capable.
DID looks at the 3 competing helicopters’ key advantages and disadvantages, and chronicles the events surrounding the GAO protest and subsequent developments. After their second loss before the GAO, the USAF has now decided to re-compete the contract – in full, with RFP Amendment 5. Which came out at about the same time as a report alleging that CSAR-X’s criteria were changed to allow Boeing’s HH-47 to compete. Meanwhile, almost $100 million is required to update the old HH-60 helicopters, as a result of all the delays.
The latest item is formal cancellation of the CSAR-X contract, per SecDef Gates’ FY 2010 budget recommendations…
POGO Updates Contractor Misconduct Database
22-Apr-2009 20:13 EDT |
Related Stories: Americas - USA, Boeing, GE, Issues - Political, Legal, Northrop-Grumman, Other Corporation, Scandals & Investigations
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In 2008, the US government set up a database for its own use, to track various forms of contractor misconduct. That database hasn’t been made public, but the American Project on Government Oversight (POGO) has collated information from various sources, and stepped into the gap at ContractorMisconduct.org. Their latest update adds 2007 contract data from USASpending.gov, and misconduct data from a range of other sources.
Defense firms are strongly represented among the top-earning federal contractors, which isn’t entirely surprising given industry consolidation over the past couple of decades. All of the top 10, and 15 of the top 20 individual contractors, have strong links to the defense industry. With respect to misconduct instances since 1995, #1 earner Lockheed Martin is also #1 (50), while #2 earner Boeing is 4th (31). Other defense-related firms in the negative 10 include G.E. (3rd, though their reach is far wider than defense), Honeywell (5th), Northrop Grumman (6th) and KBR (10th). Exxon Mobil, BP, Valero, and the University of California round out the negative 10.
“Misconduct” is a wide-ranging term that covers instances of environmental violations, prohibited trade and negotiating practices, labor issues, lawsuits launched by private citizens, securities fraud settlements, and more. There’s even one case involving employee embezzlement from the company PAC.
We’d be remiss if we failed to mention several firms with significant defense-related accounts, who received more than $1 billion in FY 2007 federal contracts, but have no instances of misconduct since 1995. In descending order of FY 2007 contract totals, they include Oshkosh Truck, The Bell-Boeing Joint Program (V-22 Osprey), PWC Logistics, Rockwell Collins, and EDO Corp. (now ITT).
