Rapid Fire 2011-09-14: Carter Hearing | FY12 DOD Appropriations Subcommittee Markup

Sep 14, 2011 08:15 UTC by Defense Industry Daily staff
  • KMW introduces a new variant of their blast-resistant Dingo vehicle. The Dingo-2 Heavy Duty increases payload carriage to 3 tonnes.
  • Immersive simulation: not just for fighter pilots any more. Quantum 3D and Intelligent Decisions partner [PDF] to provide the US Army with its wearable ExpeditionDI platform, as the Close Combat Tactical Training – Dismounted Soldier Training System (CCTT-DSTS).
  • More attacks in Libya, still, by MBDA’s stealthy Storm Shadow/ Scalp cruise missiles. They’re dropped by RAF Tornados, but the effect may be to help sell Scalp-compatible French Rafale fighters to Qatar and the UAE.
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  • If you haven’t seen “Inside the Ghost Ships of the Mothball Fleet,” with accounts and photos from infiltrations aboard US MARAD’s rusting National Defense Reserve Fleet (NDRF, incl. the stealth Sea Shadow and the battleship Iowa), it’s worth your time.

  • In the latest Advanced Materials, Manufacturing, and Testing Information Analysis Center (AMMTIAC) Quarterly [PDF]: how to accelerate the transition to new advanced materials within DOD programs; blast resistant fenestration design and testing; and clean halon fire extinguishants.

  • UK Defence Secretary Dr Liam Fox advocates cooperation between the ministry he heads and industry to drive British exports.

  • Among the US Senate DOD Appropriations subcommittee (SAC-D) recommendations in its FY12 markup: an almost $1B increase in defense healthcare, $4B+ in reductions to Army operation and maintenance, MRAP survivability and Abrams upgrades, a 2nd MLP, a $695M reduction to JSF (an earlier statement erroneously stated $1.2B), and no JLTV. As stated last week, the topline numbers are a flat $513B baseline and $117.6B overseas contingency operations (OCO).

  • The Senate Armed Services Committee held a confirmation hearing on the nomination of Ashton Carter to deputy secretary of Defense (video). The future of the F-35 program is front and center in the discussion surrounding Carter’s promotion from his role as chief of acquisitions. The subject of the jet’s single or dual-engine sourcing also came up: Carter is willing to meet team F136. In his opening remarks, John McCain (R-AZ) emphasized the need to tackle cost overruns, reprogramming requests and sheer waste. McCain said it would be “unacceptable” to delay the DOD’s comprehensive strategic review to next year. John Cornyn (R-TX) said this morning he’ll vote in approval. Senator Claire McCaskill (D-MO) said F/A-18 MYP procurement is the “poster child of good“, in stark contrast to JSF.

  • The deficit reduction committee had a hearing yesterday on the drivers behind American debt (video embedded below). The Aerospace Industries Association gave an award to Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) who co-chairs the supercommittee. AIA insisted these two events were entirely coincidental. OK. Murray, a member of the Appropriations Defense subcommittee and a founding member of the Aerospace Caucus, is well known as a strong Boeing supporter – and vice versa.

    • Categories: Britain/U.K., Daily Rapid Fire, Europe - Other, France, Memoriam, Middle East - Other, Other Corporation, Simulation & Training, Surface Ships - Other, USA

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