Rapid Fire: 2011-09-01 | Fraud, Waste in Iraq and Afghanistan

Sep 01, 2011 11:10 UTC by Defense Industry Daily staff
  • The Commission on Wartime Contracting (CWC) formally submits Transforming Wartime Contracting – Controlling costs reducing risks [PDF] to Congress. The report says that at least $31 billion has been lost to contract waste and fraud in Iraq and Afghanistan, and offers 15 recommendations for contracting reform.
  • General David Petraeus uses his retirement speech (see video at the bottom of this entry) to pay tribute to those who steered the US military through its ‘hollow force’ era. Petraeus also emphasized the importance of safeguarding gains made in Iraq and Afghanistan against a backdrop of change in the Middle East and reduced defense expenditure.
  • Indian defence sources have outlined the ministry’s ‘flagrant violation’ of offset rules for a number of high-profile contracts. RAC MiG’s $964 million deal to upgrade India’s MiG-29 fighters and the purchase of Boeing C-17 Globemaster III heavy transport aircraft are among the contracts under the spotlight.

  • With reports that the sea trials for its first aircraft carrier proceeded ‘as expected’, China declares that the modernization of its armed forces will not alter the nation’s defensive security policies. China also continues to refute the Department of Defense’s (DoD) recent report [PDF], this time citing improved defense ties with India and Vietnam.

  • As the UK Ministry of Defence formally announces the first tranche of the Armed Forces Redundancy Programme, Defence Secretary Liam Fox says the redundancies are the result of financial mismanagement by the previous Labour Government.

  • The US Navy awards Sotera Defense Solutions a contract potentially worth up to $34 million for laboratory and sea based acoustic technique studies. The Navy also awards Canadian Commercial Corporation a contract with a potential value of $73.5 million for MX-15DHi and MX-15Di camera turrets. A $52 million contract was also awarded to FLIR Systems for a range of SAFIRE HD imaging systems.

  • Australia releases a Request for Tender for the sale of the Royal Australian Navy’s (RAN) remaining Sea King helicopters. Closing date for tenders is the 1st November 2011, with the helicopters withdrawn from service the following month.

  • Interest in China’s J-20 stealth fighter continues, with a video of the aircraft’s canopy and weapons bay opening prompting comparison to the F-22 Raptor.
    • Categories: Asia - Other, Australia & S. Pacific, Boeing, Britain/U.K., Budgets, China, Contracts - Awards, Daily Rapid Fire, Fighters & Attack, Helicopters & Rotary, India, Industry & Trends, Leadership & People, Middle East - Other, Official Reports, Other Corporation, Projections & Assessments, Russia, Scandals & Investigations, Surface Ships - Combat, Transport & Utility, USA

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