Rapid Fire 2011-10-14: HASC Asks, Don’t Cut in Haste
Oct 14, 2011 09:30 EDTRelated Stories: Alliances, Britain/U.K., Daily Rapid Fire, Engineering Vehicles, Europe - E.U., Issues - Political, Mergers & Acquisitions, Pre-RFP, Procurement Innovations, Submarines, Tanks & Mechanized
- US Army acquisition personnel has updated the Joint Assault Bridge (JAB) website several times in recent days to help contractors position themselves for the forthcoming Engineering & Manufacturing Development (EMD) phase of the project. JAB has an undisclosed amount of funding for FY12 and FY13. The current (very early) schedule looks at starting production at a low rate in FY15 and finishing deliveries in FY22, for a potential of 168 JABs for the Army and 29 for the USMC. Lots of Ts to cross and Is to dot until then. Because JAB will use the Abrams M1A1 hull, bidding involves ITAR exports control and a lot of the relevant material is posted as controlled unclassified information (CUI).
- In light of recent events in North Africa and the Middle East, the UK’s Foreign Secretary William Hague intends to introduce a “mechanism to allow immediate [defense/security export] licensing suspension to countries experiencing a sharp deterioration in security or stability.”
- Work got started on Anson, the 5th of a planned 7 British Royal Navy Astute class submarines.
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- Curious minds want to know why USCGC Stratton, the 3rd of 8 planned cutters, looked like she was listing starboard on her way off Huntington Ingalls Industries’ docks.
- The Thales/Safran asset swap deal which has been in the works for months is not quite ready yet: Reuters, L’Usine Nouvelle [in French].
- In the U.S. Naval War College’s /luce.nt/ Fall 2011 edition: Perceptions about the Indian Ocean [PDF] by Captain Sameer Saxen of the Indian Navy.
- Both US House Armed Services Committee (HASC) Chairman Buck McKeon (R-CA) and Ranking Member Adam Smith (D-WA) sent letters to the debt super committee to urge it to stick to the smallest possible defense cuts. Predictably, they don’t agree on whether to increase federal revenue through higher taxes. Meanwhile Mike Turner (R-OH), Chairman of the HASC Strategic Forces Subcommittee, criticized Ed Markey (D-MA) for his support of lowering nuclear weapons spending. The window of opportunity given to congressional committees to send recommendations to the super committee is closing today.
- Yesterday’s HASC hearing with Secretary of Defense Panetta and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Dempsey waded repeatedly on the rather unlikely, and in any case hypothetical, sequestration that would occur if the super committee failed to reach an agreement. On the other hand few new details emerged on where to apply the cuts that will happen no matter what. Dempsey sounded lukewarm in answer to Congressman Jeff Miller (R-FL)’s warm support for F-35B STOVL capabilities.
- Panetta insisted on starting from threats to define strategy then take budget decisions. On that scale, South Korea seemed a higher priority for him than Europe when it comes to keeping troops stationed abroad. Panetta also announced he wanted to make the DoD budget ready for audit by FY14 rather than FY17 (this wouldn’t mean full audits quite yet). Transcript; 1st video below.
- The UK House of Lords EU Subcommittee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Development Policy heard National Security Adviser Peter Ricketts on whether the European Union should have a defense role, an idea that Defence Ministrer Liam Fox recently brushed aside as redundant with NATO. (Fox currently faces more pressing issues.) Understated but cutting British humor was at play – mixed with diplomatic reassurances – when Ricketts went out of his way to highlight Belgium and Denmark’s military contributions. Ricketts says the EU has expertise and funding in the area between policing and military advising and peacekeeping. 2nd video below:
