• The RAND Corporation published a report prepared for the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) on what it would take to sustain a competitive military aircraft industry in the US. It comes with plenty of charts on research and procurement spending by contractor and by program, with historical context going back to 1980 and projections into 2025. Among the sustainment scenarios the research firm looked at: resuming production of F-22s for export, and starting a new bomber.

• Wired: “The Defense Department’s networks, as currently configured, are ‘not defensible,’ according to the general in charge of protecting those networks.” Among other threats, malware that targets DoD smart cards.

• The US Army is pausing its Enterprise Email migration until it has finished turning it into a formal acquisition program with the Army Acquisition Executive as its milestone decision authority (MDA), then reported to Congress.

• Preserving technical documentation across decades, from old-school 2D printed blueprints to CAD computer files in various formats is proving to be a headache because of physical deterioration, skill loss and fast digital obsolescence. Libraries around the world have been working on long-term preservation methodologies for years individually and together through organizations such as the OCLC, but they don’t face the same operational obligations.

• US, Israel postpone “Austere Challenge” missile defense exercise.

• The USA’s 2nd Independence Class Littoral Combat Ship (LCS 4 Coronado) is christened.

• Over at HII, they’re touting a naval “Patrol Frigate 4921” that could be based on the US Coast Guard’s frigate-sized Legend Class National Security Cutters. They’ll need a customer, though.

• The British Armed Forces are about to go through their 2nd tranche of personnel reduction of up to 400 people in the Navy, 900 in the Air Force and 2,900 in the Army.

• Canada’s Ottawa Citizen: “The deputy minister of Defence approved a $374,000 renovation to his executive suite just three weeks after the department circulated a business plan highlighting the need to save money and eliminate the jobs of at least 2,100 civilian public servants…”

Sniper on F-16

$600M+ LITENING support contract could include ATP-SE upgrades. (Dec 19/11)

At the end of September 2010, the USAF dropped something of a bombshell. Under their $2.3 billion Advanced Targeting Pod – Sensor Enhancement (ATP-SE) contract, the service that had begun standardizing on one future surveillance and targeting pod type decided to change course, and split its buys.

This decision is a huge breakthrough for Northrop Grumman, whose LITENING pod had lost the USAF’s initial 2001 Advanced Targeting Pod competition. As a result of that competition, the USAF’s buys had shifted from LITENING to Sniper pods, and Lockheed Martin’s Sniper became the pod of choice for integration onto new USAF platforms. Since then, both of these pods have chalked up procurement wins around the world, and both manufacturers kept improving their products. That continued competition would eventually change the landscape once again…

• ATP-SE: Evolution in Action
• ATP-SE: The Competitors [updated]
• Contracts & Key Events: ATP-SE
• Contracts & Key Events: ATP-SE Lead-Ins [updated]
• Additional Readings
  Continue Reading… »

• After the cremated remains of at least 274 fallen US service-members, and 1,762 other unidentified body parts, were unceremoniously thrown into a county landfill as waste, Tom Ricks says that “either the Air Force Secretary, its Chief of Staff, or both” need to resign; “It’s not a colonel’s problem”. He makes a strong case. Meanwhile Congresswoman Renee Ellmers [R-NC] wants to legislate.

• The US House of Representatives approved the 2012 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) after the White House lifted its veto threat. The bill should now sail through the Senate and be made into law within the next few days. Which means focus will shift to FY13 and beyond. HASC Chairman Howard McKeon (R-CA) is introducing a bill as he had said he would to avoid sequester in 2013. The Senate is also on it, as per the video at the bottom of this entry. Also, representatives Mark Critz (D-PA-12) and Mo Brooks (R-AL-05) created last week a congressional caucus for Army Aviation (AAC).

• L-3 Communications bought for $210M in cash Kollmorgen Electro-Optical (KEO), a $160M/year unit of Danaher Corporation that employs about 550 people in Massachusetts and Italy. KEO will complement’s L-3s existing Sensor Systems division.

• Boeing and KAI deliver the 2nd E-737 AEW&C “Peace Eye” plane to South Korea’s air force.

• Boeing’s CONECT upgrade for the B-52H bomber is done flight testing. Now it’s up to the USAF to decide if they want to move forward.

• Alenia & EADS Cassidian sign an MoU to explore MALE UAV and UCAV co-operation, as the Obama administration waffles on selling armed UAVs. Talarion is mentioned explicitly, but anything they come up with will have to face the BAE/Dassault team (Mantis/Telemos), as well as potential offerings from Thales. Looks like Europe will have multiple UAV nodes, after all.

• Lockheed Martin announces that they have delivered the next-generation GPS-III’s Non Flight Satellite Testbed (GNST) to Denver, CO, where they’ve opened their new GPS-III manufacturing line.

• The US Navy’s Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command (SPAWAR) has delayed the release of Next Generation Enterprise Network (NGEN) RFP by several weeks – it was originally due for next week.

• Here’s a short primer on the various types of issuances from the Pentagon: Memorandums (DTMs), Instructions (DoDIs), Manuals (DoDMs), and Administrative Instructions (AIs). DTMs are effective for just 180 days. DoDOs establish or implement policy, and provide general procedures. Manuals implement or supplement policy stated in the two previous types of document. Finally AIs provide administrative guidance.

• Sweden has expanded its military exports to 60+ countries at a $2B+/year pace.

• Italy shared its stats on its participation in Libyan operations, adding to the metrics collected on this conflict.

• The Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA) offers an Indian perspective on China’s tentative presence in the Seychelles. (IDSA is funded by the Indian Ministry of Defence but functions autonomously.)

• In Australia, Kim Carr’s demotion from cabinet-level Minister of Innovation and Industry to (non-cabinet) Minister for Defence Materiel and Minister for Manufacturing as part of a larger reshuffle is getting some push-back both from within the left in power and from the right-wing opposition. Outgoing Jason Clare is promoted to Minister for Home Affairs.
  Continue Reading… »

B-2A Spirit

In September 2011, Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems in Palmdale, CA received a $109.6 million a firm-fixed-price contract “for aft decks applicable to B-2 aircrafts.” We asked Northrop Grumman about this, and they said that this stealth bomber contract was about buying spares with improved durability. The aft deck shields the composite airframe from the heat of the engines’ exhaust, and the redesign follows a thorough thermal and structural analysis of the aft deck, its adjoining structures and the operating environment.

Work will be performed in Palmdale, CA and in St. Augustine, FL, until April 19/16. The Defense Logistics Agency Aviation at Tinker Air Force Base, OK manages the contract (SPRTA1-11-C-0112). While the B-2 fleet’s FAST umbrella contract covers most modifications and maintenance, this is separate from FAST.

• Following the release of its annual assessment of China’s military power, a US Department of Defense official suggests that Beijing has also developed a ‘workable design’ of its DF-21D anti-ship ballistic missile. Meanwhile, China has continued its condemnation by saying the report indulged in exaggeration and ‘groundless suspicion’.

• Successful test of the CONECT upgrade to USAF B-52H heavy bombers; program on track to finish ground and flight tests in October 2011.

• EADS passes a half way point, delivers the 180th UH-72A light utility helicopter to the US military.

• The US Navy confirms the successful test-flight of a T-45 Goshawk trainer using biofuel.

• Following Hugo Chavez’s recent gratitude for Russian assistance in re-equipping Venezuela’s armed forces, diplomatic sources reveal that Moscow is preparing to loan Caracas an additional $4 billion for military purchases.

• The US Air Force awards Vision Systems International a $36 million contract for electrical and electronic equipment components.

• Rosoboronexport delivers 6 Mi-17 helicopters to Indonesia. A $56 million contract was signed by Jakarta and the state-owned corporation for the helicopters.

• The US military continues to reallocate hundreds of millions toward surveillance, mostly for Special Operations. But are they looking for ISR in all the wrong places?

• With the end of the Libyan conflict seemingly in sight, a number of interesting stories are beginning to emerge. France confirms the deployment of its EADS/IAI Harfang unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) over Libyan airspace. Qatar also punched above its weight by providing military training and special forces.

• Reuters reports that the Chinese language Liberation Army Daily newspaper has published an article advocating that China builds up cyber warfare capabilities to counter American attempts to “seize the commanding military heights on the Internet”.

• Boeing will lay off up to 225 people at its Wichita, KS facility,  as the civilian and military demand cycle drops for certain programs. The Wichita facility is involved in programs like the C-40 Clipper executive and transport fleet, E-4B and E-6B national command aircraft, ongoing support for the B-52H bomber, and soon, final conversion of the KC-46A aerial tankers.

• The French  Directorate General of Armaments awards Zodiac Milpro [PDF] a contract for 20 multi-purpose commando RIBs (ECUME) and four air delivery systems (SLE).

• Rheinmetall unveils new HE DM-11 secondary ammunition for MBT 120mm smoothbore guns. The HE DM-11 can be fired from any in-service 120 mm smoothbore gun and is deemed safe to fire in all climate zones.

• As the Arctic continues to increase in strategic significance Defence Watch considers the Canadian Armed Forces’ procurement requirements.

• Now a former U.S. defense industry CEO joins the debate regarding China’s J-20 fighter.

• Danger Room ponders over the topics to be covered by DARPA’s 100 Years Starship conference. The program ties ethical and moral concerns to DARPA’s quest to achieve interstellar flight by 2111. If Jack Kirby’s - the creator of the Silver Surfer cartoon – comments are anything to go by, then the defense industry will be more than welcome to attend.

All together now…

Britain’s practice of “contracting for availability” for key equipment, rather than paying for spare parts and maintenance hours, may be its most significant defense procurement reform. In a world where older air, sea, and ground vehicle fleets are growing maintenance demands beyond countries’ available budgets, it’s an approach whose success could have global significance.

Across the pond, the USA is significantly behind in this area. Fortunately, they have not ignored the model entirely. Recent changes to the contracts covering their B-2 Spirit stealth bomber fleet demonstrate that some progress is being made, via a $3+ billion commitment from 2009-2014, and 2 parallel development programs that are changing key sub-systems…

• FAST, Revised
• Affiliated Efforts: RMP & EHF [NEW]
• Contracts & Key Events [updated]
• Additional Readings [updated]
  Continue Reading… »

• House Armed Services Committee approves $690 billion defense authorization bill for FY 2012: among other things, the bill would 1) allow GE and Rolls Royce to continue development of the F136 engine for the F-35 fighter at their own expense, 2) continue funding production of the General Dynamics-produced M1 Abrams tank despite Army’s plan to suspend production for 3 years to save money, and 3) require DLA to develop a plan for a competitive supply chain for rare earth metals used in advanced weaponry. #3 will get easier, as new sites are coming on-stream.

• Pakistan launches an inquiry, tries to figure out how US Special Forces got within 40 km of Islamabad to kill Bin Laden, without being detected. This may offer a clue.

• Meanwhile: “Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has warned that continuing to work with the United States could imperil his government, unless Washington takes drastic steps to restore trust and win the hearts of Pakistanis.” President Obama could say much the same thing, in reverse.

• US must preserve defense industrial base in era of defense budget cuts, warns Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn. Easier said than done.

• The DoD’s large space acquisition programs have experienced billions of dollars in cost overruns, schedule delays, and increased technical risks resulting in capability gaps in missile warning, military communications, and weather monitoring, concludes a GAO report. DID readers already knew all that.

• Despite President Obama’s New START treaty with Russia, the USAF hopes to hold on to more than 40 of its B-52H bombers, which have seen extensive use in conventional wars. The USAF’s plan was to keep 76 total.

• Philippine Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin tells Senate panel he will crack down on corruption in weapons procurement. We’ll believe it if we see it.

• Thailand gets a C-212-400 from Airbus Military – adapted for use as a rain-making plane.

• Russian Comptroller’s Office says Energomash sold RD-180 engines [PDF] for the Atlas V rocket at half of the production cost, losing $32 million as a result. Maybe they can make it up on volume…

• US Special Operations Command expects to award a contract for a mid-endurance UAV by end of June.

• Booz & Co’s strategy + business magazine: “Service Operations as a Secret Weapon.” Memo from Russia’s military customers, to Russia – read this, will you?

• Why no F-22As over Libya?

• If you have complaints about low-flying RAF aircraft, there’s one country that seems to be missing from the official complaints page.

• Want a Type 42 air defense destroyer? Or just an SAS combat smock? Britain’s Disposal Services Authority may be the place for you.

• Germany upgrades Afghan contingent with more protected vehicles, other supplies – to include Marder 1A5 IFVs.

• Russian naval strike aircraft will be reassigned to Russian Air Force by the end of 2011. Naval strike aircraft include Tu-22M3 Backfire long-range bombers, MiG-31 Foxhound interceptors, Su-27 Flanker fighter jets, and Su-24 Fencer attack aircraft.

• ATK snags $49 million US Navy contract to produce 5.56mm and 7.62mm ammunition for use in the MK16 and MK17 Special Operations Combat Assault Rifle (SCAR).

• Sikorsky’s X2 compound helicopter wins the 2010 (100th) Collier Trophy for aviation achievement.

• USAF Air Combat Command’s new HC-130J combat search and rescue plane completes developmental testing, will begin deliveries in August 2011 alongside AFSOC’s MC-130J Combat Shadow IIs. Both are part of the C-130J Super Hercules family.

• BAE Systems gets GBP 22.5 million contract to provide training support to the Royal Navy’s submarine and mine warfare command team.

• Philippine commission finds a “staggering amount” of fraud in military procurement (and pretends to be surprised). Department of National Defense finalizes measures to prevent further fraud. Color us skeptical.

• The UAE is increasing pensions for military personnel by 70%, and giving bonuses to ministry of defense and armed forces staff, in a move seen as an effort to shore up loyalty.

• Defense budget cuts split HASC Republicans between hawks and Tea Partiers.

• With a bevy of batteries weighing soldiers down, MIT’s research into mini gas turbines in a silicon chip promises a possible way out.

• US Army’s Dugway Proving Ground, which stores and tests chemical and biological weapons, reopens after a lockdown because of a “serious concern within the test area.”

• Hard to find is one thing. But could it be possible to make a submarine completely invisible to sonar? Experiments by scientists at the University of Illinois indicate that a sonic cloak may be possible.

• Lockheed Martin rocks 4th quarter with an 18.9% jump in net earnings.

• URS gets up to $63 million to provide engineering, program management, analysis, and logistics support for the B-2 bomber program.

• CACI gets $238 million in national security intelligence support work.

• Eurofighter CEO sees 2011 as a pivotal year, in order to avoid the end of production in 2015. India’s M-MRCA competition, and hopes of a “Tranche 3B” from its consortium countries, are the key underpinnings.

• The Marines recently said they’re more focused on local police and governance than on technology in Afghanistan. They won’t be the only ones cheering the recent firings of many Afghan police officials.

• One of the USAF’s big technologies, meanwhile, is on shaky ground. The twin-pod Gorgon Stare payload for UAVs and aircraft is supposed to let troops cover square kilometers with surveillance, instead of looking through a soda straw. But the left-wing CDI reveals that a recent testing report gave it a terrible rating. The US Air Force has some disagreements with that assessment, but probably regrets their recent boasting to the Washington Post. So does Chuck Spinney, albeit for a different set of reasons.

• Meanwhile, ex-Army general Stan McChrystal talks about his aggressive pursuit of tech on the battlefield – and the human side that makes it worth anything.