• Concerns about China’s ability to disrupt electronics and defense manufacturing by withholding rare earth materials are blowing over thanks to a ramp up in domestic production. See also this CRS report [PDF].

• The US closed its military bases in the Philippines two decades ago but, like in the case of Vietnam, China is working hard to get America and its former colony to revisit their bilateral relationship. The Hill on the USMC’s presence | Latest CRS report [PDF].

• The Pentagon intends to fast-track cyberweapon procurement.
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• The Defense Acquisition University (DAU) put together a convenient chart [PPT] that compares major contract types – FPAF, CPIF, T&M et. al. – to show what risks they intend to mitigate, when they should be used, their main elements, what they commit the contractor to and where’s the incentive.

• The DAU’s 2012 industry day will take place on May 1st in Fort Belvoir, VA. On the agenda: affordable programs, efficiency, and DoD’s industrial base policy.

• Milnews.ca has a good round-up on Canada’s 2012 budget cuts.
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• The US Army will host [PDF] an industry day on April 24 in Sterling Heights, MI, to present its Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle (AMPV) program, a potential replacement for M113s with the goal of being both more survivable and more mobile. This one started in FY10 but is still really in the early stage. Following the Material Development Decision (MDD), the Analysis of Alternatives (AoA) is scheduled to be finished by FY13, starting the ramp-up of almost $500M in RDT&E spending over the FY12-17 period. See the latest published schedule at the bottom of this entry.

• Need to defend Japan? Call Gamera! Otherwise known as the J/FPS-5 radar, part of an interconnected set of air defense systems spotlighted by the Asahi Shimbun. Gamera is about to earn its keep again, as North Korea continues fueling a ballistic missile for mid-April launch.

• Market Opener: Raytheon has a 6-pound MCU that takes up less than 1/5 of a square foot, but will allow India’s “DARIN-II” modified Jaguar strike fighters to start using weapons like the firm’s GPS-guided AGM-154 JSOW glide bombs, AGM-65 Maverick missiles, Paveway laser and/or GPS guided bombs, and AIM-9M Sidewinder short range air-to-air missiles. All without massive changes to the plane’s wiring or software.
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Into that good night

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) excellence, 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, were pressing the USA to abandon its “no export” policy. Most already fly F-15s, but several were 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. That would have broadened the F-22 fleet in several important ways, but the US political system would not or could not respond.

This DID FOCUS Article covers both sides of the F-22 controversies in the USA and abroad, and tracks ongoing contracts. It has been restored to full public access, as the F-22 program of record winds down to its end.

• The F-22 Raptor: Key Capabilities
  • Raptor, Redux: Upgrading the Fleet
• The F-22 Raptor: Criticisms & Controversies
• F-22 Raptor: Program
• F-22 Raptor: Key Events
  • Events: 2010-2012
  • Events: 2006-2009
  • Events: Pre-2006
• F-22 Raptor: Contracts & Production [updated]
  • FY 2010-2012
  • FY 2006-2009
  • Pre-FY 2006
• Additional Readings & Sources: Key Components, Program, Official Reports, Controversies & Events
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Kfir C2 w. ALQ-167

Over the last 13 years, ATAC has performed a wide range of flight training operations for the US Navy, US Air Force and Air National Guard, including participation in US Navy fleet training, acting as adversary fighters for the “TOPGUN” program, Red Flag exercises and F-22 Raptor training; participating in JTAC/ FAC-A/ CAS ground controller training; and even serving American research & development programs like the Ship Self Defense System and ALE-50 towed decoy. Under their agreement with US Navy, their services have also been used to train militaries in the UK, Canada, Japan, the Philippines, and others.

Unlike most other contractors, who operate Learjets and similar business aircraft, ATAC operates fighters and attack jets:

• Fleet and Stores
• Contracts & Key Events [updated]
• Additional Readings
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Mitsubisihi F-2s

Japan already produces F-15J Eagle aircraft under license from Boeing, and in 1987 they selected Lockheed Martin F-16 fighter jet as the basis for a “local” design that would replace its 1970s era F-1s. The aim was to produce a less expensive fighter that would complement its F-15s, provide a bridge for key aerospace technology transfers, and give Japan’s aerospace industry experience with cutting-edge manufacturing and component technologies.

The F-2’s increased range is very useful to Japan, given their need to cover large land and maritime areas. Nevertheless, a combination of design decisions and meddling from Washington ensured that these fighters ended up costing almost as much as a twin-engine F-15J Eagle, without delivering the same performance. As a result, production ended early, and the 2011 tsunami made Japan’s fleet even smaller. The remaining fleet will continue to receive upgrades, in order to keep them combat capable for many years to come:

• Japan’s F-2 Program [updated]
  • F-2: The Aircraft
  • F-2: The Program
  • F-2: Industrial Partnerships
• Contracts & Key Events [updated]
• Additional Readings & Sources [updated]
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• Contract Pricing Reference Guides (CPRG) have been made available to the American defense acquisition workforce in PDF and MS Word format. They cover price and cost analysis, quantitative techniques for contract pricing, federal contract negotiation techniques, and a set of advanced topics such as how to forecast cost overruns or how to recognize and deal with defective pricing.

• US Army Chief of Staff Gen. Raymond T. Odierno said that if the Army must use Pacific forces outside the region, commanders will replace that capability to always maintain “a baseline of capability in the Pacific.” Meanwhile, his opinion of gold-plated, scifi-driven requirements: “I don’t want us to be driving up a 53-degree slope, and not at 35 mph.” [DID: after a quick search we haven’t found at what stage of the JLTV RFP drafting this specific requirement was made.]

• Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Osamu Fujimura wants their F-35s at the original price and delivery date.
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• German Defense Minister Thomas de Maiziere said the first rule of peace talks with the Taliban is, you don’t talk about peace talks. Well, he didn’t actually paraphrase Fight Club, but that’s the substance of his position expressed during a joint press conference with his American counterpart.

• Panetta and de Maiziere were also meeting to announce changes planned for US troops in Germany. The US Army will inactivate its 170th and 172nd infantry brigades this year and in fiscal 2014, respectively. Overall the US plans a rather moderate cut of 10,000 troops in Europe to a total of 70,000 by 2017. The Lexington Institute is asking where is the much-touted strategic pivot to the Asia-Pacific region?

• The RAND research firm published a paper trying to assess in what state al Qaeda currently is and notes that even though terrorist organizations rarely meet their strategic goals, some go on for decades. On Afghanistan:
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MK 41s in action

The naval MK 41 Vertical Launching System (VLS) hides missiles below decks in vertical slots, with key electronics and venting systems built in. A deck and hatch assembly at the top of the module protects the missile canisters from the elements, and from other hazards during storage. Once the firing sequence begins, the hatches open to permit missile launches of various types. It is also being adapted for land use, as part of the USA’s plan to forward-deploy ballistic missile defense in allied countries.

The Mk.41 is the most widely-used naval VLS in the world, in service with the US Navy and with many countries outside the United States. Lockheed Martin is the system’s prime contractor, and BAE Systems Land & Armaments also makes components and canisters for the MK 41 system. In September 2011, however, the US Navy assumed the role of final integrator:

• The MK 41 Family of Systems [updated]
• MK 41 VLS Contracts, FY 2006 – 2011 [updated]
• Additional Readings
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• Truth, Lies, Afghanistan – and what this has to do with the Army’s Future Combat Systems.

• Pakistan received its 18th and final new F-16C/D Block 52 fighter, and its 1st 2 upgraded F-16 fighters, under a multi-billion set of deals with the USA and Turkey.

• India’s potential AH-64D Block III attack helicopter buy may have an additional bonus: the use of FIM-92H Stinger ATAS anti-aircraft missiles on other Indian helicopters as well.
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