Small business qualifier CSI Armoring in Miami, FL won the full delivery order amount of $7.8 million as part of a firm-fixed-price contract for Armored Sport Utility Vehicles. Work will be performed in Miami, FL and is expected to be complete by May 24/08. There were 6 bids solicited on Aug 13/07, and 14 bids were received by the Multi-National Security Transition Command – Iraq in Baghdad, Iraq (GS-07F-08-0001).

A-10A at Al Asad
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The A-10C Thunderbolt (aka. Warthog, or Hog) close air support aircraft program has begun fielding aircraft for use in Iraq, where the new SADL data link and targeting pod + ROVER compatibility in particular have made a big difference in the air and on the ground. The A-10C is a deep refurbishing program that will take some time to perform all of the required conversions, however, and so the US Air National Guard & USAF Reserves are moving to field some of its key capabilities right now, via a quick A-10A+ upgrade that doesn’t involve redoing the wiring and power layout, changing the data bus, et. al.

That program was the obliquely-discussed subject of an October 2007 release from BAE Systems; after working with them, we’re able to explain the full program and its key benefits in more detail…

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In November 2005, “Taiwan Orders F-16 Training in USA, But Larger Defense Buys Remain in Limbo” described the gridlock that had hampered key weapons sales of P-3 maritime patrol aircraft, Patriot PAC-3 missiles, and diesel-electric submarines to Taiwan – in some case, since 1997. The opposition KMT party’s flip-flop, and determined stalling tactics, led to all manner of accusations, and eventually created a crisis in US-Taiwan relations. The US began to qualify its assertion that it would defend Taiwan unless Taiwan showed that it would defend itself, and finally refused a Taiwanese request for F-16C/D aircraft.

That seems to have brought things to a head. On Sept 12/07, Taiwan submitted a formal DSCA request for 12 P-3C Orion aircraft that could be worth up to $1.96 billion. On Nov 9/07, it was followed by an official request to upgrade their 3 existing Patriot fire units by adding PAC-3 elements, creating a setup similar to Israel’s ABM-capable PAC-2 GEM+ in a contract worth up to $939 million. These are must-have capabilities when facing a Chinese government that has vowed to take the country by force, and who has spent a great deal of time and effort in recent years building both an extensive submarine fleet and a large array of ballistic missiles.

ROC Seadragon sub
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Word is that the USA has asked Taiwan to hold off on the F-16 request for now to avoid a direct “no,” which implies that a strong lobbying effort from China has a chance of dooming that effort, as it has stalled the much more complicated effort to find a party who is (a) able to make diesel-electric subs; and (b) is willing to sell them to Taiwan. Will these orders help break the F-16 logjam? Can the broader relationship be saved? Those are questions for the future. This Spotlight article will focus on the here-and-now instead, chronicling key developments and purchases as they arise…

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L-3 Communications Government Services of Chantilly, VA received an indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity contract for $136.5 million, in exchange for for Academic, Training and Exercise Contract Support (ATECS) to to the 505th Command and Control Wing. The 505th is a subordinate unit to the United States Air Force Warfare Center at Nellis Air Force Base, NV, which serves as the lead agency to pull command and control together across the Air Force. The 505th describes itself as the “gateway to operational excellence.” Their mission is to improve and standardize tactics, training, testing, exercises, and experimentation for command of air and space power, including developing the Air and Space Operations Center (AOC) and developing and integrating joint live-virtual-constructive (LVC) training capabilities within the Air Force Distributed Mission Operations Center (DMOC).

L-3 will furnish qualified personnel to conduct operational level, and in some cases tactical level, command and control instruction/academics, training, curriculum development, exercise planning and execution, Operational Command Training Program, and experimentation support to the 505th Command and Control Wing in order to “build the predominant air and space command and control capability for joint and combined warfighters.” At this time $25.5 million has been obligated. Air Combat Command at Hurlburt Field FL issued the contract (FA4890-08-D-0001, Task order 0001).

LAV-TUA
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Raytheon Company has just announced a $17 million U.S. Army contract to build 462 TOW-2A RF bunker buster missiles for the Canadian Army., whose fragmenting, high-explosive warhead is combined with a new wireless radio frequency command data link, rather than the wire connection that the anti-armor missile has used since it was introduced more than 30 years ago.

Because the wireless system is built into the missile and the missile case, wireless TOW is compatible with all existing TOW 2-capable ground launchers including the Canadian Light Armored Vehicle, TOW Under Armor (LAV-TUA) with the Improved Target Acquisition System (ITAS). The Canadian contract is the first international sale of the TOW-2A RF, though Israel has also requested them and is likely to receive them shortly.

UH-72A LUH
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The UH-72A Light Utility Helicopter is modified commercial EC145 helicopter adapted for military use. To date, it has represented several things. A key spinoff of the canceled RAH-66 Comanche program, representing an acknowledgment that the quantity of birds in the air has a quality all its own. A major breakthrough for European defense giant EADS in the American market, to complement Eurocopter’s pull away lead over Bell and Sikorsky (but not Robinson) in the civilian sector. A big win for Mississippi’s lobbying contingent. A model of on-budget, on-time delivery. Perhaps even the next Armed Reconaissance Helicopter as well, given Bell’s issues with the ARH-70A’s price?

Unfortunately, the LUH has just encountered its first spot of trouble. The Associated Press reports that during flight tests in Southern California in 80-degree weather, cockpit temperatures in the UH-72A Lakota rose above 104 degrees, the designated critical point for communication, navigation and flight control systems…

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The November 2007 issue of Vanity Fair contains an article covering the multi-billion LOGCAP-III contract in Iraq. More specifically, it covers qui tam lawsuits launched by former KBR contractor employees, alleging fraud and/or misconduct on the part of that Halliburton subsidiary. This is no small matter in the USA; the qui tam (“who sues on behalf of the King as well as for himself”) system was instituted by Abraham Lincoln to allow private citizens to sue on the government’s behalf, and collect a share (usually about 18%) of the 3x damages awarded if they win. Many of these individuals are currently represented by Alan Grayson, a lawyer with extensive government contracting experience and the unusual distinction of having been a successful entrepreneur before he began his legal career. Given the expense of these drawn-out contingency-fee suits, the ability to be able to afford $10 million or so in expenses without blinking is no small asset.

Normally, we might just provide a link to the story and move on. Unfortunately, we can’t do that in good conscience, as there are a number of elements in the Vanity Fair article that are overblown, or indicate a weaker understanding of the field than one needs to possess when writing such serious allegations. That would disqualify our coverage in most cases, but there are also some elements that would appear to involve very clear-cut cases of wrongdoing, backed by strong documented evidence.

All of that will eventually be decided in trials, but none of it can be ignored or dismissed on account of the media source. The military and its contractors do not exist in an isolated bubble, and regardless of the source, the content of the allegations must be addressed in the courts of law and of public opinion.

In the end, therefore, an editorial decision was made to be of some service in this debate by pointing out some elements that appear poorly understood in the article and offering additional perspectives, while also listing a number of the more serious and substantive allegations being made by these former contractor employees. DID readers with additional insights to add are welcome to submit them to tips@, here at defenseindustrydaily.com…

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Radar height matters
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As “The Hunt for the Affordable Weapon™” noted:

“Just as anti-ballistic missile technology is developing itself for the coming age of the rogue state, America’s nets are slowly being drawn up against the cruise missile threat from those states… and one day, of less-than-states. Persistent surveillance is reaching beyond the limitations of aircraft, and into constant surveillance using lighter-then-air platforms like JLENS tethered aerostats, HAA airships with huge flexible IRIS radars, and even Navy blimps. Fighters are being fitted with AESA radars as their cost of manufacture drops and new generations are bought, and interlocking land and naval defenses that include SM-2/3 missiles, mobile SLAMRAAM and MEADS missile launchers, and longer-range systems like THAAD that can be used against air-breathing threats in a pinch. All this is being networked into a single net via developments like Cooperative Engagement Capability, and more. In time, logic will also demand investments like very long-range supersonic ramjet air-air missiles to extend the intercept circle of patrolling aerial platforms, or threaten key enemy assets like AWACS and tankers behind the front lines. All this and more lies ahead, born of necessity in America – and beyond.”

Now the USA’s House Appropriations Committee has mandated both classified and unclassified reports covering domestic cruise missile defense capabilities, their deployment, and their integration into the ballistic missile defense system (BMDS). Aviation Week reports that the Senate has concurred with this language in negotiations, which is likely to place more weight behind, and scrutiny upon, the programs named above. Read Aerospace Daily & Defense Report’s “Attention Turning To Cruise Missiles Defense” for more.

F-35 Variants
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The F-35 Lightning II is a major multinational program which is intended to produce an “affordably stealthy” multi-role strike fighter that will have three variants: the F-35A conventional version for the US Air Force et. al.; the F-35B Short Take-Off, Vertical Landing for the US Marines, British Royal Navy, et. al.; and the F-35C conventional carrier-launched version for the US Navy. The aircraft is named after Lockheed’s famous WW2 P-38 Lightning, and the Mach 2, stacked-engine English Electric (now BAE) Lightning jet. System development partners included The USA & Britain (Tier 1), Italy and the Netherlands (Tier 2), and Australia, Canada, Denmark, Norway and Turkey (Tier 3). Now the challenge is agreeing on production phase membership and arrangements, to be followed by initial purchase commitments around 2008-2009.

This updated article has expanded to feature more detail regarding the $300 billion F-35 program, including other contracts as well as notable events. As a result of reader feedback, we’ll make the new material more visible by putting it in green type. Recent news involves power-on of the first production F-35B, some success in the ongoing effort to avoid carrying the pilot off on a spinal board after he ejects, a $700+ million effort to avoid creating a second-class export version of the aircraft, a contract for its ALIS maintenance hub, and design issues that have grounded the test fleet…

• The F-35 Family of Aircraft (i.e. “Continue reading…”)
• F-35 Program: Production Timelines & Structure
• F-35 Program: Events & Developments (FY 2006-07)
• F-35 Program: System Development & Production Contracts (FY 2006-07)
• F-35 Program: Ancillary and Sub-contracts
• Additional Readings & Sources
  
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Honeywell Technology Solutions, Inc. in Jacksonville, FL received a $42.3 million modification to previously awarded cost-plus-award-fee contract (M67004-99-C-0002) to exercise the 9th option period for Fiscal Year 2008, for the Maritime Prepositioning Ships (MPS) Program and the Marine Corps Prepositioning Program-Norway (MCPP-N) Contract. The Marine Corps Prepositioning Program-Norway (MCPP-N) consists of 3 equipment caves, 3 ammunition caves, and 2 hangars loaded with prepositioning equipment and supplies located in Norway. This option includes logistics services that covers maintenance both in CONUS and OCONUS, supply support, inventory management, IT support, preservation and packaging, organic support, and shipping and receiving.

Work will be performed in Jacksonville, FL (86%); aboard 16 MPS ships (12%); and in 6 locations in Norway (2%), and work is expected to be complete September 2008. This contract was competitively procured with 33 proposals solicited and 6 offers received via the Commerce Business Daily. The U.S. Marine Corps Blount Island Command in Jacksonville, FL issued the contract.