Coronado Naval Base
Parking lot

In August 2011, US Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Pacific in Pearl Harbor, HI issued an indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity, multiple-award contract for “reliable locally generated solar alternating current power” at military installations in its area of responsibility.

The contract announcement comes hard on the heels of an official unveiling for a new US Army Energy Initiatives Office Task Force, which aims to “leverage industry for the execution of large-scale renewable and alternative energy projects on Army installations”...

In August 2011, Energy Focus, Inc. in Solon, OH received a $23.1 million firm-fixed-price contract to design and manufacture “energy efficient, solid state lighting for general illumination on Navy ships to upgrade all the legacy lighting systems with new energy efficient, solid state lighting as part of the Navy’s green initiative.” Work on this first delivery order will be performed in Solon, OH, and is expected to be completed by Dec 1/11, while $1.2 million will expire at the end of the current fiscal year, on Sept 30/11. This contract was competitively awarded on a best-value basis, with 3 offers received by the US Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division, Ship System Engineering Station in Philadelphia, PA (N65540-11-D-0009).

The SSL program actually began when a submarine sonar technician, irritated by the constant buzz of his LED bunk lamp, asked if the Navy could find an LED replacement…

Fluor builds LOGCAP housing
in southern Afghanistan

$313 million to KBR for LOGCAP work in Iraq; 2009 contracts backfilled. (Aug 3/11)

The US Army’s sole provider LOGCAP 3 contract, which provided food, housing and fuel for U.S. troops worldwide, generated lots of controversy because government audits of the sole supplier’s (Halliburton-KBR) work were unable to fully account for millions of dollars or justify all charges to the Pentagon’s satisfaction.

To address perceived problems of LOGCAP 3, the Army awarded the follow-on contract, LOGCAP 4, to 3 companies – KBR, DynCorp and Fluor – who compete for task orders.

The LOGCAP 4 contracts are indefinite-quantity/ indefinite-delivery contracts with 1 base year and 9 option years. Each contract has a maximum value of $5 billion per year. This allows the Army to award a total annual maximum value of $15 billion and a lifetime maximum value of $150 billion…

• Boeing charged the US Army $13 million more than the “fair and reasonable” price for 18 parts, the DoD Inspector General concludes [PDF]; so far, Boeing has refunded $1.6 million.

• House Armed Services Committee panels release details of FY 2012 National Defense Authorization Act markups.

• Australia’s DoD adapting to new disclosure rules for all government agencies.

• Australia delivers its initial report on its MRH-90 (NH90) helicopter program. Short version? The program’s on probation.

• US AFSOC begins running a transportable $7.5M waste to energy plasma system at Hurlburt Airfield, FL. It has 5x more capacity than the next biggest system using this technology.

• The textile specialists at Ehmke Manufacturing have designed a new system of body armor vests and attachments they call “Higher Ground.” They’ve put some thought into it, too… check it out.

• NATO-related spending is expected to fuel a turnaround in the Romanian defense market, from a 1.5% decline from 2006 to 2010 to 2.8% annual growth through 2015, according to iCD Research.

• ATK receives more than $488 million in US Army orders to produce a mix of 5.56mm, 7.62mm and .50 caliber military ammunition at the Lake City Army Ammunition Plant in Independence, Mo.

• A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket is scheduled to launch the first satellite (GEO-1) of the Space Based Infrared System (SBIRS)-High satellite constellation on May 6 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, FL.

• MCR in McLean, VA wins an $8.8 million contract to provide management and acquisition support for NATO’s Consultation, Command, and Control Agency.

• Researchers find that helmets with 1/8 inch more foam padding would offer better protection against soldiers’ brain injuries.

• DoD issues 27 contracts totaling $191 million under the Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative program for academic research projects [PDF] with potential military applications.

• DARPA is looking for industry help in developing “flexible/robust energy storage systems” that can use renewable energy sources for forward operating bases.

• Up to $163 million [PDF] to General Dynamics for demilitarization of 8 munitions families including high explosive bombs, improved conventional munitions, fuzes, Explosive D bombs and ammunition ranging for 25mm to 106mm calibers at the US Army Contracting Command in Rock Island, IL.

• Japan is seeking stronger military ties with the US, says Japanese Defense Minister Toshimi Kitazawa.

• AME conducts first test flight of Fury 1500 STUAS powered by a heavy-fuel engine at the Fort Hunter Liggett range on California’s central coast.

• Calibre gets contract worth up to $45 million contract to provide IT and program management support services to the Army National Guard’s Logistics and the Aviation and Safety Divisions.

• DoD wants to speed adoption of mobile and and cloud IT technologies, says Chief Information Officer Teri Takai.

Off we go…

The USAF uses its simplified acquisition of base engineering requirements (SABER) contract to fulfill engineering requirements on a variety of projects, ranging from small renovations to large scale infrastructure needs involving pipelines, electrical substations, and life safety issues.

The SABER contract’s main purpose is to expedite contract award of civil engineer requirements through the issuance of individual delivery orders. The contract contains a collection of detailed task specifications that include most types of real property maintenance, repair, and construction work. A number of SABER contracts have been awarded…

• Defense spending would total $513 billion under the compromise FY 2011 continuing resolution (CR) unveiled [PDF] by the House Appropriations Committee, a reduction of $18.1 billion from what the Obama administration wanted but $5 billion more than last year. Still, the use of the CR to fund the federal government for the rest of FY 2011 will leave many defense programs in limbo.

• Show me the money: Russian Helicopters plans to raise $500 million in an initial public offering on the London and Russian exchanges.

• Boeing could lose out on Joint Tactical Radio System’s Ground Mobile Radios (JTRS GMR), as the US Army balks at potential $300,000 costs. US Army networks division chief Col. Jim Carpenter says they’ll publish requirements instead, and ask companies to conduct their own R&D to meet the service’s needs. That could be good news for firms like Harris, Thales, and General Dynamics.

• Faced with delays of 3 years and more to its Scorpene program, and questions about industrial structure for the follow-on Project 75i, India turns to HDW to upgrade its existing U209-1500 “Shishumar” boats for longer service life.

• Embraer and Elbit deepen their relationship by creating a joint venture to market unmanned air systems in Brazil. Elbit’s Hermes 450 UAV is already in limited use there with the FAB.

• Blame it on Rio: The Russian defense industry sees great potential for arms exports to Brazil and other Latin American countries.

• Major US Coast Guard acquisition programs are at cost, schedule, or program acquisition risk due to flawed acquisition management and unrealistic budget planning, warns GAO.

• Teal Group worldwide mission model identifies 2,315 space payloads over the 2011-2030 time frame, an increase of 4% over last year’s count – 20% of those are for military missions.

• Lockheed Martin gets $176 million contract extension to provide depot maintenance products and support at USAF Air Logistics Centers in Ogden, UT; Oklahoma City, OK; and Warner Robins, GA.

• Raytheon delivered 366 of its popular RIM-162 Evolved Sea Sparrow Missiles in 2010, which are used by customers around the world for medium range naval air defense. That’s more than double 2009’s total, while using an international manufacturing base.

• Lockheed Martin completes delivery of the 2nd production C-5M Super Galaxy ultra-heavy air transport at Dobbins Air Reserve Base, Marietta, GA.

• Fuel cells usually don’t do well with standard military fuels like JP-8, because of the chemicals inside. Lockheed Martin is working to create a fuel cell that can handle JP-8.

• Note to soldiers: the metal detectors they give you for land mines aren’t foolproof. USMC Cpl. Matt Garst found that out the hard way – then walked away from the blast.

• India passes China as world’s top arms importer, accounting for 9% of arms transfers during 2006 to 2010, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.

• US Navy personnel on the US aircraft carrier Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), which is aiding victims of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan, were exposed to a month’s worth of radiation in an hour, according to the New York Times.

• High fuel prices could increase US DoD’s fuel costs by $1.5 billion, according to Pentagon Comptroller Robert Hale.

• NATO defense ministers agree to alliance cyber defense policy.

• General Dynamics gets $40 million task order to provide IT help desk support to the Defense Intelligence Agency under its $6.6 billion SITE contract.

• Kaman gets $23.8 million contract modification to supply joint programmable fuzes for guided bombs that use JDAM or Paveway kits.

• Harris receives $11 million order to supply Falcon III RF-152-C tactical radios and RF-300M Trimline vehicle adapters [PDF] to the Australian Department of Defence.

• British PM David Cameron describes recent British military operations within Libya. Meanwhile, Canada has sent its JTF2 special forces unit, the civil war flares in Marsa Al Burayqah, and the rebels have Tobruk’s oil terminal working.

• Russia busts arms export record with $10 billion in 2010. That’s about double the 2005 totals.

• Conflict of interest at DARPA over awarding of contracts?

• Senate agrees to mid-March continuing resolution (CR); effects of year-long CR during wartime unknown, Deputy Defense Secretary William Lynn warns Congress.

• GAO faults DoD for dragging its feet in fulfilling urgent operational needs in the field, due to issues of request structure, funding, and technological overreach.

• Meanwhile, Lockheed Martin is trying to make emergency airborne surveillance programs easier to accomplish with its Dragon family of aircraft kits, ground stations, and services.

• Here’s a cool private sector job. If you can’t fly with someone like ATAC, how about Hawker Beechcraft’s T-6 Aerobatic Team? [PDF]. They’re in Australia now, where HBC is busy working with Raytheon and BAE [PDF] to promote the T-6C as Australia’s Project AIR 5428 choice, to replace the current PC-9A turboprop intermediate trainers.

• Eurocopter’s X3 compound helicopter program sharpens its focus to “cost-effective speed,” plans to introduce the technology on its Super Puma medium helicopter family by 2016. Its current main competitor is Sikorsky’s X2 platform, though growing attention could also help firms like Piasecki, with their X-49A “Speedhawk” H-60 retrofit.

• US Navy orders common display systems for surface ships, submarines, and aircraft from General Dynamics under a $26.9 million contract modification.

• Obama administration’s fiscal year 2012 budget [PDF] boosts defense spending by $22 billion over FY 2010 appropriations, to $671 billion, while projecting $78 billion in “savings” through 2016.

• Russia’s armed forces rely on aging equipment, lack transport capability, and suffer from manpower shortages, according to a NATO report cited in a leaked US diplomatic cable.

• Which is true now, and even Russian analysts agree. But Moscow is increasing spending, and roughly doubled annual arms exports from 2005-2010. Meanwhile, Germany’s Rheinmetall is about to build an Army training center in the Nizhny Novgorod region.

• Ceradyne’s new Enhanced Combat Helmet may be twice the price, but it looks like a 70% plus increase in head protection over the current American ACH design, with a new ability to stop close rifle shots. The USA plans to buy 200,000 ECH helmets, beginning in the fall of 2011.

• Canada’s DND freezes benefits for deployed soldiers and next-of-kin, but isn’t moving to end double-dipping by senior officers. Not exactly leadership.

• You can find it in those deployed ranks, though. Kudos to Canadian Master Corporal Shawn Grove, who taught himself Pashto and became a big asset to the Afghan campaign, without any help from his military.

• UK soldiers get new lightweight ration packs for troops on patrol under a GPB 140 million contract with Purple Food Services.

• Northrop Grumman CEO Wes Bush backs easing of high-tech export controls.

• Israel’s IAI looks to work with Bombardier as well as Gulfstream, unveiling a maritime surveillance Dash-8 mockup at Aero India 2011, and considering Airborne Early Warning planes based on Bombardier’s Global Express jets.

• 2 Thai F-16s crash during Cobra Gold 2011. The pilots are safe, and the country’s F-16 upgrade program should be unaffected.

• General Dynamics snags $9.3 million task order to perform network systems integration for the Marine Corps Systems Command under the $9 billion NETCENTS contract vehicle.

• Recent WikiLeaks revelations re: Saudi Arabia have reignited the peak oil debate. Joe Lazarro says we may or may not have hit peak oil, but we can say goodbye to cheap oil.