• President Medvedev is longing for the good old days when poor contract performance earned a Siberian home, Russia is prosecuting people for a catastrophically failed GLONASS GPS launch… and now Russia’s chief military prosecutor Sergei Fridinsky tells Rossiiskaya Gazeta that around 20% of Russia’s military spending is stolen every year by corrupt officials, dishonest generals and crooked contractors. One more reminder that their military modernization will be a tough slog.

• The Russian Severnaya Verf shipyard in St. Petersburg begins construction of new Steregushchy-class corvette. The Russian Navy has publicly announced that they expect to buy at least 30 of these ships, for all 4 major fleets. The challenge will be delivering them before some of those fleets rust out.

• South Korea is getting ROVER 5 devices for its forward air controllers, to share data with fighters overhead; US JTAC counterparts see them as a way of crossing the language barrier.

• Not content with auctioning off the B-2’s radar frequency and costing the US government $1 billion, the FCC’s latest move to approve Lightsquared for 1525 – 1559 MHz L-Band satellite broadband is now confirmed to cause “complete loss” of civilian GPS receiver functionality within its coverage. Above 1536 MHz seems to be the worst. No word on M-code impact, if any.

• Meanwhile, the ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) is “considering measures” against North Korea, after its episode of jamming GPS signals in March 2011.

• Saab is seeking to offset its recent defeat in the Medium Multi Role Combat Aircraft Competition by offering India its Saab 2000 MPA for India’s mid-tier maritime patrol competition. A potential purchase will add another dimension to India’s strategy of procuring aircraft with the ability to patrol and act at extended ranges.

• The Indian Navy receive an additional five MiG-29K/KUB carrier-based fighters. The deal forms part of $1.5 billion contract signed by Russia and India for the retrofitting and delivery of the Admiral Gorshkov carrier.

• Azerbaijan to purchase its first communications satellite. The $120 million AzerSat will be funded by the United States and built by Orbital Sciences Corp. Launch is planned for 2012.

• Bulgaria’s Prime Minister indicates that the country may team up with Turkey, Romania and Croatia to jointly-purchase modern jet fighters. Boyko Borisov also confirmed that Bulgaria will allocate 300 million leva ($221 million) to the defense budget. This is a significant increase on last year’s budget allocation.

• According to the Financial Times [registration required], the UK Serious Fraud Office launches an investigation into alleged bribery of Saudi officials by EADS subsidiary GPT Special Project Management. The investigation is focused on a $3.3 billion contract to provide the Saudi National Guard with communications and intranet services.

MAJIIC: concept

NATO’s Muli-sensor Aerospace-Ground Joint ISR Interoperability Coalition (MAJIIC) project aimed to help participating nations share imaging and radar data from their planes and UAVs, even if their individual platforms were not designed for that kind of compatibility. MAJIIC ran from April 2005 through March 2009, and showed results in exercises and in Afghanistan, where participating countries could share full motion UAV videos. Now, NATO is embarking on a 5-year, EUR 100 million second phase, called MAJIIC 2 (Multi-intelligence All-source Joint ISR Interoperability Coalition).

While the name behind the original acronym suggests a focus on aerospace platforms like UAVs, the project aims to handle any sensor platform on ground, sea, or air. That includes SAR/GMTI radars, day/night cameras, and even sensors like ESM radar finders and artillery locating radars.

• Pretty please: Pentagon chief Gates says failure of Congress to pass $1.1 trillion FY 2011 omnibus spending bill (which includes defense) would jeopardize “vital military requirements.” BTW, FY 2010 ended Sept 30/10.

• US GAO releases “National Security: An Overview of Professional Development Activities Intended to Improve Interagency Collaboration.” Boring topic, critical focus.

• Raytheon’s upgrade to the USAF’s Distributed Common Ground System begins operation at Ramstein Air Base in Germany.

• BAE System snags GBP 5.5 million UK MoD contract to supply 4,000 rounds of the Luma IR infrared artillery shell for the 105mm Light Gun currently in service with UK forces in Afghanistan.

• Earlier reports had Turkey looking to join the KF-X fighter project, with South Korea and Indonesia. The Eurofighter is also an option. Then again, it may choose to try going it alone.

• People watching: The Pentagon’s top acquisition chief, Ashton Carter, is among a number of defense executives named to the top 20 people to watch in government contracting by ExecutiveBiz.

• The US Joint Forces Command validates readiness of the Deployable Joint Command and Control (DJC2) system, which can support up to 1,500 users with mobile C4ISR capability.

In December 2005, “UK Warns USA Over ITAR Arms Restrictions” and “ITAR Fallout: Britain to Pull Out of F-35 JSF Program?” seemed to herald a very difficult period in Anglo-American defense relations. Despite the promises of 2 successive American Presidents, the ITAR exemptions that Britain had sought remained blocked in America’s legislature – and European initiatives to resume defense exports to China were not improving the situation. Meanwhile, MPs in Britain were becoming very insistent on a fix. The stakes were high.

In time, many of these issues were worked out. In August 2006, the US and UK reached a technology transfer agreement concerning the F-35 fighter – an agreement that would serve as a model for other F-35 industrial partners. By December 2007, Tier 1 partner Britain had signed the F-35’s Production, Sustainment & Follow On Development MoU. A broader fix was still on the agenda, however, and in July 2007 it materialized as a a treaty that would change the way the American and British defense firms cooperate on defense programs.

This Spotlight article aims to act as a one-stop briefing that explains the treaty’s motivation, key terms, and outstanding issues; keeps track of ongoing developments; and links to the key documents. The treaty has now been ratified…

• SIRPI launches its 2010 yearbook, which includes its compiled arms sales data.

• US arms sales to Taiwan seen as reason behind China’s snub of US Defense Secretary Gates. Taiwan’s successful frigate corruption lawsuit against Thales seen as reason for coming departure of French naval envoy.

• France conducts first test campaign for NATO’s Distributed Networked Battle Labs (DNBL) information sharing network, which is headed to Afghanistan in late 2010 to improve interoperability among allies.

• MC-12W Liberty twin-turboprop spy planes racking up hours, plaudits in theater.

• Pentagon to certify 6 weapons systems, keeping the programs alive despite Nunn-McCurdy cost breaches. Note 5 of the 6 were on the list because the Pentagon either ordered more of them, or decided to spread the same R&D costs across fewer items. F-35 is the exception.

• Lockheed Martin to form Global Training and Logistics business by combining logistics unit Readiness & Stability Operations, and RFID supplier Savi Technology, with Simulation, Training and Support unit. Firm plans to sell off engineering and architectural services units.

• Cold feet?: UK-based Chemring has second thoughts on $59 million acquisition of Allied Defense Group.

• Duocommum gets $12 million order to supply exhaust ducts for Sikorsky Aircraft’s UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters.

• Kratos Defense & Security Solutions’ orders to reset and refurbish aircraft maintenance shelters reach $22 million.

CF-18 drops Paveway

Out of its original purchase of 138 aircraft (98 single-seat CF18A and 40 dual-seat CF18B), Canada retains an operational fleet of 60 CF-18s, plus an additional 25 CF-18Bs in service with 410 Tactical Fighter (Operational Training) Squadron to train its fighter pilots.

In June 2006, Canada’s Department of National Defense began an arrangement with Boeing for the second and final phase the CF-18 Modernization Project. The upgrade will add a Link 16 system, a helmet-mounted sight, new cockpit displays and a new flare-dispensing electronic warfare system to 78 CF-18 Hornet fighter aircraft. Two additional aircraft were to be modified for the essential validation and verification of the planned upgrade, bringing the total to 80. The program delivered its 79th, and final, CF-18AM/BM aircraft in March 2010.

• The CF-18 Upgrade Program, Phases 1 & 2
• Contracts & Key Events
• Additional Readings
  Continue Reading… »

Harris IT Services received a 5-year, $26 million contract to provide managed IT services to the US Air National Guard (ANG) Network and Regional Operations and Security Centers (ROSCs).

The Air National Guard is consolidating its IT infrastructure from 11 ROSCs across the United States into a centrally managed hub. Harris team members include TechTeam Government Solutions and NetApp.

The 1-year base-period contract with 4 one-year options includes Tier III technical support for enterprise IT systems such as applications, infrastructure, vulnerability assessment, directory services, boundary protection and messaging. Tier III technical support, also known as back-end or high-end support, involves handling advanced IT problems and using expert-level troubleshooting and analytic methods.

This award was issued under the US Air Force Network-Centric Solutions (NetCents) contract.

SAC 01: Come to Papa!

The long-range C-17 Globemaster III heavy transport aircraft remains the backbone of US Air Mobility Command inter-theater transport around the world, and its ability to operate from shorter and rougher runways has made it especially useful during the Global War on Terror. Recent buys by Australia, Britain, and Canada have broadened the plane’s its global use. Now NATO, who has relied on the SALIS arrangement and its leased super-giant AN-124s from Russia, is looking to buy and own 3 C-17s as NATO pooled assets with multinational crews. Participating countries will receive allocated flight hours relative to their participation, and thus far they include 12 nations: Bulgaria, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Slovenia, Sweden, and the United States.

This order will not materially change the coming shut-down of C-17 production, but it does look like the inauguration of a pool that will fill a gaping hole in Europe’s defense capabilities – its complete lack of heavy airlift. This article covers NATO C-17 acquisition program, including its structure and ongoing announcements.

Program is now an adequate name, as NATO SAC has signed a contract, 2 of 3 aircraft have been delivered, and a SAC C-17 has completed its first operational mission to Afghanistan…

• The NATO C-17 Pool
• Contracts, Notifications & Key Events [updated]
• Additional Readings
  Continue Reading… »

The Haskell Company in Jacksonville, FL won a $11.6 million firm-fixed-price contract to design and build a headquarters building for US Joint Forces Command (USJFCOM) at the Naval Support Activity in Norfolk, VA. The multi-story building will contain administrative areas, space for commercial food service vendors, open storage/secret, a sensitive compartmented information facility, conference rooms, data processing areas, storage areas, and an emergency generator.

The contract contains 3 unexercised options, which, if exercised, would increase the cumulative contract value to $16.5 million. Haskell expects to complete construction by January 2011. This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website, with 13 proposals received by the Naval Facilities Engineering Command Mid-Atlantic in Norfolk, VA (N40085-09-C-5093).

USJFCOM is 1 of 10 US Department of Defense (DoD) combatant commands and has several roles in transforming the US military’s capabilities…

General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems in Suffolk, VA won an $18.2 million indefinite-quantity contract with cost reimbursement and fixed-price ordering provisions for analysis and assessment of command and control (C2) interoperability in support of the U.S. Joint Forces Command’s (USJFCOM) Joint Systems Integration Center (JSIC). This contract includes a base year and 4 one-year option periods, which if exercised, bring the total estimated value of the contract to $101.9 million. General Dynamics will perform the work in Suffolk, VA and expects to complete it by June 2010. This contract was competitively procured, with 4 offers received by the Fleet and Industrial Supply Center Norfolk, Contracting Department, Philadelphia Division (N00189-09-D-Z050).

DID has more on the C2 interoperability work being done at the JSIC…