Dr. Strangelove
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In the 1960s dark comedy Dr. Strangelove, a rogue US Air Force general succeeds in usurping the US “fail-safe” security system preventing unauthorized use of nuclear weapons. As a result, a nuclear weapon is dropped on the Soviet Union, the doomsday machine is activated, and the protagonists argue about who gets to ride out the war in mine shafts.

In the 21st century, the US Air Force is taking steps to make sure that nuclear-tipped ICBMs stay securely in their silos. Through the ICBM Security Modernization Program, the USAF has launched a number of initiatives to beef up silo security.

One of those initiatives is the Remote Visual Assessment Program, which is designed to improve the situational awareness of the security staff around the ICBM silos. To support that program, the USAF awarded Northrop Grumman a $31 million contract.

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Trident II D-5 Test Launch
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L3 Interstate Electronics Corp. in Anaheim, CA received a $39.2 million cost-plus-incentive-fee, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to provide data acquisition, processing, and analysis for Trident missile flight test missions of the United States and United Kingdom. This contract contains options, which if exercised, would bring the contract value to $49.4 million.

The US Navy recently tested 2 D-5 Trident ballistic missiles from the USS West Virginia [SSBN 736] submarine in the Atlantic Ocean.

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WGS-2 Launches
from Cape Canaveral
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ITT Corp.’s Systems Division in Cape Canaveral, FL received a $7 million task order to support the US Air Force’s Eastern and Western missile ranges.

The task order was issued as part of a 10-year, $1.3 billion contract awarded to ITT by the USAF.

The contract calls for ITT to modernize the USAF Spacelift Range System (SLRS). This work includes support for spacecraft launch, as well as ballistic missile and aeronautical testing.

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David’s Victory
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David didn’t need high technology to defeat Goliath, just some stones and a sling. But in the modern world, David is getting some high-tech help from the likes of Raytheon and Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, who are developing a missile defense system called David’s Sling Weapon System (DSWS).

The DSWS is a joint short-range ballistic missile defense program between the US Missile Defense Agency and the Israel Missile Defense Organization. The system is designed to defeat short-range ballistic missiles, large-caliber rockets and cruise missiles in their terminal phase of flight.

Raytheon received 2 contracts from Rafael worth more than $100 million to build DSWS components…

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D-5 vs. C-4 on right
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Lockheed Martin Space Systems in Sunnyvale, CA received a not-to-exceed $853.3 million cost-plus-incentive-fee/ cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to provide support for production of Trident II D-5 ballistic missiles as well as maintenance of deployed D-5 and C-4 missiles.

The Trident C-4 has been in service since 1979, but the Trident II D-5 is more recent. First deployed in 1990, the D-5 is scheduled for operational deployment until 2042.

At the same time as it moves ahead with D-5 production, the US Navy is replacing D-5 missiles on 4 Ohio-class SSBNs with Tomahawk cruise missiles. “SSGN ‘Tactical Trident’ Subs: Special Forces and Super Strike” has more on that story.

The Navy recently tested 2 D-5 ballistic missiles from the USS West Virginia [SSBN 736] submarine in the Atlantic Ocean…

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As oil prices remain high, and natural gas has become a critical fuel for Europe, Russia’s strategy for geopolitical action and leverage has revolved around energy. After the disastrous collapse of Russia’s communist illusion economy, high energy prices are lifting the Russian economy – and with it, available funds for Putin to spend on military modernization.

Russia’s military has declined from 4 million men to 1.1 million, and the vast majority of its equipment consists of holdovers from the Soviet Union. During the 1990s, weapons procurement was almost completely halted, indeed, there were frequent reports of Russian soldiers in uniform, begging in the streets. Times have changed, and Russia’s military is set to change and modernize. The invasion of Georgia shows a Russia that is once again prepared to use military power beyond its borders. Budgets are rising, and will rise further.

The UK’s Times reports that in September 2008, Russia’s Duma passed a 25% increase in official defense spending, from $40 billion in 2008 to $50 billion in 2009. The country’s current 3-year plan includes further jumps to $54.5 billion in 2010, and to $58 billion in 2011. Overall, $189 billion is reportedly earmarked to upgrade Russian army and navy equipment by 2015. Forecast International adds that this plan calls for 1,400 new and upgraded main battle tanks in 45 tank battalions, 4,020 armed infantry fighting vehicles, and 3,008 armored personnel carriers for 174 motor rifle and parachute battalions. Missiles are also represented: 60 SS-26 Iskander E short-range ballistic missile systems for 5 missile brigades, and 18 S-400/SA-21 Triumf anti-aircraft/ABM systems to equip 9 air-defense units. On the electronic front, improvements to Russian electronics and communications, electronic protection systems for Russian helicopters, and improvements to its GLONASS GPS system are all priorities.

The question is whether Russian industry can keep up…

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Sunset at NB Kitsap
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Naval Base Kitsap is one of the homes for the USA’s fleet of Trident nuclear missile submarines; the Strategic Weapons Facility Pacific stores both propellant and nuclear warheads. One report claims that this location has the highest concentration of nuclear warheads in the USA with more than 2,300 warheads, about half of which are sailing aboard America’s Pacific fleet of ballistic-missile submarines at any given time.

A set of contracts begun in 2008 aim to make improvements to this facility. They aren’t cheap, but one can argue that they’re worth it…

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LGM-30G Minuteman III
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Northrop Grumman Space and Mission Systems of Clearfield, UT received a contract modification for $176.2 million, exercising the Minuteman III Intercontinental Ballistic Missile Propulsion Replacement Program’s (PRP) final full rate production (year 7) option. NGC tends to sub-contract large portions of this work to ATK Thiokol; the Minuteman III PRP began in 1998 as a Joint Venture between ATK and Pratt & Whitney, but all work content was transitioned to ATK in the 2003-2004 timeframe following a contract restructure. DID has covered related contracts in November 2006 ($222.5 million), March 2006 ($541 million) and January 2006 ($225.2 million). Presumably, the ICBMs’ Environmental Protection Agency certification has been taken care of by now.

The purpose of PRP is to ensure MM Flight Reliability and supportability of the USA’s LGM-30G Minuteman III nuclear ICBMs through 2020 by correcting identified mission threatening degradations, sustaining existing reliability, and supporting Minuteman Life Extension Efforts. America chose to retire its larger, newer, and more capable MX Peacekeeper missiles in 2005, in compliance with arms control treaties it has signed. This contract action will purchase the remaining 56 Minuteman III booster sets, making a total of 601 sets acquired during the PRP. At this time, $51.6 million has been obligated. The 526th ICBM Systems Wing at Hill Air Force Base, UT holds the contract (F42310-98-C-0001). See also Northrop Grumman release.

Militaries around the world are moving to modernize and transform themselves to meet the challenges of the 21st century. Our mission is to deliver a regular cross-section of relevant, on-target stories, news, and analysis that will help experts and interested laypeople alike stay up to speed on key military developments and issues. Stories are broken down by military category and presented as fast bullet points that orient you quickly, with accompanying links if you wish to pursue more in-depth treatments.

Some of This Month’s Targets of Opportunity Include: Aging aircraft; F-22; F-35; India’s big fighter contest; 2018 bomber; Next-gen gunships; Japan’s stealth aircraft; JCA – just confusing; Poseidon down under; Boeing’s invisibility man; Odd new satellite; unmanned fighters & swarms; Cell phones & Patriots; Huge IT contracts; DARPA’s Deep Green; Lots of MRAP; FCS spinouts; Fire Ball; Better body armor; Australia’s new fleet; Korea: us too!; Britain’s new carriers; US Navy’s new bills; Russia’s stealthy Stereguschiy; Remote firefighting; Coast Guard cutters; ADVENT of breakthrough jet engines; $1M wearable power prize; Sub-finding ‘shark’; UK’s Grand Challenge & flying saucers; Boeing’s new plane design; DARPA’s robot dog; New Russian nukes; Britain’s new maintenance concept works; Israel prepares; Counter-insurgency air needs; Export controls and their blowback; CSAR-X: rescue me!; And much, much more…

• Air & Space Sector
• C4SI Dimension
• Land Sector
• Maritime Sector
• R&D: Far Out Concepts
• Strategic Weapons & Missile Defense
• Supply & Support
• Policy & Doctrine

This briefing comes from a team that includes professional publications Defense Industry Daily and The Aviation Week Group, and covers events over the summer season. To contact us with story tips, email transformation, over @windsofchange dot net.

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Before: Minotaur
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Northrop Grumman Space and Mission Systems, Missile Defense Division in San Bernardino, CA received an $8,.7 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to investigate a concept for a conventional ballistic missile capable of destroying targets at global range in less than one hour flight time. Northrop Grumman will deliver: (1) a delivery vehicle parametric design study, (2) a mission/program planning study. It will be interesting to see how the latency issues are addressed in NGC’s studies.

At this time, all funds have been obligated. Solicitations began April 2007, negotiations were complete May 2007, and work will be complete June 2009. The Headquarters Space and Missile Systems Center in Los Angeles Air Force Base, CA (FA8814-07-C-0005).

After: BLU-108s
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In order to make maximum use of existing system elements and reduce the cost and development risk associated with a future acquisition, Northrop Grumman will make use of Orbital’s Minotaur rocket, and a delivery vehicle designed to carry and dispense multiple BLU-108B/B sensor fused weapons to the target area. DID has covered these BLU-108 “cans of whup-ass” before; they’re tuna-can shaped explosively-formed penetrators (EFP) with millimeter-wave sensors that use parachutes to spread out in the air, then fire downward through the thin top-armor of enemy vehicles to kill those in their coverage area.

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