All Together Now: Integrating the US Army’s Disparate Air and Missile Defenses

Army IBCS Concept
(click to enlarge)

Interim design review for IBCS completed. (April 26/10)

The US Army awarded a Northrop Grumman-led team a $577 million, 5-year, cost-plus-incentive-fee/ cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to develop the Integrated Air and Missile Defense Battle Command System (IBCS).

Northrop Grumman beat out a team led by Raytheon. The two teams competed in the preliminary design phase of the program.

IBCS is intended to transform the Army’s disparate air and missile defense systems — each with independent sensing, command-and-control and launching capabilities — into an integrated defense capability. The system will enable the Army to manages all of its air and missile defense systems from 1 command-and-control center.

Northrop Grumman’s winning IBCS design is based on a non-proprietary, open architecture approach…

USAF LRSW Modernizes US Space Launch Ranges

Up to $160M to ManTech to support LRSW space launch operations. (March 23/10)

The US Air Force’s Launch and Range Systems Wing (LRSW) is modernizing the US space launch ranges – the Eastern Range (Patrick AFB, FL) and the Western Range (Vandenberg AFB, CA)

A focus on LRSW’s modernization efforts is the US Launch & Test Range System (LTRS), which consists of ground-based surveillance, navigation, flight operations and analysis, command and control, communications and weather assets located at the Eastern Range and the Western Range.

The majority of the equipment supporting the US space launch ranges was installed during the 1960s and 1970s. Multiple LTRS upgrade efforts are underway including the Range Standardization and Automation (RSA) program, ongoing Instrumentation Modernization (IM) projects, numerous recapitalization efforts, and various depot support projects to reduce operations and sustainment costs. The current modernization efforts is replacing approximately 20% of the system.

The LRSW uses contractors to support its modernization work…

Rapid Fire 2010-02-10: Agni-III Test Launch

• Russia’s top military officer says US missile defense in Europe should be curbed in new arms control treaty.

• Russia is developing the T50/PAK-FA stealth fighter, but can aircraft maker Sukhoi meet the 2015 deadline? AvWeek DTI analysis.

• Commander of Canada’s 8 Wing transport squadrons charged with 2 counts of 1st degree murder. Amid shock, another past case ruled out; but a serial killer investigation is underway. See timeline.

Rapid Fire 2010-02-02: JSF Woes

• Taiwan prepares to order a $6.45 billion weapons package, sparks predictable diplomatic huffing.

• The Pentagon plans to replace the official in charge of the F-35 JSF program and withhold $614 million in performance fees from Lockheed Martin for failing to meet key goals. At the same time Pratt & Whitney delivered the 1st F135 production engine for the F-35 aircraft.

• Sikorsky is investing $1 billion to develop an unmanned Black Hawk helicopter, which it hopes to have ready by 2015.

Up to $628.8M to 3 Small Businesses for US Missile Defense Agency Support

The US Missile Defense Agency (MDA) awarded indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity contracts to 3 small business qualifiers to provide advisory and assistance services to MDA’s Quality, Safety and Mission Assurance Directorate. Each contract has an ordering ceiling of $209.6 million.

The contractors will assist the directorate in assessing the engineering, technology, production and programmatic practices/ processes used to develop and operate the Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) system. MDA is developing a layered BDM system that is designed to destroy enemy missiles by engaging them in all phases of flight (see graphic).

The MDA has come under criticism for the slow pace of BMD development, cost overruns, questionable auditing practices, and repeated test failures. The 3 contracts are part of an effort by MDA to streamline is contracting processes. The winners of the contracts are:

USA Beefs Up Nuclear Weapons Security

AGM-129A loaded on a B-52
at Minot Air Force Base, ND

In 2007, a B-52 carried 6 unsecured nuclear-tipped AGM-129 ACM cruise missiles from Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota to Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana. The nuclear warheads were supposed to have been removed before the aircraft took off, but they remained on the aircraft unsecured at both Minot and Barksdale for 36 hours.

As a result of the incident, 4 USAF commanders were relieved of their commands; it also contributed to the resignation of top USAF officials. A Blue Ribbon Panel chaired by former Defense Secretary James Schlesinger recommended that the USAF and the US Department of Defense (DoD) overhaul its handling of nuclear weapons security. In response, the USAF set up an Air Force Global Strike Command to oversee all bomber- and missile-based nuclear weapons.

The incident also prompted the US Navy to beef up its nuclear weapons security, which is overseen by the Strategic Systems Program…

New USAF Nuclear Command Gets SAIC Support

The newly established USAF Global Strike Command (AFGSC) is taking over responsibility for the USA’s ICBM force as part of an effort to unify all USAF nuclear assets under 1 command.

Based at Barksdale Air Force Base, LA, the command was stood up on Aug 7/09 to oversee all of the USAF nuclear forces and conduct strategic deterrence and global strike operations.

To support the command’s work, the USAF awarded on Dec 28/09 a contract to Science Applications International Corp. (SAIC) to provide requirements assessment, strategic planning, and programming support.

OM Group to Acquire Defense Battery Supplier EaglePicher Technologies for $171.9M

OM Group in Cleveland, OH agreed to acquire EaglePicher Technologies, a Joplin, MO-based manufacturer of batteries, battery management systems and energetic devices for the defense, aerospace, and medical industries, from EaglePicher Corp. for $171.9 million.

In fiscal year 2009, EaglePicher recorded revenues of approximately $125 million, of which approximately 60% came from its defense business, approximately 31% from its aerospace business, and the balance from its medical and other businesses…

Up to $851M to Lockheed Martin for Trident Ballistic Missile Support

D-5 vs. C-4 on right

Lockheed Martin Space Systems in Sunnyvale, CA received a not-to-exceed $851 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.

An Oct 23/09 DefenseLink announcement identified a maximum contract value of $853.3 million, but a Dec 8/09 Lockheed Martin release gave a maximum value of $851 million. Lockheed Martin’s Lynn Fisher explained that the DefenseLink announcement was an “undefinitized contract action;” as a result of the contract being “definitized,” the maximum value was lowered slightly.

Under the contract, Lockheed Martin is providing D5 missile hardware production support and reentry system hardware, as well as operations and maintenance to support the readiness and reliability of missile systems deployed aboard the US Navy’s Trident II Ohio-class SSBNs…

$243M to Draper Laboratory for Trident II D5 Guidance System Support

Trident II D5 Test Launch

The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory in Cambridge, MA received 2 contract modifications worth a combined $243 million to provide engineering support and repair services for the Trident II D5 guidance system.

The Trident II D-5, the sixth generation member of the US Navy’s fleet ballistic missile program, is a 3-stage, solid propellant ballistic missile with a range of more than 4,000 nautical miles.

Deployed aboard Ohio Class SSBNs and British Vanguard Class SSBNs, the Trident II uses the Mk6 LE inertial guidance system for navigation.