Boeing Delta IV Heavy

$1.5+ billion contract set. (Jan 10/12)

The EELV program was designed to reduce the cost of government space launches through greater contractor competition, and modifiable rocket families whose system requirements emphasized simplicity, commonality, standardization, new applications of existing technology, streamlined manufacturing capabilities, and more efficient launch-site processing. Result: the Delta IV (Boeing) and Atlas V (Lockheed Martin) heavy rockets.

Paradoxically, that very program may have forced the October 2006 merger of Boeing & Lockheed Martin’s rocket divisions. Crosslink Magazine’s Winter 2004 article “EELV: The Next Stage of Space Launch” offers an excellent briefing that covers EELV’s program innovations and results, while a detailed National Taxpayer’s Union letter to Congress takes a much less positive view. This DID Spotlight article looks at the Delta IV and Atlas V rockets, as well as the contracts placed since the merger that formed the United Launch Alliance:

• Delta IV
• Atlas V
• Military Satellite Payloads
• Contracts & Key Events [updated]
• Additional Readings
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• Russian parliament ratifies military supply agreement with Belarus.

• New report [PDF] examines US reliance on China as a near monopoly supplier of rare earth metals, which are used in high-tech weapons such as radar, night vision devices, and smart bombs.

• Todd Shipyards gets a 5-year US Navy contract worth up to $80 million to provide drydocking of surface combat ships homeported at Naval Station Everett or visiting the Puget Sound area.

• Telos gets task order to design and build an enterprise-level information transport system at 10 Air National Guard (ANG) locations under the $9 billion NETCENTS contract vehicle.

• Booz Allen Hamilton gets $10.7 million contract to provide IT services to the Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery.

• Raytheon, L-3 post higher than expected profits, despite cutback in defense programs.

• UK foreign security delivers to Parliament the first quarterly report on Afghanistan, noting that the Afghan National Security Forces are expected to number 260,000 by the end of 2010.

• Australian Department of Defense plans to invest A$1.6 billion in 48 force protection measures for troops in Afghanistan over the next three years; also, department releases redacted secret defense brief.

• Oops!: In a campaign flyer, a North Carolina state legislator uses a photo of reenactors in WWII-era German uniforms to tout his pro-US military stance.

• What happened to those nukes?: US military is looking into an incident in which the USAF lost communication for 45 minutes with 50 ICBMs siloed in the northern US.

• As a result of bankruptcy reorganization, Russia’s Energia Overseas Limited will take majority ownership of Sea Launch, which provides satellite launch services from its sea-based platform at the equator.

• Australian government continues to update their Defence Capability Plan 2009-2013 online, as promised.

• POGO says US Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA) is resisting meaningful reform, advocates independent agency status.

• Is a deal to modernize India’s Mirage 2000 fighter fleet any closer? Depends on whom you ask.

• DARPA is looking for commercially available smart phone apps that can be used on the battlefield.

• NCI told to stop work on task order to support BRAC-mandated C4I/IT move to Fort Meade because of protest filed with GAO.

• Curtiss-Wright to supply $25 million Advanced Mission Management System to Northrop Grumman for US Navy’s BAMS UAS program.

• Lockheed Martin gets $23 million contract to provide computer systems for modernization of the USAF’s Launch & Test Range System.

• 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.

• India says it will integrate the Agni-III long-range missile system into the armed forces following 4th successful test launch.

• Rep. Norman Dicks, a Democrat from Washington with ties to Boeing, is expected to succeed Rep. John Murta [D-PA] as chairman of the US House defense appropriations panel.

• Textron mulls acquisitions in the defense sensor, ISR system, and military vehicle markets.

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• Tory leader says UK must develop military capabilities to act unilaterally if required.

• California state CIO Takai expected to be President Obama’s nominee for DoD CIO post.

• Australian uniforms: not made in China.

• US Navy Center for Information Dominance helps sailors train for Haitian languages, culture.

• SSI secures $48 million contract to provide USAF with space launch services.

• Versar and Kobe Steel get $13 million subcontract from URS to supply chemical weapons destruction technology.

SSI launch facilities

Spaceport Systems International (SSI), a Lompoc, CA-based partnership between ITT Corp. and California Commercial Spaceport, received a $48 million contract to provide launch services for the Launch Test Squadron within the USAF Space and Missile Systems Center/Space Development and Test Wing.

Under the contract, SSI will provide launch site services for USAF space launch missions.

SSI provides payload processing and launch services to the US military and other US government customers…

WGS-2 Launches
from Cape Canaveral

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.

WGS-2 Satelllite
Launches from CCAFS

InDyne in Reston, VA received a $24.6 million contract modification to provide infrastructure operations and maintenance services at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS) and several Florida annexes. The original contract (FA2521-08-C-0006), awarded in 2008, has a maximum value of $188.7 million if the 6 option years are exercised.

CCAFS is an installation of the Air Force Space Command’s 45th Space Wing headquartered at nearby Patrick Air Force Base. Located on Cape Canaveral in Florida, CCAFS and the Kennedy Space Center, from which Shuttle launches are conducted, are the primary space launch facilities in the Eastern United States.

Under the original contract, InDyne provides engineering, planning, operations and maintenance services for facilities and launch systems at CCAFS, Florida annexes, and limited services for Patrick Air Force Base, which manages the contract…

Securiguard, Inc. of McLean, VA received a $95.4 million firm-fixed price contract to provide armed security at Cape Canaveral, the US space program’s premier launch facility. The contract covers Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, including the Kennedy Space Center, and its associated Florida annexes – the Jonathan Dickinson Missile Tracking Annex, Cocoa Beach Tracking Annex, Fort Pierce Microwave Relay Annex, Malabar Transmitter Annex, Melbourne Beach Optical Tracking Annex, Stuart Microwave Relay Annex, Port Canaveral Cable Terminal Annex, Wabasso Microwave Relay Annex). Patrick AFB in Florida, which hosts Cape Canaveral, manages the contract (FA2521-08-C-0011).

Securiguard’s force will be fully trained, armed, and uniformed, and its capability and quality must meets USAF standards under Air Force Instruction (AFI) 31-101 and AFI 31-20. They will be responsible for protecting Cape Canaveral’s government and commercial space-lift resources, and protecting the facility’s apability to launch. Associated efforts include dedicated response to protection level 1-4 resources; managing and operating the Security Force Control Center; marine security operations; developing installation security plans and procedures; protection services; and services during crisis and contingency.

Computer Sciences Raytheon received a contract for $816.2 million for Eastern Range Technical Services to provide operations, maintenance, sustainment of critical range and launch processing systems that support the launch processing mission of the 45th Space Wing and its launch customers at Cape Canaveral Air Station. CSR is a joint venture partnership of Computer Sciences Corporation (CSC) and Raytheon Technical Services Company, and they have held this contract since 1988. Cape Canaveral, meanwhile, is famous for being the home site of all NASA space launches; the 45th Space Wing is also busy with other projects.

The scope of this acquisition will include all critical range systems and associated support systems. Service include downrange facilities support, base and range local area network/metropolitan area network (LAN/MAN) service, and other minor technical systems support required for successful range mission accomplishment. At this time, all funds have been obligated. 45 CONS/LGCZR at Patrick Air Force Base FL issued the contract (FA2521-07-C-0011).