LSD 43 off Haiti

Extra funding USS Ashland [LSD 48]. (May 17/11)

The LSD MSMO was developed to provide extended dry docking, modernization, upgrades, and repairs to the LSD-41 Whidbey Island and related LSD-49 Harpers Ferry Classes of amphibious landing ships, which were commissioned between 1985-1998. The classes are highly similar, but the slightly larger Harpers Ferry Class reduces the number of onboard LCAC hovercraft from 4 to 2, in exchange for more cargo capacity. Two ships of these classes are being upgraded each year through 2013, and the last ship will be modernized in 2014. LSD MSMO aims to keep all 12 remaining ships of these classes in service and mission-capable to 2038.

These 186-190m, 14,460-14,850 tonne US Navy LSD ships are designed to carry Marines and equipment close to shore, then land them by launching onboard craft from their well decks. They’re similar in size to the earlier Austin/Cleveland Class LPDs, but are much smaller than either the new LPD-17 San Antonio Class, or the carrier-size LHA-1 Tarawa and LHD-1 Wasp Classes. Despite these characteristics, or perhaps because of them, their flexibility and numbers have made them among the US Navy’s most-used ships for several years running…

• UK government steps forward with the 1st explicit covenant, stating the moral obligation which exists between the British nation, the Government and the Armed Forces. See full document, and a companion document discusses the steps they’re taking to turn its principles into action. Not in the covenant: the duty to protect armed service members and their families, by maintaining security & confidentiality when appropriate.

• On which topic… US “SEAL Team 6” (TINSTS) members who killed Osama are worried that their identities will leak. It would be nice for the US media to rediscover OpSec, but that doesn’t seem to happen unless a journalist is the one threatened.

• Kratos Defense & Security Solutions agrees to pay $266 million in cash and stock [PDF] to acquire Integral Systems, a Columbia, MD-based provider of controls for military ground systems and satellites.

• Vector’s Ground Vehicles forecast sees a real crunch coming between US recap/RESET programs, and planned new ground vehicle purchases. They say that FY 2013 will be a key inflection point.

• Turkey is considering Russian and Chinese weapons systems in its long-range missile and air defense system procurement, something that concerns other NATO members.

• UAE has hired a number of contractors to train its military: Spectre, which provides academy training capabilities; Horizon, a pilot training firm; and R2, a company run by the founder of Blackwater Worldwide, which provides operational, planning, and training to the military.

• GAO says NTIA, which manages the US government radio spectrum – including military – requirements, has failed to develop a federal spectrum plan, and has no way to determine if agency self-reported spectrum requirements are accurate. Recall the FCC’s $1 billion spectrum screw-up, involving the B-2 fleet…

• RAF disbands Number XIII Tornado Squadron, less than 2 months after their Tornado GR4s opened the war in Libya with Storm Shadow cruise missile strikes. The squadron will re-form in 2012, flying the RAF’s new MQ-9 Reapers.

• Meanwhile, a US Navy P-3 is providing overwatch for British ships off of Libya. Without its Nimrod fleet, or an affordable replacement…

• US military’s working dogs, trained to provide explosive detection, combat tracking, and patrolling dues, are now able to enjoy life in retirement. Shamefully, we used to kill them.

Papanikolis at HDW

On Monday Sept 21/09, ThyssenKrupp Marine informed the Greek Minister of Defence that it was canceling “The Archimedes Project” contract for 4 U-214 diesel-electric submarines with Air-Independent Propulsion technology, because the government’s payments had remained underwater for too long. Accumulated payment arrears were over EUR 520 million (then $767 million), and so ThyssenKrupp and its subsidiary Hellenic Shipyards sought international arbitration, in order to recover some of the payments due under its contract.

That development was the just the latest chapter in a long and continuing saga. If the issue remained unresolved, or arbitration resulted in termination payments but no delivery, Greece might have found itself without a submarine force. Now, a resolution is close – but prosecutions may be equally near:

• Greece’s Submarine Programs: Types and Travails
• Contracts & Key Events [updated]
• Appendix A: Contracts Under Water – Greece’s 2009 Default
• Appendix B: Additional Readings & Background
  Continue Reading… »

Malaysian F/A-18D:
Bersama Shield 2010

Malaysia has an unusual air fleet, which includes Russian MiG-29s and very advanced SU-30MKMs, alongside Boeing’s F/A-18D Hornets. The MiG-29s are declining in numbers, and Malaysia had hoped to phase them out, but it expects the Hornets to soldier on for a little while longer.

Part of their efforts in that regard involve upgrades, to give their Hornets the same advanced surveillance and targeting pod capabilities enjoyed by advanced air forces around the world.

• 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.

5-6 year, $950M contract. (April 27/11)

Through the Co-operative Threat Reduction program, the Department of Defense provides equipment, services, and technical advice to Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Ukraine to assist them in eliminating (or in the case of Russia, reducing) the weapons of mass destruction remaining from the Soviet era, and preventing proliferation. That means dismantling the associated infrastructure, or transforming portions of it to engage in peaceful civilian activities.

The U.S. objectives in the CTR program as established by Congress are to cooperate with the Newly Independent States (NIS) of the former Soviet Union to:

• Contractor killed in blast and fire at the US Army Medical Research Institute of Chemical Defense at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md.

• Integral Systems in Colorado Springs, CO gets $21.8 million in contracts to provide technical support for US military satellites.

• ATK gets $13.4 million in new 25mm tactical ammunition contracts from allies in the Middle East and North Africa.

• AAI receives $9.7 million contract to provide an electronic warfare radio frequency simulator to the USAF’s EW Avionics Integration Support Facility at Robins Air Force Base, Ga.

• Alion snags $4.6 million US Navy contract to provide PC-based systems to train sailors for the Littoral Combat Ship-2 readiness control officer position.

IAF MiG-29B on afterburners

Initial test flight goes well, but the program will be late; India goes shopping for spares globally; IFF contract to Thales. (April 27/11)

The Indian Air force is dealing with the same fighter modernization numbers crisis that affects a number of air forces around the world. Its MiG-21s are retiring fast, and so are the subsequent generation of MiG-23/27 and MiG-25 aircraft. At the same time, India’s locally-developed Light Combat Aircraft (Tejas) program has been beset by numerous problems and ongoing delays, raising questions concerning its readiness and ability to begin filling some of that void in time. India’s MMRCA light-medium fighter competition will fill other gaps with 126 imported fighters, but it has yet to produce a winner, let alone a delivery date.

As the timelines for replacements stretch, India’s defense planners are concluding that more upgrades will be necessary in order to keep their existing fleet viable. February 2006 reports discussed a decision to upgrade India’s existing fleet of MiG-29B, MiG-29S, and two-seat MiG-29UB “Baaz” (Falcon) aircraft as well, in order to give them multi-role capabilities and improve their ability to carry advanced weapons. December 2006 reports from MosNews et. al. indicated that a contract has been signed, but it wasn’t until March 2008 that a deal was finalized. The new jets’ arrival is now slated to begin in 2011 instead of 2010, at the MiG-29 fleet’s air base in the Punjab region, overlooking Pakistan and Kashmir.

• The Numbers Problem
• Wanting a New Baaz: The Upgrades
• A Better Baaz: Program Updates [updated]
• Additional Readings
  Continue Reading… »

• Up to $2.5 billion to 13 companies for mobilization and deployment planning support to the US Army Forces Command under the OPTARSS II contract.

• US Army to shut down Accessions Command, which oversees initial entry training programs for recruits.

• BAE Systems gets $62 million contract modification to provide energy absorbing seats, gunner protection, and laser designation for the US Army’s Bradley fighting vehicle.

• Fire and Brimstone: The US and French air forces are considering acquiring the MBDA’s Brimstone anti-armor missile used by RAF Tornado fighters in Libya.

• EU countries’ defense spending totals $280 billion, according to ASD Reports.

• South Korean F-15K Slam Eagles begin flying with their new Lockheed Martin Sniper surveillance and targeting pods. When did that contract happen?

• If you want to field a 2 foot long, 13 pound bomb for small UAVs, the first thing you need is a really good small warhead. Raytheon turned to Nammo Talley for its new STM Small Tactical Munition.

• The Indonesian Navy successfully tests Russian-made Yakhont anti-ship missiles for the first time. The P-800 (Russian)/ SS-N-26 (NATO) missile was used as the basis for the Indo-Russian Brahmos, and “Yakhont” is the name used for P-800 export versions.

• Is the US Army losing its best officers?

• Russia to invest $2.6 billion in ballistic missile systems with the goal of doubling production from 2013, says Prime Minister Putin.

• Aviation Week offers an overview of Russia’s planned military helicopter buys over the next few years, and notes an issue with Brazil’s November 2008 attack helicopter buy of Mi-35Ms.

• With the DDG-1000 Zumwalt destroyers ended at just 3 ships, BAE is proposing a 155mm “AGS-Lite” turret swap for their 5”/62 caliber Mk.45 MOD4 gun that now equips DDG-51 Arleigh Burke destroyers. It has no stealth, half the weight of the AGS turret, and less rocket-boosted, GPS-guided 155mm LRLAP ammunition in the magazine. It is offered as an option if the US Navy wants to begin reversing their huge decline in naval fire support capabilities. Meanwhile, Finmeccanica’s Oto Melara offers “Vulcano” [PDF] ultra-long range 127mm/54 caliber rounds with IIR or GPS guidance, compatibility with older 5”/54 caliber Mk.45 MOD2s on ships under DDG 80, and a parent firm subsidiary in the USA’s DRS.

• UK MoD shakes up management at its Defense Equipment and Support organization.

• Ukraine to field Stugna-P laser-guided anti-tank missile systems capable of destroying low-altitude aerial targets as well.

• Pentagon posts documents detailing security measures for a new annex building online.

• Northrop Grumman snags $99 million USAF contract to perform base security operations at overseas US air bases, and a $77.9 million US Army contract to development software for air and missile defense workstations.

• Up to $189.4 million to Booz Allen Hamilton to provide cyberspace technology integration for the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Pacific.

• Virtual Corp. gets $49 million contract from DoD to provide disaster recovery software and services.

• Bell Helicopter flies its privately-developed “OH-58 Block II”, a testbed for technologies that could go into their Armed Aerial Scout competition entry – or circumvent AAS entirely via the Army’s proposed “OH-58F” reset & upgrade program.

• DCNS mates the fore and aft halves of its 1st Gowind Offshore Patrol Vessel, finishing the hull. The OPV is being built under a private development contract, followed by a service agreement with the French Navy for 3 years of operations. The goal? Endorsement and operational success, to boost export sales for the scalable OPV/ Corvette family.

• Booz & Co.’s strategy + business magazine on “Crafting Best-in-Class Business Intelligence.”