Agile development
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Last week, DID’s “Sharpen Yourself” series discussed the Agile Software Development trend. This week’s installment discusses the issue of team member performance. The context involves a team member who will not perform within the team’s new Agile development approach – but the issue surfaces in many contexts within the workplace.

One manager in the UK offers some thoughts from his own experience. Our own experience disagrees somewhat, in that there is more than one way, and team pressure can be an effective approach when used properly. We’re also reminded of a friend’s experience, which prompted him to write “My Ft. Bragg MBA.” On the other hand, Kelly Waters’ provides a useful sequence and toolset that should form the core of a good manager’s response.

“I’ve managed software development teams for many years (in the UK) and am currently responsible for a web development group of about 90 people. I think I’ve experienced every HR/management procedure in the book and keep promising to write a book about some of the more extreme examples (that are entertaining stories in hindsight but certainly weren’t at the time!).

....In my experience there’s only one way to deal with someone behaving badly in an Agile Development team (in fact in any team):”

Recent years have seen cyber-security rise as a defense industry and national security issue. The frequency of cracking attempts against security-related systems from Chinese sources has grown to the point where it is being acknowledged in the Pentagon’s annual “Military Power of the People’s Republic of China” publications. Estonia found itself the subject of politically motivated cyberattacks from Russia in May 2007. In 2008, cyber-assaults on Georgia operated in tandem with a buildup of Russian troops within Georgian territory, prior to the recent invasion.

Governments respond slowly, but responses are now beginning to get underway. Federal Computing Weekly, “Unlocking the national cybersecurity initiative”

“The cybersecurity initiative launched by the Bush administration earlier this year remains largely cloaked in secrecy, but it’s already clear that it could have a major and far-reaching effect on government IT operations in the future.

Overseeing all of this will be a central office run by the Homeland Security Department, the first time that the government’s efforts in cybersecurity will run through a single office tasked with coordinating the work of separate federal cybersecurity organizations…”

E-3F AWACS
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The E-3 Sentry AWACS (Airborne Warning and Control System) aircraft is based on a Boeing 707 airframe. It is the world’s most widely used large-jet AWACS platform, in service with the USAF, Britain, France, NATO, and Saudi Arabia. Over the years, the world’s E-3 fleet has required improvements to keep its radars and electronics current with advances in technology.

The most current variant is the E-3 Block 40/45, which is the largest enhancement in the history of the U.S. Air Force E-3 AWACS fleet. It includes new mission computing hardware and software, upgraded radar equipment, and improved navigation and communications systems. Airworthiness testing began in June 2006, mission system testing began in April 2007, and finished in September 2008. Nor is the USA alone. Britain is determining and inserting upgrades as part of its $1.2 billion through life maintenance program, NATO is in the middle of its own $1.32 billion mid-life upgrade, and the Saudis are making RSIP improvements.

The French Armee de l’Air received its 4 E-3F aircraft between 1991-1992, and undertook its own RSIP improvement program from 2002-2006. Now, they have set their E-3F fleet’s upgrade path to Block 40/45 capability…

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RE HMMWV, changes
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new parts in yellow)

AM General LLC in South Bend, IN received a $735 million firm-fixed-price contract for 4,853 High Mobility Multi-purpose Wheeled Vehicles (HMMWV). Work will be performed in Mishawaka, MI with an estimated completion date of Dec 31/09. One bid was solicited and one bid was received by US Army TACOM in Warren, MI (DAAE07-01-C-S001). Note that these are just contracts for the basic vehicle; items like CROWS weapon mounts, Blue Force Tracker electronics, radios, et. al. are contracted separately and installed.

This tranche follows a flurry of orders in April and May 2008. See: “$650.1M for 4,526 Hummers,” “Another 3,216 Hummers for $522.4M,” and “$187.5M for Another 1,470 Hummers.”

The US military has begun fielding “Reliability Enhanced” M1151, M1152 and M1165 model HMMWVs. There have been some changes made, based on the harsh environment of South West Asia, increased payload demands, and some feedback from the field.

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Over at C4ISR Journal, “Europe’s declaration of independence” covers a EUR 2.3 billion (about $3.6 billion) Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES) satellite constellation. EADS-Astrium will build the satellites, which fit into the growing trend toward “civil” satellites whose fine resolution and advanced sensors give them dual-use potential. Euroconsult in Paris predicts that the next 10 years will see almost 200 Earth observation satellites placed in orbit, some of which will have dual-use capability.

The EU is not alone in believing that environmental changes could become a significant driver of interstate conflict in a crowded world, and responses to natural disasters often require quick imagery in order to assess and plan a response. In addition to that kind of environmental monitoring, GMES will also serve as an independent check on other countries’ satellite data concerning weapons of mass destruction, genocide, et. al. This is not a formal requirement, but several European defense ministers have already expressed interest.

The GMES project was recently renamed Kopernikus, and given the tag line “observing our planet for a safer world.” By 2011, Sentinel-1 is expected to be a cloud-piercing radar satellite delivering 5 meter data blocks of imagery. By 2012, the Sentinel-2 mapping satellite would be added, with a number of sensors to measure environmental trends in key areas. Sentinel-3 will add a radar altimeter. See also: GMES official site | European Union Satellite Centre GMES page | ESA’s GMES page.

C-27J 3-view
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In July 2008, an Aviation Week report noted that the Pentagon’s 2008 budget reprogramming request includes $32 million from Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC), in order to buy a C-27J and convert it into a small prototype AC-XX gunship, using “proven/known” weapons and systems.

The proposed acquisition comes against the backdrop of an AC-130 fleet that is quickly being flown to the limits of the fleet’s airframe flight hours. At present, the AC-130s reportedly need 14 hours of maintenance for every hour in flight, while wing cracks are prompting major center wing box replacement operations 5 years ahead of schedule.

AFSOC has also become concerned about its AC-130 gunships’ long-term survivability, and has investigated a number of options [PDF format] including smaller aircraft and even stealth designs. What AFSOC appears to have decided is that it needs an immediate, affordable stopgap that can let it try some new concepts, without foreclosing future options…

• AC-27J: “Stinger II”
• Contracts and Key Events
• Additional Readings
  
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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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Rear Adm. Jawad &
Chris Beeson
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Recent requests for over $10 billion in military equipment are beginning to thrust Iraq into the industry spotlight for reasons having to do with its government’s own priorities, and not simply as a stage for other nations’ military efforts. Even so, many of the country’s procurement efforts are still managed by outsiders with Iraqi participation, once Iraqis make their equipment decisions. It’s al part of diligent efforts to grow a cadre of new Iraqi Ministry of Defence officials, with the experience and training needed to run an accountable organization within a democratic state. The British Ministry of Defence offers a snapshot of efforts underway, and the challenges involved. Some excerpts:

“After 25 years under Saddam Hussein’s heavy hand, where showing personal initiative could be career-limiting, if not life-threatening, things that we take for granted, like exercising delegated authority, are not a natural function in Iraqi ministries:

There is money in the Iraqi Government’s coffers. Quite a lot of it in fact, and if security continues to improve, many major international companies are poised to come and do business. But knowing how to spend that money, and who they want to spend it with is a new experience for officials used to nearly three decades of international isolation.”

The US aerospace industry forms the core of America’s native military-industrial capacity, and is a potent contributor to American trade balances and economic competitiveness. At the moment, however, the US aerospace industry has thousands of vacancies; and AIA’s statistics show almost 60% of its workforce at age 45 or older in 2007. Other surveys report that between 13%-27% of that workforce will be qualified for retirement by the end of 2008, and several AIA member firms report that within 10 years, fully half of their current workforce will be retirement-eligible.

The news does not improve on the intake end. Overall, just 5% of bachelor’s degrees in the USA are engineering related, compared to 20% in Asia. American institutions award about 70,000 B.Eng degrees per year, including many engineering fields not related to aerospace. That figure rises to about 1/3 of bachelor’s degrees if science degrees are included, but many asian countries are well over 50% if those disciplines are aggregated. Worse, more than 50% of the engineering Ph.Ds awarded in the USA go to foreign nationals, many of whom are not eligible for US security clearances.

That may have something to do with the fact that U.S. 4th-graders score well against international competition in math and science, but fall to the bottom by 12th grade. The US Department of Education also reports an disquieting proportion of U.S. middle school students (grades 7-9, a critical inflection point) taught by educators who had no major or certification in mathematics (68.5%) or science (57.2%).

These trends alarm the American Aerospace Industries Association. Its recent “Launch into Aerospace” initiative offers both an analysis of the current situation and its implications for future competitiveness, and a commitment from AIA member companies to an agenda and a set of corporate actions designed to strengthen America’s future STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) dependent workforce. A companion web site has been set up to help people take the required steps toward aerospace careers. As a next step, AIA is developing a second workforce report that will take a closer look at the issue and offer more details regarding industry commitments and social policy recommendations. AIA release | AIA Sept 2008 report [PDF] | LaunchIntoAerospace.org

NLOS-C CTD, Yuma
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The USA’s $160+ billion Future Combat Systems faced a mild restructuring in February 2007, and in July 2007, work began on Phase 1 spinouts to the active force. In order to speed replacement of the M109 mobile howitzers, some members of Congress had been pushing to speed up fielding of the M1203 NLOS-C 155mm mobile howitzer as a replacement for the USA’s aging M109s, even if this meant breaking Future Combat Systems’ unitary acquisition model by making NLOS-C a separate program. That didn’t happen, thanks in part to FCS critic Senator McCain’s [R-AZ] interesting intervention, but the message was clear.

Unfortunately, even NLOS-C will break the C-130’s 20-ton cargo weight limit by a considerable margin (estimate: 27 tons, which works well in an Airbus A400M but not the C-130J Hercules). As such, FCS’ armored vehicle core is unlikely to ever deliver its most important touted benefit: deployability. On the other hand, NLOS-C does offer new and fully modern mobile howitzers, an aim that has clear Congressional support. As such, the FCS program is making the NLOS-C the lead example for FCS’ tracked Manned Ground Vehicle (MGV) family.

This will be DID’s Spotlight article covering the NLOS-C sub-program, from its core platform and fit within Future Combat Systems, to its program and contracts, to additional research materials. The latest developments include the first firing of the NLOS-C while mounted on the MGV chassis…

• The XM1203 NLOS-C
• NLOS-C: The Program [new]
• NLOS-C: Contracts & Key Events [updated]
• Additional Readings & Sources
  
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