Rapid Fire 2010-12-08: Massuchusetts’ Defense Business

• Wikileaks, and China’s role in North Korea’s nuclear weapons program.

• The value of US defense contracts to Massachusetts businesses has almost tripled since 2001, reaching $15.6 billion last year.

• Reality disconnect, Example 1,754,348: Gen. Cartwright says the US military must begin to value scale and numbers, not just capabilities. Meanwhile, the proposed Ground Combat Vehicle to replace the M2/M3 Bradley has an expected price of $9-10 million per GCV, and twice the expected per-mile operating cost of a Bradley. Guess they haven’t started yet.

Iraqi Security Forces Order of Battle, Nov/Dec 2010

(c) DJ Elliott

DJ Elliott is a retired USN Intelligence Specialist (22 years active duty) who has been analyzing and writing on Iraqi Security Forces developments since 2006. His Iraqi Security Forces Order of Battle is an open-source compilation that attempts to map and detail Iraqi units and equipment, as their military branches and internal security forces grow and mature. While “good enough for government use” is not usually uttered as a compliment, US Army TRADOC has maintained permission to use the ISF OOB for their unclassified handouts since 2008.

This compilation is reproduced here with full permission. It offers a set of updates highlighting recent changes in the ISF’s composition and development, followed by the full updated ISF OOBs in PDF format.

Iraq Looks to Buy Maritime Awareness Systems

PS-701 Fatah

On Nov 30/10, the US DSCA announced [PDF] Iraq’s formal request to buy naval Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) Systems, which can help it monitor and defend critical infrastructure and oil installations in and along the Persian Gulf. Those systems would cost up to $68 million, and would include sensors like Automatic Identification System, Surface Scan Radar System, Forward Looking Infrared System, Situational Display System, Electro-Optical Cameras.

Communications including HF/UHF/VHF radios, Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP), K Under Band Very Small Aperture satellite terminal upgrades.

Infrastructure and assistance including Mobile and Fixed Towers, generators, spare and repair parts, support equipment, publications and technical data, personnel training and training equipment, and U.S. Government and contractor support services, and other related logistical support. The prime contractor will be The Raytheon Company in Waltham, MA, and this proposed sale will require the assignment of 3 U.S. Government and four contractor representatives to Iraq for 1 month to help with fielding and training and quality assurance.