Rapid Fire 2011-03-30: Contractor Debarment

* Pentagon acquisition chief Ashton Carter tells Commission on Wartime Contracting that DoD needs “fast lane” to speed procurement and deployment of weapons in wartime, warns against over-reliance on contractor debarment to combat fraud. * The US Federal Communications Commission, fresh from its stellar job selling off the B-2 bomber’s radar frequency and forcing a $1+ billion switch, has issued an L-band broadband satellite license that’s likely to interfere with GPS signals. The question “Where on earth does the FCC get its ideas?” may presuppose the wrong answer. * A small number of defense programs are driving cost increases in DoD’s budget, GAO finds. * UK is shifting toward the passive-cooling PWR3 nuclear reactor design for its future SSBN nuclear missile submarines. The PWR2 design used in its SSBN Vanguard Class, as well as the SSN Trafalgar, and new SSN Astute Class fast attack boats, reportedly shares unwelcome features with the Fukushima reactors. * Looks like the November 2008 order to Singapore’s ST Marine for a $135 million, 7,600 ton amphibious ship was indeed from Thailand. * Indonesia & China sign a defense industry MoU for shared/licensed weapons programs. But does anyone know what a “C-907” missile is? * Private […]