Department of Defense & Industry Daily News
Advertisement
Defense program acquisition news, budget data, market briefings
  • Contact
    Editorial
    Advertising
    Feedback & Support
    Subscriptions & Reports
  • Subscribe
    Paid Subscription
    in-depth program analysis & data sets
    Free Email Newsletter
    quick daily updates
    Google+ Twitter RSS
  • Log in
    Forgot your password?
    Not yet a subscriber? Find out what you have been missing.
Archives by category > Project Management (RSS)

C-17 Production Line Out of Time

Mar 05, 2007 06:58 UTC

AIR_C-17_Formation_of_14.jpg

Reinforcements coming?

In 2006 it appeared that recent purchases by Australia, Canada, Britain, and possibly others would not be enough to sustain C-17 production much beyond 2008, when the end of US orders was scheduled to close the line. The line ended up lasting rather longer than that, thanks to a combination of American orders that brought the plane close to its original production targets, and expended interest abroad.

In September 2013, however, Boeing confirmed that they were closing the C-17 production line. The final date is now mid-2015. After that, Airbus’ A400M and Russia’s IL-476 will compete as the only in-production intratheater military transports on the market.

Continue Reading… »

Future Combat Systems Looking for a Deputy CIO

Sep 06, 2006 05:33 UTC

MIL_FCS_Concept.jpg

The US Army’s $150-300 billion Future Combat Systems program has many dimensions, from UAVs to missiles to land vehicles. One of the most important dimensions, however, is its network and IT elements.

DefenseTech notes that FCS lead systems integrator SAIC is advertising for a Future Combat Systems Deputy CIO. “Minimum of 15 years experience in both classified and unclassified enterprise information management” required, along with “a minimum of 8 years of relevant and recent project management office (PMO) experience under a U.S. Government contract.”

The Monster.com posting adds that “proficiency with Microsoft products and common office software applications” is another requirement. Given Microsoft’s security record and the importance of the network element to FCS’ combat capabilities, we hope they mean Word, Excel, Power Point, and Visio.

Continue Reading… »

SBX ABM Radar: Somewhere Over the Rainbow?

Aug 30, 2006 10:47 UTC

Advertisement
ELEC_Radar_SBX_ABM_Radar_Pearl_Harbour.jpg

SBX radar, Pearl Harbor

All military technologies have their teething periods, and especially advanced examples often have longer ones. The SBX X-band radar offers a quantum leap in capabilities, and can even be floated into position in order to perform its missile-tracking function.

As our June 2005 article noted, the SBX was scheduled to arrive in Adak, Alaska by late December 2005. It remains at Hawaii, however, owing to a number of issues and glitches that have yet to be fully worked out. POGO offers a summary of those issues, via a link to a Chicago Tribune article an a leaked “For Official Use Only” document it was based upon entitled “SBX-1 Operational Suitability and Viability Assessment.”

Continue Reading… »

USMC’s H-1 Helcopter Program Back on Track?

Aug 15, 2006 07:03 UTC

AIR_UH-1Y_and_AH-1Z_Photo.jpg

UH-1Y and AH-1Z
by Neville Dawson

DID has covered the unexpected procurement problems encountered by the US Marine Corps’ “H-1 helicopter program” to upgrade 100 of its UH-1N Hueys and 180 of its AH-1W Super Cobra attack helicopters, as well as a recent low-rate production award for UH-1Ys. Air International has just published an article which says that the program’s remedial actions have put it back on track. Initial Operational Capability for the UH-1Y Venoms is now set for September 2008, while IOC for the AH-1Z Viper attack helicopters has been pushed back to FY 2011.

New-build airframes and equipment pools will keep the existing UH-1Ns in service on the front lines until they can be replaced, and cost curve and fixed price commitments have stabilized things on the contract front. DID’s previous article noted other issues as well, and we will continue to cover this program as it develops.

Continue Reading… »

JTRS Program to Continue After Restructuring

Jul 28, 2006 14:25 UTC

JTRS JPEO

The USA’s troubled Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS) program was meant to be a centerpiece of US military transformation that would enable units to communicate seamlessly via equipment that would use software-defined electronics to “translate” different communications waveforms. JTRS was scheduled to be part of many new US systems, from updated MIDS/Link 16 terminals in aircraft to remote control of the NETFIRES “missile in a box” to a key role in the $100+ billion Future Combat Systems program. Etc. Etc. Instead, the program went through many tribulations.

The resulting technical difficulties were formidable, made more so by rising requirements demands from the US military. Eventually, the difficulties forced delays that affected combat commanders, led to rising costs, and finally created a breakdown. Boeing’s Cluster 1 program was put on notice for potential cancellation in April 2005, and subsequent reports have predicted that JTRS would be scaled back or even broken up entirely.

It now appears that the predictions of a scaled back restructuring were correct…

Continue Reading… »

Global Hawks Soaring in Ops… And Costs

May 09, 2006 11:26 UTC

AIR_UAV_RQ-4_Global_Hawk_High_Flight.jpg

RQ-4: High flight

DID has covered the US military’s RQ-4 Global Hawk reconnaissance UAVs, which can cruise at 65,000 feet for 32 hours and cover thousands of miles in the process. Forecast International notes that 7 Global Hawks have been delivered, 17 are in various stages of production, at least 2 have been lost in crashes, and 2 more are on loan to the Navy for experiments. Over 5,400 combat hours have been flown, and foreign interest is also high. NATO is looking at Global Hawk as part of its AGS battlefield surveillance project in combination with a JSTARS-like Arbus 319, and there has even been talk of setting up a multinational “Pacific Pool” of Global Hawks along similar lines to NATO’s E-3 AWACS program. As the Pentagon looks to retire its U-2 fleet, this UAV’s operational role and importance will only increase.

DID discusses a $60 million contract that was just issued for the RQ-B Global Hawk, whose 131-foot wingspan and larger size give it an extra 5,00 pounds of payload capacity vs. the 116-foot A model. We also point to a National Defense Magazine article that raises questions about the program’s costs and accounting.

Continue Reading… »

FCS Procurement Structure Comes Under GAO Scrutiny

Mar 13, 2006 13:44 UTC

PUB_FCS_Constellation_2006.jpg

FCS Constellation

DID has covered the USA’s $120+ billion Future Combat Systems program before, and recently noted questions regarding its survivability in urban warfare. Now the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) has issued Report #GAO-06-478T (Defense Acquisitions: Business Case and Business Arrangements Key for Future Combat System’s Success). The key paragraph from the abstract reads:

“There are a number of compelling aspects of the FCS program, and it is hard to argue with the program’s goals. However, the elements of a sound business case for such an acquisition program – firm requirements, mature technologies, a knowledge-based acquisition strategy, a realistic cost estimate and sufficient funding – are not yet present. FCS began product development prematurely in 2003. Since then, the Army has made several changes to improve its approach for acquiring FCS. Yet, today, the program remains a long way from having the level of knowledge it should have had before starting product development. FCS has all the markers for risks that would be difficult to accept for any single system, much less a complex, multi-system effort. These challenges are even more daunting in the case of FCS not only because there are so many of them but because FCS represents a new concept of operations that is predicated on technological breakthroughs. Thus, technical problems, which accompany immaturity, not only pose traditional risks to cost, schedule, and performance; they pose risks to the new fighting concepts envisioned by the Army.

GOV_GAO_Logo.jpg

Many decisions can be anticipated that will involve trade-offs the Government will make in the program. Facts of life, like technologies not working out, reductions in available funds, and changes in performance parameters, must be anticipated. It is important, therefore, that the business arrangements for carrying out the FCS program – primarily in the nature of the development contract and in the lead system integrator (LSI) approach – preserve the government’s ability to adjust course as dictated by these facts of life. At this point, the $8 billion to be spent on the program through fiscal year 2006 is a small portion of the $200 billion total. DOD needs to guard against letting the buildup in investment limit its decision making flexibility as essential knowledge regarding FCS becomes available. As the details of the Army’s new FCS contract are worked out and its relationship with the LSI evolves, it will be important to ensure that the basis for making additional funding commitments is transparent. Accordingly, markers for gauging knowledge must be clear, incentives must be aligned with demonstrating such knowledge, and provisions must be made for the Army to change course if the program progresses differently than planned.”

Continue Reading… »

$33M to SAIC to Help Develop Maritime & Littoral Surveillance Technologies

Jan 25, 2006 04:35 UTC

CORP_SAIC.gif

Science Applications International Corp. in San Diego, CA received a $33 million indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity contract with a cost-plus-fixed-fee pricing arrangement in support of maritime and coastal/ littoral area surveillance technologies. The contract covers program configuration management, technical services, systems engineering, algorithm development, hardware and software development, material analysis, data processing, testing, repair, installation, deployment, recovery, and analysis Work will be performed in San Diego, CA and is expected to be complete by January 2011. This contract was competitively procured via the SPAWAR e-commerce central website with one proposal received by the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center San Diego, CA (N66001-06-D-5021).

Continue Reading… »

N-G Gets $159M Littoral Combat Ship Mission Package Integration Contract

Jan 09, 2006 07:42 UTC

LCS GD Flight 0 Core Capabilities

LCS Flight 0 Basics

The US Navy has awarded a 10-year, cost plus award fee/award term contract with a potential dollar figure of $159 million to Northrop Grumman Systems Corp. in Bethpage, NY. Northrop Grumman will serve as mission package integrator for the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) Mission Modules program. The FY 2006 portion of the contract award is $4.5 million.

The integrator’s role is to as a system-engineering partner responsible for bringing the systems and technologies of the mission modules together, and act as a conduit for technology to be harnessed and incorporated into the LCS seaframe and mission module architectures. They will work closely with the government’s Mission Package Integration Laboratory at the Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City, FL, strengthening the production team that is slated deliver the first mission packages in Fiscal Year (FY) 2007.

Mission modules are integrated packages of mission-specific equipment that can be swapped in and out of the LCS. The ships will initially draw upon modules for Mine Warfare (MIW), Anti-submarine Warfare (ASW) and Surface Warfare (SUW).

Continue Reading… »

Australia Pre-Buys AEGIS, Establishes SEA 4000 AWD Program Council

Dec 13, 2005 07:11 UTC

ELEC_AEGIS_Control_Screens.jpg

AEGIS Combat Control

DID has covered Australia’s 3-ship, A$ 6 billion (USD $4.5 billion) SEA 4000 Air Warfare Destroyer program in some depth before. The project continues to move forward, with Australia placing an A$ 1 billion (USD $750 million) pre-order for key components of the AEGIS Combat System and setting up an Alliance Principals’ Council for the program.

The AEGIS system components are being procured despite the fact that the SEA 4000 destroyer does not yet have a finalized ship design.

Continue Reading… »
« Previous 1 2 3 4 5 … 7 Next »
Advertisement
Archives
  • MIL
  • BIZ
  • GEO
  • DAY

Aircraft

Air Reconnaissance
Blimps & LTA Craft
Engines - Aircraft
Equipment - Other
Fighters & Attack
Heavy Bombers
Helicopters & Rotary
Protective Systems - Aircraft
Specialty Aircraft
Transport & Utility
UAVs

Electronics & IT

Avionics
ECM
Electronics - General
Eng. Control Systems
IT - Cyber-Security
IT - General
IT - Networks & Bandwidth
IT - Software & Integration
Radars
Sensors & Guidance
Signals Radio & Wireless
Simulation & Training

Land Equipment

Engineering Vehicles
Engines
Other Equipment - Land
Robots
Soldier's Gear
Tanks & Mechanized
Trucks & Transport

Logistics & Support

Asstd. Support Equipment
Bases & Infrastructure
C4ISR
Chemicals & HAZMAT
Clothing
Engineer Units
Environmental
Financial & Accounting
Food-related
Fuel & Power
Intelligence & PsyOps
Logistics
Marketing & Advertising
Medical
MPs & Justice
Power Projection
Public Relations
Signals Intercept, Cryptography, etc.
Support & Maintenance
Support Functions - Other
Testing & Evaluation

Military Overall

Expeditionary Warfare
Force Structure
Forces - Air
Forces - Land
Forces - Marines
Forces - Naval
Forces - Space
Forces - Special Ops
Forces - Strategic
Interoperability
Leadership & People
Memoriam
Policy - Doctrine
Policy - Personnel
Policy - Procurement
Security & Secrecy
Training & Exercises
Transformation
Warfare - Lessons
Warfare - Trends

Naval Equipment

Coastal & Littoral
Engines & Propulsion - Naval
Protective Systems - Naval
Sensors - Aquatic
Submarines
Surface Ships - Combat
Surface Ships - Other
UUVs & USVs

Ordnance & Guns

ABM
Ammunition
Bombs - Cluster
Bombs - General
Bombs - Smart
Explosives
Grenades
Guns - 20-59 mm direct
Guns - 60+ mm direct
Guns - Artillery & Mortars
Guns - Naval
Guns - Personal Weapons
Guns - under 20mm direct
Laser & EM Weapons
Mines & Countermine-IED
Missiles - Air-Air
Missiles - Anti-Armor
Missiles - Anti-Ship
Missiles - Ballistic
Missiles - Precision Attack
Missiles - Surface-Air
Non-Lethal Weapons
Other Weapons
Remote Weapons Systems
Rockets
Shells & Mortar Rounds
Underwater Weapons

Space

GPS Infrastructure
Launch Facilities
Launch Vehicles
Satellites & Sensors
Space Warfare

WMD

Biological Weapons
Chemical Weapons
Nuclear Weapons
WMD Defenses
WMD Detection
WMD Proliferation

Corporation

Airbus
ATK
BAE
Boeing
Consulting Firms
DCNS
Elbit Systems
Finmeccanica
GE
General Atomics
General Dynamics
HAL
Honeywell
IAI
L3 Communications
Lockheed Martin
MBDA
Navistar
Northrop-Grumman
Oshkosh
Other Corporation
RAFAEL
Raytheon
Rolls Royce
Rosoboronexport
Security Contractor
Small Business
T&C - Big 5 Firms
T&C - Booz Allen
T&C - CSC
T&C - EDS
T&C - IBM
T&C - Microsoft
T&C - RAND Corp.
T&C - SAIC
T&C - SRI
Textron
Thales
United Technologies
University-related

DID site

Daily Rapid Fire
Early Edition
FOCUS Articles
Guest Articles
Sharpen yourself
Spotlight articles

Industry

Conferences & Events
Contracts - Awards
Contracts - Intent
Contracts - Modifications
Corporate Financials
Delivery & Task Orders
Industry & Trends
Mergers & Acquisitions
Partnerships & Consortia
People
Pre-RFP
Projections & Assessments
RFPs
Rumours

Innovation

After-Action Reviews
Corporate Innovations
DARPA
Design Innovations
Field Innovations
Logistics Innovations
Materials Innovations
New Systems Tech
Procurement Innovations
R&D - Contracted
R&D - Private
Science - Basic Research

News

Events
Field Reports

Politics

Alliances
Budgets
Domestic Security
Issues - Environmental
Issues - International
Issues - Political
Legal
Lobbying
Official Reports
Public Partnering
Scandals & Investigations
Think Tanks

Projects

Project Failures
Project Management
Project Methodologies
Project Successes

Americas

Americas - Other
Brazil
Canada
USA

Asia

Asia - Central
Asia - Other
Australia & S. Pacific
China
India
Indonesia
Japan
Singapore
South Korea

Europe

Britain/U.K.
Europe - Other
European Union (EU)
France
Germany
Russia

Middle East & Africa

Africa - Other
Iraq
Israel
Middle East - Other
Saudi Arabia
Turkey
United Arab Emirates (UAE)

Other Geo

Oceans - International
Outer Space
Polar Regions

2022

January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August

2021

January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December

2020

January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December

2019

January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December

2018

January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December

2017

January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December

2016

January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December

2015

January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December

2014

January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December

2013

January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December

2012

January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December

2011

January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December

2010

January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December

2009

January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December

2008

January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December

2007

January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December

2006

January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December

2005

January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
White Papers & Events
Advertisement
Advertisement

© 2004-2022 Defense Industry Daily, LLC | About Us | Images on this site | Privacy Policy

Contact us: Editorial | Advertising | Feedback & Support | Subscriptions & Reports

Follow us: Twitter | Google+

Stay Up-to-Date on Defense Programs Developments with Free Newsletter

DID's daily email newsletter keeps you abreast of contract developments, pictures, and data, put in the context of their underlying political, business, and technical drivers.