Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co. in Ft. Worth, TX received a $6.53 billion modification to re-baseline the cost-plus-award-fee F-35 Joint Strike Fighter System Development and Demonstration contract (N00019-02-C-3002). That contract was originally awarded on Oct. 26, 2001, for $19 billion. Subsequent modifications have included:
Already ahead of most of its global competitors, the US Department of Defense is working on further improvements to its supply chain. Initiatives discussed by a recent Information Week article include an enterprisewide system in place to watch existing contracts so it can eliminate redundant ones, the capability to locate and buy materials down to the battlefield level while the whole process remains open to audit by the local base and Pentagon in real time, and RFID implementation. Immediate programs that are currently underway include Logistics Joint Administrative Support Services II, a broad reengineering and modernization of logistics processes, and the Defense Information Systems Agency’s Encore I. These two projects alone amount to about $5 billion in IT contracts.
The analysis group Input expects a $1.2 billion growth in IT contracts from the Department of Defense over the next five years, to $8.4 billion by 2010.
DID has covered the U.S. Army’s $2 billion Light Utility Helicopter competition before, which aims to replace many of the US Army’s older UH-1 Hueys and OH-58 Kiowas. from the original 2 competitors (Bell’s UH-1 descendants the 210 or 412EP, vs. MD Helicopters’ Explorer 900 NOTAR) to EADS Eurocopter’s entry (EC145) and its implications.
A fourth team has joined the competition.
On Sept. 8, 2005, DID covered the evolution of DARPA’s FALCON program for low-cost, fast satellite launches. The goal is a booster that can launch a small satellite for less than $5 million with only 24 hours notice. On Sept. 29, 2005, AirLaunch LLC’s QuickReach system was successfully tested with a dummy booster that was live launched from a C-17 aircraft at 6,000 feet. AirLaunch LLC has now completed an $11.3 million contract under the Falcon program Phase IIA. If selected to move forward, the project would lead to a test flight to orbit in early 2008. See the full release for more details.
Here at DID, we applaud the innovation even as we wonder whether a similar approach could also be used by lesser powers to launch 2-stage ICBMs with INS/GPS guidance.
The US Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane in Crane, IN issued a pair of firm-fixed-price, indefinite-quantity/ indefinite-delivery contracts to repair Traveling Wave Tubes (TWTs). TWTs are used in a variety of host aircraft and ships, where they amplify the power of radio signals. This is very useful for radars, and also has applications in electronic warfare equipment.
V.T. Griffin Services, Inc. in Atlanta, GA won a maximum $75 million cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity contract for base operating support (BOS) services at various federal locations in the Southeastern United States.
Task Order 0001 was awarded concurrently with the basic contract in the amount of $6.2 million for Tent City BOS services at Joint Reserve Base, Naval Air Station New Orleans. Work for this task order is expected to be complete by December 2005.
Ensign-Bickford Aerospace and Defense Co. in Simsbury, CT won an estimated $9.4 million firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity contract for MK34 Mod 0 Pyrotechnic Leads. They provide an electrical impulse to explosive ordnance disposal tool sets, and extend the safe stand-off distance. Work will be performed in Graham, KY and is expected to be complete by September 2010. This contract was competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities website, with three proposals solicited and two offers received. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division in Crane, IN issued the contract (N00164-05-D-4223).
After four years of delays, India has finally signed a $3.5 billion submarine deal for French-Spanish Scorpene SSKs. As noted in DID’s earlier comprehensive coverage of the deal, the Scorpenes will be manufactured under license by Mumbai-based Mazagon Dock Ltd., and delivered to the Indian Navy between 2012-2017.
The government also awarded global missile systems group MBDA the contract to supply its Exocet SM-39 anti-ship missiles to arm the Scorpene. Another contract signed between Armaris and Mazagoan docks provides for a team of French technical advisers during the construction of the first two submarines.
Project delays have affected India’s original plans to have a force level of 24 diesel submarines by 2030. Navy chief Admiral Arun Prakash said:
