General Dynamics in Garland, TX received a delivery order amount of $44.9 million as part of a $104.5 million firm-fixed-price contract for MK80 series bomb bodies. Work will be performed in Garland, TX and is expected to be complete by Dec. 31, 2010. This was a sole source contract initiated on Feb. 16, 2006 by the U.S. Army Field Support Command in Rock Island, IL (W52P1J-06-D-0006).
General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems adds that delivery order covers a combination of 500 lb., 1,000 lb. and 2,000 lb. bomb bodies, totaling more than 25,000 units, for the U.S. Navy and Air Force. They say “bomb bodies” because bombs are produced in sections, with threaded holes at front and back for mixing and matching add-ons like different guidance sections, fuzes, tail fin kits to get different ranges and types of performance, et. al.
MK80 Bomb Structure
General Dynamics OTS is the world’s only manufacturer of MK80 Series Bomb Bodies that conform to the U.S. Dept. of Defense’s approved technical data packages. In this capacity, General Dynamics OTS is the U.S. Government’s restricted source of supply for all MK80 Series General Purpose Bomb Bodies, both tactical and inert training rounds.
BAE Systems and VT Group’s 50/50 joint venture Flagship Training has enhanced its contract with the UK Royal Navy, extending its contract that has Flagship Training designing, planning and assisting with the delivery and assessment of a range of training courses. The extension expands the scope of training delivery and adds another 21 months to the agreement, stretching it to 2013 subject to performance. As part of the new contract, Flagship will deliver 900 naval and maritime training courses at naval training establishments throughout the south, from HMS Collingwood in Fareham to HMS Raleigh in Cornwall.
The US Government Accountability Office releases its latest report covering the F-35 Lightning II, also known as the Joint Strike Fighter program. They offered their assessment and made their recommendations, but the USAF agreed to disagree and will continue as planned. GAO writes:
In September 2006, QinetiQ was assigned the system integrator role for an Urgent Operational Requirement (UOR) program to integrate RAFAEL’s LITENING III surveillance and targeting pods onto the RAF’s Tornado GR4 attack aircraft in support of Operation Telic in Iraq.
Wintara-Salihi Group Inc. in Fort Washington, MD received an $8.7 million firm-fixed-price contract for the combustion inspection, re-commissioning and start-up of 2 Siemens gas turbine units (V64 and V94) including the associated auxiliary systems and equipment at the Kirkuk/Taza power plant in Kirkuk, Iraq. Work is expected to be completed by Dec. 31, 2007. Bids were solicited via the World Wide Web on Jan. 3, 2007, and 4 bids were received by the U.S. Army Joint Contracting Command-Iraq/Afghanistan in Baghdad, Iraq (W91GXY-07-C-0012).
Iraq’s power system was discovered to be in terrible shape post-invasion, and built mostly for the benefit of the area around Baghdad. Improving power distribution has been a long process marked by slow progress, with a growing focus on improving regional power capabilities as a key lever for building local support and stability. Kirkuk is a northern city that has always been something of a mix, with a large Kurdish majority population and significant Turkomen and Arab minorities. A large number of additional Arabs were later settled there by Saddam in order to displace the Kurds, a fact which complicates the current political situation. Kirkuk’s status going forward remains a live political issue within Iraq, and beyond.
In February 2006, “Small Businesses Succeeding As USAF’s $9B NetCents Contract Receives Promo Push” shone a spotlight on the Network Centric Solutions (NETCENTS) program. Recently, a Northrop Grumman-led team received a large NETCENTS award – a maximum $267 million task order from the US Army to develop Defense Knowledge Online (DKO). The Army already has its own Army Knowledge Online (AKO) system; DKO is envisioned as the entry point for all U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and authorized users worldwide to access DoD and government intranets supporting operations, missions and critical support processes. DKO applications will all be provided through a secure, service-oriented framework, as opposed to the standard I.T. approach of stovepiped applications and non-prioritized bandwidth.
This is the largest portal task order ever awarded by the US federal government, and Northrop Grumman’s many teammates on the contract include:
Cost growth recently led to stop-work on Team Lockheed LCS-3 construction. Now, in the wake of a comprehensive two-month program review, Secretary of the Navy Donald C. Winter had announced that he is prepared to lift the stop work order – under a renegotiated contract, and as part of a revised program plan. In the end, however, the Navy canceled the contract for LCS 3 part-way through construction.
This new plan will also affect the General Dynamics/ Austal team, whose competing trimaran design for LCS 2 and LCS 4 is expected to offer interesting handling and survivability characteristics, plus a significantly larger helicopter landing area. Under the restructured Littoral Combat Ship program plan, however, the Navy will recommend deferral of FY 2007 LCS procurement, and use those funds to complete the construction of LCS 1-4 by the Lockheed and General Dynamics teams.
This will be part of a wider package of efforts aimed at controlling program costs… before those costs raise comparisons, questions, and dilemmas that begin to control the program.
General Atomics in San Diego, CA received a $43.7 million firm-fixed-price contract modification. It covers the manufacture, test and delivery of 2 Predator B MQ-9 (Reaper) unmanned aerial vehicles, 2 mobile ground control stations, and associated equipment to include initial spares, ground support equipment, pack-up kits, and Ku SATCOM antennas. At this time, $32.7 million has been obligated, and work will be complete December 2008. The Aeronautical Systems Center at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, OH issued the contract (FA8620-05-G-3028, order number 0024/no modification number at this time).
Creech Air Force Base, NV received its first operational MQ-9 on March 13, 2007, soon to be assigned to the 42nd Attack Squadron. The Pentagon’s FY 2008 budget request asks for 4 MQ-9s,at a cost of $79 million.
“2(a) review the funding and activities of the Federal Government relating to aeronautics R&D;
2(b)(vi) enhance coordination and communication among executive departments and agencies to maximize the effectiveness of Federal Government R&D resources; and…
3(a) develop and, not later than 1 year after the date of this order, submit for approval by the President a plan for national aeronautics R&D and for related infrastructure, (the “plan”), and thereafter submit, not less often than biennially, to the President for approval any changes to the plan.”
3M Corporation in St. Paul, MN received a maximum $31.3 million firm-fixed-price, requirements type contract for “sole source 3M Corporation items” to the Air Force. The contract will run until December 14, 2009, and the Defense Supply Center Richmond (DSCR) in Richmond, VA issued the contract (SPM4A2-07-D-0005).
