Rapid Fire 2010-05-20: AirSea Battle Concept

• US Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessment’s releases “AirSea Battle: A Point of Departure Operational Concept”, (PDF Release | Full report | Slides) describing how the US Navy can respond to growing threats from surveillance-strike complexes and ballistic/ cruise missiles. See also DefenseTech summary.

• Russia, NATO to cooperate on developing a joint tactical missile defense system.

• Is the North Korean Navy becoming more aggressive because… it’s crab season?!?

• Rock phones in development – no, not MP3 players, devices to help troops talk to one another through rock. Good for huntin’ folks in caves, we’re told. Wonder who that might be…

• From Russia, with fuel: Tactical Air Defense Services leases 2 Russian Ilyushin IL-78 “Midas” and 2 Ilyusin IL-76 “Candid” aerial tankers from Air Support Systems to provide US and allied air-to-air refueling services.

• Mark Hamel, who co-authored “Want an Effective Kaizen Event? Don’t Forget the Human Side!” here, wins manufacturing’s Shingo Prize in the Research & Publications category for his Kaizen Event Fieldbook. Congratulations, Mark!

• MuCAR-3 [pdf] robot car could help save soldiers lives. MuCAR-3 Video

• Interview with Raytheon CEO: Defense firm expanding internationally.

• Harris sets up 1st US cyber integration center to provide military and commercial customers with manage hosting services in a secure environment.

• First Giraffe AMB radars pass acceptance testing for Britain’s LEAPP integrated air defense program.

• Investigation underway into a recent engine failure on one of Australia’s new NH90 helicopters.

• Dolphins & sea lions are the stars of the security show, during California’s annual, 2-day homeland security and disaster preparedness exercises.

• Naval Research Lab tests TEPCE satellite that uses electrodynamic propulsion, rather than fuel, to maneuver in space.

Australia Moves Closer to Performance-Based Contracts for Armored Vehicle Support

ASLAV, Afghanistan

The Australian Army has a fleet of more than 300 armored vehicles that include M1A1 Abrams tanks, M88A2 HERCULES recovery vehicles, and wheeled ASLAV armored personnel carriers. In response to maintenance cost concerns, and larger trends in the global defense industry, General Dynamics Land Systems Australia proposed a 5-year, performance-based support contract, with greater incentives for improved efficiencies and performance than are found in current contracts. Australia’s current Labor Party government is looking for over $1 billion from more efficient operations under its Defence Strategic Reform Program, so the proposal fell on receptive ears.

GDLS-Australia have now been announced as the preferred tenderer for the support contract. The value of the contract is likely to be in excess of A$ 100 million, and Australia’s DMO will begin negotiations with a view to negotiating a contract by October 2010.