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Archives by date > 2011 > February

Rapid Fire 2011-03-01: Cutting Steel for CVN 79

Feb 28, 2011 22:01 UTC

  • India is planning to boost its defense spending by 11.6% in the next fiscal year to counter China’s growing military capabilities.

  • How was the Stuxnet attack on Iran targeted?

  • But a recent IAEA report says enrichment and production has continued at Natanz despite the Stuxnet slowdown, and adds that Iran continues to prepare military delivery vehicles etc. for nuclear weapons.

Continue Reading… »

Ammo Imperative: Australia Modernizes Mulwala Facility

Feb 28, 2011 11:50 UTC

Latest updates[?]: Thales teams with GD-OTS.
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GEO_Mulwala_Propellant_Plant.jpg

Mulwala plant

Although single base propellants have been around for over 100 years, production of this type of propellant only began in Australia during World War 2, when appropriate equipment and know-how were provided under the USA’s Lend Lease Scheme. Prior to this date, all propellants had been of the British double base type. The Mulwala gun propellant facility in New South Wales was set up to produce these commodities, and remains the sole supplier of military-grade propellants and high explosives to the Benalla ammunition plant in northern Victoria. These plants are deemed to be strategic national assets, and produce ammunition for Australia’s Defence Forces; Mulwala also produces low-grade explosives and propellants for a few other customers, including America’s NASA.

Australia isn’t the only country looking to modernize single-source ammunition facilities from World War 2 or earlier. The USA is in the same boat. The Mulwala redevelopment project has finally received full approval, and work is underway – with the assistance of the same firm that owns the USA’s prime (and until recently, only) small caliber military ammunition production facility. Now, Thales will have the assistance of America’s 2nd supplier as well.

Continue Reading… »

Rapid Fire 2011-02-28: Electro Optical Weapons

Feb 27, 2011 21:16 UTC

  • Egypt allows Iranian warships to pass through Suez Canal – the first Iranian warships to do so since 1979 – on way to Syrian port for naval exercises.

  • US government is concerned that Libya’s chemical weapons stockpile, Scud B missiles, and uranium yellowcake could fall into the hands of non-state extremists, Wall Street Journal reports.

  • Russian parliament approves agreement to allow US military equipment and personnel to transit Russia on way to Afghanistan.

  • Commission on Wartime Contracting in Iraq and Afghanistan criticizes DoD for lax oversight of contractors [PDF] resulting in tens of billions of dollars in waste.

  • GAO says Defense Access Roads Program, which provides funds to local communities to improve transportation around US military bases, for being too complex and difficult to understand [PDF].

  • Northrop Grumman snags $50 million low-rate initial production contract for the US Army’s next-generation mobile testing system for electronic and electro-optical weapons.

Rapid Fire: 2011-02-25

Feb 24, 2011 21:45 UTC

  • Boeing takes the $30 billion KC-X aerial tanker contract back from Airbus, an outcome that left several observers surprised. More to come on Monday.

  • UAE defense contracts announced at IDEX 2011. See the full lists from Day 1 (AED 4+ billion), Day 2 (AED ~4 billion), and Day 3 (AED 3.7 billion). 1 dirhan = $0.2723.

  • Russian defense ministry announces 19 trillion ruble ($651 billion) arms procurement program for 2011-2020 that includes plans to buy 100 ships, over 600 aircraft, and 1,000 helicopters.

  • Jordan kicks off orders and manufacturing for the RPG-32 Hashim 105mm/ 72mm shoulder-fired rocket system, jointly developed with Russian firms. The new Jordan Russian Electronic Systems Company (JRESCO) facility is expected to have a capacity of 60,000 weapons per year.

  • UAE and Russia sign $74 million contract for the modernization of 135 Russian BMP-3 amphibious infantry fighting vehicles used by the UAE armed forces.

  • France and Russia are in talks about Russia purchasing Felin advanced “future soldier” system produced by Sagem Défense Sécurité; the equipment includes body armor, ballistic helmet, and portable C4ISR equipment.

  • Russia has abandoned its Geo-IK-2 satellite – designed to gather gravitational data to improve guidance of ballistic missiles – which was launched into an incorrect orbit earlier in February.

  • China displaying its new LS-6 GPS-guided weapons at IDEX 2011.

  • Up to $900 million [PDF] to 11 companies – BAE Systems, InDyne, Johnson Controls, SAIC, Sim-G Technologies and 6 small business qualifiers – to supply electronic security systems to the US Army Engineering and Support Center in Huntsville, AL.

  • Also, the US Army Corp of Engineers’ Middle East District is seeking bids to provide Afghanistan reconstruction security support services, including comprehensive security, operations, transportation, aircraft, and intelligence.

  • We’ll end on a cheery note, with some fine photos of the 2 Libyan Mirage F1 fighters that landed in Malta, after their pilots defected rather than obey orders to bomb demonstrators.

UAE Gives M346 a LIFT

Feb 24, 2011 12:28 UTC

Latest updates[?]: Talks stall, but no opening for competitors yet.
M-346

M-346

The United Arab Emirates’ government announced at IDEX 2009 that it has selected a winner in its lead-in fighter trainer and light attack aircraft competition. The competition has been closely contested, as new options have appeared on the market, and the UAE’s planned order of up to 60 planes could provide an important sales and investment boost.

IDEX 2007 saw the shortlist announced. BAE’s Hawk already serves in this role for a number of air forces around the world, and is in service with the UAE, but their Mk128 variant was eliminated early. That left Aermacchi’s M346, a spinoff from a collaborative effort that also produced Russia’s very similar Yak-130; and Korean Aerospace’s supersonic T/A-50, designed and marketed in conjunction with Lockheed Martin…

Continue Reading… »

Is It Smart for the US Army to Develop Smartphones?

Feb 24, 2011 10:19 UTC

Latest updates[?]: TRADOC to submit smartphone recommendations to Army leadership in 6 to 8 months.
US Army iPhone

Smartphone: Good Idea?

The US Army soldier is burdened with C4ISR technology. The soldier uses a handheld radio to talk to other soldiers and commanders, Blue Force Tracker to track friendly and enemy forces, a portable GPS receiver to determine location, a ROVER system to receive UAV video feeds, and, if he or she is lucky enough, an Afghan interpreter to communicate with the locals.

What if all these things could be brought together on one device – a smartphone that millions use every day in civilian life. The US Army has undertaken an effort, called Connecting Soldiers to Digital Applications (CSDA), to develop smartphones for the office and the battlefield, such as tracking enemy movements, determining locations of fellow soldiers, sending intelligence reports, and receiving live UAV video.

There are a number of obstacles to this bold vision, however, not the least of which is security. How will the Army ensure that all of this classified information is protected using open source commercial technology?

Continue Reading… »

Rapid Fire: 2011-02-24

Feb 23, 2011 22:02 UTC

  • As Libya erupts in civil war, articles examine European arms exports over the past few years. Notably, previous German sales of jamming equipment may now be hindering communication and evacuation efforts for foreign nationals. If the regime falls, it’s likely that some contracts, such as maintaining their new ATR-42MP maritime patrol/ search and rescue aircraft, would be kept by any government. Others, such as Libya’s buy of Russian SU-35S fighters and continued implementation of its EUR 300 million border control system contract with Finmeccanica, could prove to have sandier foundations.

  • Congressional Budget Office projects that increasing operations and support costs will drive US defense budget growth over the next 20 years. This continues a long-standing trend, but is also evidence of poor planning. Since the budget won’t be growing, what it really means is that the personnel and procurement budgets will be reduced to pay for O&M costs, unless whole platforms & capabilities are removed (vid. the current British experience).

  • On which topic, Britain’s Tornado GR4 strike aircraft fleet looks like it might exit service almost immediately, as the UK MoD looks to find more savings.

  • At the same time, Britain plans to keep all four of its current Vanguard-class SSBNs, says Defense Secretary Liam Fox.

  • Engineers are critical to any fleet, but a recent Australian report says RAN engineering is at a crisis point. “Tactically excellent but technically bankrupt” is not sustainable.

  • UN peacekeeping forces face a shortfall of 56 military helicopters out of a required 137 to perform their missions, according to a UN official.

  • Switzerland approves its 2011 armament program. Biggest expense in the $450 million? Upgrading its stocks to include new AIM-120C7 AMRAAM medium range air-air missiles, alongside the old AIM-120Bs.

  • Jordan’s King Abdullah Design and Development Bureau receives its UAV choice for the RJAF’s reconnaissance squadron: Schiebel’s popular S-100 Camcopter helicopter UAV, equipped with L-3 Wescam’s MX-10 surveillance turret.

  • The global aerospace and defense industry revenues are expected to reach $399 billion by 2015, according to Global Industry Analysts.

  • Lockheed Martin sells its PAE business, a provider of military base support services, to Lindsay Goldberg for an undisclosed sum.

Pharmaceuticals for TRICARE

Feb 23, 2011 19:11 UTC

Tricare Logo

The American TRICARE health insurance system for military members and their families is putting more and more pressure on US military budgets, as costs skyrocket far faster than inflation, or budget growth. Ballooning prescription drug costs in particular are causing significant policy and management issues.

One of the challenges is that many people are using more costly retail pharmacies instead of military treatment facilities or mail order, in order to get their medications. But who supplies the TRICARE mail order system?

Continue Reading… »

Rapid Fire 2011-02-23: SITE, NETCENTS

Feb 22, 2011 21:45 UTC

  • Electromagnetic pulse gun developed by Swiss research institute EPFL could be used to explode IEDs remotely.

  • Looks like Brazil won’t be buying any new fighters in 2011.

  • Belgium’s defense spending is expected to grow at a modest 1.76% per year, reaching $3.7 billion by 2015. Also, the Wallonia regional government comes under fire for approving FN Herstal’s sale of EUR 6.9 million worth of rifles, machine guns and ammunition to Libya.

  • US Drug Enforcement Agency sting nails a Taliban-linked drug and weapon smuggling ring, whose price list reportedly included Stinger anti-aircraft missiles and Javelin anti-armor missiles.

  • Defense Intelligence Agency awards 2 task orders worth $350 million to BAE Systems for IT support under the agency’s $6.6 billion SITE contract vehicle.

  • Telos said it received $265 million worth of IT task orders for FY 2010 under the $9 billion NETCENTS contract.

  • Alcatel-Lucent’s LGS subsidiary receives a $22.2 million Army delivery order to upgrade the communications infrastructure at Redstone Arsenal in Alabama.

  • CACI snags $44 million in task orders to support the DoD’s Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization (JIEDDO) under its $494 million JIEDDO Comprehensive Support Services (CSS) contract.

  • Aura gets order to provide power systems for the USCG’s Response Boat-Medium (RB-M) vessel, part of a contract awarded to Manitowoc Marine Group to provide 250 RB-M boats for $600 million.

  • Thailand receives its 1st set of 6 JAS-39C/D Gripen fighters.

  • Afghanistan’s 10th upgraded C-27A light transport plane lands in Kabul.

  • Embraer unveils the 1st modified EMB-145 AEW&C airframe for use by the Indian DRDO in its indigenous Tier 2 AEW&C program.

  • Israeli/American Arrow system test successfully intercepts ballistic missile.

Canadian Forces Seek to Build Excellence in Foreign Flight Training

Feb 22, 2011 14:06 UTC

RCAF Rondel

In 2005, the Canadian Department of National Defence awarded a 22-year, $1.77-billion (USD $1.5 billion) contract to an “Allied Wings” team lead by Kelowna Flightcraft Ltd. of Kelowna, British Columbia, who beat out a competing group led by Bombardier’s military training division in Mirabel, Quebec. The long-term contract will provide primary flight training training and support services to the Canadian Forces and international allies. These services will be provided out of the “Canada Wings Aviation Training Centre” in the Southport Aerospace Centre near Portage la Prairie, Manitoba.

This is not the first time the Canadian government has chosen a public/private approach to aviation training. Bombardier was already managing the Contracted Flying Training and Support (CFTS) program, and the public-private NATO Flying Training in Canada (NFTC) program has been running since 1997. In some ways, however, the new “Allied Wings” contract was a logical next step aimed at solidifying Canada’s traditional advantages, as Canada attempts to make itself an international center of excellence for foreign military aviator training:

  • NATO Flying Training in Canada
  • Primary Training: Competition for CFTS [updated]
  • The Big Picture: International Flight Training in Canada [updated]
  • Contracts & Key Events [NEW]
  • Additional Readings & Sources [updated]

Continue Reading… »
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