Air & Space Support: The Aerospace Corp. FFRDC

For a number of years now, The Aerospace Corp. of El Segundo, Calif. has provided Scientific, Engineering and Technical support for the USAF’s Space and Missile Systems Center, and other Department of Defense Programs.

The Aerospace Corp. is actually a Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC). The aerospace FFRDCs are non-profit companies that provides technical analyses and assessments for US national security and space programs. This may include scientific and engineering support involving launch, space, and related ground support systems, research and advisory services, general systems engineering, engineering support, and systems integration support. Most people in the industry know them as publishers of the excellent Crosslink magazine, but see their program involvement timeline for a better sense of how broad their efforts have truly been. As they put it:

Thailand’s Insurgency: The Blimp and I

Aria’s airship
(click to view larger)

In early 2009, Aria International, Inc. announced a contract from the Royal Thai Army to provide in-country surveillance and communications solutions and services, for an aggregate purchase price of $9.7 million. The RTA surveillance system consists of a manned airship with military-grade imaging and communications systems, an armored Command and Control vehicle, and upgrades to existing communications and facilities to receive real-time surveillance data.

Thailand has the questionable distinction of being saddled with the bloodiest Islamist insurgency most people have never heard of. The American export system that has hindered their order is well known around the world… but it looks like everything has been ironed out. Unfortunately, Thailand hasn’t been able to get much value out of its new asset.

• Thailand’s Airship Program [updated]
  
• Contracts & Key Events
  

Rapid Fire Sept. 28, 2012: Attack of the Green-Eye Shade People

• US Navy Rear Admiral Thomas J. Moore, PEO Aircraft Carriers, reminds the industry that cost overruns feed “right into the hands of the people who question the need for 11 big-deck carriers” and “cutting a ship … is enticing for the green-eye shade folks.”

• Pentagon deputy Ashton Carter to the Department: keep training and contracting as usual.

• The US Coast Guard released its finalized RFP for Offshore Patrol Cutters (OPC). A two-phase, down-select strategy will start with Preliminary & Contract Design (P&CD) and end with building up to 11 OPCs. Phase I will be awarded as a Firm Fixed Price (FFP) contract in the coming fiscal year with a Phase II award (with built-in incentives in the contract) three years later. The road map can be found here.

Training Hercules: The USA’s JMATS Contracts

MATS WST for
SOCOM HC/MC-130J

One of the most important components of Lockheed Martin’s C-130J medium transport planes never leaves the ground. The best equipment is useless if people aren’t trained to operate and maintain it, which is why the MATS (Maintenance and Aircrew Training System) set of trainers and simulators are so essential. When the Pentagon assesses “operational suitability” for an aircraft, a strong training structure is one of the things they look for.

MATS complements the existing ATS system for previous-generation C-130s, and provides a comprehensive range of training devices and training support services to aircrews. The USA’s JMATS contracts include aircrew instruction, operations, contractor logistics support and engineering services:

• C-130J MATS
  
• Contracts & Key Events [updated]
  
• Additional Readings
  

“Bird Dog” Light Planes for Afghanistan

Cessna 208B to Kirkuk

“Bird Dogs for the Iraqi Air Force” has covered the growth of Iraq’s primary trainer fleet of Cessna 172 and 208Bs, alongside surveillance and even attack variants of the same aircraft. Now, Afghanistan is beginning the same process, and needs primary training aircraft for new air force candidates. Soon, they may need more.

Active military use of “grasshopper”/ “bird dog” aircraft is merely the re-invention of doctrines that worked very well in World War 2, Korea, and Vietnam. The combination of lower tech, lower prices, and lower crash rates than UAVs will continue to give “bird dog” aircraft a military role as light cargo planes, spotters, and even attack aircraft in countries that are watching their budgets…

Rapid Fire September 27, 2012: AEGIS Combat Weapon System Test & Integration

AEGIS got a full plate

The US Navy’s AEGIS Program Office, PEO IWS, held an Industry Day last week about its AEGIS Ship Integration and Test Program (SI&T) in preparation of a forthcoming request for proposals. The Aegis Combat Weapon System (ACS/AWS) supports the gamut of naval missions: anti-air/sub/surface warfare, strike, command/control et. al., so there are many layers of both integration and testing involved – some to be handled by the private sector, some by the government. This competition intends to deliver integrated combat systems to DDG-51s built in coming years (12 are planned between 2012 and 2018), as well as retrofit in-service DDG-51 and CG 47 class ships. The Navy plans to run a full and open competition that leads to a 1-year contract with 9 yearly follow-up options. The RFP is planned for Q1 FY13 (i.e. in the next 3 months) with an award a year later. Industry Day PPT | MS Word Q&A | FBO.

US Army, USMC Order MICH, LWH Helmets

Try one on!

Rapid Fire September 26, 2012: Emerging Export Pitfalls

• Sikorsky announced on Monday that they would close their Military Completions Center in Big Flats, NY, by the end of the year. That facility was developed in 2007, following the acquisition of Schweizer Aircraft in 2004, to prep Black Hawk and Naval Hawk helicopters for Foreign Military Sales. 570 people will lose their jobs in the process.

• Daniel Goure at the Lexington Institute asks a very salient question: how much risk are US companies taking by betting heavily on sales to Asia and the Middle East? He is focused on potential political disruptions, but economic concerns should not be dismissed as casually as he does. In recent months growth has markedly slowed down in China and India, among other emerging markets that face heavy imbalances.

Boeing Remanufactures AH-64A Apaches to AH-64D Block II

Before: AH-64A

With the collapse of the RAH-66 Comanche program, and rededication of its funding into the ARH-70 Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter (ARH), the UH-145 Light Utility Helicopter (LUH), and other programs, the AH-64 Apache will remain the primary attack helicopter flown by the US and its allies over the coming decades. Unsurprisingly, some degree of remanufacturing and conversions to AH-64D status are either completed or ongoing for almost all AH-64A Apache owners.

In January 2007, Boeing announced a $1.149 billion extended Block II contract for the remanufacture of 96 US. Army AH-64D Apache Longbow helicopters, as well as 30 AH-64Ds for the United Arab Emirates. That number has continued to grow, until it encompassed all of the US Army’s remaining AH-64A Apache attack helicopters.

Rapid Fire September 25, 2012: BAE, EADS at International Crossroads

This way to the top

Chinese authorities officially confirmed [government source, in Chinese] today that they commissioned the Liaoning (formerly the USSR’s unfinished Riga then Varyag), their first aircraft carrier.