The Croatian Helicopter Swap Triangle: Mi-8s for UH-60s

UH-60

Croatia’s Jutarnji list reports that a proposed helicopter swap deal was discussed during an Aug 14/14 meeting between high-ranking Croatian defense personnel and a delegation from the US House of Representatives.

The goal is to offer the Ukraine near-term assistance, while bringing Croatian forces closer to NATO standards. Under the deal…

Ship to Shore Connector: the USN’s New Hovercraft

SSC concept

The Ship to Shore Connector (SSC) hovercraft program aims to build on the USA’s LCAC hovercraft experience, and retain the US Navy’s unparalleled transport options from ship to shore and beyond. LCACs launch from inside the well deck of an amphibious warship, then travel the waves at high speed, run right through the surf zone near the beach, and stop at a suitable place on land. Their cargo walks or rolls off. The LCAC(Landing Craft, Air Cushion) returns to the surf to pick up more. Rinse. Agitate. Repeat.

These air-cushioned landing craft are much more capable than the conventional flat-bottomed landing boats used by other countries, but that capability comes at a price. LCACs were expensive to buy, suffered from corrosion and maintenance issues, and remain quite expensive to operate and maintain after many years in service. The other problem is that tanks and other vehicles have gotten heavier, so carrying equipment like the Marines’ latest M1 Abrams can push current LCACs to their capacity limits.

Countries like France are designing fast catamaran landing craft for over-the-horizon delivery at a lower price point, and modern hovercraft offer new options of their own. The US Navy looked at the possibilities, then decided to ask for an upgraded version of the current LCACs. SSC was born, and in 2012 it finally moved into system development.

DOTE to Acquisition Community: Don’t Shoot the Messenger!

• The Pentagon’s office for operational testing (DOTE) published an update to their presentation [PDF] explaining reasons behind program delays. Their main conclusion is well-known, self-protective, and true as long as you test the right things:

“It is not testing per se that causes a delay, rather it is a problem with the system that is discovered during testing that causes a delay.”

• DOTE data shows that Army programs have often faced programmatic issues (e.g. delayed full rate production) while the Air Force sees more problems in manufacturing, software development, and integration. The profile of Navy programs falls somewhere in between. Schedule slippage, especially in missile defense, has sometimes be pretty graphic.

• Meanwhile the Pentagon’s acquisition office is focused on increasing competition with new guidelines [PDF] focused on open systems, mostly based on the US Navy’s experience.