Air Force Attempts Self Reform

• The Air Force is trying to get ahead of cost issues by announcing an effort to introduce reforms to speed up procurement as well as to allow RFP responders to suggest alternative requirements where cost savings could be recognized.

U.S.

• Predictably, commentators are aghast at the Navy’s decision to exchange the C-2 Greyhound logistics plane for carrier deliveries with the V-22, replacing a 15 million pound-miles of transport for 3 million pound-miles of transport at a slower speed and smaller cabin that will not fit the carrier air wing’s coming engine of choice. Purchasing an airframe that competes with a particular service’s weapons-program-of-strategic-importance appears to be as politically unpopular as ever.

• Kongsberg told Navy Recognition that the firm has been in consultation with Lockheed on a JSM integration, and that the model that has been making the rounds at trade shows in the Kongsberg booth has been geared to drum up interest from potential customers, which essentially means the U.S. Navy. Lockheed’s LRASM would seemingly be a competitive offering. The jockeying comes as the aging Harpoon missile is thought to be going to be replaced with an Offensive Anti-Surface Warfare Increment 2 procurement.

• More coverage of a proposed new strategic bomber dribbles a few more details of what might show up in 2016 proposed authorizations, with a pre-emptive effort at heading off cost concerns by indicating the program will focus on established technologies, such as existing stealth capacities. Few will forget the $2.2 billion per copy cost fiasco that was the “$B 2.2” bomber. Pentagon defenders/apologists protest that the B-2 program wouldn’t have been so bad if they’d actually purchased the originally slated 132 aircraft, versus the 21 eventually authorized.

• A run-down of reaction to Obama’s cybersecurity suggestions indicates a perception of it being weak tea.

• Northrop Grumman won a Minuteman III support contract for an initial $4.4 million, with future awards potentially amounting to as much as $963.5 million.

Asia

• Japan’s defense budget reveals desired purchasing decision progress, including new P-1s and V-22s, among others.

• Today’s video shows a Hudson Institute panel on procurement reform. Interestingly, General Thomas Hill points to a focus on service-Congress relationships as the locus of dysfunction…

Aegis Program Adds SM-6 to Mix for More Ships

Back in 2008, the Navy signaled its desire to its desire to incorporate the “far term sea-based terminal defense” capacity of the SM-6 into its Aegis system, with one hurdle being some ships’ radars being capable of handling the sensor data requirements. They then hoped for operational capability in 2015. Yesterday, Raytheon announced in a widely-parroted release that the Navy had indeed approved the SM-6 for additional Aegis systems, to include those Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyers from the 1994-keel-laid The Sullivans (DDG-68) onward.

This appears to put to rest concerns that the Zumwalt-class (DDG-1000) program wouldn’t be able to employ (see “Weapons” section) the standard family of missiles, although confirmation is being from both Raytheon and the Navy.