* US Congressman Chris Van Hollen [D-MD, Budget Committee Ranking Member] introduced his 3rd bill proposal to replace sequestration and make Republicans look bad in the process. “The bill caps discretionary defense spending at the levels the President requested through 2021 rather than at the higher defense caps originally set by Budget Control Act.”
* US Acquisition Undersecretary Frank Kendall and his boss Ash Carter will speak at the CSIS think tank tomorrow afternoon about the implementation of Better Buying Power.
* The US GAO denied [PDF] a protest filed by General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems (GD-OTS) against the US Air Force’s award a contract to HDT Tactical Systems for Guardian Angel Air-Deployable Rescue Vehicles (GAARVs). Likewise they denied [PDF] Honeywell’s protest of RFP amendments by the US Army for integrated logistics support services (ILSS-2). On background, here’s how GAO protests work.
* Some of these defense procurement disputes can last decades. The Obama administration wants the Navy to settle litigation over A-12 aircraft that goes all the way back [PDF] to 1991.
* A year ago the US Air Force expressed interest in the demonstration of Mach 5+ hypersonic weapons. This was delayed in February and has now been cancelled.
* The Philippines’ president President Benigno Aquino III announced a new wave of naval modernization,worth $1.8B. Inquirer | Official speech [in Filipino].
* Ha Sung-yong is Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI)’s new CEO as of May 20.
* Another panel from the recent EAST Joint Warfighting conference, this time on what the government can do to speed acquisitions. Video below:
