The Latest Word On Trends And Developments In Aerospace And Defense
Anything But Iraq. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said last week said that before the end of the congressional session Democrats were likely to include defense funding in an omnibus spending bill that would be considered before the end of the year. “There probably will be some level of addressing Afghanistan, some of the domestic concerns about child care,” Pelosi said during a press briefing. The Pentagon has said without additional funding for the war in Iraq, it will have to issue furlough notices to military employees in the United States. Congressional leadership is reportedly discussing a figure in the neighborhood of $30 billion. Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska), the ranking member of the Senate Appropriations defense subcommittee wants to pass $70 billion in war funding before the end of the year.
Out the Door. David Morrison, the longtime staff director for Rep. John Murtha (D-Pa.) on the House Appropriations defense subcommittee, will step down Dec. 27. Morrison will join the Podesta Group, ranked as one of the top lobbying firms. John Scofield, the former HAC communications director when Rep. Jerry Lewis (R-Calif.) was in charge, also works there.
Intel bill. Lawmakers last week filed a conference report for the intelligence authorization bill that aims to control the cost growth of purchasing within the intelligence community. The system will require an annual report from each major acquisition program in the intel community and launch a process similar to the Defense Department’s Nunn-McCurdy reporting system. When the cost of major programs runs 25 percent higher than the original price, the Director of National Intelligence must prepare a report. Programs that see their costs increase by 50 percent would trigger a review process that could end with Congress killing the program.
CSAR Rescue. The chairman of the House Appropriations defense subcommittee nearly killed the Air Force’s Combat Search and Rescue helicopter program in May. “I was unhappy with CSAR, because they were screwing around and the staff was convinced that this wasn’t going to work,” said Rep. John Murtha (D-Pa.) last week at a small business summit in Springfield, Pa. But fellow Pennsylvania Democrat Rep. Joe Sestak, who sponsored the summit, convinced Murtha to maintain the CSAR-X program. Sestak said he told Murtha the HH-47 is the right aircraft because it has more volume and flies higher than its two competitors. That makes it the right aircraft in terms of national security and, “it’s built in my district,” said the former Navy admiral.
SBIRS Update. Fixing a problem with the fail-safe mode of the first Space Based Infrared Systems High (SBIRS) early warning satellite likely will not be as expensive and might not delay its launch as long as originally thought, says a senior Air Force official. “We thought it would be up to a year and $1 billion. Well the analysis doesn’t look that bad,” says this official, declining to be more specific. The Air Force will know more in January since it has tasked prime contractor Lockheed Martin to come back to it by then and make a stronger case for the best path forward after presenting several options, this official says. “The fix looks to me like it is going to be a software fix,” this official says. “The question is how big of a software fix is necessary.” The Air Force would like to keep the satellite on track for launch in 2009, but that will depend on the nature and scope of the fix that is ultimately implemented, the official says.
Down Again. Last week the Air Force stood down once again its fleet of F-15A and F-15C Eagle single-seat air superiority fighters and F-15B and F-15D two-seat trainers– this time until further notice–after additional information surfaced from an investigation into the crash of an F-15C in early November. The most recent findings, Air Combat Command (ACC) says, showed that a recently discovered structural defect near the aircraft’s canopy may be more extensive than originally thought and prevalent in more aircraft. As of Dec. 7, Air Force inspections had turned up cracks in the longerons of eight additional F-15Cs, ACC’s public affairs office says. This includes four Air National Guard (ANG) Eagles at Kingsley Field, Oregon; two Eagles at Kadena Air Base, Japan; one Eagle at Tyndall AFB, Fla.; and one ANG Eagle at St. Louis, Mo., ACC spokesman Maj. Tom. Crosson tells Defense Daily. The command says computer simulations have indicated that a catastrophic structural failure could result from cracks in these longerons. Crosson says, as of Dec. 7, 388 of the Air Force’s 442 F-15 A/B/C/Ds have gone through the most recent set of inspections, but are still on stand down. The stand-down does not affect F-15E Strike Eagles.
Equal Disclosure. Rick Lemaster, Boeing’s HH-47 program manager, says the company likely would have gleaned insights into the strengths and weaknesses of Lockheed Martin’s US101 and Sikorsky’s HH-92 original helicopter bids in the Air Force’s CSAR-X competition had his company received the equal information disclosure (EID) briefing from the Air Force that was originally scheduled for October, but never took place. “I think it is fair to say that all of the competitors are going to be offering helicopters that are essentially the same basic capability that they provided in the proposals last year,” says Lemaster in explaining how the information from the briefing would have been beneficial to Boeing as its prepares its revised bid for the competition, even though the competitors’ data are well over a year old. “There has been no state-of-the-art breakthrough. From that standpoint, having that information would be useful,” he says. However, Lemaster says, Boeing did not want the EID issue to hold up the progress of CSAR-X, which has already been delayed by more than one year due to two successful rounds of protests with the Government Accountability Office by Lockheed Martin and Sikorsky. Accordingly, he says, Boeing made the decision to move forward without the briefing, confident that the HH-47 will prevail in the new competition as it did originally in November 2006. As the winner in the original competition, Boeing says it did not gain access to competition-sensitive data on the other bids in the same way that the two losing teams did on Boeing’s proposal when they were debriefed by the Air Force on why they were not crowned the winner. The Air Force called off the EID briefing due to the protestations of one of the other competitors.
Signal Received. The Air Force last week tasked Northrop Grumman to supply a scaled version of the company’s Airborne Signals Intelligence Payload (ASIP) for the MQ-1 Predator unmanned aircraft system under a $54.9 million contract. The company is already building larger ASIP variants for the U-2 manned high-flying reconnaissance aircraft and RQ-4 Global Hawk high-altitude unmanned surveillance platform. The new version for the Predator is designated the ASIP-1C. The Air Force intends to integrate ASIP on the MQ-9 Reaper armed unmanned aircraft as well.
Getting Moody. The Air Force says it will base its new 93rd Air Ground Operations Wing (AGOW) at Moody AFB, Ga. The new unit will be responsible for managing and providing combat-ready tactical air control party personnel and battlefield-weather and force-protection assets for joint forces commanders, the service says. The wing will consolidate the functions of the 3rd Air Support Operations Group (ASOG) at Ft. Hood, Texas, the 18th ASOG at Pope AFB, N.C., and the 820th Security Forces Group at Moody under a single organization, although the first two groups will remain geographically separated from the wing headquarters, which will add more than 50 personnel to Moody. The 93rd AGOW will also oversee 13 squadrons spread across eight states, most of which are located on Army installations. It will report to 9th Air Force at Shaw AFB, S.C. An activation ceremony for the wing is planned for early 2008, the Air Force says. A headquarters detachment was established earlier this year.
ManTech. The Office of the Secretary of Defense has announced the creation of a Department of Defense-wide Manufacturing Technology (ManTech) program for 2008. The new initiative, which aims to mature cross-cutting manufacturing processes in parallel with new and emerging technologies, will build upon existing ManTech programs run individually by the Air Force, Army and Navy for decades. “The services have realized billions in savings and cost avoidance over the years by applying ManTech to production and sustainment of their major systems,” says John Kubricky, deputy under secretary of defense for advanced systems and concepts. “Now, the department and Congress want to apply ManTech to a broader set of defense technologies where prudent investments will yield benefits to all of the armed services.” In FY ’08, the focus will be on maturing ceramic matrix composites manufacturing processes, system-on-chip packaging technology and design guidelines, and advanced manufacturing processes for prosthetics for wounded warfighters, Kubricky says. “Other project candidates are being evaluated, and we anticipate returns-on-investment that range from 6:1 to 12:1 in terms of procurement and operating costs, improved operational availability rates, and faster availability for deployment,” he says.
Picking A Suitable Design. The Navy is expected some time after Jan. 1, 2008, to select two or more designs for its Joint High Speed Vessel (JHSV) program. NAVSEA has received multiple bids for the design contract. However, the Navy will not discuss which companies have submitted proposals. Team Maersk Line, Ltd. (Team MLL) is the only bidder that has acknowledged submitting a design for the intra-theater sea lift vessel. Team MLL includes ship architects Gibbs and Cox and Derecktor Shipyards. The team’s JHSV bid is based on high-speed ferries currently in service in the North Sea. The hull design is known as semi-SWATH, which combines the high-speed capabilities of a catamaran and the sea keeping capabilities of a SWATH vessel, Team MLL says.
…Keeping JHSV Affordable. JHSV will be built to commercial survivability standards and will use COTS components, says Bob Bowers, program manager for JHSV. Cost was also an important factor for the Navy, he adds. Bowers says the Navy’s cost goals for JHSV are $150 million for the lead ship and $130 million for follow-on ships. The program calls for building a total of eight ships: five for the Army and three for the Navy. The first vessel must be delivered no later than 26 months after the award date. The JHSV RFP went out in late August and proposals were due to NAVSEA by Oct. 31.
…Self-Defense Option. The Navy is requiring JHSV to have a helicopter-capable flight deck and deck space adjacent to the flight deck, sized to park a helicopter, Bowers says. And while JHSV will be built to commercial standards and have no combat systems, Bowers notes that there is an option for a force protection package…a basic self- defense package.
And The Survey Says. EDS just released the results of its latest quarterly NMCI survey, and the company says the satisfaction rate among NMCI users is more than 83 percent–the highest in the history of the program, a company spokesman tells Defense Daily. The quarterly reports, which EDS has been doing since 2002, provides the company with a report card on how the company is performing. “A real positive thing from the survey is not just the fact that NMCI is continuing to meet users needs,” the spokesman says. “We got a lot of good feedback from end users in terms of their experience with the help desk, and we’ve been making improvements over the 18 months.” Those improvements can be little things like changing the phone prompt so someone can get to the right help-desk agent, the spokesman adds.
…New And Improved. EDS is refreshing more than 120,000 desktop and laptop computers each year, the spokesman adds. “We still have lots of machines we have to go out and refresh in this coming year,” the spokesman says. “That’s something that has really been helping to enhance performance.” The other thing is that the Navy is moving away from Windows 2000 and into the Windows XP operating system, the spokesman notes. Changing to the newer XP operating system should also help speed up desktop systems, he adds. EDS is also achieving strong numbers on resolving issues phones in to one of the four help centers. Each month EDS gets about 200,000 calls for help. The company’s first call resolution is well over 80 percent, the spokesman adds.
New PEO. Rear Adm. Michael McMahon assumed command as Program Executive Officer, Aircraft Carriers (PEO Carriers) Dec. 3. He takes over for former PEO Vice Adm. David Architzel, who in July became the principal deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy in Research, Development and Acquisition. McMahon’s most recent assignment was Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Conversion and Repair, Newport News, Va., where he was responsible for the Navy’s aircraft carrier and submarine construction, refueling and repair programs at Northrop Grumman Newport News, the Navy says.
To The Seas. The USS Mesa Verde (LPD-19) sailed from Northrop Grumman Ship Systems (NGSS) Ingalls Operations Dec. 3 on its maiden voyage, manned for the first time by the ship’s crew, the Navy says. Before transiting to its homeport of Norfolk, Va., the ship will sail to Panama City, Fla., for its commissioning ceremony on Dec. 15. Early in 2008, the ship and crew will start a succession of seagoing trials to thoroughly test the ship’s systems and to complete crucial certifications, the Navy says. Mesa Verde will conduct missile and gun Combat Systems Ship Qualification Trials during which the crew will fire Rolling Airframe Missiles and Mk 46 Mod 1 30mm guns, as well as exercise the ship’s comprehensive detect-to-engage capability. Well deck certification and underway replenishment qualification will also be part of the steady progression toward full mission readiness, the Navy adds.
…A Growing Family. Mesa Verde will join two other commissioned ships of the class, USS San Antonio (LPD-17) and USS New Orleans (LPD-18), which are currently operating on the East and West coasts, respectively, the Navy says. The next major milestones for the ship class will be the christening of New York (LPD-21) and the commissioning of Green Bay (LPD-20) in 2008. San Diego (LPD-22), Anchorage (LPD-23) and Arlington (LPD-24) have started construction on the Gulf Coast.
OA Map Book. PEO IWS has released version 1.1 of the Naval Open Architecture (OA) Contract Guidebook, the latest improvement to the tools the Naval OA team has developed to help implement OA across the Naval Enterprise, the service says. The guidebook is crafted to provide the Navy and its industry partners with guidance and example contract language to assist them in incorporating OA principles into contracts. The original guidebook has already been used to develop 40 different contracts, the Navy adds. Along with the Open Architecture Assessment Tool (OAAT), familiarity with the guidebook will help Navy and Marine Corps program managers and their industry partners understand the business and technical principles of OA.
…An Open Book. The guidebook is intended to be a living document and the OA program office recognizes that there will be improvements and extensions to the material that can, and hopefully will, be suggested by its users. In that regard, feedback is most welcome and should be provided using the feedback form found in the back of the guidebook. The Naval OA Contract Guidebook is available on the “Tools” section of the Naval OA website at: https://acc.dau.mil/oa, the Navy says.
Defining Persistent. Army Chief of Staff Gen. George Casey says he sees persistent conflict in the future. “What I’m talking about is from peacetime engagement to conventional war and everything in between, and that’s what we need to do, Casey says at the Brookings Institution Dec. 4. “We believe we need forces that are versatile and capable enough to operate across the spectrum.” That will mean training for those events, though now training focuses on counterinsurgency because troops are heading right back to Iraq or Afghanistan. At the same time, equipment is being used at about five times the peacetime rate, Casey says. “That’s not sustainable over time. We have great support from Congress to begin resetting that equipment, but we’re using that at an unsustainable rate.” As an institution, the Army is large and things are hard to fix. “Putting us back in balance is going to take three or four years and sustained support from the people, but it’s as a result of decisions that were made previously,” Casey says.
NATO Still Committed. The final communique from the NATO Ministerial Council reiterates the alliance’s commitment to consultations on missile defense in the NATO-Russia Council, and “Urge the Russian Federation to engage actively with the United States and NATO to explore possibilities for a cooperative approach.” The council communique also said arms control and non-proliferation “will continue to play a major role in NATO’s concerted efforts to prevent the spread and use of Weapons of Mass Destruction and their means of delivery.” A framework report on arms control, disarmament and non-proliferation, recommending areas for NATO to explore further is to be completed by the Bucharest Summit in 2008. At the same time, the council again urges Iran and North Korea to cooperate with United Nations resolutions.
New Army Command. The Army is moving fast to implement specific recommendations of both the Gansler Commission and the Army Contracting Task Force, says Claude Bolton, assistant secretary of the Army for acquisition, logistics and technology and service acquisition executive. Bolton tells a SASC panel Dec. 6 the service has approved an Army Contracting Command led by a still-to-be-named major general under Army Materiel Command. The new command will have two subordinate commands led by brigadier generals: one, an expeditionary contracting command, and the second, an installation contracting organization. “We plan to grow our military contracting structure in the active force in line with the commission recommendations by approximately 400 soldiers and our civilian contracting workforce by an additional 1,000 members,” Bolton says in prepared remarks.
…Fixing Problems. Bolton says the service now also has a contingency contracting structure with contracting support brigades and subordinate units now being activated. More such brigades will come on line to better help the Army support contingency operations. On the legal side, the service is looking contracting. “Currently, there are 80 ongoing criminal investigations involving contract fraud committed against the U.S. military in the Iraq, Afghanistan, and Kuwait theater of operations,” Bolton says.