Flexible Sequester. House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) teams up with HASC Democrat Jim Cooper (D-Tenn.) on Aug. 1 to introduce a bill to give the Pentagon more flexibility in applying sequestration budget reductions. Cooper says the cuts would be akin to putting the Pentagon in “a straitjacket while dieting,” because the Budget Control Act calls for the cuts to be applied evenly across non-exempt parts of the Pentagon budget. “We should replace these arbitrary cuts with better reforms,” Ryan says in a statement with Cooper. “But if the sequester remains the law of the land, then we need to give DoD the flexibility to manage these cuts in a responsible way.” Similar legislation to give the Pentagon more leeway in applying sequestration cuts has not gained traction.
Dempsey Decision. The Senate confirms Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Army Gen. Martin Dempsey and Vice Chairman Adm. James Winnefeld to second terms in their posts on Aug. 1. “Both of these proven leaders are tireless advocates for our men and women in uniform and innovative thinkers who are helping to shape the military of the future,” Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel says in a statement. “ I strongly value their counsel, as does President Obama.” Senior SASC member John McCain (R-Ariz.) had delayed Dempsey’s confirmation as he waited for information on the general’s views on U.S. military intervention in Syria. McCain, still, says he is not happy with Dempsey’s answers and on July 30 tells reporters the Army general has “no credibility.”
Energetic Navy. The Senate on Aug. 1 also unanimously confirms Dennis McGinn to be assistant secretary of the Navy for energy, installations, and environment. The retired vice admiral, who served 35 years in the Navy, has worked for the past decade as the president of the American Council on Renewable Energy. He could see some resistance from Congress as he works to implement Navy Secretary Ray Mabus’ plan to garner half of the service’s energy from non-fossil fuels by 2020. SASC Ranking Member James Inhofe (R-Okla.) says in a prepared opening statement for McGinn’s July 25 confirmation hearing: You “are no stranger to the limelight, having testified before Congress on the perils to national security of human activity and climate change. As you know, we completely disagree on these issues, but thankfully, implementing a national policy for climate change will not be one of your core responsibilities if confirmed.”
20 Percent. Deputy Defe
nse Secretary Ashton Carter issues a memo July 31 detailing Hagel’s 20 percent cut in management-headquarters spending throughout the Pentagon. Impacted military officials must submit reduction plans on Sept. 23, he says. “The cuts, which will take place regardless of the budget levels approved by Congress, are designed to streamline (the Department of Defense’s) DoD’s management through efficiencies and elimination of lower-priority activities,” Carter writes. He says the cuts will apply to all higher-headquarters staffs including Office of the Secretary of Defense principal staff assistants and their associated defense agency staffs; the Joint Staff; the service-secretary staffs; the service-chief staffs; the service four-star major commands and service component commands; lower level service staffs (at levels determined by service leaders); and combatant-command staffs. Intelligence staffs also will be affected. Cuts should be roughly proportional by year over the next five years, with one-fifth of them starting in FY ’15, he says. Yet cuts could be made more rapidly, and some of them should being in FY ’14, Carter says.
New Cyber Firm. KEYW Corp., a provider of cyber and other solutions to the United States intelligence community and defense customers, has formed a new subsidiary, Hexis Cyber Solutions, that brings various cyber products to market. Hexis will offer the HawkEye family of products, including HawkEye G: The Active Defense Grid for countering advanced persistent threats, and HawkEye AP: The Analytics Platform for applications including log management, call detail records, and risk and compliance applications. KEYW is also integrating other cyber technologies into Hexis, including the Rsignia and Dilijent Solutions acquisitions made in 2012.
Biometrics Support. The Army’s Project Manager for Biometrics office is planning a recompete of its support contract currently held by CACI International with an expected award late next March worth more than $2 million. The office is considering splitting the current Project Management Office Support contract, which also involves engineering support, Ed Quick, the deputy Project Manager for Biometrics, says at a briefing to industry to discuss the pending PMOS acquisition and other upcoming biometric programs.
DHS Nominations. The White House last week moved to fill some of the vacancies at key leadership positions within the Department of Homeland Security, including nominating R. Gil Kerlikowske to be the next Commissioner of Customs and Border Protection (CBP). The top spot at CBP has been open since last year. Kerlikowske is currently the director of National Drug Control Policy, also known as the “Drug Czar,” at the White House. Before the White House job, he was the chief of police in Seattle between 2001 and 2009.
…Spaulding Tapped for NPPD. Suzanne Spaulding, who is currently the deputy under secretary for the National Protection and Programs Directorate, has been nominated to be the new under secretary, succeeding Rand Beers who had left the position earlier. Spaulding has worked in the Senate and House for Republicans and Democrats and spent six years at the CIA. As deputy under secretary, Spaulding has overseen the U.S.-VISIT entry-exit program, infrastructure protection, and the Federal Protective Service. The White House also nominated Stevan Eaton Bunnel to be the general counsel for DHS.
Kowalski STRATCOM. President Barack Obama nominates Air Force Global Strike Command chief Lt. Gen. James Kowalski to become deputy commander of U.S. Strategic Command (STRATCOM), according to an Air Force statement. The Senate confirmed a number of Obama’s nominations last week, but a Global Strike Command spokesman says Friday the command has not received notice that Kowalski’s nomination was confirmed. A congressional source says the nomination is still pending in committee. Maj. Gen. Stephen Wilson, who is currently commander of the Eighth Air Force, is nominated to replace Kowalski. Wilson has commanded at the squadron, group and wing level. His previous command was the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing in southwest Asia, where he led bomber; intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR); mobility; aeromedical evacuation and airborne command and control (C2) operations.
Gorenc USAFE. Air Force Gen. Frank Gorenc assumes command of U.S. Air Forces Europe (USAFE), U.S. Air Forces Africa (USAFAF) and Allied Air Command (AAC) Friday during an assumption of command ceremony at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, according to a service statement. The command provides full spectrum Air Force warfighting capabilities throughout an area of responsibility covering 19 million square miles and 104 countries. Gorenc was previously assistant vice chief of staff and director of air staff of Headquarters U.S. Air Force in Washington.
SSL Eutelsat. Satellite operator Eutelsat selects Space Systems/Loral (SSL) to provide a multi-mission satellite to be known as Eutelsat 65 West A for broadcasting and broadband services in Brazil and across Latin America, according to a SSL statement. The satellite will provide approximately 16-kW of power at the end of its 15-year life and will be equipped with 10 C-band and 24 Ku-band transponders for video services in addition to 24 Ka-band spot beams for broadband connectivity in key regions. Eutelsat 65 West A will be located at 65 degrees west longitude and is scheduled to launch in early 2016.
SpaceX MDA. Canada’s MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates (MDA) awards Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX) a launch reservation contract to support the largest space program to date in Canada, according to a SpaceX statement. SpaceX will carry three satellites to orbit that will make up the RADARSAT Constellation Mission (RCM) on a Falcon 9 rocket in 2018. RCM is a three-satellite configuration and will support Canada’s need for maritime surveillance, disaster management and ecosystem monitoring. SpaceX will conduct its first mission for MDA this year by launching the CASSIOPE satellite on a Falcon 9 rocket.
DMON 2.0 Contract. The Air Force awards Northrop Grumman a contract potentially worth $490 million to continue providing network and integration services under the Distributed Mission Operations Network (DMON) 2.0 service contract, according to a company statement. The DMON enables dissimilar aircraft platforms located around the world to seamlessly interoperate and train together in a realistic virtual environment. The five-year, single-award, firm-fixed-price, indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity (ID/IQ) contract could be extended through 2023 if all options are exercised. Northrop Grumman says it has been the prime contractor on the Combat Air Force Distributed Mission Training Operations and Integration program since its inception in 1999.
Rolls-Royce F-35B. Pratt & Whitney awards Rolls-Royce a $196 million contract to produce and support LiftSystems for the F-35 program, according to a Rolls-Royce statement. The LiftSystem enables F-35B aircraft to perform short takeoffs and vertical landings (STOVL) and is currently in service with the Marine Corps. The final agreement with Pratt & Whitney for the fifth production lot includes three complete LiftSystems, spares, sustainment, program management, engineering and field support. Rolls-Royce has delivered 35 LiftSystems and has expanded field support to include five bases flying F-35B aircraft. Pratt & Whitney is a division of United Technologies Corp.
Sniper ATP B-52. Lockheed Martin’s Sniper Advanced Targeting Pod (ATP) achieves operational flight status on the B-52, according to a company statement. With the addition of the B-52, Lockheed Martin says Sniper ATP is the only targeting pod operational across six Air Force fighter and bomber aircraft platforms: F-15, F-16, F-18, A-10, B-1 and B-52. The Sniper ATP provides pilots high-resolution imagery for precision targeting and non-traditional intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) missions. Sniper ATP also detects, identifies and automatically tracks and laser designates small tactical targets at long ranges.
CNI F-35. Northrop Grumman delivers its 100th AN/ASQ-242 communications, navigation and identification (CNI) system to Lockheed Martin for integration into the F-35, according to a Northrop Grumman statement. Northrop Grumman’s integrated CNI system provides F-35 pilots with the capability of more than 27 avionics functions and allows the simultaneous operation of multiple critical functions while greatly reducing size, weight and power demands on the F-35. These capabilities include identification friend or foe, precision navigation and various voice and data communications, including the Multifunction Advanced Data Link. The F-35 is developed by Lockheed Martin with subcontractors Northrop Grumman and BAE Systems.
Bell Sabtech. Sabtech appoints Thomas Bell as chief financial officer (CFO), according to a company statement. Sabtech is a designer, manufacturer and supporter of tactical data communications for military and government agencies. Before his appointment at Sabtech, Bell served as CFO for Advanced Machine and Stretchform International (AMSI), BTL Machine and SOS Metals, where he was a key management contributor to the operations of the company. Sabtech, based in Yorba Linda, Calif., provides commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) products including specialized interface boards, rugged computer systems, test equipment and professional services.
Final San Antonio Keel. The Navy and shipbuilder Huntington Ingalls Industries have authenticated the keel of the future USS Portland (LPD-27), which is slated to be the last of the San Antonio-class (LPD-17) amphibious transport dock ships the Navy plans to build for Marine Corps operations. The keel laying took place Friday at HII’s shipyard in Pascagoula, Miss. The Portland will be the 11th San Antonio-class ship. “This keel laying is especially important as the final ship of the current San Antonio class,” says Capt. Darren Plath, LPD-17 class program manager at Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA).
Showcase Coming. The Project Manager Distributed Common Ground System – Army (PM DCGS-A) and the TRADOC Capability Manager for Sensor Processing (TCM-SP) host the 2013 DCGS-A Innovation Showcase Aug. 29 on Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md. A government briefing in the morning will be followed by an afternoon Technology Exhibition where more than 40 industry partners will be able to demonstrate the latest emerging technologies potentially relevant to DCGS-A. The PM will be accepting white papers in advance. Register to attend online at: http://www.dcgsevents.com.
Staying Ready. BAE Systems wins a $543 million contract from the Air Force to maintain ICBM readiness. The company will provide systems engineering, integration, testing, logistics and other services to support the missile, ground and launch systems for 450 deployed Minuteman III missiles. “The Intercontinental Ballistic Missile program is a pillar in our national security, and our job is to guarantee it never fails,” says Erin Moseley, president of BAE Systems’ Support Solutions sector. “Our team has the right experience, expertise and past performance to support the Air Force and ensure the operational readiness of these vital strategic assets.” The work, managed by the Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center, will be conducted primarily at Hill AFB, Utah, Vandenberg AFB in Calif., and in Shreveport, La., near Barksdale AFB. BAE has provided engineering and integration for the Navy’s Strategic Systems Programs for more than 50 years.
New Exec. Bell Helicopter names Jason Johnson as director, Sales and Customer Support, responsible for activities worldwide. Johnson joins Bell from a position as vice president Customer Support and Contract Administration at Heli-One CHC. He also held key roles at Safran and Honeywell. His aviation career began in the Air Force, where he served as a crew chief on A-10/OA-10 aircraft. Eric Cardinali, Bell Helicopter executive vice president, Customer Support and Services says, “Jason brings with him extensive sales and customer support experience and a strong understanding of the rotorcraft industry and market.”