JAGM EMD Contract. DoD awards Lockheed Martin a $66 million fixed-price incentive (firm target) contract for engineering and manufacturing development (EMD) Joint Air to Ground Missile (JAGM) work, according to an Army statement. The contract includes two additional options for low rate initial production (LRIP) valued at approximately $60 million each. The program completes a 27 month technology development phase (TDP) in May, which includes participation from Lockheed Martin and the early participation of Raytheon in 2013. The Army says initial operational capability (IOC) is on schedule for 2018.
Change of Command. A new commander formally takes over the newly-named Joint Improvised-Threat Defeat Organization. Army Lt. Gen Michael Shields is confirmed by Congress as JIDA’s new commander July 27. He takes over for Lt. Gen. John Johnson, who leads the former Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization (JIEDDO) in 2013 just as the military was drawing down from two wars. 
… Familiar Face. Shields previously serves as JIEDDO’s deputy director of operations and requirements between 2009 and 2012 before being reassigned as director of future operations for the international security assistance force joint command of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. Most recently he is commander of U.S. Army Alaska.
… Tough Duty. Shields takes over an organization that Johnson, under orders, shrinks from about 3,000 to around 400 government employees. He also has to usher the new JIDA, which has a broader mission than simply finding ways to find and defeat homemade bombs, through a IG audit, which was announced July 29. The IG plans to study whether the organization efficiently identified, evaluated, tested, procured and fielded counter-IED technologies. JIDA spokesman David Small says the checkup was routine. “JIEDDO/JIDA has not had an audit from the DOD IG in about five years,” he tells Defense Daily.
Missile Defense. The Missile Defense Agency and Northrop Grumman undershoot the $5 million savings target for the modeling and operations software affordability initiative, coming in $7 million under cost in 2014. The initiative is launched to reduce software development cost while hiking productivity within the ballistic missile defense system (BMDS). The initiative focuses on streamlining frameworks, interfaces and tool sets for use in BMDS modeling and simulation and operations. “We anticipate even greater savings this year,” says Ken Cox, director of missile defense integration for Northrop Grumman Information Systems. “Next, we’re rolling out changes such as interfaces with a common look and feel that will reduce user time and effort expended.”
… Improvements. In collaboration with MDA, Northrop Grumman is able to use modern, streamlined user interfaces to make computing and software development processes more efficient. By systematically reusing software, the company is able to achieve significant cost reductions across MDA’s various activities, the company says. Modeling and simulation software plays a key role for affordable development and assessment of the BMDS since ground and flight tests require substantial resources.
Capitol Hill… Congress heads into August recess without a conference version of the National Defense Authorization Act finished. The House on July 29 adjourns for August recess, leaving negotiations to be concluded when Congress returns in September. Senate Armed Services Committee chairman John McCain (R-Ariz.) says that he and House Armed Services Committee chairman Mac Thornberry (R-Texas) meet on July 30 and will continue to try to further the reconciliation process over the month-long break.
…Nominations. The Senate begins confirming a slew of military appointees including: Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Joseph Dunford to become the next chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Air Force Gen. Paul Selva as the next vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs, and Air Force Gen. Darren McDew to replace Selva as the new head of U.S. Transportation Command.
Export-Import Bank. The fate of the Ex-Im Bank remains in limbo through the next month. The bank’s charter expires in July and Congress heads into recess without reauthorizing it. In a vote, the Senate passes the highway spending bill with an amendment to renew Ex-Im’s charter, however, the House’s three month extension of the Highway Trust Fund does not include such language.
AEHF IOC. The Air Force declares initial operational capability (IOC) for the Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) satellite constellation on July 28, according to a service statement. The first AEHF satellite launches in 2010 while AEHF-2 launches in 2012 and AEHF-3 in 2013. AEHF is a joint service satellite communications system that provides survivable, global, secure, protected and jam-resistant communications for high-priority military ground, sea and air assets. The United Kingdom, Canada and the Netherlands are partner nations on AEHF. AEHF-4, AEHF-5 and AEHF-6 are slated to launch in 2017, 2018 and 2019, respectively. Lockheed Martin is the AEHF prime contractor.
Orion Fairing Test. Lockheed Martin on July 29 successfully completes testing of design changes made to the NASA Orion spacecraft’s fairing separation system, according to a company statement. Among the design changes tested: new push-off springs that push on the fairing for a longer period of time to provide increased safety and reliability; four crew module structural attachments instead of six and star trackers, or cameras that provide positioning from the stars, that are used for navigation on the spacecraft. These same fairings will be used for service module acoustics and vibe testing taking place at NASA’s Plum Brook, Ohio, facility later this year. Orion will eventually ride on NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket.
GPS OCX. Raytheon in July installs the first operational hardware for the Global Positioning System’s Next-Generation Operational Control System (GPS OCX), according to a company statement. Installation is a key milestone before next year’s acceptance of the OCX Launch and Checkout System for GPS III satellites. The new ground command and control (C2) system will significantly modernize U.S. GPS capabilities and manage the next generation of GPS satellites.
Rocket Lab NASA CSLA. Rocket Lab signs a commercial space launch act (CSLA) agreement with NASA, enabling the company to use NASA resources–including personnel, facilities and equipment–for launch and re-entry efforts, according to a company statement. Rocket Lab is considering using NASA’s launch complexes to compliment the company’s primary launch range in New Zealand. Use of a NASA range gives Rocket Lab the ability to launch its Electron electric rocket to lower inclinations than the company’s New Zealand range, which offers inclinations from sun-synchronous through to 45 degrees.
Idaho Cyber. The governor of Idaho establishes a cybersecurity cabinet taskforce under an executive order. The taskforce includes governor-appointed members from the Bureau of Homeland Security, Idaho State Police, Department of Administration, Tax Commission, and other agencies. The commission is ordered to develop policies, programs, and strategies to detect cyber vulnerabilities and prevent attacks in state IT systems; recommend and implement best practices for cybersecurity; promote cybersecurity awareness in the government and public; and compile an annual report on statistics and preventative strategies for cybersecurity. C.L. “Butch” Otter appoints Lt. Governor Brad Little as chairman of the taskforce. The first meeting is set for September 16.
NCI Management Changes. The chairman and founder of NCI, Inc., Charles Narang, is set to step down as CEO on October 1, when he will transition to non-executive chairman. The board of directors names his successor, Brian Clark, as president and CEO on July 30. Clark becomes president January 2012 and a member of the board of directors February 2012. Previously, Clark serves as executive vice president, chief financial officer, and treasurer at NCI and the same roles at Stanley, Inc. from 2006 to 2010. “This is a momentous move for the company…I will continue to stay connected to this great company as chairman of the board, although I will hand the day-to-day operations of NCI over to Brian. I am confident that under Brian’s leadership, NCI will grow and succeed. This company’s best days still lie ahead,” Narang comments.
OPM breach complaints. The President and CEO of the Professional Services Council (PSC) writes to Acting OPM Director Beth Cobert urging immediate action to provide notification and interim protection for those affected by the second OPM breach. Stan Soloway objects to a lack of notifications to those affected by the breach over four weeks after the first public mention of the breach. Soloway highlights OPM appears unlikely to have a notification contract in place until Mid-August at the earliest, saying “this is an unacceptable delay in notifications to and protection for these affected individuals.” PSC recommends OPM consider using existing contracts to provide immediate interim 18-month credit and identity protection coverage for people affected by the second breach while the agency solicits and awards a longer-term solution.
Raytheon management. Raytheon Chairman and CEO, Thomas Kennedy, announces the immediate appointment of Wesley Kremer as President of Integrated Defense Systems at the company. Kremer succeeds Daniel Crowley, who informs the company of his intention to resign in December. Crowley first completes work on a special assignment for the company prior to his departure. Kremer formerly serves as vice president of the Air and Missile Defense Systems line of Raytheon Missile systems, director of the SM-3 program and director of Systems Design and Performance Engineering. Before joining Raytheon, Kremer serves over a decade in the U.S. Air Force as a weapon systems officer, flying fighter aircraft.