Fence Repair. Customs and Border Protection is engaging with industry related to changes in its contracting strategy for an upcoming procurement for comprehensive maintenance and repair of border security wall, fencing and related infrastructure the Tucson and Yuma Sectors of Arizona. CBP currently maintains about 700 miles of border security wall and fencing in Arizona and Southern California and President-elect Donald Trump wants to add more fencing and wall, although he hasn’t said how much. From 2014 through 2016 the average annual cost to maintain and repair the existing tactical infrastructure in Arizona is $11.8 million, CBP says. The repair work is classified into five categories: fences and gates; roads and bridges; drainage and grate systems; lighting and electrical systems; vegetation control and debris removal.
FRC Delivery. The Coast Guard has accepted delivery of its 21st Fast Response Cutter from shipbuilder Bollinger Shipyards. The John McCormick was the third consecutive FRC delivered with no production discrepancies, indicating improved stability and efficiency in the production process, the service says. The McCormick will be the first FRC stationed in Ketchikan, Alaska. The Coast Guard has ordered 38 of the planned 58 FRCs, of which 19 are in service.
Marine One Contract. The Navy on Dec. 14 awarded Sikorsky a $138 million contract modification to exercise an option for VH-3D/VH-60 Executive Helicopter Special Progressive Aircraft Rework sustainment support services, according to a Defense Department statement. The contract modification is to a previously-awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (ID/IQ) contract (N00019-16-D-1000). Services to be provided include security, project engineering, integrated logistics support, VIP helicopter training and program support for the Presidential Helicopters Program. Work is expected to be completed by November 2022. No funding is obligated at the time of award. The VH-60N and VH-3D serve as executive transport for the president, vice president, cabinet and foreign dignitaries.
ICBM Contracts. The Air Force awarded Lockheed Martin a pair of contracts to sustain and modernize the service’s ICBM reentry systems, according to a company statement. Lockheed Martin in June won a competition to produce seven units of reentry field support equipment and four sets of additional support equipment for the Minuteman III ICBM system. The nearly four-year, firm fixed price contract is worth $50 million. Work began in November. Separately, the Air Force extended an existing weapon system integration contract for ICBM reentry vehicle integration and modernization. The modification increased the contract value by nearly $11 million to nearly $107 million over five years.
Warren SASC. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) announced she’s joining the upper chamber’s Armed Services Committee (SASC). In a tweet, Warren said she looks forward to working closely with the bases, companies and research labs across Massachusetts as a member of the committee. Raytheon’s headquarters is located outside Boston. She joins the long history of a high profile senator from the state on the panel, following Scott Brown (R), who was defeated by Warren, and the late Ted Kennedy (D).
Trump… President-elect Donald Trump added SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk to his strategic and policy forum. Musk joins former Boeing chairman, president and CEO Jim McNerney and former General Electric chairman and CEO Jack Welch on this 19-member panel. In a release, a Trump spokesperson says these people will be called upon to meet with the president-elect frequently to share their specific experience and knowledge as Trump implements his economic agenda.
…More Trump. Musk, Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos and Palantir joined Trump and other tech titans in New York this week to discuss economic issues. In a statement, a Trump spokesperson says the president-elect suggested reconvening the tech leaders again the future, perhaps as frequently as every quarter.
…Even More Trump. Trump named additional people to his NASA transition team: Greg Autry of the University of Southern California; Jack Burns of the University of Colorado; Steve Cook of Dynetics; Rodney Liesveld, formerly of NASA; Sandra Magnus of AIAA; and House research fellow Jeff Waksman.
James Dickinson. The Senate on Dec. 7 confirmed Army Maj. Gen. James Dickinson for appointment to the rank of lieutenant general and assignment as commanding general of U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command/Army Forces Strategic Command, according to a service statement. He is currently serving as chief of staff for U.S. Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM). Dickinson will replace Lt. Gen. David Mann, who has led the unit since August 2013.
MV-22 Mishap. A Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey crash-landed in shallow water off the coast of Okinawa, Japan, after its rotor blades were damaged during a refueling operation late Dec. 13. The MV-22 was receiving fuel from an Air Force tanker plane when its rotor blades hit a refueling hose, damaging the blades and causing the Bell-Boeing aircraft to shake violently. After the crash-landing, all five crew members were rescued and transported to a local hospital. Three were later released, and two remained hospitalized for observation. The cause of the incident is under investigation. MV-22s in Japan will be temporarily grounded while the Marines review their flight-safety procedures, according to Lt. Gen. Lawrence Nicholson, commanding general of III Marine Expeditionary Force. An initial salvage survey is underway to determine how to recover the aircraft.
Chinese Buildup. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), chairman of the SASC, says the United States “must take immediate steps” to underscore its commitment to the freedom of the seas in light of China’s militarization of the South China Sea. He cited newly released imagery showing that China has installed weapons, including anti-aircraft and anti-missile systems, on man-made islands. “It appears China is intent on transforming these features into operational bases that will allow its military to project power and assert control of one of the most vital international waterways,” McCain says. “This is unacceptable. But China will continue its destabilizing activities in the South China Sea until it meets a determined response from the United States and its allies.”
People. Huntington Ingalls Industries has elected retired Navy Adm. Kirkland Donald to its board of directors, effective Jan. 1, 2017. After retiring from the Navy in 2013, with his last assignment as director of Naval Nuclear Propulsion, Donald joined defense services contractor Systems Planning and Analysis, Inc., serving as president and CEO until 2015. Meanwhile, United Technologies Corp. has elected to its board Diane Bryant, a vice president of Intel Corp. and head of its data center group. The group develops platforms for the digital services economy and delivers nearly half of the company’s operating margin, UTC says.
T-X Test. Boeing has started scheduled taxi tests for its T-X advanced pilot training system offering. The T-X offering is designed for the U.S. Air Force training mission and includes trainer aircraft, ground-based training, and support.
Columbia Class. The Navy, which is developing a replacement for its aging fleet of Ohio-class ballistic missile submarines, intends to name the first new vessel the USS Columbia in honor of the District of Columbia. The new fleet will be referred to as the Columbia class. Navy Secretary Ray Maybus announced the naming plans at a Dec. 14 ceremony at the D.C. city hall. General Dynamics Electric Boat is the new submarine’s prime contractor and Huntington Ingalls Industries Newport News Shipbuilding has a secondary role.
Open Architecture. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center headquartered at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base establishes the Open Architecture Management Office to promote adaptability, cyber resiliency and interoperability of Air Force weapons systems and subsystems. The new office will work with program offices throughout AFLCMC to integrate open architecture standards into the acquisition process, which officials say will reap enormous benefits for the Air Force. Mitch Miller, senior Leader for USAF Avionics, says the office is supporting existing and new programs including the F-22, JSTARS, and Global Hawk. “We want to expand it [open architecture principles] to every new avionics modernization and new program that we are doing,” he says. “[And] we have to do it on areas that make sense because we have to deliver a capability. “Air Force officials believe OA allows for increased competition, creativity and makes it easier to upgrade or add components to a system. Chris Garrett, lead and avionics expert for the new OA office says two primary forces led to its creation: The Air Force Rapid Capability Office wanting a tool to implement open architectures across weapons systems and the Cyber Campaign Plan which includes a goal to create the OA office, and expand open architectures to make weapon systems adaptable enabling a more rapid response to emerging cyber threats. “This office is important because as program offices better apply open systems standards to create open systems architecture, there will be a lot of benefits,” Garrett says. “There will be better weapons system adaptability, better weapons system resiliency, better interoperability, and faster technology transfer. We can improve the schedules in our programs and lower risks.”
JETS Contract. DRS Technologies received a five-year, $339 million indefinite-delivery, indefinite quantity contract from the Army to produce a next-generation hand-held precision laser targeting system, enabling forward observers to call for precision-guided munitions onto targets. The Joint Effects Targeting System (JETS) is designed for users to engage targets with precision munitions and provide digital connectivity to requesting call-for-fire. The device has day and thermal night-vision sights, celestial compass sensors, an eye-safe laser range-finder and a digital magnetic compass among several other features. The weight of the handheld module of JETS will be less than 5.5 pounds. JETS improves upon and adds enhanced technologies for the U.S. military, significantly reducing weight and improving precision accuracy making the system a battlefield multiplier, according to DRS. “JETS will give forward observers the capability to call in precision munitions in all scenarios, leading to less munitions expended, higher target success rates and ultimately greater protection for our warfighters on the ground,” says Shawn Black, vice president and general manager of DRS Electro-Optical and Infrared Systems. The device allows forward observers to employ precision targeting munitions such as the Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM), Excalibur and laser-guided bombs.
Missile Test. Lockheed Martin successfully tested a second modernized Tactical Missile System (TACMS) missile in a flight at White Sands Missile Range, N.M. The test follows closely behind the successful first flight of a modernized TACMS in late October. Five more flight tests are planned in coming months for the modernized TACMS program. Launched from a High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) launcher at a target approximately 85 kilometers away, the modernized TACMS precisely engages and destroys the target, demonstrating the missile’s Proximity Sensor Height of Burst enhancement. An additional feature of the new modernized TACMS is the ability to deliver increased lethality against imprecisely located targets. “This second successful test in a row further validates the capability enhancements we are making to the TACMS round,” says Scott Greene, vice president of precision fires and combat maneuver systems at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control. As part of the Army’s TACMS Service Life Extension Program inventory refurbishment effort, the modernized missile includes new state-of-the-art guidance electronics and added capability to defeat area targets without leaving behind unexploded ordnance. The TACMS modernization process disassembles and demilitarizes TACMS Block 1 and 1A sub-munition warheads, which do not comply with the Convention on Cluster Munitions of 2008, replacing them with new unitary warheads. The modernization process also resets the missile’s 10-plus year shelf life. Lockheed Martin is working under a $74 million Army contract signed in 2014 to take existing TACMS missiles from inventory and modernize them.
UUV Dispute. The Pentagon is demanding the return of an American “ocean glider” unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) that the Chinese navy seized in international waters Dec. 15. According to U.S. defense officials, the USNS Bowditch, a U.S. Navy oceanographic research ship, was trying to recover the UUV in the South China Sea when a Chinese ship launched a small boat and retrieved it. The Chinese ship ignored a request to return it. The UUV is used to gather military oceanographic data such as salinity, water temperature and sound speed.
New Tenable Chairman and CEO. Cybersecurity firm Tenable Network Security says Amit Yoran will become the company’s new chairman and chief executive officer (CEO) effective Jan. 3, 2017. Yoran previously served as president of RSA, which he joined via the acquisition of network forensics company NetWitness he founded and led as CEO. Earlier, Yoram served as the founding director of the U.S. Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US-CERT) at the Department of Homeland Security. Tenable co-founders Jack Huffard and Renaud Deraison led the company during its CEO search and will continue their roles as president and chief operating officer (COO), and chief technology officer (CTO), respectively.
Third U.S.-EU Cyber Dialogue. Christopher Painter, Coordinator for Cyber Issues at the U.S. State Department, led the U.S. delegation to the third annual U.S.-EU Cyber Dialogue at Brussels, Belgium on Dec. 16. The dialogue reinforces cooperation on cyber issues while emphasizing recent cyber developments. The agenda includes discussions on international security in cyberspace; developments related to internet governance, human rights online, and the G-20 and G-7 meetings; capacity building in developing countries; cybercrime; and bolstering cyber resilience in the U.S. and EU member states. Other U.S. participants included officials from the Departments of State, Justice, and Commerce. The EU delegation was led by officials from the European External Action Service (EEAS), which also included officials from the European Commission and EU member states.
Mass.-Israel Cyber Agreement. Massachusetts and Israeli economic development leaders signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on cybersecurity collaboration during Gov. Charlie Baker’s visit to Israel. The MoU was signed by the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative (MassTech) and Israel’s CyberSpark, a non-profit organization focused on prooting the cybersecurity ecosystem around Be’Er-Sheva, Israel. Signed by MassTech CEO Tim Connely and CyberSpace CEO Roni Zehavi, the MoU focuses on collaborating on applied research projects focused on healthcare technology-related cyber issues; roundtables to discuss emerging trends in technology, policy, and regulation; practical trainings for students in the cybersecurity fields in both regions; and visits of delegations consisting of representatives from academia, industry, and the political arena to campuses in both regions.
New Kratos CIO. Kratos Defense and Security Solutions, Inc. appointed Kevin Walden as Chief iNformation Officer (CIO). Walden served as acting CIO since earlier in 2016. As CIO Walden will be responsible for all information technology (IT) of the company including information security, information compliance, and data communications. Walden has over 30 years of experience in the IT field, with the previous 12 at Kratos. Before moving to acting CIO Walden served as director of information compliance and enterprise applications at Kratos since 2008.
Gray Eagle ER. The Army’s new MQ-1C Gray Eagle Extended Range (ER) unmanned aircraft, also known as Improved Gray Eagle, has begun flight testing, says prime contractor General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. (GA-ASI). Gray Eagle ER, a derivative of the Army’s existing Gray Eagle, is expected to carry more fuel and have more engine horsepower than Gray Eagle, providing increased endurance. It is also supposed to offer more payload capacity, easier maintenance and longer-lasting critical components. It is designed to perform surveillance, communications relay and weapons delivery. GA-ASI is under contract to deliver 19 aircraft by 2018.
DISA Internet Café Contract. The Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) awarded Trace Systems Inc. a competitive single-award indefinite-delivery/indefinite–quantity, firm-fixed-price contract worth up to $219 million for the Morale, Welfare, and Recreation (MWR) Internet Café Program (ICP). This provides deployed service members with access to infrastructure for commercial Internet connectivity via computer, telephone, or personally-owned devices. The ICP allows service members to communicate with family and friends, use social media, and conduct personal services. The first task order value is estimated at $12.4 million including all options, with a minimum guarantee of $150,000. Task orders are set to be issued annually and funded by the appropriate fiscal overseas contingency operating (OCO) funds. Performance is to occur at global MWR Internet Cafes. The initial task order is issues concurrently with the contract award to fund the guaranteed minimum using fiscal 2017 OCO funds. Proposals are solicited via FedBizOpps (FBO) with 11 proposals received. The performance period is Dec. 19, 2016 – Dec. 18, 2017 with six one-year option periods through Dec. 18, 2023.