New T-X Entrant. Stavatti Aerospace is entering the Air Force’s T-X trainer competition, according to a company statement. Stavatti will offer its Javelin, a new twin-engine, two-seat, high performance military jet trainer and very light fighter (VLF) aircraft. Derived from the ATG Javelin Mk-30, Stavatti also expects Javelin to be a candidate as a trainer and VLF aircraft to allied forces worldwide. Javelin had its maiden flight in September 2005 after a partnership was created with Israel Aircraft Industries to develop and produce a family of the jets. Stavatti was granted an exclusive license in November from the present owner of the Javelin project’s intellectual property and physical assets to reimagine, develop, prototype, certify, manufacture, sell and support the Javelin as a trainer and VLF. Stavatti will release technical information regarding the reimagined Javelin beginning March 1 followed by a formal response to the Air Force T-X request for proposal on March 30. The company did not return a request for comment by press time Friday.
SM-3 Test. The first missile shootdown test of the Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) Block IIA, a new, longer-range version of the SM-3 interceptor, is expected to occur later this month, a spokesman for the United States Missile Defense Agency (MDA) says. The test was originally scheduled for October but was delayed to “reduce the risk of anomalies and to ensure quality control.” MDA, Japan and Raytheon are jointly developing the SM-3 Block IIA, which will be deployable on land and at sea to defend against short- to intermediate-range ballistic missiles.
CVN-80 Contracts. General Atomics has received a $532.6 million contract to build and test the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) for the USS Enterprise, the Navy’s third Ford-class aircraft carrier (CVN-80). Separately, Huntington Ingalls Industries has received a $25.5 million contract to begin fabricating structures for the CVN-80.
DDG-115 Delivered. The Navy accepted delivery of the future USS Rafael Peralta, an Arleigh-Burke-class destroyer (DDG 115), during a Feb. 3 ceremony at General Dynamics Bath Iron Works in Bath, Maine. The ship will officially join the fleet during a commissioning ceremony in San Diego later this year. The DDG-115 is the first Arleigh Burke-class destroyer built at the Bath shipyard since the program was restarted in 2010. It is the second restart ship delivered to the Navy, following delivery of the future USS John Finn (DDG-113) from Huntington Ingalls Industries in December.
Counter-Drone Contract. SRC Inc. has received a $65 million contract from the Army to develop, build and sustain up to 15 sets of the Low Slow Small Unmanned Aerial System Integrated Defeat System (LIDS). LIDS is designed to meet a joint urgent operational need to detect and defeat drones, according to SRC and the Defense Department. SRC says it will perform the majority of the work under the contract. Its teammate is DRS.
AF Plant 42 Contract. The Air Force on Jan. 31 awards Northrop Grumman a $36 million contract modification to construct a new 45,900 square foot coatings facility at Air Force Plant 42, according to a DoD statement. Work will be performed at Palmdale, Calif., with an expected completion date of Dec. 25, 2019. No funds are being obligated at time of the award. The contract is likely related to B-21 work as Air Force Plant 42 has been home to stealth aircraft projects such as the B-2 and F-117. The Air Force did not return a request for comment Friday.
Mattis In Japan. Secretary Of Defense James Mattis meets with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Tokyo, Japan to reaffirm the strength of the U.S.- Japan alliance. Mattis is on his first overseas trip as secretary and visiting allied nations in the Asia-Pacific region to emphasize the Trump administration’s commitment to regional military stability and cooperation. Mattis assures Abe that the U.S. remains steadfast in its commitment to defend Japan in the face of common threats, such as those posed by North Korea, according to a Pentagon statement. Mattis thanks Japan for hosting 54,000 U.S. troops and their dependents stationed there. Mattis also reinforces the U.S. commitment to the Futenma Replacement Facility in Okinawa.
… And South Korea. Mattis meets with Republic of Korea (ROK) Acting President and Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-Ahn and ROK National Security Advisor Kim Kwan-Jin in Seoul, South Korea where he reaffirms the strength of the U.S.-ROK alliance. During the meetings, Mattis says President Trump has prioritized relationships with Asia-Pacific allies, and strengthening the U.S.-ROK alliance. Mattis says the alliance would continue to take defensive measures in response to North Korea threat developments, such as the stationing of THAAD to Korean Peninsula.
THAAD Contract. The Missile Defense Agency (MDA) on Jan. 31 awarded Lockheed Martin a $346 million contract modification for an existing sole source, indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (ID/IQ) contract for Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) element development and support services. The modification provides for the exercise of an option for additional incremental development, support to flight and ground test programs and responsive support to warfighter requirements to sustain the ballistic missile defense system throughout the acquisition life cycle.
UK Laser. The laser weapon demonstrator that an MBDA-led consortium has begun developing for the United Kingdom’s Ministry of Defence is designed to be mounted on a ground vehicle or ship and be used against swarming and agile targets, such as unmanned aircraft, missiles and small fast-attack boats, MBDA says. The demonstrator is scheduled to be tested against targets in land and maritime environments by 2019.
Boeing GPS. Boeing and the Air Force recently sign a Global Positioning System (GPS) sustainment agreement to have Boeing support GPS IIA and IIF satellites currently on orbit for the next five years, according to a company statement. Boeing was the prime GPS contractor for more than 40 years until the Air Force issued a contract to Lockheed Martin to have it develop the next-generation GPS III platform. Boeing did not respond to a request for comment by press time Friday.
Iridium-SpaceX. Iridium Communications contracts with SpaceX for an eighth Falcon 9 launch, according to an Iridium statement. Along for the ride are the twin satellites of the NASA/GFZ Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment Follow-On (GRACE-FO) mission, which will be deployed into a separate low earth orbit (LEO), marking the first rideshare deal for Iridium. The rideshare is anticipated to launch out of Vandenberg AFB, Calif., by early 2018.
DLA Contract. The Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) on Jan. 31 awarded CFM International an estimated $2 billion fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment, requirements contract for F108 replenishment spare parts. This was a sole source acquisition and a nine-month base contract with a four year and a three year option period. The maximum dollar amount is for the life of the contract. Estimated completion date is Oct. 31, 2024.
USAF Engineering Deal. The Air Force on Jan. 31 awarded Boeing a $983 million ID/IQ contract for engineering and support services for recurring and non-recurring activities relating to the VC-25, E-4B, C-32A, C-40B/C, E-8C and NT-43 aircraft. Work is expected to complete by Jan. 31, 2027. This was a sole source contract.
Hiring Freeze. The Department of Defense releases a memorandum providing guidance on the implementation of the presidential memorandum issued Jan. 23 that initiates a hiring freeze for civilian government employees. The guidance ensures that DoD will honor both the letter and spirit of the president’s direction, “mindful of our significant national security mission and public safety responsibilities,” the Pentagon says in a statement. The secretary of defense has identified certain functions necessary to meet the department’s national security or public safety responsibilities, which are enumerated in the guidance. Civilian positions may be exempt from the hiring freeze only if they are determined to be critical to the execution of those functions. The guidance also outlines processes and procedures for approval of additional potential exemptions that meet the criteria.“This is an opportunity for the department to assess its most critical missions and requirements, ensuring that members of the civilian workforce are assigned and capable of executing the highest priority work,” the Pentagon says. “The DoD guidance will help to accomplish this objective and ensure that resources are allocated in a manner that will promote effective and efficient use of taxpayer dollars.”
UAV Naming. General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc., which is developing a variant of the Predator B unmanned aerial vehicle to meet NATO standards, has named the surveillance plane the SkyGuardian. The company, which has been referring to the 35-hour-endurance UAV as the Certifiable Predator B, plans to deliver the first production aircraft in 2018. A maritime patrol variant will be called SeaGuardian.
Cyber Hearing. Navy Adm. Mike Rogers, head of U.S. Cyber Command and the National Security Agency, is scheduled to brief the Senate Armed Services Committee on “cyber threats” during a closed-door hearing Feb. 7.
Border Security on Tap. The House Homeland Security Committee on Tuesday will host Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly to “examine gaps in our security at the southern border and what we need to do to put us on a path to security.” The hearing will mark Kelly’s first with the committee since becoming secretary last month. In a television interview with Fox News during a visit to Texas last Thursday to meet with Border Patrol agents and Texas state officials, Kelly says he wants President Donald Trump’s border wall built within the next two years. “The wall will be build where it’s needed first, and then it will be filled in,” he says. Construction will begin in months, he adds.
Where’s the Intel? Top Department of Homeland Security officials told a closed Senate panel last week that the department didn’t make any recommendation nor provide a threat assessment to the White House as the basis of President Donald Trump’s controversial executive order in January pausing travel to the United States by nationals from certain countries, according to Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.), ranking member on the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. She says about the directive, “While someone at DHS might have known this was coming, they clearly were not given the opportunity to prepare. They were told to implement it immediately by the White House.” She also says that 98 percent of the discussion in the classified briefing was unclassified.
…Pause for Intel. Speaking with other top DHS officials, including Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly, Dave Glawe, the department’s acting Intelligence chief, says the temporary immigration suspension is an opportunity “for us to take a temporary pause and take a look at how we collect intelligence and run that against databases to identify those nefarious actors.” Despite amped up vetting of refugee seekers from certain countries during the Obama administration, Trump has called for extreme vetting, although it’s unclear exactly what that might be. Glawe tells reporters last week that “I’m taking a look how law enforcement, the intelligence community, the Department of Defense, our federal, state, local law enforcement organizations share information and how we run those data not just against refugee populations but anyone trying to come inbound to the United States to identify these sophisticated networks” of bad actors.
First for CIA. President Donald Trump last Thursday appointed Gina Haspel as deputy director of the CIA, making here the first female career CIA officer to be named to the position. Haspel joined the CIA in 1985 and has served as chief of station in several of her overseas assignments, and has also held numerous leadership positions at the agency in Washington, including as deputy director of the National Clandestine Service.
Vitello to Lead Border Patrol. Not long after Mark Morgan was asked to step down as chief of the Border Patrol, Customs and Border Protection says that Ronald Vitello has been appointed the new chief. Vitello, who has served with the Border Patrol since 1985, previously was Executive Assistant Commissioner for Operations Support. Prior to that he was acting chief of the Border Patrol from Dec. 1, 2015 until July 20, 2016. Morgan was a former FBI official who was criticized by Border Patrol union.
AUSA Expo. The Association of the U.S. Army establishes “Delivering Capabilities for Multi-Domain Battle” as the theme of its three-day Global Force Symposium and Exposition in Huntsville, Ala. Army Materiel Command’s Gen. Gustave F. Perna, Training and Doctrine Command’s Gen. David G. Perkins and Steffanie B. Easter, the acting Army assistant secretary for acquisition, logistics and technology, are keynote speakers. A presentation is also planned by Lt. Gen. Joseph Anderson, the Army’s deputy chief of staff for Operations and Plans, according to AUSA. Panel discussions are expected on the capabilities needed for close combat and other modernization needs, what changes might be needed in Army training, and how operations strategy could be adjusted.
Air Force Hiring Freeze. The Air Force is working with the Defense Department to provide additional guidance on the Jan. 23 federal civilian hiring freeze. Federal employees who began work on or before Jan. 23 are not affected while those with existing “firm” offers with effective dates before Feb. 22 may also proceed. The Air Force Personnel Center will provide individual notices to those affected, including persons who received job offers before Jan. 22 with a confirmed start date after Feb. 22. Lt. Gen. Gina M. Grosso, the deputy chief of staff for Air Force Manpower, Personnel and Services, says that the service team has been working with the Office of the Secretary of Defense to draft clear Air Force guidance on implementing the freeze exemptions. Civilians make up 26 percent of the total Air Force, staffed currently at 96 percent. With historical attrition, it may shrink by 3 percent over the following 4 months, leaving 13,000 positions vacant.
Pratt & Whitney Management Changes. Pratt & Whitney says Bennet Croswell will retire as president of the military engine business in May and will be succeeded by Matthew Bromberg. Bromberg previously served as the president of Pratt & Whitney’s commercial engines aftermarket business and joins the military engines business as a senior vice president as of Feb. 1. Croswell will continue to support parent company United Technologies (UTC) by consulting after retiring. Earlier Bromberg served in several leadership positions at Pratt & Whitney, the UTC corporate office, and UTC Aerospace Systems. Croswell retires after a 38-year career at the company. He served as president of the military engines business for almost six years.
AMRAAM Signal Processor. Raytheon and the Air Force are developing a new signal processor for the Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM) under the Form Fit Function Refresh program. The program is meant to help ensure AMRAAM production into the 2020s. The program was announced while the government and industry team completed production of the 20,000th AMRAAM.
NIST Director To UMD. Willie May, former director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and under secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology, is named director of major research and training initiatives at the University of Maryland’s College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences (CMNS). The appointment is effective Feb. 1. May became director of NIST in May 2015 and served until Jan. 3. In his new role May will work with CMNS Dean Jayanth Banavar to develop relationships and expand existing partnerships with corporations, foundations, and government agencies on research initiatives as well as help the college gain additional support for graduate school education and mentoring. Earlier in his career May was acting director of NIST from 2014 and as deputy director in 2011.
L3 Appointment. L3 Technologies appoints Richard Foster as corporate vice president of Canada Operations. Foster will be based in Ottawa and be responsible for overseeing all of its Canadian operations business and coordinating with the business development team to broaden L3 Canada’s customer base. He will report to David Van Buren, L3 senior vice president of program development. Foster previously served in the Canadian Armed Forces, achieving the rank of Major-General. He served as Deputy Commander of the Royal Canadian Air Force and as Deputy Commander of the Canadian Joint Operations Command