The Latest Word On Trends And Developments In Aerospace and Defense
Defending Tour. HASC Readiness subcommittee Chairman Randy Forbes (R-Va.) is continuing to hold “Defending our Defenders” events on defense-budget cuts around the country. He is planning one of the town-hall style gatherings at the Western Illinois University Moline Riverfront Campus in Moline, Ill., today, according to Rep. Bobby Schilling (R-Va.). Forbes will then visit defense contractors SupplyCore in Rockford, Ill., tomorrow. Schilling says the events will allow local defense firms to share their views on the impacts of long-term cuts to planned defense spending–those of $487 billion already planned and an additional $500 billion in sequestration cuts that could start next January absent congressional intervention. Forbes also is planning one of the events at the University of San Diego on June 13. Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.), who will join Forbes, says with “the shift in defense strategy to the Pacific, San Diego will remain a strategic asset with its network of resources, infrastructure and technology.”
McKeon’s Stand. HASC Chairman Howard “Buck” McKeon (R-Calif.) calls on Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) to allow the Senate to debate a plan to avoid $500 billion in long-term “sequestration” cuts to the Pentagon that could start next January. “If Senator Reid doesn’t have a plan of his own, he must allow the Senate to consider one of the other plans that have been introduced,” McKeon says May 31 after accepting the National Defense Industrial Association’s Eisenhower Award, according to his prepared remarks for the closed event. The GOP-run House passed a bill to thwart the first year of sequestration cuts by reducing entitlement programs and McKeon proposed a one-year sequestration reprieve by reducing the federal workforce. McKeon slams Reid for saying two weeks ago that “defense is going to have to bear their share of the burden” of cuts. The HASC leader charges Reid is using military cuts as a “cynical tool to force his domestic agenda,” and also blasts the Senate leader’s call for raising revenues. McKeon says it is “foolish” to think Congress will “resolve sequestration without damaging our national security” at the end of this year.
…Call To Speak. McKeon also has requests for President Barack Obama and the defense industry. “In the coming days I will be calling on the president to be more explicit about the consequences sequestration will have on our military,” the HASC chairman says. “He owes it to our men and women in uniform and to lawmakers to tell us what the impacts will be and how the Pentagon is planning for the cuts that will fall in January.” McKeon also tells the industry crowd that they “have a unique story” to tell. “You stand next to and behind the men and women on the assembly lines, in the labs, and on the testing range,” he says. “You know what these cuts will do to their jobs. You know when those jobs are gone, the people may not ever come back….You must begin to tell your story, and you must tell it today. To wait for the next election, the next Congress, or even the next month, is to accept sequestration and all the consequences it brings.”
Cyber Call. Rep. Jim Langevin (D-R.I.), an outspoken proponent of cybersecurity legislation, lauds cyber-related language in the FY ’13 intelligence authorization act that the House passes May 31. “The National Counterintelligence Executive cautions that the intelligence community can’t entirely prevent cybertheft of national and industrial secrets, but the community can minimize the hostile activity and mitigate the effects,” Langevin says on the House floor. “Those efforts will be more successful if the agencies collaborate, build public-private partnerships, and improve intelligence collection and analysis of the cyberthreat to our country. The FY 2013 (intelligence) bill responds by giving the intelligence agencies the resources they need to develop a strong, unified effort to counter China, Russia, and other actors that might threaten our economic security or technological edge. The bill also does a lot to protect our supply chain, which is another area of vulnerability.”
HASC Loss. Rep. Silvestre Reyes (D-Texas), the No. 2 Democrat on the HASC, won’t return to Congress next year. The 15-year lawmaker loses the Democratic primary race for the western Texas congressional district seat to Beto O’Rourke on May 29. Reyes, 67, is the ranking member on the HASC’s Tactical Air and Land Forces subcommittee. He has advocated for numerous Army programs, including armored vehicles, as well as the Fort Bliss Army base in his district. Reyes’ loss is seen as a major upset. Former president Bill Clinton campaigned for the El Paso lawmaker, who was endorsed by President Barack Obama. Reyes easily raised more contributions than O’Rourke did, at $1.1 million to $401,000, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. Companies in the “defense electronics” industry gave Reyes the most donations, which totaled $43,000. Contractor SAIC is listed as his fourth-largest contributor, giving $10,000, according to the organization that parses campaign finance data.
U.S., EU Air Cargo Security. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and the European Commission last Friday agreed to recognize each other’s air cargo security regimes beginning immediately, an agreement aimed at eliminating duplication of security controls and the need to implement different regimes depending on the destination of air cargo. “Cutting out the duplication of security procedures will mean huge savings for cargo operators in terms of time and money,” says Siim Kallas, vice president of the EC responsible for transport.
…And Canada Too. In a separate agreement, the United States and Canada have also agreed to the mutual recognition, and cooperation on, air cargo security in both countries. Under this arrangement cargo shipped on passenger aircraft will be screened at the point of origin and will not need to be rescreened at the border or prior to upload in the other country. The goal is to improve the efficiency of screening and reduce the burden on industry. “Through this program, we will be able to move goods between the U.S. and Canada faster, more efficiently, and most securely,” says James Nealon, deputy chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Canada.
BAE teaming on Polish C-130s. BAE Systems has formed a partnership with the Polish firm Wojskowe Zaklady Lotnicze Nr 2 (WZL2) to service Lockheed Martin-built C-130s operated by the Polish Air Force. The two companies signed the agreement at Air Fair Bydgoszcz for maintenance and supply chain assessments. “With complimentary capabilities, our companies form a strong aviation team in the region,” Floyd McConnell, the vice president for integrated aviation solutions for BAE Systems, says. “WZL2 has a highly accomplished track record in Poland, and we have the global ability to meet a wide range of customer needs.” BAE has operated in Poland since 1997. WZL2 runs one of the largest aviation facilities in Poland and has overhauled, maintained and upgraded aircraft for more than 65 years.
NAVAIR and FACE. Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) will be participating in a forum Tuesday intended to demonstrate that value of standardizing software and promoting interoperability throughout the Navy. Known as the Future Airborne Capabilities Environment, or FACE, the concept is intended to one day serve as a library for Pentagon software applications that could be used across multiple platforms within a common operating environment. The idea is a key component of developing open architecture systems. The event will take place at the Patuxent River Naval Air Museum and will include NAVAIR officials plus a host of individuals from the defense industry.
JIEDDO Event. The Joint IED Defeat Organization (JIEDDO) announces it will hold is first challenge-based acquisitions event involving robotics and sensors to seek battlefield solutions June 20-29 at Ft. Benning, Ga. The event, called the “2012 Robotics Rodeo,” is a way to harness potential of the research and development community to help meet a dynamic and complex threat. “We are looking for ways to improve speed and freedom of maneuverability in the counter-IED environment,” Matt Way, a JIEDDO program integrator, says in a statement. “Robotics can provide standoff from explosions or clearing operations and reduce exposure to the warfighter.”
Stuxnet Precursor. An engineer for the computer security company Symantec tells an audience on the Hill last week that Duqu, a new computer threat whose goal is to gather intelligence for future attacks, is considered the precursor to a future, Stuxnet-like attack. Patrick Gardner, vice president of engineering for security, technology and response, says Duqu uses new executables designed to capture information like keystrokes and system information. He says parts of Duqu are identical to Stuxnet, but its sole purpose is intelligence. The Symantec website also says attackers can spread Duqu to computers in secure zones and control them through a peer-to-peer command and control protocol.
First Upgrade Delivery. The Army on Thursday expects to deliver the first OH-58D Kiowa Warrior helicopter to be upgraded under the Wartime Replacement Aircraft (WRA) Program in a roll-out ceremony at Corpus Christi Army Depot. This is the first OH-58D aircraft that will replenish the fleet. The WRA Program is the Army’s initiative to replace OH-58D Kiowa Warriors, the primary air cavalry helicopter. The program is a joint effort with Corpus Christi Army Depot, the Armed Scout Helicopter Project Office, the Aviation Field Maintenance Directorate, and Bell Helicopter, providing the Army a cost-effective and efficient way to replenish lost aircraft. Aircraft 10-01331, completed 7 weeks ahead of schedule, represents the first Kiowa Warrior to be produced as part of that joint effort and is the first aircraft to increase Army fleet density in over a decade.
More Ravens. AeroVironment Inc. says in late May it received a $15.8 million firm fixed-price authorization as the initial portion of a contract action with a total projected value of $65.8 million. The order includes RQ-11B Raven systems, new miniature gimbaled payloads and initial spares packages, and is funded from the Army’s fiscal 2012 procurement budget. The delivery of systems, spares and payloads is scheduled for completion by April 30, 2013. AeroVironment’s rugged, multi-axis Mantis i23 payload houses an electro-optical and infrared thermal video sensor in addition to a laser illuminator. The single payload replaces two separate sensor payloads on the Raven air vehicle, delivering daytime and nighttime capabilities from a single package. “The U.S. Army has more than 1,700 Raven systems in its inventory with an ultimate goal of more than 2,300 systems,” says Roy Minson, AeroVironment senior vice president and general manager, Unmanned Aircraft Systems. “The new miniature gimbaled payload is the latest example of cost-effective improvements that will benefit soldiers directly through enhanced situational awareness.”
Special Award. For exceeding the high quality ammunition standards required by U.S. armed forces, NDIA recently presented the prestigious Ambrose Award to Winchester® Ammunition. NDIA presents the award periodically when a manufacturer delivers superior products that meet required operational capabilities and support a high level of force readiness in the conduct of warfighting activities or homeland defense. “The Ambrose Award is…presented only when an extraordinary circumstance prevails,” says Steve Faintich, NDIA Small Arms Executive Board secretary. “Winchester was specifically cited by both the NDIA Board and the U.S. Department of Defense for demonstrating its unique responsiveness and capability in meeting a need or adding capability to U.S. and/or Allied national security.” Winchester Ammunition president Tom O’Keefe says: “At Winchester Ammunition, we take great pride in the products we provide the United States Armed Forces and we’re honored to receive this award. We have a long and storied history of supporting our military and will continue to manufacture high quality ammunition that our troops can count on.”