The antisubmarine warfare (ASW) module for the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) will likely turn the ship into a faster sub hunter than other surface vessels, says U.S. Navy Capt. John Ailes, program manager for the LCS mission module integration effort. Ailes, recently selected to be rear admiral, says the ASW module “is particularly immune to noise” interference because of software development. That means the ASW module-equipped LCSs will be able to travel at higher speeds to check a similar area for submarines.
The U.S. “rebalance” toward Asia, including the military’s so-called pivot to the Asia-Pacific realm, is “durable” and will persist and grow regardless of automatic, widespread budget cuts this fiscal year and lower overall spending levels in future years, according to the Pentagon’s No. 2 official.
STUDY THIS: A trade group for the intelligence and defense sector is trying to drum up pressure for government officials to fund research in several key areas, including bio-inspired computing architectures, energy harvesting, advanced materials for computing, human-inspired “big data” and self-protecting data. The call comes from the Intelligence and National Security Alliance (INSA).
SEOUL — South Korea sees an opportunity for a large local production run by Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) as it considers the three contenders for its F-X Phase 3 fighter requirement, industry officials say.
As the investigation continues into power outages associated with the diesel engines generators aboard the first Littoral Combat Ship (LCS-1), the U.S. Navy is tallying the cost of the vessel’s initial Asian deployment.
Noting the common operational elements shared between the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) and the Joint High Speed Vessel (JHSV), the U.S. Navy has decided to place oversight of the latter’s development under the LCS Council of admirals shepherding the program. Adm. Jonathan Greenert, the chief of naval operations, directed the expansion in a March 29 memo. There is no indication that the charter change is the result of any problems with the JHSV program; indeed, Navy officials have touted the development and acquisition effort to date as successful.
LONDON — Thales and missile manufacturer MBDA say they have extended their partnerships as they work together to develop the U.K.’s new short-range naval and ground-launched surface-to-air missile.
In the final fiscal 2013 spending bill for the Pentagon, lawmakers added $711 million to the U.S. Air Force’s aircraft procurement account, mostly so the service can have five more Lockheed Martin C-130s. The total for the additional C-130J, two more HC-130s and two more MC-130s, is a half-billion dollars. Advance procurement for the C-130J had a zero request from the Pentagon; lawmakers plussed that to $180 million. The total request for Air Force aircraft procurement was $11 billion, so the increase is 7%.
The Obama administration’s imminent fiscal 2014 budget request for the Pentagon will ignore limits set by the 2011 Budget Control Act (BCA), try to partially undo the law’s sequestration cuts this year, perpetuate a “fog bank” of illusory budget-making sweeping Washington and is likely to be declared dead on arrival by congressional Republicans who control the House.
REPROGRAM IT: The White House Office of Management and Budget is urging federal agencies to consider exploiting so-called reprogramming authority — i.e., the ability to ask Congress to allow internal money movement within its budget — to deal with the Budget Control Act’s sequestration cuts this fiscal year. Agencies and departments have varying degrees of reprogramming authority, according to the Congressional Research Service.
LONDON — The Selex ES arm of Italian defense and aerospace giant Finmeccanica plans to lay off more than 2,500 employees as it attempts to restructure in a bid to help its struggling parent. Selex management presented its plans to the Finmeccanica board on March 26 to cut 2,529 staffers from across its Italian and U.K. workforce—1,940 in Italy. Furthermore, Selex says it will close 25 of its sites, the majority in Italy.
HOUSTON — An eight-year, $120 million overhaul of the world’s largest cryogenically controlled thermal vacuum chamber will soon be completed to support NASA’s $8.8 billion James Webb Space Telescope (JWST).
To list an event, send information in calendar format to Donna Thomas at [email protected]. (Bold type indicates new calendar listing.) Apr. 8 - 11 — 29th National Space Symposium - Space Foundation, The Broadmoor Hotel, Colorado Springs, Colo.. For more information go to www.nationalspacesymposium.org Apr. 8 - 11 — Sea-Air-Space Expo 2013, Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center, National Harbor, Md. For more information go to www.seaairspace.org/
NEW DELHI — India is considering increasing the foreign direct investment (FDI) limit in its defense sector to at least 49% from the current 26%, according to a top government official. “I am in favor of raising [the] FDI limit in the defense sector to at least 49%, if not 74%,” Federal Trade Minister Anand Sharma says. The policy change is needed to help India “become a major defense producer” in the world, he says. “India needs to move on. Our industry is talking to major defense manufacturers in the U.S. and Europe.”
HELO VIDEO: Cobham’s Brazilian subsidiary has secured its first major contract in Brazil to equip State Police helicopters with high-definition video surveillance downlinks to be used on helicopters in 12 cities during the 2013 Confederations Cup and the 2014 World Cup, the company says. The contract was developed with a local integration partner following the opening of Cobham’s Sao Paulo office in August 2012 and includes both airborne and ground-based equipment.
With projected costs dropping significantly for the U.S. Navy’s proposed Air and Missile Defense Radar (AMDR), the focus is now on the destroyer line slated to host the AMDR suite — the DDG-51 Arleigh Burke class. There are still questions and concerns, not only about the advanced Flight III versions of the ship being designed with AMDR in mind, but also the Flight IIA versions that marked the beginning of the restarted Burke line to develop and deploy more advanced Aegis Combat Systems meant for improved ballistic missile defense (BMD).
Despite congressional efforts to block the U.S. from purchasing equipment from a Russian-state owned weapons exporter, the Pentagon plans to purchase 30 Mi-17 helicopters from Rosoboronexport to equip the Afghan air force. The fiscal 2013 National Defense Authorization Act prohibits funding from being used to contract with Rosoboronexport. Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) led efforts to pass the bill, citing that company’s involvement in selling weapons to Syria.
Recent Pentagon moves with aircraft in Asia are underscoring a heightened U.S. military focus on the region. The U.S. Defense Department sent a pair of F-22 Raptors to South Korea in late March to participate in military exercises there — a move that may be largely symbolic, defense analysts say. But it also carries operational importance that could help shape the electronic order of battle for the region, should the stakes reach that level.
