NEW DELHI — Canadian cyber-security professionals working with the Shadowserver Foundation and Information Warfare Monitor have uncovered a suspected Chinese cyber-offensive against India. In a report released April 6 titled “Shadows in the Cloud - Investigating Cyber Espionage 2.0,” investigators say that hackers of the so-called “Shadow Network” stole secret files on India’s missile projects, troop deployments and military schools.
IN SIGHT: U.S. Army Secretary John McHugh says his service is still working the requirements for a request for proposals to industry for an improved carbine rifle replacement. “I haven’t set a time frame,” he further told a breakfast group of Washington defense reporters last week. McHugh, formerly a longtime House member from New York and Republican leader of the House Armed Services Committee, said he was aware of anecdotal complaints about the existing M4 carbine and has asked soldiers himself. “I was not advised of any massive failures with the M4,” he said.
LONDON — The U.K. Civil Aviation Authority has issued revised guidelines for unmanned aircraft operations in British airspace, expanding to even the smallest systems the need to obtain an operational permit.
NEW DELHI — Many areas in east India are now under alert following the April 6 insurgent attack in which rebels trapped and gunned down 75 security personnel in the state of Chhattisgarh. The attack comes just more than a month after India’s Home Secretary G.K. Pillai said that the homegrown insurgents, known as Naxals, were regrouping under the pretense of a cease-fire, and violence would increase.
AFGHAN HELOS: The fleet of Afghan National Army air corps is slated to increase by another 21 rotorcraft. The U.S. government, through Naval Air Systems Command, says it plans to award a fixed-price contract for 21 Mi-17V5s or Mi-171/172s. The helos are to be delivered to Kabul International Airport, with all to be handed over within less than two years of contract award. The formal request for proposals is due to be released in May. According to the presolicitation documentation, the government is looking for new aircraft delivered in identical configurations.
Five U.S. companies will develop advanced space-propulsion technologies for NASA under contracts awarded by NASA’s Glenn Research Center that are worth as much as $50 million each. Intended to provide propulsion systems that have higher performance, lower cost and better safety and reliability, the work will center around propulsion system design and trade studies; nontoxic chemical propulsion systems; hypergolic systems; propellant systems; electric propulsion and rocket-based combined cycle systems.
The Obama administration’s Nuclear Posture Review represents a significant shift toward nuclear nonproliferation, counterterrorism and even a stronger emphasis on conventional deterrence, and it raises the threshold for consideration of the use and role of nuclear weapons. In turn, the April 6 blueprint will set the tone for numerous programs from conventionally armed intercontinental ballistic missiles to intelligence efforts to the next bomber, with related budget requests seen starting in Fiscal 2012, according to officials at the Pentagon.
NASA will pay $55.8 million a seat for six rides to the International Space Station (ISS) on Russian Soyuz vehicles in 2013-14, a surprisingly small increase given the monopoly on human space transportation Soyuz will enjoy after the space shuttle fleet retires at the end of this year.
LANGLEY AFB, Va. — Afghanistan is proving to be a different type of war from that fought in Iraq. Afghanistan is a large, sparsely populated country with few cities, roads and railways, but it must be thoroughly patrolled and its hot spots must be monitored.
Discovery’s astronauts scanned the space shuttle’s heat shielding for signs of damage from launch debris April 6, but were unable to transmit the findings to NASA’s Mission Control for analysis by imagery experts because of a failed high-data rate Ku-band communications antenna.
GERMAN DINGOS: The German government has placed another order for Dingo 2 armored vehicles from Krauss-Maffei Wegmann, with the target of delivering the improved vehicles to forces still this year. In recent days, the government has placed two orders for Dingo 2s, the latest a 44-unit commitment for the battle damage repair version of the armored vehicle (known as GSI). The deal comes after a March 29 announcement in which the government ordered 41 Dingo 2s, which are all to go to Afghanistan.
DECISION TIME: The British Labour Government has announced that the national election will be held on May 6. A Strategic Defense Review will get fully underway immediately following the election, irrespective of which of the main political parties is returned to power. The extent to which defense policy and support for the armed forces features in any way as an election issue remains to be seen.
FRENCH JAVELIN: After the French government in February announced it had opted to buy the Javelin anti-tank weapon, the Pentagon has now formally notified Congress of the anticipated foreign military sale valued at $69 million. The deal covers 76 command launch units and 260 missiles, which are intended to support French forces in Afghanistan. However, the deal is expected to lead to follow-on orders. France’s main missile provider, MBDA, is not cut out of the loop entirely, though.
u.s. air force Defense Support Services, LLC of Greenville, S.C. was awarded a $96,000,000 contract which provides support for the Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasure System Program. At this time, $4,974,280 has been obligated. 716 AESG/PK, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio is the contracting activity. (FA8625-10-D-6501)
STRIKING POSTURE: The long-awaited nuclear weapons policy from the Obama administration is expected out as soon as April 6, and expectations are high in Washington that it will encompass dramatic changes to U.S. strategic intent. While the blueprint is not expected to dismantle the nuclear triad of bombers and land- and sea-based intercontinental ballistic missiles, the NPR and recent treaty negotiations and budget requests are expected to lead to rescoping some elements of the ICBM and bomber fleets.
The U.S. Navy announced in December 2009 that its Remote Minehunting System (RMS) triggered a Nunn-McCurdy cost growth notification, and recent numbers peg that growth at an astonishing 79.5 percent. The Defense Department released its annual Selected Acquisition Reports (SAR) on April 1, and the RMS fell under the “critical breaches” heading. The program acquisition unit cost grew 79.5 percent, while the average procurement unit cost grew 54.6 percent over the acquisition baseline program.
INDIAN ARMY: Gen. Vijay Kumar Singh, India’s 24th chief of staff for the Indian Army, has taken command from retiring Gen. Deepak Kapoor. Singh participated in the Bangladesh War of 1971 and is the recipient of various awards of merit. He has substantial experience in counterinsurgency operations, line of control and high altitude area environments, which should prove beneficial given that India’s threats come from these areas. Singh is also a graduate of the U.S. Army Rangers Course at the U.S. Army War College.
A long-range reconnaissance robot that refuels itself by collecting and consuming vegetation is taking shape at the University of Maryland. The Energetically Autonomous Tactical Robot (EATR) is being developed by Robotic Technology Inc. under a Phase 2 small business innovation research contract from the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (Darpa).
While the U.S. Air Force has made strides in developing and deploying the MQ-9A Reaper unmanned aerial system, the service still needs to work on the radar integration to better assess the aircraft’s capabilities, according to a recent report by the Director, Operational Testing and Evaluation (DOT&E)
Two unrelated factors contributed to the failure of a U.S. Missile Defense Agency Ground-Based Interceptor (GBI) to destroy its target during a Jan. 31 flight test, Aviation Week has learned from multiple officials in the ballistic missile defense program.
