NOT BOLD: The Pentagon's Mobility Capabilities Study was not "bold," says U.S. Air Force Gen. Norton Schwartz, commander of U.S. Transportation Command. Rather than providing a wide range for large airlifter requirements, "it would have been more satisfying, I think, to all of us, had the study given us an objective," Schwartz says. He believes that roughly 300 large airlifters is the right target, along with 400 C-130-class aircraft, and a tanker fleet in the neighborhood of 400-500 aircraft.
GPS MISSILES: South Korea plans to develop Global Positioning System-guided missiles by 2012 with a 43 billion won ($45 million) investment, the Korea Overseas Information Service says. Currently-used fighter jet missiles would be equipped with the system, according to the Defense Acquisition Program Administration. South Korea also plans to produce 18 additional sets of K-9 155mm howitzers by 2009. The K-9 howitzer is the country's chief arms export.
JSF PROPOSAL: Rep. Gene Taylor (D-Miss.) thinks he has a possible solution to the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) alternative engine dilemma. Taylor, chairman of the House Armed Services' seapower subcommittee, suggests the government form a competition, select the better of the two engines, and put the engine's manufacture out to bid because it "owns the specifications and plans for that engine" by way of R&D funding with taxpayer dollars. The Pentagon says it can save $1.8 billion using only Pratt & Whitney's F-135 engine.
JPDO CHALLENGES: Although the Joint Planning and Development Office (JDPO) that has been charged with crafting America's next-generation air transportation system has made "substantial progress," several challenges remain, according to the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO). These include "institutionalizing the interagency collaboration that is so central to its mission, developing a comprehensive cost estimate, and addressing potential gaps in research and development," GAO says.
The House passed a contentious $124 billion supplemental spending bill March 23 by a 218-212 margin, providing around $100 billion for combat operations and other defense requests but setting up a showdown with the White House over an Iraq withdrawal timeline.
AIRCRAFT DEFERRED: Several military aircraft recently struck from the Bush administration's fiscal 2007 supplemental request likely will reappear when the White House updates its FY '08 supplemental request. Deferments include $389 million for two Joint Strike Fighters, $388 million for five C-130J aircraft, $146 million for one CV-22 tiltrotor aircraft and $375 million for five EA-18G aircraft. On March 9 the aircraft were removed from the original Feb.
March 27 - 29 -- Aerospace Testing Expo Europe 2007, New Munich Trade Fair Center, Munich, Germany. For more information call +44 13 674-3744 or go to www.aerospacetesting-expo.com. April 2 - 3 -- 2007 Search & Rescue The Americas Conference & Exhibition, "Today's SAR Requirements: Dedication, Ingenuity & Commitment," Ritz Carlton, Tysons Corner, Washington, D.C. For more information go to www.shephard.co.uk/sar.
U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley's March 5 memo to military leaders about unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) promises to deliver a "comprehensive plan" to optimize U.S. intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities by mid- April.
GUARD SUGGESTIONS: Defense Secretary Robert Gates is working on a package of legislative proposals in response to recent recommendations from the Commission on the National Guard and Reserves and should deliver them to Congress by the latter part of April, according to Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.). "I am encouraged by that response and the willingness of the Department to make necessary changes," says Hunter, the ranking Republican on the House Armed Services Committee.
U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Stephen Mundt sharply criticized the U.S. Air Force on March 23, saying the service was not being "collegial" in two major Pentagon initiatives - the operation of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and the development and procurement of the Joint Cargo Aircraft (JCA) program. Addressing a recent proposal by Air Force Gen. T. Michael Moseley, service chief of staff, that the Air Force become the executive agent for medium- and high-altitude UAVs (see p. 4), Mundt said, "We absolutely disagree."
LAUNCHING CAPSULES: The U.S. Navy has awarded Raytheon Co. a $53.4 million contract modification for the procurement of 111 Tomahawk composite capsule launching system capsules and 220 SSGN/SSN CCLS retrofit kits. The work will be performed in Tucson, Ariz., and is expected to be finished in April 2009. The contract was awarded by the Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md.
TOULOUSE, France - Testing issues in Russia and continued uncertainty over the date of NASA's next space shuttle launch have pushed back the first flight of Europe's Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) to September at the earliest, and perhaps to November. The European Space Agency (ESA) originally had hoped to launch the Jules Verne - its pathfinder ATV - to the International Space Station (ISS) this summer. Now it appears that will be the earliest it will be possible to ship the vehicle to the European launch site near Kourou, French Guiana.
FLM AWARD: The U.S. Air Force is awarding Boeing's McDonnell Douglas Corp. a $17.7 million cost-plus-fixed fee contract modification for a joint capabilities technology demonstration of the Focused Lethality Munition, a small bomb designed for use in urban areas that will cause less collateral damage. The 918th Armament Systems Group also plans to exercise a contract option for continued integration and testing of the FLM and engineering support for the Air Force evaluation.
Two Defense Department reports to Congress on March 22 indicated cost benefits from the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) alternate engine program would be negligible, but a third study by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) says there could be long-term savings. All three reports were required by Congress when it passed the fiscal 2007 National Defense Authorization Act.
The Senate Appropriations Committee (SAC) approved legislation March 22 that would transfer supplemental fiscal 2007 funds requested for two Armed Reconnaissance Helicopters (ARH) to replace two UH-60 Black Hawks lost in combat. The roughly $122 billion bill also would fully fund seven other requested UH-60s, according to a summary of the legislation provided by SAC staff. The Senate is expected to take up the bill March 26, SAC Chairman Robert Byrd (D-W.Va.) said after a markup hearing.
ENHANCED PAVEWAY: The U.S. Air Force is awarding Raytheon Missile Systems a $17 million firm-fixed-price contract modification for 139 Guided Bomb Unit 28C/B guidance control units and tail kits. The GBU-28C/B, also known as Enhanced Paveway III, possesses a Global Positioning System-aided laser guidance capability and provides improved lethality, survivability and penetration over the predecessor GBU-28B/B, officials said. The work is set to be finished by May 2008, the Defense Department announced March 21.
The U.S. Air Force plans to amend its combat search and rescue (CSAR-X) request for proposals (RFP) to better explain how it evaluates Operations and Support (O&S) costs, after GAO's bid protest office clarifies any remaining issues it has with the competition, the service said March 22.
The Missile Defense Agency (MDA) needs to adopt more transparent criteria for reporting the quantities, cost, and performance of its systems and their components, says a March report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO). "GAO recommends that DOD adopt firm baselines, use procurement funds for operational assets, and adopt other measures to better track cost and outcomes against goals," GAO said in the report, "Missile Defense Acquisition Strategy Generates Results but Delivers Less at a Higher Cost."
DEFENSE BUDGETED: House Democrats' new budget resolution provides $507 billion for national defense and another $145 billion for overseas deployments and other activities, which mirrors the Congressional Budget Office's scoring of the Bush administration's fiscal 2008 request and future plans, according to House Armed Services Chairman Ike Skelton (D-Mo.). Skelton supports the March 21 proposal since it meets President Bush's overall request, as the HASC asked the House Budget Committee to do earlier this year.
By 2009, the U.S. Army should have enough data and information on its Future Combat Systems (FCS) program to either buy in completely or go another route, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) has reported.
TURBINE SETS: Rolls-Royce Naval Marine Inc. has been awarded a $76.6 million contract to provide the U.S. Navy with DDG-1000 main turbine generator sets, the Defense Department said March 21. The work will be performed in Walpole, Mass., and is expected to be finished by September 2009. The contract was awarded by the Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington Navy Yard, D.C.
U.S. Marine Corps Gen. James Cartwright, the head of U.S. Strategic Command, told members of the House Armed Services Committee March 21 that the development of a conventional intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) for prompt global strike is both needed to counter future threats and also will help the U.S. reduce its nuclear stockpile.
