The Future Combat Systems' lead system integrators are seeking industry input on a dismounted controller device (DCD) which would give soldiers an easy-to-use interface with remotely controlled FCS battle components. "It will allow the soldier to remotely control the operation of ground and air platforms, sensor, and intelligent munition systems in real time," said Boeing and Science Applications International Corp. (SAIC), which released an RFI on the system earlier this month.
The U.S. Air Force plans to kick off the next competition for the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) program by releasing a draft request for proposals (RFP) in the fall or late summer and a final RFP in the October-December quarter, a service official said March 22. Contract awards for a total of about 18 to 24 launches are slated to occur sometime in 2006. Teets said the Air Force already is talking daily with the two EELV suppliers, Boeing and Lockheed Martin, and has developed a "framework" for conducting the acquisition.
NSC KEEL: A joint venture of Lockheed Martin Corp. and Northrop Grumman Corp. expects next month to lay the keel of the first Maritime Security Cutter, Large (WMSL), executives told reporters March 22. The April ceremony for the ship, also called the National Security Cutter, means the Deepwater recapitalization asset's production is on track (DAILY, Jan. 19). The first WMSL should be delivered by June 2007, with the second cutter a year later. Meanwhile, the joint venture expects the second HH-65 re-engined helicopter to be delivered in April as well.
UCV FIRING: Metal Storm Ltd. successfully completed live-fire demonstrations of its 40mm electronic ballistics system mounted on a Talon unmanned ground vehicle, the company said March 22. The Talon engaged several targets during the demonstrations at Picatinny Arsenal, N.J., including simulated enemy troops, an infantry carrier and a bunker.
The United Kingdom might pull out of the Lockheed Martin-led F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program if it doesn't obtain the technology transfer rights it is looking for, warned BAE Systems CEO Michael Turner. "The U.K. is prepared to pay a reasonable price and apply strict security around that technology. But the U.S. should respect U.K. sovereignty to integrate the new weapons systems themselves," Turner said March 22. "If that doesn't happen, I wouldn't be surprised if the U.K. doesn't participate in the JSF," he said.
International Launch Services (ILS), which has taken the lead in the commercial launch market while chief competitor Arianespace has grappled with technical problems on its Ariane 5 ECA, expects the market to "even out" again in the coming years as competition heats up, according to ILS President Mark Albrecht.
TECHEVAL DONE: The U.S. Navy's MH-60R will begin operational evaluation in May, said Lockheed Martin, which is the systems integrator for the Sikorsky-built helicopter and is providing digital cockpits for it. The MH-60R entered technical evaluation in August 2004 and U.S. Navy teams completed an evaluation of it on Feb. 15, Lockheed Martin said March 22. Delivery of the first four helicopters to the fleet is scheduled for December.
NASA plans to announce the first two Centennial Challenges prize competitions on March 23 at 7:45 p.m. Eastern time at the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess Hotel in Scottsdale, Ariz. Modeled on 19th century navigation prizes and early 20th century aviation prizes, the Centennial Challenges program aims to stimulate industry to produce breakthroughs in technologies that support NASA's goals.
British defense laboratory QinetiQ has been awarded a contract worth more than $5 million to supply LOKI torpedo countermeasures to Norway's navy, QinetiQ said March 22. The countermeasures will form part of the Norway navy's integrated torpedo defense suite on its new Fridtjof Nansen-class frigates. Steve Hendon, QinetiQ product manager for surface ship torpedo defense, said Norway's navy chose LOKI because of its acoustic performance, future proof design and ease of configuration.
The U.S. Navy and Congress should target a steady, total shipbuilding budget of $10 billion a year and take advantage of the current period of uncertainty to better define what it wants its fleet to become within the future networked U.S. military, Robert O. Work of the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments said March 22.
The U.S. Defense Department plans to release an updated version of its road map for unmanned aerial vehicles by the end of April, a DOD official said March 22.
Intelligence and security services provider Analex Corp. of Alexandria, Va., has signed a nonbinding letter of intent to purchase software engineering and information technology firm ComGlobal Systems Inc. for $47 million in cash, Analex Corp. said March 22. The transaction could be completed in the next 30 days, Analex said.
The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates that the cost of wear and tear on U.S. military equipment this year due to U.S. homeland defense and operations in Iraq and Afghanistan could rise to $8 billion, with the total backlog including the past two years reaching $13 billion to $18 billion.
Companies will have 30 days to respond to separate, final requests for proposals for the Class II and III unmanned aerial vehicle systems for the U.S. Army's Future Combat Systems, FCS lead system integrators Boeing and Science Applications International Corp. said March 22. Up to three contract awards for each class will be awarded in August for Phase I, for technology and risk-reduction demonstrations.
The U.S. Navy's planned Multi-mission Maritime Aircraft (MMA) fleet should sustain at least 80% availability initially, Navy and contractor officials said March 22, far above the current 65% availability of the ailing P-3s maritime patrol aircrafts.
With NASA in the final stages of preparation for the space shuttle's return to flight, the Boeing Co. is anticipating reductions in its shuttle work force by year's end, as well as the imminent shutdown of an operation in Palmdale, Calif., that builds external tank disconnect valves.
If the European Union (EU) decides to lift its arms embargo on China, the U.S. Congress will seriously restrict European countries from cooperating on U.S. military programs, U.S. officials warned March 21. "The Congress is going to spank, and spank hard," said Gregory Suchan, deputy assistant secretary of state for defense trade at the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs.
Companies have until April 4 to submit specific capabilities of how they would counter improvised explosive devices (IED) under a broad agency announcement (BAA) released by the Department of Defense's IED task force. The March 2 BAA seeks capabilities in detecting, neutralizing and mitigating IEDs. It specifically asks for technology in areas including blast effects and mitigation, explosives detection, explosive ordnance disposal and infrastructure protection.
The launch of the first Wideband Gapfiller Satellite (WGS) has been delayed for about three months due to a scheduling conflict and industry job cuts, the U.S. Air Force said late March 18.
COMPONENT REPAIR: Aviation and aerospace parts and services provider AAR Corp. of Wood Dale, Ill., has been awarded a contract by the U.S. Air Force worth up to $18.3 million over five years for the overhaul of certain augmentor module components for Pratt & Whitney F100 engines, the company said March 21. AAR will remanufacture the components and return them to Tinker Air Force Base, Okla. The components include divergent nozzle segment seals, convergent nozzle segment seals and divergent segment assemblies. The F100 engine is used in F-15 and F-16 aircraft.
