Northrop Grumman is working on technologies that will "take transformation to the street fight" and aid U.S. soldiers fighting terrorist insurgents in Iraq, according to company president and CEO Ron Sugar.
Concerns over the sustainability of the rate of growth in defense spending likely will prompt decision makers to re-examine fundamental aspects of the nation's security programs, the Government Accountability Office said Feb. 16. The Defense Department will have to rethink how it budgets, manages, and positions its forces and acquires new capabilities, GAO said in a report on challenges facing the United States.
The U.S. Missile Defense Agency is asking Congress for seed money to pursue a more robust version of the missile-watching Space Tracking and Surveillance System (STSS). While continuing to fund two research and development (R&D) satellites for the STSS program, MDA's fiscal 2006 budget request also contains "less than $1 million" to begin work on an operational constellation of STSS satellites, according to Defense Department officials. MDA sent its budget blueprint to Congress Feb. 7.
The U.S. Army has consolidated the Land Warrior and Future Force Warrior advanced technology demonstration programs to save money and put new technology into the hands of soldiers sooner, prime contractor General Dynamics C4 Systems said Feb. 16. The company had been in charge of Land Warrior while Future Force Warrior was under General Dynamics Land Systems, but now both are under the C4 unit, the company said.
HELO CONTRACT: The United Arab Emirates air force has awarded Fort Worth, Texas-based Bell/Agusta Aerospace Co. an $83 million contract to provide eight AB139 medium-twin helicopters, the company said Feb. 16. Six aircraft will be configured for search and rescue operations and two will be assigned to VIP transport. Oman and Ireland also have ordered the AB139. The award coincided with the biennial IDEX military exposition in Abu Dhabi, UAE. The company is moving its headquarters to Reston, Va., in mid-March (DAILY, Feb. 7).
The U.S. Defense Department's fiscal year 2006 research and development (R&D) budget request cuts off funding for congressional earmarks, which totaled $1 billion in FY '05. DOD is requesting more than $70 billion for R&D in FY '06, with $5.5 billion going to basic and applied research, according to White House science advisor John Marburger.
The odds are in favor of L-3 Communications and Alenia Aeronautica winning a competition to help produce the U.S. Army's Future Cargo Aircraft (FCA), which could generate up to 140 new aircraft and hundreds of additional jobs in the United States and Canada, L-3 Chairman and CEO Frank Lanza said Feb. 16. "I think we have a very good chance of doing it. We have the experience and facilities necessary," Lanza told The DAILY.
GMLRS: Lockheed Martin will produce 1,014 Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) rockets under a $108 million contract, the company said Feb. 16. The work will be done at Lockheed Martin facilities in Dallas and Camden, Ark. Delivery is expected in 2006 and 2007. The low-rate initial production 3 contract was awarded by the U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command in Huntsville, Ala. Lockheed Martin was awarded its first GMLRS LRIP contract in June 2003 for 156 missiles worth $24 million.
Robert Balemian has retired as president and chief financial officer. Eric Edelstein has been named executive vice president and chief financial officer effective March 1.
Donald Foley has been promoted to chief engineering and technology officer. Trey Smith has been named president of the new Research, Development, Test and Evaluation Group. Larry Prior has been chosen to lead the new Intelligence Group.
General Dynamics Land Systems - Canada will provide 148 RG-31 Medium Mine Protected Vehicles under a potential $78 million contract from the U.S. Army Communication and Electronics Command, the company said Feb. 16. The contract, issued on behalf of the U.S. Army Program Manager for Close Combat Systems, includes $3 million for spare parts, the company said. GDLS - Canada will provide program management and logistics support and BAE Land Systems OMC of South Africa will build the vehicles.
The first General Electric/Rolls-Royce F136 short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) engine has begun testing at GE facilities in Peebles, Ohio, the two companies announced Feb. 16. The engine is expected to run for 300 hours through May. The STOVL engine is being developed for one of three variants of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. Testing began in July for the F136 that is designed for JSF's two other variants - conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) and carrier variant (CV) (DAILY, July 27).
NASA's Office of Safety and Mission Assurance has signed an agreement with Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) to participate in each other's safety-related management audits, NASA announced Feb. 16. Bryan O'Connor, NASA's chief of safety and mission assurance, and John James, the Navy's executive director for undersea warfare, signed the memorandum of agreement (MOA) Feb. 15 at NASA headquarters in Washington.
LASER LEADER: U.S. Air Force Col. John A. Daniels has been picked to succeed Air Force Col. Ellen Pawlikowski as director of the Missile Defense Agency's Airborne Laser (ABL) program. Daniels was ABL's deputy director from July 2002 to April 2003. Pawlikowski is leaving the program in late February to become director of the Military Satellite Communications joint program office at Los Angeles Air Force Base (DAILY, Jan. 27).
Sue Baumgarten has been named deputy general manager for Raytheon Technical Services Co. LLC. Thomas Kennedy has been named vice president for the Integrated Airborne Systems business of Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems. Susan D. Lynch has been appointed chief financial officer for Raytheon Technical Services Co. LLC. Torkel Patterson has been appointed president, Raytheon International Inc.
CHAFF: Armtec Countermeasures Co. of Coachella, Calif., will manufacture RR 188 chaff cartridges for the U.S. Air Force's air countermeasures program, the Department of Defense said Feb. 16. The work will be done under a $5.9 million contract modification and is to be completed by July 2006.
