General Dynamics Decision Systems (GDDS) offered a "superior design and better long-term solution" for the U.S. Army's Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS) Cluster 5 than did rival ITT Industries Inc., the Government Accountability Office said. ITT Industries protested General Dynamics' win on the $295 million contract (DAILY, July 20). GAO denied the bid on Oct. 20, and the Army lifted a stop-work order five days later (DAILY, Oct. 25).
A senior U.S. Defense Department position should be established to jumpstart the DOD's failing financial management system, the head of the Government Accountability Office told members of Congress Nov. 18. "DOD needs a chief management officer, a chief operating officer to deal with basic business challenges," U.S. Comptroller General David Walker said at a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee's readiness subcommittee.
DEFENSE FUNDING: U.S. Rep. Gene Taylor (D-Miss.), a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee, is questioning the Bush Administration's defense priorities. The congressman says that while the nation spends the relatively large sum of $10 billion a year on missile defense, it underfunds equipment to protect U.S. troops in Iraq, such as devices to jam insurgents' improvised explosive devices (IEDs). "We haven't lost any Americans to an intercontinental ballistic missile, but we're losing Americans every day" to IEDs, Taylor says.
Although the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Co. (EADS) has a broad business portfolio, including helicopters, missiles, space systems, fighter aircraft and other defense systems, its performance is "very dependent" on its Airbus commercial aircraft unit, Standard & Poor's said Nov. 18. "Airbus has been able to withstand challenging market conditions, with its target of 300 Airbus deliveries annually being continuously met since the events of Sept. 11, 2001," S&P said.
C-130 PROTESTS: BAE Systems and L-3 Communications have filed protests with the Government Accountability Office (GAO) over Boeing's selection to be prime contractor for the U.S. Air Force's C-130 avionics modernization program (AMP). Lockheed Martin's protests over the C-130 AMP and the Air Force's Small Diameter Bomb were announced earlier (DAILY, Nov. 15). The GAO plans to rule on all of the protests by February.
Australia's Defence Science and Technology Organisation began testing an unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) on Nov. 19 to demonstrate its latest research technology for mine warfare and undersea navigation, the Australian defense department said. The trial, which will continue through Nov. 21 at Portland Port in Portland Victoria, Australia, involves navy reserve divers placing dummy sea mines at known positions for the UUV to hunt.
AgustaWestland Inc. and AgustaWestlandBell will relocate and consolidate their operations to Fairfax County, Va., in January 2005 and hire 300 new workers, the companies said Nov. 19. The companies, currently located in nearby Arlington, Va., will occupy 30,000 square feet at the Plaza America complex in the Reston area.
Engineers have concluded the testing of the Space Shuttle Discovery's robotic arm as it continues to prepare the vehicle to return to flight next year, NASA said Nov. 19. Installation of instrumentation on the shuttle's leading wing is halfway done, NASA said. The aerospace agency is planning to try to return the shuttle fleet to space beginning net May or June (DAILY, Nov. 8).
The Boeing Co. is teaming with Paris-based Alcatel to provide satellite communication subsystems for Boeing Satellite Systems (BSS), Boeing said Nov. 18. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed. The alliance will focus on projects including the development of spacecraft that will provide digital audio radio, Boeing said. The agreement "will provide Boeing customers unrivaled access to the expertise of both companies," Pascale Sourisse, chairman and CEO of Alcatel, said in a statement.
SUB VOYAGE: The nuclear-powered attack submarine Jimmy Carter (SSN- 23) returned to the General Dynamics Electric Boat shipyard in Groton, Conn., on Nov. 19 after successfully completing its first voyage in open seas, the company said. The submarine's "alpha sea trials" included a range of submarine and propulsion plant operations, first-time submerging and high-speed runs on the surface and while submerged.
Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), the chief congressional critic of a U.S. Air Force attempt to acquire Boeing 767 tankers, launched a new attack on the proposal Nov. 19, saying newly released documents undermine the Air Force's claims that it has been willing to consider other aircraft. Although Air Force Secretary James Roche testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee in February 2002 that he was willing to consider alternatives to the 767, e-mails recently delivered to Capitol Hill by the Defense Department suggest otherwise, McCain said.
German Defense Minister Peter Struck favors the sale of German Leopard II tanks to Turkey, five years after his country rejected a similar request because it feared the tanks could be used against civilians in eastern Turkey, a German radio and television network has reported. "If Turkey makes a request [to purchase the tanks], as minister of defense, I would give a favorable opinion to the chancellor and the foreign minister," Struck told Deutsche Welle radio and television on Nov. 18.
RETURN TO SERVICE: Arianespace plans to delay the return to service of its heavier-lift Ariane 5 ECA until January to allow more time to get it ready, Arianespace says. The vehicle's first flight failed in late 2002, prompting a redesign of part of its Vulcain 2 main engine. The mission, which had been planned for October, is to carry the XTAR-EUR governmental telecommunications satellite, the Sloshsat experimental satellite and the Maqsat B2 imaging package.
Jacksonville, Fla.-based Armor Holdings Inc., which manufactures vehicle armor systems and security products, has completed its acquisition of the Specialty Group Inc. to prepare for "significant opportunities" for Army buys of soldier protection equipment, the company said Nov. 19.
DIVIDEND: BEI Technologies Inc.'s board of directors has declared its 29th consecutive quarterly dividend, the company said Nov. 18. The company builds electronic sensors, motors, actuators and other equipment for military, aviation and space systems. The dividend, of one cent per share, is payable Dec. 15.
DEFENSE HIKE: South Korea gradually will increase its defense budget by 99 trillion won ($92.5 billion) over the next four years to fill the possible security vacuum caused by planned U.S. troop reductions, the South Korean defense ministry says. By 2008, the country's defense budget is to grow to 3.2% of gross domestic product, from the current 2.8%. The additional money will spent on weapons for independent surveillance and command, control, communications, computers and intelligence, says Maj. Gen. Bang Hyo-bok, a strategic policymaker.
The Department of Defense should be mindful of Sikorsky's work on the failed RAH-66 Comanche helicopter when considering the company's bid for the future Marine One fleet, Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) said Nov. 17.
As expected, Air Force acquisition chief Marvin Sambur announced his resignation on Nov. 17. "He took on the tough challenges and vastly improved our acquisition processes and structure. As a result of his leadership, our airmen are better equipped and employ the leading-edge transformational weapon systems essential to successfully counter the new threats that face us," James Roche, the secretary of the Air Force, said in a statement.
Atlanta-based Laser Atlanta has accepted an order from the U.S. Navy for the Laser Proximity Measurement System, which maintains a safe distance between ships during the transferring of fuel, munitions, supplies, and personnel, the company said Nov. 17. Terms of the contract were not disclosed. The first system will be placed on the USS Laramie. Laser Atlanta uses a laser-based distance measuring system and a large billboard display to continuously report the distance between ships to their captains, the company said.
Armor Holdings Inc. of Jacksonville, Fla., has won a three-year, $53 million contract to provide replacement ballistic glass for the U.S. Army Up-Armored Humvee fleet, the company said Nov. 18. The contract was awarded by the U.S. Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Command. The work will be done in 2005, 2006 and 2007 at Armor Holdings' Cincinnati, Ohio facilities.
The first production RQ-4A Global Hawk unmanned aerial reconnaissance vehicle, produced by Northrop Grumman Corp., recently was delivered to Beale Air Force Base, Calif., the company said Nov. 16. The UAV, designated AF-3, arrived on Oct. 28 from Birk Flight Test Center at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. The Global Hawk system has accumulated more than 5,000 flight hours on deployments to Germany, Australia, and Florida, in test flights over the western United States and in combat missions.
AEGIS CONTRACT: General Dynamics' Bath Iron Works won a $488.6 million modification to a previously awarded contract from the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) to provide additional funding for the DDG 111 Aegis destroyer, the Department of Defense said Nov. 16. The Navy expects the work to be completed by May 2010. NAVSEA also awarded Northrop Grumman Ship Systems Inc. a $470 million contract modification to provide more funding for the DDG 110 Aegis destroyer. The work is expected to be completed by June 2010.
The secretary of defense should give Congress a strategy for improving the Army National Guard's structure and readiness for overseas operations and clearly defining its homeland security role, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) said in a report released Nov. 18.
