The deck chairs on the Senate Appropriations Committee are settling into place, as Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) formally acknowledges that he will replace Sen. Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii) as the chairman of the defense subcommittee.
The general representing the U.S. Marines in the nation’s next Quadrennial Defense Review says he will give priority to readiness when budgeting choices must be made. Maj. Gen. Kenneth F. McKenzie, speaking at a recent Stimson Center event, emphasized that he puts the highest priority on readiness, over acquisition and end strength. He also advocates for forward presence, the only way to get truly immediate response, he says. It also buys time and decision space and its deterrent value is underestimated, he says.
TEL AVIV — Israel is worried that sophisticated Russian Yakhont missiles, recently delivered to Syria, could find their way into Hezbollah’s hands. The long-range, high-precision supersonic missiles would pose a serious threat to Israel’s new northern offshore gas rigs, according to officials and analysts in the Middle Eastern nation.
FRANKFURT — EADS is slowly preparing the composition of its administrative board, to be confirmed at an extraordinary general meeting likely to be held before the end of March. Anne Lauvergeon, ex-CEO of French nuclear energy group Areva, has received strong endorsement to become the next EADS chairman, succeeding Arnaud Lagardere. Jean-Claude Trichet, a board member since 2012, is expected to be re-elected.
The U.S. Navy awarded three contracts late this month worth a combined total of about $298.5 million for work related to training development for the service’s new fleet of Littoral Combat Ships (LCS) now being built. Properly training the crew and support-service personnel for the LCS fleet is considered key to its successful operation.
To prepare for funding shortfalls – and even greater potential budgetary woes – Adm. Jonathan Greenert, U.S. chief of naval operations (CNO), issued guidance Jan. 25 for extensive operational and expense cuts across the board, with particular emphasis on aviation and surface-ship accounts.
LONDON — AgustaWestland has flown the first production Wildcat maritime helicopter for the U.K. Royal Navy for the first time. The aircraft, designated Wildcat HMA2, was flown from AgustaWestland’s facility in Yeovil, Somerset on Jan. 17 and will be delivered to the Royal Navy’s 700W (W for Wildcat) Naval Air Squadron, the U.K.’s fielding unit for the naval version of the aircraft.
As climatic changes spark greater U.S. interest and concern about the strategic importance of the Arctic, the U.S. Coast Guard is getting ready for increased ice-breaking work in the area with refurbished or—hopefully—newly acquired ships. “The challenges in the Arctic are growing,” Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Robert Papp said during a briefing at the recent Surface Navy Association National Symposium. “We’ll be back in business next year.”
BEIJING — China’s Y-20 heavy airlifter, long known to be in development, made its first flight on Jan. 26. Official photographs showed the aircraft powered by four medium-bypass turbojets and adopting the familiar configuration of a high-wing, T-tail and short fuselage-mounted undercarriage now almost universally used for military transports. The undercarriage had three axles on each side, with two wheels mounted on each axle. The aircraft has therefore not differed markedly from the design previously revealed in low-resolution pictures.
AIR FORCE Rolls-Royce Corp., Indianapolis, (FA8504-07-D-0001, P00017), is being awarded a $97,328,243 firm-fixed price, requirements contract modification for sustaining services including logistics support, program management support, engineering services, spares and technical data support of the C-130J Propulsion systems. The location of the performance is Indianapolis. The work is expected to be completed by Jan. 31, 2014. The contracting activity is AFLCMC/WLKCA, Robins AFB, Ga. U.S. SPECIAL OPERATIONS COMMAND
In its first flight since late 2010, the Pentagon’s Ground-Based Midcourse Defense (GMD) system finally achieved a much-awaited flyout demonstration, seemingly without problems. The Missile Defense Agency (MDA) says the GMD program, managed by Boeing, achieved its first flight test in two years using the Raytheon Exoatmospheric Kill Vehicle (EKV) Capability Enhancement 2 (CE 2) upgrade. The booster was launched from Vandenberg AFB, Calif., at 2 p.m. local time Jan. 26.
ARMY Alliant Techsystems Operations L.L.C., Plymouth, Minn., was awarded a $41,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract. The award will provide for the procurement of high explosive incendiary with trace linked cartridges. The work location will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 30, 2018. The bid was solicited through the Internet, with one bid received. The U.S. Army Contracting Command, Rock Island, Ill., is the contracting activity (W52P1J-13-D-0021). NAVY
The Defense Department needs to better monitor contracts for the transportation of supplies, mail, and passengers in Afghanistan via helicopters, according to a recent report by the Pentagon Inspector General (IG). Some $3.5 billion worth of transactions could be at risk, the IG says.
LONDON — The U.K. Royal Air Force has appointed a helicopter pilot as chief of the air staff for the first time in its 95-year history. Air Marshal Sir Andrew Pulford will head the RAF starting in July 2012, taking over from Sir Stephen Dalton. Dalton had led the air arm since July 2009, taking it through one of its most challenging periods, including the Strategic Defense and Security Review and the conflict in Libya as well as ongoing operations in Afghanistan.
EADS is slowly preparing the composition of its administrative board, to be confirmed at an extraordinary general meeting likely to be held before the end of March. Anne Lauvergeon, ex-CEO of French nuclear energy group Areva, has received strong endorsement to become the next EADS chairman, succeeding Arnaud Lagardere. Jean-Claude Trichet, a board member since 2012, is expected to be re-elected.
The acceptance test campaign of Anka Medium Altitude Long Endurance UAV System, which was designed and developed by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI), was successfully completed with the last test flights held between January 20-22 2013.
Alenia Aermacchi's upgraded turboprop – the SF-260TP primary and basic trainer- now equipped with a glass cockpit, an enhanced multi-spectral vision system and an upgraded air conditioning system has completed its first flight in Venegono, Italy.
Alenia Aermacchi's upgraded turboprop – the SF-260TP primary and basic trainer- now equipped with a glass cockpit, an enhanced multi-spectral vision system and an upgraded air conditioning system has completed its first flight in Venegono, Italy.
LONDON — Airbus Military has marked the last delivery of Spain’s most successful indigenous aircraft— the C212. The company handed over the last C212-400 light transport to the Vietnam marine police on Dec. 28, marking the end of production of the type in Spain. The C212 was developed by CASA—now Airbus Military—during the 1960s and the type made its first flight in March 1971. Since then, 477 C212s have been built for more than 90 operators. Approximately 290 are still in service today.
