JLTV Not Light. Worries surface that existing amphibious ships may have trouble accepting the taller, more heavily armored JLTV and that holds where Humvees were traditionally stored aboard ship may be inadequate for the larger vehicle. Assistant Marine Corps Commandant Gen. John Paxton says that likely will not be a problem, especially as new L-class amphibious ships come online. The JLTV “is indeed heavier than the Humvee because we had to capitalize on what we knew was going to be an asymmetric-type fight and the lessons learned from the last 14 years about what kind of protection we needed for underbody and side armor,” Paxton says at a recent Navy League breakfast outside Washington, D.C. “It is bigger than the Humvee but much smaller than the MRAP. We think that by size…we fit it out so that it doesn’t create the problem we don’t want to have on our L-Class ships. As we move to the L-XR and the increase in cube- and square- [feet] on the ships, we think we are going to be in good shape.”
… F35B Operations. Paxton reiterates the view of other Marine Corps brass that the F-35B will not see combat any time soon, even though the service was the first to declare the jet “operational” in July. Paxton says the Marine Corps is reluctant to repeat mistakes made when the MV-22 Osprey was rushed into action after it entered service, only for Marines to learn, under fire, its intricacies, shortcomings and capabilities. “The risk of having a new capability, an unproven capability, is to accelerate it and to do more with it faster,” Paxton says. “Particularly when you are in a fight. … One of the things we are at risk of doing is overloading ourselves and trying to take a good capability, a new capability, but perhaps an untested, unproven capability and put it in the fight too fast. … We’re going to be a little loath to go too fast on the F-35B. We’re going to want it to get to FOC (full operational capability). I’m sure the testing and the acquisition folks and the Hill are going to want to do the same thing.”
Elevating Cyber Command. Nothing has been finalized as far at “elevating” United States Cyber Command from its current status as a sub-unified command that is under U.S. Strategic Command, says a Pentagon official. There are “potential operational efficiencies and effectiveness that could be had from elevating Cyber Command” and Defense Secretary Carter continues to considering recommendations, Aaron Hughes, deputy assistant secretary of defense for Cyber Policy, says at the Center for Strategic & International Studies. Former Cyber Command Chief Gen. Keith Alexander suggested in 2014 shortly before departing that CYBERCOM should become a unified command to get out from under STRATCOM.
…Nimble Acquisition. The Pentagon needs to be more “nimble” than it is when it comes to acquiring cyber capabilities, Hughes says. Similar to how Special Operations Command has its own acquisition authorities, Cyber Command could acquire capabilities more rapidly from the commercial sector if it had similar authorities, he says. “I don’t think we can go from zero to 100 immediately but I think some sort of pilot or trial that provides Cyber Command with exquisite acquisition authorities might be relevant and we could potentially see that in the coming years,” Hughes says.
Necessary Change. The Department of Homeland Security’s National Protection and Programs Directorate needs to go through a proposed reorganization that will enhance its operational capabilities and allow it to better deal with evolving and changing cyber threats, says Phyllis Schneck, deputy under secretary for Cybersecurity and Communications at DHS. “This transformation will strengthen our cyber mission, it will strengthen our ability to reach out to our customers and to serve them well,” she says. “Fighting back against this constantly evolving threat requires this fully collaborative approach. NPPD can’t do our mission if we don’t do this.”
Syria. The Obama administration’s $500 million program to train and equip Syrian rebels in Iraq to fight Islamic State militants in Syria goes from pause to full stop, the Defense Department says. The program stopped taking new recruits weeks ago after a cohort of U.S. trained rebels reentered Syria and were quickly pummeled by other rebel groups and Islamic State fighters. Some reports indicate the U.S. trainees simply handed over their weapons to other rebel groups allied with Al Qaeda. “From the program’s inception, we have reviewed our progress, acknowledged challenges, and worked to determine how we can improve our efforts in support of our partners on the ground,” the Pentagon says in a five-paragraph statement that does not explicitly say the program has ended.
… A New Plan. Secretary of Defense Ash Carter calls instead for plans to equip “a select group of vetted leaders and their units” with weapons and other gear “so that over time they can make a concerted push into territory still controlled by ISIL.” We will monitor the progress these groups make and provide them with air support as they take the fight to ISIL. This focus on equipping and enabling will allow us to reinforce the progress already made in countering ISIL in Syria. “I remain convinced that a lasting defeat of ISIL in Syria will depend in part on the success of local, motivated, and capable ground forces,” Carter says. “I believe the changes we are instituting today will, over time, increase the combat power of counter-ISIL forces in Syria and ultimately help our campaign achieve a lasting defeat of ISIL.”
ISIS In Afghanistan? Army Gen. John Campbell, testifying on Capitol Hill this week, warns lawmakers that pulling U.S. and coalition forces out of Afghanistan completely would create a power vacuum like the one that allowed Islamic State militants to establish a foothold in Iraq. Where total coalition forces in Afghanistan numbered 140,000 just a few years ago, there now are just 14,000 troops including the 9,800 U.S. personnel that remain in Afghanistan. “If we withdraw from Afghanistan, the security vacuum will arise and other extremist networks such as [ISIL] could rapidly expand and sow unrest throughout Central and South Asia and potentially target our homeland,” Campbell says. “The Afghans must continue to do their part, and if they do, we should continue to exercise strategic patience and sustain our commitment to them.”
Mergers and Acquisitions. The Pentagon’s top weapons buyer, Frank Kendall, reiterates his concerns about recent mergers and acquisitions that have led to a shrinking defense industrial base. “I think that the tools that we have to manage that trend are inadequate based on my recent experience,” he says. “I’ve got my team thinking about policy alternatives that we can put in place. I think we have to work with the Hill on this.” However, he firmly states that he is not being critical of Lockheed Martin’s recent purchase of Sikorsky. “I think Lockheed made what is probably for them a good strategic move.”
Robot Buy. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Indian Head Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technology Division awards iRobot two indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contracts with a combined value of $7.9 million for initial orders. The first contract purchases support services, upgrades and spares for the Man Transportable Robotic System Mk 1 robots—which are used in bomb disposal missions—and the second contract allows for production of new MTRS Mk 1 robots and parts. The combined total ceiling of the contracts is $96 million. 
SEWIP Contract. The Navy awards Northrop Grumman a $91 million contract modification for Surface Electronic Warfare Improvement Program (SEWIP) Block 3 program engineering and manufacturing development. SEWIP upgrades existing AN/SLQ-32(V) electronic warfare systems with new electronic support receivers and an improved interface, the contract announcement states. During Block 3, selected Navy ships will receive a new EW suite with better electronic attack capabilities.
Japanese F-35 Fuselage. Northrop Grumman completes the first center fuselage for the first F-35 to be assembled in Japan’s F-35 Final Assembly and Checkout (FACO) facility, according to a a company statement. Northrop Grumman notes the center fuselage, designaged AX-5, is completed on time and on schedule. It will be integrated into a F-35A conventional variant aircraft. The AX-5 center fuselage is one of 42 that Northrop Grumman will produce for Japan. Lockheed Martin develops the F-35 along with subcontractors Northrop Grumman and BAE Systems.
Alcoa F-35 Deal. Alcoa signs a contract to supply titanium for Lockheed Martin’s F-35 program, according to an Alcoa statement. Alcoa becomes the titanium supplier for airframe structures for all three F-35 variants over nine years, from 2016 to 2024. At currently projected rates, the deal is estimated to be worth nearly $1.1 billion. Under a different contract, Alcoa will use the metal to forge all of the largest titanium bulkheads, the “backbone” of the aircraft structure, for the F-35A conventional variants at its Cleveland facility.
Upgraded PAC-3. The Army accepts the first PAC-3 Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE) interceptors built by Lockheed Martin, according to a company statement. The PAC-3 MSE missile is a high-velocity interceptor that defends against tactical ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and aircraft. It brings a larger, dual-pulse solid-rocket motor, larger control fins and upgraded support systems. Lockheed Martin receives the first PAC-3 MSE production contract in April 2014 and earns a follow-on order in July.
GSSAP IOC. The Air Force declares initial operational capability (IOC) for its first two Geosynchronous Space Situational Awareness Program (GSSAP) spacecraft on Sept. 29. IOC declaration concludes successful testing of the system and brings online a SSA capability that improves U.S. ability to rapidly detect, warn, characterize and attribute disturbances to space systems in the geosynchronous (GEO) environment. The system reduces the likelihood of space collision, increases safety in this domain and will support. U.S. Strategic Command’s (USSTRATCOM) Unified Command Plan-assigned mission to plan and conduct SSA.
Dream Chaser Updates… Sierra Nevada Corp. significantly updates two Dream Chaser spacecraft currently in development: the atmospheric engineering test article (ETA) and the advanced composite orbital vehicle, according to a company statement. The ETA will undergo a suborbital flight regimen while the advanced composite orbital vehicle will undergo an orbital flight regimen. SNC makes significant structural and systems improvements to the ETA, while also heavily investing in maturing the spacecraft orbital avionics, guidance navigation and control, and the flight software. An advanced orbital Thermal Protection System (TPS) is installed on the ETA skid to do advanced testing of the actual orbital TPS.
…More Dream Chaser. Lockheed Martin completes the Dream Chaser orbital cabin assembly, marking a significant milestone in the vehicle’s construction. This assembly is the largest high-temperature unitized structure ever fabricated at U.S. Air Force Plant 4. The assembly utilizes three-dimensional woven joints to integrate internal frames with external carbon skins in a single co-bond operation. This means nearly all fasteners on this critical cabin assembly are eliminated.
NROL-55 Launch. The Air Force and United Launch Alliance (ULA) successfully launch the NROL-55 payload for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) on Oct. 8. Launch takes place from Vandenberg AFB, Calif., at 8:49 a.m. EDT on an Atlas V rocket. The rocket also delivers 13 Government Rideshare Advanced Concepts Experiment (GRACE) CubeSats to orbit. ULA is a joint venture of Lockheed Martin and Boeing.
IRS Cyber Funding. In a letter responding to inquiries by Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), ranking member of the Finance Committee, the IRS Commissioner writes that budget cuts since FY 2010 have prevented the agency from adequately countering cybersecurity risks. “The combined pressures of reduced resources, new demands, and cyber threats have undermined our ability to deliver foundational taxpayer services and enforcement programs that are the twin pillars of our system of voluntary compliance,” Commissioner John Koskinen says.He notes the IRS budget is down $1.2 billion since FY 2010 while the population has grown and the agency takes on “significant new unfunded responsibilities.”