The Latest Word On Trends And Developments In Aerospace And Defense

Kubasik Staying Put. Chris Kubasik, the head of Lockheed Martin’s Electronic Systems division, is not in the running for the top job at BAE SYSTEMS, despite reports to the contrary in the British press. “Chris Kubasik is not a candidate for BAE Systems’ CEO position and, in fact, has had no discussions on the subject,” Lockheed Martin says.

Treaty Tussle. Senate ratification of the defense cooperation treaties the United States signed with the United Kingdom and Australia last year may not be swift. Senate Foreign Relations Committee members rattle off sundry concerns last Wednesday at the first hearing on the treaties, where acting Undersecretary of State for Arms Control and International Security John Rood testifies. Panel chairman Sen. Joseph Biden’s (D- Del.) questions cover how the treaties would be enforced, how they would impact “congressional prerogatives,” and–in particular–why the Bush administration does not plan on submitting the treaties’ implementing arrangements to the Senate for input.

Earmark Scuffle. HASC leaders aren’t backing down from fighting President Bush’s earmark reform–which doesn’t apply to the House-passed defense authorization bill, thanks to a provision lawmakers added. A new presidential executive order calls for earmarks in bill report language, but not in legislation, to be ignored. “You’re throwing the cat out with the kittle,” HASC Chairman Ike Skelton (D-Mo.) argues on the House floor last Thursday. He says lawmakers need to put defense program details in report language to allow for future reprogramming.

… Flake’s Stake. Fellow earmark executive order-foe HASC ranking member Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.) lists multiple defense programs that started as earmarks. Earmark foe Rep. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) shoots back: “There’s no reason to put it in committee or conference report language and not have it in the bill. I think what the president has rightly recognized is that when it’s not in the bill, then there are limited opportunities for other members to see it and to scrutinize it.” Bush has threatened to veto the defense bill over the earmark issue.

Bad Apple? An Army memo alleges aircraft material supplier Airtech International Inc. committed fraud on “every aircraft manufacturer in the world” from 1997 to 2005, according to the Project on Government Oversight (POGO), which says it has a copy of the September 2006 missive. POGO reports: “In addition to committing fraud and paying bribes and kickbacks, the company has threatened the safety of civilians and soldiers who fly on commercial and military aircraft, the memo states.” It says the memo, that followed a four-year investigation, recommends the Air Force “take action against Airtech.”

New PM. Capt. Ralph Portnoy assumes command as Program Manager, Air Combat Electronics Program Office (PMA-209), says NAVAIR. In May 2006, Portnoy reported to PERS-43 Aviation Engineering Duty Officer Head Detailer and the Director, AIR-7.3, NAVAIR Total Force Strategy & Management Department.

Autonomous Outreach. Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) Newport employees partnered with Newport, R.I.-area middle school students last week to demonstrate remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) at the Autonomous Undersea Vehicle Festival (AUVF) at NUWC Newport, NAVSEA says. Scientists and engineers at NUWC Newport volunteer to work with students for several weeks, as part of NUWC Newport’s Mathematics and Science Educational Outreach Plan, building the vehicles and testing them in underwater tank facilities. The students also get to see real autonomous undersea vehicles being developed in the laboratory.

The Navy According To ERP. The Navy Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Program achieved IOC earlier this month, a major milestone in bringing the Navy’s integrated business management system to 88,000 users across the service when fully implemented, Navy ERP says. The system, now in operation at NAVAIR, integrates management functions in program management, finance, workforce management, supply and maintenance into one system that standardizes and modernizes Navy business practices.

…Release Me. Release 1.0, now operating at NAVAIR, serves as the foundation of the Navy ERP system, and encompasses financial, program management and workforce management capabilities, the Navy says. In October of this year, Release 1.0 will be rolled out to the Naval Supply Systems Command and is scheduled to be implemented at the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command in October 2009. Release 1.1, which is currently under design, will be the Navy’s Single Supply Solution, combining the operations of retail and wholesale supply support for the Navy. This release is scheduled for implementation at the Naval Supply Systems Command in February, 2010, adds the Navy.

Cuts Like A Knife. Stiletto, the high-speed, 80-foot long vessel built using composite materials, is now in the hands of the United States Southern Command for operations and control. “Project Stiletto has the potential to significantly improve our Counter Drug operations by offering affordable cutting edge technology, unmatched performance and mission flexibility combined with the cooperation of a joint, interagency and partner-nation crew,” says SOUTHCOM. The craft, built by San Diego-based M Ship Co., has a unique double M-hull configuration, and can reach speeds of 40 to 50 knots.

Filler’ Up. The U.K. MoD has narrowed down the companies that will work alongside the MoD Equipment & Support over the coming months to finalize the requirement for the new MARS (Military Afloat Reach and Sustainability) Fleet Tankers, the MoD says. The four companies are Fincantieri, South Korean-based Hyundai, Spain’s Navantia, BAE SYSTEMS with BMT DSL and South Korea’s DSME. Following the competition, MoD will make a final decision to select one of the companies to design and build the new ships, the MoD says.

…Meeting Future Needs. MARS is a major project for Defence, providing future logistic support requirements for the Royal Navy and sea-based support to deployed forces. It will replace a large number of existing Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessels, adds the MoD. The existing Royal Feet Auxiliary tankers play a vital role in global naval operations by replenishing Royal Navy warships with ship and aircraft fuel, and wider armed forces with fuel and supplies. The new fleet tankers being built as part of the Military Afloat Reach and Sustainability program will comply with the highest international environmental standards, provide a much improved working environment for the Royal Fleet Auxiliary personnel, and allow the full range of Royal Navy operations to continue around the globe for 25 years from their launch, the MoD says.

Fading Away. Gen. Richard Hillier, Chief of the Defence Staff to the Canadian Forces, will retire in July. He assumed the leadership of the Canadian forces in February 2005. “My goal was to set the conditions for our sailors, soldiers, airmen and airwomen to succeed in our critical and often dangerous tasks in defence of Canada, Canadians, and Canadian interests and values,” he says in a statement. “Leadership in the Canadian Forces is not the role of one single person; it is the responsibility of all who wear the Canadian Forces uniform. I believe you will now be best served by the invigoration of new leadership, with the vision, energy, and strength to lead you through the challenges that will lie ahead. For we have not finished evolving. We must continue to adapt, and improve our Forces to accomplish the tasks Canadians need us to perform in the complex, dangerous security environment before us.” Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper will pick a successor to Hillier.

Aftermarket Support. Oshkosh Defense signs two memorandums of understanding (MoU) on aftermarket support of the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) program. Oshkosh signed a MoU with Red River Army Depot (RRAD) March 25 and with the Marine Corps Logistics Base (MCLB), Albany April 1. A May 19 ceremony marks the effort. While DoD has not yet awarded Technology Development (TD) phase contracts, these arrangements help establish a framework for the Army and Marine Corps to better service, upgrade and repair the new JLTV family of vehicles. Northrop Grumman and Oshkosh submitted a JLTV proposal in April. The service depot arrangements will only go into effect if the team receives one of at least three contracts anticipated to be awarded in late June. “These cooperative efforts between Oshkosh and the military help lay the groundwork for our long-term service and support plans for the JLTV program,” John Stoddart, executive vice president and president, Defense, Oshkosh Corp., says.

Radio Support. Epsilon Systems Solutions Inc., teamed with prime contractor SAIC, receives a potential five-year, $42 million subcontract to support the Joint Program Executive Office (JPEO) Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS)-Joint Ground Domain (JGD). The total contract value is $42 million over a five-year period, if all options are exercised. Epsilon Systems will provide a range of program, logistics, engineering and administrative services for the JGD Program Management Office and JGD Product Management Offices, located in San Diego, Fort Monmouth, N.J.; Alexandria, Va.; and Aberdeen, Md. “We once again have the opportunity to work shoulder-to-shoulder with our SAIC teammates and continue our support of the JTRS program which is so vital in providing secure, wireless networking communications to our joint military forces,” Bryan Min, president and CEO, says.

Fixing The Program. Greg Combet, Australian Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Procurement, says there is progress in the remediation of Project AIR 87–the Armed Reconnaissance Helicopters (ARH). At a defense function, Combet announced the signing of a Deed of Agreement that resolves contract issues between the government and Australian Aerospace Ltd. “Project AIR 87’s aim is to acquire 22 ARH Tiger helicopters for the Army, a software support facility, electronic warfare and ground management systems and training facilities,” he says. “Following a period of negotiations between the Commonwealth and the contractor to resolve a dispute initiated in October 2007 over the contract provisions for Through Life Support as well as the Stop Payment, an agreement has been reached that will enable the project to deliver an operational capability to Army in the shortest practical time.” The contract will move to a performance-based structure.

… Rumbling Along. Combet also says the M113 upgrade project was now back on track and estimated to meet its original schedule and specifications within budget. The Land 106 project will deliver 350 upgraded M113 Armored Personnel Carrier vehicles with improvements in their protection, firepower, mobility and supportability. “I am now advised that the serious technical risks faced by the project have now been resolved, the schedule pressures have been reduced, and the project does not face cost pressures,” Combet said. Sixteen vehicles have now been delivered. Another nine vehicles–six initial production vehicles and three pre-production vehicles–are being operated in training. Production will ramp up to more than 10 a month from four to deliver the last vehicle by December 2010, he says. “Under the project, a total of 329 vehicles are due to be upgraded to the 18-ton M113AS4 standard, and 21 vehicles will be upgraded to the 15 ton M113AS3 standard,” he says.

Funds For Rebuilding. The 2008 budget invests $216.8 million in the New Zealand Defence Force over the next four years as part of the sustained efforts to rebuild and modernize the defence force under this Government, Defence Minister Phil Goff says. This is part of the Defence Sustainability initiative begun in 2005. The Ministry of Defence will also continue the purchase and upgrade of capital equipment including NH90 Helicopters, the P-3 Orion fleet, C-130 Hercules and Boeing 757s for use by the New Zealand Defence Force.

Flight of The Hummingbird. Boeing says it successfully flew its A160T Hummingbird unmanned rotorcraft for 18.7 hours May 14-15, claiming an unofficial world endurance record for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) weighing between 1,102 and 5,511 pounds (500 to 2,500 kilograms). “We didn’t set out to establish a world record, but it was a great accomplishment,” says Jim Martin, Boeing Advanced Systems A160T program manager. During the flight at the Army’s Yuma Proving Ground in southwestern Arizona, the turbine-powered aircraft carried a 300-pound internal payload at altitudes up to 15,000 feet, landing with better than 90 minutes of fuel in reserve. Grady Eakin, Boeing Advanced Systems director of Business Development, says: “The A160T’s large internal bays can accommodate multiple sensor payloads, allowing it to simultaneously perform persistent intelligence, reconnaissance, surveillance and target acquisition, communications relay, direct attack and other missions all in the same sortie. An externally mounted payload module can deliver heavy supplies or recover high-value assets with great precision.”

Drop Zone. Today through Thursday, NATO sponsors a Precision Airdrop Capabilities demonstration at the Centre d’Essais Lancement de Missiles at Biscarrosse and at Cazaux Air Base in France. The latest in precision aerial delivery systems and technology will be demonstrated, such as GPS-guided cargo parachute and weather systems. Precision Airdrop Capabilities systems and special forces personnel using guidance technologies will be dropped from high altitudes using special operations scenarios. These systems can operate under all weather conditions, allowing delivery aircraft to accurately drop loads at very high altitudes, thus avoiding many ground-based threats. Precision airdrop technology for special operations forces is one of 11 initiatives undertaken by NATO’s Conference of National Armaments Directors (CNAD) Defense Against Terrorism (DAT) Program of Work. The program aims to develop new, cutting-edge technology, or adapt existing technology to protect troops and civilians from terrorist attacks. The United States leads the initiative and the demonstration in France.