The Latest Word On Trends And Developments In Aerospace And Defense
Biofuel Building. The Navy joins with the departments of energy and agriculture to announce July 2 that $30 million in federal funding is available to match private investments in commercial-scale advanced drop-in biofuels. The Air Force releases a so-called funding opportunity announcement (FOA) for the “Advanced Drop-In Bio Fuels Production Project,” which it says has a goal of establishing “one or more complete domestic value chains capable of producing drop-in replacement biofuels.” The project has two phases, with government and industry sharing in the cost, according to a Department of Energy press release. “In Phase 1, applicants will submit a design package and comprehensive business plan for a commercial-scale biorefinery, identify and secure project sites, and take additional required steps spelled out in the announcement,” the July 2 release says. “Awardees selected to continue into Phase 2 will submit additional information for the construction or retrofit of a biorefinery.” President Barack Obama’s administration wants $110 million from Congress in FY ’13 to help the Navy and other agencies develop a commercial biofuels industry, an effort congressional Republicans have criticized.
SASC Cost. The Congressional Budget Office releases its cost estimate of the SASC’s FY ’13 defense authorization bill, agreeing with the panel that it would authorize $634 billion in spending in FY ’13 but saying it could impact spending in future years. The bill “contains provisions that would increase or decrease costs of discretionary defense programs in 2014 and future years,” CBO says in the June 29 cost estimate. “Those implicit authorizations would affect force structure, DoD compensation and benefits, DoD’s use of multiyear procurement authority, and other programs and activities.” CBO analyzes the costs of “a select number” of those authorizations and estimates “they would raise net costs by about $42 billion over the 2014-2017 period, assuming appropriation of the necessary amounts for those years.” Those amounts are not included in the topline figure on the bill because funding for those activities would be covered by specific authorizations in future years, CBO adds.
Air On Hill. The HASC’s Readiness subcommittee is planning a July 12 hearing on the Air Force’s controversial proposal to retire or divest more than 200 Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve aircraft and cut personnel over the next five years. Witnesses slated to testify include Gov. Terry Branstad (R-Iowa), co-chair of the Council of Governors that has resisted the air service’s force -structure proposal. Also slated to testify are Air Force Lt. Gen. Christopher Miller, deputy chief of staff for strategic plans and programs, and Maj. Gen. Timothy Lowenberg, adjutant general of Washington state. House members already called for rejecting the Guard and Reserve proposal, proposing in the House-passed FY ’13 defense authorization bill to add $500 million to the Pentagon budget to preserve tactical aircraft. The SASC-passed version of the bill also rejects the Air Force plan, largely funding the equipment and personnel over the next year slated to be cut and calling for a new commission to study the Air Force structure.
Boat Award. The Coast Guard has awarded New York-based MetalCraft Marine a potential $10.2 million contract for up to 10 35-foot Long Range Interceptor II small boats that will deploy aboard National Security Cutters (NSC). The initial task order is worth $847,819 for one hull as well as spare parts, training and other equipment. The Coast Guard plans to buy eight LRI-IIs and partner agencies may acquire two of the boats. The small boats have a speed above 38 knots and a range of more than 220 nautical miles, significantly improving the NSCs mission capabilities, particularly in migrant interdiction and rescue and assistance. The LRI-IIs can operate up to sea state 5.
Bipartisan Security. The Secret Service plans to solicit for the supply and management of perimeter security assets for the upcoming Republican and Democratic National Conventions later this summer. The security assets include, but are not limited to, bike rack barricades, portable vehicle barriers, anti-scale fencing and concrete barriers. The contractor will be responsible for the rental, delivery, set-up and breakdown of all assets for both conventions. The Republican convention is in Tampa, Fla., in late August while the Democratic convention is in early September in Charlotte, N.C.
Cyber Award. The Air Force Air Combat Command has awarded Quanterion Solutions, Inc., a small, New York-based engineering and information technology services firm, a $27 million contract to provide Basic Center Operations for the Cyber Security and Information Systems Information Analysis Center (CSIAC). The award consolidates three legacy contracts: the Data and Analysis Center for Software; the Information Assurance Technology Information Analysis Center (IAC); and the Modeling & Simulation IAC. Quanterion will operate the BCO IAC for CSIAC. Work under contract will include basic research and development scientific and technical information requirements such as extended inquiries, search and summaries, conferences and more that originate from emerging government requirements.
Raytheon Turns 90. Raytheon plans to celebrate this week its founding 90 years ago as a technology start-up. First known as the American Appliance Company and established in Massachusetts on July 7, 1922, the company developed an electron tube that would make radios accessible to common households, before it evolved into a defense firm during World War II and later the world’s leading maker of guided missiles. The company eventually adopted its current name from the name given the electron tube devised from old French and Greek to stand for a “beam of light from the gods.” Beginning the week of July 9, Raytheon plans to commemorate the anniversary with a series of events at its domestic and international facilities, the company says. “It is truly amazing to think about how far Raytheon has come since our early days, with our rich heritage of 90 years of inventions and breakthroughs to support customers around the world,” Chairman and CEO William H. Swanson says. The American Appliance Company was created by Laurence Marshall, an engineer and businessman, Vannevar Bush, who would become dean of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s School of Engineering, and scientist Charles Smith. Raytheon generated $25 billion in sales in last year and employs 71,000 people worldwide.
U.S. and Colombia exercise. A U.S. Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigate completes exercises with the Colombian Navy designed to conduct exchanges in maritime interdiction operations (MIO), the U.S Navy says. The USS Underwood (FFG-36) and ARC Valle del Cauca participated in the PASSEX exercise that ended on Wednesday. The event involved the launch of an SH-60B Sea Hawk helicopter from the Underwood to assist in the MIO followed by an exercise with the Colombian vessel to practice radio communication. “This exercise gave us a chance to observe the Colombian navy…and see how they operate,” William H. Tredick, a master at arms first class (SW), says in a Navy release.
New Exec. AM General says Jeffery Adams joins the company as Executive Director, Communications and Marketing, reporting directly to AM General President and CEO Charles Hall. In this newly-created role, Adams will be responsible for the strategic oversight and direction of the company’s communications and marketing function. He will be located in AM General’s Washington, D.C., office. Adams has more than 20 years of experience in communications and public relations. Previously, he spent approximately 15 years at Lockheed Martin where he held a variety of strategic leadership positions with increasing levels of responsibility. An Army veteran, Adams holds a B.A. from Auburn University in Mass Communications and M.A. in Human Resources from Webster University.
Take A Bow. General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems (GDAIS) says it received the Governor’s Safety Award of Honor and the Outstanding Achievement Award by the Minnesota Safety Council for its two Bloomington, Minn., locations. The awards recognize Minnesota employers for excellence in safety. GD’s Bloomington Lincoln Center location received the Award of Honor, the highest level of award, presented for exceptional accomplishment in reduction of injuries and illnesses in the work place. The Outstanding Achievement Award was presented to the GDs’ Hampshire Manufacturing Center location, recognizing its continuing outstanding record in employee safety. “We are honored to be recognized by the state of Minnesota for our continued efforts and safety practices for the eighth consecutive year,” says Lou Von Thaer, president, GDAIS.
New At Bell. Bell Helicopter says Keith Flail joins the company as director of Military Program Office Operations. He is responsible for executing the daily actions of the Program Office and will lead the functional program management and core process teams. Mitch Snyder, executive vice president for Military Programs, says, “Driving significant improvement in our ability to consistently manage business requirements and identify areas for growth are key factors in our effort to successfully support our military customers’ current and future needs and Keith will play a vital role in that effort.” Previously, Flail was a senior manager of business development at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control. He spent more than 20 years in the Army after graduating from West Point. He also has an Master’s degree in Industrial Engineering.
Opposing View. Sen. Scott Brown (R-Mass), opposes the Army’s request to reprogram $334.6 million from the $815.7 million authorized and appropriated by Congress in FY ’12 for WIN-T. Specifically, Brown wants more information as to why the reprogramming request is of such a magnitude. In a letter to Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich.) and Ranking Member Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), Brown says, “I’m concerned that this cut will negatively impact the Army’s ability to develop and field its WIN-T battlefield network.” Brown says the WIN-T program, under prime contractor General Dynamics, is performing on time and on schedule. Since the Army repeatedly says it is committed to keep on schedule with its top network modernization strategy, the request “appears entirely inconsistent” with service priorities and budget. If more OCO funding is needed for the troops on the front lines,the Army should ask for it, Brown says, instead of using their base budget modernization accounts.
Orion Spacecraft. Lockheed Martin delivers the first space-bound Orion spacecraft crew module structure to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida, the company says in a statement. The crew module structure recently underwent its final friction stir weld at NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans, La., and was transported to KSC the week of June 25 to be readied for its Exploration Flight Test (EFT-1) in 2014, which will be NASA’s first orbital test flight beyond low Earth orbit since the 1960s. The test evaluates critical capabilities needed for safe deep-space exploration and reduces overall risk for Orion’s first human-rated flight in 2017.
Telstar Anniversary. The Smithsonian Institute’s National Air and Space Museum in Washington celebrates Thursday the 50th anniversary of Telstar, the satellite that made the world’s first transmissions of live television possible. The “Telstar 50th Anniversary” symposium, which will begin at 1:30 p.m., begins with a satellite television connection to the Pleumeur-Bodou Telecommunications Museum in France, commemorating the first global transmission of a television signal 50 years ago. “Live broadcast of events happening throughout the world are taken for granted today, but 50 years ago, transmissions enabled by Telstar captured the attention and imaginations of people everywhere,” Smithsonian Secretary Wayne Clough says in a statement.
U.K.’s First F-35. Lockheed Martin schedules ceremonies July 19 to celebrate the United Kingdom’s acceptance of its first F-35 Lightning II, the company says in a statement. The U.K.’s acceptance marks the delivery of the first F-35 to a partner nation. The ceremonies will take place at the company’s Fort Worth, Texas, production facility.