No End In Sight. SASC canceled its Oct. 8 hearing to discuss the impact of sequestration on the services, as the government shutdown drags on. HASC continued with its work during the first few days of the shutdown, holding a hearing on how sequestration is affecting the Army and Marine Corps’ retrograde and reset from Afghanistan. A HASC staffer says that the committee hopes to continue with business as usual during the shutdown, pending the availability of witnesses scheduled to testify, though many other committees have been more liberal about canceling hearings due to unpredictable vote schedules related to the shutdown. A further bad omen that the shutdown could continue for a while, HASC scheduled a hearing for Oct. 10 to discuss the Defense Department’s implementation of the Pay Our Military Act, a moot point if the government were reopened.
Support To Shield Military. Congress worked furiously all week to shield the military from harm during the federal government shutdown. On Sept. 30, the president signed the Pay Our Military Act to ensure that personnel in the Defense Department and in the Coast Guard who work during the shutdown get paid on time. But when DoD still went through with furloughing those not directly associated with warfighting or base protection efforts, several HASC members launched a letter-writing campaign to the administration. Rep. Michael Turner (R-Ohio) says further legislation clarifying the intent to keep all, not some, employees working could be drafted soon. HAC Chairman Hal Rogers (R-Ky.) introduced the Pay Our Guard and Reserve Act on Oct. 2 to allow guard and reserve training to continue during the shutdown. The measure passed in the House the following day.
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HASC Staff Changes. HASC general counsel and deputy staff director Roger Zakheim is leaving the committee to work in private industry at law firm Covington & Burling. Beginning next month, he will work in the firm’s global public policy and government affairs and defense, homeland, and national security practices, according to a statement from the law firm. HASC Chairman Buck McKeon (R-Calif.) released a statement on the staff change, adding that HASC policy director Jenness Simler will take over as deputy staff director and deputy general counsel Catherine McElroy will step in as general counsel. Former staffer Kari Bingen will return to the committee to serve as policy director.
Public Private Partnership. The Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology branch has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Security Industry Association to bolster the exchange of information among industry, operators and the federal government. “DHS’ commitment to providing state-of-the-art technological capabilities to its operating components and the nation’s first responders require that it maintains awareness of cutting-edge advancements in the electronics industry,” the memorandum says. “As such, DHS will work with SIA to bring together DHS employees, first responders, end users and private sector personnel in an online and/or face-to-face environment to exchange information and facilitate technical discussions on common goals and achievable objectives.”
Shutdown Postpones OA. Defense Daily has postponed its annual Open Architecture Summit due the government shutdown that began Oct. 1. The event was moved from Oct. 10 to Nov. 12 hoping the switch would allow government participation that would otherwise not be permitted during the shutdown and subsequent furloughs. The venue (the Grand Hyatt Washington in Washington DC) and itinerary will remain the same. This year’s theme includes the Pentagon’s Better Buying Power 2.0 initiative, C4ISR, the Navy’s recent conducting of open architecture war games, and the role of intellectual property and data rights. For regular updates on speakers and to sign up, visit www.openarchitecturesummit.com.
Ford Gets Props. Huntington Ingalls Industries says it has installed the four propellers on the USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78), the first in a new class of aircraft carriers of the same name. The bronze propellers weigh 30 tons each and are 21 feet in diameter. “Installation of the propellers culminates more than 10 months of focused work by numerous trades in support of installing the underwater shafting,” says Rolf Bartschi, the vice president for carrier construction. “The configuration of the blades, the weight of the propellers and the extremely tight tolerances required make this a challenging installation. I commend the rigging and machinery installation mechanics for a job well done.” The ship’s christening is scheduled for Nov. 9.
MLP Trials. The Navy has completed final contract trials for the USNS Montford Point (MLP-1), the service’s first in-class mobile landing platform designed to support the transfer of light and heavy vehicles and equipment and operate as a staging ground at sea, Naval Sea Systems Command says. The trials were conducted by the Navy’s Board of Inspection and Survey (INSURV) and evaluated the ship’s material readiness for subsequent operations. The MLPs are being building by General Dynamics NASSCO yard in San Diego.
JHSV Completes IOT&E. The USNS Spearhard (JHSV-1), the first ship of the class of Joint High Speed Vessels, has completed its Initial Operational Test and Evaluation, NAVSEA says. The IOT&E is conducted to evaluate the operational effectiveness and suitability of the JHSV program. The testing included operations, replenishment, meal preparation and sustainment, SH-60S helicopter deck landing and night-flight operations and qualifications, communication systems certification, and simulated damage control and evacuation events. Additional evaluations featured a MV-22 Osprey landing, vertical replenishment and launch and recovery of two 11-meter rigid hull inflatable boats.
Shutdown and Launch. The Air Force does not anticipate any impacts to upcoming military space launches due to the federal government shutdown, Air Force spokeswoman Lt. Connie Dillion tells Defense Daily. Dillon also says the service does not anticipate “significant impacts” to space developmental programs, but that it will continue to evaluate impacts depending on the length of the shutdown. The Air Force’s launch of the fifth Global Positioning System (GPS) IIF satellite Wednesday from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., will go on as scheduled with a window slated to open at 5:53 p.m. EDT.
R-R Engines at Tinker. The Air Force awards Rolls-Royce a $49 million contract to establish a new engine depot services facility at Tinker AFB, Okla., to support the service’s fleet of Global Hawk unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), according to a company statement. This will be Rolls-Royce’s first public-private partnership to provide engine services for the Air Force. The facility will also be the first for the company at the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Complex, one of the largest units within the Air Force Materiel Command and the service’s Center of Excellence for jet propulsion. The facility will service Rolls-Royce’s AE 3007H engines, according to Paul Craig, president of Rolls-Royce’s defense service division.
WGS-5. The Air Force takes over operations of the fifth Wideband Global Satcom (WGS) satellite after it completes on-orbit testing, according to prime contractor Boeing. WGS-5, launched in May, provides protected wideband communications to users anywhere in its field of view. WGS-6, launched 75 days after WGS-5, is performing “as expected” and is scheduled to be handed over to the Air Force by the end of the year, Boeing says. WGS-5 is the second spacecraft in the program’s upgraded Block II series.
LRASM Vertical. Lockheed Martin successfully launches the first Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM) boosted test vehicle (BTV) from a Mk 41 vertical launch system (VLS) canister at White Sands Missile Range, N.M., according to a company statement. During the company-funded test, the BTV ignited successfully, penetrated and exited through the canister cover and performed a guided flight profile similar to a tactical configuration. The flight test was part of an ongoing Lockheed Martin-funded offensive anti-surface weapon effort, independent of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s (DARPA) LRASM program. Lockheed Martin’s program is focused on shipboard integration of LRASM’s surface launch capability.
FAA T56. Rolls-Royce receives a FAA Type Certificate for its T56/501D engine enhancement program, which confirms the program has met or exceeded all FAA requirements for the L-100/382, the commercial variant of the C-130 military transport aircraft, according to a company statement. Rolls-Royce has also completed all requirements to achieve the Air force engine qualification for the military C-130 and formal approval remains on schedule for later this year. The engine improvement program, known as the T56 Series 3.5, can be installed as part of a conventional engine overhaul and does not require an aircraft or engine control system modifications.
NG CIRCM. Northrop Grumman completes safety of flight testing on prototype hardware for its Common Infrared Countermeasure (CIRCM) program, according to a company statement. The Northrop Grumman CIRCM is a laser-based countermeasure system designed to integrate and operate with legacy and emerging missile warning systems for rotary wing, tilt-rotor and small fixed-wing aircraft. Safety of flight testing was completed Aug. 14, which the company says demonstrates that the production-ready system has matured to the point of operation under stressing flight conditions.
Badgers Rolling. The South African National Defense Force contracts with state-owned arms company Denel for 200 new 8×8 Badger Infantry Carrier Vehicles. Published sources say the contract is valued at some $900 million. “The production order for the Badger vehicle represents a significant chapter in the history of the SANDF in that it provides a much needed capability for troops involved in critical peace keeping operations in other African countries,” says Secretary for Defense Sam Gulube. In the future, Badgers will replace the existing fleet of combat vehicles such as the Ratel. State-owned Armscor contracted with Denel in 2007 for development of a new generation ICV. Initial development was done by Finnish defense company Patria. The acting CEO of Armscor, Sipho Mkwanazi, says “the production of Badger will have significant benefits for the SANDF and for the local defense industry including the further development of the advanced manufacturing sector. We have set stringent conditions for ensuring local content and supplier development.”
New Exec. Houston-based Bristow Group Inc. appoints Steve Predmore vice president and Chief Safety Officer responsible for providing leadership and technical expertise to Bristow’s global operations related to safety, safety auditing, health and environmental matters. Earlier this year Bristow won a 10-year contract to provide civilian Search and Rescue for all of the United Kingdom. The company is a global provider of off-shore helicopter transport services, with an emphasis on offshore energy.
Realigning ROTC Programs. The Army approves closing 13 ROTC programs across the country. The programs will close by the end of the academic year 2014-2015. “The decision to close the 13 ROTC programs is not a reflection on the quality of those academic institutions or the outstanding officers produced at those schools. These closures are necessary changes that allow for more efficient use of available resources within the command, while maintaining a presence in all 50 states,” says Karl Schneider, acting Assistant Secretary of the Army for Manpower and Reserve Affairs. Key to the review were total enrollment, the number of lieutenants commissioned each year and shifting demographics. The command says resources will be shifted to the continuing ROTC programs. Slated for closure are: University of South Dakota, Northern Michigan University, North Dakota State University, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, Arkansas State University, University of Tennessee at Martin, University of North Alabama, Georgia Regents (Augusta State) University, University of Southern Mississippi, East Tennessee State University, Morehead State University, Tennessee Technological University, and the University of California-Santa Barbara.
Steadfastly Forward. The Association of the United States Army says its 2013 annual meeting and exposition will take place as scheduled Oct. 21-23. The professional development forum will take place despite uncertainties due to the government shutdown. “Please note that AUSA will hold its Annual Meeting and continue to work with the Army to mitigate the effects of the shutdown,” says an e-mail from the association. The event will be at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in downtown D.C. For more information: www.ausa.org