The Latest Word On Trends And Developments In Aerospace And Defense
CBO Numbers. The Congressional Budget Office’s new report, titled Budget and Economic Outlook: An Update, gives revised figures for its forecast defense spending, which includes the Pentagon, Department of Homeland Security, and other agencies. For defense it projects $712 billion in 2011, $724 billion in 2012, $738 billion in 2013, $753 billion in 2014, $769 billion in 2015, $786 billion in 2016, $806 billion in 2017, $826 billion in 2018, $847 billion in 2019, $869 billion in 2020, and $891 billion in 2021. The new figures are adjusted for the initial defense cuts in the Budget Control Act of 2011, which President Barack Obama signed this month, but does not include further reductions that could come after a committee of 12 lawmakers meets this fall to find more savings. The new defense estimates differ little from the CBO’s previous baseline figures, which had such spending growing at roughly the rate of inflation.
Hybrid Navy. The Navy is “very interested” in putting hybrid-electric-drive propulsion systems on new DDG-51 destroyers, Secretary Ray Mabus says Aug. 22. “We’re doing work right now in terms of looking at retrofitting the ships that we already have and also putting it in the new ships we’re constructing,” he says during a teleconference. “Since the DDG-1000 is only going to be a three-ship class, we’re looking mainly at things like the DDG-51s, which we’ve got a lot in the fleet and we’re proposing to build a lot more.” The service has lunched its first hybrid ship, the LHD-8 USS Makin Island, an amphibious ship that uses an electric drive for speeds under 12 knots. Mabus says it saved more than $2 million in fuel costs on its maiden voyage from Pascagoula, Miss., to San Diego.
F-35 Progress. The Navy says its variant of the Lockheed Martin’s F-35 Joint Strike Fighter is progressing toward initial ship trials in 2013. The F-35C successfully completed jet-blast-deflector (JBD) (JBD) testing Aug. 13, the service says. The aircraft tested a cooling-panel configuration to assess the planned integration of F-35s in aircraft-carrier-launch operations. “The government and industry team completed tests that measured temperatures, pressures, sound levels, velocities, and other environmental data,” Naval Air Systems Command says in a statement. “The combined JBD model will enable carrier deck crews to operate all air wing aircraft, now including the F-35C, as operational tempo requires.” Further carrier-suitability testing will include additional catapult testing and the start of arrestment testing.
Supply command change. The Naval Supply Systems Command Global Logistics Supply (GLS) will get a new leader at a ceremony aboard the USS Midway Museum in San Diego, Calif., this week. William Bickert, a retired Navy captain, is set to hand the reins over on Wednesday to Rear Adm. Jonathan Yuen. Yuen last served as deputy chief of staff for Logistics, Fleet Supply and Ordnance in the U.S Pacific Fleet.
Biofuel flight. The Navy extended its alternative energy program last week with the flight of a T-45 training aircraft using biofuel at Naval Air Station (NAS) Patuxent River, the service said. The “Salty Dogs” of Air Test and Evaluation Squadron (VX) 23 flew the jet trainers on a mixture of petroleum-based JP-5 jet fuel and plant-based camelina. The high oil content of the camelina seed makes it a valuable source of renewable and sustainable energy, the service said.
More Platforms Unlikely. Timothy Owings, deputy project manager unmanned aircraft systems, says the service is supportive of the programs, but don’t expect major expansions. “I don’t see the Army beyond VTOL and maybe the blimps really doing a lot of platform expansion,” he said at a recent media roundtable. The focus now is on new capabilities for existing platforms. Though small UAS might be different, the office wants to do some competitive acquisition, he says. “Personally I’d like to see that class turn over every three years because it’s really an evolving class of capability.”
Faster Cycle Times. The Army UAS office in PEO Aviation would like to see faster program cycle times, and the incorporation of the business premises of the modern software model, says Lars Ericcson, senior scientist/chief technical architect in the Project Office UAS. That means “the wide diversity of suppliers, the very rapid cycle, the innovation level,” he says. “We believe that applying open architectures provide us opportunities for that and we need to address the information assurance considerations from the beginning,” he said at a recent AUVSI conference.
New Chair At the Table. The National Guard Association of America endorses legislation that would give the Guard a voice in final resource decisions at the Pentagon, and a seat with the Joint Chiefs of Staff. NGAUS applauds an Aug. 22 letter from the National Governors Association to Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., and Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., which called the bill “an important step forward … in ensuring that the Guard is properly represented within the Department of Defense.” The letter was signed by Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley, a Democrat, and Wyoming Gov. Matthew H. Mead, a Republican, the co-chairs of NGA’s special committee on homeland security and public safety. Leahy and Graham are authors of the National Guard Empowerment and State-National Defense Integration Act of 2011 (S. 1025), which would elevate the Guard’s senior officer to the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Forty-six senators signed on the legislation.
Air Force Receives Third Super Galaxy. Lockheed Martin completes delivery to the Air Force of the third production C-5M Super Galaxy. The aircraft will undergo internal paint restoration at Stewart Air National Guard Base, N.Y., before traveling to its permanent home at Dover AFB, Del. In July, the C-5M Super Galaxy became the first U.S. airlifter to perform a polar over flight direct from Dover AFB to Afghanistan. Lockheed Martin is on contract to modernize a total of 52 C-5s, consisting of 49 B-, two C- and one A-model aircraft through the Reliability Enhancement and Re-Engining Program. The RERP program consists of more than 70 changes and upgrades, including new, quieter GE engines.
Recertification. Northrop Grumman’s Navigation Systems Division subsidiary, Northrop Grumman Italia (NGI), successfully achieves recertification of its Quality Management System under the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 9001 and EN/AS 9100 standards. NGI, based near Rome, was recertifed in July following a rigorous independent audit of its systems by Det Norske Veritas, a global provider of accredited management system certification. “This reflects our continuing commitment to quality, customers and a willingness to work towards improving efficiency–all strategic objectives that NGI has pursued for more than a decade,” says Helen Pickup, general manager of Northrop Grumman Italia. To be certified, companies must implement a quality management system that encompasses the enterprise’s activities, including management responsibility; resource management; product realization; and measurement, analysis and improvement.
New Communicator. Francis ‘Chip’ Sheller joins AIA as vice president of Communications, bringing more than 20 years of experience in the field to the position. Sheller was previously vice president for Communications and Government Relations with Thales USA Inc.“Chip’s range of experience in all communications disciplines as well as in politics and government relations will be a tremendous asset for AIA and the industry,” said AIA President and CEO Marion Blakey. “He’ll be a forceful voice for aerospace.”
Higher Rating. The Fort Worth location of Lockheed Martin Aeronautics earns a Superior rating in an annual audit by the Defense Security Service (DSS). DSS completed an extensive two-week review in August that encompassed all areas of collateral classified programs at the facility. DSS is responsible for approximately 12,000 cleared contractor facilities. Of them, fewer than 5 percent demonstrate Superior performance, which is the highest rating for an industrial security program. According to DSS, the Fort Worth facility is among the largest and most complex that undergo this type of review. “It is a recognition that we’re proud and honored to receive,” said Steve Wheeler, director of Security for Aeronautics. “In today’s environment, where threats come from so many directions, a Superior rating is particularly meaningful to both our company and our employees as we all remain engaged in the mission of protecting our technology and safeguarding our information.” The DSS reported no serious findings and no repeat findings from the 2010 review, during which the facility received a Commendable rating. They also noted the significant scope of the Counterintelligence Program in place and the ongoing improvements in classified computer security.
Further Information Wanted. Defense committee leaders want DoD funding updates from Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and Jack Lew, the director of OMB. In an Aug. 10 letter,Howard “Buck” McKeon (R-Calif.), chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, Paul Ryan, chairman of the Committee on the Budget (R-Wisc.) and C.W. Bill Young (R-Fla.), chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense request an update on the status of “any and all ” preliminary conclusions from the DoD “strategic review” and the budgetary consequences. Also, the chairmen said if the Joint Select Committees legislation is not enacted or fails to achieve at least $1.2 trillion of deficit reduction, triggering spending caps for FY 2013-21, they request further clarification on any budget guidance “issued for Function 050 for fiscal year 2013.” and finally, members ask Director Lew for more information if the “doomsday mechanism” is triggered and sequestration takes place for fiscal years 2013-2021.”
GCV Protest. SAIC was not only disappointed to learn that it’s was not one of the contractor teams selected to work on the technology demonstration phase of Army’s Ground Combat Vehicle, but it has filed a protest with the General Accountability Office (GAO) for redress, citing what they believe to be evaluation errors and their belief in their approach. “We are confident that our innovative alternative approach would have provided the best value to the government,” a company statement said. “The integration of existing, proven technology into a comprehensive, mobile, survivable solution would give soldiers a potentially decisive advantage on the 21st century battlefield.” Without going into much detail, a company spokeswoman said, “we believe the government relied on evaluation criteria outside its published request for proposal. We also believe several aspects of the bid may have been discounted because of a lack of familiarity with their non-American origins.” Boeing, Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW), and Rheinmetall Defence (RMD) were also on the team.