The Latest Word On Trends And Developments In Aerospace And Defense
Countering Counterfeits. The Pentagon takes “seriously” a SASC report on counterfeit electronic parts in the U.S. defense supply chain, military spokesman George Little says May 22. In response to the SASC’s assertion that the Pentagon lacks knowledge of the scope and impact of counterfeit parts on critical defense systems, Little points to ways defense officials “have stepped up over time our aggressive actions to address this problem.” For one, acting Pentagon acquisition czar Frank Kendall issued a memo in March to begin setting up “an aggressive and comprehensive anti-counterfeiting program to prevent and detect electronic counterfeit parts and other mission-critical and critical safety parts,” he says. The Pentagon also is working with the White House intellectual property coordinator to try to strengthen federal acquisition regulations to create tighter reporting requirements and contracting standards in federal acquisition regulations. Little says those changes are “in coordination right now” with the White House’s Office of Management and Budget.
Carter Talks. Deputy Defense Secretary Ashton Carter is likely to make news this Wednesday when he addresses the American Enterprise Institute, a conservative Washington think tank. “The discussion of U.S. defense spending has taken on a new dimension because of the prospect of sequestration as well as the number of recent budgetary reductions in the U.S. Department of Defense–most notably evidenced in the 2011 Budget Control Act,” AEI says in announcing Carter’s talk. “The Obama administration’s strategic ‘pivot’ to Asia poses questions about how and where resources are to be allocated and about what type of military might be required for this process to take place.” The event is hosted by AEI’s new Marilyn Ware Center for Security Studies, which has the often-quoted Mackenzie Eaglen as a resident fellow.
Money Shine. MapLight, a government watchdog group, reports that Honeywell contributed more to current lawmakers over the past 10 years than any other defense contractor has. From Jan. 1, 2001 to June 30, 2011 the Morristown, N.J. conglomerate donated $6.6 million, according to a Maplight analysis. Honeywell sent most of those contributions–$5.4 million–to the House, and $1.2 million to the Senate. The next firms on MapLight’s tally include Lockheed Martin ($6.4 million), Boeing ($5.4 million), General Electric ($4.8 million), Northrop Grumman ($4.3 million), and Raytheon ($4.2 million). Maplight, which dubs itself “a nonprofit, nonpartisan research organization that reveals money’s influence on politics,” released its analysis following the House’s passage of the FY ’13 defense authorization act on May 18.
AIT Health Study. The Senate Appropriations Committee approved its version of the FY ’13 Homeland Security Appropriations Bill last week that includes a provision requiring an independent study be done on the health effects of whole body imagers, both backscatter X-Ray based machines and those that use millimeter wave technology. Earlier this year Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) had introduced legislation calling for an independent study on the health effects of the backscatter-based Advanced Imaging Technology (AIT) machines. Sen. Thad Cochran (R-Miss.), in the markup of the Appropriations Bill, included language to expand the study to include the millimeter wave machines. Concerns have been raised that the backscatter AITs, which are made by OSI Systems, may emit potentially harmful levels of ionizing radiation on people that are scanned by the machines, and possibly even operators. The Transportation Security Administration, citing a number of studies, refutes this. There have been no serious concerns raised about the radiation emitted by the millimeter wave-based AITs, which are made by L-3 Communications.
…EC Sees Low Risk. A scientific group that is part of the European Commission last month released a study saying that the backscatter-based AITS, which are in use at airports in the United States and some checkpoints around the world, present a low risk of cancer to persons that are screened by the technology. “The potential magnitude of cancer risk from doses received from security scanners cannot be estimated with any precision, but are likely to remain so low that they cannot be distinguished from the effects of other exposures including both ionizing radiation from other sources and background risk due to other factors,” says the report, Health Effects of Security Scanners for Passenger Screening, which was prepared by the Scientific Committee on Emerging and Newly Identified Health Risks.
Tunnel Detection. Customs and Border Protection is putting together a strategy for detecting tunnels used to smuggle drugs and illegal aliens from Mexico into the United States and drugs from Canada into the United States. CBP is trying to determine if there is non-developmental item technology that can be used for detecting tunnels, Mark Borkowski, assistant commissioner for the Office of Technology Innovation and Acquisition, says at an industry day last week hosted by his office. Some companies say their technologies can detect tunnels but these claims need to be validated, he says. Finding ways to detect tunnels is a “growth industry,” Borkowski says, adding that he hopes to have a “program of record” for tunnel detection in a few years.
Builder’s Trials Done. The latest in the San Antonio-class (LPD-17) amphibious transport dock ships recently completed builder’s trials. The USS Anchorage (LPD-23) will undergo any needed modifications over the next several weeks as it readies for Navy acceptance trials later this year, Naval Sea Systems Command says. The ship, built by Huntington Ingalls Industries shipyard in Avondale, La. underwent a full power run, a self-defense detect-to-engage exercise and an evaluation of key combat and communications systems, NAVSEA says.
Cost Savings. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta issued a memo instructing Pentagon officials to keep focused on the cost saving initiatives launched by his predecessor, Robert Gates, in 2010. Panetta instructed Pentagon staff continue looking for ways to reduces redundancies and eliminate unnecessary overhead. Panetta says in the May 15 memo that Gates’ initiatives have already achieved savings that allow more money to be spent on warfighting requirements. “We must maintain this focus,” he writes. “Given the current fiscal environment, now more than ever it is essential that the Department maximize reductions in duplication, overhead, and excess.”
Program Success. Australia’s Minister for Defence Materiel Jason Clare says Lovitt Technologies wins a contract with Boeing valued at nearly $1 million for wing parts for the worldwide F/A-18 Super Hornet fleet. Lovitt Technologies employs around 80 staff and specializes in machining, assembly and testing of aero structures. The company also recently won another Boeing contract to supply machined parts to Boeing for the V-22 Osprey. Lovitt is one of several Australian companies that recently have been successful under the Global Supply Chain (GSC) program in penetrating the overseas export market. It has been engaged in the Australian Government’s Global Supply Chain Program since the program’s launch in 2009. Global defense prime contractors Boeing, Raytheon, Thales, Northrop Grumman and now BAE Systems and Lockheed Martin are now actively engaged in the Global Supply Chain program implemented through the Defence Materiel Organisation.
New Subsidiary. Stark Aerospace sets up a new subsidiary, Stark Flight Services (SFS), to provide Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) services and focused operational support. SFS will absorb Stark Aerospace’s flight operations team, which has flown the Heron I Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) in support of U.S. Government counter-narcotic operations in Central America. The company will be headquartered in Columbus, Miss. Robert Foglesong, Chairman of Stark Aerospace Inc., said: “The experienced team of UAS and FAA-certified Stark Flight Service operators will fly the Heron system, in addition to providing tactical UAS and manned capabilities for counter-narcotics, counter-terrorism, disaster response and environmental missions.”
Bang For The Buck. The Army says it’s Network Integration Evaluation 12.2 costs about $60 million. The exercise is the third in a biannual series running from May-June at White Sands Missile Range, N.M. The exercise is to continue required evaluations of Program of Record milestones and funding decisions and to validate the connectivity, architecture and components of Capability Set 13, the first integrated group of Network technologies to be fielded to eight Brigade Combat Teams beginning in 2013. The evaluation also is working on the network baseline, with the Warfighter Information Network-Tactical (WIN-T) Increment 2, the Army’s on-the-move, satellite-based network connectivity.
Cyber Confidence. The United States needs to work more on confidence building measures as part of building a stable international cyber environment, State Department Coordinator of Cyber Issues Christopher Painter tells an audience last Wednesday at a Washington forum sponsored by the Atlantic Council. Confidence measures like exchanging military documents with other nations, better law enforcement cooperation and crisis cooperation, which Painter said “is key…but not necessarily easy.” Painter said the most important confidence building measures are ones that build better transparency. Painter also said the goal of a stable international cyber environment is preventing misconceptions and escalations.
UK’s 8th C-17. Boeing delivers the United Kingdom’s eighth C-17 Globemaster III cargo plane to the Royal Air Force May 18 during a ceremony at the company’s final assembly facility in Long Beach, Calif., the company says in a statement. Boeing has delivered 243 C-17s worldwide including 216 to the Air Force active duty, Air National Guard and reserve units. A total of 27 C-17s have been delivered to Australia, Canada, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and the 12-member Strategic Airlift Capability initiative of NATO and Partnership for Peace nations. India has 10 C-17s on order for delivery in 2013 and 2014.
UAE’s 5th C-17. Boeing delivers the UAE its fifth C-17 earlier this month, it says in a statement. The UAE, Boeing’s sixth international C-17 customer, received its first airlifter on May 10, 2011.
New Inmarsat Prez. David Helfgott has been named president and chief executive officer of Inmarsat Government, the company says in a statement. Inmarsat Government provides secure, global and mission-critical telecommunications to the U.S. public sector, according to a statement. Helfgott jointed Inmarsat Government in April 2011 as president of Inmarsat Inc., and senior vice president of business development and strategy for parent company Inmarsat PLC.