The House Armed Services Committee’s (HASC) version of the fiscal year 2015 authorization bill approved May 14 includes language requiring the Air Force provide notification of changes to its “block buy” of national security launch cores.
The language specifically requires the Air Force secretary to provide to appropriate congressional committees notice of each change to the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) acquisition plan and schedule included in the president’s FY ’15 budget request. Such notification shall include: an identification of the change, a national security rationale for the change, the impact of the change on the EELV block buy contract, the impact of the change on the opportunities for competition for certified EELV launch providers and the costs or savings of the change.
The language applies for FYs ’15-’17. The appropriate congressional committees include the House and Senate armed services committees, House and Senate appropriations defense subcommittees; and with respect to a change to the EELV schedule for an intelligence-related launch, the House and Senate intelligence committees. The Air Force is currently being sued by Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX) to force the service to compete its block buy contract award of 35 launch cores to United Launch Alliance (ULA), a joint venture of Lockheed Martin [LMT] and Boeing [BA].
Among other space developments, the bill also authorizes $220 million to be spent in FY ’15 on a next-generation liquid rocket engine. The bill would also require a report 180 days after enactment detailing a plan including the benefits of public-private partnership, the requirements of the program and the estimated cost. The bill says Congress believes DoD should develop a next-generation liquid rocket engine that is made domestically, meets defense requirements, is developed no later than 2019, is competed and is available for purchase by all United States launch providers.
The Defense Department is poised to release the results of its RD-180 study committee, which examined the possibility of a future without the Russian-made RD-180 first stage rocket engine. Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin, who is on President Barack Obama’s economic sanctions list, reportedly threatened to cut off supplies of the RD-180 for use in military space missions.
The bill also authorizes not more than $50 million in FY ’15 for a pilot program to determine the feasibility and advisability of expanding the use of working capital funds to effectively and efficiently acquire commercial satellite communications (COMSATCOM) capabilities. The bill requires the program provide a cost effective and strategic method to acquire COMSATCOM services, incentivizes private sector participation and investment and take in account the potential for a surge in demand. A report would be due 150 days after enactment. Industry has been asking DoD to become more flexible with the way it procures COMSATCOM services so it may invest properly.
Claude Chafin, spokesman for HASC Chairman Buck McKeon (R-Calif.), said May 12 the committee expects the legislation to hit the House floor the week of May 19.