The House Armed Services Committee’s various subcommittees marked up the bill this week, and we looked at the Seapower and Projection Forces subcommittee markup yesterday. Today, we take a look at what the Tactical Air and Land Forces subcommittee did to the bill…
MV-22 under consideration for COD — Authorizers waded into the growing Carrier On-board Delivery (COD) aircraft replacement debate, directing the Navy to provide a briefing by Oct. 24 on the Navy’s assessment of the MV-22 to perform the COD mission. The subcommittee wants information on any analysis of alternatives on the legacy C-2A aircraft that currently performs that mission, key performance parameters required of a replacement aircraft, the current health and status of the C-2 fleet, and the current schedule to buy a replacement. As we have noted in the past, the MV-22 may be a long shot to be the COD replacement due to its cost compared to a new C-2 aircraft, which C-2 manufacturer Northrop Grumman is pitching as the replacement. However, this panel seems intrigued by the possibility of an MV-22 COD: “The committee further understands that the MV-22’s unique combination of speed, range, and vertical agility creates possibilities for transforming the way that carrier onboard delivery is accomplished,” the provision states. Whether its unique capabilities will overcome its price tag is yet to be determined, but it is certainly too early to rule the aircraft out based solely on that reality. Read more V-22 analysis >>>
Watchful eye on F-35 — The F-35 may be performing better in recent years, but Congress still has questions about the program’s performance. The subcommittee wants to keep a closer eye on the F-35 program, adding a provision that would direct the comptroller general to submit a report on the F-35 acquisition program by next April and each year thereafter until the F-35 enters full-rate production. “Each report would include the extent to which the F-35 aircraft acquisition program is meeting cost, schedule and performance goals; the progress and results of developmental and operational testing; the progress of the procurement and manufacturing of the F-35 aircraft; and an assessment of any plans or efforts of the Secretary of Defense to improve the efficiency of the procurement and manufacturing of the F-35 aircraft,” the panel stated. Read more F-35 analysis >>>
New AH-1Z engines? — The subcommittee is eyeing engine upgrades for AH-1Z helicopters. Noting that up to 36 AH-1Z helicopters won’t receive the newer T700-401C engine, which “provides improved power” compared to the older engine, the panel wants the Navy to provide a briefing to the full committee no later then Sept. 19 on the Marine Corps’ plan for either upgrading those helicopters to the new engine or how the service plans to incorporate the helicopters that have the older engine with maintenance and logistic support. Read more H-1 analysis >>>
Health monitoring for the UH-72 — The UH-72 Light Utility Helicopter could get upgraded with a new health monitoring system if the subcommittee gets its way. A provision in the markup states that the UH-72 is not currently equipped with a health monitoring system, even though a commercial variant of the aircraft is getting the Next Generation Health Monitoring System (NGHMS). As a result, the panel wants the Army to engage in a demonstration of the NGHMS on the UH-72, and is asking for a report by next February that describes the potential for integrating and demonstrating such a system on the UH-72. Read more UH-72 analysis >>>