Here are the programs that made the biggest news over the past week:
Big Apache order — The Army placed a $1.16 billion order for 82 AH-64 Apaches in what was definitely the biggest contract award last week, according to the
Washington Business Journal. The deal includes 72 remanufactured helicopters and 10 new helicopters, with final delivery expected in June 2016. Meanwhile, we reported that the recently released budget request will move AH-64 Apaches from the National Guard to the active component — a move the Guard is not pleased with.
GPS at risk, Air Force says — The Air Force’s Global Positioning Satellite program is at risk of cuts if sequestration isn’t lifted, the service’s under secretary said last week, according to our report. The Air Force says it will reduce the number of GPS satellites it will buy in fiscal 2017 from three to two, and reduce funding for other satellite programs if Congress doesn’t act to remove spending caps for fiscal 2016 and beyond.
LCS changes unveiled — Perhaps no program had a more tumultuous week than the Littoral Combat Ship, which will see buys drop to 32 ships. The Navy unveiled plans to buy three ships this year instead of four, and will continue to buy that amount through fiscal 2018 instead of two per year as had originally been planned. The MQ-8B Fire Scout was the other casualty of that move, as the service opted to abruptly end the promising program in its budget request, we reported.
F/A-18 an unfunded priority — To no one’s surprise, the Pentagon excluded funding for F/A-18E/F Super Hornets in its budget request, setting up a battle with Congress. However, Reuters reported last week that the Navy has submitted an unfunded priority list to Congress that includes 22 jets, providing ammo to lawmakers who believe the Pentagon should keep buying the aircraft to mitigate an upcoming shortfall in fighters. Congress had added advance procurement funding in last year’s budget to buy 22 jets in fiscal 2015, and with markups on the way, the ball is in its court to hold the Navy to that.