Defence`s Feeds

As the US military transitions to a more open and modular version of the Distributed Common Ground System (DCGS), the services continue to encounter hurdles as they seek ways to get more intelligence data into the hands of analysts. The US Air Force (USAF) is moving off the legacy baseline DCGS

China on 22 January launched an agency to head the country's programme to boost capability through civil-military integration (CMI). The Central Commission for Integrated Military and Civilian Development will be chaired by Chinese President Xi Jinping and will "decide and co-ordinate"

Croatia unveiled its defence procurement plan on 20 January, with spending increasing USD57 million, the country's Ministry of Defence announced. The procurement plan calls for USD243 million in procurement and sustainment spending, which is about 40% of the country's overall defence budget. Of

Forces from at least three of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) are preparing to launch a military intervention to oust The Gambia's former president Yahya Jammeh after he rejected a 19 January ultimatum to stand aside for his democratically elected successor. ECOWAS troops are

France's defence exports reached a record high of more than EUR20 billion (USD21.3 billion) in 2016, according to a speech made by the country's defence minister, Jean-Yves Le Drian, on 19 January. Le Drian, speaking during an event at the National Navy Museum in Paris, said that although official

EVENT On 21 January, insurgents from the Ejército de Liberación Nacional (ELN) released an unnamed foreign citizen who had been kidnapped by the group in a remote part of Colombia's Chocó department. The move followed a joint announcement by the government and the guerrilla group on

EVENT Thailand's military-led government is setting up a national reconciliation panel to resolve a decade-long political conflict between supporters of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and the predominantly middle-class royalists who oppose him. The panel will be chaired by General

Key Points The anti-immigration mood is rising among far-right supporters, as demonstrated in a recent series of racially motivated hate crimes in several Polish towns. The lack of an effective government reaction is likely to aggravate the situation in the coming weeks and months. Further

IN A STATEMENT released by Oglaigh na hEireann (ONH) on 18 January, the group claimed responsibility for an improvised explosive device (IED) that was discovered and defused by army personnel on 14 January in Brians Well Road area of Poleglass in Northern Ireland's Belfast, the Irish News reported.

Key Points The announced African Union-Burundian deal on troop payments risks rejection by the European Union. A United Nations peacekeeping mission is likely to be authorised during 2018-19 to meet a funding gap left by the EU's withdrawal of financing. Negotiations over AMISOM's future are

US Avionics and communications supplier Rockwell Collins published results from the first quarter of its 2017 financial year (FY) on 20 January, showing a 2% growth in revenue year on year. In the three months to December 31 the company generated sales of USD1.2 billion, while net income rose 7.4%

Saab has agreed to buy an additional 10% of Brazilian aeronautics group Akaer, the company announced on 23 January. The additional purchase will increase Saab's holding in Akaer to 25%. Terms of the investment were not disclosed. Saab had originally acquired a stake in Akaer in 2012, when it made a

Americas

• The USAF is looking into testing a new low-cost light attack aircraft as soon as this spring. While Pentagon plans to acquire a new light attack platform are not new, the funding and scope of an earlier effort, the OA-X program, has never materialized into contracts being signed. However, if the experiment is approved and funded fully, the new platform will compliment the A-10 in close air support and reconnaissance missions.

• Industry has been asked by the US Army to submit proposals for a missile that can dispense a swarm of quadcopters. Once released, the drones will decelerate and seek out their target and terminate them by landing on them, detonating explosively formed penetrators. Possible targets named in the solicitation are tanks and large caliber gun barrels, vehicle roofs, fuel storage barrels, and ammunition storage sites. The call out comes shortly after the launching of a swarm of 103 Perdix micro-drones from three separate F/A-18 Super Hornets as part of Pentagon efforts to integrate micro-drones for use on surveillance missions.

• Boeing is developing a parachute kit to fit on the Sensor-Hosting Remote Autonomous Craft (SHARC) unmanned surface vehicle. The company purchased SHARC’s developer, Liquid Robotics, last month and sees great potential in SHARC as a persistent sensor platform for long-dwell surveillance needs, such as anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance. SHARC is capable of towing underwater sensors and sensor arrays and is being promoted as an ideal solution for anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare missions.

Middle East North Africa

• Rolls Royce will provide MTU diesel engines to the Turkish Coast Guard for use in their six new search and rescue vessels currently under construction at Damen Shipyards. Ankara is expecting all of the boats to be delivered by the end of 2017 with the EU providing financial support for the effort. Since 2015, the UK has sold $405 million-worth of arms to Turkey, representing a growing market for UK defense exports. However, human rights and anti-arms trade campaigners have criticized the deals, saying London is putting arms deals ahead of human rights, a reference to the ongoing political crackdown by Turkish authorities in the wake of a failed coup against the Erdogan regime.

Europe

• Safran Electronics will acquire fellow French aerospace firm Zodiac Aerospace in a $9 billion deal, creating the world’s third-largest aircraft equipment provider. Following the acquisition of Zodiac, Safran will gain access to the companies assets, which include seats, cabin interiors, power distribution, and fuel equipment. Safran says it will use its new capabilities to push for the development of “more electrical aircraft.” The pending merger will now be subject to approval from regulatory agencies and is expected to be finalized by early 2018.

• UK PM Teresa May has come under fire following news that ministers covered up a failed test of the Trident nuclear deterrent weeks before a crucial Commons vote on the future of the £40 billion program. Previous tests have been publicized by the Government. Details of the test, which happened last July, still remain undisclosed to the public, and opposition MPs are calling for an inquiry into the incident.

Asia Pacific

• Stocks of certain munitions in the Indian armed forces are so low, they are at half the reserves necessary to conduct 40 days of intense fighting. Urgent requirements for the Indian Air Force call for 50,000 rounds of 30mm ammunition for the GSh-30-1 gun and more than 60,000 rounds of 12.7 mm ammunition to be fired from the Yak-B Gatling gun. The munitions are used on IAF Su-30MKI and Mi-35 platforms. Efforts in the last three months have seen New Delhi rush to buy $1 billion worth of arms and ammunition from Russia and Israel for the Indian Army and Navy under a fast track procedure instead of relying on the notoriously slow bureaucratic channels.

• Confusion is rife in Indonesia as military and government fail to collaborate over the purchase of AW101 helicopters. Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacud told reporters that he needs to “coordinate” with the new Air Force chief over the procurement. Initially planned to be used as Presidential VIP transport before being scrapped by President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, the deal was then pursued by the air force for use in combat and rescue operations.

Today’s Video

Boeing’s SHARC:

Trident II D5 Test Launch
(click to view full)

Nuclear tipped missiles were first deployed on board US submarines at the height of the Cold War in the 1960s, to deter a Soviet first strike. The deterrence theorists argued that, unlike their land-based cousins, submarine-based nuclear weapons couldn’t be taken out by a surprise first strike, because the submarines were nearly impossible to locate and target. Which meant that Soviet leaders could not hope to destroy all of America’s nuclear weapons before they could be launched against Soviet territory. SLBM/FBM (Submarine Launched Ballistic Missile/ Fleet Ballistic Missile) offered shorter ranges and less accuracy than their land-based ICBM (Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile) counterparts, but the advent of Trident C4 missiles began extending those ranges, and offering other improvements. The C4s were succeeded by larger Trident II D5 missiles, which added precision accuracy and more payload.

The year that the Trident II D5 ballistic missile was first deployed, 1990, saw the beginning of the end of the missile’s primary mission. Even as the Soviet Union began to implode, the D5’s performance improvements were making the Trident submarine force the new backbone of the USA’s nuclear deterrent – and of Britain’s as well. To ensure that this capability was maintained at peak readiness and safety, the US Navy undertook a program in 2002 to replace aging components of the Trident II D5 missile called the D5 Life Extension (LE) Program. This article covers D5 LE, as well as support and production contracts associated with the American and British Trident missile fleets.

D5 Life Extension Program

By the time the latest D5 version was deployed, the existence of the Soviet Union itself was in doubt. The previous year, the Soviet’s Eastern European client states began to fall, symbolized by the destruction of the Berlin Wall. Then the Soviet Union itself began to crumble, with various Soviet republics rebelling against the central government in 1990. In 1991, a failed coup attempt against Soviet reformer Mikhail Gorbachev brought Boris Yeltsin to power, who promptly dissolved the Soviet Union.

The end of the Soviet Union and the easing of the Soviet first strike threat did not end the need for a nuclear deterrent. States like Russia and China still have them, North Korea is the first nuclear-armed rogue state but will not be the last, and non-state actors remain a potential threat, given instability in key countries like Pakistan. The US nuclear deterrent got smaller, but it did not go away – and as it became smaller, the importance of the Trident fleet rose. Especially given Britain’s use of the same missiles as its sole nuclear deterrent.

The Trident C-4 has been in service since 1979, but the D-5 Trident II is more recent. Its 1st firing on March 21/89, from the USS Tennessee, almost ended the program. Fortunately, fixes were made in an environment of “tell the truth, only the truth, tell it quickly…” A set of 7 successful test-launches from 1989-1990 saved the program, bringing its funds back from escrow. As of January 2013, it has had a remarkable 143 consecutive flight test successes since that initial launch.

Trident II D5

First deployed in 1990 and scheduled for operational deployment until 2042, 12 of the USA’s 14 SSBNs have been outfitted with Trident II D-5 missiles, and the other 2 were scheduled to be back-fitted as opportunity permits.

The Trident II D5 LE Program is intended to extend the service life of the weapon system until 2042, to match the hull life of the Ohio-class submarine. Under the program, 108 additional missiles [PDF] are being purchased, in order to meet long-term inventory requirements.

The LE program involves updating the missile’s electronics, guidance and reentry systems. In particular, the Mk6 LE guidance system is a replacement for the aging Mk6 guidance system, which used 1980s technology that isn’t in production any more. The Next Generation Guidance (NGG) program aims to develop the Mk6 LE as a modern replacement that can achieve the same or better performance as the guidance systems that are breaking down. This requires development of precision instruments, sensors, and radiation hardened architectures, in order to adapt the underlying commercial technologies for use in a must-not-malfunction nuclear weapons system.

The prime contractor [PDF] for the Trident II D5 program is Lockheed Martin, who has managed all of the US submarine-launched ballistic missile/ fleet ballistic missile (SLBM/FBM) programs since the first generation Polaris. Charles Stark Draper Labs is the inventor of the guidance system.

Contracts and Key Events

1989-03-21: Avoid this.

These entries cover overall support and surveys of the American and British Trident fleets, Trident LE efforts, associated testing, and production of new materials and missiles. It does not cover work on the launcher systems rather than the missiles themselves, unless it’s a multiple-items contract that also includes missile work. Unless otherwise noted, the US Navy’s Strategic Systems Programs in Arlington, VA issued the contracts. As one might expect with such secretive work, many of the contracts are sole-source or non-competed.

Note that despite the recent article improvements, materials before FY 2007 may not be fully up to date.

FY 2014 – 2017

SSBN design 101
click for video

January 23/17: UK PM Teresa May has come under fire following news that ministers covered up a failed test of the Trident nuclear deterrent weeks before a crucial Commons vote on the future of the £40 billion program. Previous tests have been publicized by the Government. Details of the test, which happened last July, still remain undisclosed to the public, and opposition MPs are calling for an inquiry into the incident.

July 19/16: Lockheed Martin has won a $21 million US Navy contract to provide Trident II D5 missiles to the service. The latest submarine-launched fleet of ballistic missiles, Trident II follows the Polaris, Poseidon and Trident I C4 programs. Trident was first deployed in 1990 and is currently deployed on board US Ohio-class and British Vanguard-class submarines.

Sept 19/14: Production. Lockheed Martin Space Systems in Sunnyvale, CA receives a $146.3 million fixed-price-incentive, cost-plus-incentive-fee, and cost-plus-fixed-fee contract modification for new Trident II (D5) missile production, D5 Life Extension development and production, and D5 Deployed Systems Support. $128.1 million is committed immediately, including $48.5 million from Britain. Options could raise the contract to $828.4 million if exercised.

Work will be performed in Sunnyvale, CA (35.12%); Magna, UT (16.55%); Kings Bay, GA (8.26%); Cape Canaveral, FL (7.57%); Culpeper, VA (4.51%); Silverdale, WA (4.43%); Bloomington, Minnesota (4.32%); Kingsport, TN (2.51%); El Segundo, CA (1.59%); Lancaster, PA (1.57%); Oakridge, TN (1.44%); and other various locations less than 1% each (12.13%). Work is expected to be complete by Nov 30/19. US Strategic Systems Programs in Washington Navy Yard, DC manages the contract (N00030-14-C-0100, PZ0001).

D5 & LE missile production

Sept 19/14: Infrastructure. Lockheed Martin Space Systems in Sunnyvale, CA receives a $34.2 million cost-plus-incentive-fee, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract modification for all facilities, equipment, and processes required for successful activation and support of a Trident II (D5) missile storage facility at Camp Navajo, AZ, plus design and delivery of specialized support equipment for D5 missile movement and storage. All funds are committed immediately, using FY 2013 US Navy weapons budgets.

Work will be performed at the following locations: Cape Canaveral, FL (38.29%); Oakridge, TN (30.13%); Magna, Utah (10.48%); Sunnyvale, CA (10.02%); Merritt Island, FL (4.45%); Rensselaer, Indiana (1.85%); Arlington, WA (1.26%); Bangor, WA (1.01%); St. Mary’s, GA (0.60%); Tullahoma, TN (0.51%); St. Augustine, FL (0.42%); Jacksonville, FL (0.37%); Poway, CA (0.31%); and other various locations (less than 0.10% each, 0.3% total); work is expected to be completed by Sept 30/19. US Strategic Systems Programs in Washington Navy Yard, DC manages the contract (N00030-13-C-0100, PO 0012).

July 1/14: FY15 Long-lead. Lockheed Martin Space Systems in Sunnyvale, CA received a $20 million unpriced-letter contract for long-lead materials, labor, planning and scheduling necessary to support FY 2015 Trident II D5 missile production.

Work will be performed at Sunnyvale, CA, with an expected completion date of Sept 30/19. All funds are committed immediately, using FY 2014 US Navy weapons budgets. This contract was a sole source acquisition pursuant to 10 USC. 2304(c)(1) by US Strategic Systems Programs in Washington Navy Yard, DC (N00030-14-C-0100).

April 25/14: Navigation. The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory Inc. in Cambridge, MA receives a maximum $283.1 million firm-fixed-price, fixed-price-incentive, and cost-plus-incentive-fee contract for the ongoing Trident (D5) MK 6 Guidance System Repair Program. This includes failure verification, test, repair and recertification of inertial measurement units, electronic assemblies, and electronic modules.

All funds are committed immediately, using FY 2014 US Navy funds and funds from Britain ($40 million). Work will be performed in Pittsfield, MA (42%); Minneapolis, Minn. (29%); Clearwater, FL (22%); Cambridge, MA (6%); and Terrytown, NY (1%), with an expected completion date of April 30/17. This contract is a sole source acquisition pursuant to 10 U.S.C. 2304(c)(1). Strategic Systems Program, Washington, D.C. manages the contract (N00030-14-C-0001).

April 1/14: UK Support. Lockheed Martin Space Systems in Sunnyvale, CA receives a $21.3 million cost-plus-fixed-fee, level of effort, completion type contract to provide the United Kingdom (UK) with Trident II engineering and technical support services and deliverable materials.

All funds are committed immediately. Work will be performed in Sunnyvale, CA (76.4%); Cape Canaveral, FL (12.5%); Coulport, Scotland. (4.4%); Aldermaston, England (3.3%); St. Mary’s, GA (2%); Silverdale, WA (less than 1%), Campbell, CA (less than 1%), Denver, CO (less than 1%), other US cities (less than 1%); and Italy (various cities less than 1%), with an expected level-of-effort completion date of March 31/15 and deliverable items completion date of June 30/16. This contract was a sole-source acquisition pursuant to 10 USC. 2304(c)(4). The US Department of the Navy’s Strategic Systems Programs Office manages the contract (N00030-14-C-0028).

Dec 19/13: Support. BAE Systems receives a 3-year, $171 million contract to continue providing engineering and integration support to the US Navy’s Trident II D-5 submarine-launched ballistic Missiles. The company has supported the US Navy’s program for more than 50 years, through the Polaris, Poseidon, and Trident lifecycles. They’re also involved to some degree in the US/UK Common Missile Compartment program.

BAE Systems’ support for the Fleet Ballistic Missile program is performed in Kings Bay, GA; Bangor, WA; Mechanicsburg, PA; Norfolk, VA; and the Washington, DC area. Sources: BAE, “Maintaining the U.S. Navy’s Fleet Ballistic Missile Program under a $171 Million Contract”.

Dec 12/13: Support. Northrop Grumman Systems Corp. in Sunnyvale, CA receives an $112.9 million firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-incentive-fee, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract. They’ll perform Trident II Underwater Launcher System and Advanced Launcher Development Program Support, technical engineering services to support the CMC Development and Prototyping effort, and other specialized technical support. The maximum dollar value, including the base period and one option year, is $220.3 million.

ULS/ AL: Includes ongoing support for the TRIDENT II D-5 and the SSGN underwater launcher subsystem, Engineering Refueling Overhaul shipyard support, spares procurement, US and UK launcher trainer support, Vertical Support Group E-mount and shim procurement, Nuclear Weapons Safety and Security Review, Missile hoist overhaul, underwater launch technology support, US and UK SSP Alterations and non-compliance report projects, gas generator refurbishment, and case hardware production.

CMC: Assess and analyze technologies and concepts to support the selection of a preferred system concept, which includes the identification of critical cost and risk impacts as a result of immature launcher technologies and/or immature requirements.

Specialized: Technical support of TRIDENT II D-5 Missile tube closure production, technical engineering services, and tactical hardware production efforts for the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty.

All funds are committed immediately, using a combination of US Navy FY 2014 procurement, R&D, and O&M budgets, and British funds ($11.5 million). Work will be performed at Sunnyvale, CA (78%); Kings Bay, GA (7%); Bangor, WA (6%); St. Charles, MO (5%); Gardena, CA (2%); Camarillo, CA (1%); and Los Angeles, CA (1%); with an expected completion date of Sept 30/18. This contract was a sole source acquisition in accordance with 10 U.SC 2304(c)(1), managed by the US Strategic Systems Programs in Washington, DC (N00030-14-C-0011).

Dec 11/13: Interstate Electronics Corp., Anaheim, CA receives a $47,401,675 cost-plus-incentive fee, cost-plus-fixed-fee, level of effort, completion type contract for specialized technical support for Trident II flight test operations and data acquisition, systems engineering, post-mission processing and analysis, instrumentation refreshes, and strategic weapons system training program support. The maximum dollar value, including the base period and 2 option years, is $177.3 million.

Funds from a number of different budget lines are committed, ranging from FY 2012 – 2014. Work will be performed in Anaheim, CA (55.5%); Cape Canaveral, FL (25%); Newark, CA (3.2%); Bremerton, WA (3%); Kings Bay, GA (3%); Norfolk, VA (3%); Washington, DC (3%); Silverdale, WA (2%); Austin, (1.3%); San Jose, CA (less than 1%); Huntsville, AL (less than 1%); Sunnyvale, CA (less than 1%); and El Segundo, CA (less than 1%); with an expected completion date of Sept 30/16. This contract was a sole-source acquisition pursuant to 10 U.SC 2304(c) (5). The Department of the Navy, Strategic Systems Programs Office, Washington, DC manages the contract (N00030-14-C-0006).

Dec 6/13: Navigation. Lockheed Martin, Mission Systems & Training in Mitchel Field, NY receives a $58.8 million cost-plus-incentive fee, cost-plus-fixed fee contract for United States and United Kingdom D-5 navigation subsystem engineering support services. This contract provides for US and UK fleet support, US and UK trainer systems support, OH-class SSBN engineered refueling overhauls, US and UK SSI4 trainer system, SSBN-R strategic weapon training system and training system development, UK successor support, software modernization and Linked Autonomous Programmed Navigational Operational Trainer modernization. The maximum dollar value, including the base period and 1 option-year, is $114.2 million.

Funds are committed from a number of FY 2014 budget lines, and from the UK ($6.9 million). Work will be performed in Mitchel Field, NY (97%), Clearwater/Oldsmar, FL (2%) and Manassas, VA (1%), with an expecteDCmpletion date of April 2017. This contract was a sole-source acquisition in accordance with 10 U.SC 2304(c)(1), managed by the US Navy’s Strategic Systems Programs in Washington, DC (N00030-14-C-0002).

March 29/13: UK Support. Lockheed Martin Space Systems Co. in Sunnyvale, CA receives an $18.7 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to provide engineering/technical support for the UK’s Trident II Missile Systems. This includes: UK FBM Program efforts; deliverable materials; and on-site technical support in Britain.

Work will be performed in Sunnyvale CA (72.9%); Cape Canaveral, FL (12.3%); Coulport, Scotland and Aldermaston, England (10.3%); St. Mary’s, GA (2.7%); other US sites (0.8%); Silverdale, WA (0.7%), and Poway, CA (0.3%), and is expected to be complete by by March 2015. All funds are committed immediately, and the UK’s FMS agent will be the US Navy’s Strategic Systems Programs in Washington, DC (N00030-13-C-0034).

Nov 5/13: Production. Lockheed Martin Space Systems Co. in Sunnyvale, CA receives an initial $8.4 million fixed-price-incentive, cost-plus-incentive-fee, and cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to a previously awarded un-priced letter contract. Options could push it as high as $803.2 million for new Trident II D5 missile production, D5 life extension development and production, and D5 deployed systems support. The funding breakdown, subject to availability, is:

• $673.4 million FY 2014 Navy procurement
  
• $60.8 million FY 2014 Navy O&M, all of which expires on Sept 30/14
  
• $23.1 million FY 2014 RDT&E
  
• $6.5 million FY 2014 Navy other procurement
  
• $35.7 million British government

Work will be performed in Sunnyvale, CA (34.31%); Brigham City, UT (21.55%); St. Mary’s, GA (9.49%); Cape Canaveral, FL (5.59%); Silverdale, WA (5.25%); Pittsfield, MA (3.23%); Kingsport, TN (2.81%); Gainesville, VA (2.09%); El Segundo, CA (1.84%); Clearwater, FL (1.74%); Lancaster, PA (1.67%); Inglewood, CA (1.57%); Camarillo, CA (0.75%); Santa Fe Springs, CA (0.62%); Oakridge, TN (0.57%); Arlington, WA (0.5%); St. Charles, MO (0.36%); Joplin, MO (0.36%); Defew, NY (0.34%); Hollister, CA (0.33%); Diamond Springs, CA (0.33%); Santa Ana, CA (0.28%); Miamisburg, OH (0.27%); Bethel, CT (0.24%); Orlando, FL (0.24%); Colorado Springs, CO (0.22%); Torrance, CA (0.20%); Wenatchee, WA (0.19%); Santa Clara, CA (0.14%); Englewood, CO (0.14%); San Diego, CA (0.12%); San Jose, CA (0.12%); Santa Cruz, CA (0.12%); Simi Valley, CA (0.11%); Simsbury, CT (0.10%); and other various locations of less than 0.10% each (2.21%), and work is expected to be complete in December 2014. If options are exercised, all work will continue to November 2018. The US Strategic Systems Programs in Washington, DC manages the contract (N00030-13-C-0100, PZ0001).

D5 & LE missile production

FY 2013

Missile contract; Reentry body contract; Guidance systems contract.

Launch!
click for video

Sept 13/13: FY 2014 long-lead. Lockheed Martin Space Systems Co., Sunnyvale, Calif., is being awarded a $15.2 million un-priced letter contract for FY 2014 long lead Trident D5 materials and associated labor, planning, and scheduling. All funds are committed immediately. Work will be performed in Sunnyvale, CA, and the contract is expected to be complete by Sept 30/18. This contract is a sole source acquisition in accordance with FAR 6.302-1 and 10 U.S.C.2304c1 (N00030-13-C-0100).

March 7/13: Navigation. Charles Stark Draper Laboratories, Inc. in Cambridge, MA receives a sole-source $257.8 million to provide Trident II (D5) Guidance System Strategic Program Alteration (SPALT) materials including: labor and consumable material to meet requirements for the guidance system on-going SPALT of MK6 MOD 1; test and procure data package assemblies; and circuit card assembly materials with electronic components.

All contract funds are committed immediately, with $15 million expiring on Sept 30/13, at the end of FY 2013. Work will be performed in Pittsfield MA (84%); Cambridge, MA (7%); Clearwater, FL (5%); Terrytown, NY (2%); El Segundo, CA (1%) and other (1%); and is expected to be complete by Dec 31/16 (N00030-13-C-0007).

March 7/13: Program Support. Aero Thermo Technology, Inc. in Huntsville, AL receives a $6.8 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to provide guidance systems, technical, analytical and program services to support the TRIDENT II SLBM. This contract contains options, which could bring the contract total to $20.7 million.

The US Navy and Air Force will conduct closely coordinated strategic ballistic missile technology development and application programs based on recommendations of the U.S. Strategic Command, Defense Planning Guidance, and Nuclear Posture Reviews. Work will be performed in Huntsville, AL, and is expected to be completed Dec 3/13, or Dec 31/15 if all options are exercised. $1.4 million is committed immediately, and $3.9 million will expire on Sept 30/13, at the end of the current fiscal year. (N00030-13-C-0013).

Dec 21/12: Production. Lockheed Martin Space Systems Co. (LMSSC), Sunnyvale, CA receives a $592.2 million fixed-price-incentive, cost-plus-incentive-fee, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract modification to perform additional work such as Trident II D5 Deployed Systems Support, D5 Life Extension Development and D5 Life Extension Production. $550 million is committed immediately, leaving $42.2 million to be spent as needed, plus another $1.082 billion in options to cover D5 Missile Production and additional support for deployed missiles. That creates a maximum contract total of $1.675 billion, if all options are exercised.

Work will be performed in Chandler, AZ (0.151%); Sunnyvale, CA (39.075%); El Segundo, CA (0.672%); Torrance, CA (0.322%); Camarillo, CA (0.245%); Santa Fe Springs, CA (0.240); San Jose, CA (0.174%); Modesto, CA (0.077%); Huntington Beach, CA (0.071%); Simi Valley, CA (0.041%); San Diego, CA (0.035%); Poway, CA (0.018%); Santa Ana, CA (0.014%); Santa Maria, CA (0.013%); North Hollywood, CA (0.013%); Santa Clara, CA (0.011%); Milpitas, CA (0.011%); Campbell, CA (0.009%); Upland, CA (0.004%); Pawcatuck, CT (0.117%); Simsbury, CT (0.049%); Cape Canaveral, FL (14.915%); Clearwater, FL (0.987%); Merritt Island, FL (0.044%); Titusville, FL (0.013%); Cocoa, FL (0.008%); St Mary’s, GA (12.246%); Atlanta, GA (0.049%); Rockford, IL (0.095%); Pittsfield, MA (2.466%); Elkton, MD (0.407%); Jackson, MI (0.148%); Joplin, MO (0.150%); St. Charles, MO (0.120%); Las Vegas, NV (0.334%); East Aurora, NY (0.079%); Miamisburg, OH (0.188%); Lancaster, PA (0.802%); Harrisburg, PA (0.082%); Bristol, PA (0.020%); Valencia, PA (0.015%); West Warwick, RI (0.002%); Kingsport, TN (1.247%); Oakridge, TN (0.247%); Round Rock, TX (0.022%); Brigham City, UT (11.356%); Salt Lake City, UT (0.093%); Gainesville, VA (3.544%); Fairfax, VA (1.381%); Silverdale, WA (7.242%); Poulsbo, WA (0.169%); Wenatchee, WA (0.103%); and Arlington, WA (0.064%), and is expected to be complete by Dec 30/17 – or April 30/18 if all options are exercised.

Technically, $291.1 million will expire at the end of the current fiscal year on Sept 30/13, but more than that is already committed for payment. The contract was not competitively procured in accordance with FAR 6.302-1 and 10 U.S.C. 2304c1 (N00030-12-C-0101, PZ0001).

D5 LE & Missile Production

Dec 17/12: Support. Excelis Inc., Colorado Springs, Colo., is being awarded a $15.7 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to provide professional, technical, programmatic, and operational engineering services to September 2016. $4,371,011 will be obligated at the time of award, and this contract contains options which could extend performance to March 31/16, and raise its value to $44.4 million. Their work will support of Navy Reentry Systems programs, including:

• Reentry Body (RB) systems assessment, vulnerability, and nuclear safety and surety support
  
• RB Life extension studies and analysis
  
• Support for the development of refurbished reentry systems
  
• Support for Strategic Systems Program’s declassification review program
  
• support for Nuclear Weapons System Safety
  
• Support to weapons facilities manager

Work will be performed in Colorado Springs, CO (95%); College Park, MD (2%); and various locations throughout the continental USA (3%). This contract was not competitively procured in accordance with 10 U.S.C. 2304c1 by the Strategic Systems Program, in Washington, DC (N00030-13-C-0016).

FY 2012

Missile orders; SHIPALT kits; Mk6 LE work; Support contracts; Common Missile Compartment integration

British firing
click for video

Sept 28/12: Support. Northrop Grumman Systems Corp. in Sunnyvale, CA receives a $76.8 million firm-fixed-price, fixed-price-incentive, cost-plus-incentive-fee, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to support the Trident II fleet, which could rise as high as $111 million with options. This will include:

1) Ongoing SSBN/SSGN fleet support including engineering refueling overhaul shipyard support, spares (SSP), SSP alterations and non-compliance report projects for the USA & UK, launcher trainer support for the USA & UK, vertical support group e-mount and shims, nuclear weapons safety and security review, missile hoist overhaul, underwater launch technology support, gas generator refurbishment, and case hardware.

2) Specialized technical support includes missile tube closure production, technical engineering services, and tactical hardware production efforts for the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty

3) New designs. Technical engineering services and analysis to support the USA & UK’s Advanced Launcher Development Program and Common Missile Compartment concept development and prototyping. This work will support the military’s efforts to pick a preferred system concept, including both critical costs, and clear awareness of risks from immature launcher technologies and/or immature requirements. The technology development phase for the next-generation launcher will be based on those conclusions.

The contract was not competitively procured. Work will be performed in Sunnyvale, CA (79%); Kings Bay, GA (10%); Silverdale, WA (10%); and Camarillo, CA (1%), and will run to Sept 30/15. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procure in accordance with l0 U.S.C. 2304c1, and 10 U.S.C. 2304c4. The Strategic Systems Programs, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity (N00030-13-C-0010).

Sept 27/12: CMC integration. Lockheed Martin Space Systems Co. in Sunnyvale, CA receives a sole-source $51.6 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for engineering efforts to support next-generation SSBN programs. The firm was deemed to be the only company that could integrate the TRIDENT II Missile and Reentry Strategic Weapon System subsystems into the CMC, and design an updated missile service unit that will be compatible with both current and new submarine fleets. With options, this contract could rise to $52.2 million.

Work will be performed in Cape Canaveral, FL (50%); Sunnyvale, CA (34%); Syracuse, NY (10%); Magna, UT (2%); Washington, DC (1%); yet to be determined locations (2%); and other locations of less than 1% (1% TL); and will run until Dec 31/17. Strategic Systems Programs, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity (N00030-12-C-0058).

Sept 27/12: D5 LE. Charles Stark Draper Laboratories, Inc. in Cambridge, MA receives a $113.1 million cost-plus-incentive-fee, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for a wide variety of engineering and R&D services, which could grow to $304.6 million if all options are exercised. Work can include:

1) Trident II support. That includes specialized tactical engineering services, logistics services, fleet support services, test equipment, and guidance SSP alteration services to test, guidance subsystems maintenance and fixes; test equipment, and related support equipment.

2) Trident D5 MK6 MOD 1. Test and evaluate engineering development units and preproduction units systems to verify performance, and document items for flight tests, qualification, and production support.

3) R&D related to TRIDENT II D-5 guidance and reentry systems, including specialized technical knowledge and support for hypersonic guidance (ballistic missiles fly at well over Mach 5), navigation and control applications utilizing an integrated avionics computer and Global Positioning System.

Work will be performed in Cambridge, MA (69%); Pittsfield, MA (19%); El Segundo, CA (10%), and Clearwater, FL (2%), and the contract run through FY 2015 to Sept 30/15. The contract was not competitively procured. Strategic Systems Programs, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity (N00030-13-C-0005).

July 3/12: Long-lead. Lockheed Martin Space Systems Co. in Sunnyvale, CA received a $12.2 million unfinalized contract to provide the long lead time material for FY 2013 Trident II D5 missile production, as well as the required labor, planning, and scheduling.

Work will be performed in Sunnyvale, CA., and is expected to be complete by Sept 30/17. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to FAR 6.302.1 and l0 U.S.C. 2304c1 (N00030-12-C-0101).

June 5/12: Navigation. Boeing in Huntington Beach, CA received a $10.2 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to provide TRIDENT II (D5) navigation test equipment upgrades. They’ll upgrade test equipment for theodolites; offer drift test station binnacle overhaul kits and necessary contingency replenishment items and program plans; perform electrostatically supported gyro container power supply strategic systems programs alteration (SPALT); and work on resolver replacement, network board SPALT, and TR-C5 A/C 1/6 software SPALT. Options could bring the contract’s total value to $15.6 million.

Work will be performed in Huntington Beach, CA (96.4%), and Heath, OH (3.6%), and is expected to be complete by June 30/15. This contract was not competitively procured by US Strategic Systems Programs in Washington, DC (N00030-12-C-0026).

May 31/12: Testing. Lockheed Martin reminds us that the US Navy’s 4 successful Trident D5 test flights from April 14-16/12, from the submerged USS Maryland in the Atlantic Ocean, bring the total number of successful Trident flight tests to 142 since design completion in 1989.

Thankfully, there have been no operational flights to provide data.

April 25/12: D5 LE. Charles Stark Draper Laboratories, Inc. in Cambridge, MA receives a $236.7 million firm-fixed-priced, fixed-price-incentive, cost-plus-fixed-fee, cost-plus-incentive-fee contract to produce modified Trident II (D5) Missile guidance systems.

Work will be performed in Pittsfield MA (42.2%); Cambridge, MA (26.7%); Clearwater, FL (22.3%); El Segundo, CA (7.2%); and Tarrytown, NY (1.6%). Work will run to Sept 30/16, the end of FY 2016. This contract was not competitively procured (N00030-12-C-0005).

April 2/12: UK support. Lockheed Martin Space Systems Co. in Sunnyvale, CA receives an $18.4 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to provide engineering and technical support for the UK’s Trident D5 Missile Systems.

Work will be performed in Sunnyvale, CA (70.8%); St. Mary’s, GA (13.3%); Coulport, Scotland & Aldermaston, England (9.3%); Cape Canaveral, FL (2.8%); Cocoa, FL (2%); Silverdale, WA (0.5%); and other various location in the United States (1.3%), and will run to March 31/13. The contract was not competitively procured (N00030-12-C-0024).

Dec 15/11: Multi-year contracts. Lockheed Martin Space Systems in Sunnyvale, CA receives almost $1.2 billion in cost-plus-incentive-fee, cost-plus-fixed-fee, fixed-price-incentive contract modifications, associated with the support and production of Trident II D5 missiles. $321.4 million will expire at the end of the current fiscal year, on Sept 30/12, but work will run to April 30/17.

The $427.4 million deployed systems support (DSS) contract involves various forms of engineering and operational support, including trainers and training, spares and repairs, flight test analysis and range support, safety assurance including Nuclear Weapon Security; and development, production and installation of special projects.

The unfinalized but not-to-exceed $772.2 million award for TRIDENT II D5 production includes missile bodies, re-entry bodies, D5 instrumentation systems and support equipment, components and requalification activities as part of D5 life extension requirements, and alternate release assembly production.

Work will be performed in Sunnyvale, CA (65.92%); Cape Canaveral, FL (10.33%); St. Mary’s, GA (7.18%); Bangor, Silverdale, WA (7.15%); Brigham City, UT (2.20%); Torrance, CA (1.01%); Pittsfield, MA (0.76%); Poulsbo, WA (0.75%); Clearwater, FL (0.26%); San Jose, CA (0.24%); Elkton, MD (0.10%); Chandler, AZ (0.08%); East Aurora, NY (0.07%); Gainesville, VA (0.07%); Lancaster, PA (0.06%); Rockford, IL (0.02%); and various other locations (3.79%). These contracts were not competitively procured (N00030-12-C-0100, PO 0001).

Multi-year production & support contracts

Dec 9/11: Support. BAE Systems in Rockville, MD receives a $58.3 million cost-plus-fixed-fee, cost-plus-incentive-fee contract to provide Systems Engineering Integration support for the TRIDENT II D5 Strategic Weapon System (SWS) Program, the SSGN Attack Weapon System (AWS) Program, and the Common Missile Compartment (CMC) Program. Options could bring the contract’s total value to $123.3 million.

Work will be performed in Rockville, MD (70%); Washington, DC (20%); St. Mary’s, GA (5%); Bangor, WA (4%); and Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, United Kingdom (1%), and is expected to be completed Sept 30/12, or Sept 30/13 if the options are exercised. $38.3 million will expire at the end of the current fiscal year, on Sept 30/12. This contract was not competitively procured (N00012-C-0009).

Dec 2/11: D5 LE. Charles Stark Draper Laboratories, Inc. in Cambridge, MA receives a $120.8 million firm-fixed-price, fixed-price-incentive, cost-plus-incentive-fee contract modification. They’ll provide Trident II D5 Guidance System micro circuit wafers, and Strategic Systems Programs alterations materials.

Work will be performed in Pittsfield, MA (83.5%); Cambridge, MA (7%); by Honeywell, Inc. in Clearwater, Fla. (5%); Terrytown, NY (2.4%); El Segundo, CA (1.1%); and other places yet to be determined (less than 1%), and is expected to be complete on Dec 31/15. This contract was not competitively procured, and contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year (N00030-11-C-0014, PE0003).

Dec 2/11: Support. Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems – Marine Systems in Sunnyvale, CA, received an $83.2 million firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-incentive-fee, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to provide FY 2012 support for the TRIDENT II D-5 launchers, submarines, and next-generation development efforts. This contract contains options, which could bring its total value to $123.1 million.

Northrop Grumman will provide services to help with existing SSBN/SSGN Underwater Launcher Systems; Engineering Refueling Overhaul shipyard support; spares procurement; United States and United Kingdom launcher trainer support; Vertical Support Group E-mount and shim procurement; TRIDENT II D-5 missile tube closure production; Launcher Initiation System (LIS) Critical Design Review and Nuclear Weapons Safety and Security Review; TRIDENT II D-5 missile hoist overhauls; underwater launch technology support; U.S. and U.K. Strategic Systems Programs alterations and non-compliance report projects; gas generator refurbishment and case hardware production; LIS Trainer Shipboard Systems Integration Increment 11 conversion; and ancillary hardware and spares.

Technical engineering services and container production restart efforts for the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty will also be included, as will technical engineering services to support the Advanced Launcher Development Program and Common Missile Compartment concept development and prototyping efforts for the U.S. and U.K.

Work will be performed in Sunnyvale, CA (80%); Bangor, WA (10%); and Kings Bay, GA (10%); and will end with the fiscal year on Sept 30/12, whereupon $45.3 million of these funds will expire; or it will end on Sept 30/14 if all options are exercised. The contract was not competitively procured (N00030-12-C-0015).

Dec 2/11: Support. Interstate Electronics Corp. in Anaheim, CA receives a $43 million cost-plus-incentive fee, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to provide FY 2012 and 2013 United States and United Kingdom Lead System Integrator support. An option would add a year, and bring the contract value to $85.8 million.

Work will be performed in Anaheim, CA (77.2%), and Cape Canaveral, FL (22.8%), and will end on Sept 30/12, whereupon $37 million in contract funding expires; or on Sept 30/13 if the option is picked up. This contract was not competitively procured (N00030-12-C-0003).

Nov 25/11: Fire control. General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems, Inc. in Pittsfield, MA receives a $96 million cost-plus-incentive-fee, cost-plus-fixed-fee, fixed-price incentive contract to provide FY 2012 and FY 2013 engineering support to United States and United Kingdom Trident II SSBN Fire Control Subsystems, Ohio Class SSGN Attack Weapons Control Subsystem, and the Common Missile Compartment for the USA and UK’s next-generation nuclear missile submarines. This contract contains options which could bring its total value to $225 million over almost 4.5 years.

Work will be performed in Pittsfield, MA, and could run to April 14/16 with all options exercised. $35.1 million will expire at the end of the current fiscal year, on Sept 30/12. This contract was not competitively procured by the US Strategic Systems Programs in Washington, DC (N00030-12-C-0006).

Oct 26/11: Components. Lockheed Martin Space Systems Co. in Sunnyvale, CA receives a not-to-exceed $64.5 million cost-plus-incentive-fee completion contract modification. It exercises Trident II LE contract line item number 0030 for: 12 flight control electronic assemblies; 2 active inert missile (AIM) flight control electronic assemblies; 12 command sequencer assemblies; 12 interlocks package assemblies; 2 AIM interlocks package assemblies; and 12 missile inverters.

Work will be performed in Sunnyvale, CA (53.5%); Bloomington, MN (15.2%); El Segundo, CA (12.4%); Albuquerque, NM (11.5%); Clearwater, FL (3.7%); Camarillo, CA (2.5%); and Middletown, PA (1.2%). Work is expected to be complete by Sept 30/14 (N00030-11-C-0100).

Oct 17/11: Support. Lockheed Martin MS2 in Mitchel Field, NY receives a $40 million cost-plus-incentive-fee, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to provide FY 2012-13 U.S. and U.K. TRIDENT II (D5) Navigation Subsystem Engineering Support Services. This contract contains options which could bring it to $94.6 million, if they’re all exercised.

Specific work includes U.S. and U.K. Fleet Support, U.S. and U.K. Trainer Systems Support, next-generation Ohio Replacement Program Support, Engineering Refueling Overhaul Support, and Navigation Subsystem studies.

Work will be performed in Mitchel Field, NY, (99.8%) and Manassas, VA (0.2%), and is expected to be complete by March 31/14. $30.7 million will expire at the end of the current fiscal year, on Sept 30/12. The contract was not competitively procured by the Strategic Systems Programs in Washington, DC (N00030-12-C-0002).

FY 2011

Missile orders; SHIPALT kits; Mk6 LE work; Support contracts; 3D Design software.

Sept 21/11: D5 LE. Cadence Design Systems, Inc. in San Jose, CA receives a $7.4 million firm-fixed price, 5-year software license and support for their commercial electronic design automation software tools. Cadence’s electronics design tools will be used as part of the D5 MK6 Life Extension Guidance System program.

This contract was sole-sourced, and the Pentagon describes the suite as “compatible with collected historical data and utilized for present efforts.” Work will be performed in San Jose, CA, and is expected to be completed by September 2016. The US Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division in Crane, IN (N00164-11-G-GM23).

March 28/11: Support. Boeing in Huntington Beach, CA received a $31.1 million cost-plus-fixed-fee, cost-plus incentive contract to maintain, repair, and rebuild TRIDENT II D5 navigation equipment. This contract contains options which could bring its total value to $64.1 million.

Work will be performed in Huntington Beach, CA (89%), and Heath, OH (11%), and is expected to be complete Sept 30/14. $16.1 million will expire at the end of the current fiscal year, on Sept 30/11. This contract was not competitively procured (N00030-11-C-0002).

March 1/11: Testing. USS Nevada (SSBN 733) successfully launches an unarmed Trident II D5 missile off the coast of southern California, completing a 3.5 year long submarine refueling and overhaul certification process. The launch certifies the readiness of both the SSBN crew and the operational performance of the submarine’s strategic weapons system, before it becomes available for operations again. Nevada was commissioned in 1986 as the eighth Ohio-class fleet ballistic missile submarine.

US Navy Strategic Systems Programs (SSP) oversees the demonstration and shakedown operation (DASO) certification process, and more than 150 SSP employees and special guests were invited aboard US Military Sealift Command’s test range ship USNS Waters (T-AGS 45). This test marked the 135th consecutive successful test flight of the D5 missile since 1989. USN SW Region Navy Compass | Lockheed Martin.

Feb 15/11: UK Support. Lockheed Martin Space Systems Co. in Sunnyvale, CA received a $7.6 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract modification to the United Kingdom technical services contract in support of the TRIDENT Strategic Weapons System, providing for “Collaborative Replacement Material Experiment Two.” We have no idea what that means, and don’t expect to be enlightened.

Work will be performed primarily in Sunnyvale, CA, and is expected to be complete by March 31/14 (N00030-10-C-0026, P00003)

Feb 14/11: Budgets. The Pentagon releases their FY 2012 budget request, and Pentagon documents indicate that the Trident D5 LE program may increase its budget in 2012. The FY 2012 request is for $1.398 billion ($88.9 million RDT&E and $1.309 billion procurement), a 17.8% jump compared to a FY 2011 request of $1.188 billion, which rose slightly from a FY 2010 request of $1.115 billion. The funds will go to:

“Funds the D5 Missile Life Extension Program replacing missile motors and other critical components, and production support (including flight test instrumentation and additional re-entry system hardware).”

Feb 10/11: D5 LE. Charles Stark Draper Laboratories, Inc. in Cambridge, MA receives a $57.7 million firm-fixed-price, fixed-price-incentive contract for Trident II (D5) Guidance System micro circuit wafers and “strategic systems programs alteration repair equivalent units”.

Work will be performed in Clearwater, FL (44.9%); Pittsfield, MA (29.9%); El Segundo, CA (13.6%); and Cambridge, MA (11.6%); and is expected to be complete by June 30/13. This contact was not competitively procured (N00030-11-C-0014).

Dec 27/10: D5 LE. Charles Stark Draper Laboratories, Inc. in Cambridge, MA, is being awarded a $494.3 million cost-plus-incentive-fee, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for Trident II D5 work: guidance system tactical engineering support, guidance applications program, and life extension development.

Work will be performed in Cambridge, MA (82%); Pittsfield, MA (11%); Clearwater, FL (2%); and El Segundo, CA (5%). Work is expected to be complete by Sept 20/16, and $84 million will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured by US Strategic Systems Programs in Arlington, VA (N00030-11-C-0005).

Dec 10/10: Lockheed Space Systems Company in Sunnyvale, CA receives a $920.8 million fixed-price-incentive, cost-plus-incentive-fee, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to provide Trident II (D5) missile production and deployed system support.

Work will be performed in Sunnyvale, CA; Bangor, WA; Kings Bays, GA; and Cocoa Beach, FL, and is expected to be complete by April 30/16. The contract funds will be drawn from multiple fiscal years – $44 million in FY 2009 weapon funds, and $304.7 million in FY 2011 O&NM funding, all of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year on Sept 30/11. This contract was not competitively procured (N00030-11-C-0100).

Missile production

Dec 9/10: Support. L3/ Interstate Electronics Corp. in Anaheim, CA receives a $28.2 million cost-plus-incentive-fee, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract modification for specialized technical engineering services to operate, maintain and repair the TRIDENT II D5 test instrumentation subsystems, plus spares and related support equipment in support of the U.S. TRIDENT II D5 weapon systems.

Work will be performed in Anaheim, CA (80%); Cape Canaveral, FL (13%); Arlington, VA (5%); Austin, TX (1%); Los Angeles, CA (0.5%); and Sunnyvale, CA (0.5%), and is expected to be complete by Sept. 30/11. This contract was not competitively procured (N00030-10-C-0009, P00012).

FY 2010

Missile orders; SHIPALT kits; Mk6 LE work; Support contracts.

Aug 3/10: Support. Lockheed Martin Mission Systems & Sensors in Mitchel Field, NY won a $11.8 million cost-plus-incentive-fee, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to provide: Trident II D5 strategic systems programs shipboard systems integration; Strategic weapon system navigation subsystem; Systems design and development; and Electrostatically supported gyro navigator refresh. This contract contains options which could bring the total contract value to $230.1 million.

Work will be performed in Mitchel Field, NY (35.4%); Huntington Beach, CA (27.9%); Oldsmar, FL (14.8%); Phoenix, AZ (14.2%); Cambridge, MA (7.2%); and Eagan, MN (0.5%). The contract is expected to end on July 30/15. This contract was competitively procured, with 2 offers received (N00030-10-C-0018).

July 7/10: Long-lead. Lockheed Martin Space Systems Co. in Sunnyvale, CA received an $11.3 million fixed-price incentive, cost-reimbursable, incentive contract to provide long-lead materials for the FY 2011 follow-on production of the Trident II D5 missile system.

Work will be performed in Sunnyvale, CA, and is expected to be complete Sept 30/15. This contract was not competitively procured (N00030-10-C-0101).

April 9/10: Testing. Teradyne in North Reading, MA received a $10.6 million, 5-year firm-fixed-price commercial basic ordering agreement for procurement of Teradyne Spectrum 9100 testers, which are used for the development of test program sets (TPSs) for Trident fire control, missile, and guidance electronic modules that are being redesigned as part of the D5 Life Extension program.

The TPSs will also be used for production testing of modules and for service life evaluation. The proposed acquisition is for additional testers, spare equipment, instrument calibration, training, and maintenance contracts that are required to maintain the necessary tester availability.

Work will be performed in North Reading, MA and is expected to be completed by April 2015. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division, in Crane, IN manages the contract (N00024-09-C-6317).

March 29/10: UK Support. Lockheed Martin Space Systems Co. in Sunnyvale, CA receives a $17.7 million cost plus fixed fee contract to provide technical services that support Britain’s TRIDENT Strategic Weapons System.

Work will be performed in Sunnyvale, CA (70.69%); Cape Canaveral, FL (12.54%); St. Marys, GA (2.58%); Bremerton, WA (0.81%); and other locations inside and outside the United States (13.38%). Work is expected to be complete by March 31/11. This contract was not competitively procured (N00030-10-C-0026).

March 22/10: D5 LE. Lockheed Space Systems Co. in Sunnyvale, CA received a $24.1 million modification under a previously awarded contract (N00030-07-C-0100) for the procurement and testing of Trident II D5 missile commonality parts needed for the life extension program. The total contract value after this award is $1.2 billion (see March 28/07 entry).

Lockheed Martin will perform the work in Bloomington, MN (93.24%); Sunnyvale, CA (4.15%); Fairview, NC (2.46%); Marionville, MO (0.10%); and Clearwater, FL (0.05%), and expects to complete the work by May 31/12. Contract funds in the amount of $11 million expire at the end of the current fiscal year.

Feb 2/10: D5 LE. Charles Stark Draper Laboratory in Cambridge, MA received a $131.1 million cost-plus-incentive-fee contract for the Trident II D5 MK6 life extension guidance system. This contract is to procure long lead materials and circuit card assemblies to support the delivery of 20 MK6LE guidance systems.

Draper Lab will perform the work in Bloomington, MN (59%); Clearwater, FL (22%); Cambridge, MA (15%); and Pittsfield, MA (4%), and expects to complete it by June 30/15. This contract is a sole source acquisition by the US Navy’s Strategic Systems Programs in Arlington, VA (N00030-10-C-0015).

Dec 28/09: Testing. Lockheed Martin announces that the US Navy conducted a test flight of a Trident II D5 missile from the USS Alaska (SSBN 732) in the Atlantic Ocean. The test, conducted Dec 19/09, marks the 130th successful test flight of the Trident II D5 missile since 1989.

The Navy launched the missile as part of a Demonstration and Shakedown Operation (DASO) to certify USS Alaska for deployment, following a shipyard overhaul period. For the test, a missile was converted into a test configuration using a test missile kit produced by Lockheed Martin that contained range safety devices and flight telemetry instrumentation.

Dec 14/09: Chips. General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems received a contract from Charles Stark Draper Laboratory to produce integrated circuits for the Trident II D5 submarine-launched ballistic missile program. This is a 3-year contract with a total potential value of $110 million including the pre-priced options.

The contract is part of the Trident II D5 LE program. General Dynamics is also providing circuit card assemblies for the Trident II D5 missile and guidance systems. The principle subcontractor to General Dynamics for the wafer foundry services is Honeywell International and work will be performed at its Plymouth, MN facility.

Dec 8/09: Lockheed Martin Space Systems in Sunnyvale, CA received a not-to-exceed $851 million cost-plus-incentive-fee/ cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to provide support for production of Trident II D-5 ballistic missiles as well as maintenance of deployed D-5 and C-4 missiles.

Under the contract, Lockheed Martin is providing D5 missile hardware production support and reentry system hardware, as well as operations and maintenance to support the readiness and reliability of missile systems deployed aboard the US Navy’s Trident II Ohio-class SSBNs. The contract also continues the D5 LE effort, which updates electronic components to support the extended service life of the Ohio-class SSBNs

Mature D5 production efforts will transition to a fixed-price-incentive contract in fiscal year 2011. Lockheed Martin expects to complete the work by Dec 30/13. Contract funds in the amount of $284,965 will expire at the end the current fiscal year. The contract was not competitively procured (N00030-10-C-0100).

Missile Production

Dec 4/09: Support. Charles Stark Draper Laboratory in Cambridge, MA received a $133.3 million modification (#P00003) under a previously awarded cost-plus-incentive-fee, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract (N00030-09-C-0008) for the Trident II D5 guidance system tactical engineering support and guidance applications program. Specific tasks include:

• provide tactical engineering support;
  
• provide Mk6 LE field support services;
  
• develop a strategic guidance application program;
  
• develop a GPS receiver design approach;
  
• provide support for the Extended Navy Test Bed (ENTB) and ENTB derivative reentry body experiments (ENTB [PDF] is a special Trident reentry body used to test performance of the missile’s reentry vehicle guidance using GPS); and
  
• assess maintaining the accuracy of the existing reentry systems.

The contract modification increases the total contract value to $290.7 million. Work will be performed in Cambridge, MA (73%); Pittsfield, MA (21%); El Segundo, CA (4%); Clearwater, FL (1%); and Andover, MA (1%). Work is expected to be complete by Sept 30/11.

Dec 4/09: D5 LE. Charles Stark Draper Laboratory in Cambridge, MA received a $109.7 million modification under a previously awarded cost-plus-incentive-fee, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for guidance system repair and delivery of Trident II D5 Mk6 LE pre-production units, to support 3 planned proofing test missile flights.

The modification increases the total contract value to $547.6 million. Work will be performed in Cambridge, MA (82%) and Pittsfield, MA (18%) and is expected to be complete by Sept 30/12 (N00030-08-C-0010, PO 0009).

Nov 24/09: Support. Lockheed Martin Maritime Systems & Sensors in Mitchel Field, NY received a $62.9 million cost-plus incentive fee/ cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to provide navigation subsystem engineering support services to the US and UK fleet of Trident II D5 ballistic missiles. The contract contains options, which if exercised, would bring its cumulative value to $141.4 million.

Under the contract, Lockheed Martin will provide fleet support, strategic weapon system shipboard integration support and trainer, trainer systems support, sea-based strategic deterrent support, engineering refueling overhaul support, and navigation subsystem studies.

Lockheed Martin will perform the work in Mitchel Field, NY (95.4%); Oldsmar, FL (3.6%); Baltimore, MD (0.4%); Moorestown, NJ (0.4%); Eagan, MN (0.1%); and Manassas, VA (0.1%). The company expects to complete the work by Dec 31/11, or Sept 30/13 if all options are exercised. Contract funds in the amount of $30.1 million will expire at the end of the current fiscal year (N00030-10-C-0002).

Nov 16/09: Support. L3 Interstate Electronics Corp. in Anaheim, CA received a $39.2 million cost-plus-incentive-fee, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to provide data acquisition, processing, and analysis for Trident missile flight test missions of the United States and United Kingdom. This contract contains options, which if exercised, would bring the contract value to $49.4 million.

L3 Interstate Electronics will perform the Trident flight test data work in Anaheim, CA (50%); Austin, TX (20%); Ascension Island (10%); Cape Canaveral, FL (10%); and St. Croix, US Virgin Islands (10%), and expects to complete it by Sept 30/10, or September 2012 if all options are exercised (N00030-10-C-0009).

Oct 23/09: Lockheed Martin Space Systems Co in Sunnyvale, CA receives an $853.3 cost-plus-incentive-fee/ cost-plus-fixed-fee (CPIF/CPFF) unfinalized contract to support Trident II D5 missile production, and deployed systems (C4 and D5). The contract type will be CPIF/CPFF for this contract only, and mature production efforts will transition to fixed-price-incentive in FY 2011.

The place of performance is to be determined, pending finalization of the award. Work is expected to be complete in Dec 30/13. Only $284,965 will expire at the end the current fiscal year, on Sept 30/09. The contract was not competitively procured (N00030-10-C-0100).

Missile production

FY 2009

Incremental changes: Missile orders; SHIPALT kits; Mk6 LE work; Support contracts.

Sept 30/09: Support. Boeing in Anaheim, CA received a $28.8 million contract modification, exercising an option to provide the following efforts for the TRIDENT II (D5) navigation subsystem:

• Engineering support services, and problem investigations for U.S. and U.K.-owned electrostatically supported gyro navigator (ESGN) navigation inertial equipment;
  
• Modification, refurbishment, and repair of US and UK ESGN instruments and components;
  
• TRIDENT II (D5) shipyard overhaul field engineering;
  
• US Fleet documentation, surveillance program, and training;
  
• US/UK stable platform housing refurbishment.

These options increase the total contract value to $62.6 million. Work will be performed in Anaheim, CA (84%) and Heath, OH (16%), and is expected to be complete by Dec 31/12. $1.3 million will expire at the end of the current fiscal year, which is more or less immediately (N00030-09-C-0002).

Aug 31/09: Support. General Dynamics Electric Boat Corp. in Groton, CT received a $30.9 million contract modification to add new procurement CLIN(contract line item numbers). The new tasks will include:

• Produce and install the NAVSEA ship alteration kits, for the SSP shipboard integration Increment 1, MK98 MOD 6/7 fire control system
  
• Conduct investigations and resolution of problems associated with TRIDENT I and TRIDENT II submarine launched ballistic missile programs
  
• Provide strategic weapon systems technical engineering support.

This is follow-on work from the base contract, vid. June 20/08 entry. Work will be performed in Groton, CT (68%); Silverdale, WA (14%); Kings Bay, GA (14%); and North Kingstown, RI (4%), and is expected to be complete Aug 4/10. $1.25 million will expire at the end of the current fiscal year, on Sept 30/09 (N00030-08-C-0031).

April 9/09: Support. Boeing in Anaheim, CA received a $33.9 million cost plus incentive fee, cost plus fixed fee contract to provide the following efforts for the TRIDENT II (D5) Navigation Subsystem:

• Engineering support services, and problem investigations for U.S. and U.K.-owned electrostatically supported gyro navigator (ESGN) navigation inertial equipment
  
• Modification, refurbishment, and repair of US and UK ESGN instruments and components
  
• TRIDENT II (D5) shipyard overhaul field engineering
  
• US Fleet documentation, surveillance program, and training
  
• US/UK stable platform housing refurbishment.

Work will be performed in Anaheim, CA (90%) and Heath, OH (10%), and is expected to be complete in June 2012. $25.4 million will expire at the end of the current fiscal year, on Sept 30/09. The contract was not competitively procured (N00030-09-C-0002).

March 31/09: D5 LE. Lockheed Martin Space Systems Co in Sunnyvale, CA receives a $63.6 million modification under a cost plus incentive fee contract for the Trident II D5 Life Extension (LE) SPALT(SPecial Products ALTerations) Production.

Work will be performed in CA (46.20%); MA (18.57%); MN (15.01%); NM (6.25%); GA (6.11%); FL (5.29%); PA (0.77%); SC (0.53%) and other locations (1.40%), and is expected to be complete by Sept 30/14. This contract was not competitively procured (N00030-07-C-0100, P00027).

March 30/09: UK Support. Lockheed Martin Space Systems Co. in Sunnyvale, CA receives a $21.3 million cost plus fixed fee contract to provide for technical services in support of Britain’s TRIDENT Strategic Weapons System.

Work will be performed in Sunnyvale, CA (75%); Cocoa Beach, FL (10%); Hudson, NH (2%); St. Mary’s GA (1%); Groton, CT (1%); Bremerton, WA (.5%); other US locations (.5%); and other UK and Italian locations (10%), and is expected to be complete by March 31/10. This contract was not competitively procured (N00030-09-C-0018).

Jan 30/09: D5 LE. The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, Inc. in Cambridge, MA received a $146.2 million cost plus incentive fee contract for a Trident II D5 MK6 LE Guidance System.

Work will be performed in Clearwater, FL (35%); Plymouth, MN (27%); Bloomington, MN (16%), Cambridge, MA (12%); and Pittsfield, MA (10%), and is expected to be complete by December 2011. This contract was not competitively procured (N00030-09-C-0011).

Dec 5/08: Support. Charles Stark Draper Laboratories in Cambridge, MA received a $157.3 million cost plus incentive fee, cost plus fixed fee contract for services supporting the TRIDENT II (D-5) weapons system. Services will include:

• Specialized tactical engineering services, logistics services, fleet support services, and guidance repair services to test, repair and maintain guidance subsystems, test equipment, and related support equipment;
  
• Research in the application of technologies to support TRIDENT II (D-5) Guidance and Reentry Systems;
  
• Failure verification, test, repair and re-certification of Inertial Measurement Units P/N 5807000, Electronic Assemblies P/N 6285900, electronic modules and MK 6 Guidance System related components;
  
• Design, analysis and test of service life related upgrades of Inertial Measurement Units P/N 5807000, Electronic Assemblies P/N 6285900, electronic modules and MK 6 Guidance System related components.

Work will be performed in Cambridge, MA (72%); Pittsfield, MA (21%); Clearwater, FL (3%); El Segundo, CA (3%); and Andover, MA (1%), and is expected to be complete Sept 30/09. $91.2 million will expire at the end of the current fiscal year, on Sept 30/09. This contract was not competitively procured (N00030-09-C-0008).

Dec 1/09: Lockheed Martin Space Systems Co. in Sunnyvale, CA receives a $720.1 million modification to a cost-plus-incentive-fee, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to provide TRIDENT II (D5) and TRIDENT I (C4) missile subsystems. Specific tasks may include:

• Missile body, re-entry body, D5 instrumentation systems and support equipment production (D5 only);
  
• D5 Production Continuity Hardware (D5 only);
  
• Components and requalification activities in support of D5 life extension requirements;
  
• Critical components in support of D5 life extension requirements;
  
• Field Processing;
  
• Engineering and operational support services;
  
• Training material development and maintenance;
  
• Trainer design and operational support;
  
• Spares and integrated logistics support;
  
• Flight Test Analysis and Range Support;
  
• Safety Assurance including Nuclear Weapon Security (NWS);
  
• Missile and support equipment repair;
  
• Flight Test Planning and Flight Test Data Acquisition and Processing (D5 only);
  
• Development, production and installation of SPALTs/PADs/Sers [Special Projects Alterations, POMF (POLARIS Missile Facility) Alteration Documents, and Support Equipment Requirements];
  
• Develop and produce an Alteration Release Assembly;
  
• Develop an Enhanced Telemetry System;
  
• Technical services in support of the C4/D5 Ballast System and Test Instrumentation Mast program;
  
• Technical services in support of all requirements associated with TRIDENT I (C4) related to asset dispositions and disposal.

In addition to TRIDENT II (D5), and TRIDENT I (C4) missile subsystem requirements, there is also a requirement to:

• Provide storage and maintenance for the Tomahawk Land Attack Missile, Nuclear (TLAM-N) at the Strategic Weapons Facilities;
  
• Perform processing and provide technical services in support of the SSGN Attack Weapon System (AWS) at SWFLANT;
  
• Provide TRIDENT SWS(Strategic Weapons Systems) Missile Training;
  
• Develop technology applicable to global strike objectives that integrates with existing TRIDENT missile and/or the platform, and the missile processing and TRIDENT operations infrastructure;
  
• Provide Options for Flight Test Data Acquisition and Analysis for the Air Force and the Missile Defense Agency.

Work will be performed in California (42%); Georgia (11%); Utah (16%); Florida (9%); Washington (8%); Virginia (3%); Tennessee (2%); New Jersey (1%); Massachusetts (1%); Illinois (1%); Maryland (1%); other (5%), and is expected to be complete in September 2012. $285.5 million will expire at the end of the current fiscal year, on Sept 30/09 (N00030-08-C-0100, PZ0001). See also March 26/08 entry.

Missile & components production, D5 LE, Services

Nov 19/08: Fire control. General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems in Pittsfield, MA received a $52.3 million contract modification for FY09-FY11 US and UK TRIDENT II (D5) fire control system (FCS) work, and US SSGN attack weapon control system (AWCS) support. These efforts include:

• US/UK weapon control systems (WCS) and weapon control training system (WCTS) operational support
  
• US/UK WCS operational support
  
• US/UK WCS and navigation system repair and return (R&R)
  
• FCS software 344 (Mk 6 life extension) development
  
• US/UK Mk 98 Mod 8/9 FCS development
  
• Engineered refueling overhaul service
  
• Mk 98 Mod 4, 5, 6 and 7 FCS updates
  
• AWCS training unique
  
• Strategic weapon system training unique.

Work will be performed in Pittsfield, MA, and is expected to be complete on April 1/11. $25.8 million will expire at the end of current fiscal year, on Sept 30/09 (N00030-08-C-0041, P00013)

Nov 12/08: D5 LE. The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory receives a $117.4 million contract modification for Trident II (D5) guidance system repair, guidance system parts, and MK6 LE work. This modification increases the total contract value to $298.3 million.

Work will be performed in the following locations: Cambridge, MA (43%), Pittsfield, MA (38%), El Segundo, CA (12%), Clearwater, FL (5%), and Andover, MA (2%) and is expected to be completed by 30 Sept. 2011. This contract was not competitively procured (N00030-08-C-0010, P00006).

FY 2007 – 2008

Missile orders; SHIPALT kits; Mk6 LE work; Support contracts.

Sept 17/08: Support. Lockheed Martin Maritime Systems & Sensors in Mitchel Field, NY receives a $35 million modification to a previously awarded cost plus incentive fee, cost plus fixed fee contract (N00030-08-C-0002), exercising options to provide U.S., and U.K. Trident II (D5) Navigation Subsystem Engineering Support services, and Engineering Refueling Overhaul Support. The options increase the contract value to $112.1 million.

Work will be performed in Mitchel Field, NY, and work is expected to be complete in September 2011.

July 18/08: Support. Aero Thermo Technology Inc. in Huntsville, AL receives a $5.9 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to provide technical, analytical, and program research and development services to support the TRIDENT I and TRIDENT II Submarine Launched Ballistic Missile (SLBM) program, and the Intercontinental Ballistic Missile guidance system requirement. This contract contains options, which if exercised, will bring the total contract value to $32.5 million.

Work will be performed in Huntsville, AL (59%); Nashville, TN (20%); Honolulu, Hawaii (18%); and Colorado Springs, CO (3%), and is expected to be complete in December 2008 (December 2012 with options). This contract was not competitively procured (N00030-08-C-0030).

June 20/08: Support. General Dynamics Electric Boat Corp. in Groton, CT received a $13.7 million contract modification to:

• Produce and install the Naval Sea Systems Command Ship Alteration (SHIPALT) kits for the Strategic Systems Programs Shipboard Integration (SSI) Increment 1, MK98 MOD 6/7 Fire Control System;
  
• Conduct investigations and resolution of problems associated with TRIDENT I and TRIDENT II Submarine Launched Ballistic Missile programs, Ohio Class Submersible Ship Guided Nuclear requirements, Attack Weapon System (AWS) Trainer requirements and Advanced Weapons Systems Development requirements;
  
• Provide Strategic Weapons Systems (SWS) technical engineering support.

Work will be performed in Groton, CT (68%); Silverdale, WA (14%); Kings Bay, GA (14%); North Kingstown, RI (4%), and is expected to be complete in May 2012. $1.4 million will expire at the end of the current fiscal year, on Sept 30/08. This contract was a sole source award (N00030-08-C-0031).

March 26/08: initial FY 2008. Lockheed Martin Space Systems Co. in Sunnyvale, CA received a $19.3 million unpriced letter contract to provide Long Lead Material (LLM) required for FY 2009 follow-on production of the TRIDENT II (D5) Missile System. This unpriced letter contract will be definitized on/about Oct 1/08 as a cost reimbursable, multiple incentive contract with incentives on cost and performance.

Work will be performed in locations yet to be determined, and is expected to be complete in September 2012. The contract was not competitively procured (N00030-08-C-0100).

March 21/08: UK Support. Lockheed Martin Space Systems Co. in Sunnyvale, CA receives a $15.5 million cost plus fixed fee contract to provide for technical services in support of Britain’s TRIDENT Strategic Weapons System.

Work will be performed in Sunnyvale, CA (74.47%); Cape Canaveral, FL (17.37%); St. Mary’s, GA (1.35%); Silverdale, WA (0.73%); Jenkintown, PA (0.34%); Indianapolis, IN (0.05%); Broomfield, CO (0.03%) ; Herndon, VA (.02%); other U.S. locations to be determined (0.32%); and locations to be determined in the United Kingdom and Italy (5.32%), and is expected to be completed March 2009. The contract was not competitively procured (N00030-08-C-0019).

March 4/08: Support. Lockheed Martin Maritime Systems and Sensors in Mitchel Field, NY received a $21.3 million modification under a previously awarded cost-plus-incentive fee, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to exercise options to provide U.S. TRIDENT II (D5) navigation subsystem engineering support services requirements. Specific efforts include U.S. Strategic Weapon System shipboard integration support and U.S. trainer shipboard integration support. The options increase the contract value to $80.1 million.

Work will be performed in Mitchel Field, NY, and is expected to be complete in April 2010 (N00030-08-C-0002).

Nov 21/07: Support. Northrop Grumman Space Mission Systems Corp. in Van Nuys, CA received an $8.3 million cost-plus-incentive-fee, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to provide for U.S. and U.K. TRIDENT Flight test data collection, planning, support, and refresh of the radars used to collect the data.

Work will be performed in Los Angeles, CA (37%); Arlington, VA (7%); Van Nuys, CA (2%); Huntington Beach, CA (4%); Pleasant Hill, CA (2%), and Huntsville, AL (1%), and is expected to be complete in September 2008. $4.4 million will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was a sole source acquisition (N00030-08-C-0005).

Nov 19/07: Support. General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems in Pittsfield, MA is being awarded a $91.3 million Strategic Systems Programs contract for FY 2008 through FY 2009 work. The contract is a cost plus incentive fee contract (incentives on cost, performance, and schedule) awarded based on a sole source acquisition. The funding profile is as follows:

• $2,978,000 FY2007 UK (3.3%)
  
• $9,973,000 FY2008 UK (10.9%)
  
• $35,613,891 FY2007 OPN (39%)
  
• $2,327,403 FY2008 SCN (2.5%)
  
• $27,865,698 FY2008 O&M, USN (30.5%)
  
• $9,096,830 FY2008 OPN (10.0%)
  
• $3,467,739 FY2008 WPN (3.8%).
  
• $27,865,698 of FY2008 O&M, USN funding which would expire at the end of the current fiscal year on Sept 30/08.

Specific work will include: U.S. and U.K. operational support, repair, installation, and checkout; Mod 6/7 development and production; Mod 8/9 development; Engineered Refueling Overhaul Support; Training Unique Development; AWCS; Auxiliary Systems Tech Refresh; AWCS Mod 0 updates; Conventional TRIDENT Modification development; and Mk 6 Life Extension development; from Oct 1/07 through April 2/11. Work will be performed in Pittsfield, MA (N00030-08-C-0041).

Oct 16/07: Support. Lockheed Martin Maritime Systems and Sensors in Mitchel Field, NY received a $58.7 million cost-plus-incentive-fee, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to provide FY 2008 U.S. and U.K. TRIDENT II (D5) Navigation Subsystem Engineering Support Services requirements. Specific efforts include U.S. and U.K. Fleet support, Strategic Weapon System Shipboard Integration support, modifications to Trident II (D5) backfit navigation computer software and hardware, U.S. and U.K. trainer systems support, engineering refueling overhaul support.

Work will be performed in Mitchel Field, NY, and is expected to be complete in April 2011. $30.7 million will expire at the end of the current fiscal year, on Sept 30/08. This contract was awarded based on a sole source acquisition (N00030-08-C-0002).

Sept 28/07: Support. L3/Interstate Electronics Corp. in Anaheim, CA received a $59.6 million cost- plus-incentive-fee, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for specialized technical engineering services to operate, maintain, and repair the TRIDENT II D5 Test Instrumentation subsystems, spares, and related support equipment in support of America’s TRIDENT II (D5) missiles. It includes operation and maintenance of the Launch Area Support Ship (LASS) Flight Test Support System, the M250 Test Missile Radio Frequency set, and M240R Data Recording System (DRS). The contractor will also monitor and provide recommendations/updates to the formal training materials, documentation, and hardware/software utilized in the Strategic Weapons System (SWS) training program.

Work will be performed in Anaheim, CA, and is expected to be complete in May 2009. This contract was awarded based on a sole source acquisition (N00030-08-C-0006).

Sept 10/07: Support. Boeing in Anaheim, CA received a $21.4 million contract modification, exercising options for TRIDENT II (D5) Navigation Subsystem work. Specific efforts include:

• Engineering support services and problem investigations for U.S. and U.K. owned Electrostatically Supported Gyro Navigator (ESGN) navigation inertial equipment;
  
• Modification, refurbishment, and repair of U.S. and U.K. ESGN instruments and components
  
• TRIDENT II (D5) shipyard overhaul field engineering
  
• U.S. Fleet Documentation, Surveillance Program, and training.

Work will be performed in Anaheim, CA, and is expected to be complete in September 2010. This contract was awarded based on a sole source acquisition (N00030-07-C-0002).

March 12/07: UK Support. Lockheed Martin Space Systems Co. in Sunnyvale, CA receives a $14.2 million cost plus fixed fee contract to provide for technical services in support of Britain’s TRIDENT Strategic Weapons System.

Work will be performed in Sunnyvale, CA (69.94%); Cape Canaveral, FL (18.64%); Helensburgh, Scotland, UK (8.6%); St. Mary’s, GA (1.05%); Silverdale, WA (0.67%); Herndon, VA (0.22%); Indianopolis, IN (0.21%) and other yet to be determined sites (0.67%), and is expected to be complete in March 2008. This contract was procured on a sole source basis (N00030-07-C-0028).

March 28/07: Long-lead. Lockheed Martin Space Systems Co. in Sunnyvale, CA won a $20.5 million unpriced letter contract to procure Trident II D5 long lead time materials. Work will be performed at various locations and is yet to be determined for this undefinitized effort, and is expected to be completed by September 2011. This contract is a sole source procurement (N00030-07-C-0100).

Jan 9/07: FY 2007. Lockheed Martin Space Systems Co’s Space and Strategic Missiles division in Sunnyvale, CA receives a $654.9 million cost-plus-incentive-fee/ cost-plus-fixed-fee contract modification for Trident II D5 and Trident I C4 nuclear sea-launched ballistic missiles (N00030-06-C-0100, PZ0001).

The Trident C-4 has been in service since 1979, but the D-5 Trident II is more recent. First deployed in 1990 and scheduled for operational deployment until 2042, 12 of the USA’s 14 SSBNs have been outfitted with Trident II D-5 missiles, and the other 2 will be backfitted as opportunity permits.

Work will be performed in Sunnyvale, Irvine, Torrance and Santa Ana, CA (33.42%); St. Mary’s, GA (15.76%); Brigham City, UT (15.76%); Cape Canaveral, FL (11.89%); Silverdale and Nepoulsbo, WA (10.5%); Gainsville, VA (2.34%); Kingsport, TN (1.65%); and miscellaneous sites throughout the U.S. (9.3%). Contract funds in the amount of $247.6 million will expire at the end of the current fiscal year, and work is expected to be complete by September 2010.

Missile production

Nov 27/06: D5 LE. The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory in Cambridge, MA received a $195.75 million contract for tactical engineering support re: the Mk 6 guidance system used on American and British Trident II D-5 nuclear missiles. Contract funds in the amount of $76.6 million will expire at the end of current fiscal year, and this contract contains options which would bring its cumulative value to $201.9 million if exercised.

Work will include repair and recertification of Mk 6 guidance systems, including pendulous integrating gyroscopic accelerometers, inertial measurement units, electronic assemblies, inertial measurement units electronics, repair parts, test equipment maintenance, and related hardware; deliver a product and process improvement study to investigate approaches to reduce life-cycle cost and improve performance of the Fleet Ballistic Missile Guidance System program; and employ its personnel and facilities in the conduct of various important technical studies including the Guidance Application Program and the Radiation Hardened Application Program. It will be performed in Cambridge, MA (64%); Pittsfield, MA (23%); Andover, MA (5%); El Segundo, CA (3%); Clearwater, FL (3%); and Woodland Hills, CA (2%), and is expected to be complete September 2007 (N00030-07-C-0001).

FY 2005 – 2006

Missile order; Rocket motors; R&D and work on improved guidance; support contracts.

June 1/06: UK support. Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company in Sunnyvale, CA received a $12.2 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for technical services that support Britain’s TRIDENT strategic weapons systems. Work will be performed in Sunnyvale, CA, and is expected to be complete in March 2007. This contract was not competitively procured (N00030-06-C-0038).

April 6/06: Rocket motors. Alliant Techsystems received a $76 million contract from Lockheed Martin to produce solid propulsion systems for all three stages of the US Navy’s Trident II D5 missile. Under the terms of the contract, ATK will continue to supply Trident solid propulsion systems to Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company in Sunnyvale, CA through 2010.

April 5/06: Support. Charles Stark Draper Laboratory in Cambridge, MA received a $26.9 million cost-plus-incentive-fee contract to provide repair and recertification of MK-6 guidance systems, including pendulous integrating gyroscopic accelerometers, inertial measurement units, electronic assemblies, inertial measurement units electronics, repair parts, test equipment maintenance, and related hardware. Work will be performed in Cambridge, MA and is expected to be complete September 2006 (N000-30-06-C-0002).

Dec 22/05: FY 2006. Lockheed Martin Space Systems in Sunnyvale, CA received an $869 million cost-plus-incentive-fee, cost-plus-fixed-fee, cost-plus-award-fee contract from the US Navy to provide funding for fiscal 2006 Trident II D5 Missile Production and Deployed System Support.

Work on this FY 2006 Trident II D5 production & sustainment contract will be performed in Sunnyvale, CA (39%); Magna, UT (12%); Kings Bay, GA (11%); Cocoa Beach, FL (12%); Bangor, WA (8%); Gainesville, VA (3%); Kings Port, TN (1%), Rockville, MD (1%), Lancaster, PA (2%); and other locations (11%), and is expected to be complete by September 2009 (N00030-05-C-0100, Mod. No. PZ0001).

Missile production

Dec 12/05: D5 LE. The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory (CSDL) in Cambridge, MA received a $101.1 million modification to previously awarded cost-plus-incentive-fee contract (N00030-05-C-0007) to develop all the system software and algorithms, system sensors, gyroscopes, and accelerometers for the MK6 LE system. CSDL will also build all the system test beds and integrate all the subsystems produced by the subcontractors (General Dynamics, Raytheon, Honeywell, Dynamics Research Corp.) into the final MK6 LE proof of concept model.

Nov 16/05: Support. BAE Systems Applied Technologies in Rockville, MD is being awarded a $62.5 million cost plus fixed fee and cost-plus incentive-fee-of-effort contract. This contract provides for System Integration Support for the Trident II D5 Fleet Ballistic Missile (FBM) Program in implementing interface control programs and performing special technical investigations such as the following:

• Modify and update system test procedures;
  
• Perform configuration management and alteration control via documentation, drawings and technical manuals;
  
• Provide logistics, engineering and material control support; and
  
• Provide maintenance support data system installation and support for the strategic weapon system, including materials.

The contract also contains option effort to plan for and participate in strategic weapon system testing during submarine overhaul, refit and backfit; and to provide

• Tomahawk Land Attack Missile-Nuclear (TLAM-N) support
  
• Advanced Systems’ Studies
  
• Strategic Weapon System Underwater Launch Technology Sustainment
  
• Trident II D5 Life Extension Systems Engineering, and
  
• Trident Submarine Operation and Employment Studies.

Work will be performed in Rockville, MD (78.58%), Kings Bay, GA (11.78%); Mechanicsburg, PA (2.83%); San Diego, CA (5.96%), and Bangor, WA (0.85%); and and is expected to be complete by September 2006. Contract funds in the amount of $44.6 million will expire at the end of the current fiscal year (N00030-06-C-0006).

Nov 16/05: Fire Control. General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems (GDAIS) in Pittsfield, MA received an $8.3 million cost-plus-incentive-fee contract to provide Trident II weapon control systems operational support and weapon control system repair and return. Work will be performed in Pittsfield, MA, and is expected to be complete by September 2006. Contract funds in the amount of $4 million will expire at the end of the current fiscal year (N00030-05-C-0051).

Nov 15/05: Support. The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory (CSDL) in Cambridge, MA received $130.6 million cost-plus-incentive-fee, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract, elements of which will also be subcontracted out to various other firms. The contract encompasses the following efforts:

• Providing tactical engineering support (TES) for the US and UK Mk6 Guidance System
  
• Providing tactical engineering support (TES) for the Trident II D5’s Guidance System Test Equipment
  
• Providing tactical engineering support for investigation, evaluation, and development of Strategic Programs Alteration (SPALT) plans and/or special studies for the Mk6 Guidance System.

CSDL will subcontract to the following companies:

• Dynamics Research Corp. (DRC) in Andover MA to maintain and operate the centralized engineering database for the Mk6 guidance system, and perform various product improvement tasks related to the Mk6 guidance system test equipment;
  
• General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems (GDAIS) in Pittsfield MA, to provide field-engineering support at Strategic Weapons Facility Atlantic and Strategic Weapons Facility Pacific;
  
• Raytheon Company Electronics Systems Division in El Segundo, CA to provide test equipment maintenance and support, fleet support, stellar camera development, and electronic factory support;
  
• Honeywell International, Inc. in Clearwater, FL, to provide storage assessment testing on Trident guidance systems inertial instruments; and
  
• Litton Systems in Woodland Hills, CA, to provide for the development of the alternate pendulous integrating accelerometer.

CSDL’s work will be performed in Cambridge, MA, and work on this contract is expected to be complete in September 2006. Contract funds in the amount of $73.7 million will expire at the end of the current fiscal year (N000-30-06-C-0003).

Nov 14/05: Navigation. The Boeing Co. in Anaheim, CA received a $14.2 million cost-plus-incentive-fee letter contract to provide for Trident II Subsystem Fiber Optic Gyro Navigator Design Investigations and Test System Design. Work will be performed in Anaheim, CA and is expected to be complete by October 2007. The contract was not competitively procured (N00030-05-C-0063).

Sept 29/05: Fire Control. General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems in Pittsfield, MA received a $28.3 million cost-plus-incentive-fee contract to provide Trident II Mk98 MOD 6/7 Strategic Weapons Systems Development and Production. The Mk98 mod 6/7 is an updated fire control system for the SSBN 726 Ohio Class nuclear ballistic missile submarines and their Trident II nuclear missiles. Work will be performed in Pittsfield, MA and is expected to be complete by December 2009 (N00030-05-C-0051).

Additional Readings

Readers with corrections, comments, or information to contribute are encouraged to contact DID’s Founding Editor, Joe Katzman. We understand the industry – you will only be publicly recognized if you tell us that it’s OK to do so.

• DID (Dec 9/09) – Up to $851M to Lockheed Martin for Trident Ballistic Missile Support.

• DID (Dec 6/09) – $243M to Draper Laboratory for Trident II D5 Guidance System Support.

• DID (Nov 24/09) – Up to $141.4M to Lockheed Martin for Trident Navigation System Support.

• DID (Nov 16/09) – Up to $49.4M to L3 for Trident Missile Test Data Acquisition and Analysis.

• DID (Jan 11/09) – US Spending $654.9M to Maintain Trident SLBMs.

• DID (Nov 27/06) – $197.5M to Refurbish Mk6 SLBM Guidance Systems.

• DID (April 6/06) – Trident D-5 SLBM Maintenance: Rocket Motors, Guidance.

• DID (Dec 22/05) – $869M for USA’s FY06 Trident D-5 Nuclear SLBM Production and Support.

• DID (Dec 15/05) – $101.1M to Develop the MK6 LE – So, What’s That?

• DID (Nov 18/05) – $215.6M for Trident II Missile-Related Contracts.

• DID (Sep 29/05) – $28.3M for Trident II SLBM Fire Control System.

Israeli Eitan Armored Personnel Carrier

Afghanistan’s new electoral law has come into force, which means that the requirement of electoral reform ahead of the next elections has – at least nominally – been met. AAN’s Ali Yawar Adili and Martine van Bijlert discuss the main features of the new law and note that the most controversial and complicated changes have been passed on to the Independent Election Commission to decide on. These include, most prominently, an instruction to decrease the size of the electoral constituencies for the parliamentary and provincial council elections, which could usher in an overhaul of the electoral system. This will be a politically fraught exercise, which will pave the way for a new round of bickering and delay. It also threatens to drag the newly established commission into political controversy.

In September 2016, the government finally managed to agree on a new electoral law, and, in November 2016, the president appointed and inaugurated a new Independent Election Commission (IEC) and Electoral Complaints Commission (ECC). The law was passed by presidential decree, based on a ruling by the Independent Commission for Overseeing the Implementation of the Constitution (ICOIC), which ruled that, in this case, the president did not need to go through parliament. The ICOIC based its ruling on a different interpretation than the parliament had previously arrived at of an article in the constitution which prohibits the parliament from discussing the electoral law in the last year of its session (for details see previous AAN reporting here).  The new law combines the two main laws that previously governed the electoral process and bodies: the Electoral Law and the Law on the Structures, Authorities and Duties of the Electoral Bodies (or Structure Law, for short). (1) The new law – simply titled ‘Election Law’ – replaces earlier legislative decrees that were issued by President Ashraf Ghani (but not enforced, as they had not been passed by parliament), as well as the two electoral laws that were signed by former president Karzai in 2013, ahead of the 2014 presidential election. The most important changes are discussed below (the full text of the new electoral law, in Dari, can be found here).

Changing the electoral constituencies

Potentially, the most important change in the new law is found in article 35. This article instructs the newly appointed Independent Election Commission (IEC) to “determine the Wolesi Jirga and provincial council electoral constituencies and to divide them into smaller constituencies.” It does not stipulate whether the constituencies should be multi-member or single-member. The decree that endorsed the law further instructs the IEC to conduct a technical study within three months of its establishment on the “better implementation” of article 35 (the study must therefore be finalised by late February, as the new IEC and ECC were sworn in on 22 November 2016). It is unclear what happens after that. The decree states that the cabinet will “assess the report and take a decision accordingly,” but does not specify whether it can modify the IEC’s proposal on the redrawing of the electoral constituencies, a move which, in any case, would reopen the discussions that had bogged down the finalisation of the law from the beginning.

Article 35 is a watered-down version of the ongoing attempts to replace the current electoral system (SNTV, or single non-transferable vote) with a first-past-the-post, single-member constituency system. Such a change would simplify the vote and make the outcome easier to understand for voters, but would also introduce a ‘winner takes all’ system in each constituency.

The Special Electoral Reform Commission (SERC), the commission that was tasked in 2015 by the government to come up with proposals for electoral reform, had been unanimous in their desire to change the SNTV system, but had had trouble agreeing on what should replace it. After considering several possible alternatives, the SERC developed a Multi-Dimensional Representation (MDR) system with multi-member constituencies, which it presented to the government in late 2015. (2) Two dissenting boycotting SERC members presented their own favoured system to the government, which was the first-past-the-post system that the cabinet tried to include in the current law (but failed to reach a consensus on). Opponents of the single-member constituencies fear that the system could fatally split their voter base and/or allow representatives in certain areas to be elected with very small numbers of votes (which is currently already the case in some insecure provinces). They worry that the IEC may be pressured to not only decrease the size of the electoral constituencies, but to also make them single-member.

Apart from raising the stakes of the competition in every single constituency (given that only one person can win), a change to single-member constituencies will also complicate the issue of the women’s quota. As reiterated in article 35 of the new electoral law, the IEC needs to observe article 83 of the constitution (paragraphs 4 and 6), which states that the Wolesi Jirga, apart from not exceeding 250 individuals, should be proportionate to the population of each constituency, and should include, on average, two women from each province. In a single-member constituency system, this would involve different constituencies for the male and female seats (as there are less seats for the women to compete over). This could possibly result in separate elections with separate ballots for male and female candidates, which would be a significant setback for women, particularly for the female politicians who aim to get elected on their own merit, by receiving enough votes vis-à-vis their male counterparts to win regardless of a quota.

The issue of the electoral system risks becoming polarised. Proponents of the different options keep a close eye on how they believe the changes might impact the relative balance of power in parliament. Particular concerns include the parliament’s ethnic make-up, its factional and geographical representation, whether the changes strengthen political parties or not, and what they mean for the women’s quota. In this climate of heightened suspicions, it will be difficult for the IEC to come up with a proposal that can unite the different sides, address the various concerns and not complicate election procedures further.

If the IEC and/or the cabinet fail to come to an agreement on a new electoral system, they may choose to retain the existing STNV system. Despite its drawbacks – large numbers of candidates, narrow margins between winners and losers, high percentages of ‘wasted votes’, and a fragmented parliament – SNTV is a known quantity. As we have seen so far, any change to the system is likely to affect the equation regarding who might benefit, and will draw opposition from those who believe they might lose out.

Linking voters to polling centres

Articles 6 and 8 of the new law describe a system of registration and voting that includes the development of voters’ lists and a database in which voters are, for the first time, linked to specific polling centres:

Article 6.1-6: The person eligible to vote has to personally appear at the polling centre, and register his/her name in the voter’s list based on the citizenship Tazkera (National ID) or [other] document specified by the [Independent Election] Commission for the verification of his/her identity. No person can register his/her name more than once in the voter’s list. The voter is obliged to vote at the polling centre where his/her name has already been registered in the voters’ list of that polling centre. To get a ballot paper, a voter is obliged to present the citizenship Tazkera or [other] document specified by the Commission for the verification of his/her identity. Every voter has the right to one vote and can use it directly in favour of his/her favourite candidate. In case a voter may need guidance to find his/her candidate of choice, he/she can seek the help of a person he/she trusts.

Article 8: The Commission is obliged to prepare the voters’ list by polling centre and shall link it to the Commission’s national database.

At the moment Afghanistan has no voter list system. Although there are databases with information gathered during several rounds of ‘voter registration’ ahead of previous elections, they are not in any usable way linked to the voter cards that have been distributed, nor do they link voters to polling centres. During the ‘registration,’ the emphasis has been on the distribution of voter cards, rather than on the establishment of any kind of voter database. This has resulted in massive over-registration: a total of 21 million voter cards have been distributed throughout the various registration and top-up exercises, for an estimated maximum total voting population of 15 million people (for more details, see here). Many cards were given without ID documents being shown – to accommodate voters who did not have documents – or without the voters present (many people, for instance, took advantage of the leniency shown to female voters by collecting large numbers of cards “for the women of the family,” simply by showing up with long lists of female names).

The technicalities of the new regulation have been left to the IEC. The new law does not specify whether the existing voter cards will be invalidated or whether new voter cards will be issued. However, the wording of the law strongly suggests that there will need to be some form of renewed registration to accommodate the linking of voters to polling centres. Neither does the law specify whether registration will take place prior to the elections or concurrently, which leaves open the possibility of same-day or even simultaneous registration and voting.

The IEC will also need to determine which documents can be used for identification during registration and voting. The Special Electoral Reform Commission (SERC) previously noted that many Afghans have multiple documents, often with different names and birth dates, which might confuse the system (Afghanistan does not have a singular system for last names, or a central birth registry; many Afghans use a takhalus, which is more like a nickname that they can change any time). It also noted that Afghans who do not have valid identification risk being disenfranchised, and recommended that an exception to the identification requirement be made for those without a valid ID. This could open the door to abuse again.

In the past, plans for an improved system of voter registration have often been based on the idea that an accelerated rollout of the e-Tazkera, or electronic ID card, would introduce a secure form of identification that could be used as voter ID as well. The introduction of the e-Tazkera, however, has technical and political difficulties of its own. It is unlikely that it will be implemented any time soon.

Introducing electoral crimes and penalties

Where previous electoral laws only specified electoral violations (distinguishing between negligence and fraud), the new law now lists twenty acts that are considered electoral crimes and carry stricter penalties (art 99). For instance, the act of “preventing the participation of agents, observers and media during the polling and counting process for the purpose of concealing the truth” is now considered a crime that carries a penalty of up to three years imprisonment. (In the 2013 electoral law, the electoral violation of “preventing the national and international monitors and observers from monitoring the electoral process” was punishable by a fine of 100,000-500,000 Afghani, or about 2-10,000 US dollars.)

The list of electoral crimes in the new law reads as a catalogue of the ways that candidates, supporters, electoral staff and others have, in the past, tried to influence the outcome of elections (for more details on these efforts, see here and here). The penalties are generally high (imprisonment). A full list of the crimes can be found in footnote (3).

The criminalisation of electoral violations has been touted by the government as an important measure to mitigate fraud (see the president’s comments during a consultative meeting with political leaders here). However, as always, a law is only as good as its implementation. The law, moreover, is not fully clear about the different lines of authority. According to article 97, the Electoral Complaints Commission (ECC) is obligated to investigate and identify electoral crimes and refer the perpetrators to the relevant authorities. According to article 99, however, “penalties will be declared by the [Independent Election] Commission and implemented by the law enforcement authorities.”

Given the heated atmosphere that usually surrounds elections, including sustained allegations of partisanship and manipulation against both electoral bodies, it is potentially problematic to give the authority to prosecute and punish violations to the main implementing bodies. (The IEC conducts the elections and the ECC, although it does not implement the elections per se, has in practice become the final body to rule on which votes get counted and which do not, thus affecting the final outcome of the elections.)

Employing civil servants as temporary electoral staff

The electoral law defines two categories of staff for the IEC and the ECC: permanent staff at headquarters and provincial offices, and temporary staff. In the 2013 law, both permanent and temporary employees were hired through a process of staggered recruitment (many candidates would try to get their supporters recruited as IEC staff). According to the new law (art 23) “temporary electoral workers at the polling centres and stations shall be assigned from amongst school teachers, lecturers of government institutions for higher education and government administrative personnel, in accordance with procedures adopted by the Commission.” The measure to enlist government workers as temporary staff is intended to decrease the costs of temporary recruitment and to simplify the recruitment process. It could, however, also become controversial. Campaign managers and other candidate supporters have, in the past, tried to mobilise all kinds of networks in support of their candidates, including teachers and civil servants. The impartiality of temporary IEC staff will therefore still not be guaranteed.

Structural changes to the committee that selects the electoral commissioners

The Selection Committee for the electoral commissioners (IEC and ECC) was first introduced in 2013, ahead of the 2014 presidential elections, as a way to limit the influence of the president on the appointment of the commissioners. The Selection Committee calls for applications, vets and selects qualified candidates based on criteria specified in the law, and presents the shortlist to the president for his final selection. The new law has brought three changes to this committee: it reduced the number of committee members from six to five, changed the composition of the committee and pre-appointed the elected member of the High Council of the Supreme Court as the chair (previously, the chair was elected from among the members).

The composition of the Selection Committee has changed with every iteration of the law, as the different actors negotiating the law kept a close eye on who would sit on the committee, as a result of the changes, and how this would affect the factional balance. In the previous 2013 law, the committee was made up of six members: the speakers of the Wolesi Jirga and the Meshrano Jirga, the Chief Justice, the chairperson of the Independent Commission for Oversight of the Implementation of the Constitution (ICOIC), the chair of the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC) and an elected representative from among civil society organisations working on elections. (In previous versions of the current law, which were not passed by parliament, the Selection Committee also included an elected representative of the media).

The new law has removed the speakers of the two houses of parliament (a move that was made possible by the decision not to present the decree to parliament for approval – for more details see here) and replaced them with a civil society member from among the organisations defending women’s rights. The SERC recommended the removal of both speakers, arguing in its report to parliament that “a balance should be struck between government and non-government members.” It argued further that “many advisers” had suggested that the National Assembly should not be represented in the committee, since it was “a beneficiary in the election.”

The new law further substituted the Chief Justice with a member of the high council of the Supreme Court and replaced the chairpersons of the ICOIC and AIHRC with members from these organisations. It retained the member elected from among civil society organisations working on elections.

Structural changes to the IEC and its secretariat

The new law adjusts the structure and operations of the IEC (articles 11, 12 and 22). It decreases the number of commissioners in the IEC from nine to seven, reduces their term from six to five years and introduces staggered appointments so that not all commissioners are replaced at the same time (as a result, the recent new appointments were for two different terms: four members for a period of five years and three members for a period of three years.) This was recommended by the SERC to safeguard both institutional memory and continuity of experience in the future. The terms of the chair, deputies and secretary have also been decreased (two and a half years for the chair and one year for the other positions, instead of three-year terms for all posts). The requirements for the IEC commissioners have been increased: the minimum age went up (from 30 to 35), as did the number of years of required work experience (now ten years for a Bachelor degree, seven years for a Masters and five years for a PhD). The new law also specifies required fields of studies (law, sharia, political sciences, management, sociology, economy or other related fields).

The new law further makes the IEC secretariat subservient and accountable to the commission (art 22.4: “The Secretariat shall carry out its duties in accordance to the provisions of the law and the procedures adopted by the Commission, and shall report to the Commission”), which is new. The 2013 law did not require the secretariat to report to the commission. On the other hand, the IEC now has to propose three candidates for the position of Chief Electoral Officer to the president (instead of just one). Article 27 further gives more detailed instructions on how the IEC should establish a media committee, comprised of three members.

Structural changes to the ECC and its secretariat

Unlike the IEC, the Electoral Complaints Commission (ECC) is not enshrined in the constitution, but was established based on the earlier Electoral Law. There were, as a result, extensive discussions within the SERC about the constitutionality of the ECC and whether a complaints mechanism could be introduced under the authorities of the IEC instead. In the new law, however, a separate ECC has been retained “to address objections and complaints arising from electoral negligence and violations, and to identify crimes related to the elections” (art 28:1).

Like the previous 2013 law, the law distinguishes between the Central Electoral Complaints Commission (CECC) and the Provincial Electoral Complaints Commissions (PECC). The CECC, which is based in Kabul, has five members. The new law does not reduce or increase the number, but it does include a provision that the government, in consultation with the United Nations, can appoint two international election experts as non-voting members “to ensure transparency and address challenges” (art 29.6). The ECC has had international members in the past, which was welcomed by some and met with suspicion by others. The SERC had included this in its recommendations, arguing that this was “done in other countries as well,” probably in an attempt to dispel sensitivities towards the involvement of foreigners in the electoral process.

Article 28 of the new law raises the requirements for ECC membership, raising the age from 30 to 35, and stipulating that the candidates should have higher education in the fields of law or Islamic jurisprudence. Article 34 retains the provision that the CECC is independent in its budget spending, after having prepared the budget in consultation with the government, but requires the commission to present its report according to the provisions of the law (it does not specify to whom).

The provincial complaints commissions (PECCs), which are established one month before candidate registration, will have three members each – two of them (one man and one woman) introduced by the CECC and a third introduced by the AIHRC – which have to be approved by the president (art 31.2). In the 2013 law, all three members were introduced by the CECC and approved by the president.

As with the IEC secretariat, the new law makes the ECC secretariat accountable to the CECC, and as with the IEC secretariat, the ECC should propose three candidates to the president for the position of head of the secretariat, instead of just one (article 32).

Changes that affect the composition of the elected bodies: reserved seats for women and Hindus/Sikhs

The constitution stipulates that, on average, at least two women from each province are to be elected to the Wolesi Jirga; that is, at least 64 out 249 seats, which is a little over 25 per cent (art 83.6). Subsequent electoral laws also allocated seats for women in the provincial councils: in the 2013 electoral law this was “at least 20 per cent.” The new law increases the provincial council allocation to “at least 25 per cent” (art 58.2), as it had been in an earlier version of the law, and now also gives the same allocation to the district councils (art 61.2) and village councils (art 64.2). The law does not include a quota for women in the municipal councils, which, to date, have not been formed.

Article 48 increases the number of Wolesi Jirga seats from 249 to 250, maintaining the ten reserved seats for Kuchis and allocating the extra seat to a joint representative of the Hindu and Sikh communities (Article 83.4 of the Constitution sets the maximum number of Wolesi Jirga members at 250). This lumps the two tiny, only non-Muslim communities together (details about them in this AAN dispatch) and separates them, together with the Kuchis, from the rest of the population. The reserved seat for the Hindu and Sikh community had been included in earlier drafts of the electoral law, but removed by the Wolesi Jirga, which argued that the community was not large enough to warrant a separate seat and that the Hindu and Sikhs should be treated equally with other citizens of the country. (4)

The new law also reduces the number of members of the provincial councils, district councils and village councils proportionate to the population. For the provincial councils (art 58), for example, this has now become:

• Population up to 500,000 – 9 seats
• Up to 1,000,000 – 11 seats (down from 15)
• Up to 2,000,000 – 15 seats (down from 19)
• Up to 3,000,000 – 17 seats (down from 23)
• Up to 4,000,000 – 19 seats (down from 29)
• Over 4,000,000 – 21 seats (down from 33)

The largest district council has gone from 15 to 11 members (art 61) and the largest village council from 11 to 7 (art 64).

Article 59 adds the proviso that if a member of the provincial council is unable to fill his/her seat (due to death, resignation, sickness or disability), and more than one year of their term of service remains, the seat will be given to “the next candidate of the same sex (male or female) with the most votes, based on the list prepared by the Commission.” The same proviso was added for members of the district and village councils, and retained for the Wolesi Jirga.

Changes in the articles on campaigning

Article 76 of the new law reduces the campaign period for most races: 20 days for the Wolesi Jirga and provincial council elections (down from 30), 15 days for district council elections (down from 20), and 7 days for village council elections (down from 10). It retains 60 days for the presidential election and 20 days for the municipal council and mayoral elections.

Whereas the 2013 electoral law imposed caps on spending in the various election campaigns, article 77 of the new law leaves it to the IEC to enact a procedure based on the following three criteria: 1) number of eligible voters 2) area and 3) geographical location of the electoral constituency. During SERC discussions, it was argued that setting the same caps for candidates in all provinces might not do justice to the varying challenges they would face. The law now explicitly obliges candidates to report on their campaign spending to the IEC.

Where the previous electoral law prohibited candidates from accepting or receiving either financial or technical assistance from foreign entities during the campaign, the new law (art 77) only bans foreign financial assistance. The argument in the SERC was to not deprive the country of the democratic experiences of other countries.

The presidential election’s second round

Due to the ethnic and factional nature of alignments, Afghanistan’s presidential elections tend to go to a second round, to ensure that the president is voted in with “more than 50 per cent of votes cast by voters through free, general, secret and direct voting” (art 61 of the Constitution). A paragraph in the new law makes explicit what happens when one of the two runner-up presidential candidates decides not to participate in the run-off election (as happened in 2009): “In case one of the candidates does not participate in the elections in the second round, the other candidate is recognised as the winner” (art 45.5). The 2013 electoral law made no reference to such a scenario, even though the IEC, in 2009, had already set the precedent by declaring Hamid Karzai the elected president after the runner-up and current chief executive, Abdullah Abdullah, withdrew. (5) This explicit addition may invite forced withdrawals and opens the way for a president to be elected with less than 50 per cent of the vote, as the votes in the first round are still divided among many candidates. According to the new provision in the electoral law, if – hypothetically speaking – Karzai had withdrawn in 2009, Abdullah would have been allowed to be president with, according to the IEC results, a little over 30 per cent of votes.

Article 46 of the new law retains the constitutional clause which stipulates that if one of the presidential candidates dies during the first or second round of voting, or before the announcement of the results, new elections will be held among the remaining presidential candidates (this is sometimes referred to as the “assassination clause”). It has, however, done away with the impractical stipulation of a 30-day timeframe during which the new elections had to be held, which was included in the 2013 law.

Reintroducing the exclusion clause for links to illegal armed groups

Article 44 reintroduces the ban on commanders or members of illegal armed groups from running in the elections; the clause existed in earlier versions of the electoral law but was removed in 2013. The article states that:

Commanders or members of illegal armed groups may not stand as candidates in elections. The commandership or membership of illegal armed groups is vetted and necessary decisions made by a separate commission comprising representatives of the Ministries of National Defence and Interior Affairs, the General Directorate of National Security and the Directorate of Local Governance, chaired by the Chairperson of the Complaints Commission. Complaints will be adjudicated by the Complaints Commission, the decisions of which are final.

The vetting of candidates with links to illegal armed groups has been a complicated affair in the past, as these links were often difficult to persuasively prove (at least, this could be argued). As a result, the most powerful commanders were usually unaffected by the process. In the 2005 parliamentary election, for example, out of 208 candidates put forward by election stakeholders for disqualification for having links to illegal armed groups, only 34 were finally barred from running (see this report). Moreover, many commanders have some form of legal cover for at least a proportion of their fighters. As AAN reported in 2013:

The removal of this clause, and of the related vetting procedure (see here) for what this looked like during past elections), means a significant simplification of the process, but it is also a stark admission of defeat: of the failure of disarmament, the proliferation of militias and the inability to separate armed commanders from politics.

It remains to be seen how the reintroduction of vetting for links to illegal armed groups, and the politicking and complaints surrounding the process, will affect the line-up of candidates in future elections. It also remains to be seen whether mechanisms can be introduced to improve the implementation of this legal provision.

Looking ahead

The signing of the new electoral law and the appointment of a new IEC and ECC means that – at least nominally – the requirement of electoral reform, as stipulated in the 2014 National Unity Government agreement and demanded by the chief executive’s camp, has been met. The most controversial and complicated changes, however, have not been finalised and have instead been passed on to the Independent Election Commission. The IEC will now have to grapple with the redrawing of electoral constituencies, a reopened discussion over the electoral system and the introduction of a voter registration system that links voters to polling centres. Each of these issues will require a large amount of technical and political finesse and will most likely result in new rounds of bickering and delay.

The IEC said it intends to announce the date for the upcoming parliamentary elections, as well as its plan for either the cancellation or the re-accreditation the voter cards, at the latest, in the next month. But whatever date gets announced, it is unlikely that elections will still take place in 2017. Practically speaking, once the parameters are clear, the IEC will need around a year to prepare and organise. This means that even in the best-case scenario – that is, if the IEC’s proposal on electoral constituencies is indeed ready by late February and is immediately accepted, and if no other major controversies come up – this will, at the very least, bring us into the spring of 2018.

 

 

(1) The two laws – the Electoral Law and the Law on the Structures, Authorities and Duties of the Electoral Bodies (or Structure Law, for short) – were combined in order to simplify the procedure and to solve the ongoing debate as to whether at least one of the laws still needed to be passed by parliament. For background on the politicking that preceded the current law, see earlier AAN reporting here, here and here.

(2) Initial alternatives to the SNTV system included a first-past-the-post, single-member constituency (FPTP) system, which is discussed above; a list-based Proportional Representation (PR) system (options with open and closed lists were both discussed); and a parallel system, which would combine the current SNTV with a partial PR system.

In a later round of discussions – after the SERC had suggested the parallel system and had lost two dissenting members to a boycott – the SERC (with outside help) developed the Multi-Dimensional Representation (MDR) system. MDR is based on multi-member constituencies, and includes a proposal to possibly decrease the size of the largest constituencies.

The MDR system, which was especially tailored to address the demands and concerns that had come up in the SERC’s discussions, allows individuals to run either as independents or as part of a list (whether a party list, a coalition of parties, or an ad hoc gathering of individuals). Voters would still vote for individuals, but the determination of the winners would be done in two steps – first counting how many seats the best-performing lists have earned and then awarding seats to the individuals on these lists with the most votes. This would not change much for the voter, but the outcomes of the count can be easily misunderstood, as individuals with far fewer votes than others could still win a seat if their list did better than others.

(3) The listed electoral crimes and their penalties, include: misuse of military resources and signs for the purpose of frightening or influencing a person in favour of or against a candidate (imprisonment of up to three months); receiving or offering bribes for the purpose of exerting influence in the electoral processes (five years imprisonment); threat, intimidation, irreverence and exertion of pressure (five years imprisonment); hiding results forms and ballot papers for the purpose of concealing the truth (two years imprisonment); displacing, transferring or taking into possession electoral documents without a lawful permit (up to three years imprisonment); receiving funding from illegal sources (up to three years imprisonment); receiving or accepting material assistance in cash or kind from foreign sources (up to three years imprisonment); bringing changes in the result forms that do not correspond to the votes in the ballot box (up to three years imprisonment); tampering with the software and hardware systems of the results tallying centres without legal authorization (imprisonment of no less than one month and no more than one year); exerting violence or pressure or disrupting the security situation that leads to an interruption of the electoral process (imprisonment of two to five years); stealing or destroying electoral documents, ballot papers or sensitive electoral materials (five years imprisonment); registration of a candidate using fake documents (deprivation of the right to register and short-term imprisonment); voting using fake documents (deprivation of the right to vote and short-term imprisonment); using the vote of a person in his/her absence (deprivation of the right to vote and short-term imprisonment); buying and selling of votes (deprivation of the right to vote and short-term imprisonment); changing or replacing electoral documents, including the registration book, results sheets and ballot papers, in favour of or against a candidate (imprisonment up to three years); increasing or decreasing votes in favour of or against a candidate during elections (imprisonment of more than three years); hiding, or not processing in a timely manner, filed complaints and objections to conceal the truth (imprisonment of more than three years); concealment or failure by staff to report violations witnessed at the polling station (short term imprisonment, no less than three months); preventing the participation of monitors, observers and media during the polling and counting process for the purpose of concealing the truth (imprisonment up to three years). If the crimes were committed as a result of provocation, intimidation or encouragement by someone else, this person shall face the same penalties as the actual perpetrator of the crime.

The law also lists 35 electoral violations that are punishable by fines (art 98). These include violations such as registering more than once as a voter, displaying candidates’ symbols in polling centres, destroying campaign materials, preventing monitors and observers from monitoring the process (apparently without the intent of concealing the truth), etc.

(4) The reserved seat for Hindus and Sikhs was included in the initial draft of the 2013 electoral law, but was rejected by parliament in July of that year. It was re-included in the new electoral law that was introduced by presidential decree on 3 September 2013, but was removed again by the Wolesi Jirga. This is the third time the government has introduced the separate seat for Hindus and Sikhs. This time it is likely to remain as the Wolesi Jirga, according to the ICOIC, is not allowed to discuss or vote on the law. For more background on the back and forth, see AAN’s previous reporting here.

(5) The IEC justified its decision by arguing that Karzai had received the most votes in the first round and, after the withdrawal of Abdullah, had no contender in the second. Abdullah’s supporters, who had contested the outcome of the first round, argued that the IEC’s decision had no basis in the law and warned that this would not solve Afghanistan’s problems (see previous AAN reporting here).

Japanese Prototype 8x8 Armored Personnel Carrier

The European Defence Agency has launched a new, specialised Defence Energy Managers’ Course (DEMC), which aims to enhance MoD capabilities through the integration of Energy Management Systems within their organisations.  The participants of the DEMC will reinforce their understanding of the complexities of managing energy within a defence organisation or sub-organisation and will acquire the capacity to structure, implement and improve effective Energy Management Systems (EnMS).

Through the attendance of the course, MoD/Armed Forces personnel will be trained to the required technical standard to deliver practical, cost-effective solutions and, uniquely, will benefit from case-specific mentoring support to their first project delivered within the context of their normal work activities. After the course, the trainees will have sufficient knowledge to continue to develop their skills in a continuous cycle of self-improvement through on-going mentoring, alumni relations and as members of the European Defence Energy Network (EDEN) with permanent access to its established on-line resources. 

Following relevant support from EDA’s EnE WG  participating Member States as well as the pertinent requirements of EU legal framework on Energy Efficiency regarding Energy Management Systems (EnMS), the Agency has  proceeded to contract a developmental educational service from a consortium of professional education service providers. 

Based on the ISO 50001 International Energy Standard, the course is tailored to the specificities of the Defence sector and it is divided into the following phases:

• One DEMC – Pilot Course, which will provide the initial EnMS approach in the Defence sector and synchronise the various relevant national requirements. The Pilot Course is scheduled to last 14 months, comprising of classroom sessions and alternating with relevant mentoring and in situ on–the-job training (OJT) for developing and implementing an EnMS at home for MoD organisations. 

• A maximum of 6 DEMC – Steady State are scheduled for the 3 years to follow a successful completion of the Pilot Course. These courses will comprise the DEMC - Pilot structure, in addition to incorporating the previously gained experience as well as any recommendations and feedback from participating Member States. 

The consortium consists of:

• ENMS Ltd (Ireland);
• Centre for Renewable Energy Sources and Saving (CRES) (Greece) and 
• GEN Europe Soluciones Energéticas SL (Spain).

The EDA project team of DEMC is composed of Tom BENNINGTON and Nektarios ALEXANDRIS.

This workshop will provide a brief overview of aspects related to civilian and military personnel serving in CSDP missions and operations, in terms of challenging issues related to force generation, in mission treatment, training, follow up to crimes and offences perpetrated during deployment. For instance, despite progress in force generation and preparation, procedures for personnel recruitment and deployment remain cumbersome and slow. Possible solutions will also be discussed by the experts.
Further information
Workshop programme
Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

Savox Communications will be attending and exhibiting at the International Defence Exhibition and Conference (IDEX) 2017 between 19-23 February.