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Herat – the affluent and vibrant city in western Afghanistan – is going through a ‘scattering’ of political power and a deterioration in security. While Ismail Khan, the self-styled ‘amir of the west’, is still the preeminent figure, political power is no longer concentrated only in his hands, and the new actors are behaving differently from the old-timers. One consequence of this is that security has worsened, with several districts seeing heavy clashes between Afghan government forces and the armed opposition – mostly the Taleban – and between rival Taleban factions. In Herat city, insecurity has taken on a largely criminal face as manifested in assassinations, kidnappings and thefts. Reviewing the recent situation, AAN guest author Said Reza Kazemi* argues that the diffusion of political power and deteriorating security pose a crucial test to the vibrancy of Herat and this, in turn, is reflected in the day-to-day life of its people and their striving for the future.

Struggling to keep centre stage: the ‘amir’ of the west’

One still cannot write about Herat without mentioning its self-proclaimed amir, Ismail Khan. He has risen from a captain in the government army (from which he defected in 1979 to join an anti-communist uprising) to mujahedin commander to governor of Herat and self-declared ‘amir’ of what historically was called the southwestern region (1992 to 1994 and again, 2002 to 2004) to the Minister of Energy and Water to a vice-presidential candidate in the hugely disputed 2014 presidential elections.

A prominent member of the influential Jamiat-e Islami party and of the political opposition group Shura-ye Herasat wa Sobat-e Afghanistan (Council for Protection and Stability of Afghanistan or CPSA) (see AAN reporting here), Ismail Khan currently has no government position. He does not appear on the media much, either. However, there are two specific days in the year when he can always be seen talking to the people around him and to the media: 24 Hut (15 March), the anniversary of Herat’s uprising against the Soviet-backed, Afghan communist government in 1357 (1979) (see AAN reporting here) and 29 Hamal (18 April), the anniversary of the Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan and victory of the mujahedin in Herat in 1371 (1992). (1) The reason why Ismail Khan gives special attention to marking these two events is that he believes he played the instrumental role in both. At other times, he gathers his mujahedin commanders, local elders, government officials, journalists and others in his mansion in a street named after himself in downtown Herat to talk about the situation of Afghanistan generally and Herat specifically.

This year, on the two anniversaries (Herat uprising and Soviet withdrawal), as well as at least twice in public meetings at his home (see here and here), Ismail Khan made some very strong points. He repeatedly described insecurity as spreading “to the gates of our city” from nearby provinces like Farah and said that he and his mujahedin would not wait for the Afghan government’s permission to defend Herat if the government hesitated to do so. He vowed to take action to prevent Herat from becoming “another Kunduz” – an explicit reference to the fear that a generally safe province such as Herat could also fall, at least temporarily, to the armed opposition, as Kunduz has done twice (AAN on its fall in 2015 and near fall in 2016 here and here).

Ismail Khan’s rhetoric should be read in terms of messages for opponents, supporters and the general public. An experienced local journalist told this author that 70-year-old Ismail Khan is using worsening security as a pretext for arguing for the need for his Shura-ye Mujahedin (Mujahedin Council). It brings together many of his former Jamiat-e Islami allies from western Afghanistan and, through it, Ismail Khan keeps his central position in Afghanistan’s changing political landscape (more on his mujahedin council project in this previous AAN dispatch). There are at least two changes in the country’s political scene that Ismail Khan is reacting to: Gulbuddin Hekmatyar’s Hezb-e Islami party’s reconciliation with the Afghan government – its pictures and statements have been on billboards as well as on some car windows in parts of the city – and future parliamentary elections (whenever they happen – for more, see previous AAN dispatch on elections here). A high-ranking government official who is close to both Ismail Khan in Herat and his allies in Kabul told this author:

Ismail Khan and his allies are preparing themselves for the coming parliamentary elections. They see Hekmatyar as a potential rival. They want to have a strong presence in the future parliament, and this will allow them to put pressure on the leadership and ministers of the National Unity Government.

Ismail Khan has so far managed to maintain his Mujahedin Council, not because everybody agrees with him and his agenda, but because he has been able to gratify them, particularly economically. He has accumulated abundant wealth and spent part of it on satisfying and keeping his former mujahedin commanders and members on side. For instance, local sources told this author that he reportedly earns a monthly income of around 19 million AFN (approximately USD 292,000) from leasing out three markets in the centre of Herat city alone. Additionally, he has intervened in other economic sectors from hospitality to partnerships with major business people since 2001. (2) One example is the swish, multi-storey Esteqlal Hotel in downtown Herat that is owned by him and where foreign guests, visiting government officials and those close to the ‘amir’ stay.

Ismail Khan’s continued political and economic influence in Herat would certainly help him sustain and even enhance his standing in Afghanistan’s national political sphere, particularly via the Council for Protection and Stability of Afghanistan, where he heads the defence and security committee. Nevertheless, many in Herat agree that the nature of his influence has changed. “Ismail Khan is no longer the only determining man in town,” said the journalist quoted above, “because others have risen and are vying for power.” This has been possible, broadly speaking, because of Herat’s socioeconomic dynamics, including the entry of more educated younger people into politics and the rise of new economic-political actors. In Herat, we now see a diffusion of political power, what in this dispatch is referred to as ‘scattered politics’.

The shadow of the past governors

After Ismail Khan was moved to Kabul to become the Minister of Energy and Water in 2004 in a bid by then President Hamid Karzai to impose central government authority on the disobedient Herati ‘amir’, Sayyed Muhammad Khairkhwa became the first in an unusually long line of successors. Khairkhwa had worked with Ismail Khan in the resistance before 1992 – something that it was assumed would help reduce the likelihood of Ismail Khan acting as a spoiler against him. (3) Khairkhwa – a Herati transitional solution, at least from Karzai’s perspective – did not last long and was replaced by Sayyed Hussain Anwari the following year. A non-Herati from Parwan province and a Shia Hazara, Anwari met with opposition from the local Herati Sunni elite and population. However, he managed to stay in his position until 2009, during which, some people say, he advanced the interests of the Shia Hazara community, including his support for the development of the populous Mahalla Baba Haji and Jebrail settlements which house thousands of people, mostly Shia Hazaras and Sayyeds, in Herat city. (Anwari died of cancer in July 2016) Like other provinces across Afghanistan, Herat’s security was deteriorating by 2009. One reason was that Ismail Khan, angry about being removed from his home area and not mollified by his promotion to the cabinet, used local allies such as Commander Ghulam Yahya Akbari Siawushani to undermine security in Herat province. (4)

Anwari was replaced by Ahmad Yusuf Nuristani, another non-Herati and a technocrat who had been Minister of Irrigation and Environment (2002-04) and Deputy Defence Minister (2005-08) under Karzai. (He had been a supporter of the former king, but later became close to Karzai.) Nuristani did not endure long, because of, among other reasons, his lack of understanding of and involvement in Herat’s local social and political dynamics.

Nuristani’s 2010 replacement, Daud Shah Saba, was different. A Herati with dual Afghan-Canadian citizenship, a geologist by profession (and later Minister of Mines and Petroleum, 2015-16), Saba’s attempts at reform threatened the interests of the established elite, particularly those around Ismail Khan, such as former mayor and Ismail Khan protégé Muhammad Salim Taraki. Saba was forced to resign in June 2013 (more on his resignation in this AAN dispatch). His successor, Fazlullah Wahidi, a non-Herati from Kunar province, did not last long either, as he was, along with many other local government officials, summarily dismissed by President Ghani in a surprise visit to Herat in December 2014.

The repeated changing of Herat governors, writes Jolyon Leslie, an architect and researcher who has been working in Afghanistan since 1989 (p. 22), shows:

… how narrow a path [Herat’s] governors need to tread – and how little support they might expect from Kabul in the end, for their reform or any other efforts.

This past experience weighs heavily on the incumbent governor, Muhammad Asef Rahimi, another non-Herati, this time from Kabul, who has studied public administration and development in the United States and is a former minister of agriculture. He is Herat’s sixth governor since 2004. Officially, the governor is at the apex of power in his (or her) province. In practice, this is often not true, and is certainly not in present-day Herat. Several local journalists and many ordinary people speak of Rahimi as a symbolic and ceremonial official with little influence. They also describe him with phrases like ‘overly conservative’ or ‘extremely cautious.’ He is mostly seen meeting foreigners and various groups of local government officials and people in his office, speaking at events and opening exhibitions. Like other non-Herati governors, Rahimi is not heavily involved in Herat’s political and economic dynamics. Speaking on Tolo TV on 1 November 2016, Rahimi himself even referred publicly to his lack of power in Herat. (5)

Acting in this rather constrained way has helped him do one main thing: maintain his office, albeit without being able to deliver much. Additionally, as a governor on generally good terms with the two NUG leaders, as well as with Ismail Khan, Rahimi represents a weak administration that is more involved in its own internal politicking than public service delivery. (6)

The new generation: political power diffused

The towering shadow of Ismail Khan has diminished since the early years after 2001, not only because of his years of absence from the province, but also because of Herat’s larger societal dynamics. Herat’s political scene has, therefore, seen several new actors emerging. One is the current mayor, Farhad Niayesh, a Herati with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from the University of Herat and a master’s degree in water resources management from India. Aged 31 and not belonging to any political faction, he is the youngest mayor Herat has ever seen and is generally viewed by locals as hardworking. Many Heratis know him as a mayor whose civil service appointment test was taken and approved by President Ghani himself. This is seen as an important change in Herat politics because the highest municipal position has traditionally been a prerogative of Ismail Khan. The post is also economically significant: Herat Municipality collects over one billion AFN in revenue on an annual basis.

Niayesh has been actively working to change the face of Herat city. As part of a new urban master plan, the main road in central Herat is being widened (only Iran’s consulate still stands in the way as they have so far refused to move) and the city’s squares are being rebuilt (see, for example, here). Niayesh has also been working to connect Herat internationally. New railway lines are being constructed to link it to neighbouring Iran and Turkmenistan (see here and here). He also recently signed a ‘sister city’ agreement between Herat and Council Bluffs, a city in the US state of Iowa, in July 2016. This was a joint effort by military veterans from Iowa who had served in Afghanistan and Herati leaders to sustain and enhance bilateral understanding and relationships.

However, the young mayor has also run into hurdles. The widening of the main road, for example, has pitted him against the provincial council. Niayesh has accused the council of seeking USD 50,000 in kickbacks from contracts related to the project, an allegation the council has rejected as baseless. No investigation has so far been conducted into the accusation. The road project and the development of informal settlements in and around Herat city have again also revealed the extent and depth of land grabbing in Herat. This is a threat to the young mayor’s push for development, because it is extremely difficult to settle land and property disputes in a fair manner.

The mayor is also reportedly having a difficult relationship with Governor Rahimi. Local sources told this author the mayor tends to work in an independent manner, partly because he believes he enjoys the support of the president. This is putting him in conflict, not only with the governor who expects more consultation, but also with influential members of the provincial council. The pressure of other actors may force the mayor to proceed more carefully in order not to further threaten the interests of the local elite such as Ismail Khan and those around him.

The second recently emerging actor is the head of the provincial council, Haji Kamran Alizai. In contrast to the self-styled amir, the ‘ceremonial’ governor and the independent mayor – with all of whom he has a tense relationship –, Alizai belongs to what a writer in the Afghan daily newspaper, Hasht-e Sobh, has termed “a different generation of emerging local powerbrokers.” (7) A Pashtun from Kohsan district of Herat province and perceived as close to former President Karzai and recently to First Vice-President Abdul Rashid Dostum, Alizai means different things to different people. For his supporters, he is a determined and assiduous man who does what he says. For his opponents, he is a ranting, domineering bully who takes the law into his own hands.

He does not refrain from showing off the wealth he has accumulated, in his own words, from “oil imports from Iraq, Iran and Turkmenistan.” (8) Alizai is reportedly closer than most Herati figures of influence to the Iranian government through that country’s consulate in Herat. He frequently travels to Iran and has assumed an Iranian Farsi accent.

In an incident in May 2016 in downtown Herat, Alizai’s bodyguards shot and severely wounded a provincial National Directorate of Security (NDS) officer who had wanted to search the vehicles in Alizai’s convoy for illicit drugs. (10) It is because of events like this that some, including Hasht-e Sobh, have alleged that a major part of his wealth comes from large-scale smuggling of narcotics from western Afghanistan to Iran and Turkmenistan. (9) In another blatant case, Alizai along with his armed men stormed the Herat Appellate Attorney’s Office (the part of the Attorney General’s Office that deals with appeals) and freed a man accused of embezzlement. (11) This happened at the same time as, in Kabul, the Anti-Corruption Criminal Justice Centre was being opened by new Attorney General Muhammad Farid Hamidi and just before the Brussels conference on aid to Afghanistan when accountability would be one of the major themes (see previous AAN dispatch on Brussels Conference on Afghanistan here).

Until this point, the Afghan government had been either unwilling or unable (or both) to hold Alizai accountable for allegedly breaking the law, but Attorney General Hamidi did try. The confrontation between him and Alizai became what Herati parliamentarian, Ahmad Farhad Majidi, called “the battle between law and force in Herat.” (12) On 18 August 2016, the Attorney General issued an order suspending Alizai as head of Herat’s provincial council, banning him from leaving the country and asking the local government to arrest him. Nothing was actually done, though. This failure, among other things, increased the tension between Alizai and Governor Rahimi whose spokesman Jailani Farhad initially announced that the local administration would implement the Attorney General’s order. Back to Herat from a short visit to Kabul where he was seeking political support, Alizai was welcomed by a cheering crowd of supporters on 27 August 2016. He held a press conference soon afterwards in which he emphasised he did not apologise for his actions and blasted the local government, particularly Governor Rahimi, as “incompetent.” (13)

One of the people Alizai contacted and won backing from in Kabul was First Vice President Abdul Rashid Dostum. Billboards showing pictures of Alizai and Dostum were put up in various parts of the city after Alizai’s return to Herat. Even President Ghani has not intervened to remove Alizai after earlier complaints against Alizai’s alleged violations of laws. “The president told us that the people of Herat have elected Haji Kamran [Alizai] as provincial council head, so he couldn’t do anything about it,” said a civil society activist who had attended a meeting with Ghani when he visited Herat to inaugurate the Salma hydropower dam in June 2016.

As expected, Alizai stayed in his post as head of Herat provincial council for a third consecutive term. He reportedly stayed chairman “through the force of money”. The journalist quoted earlier told AAN that Alizai had offered up to USD 200,000 to each provincial council member who voted for him.

Deteriorating security around and in Herat city

In Herat, the elite is divergent and political power scattered among many actors. Additionally, the administration in Herat province and districts is generally dysfunctional. Many officials, including heads of provincial departments, district administrators and district police chiefs, who were summarily dismissed by President Ghani in December 2014, have still not been replaced by fully mandated authorities. These key provincial and district positions continue to be occupied by acting officials whose authority is only weakly recognised. One result of all this is that security has deteriorated across Herat province. Several districts have seen violent clashes not only between the Afghan government and the armed opposition – mostly the Taleban – but also between rival Taleban factions. Government forces’ patrols and checkpoints on the gates and outskirts of Herat are needed to guard the city against insecurity spreading from nearby districts such as Karokh to the northeast and Gozara to the south. In the words of one well-placed local journalist who covers security:

The Taleban are increasingly operating in most districts of Herat. They have their governor for Herat province and their administrators for Herat districts. The government is a physical structure as seen by its offices of governor and district administrators as well as by its security forces. The Taleban operate differently: they want to affect the minds of the people.

In July 2016, the security committee of Herat provincial council raised its concerns over insurgent groups having taken control of numerous areas in a number of districts, pointing to Shindand, Adraskan, Golran, Koshk-e Kohna and Farsi as particularly threatened. The committee members said that Taleban ruled most of the villages in those districts.

The most restive is Shindand, the most southern and strategic district that hosts one of Afghanistan’s largest airbases (and still some US military presence). As AAN reported in April 2016, the district witnessed violent clashes between two rival Taleban groups, from the Mansur/Haibatullah mainstream and the dissident faction loyal to Mullah Rasul. In response, government forces have, on several occasions, intervened in the Shindand conflict to quell the insurgency. The intra-Taleban clashes in Shindand are ongoing and have caused heavy casualties. There has also been government/Taleban fighting, including an attack on Afghan commando forces in October 2016; the number of casualties remains unknown. (14) To make the situation more manageable in this volatile part of Herat province, the Afghan government plans to divide Shindand into several smaller districts. Whether this will contribute to security and governance is doubtful, however.

Other districts have also been getting increasingly unsafe. Like Shindand, there has been Taleban infighting in the district of Pashtun Zarghun to the immediate southeast of Herat city. Further in the east, in Chesht-e Sharif district, where the strategic Salma hydro-electric dam is located, the local Taleban have repeatedly abducted people who work for the Afghan government and also claimed an attack on foreign tourists (see here and here). (15) In the west, in the districts of Kohsan and Golran that border Iran, increasingly active local Taleban has spurred the Afghan government to carry out “mopping-up operations” there (see here and here). The district of Koshk-e Kohna in the north has also witnessed increased Taleban activity. The nearby southern district of Gozara, the centre of which is only around 15 kilometres away from central Herat city, is home to increased criminal activity by armed kidnappers and thieves.

Herat security officials have vowed to improve security in their province. The late commander of the Herat-based, Afghan National Army’s 207th Zafar Corps, General Mohiuddin Ghori, who died in a helicopter crash on 29 November 2016, had vowed to turn Afghanistan’s western region into “the graveyard of the Taleban” and had effectively taken an increasingly offensive posture against the insurgents. General Ghori had replaced General Taj Mohammad Jahed after Jahed was appointed Interior Minister in May 2016. It is not known yet who will replace General Ghori or how his death will affect Afghan security forces in the western region. There has also been a new police chief, General Muhammad Ayub Ansari, who succeeded General Abdul Majid Rozi following the latter’s retirement as per a presidential decree in July 2016. Rozi had been under increased public pressure due to worsening security.

Inside Herat city, insecurity is largely criminal and armed. (16) According to media reports, Herat is becoming notorious as “a city of assassinations, kidnappings and thefts.” (17) In a recent high-profile incident, on 28 April 2016, Samiuddin Rahin, the provincial attorney, was killed in his car by unknown armed motorcyclists in broad daylight in downtown Herat. It is not clear whether this killing was carried out by insurgents or criminals (or both).

This author has also come across at least two local people whose relatives have been kidnapped and, in one case, killed even after they paid a heavy ransom. In May 2016, the provincial NDS arrested what it called “16 professional kidnappers who had, in eight months, abducted ten people, hidden them in eight hideouts across the city, demanded ransom from their families and killed three of them”. As for thefts, both petty and grand, they have become commonplace. Local people are concerned about thefts of their cars, motorcycles and mobile phones. Member of Herat provincial council Habib ul-Rahman Pedram has said there are “at least ten cases of car thefts in Herat city per day.” (18) In late October 2016, armed men wearing police uniform broke into two jewellery stores and stole two kilogrammes of gold in broad daylight in central Herat. A few police officials were sacked in the wake of this robbery.

It seems there are various motives behind rising crime inside Herat and its environs. Several local elders told this author that many assassinations are, in fact, contract killings, paid for by local figures of influence to settle scores among them. Additionally, there are reports that locals whose fortunes have worsened in the wake of the international military drawdown are resorting to abductions and thefts as a quick way to make lots of money. Many believe the criminals operate in collusion with a corrupt police force.

Testing Herat’s dynamism: the experiences of local Heratis

Although political power in Herat has become more diffuse and security has deteriorated as a result, it does not mean that the current order in Herat – at least in the city – will fall apart. Rhetoric by local figures of influence such as Ismail Khan that Herat might fall to the armed opposition as Kunduz did is at best premature. This is because the insurgents – mainly the Taleban – and the criminals are as yet far from being able to counteract government forces. Equally importantly, Herat – again, the city at least – is economically, socially and culturally vibrant and this sustains and motivates the local population to keep up their every-day lives.

The dynamism of Herat is reflected in the day-to-day life of its people. This author has followed three Heratis** with different backgrounds and socioeconomic conditions for around a year. They give an indication of how non-elite Heratis are reacting to security and political developments and are thinking of and striving for the future.

Qader is a medical doctor in Herat Regional Hospital, the hospital that usually receives those killed and injured in security and criminal incidents in the city and surrounding areas. He also works in a number of crowded private clinics and hospitals in Herat city. Undeterred by the generally disappointing news of Herat and Afghanistan, which he follows on a daily basis, Qader is building a future for himself and his family by recently buying a plot of land in the centre of the city. On this land, he has almost finished constructing a house. The land and the house are currently worth around USD 100,000. However, Qader carries a pistol and closely follows his two children between home and school, as do almost all well-off fathers across the city.

The second Herati, Mama Farid, is a former mujahed and patriarch of a family in downtown Herat. He has discouraged his children from migrating abroad. Instead they continue their higher education in the bustling University of Herat, which has around fourteen thousand students, and work in the private sector, including in a money exchange in the major Khorasan Market in the city centre.

The third Herati, Rauf, a returnee from Iran, is a plasterer who has worked on the construction of the houses of both rich and poor people in and around Herat city. He believes in the future of Herat and, more broadly, of Afghanistan, that it will not return to ‘the bad old days’, because, in his words, “there has been so much change in terms of construction and development that makes it difficult for the past to be repeated.”

The lively city of Herat also hosts, on a weekly basis, events related to topics ranging from security to economics to culture and science. Recent examples include a film festival, an exhibition on tourism and souvenirs, the fifth Herat Security Dialogue, held in the ancient, renovated Herat Citadel and the five-star Arg Hotel, an exhibition of rural market products bringing village-based producers together from across the province, a biennial graphics exhibition in the University of Herat, the tenth exhibition of Afghan and Iranian industrial products, an exhibition of forty thousand books and events on mental health and psychotherapy (19), to give just a short list. (20) Of special note are, compared to Herat’s past as well as to other provinces across Afghanistan, the greater numbers of girls and women who are contributing to almost all spheres of Herat’s public life from education to the economy at large.

It is this dynamism that keeps large parts of the population engaged in day-to-day life and away from the insurgents and the criminals. The way that political power has become scattered among many actors and the worsening of security pose a crucial test to this liveliness, but it is premature to say which will overcome which. The current order, in which fragmenting politics and security go on at the same time as the dynamic life of a province and city, will stay, at least as long as Herat has not lost the vibrancy that has made it what it is: a bustling place in the midst of an ongoing battle between law and force.

 

* Said Reza Kazemi is an independent researcher. He has previously worked as a researcher for the Afghanistan Analysts Network (AAN).

** Names have been changed in order to protect the confidentiality of the local people under study.

 

 

(1) For a concise history of Herat, see this recent work: CPW Gammell, The Pearl of Khorasan: A History of Herat, London: Hurst, 2016.

(2) Antonio Giustozzi wrote in his 2005 paper “Warlords into businessmen: the Afghan transition 2002-2005” that initially “according to available information, Ismail Khan (…) was making so much money out of Islam Qala’s [border crossing] customs that he might not have felt the need to actually get directly involved in business activities. The customs revenue of Herat has been variously estimated at $100-300 million a year.”

Also on Ismail Khan’s interventions in the economy, see Jolyon Leslie, “Political and Economic Dynamics of Herat,” Washington, DC: United States Institute of Peace (USIP), 2015, especially pages 15-16 and 22-25.

(3) Jolyon Leslie, “Political and Economic Dynamics of Herat,” Washington, DC: United States Institute of Peace (USIP), 2015, 22.

(4) Commander Ghulam Yahya Akbari Siawushani, from Siawushan village in Gozara district, was a former Herat mayor under Ismail Khan’s governorship. He was killed along with 24 of his armed men in a military operation by Afghan government and ISAF forces in October 2009. In 2009, he had told a reporter, “I agree with a lot of what the Taleban do, and I have even helped them out financially. I am in contact with one group of Taleban, but I am operating an independent front.” See Thomas Ruttig, “The Other Side: Dimensions of the Afghan Insurgency: Causes, Actors and Approaches to ‘Talks,’” Afghanistan Analysts Network (AAN), Thematic Report 01/2009, July 2009, 11.

(5) AAN media monitoring: Tolo TV, 1 November 2016.

(6) Centre-periphery relations are tense in Afghanistan. The central government has used political appointments to compete with established provincial elite, not for institution-building as claimed, but for its own favourite patrimonialism. See Antonio Giustozzi and Dominique Orsini, “Centre-Periphery Relations in Afghanistan: Badakhshan between Patrimonialism and Institution-Building,” Central Asian Survey, 28:1, 2009, 1-16.

(7) Hasht-e Sobh, 7 Sonbola 1395 / 28 August 2016, 4.

(8) Hasht-e Sobh, 31 Asad 1395 / 21 August 2016, 3.

(9) Hasht-e Sobh, 7 Sonbola 1395 / 28 August 2016, 4.

(10) Hasht-e Sobh, 7 Sonbola 1395 / 28 August 2016, 4.

(11) Hasht-e Sobh, 3 Sonbola 1395 / 24 August 2016, 7.

(12) Hasht-e Sobh, 30 Asad 1395 / 20 August 2016, 7.

(13) Hasht-e Sobh, 7 Sonbola 1395 / 28 August 2016, 4.

(14) Afghan Islamic Press, 20 October 2016.

(15) This author’s interview with a relative of a government employee who has been abducted in Chesht-e Sharif, Herat city, October 2016.

(16) However, there was a high-profile security incident in May 2016 in which three rockets were fired from a secharkh [the three-wheeled Herati rickshaw] on the building of Herat governor’s office, killing a civilian man, injuring seven other people and destroying parts of the building. It is not clear whether this was an act carried out by the insurgency.

(17) Somayya Walizada, “Edama-ye Kabus-e Qatl wa Terur dar Herat [Continuation of the Nightmare of Killing and Assassination in Herat],” Killid Magazine, Issue 720, 14 May 2016, 24; Sune Engel Rasmussen, “Afghanistan’s model city is also its kidnapping capital,” The Week, 6 August 2015.

(18) Hasht-e Sobh, 31 Jawza 1395 / 20 June 2016, 5.

(19) The events on mental health and psychotherapy were attended by scores of people, including this author, in Herat city.

(20) In one spectacular recent event, Herati women held their fourth international film festival in the capital city of Kabul in late October 2016. This film festival is attracting participants from across the world and is becoming globally renowned (all about this film festival here.)

The US Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has completed the initial phase of tactical undersea network architecture (TUNA) programme, which aims to develop temporary, underwater, fibre-optic communications networks to ensure connectivi…

Pakistan has confirmed the successful test firing of a submarine-launched cruise missile (SLCM), Babur-3, from an undisclosed location in the Indian Ocean.

Safran Electronics & Defense has been selected by the French defence procurement agency DGA to deliver an upgraded version of its global navigation system installed on the French Navy's Triomphant-class ballistic missile nuclear submarines (SSBN).

Americas

• AAI Corporation has secured a contract for a maximum of $475 million for the provision of mid-endurance unmanned aircraft systems intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance services at multiple locations worldwide. An indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity award, the work includes a 54-month period of performance, with four 12-month ordering periods followed by one six-month ordering period. Estimated completion date is July 2022.

• The DoD has announced the successful demonstration of Perdix mini-UAVs, released by three F/A-18 Super Hornets. 103 of the mirco-drones were released during the exercise and were capable of performing advanced swarm behaviors such as collective decision-making, adaptive formation flying, and self-healing. According to the DoD, the October 2016 demonstration represents one of the first examples of the Pentagon using teams of small, inexpensive, autonomous systems to perform missions once achieved only by large, expensive ones.

• A one hundred billion dollar plan for the US Navy to procure 12 new Columbia-class nuclear submarines has moved forward. Outgoing Pentagon acquisition undersecretary Frank Kendall gave his blessing to the program, announcing the Milestone B approval, which will move work on the new subs into the Engineering and Manufacturing Development phase. With less than ten days left of the Obama administration, it is expected that President-elect Donald Trump will continue the effort after his inauguration on January 20. Costing $127 billion and expected to stretch into the 2030s, the program will see Ohio-class nuclear submarines replaced in what was originally referred to as the Ohio Class Replacement (ORP).

Middle East & North Africa

• Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) will collaborate with Sierra Nevada Corp. to offer a trainer to the USAF’s T-X competition. Dubbed the SNC-TAI Freedom Trainer, the aircraft is a lightweight twin-engine trainer with an all composite airframe and a fully digital fly-by-wire (FBW) flight control system. The trainer also utilizes a significant amount of existing off-the-shelf subsystems, aimed at keeping procurement and running costs low. Speaking on the collaborator’s offering, Sierra’s president Fatih Ozmen said “In this day of tight budgets and looming operations and sustainment bow waves, it only makes sense for the Air Force to spend less up-front so they can save more over the life cycle, which is why this training system makes so much sense.”

Europe

• Production of a Laser Directed Energy Weapon demonstrator has been ordered by the UK government, with MBDA and industry partners from the UK Dragonfire consortium winning a $36 million contract to carry out the work. It is hoped that the weapon will be demonstrated by 2019, eventually entering service by the mid-2020s. London also signed a $303 million Integrated Support and Training contract with Leonardo Helicopters in a five year deal for the provision of support work of Royal Navy AW159 Wildcat ASW helicopters.

• General Atomics will provide MQ-9 Reaper UAVs to the Spanish government, following a $53 million contract award by the USAF. The order is an adjustment to an existing basic ordering agreement between the United States and Spain. In 2015, Madrid selected the Reaper over the Heron TP to perform homeland security, counter-insurgency, and counter-terrorism operations. The procurement is expected to cost some $181 million over five years.

• The Russian branch in charge of land-based intercontinental ballistic missiles, the Strategic Missile Troops, plan to switch to an all digital communication network by 2020. Speaking on the plan, Defense Ministry sources said that the last four years have seen the equipping of missile launch centers and command points across the country with new digital telecommunication equipment. “If the current pace of modernization is maintained, by 2020 the Russian Strategic Missile Forces will be 100-percent equipped with digital data transmission technologies,” the statement said.

Asia Pacific

• Discussions are underway between the governments of India and Vietnam over the potential sale of India’s indigenous Akash air defense missile system. Hanoi is keen for negotiations to include a possible technology transfer, while New Delhi is leaning toward promoting an initial off-the-shelf purchase of the system prior to any discussions over technology transfer and joint production. Vietnam represents a growing market for Indian training and gear, with India already set to provide training to Vietnamese Su-30MKI fighter pilots, and they have already trained sailors on operating Kilo-class submarines.

Today’s Video

The release of Perdix mini-UAVs from F/A-18 Super Hornets:

India’s new surface-to-air missile, the Akash, successfully struck an airborne target towed from a remote control aircraft in late November. The weapon is designed to hit aircraft up to 25 km away with a 55 kg warhead. Reuters: India Test-Fires Akash Missile

Update

January 11/2017: Discussions are underway between the governments of India and Vietnam over the potential sale of India’s indigenous Akash air defense missile system. Hanoi is keen for negotiations to include a possible technology transfer, while New Delhi is leaning toward promoting an initial off-the-shelf purchase of the system prior to any discussions over technology transfer and joint production. Vietnam represents a growing market for Indian training and gear, with India already set to provide training to Vietnamese Su-30MKI fighter pilots, and they have already trained sailors on operating Kilo-class submarines.

Basic Nuclear Propulsion
(click to expand)

This DII Spotlight article covers American nuclear propulsion industrial base contracts since the beginning of FY 2006. The USA has had an all-nuclear submarine fleet for over 50 years, a policy that dates back to the visionary Admiral Hyman Rickover. On the surface, America’s aircraft carriers became an all-nuclear fleet with the retirement of the USS Kitty Hawk [CV 63], and FY 2008-09 spending legislation pushed the US Navy to use nuclear power in its future CG (X) cruisers and new amphibious ship classes. At present, however, carriers are the only nuclear-powered American surface ships on the drawing board.

The civilian nuclear sector has seen major advances over the last 2 decades, and so has the military sector. The commitment to a nuclear fleet includes funding for those technical advances, as well as work to maintain both the reactors on board American ships, and the industrial base that supports them.

Nuclear Naval Propulsion Around the World

CVN Charles de Gaulle
(click to view full)

Several navies around the world currently use nuclear propulsion in at least some ships and submarines. Britain’s sale of its SSK Upholder Class to Canada (as the problem-plagued Victoria Class) has made them an all-nuclear submarine fleet, like their American allies. China, France, India, and Russia all use naval nuclear propulsion within mixed submarine fleets, and Brazil has launched an SSN program of its own.

On the surface, America’s aircraft carriers are joined by France’s problem-plagued aircraft carrier FS Charles de Gaulle, and by Russia’s Kirov Class cruisers.

The saga of the Charles de Gaulle serves as a reminder that adapting nuclear power technologies to the small spaces of a submarine, or installing them a surface warship, is no trivial feat. Much can go wrong, even in nations that have considerable naval nuclear propulsion experience.

On the flip side, advances in design can offer significant benefits. The new nuclear plants in America’s Virginia Class and Seawolf Class fast attack subs, and in Britain’s new Astute Class fast attack submarines, offer designs that will save billions of dollars by eliminating the standard mid-life reactor refueling.

American Contracts (FY 2006 – Present)

SSN-774 cutaway:
Virginia Class
(click to view: Large!)

Most contracts noted here are awarded by the US Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) in Washington, DC. The exception is Babcock & Wilcox contracts. They’re issued by the US Department of Energy, rather than the Department of Defense, even though they’re defense-related.

Completion dates or other additional information are not provided for Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program contracts as a matter of official policy. Other contracts related to maintenance, however, may show completion dates.

FY 2017

Over $13 billion in contracts; mPower fails to gain traction.

CVN-71, Indian Ocean
(click to view full)

January 11/17: A one hundred billion dollar plan for the US Navy to procure 12 new Columbia-class nuclear submarines has moved forward. Outgoing Pentagon acquisition undersecretary Frank Kendall gave his blessing to the program, announcing the Milestone B approval, which will move work on the new subs into the Engineering and Manufacturing Development phase. With less than ten days left of the Obama administration, it is expected that President-elect Donald Trump will continue the effort after his inauguration on January 20. Costing $127 billion and expected to stretch into the 2030s, the program will see Ohio-class nuclear submarines replaced in what was originally referred to as the Ohio Class Replacement (ORP).

December 29/16: Bechtel Plant Machinery will deliver nuclear propulsion components in a $303 million US Navy contract. The components provide nuclear propulsion capabilities to power a variety of Navy vessels, including submarines and aircraft carriers, by drawing power from a small nuclear power plant installed on the vessel. Bechtel received $205 million in Fiscal 2016 shipbuilding and Fiscal 2017 procurement funding at the time of the award.

FY 2013 – 2014

Over $13 billion in contracts; mPower fails to gain traction.

July 23/14: Bechtel Plant Machinery Inc. in Monroeville, PA receives a $39.4 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract modification for naval nuclear propulsion components. All funds are committed immediately, and work will be performed in Monroeville, PA (99%), and Schenectady, NY (1%) (N00024-12-C-2106).

May 5/14: Bechtel Plant Machinery Inc. in Monroeville, PA receives a $17.8 million cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to previously awarded contract for naval nuclear propulsion components. All funds are committed immediately, and work will be performed in Schenectady, NY (68%), and Monroeville, PA (32%) (N00024-12-C-2106).

April 30/14: Babcock & Wilcox Nuclear Operations Group announces 7 orders from the US Naval Reactors Program, worth about $195 million in total.

The first 4 are new, incrementally funded contracts for SSBN-X submarine reactor engineering design, fabrication and development work. They total $76.8 million.

A $23.7 million FY 2014 order will manufacture nuclear components to support US defense programs, including naval nuclear power systems for submarines and aircraft carriers. It’s part of a previously announced $1.3 billion contract.

A $76 million FY 2014 order buys material to be used in the assembly of nuclear propulsion components, as part of a previously announced $366 million contract (q.v. May 15/13).

Finally, a new $18.8 million contract covers FY 2014 disassembly and recovery of highly enriched uranium materials. Sources: B&W NOG, “B&W Announces $195 Million in Naval Reactors Contracts and Orders”.

April 14/14: mPower. B&W had hoped for civilian projects using its small modular mPower reactor design (q.v. July 14/10), which built on US naval nuclear reactor technology to create safer and more compact 3++ generation reactors. Unfortunately, that hasn’t worked out. From “B&W Announces Restructuring of Small Modular Reactor Program”:

“B&W continues to believe in the strength of the mPower technology, but without the ability to secure significant additional investors or customer Engineering, Procurement and Construction contracts to provide the financial support necessary to develop and deploy mPower reactors, the current development pace will be slowed…. B&W notified the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) on April 9 of its plans for reduced spending, indicating it would work with the DOE and other stakeholders during the next one to two months to confirm the best path forward to develop a mutually agreeable plan including program milestones for continuing the cost-shared industry partnership program. B&W expects to invest up to $15 million annually, beginning the third quarter of 2014.”

mPower downgraded

March 28/14: Personnel. Babcock & Wilcox restructures its government operations, moving the Nuclear Operations Group, Nuclear Fuel Services, and B&W Technical Services Group, Inc. under President and COO Peyton S. (Sandy) Baker. In parallel, Kenneth R. Camplin is named Government Operations VP and Chief Business Development Officer, and Charles G. (Chuck) Spencer, will serve as COO of the Technical Services Group. Sources: B&W, “B&W Restructures Government Operations; Names Peyton S. Baker to Lead”.

Feb 27/14: Babcock & Wilcox Nuclear Fuel Services, Inc. receives 2 contract worth about $302 million from the US Department of Energy’s Naval Reactors Laboratory Field Office. Both are 1-year contracts with an added 1-year option.

The 1st contract involves the manufacture and delivery of fuel and support activities for the US Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program, as the program’s sole provider since 1964. The 2nd covers development of material for future Naval Reactors programs.

Work under the contracts will be performed at NFS facilities in Erwin, TN from January 2014 through February 2016. Sources: B&W, “B&W Subsidiary Awarded Up to $302 Million in Contracts for Naval Reactors Fuel, Materials Services”.

Nov 5/13: Bechtel Marine Propulsion Corp. in San Francisco, CA receives a $7.07 billion contract modification for naval nuclear propulsion work at the Bettis & Knolls Atomic Power Laboratories. Bechtel says it’s 1 of 2 concurrent 5-year contracts that add up to about $13 billion, split between the US Department of Energy and the US Navy.

Under the two 5-year extensions, Bechtel will continue providing management and operations services at the Bettis and Knolls Atomic Power Laboratories, and will continue its work in support of the US Naval Reactors Program through Sept 30/18. Bechtel has provided management and operation services for the labs since 2009, and their management and operation services at the Bettis Laboratory extend all the way back to 1999.

Work will be performed in Schenectady, NY (58%), Pittsburgh, PA (32%), and Idaho Falls, ID (10%). $82.9 million in FY 2014 funding is committed immediately, and if fully funded, $484.7 million will expire at the end of the fiscal year, on Sept 30/14 (N00024-08-C-2103). Sources: Pentagon | Bechtel, “Bechtel Awarded Contract Extensions for US Naval Reactors Program”.

$13 billion multi-year extensions

Oct 29/13: Bechtel Plant Machinery Inc. in Monroeville, PA receives a $197.6 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract modification for naval nuclear propulsion components. All funds are committed immediately, using the Navy’s FY 2014 other procurement funds. Work will be performed in Monroeville, PA (93%), and Schenectady, NY (7%) (N00024-12-C-2106).

May 21/13: Bechtel Plant Machinery Inc. in Monroeville, PA receives a $7.1 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract modification for Naval Nuclear Propulsion Components. Work will be performed in Monroeville, PA (80.4%), and Schenectady, NY (19.6%) (N00024-12-C-2106).

May 15/13: Babcock & Wilcox Nuclear Operations Group, Inc. announces a $366 million contract from the US Naval Reactors Program, for material to be used in the assembly of nuclear propulsion components. An initial $75 million has been released, with the rest available over the next 6 years from 2014 – 2019. Work will take place in B&W NOG’s Lynchburg, VA facility. Sources: B&W NOG, May 15/13 release.

Feb 11/13: Babcock & Wilcox Nuclear Operations Group, Inc. announces 2 U.S. Naval Reactors Program contracts totaling approximately $36 million, building nuclear components for Virginia Class submarines. $32 million is for nuclear propulsion components, and $4 million is for long lead-time items. Work began in Q4 2012 and will be performed at B&W’s Lynchburg, VA facility over a 4-year period. Sources: B&W NOG, Feb 11/13 release.

Feb 5/13: Babcock & Wilcox Nuclear Operations Group, Inc. announces “more than $510 million” in contracts to make nuclear components over an 8-year to support U.S. defense programs, “…including the manufacture of naval nuclear power systems for submarines and aircraft carriers. The entire amount was appropriated in the fourth quarter of 2012.”

Over $445 million was issued as options under the $2 billion contract awarded in 2010 (q.v. Oct 19/09), while over $65 million is issued under a new FY 2013 agreement. Work will be performed at B&W NOG’s Lynchburg, VA facility; at Barberton and Euclid, OH; and Mt. Vernon, IN facilities, beginning January 2013. Sources: B&W NOG, Feb 5/13 release.

Nov 20/12: Bechtel Plant Machinery Inc. in Monroeville, PA receives a $330.1 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to previously awarded contract for naval nuclear propulsion components.

Work will be performed in Monroeville, PA (91.09%) and Schenectady, NY (8.91%). $253 million is committed at the time of award, and $1.6 million will expire at the end of the current fiscal year, on Sept 30/12 (N00024-12-C-2106).

Nov 15/12: Bechtel Plant Machinery Inc. in Monroeville, PA receives a $355.9 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for naval nuclear propulsion components.

Work will be performed in Monroeville, PA (68.75%), and Schenectady, NY (31.25%). US Naval Sea Systems Command in Washington, DC manages the contract (N00024-13-C-2121).

FY 2012

About $1.5 billion in contracts.

July 12/12: Babcock & Wilcox Nuclear Operations Group, Inc. announces 3 US Naval Reactors Program contracts, worth a total of about $73 million. The contracts are for “technology development and nuclear manufacturing in support of US Navy training operations and other naval nuclear-related programs.”

June 28/12: Babcock & Wilcox Nuclear Operations Group, Inc. announces 2 US Naval Reactors Program contracts, worth a total of about $82 million. They’ll make steam generating components, and perform disassembly and recovery of highly enriched uranium materials.

May 15/12: Bechtel Plant Machinery, Inc. in Monroeville, PA receives a $20 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract modification for Naval Nuclear Propulsion components. Work will be performed in Monroeville, PA (96.33%), and Schenectady, NY (3.67%), under (N00024-12-C-2106).

May 9/12: Babcock & Wilcox Nuclear Operations Group, Inc. (B&W NOG) announces a 5-year, $130 million contract for nuclear reactor components, “based on recent technological advances that will be used on the U.S. Navy’s Virginia-Class submarines.” The release adds that this award is not part of any similar, previously announced contracts, but stands on its own as an added buy.

Work will be performed at B&W NOG’s Lynchburg, VA facility, beginning immediately.

Feb 6/12: Bechtel Plant Machinery, Inc. in Monroeville, PA receives a $583 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for naval nuclear propulsion components. Work will be performed in Monroeville, PA (65.9%), and Schenectady, NY (34.1%), under (N00024-12-C-2107).

Feb 1/12: Bechtel Marine Propulsion Corp. in San Francisco, CA receives a $359.7 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract modification for nuclear propulsion work at the Bettis Atomic Power Laboratory and Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory. Work will be performed in Norwich, CT (84.9%); Monroeville, PA (12.5%); and Norfolk, VA (2.6%), under (N00024-08-C-2103).

Feb 1/12: Bechtel Plant Machinery, Inc. in Monroeville, PA receives a $12.6 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract modification to exercise an option for naval nuclear propulsion components. Work will be performed in Monroeville, PA (N00024-12-C-2106).

It’s possible that this announcement supersedes an erroneous announcement the day before.

Jan 31/12: Bechtel Plant Machinery, Inc. in Monroeville, PA receives a $12.5 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract modification to exercise an option for naval nuclear propulsion components. Work will be performed in Monroeville, PA (N00024-12-C-2106).

Nov 17/11: Bechtel Plant Machinery, Inc. in Monroeville, PA receives a $261.6 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for naval nuclear propulsion components. $140.8 million of that is being committed now, with the rest available if and as needed.

Work will be performed in Monroeville, PA (97.7%), and Schenectady, NY (2.3%). $1,000,000 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year, on Sept 30/12 (N00024-12-C-2106).

Nov 3/11: Babcock & Wilcox subsidiary Nuclear Fuel Services, Inc. (NFS) announces a $114.9 million contract extension to manufacture and deliver fuel and support activities for the U.S. Naval Nuclear Propulsion program.

NFS manufactures nuclear fuel for the U.S. Navy’s fleet of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers and submarines, also processes HEU in a highly secure, NRC-licensed Category 1 facility. They’ve been doing that for over 50 years.

FY 2011

About $1.96 billion in contracts so far; $2b contract to B&W from 2011-2013.

May 27/11: Bechtel Plant Machinery, Inc., Monroeville, PA receives a $26.8 million contract modification for naval nuclear propulsion components. Work will be performed in Monroeville, PA (93.7%), and Schenectady, NY (6.3%) (N00024-07-C-2100).

Feb 11/11: Babcock & Wilcox subsidiary Nuclear Fuel Services, Inc. (NFS) announces a $79 million 2011 contract extension to manufacture and deliver fuel and support activities for the U.S. Naval Nuclear Propulsion program.

Jan 13/11: Babcock & Wilcox Nuclear Operations Group, Inc. announces an award of approximately $2 billion for the manufacture of nuclear components to support US defense programs, which includes the manufacture of naval nuclear power systems for submarines and aircraft carriers. The base portion of the contract, which totals $807 million, will be funded in January and March and included in backlog at the end of 2010. The options are expected to be funded in FY 2012 and 2013. The work will be performed over a 10-year period, beginning in January 2011. Babcock & Wilson was spun off from McDermott International in July 2010 (see Jan 27/10 entry re the Nuclear Operations Group). Babcox & Wilcox release.

Nov 29/10: Bechtel Plant Machinery in Monroeville, PA receives a $232.3 million contract modification to for naval nuclear propulsion components. Work will be performed in Monroeville, PA (90.2%), and Schenectady, NY (9.8%). $3.6 million will expire at the end of the current fiscal year, on Sept 30/10 (N00024-07-C-2100).

This brings the firm’s announced FY 2011 contracts to $1.047 billion.

Oct 29/10: Bechtel Plant Machinery, Inc. in Monroeville, PA receives a $303.5 million contract modification for naval nuclear propulsion components.

Work will be performed in Monroeville, PA (70.8%), and Schenectady, NY (29.2%). This is a NAVSEA contract (N00024-07-C-2102).

Oct 25/10: Bechtel Plant Machinery, Inc. in Monroeville, PA receives a new $511.3 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for naval nuclear propulsion components.

Work will be performed in Monroeville, PA (70.8%), and Schenectady, NY (29.2%). This is a NAVSEA contract (N00024-11-C-2127).

FY 2010

mPower brings miniaturization to civil tech; $1.39 billion in contracts.

mPower reactor
(click to view full)

July 14/10: mPower. All that work on more compact reactors may be about to start paying civilian dividends as well. Babcock & Wilcox Nuclear Energy, Inc. and Bechtel Power Corporation announce a formal alliance to design, license and deploy the world’s first commercially viable Generation III++ small modular nuclear power plant. This is a purely civilian project, but it draws heavily on existing experience in both civilian and military reactor construction, and could have feedback loops into future military design and deployment.

This new “Generation mPower” alliance aims to build on the 125 megawatt B&W mPower SMR(Small Modular Reactor) development program underway for the past 2 years. B&W will focus on designing and testing the nuclear steam supply system (NSSS) and nuclear island, including the design certification application development and submission, and NSSS production. Bechtel will complement these responsibilities with integrated engineering and project management leadership. Depending on regulatory approval and other factors, the alliance believes that the first plant could be deployed as early as 2020. B&W release | B&W feature, incl. video. | Bechtel release | Bechtel feature, incl. video. | Wall St. Journal.

April 29/10: Bechtel Plant Machinery Inc. in Monroeville, PA receives a $37.3 million modification to a previously awarded contract for naval nuclear propulsion components. Work will be performed in Monroeville, PA (90%) and Schenectady, NY (10%). Contract funds in the amount of $923,558 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year (N00024-07-C-2100).

Jan 27/10: Babcock & Wilcox Nuclear Operations Group, Inc. announces an award of approximately $450 million for the manufacture of nuclear components to support U.S. defense programs, which includes the manufacture of U.S. Naval nuclear power systems for submarines and aircraft carriers.

Babcock & Wilcox is an operating group of McDermott International, Inc., and employs about 4,000 people. B&W NOG is headquartered in Lynchburg, VA, with locations in Barberton, OH; Mount Vernon, IN; and Euclid, OH; as well as at subsidiary Nuclear Fuel Services, Inc. in Erwin, TN. Together, the facilities offer a range of nuclear components and services, from providing nuclear fuel and the manufacture of reactors for U.S. Naval submarines and aircraft carriers to other nuclear and non-nuclear R&D and component production. The company also performs plutonium and uranium decontamination and decommissioning, facility stabilization, and nuclear materials management. Babcock & Wilcox release.

Nov 18/09: Bechtel Plant Machinery Inc. in Monroeville, PA receives a $248.8 million modification to a previously awarded contract for naval nuclear propulsion components. Work will be performed in Monroeville, PA (95%) and Schenectady, NY (5%). Contract funds in the amount of $326.7 million will expire at the end of the current fiscal year (N00024-07-C-2100).

Nov 10/09: Bechtel Plant Machinery Inc. in Monroeville, PA receives a $110.5 million modification to a previously awarded contract for additional naval nuclear propulsion components. Work will be performed in Schenectady, NY (86%) and Monroeville, PA (14%) (N00024-07-C-2102).

Oct 19/09: Bechtel Plant Machinery Inc. in Monroeville, PA receives a $523.5 million cost-plus-fixed fee contract for naval nuclear propulsion components. Work will be performed in Monroeville, PA (67%) and Schenectady, NY (33%)

Subsequent releases indicate that this contract actually has a total potential value of over $2 billion (N00024-10-C-2119).

Oct 13/09: General Dynamics Electric Boat Corp. in Groton, CT received an $18.1 million modification to a previously awarded contract for reactor plant planning yard services for nuclear-powered submarines and support yard services for the US Navy’s moored training ships. The contractor will furnish, fabricate, or acquire such materials, supplies and services as may be necessary to perform the functions of the planning yard for reactor plants and associated portions of the propulsion plants for nuclear-powered submarines.

Work will be performed in Groton, CT (95%), Charleston, SC (5%), and is expected to be complete by September 2010. This contract was not competitively procured by the Naval Sea Systems Command in Washington, DC (N00024-07-C-2103).

FY 2009

$2.66 billion in contracts, which includes part of a $2.66 billion, 10-year contract to B&W.

May 29/09: Bechtel Plant Machinery Inc. in Monroeville, PA receives an $11.7 million modification to a previously awarded contract for Naval Nuclear Propulsion Components. Work will be performed in Pittsburgh, PA (90.5%) and Schenectady, NY (9.5%). Contract funds in the amount of $233,157 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year (N00024-07-C-2100).

Feb 25/09: Babcock & Wilcox Nuclear Operations Group, Inc. announces awards “in excess of $1 billion” for the manufacture of nuclear components to support U.S. defense programs, including the manufacture of U.S. Naval nuclear power systems for submarines and aircraft carriers. This work is part of a previously negotiated and announced set of contracts that, if fully executed, will be worth more than $2.66 billion in revenue over 10 years.

As a result of this increased workload, B&W NOG expects to hire an estimated 250 new salaried and hourly employees throughout 3 of its locations. B&W NOG is headquartered in Lynchburg, VA, with locations in Barberton, OH; Mount Vernon, IN; and Euclid, OH; as well as at subsidiary Nuclear Fuel Services, Inc. in Erwin, TN.

Nov 3/08: Curtiss-Wright Corporation announces a contract from Bechtel Plant Machinery, Inc. (BPMI), to provide critical valves for the nuclear propulsion systems in the U.S. Navy’s next 4 Virginia-Class submarines, and the 2nd Ford-Class Aircraft Carrier [CVN 79]. The contract contains options for up to 4 more sets: a submarine ship-set and an aircraft carrier ship-set funded in 2008, and 2 additional submarine ship-sets to be funded in 2009.

The value is over $83 million if all options are exercised, and the initial award is for an initial ship-set of submarine valves and long lead materials valued at approximately $15 million. Curtiss-Wright’s Flow Control segment will perform the work at its facility in East Farmingdale, NY. Delivery is scheduled to commence in 2009 and continue through 2017.

Variants of Curtiss-Wright’s Smart, Leakless Valves are already used in the commercial nuclear power industry. These fully automated, sealed solenoid valves can control the flow of liquids, gas, and steam, withstanding up to 2500 psi pressure and 670F temperatures while requiring little to no maintenance over long periods. The firm is now using the valve beyond nuclear power applications, and has a $62 million contract to retrofit all of the JP-5 jet fuel pumping station valves on the U.S. Navy’s Nimitz class aircraft carriers.

Oct 30/08: Bechtel Plant Machinery Inc. in Pittsburgh, PA receives a $605 million modification to previously awarded contract for additional naval nuclear propulsion components. Work will be performed in Pittsburgh, PA (68%) and Schenectady, NY (32%) (N00024-07-C-2102).

Oct 16/08: Babcock & Wilcox announces a new award for the manufacture of nuclear components in support of U.S. defense programs. The contracts employ a multiple-award approach over a number of years, which is designed to give the U.S. government cost predictability, while providing B&W with additional financial incentives based on performance.

Under this award, the contracts for 2008 are valued in excess of $230 million. They are the initial contracts under a negotiated set of orders that, if executed, would total more than $960 million between 2008 – 2010. These awards are in addition to a $1.7 billion series of contracts that B&W previously announced for 2007 – 2009. If all future orders are placed, the total value of the awards for the period of 2007 – 2010 would be approximately $2.66 billion.

Oct 15/08: Bechtel Plant Machinery Inc. in Pittsburgh, PA receives a $200.5 million cost plus fixed fee modification to previously awarded contract for Naval nuclear propulsion components. Work will be performed in Pittsburgh, PA (97%) and Schenectady, NY (3%) (N00024-07-C-2100).

Oct 15/08: KAPL Inc. (Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory) in Schenectady, NY receives a $62.2 million cost plus fixed fee modification to previously awarded contract for Naval nuclear propulsion work during FY 2009. This is the contract’s 9th year of performance.

Work will be performed in Schenectady, NY, and funding in the amount of $39.1 million will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The original contract was competitively procured (N00024-00-C-4011).

Oct 14/08: Bechtel Plant Machinery Inc. in Pittsburgh, PA received a $349 million cost plus fixed fee contract for naval nuclear propulsion components. Work will be performed in Pittsburgh, PA (77%) and Schenectady, NY (23%) (N00024-09-C-2108).

Oct 10/08: Bechtel Bettis Inc. in West Mifflin, PA received a $205.3 million cost-plus-fixed fee modification for FY 2009 naval nuclear propulsion work at the Bettis Atomic Power Laboratory. Work will be performed in West Mifflin, PA, and contract funds in the amount of $90 million will expire at the end of FY 2009 (N00024-98-C-4064)

FY 2008

$6-9.7 billion to operate Bettis and Knolls Atomic Power Laboratories; $1.58 billion in other contracts.

Sept 18/08: Bechtel Marine Propulsion Corp. in San Francisco, CA receives a cost plus fixed fee contract for “Naval Nuclear Propulsion work.” What this means is that Bechtel Marine Propulsion Corporation (BMPC) has been awarded contracts to operate the Bettis and Knolls Atomic Power Laboratories, under a 5-year contract with the Department of Energy (DOE) and the U.S. Navy’s Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA). This contract was competitively procured, with 3 offers received via the U.S. Department of Energy’s Industry Interactive Procurement System (N00024-08-C-2103).

The Bettis Atomic Power Laboratory is currently operated by Bechtel Bettis, Inc.; it has facilities in Pittsburgh, PA; Idaho Falls, ID; and Charleston, SC. The Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory in Schenectady, NY, is currently operated by Lockheed Martin subsidiary KAPL, Inc. BMPC will assume operation of the Bettis and Knolls Atomic Power Laboratories on Feb 1/09, following a 4-month transition period.

Bechtel’s release values this contract at $6 billion, but the Pentagon’s DefenseLINK adds that the contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value to an estimated $9.724 billion. Work will be performed in Schenectady, NY (30%); Idaho Falls, ID (15%); and Pittsburgh, PA (55%). See also Bechtel release.

April 16/08: Bechtel Plant Machinery Inc. in Pittsburgh, PA received an $80.2 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract modification to previously awarded contract for Naval Nuclear Propulsion Components. Work will be performed in Pittsburgh, PA (99%) and Schenectady, NY (1%) (N00024-07-C-2100).

Feb 22/08: Bechtel Plant Machinery Inc. in Pittsburgh, PA received a $312.6 million modification to previously awarded cost-plus-fixed fee contract for Naval nuclear propulsion components. Work will be performed in Pittsburgh, PA (68.3%, and Schenectady, NY (31.7%) (N00024-08-C-2118).

Dec 6/07: Bechtel Plant Machinery Inc. in Pittsburgh, PA received a $165.7 million modification to previously awarded contract for Naval Nuclear Propulsion Components. Work will be performed in Pittsburgh, PA (74%), and Schenectady, N.Y. (26%) (N00024-07-C-2100).

Oct 16/07: Bechtel Plant Machinery Inc. in Pittsburgh, PA received a $282.3 million cost-plus-fixed fee contract for Naval Nuclear Propulsion Components. Work will be performed in Pittsburgh, PA (62%) and Schenectady, NY (38%). The contract was not competitively procured (N00024-08-C-2118).

Oct 16/07: Bechtel Plant Machinery Inc. in Pittsburgh, PA received a $124.4 million cost-plus-fixed fee modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-07-C-2102) for additional naval nuclear propulsion components. Work will be performed in Pittsburgh, PA (52%) and Schenectady, NY (48%) (N00024-07-C-2102).

Oct 12/07: Bechtel Bettis Inc., Bettis Atomic Power Laboratory, West Mifflin, PA received a $450.7 million cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-98-C-4064) for Naval Nuclear Propulsion work at the Bettis Atomic Power Laboratory. Work will be performed in West Mifflin, PA. Contract funds in the amount of $242.2 million will expire at the end of the current fiscal year.

GlobalSecurity.org notes that:

“Bettis [Atomic Power Laboratory] is engaged solely in the design and development of naval nuclear propulsion plants. The Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program is a joint Navy/DOE program responsible for all matters pertaining to Naval nuclear propulsion. This Program is distinct from the remainder of DOE both by Presidential Executive Order and by statute.

The Lab provides technical support for the safe and reliable operation of existing Naval reactors. Bettis designed reactor plants for the first nuclear-powered submarine (USS Nautilus), the first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier (USS Enterprise), all of the Nimitz-class aircraft carriers, and the USS Seawolf [attack submarines]. …A major new initiative for the Laboratory is design of the nuclear propulsion plants and electrical power systems for the next class of US Navy aircraft carriers.”

The CVN-21 Class super-carriers‘ new reactor is an important part of the effort to slash their lifetime costs by up to $5 billion per ship.

Oct 11/07: KAPL Inc. (Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory) in Schenectady, NY received a $168.9 million cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-00-C-4011) for Naval nuclear propulsion work at the Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory. Work will be performed in Schenectady, NY. Contract funds in the amount of $109 million will expire at the end of the current fiscal year.

Oct 10/07: General Dynamics Electric Boat Corp. in Groton, CT received an $16.2 million modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-07-C-2103) for reactor plant planning yard services for nuclear-powered submarines and support yard services for the US Navy’s moored training ships. Work will be performed in Groton, CT (95%), Charleston, SC (5%), and is expected to be complete by September 2008. This contract was not competitively procured by the Naval Sea Systems Command in Washington, DC.

FY 2007

B&W finishes asbestos-related financial reorganization; Up to $1.7b to BWXT through 2007-2009; $1.62 billion in contracts.

June 6/07: Bechtel Plant Machinery Inc. in Schenectady, NY received a $69.9 million cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-07-C-2100) for Naval nuclear propulsion components. Work will be performed in Pittsburgh, PA (85%) and Schenectady, NY (15%).

April 30/07: Bechtel Plant Machinery Inc. in Schenectady, NY received a $13.4 million cost-plus-fixed fee modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-07-C-2101) for additional naval nuclear propulsion components. Work will be performed in Schenectady, NY.

March 30/07: McDermott International, Inc. subsidiary, BWX Technologies, Inc. (BWXT) announces 2 major U.S. Government contracts to manufacture nuclear components in support of U.S. defense programs. Taken together, the awards are worth more than $320 million, and contain options for the anticipated requirements through 2009 that could total up to $1.7 billion. BWXT can improve the contracts’ profitability by achieving certain performance measures.

BWXT, headquartered in Lynchburg, VA, supplies nuclear operations services and products to the US Government and commercial clients. BWXT also manages complex production facilities and advanced energy products. Among its diverse capabilities are decontamination and decommissioning, waste management, engineering, and project management services.

Feb 28/07: Bechtel Plant Machinery Inc. in Schenectady, NY received a $7.8 million modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-07-C-2102) for additional naval nuclear propulsion components. Work will be performed in Schenectady, NY.

Dec 27/06: McDermott International, Inc. and its subsidiaries announce that they have completed remaining financial obligations under The Babcock & Wilcox Company’s (“B&W”) plan of reorganization and settlement agreement. With the completion of these payments, the Company has satisfied all of its financial obligations to the B&W asbestos trust.

On on Dec 1/06, the Company retired the $250 million contingent promissory note utilizing the term loan feature under B&W’s credit facility; and on Dec 21/06, McDermott paid from cash on hand the $355 million contingent payment right. The contingent payment right and contingent note vested on Dec 1/06, as a result of the Fairness in Asbestos Injury Resolution Act of 2005, or other similar legislation, failing to become law by Nov 30/06. The new term debt matures on Feb 22/12, and bears interest at LIBOR plus 3.0%. McDermott may prepay this loan at any time without penalty.

By completing all payments owed to the asbestos trust ahead of schedule and during this calendar year, the Company accelerates the tax benefit associated with these payments. EVP and CFO Frank Kalman says that they expect to receive a cash tax refund of approximately $250 million, most likely in late 2007 or early 2008, subject to the resolution of open IRS tax audits.

Oct 17/06: Bechtel Plant Machinery Inc. in Schenectady, NY received a $267.5 million cost-plus-fixed fee contract for naval nuclear propulsion components, raising its contracts awarded to $442.2 million total since Oct 1/06. Work will be performed in Pittsburgh, PA (52%) and Schenectady, NY (48%). The contract was not competitively procured (N00024-07-C-2101). DID has covered previous awards to Bechtel Plant Machinery for naval nuclear propulsion components, including the previous 2 entries, plus FY 2006 awards for $166.3 million in December 2005, and another $272.2 million in October 2005. A FY 2006 award for $35.6 million was also made in on May 25, 2006, but not covered by DID at the time.

Oct 16/06: Bechtel Plant Machinery Inc. in Schenectady, NY received a $44.8 million cost-plus-fixed fee contract for naval nuclear propulsion components, which can be added to the Oct. 12, 2006 award to get a total of $174.7 million. Work will be performed in Schenectady, NY. The contract was not competitively procured (N00024-07-C-2102).

Oct 12/06: Bechtel Plant Machinery Inc. in Schenectady, NY received a $129.9 million cost-plus-fixed fee contract for Naval nuclear propulsion components. Work will be performed in Schenectady, NY (48%) and Pittsburgh, PA (52%). The contract was not competitively procured (N00024-07-C-2100)

Oct 12/06: Bechtel Bettis Inc., Bettis Atomic Power Laboratory in West Mifflin, PA received a $461.1 million cost-plus-fixed fee modification to previously awarded contract N00024-98-C-4064 for naval nuclear propulsion work (FY 2006 award: $480.7 million). Work will be performed in West Mifflin, PA. This action represents funding of the contract’s 7th year of effort, and contract funds in the amount of $104.7 million will expire at the end of the current fiscal year.

Oct 12/06: KAPL Inc. (Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory) in Schenectady, NY received a $160.4 million cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to previously awarded contract N00024-00-C-4011 for Naval nuclear propulsion work at the Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory during fiscal year 2007 (FY 2006 award: $138.6 million). Work will be performed in Schenectady, NY. This represents funding for the contract’s 7th year of performance, and funding in the amount of $25.5 million will expire at the end of the current fiscal year (N00024-00-C-4011).

Oct 11/06: General Dynamics Electric Boat Corp. in Groton, CT received an $18.7 million cost-plus-fixed-fee, level of effort contract for reactor plant planning yard services for nuclear-powered submarines and support yard services for Navy moored training ships. This work generally includes engineering services for lifecycle support, maintenance and modernization of the reactor plants and selected propulsion-plant systems of Los Angeles, Trident and Seawolf-class submarines, and the nuclear research submarine NR-1. Additionally, Electric Boat provides similar services for all systems on the Navy’s moored training ships in Charleston, SC.

Work will be performed in Groton, CT (95%) and Charleston, SC (5%), and is expected to be complete by September 2007. This contract was not competitively procured by the Naval Sea Systems Command in Washington, DC (N00024-07-C-2103).

FY 2006

B&W out of bankruptcy; $1.54 billion in contracts.

May 25/06: Bechtel Plant Machinery Inc. Schenectady, N.Y., is being awarded a $35.6 million cost-plus-fixed fee modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-02-C-2102) for Naval nuclear propulsion components. Work will be performed in Pittsburgh, PA (68%) and Schenectady, NY (32%).

Feb 22/06: McDermott International, Inc. announces that:

“The Babcock & Wilcox Company and certain of its subsidiaries (“B&W”) have now exited from Chapter 11 bankruptcy and entered into its previously announced settlement. Accordingly, B&W’s financial results will be re-consolidated with McDermott’s and its operations managed without Bankruptcy Court supervision.”

The move comes 6 years to the day since its original Chapter 11 filing. McDermott also announces that B&W has finalized and implemented its exit-financing package, and has funded its initial payment of $350 million and $1.15 billion face-amount of insurance to the asbestos-claimants’ trust. Depending on the status of national asbestos legislation at Nov 30/06, either an additional $25 million or $605 million in consideration will be made available to the trust in the time periods required.

B&W’s exit-financing package consists of 3 tranches, for a combined total of $650 million of credit capacity. In December 2005, Moody’s Investors Services and Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services issued newly assigned credit ratings for B&W of B1 and B+, respectively.

B&W out of Chap. 11

Dec 20/05: Bechtel Plant Machinery Inc. in Pittsburgh, PA received a $166.3 million cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-02-C-2102) for naval nuclear propulsion components. Work will be performed in Pittsburgh, PA (73%) and Schenectady, NY (27%).

Dec 19/05: McDermott International, Inc. subsidiary, BWX Technologies, Inc. (BWXT) announces “several major U.S. government contracts,” valued “in excess of $410 million,” for the manufacture of components in support of U.S. defense programs. BWXT, headquartered in Lynchburg, VA, supplies nuclear power operations services and products to the US government and commercial clients.

Oct 20/05: KAPL Inc. Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory in Schenectady, NY received a $138.6 million cost-plus-fixed fee modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-00-C-4011) for naval nuclear propulsion work at the Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory. Work will be performed in Schenectady, NY.

Oct 20/05: Bechtel Bettis Inc. at Bettis Atomic Power Laboratory in West Mifflin, PA, received a $480.7 million cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-98-C-4064) for naval nuclear Propulsion work at the Bettis Atomic Power Laboratory. Work will be performed in West Mifflin, PA.

Oct 18/05: Bechtel Plant Machinery Inc. in Pittsburgh, PA received a $279.2 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for Naval nuclear propulsion components. Work will be performed in Schenectady, NY (50%) and Pittsburgh, PA (50%). Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The contract was not competitively procured (N00024-06-C-2106).

Oct 14/05: Bechtel Plant Machinery Inc. in Pittsburgh, PA received a $30.2 million cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-04-C-2104) for Naval Nuclear Propulsion Components. Work will be performed in Pittsburgh, PA.

Additional Readings

• Absolute Astronomy – United States Nuclear Reactor. The USN uses light water reactor designs, mirroring the American civilian nuclear industry.

• US Department of Energy – Nuclear. The US DoE is responsible for a number of military nuclear power contracts.

• Babcock & Wilcox Company.

• Bechtel Marine Propulsion Corporation.

• Bechtel Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory – Naval Reactors Program.

• Bechtel Plant Machinery, Inc.

• Bechtel – Nuclear Power.