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Floatin’ Smokey: The USA’s SBX Radar

Fri, 08/17/2018 - 05:54

SBX-1, Pearl Harbor
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As rogue state proliferation by the likes of North Korea made missile defense a growing priority for nations including the USA, Japan, and Israel, the USA began to look at the linchpin of any defense: powerful radars that could both track ballistic missiles, and guide interceptors. The USA has its BMEWS tracking system, but that would not serve. America’s Safeguard ABM system was dismantled long ago – though Russia still maintains its counterpart System A-135 network around Moscow. Something new would be needed.

Enter Raytheon’s new XBR radar, based on an SBX-1 platform that looks a lot like a mobile oil drilling rig. Basing the radar at sea offers numerous advantages. One is the obvious ability to move the radar as threats materialize, allowing much greater coverage with fewer radars. Another is the ability to protect allies, without having to invest in expensive systems whose regional capabilities and value to the USA could be put at risk by the decisions of a single foreign government. In exchange for this freedom from political interference, of course, the designers must contend with nature’s interference in the stormy Pacific.

Boeing SBX system is linked to its land-based GMD (Ground-based Mid-course Defense) missile system but can also operate with other naval and land elements.

The XBR Radar and SBX Platform

SBX concept
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Initially, the SDX will provide the Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD) element of the Ballistic Missile Defense System with an advanced training and decoy discrimination capability that will help interceptor missiles located in Alaska and California provide a defense against a limited long-range missile attack.

Information from SBX would go to the missile system nerve center in Colorado Springs, Colorado, which could then deploy defensive missiles from sites in Alaska and California. The radar’s position in the northern Pacific would allow it to keep an eye on North Korea, which is viewed as the greatest missile threat to the United States at present. It had been homeported midway along the Aleutian Islands chain in Adak, Alaska, but SBX-1 is capable of moving throughout the Pacific Ocean to support both missile defense advanced testing and defensive operations.

Tests of GMD intercept missiles thus far have been hit-or-miss, with close to half of the interceptors either not getting off the ground or missing the target. Naval launches of Raytheon’s SM-3 missile have had far more success, however, and the SBX has been used in a number of these launches as a collaborating element. Meanwhile, system development of the land-based GMD system continues.

After the radar was removed from operational status in 2012 as a money-saving move, it was located in Hawaii. By April 2013, however, North Korean threats pushed the US Navy to activate SBX and sail it into the Pacific once more.

Boeing Co. is GMD’s prime contractor, including the GMD missiles and overall integration of SBX. Raytheon is the primary subcontractor, with responsibility for the XBR radar. Alpha Marine Services’ M/V Dove is chartered as the platform’s supply vessel, and Interocean American Shipping Corp. holds the crewing charter for the underlying SBX-1 vessel.

The XBR Radar

Catching foreign speeders
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Raytheon’s giant XBR radar is a distant relative of the X-band radars used by police to detect speeding drivers, but designed to detect and illuminate incoming missiles instead. It floats on a system resembling an oil drilling platform, and will usually provide long-range mid-course guidance for ballistic missile defense systems. It can also provide earlier guidance if positioned correctly. The Sea-Based X-Band radar (SBX) that uses it was originally planned as a land-based system, but a sea-based system became possible when the George W. Bush administration withdrew from the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty.

The XBR radar has been fitted to a huge mobile oil platform built by a Russian firm. It would normally steam out to offshore waters and be used as a base to drill oil and gas wells. Instead, SBX will steam at a top speed of about 7 mph and add a mobile element to the USA’s missile defense network.

The $815 million, mechanically-slewed, X-band phased array assembly is 280 feet (85 meters) tall, and weighs 2,400 tons. The radome alone weighs 18,000 pounds, stands over 103 feet high, and is 120 feet in diameter. Made entirely of a high-tech synthetic fabric, the radome is supported by air pressure alone, and is designed to withstand 130+ mph winds and a “100-year storm” at sea. This makes it far more durable than any air-supported radome of remotely comparable size, and its design and fabrication required development of several new processes, materials, and technologies.

New technologies have been developed within the radar as well. XBR leverages lessons learned on earlier radar programs, including the Ground-Based Radar – Prototype (GBR-P), located at Kwajalein in the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the land-based AN/TPY-2 Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) radar. Raytheon continued to work on design and manufacturing enhancements, including 3 iterations of cost and reliability improvements to Raytheon’s Gallium Arsenide Transmit/Receive (GaN T/R) module, which lies at the heart of its X-Band radar family. That’s good, because XBR uses over 45,000 T/R modules, and has a Physical Aperture of 384 m2 and Active Aperture of 248 m2.

XBR provides 2-90 degree elevation coverage (not exactly vertical, can be tipped upward), and about 270 degrees of azimuth coverage (beam width profile). It scan a horizon of about 2,500 miles (4,000 km) at a sensitivity so great that it could detect the movement of a baseball at the opposite end of the United States. X-band radars also have much tighter discrimination than UHF radars like Alaska’s Cobra Dane, which means they’re faster and better at telling separating incoming warheads apart from debris and decoys.

Contracts & Events

Unless otherwise noted, the US Missile Defense Agency (US MDA) in Huntsville, AL manages these contracts.

FY 2012 – 2018

Budget cuts force SBX out of operation; North Korea forces it back into operation; Crewing charter.

SBX departs
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August 17/18: Sea-based BMD The Navy is contracting TOTE Services to support SBX-1. The company is being awarded with a firm-fixed-price contract valued at $11.1 million. The company will be responsible for operating and maintaining the Sea-Based X-Band Radar vessel. The X-band radar, also known as the SBX, was originally planned as a land-based system but a sea-based system became possible when the Bush administration withdrew from the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty. It constitutes a mid-course fire control radar based on a seagoing semi-submersible vessel. The $815 million, mechanically-slewed, X-band phased array assembly is 280 feet tall, and weighs 2,400 tons. The radome alone weighs 18,000 pounds, stands over 103 feet high, and is 120 feet in diameter. Made entirely of a high-tech synthetic fabric, the radome is supported by air pressure alone, and is designed to withstand 130+ mph winds and a “100-year storm” at sea. The radar performs cued search, precision tracking, object discrimination and missile kill assessment. The in-flight interceptor communication system data terminal transfers commands from the GMD fire control system to the interceptor missile during its engagement with the target missile. This contract is scheduled for completion by September 2019, but does include several options which could extend the contract until end of March, 2024. The total cumulative value of this contract would rise to $65.3 million, if all options are exercised.

April 26/13: What’s My Role? The GAO looks at the Missile Defense Agency’s full array of programs in report #GAO-13-342, “Missile Defense: Opportunity To Refocus On Strengthening Acquisition Management.” With respect to SBX, it has this to say:

“MDA faces continuing portfolio challenges…. For example, after approximately $2 billion had been spent in several years of development, the SBX sea-based radar was downgraded from operational status to a limited test status because of funding limitations…. Limited test support status means SBX will support BMDS flight and ground tests as appropriate, but can be recalled to active, operational status when warnings indicate a need…. By transitioning SBX to a limited test support status, MDA officials expect to save almost $670 million in operation and maintenance costs for fiscal years 2013 through 2018.

Because SBX is primarily used to support GMD’s defense of the United States, removing SBX from operational status also changes how the BMDS operates…. [Northern] command has developed alternatives for conducting engagements without the SBX. However… there is a difference in how the BMDS operates without SBX, the details of which are classified.”

Those plans must include the huge Cobra Dane PAVE PAWS radar in Alaska – but its sustainment funds only exist to 2015, its UHF frequency isn’t good for target discrimination, and it will need another upgrade soon. Replacing Cobra Dane would cost an estimated $1 billion, though the NRC’s suggestion of a “GBX” stacked TPY-2 radar could bring that cost down considerably.

April 1/13: Off the bench. The USA deploys SBX, sailing it from Pearl Harbor and toward North Korea in the wake of serous threats made against the USA as well as South Korea. Obviously, the Navy isn’t talking about exactly where it’s headed, but there are many safe places in the Pacific that offer a better vantage point for North Korea’s expected “test” launches. Chosun Ilbo | Hankyoreh | Hawaii News Now | KITV Hawaii | conservative Heritage Foundation.

Dec 13/11: Support. Boeing in Huntsville, AL receives a $15.1 million sole-source cost-plus-fixed-fee contract modification, exercising an option for continued SBX operation and sustainment services from Jan 1/12 through June 30/12.

Work will be performed in Huntsville, AL. FY 2012 research, development, test, and evaluation funds will be used (HQ0147-09-C-0007).

Nov 3/11: Crewing. Interocean American Shipping Corp. in Moorestown, NJ receives a $28.2 million firm-fixed-price contract to crew and maintain the Sea-Based X-Band Radar platform, SBX-1. Contract funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year, on Sept 30/12, but 4 more 1-year option periods could turn it into a 5-year, $165.2 million deal.

This contract was competitively procured via solicitations posted to Military Sealift Command, Navy Electronic Commerce Online, and FBO.gov websites, with 5 offers received out of 100 firms with access. US Military Sealift Command in Washington, DC manages the contract (N00033-12-C-2500).

Crewing charter

Nov 1/11: Support. The US Missile Defense Agency (MDA) awards Raytheon IDS of Woburn, MA a maximum $307.6 million indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contract. Under this new contract, Raytheon will maintain software required to operate “the X-band family of radars,” and perform and Ballistic Missile Defense System test planning, execution and analysis.

Discussions with Raytheon personnel confirmed that the funding applies to SBX’s XBR radar, as well as Raytheon’s AN/TPY-2 radars (THAAD, European missile defense, deployed in Israel & Japan), and a “Ground Based Radar Prototype” that they’re working on as a technology demonstrator.

Work will be performed in Woburn, MA from Nov 1/11 through Oct 31/13, and the MDA’s FY 2012 research, development, test and evaluation funds will be used to fund initial orders. The MDA at Redstone Arsenal, AL manages the contract (HQ0147-12-D-0005).

Oct 19/11: To Hawaii. The US MDA announces that SBX is about the head into Pearl Habror, HI for scheduled maintenance and crew training operations.

FY 2010 – 2011

Test failure: try to turn it all on next time; Supply vessel chartered.

Renewed Vigor
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Sept 19/11: Support vessel. Edison Chouest subsidiary Alpha Marine Services, LLC in Galliano, LA wins a $25.3 million firm-fixed-price contract for the time charter of M/V Dove, a US-flagged, anchor-handling, towing supply vessel that will be used to support SBX-1. M/V Dove will transfer fuel, supplies, and offshore workers to and from SBX-1, and will function as the platform’s oil spill response vessel. Alpha Marine Services will operate and maintain M/V Dove for the duration of the charter. This contract includes 4 more 1-year option periods, which could bring the total contract to $147 million.

Work will be provided in the Pacific Ocean, and is expected to be complete by September 2012. Contract funds are subject to availability in FY 2012, and will expire on either Sept 30/12 or Sept 30/13; subsequent options could extend that. This contract was competitively procured via a solicitation posted to the Military Sealift Command, Navy Electronic Commerce Online, and FBO.gov websites with 4 offers received. US Military Sealift Command in Washington, DC manages the contract (N00033-11-C-2006).

Support vessel charter

Aug 20/11: Maintenance. SBX leaves from Vigor Shipyards (formerly Todd Shipyards) in Seattle, WA, where the sea platform has been undergoing scheduled maintenance and planned upgrades over the past 3 months. A Naval Vessel Protection Zone will be applied to SBX as it departs, and will be monitored by the US Coast Guard. US MDA.

April 19/11: Maintenance. A sole-source, not-to-exceed $27.2 million cost-plus-fixed-fee (CPFF) contract modification. The firm will provide support for SBX’s shipyard maintenance at Todd Pacific Shipyard in Seattle, WA, from March 2011 through September 2011.

$10.4 million in FY 2011 Research, Development, Test and Evaluation funds will be used to incrementally fund this effort (HQ0147-09-C-0007, P00028).

Oct 7/10: Maintenance. The Missile Defense Agency is planning to have SBX undergo modifications and maintenance at the Todd Shipyard in Seattle, WA. Work is expected to start in March 2011, cost about $9.4 million, and take about 90 days.

Work on the vessel’s thrusters and other modifications must begin in March, 2011, in order to maintain its Certificate of Inspection issued by the American Bureau of Shipping. Maintaining SBX requires a port with water depth of at least 50 feet, and there are only 3 facilities on the US West Coast with deep enough facilities: Todd, Naval Station Everett, WA; and Naval Air Station North Island, CA. US MDA.

Sept 30/10: Development. Boeing in Huntsville, AL, receives a $27.9 million sole-source cost-plus-award-fee modification to continue Sea-based X-band Radar development, test and evaluation efforts.

Work will be performed in Huntsville, AL from October 2010 through July 2011. This procurement will be funded with both FY 2010 and FY 2011 Missile Defense Agency research, development, test and evaluation funds (HQ0147-09-C-0008).

April 6/10: Why? Aviation Week is able to add some details regarding the January 2010 test failure:

“The first problem, known in the rocket sector as “chuffing,” occurred as the target boosted from the Kwajalein Atoll… refers to the sound that the motor makes, but it is also used to describe changes in the burn rate or pressure of burning in the solid-rocket fuel… [it’s] common in rocket motors, particularly older boosters. LV-2 used Trident C4 boosters, some of which are 25-35 years in age.

…While the chuffing did not affect target performance, a problem arose when… Algorithms designed to help SBX “filter out” chuffing were not engaged during the test [which became] more complex than it should have been. In a real engagement, this official says, the algorithms would be engaged… The second problem contributing to the test failure involved the functioning of the Exoatmospheric Kill Vehicle (EKV) itself, according to the officials. The EKV apparently experienced a mechanical failure in a thruster. This was described by one of the officials as a quality control issue brought on by a faulty connector.”

Jan 31/10: Testing. The USA MDA announces that, following a number of successful missile interception tests involving SBX in a supporting role, the latest test experienced a glitch:

“A target missile was successfully launched at approximately 3:40 p.m. PST from the U.S. Army’s Reagan Test Site at Kwajalein Atoll in the Republic of the Marshall Islands. Approximately six minutes later, a Ground-Based Interceptor was successfully launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. Both the target missile and Ground-Based Interceptor performed nominally after launch. However, the Sea-Based X-band radar did not perform as expected.”

USAF moves ahead with NG-OPIR | ‘Sons of Sa’ar’ sail to protect Israeli economic interests | Russia is modernizing its strategic bomber fleet

Thu, 08/16/2018 - 06:00

Americas

The US pace and Missile Systems Center is ordering new missile defense satellites. Lockheed Martin will manufacture the three Next Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared Geosynchronous Earth Orbit Space Vehicles at a cost of $2.9 billion. The satellites will be a follow on to the US Space Based Infrared System (SBIRS) program. The SBIRS architecture includes a resilient mix of satellites in geosynchronous earth orbit (GEO), payloads in highly elliptical orbit (HEO), as well as ground-based hardware and software. The integrated system supports multiple missions simultaneously, while providing robust performance with global, persistent coverage. The Next-Gen OPIR will succeed the current SBIRS by providing improved missile warning capabilities that are more survivable against emerging threats. This order supplements a similar contract to be awarded to Lockheed Martin, that sees for the production of two polar space vehicles. The contract encompasses a variety of tasks ranging from requirements analysis to a system critical design review. Work will be performed at Lockheed’s facility in Sunnyvale, California, and is expected to be completed by April 30th, 2021.

The Air Force is boosting its lethality with help from researchers at George Mason University. The University is receiving a cost contract for hardware and software valued at $60.4 million. The objective of this contract is to use existing infrastructure and proven technologies as means to enhance the capabilities of the Mobile Unmanned/Manned Distributed Lethality Airborne Network (MUDLAN) architecture. Under the contract, airborne high-bandwidth, multi-beam common datalink, autonomous connectivity will be demonstrated between tactical data-links and swarming unmanned aircraft systems and small unmanned aircraft systems. First concrete concepts of distributed lethality were introduced in January 2015 as a response to the development of very capable anti-access area-denial (A2/AD) weapons and sensors specifically designed to deny access to a contested area. The plan is to fully interlink submarines, ships, UAVs and fighter jets so that they can track, identify and engage enemy forces simultaneously. Work will be performed in Fairfax, Virginia, and is expected to be completed by August, 2022.

The Air Force One’s little brother is set to receive an interior makeover. The awarded $16 million contract enables Boeing to make all necessary changes to the C-32A so that its interior commensurates with the President’s VC-25A, better known as Air Force One. Changes include new interior elements, cleaning and painting efforts and replacing the current double-seat configuration with a triple-seat configuration. The C-32 is a specially configured version of the Boeing 757-200 commercial intercontinental airliner. The primary customers are the vice president, using the distinctive call sign “Air Force Two,” the first lady, and members of the Cabinet and Congress. Work will be performed at Boeing’s facility in Oklahoma City and is scheduled for completion by August 2019.

Middle East & Africa

Israel will send its ‘Sons of Sa’ar’ to protect its Mediterranean gas fields and its exclusive economic zone. The Israeli Navy is set to receive four next-generation Sa’ar 6 corvettes between 2019 and 2024. The 300-feet-long warships, which are currently being built in Kiel, Germany, will be packed to the gills with highly sensitive detection equipment — to monitor both the surrounding sea and airspace — as well as offensive weapons and defensive missile interceptors. The ships will be equipped with the ‘Naval Dome’, essentially a navalized version of the Iron Dome, with the Barak-8 missile at its core. The Barak-8, and aims to deliver up to 42 mile of range, thanks to a dual-pulse solid rocket motor whose second “pulse” fires as the missile approaches its target. This ensures that the missile isn’t just coasting in the final stages, giving it more than one chance at a fast, maneuvering target. The missile’s most important feature may be its active seeker. Instead of forcing its ship or land-based radar to “paint”/illuminate its target at all times, the Barak 8 can be left alone once it is close to its target. This is an excellent approach for dealing with saturation attacks using older ship radars, which can track many targets but illuminate just a few. The Barak-8 was developed by IAI in collaboration with Israel’s DDR&D, India’s DRDO (Defense Research and Development Organization), the navies of both countries, Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd., IAI’s ELTA Group and local industries in India.

Europe

The Spanish Ministry of Defense is looking for UAV systems to be deployed overseas. The military wants to procure a UAS that is light weight (20kg class) and must be suitable for protect troops that are posted on overseas training missions where local protection and security levels are minimal. The running bidding contest states the the country wants to purchase two systems, each consisting of three UAVs and their payload at a cost of $4.9 million. The contract also includes two ground stations and required launching and recovering systems. Currently there are several systems on the market that would fulfil Spain’s requirement. Considering the fact that Spain likes to support its domestic industry one likely contender could be the Fulmar X. Others include Insitu’s ScanEagle and Aerovironment’s Puma AE.

Jane’s reports that the UK is buying counter-unmanned aircraft system developed by Israeli defense contractor Rafael. According to Rafael, Drone Dome is an innovative end-to-end defence system designed to provide effective airspace defence against hostile drones, including micro and nano drones used by terrorist groups to gather intelligence and carry out aerial attacks. The C-UAS provides 360° circular coverage and is designed to detect, track, and neutralize drones classified as threats flying in No-Fly zones. The system integrates subsystems from different Israeli specialist manufacturers, including RADA that provides the RPS-42 Radar and communications intercept unit provide early warning and target detection, coupled with Controp’s MEOS EO/IR observation used for target recognition. The electronic attack segment is represented by C-Guard RD provided by Netline. RAFAEL’s Command and control system integrates these subsystems to enable effective and simple operation by a single user. The Drone Dome is designed to operate autonomously, or from command and control centers. No details pertaining to delivery timelines or contract values were disclosed.

Asia-Pacific

Russia is launching a modernization program for its ageing fleet of Tu-95MS long-range strategic bombers. Despite being a Soviet-era aircraft the Tu-95MS conducted a number of bombing sorties in Syria where it attacked a total of 66 targets with cruise missiles. Between 1979 and 1993 several dozen Tu-95MSs were produced. The ‘Bear’ is powered by four turboprop engines and can be equipped with either 6 or 16 Kh-55 missiles and carry a further eight Kh-101 air-launched cruise missiles or 14 Kh-65 anti-ship missiles. Self-defence capabilities include two 23mm automatic cannons and electronic jamming equipment. The modernization will include an upgraded NK-12MPM engine, new electronics, a new navigation system and enhanced weapon systems. Work will be performed at Tupolev’s Taganrog Aviation Plant, with the first overhauled Tu-95MSM scheduled to be ready for departure by the end of 2019. Russia plans to keep the planes in service until 2040.

The government of the Philippines is receiving a Special Airborne Mission Installation and Response (SABIR) system as part of a US military assistance package. The system has a price-tag of $15 million and will enhance the Philippine military’s maritime domain awareness, airborne command and control, counterterrorism, and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) capabilities. The system will be installed on C-130 aircraft and will transform the airframe into a sophisticated C4ISR platform which retains it basic cargo aircraft capacity. SABIR is a system of individual “bolt-on” modular components that can be configured in a number of ways to support various missions, aircraft configurations, and other customer-specific requirements. This SABIR system will be operated by the PAF’s 300 Air Intelligence and Security Wing (300 AISW) out of Benito Ebuen Air Base, Mactan.

Today’s Video

Watch: Osprey performs take-off and landing on aircraft-carrier.

Categories: Defense`s Feeds

Budget Busters: The USA’s SBIRS-High Missile Warning Satellites

Thu, 08/16/2018 - 05:58

SBIRS-High
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The Space Based Infrared System (SBIRS)-High satellite program is a key component of the USA’s future missile alert system, designed to give maximum warning and monitoring of ballistic missile launches anywhere in the world. The new satellites will replace the existing Defense Support Program (DSP) fleet. Their infrared sensors have 3x the sensitivity of DSP and 2x the revisit rate, while providing better persistent coverage.

Unfortunately, the program has been beset by massive cost overruns on the order of 400%, technical challenges that continue to present problems, and uncertainties about performance. Despite these problems, the U.S. Air Force is proceeding with the program, and has terminated potential alternatives and supplements. However, as part of a January 2015 effort to institute cost reforms, the Air Force will weaken requirements for the program, and at least three other major procurement programs.

SBIRS – High: Current State

Caption

The SBIRS team is led by the Infrared Space Systems Directorate at the U.S. Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles Air Force Base, CA. Lockheed Martin Space Systems in Sunnyvale, CA is the SBIRS prime contractor. Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems in Azusa, CA as the payload subcontractor, and Lockheed Martin Information Systems & Global Services in Boulder, CO is the ground system subcontractor.

SBIRS-High GEO are satellites, while SBIRS-High HEO (High Elliptical Orbit) are payloads hosted on spacecraft with classified launch dates. At present, 2 HEO are in service, and a 3rd HEO payload is prepping for launch. The first SBIRS High HEO payload was declared operational in November 2008.

The first SBIRS-High GEO satellite launch was pushed back many times, thanks to significant program delays that moved the initial launch back from 2002. SBIRS GEO-1 wasn’t delivered to Cape Canaveral until March 2011, and the launch actually took place in May 2011.

Increment 1 of the program used the SBIRS Control Segment and User Segment, operating with DSP satellites, to handle current military capability. Initial Operational Capability was attained Dec 18/01, consolidating the operations of the “DSP” and “Attack” and “Launch Early Reporting to Theater” missions.

It was eventually joined by SBIRS payloads in space, currently referred to as “SBIRS Effectivity 5,” which has been deemed both operationally effective (performance) and operationally suitable (maintained and supported). As of March 2014, SBIRS HEO-1 and HEO-2 are in use, and so are SBIRS GEO-1 and GEO-2.

The program’s final state is Increment 2, which is covered below.

SBIRS: Budgets & Next Steps

About 12 years after the 1st SBIRS satellite was supposed to launch, the Pentagon still has a lot of work to do en route to the final Increment 2. That state will include 2 hosted SBIRS HEO payloads, and 4 satellites in geosynchronous orbit. Increment 2 also involves new ground system software and hardware for consolidated data processing across DSP and SBIRS, and improved SBIRS performance.

The first step is fixing GEO-1. Other software problems took precedence, so GEO-1 launched without event recovery software intended to re-establish ground control in case of a failure. Given successful recovery software testing of GEO-2, the USAF plans to upload the software to GEO-1 in Q4 2014.

SBIRS GEO-3 and GEO-4 have run into a number of problems that have added costs and delays: GEO-3 will be delivered in September 2015 now.

The Block 10 mobile ground system (MGS) software increment is expected to be delivered in March 2016. It will let the USAF process integrated data from the DSP, SBIRS HEO sensors and SBIRS GEO, with fully-tuned sensor data that’s cleared of background noise like irrelevant light sources. The tuning feature was originally supposed to wait until 2018.

GEO-4 will be delivered in September 2016 now.

MGS Block 20 software is expected to achieve certification in June 2018. The program plans to fully meet operational requirements in 2019.

GEO-5 and GEO-6 will be in storage for quite some time after they’re delivered, since they’re scheduled to replace GEO-1 and GEO-2 at the end of their useful lives. These satellites will feature further improvements, including a Unified S-Band uplink frequency with a modulation scheme to the existing L-Band Space to Ground Link System.

Alternatives, Interrupted

Raytheon’s 3GIRS

According to US GAO auditors, the SBIRS program has suffered from immature technologies, unclear requirements, unstable funding, underestimated software complexity, poor oversight, and other problems that have resulted in billions of dollars in cost overruns and years in schedule delays. The cost of the program has ballooned from an original $4.8 billion estimate to over $18.8 billion. Normally, this kind of performance would produce program cancellation, but the USAF had no alternatives for a mission that must be carried out: early detection of ballistic missiles, and detection of nuclear detonations.

In 2006 the USAF finally began a parallel effort known as the Alternative Infrared Satellite System (AIRSS). AIRSS/3GIRS was intended to ensure that the nation’s missile-warning and defense capabilities could be sustained, even in SBIRS-High failed. It showed early progress, and could have provided a less expensive supplement to the SBIRS-High constellation. By the time 3GIRS began to show progress, however, SBIRS was beginning to show adequate performance, and was now too far advanced to cancel. The USAF has continued to develop some of the ideas in 3GIRS via research and demonstrations involving commercially hosted payloads, but SBIRS will fulfill the missile warning role going forward.

Contracts and Key Events

SBIRS acquisition is led by USAF Space and Missile Systems Center’s Infrared Space Systems Directorate at Los Angeles AFB, CA and USAF Space Command operates the system from Colorado. Lockheed Martin is the SBIRS prime contractor, and Northrop Grumman is the payload integrator.

Note that many of the program’s problems occurred before FY 2009. They are not included here for the time being.

FY 2014 – 2018

Contract for GEO-5 and GEO-6.

SBIRS-High GEO
(click to view full) FY 2018

August 16/18: SBIRS replacement underway The US pace and Missile Systems Center is ordering new missile defense satellites. Lockheed Martin will manufacture the three Next Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared Geosynchronous Earth Orbit Space Vehicles at a cost of $2.9 billion. The satellites will be a follow on to the US Space Based Infrared System (SBIRS) program. The SBIRS architecture includes a resilient mix of satellites in geosynchronous earth orbit (GEO), payloads in highly elliptical orbit (HEO), as well as ground-based hardware and software. The integrated system supports multiple missions simultaneously, while providing robust performance with global, persistent coverage. The Next-Gen OPIR will succeed the current SBIRS by providing improved missile warning capabilities that are more survivable against emerging threats. This order supplements a similar contract to be awarded to Lockheed Martin, that sees for the production of two polar space vehicles. The contract encompasses a variety of tasks ranging from requirements analysis to a system critical design review. Work will be performed at Lockheed’s facility in Sunnyvale, California, and is expected to be completed by April 30th, 2021.

FY 2009 – 2015

March 3/15: The Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center finished a three-day test of the Increment 2 ground control system for SBIRS. The Increment 2 system features a single control center to operate all three types of satellite, with a single backup system.

Jan 23/15: With U.S. Commerce Department commercial satellite image resolution limits being somewhat lifted starting in February, the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) is moving to exploit what is expected to be a flood of additional imagery resources with quicker update frequencies.

Jan 16/15: As part of its effort to institute cost reforms, the U.S. Air Force will weaken requirements for the space-based infrared system (SIBRS), among others.

Sept 30/14: GEO-4. Northrop Grumman delivers the SBIRS GEO-4 satellite payload, which will now be integrated with the SBIRS GEO-4 satellite bus in final assembly, integration and test at Lockheed Martin’s Sunnyvale, CA facility. Sources: Lockheed Martin and NGC Sept 8/14, “Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman Deliver Payload for Fourth SBIRS Missile Defense Early Warning Satellite”.

Sept 30/14: Support. Lockheed Martin Space Systems in Sunnyvale, CA receives a $44.2 million contract modification for SBIRS FY 2014 studies and systems modifications, contractor logistics support, and sustainment of the baseline system. $21.1 million in FY 2014 USAF missile budgets are committed immediately.

Work will be performed in Boulder, CO; Sunnyvale, CA; Azusa, CA; Buckley AFB, CO; and Schriever AFB, CO, and is expected to be complete by Sept 30, 2015. The USAF Space and Missile Systems Center Infrared Space Systems Directorate Contracting Division, El Segundo, CA, manages the contract (FA8810-13-C-0017, PO 0029).

Sept 30/14: Support. Lockheed Martin Space Systems in, Sunnyvale, CA receives a $37.4 million contract modification to for SBIRS studies directed in response to deficiencies, failures or evolving requirements; changes in external user data needs or interfaces; or changes in technology. All funds are committed immediately, using FY 2013 USAF O&M budgets.

Work will be performed at CO Springs, CO; Boulder, CO; and Greely, CO, and is expected to be complete by Sept 30/16. Fiscal 2013 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $37,438,157 are being obligated at the time of award. Space and Missile System Center, Los Angeles AFB, CA, manages the contract (FA8810-13-C-0002, PO 0031).

Sept 5/14: GEO-5/6. A $42.9 million contract modification will improve GEO-5 and GEO-6 with dual-band telemetry, offering better tracking and communications. This includes the addition of a Unified S-Band uplink frequency, and a modulation scheme to the existing L-Band Space to Ground Link System uplink. Lockheed Martin will redesign the interfacing, software, power, thermal, and structures accordingly for the new transponder box and cabling. $10.7 million in FY 2012 USAF missile budgets are committed immediately.

Work will be performed at Sunnyvale, CA, and is expected to be complete by July 31/21 (FA8810-13-C-0001, PO 0003).

June 24/14: GEO-5/6. Lockheed Martin Space Systems Co. in Sunnyvale, CA receives a $1.8635 billion contract modification, in order to finish SBIRS Geosynchronous Earth Orbit 5 and 6 satellites, and provide performance incentives. The contract modification also includes adding options for acoustic testing, launch vehicle integration, launch and early on-orbit testing, and contractor operations support. Total contracts announced to date for SBIRS GEO-5 and GEO-6 add up to a maximum of $2.4017 billion, or $1.2 billion per satellite:

$1,863.5M main contract
$42.9M to redesign & improve telemetry, communications, and uplinks (Sept 5/14)
$20.0M to accelerate production (May 20/14)
$42.4M for engineering & advance buys (Sept 19/13)
$284.4M for advance buys (Feb 20/13)
$66.6M for engineering (Dec 19/12)
$81.9M for engineering and advance buys (Oct 25/12)

$655 million is committed immediately: $266 million in FY 2013 missile budgets and $389 million in FY 2014 missile budgets. This contract is not multi-year (FA8810-13-C-0001, PO 0001). Sources: Pentagon | Lockheed Martin, “U.S. Air Force Awards Lockheed Martin Contract For Next Two SBIRS Missile Defense Early Warning Satellites”.

GEO-5 & GEO-6

May 30/14: HEO-4. Lockheed Martin Space Systems Center in Sunnyvale, CA receives an extra a $41.2 million contract modification to add HEO-4 launch and early on-orbit test (LEOT) capabilities to the HEO-3 baseline, bringing the total contract to $3.215 billion. “This HEO 3/4 transition concept of operations is required to support the HEO 3/4 payloads transition to the Increment 2 operational baseline.”

$36.5 million in USAF FY 2013 RDT&E funds is committed immediately. Work will be performed until Sept 30/18 at Sunnyvale and Azusa, CA; and in Boulder, Aurora, and Colorado Springs, CO (FA8810-08-C-0002, PO 0075).

May 20/14: GEO-5/6. Lockheed Martin Space Systems Center in Sunnyvale, CA receives a $20 million modification to accelerate production of SBIRS GEO 5 and GEO 6; specifically, they’re buying planning and production, and parts including hinges, valves, structures and special test equipment. This brings the contract to $346.8 million so far.

All funds are committed immediately, using FDY 2013 USAF missile budgets. Work will be performed at Sunnyvale, CA and is expected to be complete by June 19/16 (FA8810-13-C-00001, P00004).

May 12/14: GEO-4. Lockheed Martin has completed the propulsion module for SBIRS GEO-4, and is now proceeding with satellite assembly, integration and test. Sources: Space Daily, “Propulsion Module For SBIRS GEO-4 Satellite Completed”.

April 17/14: SAR. The Pentagon finally releases its Dec 31/13 Selected Acquisitions Report, which says that SBIRS 5 & 6 may cost less than expected. They still have to finalize that contract, however:

“Subprogram costs for the Block Buy (GEO 5-6) decreased $460.9 million (-11.9%) from $3,869.3 million to $3,408.4 million, due primarily to a reduced estimate to reflect a fixed price contract proposal for GEO 5-6 (-$362.4 million) and Congressional and sequestration reductions (-$118.5 million).”

Slight cost decrease for GEO-5/6

March 31/14: GAO Report. The US GAO tables its “Assessments of Selected Weapon Programs“. Which is actually a review for 2013, plus time to compile and publish. SBIRS is projected to cost $18.886 billion overall (incl. $11.806 billion RDT&E, $6.817 billion Procurement), which is a 393% increase over the original $4.8 billion price tag. Meanwhile, there’s still a fair bit of work to do on the constellation:

“The program launched the first satellite without event recovery software intended to re-establish ground control of the satellite in the event of an unforeseen failure, so that other software issues could be addressed. Given successful recovery software testing on the second GEO satellite, the Air Force plans to upload the software to the first satellite in the fourth quarter of 2014.

The Block 10 software ground system increment is expected to be delivered in March 2016, and is intended to facilitate processing of integrated data from the Defense Support Program satellites, HEO sensors and GEO satellites now on-orbit. According to the program, this software delivery will also provide the capability for fully-tuned starer sensor data, which means that the data returned from the satellites will be cleared of background noise, such as irrelevant light sources. This capability was previously planned for inclusion in a subsequent Block 20 software delivery which is expected to achieve certification in June 2018. The program plans to fully meet operational requirements in 2019.”

GAO Report & Overall costs

March 12/14: GAO Report. The US GAO offers details of the USA’s major military space programs, in GAO-14-382T – “Space Acquisitions: Acquisition Management Continues to Improve but Challenges Persist for Current and Future Programs.” SBIRS is projected to cost $18.9 billion overall, a 393% increase over the original $4.8 billion price tag.

The production contract for GEO-5 and GEO-6 is slated for “early 2014,” but hasn’t arrived yet. The GEO-3 satellite is expected to deliver to the USAF in late 2015, but the program won’t hit Full Operational Capability until 2019 (HEO payloads + 4 GEO satellites + completion of first 2 software blocks + delivery of mobile ground assets.

March 4-11/14: FY15 Budget. The US military slowly files its budget documents, detailing planned spending from FY 2014 – 2019. SBIRS figures are incorporated into the updated table and chart above, which now has an accompanying chart.

Jan 28/14: DOT&E Testing Report. The Pentagon releases the FY 2013 Annual Report from its Office of the Director, Operational Test & Evaluation (DOT&E). SBIRS Effectivity 5 is deemed operationally effective and suitable, ever since the Air Force resolved an open deficiency identified a classified December 2012 report.

DOT&E can say that GEO-1’s scanning sensor payload is meeting accuracy and sensitivity requirements, being least as capable as legacy DSP sensors, while providing detection over a given location 2x as frequently. That last statistic matters, given a missile’s short boost time. Overall, GEO-1’s presence improved accuracy of both strategic and theater missile warning mission data, while improving the missile defense mission. SBIRS support was functional and effective, and no major problems were observed during the integrated and operational test periods.

The department did add that the USAF “continues to address problems identified… with the overall system, technical intelligence missions, and specific Information Assurance postures.” Of 9 DOT&E previous recommendations, the USAF satisfactorily addressed 1, is in the process of addressing 5, and made insufficient progress with 3.

Nov 25/13: GEO-2. SBIRS GEO-2 receives USAF Space Command’s Operational Acceptance, 8 months after its March 19/13 launch from Cape Canaveral. Sources: LMCO, “Lockheed Martin-Built SBIRS GEO-2 Missile Defense Early Warning Satellite Certified for Operation”.

FY 2013

GEO-2 delivery and launch. Work on GEO 5 and 6. HEO-3 delivery.

SBIRS sharing
click for video

Sept 30/13: Support. Lockheed Martin Space Systems Co. in Sunnyvale, CA has been awarded a sole-source $48.6 million contract for SBIRS HEO/ GEO’s FY 2014 flight operations support (FOS) and factories support. Lockheed Martin will provide ongoing sustainment, using FOS in SBIRS Auxiliary Support Center and SBIRS Payload On-Orbit Test Sustainment. This includes ongoing sustainment of the flight software and databases, labs infrastructure, and performance trending of the payload.

Work will be performed at Sunnyvale, CA, and is expected to be complete by Sept 30/14. FY 2014 USAF operations and maintenance funds will be obligated when they become available. The USAF Space and Missile Systems Center’s Infrared Space Systems Contracts Division at Los Angeles AFB, CA manages the contract (F04701-95-C-0017).

Sept 27/13: Support. Lockheed Martin Space Systems Co. in Sunnyvale, CA receives a $96.3 million contract modification for SBIRS contractor logistics support, including operations crew support and organizational and depot maintenance. Funds will be committed if needed.

Work will be performed in Boulder, CO and at Buckley AFB< CO, and is expected to be complete on Sept 30/14. No funds are being obligated at time of award. The USAF Space and Missile Systems Center’s Infrared Space Systems Contracts Division at Los Angeles AFB, CA manages the contract (FA8810-13-C-0002, PO 0011).

Sept 26/13: Australia. Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems Intelligence Surveillance in Azusa, CA, receives a $12.1 million contract for the Australian Mission Processor Phase 3 (AMP 3). Northrop Grumman will design, develop, procure, test, install, and integrate the AMP 3 system, which will be capable of processing both DSP and SBIRS GEO satellite infrared data. The contractor will also provide 3 years of ongoing contractor logistics support.

Work will be performed in Azusa, CA, and is expected to be complete by March 2018. This award is the result of a sole source acquisition, as a 100% unclassified foreign military sales to the Government of Australia. The USAF Space and Missile Systems Center’s Infrared Space Systems Contracts Division at Los Angeles AFB, CA manages the contract (FA8810-13-C-0005).

Australia AMP-3

Sept 19/13: GEO-5 & 6 Ph2a. Lockheed Martin Space Systems in Sunnyvale, CA receives a $42.4 million contract modification for GEO-5 and GEO-6 one-time engineering and long-lead materials. When added to past long-lead contracts (q.v. Feb 20/13) the total is now $408.7 million. The next order after February’s was supposed to be the main buy, but this order seems to have intervened.

All funds are committed immediately, using FY 2011 and 2012 funds. Work will be performed at Sunnyvale, CA, and the contract extends to June 19/16 (FA8810-13-C-0001, PO 0002).

July 1/13: HEO-3 delivery. Lockheed Martin delivers the 3rd HEO to the Air Force. The first 2 HEOs had been delivered in 2004 and 2005; this one is the 1st from the SBIRS Follow On Production Program (SFP), 3 1/2 years after its critical design review. Sources: Lockheed Martin, July 1/13 release.

June 28/13: Ground systems. Lockheed Martin Space Systems Co. in Sunnyvale, CA receives a $75.2 million modification to SBIRS’ S2E2, Increment 1’s FY 2013 – 2016 Contractor Logistics Support, Legacy Sustainment, and Combined Task Force Support contract. All funds are committed immediately, and the total cumulative face value of the contract is $181.1 million.

They’re going to change the current Mobile Ground System (MGS) to enable processing of older DSP and new SBIRS GEO mission data, and let them perform limited contingency SBIRS GEO satellite command. They’ll also provide maintainer and (limited) operator training, and replace the existing Intermediate Maintenance Facility with the Maintenance and Operations Support Suite used for pre-deployment preparation on the S2E2 MGS Force Packages.

Work will be performed at Colorado Springs, CO, Boulder, CO, and Greeley CO, and is expected to be complete by by Jan 31/17. The USAF Space and Missile Systems Center Infrared Space Systems Directorate’s Contracting Division manages the contract (FA8810-13-C-0002, PO 0003).

May 17/13: GEO-1. Air Force Space Command declared GEO 1 operational, and recommends Integrated Tactical Warning and Attack Assessment (ITW/AA) certification of the asset to USSTRATCOM. Sources: Lockheed Martin, July 1/13 release.

GEO 1 operational

April 15/13: Budget Request. The belated FY2014 budget request submitted by the Administration makes few changes to the outlook for Space Based Infrared System (SBIRS) High EMD. The total requested in RDTE funding is down by $5 million from the previous year’s president budget, to $352.5 million. The FY15 budget is raised by almost $39 million to $279.9 million, but FY16 and FY17 are both significantly below the previous FYDP. Total cost to complete comes at $10.25 billion. EMD awards for FY 2014 are scheduled for October 2014 (which is actually already in FY15) for $230 million.

The main focus of the year is ground system development rather than space components, with Block 10 Mission Control Station (MCS) fit up (vid. April 4/11 entry) throughout 2013, following its 2012 CDR. Block 10 integration and test will then come in 2014/15.

Source: DoD Comptroller / USAF: PE 0604441F exhibit R-2.

March 28/13: GAO Report. The GAO issues its assessment of the Pentagon’s Selected Weapon Programs, and seems to take the program office’s word for it that SBIRS has turned the page:

“The 1st GEO satellite demonstrated outstanding overall data quality during its trial period. Despite the data quality, the satellite experienced a delay to operational certification to address a sporadic recurrence of a known spacecraft issue. The second satellite continues to prepare for its March 2013 initial launch capability. The ground system is mature and performing well. Program leadership recently approved the ground system completion baseline, which delivers all SBIRS ground capability required to meet system performance requirements. The production program’s cost and schedule performance is stabilizing [emphasis: DID].”

But it’s not all rosy:

“The Air Force is projecting a cost overrun of $438 million for these two satellites and a satellite delivery delay of 14 months. The estimated delivery dates for the 3rd and 4th satellites are now late 2015 and 2016.”

GEO-1 & 2 overruns

March 19/13: GEO-2 launch. Launch for SBIRS GEO-2, on board a United Launch Alliance Atlas V 401 rocket, the same type that launched SBIRS GEO-1. The 40-minute launch window opened at 5:21 pm EDT, and the launch took place immediately. All systems are working normally, and GEO-2 has achieved its launch objectives with a successful separation.

The company also used the launch to hold a STEM education event at a nearby school, touting careers in science and technology. Good idea. ULA mission page | Full live mission coverage | USAF | Lockheed Martin | STEM promotion.

GEO-2 launch

March 15/13: Support. Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company, Sunnyvale, CA is being awarded a $105.9 million cost-plus incentive-fee and fixed-price incentive-firm contract for this tranche of SBIRS contractor logistics support, legacy sustainment, and combined task force support. FY 2013 funds are being used to pay for this year’s efforts.

Work will be performed in Colorado Springs, CO, and is expected to be complete by Sept 30/16. USAF SMC’s ISK at Los Angeles AFB, CA manages the contract (FA8810-13-C-0002).

Feb 20/13: GEO-5 & 6 Ph2. A $284.4 million fixed-price incentive firm target contract covers the 2nd stage of advance procurement for SBIRS GEO 5-6, per the Sept 10/12 entry.

The contract uses FY 2011 and 2012 funds, and completes long-lead item buys for these birds at $366.3 million ($183.15M per satellite). The 3rd stage will involve satellite production under a fixed-price contract structure. Work will be performed in Sunnyvale, CA, and is expected to be complete by June 19/16 (FA8810-13-C-0001).

Jan 29/13: Lockheed Martin Space Systems Co. in Sunnyvale, CA receives a $58.4 million contract modification for the “Space Based Infrared Systems Follow-on Production Program,” using FY 2013 funds. USAF SMC later explains that it produces, launches, and transitions to operations SBIRS HEO-3, HEO-4, GEO-3 & GEO-4.

Work will be performed in Sunnyvale, CA, and is expected to be complete by April 28/16 (FA8810-08-C-0002, PO 0054).

Jan 17/13: DOT&E testing. The Pentagon releases the FY 2012 Annual Report from its Office of the Director, Operational Test & Evaluation (DOT&E). SBIRS is included, but DOT&E focuses on “SBIRS Effectivity 5,” which includes the SBIRS ground architecture, GEO-1, HEO-1 & 2, and the legacy DSP systems. They say that Effectivity 5 is operationally effective, but not yet operationally suitable in terms of maintenance, readiness, etc. What’s the problem? Sorry, that’s only in the classified report. They will say this:

“Integration of GEO-1 into the operational constellation improved accuracy of both strategic and theater missile warning mission data and did not degrade overall mission performance. SBIRS also demonstrated improved performance against the missile defense mission. SBIRS support to the technical intelligence and battlespace awareness missions was functional and effective. There were no major problems observed during the integrated and operational test periods. The SBIRS enterprise system accomplished its strategic and theater missile warning missions, successfully detecting and reporting all missile events during both real-world and simulation scenarios during these test periods. The SBIRS GEO-1 scanning sensor payload is meeting accuracy and sensitivity requirements, based on developmental and integrated test activities. It is at least as capable as legacy DSP sensors, while providing detection over a given location twice as frequently… [which] enables the ability to determine target missile type with higher confidence….”

Jan 15/13: GEO-2. GEO-2 is delivered by C-5 transport aircraft to Cape Canaveral, FL, for an Atlas V rocket launch scheduled on March 14/13. Lockheed Martin.

Jan 8/13: Lockheed Martin Space Systems in Sunnyvale, CA receives a is being awarded a $13 million contract modification for “Space Based Infrared System high component.”

Work will be performed in Sunnyvale, CA, and is expected to be complete by March 2013. The USAF Space and Missile Center at Los Angeles AFB, CA manages the contract (F04701-95-C-0017).

Dec 19/12: GEO-5 & 6. Lockheed Martin Space Systems in Sunnyvale, CA receives a $66.6 million contract modification for initial engineering associated with SBIRS GEO 5 & 6.

Work will be performed in Sunnyvale, CA, and is expected to be complete by Jan 19/16. US SMC’s IS at Los Angeles Air Force Base, CA manages the contracts (FA8810-12-C-0001, PO 0001).

Oct 25/12: GEO-5 & 6 Ph1. Lockheed Martin Space Systems in Sunnyvale, CA receives an $81.9 million contract to begin initial work on SBIRS GEO-5 and GEO-6. Work is to be complete by Aug 21/15.

This satellite buy will come in 3 phases. In this 1st phase, Lockheed Martin will complete initial engineering activities to update obsolete parts from previous designs, and buy select “long lead” spacecraft parts so they’ll be ready at the beginning of the assembly phase. Phases 2 & 3 will fund the rest of the long lead-time parts, as well as fixed-price satellite production. Grouping the buy this way allows for better economies of scale, and the parties hope to save money (FA8810-12-C-0001). See also Lockheed Martin, who says that SBIRS GEO-2 is scheduled for launch in March of 2013.

Oct 3/12: Operational Testing. The USAF announces that SBIRS GEO-1 and its associated ground system is certified to enter operational testing. That sounds like a small step, but it means that for the first time, live SBIRS GEO scanner data will be injected into existing missile warning networks. U.S. Strategic Command certification of the GEO 1 satellite and ground processing elements for full operational use is expected later this fall.

As one might imagine, ballistic missile warning satellites get tested a lot before they begin providing warning data. Those tests have been ongoing since its launch in May 2011, and the final test event reportedly ran the SBIRS system through a gauntlet that compressed nearly 10 years worth of simulated operational use into a high-intensity 2 month test period.

FY 2012

GEO 1 performs well.

GEO-2
(click to view full)

Sept 25/12: Support. Lockheed Martin Space Systems in Sunnyvale, CA receives a $54.2 million contract modification for SBIRS sustainment support. Work will be performed in Colorado Springs, CO; Boulder, CO; and Aurora, CO until March 31/13. US SMC’s ISK at Los Angeles Air Force Base, CA manages the contracts (F04701-95-C-0017, PO 0747)

Sept 24/12: Ground systems. Lockheed Martin Space Systems in Sunnyvale, CA receives a $12 million contract modification for sustainment & modifications to SBIRS Increment 1 ground system in Boulder, CO. Work is expected to be completed by Sept 30/14. USAF SMC’s ISK at Los Angeles Air Force Base, CA manages the contracts.

Sept 10/12: GEO-5 & 6. Lockheed Martin Space Systems Co. in Sunnyvale, CA receives an $81.9 million cost-plus incentive fee contract to begin work on SBIRS GEO 5 & 6. Under this 1st phase, Lockheed Martin will complete non-recurring engineering activities, and buy select long lead spacecraft parts. The follow-on 2nd phase contract will fund procurement of the remaining long lead parts. The 3rd contract will involve satellite production under a fixed-price contract structure.

Work will be performed in Sunnyvale, CA, and will be complete by Aug 21/15. The USAF SMC/IS at Los Angeles Air Force Base, CA manages the contract (FA8810-12-C-0001). Lockheed Martin.

March 21/12: GAO report. The GAO says that USAF satellite programs are improving, but still cites some issues for SBIRS. From “DOD Faces Challenges in Fully Realizing Benefits of Satellite Acquisition Improvements” :

“The first of six SBIRS geosynchronous earth orbit (GEO) satellites successfully launched in May 2011, after a roughly 9 year delay… program officials are predicting a 1-year delay on production of the 3rd and 4th GEO satellites due in part to technical challenges, parts obsolescence and test failures. Along with the production delay, program officials are predicting a $438 million cost overrun for the 3rd and 4th GEO satellites… DOD will not be able to fully utilize the data collected from [GEO-1’s] staring sensor because the ground segment software that is to process the sensor’s data is not planned to be fully functional until at least 2018.”

March 19/12: GEO-1 Performance. The USAF seems to be very happy with its new satellite:

“On-orbit performance of the first GEO-1 satellite has proven superb. At the payload level, the GEO sensors are detecting targets 25 percent dimmer than requirements with an intensity measurement that is 60 percent more accurate than specifications. The payload pointing is nine times more precise than required, which is a key confidence measure for achieving a system level line-of-sight accuracy well within specification… interim mission performance results indicate that the system already demonstrates the ability to meet more than 90 percent of Air Force Space Command’s performance requirements for operational use. The remaining performance refinements are on track to be completed prior to the formal testing campaign slated to begin in June… This first GEO satellite is expected to be certified for operations by U.S. Strategic Command by the end of 2012.”

Performance report

Dec 13/11: Testing. Lockheed Martin announces that they’re done with thermal vacuum testing on SBIRS GEO-2. It’s the last of 7 key environmental tests, clearing the way for delivery to Cape Canaveral and launch aboard a Delta V rocket.

Lockheed Martin adds that SBIRS GEO-1, launched on May 7/11, has completed its initial calibration and testing activities, and “is performing as expected.”

FY 2011

GEO 1 launch. Cost increases. HEO. Ground systems.

GEO-1 launch
(click to view full)

Sept 29/11: Spares. Lockheed Martin Space Systems in Sunnyvale, CA receives an $11.9 million cost-plus-fixed-fee and cost-plus-award-fee contract modification “to procure the first set of spares specific for focal plane assembly hardware for [SBIRS-High]… into acceptance tested focal plane units. This effort also includes production of the next set of material necessary to fill a new spares kit, to include at least two new sensor chip assemblies.” The Infrared Space Systems Directorate at the USAF’s Space and Missile Systems Center in El Segundo, CA manages this contract (FA8810-08-C-0002, PO 0026).

DID asked them why a satellite needs spares at all, and they explained that the SBIRS payload assemblies undergo buildup and testing on the ground, before launch. If a primary part fails during this testing, the program would be in trouble without qualified spares, because they take a long time to build (long lead-time item). Having a spare available reduces risks to the overall satellite production schedule, because an acceptance-tested focal plane unit, or other available spare, can just be swapped in.

Sept 26/11: Support. Lockheed Martin Space Systems Co. in Sunnyvale, CA received a $94.8 million cost-plus-award-fee contract modification, exercising 2 options that deliver SBIRS-High logistics and sustainment support in FY 2012. Work will be performed in Boulder, CO at the Space and Missile Systems Center. The SBIRS Directorate at Los Angeles AFB, CA manages the contract (F04701-95-C-0017, PO 0710).

Sept 26/11: HEO upgrades. Lockheed Martin Space Systems Co. in Sunnyvale, CA receives an estimated $12.2 million cost-plus-award-fee contract to upgrade the 2 HEO strings to be capable of operating 2-3 HEO satellites, while maintaining the health and safety of the offline HEO. They’ll use software based on the Interim Test Center’s geosynchronous orbit initial operations software baseline. The SMC/ISK at Los Angeles AFB, CA manages the contract (FA8810-08-C-0002, PO 0033).

July 19/11: Ground systems. Lockheed Martin Corp. in Sunnyvale, CA wins a $24.5 million cost-plus-fixed-fee SBIRS EMD contract modification. This FY 2011 contract covers hardware and software modifications that will lay the groundwork for the overall SBIRS Survivable/Endurable Evolution (S2E2) program upgrade in FY 2012 and beyond.

After some discussion with the USAF Space and Missile Systems Center’s Infrared Space Systems Directorate, we can clarify S2E2’s purpose: it evolves the satellite’s Mobile Ground System (MGS) capabilities from the previous DSP satellite system. The SBIRS program originally planned to develop its own MGS element, but cost growth on SBIRS-High has forced a change of plans to less expensive upgrades of existing systems. Considering the kind of information these ground systems are processing, mobility remains the ultimate defense against pre-emptive strikes that could silence these missile launch warnings. The S2E2 modification will become part of the program of record’s baseline, and will be reported in documents like the Pentagon’s Selected Acquisition Reports.

Lockheed Martin will pick a FY 2011 antenna platform subsystems vendor, and support the SBIRS program with a mobile ground system 2nd path radio upgrade, as well as FY 2011 S2E2 engineering and labs development. Work will be performed in Boulder, CO, and is expected to be complete in December 2012. The USAF Space and Missile Systems Center in Los Angeles AFB, CA manages this contract (F04701-95-0017).

June 27/11: Testing. Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company in Sunnyvale, CA receives an $8.2 million cost plus award fee contract modification to implement Phases 2-4 of the HEO Functional Test Article (HFTA) Phase I study. The SMC/ISK at Los Angeles AFB manages the contract (FA8810-08-C-0002, PO 0029).

June 14/11: Layoffs. Layoffs at Lockheed Martin Space Systems. This branch of the firm employs around 16,000 employees in 12 states, but intends to shed 1,200 employees by year-end, including a 25% cut in middle management to reduce impacts elsewhere. LMSS’ Sunnyvale, CA; Pennsylvania; and Denver, CO sites will be hardest hit, and the firm’s release says that it’s pushed in part by several of their major programs moving beyond the labor-intensive development phases.

Space Systems says it will offer “eligible” salaried employees an opportunity for a voluntary layoff, plus career transition support for all affected employees. Lockheed Martin.

May 20/11: GEO-1 on-orbit. SBIRS GEO-1 reaches geosynchronous orbit – passing the damaged but climbing AEHF-1 communications satellite on the way. Initial checkout tests are positive. Aviation Week | UPI.

May 7/11: GEO-1 launch. After weather conditions forced a postponement of the May 6/11 launch, SBIRS GEO-1 successfully blasts off from Cape Canaveral, FL aboard an Atlas V 401 configuration rocket. The 401 configuration consists of an RD AMROSS RD-180 booster, a Centaur upper stage with a PW Rocketdyne RL-10A engine, and a 4-meter payload fairing. USAF | ULA [incl. video] | Lockheed Martin.

GEO-1 launched

April 15/11: Program SAR. The Pentagon’s Selected Acquisitions Report ending Dec 30/10 includes SBIRS High. The program is being expanded, but cost increases haven’t stopped, either:

“Program costs increased $2,459.6 million (+16.3 percent) from $15,115.6 million to $17,575.2 million, to fully fund the fifth and sixth Geosynchronous Earth Orbit (GEO) satellites (GEOs 5 and 6) (+$1,883.6 million), plus associated support requirements in fiscal 2018 (+$212.7 million). There are additional increases to complete the Engineering, Manufacturing, and Development (EMD) space segment effort for GEOs 1 and 2 integration, launch, early orbit test, and check out (+$206.8 million), and to complete the EMD ground effort to satisfy the August 1996 Operational Requirements Document requirements (+$717.1 million). This completes the final block (Increment 2) of the SBIRS ground segment capability, which funds fiscal 2016 and beyond, and reflects total acquisition cost. These increases are partially offset by a revision in the acquisition strategy from full funding to a block buy for GEOs 5 and 6 (-$520.9 million).”

SAR

April 11/11: GEO-1. Successful completion of spacecraft fueling for SBIRS GEO-1. Its propulsion system is a dual-mode design. It operates as a pressure-regulated bipropellant (hydrazine and nitrogen tetroxide) system of fuel and oxidizer for use during orbital transfer, and a monopropellant hydrazine system for use on station.

April 4/11: Ground systems. Lockheed Martin Corp. in Sunnyvale, CA receives a $460.4 million contract modification, which pays to revise SBIRS’ ground development and delivery strategy. Following a successful Preliminary Design Review, Lockheed Martin has been contracted to deliver SBIRS Ground Systems Block 10, whose service-oriented architecture segregates the system into 4 different mission areas. The goal is to improve long term sustainment costs and improve service, using technologies that weren’t available when the original ground system was first approved.

The Block 10 system will process data from SBIRS and from legacy DSP Overhead Persistent Infrared satellites at a single operational control center, and will be fielded at 1 primary site and 1 backup site. Block 10’s new service-oriented I.T. architecture makes independent mission area upgrades possible with less expense and difficulty. It also makes SBIRS data available in a more timely and less costly way, to a larger community of users, for both real time activities and off-line analysis. That means the USAF can quickly release missile warning and battle space awareness messages to military commanders, and provide other relevant data to intelligence and missile defense organizations.

Work will be performed at Sunnyvale, CA and Redondo Beach, CA. The USAF’s Space and Missile Systems Center at Los Angeles AFB, CA manages this contract (F04701-95-C-0017, P00641).

March 28/11: GEO-1. SBIRS GEO-1 completes its final major pre-launch test. The SBIRS System Test 5001.4 Regression Test demonstrated the ability to transmit data between the spacecraft and flight control facilities, and perform the critical operational functions of the SBIRS GEO-1 integrated ground and space system. USAF.

March 7/11: GEO-1. SBIRS GEO-1 is delivered to Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, FL, on board a C-5 Galaxy superheavy cargo aircraft. It will be prepared for an early May 2011 liftoff aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V launch vehicle. USAF | Lockheed Martin.

Jan 7/11: GEO-4 order. Lockheed Martin Space Systems Co. in Sunnyvale, CA, receives a $424.7M contract modification, exercising the option for production of GEO Satellite 4. At this time, $75 million has been committed by the US Space and Missile System Center’s Infrared Space Systems Directorate in El Segundo, CA (FA8810-08-C-0002; P00017).

The GEO-3 and GEO-4 satellites will be near clones of the first 2, accommodating small changes such as a different star tracker, inertial measurement unit, and replacing obsolete parts. Even so, they’re expected to rack up over $400 million in cost overruns.

GEO-4

GEO-2 in BIST-1
(click to view full)

Dec 15/10: Support. The Scitor Corp. in El Segundo, CA won a $29.9 million contract for engineering, consulting and technical advisory support services to the Space Based Infrared Systems Directorate. $1,234,000 has been committed by the SMC/PIK at Los Angeles AFB, CA (FA8802-11-F-3013).

Dec 2/10: Lockheed Martin Space Systems Co. in Sunnyvale, CA receives an $8.8 million contract modification which will add a dual operations capability to SBIRS-High’s existing engineering, manufacturing and development contract. At this time, all funds have been committed by the SMC/ISK in El Segundo, CA (F04701-95-C-0017; P00659).

Oct 15/10: Space News reports that:

“After nearly a decade of delay, the U.S. Air Force tentatively plans to launch its first dedicated Space Based Infrared System (SBIRS) missile warning satellite April 30 but faces a narrow launch window, which means any additional hiccups in the program likely would push the mission into 2012, a service official said.

At the same time, the Air Force is renegotiating its SBIRS prime contract with Lockheed Martin Space Systems of Sunnyvale, Calif., to make improvements to the system’s ground infrastructure and data processing algorithms through the latter part of the decade ahead…”

Oct 6/10: GEO-2. The SBIRS GEO-2 satellite successfully completes integration of its 2 equipment panels onto the spacecraft core module, creating a fully assembled and integrated GEO-2 space vehicle. It took 34 days, included 134 precise connector mates between the equipment panels and spacecraft, and finished 9 days ahead of schedule. The equipment panels are responsible for holding the individual electronics components which provide the satellite’s communications, attitude control, power distribution, commanding and payload data processing.

The GEO-2 team will now proceed with Baseline Integrated System Test 2, creating the data baseline needed before environmental testing. GEO-2 is scheduled for launch in 2012. Los Angeles AFB.

FY 2010

SAR. CDR for GEO-3 & 4.

Sept 28/10: EMD. Lockheed Martin Space Systems Center in Sunnyvale, CA won an $8.3 million contract modification which will incorporate both hardware and software modifications to SBIRS-High’s existing engineering, manufacturing, and development contract. At this time, the entire amount has been committed by the ISSW/PKS in El Segundo, CA (FO4701-95-C-0017; PO0650).

Sept 13/10: Ground systems. The SBIRS ground team completes the GEO Interim Operations Ground Segment System’s integration testing for Missile Warning Message Certification, at the Interim Test Center in Boulder, CO. Given the missile-tracking mission of SBIRS GEO satellites, validating those 853 mission readiness objectives and exercising 594,000 lines of code is a good idea. Los Angeles AFB.

Aug 16-18/10: CDR for GEO-3 & 4. The USAF Space and Missile System Center’s SBIRS Wing and Lockheed Martin hold a successful critical design review in Sunnyvale, CA for SBIRS GEO-3 and SBIRS GEO-4. The review confirmed that the detailed design has addressed all electronics obsolescence issues from the previous SBIRS satellites, and lets Lockheed Martin move forward into production towards a projected GEO-3 launch in late 2014.

The GEO-3 and GEO-4 satellites will be near clones of the first 2, accommodating small changes such as a different star tracker, inertial measurement unit, and replacing obsolete parts.

CDR

July 16/10: HEO-3 Long-lead. Lockheed Martin Space Systems Co. in Sunnyvale, CA receives a $34.8 million contract modification, exercising the 4th option for SBIRS HEO Payload 3 Launch and Early On-Orbit Support. At this time, $548,174 has been committed by the ISSW/PKF at Los Angeles Air Force Base, CA (FA8810-08-C-0002; P00012).

The same announcement was issued again on July 20/10, but that is a duplication.

June 30/10: Ground Systems. Researchers in the SBIRS program office at Air Force Space Command’s Space and Missile Systems Center in Los Angeles, CA successfully complete the major “5001.2 system-level test” of the interfaces between all SBIRS ground facilities and the GEO-1 satellite.

The test successfully demonstrated command and control using GEO-1’s Tri-band Antenna/Modem Suite, as well as data transmissions using frequency hopping. A team made up of people from Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, The Aerospace Corporation, and the USAF tested 12 critical areas over 2 days. USAF.

June 7/10: EMD. Lockheed Martin Corp. in Sunnyvale, CA receives a $183 million contract, finalizing a set of previous production and ground systems modification contracts for the SBIRS GEO satellite, and SBIRS HEO payload. At this time, the entire amount has been committed by SMC/ISSW at Los Angeles AFB in El Segundo, CA (FA8810-08-C-0002).

June 3/10: EMD. Lockheed Martin Space Systems Corp. in Sunnyvale, CA receives a $10.9 million contract which will provide support for SBIRS-High GEO’s message certification. At this time, $2.4 million has been obligated by the SBISW/PK in El Segundo, CA (F04701-95-C-0017).

May 7/10: Testing. The National System for Geospatial Intelligence (NSG) announces that the SBIRS HEO-2 payload and associated ground system have been operationally accepted for the Technical Intelligence mission.

The planning, testing and coordination effort leading to this day involved the NSG, Air Force Space Command, and SMC’s SBIRS Wing. The previous SBIRS HEO-1 was certified on Aug 27/09. USAF Los Angeles AFB.

April 1/10: Program SAR – to 6. The Pentagon releases its April 2010 Selected Acquisitions Report, covering major program changes up to December 2009. SBIRS-High makes the list, as the planned constellation rises from 4 to 6 satellites, and other program costs continue to rise:

“SBIRS (Space-Based Infrared System) High – Program costs increased $3,561.1 million (+30.8%) from $11,554.5 million to $15,115.6 million, due primarily to a quantity increase of two Geosynchronous Earth Orbit (GEO) satellites from four to six satellites (+$2,164.1 million). There were also increases resulting from the realignment of missile procurement costs to the support category (+$162.8 million), a delay in the GEO 1 launch from 2009 to 2010 (+$372.8 million), revised estimates for implementation of a new ground acquisition strategy (+$393.8 million), and incorporation of the technology maturation and parts obsolescence effort (+$384.0 million).”

SAR

March 30/10: GAO Report. The US GAO audit office delivers its 8th annual “Defense Acquisitions: Assessments of Selected Weapon Programs report. Summary?

“The SBIRS High program continues to experience setbacks that could add to cost overruns and schedule delays. All three of the program’s critical technologies are mature and 99 percent of the expected drawings are releasable. However, program costs continue to increase due to software development problems, hardware quality issues, and testing delays on the first GEO satellite. Unplanned work continues to be a challenge for the software development effort. The program also recently discovered hardware defects on the first GEO satellite. The Air Force’s best-case estimate is that the first GEO satellite launch will be delayed an additional year from December 2009 to December 2010. The HEO payloads continue to perform well on-orbit, and according to program officials, they were accepted for specific mission operations in 2009… The SBIRS High program remains at high risk for cost and schedule growth. DCMA is currently projecting over $245 million in cost overrun from the current baseline at contract completion. This amount has more than doubled in the past year and continues to steadily grow… The program’s management reserve… will likely be depleted before the first GEO satellite launches…”

See also the 2009 annual report, and its SBIRS-related 2007 GAO testimony, referenced in “Additional Readings.”

Feb 16/10: Testing. Lockheed Martin announces that the SBIRS GEO-2 satellite has completed its first phase of Baseline Integrated System Test (BIST-1) in Sunnyvale, CA.

With the completion of BIST-1, the team will proceed with final factory work on the satellite and prepare for the final, comprehensive BIST milestone, followed by environmental testing. The spacecraft is planned for launch aboard an Atlas V launch vehicle in 2012. SBIRS GEO-1 is preparing for final integration and test activities that will culminate with final checkout and delivery to the Air Force later in 2010.

Feb 2/10: AIRSS Axed. A Pentagon document [PDF] confirms that 3GIRS/AIRSS is being recommended for cancellation as an “unneeded program.”

Jan 15/10: AIRSS. Reuters reports that AIRSS/ 3GIRS is one of several programs on the chopping block for the FY 2011 budget, based on internal Pentagon documents that were leaked to the news service. With SBIRS GEO late and over-budget, but moving forward, the better-performing 3GIRS program is deemed superfluous.

No AIRSS

Dec 1/09: Testing. A joint U.S. Air Force/Lockheed Martin-led team announces successful thermal vacuum testing of the first SBIRS GEO-1 satellite inside Lockheed Martin’s Dual Entry Large Thermal Altitude (DELTA) chamber. This completes the last of several critical environmental test phases that validate the overall satellite design, quality of workmanship and ability to survive in space. Lockheed Martin.

November 2009: CDR for GEO-3 & 4 payloads. The Critical Design Review for GEO 3 & 4’s infrared payloads is held at Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems in Azusa, CA.

FY 2009

GEO-3 & HEO-3 ordered.

Some assembly required…
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Sept 1/09: EMD. A $99.5 million modified contract to Lockheed Martin for the existing engineering, manufacturing, and development contract for the SBIRS-High Component. The Space Based Infrared Systems Wing at the Los Angeles Air Force Base in CA manages the contract (F04701-95-C-0017, P00583).

July 10/09: GEO-4 & HEO-4 long-lead. A $262.5 million contract to Lockheed Martin for long-lead time parts and materials used to build the 4th SBIRS-High satellite (GEO-4) and the 4th HEO payload (HEO-4). At this time $137.1 million has been committed by the Space Based Infrared Systems Wing at Los Angeles Air Force Base, CA (FA8810-08-C-0002).

These long-lead effort contracts tend to precede a production contract by a year or more, in order to ensure that required components are already on hand and do not delay assembly.

May 29/09: GEO-3 & HEO-3 ordered. A cost-plus-fixed-fee contract of up to $1.49 billion to prime contractor Lockheed Martin Space Systems in Sunnyvale, CA for production of the 3rd SBIRS-High satellite (GEO-3, a geosynchronous orbit design), the 3rd payload (HEO-3, a Highly Elliptical Orbit design), and modification of the SBIRS ground systems to accommodate the operation of 3 payloads at the same time.

So far, $1.1 billion has been obligated under the May 29/09 contract. The Space and Missile Center’s Space Based Infrared Systems Wing in El Segundo, CA manages the SBIRS-High contract (FA8810-08-C-0002). See also Lockheed Martin release on the May 29/09 contract.

GEO-3 & HEO-3

March 31/09: GAO. The US Government Accountability Office auditors release their 2009 Assessments of Selected Weapons Programs. SBIRS – High is one of the programs reviewed, and the report expresses concern about its progress:

“Two of the SBIRS High program’s three critical technologies are mature – a lower level of maturity than last year… the program has experienced design-related problems, especially with the flight software, and more could still emerge… Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA) assessments indicate that the contractor’s cost and schedule performance are high risks. DCMA is currently projecting a $103 million cost overrun at contract completion, and that amount is growing. Further contractor cost increases and schedule delays are expected…”

Additional Readings Background: Space Vehicles

USAF, Los Angeles AFB – Factsheet: Infrared Space Systems Directorate
Lockheed Martin – Space Based Infrared System – High (SBIRS). Was once called SBIRS-High.
MissileThreat.com – Space-Based Infrared System-High (SBIRS-High)

Official Reports

GAO (March 12/14, #GAO-14-382T) – Space Acquisitions: Acquisition Management Continues to Improve but Challenges Persist for Current and Future Programs.
GAO (March 21/12, #GAO-12-563T) – DOD Faces Challenges in Fully Realizing Benefits of Satellite Acquisition Improvements
GAO (Sept 12/07, #GAO-07-1088R) – Space Based Infrared System High Program and its Alternative. Testimony before the Senate Armed Services Strategic Forces Subcommittee.

News & Views

DID – 3GIRS: SBIRS Evaluates, Cancels New Technologies. Last updated 2010.
DID (Jan 17/06) – Lockheed’s SBIRS High Satellite Program Bracing for a Fall.
Space News, via WayBack (Dec 19/05) – Pentagon Scales Back SBIRS Program.
DID (Aug 4/05) – GAO Report: Satellite Programs Show Overruns Across the Board.
DID (April 15/05) – SBIRS Dilemma: Go High or Go Home.
DID – DSP Satellites: Supporting America’s Early-Warning System.

Categories: Defense`s Feeds

Sons of Sa’ar? Israel’s Next Generation Frigates

Thu, 08/16/2018 - 05:56

Saar 5: INS Hanit
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The 1,227t/ 1,350 ton Sa’ar 5 Eilat Class corvettes were built by Northrop Grumman in the 1990s for about $260 million each. It’s a decent performer in a number of roles, from air defense to anti-submarine work, to coastal patrol and special forces support. In 2006, the Israelis went looking for a next-generation vessel with better high-end capabilities. Six years later, Israel had nothing to show for its search. In the meantime, massive natural gas deposits have been discovered within Israel’s coastal waters, adding considerable urgency to their search.

The USA is Israel’s logical supplier, but given Israel’s size and cost requirements, the only American option was the Littoral Combat Ship. Israel pursued that option for several years, conducting studies and trying to get a better sense of feasibility and costs. Their approach would have been very different from the American Freedom Class LCS, removing the swappable “mission modules” and replacing them with a fixed and fully capable set of air defense, anti-ship, and anti-submarine weapons. In the end, however, the project was deemed to be unaffordable. Instead, Israel began negotiating with Germany, and reports now include discussions involving both South Korea, and a local shipyard.

Ship Systems: What is Israel Looking For? The Strategic Situation

Offshore energy
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Israel’s discovery of massive offshore gas reserves in the Tamar and Leviathan fields has the potential to change Israel diplomatic weight, as well as its economy and energy status. Work is already underway in cooperation with Cyprus, and Greece has shifted from hostile to cooperative over the last decade, but Turkey is making hostile noises, and Syrian hostility is assured.

Potential irregular threats to Israeli drilling installations include UAVs, which have already overflown existing rigs on their way into Israeli airspace, or boat operations with divers or depth charges. Rig owners are working with the IDF to counter the irregular threat, via armed teams on each platform and radars networked to Israel’s coastal defenses. They may need to take further steps with RWS emplacements and missiles, given rules that require enemies to close within 1/2 mile before defenders can open fire.

The higher end is more problematic, and isn’t much discussed, but it exists. Hezbollah has already proven its ability to use long-range surface-launched naval missiles, and drilling platforms are ideal targets if they can be reached. Full state-level threats leave Israel open to the threat of supersonic Russian SS-N-26s in Syria’s possession, and add enemy submarines to this picture. Turkey’s purchase of 6 U214s, Iran’s Kilo Class boats, and a possible Egyptian purchase of 2 U209s fitted with modern systems, are changing the local balance. Turkish saber-rattling and Syrian hostility mean that enemy fighters must also be considered, and the rigs will be placed some distance from Israeli quick-reaction fighter launches.

It’s a complex, multi-dimensional problem, and the solution will have to be multi-layered. Defensive systems and sensors on board the rigs themselves, and naval flotillas of smaller ships that offer presence while providing point defense and surface attack punch, are already in place. Heron UAVs are already operating in maritime patrol mode, which offers Israel a persistent aerial surveillance option, but doesn’t help much with response capability at present. Israel could benefit greatly from maritime patrol aircraft with good on-station time, and offensive capabilities that allow them to intervene. Their aged Westwind 1124N Sea Scan business jets don’t fit that bill.

Meanwhile, their naval flotillas need a boost, and acknowledging higher-end threats becomes very consequential if it means that Israel needs high-end wide-area air defense and anti-submarine capabilities on station.

Israel’s Requirements

LCS-I components
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Whatever that solution may be, Israel’s experience with the LCS concept shows where their needs are leading them. From Israel’s point of view, the keys to their original interest in an LCS-I design were threefold.

Flexibility. The 1st key is an open architecture combat system. Israel produces a lot of its own electronics, and the ability to easily integrate their own products into current and future configurations was seen as a huge plus. Lockheed Martin’s VP of Israel Operations, Joshua Shani, meant it when he said that that “participation by the Israeli defense industry will be the cornerstone of [LCS-I’s] success.” The same will be true of any other ship type that Israel adopts.

Wider View. The 2nd key is better sensors. LCS-I negotiations focused on Lockheed Martin’s SPY-1F S-band radar, which also equips Norway’s Fridjhof Nansen Class AEGIS frigates. Discussions surrounding other ships have focused instead on IAI Elta’s locally-developed EL/M-2248 MF-STAR “Adir” S-band active array radar, which has been exported to India for use on their Kolkata Class destroyers, and is being installed as a Sa’ar 5 upgrade. AESA radars are much easier to resize for smaller ships, and IAI ELta’s designs scale all the way down to the EL/M-2258 ALPHA (Advanced Lightweight Phased Array) radar, which is being installed on Israel’s 500t class Sa’ar 4.5 Fast Attack Craft.

AN LCS-I would also have offered far superior underwater sensors. The ability to embark larger helicopters, including the MH-60 Seahawk family or similar naval helicopters, would dramatically boosting Israel’s anti-submarine capabilities. A modern bow sonar, which is present in other ship designs, would add a lot all by itself, especially if the ship’s combat system could integrate that data with towed and/or variable-depth sonars.

SM-2 (top), SM-3

Weapon Improvements. The 3rd key involves a wider weapon fit, especially when it comes to air defense. Adopting the MK41 Vertical Launch System would give Israel inherent flexibility over time to integrate new missiles of all types, in order to handle Israel’s combat scenarios, and address changes in threats and operational requirements.

LCS-I’s high-end armament would have included torpedo tubes, mounts for Harpoon or Gabriel anti-ship missiles, and the contents of the ship’s 16 strike-length vertical launch cells. Those cells would offer Israel the flexibility to include anti-air missiles like the new Israeli Barak-8, the entire range of Raytheon’s Standard family air and missile defense interceptors, compatible anti-ship and precision strike missiles like Lockheed Martin’s LRASM, or even current anti-submarine missiles like VL-ASROC. Local options like IAI’s ANAM/ Gabriel 5 and IMI’s Delilah-SL will also be of interest to the Israelis.

In Israel’s case, a strike-length MK41 VLS system could take on strategic significance. Raytheon’s SM-3 (area defense), SM-2 Block IV, and SM-6 missiles (point defense) can be used to defend against ballistic missile attacks, if paired with a suitable radar. The AN/SPY-1F has never received the signal processor upgrades given to larger and more powerful SPY-1D radars for ballistic missile defense, nor has it ever been tested in that role. Alternatively, the ship could be networked with long-range ground radars like Israel’s “Green Pine.” In either scenario, the SM-3’s range and Israel’s tiny size would allow just 1 ship on station to cover most of Israel. A situation where 2 ships out of 4 are on station at any given time is very plausible, and could provide overlapping point defense ABM coverage. Either option would supplement Israel’s medium range Arrow and short range Patriot PAC-2 GEM systems on land. At present, this is an option rather than a focus, but even the potential for such a vital national mission is a first for the Israeli Navy.

Onboard vehicles add to an Israeli frigates’ punch in a different way. New ships will be expected to embark a flexible USV/UUV mix, with the ability to store and launch Rigid Hull Inflatable Boats (RHIB), mine or sub-hunting hunting UUVs, or surface USVs. Israel’s leading-edge capabilities in USVs would make that capability an immediate and long-term force multiplier.

Israel’s core problem is that a high-end, full featured frigate is going to cost them $600+ million. They want the capabilities, but don’t have the money to buy 3-4 ships at that price. In response, they can choose to scale back their desires, or they can find some way to make a deal.

What Are You Shipping: Vessels & Systems Current State: Israel’s Sa’ar 5 Corvettes

Sa’ar 5 corvettes
click for video

Some have called the 1,227 tonne Eilat Class a better base model for the USA to adopt, as it seeks an affordable Littoral Combat Ship or flotilla asset. The ships were built by Litton-Ingalls Shipbuilding Corporation of Pascagoula, MS (now HII), based on Israeli designs. All 3 ships of class were launched from 1993 – 1994.

Air Defense. Sa’ar 5 corvettes have moderate anti-air capabilities, thanks to IAI Elta ELM-2218S and ELM-2221 GM STGR radars. Twin 32-cell launchers hold short-range Barak-1 surface-air missiles, and the ship has a Mk15 Phalanx 20mm CIWS gun for last-ditch defense. As of 2013, the ships are preparing to swap their Barak-1 systems for the larger Barak-8 missile, whose 70+ km reach will give the Israeli Navy its first area air defense capability.

ASW. Bow-mounted and towed sonars, plus 6x 324mm torpedo tubes for Mark 46 torpedoes, give these corvettes moderate anti-submarine capability. This was quite adequate until the early 2010s. As Turkey has become progressively more hostile, and unstable neighbors like Egypt buy modern submarines, there is some concern that the Eilat Class’ anti-submarine capabilities may not be enough.

Surface Warfare. Surface warfare is addressed well. Harpoon or Gabriel anti-ship missiles can be used against larger ships or land targets, while the Mk15 Phalanx 20mm gun and Typhoon remotely-operated 7.62-30mm gun/missile systems deal with guerrilla craft. The corvette is also capable of launching small special forces boats, or robotic USVs like RAFAEL’s Protector series.

A 76mm Oto Melara naval gun option could be installed in place of the Phalanx. It would offer slightly less air defense capability, in exchange for a longer reach and more punch against fast boats. That upgrade would be compatible with long-range Vulcano ammunition for naval fire support, but Israel has chosen the Phalanx for now.

The Eilat Class’ helicopter hangar can accommodate AS565 Dauphin/Panther, Kaman SH-2F or Sikorsky S-76N helicopters. Israel’s navy flies the AS565, but they haven’t armed them with substantial naval weapons.

Future Option: Lockheed Martin’s LCS-I

LCS-I missions
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The Israelis have a long-standing relationship with Lockheed Martin, and a 2,500-3,000t LCS design with the USA’s swappable mission modules could significantly improve Israel’s ability to conduct anti-submarine warfare and mine neutralization missions.

Unfortunately, the pitifully weak armament of the USA’s LCS ships is inadequate for the Israelis, who need their ships to be able to engage other naval vessels, and to provide their own air defense. Worse, the American design lacks the flexibility to add meaningful weapons in future. As a result, the Israelis took a different approach, eliminating the ship’s swappable mission modules in favor of a much more heavily-armed vessel.

Initial studies were conducted in conjunction with Lockheed Martin, leading to an RFP and even an official $1.9 billion DSCA request for Lockheed Martin’s LCS-I design. That would have made Israel the first LCS export customer. Construction of the LCS-I ships would have occurred at Marinette Marine and Bollinger Shipyards in the United States and American construction allows Israel to buy the ships with American military aid dollars, rather than using its hard-currency budget. Gary Feldman, Lockheed’s business development director international LCS sales, said that detail design could have begun in 2009, with construction starting in 2010.

In the end, however, expected per-ship costs of $700 million or so led the Israelis to back away and look for another solution.

Future Option: HII’s Sa’ar 5B

Northrop Grumman has proposed an enlarged “Sa’ar 5B” corvette with more advanced systems, and Israel has made that task easier by developing their own advanced ship radars and improved missiles. Indeed, the Israelis are implementing a de facto Sa’ar 5B by upgrading existing Eilat Class ships with fixed-plate MF-STAR “Adir” AESA radars, new medium range Barak-8 missiles, and better anti-ship/ land strike missiles.

Northrop Grumman (now HII) has hinted that Sa’ar 5B ships could be built for less than $450 million, using American aid dollars, but Israel initially rejected that option as well. Discussions are rumored to have resumed, but nailing down a firm price will require money up front for extensive design studies. That left Israel looking beyond the USA for their base ship, even as the equipment they wanted in those ships remained fairly constant.

Future Option: Germany, Overall?

MEKO CSL
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In February 2009, Israel switched its interest to ThyssenKrupp Marine Systsems’ MEKO family, which comes in sizes ranging from A100 corvettes to full-size A200 frigates. MEKOs are customized to their destination country, so a German K130 Braunschweig Class is very different than Malaysia’s Kedah Class, even though both begin with the A100 base. As part of that customization, the radar would have been IAI’s Elta’s EL/M-2248 MF-STAR, and many of the other technologies requested for the LCS-I would have applied as well.

Reports are split between a buy of 4 A100 base corvettes to put more ships on station, vs. a purchase of 2 high-end frigates that would be able to focus on advanced anti-submarine and wide-area anti-air warfare.

There was even some talk of making Israel the launch customer for the MEKO CSL, which would have given Israel some of the modularity found in the USA’s LCS class. The Meko CSL is only slightly smaller than the American LCS Freedom Class, at 108m/ 354 ft. long, with a beam of 21 meters and full-load displacement of 2,750 tonnes. Propulsion is by a combined diesel-and-gas (CODAG) water-jet system that cruises at 15 knots and reaches 40. Cruising speed range at would be about is 3,500 nautical miles, with 21 days endurance. The MEKO CSL variant adds improved stealth shapes and measures refined on Sweden’s Visby Class corvettes, and has several modular sections for faster swap-outs. An Israeli MEKO CSL would contain a lot of local content, including IAI Elta’s MF-STAR, the new Barak-8 medium range air defense missile, and Israeli electronic countermeasures systems, among others. The CSL also has a rear mission bay, and could serve as a hub for Israel’s advanced UAVs and robotic naval USV/UUVs.

German negotiations stalled after Germany agreed to provide subsidies for more Dolphin Class submarines, but not for frigates. 2013 Reports indicate that negotiations have resumed.

Asian Quality: The South Korean Option

FFX launch
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South Korea (ROK) is a global leader in shipbuilding, and their successful naval shipbuilding programs include cruiser-size KDX-III AEGIS destroyers as well as smaller ships like their FFX and FFX II light frigates. The FFX Block II in particular appears to be an advanced small combatant that meets Israel’s size and capability requirements. The 2,500t+ ships will offer electrical power to spare, high-end long range radar capabilities, a 127mm/ 5″ gun with guided shell options and future long-range fire capabilities, a 16-cell vertical launch system, and the ability to embark full-size anti-submarine helicopters.

The South Koreans might be able to produce new frigates at the price and quality level Israel needs, and they’ve become significant buyers of Israeli defense technologies in recent years. Israel wants to keep that relationship going, but KAI’s recent loss of a $1 billion deal for new IAF jet trainers has put a dent in things. South Korea remains interested in other Israeli technologies, including its Iron Dome rocket defense system.

A deal that offset ROK defense purchases with Israeli buys of South Korean FFX Block II ships might make everyone happy, and get the Israeli political support required to move the project ahead. Negotiations are reportedly underway.

Final Option: Don’t Go Big – Go Home

Saar 5 Eilat Class
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Israel’s final option is less ambitious in terms of performance, but more ambitious industrially. It involves a deal with the privatized Israel Shipyards. In exchange for government investment to modernize and expand the shipyard, they would design and build an larger, improved version of existing corvettes. The Sa’ar 5.5 option would be designed to give Israel a locally-built offering that was both exportable and upgradeable, without requiring outside help or approval.

Recent MF-STAR/ Barak-8 upgrades are laying the groundwork for a tested option. The question is whether all of the money required for shipyard modernization, ship design, fabrication in a shipyard stretching its capabilities, and platform testing would make the final product as expensive as higher-end options, while offering comparatively less capability. That could also make the vessels unexportable on price grounds, creating a lose-lose-lose scenario.

Contracts & Key Events 2015 – 2018

Barak-8
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August 16/18: Protector of Israeli interests Israel will send its ‘Sons of Sa’ar’ to protect its Mediterranean gas fields and its exclusive economic zone. The Israeli Navy is set to receive four next-generation Sa’ar 6 corvettes between 2019 and 2024. The 300-feet-long warships, which are currently being built in Kiel, Germany, will be packed to the gills with highly sensitive detection equipment — to monitor both the surrounding sea and airspace — as well as offensive weapons and defensive missile interceptors. The ships will be equipped with the ‘Naval Dome’, essentially a navalized version of the Iron Dome, with the Barak-8 missile at its core. The Barak-8, and aims to deliver up to 42 mile of range, thanks to a dual-pulse solid rocket motor whose second “pulse” fires as the missile approaches its target. This ensures that the missile isn’t just coasting in the final stages, giving it more than one chance at a fast, maneuvering target. The missile’s most important feature may be its active seeker. Instead of forcing its ship or land-based radar to “paint”/illuminate its target at all times, the Barak 8 can be left alone once it is close to its target. This is an excellent approach for dealing with saturation attacks using older ship radars, which can track many targets but illuminate just a few. The Barak-8 was developed by IAI in collaboration with Israel’s DDR&D, India’s DRDO (Defense Research and Development Organization), the navies of both countries, Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd., IAI’s ELTA Group and local industries in India.

January 19/18: Upgrades—Testing Israel’s Navy announced that it has successfully tested a new chaff defense system for its Sa’ar 4.5-class missile boats and it is expected that the system will be declared operational in the coming weeks. First to receive the upgrade was the INS Sufa, with testing conducted two months ago off the coast of Haifa. The system includes an algorithm that identifies and classifies any kind of projectile making its way towards the Israeli missile ship, and then programs a unique diversion plan: firing chaff rockets from the front deck and create a “wall” over the water of hundreds of metal wires, which mislead the enemy missile into “thinking” this was the Israeli ship. This helps divert the enemy missile, only a minute or two before it was to hit the Israeli ship.

April 3/17: The Israeli Navy is altering the design of the Sa’ar-6 corvette in order to fit additional Iron Dome interceptors onboard the vessels. By adding a second launcher, each corvette will be able to carry as many as forty Tamir interceptor missiles, allowing vessels to engage an increasing number of disruptive, possibly deadly and inexpensive shore-launched rockets launched by groups such as Lebanon’s Hezbollah. Four Sa’ar-6 ships are currently on order with Germany’s ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS); however, the sale is source of a scandal in Israel and are part of an investigation into potential conflicts of interest among those close to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

November 10/16: Israeli navy officials are evaluating fixed-wing extremely short take-off and landing (ESTOL) UAV ideas to eventually deploy on their four new Saar 6 corvettes and existing SAAR 5 missile vessels. The ESTOL UAV will be based on propulsive lift technology that will enable it to take off from a very small platform on the navy ship. A decision will be made on the platform in 2017.

May 12/15: The Israeli Ministry of Defense announced Monday that it has signed a contract for four Sa’ar-class corvettes, manufactured by Germany’s TKMS. Discussions between the two countries over the supply of Littoral Combat Ships to protect Israel’s offshore gas reserves have been in the works since 2009, with the Germans agreeing to a discount in October last year, with the German government further subsidizing the deal, funding approximately a quarter of the contract’s value. The $480 million deal will see TKMS buying $181 million-worth of Israeli-manufactured equipment as offsets. Whilst the Israeli MoD did not announce the precise type of corvette the Israeli Navy will receive, it is likely to be the Blohm Voss-class 130 corvette, with modification to Israeli specifications.

2014

Israel’s offshore strategic situation; Significant Sa’ar 5 improvements underway; Negotiations with Germany.

Oct 19/14: Germany. Ha’aretz reports that Germany has agreed to a discount, and seems set to secure the Israeli contract for its next-generation ships:

“A crisis between Israel and Germany over missile boats required to protect Israel’s offshore gas fields has ended after Berlin agreed to slash [EUR] 300 million (about $382 million) off the cost, officials on both sides said. They are expected to initial an agreement for the boats within weeks.”

Time will tell which boats Israel orders. If they still want 4 ships, a sum of just over $900 million with subsidies included could get them MEKO derivatives along the lines of Germany’s own 1,840t K130 Braunschweig Class corvettes, but with Israeli technology. If they’re only ordering 2 ships, possibilities expand to include base options like the 2,750t MEKO CSL, or a MEKO A200 derivative that compares to Turkey’s own 3,350t Barbaros Class. Sources: Ha’aretz, “Missile boat crisis ends as Germany gives Israel $382 million discount”.

Sept 28/14: RFP & timelines. State Comptroller Judge (ret.) Joseph Shapira published an audit report in March 2014 that said Israel’s gas facilities in the Mediterranean were only partially protected, but constituted a prime target for attacks by terrorist organizations. That has ratcheted urgency a bit higher, but Israel may have to wait for some time before its ships sail out:

“The Ministry has been preparing for a number of years an international tender for the procurement of ship to operate in Israel’s marine economic area, and has done in-depth staff work in the matter. The government decided to procure the ships only in November 2013, and provided a special budget for them. Procurement was suspended in order to provide enough time for negotiations for a deal with a foreign country. Last July, following the prolonging of these processes, the Defense Ministry decided to issue an international tender for procurement of the ships. The tender is currently taking place; the envelopes will be opened next December, and a preliminary answer will be given. The tender will be completed by the end of 2015.”

Add time for integration of Israeli components, construction, outfitting, testing, and training, and operational acceptance before 2018 would be quite a feat. Globes reports that the contract’s scope involves NIS 2 billion (about $550 million) for 4 ships. That won’t get them very much. Sources: Globes, “Israel Navy to wait years for gas rig defense ships”.

May 15/14: Germany. Ha’aretz reports that the proposed deal discussed in December 2013 (q.v. Dec 8/13) appears to have fallen through for now:

“The German government has decided not to give Israel a massive subsidy for the purchase of German missile boats, due to the breakdown in Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, both Israeli and German officials said on Thursday.”

Sources: Ha’aretz, “Germany nixes gunboat subsidy to Israel, citing breakdown of peace talks”.

May 13/14: Sa’ar 5+. Israeli improvements to their existing ships are underway. This matters, because deploying the systems within the Israeli Navy makes Israel much more likely to demand them as part of any future frigate. Fielding a tested upgrade to the Eilat Class also provides added weight to options like the Sa’ar 5B or Sa’ar 5.5, by creating a proven starting point.

A “senior naval source” tells The Jerusalem Post that Israel is upgrading the anti-ship and strike missiles on board its ships, in order to give their Navy medium-range precision strike capability against land targets. They weren’t specific, but IAI has developed an “Advanced Naval Attack Missile” as a successor to existing naval Gabriel missiles. The other likely option is IMI’s “Delilah-SL”; it’s a ship-launched version of the Air Force’s go-to missile for strikes against targets that are heavily defended, or require a high level of human judgement via its “man in the loop” feature.

The article adds that a Sa’ar 5 Eilat Class corvette has already been outfitted with IAI Elta’s MF-STAR S-Band AESA radar and Barak-8 air defense missiles. Adding better strike weapons to that array changes effectively creates a proven “Sa’ar 5B/ 5.5” option. Sources: The Jerusalem Post, “The Israel Navy is quietly enhancing its capabilities for precision, long-range missiles”.

Jan 18/14: Israel Defence reports that Israel is scaling down its naval platform ambitions. They’re reportedly back to a platform around 1,300t, which is about the same size as their Sa’ar 5s, rather than a 2,000t+ platform. They’ll still insist on its ability to carry MF-STAR and the Barak-8, but success won’t entirely solve their problems:

“Originally, the IDF Navy should have initiated the procurement of the new missile frigates in the context of the previous multi-year plan, and funds had been allocated for this purpose as part of that plan, but owing to the cancellation of the LCS option, the process never materialized…. intention of the IDF is to finance the procurement of the new vessels by a dedicated budget allocated by the government outside the framework of the normal defense budget, in order to secure the offshore gas drilling rigs. The procurement plan notwithstanding, the total number of missile frigates in the IDF Navy is expected to decrease during the next five-year period, owing to the obsolescence of the present vessels, some of which are to be decommissioned.”

Sources: Israel Defence, “The Next Missile Frigate of the IDF Navy”.

Jan 8/14: Strategic. Paul Alster & David Andrew Weinberg discuss the difficulties Israel faces in defending its offshore gas resources, and take a critical look at the exploitable reserves and revenue projections. They say flatly that:

“IDF officials concede that they do not have the resources as of now to properly secure the infrastructure at sea.”

They list threats that include UAVs, which have already overflown existing rigs on their way into Israeli airspace; suicide operations with divers, boats or depth charges; and surface-to-surface missiles like the C-802s that have already been used by Hezbollah. Rig owners are working with the IDF to counter the irregular threat, via armed teams on each platform and radars networked to Israel’s coastal defenses. They may need to take further steps with RWS emplacements and missiles, given rules that require enemies to close within 1/2 mile before defenders can open fire. Higher end threats are even more problematic, and aren’t much discussed here, but they exist. It’s a complex, multi-dimensional problem, and the solution will have to be multi-layered.

One apparent error: the authors refer to “two state-of-the-art German-built MEKO class F221 frigates” as Israel’s choice. The F221 is FGS Hessen, a Sachsen Class advanced air warfare destroyer. First off, it isn’t part of the MEKO family, but a separate and more advanced class built in the context of trilateral cooperation between the Netherlands, Germany and Spain. They are top-end multi-role “frigates,” whose size and growth capacity for ballistic missile defense would make them destroyers if Europeans weren’t so averse to the term. It’s a very capable ship, but an unlikely choice. One ship of that class, with modifications, would eat most of Israel’s reported EUR 1 billion budget for 2. Sources: Forbes, “The Daunting Challenge Of Defending Israel’s Multi-Billion Dollar Gas Fields”.

2012 – 2013

Sa’ar 5 & Panther
(click to view full)

Dec 16/13: Strategic. Information Dissemination runs an analysis of Israel’s apparent interest in 2 high-end ships, which is a departure from their traditional focus on larger numbers of smaller vessels. The best that can be said for Jacob Stoil’s analysis is that it’s incomplete. He’s correct to say that this is a departure, and that presence matters, but he never looks at the regional changes underway, and the strategic imperatives created by new enemy capabilities and new Israeli needs. Then there are quotes like this one, which assume premises that turn out not to be true:

“Israel clearly does not intend to use naval power to support land operations or develop independent strategic operations from the sea in a serious way. All of their naval procurement and training decisions over the last more than twenty years have made that impossible.”

Sources: Information Dissemination, “Of Destroyers and Doctrine: An Evaluation of Israel’s Decision to Invest in Larger Hulls”.

Dec 8/13: Germany. The newspaper Ha’aretz reports that Israel’s Defense Ministry is expected to ask the Finance Ministry for a ILS 3 billion budget increase (about $855 million/ EUR 624 million) to purchase 4 “missile boats” as a special buy outside the defense budget, for protection of Israel’s huge offshore natural gas fields. At the same time, the German Bild newspaper is reporting a different deal: 2 ships for EUR 1 billion. The Ha’aretz report does add that Israel continues to negotiate with American and South Korean suppliers, leaving the Navy’s plans characteristically unclear.

What is clear is that there’s a big difference between the implications in the Israeli and German reports. EUR 156 million per ship will struggle to buy a ship like the K130 corvette, a surface warfare patrol ship with limited anti-aircraft capabilities, and no anti-submarine capabilities. They could form interesting flotilla dyads with the proposed Multi-role Super-Dvora, but submarine threats are rising in the Mediterranean. At EUR 500 million per ship, on the other hand, Israel would be looking at high-end MEKO Class frigates will a full range of capabilities, which would become the most advanced ships in their navy. The price would be more limited coverage, with just half the number of ships bought for slightly more money. Sources: Die Presse, “Israel konnte deutsche Kriegsschiffe kaufen” | Ha’aretz, “Defense Ministry seeking $853m to buy German missile boats” | AFP, “”Bild”: Deutschland verkauft Israel zwei raketenbestuckte Zerstorer” | N24, “Israel will Raketenschiffe aus Deutschland” (repeats Ha’aretz figures).

Aug 10/12: South Korea. Israel Defense reports that South Korea is interested in Israel’s Iron Dome rocket defense system, and is negotiating for possible offsetting deals involving frigates for Israel.

April 1/12: South Korea? Israel Defense reports that South Korea is offering to build new surface vessels for the Israeli Navy via Hyundai shipyards. South Korean representatives have reportedly visited Israel and met with the Ministry of Defense, and are said to be continuing discussions. The magazine reports that the offered ships had a displacement of just 1,300 tons, the same size as current Sa’ar 5 Eilat Class corvettes, and significantly smaller than South Korea’s new 2,300t FFX Incheon Class frigates. It didn’t say whether that displacement was measured at full load, after Israel radars, weapons, etc. had all been installed.

Israel hasn’t set aside a budget for such vessels in its current plans, but ongoing discoveries of huge offshore oil and gas are changing its assessment of its security needs.

Meanwhile, Israel Shipyards has reportedly proposed an alternative in which government re-investment would help them add hundreds of employees, invest in a new manufacturing layout, and build 2,100 ton “Saar 5.5” light frigates. They would then become an exporter, with the ability to field upgraded versions for Israel later on. The MoD has approached the Treasury about this plan, but it’s reportedly stuck, even as negotiations have stalled with the USA for a Freedom Class LCS derivative, and with Germany for a MEKO frigate derivative.

2009 – 2011

LCS too expensive; Talks center around German MEKO designs, incl. MEKO CSL; Israel may not have the budget to buy the ships it wants – but huge resource finds mean they may have to.

MEKO 200TN
(click to view full)

November 2010: Leviathan. Israel’s giant “Leviathan” offshore natural gas field is discovered. The gas field is located roughly 130 km/ 81 miles west of Haifa, in 1,500 m/ 4,900 ft. of water. Estimated reserves are a stunning 500+ billion cubic meters, or more than 18 trillion cubic feet.

Israel’s navy just became much more important.

Giant offshore gas find

July 25/10: MEKO. Hopes of German government subsidies to finance Israel’s MEKO buy appear to be fading, amidst the country’s tightening climate of austerity. From The Jerusalem Post:

“The [Israeli] Defense Ministry statement came amid reports that Chancellor Angela Merkel’s government had decided to turn down an Israeli request for financial assistance in purchasing the Dolphin-class submarine and new [MEKO frigates]. In another rare statement, the German government, which rarely talks about defense sales, also denied it was holding talks with Israel on subsidizing new naval vessels… Israel had hoped to receive additional subsidies for two Meko-class ships it was interested in purchasing.”

May 18/10: MEKO CSL? Aviation Week reports that Israel may become the launch customer for ThyssenKrupp’s new MEKO CSL. If true, the American Littoral Combat Ship’s price may end up spawning an international export competitor.

The Meko CSL is only slightly smaller than the American LCS Freedom Class, at 108m/ 354 ft. long, with a beam of 21 meters and full-load displacement of 2,750 tonnes. Propulsion is by a combined diesel-and-gas (CODAG) water-jet system that cruises at 15 knots and reaches 40. Cruising speed range at would be about is 3,500 nautical miles, with 21 days endurance. The MEKO CSL variant adds improved stealth shapes and measures refined on Sweden’s Visby Class corvettes, and has several modular sections for faster swap-outs. An Israeli MEKO CSL would also contain a lot of local content, including IAI Elta’s MF-STAR active-array radar, the new Barak-8 medium range air defense missile, and Israeli electronic countermeasures systems, among others. The CSL does have a rear mission bay, and one of its roles would likely be as a hub for Israel’s advanced set of robotic UAVs and naval USV/UUVs.

Jan 18/10: MEKO. Defense News reports that Germany and Israel are in talks concerning a $1.45 billion naval deal that would add 1 Dolphin Class submarine, and 2 MEKO-derived frigates as the beginning of Israel’s next-generation frigate program. Current reports do not see a January 2010 agreement as likely, and Defense News claims that Israel is asking Germany to pay for 33% of the cost as a German industrial stimulus program, just as it did with Israel’s previous 2-sub order.

The MEKO ships would be Israel’s alternative to a very modified version of Lockheed Martin’s Littoral Combat Ship design, which Israel rejected due to its expected $700+ million cost. Even so, American components in the total naval package could reach up to $200 million. This is important because Israel can use US military aid dollars to buy them, instead of hard currency.

Nov 25/09: German MEKOs? Reuters reports on negotiations between TKMS and Israel to buy up to 8 next-generation MEKO ships.

“Built at ThyssenKrupp’s (TKAG.DE) Blohm+Voss shipyards in Hamburg, the Meko costs around $300 million but Israel wants the German government to underwrite the sale. An official involved in the talks said Israel sought a discount of 20 to 30 percent. That would help the Meko outprice the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS)… An Israeli official said despite the fact that U.S. defence grants would significantly defray the estimated $460 to $600 million cost of the LCS, the Meko topped the wish list. “We want to close a deal by the end of the year. Now it comes down to financing issues with the Germans,” he said.”

Previous reports placed the LCS-I cost closer to $650-700 million. As was the case with the LCS-I, Israel is looking to incorporate a range of Israeli technologies and weapons into the frigates.

Oct 15/09: TKMS + UAE. Blohm + Voss parent firm, ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems, sells an 80% share of all Blohm + Voss groups to the United Arab Emirates’ firm Abu Dhabi MAR, and makes future naval construction a 50/50 joint venture. It remains to be seen whether this will affect Israeli negotiations to use Blohm + Voss’ MEKO designs as the base for its future frigate.

June 29-July 6/09: USA Out. Multiple sources report that Israel is abandoning the LCS-I design, owing to its high costs. Israeli estimates reportedly put the price of an LCS-I at over $600 million, a reasonable figure given the $650-700 million cost of the first 2 American ships, and LCS-I’s extensive Israeli equipment upgrades. Arutz Sheva:

“As much as we sought commonality with the U.S. Navy, it became much, much more expensive than planned,” a naval source said. “At the end of the day, we had no choice but to face that fact that, for us, it was unaffordable.”

Surprisingly, Israel also turned down a 2,300 ton Sa’ar 5.5/5B option from original Eilat class builder Northrop Grumman, owing to expected costs of about $450 million. Instead, Israel is reportedly looking at expanding cooperation with ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS), whose HDW subsidiary builds Israel’s Dolphin subs. The idea is to build an advanced, stretched version of Blohm + Voss’ 2,200 ton MEKO A-100 corvette. The ship would add Mk 41 VLS cells, IAI’s Elta’s EL/M-2248 MF-STAR “Adir” active array radar, and other Israeli equipment. The Israelis reportedly believe they would be able to field such a capable ship for around $300 million, and that they can build it locally as a joint military/economic stimulus project. One source told Arutz Sheva (INN) that “We believe a strong case can be made for making this into a national project that fosters self sufficiency and provides all the economic benefits that come with creating a military shipbuilding industry.”

TKMS would be the main design partner, IAI looks set to step into the role of overall systems integrator, and the likely shipbuilder would be Israel Shipyards in Haifa. Israel Shipyards have mostly focused on much smaller fast attack boats, but were also responsible for local integration of the Sa’ar 5 corvettes.

This version of Israel’s next-generation ship project will face 2 main challenges. One is a technical/ engineering challenge. The other is financial.

As one source told the Jerusalem Post: “The challenge will be to make a relatively small ship large enough to carry everything we need, including the radar system.” Given that the systems Israel wants usually equip 4,000+ ton ships, that challenge should not be minimized. TKMS’ Meko 200, in service with the Turkish and South African navies, does offer a 3,850 ton option, and the Israeli Navy is reportedly preparing to issue a design contract to IAI and TKMS subsidiary Blohm+Voss, in order to sort out their technical options.

The financial challenge will be equally formidable. Both LCS-I and a Sa’ar 5.5 design could be purchased with American military aid dollars, which must be spent in America. Those agreements have provisions that allow up to 26% of that aid to be spent in Israel, but those funds are already committed to projects like an extended-range Barak anti-aircraft missile, IAI Elta’s MF-STAR active array radar, and other priority projects. There are 2 possible workarounds for this, and they are not mutually exclusive. One involves financing from other ministries beyond defense, as an industrial project that would provide employment, expand Israeli shipbuilding capabilities, and might even create an exportable platform if the right agreement is struck with TKMS. The second workaround involves using American aid dollars to cover some elements, like steel, American production of the Meko’s MTU1168 diesel engine by General Dynamics, etc., in order to reduce the hard currency price. That would help the project get approved, but it comes with a cost of its own – it would force the Israelis to labor under America’s cumbersome ITAR export approval laws whenever they or TKMS wished to sell the design abroad.

If those conundrums cannot be resolved at an acceptable cost, a 3rd option may exist. Defense News adds that Israel might have driven down the Sa’ar 5.5’s price by $100 million if it had paid for a contract design/detail design process, and that option may return depending on how efforts with ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems progress:

“When Northrop Grumman makes a fixed-price offer, it’s the result of an organized and serious process that allows the company to honor all of its commitments,” a company representative said. “Without conducting a contract design – which eliminates most of the uncertainties that drive up price – NG couldn’t offer the unit costs we all believed we could have delivered to the Israel Navy.”

Sources: Arutz Sheva | Jerusalem Post | Defense News | Jane’s.

LCS-I out; No NGC Sa’ar 5B either

Feb 12/09: Industrial. The director of naval procurement at the Israeli Ministry of Defence’s purchasing mission in New York informs U.S. parties that a change in plans toward a different class of locally-built ships may be in the cards:

“In the event this option turns out to be more suitable both in terms of our operational and budgetary requirements, the [multimission ships] will be built in Israel.”

Source: Defense News June 2009 report.

Feb 1/09: LCS-I. The Jerusalem Post reports that OC Navy Adm. Elazar Marom has dispatched a number of officers to the United States to sail on Lockheed Martin’s Freedom [LCS 1] and test its capabilities. The report adds:

“In addition to reviewing the LCS – whose price has soared over the past year and now reportedly reaches $500 million – the navy is also considering downgrading its procurement plans and purchasing more Sa’ar 5-class missile ships… “There are a number of possibilities and they are under review,” one source said. “There are other possibilities such as more Sa’ar 5s, an upgraded Sa’ar 5 that would be called Sa’ar 5.5, or to wait for the LCS’s price to go down.”

January 2009: Tamar. Noble Energy announces that exploratory drilling has found an offshore gas field about 80 km west of Haifa, in 1,700m / 5,600 ft. of water. The field is called Tamar.

Eventual estimates for the area are a bit of a shock to the traditionally resource-poor Israelis: 200 billion cubic meters / 7.1 trillion cubic feet of natural gas.

Giant offshore gas find

2006 – 2008

From studies to a formal LCS-I request.

(click to view full)

July 15/08: LCS-I. The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency announced [PDF] Israel’s official request for up to 4 Littoral Combat Ships (LCS-I variant), including the hull, and all mechanical and electrical functions. The ships will also include design and integration services, hardware and software, spare and repair parts, test and tool sets, personnel training and equipment, publications, U.S. Government and contractor engineering and logistics personnel services, and other related elements of logistics support. The estimated cost is $1.9 billion.

Each ship will be equipped with:

2 MK-41 Vertical Launch Systems, with 8 launch cells for each system. This would allow the ship to hold and fire up to 16 SM-2/3 air defense missiles, or up to 64 RIM-162 Evolved Sea Sparrow Missiles.
1 Enhanced Harpoon Launching System with missile launchers. Harpoon is an anti-ship missile, but the latest versions can also be used to hit land targets.
1 Phalanx Close-In-Weapon System, Block 1A. This is surprising, as Block 1B adds important capabilities against the small boats that remain a concern for Israel. Israel is likely to bolt on other gun systems like RAFAEL’s Typhoon in order to cover that threat, but Israeli systems do not need to be specified in the DSCA announcement.
2 MK-32 triple-launcher Surface Vessel Torpedo Tubes, which handle lightweight torpedoes and launch them from on deck using pressurized air.
Communications and Sensors, including Link 16.
The same COMBATSS-21 Combat system used in American LCS designs.
The smaller AN/SPY-1F (V) AEGIS radar, which is also used on Norway’s Nansen Class frigates. SPY-1F radars lack ballistic missile defense capabilities, but could be networked with other radars like Israel’s “Green Pine.”
A MK-99 Fire Control System; or the Ship Self-Defense System (SSDS) now being installed on American Carriers, LHA/LHD ships, San Antonio Class LPDs, etc.

The principal contractors will be:

Lockheed Martin Maritime Systems and Sensors in Moorestown, NJ and Eagan, MN (LCS-I, SPY-1F radar, COMBATSS-21, Mk-41)
General Dynamics Armament Systems in Burlington, VT (AEGIS illuminator, 20mm gun for Phalanx)
Raytheon Company, Equipment Division in Andover, MA and Integrated Defense Systems in Waltham, MA (Phalanx, SSDS)

The DSCA announcement says that the Israeli Navy will have no difficulty integrating these ships into its Naval forces, adding that this proposed sale will not require the assignment of any U.S. Government or contractor representatives to the Israel.

LCS-I DSCA request

Feb 6/08: LCS-I. The Jerusalem Post:

“Looking to upgrade its sea-based capabilities, the Israel Navy has submitted a Request for Proposal (RFP) to the United States Navy for a new missile ship currently under development by Lockheed Martin Corp. The Defense Ministry said that the navy expects to receive a reply by April.”

The report added a final caveat, but it doesn’t mean as much as it seems when set against a detailed ship design study, and accompanying industrial arrangements for an extensive array of Israeli equipment on board. That prior work and set of partnerships creates a strong pull toward the Team Lockheed design – one that will not be lightly broken:

“While the navy has filed the RFP, defense officials said it was still not certain whether Israel would purchase the LCS from Lockheed Martin. As part of its multi-year plan finalized in September, the IDF decided to purchase two new ships, but did not state from which company.”

September 2007: LCS-I. NAVSEA asks Lockheed Martin to conduct a 9-month, $2.5 million study of combat system integration for an Israeli LCS-I configuration.

Systems that must be compatible with the combat system reportedly include Lockheed’s AEGIS SPY-1F radar and the Israeli Elta EL/M-2248 Adir radar, RAFAEL’s Typhoon remotely-operated gun/missile systems, Raytheon’s Standard SM-2 surface-to-air missile, and Israel Aerospace Industries’ Barak 1 and 8 anti-air missile systems. A Nov 12/07 Lockheed Martin release adds that:

“During the nine-month combat system configuration phase, Lockheed Martin will examine the combat system performance of LCS-I using two different radar options: the advanced radar under development by Israeli Aircraft Industries (IAI) and Lockheed Martin’s SPY-1F radar. The team will examine the performance of these two radar options using the COMBATSS-21 combat management system integrated with the Israeli Navy Command and Control (IC2) system and develop the technical architecture, high level specifications and estimated costs to integrate COMBATSS-21 with IC2 and multiple Israeli and U.S. sensor and weapon systems including the MK 41 Vertical Launch System (VLS)… Lockheed Martin is currently partnered with Rafael Armament Systems, Elbit Systems and Ness on LCS-I.”

Combat system study

April 10/06: LCS-I. Lockheed Martin announces a $5.2 million NAVSEA study studied Team Lockheed’s LCS hull, mechanical, and engineering systems’ ability to accommodate the systems and weapons the Israelis want, while avoiding the need for major redesign of the USA’s basic configuration.

The final answer was that it could, with some obvious modifications to accommodate better radars and vertical launch systems for missiles.

Freedom Class LCS study

Additional Readings & Sources Background: Israeli Sa’ar Vessels

Israeli Weapons – Eilat Class Saar 5 multi-mission corvettes. Built by what is now Huntington Ingalls in the USA. Currently being refitted with the MF-STAR AESA radar, Barak-8 medium-range air defense missiles, and improved anti-ship/ land strike missiles.
Naval Technology – Eilat Class Sa’ar 5 Multi-Mission Corvettes, Israel.
Israeli Shipyards – SAAR Class Fast-Attack Vessel. The Sa’ar 4 and 4.5, which max. out at 500t, plus an abbreviated description of the the 800t SAAR S-72. They didn’t build the Sa’ar 5s, but are an option to build a “Sa’ar 5.5” design if Israel goes that route.
Defense Update – Israel Shipyards Introduces the SAAR 72 Mini-Corvette Design. The 800t design sits somewhere between the existing Sa’ar 4.5 and Sa’ar 5 corvettes. From May 16/13.
Israeli Weapons – Sa’ar 4.5. Currently being refitted with improved IAI ELM-2258 APLHA radars.

Background: Other Ships

DID – The USA’s New Littoral Combat Ships (LCS).
ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems – Blohm+Voss Class 130 Corvette. Based on the MEKO 100, displacement 1,840t. Mostly surface warfare & point air defense. They carry 2 small heli-UAVs in a small hangar on board, and can accommodate medium helicopters on the deck.
Naval Technology – K130 Braunschweig Class Corvette, Germany. Germany’s 5th and final ship entered service in March 2013.
ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems – Blohm+Voss MEKO® A-200 Class Frigate.
Naval Technology – MEKO A Class Combat Ship Family, Germany.
ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems – Blohm+Voss Class MEKO® CSL Light Frigate. Modular design with a payload bay.
DID – Korea’s New Coastal Frigates: the FFX Incheon Class. About 2,300t full displacement. Hyundai and Daewoo can go much bigger, of course, all the way up to their 4,800t KDX-II and 10,000+ tonne KDX-III destroyers that serve with the ROKN. They’ll also be working on an FFX Batch II class that’s expected to be larger, with an upgraded radar and Mk.41 VLS cells.

Background: Ship Systems

IAI Elta – ELM-2248 MF-STAR : MULTI-FUNCTION Surveillance and Threat Alert Radar. Has up to 4 fixed active array S-band tiles, with multiple digital beamforming capability. Each tile containing 16 Gallium Arsenide transmit/receive modules. A typical 3×3 m array weighs approximately 1,500 kg, and total weight below decks is about 900 kg for onboard equipment in 2 processing and 4 power supply cabinets. Liquid cooling is used.
Defense Update – EL/M-2248 MF-STAR Naval Multi-Mission Radar. also known as “Adir,” and being fitted to Sa’ar 5 corvettes as part of a current upgrade.
IAI – ELM-2258 ALPHA: Advanced Lightweight Phased Array Naval Radar. Significantly smaller than MF-STAR, uses a single rotating face. An upgrade for Sa’ar 4.5 FACs.
Wikipedia – Gabriel (missile). Israel currently fields the Mk.IV (200 km range), and they’ve exported successive versions around the world.
IAI – Advanced Naval Attack Missile. Effectively, the Gabriel Mk.V, but different enough to merit its own designation.
IMI – Delilah-SL. The EO-guided Delilah is the IAF’s go-to missile for attacks against heavily defended targets, or targets that demand a high level of human judgement via a “man in the loop” feature. This ship-launched variant offers a 250 km range.
IAI – Barak-1 Ship Point Defense System.
DID – India & Israel’s Barak-8 SAM Development Project(s). Barak-8 is already being retrofitted to the Sa’ar 5 Eilat Class, along with an MF-STAR radar.

News and Views

Forbes (Jan 8/14) – The Daunting Challenge Of Defending Israel’s Multi-Billion Dollar Gas Fields.
Information Dissemination (Dec 16/13) – Of Destroyers and Doctrine: An Evaluation of Israel’s Decision to Invest in Larger Hulls.
Defense Update (Oct 14/12) – Israel Navy to Modernize Hetz Class Missile Boats with a New Radar. The Sa’ar 4.5 will get the EL/M-2258 ALPHA S-Band, electronically-steered, software-defined radar. It uses a number of MF-STAR technologies, but is adapted for small ships.
Ha’aretz (July 9/12) – Israel Navy demands NIS 3 billion for protection of gas rigs.
Defense Update (January 2010) – Israel Turns to Germany for Naval Stealth Ships. Israel switches gears. Report is focused on the MEKO, incl. the MEKO CSL.
Defense News (Oct 22/07) – Lockheed Moves Forward With USN’s LCS.
Jane’s Defence Weekly (Oct 11/07) – Reports that “[The Lockheed Martin LCS-I] design appears to be the most suitable for our needs,” a senior IN source told Jane’s…”

Categories: Defense`s Feeds

USAF boosts its hypersonic missile program | Diplomatic crisis threatens Turkish defense deal | German Navy opts for V-200

Wed, 08/15/2018 - 06:00

Americas

The Air Force is quickly moving ahead with its hypersonic missile program. The service is contracting Lockheed Martin’s Missiles and Fire Control division to move ahead with the critical design review and relevant testing of its air-launched rapid response weapon (ARRW). The undefinitized contract has a value of $480 million. The ARRW is one of two current US hypersonic missile research programs. Once completed the ARRW will be able to travel at least five times the speed of sound. Current information suggests that the missile will achieve hypersonic speeds by the use of scramjets, which use an aircraft’s forward motion to shovel air at supersonic speeds into the engine, causing thrust. The hypersonic scramjet will be carried aloft by a large aircraft as a wing-mounted missile. Once the parent aircraft is going fast enough that the scramjet will ignite, it launches the missile. Hypersonic weapons will likely be engineered as “kinetic energy” strike weapons, meaning they will not use explosives but rather rely upon sheer speed and the force of impact to destroy targets. The Air Force is currently investing over one billion dollars to aggressively expedite the ARRW’s and HACSW’s development schedule. Work will be performed at Lockheed’s facility in Orlando, Florida and is expected to be completed by November 30th, 2021.

The Navy’s Blue Angels squadron is set to receive new wings. Boeing is being awarded with a firm-fixed-price delivery order valued at $17 million. The contract provides for necessary work needed to convert nine F/A-18E and two F/A-18F aircraft into a Blue Angel configuration. The Blue Angels were formed in 1946 following WWII as a public relations and recruiting tool to inspire airshow crowds to pursue excellence in all of their endeavors and as a recruiting asset to attract potential candidates to join the US Navy. Work is likely to include removing the jet’s 20mm Vulcan cannon, enhancing the the aircraft’s fuel systems for prolonged inverted flight, adding an oil tank and extra plumbing to the Super Hornet’s exhaust for the smoke system, as well as other smaller changes. Flight controls on the Blue Angels’ F/A-18’s are usually modified to make formation and inverted flight easier. The flight control stick between the pilots’ legs uses a spring to exert 40-pounds of forward bias force meaning the pilot constantly exerts slight rearward pressure compared to a normal Hornet to maintain level flight. Work will be performed at Boeing’s facility in St. Louis, Missouri and is scheduled for completion by December, 2021.

Ceradyne is being tapped to support the US Army’s newly developed lightweight helmet. The $34.6 million contract modification provides for the incorporation of additional systems and components in the Integrated Head Protection System (IHPS). The helmet is capable of providing a larger area of protection for the head and face. The new head protection system is also equipped with accessories, such as mandibles, visors, night vision goggle attachment devices, rails and a modular ballistic appliqué that provides protection against fragmentation, 9mm and rifle fire. The Army intends to field 7,000 units of IHPS to separate brigades during the FY2018 before moving to full-rate production. Work will be performed at the company’s location in Irvine, California.

The US Army is procuring a number of Inflatable Satellite Antenna (ISA) systems. GATR Technologies will provide the service with the systems, kits, spares and associated training under this $522,4 million contract modification. GATR’s ground-mounted antennas look like giant beach balls with tie-downs to point them in the right direction. The inflatable satellite terminal reduces the tactical footprint of large-aperture satellite communications systems and enables portable high-bandwidth communications in remote areas. The ISA is designed for military ground use in remote areas with harsh weather and where the movement and installation of large standard rigid satellite antennas is challenging. The main advantage of the terminal is portability, the company noted. When the ball is deflated, it rolls up (with the dish inside) like a sleeping bag and weighs 18 pounds. The antenna bag, blower, hoses and plates fit in one transportable case. The modification brings the contract’s total face value to more than $960 million. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order. The contract has an estimated completion date of September 26th, 2023.

Middle East & Africa

Iranian media reports that the Islamic Republic has a new anti-ship ballistic missile in its arsenal. Dubbed Fateh Mobin, the new missile is based on the existing Fateh 110 missile design. The Mobin was recently tested by Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The missile flew more than 100 miles on a flight path over the strait to a test range in the Iranian desert. The Fateh 110’s development started in 1995 and was first tested in 2001. According to CSIS the Fateh 110 already comes in two anti-ship variants. In 2014 the IRGC displayed the Hormuz-1 and Hormuz-2 equipped with anti-radiation capabilities for attacking radar systems. Another anti-ship variant of the Fateh is the Khalij Fars, which does have the electro-optical seeker required to improve accuracy enough to potentially hit a moving target. Defense Minister Gen. Hatami recently underlined Iran’s determination to further enhance its defense power in all fields “despite sanctions, pressures and psychological war by enemies”. A message clearly directed towards an US and regional audience.

Turkey may lose a $1.5 billion defense deal as the diplomatic crisis with the US escalates. The contract in question is Pakistan’s planned acquisition of 30 Turkish-made T129 ATAK helicopter gunships. The T129 is produced by Turkish Aerospace Industries but partly uses US-made engine parts for which TAI will need US export licenses. If those licenses are not issued Turkey cannot legally export the gunships to Pakistan. The helicopter is powered by two CTS800-4A turboshaft engines that are manufactured by LHTEC, a joint venture between the American firm Honeywell and the British company Rolls-Royce. Turkey and Pakistan signed a deal July 13th for 30 T129 ATAK helicopter gunships.

Europe

The German Navy plans to equip its K130 corvettes with the Skeldar V-200 rotary-wing unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The Navy is procuring two V-200s and will start to operate them by the end of 2019. The Skeldar is developed by Saab, is capable of being launched from the deck of any vessel, and delivers real-time intelligence and surveillance. The Skeldar V-200’s major mission capabilities include surveillance, reconnaissance, target attainment and transfer of target data to strike platforms. The typical payload configuration includes EO/IR gimbals, a laser pointer, laser range finder (LRF), synthetic aperture radar (SAR), ground moving target indicator (GMTI), electronic warfare, AIS transponder, searchlight, megaphone and cargo hook. The German Navy has its K130s deployed to a variety of naval missions where an increased reconnaissance capability is direly needed. During combat operations the V-200 will assist in guiding ship-launched RBS15 Mk3 missiles to their target.

Asia-Pacific

Vietnam is exporting three radar systems to Laos. The VRS-2DM radar system is produced by Viettel and provides information to air-defense troops and can perform airspace and flight management tasks. Laos purchased the system as means to boost its combat capability.

The government of Australia is set to receive a new engine for one of its P-8 Poseidon aircraft at a cost of $12.8 million. The Poseidon is powered by a CFM56-7B27AE engine is produced by CFM International belongs to the family of high-bypass turbofan aircraft engines. The CFM56-7 first ran on 21 April 1995 and has a takeoff thrust range of 19,500–27,300lb. It powers commercial Next-Generation 737s and military versions of the airframe including the AWACS and C-40 Clipper. Work will be performed at multiple international locations, including Villaroche, France and Durham, North Carolina. Delivery of the engine is scheduled for September 2019.

Today’s Video

Watch: Iran unveils ‘Mobin’ missile

Categories: Defense`s Feeds

Zephyr S HAPS breaks world record | US Navy orders torpedo upgrades | Russian Alligators sighted in Egypt

Tue, 08/14/2018 - 06:00

Americas

The Air Force is investing in research that seeks to protect aircraft from photonic energy. UES Inc. is being awarded a cost-plus-fixed-fee contract with a value of $49 million. The contract provides for research and development as part of the Air Force’s Flash and Laser Airborne Protection System program. Flash and Laser Airborne Protection System program has been devised as means to increase an aircrew’s survivability to flash-blindness and directed energy threats. Laser weapon systems could one day become standard for self-defense capabilities on Air Force aircraft and augment existing kinetic capabilities. It could also be used to better defend non-stealth aircraft that are seen as increasingly vulnerable to advanced anti-aircraft defense systems developed by Russia and China. Directed energy weapons are still considered a nascent market although significant progress has been made on laser weapons for use in naval and ground-based applications, including systems capable of downing drones. UES will be responsible for conducting exploratory and advanced research and development of materials and technologies needed to control, manipulate, and protect airfares against photonic energy. Work will be performed at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, and is expected to be completed by November 10th, 2024.

Raytheon and Leonardo-DRS are being contracted to support the Army’s FLIR technology. Both companies are each being awarded with a maximum $79.3 million firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract that provides for the production of spare parts in support of the Second Generation Forward Looking Infrared Block 1 B kit. The SG FLIR 1 B kit is a thermal imaging system developed as part of the Army’s Horizontal Technology Integration (HTI) initiative. B-Kits consist of common components that will be integrated into combat vehicle sights for reconnaissance, surveillance and target acquisition. These B-Kit upgrades will provide combat vehicle crews with a common picture across all host vehicles. Weapon sights that are based on FLIR technology support battlefield surveillance and target acquisition. They allow gunners and field commanders to see, identify and target enemy platforms 24 hours a day, regardless of obscurants such as smoke, fog and dust. FLIR systems are installed on various platforms including the M1 Abrams and the Bradley. Both contracts have a duration of five years and do not include option periods. Work will be performed at the companies locations in Texas and Florida, and is scheduled for completion by August 2023.

The Navy is ordering torpedo replacement kits from Lockheed Martin Sippican. The firm-fixed-price, cost and cost-plus-fixed-fee modification has a value of $59.1 million and provides for the production of G&C sections and CBASS kits used on the Mk48 Mod 7 torpedo. The Mk-48 is a huge 533mm torpedo (19 feet long, 3,500+ pounds) with advanced homing, wire guidance capabilities, and devastating consequences when its 300kg warhead hits a target. The Mk48 Mod 7 CBASS is an upgraded version of the MK 48 Advanced Capability (ADCAP) Mod 6 Advanced Common Torpedo (ACOT). CBASS includes a Broadband Sonar Analog Receiver, preamplifier and interfacing hardware. This gives the retrofitted torpedoes the ability to transmit and receive over a wide frequency band, and takes advantage of broadband signal processing techniques to improve their targeting & tracking capabilities. According to the Lockheed’s website the company delivers at least 20 Mod 7 CBASS kits per month to the US Navy. This contract combines purchases for the US Navy and international allies. The governments of the Netherlands, Canada and Turkey will each receive the kits under the US foreign military sales program. Work will be performed at Lockheed’s facilities in Marion, Massachusetts; Braintree, Massachusetts and Lemont Furnace, Pennsylvania. The kits are scheduled for delivery by March 2021.

Lockheed Martin is being tapped for work on the F-35 Lot 12. The company is being awarded with a cost-plus-fixed-fee delivery order that provides for the procurement of ancillary mission equipment at a cost of $301.9 million. The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II is a family of single-seat, single-engine, all-weather stealth multirole fighters. The fifth-generation combat aircraft is designed to perform ground attack and air superiority missions. In May 2017 the DoD awarded Lockheed with a $1.3 billion contract for the low-rate initial production of 130 Lot 12 F-35s, including the provision of parts, maintenance, and other services for the program. This contract combines purchases for the Air Force ($109.7 million), USMC ($50.1 million), Navy ($8.9 million), non-DoD participants ($102.3 million) and FMS customers ($30.8 million). Work will be performed at Lockheed’s facility in Fort Worth, Texas and is expected to be completed by January 2021.

Middle East & Africa

Recent satellite imagery indicates that the Egyptian Air Force has 12 new attack helicopters in its inventory. The helicopters in question are Russian-made Ka-52s. In 2015 Egypt agreed to acquire 46 conventional Ka-52 Alligator helicopters. The Ka-52 Alligator is an all-weather attack helicopter, powered by two Klimov VK-2500 turboshaft engines and designed by Kamov Design Bureau. The platform can destroy enemy armored and unarmored ground targets, low-speed aerial targets and troops at the frontline and in tactical depth. It is also deployed as a surveillance platform and aerial command post for a group of attack helicopters. The Alligator is armed with a 30mm machine gun and comes with six wing-mounted external hard points, its armor can withstands hits from 23 mm projectiles. Pilots are seated in ejection seats. It can also fly when one engine is disabled. About Egyptian 30 pilots and 70 technicians were trained in Russia last year. The country also voiced its interest to acquire a number of navalised Ka-52K Katran helicopters.

Europe

Airbus’s Zephyr S could be the holder of a new world record for aerial endurance. The solar-powered unmanned aircraft is developed by Airbus Defense & Space stayed aloft for 25 days 23 hours and 57 minutes. The Zeyphr S is a High Altitude Pseudo-Satellite or HAPS, designed to fill the gap between satellites and UAVs. The HAPS is the first UAV to fly in the stratosphere. The aircraft has a wingspan of 82ft and a weight of 165lb and can achieve daytime altitudes of about 74.000ft. The drone was initially developed by UK company QinetiQ and later bought and marketed by Airbus. The UK Ministry of Defence has three Zephyrs on order, being built at a new factory in Farnborough. While the UK MoD has not specified its plans for the aircraft, HAPS are seen as supplementary to satellites for Earth observation. The Zeyphr S can carry a variety of payloads which offer voice, data communications both line of sight and beyond the line of sight, and line of sight high resolution optical imagery. HAPS could be fitted with a mission-specific payload and deployed tactically to provide persistent surveillance in response to a natural or human-caused disaster, or to act as a telecommunications relay station.

Asia-Pacific

The government of Australia is set to receive support services for its destroyers as part of a US foreign military sale valued at $23.9 million. Lockheed Martin will provide the Royal Australian Navy with engineering and logistics support for its Aegis combat system installed on the Australian Air Warfare Destroyer Hobart Class vessels. Australia’s 7,000t destroyers are based strongly on Spain’s 5,800t F-104 Mendez Nunez AEGIS “frigate”, with some features from the subsequent 6,390t F-105 Cristobal Colon. Hobart will provide air defence for accompanying ships in addition to land forces and infrastructure in coastal areas, and for self-protection against missiles and aircraft. The Aegis Combat System incorporating the state-of-the-art phased array radar, AN/SPY 1D(V), in combination with the SM-6 missile, will provide an advanced air defense system capable of engaging enemy aircraft and missiles at ranges in excess of 93 miles. The destroyers can also be deployed in law enforcement operations, defence aid to the civil community, collection of environmental data, rescue operations and diplomatic roles. Work will be performed in Adelaide, Australia and three US locations including Moorestown, New Jersey, among others. Work is scheduled for completion by January 2020.

Indonesia is determined to move ahead with its planned acquisition of 11 Su-35s from Russia, despite the risk of being hit by US sanctions. The Asian nation wants to purchase the fighter jets to replace its ageing fleet of F-5 Tigers. The potential deal has a value of $1.5 billion. Several Asian countries, including Indonesia, India, and Vietnam, are under threat of American sanctions for importing Russian-produced weapons systems. The sanctions aim to punish Russian President Vladimir Putin for the 2014 annexation of the Crimean Peninsula from Ukraine, involvement in the Syrian war, and interference in the 2016 US presidential election.

Today’s Video

Watch: IAF Su-30s fly during exercise Pitch Black 2018

Categories: Defense`s Feeds

Hobart Class Ships: Aussie Anti-Air Umbrella

Tue, 08/14/2018 - 05:54

F100 visits Sydney
(click to view full)

Under the SEA 4000 Air Warfare Destroyer program, Australia plans to replace its retired air defense destroyers with modern ships that can provide significantly better protection from air attack, integrate with the US Navy and other coalition partners, offer long-range air warfare defense for Royal Australian Navy task groups, and help provide a coordinated air picture for fighter and surveillance aircraft. Despite their name and focus, the ships are multi-role designs, with a “sea control” mission that includes area air defense, advanced anti-submarine operations, and the ability to fight other ships.

The Royal Australian Navy took a pair of giant steps in June 2007, when it selected winning designs for its keystone naval programs: Canberra Class LHD amphibious operations vessels, and Hobart Class “air warfare destroyers.” Spain’s Navantia made an A$ 11 billion clean sweep, winning both the A$ 3 billion Canberra Class LHD and the A$ 8 billion Hobart Class Air Warfare Destroyer contracts. The new AWD ships were scheduled to begin entering service with the Royal Australian Navy in 2013, but that date has now slipped to 2016 or so. A 2014 ANAO report examines why – and the answers aren’t pretty.

SEA 4000: The Program

SEA 4000

The AWD is needed because Australia’s Adelaide Class (heavily upgraded FFG-7 Oliver Hazard Perry Class) frigates have limited air defense capabilities, and would be hard-pressed to survive against modern anti-ship missiles. All 4 remaining ships are set to retire by June 2019. Planned upgrades to Australia’s 6 ANZAC frigates will deliver a big leap ahead in their capabilities, but they still won’t be suitable for protecting an entire task force by themselves in high threat areas. Nor will they have the potential to grow into ballistic missile defense roles, which are acquiring new urgency in the 21st century. Hence SEA 4000.

In 2001, the SEA 4000 entry in the Defence Capability Plan 2001–2010 contained an initial cost estimate of A$ 3.5 – $4.5 billion. By June 2007, the SEA 4000 cost analysis for a 3-ship, F100 based program was A$ 7.207 billion (A$ 7.929 billion as of December 2013, with inflation and foreign exchange).

That jump was alarming. On the other hand, it’s less expensive than blindly accepting lowball estimates, then having to make ship changes part-way through the build stage. It’s also less disruptive than having to find billions of extra dollars after long-term navy plans are set. Those kinds of surprises are normal in places like the USA, but Australia has undertaken some major defense reforms intended to surface problems, and their likely costs, before the build contracts are placed. That has partly paid off, with a current 2014 estimate of A$ 8.455 billion – just a 6.6% increase over the June 2007 figure.

Unfortunately, the most 2014 ANAO report looked at EVMS data, and concluded that “…major corrective actions were necessary to restore confidence in the AWD build program’s [current] cost and [v2.0] schedule estimates.” See the full timeline below:

There was a contractual option for a 4th ship, but it was declined by the government. See Appendix B for more details concerning the SEA 4000 project’s phasing and timelines.

SEA 4000: The Process

The Problem: The Australian Treasury’s June 2007 Second Pass submission to government estimated an extra A$ 1 billion in costs associated with building the AWDs in Australia, representing an effective rate of assistance of over 30% for naval shipbuilding. Reader will note that this doesn’t square with overall project costs, but shipbuilding usually isn’t even the majority of a warship’s cost.

SEA 4000 Solution: In order to minimize these cost premiums, the AWD was meant to be the product of several competitions, not just one. Rather than taking the conventional approach of securing a prime contractor and having them do the integration and deliver the ship, the Australian government broke up the process into a series of contracts, with each subsequent decision building on the previous ones.

Australia calls the proposed acquisition strategy a “Design Driven” approach, where it contracts separately for design and construction. A designer is contracted to produce a ship design to meet specified requirements, and that design was competed among several shipbuilders offering their platforms as a base, plus one contracted ship design based on the American DDG-51. A winner is chosen, and then a shipbuilder is contracted to build that design.

In theory, the potential contracting strengths of the “Design Driven” strategy include:

The potential to design to a budget;
Greater assurance that the final product will meet the user expectations;
Maximized competition in equipment supply and construction;
More standardization across future shipbuilding projects by having the government instead of the contractor set the key standards;
Maintain a long-term relationship to ensure that through life support considerations are taken into account up front, and vet this before making a design choice.

Navantia’s modified F100 Alvaro de Bazan Class AEGIS frigate won the competition, beating Blohm + Voss’ F124 frigate, and an “Evolved Design” based on the larger American DDG-51 Arleigh Burke Class destroyer. See Appendix A for more details concerning that competition, and the offered platforms.

Unfortunately, the most 2014 ANAO report concluded that these process improvements were only a start. They looked at EVMS data, and concluded that:

“Defence and its industry advisers underestimated the risks associated with incorporating the design changes to Navantia’s F-104 design, exporting that design to Australia, and adapting the designer’s build strategy and processes to accommodate a distributed build at shipyards that lacked recent experience in warship building.”

These conclusions have implications beyond the Hobart Class. Australia is planning a SEA 5000 program to field anti-submarine frigates, as well as an A$ 40 billion program to field up to 12 new-build submarines. Both will try to learn from the SEA 4000 program’s efforts, successes, and shortfalls.

Australia’s Hobart Class AWD

2007 AWD Concept
(click to view full)

Australia’s 7,000t destroyers are based strongly on Spain’s 5,800t F-104 Mendez Nunez AEGIS “frigate”, with some features from the subsequent 6,390t F-105 Cristobal Colon. They also have a few unique Australian features like bow thrusters, a different helicopter hangar and recovery system, and interoperability changes to the combat system.

Australia’s approach to picking their AWD design actually began with a decision about the radar and combat system they wanted. America’s SPY-1/ SPS-62/ SPQ-9B radars weren’t as modern as the European LCF’s APAR/ SMART-L systems, but they have a very strong foothold in the Pacific Rim, and the back-end AEGIS combat system is a well-proven offering that creates interoperability with advanced ships throughout the region. Australia made AEGIS their choice, and a mature trump card called Co-operative Engagement Capability (CEC) even offers them the ability to fire at targets they cannot see, using an American ship’s target cue.

While the Hobart Class isn’t built with Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) capabilities, it has a proven path. Once new SM-6 missiles arrive in the early 2020s, the ships will be able to intercept ballistic missiles in their last stage of flight, much like the USA’s land-based PATRIOT missiles.

Efforts beyond that will require ship upgrades, and purchases of larger SM-3 missiles that can intercept enemy missiles outside the atmosphere. The US Navy is busy upgrading most of its DDG-51 AEGIS destroyer fleet, paying about $60 million per ship to do so. Similar upgrades have been applied to Japan’s 4 Kongo Class AEGIS destroyers, and their 2 newer Atago Class derivatives are following suit. Korea’s cruiser-size KDX-III AEGIS destroyers face a missile-armed North Korea, and may yet see upgrades of their own. If all parties have also adopted CEC technology, the result will be a powerful pool of fully interoperable, top-tier air defense ships around the Pacific Rim. The following chart offers some comparative perspective:

The USA’s AMDR program offers another potential upgrade. It will use the same X-band AN/SPQ-9 carried by the Hobart Class as a secondary radar, linked to a main AMDR S-band system that uses modern active array radar technologies. The Hobart Class’ onboard power generation is already superior to America’s larger destroyers, and the USA is spending significant R&D funds to overcome important weight and cooling challenges. If they succeed, Hobart Class upgrades could become feasible by the late 2020s.

Other potential upgrades, involving the ship’s weapons, are presented in the Additional Readings sections at the end of the article.

SEA 4000: Industrial

AWD Project management is performed by the Air Warfare Destroyer Project Office, located in Canberra, Australia. The Alliance contract is based on a cost-plus incentive-fee arrangement, under which they receive monthly payments of Direct Project Costs, and incentive fees based on their cost performance relative to a Target Cost Estimate. If there are cost overruns, AWD Alliance members share reductions in their incentive fees.

The AWD Alliance includes ASC Pty Ltd. in Adelaide as the lead Australian shipbuilder, and Raytheon Australia as the combat system integrator. Input comes from an Integrated Product Team (IPT) drawn from the Defence Materiel Organisation, DSTO and the Royal Australian Navy. BAE Australia (formerly Tenix) in Melbourne and Forgacs in Newcastle are the major shipbuilding sub-contractors within the program.

Each destroyer is comprised of 32 ship section “blocks”, which are outfitted with relevant equipment at their home shipyard before they are joined together at ASC’s facility. Key industrial participants, and their contributions, include:

Alliance CEO Rod Equd has said that “there is no way in which the traditional Defence contracting model would have coped [with the project],” but the risk-sharing dimension didn’t make sense for Navantia. Their project share was supposed to be just A$ 300 million, and if the firms picked by Australia’s government didn’t perform, they weren’t about to pay penalties. DMO ended up signing separate contracts with the AWD Alliance and with Navantia, introducing a disconnect that ended up haunting the program.

SEA 4000: Contracts & Key Events

Building AWD

Unless otherwise specified, US Naval Sea Systems Command in Washington, DC manages the contracts, on behalf of their Foreign Military Sale client.

2018

Program restructured, again, as delays & costs escalate; ANAO in-depth review; Brisbane’s keel laid.

The problem

August 14/18: Aegis support The government of Australia is set to receive support services for its destroyers as part of a US foreign military sale valued at $23.9 million. Lockheed Martin will provide the Royal Australian Navy with engineering and logistics support for its Aegis combat system installed on the Australian Air Warfare Destroyer Hobart Class vessels. Australia’s 7,000t destroyers are based strongly on Spain’s 5,800t F-104 Mendez Nunez AEGIS “frigate”, with some features from the subsequent 6,390t F-105 Cristobal Colon. Hobart will provide air defence for accompanying ships in addition to land forces and infrastructure in coastal areas, and for self-protection against missiles and aircraft. The Aegis Combat System incorporating the state-of-the-art phased array radar, AN/SPY 1D(V), in combination with the SM-6 missile, will provide an advanced air defense system capable of engaging enemy aircraft and missiles at ranges in excess of 93 miles. The destroyers can also be deployed in law enforcement operations, defence aid to the civil community, collection of environmental data, rescue operations and diplomatic roles. Work will be performed in Adelaide, Australia and three US locations including Moorestown, New Jersey, among others. Work is scheduled for completion by January 2020.

2014

Dec 9/14: Reforming the reform. Minister for Finance Mathias Cormann and Minister for Defence David Johnston make a joint announcement to address the state and future of the program. BAE Systems, Navantia SA, and Raytheon Australia are asked for increased project management involvement during an interim period until the end of July 2015. The government is told that “the schedule overruns are closer to 30 months for ships one and two and about three years for ship three.” That’s an additional 9 months beyond the delays discussed during the last restructuring… 6 months ago. As far as getting a new estimate for cost overruns, you’ll have to wait until the end of the interim period.

Sources: Australian government: Reform of Air Warfare Destroyer Program | The Australian: “Defence team given seven months to save air warfare destroyers”.

Oct 27/14: Costs. The ANAO’s initial estimate that the AWD program would exceed the current budget by A$ 302 million, and cautioned that estimates could worsen. they have, and the difference is reportedly closer to A$ 800 million.

“An announcement is now believed to be imminent on the future structure of the AWD program and of ASC… believed likely to involve ramped-up technical support from Spanish ship designer Navantia, on whose modified F-104 platform the Hobart class is based, and the assumption by BAE Systems of managerial responsibility for the overall program.”

Sources: Australian Defence Magazine, “AWD’s $800 million blowout”.

June 19/14: Legal. Australia’s government needs good consultants and a solid legal team to implement their proposed restructuring of the SEA 4000 program’s contracts and organization (q.v. June 14/14). They held a tender, and the investment bank Greenhill & Co Australia Pty Ltd. won the job as commercial advisers. Ashurst Australia will serve as the government’s legal advisers. Sources: Australia DoD, “Minister for Finance and Minister for Defence – Advisers appointed for Air Warfare Destroyer Program Reform Strategy”.

June 6/14: Productivity. During a press conference to announce a new supply ship program, and initial funding for the SEA 5000 future frigate, the Hobart Class comes up again twice. First, the initial Future Frigate investigation involves mounting the CEAFAR/ CEAMOUNT radar, Saab 9LV Mk3E combat system, and RIM-162 ESSM air defense missiles in the Hobart’s hull. Second, Minister Johnston is asked by a reporter about the Labor Party comments “when they say it’s a ‘fake Air Warfare Destroyer emergency’.” Sen. Jonston replies:

“Well let me deal with the emergency question. The international benchmark is 60 man-hours per tonne, we set the benchmark for that program at 80 man-hours per tonne, currently it is running at 150 man-hours per tonne, now if that’s a fake emergency – well I just think that is the most ridiculous statement I’ve ever heard. Getting back on track is essential to the future of naval shipbuilding, we want to get the program back up because it is potentially a very, very strong program. Never forget that when we went into East Timor we had to have the assistance of firstly a British and then a United States air warfare destroyer.”

While the base F105 Cristobal Colon frigate design is a multi-role frigate with anti-submarine capabilities, that isn’t its primary role, the way it is for Norway’s derivative but smaller Fridtjof Nansen Class. On the other hand, one of the Hobart Class’ big problems has involved issues with translating Navantia’s designs into production (q.v. March 6/14), and the AWD program is still facing serious issues. If those issues can be solved, Australia’s government could argue that it’s best to use a design whose production has finally been worked out, if it’s going to be built in Australia. Sources: Australian DoD, “Minister for Defence – Transcript – Naval shipbuilding announcement, CEA Technologies, Canberra”.

June 4/14: Restructuring. Australia’s new Liberal Party government announces another AWD program restructuring, “dealing with a range of unresolved structural and systemic issues that have remained unaddressed for too long.” The short form of their conclusions?:

“Now the main problems with the project as we have inherited it is that there were problems with the initial program plan, there were problems with inadequate government oversight, there were problems with the alliance structure which seemed incapable to manage issues if and as they arose and there were also problems with the performance and capabilities of ASC and major subcontractors.”

The overall project is 21 months behind, with Hobart delayed to 2016, and delivery of the 3rd ship shifted to March 2019. Defense minister Johnston reminds reporters that this is the program’s 3rd remediation cycle, and patience seems a bit thin. That’s understandable, given the program’s huge size and how alarmingly far along it is. In the wake of former US Secretary of the Navy Don Winter’s report (q.v. Nov 18/13), and an ANAO review (q.v. March 6/14), SEA 4000 is now on Australia’s “Projects of Concern” list. In addition:

“…the reform strategy that Professor Winter has recommended to the Government will seek to improve ship building productivity at the Air Warfare Destroyer Ship Builder ASC and its sub-contractors. It will include the urgent insertion of an experienced ship building management team into ASC [emphasis ours] and after we have been able to augment ship building capacity, we will seek to pursue the reallocation of blocks between ship yards to ensure that the program is sustainable and that productivity levels are maximised…. There are obviously some serious complexities involved in giving effect to the recommendations… which is why we will immediately engage relevant commercial and legal advisers to assist us through that process. We will have some further announcements to make in terms of the practical implementation of this reform strategy in July this year.”

Defense minister Johnston certainly sounds serious, and then he delivers a 2nd major shot across ASC’s bow. Submarines may be considered to be a top-tier strategic industrial capability, but:

“Now we’ve got potentially another 8 future frigates that we would like to build in Australia, but I am sending a very clear message out today. If we can’t fix this, that is something that will certainly be in jeopardy, because I don’t believe the Government will support an enterprise that cannot deliver productively.”

The next step is a lot of complex negotiations, especially given the legal issues around existing contracts. The government is saying that these negotiations are why they won’t release Winters’ full report now. Sources: Australia DoD, “Minister for Finance and Minister for Defence – Joint Media Release – Putting the Air Warfare Destroyer program back on track” | “Minister for Defence – Air Warfare Destroyer added to Projects of Concern list” | “Minister for Finance and Minister for Defence – Joint Press Conference – Review of the Air Warfare Destroyer program”.

Program restructuring

March 6/14: ANAO Report. Australia’s ANAO releases a 302 page report that chronicles the AWD program and its issues, and makes recommendations. The key takeaway is that ANAO has almost no confidence in the A$ 302 overrun estimate provided by the AWD Alliance in November 2013, citing issues with process control and EVMS measurements of shipyard productivity – 1.0, as of September 2010, vs. 0.62 as of November 2013. Why?

“As at November 2013, the Alliance was experiencing a range of difficulties that have cost and schedule implications. Longstanding issues with the maturity of detailed design documentation were ongoing, resulting in significant rework, major construction problems had re-emerged at subcontractor level, and shipbuilding productivity remained well below expectations…. There has been an average of 2.75 revisions per drawing (as at March 2013), and revised drawings were still being provided in late 2013. This process has led to costly and out-of-sequence rework in cases where construction work already undertaken no longer matched the design…. detailed design immaturity and construction performance issues were ongoing in late 2013, and continue to pose a [serious] risk to the program’s cost and schedule.”

Forgacs’ ANAO audit reply adds that some remedial measures, like the November 2010 reallocation of ship blocks from BAE, just ended up breaking execution limits at their firm and spreading the problem. It’s important to remember that none of the Australian firms picked had built a major surface combatant in recent memory, and Forgacs warns of a possible repeat: “…the time line for the tender evaluation process of the next major Defence project to prevent a gap in work is dangerously close.” On which note, Australia’s DoD’s reply adds insight into SEA 4000’s issues, while providing a textbook example of a phenomenon known as The Planning Fallacy:

“Defence did consider these issues throughout Phases 1 and 2 of the AWD project and made sizeable investments in the shipbuilding industry in studying existing and evolved designs, and comparing these to contemporary projects of similar scale and scope in Australia and overseas. The estimated cost and schedule for the shipbuilding element exceeded all other contemporary examples…. on present estimates, the shipbuilding delay is anticipated to be at least 49 weeks (or 18 per cent) longer than the period required for the original F100 design and build….. Defence considers the amount of design change was not excessive for a design of the complexity of the AWD, nor was the level of design change unpredicted at Government approval.63 The real issue around these changes was in the immaturity of the processes to manage the design change challenge with the designer and the block subcontractors.”

Sources: ANAO, “Air Warfare Destroyer Program” | NineMSN, “Warship project heading for cost blowout”.

ANAO Audit Report

Nansen Class: S-5000?
(click to view full)

Feb 3/14: Keel-laying. ASC in Adelaide holds a ceremony for destroyer #2 Brisbane. There are a number of questions swirling around reports of large cost overruns, the inquiry the government announced last year, etc. The Minister’s response:

“The project overall won’t have an overrun until we have finished the project, if there is one. Now, things come and go with ships – with labour there is a whole lot of flexibility in the program, there is a lot of contingency. We won’t know the final figure until the last boat is in the water…. I can confirm that the contingency has not been spent already…. I am working on the inquiry as we stand here now, and there may be an announcement on that in the near future…. I don’t believe it is government policy for a 4th Air Warfare Destroyer at this time because we have a White Paper coming. Those issues are very important to inform the White Paper and there is a possibility that this hull can be used for the SEA 5000 [DID: future ASW frigate] programme but we are a long way from finalising that. So, let’s just not try and speculate too much before we put everything together in a White Paper…”

With respect to his statement that the base (F100 class) hull could be used as the basis for Australia’s SEA 5000 anti-submarine warfare frigates, it’s worth remembering that shipbuilding is a minority of a ship’s cost, with onboard equipment and weapons making up the majority. With that said, 7,000t is quite large for an anti-submarine frigate. Even with significant equipment cost reductions, Australia would be very hard pressed to build 8 ships. Navantia has a more likely option in the scaled-down Fridtjof Nansen Class AEGIS frigates it built for Norway. The 5,130t ships combine an anti-submarine focus with a smaller AN/SPY-1F radar, AEGIS combat system, and solid mid-range air defenses. Costs in 2000 were about $326 million per ship. Sources: Australia MoD “Minister for Defence – Transcript – Keel-laying ceremony for Air Warfare Destroyer (AWD) HMAS Brisbane, Techport Australia, Adelaide” and “Minister for Defence – Transcript – Doorstop at Keel-laying ceremony for Air Warfare Destroyer (AWD) HMAS Brisbane, Techport Australia, Adelaide”.

Brisbane keel laid; Same hull for SEA 5000?

2012 – 2013

Hobart’s keel laid; Australia to wait until 2017-2018 for next-gen EW systems; Labor Government stretches AWD project timeline to keep busy until submarine contracts begin – then dithers on its submarine choices; New Liberal government promises a program review after AWD is 17.2% over budget for the past year.

ASC ceremony
(click to view full)

Dec 17/13: ANAO Report. Australia’s National Audit Office releases their 2012-13 Major Projects Report. There’s a lot of coverage in the Australian press about overspends during the past year, including reports describing potential billion-dollar bailouts of the program. The overspend is real, but the ANAO says nothing about billion-dollar cost increases. Here’s how the actual numbers break out.

According to ANAO, the total program budget, including indexing for inflation and exchange rate factors, works out to A$ 7,869.2 million as of June 2013. That hasn’t moved much in real terms since the program began. ANAO does say that about 59.2% of the program’s budget has been spent as of June 2013, leaving about A$ 3.3 billion to go, with only 46-49% of the project complete. That isn’t unusual for long efforts like shipbuilding, which order a lot of equipment up front. Indeed, the Canberra Class LHD are in the same spend/completion boat. ANAO lists the AWD project’s maturity at about 75%, even as they warn “the 2012–13 MPR continues to highlight inconsistencies within [DMO’s] application of Project Maturity, reducing the level of reliability of [their] maturity assessments.”

Financially, the SEA 4000 program went over budget by A$ 106.4 million in the past year (A$ 723 million instead of A$ 618.6 million, a 17.3% overrun), due to “Participants exceeding budget for labour, materials and subcontracts, as well as [DID: a miniscule] indexation shortfall.” Even if all remaining spending as of June 2013 faced a 17.3% hike, that adds up to about A$ 570 million extra – which would place the entire project just 6.7% over budget. For whatever it’s worth “DMO considers, as at the reporting date, there is sufficient budget remaining for the project to complete against the agreed scope.” ANAO does acknowledge that the budget for (American) Engineering and Technical Assistance probably isn’t sufficient, but that’s not generally a major cost driver. The one interesting technical note is that:

“Electronic Warfare Radar – Electronic Attack sub-system procurement has been deferred as current technology does not meet the contract and Royal Australian Navy (RAN) requirements. The budget has been preserved to support second generation technology being fielded in the AWD. It is expected that the capability will be available in the 2017-18 timeframe.”

If local efforts fail, there’s always the option of switching to the USN’s forthcoming SEWIP Block 2. Sources: ANAO, 2012-13 Major Projects Report | Australian Broadcasting Corp., “Air Warfare Destroyer project hit by budget blowouts of $10 million per month” | The Australian “Fears of $1bn bailout as destroyer project leaks $10m a month”.

Nov 18/13: Review coming. After the AWD Alliance reports that a full baseline review forecasts a A$ 302 million overspend beyond the approved budget, Australia’s government announces:

“Since coming into Government… detailed briefings from key stakeholders associated with the Air Warfare Destroyer program [show] ….part of the legacy of unresolved issues which we have inherited from Labor…. [The Ministry for Finance of Ministry for Defence] are committed to establishing an independent review into the Air Warfare Destroyer program. We will provide further details of this review when we finalise the terms of reference in early 2014.”

Source: Australia DoD, “Minister for Finance and Minister for Defence – Coalition committed to the efficient delivery of the Air Warfare Destroyer programme” | ANAO report No.22 2013–14.

July 11/13: Infrastructure. The Australian government announces that Baulderstone Pty Ltd. will be appointed to manage an A$ 170.2 million project to build new and refurbished LHD and Air Warfare Destroyer berthing and support facilities in Sydney. The firm has a long history managing large construction projects, including the iconic Sydney Opera House.

The award is split, with A$ 60.3 million allocated to the Canberra Class LHDs and $109.9 million for the Hobart Class Air Warfare Destroyers. Baulderstone will manage the build-out of berthing infrastructure, permanent maintenance, and systems support facilities for the new ships at Garden Island, and nearby training facilities at Randwick Barracks and HMAS Watson. Construction is expected to begin in late July 2013, with completion scheduled for late 2015. Australia DoD.

July 2/13: Hobart. The final keel block, which happens to be the 18th of 31 total ship blocks, of the Hobart was lifted into place in Adelaide. That block is used for flotation and stabilization. Work on the hull should be consolidated by early 2014. DoD | The Advertiser (with timelapse video}.

April 19/13: Weapons. Raytheon announces that they’ve delivered the 2nd Phalanx Block 1B CIWS system for last-ditch, close-in defense on board the future HMAS Brisbane. The first Phalanx 1B was delivered for Hobart in late 2012, and Sydney’s system will be delivered and installed in 2014.

April 2/13: Sub-contractors. MG Engineering loads Hobart’s 22m mast on a barge, and floats it up the Port River to Techport Australia. See also July 4/12 entry. Adelaide Now.

Jan 17-20/13: Industrial. BAE ships its 8th and 9th keel blocks to ASC, who accepts them. This completes all of BAE’s blocks for Hobart and Brisbane. Block 415 is a 117t hull block, while Block 111 is a 112t keel block.

BAE’s release emphasizes their focus on securing future work, which has been in jeopardy ever since the yard’s high-profile workmanship problems in 2010. Unsurprisingly, the rest of the release spends time discussing improved processes for work planning, welding quality, dimensional control, and inspection and acceptance. BAE Systems.

Oct 30/12: Torpedoes. Australia’s government announces that Hobart’s triple-tube Mk32 MOD 9 torpedo launchers successfully completed testing in June 2012, and Brisbane’s launchers successfully completed their own test with an MU90 torpedo mockup.

Sept 6/12: Delays. The Australian government announces a re-baselining of the AWD construction schedule. Nothing’s wrong, but the government’s delayed commitment to the future submarine program means that the AWD program will end before any submarine program begins. That would create a sudden loss of jobs and skilled workers, so after consultation with Australian industry, the time between each delivery is being extended to 18 months.

That’s certainly an easier schedule to meet, and offers more project leeway, but it also means that Australia’s ability to protect its naval forces will suffer. The opposition Liberal Party’s shadow defence minister, highlights this problem, even as Sen. Johnston dismisses the industrial rationale. The AWD delays, he says, are entirely driven by recent heavy cuts to the defense budget, and the delays are just a way to take money out of the project.

The re-baselined schedule changes the delivery dates to March 2016 for D39 Hobart, September 2017 for D41 Brisbane, and March 2019 for D42 Sydney. The program is currently valued at A$ 8 billion. Australian government | Liberal Party Opposition.

Project delays

Sept 6/12: Keel-laying. The official keel-laying for AWD01 Hobart at Techport Australia in Adelaide moves the project into the Consolidation phase. BAE Systems has delivered all 7 of its Hobart blocks to AWD Shipbuilder ASC in Adelaide, and Forgacs is expected to deliver all 7 of its blocks before the end of 2012. Hobart’s hull is due for completion on the hardstand within 15 months, but delivery won’t take place until 2016. AWD Alliance.

Hobart keel laid

July 4/12: Sub-contractors. The Australian government awards an A$ 3.25 million contract to MG Engineering in Adelaide. Over the next 2 years, the firm will build 25 tonne, 22 meter long central masts for all 3 Air Warfare Destroyers.

The masts have to be built in 6 sections, joined together on a jig, then transported by barge to Techport. MG engineering will hire another 10 staff to do this work, raising their total to 40 people. AWD Alliance.

July 4/12: AEGIS. The first 2 radar faces for Hobart’s AN/SPY-1D (V) phased array radar arrive in Australia. Each SPY-1D radar has 3 “faces” to offer radar coverage all around the ship. Australian DoD.

2011

Major reallocation of shipyard work arrangements away from BAE, to Forgacs; Australia picks MH-60R to serve on AWDs.

MH-60R Seahawk
click for video

Oct 18/11: Sub-contractors. The Australian government awards Hunter subsidiary Forgacs another 2 AWD blocks (1 each for Hobart and Brisbane), worth around $80 million. This brings their total to 40, up from 29 when the project started.

The work will create about 150 more jobs, and Forgacs will open another shipyard line at Carrington, which currently employs 50 people. Another 450 are working on the AWD at Tomago. Work has already begun on all 14 Hobart blocks, and 2/13 Brisbane blocks. The new hires will bring Forgacs to its envisioned maximum of 650 people working on AWD, across both shipyards. Australian DoD.

Aug 12-15/11: BAE Systems ships the first Air Warfare Destroyer (AWD) block to the ASC facility at Osborne in South Australia. This first block weighs around 180 tonnes, and is 18 x 16 x 5 meters. In light of past problems at the Williamstown shipyard, BAE Systems Director of Maritime, Harry Bradford, tried to reassure by saying that:

“We are now at a stage where we have the right people and the right skills to meet the challenges this project will bring. As an international shipbuilder BAE Systems also has the added advantage of global reachback and can draw on our experiences in other markets.”

Aug 6/11: Guns delivered. The AWD Alliance announces the arrival of 6 RAFAEL Typhoon Mark 25 Mod 2 guns, which will equip 3 Hobart Class destroyers at a cost of around A$ 15 million. These 25mm, stabilized guns are operated from within the ship using a joystick and screen, with imagery provided by the Typhoons advanced Toplite day/night optics. Each AWD will be equipped with 2 Typhoon guns, located on the Port and Starboard Bridge wings of each ship.

The guns will be stored in a secure Adelaide warehouse until they are installed on HMAS Hobart, Brisbane and Sydney during construction.

July 27/11: Guns delivered. The AWD Alliance has taken delivery of the Hobart Class’ 3 Mk.54 MOD 4 gun mounts, which include the 127/62 mm gun, turret, and associated below-decks systems for handling ammunition. The BAE Systems gun mounts were manufactured in the United States, per the Sept 17/08 contract, and are valued at A$ 80 million (conversion rose from USD $63.5 – $88 million in the interim). They will be placed into a controlled storage facility in Adelaide, until they are installed in their respective ships. Australian MoD.

June 16/11: MH-60R wins. Australia picks Sikorsky’s MH-60R naval helicopter over the NH90 NFH; it will equip the Hobart Class.

Helicopter picked

May 27-31/11: Shipbuilding issues. BAE Australia doesn’t react officially, but reports begin to surface in the Australian press that suggest problems with the AWD Alliance as the root cause, via poor quality drawings and incorrect specifications. The claim is that more than 2,400 faults have been discovered in the data, said to include wrong dimensions for the hull shapes, inconsistent assembly instructions, missing measurements, and faulty welding guides. It has reached the point that BAE has rejected the ASC’s design pack for Brisbane, the 2nd ship of class. The ASC has rejected BAE’s criticism, and refused to agree to BAE’s request for an improved design package.

There’s also controversy over reports that the Gillard government was warned of these problems in February 2011, and was very slow to act.

The Australian government eventually fires back. While they agree that there have been thousands of technical queries, and that lead shipbuilder ASC and BAE are in dispute over the designs, they note that the other 2 contractors, and Navantia haven’t had the same problems. DMO chief executive Dr Stephen Gumley tells an Australian Senate committee that experts will look into the drawings issue, but adds that BAE may have taken on more work than it had skilled personnel to handle, and did not inform the DMO about problems in a timely way. The state of AWD industrial team relations seems poor, at best. The Australian, re: drawings dispute, re: Government notice | Adelaide Now re: DMO testimony.

May 26/11: Shipbuilding issues. Australia’s government announces that they will change the allocation of work on the SEA 4000 AWD project. Even after reallocating 3 ship blocks away from the Melbourne BAE Systems shipyard to Forgacs in Newcastle (vid. April 1/11 entry), it remains stretched due to AWD and LHD commitments. As a result:

“The advice of the AWD Alliance is that if no action is taken to relieve the pressure on the Melbourne BAE Systems shipyard the first ship would be two years late, approximately 25 per cent over schedule… [our proposed changes] will reduce the delay of the completion of Ship 1 by up to 12 months, and of all three AWDs by up to 12 months.”

Note that this still means a year’s delay for Hobart. After consultation with Australia’s DoD, we are able to provide the following modified work summary for the 93 blocks involved in all 3 ships:

Navantia: 8 blocks… 3 sonar block assemblies, 5 reallocated blocks for Brisbane (expected cost: A$ 40 million)
ASC: 25 blocks… 9 Hobart, 8 for Brisbane & Sydney.
BAE: 7 blocks… 7 Hobart.
Forgacs: 38 blocks… 12 Hobart, 13 for Brisbane & Sydney.

BAE will complete the structural steel and initial outfitting work on the 7 Hobart blocks in its yard. Up to 13 BAE blocks (6 construction, 7 blast/ paint/ advanced outfitting) from Hobart & Brisbane to be reallocated “among the 3 Australian shipyards,” but this is likely to mean ASC & Forgacs in practice. A decision on BAE blocks for Sydney (implicitly: 2) will be made later in the AWD project.

BAE will, however, keep all 14 ship blocks for the 2 Canberra Class amphibious ships’ superstructure and integration work. Royal Australian Navy | Australia DoD | The Australian.

Major work reallocation

May 15/11: Infrastructure. ASC in Adelaide invites the public to its shipyard from 12noon -3:00pm, to tour progress on the construction of Hobart Class Air Warfare Destroyers (AWD). The event is jointly hosted with the AWD Alliance, and is the 1st time ASC’s shipyard has ever been open to the public.

This week also marked the start of blast and paint work at a new A$ 8 million facility at ASC’s Shipyard to paint steel blocks under construction. ASC.

April 27/11: AEGIS. Lockheed Martin Mission Systems & Sensors in Moorestown, NJ receives an $18.3 million not-to-exceed contract modification for command team trainer efforts to build the Aegis Weapon System baseline for Australia’s Hobart Class. The firm will provide necessary combat systems engineering, computer program development, ship integration and test, logistics technical services, technical manuals and staging support.

Work will be performed in Moorestown, NJ (89%); Clearwater, FL (9%); and Adelaide, Australia (2%). Work is expected to be complete by December 2014 (N00024-10-C-5125, FMS case AT-P-LCQ).

April 1/11: Shipbuilding issues. Lead yard ASC hands Forgacs in Newcastle, Australia a new A$ 40 million contract from ASC for another 3 hull blocks, as a result of problems with work at BAE systems (formerly Tenix) in Victoria, Australia.

The contracts comes on top of Forgacs’ original A$ 150 million contract, and the firm is set to employ an extra 70 workers, but they’re having trouble recruiting enough skilled tradespeople at the Tomago shipyard. They’ve already gone from about 15 people at Tomago to around 300, and adding the additional boilermakers, welders, riggers, dogmen and scaffolders is proving to be a challenge. Australia Broadcasting Corp.

2010

Picks: EW/ESM, STACOM; Problems with BAE’s work; DSCA request: SM-2 air defense missiles.

Spain’s F101, 2005
(click to view full)

Dec 20/10: AWD Alliance. The Air Warfare Destroyer Alliance officially appoints acting CEO Mr. Rod Equid, BE (Electrical), M.Sc Engg (Aerosystems) as its new CEO. Before his step up to acting CEO in April 2010, he had been the alliance’s General Manager Business. His previous background includes 15 years as a RAAF engineer officer, 5 years as a senior Defence public servant, and nearly 14 years with Raytheon Australia.

“Mr Equid said hull construction is in the start-up phase on the way to peak production. Block production is currently underway in three shipyards, ASC in Adelaide, BAE Systems in Melbourne and Forgacs in Newcastle. “The combat system production is well advanced, combat system integration is on track and the AWD Alliance has signed contracts for nearly all major equipment and material,” Mr Equid said.”

Oct 27/10: Shipbuilding issues. The Australian reports that ASC has asked shipping experts from Lloyd’s Register Asia to visit BAE’s Williamstown shipyards, in order to “ensure the blocks are being built to internationally recognised standards.”

“ASC is believed to have asked Lloyd’s to become involved about four weeks ago when it became aware of the gravity of the keel bungle. The Lloyd’s advisers are likely to visit the shipyards once a week for at least the next six months to help oversee the construction. Spokespeople from ASC and Lloyd’s declined to comment yesterday.”

Oct 26/10: Keel Issues. Australian media report that Hobart’s 200t, 20m x 17m central keel block was built to inaccurate dimensions, as a result of faulty welding, and inadequate quality control at BAE Systems Australia’s (formerly Tenix) Williamstown shipyard. The AWD Alliance confirmed the problems, and said 2 other hull blocks were saved from distortion when the issue was identified and production processes were changed. The Australian reports that:

“One AWD source, who asked not to be named, said: “This is not a small problem – this is a major headache for us. This will have a ripple effect on the whole project because that hull block is critical, and if that block is delayed, then a raft of other things also get delayed.”

Beyond the obvious compatibility problems with other ship blocks, the keel block is arguably the most important part of the ship, supporting the heaviest machinery, and playing a large role in the ship’s long-term durability. AWD Alliance CEO Rod Equid said that he believes the problem has been fixed, without offering many details, and adds that the program has been 4 months ahead of schedule until recently. That buffer may help cushion the blow, but he would not commit to a revised timing figure. The Australian | Sydney Morning Herald | China’s Xinhua | The Age (incl. video) re: effects on other programs. See also The Australian’s update on current progress, “Destroyer program on full throttle .”

Shipbuilding problems at BAE

Oct 26/10: The US DSCA announces [PDF] Australia’s formal request to buy 17 Warhead Compatible Telemetry missiles used in missile tests, including AN/DKT-71 Telemeters and assembly kits, spare and repair parts, technical data and publications, personnel training and training equipment, and support. The estimated cost is $46 million. The prime contractors are Raytheon Missiles Systems Company in Tucson, AZ; and Raytheon Company in Camden, AR.

The proposed sale of SM-2 Block IIIB STANDARD missiles will be used for anti-air warfare test firings during Combat Systems Ship Qualification Trials for the Royal Australian Navy’s 3 new Hobart Class Air Warfare Destroyers, currently under construction. Australia, which has already integrated the SM-2 Block IIIA, will have no difficulty absorbing these missiles into its armed forces. Implementation of this proposed sale will not require the assignment of U.S. Government or contractor representatives to Australia.

SM-2 request

Oct 8/10: We’re hiring! The AWD Alliance announces a national recruitment drive to fill up to 60 vacancies in skilled positions.

The current focus on hull fabrication is leading to a demand for more welders at all three shipyards, as well as sheet metal workers, stores and warehouse positions, schedulers, procurement specialists and business analysts, pipe fitters, and boilermakers. In total, the 3 shipyards will also employ about 200 apprentices.

The Combat System team is moving to the management and test phase, creating demand for production engineers, integrated logistics support (ILS), systems engineers, and operations managers.

Sept 17/10: AEGIS. Lockheed Martin Mission Systems & Sensors in Moorestown, NJ receives a $197.5 million cost-plus-fixed-fee, contract with performance incentives, for post-Critical Design Review (CDR) Aegis Combat Systems Engineering to finalize and implement the Aegis Weapon System baseline for the Government of Australia. This contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $211.4 million.

Naval Sea Systems Command contract N00024-09-C-5104 supported these efforts through Aegis Combat System Critical Design Review, but a new contract is needed for post-CDR efforts. Work will include the necessary combat systems engineering, computer program development, ship integration and test, logistics technical services, technical manuals and staging support.

The AWD AWS baseline will be derived from a technology refreshed variant of the U.S. Navy’s AWS Baseline 7, Phase I.

Work will be performed in Moorestown, NJ (86%), and Adelaide, Australia (14%), and is expected to be complete by December 2014. There’s only one Aegis supplier, so this contract was not competitively procured (N00024-10-C-5125 for FMS case AT-P-LCQ.

June 16/10: Block transport. The AWD Alliance signs a A$ 25 million contract with Toll North Pty Ltd. The firm will make 23 trips of a barge towed by a tug boat, in order to move 66 destroyer hull blocks by sea from BAE Systems in Newcastle (15 trips) and Forgacs in Melbourne (8 trips), to ASC in Adelaide. Each destroyer is composed of 31 hull blocks, which are assembled at the AWD Alliance’s Techport site in Adelaide.

Minister Combet adds that the SEA 4000 project is currently on track to deliver HMAS Hobart in December 2014. HMAS Brisbane is scheduled for delivery in March 2016, and HMAS Sydney in June 2017. Australia DoD.

May 20/10: SATCOM. Australia’s Labor Party Minister for Defence Materiel and Science, Greg Combet, announces that the Air Warfare Destroyer (AWD) Alliance has selected Thales Australia Ltd. as the preferred supplier for satellite communications (SATCOM) equipment for the Hobart Class destroyers.

The AWD system incorporates SATCOM equipment from leading suppliers including ViaSat, SITEP and Thrane & Thrane. Under the A$ 9 million contract, Thales Australia will design and build the equipment at its Garden Island facility in Sydney, before installing the equipment on the AWDs at Techport Australia in Adelaide. Australian DoD.

SATCOM picks

April 23/10: AWD Alliance. CEO John Gallacher retires as chief executive of ASC Shipbuilding and the Air Warfare Destroyer Alliance, returning to Western Australia after 5 years as the head of the company. Adelaide Now.

April 15/10: Update. Air Warfare Destroyer (AWD) Alliance CEO John Gallacher offers some updates, as the AWD Alliance holds a formal ceremony to launch the project’s construction phase:

“At ASC in Adelaide work is well advanced on two blocks including decking and superstructure components a total of 35 metres long and weighing a total of more than 200 tonnes.

At BAE Williamstown, Victoria work is underway on building the four main ‘keel’ blocks that, when consolidated at ASC, will be 69 metres long and weigh a total of 450 tonnes; and

At FORGACS Newcastle, New South Wales work is underway on three central blocks, including super structure, with a total length of 36 metres and weighing a total of more than 200 tonnes… At the three shipyards some 500 people are now working directly on building the blocks with the total workforce on the project of 1000.”

AWD Alliance | Adelaide Now

April 14/10: EW/ESM. The AWD Alliance announces ITT-EDO Reconnaissance Surveillance Systems (RSS) as the preferred supplier of the Hobart Class’ electronic warfare capability, which will detect and classifying radars, produce countermeasure transmissions, and intercept communication signals. The EW component will be integrated with the AEGIS combat system, and ITT/EDO is joined by Australia’s Jenkins Engineering Defence Systems and Avalon Systems.

The AWD Alliance will now enter into contract negotiations that are expected to be complete by mid-2010.

EW/ESM picks

April 1/10: Radars. Northrop Grumman Systems, Inc. in Garden City, N.Y., is being awarded a $41.5 million modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-10-C-5343) for the delivery of AN/SPQ-9B radar sets and combat interface kits for use on U.S. Navy ships. Work will be performed in Melville, NY (91.2%); Norwalk, CT (5.5%); and Baltimore, MD (3.3%), and is expected to be complete by April 2011. The Naval Sea Systems Command in Washington, DC manages this contract.

A subsequent corporate release confirms that this purchase covers 6 radar shipsets, including the 3rd radar of a 3-system order for the Royal Australian Navy’s Hobart Class Air Warfare Destroyers; and 3 antenna groups. The follow-on order is part of a five-year $281.5 million contract awarded in October 2009. See also May 5/08, July 9/08, and Oct 30/09 entries in this FOCUS article, as well as the free-to-view article: “NGC Contracted for USN/RAN SPQ-9B Radars & Support”

March 10/10: Infrastructure. The AWD announces contracts worth more than A$ 4 million for the fit-out of the new Air Warfare Destroyer (AWD) Systems Centre at Techport Australia, Adelaide, South Australia. The new AWD headquarters will have a 5 Star Green Star rating from the Green Building Council of Australia, and will accommodate 300 staff including personnel from the Commonwealth, ASC, Raytheon Australia, Navantia, Bath Iron Works, Lockheed Martin and the US Navy. Move-in is expected later in 2010.

Member firm ASC signed a contract with the ISSI property services group, for infrastructure, equipment and services in the Systems Centre. This includes work stations; custom joinery; electrical, mechanical, hydraulic and fire protection services; graphics and interior design; equipment; and project management.

Member firm Raytheon Australia signed a contract with Synergy for work audio visual systems (including interactive whiteboards, LCD screens, projectors and audio systems), video conference systems and a voice telephony system. Many of the audio-visual items will be provided by Adelaide’s Leedall Presentation Systems.

Woods Bagot, designers of the fit-out, will provide expert consultancy services to the AWD Alliance. More than 1,300 pieces of loose furniture have been ordered from 6 Adelaide office furniture suppliers, including Living Edge and Schiavello.

2009

4th ship declined; Ships will have GPS-guided RGM-86 Harpoon Block IIs and SM-6 air defense missiles; FORGACS to work on several ship blocks; Other sub-contracts; Project updates.

RGM-84 Harpoon launch
(click to view full)

Dec 8/09: Harpoon Block II. Minister for Defence Personnel, Materiel and Science Greg Combet provides an update regarding the AWD program, and notes both Lockheed Martin’s “pull the plug” ceremony, and an A$ 20 million (currently $18.3 million) contract with Boeing for the Advanced Harpoon Weapon Control System.

Its accompanying missiles, expected to be RGM-84 Harpoon Block IIs with dual radar/GPS guidance “…will allow our three Air Warfare Destroyers to engage surface and land targets at ranges well beyond the horizon.”

Dec 1/09: Testing. Lockheed Martin hosts a “pull-the-plug” ceremony at its Moorestown, NJ facility, marking the end of acceptance tests for the 1st Australian AEGIS system. The AWD-1 system is now ready for installation on Hobart, it will now be packed and shipped to ASC Shipyard in Adelaide, South Australia. The ship is still scheduled for delivery as HMAS Hobart in 2014. Lockheed Martin.

Oct 30/09: Radar. A $26.6 million firm-fixed-price contract for 4 AN/SPQ-9B radar sets combines purchases for the US Navy (56%) and the government of Australia (44%) under the Foreign Military Sales Program. They will deliver 2 horizon search AN/SPQ-9B radar sets to each customer, including above and below deck hardware, and combat interface kits.

This contract includes options which would bring the duration to 5 years, and the cumulative value of this contract to $281.5 million. Those options encompass U.S. Nimitz Class aircraft carriers, Ticonderoga Class cruisers and amphibious assault ships; as well as the U.S. Coast Guard’s Bertholf Class National Security Cutters and the Australian Navy’s Hobart Class.

Northrop Grumman will perform the work in Melville, NY (91.2%); Norwalk, CT (5.5%); Baltimore, MD (3.3%), and expects to complete it by April 2011. This contract was not competitively procured. The Naval Sea Systems Command in Washington, DC, is the contracting activity (N00024-10-C-5343). See also NGC release.

Oct 30/09: Radar. A $7.9 million cost- plus-fixed fee contract for continued design agent and technical engineering support to AN/SPQ-9B radars during installation, integration, testing, and refurbishment. This contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value to $39.3 million. It combines purchases for the US Navy (71.8%) and the government of Australia (28.2%) under the Foreign Military Sales Program.

Work will be performed in Melville, NY (96.9%); Baltimore, MD (2.4%); Norwalk, CT (0.7%), and is expected to be completed by October 2010. This contract was not competitively procured by the Naval Sea Systems Command in Washington, D.C. (N00024-10-C-5341).

Oct 20/09: Update. The Rudd government’s Minister for Defence Personnel, Materiel and Science, Greg Combet, provides some updates regarding the program and recently-awarded contracts.

ASC in Adelaide has begun work on the “pilot block”, one of its 27 assigned 200-tonne ship sections.
Similar fabrication of blocks will begin at BAE’s facilities in Williamstown, Victoria in November 2009.
Similar fabrication of blocks will begin at The FORGACS Group’s facilities in Newcastle, NSW in December 2009.
South Australia’s Ferrocut has successfully tested its steel plate cutting capabilities.
The AWD Alliance signed an A$ 12 million (about EUR 7.4 million) contract with Eurotorp to provide 3 shipsets of torpedo launch systems.

The AWD Alliance also signed 6 contracts worth approximately A$ 18 million (about $16.7 million) with Australian companies:

Scientific Management Associates has won a contract initially worth A$ 13 million to supply a range of integrated logistic support services to the project.
Ottoway Engineering in Adelaide, has won a contract potentially worth up to $3.7 million.
United Fasteners, Priority Engineering Services, Century Products and Whyalla Fabrications have also won work on the AWD project to provide a range of materials and services.

Aug 20/09: Sub-contractors. The Australian government announces a pair of AWD contracts worth about A$ 39 million.

Taylor Bros Slipway and Engineering in Tasmania won a tendered contract worth “more than $25 million” to deliver parts for sailor accommodation, including cabin and sanitary modules, on-board furniture and galley, pantry and scullery equipment. This contract will create 20 new jobs.

The AWD Alliance has also signed a contract to provide Australia’s biggest crane, which will help with construction of ship “blocks” weighing up to 250 tonnes. Manitowoc Crane Group Australia will supply the 900+ tonne capacity crane under an A$ 14 million contract. Minister’s announcement | AWD Alliance.

Aug 13/09: Testing. The AEGIS Weapon System destined for HMAS Hobart begins a 4 month testing program at Lockheed Martin’s Aegis Production Test Center. The center replicates a ship’s superstructure, and allows for initial integration of the SPY-1D(V) radar, illuminators, all computing hardware, and the cabling that will be used in the final ship installation. Once testing is complete, the system will be shipped to ASC Shipyard in Adelaide, Australia for installation. Lockheed Martin release.

June 30/09: AEGIS. Lockheed Martin Maritime Systems and Sensors in Moorestown, NJ received a $44.9 million cost-plus award/ fixed-fee contract for combat systems engineering to support the government of Australia’s Air Warfare Destroyer (AWD) Program. Under Foreign Military Sales Program – Case AT-P-LCQ, LM MS2 will support efforts through AEGIS Combat System critical design review (CDR).

LM MS2 will provide the necessary combat systems engineering, computer program development, ship integration and test logistics technical services, NSCC/CSEDS equipment, and staging support to design and build an AEGIS Weapon System (AWS) baseline for the program, derived from a technology refreshed variant of the US Navy’s AEGIS baseline 7 Phase I.

Work will be performed in Moorestown, NJ (97%) and Australia (3%), and is expected to be complete by June 2010. This contract was not competitively procured, under the authority of 10 U.S.C. (c)(4), International Agreement. As such, this procurement was not synopsized in Federal Business Opportunities (N00024-09-C-5104).

June 29/09: ASC, on behalf of the AWD Alliance, announces contracts with BAE Systems Australia Defence in Victoria (formerly Tenix) and The FORGACS Group in New South Wales. They will build 66 (70%) of the 200 tonne Australian ship “blocks” used in the 3 Hobart class ships. The combined work is valued at A$ 450 million, and will create about 450 direct jobs, with the majority of the work going to BAE Systems’ shipyard in Williamstown. Construction of the first blocks will begin later in 2009.

The Alliance had previously identified NQEA in Queensland as a preferred supplier (q.v. May 9/09 entry), but the firm later advised the Alliance that it was seeking to restructure its business, and needed more time to meet its financial obligations. This led the AWD Alliance to decide that it would negotiate with both short-listed bidders, and BAE was able to beat NQEA by demonstrating that it could meet the project’s requirements. FORGACS, who had been listed as a preferred supplier on May 9/09, remained one.

Shipbuilding block contracts

May 11/09: ASIST. Curtiss-Wright Corporation announces a “multi-million dollar contract” from ASC AWD Shipbuilder Pty. Ltd. to supply Aircraft Ship Integrated Secure and Traverse (ASIST) helicopter handling systems and modular lightweight tracks for 3 Hobart class ships. The contract contains an option for a 4th shipset of equipment, with a potential award in 2009. The total contract value, including all follow-on options, is expected to be in excess of $15 million.

Curtiss-Wright Flow Control will perform the work at its facility in Ontario, Canada, with initial deliveries scheduled to begin in late 2009.

The ASIST system is a state-of-the-art deck handling solution for shipboard helicopter operations that allows all deck handling operations to be accomplished without the need for personnel on the flight deck. The ASIST system uses advanced positioning data and displays inside the helicopter to help achieve safe helicopter handling in all operational weather and sea conditions. The system will initially operate with the Australian Navy legacy S-70B helicopters, and will be compatible with future helicopter designs.

May 9/09: The Air Warfare Destroyer (AWD) Alliance selects the FORGACS group in Newcastle, and NQEA Australia Pty Ltd in Cairns, as the preferred suppliers to build most of the Australian ship “blocks” for the Hobart class.

The contracts could be worth up to A$ 450 million, and will see 66 blocks (70%) built at these 2 sites, with the remaining 27 blocks (30%) built at ASC’s facility in Osborne, South Australia. When complete, the blocks will be transported by ship or barge to the ASC facility in Osborne, where block erection and integration with the ship will occur. On average the blocks measure 18m x 12m x 7m, and weigh up to 200 tonnes.

Shipbuilding picks

May 2/09: SM-6. Australia’s new defense White Paper says that the forthcoming Hobart class Air Warfare Destroyers will be equipped with new SM-6 missiles and Cooperative Engagement Capability. A 4th Hobart class destroyer is noted as a possible future buy, but this is unlikely.

Their equipment set will give the Hobart class wide anti-air warfare reach, and even some latent terminal phase ballistic missile defense capabilities. As a matter of policy, however, the Rudd Labor Party government disavows national missile defense systems. The Hobart class ships will not be ordered with the AEGIS BMD modifications that would give them full missile defense capabilities, but another government could retrofit those changes later on, much as the USA has done with some of the US Navy’s DDG-51 class destroyers and CG-47 class cruisers. See “Australia’s 2009 Defense White Paper” for full coverage.

White Paper tabs SM-6

March 30/09: AEGIS. Lockheed Martin announces that 4 antennas destined for HMAS Hobart were recently installed in the firm’s Aegis Production Test Center. Testing on the first Air Warfare Destroyer Aegis shipset will begin in early May 2009, and complete in November 2009. When testing concludes, the
entire AEGIS System will be shipped to ASC Shipyard in Adelaide, Australia, for installation.

March 6/09: Engines. India’s Business Times reports that an overzealous US State Department bureaucrat appears to have created a 3-4 month delay in the Project 17 program, after ordering GE to stop work on the LM2500 turbines it was supplying for India’s Shivalik Class frigates. The given reason? A 3-4 month internal State Department review of American relationships with other countries. The article reports that “GE has been told to stop work even with close US allies like the UK and Australia.”

As the Feb 25/09 entry notes, GE’s LM2500s also power the Hobart Class. Read “US State Dept. Throws A Wrench Into Exports, Allied Shipbuilding” for more.

Feb 25/09: Engines. As expected, GE Marine reports that it will supply ASC Shipbuilding in Adelaide, Australia, with 6 LM2500 gas turbines to power the Royal Australian Navy’s 3 Hobart Class ships. The engines will be mounted in a CODAG (Combined Diesel And Gas) propulsion system, and dual-turbine sets are scheduled for delivery in 2010, 2011, and 2012.

The LM2500 gas turbines for the AWD program will be manufactured at GE’s Evendale, OH facility, while the base and enclosure assemblies will be manufactured by Thales Australia Ltd. in Bendigo, Australia. As DID has reported, that Thales partnership already manufactures all of the LM2500 bases and enclosures for the United States Navy, and for international customers who select the U.S. Navy-configured propulsion module. Maritime Executive.

Engines picked

Feb 15/09: Adelaide newspaper The Advertiser reports that the current draft of Australia’s Defence White Paper will recommend against building a 4th Hobart Class destroyer, and also includes plans to mothball 1-2 of the RAN’s Collins Class submarines. When asked for comment, Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon refused to discuss any recommendations until the White Paper’s recommendations could be approved and released.

Those submarines are currently inactive anyway, due to recruitment difficulties that have left the RAN short on submarine crews. A decision to build only 3 Hobart Class destroyers has larger industrial implications, however, because the 4th ship was expected to form a bridge of work to the next-generation submarine that would replace the Adelaide-built Collins Class. That project may be headed for big political trouble of its own, however, which would force some very difficult industrial decisions by the Australian government.

2008

DSCA requests: AEGIS for 4th ship, CEC & SPQ-9B for other ships; Key sub-contractors picked for sonar, passive surveillance; Naval guns contract.

Mk.45 MOD 4 Naval Gun

Dec 2/08: Sub-contracts. The Air Warfare Destroyer (AWD) Alliance announces contracts for 3 more component sets within the Hobart class ships, totaling about USD$ 20 million.

$10 million will go to SAFRAN Group’s Sagem Defense Securite Australasia for its VAMPIR NG (Veille Air-Mer Panoramique Infrarouge Nouvelle Generation/ New Generation Infrared Panoramic Air-Sea Surveillance) infrared surveillance systems. VAMPIR NG offers high-resolution panoramic images in visible light and/or infrared, providing short range surveillance and warning of incoming UAVs, fast boats, or even missiles – without creating traceable radar emissions. It calls on state-of-the-art image processing technology, and deploys 3rd-generation gyrostabilized infrared sensors for maximum efficiency. VAMPIR NG will be integrated with the ships’ combat system, and an also be used as a helicopter landing aid. It is already present on Australia’s upgraded ANZAC-ASMD Class frigates, and had been chosen for the Canberra class LHDs, giving it a huge advantage in this selection process. Sagem’s VAMPIR NG data sheet [PDF].

$5 million will go to Terma A/S of Lystrp, Denmark for the ships’ Counter Measure Launcher system, which fires decoys in automated sequences that are designed to confuse inbound anti-ship missiles and acoustic-homing torpedoes. The system includes 4 deck mounted MK-137 130 mm decoy launchers, a launch control computer, and a launcher interface unit. The system will support both passive and active decoys, and is prepared for further DL-6T upgrade if required. The system can be operated from the dedicated control units, or via the Australian Tactical Interface (ATI). Terma decoy systems equip Australia’s upgraded Adelaide Class frigates, the USA’s Littoral combat Ships, and vessels of the Danish, Dutch, Norwegian, and Romanian navies. Terma release.

$3 million will go to L-3 Communications Nautronix Limited in Fremantle, Australia for the ships’ Navigation Radar, Voyage Data Recorder, and Automatic Identification System. The ships will use L-3 X-Band Navigation Radar, the DEBEG 4300 Voyage Data Recorder, and Protec-S AIS. L-3 SAM Electronics of Germany and L-3 Communications Aviation Recorders Division of the USA will act as sub-contractors.

These follow contracts earlier this year for the Australian Tactical Interface Phase One (A$ 4 million), sonar (A$ 85 million) and the MK 45 5-inch gun (A$ 80 million). Australian Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Procurement Greg Combet adds that further contracts worth a total value of more than A$ 100 million are also likely to be signed by the end of the year. The Alliance intends to complete a number of purchases by the end of the year, including the RGM-84 Harpoon anti-ship missile launcher and control system, the Very Short Range Defence capability, torpedo launch system and tubes, and satellite communications antennas. AWD Alliance | Australian DoD.

Sept 17/08: Guns. The Air Warfare Destroyer Alliance announces an A$ 80 million (about $63.5 million) contract to BAE Systems to provide the 3 Mark 45 Guns for the Hobart Class ships. As noted earlier, Raytheon will act as the weapon and systems integrator.

The 5-inch/ 127mm Mk45 currently serves on the RAN’s ANZAC frigates, Spain’s F100 frigates, and American Arleigh Burke Class destroyers, among others; the most current version in the Mk45 MOD4.

At this point in time, the AWD Alliance has now let contracts or identified preferred suppliers for the delivery of equipment worth more than $1.1 billion, including the core AEGIS radars and combat system, sonar systems, and guns. The AWD Alliance will make a decision in early 2009 on contracts to build ship modules or ‘blocks,’ which will eventually be integrated at the ASC facility in Adelaide. The total value of those upcoming contracts is estimated to be around A$ 400 million. AWD Alliance release | Minister’s announcement | BAE Systems release

Guns

Sept 15/08: AWD Alliance. Australia’s Minister for Defence announces his appointment Mr Michael Roche as the new Chair of the Air Warfare Destroyer Alliance Principals’ Council. Other members include Dr Stephen Gumley, CEO of the DoD’s Defence Materiel Organisation; Vice Admiral Matt Tripovich of the RAN; Mr John Prescott, Chairman of ASC Pty Ltd; and Mr Dan Smith, President of Raytheon Company.

Mr Roche is a former Under Secretary for Defence Materiel in the Department of Defence and, before that Deputy CEO of the Australian Customs Service with responsibilities for Border Control, Intelligence, Information and Communications Technology and Internal Affairs.

“I have discussed the Air Warfare Destroyer project with Mr Roche, and made it clear that I expect him to closely monitor the progress of the project and the AWD Alliance… to ensure that it is kept on track.”

Sept 10/08: 4th ship? The Liberal Party of Australia, now Her Majesty’s Loyal Opposition in Australia, issues a public call for Australia to build a 4th Hobart Class destroyer:

“If Mr Rudd wants a naval build-up, he should immediately order a fourth air warfare destroyer. The contract option for a fourth AWD expires in October but we have heard no word from the Government on that option being extended. “

The release follows a Sept 9/08 speech by Labor Party Prime Minister Rudd at Australia’s Returned Veteran and Services League’s national congress.

Aug 8/08: Sonar. The British firm Ultra Electronics has its sonar picked for the Australian AWD program, following a rigorous tender process. The firm supplies the bow-mounted sonar for Britain’s Type 45 anti-air destroyers, and has committed to undertake more than 50% of its AWD sonar systems work in Australia. The Australian DoD releases hints that its Surface Ship Torpedo Defence system may also be part of the contract.

Other Requests for Tender will follow for work on the ships’ hull blocks, as well as work on other elements of the ships’ combat systems. AWD Alliance release | Australian DoD | Sydney Morning Herald.

Sonar picked

July 29/08: AEGIS. Lockheed Martin announces that it has completed production of 2 of the 4 SPY-1D-V radar arrays for Australia’s first Hobart-class Air Warfare Destroyer. These updated S-band radars perform a number of tasks including long-range volume search, fire control-quality tracking and ballistic missile defense. They will be paired with the new Aegis Open Architecture (OA) combat system.

July 9/08: The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency announces [PDF] Australia’s official request for the AEGIS Combat System and select combat system and communication components for its “Air Warfare Destroyers,” plus Communication and information distribution systems, U.S. Government and contractor engineering and logistics personnel services, personnel training and training equipment, support and test equipment, spare and repair parts, publications and technical documentation, and other related elements of logistics support.

The estimated cost is $700 million, and implementation will require 3 contractor representatives in Australia for approximately 6 months during the equipment installations, test and checkout of the AEGIS Combat System. In addition, Australia is requesting:

1 MK 41 Vertical Launch System (32 cells)
1 AN/SPQ-9B Horizon Search Radar
1 Cooperative Engagement Capability System
1 Naval Fire Control System
1 Multi-Functional Information Distribution System (MIDS, i.e. Link 16 capability)
AN/SLQ-25A Nixie Countermeasure Suite
MK160 Gun Computer System with MK 20 Electro-Optical Sight
AIMS MK XII Identification Friend or Foe (IFF)

The principal contractors will be:

Lockheed Martin Maritime Systems and Sensors in Moorestown, NJ; Eagan, MN; and Baltimore, MD
Raytheon Systems Company in St. Petersburg, FL and Sudbury, MA
Northrop Grumman Corporation Melville, NY

This request appears to cover Australia’s option for a 4th ship, which is later declined.

AEGIS request – 4th ship

May 5/08: The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency announces [PDF] Australia’s formal request for ancillary components and services to equip its 3 ordered ships.

These include 3 AN/SPQ-9B Horizon Search Radars, 3 Cooperative Engagement Capability Systems, 3 Naval Fire Control Systems, 3 Multi-Functional Information Distribution Systems, the MK160 Gun Computer System that directs the ship’s naval gun, AIMS MK XII Identification Friend or Foe (IFF), and AN/SLQ-25A Nixie torpedo countermeasure suites and decoys. The request also includes unspecified communication and information distribution systems, U.S. Government and contractor engineering and logistics personnel services, personnel training and training equipment, support and test equipment, spare and repair parts, publications and technical documentation, and other related elements of support.

The estimated cost is up to $450 million, but exact costs will depend on contract negotiations. The principal contractors will be: Lockheed Martin Maritime Systems and Sensor in Moorestown, NJ and Eagan, MN; Raytheon Systems Company in St. Petersburg, FL; and Northrop Grumman Corporation in Melville, NY.

Implementation of this proposed sale will require the assignment of 3 contractor representatives in Australia for approximately 3 months during the preparation, equipment installations, and equipment test and checkout of the Cooperative Engagement Capability systems and the AN/SPQ-9B radar.

Ancillary systems request

March 7/08: Infrastructure. Construction on the $100 million upgrade of ASC’s Osborne shipyard begins with the explosive demolition of an outdated amenities building, and a traditional soil-turning next to Techport Australia’s Common User Facility.

See June 27/07 entry; the upgrade will include state-of-the-art AWD production facilities, new office accommodation for 400 employees and a wharf support building with office space and workshops. ASC release.

Jan 31/08: Training. ASC announces that it will be offering a number of its employees spaces in a new Master of Project Management program, to be delivered through the University of South Australia and funded by the Australian Defence Materiel Organisation’s “Skilling Australias Defence Industry” (SADI) program. Courses will take place at the South Australian Government’s new Maritime Skills Centre, which is part of the Techport Australia precinct at Osborne where the Hobart Class will be built.

2007

Main AWD contract to AWD Alliance; Main “Australianization” contract for Raytheon; Infrastructure approval and contracts for shipyard; Other contracts continue; Government changes; 4th ship?

AN/SPY-1 emitter

November 2007: New government. Australia’s general election results in a change of government. Howard’s Liberal Party is eclipsed by Rudd’s Labor Party. Dr. Brendan Nelson becomes the Leader of Her Majesty’s Loyal Opposition.

Oct 4/07: 4th ship? In a “doorstop interview,” Minister for Defence Dr. Brendan Nelson discusses the option for a 4th AWD ship, and hints that it may be a pre-election announcement:

“More than 3,000 Australians will get jobs from this. More than 1,000 contractors throughout Australia will be undertaking work to help build the ships. More than $4 billion of that will be invested directly in Australia… Well I certainly am disposed to seeing a fourth destroyer being built. Obviously we have kept the option open. We will need to make that decision before the end of next year. But we’d be talking about [A$] 1.5 billion, which is a lot of money… We’ve kept the option open… the decision as to whether we do have a fourth Air Warfare Destroyer… does not have to be made until the end of next year, because Raytheon, which [inaudible] Aegis combat system, which is the fighting part of the ship, will have a production line going until then.”

Raytheon Australia is the overall electronic systems integrator on the Hobart Class, which includes integrating the AEGIS system. Properly speaking, however, Lockheed Martin makes the AEGIS radar & combat system. The USA is reaching the end of DDG-51 class production, and has no other ships under construction that will carry AEGIS systems. They are also producing AEGIS systems for South Korea’s KDX-III destroyers, Spain’s F100 frigates, Norway’s Nansen Class frigates, and any future Japanese Kongo Class destroyers, though the volume of these orders is not large.

AWD Concept
(click to view full)

Oct 4/07: Raytheon announces that AWD Mission Systems Integrator Raytheon Australia has signed a contract to “Australianize” the Hobart Class combat system around the AEGIS core. The contract covers the design, development and procurement of the “Australianized” combat system, and is valued at US$ 1.2 billion (A$ 1.4 billion). Raytheon release.

Oct 4/07: Main contract. Minister for Defence Dr. Brendan Nelson announces the signing of the final contracts to build 3 “Air Warfare Destroyers (AWDs)” for the Royal Australian Navy.

The principal contract signed was the 3-way Alliance Based Target Incentive Agreement between the Defence Materiel Organisation, Navantia’s Australian partner ASC AWD Shipbuilder Pty Ltd, and mission systems integrator Raytheon Australia Pty Ltd. This contract does not include the AEGIS Combat System, which is a separate agreement between the Australian and United States Governments. The Platform System Design contract between Australia and Navantia S.A. was also signed this day.

Teams from the Air Warfare Destroyer Alliance will be touring Australia in late October-early November 2007 to promote project opportunities to Australian industry, with 2 teams from the Alliance visiting Canberra and Cairns (22 October), Newcastle and Wollongong (23 October), Sydney and Launceston (24 October), Brisbane (25 October), Melbourne (26 October), Adelaide (30 October) and Perth (2 November). More details will be announced on the AWD Alliance website.

3 AWDs ordered

June 27/07: Infrastructure. ASC Ltd Pty announces that it has awarded its first major AWD contract for construction of the Program’s A$ 100 million shipyard. Work will include the development of dedicated AWD production facilities, new office accommodation for 400 employees, a wharf support building with office space and workshops, and a significant upgrade to existing facilities. South Australian firm Hansen Yuncken has been selected to design and construct the shipyard.

These facilities will be located adjacent to Techport Australia’s Common User Facility in Osborne. ASC will work in an alliance with Hansen Yuncken to develop the infrastructure master plan, design and manage the entire construction. Final designs are scheduled to be completed in September 2007, with construction to commence in October 2007 and be completed by October 2009. Upon satisfactory completion of the design phase, Hansen Yuncken will again be contracted to perform the associated shipyard construction.

John Gallacher, Chief Executive Officer of ASC Shipbuilding, said development of the shipyard held unique challenges not often found in local construction programs:

“Our shipyard production facilities and infrastructure will need to be capable of handling and transporting ship components weighing up to 1,200 tonnes each – this is no common development project.”

June 20/07: Phase 2 ends. The Australian DoD announces the winner of its AWD design competition: Navantia’s F100 Class frigates. This ends Phase 2 of the SEA 4000 program, and moves it ahead to the Build phase. Since entering service with the Spanish Navy, Alvaro de Bazan Class frigates have worked alongside the US Navy as the first foreign AEGIS-equipped ship to be fully integrated into a USN Carrier Strike Group, been deployed as the flagship of NATO’s Maritime Group Standing Reaction Force, and even participated in a US anti-ballistic missile test [vid. June 22/07 entry].

The government’s release adds that Australian Industry will deliver products and services worth around:

“…[55% of the A$ 6.6 billion AWD Program] over the next 15 years, which will be followed by high value through life support contracts into the middle of the century. While Adelaide based ASC will conduct the final assembly of the AWDs, around 70 per cent of the ship modules will be built at other shipbuilding sites around Australia, potentially including sites in Western Australia, Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania. The AWD Programme will eventually employ around 3,000 Australians in a variety of engineering and related fields working for a range of companies and suppliers throughout Australia.”

Australian DoD release | Australian DoD prepared Q&A [PDF format] | ASC release || Australian DoD briefing in Audio-only [MP3, 8.1MB] and Video [Windows Media, 20.1 MB].

Navantia design wins

June 13/07: AEGIS. General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products in Burlington, VT received an $8 million firm-fixed-price modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-07-C-5103) for production, assembly and testing of 8 sets of AEGIS MK 82 Mod 0 Guided Missile Directors and MK 200 Mod 0 Director Controllers, major components of the AEGIS Weapons Systems. This modification supports the governments of Australia (75%, 6 sets for AWD) and Spain (25%, 2 sets for F105) under the Foreign Military Sales program. Work will be performed in Burlington, VT and is expected to be completed by February 2013.

The MK82 mounts the antenna assembly on an elevation-over-train pedestal and provides space stabilization for the AN/SPY-1 radar’s line of sight (LOS). The assembly is capable of motion on two axes, train and elevation (parallel to and normal to the base plane of the director), and is unmanned with start, stop and reset controls remotely located. The director, which is not limited in train or traverse positioning, supplies train and elevation position data and radar LOS rates in traverse and elevation for use by the fire control system computer.

May 30/07: Infrastructure. Defence Minister the Hon Dr Brendan Nelson and South Australian Deputy Premier Kevin Foley gave the official green light to construction of the Maritime Skills Centre. The $6 million purpose-built facility will support the Air Warfare Destroyer Alliance as a centre of excellence in maritime construction training. The Maritime Skills Centre will be located adjacent to ASC Shipbuilding at Techport Australia. Construction will commence in the June-July 2007 and conclude in February 2008, in readiness for the AWD Alliance to commence training at the facility from March 2008.

Techport Australia will not only build the state-of-the-art AWDs but also attract other shipbuilding and repair opportunities. Their investment includes:

Common user shipbuilding facilities, including wharf, transfer system and Australia’s largest shiplift
More than 35 hectares for suppliers to establish operations, and
The future home of the high tech AWD Systems Centre – headquarters for the AWD program.

“Where capacity permits, the Skills Centre will also be able to be used for training to benefit wider industry,” Mr Foley said. The South Australian Government has invested over $20 million in workforce development programs to support the skill growth required by modern shipbuilding, and is investing over $250 million to develop Techport Australia as a world-class shipbuilding precinct at Osborne, with approximately $60 million worth of contracts awarded to date. These developments are part of the South Australian state government’s plan to double the contribution of the defense industry to their economy, and increase defense industry employment to 28,000 people by 2013. Official Australian DoD announcement.

March 28/07: AEGIS. Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems in Sudbury MA received a $184.9 million firm-fixed-price definitization modification for production of 4 AEGIS Transmitter Groups. AWS is the primary anti-air warfare defensive weapons system onboard surface ship combatants. The transmitter group is part of the AN/SPY-1D radar; 3 of the transmitter groups are for the Commonwealth of Australia’s Hobart Class Air Warfare Destroyer shipbuilding program, with one designated for the Government of Spain’s next Alvaro de Bazan Class frigate, designated F105. The so-called “definitized” contract reflects the fully negotiated firm-fixed-price, and includes an increase in funding over the original $72 million contract awarded June 26/06.

Under this Foreign Military Sales contract, Raytheon IDS will manufacture, integrate and test AN/SPY-1 D(V) system transmitters and MK99 Fire Control Systems for the AWD program and F105. Each ship will mount 3 SPY-1 transmitter plates, and 2 MK99 illuminators. Work is expected to be complete by April 2010, and will be performed at Raytheon IDS’ Surveillance and Sensors Center in Sudbury, MA; the Integrated Air Defense Center in Andover, MA; and the Maritime Mission Center in Portsmouth, RI. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity (N00024-06-C-5118). See also Raytheon’s April 24/07 release.

AEGIS Combat Control
(click to view full)

March 27/07: AEGIS. Lockheed Martin Maritime Systems and Sensors in Moorestown, NJ received a $260.4 million fixed-price incentive modification under previously awarded contract (N00024-06-C-5120) for production of 4 AEGIS Weapon Systems (AWS).

This contract modification specifies AWS Long Lead Material requirements, and modifies a June 30/06 award of $85 million for Australia’s AWD long lead material items. It combines support of the Commonwealth of Australia (75%) and the Government of Spain (25%) under the Foreign Military Sales Program. Work will be performed in Moorestown, NJ, and is expected to be complete by February 2013.

The heart of the AWS is Lockheed Martin’s AN/SPY-1D Radar System, a 3-dimensional, air/surface search and tracking radar; there is also a software combat system component. The 4 will be next-generation Aegis Weapon Systems – among the first to include 100% commercial off-the-shelf hardware and a fully open architecture computing environment. Lockheed Martin will synchronize production of the systems for Australia and Spain with the U.S. Navy’s AEGIS modernization program, which calls for delivery of the first fully open architecture Aegis Weapon System to the USS Bunker Hill [GC 52, Ticonderoga Class cruiser] in 2008.

March 13/07: MK-41. Lockheed Martin Corp. Maritime System and Sensors – Marine Systems in Baltimore, MD received a $16.1 million firm-fixed-price contract modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-98-C-5363) to provide MK 41 Baseline VII Vertical Launching System launcher ship sets for 3 Royal Australian Navy Air Warfare Destroyer Class (Project SEA 4000) ships and Spain’s new F100 Alvaro de Bazan Class frigate [F105, unnnamed at present] under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) Program.

The modification combines purchases for the governments of Australia (73%) and Spain (27%), and includes the labor associated with production of installation and checkout (INCO) spares, INCO special tools and test equipment, onboard repair parts and other ancillary equipment. Work will be performed in Baltimore, MD and is expected to be completed by December 2009.

Jan 30/07: MK-41. Lockheed Martin in Baltimore, MD received a $5.6 million cost-plus-award-fee modification under previously awarded contract (N00024-04-C-5453). It exercises options for technical engineering services in support of MK 41 Vertical Launching System Integration for the Governments of Spain (60%); Australia (37%); Germany (2%); and Korea (1%) under the Foreign Military Sales Program. Work will be performed in Baltimore, MD (80%) and Ventura, CA (20%), and is expected to be complete by October 2008.

Jan 11/07: AEGIS. General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products in Burlington, VT received a not to exceed $9.9 million firm-fixed-price letter contract for long lead material items to support assembly and testing of the AEGIS MK 82 Mod 0 Guided Missile Directors and MK 200 Mod 0 Director Controllers in support of Australian Foreign Military Sales case AT-P-LCQ for the amount of $3.7 million (75%) and Spanish Foreign Military Sales case SP-P-LGB for the amount of $1,237,500 (25%). The actual AEGIS equipment being assembled and tested will be installed at a later date aboard the Australian Air Warfare Destroyer and the Spanish F100 Frigate Class F105. Work will be performed in Burlington, VT, and is expected to be complete by January 2009. This contract was not competitively procured by the Naval Sea Systems Command in Washington, DC (N00024-07-C-5103).

The MK82 mounts the antenna assembly on an elevation-over-train pedestal and provides space stabilization for the radar line of sight (LOS). The assembly is capable of motion on two axes, train and elevation (parallel to and normal to the base plane of the director), and is unmanned with start, stop and reset controls remotely located. The director, which is not limited in train or traverse positioning, supplies train and elevation position data and radar LOS rates in traverse and elevation for use by the fire control system computer.

2006

DSCA modified to AEGIS & Mk.41 VLS systems; Contracts begin for AEGIS, Mk.41; Gibbs & Cox release evolved design.

MK 41 VLS
(click to view full)

Nov 9/06: MK-41. Lockheed Martin Maritime System and Sensors/ Littoral Ships and Systems in Baltimore, MD received a $60.7 million firm-fixed-price modification under previously awarded contract (N00024-98-C-5363) for procurement of 4 MK 41, MOD 15 Baseline VII, Vertical Launcher Ship (VLS) Sets. This work is taking place on behalf the Governments of Australia (73.2%) and Spain (26.8%) under the Foreign Military Sales Program.

Lockheed will also provide launcher support equipment and the associated labor for establishing material requisitions, program scheduling requirements, and establishment of purchase orders with suppliers and performance of necessary business and production operations. Work will be performed in Baltimore, MD (52.7%), Minneapolis, MN (22%), Aberdeen, SD (8%), Aiken, SC (7%), Ft. Totten, ND (5.2%), and East Elmhurst, NY (5.1%), and is expected to be complete by December 2008.

August 3/06: Gibbs & Cox release their 7,370t “Evolved” design for the Air Warfare Destroyer. Overall, it’s about mid-way between Spain’s 5,800t F100 Alvaro de Bazan Class, and the USA’s 9,000t DDG-51 Arleigh Burkes; and slightly smaller than Britain’s 8,000t Type 45 Daring Class anti-air warfare desroyers. Gibbs & Cox is part of the Evolved AWD Team working at the newly-opened AWD Systems Centre in Adelaide; it also includes ship builder ASC Shipbuilder Pty Ltd, weapons integrator Raytheon Australia, General Dynamics Bath Iron Works and Australia’s Defence Materiel Organisation. Their Evolved design will now compete with an ‘Australianized’ version of the Spanish F100, and a selection will be made at Second Pass Approval in 2007. See DID coverage.

Evolved design released

July 14/06: AEGIS. The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) announces [PDF format] a formal request from the Government of Australia to buy up to 3 AEGIS Mk7 Weapon Systems; and up to 3 MK 41 Vertical Launch System Baseline VII ship sets (24 modules each). Together, the AEGIS radar and weapon-control system plus the Mk 41 vertical launchers will contain and direct most of the Australian Air Warfare Destroyer’s firepower. The total value, if all options are exercised, could be as high as $1 billion.

The order would also include U.S. Government and contractor engineering and logistics personnel services, personnel training and training equipment, support and test equipment, spare and repair parts, publications and technical documentation, launch system software development and maintenance and other related elements of logistics support. There are no known offset agreements proposed, and implementation of this proposed sale will require the assignment of 3 contractor representatives in Australia for approximately 36 months during the preparation, equipment installations, and equipment test and checkout of the MK 41 Vertical Launch Systems on the ships.

The principal contractors will be Lockheed Martin Maritime Systems and Sensors in Moorestown, NJ & Eagan, MN (AEGIS lead contractor); Raytheon’s Equipment Division in Andover, MA (hardware and spares); and General Dynamics Armament Systems in Burlington, VA. Note that this umbrella announcement includes many subsequent contract awards covered by this article, which are the piecemeal implementation of the framework described here.

AEGIS & Mk.41 request

July 12/06: AEGIS. Raytheon announces a $72.8 million U.S. Navy contract for the advanced procurement of radar equipment for the Royal Australian Navy’s Air Warfare Destroyer (AWD). Under the contract, Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems (IDS) will provide system transmitters, associated hardware and spares for AN/SPY-1D(V) radar for the first three Australian ships. Work will be performed at IDS’ Surveillance and Sensors Center in Sudbury, MA the Integrated Air Defense Center in Andover, MA and the Maritime Mission Center in Portsmouth, RI.

June 30/06: AEGIS. Lockheed Martin Maritime Systems and Sensors, Moorestown, NJ receives an $85.3 million fixed-price letter contract for long-lead material items and critical work center efforts to support the production of 3 AEGIS Weapon Systems (AWS) for the Commonwealth of Australia’s Air Warfare Destroyer (AWD) Shipbuilding Program. The AWS comprises the core command and control system, the phased array radar, and missile launch system. See March 27/07 entry for the final cost figure.

Award of this contract is designed to eliminate the risk and increased costs associated with a break in production, and minimize the risk of delay in the 2013 delivery date for the first Air Warfare Destroyer. This award is for Australia (100%) under the Foreign Military Sales Program. $64.6 million will be obligated at time of award. Work will be performed in Moorestown, NJ, and is expected to be complete by March 2012. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured by the Naval Sea Systems Command in Washington DC (N00024-06-C-5120).

June 26/06: AEGIS. Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems in Sudbury, MA receives a $72.8 million firm-fixed-price letter contract for long-lead material items and Critical Work Center efforts in support of SPY-1D (V) AEGIS Weapon Systems (AWS) Transmitter Group production for the Government of Australia (GOA) Air Warfare Destroyer (AWD) Program. This contract supports the GOA under the Foreign Military Sales program. Long lead-time items will, at a future date, be used by contractor to manufacture key components of the AWS for Australia’s $6 billion AWD shipbuilding project.

Work will be performed in Andover, MA (80%), and Sudbury, MA (20%), and is expected to be complete by February 2009. The contract was not competitively procured by the Naval Sea Systems Command in Washington, DC (N00024-06-C-5118). See also May 23/05 DSCA announcement, and also the March 28/07 entry, which represents the final figure for this work.

2004 – 2005

Picks: Lockheed’s AEGIS radar/combat system, Raytheon as combat integrator; Navantia for existing design option; Gibbs & Cox for evolved design; ASC to build. DSCA AEGIS Mk.7 request.

Early DoD concept
(click to expand)

October 11/05: Infrastructure. South Australia will be home to the new headquarters of the Air Warfare Destroyer project, creating up to 200 additional jobs there, as well as generating specialized design work for contractors throughout Australia. Australian DoD announcement.

Aug 16/05: Evolved. The Australian government chooses Gibbs & Cox as the preferred designer for the AWD Evolved Design, which will be based on the USA’s DDG-51 Arleigh Burke Class destroyers. This concludes Phase 1C of the SEA 4000 project. See DID coverage.

May 31/05: The Australian government chooses ASC Shipbuilder Pty Ltd as the AWD’s preferred shipbuilder, and announces that the 3 destroyers will be built at ASC’s shipyards in Adelaide, South Australia. This will shift the Australian shipbuilding industry away from its current center in Melbourne, Victoria to some extent. The government has now granted first pass approval, and provides ASC with AUS $455 million (USD $343 million) toward the next phase of the SEA 4000 project.

See “ASC Wins Australian Shipbuilding Contract with $455M First Pass Funding,” which also notes that ASC is to be privatized and that this award will drive up the asking price.

ASC to build.

May 23/05: The US DSCA announces [PDF format] Australia’s request for 3 MK 7 AEGIS Weapons Systems, support equipment, testing, computer programs and maintenance support, ship integration, spare and repair parts, supply support, publications and technical data, training, U.S. Government and contractor technical assistance, and other related elements of logistics support.

The intended purchase is part of the Air Warfare Destroyer program, and the total value, if all options are exercised, could be as high as $350 million. Contractors would include:

Lockheed-Martin Maritime System and Sensors in Moorestown, NJ
Lockheed Martin Maritime Systems and Sensors in Eagan, MN
Raytheon Company, Equipment Division Andover, MA
General Dynamics, Armament Systems Burlington, VT

Implementation of this proposed sale will require the assignment of up to 3 U.S. Government and contractor representatives to Australia.

AEGIS request

May 2005: Existing. The Spanish firm Navantia is chosen as the preferred designer for the AWD Existing Design. It will be based on a version of the 5,800t F100 Alvaro de Bazan Class AEGIS frigate, with Australian systems replacing some of the original equipment.

April 21/05: Raytheon Australia Pty Ltd. is chosen as the prime integrator for the ship’s combat systems, beating rivals BAE Systems and Saab to become the Project Combat System-System Engineer. As part of the contract, Raytheon receives a $15 million contract to undertake studies on Combat System Integration and Risk Reduction.

Raytheon Australia is a Canberra-based company that employs over 1,000 people in six different locations, and is one of the largest defence electronic companies in Australia. Raytheon has also performed mission systems integration in Australia for the Collins Class Submarines Replacement Combat System (based on its systems for the USA’s new SSN-774 Virginia Class), and Electronic Warfare Training Services for the Australian Defence Force, as well as defensive systems integration for the U.S. Navy’s new LPD-17 San Antonio Class amphibious ships; and the U.S. Navy’s next-generation DDG-1000 Zumwalt Class destroyers and CVN-21 Class super-carriers.

Raytheon for combat systems

Dec 23/04: Bids to Build Air Warfare Destroyers Announced. Proposals were received from ASC Shipbuilding, Northrop Grumman Ship Systems and Tenix Defence. At this stage, Australia’s DoD is evaluating the 3 ship designer proposals from Blohm +Voss, Gibbs &Cox, and Izar; and responses from BAE Systems, Raytheon Australia and Saab Systems for the Combat System-System Engineer.

Aug 11/04: Phase 1B done. Following analysis by the Defence Science Technology Organisation and support from the US Navy, Australia’s Department of Defence recommends Lockheed Martin’s AEGIS as the best system for its air warfare combat needs based on cost, capability, risk and schedule. Australia’s DoD Defence will now undertake a combat system integration and risk reduction study to:

Refine detailed aspects of the version of the AEGIS system to be acquired;
Explore the use of Australian designed phased array fire control technology; and
Examine options for integrating Australian components and sub-systems into the AEGIS combat system.

At the time, ship construction and equipping costs are estimated at A$ 4.5 – $6 billion.See Australian DoD release. This decision concludes Phase 1B of the SEA 4000 project.

F124 out, AEGIS picked

Appendix A: The SEA 4000 Design Competition

Sachsen Class
(click to view full)

The biggest influence on the SEA 4000 program sits below the surface, in more ways than one.

The difficult Collins Class submarine project delivered some of the world’s most advanced conventional submarines – and something extra, besides. The submarines were late, significantly over budget, and are still receiving electronic refits to replace the original combat systems. In response, the Australian Government’s Defence Procurement (Kinnaird) Review strongly recommended spending more money and time on up front design activities, in order to reduce overall project risk. This would be more expensive in the short term, with the hope of making large overruns or schedule issues less likely later on.

That philosophy was implemented in the SEA 4000 program, which moved from a 3-platform shortlist, to detailed design of 2 different options, to the final selection. After a long campaign, the somewhat surprising winner was an ‘Australianized’ F100 AEGIS frigate.

One of the contenders was ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems’ F124 Sachsen Class air defense frigate, currently one of the world’s few operational ship classes with an X-band Active Phased Array naval radar. Its thousands of electronically-focused emitters offer improved performance and phenomenal multitasking ability, giving it exceptional capabilities against a sudden saturation missile attack with supersonic cruise missiles. This design was eliminated from the shortlist, however, by Australia’s stated requirement for the AEGIS naval air defense system. While AEGIS’ AN/SPY-1D is a previous generation passive phased array radar, the AEGIS combat system software and the potential for cooperative engagement capability proved decisive.

That left an “Existing Design” based on Spain’s in-service F100 Alvaro de Bazan Class AEGIS frigates, which would compete against a larger “Evolved Design” option from naval architects Gibbs & Cox. The latter would be a new ship design, albeit based on the DDG-51 Arleigh Burke Class AEGIS destroyers they had designed for the US Navy.

AWD Evolved Design
(click to view full)

The first images of the Evolved Design for Australia’s Air Warfare Destroyer (AWD) project were unveiled on August 3/06 by Minister of Defence Brendan Nelson at the opening of the new AWD Systems Centre in Adelaide. At 7,370t/8,100t full load, they would have been much closer in size to the 8,300t full load DDG-51 Flight I ships than the 9,200t tons full load Flight IIA ships, with 64 vertical launch missile cells (vs. 90-96 cells for DDG-51 variants), 2 Phalanx close-in defense weapons, 2 helicopter hangars, extended range, and good future growth capabilities. As an additional basis for comparison, Britain’s forthcoming Type 45 Daring Class anti-air warfare destroyers reportedly weigh in at 8,000t full load.

The F100 frigates, in contrast, are smaller ships, weighing in at only 5,800t. This places it somewhere between the boundaries of in-service destroyers and frigates, a boundary that has become fuzzier due to evolving designs, and European reluctance to label ships as destroyers. Regardless, the size difference requires sacrifices in armament and growth capability. Key differences between the contenders included 64 VLS missile cells for the Evolved Design vs. 48 for the F100 frigates, 2 Phalanx-type close-in defense weapons instead of 1 for the F100s, and a hangar for 2 naval helicopters instead of 1. In Australia’s case, it will be the MH-60R.

Australian government Q&A sessions immediately after the selection, however, said that in their opinion, the overall operational capability, maximum speed, range and endurance were all “very similar.” Their evaluation was that the 2 designs had “basically the same” surface warfare, undersea warfare, communications, and electronic warfare capabilities, and both also shared a growth path to ballistic missile defense (via the AEGIS BMD system), and strategic land strike capability (via Mk 41 vertical launchers that can accommodate BGM-109 Tomahawk Cruise missiles). In exchange for the Evolved Design’s size advantages, detailed analysis by the AWD Alliance showed that the Evolved Design would cost A$ 1 billion more over 3 ships, offer less certainty regarding schedule and cost, and deliver the first ship at least 4 years later.

Spain’s F100 Frigate
(click to view full)

Others had seen this coming earlier. Back in April 2007, Forecast International cited internal sources to say that Navantia had won, and said:

“Common wisdom has often suggested that the Navantia bid was simply a stalking horse for Gibbs and Cox… the information we were receiving from Australia from the start of the project was consistently that the F100 was the preferred candidate and that the Gibbs and Cox design was a back-up in case the F100 class hit serious problems on its trials. This did not happen, the Alvaro de Bazan proved to be a great success and this eliminated the DDG-51 derivatives last hope of winning this contract.

It may well be that the appointment of Gibbs and Cox as preferred designer in 2005 was not a sign of preference for their design but the group’s last chance to make its case.

A key handicap for Gibbs and Cox was that its proposed warship existed only in its preliminary design phase, increasing the technical risk for a local builder. Australia’s experiences with new and untried designs has been disappointing…”

They also said:

“Although supporters of the Gibbs and Cox-designed DDG-51 derivative promoted the greater weapons carrying capacity of their design, including 64 rather than 48 vertical launch tubes and two rather than one helicopters, the advantages of the F100 were so strong that a debate between supporters of the two designs was a complete wipeout according to one senior Australian defense source.

The financial benefits resulting from the selection of the F100 are so great that they will go a long way towards funding (some estimates are that they will almost completely accommodate) a fourth Air Warfare Destroyer. The Australian Cabinet’s National Security Committee will consider an option to buy a fourth F100 destroyer when it makes a final decision on a go-ahead for the project in June.”

Those hopes proved to be unfounded, but the comments remain illustrative of the thinking behind Australia’s decision.

Appendix B: SEA 4000 Program Phase Organization

SEA 4000 is managed as a period of preliminary studies, plus 4 distinct phases. These phases are; Phase 1 (Project Definition), Phase 2 (Design), Phase 3 (Build) and Phase 4 (Test and Acceptance).

Phase 0: Preliminary Design Studies

Phase 0 was used to conduct a series of higher order studies leading to the Preliminary Capability Options Document (PCOD).

Phase 1: Project Definition

The aim of the Project Definition Phase is to quantify performance, schedule, cost and risks for capability options. Ran July 2002 to late 2005. Key outcomes were development of detailed operational requirements specifications; whole-of-ship, costed concept designs; decision on combat system architecture and selection of alliance industry participants. Total cost about A$ 43 million.

Once selected, the shipbuilding entity would be engaged in later stages of Phase 1 to assist the Commonwealth with the assessment of other responses and to prepare for the later construction phases.

Phase 1 is further broken down into four sub-phases which are described below:

Phase 1A: Non Design Related Studies. Involves the development of the Capability Definition Documents (CDD), including the Operational Concept Document (OCD), the Function and Performance Specification (FPS) and the Test Concept Document (TCD);

Phase 1B: Combat System Design Studies. involves the development of combat system architecture options, including risk reduction work. In April 2005, Raytheon Australia Pty Ltd. was chosen as the prime integrator for the ship’s combat systems, beating rivals BAE systems and Saab systems to become the Project Combat System-System Engineer. This made them part of the AWD Alliance with the DMO.

Phase 1C – Whole of Ship Design Studies . involves the identification of whole-of-ship concept options for presentation to Government. Whole-of-ship options will be developed through the consideration of an Existing Design currently in-service with another navy and through an Evolved Design Study.

Shipbbuilder candidates included ASC Shipbuilder (who had built the new Collins Class submarines for the RAN), Northrop Grumman Ship Systems, and Tenix Defence (who had built the joint Australia/ New Zealand Anzac Class frigate). ASC was unanimously chosen in May 2005 by the selection board, and joined the AWD Alliance with Raytheon and Australia’s DMO procurement agency.

Navantia was selected as the Existing Design partner in May 2005. Gibbs & Cox was chosen to undertake the Evolved Design in August 2005.

Phase 1D: Combat System Integration and Risk Reduction Study – A follow-on from Phase 1B. Overall, the combat system design team comprises Defence (DMO, Capability Development and DSTO), the US Navy and their AEGIS Combat System Engineering Agent, as well as the Australian AWDCSSE. Phase 1D produced detailed information about combat system design options to support First Pass Approval, and moved the design forward towards the joint ADO-USN Combat System Design Review (SDR).

To that end, Raytheon designed integration processes and strategies for the non-AEGIS elements of the Combat System, and developed complete ship and integrated support systems with the Platform Systems Designers (Navantia, and Gibbs & Cox, Inc.) and the Shipbuilder (ASC AWD Shipbuilder Pty Ltd).

Phase 2 – Design

The aim of the Design Phase was to develop Acquisition Business Cases for Government consideration at Second Pass for the Evolved Design and Existing Design capability options. The approved budget was A$ 455 million.

This phase began in mid-2005 and finished with Government approval of the Navantia design as their final choice in June 2007.

Phase 3 – Build

This phase has now begun, and will finish with delivery of the final ship. The aim of the Build Phase is to deliver AWD ships and shore support facilities from the contract design data produced in Phase 2.

The ships will be consolidated at ASC’s shipyard in Adelaide, with major hull “blocks” built in other shipyards around Australia. Australian industry will also design and build various sub-systems and equipment for the AWD’s combat system, which will lay the foundations for long-term support. The government’s release adds that Australian Industry will deliver products and services worth around:

The shipbuilding, electronics and engineering industries will engage more than 1,500 shipbuilding jobs in South Australia, and another 1,500 jobs will be created throughout Australia with the outsourcing of approximately 70% of hull block and module fabrication. The ships will require the assembly of approximately 500,000 components. About 1,000 suppliers will be required to complete the shipbuilding task, which will take more than 3 million man-hours to complete each ship.

The first of these Air Warfare Destroyers was supposed to see delivery in December 2014, but deliveries will now take place between March 2016 – March 2019. A March 2014 ANAO report suggests that this schedule, and the program’s budget, may need to be changed again soon.

Phase 4 -Test and Acceptance

This phase will begin in parallel with the build phase, culminating with the operational release of the third ship once the government has verified that the ships satisfy operational requirements, including supportability. The Phase 4 deliverable is the ships and shore facilities being formally accepted into naval service.

Full Operational Release of the lead ship was scheduled for 2015, with subsequent ships accepted in 2016 and 2017. March 2017 is now pegged as the 1st ship’s Initial Operational Capability date, with Final Materiel Release slated for September 2019, and Final Operational Capability in March 2020. If the ship delivery dates change again, these dates will change, too.

Additional Readings & Sources The Program

Sea Power Centre Australia – Navy Contribution to Australian Maritime Operations. 2008 snapshot.
Australia Defence Materiel Organisation – SEA 4000 Air Warfare Destroyer: Official Program Site and MoD page.
Air Warfare Destroyer Alliance web site. The AWD Alliance is a collaborative set of arrangements between the Commonwealth of Australia, Raytheon Australia Pty Ltd and ASC subsidiary ASC AWD Shipbuilder Pty Ltd. See especially the AWD Roadshow (2006 snapshot), which covers aspects like the combat system, shipbuilding, etc. in more depth.
ASC Pty Ltd – Air Warfare Destroyers.
ANAO Audit Report (March 6/14, No.22 2013–14) – Air Warfare Destroyer Program. Audit cost A$ 797,000, produced a detailed assessment and a 302 page report with recommendations.

Companion Ships

DID – Australia’s Canberra Class LHDs. These 2 amphibious assault ships could fly F-35Bs, but Australia’s current plans only call for helicopters. The most valuable naval asset the AWDs will escort.
DID – Australia and USA Collaborating on New Small-Ship Radars. They won’t serve on the Hobarts, but the smaller active-array CEAFAR/CEAMOUNT radars are a generation ahead of the SPY-1/SPQ-9B combination. They’ll give Australia’s 6 upgraded ANZAC-ASMD frigates some impressive radar capabilities of their own.
DID – Australia’s Hazard(ous) Frigate Upgrade. Their FFG-7 Oliver Hazard Perry Class ships were a nightmare to upgrade. To be replaced by the Hobart Class. This 4-ship fleet is the tier below the ANZACs, and will only serve until 2019.

Background: The Hobart Class

RAN – Air Warfare Destroyer (AWD).
AWD Alliance – The Hobart Class. See sub-section re: changes from the F100 class.
Naval-Technology.com – F100 Alvaro De Bazan Multi-Purpose Frigate, Spain. The Hobart Class is based on Spain’s frigate F104, with some F105 modifications and Australian additions.
Lockheed Martin – Air Warfare Destroyer.

Background: AWD’s Ancillaries

Lockheed Martin – Aegis Weapon System. The combat system.
Lockheed Martin – SPY-1 Family Of Radars. Main S-band fire control radar, with additional AN/SPS-62 illuminators used for final-stage targeting.
DID – CEC: Cooperative Engagement for Fleet Defense.
DID – Ships Ahoy! The Harpoon Missile Family. Australia is ordering the RGM-84 Harpoon Block II anti-ship and land attack missile, with a range of about 278 km / 150 nmi and GPS/radar guidance.
DID – MH-60R Wins Australia’s Maritime Helicopter Competition. And will serve on the Hobart Class.
DID – Phalanx CIWS: The Last Defense, On Ship and Ashore. Mk 15 Phalanx Block 1B, a 20mm CIWS.
DID – Naval Swiss Army Knife: MK 41 Vertical Missile Launch Systems (VLS).
BAE Systems – Mk 45 MOD 4 Naval Gun System. 127/62 mm main naval gun. See “potential Upgrades” section for possible future upgrades that could change the shells, creating guided projectiles with 5x the range.
BAE Systems – Nulka. Anti-missile decoy, invented in Australia and used on ships around the world. Designation is Mk 53.
DID – RIM-162 ESSM Missile: Naval Anti-Air in a Quad Pack. Medium range missile, 4 can be placed in a single Mk.41 cell.
DID – Raytheon’s Standard Missile Naval Defense Family (SM-1 to SM-6). SM-2 is immediately relevant, SM-6 will be acquired, and the SM-3 is the Hobart Class’ biggest potential upgrade.
RAFAEL – Typhoon Naval Stabilized Weapon Station. AWDs will use the Mark 25 Mod 2, with a 25mm gun and TOPLITE day/night surveillance optics.
Sagem DS – VAMPIR NG. Long range passive day/night IRST surveillance system, used on several other RAN ships.

Background: Potential Upgrades

DID – Serious Dollars for AEGIS Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD). If Australia wants full-fledged ballistic missile defense capabilities, this is the path they’ll have to follow. Japan has already done so.
DID – AMDR: Raytheon is Building the USN’s Next Dual-Band Radar. Possible mid-life upgrade option, if R&D can keep weight and size within bounds for refits.
DID – LRASM Missiles: Reaching for a Long-Range Punch. Could be fired from the Hobart Class’ strike-length Mk.41 VLS, if the ships also receive an upgrade to add control systems for the Tactical Tomahawk cruise missile. Would take up a VLS slot, but offers a stealthy missile with triple the range (926 km/ 500 nmi) of the current RGM-84 Harpoon. The USN is scheduled to begin operating it around 2020.
DID – Tomahawk’s Chops: xGM-109 Block IV Cruise Missiles. Would add long-range land attack to the Hobart Class, and upgrades in progress would give the 1,666 km / 900 nmi missile the ability to hit moving targets. American destroyers carry these missiles.
DID – New Frontiers for Raytheon’s Excalibur GPS Guided Shells. They’re working on a GPS/laser guided N5 variant that can be fired by 127mm naval guns. Australia’s Army already uses Excalibur 155mm shells, and adding this naval variant would create a 40 km/ 21.6 nmi kill zone around the ship for small boats and other medium-speed maneuvering targets.
BAE Systems – Standard Guided Projectile [PDF]. Would convert the Hobart Class’ 127mm gun into a long-range GPS-guided weapon for tasks like naval fire support, with a reach of 100 km/ 54+ nmi instead of the gun’s base 22 km / 12 nmi. It’s based on LRLAP projectile work done for the 155mm AGS guns on the USA’s forthcoming Zumwalt Class battlecruisers, and their LRLAP partner Lockheed Martin is developing its own rocket-boosted 5″ LRLAP variant.

News & Views

ASPI’s The Strategist blog (Nov 5/13) – Debating Australia’s Air Warfare Destroyers.
ASPI’s The Strategist Blog (May 3/13) – Shipbuilding and maritime projects. Includes a timeline chart, based on the 2013 Defence White Paper. Which will be superseded by a 2015 White Paper.
Royal Australian Navy’s Navy News (June 28/07) – A great day for Navy. Includes preliminary information about the 2 ship classes.
Australian Ministerial Release (Aug 4/06) – The Hon. Dr Brendan Nelson, Minister for Defence – Doorstop Interview: Air Warfare Destroyer Systems Centre, Adelaide.
Australian Defence Association, Defender Magazine (Autumn 2005) – Going Down to the Sea in Big Enough Ships [PDF format]. Includes considerable discussion of the “jointness” angle, which they believe has received insufficient attention in public debates. The ADA is generally seen as an organization of defense system reformists oriented toward the conservative side of the political spectrum.
Australian DoD (Aug 17/04) – Delivering the Defence Capability Plan – Hobart briefing.
Australia Defence Today (June 2004) – SEA 4000 – The Air Warfare Destroyer. Notes the growth of anti-ship missiles in the region and the potential to face saturation attacks from supersonic anti-ship missiles launched and flown below the radar horizon. If the key threat is multiple supersonic missiles that pop up on radar only within 25 miles (line of horizon), the article argues in favor of the most modern AESA ship radars instead of the AEGIS’ SPY-1, and explains why.

Categories: Defense`s Feeds

Indonesia’s AF Expresses Continued Interest in SU-35s

Tue, 08/14/2018 - 05:52

TNI-AU SU-27SK
(click to view full)

Indonesia’s turn toward Russian fighters stemmed partly from necessity. Its 12 remaining F-16A/Bs and 16 remaining F-5E/F fighters experienced severe maintenance problems in the wake of a US embargo, triggered by the Indonesian military’s widespread human rights abuses in East Timor. Its 30+ single-seat Hawk 209 sub-sonic light combat aircraft, derived from the trainer jets the TNI-AU also operates, were the country’s only fighter alternative.

A $192 million contract began to address that in 2003, by buying 2 SU-27SK single-seat and 2 SU-30MK twin-seat multi-role fighters from Russia. Indonesia submitted a formal request to buy 24 used F-16s in 2011, but it isn’t backing away from its high-end Flanker fleet. In fact, the TNI-AU has steadily added more. Now, they’re reaching out to their neighbors for training and support.

Flankers for Indonesia’s Fighter Force

Flanker customers
(click to view full)

Indonesia’s TNI-AU has now ordered 16 SU-27 family fighters: 2 SU-27SK, 3 SU-27SKM, 2 SU-30MK, and 9 SU-30MK2.

The SU-27SKM and SU-30MK2 export variants are the result of parallel upgrade programs. They share many modifications, including the addition of digital cockpits with updated avionics, additional wing hardpoints, carrying capacity upgrades to 8,000 kg of weapons, a wider variety of weapon options, upgraded radars and ECM (Electronic CounterMeasures to jam enemy radars etc.), and in-flight refueling capability.

These modifications change the SU-27SK from a dedicated air superiority fighter to a multi-role fighter and attack aircraft. The SU-30, which has always been multi-role, is simply improved. Both of the new variants share the Sukhoi Flanker family’s combination of long range, large payloads, and air to air performance that can match any American fighter except the F-22A Raptor.

Those capabilities, and Russia’s policy of avoiding political conditions on its weapon sales, nudged Indonesia into a tilt toward Russia as a weapons supplier. A $192 million contract began to address the problems created by the US embargo in 2003, by buying 2 SU-27SK single-seat air superiority fighters and 2 SU-30MK twin-seat multi-role fighters through Rosoboronexport.

The TNI-AU’s tily toward Russia continued, despite the lifting of the US embargo in November 2005. Russia’s MAKS air show doesn’t have quite the international clout of Farnborough or Le Bourget, but the price and quality of modern Russian fighters ensures its place on the international circuit. For MAKS 2007, its top military contract came on opening day. Rosoboronexport State Corporation and the Republic of Indonesia signed a $355 million Memorandum of Understanding for 3 SU-27SKM and 3 SU-30MK2 Flanker family fighters, building on the 2003 deal, and taking the country’s ordered fleet to 10 planes.

A month later, that purchase was followed by a $1.2 billion wish list of Russian submarines, armored vehicles, and armed helicopters. That wish list didn’t fully materialize, but the end of 2011 saw another 6 SU-30MK2s bought from Russia, bringing the fighter deals’ totals to 16 fighters and about $1.02 billion.

Simulator training is currently a co-operative venture with the Chinese, but by 2014, Indonesia expects to have its own virtual training infrastructure.

It’s all part of an oil-fueled modernization drive, backed by increased military spending. For more on the strategic and procurement issues tied up in this purchase, see the Additional Readings section, below, for UPI analyst Martin Sieff’s “Jets for Jakarta: A Whole New Strategic Game For Australasia”, and Air Power Australia’s “Sukhoi Flankers: The Shifting Balance of Regional Air Power”.

Contracts & Key Events FY 2016 – 2018

TNI-AU F-5s
(click to view full)

August 14/18: Not afraid of sanctions Indonesia is determined to move ahead with its planned acquisition of 11 Su-35s from Russia, despite the risk of being hit by US sanctions. The Asian nation wants to purchase the fighter jets to replace its ageing fleet of F-5 Tigers. The potential deal has a value of $1.5 billion. Several Asian countries, including Indonesia, India, and Vietnam, are under threat of American sanctions for importing Russian-produced weapons systems. The sanctions aim to punish Russian President Vladimir Putin for the 2014 annexation of the Crimean Peninsula from Ukraine, involvement in the Syrian war, and interference in the 2016 US presidential election.

February 19/18: Contracts Inked! Russia’s Interfax news agency reports that Indonesia has finally inked contracts for the purchase of 11 Su-35 fighter aircraft. The agreement comes after two years of negotiations and will involve Jakarta supplying goods such as rubber and palm oil to help fund part of the acquisition, and it is believed Moscow will also provide a loan. While Russia’s defense ministry didn’t mention the total price tag for the sale, the Indonesian defense ministry have budgeted a total of $1.5 billion for the purchase of up to 16 new fighter jets. It’s unclear whether the deal includes options for a further five. The first two jets are scheduled to arrive in October.

September 26/17: Indonesia’s Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu told media that the government will sign contracts solidifying the purchase of eleven Su-35 fighter aircraft in November. Ryacudu added that the aircraft will be delivered within two years but did not confirm plans to acquire a further 5 Su-35s in order to have a full squadron. Jakarta’s deal to buy the fighters includes a substantial barter deal with Russia for Indonesian commodities including rubber and palm oil.

August 24/17: In a joint press conference led by its Defense and Trade Ministers, Indonesia has announced the $1.14 billion purchase of eleven Su-35 fighters from Russia. Under the terms of the agreement, Jakarta will transfer $570 million worth of commodities, such as coffee and palm oil, in addition to cash to pay for the aircraft. The deal is expected to be finalised soon between Indonesian state trading company PT Perusahaan Perdangangan Indonesia and Russian state conglomerate Rostec. Delivery is expected to take place in two batches commencing in 2019.

August 07/17: In exchange for 11 Su-35 fighter aircraft, Indonesia’s Trade Minister Enggartiasto Lukita has confirmed that Jakarta will barter commodities such as coffee, palm oil and tea to Russia in lieu of hard cash. Lukita made the announcement while visiting Moscow for a bilateral business forum between the two countries, which also saw officials from Indonesian state trading company PT Perusahaan Perdagangan Indonesia and Russian state conglomerate Rostec sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) ahead of a formal barter deal being announced. Russia is currently facing a new round of US-imposed trade sanctions, while Jakarta is trying to promote its palm oil products amid threats of a cut in consumption by European Union countries. Indonesia, which had a $411 million trade surplus with Russia in 2016, also aims to expand its partnership in tourism, education, energy, technology and aviation among others.

July 28/17: After two years of talks and negotiations, Indonesia has confirmed that it will purchase 11 Su-35 fighter aircraft from Russia. The fighters will replace its F5 E/F Tiger II warplanes, which have been in service with the Indonesian Air Forces since 1980s, and deliveries could commence from as early as next year. Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu made the statement to media outlets following a recent cabinet meeting, adding that the government is also looking into purchasing Chinese UAVs that will have an attack capability as well as the ability to be customized to Jakarta’s specifications.

February 19/17: An official from the Russian state-owned Rostec said that he believes that contracts for the Su-35 with the government of Indonesia will be signed “in the coming months.” Jakarta is in the midst of an investigation into their procurement of the Leonardo AW101 helicopter, with the first delivered unit currently being stored in a hangar at the Indonesian capital’s Halim Perdanakusuma air base pending the completion of the investigation. Photos of the plane have shown the helicopter surrounded by police tape.

October 9/15: Meanwhile, Lockheed Martin is marketing the company’s F-16V to Indonesia as the country plans to replace its fleet of aging F-5E fighters. The company dispatched a cockpit demonstrator to the country this week in an effort to swoon the country’s Air Force chiefs, who appear particularly set on acquiring the Sukhoi Su-35. The Indonesian Air Force already operates 24 F-16s, with deliveries of these beginning last July.

FY 2015

September 8/15: Indonesia again indicated continued interest in purchasing Su-35s to replace its long-in-the-tooth F-5Es. Indonesia already has some earlier models, the Su-27, which appears to have been a positive influence over others being considered, such as the F-15 and F-16, of which the country already owns eight.

FY 2014

Oct 7/14: Su-35 favorite? Indonesian Military Commander General Moeldoko tells Republika Online that they’re leaning toward the Su-35 as their F-5 replacement, with the JAS-39 in 2nd place and the F-16 a distant 3rd:

“Menurut dia, jet tempur buatan negeri Paman Sam itu sudah tidak layak pakai lantaran teknologinya sudah ketinggalan zaman…. “Untuk udara, ada pengajuan penggantian F-5. Sukhoi Su-35 menjadi pilihan pertama, Saab JAS 39 Gripen pilihan kedua, dan pesawat F-16 pilihan ketiga,”…”

This isn’t the end, because negotiations, budgets and other considerations will still come into play. If that pick does stand, it would keep the Flanker family as the backbone of the TNI-AU, but the fleet would also be fragmented among 3+ types with partial commonality at best: 5 Su27SKM, 11 Su-30 (2 MKs, 9 MK2s), and 16 Su-35SK. The Su-27SKM and Su-30MK fighters will retire first, which will simplify matters, but that’s unlikely to happen before 2025 or so. Sources: ROL, “Helikopter Apache dan Sukhoi Su-35 Segera Perkuat TNI”.

Jan 7/14: Competition. Indonesia wants to replace its 11 remaining F-5E/F Tiger II light fighters with 16 modern aircraft. Defense Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro confirmed that they “have received proposals from several jet fighter manufacturers,” and are evaluating them. Indonesian Military Commander General Moeldoko added that the TNI-AU has studied the SU-35, F-16, F-15, and JAS-39 Gripen.

Moeldoko wants the requisition plan included in Indonesia’s Strategic Plan II for the 2015 – 2020, but the air force’s choice will also depend on available funds. The F-15 is significantly more expensive than other options, and if the air force wants 16 fighters, the state of Indonesia’s economy will influence what they can buy.

There are always extraneous considerations in Indonesia. Still, if commonality matters, the F-16 is the only fighter currently in Indonesia’s inventory. The F-15 and JAS-39 are used by its neighbors, and have Asian support networks in place. Picking the SU-35 seems odd, as it would leave Indonesia vulnerable to becoming the 1st export customer, while worsening the fragmentation within an already-split Flanker fleet. Still, the existing SU-30MK fleet is a known quantity, which means the SU-35 is the only variant would require study for a full consideration of their options. Sources: Antara News, “Defense Ministry looking to replace aging F-5 tiger fighter aircraft”.

2011 – 2013

6 more SU-30s bought, financed, delivered. US DSCA request for 24 used F-16s.

Pitch Black 2012
(click to view full)

Sept 5/13: Delivery. The final 2 of 6 Su-30MK2s ordered in 2011 have been delivered at Sultan Hasanuddin Air Force Base, along with 13 technicians to help with assembly. This brings the fleet to 16, once they’re re-assembled and tested. Xinhua reports that:

“Indonesia’s Defense Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro, who witnessed the last delivery of Sukhoi Su-30 Mk2 at the air forces’ base, said that the nation has spent a total of 1.17 billion U.S. dollars to buy all of those 16 planes as well as on ammunitions, pilot training programs and logistic.”

Sources: Jakarta Post | Xinhua, “Indonesia receives last delivery of Sukhoi Flanker fighter jets, completing full squadron”.

All ordered Su-30MK2s delivered

May 17/13: Delivery. Su-30MK2 fighters #3-4 arrive at Sultan Hasanuddin Air Force Base, aboard an An-124 and in disassembled condition. They’re actually a bit early, and had been expected in June.

11th Squadron currently has 12 active fighters: 5 single-seat SU-27s, and 7 twin-seat SU-30s. Once these 2 are assembled and tested, the squadron will grow again. Jakarta Post | Flight International.

March 20/13: 12-16 more wanted. The Jakarta Globe quotes Defense Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro, who says that Indonesia’s $15 billion, 5-year military modernization plan will add another squadron of Sukhoi fighters. Other officials placed the number of additional Sukhois at 16 planes, which would double the TNI-AU’s Flanker force.

This purchase would be undertaken in addition to planned F-16 fleet buys and upgrades.

March 1/13: KFX/IFX. Indonesian Defense Ministry official Pos Hutabarat confirms that the KF-X joint fighter project with South Korea has been delayed by 18 months, while South Korea decides whether or not to continue. A decision is expected by June 2014, but Korean studies indicate that a 1st flight is unlikely before 2020, which means fielding rather later than 2022.

Worse, UPI says that the KFX/IFX fighter’s purchase price has already risen to $50-$60 million per aircraft, and this is before a prototype even exists. That sum is already comparable to ordering SU-30MK2s, which provide similar capabilities right now. That price, and the IFX’s delays, are good news for Sukhoi. Read “KF-X Fighter: Pushing Paper, or Peer Program?” for full coverage.

Feb 22/13: Delivery. Two out of the 6 Sukhoi Su-30MK2 jet fighters ordered in December 2011 arrive at Sultan Hasanuddin Air Force Base in Makassar, on the isle of Sulawesi. Volga-Dnepr’s AN-124-100 delivered the planes in standard condition: wings, tails, nose, etc. all removed, and no engines.

A shipment of 12 engines will arrive on Feb 27/13, and the 17 KnAAPO technicians that arrived with the planes will take about 2 weeks to assemble the first 2 fighters into flyable condition and test them. Another 2 batches of 2 fighters each are expected in June and July 2013. Jakarta Post, incl. updates on other aircraft plans.

Dec 21/12: Financing. Russia’s Vnesheconombank (VEB) won a tender from the Indonesian government, and will provide $399.5 million in financing over a 7-year term. The loan will finance 6 SU-30MK fighters and related equipment (vid. Dec 31/11 entry). BSR Russia.

Oct 17/12: Support from India. During his visit to Jakarta, Indian Defence Minister A K Antony agrees to train and support the Indonesian Air Force’s Flanker fleet. India flies a large fleet of SU-30MKIs, and is conducting manufacturing and final assembly work in India at HAL. They’ve already leveraged that base to provide similar support to Malaysia’s fleet of SU-30MKM fighters, though there are some items like engines that still need to be handled by Russia.

Note that this isn’t a contract just yet. Indonesia needs to firm up its requirements, and a India high-level Indian Air Force team will be sent to finalize the training and spares support package. The move will have an importance that goes far beyond its dollar value, as it’s part of a wider set of enhanced defense cooperation agreements the 2 countries are reportedly pursuing. Indonesia isn’t looking to antagonize China, but China’s aggressive claims in the South China Sea are contrasting poorly with India’s support for freedom of navigation, and for multilateral resolution of the disputes under international law. The result is an important Indonesian tilt toward more cooperation with India, which fits very well with India’s own strategic priorities. India MoD | Indian Express | The Jakarta Globe.

Sukhoi support: a the tilt toward India?

Dec 31/11: 6 more. It seems that the F-16 pursuit hasn’t replaced Indonesia’s desire for more Flankers. The Jakarta Post reports that Indonesia’s Ministry of Defense has ordered 6 more SU-30MK2 jet fighters, and quotes Deputy Minister of Defense Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin: “We handed over the contract yesterday. We have another contract still in progress”.

Amounts were not mentioned, but by Jan 10/12, Russia’s RIA Novosti says that Russian “defense and diplomatic sources” had confirmed a $470 million contract for the new planes, for delivery beginning “after 2013.”

The purchase would give Indonesia a total of 5 SU-27SKM and 11 SU-30MK2 fighters.

6 Flankers

TNI-AU F-16A
(click to view full)

Nov 17/11: F-16 request. The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency announces Indonesia’s official request for 24 ex-USAF F-16C/D Block 25 fighters.

This doesn’t change Indonesia’s interest in more Russian aircraft, but it will bolster TNI-AU fleet numbers if a contract is signed.

F-16 request to USA

March 23/11: Chinese competition? The Jakarta Post reports that Indonesia has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with China regarding joint military procurement, technology transfer, and joint-development and joint-marketing.

There’s a lot that isn’t set yet, including cost, proportional shares, intellectual property rights, and of course which weapons systems are covered; China does make a J-11 Flanker copy. Exact coverage and purchases usually wait until all other aspects are finalized, however, as the point of the MoU is to provide a ready-made umbrella agreement for such projects as they arise. The 1 item specifically mentioned by the Post is that Indonesia is very interested in jointly producing “C-907 missiles”, which it supposedly bought for its Flankers in 2009-2010. Unfortunately, that designation doesn’t correspond to any commonly-known Chinese missile.

2007 – 2010

6 more SU-30s bought and delivered (a bit late); Weapons buy; Interest in more Flankers; Don’t drink the moonshine, tovarisch.

SU-30MK2 Ordnance
(click to view full)

Nov 10/10: Weapons. Russia and Indonesia sign a $54 million “contract on the delivery of munitions for Sukhoi-family fighters in service with the Indonesian armed forces.” Weapon types were not specified. BNO News | RIA Novosti.

Weapons

Sept 16/10: 6 more? Indonesian Air Force Air Force chief of staff Marshal Imam Sufaat says that they plan to buy 6 more Flanker family jets, as the 10 jets bought from Russia since 2003 aren’t enough to cover its territory. He also cites Malaysia’s 18 next-generation SU-30MKMs, and Singapore’s 20 F-15SGs. At the moment, however, there is no budget or definite time frame.

Ultimately, it depends what Indonesia wants to do. If control of territory is the goal, its 30+ Hawk 209 light combat aircraft serve that role well, and so will the EMB-134 Super Tucano light attack planes it’s buying to replace its OV-10 Broncos. Over the longer term, Indonesia has signed up with South Korea to develop a “KF-X” fighter by 2022. It’s intended to be an F-16C/D equivalent, and Indonesia has made noises about buying 50 or so. The debate thus comes down to whether the country needs a high-end gap filler as a hedge against the KF-X’s schedule, and its development risks. Jakarta Post | Jakarta Globe.

Sept 16/10: Deliveries done. The last Su-27SKM arrives in Makassar for service with Squadron 11, along with 3 Sukhoi warranty technicians to replace their poisoned colleagues. Jakarta Post | Voice of Russia.

2007 order delivered

Sept 13/10: 3 KnAAPO maintenance technicians are found dead in Indonesia, and 2 more are hospitalized. Some media outlets speak of deliberate poisoning, but the deaths turn out to be from ethanol – which means they poisoned themselves with drinking alcohol.

Liquor is prohibited at Sultan Hasannudin AB, so an investigation is underway regarding the liquor’s origins. Smuggling is the theory mentioned in the media reports, though maintenance technicians for multi-million dollar aircraft would also have the skills required to set up a basic moonshine still. Jakarta Post | Jakarta Post re: investigation | RIA Novosti.

Don’t drink the moonshine

Sept 8/10: The fighter delivery to Sultan Hasannudin Airbase in Makassar is canceled when the transporting Antonov AN-124-100 air craft breaks down. Tempo Interactive.

Sept 6/10: RIA Novosti reports that Russia will deliver the last of 6 contracted fighters to Indonesia on September 7th and 16th, flying 2 SU-27SKs in via AN-124 heavy transport planes to the Makassar air base. That will make 3 SU-27SK single-seat fighters, and 3 SU-30MK2 2-seat fighters, under the current contract; the last SU-30MK2 was delivered in January 2010.

The planes are supposed to be sent to Indonesia earlier than scheduled, following a request by the Indonesian military authorities, who didn’t want to miss yet another October 5th Armed Forces Day military parade.

Dec 26/08: Deliveries. RIA Novosti reports that Russia has delivered the first 2 jets under the contract: a pair of SU-30MK2s. Another Su-30MK2 jet is reportedly due for delivery in early 2009, and 3 Su-27SKM fighter jets are due to be delivered by 2010. Russia’s RIA Novosti | Singapore’s Straits Times.

Sept 19/08: Financing. While 3 of the Sukhois were expected to arrive in Indonesia by Indonesian Defense Forces Day on Oct 5/08, the September 2007 loan agreement for their purchase has not been approved yet by Indonesia’s House of Representatives (DPR). Without that approval, Bank Indonesia cannot take up the loan and issue the letter of credit.

Indonesia’s DPR is not deliberately delaying the purchase, and political figures have promised to give the issue priority. Even so, resolution and delivery in time for the Oct 5/08 Armed Forces Day parades would appear to be unlikely. Philippines’ Balita Pinoy news report.

Russian SU-27SK
(click to view full)

Aug 21/07: On the opening day of the 8th International Aviation and Space Salon (MAKS 2007), Rosoboronexport State Corporation and the Republic of Indonesia have sign a $355 deal to deliver 3 Su-27 SKM and 3 Su-30MK2 fighters. This would bring Indonesia’s fleet to 5 aircraft of each type. ITAR-TASS | DefenceTalk.

6 Flankers

Additional Readings

KNAAPO – SU-27SKM and SU-30MK2.
DID – Indonesia Adding F-16 Falcon Fighters to Join Flankers. Via a DSCA request to buy 24 used F-16C/D block 25s.
Australian Strategic Policy Institute (Nov 12/13) – Moving beyond ambitions? Indonesia’s military modernisation
Jakarta Post (Oct 6/11) – Buying the right to snap up arms contracts. Shines a light on Indonesia’s deeply corrupt defense procurement environment.
UPI (Aug 24-27/07) – Jets for Jakarta: A Whole New Strategic Game For Australasia: Part 1 | Part 2.
Air Power Australia – Sukhoi Flankers: The Shifting Balance of Regional Air Power

Categories: Defense`s Feeds

New software to make the Lightning II more deadly | SeaSparrow flies for Mexico | Romania orders M142 artillery

Mon, 08/13/2018 - 06:00

Americas

Lockheed Martin is receiving a contract modification for the development of F-35 Lighting II upgrades. The modification is valued at $104.9 million and enables Lockheed to mature the design and development of the fighter jet’s Block 4 common capabilities. The upgrades are part of the F-35 Phase 2.2(A)(1) pre-modernization of common capabilities program which will support the Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, and international partners. The F-35 is only as capable as its code. The Lightning II comes with 8 million lines of code, more than four times the amount of the F-22, the world’s first 5th generation fighter. Now known as Continuous Capability Development and Delivery (C2D2), Block 4 will enable the F-35 to employ its full panoply of sensors and munitions. With the wider Block 4 capability to be rolled out in four increments (Block 4.1, 4.2, 4.3 and 4.4). It will will eventually enable the F-35 to fire cutting edge weapons systems such as the Small Diameter Bomb II and GBU-54 – both air-dropped bombs able to destroy targets on-the-move. The whole Block 4 update program is expected to cost $10.8 billion through FY2024. The contract combines purchases for the Air Force ($83.9 million) and for relevant international partners ($21.0 million). Work will be conducted at the Lockheed Martin’s facility on Fort Worth, Texas, and is scheduled for completion by July 2019.

The Navy is procuring upgrade kits for its fleet of submarines. Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems will procure, assemble, integrate and test the AN/BLQ-10 system modernization kits at a cost of $47 million. The AN/BLQ-10 submarine EW system, provides automatic detection, classification, localization, and identification of potentially hostile radar and communications signals at sea. It is designed for Virginia-, Los Angeles-, and Seawolf-class fast-attack submarines, Ohio-class conventional guided-missile submarines, and future Columbia-class ballistic-missile submarines, but not for current Ohio-class ballistic-missile submarines. When the boat is at periscope depth the system processes the signals that are picked up by the submarine’s imaging mast or periscope. It warns the crew of collisions, helps to avoid detection by enemy forces and is able to provide ISR support to the fleet. Work will be performed in Syracuse, New York; Manassas, Virginia and Moorestown, New Jersey. The systems are expected to be upgraded by December 2020.

The US State Department is determined to approve a foreign military sale to Mexico. The country want to purchase six Evolved Seasparrow tactical missiles (ESSM) and two Evolved Seasparrow telemetry missiles for an estimated cost of $41 million. The RIM-162 Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile (ESSM) is used to protect ships from attacking missiles and aircraft, and is designed to counter supersonic maneuvering anti-ship missiles. The potential deal would also include one MK56 VLS launcher (for RIM-162D) with eight launching cells and eight MK30 canisters, as well as services ranging from training to engineering support services. The Mexican Navy plans to equip its Sigma 10514 Class ship with the ESSM. The system allows the Navy to better protect critical sea lanes against potential foes while also increasing its maritime partnership potential.

Middle East & Africa

The Turkish Defence Industry Directorate (SSB) is contracting Turkish defense contractor Aselsan to develop a new electronic warfare system. Aselsan says that the system comes with a long-range detection and jamming capability that helps to suppress enemy air defense surveillance during combat operations. The HavaSOJ integrates with radar, giving it the capability to coordinate missions in real time and to counter aerial threats. The system will be probably installed on a business jet, purchase of which Turkey is close to reaching a deal on with an unidentified company. Aselsan expects first deliveries by 2027 and says that the first HavaSOJ will be available to the Turkish Air Force Command by 2023.

The US Army will provide it allies in Syria with Toyota HiLux pick-up trucks as part of CJTF Operation Inherent. Florida company Bukkehave will provide the trucks and spare parts under this $10.2 million firm-fixed-price foreign military sale. The Toyota HiLux a series of light commercial pickup trucks that is manufactured in Japan. The Toyota is considered to be reliable and highly mobile vehicle making it quite popular in the Middle East and Central Asia. It can be used to transport troops or as a light attack vehicle if equipped with a -.50 cal machine gun. In 2015 US counter-terror officials have asked Toyota, the world’s second largest auto maker, to help them determine how ISIS has managed to acquire the large number of Toyota pick-up trucks and SUVs seen prominently in the terror group’s propaganda videos. Work will be performed in Fort Lauderdale and is expected to be completed by December 1st, 2018.

Europe

Romania is set to procure several HIMARS launchers from Lockheed Martin. The $218 million contract modification provides for 18 M142 launchers, associated training, spares and product improvement modifications. The HIMARS is mounted to a 6 by 6 truck chassis and has been designed to engage and defeat artillery, air defense concentrations, trucks, light armor and troop carriers, as well as support troop and supply concentrations. HIMARS carries a single six-pack of rockets or one ATACMS missile. The basic tactical rocket warhead contains 644 M77 munitions, which are dispensed above the target in mid-air. The dual-purpose bomblets are armed during free-fall and a simple drag ribbon orients the bomblets for impact. Each MLRS launcher can deliver almost 8,000 munitions in fewer than 60 seconds at ranges exceeding 19miles. The ATACMS missile carries 950 baseball-sized M74 submunitions to ranges exceeding 180 miles. Romania will receive $106 million as part of a foreign military sale and will be liable to pay the remaining $112 out of its own funds. Work will be performed at Lockheed’s facility in Grand Prairie, Texas. Delivery of the systems is expected by December 2020.

Asia-Pacific

The Philippines and a few other countries are set to receive Paveway bombs as part of a US foreign military sale package. The package costs $110 million and includes activities such as studies, production, certification, integration, and sustainment. The Paveway family of laser-guided bombs are capable of converting “dumb” bombs into precision-guided munitions. The variants include Paveway II and Paveway III that are laser-guidance kits; and the Enhanced Paveway II, Enhanced Paveway III and Paveway IV use both laser and GPS guidance. Work will be performed at Raytheon’s facility in Tucson, Arizona and is expected to be completed by February 2029.

Saab announced that the Royal Thai Air Force is upgrading Thailand’s national Air Command and Control System. Saab will perform all work necessary to upgrade its 9AIR C41. The 9AR C4I is a core part of the country’s air defense capability. The system is in use since 2010 and builds the backbone of Thailand’s network-centric defense system. The upgrade will include new hardware and software necessary to sustain current capabilities. Work will be performed at Saab’s facility in Järfälla, Sweden. Upgrades are expected to be completed by 2020.

Today’s Video

Watch: Philippine Navy successfully test fire SpikeER

Categories: Defense`s Feeds

Five Year Extension on Paveway-II Missile Production

Mon, 08/13/2018 - 05:54

GBU-12 Paveway II

Paveway II kits convert standard Mk 80 family free-fall bombs into laser-guided weapons. Each guidance kit consists of a computer control group (CCG) guidance system with a semi-active laser seeker and pneumatically-controlled guidance canards for the front-end of the bomb, plus an air foil group (AFG) on the back end that provides lift and stability. Once a target is designated, laser guidance is more accurate than GPS, but it can be foiled by obscurants like fog, sandstorms, etc.

At the beginning of August 2011, the US government issued a contract worth up to $475 million…

“Paveway” is actually a US government designation for laser-guided bombs, but the term has been the subject of global legal battles between Raytheon and Lockheed Martin, with Raytheon claiming it as a trademark, and Lockheed Martin claiming it as a generic term. A number of courts have ruled in favor of the generic argument.

Updates

August 13/18: Paveway kits for international allies The Philippines and a few other countries are set to receive Paveway bombs as part of a US foreign military sale package. The package costs $110 million and includes activities such as studies, production, certification, integration, and sustainment. The Paveway family of laser-guided bombs are capable of converting “dumb” bombs into precision-guided munitions. The variants include Paveway II and Paveway III that are laser-guidance kits; and the Enhanced Paveway II, Enhanced Paveway III and Paveway IV use both laser and GPS guidance. Work will be performed at Raytheon’s facility in Tucson, Arizona and is expected to be completed by February 2029.

May 11/18: A cheaper bang Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control is being tapped by the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division to produce more laser training rounds. The contract modification is part of a multi-year deal, it provides for the production of 7,501 BDU-59F/B LGTR and is valued at over $23 million. In October 2017 the Air Force had selected Lockheed Martin for follow-on production of Paveway II Laser-Guided Bomb Kits for the ninth consecutive year. The Paveway II consists of a computer control group guidance system with a semi-active laser seeker and pneumatically-controlled guidance canards for the front-end of the bomb, plus an air foil group on the back end that provides lift and stability. Once a target is designated, laser guidance is more accurate than GPS, but it can be foiled by obscurants like fog and sandstorms. The BDU-59F/B LGTR is used in tactical employment training and is a cost-effective alternative to expending on operational Laser-Guided Bomb assets. LGTR allows aircrews to practice delivery tactics in a real-mission environment and experience actual weapon characteristics within today’s range limitations. Work will be performed at multiple locations in the US and in Vaudreuil-Dorion, Canada. Work is scheduled for completion by December 2020.

October 30/17: For the ninth consecutive year, Lockheed Martin has been selected by the US Air Force for follow-on production of Paveway II plus Laser-Guided Bomb Kits. Valued at $131 million, the award also includes all available funding for the service’s foreign military sales and replacement kits. Paveway II Plus includes an enhanced guidance package turns free-fall, or dumb bombs, into laser guided weapons through the addition of a nose-mounted laser seeker and fins for guidance. Production is expected to commence in the first quarter of Fiscal year 2018.

April 23/17: An F-35C loaded with the latest F3 software configuration has successfully hit a moving target with a GBU-12 Paveway II laser-guided bomb in what was the munition’s first developmental release from the fighter variant. The successful test was made capable by the inclusion of Lead Point Compute logic in the software which enhances the effectiveness against moving targets, with the objective of reducing pilot workload. This works by delaying the release point of the weapon to ensure the weapon has the available kinematics to guide to and reach the target at its future location. The GBU-12 has now been tested on every variant of the F-35.

July 29/16: A growth in Paveway guided bomb sales has resulted in Raytheon posting better than expected quarterly revenues for 2016. The sales saw the company’s missile division posting a 6% increase in the second quarter. International sales accounted for a third of all guided munitions with half of exports coming from governments in the Middle East and Africa.

May 11/16: Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control and Raytheon Missile Systems have been awarded a combined not-to-exceed $649.7 million modification contract for Paveway II production. The modification provides a five year extension for Paveway II missile production with work completion expected for July 27, 2023. Foreign Military Sales (FMS) of the munition in 2015 included a $1.29 billion sale of muntions to Saudi Arabia, which included 1,000 GBU-12 Paveway II laser guided bombs.

Aug 1/11: Lockheed Martin Corp. in Archbold, PA (FA8213-11-D-0008), and Raytheon Missile Systems of Tucson, AZ (FA8213-11-D-0007) receive a $475 million contract for Paveway II laser-guided bomb computer control groups (seekers), and GBU-12 air foil groups (tail kits) for 500 pound bombs. Both elements are needed, in order to create a GBU-12 laser-guided bomb. The Ogden Air Logistics Center/GHGKA at Hill Air Force Base, UT manages the contract.

Discussions with Hill AFB confirm that this is a single 5-year firm-fixed-price, multiple-award contract. The 2 firms will compete for purchase orders, as the USAF issues them.

Categories: Defense`s Feeds

SOCOM to continue MEUAS II-B | NMS continues to support Afghanistan | Taiwan wants the Centurion to protect its air bases

Fri, 08/10/2018 - 06:00

Americas

The Naval Air Systems Command is procuring system components for its F-35 Lightning fighter jets. Lockheed Martin will provide the service with essential Aircraft Management System (AMS) and Panoramic Cockpit Display (PCD) components at a cost of $19.3 million. The company will also be responsible for mitigating hardware risks as part of the program’s technical Refresh Phase 3 development. The F-35 is an advanced 5th generation fighter jet that that comes with a broad range of integrated missions systems and sensor fusion. The Aircraft Management System is the brain of the aircraft and integrates with the Automated Information Logistics System, or ALIS, a centralized fleet management system developed to reduce the F-35’s sustainment cost. The Panoramic Cockpit Display was designed by pilots for pilots. The 20 inch by 8 inch PCD incorporates an integral touchscreen that dominates the cockpit. The fly by wire system is controlled via an active side-stick on the right and an active throttle on the left. Active means these inceptors are under complete computer control and can be programmed on the fly. Work will be performed at the company’s location in Forth Worth, Texas and is expected to be completed by September 2019.

UAS manufacturer Insitu is being tapped to support the US Marine Corps. The awarded firm-fixed-price delivery order has a value of $9 million and provides for the procurement of spare and sustainment parts needed to maintain the RQ-21A Blackjack unmanned aircraft system. Insitu’s ScanEagle family combines versatility, endurance and small size. The RQ-21A system is modular, flexible and multi-mission capable, providing roll-on, roll-off transitions between land and maritime environments. The drone is a bigger, heavier and more capable version of the ScanEagle unmanned aircraft that has logged thousands of hours in Iraq and Afghanistan. The United States Marine Corps has ordered 32 systems each consisting of five air vehicles. Work will be performed at the company’s location in Bingen, Washington and is scheduled for completion by January 2019.

The US Special Operations Command is determined to keep its incumbent MEUAS II-B program running. Insitu is being awarded a $5000 minimum, $232 million maximum additional task order for maintaining its mid-endurance unmanned aircraft systems intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance services. MEUAS II-B is a fee-for-service or “power by the hour” contractor-owned and operated UAV network deployed in support of SOCOM operations. The catapult-launched mid-sized ScanEagle provides SOF units on the ground with intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance information.

The Canadian Armed Forces are increasing their numbers of ‘smart’ soldiers. Rheinmetall will deliver 1,256 additional sets of the Argus Soldier System at a cost of $16.9 million. The order is part of the Canadian Army’s Integrated Soldier System, with 1,632 sets of the same equipment expected to be delivered this year. Argus provides soldiers with an enhanced situational awareness and enables them to perform functions such as navigation, detect, locate, identify and engage targets, and several other command and control functions. The system comprises of a hand-held Tactical User Interface with Battle Management Software (BMS), tactical soldier radio, connection hub, control unit, head set, active noise reduction earphones, and high capacity batteries. The system’s tactical radio provides simultaneous communication for voice and data between soldiers and their commander on multiple nets. The Argus Soldier System is a modular data display provider ranging from a light version to a medium and extended command-and-control version. Argus has been developed to assist the soldier to operate in the future battlefield. Being networked give troops a tactical advangtage in urban areas and when facing a number of asymmetric threats and attacks by irregular forces.

Middle East & Africa

The US Army is awarding a PAE Government Services with a contract modification for sustained vehicle support work. The $10.8 million modification enables the company to continue its efforts as part of the US National Maintenance Strategy – Ground Vehicle Support program in Afghanistan. Under NMS, PAE will provide training and mentoring to the Afghanistan National Defense Security Forces (ANDSF) in maintenance, supply chain management and warehouse support across 25 locations in Afghanistan. PAE will also provide Contractor Logistics Support to the ANDSF, which will include maintenance, supply chain management and parts support for vehicles and ground equipment. The ANA’s inventory consists of approximately 23.000 types of vehicles, that include Soviet-era T-55 tanks and MT-LB armored personell carriers, 150 rather new T-72 tanks and about 2.500 US-made Humvees. A key outcome of the NMS in Afghanistan is to develop a long-term capacity and a near-term readiness to ensure that the country is self sufficient. The strategy aims to bridge the gap between the dependence on US logistics support and the transition of all responsibility of the ANDSF. Work will be performed in Hkia, Afghanistan and is scheduled for completion by August 30th 2022.

Europe

The German Naval Yards (GNY) shipyard group joins forces with former competitor ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems as means to land the contract for the German Navy’s future MKS 180 multirole combat ship program. MKS180 ships are expected to be capable of tackling targets above and below water in addition to supporting land missions. Armament should feature a 127 mm naval gun while surface to air missiles should be capable of hitting targets at a distance of 15 miles thereby enabling protection from air threats. The ships will be equipped with towed sonars for anti-submarine warfare and include sick bays or detention rooms for counter-piracy missions. The German Navy wants to acquire four MKS180s for $4.5 billion and wants them to enter service by the beginning of 2023. The newly formed German partnership will compete against Blohm + Voss, which is bidding with Dutch shipyard Damen.

Swedish defense manufacturer Saab will deliver its Integrated Defensive Aids Suite-2 (IDAS-2) to India. The order is being placed by India’s state-owned defense contractor Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) at a cost of $39 million. According to the company IDAS-2 is an EW system designed to provide self-defence in sophisticated, diverse and dense threat environments. It integrates with a platform’s radar and provides the aircrew with radar-warning, lasar-warning and missile-approach warning funtion. IDAS-2 is also fully integrated with with the BOP-L countermeasures dispenser, which automatically dispenses countermeasures under the control of the EWC upon threat-identification. The system will be produced at Saab’s facility on Centurion, South Africa. IDAS-2 will protect India’s fleet of Dhruv light attack helicopter. First deliveries are scheduled to begin in 2019.

Asia-Pacific

Taiwan wants to procure Phalanx style systems to protect its air force bases. The government’s public solicitation for the “Near Force Air Defense Fast Propeller System” requires the air-defense weapon to have high-precision, a high rate of fire, to be mobile and to operate automatically. It must be able to counter a number of airborne threats ranging from subsonic missiles to UAVs. The US military has used the Phalanx Centurion in Iraq to protect FOB Kalsu from incoming rockets, artillery shells and mortars. The Centurion can reach beyond its own array and use other target acquisition sensors to detect and track fired rounds. The Air Force plans to install the land-based Phalanx Centurion at the Jiashan, the Hualienjia and the Taidong Zhihang bases where large stockpiles of AMRAAM missiles are stored.

Today’s Video

Watch: RAAF timelapse of medical facility deployed at Pitch Black 2018.

Categories: Defense`s Feeds

Phalanx CIWS: The Last Defense, On Ship and Ashore

Fri, 08/10/2018 - 05:54

Phalanx, firing
(click to view full)

The radar-guided, rapid-firing MK 15 Phalanx Close-In Weapons System (CIWS, pron. “see-whiz”) can fire between 3,000-4,500 20mm cannon rounds per minute, either autonomously or under manual command, as a last-ditch defense against incoming missiles and other targets. Phalanx uses closed-loop spotting with advanced radar and computer technology to locate, identify and direct a stream of armor piercing projectiles toward the target. These capabilities have made the Phalanx CIWS a critical bolt-on sub-system for naval vessels around the world, and led to the C-RAM/Centurion, a land-based system designed to defend against incoming artillery and mortars.

This DID Spotlight article offers updated, in-depth coverage that describes ongoing deployment and research projects within the Phalanx family of weapons, the new land-based system’s new technologies and roles, and international contracts from FY 2005 onward. As of Feb 28/07, more than 895 Phalanx systems had been built and deployed in the navies of 22 nations.

The Phalanx Platform: Competition, Upgrades & Developments

click for video

The MK 15 Phalanx system was originally developed as a last-ditch defense against enemy missiles, and possibly aircraft. It weighed in at around 13,600 pounds, and carries 1,550 rounds of 20mm ammunition. As radars have improved, and electronics have become both smaller and more powerful, the system has been improved to defend against a wider range of threats.

Block 1, Baseline 2. Uses high pressure air instead of hydraulics to release the rounds, boosting the MK 15’s firing rate from 3,000 rounds per minute to 4,500. That gives the system 21 seconds of full-rate firing before a reload is required, enough for several engagement sequences.

Phalanx maintenance
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Block 1B. This is the new standard for the US Navy, and the baseline for SeaRAM missile systems. Block 1B adds day/night FLIR optics that boost performance against drones, small boats, and missiles with low radar cross-sections, while boosting angle tracking against conventional targets. For conventional MK 15s, the gun barrels are tweaked, and new MK224 “Enhanced Lethality Cartridge” (ELC) ammunition has a 48% heavier tungsten penetrator that maximizes the effect of the small 20mm round.

The US Navy wants to be an all-1B fleet by 2015, at a conversion cost of about $4.5 million per unit. A number of allies are following that lead within their own time frames. Paul Gilligan, head of platform integration for Raytheon’s UK subsidiary, was quoted saying that:

“This upgrade is vitally important, especially in the context of the evolving threats worldwide… It provides protection to ships and their crews against an increased number of threats including small, fast gunboats; standard and guided artillery; helicopters; mines and a variety of shore-launched, anti-ship missiles.”

Block IB Baseline 2. Radar modifications swap out some hard-to-get analog components for digital off-the-shelf signal processing electronics, a new signal source and mixer, and a “surface mode” software upgrade that improves performance against targets on or near the water’s surface.

The US Navy wants to standardize at this level by 2019, using upgrade kits that cost just under $1 million.

Phalanx: New Frontiers

SeaRAM
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The high speed and hence low warning time provided by many supersonic anti-ship missiles are also an evolving concern for global navies. Given the Phalanx’s limited range of just a couple of miles, coping with saturation attacks by missiles traveling at speeds of 0.5 – 1 mile per second requires layered defenses. To that end, the MK 15 Phalanx Block 1B’s mountings and electronics are also the base platform for the SeaRAM short range anti-air missile system. Unlike vertically-launched missiles, the SeaRAM’s RIM-116 missile is fired on a flat trajectory from an 11-round launcher. That saves precious seconds compared to vertical launch, allowing the system to provide an intermediate zone of defense between Phalanx guns and medium-range vertically-launched missiles like the RIM-162 Evolved Sea Sparrow or SM-2.

RIM-116 missiles can also be used against surface targets, and a number of ships use RAM or SeaRAM systems instead of standard Phalanx guns.

Another option to extend the system’s range involves an entirely new technology: lasers. Kevin Peppe, Raytheon’s Phalanx program director, has said that “a robust but relatively low power, low beam-quality commercial laser” is under investigation. It could offer an effective range about 3 times that of the existing M61A1 20mm gun, along with lower life-cycle costs and fewer worries about civilian casualties when used on land. Even so, this concept is a long way from becoming a practical battlefield weapon. More powerful solid-state lasers will probably be required in order to make the concept feasible against the full range of threats, and other complications like the effects of fog on lasers, and stopping power issues, must also be overcome.

Land, Ho! C-RAM/ Centurion

Phalanx C-RAM
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One area of clear progress for the Phalanx system is on land. Back in June 2005, “Phalanx R2D2s to Counter Land Mortars” drew attention to the US Army’s land-based version, imaginatively known as the “Land-based Phalanx Weapon System” and also known as MK 15 MOD 29 Centurion. The MK 15 MOD 29 Centurions are Block 1B CIWS weapon systems mounted on low-boy trailers, with self contained diesel electric power and cooling water.

Centurion fires explosive rounds that self-destruct if they don’t hit a target, so that falling 20mm bullets don’t kill people in the base itself or in nearby populated areas.

Unofficially, many refer to these weapons as “R2D2s,” after the Star Wars robot they resemble. Originally developed to defend US bases against mortar attack, these trailer-mounted weapons could also provide defensive options against the kinds of rocket attacks encountered in Round 1 of Israel’s 2006 war with Hezbollah, Iran & Syria. This appears to be a spiral development contract, with fielding of interim solutions as development progresses.

AN/TPQ-36 Firefinder

Centurion can reach beyond its own array and use other target acquisition sensors to detect and track fired rounds, including Northrop Grumman’s AN/TPQ-36 short-range Firefinder radar and the Lightweight Counter Mortar Radar.

C-RAM (Counter Rockets, Artillery and Mortars) is both a term used to refer to Centurion’s general role, and a specific command and control program that makes use of the weapon. The fire-control subsystem Northrop Grumman Mission Systems provides for C-RAM uses software modified from their Forward Area Air Defense Command and Control (FAAD C2) system, which ties together the sensors and weapons of the Army’s short-range air-defense battalions. Northrop Grumman is the prime contractor for FAAD C2, which is operational throughout the world and has been especially critical to homeland security efforts in the Washington, DC area.

Once a threat is detected by Army sensors FAAD C2/C-RAM triggers audio and visual alarms sound to warn exposed soldiers. A fire-control subsystem predicts the mortar’s flight path, prioritizes targets, activates the warning system, and provides cueing data to help Centurion defeat the mortar round while still in the air.

Centurion has been deployed by the USA, and Britain. In October 2008, Raytheon and Oshkosh unveiled the Mobile Centurion, which mounts the system on a hybrid-electric HEMTT A3 heavy truck.

Phalanx: Competitors

Thales Goalkeeper
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Phalanx is not alone on the market. Its principal competitor is the Thales Nederland Goalkeeper system, which uses the same GAU-8 30mm tank-killer gatling gun mounted on the A-10 Thunderbolt close support aircraft, and a dual frequency I/K-band track while scan radar. The GAU-8/A offers a firing rate of 4,200 rounds per minute, and the heavier projectiles offer more hitting power, which may help stop fragments of a supersonic missile from hitting a ship and doing damage. On the flip side, Goalkeeper takes up a larger footprint of space on board ship, and requires significant “deck penetration” and integration instead of being a bolt-in offering like Phalanx. The Goalkeeper is a distant second in the market, but it has a solid foothold. It’s currently in service with the British Royal Navy, as well as Belgium, Chile, the Netherlands, Portugal, Qatar, South Korea, and the UAE.

There are no reports of a 30mm Phalanx, but Raytheon is taking other steps to keep its platform on top of the market, and relevant to modern threats.

Phalanx Contracts and Key Events

Unless otherwise specified, all contracts are issued by the US Naval Sea Systems Command in Washington, DC to Raytheon Co. in Tucson, AZ.

FY 2014 – 2018

Korea buys Block 1Bs for FFX frigates; Japanese multi-year support; Australia requests upgrades; Other contracts.

MK15, HMCS Ottawa
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August 10/18: Taiwan up-next? Taiwan wants to procure Phalanx style systems to protect its air force bases. The government’s public solicitation for the “Near Force Air Defense Fast Propeller System” requires the air-defense weapon to have high-precision, a high rate of fire, to be mobile and to operate automatically. It must be able to counter a number of airborne threats ranging from subsonic missiles to UAVs. The US military has used the Phalanx Centurion in Iraq to protect FOB Kalsu from incoming rockets, artillery shells and mortars. The Centurion can reach beyond its own array and use other target acquisition sensors to detect and track fired rounds. The Air Force plans to install the land-based Phalanx Centurion at the Jiashan, the Hualienjia and the Taidong Zhihang bases where large stockpiles of AMRAAM missiles are stored.

March 8/18: DCSA clears conversion kits The US State Department has cleared the potential sale of MK 15 Phalanx Close-in Weapon System (CIWS) conversion kits to the government of Japan, a Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) notification has said. Estimated to cost $45 million, the package includes 24 kits that will convert Tokyo’s Block IB Baseline 1 Phalanx systems to the upgraded Baseline 2 version, as well as support equipment, spare parts, publications, software and associated support, logistical support services, and other related elements of logistical and program support. Raytheon’s Tuscon Arizona facility will be the program’s lead contractor. MK 15 Phalanx CIWS provides navy’s with an inner layer point defense capability against anti-ship missiles (ASM), aircraft and littoral warfare threats that have penetrated other fleet defenses. Baseline two upgrades includes a better radar that improves detection performance, increase reliability, and reduce maintenance.

February 28/18: Support Contract The Pentagon announced Monday, February 26, the award of a $48.06 million US Navy contract to Raytheon for work on the Phalanx close-in-weapon system (CIWS). The agreement tasks Raytheon with providing performance-based logistics support for the Phalanx in managing the systems by furnishing repaired and new units for 1041 line items under prescribed performance metrics in response to Fleet requisitions. Work will take place in Louisville, Kentucky, and and is scheduled to be completed by August 2019.

June 8/17: Raytheon has bee awarded at $12.5 million modification to an existing contract for the Phalanx Close-in Weapons System (CIWS). Under the terms of the deal, the company will deliver Phalanx CIWS hardware kits to the US Navy that are intended to upgrade the Phalanx weapons system to the latest approved configuration. Work will be performed at El Segundo, Calif. And Louisville, Ky, and the program is expected to be completed by March 2019.

April 20/17: The Taiwanese Navy has issued a request for tender to produce the island’s first indigenous landing platform dock. Funding worth $207 million has been allocated for the project up to 2021, and calls for a length of 502 feet and a weight of 10,000 tons. The tender also requires that the vessel be fitted with a 76mm gun and Phalanx close-in weapon system, as well as the indigenous TC-2N missile system for air defense, a top speed of 21 knots, and a range of up to 7,000 miles. It’s expected that Taipei will build two such vessels by 2021 and use them to support amphibious operations and transport tasks, and act as hospital ships and vessels for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief missions in peacetime.

April 6/17: Raytheon has tested a new electric gun that allows varying rates of fire for the Phalanx Close-In Weapon System. The gun has been designed to replace the Phalanx’s pneumatic motor, compressor and storage tanks, resulting in a 180 pound weight reduction. Testing conducted aimed to validate if the gun could handle the platform’s heavy vibrations. Capable of firing 75 rounds a second, the new gun also possesses a larger magazine, allowing operators to fight for longer.

December 23/16: The US Navy has awarded Raytheon a $64.6 million contract to perform technical support services for several of the service’s naval anti-ship weapon systems. Systems included in the work are the Phalanx Close-In Weapon System (CIWS), the SeaRAM, and the Land-based Phalanx Weapon System, and the contract also involves foreign military sales to Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Canada, Britain, South Korea, Portugal, and Greece. Work is expected to be completed by January 2018, and the deal is comprised of options which, if exercised, have the potential to raise the contract value to $398 million.

August 15/16: Taiwan has agreed to part of a US weapons package that will see delivery of 13 sets of Phalanx close-in weapons systems (CIWS) and other equipment set to the tune of $286.6 million. While not due for delivery until at least 2024, the new CIWS systems will add to one MK 15 Block 1B CIWS system found on one of its Kidd-class destroyers and give an uplift in capabilities to the older Phalanx systems currently in use. The deal is part of a wider $1.83 billion defense package that includes two Oliver Hazard Perry-class guided missile frigates, 36 AAV-7 amphibious assault vehicles, and 250 Block I-92F MANPAD Stinger missiles.

July 11/16: The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) is to install the Phalanx close-in weapon systems (CIWS) on its three two Canberra-class landing helicopter dock (LHD) ships. Each vessel will potentially have up to three systems on board pending final design and radar cross-section analysis. Installation is unlikely to begin until 2018 at the earliest.

February 16/16: The US State Department has approved a $154.9 million Foreign Military Sale (FMS) to Saudi Arabia. The deal includes the provision of five MK 15 Phalanx Close-In Weapons System (CIWS) Block 1B Baseline 2 Kits, equipment, training, and logistics support. The systems will be installed on Patrol Chaser Missile (PCG) Ships operated by the Royal Saudi Naval Forces Eastern Fleet, as well as one going to the Naval Forces School. The Phalanx CIWS will give the ships greater defense capabilities against enemy anti-ship missiles.

November 11/15: Raytheon has received a $10.4 million contract modification for Navy Close-In Weapon System (CIWS) SeaRAM upgrades. The company received a $159 million production contract in October for CIWS systems, with the contract also covering support equipment for the Rolling Airframe Missile-based SeaRAM system. The SeaRAM improves the CIWS’s Phalanx Block 1B radar system with an eleven-missile RAM launcher to expand the system’s defensive capabilities.

October 27/15: The Navy has awarded Raytheon a $159 million production contract for the company’s Phalanx Close-In Weapon System. The contract also includes an option valued at $291 million for FY2016. The company will manufacture, inspect and test the new systems and provide support equipment for the Rolling Airframe Missile-based SeaRAM air defense system, including Block 1B radar upgrades, which equips Independence-class Littoral Combat Ships.

May 22/15: Turkey has requested upgrades for its Phalanx close-in weapon systems, as well as four new systems, in a potential $310 million deal. The deal would also include Remote Weapons Stations, equipment, parts and training, as well as contractor (Raytheon) support. The Phalanx has been exported to several countries, with Australia recently requesting an upgrade package, with the UK and South Korea having imported the system, alongside other international customers. The CIWS is designed to provide a final tier defensive capability, with radar guiding a cannon to shoot down missiles and aircraft.

Oct 30/14: Japan. Raytheon announces a multi-year, $205 million bulk-buy contract to provide Phalanx upgrade kits, support equipment, and hardware spares to the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF). Sources: Raytheon, “Raytheon awarded $205 million Phalanx upgrade contract”.

Japan: multi-year support

Oct 14/14: Australia. The US DSCA announces Australia’s formal export request for up to 3 Phalanx Block 1B Baseline 1 to Block 1B Baseline 2 upgrade kits; overhaul and upgrade of up to 9 Phalanx Block 1A mounts to Block 1B Baseline 2 systems; 11 Remote Control Stations; 11 Local Control Stations, spare and repair parts; support equipment; test equipment; personnel training and training equipment; publications and technical documentation; and other forms of US Government and contractor logistics and technical support.

The principal contractor will be Raytheon Missile Systems Company in Tucson, AZ, and the estimated cost is up to $76 million. Implementation of this proposed sale will not require the assignment of any additional U.S. Government or contractor representatives to Australia. Sources: US DSCA #14-50, “Australia – Close-In Weapon System Block 1B Baseline 2 Upgrade”.

DSCA request: Australia

Sept 26/14: Support. Raytheon Co. in Tucson, AZ, receives a $15.5 million contract modification, which buys spares for Land-based Phalanx systems. All funds are committed immediately, using FY 2013 and 2014 US Army budgets.

Work will be performed in Williston, VT (23.4%); Louisville, KY (16.9%); Andover, MA (11.6%); Grand Rapids, MI (6.2%); Phoenix, AZ (4.5%); Tucson, AZ (3%); and other locations under 1% (34.4%), and is expected to be complete by February 2017. US Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, DC manages the contract (N00024-13-C-5406).

June 27/14: Support. Serco Inc. in Reston, VA, received a $31.2 million cost-plus-fixed-fee/ firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for Close-In Weapons System (CIWS) waterfront installation support. they’ll help with installation of Ship Alterations, Ship Change Documents, and Ordnance Alterations for Phalanx systems on US Navy and US Coast Guard vessels, and for the US Army. Only $114,000 is committed immediately, with the rest awarded as required.

Work will be performed in Norfolk, VA (41%); San Diego, CA (30%); Pearl Harbor, HI (5%); Everett, WA (6%); Mayport, FL (6%); and various overseas ports (12%); and is expected to be complete in June 2017. This contract was competitively procured via FBO.gov with 3 offers received by the US Naval Surface Warfare Center, Indian Head Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technology Division in Indian Head, MD (N00174-14-D-0028).

May 22/14: Support. Raytheon in Tucson, AZ receives a $115.5 million contract modification for MK15 Phalanx upgrades and conversions, system overhauls and associated hardware.

All funds are committed using various FY 2013 & 2014 budgets, with $43.6 million expiring on Sept 30/14. Work will be performed in Williston, VT (13%); Melbourne, FL (9%); Andover, MA (6%); Louisville, KY (5%); Tempe, AZ (5%); Pittsburgh, PA (5%); Ottobrunn, Germany (5%); Bloomington, MN (3%); Ashburn, VA (3%); Phoenix, AZ (3%); El Segundo, CA (2%); Hauppauge, NY (2%); Syracuse, NY (2%); Salt Lake City, UT (2%); Joplin, MO (2%); Bracknell, United Kingdom (2%); Grand Rapids, MI (1%); Norcross, GA (1%); and various other locations less than 1% each (29%); it is expected to be completed by September 2017. US NAVSEA in Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity (N0024-13-C-5406).

Feb 24/14: South Korea. Raytheon announces a $123 million Direct Commercial Sale (DCS) contract to deliver 9 Phalanx Block 1Bs for installation aboard the ROK Navy’s FFX Batch II light frigates, and aboard the AOE II successors to their 3 Cheonji Class fast combat support ships. Phalanx deliveries will begin in 2016, and are scheduled to be complete in 2022.

DCS contracts are subject to different announcement rules than Foreign Military Sale contracts, and are managed directly by the buyer instead of by a US military surrogate. This is Raytheon’s largest DCS contract for Phalanx systems, and it was actually signed in Summer 2013. Sources: Raytheon, “Raytheon awarded $123 million Phalanx contract from Republic of Korea”.

9 Block 1Bs for ROK FFX

Jan 3/14: Support. Raytheon in Tucson, AZ receives a $52.1 million Design Agent Engineering and Technical Support Services modification for maintainence of, and improvements to, the Mk15 Phalanx, Land-based Phalanx, and SeaRAM weapon systems.

Work will be performed in Tucson, AZ, and is expected to be complete by January 2015. $12.5 million is committed immediately from a wide array of USN FY 2014 and FY 2013 R&D, weapons, and shipbuilding budget lines, plus a US Army budget. Of that, $4 million will expire on Sept 30/13 (N00024-12-C-5405).

FY 2012 – 2013

British order; US upgrades.

Target shoot-down
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Sept 10/13: FY 2013-14. A $136.2 million contract to overhaul and upgrade 19 MK 15 Phalanx systems, and produce 4 new SeaRAM systems. This contract provides purchases for the U.S. Navy (80%), Japan (15%), the US Army (4%) and Pakistan (1%) under the foreign military sales (FMS) program; and all funds are committed immediately. $55 million will expire at the end of the current fiscal year, on Sept 30/13.

Another $94.8 million in options exist for a FY 2014 buy of 12 more Phalanx upgrades, and another 4 SeaRAM systems, to bring the total contract to $231 million.

Work will be performed in Louisville, KY (26%); Anaheim, CA (16%); Melbourne, FL (11%); Dayton, OH (11%); Syracuse, NY (10%); McKinney, TX (5%); Andover, MA (5%); Bloomington, MN (5%); Radford, VA (5%); Salt Lake City, UT (3%); and Tucson, AZ (3%), and is expected to be complete by September 2017. This contract was not competitively procured in accordance with FAR 6.302-1(a)(2)(iii) “one responsible supplier” provisions (N00024-13-C-5406). Sources: Pentagon | Raytheon Sept 11/13 release.

FY 2013 order

Oct 23/12: 5 for RFA. Raytheon signs a GBP 42.8 million (about $68.6 million) contract to deliver 5 Phalanx Block 1B systems to Britain, beginning in 2013. Installation and in-service support will be provided by Babcock Marine.

The weapons are destined for Royal Fleet Auxiliary support vessels. At the moment, Raytheon’s Phalanx system is installed on 14 Royal Navy vessels, including their 6 new Type 45 destroyers. Other British ships use Thales’ Goalkeeper 30mm system. Royal Navy | Raytheon.

British order

May 17/12: FY 2012. Raytheon in Tucson, AZ receives a $57.9 million contract modification, covering FY 2012 requirements for MK 15 Phalanx Close-In Weapon Systems (CIWS). It includes Phalanx Block 1B BL2 upgrade kits and conversions; MK 15 Mod 31 CIWS SeaRAM missile upgrade kits and conversions in support of Austal’s forthcoming LCS 10 and 12; 2 Phalanx Block 1Bs for the forthcoming DDG 116 destroyer; MK 15 CIWS hardware product improvements and ancillary equipment; Block 1B Ordalt (Ordnance Alternation) kits; and MK 15 CIWS Block 1B Class A overhauls.

Raytheon’s release cites 9 Phalanx overhauls and upgrades, 20 Phalanx radar upgrade kits, and 2 SeaRAM systems that use the Phalanx system as the chassis for an 11-shot RIM-116 short-range anti-aircraft missile launcher, instead of a 20mm gatling gun.

Work will be performed in Louisville, KY (39%); Germany (12%); Palm Bay, FL (12%); Tucson, AZ (9%); Pittsburgh, PA (8%); Burlington, VT (6%); Andover, MA (4%); Syracuse, NY (4%); Long Beach, CA (1%); Radford, VA (1%); Bloomington, MN (1%); Salt Lake City, UT (1%); Norcross, GA (1%); and New Albany, IN (1%); and is expected to be complete by September 2015. $24.2 million will expire at the end of the current fiscal year, on Sept 30/12 (N00024-10-C-5427).

FY 2012 order

FY 2011

Japan; South Korea; Poland; UK.

MK.15 IB on JS Hyuga
(click to view full)

Dec 27/11: Support. A $45.6 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for Phalanx, SeaRAM, and Land-based Phalanx design agent engineering and technical support services covering overall maintainability, reliability, and improvements. The contract is initially funded with $726,000, with more to be allocated as needed.

Work will be performed in Tucson, AZ, and is expected to be completed by January 2013. This contract was not competitively procured by US NAVSEA in Washington, DC (N00024-12-C-5405).

Sept 12/11: Raytheon signs a $65.5 million Direct Commercial Sale contract to deliver 5 Phalanx Block 1B Close-In Weapon Systems to the Republic of Korea Navy for the new 3,200 ton Ulsan-1 Class FFX inshore patrol frigates.

The contract calls for the systems to be installed starting in April 2013, and represents Phalanx’s largest sale to the ROK fleet – which generally uses Thales’ larger 30mm Goalkeeper instead. Raytheon.

South Korea: FFX buy

Aug 31/11: Support. A 5-year, $162.2 million not-to-exceed fixed-price requirements contract for performance based logistics support for the Phalanx CIWS. This announcement includes service to the governments of Australia, United Kingdom, New Zealand, Japan, Poland, and Bahrain, which will be issued as separate delivery orders, on an as-required basis.

Work will be performed in Louisville, KY, and is expected to be completed August 2016. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to FAR 6.302-1, by US NAVSUP Weapon Systems Support in Mechanicsburg, PA (N00104-11-D-ZD43).

Aug 25/11: FY 2011. A not-to-exceed $161 million contract modification to previously awarded contract for MK 15 Mod 31 SeaRAM systems in support of Independence Class ships LCS 6 Jackson and LCS 8 Montgomery, and Japan’s “DDH 2405 helicopter destroyer”; as well as Phalanx CIWS Block 1B class “A” overhauls, and land-based Phalanx Weapon System class “A” overhauls.

The SeaRAM systems differ from other RAM launchers by having the full Phalanx enclosure, including the accompanying radar, as well as added infrared sensors. This creates a bolt-on missile system that can be operated semi-autonomously, or integrated and coordinated via the ship’s combat system. In exchange, it holds just 11 missiles in its launcher, instead of 21. DID covers it as a separate system.

As for Japan’s “DDH-2405,” this is the first ship of Japan’s new 22DDH project to field 800 foot, 30,000t vessels that are larger than its existing 18,000t Hyuga Class. These ships are properly characterized as escort carriers, but Japan’s constitution forbids them from owning carriers. The SH-60 Seahawk helicopters on board JMSDF Hyuga and JMSDF Ise certainly proved themselves in the wake of the 2011 tsunami, however, which should mute any domestic criticism.

The Pentagon adds that Phalanx CIWS is currently installed on approximately 152 US Navy and 14 US Coast Guard ships, and is in use in 23 foreign navies. Work will be performed in Louisville, KY (30%); Andover, MA (19%); Tucson, AZ (9%); Germany (7%); Syracuse, NY (7%); Long Beach, CA (6%); Radford, VA (6%); Burlington, VT (6%); Palm Bay, FL (2%); Pittsburgh, PA (2%); Bloomington, MN (2%); Salt Lake City, UT (2%); Norcross, GA (1%); and New Albany, IN (1%). Work is expected to be complete by September 2015, but $90.7 million will expire at the end of the current fiscal year, on Sept 30/11 (N00024-10-C-5427).

FY 2011: USA, (Japan)

Aug 1/11: Support. A $7 million contract modification for MK 15 Phalanx engineering and technical services to the US military, and the governments of Japan and Saudi Arabia (1%) under the Foreign Military Sales Program. Work will be performed in Tucson, AZ, and is expected to be complete by April 2012. $200,000 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year, on Sept 30/11 (N00024-07-C-5437).

July 26/11: Poland submits a DSCA notice for service life extensions of its FFG-7 frigates, which includes upgrades to its MK 15 systems from Block 0 to Block 1B/ Baseline 2. Read “Poland to Extend, Improve its FFG-7 Frigates” for full coverage.

Poland request

June 21/11: UK. Babcock International Group announces the pending qualification and testing of Raytheon’s Phalanx 1B 20mm close-in weapon system on HMS Daring. The Type 45 air defense destroyers were not delivered with secondary defensive systems for use against UAVs, small boats, and incoming missiles, so the pending qualification will help to patch the gaps in their defenses.

Babcock will supervise the installation of 2 systems in HMS Daring at Portsmouth Naval Base, as a lead-in to Naval Weapon Sea Trials (NWST), including a towed target firing. Most British ships have used Thales larger 30mm Goalkeeper system, but the Phalanx is an easier and cheaper “bolt-on” addition. Babcock’s previous Phalanx installations have been upgrades on the Type 42 destroyer HMS York, and the fleet replenishment ship RFA Fort Victoria.

April 29/11: The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency announces [PDF] Britain’s official request for Ordnance Alteration Kits for 36 MK 15 Phalanx Close-In Weapon System (CIWS) upgrade (Ordnance Alternation, or OrdAlt) kits. The request includes 20 kits for converting Phalanx Block 1A systems to Block 1B Baseline 2, and 16 kits that raise systems from Block 1B Baseline 1 to Baseline 2. Spare and repair parts, support equipment, personnel training and training equipment, publications and technical documentation, software support, and other US government and contractor support are also included. The estimated cost is up to $137 million, but exact costs will depend on a negotiated contract.

The Block 1B Baseline 2 upgrades improve optical and radar close-in detection, tracking and engagement, and extend Block 1A capabilities to include targets like helicopters, UAVs, and fast boats. Raytheon Systems Company in Tucson, AZ will be the contractor, but implementation will not require any contractor or US government support personnel.

Britain request

April 11/11: Raytheon announces that it has delivered the 1st 20mm Phalanx Block 1B Close-In Weapon System to the Republic of Korea Navy. The direct commercial sale calls for the Phalanx Block 1B system to be installed on the lead FFX light frigate in 2011.

Other South Korean ships use Thales 30mm Goalkeeper system, but Phalanx’s bolt-on nature makes it a friendlier choice for smaller vessels. Raytheon expects to sign another contract with South Korea for an additional 5 Phalanx systems in the near future, representing the other 5 FFX ships.

South Korea: initial order & delivery

FY 2010

Support and tests.

Phalanx, reloaded
(click to view full)

Sept 29/10: Support. A $35.2 million contract modification for engineering and technical services in support of the MK 15 Phalanx close-in-weapon system. Work will be performed in Tucson, Z, and is expected to be complete by December 2011. $8,379,133 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year, on Sept 30/10 (N00024-07-C-5437).

May 19/10: Support. A $22.9 million modification to a previously awarded contract (N00024-07-C-5437) for engineering and technical services in support of the MK 15 Phalanx CIWS. Work will be performed in Tucson, AZ, and is expected to be complete by September 2010. Contract funds in the amount of $5.3 million will expire at the end of the current fiscal year.

March 31/10: FY 2010. A $204 million not-to-exceed contract for MK 15 Phalanx Close-in Weapon System (CIWS) upgrades and conversions, system overhauls, and associated hardware.

Work will be performed in Louisville, KY (30%); Andover, MA (19%); Tucson, AZ (16%); Syracuse, NY (7%); Long Beach, CA (6%); Radford, VA (6%); Burlington, VT (6%); Palm Bay, FL (2%); Pittsburgh, PA (2%); Bloomington, MN (2%); Salt Lake City, UT (2%); Norcross, GA (1% ); and New Albany, IN (1%). Work is expected to be complete by September 2014, and $51.3 million will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured (N00024-10-C-5427).

FY 2010

March 24/10: Support. A $5.8 million modification to a previously awarded contract (N00024-07-C-5437), exercising options for engineering and technical services in support of the MK 15 Phalanx Close-In-Weapon System. Work will be performed in Tucson, AZ, and is expected to be complete by September 2010.

March 9/10: Testing. USS Abraham Lincoln [CVN-72] successfully completes a PACFIRE test firing of her 20mm Phalanx Close In Weapons System (CIWS), while exercising the boat’s combat systems. Upgrades to the close-in self-defense weapon system included transition from block 1 baseline 0, to block 1 baseline 2.

The main improvement uses compressed high pressure air instead of hydraulics to release the rounds faster, allowing the gun to fire 4,500 rounds per minute instead of 3,000. US Navy.

FY 2009

Israel; Canada.

Boat beat-down
(click for video)

Sept 23/09: Support. A $13.7 million modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-07-C-5437), exercising options for engineering and technical services in support of the MK 15 Phalanx Close-In-Weapon System. Work will be performed in Tucson, AZ and is expected to be complete by September 2010. Contract funds in the amount of $1.3 million will expire at the end of the current fiscal year.

June 19/09: The Government of Canada awards Raytheon Canada Limited of Calgary, AB an 8-year, C$ 180 million contract to overhaul, repair and upgrade the Canadian Navy’s Phalanx Close-In Weapon Systems (CIWS). The Phalanx serves on Canada’s Halifax class frigates, its aged Iroquois/Tribal class “air defense” destroyers, and its Protecteur class supply ships. The upgrades will likely take the systems to Phalanx Block 1B status, which improves capabilities against fast boats, helicopters, and UAVs.

Canada’s Industrial and Regional Benefit (IRB) Policy applies to this procurement. It requires that Raytheon Canada Limited undertake “high quality and advanced-technology business activities in Canada valued at 100 per cent of the contract value.”

Canada support & upgrades

May 15/09: FY 2009. A $259.9 million contract modification for MK 15 Phalanx Close-In-Weapon System (CIWS) Block 1B upgrades and conversions, system overhauls, and associated hardware. This includes the MK 15 MOD29 Centurion land-based system. $8.8 million will expire at the end of the current fiscal year, on Sept 30/09.

Work will be performed in Louisville, KY (30%); Andover, MA (19%); Tucson, AZ (16%); Syracuse, NY (7%); Long Beach, CA (6%); Radford, VA (6%); Burlington, VT (6%); Palm Bay, FL (2%); Pittsburg, PA (2%); Bloomington, MN (2%); Salt Lake City, UT (2%); Norcross, GA (1%); and New Albany, IN (1%), and is expected to be completed by September 2012 (N00024-07-C-5444).

FY 2009

May 13/09: Training. A $5.8 million contract modification for phalanx simulated infrared/visible engagement target simulator kits with shorting plugs in support of the Phalanx CIWS Program. The shorting plugs are useful, in order to make sure the simulated targets can’t lead to live firing.

Raytheon will work on the contract in England (80%); Louisville, KY (15%); and Tuscon, AZ (5%); and expects to complete work by January 2011. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command manages the previously awarded contract (N00024-07-C-5444).

April 21/09: Israel. Despite news reports that Israel would order the land-based Mobile Centurion system, the Jerusalem Post quotes “senior defense officials” who say that a decision won’t be made until Israel can watch live tests in summer 2009. The report adds that Israel is interested in the system’s potential along the Gaza Strip border, but there are still several obstacles that must be overcome first.

One is its effectiveness against Kassam rockets and mortars, which will be answered by the live tests. The second obstacle is cost, given that each system covers 1.2 square km and costs about $25 million. That works well for protecting a base, but protecting a city like Sderot become far more costly. In a democracy, issues like noise levels are an obstacle that must be evaluated under environmental regulations, though that’s likely to be a minor hindrance at best. The final obstacles would involve American approval of the sale, which is very likely, and the willingness of American military customers to give up their own production slots, which is less certain. If they do not expedite delivery with production slot swaps, the required wait time might affect the rationale for choosing the Phalanx-based system over other options.

Jan 30/09: Laser Phalanx. White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico state continues to test a solid-state laser version of the Phalanx weapons system. The laser has proven capable of “rapidly” penetrating armor plating even when not at full power, and the next step is to test the system on mortar rounds.

The exact time required for burn-through or detonation of incoming rounds is a very important number. US Army release.

Oct 8/08: Mobile Centurion. Raytheon and Oshkosh unveil the “Mobile Centurion,” which mounts the Phalanx system on a hybrid-electric HEMTT A3 heavy truck. To make room, the truck’s normal load-handling system was removed, in favor of a fixed platform for the Phalanx. The ProPulse drive A3 model was picked because it has 120 kW of power to divide between the truck’s drive train and the Pahlanx as needed, which removes the need to tow a bulky generator.

The other benefit is air mobility. Instead of fitting just 1 current model Centurion/C-RAM trailer into a C-17 strategic transport plane, 3-4 Mobile Centurions could be fitted instead. Defense News.

FY 2008

Australia, New Zealand.

Over Baghdad
click for video

Sept 22/08: Support. A $31.3 million modification to previously awarded contract N00024-07-C-5437, exercising an option for engineering and technical services in support of the MK 15 Phalanx CIWS.

Phalanx CIWS is currently installed on approximately 187 USN ships and is in use in 20 foreign navies. This modification combines support for the US Navy, US Army and the Governments of Egypt, Portugal and Australia under the Foreign Military Sales Program. Work will be performed in Tucson, AZ, and is expected to be complete by September 2009. Contract funds in the amount of $1.7 million will expire at the end of the current fiscal year.

Sept 18/08: FY 2008. A not-to-exceed $220.5 million modification to a previous contract for MK 15 Phalanx Close-In-Weapon System Block 1B upgrades and conversions, system overhauls, and associated hardware. Contract funds in the amount of $19.9 million will expire at the end of the current fiscal year.

Most Phalanx Block 1B conversions involve naval ships, due to the upgrade’s defensive value against small boats. The land-based C-RAM system is also based on Block 1B, however, and they will require system overhauls and spares of their own as part of their regular maintenance.

Work will be performed in Louisville, KY (30%); Andover, MA (19%); Tucson, AZ (16%); Syracuse, NY (7%); Long Beach, CA (6%); Radford, VA (6%); Burlington, VT (6%); Palm Bay, FL (2%); Pittsburg, PA (2%); Bloomington, MN (2%), Salt Lake City, UT (2%); Norcross, GA (1%); and New Albany, IN (1%), and is expected to be complete by September 2012 (N00024-07-C-5444).

FY 2008

May 23/08: Support. A $14.3 million modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-07-C-5437) provides more incremental funding for engineering and technical services, bringing the contract’s current exercised value to $57.6 million. This modification combines purchases for the U.S. Army (45%); U.S. Navy (42%) and the Government of Pakistan, (13%) under the Foreign Military Sales Program. Work will be performed in Tucson, AZ and is expected to be completed by September 2008. The Naval Sea Systems Command in Washington Navy Yard, DC issued the contract.

May 16/08: New Zealand’s TV3 reports that the country’s 2 ANZAC Class frigates will upgrade their Phalanx guns to Block 1B status, as the first step in a larger overhaul and upgrade. See “NZ Looks to Upgrade ANZAC Frigates.”

NZ upgrade

May 12/08: Centurion. A not-to-exceed $61.2 million modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-07-C-5444) for MK 15 Phalanx Close-In-Weapon System (CIWS) ordnance alteration kits, spares, and associated hardware for Land-Based configurations to support the Global War on Terrorism.

Work will be performed in Louisville, KY (22%); Andover, MA (19%); Tucson, AZ (16%); Syracuse, NY (9%); Long Beach, CA (9%); Radford, VA (7%); Burlington, VT (7%); Palm Bay, FL (3%); Pittsburg, PA (2%); Bloomington, MN (2%); Salt Lake City, UT (2%); Norcross, GA (1%); and New Albany, IN (1%); and is expected to be complete by September 2010. Contract funds in the amount of $1.5 million will expire at the end of the current fiscal year.

Jan 22/08: Support. An $18.7 million modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-07-C-5437) for engineering and technical services in support of the MK 15 Phalanx Close-In-Weapon System. Work will be performed in Tucson, AZ and is expected to be complete by September 2008. Contract funds in the amount of $3.6 million will expire at the end of the current fiscal year.

“PHALANX CIWS is currently installed on approximately 187 USN ships and is in use in 20 foreign navies.”

Nov 9/07: FY 2007. Raytheon Co. in Tucson, AZ received a $225.1 million firm-fixed-price contract for MK 15 Phalanx Close-In Weapon Systems (CIWS) Block 1B Upgrade and Conversion equipment, plus U.S. Army Block 1B Land-based Phalanx Weapon System (LPWS) Upgrade and Conversion equipment, and U.S Army Block 1B LPWS’s and associated spares and support equipment. This effort also includes purchases for the Governments of Portugal (1.23%) and Australia (1.09%) under the Foreign Military Sales Program.

A subsequent Raytheon release adds more details: they will overhaul and upgrade 34 Phalanx CIWS systems for the U.S. Navy and 1 system for the Royal Australian Navy, and will build 12 Land-Based Phalanx Weapon Systems for the U.S. Army, while providing associated hardware to all customers under the agreements.

Work will be performed in Louisville, KY (55.7%), Burlington, VT (12.4%), Palm Bay, FL (8%), Andover, MA (4.9%), Pittsburg, PA (4.8%), Carson, CA (4.1%), Tucson, AZ (3.4%), Brooklyn, NY (3.4%), Bloomington, MN (3.3%), and is expected to be complete by November 2010. Contract funds in the amount of $7.3 million will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The contract was not competitively procured by the Naval Sea Systems Command in Washington Navy Yard, Washington DC (N00024-07-C-5444).

FY 2007: USA, Australia

Oct 1/07: Overhauls. A $16.7 million firm-fixed-price modification under previously awarded contract (N00024-04-C-5460) for 7 Phalanx Close-In Weapon System (CIWS) Class A Overhauls. PHALANX CIWS is currently installed on approximately 187 USN ships and is in use in 20 foreign navies. Work will be performed in Louisville, KY and is expected to be complete in February 2011. All contract funds will expire at the end of the fiscal year.

FY 2007

FLIR; Lasers?

UK Phalanx at night
(click to view full)

Sept 27/07: Centurion. Jane’s International Defence Review reports that Raytheon is planning to approach NATO with a strategy to lease or sell a number of its Centurion land-based Phalanx systems for deployment at fixed bases in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Sept 25/07: Ammo. Alliant Techsystems Inc. (ATK) in Mesa, Ariz., USA, won an estimated $44.6 million firm-fixed-price contract for MK 244 Mod 0, linked armor-piercing discarding sabot (APDS) 20mm cartridges, electric-primed 20mm rounds designed to be fired by the M61A1 20mm gatling cannon mounted in the shipboard Phalanx CIWS. This cartridge is referred to as the Enhanced Lethality Cartridge, as it contains a heavier projectile and inflicts more damage to the target than the precursor to this round, the MK149 Mod 4.

Work will be performed in Independence, MO, and is expected to be complete by September 2010. Contract funds in the amount of $512,519 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured and advertised via the Internet, with 2 offers received [General Dynamics ATP was almost certainly the other bidder]. The US Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division in Crane, Ind. issued the contract. (N00164-07-D-4285)

Sept 11/07: Laser Phalanx. Jane’s reports from the British DSEi exhibition that Raytheon is working on a Phalanx variant that can fire lasers. What advantages would a laser system offer? Would it really be an advance over the current Phalanx system? DID explains.

Aug 23/07: Sub-contractors. DRS Technologies, Inc. announced a $26 million contract, with an option for an additional $23 million contract, to produce, integrate, test and deliver Phalanx Thermal Imagers for the MK 15 Phalanx Close-In Weapon System (CIWS). The contract was awarded to DRS by the Missile Systems business of Raytheon in Louisville, KY. The imagers were developed by the company’s DRS Sensors & Targeting Systems unit – California Division in Cypress, CA, and DRS-produced work for this contract will be accomplished by the unit’s Optronics Division in Palm Bay, FL. DRS will start delivering the imagers immediately, with completion expected by July 2008.

DRS’s Phalanx Thermal Imagers incorporate 2nd-generation FLIR (Forward Looking Infra-Red) technology, similar to that used by the company in the Horizontal Technology Integration series of sighting system products being delivered to the U.S. Army and Marines for ground combat systems like the M2/M3 Bradley IFV and M1 Abrams tanks, LRAS3, et. al. The new systems will replace 1st generation FLIR technologies currently in use on MK 15 Phalanx mounts.

May 25/07: UK C-RAM. Jane’s Defence Weekly reports that Britain will deploy a C-RAM system to protect UK forces in southern Iraq. Speaking at the Royal United Services Institute’s (RUSI’s) Air Power conference in London on May 17/07, Air Chief Marshal Sir Clive Loader, Commander-in-Chief of the RAF’s Air Command, disclosed that the Raytheon Land-based Phalanx Weapon System (LPWS) was being acquired “to protect the UK’s deployed bases in operational theaters.”

May 2/07: EDO Corporation announces a $15 million follow-on award for expanded support of the Army’s C-RAM (Counter Rocket, Artillery, and Mortar) system, which includes a land-based Phalanx weapon coupled with self-destructing explosive bullets. The task order was effective April 1, 2007 and includes in-theater support.

EDO services have included testing and validation of the systems at test facilities and in the field, assistance in fielding systems, and logistics services to ensure their continued operation. These services are being provided in the U.S. and in support of nearly 20 locations in combat zones. EDO release

Feb 28/07: Call UPS! Raytheon announces a 5-year, $169.9 million Performance Based Logistics contract to manage the spare parts for the U.S. Navy’s Phalanx CIWS. More than 1,100 part numbers amounting to more than 30,000 individual Phalanx parts are warehoused in Louisville, KY, where, for a firm-fixed-price, Raytheon, in partnership with United Parcel Service Supply Chain Solutions, guarantees delivery of spares to drop points within an agreed-to time frame.

The distribution and management functions allow for worldwide delivery using the best commercial carrier available, while maintaining process control through in-transit tracking. This process also allows for retail and wholesale spares modeling, spares procurement and, perhaps most importantly, inventory management. The provisions and benefits of the contract apply to both the U.S. Navy and the 24 international navies that have Phalanx in their inventories. Frank Wyatt, vice president for Raytheon’s Naval Weapon Systems in Tucson, AZ:

“The partnership with United Parcel Service, developed through the previous Phalanx logistics contract, has greatly improved inventory accuracy. Currently, Phalanx inventory accuracy stands at 99.9 percent resulting in a substantial increase in supply availability and a reduced wait time… Future cost savings and improved responsiveness can be anticipated by reducing parts demands through engineering redesign of selected high-demand, high-cost parts.”

Feb 8/07: Shingo. Raytheon Missile Systems’ Louisville, KY facility has captured a prestigious Shingo Prize for Excellence in Manufacturing, marking the 4th consecutive year that Raytheon facilities have won. The Louisville facility manufactures the Phalanx CIWS and RAM/SeaRAM systems.

Jan 3/07: Northrop Grumman Mission Systems in Huntsville, AL received a delivery order amount of $29.9 million as part of a $144.5 million firm-fixed-price and cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for the Forward Area Air Defense Command and Control/ Counter-Rocket Artillery Mortar Systems (FAAD C2/ C-RAM) Integration contract. Work will be performed in Huntsville, AL and is expected to be complete by Sept. 28, 2009. This was a sole source contract initiated on Nov. 20, 2006 by the U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command in Redstone Arsenal, AL (W31P4Q-06-D-0029).

Northrop Grumman’s Jan 17/07 release describes it as “a contract valued at up to $71 million to continue their support in system engineering, integration, and installation for…C-RAM… In addition to continuing to support systems engineering, integration and installation of C-RAM capabilities, the indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (IDIQ) C-RAM installation and support contract includes logistics and training support.”

FY 2006

Pakistan; Australia; UK.

Calibration on CVN 73
(click to view full)

Sept 29/06: Northrop Grumman Mission Systems in Huntsville, AL received a delivery order amount of $28.6 million as part of a $670 million firm-fixed-price and cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for Forward Air Defense Command and Control/ Counter-Rocket Artillery and Mortar Systems (C-RAM) Integration. Work will be performed in Huntsville, AL and is expected to be complete by Sept. 28/08. This was a sole source contract initiated on May 4, 2006 by The U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command in Redstone Arsenal, AL (W31P4Q-06-D-0029).

Under a $38 million contract awarded in October 2005, Northrop Grumman was tasked with integration, deployment, and installation of the C-RAM command and control systems architecture; assisted in integrating the command and control with target acquisition and tracking radars, warning, and response subsystems; and trained soldiers to operate and support the “system of systems.”

Sept 13/06: FY 2006. A $369.1 million firm-fixed-price modification under previously awarded contract N00024-04-C-5460 for Phalanx CIWS and associated spares for FY 2006 US Navy (51%) and US Army (35%) purchases, and the Governments of Pakistan (12.8%) and Australia (1.2%) under the foreign military sales requirements.

Work will be performed in Louisville, KY and is expected to be complete December 2009. Contract funds in the amount of $7.3 million will expire at the end of the current fiscal year.

FY 2006: USA, Pakistan, Australia

Aug 9/06: Centurion. A $6.9 million firm-fixed-price modification under previously awarded contract (N00024-04-C-5460) for land-based Phalanx weapon system ancillary equipment. This is the land-based configuration for the US Army’s counter-rocket, artillery, mortar program. Work will be performed in Louisville, KY and is expected to be complete by April 2007.

Feb 7/06: Support. Raytheon Missile Systems in Tucson, AZ received a $169.9 million firm-fixed-price requirements contract for performance-based logistics in support of the Phalanx CIWS.

This contract combines procurements between the US Navy (74.79%); US Coast Guard (4.6%); and the Governments of Australia (5%); Israel (5%); New Zealand (5%); Japan (1%); United Kingdom (1%); Canada (1%); Taiwan (1%); Poland (1%); Bahrain (0.4%); and Saudi Arabia (0.21%) under the Foreign Military Sales Program. Work will be performed in Louisville, KY (90%), and Tucson, AZ (10%), and is expected to be complete by April 2011. This contract was not competitively procured by the Naval Inventory Control Point in Mechanicsburg, PA (N00104-06-D-L007).

January 2006: UK. The British Defence Logistics Organization’s (DLO) Maritime Gunnery and Missile Systems (MGMS) Integrated Project Team signs a 10-year support, maintenance and availability contract with DML, with incentives to increase the number of days the guns are available and fit for use.

On Oct 31/06, the DLO noted that the target time each Phalanx spends having operational defects fixed was 1.56 days per operational mount, but DML was already achieving 1.24 days. As of October 2006, there were 36 Phalanx guns in service on Royal Navy Ships and Royal Fleet Auxiliaries; an upgrade of these units to Mk 15 Phalanx 1B status is slated to begin entering service by May 2008.

British long-term support

Oct 24/05: Northrop Grumman announces that the U.S. Army has selected them the prime contractor for the Counter-Rocket, Artillery, Mortar (C-RAM) Integration and Fielding contract. Northrop Grumman’s Mission Systems sector is developing a systems architecture and integrating the C-RAM target acquisition, fire control, warning and engagement subsystems. Under a $38 million contract, Northrop Grumman will first deploy a mortar-attack warning capability and install that capability at 8 forward operating bases in Iraq. Northrop Grumman Mission Systems will also train soldiers to use the system and integrate an intercept subsystem as it is fielded. Northrop Grumman release | DID article.

FY 2005

Canada; Portugal.

Phalanx CIWS

May 16/05: FY 2005. A $45 million not-to-exceed, firm-fixed-price modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-04-C-5460) for Block 1B Upgrade and Conversion performance enhancement equipment for United States and Portuguese Navy Phalanx Close-In Weapon Systems (CIWS). This contract combines purchases for the U.S. Navy (31%) and the government of Portugal (69%) under the Foreign Military Sales program: 3 upgrade and conversions for the U.S. Navy, and 3 Phalanx MK-15 CIWS and ancillary hardware are planned in support of Portugal requirements.

Work will be performed in Louisville, KY and is expected to be complete by December 2007.

FY 2005: Portugal, USA

March 24/05: A $5.3 million firm-fixed-price contract modification to previously awarded contract N00024-04-C-5460 for production of 99 sets of Reliability and Maintainability Spares in support of the MK 15 Phalanx Close In Weapon System (CIWS) program. Work will be performed in Tucson, AZ (10%) and Louisville, KY (90%), and is expected to be complete by July 2007.

March 3/05: A not to exceed $129 million firm fixed price modification to previously awarded contract N00024-04-C-5460 for the Phalanx Close In Weapon System (CIWS). The contract includes Block 1B upgrades, overhauls, parts and support equipment, and other ancillary equipment. This equipment will be installed aboard several Arleigh Burke Class Destroyers (DDGs 107, 108, 109, 110, 111 & 112) and backfit upon various classes of ships. Additionally, 2 mounts will be provided to the United States Army. Work will be performed in Louisville, KY (90%) and Tucson, AZ (10%), and is expected to be complete by May 2009.

Dec 8/04: Canada exercised a contract option, engaging engage Raytheon Canada to repair, overhaul and upgrade its 16 Phalanx Close in Weapon Systems (CIWS). The contract lasts to 2009 and will cost at least C$ 82.5 million (about $68 million).

The original multi-million dollar contract was signed between Raytheon Canada and Canada’s Department of Public Works and Services in 2003. Under that contract, Raytheon Canada was to provide total life-cycle support for Canada’s 21 Phalanx CIWS systems, including fleet repair work, field service support, overhauls, upgrades, overhaul support material and engineering services.

The new contract extends Raytheon’s service to the Royal Canadian Navy to 2009, and the new C$ 44.6 million modification means the contract is now valued at in excess of $82.5 million. Work, including upgrade to the Mk 15 Phalanx 1B configuration, will be performed in Calgary, Alberta, at Raytheon Canada’s Naval Systems Support (NSS) facility.

Canadian upgrades & support

Additional Readings

US Navy – MK 15 – Phalanx Close-In Weapons System (CIWS).
Raytheon – Phalanx Close-In Weapon System (CIWS).
GlobalSecurity.org – MK 15 Phalanx Close-In Weapons System (CIWS).
GlobalSecurity.org – Counter Rocket, Artillery, and Mortar (C-RAM).
LiveLeak – C-RAM video.
Defense Tech (Aug 21/13) – Navy Overhauls Phalanx Ship Defense Weapon. Good overview of the changes in Block 1B, and of refit costs.
US military DVIDS (July 3/10) – Army, Navy Team Up to Protect Victory Base Complex. In Iraq. Illustrates how the land-based Centurion system works in practice. They seem to be rather maintenance intensive.
US Army (March 16/09) – Iron Shield mission forges Army, Navy bond.
DID – A Laser Phalanx?.

Competitors

DID FOCUS Article – RAM Missile Systems: Contracts & Events. SeaRAM is based on the MK 15 Phalanx Block 1B platform, but has an 11-round missile launcher instead of a gun and ammunition drum.
Northrop Grumman (July 12/06) – Northrop Grumman Develops Skyguard Laser Defense System For U.S., Allies to Defend Against Rocket, Missile, Mortar Attacks. See also DID’s Oct 20/07 article, “Israel Facing Sharp Debates Over Missile Defense Approaches.” Lasers aren’t a competitor yet, even in 2013, but steady progress to the 20-40 kW level says they will become one soon.
Rheinmetall subsidiary Oerlikon-Contraves (November 2006) – New challenges for air defense. Describes their competitor Skyshield system for land-based defense, which is also gun and radar based but claims longer range and heavier projectiles.
Thales – Goalkeeper – close-in weapon system. See also product datasheet [PDF]. Phalanx’s top naval competitor.

Categories: Defense`s Feeds

USAF invests in M-Code receiver development | Lockheed lands two hypersonic missile contracts | Oops – Eurofighter accidently launches AMRAAM

Thu, 08/09/2018 - 06:00

Americas

The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division is procuring support equipment for its fleet of E-2D Advanced Hawkeye aircraft. Northrop Grumman will supply the Navy with 45 end items of Peculiar Support Equipment (PSE) at a cost of $29.9 million. The firm-fixed-price order includes the delivery of updated software sets, system specification documents and obsolescence management. E-2D support activities are conducted through the PEO(T) and PEO(U&W) programs led by the Supporting Program Executive Office. Both programs provide flight line and intermediate maintenance level test equipment & automated test equipment for the E-2D. The E-2D gives the warfighter expanded battlespace awareness, especially in the area of information operations delivering battle management, theater air and missile defense, and multiple sensor fusion capabilities in an airborne system. Work will be performed in Melbourne, Florida, and is expected to be completed in August 2021.

The Missile Defense Agency is procuring further efforts for the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) from Lockheed Martin. The cost-plus award fee valued at $15.8 million provides for the procurement of materials and work necessary to support the BMD Increment 3 Capability Concept Development; and raises the total cumulative contract value to $2.8 billion. Aegis can simultaneously attack land targets, submarines, and surface ships while automatically protecting the fleet against aircraft, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles. Aegis has become a widely-deployed top-tier air defense system, with customers in the USA, Australia, Japan, South Korea, Norway, and Spain. Work will be performed at the company’s location in Moorestown, New Jersey and is scheduled for completion by the end of this year.

The Air Force is ordering the next round of receiver technology for its military GPS development program. Raytheon is being awarded with a $11.3 million contract modification for the development of the miniaturized airborne global positioning system (GPS) receiver 2K-M. Under the Military GPS User Equipment program (MGUE), the Air Force’s GPS Directorate is developing receiver cards that will plug into existing equipment, enabling them to utilize the new military M-Code. Last year Raytheon’s MAGR-2K-M underwent a successful prototype and system functional check on the B-2 — confirming the card could draw power, put out the right data and that that data was being received by the B-2 systems in the appropriate format. So far, the military has identified more than 700 types of weapons systems that will need to be upgraded — an effort requiring almost one million receiver cards. Work will be performed at Raytheon’s locations in El Segundo, California; and Huntsville, Alabama, and is expected to be completed by the end of May 2020.

The US Air Force is contracting Lockheed Martin to rapidly advance the development and testing of new hypersonic missiles. An initial contract for the development for Hypersonic Conventional Strike Weapon (HCSW, pronounced “Hacksaw”) at a cost $928 million was awarded to the company in April. Lockheed will also develop another weapon system named the AGM-183A or ARRW for short. HCSW has been designed to deliver a prompt hypersonic / hypervelocity, precision strike capability against high-value, time-critical fixed and re-locatable surface targets in a single or multi-theatre challenged anti-access / area denial (A2/AD) environment. By using a rocket to boost the missile to very high altitudes, the unpowered ARRW then glides down to lower altitudes at speeds up to Mach 20. The US acceleration of the hypersonic missile development project is a necessary response towards Chinese and Russian surprise developments in high-speed weapons.

Middle East & Africa

AAI Corp., a subsidiary of Textron, is being contracted for the provision of force protection efforts in Afghanistan. The firm-fixed price contract has a value of $12.7 million. AAI will most likely use its Aerosonde as an advanced intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) solution in order to provide the US military with the capability to effectively execute a number of deployment operations and engineering support activities. The Aersonde is equipped for simultaneous day-and-night full-motion video, communications relay and intelligence in a single flight. It has an endurance of over 14 hours and can travel to a range of about 75 nautical miles. Work will be performed at Bagram Airfield and Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, and is expected to be completed by March 27th, 2019.

Côte d’Ivoire’s Gendarmerie is now using the Belarusian-made Cayman 4×4 light armored vehicle. Last month the State Military-Industrial Committee (Goskomvoenprom) announced that it will deliver the vehicle to an unnamed African nation. Built by the 140 Repair Plant in Borisov, vehicle can be used in reconnaissance and sabotage missions, patrol, escort, peace-keeping and police operations, as well as in emergency response missions. It weighs about 7 tons and can carry a crew of six. A 170 hp D-245 engine powers it to a top speed of 60 mph on paved roads. Its side and rear armor is said to be equivalent to STANAG 4569 Level 1 and its frontal armor equivalent to Level 2. Côte d’Ivoire which currently has a protection company serving with the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) is the first known export customer of the Cayman 4×4.

Europe

A Spanish Eurofighter accidently launched an AIM-120 AMRAAM in Estonia. The fighter aircraft was flying near defenses near Pangod in the vicinity of Otepää when the incident occurred. It is yet unclear if the AIM-120D’s built in self-destruct mechanism terminated the flight or if the missile landed at an unspecified location. The Estonian Defense Forces have sent helicopters to search for the missile. The Spanish Eurofighter is part of NATO’s Air Policing Mission that support member states that do not have the necessary air capabilities to independently protect their airspace. The Spanish air force currently deploys six Typhoons as part of this mission. An investigation has been initiated to clarify the circumstances.

Asia-Pacific

Jane reports that the Philippines is currently negotiating the terms of an agreement to expand collaboration on diesel-electric submarines with Russia. The Philippine Navy is currently in the process of conducting market research and doctrine studies in support of its submarine procurement program. The Navy is looking to purchase at least two submarines as part of its 2018-22 Second Horizon military modernization program. If the agreement realizes Russia would provide the Philippine Navy with submarine training to support military operations, maintenance, and sustainment activities.

Today’s Video

Watch: What does it take to become a certified C2-A Pilot?

Categories: Defense`s Feeds

Aerosonde Again? AAI’s MEUAS-II Special Forces UAV Win

Thu, 08/09/2018 - 05:54

Aerosonde 4.7 from
M80 Stiletto
(click to view full)

It has been a great week for Textron subsidiary AAI. At the end of February, they made a big breakthrough in the US military market, as their Aerosonde-G UAV became 1 of 3 platforms eligible to compete for up to $847 million in US Navy and its allied rent-a-drone contracts. Less than a week later, the firm is walking away with a $600 million sole win of US Special Operations Command’s MEUAS-II UAV services contract, displacing MEUAS incumbent Boeing and its ScanEagle.

The Aerosonde UAV is AAI’s most likely offering for MEUAS-II, but that can’t be confirmed yet…

RQ-7, Iraq
(click to view larger)

The only other candidate is AAI’s Shadow UAV, a runway-using drone in wide service with the US Army, USMC, and foreign customers. It can also be launched via catapult, the 200 version lacks the “go anywhere” deployability needed by special forces. A Shadow 400 variant can be recovered aboard ship, but required ship size may be an issue for Special Forces.

The previous MEUAS incumbent, Boeing’s ScanEagle, can be launched from naval platforms as small as Mk.V SEAL boats, from HMMWV jeeps, or from land-based sites, and is recovered using a portable Skyhook system. AAI’s Australian Aerosonde Pty Ltd. subsidiary makes their other UAS offering, and the Aerosonde’s catapult and net system means it can be launched and recovered from the same sorts of platforms as ScanEagle. Asked about this issue, AAI representatives could say only that:

“Before we can make any formal announcements about this award, we need customer approval. I will get in touch with you as soon as I can share more.”

If SOCOM has in fact chosen an Aerosonde model, the implicit endorsement of their award is another huge advance in the platform’s military competitiveness. Before 2012, Aerosonde had little presence in the global military market, and even their home country Australia had chosen AAI’s RQ-7B Shadow as its mid-tier UAV. With its technology validated by 2 huge American contracts, AAI’s Aerosonde UAVs can be expected to be a much more visible and competitive product in global tenders.

That’s good news for buyers, but less so for Boeing/Insitu’s ScanEagle. Their UAV has gone from the sole-source solution in 2 major American contracts, to forced competition in one and no position in the second. The firm’s ScanEagle UAV still has important advantages in its array of specialized variants, from sniper location to WMD/HAZMAT surveillance. Insitu has also stepped up with a larger RQ-21A Integrator UAV as a follow-on offering, and won a significant USMC contract with it. Even so, the MEUAS-II setback may leave Boeing and Insitu debating the need for further investment and upgrades in their core ScanEagle platform.

Contracts & Key Events

Mk.V launches ScanEagle
(click to view full)

August 9/18: Force Protection AAI Corp., a subsidiary of Textron, is being contracted for the provision of force protection efforts in Afghanistan. The firm-fixed price contract has a value of $12.7 million. AAI will most likely use its Aerosonde as an advanced intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) solution in order to provide the US military with the capability to effectively execute a number of deployment operations and engineering support activities. The Aersonde is equipped for simultaneous day-and-night full-motion video, communications relay and intelligence in a single flight. It has an endurance of over 14 hours and can travel to a range of about 75 nautical miles. Work will be performed at Bagram Airfield and Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, and is expected to be completed by March 27th, 2019.

May 2/18: AAI Corp. is back in business Special Operations Command is contracting AAI Corp., Hunt Valley for the continuation of its MEUAS II-B services. The contract is valued at $120 million and provides for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) services on its mid-endurance unmanned aircraft systems. AAI Corp., a Textron subsidiary, so far has received similar contracts in 2012 and 2016. AAI Corp. manufactures the Aerosonde and the Shadow v2 UAV’s. Currently it cannot be confirmed which UAV will be chosen. However considering past purchases, one can assume that AAI’s Aerosonde will be the likely winner. The Aerosonde and the Shadow v2 are direct competitors to Boeing’s/Insitu ScanEagle UAV system.

March 6/12: AAI Corp. in Hunt Valley, MD won a 3-year Mid-Endurance Unmanned Aircraft System II (MEUAS II) contract to provide contractor-owned and operated intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance services in support of U.S. Special Operations Command. The value of the contract was approved up to $600 million, but actual spending will be based on task orders. The FBO.gov solicitation stated that:

“The required UAS ISR services require the contractor to conduct all planning, coordination, certification, installation, pre-deployment, deployment, logistics, maintenance, flying, and post-deployment efforts necessary to successfully conduct worldwide missions. The near real time feed of ISR product availability from 300 to 900 hours per site monthly into customer processing systems is required from world-wide locations. Offerors are expected to provide ISR using non-developmental contractor-owned and contractor-operated unmanned aircraft systems… Following contract award, the contractor shall deploy personnel and equipment to commence site operations within 120 days after receipt of order (ARO).”

Boeing’s ScanEagle had been operating under a 5-year MEUAS contract since May 2009, but the somewhat-imprecise wording of public statements and solicitations suggest that MEUAS-II will fully replace the old contract. Work will be performed in Hunt Valley, MD, and overseas. U.S. Special Operations Command Headquarters Procurement Division at MacDill AFB, FL is the contractor.

Categories: Defense`s Feeds

OA-X goes into the next round | TOPGUN gets a new training facility | IAI and Boeing fight over tanker contract

Wed, 08/08/2018 - 06:00

Americas

The US Army is procuring protective netting kits in support of its MRAP vehicles. Navistar Defense will provide an unspecified amount of rocket propelled grenade netting kits as part of the awarded firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. The three-year contract with no option periods is valued at $29.58 million. The PG Net provides a lightweight solution used as an add-on protection on top of existing armor. It can be used to protect the entire vehicle or apply on specific locations where other types of armor are less effective. The mesh structure is not designed to stop the incoming RPG but to disable it by trapping it in-flight and thus preventing it from detonation. Navistar’s netting kit is similar to the Q-Net offered by QinetiQ. Work will be performed in Illinois and is scheduled for completion by August 4th, 2021.
Raytheon is set to provide the US Air Force with technical support for its inventory of AMRAAM missiles. The contract modification has a value of $13.1 million and provides for technical services and analysis support. Over the years Raytheon’s family of AIM-120s has become world market leader for medium range air-to-air missiles. The AMRAAM’s advanced active guidance section provides aircrew with a high degree of combat flexibility and lethality. Its mature seeker design allows it to quickly find targets in challenging combat environments. Coupled with modern radars the missile’s guidance approach allows a fighter to launch and control many missiles at once, avoiding a dangerous fixation on one target. Work will be performed at the company’s location in Tucson, Arizona and expected to be completed by September 30th, 2020.
The Navy is investing in a new Air Wing Training Facility. Straub Construction is being contracted to construct this new facility at Naval Air Station, Fallon at a cost of $16.8 million. The facility will be constructed using structural steel framing and a mix of reinforced concrete, including seismic upgrades. After its scheduled completion by August 2020, the facility will support a number of desk-style aircraft simulators where soldiers will train on platforms such as the Aegis combat system, the F-35 and E-2D. The facility will house F-35 Mission Rehearsal Trainers which are small scale simulators that use the same technology as ‘full-scale’ simulators but do not provide a full 360°-degree home display. NAS Fallon is home to TOPGUN and the virtual aegis combat system environment will train surface warfare officers to track and target air threats as part of the Navy’s general NIFC-CA capability.
The Air Force’s OA-X trainer competition seems to gain traction again after a series of delays and mishaps. The Air Force plans to request proposals from a limited number of companies including Textron and Sierra Nevada Corp. The announcement follows the trainer experiment that was kicked off last year as means to study the feasibility of using an off-the-shelf platform as a low-cost solution for light attack and close-air support missions. Textron is competing with its AT-6 Wolverine and Sierra Nevada with its A-29 Super Tucano, jointly produced with Brazilian manufacturer Embraer. Earlier this year the second phase of the fighter experiment was cut short when a Super Tucano participating in the effort crashed near Holloman Air Force Base. One pilot died, and another was seriously injured. A formal solicitation is expected to be released in December, and a production contract will be awarded in the fourth quarter of FY 2019.

Middle East & Africa

Reports suggest that the Iranian Air Force successfully overhauled yet another aircraft. IRGC military technicians spent about 25,000 man/hours of work on the French-made Mirage F1 fighter jet. The F1 performed its first flight in 1966. The F1 is built from aluminum alloy, with substantial use of honeycomb sandwich construction, and some use of steel and titanium. It is powered by a single SNECMA Atar 09K50 afterburning turbojet. The F1C was designed to be easy to maintain and quick to turn around between sorties. Iran acquired the F-1 after 24 Iraqi Air Force officers defected in 1991. After the airframes languished for years, the Iranian government commissioned a refurbishment and upgrade program named Project HABIBI in 2007. The Mirage now joins one overhauled American-made F-14 and F-5 jet, as well as 10 Russian-made Su-22s.
Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) and Boeing are currently competing in being the lead vendor in one of Israel’s biggest defense procurement programs. The Israel Air Force is looking to modernize its fleet of tanker aircraft as means to maintain its air-superiority. IAI proposed to buy buying used Boeing 767 aircraft on the open market and converting them for airborne refueling of combat planes, however Boeing is reluctant to grant IAI permits to convert its planes to tanker configuration. Boeing has a clear interest in ousting IAI from the procurement program as it wants to push sales of its newly developed KC-46, which comes with a price-tag of $250-300 million. The Israel Air Force’s current tankers are used Boeing 707s converted by IAI in the early 1980s.

Europe

The Bulgarian Ministry of Defense is issuing a tender for the general overhaul of two Mi-17 transport and four Mi-24V combat helicopters. The Mi-17 is a medium weight, single rotor helicopter. The aircraft construction primarily incorporates the airframe of a Mi-8 with the power train of the Mi-24, which provides an increase in performance and gross weight over the basic Mi-8. The aircraft is configured with 5-bladed main rotor system 70 feet diameter and uses wheeled landing gear. The multirole helicopter that can be armed with rockets, missiles and guns. The Mi-24V is equipped with a YakB four-barreled, 12.7mm, built-in, flexibly mounted machine gun, which has a firing rate of 4,000-4,500 rounds a minute and its four underwing pylons can accommodate up to 12 anti-tank missiles. The planned procurement has a total value of $22 million of which $6.6 million are earmarked for the Mi-17s and $15.3 million for Mi-24Vs.

Asia-Pacific

Jane’s reports that the China Academy of Aerospace Aerodynamics (CAAA) can now offer an improved version of its Cai Hong 804C VTOL UAV. The particularity of this hybrid drone is the installation of 4 rotors on the tail beams attached to the wings, allowing it to take off and land vertically without the need for a track, or an ejection system. The updated vehicle features a redesigned composite airframe that boosts an increased wingspan, a maximum take-off weight of 60 lb. and a payload capacity of 8 lb. The UAV is equipped with an EO/IR ball turret that can detect and identify a tank-sized object at a maximum distance of 1.2 miles and 0.9 miles respectively. The UAV is equipped with an L-band datalink that enables it to transmit and receive data within a 62 miles line-of-sight distance, supporting a data transfer rate of up to 25.6 kbps for telemetry and 4 Mbps for imagery.

Today’s Video

Watch: The opening of Aviadarts 2018

Categories: Defense`s Feeds

Navistar’s MaxxPro: 1st Place in MRAP Orders

Wed, 08/08/2018 - 05:58

3BCT-101st, Iraq-
no Chavis turrets?
(click to view full)

Navistar subsidiary International Military and Government LLC (IMG) in, Warrenville, IL has won billions of dollars in MRAP program contracts, to produce several variants of its blast-resistant vehicles. The Category I MRUV vehicle’s role is similar to a Hummer’s, albeit with more carrying capacity and much more protection. That has become a staple for IMG’s entry, dubbed the “MaxxPro” by its manufacturer. Their collaboration with an Israeli firm who provides up-armored vehicles for the Marines successfully overcame lukewarm initial interest, but even successful survivors of Aberdeen’s tests where challenged to offer enough protection against the ERP class of land mines that began to appear in Iraq.

Nevertheless, the MRAP program became a production race – and Navistar did very well under those competitive terms. In the end the military’s desire for standardization of its fleets exerted something of a gravitation pull on the competition. A July 2007 order vaulted Navistar into 1st place for initial MRAP Program vehicles ordered, but the US Army is divesting many of its vehicles – creating opportunities for foreign buyers…

MRAP Competitors, Navistar Totals

Dash Ambulance
(click to view full)

Navistar ended up leading the initial MRAP competition, with the highest share of any competitor at 38.3%. Additional orders for Afghan-adapted vehicles ensure that this total has crept higher vis-a-vis their original competitors, but They’re still just one competitor among many, and beyond the MRAP competition, trucking rival Oshkosh’s M-ATV has now achieved very close production figures in the follow-on, single-award M-ATV program.

To date, Navistar has produced 7 MaxxPro variants under contract: the original MaxxPro, MaxxPro Air Force, the MaxxPro Plus with improved protection, MaxxPro ambulance (production orders were for the Dash variant), MaxxPro MEAP, the MaxxPro Dash for Afghan operations, and the MaxxPro Recovery Vehicle (MRV), for towing out stuck vehicles. The firm has also developed Cargo flatbed and Tractor (18-wheeler truck’s front end, but mine-protected) variants.

A number of these MaxxPro vehicles have also received independent suspension upgrades, in order to improve their off-road performance. The MaxxPro DXM upgrade kits are delivered through Boler’s Hendrickson subsidiary, and marry Hendrickson’s advanced engineered sub-frames, sway-bars, coil springs and shocks with GD AxleTech’s 5000 Series Independent Suspension Axle System.

Participants in the MRAP and related programs, and their vehicles, have included:

Manufacturer CAT I CAT II Notes Navistar MaxxPro
MaxxPro AF
MaxxPro Dash/ DXM
MaxxPro Plus
MaxxPro ambulance (Dash) MaxxPro
MaxxPro MRV recovery Top finisher in number of MRAP orders. BAE Systems RG-33
RG-33 SOCOM
Caiman
Caiman MTV RG-33L
RG-33 HAGA (ambulance)
Caiman
Caiman MTV-ambulance Won MMPV with RG-33L derivative. General Dynamics RG-31 Mk.5/ RG-31A2 RG-31 Mk.5E Partnered with BAE OMC, Canadian government CCC. Also received orders
before MRAP began. Force Protection (now GDLS) Cougar 4×4
Cougar ISS Cougar 6×6 Also received orders before MRAP began. Its Buffalo MRAP CAT-III is unique, and sole-source. Oskkosh Alpha
(w. PVI) Bushmaster
(w. Thales) No MRAP orders, but sole winner of related M-ATV program with its own
design. PVI Alpha
serve w. US Border Patrol Golan
(w. RAFAEL) Alpha failed MRAP testing; 2008 firm bankruptcy & fire-sale acquisition Textron M1117 ICV M1117 ICV Failed MRAP testing; no MRAP orders, but ASV variant widely ordered by Military Police and fire targeting units.

Based on awarded contracts, MaxxPro’s price per base vehicle is around $520,000 – $550,000. The vehicles must then be fitted with electronics, IED jammers, and other equipment. That can add hundreds of thousands of dollars to that base price, before they’re sent to the front lines. Announced production orders to date include:

#001: 4 initial testing vehicles
#002: 1,200 MRAP CAT I vehicles
#003: 16 larger MRAP CAT II vehicles
#004: 754 CAT I
#005: 1,000 CAT I
#006: 1,500 CAT I
#007: 743 CAT I
#008: 4 CAT I – not publicly announced
#009: 822 CAT I MaxxPro Dash
#010: 400 CAT I MaxxPro Dash
#014: 1,050 CAT I MaxxPro Dash DXM with improved suspensions. Modification added 1,222 DXM retrofits.
#015: 250 MaxxPro MRV recovery/tow variants
#016: 175 CAT I MaxxPro Dash DXM with ECP I/II
#018: 250 MaxxPro Dash Ambulance with DXM and ECP IV
#019?: 471 MaxxPro Dash DXM with ECPs
#020: ISS retrofit kits: 650 DXM Plus
#021: 140 MaxxPro MRV recovery/tow variants
#023: Full “rolling chassis” retrofits: 2,717

Total production is currently 8,779 vehicles. Beyond American buys, Navistar informs DID that their production totals include a 2009 order from Singapore for 15 MaxxPro Dash vehicles, and they have also announced a May 2010 order for a pool of 80 MaxxPro Dash vehicles to support “coalition forces” in Afghanistan, which has reportedly included Albania, Croatia, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Solvakia, and South Korea.

As the USA withdrew from Iraq and Afghanistan, they decided not to keep many of their MRAP vehicles. Quite a few Oshkosh M-ATVs and Navistar MaxxPros will still remain in the force, but many MRAPs of all types won’t remain. The question is where they end up. Some have been destroyed outright, in order to avoid paying to ship them home. A number of MRAPs, including MaxxPros, have been diverted to local government organizations in the USA. Giving mine-protected, heavily armored vehicles to entities like school districts and non-violent towns of under 10,000 people has caused no small amount of controversy, and citizen protests have even forced a small handful of local governments to cancel these “1033 program” giveaways, which are not centrally tracked or accounted for. Other MRAPs have been given or sold to foreign operators, reportedly including:

Croatia: 40
Hungary: 42
Jordan: 100
Pakistan: 22 deployed, 160 requested
Slovakia: ??
UAE: 3,375 requested

A Note on MRAPs

DID refers to the MaxxPro as the top finisher in the MRAP competition, despite greater sales by Oshkosh’s M-ATV (MRAP All-Terrain Vehicle).

That’s because the M-ATV wasn’t part of the initial MRAP program; instead, it’s a follow-on competition that aimed to bridge the gap to the future JLTV winner. Navistar’s MaxxPro competed, but Oshkosh won, and their M-ATV was also very popular. In June 2010, its order totals narrowly surpassed the Navistar MaxxPro’s. DID defines “MRAP orders” as orders placed under the original MRAP multi-vendor contracts, however, and considers the single-vendor M-ATV competition to be a separate but related effort.

MaxxPro Contracts & Key Events

MaxxPro MRV
(click to view full)

Unless otherwise specified, all contracts are issued to Navistar subsidiary International Military and Government LLC (now Navistar Defense LLC) in Warrenville, IL. Unless otherwise noted, the Marine Corps Systems Command in Quantico, VA buys MRAP vehicles on behalf of 2008 requests from the US Army (12,000 by 2008), USMC (2,225), Air Force (558), Navy (544), SOCOM (344), and production verification testing (100). Those numbers rose further, via additional awards in 2010 and 2011, but the US military

2018

August 8/18: More protection needed The US Army is procuring protective netting kits in support of its MRAP vehicles. Navistar Defense will provide an unspecified amount of rocket propelled grenade netting kits as part of the awarded firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. The three-year contract with no option periods is valued at $29.58 million. The PG Net provides a lightweight solution used as an add-on protection on top of existing armor. It can be used to protect the entire vehicle or apply on specific locations where other types of armor are less effective. The mesh structure is not designed to stop the incoming RPG but to disable it by trapping it in-flight and thus preventing it from detonation. Navistar’s netting kit is similar to the Q-Net offered by QinetiQ. Work will be performed in Illinois and is scheduled for completion by August 4th, 2021.

2015 – 2017

Afghan National Security Forces Contract

March 12/17: Navistar has been contracted more than $475 million by the US Contracting Command in order to produce and support 40 armored vehicles for Pakistan and to upgrade 1,085 armored vehicles for the United Arab Emirates. The vehicles destined for Pakistan later this year are the company’s MaxxPro Dash DXM Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle which features an armored wheeled vehicle with a V-shaped hull to deflect mine blasts. For the UAE, Navistar will provide the long wheel base MaxxPro MRAPs which are being acquired by the UAE under the US Excess Articles program and will be delivered in 2018.

February 19/17: Navistar Defense has been contracted $35 million by the US DoD to provide 40 Mine Resistant Ambush Protected MaxxPro Dash DXM vehicles. The deal supports foreign military sales for the government of Pakistan and work is expected to be complete by the end of October 2018. MaxxPro Dash DXM vehicles feature a V-shaped hull to deflect IED explosions away from the vehicle and are built to withstand ballistic arms fire and mine blasts. Pakistan will use the vehicles to protect troops against attacks from jihadist militants and other insurgents operating between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

September 11/15: US firm Navistar Defense has been contracted to supply the Afghan National Security Forces with nearly 2,300 mine resistant, ambush protected (MRAP) vehicles, based on the company’s 7000-MV platform, according to a company press release. The US Army Contracting Command handed the company a $369 million contract for the vehicles, which will bring the total number of Navistar vehicles sent to the Afghan government to nearly 9,000. The company has also exported the 7000-MV platform to Iraq. The new MRAPs will reportedly serve in a variety of roles, including ammunition, fuel and troop transport.

FY 2013 – 2014

Export requests: UAE (3,375), Pakistan (160); Support and upgrade contracts.

MaxxPro & Lonestar
(click to view full)

Sept 26/14: UAE. The US DSCA announces the United Arab Emirates’ official export request for the refurbishment and modification of 4,569 used Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) Vehicles:

729 Navistar MaxxPro Base
283 MaxxPro MRAP Expedient Armor Program (MEAP) without armor
264 MaxxPro Base/MEAP capsules without armor
29 MaxxPro Long Wheel Base (LWB)
1,085 MaxxPro LWB chassis
970 MaxxPro Plus
15 MaxxPro MRVs (MRAP Recovery Vehicles)
1,150 BAE Caiman Multi-Terrain Vehicles “without armor,” which are based on the FMTV truck chassis. Note that the V-hull is not “armor,” it’s an intrinsic part of the vehicle.
44 Oshkosh M-ATVs; they would be added to the UAE’s existing order for 750.
Plus Underbody Improvement Kits, spare and repair parts, support equipment, personnel training and training equipment, publications and technical documentation, Field Service Representatives’ support, and other US Government and contractor support.

They’re being sold as Excess Defense Articles (EDA) from US Army stock, pursuant to section 21 of the Arms Export Control Act, as amended. Notification for the sale from stock of the MRAP vehicles referenced above has been provided separately, pursuant to the requirements of section 7016 of the 2014 Consolidated Appropriations Act, and section 516 of the 1961 Foreign Assistance Act. The estimated cost is up to $2.5 billion, which isn’t all that far from the cost of buying new.

To date, the UAE’s biggest patrol vehicle fleets have been its own Nimr design (1,700 total), which has also been exported within the region. Its Oshkosh M-ATV fleet (750) was second. This request would completely change the force’s configuration by adding 3,375 MaxxPros and 1,150 Caimans, giving the UAE a patrol vehicle fleet that is overwhelmingly protected against mines as well as weapons of urban unrest.

The principal contractors will be Navistar Defense in Lisle, IL (MaxxPro); BAE Systems in Sealy, TX (Caiman); and Oshkosh Defense in Oshkosh, WI (M-ATV). If the sales are concluded, implementation will require multiple trips to the UAE involving “many” US Government and contractor representatives for 3+ years to provide program support and training. Sources: US DSCA #14-26, “UAE – Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) Vehicles”.

DSCA request: UAE (3,375 MaxxPros of 4,569 MRAP vehicles)

Sept 19/14: Pakistan. The US DSCA announces Pakistan’s official export request for 160 Navistar Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles. That would certainly be an easy delivery from Afghanistan, for Excess Defense Article vehicles that the US Army was prepared to blow up rather than paying to ship them home:

30 MaxxPro Base DXM
110 MaxxPro Dash DXM
10 MaxxPro Dash DXM Ambulances
10 MaxxPro Recovery Vehicles with protection kits
spare and repair parts, support and test equipment, publications and technical documentation, personnel training and equipment training, U.S. Government and contractor engineering, technical and logistics support services, and other related elements of logistical and program support.

The estimated cost is $198 million. These vehicles would be added to 22 MaxxPros (incl. 2 MRV recovery vehicles) that were already transferred under the Pakistan Counterinsurgency Capability Fund. The country’s years-long civil war involving the Pakistani Taliban will certainly provide Pakistan with opportunities to use these vehicles.

The principal contractor will be Navistar Defense Corporation in Madison Heights, MI. The proposed sale will require about 2 US Government and 24 Navistar contractor representatives in Pakistan for a period of approximately 18 months. They’ll perform inspections and deprocessing of vehicles upon delivery; provide assistance in installation of vehicle accessory kits; provide fault diagnosis and repairs; perform corrective maintenance, to include accident and battle damage assessment and repairs; conduct operator and maintainer training; and conduct inventories and maintain accountability of USG provided material. Sources: US DSCA #14-32, “Pakistan – Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) Vehicles” | Gannet Military Times, “Source: Pakistan already has U.S.-made MRAPs, new deal in works” (April 2014).

DSCA request: Pakistan (160 MaxxPros)

Sept 12/14: Ambulance upgrades. Navistar Defense LLC in Lisle, IL receives a $44 million contract modification to buy MaxxPro Long Wheeled Base Ambulance Medical Equipment Set A-Kits, MaxxPro Survivability Upgrade Kits, and Spring Suspension System Kits. All funds are committed immediately, using FY 2012 and FY 2014 US Army budgets.

Work is expected to finish by Aug 31/15, and will be performed in Lisle, IL. The US Army Contracting Command in Warren, MI manages the contract (W56HZV-12-G-0006, PO 0002).

July 25/14: Survivability upgrades. Navistar Defense LLC in Lisle, IL receives a $27.6 million contract modification for kits to upgrade MaxxPro Dash and long-wheel base ambulances to their final configuration. $21.7 million in FY 2012 and FY 2014 US Army budgets are committed immediately.

Work is expected to finish by May 30/15, and will be performed in Lisle, IL. The US Army Contracting Command in Warren, MI manages the contract (W56HZV-12-G-0006, PO 001).

Dec 23/13: Support. Navistar Defense LLC in Lisle, IL receives a $6.9 million contract modification for MaxxPro field service support in the continental United States and overseas. All funds are committed immediately, using FY 2014 US Army O&M budgets.

Work is expected to finish by Dec 31/14, and will be performed in Lisle, IL and Afghanistan. Bids were solicited via the Internet, with 1 received by US Army Contracting Command in Warren, MI (W56HZV-10-C-0011, PO 0086).

Nov 4/13: Support. Navistar Defense LLC in Lisle, IL receives a $7.3 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract, covering MaxxPro M1235A3 Dash MSU (MaxxPro Survivability Upgrade) engineering, logistic and travel support for the acquisition of the contract data requirements list, and program and logistics support. The contractor shall include MSU content as well as variation in vehicle content for both the objective gunner protection kit manned turret and M153 CROWS remote-controlled weapon turret. All funds are committed immediately, using FY 2013 US Army budgets.

Work will be performed in Lisle, IL, with an expected completion date of December 2014. One bid was solicited, with 1 received by the US Army TACOM in Warren, MI (W56HZV-10-C-0011). Note that the exact same award was announced on Oct 31/13.

October 24/13: AUSA. At AUSA, DRS and Navistar are showing off their privately-funded MaxxPro MCOTM (Mission Command on The Move) conversion for unit commanders and staff, which was built in partnership with DRS and Allison. That partnership’s OBVP Transmission Integral Generator has given the vehicle tremendous electrical generation capability from its Allison 3000 series transmission, with 60kW+ available to power carefully arranged command stations and screens within. That kind of on-board power removes the need for an additional generator vehicle, and drastically cuts set-up time.

A similar MaxxPro MICP is also built for communications, but it’s more of a rolling server closet. It would replace the current semi-mobile command post that’s deployed in a HMMWV shelter, plus a trailer with generator when taken outside the wire. Putting that into 1 MaxxPro that looks totally “normal” from the outside, and needs no trailer, makes the target a lot less obvious to enemies. In places like Afghanistan, where 7 gallons of fuel are needed to deliver 1 gallon for front-line use, eliminating vehicles also cuts fuel costs substantially. Beyond MCOTM and MICP:

“The Navistar Defense team is already exploring uses for the MaxxPro as a maintenance truck to weld and fix vehicles in the field; adding mortars to the back of the vehicle to produce an Offensive Weapon System; providing the vehicle architecture to support an Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance control; and adding a water reservoir body for use as a Non-Lethal Water Cannon for controlling large thermal incidents, like forest fires.”

Obviously, the goal of these efforts is to promote both exports, and possible upgrade/ conversion contracts from the US military. An “MRAP 3 study” done in fall/winter 2012 has reportedly left M-ATV and MaxxPro blast-resistant vehicles in the enduring fleet, with about 2,633 MaxxPro Dash DXM troop carriers and 301 MaxxPro DXM ambulances kept. Adding MICP and MCOTM vehicles to appropriate units would provide both short-term conversion contracts, and more vehicles in service as targets for ongoing support contracts. Sources: AUSA interviews; NAvistar, “Navistar Defense Encourages Customers to Think Beyond the Standard Vehicle at AUSA” | DRS “U.S. Army to Test DRS Technologies’ On-Board Vehicle Power System for Consistent Equipment Power on the Battlefield”.

AUSA 2013: MCOTM, MICP, and other interesting variant ideas

June 18/13: Survivability upgrades. Navistar Defense LLC in Lisle, IL receives an $18.2 million firm-fixed-price contract modification, increasing the funds available for the MaxxPro Survivability Upgrade to $152.3 million. FY 2011 & 2012 Procurement funds are being used by Army Contracting Command in Warren, MI (W56HZV-12-C-0404, PO 0013).

June 3/13: Report. Navistar Defense LLC in Lisle, IL receives an $8.9 million cost-plus-fixed-fee, multi-year contract modification, for MaxxPro field services representatives. The cumulative total face value of this contract is now $49.8 million. Army Contracting Command in Warren, MI manages the contract (W56HZV-10-C-0011, PO 0071).

Jan 7/13: Survivability upgrades. Navistar Defense LLC in Lisle, IL receives a $10.6 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract modification for MaxxPro maintenance services.

Work will be performed in Lisle, IL; Yuma, AZ; Aberdeen, MD; and Afghanistan; with an estimated completion date of March 25/13. One bid was solicited, with one bid received by US Army Contracting Command in Warren, MI (W56HZV-10-C-0011).

FY 2012

MRV problems. Survavibility upgrades.

MaxxPro, Farah PRT
(click to view full)

Sept 24/12: Survivability upgrades. Navistar Defense LLC in Lisle, IL receives a $138.2 million firm-fixed-price contract modification to buy MaxxPro Survivability Upgrade Kits, Vehicle Emergency Egress Windows, and MaxxPro support services.

Work will be performed in Lisle and Springfield, OH, with an estimated completion date of Sept 13/13. One bid was solicited, with one bid received by US Army Contracting Command in Warren, MI (W56HZV-12-C-0404).

Sept 19/12: Survivability upgrades. Navistar Defense, LLC announces a maximum $282 million delivery order to provide more than 2,300 survivability upgrade retrofit kits for their MaxxPro Dash MRAP vehicles, plus parts and service. Work for the survivability upgrade will be done in Afghanistan beginning in December 2012, and is scheduled to be complete by July 2013.

Navistar says they have now delivered nearly 9,000 MaxxPro units in 9 major variants to all customers.

July 30/12: Spares. Navistar Defense in Lisle, IL receives a maximum $8.6 million fixed-price with economic price adjustment contract from the US Army for MaxxPro spares. Work will be performed in Illinois and Kentucky, using FY 2012 Army Working Capital Funds. There was 1 proposal with 3 responses. The date of performance completion is July 29/13. The Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime in Columbus, OH (SPM7LX-12-D-9007).

July 13/12: RPG nets. Navistar Defense in Lisle, IL receives a $59.4 million firm-fixed-price contract for 1,357 rocket propelled grenade net kits, which means QinetiQ’s Q-Net. Work will be performed in Springfield, OH, with an estimated completion date of Oct 31/12. One bid was solicited, with 1 bid received by US Army Contracting Command in Warren, MI (W56HZV-12-C-0201).

March 13/12: A $21.3 million firm-fixed-price contract for “the long wheel rolling chassis upgrade with independent suspension on the MaxxPro [MRAP] and transportation fixtures.” Vid. Jan 9/12 entry for the full explanation; this the installation work associated with its January order to upgrade 2,717 vehicles.

Work will be performed in West Point, MS, with an estimated completion date of May 20/12. One bid was solicited, with one bid received, by US Army Contracting Command in Warren, MI (W56HZV-12-C-0130).

Feb 20/12: Sub-contract. Boler subsidiary Hendrickson in Kendallville, IN and GD subsidiary AxleTech International in Oshkosh, WI get a sub-contract from Navistar Defense, LLC, to equip 2,717 MaxxPro Long Wheel Base (LWB) MRAP vehicles with independent suspension systems, per the $900 million Jan 9/12 contract.

Deliveries began in January 2012, and will be completed in October 2013. GD release.

Jan 24/12: A $109.5 million firm-fixed-priced delivery order for 650 MaxxPro DXM Plus kits. Orders #002-008 add up to 5,217 vehicles. These kits, plus the “rolling chassis” order, add up to 3,367 retrofits.

Work will be performed at the MRAP Sustainment Facility in Kuwait, and is expected to be complete by the end of October 2012. All contract funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year, on Sept 30/12 (M67854-07-D-5032, #0020).

Jan 17/12: DOT&E – MRV issues. The Pentagon releases the FY2011 Annual Report from its Office of the Director, Operational Test & Evaluation (DOT&E). The MaxxPro Dash ISS and MaxxPro MRV are both included, but get very different grades. While the MRV towing and recovery vehicle passed blast and live fire testing:

“…the Navistar MRV is not operationally effective and not operationally suitable for recovery operations on cross-country terrain. The Navistar MRV has poor mobility and poor combat towing to recover damaged MRAP vehicles in Afghanistan. The vehicle could not maneuver in soft sandy soil and had difficulty accelerating on hilly terrain. The Navistar MRV demonstrated 271 MMBOMF [Mean Miles Between Operational Mission Failure] versus its operational requirement of 600 MMBOMF. These problems should have been resolved… prior to the [Limited User Test]. The Navistar MRV is [only] capable of recovering and towing damaged MRAP vehicles on flat improved roads.”

The MaxxPro Dash ISS, on the other hand, is declared to be both operationally effective and reliable. Its figure of 1,259 MMBOMF was way above its operational requirement of 600.

Jan 9/12: An $879.9 million firm-fixed-priced delivery order for the procurement of 2,717 MaxxPro “rolling chassis”; 10 engineering change proposals; and 25 contract data requirements lists, for MaxxPro MRAPs.

This is the 3rd step in commonizing the MaxxPro fleet. The first step was the addition of DXM independent suspension in February 2009, which has appeared on all orders after #0014. It was followed in March 2010 by 1,222 DXM retrofit kits. Now, the rolling chassis is the 3rd step, which upgrades most of the earlier MaxxPros with the latest vehicle capabilities. We asked Navistar, who explained that “rolling chassis” replaces the chassis base, adding the DXM independent suspension, a new MaxxForce 9.3 engine, and a 570 amp alternator and driveline. The crew cab is essentially lifted off the old chassis, and bolted on to a new one.

Work will be performed in West Point, MS, and is expected to be complete by the end of October 2013. All funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year, on Sept 30/12 (M67854-07-D-5032, DO #0023).

Jan 9/11: Oshkosh control fight. Icahn’s proxy skirmish at Oshkosh turns into a war, with hard-hitting submissions to shareholders from both Icahn’s group and Board slate, and from Oshkosh’s existing management and Board. If Icahn gets his Board slate elected, spinoffs and a merger of Oshkosh Defense with Navistar become far more likely.

In that scenario, it’s likely that the Maxxpro would take a back seat to the M-ATV in the future firm’s lineup. Oshkosh 8-K | Oshkosh management’s SEC DEFA14A filing (see esp. pp. 38-44) | Icahn Group DFAN14A arguments.

Dec 20/11: A $133.7 million firm-fixed-priced delivery order under a previously awarded contract for 514 field service representatives to support Navistar’s MRAPs. Queries to Navistar confirmed the contract’s size, and their response noted that it included supplies as well as personnel.

Work will be performed in Afghanistan and Kuwait (94%) and the United States (6%), and is expected to be complete by Dec 31/12. FY 2012 operations and maintenance appropriation funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year, on Sept 30/11 (M67854-07-D-5032, #0022).

Dec 19/11: $9.6 million firm-fixed-priced delivery order for MaxxPro MRV recovery vehicle contractor support, esp. re: the contract data requirements list (CDRLs).

Work will be performed in Warrenville, IL, and is expected to be complete by the end of February 2014, but all funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year, on Sept 30/12. The original contract was competitively procured (M67854-07-D-5032, Delivery Order 0015 under Modification 16).

Dec 6/11: Navistar/Oshkosh merger? Billionaire Carl Icahn owns 10% of Navistar, and 9.51% of Oshkosh, so his comments that the 2 companies should merge draws a lot of attention. He tells CNBC:

“I definitely think it would be a good merger. I think there would be a lot of synergy. I own stock in both and I think shareholders of both companies would benefit.”

Both Boards of Directors are maneuvering defensively around Icahn. Navistar agreed to put its Board up for election each year, but agreed not to propose his own slate of directors at the annual meeting. Things are a bit more open at Oshkosh, where Icahn is proposing Board slates, and has been increasingly critical of existing management.

FY 2011

Independent suspension systems.

MaxxPro Dash DXM
(click to view full)

July 15/11: A $142 million firm-fixed-priced delivery order for 140 MaxxPro Recovery Vehicles (MRVs), plus sustainment, spares and support. That brings total MRV orders to 315. Work will be performed in West Point, MS, and is expected to be complete by the end of November 2011 (M67854-07-D-5032, #0021). See also Navistar release.

July 14/11: Boler subsidiary Hendrickson, and General Dynamics’ AxleTech International, announce 2 contracts from Navistar Defense, LLC to equip 471 MaxxPro blast-resistant vehicles (vid. June 13/11 entry), and 250 MaxxPro Dash ambulances (vid. May 4/11 entry), with independent suspension systems. Their DXM solution uses AxleTech’s 5000 Series Independent Suspension Axle System, and Hendrickson’s engineered sub-frame.

Production work began in June 2011 at Hendrickson in Kendallville, IN, and AxleTech in Oshkosh, WI. Deliveries will be complete in September 2011. GD-ATP.

June 13/11: Navistar Defense:

“Navistar Defense, LLC today announced that it received a $357 million delivery order for an additional 471 International MaxxPro Dash vehicles with DXM independent suspension. The order from the U.S. Marine Corps Systems Command follows last month’s delivery order for 250 MaxxPro Dash Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) ambulances.”

Subsequent events indicate that this is probably delivery order #0019.

May 16/11: An $18.6 million delivery order modification for installation of ambulance engineering change proposals (ECP) and Dash Phase IV ECPs on the recent order of 250 ambulances. Work will be performed in Afghanistan, and is expected to be complete by the end of September 2011 (M67854-07-D-5032, #0018, mod #0001).

May 4/11: A $183.3 million firm-fixed-priced delivery order for 250 MaxxPro Dash Ambulance vehicles, with improved DXM independent suspensions. Work will be performed in West Point, MS, and is expected to be complete by the end of September 2011. All contract funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year, on Sept 30/11 (M67854-07-D-5032, #0018).

This is the 1st order for the ambulance variant, which was unveiled in October 2010 at AUSA (vid. Oct 25/10 entry). These Maxxpros will serve alongside the similar Oshkosh M-ATV ambulances in theater, and will be supplemented by BAE’s heavier 6×6 RG-33 HAGA MRAP. These vehicles are a component in the Pentagon’s broad ‘Golden Hour’ initiative, which aims to begin providing life-saving care within the critical 1st hour of major trauma. See also Navistar Defense release.

April 28/11: Navistar Defense, LLC in Warrenville, IL received a $13.2 million firm-fixed-priced delivery order for field service representatives (FSR) in Kuwait, to sustain operation of the MaxxPro Dash MRAPs in Afghanistan.

Work is expected to be completed by the end of November 2011, but all contracted funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year, on Sept 30/11 (M67854-07-D-5032, #0017).

March 4/11: Navistar Defense, LLC in Warrenville, IL receives a $32.5 million firm-fixed-priced delivery order to buy MRAP Recovery Vehicle contractor logistics support for spare parts, basic initial issue tool kits and training support. Work will be performed in Louisville, KY (96%), and Warrenville, IL (4%), and is expected to be complete by the end of September 2011 (M67854-07-D-5032, #0015 Mod 005).

Dec 9/10: A $123.4 million firm-fixed-priced delivery order for 175 CAT I MaxxPro Dash vehicles with improved DXM suspensions, plus MaxxPro Dash Engineer Change Proposal (ECP) Phase I & II kits; and support items including associated unique base issue items for the fleet; and independent suspension system deprocessing parts kits. The order raises Navistar’s total orders for the MaxxPro family to 8,014.

Work will be performed in West Point, MS, and is expected to be complete by the end of June 2011. All contract funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year, on Sept 31/10 (M67854-07-D-5032, #0016). See also Navistar release.

Nov 19/10: A $252.8 million firm-fixed-price delivery order for 250 Mine Resistant Ambush Protected recovery vehicles (MRV) and contractor logistics support (CLS). Work will be performed in West Point, MS, and is expected to be complete by the end of September 2011. All contract funds will expire at the end of the fiscal year on Sept 30/11 (M67854-07-D-5032, #0015).

A blast-protected recovery vehicle makes a great deal of sense, in an environment where a leading cause of disabled vehicles is IED land mine explosions. Navistar originally unveiled the MRV/ wrecker variant in February 2009, and had competition in this area from BAE’s RG-33 MRRMV. See also Navistar release.

Oct 25/10: Navistar Defense, LLC announces 2 new variants at the Association of the United States Army (AUSA) Annual Meeting and Exposition: the MaxxPro ambulance kit, and the MaxxPro Tractor variant.

The ambulance kit will fit into any MaxxPro variant, and include a litter assist system that helps load stretchers. The MaxxPro tractor, meanwhile, is not a farm implement. It’s the truck half of a blast resistant tractor-trailer rig.

Oct 7/10: The Romanian Ministry of National Defence announces that the first 8 MRAPs have just been supplied to the 811th “Dragonii Transilvani” Maneuver Battalion and the 812th “Soimii Carpatilor” Maneuver Battalion, deployed in Zabul Province, Afghanistan.

These are the first of 60 vehicles provided by the USA, and the lot reportedly consists of 20 new and 40 refurbished MaxxPro Dash vehicles, with improved DXM suspensions. Romanian MND | defpro | Jane’s.

FY 2010

Too many MRAP options? IP issues among contractors.

MaxxPro Dash
(click to view full)

Sept 23/10: A $9.9 million firm-fixed-priced delivery order modification (M67854-07-D-5032, #0011) for field service representatives (FSRs)/instructors/mechanic services outside the continental United States (OCONUS) to sustain operation of the Dash vehicles in Afghanistan, and FSR/instructors inside the continental United States for replacement center training in Fort Benning, GA.

Work is expected to be complete by the end of September 2011, and all contract funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year, on Sept 30/10.

Sept 23/10: A $13 million firm-fixed-priced delivery order modification (M67854-07-D-5032, #0014) that pays federal retail excise tax on 148 MaxxPro Dash vehicles being used in the continental United States for training purposes. Work will be performed in Warrenville, IL, and is expected to be complete by the end of September 2011. All contract funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year, on Sept 30/10.

Sept 17/10: A $25.2 million firm-fixed-priced delivery order modification for instructor and field service representative (FSR) support in the United States (CONUS), outside the continental United States (OCONUS); The objective of the FSRs/instructors is to sustain operation of the Dash vehicles in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. Navistar will also send more FSRs and instructors to Mine Resistant Ambush Protected University and CONUS Replacement Center Training.

Work will be performed in West Point, MS, and is expected to be complete by the end of September 2011 (M67854-07-D-5032, #0011).

Aug 24/10: The US Congressional Research Service releases the latest version [PDF] of its report “Mine-Resistant, Ambush-Protected (MRAP) Vehicles: Background and Issues for Congress. Excerpts:

“As of June 28, 2010, more than 8,500 MRAPs had reportedly been shipped to Afghanistan, with over 3,500 of those being the newer M-ATVs. The Army has recently said that it will begin development of yet another MRAP version – the “Ultra-Lite MRAP” – which raises questions about possible vehicle redundancies. The Marines, although voicing support for the M-ATV program, have retrofitted a number of MRAPs with new suspension systems and reportedly are satisfied with the results. This apparent success calls into question not only if the Marines need all of the M-ATVs allocated to them by DOD but also if the Marines’ retrofitted suspension system might be a more cost-effective alternative for the other services… Among potential issues for congressional consideration are the status of almost 5,000 MRAPS in Afghanistan that are reportedly not being used because of their size and weight.”

In terms of overall budgets:

“Through FY2010, Congress appropriated $34.95 billion for all versions of the MRAP. In March 2010, DOD reprogrammed an additional $3.9 billion from the Overseas Contingency Operations fund to MRAP procurement. Congress approved an additional $1.2 billion for MRAP procurement, included in the FY2010 Supplemental Appropriations Act (P.L. 111-212). The full FY2011 DOD budget request of $3.4 billion for the MRAP Vehicle Fund has been authorized by the House (H.R. 5136).”

June 29/10: A $13.4 million firm-fixed-priced delivery order, modification #03 under a previously awarded contract (M67854-07-D-5032, #0014) to buy spare parts related to the order for 1,050 improved suspension MaxxPros. These include suspension system authorized stockage list parts, prescribed load list parts, battle damage assessment repair, and deprocessing; the DASH engineering change proposal (ECP) Phase III upgrade; the remote weapon station system upgrade; and unique collateral material/BII. Work will be performed in West Point, MS, and is expected to be complete by the end of January 2011.

June 14/10: A $60 million firm-fixed-priced delivery order for spare parts to maintain the DXM off-road independent suspension system that is being retrofitted to the entire fleet of 1,222 MaxxPro DASH vehicles. The new DXM systems are provided by Hendrickson Truck Suspension Systems and AxleTech International.

Work will be performed in Warrenville, IL, and is expected to be complete by the end of March 2011. All contract funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year, on Sept 30/10 (M67854-07-D-5032, #0013).

June 14/10: A $17.2 million firm-fixed-priced delivery order for Navistar field service representatives in the Central Command area of responsibility. Work will be performed in Kuwait, Afghanistan and Iraq, and is expected to be complete by the end of June 2011.

May 28/10: Stolen IP? ATS litigation controversy. Armor Technologies, Inc. of South Africa launches the “MRAP Ripoff” web site, and issues a statement, after 3 years of litigation with Navistar. The ancillary web site details the company’s claims, which are summed up via these chosen excerpts from its statement:

“ATS believes it was tricked into transferring unique knowledge, technology and IP about mine-protected vehicles (MPVs) to Chicago-based Navistar Defense, during their relationship from March 2005 to January 2007… At issue is ATS’ belief that it has been hoodwinked into providing critical knowledge and technology on MPVs to Navistar, which before the start of its relationship with ATS in March 2005 had no such expertise… Navistar later claimed in the International Court of Arbitration that Plasan Sasa was the origin of the MaxxPro vehicle, but its own staff admitted to the court that the same team that worked with ATS on the ATS Oryx design, had secretly worked on MaxxPro simultaneously. Navistar can’t have it both ways: either the company illegally shared ATS’ knowledge with Plasan Sasa, which also had no previous MPV expertise, or it acted in exceedingly bad faith in terms of its agreements with ATS – which it then [summarily] broke once it had what it needed: the wherewithal to build a world-class mine-resistant troop carrier… In the meantime, Navistar has won U.S. Government tenders and funding… awarded tens of millions of dollars in U.S. Taxpayers’ money, and it is receiving lucrative foreign orders… none of which would have happened had the U.S. Government heeded its own policy not to do business with defense companies involved in related litigation… ATS’ matter has been taken up by the South African government, which in March [2010] formally requested an explanation from the U.S. Government on the matter.”

May 3/10: A $102.3 million firm-fixed- priced delivery order modification under a previously contract will buy various MaxxPro kits and parts to support operations in Afghanistan. Work will be performed in West Point, MS, and is expected to be complete by the end of October 2010. All contract funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year, on Sept 30/10 (M67854-07-D-5032, #0013). Parts include:

937 gunner restraints
3,251 120V wiring harnesses
5,722 rear ramp hydraulics, rear ramp hydraulic – non-reoccurring equipment (NRE)
3,251 rear ramp storage
2,630 fire support systems kits, fire support systems kits – NRE
5,716 air conditioning circulation switches
822 heating, ventilation, and air conditioning kits

March 15/10: A $178.3 million modification to delivery order #0013 under previously awarded firm-fixed priced contract (M67854-07-D-5032) for 1,222 independent suspension system kits and aluminum catcher plates for MaxxPro vehicles. MaxxPros use the DXM independent suspension solution provided by Hendrickson Truck Suspension Systems and AxleTech International.

Work will be performed in West Point, MS, and is expected to be complete by the end of March 2011. Navistar release

Feb 16/10: Looks like the new suspension system worked. Navistar Defense, LLC in Warrenville, IL receives a $751.5 million firm-fixed-priced delivery order #0014. This order will also be used to buy 1,050 MaxxPro Dash vehicles for Afghanistan, with the new DXM independent suspension solution provided by Hendrickson Truck Suspension Systems and AxleTech International.

Other improvements reportedly include door and insulation upgrades, as well as the addition of an inclinometer to act as a level and measures side slope during vehicle operation. The higher center of gravity involved with V-hull vehicles can make them tippy, so that’s definitely something for the driver to watch.

Work will be performed in WestPoint, MS and the contract is expected to be complete by the end of August 2010. The work is expected to add back 400 jobs at the company’s West Point, MS facility, following multiple layoffs in 2009 that had cut staffing to 120. All procurement funds will expire on Sept 30/12. This contract was competitively procured (M67854-07-D-5032 / D.O.0009). Since May 2007, Navistar says it has received orders for a total of 7,494 MaxxPro MRAPs. Navistar release | Daily Times Leader | Aviation Week Ares.

Dec 29/09: A $7 million firm-fixed-priced contract for “CAT III technical labor hour” work to support for the design and development of “the Maxxpro Dash vehicle independent suspension system,” later revelaed to be the Hendrickson/Axletech DXM. Work will be performed in Warrenville, IL, and is expected to be completed by the April 30/10 (M67854-07-D-5032).

The MaxxPro isn’t alone here. Oshkosh’s TAK-4 off-road independent suspension system has recently been used to retrofit MRAP vehicles from BAE Systems and Force Protection, in order to improve their mobility in Afghanistan’s rough terrain.

Nov 9/09: Navistar announces a 4-year System Technical Support (STS) contract worth up to $78 million to provide engineering support for its MaxxPro MRAP. Navistar’s STS award includes work to improve vehicle reliability, support combat issues encountered in theater, add new kits and hardware, as well as provide new vehicle enhancements. The STS award includes up to 143,000 annual labor hours, as well as parts, to be used within 12 months, with the option to renew the contract for 3 additional years.

FY 2009

MaxxPro variants. M-ATV loss.

MaxxPros: Tawillah, Iraq
(click to view full)

Sept 09/09: A $48 million firm-fixed-priced modification to a previous delivery order (M67854-07-D-5032, #0004) for procurement of MRAP OCONUS field service representatives (FSRs), OCONUS senior instructors, FSR instructor/mechanics, and various contract data requirements lists.

Work will be performed in the United States and Iraq and will be completed in September 2010. Contract funds in the amount of $48 million will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The base contract was competitively awarded, and the new requirements are sole source additions to the contract.

Aug 10/09: A $7 million firm-fixed-priced modification under contract (M67854-07-D-5032, #0010) for the procurement of engineering change proposals and tire chains in support of MRAP MaxxPro Dash vehicles. Work will be performed in West Point, MS and is expected to be complete by the end of December 2009. The base contract was competitively awarded, and the new requirements are sole source additions to the contract.

Aug 7/09: A $7.8 million firm-fixed-priced modification to a previous delivery order (M67854-07-D-5032, #0006). It adds vehicle modifications (engineering change proposals), ambulance sustainment parts, and ambulance head clearance retrofit kits for Category I MRAP vehicles.

Work will be performed in West Point, MS and is expected to be complete by the end of December 2009. The base contract was competitively awarded, and the new requirements are sole source additions to the contract.

Aug 6/09: An $8.6 million firm-fixed-priced modification to a previous delivery order (M67854-07-D-5032, #0004) for MRAP OCONUS (Outside the CONtinental US) field service representatives (FSRs), new equipment training instructors, CONUS FSR instructors, and senior FSRs.

Work will be performed in the United States and Iraq, and will end at the end of September 2010. All contract funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year, at the end of September 2009. The base contract was competitively awarded, and the new requirements are sole source additions to the contract.

July 16/09: A $21 million firm fixed priced delivery order under a previously awarded contract (M67854-07-D-5032, #009) for additional initial sustainment items in support of 882 MaxxPro Dash vehicles.

Work will be performed at the Red River Army Depot in Texarkana, TX, and deliveries are expected to be complete by Nov 30/09. Contract funds in the amount of $687,470 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year.

July 10/09: A $71.1 million firm-fixed- priced delivery order modification under previously awarded contract (M67854-07-D-5032, #006) for the procurement of battle damage assessment and repair (BDAR) kits for its MaxxPro Base and MaxxPro Plus vehicle variants.

Work will be performed at the Red River Army Depot in Texarkana, TX and deliveries are expected to be completed by Aug 1/09. All contract funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The new requirements are sole source additions to the original contract.

June 30/09: Navistar announces its disappointment at their M-ATV loss, while reiterating their firms’ strong points for investors. The firm did not enter a MaxxPro variant, choosing a derivative of the MXT Husky instead.

June 19/09: A $6.4 million modification to a previous delivery order (M67854-07-D-5032, #004) for the procurement of MRAP field service representative mechanics, back ramp retrofit kits, and several contract data requirement lists outside the USA. Despite the order’s size, the Pentagon release states that: “Contract funds in the amount of $7,291,171 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year.”

Work will be performed in West Point, MS and in Iraq, and work is expected to be complete in August 2010. The base contract was competitively awarded, and the new requirements are sole source additions to the contract.

June 18/09: A maximum $42.9 million firm-fixed-price, sole-source contract for sustainment spare parts in support of Army MRAP vehicles. Contract funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year, on Sept 30/09, but the contract will run until Nov 9/09. The Defense Logistics Agency Warren (DSCC-ZG) in Warren, MI manages this contract (SPRDL1-09-C-0088).

June 1/09: A $44.7 million firm-fixed-priced modification to a previously awarded delivery order (M67854-07-D-5032, #0004) for the renewal of Field Service Representative services in the Iraqi and Afghan theaters of war.

Work will be performed in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the final deliveries associated with this delivery order are expected to be completed by Sept 30/10. The Basic contract was competitively awarded and the new requirements were sole source additions to the contract.

April 27/09: A $16.5 million firm-fixed-priced modification to a previously awarded contract (M67854-07-D-5032, #004), for field service representatives for the Mine Resistance Ambush Protected vehicles in theater, Contract Data Requirement Lists (CDRLs), and ECP vehicle modifications.

Work will be performed in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the final deliveries associated with this delivery order are expected to be complete by Aug 16/10.

Feb 25/09: Navistar Defense, LLC unveils 3 new MaxxPro variants at the Association of the United States Army (AUSA) Winter Symposium and Exposition. The MaxxPro Wrecker MRAP vehicle is designed to retrieve damaged or mission-disabled MRAPs, winching them out of trouble and towing them away. Since breakdowns usually involve mined areas, a high level of blast protection is very important.

Navistar also added the MaxxPro Cargo, and the MaxxPro Tractor for towing trailers under full protection. All 3 utility vehicles are built on the company’s International WorkStar platform, with a MaxxPro Dash cab and MaxxForce D 9.3L I6 engine.

Dec 17/08: Navistar Defense LLC in Warrenville, IL received an $8.9 million modification under a previously awarded contract (M67854-07-D-5032, #009) Engineering Change Proposal (ECP) upgrades for Enhanced Maneuverability and associated Non-Recurring Engineering (NRE) costs.

In English, it buys initial spare parts support packages for MaxxPro Dash vehicles, which have been modified for use in Afghanistan. Work will be performed in West Point, MS and is expected to be complete by the end of May 2009.

Dec 10/08: Navistar continues to pull away from its MRAP competitors, via a $362.3 million firm-fixed-priced delivery order for 400 more MaxxPro Dash vehicles, which have been modified for service in Afghanistan. Manufacturing under this previously awarded indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity contract (M67854-07-D-5032, #0010) will be performed in WestPoint, MS and work is expected to be complete by the end of May 2009. Navistar will complete delivery of all 400 units while the testing and evaluation of vehicles for the MRAP All-Terrain Vehicle (M-ATV) program is underway.

Navistar’s release adds that delivery of the September 2008 order for 822 MaxxPro Dash vehicles is set to finish at the end of January 2009, a full month ahead of schedule.

Dec 4/08: A $53.6 million firm fixed priced modification to delivery order under a previously awarded contract (M67854-07-D-5032, #0004: 754 CAT I MRAPS for $413.9 million) for spares and equipment items needed to support Category I MRAP vehicles in theater. This order will also be used to support the renewal of Field Service Representative contracts within the CENTCOM area of responsibility. Work will be managed in WestPoint, MS, and is expected to be complete in November 2009.

Nov 14/08: The US government issues a pre-solicitation notice for a subsidiary competition called M-ATV, essentially an “MRAP Lite” bridge buy to the JLTV. FBO pre-solicitation #W56HZV-09-R-0115. The MaxxPro Dash is likely to be a prime contender for the buy(s), which begins an expected order of just over 2,000 vehicles but could reach up to 10,000.

A subsequent Defense News article places M-ATV’s top weight at 12.5 tons empty, adding that the RFP still demands significant protection against conventional and EFP land mines. That’s likely to help the heavier MaxxPro Dash, while putting competitors like Force Protection’s 7-8 ton Cheetah at a disadvantage.

The RFP was issued in December 2008. A draft issued on Nov 25/08 stated that M-ATV would receive the same top-priority DX production rating employed by the original MRAP program, adding that the first vehicles are expected to be fielded in the fall of 2009.

UPDATE: By Q2 2009, Navistar had submitted its choice – but it wasn’t their Dash, it was a variant of their MXT light truck.

Nov 7/08: Another $24.8 million for 2 firm-fixed-priced delivery order modifications under previously awarded contract (M67854-07-D-5032) The modifications would add gunner restraints, and cover funding costs associated with accelerated MRAP Category I production. Work will be performed in WestPoint, MS.

See Sept 4/08 entry for the $752 million order for 822 of Navistar’s lighter MaxxPro Dash vehicles, whose design has been lightened and modified for the Afghan front. On Nov 6/08, Navistar announced that by working around the clock, they were able to meet the military’s request to deliver all vehicles one month ahead of schedule. Originally scheduled to be completed by the end of February 2009, the company has leveraged its extensive relationships with its supply base to provide deliver all units by the end of January 2009. The firm delivered 70 vehicles on Nov 4/08 – 2 weeks in advance of its already aggressive delivery schedule.

That extra commitment isn’t free; the MRAP contract is structured to compensate manufacturers for their extra costs if the government needs vehicles faster.

Oct 29/08: Navistar Defense LLC (ND) in Warrenville, IL received a $56.4 million firm fixed priced delivery order under a previously awarded contract (M67854-07-D-5032, #0007) for engineering changes and spares to support MRAP Category I vehicles currently in theater. Delivery order #0007 covered 743 MRAP CAT I vehicles.

Work will be performed in WestPoint, MS, and is expected to be complete by the end of November 2008. This contract was competitively procured.

Oct 29/08: Navistar Defense LLC (ND) in Warrenville, IL received $8.3 million for a firm-fixed-priced delivery order under a previously awarded contract (M67854-07-D-5032, #0006) to fund additional Maintenance Workshop Blocks to support MRAP Category I vehicles currently in theater. Work will be performed in WestPoint, MS and is expected to be complete by the end of February 2009. This contract was competitively procured.

See also Dec 18/07, June 19/08, and Oct 7/08 entries re: delivery order #0006, which was for 1,500 vehicles.

Oct 24/08: Defense News reports that more mine-resistant vehicles could be in the order pipeline. The U.S. Army and Marine Corps reportedly plan to rapidly develop and buy a fleet of lighter 7-10 ton vehicles that offer better mine resistance than Hummers, but better off-road mobility than MRAPs. Afghanistan is seen as an especial focus for these vehicles.

Oshkosh’s Sandcat and Force Protection’s Cheetah vehicle are mentioned as potential candidates for that bridge buy. Other competitors are likely, and Navistar’s MaxxPro Dash must also be placed in this category given recent the MRAP orders for deployment of this lightened variant to Afghanistan (vid. Sept 4/08 entry).

Defense News places potential military demand at 2,000- 5,000 bridge buy vehicles – assuming that issues with JLTV issues don’t lead to the bridge becoming the road. Navistar may be covered either way, however; its partnership with BAE won one of the 3 JLTV development contracts.

Oct 7/08: A $35.9 million firm-fixed-priced modification to delivery order #0006 under a previously awarded contract (M67854-07-D-5032) for sustainment items needed to support Category I MRAP vehicles in theater. This order will also be used to support several engineering change proposals to increase the vehicles’ capabilities. Work will be performed in West Point, MS and is expected to be complete in April 2009.

See also Dec 18/07 and June 19/08 entries re: delivery order #0006, which was for 1,500 vehicles.

FY 2008

DynCorp support. MaxxPro Dash.

Tire Kicker
(click to view full)

Sept 4/08: A $752 million firm-fixed-priced delivery order for 822 MaxxPro Dash MRAP CAT I vehicles, under a previously awarded contract (M67854-07-D-5032, #0009). Work will be performed in WestPoint, MS and is expected to be complete in February 2009.

Pentagon references to “production vehicles with engineering change proposal upgrades for enhanced maneuverability” refer to the MaxxPro Dash, a new variant which is optimized for Afghan operations. The Dash variant is 16” shorter and has an 8″ smaller wheel base, giving it a smaller turning radius of 54 feet. It’s also up to 5,000 pounds lighter, but can accept add-on armoring that will increase its weight. These changes, and the use of Navistar’s MaxxForce D engine, also give it a higher torque to weight ratio for better off-road operations. See also Navistar release.

Navistar already had a strong presence in Afghanistan, as the main truck supplier to the Afghan National Army. Despite earlier Pentagon comments that tagged the BAE OMC/ General Dynamics RG-31 as the favorite for Afghanistan, all vehicles in this MaxxPro order are tagged for Operation Enduring Freedom, and as yet there are no corresponding orders for other MRAPs. DID’s spreadsheet also shows that the 15,771 vehicle program ceiling is now maxed out.

July 4/08: An $84.8 million firm-fixed-priced modification to a delivery order under a previously awarded contract (M67854-07-D-5032, #0004) for sustainment items needed to support Category I MRAP vehicles in theater. This order will also be used to support several Engineering Change Proposals to increase the vehicles’ capabilities. Work will be performed in West Point, MS and is expected to be complete in April 2009.

Aug 1/08: A $29.3 million firm-fixed-priced modification to a delivery order under a previously awarded contract (M67854-07-D-5032, #0007) for sustainment items needed to support Category I MRAP vehicles in theater. This order will also be used to support several Engineering Change Proposals to increase the vehicles’ capabilities. Work will be performed in West Point, MS and is expected to be complete in April 2009. Deliver order #0007 involved 743 MaxxPros.

Aug 1/08: A $27.4 million firm-fixed-priced modification to a delivery order under a previously awarded contract (M67854-07-D-5032, #0002) for sustainment items needed to support Category I MRAP vehicles in theater. This order will also be used to support several Engineering Change Proposals to increase the vehicles’ capabilities. Work will be performed in West Point, MS and is expected to be complete in April 2009.

July 8/08: A $27.7 million firm-fixed price contract for MRAP spare parts. Work will be performed primarily in Springfield, OH and Springfield, MO as well as locations across the USA, and is expected to be complete by Jan 29/10. One bid was solicited on June 26/08 from the manufacturer (W56HZV-08-C-0522). Read Navistar’s “Army Awards Navistar Defense Seven Contracts For Parts And Support:
Contracts Total $125 Million for MRAP Support,” which adds:

“Navistar has shipped more than 185,000 parts pieces to the military for use in Iraq and Afghanistan and has more than 100 field service representatives in theater.”

July 7/08: A $56.9 million firm-fixed price contract for an assortment of automotive parts, including wheels, axles, air conditioners, engines, compressors, generators, and transmissions. Work will be performed primarily in Springfield, OH, with limited production in various cities across the nation, and is expected to be complete by May 4/09. One bid was solicited on April 2/08 (W56HZV-08-C-0494).

July 7/08: A $21.4 million firm-fixed price contract for wheels and pneumatic tires. Work will be performed in Trenton, NJ and is expected to be complete by Jan 30/09. One bid was solicited on June 25/08 (W56HZV-08-C-0520).

MaxxPro CAT I
(click to view full)

June 27/08: A $15.1 million firm fixed price contract for 1,426 air conditioner compressors [NSN 4120-01-555-5459] option priced at $556.11 each; 1,500 condensers for refrigeration [NSN 4130-01-562-3925] option priced at $1,653 each; and air conditioner blowers [NSN 6105-01-562-3922] option priced at $4,378 each. Riding in an enclosed vehicle through 100/40 degree plus heat, while wearing layers of heavy equipment, requires air conditioning as a matter of necessity. At present, 59% of the total condenser and blower options are being exercised, and are considered part of the base award when calculating the contract totals above.

Work will be performed at Dallastown, PA with an expected completion date of Aug 29/08. One bid was solicited with one bid received by the U.S. Army Tank & Automotive Command (TACOM) Life Cycle Management Command in Warren, MI (W56HZV-08-C-0483).

June 27/08: Navistar Defence, LLC in Warrenville, IL received a $6.8 million firm fixed price contract for 2,000 pneumatic tire wheels [NSN 2530-01-555-5456, PN 2596798C91L]; 18 electric engine starters [NSN 2920-01-555-5458, PN 3610516C92[]; and 16 AC generators [NSN 6115-01-555-5460, PN 3819829C91].

Work will be performed in Trenton, NJ, and Belvidere, IL with an expected completion date of Aug 29/08. One bid was solicited with one bid received by the U.S. Army Tank & Automotive Command (TACOM) Life Cycle Management Command (W56HZV-08-C-0500).

June 19/08: International Military and Government LLC in Warrenville, IL is awarded a series of contracts amounting to about $707 million.

The modifications cover both MaxxPro Category I MRAP support and spares, and also “engineering change proposals to increase the vehicles’ capabilities.” Work will be performed in WestPoint, MS under contract M67854-07-D-5032, and are expected to be complete August 2008. The contract modifications include:

To delivery order #0002 (1,200 for $632.1 M), adds $29.5 million
To delivery order #0004 (754 for $413.9 M), adds $84.8 million
To delivery order #0005 (1,000 for $537.2 M), adds $146.8 million
To delivery order #0006 (1,500 for $1.18 B), adds $211.6 million
To delivery order #0007 (743 for $405.9 M), adds $234.3 million

June 10/08: A $28 million firm-fixed-priced modification to delivery order #0005 under previously awarded contract (M67854-07-D-5032) for the accelerated production of 1,000 MRAP Low Rate Initial Production vehicles.

Delivery order #0005 was for $509.2 million (now $537.2 million), and ordered 1,000 vehicles in October 2007. This is an infusion of funds to speed up production by covering added expenses like overtime et. al., rather than an order for another 1,000 vehicles. Work will be performed in WestPoint, MS and “work is expected to be completed by the end of April 2008.”

May 29/08: The Aug 14/07 entry notes that DynCorp had become Navistar’s in-theater MRAP support network. Now, a DynCorp International release confirms the figures involved:

“Navistar Defense LLC, a division of Navistar International, Inc., awarded DynCorp International (NYSE:DCP) a five year indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity Logistics Support Contract to provide field service support and training for its recently awarded Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle production contracts. DynCorp International’s Logistics Support Contract has a potential value of up to $500 million over five years with an initial award of $60 million to support deployments to Iraq.”

April 16/08: A $261.3 million for firm-fixed-priced contract modification under previously awarded contract (M67854-07-D-5032) for engineering change proposals to upgrade its MRAP low rate initial production vehicles. The government will procure several engineering changes to provide additional armor protection to increase the survivability of the MRAP Category I (CAT I) vehicles. The order also includes ambulance kits for the vehicles.

Work will be performed in WestPoint, MS and is expected to be complete in November 2008. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured. The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Va., is the contracting activity.

March 14/08: A $405.9 million firm-fixed-priced delivery order (M67854-07-D-5032, #0007) for 743 Category I vehicles. Work will be performed in WestPoint, MS and is expected to be complete November 2008. To date, they have received 5,214 orders under the MRAP program (5,198 CAT-I, 16 CAT-2), 36.9% of the vehicles ordered.

N.B. Amount corrected by DefenseLINK on March 18/08.

Jan 19/08: The NY Times reports that “a gunner was killed and three crew members were wounded” on this day in an IED land mine attack. The soldiers were riding in a MaxxPro MRAP. Read “Hopes for NY Times Reporting Questioned After MRAP Story” for more details.

Jan 10/08: Israeli firm Plasan Sasa announces a $200+ million order to supply Navistar’s International Military and Government, LLC with armoring systems for an additional 1,500 armored MRAP blast-resistant vehicles, to be delivered by the end of July 2008. The Plasan Sasa release says that this armor contract continues and builds on the US military’s June 2007 order for 1,200 MaxxPro vehicles, and notes their investment in US manufacturing facilities.

MaxxPro CAT-I, Iraq
(click to view full)

Dec 18/07: IMG had submitted a variant of its MaxxPro for the MRAP-II competition. It aims to field vehicles that can protect against EFP(Explosively formed Penetrator) land mines, which are more akin to instant tank shells being fired into your vehicle than they are to a conventional explosion. After initial tests, however, only 2 vendors received contracts for additional testing at Aberdeen: BAE Systems (RG-33) and the team of Ideal Innovations, Ceradyne, and Oshkosh (The Bull).

Dec 18/07: A $1.18 billion firm-fixed-priced delivery order under a previously awarded contract (M67854-07-D-5032, #0006) to purchase an additional 1,500 MaxxPro CAT-I MRAP Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP) vehicles. This order also includes sustainment items needed to support the vehicles in theater, as well as several Engineering Change Proposals to increase the vehicles’ capabilities. Work will be performed in WestPoint, MS and is expected to be complete by the end of July 2008. This contract was competitively procured. Navistar release.

As this accompanying DoD release notes, the Marine Corps issued a number of MRAP orders on this day. Navistar’s IMG remains on top, and even widened its lead slightly. To date, they have received 4,471 orders under the MRAP program (4,455 CAT-I, 16 CAT-2), for 37.6% of 11,862 vehicles ordered.

Dec 7/07: The Rakkasans of the 3rd BCT, 101st Airborne Division in Iraq received 18 MaxxPro CATR-I vehicles. Sgt. Rian Terry, a welder in Co. B, 626th BSB, from Clarksville, TN:

“I like it. It feels safe with all the additional armor. It’s much roomier and easier to access equipment, especially with all your gear on.”

Pfc. Cedric Miller, a grenadier in Co. A, 1-187th Inf., from Blakely, GA, was more direct: “It’s an all-around good truck. We need more.”

American units preparing to receive MRAP vehicles send their maintenance Soldiers attend a 5-day, 40-hour course. During the course, drivers and vehicle commanders participate in both day and night, on- and off-road driving exercises, and obstacle course-like exercises where they maneuver through jersey barriers. Soldiers who complete the 40-hour training are operationally familiar with the equipment. It is up to the unit to make them tactically familiar.

Meanwhile, each battalion is assigned a field support representative and a team of mechanics to continue training the Soldiers. Having civilian representatives and mechanics at the battalion level gives the Soldiers subject-matter experts who are available during maintenance, but will allow the Soldiers to do the hands-on work. US Army

Dec 7/07: A $152 million firm-fixed-priced modification under previously awarded contract (M67854-07-D-5032) for Maxxpro “sustainment items” (spares) under the MRAP program. Work will be performed in WestPoint, MS and is expected to be complete in February 2008.

Nov 28/07: A $24 million firm-fixed-priced modification to delivery order #0004 under previously awarded contract (M67854-07-D-5032) for procure field service representatives to provide support for the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles in theater. Work will be performed in Iraq, and work is expected to be completed November 2008. Note our Aug 14/07 entry – this work will be done by Dyncorp.

Oct 30/07: $68.8 million attached to firm-fixed-priced delivery order #0005 under previously contract (M67854-07-D-5032) for Mine Resistant and Ambush Protected (MRAP) Vehicle sustainment items. The Government shall purchase MRAP University requirements including field service representative-instructors, instructional material, course outlines, and special tooling, and additional sustainment items. Work will be performed at Red River Army Depot in Texarkana, TX, and is expected to be complete by the end of October 2008.

Oct 18/07: $509.2 million for firm-fixed-priced delivery order #0005 under previously awarded contract (M67854-07-D-5032) for 1,000 MaxxPro MRAP CAT I Low Rate Initial Production vehicles. Work will be performed in West Point, MS, and is expected to be complete April 2008. This contract was competitively procured.

Navistar remains in the lead for MRAP orders to date, with 2,971 vehicles (2,955 CAT-I, 16 CAT-II) contracted to date, or 33.8% of the 8,746 MRAP CAT I/II vehicles ordered so far. Force Protection is currently in 2nd place with 30.9%, and BAE/Armor Holdings come in 3rd with 26.3%.

FY 2007

LRIP.

MaxxPro concept
(click to view full)

Sept 21/07: International Military and Government LLC in Warrenville, Ill. received $7.2 million firm-fixed-priced modification to delivery order #0002 under previously awarded contract (M67854-07-D-5032) for field service representatives (FSRs) to serve in theater. The FSRs will provide support for MRAP Category I MaxxPro vehicles in Iraq. Work will be performed in Camp Liberty, Iraq, and is expected to be complete in September 2008.

Sept 13/07: International Military and Government LLC in Warrenville, Ill. received a $71.5 million firm-fixed-priced modification to Delivery Order #0002 under previously awarded contract (M67854-07-D-5032) for sustainment items and data requirements for the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles in theater.

The US government is buying 1-Year Forward Deployment Blocks, 1-Year Maintenance Work Blocks, training, training materials, and several contract data requirement lists for International’s MaxxPro MRAP CAT I vehicles. Work will be performed in West Point, Miss., and the deliveries are expected to be complete in October 2007.

Aug 14/07: DynCorp International LLC announces that they have been selected by International Military and Government LLC to provide field-service support and training for its MRAP vehicles. This effectively makes them Navistar’s in-theater support network.

July 20/07: $413.9 million for firm-fixed-priced, delivery order #0004 under previously awarded contract (M67854-07-D-5032), covering an additional 755 Category I (CAT I) Mine Resistance Ambush Protected (MRAP) Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP) patrol vehicles. Work will be performed in WestPoint, Miss., and is expected to be complete by February 2008. Navistar release.

This contract places Navistar in the lead for MRAP orders to date, with 1,971 vehicles (1,955 CAT-I, 16 CAT-II) contracted to date, or 34.8% of the 5,621 vehicles ordered so far under the 7,774 vehicle MRAP program. Force Protection is currently in 2nd place with 31.7%, and BAE/Armor Holdings come in 3rd with 30.3%

MaxxPro CAT-I,
earlier version
(click to view full)

June 18/07: An $8.5 million firm-fixed-priced delivery order #0003 under previously awarded contract (M67854-07-D-5032) for an additional 16 of the larger Category II MRAP JERRV squad vehicles. Note that this works out to about $530,000 per vehicle. Work will be performed in WestPoint, Miss., and work is expected to be complete by February 2008. The DoD release adds, mysteriously, that “Contract funds in the amount of $9,547,248 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year.”

May 31/07: A $623.1 million indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity contract (M67854-07-D-5032, #002) for 1,200 additional Category I (CAT I) Mine Resistance Ambush Protected (MRAP) Low Rate Initial Production vehicles. Work on the MaxxPro MPV contract will be performed in West Point, MS, and is expected to be complete by February 2008. All contract funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year.

Which leads us to the next question… will existing MRAP vehicles be enough? They may not, and ironically, International may have declined to submit an offering of its own that could have survived in the new environment.

Footnotes

fn1. A shaped charge ‘squishes’ and detonates when it hits, focusing the blast into a cone with a point that’s like a plasma torch – with a wallop behind it. The immense focused energy converges right on the armor, cutting through the steel and/or blowing chunks off the back in a spray of molten metal of fragments, killing the occupants and/or damaging machinery.

Cage armor can prevent some types of warheads from detonating, especially those with a piezo-electric ‘crush’ fuze. Those of you thinking that metal screens are not 100% certain to prevent warhead detonation, depending on the angle at which the piezo-electric crush fuze hit, and other warhead characteristics, are correct. In general, one can expect cage armor of any sort to turn only about 50-60% of rounds into duds.

The other option “cage armor” provides is to start that process away from the armor, so the shaped charge cone’s focal point is moved out in front of the armor it’s designed to penetrate. Instead of a precisely focused cutting/blasting point, you get an less focused blast. Depending on how big the warhead is, how far away the detonation is, and how strong the vehicle’s armor protection is, its occupants may or may not be saved.

Additional Readings & Sources

Thanks to Navistar for working with DID to help verify vehicle totals.
Navistar – MaxxPro Dash DXM.
DID (Dec 16/13) – High Afghan Exit Costs Force US Military to Contemplate End of Era. Which includes getting rid of many MRAPs.
DID (Oct 23/13) – Choices, Changes & Opportunities: Corporate Lessons from the Afghan R4D Exit. Understanding the difficulty helps to explain some aspects of subsequent decisions about the MRAP fleet.
US Army (May 5/11) – ‘Golden hour’ initiative pays off in Afghanistan. Aeromedical units play a big role – but so does having nearby vehicles that can travel in dangerous areas, and carry initial medical facilities with them.
Plasan Sasa (June 3/07) – Plasan Sasa Will Supply International Military and Government, LLC with Critical MRAP Vehicle Protection for the US Marines [PDF format]
Navistar (May 31/07) – U.S. Marine Corps Awards $623 Million Contract for Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) Vehicles to International Military and Government, LLC
Reuters (June 21/07) – U.S. Gen.: Iranian Weapons Still Flowing into Iraq. Maj. Gen. Rick Lynch: “What I try to do is stick to the facts. And I know that inside of my battle space, there are munitions clearly marked with Iranian markings, and I am losing many of my soldiers to EFPs… It is clear that the EFP technology and munitions is coming from Iran. We have to stop that.”
USA Today (May 31/07) – MRAPs can’t stop newest weapon
DID (Oct 6/06) – Dispatches from Afghanistan: Armored vs. Blast Resistant
DID (July 21/06) – GD-RAFAEL’s Reactive Armor Equips US Military (updated)

Appendix A: The MRAP Story, and the MaxxPro Story

Dingo 2 (via CASR)

In 2005, military manufacturers began to plan for the end of the US military’s Hummer orders, and the associated battle to replace it with a new vehicle. By this time, land mines had already been the #1 killer in Iraq for some time, and a few manufacturers were also looking to break into the American market with solutions to this problem. The technology was not new; indeed, it had been in use for over 40 years. The US military had just been very slow to adopt it, aside from some limited orders the 101st Airborne had placed for South African RG-31 vehicles, limited purchases of Force Protection’s Cougar and Buffalo vehicles for Explosive Ordnance Disposal teams, and M1117 Guardian ASV armored cars for US military police units. Worse, the ASVs were produced in New Orleans. Hurricane Katrina interrupted production just as it was ramping up.

By 2006, 3 years into the war in Iraq, realization began to dawn that the Hummers and their blast-catching flat bottoms needed a supplement in theater now, rather than waiting for the Humvee’s successor. The US Army and Marines began taking a closer look at mine-resistant vehicles on the market, and key manufacturers began maneuvering for position.

The new Mine Resistant, Ambush Protected (MRAP) program would include a smaller Category I MRUV patrol vehicles that seated at least 6 people in total, including the driver and front seat. Category II JERRV vehicles would seat at least 10, and would be large enough to hold bomb-disposal robots and other useful gear.

The expected MRAP requirement quickly began to mushroom in size, as IED land mine attacks intensified on the front lines. A large July 2007 order came hot on the heels of US Secretary of Defense Gates’ request to Congress for an extra $1.2 billion in FY 2007 to fund an additional 2,650 MRAP vehicles, on the grounds that manufacturers were ramping up production more quickly than original forecasts. Meanwhile, key inputs such as steel and tires which might have become production bottlenecks were expedited under a DX rating that give the MRAP program priority over almost all other military programs. Sen. and VP-elect Biden [D-DE], who often heard responses re: lack of industrial capacity when he began asking why more MRAP vehicles weren’t in theater, found that his “put the money together, issue the contracts, and let’s find out” speech [MS Word], embodied in Amendment #739 to the FY 2007 military budget, became the US military’s go-forward plan.

Cougar at Aberdeen
(click to view full)

By the time the competition began Force Protection, whose v-hulled Cougar vehicles had catalyzed this realization with their performance in Iraq, was set with their Cougars for MRAP CAT I/II.

General Dynamics was already partnered with BAE OMC of South Africa and the Canadian government to offer the RG-31, which was already in service with airborne and SOCOM customers. Then they signed another deal with Force Protection to share production of Cougar vehicles.

BAE Systems was busy developing their RG-33 family, an update of their proven RG-31s that incorporated new technologies and lessons learned. Meanwhile, Armor Holdings, who supplied the US military’s FMTV medium trucks and up-armoring for its Hummers, worked on an up-armored design based on the FMTV. They would eventually be acquired by BAE in a multi-billion dollar deal, after establishing an MRAP order foothold for their “Caiman” vehicles.

Lacking ready designs or American plants, others chose partnerships as their path to market. Navistar’s truck-building competitor Oshkosh entered the fray with a pair of Partnerships, signing a deal with PVI for their new Alpha MRUV vehicle, and Thales Australia for the larger Bushmaster vehicle that was already serving with Australian forces in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Protected Vehicles, Inc. (PVI) also submitted the Golan, designed in partnership with RAFAEL and the Israeli military.

German firm KMW’s Dingo had also demonstrated front-line performance with German forces in Afghanistan, but their American partner Textron elected to offer their own M1117 instead, eliminating KMW before the competition had even started.

That left Navistar considering what to do.

MV 7000 as tanker
(click to view full)

Navistar subsidiary International Military and Government LLC (IMG, now Navistar Defense) didn’t have expertise in armored vehicles, but they did know trucks. The firm is used to substantial production numbers, and has a field maintenance network on the front lines. In addition to to being one of North America’s largest producers of civilian commercial trucks and mid-range diesel engines (161,000 vehicles in 2006), it is producing and supporting 2,781 vehicles for the Afghan National Army, and claims 9 additional contracts with the U.S. government for more than 1,000 units each. These contracts encompass include service trucks and buses that have been used in the Iraq reconstruction effort. Production facilities include Garland, TX; Springfield, OH; West Point, MS; Melrose Park, IL (diesel engines); and Tulsa, OK (buses).

The key for Navistar would be finding the right partner, with the aim of developing an armored MRAP-candidate vehicle based around IMG’s WorkStar 7000 truck chassis. In 2005, the firm contracted with South Africa’s Armour Technology Systems (ATS), which has design rights to several mine-resistant vehicles used in South Africa, and had also developed blast-resistant SAMIL armored cab solutions for South Africa’s trucks.

MTVR + PS armor
(click to view full)

During the course of that relationship with ATS, Navistar also opened relations with the Israeli firm Plasan Sasa, who had been designing and manufacturing up-armoring kits for the Marine Corps’ MTVR trucks for several years. That gave them a solid relationship with the MRAP competition’s key client. The Kibbutz Sasa firm also had experience developing full vehicles; its own light protected vehicle called the Caracal was under review by the US Marines for a different role. Navistar decided that they had found their partner – and in January 2007, they summarily canceled their agreement with South Africa’s ATS.

The question of what ATS knowledge may have been transferred or used by Navistar remains in the hands of lawyers, and also a PR campaign by ATS that publicizes its specific allegations of bad faith and unethical dealings.

The key characteristics of Navistar’s final vehicle contender are clearer. Unlike the HMMWV‘s auto-derived frame, IMG’s heavy-duty truck chassis would have the load capacity required to handle the weight of additional armor etc., without wearing out early. The final design positions a v-shaped crew compartment on top of that truck chassis, allowing maximum production commonality while using the compartment’s armoring and shape to channel blasts around the crew area. Extensive use of components from IMG’s trucks, including predictive maintenance features, would ensure that their entry was both producible in large numbers and maintainable in the field.

In return for this positioning, Navistar’s IMG received a test vehicle production contract for their vehicle – and nothing more. IMG/Plasan Sasa’s MPV was not featured among the early-stage orders [1st set | 2nd set] from the US military for low-risk designs, which went to rivals Force Protection (Cougar), BAE (RG-33, RG-33L), General Dynamics (RG-31), Oshkosh/PVI (Alpha CAT I), and PVI (Golan CAT II).

MaxxPro Dash & Plus
(click to view full)

Yet Navistar went on to become the winner in the initial MRAP competition, with the highest share of any competitor. So why was Navistar initially shut out?

One logical conclusion is doubts about its performance. The biggest downside to capsule-mounting a blast-resistant hull on top of a frame is the danger that a mine blast will separate the capsule from the frame, or (more likely) destroy the chassis and immobilize the vehicle in an ambush zone. Moving a v-shaped blast pan beneath the chassis reduces that danger, but that solution creates issues with ground clearance; and – since it offers less of a gap from the blast – with crew survivability.

What changed? Two things.

One was the Biden Amendment in the Senate, which accelerated funding for MRAPs, even as the desired number of vehicles for the FY 2007-2008 program rose again from 4,100 to 7,774 vehicles. At that volume, existing vehicle manufacturers would be very hard-pressed to deliver the required quantity in time. Which in turn lent a higher value to producibility, as long as the vehicles offered substantially better protection than a Humvee. Especially with the US Army reportedly looking for 17,000 blast-resistant vehicles of its own by 2010 – a number that would be borne out, and more, by subsequent events.

The second thing that happened was the testing at Aberdeen Proving Ground, which appears to have quieted doubts concerning IMG/Plasan Sasa’s design. Navistar received just the 2nd post-testing order to emerge from Marine Corps Systems Command, behind Force Protection’s early 1,000 vehicle order in April 2007. A May 31, 2007 report from Defense News claims that Navistar officials heard about their win from the offices of minority leader Sen. Trent Lott [R-MS] and Rep. Roger Wicker [R-MS], and Navistar spokesman Roy Wiley added at the time that “We did extremely well during the tests [at Aberdeen], and we are extremely pleased.”

Plasan Sasa does make composite armors for vehicles, and whatever it used apparently survived the trials at Aberdeen. Navistar would go on to produce its MaxxPro for MRAP orders, as well as the MaxxPro Air Force, the MaxxPro Plus with improved protection, a MaxxPro ambulance (production orders were for the Dash variant), the MaxxPro MEAP, the MaxxPro Dash for Afghan operations, and the MaxxPro Recovery Vehicle (MRV) for towing other vehicles out of danger zones.

In contrast, Navistar’s trucking competitor Oshkosh failed with both of its purpose-designed vehicles. The firm received 100 advance low-risk orders for the Alpha vehicle, which then failed testing and was removed from the competition. Despite its successful service on the front lines, the v-hulled Australian Bushmaster design never saw a single production order during the MRAP program. It would join Textron’s M1117 on the sidelines, until Oshkosh’s big win in the subsequent MRAP All Terrain Vehicle (M-ATV) competition.

Appendix B: MPV or APC to Face EFPs? (June 2007)

HMMWV, IEDed
(click to view full)

A May 31/07 USA Today article titled “MRAPs can’t stop newest weapon” explains the dilemma:

“The military plans to spend as much as $25 billion for up to 22,000 Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles by 2009. Last month, Defense Secretary Robert Gates declared that buying the new vehicles should be the Pentagon’s top procurement priority.

But the armor on those vehicles cannot stop the newest bomb to emerge, known as an explosively formed penetrator (EFP).”

Stryker ICV with
Anti-RPG Slat Armor
(click to view full)

An EFP is just another type of land mine, where the explosives are arranged to shape a metal disk into a kind of instant high-caliber tank round as they detonate, launching it at nearby objects. This is not a new approach; the USA’s Sensor-Fuzed Weapon, a.k.a. “cans of whup-ass,” uses this exact approach but is dropped from an airplane so it can attack through the top, where armor is usually weakest. An EFP’s mode of operation when used as a land mine is a ballistic side attack rather than a conventional land mine’s explosion, which means a v-hull won’t necessarily offer much protection.

These weapons have also been among the land mines causing problems for heavier Stryker/LAV-III wheeled armored personnel carriers in Diyala Province. The Strykers lack the level of underbelly protection found in MRAP vehicles, and their “steel cage” armor designed to defeat [1] the shaped-charge warheads on anti-tank rockets will not stop large-caliber shells – or a reasonable imitation created by an EFP land-mine.

Iran has been heavily involved in shipping these weapons into Iraq for some time now, and training both Shi’ites and Sunnis to make them. A January 13, 2007 document from the USMC says that as the USA fields vehicles with MRAP-class protection against buried mines, Iraqi insurgents’ use of EFPs “can be expected to increase significantly.”

While the US has been testing new armor compositions designed to break up EFP slugs, there is a commonly-available solution on the market. It’s called “reactive armor,” and already equips American Bradley fighting vehicles, M1 tanks, and other armored platforms.

In a sense, it’s the reverse of the EFP concept – instead of using an explosion to create a killing weapon, it reacts with an outward explosion when hit. This either blows the rocket/ tank round/ or EFP projectile completely off-course, or tips it into an easily-absorbed ‘slap hit’ rather than the precise, focused strike required to penetrate steel.

The armor is manufactured in a cooperative venture between Israel’s RAFAEL and General Dynamics, and already has a strong production base. The only counter to it would be a anti-tank missiles that use a dual-warhead charge, like Russia’s AT-13 Metis or AT-14 Kornet. Some of these weapons even have remote-firing capability. That kind of equipment can only come from a state sponsor, however – a fact that sharply ups the ante on its use as a definitive act of war in theaters like Iraq or Afghanistan.

PVI/RAFAEL Golan
(click to view full)

There is already an MRAP contender designed from the outset to use this kind of armor to its maximum effectiveness. Protected Vehicles Inc. MRAP CAT II Golan vehicle was designed in conjunction with RAFAEL and the Israeli MoD’s Merkava tank project office. Unsurprisingly, it was also designed from the outset to carry reactive armor as an option, without changing its outward appearance. The result of this design feature is that the enemy can’t tell if reactive armor is present or not, and must therefore assume “yes” for all vehicles of its type.

The US military ordered 60 Golan vehicles for immediate deployment to the front lines back in March 2007, in addition to its order for test vehicles.

IMG APC Concept
(click to view full)

The interesting thing is, IMG had its own vehicle designed from the outset to use reactive armor. The “International APC” was a definite CAT II sized vehicle at 30,000 pounds curb weight. Based on an International MV-7000 heavy truck cab, the APC promised a vehicle equipped with explosive reactive armor from the get-go.

For whatever reason, IMG chose not to enter this vehicle in the MRAP competition. Their APC could never have won a CAT I MRUV order, of course, as the MaxxPro just did. What it might have offered is an additional purchase option for the US military, when EFP land mines begin taking their toll on MRAP vehicles fielded in theater.

Postscript: DID predicted that a number of MRAP vehicle manufacturers were about to start showing much more interest in reactive armor solutions for their vehicles. It’s always more difficult to integrate later, of course, rather than as a design-in option. Still, it was immediately available – and better than nothing. That prediction proved false, as the Army began development of anti-EFP metal armor/add-on kits instead.

Categories: Defense`s Feeds

KC-46A Pegasus Aerial Tanker Completes Firsts

Wed, 08/08/2018 - 05:54

KC-135: Old as the hills…
(click to view full)

DID’s FOCUS articles cover major weapons acquisition programs – and no program is more important to the USAF than its aerial tanker fleet renewal. In January 2007, the big question was whether there would be a competition for the USA’s KC-X proposal, covering 175 production aircraft and 4 test platforms. The total cost is now estimated at $52 billion, but America’s aerial tanker fleet demands new planes to replace its KC-135s, whose most recent new delivery was in 1965. Otherwise, unpredictable age or fatigue issues, like the ones that grounded its F-15A-D fighters in 2008, could ground its aerial tankers – and with them, a substantial slice of the USA’s total airpower.

KC-Y and KC-Z buys are supposed to follow in subsequent decades, in order to replace 530 (195 active; ANG 251; Reserve 84) active tankers, as well as the USAF’s 59 heavy KC-10 tankers that were delivered from 1979-1987. Then again, fiscal and demographic realities may mean that the 179 plane KC-X buy is “it” for the USAF. Either way, the KC-X stakes were huge for all concerned.

In the end, it was Team Boeing’s KC-767 NexGen/ KC-46A (767 derivative) vs. EADS North America’s KC-45A (Airbus KC-30/A330-200 derivative), both within the Pentagon and in the halls of Congress. The financial and employment stakes guaranteed a huge political fight no matter which side won. After Airbus won in 2008, that fight ended up sinking and restarting the entire program. Three years later, Boeing won the recompete. Now, they have to deliver their KC-46A.

Boeing’s KC-46A, and Its Team

KC-46A concept
(click to view full)

KC-46A Pegasus production takes place in 2 phases: the 767-2C, and then the militarized KC-46A modifications.

There are still a number of things we don’t know, though more details have emerged since Boeing won the competition. The first step is to build a 767 on the commercial production line with a cargo door and freighter floor, an advanced flight deck display borrowed from its new 787, body tanks, and provisions for aerial tanker systems. Initial Boeing graphics featuring upturned winglets on the wingtips are no longer part of the design, but Pratt & Whitney’s 62,000 pound thrust PW4062s remain their engine choice. This is the 767-2C, and it receives an FAA 767 amended Type Certificate.

The 767-2C is militarized in a separate finishing center by adding aerial refueling equipment, an air refueling operator’s station that includes panoramic 3-dimensional displays, and threat detection/ countermeasures systems. The resulting KC-46A receives an FAA 767 Supplemental Type Certificate given to substantially different variants, and must also receive USAF certification that clears the way for full acceptance.

Boeing’s refueling boom is derived from the KC-10’s AARB, but adds 3-D viewing and a slightly higher fuel offload rate of 1,200 gallons/min. The centerline and wing-mounted refueling pods will now come from Cobham plc’s Sargent Fletcher, who was also partnered with Airbus for this feature. Unlike the A330 MRTT’s systems, however, the KC-46A’s wing refueling pods still need to finish testing on the 776-2C. The USAF will buy 46 wing sets for its fleet, which will allow multi-aircraft (multipoint) aerial refueling when installed.

KC-46A cargo capacity lists as 65,000 pounds, in a mix of up to 18 cargo pallets, 114 passengers, and/or 58 medical stretcher slots.

Fielding a tanker built after the 1960s allows the USAF to include a number of new systems, which would be too costly to retrofit into the existing KC-135 fleet. The net effect is to make its KC-46As front-line refuelers. The cockpit and exterior lighting are night-vision compatible for covert rendezvous. Advanced communications and secure datalinks are big steps forward for the fleet, and their classified feeds will be used by specialized ESTAR and TCS systems designed to route the tanker away from threats. NBC (nuclear, biological, chemical) protection will allow the planes to operate in contaminated environments, while EMP hardening reduces the effects of high-frequency radiation bursts on all those new solid-state electronics. On a more prosaic level, radar warning systems, infrared defensive systems, cockpit armor, and fuel tank ballistic protection will all be welcome.

KC-46A Industrial Team

Boeing’s KC-X 1.0 Team

Boeing’s industrial team has slowly announced itself over many months since the award. American KC-46A content has been touted as high as 85%, with British firms picking up much of the balance. Boeing reportedly looked hard for supply chain savings in Round 2, though, in order to lose less money with its under-cost bidding strategy.

That KC-46A design is a big change from KC-X round 1, whose KC-767 Advanced used a 767-200ER fuselage; a 767-300F freighter wing, landing gear, cargo door and floor; and a 767-400ER’s flaps and flight deck (derived in turn from the 777). A new design fly-by-wire boom with remote viewing would expand the tanker’s effective refueling airspace, and offload more fuel. Engines would be 2 Pratt & Whitney PW4062s, with 62,000 pounds of thrust each, instead of the KC-767A/J’s 60,200 pound CF6-80C2s.

Some of the suppliers also changed, as Boeing progressed from the canceled KC-767 lease deal, to KC-X, to its final design in Round 2:

Boeing’s production line had also progressed. Near the end of the KC-X bidding, Boeing added civilian 767 orders to keep its production line going. That was enough to create a cushion if KC-X faced further challenges and issues, but the reality is that civilian 767 production looks set to end soon. The US military will soon become the 767 production line’s sole support.

KC-X: The Program

A March 2012 GAO report summed up the risk driving the KC-46A program, and the current state of the USAF’s tanker fleets:

“According to the Air Force, the national security strategy cannot be executed without aerial refueling… the KC-135 Stratotanker, is over 50 years old on average and costing increasingly more to maintain and support. With… more than 16,000 flight hours on each aircraft, the KC-135s will approach over 80 years of age when the fleet is retired as projected in the 2040 time frame. In 1981, the Air Force began supplementing its fleet of KC-135s with [59] KC-10s… that transport air cargo and provide refueling. Much larger than the KC-135, the KC-10 provides both boom and hose and drogue refueling capabilities[Footnote 4] on the same flight and can conduct transoceanic missions. The KC-10s now average about 27 years of age with more than 26,000 flight hours on each, and their service life is expected to end around 2045.”

The $7.2 billion October 2012 development cost estimate includes $4.9 billion for the aircraft development contract and 4 test aircraft, $0.3 billion for the aircrew and maintenance training systems, and $2 billion for other government costs and some risk funds. The total procurement cost estimate of $40.46 billion in base-year dollars buys 175 production aircraft, initial spares, and other support items as priced in contract options.

Cost estimates as of April 2014 are stable, with an estimated $1.6 billion to cover other government costs like program office support, test and evaluation support, contract performance risk, and other development risks. That includes the cost of test flights, which will sometimes feature operational military aircraft of various kinds to act as receivers.

An accompanying military construction estimate of $4.2 billion includes the projected costs to build aircraft hangars, maintenance and supply shops, and other facilities to house and support the full 175-plane KC-46 fleet at up to 10 main operating bases (McConnell AFB, KS is MOB1), 1 training base at Altus AFB, OK; and the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Complex depot.

The KC-46A Development Phase: Budgets, Splits, & Dates

KC-46 development

The Pentagon’s latest Selected Acquisition Report estimates a total KC-46A development cost of $5.615 billion, which would actually be $1.221 billion over the KC-X EMD phase’s original Target Cost of $4.394 billion. Fortunately for the USAF, they structured the contract so they can’t pay more than $4.7 billion, and the overall bid cost to the US government for development plus production remains below Airbus’ bid.

Here’s how it works:

Up to the $4.898 billion ceiling, the contract split for amounts over the $4.394 billion base price is 60/40. The difference is $504 million, so the government would pay $302.4 million ($4.696 billion total), and Boeing would pay about $201.6 million.
Costs above the $4.898 billion ceiling are all Boeing’s responsibility.

Current estimates show that there’s almost no chance of coming in under the ceiling. Boeing’s current cost estimate is $5.164 billion, which would raise its private liability for the cost increases to $467.5 million (201.6 + all 265.9 over the ceiling). If the government program manager is right, Boeing’s liability rises to $918.6 million (201.6 + all 717.0 over). The difference matters to Boeing, but the Pentagon doesn’t have to care which EMD Phase figure is correct, or how much higher EMD costs go. Their costs are set, at $4.7 billion, though actual dollars will be a bit higher due to inflation etc.

That’s if, and only if, the USAF doesn’t start asking for design changes. If they do, that would trigger a cycle of charges over and above the agreed contract.

As of December 2012, schedule planning looked like this:

Concurrence concerns

The USAF has maintained its Q4 FY 2015 (summer 2015) goal for a successful Operational Assessment and Milestone C decision, and this remains the official target. Success which would clear the way for 2 firm-fixed-price Low-Rate Initial Production (LRIP) lots to deliver the initial 19 aircraft. Full-Rate Production options would follow beginning in FY 2017 as a firm-fixed-price contract with some adjustments for outside circumstances, and a not-to-exceed cap. The USAF will be assessing the possibility of breaking out the engines as a separate government procurement in FRP, instead of having Boeing provide them.

As Airbus predicted when the contract was awarded, however, Boeing has admitted to trouble meeting these development milestones. The schedule will need to be changed, but there’s no official replacement schedule yet.

The schedule may need to incorporate other changes as well. The Pentagon’s own DOT&E testers have doubted proclaimed Initial Operational Test and Evaluation (IOT&E) dates (Q3 FY 2016 – Q1 2017) for some time. Beyond technical issues that have slowed the new design, testing must avoid revealing significant problems.
Initial Operational Capability (IOC) was pegged for August 2017, with Full Operational Capability (FOC) expected by August 2019, but USAF Air Mobility Command is no longer giving official target dates.

The program as a whole is expected to end by 2028.

The KC-46A Production Phase: Risks & Numbers

KC-10 & F/A-18C

The current program calls for Boeing to begin delivering KC-46As to the USAF by 2015. Unfortunately, the KC-46A is too different from previous KC-767A models sold to Japan and Italy, so it will need its own development, testing, and certification time. That’s why Airbus and program skeptics have always doubted that Boeing could deliver 18 certified, fully developed and tested planes by 2017. Boeing disputes this, but the Pentagon’s own DOT&E office added weight to those concerns in its 2011 reports, which declared the KC-46A’s test program “not executable.” That continues to be a concern.

Beyond basic integration and certification considerations, a March 2012 GAO report cites 6 key technical risks to the program:

1. Weight limits. The KC-46A is close to its limit, and any more growth will start to take away fuel capacity, while increasing fuel burn rate. As of December 2013, Boeing remains confident that they will remain under the maximum take-off weight of 204,000 pounds.

2. New wing refueling pods. The KC-46’s pods will be redesigned to reduce buffeting of the aircraft’s wing, and change the way the refueling hose exits the pod. Still a technical risk as of December 2013.

3. 3-D display for the boom operator.

4. Threat Correlation Software. Used to help plot safe routes, along with the…

5. ESTAR software.

6. ALR-69 Radar Warning Receiver integration. Issues like figuring out precise placement, and antenna design, make fitting a large aircraft more challenging than many people expect.

Problems with these or other systems could delay the program further, and some of these issues could also make certification harder or longer. Even so, the actual risk that set the development program back wasn’t any of these. It was the need to redesign certain wiring sections for military-grade shielding requirements and mandatory separation distances.

Meanwhile, the USAF plans to respond to continued budget cuts by removing their existing KC-10 heavy refuelers entirely, adding tremendous risk by removing their inherent boom/hose versatility, and leaving no tanker alternative if the KC-135s develop a serious problem.

Fleet Risks

Over the longer term, plotting even a 3-year production delay against planned deliveries and KC-135 retirements never drops the medium tanker fleet much below present levels. The initial drop is slight, and the same final figure is reached in 2030 instead of 2027. On the other hand, RAND’s 2006 Analysis of Alternatives for KC-X highlighted a very different risk, which needs to be understood:

“The current (December 2005) assessment of the flight-hour life of the KC-135 fleet and the expected future flying-hour programs together imply that these aircraft can operate into the 2040s. It cannot be said with high confidence that this is not the case, although there are risks associated with a fleet whose age is in the 80- to 90-year range. It can also not be said with high confidence that the current fleet can indeed operate into the 2040s without major cost increases or operational shortfalls, up to and including grounding of large parts of the fleet for substantial lengths of time, due to currently unknown technical problems that may arise. The nation does not currently have sufficient knowledge about the state of the KC-135 fleet to project its technical condition over the next several decades with high confidence.”

In English, nobody knows if an airplane fleet that’s already 50 years old will remain safe, or avoid unforeseen mechanical or structural problems, because there’s no previous example of what they’re trying to do. Those kinds of sudden “age-out” problems recently grounded the USAF’s F-15A-D fleet for several months, and led to the unexpected retirement of almost 1/4 of the fleet. If anything similar happens to the KC-135, the USAF’s planned number of aerial tankers may not resemble its actual future fleet.

This risk, and the potential absence of the KC-10, is exactly why the KC-X program has been the USAF’s #1 priority. On the other hand, it’s an equally good reason not to trust the USAF’s own rosy projections for its future fleet size. The graph below shows how this kind of scenario could play out. In DID’s hypothetical example, we used actual data to the present day, plus all planned reductions in the USAF’s 2011 plan. Fleet problems lead to the forced retirement of 1/3 of the remaining fleet in 2021 over safety and cost-to-fix issues, followed by a second mechanical issue or budget crisis that grounds another 55 planes in 2029. The KC-10 fleet is not part of this calculus at all.

The USA’s looming fiscal entitlements crisis will begin to bite in earnest post-2020, and the pattern of cuts in the USA and in other countries shows a marked tendency to simply retire platforms with significant maintenance costs. KC-135 per-hour flight costs are already increasing, and a fleet that also needed expensive refits or fixes would be a prime target for future cuts. Here’s what this scenario looks like:

Finally, DID believes that there will be no KC-Y or KC-Z, so the timing of KC-135 problems and retirements isn’t critical. Any serious problems in the KC-135 fleet could create a similar end-point, even if the drops happened after 2030.

KC-46A Export Prospects

IAI’s KC-767 MMTT

Once the KC-46As do enter service, they will join Italy’s KC-767A (4) and Japan’s KC-767J (4) small KC-767 fleets. Both customers have experienced long delivery delays while Boeing has worked to iron out technical problems, and their KC-767s will have a number of key differences from the KC-46A. Japan’s boom-equipped KC-767s were delivered form 2008-2010, but Italy’s aircraft with hose-and-drogue systems were only accepted in February 2011.

That’s one option, if Boeing will produce the planes.

The KC-46A’s schedule and dwindling civil 767 production are problematic for export orders, because the USAF will be Boeing’s sole focus until the EMD Phase is done in 2017 – or later. Countries that need aerial tankers before 2019-2020 will need to look elsewhere. Boeing declined to bid on India’s aerial tanker RFP, for instance. There’s also a customer commitment issue. Should customers accept the KC-767A, which is certified and in service, or wait for the KC-46A, and hope it’s on time?

Airbus sees this lock-up as an opportunity to add to its A330 MRTT customer list, of course, signing customers like India, Qatar, and Singapore. Ironically, the other big beneficiary may by Israel’s IAI Bedek, whose inexpensive KC-767 MMTT conversion of used Boeing freighters already has customers in Colombia and Brazil.

As of June 2013, Boeing was reportedly pursuing prospects for up to 20 aerial tanker exports. If so, they have been quiet pursuits. The next big opportunity will be in South Korea.

KC-X: Contracts & Key Developments FY 2016 – 2018

Boom assembly

August 8/18: Competition Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) and Boeing are currently competing in being the lead vendor in one of Israel’s biggest defense procurement programs. The Israel Air Force is looking to modernize its fleet of tanker aircraft as means to maintain its air-superiority. IAI proposed to buy buying used Boeing 767 aircraft on the open market and converting them for airborne refueling of combat planes, however Boeing is reluctant to grant IAI permits to convert its planes to tanker configuration. Boeing has a clear interest in ousting IAI from the procurement program as it wants to push sales of its newly developed KC-46, which comes with a price-tag of $250-300 million. The Israel Air Force’s current tankers are used Boeing 707s converted by IAI in the early 1980s.

May 08/18: Can the KC-46 be delivered in time? Boeing’s KC-46 Tanker program hit another bump. Due to continuous cost overruns and schedule delays, the company has racked up more than $3 billion worth of pretax charges. Just last week Boeing disclosed another $81 million-pretax penalty on the program in its financial report for the first quarter of 2018. According to the terms of Boeing’s fixed-price development contract with the US Air Force, the company is responsible for any costs over the $4.9 billion award. Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson has been publicly dismissive of the company’s progress, telling lawmakers that the company has perhaps been too focused on its lucrative commercial business to give the tanker program the attention it deserves. In total, Boeing has 34 KC-46s in some stage of production, and the first four aircraft planned for delivery have already flown and are in storage. Despite company officials reassuring that all ‘required assets available’ obligations can be met, it is yet unclear if Boeing will be able to deliver all of the 18 certified KC-46s and nine refueling pods this year.

April 30/18: More delivery delays A new assessment carried out by the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) has found that Boeing will be unable to deliver all 18 KC-46 Pegasus aerial refueling tankers this year and will only be able to do so in May 2019. Speaking on the new timeline after a visit to Boeing’s Seattle facility in March, Air Force Under Secretary Matt Donovan said the firm “were very pressurized to get this the last ten yards” to delivery, adding that first delivery “is not a contractual requirement,” and the original goal of April to June 2016 “was always an estimate.” Still, it’s “a psychological milestone, and it’s important to us.” He added that he had also seen software fixes that “will vastly improve” the refueling operations.

April 9/18: Milestone in the face of delays Boeing has scored another milestone in its KC-46 Pegasus tanker program, several weeks after Secretary of the Air Force Heather Wilson criticised the firm for delays to the program. The announcement made by Boeing on Wednesday said that the Pegasus completed the fuel on-load testing portion required for the FAA Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) by refueling another KC-46A in mid-air. The fuel transfer took place during a 3h, 40min-long flight on an undisclosed date, successfully transferring 66,200kg (146,000lb) of jet fuel and achieved the maximum fuel off-load rate of 1,200 gallons per minute. The KC-46 now has demonstrated the ability to receive fuel from three tankers in the USAF fleet: KC-46, KC-135 and KC-10 aircraft, Boeing says. It also has demonstrated refueling with other aircraft including the F-16, F/A-19, AV-8B, C-17 and A-10.

March 22/18: Wilson slams delays Boeing’s KC-46 Pegasus tanker program has come under fire after Secretary of the Air Force Heather Wilson took the firm to task during a House Armed Services Committee hearing on Tuesday, Flight Global reports. During the hearing, Wilson criticised the airframer over delivery delays of the aircraft to the USAF saying: “One of the frustrations with Boeing is they are much more focused on their commercial activity then getting this right for the Air Force, and getting these aircraft to the Air Force.” “We have asked them to get their A team on this to get these problems fixed and get the aircraft to the Air Force,” she added. The firm responded by saying that “there is no greater priority at The Boeing Company right now than the delivery of the KC-46,” however, did not guarantee that the first batch of tankers would be delivered by the second quarter of 2018. The USAF awarded Boeing a $4.9 billion contract in 2011 to modify the 767-2C commercial freighter into the KC-46A military tanker, but manufacturing and development issues have caused the firm to reportedly lose $2 billion.

March 2/18: EPT Testing Following a report released in January expressing concerns about the KC-46 Pegasus tanker aircraft, the US Air Force is working with the Pentagon’s operational test and evaluation office to dissuade these issues while maintaining the aircraft will keep to its milestones and schedules. One issue raised was that the aircraft did not meet the office’s standards for electromagnetic pulse testing—which took place in July at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland, and Edwards Air Force Base, California—however, this was because not all of the systems were online during the previous round of tests. The test showed that the tanker’s flight-critical and boom-refueling systems could withstand a 6-decibel electromagnetic pulse, but certain systems were uninstalled or deactivated before testing, according to the report. “The systems that were uninstalled or deactivated were not flight critical or required for aerial refueling operations,” the command said. There are no plans as of yet for additional EPTs.

December 27/17: FMS Contract-Japan Work is to begin on producing Japan’s first KC-46 tanker aircraft, following the $289 million USAF firm-fixed-price contract awarded to Boeing to deliver one unit to Tokyo. The contract provides for non-recurring engineering, integrated logistics support and one KC-46A aircraft and is a 100 percent foreign military sale (FMS) to the Japanese government. Work will take place in Seattle, Washington with delivery to the JASDF to take place by February 28, 2021. Once delivered, the KC-46 will add a significant boost to Japan’s aerial refueling capabilities, adding to the current fleet of four KC-767J tankers.

December 8/17: Milestone-First Flight Despite announcing delays to its delivery schedule on Tuesday, good news rocked the KC-46A Pegasus Tanker program as the first operational aircraft successfully carried out its maiden flight on the same day. Over the course of the 3.5 hour flight, test pilots took the tanker to 39,000 feet and performed operational checks on its systems before landing. The model used in the test is the seventh built for the program, with the previous models used for certification and testing and to date have racked up 2,200 flight hours and more than 1,600 “contacts” during refueling flights with F-16, F/A-18, AV-8B, C-17, A-10, KC-10 and KC-46 aircraft.

December 6/17: Delivery Delays Boeing has admitted that the planned delivery of the first KC-46 Pegasus tanker aircraft to the US Air Force (USAF) has been postponed. The firm had previously maintained, as recently as last month, that it was confident the tanker could be delivered by the end of the year, after missing the initial delivery deadline of August 2017. Now, Boeing say deliveries will now take place in 2018, and is contractually obliged to deliver 18 KC-46s and nine refueling pods by October 2018—14 months later than originally planned. Cost overruns for the program experienced by Boeing to date amount to approximately $2.9 billion pretax, or $1.9 billion after tax.

November 16/17: Despite testing issues and delivery delays, Boeing has been aggressively marketing its new KC-46A tanker aircraft to Middle East governments at this year’s Dubai Airshow. There is a high demand for aerial tankers in the region as the US Air Force’s (USAF) tanker fleet supports the Saudi Arabian-led aerial campaign in Yemen with air refuelling, and the airshow is being used by Boeing as an opportunity to get governments to augment their tanker capabilities or switch allegiances. But the US airframer will have its work cut out for them—rival Airbus has recently delivered its A330 tanker to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait.

November 1/17: Early test data gathered by the US Air Force (USAF) has led the service to be confident that a software solution could fix some deficiencies found in the Boeing KC-46 tanker aircraft. Speaking on the testing, Gen Carlton Everhart, commander of the USAF Air Mobility Command, said the reprograming could fix a high-frequency (HF) transmit as well as an “uncommanded boom extension”, although further testing will be required. The HF radio, which must be turned off to avoid electrical sparking between the boom and receiver, is now tolerable according to vendors, while the boom extension issue does not damage the aircraft.

October 16/17: A Boeing and US Air Force (USAF) test team has successfully completed the first mid-air refueling involving two KC-46A aerial tankers. The demonstration took place during a recent four-hour flight, during which the two aircraft transferred 38,100 pounds of fuel to each other at 1,200 gallons of fuel per minute. Manufacturer Boeing hailed the demonstration as a “milestone” that opens the door to additional certification and specification compliance testing. More than a dozen KC-46s will be delivered to the USAF next year and will begin replacing the service’s ageing fleet of KC-135s. So far, KC-46 test aircraft have had more than 1,300 contacts during refueling flights with a number of aircraft, including the F-16, F/A-18, AV-8B, C-17, A-10 and KC-10.

September 26/17: The US Air Force (USAF) has expressed concern that Boeing will face difficulties in meeting a contractual obligation to deliver 18 KC-46 tankers to the service on time. Testing conducted in 2016 found a series of “category one” deficiencies, including where its boom scraped the surface of the aircraft being refueled. The testing also found that the tanker is not detecting when it is missing the receptacle, making it impossible for a KC-46 pilot to communicate that the receiving aircraft has potentially been damaged, the USAF said. While the USAF still believes that Boeing will fix these deficiencies in time to deliver the first KC-46 in late spring of 2018 (with a contractually mandated “required assets available” deadline for 18 tankers following in October), the service did not commit to accepting the aircraft from Boeing if the problem was not fixed, and at this point the timeline for resolving the issue is yet to be determined.

September 21/17: The head of the USAF’s Air Mobility Command has revealed that deliveries of the KC-46A tanker from Boeing will likely take place next year, and it remains unknown whether the firm will meet the “required assets available” milestone scheduled for October 2018. Speaking at the annual Air, Space and Cyber conference near Washington DC, Gen Carlton Everhart said that the service had discovered severe flaws on the tanker, known as “category 1 deficiencies”. Among the most glaring, the tip of its boom has on occasion struck receiver aircraft outside their refuelling slipways. Unless Boeing resolve the issue quickly it could delay a scheduled 1 December delivery.

September 14/17: Boeing expects to deliver its KC-46A tanker to the US Air Force by December, but the service branch expects that this schedule will slip into spring 2018. Brig. Gen. Donna Shipton, Tankers Directorate program executive officer said that the manufacturer has made “steady progress, just slower than planned” to complete Federal Aviation Administration certifications and flight tests. In recent months, Boeing had projected first deliveries in March and later August of this year before its most recent target date of December. The USAF plans to buy 179 KC-46 tankers through 2027. Eventually, the service branch expects to replace 455 aging KC-135 Stratotankers and KC-10 Extender tankers in the fleet.

July 31/17: Electromagnetic testing of the KC-46A Pegasus tanker has been completed by a joint team involving Boeing, the USAF, and the Naval Air Systems command, moving the aircraft closer to its first delivery. Testing took place at Naval Air Station Patuxent, Md. electromagnetic pulse laboratory and the Benefield Anechoic Facility at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif, which aimed to assess whether the aircraft could safely operate when confronted by the electromagnetic fields generated by equipment like radar. A Government Accountability Office (GAO) report in March had deemed the tests as one of the two key risk factors that could keep Boeing from meeting its delivery goals. However, Boeing has stated that the timing of the electromagnetic tests would not push back other key milestones and that the company still intends to deliver the first KC-46A this year.

June 12/17: Delivery of KC-46A tanker aircraft to the USAF has been pushed back until Spring 2018,according to service officials.Manufacturer Boeing had initially scheduled the first deliveries for this September, but this has now been pushed back while the manufacturer acquires airworthiness certifications and complete a flight test program for the plane. The delay is not expected to add addition costs to the taxpayer.

June 2/17: A KC-46 Pegasus tanker aircraft has entered the Benefield Anechoic Facility (BAF) at Edwards Air Force Base to undergo testing. The tests in question are integral in order to demonstrate that the tanker meets Federal Aviation Administration certification requirements and Defense Department electromagnetic environmental effects requirements for systems. These tests include shielding effectiveness, emission control and high intensity radiated fields. The BAF is the largest anechoic chamber in the world, and provides a location where electronic warfare tests can be conducted without radio frequency interference from the outside world.

May 5/17: Boeing has reached an important milestone in bringing its KC-46 tanker programcloser to serial production, announcing that it now has has a total of six units ready for its testing program. The newest, of the planes, which is the second to be produced under a low-rate production order, conducted its first test flight on April 26, and future testing will be largely focus on ensuring that the tanker can stand up to electromagnetic fields—radars and powerful radio towers are capable of scrambling aircraft electronic systems if they are not carefully shielded. Boeing intends to eventually produce as many as 179 KC-46 tankers for the USAF.

March 29/17: Boeing has received a $59 million contract modification to continue production for the USAF’s KC-46 tanker aircraft. The deal will see the company provide interim contracting support, a temporary service conducted in lieu of organic capability for a predetermined time. The deal allows Boeing to defer investment in all or part of required support resources. Work is expected to be complete by March, 2018.

February 23/17: Boeing is taking some suppliers to court after they sold mislabeled chemicals that caused the maiden flight of the KC-46 tanker to be delayed by a month. Able Aerospace Adhesives and AlfaKleen Chemical Labs, both from California, are being sued in the sum of $10 million or more for the mix up, whose incorrect chemical damaged components in the jet’s refueling system, and time was lost by Boeing in order to to replace those damaged parts. The liquid provided was certified to meet MIL-PRF-680 Type III certification; it was, however, actually more acidic than required.

January 30/17: Boeing has won a $2.1 billion contract for the provision of 15 KC-46 aerial refueling aircraft to the US Air Force. The contract, awarded on Friday, is in addition to the initial $4.2 billion contract awarded by the USAF to develop and test the aircraft, and an earlier $2.8 billion award for 19 planes. So far, the fixed-price contract has incurred cost-over runs of $2.4 billion, including a recent $201 million after-tax charge that Boeing announced on Wednesday.

January 26/17: It seems likely that the KC-46A aerial tanker will not meet its aggressive delivery schedule, with manufacturer Boeing stalling deliveries to the USAF until late 2017. Boeing had already moved its delivery schedule from March to August. The revelations were found in an annual report by the DoD’s Director of Operational Test & Evaluation, which stated “execution of the current schedule assumes historically unrealistic test aircraft fly and re-fly rates.”

November 18/16: Boeing is eager to sell its KC-46A aerial refueling tanker to India. The Indian Air Force has yet to procure a capability to refuel its C-17 and P-8I aircraft, and New Delhi has eyed up the Pegasus to fill such a role. A laborious search has been underway to fill a six multi-role tanker capability soon to be vacated by their aging IL-76 aircraft. Earlier attempts to procure Airbus A 330 MRTT never came to fruition.

September 23/16: The US State Department has cleared the sale of four KC-46A aerial refueling tankers to Japan in what is estimated to be a $1.9 billion deal. All aircraft will come equipped with Northrop Grumman’s AN/AAQ-24(V) Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasures (LAIRCM) system. Tokyo first announced its intention to purchase the new tankers last October, with the recent approval from the Pentagon moving it closer to becoming the aircraft’s first foreign customer for manufacturer Boeing.

September 22/16: Gen. Carlton Everhart, head of the mobility command of the USAF has said that the number of KC-46 tankers the service is set to procure by 2028 are not enough. 179 units of Boeing’s latest tanker will be delivered; however between 2028 and 2035, no KC-46s are scheduled for delivery, leaving a capability gap. To remedy the issue, Everhart suggested that the flying branch embark on a study this year for a new KC-Z aerial refueling tanker that will enter service in 2035, as well as looking into the possibility of developing a “KC-Y” tanker to fill the procurement gap.

August 22/16: Last week ended on an extremely good note for both Boeing and Lockheed Martin after the companies were awarded major multi-billion contracts by the USAF. For Boeing, an impressive $2.8 billion award was granted on Thursday as part of the low rate initial production of the KC-46A following the tanker’s Milestone C decision earlier this month. 19 aircraft will be produced alongside spare parts, engines and refueling pods. However, this was astronomically dwarfed on Friday when Lockheed Martin was handed a $10 billion deal for all future orders of the C-130J Super Hercules production program as well as any foreign military sales for the aircraft.

August 15/16: After a long wait, the KC-46A tanker has been cleared for production. The Milestone C approval was awarded by US Under secretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics, Frank Kendall, following a series of stringent refueling tests of various USAF and Navy aircraft. Contracts are expected to be awarded to Boeing within the next 30 days for the first two low rate initial production lots, totaling 19 aircraft.

August 12/16: A long awaited low-rate initial production decision for the KC-46 tanker is to be made by the end of the month. Secretary of the USAF Deborah Lee James informed the media of the upcoming meeting “We believe that the aircraft has met all of the wickets that are required to meet milestone C, but of course that remains to be seen, so I’ll say stay tuned on that.” Flight testing of the aircraft wound up in July following a number of hardware and software fixes to the plane’s boom following aerial refueling problems.

August 9/16: Ground has been broken on the new $44 million KC-46A Pegasus sustainment campus at Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma. The facility will be responsible for all the maintenance, repair and overhaul operations required for the tanker. The first KC-46A are expected to roll into Tinker in 2018.

July 25/16: Boeing has announced the latest in an ongoing saga of cost overruns with the company taking a $393 million hit on the KC-46 tanker program. Well published issues such as the fault with the aircraft’s refueling boom have resulted in delays to the aircraft reaching an important program milestone prior to initial production. The charges are to be formally announced on July 27 and brings the total value of penalties to almost $1.9 billion. Don’t worry Boeing, the next round of drinks are on us.

July 20/16: Following the refueling of an A-10 Thunderbolt, the KC-46 has completed the last in a series of in-flight refueling tests necessary before its Milestone C production decision. A selection of Navy, USAF and USMC aircraft were chosen including the C-17, F-16, F/A-18 and AV-8B. The Milestone C decision to begin low-rate initial production is expected in August.

July 15/16: A KC-46A fitted with its brand new modified boom has successfully managed a mid-air refueling of a C-17 with the previous axial loading issues no longer present. The testing was carried out on July 12 and the USAF also refueled an F-16 on July 8. Refueling attempts with the F-16 earlier this year were successful, although a higher than expected axial load on the boom was detected. The higher load was again present during the initial attempt with the C-17 which necessitated installation of hydraulic pressure relief valves in the boom.

July 12/16: “Bypass surgery” has been carried out on the KC-46A to fix problems with the the flying boom on the tanker. A hardware fix has been implemented by adding two bypass valves to lighten the load on the boom. Boeing describing the modification as similar to that used on the US Air Force’s current KC-10 tankers.

June 6/16: Setbacks to the KC-46A tanker program have been compounded as Boeing has admitted that a software solution to fix the load issues on the flying boom was not robust enough and the company will have to modify the hardware itself. The plane was initially aiming to have a low-production order to deliver 18 tankers by next August. Issues arose during refueling trials with larger aircraft such as the C-17 military transporters which caused unacceptable stress loads along the axis of the boom.

May 31/16: Following close on the heals of the F-35’s delay in achieving initial operational capability (IOC), the KC-46A tanker will miss its scheduled Spring 2017 delivery to units. Instead, deliveries have been rescheduled for late summer or early fall of next year. The KC-46 tanker program was already on a tight trialing schedule as part of its Milestone C demonstration in June, but will now be pushed back until August.

May 9/16: Boeing has announced that they have developed a hardware and software fix for the KC-46A aerial tanker, allowing it to pass fuel to C-17 aircraft. The company encountered problems regarding a boom axial load issue during an earlier test to refuel the C-17, causing a setback to the already delayed flight test program. A “milestone C” decision on low rate production by the Pentagon is now expected in June after initially planned for April and now May.

April 29/16: April 29/16: Legislation being considered by the House Armed Services Committee (HASC) could see the last external link of the USAF’s F-117A Nighthawk fleet sent to the scrap yard. Retired since 2007, a fleet of the pioneering stealth aircraft have been kept in special climate controlled storage hangers in the event they were ever needed again. Now, Congress is considering removing those mothballed aircraft and having them scrapped and gutted for hard-to-find parts.

April 28/16: The forth and final test aircraft of Boeing’s KC-46A tanker program has made its maiden flight. While not kitted out for aerial refueling, the 767-2C aircraft will be used to conduct environmental control system testing for the program. The arrival of the latest tanker comes as Boeing scrambles to complete a “milestone C” review by the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD). A favorable review will unleash additional funds needed for the program, including a seven tanker production order, which the manufacturer had already begun producing out of its own pocket.

April 13/16: Despite development setbacks and a recent Milestone C demonstration hiccup, Boeing believes that it can deliver 18 operational KC-46 Pegasus tankers within six months instead of the original 14. The plan has been labelled “optimistic” in a new report by the US Government Accountability Office (GAO). While the GAO notes that most of the issues have been amended successfully, the recent problems seen in the aircraft’s centerline drogue system and wing aerial refueling pods may make this optimistic projection nothing but wishful thinking.

April 5/16: The otherwise fast pace of the KC-46A’s aerial refueling demonstration phase has started to run into difficulty. Testing on refueling of Boeing’s C-17 heavy cargo lifter has resulted in higher than expected boom axial loads, caused by two large aircraft flying in line. This bow-wave effect has subsequently caused the system to indicate that the loads were too high to begin passing fuel. Subsequent delays caused by the issues have resulted in scheduled trials of the A-10 attack aircraft being pushed back, and any further issues may impact a low-production rate decision due to be made at the end of May.

March 24/16: The Defense Contract Management Agency has expressed its “low confidence” in Boeing’s ability to deliver the KC-46A on time. Delivery of the tanker to the USAF is expected by August 2017 and is currently in the process of undergoing its Milestone C Demonstrations. Despite this, the agency now believes Boeing can only deliver the 18 KC-46As by March 2018, and there is a possibility that the new date might not be achievable either.

March 7/16: Boeing’s second KC-46A aerial refueling tanker has made its first flight. The aircraft will be used to test mission system avionics and exterior lighting before moving onto sharing the air refueling effort with the first KC-46. With a second fully configured tanker, Boeing can move through “receiver certification” for 18 aircraft types a lot more quickly. At present, the KC-46 has already demonstrated functionality with the Lockheed Martin F-16, Boeing F/A-18 and refueling from a Boeing KC-10.

February 26/16: Despite a successful start to the KC-46 Milestone C demonstrations, Boeing is still under pressure to keep to its tight window to have 46 of the tankers operational by August 2017. The original schedule is at present eight months behind after a number of setbacks, and leaves little room for error until the delivery deadline. While funding of the program and technical difficulties are not a contributing factor, it’s feared that the Air Mobility Command (AMC) won’t have sufficient time for the 767-2C-based tankers to declare initial operational capability on schedule.

February 24/16: The KC-46 is halfway through its six aerial contact tests as part of the program‘s “Milestone C” demonstrations. The tanker has now successfully demonstrated all three of its major fuel systems after being successfully topped up by another KC-10 aircraft. The February 16 test follows the refueling of a F-16 and F/A-18 over the last number of weeks, and keeps the program right on track for a low-rate initial production decision in May. The three remaining tests will involve probe-and-drogue testing with a US Navy AV-8B Harrier II jump jet, followed by boom refueling of a Fairchild Republic A-10 and Boeing C-17.

February 16/16: Testing of the refueling capabilities of the KC-46 tanker has hit another target with the successful refueling of an F/A-18 fighter. This follows its first ever refueling flight on January 24, where it successfully refueled an F-16. While the first test utilized the tanker’s refueling “boom,” a rigid, telescoping tube that an operator on the aircraft extends and inserts into a receptacle on the receiving aircraft for fuel transfer, the F/A-18 test was the program’s first usage of the KC-46’s hose and drogue system. Located on both the plane’s wing and centerline, the hose and drogue system enables the KC-46 to refuel smaller aircraft such as the F/A-18 with up to 400 gallons of fuel per minute. All tests are part of the program’s Milestone C demonstration before a low-rate initial production decision is made later this year.

February 11/16: An Israeli news source has reported that the US government has cleared the sale for two of Boeing’s newest KC-46A Pegasus aerial refueling tankers to Israel via the security assistance package. The Pentagon had originally put a pause on selling new aircraft to Israel, initially offering them older models. However, Israel has been insisting on the latest multi-mission tanker with the deal only approved upon the completion of the nuclear deal with Iran. The tanker sale could have become a point of contention for Tehran as its specs allow for a range of 7,350 miles with in-flight refueling. With an average price tag of $188 million each, the addition of Israeli system modifications will see each aircraft cost a quarter of a billion dollars.

January 26/16: The USAF and Boeing have reached an important milestone in the development of the KC-46 tanker after it successfully carried out a mid-air refueling of an F-16 jet. Prior to the refueling, both had checked a number of test points during the flight, with a successful demonstration necessary before Boeing can enter the plane into low rate production. The USAF has ordered 176 of the tankers to replace their KC-135 Stratotankers with the first eighteen of the tankers needed to be operational and ready to go by August 2017.

October 26/15: In a not unexpected decision, the Japanese Defence Ministry has opted to buy three KC-46A Pegasus tankers, marking the first international sale of the aircraft, which is still in development. The three new aircraft will bolster the JASDF’s fleet of four KC-767s, with each of the new aircraft thought to value $173 million. The KC-46As are slated for fielding in 2020, with the Boeing bid fending off competition from Airbus’ A330 MRTT. Elsewhere in the region, South Korea selected the Airbus design in July, signing a contract for four A330-MRTTs.

October 23/15: The KC-46A Pegasus tanker EMD-1 development aircraft has arrived at Edwards AFB for two weeks of work, including Ground Effects and Fuel Onload Fatigue tests. The latter involves learning more about how the aircraft operates when taking on fuel from another tanker, such as a KC-135 or KC-10, while Ground Effects testing collects data to incorporate into the aircraft’s simulator. The other development aircraft (EMD-2) deployed its refuelling boom for the first time in October, with EMD-1’s maiden flight in September.

October 12/15: The KC-46A Pegasus tanker has deployed its refuelling systems for the first time, including its boom, hose and drogue systems. The tanker performed its first flight in September, following a delay in August. Boeing is working towards an initial operating capability – which will see 18 KC-46A and support available for operations – by August 2017.

October 9/15: Two Air Force pilots have been cleared to fly the KC-46A Pegasus tanker, which performed its first test flight in late September. The pilots will be used for military certification of the aircraft, which is also required to pass FAA regulations. The Air Force is eventually scheduled to receive 179 KC-46A tankers under a contract awarded to Boeing in February 2011; the fixed-cost nature of the contract means that Boeing has been forced twice to absorb development costs, with the Air Force’s costs capped at $4.9 billion.

FY 2015

September 28/15: A fully-configured KC-46A tanker completed its first flight on Friday, a month later than scheduled owing to the chemical mix-up in early August. The program is a year behind schedule, the first flight is a rare positive sign for a program hit by cost spikes and schedule delays, with Boeing scheduled to deliver 18 aircraft in August 2017.

September 18/15: With Airbus walking away from the competition earlier this month, the Japanese Defense Ministry has reportedly selected the Boeing KC-46A to supply the country’s next generation refuelling tanker. Price negotiations are now scheduled, with the number of tankers the Defense Ministry plans to procure not yet determined. Boeing lost out in South Korea to the Airbus A330 MRTT in July.

September 17/15: The first KC-46A tanker is expected to fly on 25 September, following a year-long delay. The trouble-hit tanker has become a headache for Boeing, which has been absorbing increasing development costs through a firm-fixed contract signed in February 2011 which capped Air Force costs at $4.9 billion. The most recent setback resulted from an accident involving the insertion of chemicals into the aircraft’s refuelling system in early August, pushing the tanker’s schedule back by a month.

August 19/15: The mistake earlier this month involving the accidental insertion of chemicals into the fuel system of the KC-46A tanker has officially delayed the aircraft’s first flight by a month. The tanker will now see its first flight in late-September or early October, with the program’s original timetable calling for this flight to have taken place last year, with this pushed back to April and then again to late August, before this latest setback.

July 1/15: South Korea has selected Airbus’ bid to supply the country’s Air Force with four refueling tankers, beating competitors Israel Aerospace Industries and Boeing for the $1.07 billion program. The winning bid – the A330 MRTT – dashed Boeing’s hopes of securing its first export order for the KC-46A, which saw a strong dollar raise its bid price compared with a weakened euro for the European bid. The four tankers are scheduled for delivery in 2019.

June 10/15: NAVAIR has been slamming missiles into the side of its KC-46 tankers as part of Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division survivability testing at the Weapons Survivability Laboratory. The tests used – among other sensors – ten high-speed cameras to capture the impact of the test missiles, themselves specifically designed to inflict maximum possible damage to the aircraft. The Air Force intends to buy 179 of the tankers to replace approximately a third of the current tanker fleet, which consists principally of KC-135 Stratotankers.

April 24/15: Tinker Air Force Base (Oklahoma) has been named as one of four potential locations to base the Air Force’s fleet of new KC-46A refueling tankers, alongside Seymour-Johnson Air Force Base (North Carolina), Westover Air Reserve Base (Massachusetts) and Grissom Air Reserve Base (Indiana).

Jan 26/15: Flight test. Boeing conducted a flight test from Payne Field in Everett, Washington. The four-hour flight was uneventful, but well-documented.

Dec 10/14: spares. Boeing is awarded a not to exceed $84.5M undefinitized contract action modification (P00054) to previously awarded contract FA8625-11-C-6600 for 4,880 production support equipment items and 6 production spare parts. Work will be performed at Seattle, WA, and is expected to be completed by June 30, 2016. $9.5M in FY14 aircraft procurement funds and $32.2M in FY15 aircraft procurement funds are being obligated at the time of award.

Dec 03/14: wiring. Boeing Dennis Muilenburg told investors during a conference organized by Credit Suisse that wiring problems that had led to delays and charges (q.v. Sept 17/14) were now “resolved and closed out.”

Dec 01/14: Training. The USAF intends to finalize its Maintenance Training System (MTS) RFP in January 2015. The draft, released back in September, is found under solicitation IDN-KC-46-MTS.

Nov 24/14: Personnel. The Air Force Personnel center announces that the aircrew of 41 officers and enlisted members from the active force, Reserve and National Guard have been selected to staff initial operational test and evaluation (IOT&E).

Nov 19/14: Schedule. The USAF publicly admits what KC-46A program watchers already know: Boeing is essentially out of schedule margin to deliver the 767-based KC-46As on time by 2017. The USAF is still describing the contract as “achievable,” but so many things have to go right that this isn’t a smart bet for outside observers. The USAF won’t really say anything else until disaster is certain, though, because the admission will make the service look bad (q.v. March 4/11). Sources: Reuters, “US Air Force sees challenges on Boeing KC-46 tanker program”.

Oct 16/14: Delays. Boeing finally admits that the KC-46A’s program schedule will have to be changed. They don’t know how many milestones will need adjustment, but they’re still holding to the idea that they’ll have 18 KC-46As delivered by August 2017.

Can they avoid proving Airbus’ March 4/11 prediction that Boeing would deliver late? It’s hard to see how Boeing’s on-time promise adds up now, given significant GAO and DOT&E concerns that the testing program as proposed is too compressed and can’t be executed (q.v. April 11/14, Sept 17/13). Boeing gets to try convincing Pentagon acquisition officials with an official submission early in 2015, and the USAF will then conduct its own “schedule risk assessment” to examine Boeing’s assumptions.

Most ways of speeding up programs involve spending more money, though that tends to have diminishing returns past a certain point. The program’s official cash reserve is expected to run dry in March 2015, but the USAF’s costs are capped, so it’s likely that Boeing will wind up spending more private funds on KC-46A development. Sources: Bloomberg, “Boeing Seeks Revised Schedule for U.S. Aerial Tanker”.

FY 2014

Competition in South Korea? Initial basing decisions; Boeing takes extra costs charge, announces delays.

Workers saluted

Sept 17/14: Flight delay. First flight for the KC-46A is in question due to the same wiring bundle technical issues that forced Boeing to take an additional $272 million Q2/14 charge on the program (q.v. July 23/14). USAF spokesman Ed Gulick:

“We are disappointed with Boeing’s current KC-46 production challenges and their inability to meet internal production milestones, but we do not see anything of great concern and are confident they will overcome the issues,” said Gulick in a statement to Puget Sound Business Journal. “The KC-46 program’s technical and cost performance are on-track; Boeing has met every contractual requirement to date.”

The baseline 767 has about 70 miles of wiring in the design, and the need for redundancy in certain systems pushes the 767-2C to 120 miles, including shielding requirements and mandatory separation distances for safety reasons. The redesign will address these issues, but it sideswipes plans for concurrent installation in the 4 test aircraft currently under construction. Given the program’s known issue with compressed test schedules (q.v. April 11/14), they had better be ready by April 2015. Sources: Aviation Week, “First Flight for KC-46 Tanker Platform Slips Further” | Puget Sound Business Journal, “Air Force ‘disappointed’ in Boeing tanker delays; issues cost Boeing millions”.

Sept 15/14: Training. The USAF issues a Draft Request for Proposal (DRFP) for the KC-46 Maintenance Training System (MTS) Program. It consists of various specific component trainers, e-learning materials, and Training System Support Center build-outs. Sources: FBO.gov, “KC-46 Maintenance Training System, Solicitation Number: IDN-KC-46-MTS”.

Aug 5/14: Basing. The USAF announces that the KC-46A’s MOB2 Air National Guard base will be Pease ANGB, NH, which beat Forbes AGS, KS; Joint-Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, NJ; Pittsburgh International Airport AGS, PA; and Rickenbacker AGS, OH.

Pease has apparently been the preferred alternative since May 2013, owing to its location in a region of high air refueling receiver demand and successful ANG-USAF partnership. This announcement follows the required environmental reviews. Sources: Pentagon NR-409-14, “Pease Air National Guard Base selected to receive KC-46A Pegasus aircraft”.

Basing: MOB2 ANG picked

July 23/14: Cost. During a Q2 analyst conference call, Boeing CEO Jim McNerney says that they’re absorbing a $272 million unexpected charge related to problems with KC-767 wiring harnesses:

“We bid the EMD (engineering manufacturing and development) contract for the tanker aggressively, with zero margin, with planned profitability in the production phase. Despite our disappointment in encountering these challenges, the issues are well understood, and no new technology is needed to solve them…. We have a wet fuel lab, a lighting lab, those have all been put in place to de-risk the program. We have a wet lab where we are running fuel through pumps and valves to validate that on the ground.”

Sources: Boeing, “Boeing Reports Second-Quarter Results and Raises 2014 EPS Guidance” | Puget Sound Business Journal, “Boeing: We can fix Air Force tanker problems without new technology”.

July 14/14: Cost. The KC-46A development phase could end up costing Boeing more than expected. That may concern Boeing executives, but the USAF won’t pay any more and doesn’t care:

“Defense Undersecretary Frank Kendall told reporters late on Sunday that Boeing was performing “satisfactorily” on the KC-46 tanker program, but several events – including water damage caused by a sprinkler malfunction at the company’s Everett, Washington plant – meant costs were higher than expected.”

Boeing says that they’ll be able to cut costs with their testing approach. We’ll see. Sources: Reuters, “AIRSHOW-Boeing may face higher than expected costs on KC-46 tanker”.

June 30/14: South Korea. Boeing confirms that they’ve formally offered South Korea the KC-46A tanker being developed for the USAF, rather than the KC-767 model that’s already in service with Japan and Italy. They tout the KC-46A’s quick-conversion main deck cargo floor, but in the face of North Korea’s WMD arsenal, and ability to target ROKAF bases with missiles, they make a point of mentioning that:

“Unique among tankers, the KC-46 can operate in chemical, biological and nuclear conditions, features cockpit armor for protection from small arms fire, and can also operate from a large variety of smaller airfields and forward-deployed austere bases.”

Sources: Boeing, “Boeing Offers Next-Generation KC-46 Tanker in Republic of Korea Competition”.

June 4/14: Infrastructure. The Ross Group Construction Corp. in Tulsa, OK wins a $17.5 million firm-fixed-price contract with options, to built the KC-46A Fuselage Trainer Flight Training Center and the Fuselage Trainer at Altus AF, OK. Option 4 for sidewalks and landscaping, and Option 5 for additional concrete parking stalls, are exercised at time of contract award. Altus AFB was recently chosen as the KC-46A’s main training base (q.v. April 23/14), and already operates in that capacity for the KC-135 fleet.

The estimated completion date is Oct 5/15. Bids were solicited via the Internet, with 7 received by the US Army Corps of Engineers in Tulsa, OK (W912BV-14-C-0015).

May 29/14: Infrastructure. MEB General Contractors in Chesapeake, VA wins an $8.4 million firm-fixed-price contract for construction services to alter the KC-46A apron fuels distribution system and supporting facilities at McConnell AFB, KC, and to relocate fuel vents/valves at the 3-bay hangar and 2-bay hangars.

All funds are committed immediately, using FY 2014 military construction budgets. Work will take place at McConnell AFB (KC-46A MOB1), with an estimated completion date of Dec 3/15. Bids were solicited via the Internet, with 2 received. The US Army Corps of Engineers in Kansas City, MO manages the contract (W912DQ-14-C-4010).

Flight Simulator

April 23/14: Basing. The Pentagon announces that McConnell AFB, KS will be is the KC-46A’s active duty-led MOB1 Pegasus main operating base. McConnell won because swapping in 36 KC-46As for 44 KC-135s involved the lowest military construction costs, and the base is located in a high-demand area. McConnell was also seen as “an ideal central location for the new KC-46A Regional Maintenance Training Center.” It beat Fairchild AFB, WA (2 KC-135 Sqns), Grand Forks AFB, ND (1 KC-135 Sqn), and Altus AFB, OK, all of whom will continue to operate KC-135s.

By default, Altus AFB, OK will continue in its FTU tanker training role, which it already performs for the KC-135. Advantages to keeping it in a training role include co-location with both tanker and heavy receiver aircraft for training purposes, and “considerably fewer” new construction requirements vs. McConnell. Altus will begin receiving KC-46A planes in 2016.

The Air National Guard MOB2 base (q.v. Jan 9/13) remains undecided, and will be picked in summer 2014. It will be 1 of Forbes Air Guard Station, KS (whose chances have probably dropped); Joint-Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, NJ; Pease Air Guard Station, NH; Pittsburgh International Airport Air Guard Station, PA; and Rickenbacker Air Guard Station, OH. The winner will begin receiving planes in 2018. Sources: Pentagon, “Air Force Announces Bases to House New Tanker Refueling Aircraft”.

Basing: MOB1 & FTU picked

April 17/14: SAR. The Pentagon finally releases its Dec 31/13 Selected Acquisitions Report [PDF]. The KC-46A has seen the Pentagon’s program costs go down:

“Program costs decreased $2,181.5 million (-4.2%) from $51,642.1 million to $49,460.6 million, due primarily to lower construction estimates based on site surveys of initial bases (-$715.4 million), funding reductions in FY 2015-2018 given stable program execution and no engineering change proposals to date (-$655.6 million), and the removal of construction planning and design funding from FY 2014-2024 budgeted elsewhere (-$268.8 million). Additional program cost decreases included the application of revised escalation indices (-$222.7 million), accelerating the procurement buy profile (-$157.7 million), and sequestration reductions (-$142.9 million).”

Cost decrease

April 11/14: GAO Report. The US GAO tables “KC-46 Tanker Aircraft: Program Generally on Track, but Upcoming Schedule Remains Challenging“. Flight testing is scheduled to begin in June 2014 for the 767-2C, and in January 2015 for the KC-46, but it will be a bit of a squeeze making that:

“The KC-46 program has made good progress to date—acquisition costs have remained relatively stable, high-level schedule and performance goals have been met, the critical design review was successfully completed, and the contractor is building development aircraft. The next 12 months will be challenging as the program must accomplish a significant amount of work and the margin for error is small. For example, the program is scheduled to complete software integration and the first test flights of the 767-2C and KC-46. The remaining software development and integration work is mostly focused on military software and systems and is expected to be more difficult relative to the prior work completed [which is generally on schedule]. The program’s test activities continue to be a concern due to its aggressive test schedule. Detailed test plans must be completed and the program must maintain an unusually high test pace to meet this schedule. Perhaps more importantly, agencies will have to coordinate to concurrently complete multiple air worthiness certifications. While efficient, this approach presents significant risk to the program. The program office must also finalize agreements now in progress to ensure that receiver aircraft are available when and where they are needed to support flight tests.”

The GAO and the Pentagon’s DOT&E group continue to believe that Initial Operation Test & Evaluation should be pushed back 6-12 months, in order to train aircrew and maintenance personnel and verify maintenance procedures. The USAF isn’t convinced yet, and knows that this move would delay the entire project for a similar period. Furthermore, the testing schedule itself is so concurrent that any problems found during test are almost certain to create delays to the program as a whole. One technical area that could still bite them involves “lingering instability in…. the centerline drogue system and wing aerial refueling pod,” but Boeing hopes to fix that before flight testing begins.

Finally, as of December 2013, the original $354 million program reserve budget has just $75 million (21.1%) left, leaving the program at risk of running out before testing begins. As long as the USAF doesn’t change the design, however, that’s Boeing’s problem.

March 31/14: GAO Report. The US GAO tables its “Assessments of Selected Weapon Programs“. Which is actually a review for 2013, plus time to compile and publish.

The KC-46 Tanker program comes in for praise in a couple of areas. One has to do with the “should-cost” method for the final product, which will reportedly save $6.8 billion over the total program, with $6.4 billion listed as already realized. The other area that drew praise was the program’s use of all 4 best practices for development programs: (1) identifying key product characteristics; (2) identifying critical manufacturing processes; (3) conducting producibility assessments to identify manufacturing risks; and (4) completing failure modes and effects analysis to identify potential failures and early design fixes. Boeing should be motivated to do all that, because their contract makes them fully responsible for any fixes required in early production aircraft.

Costs remain almost identical to initial estimates, so far. The bad news is that test boom production has been delayed by almost a year due to design changes and late parts, but Boeing hopes to have it ready in time for initial KC-46A flight testing in January 2015.

March 4-11/14: FY15 Budget. The US military slowly files its budget documents, detailing planned spending from FY 2014 – 2019. The KC-46A program’s revised totals are reflected in the article’s charts, and the USAF has worked hard to protect the program. What’s interesting is the program’s schedule. It hasn’t been changed officially, but Air Mobility Command isn’t giving an official Initial Operational Capability date.

Previous years had listed budgets for spares, but those have effectively been revised. A contractor service agreement for the initial planes will see also spares bought as part of the procurement budgets, until the USAF takes over all maintenance itself.

Feb 20/14: KC-46 Pegasus. USAF Gen. Mark Welsh announces that the KC-46A will be the “Pegasus”. Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James had approved the recommendation from Air Mobility Command boss Gen. Paul Selva earlier in the week. Sources: AFA Air Force Mag, “Introducing the KC-46A Pegasus” | Everett Herald, “Air Force dubs KC-46A tanker ‘Pegasus'”.

KC-46 Pegasus

Jan 16/14: Industrial. Boeing has begun assembling the 4th and final KC-46A test aircraft, and says that the program remains on track to deliver the initial 18 tankers to the Air Force by 2017. According to the current schedule, the 1st flight of a KC-46 test aircraft will take place at mid-2014 without its aerial refueling systems, followed by the first flight of a full KC-46A tanker in early 2015.

The first delivery of a production aircraft to the Air Force is planned for early 2016, but of course that depends on things going well during testing. Official reports to date have been skeptical, so no matter how things turn out, someone is about to be proved wrong. Sources: Boeing, “Boeing Starts Assembly of Final KC-46A Test Aircraft”.

Nov 5/13: Infrastructure. URS Group Inc. in Mobile, AL receives a $13 million firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery contract for architect-engineering services to support USAF KC-46 beddown in the continental United States. The 767 is closer in size to the KC-135, which means that it needs fewer infrastructure changes than the A330/ KC-45.

There will still be facilities and features to build (q.v. FBO.gov, Oct 2/13). Estimated completion date is Nov 14/18, with work location and funding determined with each order. Bids were solicited via the internet, with 57 received by the Army Corps of Engineers in Mobile, AL (W91278-14-D-003).

Oct 22/13: Industrial. Boeing announces that assembly of the 3rd aircraft and 2nd boom are underway. They sound confident that manufacturing of the initial batch of 4 aircraft remains on track to be completed by Q3 2014.

This would be good news for their USAF client, and would also help the company make its case in South Korea (q.v. Aug 7/13), where parliament is about to review whether to proceed with a competition for 4 tankers to be delivered in 2017-19. Sources: Boeing, Oct 22/13 release.

Oct 2013: Basing. Public hearings scheduled at the end of the month in Kansas and Oklahoma are postponed on October 11 because of furloughs at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) during the government shutdown. As of Oct 23, a new date for the hearings had not yet been released. Meanwhile the Air Force Civil Engineer Center (AFCEC) and the US Army Corps of Engineers are preparing infrastructure work: AFCEC | Industry Day | Sources Sought.

FY 2013

Design finalized after CDR; State of the program reports; Sequester threat; Basing competition; Training aids picked.

KC-46A and B-2
(click to view full)

Sept 17/13: Testing. KC-46A program executive Gen. John Thompson offers a bit of clarity regarding testing plans. The first 4 planes will be split between the commercial 767-2C baseline, which is set to fly in January 2014, and 2 fully converted KC-46A tankers, which won’t fly until June 2015. Civil certification is an important precursor to the military supplemental certification (q.v. May 31/13), and the 767-2Cs will eventually become KC-46As to support initial operational test and evaluation.

Thompson sounds very confident about the intensive testing schedule, but then, he needs to. Past GAO and DOT&E reports have flagged it as a program risk (q.v. Jan 17/13, Feb 27/13), and have even called the test plan “not executable” (Jan 17/12). Sources: NDIA Magazine, “Newly Designed KC-46 Aerial Refueling Tanker to Undergo Strenuous Testing”.

Sept 4/13: Boeing announces that the USAF has validated the final design elements of the KC-46A, concluded that it meets requirements, and frozen the plane’s configuration. That clears the way for production and testing.

Design is set.

Aug 7/13: South Korea. Yonhap reports that South Korea may acquire 4 aerial refueling tankers by 2019. It seems to be at the discussion level rather than a firm decision. If it proceeds, Boeing’s KC-46A and Airbus Military’s A330 MRTT are seen as the logical contenders, and the 2019 date makes the KC-767 a viable possibility.

The A330’s challenge is that, unlike Australia, South Korea’s zone of action doesn’t really need the A330’s range and size. That will make the extra expense problematic. It’s also worth noting that South Korea already has significant defense relationships with Israel’s IAI. That could create an opening for IAI’s much cheaper K-767 MMTT option, which is also on offer to Singapore. Sources: Yonhap News, “Air Force to acquire 4 aerial refueling tankers by 2019”.

July 10/13: CDR. KC-46A Weapon System Critical Design Review takes place, and is successful. Source: Boeing, Sept 4/13 release.

CDR

July 3/13: Sub-contractors. Fleet Canada Inc. in Fort Erie, ON receives its 1st order from Boeing, for sub-assemblies of the KC-46A Camera and Boom Fairings. The contract is issued as part of Boeing’s industrial offset requirements for various Canadian defense buys, including the C-17A airlifter and CH-47F Chinook helicopter. Fleet Canada.

June 26/13: production. Boeing announces that production of the first aircraft has begun. The USAF’s Critical Design Review (CDR) will start in July 2013, as announced last year. Beyond that, the company is forecasting the following milestones:

First aircraft assembly: Nov. 2013-January 2014
First flight: 2015
First delivery: 2016
Delivery of the first 18 aircraft by August 2017

June 16/13: Exports. Boeing told reporters that Boeing is engaged in talks with several export prospects in Asia and the Middle East, for a total of 20 potential units. The company’s defense and civilian arms are working together to be able to make the aircraft available for sales abroad by 2017. Bloomberg | DoD Buzz.

May 31/13: Certification process. Boeing will seek FAA certification in 2 phases: first there is one for the commercial 767-2C aircraft, then a supplemental one for the military modifications to the commercial aircraft.

In March 2012, the GAOlisted the fact that Boeing planned to pursue some parts of these 2 certifications in parallel as a risk factor. John Howitt, the program deputy manager, told AIN that this is addressed with joint technical planning and work, even though the 2 certifications are separate from an administrative perspective. Sources: AIN.

May 1/13: Training. Berkshire Hathaway company FlightSafety Services Corp. in Centennial, CO wins a $78.4 million fixed-price-incentive-firm and firm-fixed-price contract to design, develop, and build the KC-46 aircrew training system, including delivery of courseware and simulator-based training systems. FlightSafety will design and manufacture the KC-46, Boom Operator, and Part Task Trainers at its 375,000 square foot simulation facility in Oklahoma; the first device is scheduled for delivery in February 2016.

FlightSafety is no newcomer to this role, with operations at 15 U.S. Military bases that include Flight School XXI; Training systems for the KC-10 Extender, C-5 Galaxy, C-17 Globemaster, AFSOC’s HC-130P Combat King, and the V-22 Osprey tiltrotors; and Contractor Logistics Support for the T-6 JPATS and T- 37/38 trainers. The KC-46A contract pays $1 million initially, with the rest to be paid over time, including additional production and operations options that could raise its value beyond $78.4 million. Warren Buffett will be glad to hear that.

Work will be performed at Broken Arrow, OK and St. Louis, MO and is expected to be complete by 2026 if all options are exercised. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition, with 5 offers received by USAF Life Cycle Management Center/WNSK’s Simulators Division (FA8621-13-C-6247). See also USAF | FlightSafety International.

April 17/13: Sub-contractors. ITT Exelis announces a contract from Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) to supply its anti-jam N79 CRPA (Controlled Reception Pattern Antenna) GPS antennas, for use with Raytheon Navshield and Advanced Digital Antenna Production equipment on the KC-46A. Work will be performed in Bohemia, NY.

April 13/13: Restructure at peril. USAF AMC commander Gen. Paul J. Selva reiterates the KC-46A’s #1 priority status for the Air Force, and warns about the effects of restructuring this contract:

“…because we have a firm fixed-price contract for the development of that airplane, if we allow ourselves to get into the position where we don’t have the funds to pay for the initial development of the airplane, that contract gets reopened…. We’ll pay more…”

Probably. Boeing bid hundreds of millions of dollars below development cost to win KC-X, but 2 years into the contract, the US military’s ability to switch to Airbus is more limited. They’d have to delay their #1 priority program, while creating a lot of opposition in Congress. There are creative ways to charge more in total, and Boeing would be well placed to negotiate a few in any restructuring.

April 10/13: FY 2014 Budget. The President releases a proposed budget at last, the latest in modern memory. The Senate and House were already working on budgets in his absence, but the Pentagon’s submission is actually important to proceedings going forward. See ongoing DID coverage. For KC-X, it’s pretty much steady as she goes, hewing more or less to previous plans.

Total reductions from FY 2014-2017 are around $182 million compared to FY 2013 plans, but a fixed-price contract is going to have to reach the agreed total regardless. Current budgets show just $3.173 billion allocated for RDT&E from FY 2011 – 2018, but the USAF is near-certain to owe $4.7 billion for the EMD phase.

April 7-10/13: Basing. As the USAF prepares to make decisions about where to base its KC-46s, communities are competing. The catch is that there are really 2 initial competitions, and they’re mutually exclusive (q.v. Jan 9/13 entry). Grand Forks Herald | Lawton Constitution | Wichita Eagle.

Feb 27/13: GAO Report. The GAO’s annual in-depth look at the KC-46 program is out. The good news is that after 28% ($1.4 billion) in development work, the program costs and schedule haven’t changed much. The CDR is still scheduled for July 2013, albeit with some risks. The USAF and Boeing are evaluated as managing the project well, and have added the ability to track progress toward key aircraft performance goals.

Concerns fall into 3 areas: financial reserves, weight, and software. The GAO is one of several agencies that think flight testing and certification will need to take about 6 months longer, and the boom refueling system is changing a bit, but those are secondary risks right now.

The development contract set aside about 7% ($354 million) in reserves, and 2 years into a 7-year development program, 79.6% of those reserves have been spent, leaving less than $72 million to cover an expected $3.5 billion in work. Some of the issues driving this spending aren’t resolved yet. As we explained above, the government’s costs won’t change if this problem isn’t solved, but GAO is worried about technical problems growing and creating schedule issues.

Projected weight is now expected to exceed the KC-46’s target weight, and each pound above target reduces fuel payload by 1 pound. Extra weight could also affect operating requirements for takeoff, mission radius, and landing. The program has a mitigation strategy in place, and further weight reduction initiatives can create tradeoffs in areas like durability and cost.

Software is a good news/bad news story. They’ve cut total software development by 40%, but code reuse will be less than planned (52% vs. 76%), which means new and modified software has doubled to 48% from 24%. That means more work overall and more testing, though program officials are claiming that schedules won’t be affected.

Feb 22/13: KC-135Rs retiring. After more than 50 years of service and 22,500 flying hours, the 1st operational re-engined KC-135R Stratotanker retires from service, and heads to AMARG’s “boneyard” at Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ. KC-135R #61-0312 first flew as a KC-135A on Aug 14/62, and was re-engined into a KC-135R on June 27/85.

This plane’s retirement is budget-driven, as 1 of the 16 scheduled KC-135 retirements in FY 2013. On the other hand, the KC-135 Program Office at Tinker AFB, OK used the Fleet Health Analysis Tool to pick the aircraft. Joey Dauzat, 97th Maintenance Directorate KC-135R sortie generation flight chief, discussed KC-135 usage patterns, which will become much more relevant if something happens to the KC-X program:

“[KC-135Rs] assigned to Altus Air Force Base fly approximately 1,820 sorties per fiscal year, which averages out to 91 sorties per aircraft…. Flight hours are approximately 7,030 hours per fiscal year, which averages out to 351 flight hours per aircraft. All sorties are required to have [refueling booms] on them, so every sortie flown is a boomer training sortie.”

Feb 2/13: A USAF presentation to Congress says that if sequestration takes effect, the KC-46A program may need to be restructured, along with the F-35 fighter and MQ-9 Reaper Block 5. Flight International.

Feb 2/13: High Usage. The USAF is planning to use KC-46As more intensively than their KC-135 counterparts. That makes sense on several levels: (1) As a way to save money by flying the more expensive-to-operate KC-135s less; (2) As a way to build in surge capability for the KC-46As if the KC-135 fleet has a problem; and (3) As a pre-conscious recognition that KC-X is probably the USAF’s entire future aerial tanker fleet.

The KC-135’s average of 2.5 aircrews per plane will rise to 3.5 aircrews for the KC-46A, adding about 60 full aircrews to the force, and costing about 11.2% more for KC-46A lifetime operations and maintenance because they will be flying more often. Total operations and support costs are now predicted to be approximately $103 billion, but the $10 billion or so rise would be offset by any savings from fewer flights of the more expensive KC-135Rs. USAF.

Higher usage planned

Jan 17/13: DOT&E testing. The Pentagon releases the FY 2012 Annual Report from its Office of the Director, Operational Test & Evaluation (DOT&E). The USAF has bought 2 767-200s for live fire testing, and is planning the survivability assessment, including LAIRCM tests. They do have one major concern:

“The ALR-69A RWR [radar warning receiver] was selected as Contractor Furnished Equipment by Boeing; however, integration and performance on the KC-46A are high risk. DOT&E recently completed an assessment of the ALR-69A RWR on the C-130H1 and assessed it as not effective, but suitable, in a separate classified report dated October 22, 2012. Not only do these effectiveness problems require correction, but the system is required to improve its geo-location capabilities as compared to the demonstrated C-130J capability.”

DOT&E also has some technical issues with the overall testing plan. The 750 hours of operational testing over 5.5 months can establish effectiveness, but getting 76% confidence of suitability (maintainability) would need 1,250 hours. This was also pointed out in last year’s report, and it will need to be worked out one way or another.

Jan 9/13: Basing. The USAF announces KC-46A initial basing candidates, while stressing that losing bases will continue to operate KC-135s. The USAF doesn’t mention this, but the FTU training and MOB1 operating base awards are mutually exclusive: you can win one, but not both. There’s no overlap at all with the ANG’s MOB2 locations, so those have to be separate. Candidates include:

Formal Training Unit: Altus AFB, OK vs. McConnell AFB, KS. Altus already performs the FTU role for the KC-135. Winner begins receiving planes in 2016.

Active Duty Main Operating Base (MOB 1): One of Altus AFB, OK (KC-135 FTU); Fairchild AFB, WA (2 KC-135 squadrons resident); Grand Forks AFB, ND (1 KC-135 squadron resident), and McConnell AFB, KS (4 KC-135 squadrons resident). Winner begins receiving planes in 2016.

Air National Guard MOB 2: One of Forbes Air Guard Station, KS; Joint-Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, NJ, Pease Air Guard Station, NH; Pittsburgh International Airport Air Guard Station, PA; and Rickenbacker Air Guard Station, OH. Winner begins receiving planes in 2018.

Oct 16/12: Industrial. Boeing opens the KC-46 Boom Assembly Center on schedule at Boeing Field in Seattle, WA. Boom assembly marks the program’s shift to production from design activities, and the 1st fly-by-wire boom is scheduled to enter testing during Q3 2013 at Boeing Field’s System Integration Labs. Boeing.

FY 2012

Basing plans; Preliminary Design Review; Industrial decisions.

‘Paper airplane’ risks?
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Sept 12/12: Industrial. Boeing opens System Integration Lab 0 at Boeing Field, 3 weeks ahead of schedule. SIL 0 will be used to test commercial avionics and software for integration into the KC-46A Tanker. Another 3 SILs will open at Boeing Field and a 5th will open in Everett, WA by the end of 2013.

Boeing Field is also slated to house the program’s Boom Assembly Center, and the Finishing Center. The Finishing Center is scheduled to open in late 2013, and will be used to install military hardware and software onto the commercial 767-2C airframe. Boeing.

July 27/12: Sub-contractors. Eaton Corp. announces a supplementary contract from Boeing, which adds the aerial refueling pump system, the aerial refueling boom nozzle, and various airframe and aerial refueling system valves and fuel/ actuation components. See also June 18/11 entry.

June 13/12: Industrial. Boeing VP and KC-46 program manager Maureen Dougherty talks about moves Boeing is making since the announcement that it was closing the Wichita, KS facility. That closure creates added risk, but Boeing is sticking to its estimates and trying to offset it.

Three systems integration laboratories (SILs) will be located at Boeing Field in the southern part of Seattle, WA, but they won’t be operational until fall 2012. Flight testing, a full lab replica of the entire KC-46 fuel architecture, and the finishing center’s 2 workstations will also be there. They’ve also begun wind tunnel testing with Cobham regarding the shape of the plane’s refueling pods, a move that underlines the developmental nature of key items. Aviation Week.

May 14/12: Initial bases. The USAF decides that the KC-46A’s formal training unit (FTU) and first main operating base (MOB 1) will be led by active duty units, while MOB 2 will be led by an Air National Guard (ANG) unit. That may be one way to ease the transition. Many ANG pilots fly for commercial carriers, and many of those carriers already operate 767s.

Exact basing decisions will be based on location, capacity, environmental issues, and cost. The USAF plans to table a preferred base and shortlist for the active-duty FTU and MOB 1 in December 2012, so the environmental impact grind can begin and the base can begin receiving aircraft in FY 2016. The ANG-led MOB 2 is expected to get its preferred base and shortlist in spring 2013, and receive aircraft in FY 2018. USAF.

May 8/12: Sub-contractors. BAE Systems announces a contract from Boeing to develop and build the KC-46A’s Actuator Control Unit (ACU), which processes commands to control the aerial refueling boom.

Engineering and development work on the program will be conducted in Endicott, NY with manufacturing at the BAE Systems facility in Ft. Wayne, IN.

March 21 – April 27/12: PDR. Boeing’s KC-46 Tanker completes its Preliminary Design Review (PDR), confirming that it seems to meet system requirements and is ready to proceed with detailed design. In addition to the successful PDR, the Boeing KC-46 team has completed a System Requirements Review, Integrated Baseline Review, a PDR for the base 767-2C freighter, and Firm Configuration Reviews for the 767-2C and the KC-46A Tanker.

The program’s next major milestone is a Critical Design Review that will take place in the summer of 2013, and demonstrate that the KC-46A is ready for manufacture. Boeing.

PDR

March 27/12: Engine contract. Boeing formally signs a contract with Pratt & Whitney’s Military Engines division for up to 368 PW4062 engines (179 planes + 10 spares). It’s a private sub-contract, however, and the parties won’t discuss its value. Suffice to say that the cost of modern jet engines makes this a 10-figure contract, once all engines are ordered.

The 62,000 pound thrust PW4062 is the highest thrust model in Pratt & Whitney’s PW4000-94″ commercial engine family, which powers MD-11, early-model 747, and 767 aircraft. It’s offered for commercial freighter and military tanker applications. Pratt & Whitney.

March 26/12: GAO Report. The US GAO audit office releases report #GAO-12-366, “KC-46 Tanker Aircraft: Acquisition Plans Have Good Features but Contain Schedule Risk.” It cites “broad agreement that KC-46 schedule risk is a concern,” and especially cites overlap among development and production work. The USAF disagrees, citing FAA certification for the First Flight of the baseline 767-2C in June 2014, and promising 60% of FAA certification and military developmental flight testing before Milestone C production approval in August 2015. On the other hand, the GAO has usually been right about these risks, and the USAF has been wrong – most recently in the F-35 program.

Key information has been fed into other parts of this article, but this excerpt deserves especial attention:

“According to program officials, a change in system requirements, although unlikely… could increase the Air Force’s exposure to additional costs… the biggest risk to the KC-46 program is the Department’s ability to minimize changes to the contract… DOD has demonstrated limited ability to maintain stable requirements and limit changes to program technical baselines on previous complex weapon system programs, and that minimizing such change is essential to the success of the KC-46… any engineering or contract changes affecting system requirements or having the potential to impact program cost, schedule, and performance baselines must be approved by the Air Force Service Acquisition Executive in consultation with the Secretary and the Chief of Staff of the Air Force… Program officials maintain that… pricing will likely stay intact as long as the contract is not opened to negotiate modifications. […]

Boeing has to correct any deficiencies in the KC-46 discovered during the development program… on the four development test aircraft and all production aircraft… at no additional cost to the government. In addition, there is a special contract provision that requires each aircraft to demonstrate a certain fuel usage rate before the government accepts the aircraft. If any aircraft burn fuel above this rate, Boeing is required to propose a corrective action at no cost… if Boeing cannot meet the required usage rates, there are contract provisions allowing for a decrease in the amount paid to Boeing.”

March 7/12: Air Mobility Command chief General Raymond Johns at a House Armed Services Committee hearing:

“We continue to execute the program to cost and schedule baselines we established, along with Boeing.”

A Preliminary Design Review is scheduled later this month. Bloomberg.

March 7/12: Basing plans. From the USAF’s FY 2013 Force Structure Changes [PDF]:

The Air Force is currently developing requirements for the first two KC-46 bases, and expects to approve basing criteria in Spring 2012, identify candidate installations in Summer 2012, select preferred and reasonable alternatives by the end of calendar year 2012, and make final decisions in 2013.”

The Air Force expects aircraft deliveries to these first 2 bases in FY16. The next round of basing decisions is planned for FY14 at the earliest.

Feb 13/12: RDT&E budget. The Air Force asks for $1.8 billion in RTDE funds for fiscal year 2013 as part of the President Budget. This would be the peak of planned research and development spending on the program over 2011-2017, at 27% of the total. Air Force budget justification [large PDF].

Air Mobility Command (AMC/CC) has not yet determined an Initial Operational Capability (IOC) date, while Full Operational Capability (FOC) is expected approximately 24 months after IOC. The Air Force schedule as of December 2011 plans to reach Milestone C in Q4 FY15. These plans have been incorporated into the program briefing, above. See next entry below on the various risk assessments made about that schedule.

Jan 17/12: DOT&E doubters. When Airbus lost the contract, they placed 2 markers. One was that Boeing couldn’t deliver to their claimed price, and that has proven true (vid. Nov 27/11 entry), though their bid remains lower than Airbus. The other was that Boeing wouldn’t be able to make the delivery schedule, and the US Defense Department’s Director of Operational Test and Evaluation’s FY 2011 Report adds weight to that belief. The report backs their position up with hard numbers, and bluntly concludes that “the KC-46 test program is not executable.”

To support that claim, DOT&E notes that military testing with past large aircraft averages under 30 flight hours per plane, per month. The Boeing/USAF TEMP schedule plans 42 FHPM, for flights that are “more specialized, higher risk, and more resource-intensive than FAA certification.” Worse, their planned 15% re-fly rate for military test items is even farther off; the 737-derivative P-8A, which is considered to be a successful program, has a current re-fly rate of 45%. Correcting to past averages adds 4 months to the 17-month testing schedule. DOT&E believes that even then, the 750 operational flight test hours aren’t enough, and 1,250 would be more realistic. That takes the testing schedule from 21 to 25 months.

Other serious omissions cited include no time for correction of discrepancies and/or deficiencies discovered during developmental testing, and no provision for the refueling boom control algorithm changes and/or procedural modifications that have been required for other new aerial refuelers. The report doesn’t say so, but the net takeaway is that Boeing is very likely to be late with its promised 2017 delivery. The USAF responded to Gannett’s Air Force Times with partial disagreement:

“The Air Force respects the opinions of the Office of the Director, Operational Test & Evaluation, but does not agree with its assessment that the KC-46 test program is ‘not executable’… The Air Force does acknowledge that Boeing’s overall KC-46 program schedule is considered medium risk, in part due to its aggressive flight-test schedule.”

Jan 4/12: Wichita lineman, farewell. Boeing confirmed it’s going to close its Wichita, KS plant by the end of 2013. Wichita is currently the base for the company’s Global Transport & Executive Systems business, and its B-52 and 767 International Tanker programs. The facility also provides support for flight mission planning and integrated logistics.

Some of the 2,160+ Wichita jobs will be moved; others will be cut, beginning in Q3 2012. The move rankles hard in Kansas, as Boeing touted the jobs and state economic benefits if they won the tanker contract, and secured hard lobbying from state and federal representatives. Who now feel somewhat betrayed. The company counters that it isn’t entirely betraying those promises, as it spent more than $3.2 billion with approximately 475 Kansas suppliers in 2011, making it the 4th largest state in Boeing’s supplier network. That prominence is not expected to change, and the 24 Kansas KC-46A suppliers will still be providing elements of the aircraft as originally planned.

Once the Wichita plant closes, engineering work on the KC-46A will be placed at the Boeing facility in Oklahoma City, OK, instead. Work to convert 767s to KC-46 tankers will now be performed right on the 767 production line in Puget Sound, WA, copying a model first used with the 737-derived P-8A Poseidon sea control aircraft. Future aircraft maintenance, modification and support work will be placed at the Boeing facility in San Antonio, TX, which currently handles KC-135 and KC-10 maintenance and upgrade work. Boeing | NY Times | Congressman Mike Pompeo [R-KS-4, not happy].

Boeing closing its Wichita plant

Nov 27/11: EMD Overage rises again? Maybe. Media reports tout a figure of $500 million over maximum cost, but a breakdown says otherwise. The Pentagon’s latest Selected Acquisition Report reportedly gives a program manager’s estimate of $5.3 billion, which would actually be $1.2 billion over the KC-X EMD phase’s original target cost. Up to $4.9 billion, however, the government pays $600 million more, and Boeing pays $400 million. Costs above that are all Boeing’s responsibility. Boeing’s current estimate is $5.1 billion, which would raise its liability to $600 million (400 + all 200 overage). If the government program manager is right, Boeing’s liability rises to $800 million (400 + all 400 overage), while its overall bid cost to the US government for development plus production remains below Airbus’.

The SAR report in question appears to be an advance copy, as there has been no public release yet. It allegedly says that KC-46A engineering, manufacturing and development are “progressing well with no significant technical issues.” Given the figures above, that must be a relief to Boeing’s management. As for the Pentagon, it doesn’t have to care which EMD Phase figure is correct, since their costs are now known: $4.5 billion ($3.9 billion + $600 million). Above $4.9 billion total split costs, they aren’t paying for anything, and the estimate spread shows that there’s almost no chance of coming in under $4.9 billion. Bloomberg News.

FY 2011

Boeing wins round 2. Interim baseline review. Suppliers and components.

KC-X options
(click to view full)

Sept 13/11: Sub-contractors. AmSafe Industries, Inc. announces that it will supply 9g-rated barrier nets, and stationary and movable smoke barriers, specifically designed for the USA’s new KC-46A 767 aerial tankers. AmSafe is a global leader in this sort of technology; they’re also known as the makers of Tarian cloth armor that can stop enemy rockets.

Deliveries of the KC-46A internal barrier systems are expected to begin in 2015, and could be worth more than $45 million for all 179 planned aircraft.

Sept 13/11: Sub-contractors. BAE Systems’ Attendant Control Panel (ACP) for Boeing’s new civilian 737 interior will be migrating to the KC-46A. The touch-screen, networkable panel is designed to control a variety of interior functions such as lighting, drinking water, and waste tanks. Prices were not revealed. Work on the KC-46A tanker touch-screen cabin control systems will be conducted in Johnson City, NY, and Fort Wayne, IN. BAE Systems.

September 2011: Sub-contractors. Vol. 16, #4 [PDF] of Rockwell Collins’ internal Horizons magazine, whose “Refueling Innovation” article discusses their development of the KC-46A’s flight controls and refueling systems.

The stereoscopic Remote Vision System, which will display the refueling operation on both standard and 3-D screens, apparently drew on internal experience that included the Mars Rover, UAVs, and a remotely-operated bomb-disposal robot. Overall, the article cites ruggedization of components, and information fusion from the wide array of sensors and datalinks, as the 2 key engineering challenges. TSAS, which emerged from the latter challenge, is even being tested on Android OS smartphones and tablet computers.

Aug 24/11: IBR. The U.S. Air Force completes an interim baseline review (IBR) for the KC-46A.

IBRs provide mutual understanding of risks inherent in contractors’ performance plans and management systems, and outline what resources are needed to achieve program goals. This IBR had to be complete within 7 months of contract award, which would be Sept 24/11. The next major milestone is the Critical Design Review, which is scheduled to happen by September 2013. Aviation Week.

July 14/11: Politics. Sen. John McCain [R-AZ], the ranking Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, sends a letter to the Pentagon that calls Boeing’s KC-X EMD bid “completely unacceptable”. His issue is that any increases between KC-X’s EMD target cost (revealed as $3.9 billion), and the $4.9 billion ceiling cost are split between Boeing (40%) and the USAF (60%). The net result is that Boeing’s lowball bid costs taxpayers an extra $600 million beyond their bid, and Boeing itself $700 million. Even that reported bid price still leaves Boeing lower than Airbus’ overall price, however, which was $2 billion higher for the combined EMD phase and subsequent production of 13 initial jets.

On the other hand, the practice of lowballing bids in order to secure contracts, then raising the real costs afterward, is correctly seen as toxic. The result is grave difficulty in budget planning, as other programs are sacrificed or compromised in order to pay for widespread overcharges.

In fairness to Boeing, it’s worth going back to the original contract bids. Reports right after the February 2011 award had EADS Airbus bidding $3.5 billion for the EMD phase, while Boeing had bid $4.4 billion for the EMD phase alone. That means the USAF knew of about $500 million beyond its target costs from the outset, for an aircraft that had not been fielded or tested yet, and involved more development work than EADS’ offering. That means added risk of future increases, but the swiftness of these cost revisions strongly suggests that they were known beforehand. Actual costs for Boeing’s EMD phase are currently $5.2 billion, and the amount of the cost breach tends to lower confidence in Boeing’s ability to meet the contract schedule, a point that was also raised by Airbus after the award.

The question is whether Sen. McCain’s opposition will have any effect at this point in time. That may seem unlikely, but then, it also seemed unlikely when he opposed the original KC-767 lease deal post-9/11. McCain release | Bloomberg.

June 24/11: Costs. Bloomberg reports that Boeing’s KC-X bid is going to be $300 million over the KC-X cost ceiling, which it reveals as $4.9 billion. Because it’s a fixed-price contract, Boeing is solely responsible for those extra costs.

According to Bloomberg, a USAF statement from Lt. Col. Jack Miller said that the USAF was told after the contract award that: “it proposed a ceiling price that is less than its actual projected cost to execute the contract… There is no legal barrier that prohibits pursuing a below-cost proposal strategy and Boeing’s met all rules.”

Recall that the Feb 24/11 contract award said only that Boeing’s Engineering & Manufacturing Development (EMD) phase contract was “over $3.5 billion.” Subsequent reports had Boeing’s EMD phase bid at $4.4 billion, vs. EADS Airbus’ $3.5 billion. On the other hand, the total bids for EMD + 4 planes, and another 14 planes of initial production, was reportedly $20.6 billion for Boeing, vs. $22.6 billion for Airbus – who called Boeing’s bid an “extreme lowball.” If Bloomberg’s report is true, we now have an idea what Boeing was willing to pay, in order to prevent Airbus from setting up a production line in America, and to keep the 767 alive as a military export and commercial option.

June 22/11: After months of refusing to divulge details, Boeing announces major suppliers for its KC-46A team, and confirms the tanker’s fuel capacity at 212,000 pounds, with an offload rate of 1,200 gallons per minute. The KC-46 Tanker team will include more than 800 suppliers in more than 40 states and support approximately 50,000 total U.S. jobs. Major suppliers have been added to the article’s industrial teams section.

June 19/11: Sub-contractors. Raytheon announces orders from Boeing supply digital radar warning receivers, and digital anti-jam GPS receivers, for the KC-46 tanker. Its AN/ALR-69A is an all-digital radar warning receiver designed to work with both fighters and large aircraft, and its technical architecture will speed up signal identification amidst cluttered environments.

The digital anti-jam GPS receiver, with its multielement controlled reception pattern antenna, integrates both reception and high performance digital anti-jam capabilities into a single product.

June 18/11: Sub-contractors. Eaton Corp. announces a Memorandum of Agreement with Boeing to supply hydraulic and fuel distribution subcomponents, cargo door electro-mechanical actuation systems, hydraulic system components, electrical sensing and control devices, and cockpit controls over the life of the KC-46A program.

June 7/11: KC-46A details emerge. Flight International reveals more about the KC-46A, while outlining what we still don’t know, 3 months after one of the largest contracts in USAF history.

For starters, it’s based on a cargo variant. At over 188,000 kg/ 414,470 pounds, the 767-2C’s maximum takeoff weight is about 20,000 pounds heavier than the 767-200ER, making it even heavier than the stretched 767-300ER that Boeing rejected for Round 1. The 2C is slightly stretched itself, at 6.5 feet longer than the 200ER, with a cargo floor and door. Beyond this, the winglets, 787-based cockpit large display system, auxiliary fuel tanks and provisions for tanker systems, and more powerful Pratt & Whitney 4062 turbofans are all known changes from the 200ER.

To find out if Boeing has made any other changes from the basic 767-200ER, outsiders will reportedly have to wait until Boeing completes a USAF system requirements review, and an integrated baseline review.

May 6/11: Sub-contractors. Marshall Aerospace announces that they had been picked in 2010 to supply the KC-46A’s integrated Body Fuel Tanks, and that Boeing’s win has resulted in an initial contract for the design, certification and manufacture of an initial batch of development tanks. They expect production orders for “more than 650” tanks to follow over a 15 year period, in order to equip the KC-X program’s 179 aircraft, with a total value exceeding GBP 100 million.

Marshall Aerospace has previous experience producing integrated Body Fuel Tanks for Boeing, including the 747, 777, and the 737-derivative P-8A Poseidon programs. Boeing has refused to discuss its Round 2 partners, but Marshall appears to have elbowed Round 1 partner Sargent Fletcher aside for this role.

March 11/11: Aviation Week outlines what we still don’t know about the KC-46A. We still don’t know the actual development phase price. We still don’t know the plane’s configuration, either, which makes it impossible to evaluate the likelihood that Boeing can deliver on time. Excerpts:

“Neither the U.S. Air Force nor Boeing have stated what exactly “over $3.5 billion” means for the KC-46A development contract… [Boeing tanker VP Jean] Chamberlain acknowledged on the company’s Feb. 24 telecon post-win that this is “concurrent development” meaning flight test and developmental activities are taking place as the first aircraft are being built…Thanks to the three-time restructured F-35 development program, the term “concurrent development” has become a bit of a dirty word among some in Pentagon circles… There are a few things we do know: Somehow Boeing is putting a digital 787 cockpit into an analog 767 aircraft and there is a modified KC-10 boom to meet the gallon-per-minute offload requirement. But, we don’t know what the design entails in terms of risk reduction on the platform or on the mission systems. Finally, we don’t even know officially that work has begun on this contract. Neither USAF nor Boeing will confirm.”

March 4/11: No protest. EADS North America chairman Ralph Crosby expresses disappointment at the press conference, but says that EADS could not have undercut that “extremely lowball bid,” submitted to keep Airbus from securing a US production site. The company “will not take any action that could further delay the already overdue replacement of the Air Force’s aging tanker fleet… Much is promised by our competitor, whom we congratulate. However, should they fail to deliver, we stand ready to step in with a proven and operating tanker.”

More precise figures come from the US AFA’s report of the conference:

“…Crosby revealed – based on an hour-long debrief from the Air Force last week – that the price difference between the companies’ bids was 10 percent. Boeing bid $20.6 billion and EADS $22.6 billion on initial development and initial production of their respective KC-46A and KC-45 tankers… He expressed doubt that Boeing will be able to deliver all 18 aircraft by 2017 as called for… because Boeing will not have its first flight-test-worthy KC-46A ready until 2015. [Crosby] also revealed that EADS’ estimated cost for engineering and manufacturing development on the KC-45 – which the company would have modestly revised from the existing design – was $3.5 billion, while Boeing bid $4.4 billion for EMD on its design, which has not flown.”

The fixed price contract means that if Boeing fails to deliver, most of the financial risk is theirs. That leaves the USAF with the operational risk, if they can’t hold Boeing to its performance commitments. Read: EADS North America | Reuters | US Air Force Association | Warner Robins Patriot.

March 3/11: Flight International:

“Newspaper Les Echos published a small article four days after the contract award noting that the USAF’s decision on tankers will make it “very difficult” for Paris to purchase the General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper unmanned air vehicle, which is competing against the EADS Talarion and a Dassault/Thales/Indra consortium offering the Israel Aerospace Industries Heron TP.”

The French do make another choice, at first, but costs and delivery times eventually do force them back to the MQ-9. See “Apres Harfang: France’s Next High-End UAV” for full coverage.

Feb 28/11 – March 1/11: Debriefing session with EADS North America. Meanwhile, the government and Northrop Grumman/EADS still have not reached a legal agreement on the canceled KC-45 contract. Aviation Week.

KC-46A concept
(click to view full)

Feb 24/11: Boeing wins Round 2. The “KC-46A” win surprises many aerospace analysts, who expected an EADS win based on leaks that EADS had scored better in the USAF’s models, and expectations they could price their planes lower. The Pentagons says that both candidate aircraft met all required criteria, but Boeing’s adjusted price was over 1% less than Airbus’. That meant the USAF did not consider various “non-mandatory” bonus criteria, which could only have made a difference of up to 1%.

Note that these are adjusted prices. Rep. Norm Dicks [D-WA], for example, claims credit for successful pressure to change the USAF’s costing model from 25 years of expected fuel costs to 40 years, which he boasts cost Airbus “billions of dollars” in the respective calculations.

As a result, Boeing in Seattle, WA receives a fixed price incentive firm contract valued at “over $3.5 billion” for the KC-X Engineering and Manufacturing Development phase, which will deliver 18 of their KC-46A aircraft by 2017. The ASC/WKK at Wright Patterson AFB, OH, will manage this contract (FA8625-11-C600). A newly opened assembly line in Everett, WA will build the tankers, including all the military modifications to the airframe, right alongside commercial 767 airliners, rather than shipping 767s elsewhere for military modifications. This approach was pioneered by the 737-based P-8A Poseidon sea control aircraft program, and will now be extended to the KC-46A.

By comparison, the Feb 29/08 award to EADS & Northrop Grumman (FA8625-08-C-6451) would have involved 4 test KC-45 aircraft for $1.5 billion, plus 5 production options for up to 64 aircraft at up to $10.6 billion. Over 18 aircraft, that leads to a “base plus averaged” total of $3.819 billion. US DoD | Boeing release | Boeing feature w. video | EADS North America || Agence France Presse | Bloomberg | Chicago Mag | CNBC | DoD Buzz | Defense News | Flight International | Seattle Post Intelligencer.

Boeing wins KC-X EMD with 767-based KC-46A

Feb 14/11: The Pentagon releases its FY 2012 budget request, which includes $877.1 million in development funding for the KC-X program. The FY 2011 request for $863.9 million is still in play as well, however, thanks to the 111th Congress’ failure to pass a FY 2011 budget.

The 112th session of Congress is dealing with the FY 2011 budget as H.R. 1, and could explicitly delete KC-X funding if its disagreements with the USAF run deep enough. The other option would be more passive, and involves continuing all FY 2011 spending at FY 2010 levels. A “2010 Redux” option would be a problem for KC-X, because that would give the program just $14.9 million to work with. On the other hand, a passive approach by Congress would allow to USAF to “reprogram” some funds from elsewhere into KC-X, whereas an explicit rejection would not.

Feb 10/11: Final Bids. Boeing and Airbus delivery their final KC-X bids. Airbus | Boeing | Flight International.

Final bids

Feb 8/11: Turbulence ahead for EADS. The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung reports that Daimler plans to sell its stake in EADS when a consortium agreement expires in June 2012, in order to focus on its car manufacturing business. If they do, the move will have large ripple effects, which is why the news has provoked meetings at the highest levels of Germany’s government.

Daimler already dropped its stake in EADS from 22.5% to 15%, in a 2007 deal brokered by the government with a German bank consortium. Germany has since tried but failed to find a long-term German investor to take over the banks’ 7.5% stake, in order to keep the long term German-French shareholder balance at 22.5% each. The banks agreed to extend the current arrangement to 2013, and France’s Lagardere media group is looking to sell its own 7.5% stake at some point after 2012, but Daimler’s planned departure revives that issue of shareholder balance as a near-crisis. A German replacement firm with deep enough pockets, technical expertise, and enough of an interest in aerospace may not exist. Deutsche Welle.

Jan 31/11: WTO on Boeing. The World Trade Organization releases preliminary information its decision re: Boeing subsidies (DS 353), the other end of the trade dispute that has already seen a ruling concerning Airbus. The release took place to the 2 companies. A full public report will not be available for a couple of weeks – which matters, because accounts differ.

Boeing implies that the WTO rejected most claims, leaving only $2.6 billion in subsidies. They contrast this with the June 2010 decision that found $20.4 million in illegal Airbus subsidies: $15 billion in launch aid, $2.2 billion in equity infusions, $1.7 billion in infrastructure, and roughly $1.5 billion in R&D support, with $4 billion in illegal launch subsidies that must be restructured.

Airbus, in contrast, points to $5 billion of illegal subsidies to Boeing in this decision, with additional figures to be determined in later stages of this dispute, plus over $2 billion in illegal state and local subsidies that Boeing will receive in the future, and an expected WTO ruling that Washington State and the City of Everett must stop subsidizing Boeing. Airbus adds that they believe the WTO will find that Boeing subsidies were more distorting than Airbus’ loans, and float a $45 billion damages figure. Time will tell, but this sentence in Airbus’ statement is certainly clear:

“Taking the cases together, the WTO will be seen to now have specifically green-lighted the continued use of loans in Europe and commanded Boeing to end its illegal R&D cash support from NASA, DoD and the US taxpayers.”

Look for this case to continue, though the emergence of competitors in Russia and China could lead to negotiations, in hopes of setting global standards around subsidies. WTO DS 353 | Airbus | Boeing | Boeing WTO mini-site | Flight International | NY Times | Seattle Post-Intelligencer. See also Sept 15/10 entry.

WTO ruling on Boeing unfair subsidies

Jan 27/11: Italy. The Italian Air Force’s accepts the 1st of 4 delayed Boeing KC-767A tankers at Pratica di Mare AB near Rome. This KC-767 is registered as MM 62229, and will now enter a series of evaluations and other activities before being placed into operational use. There have been a number of issues with Italy’s tankers, so their acceptance is important to Boeing. Flight International.

Jan 19/11: During in-flight testing between an EADS MRTT tanker plane destined for Australia’s RAAF, and a Portuguese air force F-16 fighter, the refueling boom loses 1 of its 2 stabilising fins, making the device uncontrollable. The incident resulted in the detachment and partial loss of the refuelling boom from the MRTT, and the pieces fell into the sea. Fortunately, the plane itself made it back in one piece.

Airbus is investigating the mishap, and at least they have a flying platform to test, but the timing could hardly be worse. Australian DoD | Flight International | Reuters.

A330 refueling accident

KC-30 & F-16s
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Dec 13/10: Team EADS. Britain’s 1st A330 MRTT performs the type’s 1st fuselage-mounted hose-and-drogue aerial refueling dry contacts, using an F/A-18 Hornet fighter. Airbus Military. The 1st wet refueling took place on Jan 21/11, transferring over 6 tonnes of fuel at an altitude of around 15,000 feet, and at speeds from 250 – 325kt. AirTanker.

Cobham’s belly-mounted 805E FRU (Fuselage Refueling Unit) is part of the proposed USAF KC-45’s 4-point refueling system, which shares the 2 removable digital underwing hose-and-drogue refueling pods with FSTA aircraft, but also adds a fly-by-wire ARBS boom for UARRSI dorsal receptacles. Both the belly-mounted FRU and underwing hose-and-drogue refueling pods share the same modular architecture, and all 4 systems are controlled from the Remote Aerial Refueling Operator (RARO) console in the cockpit.

Dec 1/10: Delay. USAF Lt. Gen. Mark Shackelford, the military deputy from the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition says that the final KC-X award will take until 2011, instead of being announced in November 2010. The USAF release adds:

“Air Force officials have said the KC-X source selection process will continue despite a mistake in November, where a limited amount of identical source selection information was provided to both KC-X offerors concerning their competitor’s offering… The information concerned was limited to a single page of non-proprietary data on a CD that did not include any offeror-proposed prices… Air Force officials have analyzed the information that was actually accessed by one of the offerors and have taken steps to ensure that both competitors have equal access to this information.”

Nov 21/10: Breach. A USAF error sends the wrong documents back to EADS and Boeing, giving them material from the other firm’s bid, The data sent by computer disk reportedly included pricing information, and both sides did the right thing and contacted the USAF immediately. Defense News | The Telegraph.

Protoccol breach

Oct 19/10: Tanker analysis. Iris Independent Research releases their KC-X competition white paper, “9 Secrets of the Tanker War.” One entirely unsurprising conclusion: KC-X’s 179 planes are it, and there will be no similar-sized KC-Y or KC-Z buys for at least 2 decades, if ever.

Given demographic and fiscal realities in the USA, that strikes us as a very safe prediction. Iris release | Full paper [PDF] | DoD Buzz.

Oct 6/10: No Antonov. The US GAO dismisses US Aerospace’s KC-X protest, leaving just Boeing and EADS. The core of the decision revolves around whether the bid was late, hence ineligible. The ruling that it was late offers an effective primer on bid delivery planning:

“In partially dismissing USAI’s protest, we concluded that, while many of USAI’s complaints were potentially relevant to the protester’s proposition that its messenger was understandably confused as to the location for submitting USAI’s proposal, such complaints did not support USAI’s allegations of intentional agency misconduct… it was USAI’s decision – not that of the Air Force – to have its messenger arrive at Wright-Patterson AFB entry gate 19B with less than an hour remaining before proposals were due; it was USAI’s decision not to seek advance agency approval for its messenger to be admitted to the AFB; and it was USAI’s decision not to confirm in advance the precise location of, and directions to, the building at which proposals were to be received. Based on our review of the protest allegations and the record submitted, we concluded that USAI’s allegations of intentional agency misconduct were insufficient to warrant further consideration…”

See: GAO statement | GAO B-403464 decision | Washington Post.

Oct 6/10: Team EADS. Airbus Military obtains A330 MRTT military certification from Spain’s Instituto Nacional de Tecnologia Aerospacial (INTA), which follows the European Aviation Safety Agency’s (EASA) civil Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) awarded earlier in 2010. The first 2 A330 MRTTs conducted more than 280 flights as part of the certification process, in addition to another 170 by A310 demonstrator aircraft.

As one can see by the number of flights involved, certification is an under-appreciated roadblock in the military delivery process. Fortunately certification in one jurisdiction makes subsequent certifications either much easier or unnecessary, depending on a jurisdiction’s standards and decisions. The INTA certification clears the way for Airbus Military to deliver Australia’s KC-30As, later in 2010, but the USAF would insist on its own certification process. Airbus Military | Agence France Presse | Australian Aviation | The Australian | Le Figaro [in French] | Seattle Post-Intelligencer.

FY 2010

Round 2 RFP and bids. WTO dispute.

AN-70
(click to view full)

Sept 15/10: Early reports leak out that the WTO is about to find that Boeing’s aircraft have also been the recipients of illegal subsidies. Since Boeing had been pushing the subsidy point hard in Congressional debates, a finding of that sort would be significant. It will certainly make for a more difficult argument on Boeing’s part, both because the political argument becomes less clear, and because the USAF’s decision to exclude WTO issues from the competition becomes more defensible. Boeing remains on the offensive, arguing that:

“If today’s reports are accurate that some $3 billion of the EU’s claims were upheld by the WTO… the ruling… confirms that European launch aid to Airbus stands as the single largest and most flagrant illegal subsidy in the aerospace industry. Nothing in today’s public reports on the European case against the U.S. even begins to compare to the $20 billion in illegal subsidies that the WTO found last June that Airbus/EADS has received (comprised of $15 billion in launch aid, $2.2 billion in equity infusions, $1.7 billion in infrastructure, and roughly $1.5 billion in targeted research support). Nor are there seemingly any violations requiring remedy approaching the scale of remedy required of Airbus/EADS… Neither do the public reports suggest that Boeing’s traditional market based approach to financing new aircraft development will need to change; a distinct contrast…”

Sept 14/10: Team EADS. A pair of Australian KC-30A tankers hook up and transfer fuel at 1,200 gallons per minute through the A330’s boom. That figure meets the USAF’s maximum requirement, something Boeing has yet to do in the air. EADS North America Chairman Ralph D. Crosby, Jr. also went on the offensive with regard to fuel economy:

“In any likely Air Force operational scenario, Boeing’s concept tanker will cost 15% to 44% more, measured on the basis of fuel burned per gallon of fuel delivered.”

See: EADS KC-45 Now | Seattle Post-Intelligencer.

Aug 4/10: No Antonov. US Aerospace/ Antonov is disqualified for late submission. Aviation Week quotes Pentagon press secretary Geoff Morrell:

“The proposal was late and by law we are not allowed to consider it. We are considering two proposals and U.S. Aerospace is not one of those being considered.”

The magazine adds that:

“According to an industry executive, the company’s messenger arrived at the Wright-Patterson AFB gate at 1:30 p.m. July 9 (30 minutes before the deadline) and was denied entry, given bad directions and told to wait by Air Force personnel. As a result, the Air Force stamped the proposal received at 2:05 p.m.”

On Aug 2/10, U.S. Aerospace filed a bid protest with the Congressional Government Accountability Office, citing “unreasonable” conduct by the USAF. The firm’s bid had reportedly revolved around an “AN-112” based on the 4-engine AN-70 turboprop transport.

July 13/10: Team EADS. The Hill reports that the KC-X bid cost EADS North America $75,000 in final printing costs alone.

July 9/10: Team Boeing. Boeing delivers its KC-X v2.0 bid. Its release mentions that its design will contain cockpit displays from the 787 Dreamliner, which may not be a change from the first round.

July 9/10: Antonov?!? US Aerospace announces that it has submitted a joint KC-X bid with Antonov at $150 million per plane, following SEC notification of an agreement with Antonov and intent to bid on July 1/10. That agreement would give US Aerospace lead contractor status and final American assembly rights only under a KC-X contract, while Antonov would be the technical lead and manufacture components.

Unlike the March 19-22/10 UAC/ IL-96 hoax, this report has much more backing behind its assertion of a bid. The question is whether it makes any more sense, or would even qualify under Round 2’s mandatory criteria. Reports indicate a bid based on the modernized AN-124-100 “Ruslan” super-heavy transport, which would offer heavy airlift options that beat the C-17 hollow, but terrible operating efficiency as an aerial tanker. Reports of a custom designed “AN-112” make even less sense, given the years-long development and certification timelines. Unlike Ilyushin, Antonov doesn’t even have a base civilian airframe in the right size category. Defense News may have the answer that explains the hype:

“…a May 24 SEC report filed by U.S. Aerospace signals it is in financial trouble. A number of factors “raise substantial doubt about the company’s ability to continue as a going concern,” the firm told federal regulators.”

See: US Aerospace re: bid submission | US Aerospace re: agreement | Defense News | The DEW Line | UPI.

July 8/10: Team EADS. EADS North America delivers its KC-X v2.0 bid, one day before the extended deadline, and highlights key members of its Round 2 industrial team. EADS.

July 8/10: WTO. The World Trade Organization has put off a ruling on the EU’s subsidy complaint against Boeing (case DS 316) from July 16/10 until mid-September 2010. As the Wall Street Journal put it: “While the panel is likely to find that the U.S. has provided improper subsidies, it isn’t known if the WTO will be as severe on Boeing as it was on Airbus.” Meanwhile, the delay leave EADS very exposed in the political battles over the US KC-X contract. The EU is unhappy:

“The time lag between this case, and the United States’ case against support to Airbus (DS 316) has constantly increased over the six years this dispute has been running and the gap is now at nearly a year. It creates the wrong impression that Airbus has received some WTO incompatible support, whereas Boeing has not. Only when we have received both panel reports will both sides have a more complete picture of the dispute… We now expect the Panel to issue its interim report in DS 353 without any further delay.”

EADS Airbus’ CEO Tom Enders said he was “surprised and disappointed” by “the last minute announcement of yet another delay,” and appears to question the capability of the WTO to play a meaningful role in the global trade order:

“We have said time and again that the complexity, interconnectedness and industrial significance of the Boeing and Airbus cases would strain the capabilities of the WTO. Since these cases were filed, the world has changed. In aviation, the previous duopoly marketplace is increasingly being populated by government-sponsored players, leaving Boeing and Airbus as those that, by any objective measure, benefit least from government support. The ongoing struggle of the WTO to address the world as it was in 2004 (the date the cases were filed) raises the question whether it can succeed in its basic mission to create a climate for a negotiated settlement on the basis of fair market rules in the interest of both the industry and the employees on both sides of the Atlantic.”

June 30/10: WTO. Boeing hails the public release of a World Trade Organization ruling on Airbus subsidies (case DS 317), which will be a lobbying point in the current KC-X competition. Airbus has its own take, of course, and the WTO also has a case involving Boeing – but it hasn’t ruled on that one yet. A columnist in Boeing’s hometown of Everett, Washington even thinks the ruling could ultimately help both Boeing and Airbus, which have seen state-owned competitors enter the marketplace in recent years. WTO | Boeing | Airbus | Everett Herald op-ed.

WTO ruling on Airbus unfair subsidies

June 7/10: WTO. Boeing teams with AgustaWestland in the US Presidential Helicopter competition. Finmeccanica’s subsidiary has produced several Boeing helicopters under license in England and Italy (WAH-64 Apache, CH-47 Chinooks), and now Boeing will return the compliment with the AW101. The license will give Boeing full intellectual property, data and production rights, making its version of a Presidential AW101 bid a Boeing aircraft, built by Boeing personnel, at one of its U.S. facilities. This decision is likely to create several ripples. Loren Thompson of the Lexington Institute points out that:

“Boeing’s bid could create some embarrassing moments for both itself and Lockheed Martin. Lockheed Martin spent years arguing that the AgustaWestland airframe was superior… By the same token, Boeing is engaged in a bitter dispute with Airbus concerning European aircraft subsidies, and [the AW101 has received them]…”

See: Boeing | Finmeccanica [PDF] | AgustaWestland | DoD Buzz | Lexington Institute.

June 7/10: Team Boeing. Finmeccanica subsidiary DRS announces a teaming agreement with Boeing for work on its KC-X “NewGen Tanker” offering. DRS will collaborate with Boeing on the console design and then manufacture the Aerial Refueling Operator Station (AROS), and will also provide the interconnect design and associated cable sets to integrate AROS into the Tanker. All this is contingent on a contract win, of course.

June 3/10: Team EADS. EADS says it has American partners for its KC-X bid, but won’t name them “because we don’t want to put them under pressure.” Defense News.

May 19/10: The House Armed Services Committee takes the first step toward introducing WTO subsidy rulings to the competition, as part of its recommended FY 11 defense budget (H.R.5136). The modified bill reportedly requires the Pentagon to submit an interim report, discussing the impact of government subsidies on the KC-X competition, at the instigation of Rep. Adam Smith [D-WA]. The implicit message in that name is lost on nobody. See: Congressional Quarterly | The Hill | Politico | bNet op-ed.

May 13/10: U.S. Senator Sam Brownback [R-KS] and Congressman Todd Tiahrt [R-KS] hold a bi-partisan press conference announcing the introduction of the bi-cameral Fair Defense Competition Act (H.R.5298 and S.3361). The bill attracts 39 co-sponsors in the House, and its Senate counterpart attracts 3.

These bills would require the Department of Defense to consider World Trade Organization (WTO) decisions for military acquisitions. Specifically, they would require the Pentagon to add the cost of illegal subsidies onto the price of a competitor’s bid proposal, following a ruling by the WTO. The WTO has already ruled that Airbus’ aircraft were built using illegal subsidies. A ruling on Airbus’ complaint concerning Boeing is pending, but would not come in time to affect the KC-X competition.

The Seattle Post-Intelligencer says that Boeing lobbyists have been lining up legislators for these measures, and Boeing itself is making rather unlikely noises about not bidding over subsidy-related issues. See also: Defense News | ABC affiliate KAKE-10 | US NPR | Reuters | Seattle Post-Intelligencer.

May 12/10: Team Boeing. Rockwell Collins announces that it is part of Boeing’s Round 2 aerial tanker team, with negotiated terms to deliver the same flight deck technology it supplies for the 787 Dreamliner, along with the KC-767’s Communication, Navigation, Surveillance/Air Traffic Management (CNS/ATM) systems, aircraft networks, and other electronics.

May 8/10: A Minneapolis Star Tribune article provides a glimpse into Boeing’s PR offensive on the ground. Part of it involves a trailer with simulators for the KC-767’s new boom, and associated fighters, for some members of the public.

Ralph Crosby, EADS NA
click to play video

April 20/10: EADS back in. EADS North America announces that it intends to submit a proposal for the KC-X aerial tanker RFP based on the KC-45 tanker, a version of the A330 MRTT/ KC-30B design that won the original contract. The US unit of the European aerospace giant plans to submit the proposal on July 9/10, the last day of the Pentagon’s extended deadline.

The company said it is continuing discussions with potential US partners, but apparently the European defense firm is willing to go it alone, if need be. The company reiterated its earlier promise to build a Mobile, AL manufacturing line for global A330F sales, and KC-X finishing work, if it gets the contract.

April 1/10: Boeing issues statement critical of Pentagon’s decision to extend the RFP deadline if EADS agrees to bid:

“We are deeply disappointed with EADS-Airbus efforts to further delay this vital warfighting program and tilt the U.S. procurement process in its favor. EADS-Airbus has been fully engaged in the competition for four years and was always expected to provide the vast majority of its team’s work content…We do not see a legitimate reason for EADS’s bid deadline extension request, and we believe an extension that favors any individual competitor does not further the goal of ensuring fair competition.”

March 31/10: A group of US senators sends a letter to President Obama criticizing EADS Airbus division for receiving “billions of dollars in illegal subsidies.” The senators urge the president not to extend the KC-X RFP deadline:

“Finally, having relied on illegal subsidies to buy market share in the commercial aerospace market, Airbus now seems intent on further using subsidized aircraft to significantly increase its present in the U.S. defense market. This is unacceptable. We urge you to move forward on the Air Force tanker competition without delay.”

The letter was signed by US Sens. Patty Murray (D-WA), Sam Brownback (R-KS), Chris Dodd (D-CT), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Claire McCaskill (D-MO), and Michael Bennet (D-CO).

March 31/10: Bid extension. The Pentagon announces that if EADS wishes to bid, they will grant a 60-day extension instead of the 90 days requested. This would move the deadline from May 10/10 to July 9/10. Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell also said that:

“Given that this plane is long overdue, and we do not want its delivery date to slip later than it already has, we are prepared to compress our bid evaluation period to stay as close to the original award schedule as possible so as to still award the contract early this fall… [but we have no] willingness to change any of the plane’s military requirements or the way bids will be evaluated.”

Boeing and some of its supporters in Congress group of US senators criticized the decision. Boeing statement | US Senators’ letter to President Obama (Seattle PI blog) | DoD statement | Reuters

March 22/10: Russians. A Reuters report suggests that John Kirkland, the Los Angeles-based attorney who told various news media that UAC would announce a joint venture and enter the bidding for KC-X, may have been the victim of a scam.

Kirkland sent Reuters copies of letters on what appeared to be letters on “OOO UAC” letterhead, saying that high-level Russian approval of a bid was imminent, but subsequent examination showed contained several grammatical mistakes in Russian. UAC vice-president Alexander Tulyakov drove the final stake in when he told Reuters that:

“John Kirkland is not a UAC representative and we have had no communications with him… We have had no discussions whatsoever with any party about the possibility of producing air tankers for the U.S. air force.”

March 19/10: EADS in, Russians in?!? EADS requests a 3-month extension of the May 10/10 bidding deadline, because it is re-considering a bid submission without Northrop Grumman. The firm’s main foothold in the American market is its successful UH-72A LUH helicopter program, but without an established A330F production line, EADS had previously considered its American base too shallow to handle a contract this big. The Pentagon is reportedly receptive to a bid extension, citing previous examples like BAMS UAV, VH-71 helicopter, Small Diameter Bomb (SDB) II, and LOGCAP IV, among others.

The same day, Russia’s state-owned United Aircraft Corp. reportedly drops a double-surprise. The first surprise is that the firm is supposedly set to sign a joint venture with a small American aerospace firm to market Russian-designed aircraft, including promises that the JV will be announced on March 22/10.

The second surprise is that the firm reportedly intends to bid a tanker version of its IL-96 4-engined, wide body jetliner for the KC-X competition. The IL-96 is civil certified, and can be fitted with Pratt & Whitney engines, but it faces significant disadvantages, despite a price tag that could be as low as half that of a base 767 or A330 airframe. The most prominent obstacle is that the key partner is a state-owned Russian firm. While relations are better than they were in Cold War days, the USA is a long way from trusting Russia as any sort of reliable ally – and the reverse is also true. Congressional opposition to any win would be measured on the Richter scale. Other issues include expected higher operating costs from a 4-engine jet, the low esteem in which Russian airliners are held, and the fact that under 50 IL-96s have been built so far.

March 11/10: As one might expect, political rumbles continue across the Atlantic, with veiled and not-so-veiled threats of a trade war, or retaliation in the defense field. EU release | Aviation Week Ares roundup | Defense News.

March 11/10: EADS out. Aviation Week reports that EADS did not feel confident enough yet in its American footprint, to bid for the KC-X project. Its main beachhead in the USA at the moment is the $3.5 billion UH-72A Lakota Light Utility Helicopter program, which is going well but is an order of magnitude smaller than KC-X.

March 11/10: Team Boeing. Spirit AeroSystems Holdings, Inc. announces that they’ve come to terms as part of Boeing Round 2 KC-767 NewGen Tanker Supplier Team. Upon a contract award from the United States government to Boeing, Spirit will build the Boeing tanker’s forward fuselage section in Wichita, KS.

March 8/10: NGC out. Northrop Grumman has apparently bowed out of the KC-X v2.0 RFP, leaving Boeing as the only bidder. The move is not unexpected, given the requirements and the estimated $100 million cost to bid, but it will create longer-term political issues for the program. The European Union is already issuing rumbles about protectionism, and an early blast from Sen. Sessions [R-AL] may be indicative on the domestic front:

“The unjustifiable overhaul of the Request for Proposals – which went far beyond the narrow problems raised by the GAO – completely abandoned the idea of a game-changing tanker in favor of a smaller, less capable plane. Of the 14 major changes to the solicitation, 12 favored Boeing’s smaller, older aircraft. In the end, the process was skewed, and no one can fault a private company for declining to participate in a government competition engineered to guarantee its failure… American taxpayers… could now be on the hook for the most expensive sole-source contract in history.”

Deputy Secretary of Defense William Lynn said the Pentagon was disappointed, but does not intend to change course. Boeing’s ardent backer Rep. Norm Dicks [D-WA], soon to be head of the House Appropriations’ defense sub-committee, advocates scrapping the bidding process now and negotiating a contract directly, while suggesting an increase in production from the program’s 15 KC-767s per year to 20-25 tankers per year. Northrop Grumman statement | EADS statement | Aviation Week | DoD Buzz | Miami Herald | Politico | Seattle Times | Washington Post early report | Agence France Presse early report | UK’s Daily Telegraph | Sydney Morning Herald | Seattle Post-Intelligencer reactions roundup.

March 5/10: Team Boeing. Boeing announces its RFP v2.0 offering. The new 767 “NextGen” aircraft add a modified version of the new 787 Dreamliner’s flight deck, with its larger displays and other design improvements. Engines will still be Pratt & Whitney’s PW4062s, but the fly-by-wire refueling boom looks different, and so do the wings. Aviation Week attempted to clear up Boeing’s exact offering, but:

“Boeing officials declined to comment on whether the wings, the doors and floors and flaps were being pulled from other commercial models [DID: as in the previous KC-X entry]. They declined interview requests as well…”

The 3rd thing Boeing’s official release emphasized was a pointed reference to the flight control computers that may have been a major cause of Air France Flight 447’s A330 crash over the Atlantic in 2009, with all hands lost:

“The Boeing NewGen Tanker will be controlled by the aircrew, which has unrestricted access to the full flight envelope for threat avoidance at any time, rather than allowing computer software to limit combat maneuverability.”

See also: Boeing | Pratt & Whitney | Aviation Week | DoD Buzz.

Feb 24/10: Final KC-X v2.0 RFP is out. Most of the changes made were narrow and technical, and do not change the structure of the competition. The need for a microwave landing system was scrapped, and Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasures missile defense systems will now be provided by the government as a separate item, certain items had specifications defined more tightly, etc. Proposals will be due within 75 days of the request, and there will be another 120 days after that for government evaluation.

Price remains the key factor, based on the draft proposal’s weighting system. The development contract is a fixed price incentive deal, with the contractor responsible for 40% of any overruns up to 125% of the contract value, and all overruns beyond that. Production lots 1-2 are fixed price. Lots 3-5 will see a new price negotiated, with the contractor responsible for only the first 2.5% of price inflation. Re-negotiation would happen again for Lots 6-13, but this time the contractor would only be responsible for the first 1% of price inflation.

While these provisions protect manufacturers from spiraling commodity costs, they also allow the USAF to make changes later, so long as they’re willing to pay for them. RFP solicitation on FedBizOpps | US DoD press release | DoD presentation [PDF] | Boeing statement | Northrop-Grumman statement | Seattle Post-Intelligencer rounds up politician reactions in USA | AvWeek reports that NGC is “96-98% unlikely” to bid | Aviation Week article collection | Gannett’s Air Force Times | Government Executive magazine | Miami Herald | Washington Post | Reuters: tanker chronology.

Final KC-X v2.0 RFP

Feb 22/10: Dual buy? Flight International’s Stephen Trimble looks for clues to the funding behind a new lobby group called “Build Them Both.” As one might guess, the group favors a dual-source, accelerated buy contract for the KC-X competition, with both firms receiving contracts but annual orders being determined by production readiness, pricing, and the needs of specific theaters. This was the essence of the late Rep. John Murtha’s position.

Feb 8/10: Dual buy? House Appropriations Defense subcommittee chair John Murtha [D-PA], Capitol Hill’s #1 proponent of a KC-X split buy, dies of complications associated with intestinal surgery. A Washington Post blog reports that Rep. Norm Dicks [D-WA], one of EADS Airbus’ most avid foes on Capitol Hill, is likely to succeed Murtha as chair of the subcommittee, and North West Cable News asks the obvious question.

Jan 6/10: At a Pentagon press conference, Press Secretary Geoff Morrell discusses the KC-X v2.0 RFP, among other matters:

“…we are shooting to have the RFP out hopefully by the end of the month, if not early next month. We’re in the process right now of reviewing the comments that were provided… I think we’re still on schedule to get this out in the next few weeks. …no final decisions have been made yet about the RFP, but I think it is safe to say at this point that there will be changes to the draft… We’ve gotten feedback, some of it quite helpful. Some of – some of this we just have realized ourselves. And so I think the team is in the process of correcting mistakes and altering the acquisition strategy a bit, and that will be reflected in the final request for proposal which will likely go out in the – in the next couple or few weeks.

I would add one thing, and that is that whatever changes are being made should not be construed as any attempt to favor anybody. It is — what is being done is we are trying to make the RFP as fair and as transparent as possible, while at the same time providing the taxpayers with the best value for their money and the warfighters the best — the best plane to support their operations… we hope that when this happens that we will have a full and hardy and thorough competition between multiple bidders.”

Jan 4/10: Leeham News offer their 2010 Outlook for Boeing and Airbus, which includes discussion of the KC-X competition:

“We also believe there is a strategic argument, as well as a political one, that supports buying both airplanes because there are simply different mission requirements. But the Pentagon is adamant that it will not split the order… Winning the contract is also critical to the Airbus strategy of establishing a commercial A330-200 production base in the US… Airbus pledged to build the A330-200F [in Mobile, AL] and expectations are that the A330P will follow. But no tanker contract, no US plant. And this is why we believe Boeing and its supporters are fighting so hard to block a tanker award to Northrop. This, we believe, is more important to Boeing than winning the tanker contract, though we also acknowledge Boeing wants the contract on its own merits.

“…The [A330] MRTT is running about 18 months behind schedule for delivery to launch customer Australia. About six months was due to customer change orders, according to the RAAF and EADS. The balance rests with developmental issues.

“…Because of the need for a 787 production Surge Line (see 787 discussion below), the current 767 line will be relocated to the aft part of the bay it now occupies. A Lean production line will be implemented, reducing unit costs by about 20%. Relocation begins this year and will be completed next year… If Northrop stays in, we still think Boeing will submit only a KC-767 proposal… We remain concerned that Boeing has yet to deliver the KC-767 to Italy, now some four years late. We are told problems remain with the centerline hose-and-drogue system… [and] that issues remain with the wing-mounted refueling pods, though Boeing says these have been fixed. Although Boeing intended to deliver the first of four tankers to Italy last year… that this still has not happened indicates all is not well. Since the US tanker is similar to the Italian tanker, we remain skeptical about the program… Boeing is still not forecasting any dates concerning these remaining milestones [for Italy].”

Dec 1/09: Northrop Grumman’s President and Chief Operating Officer Wes Bush sends a letter to Department of Defense undersecretary for acquisition, technology and logistics Ashton Carter. As written, it says, the terms of the KC-X RFP imposed a structure that, in Northrop Grumman’s opinion, favors smaller planes like Boeing’s, and:

“…places contractual and financial burdens on the company that we simply cannot accept… As a result, I must regrettably inform you that, absent a responsive set of changes in the final RFP, Northrop Grumman has determined that it cannot submit a bid to the department for the KC-X program.”

Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman replied that both manufacturers wanted changes that would favor them, and contends that:

“The Department has played this right down the middle… [we] cannot and will not change the warfighting requirements for the tanker to give advantage to either competitor… The department wants competition but cannot compel the two airplane makers to compete.”

Alabama’s Republican governor Bill Riley has a different take:

“The Obama administration has corrupted the tanker selection process with a blatantly unfair competition… The question is why is this RFP so radically different than the one Northrop Grumman won last year?”

A final RFP is expected in January 2010, but each program has hundreds of suppliers across the USA. Refusal to submit would trigger a very large political battle in Congress, one focused on the acquisition process itself. It remains to be seen whether it is possible for a single-winner tanker process to successfully obtain American Congressional approval and funding for its choice, in the face of a transatlantic competitor whose American partners saw billions of dollars in concrete business snatched away, and a domestic heavyweight with its own deep supplier and congressional networks. Northrop Grumman’s Letter [PDF] | Agence France Presse | Bloomberg | NY Times | Politico | Reuters | Wall Street Journal | Aviation Week | Defense News.

Nov 25/09: Flight International reports that one of Australia’s KC-30Bs refueled a pair of Spanish EF-18A Hornet fighters at the same time, using its hose-and-drogue refueling system.

Nov 10/09: Aviation Week headline: “Boeing, Northrop Sour On KC-X Draft RFP.”

Nov 10/09: One of Australia’s KC-30B/ A330 MRTTs performs the 1st fuel transfers with its all-digital 905E hose and drogue system, using its left and right under-wing pods to transfer more than 9,200 lbs of fuel to a “NATO” (likely Spanish) F/A-18 fighter. The first of Australia’s 5 KC-30Bs will be delivered to Australia in mid-2010. EADS release.

Nov 2/09: The Lexington Institute’s Loren Thompson writes that the EADS/Northrop Grumman bid has become a question, rather than a certainty:

“Last week, one of the two teams competing to provide the Air Force’s future aerial-refueling tanker launched an unusual campaign to overturn the service’s strategy for buying the plane. Northrop Grumman and its European partner Airbus signaled that they don’t believe they have a plausible chance of winning under the proposed terms, and began building the foundation for a formal protest. What’s unusual about the move is that competitor Boeing hasn’t been all that happy with the revised tanker solicitation either, but Northrop has elected to pursue an aggressive strategy that is sure to anger its Air Force customer. Here’s why Northrop is willing to take that risk…”

Oct 29/09: Sen. John McCain [R-AZ] sends a letter to Defense Secretary Robert Gates, Pentagon acquisition czar Ashton Carter, and USAF Secretary Michael Donley, asking questions about the KC-X v2.0 source selection process. He asks about the use of fuel usage rates and construction needs, but not full probable lifecycle cost, in the cost calculations, asks if any of the requirements considered mandatory in Round 1 were discarded RFP v2.0, wonders if the pricing requirements in the draft RFP would “…not favor mostly smaller airframes, and asks how the proposed pass/fail rating can “provide for an assessment of relative developmental and integration risk among the offerings.”

The final v2.0 RFP was supposed to be released around the end of November 2009, but delays out to January 2010 are reportedly a possibility. Aviation Week.

Oct 21/09: Team EADS. An A330 MRTT equipped with the ARBS in-flight refueling boom passes fuel to an in-flight aircraft for the first time. A Royal Australian Air Force KC-30B flew a 4:30 test flight, with more than 3,300 pounds of fuel transferred to 2 Portuguese Air Force F-16s during 13 contacts. Other systems tested included the boom’s fly-by-wire stability and 3-D vision system. EADS | Australian Defence Magazine.

Oct 2/09: Sen. Jeff Sessions [R-AL] says he will introduce an amendment to the FY 2010 Senate defense spending bill (amendment 2610 to S. 1390, currently before the Senate Armed Services Committee). When introduced, it would block the use of funds for the U.S. Air Force’s KC-X competition, unless the service agrees to disclose pricing data about Boeing’s proposal in 2008 to rival Northrop Grumman, just as Northrop Grumman’s data was disclosed to Boeing after Boeing’ asked for an explanation of its loss. Sen. Sessions release | Aviation Week | See also Sept 29/09 entry.

Oct 1/09: KC-10. In a stunning upset, Northrop Grumman beats Boeing for a 10-year, $3.8 billion contract to service the global KC-10/KDC-10 tanker fleet. Boeing subsidiary McDonnell Douglas built the planes, modified them, and had serviced them since their induction in the 1980s. By all accounts and metrics, service quality was high – which is why some analysts see the loss as symptomatic of deeper problems in Boeing’s relationship with the USAF.

FY 2009

Draft RFP 2.0.

KC-46A & B-1B
(click to view full)

Sept 29/09: Major procurement error. As legislators connected with Boeing push the USAF regarding the recent WTO ruling, Northrop Grumman puts out a statement of its own, citing issues with the process:

“Northrop Grumman continues to be greatly concerned that its pricing information from the previous tanker competition was provided by the Government to its competitor, Boeing. Access to comparable pricing information from Boeing has thus far been denied by the Pentagon. With predominant emphasis placed on price in this tanker re-competition and Northrop Grumman again proposing its KC-45 refueling tanker, such competitive pricing information takes on even greater importance. It is fundamentally unfair, and distorts any new competition, to provide such critical information to only one of the bidders. The company will continue to work with its customer to fully resolve this issue.”

The USAF had provided this data to Boeing after Boeing had lost, as part of the USAF’s requested debriefing. The Pentagon has dismissed Northrop Grumman’s claim on the basis that the disclosure to Boeing was in accordance with regulations, and that “the data in question are inaccurate, outdated and not germane” to the new bid, which is a different competition. Clearly, Northrop Grumman continues to disagree; if the impasse continues, the question may become whether the GAO disagrees during a future appeal. Northrop Grumman | Aviation Week | recent Seattle Post-Intelligencer.

Protoccol breach

Sept 29/09: Alabama’s Press-Register puts out an editorial supporting a split-buy and speeded-up production, which legislators like House Appropriations Committee Chair John Murtha [D-PA] continue to support:

“With a defense contract potentially worth $40 billion at stake, expect both sides to fight over every clause and nuance they think might favor their opponent. Right now, Boeing and Northrop have 60 days to comment on the draft guidelines; this is only the first stage of the contest… By the time the lawyering and politicking are over, at least a few years will have elapsed. So here’s one more plea for a split contract.”

Sept 25/09: The USAF releases the KC-X v2.0 draft RFP, re-starting the competition. The KC-X Round 2 RFP remains structured as a “winner take all” competition, and retains its target number of 179 aircraft, will full-rate production of 15 per year beginning by the 3rd year (Lot 3 of up to 13). Each contender will provide a fixed-price proposal to develop and deliver 4 Engineering & Manufacturing Development (EMD) planes, followed by the first 64 aircraft and necessary spares. It will also submit an upper limit on the price of the remaining 111 tankers, and 5 years of initial support.

Assuming that legal and political delays don’t get in the way, first production delivery is now planned for 2015, with Initial Operational Capability in 2017. More information on the RFP’s evaluation structure can be found in the section “KC-X RFP v2.0: The New Structure.”

Next comes the 60-day comment period, after which the formal RFP can be expected. The bidders will then have 60 days after that final RFP release to submit their bids, and the government will have 120 days to evaluate them. A decision is currently expected in mid-2010. FedBizOpps RFP #FA8625-10-R-6600 | USAF RFP release presentation | DoD briefing re: competition, incl. Slides [PDF] and Q&A session | USAF | Boeing statement | Northrop Grumman statement | Agence France Presse | Aviation Week and AVWeek Ares re: selection process | Aviation Week re: people involved | Business Week | CBS WKRG in Pensacola, FL | Government Executive | The Hill | Leeham News & Comment aviation analysts | Military.com | Nextgov | Seattle Post-Intelligencer analysis | WSJ: Boeing brings flight simulator to Capitol Hill.

Draft RFP to restart KC-X

Sept 25/09: The USAF’s last serving KC-135E aerial tanker touches down at Davis-Monthan AFB near tucson, AZ, after its final flight. All remaining KC-135s are now KC-135Rs. USAF release.

KC-135E retires

Sept 16/09: US Secretary of Defense Gates says that he is giving the new leaders he’d installed at the Air Force the final say in the $40 billion tanker deal. This is a reversal from the Round 1 arrangements after the GAO ruled that the USAF had not followed its own criteria, and the US Department of Defense took over direct management of the program. On the other hand, it does put the USAF on the firing line instead of the DoD, in order to absorb any initial hits in what’s sure to be an intense political fight.

Sept 15/09: Aviation Week reports that keeping the existing KC-135 fleet in the air will become increasingly expensive:

“…at AMC, planners are wrangling with how to keep the KC-135s flying until as late as 2043… outgoing AMC chief [Arthur] Lichte points out that maintenance crews sometimes work 7 hr. for every hour of KC-135 flight. “Every year we don’t get tankers, it is costing us $55 million right off the top,” Lichte says. “When you get out to about 2018 and 2020, what started out as about $2 billion a year to maintain the KC-135 fleet goes all the way up to $6 billion… we continue to do everything we can to make sure don’t have an Aloha Airlines where the skin peels back or a TWA 800 [type incident] where frayed wires cause an explosion in the fuel tank… In total, aging-related costs are expected to add at least $17.8 billion to the price of maintaining the KC-135 for 40 years.”

The increase in projected maintenance costs is attributable mostly to fuselage skin and wiring checks, and corrosion issues which are already a significant contributor (30%-50%, by some reports) to depot maintenance costs. Meanwhile, access to KC-10 replacement parts is a worry, and the KC-10 boom control unit is becoming unreliable and should be replaced.

KC-135 costs rising

Sept 15/09: Flight International reports that KC-X Round 2 may see a supplier shakeup on the Boeing side:

“Boeing officials are determined to set “aggressive price targets” for selecting suppliers and even manufacturing locations… Boeing’s quest for cost-savings has also reopened the 777’s engine supplier to competition… all three certified engines – the GE90, Pratt & Whitney PW4000 and Rolls-Royce Trent 800 – will be considered if Boeing decides to offer the KC-777. However, engines that have not been certified on the 777, such as the GEnx family, have been ruled out. “We don’t think there’s enough time for a certification programme,” Lemaster says… If Boeing decides to propose the KC-767 in the next round, the structures and control systems will come from the same aircraft type, Lemaster says.”

Sept 14/09: US Ar Force Secretary Michael Donley says the WTO’s ruling will have no effect on the USAF’s process, as Airbus’ counterclaim is still pending, and so is the EU’s expected appeal.

A day later, 47 American politicians send a letter to President Obama that says: “Buying Airbus tankers would reward European governments with Department of Defense dollars at the same time that the U.S. Trade Representative is trying to punish European governments for flouting international laws.” Mobile Press-Register | Seattle Post-Intelligencer | Reuters via Forbes | Business Week | Seattle P.I. re: letter | Seattle P.I. offers contrasting views re: finer points of WTO trade dispute.

KC-X past & candidates:
Boeing Slide
(click to view full)

Sept 14/09: In a briefing at the Air Force Association’s 2009 Air & Space Conference and Technology Exposition, Boeing officially acknowledges that the Boeing 767 and 777 are both potential KC-X candidates. They also launch their own web site, UnitedStatesTanker.com, to promote their “KC-7A7” tanker bid. Boeing release | Boeing briefing [PDF]

Sept 8/09: EADS chief executive Louis Gallois tells the French newspaper La Tribune that: “Our objective is to be in the [KC-X] competition. We are totally determined to be in the running, unless it appears that the request for proposal is biased.” Source.

Sept 4/09: The World Trade Organization issues an interim ruling that the $4 billion in aid Airbus received from European governments to develop the A380 super-jumbo passenger jet constituted illegal subsidies.

Technically, the WTO ruling could empower the U.S. to levy tariffs either against Airbus or other European imports, equal to the amount of the improper subsidies. Legally, the EU is expected to appeal the ruling, Airbus has complaints of its own on tap, and any firm action remains years away. Business Week | bnet.

July 9/09: Stephen Trimble of Flight International highlights a recent podcast interview with Boeing tanker spokesman Bill Barksdale, which seems to show a lot of enthusiasm and prep work at Boeing around the KC-777. Excerpt:

“BARKSDALE: The 777 as a tanker is just so much more capable than anything it’s got as a peer. And I know that sounds like a bit of bravado, but… I’ll give you a couple of examples. If you compare them, the 777 would provide – deliver – however you want to say it – 23% more fuel than the KC-30. It could carry 44% more payload – more cargo – in the back. And it also would carry about 42% more passengers in the back as well. So those are very generic, very general kinds of numbers… If the air force really wants to go in that direction, the Boeing company has spent a lot of time in the last year preparing for that, knowing that we have a real, true, large tanker that, like I said, is comparable in size to the KC-30. And, yet, you get so much more for your money.”

June 16/09: Northrop Grumman CEO Ronald D. Sugar, and EADS CEO Louis Gallois, issue a joint statement re-affirming their joint commitment to the KC-45 Tanker team.

June 15/09: Bloomberg reports that Boeing is preparing to submit a KC-777 for KC-X v2.0, but a DoD Buzz story clarifies. It turns out that Boeing is preparing to offer a KC-777 option if the revised requirements put a premium on cargo capability or fuel offload amounts, but the firm hasn’t made a decision and won’t until the RFP comes out. The firm had considered a KC-777 before the initial KC-X RFP as well, but the RFP’s lack of extra points for exceeding USAF specifications led Boeing to go with its smaller, cheaper, and more fully developed KC-767 instead. DoD Buzz adds:

“Still, a Boeing 777 bid raises all sorts of questions. Given the problems Boeing has had reducing the vibrations afflicting its refueling pods on the 767, and the enormous technical and engineering challenges of refitting the 777, can the company get a plane in shape in time to fill the Air Force’s first tranche of 179 planes?… But it may be that Boeing is largely conceding the first tranche of planes to Northrop and aiming for the larger follow-on buy.”

The DoD Buzz report adds rumors that Northrop Grumman may walk if the revised RFP is seen as weighted in Boeing’s favor – again, a parallel with the firm’s rumblings before the initial KC-X RFP was issued:

“…there are rumors that Northrop is weighing its commitment to the tanker program, which has cost the company financially and politically. Two sources have told me that Ron Sugar, the company’s CEO, will walk away from the competition should the new RFP appear weighted too heavily in Boeing’s favor. This could, of course, be part of the company’s gaming efforts to ensure that the Air Force does include analysis such as best value as it makes its choice. Meyers made clear, as does his colleague Janis Pamiljans in the video below, that the Air Force must include “best value” as a key component of the service’s tanker analysis.”

June 9/09: The USAF’s role in KC-X v2.0 is still up for debate. Military.com’s DoD Buzz reports that Defense Secretary Robert Gates is still deciding whether the Air Force would lead the renewed competition, or whether it would remain with the Office of Secretary of Defense. Either way, however, Gates said that former Raytheon lobbyist and current Deputy Defense Secretary Bill Lynn would take a “very close interest” in the program.

May 27/09: The Project on Government Oversight NGO explains some of the hidden variables behind decisions about who should run the program:

“…this isn’t only a debate over who will be ultimately responsible for the program, but that it will also determine how much this program will be impacted by the new Weapons Acquisition Reform Act of 2009. One of the major revisions to the Senate’s initial version of the bill in the Senate Armed Service committee’s mark-up was changing language that would require the newly established Director of Independent Cost Assessment to conduct independent cost assessments for all major defense acquisition programs (MDAPs) to only those programs where the Under Secretary for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics (AT &L) is the Milestone Decision Authority (MDA)… But as a result of this change in mark up, if DoD chooses to give the Air Force management of the tanker program, there will be no mandatory role for the new Director of Independent Cost Assessment to provide oversight and implement policies and procedures to make sure that the cost estimation process is reliable and objective. One can’t help but wonder how much DoD had the tanker program in mind when requesting this change to the legislation.”

April 6/09: US Defense Secretary Gates announces his FY 2010 budget recommendations, which will include a KC-X RFP in summer 2009.

April 6/09: The Lexington Institute raises warning flags about the new acquisition process:

“Despite Obama Administration rhetoric about openness in federal contracting, the new and improved tanker selection process has all the transparency of the FBI’s witness protection program. The performance requirements for the future tankers were blessed by the Pentagon’s Joint Requirements Oversight Council with almost no input from industry, and now the acquisition strategy is being crafted in much the same way. If you were planning to spend $100 billion over the next 30 years on a new aircraft fleet, wouldn’t you want to check with the only two qualified suppliers to determine whether your terms and specifications were reasonable? We have been here before… Many of those problems could have been avoided if the industry teams had been kept informed on how the selection process was unfolding… The current buildup to a re-competition is being carried out with even greater secrecy.”

At this point, with Northrop Grumman and its suppliers believing that a huge contract was taken away from them, and Boeing treating the lobbying as a life-or-death issue, the impact may be tangential. The political reality is that lack of transparency can make the process worse, but even perfect transparency won’t remove the fundamental political bottleneck.

March 17/09: NGC endorses split-buy. A Northrop Grumman release offers figures from a KC-135 Economic Service Life Study, and claims that for each KC-45 that enters service, USAF operating costs would drop by $7 million per year, assuming replacement of 2 KC-135s with each A330 MRTT inducted. It adds:

“Congressmen John Murtha (D-PA) and Neil Abercrombie (D-HI) commented recently the only way to get badly needed tankers to our warfighters quickly is through a dual procurement acquisition process… According to Northrop Grumman analysis, a dual procurement scenario could replace the capability of the entire Air Force KC-135 fleet by the year 2022 – seven years sooner than best case single procurement strategy. Dual procurement eliminates the need to re-skin the KC-135 aircraft.

By procuring 24 aircraft per year from two contractors rather than 15 per year from a single source, as is the current Air Force budget plan, the service could save $7.2 billion in tanker Operating and Support (O&S) costs between 2012 and 2022 compared to the O&S costs associated with a single procurement strategy. Through dual procurement, the Air Force saves $10.2 billion in tanker O&S between 2012 and 2029, compared to the O&S costs associated with a single procurement strategy. [Our product is better, but]… if Congressmen Murtha and Abercrombie are correct the only way to get tankers to the warfighter quickly is through a dual procurement strategy, Northrop Grumman will support the effort.”

The crunch, of course, is that 9 more aircraft per year, at about $200 million each, adds $1.8 billion per year to actual spending. That’s another $19.8 billion from 2012-2022, or $30.6 billion from 2012-2029. The difference between those figures, and projected savings over the same time period, must come from somewhere. That means either expansion of the overall military budget, or dollars taken from other military programs. Both options are unlikely, and difficult.

March 13/09: An Inside the Air Force article entitled “Report: KC-135 Maintenance Could Reach $3 Billion Per Year by 2040” says that KC-135 maintenance costs will escalate by almost 50% over the next 30 years, and cost twice as much as new tankers. The KC-135 Economic Service Life Study claims that it will end up costing the Air Force more than FY2000$ 103 billion to operate and maintain the KC-135s between 2001-2040. Source.

March 11/09: Reports surface that the Obama administration will propose a 5-year delay to the USAF’s aerial tanker program, as US OMB recommendations leak to the general press. The Pentagon is not bound by those recommendations, and US Secretary of Defense Gates is quoted as saying that:

“In the days to come, any information you may receive about budget or program decisions will undoubtedly be wrong because I intend to wait until the end of our review process before making any decisions.”

Assuming that the documents really do propose a 5-year delay to the KC-X program, it is not clear whether this is a classic “Washington Monument” move, proposing a cut that the weight of Congress interests are almost certain to reverse, or a genuine decision within a zero-sum set of budget decisions. In Washington, of course, it could even be both. Washington Post | Seattle Post-Intelligencer | Seattle Times | Grand Forks Herald | Bloomberg News | MSNBC | Agence France Presse.

March 11/09: Democratic Party congressmen John Murtha [D-PA] and Neil Abercrombie [D-HI] begin publicly proposing the split-buy idea that has been floated quietly in the background for several months now. Reuters | Reuters Update.

Feb 26/09: Military.com’s DoD Buzz reports that a Pentagon Joint Requirement Oversight Council met today to consider the new KC-X requirements:

“From what little I have heard about the requirements, it seems pretty clear that the Air Force has compressed and simplified the requirements to avoid the likelihood of another award protest but has not changed its mind about what capabilities are needed… But Rep. Jack Murtha’s plan to split the buy – and avoid what would seem to be an otherwise unavoidable second protest – would seem to allow both companies some breathing room… the Air Force’s opposition may be at an end – at least for the initial purchase.”

Murtha [D-PA] has been at the center of ethical investigations over his career, but he remains a powerful member of the Democratic Party. He chairs the House Appropriations Committee’s Defense Subcommittee.

Feb 25/09: USAF Transportation Command leader Gen. Duncan McNabb testifies to a joint hearing of the House Armed Services Committee’s Seapower and Air and land forces subcommittees. He reiterates KC-X as the USAF’s top priority, and says that further delays in replacing the KC-135 fleet would add significant risk to the U.S. military’s ability to quickly move troops and firepower rapidly to the globe’s combat zones. Reuters, via Forbes.

Jan 29/09: The US government’s Office of Management and Budget submits a list of potential defense program cuts in its guidance to the US Defense Department. One of the suggestions is reportedly a 5-year delay of the KC-X program. The Pentagon is not bound by these suggestions, but the recommendations will become news in March 2009, igniting controversy and lobbying. Source.

FY 2008

Boeing protest; cancellation.

Sept 22/08: Sen. Richard Shelby [R-AL] fires a broadside in a Washington Times op-ed:

“Two months from Election Day, politics seem to be everywhere we turn. However, one place we should not see politics is in our Department of Defense (DoD) acquisition process. The process to select the new Air Force tanker fleet has become so politicized that DoD allowed parochial and business interests to keep the Air Force’s top acquisition priority from the pilots who need it. The long fight over the tanker contract proves that the acquisition process is fundamentally and significantly flawed… Politics just cancelled a competitively awarded contract, solely because Boeing was not the winner. Defense acquisition policy has been stated: If it is not a Boeing plane, DoD is not going to buy it.”

Sept 18/08: A Washington Post story reports that:

“John Young, the undersecretary for acquisition, technology and logistics, said in an interview at the Pentagon yesterday that under the tanker proposal from Northrop Grumman and its partner European Aeronautic Defence & Space, developing the first 68 aircraft would have cost $12.5 billion, compared with $15.4 billion under Boeing’s plan.”

Sept 10/08: The Pentagon announces that Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates has canceled the competition for the $35 billion Air Force tanker contract:

“It has now become clear that the solicitation and award process cannot be accomplished by January. Thus, I believe that rather than hand the next administration an incomplete and possibly contested process, we should cleanly defer this procurement to the next team… It is my judgment that in the time remaining to us, we cannot complete a competition that will be viewed as fair and competitive in this highly-charged environment… I believe the resulting cooling-off period will allow the next administration to view objectively the military requirements and craft a new acquisition strategy for the KC-X as it sees fit.”

Cancellation

Sept 3/08: Gen. Lichte of USAF Air Mobility Command says that he expects a protest after the final round 2 RFP is released. He hopes it doesn’t happen. But:

“I mean this is a lot of money, I understand the business nature of this. But I don’t understand how at some point you stop and say, this company wins, and this company loses, or this company is successful and this company is not. I don’t know how we get through something like that. With the poisonous nature of all the comments that are out there right now, I don’t know how we make peace with everybody to say, okay let’s go forward.”

He also said that he does not want a split buy…

“However, if you were to tell me that was the only way to get out of [the current situation] then I’d take it… We need a new tanker now. I don’t care which one it is. And we need to get on with this quickly.”

Military.com | Agence France Presse | AP | CBS | Reuters.

Aug 14/08: Jerry Cox is a former procurement policy counsel in the U.S. Senate, and now holds the title of managing director of The Forerunner Foundation. At, least according to the article byline in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer for “Tanker choice in mathematical terms“. The core claim of the article is as follows:

“The Air Force knows a tanker accomplishes nothing by flying from Point A to Point B, so what really matters is the ratio of delivery. How many gallons will the plane deliver for every gallon it burns? That’s a tougher problem, but it’s hardly trigonometry. Northrop showed the Air Force it can deliver almost two pounds for every pound it burns, while Boeing delivers only 1.6 pounds. That’s a 22 percent edge for Northrop, and the numbers hold up, regardless of the trip length.”

What the newspaper did not mention is that Cox also heads up a lobbying firm called Potomac Strategy Associates. DID spoke to Jerry Cox, however, and he told us that his PSA has not been employed by any firm in conjunction with the aerial tanker competition.

Aug 11/08: Aviation week reports that Boeing is strongly considering a refusal to bid as its response to the revised KC-X RFP.

That response would leave the field open to EADS/Northrop Grumman in a formal sense, but the political weight of that kind of protest move would force the Pentagon to think long and hard before signing a contract under those circumstances. Until Boeing makes a firm decision, of course, its bid team must continue working full speed ahead.

Aug 6/08: New draft RFP. The USAF has issued a new draft of its RFP, and appears to be adopting an approach of minimum required compliance. On the surface, there are 2 major changes. Fuel costs over a plane’s 40-year lifetime will be considered, and full credit will now be given for exceeding the stated requirements in key areas like cargo capacity, fuel offload, et. al. Neither was true under the old RFP. The catch is that different levels of importance are being assigned to various types of costs, with development and production cost estimates weighted more heavily than long-term projections for maintenance and fuel costs. The second major change around exceeding performance limits simply makes the USAF’s original evaluation approach the competition’s officially announced approach, instead of a violation of the competition’s terms.

Under those terms, Boeing is likely to lose again – which may trigger a follow-on protest upon the release of the revised RFP. The planned time line for moving forward is as follows:

Aug 6-13: DoD officials will take a week to discuss elements of the draft with Northrop-Grumman and Boeing. Expect a lot of back and forth over the terms of the RFP, including efforts by members of the (currently recessed) Congress.
Mid-August: DoD plans to issue the final RFP amendment, with just 45 days for renewed submissions. Note that this time frame would make an airframe switch very difficult, due to the hundreds of pages of documentation, cost information, and design work required.
Early October 2008: Renewed submissions due.
October to late November: Discussions with the companies about their proposals.
Early December: Final proposal revisions for “best, final” offer.
Early January 2009: Decision made and announced. If Boeing wins, the existing contract is canceled and a new one is signed. If Airbus/NGC win again, the current stop-work order is lifted.

It’s important to note that the US DoD’s desired schedule, and what politics, appeals, et. al. actually end up dictating, may end up being 2 different things. On a political level, however, introducing the revised RFP when Congress is in recess, and not issuing a decision until after the elections, will help to lower elected representatives’ political leverage. What it will not do is provide full insulation, since the decision is certain to be an important election issue in some states. The first days in a new Congress’ term also tend to provide some political insulation for issues of this type, since members are busy with other things. Nevertheless, it can also be a double-edged sword. Exceptions do occur if the issue in question is a big enough priority for enough elected representatives. In that case, the first days of a term can also be the stage for dramatic political actions whose fallout would be considered much more carefully later in their term.

July 9/08: Let Round 2 begin. American Secretary of Defense Robert Gates announces that the KC-X competition will be re-opened, with at least one important difference: the Air Force won’t be running it. Meanwhile, Northrop-Grumman has been ordered to stop work on its contract.

Undersecretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics John J. Young Jr. will be in charge of the acquisition, and will appoint an advisory committee to oversee the selection process. , and a modified request for proposal could be issued before the end of July 2008, with a decision expected by year’s end.

Boeing’s statement welcomes the news, and claims that life-cycle costs including fuel will now be considered in the competition:

“However, we remain concerned that a renewed Request for Proposals (RFP) may include changes that significantly alter the selection criteria as set forth in the original solicitation. As the Government Accountability Office reported in upholding our protest, we submitted the only proposal that fully met the mandatory criteria of the original RFP… we will also take time to understand the updated solicitation to determine the right path forward for the company. It’s encouraging that the Defense Department intends to take steps …that, among other things, fully accounts for life-cycle costs, such as fuel…”

The new competition will be challenging for all concerned, especially since it adds an element missing from the last round: European expectations, raised by the initial win, could create larger trade and defense industry ramifications if the new competition is perceived to be biased against Airbus’ offering. Meanwhile, political involvement and pressure within the USA is guaranteed to be intense, and every item from the selection criteria onward can expect contestation. US DoD | Boeing release | Northrop Grumman release | Alabama Press-Register | Montgomery Advertiser | Seattle Times | WIRED Danger Room | CNBC | Hartford Courant | AP | Aviation Week: L

Categories: Defense`s Feeds

The C-5 Galaxy is ready to do the heavy lifting | Trident II – so hot right now | China goes hypersonic

Tue, 08/07/2018 - 06:00

Americas

The Air Force is working on the next operational resiliency phase for one of its satellites. Lockheed Martin Space Systems is being awarded a $32.0 million contract modification for work on the Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) Satellite Vehicle 4. The AEHF system is a series of four military communication satellites which will entirely replace the current in-orbit Milstar system. The main function of the AEHF spacecraft in geostationary orbits will be to provide secure, survivable and near-worldwide satellite communications. Advanced EHF satellites will provide at least 10 times greater total capacity, and offer channel data rates 6 times higher, than current Milstar II communications satellites. They’ll offer 24-hour low, medium, and high data rate satellite connectivity from 65 N to 65 S latitude, worldwide. AEHF SV-4 was initially expected to launch in spring 2017. The total cumulative face value of the contract is $9,2 billion. Work will be performed at the company’s location in Sunnyvale, California, and is expected to be completed by end of January 2021.
The US Army is contracting Mnemonics Inc. for the production of Remote Activation Munition Systems. The firm-fixed-price contract has a value of $38.31 million and provides for both the M152 and Mk152 systems. The RAMS was initially developed for Special Operations Forces as a replacement to for the M122 Remote Demolition Firing Device. It is a secure, radio-controlled system designed to remotely control demolition charges. The operator has the capability to destroy, delay and disrupt an enemy while avoiding direct contact. RAMS consists of a transmitter and two types of receivers, an electric output to initiate blasting caps and an explosive output to initiate C4 or other items directly. Work locations and funding will be determined with each individual order. Work is scheduled for completion by August 2021.
The US Navy is further investing in its submarine launched nuclear ballistic missile capability. Lockheed Martin will provide a variety of services to support the fiscal 2019 Trident II missile production at a cost of $22.28 million. The Trident II D5 was first deployed in 1990. The US and UK respectively are investing in the Trident II D5 LE Program, which 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 a further 108 missiles are being purchased, in order to meet long-term inventory requirements. The LE program involves updating the missile’s electronics, guidance and reentry systems. Lockheed Martin has managed has managed all of the US submarine-launched ballistic missile/ fleet ballistic missile (SLBM/FBM) programs since the first-generation Polaris. Work will be performed at the company’s location in Sunnyvale, California, and is expected to be completed by date September 2023.
The Air Force is now in possession of a completely refurbished fleet of C-5M Super Galaxy transport planes. The US Air Force Air Mobility Command began a program to modernize the C-5s in 1998 after a study concluded the decades-old aircraft had 80% of their service life remaining. AMP is the first step. Its main purpose is to equip the aircraft to fly in civil airspace by the most direct routes, at the most advantageous altitudes, with the most efficient fuel usage and cargo loads. AMP is also trying to reduce the number of devices and wires in the planes, to reduce costs and improve reliability. RERP’s core improvement is the addition of modern F138-GE-100 jet engines, derived from General Electric’s CF6-80C2s that power many commercial airliners. The C-5 is capable of carrying two 78-ton M1A1 main battle tanks or helicopters and other large equipment intercontinental distances. Over the years Lockheed Martin upgraded a total of 52 C-5s with new engines, avionics and diagnostic systems, which will keep the airlifters flying until the 2040s.

Middle East & Africa

The Afghan Air Force is re-adding the first refurbished Mi-17V-5 helicopter to its fleet. The helicopter was repaired by the Slovakian Tren?ín Aircraft Repair Corps, which won the tender as part of a NATO Support and Procurement Agency competition in 2016. Designed to transport cargo inside the cabin and on an external sling, the Mi-17V-5 is one of the world’s most advanced helicopters. It can also be deployed in troop and arms transport, fire support, convoy escort, patrol, and search-and-rescue (SAR) missions. The helicopter can fly in tropical and maritime climates, and desert conditions. The helicopter is armed with Shturm-V missiles, S-8 rockets, a 23mm machine gun, PKT machine guns and AKM sub-machine guns. It features eight firing posts for aiming the weapons. According to the company this was the first general overhaul of the Mi-17V-5 helicopter in the EU and NATO area.

Europe

Jane’s reports that France is determined to export its SCALP cruise missile to Egypt, despite the US blocking the sale of essential components. French Defense Minister Florence Parly said during a recent press conference that “in this case, we will not be able to lift the US opposition to the sale of SCALP missiles [to Egypt]. The only thing we can do is for MBDA to make some investment in research and development to be able to manufacture similar components that are not covered by ITAR.” The SCALP is a long-range, air-launched, stand-off attack missile designed and developed by France-based MBDA Systems. The missile is capable of engaging the targets precisely in any weather conditions during day and night. The long range and low attitude combined with subsonic speed make the Storm Shadow quite stealthy. The French government is convinced that it can build the missiles with a reasonable delay. The International Trade in Arms Regulation (ITAR) agreement may also affect Egypt’s purchase of 12 additional Rafale jets from France. According to reports, the Egyptian government will not sign for the new aircraft unless the SCALP missiles are included.

Asia-Pacific

Reports suggest that China is now in possession of a new hypersonic test vehicle, which is able to achieve speeds Mach 5.5 for over six minutes. Designated Starry Sky 2 the flight vehicle reached an altitude of 30km and undertook several maneuvers. The wedge-shaped vehicle is being developed by the China Academy of Aerospace Aerodynamics, the fuselage is designed to improve its supersonic lift-to-drag ratio by using the shock waves generated by its own flight as a lifting force. The hypersonic vehicle was first carried by a solid-propellant rocket and then separated as its own propulsion system took over. The US tested an experimental “waverider” from 2010 to 2013 that was designed to reach Mach 6. China’s defense budget this year amounts to $175 billion, significant amounts of which are invested in R&D operations as means to catch-up to US, Russian and European technologies.

Today’s Video

Watch: Japan’s Acquisition, Technology & Logistics Agency reveals railgun research

Categories: Defense`s Feeds

Next-Stage C4ISR Bandwidth: The AEHF Satellite Program

Tue, 08/07/2018 - 05:58

AEHF concept
(click to view full)

The USA’s new Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) satellites will support twice as many tactical networks as the current Milstar II satellites, while providing 10-12 times the bandwidth capacity and 6 times the data rate transfer speed. With the cancellation of the higher-capacity TSAT program, AEHF will form the secure, hardened backbone of the Pentagon’s future Military Satellite Communications (MILSATCOM) architecture, with a mission set that includes nuclear command and control. Its companion Family of Advanced Beyond-line-of-sight Terminals (FAB-T) program will give the US military more modern, higher-bandwidth receiving capabilities, and add more flexibility on the front lines. The program has international components, and partners currently include Britain, Canada, and the Netherlands.

This article offers a look at the AEHF system’s rationale and capabilities, while offering insight into some of the program’s problems, and an updated timeline covering over $5 billion worth of contracts since the program’s inception.

The AEHF Program Program Status and Budgets

The decline in GAO program coverage creates some challenges in making apples to apples comparisons, but the trends are clear. Like a number of American satellite development programs, AEHF has been cited for cost overruns and schedule slips. Part of the reason involves the US National Security Agency’s failure to furnish key cryptography requirements and specifications, and mechanical and construction difficulties were also involved.

Yo-yoing constellation size played a role of its own in program total changes, while creating cost spikes for individual satellites. Satellites 5 & 6 are expected to cost almost double the average for SV 1-3, owing to a production line that was interrupted and restarted because the decisions to add more satellites came after a gap of 4 years. That was too late to keep the production line from closing temporarily, and re-starts are difficult and expensive.

Note that USAF budgets do not include the US Army’s small participation, contributions from international partners, or RDT&E funding beyond FY 2014:

Past and Future

C4ISR Future?
(click to expand)

The AEHF partnership program currently involves 4 operational and 2 reserve satellites, and includes Britain, Canada, and the Netherlands.

AEHF began as a program in April 1999, and development began in September 2001. The production decision was made in June 2004, and the original intent was to launch the first satellite in late 2007. NSA delays in providing key cryptographic requirements ended up being very expensive, and other technical difficulties also pushed the program back. First launch didn’t take place until August 2010.

Along the way, the AEHF program’s size has yo-yoed. In December 2002, optional satellites 4 and 5 were deleted from the program, with the intention of making AEHF only an interim bridge to the larger Transformational Satellite Network (T-SAT) and its ultra-high bandwidth laser interlinks. As TSAT faltered, however, the AEHF bridge became the destination.

The first indication of shifts in the program came when the Pentagon’s April 2008 Selected Acquisition Reports confirmed that the program had expanded to add AEHF-4. The TSAT successor program was restructured, but in June 2009, Secretary of Defense Gates finally lowered the boom and confirmed that the Pentagon intended to kill TSAT, leaving Advanced EHF satellites as the military’s main future guarantors of secure, hardened bandwidth. In response, the US military expanded and internationalized the Wideband Global SATCOM (WGS), restored AEHF SV-5 to the hardened constellation, and eventually added a 6th AEHF satellite in April 2010.

The 5th and 6th satellites are currently planned as a reserve that will replace the first 2. Even so, the USAF is considering a 7th and 8th satellite, as it works through an Analysis of Alternatives for its “Resilient Basis for SATCOM (RBS) in Joint Operations” study. The exact nature of the AEHF Follow-On will be informed by this protected MILSATCOM AoA.

Down here on Earth, the companion FAB-T (Family of Advanced Beyond-line-of-sight Terminals) development effort aimed to create a family of software-defined radios that could become a common terminal for the next generation of High Data Satellite Communications, including AEHF, Wideband Gapfiller, and other future satellite systems. It’s aimed at aircraft, and the NSA’s poor handling of its cryptographic challenges has contributed to the overall program’s delays and cost overruns. A limited production contract is expected by mid-2014.

Beyond Boeing’s FAB-T, a number of vendors are developing and fielding SATCOM solutions that are compatible with AEHF, for use by land and naval assets.

Launch Plans and Dates

The Process
click for video

AEHF Space Vehicle-1 (SV-1) launched in August 2010, almost 3 years later than originally planned, but slightly earlier than some 2010 reports had expected. It encountered serious propulsion problems, which left it well short of its operational orbit, but ground control found some timely workarounds the eventually got the satellite to its orbital plane. The flip side is that instead of conducting on-orbit testing in August 2010, the USAF had to wait until November 2011. Meanwhile, AEHF SV-2 and SV-3 were ready, but SV-1’s technical failure and delayed on-orbit tests left them on hold.

AEHF SV-2 was slated for launch in May 2011, but was eventually launched on May 4/12.

AEHF SV-3 missed its January 2012 window. A full launch schedule meant that the launch ended up taking place on Sept 18/13.

AEHF SV-4 is still expected to launch in Q3 (spring) FY 2017, which tracks with the 4-year delay before the additional order.

SV-5 was supposed to follow in 2018, and SV-6 in 2020, but they’ve been shifted to a reserve role instead. Despite the US military’s exploding demand for bandwidth, they’ll be used as end-of-life replacements for SV-1 and SV-2, or as an emergency replacement option for any AEHF satellite that malfunctions or is destroyed.

The AEHF Satellites

Advanced EHF satellites will provide at least 10 times greater total capacity, and offer channel data rates 6 times higher, than current Milstar II communications satellites. These new hardened and crosslinked satellites are designed to be very hard to jam, while surviving shocks that can include EMP radiation surges from atmospheric nuclear blasts. They’ll offer 24-hour low, medium, and high data rate satellite connectivity from 65 N to 65 S latitude, worldwide.

Each Advanced EHF satellite employs more than 50 communications channels via multiple, simultaneous downlinks. To accomplish their goal of 10x capacity and 6x channel data of existing Milstar II satellites, Advanced EHF adds new higher data-rate transmission modes:

Each satellite uses than 800 ASICs (chips) delivered by Honeywell Aerospace in Plymouth, MN, and BAE Systems of Arlington, VA. These customized chips benefit from general advances in chip density and speed since the existing MILSTAR constellation was built, which means reduced weight. Each AEHF payload includes:

25 computers
Almost 1 million lines of software code
70 unique monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) chip designs – almost 18,000 total MMICs
More than 50 unique integrated microwave assemblies and hybrid designs – over 13,000 total.

AEHF is X-band capable for high-bandwidth data rates, in addition to the Milstar low data rate and medium data rate modes that ensure backward compatibility. The crosslinks eliminate the need to route messages via terrestrial systems, which cuts some of the latency associated with satellite links.

Bandwidth is already a significant constraint in theater, and these higher data rates will allow more transmission of tactical military communications into remote areas, to include real-time video, battlefield maps, and targeting data.

The AEHF Satellites: Contracts & Key Events

Payload testing
(click to view full)

The Pentagon DefenseLINK summaries of awarded AEHF contracts were unusually informative, providing a commendable level of insight into the program and its challenges. Note, especially, the effects of key delays from NSA re: cryptography in the early years. We’ve also broken out the AEHF’s FAB-T terminals that will connect the military to the AEHF network and other satellites. Though the satellites and terminals are intertwined on many levels, and some cryptography-related contracts may mention neither but apply to both, separation of these contracts adds more clarity.

As of January 2013, Lockheed Martin is under contract for 6 satellites.

Unless otherwise specified, the USAF Headquarters Space and Missile Systems Center in Los Angeles, CA has issued the following requisitions under contract #F04701-02-C-0002:

Satellites FY 2014 – 2018

SV-4 launch prep.

NGC on AEHF FY 2018

August 7/18: After delay – SV-4 moves ahead The Air Force is working on the next operational resiliency phase for one of its satellites. Lockheed Martin Space Systems is being awarded a $32.0 million contract modification for work on the Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) Satellite Vehicle 4. The AEHF system is a series of four military communication satellites which will entirely replace the current in-orbit Milstar system. The main function of the AEHF spacecraft in geostationary orbits will be to provide secure, survivable and near-worldwide satellite communications. Advanced EHF satellites will provide at least 10 times greater total capacity, and offer channel data rates 6 times higher, than current Milstar II communications satellites. They’ll offer 24-hour low, medium, and high data rate satellite connectivity from 65 N to 65 S latitude, worldwide. AEHF SV-4 was initially expected to launch in spring 2017. The total cumulative face value of the contract is $9,2 billion. Work will be performed at the company’s location in Sunnyvale, California, and is expected to be completed by end of January 2021.

FY 2015

May 22/15: Lockheed Martin has been awarded a $735 million support contract for the Air Force’s Advanced Extremely High Frequency Satellites, Milstar and Defense Satellite Communications System III. The company was awarded a similar contract for the latter two in 2009.

Dec 27/13: SV-4 launch prep. Lockheed Martin Space Systems Co., Sunnyvale, CA receives a $116.1 million cost-plus-incentive-fee contract modification for AEHF SV-4 (q.v. Dec 15/10) launch operations, including support to integrate the satellite into the launch rocket. Launch preparation activities begin at launch minus 12 months, and include an early orbit operations rehearsal campaign alongside the physical preparations.

$2 million in USAF FY 2014 missile procurement funds are committed immediately. Work will be performed at Sunnyvale, CA, and El Segundo, CA, and is expected to be complete July 31/19. The USAF Space and Missile Systems Center, PKJ, Los Angeles Air Force Base, CA, is the contracting activity (F04701-02-C-0002, PO 0548).

Satellites FY 2013

SV-5 & SV-6; SAR is sort of good news; Canada begins using AEHF.

Encapsulation
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Sept 18/13: AEHF-3 launch. A Delta V 531 rocket blasts off from Cape Canaveral, and successfully launches AEHF-3. The satellite will spend the next 110 days thrusting to raise its orbit, followed by about 60 days of on-orbit testing. It’s ULA’s 40th mission with the Atlas V EELV.

AEHF-3 was encapsulated in its 5m diameter fairing on Sept 11/13. Sources: ULA | USAF Los Angeles AFB | Lockheed Martin.

AEHF-3 launched

Sept 16/13: IOC Delay. Inside Defense Reports that the USAF is citing Software Development Difficulties as the reason for delaying AEHF’s Initial Operational Capability designation by a year. Source: Inside Defense, “Air Force Delays Key AEHF Milestone One Year, Citing Software Development Difficulties”.

IOC delayed

Sept 12/13: Netherlands. Lockheed Martin reveals that in July 2013, the Dutch tested engaging AEHF-1 and AEHF-2, exchanging voice and data communications with the U.S. and Canada by connecting to the AEHF-2 satellite, crosslinking with AEHF-1, then downlinking to the U.S. Navy terminal in San Diego and a Canadian terminal at Shirley’s Bay, Ontario. They also completed their first local AEHF call from ship to shore, using international versions of the Navy Multi-Band and SMART-T terminals. Source: Lockheed Martin, Sept 12/13 release.

June 20/13: Canada. A U.S.-Canada team has successfully communicated with the USAF’s 4th Space Operations Squadron at Schriever Air Force Base, CO, using AEHF-1 satellite and a SMART-T terminal variant to exchange data from a location near Ottawa, Canada. Follow-on tests involved multiple Navy Multi-Band IP variant terminals exchanging data over AEHF networks.

Canada is the 1st international partner to reach this point, and will continue testing for several months as their forces move toward initial operational capability. Britain and the Netherlands are scheduled to complete their first terminal connections by the end of 2013. Lockheed Martin.

May 24/13: SAR. The Pentagon finally releases its Dec 31/12 Selected Acquisitions Report [PDF], and AEHF is a good news story. Not completely good news, given the raised costs for these satellites thanks to the production gap, but $500 million is always nice:

“Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) Satellite – The AEHF program is comprised of two subprograms, Space Vehicles 1-4 and Space Vehicles 5-6. Only the Space Vehicles 5-6 subprogram had selected cost changes in the December 2012 SAR. AEHF Space Vehicles 5-6 – Subprogram costs decreased $510.4 million (-14.6%) from $3,488.2 million to $2,977.8 million, due primarily to a reduced estimate to reflect program efficiencies for production and launch operations for Space Vehicles 5-6 (-$507.1 million). The savings were applied to higher Air Force needs.”

SAR: good news, sort of

For AEHF, the 2014 budget continues to reduce annual funding through FY 2017, but the block buy of SV-5 and SV-6 is on track. That budget is $2.59 billion maximum, based on $227 million in FY 2011 for long lead time parts, an unfinalized contract with a $2.199 billion maximum for production and launch, and $164 million for potential Engineering Change Orders (ECOs).

There are a few important changes, beginning with having SV-5 and SV-6 “replace AEHF-1 and AEHF-2 at the end of their useful life,” instead of launching to address the US military’s exploding demand for bandwidth. The program has also extended. Instead of terminating in 2018, the budget suddenly adds advance procurement in FY 2016 – 2017, and a big FY 2018 spike for 2 clones of SV-5/6. AEHF SV-7 and SV-8 are really just placeholders so far, as the USAF works through an Analysis of Alternatives for its Resilient Basis for SATCOM (RBS) in Joint Operations study. The exact nature of the AEHF Follow-On will be informed by the protected MILSATCOM AoA.

Jan 3/13: SV-5/6. Lockheed Martin Space Systems Co., Sunnyvale, CA receives a $1.937 billion contract modification for AEHF Space Vehicle 5 and 6 “Production Launch Operations.” When we add ancillary and long-lead item contracts announced to date, the total so far for SV-5 and SV-6 comes to $2,469.2 million, or about $1.235 billion per satellite:

Jan 3/13: $1,936.5 (main)
Sept 17/12: $43.0 (crypto)
June 25/12: $249.0 (antennas)
May 10/12: $13.5 (parts)
Dec 5/11: $167.2 (long-lead)
Nov 16/11: $60.0 (long-lead)

As noted above, the need for a production line restart created a huge cost increase. Work will be performed in Sunnyvale and El Segundo, CA, and is expected to be complete by Jan 24/22. Note that substantially the same announcement was made on Dec 28/12 (FA8808-12-C-0010).

SV-5 & SV-6 main contract

Satellites FY 2012

AEHF-1 and 2.

AEHF-2 launch
(click for video)

Sept 24/12: AEHF-2 ready. The satellite completes its on-orbit testing successfully. Testing began with single-satellite testing, followed by a period of crosslink testing between AEHF-1 and AEHF-2, and culminating with testing in the operational Milstar constellation. USAF.

Sept 17/12: SV-5/6. Lockheed Martin Space Systems in Sunnyvale, CA receives a $43 million contract modification for AEHF SV-6 Crypto Availability KI-54D. Decoded, that means they’ll produce/order and then install the satellite’s “black box” encoding/ decoding module for secure communications.

Work will be performed Camden, NJ and El Segundo, CA (Northrop Grumman, sub-contractor), and is expected to be complete by Oct 16/15 (F04701-02-C-0002, PO 0544).

Aug 10/12: AEHF-2 on-orbit. AEHF-2 arrives at its geostationary orbit test location and altitude. Unlike AEHF-1, this one went smoothly: 4 Liquid Apogee Engine burns to get above the densest Van Allen radiation belts, deployment of the solar arrays, then 47 Hall Current Thruster burns over an 85-day period. Payload activation and about 2 months of on-orbit testing are next. USAF.

June 25/12: SV-5/6. Lockheed Martin in Sunnyvale, CA receives a $249 million firm-fixed-price contract for AEHF SV-5 and SV-6 antennas and flight materials. That kind of hardened bandwidth in space doesn’t come cheap. Work will be performed in Sunnyvale, CA, and will be complete by Nov 1/12 (FA8808-12-C-0010, PO 0001).

May 10/12: SV-5/6. Lockheed Martin Space Systems in Sunnyvale, CA receives a $13.5 million firm-fixed-price contract for Space Vehicle 5/6 production. Specifically, they’ll supply a gimbal mechanism and beam select switch parts.

Discussion with Lockheed Martin confirms that this is for AEHF. Work will be performed in Sunnyvale, CA until Dec 30/13 (FA8808-12-C-0010).

Feb 27/12 – May 4/12: AEHF-2 delivery & launch. Lockheed Martin delivers AEHF-2 to the Air Force on Feb 27/12, after keeping it in storage since the end of 2010. The satellite was scheduled for launch on April 27/12 from Cape Canaveral, using an Atlas V rocket. Encapsulation took place on April 21/12 at the Astrotech Space Operations facility in Titusville, FL, but the launch date slipped to May 4/12.

The launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station was successful. AEHF SV-2 will take about 110 days to fly to its final orbit, followed by about 120 days of on-orbit testing, before it is transferred to the 14th Air Force for Satellite Control Authority. USAF | ULA | Lockheed Martin | Dutch MvD [in Dutch].

AEHF-2 launch

Dec 5/11: SV-5/6 lead-in. Lockheed Martin Space Systems Corp. in Sunnyvale, CA receives a $167.2 million firm-fixed-price and cost-plus-incentive-fee contract modification, to buy more AEHF SV-5 & SV-6 long lead time materials. This comes on top of the $60 million Nov 16/11 announcement, and includes the basic long-lead parts for Lockheed Martin’s electronic boxes and core structure, and for Northrop Grumman’s payload. These parts have a 24-week (about 6 month) lead time, and will support the coming SV 5/6 production contract.

Work will be performed in Sunnyvale, CA (F04701-02-C-0002, PO 0528).

Dec 2/11: Support. Lockheed Martin Space Systems Corp. in Sunnyvale, CA receives a $312.2 million cost-plus-incentive-fee contract modification for AEHF satellite program engineering support from Dec 1/11 to Dec 31/14.

Work will be performed at Redondo Beach, CA, and could include “on-orbit anomaly resolution and investigation” (vid. AEHF-1’s tribulations), flight and payload software sustainment after on-orbit tests are done, Networked AEHF System Tested tool sustainment, mission control familiarization, and development test. They’ll also provide hardware, software, training and logistics support, technical order maintenance, system security and information assurance engineering, support for AEHF and Milstar combined constellation integration transition and test activities, coordination with the Milstar O&M contractor, satellite database updates for Milstar and AEHF, and on-site technical support for satellite operations at Schriever AFB, CO, and Vandenberg AFB, CA. The USAF Space and Missile Systems Center’s Military Satellite Communications Systems Directorate in Los Angeles, CA manages the contract (F04701-02-C-0002, PO 0454).

Nov 16/11: SV-5/6 lead-in. Lockheed Martin Space Systems in Sunnyvale, CA received a $60 million firm-fixed-price and cost-plus-award-fee contract modification for AEHF SV-5 & SV-6 long lead time materials. The USAF Space and Missile Systems Center’s Military Satellite Communications Systems Directorate in El Segundo, CA manages the contract (F04701-02-C-002, PO 0525).

Nov 3/11: AEHF-1. The USAF announces that AEHF SV-1 has completed initial activation of its communications payload, and has begun on-orbit testing. This included successful deployment of the payload wings, the Gimbal Dish antennas, and the Advanced Anti-Jam Nulling antennas, as well as log-ons and data communications using communication terminals located at Schriever AFB, CO, and M.I.T/Lincoln Labs, MA.

A combined team of Air Force, Aerospace Corp., Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman personnel have worked on activation, and SMC MILSATCOM Systems Director Dave Madden believes that by the end of November, they’ll have enough data to make a decision on whether or not to launch AEHF SV-2 in April 2012.

Oct 25/11: The USAF announces that AEHF-1 has finally reached its designated orbital slot, 14 months after launch. The process required approximately 500 thruster burns, but they still expect to get the required 14 years of mission life from the satellite, even though onboard fuel is directly correlated with mission life. Other US satellites have lasted longer than expected in orbit, so it’s hard to evaluate the USAF’s expectation without knowing the before/after confidence intervals, safety margins, etc. Time will tell.

The next step is a 4-month detailed test and checkout phase of all spacecraft systems, which is actually the most critical on-orbit phase. If the satellite’s other systems are performing as expected, the Space and Missile Systems Center plans to transfer satellite command authority to USAF Space Command’s 14th Air Force in early 2012. USAF.

Huge save: AEHF-1 makes it!

Oct 4/11: AEHF-1. The Space & Missile systems Center at Los Angeles AFB says that AEHF-1 is going to be a bit late to its orbital slot. It will arrive in late October instead of today, “while maintaining the safety of the vehicle and conserving on-board fuel.” Burning the Hall Current Thrusters to make up for the Liquid Apogee engine’s problems has a price, as fuel is the main determinant of satellite lifespan in orbit. The MILSATCOM Systems Directorate says that when they achieve the desired orbit, AEHF-1 will maintain the same expected capabilities they were estimating back in June.

Satellites FY 2011

AEHF-1 not where it should be. SV-4. Cost increases; layoffs.

AEHF-1 recovery award
(click for video)

Sept 30/11: Support. Lockheed Martin Space Systems Corp. in Sunnyvale, CA received a $9.8 million cost plus award fee contract modification to extend AEHF sustaining engineering support by 2 more months, from Sept 30/11 through Nov 20/11. Support is provided for MilStar and AEHF satellite operations at Schriever Air Force Base, CO and Vandenberg Air Force Base, CA, and includes on-orbit anomaly resolution and investigation, flight and payload software sustainment, Networked AEHF System Tested Tool sustainment, support for mission control segment Increment 5 familiarization and development test, mission control segment Increments 4 and 5 software maintenance, and on-site technical support.

The USAF Missile Systems Center Military Satellite Communications Systems Directorate in El Segundo, CA manages the contract (F04701-02-C-0002, PO 0519).

Space Systems says it will offer “eligible” salaried employees an opportunity for a voluntary layoff, plus career transition support for all affected employees. Lockheed Martin.

Layoffs

June 13/11: Studies. Lockheed Martin Space Systems in Sunnyvale, CA receives a $17.7 million cost-plus-award-fee contract modification, extending AEHF’s capabilities insertion study. As Lockheed Martin’s engineers contemplate ways to improve future AEHF satellites and meet growing military bandwidth needs, they will be performing capability/requirements tradeoffs for systems, technology assessments, development of design alternatives, risk assessments, and cost and schedule analysis (F04701-02-C-0002, PO 0500).

May 9/11: Changes. Lockheed Martin Corp. in Sunnyvale, CA receives a $21.3 million cost-plus-award-fee contract modification to develop AEHF program software changes in 3 areas. Absent further specifics, the award has been placed in this section.

Work will be performed in Sunnyvale, CA, and King of Prussia, PA. At this point, $19 million has been committed by the USAF Space and Missiles Center, SMC/PKJ in El Segundo, CA (F04701-02-C-0002, P00483).

April 15/11: The Pentagon’s Selected Acquisitions Report ending Dec 30/10 includes the “significant cost changes” in AEHF program – both satellites and terminals. The satellite section reads:

“Program costs increased $1,065.1 million (+8.6 percent) from $12,448.9 million to $13,514.0 million, due primarily to a revised procurement estimate to fully fund the fifth and sixth satellites (+$1,620.7 million) and an extension of interim contract support due to the launch delay for the first satellite (+214.5 million). These increases are partially offset by an estimating decrease due to an acquisition strategy change from full funding to a block buy for the fifth and sixth satellites (-$798.5 million).”

SAR – cost increases

April 7/11: AEHF-1. The USAF’s Space and Missile systems Center provides an update on AEHF-1 progress, as they work to move it into an operational orbit after it fell short upon launch. Today, AEHF-1 crosses the 20,000 km/ 12,427 mile perigee mark.

SMC says orbit-raising is successfully continuing as planned. Phases 1 & 2 using hydrazine thruster phase are complete, and the satellite is now using its AEHF’s Hall Current Thruster electric propulsion system. The goal is to reach geosynchronous orbit in late summer 2011. If they do, it would cap as remarkable effort, and a very nice recovery for the joint government and contractor team. On the other hand, fuel reserves are the #1 determinant of how long a geosynchronous satellite can remain effective, and AEHF-1’s fuel reserves will be much lower than planned. See also Nov 16/10 entry for more details. USAF SMC (no URL).

March 22/11: AEHF-1. AEHF-1 crosses the half-way mark to geosynchronous orbit, with its perigee climbing above 17,893 km/ 11,174 miles altitude. USAF SMC (no URL).

Dec 15/10: SV-4. Lockheed Martin Space Systems Co. in Sunnyvale, CA received a $1.31 billion contract modification for SV4, the 4th AEHF satellite, SV4 unique systems engineering, a system level factory test, system database management functions, systems level support equipment, and program management. At this time, $1.236 billion has been obligated (FO4701-02-C-0002; PO0448).

See also Sept 10/09 and July 18/06 entries, which raise total SV-4 contracts to $1.604 billion. USAF release.

SV-4 main contract

Dec 14/10: AEHF-1. In response to questions about AEHF-1’s orbital problems, the USAF Space and Missile Systems Center says they’ve briefed senior Air Force leaders, who are considering initiating a Safety Investigation Board. They will also present their investigation briefing to selected Congressional Staff Members later in December 2010. Based on the current costs for AEHF-1/2/3, the unit cost per satellite is about $1.7 billion, and the USAF is reviewing its options concerning contractor financial responsibility and/or penalties.

Under current plans, AEHF-1 is looking at a 9-month delay, reaching its test/check-out orbit on Aug 11/11, instead of Nov 10/10.

Nov 16/10: AEHF-1 may have launched successfully, but a propulsion system problem prevented a series of 3 liquid apogee engine burns, so it didn’t reach its operational mission orbit. Los Angeles AFB discusses the new plan to fix this, which involves 4 major stages:

The 1st Parking Burns stage used 3 of the 6 reaction engine assemblies, or REAs, to quickly raise the perigee altitude to reduce drag and attitude disturbances. The 5 pound thrusters brought the orbit to a perigee altitude of 1,156 km and an inclination of 19.9 degrees on Sept 7/10. Apogee altitude remained at 50,000 km, per plan.

The 2nd stage was a series of 6 REA Apogee Burns, to more efficiently raise the perigee path to 4,712 km, and lower inclination to 15 degrees. It was completed on Sept 22/10.

The 3rd stage involves firing 2 high-efficiency hall current thrusters (HCTs), for as long as 12 hours around the apogee altitude. These burns will continue every orbit, centered on apogee, and this stage is planned to last between 7-9 months. It began on Oct 20/10, with a 9 hour burn during AEHF-1’s 100th apogee. Meanwhile, the satellite has managed to deploy its solar arrays, and pass operational readiness checkouts.

The 4th and final stage will require a near-continuous firing of the HCTs to adjust to the final mission orbit, lasting about 3 months. Los Angeles AFB.

AEHF-1: We have a problem

Nov 9/10: Support Lockheed Martin Space Systems Co. in Sunnyvale, CA received a $49 million contract modification for AEHF sustainment engineering support from Oct 1/10 to Sept 30/11. At this point, $9 million has been committed by the AFSMC/MCSQ in El Segundo, CA (F04701-02-C-002; P00427).

Oct 28/10: Testing. Lockheed Martin announces the end of Intersegment System Testing (IST) for the 2nd AEHF satellite in Sunnyvale, CA, completing pre-launch verification for the new eXtended Data Rate (XDR) high-bandwidth service. XDR offers a 10-fold increase in system capacity, coverage and network connectivity, allowing applications such as real-time video, and voice and data conferencing. Completion of IST for AEHF-2 caps an extensive suite of interoperability tests with new XDR-capable user terminals, which demonstrating protected anti-jam communications at data rates up to 8 Mbps using agile satellite spot beams.

The 2nd AEHF satellite has completed all testing, and will be placed in storage in November 2010. The 3rd AEHF satellite is currently progressing through thermal vacuum environmental testing at the Lockheed Martin facility in Sunnyvale, CA.

Satellites FY 2010

AEHF-1

AEHF-1 highlights
(click for video)

Aug 16/10: Studies Lockheed Martin Space Systems Co. in Sunnyvale, CA received a $16 million contract to study AEHF enhancement options, and all funds have already been committed. With the demise of AEHF’s T-SAT successor, AEHF enhancements become a critical opportunity for the bandwidth-constrained US military (F04701-02-C-0002, P00443).

AEHF-1 launch

August 10/10: SV-1. AEHF-1 is encapsulated into the Atlas V rocket. The launch has been delayed again, until Aug 14/10.

July 16/10: SV-1. Los Angeles AFB announces that, the Lockheed-Martin/Air Force AEHF team has continued a long-standing tradition, and signed a piece of the flight thermal blanket for the AEHF-1 satellite in preparation for launch. The satellite was shipped on May 24/10, and is currently at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, FL being readied for launch.

July 14/10: SV-1 launch slips. The USAF announces that:

“The Atlas V launch of the first Advanced Extremely High Frequency satellite from SLC-41 at the cape has been delayed 10 days from 30 July to 10 August. This delay was necessary to provide engineers more time to perform confidence testing on a launch vehicle component associated with releasing the fairing support structure. Processing on both the launch vehicle and satellite continues nominally to a new launch date of 10 August. This slip in the AEHF-1 launch is not expected to impact other launches in the manifest.”

See USAF | Lockheed Martin | United Launch Alliance | Florida Today, incl. video | Spaceflight Now.

May 25/10: SV-1. Lockheed Martin delivers the 1st new AEHF secure broadband communications satellite (SV-1) to the USAF, for a planned July 30/10 liftoff.

As of this date, Lockheed martin says that SV-2 has completed Final Integrated System Test, and is now preparing for Intersegment testing. SV-3 has now completed acoustic testing. Lockheed Martin.

AEHF-1 delivered.

April 14/10: Testing. Lockheed Martin announces that it has completed all factory testing of the first AEHF satellite, which means it’s ready for delivery to Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, FL for a September 2010 liftoff aboard an Atlas V rocket.

The 2nd AEHF satellite (SV-2) is in the midst of its final performance test known as Final Integrated System Test which will verify all spacecraft interfaces, demonstrate full functionality and evaluate satellite performance. The 3rd AEHF satellite, SV-3, is gearing up for acoustic testing.

April 1/10: The Pentagon releases its April 2010 Selected Acquisitions Report, covering major program changes up to December 2009. AEHF makes the list, owing to procurement shifts in the wake of TSAT’s cancellation:

“Program costs increased $2,510.3 million (+25.3%) from $9,938.6 million to $12,448.9 million, due primarily to a quantity increase of two satellites from four to six satellites (+$2,623.7 million). This increase was partially offset by decreases due to an adjustment to the cost estimate (-$20.0 million), Congressional general reductions (-$19.2 million), a contractor to civilian personnel conversion (-$11.8 million), and the application of revised escalation indices (-$53.9 million).”

SAR – to 6 satellites

March 30/10: GAO Report. The US GAO audit office delivers its 8th annual “Defense Acquisitions: Assessments of Selected Weapon Programs report. With respect to the AEHF, it’s a bit behind the curve in listing only 4 satellites in the program for its figures, but it does acknowledge them in its commentary. Excerpts include:

“The AEHF program has overcome the technical problems that have delayed the first satellite’s launch by almost 2 years and increased the cost of the program. Defective satellite parts were replaced and the satellite successfully completed system-level environmental testing… Three satellites have been added to the program in recent years… The cost of the fourth satellite is significantly more than the estimated $952 million (then-year dollars) cost of the third satellite because there is an estimated 4-year break in production and some electronics components are no longer manufactured. Program officials do not anticipate significant technical challenges, but integrating, testing, and requalifying the new components will require time and money… design specifications for the first three satellites will remain unchanged for satellites four through six, which will be clones except for obsolete parts. The program office estimates the cost of satellites five and six will be about $1.6 billion and $1.7 billion (then-year dollars), respectively, with estimated launch dates in 2018 and 2020.”

Oct 7/09: Studies. Lockheed Martin Space Systems in Sunnyvale, CA received a $21.6 million contract for AEHF satellites that will perform a 50% design adequacy assessment for the mission control segment and continue preparation for the preliminary design review as well as study the impacts on strategic command requirements. At this time, $4 million has been obligated (F04701-02-C-0002, P00383).

Satellites FY 2009

Beyond TSAT.

Sept 17/09: No TSAT. What Now? During a media roundtable with USAF Space Command’s Space and Missile Systems Center Commander, Lt. Gen. Tom Sheridan, he explains the way forward in the absence of TSAT. AEHF-4 and WGS F5/F6 have been added, but that will not make up the gap in space-based bandwidth. Meanwhile, the need for high bandwidth anywhere is exploding, thanks to the skyrocketing number of UAVs and other surveillance and/or remotely-operated platforms.

Efforts are now underway to look at the overall gap created by TSAT’s removal, determine the military’s overall priorities among military wideband (WGS), hardened (AEHF), or other bandwidth options, and figure out how that gap might be covered a piece at a time. New solutions will be an option, and so will the possibility of adding new technologies to existing platforms like AEHF.

If this doesn’t sound like a firm plan, it’s because there isn’t one yet. The current foci involve figuring out customer priorities, and finding near-term funding that would retain a number of TSAT personnel and engineers. Success in retaining these people is expected to ensure that they can bring their experience with next-generation technologies to help generate new options, and then analyze alternatives.

TSAT dead – long live AEHF!

Sept 14/09: Training. Lockheed Martin Corp. in Sunnyvale, CA received a $6.1 million contract to develop training material for increment 7, train the trainer for subject matter experts at Fort Gordon, and train international partners for the Advanced Extremely High Frequency Satellite program. At this time, $324,048 has been committed by the SMC/PKA in El Segundo, CA (F04701-02-C0002, P00353).

Sept 10/09: SV-4. Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company receives a $22 million contract for advance procurement of long-lead parts for AEHF Satellite Vehicle 4. At this time, $11 million has been committed (F04701-02-C-0002, P00379).

Sept 10/09: SV-1. Lockheed Martin announces that AEHF-1 has entered final testing at the company’s Sunnyvale, CA facilities, following successful completion of all spacecraft environmental testing. The Lockheed Martin-led team is now executing the final integrated spacecraft and system test procedures necessary to prepare the vehicle for flight. Over a 75-day period, the satellite will go through a series of factory tests to verify all spacecraft interfaces, demonstrate full functionality and evaluate satellite performance.

AEHF-1 was originally scheduled for launch in 2007, but the current release sets the bar for delivery at early 2010, and launch at an unspecified time in 2010. The 2nd and 3rd AEHF satellites are also progressing through final integration and test activities, and are currently on track for launch in 2011 and 2012 respectively.

March 31/09: GAO Report. American GAO auditors look at the AEHF program, as part of their 7th annual “Defense Acquisitions: Assessments of Selected Weapon Programs” report:

“For the second straight year, technical problems with satellite components resulted in a delay of the first launch. This latest delay is almost 2 years. Further, the program office estimates that the fourth AEHF satellite could cost more than twice the third satellite because some components that are no longer manufactured will have to be replaced and production will have to be restarted after a 4-year gap…

During system-level environmental testing of the first satellite, the program office identified six components with workmanship or design problems. Five of these components will need to be removed from the spacecraft for repair, and one will need a software fix. Once all components are repaired and reinstalled, the spacecraft will undergo environmental testing a second time to assure all components are working properly. Continued problems with integration and testing have led to additional schedule delays. The launch of the first satellite has slipped almost two years – from November 2008 to as late as September 2010. The launch of the second satellite was delayed from August 2009 to around June 2011, and the third satellite is now planned for launch in 2012. Due to these delays, initial operational capability has slipped 3 years – from 2010 to 2013.”

Feb 27/09: SV-4 lead-in. Lockheed Martin Space Systems in Sunnyvale, CA receives for $175 million for “the congressionally mandated advance procurement of long-lead parts in FY08 and FY09 for the Advanced Extremely High Frequency Satellite Vehicle four.” At this time $104.5 million has been committed (F04701-02-C-0002, POO347).

See also the $119.2 million July 18/06 contract. Each contract may not spend its full amount, but issued contracts to date now total $294.2 million.

Feb 27/09: Sub-contractors. Northrop Grumman delivers the payload module for AEHF-3. They are 22 days early, marking 3 consecutive early deliveries to the Lockheed Martin’s Sunnyvale, CA facilities (2007, 2008, 2009). Their payload module consists of the complete set of processing, routing and control hardware and software that handle the satellite’s communications, including critical features that protect against interception or jamming.

Lockheed Martin now will begin mating the payload module with its A2100 satellite bus and other space vehicle components, to be followed by environmental and acceptance testing of the completed satellite. NGC release.

Dec 30/08: TVAC issues. Lockheed Martin Space Systems in Sunnyvale, CA received a $7.2 million modifications, authorizing Lockheed to perform 2 additional thermal vacuum (TVAC) cycles on the AEHF Space Vehicles 2. As the Dec 16/08 entry notes, AEHF-1 is already facing problems due to TVAC related anomalies.

The US Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center (SMC), Military Satellite Communications Systems Wing at El Segundo, CA manages this contract (F04701-02-C-002, P00343).

Dec 30/08: Studies. Lockheed Martin Space Systems in Sunnyvale, CA received a $9.9 million modification to provide feasibility studies. These studies will center on extending the AEHF system in the Military Satellite Communications Program, which appears to bode ill for the $20+ billion TSAT program that was supposed to surpass AEHF. At this time, all funds have been obligated.

The US Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center (SMC), Military Satellite Communications Systems Wing at El Segundo, CA manages this contract (F04701-02-C-002, P00340).

Dec 16/08: TVAC issues. Lockheed Martin Space Systems Co. in Sunnyvale, CA receives a $252 million Change Order that will implement additional vehicle-level Thermal Vacuum (TVAC) testing for AEHF-1. The DefenseLINK release adds that:

“The first Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) satellite is undergoing a significant amount of rework on mission critical unit’s dues [sic] to anomalies.”

At this stage, anomalies are very bad news. Additional TVAC testing suggests that the problem affects the satellite’s ability to survive and operate in the vacuum and wildly varying temperatures that a space satellite must endure.

Testing fail forces contract

Nov 17/08: The latest Pentagon Selected Acquisitions Report finds the AEHF program on the announcements list again:

“Program costs increases $2,576.6 million from $5,645.3 million to $9,938.6 million (+35.0%) to reflect cost increases which have resulted in a critical Nunn-McCurdy unit cost breach currently undergoing certification review.”

This is slightly confusing, as the April 2008 announcement set costs at $7.36 billion – rising from $6.42 billion because they had added a 4th AEHF satellite to the program.

SAR – major cost breach

Satellites FY 2008

Cost increases.

Antenna test
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Sept 16/08: Sub-contractors. Northrop Grumman Corporation announces that they have integrated all electronic units for AEHF-3’s payload module. The equipment includes approximately 20 electronics units that offer a complete set of radio frequency, processing, routing and control hardware, plus approximately 500,000 lines of software code.

NGC is currently under contract to provide 3 communications payloads to AEHF prime contractor Lockheed Martin in Sunnyvale, CA, and has delivered the first 2 on or ahead of schedule. This integration with Lockheed Martin’s A2100 satellite bus leaves the firm on track to maintain that record.

July 18/06: SV-4 lead-in. A $119.2 million modification to a cost plus award fee, cost-plus fixed-fee, cost-plus incentive-fee, firm-fixed-price contract with Lockheed Martin Space Systems Corp. of Sunnyvale, CA (F04701-02-C-0002, P00315). The modification covers long-lead parts for the 4th AEHF Satellite, and is an unfinalized contract whose exact numbers will be adjusted later. At this time $59.6 million has been committed.

April 7/08: Cost increases for the AEHF satellite and FAB-T terminal programs land them both on the Pentagon’s latest Selected Acquisition Reports release. The total increase is about 14.5% for the program as a whole, but the biggest increase is easy to understand – they added a satellite:

“[AEHF] Program costs increased $940.5 million (+14.6 percent) from $6,421.5 million to $7,362.0 million, due primarily to a quantity increase of one satellite from three to four satellites (+$946.0 million). Congress appropriated advance procurement for Space Vehicle 4 (SV-4) in the fiscal 2008 Appropriations Act. The Department added SV-4 Full Procurement in fiscal 2010, with a launch capability targeted in fiscal 2014.”

SAR – to 4 satellites

Feb 28/08: Testing. Lockheed Martin announces successful acoustic testing of the first Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) military communications satellite at its Space Systems facilities in Sunnyvale, CA. This test is designed to duplicate the sound and vibration levels expected during launch into orbit.

Lockheed Martin Space Systems and payload supplier Northrop Grumman Space Technology can now proceed with thermal vacuum testing, which tests performance in the enormously wide temperature extremes found in space. AEHF-1 will be shipped to the Air Force in late 2008 in preparation for launch aboard an Atlas V launch vehicle.

Satellites FY 2007

AEHF-1 meets EEVL.

P&P integration
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June 18/07: Lockheed Martin announces that it has successfully integrated the AEHF’s spacecraft propulsion core structure and the payload module. The core structure contains the integrated propulsion system as well as panels and other components that serve as the structural foundation of the satellite. The payload module consists of spacecraft electronics as well as the complete set of payload processing, routing and control hardware and software that perform the satellite’s communications function.

The successful integration allows the team of Lockheed Martin Space Systems in Sunnyvale, CA and payload supplier Northrop Grumman Space Technology in Redondo Beach, CA to begin system level environmental and acceptance testing in preparation for launch in mid-2008. Lockheed Martin release.

June 1/07: Sub-contractors. Raytheon Co in Marlborough, MA received a $27.1 million3 firm-fixed-price contract for production, test, and delivery of 9 Extremely High Frequency (EHF) Satellite Communications Follow-On Terminal Communication Groups P/N: G752718-2 and 17 ship Antenna Groups P/N: G674898-1 (seven Radar Reducing Cross Section and ten Non-RRCS variants). This contract includes an option which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $38.3 million.

Work will be performed in Largo, FL (61.8%); Marlborough, MA (36.8%); and Saint Pete, FL (1.4%), and is expected to be complete by May 2009. This contract was not competitively procured; it was synopsized as a sole source procurement via the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command E-commerce web site on July 5, 2006. The Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command, San Diego, CA issued the contract (N00039-07-C-0001).

Feb 28/07: Lockheed Martin Corp. in Littleton, CO received a $108 million firm-fixed-price contract to launch AEHF-1 using an Atlas V Launch Vehicle under the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) program. At this time, total funds have been obligated and work will be complete February 2009. The Headquarters Space and Missile Systems Center at Los Angeles Air Force Base, CA issued the contract (FA8816-06-C0004).

AEHF-1 launch contract

Dec 28/06: SV-1. Lockheed Martin Corp. Space Systems in Sunnyvale, CA received a $7.8 million cost-plus-award-fee contract modification for the use of a commercial payload processing facility to test, integrate, and fuel the Advanced Extremely High Frequency satellite in preparation for launch. This modification replaces the use of a government facility with a commercial facility that meets program requirements for floor space sufficient to support simultaneous mechanical and electrical launch processing operations. At this time, $1 million has been obligated. The Headquarters Military Satellite Communications Systems Wing at Los Angeles Air Force Base, CA issued the contract (F04701-02-C-0002/P00214).

Dec 22/06: SV-3. Lockheed Martin announces that it has delivered the flight structure for the 3rd AEHF satellite ahead of schedule. The flight structure, which is based on the A2100 geosynchronous spacecraft, will now be sent to Lockheed’s Mississippi facility for integration with its propulsion subsystem.

Over the next several months, a team of engineers and technicians at Lockheed Martin’s Mississippi Space & Technology Center, an advanced propulsion, thermal, and metrology facility located at the John C. Stennis Space Center, will integrate the spacecraft’s propulsion subsystem, which is essential for maneuvering the satellite during transfer orbit to its final location as well as conducting on-orbit operations and repositioning maneuvers throughout its mission life. See Lockheed Martin release.

Oct 19/06: Crypto. Lockheed Martin Space Systems Co. in Sunnyvale, CA received a $7.7 million cost-plus-award fee contract modification. This undefinitized contract action involves integration of the NSA-developed top secret key translation element into the AEHF system, and authorizes Lockheed Martin to start working the system design and test program changes required. The modification will develop, test and integrate the required hardware/software in to the AEHF mission control segment.

At this time, $4.5 million has been obligated. This work will be complete June 2019. The Headquarters Military Satellite Communications Systems Wing, Los Angeles Air Force Base, CA issued the contract (F04701-02-C-0002/P00212).

Oct 4/06: Changes. Lockheed Martin Space and Missiles in Sunnyvale, CA received a $7.6 million cost-plus-award fee contract modification for software and hardware changes to the Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) satellite system. The changes are necessary to develop and maintain backward compatibility with the predecessor Milstar communications satellite system, and are part of a series of modifications necessary to ensure this compatibility. The Headquarters Military Satellite Communications Systems Wing at Los Angeles Air Force Base, CA issued the contract (F04701-02-C-0002/A00013).

Satellites FY 2004 – 2006

Schedule slip. AEHF-1, 3.

AEHF model test
(click to view full)

April 19/06: Testing. Lockheed martin engineers perform a successful modal survey for AEHF. It is designed to ensure that launch and other sources of vibrations such as reaction wheels, solar arrays and various deployable and steerable mechanisms will not affect the critical mission of the communications payload. The successful test was performed by a team of engineers at Lockheed Martin Space Systems, facilities in Sunnyvale, Calif. and included 292 accelerometers, 508 accelerometer channels and six shakers mounted to the structure and surrounding ground surface. Lockheed Martin release.

April 14/06: Lockheed Martin, Space Systems Co. in Sunnyvale, CA received a $454.9 million cost-plus fixed-fee, cost-plus award-fee contract modification for the implementation of the Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) Satellite Communication System Program re-plan, which started in late 2004.

The re-plan was necessary due to delayed delivery of government-furnished information assurance products, added payload component testing, and replacement of critical parts that were disqualified for space flight. The effort includes development of emulators, additional testing associated with integrating multiple incremental deliveries, and additional months of non-recurring development. The resulting AEHF first launch date of April 2008 is consistent with the revised Acquisition Program Baseline approved in March 2005. This work will be complete May 2010 (F04701-02-C-0002/P00136).

Major SDD increase

Jan 12/06: SV-3. Lockheed Martin Corp. Space Systems Co. in Sunnyvale, CA received a $491.2 million cost-plus-award-fee, cost-plus-fixed-fee, firm-fixed-price contract modification. This is a modification of the Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) satellite contract to add satellite vehicle #3 (SV3) as envisioned and permitted by a clause in the contract. This action includes the main SV3 contract, and introduces the option for Launch and Operations support.

The Launch and Operations Support option associated with this modification is planned to be exercised beginning in FY 2009 to support an FY 2010 launch, and the acquisition of SV3 will complete the AEHF program of record unless the T-SAT program is deferred or canceled (in which case AEHF SV4 & SV5 will be launched). Work on this contract, which takes the total amount of AEHF expenditures announced on DefenseLINK to $4.276 billion, is expected to be complete in May 2011 (F04701-02-C-0002, P00156).

AEHF-3 contracts

March 7/05: SV-3. Lockheed Martin Corp. in Sunnyvale, CA received a $78.2 million cost-plus award-fee, cost-plus fixed-fee, firm fixed-price contract modification to provide for the advance procurement of long-lead parts for AEHF Satellite Vehicles #3 (SV3) in FY05 (F04701-02-C-0002, P00102).

Dec 21/04: The U.S. Air Force announces that the AEHF program has suffered a 1-year schedule slip, and cost growth of about 20%. The first launch of the 3 planned satellites is now slated for April 2008 rather than 2007 [Source]. In its release, the USAF cites:

“…unavoidable delays and cost growth due to delayed delivery of information-assurance [signal-encryption] products, and the resulting delay of terminals required for satellite command and control… replacement of critical electronic parts and added payload component testing…”

Program slips

Aug 4/04: Spares. Lockheed Martin Corp. Space Systems in Sunnyvale, CA and Northrop Grumman Space Technology in Los Angeles, CA received a $32.55 million cost-plus award-fee contract modification for spare critical components to be used, if necessary, in factory by the contractor during assembly and test and of Advanced Extremely High Frequency (EHF) satellites.

Originally, 5 AEHF satellites were to be built, which ensured that there would be enough spare parts to avoid delays during production because the first satellites could use parts from satellites being assembled later. For this reason, the original AEHF plan did not include production spares. In November 2002, 2 of the Advanced EHF satellites were cancelled and the 3rd satellite was delayed one year, which meant there were no longer adequate numbers of spare critical parts to prevent production delays. Work will be complete by January 2009 (F04701-02-C-0002, P00083).

May 18/04: Crypto. Lockheed Martin Corp Space Systems and Northrop Grumman Space Technology received a $149 million contract modification which incorporates within-scope changes resulting from Revision to the KI-54 Cryptographic Interface Control Document (ICD).

The KI-54 ICD “black box” encryption device was modified by the NSA’s (National Security Agency) contractor, which meant the AEHF team was required to redesign the Host Accessory Logic Application Specific Integrated Circuit (HAL ASIC) in the AEHF communication payload. This effort was captured in Phase 1. In Phase 2, the AEHF contractor team will receive a 4 month program extension to identify and mitigate the risks and modifications to the whole satellite associated with this redesign. Locations of performance are: Lockheed Martin Corp. in Sunnyvale CA (51%) and Northrop Grumman in Los Angeles, CA (49%). This work will be complete in September 2008 (F04701-02-C-0002, P00061).

Dec 22/03: Changes. Lockheed Martin Missiles and Space in Santa Maria, CA received a $15 million cost-plus award-fee contract modification. This technical change will provide two different connection modes to allow MPE to communicate with Army and Air Force terminals and adapt to different terminal and network changes, as Option 5 of an analysis Study that defines Mission Planning Element (MPE) versus Terminal Functionality into the AEHF baseline. This work will be complete by September 2008 (F04701-02-C-0002, P00042).

Satellites FY 2002 – 2003

SDD contract; increase.

older AEHF concept
(click to view full)

Aug 8/03: Crypto. Lockheed Martin Corp. in Sunnyvale, CA received a $78.5 million cost-plus award-fee, cost-plus fixed-fee, firm-fixed-price contract modification. It provides for an in-scope change to Incorporate KI-54 Interface Control Document (ICD) Revision F-Phase 2 impacts. The KI-54 ICD is a “black box” encryption device for military communications passing through AEHF. A two-phase approach was initiated to evaluate the KI-54 ICD Revision F changes. Phase I focused on the effort to redesign the HAL ASIC. Phase 2 focused on identifying and mitigating the AEHF system level impacts associated with the HAL ASIC redesign, as defined in Phase 1, such that the 4-month HAL ASIC PDR slip will not result in a launch delay. This work will be complete by September 2008 (F04701-02-C-0002, P00046).

July 23/03: Changes. Lockheed Martin Corp. Space Systems in Sunnyvale, CA and Northrop Grumman Space Technology in Los Angeles, CA received a $16 million contract modification for the following:

(1) Provide capability to assign any single uplink transmission security (TRANSEC) key to any beam;
(2) Provide capability to blank 2nd key contiguous bandwidth within any one permute group in multiples of wideband channels for every hope of the date frame. The blanking timing error shall be factory selectable and upload able from mission control segment (MCS);
(3) Allow extra high data rate users to acquire high gain earth coverage, reposition medium resolution coverage area (beam shared and full-time) and high-resolution coverage area beams without using super high gain earth coverage (SHGEC) uplink resources;
(4) Provide capability for all users to acquire and communicate in the same coverage requests, and the SHGEC which is only used for communications and time tracking terminals acquiring or communicating in any particular beam will do so using only one uplink TRANSEC key that is currently configured to that beam;
(5) Allow for permute group 0 group to support wideband channels.

This work will be complete in September 2008 (F04701-02-C-0002, P00043).

June 13/03: Changes. Lockheed Martin Corp. in Sunnyvale, CA received a $5.2 million contract modification to provide for in-scope changes to modify the Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) Payload. The technical change ensures backward compatibility with MILSTAR satellite operations. Specifically, it will provide users the capability to fence the necessary payload resources to process Rapid Reconfiguration Order Wire (RROW) streams, and the capability to control the fenced RROW XC2 stream processing payload resources as any other fenced resource, including sub-fences and sub-sub-fences, via command and access control protocol. The change will impact multiple specification documents including the Mission Planning Element of the Mission Control Segment, the Configurable Onboard Router in the Digital Processing Subsystem and the payload software. This work will be completed in September 2008 (F04701-02-C-0002, P00031).

Payload I&T
(click to view full)

May 27/03: Changes. Lockheed Martin Missiles and Space in Sunnyvale, CA received a $10 million cost-plus-award-fee, cost-plus-fixed-fee, firm-fixed contract modification. This is an in-scope change to redesign the host accessory logic circuit (ASIC) in response to a specification upgrade for the KI-54 cryptographic device. This effort will ensure secure communication capability by providing an improvement to the host accessory ASIC within the AEHF digital processing subsystem. This work will be complete January 2004 (F04701-02-C-0002, P00034).

May 22/03: SDD. Lockheed Martin Space Systems Co. received a $9 million contract modification as an amendment to the existing system development and demonstration (SD&D) contract that was definitized April 15, 2001. The purpose of this amendment is to increase the contract value from $2.63 billion to $2.64 billion. This increase is the result of an engineering change proposal to implement a new AEHF System alternate key management plan (AKMP). The effort is within scope of the existing contract, and is necessitated by requirement/design changes that meet National Security Agency (NSA) security requirements that have been validated by Air Force Space Command. The system keys can’t be produced until the NSA approves the AKMP, and these changes must be implemented to avoid possible impact to the launch schedule. The locations of performance are Lockheed Martin Missiles and Space in Sunnyvale, CA, and TRW Inc. Space and Electronics Group in Redondo Beach, CA. This work will be complete June 2008 (F04701-02-C-0002, P00029).

May 22/03: Lockheed Martin Corp. in Sunnyvale, CA is being awarded a $498 million firm-fixed-price contract modification. This is an amendment to the existing letter contract for the Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) System Development and Demonstration (SD&D) phase. The purpose of this amendment is to increase the not-to-exceed from $2.698 billion to $3.196 billion, as a result of the FY 2002 appropriation act decrease of $70 million and the loss of $30 million in international partner funding. Also, the not-to-exceed increase includes effort necessitated by the recent revision of the National Security Agency’s KI-54 encryption Interface control document, revision D in the amount of $46 million. This action provides for satellites replacement and upgrade of the associated ground command and control segment, and the necessary sustainment. The period of performance for this effort will span approximately 10 years.

Lockheed Martin Corp. will perform this effort at TRW Inc. Space and Electronics Group in Redondo Beach, Los Angeles, CA (46%), and Lockheed Martin Missiles and Space, Sunnyvale, CA (28%) and other locations (F04701-02-C-0002, P00007).

Major SDD increase

Nov 16/02: The Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) National Team, comprised of Lockheed Martin in Sunnyvale, CA, and TRW Inc. in Redondo Beach, CA, are being awarded a $2.698 billion (not-to-exceed) firm-fixed-price and cost-plus award fee contract for the System Development and Demonstration (SDD) phase of the AEHF satellite communication system program. This effort includes production of two satellites, plus replacement and upgrade of existing military satellite communication (MILSATCOM) ground command and control segment components to support AEHF and associated sustainment.

Solicitation for this sole source contract began in October 2000, negotiations were completed November 2001, and work will be complete in December 2011. The contractors will perform this effort in Sunnyvale, CA (45%), and Redondo, CA (55%). The Space and Missile Systems Center at Los Angeles Air Force Base, CA issued the contract (F04701-02-C-0002).

AEHF SDD contract: includes AEHF-1 & 2

FAB-T Terminals and Ground Control

FAB-T (Family of Advanced Beyond-line-of-sight Terminals) is designed to provide a family of software-defined radios that use a common open architecture to link to different satellites, and enable information exchange between ground, air and space platforms. It is envisioned as a common terminal for the next generation of High Data Satellite Communications using AEHF, Wideband Gapfiller, and other future satellite systems. Aircraft involved include bombers like the B-2 Spirit stealth bomber and B-52 Stratofortress, specialty platforms like the RC-135 Rivet Joint, E-4 NAOC, E-6 Mercury/TACAMO, et. al., and key UAV types like the RQ-4 Global Hawk and MQ-1/9 Predators.

The FAB-T family includes software-defined radios, antennas and associated user interface hardware that will provide a powerful system capable of hosting a multitude of transmission “waveforms” to accommodate data rates in excess of 300 megabits per second.

FAB-T Increment 1 will begin as a terminal for the AEHF and older Milstar satellite systems.

FAB-T Increment 2 will develop terminals to support Wideband Global SATCOM satellite operations on surveillance aircraft including key UAVs, with other platforms to follow.

Fortunately, FAB-T also is the first survivable Software Communications Architecture (SCA)-compliant communications system. Because its implementation will be software based, rather than hardware based, future upgrades that improve performance or extend the standard can be implemented without the time-consuming and expensive process of disassembling equipment and adding new electronics. These “future proofing” modifications can be made to any SCA-compliant radios if it is deemed necessary, even those outside the AEHF/FAB-T program.

Evolution Toward Competition

E-6B Mercury
(click to view full)

While FAB-T was initially a Boeing program, Raytheon steadily won orders for AEHF-compatible terminals from every service, finally displacing Boeing in 2014.

FAB-T was initially a 6-year, $279 million system design and development contract in 2002, and it expanded to become an SDD/EMD and production program worth over $3.6 billion. Program activity was managed by Boeing’s Battle Management/Command, Control and Communications (BMC3) & Strategic Systems business segment in Anaheim, CA with key support from Boeing Satellite Systems of El Segundo, CA. Principal team members at the time included:

Boeing (Lead contractor, systems engineering and integration, system and terminal architecture, software development, test and evaluation, integrated logistics support and communications engineering)
Harris Corporation’s Government Communications Systems division in Melbourne, FL (integration of terminal and antenna hardware)
L-3 Communications’ Communications Systems West division in Salt Lake City, UT (development of the modem processor)
Northrop Grumman’s Mission Systems (not specified, but acquired TRW whose Command, Control and Intelligence Division in Fairfax, VA was working on AEHF waveform management)
Raytheon (related SMART-T terminals for USA, Canada and the Netherlands)
Rockwell Collins’ Government Systems Division (not specified)
ViaSat, Inc.’s Communications Systems Group in Carlsbad, CA (communications security module hardware and information security)

In September 2012, the USAF had run out of patience, and gave Raytheon a second crack at things with a limited FAB-T development contract. Raytheon had already managed to win a number of service-specific contracts for AEHF-compatible terminals from various branches of the US military (Army SMART-T, Navy MBT, STRATCOM MMPU) so their own development has been faster and less expensive than Boeing’s by a couple orders of magnitude.

Bu June 2014, Raytheon had become the USAF’s FAB-T CPT supplier as well, displacing Boeing and fielding the 1st set of FAB-T terminals onto command aircraft: the 4 national command post E-4Bs based on the 747, and the 16 E-6B Mercury Block IIs used as STRATCOM mirrors and “Looking Glass” theater command planes.

The USAF has deferred moves to equip its B-2A and B-52H bomber fleets, and its RC-135 Rivet Joint electronic eavesdropping jets. If they decide to go ahead, the contracts will be the subject of new competitions.

FAB-T & Ground Control: Contracts and Key Events FY 2012 – 2014

USAF gets annoyed, funds parallel design efforts; Raytheon wins FAB-T CPT competition, displacing Boeing.

E-4B mission
click for video

Aug 12/14: Raytheon VP and GM for Integrated Communication Systems Scott Whatmough says that they’ll be done FAB-T CPT testing by the end of 2014 (q.v. June 2/14). He adds that the B-2A Spirit stealth bomber would be a particularly challenging future addition, as its antennas are different from the B-52H or RC-135. Furthermore:

“It was a classified program when it was being developed and they came up with a very unique mechanical packaging concept for all of their electronics. Turns out no other aircraft ever adopted it, so it has a unique mechanical packaging.”

Sources: C4ISR & Networks, “Raytheon: FAB-T qualification testing done by year’s end”.

June 2/14: FAB-T contract. Raytheon in Marlborough, MA receives a $298 million firm-fixed-price and cost-plus-fixed-fee contract modification for 84 FAB-T Command Post Terminals (CPT), which will equip E-4B NAOC and E-6B Mercury Block II command post aircraft, as well as some ground and mobile locations. After FAB-T reaches Milestone C, Phase 2 production contract options for Low-Rate Initial Production and beyond will open up for Raytheon, expanding the contract considerably.

It’s a sharp blow to Boeing, but not entirely unexpected. On the other hand, it’s not the absolute end. Buying FAB-T terminals for USAF B-2 and B-52 bombers, RC-135 SIGINT/ELINT aircraft, or other planes, would require another procurement process.

Work will be performed in Marlborough, MA and Largo, FL, with the Florida location serving as the assembly point. USAF FY 2013 through 2019 budgets will fund FAB-T buys over time, with just $31,274 committed immediately. Two bids were solicited and two received. The USAF Life Cycle Management Center/HNSK at Hanscom AFB, MA, solicited 2 bids, and received 2 (FA8705-13-C-0005, PO 0002). Sources: Pentagon DefenseLINK | Raytheon, “Raytheon awarded $298 million for US Air Force FAB-T satellite terminal program” | Defense News, “Space Fence, FAB-T Awards Show an Emboldened DoD”.

Raytheon wins FAB-T CPT

Jan 28/14: DOT&E Testing Report. The Pentagon releases the FY 2013 Annual Report from its Office of the Director, Operational Test & Evaluation (DOT&E). The AEHF program is included, but the entry isn’t long and focuses on Mission Control Segment Increment 5 (MCS i5), which controls both Milstar and AEHF satellites.

The USAF hasn’t deployed the full AEHF MCS capability, so no conclusions can be drawn until testing is done in 2014. DOT&E did say that MCS i5 demonstrated improved reliability, dependability, and maintainability compared to i4, and was also more secure.

Jan 27/14: FAB-T situation. Raytheon VP of integrated communications systems Scott Whatmough has told reporters that the USAF is expected to award the FAB-T production contract by the end of March 2014. Raytheon is hoping to beat development contract holder Boeing, using its own privately-developed, AEHF-compatible receiver terminal.

The FAB-T program was most recently projected to cost $4.67 billion, a 48-percent increase from the original estimate of $3.17 billion, but the coming production order is expected to include just 84 FAB-T systems instead of the program’s 246. The bomber fleet installations have been put aside, and production systems will only be used in airborne and land-based command posts. Sources: DoD Buzz, “Pentagon May Award FAB-T Contract in March”.

Aug 1/13: Ground System. USAF Space Command accepts Mission Control Segment Increment 5 (MCS i5) for operational use as the Milstar and AEHF ground segment. It can support Low Data Rate and Medium Data Rate communications over a combined constellation of Milstar and AEHF satellites, and high-bandwidth Extended Data Rate (XDR) for command and control and some tactical communications. Sources: Pentagon DOT&E FY 2013 Annual Report.

July 1/13: FAB-T competition. Raytheon Network Centric Systems in Marlborough, MA receives a $34 million contract modification to continued development and testing of air (E-4B, E-6) and ground fixed and transportable command post terminals with presidential and national voice conferencing. The systems are a parallel project award under the Family of Advanced Beyond line-of-sight Terminals (FAB-T) program – q.v. June 19/13 and Sept 10/12 entries.

Work will be performed at Marlborough, MA, and is expected to be complete by October 2013. Fiscal 2012 Research and Development funds are being obligated at time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center/HNSK, Hanscom Air Force Base, MA manages the contract (FA8307-12-C-0013, PO 0013).

June 19/13: FAB-T situation. Aviation Week reports progress on Raytheon’s competing FAB-T development contract (q.v. Sept 10/12).

Next month, Raytheon plans to complete work, including delivery of developmental terminal models for the E-4B and E-6B command post aircraft, and Presidential voice communications. The firm has just completed a critical design review (CDR), and an October 2013 test will involve satellite communications. The goal is a production-ready system by September 2014, and they’re basing their work on related AEHF-compatible wins like the US Army’s SMART-T (q.v. Oct 4/12), US Navy’s Multiband Terminal (MBT), and the USAF’s Minuteman Minimum Essential Emergency Communications Network Program Upgrade (MMPU, q.v. Dec 30/11).

Boeing hasn’t stopped working. Their CDR took place in 2012, and they’re now in the final stages of system level functional qualification. Demonstrations have taken place with AEHF and Milstar control systems, and flight tests are scheduled for this summer. Beyond FAB-T, one imagines that Boeing would like to win the upcoming Global Aircrew Strategic Network Terminal (GASNT) competition. Of course, so would Raytheon. Aviation Week.

Oct 4/12: SMART-T. Raytheon in Marlborough, MA receives a $164 million firm-fixed-price contract to create AEHF secure, mobile, anti-jam, reliable, tactical (SMART-T) terminals.

FAB-T isn’t the only game in town when it comes to AEHF-compatible terminals for sending and receiving data, and this is one of several service-specific contracts for AEHF-compatible terminals that don’t need all of FAB-T’s functionality, but may need other capabilities. See also Sept 19/11 entry.

Work location will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Sept 28/15. The bid was solicited through the internet, with 1 bid received by U.S. Army Contracting Command in Fort Monmouth, NJ (W15P7T-12-D-0071).

Sept 10/12: FAB-T competition. About 10 years after losing the FAB-T contract, Raytheon Network Centric Systems in Marlborough, MA receives a $70 million firm fixed price contract for development, testing and production of FAB-T engineering development models of air (E-4B NAOC, E-6B TACAMO), ground fixed and transportable Command Post Terminals with Presidential and National Voice Conferencing (PNVC).

The location of the performance is Marlborough, MA. Work is to be complete by July 2013. The AFLCMC/HSNK at Hanscom AFB, MA manages the contract (FA8307-12-C-0013).

FAB-T becomes competitive

Dec 30/11: STRATCOM MMPU. Raytheon Network Centric Systems in Marlborough, MA receives a $9.4 million cost-plus-award-fee, firm-fixed-price, time-and-materials and cost reimbursement contract to upgrade the Minuteman Minimum Essential Emergency Communications Network Program to support AEHF constellation communications. The LM-30 Minuteman III ICBM is the land-based leg of the US nuclear weapons triad.

Work will be performed in Marlborough, MA, and is expected to be complete 12 months after receipt of order. The USAF ESC/HNSK at Hanscom AFB, MA manages the contract (FA8726-08-C-004, PO 0080).

FY 2010 – 2011

SAR shows program cost growth; Milstar ground control compatibility; Other firms producing AEHF-compatible terminals.

Older Milstar II

Sept 19/11: SMART-T. Raytheon announces that they have fielded the first AEHF Secure Mobile Anti-jam Reliable Tactical Terminal (SMART-T) satellite communications solution to the U.S. armed services, using Raytheon’s eXtended Data Rate (XDR) waveform hardware and software modification.

SMART-T is compatible with EHF and AEHF satellites, and AEHF increases the data rate by a factor of 4x. Through 2015, Raytheon will field 364 AEHF SMART-T terminals to the U.S. armed services, 19 systems to Canada, and 7 to the Netherlands.

August 2011: Testing. Boeing successfully demonstrates high-data-rate transmissions between FAB-T and an AEHF test terminal, using the low probability of interception, low probability of detection extended data rate (XDR). XDR will be used for, among other things, nuclear command and control.

The testing covered XDR re-key, XDR text communications, dual FAB-T log-on with the AEHF payload, and interface with the AEHF Satellite Mission Control Subsystem. More than 50% of system integration tests are done, and system qualification testing is due to start in 2012. Note that Boeing’s Oct 3/11 release refers to Paul Geery as its FAB-T VP and program manager.

July 18/11: Testing. Boeing updates progress. The FAB-T EMD program has completed 90% of hardware qualification testing, 97% of all system software through-code and unit testing, and approximately 30% of systems integration and test. Boeing has conducted platform and payload integration testing through over-the-air low-data-rate tests and risk-reduction flight tests, and April 2011’s RC-135 Rivet Joint flight test of a Block 8 terminal was the 2nd in a series of airborne terminal tests, on the 1st operational program to be integrated.

Boeing is working toward the LRIP (low-rate initial production contract) for the Nuclear Command and Control Network Communications System, and completing qualification of the Block 8 third-generation hardware and high-data-rate waveform software. John Lunardi is currently Boeing’s FAB-T vice president and program director.

April 15/11: The Pentagon’s Selected Acquisitions Report ending Dec 30/10 includes the “significant cost changes” in AEHF program – both satellites and terminals. The FAB-T section reads:

“Program costs increased $630.9 million (+15.8 percent) from $3,981.9 million to $4,612.8 million, due primarily to complexities with software integration and challenges with hardware qualification (+$260.1 million), higher manufacturing costs due to loss of learning and production inefficiencies (+$258.9 million), and other increases due to the schedule stretch-out (+$134.7 million), partially offset by decreases in other support costs (-$32.7 million).”

SAR – cost increases

April 6/11: SDD. Boeing in Huntington Beach, CA receives a $271.2 million cost-plus-award-fee contract modification. It covers “the new estimated cost completion” amount for FAB-T’s System Development and Demonstration, and “provides increment funding aligned with Continuing Resolution authority.”

Work will be performed at Huntington Beach, CA, and Salt Lake City, UT. Hanscom AFB’s Electronic Systems Center, MA manages the contract (F19628-02-C-0048, PO 0219).

Major SDD Increase

Jan 26/11: Testing. A successful demonstration of over-the-air, low-data-rate communication between an orbiting Milstar satellite and the a 3rd generation (Block 8) FAB-T terminal, passing voice and data communication using the FAB-T’s low-data-rate software and its newly developed large aircraft antenna.

The system in question demonstrates why this kind of backward compatibility matters: it’s a Nuclear Command and Control Network Communications System. The team of Boeing, L-3 Communications, Rockwell Collins and ViaSat, Inc. will conduct more terminal integration, software testing and flight testing activities before building this system.

Boeing’s System Integration and Testing Lab in Huntington Beach, CA includes 12 FAB-T systems with connections to 3 antennas, allowing simultaneous over-the-air operation. 2011 will feature in-depth FAB-T system integration tests, now that over 80% of the hardware qualification testing and nearly 65% of the FAB-T software qualification testing is complete. The program is scheduled to enter flight testing in Q1 FY 2013 (fall 2012), and exercise its low rate initial production option in Q3 FY 2013 (summer 2013). USAF.

Oct 6/10: B-52s. Boeing in Wichita, KS received a $12.4 million contract modification for a future beyond line of sight (BLOS) communication capability on the B-52 heavy bomber, using AEHF-compatible BLOS terminals. At this time, $10 million has been committed by the ASC/WWVK at Wright Patterson AFB, OH (FA8107-05-C-0001; PO 0058).

This contract is part of the B-52 CONECT program.

Aug 3/10: AEHF & Milstar. Lockheed Martin announces that a joint company/USAF team has successfully transitioned the Milstar satellite constellation’s ground control system to the new AEHF Mission Control Segment (MCS). The AEHF MCS is now performing day-to-day operation of the USAs existing Milstar satellite constellation, leaving MCS ready to support deployment of AEHF-1 in August 2010. Lockheed Martin.

July 8/10: Integral Systems, Inc. in Columbia, MD receives a $13.4 million contract modification, extending the contract for the command and control system-consolidated (CSS-C) program for a year (from Sept 30/11 – Sept 30/12), due to launch delays on AEHF Space Vehicles 1, 2 and 3. At this time, no money has been committed; this contract just authorizes the funds if needed (F04701-01-C-0012, P00170).

CCS-C has been an overall money-saver for the USAF, migrating tracking, telemetry, and command and control from mainframe systems to cheaper and more flexible commercial client/server computing options. The USAF says that CCS-C sustainment costs are just 25% of the previous Satellite Control Network Command and Control Segment. After a competitive system ‘fly off’, in March 2002 Integral Systems Inc. (ISI) of Columbia, Maryland was awarded the CCS-C development/ sustainment contract. ISI/CCS-C employs approximately 130 people, and operates 2 software development laboratories in Maryland and Colorado.

Jan 4/10: FAB-T changes. Boeing in Huntington Beach, CA received a $34.3 million contract to implement the following changes to the functionality available for the Family of Advanced Beyond Line-of-Sight Terminals Increment 1: Contractor Technical Requirements Document (CTRD) update version 9.2; Simple Key Loader 6.0 interface to data set manager (DSM) for DSM flash control station profiles; and implementation of auto broadcast features on the Extended Data Rate (XDR) capability. At this time, $500,000 has been obligated. The 653 ESW/PK at Hanscom Air Force Base, MA manages the contract (F19628-02-C-0048-P00180).

Dec 1/09: Support. Lockheed Martin Space Systems in Sunnyvale, CA received a $39.5 million contract to provide sustainment for the AEHF satellite ground segment from Dec 1/09 – Sep 30/10 (F04701-02-C-0002, P00399).

Oct 21/09: Canada. Rockwell Collins announces a 5-year, USD$ 52.3 million contract to provide the Canadian Forces with AEHF-compatible Single Channel Anti-jam Manportable (SCAMP XDR-IPV, Extended Data Rate International Partners Variant) terminals. The Foreign Military Sale contract will be executed through the U.S. Army’s Communications-Electronics Command Group (CECOM).

Rockwell Collins’ SCAMP terminals provide worldwide secure, jam-resistant, covert, voice and data communications. They offer communication for a wide variety of applications and users. The terminals feature Extended Data Rate (EDR) capability that delivers data rates comparable to high quality, Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) modems.

SCAMP for Canada

Oct 14/09: Testing. Boeing Launch Services of Huntington Beach, CA received a $21.8 million contract modification to provide engineering development models for the Family of Advanced Beyond-Line-of-Sight Terminals (FAB-T) to allow for operational testing with production representative terminals. FAB-T terminals will connect soldiers or military platforms like planes, ships, et. al. with the AEHF constellation. At this time, $1.3 million has been obligated. The 653 ESW/PK at Hanscom Air Force Base in Massachusetts manages the contract (F19628-02-C-0048, P00171).

FY 2006 – 2009

FAB-T PDR, CDR.

June 26/09: AMACS antenna. Raytheon announces a successful test of their Advanced Multiband Communication Antenna System (AMCAS), developed for the U.S. Air Force. AMCAS is an extremely low-profile antenna that extends only 8 1/2″, and attaches to the aircraft’s metal skin rather than requiring complex in-fuselage installations. That configuration reduces drag, and minimizes time out of service during upgrades.

During the test, the AMCAS antenna communicated with the Milstar satellite’s medium data rate waveform, but it has been developed for use with FAB-T.

Oct 28-30/08: A successful system-wide Critical Design Review (CDR) for the FAB-T family. The Boeing Terminal Test team established log on, downlink, and uplink connections with a Milstar 6 satellite, as a first step toward implementing AEHF’s Extended Data Rate (XDR) waveform.

Formal qualification testing will now take place to validate the terminals’ interoperability and satellite interfaces, and Boeing expects to begin deliveries of engineering development modules to the Air Force in 2009 for FAB-T Increment 1. Flight testing of these modules is currently planned for mid-2009. Boeing release.

FAB-T CDR

Sept 16/08: Testing. Boeing announces that it has delivered its FAB-T Increment 2 prototype to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Lincoln Laboratory in Lexington, MA, ahead of schedule. The lab will use it to continue developing the DVB-S2 based communications waveform.

Waveforms define how radios, satellites, et. al. communicate. The Lincoln Lab’s efforts will define a waveform used for airborne intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance readout over Ka-band military satellite communications. That waveform can then be incorporated in air, ground, maritime, and space communications equipment as required, as long as they have the required hardware or are software-defined and SCA-compatible.

Sept 4/08: Changes. A $16.7 million cost plus award fee contract modification to Boeing of Anaheim, CA to update new platform requirements and Advanced EHF (AEHF) system interface. At this time, $7 million has been committed by the Air Force Materiel Command,’s Electronic Systems Center, 653d ELSG/PK at Hancom AFB, MA (F19628-02-C-0048, P00146).

July 28/08: Changes. A $53.4 million modification to Boeing in Anaheim, CA, in order to update new platform requirements and FAB-T’s AEHF system interface. The Electronic Systems Center of Air Force Materiel Command manages the contract (F19628-02-C-0048 P00143).

April 9/08: Changes. Boeing received a modified contract for $25 million to incorporate Engineering Change Proposal (ECP) 0035, Strategic Networks, into the Family of Advanced Beyond-Line-of-Sight Terminals (FAB-T) Increment 1 program. At this time $9.25 million has been obligated, and the contract amount will be finalized later. Hanscom AFB, MA issued the contract (F19628-02-C-0048/P00141).

April 7/08: Cost increases for the AEHF satellite and FAB-T terminal programs land them both on the Pentagon’s latest Selected Acquisition Reports release:

“[FAB-T] Program costs increased $454.8 million (+14.4 percent) from $3,167.4 million to $3,622.2 million, due primarily to a revised cost estimate resulting from analysis by the OSD Cost Analysis Improvement Group (+$348.8 million). Costs also increased due to a net quantity increase of 6 terminals from 216 to 222 terminals (+$44.7 million), adjustments in real and predicated escalation (+$26.6 million), an increase in initial spares (+$25.5 million), and a net stretch-out of the procurement buy profile (+$9.2 million).”

SAR – cost increases

Feb 15/08: Changes. Boeing of Anaheim, CA received a contract modification for $49.8 million. This undefinitized contract action to incorporate Engineering Change Proposal 0034, “New Platform Requirements and Advanced EHF System Interface Changes,” into the Family of Advanced Beyond-Line-of-Sight Terminals. At this time $17 million has been obligated. 653 ELSG/PKX at Hanscom Air Force Base, MA issued the contract (F19628-02-C-0048/P00138).

Feb 1/08: Testing. Northrop Grumman Corporation announces that it has demonstrated compatibility between the AEHF military communications satellite with user ground terminals using the new Extended Data Rate (XDR) waveform and protocols. Other future satellite communications programs, including the Transformational Satellite Communications System (TSAT) and the Enhanced Polar System, will also use XDR waveforms.

Earlier testing in May 2006 had already verified the backward compatibility of Advanced EHF with legacy terminals using Low Data Rate (LDR) and Medium Data Rate (MDR) waveforms. This latest demonstration included all 3, as 84 test objectives were demonstrated including links the U.S. Army’s Warfighter Information Network-Tactical terminal (WIN-T), the international variant of the Secure Mobile Anti-Jam Reliable Tactical Terminal (SMART-T), and Lincoln Laboratory’s Advanced Universal System Test Terminal (AUST-T).

Tests were conducted using a U.S. Army user terminal as well as a terminal configuration to be used by international partners, and included participants from the U.S. Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center, Northrop Grumman, the Joint Terminal Engineering Office, Lockheed Martin, the U.S. Army WIN-T program, the Lincoln Laboratory, and Raytheon (terminal manufacturer).

Jan 16/08: STRATCOM. Raytheon Network Centric Systems, Inc. of Marlborough, MA received a contract for $37.5 million. The firm will perform a Minuteman Minimum Essential Emergency Communications Network Program upgrade to support communications via AEHF satellite constellations. To give you an idea of just how serious that is, the Minuteman-III fleet is the USA’s set of land-based nuclear missiles. The upgrade will provide an improved terminal operator control function, add an AEHF and address other system improvement for the MMP. At this time $15.2 million has been obligated. The Electronic Systems Center, AFMC at Eglin Air Force Base, FL issued the contract (FA8726-08-C-0004).

Sept 14/07: Changes. Lockheed Martin Space Systems Corp. of Sunnyvale, Calif. received a contract modification for mission software improvements amounting to $16.9 million. Element 1 covers a change order to modify the Mission Planning Element of the AEHF’s ground software, which models the AEHF’s communication plan, to accurately model and support both current and new AEHF terminals. Element 2 of these modifications will allow the Mission Planning Element to distribute transmission security keys for terminals using the Ultra High Frequency (UFO/ MUOS) Follow-On Enhanced Extremely High Frequency (E/EE) or Interim Polar satellite systems. Finally, 2 increments of the Mission Planning Element software being developed in parallel will be combined to create efficiencies in software development and maintenance.

Taken together, these software improvements will also mitigate the risk of incompatible planning tools between the United States and its International Partners in future coalition operations. At this time $8,470,148 has been obligated.

Sept 4/07: Testing. Boeing announces the first time that its FAB-T system acquires an operational Milstar satellite and completes downlink data transmissions. The Low Data Rate test meets program schedule commitments and lays the foundation for uplink tests and other interoperability assessments later in 2007. The test, conducted from Rockwell Collins’ FAB-T Systems Integration Laboratory, used Boeing, RCI, ViaSat and L-3 Communications integrated hardware and software products. Boeing release.

June 26/07: Changes. Integral Systems, Inc. in Lanham, MD received a $5.8 million cost-plus-award-fee contract modification. It modifies the Command and Control System-Consolidated (CCS-C) effort to support the Wideband Gapfiller Satellite (WGS) Program Operations Readiness, add training, and incorporate changes to the system/Subsystem Specification (SSS) to clarify development requirements for the Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) satellite program.

The CCS-C program provides an upgraded capability to command and control the Air Force’s communication satellites, including the Defense Satellite Communication System, Milstar, Advanced Extremely High Frequency, and Wideband Gapfiller Satellites (N.B. now also called Wideband Global SATCOM, but this was the language of the US DefenseLINK release). At this time, $2 million has been obligated, and work will be complete in June 2010. The Headquarters Military Satellite Communications Systems Wing in Los Angeles Air Force Base, CA issued the contract (F04701-01-C-0012/P00118).

March 26/07: Recognition. Boeing announces that their joint replan of the FAB-T program in conjunction with U.S. Air Force Space Command has earned the USAF’s Agile Acquisition Transformation Leadership Award. Approximately 300 of the program’s 700-plus requirements were changed, along with detailed schedule re-phasing for development, test, delivery and installation. Boeing claims that the replan delivered new capability, while ensuring that “strategic nuclear command and control connectivity remains uncompromised.”

The award, presented in February 2007 to the Space Command’s FAB-T Alpha Contracting Team at the annual Acquisition Leaders Forum in Atlanta, Ga., recognizes the joint government-industry effort for completing a significant replan of the FAB-T program in a record 10 weeks during the summer of 2006. The award also acknowledges skill in acquisition program management and leadership bringing about acquisition process transformation. Boeing release.

Feb 13-17/07: CDR. Team Boeing successfully completes a an external Critical Design Review (CDR) for FAB-T, paving the way for deliveries to begin. The CDR follows the recent delivery of a Block 4 software-defined radio to the U.S. Air Force, and successful Preliminary Design and Integrated Baseline reviews. Initial FAB-T deliveries will begin in December 2008.

A CDR needs to demonstrate that the program’s requirements are defined and understood to a point that gives the review board confidence in the team’s ability successfully execute a production contract. In this case key requirements included a survivable command and control capability for the next generation AEHF satellite constellation, plus demonstrated compatibility with the Extremely High Frequency Low Data Rate (EHF LDR) waveform, which forms the basis for future Advanced EHF (AEHF) waveforms and block upgrades. SCA-compliant EHF LDR compatibility also provides a base for hosting new waveforms being developed for the T-SAT (Transformational Satellite Communications) program. Boeing release.

Dec 11/06: Sub-contractors. ViaSat, Inc. finalizes a $35 million dollar subcontract modification with Boeing Integrated Defense Systems. This award adds additional technical requirements to the ViaSat FAB-T subcontract, and extends ViaSat product development and support through 2011. See ViaSat press release. To date, ViaSat has completed two major FAB-T program deliveries. Acceptance testing on the Prototype phase is complete and has been delivered to the U.S. Air Force as part of the Boeing team FAB-T terminal delivery. Boeing has also taken delivery of the FAB-T engineering development model hardware and software.

Nov 28/06: Mission planning. Lockheed Martin Space Systems Co. in Sunnyvale, CA received a $51 million cost-plus-award fee contract modification. This modification of the Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) MILSATCOM Systems Wing contract provides for transition from legacy Milstar ground control and mission planning equipment to new AEHF equipment. This realignment is necessary to account for delays in the delivery of new command post terminals, and the need to reduce the operational impact of the transition. This realignment also includes a program decision to upload the final planned increment of satellite software capability before launch rather than afterward, to avoid an interruption to future operations. The effect of these decisions is to extend the turnover date by 7 months for additional preparation and tests, though the launch date remains unchanged. At this time, $8 million have been obligated. Work will be complete May 2010.

Oct 17/06: Boeing has successfully completed a Preliminary Design Review for the FAB-T program, a key milestone. Attended in Anaheim, CA by more than 150 Boeing, senior government and industry officials, the four-day review included presentations from systems, software and hardware teams. Part of the key criteria were that Boeing and its industry team had to show that they had successfully incorporated schedule and requirement changes that are part of the program’s new baseline. See release.

FAB-T PDR

Sept 27/06: Changes. Boeing Co. C3 Networks in Anaheim, CA received a $465.9 million cost-plus award fee contract modification. This modification will incorporate Engineering Change Proposal 0020 replan into the Family of Advanced Beyond-Line of Sight Terminals (FAB-T) increment 1 program. FAB-T terminals will connect soldiers or military platforms like planes, ships, et. al. with the AEHF constellation. The ECP 0020 replan addresses changes necessary to implement an executable program within cost and schedule objectives that will support AEHF requirements.

Specifically, the replan addresses the following: program overruns; requirements deferrals and accelerations; requirements deletions; pending requirements changes that will enable FAB-T to meet external requirements from concurrently evolving systems e.g., the AEHF payloads; and the INFOSEC module for FAB-1. The replan also includes the option to support government interoperability testing. Work will be complete December 2011. The Headquarters 653d Electronic Systems Wing at Hanscom Air Force Base, MA issued the contract (F19628-02-C-0048/P00095).

NB. The DefenseLINK release adds that “at this time, $1,761,770 have been obligated,” – which makes little sense as it is 4 times larger than the contract award. We’ve asked PA POC Monica Morales at (781) 377-8543 to clarify.

FY 2002 – 2005

SDD contract.

March 10/05: Crypto issues. The NSA (National Security Agency) issued modified handling instructions during development, integration and testing of the FAB-T modem processor group, because of delays in their Cryptographics Verification and Design Verification testing of the ACTS cryptographic devices. In order to comply with the modified ACTS handling guidance, Boeing in Anaheim, CA received a $10.5 million cost-plus award-fee Undefinitized Contract Action (UCA) for Contract Change Proposal (CCP)-0011: ACTS (Security Chip) Handling procedures. This guidance requires physical security and emanation protection of the test facility, and will limit contact with the test equipment to personnel with appropriate clearances. The Headquarters Electronic Systems Center at Hanscom Air Force Base, MA issued the contract (F19628-02-C-0048, P00051), which is expected to end in September 2008.

Dec 21/04: Program slips. The U.S. Air Force announces that the AEHF program has suffered a 1-year schedule slip, and cost growth of about 20%. The first launch of the 3 planned satellites is now slated for April 2008 rather than 2007 [Source]. In its release, the USAF cites:

Program slips

Dec 8/04: Changes. The Boeing Co. in Anaheim, CA receives a $42.5 million cost-plus award-fee contract modification for Family of Advanced Beyond Line-of-Sight Terminals (FAB-T), ECP 0011: Incorporated of additional Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) COMSEC/TRANSEC System (ACTS) chip and keying material delays into the FAB-T baseline; and update of FAB-T and AEHF baseline specifications. This contract modification incorporates both the most recent ACTS-related delays and synchronization with the maturing AEHF specifications. These modifications will be incorporated into 16 AEHF Engineering Development Models of terminals for the B-2, B-52, E-4, E-6, and RC-135 aircraft and for ground-fixed and ground-transportable command post terminals. At this time, $10 million has been obligated and work will be complete by September 2008. The Headquarters Electronic Systems Center at Hanscom Air Force Base, MA issued the contract (F19628-02-C-0048, P00040). The DefenseLINK release adds that:

“ACTS chip and ACTS keying material delays have occurred since FAB-T contract F19628-02-C-0048 award, driving schedule delays in both the AEHF and FAB-T schedules. In addition, AEHF system-level and inter-segment specifications have matured through working groups involving the government, Boeing, and the AEHF system contractor team.”

Aug 24/04: Changes. Boeing Co. in Anaheim, CA receives a $20.2 million cost-plus award-fee contract modification to bring FAB-T into line with changes in the AEHF specification. At this time, $2.1 million of the funds have been obligated, and work will be complete by December 2007. The Headquarters Electronic Systems Center at Hanscom Air Force Base, MA issued the contract (F19628-02-C-0048, P00028). The DefenseLINK release openly acknowledges that:

“At the time the FAB-T contract F19628-02-C-0048 was signed, the Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) specifications referenced in the contract were not complete and/or mature. Since that time, the (AEHF) system design and specifications have been maturing through working groups involving the Government, Boeing and the AEHF system Contract Team…”

Aug 04/04: PDR. The Boeing team announces completion of “a highly successful Preliminary Design Review (PDR) in Anaheim,” which included both systems-level and software reviews. See release.

Sept 24/02: The U.S. Air Force’s Electronic Systems Center (ESC) at Hanscom Air Force Base, MA announced Boeing as the prime contractor for a 6-year, $273 million contract to design and develop the first increment of FAB-T. See release.

SDD contract

April 29/02: The Boeing Space and Communications Family of Advanced Beyond Line-of-Sight Terminals (FAB-T) team announces the delivery of their proposal. Boeing Space and Communications (S&C) is leading one of two industry teams competing for a 6-year, $279 million system design and development contract, which will be managed by the MILSATCOM Terminals Office at Electronic Systems Center, Hanscom Air Force Base, MA.

The proposal submitted by the Boeing team represents the first increment of the multi-phase program, where the winning team will have sole responsibility for a 6-year period of performance upon award in late June 2002. At the time of release, the initial design period is expected to be followed by the low-rate initial production phase in 2007, and the production phase in 2008. The system is expected to be fully operational by 2009. See release.

Additional Readings & Sources

Lockheed Martin – Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF)
GlobalSecurity.org – Milstar 3 / Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF). The US Military Satellite Communications Systems Wing (MCSW), Space and Missile Systems Center informed DID that the Milstar-3 reference is not currently correct, which is why you don’t hear it. AEHF is (now?) described as a follow-on system.
Lockheed Martin, via WayBack – Advanced Extremely High Frequency Ground Station
Boeing – Family of Advanced Beyond Line-of-Sight Terminals (FAB-T)

Related Ground Systems

Raytheon – Secure Mobile Anti-Jam Reliable Tactical Terminal (SMART-T)
US Army PM WIN-T – SMART-T
Raytheon – Navy Multiband Terminal
US Navy – NMT Navy Advanced Extremely High Frequency Multi-band Terminal

News & Views

Northrop Grumman (Oct 24/13) – Customized Integrated Circuit Deliveries Bolster Northrop Grumman’s Production of Fifth and Sixth Advanced EHF Communication Payloads
NDIA National Defense, via WayBack (September 2010) – Army Under Pressure to Bring Broadband to the Battlefield. Discusses JTRS rather than AEHF, but illustrates the wider trends and pressures.
The Register, via WayBack (Dec 18/08) – US delays Royal Navy satellite comms project: Only 31 months late. The UK’s sub-based Naval Extremely High Frequency/Super High Frequency Satellite Communications Terminals appear to have the same problem as AEHF.
Aviation Week (April 6/08) – USAF Plans First AEHF Launch. At the time, it was to be early in 2009. It wouldn’t actually launch until Aug 14/10.
Military Information Technology, via WayBack (June 13/05) – Network of Nations. Describes the U.S. military’s role as a satellite communications supplier to allies in Iraq.
C4ISR Journal, via WayBack (January 4/05) – First Launch of Advanced Communications Satellites Slips. About the AEHF.
American Institute of Aeronautics & Astronautics (AIAA) Industry Insights, via WayBack. (January 2002) – Military satellites: The next generation. By Marco Caceres of The Teal Group.
Crosslink Magazine, via WayBack (Winter 2001/2002) – Future U.S. Military Satellite Communication Systems. Excellent overview and very informative graphics. Covers planned systems to 2010 – note how plans changed.
TelecomWeb ViaSatellite.com articles, via WayBack. The page died in 2006, but see esp. “The Military Sector: Doing Business With The Decisionmaker” [Part I | Part II]. Part I describes current US satellite programs and trends, while Part II focuses more on the doing business aspect.

Categories: Defense`s Feeds

Trident II D5 Missile: Keeping Up with Changing Times

Tue, 08/07/2018 - 05:56

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 – 2018

SSBN design 101
click for video

August 7/18: Keeping up the production The US Navy is further investing in its submarine launched nuclear ballistic missile capability. Lockheed Martin will provide a variety of services to support the fiscal 2019 Trident II missile production at a cost of $22.28 million. The Trident II D5 was first deployed in 1990. The US and UK respectively are investing in the Trident II D5 LE Program, which 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 a further 108 missiles are being purchased, in order to meet long-term inventory requirements. The LE program involves updating the missile’s electronics, guidance and reentry systems. Lockheed Martin has managed has managed all of the US submarine-launched ballistic missile/ fleet ballistic missile (SLBM/FBM) programs since the first-generation Polaris. Work will be performed at the company’s location in Sunnyvale, California, and is expected to be completed by date September 2023.

May 18/18: Trident will continue to deter Lockheed Martin Space Systems will continue its support activities for the Trident II program. The awarded cost-plus-incentive-fee, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract modification worth $40.1 million provides for Trident II (D5) missile production and deployed system support. 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. Over the years the missile system evolved. The old C4s were succeeded by larger Trident II D5in 1990. Since then the missiles have been the backbone of US and UK submarine forces. The current Trident II D5 Life-Extension program intends 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 are being purchased, in order to meet long-term inventory requirements. Work will be performed at multiple locations including Sunnyvale, California and Rockford Illinois. Work is expected to be completed by September 2022.

March 29/18: Common Missile Compartment Replacement Lockheed Martin Space Systems Co. of Sunnyvale, California is being awarded a contract valued at over $10 million. This modification refers to a 2016 contract between the US Navy and Lockheed Martin for a Common Missile Compartment Replacement for Ohio Class submarines, a missile service unit, a X-Link Pod Refresh and Strategic Weapons Systems Ashore efforts. The common missile compartment, being designed for the Ohio and Vanguard submarine replacement vessels, will house submarine-launched ballistic missiles in quad-packs aboard future U.S. and United Kingdom missile boats. The common missile compartment carries the UGM-133 Trident II nuclear missile, one of the most advanced submarine-launched atomic missiles in the world. The Strategic Weapons Ashore facility at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station provides long-term shore-based testing capabilities to proof modernized submarine missile systems. This installation will play an important role in the upcoming US Navy program to replace the Ohio-class nuclear ballistic missile submarine. Work will be performed in Cape Canaveral, Florida, with a completion date of December 31, 2020.

March 21/18: Missiles & Support The US Navy has exercised an option to a previously awarded contract to Lockheed Martin’s Space Systems division for additional Trident II (D5) missile production and deployed system support. Awarded by the Navy’s Strategic Systems Programs, the contract is valued in excess of $522 million. Work will be carried out at multiple locations across the US, including Magna, Utah, Sunnyvale, California, and Cape Canaveral, Florida. Contract completion is scheduled for September 30, 2022.

March 2/18: Guidance System Charles Stark Draper Laboratory has been awarded a $132.9 million contract modification for the Trident (D5) MK 6 guidance system. The agreement, awarded by US Navy, will see the production with failure verification, test, repair and recertification of inertial measurement units, electronic assemblies, and electronic modules. Work will take place in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Clearwater, Florida, Cambridge, Massachusetts, and Pittsfield, Massachusetts, with a scheduled completion time for January 30, 2021.

January 30/18: Contract Modification-Systems Integration General Dynamics Mission Systems received last Thursday an $8.3 million US Navy contract modification for services in support of US Navy and British Royal Navy fire control and weapon control systems on ballistic and guided missile submarines. The agreement also includes missile fire control for the Columbia-class and UK Vanguard-class Common Missile Compartment Program development—the integration of the UGM-133 Trident II nuclear missile with the common missile compartment program—through first unit UK production, and the delivery of a strategic weapon interface simulator. Work will take place mainly at Pittsfield Massachusetts, as well as other locations across the US and in the UK, with a scheduled completion date set for September 2023. Anticipating further work on submarines for the Navy, General Dynamics plans to invest some $2 billion into its shipyards over the coming years, with $1.7 billion going into its Electric Boat yard in Connecticut—where 12 Columbia subs will be produced. Employment at the firm is also at its highest in 25 years, with 16,200 currently employed at its Electric Boat operation.

September 03/17: The US DoD has awarded a $418.6 million US Navy contract modification to Lockheed Martin for renewed procurement of Trident II (D5) missile production, D5 life extension production, and D5 deployed systems support. Work will take place at several locations throughout the US with an estimated completion date of Sept. 30, 2022. Production will also support missile production for the British Royal Navy, of which $66.6 million in funding will be obligated for the effort.

September 25/17: General Dynamics Electric Boat has landed a $5.1 billion US Navy contract to commence development work on the Columbia-class nuclear ballistic missile submarine. Announced last Thursday, the award includes component and technology development, missile tube module and reactor compartment bulkhead prototyping and manufacturing efforts, and United Kingdom Strategic Weapon Support System kit manufacturing—which is covered under a foreign military sale—for the Columbia class ballistic missile submarines. Work will be conducted at several US locations and is scheduled for completion by December 2031. 12 Columbia-class submarines are planned by the Navy, and will replace the current fleet of Ohio-class ballistic missile submarines. The first vessel, the Columbia, is expected to be completed by 2031 at a cost of $10.4 billion counting research and engineering costs. The expected cost of follow-on vessels has been floated at over $5 billion a piece. The vessels will support the US Navy and British Royal Navy’s Trident II D5 submarine launched ballistic missile (SLBM) system.

August 22/17: Lockheed Martin Space Systems has won a $21.9 million US Navy contract modification for support of the Trident II D5 submarine launched ballistic missile. Work will be split between Sunnyvale, Calif., Cape Canaveral, Fla. and other locations across the US with a completion date expected by Sept. 30 2017. The Trident II D5 is the submarine-launched ballistic missile deployed by both the US and British Royal Navy, and is the sole nuclear weapon system deployed by the UK.

August 16/17: The US DoD has awarded General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems a $9.7 million contract modification for the continued work on submarine fire control systems of US and British Royal Navy vessels. Under the terms of the deal, General Dynamics work remit will include maintenance for the Attack Weapon Control System on SSGN guided missile submarines and missile fire-control development for the future US Columbia-class and British Dreadnought-class ballistic missile submarines. Both vessels will replace the US Ohio-class and British Vanguard-class submarines currently in operation by both navies, and will share a Common Missile Compartment for the Trident II and other weapons such as cruise missiles. The Columbias and Dreadnoughts are projected to start entering service in the late 2020s and phase out the older models.

June 26/17: Electric Boat has been awarded a $203 million contract modification to conduct work for the joint US Navy-UK Common Missile Compartment program. The work order calls for the design, testing, and delivery of missile tubes for the Trident II D5 submarine launched ballistic missile used by the US and British navies and will be installed on both navies’ replacement ballistic missile submarine classes, the Colombia and Dreadnought. Work will take place at Groton, Conn., Newport News, Va., and several other sites with completion scheduled for October 2017.

May 4/17: The US Navy has awarded Lockheed Martin a $64.6 million contract—with the potential to increase to $94.1 million—for engineering on the Common Compartment Strategic Weapons System. The contract includes testing of a special test vehicle, maintenance and the integration of the Trident D5 II SLBM to the system. Britain will contribute $1.9 million to the program in order to continue their collaboration on the Trident missile, despite the issue causing some controversy there over the missile’s cost and questions as to whether Britain should keep it’s undersea nuclear deterrent. However, with future upgrades, the Trident II is likely to remain both Washington and London’s main SLBM onboard both the US Ohio-class and the British Vanguard-class ballistic missile submarines until 2040.

February 17/17: Lockheed Martin has been contracted by the DoD for Trident II ballistic fleet missile production and deployed system support. The $540 million contract modification supports production efforts for the US.Navy and the British Royal Navy, who deploy the missile on their Ohio-class and Vanguard-class submarines respectively. Lockheed Martin received roughly $453 million in weapon procurement funds from the Navy, plus an additional $50.7 million from the Royal Navy. The company also received $36 million in fiscal 2017 operation and maintenance funds, which are set to expire at the end of the current fiscal year.

January 31/17: A US Navy contract has tasked Charles Stark Draper Laboratory with Trident D5 MK 6 guidance system production. Valued at $53 million, work carried out under the deal will include the performance of several services for the submarine-launched ballistic missile including failure verification, testing, repairs, recertification of inertial measurement units electronic assemblies, and electronic modules. The Trident II D5 program will replace the current Polaris and Poseidon systems currently used by the US and UK armed forces.

January 25/17: US media has confirmed that a British Trident submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) fired from HMS Vengeance off the coast of Florida last year did veer off course. Citing a US defense official, CNN also reported that the inert missile triggered its automatic self-destruct sequence once the test was in jeopardy. Since the story broke on Sunday, the UK government has come under increased pressure to release details on the test, which occurred weeks before last June’s Parliament vote on the program’s $49.5 billion renewal. PM Teresa May initially refused to comment on whether she knew about the test before the vote, before confirming that she had been briefed on a range of nuclear issues, including Trident, on taking office from David Cameron in June, 2016.

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.

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