U.S. military procurement system filled with problems

By MARTIN SIEFF
UPI Senior News Analyst
WASHINGTON, Oct. 31 (UPI) -- Former U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld entered office at a time of apparently infinite possibilities. He pursued many of them but achieved almost none of them.

Next U.S. defense chief faces hard calls on weapons spending

By MARTIN SIEFF
UPI Senior News Analyst
WASHINGTON, Oct. 31 (UPI) -- The next president of the United States, to be elected Tuesday, is going to face a lot of hard choices on the defense front over the next four years, especially in the areas of budgeting and procurement.

TACOM Awards Oshkosh FHTV Order worth $1.2 Billion

The U.S. Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Command (TACOM) awarded Oshkosh Defense (a division of Oshkosh Corporation NYSE:OSK) an order for the supply of more than 6,000 upgraded vehicles over three years, to the U.S. Army’s Family of Heavy Tactical Vehicle (FHTV) fleet. The upgraded FHTV family of vehicles are delivered 'armor ready' and include increased horsepower and performance features due to power-train and suspension upgrades.

Introducing: GULF C4ISR 2009

Taking place in partnership with the UAE Air Force & Air Defence Gulf C4ISR is the only place where you will have direct access to many of the Gulf nations’ leading C4I and NEC/NCW experts, including essential updates from the US, UK, Germany and Sweden. Defense Update was selected to be an official sponsor of this unique event, where you can hear from those who are responsible for shaping the future military communications strategies and requirements in the Middle East and hear how your solution can fill their capability gap. Visit www.gulfc4i.comfor further information and discounted pricing. Call +44 (0) 207 368 9465 or email gulfc4i@wbr.co.uk to register.

Chavez goes on arms spending spree with Russia, China

By JOHN SWEENEY
CARACAS, Venezuela, Oct. 31 (UPI) -- Venezuela is buying from Russia between 10 and 12 Mi-28NEs -- Havoc or Night Hunter -- helicopters.

USCG Cutter Contract Protested

One of the losing bidders on a contract to build new cutters for the US Coast Guard, Marinette Marine, protested the award to Bollinger Shipyards for a new class of small ships the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reports.. The initial contract is for $80 M and will begin a program that might see up to 34 ships procured. This program arose out of a failed attempt to upgrade existing USCG ships by extending the hull and adding capability. Bollinger was heavily involved in that program, and some feel that the past performance there should have disqualified them from participating in this contract. Marinette Marine has previously built other ships for the USCG as well. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has 100 days to rule on the protest. Normally the contract is put on hold while the protest is resolved.

U.S., Russian military chiefs hold Helsinki summit

By NIKITA PETROV
UPI Outside View Commentator
MOSCOW, Oct. 31 (UPI) -- On Oct. 21, Adm. Michael Mullen, the chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, met with his Russian counterpart, Army Gen. Nikolai Makarov, at a mansion outside Helsinki, Finland.

Army Awards Next Generation Heavy Vehicle Contract

Oshkosh Defense won a contract from the US Army to provide 6,000 heavy transport vehicles. Welt Online has the press release. When all phases of the contract are executed it will be worth over a billion dollars. The Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Trucks (HEMTT) and Pallatized Load System (PLS) combine to make it more efficient to move large loads in hostile terrain. The HEMTT have been in use since 1985 and demonstrated their capabilities during Operation Desert Storm in 1991.

Norweigian Left Supports JSF

Aftenposten writes that the far left party, Socialist Left Party, will not stop the procurement of the JSF fighter by the government. Norway is considering the JSF to replace its F-16 fleet, although Sweden has also made an unsolicited offer with the Gripen aircraft. The decision as to which aircraft will be purchased will be made by the end of the year. There was some concern that the Socialist Left would not support buying the US aircraft, preferring the Gripen. They accept though that with Norway being part of NATO it may influence the decision.

Contracts for October 31, 2008

Contracts valued at $5 million or more are announced each business day at 5 p.m.

Army Announces Joint Light Tactical Vehicle Teams

The U.S. Army announced the three teams of companies that will be awarded development contracts for the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV). The companies have a little over two years to develop a prototype vehicle for a series of tests. Then at least one, but hopefully from the Department of Defense side possibly two, of the teams will be awarded production contracts. BAE is on two of the winning teams, those led by Navistar and Lockheed Martin. The third winning team was a new company, General , made up of AM General and General Dynamics. The contract has the potential to be large with tens of thousands of JLTV vehicles being procured to replace the HUMVEE.

See Crain’s Detroit Business for the story.

Tags: BNET Government Industry

ICRC to host military training summit

October 30, 2008 by admin · Comment
Filed under: Syndicated Industry News 

GENEVA, Switzerland, Oct. 30 (UPI) -- Military officers from 51 countries will take part in a conference Nov. 3 in Geneva to assimilate humanitarian law into combat tactics, the Red Cross said.

Tags:

Contracts for October 30, 2008

October 30, 2008 by admin · Comment
Filed under: Contract Awards, Department of Defense, Syndicated Industry News 

Contracts valued at $5 million or more are announced each business day at 5 p.m.

Tags:

Al-Qaida’s failures rooted in its own fanaticism

October 30, 2008 by admin · Comment
Filed under: Syndicated Industry News 

By WILLIAM S. LIND
WASHINGTON, Oct. 30 (UPI) -- I have suggested in previous columns that the al-Qaida model of Fourth Generation war may be failing for inherent reasons -- that is to say, for reasons it cannot fix.

Tags:

Caiman design deflects IEDs in Iraq

October 30, 2008 by admin · Comment
Filed under: Syndicated Industry News 

By RICHARD TOMKINS
YETHRIB, Iraq, Oct. 30 (UPI) -- The 38,000-pound Caiman armored vehicles stopped at the fringe of this rural village and disgorged a group of U.S. soldiers and Iraqi police. Their mission: seek out and detain a half-dozen men wanted by the Iraqi government for terrorism-related offenses.

Tags:

Russia, U.S. plagued by weapons delivery problems

October 30, 2008 by admin · Comment
Filed under: Syndicated Industry News 

By ILYA KRAMNIK
UPI Outside View Commentator
MOSCOW, Oct. 30 (UPI) -- There are many examples of failure to fulfill Russia's annual state defense order: Delivery of Sukhoi Su-34 aircraft and Mil Mi-28N helicopters is well behind schedule, the missile-carrying submarine Yury Dolgoruky is certain not to be launched in 2008, and the second submarine in the series is unlikely to hit the water in 2009, as scheduled, either.

Tags:

Russia steps up BMD, air defense capabilities

October 30, 2008 by admin · Comment
Filed under: Syndicated Industry News 

By MARTIN SIEFF
UPI Senior News Analyst
WASHINGTON, Oct. 30 (UPI) -- Russia continues to step up the alertness and combat readiness of its prime domestic anti-aircraft and ballistic missile defense systems in cooperation with its close allies.

Tags:

Army announces JLTV teams

October 30, 2008 by Dagpotter · Comment
Filed under: AM General, BAE Systems, Contract Awards, Department of Defense, General Dynamics, Lockheed Martin, Navistar, U.S. Army, development program, logistics, production program 

The US Army announced the three teams of companies that will be awarded development contracts for the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV). The companies have a little over two years to develop a prototype vehicle for a series of tests. Then at least one, but hopefully from the DoD side possibly two, of the teams will be awarded production contracts. BAE is on two of the winning teams, those led by Navistar and Lockheed Martin. The third winning team was a new company, General Tactical Vehicles, made up of AM General and General Dynamics. The contract has the potential to be large with tens of thousands of JLTV vehicles being procured to replace the HUMVEE.

See Crain’s Detroit Business for the story.

Cross posted at BNET.

Tags: BAE, crain, detroit business, development contracts, General Dynamics, humvee, Lockheed Martin, Navistar, production contracts, prototype vehicle, tactical vehicles, tens of thousands, U.S. Army, winning team

Industry Teams Show Progress Toward JLTV at AUSA 2008

October 29, 2008 by admin · Comment
Filed under: Syndicated Industry News 

Defense Update reports from AUSA 2008, where some of the JLTV teams displayed the latest versions of their concept vehicles. Among these companies were Boeing/Textron Systems and Blackwater International which were not selected, and the three winners - General Dynamics/AM General, BAE Systems/Navistar, Lockheed Martin.

Tags:

US Army Selects Three Teams to Develop JLTV

October 29, 2008 by admin · Comment
Filed under: Syndicated Industry News 

GTV (General Tactical Vehicles), Navistar-BAE Systems and Lockheed Martin are the teams selected by the US Army to develop three competing designs of the future armored, high mobility vehicle to replace part of the HMMWVs. Final selection is expected within 27 months.

Tags:

Companies to develop contract management software

October 29, 2008 by Dagpotter · Comment
Filed under: CACI, Department of Defense, Federal Budget Process, IT, Oracle, development program 

CACI and Oracle announced today that they would work together to build a software solution to manage government contracts. The software would be for the total life cycle of the contract through development, award and execution. The program will utilize an existing Oracle product with CACI providing the expertise on understanding Federal rules and regulations and the actual conduct of contracting. Contract management within the Department of Defense is a laborious process requiring a great deal of manpower. This software will help agencies carry out this function in a more accurate, timely fashion.

See the press release at MarketWatch.com.

Cross posted at BNET.

Tags: CACI, contract management, Department of Defense, execution, government contracts, life cycle, manpower, Oracle, oracle product, press release, software solution, timely fashion

CACI and Oracle to Develop Contract Management Software

October 29, 2008 by Dagpotter · Comment
Filed under: BNET, Syndicated Industry News 

CACI and Oracle announced today that they would work together to build a software solution to manage government contracts. The software would be for the total life cycle of the contract through development, award and execution. The program will utilize an existing Oracle product with CACI providing the expertise on understanding federal rules and regulations and the actual conduct of contracting. Contract management within the Department of Defense is a laborious process requiring a great deal of manpower. This software will help agencies carry out this function in a more accurate, timely fashion.

See the press release at MarketWatch.com.

Tags: BNET Government Industry

Australia will participate in JLTV

October 29, 2008 by Dagpotter · Comment
Filed under: Australia, Contract Awards, development program, logistics, production program 

The Australian Defence Minister announced that the country would participate in the development phase of the JLTV. As we posted yesterday three development contracts are due to be announced soon by the US Army. JLTV will be used to replace Land Rover vehicles in the Australian inventory. The benefit to them of course is that there 4200 unit buy will be a drop in the bucket compared to the thousands the US military will purchase guaranteeing them a good price. Mr. Fitzgibbon also announced upgrades to a variety of current vehicles and the purchase of more Bushmaster armored vehicles.

See the Heraldsun.com.au for more.

Tags: armored vehicles, australian defence minister, benefit, development contracts, development phase, drop in the bucket, fitzgibbon, JLTV, land rover, land rover vehicles, U.S. Army

Brits unveil $1.1B defense package

October 29, 2008 by admin · Comment
Filed under: Syndicated Industry News 

LONDON, Oct. 29 (UPI) -- British forces in Afghanistan will benefit from a $1.1 billion defense-spending package for new armored vehicles and equipment upgrades, officials said.

Tags:

British mine hunters leave for Gulf

October 29, 2008 by admin · Comment
Filed under: Syndicated Industry News 

COULPORT, Scotland, Oct. 29 (UPI) -- Two mine hunters from the Royal Navy left for the Persian Gulf in support of Operation Telic, the British military campaign in Iraq, the Defense Ministry said.

Tags:

Next Page »