DoD invests in beryllium production

July 5, 2008 by Dagpotter · Comment
Filed under: Brush Wellman, Department of Defense, Ohio, logistics, production program 

The Department of Defense has provided financing to Brush Wellman, a division of Cleveland-based Brush Engineered Materials, for expansion of their beryllium processing facility near Toledo. See an article here. Beryllium is a strategic metal that DoD stockpiles in support of their systems production. Brush Wellman is the nation’s largest beryllium producer. DoD and the company will jointly finance the new expansion.

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DoD awards shelter task order contract

June 11, 2008 by Dagpotter · Comment
Filed under: Contract Awards, Department of Defense, logistics, production program 

The US Department of Defense awarded a task order contract for tents and shelters. See this article. Under the contract the qualified companies, including Johnson Outdoors and Schutt Industries, can bid on the various service and other Government agencies requirements. The contract is a one year base with four options with an initial value of $96 M. With these contracts there is no guarantee that any work will be awarded, but the best bid on the various orders will be accepted.

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Indian C-130J ordered

March 31, 2008 by Dagpotter · Comment
Filed under: Contract Awards, FMS, India, Lockheed Martin, Military Aviation, production program 

The Department of Defense ordered the six Indian C-130J aircraft from Lockheed Martin. See the article here. As in the case of most Foreign Military Sales (FMS) India just piggy-backed on the current production contract. This gives them the lowest price possible due to production quantities and stability. The total contract is worth over $1 B, but the aircraft part is about $600 M.

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Sun breaks new ground in computers

March 24, 2008 by Dagpotter · 1 Comment
Filed under: Contract Awards, DARPA, IT, Sun Microsystems, development program 

Sun Microsystems was awarded a contract from DARPA to look at increasing the speed of processing by hooking chips up with light rather then printed circuit boards. The press release is here. The contract is worth $44 M and is supposed to look at increasing speed and reliability while reducing cost. DARPA, along with all the Services, funds advanced research into all different kinds of ideas. Many pay off, many don’t; but it might surprise the average American how much of this kind of research comes from the Department of Defense.

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