Pentagon says AFRICOM will be ready for full operations October 1

The U.S. Defense Department says it is committed to launching its new Africa Command on time in October, and with the same capabilities as other major U.S. military commands. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Theresa Whelan made the comment in a VOA interview. VOA's Al Pessin reports from the Pentagon.

The Defense Department's top Africa official says Africa Command, which has been operating in a preparation phase for eight months, will be ready to take responsibility for all U.S. military engagement with the continent on schedule.

"We are confident that by 1 October AFRICOM will be enabled, and will be able to carry out the existing missions of the current combatant commands that are responsible for Africa. And the leadership here in the Pentagon is very committed to doing whatever it takes to make that a reality," she said.

Full VOA story here.

Vehicle miscellany

Ibis Tek* of Butler, Pa. and LOM* of Chicago are both being awarded indefinite-delivery / indefinite-quantity contracts for MRAP 360 Degree Lighting Kits.

The Ibis Tek contract has a ceiling amount $158,075,500 with options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative ceiling value to $474,226,500. The LOM ceiling is $149,730,000 with options totalling $449,190,000. The work on both contracts is expected to be completed by May 2011. The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Va., is the contracting activity.

Stewart & Stevenson TVS, LP, Sealy, Texas, has been awarded a $37,356,777 firm-fixed price contract for low signature armor cabs in a box. Work will be performed in Texas and is expected to be completed by Feb. 19, 2009. U.S. Army TACOM, Warren, Mich., is the contracting activity.

* DoD indicates these as "Small Business"

Source: DoD
Image: Ibis Tek

Catch up on your reading

Here are some items of general interest that we have found or have had brought to our attention by readers. Thank you!

• DoD reviewing Apple's bid for PA Semi - EETimes
• 26 years after Gibson, Pentagon defines 'Cyberspace' - Danger Room
• Arrests in bomb scare at Swedish nuclear plant - Yahoo News
• FCC seeks input on new auction for public safety spectrum - GCN
  
• Committee accuses DHS of double-counting small business figures - GovExec

Sources: As linked

Future robots without a robotics industry?

Popular Mechanics has a good article out on robots and their future. One interesting quote is from iRobot's CEO Colin Angle. He was speaking at the RoboBusiness Conference and said, quite rightly, “Are we sure we’re not just an adjunct to another industry?”

Also covered in the piece is the quiet retreat from Iraq of the armed SWORDS robot. This Talon product was designed to carry 240, 249 or 50-caliber machine guns, the M202 –A1 with a 6mm rocket launcher or the ubiquitous M16. It seems there were technical issues.

Update April 15: Sharon Weinberger, at Danger Room, has an update on "the quiet retreat".

Update April 16: Popular Mechanics clarification.

Sources: Popular Mechanics and DoD
Photo: U.S. Army

Time marches on ...

Softsol Technologies Inc., is being awarded a Firm Fixed Price contract for $10,969,599.00.

This requirement acquired service to transform the business application software currently being used by the Defense Security Assistance Management System from Sun Microsystems Unified Development Server environment, formerly known as Forte, and using Transactional Object-Oriented Language, to a new environment and language called .NET.

Editors note: The Defense Security Assistance Management System is part of the Defense Security Cooperation Agency which comes under the Undersecretary of Defense. Forte (formerly Sun Performance WorkShop Fortran) was a development environment for applications in Fortran and C on the Solaris Operating Environment. Forte HPC also provided for C++. Sun no longer supports these products. Really, you can't call .Net a language but rather it's Microsoft's proprietary application development environment.

Source: DoD, various
Photo: SPARC station (good times ...)

Windows Mobile gets security certifications

"Microsoft Federal has announced the addition of two critical security certifications to its Windows Mobile operating system. Windows Mobile 5.0 with Messaging and Security Feature Pack, and Windows Mobile 6 operating systems were awarded Common Criteria Evaluation Assurance Level 2+ (EAL2+).

The U.S. Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) announced it has approved Windows Mobile® for secure wireless e-mail throughout the Department of Defense (DoD). These milestones offer independent validation of Microsoft's commitment to assist governments and enterprises in meeting the ever-increasing security demands for mobile devices accessing sensitive data on information networks.

The Windows Mobile DISA STIG complements other mission-critical work Microsoft is working on across the federal government. Systems integrator partners such as General Dynamics Corp. and L3 Communications Corp. have selected Microsoft to develop an NSA-approved Secure Mobile Environment Portable Electronic Device (SME PED). The SME PED is capable of secure wireless access to the SIPRNET and NIPRNET and supports DoD 8100.2 requirements.

Common Criteria is a globally recognized standard for secure IT products. By meeting the security criteria for EAL2+, Windows Mobile is accepted under the Common Criteria Recognition Arrangement (CCRA) worldwide by 24 member countries. This means that U.S. government agencies with disparate, worldwide operations can use Windows Mobile with the assurance that they have adopted a technology platform that is universally recognized as tested to exacting security standards.

Both accreditations will help mobile U.S. government personnel become more productive and effective while accessing mission-critical data, including for example, Common Operational Picture software for combat and reconnaissance missions; Battlefield Medical Triage; Logistics and supply chain support, and more."

Source and Photo: Microsoft

General Dynamics to roll out detection systems

General Dynamics (GD) Armament and Technical Products, of Charlotte, North Carolina, was awarded a $43,081,582 firm fixed-price contract for the purpose of the exercise of options under existing contract for 60 Joint Biological Point Detection Systems as well as related fielding support packages, system testing, and user training. One bid was solicited and one bid received for the contract that has an estimated completion date of December 30, 2009. Work is to be performed at Columbus, Ohio (60 percent) and Charlotte, North Carolina (40 percent).

Note: This would seem to relate to activities last fall.

In October 2007 U.S. Department of Defense asked GD to participate in the first major phase of Increment 2 of the Joint Chemical Agent Detector (JCAD) Program. Their JUNO incorporates "differential mobility spectrometry (DMS) technology, providing better detection, sensitivity and selectivity compared with that of traditional, handheld ion mobility spectrometry (IMS)-based chemical agent detectors."

The units "... feature(s) a simple, cell phone-style interface and is capable of detecting, identifying, quantifying and alerting individual warfighters to the presence of chemical agent vapors. In addition, as new chemical threats emerge, JUNO(TM)'s software can be upgraded and its detection library capacity can be expanded. It can be used in handheld, fixed-site, ground vehicle, shipboard and aircraft interior applications."

At that time the Sionex Corp. announced that they were supplying GD with the DMS technology.

Souces: DoD and GD Armament and Technical Products
Photo: General Dynamics

They told you so ...

Several places in our sphere are boasting how they featured George Tech Research Institutes' (GTRI) ULTRA AP (Armored Patrol) vehicle back in 2005. We did too but 'back in the day' but we did it solely by email. Does that count?

The Ultra AP is back with a mention in the Defense Science Board's DoD Energy Strategy "More Fight - Less Fuel" (pdf). The report looks at current and future energy efficiencies and savings. While it acknowledges the necessity to replace the Humvee it doesn't. like what it sees. MRAPs and JLTVs are just heavy resource consumers. Way back when, in 2005, ULTRA development focused on "survivability and safety:

• Survivability: This factor involves a vehicle’s ability to shield occupants from hostile action. The ULTRA AP will feature novel design concepts and research advances in lightweight and cost-effective armor to maximize capability and protection. The new armor was designed at GTRI in partnership with the Georgia Tech School of Materials Science and Egineering. The vehicle also incorporates a “blast bucket” designed to provide ballistic, blast and enhanced roll-over protection. New vehicle designs must incorporate dramatically increased resistance to explosions caused by mines and improvised explosive devices, Caille noted.
  
• Safety with Performance: The ULTRA design explored the use of on-board computers to integrate steering, suspension and brakes to provide an unparalleled level of mobility and safety, Caille added. The new vehicle’s integrated chassis represents an advancement over the most advanced current production vehicles."

At the time David Parekh, GTRI’s deputy director said “By including persons with high-performance automotive engineering and NASCAR expertise as part of our team, we were able to root this advanced concepts project in real-world vehicle design.”

Sources: As cited and GTRI 2005 Release.

The economics of counter-IED

Over the next 10 years, an estimated $23 billion will be spent on the development and production of major EW programs, according to Forecast International's “The Market for Electronic Warfare Systems.” Some 35,814 units of leading electronic countermeasures (ECM), radar warning receivers (RWRs), electronic support measures (ESM), and other EW systems that make up this analysis are expected to be produced through 2017.

“The need to counter IEDs has led to a sharp demand for systems and research designed specifically for that task,” said Andrew Dardine, Forecast International Senior Aerospace & Defense Analyst and author of the analysis. “The threat from these devices has only grown more in size and sophistication over the past few years. As a result, major contracts have been awarded to move the effort forward."

The market leaders in this analysis are Northrop Grumman, BAE Systems, Raytheon, ITT, and Lockheed Martin. The French defense firm Thales and Israel’s Elta Systems are also making increasingly strong showings in the areas of ESM and ECM systems for a variety of international applications.

While little has changed in recent years in terms of the apparent reluctance of any government agency to fund this extremely expensive work, EW manufacturers are jockeying for position in the market of missile protection for civilian airliners. The need to protect civilian airliners and other non-military aircraft has led many companies to invest large sums of money into adapting their military infrared (IR) countermeasures systems to new uses. The scope of this effort is truly international, with companies such as Saab, EADS, and Israel’s Rafael taking a strong lead, as well as BAE systems and Northrop Grumman.

While the prospect of equipping civilian aircraft is far from certain, the military demand for this technology is more assured. Northrop Grumman’s Large Aircraft IR Countermeasures (LAIRCM) system is expected to be installed on a growing number of NATO and U.S. aircraft. The FY08/09 U.S. defense budget features one of the biggest allotments for LAIRCM development and procurement in the system's history. The Pentagon plans to spend well over $1 billion through FY13 on procurement of the systems for these aircraft, declaring that its long-range desire is to equip a total of 444 aircraft.

Among military planners, the need to adapt and adopt airborne electronic attack (AEA) systems will also be a major market driver. Low-rate initial production of the U.S. Navy’s all-important EA-18G Growler AEA platform is to run through 2009-2012. Meanwhile, upgraded EA-6B Prowlers are deploying as fast as they can be completed. Desperately needing to disrupt and disable enemy communications on a moment’s notice, the U.S. Marine Corp has already taken an early lead in the program, procuring its own fleet of upgraded aircraft.

In terms of funding, based on a projection of the current U.S. defense budget, the Navy will likely spend more than $2.3 billion over the next 10 years on R&D for EW technology. Likewise, the Air Force can be expected to commit some $673.6 million for its own EW needs – a number that may change dramatically with the prospect of a possibly renewed B-52 Airborne Electronic Attack program.

Source: Forecast International Press Release

Report: IED crisis avoidable

One of the best defense writers on the web is Sharon Weinberger. She may be known to some of you for her investigations of whacky weapons. In Danger Room, however, Ms Weinberger looks at the report of a Marine Corps insider that "recounts in painstaking detail the missteps that delayed the fielding of bomb-resistant vehicles to Iraq."

The problem? Well, simply put "a 'Byzantine' acquisition system that pushes bureaucrats to protect their own programs and priorities, rather than seeking out the best available option."

The brief article and report will be of interest to anyone involved with or interested in: policy, politics, purchasing, or armored vehicles.

Sources: As cited

Naval airborne anti-mine system update

Raytheon has been awarded a $7,733,484 contract modification for three Low Rate Initial Production units of the Airborne Mine Neutralization System (AMNS). The purpose of the AMNS is to reacquire and neutralize mines after detection. The AMNS will be employed by the MH-60S helicopter to explosively neutralize unburied bottom, close tethered and moored sea mines that are impractical or unsafe to counter using existing minesweeping/mine neutralization techniques.

Work will be performed in Portsmouth, R.I., (56 percent); Waterlooville, United Kingdom (23 percent); Claremont, N.H., (11 percent); Windber, Pa., (5 percent); West Wareham, Mass., (3 percent); Biddford, Maine (1%), and Ottawa, Ontario, Canada (1 percent) and is expected to be completed by Nov. 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year.

Source: DoD
Photo: Sikorsky

MRAP vehicle orders top 11,900

"The Department of Defense today announced a contract award for an additional 3,126 Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles to be manufactured and completed by end of July 2008. Four manufacturers received the delivery orders totaling just under $2.66 billion.

" ... Stewart and Stevenson Tactical Vehicle, a Division of Armor Holdings and more recently BAE Land Systems, received a firm fixed priced delivery order for the purchase of 668 Category II vehicles with Category I seat configuration. The company is now operating under the name, BAE-TVS.

BAE Systems Land and Armaments, increased their participation in the program by 600 bringing their total vehicle count to more than 1,730. The vehicles will be Category II vehicles.

Force Protection Industries, Inc. will add another 358 (178 Category I and 180 Category II) vehicles to their vehicle commitment.

The largest single delivery order to date has been issued to International Military and Government LLC for 1,500 Category I vehicles.

All four delivery orders include vehicles, integrated logistics support (ILS), sustainment items and engineering change proposals designed to increase vehicle capability."

Source DoD Press Release

Photo: Force Protection

Successful strategy snubbed for years

" ... a USA TODAY investigation shows that the strategy now used to defeat the bombmaking networks and stabilize Iraq was ignored or rejected for years by key decision-makers. As early as 2004, when roadside bombs already were killing scores of troops, a top military consultant invited to address two dozen generals offered a "strategic alternative" for beating the insurgency and IEDs.

That plan and others mirroring the counterinsurgency blueprint that the Pentagon now hails as a success were pitched repeatedly in memos and presentations during the following two years, at meetings that included then-Defense secretary Donald Rumsfeld, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Vice President Cheney's chief of staff, Lewis "Scooter" Libby."

Source: USA Today

"The Robotic FX contract is no longer in existence,"

Those are the words of Joanne Byrd, the US Army administrator overseeing a $280 million contract.

The Readers Digest version goes something like this ... Unknown bidder (Robotic FX) wins big contract over iRobot. It seems the new company is run by a former iRobot employee. It seems the new robot is a lot like the iRobot product. The courts and private eyes get involved. Stuff is shredded. Finally DoD had enough and the contract has been awarded to iRobot.

The unfolding soap opera has been well covered by Hiawatha Bray in the Boston Globe.

Sources: Boston Globe, Engadget, iRobot Press Release.

Intro to AFRICOM

The Federation of American Scientists Project on Government Secrecy recently posted a Congressional Research Service report on the new Africa Command.

Little has been written on on DoD's AFRICOM. Someone who should be a regular read, Catherine McRae Hockmuth, asks "Why is DOD struggling to fill civilian interagency jobs at U.S. Africom? A shortage of Africa expertise? A military and diplomatic corps stretched thin by war? Or something else such as outright skepticism about the role of the military in Africa?" Check out her story at Ares.

Sources: CRS Report and Ares

MRAP madness dies down

"A new defense secretary fresh out of confirmation hearings and eager to make nice with a Democratic Congress acceded to lawmakers' demands and launched a crash program to get as many MRAPs to the field as industry and logistics could bear.

But if anyone spoke for caution in this plan (and I was one of them), they were quickly shouted down as chicken hawks--dismissed as ignorant of the risks and deadly violence of plying Iraq's bomb-strewn roads." Christian Lowe writes this in an interesting assessment of the current state of MRAP affairs. The complete article is here.

Source: The Daily Standard as cited
Photo: DoD

CREWS contract awarded

The U.S. Department of Defense has awarded the CREWS contract to Northrop Grumman, Sierra Nevada and ITT.

"... $16,059,687 ... for the design, development and delivery of seven development models for Spiral 3.1 dismounted and seven development models for Spiral 3.2 Mounted Counter Radio-Controlled Improvised Explosive Device (RCIED) Electronic Warfare (CREW) systems" (DoD Press Release No. 1384-07)

Spiral 3.1 CREW systems are dismounted jammers designed to prevent the initiation of Radio-Controlled Improvised Explosive Devices (RC-IED). Spiral 3.2 systems are the mounted version.

The reaction of Allen-Vanguard is here.

Sources: As cited.

Guard and Reserve structure come under review

The contributions of the Reserve and National Guard since 9/11 have been both substantial and critical to the support of American foreign policy. This has not come without several costs.

The Defense Science Board has come out with some clear warnings to the DoD and anyone else who'll listen. There are serious training and equipment issues. There are also worries about capability deficiencies in responding to domestic emergencies.

Source: Defense Science Board Report (52 pg pdf)
Photo: National Guard