JADC2 cross-functional team adds new transport working group. (Fed Scoop) “The Joint All Domain Command and Control (JADC2) Cross-Functional Team (CFT) now has six working groups, with the Transport and Warfighter Communications Working Group activated Tuesday… The CFT will work through the Joint Artificial Intelligence Center to leverage its authorities to convene industry and start to get companies on contracts to begin delivering products… In its first three to six months, the top priorities of the new working group will be to find capability gaps in satellite-based communications systems and recommend integration on multi-cloud technologies. The team will focus on how enterprise cloud will enable tactical-edge networks, especially with the development of the Joint Warfighter Cloud Capability.“
For JADC2, the Pentagon should learn from the 5G community. (Defense News) “Conventional wisdom says that unless the Joint Staff establishes common standards upfront and enforces them vigorously, service weapons systems won’t be able to collaborate in operations when they finally show up in the field… But this approach makes it difficult to adopt trends from the fast-moving commercial sector, and the historical track record for this concept is poor… The internet, and much of the modern digital world, benefits tremendously from standardization, but uses a completely different approach — known as the reference model — to achieve its effect. There is no omnipotent and omniscient governing standards body, and no requirements process to force adoption. Rather than writing down specifications, this approach focuses on delivering working implementations of an interface or technical concept, and then making that available to a larger group for reuse.”
DoD software giants sign joint collaboration statement. (Kessel Run). ““Kessel Run and Platform One are both such huge thought leaders and cultural leaders for the department, starting with Kessel Run smuggling DevSecOps into the DOD, and continuing with Platform One leading the way to Kubernetes, a common repo, and a desire to bring the entire community together and leverage common enterprise services,” said Lauren Knausenberger.”
Let’s catch-up with China within 6 months. (Nicolas Chaillan) “For the “DevSecOps” team, we must merge all redundant DevSecOps platforms across the Services, leverage Platform One and fund it properly. While Platform One has been unfunded by the enterprise for years despite being the only approved enterprise DevSecOps solution by DoD CIO and OUSD A&S, we see Kessel Run spend $60M on their DevSecOps platform. Don’t get me wrong, they’re an awesome team but we must merge the platform efforts. The same is true for Kobayashi Maru, Army and Navy efforts.”
Air Force strikes agreement with contractors to resell Platform One products. (Fed Scoop) “The deal with Booz Allen Hamilton, Seed Innovation, BrainGu, Revacomm, Indrasoft and Novetta was made through a special framework that allows the government to give companies the authority to sell its technology. The arrangement allows contractors to resell two of the platform’s products, Iron Bank and Big Bang, which advocates say could widen Platform One’s visibility across the Department of Defense… The arrangement was struck through an Other Transaction Agreement between Platform One and Catalyst Campus, a nonprofit that will work to improve the products… Previously, Platform One’s office arranged the deployment of the environment and products directly to customers, contracting work with industry to assist their efforts.”
Wargames show Air Force isn’t accelerating fast enough, Hinote says. (Air Force Magazine) “… he Air Force “used to” think it had until 2030 or so to achieve its evolution but now sees the need to get to a new posture by around 2027, given the advances being made by China and other potential adversaries… Asked what key capabilities the Air Force needs, “certainly you’re going to see better weapons. Right now we’re in need of a better air-to-air weapon, a better ship-killing weapon, and a better surface-to-air-missile-killing weapon,” he said.”
How to break a program: funding instability, requirements changes. (Air Force Magazine) ““I would go so far as to say that the milestone system is OK,” he [RCO chief Randy Walden] said. “But we need to be able to tailor the milestone system to deal with the challenges that a particular program is facing. Things like spreading out a milestone event to multiple mini-milestones is one solution that’s commonly taken with that.“ Walden said this is precisely the approach the B-21 has taken, particularly with software.”
Saab’s CEO wants a shot at an AWACS replacement competition. (Breaking Defense) “The sticking point, however, is whether the Air Force decides to solicit options for an E-3 AWACS replacement or whether it opts to sole source the US-made Boeing E-7 Wedgetail as officials have hinted… The GlobalEye is a modified version of the Bombardier Global 6000 business jet outfitted with Saab’s Erieye radar, which is capable of surveying about 193,000 square miles horizontally and more than 60,000 feet vertically, according to the company…. “Sensors are another thing in the US where we have certain technologies and certain types of sensors that other competitors don’t have in the US.”
Defense Department announces new UFO task force. (CBS News) “The agency announced on Tuesday it is creating the Airborne Object Identification and Management Synchronization Group (AOIMSG) to “synchronize” Washington’s efforts to “detect, identify and attribute objects of interests in Special Use Airspace,” and “assess and mitigate any associated threats to safety of flight and national security.” An Airborne Object Identification and Management Executive Council, comprised of defense and intelligence officials, will oversee the new task force.”
It’s time for Pentagon to prioritize near-term acquisition fixes of systemic change. (Breaking Defense) “With the Pentagon all but guaranteed to go more than a full year without a confirmed undersecretary for acquisition and sustainment (A&S), it’s time for the Defense Department to consider cutting bait on another round of shiny new acquisition reforms. The new A&S, with less than three years at the helm, should adopt a policy of acquisition “triage,” and focus on producing specific acquisition outcomes that can meet our national security needs in a reasonable — as fast as possible — time frame.”
Average Age of USAF aircraft drops slightly, but eight fleets now exceed 50 years old. (Air Force Magazine) “Purchases of new F-35 fighters, KC-46 tankers, and C-130 transports in recent years have made only a small dent in the age of the Air Force’s fleet, down to 29.1 years across all types after hitting 30.55 years in 2020… According to data supplied to Air Force Magazine, the AT-38/T-38 trainers, the B-52 bomber, and aircraft based on the C-135 series—the KC-135, NC-135, RC-135, TC-135, and WC-135—are all in their mid-to-late 50s, with the KC-135 ringing in at 60.35 years of age. The B-52 is not far behind the Stratotanker, with an average age of 59.8 years… The youngest fleets in service are the KC-46, at 1.48 years old; the HC-130, at 4.0 years old; and the F-35, at 4.34 years in average age across some 302 aircraft. “
No company is immune: supply chain woes eight on defense firms. (Defense News) “These issues dealt a significant blow to the aerospace and defense industry, according to the Aerospace Industries Association. In 2020, the industry as a whole lost more than 87,000 jobs, or about 4% of the 2019 headcount, according to AIA’s facts and figures report released in September. And 64 percent of those losses — or at least 55,700 jobs — were due to the supply chain problems that particularly ensnared small and medium-sized businesses nationwide.”
The Air Force wants to kill a drone that ground commanders say they can’t live without. (Task & Purpose) “… the Air Force wants to retire the aircraft by 2035, since the slow-moving drone cannot survive in a hot war against Russia or China, the branch argues, and the Air Force wants to spend its shrinking budget on more survivable aircraft. A group of air power experts called on the service to reconsider its decision last week. Not only is the Reaper vital to protecting U.S. interests in simmering conflict zones like those under Central Command and Africa Command, they argued, but it can also be adapted to new and important roles against Russia or China for a bargain-basement price… In terms of cost-per-flying-hour and cost-per-effect, it is the cheapest aircraft in the Air Force arsenal, [Todd Harrison] said, and it also has the highest mission-capable rates.”
Fighter mission capable rates fell in 2021. (Air Force Magazine) “The F-35A rate declined from 76.07 percent to 68.8 percent from 2020 to 2021 as an increasing number of F-35s came due for their first big engine overhauls. A shortage of engines has grounded about 40 F-35As over the past year, a level that the F-35 Joint Program Office predicts could hold for several years… The next biggest drop struck the F-15E fleet, which saw MC rates fall three percentage points, from 69.21 percent in fiscal 2021 to 66.24 percent… The stealthy F-22 continued to hover at just over 50 percent, reflecting the fleet’s relatively small size and numerous challenges… The venerable A-10s are the healthiest, if least capable, jets in the fighter force. Perhaps benefitting from an ongoing re-winging program, the A-10 MC rate ticked up from 71.2 percent in fiscal 2020 to 72.54 percent in fiscal 2021.”
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