Google bets big on government business with new division. (FCW) “Announced Tuesday, Google Public Sector represents the culmination of years of effort the commercial tech giant spent making inroads in the nuanced, complex—yet potentially highly lucrative—public sector market. In the past three years alone, the company has increased its public sector-focused employee count ten-fold, a spokesperson told Nextgov, and the company is betting big that its mix of talent and technology will help it become a major player in a market worth hundreds of billions of dollars.”
Air force acquisition chief talks drone wingmen, supply chains, and the B-21. (Defense News) “But one problem, Hunter said, is sometimes the defense industry can’t get the financial backing it needs to ramp up production of those necessary components or materials until the Pentagon hands out contracts. By that point, he said, “you’re always a little bit behind the power curve.” Hunter said the Pentagon is trying to figure out how it can better give industry a more reliable “forecast” of what materials it will need in the future, so they can line up the necessary funding in advance from Wall Street…. Hunter expressed confidence in Northrop Grumman’s B-21, which he said is on track to be unveiled to the public around the end of this year, with a subsequent first flight coming in 2023. While there were initially hopes the new stealth bomber’s first flight could come this year, he said the government expected the process to end up taking longer.”
US hypersonic missile fails in test in fresh setback for program. (Bloomberg) “… ended in failure due to a problem that took place after ignition…. The trial marked the second unsuccessful test flight of the prototype weapon known as Conventional Prompt Strike. There was a booster failure in its fight flight test in October, which prevented the missile from leaving the launch pad. The Conventional Prompt Strike weapon is envisioned to be installed on Zumwalt destroyers and Virginia-class submarines. The Army is developing a land-based version. Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman are the top contractors.
Breakthrough: Army’s hypersonic weapon could be operational next month. (National Interest) ” The U.S. Army’s Long Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW), for instance, is on track to be operational as soon as next year. The prototypes exist and have been in development for many years… “Ceramics are of interest for hypersonics applications, through the way additive manufacturing has an ability to create complex shapes, decrease manufacturing costs as well as increase the design space in making new components” … [Another idea] involves plans to integrate a “tech insertion” into operational hypersonic weapons to enable them to adjust to moving targets in flight and potentially destroy or take out maneuvering targets.”
US Army wants to pack land vehicles with drone-destroying weapons. (New Scientist) “The US Army plans to turn individual ground vehicles into drone-destroying machines, as militaries worldwide scramble to protect their troops from small aerial threats. “
- Mission: The single-vehicle C-UAS, M-LIDS Inc. 3 must allow Soldiers to detect, identify, track and defeat Group 1, 2 and 3 UAS from one (1) platform. The fully integrated C-UAS MEP must not impact the utility, mobility, or survivability of the base platform.
- Platform: Offerors must be able to integrate the offered C-UAS MEP onto a single Stryker ICVV, M-ATV, or similar prime mover.
- On-the-Move: The single-vehicle C-UAS, M-LIDS Inc. 3, capability must allow Soldiers to destroy ground threats while on the move. Today, the capability shall defeat Group 1, 2 and 3 UAS threats while at the short halt.
- Ease of Operation: The single-vehicle C-UAS, M-LIDS Inc. 3 shall be designed for employment by any Military Occupational Specialty. The capability should be easy to understand and operate.
- Reliability: Because of the urgency of this effort, the Offeror’s MEP should only include mature technologies, preferably with available Government test data, including reliability.
The slow destruction of the defense industrial base. (Federal News Network) “Moshe Schwartz highlights the key policy, regulatory, workforce and business practices that have driven industry away from working with DoD and the government in general, and the government’s approach to the allocation of intellectual rights as a disincentive for commercial firms doing business with DoD. Notably, the report coins a new term, the National Security Innovation and Industrial Base (NSIB), emphasizing the critical importance the commercial market plays in driving innovation in defending our nation.”
Microsoft’s $22 billion combat goggles get crucial field test with US Army. (Seattle Times) “U.S. Army soldiers have completed intensive testing of Microsoft’s new multifunction goggle — and the results may determine whether Congress rejects most of the $424.2 million proposed in next year’s defense budget to keep buying them. Over three weeks ending June 18, 70 Army infantry wore the devices during three 72-hour scenarios involving movement toward an enemy, an attack and a defensive mission… The results are projected to be released in September…. This month, the House Defense Appropriations subcommittee adopted a draft budget that would cut all but $24.2 million of the Pentagon’s $424.2 million procurement request for the fiscal year that begins Oct. 1.”
DHS looks to expand its procurement innovation lab. (FCW) “The lab is expanding its support and services for federal and industry acquisition departments as it currently coaches eight external teams with a total procurement value of $3.3 billion, in addition to 35 internal teams… The innovation lab will also soon be subject to new congressional oversight following the passage of the Promoting Rigorous and Innovative Cost Efficiencies for Federal Procurement and Acquisitions Act of 2021, or the PRICE Act, which requires DHS to develop guidance based on PIL projects and produce annual reports on its procurement techniques.”
A look at the sizes of US land-based strike missiles. (Naval News)
- Naval Strike Missile: The 900-pound (410 kilogram) NSM (or 910 pounds with booster) can be internally loaded aboard a CH-53 and onto the flatbed of a Medium Tactical Vehicle Replacement (MTVR) 6×6 truck via a forklift.
- Tomahawk Land Attack Missile: High-subsonic speed TLAMs have a range in excess of 1,000 miles (1,609 kilometers) and can be launched from Navy ships and submarines via Mark 41 Vertical Launch System (VLS).
- Conventional Prompt Strike Hypersonic missile: The U.S. Navy’s 0.87-meter Conventional Prompt Strike (CPS) hypersonic missile is too large to fit inside the Mark 41 and Mark 57 VLS cells. Currently, there is no indication that the 0.87-meter CPS has an Anti-Ship capability. Furthermore, unlike the tactical Tomahawk, the U.S. Marines have not disclosed that they will add CPS to their truck fleet for land or sea-based trailer launch.
- High mobility artillery rocket system: The HiMARS rocket pods (six rockets to a HiMARS) are loaded onto a modified USMC Family of Medium Tactical Vehicle (FMTV) 6×6 truck for transport and launch.
Hudson scholars make persuasive case for carriers and naval aviation in China conflict. (Real Clear Defense) “The most interesting part of this very interesting study is the recommendation to “…shift a larger share of specialized missions currently performed by the [carrier air wings]—such as IRS&T (intelligence, reconnaissance, surveillance, and targeting), EW (electronic warfare), and anti-submarine warfare (ASW)—to aircraft operating from shore or from other ships.” In freeing up deck space on the carrier, additional strike fighters and tankers could be accommodated, which could then enable longer range strikes from more numerous aircraft and their accompanying weapons load. This recommendation merits further scrutiny.”
General Dynamics wins $1.14 billion mobile protected firepower contract. (Breaking Defense) “The Mobile Protected Firepower vehicle, which will be the Army’s first new designed vehicle in over 40 years, will provide the Army’s infantry brigades with a light tank for directing firepower against enemy positions and bunkers on the battlefield. GDLS beat out BAE Systems. Under the contract, GDLS will be on the hook for 96 vehicles. The Army will buy 26 MPFs in the first lot… The Army’s stated acquisition objective for the program is 504 vehicles. The first production vehicle will be delivered in “just under” 19 months… The Army’s fiscal 2023 budget request asked Congress for $356.7 million in procurement funds for 28 light tanks.”
US Army awards $72 million for new phase in next-gen ground systems effort. (Defense News) “The service awarded $36 million each to software company Palantir Technologies and defense firm Raytheon Technologies for work on the Tactical Intelligence Targeting Access Node, which is currently under development. TITAN is expected to help connect sensors with users in the field to support beyond-line-of-sight targeting… The new awards for the second phase will be used to transform their plans into prototypes. Phase II is expected to last 14 months and will culminate with a capstone demonstration and a contract to a single provider.”
The key to maximizing the Air Force’s Agile Combat Employment concept? The Army. (Modern War Institute) “The Ukrainians—faced with extreme asymmetric challenges, difficult environmental conditions, and an obligation to support Ukrainian ground forces—have, by necessity, adopted many of ACE’s tenets into their concept of operations… In the days leading up to the February 24 invasion, Ukrainian aircraft dispersed from major operating bases and into alternate forward operating sites and contingency locations away from cities and toward the west. These alternate sites included short airstrips and highways… the technological advantages that our aircraft rely on in the skies become liabilities on the ground, requiring significant support in advanced facilities and maintenance areas. Additionally, the relatively short ranges of modern fifth-generation aircraft increase the requirements for fuel, which will be difficult to supply when operating in a distributed environment. This refueling problem will be exacerbated by the inability of the Air Force’s large, slow, airborne aerial refueling assets to operate inside an enemy’s surface-to-air missile engagement zone. Ammunition management will also be problematic, as the United States will continue to rely on precision-guided munitions to reduce collateral damage and improve lethality. The scarcity and handling of these munitions also require special equipment and training… Importantly, there are investments the Army and Air Force should consider to enable Army support to ACE in a high-intensity, large-scale combat operation against a peer adversary.”
UK stops development of Mosquito strike drone a year before first flight. (GaGadget) “In 2015, the UK began developing a shock unmanned aerial vehicle Mosquito. Seven years later, the project was closed… Spirit AeroSystems Belfast, Northrup Grumman UK and Intrepid Minds were involved in developing the Mosquito demonstrator. They were awarded £30 million ($36.6 million) in early 2021. “
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