Defense Business Briefing -- Dec. 10, 2019

Welcome to today's Defense Business Briefing, your weekly roundup of the latest defense industry news.

This week's top story

Network of U.S. defense investors eyeing dual-use technologies

An informal group of U.S. investors tracking dual-use technologies of interest to the Pentagon has emerged over the past year.

News & notes

Army proposes reopening LOGCAP V procurement

The Army today said in a filing that it wants the U.S. Court of Federal Claims to put cases about the Logistics Civil Augmentation Program V, or LOGCAP V, on hold while it makes new "price reasonableness determinations."

Bezos calls on U.S. 'big tech' to not turn its back on the Defense Department

SIMI VALLEY, CA -- Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon and Blue Origin, called on leaders of U.S. big technology firms to not "turn their backs" on the Defense Department, even if some employees have misgivings about developing new technology for the U.S. military.

Lockheed CFO: Hypersonics efforts will likely be consolidated into one or two production programs

Early hypersonics efforts will likely "get necked down" into one or two production programs in future years, the chief financial officer of Lockheed Martin said.

Whistleblower alleges Navistar Defense 'wildly inflated' MRAP component prices

A newly unsealed court filing by a former Navistar Defense employee alleges the company undertook a "pervasive and long-running scheme to charge the U.S. Government wildly inflated prices for components of Mine-Resistant, Ambush-Protected vehicles."

AeroVironment says it expects LMAMS award next year

AeroVironment's chief executive said the company has submitted its proposal for a three-year, sole-source contract for the Army's Lethal Miniature Aerial Missile System.

Google gains 'FedRAMP High' cloud-services security authorization

Google's cloud services arm announced it achieved a "high impact" federal security authorization, clearing the way for the company to host the government’s most sensitive unclassified data.

DOD achieves small business contracting goal

The Defense Department announced it met its small business contracting goal in fiscal year 2018, marking the fifth consecutive year DOD has reached its target.

Appointments & promotions

General Dynamics Land Systems taps new president

General Dynamics said Gary Whited, the president of General Dynamics Land Systems, plans to retire on April 1.

What's happening

The week ahead

Defense Secretary Mark Esper and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley are scheduled to testify on Capitol Hill this week. Other senior Pentagon leaders are slated to appear at events around the Washington area.

For Inside Defense subscribers

Amazon alleges DOD moved JEDI cloud goalposts to accommodate Trump's feud with Bezos

Amazon Web Services is arguing Defense Department officials "took numerous actions to systematically remove" the company's edge in the race to win a massive cloud contract after President Trump publicly criticized Amazon and its chief executive Jeff Bezos.

Top DOD policy official wants export control reform to allow greater tech transfer with U.S. allies

The Pentagon's top policy official said he favors some of the proposals being promoted by current and former government officials who seek to establish a new technology transfer oversight regime for the United States and its most trusted allies.