The Insider

Lakota Lobbying
By John Liang
May 30, 2013 at 8:14 PM

Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant (R), Sen. Roger Wicker (R) and Reps. Gregg Harper (R) and Alan Nunnelee (R) attended a rally today organized by EADS North America and American Eurocopter to call on Congress to restore funding for the Army's UH-72A Lakota helicopter in the fiscal year 2014 budget.

According to an EADS statement:

The rally took place at EADS North America's American Eurocopter facility in Columbus, Miss., where the Lakota is produced for use in a wide range of roles by the Army, Army National Guard and Navy. With a unit cost of just $5.5M, the Lakota has been cited by the U.S. Department of Defense as a model defense acquisition program and is one of the most successful, cost-effective rotary wing aircraft procurement programs in history.

Inside the Army reports this week that the service is circulating an information paper on Capitol Hill defending its decision to cut 31 Lakotas from its spending plans, asserting that its current helicopter fleet can meet all requirements and arguing that modifying the Lakota for combat missions would be risky and potentially costly:

The service had planned to buy 31 aircraft in fiscal year 2014 and 10 in FY-15. Budget justification documents issued on April 10, however, showed the service had decided to budget for just 10 more EADS-built Lakotas, all intended for the National Guard. The helicopters cut from the budget were intended for the active-duty force (Inside the Army, April 15).

"The Army determined that existing aircraft can meet all requirements. The documentation validating this reduced [aircraft] requirement is expected to be approved in FY-13," states the May 22 information paper.

Speaking at a Senate Armed Services airland subcommittee hearing earlier this month, Lt. Gen. James Barclay, the Army G-8, said the Lakotas were not needed for the active force because Black Hawks returning from theater can replace the Lakotas the active force was using within the continental United States.

An Army official familiar with the issue told ITA the impact of the cut will "not be that significant." The Lakotas cut from the future inventory were largely intended to support the Army at training centers, the official noted, and enough Army helicopters are already in the fleet to fulfill training missions.

Read the full story.

Defense Down Under
By John Liang
May 30, 2013 at 2:34 PM

The State Department issued a notice in today's Federal Register announcing the "effective date for previously published regulations implementing" the Defense Trade Cooperation Treaty between the United States and Australia.

That final rule, published on April 11, has been effective as of May 16, according to this morning's notice:

The rule (Public Notice 8270, 78 FR 21523), published on April 11, 2013, amends the International Traffic in Arms Regulations to implement the Treaty, and identifies via a supplement the defense articles and defense services that may not be exported pursuant to the Treaty. The Department of State indicated in the rule that it would become effective upon the entry into force of the Treaty, and that the Department of State would publish another rule announcing its effective date. The Treaty entered into force on May 16, 2013. Therefore, the rule is in effect as of that date. The Department's regulatory analyses with respect to this Rule were published at 78 FR 21523, and are hereby incorporated by reference.

On May 14, InsideDefense.com reported that the Pentagon had asked Congress for a five-year extension of a pilot program that allows the government to match defense industry investments in the tamper-proof features of critical weapon system components, and aims to facilitate foreign sales and additional revenue for U.S. companies:

On May 7, the Defense Department forwarded to Congress a second package of legislative proposals to be considered along with the Pentagon's fiscal year 2014 spending request. The package includes a request to extend the Defense Exportability Features (DEF) pilot program -- which began in FY-12 and is set to terminate at the end of FY-14 -- from FY-15 to FY-20.

The goal behind the pilot program is to identify major weapon programs with foreign military sales potential, and then take steps to develop and incorporate technology-protection devices, dial back select capabilities, and factor in system and software assurance during research and development to prepare variants of the system for use by non-U.S. forces.

"Given the complex nature of the technology and programs selected to be part of the Defense Exportability Features (DEF) Pilot Program, more time will be required to prove the benefit of the DEF pilot program," the legislative proposal states. "Time is required to allow selected DEF pilot programs to complete the development and production process with the features incorporated."

Australia is one of the countries interested in buying General Atomics' MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aircraft system, according to the story:

The armed version of the Predator system has played a high-profile role in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Defense Department sold a dozen MQ-9s -- built by General Atomics -- to the United Kingdom and Italy in 2007 and 2008; last year the Air Force responded to requests for MQ-9 pricing information from Australia, Germany and Turkey, according to a March 2012 Pentagon report on the program.

NGEN Delayed, Again
By Lee Hudson
May 29, 2013 at 5:41 PM

The Navy announced today it is delaying the contract award for the multibillion dollar Next-Generation Enterprise Network transport and enterprise services because the service has re-entered into discussions with bidders.

Rather than award the contract on May 31, as previously expected, the Navy will likely make the award on June 30, according to the service's statement.

In January, the Navy extended the award deadline from Feb. 12 to May 31, Inside the Navy reported.

“The Government has re-entered into discussions with those offerors determined to be within the competitive range,” today's statement reads. “In support of this re-entry into discussions, the Government is modifying its estimated contract award date . . . . Again, this update in no way implies that new offers/offerors are being solicited.”

Until the NGEN contract is signed and the land-based network comes online, the Navy has had to extend the life of the legacy Navy-Marine Corps Intranet via a continuity of services contract with Hewlett-Packard -- raising the cost of that contract by about $1.5 billion, ITN reported in September 2012.

The NGEN program, worth $5.4 billion, will securely connect 800,000 Marines, sailors and civilians. The contract is divided into two parts: enterprise services and transport services. The enterprise services portion makes up two-thirds of the contract with the transport services accounting for the other third. The program office could award two separate contracts or award one contract.

Reprogramming Denied
By John Liang
May 29, 2013 at 4:04 PM

Lawmakers have rejected a Feb. 1 Pentagon request to reprogram fiscal year 2012 funds to finance a new high-tech mechanical arm mounted on armored trucks, which is designed to rapidly clear airfields of unexploded ordnance. It's called "Recovery of Airbase Denied by Ordnance."

InsideDefense.com reported on the reprogramming request in March:

The document states that $5 million is needed to "support an urgent operational need for Air Force Central Command," validated in August by Air Combat Command, for "a vehicle that will rapidly provide Recovery of Airbase Denied by Ordnance (RADBO) with a stand-off laser, clearance blade, and extension arm."

The RADBO vehicle, according to the request, "will enhance the capabilities of teams called to mitigate unexploded ordnance and improvised explosive devices in support of overseas contingency operations." The Air Force would use the $5 million to complete the development of the vehicle's laser and integrate the RADBO capability on a Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle, as well as to test the system during an operational utility evaluation, according to the budget document.

If approved, the reprogramming would boost FY-12 funding for the Air Force's Agile Combat Support program by more than 60 percent, to a total of $12.7 million. The goal behind the program is the development of helpful technologies to deploy to locations that may feature little more than a runway and water source. Such technologies could include systems to repair and stabilize runways, explosive ordnance disposal approaches and rescue and recovery aids.

View the final reprogramming request and read the rest of the story.

Boost-Phase Boosters
By John Liang
May 28, 2013 at 6:35 PM

While the Pentagon eliminated the Kinetic Energy Interceptor and Airborne Laser programs in fiscal year 2009, some House lawmakers don't want to let the notion of boost-phase missile defense go.

According to language included in the House Armed Services strategic forces subcommittee's portion of the fiscal year 2014 defense authorization bill, which was approved last week, the panel "notes that such an absence means the United States is currently not pursuing one of the three central layers of missile defense architecture."

The authorizers cite the National Academy of Sciences' findings in a 2012 report comparing boost-phase missile defense with other alternatives, "which concludes, by relying on its own 'notional data,' that boost-phase defense 'could be technically possible in some instances but operationally and economically impractical for almost all missions.'"

The thing is, that National Academies report recommended the Pentagon should halt investments in boost-phase missile defense systems and implement a new "evolutionary approach" to the Ground-Based Midcourse Defense system. As InsideDefense.com reported at the time:

The report, called for by Congress in 2008, states that boost-phase missile defense "is not practical or cost effective under real-world conditions for the foreseeable future" because intercept must take place before a threat booster reaches a threatening velocity. The authors stress that their study is focused solely on technical issues, not policy.

"Because of the short burn times of even long-range ballistic missile boosters, the interceptor launch platform cannot for its own survivability be so close to the territory of an adversary as to be vulnerable to the adversary's perimeter defense, but it must be close enough to the boost trajectory so that the interceptor can reach the threat missile before it reaches its desired velocity," the report states.

But that hasn't deterred lawmakers who still believe in the technology, despite the challenges.

"The committee is aware of the significant advantages, and the difficulties of intercepting a threat ballistic missile in the boost phase, including those articulated by the National Academy of Sciences report," the subcommittee legislative language approved last week states. The panel is calling on the head of the Missile Defense Agency "to provide a report to the the congressional defense committees by October 15, 2013, that assess the findings of the National Academy of Sciences study and the options that the director believes the Missile Defense Agency should consider in an analysis of alternatives or other study that could inform a boost phase missile defense program as part of the budget request for fiscal year 2015."

Launch Success
By Courtney Albon
May 25, 2013 at 2:59 PM

The Air Force last night successfully sent its fifth Wideband Global Satellite Communications spacecraft into orbit from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, FL.

The Boeing-built satellite was launched on a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Delta IV rocket booster and was the first to fly since last October when the booster's upper stage RL10B engine, made by Pratt &Whitney Rocketdyne, malfunctioned during an Air Force mission. The satellite lifted off at 8:27 p.m., the first minute of its launch window.

In a statement released May 24, ULA’s vice president of mission operations, Jim Sponnick, praised the launch team for its work leading up to the launch, which was delayed twice in the past week.

“The team has worked tremendously hard and exceptionally well to complete a robust investigation and get us to a successful launch today,” Sponnick said. “We sincerely thank the [Pratt &Whitney Rocketdyne] team and our customer community for working with us throughout the investigation and flight clearance process, as well as the involvement from senior industry technical advisors.”

The WGS communications satellite constellation is operated by the Air Force and predominantly used by the Army. Over the next few months, WGS-5 will move through on-orbit testing to prepare it for operational use, which will ultimately be directed by the Air Force’s 3rd Space Operations Squadron at Schriever Air Force Base, CO. The satellite is expected to be operational by the end of this year.

Luke Scab, chief of the service’s wideband satellite communications division, said in a May 24 statement that the constellation is an important piece of the services military communications capabilities.

"WGS continues to meet user requirements and provides the highest capacity of any DoD communications satellite. . . ." Scab said in the statement. "This continued success is due to the hard work and dedication from the combined government and industry team."

Equipment Modernization
By John Liang
May 24, 2013 at 12:00 PM

The Army recently released its "Equipment Modernization Plan 2014," which "describes the Army Research, Development, and Acquisition (RDA) for ten capability portfolio areas and the Science and Technology portion of Fiscal Year 2014 (FY 14) President's Budget Request." Further:

The plan breaks down the RDA investments into ten capability portfolio areas, highlights the portfolio accomplishments over the last two years and provides intent for FY 14 investments as well as the way ahead. Dollars and quantities in this document do not reflect sequestration impacts.

In addition to capability portfolio investment strategies, the plan links RDA investments to Army Strategy and discusses specific modernization priorities and objectives, priority materiel programs, the Army's Science and Technology program, equipment fielding and distribution.

The Soldier and Squad are the foundation of our Army. Army equipment modernization builds from the Soldier out, equipping our Squads for tactical overmatch in all situations, connected to an integrated network, and operating in vehicles that improve mobility and lethality while preserving survivability.

The objective of Army equipment modernization is to develop and field versatile and tailorable equipment that is affordable, sustainable, cost-effective, enables our Soldiers to fight and win across the entire range of conflict. To achieve this objective the Army uses portfolio management to help ensure efficiencies and eliminate redundancies, evolutionary acquisition to ensure program risk is reduced by emphasizing mature technologies, and the Army readiness model to ensure the timely fielding of equipment.

View the plan here.

Inside the Army reported in March that the service had drafted a related equipment modernization strategy focused on developing "versatile, tailorable, yet affordable and cost-effective" capabilities for a time of fiscal austerity:

The document, first reported last week by InsideDefense.com, broadly outlines the service's goals for each of its equipment modernization portfolios for the next 35 years and is frank in its assessment of the current fiscal environment.

"We realize that the optimal strategy for developing capabilities includes steady funding and stable requirements, but the next decade does not provide us this opportunity," the strategy states. "Therefore, knowing that funding will be anything but stable and requirements will rapidly evolve based upon the threat and pace of innovation, we will seek to leverage existing government and commercial 'off the shelf' improvements, minimize development costs, invest in defense related disruptive technologies, make smaller but more frequent incremental procurements and always be prepared to 'scale-up' to meet the requirements to defeat an adversary when large scale mobilization is required."

The document was previewed last month when Lt. Gen. James Barclay, the Army's top budget programmer, said the service had crafted a new modernization strategy to account for billions of dollars in budget cuts over the next decade.

The main concepts in the strategy will be used in concert with the Army's 30-year plan being drafted by Heidi Shyu, the service's acquisition executive, to "provide the specifics of what will be modernized and when," the document states.

View the rest of that story here.

JSF's Price Tag
By Gabe Starosta
May 23, 2013 at 7:58 PM

The Defense Department's latest Selected Acquisition Report for the Joint Strike Fighter shows a $4.5 billion drop in the program's total price, to $391 billion, as of the end of 2012, according to press reports.

Those reports prompted prime contractor Lockheed Martin to release a statement touting the F-35 program's progress as reflected in the SAR:

Lockheed Martin is pleased with the $4.5 billion reduction in acquisition, operating and support costs reflected in the 2012 Selected Acquisition Report (SAR 12). This is the first year a cost reduction was noted. We will work with the F-35 Joint Program Office to implement further cost saving measures, which will result in additional significant decreases to the total program cost. The top priority of the government/contractor team is to continue to cost-effectively deliver the F-35's unprecedented 5th generation capabilities to the warfighter.

JSF Weapons Sale
By John Liang
May 23, 2013 at 12:01 PM

The Defense Security Cooperation Agency announced yesterday it had notified Congress of a proposed $793 million foreign military sale to South Korea for F-35 aircraft weapons and associated equipment:

This proposed sale will contribute to the foreign policy goals and national security objectives of the United States by meeting the legitimate security and defense needs of an ally and partner nation. The ROK continues to be an important force for peace, political stability, and economic progress in North East Asia.

The proposed sale will provide the ROK with aircraft weapons for the F-35. These aircraft and weapons will provide the ROK with a credible defense capability to deter aggression in the region and ensure interoperability with U.S. forces. The ROK will use the enhanced capability as a deterrent to regional threats and strengthen its homeland defense. Additionally, operational control (OPCON) will transfer from U.S. Forces Korea/Combined Forces Command (USFK/CFC) to the ROK’s Korea Command (KORCOM) in 2015. This upgrade will enhance the capability needed to support OPCON transfer.

To view the full DSCA statement, which includes a detailed list of the weapons that would be sold if lawmakers approve the deal, click here.

Last month, F-35 Program Executive Officer Lt. Gen. Christopher Bogdan appeared before the Senate Armed Services airland subcommittee and discussed long-term plans to reduce sustainment costs on the F-35 aircraft -- and the potential to add new international partners Singapore and South Korea to the program, among many other issues. One issue outlined in his written testimony was the status of the F-35's developmental helmet, which has suffered from image latency, jitter and a coloration in the visor known as "green glow." As Inside the Air Force reported in April:

According to Bogdan's prepared statement, the F-35 program completed a five-month test period dedicated to helmet issues in March. That five-month test phase involved developmental and operational test pilots flying "a number of operationally representative missions," and has given the program significant new insight into why those problems exist and how to fix most of them, he wrote.

"As a result of this testing, the program now understands and has mitigated the effects of 'green glow,' latency, jitter and alignment," Bogdan said. "Additional work still needs to be done to ensure that the program has a night vision camera that is effective for operations as our testing indicated that the current night vision camera is unsuitable for operational use."

The program is developing a secondary or backup helmet that would require pilots to wear night-vision goggles over their helmet to meet night-vision requirements.

The F-35 program has a number of major decision points coming up in the next six months, ITAF reported:

JSF officials have completed a critical design review of the F-35C carrier variant's new tail hook and intend to ground-test it in New Jersey in the late summer or fall; Singapore and South Korea are expected to make a decision this summer on whether to buy into the program; and the Air Force and Navy are congressionally mandated to declare their projected initial operational capability dates by June 1. The Marine Corps has already done so, announcing that it plans to hit IOC in 2015.

Read the full story here.

Tanker Times (Updated)
By Gabe Starosta
May 22, 2013 at 2:49 PM

Kansas and New Hampshire lawmakers announced today, and the Air Force confirmed in a statement released this afternoon, that Pease Air National Guard Base, NH, and McConnell Air Force Base, KS, have been selected to host the service's new KC-46 tankers.

Additionally, Altus Air Force Base in Oklahoma will be the home site for the KC-46's formal training unit.

New Hampshire's Senate representatives, Jeanne Shaheen (D) and Kelly Ayotte (R), said that Pease ANGB's 157th Air Refueling Wing was picked as the first Guard site to host the new KC-46 refueling tankers. Pease ANGB's 157th Air Refueling Wing should receive12 new tankers beginning in 2018.

Kansas lawmakers also announced in a joint press statement today that the Air Force has informed them that McConnell AFB will be the main operating base "for replacing KC-135R tanker aircraft with KC-46A's beginning in 2016." Kansas Sens. Jerry Moran and Pat Roberts and Reps. Lynn Jenkins and Mike Pompeo, all Republicans, issued the joint statement. McConnell AFB, which will receive a total of 36 new KC-46s, is the home of the 22nd Air Refueling Wing.

"This is great news for Pease and the dedicated members of the 157th Air Refueling Wing," Shaheen and Ayotte said in their statement. "We're thrilled that the Air Force recognizes Pease's many strategic advantages as well as the 157th's exceptional record of service. We’re confident that Pease will continue to provide the best air refueling support in the Air Force for decades to come."

Shaheen and Ayotte boasted in the statement about the jobs and funding the base's selection would bring to the state. In January, the Air Force announced that Pease was one of five Air National Guard finalists to receive the KC-46. The others were Forbes Field Air National Guard Base, KS, Pittsburgh International Airport Air Guard Station, PA, Rickenbacker Air Guard Station, OH, and Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, NJ.

Pease ANGB was chosen because of its location in a high-demand area for aerial refueling and because of its history as a successful active-reserve association location, the Air Force said in its statement.

Kansas lawmakers, in their statement, noted that Forbes Field in Topeka had originally been one of the Guard candidate bases but was not selected by the Air Force. Forbes Field is the home of the 190th Air Refueling Wing.

"The selection of not just one, but both Kansas Air Force bases as candidates is a testament to the critical role our state plays in supporting all branches of our military and allied partners as they carry out missions overseas and at home," Kansas lawmakers said in their statement. "Strategically positioned in the heart of the United States, the location, capacity and mission of McConnell and Forbes make both bases exceptionally equipped to provide air mobility globally at a moment's notice." Forbes Field remains a strong candidate for future basing decisions, according to the statement.

The Air Force statement adds that McConnell AFB is also located in a prominent location with high demand for aerial refueling and will provide a "central location for the new KC-46A Regional Maintenance Training Center."

For the training unit, the Air Force said that Altus AFB was selected because it has superior infrastructure, requires minimal new construction, and because of the presence of tanker and cargo aircraft training units there. "There is significant benefit of collocating KC-46A trainers with both tanker and heavy receiver aircraft for training purposes," Timothy Bridges, the Air Force deputy assistant secretary for installations, said in the service's release.

Altus AFB hosts KC-135 tanker and C-17 cargo aircraft training.

The site selections announced by the Air Force today mean that Altus AFB, McConnell AFB and Pease ANGB are very likely, but not certain, to receive KC-46 aircraft later this decade. The service still needs to perform a formal environmental impact statement for each site, and those EIS documents must be certified by the Air Force secretary and chief of staff before construction or other activity can begin to prepare the bases to accept the new tankers.

The KC-46 will replace a portion of the service's KC-135 fleet, which dates back to the 1950s. The legacy aircraft is operated by the Air Force's active and reserve components.

(Editor's Note: This blog was updated at 4:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time to include an Air Force statement on the basing of KC-46 tankers at bases in Kansas and New Hampshire.)

Naval Forces Northern Command
By John Liang
May 21, 2013 at 3:52 PM

The Navy has established its own component commander for U.S. Northern Command, according to a service memo.

The May 17 memo states:

This action establishes a Navy component commander for U.S. Northern Command, which had not previously had a Navy component commander. U.S. Northern Command had assumed many responsibilities of the former joint forces command for which Commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command (COMUSFLTFORCOM) has served as Navy component commander, and Northern Command is seeking the same type of Navy component commander support.

The mission of the new head of U.S. Naval Forces Northern Command, which will be based in Norfolk, VA, is to "contribute to the defense of North America through coordination, collaboration, and communication with allied, coalition, and joint forces in the U.S. Northern Command area of responsibility," according to the memo.

DOD Reprogramming Request
By John Liang
May 20, 2013 at 2:25 PM

On Friday, InsideDefense.com reported that the Defense Department had provided Congress two reprogramming requests totaling $9.6 billion, according to a cover letter sent to lawmakers by Pentagon Comptroller Robert Hale:

The fiscal year 2013 reprogramming actions "represent an important step in our efforts to avoid further adverse effects on critical military capabilities," Hale writes. "These reprogramming actions, which depend entirely on the use of existing transfer authority, are designed primarily to offset large shortfalls in Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) funding and unanticipated fuel bills, not to offset the effects of sequestration." InsideDefense.com first reported the details of DOD's reprogramming plans on May 3, based on a draft request.

Most of the money at issue -- about $7.3 billion -- would offset shortfalls in OCO funding. These shortfalls have occurred because operating tempo exceeds the level anticipated in the FY-13 budget put together almost two years ago, according to Hale's letter, which notes transportation costs are also higher because of unanticipated problems with the ground-transportation routes involving Pakistan.

To view the full story, click here.

We now have one of the two final reprogramming requests. Click here to view it.

New USFK Chief
By John Liang
May 17, 2013 at 8:01 PM

Joint Staff Director Army Gen. Curtis Scaparrotti has been tabbed by President Obama to become the next head of U.S. Forces in Korea, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said today.

Scaparrotti will replace Gen. J.D. Thurman, Hagel said during a Pentagon briefing.

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Martin Dempsey said this about Scaparrotti:

I can think of no finer officer to be promoted to general and to take command of U.S. Forces-Korea than Mike Scaparrotti. Scap's an exceptionally competent leader, with the moral character to match. Like our current commander, General J.D. Thurman, he is extraordinarily well suited to sustaining our strong alliance with the Republic of Korea. Scrap's quiet confidence has delivered success throughout his career, and whether as deputy commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan, or more recently and currently as the director of the Joint Staff.

Biz Mod
By John Liang
May 17, 2013 at 6:24 PM

The Defense Department's continuing efforts to set up a business enterprise architecture and modernize its business systems and processes still faces "long-standing challenges," according to a new Government Accountability Office report.

Not only that, "the Office of the Deputy Chief Management Officer has yet to determine and follow a strategic approach to managing its human capital needs, thus limiting its ability to, among other things, effectively address the [Fiscal Year 2005 Defense Authorization Act's] requirements," the report states. Further:

Collectively, these limitations put the billions of dollars spent annually on approximately 2,100 business system investments that support DOD functions at risk. GAO's previous recommendations to the department have been aimed at accomplishing these and other activities related to the business systems modernization. However, to date, the department has not implemented 29 of the 63 recommendations that GAO has made in these areas.

According to DOD officials, recent turnover, changes to the act's requirements significantly expanding the number of systems subject to certification, and the short time frame for implementing the new investment review process contributed to the aforementioned weaknesses. Until DOD implements GAO recommendations and addresses the weaknesses described in this report, it will be challenged in its ability to manage the billions of dollars invested annually in modernizing its business system investments.

To view the report, click here.

Inside the Pentagon reported last week on a memo signed by Deputy Chief Management Officer Beth McGrath stating that DOD has adjusted its new defense business system investment review process to better align functional strategies and organizational execution plans:

The guidance "has been revised to accommodate a maturing process that will better inform investment decision making and take into account lessons learned," according to an April 8 memo signed by McGrath.

"This investment management process takes aggressive steps to ensure that the department continues to make investments that align to mission priorities, eliminate legacy systems that are no longer required, enhances interoperability and help the department to transform to an environment where business applications are able to be rapidly deployed on a common computing infrastructure," she continues.

The new guidance will supersede the defense business system investment management process guidance from June 2012 and will be effective for the fiscal year 2014 organizational execution plans that must be submitted by June 14.

View the rest of the story here.

GAO On COCOMs
By John Liang
May 16, 2013 at 7:35 PM

The Defense Department should "periodically review and improve [the] visibility of combatant commands' resources," a new Government Accountability Office report recommends.

"Authorized military and civilian positions and mission and headquarters-support costs have grown considerably over the last decade due to the addition of two new commands and increases in authorized positions at theater special operations commands," the May 15 report states. Additionally, military and civilian personnel positions went up by "about 50 percent" between fiscal years 2001 and 2012, to about 10,100 authorized positions.

GAO further found that "mission and headquarters support-costs at the combatant commands more than doubled from fiscal years 2007 through 2012, to about $1.1 billion. Both authorized military and civilian positions and mission and headquarters-support costs at the service component commands supporting the combatant commands also increased."

While the Pentagon "has taken some steps" to manage COCOMs' resources, GAO found that DOD's processes to review size and oversee those commands have "four primary weaknesses that challenge the department's ability to make informed decisions." Those are:

• DOD considers the combatant commands' requests for additional positions, but it does not periodically evaluate the commands' authorized positions to ensure they are still needed to meet the commands' assigned missions.

• DOD tracks some assigned personnel; however, all personnel supporting the commands are not included in DOD's personnel management system and reviews of assigned personnel vary by command.

• The service component commands support both service and combatant command missions. However, the Joint Staff and combatant commands lack visibility and oversight over the authorized manpower and personnel at the service component commands to determine whether functions at the combatant commands can be fulfilled by service component command personnel.

• Each military department submits annual budget documents for operation and maintenance to inform Congress of total authorized positions, full-time equivalents, and mission and headquarters-support funding for all combatant commands that they support. However, these documents do not provide transparency into the resources directed to each combatant command.

"GAO's work on strategic human capital management found that high-performing organizations periodically reevaluate their human capital practices and use complete and reliable data to help achieve their missions and ensure resources are properly matched to the needs of today's environment," the report states. "Until DOD effectively manages the resources of the combatant commands, it may be difficult to ensure that the commands are properly sized to meet their assigned missions, or to identify opportunities to carry out those missions efficiently."

View the full report here.