The Insider

Business Case
By Sebastian Sprenger
March 17, 2010 at 5:00 AM

Defense officials are figuring out how the military's fielding goals in Afghanistan for the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected class of vehicles could best be met. Speaking before the Senate Armed Services Committee this morning, Army Gen. David Petraeus said officials are building a “business case” to determine which option would be more economical: Building new vehicles and shipping them to Afghanistan or refurbishing vehicles resident in Iraq and transporting them there.

Petraeus, who oversees the Iraq and Afghanistan wars as the chief of U.S. Central Command, said the goal is to eventually have 14,500 MRAPs in Afghanistan. Of those, 6,500 would be of the heavy design originally fielded in Iraq, while “8,000-plus” would be of a lighter, all-terrain variant, he said.

Only “small numbers” of the vehicles, designed to protect troops from improvised explosive devices, would be given to allies, Petraeus said.

The general's comments come as Pentagon officials continue to rush MRAPs to Afghanistan, as roadside bomb deaths there are on the rise. Defense Department acquisition chief Ashton Carter has said he operates under the maxim, “First acquire, then require,” when it comes to the bomb-proof vehicles.

On Board
By John Liang
March 17, 2010 at 5:00 AM

The Senate Armed Services Committee yesterday approved the nominations of three people to serve on the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety board.

The committee approved the nomination of new member Jessie Hill Roberson to take the place of outgoing member A.J. Eggenberger. The panel also OK'd the renominations of Peter Winokur and Joseph Bader to continue as board members, with Winokur taking Eggenberger's place as chairman, according to a board spokesman.

Board member John Mansfield will continue as vice chairman, the spokesman told InsideDefense.com.

According to the board's Web site, Congress created the panel "in 1988 as an independent oversight organization within the Executive Branch charged with providing advice and recommendations to the Secretary of Energy 'to ensure adequate protection of public health and safety'" at the Energy Department's defense nuclear facilities. Moreover:

Broadly speaking, the Board is responsible for independent oversight of all activities affecting nuclear safety within DOE's nuclear weapons complex. Prior to the end of the nuclear arms race, the nuclear weapons complex concentrated on the design, manufacture, test, and maintenance of the nation's nuclear arsenal. The complex is now engaged in cleanup of contaminated sites and facilities, disassembly of nuclear weapons to achieve arms control objectives, maintenance of the smaller stockpile, and storage and disposition of excess fissionable materials.

Going Vertical
By Dan Taylor
March 17, 2010 at 5:00 AM

The first full vertical landing of the Marine Corps' F-35 Joint Strike Fighter short-take-off, vertical-landing (STOVL) test aircraft, BF-1, is expected to be conducted tomorrow if weather cooperates, according to a source familiar with the program.

A Wednesday flight was canceled due to high crosswinds, but the aircraft successfully completed a hover and short take-off at 90 knots today, according to the source, who added that a full vertical landing was expected at around noon tomorrow.

The highly anticipated event has been delayed for months as glitches turned up during testing and weather did not cooperate with the test schedule.

The STOVL variant is slated to replace the Marines' fleet of AV-8B Harriers on the decks of the service's amphibious ships, and potentially on aircraft carriers as well.

MRAP Move
By Marjorie Censer
March 17, 2010 at 5:00 AM

Marine Corps Brig. Gen. Michael Brogan, commander of Marine Corps Systems Command and joint program executive officer for Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles, said today he will soon be reassigned but does not yet know where or when.

Speaking to reporters after appearing before the House Armed Services air and land forces and seapower and expeditionary forces subcommittees, Brogan said he will likely be reassigned this summer.

“I am not retiring,” he stressed today.

However, he said his assignment still depends on the as yet unapproved and unreleased results of a promotion board.

Portfolio Reviews
By Marjorie Censer
March 16, 2010 at 5:00 AM

The Army's new capability portfolio review effort is intended to help the service take a holistic look at its programs and find potential efficiencies, Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Peter Chiarelli told the House Armed Services readiness subcommittee today.

Answering a question about the increasing price of systems, Chiarelli said an assessment of any individual item will typically show the system is needed. But examining "a portfolio of common systems" will probably reveal areas in which the Army has more of a specific capability than it needs or opportunities for improved efficiencies, he said.

He used the example of precision munitions, noting that a portfolio review might find that some munitions are precision that do not need to be -- significantly increasing the cost.

"It's time we think in the Army that we step back," Chiarelli said of the portfolio review approach.

InsideDefense.com in early March reported on a Feb. 22 rule set signed by Joseph Westphal, under secretary of the Army, and Gen. Peter Chiarelli, Army vice chief of staff, that sets the guidelines for conducting the one-year, pilot capability portfolio review effort directed by Army Secretary John McHugh. The purpose is to conduct an “Army-wide, all-components revalidation of requirements.”

More here.

Missile Meeting
By John Liang
March 16, 2010 at 5:00 AM

With Congress preparing to consider the Obama administration's fiscal year 2011 missile defense budget request next month, the Missile Defense Agency next week will host its annual three-day conference in Washington. While the second and third days will cover classified areas of missile defense, the first day is open to the news media. Look to InsideDefense.com and Inside Missile Defense next week for coverage of the following speakers:

Deputy Defense Secretary William Lynn

Pentagon acquisition chief Ashton Carter

Joint Chiefs of Staff Vice Chairman Gen. James Cartwright

Principal Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Policy James Miller

MDA Director Lt. Gen. Patrick O'Reilly

Reps. Howard "Buck" McKeon (R-CA) and Jim Langevin (D-RI)

Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Ellen Tauscher

Heidi Wood, managing director at Morgan Stanley

Open Door
By John Liang
March 16, 2010 at 5:00 AM

The Senate has confirmed President Obama's picks to head environment programs for the Navy and Air Force. The action follows the lifting of holds Republicans had placed on the nominees over a battle to secure Navy funding for an environmental health study and the Air Force's aerial tanker program, Defense Environment Alert reports today. Specifically:

The Senate voted March 4 to confirm Jackalyne Pfannenstiel as assistant secretary of the Navy for installations and environment, and Terry Yonkers to be assistant secretary for the Air Force for installations, environment and logistics. Obama nominated Pfannenstiel Dec. 3, but Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC) had placed a hold on her nomination out of frustration over a dispute about funding a mortality study and health survey related to the effects of drinking water contamination at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, NC.

Burr admonished the Navy for dragging its feet on funding the federal Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry (ATSDR) studies. The Navy late last month agreed to fund the studies, and a Senate source at the time said Burr was waiting to see funding actually transferred to ATSDR before lifting the holds on Pfannenstiel and another Navy nominee (Defense Environment Alert, March 2).

Yonkers, who was nominated Aug. 3, had been caught in a hold that Sen. Richard Shelby (R-AL) had originally placed on over 70 of the administration’s nominees in an attempt to sway the Air Force on its next-generation aerial tanker program known as KC-X. While Shelby lifted his "blanket hold" on many nominees last month, Yonkers remained under it because his slot is directly related to the KC-X program. A spokesman for Shelby’s office did not respond to an inquiry on Yonkers' hold.

Young Again
By Marjorie Censer
March 16, 2010 at 5:00 AM

Former Pentagon acquisition chief John Young has joined the Potomac Institute for Policy Studies, the research institute announced today.

Before serving as DOD's top acquisition official, Young served as director of defense research and engineering and Navy acquisition czar. He also worked for 10 years as a professional staff member of the Senate Appropriations defense subcommittee, according to the Potomac Institute's announcement.

At the Arlington, VA-based Potomac Institute, Young will serve as a senior fellow and member of the Board of Regents, the announcement added.

"I was honored to be asked to join the distinguished current members of the Board of Regents," Young said in a statement posted on the Potomac Institute's Web site. "I look forward to working with the capable Potomac team as the Institute seeks to aid policy makers by providing balanced perspectives on the challenging issues that our nation faces today and in the future.”

On his last day on the job at the Pentagon nearly a year ago, Young said he was leaving “an unemployed individual” with “no idea” what he’d do next.

Gaining Ground
By Marjorie Censer
March 15, 2010 at 5:00 AM

Nearly 100 individuals representing more than 50 companies attended a pre-proposal conference in Dearborn, MI, today on the Army's Ground Combat Vehicle.

The GCV is set to replace the terminated Future Combat Systems manned ground vehicles.

According to program executive office integration spokesman Paul Mehney, the pre-proposal event provided overviews of evaluation factors including program design, integrated design, program plans, cost, past performance and small business participation.

"GCV will continue to receive additional questions up to proposal submittal," Mehney added, noting that all questions and answers will be posted on the program Web site.

Responses to the GCV request for proposals are due April 26. The Army is seeking three contractors to participate in the 27-month technology development phase of the program and plans to award technology-development contracts in September.

Star Turn
By Marjorie Censer
March 15, 2010 at 5:00 AM

Maj. Gen. Daniel Bolger has been nominated for a third star and assignment as deputy chief of staff for operations, plans and policy (G-3/5/7), the Army announced today. Bolger is currently commanding general of the 1st Cavalry Division and Multi-National Division-Baghdad in Iraq.

Bolger would replace Lt. Gen. James Thurman, who last month was nominated for a fourth star and assignment to head Army Forces Command at Ft. McPherson, GA.

Bolger, a graduate of The Citadel in Charleston, SC, previously commanded the Joint Readiness Training Center at Ft. Polk, LA.

'Cultural Ignorance'
By Sebastian Sprenger
March 12, 2010 at 5:00 AM

As much as the idea of social network analysis is en vogue in defense circles, officials at the Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization still have a lot to learn in that department, according to the outfit's new boss.

Familial and tribal relationships in Afghanistan, for example, are “very, very foreign to most of us Westerners,” Army Lt. Gen. Michael Oates told defense bloggers today. “Fundamentally, our challenge with social networking in Afghanistan and in Iraq is still driven by significant cultural ignorance,” he said. “We have a long way to go.”

The assessment comes as U.S. coalition forces a face sharp increase in the number of IEDs planted on the roads of Afghanistan, Oates said. For JIEDDO, the point of using social network analysis techniques is to identify, track and neutralize individuals who are key in insurgent bomb emplacement operations.

Welcome Mat
By John Liang
March 12, 2010 at 5:00 AM

The Senate Armed Services Committee has some new members, panel Chairman Carl Levin (D-MI) and Ranking Member John McCain (R-AZ) announced today in a statement.

Sen. Paul Kirk (D-MA) is out, and Sens. Scott Brown (R-MA), Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) and Edward Kaufman (D-DE) are in, according to the committee statement.

Brown will serve on the airland, emerging threats and strategic forces subcommittees. Bingaman will be on the personnel and strategic forces subpanels. Kaufman has been appointed to the emerging threats and seapower subcommittees.

Critical Breach
By Marcus Weisgerber
March 11, 2010 at 5:00 AM

Pentagon acquisition chief Ashton Carter just told the Senate Armed Services Committee that the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter will breach critical Nunn-McCurdy spending caps.

Defense Department Director of Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation Christine Fox said in prepared testimony that officials Nunn-McCurdy notification is expected by April 1 and certification should be complete by June.

Fox also just told lawmakers that F-35s will cost between $80 million and $95 million per copy using 2002 dollars. Back in 2002, the planes were expected to cost $50 million per copy.

In addition to Carter and Fox, Pentagon Director of Operational Test and Evaluation Michael Gilmore and DOD Acting Program Executive Officer for the Joint Strike Fighter Program Air Force Maj. Gen. Clyde Moore and Michael Sullivan from the Government Accountability Office are all testifying this morning.

Irregular Warfare Lessons
By John Liang
March 10, 2010 at 5:00 AM

The head of United States Division-Center in Iraq today gave a window on some of the irregular warfare lessons learned -- particularly working with the State Department -- over the past several years' operations in that country.

"We're doing a fair bit out here working with the State Department and these provincial reconstruction teams doing civil capacity operations," Maj. Gen. Terry Wolff told reporters this morning in a teleconference call. Additionally:

And so we kind of consider that a supporting line of effort of ours. Security and helping the ISF deal with the security is mission number one, but we also have a strong and vibrant effort working with our State Department and other interagency brethren who partner with us on -- every single day.

So it's not unusual to have a session, either out on the ground or back in headquarters planning, where we have Provincial Reconstruction Team members, State Department folks working side by side with USAID with a small American element, be it a platoon or a small company, that's out there doing business with Iraq tribal sheikhs, provincial leadership and Iraqi security forces all together. That's much different than what we experienced in 2003 or even 2004, and we've gotten a lot better at doing that. And that's what you're seeing play out both in Iraq and in Afghanistan.

Out In Space
By John Liang
March 10, 2010 at 5:00 AM

An "interim" version of the Pentagon's 2010 Space Posture Review was signed today by a senior Defense Department official, according to Air Force space programs chief Gary Payton.

Payton told the Senate Armed Services strategic forces subcommittee this afternoon that officials from the office of the director of national intelligence have not yet approved the report. Once that is done, a copy will be made available to Congress, he added.

As Inside the Air Force reported in January, the service is conducting its own soup-to-nuts review of its space policies, programs and operations with plans to have a final slate of recommendations ready for review by Air Force Secretary Michael Donley by the end of the year.

Donley outlined the parameters and prime objectives of the review in a service-wide memo issued on Dec. 9, 2010, ITAF reported, adding:

Service officials have conferred with DOD regarding the ongoing Air Force review, according to the service official, who declined to comment on what kind of impact the DOD-led review would have on the service assessment, or how the service review would be incorporated into the Pentagon’s work.

“It has been a positive discussion, and I’ll just leave it at that,” the official said.

While the review is on pace to meet the mid-2010 deadline set by Donley in the Dec. 9 memo, the official said no preliminary versions of the report’s recommendations have been issued. “I do not think it is going to work like that,” the source said. “I think it is going to be more of an iterative process.”