The Insider

Export Controls
By John Liang
October 6, 2009 at 5:00 AM

Don't assume that the Obama administration's ongoing review of export control policy will lead to the easing of licensing requirements, according to a State Department official.

National security considerations will dominate the review, Robert Kovac, the head of the State Department’s Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC), emphasized last week. As Inside U.S. Trade reported:

“Take this to the bank -- the litmus on this ((interagency review)) is going to be U.S. national security,” Kovac said in a Sept. 30 session at the Update Conference on Export Controls and Policy. “There are going to be all kinds of other factors, but the one that is going to be paramount is going to be national security.”

He also made the point that the outcome of the review is not necessarily a decision to decontrol items now subject to licensing.

According to Kovac, there are no “preconceived conclusions” about the review that would influence officials’ findings. Therefore, export control requirements could be tightened or they could be loosened, he said.

The administration’s review is divided into short- and medium-term steps meant to clear out languishing export control decisions as well as a fundamental review to shape an export control system for the future, according to Acting Deputy Assistant Commerce Secretary for Export Administration Matthew Borman.

Borman participated with Kovac and other administration officials in the opening panel of the conference organized by the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS).

Kovac downplayed the extent to which a fundamental change in U.S. export controls could be achieved administratively. “We keep tinkering around the edges, ((but)) fundamental change will probably require legislation,” he said.

Kovac said he was “very excited” about the export control review because today’s commercial realities of global research and development or international defense production are not reflected in the laws underlying U.S. export controls.

Those laws are the Arms Export Control Act governing munitions exports and the expired Export Administration Act that governs dual-use exports.

As an example of how defense production realities have overtaken the statutory framework of the Arms Export Control Act, Kovac cited the Joint Strike Fighter. He said it is being co-designed and developed by nine countries and involves 52 major companies, not counting the subcontractors.

Kovac said he hoped that the administration could get Congress on board with whatever recommendations the review will produce. “We are going to involve Congress in this ((review)) early and often,” Kovac said.

He said an important part of the administration’s review will be the review of the export control lists and deciding what should remain controlled or taken off the list.

Representing the Defense Department at the panel was Anthony Aldwell of the Defense Technology Security Administration (DTSA). He emphasized that Defense Secretary Robert Gates is “fully pledged” to examining export controls in a “very comprehensive” way in an effort to improve the current system.

The review, which he said was still at the “very early stages,” will be the number one priority for DTSA this fall, he said.

Carter on Copters
By Christopher J. Castelli
October 6, 2009 at 5:00 AM

Pentagon acquisition chief Ashton Carter says the Defense Department and the White House are still sorting out the requirements for the new presidential helicopter program, which will follow the terminated VH-71 effort.

The key is developing a “set of requirements that one can design around and come up with an affordable and practical solution," he said last night at the Council on Foreign Relations. "And we're working now. I'm working with the White House, who is the customer in this case, to get a more realistic set of requirements than those that underlay the VH-71, because that was the fundamental reason why the program couldn't be executed."

Despite the VH-71 program's termination months ago, President Obama "does need a helicopter, a new helicopter and a new process now of trying to ascertain which of the many needs that the White House has for short-haul transport can be met with a helicopter of a kind that we can actually build," Carter told the audience.

"The problem with the VH-71 was a lot of people think that requirements creep is our principal acquisition problem," he said. "We actually have made every mistake you can imagine, and by no means are our mistakes confined to acquisition creep."

But the VH-71 program "wasn't an example of requirements creep at all," Carter argued. "It was an example of the stubborn persistence in pursuing a set of requirements long after it became obvious that they couldn't be met by any realistic helicopter, certainly no easy derivative of a helicopter already in use."

Gates at AUSA
By Kate Brannen
October 5, 2009 at 5:00 AM

Defense Secretary Robert Gates, speaking this morning at the big AUSA convention in Washington, said President Obama’s upcoming decisions on the Afghanistan campaign would be among the most important of his presidency.

“So, it’s important that we take our time to do all we can to get this right,” he said.

He reminded military and civilian advisers that advice to the president should be given “candidly but privately,” bringing to mind Gen. Stanley McChrystal’s recent speech at the Institute of International and Strategic Studies in London, where he rejected calls to change strategy in Afghanistan. During the Oct. 1 speech, McChrystal was asked whether he would support a scaling back of efforts in Afghanistan to pursue a strategy focused on hunting Al Qaeda through limited air strike. “The short answer is: No," he said.

Gates’ remarks this morning reflected a somewhat different attitude.

“And speaking for the Department of Defense, once the commander in chief makes his decisions, we will salute and execute those decisions faithfully and to the best of our ability,” said Gates.

To support operations in Afghanistan, Gates said he has ordered additional intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities, “including the most advanced drones, such as the MC-12 unmanned aerial vehicle,” as well as additional explosive ordnance disposal teams. He also noted the delivery of the first M-ATVs to theater last week “only three months after the initial contract was awarded.”

Carded
By Marjorie Censer
October 5, 2009 at 5:00 AM

At the opening of the annual Association of the U.S. Army conference in Washington today, BAE Systems distributed green business cards with one word on the front: "FMTV," in big, block letters. On the back, it says, "GET THE FACTS," with a link to a Web site, baesystems.com/fmtv.

The site lays out BAE's approach to the Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles "rebuy" competition, which was awarded to Oshkosh and is under protest by both losing bidders -- BAE and Navistar. The site also details BAE's response to the Oshkosh award and uses the quote, "Out here, you go with what you trust." The Government Accountability Office is slated to rule on the case in mid-December.

Appealing
By Christopher J. Castelli
October 2, 2009 at 5:00 AM

The Pentagon is fighting a congressional proposal to expand lawmakers' access to information about the integrity and performance of contractors. The objections to section 834 of the House's fiscal year 2010 defense authorization bill are included in the Pentagon's sixth package of defense authorization appeals, dated Sept. 30.

The appeals are a last-ditch effort to sway House and Senate conferees as they wrap up work on the final version of the bill.

Section 834 would give any member of Congress access to a contracting database that is now open only to the chairmen and ranking members of committees with jurisdiction. The Defense Department's appeal argues access to the database should remain tight because it contains "sensitive information used to make responsibility determinations by acquisition officials."

Citing the new requirement for posting contracting officers' determination that a source is not responsible, the appeal argues the integrity of the database depends on keeping this information under wraps. "Contracting officers may be reluctant to be totally honest in making this determination if a lawsuit may ensue," DOD writes.

The appeals package also complains that House and Senate authorizers both declined to support DOD's request for new authority to activate Reserve forces in case of disasters. Governors have opposed this idea.

Further, the appeals object to provisions requiring interrogations to be filmed and not performed by contractors.

Deputized
By Cid Standifer
October 2, 2009 at 5:00 AM

The Navy announced today that Brian Detter has been sworn in to replace Roger Smith as the deputy assistant secretary of the Navy for expeditionary warfare. Smith stepped down on Aug. 7.

Detter will report to Navy acquisition czar Sean Stackley, providing oversight of the department's urgent needs process, which is designed to respond rapidly to critical capability requirements of deployed Marines and sailors. He will be the primary adviser to Stackley for Marine Corps and Navy expeditionary warfare programs, the Navy said.

Detter ran his own business and technology consulting firm, Detter and Associates, LLC, for more than 12 years, according to the service. His work involved emerging medical technologies; biometrics; command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance; sensors; and unmanned arterial vehicles. He has also worked for members of Congress and served as an analyst for the Congressional Research Service, working on defense budget and other issues. In 2007, he founded Encytech, a public relations firm.

Transparency Push
By Christopher J. Castelli
October 2, 2009 at 5:00 AM

Tucked in the fiscal year 2010 appropriations bill is a surprising little amendment approved by the Senate yesterday that at least in theory could force the Pentagon to open up a bit online.

The amendment, offered by Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) and approved by the Senate, says any report submitted to the Senate Appropriations Committee from any department or agency "shall be posted on the public website of that agency upon receipt by the committee." It exempts reports that if released would compromise national security or reveal proprietary information.

“It is called transparency,” Coburn said yesterday on the Senate floor. “The American people are paying for ((the reports)). The American people have a right and an obligation to see them if they are going to be involved in the governance of our country. In fact, they are supposed to be in charge of the governance of our country.”

The Senate is slated to resume consideration of the bill on Tuesday, Oct. 6.

Wicked Harsh
By Jason Sherman
October 2, 2009 at 5:00 AM

“Wicked” -- that favorite adjective of New Englanders from certain neighborhoods -- should be accorded a place in the most serious precincts of U.S. national security debate and used to categorize the most difficult set of defense challenges.

That is a central recommendation of the Defense Science Board, which, in a report made public yesterday, calls for the Pentagon to form a new shop -- the Capability, Assessment, Warning and Response Office -- dedicated to wrestling with what it calls “wicked problems”

Are these evil, morally wrong problems? Not exactly. “Wicked problems” are complex and multivariable and do not have set solutions, according an essay on the concept attached to the report in an appendix.

The “wicked problems” construct was set forth in 1973 by U.C. Berkley professors Horst Wittel and Melvin Webber to describe challenges that are entwined in other problems and contain contractions or incomplete information, the essay states.

Wicked problems involve many stakeholders with competing viewpoints and goals. Attempts to deal with these problems impact other issues that can paradoxically produce negative and positive results, according to the DSB report on capability surprise.

Their potential to produce that surprise, according to the DSB, warrants a staff dedicated to focusing full-time on such challenges.

For many decades, the DOD has sustained an aggressive combination of technology, operations and policy initiatives to keep the nation secure. These expanding threats and limited resources demand that the department be managed with a combination of the best possible intelligence, the most aggressive technology programs, and inventive operational applications. There is benefit in an explicit methodology to highlight opportunities for interdiction and/or misdirection.

One option is to have a high-level, centralized organization be responsible for preventing or mitigating surprise... A central organization could ensure a reasonably exhaustive, capability-by-capability evaluation of the likelihood that an adversary will achieve a symmetric capability at parity with, or beyond our own; and the likelihood that an adversary can counter/deny us a critical capability. A central organization can have all the access required to understand present and future military capabilities while still ensuring the secrecy and sanctity of our development and operation of critical capabilities. An organization that stands above the individual capability developers and maintainers can bridge across them and consider alternative courses of action that might hedge a capability in one modality with a capability or basket of capability across other modalities. And, an organization so-placed can actually manage the hedging process.

Science Prize
By Jason Sherman
October 2, 2009 at 5:00 AM

The National Science Foundation today announced $8 million in grants to 19 social scientists as part of the Minerva initiative that defense secretary Robert Gates launched last year improve department's understanding behavioral and dimensions security, conflict cooperation. The NSF awarded an initial batch of Minerva contracts to seven researchers -- including historians, anthropologists and evolutionary psychologists -- to examine issues including Chinese military and technology studies; research that illuminates the perspectives of terrorists; research into possible disciplines required to deal with current and future security challenges; and religious and ideological studies. The total value of those contracts could be as much as $50 million.

Naval Maneuvers
By Christopher J. Castelli
October 1, 2009 at 5:00 AM

Deputy National Security Director and National Security Council Chief of Staff Mark Lippert will return to active duty in the Navy, the White House announced today.

Denis McDonough will remain deputy national security adviser and assume the role of NSC chief of staff. Ben Rhodes will assume the role of deputy national security adviser for strategic communications. Nate Tibbits will be the NSC's executive secretary.

“I will miss Mark and his counsel, his excellent work at the NSC, and his good cheer. At the same time, I was not surprised when he came and told me he had stepped forward for another mobilization, as Mark is passionate about the Navy," President Obama said in a statement.

Lippert, according to the Navy, is a lieutenant. A Navy spokesman said Lippert, an intelligence officer, is deploying with a naval special warfare unit.

"I support his decision," Obama added. "He is a close friend, and I admire and respect his devotion to our country and answering the call to active duty service. He will always have a senior foreign policy position in this White House, when he chooses to return to civilian life."

National Security Adviser retired Gen. James Jones added, “Mark has been vital to building a strong and revitalized National Security Council, ready to address the myriad challenges we face in the 21st century. I’m confident that Mark will continue to serve his nation in the United States Navy with the same commitment and sense of patriotism that we benefited from here in the White House. I congratulate him on this new post.”

Testimonial Tiff
By Christopher J. Castelli
October 1, 2009 at 5:00 AM

Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), the ranking Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, lost his bid today to compel U.S. Central Command chief Gen. David Petraeus and Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, to testify before Congress by Nov. 15. The Senate rejected McCain's proposed amendment on that topic when discussing the fiscal year 2010 defense appropriations bill.

That does not, however, mean for certain that the generals will not testify by Nov. 15. The Senate approved an alternative amendment offered by committee Chairman Sen. Carl Levin (D-MI), which calls for the generals to testify on the strategy and resources for operations in Afghanistan and Pakistan after the Obama administration decides what course it will pursue. The White House is in the midst of such decisions, which are reportedly due to be made in a matter of weeks.

McCain suffered another blow last night when the Senate rejected another amendment of his to curtail C-17 funding.

Afghanistan Sit-down
By Christopher J. Castelli
September 30, 2009 at 5:00 AM

President Obama will meet with his national security team to discuss Afghanistan today, the White House says.

Those at the sit-down will include Vice President Biden; Secretary of State Hillary Clinton; Defense Secretary Robert Gates; U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan Amb. Richard Holbrooke; Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Michael Mullen; U.S. Central Command chief Gen. David Petraeus; Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the top U.S. Commander in Afghanistan; Director of National Intelligence retired Adm. Dennis Blair; CIA Director Leon Panetta; U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan Karl Eikenberry; U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan Anne Patterson; and National Security Adviser retired Gen. James Jones.

Campaigning
By Sebastian Sprenger
September 30, 2009 at 5:00 AM

Administration officials aim to finalize a revised Joint Campaign Plan for U.S. operations in Iraq by Jan. 1, the head of coalition forces there told lawmakers today. The document will lay out a division of labor between the U.S. military and diplomats at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad during the delicate phase of transitioning more security responsibility to the Iraqi government, Army Gen. Raymond Odierno said during a House Armed Services committee hearing on the war in Iraq.

Fox News
By Marjorie Censer
September 30, 2009 at 5:00 AM

President Obama today announced his intent to nominate Christine Fox as the Pentagon's new director of cost assessment and program evaluation.

Fox, president of the Center for Naval Analyses, has nearly 30 years of experience as analyst and research manager focused on defense issues, according to a White House announcement. At CNA, she oversees the federally funded research and development center's work on operations, cost and acquisition, manpower, readiness and technology issues.

Before becoming CNA president, she was vice president and director of CNA's Operations Evaluation Group, the announcement adds. Fox, also a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, received a B.S. in mathematics from George Mason University and an M.S. in applied mathematics also from George Mason.

Money Minder
By Christopher J. Castelli
September 29, 2009 at 5:00 AM

The White House today sent to the Senate the nomination of Gladys Commons to be the Navy's comptroller. President Obama announced his intent to nominate Commons earlier this month. Here's the official bio released at the time:

From 2002 to 2004, Ms. Gladys Commons served as comptroller of Military Sealift Command where she directed the programming, budgeting, and execution of a $2.4 billion annual budget which provided resources to operate a fleet of 131 logistics force, special mission, strategic sealift and prepositioned ships. In this role, Commons also resolved long standing financial issues and restored credibility and integrity to the Command's programming and budgeting process. Prior to this position, Commons served for eight years as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Financial Management and Comptroller) and briefly as Acting Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Financial Management and Comptroller). She has also served as Deputy for Financial Management/Comptroller at Marine Corps Systems Command. Commons holds a Bachelors degree in Education from Fayetteville State University and a Masters degree in Public Financial Management from American University.