The Insider

LCS Montgomery suffers two engineering casualties in one day
By Justin Doubleday
September 19, 2016 at 10:12 AM

Just three days after it was commissioned, the Littoral Combat Ship Montgomery (LCS-8) suffered two engineering casualties in a period of 24 hours as it traveled from Mobile, AL, to its home port in San Diego, CA.

Naval Surface Forces spokesman Cmdr. John Perkins said the pair of casualties suffered by the Montgomery on Sept. 13 were “unrelated.” The first occurred when the crew detected a seawater leak in the hydraulic cooling system, and later in the day, one of the ship's gas turbines failed, Perkins wrote in a Sept. 16 email to Inside Defense. The casualties were first reported by USNI News.

The ship will sail to Mayport, FL, to undergo repairs before continuing on to San Diego, according to Perkins. The Montgomery, an Independence-variant LCS and built by Austal USA, was commissioned in Mobile on Sept. 10.

“The built-in redundancy of the ship's propulsion plant allows these ships to operate with multiple engine configurations,” he wrote. “However, with the two casualties resulting in the loss of both port shafts, it was determined that the best course of action would be to send the ship to Mayport to conduct both repairs.”

The casualties suffered by the Montgomery are the latest in a string of bad incidents for the LCS program over the past month. In late August, Commander of Naval Surface Forces Vice Adm. Thomas Rowden ordered an engineering stand-down after one of the diesel engines on the the Freedom (LCS-1) failed.

Shortly after Rowden ordered the stand-down, the Coronado (LCS-4) suffered a casualty to one of its flexible coupling assemblies as it traveled to the Western Pacific for its maiden deployment, forcing the ship to turn back to Hawaii for repairs.

The problems come after the Navy had appeared to overcome casualties to two separate LCSs, the Milwaukee (LCS-5) and the Fort Worth (LCS-3), that had occurred over the past year.

Inside the Army highlights
By Courtney McBride
September 19, 2016 at 9:05 AM

Some must-reads from this week's edition of Inside the Army:

1. The Army is moving forward with the latest upgrade to its venerable CH-47 Chinook, and is laying the foundation for potential future improvements.

Full story: Army proceeding with Chinook Block II upgrade

2. After much deliberation, both public and private, the Pentagon, which has shifted emphasis away from the electromagnetic rail gun as a next-generation missile defense platform, sees a new hypervelocity powder gun technology as the key to demonstrating to potential adversaries like China and Russia that U.S. military units on land and sea can neutralize large missile salvos in future conflicts.

Full story: DOD's new hypervelocity gun technology emerging as key BMD capability

3. The Army plans to include not only its roughly 780 existing programs in an upcoming analysis, but also "emerging capabilities" that could address critical gaps facing the service.

Full story: Army to examine emerging capabilities in SPAR

4. The Defense Department has shifted $24 million into an Army missile account to restock special operations forces with a small, loitering missile that can locate and defeat obscure and moving targets.

Full story: Army gets $24M to buy more Special Operations missile

Inside the Navy highlights
By Lee Hudson
September 19, 2016 at 9:00 AM

Some must-reads from this week's issue of Inside the Navy:

1. The Joint Strike Fighter program will begin flight testing a design fix in November aimed at providing greater support for the weight of the AIM-9X air-to-air missile, an issue that was highlighted in a recent memo by the Pentagon's chief weapons tester.

Full Story: F-35C will begin flight testing in November to assess design fix

2. The Navy is wrapping up an updated analysis on the number of ships it requires by the end of the month, according to the chief of naval operations.

Full Story: Navy will complete updated Force Structure Assessment this month

3.  The Navy's top modernization priority -- the Ohio Replacement Program -- missed a planned high-level Pentagon review in August, delaying a decision until this fall on whether the new strategic submarine program is ready to transition from technology development into detailed design and construction.

Full Story: Decision to proceed with construction of Ohio replacement sub delayed

OMB on privacy
By John Liang
September 16, 2016 at 5:18 PM

White House Office of Management and Budget Director Shaun Donovan issued a memo this week revising the role of the "Senior Agency Official for Privacy," which every federal department is required to have.

"In particular, this Memorandum revises Office of Management and Budget (OMB) guidance on the SAOP's role and responsibilities in light of significant changes in law, policy, and technology that have occurred since OMB last issued guidance in this area," Donovan writes in the Sept. 15 missive.

Additionally, Donovan calls on agencies to "reassess their agency-wide privacy program and report to OMB on their implementation efforts within 60 days."

Read the memo here.

Contractors have until Sept. 30 to resubmit ENCORE III bids
By Tony Bertuca
September 16, 2016 at 3:16 PM

Defense contractors have until Sept. 30 to resubmit proposals for the Defense Information Systems Agency's controversial ENCORE III information technology services contract that could be worth up to $17.5 billion.

The multiple-award ENCORE III information technology services contract is intended to help the Pentagon and other government agencies migrate to a new joint information network. Defense contractors, however, oppose the program's lowest-price, technically acceptable approach, which remains a feature of ENCORE III, despite pre-award protests sustained by the Government Accountability Office in August.

Shortly after the GAO decision, Inside Defense reported that DISA had no plans to drop the LPTA structure from its soon-to-be-amended ENCORE III solicitation.

The protests, filed by Booz Allen Hamilton and CACI International, highlight the LPTA contract structure as a specific point of contention.

The decision from GAO, however, does not preclude DISA from sticking with the LPTA approach, stating instead that the agency failed “to provide a reasonable basis to compare the cost of competing proposals,” and improperly excluded “from competition any proposals with a total proposed price 50 percent below the trimmed average total proposed price.”

But GAO sees “no basis to object to the agency’s decision to use a lowest-price, technically-acceptable selection scheme,” the decision states.

The INSIDER daily digest -- Sept. 16, 2016
By John Liang
September 16, 2016 at 2:55 PM

Hypervelocity gun technology and a new Defense Business Board report highlight this Friday INSIDER Daily Digest.

Keep an eye out for the Pentagon's work on hypervelocity gun technology:

Pentagon's new hypervelocity gun technology emerging as key missile defense capability

After much deliberation, both public and private, the Pentagon, which has shifted emphasis away from the electromagnetic rail gun as a next-generation missile defense platform, sees a new hypervelocity powder gun technology as the key to demonstrating to potential adversaries like China and Russia that U.S. military units on land and sea can neutralize large missile salvos in future conflicts.

The Defense Business Board has a new report out on the presidential transition:

DBB: Defense personnel and policies must be put in place to ensure smooth presidential transition

The incoming presidential administration's transition team and defense leadership need to ensure that personnel and policies are quickly put in place following the election to ensure a smooth transition and prepare for the potential of a national security crisis, the Defense Business Board recommends in its newly released report.

Document: DBB report on presidential transition planning

News from this morning's Inside the Air Force:

Air Force delays third SBIRS GEO launch due to potential supplier issue

Concerns about a potential supplier issued caused the Air Force to delay indefinitely the Oct. 3 launch of the third Space-Based Infrared System satellite.

Air Force releases draft JSTARS RFP; industry says final RFP on its way

As industry awaits the "any-day-now" release of a Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System recapitalization request for proposals, the Air Force this week issued another draft solicitation for the program, noting that the final version is in coordination.

Air Force to study multidomain command-and-control technology needs

The Air Force's next enterprise-wide capability study will focus on intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance and multidomain command-and-control operations, according to written testimony from the service's top uniformed officer.

Document: Senate hearing on DOD's long-term budget

Coverage of the Army's Strategic Portfolio Analysis and Review:

Army to examine emerging capabilities in SPAR

The Army plans to include not only its roughly 780 existing programs in an upcoming analysis, but also "emerging capabilities" that could address critical gaps facing the service.

Air Force, Norway suspend F-35 flight operations
By Courtney Albon, Lee Hudson
September 16, 2016 at 2:49 PM

The U.S. Air Force and Norway have both ordered a temporary pause in flight operations for 15 Joint Strike Fighter aircraft after discovering "peeling and crumbling" insulation inside of avionics cooling lines in the jets' fuel tanks.

The defect was discovered during an F-35A conventional-take-off-and-landing variant depot modification, according to a Sept. 16 Air Force statement.

In the Sept. 16 statement, Air Force spokeswoman Ann Stefanek said the problem was discovered while an aircraft was undergoing depot modifications and affects 57 aircraft -- 15 in the field and 42 in production.

"Engineers with the F-35 joint program office and Lockheed Martin and Hill Air Force Base maintenance airmen have conducted inspections of eight aircraft and are currently developing procedures to resolve or mitigate the issue prior to release of affected production aircraft to the field and the return of affected operational aircraft to flight operations," the statement reads, noting that the service is working to lessen the impact on operations, training and readiness. "Subject matter experts are considering courses of action to mitigate these delays."

The statement also contends that because the F-35 is still in development, "challenges are to be expected."

"The F-35 program has a proven of solving issues as they arise and we're confident we'll continue to do so," it states.

In a separate statement, Norwegian Maj. Gen. Morten Klever, F-35 program office director said: "We have been very pleased with our aircraft so far, both in terms of performance and technical capabilities. This is not a design flaw, but is instead caused by a supplier using improper materials and improper sealing techniques for these specific parts."

Norway has received four F-35A conventional-takeoff-and-landing aircraft that are operating at Luke Air Force Base in Arizona.

"The issue has been traced back to cooling line manufactured by one particular provider that have only been installed in the wing fuel tanks of 15 aircraft -- 13 U.S. and two Norwegian," according to the statement. "Additionally, 42 aircraft currently on the production line have received parts from the same provider, including three Norwegian aircraft scheduled for delivery early next year."

Schaffer: DOD has 'a little bit more homework to do' on commercialization of space
By Marjorie Censer
September 16, 2016 at 1:47 PM

The Pentagon is beginning to appreciate the opportunity that the commercialization of space brings -- but changing mindsets and policies will take years, the director for space strategy and plans within the office of the under secretary of defense for policy said Friday.

Speaking at an event organized by Women in Aerospace, Audrey Schaffer said she's felt a new sense of enthusiasm as commercial investment in space picks up.

"What I'm seeing right now is incredibly exciting," Schaffer said. "Now, from a DOD perspective, I think the real question is whether we'll actually be able to take advantage of these shorter turnaround cycles."

"We're not particularly good at fast," she added. "But, in any case, I think there's a tremendous amount of opportunity out there right now."

Schaffer said the government is also trying to "catch up, from a policy and regulatory perspective" with commercial activities it didn't anticipate.

"In the national security community in particular, there's a little bit of a visceral reaction against some of these capabilities that previously . . . were really only the province of government, of military," she said. "There's this reaction of, 'Oh my God, we can't let them take pictures in space because they might see my humongous satellite that amateur astronomers are tracking every day.' And so that leads us to a very reactive and somewhat conservative posture."

Still, she said that approach is beginning to shift.

"We recognize that having a vibrant commercial sector that can compete internationally will bring not just economic benefits to our country, but actually national security benefits to us because we will be able to take advantage of these new technologies, of these new capabilities -- again, footnote, if we can figure out how to do things on time lines that the private sector actually needs," Schaffer said. "It takes many years to change mindsets and to change policies, but I think the challenge that we face in this moment right now is that we have a little bit more homework to do."

Inside the Air Force highlights
By Courtney Albon
September 16, 2016 at 11:12 AM

Some must-reads from this week's Inside the Air Force:

1. The Air Force's new chief of staff told lawmakers this week the service's next developmental planning excursion will focus on multidomain command-and-control operations.

Full Story: Air Force to study multidomain command-and-control technology needs

2. The Air Force appears to be reversing a decision to reduce Small Diameter Bomb Increment 1 quantities after awarding Boeing a $700 million contract this week for three new SDB I production lots.

Full Story: Air Force expands plans for SDB production, awards Boeing $700M contract

3. As industry waits for the Air Force to release a final solicitation for the Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System recapitalization program, the service this week issued a draft request for proposals and indicated the final version is in coordination.

Full Story: Air Force releases draft RFP; industry says final RFP on its way

DOD awards cyberspace contracts
By John Liang
September 15, 2016 at 6:24 PM

The Defense Department has awarded contracts worth a total of nearly $609.6 million to seven companies for "cyberspace science, research, engineering, and technology integration," according to a Sept. 15 DOD statement.

"Support includes technology assessment, development and transition; requirements analysis; systems engineering; operational and technical support; experimentation support; hardware and software development and prototyping; modeling and simulation; training; and security engineering/cybersecurity," according to DOD.

All seven awardees "will have the opportunity to compete for task orders during the ordering period," according to the statement, and each three-year contract includes a two-year option ordering period which, if exercised, would increase the overall potential value of those contracts to nearly $1.03 billion.

Ninety percent of the work will be performed in San Diego, CA. Funding will be obligated via task orders, DOD said, adding that the types of funding to be obligated would mainly come from Navy research, development test and evaluation; operations and maintenance; and other procurement monies.

Raytheon was awarded the largest contract at nearly $98.1 million, with Leidos getting nearly $90 million, Booz Allen Hamilton $88.6 million, Northrop Grumman $88 million, Science Applications International Corp. $84.6 million, Scientific Research Corp. $81 million, and Vencore Inc. $80.1 million.

The INSIDER daily digest -- Sept. 15, 2016
By John Liang
September 15, 2016 at 2:31 PM

The Navy's LX(R) program and a Senate proposal to create a new R&E position highlight this Thursday INSIDER Daily Digest.

The service chiefs testified this morning on Capitol Hill on DOD's long-term budget. First up is the Navy's LX(R) program:

Neller reveals LX(R) block-buy cost savings

If the Navy purchases the dock landing ship replacement in a five-vessel block buy, the service can purchase five ships for the price of three and one-half, according to Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Robert Neller.

Document: Senate hearing on DOD's long-term budget


(Stay tuned for more coverage in the coming days.)

The Pentagon's research chief spoke this morning about a Senate proposal to create a new research and engineering position:

Welby: Senate proposal to create new R&E post 'motivated' by good intentions despite DOD concerns

Amid tension between the Pentagon and Congress over the Senate's proposal to eliminate the under secretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics and assign those duties to new positions, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering Stephen Welby said there has been "great engagement with the Hill" on this area even while concerns remain over the proposal.

News from this week's issue of Inside the Pentagon:

DOD quietly encourages Norway to buy Boeing's P-8 spy plane to monitor Russia

OSLO, NORWAY -- Officially, the Pentagon has no position on whether the Norwegian military should replace its aging fleet of P-3 Orions made by Lockheed Martin with Boeing's P-8 Poseidon surveillance aircraft.

DOD eyes upcoming operational assessments for JRSS in support of fielding

The Pentagon is planning to hold a series of operational assessments for the Joint Regional Security Stacks as early as this fall in support of fielding, according to a Defense Department spokesman.

DOD forms FY-18 working group to improve transparency in fuel spending

The Pentagon, responding to flaws highlighted in a recent Government Accountability Office report, has established a working group to provide Congress better budget data in fiscal year 2018 concerning military fuel consumption.

Document: GAO report on DOD fuel consumption

 

CYBERCOM created organization aligned with DIUx

U.S. Cyber Command has created an organization that is aligned with the Pentagon's efforts to more easily access innovative commercial technology, according to the command's chief.

Endeavor Robotics prepares for move
By Marjorie Censer
September 15, 2016 at 12:30 PM

Since separating from iRobot, the company's former defense business -- now known as Endeavor Robotics -- has been making organizational and policy changes, Endeavor's chief executive told Inside Defense this week.

Sean Bielat said the company is also preparing to move to a new facility in mid-November. It is down the road from the company's current office outside of Boston, MA.

He said the company's culture is now that of a "start-up with a strong defense mission." The company doesn't want to be bureaucratic, Bielat said, and is focused on innovation.

Endeavor is "looking actively" at acquisitions, including ones that would "enhance our access into our current markets," he added. In the next year or so, Bielat said Endeavor will be focused on upcoming Pentagon programs of record, but, in the longer term, the company is also interested in expanding into commercial and industrial work.

"We're looking at all sorts of things," he said.

Inside the Pentagon highlights
By John Liang
September 15, 2016 at 12:13 PM

Some must-reads from this week's issue of Inside the Pentagon:

1. Officially, the Pentagon has no position on whether the Norwegian military should replace its aging fleet of P-3 Orions made by Lockheed Martin with Boeing's P-8 Poseidon surveillance aircraft.

Full story: DOD quietly encourages Norway to buy Boeing's P-8 spy plane to monitor Russia

2. Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John McCain (R-AZ) said he will oppose the confirmation of anyone nominated to be the next National Security Agency head if that person is not also nominated to be the next chief of U.S. Cyber Command, noting he was "troubled" over news that the Obama administration was rushing to separate these positions.

Full story: McCain threatens to oppose next NSA chief if role severed from CYBERCOM

3. Though much of Lockheed Martin's services work went to Leidos in a deal completed last month, the contractor retained several key units that have been realigned within Lockheed.

Full story: Lockheed reorganizes remaining services work following Leidos deal

4. The largest defense contractors, known as the "Big 5," have seen an unprecedented loss of market share in research and development contracts since 2009 as the Pentagon has significantly cut its pipeline of new weapons programs amid budgetary stress, according to a new report from the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

Full story: New data shows 'Big 5' contractors have lost significant R&D market share

Throwback Thursday -- Third Offset
By Marjorie Censer
September 15, 2016 at 11:48 AM

Welcome to Throwback Thursday, Inside Defense's occasional look back at what was happening on or around this day in years past.

During this month two years ago, Chuck Hagel, the defense secretary at the time, unveiled the long-term research and development investment strategy being shaped by Deputy Defense Secretary Bob Work.

During a speech before the Southeastern New England Defense Industry Alliance, Hagel said the Pentagon must "do everything necessary to sustain and renew our military superiority."

"One of the many reasons I wanted Deputy Secretary Bob Work as a partner in helping lead [the Defense Department] was his thorough understanding of the operational and technological challenges facing our military," Hagel said. "He also has a deep knowledge of the 'offset' strategies developed by national security thinkers in the 1950s and 1970s to ensure our military's superiority -- first the New Look, which prioritized nuclear deterrence, and then the Long-Range Research & [Development] Planning Program, which shaped future investments in leap-ahead capabilities like standoff precision strike, stealth, wide-area surveillance, and networked forces."

"As we see those advantages begin to erode, I've asked Bob to move forward with an initiative to develop a third, game-changing offset strategy," Hagel continued.

Two years later, the Third Offset remains underway. Work is set to appear at the Air Force Association's annual conference next week to discuss the initiative.

Read the original story here.

Boeing to challenge Danish fighter jet evaluation
By Marjorie Censer
September 15, 2016 at 11:09 AM

Boeing said today it has begun the process of "bringing a formal legal challenge of the Danish Ministry of Defence's evaluation regarding the country's next fighter jet."

The contractor said it submitted a request for insight, which would require the ministry to provide "all materials" related to the procurement evaluation and decision, which was announced in June.

The Danish Government said in June it had selected Lockheed Martin's F-35.

"The Ministry of Defence and its New Fighter Program Office did not recommend the Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet, a decision that the company believes was the product of a flawed evaluation process," Boeing said today. "Boeing presented its concerns with the evaluation process to the Danish Parliament Defence Committee prior to the award decision earlier this year, taking issue, in particular, with the Ministry's estimate that the Super Hornet would cost up to twice as much as detailed in U.S. Department of Defense budget documents."