The Insider

The Navy's fourth Joint High Speed Vessel, the Fall River (JHSV-4), has finished builder's trials, according to a service statement.

Austal USA, the ship's builder, demonstrated the performance of Fall River's propulsion plant, communications, navigation and ride control systems, according to the Navy.

"The ship's keel was laid just a little over a year ago and she was launched earlier this year," Navy Capt. Henry Stevens, strategic and theater sealift program manager, said in the July 7 statement, adding: "We expect to have her fully operational by the end of the years. The momentum of this program and the quality of these ships is a true testament to the hard work of the shipbuilder and the Navy."

The next step for JHSV-4 is to undergo acceptance trials. The Navy's Board of Inspection and Survey will conduct those tests, according to the statement.

Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Kenneth Glueck, deputy commandant for combat development and integration, said last month that the service's new connector strategy with its focus on high-water speed capability will allow Marines to sidestep the full force of an enemy, instead penetrating its "seam."

"There are new technologies out there, such as the Joint High Speed Vessel, that will have an increased speed capability that you can probably put 20-plus vehicles on," Glueck said in June at an event in Washington, adding that Marines are "able to move it in under the cover of darkness, once again not into the teeth of the enemy -- into the seam of the enemy at night." As Inside the Navy reported last month:

That high-speed capability is essential to the connector strategy because the sea base is getting pushed further and further out due to new threats, Glueck emphasized.

The Marine Corps is currently partnering with the Office of Naval Research to pursue near- and long-term connectors to move personnel and fighting equipment from amphibious warships to shore -- a key element of the Marine Corps' new Expeditionary Force 21 capstone concept.

ONR on June 6 issued a request for information (RFI) to solicit new approaches that could be immediately implemented as well as proposals for "connectors-after-next" capabilities. Proposals are due by Aug. 29.

"The future connector solution will be a family of systems -- air and surface -- rather than a singular craft," according to a statement emailed to Inside the Navy from ONR and Marine Corps combat development and integration command officials. "The intent of the RFI was to open the aperture as wide as possible to allow the submission of any type of concepts or ideas. Neither the Navy nor the Marine Corps have any preconceived notions in terms of a specific 'connector after next.'"

ITN reported in May that the Office of Naval Research had successfully demonstrated a new lightweight ramp intended for use on the JHSV that could potentially expand the mission sets of the vessel to include ship-to-ship and ship-to-shore transport:

The new ramp would improve on the vessel's existing ramp by enabling the loading and unloading of personnel and combat vehicles between a JHSV and another ship in rougher maritime conditions than are currently possible, according to a Navy statement released May 9. The ramp can also be used to connect JHSV to a pier or a mobile landing platform.

The May 1 demonstration included a tank and Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck crossing in simulated high-wave conditions.

The current JHSV ramp is only good for "sea state one" -- calm sea conditions, James Strock, director of the Marine Corps' seabasing integration division, told ITN in an April 23 interview at Marine Corps Base Quantico, VA. The new prototype ramp that ONR is testing is good for "sea state three -- that's real heavy and beefy," he added.

Last week, InsideDefense.com reported on the Government Accountability Office's denial of a protest filed by Raytheon and Kongsberg that was aimed at forcing the government to compete a follow-on development contract for the Long Range Anti-Ship Missile. The protest came after the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency proposed awarding a sole-source deal to Lockheed Martin:

"Raytheon believes competition is the best way to ensure that the DOD and the warfighter receive the best product at the best price," John Patterson, a Raytheon spokesman, told InsideDefense.com in a June 27 statement. "We are disappointed that we will not be allowed to compete for increment 1 of the U.S. Navy's Offensive Anti-Surface Warfare capability. We are confident that we will have a competitive offering for the Increment II OASuW program."

On March 14, DARPA disclosed its intent to award Lockheed a 24-month follow-on contract estimated to be worth $175 million to extend LRASM's development -- a 50 percent increase compared to the original 2009 schedule.

Within a week, Raytheon and Norway's Kongsberg Defense & Aerospace banded together to protest the planned contract award, a move that followed DARPA's rejection of their respective LRASM alternative proposals earlier this year (DefenseAlert, March 21).

LRASM is a modified Air Force Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile-Extended Range that incorporates additional sensors and systems to create a stealthy, survivable and subsonic cruise missile. Pentagon leadership has selected LRASM to meet a high-priority requirement from U.S. Pacific Command for a new air-launched, anti-ship missile by 2018.

InsideDefense.com reported that GAO denied the protest on June 23, according to the agency's legal docket, clearing the way for work to continue on the high-priority system.

An explanation for why GAO rejected the appeal was published today. It concludes:

As discussed above, the record supports the reasonability of DARPA's requirement to further mature the specific LRASM technologies developed by Lockheed under the 2008 BAA, and shows that DARPA had a reasonable basis for concluding that only Lockheed could fulfill these requirements. DARPA's market research and review of the protester's white papers support the agency's conclusion that no other offeror can provide the highly specialized skills and equipment to complete the LRASM development effort, without substantial duplication of costs, or unacceptable delays, where Lockheed is the sole developer of the LRASM, and where DARPA has concluded that no other firms' technologies offer a level of technological maturity equivalent to the LRASM program. Accordingly, we conclude that DARPA, in its sole-source notice and J&A, reasonably determined that a sole-source award to Lockheed was appropriate under the circumstances. We also further conclude that such an award was not prohibited by the 2014 NDAA, where the contract is not a Navy contract for offensive anti-surface warfare weapons systems and, in any event, falls within the NDAA's exemption for development, testing, and fielding of aircraft-launched offensive anti-surface warfare weapons capabilities.

The office of the director of national intelligence is asking Congress for $3.8 billion in fiscal year 2015 overseas contingency operations funding, according to a DNI statement issued this week:

Consistent with 50 U.S.C. 3306(a), the Director of National Intelligence disclosed to the public on March 6, 2014, the aggregate amount of appropriations requested for Fiscal Year 2015. The amount of $45.6 billion excluded funding required to support overseas contingency operations. That disclosure is now updated to include funding requested to support overseas contingency operations.

The updated aggregate amount of appropriations requested for the FY 2015 National Intelligence Program is $49.4 billion.

Any and all subsidiary information concerning the National Intelligence Program budget, whether the information concerns particular intelligence agencies or particular intelligence programs, will not be disclosed.

The Congressional Research Service has issued a new report on the Navy's Littoral Combat Ship program.

The June 25 report -- obtained by Secrecy News -- outlines key issues for lawmakers:

The Navy's request for three rather than four LCSs in FY2015 and Hagel's February 24 announcement that "no new contract negotiations beyond 32 ships will go forward" and that the Navy is to submit "alternative proposals to procure a capable and lethal small surface combatant, generally consistent with the capabilities of a frigate" raise several potential oversight issues for Congress, including the Navy's plan for determining which of the two LCS builders would receive one LCS in FY2015 rather than two, and the analytical basis for the actions affecting the LCS program announced by Hagel on February 24. . . .

The LCS program has been controversial due to past cost growth, design and construction issues with the lead ships built to each design, concerns over the ships’ survivability (i.e., ability to withstand battle damage), and concerns over whether the ships are sufficiently armed and would be able to perform their stated missions effectively. Prior to Secretary Hagel's February 24, 2014, announcement, some observers, citing one or more of these issues, had proposed truncating the LCS program. In response to criticisms of the LCS program, the Navy has acknowledged certain problems and stated that it was taking action to correct them, disputed other arguments made against the program, and (until Hagel's February 24, 2014, announcement) maintained its support for completing the planned program of 52 ships.

Inside the Navy reported earlier this month that Lockheed Martin recently submitted a proposal to the Navy for an option to upgrade its Freedom-class LCS with already designed modifications:

Lockheed recently responded to the Navy's request for information on potential designs suited to the service's requirements for a future small surface combatant, issued April 30, Joe North, Lockheed's vice president of littoral ship systems, said June 9 at Lockheed Martin's annual media day in Crystal City, VA.

"The RFIs were due earlier this month, actually in May. We did answer the mail on that from our end with options to upgrade the existing Freedom-class ship," North told reporters.

Lockheed's proposal includes options derived from designs the company has developed for potential international customers, North said. It offers new technologies such as more advanced radars, additional firepower in the form of the Longbow missile, and a modular vertical launch system, he added.

The existing Mk41 Vertical Launch System (VLS) is a multimission launcher that shoots a variety of missiles, including Raytheon's Tomahawk cruise missile, the Standard Missile-2, SM-3, SM-6 and the Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile (ESSM), Brian Bohs, Lockheed's business development manager for controls, launchers and weapons area, told Inside the Navy in a June 12 interview.

The Congressional Research Service recently issued a report on the C-130 program, noting that the aircraft "has been the workhorse of U.S. tactical airlift for the past 57 years."

Consequently, aging aircraft could be an item for congressional concern, the June 25 report -- originally obtained by Secrecy News -- states, adding:

As the C-130 fleet ages, management issues arise with reduced reliability, obsolescence and reduced parts availability, and changing aviation rules that impact the C-130’s ability to operate worldwide. The C-130 program recently passed a major milestone; the FY2013 NDAA authorized the Secretary of the Air Force to enter into one or more multi-year contracts for the procurement of C-130J aircraft for the Department of the Air Force and the Department of the Navy. This was a significant step toward recapitalizing a portion of the fleet. As Congress decides the future of the tactical airlift fleet, a significant decision is whether or not to continue recapitalizing the fleet with new aircraft. This issue is fueled by several factors, including aircraft life cycles, cost, basing strategy, strategic guidance, the industrial base, and the desired capabilities mix. With these factors in mind, the services have committed to recapitalize a large portion of the C-130 fleet. However, at current production rates, there will still be aircraft in the fleet much older than the crews that fly them well into the future.

Inside the Air Force's top story today reported that contract negotiations between the Air Force and Lockheed Martin for up to 83 J-model C-130 airlifters are progressing and an award is due in December.

That deal could be worth almost $6 billion and will supply the Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard and the special operations community with a steady supply of new airplanes during the delivery years 2015 to 2020, ITAF reports. Additionally:

In a June 26 email to Inside the Air Force, service spokesman Ed Gulick said the Air Force expects to award the C-130J contract in December. According to Air Force budget documents, the multiyear buy is expected to cost about $5.8 billion and produce a savings of 9.5 percent over annual procurement costs, while also achieving a better delivery schedule.

The five-year block buy was one of a number of Pentagon contracts delayed after Congress failed to agree on a fiscal year 2014 spending bill, which resulted in a temporary ban on multiyear procurements. The congressional budget deal reached in January supports the procurement plan.

According to Lockheed, the current offering is for 78 C-130s with an option of five more for the Coast Guard. The Air Force wants to buy a total of 71 aircraft between FY-14 and FY-18, which is a mix of multimission, "stretch" and search-and-rescue variants, and the Marine Corps is buying six KC-130J tankers. The Coast Guard is planning to buy one HC-130J through the contract, with the option for five more.

"We've been working with the U.S. government to finalize that contract," Steve Pigott, Lockheed's director of international air mobility and maritime programs, told ITAF in a June 24 interview. "Right now we've got 83 aircraft that are part of this multiyear offering. And it's essentially for delivery years 2015 through 2020, and it ensures a steady production rate of 24 aircraft per year [including international orders] through that time frame."

The Senate Armed Services Committee is planning a July 10 hearing to consider the president's picks to head the Marine Corps and lead U.S. forces in Afghanistan, as well as U.S. Northern and Special Operations commands:

General Joseph F. Dunford, Jr., USMC, for reappointment to the grade of general and to be Commandant of the Marine Corps;

Admiral William E. Gortney, USN, for reappointment to the grade of admiral and to be Commander, United States Northern Command/Commander, North American Aerospace Defense Command;

General John F. Campbell, USA, for reappointment to the grade of general and to be Commander, International Security Assistance Force/Commander, United States Forces, Afghanistan; and

Lieutenant General Joseph L. Votel, USA, to be general and Commander, United States Special Operations Command.

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said this earlier in the week about Gortney, Campbell and Votel:

"All three are highly qualified officers who have devoted many years of service to their country," Hagel said in a statement. "If confirmed by Congress, they will be outstanding successors to Gen. Jacoby, Gen. Dunford, and Adm. McRaven, who have all been exemplary and highly effective commanders. I join the president in thanking all these leaders for what they have done and will continue to do for both our nation and our men and women in uniform."

The Air Force has awarded Lockheed Martin a $1.8 billion contract to finish building the fifth and sixth Space-Based Infrared Systems Geostationary Orbit (SBIRS GEO) satellites, the Pentagon announced late this afternoon.

Production on the missile-warning satellites is underway -- the service awarded a contract for long-lead parts in May -- and is expected to conclude in September 2022, according to the announcement. Today's contract includes options for Lockheed to provide various pre-launch testing services, on-orbit testing and operations support.

SBIRS is designed to provide the Defense Department with strategic missile warning capability through a network of satellites residing in highly elliptical orbit (HEO) and geostationary orbit. The Air Force currently operates two SBIRS GEO satellites -- the most recent of which was launched more than a year ago -- and two HEO satellites. The latter provide warning of submarine-launched ballistic missiles and the GEO satellites are responsible for the strategic warning mission.