The Senate voted unanimously Nov. 15 to pass its $441.6 billion fiscal 2006 defense authorization bill, including authorization for another $50 billion for ongoing operations in Iraq and Afghanistan and a flurry of last-minute amendments affecting programs. The amendments were added by agreement of the bill's managers, Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John Warner (R-Va.) and Carl Levin (Mich.), the committee's ranking Democrat, minutes before the chamber passed the measure 98-0.
A four-year, $62.5 billion extension of the U.S. Army's Future Combat Systems helped drive up the acquisition cost of major defense programs by $65 billion, according to the latest Selected Acquisition Reports. The FCS program costs increased by 63.3 percent from $99 billion to $161.4 billion due to a program restructuring that added $54 billion and a four-year extension that added $8.3 billion, the SAR said. The last SAR reported that FCS costs had gone up $6.3 billion due to the restructuring, announced in 2004 (DAILY, April 15).
NO STUDY: The Senate late Nov. 14 approved a House-Senate conference agreement on the fiscal 2006 Energy Department appropriations measure, which excluded funding for DOE to study the Robust Nuclear Earth Penetrator. The House approved the bill last week (DAILY, Nov. 9), clearing it for President Bush's signature. Defense appropriators also have eliminated funding to study the nuclear bunker-buster, effectively killing the proposal for another year.
The U.S. Marine Corps' Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle program is preparing for its operational assessment in January 2006 as it continues adjusting to the budget cut levied against it in the Pentagon's December 2004 program budget decision. The PBD cut $1.5 billion from the EFV program through 2011, according to Col. Mike Brogan, the Marine Corps' EFV program manager. The production quantity over that time was reduced from 461 vehicles to 208 vehicles, he said, although the cut vehicles will be produced later in the schedule.
Venezuela plans to beef up its military by buying nearly $31 billion worth of equipment through 2012, but frosty relations with the United States means American companies aren't in the sales running, Forecast International said in a new study. If the country follows through on the plan it would be the leading arms buyer in Latin America through the rest of the decade, Forecast said.
South Africa's new Gripen fighter made its first flight in Sweden last week, aircraft marketer Gripen International said Nov. 14. The dual-seat aircraft's basic flight control systems, engine, hydraulics and electrics were validated by two pilots during a one hour and 10 minute flight on Nov. 11.
Senate Democrats said Nov. 14 that Republican senators appear to be adopting their provision to push the Bush administration to outline a policy on U.S. military operations in Iraq. If adopted as an amendment to the fiscal 2006 defense authorization bill, it could set the Senate up for a showdown with the House and the administration. The congressional conference already was going to be contentious over a detainee-interrogation provision added to the Senate bill, as well as different spending authority for several defense programs.
ORION SUPPORT: India is seeking logistics support for two leased P-3C Orion aircraft, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency told Congress Nov. 14. The proposed deal, which would have Lockheed Martin and Logistics Support International supporting the Lockheed-built planes, could be worth up to $133 million.
The first of Australia's Collins-class submarines is about to begin receiving a new tactical combat system and upgraded torpedoes, Australia's defense ministry said Nov. 14. The Replacement Combat System and Heavyweight Torpedo System will be installed over the next 12 months on the HMAS Waller, Defense Minister Robert Hill said. It will be ready to start sea trials in 2007.
NASA's Ames Research Center in California is considering two mission architectures for the first lander mission in the upcoming Robotic Lunar Exploration Program, according to RLEP Program Architect Sylvia Cox. Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., has primary responsibility for executing the 2010 lander mission, informally dubbed "RLEP 2" because it is the second in the proposed series of robotic lunar explorers that will precede the return of astronauts in 2018. The first RLEP mission is the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, scheduled for 2008.
RADA Electronic Industries Ltd., which produces avionics systems and electro-optic cameras for military and commercial customers, reported lower revenue and a net loss of $1.8 million for the first nine months of fiscal 2005. The Israel-based company said last week that revenue was $9.2 million, compared with $10.6 million for the same period the year before. The $1.8 million net loss followed a profit of $476,000 for the first nine months of 2004.
Two retired U.S. Navy admirals last week laid out cases for littoral-dominance capabilities in a possible military conflict with Iran or China, adding weight to the importance of the Littoral Combat Ship and other maritime intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance programs under development.
Lockheed Martin officials met with Army acquisition chief Claude Bolton Nov. 14 to present three options the company has come up with for salvaging the $8 billion Aerial Common Sensor program. The Army issued a 90-day stop-work order to Lockheed Martin in mid-September after learning that the company's chosen platform for ACS, the Embraer ERJ-145 business jet, was too small to carry the multiple intelligence-gathering payloads intended for it. The company was given 60 days to come up with alternatives.
SALES, INCOME UP: Reinhold Industries Inc., which manufactures heat-resistant composite components for rocket propulsion, said Nov. 14 that it recorded gains in sales and net income for the third quarter of 2005. The Santa Fe Springs, Calif., company said sales grew to $8.3 million compared with $7.7 million for the same period the year before, while net income improved to $723,000 after a $2.1 million loss the year before. For the nine months ending Sept.
Contract delays and reduced construction work led to dips in net revenue and net income for Versar Inc. in the first quarter of fiscal 2006. The Springfield, Va.-based company, which provides professional consulting services in national defense, homeland defense and other areas, said Nov. 11 that first quarter '06 net revenue was $8.4 million, down 6 percent from $9 million for the same period in FY '05. Net income fell to $116,000, or 1 cent per share, compared with $407,000, or 5 cents per share, the year before.
Orbital Sciences Corp. said it will provide one geosynchronous communications satellite for Malaysia's Measat Satellite Systems. The Measat-1R will be based on Orbital's Star satellite platform and is scheduled for launch in September 2007. The satellite will carry 12 Ku-band and 12 C-band transponders and three antennas, and is to be launched into a 91.5 degrees East longitude orbital slot, where it will provide direct-to-home TV services in Malaysia and Indonesia and other services.
Ozark, Ala.-based US Helicopter has delivered the first TH-1H training helicopter to the U.S. Air Force, the company said Nov. 11. A ceremony was held at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas, on Nov. 5 for the delivery. The aircraft is the first of 24 that are expected to be fielded over the next four years for the Air Education and Training Command, which is the center for Air Force helicopter training at Fort Rucker in Ozark.
