Pakistani P-3
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Lockheed Martin Corp. Maritime Systems and Sensors in St. Paul, MN received a $186.5 million ceiling-priced modification to a previously awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (N00019-06-D-0012) for the fabrication, integration and testing of 7 P-3 aircraft missions systems for the Government of Pakistan under the Foreign Military Sales Program. Work will be performed in Greensville, SC (90%) and Eagan, MN (10%) and is expected to be complete in July 2011. The contract is part of a larger P-3 buy worth up to $970 million, and according to Lockheed’s February 13, 2007 release, 1 aircraft has already been delivered. The Naval Air Systems Command in Patuxent River, MD issued the contract.

This modification includes a fully capable Inverse Synthetic-Aperture Radar ISAR/SAR, Electronic Support Measures (ESM), acoustic system, Electro-Optical/Infra-Red system, communication system and Inter-Communication System (ICS). In addition, this modification includes the installation of P-3 mission systems into the Orion aircraft. Retired Indian Commodore RS Vasan’s “The impact of induction of the P3C Orion Aircraft on the Indian Navy’s Preparedness: An Assessment” is an excellent source for those who wish to put these activities in context and understand the regional military implications of Pakistan’s expanded P-3 fleet and recent Harpoon missile purchases.

See full coverage here.

“It’s the delivery boy…”
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Shock Tube Systems, Inc. in Moosup, CT received an estimated $15 million firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity contract for MK154 Mod 0 Non-electric Delay Detonators. The MK154 Mod 0 Nonelectric Delay Detonator is a dual initiating/detonating device commonly used by the Navy, Marine Corps, and Special Forces to initiate various demolition materials.

Work will be performed in Sterling, CT and is expected to be complete by January 2012. This contract was competitively procured and advertised on the Internet, with 6 proposals solicited and 2 offers received by the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division in Crane, IN (N00164-07-D-4259)

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Swiss F/A-18Cs
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Boeing subsidiary McDonnell Douglas Corp. in St. Louis, MO received a $6 million modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price delivery order issued under basic ordering agreement N00019-00-G-0148. This modification provides for support for the Phase II C/D fleet retrofit effort to upgrade a variety of systems for 24 F/A-18C and 6 F/A-18D Hornet aircraft for the Government of Switzerland under the Foreign Military Sales Program. Work will be performed in St. Louis, MO and is expected to be complete in March 2009. The Naval Air Systems Command in Patuxent River, MD is the contracting activity.

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The Walsh Group, dba Archer Western Contractors in Chicago, IL received $13.3 million for firm-fixed-price Task Order 0006 for renovation of administrative buildings for use by the Military Sealift Command at Naval Station Norfolk. Work to be performed provides for repairs to Buildings SP-47, SP-48 and SP-64, including the gutting of three buildings and the replacement of all doors and windows. It also provides for the repair and replacement of roofs, exterior brick, heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, fire alarms, sprinkler systems, and steam connections. New construction includes upgrading the parking area, installing lighting, and moving load-bearing interior walls.

Work will be performed in Norfolk, VA under a previously awarded indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity multiple award construction contract (N62470-01-D-1138), and is expected to be completed by August 2008 – but contract funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Mid-Atlantic in Norfolk, VA issued the contract.

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C’mon baby, light my fire…

U.S. Air Forces in Europe (USAFE) officials recently moved to shift serviceable rocket motors from older, first-generation AIM-120A AMRAAM air-air missiles and put them in unserviceable, but newer and more capable AIM-120B and C models, led by 435th Munitions Squadron Airmen. The missiles involved are part of USAFE’s war reserve assets, but also serve as a forward-positioned stockpile for the U.S. Central Command and elsewhere. The in-house weapon overhaul of 63 missiles saved the Air Force more than $31 million and approximately 3 years of time, and was the largest field retrofit in the AMRAAM’s history.

The missiles are generally under warranty with Raytheon, so these kinds of operations are rare. Raytheon contractors worked with the 435th on the project, removing the AIM-120A rocket motors and providing them to Raytheon contractors to place in AIM-120B/C missile stocks. “The new-acquisition costs would have been considerable,” said Capt. Derek Plymate, 435th MUNS operations officer. “What we were able to complete in three weeks would have taken years if we had shipped them back stateside.” US Air Force Link: Missile overhaul creates big savings.

Climb aboard…
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It’s useful to bear in mind that military equipment is often used in ways its manufacturers never imagined, let alone intended. A fine illustration of this principle in action comes to us from the Garmsir area in Helmland Province, southern Afghanstan. The UK MoD release, which includes links to video of the overall operation, described the incident this way [DID has added appropriate links]:

“The UKTF met ferocious Taliban fire from all sides. As planned, Z Company then withdrew back to the far side of the Helmand river having successfully completed their objective. The engagement lasted for approximately five hours…. Having fought for a period, the Marines regrouped. When they discovered Lance Corporal Ford was missing….

And ride ‘em in…
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An initial plan was hatched to use Viking vehicles but they eventually concluded that the Apache WAH-64 attack helicopters would provide a quicker and safer means to get him out and back to safety. And so four troops were strapped to the small side ‘wings’ of two Apaches, two to each helicopter. A third Apache provided aerial cover, and further units laid down a mass of covering fire while the other two Apaches landed. All four men got off, as well as some of the aircrew, to provide additional firepower and to assist with the recovery of Lance Corporal Ford….” [read full article]

UPDATE: The UK MoD has now released photos and video from the operation that includes the WAH-64s with Royal Marines on board.

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Oh, yeah!
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Michelin North America in Greenville, SC received a minimum $852 million fixed-price with economic price adjustment contract for supply, storage, and distribution for all tires on behalf of the US Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps. Work will be performed in Akron, Columbus, and North Canton, OH; Fairfield, NJ; Des Moines, IA; Indiana, PA; New Haven, CT, and Toronto, Canada. There were 23 proposals solicited and 3 responded; this is a base year only contract via the Defense Supply Center Columbus (DSCC) in Columbus, OH (SPM7L10-07-D-7002). The date of performance completion is January 24, 2012, and the 5-year contract also has a 5-year option period worth over $850 million, which would bring the total contract value to $1.7 billion.

A Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) release reveals that contract, as well as the Michelin’s $368.4 million contract with the USAF and Navy, are the result of the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Act 2005 that mandated commodity management privatization of tires. Michelin is cooperating with Lockheed on the supply chain dimension, and with SAIC as well. The US DLA estimates that having tires purchased under the CMP mandate and managed by DLA will deliver an estimated net savings of $172.8 million.

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The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are continuing Lockheed Martin’s supporting role with the Agency’s Coordinating Office for Terrorism Preparedness and Emergency Response (COTPER). This is a single award, 5-year contract, awarded as a Blanket Purchase Agreement under the General Services Administration schedules program. It has an estimated program value of $135 million.

COTPER provides strategic direction to the Agency for all terrorism preparedness and emergency response activities. It manages the CDC Public Health Emergency Preparedness Cooperative Agreement which provides guidance and funding to state and local jurisdictions to enhance their preparedness and response capacity, oversees the CDC Emergency Operations Center, regulates entities that use or transfer biological agents or toxins, and manages the Strategic National Stockpile.

Lockheed Martin’s services will include continuous process improvement, automation and other business consulting; as well as the performance of technical, professional, logistical, engineering and administrative tasks. COPTER functions that fall under the agreement include the Strategic National Stockpile, Office of the Director, Division of Business Services, Division of Emergency Operations, Division of State and Local Readiness, and Division of Select Agents and Toxins.

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Lockheed Martin Government Services, Inc. (formerly ACS Government Solutions Group, Inc. – the original awardee) in Seabrook, MD was awarded a 6th year option of $25.7 million as part of contract MDA220-01-D-0002. The contract covers management of the Retired and Annuitant pay service formerly managed by the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS), which was the subject of an A-76 action. Primary work is performed at DFAS Cleveland, OH and secondary work which includes document scanning and primarily imaging is performed at London, KY.

Under this option work will be performed between Feb. 1, 2007 through Jan. 31, 2008. Funding includes 8 months of FY 2007 dollars and 4 months of FY 2008 dollars. The estimated aggregate face value of this contract at time of award was $346.4 million. The DFAS Contract Services Directorate, Columbus, Ohio, is the contracting activity (MDA220-01-D-0002).

DefenseLINK adds: “Note that an administrative change to the contract number was made in the past year from MDA220-01-C-0002 to the present MDA220-01-D-0002 in order to eliminate system processing issues that exist with long-term contracts that are not input with a ‘D’ contract number.”

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KC-767 refuels KC-777
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DID has covered developments in the USA’s coming aerial tanker program, which could reach 500 planes and/or $100+ billion before all is said and done, and is now listed as the USAF’s #1 procurement priority. The 707-based KC-135 fleet ranges from 40-50 years old, raising the risk that fatigue or aging-related problems could ground them at some unanticipated time. Since aerial transport, fighter strike missions, bomber missions, combat air patrols et. al. all depend on aerial refueling to some degree, a grounding of the KC-135 fleet could be catastrophic for America’s military posture. The formal RFP for the first tranche of 179 aircraft is due out on Tuesday, January 30, 2007, and the big question is… will there be a competition at all?

Boeing is believed to be offering a tanker version of its 767-200 airliner, which sells to commercial customers for about $120 million. Italy and Japan are already KC-767 customer’s. Northrop Grumman and EADS Airbus are offering a modified A330-200 that sells on the commercial market for about $160 million; Australia and Britain are already A330 MRTT customers. Northrop Grumman says the “KC-30 MRTT” can carry 20% more fuel than the 767, plus more cargo or passengers (26 vs. 19 pallets in the cargo deck). The issue for the firm is that the previous two drafts of the KC-X RFP have set only a low set of minimum requirements for the KC-X’s cargo and passenger capacity, without a higher “objective requirement” that offers extra points in evaluations. According to Flight International, Northrop Grumman says that it “does not see how the capabilities of the two competing aircraft can be measured if there is no adequately defined value scale for capabilities above the threshold requirement… Without a capabilities-based assessment [of the rival aircraft], we are concerned the KC-30 will not be competitive.”

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