K-Max and A-160 are awarded the USMC cargo UAV contract.

 K-MAX

 A-160

via NAVAIR.

Navy awards Cargo UAS contract

NAVAL AIR SYSTEMS COMMAND, PATUXENT RIVER, Md. -- The Navy announced today the award of two fixed-price contracts to Boeing/Frontier Systems and Lockheed Martin for Cargo Unmanned Aircraft System services for $29.9 and $45.8 million respectively.

The Cargo UAS services contract is in response to an urgent needs requirement in support of Marine Corps forces in Operation Enduring Freedom. This capability will augment ground and air logistics operations, supplement rotary-wing assets and reduce warfighters’ exposure to Improved Explosive Devices in theater.

“We are trying to get this much needed capability to the warfighter as quickly as possible,” said Rear Adm. Bill Shannon, Program Executive Officer for Unmanned Aviation and Strike Weapons. “By evaluating two different systems, we have the ability to accelerate development of technology and use it immediately to support the warfighter while maintaining competition.”

Both contracts include development of two air vehicles, three remote ground control stations and a Quick Reaction Assessment (QRA). The systems will be government-owned and contractor-operated. Each contract also includes a separate fixed-price option for a six-month deployment.

In order to meet the operational needs of the Marine Corps, the Navy made a decision to award two contracts to reduce potential deployment delays and inability to meet performance requirements. The Navy will conduct a QRA in summer 2011 to prove systems’ ability to sustain cargo-carrying capability in an operational environment. Immediately following a successful QRA, one contractor's in-country service option will be exercised and their system will deploy to OEF.

“While we only plan on deploying one system after a successful QRA, we will explore options for using the second system for future operational missions and/or science and technology development, should it also meet performance requirements,” said Capt. Tim Dunigan, Program Manger for Navy and Marine Corps Multi-Mission Tactical Unmanned Air Systems (PMA-266).

The Navy intends to field Cargo UAS in fall 2011 for a six-month deployment. After the initial deployment, Navy and Marine Corps leadership will assess the value of the capability and determine if an extension or re-compete contract should be pursued.

Wow.  FireScout didn't make the cut.  I wonder what that means for the program.

K-21 Amphibious Infantry Fighting Vehicle not so Amphibious.

Defense News is reporting that a design flaw has been found in the K-21.

"An armored vehicle weighing 25 tons or more is required to maintain at least 20 percent of reserve buoyancy when it crosses the river, but the K2 has been found not to meet that requirement," Kim said, citing the results of a two-month probe of the accidents.
The front of the vehicle, where crew members were on board, became heavier than the rear section, allowing water to flow into the air intake hose of the engine, he said.
The investigation revealed that the spread of the vehicle's weight is unbalanced, with 54.2 percent of the total weight in the front part, said the minister.
The height of the wave plate also is found to be shorter than the requirement, he noted. The plate was required to be 22 centimeters high under the original design requirement, but the manufacturer changed the design in consultations with the Defense Agency for Technology and Quality (DTaQ).
As a result, the plate's height was designed to become 7 to 11 centimeters.
There also was a problem with the drain pump, according to the investigation. When the vehicle moves at full speed, the pressure inside the engine compartment goes down, so more water flows into the compartment. But the pump fails to adequately remove the water.

Designing an amphibious fighting vehicle is alot tougher than many realize.  The K-21 was once touted by some to be a contender to replace the AAV in the USMC.  I never took that talk seriously and the unfortunate deaths and the findings of this study bear that out.

F-22 mission capable rates.

I was reading a story on the CV-22 and its mission capable rate and this juicy tidbit hung over the plate like a 50 mph fastball ready to be taken out of the park....

Many planes also see their mission-capable rates slowly improve as they age. The F-22 Raptor, for example, went from 51.25 percent in 2003 to 60.94 percent in 2010.

Read the whole story here, but this is curious...the Air Force Association and the USAF is not giving us the full story on the F-22 experience.  A mission capable rate that rises from 51 percent to 60 percent is hardly something to brag about and is well below the MV-22 rate which has been claimed as a reason to cancel that airplane.

AMAZING!~

Add to it that the Air Force Association is talking about building more F-22's (read that here) and you have another case of massive spin by an advocacy group for the USAF....the F-22 isn't the world beater many would have us believe.

We finally get a look at the Internally Transportable Vehicle.

Marine Tanks land in Afghanistan. The Video.

Marine Tanks in Afghanistan!

Five M1A1 tanks have arrived to Camp Leatherneck, Afghanistan, and another dozen or so are expected to arrive in the coming weeks. The tanks will undergo maintenance inspections before being assigned missions elsewhere in Helmand province as another tool in waging counterinsurgency operations. In addition to increased maneuverability and precision firepower, M1A1 tanks will provide superior optics and night vision capability, allowing coalition forces to spot improvised explosive devices being emplaced by the Taliban.

AH-1Z approved for full rate production.

via NAVAIR.

AH-1Z approved for full rate production

NAVAL AIR SYSTEMS COMMAND, PATUXENT RIVER, Md. -- The U.S. Marine Corps’ AH-1Z Cobra was approved for full rate production Nov. 28.

The H-1 program office received official word on the milestone III approval decision from Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology & Logistics, Dr. Ashton B. Carter through an acquisition decision memorandum.

"This is the culmination of a lot of focused hard work by a lot of dedicated professionals," said Col. Harry Hewson, the Marines' program manager for light and attack helicopter programs. "We spent the past two years executing a very detailed risk reduction program that tested every part of the weapons and fire control system on the AH-1Z. It performed very well in operational test last spring and I am confident that it will do as well in combat as the UH-1Y is doing right now in Afghanistan. The next phase of this program is getting the Zulu into the hands of the fleet and into combat. The Zulu is going to give the Marines on the ground a whole new level of long range targeting and precision firepower for close air support."

After completing operational testing this summer, the AH-1Z was determined to be operationally effective and suitable, a finding that is a prerequisite to the full rate production decision.

"Getting the Zulu into full rate production is very important for the Marines and for our Nation," said Rear Adm. Steve Eastburg, Program Executive Officer for Air, Assault and Special Mission Programs. "Both the UH-1Y and AH-1Z deliver superb combat effectiveness to the Marine warfighter. We continue to build in production cost efficiencies to ensure that the taxpayer is getting the most for every dollar spent."

The AH-1Z Cobra helicopters are part of the Marine Corps’ H-1 Upgrade Program. The program’s goal is to replace AH-1W helicopters with new and remanufactured AH-1Z which provide significantly greater performance, supportability and growth potential over their predecessors.

A total of 189 new and remanufactured AH-1Z helicopters are anticipated, with deliveries expected to be complete by the end of 2021.

The AH-1Z is expected to achieve initial operating capability and embark on its first deployment in 2011.

The AH-1Z and the UH-1Y, the Marine Corps’ combat utility helicopter, are 84 percent identical. The UH-1Y was approved for full rate production in 2008.

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The Amphibious Triad. Ship to Shore Connector (Future LCAC)

Riedel Ship to Shore Connector Lcac Datasheet

The Amphibious Triad. EFV.

Monty_EFV_AG_working_group_overview_Mar08_resize

China seeks a way out.

It appears that China and N. Korea are looking for a face saving way out of this mess. I guess the actions of the 'little' people in S. Korea calling for retaliation are starting to pay off. Via Fox News.

China calls for urgent talks on North Korea 
Published November 28, 2010
Associated Press

China's nuclear envoy is calling for an emergency meeting of North Korean disarmament talks to discuss the tensions on the Korean peninsula. Wu Dawei says chief negotiators at the six-nation nuclear talks are being asked to come to Beijing in early December for the emergency session. He said in a statement Sunday that the international community, particularly members of the six-party talks, are deeply concerned about recent developments on the peninsula. China was slow at first to react after ally North Korea pummeled a South Korean island with an artillery barrage on Tuesday, but has quickened its diplomatic intervention in recent days. 

Looks like relations with China will be entering a new phase.  First, this attempt by China and N. Korea to achieve a face saving way out will probably fail.  Public passions in the South are running too high.  Second, China was unable to 'enforce' their verbal blockade of the Yellow Sea.  And lastly, China has buckled to US demands that they become involved.

All in all a bad week for the Communist.

Small Unit Space Transport and Insertion Technology Forum.

Did you know that the National Security Space Office held a technology conference on the Small Unit Space Transport and Insertion Concept (SUSTAIN) on 24-26 Feb 2009?

I didn't  and I don't recall any coverage of it either.  It appears that work had been conducted on a couple of concepts and one that seems rather well thought out (better said is that they had glossy power points) is the K2.  More to come....I can't find out whether this is ongoing or has been swallowed up by the Air Force's X-37 project.

Hmmm, we're worried about WW3 in Asia when the real news is happening in Europe.

Sometime I wonder if we're not being caught up in a massive shell game.  While everyone is focusing on the crisis in Asia between the two Korea's, the really big news that could plunge the world into the 2nd great depression is occurring in Europe.  Specifically Ireland and how Germany's people react to another bailout.

Read more here...and here....and here....

I hope you've participated in the "new" fashion trend of being frugal.  But if you splurged then be careful.  Something appears to be brewing in Europe and few seem to be paying attention.