August 2, 2022 | International, Naval, C4ISR
Coast Guard Wants Better Internet on Its Ships, and More Recruits
Commandant Fagan ties increased connectivity to operational needs and improving Coasties’ quality of life.
August 17, 2020 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security
China’s industry reaps the benefits of political connections, international trade
By: Mike Yeo
MELBOURNE, Australia — China's defense companies continue their strong showing in the Defense News Top 100 list, with two of its companies in this year's top 10.
The Aviation Industry Corporation of China, or AVIC (landing in 6th place), and China North Industries Group Corporation Limited, also known as NORINCO (8th place), reported defense-related revenue figures of $25.07 billion and $14.77 billion respectively.
A third Chinese company in last years top 10, China Aerospace and Science Industry Corporation, or CASIC, dropped one place to 11th in this year's list.
Overall, eight Chinese state-owned defense companies made it into this year's Top 100 ranking of defense companies around the world, including China's two largest shipbuilding conglomerates — China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation and China State Shipbuilding Corporation — which merged in November 2019 to create China State Shipbuilding Corporation Limited, or CSSC.
Signs of growth
China's industrial base has been the beneficiary of the country's economic reform efforts and globalization since the 1970s. The state of Chinese industry took a quantum leap with the end of the Cold War; the Asian economic powerhouse reaped the benefit of an exposure to advanced technology and modern manufacturing methods.
These advances have transferred over to its defense industry, partly as a result of the transfer of civilian technologies, which are not restricted by Western sanctions on arms sales, implemented in response to China's human rights record, or obtained from countries that are not a party to those sanctions, like Russia and Ukraine.
As a result, China's defense industry is today virtually unrecognizable from its early days when it mostly made both licensed and unlicensed copies of Soviet-era equipment. The most obvious of this is the continuing acquisition by China of the Russian Sukhoi Flanker family of fighter jets, which has subsequently seen the Asian country churn out increasingly capable analogs of their Russian counterparts.
Beginning in the early 1990s with the acquisition and license production of the Su-27 interceptor, which has since morphed into the Shenyang J-11B equipped with indigenous avionics and weapons, China has subsequently imported the multirole Su-30 and Su-35 interceptors. The former has formed the basis of the Shenyang J-16, and it is likely both Russian types may form the technological basis for continued upgrades to the J-11 design.
The unprecedented modernization of the People's Liberation Army over the past two decades in lockstep with China's economic development has also meant that the defense industry has been lavishly funded to equip a captive home market.
Meia Nouwens, research fellow for Chinese defense policy and military modernization at the London-based International Institute of Strategic Studies, which helped Defense News compile the Top 100 data for Chinese defense companies, noted that President Xi Jinping is prioritizing defense at a national level as part of an effort to simultaneously pursue geostrategic goals and economic development. The national leadership's political will to transform China into a global power “should not be overlooked,” she said.
She added that China's defense industry is capable of producing high-quality, high-tech defense products, although companies “still seeks to cooperate with international counterparts in academia and industry to gain access to cutting-edge know-how, skills and technology.”
This has taken place alongside a large investment in domestic research and development, which Nouwens said has led to breakthroughs, specifically in the development of China's air-to-air missiles and quantum technology.
For his part, Xi has promoted “the slimming down of large conglomerates, increased coordination with the [People's Liberation Army], enhanced effectiveness and sought to reduce the duplication of efforts,” she added.
Export potential
China's ongoing military modernization efforts means the local defense industry doesn't need to rely on the export market to sustain itself. Nevertheless, Nouwens said, Chinese defense conglomerates may be encouraged to increase exports given that Xi wants them to become increasingly self-sufficient and globally competitive.
She added that the trend of defense exports and transfers being a cornerstone of Chinese diplomacy is likely to continue. The most obvious manifestation of this is China's continued export of materiel to Pakistan as well as the assistance Beijing has provided to developing the South Asian country's own defense industrial base.
A side effect of this support included wedging China's geostrategic rival India, who is also frequently at odds with Pakistan.
Nouwens also touched on the two-tier policy when it comes to China's defense exports, with its top-of-the-line equipment unavailable for export. However, she noted, China has improved the capabilities of defense articles available for export, including submarine technology, more modern frigates and collaboration with Pakistan in developing the JF-17 fighter jet. The latter has also been exported to Myanmar and Nigeria.
One of China's most prominent exports remains its unmanned aircraft, with Nouwens noting that this market segment provided China with a “perfect combination of a capability that addressed a certain gap at a cost significantly cheaper than competitors on the market.”
The window of opportunity has narrowed, however, with the U.S. having relaxed its own UAV export regulations. Countries like Jordan, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, which have all acquired Chinese unmanned aircraft, may now turn to American designs instead; Jordan has already put up its Chinese-built CH-4 drones for sale.
Despite reforms, Nouwens said, China's defense industry is bloated and, in some cases, requires further streamlining, with several of the industry's conglomerates involved in sectors as varied as hospitals and schools.
On the same subject
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September 13, 2018 | International, C4ISR
DISA opens a new operations floor in Utah to boost resiliency
By: Daniel Cebul WASHINGTON — The Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) has opened a second operations watch floor to help operate and secure global information-sharing and command and control capabilities, according to a Sept. 12 press release from the agency. The organization opened the new floor July 15 at Hill Air Force Base in Utah. The center is now known as DISA Global West. The original operations watch floor, DISA Global Operations Command, headquartered at Scott AFB, Illinois will now be known at DISA Global East. Opening a second watch floor improves the survivability and redundancy of global network operations, the DISA statement said, and allows for what's described as 24/7 “Active-Active” operations. “Active-Active” means that DISA is continuously available to provide operational and security capabilities, even if one of the two operation centers goes down. This added layer of redundancy is viewed as critical in an increasingly hostile cyber environment. “In a world where our cyber adversaries are becoming more and more sophisticated in their abilities to infiltrate networks and interfere with services, Active-Active operations allows DISA Global to reduce continuity risks and make the Defense Information Systems Network and DISA services more agile and responsive,” said Laura Williams, the agency's Active-Active program manager. While dividing the work force between locations introduces new difficulties to operations, the agency is confident the move will improve resiliency without compromising capability. “It's always a challenge when you have a geographically separated work force,” said Army Col. Lisa Whittaker, DISA Global commander said in the release. “But we are a tremendous team coming together for this effort. The teammates that work at DISA Global West are closely integrated with those at DISA Global East. They work in the same divisions, have the same leadership, and use the same tools, techniques, tactics, and procedures on a daily basis.” One reason teammates are able to stay on the same page despite being over 1,300 miles apart is the agency's use of an Enterprise Virtual Watch Desk, which provides organizations across the agency a common picture of the operational network. https://www.c4isrnet.com/disa/2018/09/12/disa-opens-a-new-operations-watch-floor-in-utah-to-boost-resiliency
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November 28, 2018 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security
Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - November 27, 2018
ARMY Oshkosh Defense LLC, Oshkosh, Wisconsin, was awarded a $1,698,639,588 modification (P00163) to contract W56HZV-15-C-0095 to exercise available options for 6,107 vehicles and 22,166 kits. Work will be performed in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 30, 2019. Fiscal 2017, 2018 and 2019 other procurement, Army funds; and 2018 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $1,698,639,588 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Warren, Michigan, is the contracting activity. Harris Corp., Colorado Springs, Colorado, was awarded a $217,670,998 hybrid (cost, cost-plus-fixed-fee and firm-fixed-price) contract for monitoring, configuring, and maintaining of the wideband satellite communications operational management system network. Bids were solicited via the internet with three received. Work will be performed in MacDill Air Force Base, Florida; Fort Meade, Maryland; Fort Detrick, Maryland; Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado; Wahiawa, Hawaii; Fort Buckner, Japan; and Landstuhl, Germany, with an estimated completion date of July 31, 2027. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance, Army funds in the amount of $7,912,428 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity (W91260-19-C-0001). Northop Grumman, Herndon, Virginia, was awarded a $37,235,028 modification (P00108) to contract W911S0-11-C-0014 for support services at Fort Leavenworth's center of excellence in combined arms education, doctrine, and leadership training. Work will be performed in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, with an estimated completion date of May 31, 2019. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance, Army funds in the amount of $37,235,028 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Mission and Installation Contracting Command, Fort Eustis, Virginia, is the contracting activity. Barrett Firearms Mfg. Inc., Christiana, Tennessee, was awarded a $7,952,249 firm-fixed-price contract for the procurement of M107, Caliber .50 Long Range Sniper Rifle systems with scope, suppressor and spare kits, M82A1M Caliber .50 Rifle and M107A1. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Nov. 26, 2023. U.S. Army Contracting Command, New Jersey, is the contracting activity (W15QKN-19-D-0009). NAVY Rockwell Collins Simulation & Training Solutions, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, is awarded $21,118,233 for modification P00001 to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract (N6134018C00051) to procure four E-2D Advanced Hawkeye Integrated Training System Distributed Readiness Trainers. These medium fidelity tactics trainers focus on interoperability for distributed training that is required to stay concurrent with the aircraft, and will be delivered with E-2D Delta Software System Configuration 2 (DSSC-2) and with future DSSCs to be integrated into the system later. Work will be performed in Sterling, Virginia (60 percent); the Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan (20 percent); Naval Base Ventura County Point Mugu, California (10 percent); and Naval Air Station Norfolk, Virginia (10 percent), and is expected to be completed in January 2022. Fiscal 2019 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $21,118,233 will be obligated at the time of award; none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division, Orlando, Florida, is the contracting activity. AIR FORCE Apogee Research LLC, Arlington, Virginia, has been awarded an $8,335,013 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for a software systems. This contract provides for developing techniques and software systems that will substantially accelerate software vulnerability research. The Computers and Humans Exploring Software Security program will develop computer-human software systems and capabilities to rapidly discover all classes of vulnerabilities in complex software in a scalable, timely, and consistent manner. Work will be performed in Arlington, Virginia, and is expected to be completed by May 26, 2022. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition and 50 offers were received. Air Force Research Laboratory, Rome, New York, is the contracting activity (FA8750-19-C-0010). WASHINGTON HEADQUARTERS SERVICES Didlake Inc., Manassas, Virginia, was awarded a $7,806,079 firm fixed-price contract. The contract provides custodial services at the Pentagon. Work performance will take place at the Pentagon and Pentagon Reservation in Arlington, Virginia. Pentagon Reservation Maintenance Revolving Fund funds in the amount of $7,806,079 are being obligated on this award. The expected completion date is Nov. 30, 2019. Washington Headquarters Services, Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting activity (HQ0034-15-C-0028). *Small business https://dod.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/1699233/