Congress tells Air Force to upgrade skiplanes as Arctic heats up

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  February 25, 2019 | International, Aerospace

  SpaceX, ULA each get Air Force contracts for trio of space launches

  By: Valerie Insinna WASHINGTON — The battle between military space juggernaut United Launch Alliance and its upstart rival SpaceX continues, with the two companies splitting a collection of launch contracts worth $739 million awarded by the Air Force on Tuesday. ULA, a joint venture of Boeing and Lockheed Martin, picked up a $442 million award for three launches, while Elon Musk's SpaceX nabbed a $297 million contract for another three launches. Each company will be responsible for “launch vehicle production, mission integration, mission launch operations/spaceflight worthiness, and mission unique activities,” according to the contract award. ULA will deliver the following payloads as part of its contract: Silent Barker, a secret payload developed by the Air Force and National Reconnaissance Office, which will improve situational awareness after it is launched in fiscal year 2022. SBIRS GEO-5, the fifth geostationary satellite in the Space Based Infra Red Sensor constellation, will improve early warning for missile launches. SBIRS GEO-5 is set to be launched in FY21. SBIRS GEO-6, the sixth geostationary satellite in the SBIRS constellation, could be launched in FY22, but no firm date has been set. Meanwhile SpaceX will launch these payloads: NROL-85, a classified intelligence payload launched for the NRO, expected to be launched in FY21 NROL-87, another classified NRO payload set for a FY21 launch date. AFSPC-44, an Air Force satellite also set to be launched in FY21. The service hasn't released much information about this payload's capabilities or purpose. The contracts were awarded by the Air Force's Space and Missile Systems Center as part of the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle program. In a statement, Lt. Gen. John Thompson, commander of SMC and program executive officer for space programs, defended the service's strategy of awarding launch contracts in a way that balances rewarding low-price bids while also maintaining competition among rocket makers. “The competitive award of these EELV launch service contracts directly supports SMC's mission of delivering resilient and affordable space capabilities to our nation while maintaining assured access to space” he said. https://www.defensenews.com/space/2019/02/20/spacex-ula-each-get-air-force-contracts-for-trio-of-space-launches/

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  January 2, 2019 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security

  Statement From Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick M. Shanahan

  Under the direction of President Trump, the Department of Defense remains focused on safeguarding our nation. We have deep respect for Secretary Mattis' lifetime of service, and it has been a privilege to serve as his deputy secretary. As acting secretary of defense, I now look forward to working with President Trump to carry out his vision alongside strong leaders including the service secretaries, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the combatant commanders, and senior personnel in the Office of the Secretary of Defense. The Department of Defense continues to be one of our nation's bedrock institutions. Our foundational strength lies in the remarkable men and women who volunteer to serve our country and protect our freedoms, while making immense personal sacrifice. It is an honor to work with such a dedicated team committed to the greatness of our nation. https://dod.defense.gov/News/News-Releases/News-Release-View/Article/1722850/statement-from-acting-secretary-of-defense-patrick-m-shanahan/

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  June 23, 2020 | International, Aerospace, C4ISR

  Aviation Week Forecasts: Western C4ISR Commercial Airliner Aircraft MRO 2020-2029

  June 23, 2020 Aviation Week Network forecasts that from 2020 to 2029, Western-built commercial airliners performing military C4ISR (command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance) missions will generate $20.7 billion in maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) demand, declining 4% over the decade. These figures only include aircraft categorized as commercial airliners that are specifically equipped to perform C4ISR missions against land and airborne targets—everything from aircraft equipped with just electro-optic/infrared (EO/IR) devices to sophisticated electronic warfare platforms. Excluded are observation aircraft not specially equipped for C4ISR missions, any dedicated search-and-rescue aircraft, and military VIP transports. The single largest source of MRO demand over the forecast is the Boeing 707, which will produce a dominant 78.6% of the global forecast total. The 707 is the base airframe for 13 different C4ISR platforms around the globe, including the U.S.'s E-3, E-6, and E-8 fleets. Despite the dominance, the 707's annual demand will decline 14.5% in the next 10 years. Boeing's queen of the skies, the 747, will produce the second most MRO demand this decade, albeit a 10th of the 707. The 747 takes the lead in terms of MRO decline, shedding 33.5% of its demand by 2029 as the U.S. Air Force is expected to retire some of its smallest but most expensive-to-maintain fleets like the E-4. There is an estimated $330 million in MRO demand for yet-undecided military competitions and requirements that are assessed to be won by a commercial airliner C4ISR platform. While only 1.6% of the forecast total, it is 7.1% of the total in 2029, making it the second-largest source of MRO that year. https://aviationweek.com/defense-space/z/aviation-week-forecasts-western-c4isr-commercial-airliner-aircraft-mro-2020-2029