June 30, 2023 | International, Aerospace
US State Dept. clears $5.6 billion sale of F-35s for Czech Republic
The sale, according to the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, would include 24 F-35 Joint Strike Fighters.
July 29, 2020 | International, Land
GOP coronavirus bill includes at least $7 billion for weapons programs
By: Joe Gould
WASHINGTON ― Senate Republicans' proposed $1 trillion coronavirus relief package includes at least $7 billion for weapons programs, part of $29 billion for defense overall.
The 177-page draft appropriations legislation unveiled Monday would include funding for military helicopters, aircraft, ships and missile defense systems.
The bill also includes $11 billion to reimburse defense contractors for coronavirus-related expenses, as authorized by Section 3610 of the CARES Act. Defense firms and trade associations have lobbied for the funding, fearing the Pentagon would otherwise have to tap modernization and readiness accounts.
The legislation's release marks the end of weeks of wrangling between the White House and congressional Republicans, who are still divided over its price tag. It also kicks off the start of formal negotiations with Democrats.
“The American people need more help. They need it to be comprehensive. And they need it to be carefully tailored to this crossroads,” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said on the Senate floor Monday.
The inclusion of defense spending, which Republicans have reportedly touted as essential for the economy and national defense, was just one aspect criticized by Senate Appropriations Committee Vice Chairman Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., who said the overall package was inadequate to protect Americans
“If all of this were not bad enough, the bill contains billions of dollars for programs unrelated to the coronavirus, including over $8 billion for what appears to be a wish-list from the Department of Defense for manufacturing of planes, ships, and other weapons systems,” Leahy said in a statement.
The pandemic has created weapons program slowdowns, temporary factory closures and cash flow problems, particularly for smaller firms. The Pentagon was been working in close communication to respond to the problems, largely by making billions of dollars in advance payments to contractors.
Congress previously sent the Defense Department $10.5 billion under the CARES Act.
Defense primes Boeing and Lockheed Martin appear to be the major beneficiaries of procurement dollars in the proposed bill.
The bill includes more than $1 billion for Boeing P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol planes for the Navy.
The Air Force would receive $686 million for additional Lockheed F–35A jets, $720 million for Lockheed C–130Js and $650 million for A–10 wing replacements―which Boeing is contracted to perform.
Shipbuilding funds include $1.45 billion for four expeditionary medical ships, $260 million for one expeditionary fast transport ship, with $250 million for for amphibious shipbuilding and $250 for the surface combatant supplier base program.
The Army would receive $375 million more to upgrade the Double V-Hull Strykers and $283 million for new AH–64 Apache Block IIIB helicopters.
The bill would boost missile defense accounts, with more than $300 million for the the Lockheed Martin-made Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) program and its Raytheon-made AN/TPY-2 radar. Another $200 million would be to extend the life of the Ground-Based Midcourse Defense (GMD) system, for which Boeing is the prime contractor.
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May 8, 2023 | International, Aerospace
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July 2, 2019 | International, Naval
Three companies awarded $1.8B to support Navy shipbuilding programs
By Allen Cone June 27 (UPI) -- Three companies -- BAE System Technology Solutions and Services Inc., Serco and Scientific Research Corp. -- have been awarded combined contracts by the U.S. Navy worth up to $1.8 billion to support the branch's shipbuilding programs, including communications and computers systems aboard vessels. The initially obligated amount on orders will not exceed $747 million throughout the duration of the awarded contracts, the Defense Department said in an announcement Wednesday. The work will be performed aboard new construction aircraft carriers and large deck amphibious ships, including refueling and complex overhaul ships. The programs require integrated work on integrated command, control, communications, computers and intelligence systems, or C4I. This includes logistics, integration, engineering, procurement, fabrication, assembly, test, inspection, zone integration and installation. The integrated capability comprises distributed systems that provide network capabilities, communications, command and control, intelligence, and non-tactical data. The breakdown is $601.5 million for BAE, $608.2 million for Serco and $599.5 million for Scientific, the Pentagon said. Seventy-three percent of the work will be performed in Newport News, Va., 17 percent in Charleston, S.C. and 10 percent in Pascagoula, Miss. Work is expected to be completed by June 2029. No contract funds have been obligated at the time of award. Each company will receive $50,000 on the first task order under each contract, which won't expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Naval fiscal 2017 shipbuilding and conversion, fiscal 2019 shipbuilding and conversion, and fiscal 2019 research and development funds will be obligated. https://www.upi.com/Defense-News/2019/06/27/Three-companies-awarded-18B-to-support-Navy-shipbuilding-programs/5311561636928/