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May 13, 2019 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security, Other Defence

La défense européenne : utopie ou réalités

(B2) C'est le titre de l'ouvrage que je prépare pour les éditions du Villard. ‘Utopie ou réalités', c'est bien le dilemme auquel est confrontée aujourd'hui l'Europe de la défense ou la défense européenne

Je ne compte pas donner de bonne recette ou asséner une vérité. Dans ce domaine, il y a assez de théorie et d'idéologie, souvent assez binaire. La principale ambition de cet ouvrage est ailleurs. Il s'agit de découvrir et d'expliquer les dernières nouveautés, les acquis déjà opérationnels, les projets en cours, les défis ou simplement les idées. Tout cela avec des arguments, précis, puisés aux meilleures sources, et de façon la plus compréhensible possible.

Nous visiterons ainsi le fonds européen de défense, l'hypothèse d'une DG Défense à la Commission européenne, le commandement aérien intégré, l'ébauche d'un QG permanent militaire européen, l'initiative européenne d'intervention comme les idées d'avoir un Conseil européen de sécurité ou une armée européenne. Un ou deux invités surprises viendront compléter ou nuancer mon propos, tel un contrepoint.

Cet ouvrage est à paraitre dès que possible et au plus tard d'ici l'automne. Il aurait dû sortir avant ; j'en avais parlé à quelques uns d'entre vous. Mais ma résidence dans les Alpes a brûlé en partie (1). Ce qui a un peu bousculé mon planning, m'obligeant à départir une grosse partie de mon temps pour rétablir au plus vite ce qui est mon principal poumon et ma principale respiration dans ce monde complexe et où la rapidité prime sur la compréhension, ma résidence d'écriture en quelque sorte.

(Nicolas Gros-Verheyde)

  1. Heureusement nous avions une bonne assurance (du moins je l'espère), la Maïf pour ne pas la nommer. Je compte vivement sur cet assureur pour nous aider à franchir ce mauvais pas, préserver le maximum et rétablir l'habitation le plus vite possible.

https://www.bruxelles2.eu/2019/05/11/defense-europeenne-utopie-ou-realite/

On the same subject

  • Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - February 11, 2019

    February 13, 2019 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security, Other Defence

    Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - February 11, 2019

    NAVY Lockheed Martin Corp., Rotary and Mission Systems, Moorestown, New Jersey, is awarded a $211,996,197 cost-plus-incentive-fee, cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to previously-awarded contract N00024-18-C-5105 for incorporation of remaining Baseline J7 scope for new-construction DDG Aegis Weapon System J7 Baseline development and integration in support of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF). This modification will provide for continued JMSDF Aegis Combat System J7 Baseline development and integration. These efforts include full operational capability at the development test sites, execution of J7 Baseline development and integration activities, integration of Japanese domestic ship systems, in-country integrated test team support and provision of technical manuals, logistics and staging activities. Work will be performed in Moorestown, New Jersey (73 percent); Yokohama, Japan (11 percent); Mount Laurel, New Jersey (6 percent); Kawasaki, Japan (3 percent); Nasu, Japan (3 percent); Nagoya, Japan (2 percent); Tokyo, Japan (1 percent); and Washington, District of Columbia (1 percent), and is expected to be completed by October 2021. Foreign Military Sales funding in the amount of $211,996,197 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. The Raytheon Co., El Segundo, California, is awarded an $88,443,303 cost-plus-fixed-fee indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the modification and upgrade of the sensor system software and hardware for the F/A-18/EA-18G aircraft to incorporate updates, improvements, and enhancements of tactical capabilities. Services to be provided include technical support for hardware and software anomaly investigation, design, development, documentation, integration, test, and evaluation of systems and support equipment. Work will be performed in El Segundo, California, and is expected to be completed in February 2024. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $1,399,824 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. The Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division, China Lake, California, is the contracting activity (N6893619D0001). Amee Bay LLC,* Hanahan, South Carolina (N64498-19-D-4013); Aviation Maritime Support Services LLC,* Chesapeake, Virginia (N64498-19-D-4014); and Thermcor Inc.,* Norfolk, Virginia (N64498-19-D-4015), were each awarded a cost-plus-fixed fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite quantity multiple award contract with firm-fixed-priced ordering provisions for engineering and technical services to support the Naval Surface Warfare Center Philadelphia Division's (NSWCPD) Hull, Mechanical and Electrical (HM&E) modernization programs. Amee Bay LLC is awarded $57,337,423; Aviation Maritime Support Services LLC is awarded $63,775,817; and Thermcor Inc. is awarded $63,795,441. The mission of NSWCPD is to transition hull, mechanical and electrical machinery technology to the Navy active/reserve fleet, and support various sponsors for Navy modernization programs. This requires development and execution of various ship changes and ship alterations to upgrade and maintain in a more cost-effective and timely manner the system/equipment readiness of various Navy HM&E and electronic systems. The engineering and technical support services for this requirement are primarily small, minimally intrusive, turn-key equipment level modernization projects that are generally accomplished pierside at the various homeports outside of Chief Naval Operations availabilities. The installation process consists of several phases, including advance planning, ship check, assessments, fabrication, prototype evaluation and installation, final design shipboard installation, testing and completion. Work will be performed at various Navy bases, shipyards, repair facilities and contractor facilities in the continental U.S. and is expected to be completed by January 2024. Fiscal 2018 and 2019 other procurement (Navy) funding in the amount of $520,000 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance (Navy) funding in the amount of $108,000 will also be obligated at time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities website, with five offers received. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Philadelphia Division, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is the contracting activity. (Awarded Feb. 8, 2019) McKinsey & Co. Inc., Washington, District of Columbia, is awarded $15,730,560 for modification P00002 to a firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-price delivery order N6833518F0362 previously issued against blanket purchase agreement (N68335-18-A-0042) in support of the F-35 Lightning II affordability campaign for the Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force. The modification provides for maturation of the current effort through expansion and refinement of existing scope, including strategic sourcing, senior leadership team offsite, and major contract actions. Work will be performed in Arlington, Virginia, and is expected to be completed in June 2019. Fiscal 2018 aircraft procurement (Navy); and fiscal 2019 aircraft procurement (Marine Corps and Air Force) funds in the amount of $15,730,560 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the fiscal year. This modification combines purchases for the Navy ($6,001,250; 38 percent); Marine Corps ($6,001,250; 38 percent), and Air Force ($3,728,060; 24 percent). The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. DEFENSE FINANCE AND ACCOUNTING SERVICE CACI Inc. Federal, Chantilly, Virginia, has been awarded a not-to-exceed $11,530,702 modification (P00010) to previously awarded contract HQ0423-15-F-5001 for comptroller mission systems support for the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller). This modification exercises Option Year 4 with a period of performance of Feb. 16, 2019, through Feb. 15, 2020. The modification brings the total cumulative face value of the contract to $51,604,376 from $40,073,674. Work will be performed at the Pentagon and in remote locations within the National Capital Region with an expected completion date of Feb. 15, 2020. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance Defense-wide funds in the amount of $11,530,702 are being obligated at time of award. The Defense Finance and Accounting Service, Columbus, Ohio, is the contracting activity. *Small Business https://dod.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/1754592/

  • Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - June 13, 2019

    June 14, 2019 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security, Other Defence

    Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - June 13, 2019

    NAVY Resource Management Concepts Inc.,* Lexington Park, Maryland, is awarded a $101,231,753 cost-plus-fixed-fee, cost-reimbursable, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. This contract provides for information technology engineering and management services for aircraft, avionics, and weapons system requirements in support of the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division's Integrated Battlespace Simulation and Test Department (AD 5.4). Work will be performed in Patuxent River, Maryland (71 percent); Orlando, Florida (7 percent); San Diego, California (6 percent); Jacksonville, Florida (6 percent); Point Mugu, California (5 percent); and Cherry Point, North Carolina (5 percent), and is expected to be completed in July 2023. No funds are being obligated at time of award, funds will be obligated on individual task orders as they are issued. This contract was competitively procured via an electronic request for proposals as a 100 percent small business set-aside; two offers were received. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N00421-19-D-0065). Harper Construction Co. Inc., San Diego, California, is awarded $56,127,477 for firm-fixed-price task order N6247317F4705 under a previously awarded multiple award construction contract (N62473-16-D-1881) for construction of a maintenance hangar, maintenance shop and administrative building at Marine Corps Air Station, Yuma, Arizona. The work to be performed provides for the construction of three facilities in support of project P612 which includes a maintenance hangar, maintenance shop, and an administrative building. Associated work at all three sites includes, but is not limited to, testing and abatement for hazardous materials, demolition/disposal, site grading/prep, utility infrastructure work and relocation of aircraft point-of-service power, repair and install of airfield and other paving, optional photovoltaic system at the hangar site, testing, commissioning, and all incidental related work necessary to provide complete and usable facilities. The task order also contains one unexercised option, which if exercised would increase the cumulative task order value to $56,826,414. Work will be performed in Yuma, Arizona, and is expected to be completed by April 2022. Fiscal 2017 military construction (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $56,127,477 are obligated on this award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Four proposals were received for this task order. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southwest, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity. Multi-MAC JV,* Yuma, Arizona, is awarded a maximum amount $50,000,000 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity architect-engineering contract for compliance with air emission regulations, Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act regulations, greenhouse gas and all other environmental media regulations to support Navy, Marine Corps, and other Department of Defense installations and federal agencies worldwide. No task orders are being issued at this time. All work on this contract will be performed at various Navy and Marine Corps facilities and other government facilities within the Naval Facilities Engineering Command Atlantic area of responsibility including, but not limited to, California (45 percent); Virginia (15 percent); North Carolina (15 percent); Florida (5 percent); Maryland (5 percent); Washington (5 percent); Georgia (5 percent); and Europe Africa Southwest Asia (5 percent). The term of the contract is not to exceed 60 months with an expected completion date of June 2024. Fiscal 2019 operation and maintenance (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $10,000 are obligated on this award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Future task orders will be primarily funded by operation and maintenance (Navy). This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website, with three proposals received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N62470-19-D-4010). Technical Data Analysis Inc.,* Falls Church, Virginia, is awarded a $37,735,874 cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract to provide engineering and technical support services for the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division Air Vehicle Department. Engineering and technical support services for this effort shall include analysis, development, and integration of warfare systems, aircraft structural life surveillance, service life assessments and service life extensions in support of various Navy and Marine Corps platforms. Work will be performed in Patuxent River, Maryland, and is expected to be completed in August 2024. No funds will be obligated at the time of award. Funds will be obligated on individual orders as they are issued. This contract was a small business set-aside, competitively procured via an electronic request for proposal; one offer was received. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N00421-19-D-0069). Raytheon Co., Goleta, California, is awarded a $32,977,260 firm-fixed-price contract to conduct a demonstration of existing technologies (DET) in support of the Dual Band Decoy Program. This DET will demonstrate expanded capabilities of the Integrated Defensive Electronic Countermeasures AN/ALE-55 Fiber Optic Towed Decoy and AN/ALE-50 Advanced Airborne Expendable Decoy used on the F/A-18E/F aircraft. Work will be performed in Goleta, California, and is expected to be completed in September 2021. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $12,000,000 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via a broad agency announcement, with three offers received. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N0001919C1026). Cape Environmental Management Inc.,* Honolulu, Hawaii, is awarded $13,611,247 for cost-plus-award-fee task order N6274219F0129 under a previously awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (N62742-16-D-1807) for implementation of remedial alternatives to address sediments contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyls and metals at the Pearl Harbor sediment site. The selected remedies to be implemented will include placement of a thin-layer of clean material for enhanced natural recovery (ENR) and treatment of contaminated sediment with activated carbon amendment material in under-pier areas where dredging or other active remedies are impracticable. The remedy action also includes pre-ENR dredging of sediment where necessary, to provide sufficient clearance below the authorized maintenance dredging elevation for the placement of clean material for ENR. Work will be performed in Oahu, Hawaii, and is expected to be completed by June 2022. Fiscal 2019 environmental restoration (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $13,611,247 are obligated on this award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. One proposal was received for this task order. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Pacific, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, is the contracting activity. WR Systems, Fairfax, Virginia, is awarded a $10,918,406 cost-plus-fixed-fee, firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the production, engineering, technical and logistical services associated with delivery and technical support of the AN/SPA-25H Indicator Group. These systems support surface ships and are the standard data and distribution system from radar sensors to navigational and tactical displays. Additionally, the Navy has a need to procure durable and reliable state-of the-art switchboards, decoders, converters, switches and upgrades, for existing AN/SPA-25G and AN/SPA-25H installations. Work will be performed in Norfolk, Virginia (90 percent); and various Navy shipyards (10 percent), and is expected to be completed by May 2024. Fiscal 2018 and 2019 other procurement (Navy); and fiscal 2016 and 2017 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funding in the amount of $2,335,439 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured on the basis of full and open competition via the Federal Business Opportunities website, with four offers received. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren Division, Dahlgren, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N0017819D4505). ARMY Baker Jacobs JV, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was awarded a $46,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for architect-engineer services. Bids were solicited via the internet with nine received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of June 12, 2024. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Louisville, Kentucky, is the contracting activity (W912QR-19-D-0030). CGI Federal Inc., Fairfax, Virginia, was awarded a $34,414,693 modification (P00049) to contract W911S0-15-C-0004 for Operational and Environment Core functions support services. Work will be performed in Fort Eustis, Virginia, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 9, 2020. Fiscal 2190 operations and maintenance, Army funds in the amount of $23,000,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Mission and Installation Contracting Command, Fort Eustis, Virginia, is the contracting activity. TiER1 Performance Solutions LLC,* was awarded a $19,000,000 hybrid (cost-plus-fixed-fee and firm-fixed-price) contract for research and development. Bids were solicited via the internet with 63 received. Work locations and funds will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of June 13, 2024. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W911NF-19-D-0002). Oshkosh Defense LLC, Oshkosh, Wisconsin, was awarded a $17,335,100 hybrid (cost-plus-fixed-fee and firm-fixed-price) contract for re-baselining the current production configuration and the procurement of capability enhancements to Government Furnished M1070A1 Heavy Equipment Transporters. One bid was solicited with one received. Work will be performed in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, with an estimated completion date of July 31, 2020. Fiscal 2019 other procurement, Army funds in the amount of $17,355,100 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Warren, Michigan, is the contracting activity (W56HZV-15-D-0031). Avion Solutions Inc.,* Huntsville, Alabama, was awarded a $15,189,965 modification (0002 18) to Foreign Military Sales (Afghanistan, Bahrain, Croatia, Egypt, Jordan, Latvia, Saudi Arabia, Slovakia, Sweden, Tunisia and United Arab Emirates) contract W31P4Q-15-A-0029 for logistics support services. Work will be performed in Huntsville, Alabama, with an estimated completion date of June 16, 2020. Fiscal 2019 Foreign Military Sales; other procurement, Army; operations and maintenance, Army; and research, development, test, and evaluation funds in the amount of $15,189,965 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity. GTA Containers Inc.,* South Bend, Indiana, was awarded a $14,706,913 firm-fixed-price contract for procurement of collapsible fabric tanks. Two bids were solicited with two bids received. Work will be performed in South Bend, Indiana, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 6, 2022. Fiscal 2019 Army working capital funds in the amount of $14,706,913 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Warren, Michigan, is the contracting activity (W56HZV-19-F-0409). Goodrich Corp., Brea, California, was awarded a $12,634,182 firm-fixed-price contract for maintenance and overhaul of the Hoist, Internal Rescue. 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 June 10, 2024. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity (W58RGZ-19-D-0037). Oxford Federal LLC, Sheridan, Wyoming, was awarded a $7,762,098 firm-fixed-price Foreign Military Sales (Israel) contract for Site 13900. Six bids were solicited with three bids received. Work will be performed in Tel Aviv, Israel, with an estimated completion date of July 31, 2020. Fiscal 2019 Foreign Military Sales funds in the amount of $7,762,098 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Wiesbaden, Germany, is the contracting activity (W912GB-19-F-0111). CORRECTION: A contract announced on June 12, 2019, for IBM Corp., Bethesda, Maryland (W912DY-19-F-0396), for $9,500,000 incorrectly identified the purpose of the contract. The contract is for the Department Of Defense High Performance Computing Modernization Program, Technology Insertion, Army Research Laboratory, Order 17 - Containerized Machine Learning System. All other information in the announcement was correct. U.S. SPECIAL OPERATIONS COMMAND The Boeing Co., Ridley Park, Pennsylvania, was awarded a $30,778,000 firm-fixed-price type delivery order (H92241-19-F-0091) under an existing contract (W91215-16-G-0001) to procure components and parts in support of MH-47G rotary wing aircraft. This action is required to satisfy an urgent need to sustain U.S. Special Operations Forces (SOF) heavy assault, rotary wing aircraft, to mitigate the impact of the MH-47G aircraft availability in light of increased SOF operational demands and to procure H-47 long-range, rotary wing aircraft under foreign military sales acquisition procedures for the United Kingdom. Fiscal 2019 Aircraft Procurement, Army funds in the amount of $20,778,000 and no-year Foreign Military Spending funding from the United Kingdom in the amount of $10,000,000 shall be obligated at time of award for the acquisition of long-lead components and parts in support of the MH-47G Block II Production Program. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The majority of the work will be performed in Ridley Park. U.S. Special Operations Command Headquarters, Tampa, Florida, is the contracting activity. DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Sea Box,* Cinnaminson, New Jersey, has been awarded a maximum $7,364,845 firm-fixed-price contract for TRICON containers. This was a sole-source acquisition using justification 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(2) and 41 U.S. Code 3304(A)(2), as stated in Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-2(a)(2). This is a one-year base contract with no option periods. Location of performance is New Jersey, with Dec. 31, 2019, performance completion date. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime, Warren, Michigan (SPRD11-19-C-0220). *Small business https://dod.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/1875427/source/GovDelivery/

  • US Air Force nuclear, space programs take hit in border wall reprogramming

    May 14, 2019 | International, Aerospace

    US Air Force nuclear, space programs take hit in border wall reprogramming

    By: Joe Gould , Aaron Mehta , and Valerie Insinna Correction: A previous version of this story contained an erroneous amount of reprogrammed money. The story has been updated to show the Pentagon reprogrammed $1.5 billion in FY19 funds. WASHINGTON — In the wake of the Pentagon reprogramming $1.5 billion in fiscal 2019 funds to support President Donald Trump's border wall with Mexico, only the U.S. Air Force appears to be losing money appropriated for equipment updates. The funding largely comes from personnel accounts in the Air Force, Navy and Army. But the Air Force is the only service to lose funding for hardware, including nuclear and conventional weapons, surveillance aircraft updates, and space programs. Overall, the Pentagon reprogrammed $818.465 million from FY19 defense appropriations, as well as $681.535 million from FY19 overseas contingency operations accounts, or OCO, to reach that $1.5 billion total. Lawmakers expressed concern that the use of military resources and manpower on the southern border will damage military readiness. However, acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan said last week that ongoing deployments to support the Defense Department aren't doing so. “We've seen no degradation to readiness,” he told Senate appropriators May 8 at a defense budget hearing. “In fact, in some cases, it's enhanced our readiness because the troops get to perform certain functions.” Congressional Democrats and some Republicans have objected to the administration's use of this mechanism for funding the president's border wall, arguing it bypasses Congress' constitutional power of the purse. For the second time in recent weeks, the Pentagon ignored decades of precedent and carried out the transfer of funds without first consulting with the Senate Appropriations Committee. Sen. Patrick Leahy, the Senate Appropriations Committee's top Democrat, led a letter to Shanahan on May 10 to object to the latest instance, saying it harms hurricane cleanup at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida. “We are dismayed that the Department has chosen to prioritize a political campaign promise over the disaster relief needs of our service members, given the finite reprogramming authority available," the lawmakers wrote. They noted that Shanahan's decision to notify Congress of the reprogramming came a day after he testified before the subpanel that oversees defense spending, and they wrote that they welcomed his views on “how you intend to repair the damaged relationship between the defense oversight committees and the [Defense] Department.” The letter was also signed by the Senate Armed Services Committee's top Democrat, Sen. Jack Reed, as well as Democratic Sens. Dick Durbin, Brian Schatz, Tom Udall , Patty Murray, Chris Murphy, Tammy Baldwin, Dianne Feinstein and Jon Tester. The reprogramming could be a topic at Shanahan's future confirmation hearing for the full job of defense secretary. A date for that hearing has not been set. Why the Air Force? About half of the non-OCO $818 million sum the Defense Department wants to redirect to the border comes from Air Force accounts, with space and missile programs taking the biggest hit. In total, the Pentagon expects the service to shear $402 million off its FY19 budget. About $210 million would be cut from Air Force space programs, specifically the Evolved Expandable Launch Vehicle program, which funds the use of rockets that send satellites and other capabilities into space. According to the reprogramming document, one rocket launch has been canceled due to the “Space Test Program (STP)-4 satellite provider termination of the Robotic Servicing of Geosynchronous Satellites (RSGS) spacecraft,” which is no longer necessary under the National Security Strategy. The Air Force's program for modernizing its E-3 Sentry early warning aircraft — more commonly called AWACS — also could lose funding that it no longer needs in FY19. The program, "Diminishing Manufacturing Sources Replacement of Avionics for Global Operations and Navigation,” or DRAGON, updates the E-3's avionics and brings it into compliance with future air traffic control requirements. But it is moving too slowly to use all of the funds it was appropriated in FY19, so the administration aims to have $57 million diverted for border protection. DRAGON has been delayed for two reasons, according to the reprogramming request. First, “aircraft have been available for programmed depot maintenance” at a slower-than-planned rate, dragging out the modification schedule. Additionally, DRAGON integration can only occur after AWACS are upgraded to the Block 40/45 configuration, and not all aircraft have gone through that process. The Air Force sees AWACS as a key part of its initial version of the Advanced Battle Management System, a family of systems that will provide ground surveillance across the different military services. Instead of retiring seven E-3s in FY18, Gen. Mike Holmes, head of Air Combat Command, said those planes could be upgraded with new sensors and communications gear. However, DRAGON isn't the only modernization effort for the Sentry that is moving slower than expected. In November, Bloomberg reported that the service terminated a contract with Boeing to upgrade the AWAC's characteristic disc-shaped radar due to repeated delays. Other Air Force programs that will take a hit include a planned upgrade to the Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile and the air-launched cruise missile programs. A number of top defense officials previously said nuclear modernization is the top priority for the Pentagon, including Ellen Lord, the department's acquisition head, who on May 1 told Congress: “We have weapons that are decades over what was supposed to be their useful life. And we are out of time. We need to continue on the path we're on, or we are going to fall behind and not have the nuclear deterrence that we enjoy today.” The document reprograms $24.3 million, of the $124.5 million appropriated in FY19, from the Minuteman III Launch Control Block Upgrade program; the document claims funds are available due to a “slip in the production schedule for FY 2020.” Meanwhile, $29.6 million — more than half of the $47.6 million appropriated for the air-launched cruise missile programs in FY19 — will be reprogrammed. The explanation for that change: “Funds are available due to contract savings from reduced guided missile flight controller modification requirements; and due to lack of executable requirements for Support Equipment and Low Cost Mods in FY 2019.” The reprogramming of funds for the Hellfire missile is also notable, as the Pentagon has identified a lack of munitions stockpiles as a major issue to address in its budget request. As an example, the FY20 budget called for the maximum rate of production possible on Hellfire: $730.8 million for 9,000 of the weapons. The document states that funds are “available due to contract savings from all variants that provide precision kill capabilities. Savings are attributed to negotiated lower unit costs per missile system.” https://www.defensenews.com/smr/federal-budget/2019/05/13/us-air-force-nuclear-space-programs-take-hit-in-border-wall-reprogramming/

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