October 1, 2020 | International, Aerospace

Lockheed, Pentagon agree on $70.6M settlement over F-35 parts problems

Sept. 30 (UPI) -- Lockheed Martin will invest nearly $71 million to correct an ongoing problem with spare parts for the F-35 fighter plane, an agreement the Pentagon states.

The agreement, announced on Tuesday, will be formalized within two weeks, a Defense Contract Management Agency spokesman said.

The deal refers to over 15,000 F-35 spare parts delivered to the U.S. military without "electric equipment logs," which permit the parts to the identified and absorbed into logistics systems.

Incorrect or unavailable information delays the uploading of data, and the dispute centered on at least $183 million in Defense Department expenses owing to the problem.

The parts in question were rejected for installation only because of the lack of tracking data -- no flaws in safety or manufacturing were inferred, officials said.

The action was initiated after the Pentagon's inspector general discovered the problem in a 2019 audit, and recommended that the Defense Department should seek $303 million in refunds.

Instead of a direct payment from Lockheed, the defense contractor will "compensate the government with Lockheed Martin investments" to ensure that future spare parts are delivered with accurate EELs, company spokesman Brett Ashworth said.

The House Oversight and Reform Committee was critical of Lockheed during a July hearing, but on Wednesday, committee members Rep. Carolyn Mahoney, D-N.Y., and Rep. Stephen Lynch, D-Mass., applauded the resolution of the dispute.

"We applaud the Department of Defense for its efforts to hold Lockheed Martin accountable for failing to meet its F-35contract requirements," Mahoney and Lynch said in a joint statement.

"While we believe Lockheed should have reimbursed American taxpayers for a greater share of the funds DOD spent to address the inefficiencies uncovered by our committee's investigation, this is a step in the right direction. We look forward to seeing the final signed agreement that codifies Lockheed Martin's commitment to improving the F-35 program," they said in the joint statement.

https://www.upi.com/Defense-News/2020/09/30/Lockheed-Pentagon-agree-on-706M-settlement-over-F-35-parts-problems/5021601494979/

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March 20, 2020 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security

Défense : le salon Eurosatory est pour le moment maintenu
Par Michel Cabirol Le salon international de défense et de sécurité terrestres et aéroterrestres Eurosatory maintient pour le moment ses dates du 8 au 12 juin. Alors que les organisateurs du salon aéronautique ILA de Berlin ont été contraints d'annuler l'édition de 2020 (13 au 17 mai 2020), le salon international de défense et de sécurité terrestres et aéroterrestres Eurosatory, maintient quant à lui et pour le moment ses dates du 8 au 12 juin au Parc des Expositions de Paris-Nord Villepinte. Le Coges, qui organise Eurosatory, a mis tout son personnel en télétravail. "Nous nous employons à préparer avec soin le salon tout en assurant la sécurité et la protection de tous les participants", a précisé le Coges. Une décision concernant la tenue du salon ou son annulation sera prise avant fin avril. "Nous espérons que cette crise sanitaire sera la plus courte possible ; nul ne sait aujourd'hui comment cette crise va évoluer", a fait observer le Coges. https://www.latribune.fr/entreprises-finance/industrie/aeronautique-defense/defense-le-salon-eurosatory-est-pour-le-moment-maintenu-842676.html
July 6, 2020 | International, Land

US buys additional 248 JLTVs from Oshkosh
By: Aaron Mehta WASHINGTON — The U.S. government has placed a new $127 million order for 248 Joint Light Tactical Vehicles from Oshkosh, the company announced Wednesday. The award would provide JLTVs for the U.S. Army, Marine Corps and State Department. “The JLTV was designed to provide our troops with unmatched mission capabilities,” George Mansfield, vice president and general manager of joint programs for Oshkosh Defense, said in a statement. “And while adversaries, terrains, and tactics have all evolved immensely since the vehicle's conception, the JLTV's flexible design allows the light tactical vehicle fleet to evolve at a similar pace.” This contract is the third order placed in the last seven months for JLTV production. A $407.3 million package for 1,240 vehicles to the U.S. Marine Corps, Slovenia and Lithuania was awarded in February. In December, the company received a $803.9 million award for 2,721 vehicles for the American military and ally Montenegro. Oshkosh beat out Humvee-maker AM General and Lockheed Martin in 2015 to build the replacement for the Humvee for both the Army and the Marine Corps. The low-rate initial production contract was worth $6.7 billion, and the entire program is estimated to be worth $30 billion through 2024. Since a production contract was awarded in 2015, Oshkosh says it has delivered 7,500 total vehicles to the U.S. and partners abroad. In its fiscal 2021 budget request, the Army asked for $894.4 million to buy 1,920 JLTVs. However, that number is down from what had initially been projected by the service; as part of the “night court” process, designed to reprioritize the service's investments and projects, the Army is stretching its planned JLTV buy out in order to reinvest dollars to modernization priorities. https://www.defensenews.com/land/2020/07/01/us-buys-another-248-jltvs-from-oshkosh/
April 9, 2018 | International, Aerospace

India opens contest to supply more than 100 fighter jets
NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India is seeking to buy around 110 fighter jets, the air force said in a request for information issued on Friday, marking the first step toward a long-delayed deal that could be worth more than $15 billion. Boeing (BA.N), Lockheed Martin (LMT.N), Saab (SAABb.ST) and Dassault Aviation (AVMD.PA) are among the manufacturers expected to compete. The aircraft must be built largely in India as part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's drive to build a domestic industrial base. The air force said in a notice that “85 percent will have to be made in India by a Strategic Partner/Indian Production Agency”. Lockheed has offered to move its F-16 production line in Fort Worth, Texas, to India and make it the only plant worldwide to produce the F-16 for not only India but also other countries, said Vivek Lall, vice president, strategy and business development at Lockheed Martin. Lockheed has teamed with India's Tata Advanced Systems to build the planes locally while Sweden's Saab has entered into a partnership with the Adani Group, a resources conglomerate. The other contenders have not announced their local partners. The tender will be open for makers of both single engine and twin-engined combat jets, in a widening of the field. The Eurofighter Typhoon and Russian aircraft are also potential contenders under the new requirements. A spokesman for Dassault Aviation which makes the twin-engine Rafale declined to comment. Earlier, the defense ministry had sought expressions of interest from single-engine manufacturers which effectively restricted the contest to Lockheed's F-16 and Saab's Gripen fighter jets. But in February the government asked the air force to open up the competition to twin-engined aircraft, in the latest flip-flop in policy that has delayed the acquisition process for years and left the air force short of hundreds of planes. India began its search for new planes for the Indian air force in 2003 to replace its Soviet-era MiG fighters. The request for information is open until July, the air force said. A request for proposal will then be issued followed by bid evaluations and contract negotiations. The process could take years, officials say. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-india-defence/india-opens-contest-to-supply-more-than-100-fighter-jets-idUSKCN1HD1UX

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