August 31, 2021 | International, Aerospace
June 22, 2020 | International, Aerospace
Space Force invokes Defense Production Act to prop up small launch market
The Space and Missile Systems Center will award ride-share contracts to six small launch providers under the Defense Production Act, providing support to a market the Pentagon has repeatedly said is vulnerable to coronavirus-related financial restraints.
The six companies approved by the Industrial Base Council are Aevum, Astra, X-BOW, Rocket Lab USA, Space Vector and VOX Space. Each company will be awarded sole-source contracts for two ride-share missions to be conducted over the next 24 months. The value of the contracts was not included in the announcement originally posted on SAM.gov on June 16.
Funding for the 12 ride-share missions will come from the Defense Production Act Title III funding effort, which is backed by the recently passed coronavirus relief act.
The Pentagon has singled out the small launch market as being particularly hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic over the last few months. On April 20, Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment Ellen Lord warned that the small launch market was one of three sectors she was most worried about.
In a later statement to C4ISRNET, the Space and Missile Systems Center elaborated on her remarks.
“There is concern that the current financial and market constraints resulting from the COVID-19 have reduced funding sources necessary to continue development and operations for the nascent small launch industry,” said Col. Rob Bongiovi, director of SMC's launch enterprise directorate. “Much of the industry have limited flight capability or are in the critical transition from development to flight and this funding restriction may prevent or delay these systems. The Space and Missile Systems Center is evaluating the impacts to the small launch industrial base to consider actions to enable a robust U.S. launch industrial base.”
In response, the Space Force Acquisition Council held an emergency meeting with representatives from the U.S. Space Force, the National Reconnaissance Office, the Space Development Agency and others. A survey was sent out to members of the Space Enterprise Consortium to see how the Defense Department could help.
SMC Commander Lt. Gen. John “JT” Thompson hinted earlier in the week that Defense Production Act awards would be forthcoming for the small launch market.
“In the small launch environment, Secretary Lord and [U.S. Space Force Service Acquisition Executive Will] Roper have both commented about how important small launch is to our enterprise, and I can't give you the details right now but I would anticipate here very shortly some very critical Defense Production Act awards to our small launch providers to keep that industry going,” Thompson said.
On the same subject
-
-
July 18, 2018 | International, Aerospace
US Air Force awards Rolls-Royce with Global Hawk, Triton sustainment contract
By: Daniel Cebul WASHINGTON — The U.S. Air Force has awarded Rolls-Royce a sustainment contract to maintain, repair and overhaul engines for the Air Force Global Hawk and U.S. Navy Triton fleets. The six-year, $420 milllion indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contract also includes sustainment engineering services for Rolls-Royce's AE 3007H engine, the same one that powers the Global Hawk and Triton, as well as several commercial airliners. The contract services will be completed at Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma, where Rolls-Royce and the Air Force have a public-private partnership to operate an engine depot. “Rolls-Royce has a long and successful history of supporting U.S. Air Force and Navy engines, and our innovative public-private partnership at Tinker Air Force Base has enabled us to work together in a new way and will be a key component of maximizing engine availability," said Paul Craig, president of Rolls-Royce's defense services division. “This new contract includes engine services for the Navy's Triton fleet, and we look forward to continuing this public-private partnership for years to come, focusing on customer support and enhancing mission success,” he added. The Global Hawk has been suggested as a possible alternative to the JSTARS battle management program. Gen. Mike Holmes, head of Air Combat Command, told reporters in February the Global Hawk could see further investment as the service looks to replace JSTARS' ground moving target indicator, or GMTI, radar capability. "The Global Hawk Block 40 is certainly not the same thing as JSTARS, but it does provide useful GMTI information,” Holmes said. “We'll spend some money to bring that information and make it more useful in real time.” The Triton UAV is preparing to take on a key role in intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions for the Navy, given its high-altitude, long-endurance capabilities. While the Navy relies on the P-8 Poseidon for anti-submarine surveillance, the Triton will perform high-altitude ISR to fill gaps. The Australian government announced June 26 it will purhcase six Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Tritons for more than $1 billion. When life sustainment costs are calculated into the deal, the estimated value increases to more than $5 billion. https://www.defensenews.com/air/2018/07/17/us-air-force-awards-rolls-royce-with-global-hawk-triton-sustainment-contract/
-
August 31, 2023 | International, C4ISR
Marines overhaul approach to smart robots, eye new military job
Now, Marine leaders want to bring all of the service’s unmanned systems efforts under one roof.