21 août 2020 | International, Aérospatial

Japan’s Reset Raises Questions Over Big Programs

Toyko has put the breaks on its Aegis Ashore program, and there are reports its support for the Global Hawk buy may be soft.

By on August 20, 2020 at 4:29 PM

WASHINGTON: As Japan undergoes the deepest rethink of its defense posture since the end of the Second World War, some big-ticket acquisition programs appear to be on shaky ground as the country retools to counter a rapidly modernizing Chinese military.

Tokyo put the brakes on two planned Aegis Ashore missile defense systems set to be built on the mainland, a surprise June move that came after local communities protested about the powerful radars and possibility that rocket debris could fall on local communities.

That reversal on a major $2.1 billion program led to questions over what other changes the government of Shinzo Abe might consider as it retools its defense strategy and considers funneling more money into offensive strike weapons, as opposed to purely defensive systems.

Earlier this week, fresh reports emerged from Tokyo that the government might also be reconsidering its purchase of three Global Hawk UAVs, which would provide long-endurance surveillance capabilities.

One source with knowledge of the program said, despite the reports, the Japanese government has indicated it supports the Global Hawk program, even in the face of possible divestiture by the US Air Force of its block 30 variants, the same version Northrop Grumman is making for Japan.

Despite the moves in Washington, South Korea is still in the process of buying four block 30 Global Hawks, the first of which was delivered in April. Further south, Australia purchased six MQ-4C Tritons — the maritime version of the Global Hawk — with the first three to be delivered between 2023 and 2025.

With those allies remaining in the program, and the US flying the drone from Guam on a seasonal basis, the allies have started to build a powerful, long-endurance sensor layer, along with its attendant supply chain.

That sort of capability would fit within plans the Indo-Pacific Command pitched to the Trump administration earlier this year to invest billions in joint infrastructure across the region. The proposal has found bipartisan support on Capitol Hill, with the Republican-controlled Senate's version of the annual defense policy bill including $1.4 billion for an Indo-Pacific Deterrence Initiative, while the Democratic-controlled House had $3.6 billion for an Indo-Pacific Reassurance Initiative focused on shoring up allies and partners. A conference committee will have to thrash out the differences and fill in almost all the details this fall.

The Japanese Ministry of Defense did not respond to questions on the issue by publication.

“Unmanned systems are going to be vital — in particular underwater unmanned systems and also aerial unmanned systems — given that Japan is an archipelago,” Ryo Hinata-Yamaguchi, professor at Pusan National University, said during a virtual event sponsored by the Atlantic Council on Wednesday. “Those are the domains that are most vital to Japan's security. It's really about Japan thinking about what we can afford to do, what we need to do.”

https://breakingdefense.com/2020/08/japans-reset-raises-questions-over-big-programs

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    NAVY The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Missouri, is awarded a $93,000,000 cost-plus-fixed-fee, firm-fixed-price indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. This contract incorporates the next three planned configurations of the operator flight program/system configuration set into the Royal Australian Air Force F/A-18 F and EA-18G aircraft training systems. Additionally, this contract procures spares, support equipment, technical manual updates and on-site training. Work will be performed in St. Louis, Missouri (85%) and Amberley, Australia (15%) and is expected to be completed in February 2025. No funds will be obligated at the time of award. Funds will be obligated on individual orders as they are issued. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(4). Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division, Orlando, Florida, is the contracting activity (N61340-20-D-0003). 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Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance, Navy (OMN) contract funds in the amount of $350,180 are obligated on this task order and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Future task orders will be primarily funded by OMN. This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website with four proposals received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southwest, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity (N62473-20-D-0041). Raytheon Co., Missile Systems, Tucson, Arizona, is awarded a $7,992,944 cost plus fixed-fee modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-17-C-5405) for design agent engineering and technical support services for the Phalanx Close-In Weapon System, SeaRAM, and Land-based Phalanx Weapon System. Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. Phalanx Close-In Weapon System (CIWS) is a fast-reaction terminal defense against low and high-flying, high-speed maneuvering anti-ship missile threats that have penetrated all other defenses. CIWS is an integral element of the Fleet Defense In-Depth concept and the Ship Self-Defense Program. Operating either autonomously or integrated with a combat system, it is an automatic terminal defense weapon system designed to detect, track, engage and destroy anti-ship missile threats penetrating outer defense envelopes. Work will be performed in Tucson, Arizona, and is expected to be completed by January 2022. Fiscal 2020 weapon procurement (Navy) funding in the amount of $7,992,944 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. In accordance with 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1), this contract was not competitively procured. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington Navy Yard, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. ARMY Griffon Aerospace Inc.,* Madison, Alabama, was awarded a $49,957,259 order-dependent contract to procure MQM-170 "Outlaw" Remotely Piloted Vehicle Targets, MQM-171 "Broadsword" Unmanned Aerial Systems - Targets, depot level repair and maintenance, storage of government furnished equipment, base operations services, field operations services, qualification training execution, and inventory and transfer support for targets management office and other Department of Defense customers. 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 Feb. 23, 2022. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Orlando, Florida, is the contracting activity (W900KK-20-D-0006). L-J Inc.,* Cayce, South Carolina, was awarded a $13,456,000 firm-fixed-price contract for furnishing plant, equipment, labor, transportation, fuel, lubricant, supplies and materials, and performing all operations in connection with raising dikes and berms, installation of geotextile, and installation of new spillway systems in Clouter Creek, Berkeley County, South Carolina. Bids were solicited via the internet with four received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of June 18, 2021. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Charleston, South Carolina, is the contracting activity (W912HP-20-C-0001). *Small business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2092565/source/GovDelivery/

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