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NDIA Urges Congress to Reach Deal on Defense Budget Caps
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NDIA Urges Congress to Reach Deal on Defense Budget Caps


NDIA Urges Congress to Reach Deal on Defense Budget CapsThe National Defense Industrial Association has called on Congress to reach a deal that would raise or suspend defense budget caps.

NDIA said Nov. 20 it commends the passage of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018, which would authorize $700 billion in defense spending, but Congress still needs to address the $549 billion defense budget cap set by the Budget Control Act.

The budget agreement should meet requirements identified by the future National Defense Strategy and Nuclear Posture Review, which will influence the FY 2019 budget request and Future Years Defense Program, NDIA added.

The U.S. defense industry association urged lawmakers to pass appropriations before Dec. 8 “at a level both necessary and supported by both parties and both chambers of Congress.”

NDIA also raised concerns over reported congressional plans to authorize a final FY 2018 budget deal that would set defense funds “significantly” below $700 billion.

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OMB Director Mick Mulvaney Named Acting Director of Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
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OMB Director Mick Mulvaney Named Acting Director of Consumer Financial Protection Bureau


OMB Director Mick Mulvaney Named Acting Director of Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
Mick Mulvaney

President Donald Trump has assigned Mick Mulvaney, director of the Office of Management and Budget, as acting director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

The White House said Friday Mulvaney will lead CFPB until a permanent director is appointed.

Mulvaney obtained Senate approval to become OMB director in February after serving as the congressman of the 5th district of South Carolina.

He was elected to the House of Representatives in 2010 and was a member of the Budget Committee, Joint Economic Committee, Small Business Committee, Financial Services Committee and the Oversight and Government Reform Committee.

Mulvaney previously practiced law; founded his own firm; ran a family real estate business; opened a small homebuilding company; and served as a minority shareholder in a family restaurant franchise.

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Marine Corps Fields Updated Anti-Tank Weapon Systems
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Marine Corps Fields Updated Anti-Tank Weapon Systems


Marine Corps Fields Updated Anti-Tank Weapon SystemsMembers of the 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion Marines have fielded four updated anti-tank weapon systems updated by the Marine Corps Systems Command Light Armored Vehicle Anti-Tank Modernization program team in September.

The ATWS platforms were designed to fire tube-launched, optically-tracked, wire-guided missiles and provide long-range, stand-off anti-armor fire support for maneuvering Light Armored Reconnaissance teams and platoons, the Marine Corps said Wednesday.

“Compared to the legacy version, the new turret is unmanned, it fires both wire-guided and radio frequency TOW missiles, and it can acquire targets while on-the-move with an improved thermal sight,” said Jim Forkin, program manager’s office LAV-ATM team lead.

Chief Warrant Officer 4 Michael Lovell, ordnance vehicle maintenance officer for the PM LAV team, added the new turret on the LAV-AT vehicles helps users monitor other platforms and target adversaries with increased capacities.

The Marine Corps noted the LAV-ATM team offers equipment training services for units that will receive the ATWS upgrade to help guide operators and provide maintainer training services.

Operators can also utilize an embedded training mode feature included within the ATWS for individual and crew training missions.

USMC added anti-tank gunners and maintainers will have an opportunity to train within a classroom setting environment with the help of current three-dimensional computer simulated technologies and a blended training system that uses tactical turret trainers and a 3D Diagnostic Turret Trainer.

Paul Kopjoe, logistics management specialist of the PM LAV team at the Program Manager’s Office LAV, said branches of the U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Center helped procure and produce the 3D DTT training products including the gaming interactive technologies and multimedia as well as the automated test systems directorates.

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Air Force Aims to Increase B-52 Weapon Carrying Capability With Conventional Rotary Launchers
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Air Force Aims to Increase B-52 Weapon Carrying Capability With Conventional Rotary Launchers


Air Force Aims to Increase B-52 Weapon Carrying Capability With Conventional Rotary LaunchersThe U.S. Air Force used a C-5M Super Galaxy aircraft on Nov. 6 to transport conventional rotary launchers from Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana for deployment to a combat zone for military use.

A CRL is designed to increase the Boeing-built B-52 Stratofortress bomber’s capability to carry smart weapons by 67 percent, the Air Force reported Nov. 30.

“When you take a B-52 and load it with mixed smart weapons you now open up many more options with one aircraft instead of having to call in other aircraft for other types of munitions,” said Master Sgt. Adam Levandowski, Air Forces Strategic Armament Systems manager.

“Now each CRL allows for internal carriage which adds an additional eight smart bombs per aircraft,” Levandowski added.

Senior Master Sgt. Donavan Stinson, CRL project head, said the service updated its equipment and conducted training at Barksdale and Minot AFB in North Dakota to prepare for the adoption of the launchers.

The military branch said the addition of the CRL capability to B-52s seeks to help the Air Force Global Strike Command provide combat support and perform global strike and strategic deterrence missions.

 

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DoD IG Report Lists Top Department Mgmt Challenges for FY 2018
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DoD IG Report Lists Top Department Mgmt Challenges for FY 2018


DoD IG Report Lists Top Department Mgmt Challenges for FY 2018The Defense Department Office of the Inspector General has released a report that outlines the top management and performance challenges that DoD currently faces.

DoD IG said Nov. 20 it determined the challenges based on the office’s oversight work, research and judgement, oversight work from other DoD components, oversight missions from the Government Accountability Office and information from DoD officials.

The “Top DoD Management Challenges – Fiscal Year 2018” document covers issues that the department should address over the next fiscal year.

DoD IG also uses the document as a research and planning tool to help determine risk areas within the department’s operations.

Department challenges outlined in the report are:

  • Countering strategic challenges from North Korea, Russia, China, Iran and transnational terrorism
  • Enabling effective acquisition and contract management
  • Ensuring ethical conduct
  • Identifying and implementing efficiencies
  • Improving financial management
  • Increasing cybersecurity and cyber capabilities
  • Maintaining the nuclear enterprise
  • Optimally balancing readiness, modernization and force structure
  • Providing effective, comprehensive and cost-effective health care

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NASA-Created Board: Lack of Adjustments, Additional Funds Could Impact WFIRST Mission Implementation
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NASA-Created Board: Lack of Adjustments, Additional Funds Could Impact WFIRST Mission Implementation


NASA-Created Board: Lack of Adjustments, Additional Funds Could Impact WFIRST Mission ImplementationA NASA-established independent review board has released a report saying the Wide-Field Infrared Survey Telescope mission is “not executable” without additional resources and modifications to the spacecraft, Space News reported Sunday.

The WFIRST Independent External Technical/Management/Cost Review panel said in a 65-page report released Wednesday that changes to the WFIRST project resulted in technical and cost difficulties.

NASA’s headquarters made three decisions “that set the stage for an approach and mission system concept that is more complex than probably anticipated from the point of view of scope, complexity, and the concomitant risks of implementation,” the report noted.

Those decisions include the use of a hybrid acquisition strategy, addition of a coronograph and related science investigation groups and adoption of 2.4-meter telescope components.

The WIETR committee also found that the WFIRST mission would now cost $3.93 billion at a confidence level of 70 percent with threats and would need $250 to 300 million in additional funds to achieve the Class A risk classification status for the mission.

Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator for science at NASA, said in a memo that the coronagraph instrument – CGI – should be reclassified as a technology demonstration tool in order to reduce costs and achieve the cost target of $3.2 billion.

Zurbuchen issued the Oct. 19 memo to Chris Scolese, director of the agency’s Goddard Space Flight Center.

The WIETR report added that CGI’s removal from WFIRST would potentially result in approximately $400 million in savings and reach the cost cap of $3.2 billion.

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U.S., South Korea to Conduct Air Combat Exercise in December
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U.S., South Korea to Conduct Air Combat Exercise in December


U.S., South Korea to Conduct Air Combat Exercise in DecemberThe Pacific Air Force has announced details regarding the next Vigilant Ace 18, an air combat exercise that aims to demonstrate interoperability between aerial forces from the U.S. and South Korea.

PACAF said Saturday nearly 12,000 personnel from the U.S. Air Force, the U.S. Marine Corps, and the U.S. Navy will train with South Korean airmen.

Vigilant Ace, formerly called the Beverly Bulldog exercise, is scheduled to take place from Dec. 4 to 8 on the Korean Peninsula.

The event will feature 230 aircraft from eight U.S. and ROK military bases.

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Senate’s Draft Appropriations Bill Includes $1.8B for DHS Cyber Operations
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Senate’s Draft Appropriations Bill Includes $1.8B for DHS Cyber Operations


Senate’s Draft Appropriations Bill Includes $1.8B for DHS Cyber OperationsSenate Appropriations Committee Chairman Thad Cochran (R- Mississippi) has proposed a draft bill that would allocate $1.8 billion for the Department of Homeland Security’s cyber operations unit, Nextgov reported Tuesday.

The appropriations bill includes $713 million in funds to update and maintain federal computer networks’ cybersecurity, $341 million to safeguard banks, airports and other critical infrastructure from cyber attacks and $257 million for the private sector’s incident response efforts.

The funding levels in the proposed bill, also called a chairman’s mark, match that of the House’s appropriations measure, the report added.

Cochran also proposed a defense spending package Tuesday that would allocate $581.3 billion in base budget, $64.9 billion in overseas contingency operations funds and $4.5 billion in emergency missile defense funds for fiscal year 2018.

Sen. Thad Cochran Proposes $650.7B Defense Spending Package
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Sen. Thad Cochran Proposes $650.7B Defense Spending Package


Sen. Thad Cochran Proposes $650.7B Defense Spending PackageSenate Appropriations Committee Chairman Thad Cochran (R- Mississippi) has proposed a defense policy bill that would allocate $581.3 billion in base budget, $64.9 billion in overseas contingency operations funds and $4.5 billion in emergency missile defense funds for fiscal year 2018, Defense News reported Tuesday.

Cochran on Tuesday introduced the draft bill that Democratic appropriators say goes beyond defense budget caps by approximately $70 billion.

His committee’s proposal seeks to authorize $1 billion in funds for four more Lockheed Martin-built F-35B aircraft and four additional F-35Cs as well as allocate $120 million in additional funds for the advance acquisition of F-35s in support of the U.S. Air Force’s planned fiscal 2019 procurements.

The proposed measure calls for the purchase of two Littoral Combat Ships, two Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, two Virginia-class submarines and an aircraft carrier in support of the U.S. Navy.

The Navy would also get $739 million in additional budget to procure 10 more Boeing-built F/A-18E/F Super Hornet jets.

The U.S. Army would receive $309 million in funds to buy nine additional Boeing-developed AH-64E Apache helicopters and $108 million for the purchase of eight more Sikorsky-made UH-60 Black Hawk choppers under Cochran’s bill.

The senator’s proposed legislation would top up President Donald Trump’s $9.3 billion missile defense budget request by approximately $1.4 billion to further support the Ground-Based Midcourse Defense System and procure more SM-3 Block IIA and Terminal High Altitude Area Defense System interceptors, the report added.

The proposal came a week after the House approved a conferenced version of a defense spending bill that would authorize $692 billion in funds for fiscal 2018.

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PSC Urges DoD to Adopt Industry’s Cloud Adoption Strategies
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PSC Urges DoD to Adopt Industry’s Cloud Adoption Strategies


PSC Urges DoD to Adopt Industry's Cloud Adoption StrategiesThe Professional Services Council has recommended Defense Department leaders to adopt industry best practices as part of efforts to help DoD accelerate the adoption of new technologies.

Alan Chvotkin, executive vice president and counsel at PSC, sent a letter Friday to Deputy Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan in response to a request for information notice and a memo regarding the department’s cloud migration initiatives.

“PSC strongly supports Secretary James Mattis’ goals of accelerating the adoption of innovative technologies and leveraging commercial capabilities to improve our military’s warfighting capabilities,” said Chvotkin.

The letter included comments and recommendations regarding barriers that exist within current policies and regulations such as the DoD Cloud Computing Security Requirements Guide, Cloud Access Point and the Internet Access Point programs.

PSC called on department officials to also use flexibilities authorized by Federal Acquisition Regulations to accelerate information technology modernization efforts.

The council also urged the DoD to promote competition in the IT marketplace for future contract awards and implement early risk assessment strategies for cloud acquisition.

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