The Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force tested two sea-based variants of its standard missile 3 interceptors by executing two live-fire exercises in Hawaii known as the Japan Flight Test Mission-07, which is in partnership with the U.S. Navy. 

Shown on the first exercise was the SM 3 Block IIA intercepting a medium-range ballistic missile T4-E target, while the second live fire exercise demonstrated the SM 3 Block IB and SM 2 Block IIIB missiles intercepting a short-range ballistic missile target, as well as an anti-warfare aerial target BQM-177, Missile Defense Agency said Monday.

The firings were carried out by two Maya-class destroyers: JS Maya and JS Haguro, respectively. 

Both types of interceptors were made by Raytheon Technologies unit Raytheon Missiles & Defense, the company reported in a separate release on Monday. 

MDA Director and Vice Admiral Jon Hill commented, “The success of this joint test marks a critical milestone in demonstrating, for the first time, a live fire of an SM-3 Blk IIA from a Japanese ship.”

Douglas Bush, assistant secretary of the U.S. Army for acquisition, logistics and technology, said Patriot missiles, Guided Multiple Launch Rocket Systems and High Mobility Artillery Rocket System or HIMARS launchers are produced and purchased in large volumes and among the munitions programs that could be candidates for a multiyear contract, C4ISRNET reported Monday.

A bipartisan measure introduced as an amendment to the annual defense authorization bill would give the Department of Defense procurement authorities to use multiyear contracts to purchase large amounts of munitions to replenish U.S. stockpiles and send supplies to Ukraine to help counter Russian invasion.

“A great advantage of multiyear contracts is usually you save a lot of money, you stabilize the industrial base and you stabilize suppliers,” Bush told reporters Monday. “The downside of multiyears is you don’t quite have as much flexibility year to year.”

The Army is looking at potential munitions programs that could be procured through multiyear contracts should Congress pass the measure.

David Shive, chief information officer of the General Services Administration, said positive outcomes from the CIO Modernization and Enterprise Transformation contract vehicle have resulted in its expansion beyond the Federal Acquisition Service systems and generated more interest from additional internal GSA customers looking to modernize their systems and services.

Speaking at a recent ACT-IAC webinar, Shive said that the COMET contract, which was initially awarded to 12 contractors in 2019, is now used in “broader parts of the GSA business portfolio” including the Public Buildings Service and corporate systems.

Shive added that new task orders under COMET could cover a broader scope of technology areas, with a focus on DevSecOps skills.

“The contract was originally let to manage many of the system modernization and transformation efforts that are underway in the Federal Acquisition Service. We’ve generated enough good business outcomes there that we’re expanding the use into broader parts of the GSA business portfolio,” Shive said.

Future COMET opportunities could also include integration services in support of GSA’s Workplace 2030 initiative, which is one of the focus areas of PBS.

GSA has awarded four task orders under COMET to Booz Allen Hamilton, Perspecta, ITG and Sevatec for IT operations and maintenance work.

In December 2021, the agency added eight new small businesses to the contract vehicle to support its digital transformation efforts.

U.S. Rep. Matt Cartwright, D-Penn., introduced legislation to improve the efficiency of federal government software procurement and avoid unnecessary costs at the expense of American taxpayers.

The Strengthening Agency Management and Oversight of Software Assets Act would require federal agencies to submit their own comprehensive assessment of their software resources and purchasing practices, according to an announcement posted Thursday on Cartwright’s official website.

“Without in-depth assessments of how agencies buy and use software, vendors often have the upper hand in transactions with federal agencies. This bipartisan, bicameral legislation will streamline software procurement practices governmentwide to the benefit of American taxpayers,” the congressman said.

The bill expands on the MEGABYTE Act, which was introduced by Cartwright and has reportedly spared over $450 million in U.S. tax dollars since its enactment in 2016.

Under the new legislation, government agencies would provide the independent reports to Congress, the Office of Management and Budget, and the General Services Administration, as part of their annual budget proposals. 

Based on the inventories, the branches’ chief information officers would develop cost-effective licensing agreements with justifiable negotiation provisions. OMB would then create a software modernization strategy in consideration of the CIOs’ audits and plans.

Co-sponsored by 14 other U.S. representatives, the draft bill is also supported by groups such as the Coalition for Fair Software Licensing and the Computer & Communications Industry Association.

BAE Systems has completed the testing of its APKWS laser-guidance kits with General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems’ High-Explosive Anti-Tank Anti-Personnel Anti-Material warheads.

In a recent demonstration, the use of APKWS guidance kits enabled three rockets to hit three different test targets directly, BAE Systems announced from Hudson, New Hampshire earlier this month.

“We’re giving our customers more in-mission options for precision strikes against tougher targets. APKWS guidance kits with HEAT/APAM warheads provide a low-cost, lightweight, easy-to-deploy strike capability against armored and unarmored targets,” said BAE Systems APKWS Program Manager Sam Kirsh.

The APKWS guidance kits are used to convert unguided rockets into smart munitions for precision strikes on soft targets, equipment and armored targets and their installation and activation require minimal training.

During the assessment, BAE Systems launched rockets with HEAT/APAM warheads equipped with these guidance kits against substantial targets including a steel plate and an armored military vehicle. The rockets destroyed each target at range with direct hits in every challenge.

APKWS guidance kits also work with 70 millimeter Hydra rocket components including motors, warheads, fuses, launchers and laser target designators. They are versatile across launch platforms for fighter jets, combat helicopters, ground vehicles and remote weapon stations.

Over 100 successful shots have been fired through the use of APKWS guidance kits in M151 high explosive warheads, which demonstrates the strong accuracy of the kits.

This development coincides with an ongoing Air Force Research Labs contract which tasks BAE Systems’ FAST Labs with developing Environmentally Adaptive Geospatial Learning and Exploitation, a suite of machine learning and fusion algorithms. The award falls under the Multi-Sensor Exploitation for Tactical Autonomy program.

The organization recently won an additional AFRL award to further develop the Fight Tonight program through the provision of autonomy-based planner tools to improve the evaluation and selection of plan options.