DTN News - DEFENSE NEWS: Boeing Marks 1st Anniversary Of KC-46A Tanker Contract Award

DTN News - DEFENSE NEWS: Boeing Marks 1st Anniversary Of KC-46A Tanker Contract Award

(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - February 24, 2012: The Boeing [NYSE: BA] KC-46 Tanker program today marked the first anniversary of receiving a U.S. Air Force contract to build the next-generation aerial refueling tanker, the KC-46A. Over the past year, the program has completed key milestones in support of the design and development phase on or ahead of schedule, and is now preparing for a Preliminary Design Review (PDR) in March.

"The KC-46 program is on a good path. Boeing's performance thus far has been solid," said Maj. Gen. Chris Bogdan, KC-46 Program Executive Officer, U.S. Air Force. "Our commitment is to deliver the KC-46A to the nation's warfighters, on schedule and ready to go to war on Day One, as the world's most advanced tanker. I'm pleased to report that Boeing is meeting its commitments."

Since receiving the contract on Feb. 24, 2011, the Boeing KC-46 team has completed several major milestones, including a System Requirements Review, Integrated Baseline Review, 767-2C PDR, and Firm Configuration Reviews for the 767-2C and the KC-46A Tanker.

"I'm very proud of our joint team," said Maureen Dougherty, Boeing KC-46 Tanker vice president and program manager. "We're drawing on the best of Boeing's industry-leading commercial airplane and defense expertise as we design and develop the KC-46A, which is a next-generation derivative aircraft. We remain on plan to deliver the first 18 combat-ready tankers by 2017."

The PDR, which will ensure that Boeing's design meets system requirements, will be followed by a Critical Design Review (CDR) in the third quarter of 2013. The CDR determines that the design of the KC-46A is mature and ready to proceed to the manufacturing phase of the program.

http://defense-technologynews.blogspot.com/2012/02/dtn-news-defense-news-boeing-marks-1st.html

DTN News - DEFENSE NEWS: Pentagon Budget Eyes $178.8 Billion For R&D, Procurement

DTN News - DEFENSE NEWS: Pentagon Budget Eyes $178.8 Billion For R&D, Procurement

(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - February 12, 2012: The Pentagon's fiscal 2013 budget plan calls for spending of $178.8 billion to develop and buy new warships, fighter jets and other major weapons, a 7.5 percent drop from the level initially projected for the coming year, according to a detailed budget document obtained by Reuters.

The total acquisition amount, which includes $9.1 billion in war-related funding, is down about 12.2 percent from the level requested in last year's budget, the document shows. The fiscal 2012 acquisition request included $15.4 billion in war funding.

The fiscal 2013 plan foresees spending of $109.1 billion for procurement and $69.7 billion for research and development, compared with earlier projections of $117.6 billion for procurement and $75.7 billion for R&D.

The document shows that the U.S. military is maintaining high levels of spending on most aircraft and ships as it shifts its focus to the Asia Pacific region under a new military strategy announced last month by President Barack Obama and Defense Secretary Leon Panetta.

At the same time, the Pentagon will spend $2 billion less on space programs funding for ground vehicle programs will be far lower as the U.S. military reduces the size of the Army and Marine Corps after 10 years of war in Afghanistan and Iraq.

"It doesn't look that bad for the Air Force and Navy procurement accounts, but the Army is clearly getting less money," said Virginia-based defense consultant Jim McAleese.

He said Boeing Co, the No. 2 U.S. weapons maker, fared well in the budget overall, especially given a sharp increase in funding for the KC-46 refueling tanker from $877 mln to $1.82 billion, as did Lockheed Martin Corp, the No. 1 supplier.

Huntington Ingalls Industries, the company spun out of Northrop Grumman Corp last year, also did better than expected, with the Navy adding $781.7 billion for initial construction funding of a new aircraft carrier, and $1.6 billion for the refueling of the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier.

Truck maker Oshkosh Corp was hit hard by the Army's downsizing, losing about $600 million in funding for heavy trucks and a continued slowdown in a medium vehicle program.

Panetta last month gave highlights of the 2013 budget, his first as defense secretary and the first that takes into account a deficit-reducing measure passed by Congress that requires cuts of $487 billion from projected spending over the next decade.

It is also the first Pentagon budget since the September 11, 2001, attacks that requests less funding than the year before.

Weapons makers like Lockheed Martin Corp, Boeing Co, Northrop Grumman Corp, General Dynamics Corp, Huntington Ingalls Corp and Raytheon Co have been anxiously awaiting details about their programs.

The Pentagon is due to formally release the details on Monday when Obama sends his 2013 budget request to Congress, which must approve the spending plan.

http://defense-technologynews.blogspot.com/2012/02/dtn-news-defense-news-pentagon-budget.html

DTN News - SINGAPORE DEFENSE NEWS: Singapore Seeks Tankers, Tranports, ASW

DTN News - SINGAPORE DEFENSE NEWS: Singapore Seeks Tankers, Tranports, ASW

 (NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - February 11, 2012: Airbus Military could be one of the main beneficiaries of the Singapore air force’s next round of procurements. Singapore has at the top of its procurement list aerial refueling tankers, strategic airlifters and anti-submarine warfare fixed-wing aircraft, purchases that will see that the island continues to be, for the next few years at least, the biggest spender on new defense equipment in Southeast Asia.

The 2011 defense budget was SG$12.1 billion ($9.6 billion), accounting for 26% of the government budget and about 5% of gross domestic product (GDP). Some analysts estimate that Singapore, with a population of about five million, spends more on defense per capita than any country but Israel.

Defense has always been a top priority, ever since Singapore gained independence in 1965. The nation’s founder, Lee Kwan Yew, recently said in the book Hard Truths, that “without a strong defense, there will be no Singapore. It will become a satellite, cowed and intimidated by its neighbors.”

Singapore has close defense ties with Israel, a point that is downplayed—because it is politically sensitive—but one that is important to remember because it explains why Israeli companies are short-listed by the Singaporeans for upcoming defense purchases. The Israelis are in the running to supply aerial refueling tankers and anti-submarine warfare fixed-wing aircraft.

Aerial refueling tankers are at the top of the list because the air force needs to replace its four Boeing KC-135Rs. An important requirement is that the new tankers be able to assist the air force’s Boeing F-15SGs flying between Singapore and its overseas detachment at Mountain Home AFB, Idaho.

The Boeing KC-46A would ordinarily be the front-runner but Boeing may have to struggle to win the Singapore contract. The manufacturer is already committed to deliver 18 KC-46As to the U.S. Air Force by 2017, leaving no early delivery slots for foreign customers. A Boeing official told Aviation Week in July 2011 that it can deliver KC-46As to foreign customers as early as 2018. But that may be too late for Singapore. Industry executives say Singapore’s air force has been complaining about the difficulty and cost of maintaining the aging KC-135Rs. But the need to secure aerial refueling tankers sooner rather than later creates an opportunity for Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), which converts 767s to tankers.

However, industry executives familiar with the situation say the front-runner in this competition is the Airbus Military A330 Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT). Australian air force officials told DTI at the LIMA air show in Malaysia in December that the Singapore air force was interested in the A330MRTT and that the organizers of the Singapore air show were pushing to have a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) tanker on display there. The RAAF, however, has declined the request. They say the only reason the A330MRTT was brought to LIMA was because it had to be in Malaysia for a joint military exercise.

http://defense-technologynews.blogspot.com/2012/02/dtn-news-singapore-defense-news_11.html