Raw Intel

History is funny about how it delivers leaders. Some nations, when they need it most, are given the worst leaders who on paper at least, should have been the right leader at the right time. Other nations are provided leaders who, on paper, seem to be a disaster in the making ... but don't just rise to the occasion, come to dominate the occasion. A comic. They elected a comic. Ukraine's President Zelensky's May 9th address to his nation - and to everyone else - is a masterpiece of the right man at the right time with the right words. Take time to listen to it. This is what a sharp, vibrant, focused, and grounded leader looks like. At least at this moment, at this time, I d…

Americas Lockheed Martin won a $372.4 million modification, which adds scope to procure F-35 Lightning II Lots 15-16 ancillary mission equipment requirements for the Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps. Additionally, this modification adds scope to procure F-35 Lightning II initial spares for the Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps, Foreign Military Sales (FMS) customers, and non-US Department of Defense (DOD) participants. Work will take place in Texas. Expected completion will be in December 2024. The US Marine Corps will have a second aggressor squadron by 2024 when VMFT-402 is declared safe for flight in 2024 at MCAS Beaufort. VMFT-402 will initially have three F-5N+ fig…

Some days - fullbore is just staying alive. It doesn't happen by accident; it takes you knowing your equipment, your procedures - and most importantly, your ability to think and act without delay. It also takes your Shipmates - known and unknown - who know their business.One of those days for Crusader pilot Cliff Judkins. Don't stop now - read it all.Hat tip SJS. First posted in JUL 2012 http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/FAFV?d=yIl2AUoC8zA http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/FAFV?d=qj6IDK7rITs http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/FAFV?i=wouIm5jLdlQ:NDgCLInmsXs:gIN9vFwOqvQ http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/FAFV?i=wouIm5jLdlQ:NDgCLInmsXs:-BTjWOF_DHI …

Americas Sierra Nevada won a $34 million contract modification for the MC-130J Airborne Mission Networking program low rate initial production. This order provides for the procurement of production kits, spares, interim contractor support and weapon system trainer support. Work will take place in Colorado. Estimated completion date is January 19, 2023. Boeing won a $16.3 million deal for the E-3 Replacement Studies and Analysis. This contract provides for studies and analysis for the replacement of the E-3. Work will take place in Oklahoma. Estimated completion will be by July 31, 2022. Middle East & Africa The US Army is considering acquiring the Spike FireFly tact…

As the world rages around us, let's check in to see the latest update on the unopposed march through the institutions by the Diversity Industry. Your tax dollars are paying for it, you might as well track. I want to see it you had the right questions come to mind. If not, I'll point them out at the end. BEHOLD! R 191126Z APR 22 FM COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC TO ALCOAST BT UNCLAS ALCOAST 142/22 SSIC 1500 SUBJ: DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION (D&I) CHANGE AGENTS UPDATE: NEW DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION EDUCATION AND AWARENESS SITE AND PROGRAM UPDATES A. COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC 081432 APR 20/ALCOAST 129/20 B. COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC 181646Z MAY 21/ALCOAST 191/21 1. The Coast…

It is amazing what you can find just out there in the open for all to see. In case you missed last week's Navy Force Structure and Shipbuilding Plans: Background and Issues for Congress, you should take some time to read it. If you're running short on time, just check out Appendix D. Read the very last bit. The fact that in 2022 this needs to be said ... but it does. Scathing indictment. Just scathing. h/t Charlie B. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/FAFV?d=yIl2AUoC8zA http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/FAFV?d=qj6IDK7rITs http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/FAFV?i=IahDEOUEGho:lyLl9JFFBkE:gIN9vFwOqvQ http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/FAFV?i=IahD…

Americas Toyon Research won a $9.1 million ordering agreement, which provides for analysis tools and performance analysis to support the E-2D aircraft and provide support equipment for E-2D performance analysis. Additionally, this order provides two E-2D Delta System Software Configuration (DSSC)-4 mission computer upgrade kits to support analysis of E-2D DSSC-4 in an operational environment, as well as develop system requirements to update the E-2D All-source Track and ID Fuser data fusion engine to accept data from tactical information web services. This order continues efforts in support of Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Topic N111-016 titled, “Optimizing Tr…

Americas The US Air Force’s secretive Next Generation Air Dominance future fighter program could be the most expensive aircraft program in history, with each piloted, sixth-generation aircraft expected to cost hundreds of millions of dollars. When asked about the price tag, Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall did not specify exactly how much an individual aircraft could cost, but said the service was talking about “multiple” hundreds of millions. Huntington Ingalls won an $11 million contract modification to extend the delivery date for vessel storage and towing preparation services of the aircraft carrier ex-USS Enterprise (CVN-65). Work will take place in Virginia. Expec…

Yesterday we looked at who in our NATO alliance was spending their fair share to our collective security. Today, including the plucky Finns, let's look at who is constructing what via the good folks at NavalAnalysis; My quicklook; nice to see a lot of 127mm vs lesser guns, that Italian DDX is a CGX, and that we need A LOT more VLS tubes in the alliance. A lot more. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/FAFV?d=yIl2AUoC8zA http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/FAFV?d=qj6IDK7rITs http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/FAFV?i=aYsFAr-YIDU:SMFs_ZawATY:gIN9vFwOqvQ http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/FAFV?i=aYsFAr-YIDU:SMFs_ZawATY:-BTjWOF_DHI http://feeds.feedburn…

Americas Lockheed Martin Corporation won a $204.7 million deal for production of High Mobility Artillery Rock Systems M142 launchers and support requirements. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. HIMARS carries a single six-pack of rockets or one ATACMS missile on the Army’s Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles (FMTV) 5-ton truck, and can launch the entire MLRS family of munitions. Work will take place in Texas, Pennsylvania, Arkansas, Florida, Alabama, New Jersey and Mississippi. Estimated completion date is April 29, 2025. Bell Boeing won a $302.2 million contract modification by the US Navy. The modification provides for the production and delivery of…

Americas Lockheed Martin won a $93 million contract modification, which adds scope to procure special tooling and test equipment in support of electronic warfare capabilities for F-35 Lightning II low rate initial production for the Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, Foreign Military Sales (FMS) customers, and non-US Department of Defense (DOD) participants. Work will take place in New Hampshire, Maryland and expected completion date is in November 2024. Lockheed Martin won a $304.9 million modification. Under it, the contractor will produce and deliver Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) Interceptors and associated one-shot devices to support US government requireme…

In war, it often is not what you were designed to do. It is not what in theory what you were primarily trained, manned, and equipped to do. No. More often than not it is what you must do. What you are needed to do. What you may be the only unit in place to do. There is also, like we saw in the below - what must be done now with what is at hand. With the right leadership, a lot is possible. The dogmatic, rigid, and blinkered - things that are often rewarded in peace - are not what gets the job done in war. One hopes that in peace we accept the above truth and only have our minds dogmatic, rigid, and blinkered. Hopefully we have enough intellectual and material flexibility …

Americas During an Employment Concept Exercise in Spain, the US Air Force’s KC-46A carried out the first operational refueling of a foreign aircraft on April 18. The aerial refueling tanker passed fuel to Spanish Hornets during the flight. Four KC-46A tankers are deployed to Moron Air Base for this Employment Concept Exercise. The US Air Force announced on April 26 that it had selected the Boeing E-7 Wedgetail to replace its Boeing E-3 Sentry Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft. The USAF plans to award a contract in fiscal year 2023 and requested $227 million in research, development, test, and evaluation funds for the programme starting in its FY 2023 b…

The commercial folks sure would like it;The world's largest shipping management firm has requested that NATO provide naval escorts for shipping in the Black Sea amid concerns that vessels could be at risk as a result of conflict in Ukraine, the Financial Times reported. The CEO of V.Group, René Kofod-Olsen, told the outlet that NATO intervention is merited due to the region's importance for shipments of food. According to the paper, the conflict in Ukraine has made the northernmost third of the Black Sea unsafe for shipping. "We should demand that our seafaring and marine traffic is being protected in international waters. I'm sure Nato and others have a role to play in t…

Americas Walsh Federal won an $184.8 million deal for construction of an aircraft maintenance hangar at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina. The work provides for the construction of a two-story, low rise, two squadron maintenance hangar for the F-35B Lightning II aircraft, including a high bay space, crew and equipment space, and administrative space. The deal also contains seven unexercised options, which if exercised would increase cumulative contract value to $206,064,819. Work will take place in North Carolina and is expected to be completed by June 2025. General Atomics has flown the Leonardo Seaspray 7500E V2 AESA radar on the MQ-9A unmanned air…

There is a lot of good ... and sometimes not so good ... arguments pro and con on the decisions being made by and the direction where Gen. David Berger, USMC is taking our Marine Corps - but the fact he has engaged a lot of minds and forced a lot of people to think is a service in itself to our nation's security. In his visit earlier this month to Australia, he summarized some points that just cannot be said often enough. You have to repeat the basics to as many people as you can as often as you can...because most people either don't know or don't understand the basics. This is just superb, and I wish our Navy's senior leadership would use this mindset every time they h…

Americas Huntington Ingalls Industries won a $20.2 million contract modification to exercise options for the accomplishment of the planning yard services for the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) in-service ships. Work will take place in Virginia, Mississippi, California and Jacksonville. Expected completion will be by April 2023. The first Trial Kit Installation (TKI) onto a C-130H for the Avionics Modernization Program (AMP) Increment 2 program has been completed. 124 C-130Hs and 10 LC-130Hs will undergo this upgrade under a $690 million project. The next step is low rate initial production after the aircraft successfully completes testing. Middle East & Africa Uganda is…

As we covered here last month before the debacle at the gates of Kyiv knocked the Russians off their stride, the supply lines from NATO territory into the southwest of Ukraine and on to Odessa are incredibly delicate. Then northern route is an iffy 2-lane surface road that goes through Moldova and too close to the Transdniester. If you need anything heavy from the Danube ports to Odessa, you will need to go over the Zatoka bridge. When the Russian Navy shelled the coast there, I was frankly surprised the road and more importantly the rail line across the bridge at Zatoka was left intact, but they were. Things then got quite on that front, but not anymore. 📷More photos …

Americas Northrop Grumman won a $38 million contract modification, which increases the contract ceiling to procure an additional 173 Tech Refresh Mission Computers (TRMC) and an additional 173 TRMC trays in support of the Army’s domestic production UH-60V aircraft. The UH-60V is an upgraded version of the current UH-60L aircraft. Instead of the UH-60L’s legacy cockpit, the newer version features a fully open, digital and integrated avionics suite. The changes increase the life and mission capabilities of the UH-60 platform. Work will take place in Utah and California. Expected completion date is December 2023. The US Navy has disclosed its plan to deactivate five expedit…

Our American system of government, by design, has a lot of healthy churn. So far this century we’ve seen a Democrat Clinton hand power to a Republican Bush who handed power to a Democrat Obama who handed power to a Republican Trump who handed power to a Democrat Biden. There is enough churn to make hyper-partisans of all types frustrated, but for the mass in the middle and everyone else, really, this is a good thing. Like a body of water, national politics needs vigorous competition and change. It keeps things healthy. For those in the national security arena, domestic politics can be a distraction. Programs, requirements, and threats do not work in election cycles. For …