• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Excelitas Qioptiq banner

BATTLESPACE Updates

   +44 (0)77689 54766
   

  • Home
  • Features
  • News Updates
  • Company Directory
  • About
  • Subscribe
  • Contact
  • Media Pack 2022

NEWS IN BRIEF – USA

July 1, 2017 by

30 Jun 17. House lawmakers propose a pause on Compass Call program. Language in the House version of the defense authorization bill could spell more trouble for the U.S. Air Force’s Compass Call crossdeck program. The House Armed Services Committee, which rolled out its version of the fiscal 2018 National Defense Authorization Act over the past week, has included a provision that would block all funding related to Compass Call recapitalization until the Pentagon’s top weapon’s buyer determines that the U.S. Air Force’s acquisition strategy complies with law. The U.S. Air Force’s conflicting statements about the role played by L3 Technologies seem to be the core of the House panel’s concerns. L3 has been tasked with integrating the existing EC-130H electronics gear with an airframe of its choosing — a decision some in industry say should rest with the government. In a briefing with reporters last week, a House aide stressed that lawmakers are not opposed to the choice of L3 as prime contractor but have questions about the acquisition strategy itself.
“We’re a little bit confused about what their acquisition strategy is, so we want AT&L to tell us it’s a sound strategy,” the aide said.
“[The U.S. Air Force] said they are going to now contract with a lead systems integrator, then it became a systems integrator, whatever that means. So we’re just confused by that. It’s not meant to say we’re unsupportive of the program.”
Before the restrictions on Compass Call become law, both the House and Senate must agree on a single version of the defense authorization bill. The Senate version of the bill has not yet been released in full, and it is not immediately clear whether it contains similar language.
HASC’s concerns are the latest blow to the beleaguered program, which has been beset with various problems over the past year. The U.S. Air Force appeared to be moving on with its crossdeck strategy this spring, after a protest by Bombardier was thrown out because it was entered prematurely.
Then in May, Boeing and Bombardier filed separate protests with the Government Accountability Office, throwing another wrench into the acquisition. Both companies argued that current requirements favor Gulfstream’s G550 aircraft and that L3’s relationship with Gulfstream could present a conflict of interest.
The GAO has since denied the U.S. Air Force’s request to dismiss Bombardier’s second protest, said Stéphane Villeneuve, Bombardier’s vice president of specialized aircraft.
In an interview with Defense News, Villeneuve hinted that Bombardier’s argument to GAO could also involve questions about the legality of the U.S. Air Force’s acquisition strategy, similar to HASC’s own concerns.
“Without going into the legalities of it, we believe the choosing of a platform is inherently a government function. So whether it can be delegated to a third party is an argument in itself,” he said.
Meanwhile, Air Force officials have said that maintaining its current acquisition strategy is critical to accomplish the crossdeck as quickly as possible. L3 has manufactured many Compass Call subsystems and had long played a systems integrator role on the original aircraft, Lt. Gen. Arnold Bunch, the service’s top uniformed acquisition official has said.
“We are not stepping out of this and just watching this process play out,” Bunch said. “We will thoroughly review their aircraft selection decision to ensure that it was comprehensive, impartial and compliant with all the applicable statutes and regulations.” (Source: Defense News)

30 Jun 17. United Launch Alliance beats SpaceX to win Air Force launch.
United Launch Alliance, a partnership of Lockheed Martin Corp and Boeing Co, for the first time beat Elon Musk’s SpaceX in competition for an Air Force satellite launch, both launch companies said on Friday.
The contact covers launch services for multiple satellites aboard an Atlas 5 rocket in June 2019. The contract value is $191,141,581, the Air

Primary Sidebar

Advertisers

  • qioptiq.com
  • Exensor
  • TCI
  • Visit the Oxley website
  • Visit the Viasat website
  • Blighter
  • SPECTRA
  • InVeris
  • Britbots logo
  • Faun Trackway
  • Systematic
  • CISION logo
  • ProTEK logo
  • businesswire logo
  • ProTEK logo
  • ssafa logo
  • DSEi
  • Atkins
  • IEE
  • EXFOR logo
  • KME logo
  • sibylline logo
Hilux DVD2022 GlobalMilSat

Contact Us

BATTLESPACE Publications
Old Charlock
Abthorpe Road
Silverstone
Towcester NN12 8TW

+44 (0)77689 54766

BATTLESPACE Technologies

An international defence electronics news service providing our readers with up to date developments in the defence electronics industry.

Recent News

  • EXHIBITIONS AND CONFERENCES

    August 12, 2022
    Read more
  • VETERANS UPDATE

    August 12, 2022
    Read more
  • MANAGEMENT ON THE MOVE

    August 12, 2022
    Read more

Copyright BATTLESPACE Publications © 2002–2022.

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. If you continue to use the website, we'll assume you're ok with this.   Read More  Accept
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT