14 Aug 15. Commerce/ITA Plans Cyber Security Business Development Mission to Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan in May 2016. (80 Fed. Reg. 48498) – The U.S. Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration (ITA) is is organizing an executive-led Cyber-security Business Development Mission to Japan, South Korea and Taiwan to take place on May 16-24, 2016. The purpose of the mission is to introduce U.S. firms and trade associations to East Asia’s information and communication technology (ICT) security and critical infrastructure protection markets and to assist U.S. companies to find business partners and export their products and services to the region. The mission is intended to include representatives from U.S. companies and U.S. trade associations with members that provide cyber-security and critical infrastructure protection products and services. Recruitment for the mission will begin immediately and conclude no later than March 4, 2016. (Source: glstrade.com)
14 Aug 15. The head of Marine aviation is talking with Boeing about costs and ways to upgrade more than half of the service’s 239 V-22 Ospreys to improve readiness. The basic plan would be to improve all 131 of the A and B models of the V-22 to the C level, Lt. Gen. Jon Davis, told me in an interview at his Pentagon office. Davis, who has made improving readiness his top priority, told me Monday he was heading to Boeing “to see how much it would cost to upgrade all our aircraft.” This would not take place right away, Davis made clear. It would take years to accomplish.
Why the upgrades? The C models in the elite unit that flies the president and those who travel with him boast higher readiness rates than do any regular Marine units, by a factor of three, Davis said. The Naval Air Systems Command shop offers this breakdown of the Osprey fleet:
Now, some Marines I’ve spoken with about this say it’s no wonder that the HMX-1 unit has high readiness rates. After all, presidential fleets get whatever they need whenever they need it. I put that to Davis and he brushed it aside. Instead of assuming regular units won’t have the same resources, Davis said he’s looking at “what are they doing that we can imitate.” He also noted that the HMX-1 squadron is comprised of C models.
The C models boast a new weather radar system to improve navigation in bad weather, a redesigned Environmental Conditioning System for a more comfortable flight, and.an improved electronic warfare suite to handle both air to air and ground to air threats. The C models also have improved cockpit displays.
I pinged Boeing and they said it’s too early to tell how much this might cost or how long it might take.
Davis also discussed the F-35B fleet, which outgoing Commandant Gen. Joseph Dunford, just declared ready for Initial Operating Capability. As he has made clear for much of this year, Davis’ greatest worry about the Marines’ new war planes is keeping them ready to fly. Currently the fleet is budgeted to maintain a 70-74 percent readiness rate. Congress has approved enough money to buy spares to maintain that rate. But Davis said he’s been hitting the Hill, asking for more money to boost the readiness rates.
“Frankly, for me, who said 75 percent is good enough? What airline resources for 75 percent readiness?” he asked rhetorically. Given that rate, he noted, three of every 10 airplanes “won’t have parts and that’s not OK.” Will the Hill come up with more money? Will we have a Continuing Resolution? Will the Budget Control Act be amended? Tune in. (Source: Defense News Early Bird/Breaking Defense)
12 Aug 15. US Air Force issues new Guidance on contact with China.
The Air Force last week issued updated guidance on US military contact with China, marking the service’s latest effort to foster relations between the two countries.
“With the rise of [the People’s Republic of China’s] influence in the international community and the increasing capabilities of the Chinese military, Air Forc