Army Intelligence System To Detect IEDs Criticized As Not Suitable

Army Critical Of Its Controversial Intelligence System -- CNN

An intelligence gathering system widely used by the Army in Afghanistan to detect roadside bombs and predict insurgent activity has severe limitations and is "not suitable," according to a memo from the Army's senior equipment tester to the Army's chief of staff, Gen. Raymond Odierno.

The e-mail memo was sent to Odierno on August 1, and comes as the system - known as the Distributed Common Ground System (DCGS) - is in the middle of Army and congressional investigations.

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My Comment: It appears that US military procurement for software is just as dysfunctional as it is when procuring hardware.

A U.S. Military Procurement Delivered Ahead of Schedule And Under Budget

Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. Jonathan Greenert shakes hands with U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney from Connecticut during a press conference at the General Dynamics Electric Boat shipyard to announce the Navy's acceptance of the Virginia-class attack submarine Pre-Commissioning Unit (PCU) Mississippi (SSN 782). US Navy photo

The Navy’s New Sub Comes In A Year Early. How? -- DoD Buzz

Who says that defense acquisitions are broken and no one cares?

This week, General Dynamics’ Electric Boat yard delivered the Navy’s newest fast attack submarine, the future USS Mississippi, almost one year ahead of schedule. The sub’s contract delivery date was April 30, 2013, and the Navy got the metaphorical keys on Wednesday.

Service officials and industry leaders are seldom so pleased. And not only did the ship come in early, the Navy said, it’s the best-built, most-complete one yet.

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Update: 9th Virginia Class Nuclear Sub Delivered to the US Navy One Year Ahead of Schedule -- Defense Update

My Comment: Unfortunately .... the delivery of the USS Mississippi early and under budget is the exception ..... not the rule .... for U.S. military procurement.

Are Faulty Grenades Being Shipped To Soldiers In Iraq And Afghanistan?

Former Employee Alleges Military Contractor Is Selling Faulty Grenades To The U.S. Army -- ABC News

TAMPA - In over 25 years as a quality assurance expert, John King worked on some of the best known weapons systems made in the U.S. from the Patriot to the Hellfire Missile.

He worked for Lockheed Martin, General Dynamics, and the Army itself.

But there is a huge difference between working on a weapons system and working on a weapons system that a member of your own family will depend upon. And that's exactly what happened when King went to work for a subsidiary of Tampa-based DSE Inc., which makes 40mm grenades used by just about every branch of the U.S. military.

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My Comment: If serious injuries occurred or lives were lost because of this ....people must be held accountable.

Should We Sell Companies Vital To America's National Security To Oversea Concerns?

Newport News shipyard crane (Joe Fudge, Daily Press file photo / December 14, 2007)

Navy Cautious On Foreign Ownership Of Northrop's Shipyards -- Daily Press

NEWPORT NEWS —— Foreign ownership of Northrop Grumman Corp.'s nuclear shipbuilding business "would present significant challenges" for the U.S. Navy, a spokesman said Monday.

Northrop, whose Newport News shipyard is the sole manufacturer and refueler of the Navy's nuclear-powered aircraft carriers and one of two to build nuclear-powered Navy submarines, said last week it is seeking strategic alternatives for its shipbuilding enterprise, which includes selling or spinning off the unit.

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My Comment: With China owning a good chunk of America's debt .... I am sure many decisions done in Washington are now made with an eye on how China would react. The same can be said about companies that are owned by foreign nationals .... will companies be loyal to the needs of the U.S., or will the owners be influenced by the government that they are operating in. As a non-U.S. citizen this is not complicated, I will listen to the government that I live in (i.e. Canada) more than what the U.S. will tell me.

The Procurement Holiday Begins

Photo courtesy Northrop Grumman Newport News (Photo from How Stuff Works)
The USS Ronald Reagan, under construction in the Northrop Grumman Newport News dry dock

From In From The Cold:

From this blog, almost four months ago...

"..there's another element of the Clinton legacy (and the 1990s) that often goes ignored. We refer to the so-called "procurement holiday" that gripped the Pentagon during that decade. Critical decisions on major weapons programs were postponed or shelved, forcing the Pentagon to extend the service lives of existing systems.

Investor's Business Daily aptly described the problem--and its consequences--in an editorial published earlier this year: In the first six years of the Clinton administration, Bush 41's budget projections for weapons procurement were slashed by $160 billion. For fiscal 2000, the Congressional Budget Office said $90 billion a year was needed to hold procurement steady. The Clinton procurement budget was a mere $55 billion. During the Reagan buildup (fiscal 1981-87), we spent an average of $131 billion on procurement.

And the effects of Mr. Clinton's procurement holiday are still being felt today, almost a decade after he left office.

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My Comment: A good post that is unfortunately very true.