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93fiM5 said:

Well looks like the SSC will be one of the LCS designs beefed up, still no clear word on which one.

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-Greg

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Bug in IBM Mobile Device Manager Opens Critical Security Gap
Dec. 10, 2014 - 03:45AM | By AARON BOYD |
(US Army photo)
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North America
A serious vulnerability identified in IBM’s Tivoli Endpoint Manager software — which allows for central management of mobile devices in a network — could give hackers a back door to push malicious code onto linked devices.

The Tivoli MDM software is on IT Schedule 70 and used by several civilian and defense agencies, including the Federal Communications Commission, National Institutes of Health, Army and Navy.

The vulnerability — coded CV-2014-6140 — allows an attacker to interject seemingly valid cookies that then execute arbitrary code when pushed to the devices managed by the system. The code is run with full administrator privileges, which could significantly compromise a device.

“It is highly likely that a successful attack on the application server can also be leveraged into a full compromise of all devices managed through the product,” German cybersecurity firm RedTeam Pentesting GmbH wrote in an advisory on Dec. 2. “This constitutes a high risk.”

The weakness — discovered by RedTeam during a penetration test earlier this year — was given a vulnerability score of 9.3 on a scale of 10.

IBM released a patch through version 9.0.60100 to remediate the issue, the company said in a security bulletin posted Dec. 4.

RedTeam offered a potential workaround, however it is untested. Like IBM, the firm suggests upgrading to a new version of the software.

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Appropriations Bill Gives USAF Engine Funding, but Limits Aircraft Retirements
Dec. 10, 2014 - 03:45AM | By AARON MEHTA | Comments

A
A
Final Approach
The appropriations bill's language prevents the US Air Force from starting to retire the U-2 manned surveillance plane (Tech. Sgt. Russ Scalf / US Air Force)
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CongressWatch
WASHINGTON — Under the proposed appropriations bill released Tuesday, the US Air Force will receive $220 million to fund a replacement for the RD-180 engine, as well as funds for its new combat-search-and-rescue helicopter and C-130 upgrades.

However, the service also faces limits on its ability to retire both the A-10 close-air support plane and the U-2 spy plane, which service officials have described as hard cuts needed to balance its budget under sequestration-related funding levels.

The bill is being referred to as the “cromnibus,” referring to the measure’s appearance as an omnibus appropriations bill because of its 11 full-year spending measures. The first two letters refer to a continuing resolution (CR) for the Department of Homeland Security, a Republican response to the president’s action on immigration.

Visit CongressWatch for continuing budget coverage.

The measure provides $220 million to begin development on a replacement program for the RD-180, a Russian-made engine used on the Atlas V space launch vehicle. Joint language on the fiscal 2015 National Defense Authorization Act required the Air Force to stop using the RD-180 by the end of 2018.

Gen. John Hyten, head of US Air Force Space Command, said on Dec. 5 that developing, testing and certifying a new engine by 2019 will be a “challenge,” but stated that the Air Force understands it has been directed to find a way.

Appropriators followed their defense committee colleagues in blocking the retirement of the A-10 Warthog, extending the fight between the Hill and the service over the future of the close-air support plane.

Additionally, the bill language blocks the Air Force from starting to retire the U-2 fleet until authorized by Congress; it also says the service may not obligate $77.1 million provided for RQ-4 Global Hawk payload upgrades until 30 days after the service submits a transition plan to the defense committees. After several years of trying to retire the Global Hawk in favor of the U-2, the Air Force flipped last year, something observers say was driven largely by congressional pressure not to end the Northrop Grumman RQ-4.

House leaders hope to pass the cromnibus by Thursday, though they are still working on the timing for a final floor vote. From there, it will move to the Senate, where leaders hope members will allow rules to be scrapped allowing for a vote before a Thursday night deadline.

The House and Senate still could pass a separate three-day continuing resolution to keep the government open should procedural hurdles push final cromnibus votes in the Senate into Friday or Saturday.

Other items of note:

■ The bill includes $22.6 million for the Series 3.5 engine upgrade, a Rolls-Royce program that service estimates say could save $2 billion over the life of the C-130H fleet. That’s good news for the Air Force, though perhaps not as good news as the other C-130 directive regarding the controversial Avionics Modernization Program (AMP).

■ Appropriators appeared to follow their colleagues who crafted the National Defense Authorization Act in giving the service the “flexibility” to reduce the program in order to “address safety and airspace compliance requirements.” The service and its National Guard partners have expressed concerns the AMP, as constructed, would force the grounding of the C-130H fleet under new rules from the Federal Aviation Administration.

■ The bill added $15 million to protect the CV-22 Osprey fleet from “undue risk from diminishing manufacturing sources for parts and modifications.” The funds comes with direction to Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James to prioritize items with long lead time requirements in order to ameliorate the risk of losing those suppliers.

■ Included in the bill is an extra $240 million for two additional F-35 joint strike fighters, although it does not specify whether those would be F-35A models for the Air Force, F-35B models for the Marines or F-35C models for the Navy. Lt. Gen. Christopher Bogdan, the head of the F-35 program, has noted the fighter is one of the few programs not to be hurt by sequestration.

■ The Combat Rescue Helicopter program, recently christened the HH-60W, receives $100 million from appropriators. The next-generation combat-search-and-rescue vehicle, produced by Sikorsky, was a surprise addition to the Air Force’s wish list for fiscal 2015, to the point that it was not included in the service’s budget request.

■ Appropriators cut funding for the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) by $9 million as a penalty for what they described as “excessive cost growth.” More importantly, appropriators demanded that the service certify it will launch the DMSP-20 satellite by the end of 2016. If it can’t do that, the entire DMSP will be “brought to an orderly close” during 2015.■

John T. Bennett in Washington contributed to this report

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Aviation Week
Darpa Plan Has UAS Launch From Aircraft

Aviation Week & Space Technology - Defense Technology Edition
Pat Toensmeier
Mon, 2014-12-15 04:00
Darpa eyes deploying multiple UAS from airborne platforms
The U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (Darpa) wants to weigh in on a tactical debate that could have a far-reaching impact on air operations: how best to use unmanned aerial systems (UAS) in a range of missions.

Darpa recently issued a request for information (RFI) that seeks industry proposals regarding the feasibility and benefits of launching and recovering multiple small UAS from one or more large manned aircraft such as a C-130.

Think airborne aircraft carrier, which is how Darpa program manager Dan Patt describes the concept in a statement. “We want to find ways to make smaller aircraft more effective, and one . . . idea is enabling existing large aircraft, with minimal modification, to become ‘aircraft carriers in the sky.’ We envision innovative launch-and-recovery concepts for new UAS designs that would couple with recent advances in small payload design and collaborative technologies.”

Darpa’s concern is timely, and relevant. UAS have many advantages, notably in persistence; overwatch; intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; and precision strike. They also have tradeoffs: UAS are relatively slow and vulnerable to ground-, air- and sea-based defenses.

One way of maximizing benefits and minimizing drawbacks could be by teaming UAS with manned aircraft. China, for one, is looking at this idea (see story, page DTI9), and other militaries, including the U.S., are experimenting with or deploying initial versions. For example, one or more UAS could operate over dangerous territory forward of a strike force and transmit surveillance and targeting data to the aircraft, which would rapidly attack and withdraw, minimizing defensive threats to pilots.

Darpa looks to address two key areas with the RFI: system-level technologies and concepts for launch and recovery of low-cost, reusable UAS; and high-payoff operational concepts and mission applications for distributed airborne capabilities and architectures.

The agency states that it wants to leverage “significant investments in . . . precision relative navigation . . . to enable extremely coordinated flight activities among aircraft . . . ” Darpa also wants to incorporate ongoing developments in small payloads (100 lb. or less), which would be used to extend UAS performance.

The RFI covers full-system flight demonstrations within four years, the results of which, along with cost estimates, will assist in planning for a potential program.



A version of this article appears in the December 15/22 issue of Aviation Week & Space Technology.



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93fiM5 said:

Well looks like the SSC will be one of the LCS designs beefed up, still no clear word on which one.

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Article said:

Provide an assessment by May 1 of the cost and feasibility of back-fitting SSC survivability and lethality enhancements into Flight 0+ LCSs already under contract, and for eight more LCSs to be ordered through 2018. The overall intent, Hagel wrote, is “to improve the lethality and survivability of Flight 0+ ships as much as practical.”

Hagel’s decision affirms the goal of buying a total of 52 LCS and SSCs. The final number and mix, he wrote, will depend on “future fleet requirements, final procurement and operations and support costs and overall Department of the Navy resources.”

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Turkey’s defense exports for the first 11 months of 2014 increased by 20 percent compared to the same period last year, hitting $1.5 billion, according to figures from the Turkish Exporters’ Assembly released on Dec. 11.

The U.S. was the largest purchaser of Turkish defense hardware at a total of $508 million. Other major markets were Malaysia at $109 million and the United Arab Emirates at around $87 million.

Items exported by Turkey include aircraft, helicopter parts, engines, armored land vehicles, speed boats, missiles, rockets, launching platforms, light weaponry and electronic systems, including transmitters, simulators, sensors and military software.

The defense industry products make up slightly over 1 percent of Turkey's total exports, which were valued at $144 billion for the January-to-November period.

Turkish exports in the defense and aviation industries reached $1.39 billion in 2013.

Local defense producers aim to boost exports to $25 billion by 2023, Turkey’s undersecretary for defense industries said in late November.

İsmail Demir said Turkey aimed to help defense companies break into the top 100 in the world and create at least three global brands in the defense sector.

“Yes, we have a lot of work to do, but the return on investment in the defense sector is very high. In addition, a good value-added product earns a high price on the market. The Turkish Armed Forces are a very important reference which attracts attention to Turkish products in the international market," he said.

Turkish officials have often said that boosting the country’s defense industry exports was one of the government's strategic goals. Ankara spent over $1 billion on defense, research and development in 2013.

Turkey’s defense industry has gained momentum in recent years, especially thanks to an expansion by local producers.

The country’s overall defense spending was 29.4 billion Turkish Liras, or $13.2 billion, this year, according to the Defense Ministry.

Turkey spent about 1.71 percent of its gross domestic product on defense in 2014, far less than was spent in the past. Turkey is currently negotiating a $3.5 billion deal for a long-range air and anti-missile defense system, including local production, with suppliers from China, the U.S. and Europe.
December/11/2014

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93fiM5 said:

Well looks like the SSC will be one of the LCS designs beefed up, still no clear word on which one.

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

-Greg

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Key Points
The US Navy is to acquire 20 up-gunned and hardened Littoral Combat Ships beginning in 2019
USN officials intend to pursue production of both LCS variants and will backfit the first 32 (Flight 0+) ships with the newer weapon fits
Following an intense review of alternative small surface combatant (SSC) designs, the US Navy (USN) is opting to stick with its Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) for the long run, with plans to begin acquisition in 2019 of up-gunned and more survivable versions of the two current LCS variants, officials announced on 11 December.

US Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel has accepted the USN's recommendation for a modified LCS to satisfy the Department of Defense's (DoD's) multimission SSC requirement for 20 ships. The proposed plan will see the enhancement of the current LCS designs' surface warfare (SUW) and anti-submarine warfare (ASW) capabilities with organic over-the-horizon weapons, improved air and undersea self-defence technology, and hardened shipboard spaces and systems, among other improvements.

"The navy needs a small surface combatant," Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Jonathan Greenert, told reporters at the Pentagon. "We have about 32 today; we need 52 to do the job out there in the future. This ship will meet that need. It brings the added capability to the fleet."

LCS has been the navy's programme of record to fulfill a standing requirement for 52 small surface combatants to replace the USN's Avenger-class minesweepers and Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigates. Two designs - the Freedom variant (a steel monohull built by a team led by Lockheed Martin) and the Independence variant (an aluminium trimaran built by a team led by Austal USA) - are being procured. Each of the fast, shallow-water-capable platforms are to be fitted with one of three interchangeable mission packages for anti-surface, anti-submarine, or anti-mine warfare.

However, growing concerns over the two LCS variants' survivability and lethality in an evolving threat environment prompted Hagel in early 2014 to direct the USN to pause its acquisition programme in order to re-assess the ships and to consider alternative designs and weapon systems. As part of that effort, the USN convened a bespoke task force to examine technology options as well as to seek input from the fleet.

According to Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development, and Acquisition Sean Stackley, the task force sifted through thousands of options - ranging from existing to new ship designs, modified LCS designs, and myriad combat and weapon systems - to help USN officials arrive at the recommendation, which was delivered recently by Ray Mabus, Secretary of the Navy, to Hagel.

"We have up-gunned the ship. We've also, in doing so, retained a degree of modularity that allows the fleet to determine whether a particular ship needs to concentrate on ASW or surface warfare, so we've kept some swing capacity for specific mission desires that the fleet commander might assign to it," said Stackley. "This serves us today and it will continue to serve us in the future when you consider future upgrades."

He noted that the modified LCS designs' additional capability involves an estimated cost increase of about USD60-75 million, but that the increase represents less than 20% growth over the baseline cost. Each LCS seaframe that was placed under contract in fiscal year 2014 (FY 2014) cost about USD360 million, plus government-furnished equipment of about USD25-28 million.

"From a cost perspective, secretary Mabus' recommendation to secretary Hagel is the most affordable alternative, with both the lowest procurement cost and the ability to fully leverage the operating [and] support investment that we've made to date on the LCS programme," Stackley told reporters.

In a new memo Hagel directed navy leaders to submit an acquisition plan for the 20 modified LCSs in the FY 2017 budget proposal. He also requested that the navy provides detail on how it plans to backfit existing hulls with the new capability, along with cost propositions for installation, operation, and support.

To support procurement of the first modified LCS in FY 2019, navy officials said that they would be funding the ship and combat system design in the FY 2016 budget proposal currently being finalised for submission to Congress in early 2015. They also said that the intent is to continue procuring both Freedom and Independence variants to foster competition between the shipyards and to promote competition among the combat systems manufacturers to drive costs down over time.

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thunderchief said:

Growlers acquired for around $98 million per plane . Too bad they didn't order some Super Hornets also, instead of squandering money on "heat sink"
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A spending bill agreed by lawmakers from the U.S. House and Senate provides $554.2 billion in funding for the U.S. military in fiscal 2015, including $1.46 billion for 15 EA-18G electronic attack jets built by Boeing Co.

A summary of the $1.1 trillion "omnibus" bill released late Tuesday said the base appropriation for the Pentagon would be $490.2 billion, with $64 billion in additional war funding. The measure also includes $112 million in emergency funds to respond to the Ebola crisis.

Congressional negotiators reached agreement on the bill after removing controversial financial services provisions. Procedural hurdles in the Senate mean the House of Representatives must still pass a short-term funding extension to avert a U.S. government shutdown at midnight on Thursday.

Boeing lobbied hard for funding to extend its St. Louis production line for EA-18G Growlers, which had been due to end at the end of 2016. The added funding, which was included in both the House and Senate appropriations bills, will keep the line running through 2017, company officials have said.

The measure also includes $224 million for two additional Lockheed Martin Corp F-35 fighter jets for the U.S. Air Force and $255 million for two additional F-35s for the U.S. Navy, the summary said. The measure funds a total of 38 F-35 fighters, nine more than in fiscal 2014..............................

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PanAsian said:

Does the US buy any complete systems from Turkey? Or just parts?

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FORBIN said:

But final decision ?

Question for US guys, we have... Congress get much power can increase according it but can decrease also administration ( President, White House ) request ?

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The U.S. Navy completed tests on the GhostSwimmer unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story (JEBLC-FS), Dec. 11. GhostSwimmer is the latest in a series of science-fiction-turned-reality projects developed by the chief of naval operations' Rapid Innovation Cell (CRIC) project, Silent NEMO.

Silent NEMO is an experiment that explores the possible uses for biomimetic, unmanned underwater vehicles in the fleet.

Over the past several weeks, Boston Engineering's tuna-sized device has been gathering data at JEBLC-FS on tides, varied currents, wakes, and weather conditions for the development of future tasks.

"GhostSwimmer will allow the Navy to have success during more types of missions while keeping divers and Sailors safe," said Michael Rufo, director of Boston Engineering's Advanced Systems Group.

The GhostSwimmer was developed to resemble the shape and mimic the swimming style of a large fish. At a length of approximately 5 feet and a weight of nearly 100 pounds, the GhostSwimmer vehicle can operate in water depths ranging from 10 inches to 300 feet.

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