DTN News - DEFENSE NEWS: U.S. DoD Awarded Contract To Sierra Nevada Corp., Sparks, Nevada, For Logistics Services in Support of The AC-130W and AC-130J

DTN News - DEFENSE NEWS: U.S. DoD Awarded Contract To Sierra Nevada Corp., Sparks, Nevada, For Logistics Services in Support of The AC-130W and AC-130J 

Source: DTN News + U.S. DoD CR-054-15 Dated March 24, 2015
(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - March 25, 2015: Sierra Nevada Corp., Sparks, Nevada, has been awarded a $15,117,867 modification to exercise and option (P00006) to previously awarded contract FA8509-14-C-0001. The modification provides for contractor logistics services in support of the AC-130W and AC-130J precision strike package.

Work will be performed at Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico; Hurlburt Field, Florida; and various deployment locations, and is expected to be complete by March 31, 2016. Fiscal year 2015 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $15,117,867 are being obligated at the time of award. 

Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, is the contracting activity.

*Link for This article compiled by K. V. Seth from reliable sources + U.S. DoD CR-054-15 Dated March 24, 2015
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*Photograph: IPF (International Pool of Friends) + DTN News / otherwise source stated
*This article is being posted from Toronto, Canada By DTN News ~ Defense-Technology News Contact:dtnnews@ymail.com 
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DTN News - DEFENSE NEWS: U.S. DoD Awarded Lockheed Martin For Advanced Procurement Efforts Of $ 70 Million Related To C-130J Series Aircrafts For U.S. Air Force

DTN News - DEFENSE NEWS: U.S. DoD Awarded Lockheed Martin For Advanced Procurement Efforts Of $ 70 Million Related To C-130J Series Aircrafts For U.S. Air Force 
Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources DTN News, U.S. DoD issued No. 142-12 February 29, 2012 & U.S. AirForce - website
(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - March 1, 2012:  Lockheed Martin Corp., Marietta, Ga., is being awarded a $70,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for advanced procurement efforts for the acquisition of two Air Force AC-130J, one HC-130J, and four MC-130J aircraft.  

The location of the performances is Marietta, Ga.  Work is expected to be completed during calendar year 2016. USAF/AFMC, Aeronautical Systems Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8625-11-C-6597 P00081).

Mission The AC-130H Spectre and the AC-130U Spooky primary missions are close air support, air interdiction and armed reconnaissance. Close air support missions include troops in contact, convoy escort and point air defense. Air interdiction missions are conducted against preplanned targets or targets of opportunity and include strike coordination and reconnaissance and armed overwatch mission sets.

FeaturesThese heavily armed aircraft incorporate side-firing weapons integrated with sophisticated sensor, navigation and fire control systems to provide surgical firepower or area saturation during extended loiter periods, at night and in adverse weather. The sensor suite consists of a television sensor, infrared sensor and radar. These sensors allow the gunship to visually or electronically identify friendly ground forces and targets any place, any time.

The AC-130U employs a synthetic aperture strike radar for long-range and adverse weather target detection and identification. The AC-130's navigational devices include inertial navigation systems and global positioning systems. Both of the AC-130s employ the latest technologies and can attack two targets simultaneously.

BackgroundThe Spooky (U-model) is the third generation of C-130 gunships. All gunships evolved from the first operational gunship, the AC-47

The AC-130 gunship has a combat history dating to Vietnam. Gunships destroyed more than 10,000 trucks and were credited with many life-saving close air support missions. During Operation Urgent Fury in Grenada in 1983, AC-130s suppressed enemy air defense systems and attacked ground forces enabling the successful assault of the Point Salines Airfield via airdrop and air land of friendly forces. The AC-130 aircrew earned the Lt. Gen. William H. Tunner Award for the mission.

AC-130s also had a primary role during Operation Just Cause in Panama in 1989 when they destroyed Panamanian Defense Force Headquarters and numerous command and control facilities. Aircrews earned the Mackay Trophy for the most meritorious flight of the year and the Tunner Award for their efforts.

During Operation Desert Storm, AC-130s provided close air support and force protection (air base defense) for ground forces. Gunships were also used during operations Continue Hope and United Shield in Somalia, providing close air support for United Nations ground forces. Gunships also played a pivotal role in supporting the NATO mission in Bosnia-Herzegovina. The AC-130H provided air interdiction against key targets in the Sarajevo area.

In 1997, gunships were diverted from Italy to provide combat air support for U.S. and allied ground troops during the evacuation of American noncombatants in Albania and Liberia. AC-130s were also part of the buildup of U.S. forces in 1998 to convince Iraq to comply with U.N. weapons inspections. More recently, AC-130U gunships have supported Operation Iraqi Freedom/New Dawn while both aircraft have been employed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Finally, AFSOC gunships have also played a pivotal role in the recent uprisings in the middle east. Gunships provide armed reconnaissance, interdiction and direct support of ground troops engaged with enemy forces.

General Characteristics
Primary Function: Close air support, air interdiction and force protection
Builder: Lockheed/Boeing Corp.
Power Plant: Four Allison T56-A-15 turboprop engines
Thrust: 4,910 shaft horsepower each engine
Wingspan: 132 feet, 7 inches (40.4 meters)
Length: 97 feet, 9 inches (29.8 meters)
Height: 38 feet, 6 inches (11.7 meters)
Speed: 300 mph (Mach .4) (at sea level)
Range: Approximately 1,300 nautical miles; limited by crew duty day with air refueling.
Ceiling: 25,000 feet (7,576 meters)
Maximum Takeoff Weight: 155,000 pounds (69,750 kilograms)
Armament: AC-130H: 40mm and 105mm cannons; AC-130U: 40mm, 105mm cannons and 25mm gatling gun.
Crew: AC-130H/U - pilot, co-pilot, navigator, fire control officer, electronic warfare officer (five officers) and flight engineer, TV operator, infrared detection set operator, loadmaster, four aerial gunners (eight enlisted)
Deployment Date: AC-130H, 1972; AC-130U, 1995
Unit Cost: AC-130H, $110 million; AC-130U, $210 million (fiscal 2010 constant dollars)
Inventory: Active duty, AC-130H, 8; AC-130U, 17; Reserve, 0; ANG, 0 


*Link for This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources DTN News, U.S. DoD issued No. 142-12 February 29, 2012 & U.S. AirForce - website
*Speaking Image - Creation of DTN News ~ Defense Technology News 
*This article is being posted from Toronto, Canada By DTN News ~ Defense-Technology News Contact:dtnnews@ymail.com 
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DTN News - DRONES FLYING HIGH: Armed UAV Operations 10 Years On

DTN News - DRONES FLYING HIGH: Armed UAV Operations 10 Years On
Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources Stratfor
 (NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - January 12, 2012: One of the most iconic images of the American-led wars in Iraq and Afghanistan -- as well as global U.S. counterterrorism efforts -- has been the armed unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), specifically the MQ-1 "Predator" and the MQ-9 "Reaper." Unarmed RQ-1 Predators (which first flew in 1994) were flying over Afghanistan well before the 9/11 attacks. Less than a month after the attacks, an armed variant already in development was deployed for the first time.

In the decade since, the Predator has clocked more than a million flight hours. And while U.S. Air Force procurement ceased in early 2011 -- with more than 250 airframes purchased -- the follow-on MQ-9 Reaper has already been procured in numbers and production continues. Predators and Reapers continue to be employed in a broad spectrum of roles, including close air support (CAS), when forward air controllers communicate with UAV operators to release ordnance with friendly troops in the vicinity (CAS is one of the more challenging missions even for manned aircraft because of the heightened risk of friendly casualties). Officially designated "armed, multi-mission, medium-altitude, long endurance, remotely piloted aircraft," the second to last distinction is the Predator and Reaper's principal value: the ability to loiter for extended periods, in some cases for more than 24 hours.

This ability affords unprecedented situational awareness and physical presence over the battlefield. The implications of this are still being understood, but it is clear that it allows, for example, the sustained and constant monitoring of main supply routes for attempts to emplace improvised explosive devices (IEDs) or the ability to establish a more sophisticated understanding of high-value targets' living patterns. In addition, live, full-motion video for ground controllers is available to lower and lower echelons to an unprecedented degree.

As the procurement of Predators and Reapers and the training of operators accelerated -- particularly under the tenure of former U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates, beginning in 2006 -- the number of UAV "orbits" skyrocketed (an orbit is a single, continuous presence requiring more than one UAV airframe per orbit). There are now more than 50 such orbits in the U.S. Central Command area of operations alone (counting several maintained by the larger, unarmed RQ-4 "Global Hawk"). The U.S. Air Force expects to be capable of maintaining 65 orbits globally by 2013, with the combined total of flight hours for Predator and Reaper operations reaching about 2 million around the same time. In 2005, UAVs made up about 5 percent of the military aircraft fleet. They have since grown to 30 percent, though most are small, hand-launched and unarmed tactical UAVs.

The Counterterrorism Value

One of the most notable uses of the Predator and Reaper has been in the counterterrorism role, both as an intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) platform and as an on-call strike platform. These armed UAVs are operated both by the U.S. Air Force and, in some cases (as with operations conducted over Pakistan), the CIA. Even before the 9/11 attacks, the armed Predator then in development was being considered as a means not only of keeping tabs on Osama bin Laden but also of killing him. Since then, armed UAVs have proved their worth both in the offensive strike role against specific targets and as a means of maintaining a constant level of threat.

The value of the counterterrorism ISR that can be collected by large UAVs alone is limited since so much depends on how and where they are deployed and what they are looking for. This mission requires not only sophisticated signals but also actionable human intelligence. But as a front-line element of a larger, integrated collection strategy, the armed UAV has proved to be a viable and enduring element of the U.S. counterterrorism strategy worldwide.

The ability to loiter is central and has a value far beyond the physical capabilities of a single airframe in a specific orbit. Operating higher than helicopters and with a lower signature than manned, jet-powered fighter aircraft, the UAV is neither visibly or audibly obvious (though the degree of inconspicuousness depends on, among other things, weather and altitude). Because UAVs are so discreet, potential targets must work under the assumption that an armed UAV is orbiting within striking distance at all times.


Such a constant threat can place considerable psychological pressure on the prey, even when the predator is large and loud. During the two battles of Fallujah, Iraq, in April and November of 2004, AC-130 gunships proved particularly devastating for insurgents pinned in certain quadrants of the city, but AC-130s were limited in number and availability. When it was not possible to keep an AC-130 on station at night (in order to keep the insurgents' heads down), unarmed C-130 transports were flown in the same orbits at altitudes where the distinctive sound of a C-130 could be clearly discerned on the ground, thus maintaining the perception of a possible AC-130 reprisal against any insurgent offensive.

Indeed, it is difficult to overstate the psychological and operational impact of this tactic on a group that experiences successful strikes on its members, even if the strikes are conducted only rarely. Counterterrorism targets in areas where UAVs are known to operate must work under tight communications discipline and constraints, since having their cellular or satellite phone conversations tapped risks not only penetration of communications but immediate and potentially lethal attacks.

The UAV threat was hardly the only factor, but consider how Osama bin Laden's communiques declined from comparatively regular and timely videos to rare audiotapes. In 2001, bin Laden was operating with immense freedom of maneuver and impunity despite the manhunt already under way for him. That situation changed even as he fled to Pakistan, and the combination of aggressive signals as well as UAV- and space-based ISR efforts further constrained his operational bandwidth and relevance as he was forced to focus more and more on his own personal survival.

The UAV threat affects not only the targeted individuals themselves but also their entire organizations. When the failure to adhere to security protocols can immediately yield lethal results, the natural response is to constrict communications and cease contact with untrusted allies, affiliates and subordinates. When the minutiae of security protocols start to matter, the standard for having full faith, trust and confidence among those belonging to or connected with a terrorist organization become much higher. And the more that organization's survival is at stake, the more it must focus on survival, thereby reducing its capacity to engage in ambitious operations. On a deeper level, there is also the value of sowing distrust and paranoia within an organization. This has the same ultimate effect of increasing internal distrust and thereby undermining the spare capacity for the pursuit of larger, external objectives.

The Evolving Geography

While armed Predators first operated in the Afghanistan-Pakistan theater, it was the darkest days of the Iraq War, at the height of the violence there from 2005 to 2007, that saw the strongest demand for them. As the main effort shifted from Iraq to Afghanistan, UAV operations began to shift with them. While UAVs will remain in high demand in Afghanistan even as the drawdown of forces continues there in 2012, the end of armed UAV operations in Iraq and the continued expansion of the U.S. Air Force's Reaper fleet mean that considerable bandwidth is being freed up for operations in other parts of the world. (In Iraq, some UAVs may continue to be operated over northern Kurdish areas in coordination with Turkey, and some private security contractors are operating a small fleet of unarmed UAVs as part of protection efforts in coordination with the U.S. State Department's Diplomatic Security Service.)

There are obvious diplomatic and operational limitations to the employment of armed UAVs. Diplomatically, however, they also have demonstrated some value as an intermediate step between purely clandestine operations run by the CIA and the overt deployment of uniformed personnel and manned aircraft. Operationally, while Predators and Reapers lack the sort of low-observability profile of the RQ-170 (one of which was lost over Iran in 2011), UAVs lack pilots and pose no risk of human personnel being taken captive. A UAV that crashes in Iran has far fewer political ramifications than a piloted aircraft, making its deployment an easier decision for political leaders.

Indeed, the last decade has seen the maturation of the armed UAV, including its underlying architecture and doctrines. And while more than 50 Predators and Reapers have been lost in Iraq and Afghanistan and in training over the past decade, the aircraft are now essentially as safe and reliable as a manned F-16C/D but far cheaper to procure, maintain and operate. And over the next 10 years, the Pentagon plans to grow its UAV fleet about 35 percent. The U.S. Air Force plans to buy 288 more Reapers -- 48 per year from now through 2016 -- and money for UAVs has remained largely untouched even as budget cuts intensify at the Pentagon.

So while armed UAVs are merely one tool of a much broader and more sophisticated counterterrorism strategy, they can be expected to be valuable for the foreseeable future, and employed in areas of the world beyond Pakistan, Somalia and Yemen (even along the U.S.-Mexico border in an unarmed role for border patrol and counternarcotics missions). And despite an enormous breach in U.S.-Pakistani relations following the deaths of two dozen Pakistani military personnel in a cross-border incident in November and the consequent ejection of the CIA from Shamsi airfield in Pakistan (from which it had operated armed UAVs since October 2001), existing UAV orbits have been largely maintained. On Jan. 10, the first strike on Pakistani territory since November took place in North Waziristan agency of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas.

*Link for This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources Stratfor
*Speaking Image - Creation of DTN News ~ Defense Technology News 
*This article is being posted from Toronto, Canada By DTN News ~ Defense-Technology News Contact:dtnnews@ymail.com 
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DTN News: Boeing Receives AC-130U Gunship Support Contract

DTN News: Boeing Receives AC-130U Gunship Support Contract Source: DTN News / Boeing

(NSI News Source Info) FORT WALTON BEACH, Fla., - September 2, 2010: Boeing [NYSE: BA] today announced that it has received a contract from the U.S. Air Force to provide spare servo-actuators for the AC-130U gunship. The five-year contract, which includes a base year plus four out-year ordering periods, is worth up to $7.2 million. A total of $1.2 million of the first phase has been obligated. Between now and July 2011, Boeing will provide 10 servo-actuators for the Trainable Gun Mount Systems needed to install 40-millimeter guns on four AC-130Us. The contract was issued by Robins Air Force Base, Warner Robins, Ga., to Boeing’s Special Operations Forces subdivision. The work will be performed by Boeing teams in Fort Walton Beach. "These servo-actuators are a critical part of the Air Force's ability to maintain readiness for the AC-130U gunship, which is a vital platform supporting missions around the world," said Ken Hill, director, Boeing Special Operations Forces. "Tight turnaround times are required to repair these aircraft and get them back in the fight. We are fully committed to meeting our customer's expectations."Boeing has manufactured the AC-130U from existing C-130 airframes since 1987. In 2009, the company received its first contract award under the Air Force’s Future Flexible Acquisition and Sustainment Tool (F2AST) program. The initial $19.1 million F2AST contract was for the sustainment and maintenance of operational flight and simulation software, field service representative support, intermediate-level repairs and other services. Boeing's work on the C-130 platform extends to the Avionics Modernization Program; the Avionics Part Task Trainer and Cockpit Familiarization Trainer; the C-130H aerial refueling tanker for the Japan Air Self-Defense Force; and the Precision Container Aerial Delivery System (PCADS) program, designed to help combat wildfires. Boeing's Fort Walton Beach site employs approximately 500 people who primarily support the U.S. Air Force Special Operations Forces. A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is one of the world's largest defense, space and security businesses specializing in innovative and capabilities-driven customer solutions, and the world's largest and most versatile manufacturer of military aircraft. Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is a $34 billion business with 68,000 employees worldwide.

Contact: Forrest Gossett

Maintenance, Modifications & Upgrades

Mobile: 314-363-0650

forrest.s.gossett@boeing.com

Boeing Related News - (Click on date for link)

*Sep. 2, 2010 Boeing Receives AC-130U Gunship Support Contract *Sep. 2, 2010 Boeing, US Navy Flight Testing Distributed Targeting System for Super Hornet *Sep. 2, 2010 Boeing Projects $700 Billion Commercial Airplanes Market in North America - Strong demand seen for new, more fuel efficient single-aisle airplanes *Sep. 1, 2010 Boeing-built GOES-15 Weather Satellite Enters Service for NASA, NOAA *Aug. 31, 2010 Boeing CEO McNerney Statement on U.S. Export Control Proposals *Aug. 31, 2010 Boeing to Provide Landing Gear Exchange Service to Qantas Airways Qantas is launch customer for 747-400ER landing gear program *Aug. 30, 2010 1st Boeing C-130 AMP Low-Rate Initial Production Aircraft Inducted at Warner Robins Air Logistics Center *Aug. 30, 2010 Boeing Opens New Intelligence Collaboration Center to Counter Global Threats *Aug. 30, 2010 1st Boeing-built GPS IIF Satellite Enters Service with US Air Force *Aug. 27, 2010 Boeing Sets 787 First Delivery Date for Mid-First Quarter 2011

DTN News: AC-130 Gunships....Old Ammo Available

DTN News: AC-130 Gunships....Old Ammo Available *Source: DTN News / Defense Media (NSI News Source Info) NEW YORK, US - October 13, 2009: The U.S. Air Force found a way to save over $50 million, by modifying 64 year old ammunition. It's all about saving money on practice ammo for the 40mm cannons used on AC-130 gunships. Brought new, each 40mm round costs $200. But there was still 350,000 rounds of World War II vintage 40mm armor piercing ammo available, still in its original waterproof packaging, sitting in air force storage bunkers (one can only wonder what else is down there). The AC-130s don't use armor piercing ammo, but the high explosive incendiary (it explodes and causes fires and lots of metal fragments). For practice, you need the high explosive incendiary (which explodes when it hits), not the armor piercing (which is difficult to be seen from the AC-130.) Thus for years, the AC-130 crews had no interest in the old armor piercing stiff. But then some clever air force boffins figured out how to add a small spotting charge to the old armor piercing round. The procedure doesn't cost much, and the resulting armor piercing ammo provides the visual feedback gunners need while practice firing. This made training a lot cheaper. Converting all the old ammo will take care of training needs for about five years. The World War II era rounds cost $8 each when manufactured. Adjusted for inflation, that's about $90 today. Plus the cost of storage for over sixty years. Accountants differ on exactly how to deal with all this in terms of calculating the "real" savings. But the program does get that ancient stuff out of the bunker, before the ammo becomes too old to safely use. On the downside, this just further encourages the military to never throw anything away. Many nations do this packrat thing, although the Russians are probably the worst offenders. They still have large quantities of World War II ammo and equipment in storage. Much of it was finally sold off when the Cold War ended in 1991. This was much appreciated by museums and private collectors. But they didn't sell everything, and even the U.S. has much vintage material sitting around, waiting for another opportunity. The navy, for example, had hundreds of 16 inch naval gun ammo, which continued to be used into the early 1990s. Not so much with the 5 inch anti-aircraft shells made in the last year of World War II. By the end of the Cold War, there were still over half a million of these left. The shells were no longer of any use against aircraft (which don't get close enough), and the gun that used them (the 1930s era 5/38 model) was no longer used. Demilitarizing (taking it apart and disposing of it) is expensive, so the tendency is to just leave the old ammo in the bunker and hope no one will notice.