Defense Revenues Up 5% Over Last Year

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The defense industry held its own last year. Despite the coronavirus pandemic, the industry saw a gain in revenues in 2020, reports Defense News. Defense revenues recorded in this year’s Defense News Top 100 list totaled $551 billion, up about 5% from $524 billion for fiscal 2019, recorded in last year’s list. Topping the new list are Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, Boeing, Northrup Grumman, and General Dynamics. Lockheed Martin has been in the No. 1 spot since Defense News began publishing the list in 2000.

Japan is pushing its defense-industrial base to grow as it builds up its self-defense forces to counter China’s growing military, Defense News reports.

Army GEN Austin “Scott” Miller has stepped down as the head of US military operations in Afghanistan, marking another sign of the US’ withdrawal from the country, reports UPI. Marine GEN Kenneth “Frank” McKenzie of US Central Command will oversee the final stage of operations there.

The Pentagon says it is analyzing Haiti’s request for troops in the wake of the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse, reports Military Times, but no decisions have been made. However, the US has sent agents from the FBI and Department of Homeland Security to help with the investigation.

Protestors in Cuba are demanding an end to that country’s communist dictatorship, reports CBSMiami. Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL) called for US to support the island nation. “Now more than ever, the United States and the international community must support the Cuban people in their struggle for freedom,” he said.

Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) has been pushing her congressional colleagues to end the federal government’s practice of deporting undocumented immigrants who served honorably in the military, reports The New York Times.

Norway and Germany together will purchase submarines and a supply of naval strike missiles, in a move to bolster both their interoperability and, hopefully, drive down costs, reports Breaking Defense.

China is stepping up its development of land and undersea robots as well as armored artillery vehicles. But can it compete with the US Army’s unmanned systems technology, asks The National Interest.

China’s People’s Liberation Army said it sent ships and planes after the USS Benfold entered waters around the Paracel Islands in the South China Sea last week, reports ABC News. The US military said that information isn’t true.

 

 

Boeing has been awarded a $321.6 million contract to support the UK’s Royal Air Force’s fleet of Poseidon MRA1 maritime patrol aircraft and train the crews that operate them for the next five years, report Naval News.

Lockheed Martin has finished building the spacecraft called Lucy that will travel to Jupiter to study the Trojan Asteroids, reports Tech Times. Lucy will launch in October 2021 and, with boosts from Earth’s gravity, will complete a 12-year journey to eight different asteroids, reports NASA.

A Black Brant IX sounding rocket carrying the Dynamo-2 experiment successfully launched from Wallops Island, VA, last week, reports WTKR3. With the Dynamo’s launch timed as NASA’s Ionospheric Connection Explorer satellite passes nearby, these two space missions will combine to study the electric circuit in the sky, according to NASA.

A Defense Department survey of National Guard and Reserve spouses found that the majority of the military spouses said they were satisfied with military life and support their service member staying in the military, reports Military Times. The DoD survey was taken in 2019, before the pandemic and other missions dealing with civil unrest and natural disasters. 2020 will be remembered as the Year of the Guard, Army Times reported, as it noted that the Guard was mobilized longer in 2020 than at any time since World War II.

Courtney Hillery, the child and youth programs director at NAS Pax River, was awarded the Department of the Navy Meritorious Civilian Service Award last month, reports dcmilitary.com.

Don Blottenberger is the new Aerial Targets program manager at NAS Pax River, reports The BayNet. Mr. Blottenberger takes command after serving as the deputy program manager for the Precision Strike Weapons program office (PMA-201).

The Air Force will allow guests to attend basic military training graduation ceremonies, reports Military.com.

DoD wants to move $4.3 billion of previously appropriated money into new accounts to pay for emergency COVID-19 requirements and fill in readiness and pay needs, reports Federal News Network.

Marine Corps officials say that Marines who are fully vaccinated against COVID no longer need to wear a mask indoors or outside, reports Military.com.

Maryland has started giving away scholarships to young people who get vaccinated, reports WTOP News. Twenty scholarships will be given away.

The Maryland Public Service Commission accepted proposals for a second round of offshore wind projects in federal waters off the coast of Maryland, reports Maryland Matters. The PSC will review all applications and award offshore renewable energy credits to a project or projects for this round by Dec. 18.

Maryland’s Howard County ranked No. 8 in US News & World Report’s 2021 Healthiest Communities list among nearly 3,000 counties in the country, reports Patch.com. Howard is the only Maryland jurisdiction to land within the top 50 rankings.

Contract:

Johns Hopkins University, Laurel, Maryland, has been awarded a $530,000,000 ceiling, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, cost-type contract for research and development services in support of the nuclear enterprise. Johns Hopkins University has also been awarded the first task order for research and development services for $23,717,889 to support the Ground Based Strategic Deterrent weapon system. These contracts provide research and development services in support of the two intercontinental ballistic missile systems. Work will be performed in Laurel, Maryland, with support being available until July 15, 2031. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Fiscal 2021 research, development, test and evaluation funds are currently being used with an initial obligation of $4,500,000 to fund the first task order. Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center, Hill Air Force Base, Utah, is the contracting activity (FA8204-21-D-0001).