Contractors Get Half of DoD Budget
More than half of the Pentagon’s yearly budget goes to private contractors. In 2021, Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Raytheon, General Dynamics, and Northrop Grumman received over $116 billion in Pentagon contracts while paying their top two dozen executives a total of $287 million. The CEOs of the top five contractors received compensation ranging from $18 million to $23 million each.
Future Unclear on Littoral Combat Ships
House Armed Services Committee Chairman Adam Smith (D-WA) said he will offer an amendment to save five US Navy littoral combat ships from an early retirement. Three separate congressional committees have approved defense budget plans that would block the Navy from scrapping five vessels from the problem-plagued ship class.
Milley: Respecting Legacy of D-Day Soldiers
US Army GEN Mark Milley, speaking Monday at the American Cemetery of Colleville-sur-Mer in France, overlooking Omaha Beach, told a group of World War II veterans gathered for the 78th anniversary of D-Day that the ongoing war in Ukraine is about “honoring” them as the world has come together “against a determined invader.”
Audit: 41 Navy Subs Lacked Cybersecurity Inspections
A Naval Audit Service report finds that many submarines of Naval Submarine Force Pacific did not receive the required cybersecurity inspections in recent years. Inspections of 41 submarines and two tenders were not conducted as required from 2016 to 2018, and the Navy Fleet Cyber Command failed to document the reasons why the inspections didn’t take place.
DoD Adjusts Cash Flow to Contractors in Response to Coronavirus
DoD will raise progress payments to improve cash flow to contractors as the coronavirus continues to impact the economy. Northrop Grumman and General Dynamics have already cautioned investors; Boeing has closed its Puget Sound plants; and CAE, GE, and Airbus, government contractors with large commercial exposure, are taking various aggressive actions to rein in costs and staunch losses.
Hackers Reach DoD Contractors’ Data
Lockheed Martin, General Dynamics, Boeing, and SpaceX are among dozens of companies named as victims of compromised data. Visser Precision, a Colorado-based aerospace, automotive, and industrial parts manufacturer, was hacked by the ransomware group DoppelPaymer.
DoD End-of-Year Contracts Awarded
These are the end-of-year Department of Defense contracts awarded in the Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC, region from December 23 through December 31, 2019.
Organizational Changes Likely in Pacific Fleet
The US Navy is pressing toward a major organizational change that could strip US Pacific Fleet of some or all of its functions and consolidate that power under US Fleet Forces Command on the East Coast.
A Look at Top Military Stories in 2016
A look back at some of the top military and maritime stories of 2016. The news was full of stories about research, development, and acquisition, as well as testing, fielding, and planning for ships, aircraft, and weapon systems.
China Can Track F-35 JSF
China’s “passive” radar detection device may be able to track the F-35 stealthy fighter at distances of up to 400 kilometers.
