“The states need to be consulted, and need to be full partners moving forward in any major change such as this,” said Minnesota Rep. Betty McCollum, the defense subcommittee’s top Democrat.
While the Space Development Agency initially intended to make awards to more than one vendor, the agency determined that a sole-source contract with the Boeing-owned firm was “best value.”
Ann McDonnell, chief operating officer for Export Controls Australia Group, told Breaking Defense, “I think definitely from the Australian perspective, it really seemed like we had done everything possible that we could do in a really quick timeframe to get that certification.”
“No matter what theater we talk about – PACOM, Europe – everything needs to be smaller, lighter [and] very modular, so…we can throw it in the back of a pickup truck,” said Col. Devin Licklider, program manager for MAGTF Command & Control.
Space industry analyst Todd Harrison said the $3.1 billion purchase is latest in a “shakeup” in the satellite communications landscape following the proliferation of LEO birds.
Marine Corps officials said the new office will act as a bridge over the Pentagon’s infamous “valley of death” and will first focus on counter-drone systems.
In addition, South Korea will buy four new frigates and create a new air-to-air missile; all told, the three projects will represent roughly $4 billion in investments.
Two of the vendors for the Organic Precision Fires-Light (OPF-L) System Development Contract are providing vertical take-off/launch (VTOL) solutions, while the third is going for a fixed-wing solution.
Carley Welch joins the team to report on C4ISR, cyber and DoD enterprise modernization
Increased congestion in both LEO and, somewhat surprisingly GEO, is a factor in rising space insurance premiums, said Melissa Quinn, managing director of California-based startup Slingshot’s UK arm.