Supply Chain

For the first time, the U.S. Navy’s Military Sealift Command (MSC) has chartered a kite-assisted, fuel-saving cargo ship to carry military equipment.

MV Beluga SkySails departed from Newport, Wales, on October 5 after the first of three European port calls to load U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force cargo before the ship’s month-long voyage to the United States.

The 400-foot Beluga SkySails is the world’s first cargo ship to use a sky sail—a giant, computer-controlled kite that can rise 100 yards into the air and uses wind power to help propel the ship during long ocean transits. Though MSC frequently charters commercial ships to meet mission requirements, this is the first time the command has chartered such a ship.

The ship operating company estimates that the sky sail can reduce fuel costs by 20 to 30 percent, or roughly $1,600 per day.

Though Beluga SkySails’ wind power was not a factor in awarding the contract, the ship operating company was likely “able to capitalize on fuel savings to make its offer more competitive,” said MSC contracting officer Kenneth Allen.

“MSC values innovation that leads to cost savings,” said Navy Captain Nick Holman, commander of Sealift Logistics Command Europe, MSC’s area command for Europe and Africa. “We are proud to be collaborating with innovators in the commercial maritime world to provide our customers with efficient and quality service.”

MSC operates approximately 110 noncombatant, civilian-crewed ships that replenish U.S. Navy ships, conduct specialized missions, strategically pre-position combat cargo at sea around the world and move military cargo and supplies used by deployed U.S. forces and coalition partners.

NAVSUP Expands Use of Passive RFID

XIO Strategies Inc. recently announced the successful expansion of the passive RFID deployment by the U.S. Naval Supply Systems Command (NAVSUP) at the Pearl Harbor Naval shipyard and Marine Corps base in Oahu, Hawaii. The Oahu pRFID initiative was originally developed by TRANSCOM, the DoD’s distribution process owner for logistics, to provide discrete levels of asset visibility at Naval and Marine Corps receiving and storage warehouse facilities.

RFID portals were installed at the Pearl Harbor Shipyard and Marine ATAC (Advanced Traceability and Control) facility receiving warehouses, inbound storage warehouse doors, bulk storage and maintenance facilities. Then, new data interfaces had to be established with DoD information systems. This was critical to ensure the pRFID data collected at the edge of the facilities was seamlessly transferred to the information systems used by the sailors and marines. Early analysis indicates significant process improvements as a result of the project implementation.

Under the direction of TRANSCOM, Oahu was selected due to the compact nature of the island and its inclusion in the Joint Regional Inventory Materiel Management (JRIMM) Initiative as a key logistics site for the consolidation of inventory among the military branches. This selection provided NAVSUP with a strategic location to deploy pRFID technology at the island’s Navy and Marine sites and work closely with the Army, Air Force and Defense Logistics Agency as they deployed pRFID at their Oahu locations.

“As a subcontractor to SAIC, and in conjunction with our partners Alien Technology and GlobeRanger, XIO is proud to have supported the Navy AIT Office in the deployment of pRFID at Pearl Harbor and Kaneohe Bay,” said XIO Strategies President and CEO Mary Ann Wagner. “This project demonstrates the benefits of achieving real-time supply chain visibility—enabling the AIT program office to better support the warfighter.”

Boeing to Offer Enhanced Logistics Command and Control, Supply Chain Operations

The Boeing Company BA announced an agreement to acquire Federated Software Group, a St. Louis-based company whose engineering services and software systems help track and distribute equipment and personnel for the U.S. Department of Defense.

Federated Software Group is the integrator for several critical command and control systems and provides engineering services for government contracting and billing systems. The U.S. Air Force Air Mobility Command uses Federated Software Group applications to track the planes, pilots, passengers and cargo involved in airlift and aerial refueling operations. The company’s applications also are used by the U.S. Transportation Command to track and optimize air, land and sea mobility operations around the world.

“With our troops deployed in more than 125 countries around the world, our military and government customers are demanding the kind of enhanced logistical efficiency and supply chain situational awareness that Federated Software Group enables through their worldclass engineering and software products,” said Jim Albaugh, president and CEO of Boeing Integrated Defense Systems (IDS). “Adding the Federated Software Group team to Boeing’s expanding Global Services & Support business will ensure that we can put that support where and when the men and women of the armed services need it most.”

Terms of the cash transaction were not disclosed. Once acquired, Federated Software Group will operate within IDS Global Services & Support. This transaction, anticipated to close by the end of the year, does not affect Boeing’s financial guidance.

The Comparative Testing Office

Each year, the Pentagon searches for developed technologies that can rapidly meet warfighter needs. The search is done by the Comparative Testing Office within the office of the deputy under secretary of defense (Advanced Systems & Concepts). It casts its net internationally with its Foreign Comparative Testing program, and searches domestically with its Defense Acquisition Challenge program. Selected technologies are then tested to determine if they meet warfighting needs.

The office commences its annual cycle with a reception in November. Those in attendance, from foreign to U.S. defense officials, had a firsthand look at the technologies undergoing evaluation over the next year. This year’s displays included sniper rifles, shockwave therapy systems for wounds and burns, and cockpit displays for aircraft. For 2009, 30 technologies were selected for testing. At the event, John J. Kubricky, deputy under secretary of defense (Advanced Systems & Concepts), also recognized project testing managers whose efforts significantly benefited warfighters.

Successfully evaluated technologies are rapidly procured and include such systems as the IED-handling Buffalo, special operations forces combat assault rifle and patient simulators for training combat medics. Not only do these programs rapidly field needed systems, but they also help the Department of Defense to avoid significant R&D costs. It’s estimated that the two programs together have avoided over $8 billion in R&D costs since 1980.
 

MRAP Vehicle Gets Better, Lighter Armor

“The MRAP program should be considered the highest priority Department of Defense acquisition program,” stated Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, referring to the mine resistant ambush protected vehicles, helping protect U.S. warfighters from improvised explosive devices, or IEDS.

A challenge in building these vehicles was giving them the requisite armor protection without making them so heavy that it negatively impacted fuel performance and payload. A German-developed aluminum alloy, termed “AA 5059,” was found by the Pentagon’s Foreign Comparative Testing Program. The alloy and other materials were evaluated under the leadership of Brian Placzankis of the Army Research Laboratory. AA 5059 was found to have better ballistic and blast protection for armored hull type vehicles and other lightweight materials. It also welds more cohesively and resists corrosion. Additionally, testing was completed three months ahead of schedule.

As a result of these efforts, AA 5059 has been used in the RG-33 vehicle, a Category I MRAP vehicle, now operating in Afghanistan and Iraq. The alloy has also been selected for all eight variants of the manned ground vehicle program. At the reception, Placzankis was recognized as a Foreign Comparative Testing project manager of 2008 by Kubricky. It’s estimated that the cost of $521,000 for successful testing of this alloy avoided $2.5 million in R&D costs and a procurement totaling over $14 million.

Marine Tanks Get U.K. Blade and Engineering Capability

In Iraq, U.S. Marines needed a way to quickly move obstacles and roadblocks. Today, Marine Corps M1A1 tanks are equipped with a multi-purpose tank blade that not only allows such fast clearing, but also preparing fighting positions. Essentially, the tank blade has given Marine Corps tank battalions and organic engineering capability.

The blade’s acquisition and use was enabled by the FCT program. In this case, the tank blade was found in the United Kingdom, made by Pearson Engineering. The program initiated the blade’s testing in 2006. Under the leadership of Captain Jason L. Anderson of Marine Corps Systems Command, the blade was successfully evaluated within two years. Anderson was recognized as a Foreign Comparative Testing project manager of 2008 by Deputy Under Secretary of Defense (Advanced Systems & Concepts) John J. Kubricky. This testing led to the Marine Corps’ procurement of 88 blade systems, totaling $21 million, with plans to procure six more systems, costing $1.7 million in 2009. Additionally, use of this existing technology helped avoid $5 million in R&D costs. ♦

 * Compiled by KMI Media Group staff