Delivery Systems & Nuclear Triad

Botched welding jobs on 12 missile tubes for the Navy’s next-generation ballistic-missile submarines should not materially affect tube vendor BWX Technologies’ bottom line this year, CEO Rex Geveden said Tuesday. But it is “too early to tell” whether the gaffe will prevent BWXT from winning more subcontracting business from General Dynamics Electric Boat (GDEB), prime contractor […]

Boeing and Raytheon, key contractors on next-generation Air Force nuclear-missile programs, both posted higher quarterly earnings last week. Boeing, one of two contractors on the next-generation intercontinental ballistic missile system, reported a 26 percent spike in earnings in the second quarter, to $2.2 billion, or $3.73 a share. Raytheon, one of two tech-development contractors working on […]

Boeing and Raytheon, key contractors on next-generation Air Force nuclear-missile programs, both posted higher quarterly earnings last week. Boeing, one of two contractors on the next-generation intercontinental ballistic missile system, reported a 26 percent spike in earnings in the second quarter, to $2.2 billion, or $3.73 a share. Raytheon, one of two tech-development contractors working on […]

Lockheed Martin, one of two Pentagon contractors developing a new cruise missile intended to carry the W80 nuclear warhead, this week reported better than 25-percent year-over-year earnings growth for the second quarter of 2018. Net income for the quarter ended June 24 rose 26 percent to $1.2 billion, or $4.05 a share, from $955 million, or […]

Earnings at Northrop Grumman, one of two defense contractors on the next-generation U.S. intercontinental ballistic missile, rose nearly 25 percent in the second quarter, the company reported this week. Quarterly net income increased 24 percent to $689 million, or $3.93 a share, from $555 million, or $3.16 a share, beating the Street by $0.09 per […]

The 2019 National Defense Authorization Act, which the House could vote on Thursday, calls on the Pentagon to speed up modernization of the nuclear-armed intercontinental ballistic-missile fleet and air-launched cruise missiles. The unified National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) picked up House language requiring the Pentagon to find some way of speeding up the programs. The […]

The National Nuclear Security Administration announced last week it completed a pair of flight tests on non-nuclear components of the B61-12 nuclear gravity bomb near the Nevada National Test Site. “The tests involved releasing a B61-12 non-nuclear test assembly, which includes the NNSA designed bomb assembly and U.S. Air Force acquired tail-kit, from a B-2A […]

By Marc Selinger Defense Daily The U.S. Air Force, which has been developing the B-21 Raider for almost three years, is on track to conduct a critical design review by year’s end, a service official said June 25. “We are on our way to critical design review,” said Randy Walden, director of the Air Force Rapid Capabilities […]

The U.S. Air Force, which has been developing the B-21 Raider for almost three years, is on track to conduct a critical design review by year’s end, a service official said June 25. “We are on our way to critical design review,” said Randy Walden, director of the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office, which oversees the bomber […]

Calvin Biesecker Defense Daily The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) on Tuesday evening approved the acquisition by Northrop Grumman [NOC] of Orbital ATK [OA] contingent on Northrop Grumman agreeing to operate its new solid rocket motor (SRM) business independently to avoid anticompetitive behavior. Northrop Grumman on Wednesday afternoon after the close of stock markets on the […]

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) on Tuesday evening approved the acquisition by Northrop Grumman [NOC] of Orbital ATK [OA] contingent on Northrop Grumman agreeing to operate its new solid rocket motor (SRM) business independently to avoid anticompetitive behavior. Northrop Grumman on Wednesday afternoon after the close of stock markets on the East Coast completed its $7.8 billion transaction for […]

Gen. Ellen Pawlikowski, head of U.S. Air Force Materiel Command, told defense reporters last week she is confident that the B-52 bomber, which the Air Force plans to equip with new engines, can remain in service until 2050. Although the plane is more than 55 years old, it has relatively few flight hours and has […]

WASHINGTON —The National Nuclear Security Administration would receive not quite $15 billion if a Department of Energy budget bill approved Tuesday by a Senate Appropriations subcommittee becomes law. The bulk of the money — $10.9 billion — would fund nuclear-weapon operations at the semiautonomous Department of Energy agency, with the rest split almost evenly between […]

Gen. Ellen Pawlikowski, head of U.S. Air Force Materiel Command, told defense reporters last week she is confident that the B-52 bomber, which the Air Force plans to equip with new engines, can remain in service until 2050. Although the plane is more than 55 years old, it has relatively few flight hours and has […]

Marc Selinger  Defense Daily The U.S. Air Force may ask Congress to move around previously approved funds for the Ground Based Strategic Deterrent (GBSD) because the program is running ahead of schedule, according to service officials. GBSD “is on schedule. In fact, it’s actually a little ahead of schedule and we may be coming to […]

Rich Abott Defense Daily The chair of the House Armed Services Committee’s (HASC) seapower panel on Thursday said the FY ’18 shipbuilding authorization of $26.2 billion should be maintained before adding $3 billion when the Columbia-class ballistic missile submarine (SSBN) starts production. “I think even the Navy hasn’t been as direct as they need to be […]

Rich Abott Defense Daily Connecticut Gov. Dannel Malloy (D) last week announced a partnership with General Dynamics Electric Boat (EB) wherein the company will invest $852 million in its Groton shipyard and hire thousands more workers over 17 years to prepare to build the Columbia-class ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs).. The GD EB investment will focus on “significantly expanding” […]

Connecticut Gov. Dannel Malloy (D) last week announced a partnership with General Dynamics [GD] Electric Boat (EB) wherein the company will invest $852 million in its Groton shipyard and hire thousands more workers over 17 years to prepare to build the Columbia-class ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs). The GD EB investment will focus on “significantly expanding” its Groton facility […]

By Marc Selinger Defense Daily Recent increases in U.S. defense spending have bolstered the Air Force’s nuclear modernization efforts, but the possible return of across-the-board budget cuts in FY 2020 looms as a potential threat to those programs, a service official said May 1. The two-year budget agreement that President Trump signed into law in February […]

Recent increases in U.S. defense spending have bolstered the Air Force’s nuclear modernization efforts, but the possible return of across-the-board budget cuts in FY 2020 looms as a potential threat to those programs, a service official said May 1. The two-year budget agreement that President Trump signed into law in February provides $700 billion for defense […]

By Calvin Biesecker Defense Daily Driven by strong results across its operations, Boeing on Wednesday reported a big increase in its bottom line and a solid gain in the top line in its first quarter, and the company boosted its guidance this year for earnings and cash. Net income was up 57 percent to $2.5 […]

By Calvin Biesecker Defense Daily Northrop Grumman on Wednesday opened its fiscal 2018 with solid results, driven by improved operating performance, lower taxes, and a pension benefit, and the company upgraded its earnings outlook for the year. Net income in the quarter was up 14 percent to $739 million, or $4.21 a share, from $650 […]

By Calvin Biesecker Defense Daily Raytheon on Thursday posted strong first-quarter financial results, driven by lower taxes, and improved operating performance, and the company increased its guidance this year for sales and earnings. Lower taxes that went into effect on Jan. 1 have helped underpin solid to strong results for all the major defense companies […]

Marc Selinger Defense Daily Software deliveries have begun for the U.S. Air Force’s future B-21 Raider bomber, a service official said late April 18. “We’ve delivered the first set of software for the platform, and we’re going through that,” said Lt. Gen. Arnold Bunch, military deputy in the Air Force acquisition office. “And we’re getting set up […]

By Marc Selinger Defense Daily The U.S. Navy, which has said for years that it wants to buy 12 Columbia-class, nuclear-armed ballistic missile submarines to replace its aging Ohio-class fleet, is leaving open the possibility that it will end up acquiring more than that, a service official said April 11. “That’s a decision that will be made […]

By Marc Selinger Defense Daily Deputy Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan, whose duties include overseeing big-ticket acquisition programs, attended a recent “deep dive” briefing on the Air Force’s B-21 Raider to better familiarize himself with the bomber development effort, a service official said April 9. Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Stephen Wilson said that he and prime contractor Northrop Grumman [NOC] […]

The U.S. Navy, which has said for years that it wants to buy 12 Columbia-class, nuclear-armed ballistic missile submarines to replace its aging Ohio-class fleet, is leaving open the possibility that it will end up acquiring more than that, a service official said April 11. “That’s a decision that will be made and a recommendation made by […]

Deputy Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan, whose duties include overseeing big-ticket acquisition programs, attended a recent “deep dive” briefing on the Air Force’s B-21 Raider to better familiarize himself with the bomber development effort, a service official said April 9. Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Stephen Wilson said that he and prime contractor Northrop Grumman [NOC] also took part in the […]

A joint U.S. Navy and a Lockheed Martin industry team successfully launched two Trident II D5 Life Extension missiles from the Ohio-class USS Nebraska (SSBN-739) ballistic missile submarine. This test certified the submarine’s strategic weapon system and crew are ready for patrol and provided more information on the D5 Life Extension missile configuration. The test was called Demonstration and Shakedown […]

WASHINGTON — In separate congressional hearings here Tuesday, senior Energy and Defense officials declined to pin down the date at which the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) might start modifying an existing warhead to create the low-yield, submarine-launched weapon sought by the Trump administration. The Pentagon has already requested 2019 funding to start upgrading the Trident […]