Defense Contractors News

South Korean authorities cited the risk of Chinese economic retaliation when they charged marine technology firm SI Innotec last year with violating trade laws for its work on Taiwan's new military submarine program, according to a police document seen by Reuters and two people familiar with the matter.In a Feb. 17, 2022, affidavit to a judge seeking the arrest of SI Innotec executive director Park Mal-sik, police said authorities feared a repeat of the sweeping sanctions imposed by Beijing in 2016, after Seoul decided to install THAAD, a U.S. anti-missile system.

On a windswept island 50 miles north of Seattle sits a U.S. Navy monitoring station. For years, it was kept busy tracking whale movements and measuring rising sea temperatures. Last October, the Navy gave the unit a new name that better reflects its current mission: Theater Undersea Surveillance Command.The renaming of the spy station at the Whidbey Island naval base is a nod to a much larger U.S. military project, according to three people with direct knowledge of the plans:…

On Feb. 10 last year, the cable ship CS Dependable appeared off the coast of the island of Diego Garcia, an Indian Ocean atoll that’s home to a discreet U.S. naval base.Over the next month, the ship’s crew covertly laid an underwater fiber-optic cable to the military base, an operation code-named “Big Wave,” according to four people with direct knowledge of the mission, as well as a Reuters analysis of satellite imagery and ship tracking data.The new super-fast internet link to Diego Garcia, which has not previously been reported, will boost U.S. military readiness in the Indian Ocean, a region where China has expanded its naval influence over the last decade.The CS Dependable is owned by SubCom…

The Long Island Council of the Navy League of the United States recently held a World War II Veterans Recognition Event in conjunction with Veteran’s Day. The event honored the heroic service efforts of three Long Island World War II veterans who protected our freedoms during their service in the United States military: Lieutenant Commander Jules V. Steinhauer of Farmingdale, N.Y., Radio Technician 1st Class Victor Nelson of Bethpage, N.Y., and the late William J. Evanzia of Westbury, N.Y., Communications Officer, Radar-Man 2nd Class, RD2, who was honored posthumously.

Members of "The Greatest Generation" honored  for Valiant U.S. Military Service by the Long Island Council of the U.S. Navy LeagueThe Long Island Council of the Navy League of the United States earlier this year held a World War II Veterans Recognition Event in conjunction with Veteran’s Day. The event honored the heroic service efforts of three Long Island World War II veterans during their service in the United States military: Lieutenant Commander Jules V. Steinhauer of Farmingdale, NY, Radio Technician 1st Class Victor Nelson of Bethpage, NY, and William J.

Autonomous command and control systems developer Sea Machines Robotics announced it has advanced its multi-year Other Transaction (OT) agreement with the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD)’s Defense Innovation Unit (DIU). Phase 2 of the multiphase contract delegates $3.1 million to the deployment of a full-scale oceangoing replenishment platform.In October 2020, Boston-based Sea Machines was enlisted by the DoD to engineer, build and demonstrate ready-to-deploy system kits that transform existing commercial barges to platforms capable of landing and replenishing military aircraft.

In the United States, it is a frustrating time to be in the government shipbuilding business. Even though America depends upon maritime commerce and faces growing security risks at sea, shipbuilding is just not a major national focus.Up to now, shipbuilders have had it pretty good. For the past several years, big naval shipbuilders have enjoyed steady growth and strong performance. In 2020, Huntington Ingalls Industries enjoyed record revenue of $9.4 billion, an 8.5% margin and gave a quarter billion back to shareholders in dividends and stock buybacks.

This week marked the start of new leadership at Chesapeake-based Fincantieri Marine Systems North America, as Ryan W. Smith assumed the position as CEO for the company.Smith brings over 15 years of experience in program management and engineering roles with Northrop Grumman and BAE Systems, as well as project management and lifecycle consulting services for major defense contractors and ship repair organizations focusing primarily on support of U.S. Navy programs. Smith brings…

The U.S. Navy has paid defense contractors $600 million it had withheld due to poor workmanship, hoping the funds would shore up finances for suppliers ravaged by the coronavirus-driven economic downturn, a Navy official said on Tuesday.The move, which follows a similar action taken by the Air Force that released billions of dollars in payments, is aimed at replacing revenue vital Pentagon suppliers have lost in their non-military businesses as the spreading coronavirus has halted…

The Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) Division Newport has joined the 401 Tech Bridge innovation initiative in the state of Rhode Island.“The Warfare Centers recognize that to be successful, whether it is on a submarine, on a ship or solving a technical challenge, you need a good team,”  NUWC Division Newport Commanding Officer Capt. Mike Coughlin said. “We realize that Expanding the Advantage means reaching out beyond our Navy partners, Warfare Centers and traditional defense contractors.

Retlif Testing Laboratories, the provider of EMC/EMI, lightning and Environmental Simulation testing and engineering services for maritime, has received the prestigious Cogswell Outstanding Industrial Security Achievement Award from the Defense Security Service (DSS).According to a press release from USA's  internationally recognized strategic compliance organization, the Cogswell award recognizes industrial security excellence and outstanding achievement in matters related exclusively to a facility’s security program.Established in 1966, it honors the late Air Force Colonel James S. Cogswell, the first Chief of Industrial Security within the Department of Defense.Retlif Executive Vice President and Facility Security Officer William K.

The Department of the Navy (DoN) Forum for SBIR/STTR Transition (FST) will be held April 10-11, 2019 at the Tsongas Center in Lowell, Mass., co-hosted by the UMass Lowell Research Institute (UML RI).Lowell’s heart and soul is innovation. It’s a city where some of the first major textile mills opened in the mid-1800s, triggering America’s industrial revolution. Today Lowell is situated in one of the nation’s largest technology clusters. UML RI, located near Hanscom AFB in Lincoln, Mass., is emerging as a leader in bridging the gap between research and solutions that change people’s lives and provide world-class, cutting-edge technology to our warfighters.“This is a significant area for technology and innovation,” said Matthew McSwain, UML RI’s executive director.

Huntington Ingalls Industries Inc. (HII) has agreed to a $9.2 million settlement of allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by knowingly overbilling the government for labor on U.S. Navy and Coast Guard ships at its shipyards in Pascagoula, Miss. Under the settlement, HII will make a payment of $7.9 million which, combined with earlier repayments, will result in the settlement recovery of approximately $9.2 million. “Contractors that knowingly bill the government in violation of contract terms will face serious consequences,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Chad A.

Defense minister Philip Dunne has visited Liverpool City Region U.K. based ship engine specialist James Troop & Co Thursday to review progress of a £2 million deal to replace the generator sets on seven Royal Navy Mine Hunters. Dunne, the Minister of State for Defense Procurement at the Ministry, met with staff across James Troop, one of the shipping industry’s most established companies. Dunne heard how James Troop is finishing the first phase of the contract to supply Volvo Penta engines and generators for the Royal Navy’s Sandown-class Mine Hunters: HMS Bangor…

Retlif Testing Laboratories, a strategic compliance organization and independent testing laboratory, has received the Cogswell Outstanding Industrial Security Achievement Award from Defense Security Service (DSS). Presented at the annual National Center for Manufacturing Sciences (NCMS) training seminar at National Harbor, Maryland, the Cogswell Award recognizes industrial security excellence and outstanding achievement in matters related exclusively to a facility’s security program.

The latest surge in blue water shipbuilding and the seagoing billets that those jobs create is a welcome change for a domestic maritime sector that had seen nothing but decline for the past four decades. Still, and from a training, demand, and recruitment point of view, the brown water sector is arguably the place to be for today’s aspiring mariners. That’s because increasingly sophisticated equipment, expanding fleets and a much tighter regulatory regime are creating the demand for ever more mariners.

Maritime employers, thirsting for quality employees in numbers sufficient to run their far flung businesses, continue to struggle to recruit and retain talent despite lingering high unemployment across the other sectors of the economy. On the waterfront, there are many models for producing marine professionals; some quite new and others, time tested. Brad Lima is the Dean and Vice President for Academic Affairs at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy. As a 1974 graduate (BS; marine engineering) of the nation’s oldest continuously operating academy…

Sparton Corporation subsidiary, Sparton Aydin, has entered into a definitive purchase agreement to acquire certain assets and liabilities of Aydin Displays, Inc., an $18 million revenue business, in an all-cash transaction. The acquistion is expected to provide $18-million in annual revenue, adding engineered product content of enhanced industrial quality flat panel display and touch-screen solutions. Aydin Displays, Inc., a subsidiary of Video Display Corp., located in Birdsboro, Pennsylvania, develops enhanced flat panel display and touch-screen solutions with application-critical performance criteria including ruggedization, high resolution…

dB Control awarded $3.3M, five-year contract to supply high-power products to U.S. dB Control Corp., manufacturer of high-power microwave amplifiers, radar/electronic countermeasure (ECM) transmitters, and high- and low-voltage power supplies, has been awarded a contract worth an estimated $3.3 million by the U.S. Navy to produce high-power products and services . The contract is an indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (IDIQ) with one base year and four option years. “Having provided the U.S. Government products and services for over two decades, we’ve earned our reputation as a reliable supplier for their mission-critical applications,” said dB Control Marketing Manager Steven Olson.

In many ways marine and hydrokinetic power systems offer one of the most promising areas for renewable energy development. Marine and hydrokinetic resources – including ocean waves, tidal streams, river flows, ocean currents, and ocean thermal differences – are abundant, the technology is improving rapidly, and countries that have strong marine resources, such as the United Kingdom, United States, Australia, South Korea, Spain, and Portugal, have committed to supporting the industry. Marine energy, however, still faces significant technology, policy, and financing challenges.

Ridge Global Launches New Maritime Consulting Team - Flag Bridge; Top-tier Maritime Experts to Address Challenges in Global Maritime Risk and Sovereignty Management. Ridge Global, an international provider of security and risk management services, today announced the launch of Flag Bridge™, a new service focused on maritime risk and sovereignty management. The Flag Bridge team includes an elite cadre of former U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) admirals and distinguished maritime professionals…

A new maintenance company with no shipyard experience takes a struggling repair yard, converted from an old cannery, and transforms it into a success story. Alaska Ship & Drydock (ASD) is on its way to achieving its vision of becoming the maritime support center for the North Pacific and Arctic Oceans. The yard’s story is tied to the economic development in Southeast Alaska and its turning point came with the construction of the MV Susitna, the first ice strengthened twin hull ferry, commissioned by the Office of Naval Research.

When I was a child, I spent a good part of my time getting into trouble, as most children do. My favorite excuse was “someone else made me do it.” Unfortunately, my father was not a big fan of that excuse and I cannot recall one incident that was overlooked based on this defense. However, the Supreme Court of the United States has carved out such an excuse for equipment manufacturers that sell equipment or supplies to the United States military. This excuse is commonly referred…