On Feb. 6, 2012, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Martin Dempsey released his "Strategic Direction To The Joint Force," a pamphlet outlining his thoughts on where he plans to focus his efforts as chairman.
In a Feb. 6, 2012, letter to Government Accountability Office Comptroller General Gene Dodaro, Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin (D-MI) and Ranking Member John McCain call on GAO to assess the effects of the Pentagon's placing the short-takeoff-and-vertical-landing version of the Joint Strike Fighter on probation.
In a Feb. 6, 2012, letter to Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin (D-MI) and Ranking Member John McCain (R-AZ) write they "are seriously concerned about the lack of notice and consultation" regarding Panetta's lifting the two-year probation on the short-takeoff-and-vertical-landing version of the Joint Strike Fighter.
On Feb. 3, 2012, Air Force Secretary Michael Donley briefed reporters on the service's "priorities and choices that we made in response to the new strategic guidance" as they relate to the fiscal year 2013 budget request.
On Feb. 4, 2012, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton spoke at the Munich Security Conference in Germany.
The Dec. 21, 2011, report to Congress outlines the Phased Adaptive Approach to missile defense in Europe.
The January 2012 draft statement of work outlines the work prospective contractors will be required to do when devloping and building the Joint High Speed Vessel.
On Feb. 3, 2012, the Air Force released a white paper describing "force structure changes which support the new DOD strategic guidance retiring 286 aircraft over the next five years, including 227 in fiscal year 2013."
In a limited-source justification document, signed Jan. 18, 2012, the Navy states it will transfer the amphibious ship Ponce (LPD-15) to Military Sealift Command in March and that the vessel should be ready to leave for the 5th Fleet area of responsibility by June 1, 2012.
In a Jan. 24, 2012, broad agency announcement posted on Federal Business Opportunities, the Office of Naval Research solicits industry help in investing in "high-risk technologies" that could later be implemented into Joint Counter RCIED (Remote-Controlled Improvised Explosive Device) Electronic Warfare (JCREW) systems.
On Jan. 30, 2012, Navy Secretary Ray Mabus spoke about energy security in a speech at Harvard University.
In a Jan. 30, 2012, Federal Business Opportunities notice, Naval Air Systems Command announces it "intends to enter into sole source negotiations with the Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Bethpage, NY, for requirements analysis efforts on the MQ-4C Broad Area Maritime Surveillance (BAMS) Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) integration into the Joint Unmanned Aircraft System Mission Environment (JUAS ME)."
In a Feb. 2, 2012, sources-sought notice posted on the Federal Business Opportunities website, Army officials announce they are looking for an "improved" version of the Lockheed Martin-made Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System missile.
On Jan. 31, 2012, industry and service officials met at Tinker Air Force Base, OK, to discuss future sustainment strategies for the Air Force's fleet of E-4B National Airborne Operations Center aircraft, which have been in operation for more than 30 years.
On Jan. 30, 2012, the Air Force Electronic Systems Center posted an updated version of the Deployable Radar Approach Control system requirements document on Federal Business Opportunities.
The Jan. 31, 2012, Congressional Research Service report includes background, analysis and issues for Congress regarding the 1982 Nunn-McCurdy Act. (Note: The issue date on the document -- Jan. 31, 2011 -- is a typo.)
The Jan. 10, 2012, Joint Staff instruction "implements the Joint Requirements Oversight Council (JROC) as an advisory council to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff" and "further delineates the roles and responsibilities of the JROC, its subordinate boards, and other
organizations with equity in the Joint Capabilities Integration and Development System (JCIDS) and other departmental processes."
The Jan. 10, 2012, Joint Staff instruction "establishes the Joint Capabilities Integration and Development System (JCIDS) as the process used by the Joint Requirements Oversight Council (JROC) to fulfill its advisory responsibilities to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in identifying, assessing, validating, and prioritizing joint military capability requirements."
The Feb. 2, 2012, Government Acccountability Office study find that the Pentagon's reports to Congress on estimated weapon system operations and sustainment costs "are often inconsistent and sometimes unreliable, limiting visibility needed for effective oversight of these costs."
In a Feb. 1, 2012, letter to Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, Virginia Reps. Randy Forbes (R), Robert Scott (D), Rob Wittman (R) and Scott Rigell (R) reiterate their call for the Pentagon "to reconsider its 2008 decision to homeport a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier (CVN) at Naval Station Mayport, FL."
The Feb. 1, 2012, Defense Department guidebook "addresses public-private partnering as a useful tool for all aspects of integrated product support."
The Jan. 9, 2012, white papers outline the possible effects of sequestration on U.S. Southern Command, as well as the efficiencies the command has implemented.
On Feb. 1, 2012, Air Force Secretary Michael Donley and Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz released the service's "Priorities for a New Strategy with Constrained Budgets" white paper.
The Dec. 12, 2011, briefing slides were presented at a joint Missile Defense Agency-Air Force industry day on the Airborne Weapon Layer (AWL).
The Feb. 1, 2012, Congressional Research Service report "reviews the process and procedures that currently apply to congressional consideration of foreign arms sales proposed by the president."
In a Jan. 31, 2012, report, the Government Accountability Office found that the Defense Department "did not fully address the supplemental reporting requirements in its energy management report."
On Jan. 27, 2012, Army Chief of Staff Gen. Raymond Odierno, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz and Adm. James Winnefeld, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, inked a one-page memorandum of understanding delegating to theater commanders a measure of discretion over how best to align the control of transportation assets in support of front-line units. Also includes a 2009 concept of employment (CONEMP) agreed to by the Air Force and Army vice chiefs of staff that, among other things, envisioned direct support being provided by any available aircraft, whether C-27J or C-130.
On Jan. 31, 2012, the Senate Select Intelligence Committee held a hearing on the intelligence community's latest worldwide threats assessment. Includes excerpts from the question-and-answer portion of the hearing, as well as the unclassified "statement for the record" on worldwide threats.
The Jan. 13, 2012, Defense Department instruction "sets forth policy to assist the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in implementing the responsibility to 'develop and establish doctrine for all aspects of the joint employment of the Armed Forces.'"
The Jan. 13, 2012, Defense Department manual "sets forth procedures for the development of joint doctrine in support of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, implementing the responsibility to 'develop and establish doctrine for the joint employment of the Armed Forces.'"
The Jan. 5, 2012, document "provides doctrine for joint and national intelligence products, services, and support to joint military operations."
On Jan. 30, 2012, the Missile Defense Agency posted a pre-solicitation notice on Federal Business Opportunities of its intent to issue a request for proposals for the development and production of Standard Missile-3 Block IIB interceptors, with a potential contract award in the first quarter of fiscal year 2014.
In a Jan. 11, 2012, solicitation posted on Federal Business Opportunities, the Army asks for tactical equipment facility designs for a Joint Land Attack Cruise Missile Defense Elevated Netted Sensor aerostat system battery at Ft. Bliss, TX.
In a Jan. 25, 2012, National Defense University speech, State Department Counterterrorism Coordinator Daniel Benjamin discusses ways of countering violent extremism.
On Jan. 27, 2012, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz briefed Pentagon reporters on his service's fiscal year 2013 budget request.
On Jan. 27, 2012, Army Chief of Staff Gen. Raymond Odierno briefed the Pentagon press corps on his service's fiscal year 2013 budget request.
The pamphlet, released on Jan. 27, 2012, outlines the Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization's future research and development capability gaps.
The Jan. 23, 2012, Federal Business Opportunities notice announces that Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Patuxent River, MD, will negotiate on a non-competitive basis with A.T. Kearney, Inc., for a "sustainment business case analysis and affordability program support, Phase II," for the Joint Strike Fighter program executive office.
On Jan. 26, 2012, the Pentagon released its "priorities and choices" white paper that outlines changes to the fiscal year 2013 budget request. Also includes a fact sheet as well as briefings featuring Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Martin Dempsey, Deputy Defense Secretary Ashton Carter and Joint Chiefs of Staff Vice Chairman Adm. James Winnefeld.
In a Jan. 25, 2012, acquisition decision memorandum marked "for official use only," acting Pentagon acquisition chief Frank Kendall provides guidance for the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle program.