23 June
The US Navy’s Next Generation Jammer Low Band (NGJ-LB) team said the programme remains on schedule despite a 50% reduction in staff, two and a half weeks delay and other restrictions due to Covid-19 pandemic. The programme has successfully completed testing in less than two months with two contractors’ L3Harris and Northrop Grumman, prototype pods at both Air Combat Environmental Test and Evaluation Facility (ACETEF) and the Facility for Antenna and RCS Measurement (FARM). The NGJ-LB programme is now on track for its next milestone.
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The US Department of Defense (DoD) and US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) have collaborated under the Defense Production Act (DPA). It is in response to a request for proposals from private sector entities seeking DFC financing under the DPA. As per a memorandum of agreement (MOA) signed by both the parties, $100m of the department’s Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act money will be spent to subsidise federal loans to protect industrial base from economic effect of pandemic. DFC will originate, screen, and conduct due diligence on projects seeking financing under the DPA. It will also underwrite and finance projects in close consultation with DOD. A working group will also be set up to help implement the MOA.
The US Southwest Regional Maintenance Center (SWRMC) maintenance team have finished performing early repairs on the US Navy’s Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Princeton (CG 59) amidst the Covid-19 concerns. Extensive repairs were required as an engine cooling fan failure led to one of the ship’s main propulsion engines inoperable. The task was scheduled to be completed in two weeks but SWRMC employees along with Princeton’s crew completed the repairs six days ahead of schedule in support of the US Navy’s operational readiness goals.
