Other Transaction Authority awards have soared 712 percent since 2015, helping jumpstart R&D, including on COVID vaccines. But now the Space Force’s OTAs have been derailed by a court case against contractor NSTXL – and the whole OTA system is under fire.
By Theresa HitchensArmy Contracting Command still accounts for 45 percent of all DoD Other Transaction Authority obligations, but the Air Force and, belatedly, the Navy are starting to catch up.
By Sydney J. Freedberg Jr.Other Transaction Authority prototyping tripled from 2017’s $1.6 billion, while other non-traditional vehicles, like research grants, declined from $730 million to $590 million.
By Sydney J. Freedberg Jr.The Army has big ambitions for the Terrestrial Layer System, meant to detect, decrypt, and disrupt enemy communications. We spoke to the companies that actually have to build it.
By Sydney J. Freedberg Jr.Despite disruptions worldwide, Future Vertical Lift flight tests, virtual industry days, and design reviews are all moving ahead on schedule or mere weeks behind.
By Sydney J. Freedberg Jr.DoD hopes that sharing spectrum will help lower costs and create a sustainable 5G industrial base as it battles to keep up with China.
By Theresa HitchensThe Army’s urgently developing new air-launched drones, long-range missiles, and electronic architecture to go on the Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft that Bell and Sikorsky are vying to build.
By Sydney J. Freedberg Jr.The mobile TITAN satellite ground station is a critical node in Army plans for all-domain operations.
By Theresa HitchensThe company is using extensive automation and a new generation of high-efficiency gallium nitride materials to accelerate development of the Lower-Tier Air & Missile Defense Sensor, LTAMDS.
By Sydney J. Freedberg Jr.Four bases around the country will pioneer military use of the new high-speed communications network technology.
By Paul McLeary“I want to see a kickass flight, really really soon!” says Mandy Vaughn, president of VOX Space, about her 2020 goals for Virgin Orbit’s LauncherOne.
By Theresa Hitchens