The Official Newsletter of The National Defense Transportation Association
October 30, 2024
GovTravels 2025
Register NOW!
Mark your calendar and register today for the GovTravels Symposium, happening February 24-27, 2025, at the Hilton Alexandria Mark Center, Alexandria, VA. The National Defense Transportation Association (NDTA) and the Defense Travel Management Office (DTMO), in association with the General Services Administration (GSA), are looking forward to welcoming you to this key event where decision makers from government and industry convene to collaborate on and learn about passenger travel concerns. […READ MORE…]
Your Source
Army Wargame to Test Cargo Drones and Live Logistics Data
In a future war, Army tanks in the battlefield may be able to send live data back to their headquarters showing every time they fire a round or burn a gallon of fuel. Using that data, logisticians back at the base might then send swarms of drones buzzing back to the tanks with new ammo, or guide fleets of drone boats laden with fuel to a beach somewhere.
None of these ideas is ready for prime time yet — but the Army will test all three at Project Convergence this spring, said Brig. Gen. Shane Upton, commander of the Contested Logistics Cross-Functional Team, at the recent AUSA conference. […READ MORE…]
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is awarding $970 million from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to 125 US airports, spanning 46 states, Guam, and Palau. This is the fourth investment of nearly $1 billion, furthering the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to rebuilding our nation’s infrastructure while lowering costs for families, creating good jobs, and spurring economic growth. […READ MORE…]
Top US Container Ports Awarded $1.6B to Electrify
(FreightWaves) The Biden administration has released $3 billion in funding aimed at cutting pollution at US ports, with roughly half of that going to electrify some of the country’s largest container operations. Of the 55 grant applicants across 27 states that were awarded money from the Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Ports Program, the top five winners – the ports of Los Angeles, New York/New Jersey, Virginia, Baltimore and Oakland, Calif.– received $1.6 billion. […READ MORE…]
GAO Report Commentary
Government Watchdog Blasts US Army for Watercraft Failures
By John Konrad
The US Army continues to ask for more money claiming it’s the lynchpin in a future Pacific War, but this week the Government Accountability Office released a report on the state of the Army’s watercraft fleet that shines a light on the staggering incompetence of Army leadership when it comes to managing one of their most critical logistical assets. This damning document reveals that while the Army’s watercraft are supposed to play a pivotal role in supporting joint force logistics, particularly in the Indo-Pacific, the entire operation is in a state of near-collapse. […READ MORE…]
Editor’s Picks
Marines Score Aviation Firsts with F-35 Squadron, Drone Test and More
The Marine Corps recently notched a series of aviation firsts with an advanced drone under development and its newest jet, as the service works toward achieving more nimble and responsive air combat power. The Corps’ XQ-58A Valkyrie drone completed a test flight last week at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., marking the platform’s first integration with other military branches, according to a Marine Corps release.
New Philly Shipyard Owners Promise ‘Big Time’ Investment
(USNI.org) A top executive of a Korean conglomerate that’s buying a Philadelphia shipyard pledged to bring the facility back its 1940s prominence.
“We will be investing in Philly big time,” said Michael Smith, the newly named chief executive officer of Hanwha Defense USA. The yard is primarily known now for building Jones Act ships. US requires ships engaged in domestic maritime trade to be built in the United States. The yard produces about 50 percent of the largest domestically built commercial vessels, including tankers and container ships, according to the company.
Navy Logistics Modernization Effort Ready to Take Next Step
(Federal News Network) PEO-MLB is leading a logistics IT modernization effort that will modernize and make more user-friendly applications that shipyards, ships, aviation and other organizations rely on to manage parts, equipment, and products across the Navy.
“We’re optimizing a commercial off the shelf (COTS) product to achieve that performance profile. The sailors are telling us how they want this tool to be configured. So, we have determined that, yes, the tool can meet all our requirements from a technical standpoint. Now it’s a matter of improving the user experience so that it’s easy for them to use,” Baur said at the AFCEA NoVa Navy IT day.
Electric Boat to Scale Back Sub Work Due to ‘Major Component’ Delays
(USNI.org) The prime contractor behind the Pentagon’s top acquisition priority is slowing its rate of producing submarines due to a lack of “major components.” General Dynamics CEO Phebe Novakovic said GD Electric Boat work on the Columbia-class nuclear ballistic missile submarines and the Virginia-class nuclear attack boat would slow to keep pace with a supply chain that’s lagging construction.
Austal USA Launches Construction of New Submarine Module Manufacturing Facility
(NavalNews) Austal USA started construction for a new manufacturing facility for submarine modules (MMF3), scheduled to be fully operational in late 2026, which will significantly increase Austal USA’s capacity to support the US Navy Submarine Industrial Base (SIB). The new building will provide 369,600 sq. ft. of indoor manufacturing space purpose-built to manufacture submarine modules to support the US Navy’s goal of delivering one Columbia-class and two Virginia-class submarines annually.
ArcBest’s Moving Service, U-Pack, Has Partnered with Affirm to Offer Flexible Financing Options
ArcBest ®, an integrated logistics company, announced that its household goods moving service, U-Pack ® , has partnered with Affirm to offer financing options for long-distance moves. This collaboration allows customers who apply and qualify to book a move now and pay on a payment plan later. U-Pack joins Affirm’s network of 292,000 retail partners.
ABS to Lead Digital Twin, Condition Monitoring Project for Petrobras FPSOs
ABS has secured a contract to provide and test a digital twin solution for real-time condition monitoring for a Petrobras floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) unit. The ABS solution will provide a digital twin of the asset, and as part of the project, ABS has selected Akselos S.A. to deploy the Akselos Structural Performance Management software that will be evaluated over the course of a year by monitoring one of the four FPSO units in the Cessão Onerosa oil field.
BTX Celebrating 44 Years of Delivering a World of Service in 2024
BTX Global Logistics has delivered 44 years of service to customers around the globe. Established in 1980, the organization is stronger than ever with more than 40 regional branches strategically located across North America. BTX continues to grow in footprint, scope of services and personnel to deliver exceptional service to its customers.
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