The Pentagon’s operationally responsive space office at Kirtland AFB, N.M., wants to co-locate a rapid small-satellite assembly facility dubbed the “Chile Works” on the base. This center would support the ORS goal of being able to develop, deliver, and deploy new space assets within days or months to address a combatant commander’s call for additional orbital communications and intelligence-gathering capability during a conflict or crisis. To support the Chile Works, the ORS office is looking for a contractor to perform services in three areas: systems engineering and integration; integrated logistics support; and assembly, integration and, test, according to a Federal Business Opportunities notice last month. The office plans to host an industry day next week in Albuquerque. (For more on ORS, read the AFPS report by Army SSgt. Michael Carden)
Secretary of Defense Austin Lloyd III met with his counterparts from Australia, Japan and the Philippines to discuss bolstering defense ties on May 2. The discussion included plans for joint F-35 exercises with Japan and Australia in the coming years.