As of September, 170 U.S. troops died from rocket propelled grenade (RPG) attacks. As reported by
NBC news, an Israeli system called
Trophy already exists, and could be saving American lives by next year.
But a Pentagon "technical team" evaluating the system awarded a $70 million contract for an anti-RPG system to Raytheon, even though THE RAYTHEON SYSTEM WON'T BE READY BEFORE 2011 AT THE SOONEST.
Any corruption there? Gosh. You mean because the "technical team" was well staffed WITH RAYTHEON EMPLOYEES?
The team would not even allow a "shoot-off" evaluation comparing Trophy to Raytheon's Quick Kill, because it would not be "fair" to Raytheon!
This is beyond corruption. This is murder.
Proposal:
The number of RPG Deaths as of the NBC report in September were: 40 Americans in Afghanistan and more than 130 in Iraq. How many more American troops are to be sacrificed to business-as-usual cronyism?
I propose the first-100-hours agenda include a call for investigation into the Trophy/Quick Kill issue because:
- It defines the difference between us and profit-over-life derelict-daddy Republicans.
- It will save American taxpayers the $70 million cost of developing a system that is NOT AS GOOD as the Israeli system.
- It will save--possibly hundreds--of American lives.
Background:
From a clammyc diary, another NBC News report gave details on how good the existing Trophy system is:
OFT (Office of Force Transformation) officials subjected Trophy to 30 tests and found that it is "more than 98 percent" effective at killing RPGs. An official involved with those tests told NBC that Trophy "worked in every case...the system was 30 for 30."
---snip---
In an e-mail, a senior official writes: "Trophy is a system that is ready -- today... We need to get this capability into the hands of our warfighters ASAP because: (1) It will save lives!"
Officials also tell NBC News that according to the Pentagon's own method of measuring a weapons system's readiness, Trophy is "between a 7 and an 8" out of a possible score of 9. Raytheon's system is said to be a "3."
And the "fairness" issue:
Last year, the Army planned to test competing RPG defense systems in what officials refer to as a "shoot-off rodeo." At the time, Raytheon's system was still on the drawing board, and the Army opted to cancel the test.
In a statement to NBC News, the Army explained that the cancellation was "primarily because of concerns related to cost, supportability, practicality and fairness." But Pentagon officials involved in past shoot-offs say money should not have been a factor since defense contractors, not the Army, normally shoulder the cost of system vs. system competitions.
And as for staffing the evaluation committee with Raytheon employes:
Army documents obtained by NBC News, however, reveal that nine of the 21 technical experts -- as well as all the administrative personnel -- were from Raytheon. The team ultimately concluded that of the seven RPG defense systems examined, Raytheon's was "the clear winner."
Raytheon's "Quick Kill" solution -- which the Army concedes will not be fielded before 2011 at the earliest -- won out over Trophy, the Israeli system championed by the Pentagon's Office of Force Transformation.
---snip---
The Army later told NBC News that, its own document notwithstanding, the technical team actually consisted of 30 people plus two administrative assistants and that a total of eight people were from Raytheon.
"That sure doesn't look like an objective panel to me," says Phil Coyle, a former principal adviser to the secretary of defense on weapons testing and evaluation. "It just doesn't pass the ho-ho test when you have that many people from one company on the selection panel and then that company is the one that's chosen."
Sorry to lift so much from another diary, but I think clammyc had good citations, and it saves those with dial-up from needing to link.
Preparing our case:
If this is added to the first-100-hours agenda, how will the Republicans defend the (IMHO) indefensible? A hint was given on a Bill O'Reilly segment, Sept. 25 2006, with NBC Senior Investigative Correspondent Lisa Myers went head-to-head with Col. David Hunt, U.S. Army (Ret.). According to Defense Review article posted Sept. 28, Hunt (who they call a "straight shooter"), claimed:
- Trophy won't be ready as soon as claimed. (Even if true, Raytheon admits Quick Kill will be ready in 2011 at the EARLIEST)
- It's hard to use. (So, who's to say Quick Kill is easier?)
- It may not fit with existing systems. (What does that mean? And who's to say Quick Kill will fit any better?)
When I was in the Army, we called arguments like that "quibbling"--but we need to be ready for them.
Defense Review also gives props to Myers, and promises to follow up on the debate. I look forward to what they report.
Other diaries on the subject:
- Olbermann's report on the scandal
- How this reflects what Eisenhower warned us about
- With a video of Trophy in action
- I think the first diary on the subject