Future MDA, NASA, and military job loss (Huntsville: cul-de-sac, mortgage)

[TimG]

Originally Posted by Charles

If a government Agency produced MP3 players, how much would one cost and how much would it weigh?

To continue this theme It depends on if the gov agency decides to re-invent the wheel.

In my experience, the military prime contractors prefer to invent everything even if its a technology that already exists. E.g., Inventing a circuit board from scratch is very ...very expensive. It doesn't matter if its commercial or gov. Even with a mass production consumer product it takes mass quantities and much time to reduce cost say to a cell phone level for example.

One project under the FCS umbrella (a program likely to be canceled) I have been associated with, targeted one of the weapon systems and produced lab prototypes of hardware and software mostly from COTS (commercial off the self) components. Then the program office dictated the COTS components as requirements. I can't tell you the grief the prime contractors tried to levy on us for dictating design and saying it could not be done.

So funny really, currently this is one of the only FCS programs that is in the Air and on target in Whitesands and completely interface compatible with existing force communication systems. ...This baby may very well be one of the few FCS programs that actually gets fielded. ...All because we limited the Prime contractor's choice on what they could invent and what they couldn't.

Point: The primes can and should do a much better job of looking after the tax payer's dollar. I truly hope that this particular program becomes a model for a better way for the gov to deal with the primes. For all our pocket books sake!

Regards,
Tim

[DanInHSV]

Tim -

Interesting to hear a view from the other side of the fence, thanks. Yeah, COTS is a good way to save money if it can be used and meet the (customer) requirements. As a taxpayer too, I'm all for cheaper ways of doing things.

As for changing the requirements - I get the impression from more senior guys that went through this on my program, we moan and groan when we get a change from the baseline contract and it does seem that the attitude is that we are going to do all we can to price the change so that we don't assume any schedule or technical risks (i.e. the iron triangle). I don't see it as trying to "gouge" as much as place all the risk mitigation on the customer. But I'm far from a program manager so that's not an entirely informed impression.

Cheers,
Dan

[blackkarma]

Originally Posted by LivingInMadison

Wait, you are complaining about Obama's "socialist agenda", yet you are complaining because he is making cuts that will affect corporate-socialism? Playing devil's advocate here, but it is not the government's problem if these industries revenues depend so heavily on public funding. Don't blame your government, blame Boeing.

And after your thank our military and veterans, why don't you thank Boeing employees, as well as Lockheed, Northrup, ect for creating the TECHNOLOGY and resources that our military uses every day. Where did you THINK it came from?

Missle defense? Long range and short range? Boeing. Doesn't seem a big waste of money since we've currently got Korea getting ready to fire one at us.

SBX? Boeing

The Air Force One that flies and protects your precious Messiah? You can thank Boeing for that too.

And that is just a few of Boeing's contributions to this country.

As far as Boeing creating more "important" goods, as you referenced the all important cell phone and refrigerators in another post, that is just plain ignorant and stupid. But then, you apparently did vote for Obama, so that explains alot.

And not to get off post too much, but I DO blame our government because it is THIS administration and Congress that seems set out on a path to destroy this country.

[blackkarma]

Originally Posted by HB2HSV

I posted this on another thread but want to include in here as well.



Talked to a couple of Boeing guys today and confirmed that there will be a layoff coming for Boeing Huntsville estimate to be 250 ~ 400 jobs.

July 17....and the number will much likely be much higher. The consistent number I have heard is 650-700. We will know in two weeks. Some project up to 1000. Mostly GMD programs and there is going to be a reduction of managers across the board.

[A&M Bulldawg]

What is going on in Huntsville? I'm so confused. People say that Huntsville will be fine and will continue to grow, but every other minute, it seems like Huntsville will fail, and a lot of its jobs willl be cut!

[jkratze1]

Originally Posted by blackkarma

July 17....and the number will much likely be much higher. The consistent number I have heard is 650-700. We will know in two weeks. Some project up to 1000. Mostly GMD programs and there is going to be a reduction of managers across the board.

OMG!

[jkratze1]

Originally Posted by A&M Bulldawg

What is going on in Huntsville? I'm so confused. People say that Huntsville will be fine and will continue to grow, but every other minute, it seems like Huntsville will fail, and a lot of its jobs willl be cut!

Huntsville won't fail but it's growth is being severely affected until we elect a new administration. Just my opinion though.

[clamoore]

Originally Posted by blackkarma

there is going to be a reduction of managers across the board.

And how is this bad? Oh, wait, there won't be any reasons for leaving the wife at home on the weekend anymore while I have to prepare my TPS report. Or, there won't be any more ideas for this sitcom I'm currently writing.

[oddball]

the mailroom called. you're no longer an employee here - so forget about the TPS reports. Go fishing - lots of good places in the area.

[A&M Bulldawg]

Originally Posted by jkratze1

Huntsville won't fail but it's growth is being severely affected until we elect a new administration. Just my opinion though.

I get it! All along, I thought that Huntsville's engineering "industry" was its own industry, but some of the engineering jobs are linked to the jobs that are being cut. When I heard that Huntsville would be losing jobs linked to the arsenal, I said that Huntsville would just rely on engineering to keep the growth going! However, that doesn't seem logical at this moment. I'm so afraid that Huntsville will start losing population!!!!!!!