Pentagon Mulls Option for More Sole-source Launch Contracts

摘要

The U.S. Defense Department, which is just now introducing competition into the national security launch market, is simultaneously studying whether to award some contracts on a sole-source basis, presumably to incumbent United Launch Alliance, to ensure that it has at least two rocket families at its disposal for the foreseeable future, a Pentagon spokesman said Oct. 8. "If it is deemed necessary in order to maintain two viable sources of launch services, sole source allocation of some launches will be one of the options examined," Navy Lt. Cmdr. Courtney Hillson said in an Oct. 8 statement. Retired Gen. Larry Welch, a former Air Force chief of staff, recommended as much earlier this year, and Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James did not rule out the sole-sourcing of some launch contracts in an Oct. 8 interview with SpaceNews. In the statement, Hillson said Deputy Defense Secretary Bob Work has asked the Pentagon's acquisition czar, Frank Kendall, to "further examine a range of options" to ensure the Defense Department has access to two launch service providers. Results of Kendall's study are expected before the end of the year, the statement said. It seems likely that any sole-source contracts would go to ULA, the Air Force's longtime monopoly launch services provider, which is now facing a stiff competitive challenge from SpaceX, whose prices might be difficult to match.