Feb 23, 2011 19:11 UTC
The American TRICARE health insurance system for military members and their families is putting more and more pressure on US military budgets, as costs skyrocket far faster than inflation, or budget growth. Ballooning prescription drug costs in particular are causing significant policy and management issues.
One of the challenges is that many people are using more costly retail pharmacies instead of military treatment facilities or mail order, in order to get their medications. But who supplies the TRICARE mail order system?
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Feb 23, 2011 14:56 UTC
In February 2011, Lockheed Martin in Archbald, PA received a $21.9 million contract modification, exercising an option for 7,665 Paveway-II enhanced laser guided training rounds (ELGTRs) for the US Navy (7,217, for $20.5 million = 94%) and the governments of Pakistan (300 for $866,850 = 4%), Spain (88 for $254,276 = 1.2%), and Malaysia (60 for 173,370 = 0.8%). Those funds also buy 589 associated wooden containers for the U.S. Navy (500) and the governments of Pakistan (74) and Malaysia (15); 23 replacement-in-kind wooden containers for the governments of Pakistan (1) and Spain (22); plus associated data, and requested engineering efforts.
Paveway ELGTRs are lower-cost training rounds that mimic Paveway laser-guided bombs, right down to the carriage and release envelope, flight characteristics, and guidance system. The Enhanced LGTR provides significantly improved accuracy of 3m CEP, and is also smaller and cheaper than using a real Paveway bomb for necessary live fire training. Lockheed Martin has manufactured over 100,000 of them since 1992, for a wide range of customers.
Work will be performed in Archbald, PA, and is expected to be complete in June 2013. US Naval Air Systems Command in Patuxent River, MD manages the contract for its Navy and Foreign Military Sale customers (N00019-10-C-0092).