DATE
Address
Dear Congressman [__]:
As the Committees on Armed Services undertake their final work on the National Defense
Authorization Act for FY 2015, I am writing to thank you and your colleagues for your strong support of
our nation’s defense systems and the workers who form the backbone of those systems. Nothing is
more important to the people of [Company Name] than keeping our nation secure and our citizens
safe.
With these principles in mind, I am writing to express my concerns about Section 1623 (Prohibition on
Contracting with Russian Suppliers of Critical Space Launch Supplies for the Evolved Expendable
Launch Vehicle Program) and proposed amendments to it, contained in S. 2410, the FY 2015 National
Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). We believe that the language in its current form, including
language contained in proposed amendments, creates an anti-competitive environment for future US
government launches. If the provision is not stricken or drastically modified, United Launch Alliance’s
(ULA) continued participation in this critical sector of US national security will be placed in jeopardy.
Section 1623 effectively prohibits ULA, the company for which we are a critical supplier for the
Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) program, from bidding on any future Department of
Defense launches beyond the current FY13 Block Buy. The provision prohibits any launch provider
whose vehicle contains a Russian engine from bidding on US launches after the Block Buy. The net
result is a sole source environment for the new entrant, Space Exploration Technologies, a company
whose launch vehicle has yet to be certified by the US Air Force for ANY national security launches.
As a provider of critical components to ULA for the Atlas V and Delta IV launch vehicles, [Company
Name] firmly believes the language in Section 1623, and amendments proposed to it, create an
ambiguous and uncertain playing field that will make it nearly impossible for [insert company name]
and our [xxx] numbers of employees to remain a critical supplier to the Evolved Expendable Launch
Vehicle (EELV) program.
We realize that as geopolitics change around the globe, there is an urgent need to transition from
reliance on key launch vehicle components manufactured in Russia. It was for that reason that ULA
took steps with both Blue Origin and Aerojet Rocketdyne in the past few weeks to commit resources to
exploring options to develop a new American rocket engine to replace the Russian RD-180 as soon as
possible.
By effectively taking the nation’s workhorse Atlas and Delta launch vehicles out of the inventory,
Section 1623 guarantees diminution of our national security and virtual elimination of fair and open
competition. Therefore, I respectfully urge your opposition to this language in any final action on the
National Defense Authorization Act unless it is tied directly to availability of a domestic alternative
liquid rocket engine.
Sincerely,
[supplier CEO]