The USN at a Turning Point: Shaping New Global Opportunities

09/07/2009
The U.S. Navy can position itself as a key element for the Obama Administration as it seeks new opportunities for global cooperation. The Administration has underscored their desire "to build partnership capacity" and to "enhance enduring relationships" among core allies. The USN has a unique global presence and works every…

Mobile Provider 2008: The USMC Evolves its Approach to Logistics Modernization

09/06/2009
[caption id="attachment_487" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Mobile Provider 08"][/caption] The USMC has been wargaming its approach to logistics as it seeks to improve its expeditionary capability. For the USMC, shaping an effective approach to expeditionary logistics is seen as central to core capabilities. During one such exercise, Mobile Provider 08, which was…

LOGMOD 2007 War Game

09/05/2009
[caption id="attachment_554" align="alignleft" width="136" caption="Wargaming"][/caption] The USMC’s Log MOD-2007-2 War Game was held in Quantico in September 2007. The game was held over five days. Whereas the first game (October 2006) focused on participating in shaping the reform approach, this war game was dedicated to kicking the tires and test…

Connectivity and Crafting a National Fleet: Enhancing Synergy Between the USCG and the USN

09/04/2009
The United States Coast Guard and Navy are pursuing the creation of a national fleet to craft a common approach and develop interoperable capabilities to provide for maritime security. If this were to become a reality, what would be required and what would be entailed to make it work? The…

Leveraging Austerity: Recrafting Military Space

09/04/2009
The military budget under President Obama and Secretary Gates is dominated by the twin themes of Afghanistan and austerity. The focus on Afghanistan is shaping the strategic perspective for the Administration’s military strategy and austerity is re-shaping the defense portfolios. The power projection forces so dependent upon proprietary military space…

Framing the Security Challenge

09/04/2009
The world may be flat because of globalization, but we may want not to be flattened. The trouble with analyses like Freedman's is there is a God called "Globalization" hidden away in the bowels of the earth, which creates automatic effects and benefits for something called the "global economy." Nations…

The Connectivity Opportunity

09/04/2009
With a significant shortfall in spending for new power projection platforms, the U.S. faces a core challenge of how to most effectively build forces for the years ahead. At the heart of this opportunity will be to shape joint con-ops for the US Air Force and Navy and to ensure…

Manufacturing for Enhanced Reliability: Rugged Boxes

09/04/2009
[caption id="attachment_545" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="RAPC Protector"][/caption] As budgets get tighter and competition among vendors accelerates, both government and Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) customers are looking and will continue to look for additional value from the shrinking dollars available. One way to "squeeze" more from a limited budget is to manufacture…