An American Perspective on the Defense Aerospace Industrial Base

12/14/2009
In a recent study published by the Mitchell Institute for Airpower studies, Rebecca Grant examines the challenges facing the future of the defense aerospace industrial base. Grant underscores the challenge of maintaining a viable defense aerospace industrial base over the next decades in the presence largely of simply one major…

A European Perspective on the Military Aerospace Industrial Base

12/14/2009
In June 2009, the Aircraft Sectoral Group (ASG) within the AeroSpace and Defense Industries Association of Europe (ASD) issued a thought piece on the future of European Air Power Systems entitled "European Future Air Power Systems in the 2035 Perspective". The ASG represents Alenia Aeronautica, BAE Systems, Dassault-Aviation, EADS Military…

Michael W. Wynne On How to Lead With Shrinking Manufacturing Capabilities?

12/13/2009
  [caption id="attachment_2771" align="alignleft" width="300"] Michael W. Wynne[/caption] The Defense Industrial Base Under Pressure: How to Lead With Shrinking Manufacturing Capabilities? Schumpeter, in his classic approach to creative economic destruction, watched consolidation in technologies and industries driven by natural forces until a secondary or new technology essentially destroyed the hold…

2025 is Here Early

12/12/2009
Ed Timperlake Comments on Air Power Australia's latest article on "FD-2000/HQ-9 SAM -  China's Strategic 'Game Changer'" Peer competition is there Secretary Gates has basically said by his actions the US has no peer competitors in Generation 5 Fighters. This assumption rests on having no threats which require the capabilities…

The U.S. Double-Dare: Plus Up and Withdraw

12/07/2009
With the announcement of President Obama's Surge policy in Afghanistan and the addition of 30,000 extra-troops in a six-month framework, a key question was on the lips of many participants of Defense Logistics, the annual cross-service Logistics conference organized by Worldwide Business Research in Arlington, Virginia from November 30th to…

The Coast Guard’s Response Boat Medium Replacement (RB-M) Program

12/07/2009
This is the first of regular contributions by Rear Admiral (Retired) Ed Gilbert, one of the most experienced and knowledgeable experts on maritime security, who is president of Gilbert Associates and a frequent commentator on the challenges facing the US Coast Guard today. The pressing need to modernize U.S. Coast…

Providing Connectivity for the USCG: The Key Enabler for Mission Success

12/07/2009
Three MH-60 Jayhawk rescue helicopters attached to Air Station Kodiak fly over Cliff Point on Women's Bay near the Coast Guard base on Kodiak Island during a formation flight A key focus of this website is the centrality of connectivity of platforms in shaping capability for the performance of military…

General Walsh on the USMC Use of Airpower in Iraq: From Precision-Strike to Presence

11/30/2009
  [caption id="attachment_2582" align="alignleft" width="150"] General Walsh[/caption] On November 9th, Brigadier General Walsh discussed his recent experiences in Iraq (watch video abstract). In December 2008 he became the Commanding General of the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing Forward and deployed to Operation Iraqi Freedom on November 3rd and 2nd MAW (Fwd) was…