Towards Flexible Strategic Capability: The C5 Modernization Asset
01/12/2010
This article provides an overview of the C-5 modernization effort.
Geared For Afghanistan: An Interview with USMC Lieutenant-Colonel Pasagian
01/11/2010
As foot soldiers are in increased demand in the harsh terrain of Afghanistan while IEDs have created new types of vulnerabilities, individual protective gear for the infantryman keeps evolving and improving to address new kinds of challenges. USMC Lieutenant-Colonel Arthur J. Pasagian, Program manager, Infantry Combat Equipment (ICE), explains such…
Dramatic USCG Rescue Shows Impact of New C4ISR Systems
01/11/2010
Night video footage of a coordinated rescue operation of USCG and USN services on January 3 off Cape Hatteras, N.C.
Israel-India: A Strategic Relationship?
01/11/2010
In November’s Strategic Assessment of the Tel-Aviv-based INNS, Y.Shapir comments on Israel's status as number one arms supplier to India.
Crafting Cyber Operations: A Terms of Reference for Facing 21st Century Challenges
01/11/2010
Former Special Assistant to the Secretary of the Air Force, John Wheeler provides a very helpful overview to a very confusing and conflictual problem: what is the nature of the cyber security challenge and what concepts of operations do the US and allied governments need to shape to effectively meet…
Our History and Lessons Learned Corner: Bagram Nightmares (Part Three)
01/10/2010
Afghanistan previewed how the war on terror would be fought. It was a war where searching for an elusive and shadowy enemy was a central tactic and “intelligence was the primary U.S. weapon.” For this fight, the Harrier proved to be of great value, mainly because Marine pilots train extensively…
Speaking from Experience: Ken Miller on FFP Contracts
01/09/2010
The Obama Administration seeks to apply firm-fixed price contracting in a number of sectors, including defense. The past is often a good predictor of the future so we may learn valuable lessons from it. As a young government employee working in several program offices in the late 80's I got…
General Hawley on: Why Weapons Systems Cost So Much – the 101 Version (Part Two)
01/05/2010
There are three broad categories of cost - development, procurement and sustainment; each of which is driven by a different set of factors. While development and procurement costs attract the most attention from the media and from Congress, they account for just 40% of total weapons system cost.