07/21/2011 - While Senator McCain is tweeting about one trillion dollar “support costs” for the F-35, the good citizens of Arizona have a much more sensible and realistic outlook. Just another disconnect between those breathing the air inside the beltway and folks who live in the real world. And by…
By Ed Timperlake 07/21/2011 - The F-35C for the Marines makes little sense –the sine-qua-non of Marine Aviation is first and foremost support the 0311 Rifleman. Tethering the Marine tactical fixed wing to a CBG, which may or may not be available as needed, or a long airfield, which again…
07/17/2011 Col. Arthur Tomassetti provided an update on July 15, 2011 regarding the F-35 at Eglin, the day after the F-35A arrived as an operational aircraft at Eglin. Col. Tomassetti is the vice commander of the 33rd Fighter Wing which serves as the home to the Joint Strike Fighter Integrated…
07/13/2011 By Richard Weitz On July 9, the Republic of South Sudan became the world’s 193rd independent country. A moving independence ceremony, attended by many of the world’s leaders, occurred at the new country’s new national capital of Juba. In a welcome development, the Republic of Sudan, the new country’s…
A New Capability for the USN-USMC Team By Robbin Laird and Ed Timperlake 07/12/2011 - The USN is buying the LCS but its Con-Ops remain to be developed. No platform fights alone, and this asset is best understood in terms of the synergy which can be brought to it by…
By Dr. Richard Weitz 07/11/2011 - The recent successful launch of Russia’s RSM-56 Bulava (NATO code name SS-NX-30) Submarine Launched Ballistic Missile (SLBM) may finally mark a turning point for this troubled weapons system. On June 28, a Bulava left a submerged next-generation Borey-class submarine, the Yuri Dolgoruky, and flew…
07/11/2011 By Dr Harald Malmgren Some analysts are forecasting a capital spending rebound in Japan as businesses “rebuild” after the Great Earthquake of March, 2011. I believe a new wave of Japanese corporate investment is likely – but it is not evident where such investment will take place, whether at…
07/08/2011 Recently on AOL Defense, Michael W. Jones argued that maintenance costs are eating the modernization budgets in DOD. Jones argues that a key need to is to buy for affordability by “smart budgeting.” Fortunately, there is a proven path forward for reducing ownership costs - while maintaining, if not…