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…
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…
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…
07/08/2011 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…
07/07/2011 - The Eurofighter has been down selected for the Indian competition and clearly the Eurofighter consortium hopes to replicate its success in Japan. F-22 was a clear candidate for Japan, but the Administration preferred cancelling the program. The F-35 is clearly on the table as a U.S. offering, but…
By Dr. Richard Weitz 07/07/2011 - Notwithstanding his achievements during his more than four years as Defense Secretary, Robert Gates left some unfinished tasks for his successor, Leon Panetta.He has many tough challenges ahead. The Senate’s 100-to-0 vote in favor of Panetta’s confirmation showed strong confidence in Panetta’s ability to…
