I have had a broad experience base in Acquisition: from working as a junior engineer on a few Programs to Deputy PEO for Naval TACAIR Aviation, on to a series of positions in the departments of the navy and the air force in the Acquisition, Strategy/programming and Requirements/Policy sectors. A…
Robert Dudney, Editor in Chief of Air Force Magazine, comments on the “Real B-2 Acquisition Mistakes” and the lessons one should apply when thinking about the acquisition of the next-generation bomber. *** In the B-2 program, one can find lots of mistakes not to repeat, but they aren’t as Robert Gates…
The video shows the operation of the boom on the new A330 tanker. The boom allows for much more rapid refueling than legacy tankers, greater security in operating the boom in night refueling operations and gives the aircraft an augmented capability to refuel more air platforms at the same time.…
The State Of U.S. Research: Fund Only Old Ideas It has gotten more difficult for university researchers to conduct high-risk research in the United States. Few programs exist for research into "transformational" science and technology, according to witnesses at a recent hearing on the subject held by the House Science…
In his recent monthly Teal newsletter, Richard Aboulafia of the Teal Group provided an insightful overview on the state of play of Italian aerospace and defense. The global business is in a serious period of re-structuring and redesign. The Russians, the Brazilians, the Chinese and the Japanese all have aspirations,…
France continues to adapt to a new strategic environment conditioned by the dual-pressure of her increased commitment in Afghanistan and her reintegration into NATO’s military command, while conducting multiple defense reforms on the homefront. One of the stumbling blocks in the past years has been the optimum use of the…
In June 2009, ECATS celebrated its 50,000 flying hours at Le Bourget and has been pioneering a new approach in outsourcing training services’ support, which is now being duplicated and expanded accross France. This report focuses on such a “success story” by attempting to provide an overlook of the lessons learned ever…
In a recent Wall Street Journal piece on the new Chrysler and its struggle to build new cars, the authors underscored a core challenge facing the new Chrysler management. They have designs for new cars; they have assembly lines in mind for the new cars; they just don’t have the…
