Defense IT Stuck In The Stone Age: Cartwright
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A long-standing reliance on proprietary technology solutions and antiquated acquisition rules have left the Defense Department “pretty much in the stone age as far as IT is concerned,” the nation’s second highest ranking military officer said today. Marine Gen. James Cartwright, outgoing vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs, said speeding up acquisition cycles is essential… Keep reading →
Staying in Iraq? DoD’s Got A Plan For That
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Washington: If there is one thing the Pentagon takes really seriously, it’s making plans. It has contingency plans for its original plans and if all else fails, well, there’s a plan for that too. But as far as anyone knows, the U.S. is pulling out of Iraq by the end of this year. So when… Keep reading →
Shaping the Coasties’s Strategic Decline: One Platform Cut at a Time
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When Congress considers funding a ship or a plane or a helicopter, the focus is often narrow: what does it cost this year? The Hill often ignores the impact of moving money for critical platforms to future budgets. Also, the strategic and tactical costs to the country of delaying a platform acquisition costs the country… Keep reading →
Can Cyber Attack Be Act of War? ‘Absolutely’
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Washington: The rules of war are changing. Global conflicts kicked off by bombs and bullets in the past can now be started by the click of a mouse. While obviously not as simple as that, the White House’s nominee to oversee global strategic policy — including cyber policy — said today that a cyber attack… Keep reading →
McCain Proffers New Cyber Security Committee
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Washington: On Capitol Hill, your committee is only as powerful as what it oversees. And with cybersecurity one of the biggest issues going nowadays, lawmakers are falling all over themselves to get a piece of that pie. Senate Armed Services Committee Ranking Member John McCain (R-AZ) made his play during today’s confirmation hearing for DoD’s… Keep reading →
Is Nuclear Deterrence Out of Date?
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Over the next 25 years or so, the United States plans to recapitalize its triad of submarines, bombers, and missiles that deliver strategic nuclear weapons, building new versions of these weapons to extend a 50-year-old force structure for another half century. Yet today’s strategic environment is not that of the 1960s, and tomorrow’s may differ… Keep reading →
Cutting Navy Carrier: Maybe, Maybe Not
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Washington: Last week was a tough one for backers of the Navy’s aircraft carriers. During last Tuesday’s hearing of the House Armed Services readiness subcommittee, Chairman Randy Forbes (R-VA) asked point blank whether or not the sea service was looking to kill off parts of its carrier fleet. The official response from the heads of… Keep reading →
Obama Cautions on DoD Cuts; AIA Calls for ‘Sobriety’
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Washington: President Obama cautioned today against steep cuts to the defense budget during a White House press conference. “I think we need to cut defense, but as Commander-in-Chief, I’ve got to make sure that we’re cutting it in a way that recognizes we’re still in the middle of a war, we’re winding down another war,… Keep reading →
Carter Urges ‘Fast Lane’ For Wartime Buying
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WASHINGTON: War is hell, but without the right equipment, it can seem like a one-way ticket to a two-way firing range. The men and women at the Pentagon responsible for getting those weapons and that gear into the hands of American soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines know this and have come up with innovative ways… Keep reading →
Boeing’s $300M Tanker Overrun Not Pentagon’s Problem: Ash Carter
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If you wanted a clear indicator of just where the Pentagon wants to be in buying weapons for the future, you would do well to pay attention to what Ash Carter, head of Pentagon acquisition, said today about a projected cost overrun faced by the Boeing tanker program. “It’s not our problem because it’s a… Keep reading →