Civilian Orders Dominate Paris Air Show, But Business Strong For U.S. Defense Companies
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Paris: Aerospace reporters began grumbling about the paucity of U.S. defense news at this year’s Paris Air Show by the end of the second day. While defense companies don’t go to air shows to make news, they are important venues for them to gain bragging rights and to set the tone of the debate about… Keep reading →
ISR ‘Will Lead the Fight’ By 2020
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More and more American leaders recognize the importance of taking a whole of government approach to using America’s power. We are strongest when we bring the full weight of our national power to bear — diplomacy, information, the military and economics. Applied with strategic skill, these four levers of national power — when acting in… Keep reading →
Record-setting X3 Helicopter Shows Off at Paris Air Show
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Paris: It’s a helicopter, but it’s not ungainly. It’s a helicopter, but it has two forward-facing propellers. It’s a helicopter but it flies as fast as some planes. It is the X3, a very high-speed helicopter built by European defense giant EADS. It’s already set one speed record, zooming at 279.6 miles per hour (232… Keep reading →
F-35 ‘Costs Have to Continue Coming Down:’ JSF Deputy
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Paris: In another clear signal that the heat is on Lockheed Martin to substantially bring down the costs of the biggest acquisition program in US history, the Nr. 2 man in the program told reporters here that costs have to keep going down. “Much of that will play out” in the nascent negotiations on the… Keep reading →
Highlights of the Paris Air Show, Part 1
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The first day of the Paris Air Show is when the shakedown occurs. Everyone figures out what’s where. Much of the biggest news is broken. And everyone — no matter how many years they’ve been to the show — looks up startled when the raw boom and roar of the high-performance military jets zoom overhead… Keep reading →
New Army Vice Picked
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The new man responsible for running the Army day to day is the first African-American to serve in the role and a general who has cut his teeth serving under Defense Secretary Gates. The news comes from Loren Thompson, a member of Breaking Defense’s Board of Contributors. He wrote that: “Lloyd James Austin III has… Keep reading →
Huge Paris Air Show Looms As Defense Companies Watch Their Spending
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Washington: This year’s Paris Air Show, the year’s largest gathering of the defense and aerospace businesses, will focus on unmanned systems such as the now-famous Predator since that is one of the few growth areas for the defense sector. The show itself, which starts Monday, promises to be, simply, huge. Some statistics: more than 2,100… Keep reading →
Deep DoD Budget Cuts Now Will Cost Much More Later
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Politicians will say it’s easy to cut the defense budget. Just wring out the waste, fraud and abuse and… voila! Unfortunately for them, there’s no line in the Pentagon’s budget labeled “waste, fraud and abuse.” And so, when cuts are made, they often wind up reducing investment in specific capabilities sorely needed by those in… Keep reading →
Search and Rescue: Why the Coast Guard Needs Help
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The Coast Guard plays important roles combating piracy and keeping America’s shores safe, but unless the President is an alchemist and can turn words into money, the service soon won’t be able to do what Congress says it must do. There is no military area where gap between words and deeds yawns wider than in… Keep reading →
What New Defense Secretary Panetta Must Do
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The Pentagon brass, civilian suits, contractors, and lobbyists are jockeying for position in the fight for the status quo in anticipation of Mr. Panetta’s arrival in the Office of Secretary of Defense. Yet, senior leaders do so at their own peril. This is not Leon Panetta’s first Washington rodeo. He has seen this Potomac movie… Keep reading →