Content

Defense Industrialist

Oct 23, 2015

Three things Canada should want with its next fighter

By James Hasik

If DND does drop the JSF, think radar jammers, cruise missiles, and a second seat. This week’s federal electoral victory by Canada’s Liberals probably means the end of the F-35A as a prospective fighter jet for the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF). The immediate bad news accrues to Lockheed Martin, which stands to lose $6 […]

Defense Industry Security & Defense

Defense Industrialist

Oct 19, 2015

Innovative, feasible, formidable: What I saw at AUSA 2015

By James Hasik

To “Win in a Complex World,” the US Army can only be so complex. The US Army is in no rush to replace its combat vehicles. Sure, the service is upgrading its European Stryker brigade with 30 mm guns and anti-tank missile launchers. But there’s no real plan for wholesale replacements of Abrams tanks, Bradley troop […]

Defense Industry Security & Defense

Defense Industrialist

Oct 11, 2015

A Tale of Two Air Forces

By Blake Franko

Is it time for a counterinsurgency-specific A-10? The US Congress’s recent decision to extend the service life of the A-10 Thunderbolt II reveals resistance to current thinking at the Pentagon. A more powerful China and an increasingly assertive Russia have focused defense planners’ attention on the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. But even as insurgencies continue in Afghanistan, […]

Defense Industrialist

Sep 23, 2015

A new New Look

By James Hasik

The West needs “a complete strategic rethink” of how it goes to war. In The Australian last November, David Kilcullen argued that “the West’s failed counter-terrorism strategy requires a complete rethink.” Set aside for the moment James Fallows’ screed in The Atlantic last December. Thirteen years of not-quite-winning two wars in the Middle East and South Asia, despite overwhelming material […]

Defense Policy Security & Defense

Art of Future Warfare

Sep 23, 2015

To cyber the kill chain, cyber the supply chain

By James Hasik

When safeguarding the global commons, should we rely on it less? Defense Secretary Ashton Carter would like to stop buying and launching navigation satellites—at least as a military project. Sure, Lockheed is testing GPS III, and a team at the University of Texas is working on centimetric accuracy without differential. Through the MEOSAR project, the Canadian military […]

Cybersecurity Defense Industry

Defense Industrialist

Sep 23, 2015

Take the money

By James Hasik

Defense contractors are repurchasing shares because investment incentives are lacking. About a month ago (14 August 2015), Politico Pro highlighted how the largest US defense contractors are running their businesses substantially for cash, passing as much of their earnings as they can to shareholders as dividends and share repurchases. “Top Pentagon officials,” the reporter went on, “have […]

Defense Industry Economy & Business

Defense Industrialist

Sep 23, 2015

Airplane guys versus bean counters

By James Hasik

The battle for the soul of the American military, part 2 On Monday, I wrote of how Carly Fiorina, the former CEO of Hewlett Packard, who is running for president, wants a bigger Army, Navy, and Marine Corps. A large part of the solution involves cutting staff at headquarters, and in streamlining management. The corporate parallel is […]

Defense Industry Security & Defense

Defense Industrialist

Sep 21, 2015

PowerPoint guys versus bean counters

By James Hasik

The battle for the soul of the American military, part 1 Carly Fiorina, the former CEO of Hewlett Packard, who is now running for president, wants a bigger Army, a bigger Navy, and a bigger Marine Corps: 50 brigades, 300 to 350 ships, and 36 battalions. How would she pay for it? The debate at which she […]

Defense Industry Defense Policy

Defense Industrialist

Sep 16, 2015

An ISIS Air Force?

By Blake Franko

The Threat of Poor Man’s Air Power In a not too distant future, war has broken out between NATO and Russia. Battles are being fought all over Europe and Russian forces are moving to capture Paris. With sizable ground forces and air dominance, US helicopters and tilt-rotors are supporting the troops overhead, forcing Russian troops to retreat. […]

Syria

Defense Industrialist

Sep 13, 2015

What if the aircraft carrier had never been invented?

By James Hasik

A thought experiment in bureaucratic rivalries, foregone technologies, and alternative histories Aircraft carriers are multi-billion dollar investments—in the case of USS Gerald Ford, some $12 billion. They take years to build—in the case of the French ship Charles de Gaulle, twelve years. They take a long time to repair—USS Eisenhower is just back from a two-year stay at […]

Defense Technologies Maritime Security
Load More