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Defense Industrialist

Jan 12, 2017

The tether of fuel—a brief counterpoint

By David Foster

Unless troops live off the land again, energy efficiency can only yield so much.

Conflict Defense Policy

Defense Industrialist

Jan 11, 2017

“Unleash us from the tether of fuel”

By Greg Douquet

Mattis put his faith in the 3rd Marine Air Wing’s ability to defeat Saddam’s formations surrounding Baghdad, and accepted the risk that his force might not achieve its objectives before running out of fuel. In later testimony, Mattis reflected back on the compromising situation of the “March Up,” as well as on the cost of increased fuel demand during the counter-insurgency efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan. In the future, he stated, the military must be “unleashed from the tether of fuel.” Mattis had seen the future imperative to change our sources of energy for military operations.

Afghanistan Conflict

Defense Industrialist

Jan 9, 2017

The Pentagon needs real human capital gurus

By James Hasik

Nine recommendations to the Trump Administration on the people of Defense I once wrote that the business of defense under President Donald J. Trump could start with “General, you’re fired.” The president-elect has noted that the US military has been attaining less-than-satisfying results in its campaigns since the end of the Cold War, and he expects that to change. The US has […]

Defense Policy Security & Defense

Defense Industrialist

Dec 19, 2016

If found, please call 228-688-5877

By James Hasik

China’s stealing an American ocean glider won’t stop the world from making a whole lot more. In what Ankur Panda in the Diplomat termed an “exceptionally brazen and illegal move by Beijing,” the Chinese Navy this past week stole an American ocean glider. On Friday, Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook announced that the Defense Department had contacted the Chinese government to […]

China Defense Industry

Defense Industrialist

Dec 8, 2016

Negotiating with the deal-guy-in-chief

By James Hasik

On surviving those UCAs, finding that $125 billion, and becoming the monopsonist’s apprentice. The mood at the Aerospace Industries Association luncheon this week, Tony Bertuca reported for Inside Defense, was grim. As AIA CEO Dave Melcher put it, it’s a “relatively new phenomenon” for the president-elect to call out the country’s largest aerospace company on a big program like the new Air […]

Defense Industry Economy & Business

Defense Industrialist

Dec 6, 2016

Innovation before scale

By Steve Grundman, James Hasik

A better business model for transnational armaments cooperation The Royal United Services Institution has just published in RUSI Journal (vol. 161, no. 5, October–November 2016) the latest long essay of the Defense Industrialist project of the Atlantic Council. The abstract encapsulates our argument:     The traditional business model of transnational cooperation in armaments development and production is not […]

Defense Industry Economy & Business

Defense Industrialist

Dec 1, 2016

Are Canada’s interim fighters obsolete-on-order?

By Danny Lam

The DND must ensure that the RCAF’s replacement for the CF-18s can defend North America against emerging threats. The Liberal Government of Canada has announced that it intends to swiftly sole-source 18 F/A-18E Super Hornets to fill a perceived capability gap. The need flows from Defense Minister Harjit Sajjan’s views of existing treaty obligations under NORAD and NATO. The Royal Canadian […]

Defense Industry Korea

Defense Industrialist

Nov 28, 2016

Advice to the Trump Administration on the evolution of war

By James Hasik

Technological developments and actual financial constraints demand top-to-bottom rethinking of the business of defense. As I wrote earlier this month, Donald Trump’s unpredicted electoral victory has brought the possibility for real change in the enterprise of national security. To borrow Paul Ryan’s phrase, thoroughly rethinking the business of defense could create a military that moves closer to […]

China Defense Industry

Defense Industrialist

Nov 15, 2016

Rethinking the business of defense

By James Hasik

Advice to the Trump Administration on bringing discipline to the defense enterprise At the conclusion of an unconventional but brilliant campaign, Donald Trump has effected, in terms he might appreciate, a hostile takeover of the executive branch of the United States federal government. In that campaign, he repeatedly promised to move swiftly towards administrative change, perhaps in a hundred-day campaign. […]

Defense Industry Defense Policy

Defense Industrialist

Nov 11, 2016

Defense advice For President-elect Trump

By Steven Grundman

Focus on national productivity growth to reduce the debt-to-GDP ratio. The US presidential election that just ended was driven by identity politics—affinity by race, class, gender, etc.— rather than ideological competition or policy differences. As a result, resolution of the political contest will not unto itself unlock the calcified debate over fiscal policy that has […]

Defense Policy Economy & Business
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