The high beta presidency

EnergySource
Nov 14, 2024

Europe’s new industrial plan faces formidable obstacles

By
Andrei Covatariu

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has promised to put forth in her second term a new Clean Industrial Deal to mobilize investment in infrastructure and industry, and reduce dependence on energy imports. But energy supply challenges and geopolitical hurdles risk undermining plans to restore Europe’s industrial competitiveness.

Defense Industry
Energy & Environment

The high beta presidency

New Atlanticist
Oct 30, 2024

In defense of Draghi’s defense idea: Three models for a centralized defense procurer for the EU

By
Thomas Goldstein

Only a European defense procurer can provide the institutional reform to overcome intra- and intergovernmental paralysis and invest at scale.

Defense Industry
Defense Policy

The high beta presidency

New Atlanticist
Oct 28, 2024

The US needs a stronger defense industrial base. Option contracts can help.

By
Michael Hogan

The US government would pay a premium on current orders, but it would then have the option to purchase a larger amount within a fixed timeframe.

Defense Industry
Defense Policy

Content

Defense Industrialist

Jan 21, 2017

The high beta presidency

By Steven Grundman

What does the Trump Administration portend for defense policy? I hew to the simple refrain, “Anything could happen.” Or, as an investor put it to me, “Trump’s promises to be the ‘high-beta’ presidency.” Beta is the measure of a stock’s volatility against the market as a whole, though the analogue to molecular biology and the treatment of hypertension may be equally apt. Of one thing we do know for sure: Donald Trump is a master of the political narrative, and the story about public policy counts far more than those of us with a deductive train of mind might care to admit.

Afghanistan Defense Industry

Defense Industrialist

Jan 21, 2017

To get revolutionary in procurement, get radical on requirements

By James Hasik

In the US system, sketching out what the forces need is a task for military officers, upstream from the responsibilities of the under secretariat for AT&L. Ensuring they make sense and don’t excessively overlap amongst the services is supposed to be the job of the Joint Requirements Oversight Council, which impanels the vice chairman of the joint chiefs and the vice chiefs of the individual services. However, in its 20-year history, the JROC has rarely seen a requirement it didn’t usher through the process with minimal change. In the long run, radically rethinking requirements requires radically rethinking the process of setting requirements. And that’s where the big money is to be found.

Afghanistan Defense Industry

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

Emerging Defense Challenges

Dec 19, 2016

Grundman Quoted by Defense&Aerospace Report on President-Elect Trump and the Defense Industry

By Steve Grundman

Read the full article here.

Defense Industry 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

Emerging Defense Challenges

Dec 12, 2016

Hasik Quoted by the Wall Street Journal on the Trump Administration and the Defense Industry

By James Hasik

Read the full article here.

Defense Industry Security & Defense

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
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Experts

Fellow

Marta Kepe

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security Transatlantic Security Initiative

Defense Industry English

Fellow

Sarah Kirchberger

Nonresident Senior Fellow

GeoStrategy Initiative Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

China Defense Industry

Fellow

Tom Koch

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Africa Center

Africa Conflict

Staff

Curtis Lee

Program Assistant

Forward Defense Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Defense Industry Korean

Millennium fellow

Aria Mahdion

Director, Strategic Development, General Atomics

Millennium Leadership Program

Defense Industry Defense Technologies

Fellow

Whitney McNamara

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Forward Defense Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Defense Industry Defense Policy
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