Content

Captains of Industry Series

Jun 15, 2016

The Battlestar strategy

By James Hasik

The future of Big Space depends on the defensibility of big satellites. If big satellites continue to provide cost-effective and defensible concentrations of functionality, then Big Space will have a defensible position in the market.

Defense Industry Security & Defense

Defense Industrialist

Jun 10, 2016

Could Joint Strike Fighters really be a low-cost option?

By James Hasik

If they could just control enough drones, perhaps F-35s could make war affordable again. The Danish fighter competition is over, it would seem, as the parliament has officially approved a program for 27 F-35 Lightning IIs. As I noted last week, the purchase price remains indeterminate, so the Danish Defense Ministry may be seriously unprepared […]

Defense Industry Security & Defense

Defense Industrialist

Jun 6, 2016

‘Competitiveness heavily depends upon price’

By James Hasik

The Danish fighter jet procurement decision requires further explanation.   Up front, the Danish Ministry of Defense seemed to have done it all right. In choosing a replacement for the Royal Danish Air Force’s F-16s, the ministry received bids from Eurofighter for the Typhoon, Boeing for the F-18E and -F Super Hornet, and Lockheed Martin […]

Defense Industry Northern Europe

In the News

Jun 6, 2016

Turkey’s Defense Industrial Policy Featured in Hurriyet Daily News

By Aaron Stein

Read the full article here.

Defense Industry Security & Defense

Defense Industrialist

May 31, 2016

State secretaries on supply and demand

By James Hasik

Learnings on comparative defense-industrial strategy during lunch two NATO defense ministry officials Last week the Atlantic Council hosted senior defense-industrial officials from Germany and Turkey for discussions about their evolving plans. Taking the time to reread their biographies, we remembered that some of NATO’s member states are clearly finding accomplished people to run military materiel […]

Defense Industry Germany

Emerging Defense Challenges

May 27, 2016

Daily Sabah Features Turkey Defense-Industrial Policy

By James Hasik

Read the full article here.

Defense Industry Security & Defense

Defense Industrialist

May 25, 2016

ACV 1.1

By James Hasik

Like Lockheed’s past efforts, SAIC’s foray into ground vehicles may herald wider competition for defense contracts.  Having just finished a 300-page dissertation on the MRAP program, I have had some time (years, really) to think about the armored vehicle industry across the world. Back in November, BAE Systems and SAIC were selected by the US Marine […]

Defense Industry Security & Defense

Defense Industrialist

May 18, 2016

Don’t learn the wrong lessons about LCS

By James Hasik

Military modularity done right is too valuable to forgo. Last week was Nordic Week in Washington DC, with a combined state visit by leaders from Finland, Norway, Sweden, Iceland, and Denmark. This week was Sea-Air-Space, the annual confabulation of the Navy League at National Harbor, Maryland. So there’s no better time to discuss the Royal […]

Defense Industry NATO

Defense Industrialist

May 16, 2016

Can’t the Air Force be trusted to buy a few helicopters?

By James Hasik

Decisions about competition for the LRV and UH-1N show why McCain’s initiative against USD AT&L really matters. Senator John McCain of Arizona, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, wants to blow up the Pentagon’s Under Secretariat for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics (USD AT&L). More specifically, his committee’s writing of the National Defense Authorization Act of […]

Defense Industry Security & Defense

Defense Industrialist

May 6, 2016

Australia’s big bet on submarines

By James Hasik

What might the RAN know that other navies don’t? The Australian submarine deal is old news at this point. As announced last week, DCNS of France will work with ASC (originally Australian Submarine Corporation) over the next three years to design a new class of submarines to replace the existing six Collins-class boats, built by […]

Australia Defense Industry

Experts