Content

Defense Industrialist

Nov 17, 2015

More bombs on Al-Baghdadi

By James Hasik

The GCC air forces need, deserve, and can handle outside support. The tragedy of Paris this past weekend may eventually prove to have been the beginning of the end for the Al-Baghdadi Gang in Al-Raqqah. Wantonly attacking the citizens of two UN Security Council members in a week wasn’t just heinous, it was stupid. So […]

Defense Industry Saudi Arabia

Defense Industrialist

Nov 7, 2015

LRS-B, the protest edition

By James Hasik

The inherent unknowables in this highly classified development effort render questionable the value of an appeals process. So Boeing, on behalf of its teaming arrangement with Lockheed Martin, has protested. Late last month, the US Air Force chose Northrop Grumman to develop and build its hoped-for Long-Range Strike-Bomber (LRS-B), and the losing bidder is naturally […]

Defense Industry Security & Defense

Defense Industrialist

Nov 4, 2015

Mystery plane, challenging mission

By James Hasik and Rachel Rizzo

Is the bomber’s target set feasible, or even advisable? What’s the most important role for the USAF’s planned Long-Range Strike Bomber (LRS-B)? What could it do that fighter-bombers, cruise missiles, and drones couldn’t? Arguably, a big manned bomber offers a unique combination of massive, repeatable, human-on-scene air power at a distance, which is valuable when […]

China Defense Industry

Defense Industrialist

Oct 30, 2015

Is the development plan for the LRS-B realistic?

By James Hasik and Rachel Rizzo

Historical experience with incentives and concurrency provides cause for cautious optimism. Is Northrop Grumman’s plan for developing the US Air Force’s new Long-Range Strike Bomber realistic? That’s another known unknown in this mystery plane program. We do know that the development contract will be cost-plus-reimbursable-incentive, meaning that a percentage will be added to the direct […]

Defense Industry Security & Defense

Defense Industrialist

Oct 29, 2015

Mystery plane, part 2

By James Hasik and Rachel Rizzo

Is the price tag for the LRS-B feasible? As Lara Seligman wrote in Defense News overnight, there’s a lot “we still don’t know” about the LRS-B, and as  development moves forward, there’s a lot we still won’t know. Northrop’s just-up website features not even the shrouded plane of its Super Bowl advertisement, but just a zoomie with a buzzcut and aviator sunglasses. On his earnings […]

Defense Industry Security & Defense

Defense Industrialist

Oct 28, 2015

Mystery plane

By James Hasik and Rachel Rizzo

The secrecy around the USAF’s LRS-B brings military value, but some ill-understood costs. Yesterday, Northrop Grumman won the contract from the US Air Force to develop and build its new Long-Range Strike Bomber (LRS-B). For advocates of the big planes, the announcement came none too soon. The USAF’s bomber fleet today consists of 158 aircraft, […]

Defense Industry Security & Defense

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

Emerging Defense Challenges

Oct 6, 2015

Grundman: Fifty Years of Acquisition Reform

By Steven Grundman

M.A. and George Lund Fellow for Emerging Defense Challenges Steven Grundman joins In Depth with Francis Rose to discuss the finances of the Department of Defense:

Defense Industry Security & Defense

Emerging Defense Challenges

Oct 6, 2015

Grundman Discusses Defense Acquisition Reform on Federal News Radio

By Steve Grundman

Listen to the full discussion here.

Defense Industry Security & Defense

Experts