DoD to Focus on Data Rights * Katrina McFarland, assistant secretary of defense (acquisition), wants to push program managers to move away from closed systems such as those used on the F-22: "What have you done to make your system open, and why? Where did you open up...
Options for Reducing US Deficit, Sequestration Pain * Spend no more than you earn? No, it cannot be so simple. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released its latest assessment [PDF] of how the US government could tackle its fiscal imbalances. This will inform the...
F-22A Raptor(click to view full) The 5th-generation F-22A Raptor fighter program has been the subject of fierce controversy, with advocates and detractors aplenty. On the one hand, the aircraft offers full stealth, revolutionary radar and sensor capabilities, dual...
Pentagon October Awards * Last month's government shutdown contributed to a 66% sequential drop in DoD awards, to $15.7B across 185 awards, vs. 717 awards worth a total $46B. Since the federal government tends to spend significantly more in September at the end of its...
Croatian AMVs(click to view full) Many European countries are currently in the process of acquiring wheeled armored personnel carriers, from former East-Bloc nations replacing their old Soviet BTRs, to NATO countries buying lighter and less protected equipment as...
Business Ebbs and Flows * Cobham's 2013 interim results [PDF] point to delays in some land system awards as a source of pressure on their US-based defense revenue. They see growth opportunities outside of the US in air-to-air refueling, supporting the export efforts...
USS Philippine Sea(click to view full) A quick look at almost any modern warship shows a bewildering array of gear on its mast and upper surfaces. These "topside apertures" serve an array of functions, from communications, to data transmission, to electronic listening...
G4 on RDAF F-16(click to view full) The Royal Danish Air Force still flies 30 F-16AM/BMs, improved to Mid-Life Upgrade standard. They've traditionally relied on Lockheed Martin's AAQ-13/AAQ-14 pair of LANTIRN navigation and targeting pods, and a major upgrade was...
On the 11th hour, of the 11th day, of the 11th month, in 1918, the guns ceased. This day is honored all over the world, albeit in different ways. It is honored here, and we will not be publishing today. During Remembrance Day, the British Commonwealth countries...