B-21, hypersonics and more: How digital development is driving industry innovation
Technological advancements are key to keeping pace with customer demands and evolving threat landscapes.
As the Biden administration focuses on ways to improve deterrence in the Pacific, reenforcing Australia’s defense against China is a good place to start. Working closely with Australia now can send an important message to Beijing that political intimidation, backed by economic and military threats, is not in its long-term interest. For those not…
By Robbin Laird and Ed Timperlake
Combatant Commanders for European Command and Indo-Pacific Command see bombers with hypersonic capabilities as “incredibly, incredibly valuable,” says Gen. Timothy Ray.
By Theresa Hitchens
The verbal pat on the back by the Defense Secretary at the biggest Air Force event of the year signals the program’s high priority for DoD writ large.
By Theresa Hitchens
“Contrary to most opinions, mission capable rates are actually increasing,” says Air Force Vice Chief Gen. Stephen Wilson, “but it’s one of the things we’re keeping an eye on.”
By Theresa Hitchens
Bombers are the ultimate chess pieces in the US national security plan. Bombers are also a scarce resource, and, personally, I’m worried about retiring even a single one of the U.S. Air Force’s bombers. Until the new B-21 Raider bomber squadrons fill out, years from now, there’s nowhere to turn for more. It’s not just me. Hear…
By Rebecca Grant
Although retiring the B-2 fleet could save the Air Force nearly $3 billion, CSIS cautions that doing so “would leave the nation without a long-range penetrating strike aircraft and would weaken the airborne component of the nuclear triad.”
By Theresa Hitchens
Gray Eagle is the low-cost, low-risk answer to Army modernization
Gray Eagle STOL and Gray Eagle 25M are the best options for Army aviation as it assesses where to move from its current inflection point.
If an aircraft like the B-1 was taxed so hard due to high demand, the appropriate lesson is that the nation needs more bombers, not less.
By David Deptula and Doug Birkey
In any post-New START nuclear buildup, Russia will “at least initially” have an edge over the US, says retired Lt. Gen. Frank Klotz, former head of Air Force Global Strike Command.
By Theresa Hitchens
UPDATED: We Run Op-Ed; Pentagon Announces LRSO Contract The Pentagon just awarded the third major contract in the modernization of the nuclear triad. First came the B-21 bomber. Then the Columbia-class submarine, to replace the Ohio class boomers. Two days ago they awarded Boeing and Northrop Grumman contracts to begin work on the new version…
By Mark Gunzinger
After threatening to rain four missiles around Guam, North Korea’s pudgy leader, Kim Jong-un appeared to back off today. The (spoof) official North Korean News Agency issued a fabulous tweet describing it, declaring: “Esteemed General Kim Jong-Un reprieves US colony of Guam, citing concern for ocelots and sea turtles. Fate of Los Angeles remains unclear.”…
By Mark Cancian
CAPITOL HILL: Stealth was sold as something close to magic when it first appeared. And, as usually happens when extraordinary claims are made, the blowback was intense. Skeptics pointed to its vulnerability to large-scale, land-based radars, to the fact it wasn’t invisible to the naked eye, to the costs and difficulties of maintaining the expensive…
By Colin Clark
WASHINGTON: If Congress was skeptical of bombers and fighters doing Close Air Support, how will they react to MQ-9s doing the toughest CAS mission around — taking out targets in the close confines of an urban fight? Gen. Hawk Carlisle, the soon-to-retire head of Air Combat Command, told reporters this morning that the Reaper is…
By Colin Clark
WASHINGTON: Congressional supporters can heave a sigh of relief with word from Air Force Chief of Staff David Goldfein that the ugly and effective A-10 will keep flying through 2021. But Goldfein seemed to make pretty clear that the plane will probably be retired after that because Close Air Support missions can be carried out by…
By Colin Clark
“I think long-range strike is about trying to keep stability in a crisis situation. And if you’re going to use it as a deterrence,” former Air Marshal Geoff Brown says. “It’s got to be responsive, it’s got to be potent, but you’ve also got to be able to signal that you can use it.”
By Robbin Laird and Ed Timperlake