Navy To Try New Fast Acquisition Approach

Navy To Try New Fast Acquisition Approach
Navy To Try New Fast Acquisition Approach

CAPITOL HILL: The Navy’s 2017 budget will include a new authority similar to the Air Force’s Rapid Capability Office to improve the speed with which it can deploy new capabilities, especially classified ones, the head of Navy acquisition told the House Armed Services Committee today. “There will be something that closely mirrors the Air Force…

North Korean H-Bomb? Unlikely. What Will China Do?

North Korean H-Bomb? Unlikely. What Will China Do?
North Korean H-Bomb? Unlikely. What Will China Do?

WASHINGTON: The hysteric delivery on North Korea’s official news channel about her  country’s attempt to explode a hydrogen bomb doesn’t mean the crippled land south of China actually succeeded. The White House spokesman, Josh Earnest, said, “the initial analysis is not consistent with the North Korean claims.” It does mean that China, its most important neighbor and…

National Sea-Based Deterrence Fund: Myth vs. Reality

National Sea-Based Deterrence Fund: Myth vs. Reality
National Sea-Based Deterrence Fund: Myth vs. Reality

The Navy’s nuclear ballistic submarine replacement is coming online in next year’s budget and the bill will be huge. It is so big, in fact, that Congress has already established a special account outside the normal shipbuilding budget to help ease financial pressure and not disrupt almost every other ship coming under construction. While the…

New AIA Prez Melcher Sets Big 2016 Goals: Bucks, Bombers & Beyond

New AIA Prez Melcher Sets Big 2016 Goals: Bucks, Bombers & Beyond
New AIA Prez Melcher Sets Big 2016 Goals: Bucks, Bombers & Beyond

WASHINGTON: “I’m optimistic,” said the new president of the powerful Aerospace Industries Association, David Melcher, looking ahead to 2016. That statement in itself is a departure from the often dire warnings of his predecessor, long-time AIA president (and former Breaking Defense contributor) Marion Blakey. “Who would have thought four months ago that Ex-Im bank would be reauthorized?”…

Northrop Unveils Sixth Gen Fighter Concept

Northrop Unveils Sixth Gen Fighter Concept
Northrop Unveils Sixth Gen Fighter Concept

PALMDALE, CALIF: Northrop Grumman unveiled its vision of the so-called sixth-generation fighter, showing reporters a laser-firing aircraft that looks like a cross between the B-2 bomber and the X-47B drone. Chris Hernandez, Northrop’s vice president for research, technology and advanced design, laid out the basic parameters for the sixth-gen fighter (Northrop refers to it as NG Air…

McCord: Weapons Slowdowns Coming In 2017’s $584B Budget

McCord: Weapons Slowdowns Coming In 2017’s $584B Budget
McCord: Weapons Slowdowns Coming In 2017’s $584B Budget

WASHINGTON: With the Pentagon’s big budget plan for 2017-2021 less than three weeks from completion, Defense Department comptroller Mike McCord promised significant slowdowns in “some” weapons programs, specifically including the Long-Range Strike Bomber. McCord’s slides pegged the total 2017 defense request at $584 billion ($525 in the base budget and $59 in overseas contingency operations…

The Nuclear Option: Long Range Strike & The Case For Dual-Use

The Nuclear Option: Long Range Strike & The Case For Dual-Use
The Nuclear Option: Long Range Strike & The Case For Dual-Use

By Blake McMahon Tuesday, Northrop Grumman won the contract to develop the Air Force’s next strategic bomber. Specifics about the competing designs have remained a closely-guarded secret, and the exact capabilities of the new aircraft are likely to remain classified for some time. One fact that is already known about the new bomber, however, is that,…