“Japan has a strong industrial base, and taking advantage of it for CCA development and production is a win-win-win,” said Mark Gunzinger of the Mitchell Institute.
By Michael Marrow“It’s ultimately a political decision, and … this demands a strong and fully staffed OSD,” said Mackenzie Eaglen, of the American Enterprise Institute. “That doesn’t seem likely until much later this year.”
By Theresa Hitchens“The Air Force has been quite open about the need to develop a new generation of weapons that are smaller and better suited for stealth aircraft operations,” says Mitchell Institute’s Mark Gunzinger.
By Theresa Hitchens“For flying an instrument approach, having an AI copilot makes sense,” says retired general ‘Hawk’ Carlisle, former head of Air Combat Command.
By Theresa Hitchens“I would argue, that’s the tax. If you want airpower, if you want space power, then you have to be able to defend,” Lt. Gen. Joseph Guastella, Air Force deputy chief of staff for operations, told the Mitchell Institute today.
By Theresa Hitchens“This is a fundamental roles and missions question, and DoD needs to clearly designate a lead service and compel the other services to follow that lead,” says Todd Harrison, space and budget expert at the Center for Strategic and International Security.
By Theresa HitchensThe study cautions that no matter how smart, drones only “are complementary, force-multiplying capabilities, not replacements for 5th generation stealth aircraft” such as F-35 and F-22 fighter jets, and B-21 bombers.
By Theresa Hitchens“I know we’re not going to be immune from design flaws,” Air Force RCO head Randy Walden said of the B-21 program. “We’re going to have to work through those, and we’re doing some of that today.”
By Theresa Hitchens“Many believe that stealth is perishable,” says Teal Group’s Richard Aboulafia, thus increasing the need for suppression of enemy air defenses. Of course, a key requirement for the F-35 is that it can take out advanced air defenses.
By Theresa Hitchens“I know $178 billion, by anybody’s standard, is a lot of money, but I gotta tell you, this is a million-man Army,” the deputy comptroller told reporters. But cutting manpower is off the table – for now.
By Sydney J. Freedberg Jr.
Given the critical nature of National Security Space Launch, winners of the competition to replace the Atlas V and its Russian-made RD-180s engines should have the flexibility to adapt to unforeseen events, the self-knowledge and willingness to work closely with the Air Force, and a record of excellent performance to avoid wasteful contract award protests.…
By Mark Gunzinger