An august panel of graybeards at the National Research Council has concluded that the U.S. should deploy interceptor missiles along the East Coast to defend against incoming missiles from rogue states like Iran.
Defense Contractors
“I would add more F-22s.”
Manning Unmanned Systems
Eyes glaze over when diving deep into Defense Science Board studies, those phonebook-thick reports (today more PDF than pdf) salted through with buzz phrases (potentially unlimited persistent capabilities, bounded autonomous …
Another Name for a Panel of Military Officers Discussing Logistics
Honoring Intrepidity
There was a special eight-page “advertising supplement” tucked into the rear of Sunday’s Washington Post. “Section R” was crammed with the details and history of those who have displayed enough “conspicuous gallantry and …
Driving Around…In Style
You thought Army uniforms were green? In Friday’s contract solicitations, the Army proves that’s not always the case. Its chauffeur uniforms, for example, must come in grey.
Chauffeur uniforms?
Saying Twice, Paying Once?
One of Battleland’s crew of ace accountants flipped Monday’s list of Pentagon contract announcements our way, and pointed out this drone upgrade program (you can click on it to enlarge):
Then he tossed us Friday’s list, and pointed to this one:
Just a simple error, the Air Force said Tuesday.
“This contract was …
$776,000,000
Better Late Than Never
Interesting Pentagon contract buried deep in the long list it announced Friday. The Army awarded nearly $15 million to Jorge Scientific of Arlington, Va., to “provide for the modification of an existing contract to research and develop a methodology for counter insurgency operations. Work will be performed in Arlington and Afghanistan…”
Bigger Bang For The Buck
The Navy has just authorized full-rate production of the Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System, a laser-guided rocket system that manufacturer BAE Systems says costs only a third as much the Hellfire missile commonly …
Indian Territory…in Afghanistan
Two hundred years ago, the U.S. military was fighting the Creek Indians and their allies, who responded by slaughtering some 250 white and mixed-blood Native Americans at Fort Mims, Alabama. Such a heritage may come in handy, now that the U.S. military has awarded the Creeks, doing business as the Muscogee Nation Business Enterprise of …
“Rent-Seeking”
Rent-seeking is a phrase increasingly in vogue by folks without real jobs. Wikipedia defines it as “an attempt to obtain economic rent by manipulating the social or political environment in which economic activities occur, rather than by creating new wealth.” Synonym: the U.S. defense industry and its allies, c. 2012.
Thomas …
Sauer Grapes: Do the Lockheed and McCain Dots Connect?
Senator John McCain (R.-Ariz.) and the Lockheed Martin Corp. have been behaving in ways that parallel one another.
That could be explained by their common political objectives, or by a separate action by McCain — the rehiring …