A “Remember the Maine” moment?

March 26, 2010

In February, 1898, the USS Maine blew up in Cuba.  Within two months, the U.S. was at war with Spain. A similar Maine-like provocation (today’s loss of the South Korean warship Cheonan after an explosion) could tip the tense Korean Peninsula over the edge, changing the game in Asia. Let’s be blunt: When a warship […]

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Boeing jumping into “Global Strike” market:

March 26, 2010

Even with the big arms control news today, conventional missiles look like the wave of the future.  Get used to cheap, non-nuclear and ballistic weaponry. I’ll be writing more about this, but these programs have been sorta on the fringes of the defense community for some time.  Lockheed, a few years ago, got funds to […]

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Taking away Loren Thomposon’s mealticket…

March 19, 2010

…one link at a time!  Good to see the indefatigable Mike Burleson linking in from his weekly big-carrier bash-fest, and glad to see Greg from defenstech.org responding to my Asia shipbuilding post.  Drop me a line, ya’ll. The more new voices out there on defense issues, the better. zp8497586rq

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Watch the march of the Hummingbirds!

March 17, 2010

For all the whining about how America isn’t funding cutting-edge rotary wing research, a few new rotary-wing UAV offerings look, ah, well cutting edge. Take Boeing’s A160 Hummingbird (YMQ-18A).  This company-funded program has moved with lightening speed, and the fact this platform initially used a cheap off-the-shelf Subaru auto engine should be enough to win […]

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China's Navy: Hey, let's not panic…

March 16, 2010

In Asia, America has gotta move away from a long-standing habit of engaging in simple, bilateral force measurements.  Asia is a multi-polar place, and America’s penchant for strategic over-simplification is going to land the U.S. into serious trouble. Put bluntly, U.S. Navy-folk need to remember there are a few other countries over on the other […]

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EMALS: Rhetoric meets reality, Redux

March 12, 2010

Rhetoric supporting the new carrier launch system, EMALS, was on full display during CNO Roughead’s March 11 testimony before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense. He said: “…Among the new technologies being integrated in these ships is the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS), which will enable the carrier’s increased sortie generation rate and lower total […]

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USS Bataan: Is High OPTEMPO taking a toll?

March 10, 2010

The USS Bataan (LHD-5)  was one of the first ships directed towards Haiti after the massive January 12 earthquake, but, once the ship arrived to serve in Operation Unified Response, the Bataan ran into a hail of criticism over it’s slow start in accepting and treating wounded Haitians.  One of my USNI pals was particularly […]

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EFV meets the IED:

March 8, 2010

I’ve been busy with a few “conventional” writing projects—some items that which will hit the press here in a few days—so, as I get back into the swing of things, blogwise, I would be remiss—since I’ve been so negative about the Marine Corps’ MV-2 buy cialis online uk 2 Osprey—to cheer

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Northrop Grumman and the Navy at odds?

March 8, 2010

Is the Navy having some problems getting along with shipbuilder Northrop Grumman? Defense media overlooked some stern words–and a hand-carried letter–Congressman Gene Taylor (D-MS) delivered to SECNAV Mabus after a February 24 hearing on the Navy’s FY 2011 National Defense Authorization Budget Request. Here’s a rough transcript–of what sounds somewhat like an ultimatum: “…Secretary Mabus, […]

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MV-22: Collapse the battlefield…for this?

February 24, 2010

Somebody tell me why we need to devote a platform–worth tens of millions of dollars–to “collapse the battlefield” for the hapless new Mayor of Marjah? Zahir arrived in Marjah aboard a U.S. Marine MV-22 Osprey helicopter with a contingent of Marine officers and a small retinue of tribal elders who have been living in other […]

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