LexNextThe Lexington
Policy Blog
- Army Stryker Turret Competition: Another Acquisition Setback? (From RealClearDefense)
Last month, the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics, Dr. Bruce Jette, canceled one of the Army’s most important modernization programs, the competition to build the Optionally-Manned Fighting Vehicle (OMFV). This decision must be seen as something of a blow for the newly established Army Futures Command, and for the Army’s broader effort to streamline and [ Read More…]
- Loren B. Thompson, Ph.D
- Why Pratt & Whitney’s F135 Fighter Engine Will Be The Most Important Military Franchise Raytheon Technologies Owns (From Forbes)
When United Technologies and Raytheon combine later this year, the latter company will contribute most of the future military revenues. However, it is the Pratt & Whitney unit of United Technologies that will provide the enterprise’s most valuable military franchise. That franchise is the F135 engine, which powers all three variants of the F-35 fighter, plus the Air Force’s next-generation [ Read More…]
- Paul Steidler
- States Need To Answer For Stubbornly High Electricity Bills (From RealClearEnergy)
Over the past two years natural gas prices are down 50 percent, but consumers’ electricity bills are up an average of 4 percent per kilowatt hour. In some states, like California, Massachusetts and New York, bills are up much more. It is time for states to explain why prices are so high and to lower prices. This is especially important [ Read More…]
- Capitol Hill Conference on Postal Reform – March 6, 2020
The Lexington Institute is hosting a Capitol Hill Forum about Postal Reform on Friday, March 6 at 12:00PM. We hope you will be able to join us. The U.S. Postal Service (USPS), though facing major challenges, remains vital to the American economy. USPS delivers 140 billion items annually. In fiscal year 2019, it had revenues of $71.1 billion and a net loss of $8.8 billion. While there is widespread agreement on the need for postal reform, there are many different [ Read More…]
- Why Boeing’s T-7 Red Hawk Trainer Is Shaping Up To Be A Breakthrough Success For The U.S. Air Force (From Forbes)
When Boeing won the competition to develop the Air Force’s future training system in 2018, many observers were amazed at how low the price was. It turns out that low price is just the beginning of what makes the program, now called the T-7 Red Hawk, different. Contrary to rumors making the rounds in Washington, the program is precisely on schedule and will begin delivering replacements for the aged T-38C Talon in 2023. T-7 leverages open system architecture, rapid software [ Read More…]
- Secrecy Shrouds Much Of The Air Force’s Latest Budget (from Forbes)
The U.S. Air Force on Monday unveiled a proposed 2021 budget seeking $63 billion for investment in new warfighting technology, including for the recently created Space Force. It appears to be a very well thought-through approach to preparing the two services for future great power conflict, but you’ll have to take their word for that because much of it is secret. There are literally hundreds of line items in the request that are classified. That will present a problem in [ Read More…]
- How Pentagon Weapons Spending Can Help (Or Hurt) President Trump’s Reelection Prospects (From Forbes)
The Pentagon is one of the biggest consumers of manufactured products in the world, which makes weapons spending a potent political tool. In fact, in swing states such as Ohio, Pennsylvania and Florida, it is conceivable that Pentagon weapons outlays could have a material impact on election results. The Trump White House has figured this out, and is making sure voters in key states know what the president has done for local defense plants. I have written a commentary for [ Read More…]
- Critical Infrastructure Companies Need To Better Protect Their Operational Technologies (From RealClearDefense)
Cybersecurity is the set of practices, processes and systems for protecting Information Technologies (IT), which consists of computers, networks, software and stored information, from digital attack. Billions are spent annually to defend governmental, corporate, and personal IT from cyber intrusion. Innovative companies have developed new ways of providing security. One new approach is to focus cybersecurity efforts on protecting Operational Technologies, the hardware and supervisory controls critical to the operation of most infrastructure sectors. One way of doing this, with [ Read More…]
- Remarks Of Paul Steidler To U.S. Postal Service Board of Governors
February 6, 2020 Meeting Governors, thank you for this opportunity. As Chairman Duncan and Postmaster General Brennan mentioned in their opening remarks, and as seen from the Integrated Financial Plan, it is clear that the Postal Service, and the American public, need comprehensive postal reform. I ask that the Board of Governors consider adopting a resolution calling on Congress and the Administration to work toward enactment of this by June 2021. The foundations of reform should include a clear and [ Read More…]
- Attorney General William P. Barr Delivers Keynote Address At Department of Justice’s China Initiative Conference
U.S. Attorney General William Barr gave an unusual speech on February 6 that made the national security case for exactly how the United States should counter China on 5G, which promises to be the enabler of a host of futuristic technologies with deep military implications. General Barr warned that China has already “stolen a march” on the United States in 5G. Barr then called on the FCC to allow private industry to combine L-band for uplink with C-band in the [ Read More…]
- U.S. Indifference Has Helped China Gain A Foothold In Brazil (From RealClearDefense)
Even without the recent drift in Venezuela, it should be obvious Washington needs to pay closer attention to security concerns in Central and South America. The Trump administration’s focus elsewhere (the Middle East, East Asia) has helped China to gain influence in Brazil, Latin America’s biggest economy—even though countering China’s growing influence around the world is one of the top priorities of U.S. national security strategy. Initially, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro fell into line with President Trump’s aggressive approach to China. [ Read More…]
- Crackdown On Counterfeiting For Public Safety (From InsideSources)
Counterfeit products injure consumers, harm U.S. businesses and line the pockets of criminals. Through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the United States recently announced a major initiative to crack down on counterfeiting, a half trillion dollar a year industry, most of which originates overseas. Today, Americans need to be wary of counterfeit car brakes and airbags, medicines, cosmetics, food and iPhone adapters. “If it is being produced it is being counterfeited,” says [ Read More…]
- Boeing’s Commercial And Defense Roles Have Benefited America Immensely
For more than a century, Boeing has been a leading commercial and defense aerospace company, both domestically and internationally. As the aerospace and defense sector evolved over time, Boeing grew along with it, providing cutting-edge aerospace products and merging with or acquiring industry rivals such as McDonnell Douglas and Rockwell International’s aerospace and defense portion. In 2019, Boeing placed second in the DefenseNews listing of the global top 100 defense companies. For the same period, Boeing’s overall revenues were double [ Read More…]