Author Archives: Loren B. Thompson, Ph.D
Indonesia’s Purchase Of F-15EX Fighters Is A Breakthrough For Boeing And The Biden Administration (From Forbes)
Indonesia has announced its intention to purchase 24 F-15EX fighters from Boeing. It may buy more later. This is a breakthrough for Biden administration policy in the Indo-Pacific region, and also for Boeing as it seeks to keep its engineering [Read More...]
Why China’s Bid To Become A Superpower Is Doomed To Failure (From Forbes)
Beijing makes little secret of its desire to overtake and surpass America in the mastery of forces driving global influence. In other words, it aspires to be a superpower. However, that does not look likely. Its economy is slowing. Its [Read More...]
Five Reasons Software Is Eclipsing Hardware In Pentagon Technology Plans (From Forbes)
The Defense Department’s modernization plans are increasingly driven by software rather than the hardware that once defined military power. There are numerous reasons for this trend, the most obvious of which are that software enhances the performance of hardware, it [Read More...]
Lockheed Martin Reports ‘Rapid Progress’ On Crucial Next Generation Interceptor (From Forbes)
The current system for countering ballistic-missile attacks on the US homeland by rogue states may not be capable of coping with future developments in the North Korean nuclear arsenal. The problem is that long-range missiles equipped with multiple warheads and/or [Read More...]
Leidos-Microsoft Partnership Is Latest Sign AI Is Taking The Defense Industry By Storm (From Forbes)
Fortune 500 federal contractor Leidos disclosed on the last day of July that it was forming a strategic partnership with Microsoft to bring artificial-intelligence solutions to public-sector customers. Over the last several years, every major defense contractor has pursued partnerships [Read More...]
Five Ways The Ukraine War Could Become A Nuclear Conflict (From Forbes)
Despite frequently warnings from Russian officials that the Ukraine war could lead their country to use nuclear weapons, much of official Washington does not take the possibility seriously. That is a mistake. There are multiple ways in which war-related developments [Read More...]
As Pentagon Works To Rebuild The US Industrial Base, FTC Targets America’s Most Innovative Companies (From Forbes)
The twin blows of a global pandemic and war in Ukraine have alerted US policymakers to extensive vulnerabilities in the U.S. industrial economy. Pentagon planners are worried about the economy’s ability to sustain a war effort, and rightly so. Meanwhile, [Read More...]
The Air Force’s AWACS Radar Planes Are Relics. Congress Needs To Speed Production Of Their Replacement. (From Forbes)
The Air Force’s fleet of E-3 AWACS radar planes is on its last legs. The most decrepit aircraft will start heading to the boneyard this year, and finding spare parts for the remaining planes is becoming difficult. After all, the [Read More...]
Next Generation Air Dominance Is A Must-Have For American Air Power–And RTX Is Uniquely Positioned To Play (From Forbes)
The US Air Force’s Next Generation Air Dominance program is critical to assuring air superiority through mid-century. The crewed fighter at the center of NGAD is optimized for securing command of the air in heavily contested areas–like in and around [Read More...]
Electronic Warfare Has Become A Defining Feature Of Future Conflict. Here’s Why. (From Forbes)
The biggest lesson coming out of fighting in Ukraine isn’t about drones or artillery, it’s about electronic warfare. Both sides are straining to control and exploit the electromagnetic spectrum, at a level of intensity not seen in previous conflicts. Ukraine [Read More...]