Author Archives: Rebecca L. Grant, Ph.D.

May 1, 2009Rebecca L. Grant, Ph.D.

F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Remains Good Value For America And Allies Issue Brief When Defense Secretary Robert Gates “rebalanced” the Pentagon budget recently he put the future of fighter aviation in America on the shoulders of the F-35. The US Navy will probably buy more F/A-18s and Congress may do right [Read More...]

April 9, 2009Rebecca L. Grant, Ph.D.

Air Force Prepared To End F-22 At 243 Aircraft, Not 187 Issue Brief Secretary of Defense Robert Gates stated on April 6 that the Air Force advised him they wanted 187 F-22s, the reaction was shock. That’s because evidence indicates the Air Force was ready and willing to cap off production [Read More...]

February 26, 2009Rebecca L. Grant, Ph.D.

Cutting E-2D Navy Radar Plane Could Put Ships At Risk Issue Brief “Do you think those US Navy warships are out there on vacation?” one Saudi leader was said to have asked Iranian ruler Mahmoud Ahmadinejad during a recent crisis. Aircraft carriers and surface ships do a lot for US [Read More...]

February 6, 2009Rebecca L. Grant, Ph.D.

Global Deterrence: The Role of the F-22 Research Study According to Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Michael Mullen, “It’s way past time to re-examine our strategic thinking about deterrence. ”Conventional deterrence is all about how to posture America’s air and naval forces, in particular, [Read More...]

January 23, 2009Rebecca L. Grant, Ph.D.

Navy Needs To Stick With Its Unmanned Combat Aircraft Issue Brief A few weeks ago in the California desert the Navy took the wraps off a weapon that could revolutionize war at sea. It’s the X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System (UCAS), a stealthy, unmanned plane as big as a [Read More...]

November 7, 2008Rebecca L. Grant, Ph.D.

Cargo Loaders In Future Air Mobility Research Study Cargo loaders are essential to air mobility at major US aerial ports and rugged overseas bases. C-130s, C-17s, giant C-5s and a wide range of contract airlifters from 747s to Russian Antonovs all share one thing in common. [Read More...]

September 15, 2008Rebecca L. Grant, Ph.D.

Technology Readiness for a New Long-Range Bomber Research Study A Joint Publication of Iris Independent Research and the Lexington Institute America has counted on bombers for tough missions for decades, but the bomber fleet will struggle to do its job as a capability void opens after 2015. [Read More...]

August 28, 2008Rebecca L. Grant, Ph.D.

Sea-Based Missile Defense: Expanding the Options Research Study A Joint Study by the Center for American Progress and the Lexington Institute Sea-based missile defense options are expanding. The fleet is rapidly evolving from a limited, experimental system to an operational, battle-ready missile defense capability. Since 2002, [Read More...]

October 6, 2006Rebecca L. Grant, Ph.D.

Modernizing the Aerial Refueling Fleet Research Study Aerial refueling tankers are the quiet enablers of joint air power. By allowing fighters, bombers, cargo planes and other aircraft to refuel without landing, they greatly extend the operational range of U.S. forces. The current tanker fleet consists [Read More...]