Defense
Missile Defense: Does the Threat Merit the Cost?
The U.S. ballistic missile defense system now being developed is intended to tie various components into a sophisticated web of protection against a missile attack. Having a capability to defeat a missile attack on the U.S. homeland. . .
A Christmas List for America’s Army
This holiday season offers America's Army little reason for rejoicing. Bogged down in a difficult campaign to bring democracy to Mesopotamia, the service is in danger of being blamed for a political . . .
Fate of Huge Tanker Program Could Hinge on Cargo Role
After years of delay, the Air Force's effort to replace Eisenhower-era aerial refueling tankers has shifted into high gear. In mid-November, Air Force Secretary Michael Wynne decided to kill a proposal that . . .
Modularity, The Littoral Combat Ship and the Future of the U.S. Navy
The U.S. Navy is engaged in a far-reaching transformation based on the exploitation of information technologies. At the heart of this transformation is the concept of networking the force. This involves . . .
Defense: Four Ways Democrats Can Destroy Their Mandate
This week, congressional Democrats will regain some of the ground they lost in their disastrous 30-year decline following the Vietnam War. To grasp how far they have fallen, you need only recall the party's . . .
If Democrats Rise, Will The Defense Sector Fall?
Here's a portent. With midterm elections barely a week away, there isn't a single state in the union where a Republican challenger seeking a seat in the House of Representatives is leading a Democratic . . .
The Navy Needs To Rethink How It Buys New Technology
The senior leadership of the U.S. Navy is embarking on a cross-country series of town meetings to remind the nation why the world's preeminent sea power needs a big navy. That might seem like a no-brainer. . .
An Aging Air Force Struggles To Keep Its Edge
They say the future can't be foretold, but here's one prediction you can take to the bank: It's all over for military transformation. Although the policy wonks around defense secretary Donald Rumsfeld continue . . .
Modernizing the Aerial Refueling Fleet
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. . . .
V-22 Osprey Is One System The Military Needs Right Now
The Bush Administration is projecting that defense spending will fall from four percent of the economy today to three percent at the beginning of the next decade. In the past, such declines have hit . . .