Defense Daily articles from February 2005

Defense Daily archives from February 2005

PAC-3 International Sales Kick Off With Netherlands And Japan.
February 1, 2005... By Ann Roosevelt Lockheed Martin [LMT] received a $532 million contract for 156 PAC-3 missiles for the Netherlands, Japan and the U.S. Army, the first international sales for the battle-proven anti-ballistic missiles. For Lockheed...

SRA International Reports Strong Sales, Earnings.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Federal information technology services provider SRA International [SRX] yesterday reported strong second quarter financial results, recording substantial organic growth and improved margins. Net income increased 63 percent to $14.7...

TransDigm Acquires Fluid Regulators Business From Esterline.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... TransDigm, Inc., a private maker of aerospace components, yesterday said it has acquired the Fluid Regulators Corp. of Esterline Technologies [ESL], complementing the company's existing pump and valve products. Terms of the deal were not...

Wyle Closes Purchase of GD's Aeronautics Business.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Wyle Laboratories yesterday said it has completed its acquisition of the Aeronautics Services business of General Dynamics [GD], creating an independent test and evaluation business with projected sales of about $450 million and over 3,000...

Thales UK Continues Work On WATCHKEEPER ISTAR Program.
February 1, 2005... The U.K. unit of France's Thales has won a contract worth more than $11.3 million from the Ministry of Defence as part of the work towards the main investment decision on the potential $1.5 billion program, the company said yesterday. The...

F/A-18 Aft Seat Testing Of Joint Helmet-Mounted Cueing System Underway.
February 1, 2005... Boeing [BA] began flight tests last week integrating the Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System (JHMCS) into the aft cockpits of the Navy's F/A-18 Hornet, the company said. This is the first step in a flight test program that includes...

JSOW Undergoing Redesign To Lower Costs And Add Data Link.(Joint Standoff Weapon )
February 1, 2005... By Geoff Fein Raytheon Corp. [RTN] is redesigning its Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW) to drop the cost of each missile by an estimated 30 to 40 percent, the company said. Additionally, the company is planning to include a data link on...

JFCOM Experiment Shows How Dissimilar Systems Can Communicate.
February 1, 2005... By Ann Roosevelt A recent U.S. Joint Forces Command (JFCOM) experiment using Mitre Corp.-developed Cursor on Target Extensible Markup Language (XML) and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) allowed dissimilar service systems to communicate, a...

Picatinny-based Team Successfully Demonstrates GPS-Guided Artillery Projectiles.
February 1, 2005... For the first time, a joint United States and Swedish development team using GPS technology has successfully fired guided artillery projectiles. The team consisting of Raytheon [RTN] and United Defense's Swedish unit, Bofors, is based at...

Lockheed Martin Reveals Team For NASA CEV.
February 1, 2005... Lockheed Martin [LMT] yesterday introduced EADS SPACE Transportation, United Space Alliance, Honeywell [HON], Orbital Sciences [ORB] and Hamilton Sundstrand as five members of its international team vying to design and build NASA's new Crew...

McCain Blasts Pentagon For Withholding Tanker Documents.
February 1, 2005... By Sharon Weinberger Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) continued his longstanding battle to obtain internal Pentagon documents related to a controversial Air Force tanker procurement, accusing officials of purposely stalling his efforts to obtain...

Arotech Armor Division Receives New Vehicle Orders.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Arotech [ARTX] yesterday said its Armor Division had received new orders totaling $1.1 million for delivery of armored Toyota Land Cruisers, Land Rover Defenders and armored ambulances based on the Ford Econoline E350 van. The company's...

'06 Budget To Include Additional Launch Funds.
February 2, 2005... By Amy Butler Air Force officials are expecting to boost funding for the nation's two rocket makers to make their programs whole after years of dismal return on their spacelift efforts, although a senior Air Force official recently said...

Defense Business Propels L-3 To Strong Fourth Quarter.(L-3 Communications Corp.'s financial reports)
February 2, 2005... By Calvin Biesecker L-3 Communications [LLL] yesterday reported strong fourth quarter earnings and sales driven by broad strength across its defense businesses and generated even stronger free cash flow that will help keep it armed for...

U.S. Operates 'Dual Key' System With Afghan National Army, Officer Says.(embedded tactical trainers)
February 2, 2005... By Ann Roosevelt When the Afghan National Army works on operations with coalition forces it's done via a "dual key" system, a coalition officer said. "The way we command and control is the dual key system," Col. Cardon Crawford,...

German Army Units Deploy FAUST Military Command And Control System.(Kosovo and Bosnia and Herzegovina)(Brief Article)
February 2, 2005... The European Aeronautics Defence & Space Co. (EADS) said yesterday that in October, German Army units in Kosovo (KFOR) and Bosnia and Herzegovina (SFOR) began deploying FAUST, the military command and control system. In a recent Bundeswehr...

Allies Need Interoperable Systems But Costs Could Be Obstacle.(Joint Tactical Radio System)
February 2, 2005... By Geoff Fein With more nations coming together on military missions, having interoperable communications systems is imperative, but the associated costs could make some nations unwilling to abandon their legacy systems, according to NATO...

United Defense Nets Pair of Contracts For $29 Million.(Santa Clara)
February 2, 2005... United Defense [UDI] yesterday said it was awarded a pair of contracts, the latest including $18.2 million for a M113A1 armored personnel carrier (APC) conversion deal with Jordan, as well as an $11million deal for reactivating a USNS oiler....

DRS Receives $153 Million For Army Helo Sighting Systems.(DRS Technologies Inc.)
February 2, 2005... DRS Technologies [DRS] yesterday said it received $153 million in new contracts to support the infrared sighting systems on the Army OH-58D Kiowa Warrior helicopters. "As a premier supplier of infrared sighting, targeting and night vision...

U.S., Pakistan Work Together To Defuse Tensions On Afghan Border.
February 2, 2005... By Ann Roosevelt The Combined Forces Command-Afghanistan has provided people and equipment to Pakistan forces to try and defuse tensions, according to a military official. Pakistan is a stalwart ally in the U.S.-led global war on...

Lawmakers Express Outrage Over VXX Review.(Pentagon contracts with Lockheed Martin)
February 2, 2005... By Sharon Weinberger Connecticut Lawmakers and long-time advocates of domestic defense production severely criticized the Navy's decision to award the VXX presidential helicopter to an American-European team, although it remains unclear...

Boeing's Sales, Earnings Up In 2004 Despite Fourth Quarter Charges.
February 3, 2005... By Calvin Biesecker Boeing [BA] yesterday reported higher sales and earnings for 2004 despite sharply lower fourth quarter profit after taking $615 million in charges on two aircraft programs. The increases were broadly based in its...

Analysts Expect Few Surprises For FY '06 Request.(Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments)
February 3, 2005... By Sharon Weinberger Despite widespread speculation over major defense cuts in the FY '06 defense spending request, some experts are pointing out that the real cuts likely won't come until at least the next budget cycle. Speaking at a...

X-Craft To Begin Array of Tests For LCS Program.(Littoral Combat Ship)(Brief Article)
February 3, 2005... By Geoff Fein Following Saturday's christening of the high-speed, experimental catamaran, X-Craft, the Navy and Coast Guard will put the vessel through months of tests to determine performance capabilities of the future high-speed vessels,...

FLIR Earnings Up 60 Percent In Fourth Quarter.(FLIR Systems Inc.)
February 3, 2005... Showing the impact of a two-for-one stock split effective yesterday, FLIR Systems [FLIR] reported net earnings for the fourth quarter increased 61 percent to $24.1 million, or 31 cents per diluted share. "2004 was another excellent year...

Navy Seeking Subsonic and Supersonic Target.
February 3, 2005... The Navy is conducting a survey to find companies capable of designing, integrating, building, testing and manufacturing aerial target/missile systems, according to a notice posted at Federal Business Opportunities. The Navy Aerial Target...

Northrop Grumman Posts Higher Sales, Earnings In Fourth Quarter, Year-End.
February 3, 2005... By Calvin Biesecker Helped by solid performance at all of its sectors, Northrop Grumman [NOC] yesterday reported higher sales and earnings in the fourth quarter and full year but expects growth to moderate this year. Net income in the...

Alliant Techsystems Reports Higher Sales, Income.(financial reports)
February 3, 2005... Alliant Techsystems [ATK] yesterday posted higher third quarter sales and earnings aided by growth across its sectors. Sales rose 21 percent to $684 million from $564 million a year ago, with organic growth of 10 percent. Organic growth...

F/A-22 Performance 'Overwhelming,' But System Rated 'Potentially' Suitable.(Product/Service Evaluation)
February 3, 2005... By Amy Butler An independent Air Force test agency has given the costly F/A-22 fighter a rating of "potentially suitable," noting some weaknesses in maintenance and logistics for the jet, although the stealthy fighter was deemed...

Chertoff Outlines Risk-Based Approach For DHS.(Michael Chertoff says, Department of Homeland Security)
February 3, 2005... By Nathan Hodge In a hearing before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs yesterday, the Bush administration's nominee to head the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) outlined a "risk-based" approach to...

Raytheon Reports Strong Fourth Quarter.
February 4, 2005... By Calvin Biesecker Raytheon [RTN] yesterday posted strong earnings and sales gains in the fourth quarter, driven by good performance across its operating segments and a narrowing of losses at two discontinued business operations. One...

Boykin Touts Efforts To Boost Coalition Intel-Sharing.
February 4, 2005... By Nathan Hodge As part of an effort to improve intelligence support to military operations, the Pentagon is planning a series of exercises this year to test its ability to share intelligence with coalition partners. Speaking before a...

QDR Will Look At Challenges of Terrorism And Future of Warfare.
February 4, 2005... By Geoff Fein The 2006 Quadrennial Defense Review will differ from previous versions, as it is expected to look at lessons learned from the 9/11 attacks and operations in both Afghanistan and Iraq including the value of joint warfare and...

New Strategic Documents To Set The Stage For QDR, General Says.
February 4, 2005... By Ann Roosevelt Over the next month, three new strategic documents will roll out that will set the stage for Quadrennial Defense Review work, a joint staff director said yesterday. For the past six to eight months, the Joint Staff and...

Schriever III Wargame To Test Space Systems.(Brief Article)
February 4, 2005... Air Force Space Command (AFSPC) officials are planning tomorrow to begin their third space wargame called "Schriever III," during which U.S. forces posing as aggressors will counter friendly space forces. Top Pentagon leaders have since...

75th Successful Atlas Launch Marks End of An Era.(Brief Article)
February 4, 2005... Yesterday's launch of an International Launch Services [ILS] Atlas III rocket from Cape Canaveral, Fla., was the record-setting 75th successful flight for the Atlas vehicle and the marks the final Atlas launch from the Florida facilities'...

Fort Monmouth Sees New Life Cycle Management Command.(Brief Article)
February 4, 2005... The Army has realigned three Fort Monmouth, N.J., organizations that develop and sustain communications and electronics to form the new Communications--Electronics Life Cycle Management Command (C-E LCMC) The new command consists of Army...

Editor's Note.
February 4, 2005... Due to an embargo by the Pentagon on FY '06 budget information, which will not be lifted until 10:30 a.m. EST, Defense Daily's Monday print edition will not be available until Tuesday. Tuesday's issue will be delivered as scheduled. For timely...

Elbit Awarded $20 Million For Gulfstream Enhanced Vision System.
February 4, 2005... The U.S. subsidiary of Israel's Elbit Systems [ESLT] last week said it has been awarded a follow-on multi-year contract worth about $20 million to supply Enhanced Vision Systems (EVS) for all large cabin models of General Dynamics [GD]...

Trusted Computer Solutions Signs $4.5 Million Deal With Northrop Grumman.(Brief Article)
February 4, 2005... Trusted Computer Solutions (TCS) last week said it has signed a $4.5 million subcontracting deal with Northrop Grumman [NOC] to be the primary supplier of technology that will be deployed in the Department of Defense Intelligence Information...

Navy Records Successful Guided Test Flight For LRLAP.(Brief Article)
February 4, 2005... The Navy and the DD(X) National Team conducted a successful guided flight of the Long Range Land Attack Projectile (LRLAP) last month at the San Nicholas Island test facility at Pt. Mugu, Calif., the service said yesterday. "After launch,...

Boeing's Laser-Guided JDAM Has Successful Test Flight.
February 4, 2005... Boeing [BA] conducted a successful guided test flight of its laser guided Joint Direct Attack Munition last month, scoring a direct hit on target at Eglin AFB, Fla. according to a company statement. A U.S. Air Force F-16 launched the...

Boeing Completes Wind Tunnel Testing Of EA-18G.
February 4, 2005... Wind tunnel testing for Boeing's [BA] EA-18G Airborne Electronic aircraft, under the System and Development Demonstration (SDD) program, wrapped up last month and validated that the F/A 18F airframe is suited to perform electronic attack...

DoD '06 Budget Adds $35 Billion To Accelerate Army Restructuring.
February 7, 2005... By Ann Roosevelt The FY '06 defense budget adds $35 billion over seven years (FY'05 -'11) to the Army's $13 billion baseline budget for a total of $48 billion to transform the Army. Army restructuring and transformation is a "central...

Military Space Request Boosted Again, Including Rocket and Space Radar Efforts.
February 7, 2005... By Amy Butler The Air Force's budget request for military space activities has increased again for FY '06 and beyond by nearly $2 billion, and it includes a new path ahead for the Pentagon's rocket program and a congressionally unpopular...

DoD Spending Request Nears $420 Billion; Focus On Ground Forces Restructuring.
February 7, 2005... By Sharon Weinberger The administration plans to request $419.3 billion to fund the Defense Department in FY '06, about a five percent increase over the previous year's budget, placing the Pentagon on track to spend over $500 billion by FY...

Navy FY '06 Budget Calls For Carrier Retirement.
February 7, 2005... By Geoff Fein The Navy's $125.6 billion fiscal year 2006 budget includes the retirement of one aircraft carrier and peak year funding for research and development of the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF), according to a senior Navy budget...

Air Force '06 Request Reflects Changes in Fighter, Transport and Weapons Efforts.
February 7, 2005... By Amy Butler The president's FY '06 budget request earmarks $102.9 billion for the Air Force, up about $6 billion from FY '05, although the service's funding plan includes cuts to key programs including the F/A-22 stealthy fighter and the...

MDA Budget Guts KEI, Slows Plans For Ground-Based Midcourse System.
February 7, 2005... By Sharon Weinberger The FY '06 budget request for the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) reflects a significant change in strategy in several key technology areas, including plans to reevaluate a new boost-phase intercept system and delaying...

Army Secretary Tasks Panels, Hones Vision.(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... By Ann Roosevelt Army Secretary Francis Harvey has set up panels on business, leadership, force structure and vision as he crafts his vision of the service. In a Jan. 21 letter to all soldiers, Harvey said his major priorities were:...

Defense Brief.(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... Herley Industries [HRLY] on Friday said it has completed its $20 million cash acquisition of a competitor, Micro Systems, Inc., giving it more capabilities in microwave and millimeter wave for command and control hardware for use in target...

CNO To Retire This Summer, Says Shipbuilding Facing Challenge.
February 8, 2005... By Geoff Fein Adm. Vern Clark, Chief of Navy Operations, confirmed he would retire this summer, after serving five years in the post, stating that it is "time to turn over the reins to the next generation. "I do not have an exact...

Acquisition Chief Signs Off On Raptor Contract.
February 8, 2005... By Sharon Weinberger The Pentagon's acting acquisition czar last week approved a new contract for the F/A-22 Raptor, marking another step forward for the Air Force's premiere fighter aircraft program. The Feb. 3 decision, signed by...

Pentagon Office Pushes Tactical Laser Demo For Iraq.
February 8, 2005... By Sharon Weinberger The Pentagon's Office for Force Transformation is trying to garner support for a tactical laser system that could be demonstrated, possibly in Iraq, in as few as 18 to 24 months, according to an official involved in...

Army Deems CH-47F Critical Design Review Successful.
February 8, 2005... By Ann Roosevelt A critical design review (CDR) for the CH-47F Chinook held late last month was considered successful by the Army and prime contractor Boeing [BA], officials said. The CH-47F Improved Cargo Helicopter will sustain the...

V-22 Vehicle Payload A 'Problem Area,' Says SOCOM Chief.
February 8, 2005... By Nathan Hodge The head of U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) last week gave a somewhat mixed endorsement of the Bell Helicopter Textron [TXT]/Boeing [BA] V-22 Osprey tiltrotor, saying the aircraft was too small to carry the utility...

Another Investigation Called On Finmeccanica Buy of BAE SYSTEMS Unit.(Brief Article)
February 8, 2005... The U.K.'s Minister for Competition, Consumers and Markets has issued a European Intervention Notice to investigate Italy's Finmeccanica acquisition of parts of the U.K.'s BAE SYSTEMS' military communication and avionics business. Gerry...

Army Succeeds In First Rocket Launch From Rotary Wing UAV.
February 8, 2005... In the first known successful rocket launch from a rotary wing unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the Army's Aviation Applied Technology Directorate (AATD) successfully fired four 2.75-inch rockets from the test bed Vigilante UAV, the directorate...

Supplemental To Include Substantial Procurement Funding.
February 8, 2005... By Sharon Weinberger A large sum of procurement spending has been shifted from the regular Pentagon budget to the wartime spending request, a move that is likely to attract more criticism from those questioning the administration's use of...

Deepwater Gets Large Increase In Homeland Security Request.(Brief Article)
February 8, 2005... By Calvin Biesecker President Bush yesterday sent to Congress a $41.1 billion request for the Department of Homeland Security in FY '06, a 7 percent increase from the current year, including a $242.1 million increase to the Coast Guard's...

Defense Brief.(Brief Article)
February 8, 2005... Vice Adm. Robert Willard has been nominated for appointment to the rank of admiral and assignment as Vice Chief of Naval Operations (VCNO), the Pentagon said yesterday. Willard is currently serving as director, Force Structure, Resources and...

Army Conducts Precision Munitions Mix Study.(Brief Article)
February 9, 2005... By Ann Roosevelt The Army's Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) is conducting a Precision Munitions Mix Analysis to make more informed investments for the future force, a service official said. "The purpose of the study, to be...

Smiths Deploys Trace Portal At Baltimore Airport.(Brief Article)
February 9, 2005... By Calvin Biesecker Smiths Detection and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) yesterday announced the third deployment at a U.S. airport of the company's trace portal used to detect explosives on passengers. The portal,...

High Tech Will Be Vital In Future Asymmetric Wars, CNO Says.
February 9, 2005... By Geoff Fein The U.S. military and the information technology sector (IT) are on a journey to create systems that will change the way humans interface with machines to give the United States clear advantages over its adversaries, but the...

X-45 Wraps Up Block III Test With Successful Simulated Attack.
February 9, 2005... By Geoff Fein Boeing [BA] officials called last week's test flight of two X-45, Joint Unmanned Combat Air Systems (J-UCAS) a "huge success," as two aircraft were able to discern a simulated target and determine which of the two were in the...

Northrop Grumman Begins Hunter II Demonstration Flights.
February 9, 2005... Northrop Grumman [NOC] said yesterday it has begun ground and flight demonstrations of the new Hunter II medium altitude endurance unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) it has proposed for the Army's next generation UAV system. In December, the...

Northrop Grumman Forms New Laser Unit.
February 9, 2005... By Ann Roosevelt Northrop Grumman [NOC] has formed a new Directed Energy Systems (DES) unit to take advantage of coming opportunities in the field, the unit's new vice president said yesterday. "It comes from a realization that at this...

By Year's End, Ordnance-Disposal Teams To Receive Two Robots Each.
February 9, 2005... By Nathan Hodge The U.S. military plans to equip every explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) team on the ground Iraq and Afghanistan with at least two portable robots each by year's end. Eugene "Cliff" Hudson of the Defense Department's...

Pentagon Picks 18 Foreign Products For Testing.(Brief Article)
February 9, 2005... By Sharon Weinberger The Defense Department has selected 18 new projects as part of an ongoing program designed to identify foreign products that could help the U.S. military. Since its start in 1980, the Foreign Comparative Testing...

Osprey Test Squadron Returns to Flight.(Brief Article)
February 9, 2005... By Sharon Weinberger The V-22 Osprey is back in the air a month after the commander of the flight test squadron halted flights to resolve a problem with the aircraft's gearbox. The decision to resume flight-testing was made after...

Russian Federation Seeks Ban On Space-Based Weapons.
February 9, 2005... By Geoff Fein Russia has no designs on placing weapons in space, and therefore sees no justification, by any country, of placing weapons in outer space, said a Russian Federation official at the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva,...

L-3 Completes Purchase of CAE's Marine Controls.(Brief Article)
February 9, 2005... L-3 Communications [LLL] said on Monday it had completed its acquisition of most of the Marine Controls division of Canada's CAE [CGT] and will buy the remaining portion once it receives the required approvals. CAE said last week the...

Army Leaders Pledge: No Vehicle Without Armor After Feb. 15.
February 10, 2005... By Nathan Hodge In testimony before the House Armed Services Committee yesterday, the Army's civilian chief pledged that by next week, no soldier in Iraq or Afghanistan would drive outside the base perimeter in an unprotected vehicle. ...

DRS Reports Strong Third Quarter Led By Army, Navy Business.
February 10, 2005... By Calvin Biesecker DRS Technologies [DRS] yesterday reported record third quarter sales and earnings led by strong organic growth in its work for the Army and Navy and improved operating margins on a shifting product mix. Business was...

U.K. FRES Industry Day Kicks Off Army's Largest Program.
February 10, 2005... By Ann Roosevelt Industry representatives heard the details of the strategy for the initial assessment phase (iAP) of the U.K.'s potential $11 billion Future Rapid Effect System (FRES) program, expected to be introduced around the end of...

Dragon Eye UAV A Success in Iraq, But Challenges Remain.
February 10, 2005... By Geoff Fein While the Marine Corps has shown success with its Dragon Eye unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) in operations in Iraq, the hand-thrown UAV still faces a number of challenges from increasing range and power to sharing airspace with...

Indra Wins Tiger Helicopter Work.(Brief Article)
February 10, 2005... Spain's Indra announced this week it received $142 million in its first contracts to develop in-flight identification and electronic defense systems, simulators and training systems and automatic avionics maintenance systems for the Tiger...

Navy Exploring Littoral Combat Ship Mission For Fire Scout UAV.(Brief Article)
February 10, 2005... By Geoff Fein The Navy is taking different approaches to its unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) programs that include looking at standardizing the service's airbases for UAVs, exploring different payloads for Fire Scout and possibly replacing...

DoD Establishes New Missile Defense Authorities; Scales Back Operational Plans.
February 11, 2005... By Sharon Weinberger In a series of recent changes to the Pentagon's plans to deploy a defensive shield against ballistic missile attack, the Defense Department has reshuffled responsibilities for missile defense operations and,...

Marines See Benefits of Network Centric Operations In Iraq.
February 11, 2005... By Geoff Fein Network centric operations were a tremendous asset for U.S. troops in Operation Iraqi Freedom, allowing forces to move quickly toward Baghdad, providing command and control, but more needs to be done to prevent fratricide...

Warner Promises Review of Navy Cuts.(senator John Warner)(Brief Article)
February 11, 2005... By Sharon Weinberger The chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) raised new questions over the administration's plans to reduce the aircraft carrier fleet and suggested that Congress may move to restore funding for some...

Navy, Marine Corps Approve FORCEnet Functional Concept.(Brief Article)
February 11, 2005... The Navy and the Marine Corps top brass have signed off on the FORCEnet Functional Concept that will provide critical shared direction, guiding principles and future capabilities for the services' force development command and control efforts,...

Homeland Security Panel Creates Subcommittees.(House Homeland Security Committee)
February 11, 2005... By Calvin Biesecker The House Homeland Security Committee late Wednesday established five subcommittees to hone its newly gained oversight of much of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The committee itself gained permanent...

Air Force Plans Supplemental Request For Predators.
February 11, 2005... By Nathan Hodge The Air Force is counting on supplemental funds to pay for over a dozen new RQ-1 Predator unmanned aerial vehicles, according to the service's top general. The Defense Department's new 2006 budget request includes...