National Defense articles from August 2003

National Defense archives from August 2003

Editor's corner.(Editorial)
August 1, 2003... In a drastic departure from tradition, the U.S. Navy is moving forward with plans to change the way it maintains and keeps warships ready for combat. The reforms were spurred by escalating commitments around the world coupled with a shrinking...

Technology base focused on 'rapid fielding' efforts.(President's perspective)(Editorial)
August 1, 2003... Much has been reported in recent months on Army efforts to rush new technology to troops serving in Afghanistan and Iraq, in response to urgent requests from commanders. These "rapid fielding" initiatives have tested the Army's ability to...

Joint bases.(readers forum)(Letter to the Editor)
August 1, 2003... I found the article "Joint Bases Is The Name Of The Game In BRAC '05" (March 2003) very interesting. However, I was quite surprised that it mentioned that joint service bases would be "breaking new ground." I would like to point' out that...

Army's common missile.(readers forum)(Letter to the Editor)
August 1, 2003... The May 2003 article, "Army-Navy 'Common Missile' to Replace Hellfire, Maverick" was informative and a delightful read. You mention the BAT program cancellation as an example of multi-mode sensor weapons experiencing development and management...

Chemical detector.(readers forum)(Letter to the Editor)
August 1, 2003... Your article in the April issue of ND on Chem-Bio gear (U.S. Rushes to Upgrade Chem-Bio Gear, pg. 24) was on target for the most part, but you missed one of the critical pieces of equipment to protect our soldiers in the current conflict, the...

Facts about Iridium.(readers forum)(Letter to the Editor)
August 1, 2003... The June 2003 article, "Globalstar Sharpens Government Marketing Strategy," contains inaccurate information. You mentioned in the article that, "For connectivity, Globalstar also requires only a small omni-directional antenna, not a...

Military history recommended for summer reading.(Washington Pulse)
August 1, 2003... U.S. Rep. Ike Skelton, R-Mo., released his summer readers list for officers in the armed forces, members of Congress and anyone else interested in national security issues. "The 50 publications I have chosen cover topics of leadership,...

Nukes proliferation not deterred by U.S. actions.(Washington Pulse)
August 1, 2003... The decision by countries, such as Iran and North Korea, to pursue nuclear weapons is not heavily influenced by the actions of United States, according to Ambassador Linton Brooks, the lead of the National Nuclear Security Administration. ...

U.S. needs to preserve nuclear expertise.(Washington Pulse)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Air Force Brig. Gen. Robert L. Smolen said that if the United States is going to maintain its strategic preeminence, it needs to maintain its technical expertise in nuclear weapons. Smolen, the director of nuclear and counter-proliferation...

U.S.-Saudi Arabia rift will widen in near future.(Washington Pulse)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... The relationship between the United States and Saudi Arabia will shatter in the near future, according to Ralph Peters, a retired Army intelligence officer and a New York Times best selling author. "We already know about more misdeeds [in...

Erratum.(Correction Notice)
August 1, 2003... The vehicle shown in the photograph on page 29 of the July edition of National Defense is a Bradley Fighting Vehicle, not an Abrams tank, as described in the caption.

Lack of security funds puts states at risk.(Security Beat)
August 1, 2003... Emergency responders at the state and local level are seriously under funded and lack the equipment, tools and training necessary to deal with a terrorist attack, according to a report released by the Council on Foreign Relations. The...

Alabama at forefront in homeland security.(Security Beat)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Alabama is the first state to establish its own Department of Homeland Security. That should make it easier for the federal government and the state to better communicate, said Pepper Bryars, a spokesman for Alabama Gov. Bob Riley. The...

'Dissuasion' campaign needed against WMD.(Security Beat)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Speaking to a gathering of military and defense industry representatives, Bill Schneider, director of the Defense Science Board, said the nation must focus on dissuading potential enemies from using weapons of mass destruction. That includes...

Air force tackles threat analysis.(Security Beat)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... The United States is better prepared to deal with a radiological or chemical attack than a biological event, said Air Force Brig. Gen. Robert Smolen, director of nuclear and counter-proliferation for the office of the deputy chief of staff for...

Managers jeopardize security at national labs.(Security Beat)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Some low- and mid-level managers at the U.S. national laboratories fail to realize the importance of reporting a security breach to the upper management, said Ambassador Linton Brooks, the head of the National Nuclear Security Administration....

Debate intensifies over nuclear testing.(Security Beat)
August 1, 2003... The National Nuclear Security Administration would resume nuclear testing if it detected a "critical problem" with a weapon in the stockpile, according to the head of the NNSA. Ambassador Linton Brooks told a media roundtable in Washington,...

Camera captures images in all weather.(tech talk)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... A new micro infrared camera from BAE Systems Information & Electronic Warfare, of Nashua, N.H. is designed to capture high-resolution, images at nighttime, in fog or smoke, without the need for artificial illumination. The LTC550 MicroIR...

How to do video mapping--without cables.(tech talk)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... A cable-free video mapping system was unveiled at the 2003 Special Operations Forces tradeshow. VMS Mobile, developed by Red Hen Systems Inc., of Fort Collins, Colo., provides "a ready-to-deploy desktop mapping solution, perfect for sensitive...

Services to get portable power for remote facilities.(tech talk)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Air Force and Army units soon could be using a portable system to generate electrical power for remote facilities, such as small, isolated outposts and fully operational, forward-deployed airbases, according to Mazen Badr, spokesperson for...

This three-person RIB boat fits into a bag.(tech talk)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Military reconnaissance specialists and law enforcement officers in waterfront communities often need tough, lightweight boats for raids and patrols, but have limited storage and transport space. Zodiac of North America, in Stevensville,...

Super human hearing aid.(tech talk)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Enhancing the sense of hearing could prove useful for soldiers on patrol missions, among others. Walker's, a manufacturer of hearing devices based in Media, Penn., introduced Tactical Ear III W-C, an earplug and safety circuit designed to...

'SuperSabot' enters weapons market.(tech talk)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Brenneke, a German ammunition manufacturer, has introduced a sabot round for 12-gauge, rifled shotguns that the company claims is more accurate and powerful than other versions on the market. A sabot is a lightweight carrier in which a...

Japan shapes military force to tackle emerging threats.
August 1, 2003... Japan is reshaping its military forces as it attempts to tackle a perceived nuclear threat from North Korea and strengthen its role in multinational peacekeeping operations, Japanese officials told National Defense. Japan's Parliament...

Desert setting tough on combat ID systems; war lessons and fratricide incidents spur upgrades to friend-or-foe technologies.
August 1, 2003... Desert conditions during the war in Iraq proved a tough environment for U.S. combat identification systems designed to distinguish, friend from foe. Friendly fire incidents, said Marine Lt. Gen. James Conway, were "probably my biggest...

Experts weigh technologies to help identify friend and foe.
August 1, 2003... A group of researchers from U.S. government laboratories and other organizations is evaluating technologies that would improve the military services' current capabilities to identify friendly and enemy combatants. These experts, under...

Army delays future tactical truck project; today's fleet is in need of upgrades and more vehicles, says program manager.
August 1, 2003... The Army's new family of high-tech trucks, originally scheduled to be deployed in 2010, alongside the Future Combat Systems, will be delayed by at least five years. The slip in the program is raising concerns that the Army will have to...

Man-portable missiles imperil both military, civilian aircraft.
August 1, 2003... Shoulder-fired missiles remain a menace to U.S. military aircraft operating in Afghanistan and Iraq, even though the threat has been downgraded from "high," to "moderate," said Air Force Gen. John W. Handy, head of the U.S. Transportation...

Soldiers convey experiences with battlefield equipment.
August 1, 2003... Soldiers returning from the battlefields of Afghanistan are pleading with military weapon developers and contractors to slash the weight of ammunition, which hampers their overall mobility. A case in point is the need for lighter ammunition...

Army aviation beset by spare-parts shortages.
August 1, 2003... The Army is facing, in the coming months, the daunting task of repairing ground vehicles and aircraft returning from Operation Iraqi Freedom, according to Maj. Gen. Joseph Bergantz, the program executive officer for Army aviation. The service...

Upcoming Osprey flight tests are do-or-die.
August 1, 2003... The Marine Corps plans to stand up its first squadron of V-22 Ospreys by December 2003 and begin operational evaluation by November of the following year. By then, however, the tilt rotor aircraft will have gone through further flight and...

Army tests scramjet to power kinetic energy tank rounds.(munitions technology)
August 1, 2003... The U.S. Army is testing a supersonic projectile that could drastically increase the killing power of future tanks. The Armaments Research Development and Engineering Center, at Picatinny Arsenal, N.J., will test a supersonic combustion...

Army speeds up development of mortar fire control system.(program update)
August 1, 2003... The U.S. Army 1st Cavalry Division at Fort Hood, Texas, began fielding a new digital fire control system that promises, to improve the speed, accuracy and survivability of mechanized mortar platoons. The technology also introduces common fire...

Explosive ordnance disposal robots outfitted with weapons.
August 1, 2003... In a live demonstration last month, the U.S. Army Armament Research Development and Engineering Center tested the performance of an armed robot, called Talon. Explosive ordnance disposal experts at the New Jersey facility operated the...

Can the army make objective force warrior work? General Dynamics-led contractor team faces huge technological hurdles.
August 1, 2003... The Army's vision for its future soldiers could begin to materialize this decade, under the Objective Force Warrior program. The technical challenges ahead, however, are formidable. The Objective Force Warrior, managed by the Soldier...

Army juggling hundreds of soldier-focused programs.
August 1, 2003... The Army's program executive officer for soldier systems--known as PEO Soldier-today manages 326 projects. Each program has an ORD (operational requirements document), each of which involves "tens or hundreds of contracts if you add them...

Navy 'fleet response' posture could strain shipyards, crews.
August 1, 2003... A combination of a shrinking fleet and escalating commitments around the world has prompted the U.S. Navy to come up with a new model for its ship maintenance and repair operations. Under a blueprint called "fleet response concept," the...

Navy courts small businesses for submarine program.
August 1, 2003... In an effort to keep costs down and competition up, the Navy is seeking out small businesses to provide new technologies, especially in the Virginia-class submarine program, which is dominated by two large shipbuilding contractors--Northrop...

Navy struggles to get multiyear funds for Va.-class submarines.
August 1, 2003... A General Accounting Office report is questioning whether unrealistic cost estimates, inflation adjustments and competition among other Navy programs will offset any savings from multiyear procurement for the Virginia-class submarine program....

Navy to modernize aging Aegis cruisers; conversion program will extend the ships' operational life to 35 years.(commentary)
August 1, 2003... The U.S. Navy will upgrade 22 of its 27 Aegis cruisers (CG-52 through CG-73), in an effort to keep these ships combat-relevant until a new generation of surface warships can be designed and built. The cruiser conversion program will extend...

Coast Guard adapts to larger homeland security mission.
August 1, 2003... The U.S. Coast Guard is stepping up efforts to improve its equipment and tactics in order to enhance its part in homeland security. In recent weeks, the Coast Guard announced a series of contracts connected with its Deepwater modernization...

Electronic identification tags aid logistics.
August 1, 2003... Electronic identification systems are playing an increasing role in national security by speeding military supplies and equipment to U.S. troops on the battlefield, and protecting imported cargo against terrorist attacks, officials said. ...

Military training gets break from environmental rules.
August 1, 2003... After years of complaining by Pentagon officials, Congress is easing some of the environmental rules that limit how U.S. military services can train their personnel. Both the Senate and House of Representatives have passed versions of the...

Clean-up products target military needs.
August 1, 2003... The market for environmentally friendly products is expanding in the military arena. On display at NDIA's 29th Environmental and Energy Symposium in Richmond, Va., were these examples: "Cantainers," made by the Bowhead Manufacturing Company...

NATO radar-aircraft project gains broader political clout.
August 1, 2003... The NATO alliance, for more than a decade, has been fussing over the details of how to deploy a network of ground surveillance aircraft. According to the latest plan, NATO wants a system in place by 2010. Although the schedule is ambitious,...

Boeing's commercial jet venture mirrors JSF strategy.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Boeing's business model for the development of a next-generation fuel-efficient jetliner in many ways mirrors the strategy the company pursued for the Defense Department's Joint Strike Fighter competition. At the 2003 Paris Air Show,...

Erosion of U.S. industrial base is troubling; growing dependence on foreign suppliers should concern policy makers.
August 1, 2003... The U.S. industrial base is eroding, and this situation has enormous national security implications. It has made the United States so dependent on foreign countries for critical components and systems that it may have lost its ability to...

Air and Missile Defense group to host industry day.(ndia news)
August 1, 2003... With approximately 5,000 commercial, general and military aviation aircraft flying over the United States at any given time, just keeping track of them all is a job, but being able to pinpoint a bad actor is the really tough challenge. ...

Rolling Thunder: 'Ride for Freedom'.(ndia news)
August 1, 2003... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Caption: NDIA members participated in Rolling Thunder's May 25 Ride for Freedom-XVI-DC through the nation's capital. Shown here are (left to right): Retired Air Force Maj. Gen. George W. Norwood, John Hinson,...

Aberdeen Chapter update.(ndia news)
August 1, 2003... The Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG) Chapter recently was briefed on the NASA Hubble Space Telescope program. Massimo Stiavelli, of the Space Telescope Science Institute, reviewed the history, capabilities and successes of the Hubble telescope. He...

Procurement Division extends Howard H. Cork award.(ndia news)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Stephen S. Kaye, of Bryan Cave LLP, has received the NDIA Procurement Division's prestigious Howard H. Cork Memorial Award for 2002. This award--presented to Kaye in a ceremony earlier this year in Scottsdale, Ariz.--has been given annually...

AF ROTC cadet wins 2003 award.(ndia news)
August 1, 2003... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Caption: Col. William D. Wesselman, commander of Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps Detachment 620 at Bowling Green State University, Ohio, presents the 2003 NDIA Award to Cadet Maj. Damion L. Byrd, a...

Women In Defense: Chesapeake Bay Chapter.(ndia news)
August 1, 2003... With the formation of its newest unit--the Capital Chapter, headed by Merritt Allen--Women In Defense now has five chapters nationwide. Over the next year, this space will highlight each of those chapters and its members. We begin, this...

SPAWAR conference to focus on FORCEnet.(ndia news)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... "Architecting and Implementing FORCEnet" is the theme for the seventh SPAWAR-NDIA Industry Conference in San Diego. The conference, jointly sponsored by the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command and NDIA's San Diego Chapter, will be held...

NDIA events calendar.(Calendar)
August 1, 2003... AFFILIATE EVENTS AUGUST 14 Fighter Training Symposium Norfolk, Va. SEPTEMBER 3-5 DoD Training Transformation (T2) Conference Hilton Alexandria Mark Center Alexandria, Va. Contact Patrick Rowe at: (703)...

NDIA senior staff, board of directors and trustees.(2003 Mega Directory)
August 1, 2003... Officers Lawrence P. Farrell Jr. President and CEO Bron P. Prokuski Secretary/Treasurer, Vice President, Administration/Finance Barry Bates Vice President, Operations James L. McInerney Vice President,...

Index of capabilities.(2003 Mega Directory)(Directory)
August 1, 2003... ACCESS CONTROL Advanced Technology Institute Advantor Systems Corporation Analytical Graphics Inc. Assurance Technology Corporation Bartlett Nuclear Inc. Battelle Memorial Institute Boeing Company ...

Defense industry.(AAI Corporation-Earth Satellite Corporation)(Directory)
August 1, 2003... AAI CORPORATION 124 Industry Ln. P.O. Box 126 Hunt Valley, MD 21030-0126 (410) 628-3283 (phone) (410) 628-3968 (fax) Home Page: www.aaicorp.com Edward B. Buffington Vice President, Business Development ...

Defense industry.(Earth Tech Inc.-Nanotechnologies Inc.)(Directory)
August 1, 2003... EARTH TECH INC. 100 West Broadway Suite 240 Long Beach, CA 90802-4427 (562) 951-2000 (phone) (562) 495-2825 (fax) Home Page: www.earthtech.com Jane Penny Vice President, Business Development ...

Defense industry.(NAPCO International LLC-ZTI Inc. SME Group)(Directory)
August 1, 2003... NAPCO INTERNATIONAL LLC 11111 Excelsior Blvd. Hopkins, MN 55343-7485 (952) 931-2400 (phone) (952) 931-2402 (fax) NATIONAL CENTER FOR SIMULATION 3280 Progress Dr. Orlando, FL 32826 (407) 384-6111 (phone) ...

A word from NDIA's Vice President of Operations.(Editorial)
August 1, 2003... Dear NDIA Members: For the first time in over seven years, you will note a new photo and new signature on this page. Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Paul Greenberg relinquished his duties as vice president of operations in March of this year. NDIA owes...

NDIA schedule of events.
August 1, 2003... AUGUST 2003 4-7 3290 2003 Transportation Security Administration: Innovative Technologies i n Maritime Security Conference & Exhibition Charleston Convention Center North Charleston, S.C. NDIA Contact: Bruce Roulstone...

NDIA points of contact.
August 1, 2003... For further information regarding NDIA technical symposia and policy meetings, key professional staff contacts are: Maj. Gen. Barry Bates, USA (Ret.), vice president of operations. Gen. Bates brings to the NDIA headquarters more than 32...

NDIA committees & divisions.(2003 Mega Directory)(Directory)
August 1, 2003... DIVISION REVIEW COUNCIL Members: Joseph S. Bravman Satellink Technologies, Inc. Frank Cardile ACS Defense, Inc. Dale W. Church Mechanical Technology Inc. Timothy B. Fleischer Radian, Inc. Nathaniel...

Government policy.
August 1, 2003... The following divisions are overseen by NDIA's Vice President for Government Policy, Pete Steffes. Government Policy Advisory Division The Government Policy Advisory Division is responsible for developing and implementing the...

NDIA chapters.
August 1, 2003... NDIA's 50 chapters--many located near major military commands, corporate business areas, research centers and defense agencies--focus on educating their communities on current and local issues relating to our national security and industrial...

Association for Enterprise Integration.
August 1, 2003... The Association for Enterprise Integration (AFEI) is an affiliate of NDIA with a focus on enterprise integration and net-centric operations. AFEI builds government and industry relationships that cut across organizational and national...

The Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance & Reconnaissance (C4ISR) Division.
August 1, 2003... The Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) Division serves as the focal point within NDIA for the identification, study and resolution of technical, management and business issues that...

National Correlation Working Group.
August 1, 2003... The National Correlation Working Group (NCWG) became an affiliate of NDIA on February 28, 2002. The mission of NCWG is to promote systems, processes and procedures leading to the correlation, dissemination and presentation of assured,...

National Training Systems Association.
August 1, 2003... Companies in the simulation, training, mission planning/rehearsal and support services industry are represented through membership in the National Training Systems Association (NTSA), an affiliate of NDIA since 1992. NTSA provides the...

Precision Strike Association.
August 1, 2003... VISION We aspire to be the premier association dedicated to advancing the art and science of precision engagement concepts and technology. To accomplish this, we will promote the development of systems and procedures in order to locate,...

Women In Defense, A National Security Organization.
August 1, 2003... Cultivating and supporting the advancement and recognition of women in all aspects of national security is the purpose of Women In Defense, A National Security Organization. Members of this professional organization, including men and women,...

Acquisition community.(2003 Mega Directory)(Directory)
August 1, 2003... DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE DONALD H. RUMSFELD 1000 Defense Pentagon, Room 3E880 Washington, DC 20301-1000 (703) 692-7100 DEPUTY SECRETARY OF DEFENSE PAUL D. WOLFOWITZ 1010 Defense Pentagon,...