National Defense articles from February 2004

National Defense archives from February 2004

Editor's corner.(U.S. Special Operations Command)(Editorial)
February 1, 2004... Much of the responsibility for planning military operations in the war on terrorism now is in the hands of the U.S. Special Operations Command. When SOCOM was created in 1987, its primary role was to support the geographic combatant...

State of manufacturing base is cause for concern.(president's perspective)
February 1, 2004... One lesson that we learned from the "Buy America" debate last year was the need for a thorough and detailed discussion on a national level about the state of the U.S. industrial base, particularly the capabilities of American industry to...

Lobbying rules strict enough, says controller.(Washington Pulse)
February 1, 2004... Despite inspector general investigations and allegations of unethical behavior in the defense industry, it would be unwise for the Pentagon to change currant conflict-of-interest policies, said Dov Zakheim, controller and undersecretary of...

Army stresses 'joint expeditionary mindset'.(Washington Pulse)
February 1, 2004... The Army is wrapping up its first draft version of a family of joint operational concepts. The concepts range from homeland security to stability operations and strategic deterrence, said Brig. Gen. David A. Fastabend, director of capabilities...

Defense spending fuels Aerospace growth.(Washington Pulse)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2004... Aerospace industry sales to the Defense Department increased by $1.1 billion to $59 billion in 2003 and are expected to grow next year to at least $61 billion, according to John W. Douglass, president and CEO of the Aerospace Industries...

Clarification.(Correction Notice)
February 1, 2004... In the October 2003 story titled, "Unmanned Combat Aircraft Still in 'Adolescent Phase,'" comments attributed to Stan Kasprzyk, manager of Boeing unmanned systems mission management, implied that the Boeing X-45 UCAV is in the "adolescent...

Erratum.(Correction Notice)
February 1, 2004... The bottom-right photo accompanying the article "Contractors Competing For Chem-Bio Defense Dollars" (January 2004, page 22) incorrectly listed Intelagard as the contractor for the pictured system. What is shown is a de-icing truck, made by...

Federal government gets 'D' in cyber security.(Security Beat)
February 1, 2004... The House Government Reform Committee gave the federal government a "D" for its efforts to implement cyber security measures. Although the members issued a grade of "barely passing," it was an improvement from last year's failing grade. Of...

DHS awards multiple security contracts.(Security Beat)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2004... The Department of Homeland Security announced $179 million in awards for increased port security. The money will go to pay for security planning and projects to improve dockside and perimeter security. Included are 442 projects in 326 locations...

Companies selected for air defense program.(Security Beat)
February 1, 2004... Northrop Grumman, BAE Systems mad United Airlines were awarded $2 million each to develop a countermeasure system to defend commercial aircraft against man portable air defense systems (MANPADS). The first phase of the two-year Department...

Efforts needed to stop terrorist funding.(Security Beat)
February 1, 2004... A Council on Foreign Relations task force is recommending that the White House establish a special assistant to the president, as well as lead efforts to create an international organization, to combat terrorist financing. The measures...

Predicting environmental impact of military training.(tech talk)(Regional Simulation model)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2004... Growing concerns about "urban encroachment" around military bases have prompted scientists to develop a Web-based simulation that can help predict the impact of military training on the environment. Called Regional Simulation model (RSim),...

Wave barrier resists Hurricane winds.(tech talk)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2004... A floating barrier engineered to protect shorelines from beach erosion passed a tough test last summer, when Hurricane Isabel slammed into Little Creek Naval Amphibious Base, Va. The WhisprWave Marine Small Craft Intrusion Barrier suffered...

Ballistic protection available for Humvees.(tech talkD)(The Guardian Antiballistic Replacement Door Skin)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2004... The Guardian Antiballistic Replacement Door Skin (GARDS) is a lightweight flexible panel, aimed at protecting occupants of unarmored vehicles, such as Humvee military trucks. The panel, developed by U.S. Global Nanospace, of Carson City,...

Simulator replicates 'G' forces in flight.(tech talk)(Authentic Tactical Flight Simulator)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2004... Simulating gravity forces always has been a major challenge for flight training systems. The Authentic Tactical Flight Simulator (ATFS), developed by Environmental Tectonics Corporation, located in Southampton, Pa., recreates sustained high-G...

Navy pilots ride FAST, land safely.(tech talk)(Future Advanced Sequencer Technology)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2004... The U.S. Navy is using a new ejection scar sequencer that can catapult a pilot, co-pilot and their seats out of a damaged F/A-18, F-14, or T-45 aircraft within 0.2 seconds from the time the ejection handle is pulled. A triple-redundant...

Army offers hot meals as alternatives to MREs.(tech talk)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2004... Seeking to improve the quality of life of soldiers in the field, the Army developed a compact cooking unit to prepare hot meals--a welcome relief for troops who generally survive on pre-packaged MREs. The Remote Unit Self Heating Meal...

Energy dept. commandos: 'as good as the military'.
February 1, 2004... The Department of Energy is seeking to beef up its team of commandos, which is trained to help protect nuclear weapons facilities in the United States. The Composite Adversary Team (CAT) is the Department of Energy's equivalent to the Defense...

SOCOM creates new hub for fighting war on terror.(Cover Story)
February 1, 2004... The U.S. Special Operations Command has reorganized its headquarters at MacDill Air Force Base, Fla., in order to fulfill a new leadership role in the war on terrorism. The core of the reorganization is the Center for Special Operations,...

Marine unit to deploy under SEAL command.(Cover Story)
February 1, 2004... An elite unit of about 85 Marines is scheduled to deploy in April as part of a Navy SEAL squadron. The detachment, for all intents and purposes, formalizes the Marine Corps' relationship with the U.S. Special Operations Command. Although...

Special ops aviators press industry to improve trainers.(operations)(Cover Story)
February 1, 2004... The U.S. Army special operations aviators, the Night Stalkers, typically choose training devices that give them the ability to rehearse missions at the drop of the hat, industry officials say. That is the reason why training systems...

SOCOM a trailblazer for joint training.(Cover Story)
February 1, 2004... The joint-service approach to training employed by U.S. special operations forces has become a model for the Defense Department's Joint National Training Capability, officials said. Under JNTC, the plan is to increase the amount of training...

Back from Afghanistan, civil affairs unit deploys to Iraq.(Cover Story)
February 1, 2004... Elements of the 489th Civil Affairs Battalion are preparing, once again, to deploy into a combat zone. Perhaps within days, they will be on their way to Iraq. It will be the Army Reserve unit's second deployment in three years. The...

Legendary Israeli tank threatened with extinction.(commentary)
February 1, 2004... If Israel's Finance Ministry ultimately has its way, the famed Merkava Mk. 4 tank may soon be a thing of the past. For the moment, the government has given the Merkava a temporary stay of execution, deciding in late November that it would...

Military fuel-cell programs not yet ready for prime time.(Research and Development)
February 1, 2004... While the commercial industry is taking significant steps forward in the adoption of fuel cell technology, military researchers are taking a wait-and-see approach, expressing concern that fuel cells so far have not proven they can work in...

Precision systems let helos land in sandstorms, snow.(Army Aviation)
February 1, 2004... The U.S. Army will start retrofitting its helicopters with sensor kits that would allow aircraft to operate in brown-out and white-out conditions, a problem that has plagued pilots in Iraq and Afghanistan. The program office for utility...

Army to upgrade Land Warrior system with blue-force tracker.(Soldier System)
February 1, 2004... In response to feedback from soldiers in Iraq, the Army intends to add blue-force tracking capabilities to a handheld computer that is being developed for the Land Warrior program. The battle-management computer, called the Commander's...

Army modifies weapon acquisition policies.(Procurement)
February 1, 2004... The Army's latest revision to its acquisition policy expands the responsibilities of program managers for the logistics and support of weapon systems, and stresses the importance of training equipment. The rewrite of the acquisition policy,...

Rapid-fielding team tasked to transform army acquisition.(case study)
February 1, 2004... Many Army acquisition agencies can trace their roots to unusual beginnings, but the Rapid Equipping Force is probably the only organization to evolve from a personal challenge. In June 2003, the staff of Gen. John M. Keane, the Army's vice...

Army tests new rifle that could replace M16, M4.(Ground Combat)(XM8 Lightweight Modular Weapon System)
February 1, 2004... The U.S. Army is testing a new, lightweight assault rifle that employs many of the technologies already developed for the planned objective individual combat weapon, which would combine an infantry rifle with a grenade launcher. The service...

Safe harbors of Ethical conduct needed in defense procurement.(legal viewpoint)
February 1, 2004... In light of a recent series of isolated, highly controversial public scandals with respect to several major defense acquisition programs, it is important to create "safe harbors" of conduct so that both government and contractor personnel can...

The reality of 'Buy America' provisions.(government policy notes)
February 1, 2004... When the House Armed Services Committee passed the 2004 National Defense Authorization Act last May, it included a series of legislative requirements, which came to be known as the "Buy America" provisions. Subsequently, these provisions were...

U.S. Central Command.(Government)(MacDill Air Force Base)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2004... Brig. Gen. Harry B. Axson Jr., director for military personnel policy in the office of the Army deputy chief of staff, G-1, in Washington, D.C., has been assigned as deputy director of operations for the U.S. Central Command at MacDill Air...

Navy Exchange Service Command.(Government)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2004... Navy Rear Adm. Robert E. Cowley III will be the new commander of the Navy Exchange Service Command, in Norfolk, Va. Cowley currently is deputy director for acquisition and business management, in the office of the assistant secretary of the...

Ashore Readiness Division.(Government)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2004... Navy Rear Adm. Robert L. Phillips will become deputy director for the Ashore Readiness Division, N46A, in the office of the chief of naval operations in Washington. Phillips now is vice commander of the Naval Facilities Engineering Command also...

Rolls-Royce Corporation.(Industry)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2004... Rolls-Royce Corporation, in Indianapolis, Ind., has named Steven F. Dwyer as its new chief operating officer, effective the first quarter of 2004. He assumes the role from Richard B. Lewis II, who retired.

Northrop Grumman Corporation.(Industry)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2004... Northrop Grumman Corporation's board of directors has elected Charles H. Noski corporate vice president and chief financial officer, succeeding Richard B. Waugh Jr., who retired.

Northrop Grumman also has promoted John C. Golombeck to vice president.(Industry)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2004... Northrop Grumman also has promoted John C. Golombeck to vice president, engineering and manufacturing for Northrop Grumman's Western Region. Operating from its Navigation Systems Division in Woodland Hills, Calif., Golombeck will have...

Northrop Grumman, in addition, has named Mary Ann Benischek as its vice president.(Industry)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2004... Northrop Grumman, in addition, has named Mary Ann Benischek as its vice president for situational awareness systems in the same division.

Whitney, Bradley & Brown Inc.(Industry)(defense-consulting firm)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2004... Chris McNamara has been appointed vice president for business development at Whitney, Bradley & Brown Inc., a Vienna, Va.-based defense-consulting firm. McNamara will lead the effort to bring WBB's products and services to joint military...

Lockheed Martin Information Technology.(Industry)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2004... Energy and environmental executive Thomas P. Grumbly has become vice president and customer relations executive for Lockheed Martin Information Technology in Scabrook, Md. In that position, he will focus on the firm's IT business in federal...

Vitech Corporation.(Industry)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2004... The Vienna, Va.-based Vitech Corporation has named Dona M. Lee to the position of vice president for marketing. Lee will have responsibility for Vitech's core family of integrated model-based systems engineering software tools and engineering...

Raytheon Company's Missile Systems.(Industry)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2004... Jon C. Jones has been appointed vice president of Raytheon Company's Missile Systems business in Tocson, Ariz. Jones succeeds Jerry Lockard, who will serve on a multi-functional executive trait, the Raytheon Company Evaluation Team.

New York University.(Industry)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2004... New York University has named Thomas Daniel as executive director of its Center for Catastrophe Preparedness and Response. In his previous position, as director of defense emergency plans and policy, Daniel was in charge of responding to the...

L-3 Communications, Security and Detection Systems.(Industry)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2004... L-3 Communications, Security and Detection Systems, in Woburn, Mass., has appointed Allen Barber as its senior vice president and general manager.

National Technical Systems, Inc.(Industry)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2004... Derek Coppinger has been named national sales manager for National Technical Systems, Inc., of Acton, Mass.

Honeywell International.(Industry)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2004... Eric Hinson has joined Honeywell International, in Paris, as vice president of commercial aerospace for Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Hinson will serve as Honeywell's senior aerospace executive in Europe.

AGI.(Industry)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2004... Jeffery McCrindle has been named eastern regional sales director for AGI, in Landover, Md. McCrindle joined AGI in 2002 as the business development lead for Air Force and Army programs. Previously, he served as business development manager for...

Rassa wins NDIA Systems Engineering award.(NDIA news)(National Defense Industrial Association)
February 1, 2004... Bob Rassa, director of systems supportability for Raytheon and chairman of NDIA's Systems Engineering Division, is the first recipient of the association's Systems Engineering Award. The award was established in 2003 to honor the memory of the...

WID's 2004 schedule: getting off to a fast-paced start.(NDIA news)(Calendar)
February 1, 2004... WID's Iowa/Illinois Chapter will bold its annual symposium on March 10. The theme will be "Put Order into Your Chaos--Setting Goals and Priorities." The event will take place at the Isle of Capri Conference Center in Bettendorf, Iowa. Senior...

Events and descriptions.(NDIA events calendar)(Calendar)
February 1, 2004... FEBRUARY 17-19 Munitions Executive Summit Event #4650 Tampa, Fla. POC: Christy O'Hara @ (703) 247-2586 This summit will focus on challenges facing senior Army and munitions industrial base partners as they field the lighter, leaner...

Affiliate events.(NDIA events calendar)(Brief Article)(Calendar)
February 1, 2004... AFEI www.afei.org MARCH 3-5 Sustaining Adaptive Enterprises Renaissance Vinoy Resort and Gaff Club St. Petersburg, Fla. APRIL 7-8 Net-Centric Operations Meeting Hilton McLean Tysons Corner McLean, Va. ...

For future planning.(NDIA events)(Brief Article)(Calendar)
February 1, 2004... 30th Environmental & Energy Symposium & Exhibition Event #4440 San Diego, Calif. April 5-8 JPEO Chemical/Biological Defense Advance Planning Brief for Industry (APBI) Event #4370 Laurel, Md. April 6-7 39th Gun,...

Chapter events.(calendar)(Brief Article)(Calendar)
February 1, 2004... FEBRUARY 23 Rocky Mountain Chapter Luncheon Colorado Springs, Colo. 27 Greater Los Angeles Chapter West Coast Dinner Beverly Hills, Calif. MARCH 16-18 Greater Hampton Roads Chapter ...