National Defense articles from January 2006

National Defense archives from January 2006

We must prepare for defense budget crunch.(PRESIDENT'S PERSPECTIVE)
January 1, 2006... For years, dire warnings have sounded about an impending defense budget "train wreck" that would inevitably result from mounting Pentagon financial commitments against a backdrop of spending cuts. The looming train wreck has not yet...

We need more cargo ... no, we don't.(Washington PULSE)(Department of Defense's plan to expand its fleet of heavy cargo aircraft)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... An about-face in the Pentagon's plan to expand its fleet of heavy cargo aircraft is not necessarily an acknowledgement that military operations in Iraq will wind down, but rather a budget-driven choice, said the U.S. military's top...

Despite $15b windfall, Army could cut programs.(Washington PULSE)
January 1, 2006... When the Army cancelled the pricey Comanche helicopter last year, service officials appeared rather ebullient at the prospect of shifting the $15 billion they would have spent to buy that aircraft to several other aviation programs. It now...

A.P. Hill could be home to IED training.(Washington PULSE)
January 1, 2006... A specialized training facility where soldiers will practice tactics for countering roadside bombs, or improvised explosive devices, is expected to open at one of the Army's largest training bases, Fort A.P. Hill in Virginia. According to one...

Emergency communications: a $100 billion problem?(Washington PULSE)(David G. Boyd of Department of Homeland Security grades government )(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... The 9/11 Commission apparently did not do its homework when it graded the U.S. government's performance in its final report card, said a Department of Homeland Security official. The bipartisan panel blasted the administration, among other...

Protecting waterways: Coast Guard drops in on lawbreakers.(SECURITY BEAT: Homeland Defense Briefs)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... The U.S. Coast Guard calls them "vertical insertion teams," but they're informally known as "fast-ropers." The service recently added the ability to speed members of their enhanced maritime safety and security teams onto unwelcoming ships....

HAZMAT law in line for changes.(SECURITY BEAT: Homeland Defense Briefs)
January 1, 2006... Efforts are underway in Congress to revise a section of the U.S. Patriot Act that governs which truckers are allowed to transport hazardous materials. The act requires truckers carrying HAZMAT licenses to undergo background checks and be...

Chief medical officer's role pondered.(SECURITY BEAT: Homeland Defense Briefs)(Jeffrey Runge of Department of Homeland Security's role in controlling bioterrorism)
January 1, 2006... Dr. Jeffrey Runge is the Department of Homeland Security's first chief medical officer, but questions remain on what roles the leader of the newly created office will undertake if the nation should come under a biological attack. "You have...

TSA, Army test bomb detector.(SECURITY BEAT: Homeland Defense Briefs)
January 1, 2006... The Transportation Security Agency, along with the Army and at least one domestic public transit system, are among those exploring the use of neutron-based sensors to detect bombs, biochemical agents or illicit drugs sealed in metal. ...

Divorce for FEMA; marriage for Customs?(SECURITY BEAT: Homeland Defense Briefs)
January 1, 2006... As a new year begins on Capitol Hill, rumblings are beginning for some structural changes in the Department of Homeland Security. First up may be a merger of Customs and Border Protection and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, two...

Visa malfeasance eyed.(visa issuance)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... A Government Accountability Office investigation of 11 U.S. consulates in six countries found that half of them were not following proper procedures to guard against visa fraud on the part of U.S. officials. While the number of consulates...

Complex realities lie behind U.S. rush to train Iraqi Army.(DEFENSE WATCH)
January 1, 2006... It has become crystal clear that fielding a competent Iraqi Army is a tenet of the U.S. exit strategy. What is far less apparent is what exactly constitutes a competent Iraqi fighting force, and how long it will be before it can relieve...

Agency grapples with demand for detailed, timely intelligence.(UPFRONT)
January 1, 2006... In response to a soaring demand for battlefield imagery and digital maps, the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency wants to find better ways to manage and distribute data, officials said. Specifically, the agency is seeking to automate...

Roadside bombs spur cry for armored civilian vehicles.(UPFRONT)
January 1, 2006... The emergence of roadside bombs as a terrorist weapon of choice has caused a worldwide explosion in demand for up-armored civilian vehicles, says Gary Allen, president of Centigon, a recently created subsidiary of Armor Holdings Inc. Based...

Japan moving toward more active regional, international role.(antiterrorist measures )
January 1, 2006... Tokyo--The recent bilateral agreement to realign U.S. forces in Japan has commanded considerable attention, especially the decision to station for the first time a nuclear carrier at a base near Tokyo. But of greater import is a less publicized...

Non-lethal weapon readied for battlefield.
January 1, 2006... A directed energy weapon that causes a sensation tantamount to a "bee sting all over the body" to those unlucky enough to be on the receiving end could be deployed before the end of this year, a senior Air Force official said. Gen. Bruce...

B-52 flies in face of critics.(UPFRONT)
January 1, 2006... The longest serving military aircraft in the world, the B-52 Stratofortess, often is praised for its storied history, but it also has become a symbol of the Pentagon's inertia in moving forward with the development of a new bomber. "I...

Undersized drone promises extended maritime surveillance.(UPFRONT)
January 1, 2006... It looks like a cross between an airplane and an artillery shell, but a 12-pound unmanned aircraft named Coyote may prove to be a potent tool for maritime surveillance. Coyote, five feet long and with a wingspan of 30 inches, is designed...

Erratum.(UPFRONT)(Correction Notice)
January 1, 2006... In a Security Beat story on page 14 of the December issue ("Mayors Complain of Red Tape"), the story incorrectly said the Emergency Management Assistance Compact allowed states to apply for federal reimbursement. Reimbursements are provided by...

Hidden enemies: adaptive foe thwarts counter-ied efforts.(IRAQ OPERATIONS)
January 1, 2006... There are 90 ways to detonate a roadside bomb. Iraqi insurgents have progressed from simple trip wires to infrared devices to set off improvised explosive devices, or IEDs, and this technological evolution points to an adaptive, nimble enemy....

Beyond the gates: Europe-based NATO reaches deep into Asia, Africa.(North Atlantic Treaty Organization )
January 1, 2006... U.S. and allied military forces in Europe--grappling with a lengthy, global war on terrorism--are expanding their reach far beyond their traditional perimeters, deep into Eastern Europe, Asia and Africa. Both the North Atlantic Treaty...

Germ warfare: Pentagon chem-bio program expands to homeland missions.(Pentagon)
January 1, 2006... The Pentagon and the Department of Homeland Security are seeking to homogenize the equipment that military units and local first responders employ to detect and neutralize toxic agents. The Defense Department, as a result, plans to shift...

Ironclad future: Army's armored force: mix of old and new.(COMBAT VEHICLES)
January 1, 2006... A mid uncertainty about the prospect of its ambitious "future combat systems" program, the Army is forging ahead with plans to deploy up to 35 new armored brigades. Each of these units will be equipped with 60 Abrams tanks and 125 Bradley...

Into brown waters: Navy riverine force to report for Iraq duty in 2007.(Marine Corps)
January 1, 2006... The Navy expects to deploy three riverine squadrons in 2007. The units will relieve Marines who currently are conducting maritime security operations in the ports and inland waterways of Iraq. According to preliminary plans presented at a...

Deploying from ship decks: naval 'sea base' supporters seek to prove worth to Army.
January 1, 2006... Navy officials have drawn up plans to deploy a floating military base capable of supporting two combat brigades by 2019. It is not yet clear, however, whether the sea base concept is based on solid analysis or whether its potential benefits...

Out of reach: inter-agency communications systems remain uncoordinated.(emergency communications system)
January 1, 2006... THE SCALE OF HURRICANE Katrina made history, but the Failures it revealed in the government's communications capabilities were not surprising. At all levels of the U.S. infrastructure, crisis planners and first responders operate a bewildering...

With an overstretched military, U.S. should create 'Home Guard'.(VIEWPOINT)
January 1, 2006... The United States holds an enormous stake in Iraq. Although initiated to counter a perceived terrorist threat, the U.S. presence in Iraq has in many ways made near-term gains in the war on terror more difficult and thrown America's homeland...

Missing links: feds pursue better communication paths.(Departments of Homeland Security, Justice and Treasury)
January 1, 2006... Chief Warrant Officer Joe Kobsar was the man the joint task force called in to help restore downed civilian communication links in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. As the technical director of the Army's Northeast Regional Response Center at...

The war against mother nature: companies repackage military products for disaster-relief, rescue applications.(HOMELAND SECURITY)(Company Profile)
January 1, 2006... In 2005, it became clearer than ever that, whenever major disasters strike, the military services are going to be called upon to help save lives, protect property and provide emergency food, shelter and first aid. As a result, products...

Sneak attack: plan to protect U.S. ports homes in on contraband.(HOMELAND SECURITY)
January 1, 2006... It's a doomsday scenario long speculated by such fiction writers as Tom Clancy: a terrorist smuggles a nuclear weapon through a U.S. port in a shipping container. More than four years after 9/11, the Department of Homeland Security still is...

Truck armor: tough, light fiber protecting soldiers.(TECH TALK)
January 1, 2006... Army truckers will be benefiting from an armor technology that was developed by DSM Dyneema, of Heerlen, The Netherlands. The company has teamed with Stewart & Stevenson to protect cab occupants of the Army's Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles...

Long-range infrared binoculars developed.(FLIR Systems Inc.'s Recon III Thermal Binocular )(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... Thermal binoculars that provide for the first time dual-channel, high-resolution imaging and geo-locating have been developed for military and security personnel by FLIR Systems, of Portland, Ore. The Recon III Thermal Binocular comes in...

Weapons elevator designed for future aircraft carrier.(TECH TALK)
January 1, 2006... NORTHROP GRUMMAN CORPORATION selected Federal Equipment Company to design and build an advanced weapons elevator for the new-generation aircraft carrier, CVN 21. The company received a $50 million contract following a year-long design...

Sport body fuel drink takes edge off thirst.(TECH TALK)
January 1, 2006... British troops in hot, and climes now have another means to avoid dehydration. The United Kingdom's Defence Logistics Organization has contracted GlaxoSmithKline to produce an isotonic drink for the grunts' 24-hour operational ration pack. ...

Reflective streamer gains kudos from Navy, Air Force.(Rescue Technologies Corp.)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... A HAWAII-BASED COMPANY is providing a reusable, low-cost alert system for pilots and submarine crews that can be seen from the air, day or night. The reflective streamers can be detected by the naked eye from an altitude of 3,000 feet and a...

Business leaders make commitment to corporate ethics.(ETHICS CORNER)
January 1, 2006... At the beginning of this year, NDIA President Larry Fatrell unveiled the association's "Statement of Industry Ethics," putting ethical conduct on par with shareholder profits and noting prior lapses that have damaged the industry's reputation....

NDIA launches defense manufacturing division.(NDIA NEWS)
January 1, 2006... The National Defense Industrial Association has formed a manufacturing division. Barry Bates, NDIA's vice president for operations, made the announcement at a defense-manufacturing symposium hosted in November by the association's Iowa/Illinois...

Winners named for 2005 Combat Survivability Awards.(NDIA NEWS)
January 1, 2006... The National Defense Industrial Association's 2005 Combat Survivability Award for Leadership was presented jointly to Jesse T. McMahan and Philip L. Soucy. The Combat Survivability Award for Technical Achievement was presented to Carl S....

Women In Defense activities draw national attention.(National Defense Industrial Association )
January 1, 2006... Several related events in recent months brought together Women In Defense members with distinguished professionals. At the organization's annual meeting, the 2005-2006 board of directors was installed. The new directors are: President Jane...

NDIA events calendar.
January 1, 2006... JANUARY 24-25 Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Conference Washington, D.C. POC: Christina Buck @ (703) 247-9478 26 Missile Defense Attache Reception Arlington, Va. POC: Phyllis Edmonson @ (703)...

Affiliate events.(NDIA EVENTS CALENDAR)
January 1, 2006... MAY 9-10, 2006 Fulfilling the Warfighter's Vision 2006: Closing the Information Gap Renaissance Vinoy Resort and Golf Club St. Petersburg, Fla. JUNE 1-2, 2006 DoD Research Capabilities for 2010 Ronald Reagan Building...

Chapter events.(National Defense Industrial Association )(Illustration)(Calendar)
January 1, 2006... FEBRUARY 17 Greater Los Angeles Chapter West Coast Dinner Beverly Hilton Hotel, Los Angeles, Calif. MARCH 14-16 Michigan Chapter 15th Annual TACOM/Industry Logistics Symposium ...