National Defense articles from July 2006

National Defense archives from July 2006

Misconceptions about the defense industry.(PRESIDENT'S PERSPECTIVE)
July 1, 2006... The defense industry is probably one the least understood corporate sectors in the United States. Yet it is frequently vilified. Ask most Americans what comes to mind when they think about the nation's industrial base and you're likely to hear...

It does not pay to be 'too relevant'.(economic condition of Navy affected by war)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... As long as the United States is fighting in Iraq, the Air Force and the Navy can expect to see their budgets squeezed. Skyrocketing war costs are putting pressure on the Pentagon to cut people out of the services that are least involved in the...

Politicians should help the troops.(Washington PULSE)
July 1, 2006... Lawmakers are doing a poor job ensuring that U.S. troops have critical equipment for the war on terrorism, says Ralph Peters, a military analyst and commentator. Members of Congress, he adds, should stop "wrapping themselves in the flag and...

Military must learn to live with contractors.(Washington PULSE)
July 1, 2006... The Defense Department needs to better prepare military officers to deal with contractors in the battlefield, says Doug Horn, vice president of Halliburton KBR. The company is the largest contractor currently providing logistics services to the...

Navy making tough calls in aviation.(budget for United States Navy)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... The Navy is preparing to substantially delay or cut aircraft programs in next years budget, says William M. Balderson, deputy assistant secretary of the Navy. The bottom line, he says, is that "we can't afford all these aircraft," he tells the...

Army under stress.(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
July 1, 2006... Excellent viewpoint by William J. Perry and Michele A. Flournoy, in the May 2006 issue, "U.S. Military; under Strain and at Risk." Expressed is the military's woe in part due to failed public support. At the core may well be the very nature of...

Armed robots.(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
July 1, 2006... I just read the article, "First Armed Ground Robot Readied for Deployment," in your June issue of National Defense. The article is excellent. However, I was disheartened to read in the story that the SWORDS robot is made up of only two...

Carry-on nukes: suitcase bombs: separating fact from fiction.(words with Linton Brooks)(Interview)
July 1, 2006... Is a nuclear warhead small enough to fit in a suitcase fact or Hollywood fiction? Ambassador Linton Brooks, head of the National Nuclear Security Administration, said during a trip to Russia his counterparts there were kind enough to show him...

Supporters promote little-known safety act.(SECURITY BEAT: Homeland Defense Briefs)(Fostering Effective Technologies Act)
July 1, 2006... THE SUPPORT ANTI-TERRORISM BY Fostering Effective Technologies Act, also known as the SAFETY Act, was designed to protect companies that provide technologies to the homeland security market from lawsuits in the event of a catastrophic terrorist...

Cruise missiles a threat to homeland, expert says.(SECURITY BEAT: Homeland Defense Briefs)
July 1, 2006... As if there weren't enough things to worry about, add the possibility of terrorists or a rogue nation launching a cruise missile from a commercial ship at a U.S. city to the list. Ben Stubenberg, chief of analysis and scenarios at the Missile...

Exploring the shadowy world of terrorist financing.(SECURITY BEAT: Homeland Defense Briefs)
July 1, 2006... The number of convictions for financing terrorist activities worldwide can be counted on one hand, a leading authority on the subject claimed. Rooting out such activities is like finding the proverbial needle in a haystack, "but the field...

Health role for homeland security department debated.(SECURITY BEAT: Homeland Defense Briefs)
July 1, 2006... IN MAY, THE DEPARTMENT OF Homeland Security released its "National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza" report detailing who will be responsible and for what in the event of a massive outbreak. The report says "overall domestic incident management...

Defense stifles innovation despite urgent war needs.(DEFENSE WATCH)
July 1, 2006... THE DEFENSE DEPARTMENT, it appears, has a serious case of the "innovator's dilemma." Like many successful mega-corporations, the Pentagon has been a leading developer of cutting-edge technology. It also has fielded the world's most advanced...

Warning signals: tactical radio project substantially weakened.(Defense Department plans to develop its next-generation radio communications network)
July 1, 2006... The Defense Department is drastically downscaling plans to develop its next-generation radio communications network. The Pentagon launched the "joint tactical radio system," or JTRS, six years ago, with the intent to deploy a family of...

Business reforms lead to reduced Army cleanup costs.
July 1, 2006... To expedite the cleanup of contaminated sites, the Army has instituted an array of management reforms that also are saving the service millions of dollars. The Army's installation restoration program for active and excess installations...

Russia's littoral combat ship angles for international sales.(UPFRONT)
July 1, 2006... A Russian corvette currently being built to patrol that country's coastal waters may not live up to the technological stature of the U.S. Navy's littoral combat ship. But it could offer a lower cost alternative to countries that could never...

'Smart' surveillance: sensor-fusion software technology replacing traditional security systems.(SECURITY TECHNOLOGY)
July 1, 2006... As more and more security cameras are being installed around the globe, companies are developing software solutions and other technologies that increasingly advance the intelligence of such monitoring systems. While analysts contend that...

Advanced video techniques help evaluate Marine live-fire training.(SECURITY TECHNOLOGY)
July 1, 2006... NAVAL SUPPORT ACTIVITY NORTHWEST, Chesapeake, Va. -- At one of the Marine Corps' largest live-fire training facilities here, a new surveillance system is helping to provide military and other security forces with better evaluations following...

Technology gaps: irregular warfare underscores equipment shortcomings.
July 1, 2006... While U.S. military commanders in the Middle Fast generally are satisfied by Pentagon efforts to move needed technologies to the front lines, much remains to be done. This is the assertion of Army Maj. Gen. Lloyd Austin III, chief of staff...

U.K. defense procurement entirely 'joint'.(CENTCOM)
July 1, 2006... While the U.S. military continues to debate how best to develop and procure joint-service weapons systems, in nations such as the United Kingdom, the entire defense acquisition system is based upon joint requirements. In the United...

Equipment 'quick fixes' are the order of the day.(remotely operated video by extended range)
July 1, 2006... As the services face a growing demand for new battlefield technologies, equipment "quick fixes" often have circumvented the formal acquisition process. One such item, a video receiver called ROVER--remotely operated video by extended...

Central Command: defeating insurgency requires improved information networks.(CENTCOM)
July 1, 2006... A top official in U.S. Central Command says the United States can expect more USS Cole-like, asymmetric attacks from small transnational groups in the future. To defeat these threats and to win the war on terrorism, he says, will require a...

Tech spin-offs: wars giving boost to cutting edge technologies.
July 1, 2006... ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Md. -- More than 100 small business leaders crowded into a dining hall here recently to hear military researchers pitch their cutting edge technologies as potential money makers in civilian markets. One by one, the...

High-tech battlefield: light source offers alternative to radio.(TECHNOLOGY)
July 1, 2006... Imagine the entire Navy operating in complete radio silence. The concept sounds like a science fiction scenario, but it is not entirely far fetched, considering recent developments in technology that employs light as a new medium for...

Snipers cannot hide from laser sensor.(TECHNOLOGY)
July 1, 2006... Until recently, the only way to detect snipers was after a shot had been fired. A new laser sensor can detect shooters before they pull the trigger, and can provide information on the shooter's location. The Mirage, a hand-held...

Can you hear me? After several recent national disasters, gaps in emergency communications still not fixed.(military and civilian communications in emergencies)
July 1, 2006... FORT MONROE, Va. -- The ability of military and civilian first responders to communicate during major national emergencies is improving, but roadblocks remain, officials said. Among the problems is that many first responders lack adequate...

Fearless warriors: bomb disposal teams deliver blunt talk on robots.(UNMANNED SYSTEMS)(Cover story)
July 1, 2006... EVERY DAY IN IRAQ, EXPLOSIVE ORDNANCE DISPOSAL TEAMS crisscross the country in a mission to disarm hundreds of roadside bombs, booby traps and cars laden with explosives. It's difficult, hot and dangerous work. But it also saves lives. To help...

Improvised explosive threat reaches global scale.(usage of Improvised Explosive Devices )
July 1, 2006... IN MARCH 2006 ALONE, about 750 improvised explosive device attacks occurred around the world, according to a senior Defense Department official. And while the word "roadside bomb" only seems to have entered the public's lexicon during the...

High-tech scouts: next generation robots: bigger and better?(UNMANNED SYSTEMS)
July 1, 2006... The exploits of bomb-sniffing robots in Iraq and Afghanistan have solidified their role as useful combat tools, but the technology needs to be pushed much further, say robot designers and engineers. The military services currently operate...

Bird's eye view: surveillance drone operators find ways to outsmart enemy.(UNMANNED SYSTEMS)
July 1, 2006... A burgeoning fleet of unmanned aircraft is among the Army's key weapons against Iraq's insurgency. But the technology alone Is not enough to gain an edge over this enemy, experts say. While not a tactical panacea, these unmanned platforms...

Military finds useful roles for robotic 'skydiver'.(UNMANNED SYSTEMS)
July 1, 2006... WITH THE AID OF miniature satellite-guided parachutes, unmanned aerial vehicles could deliver sensors, medical supplies and even munitions to precisely targeted destinations. One technology currently being tested is the "Mosquito"--a small...

Border patrol: troops use frontier for real-world training.(SURVEILLANCE)
July 1, 2006... FORT BLISS, Texas -- While concern over the large influx of illegal immigrants is driving the Bush administration's renewed interest in securing the southern border, Army Col. Paul Disney is quick to point out that the ordinary migrant hopping...

Role of unmanned aircraft questioned.(SURVEILLANCE)
July 1, 2006... UNTIL APRIL 25, THE Department of Homeland Security was high on the use of unmanned aerial vehicles to patrol the southern border. That's when its lone Predator B aircraft crashed in the middle of the night in the desert northwest of Nogales,...

Hunters unearth smuggling tunnels.(SURVEILLANCE)
July 1, 2006... OTAY MESA, Calif. -- The end of the tunnel emerges a half mile from the border with Mexico in a room at a nondescript warehouse that is identified on a sign outside as "V & F Distribution Ltd." The Immigration and Customs Enforcement...

Border security: spending climbs into billions, but skepticism grows.
July 1, 2006... Fueled by worries about terrorism, illegal immigration and drug smuggling, U.S. spending for border security is skyrocketing, but critics complain that much of the money is being wasted. A recent study by Frost & Sullivan's aerospace and...

Biometric check on U.S. visitors drawing criticism.(SURVEILLANCE)
July 1, 2006... A CONTROVERSIAL EFFORT by the Department of Homeland security to create a biometric computer system to keep tabs on all foreigners entering and leaving the country is drawing increasing flak at home and abroad. US-VISIT, which began in...

Digital responder: 'Chemical Companion' gives right answers.(usage of software)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... First responders reacting to chemical attacks or toxic substance spills now have immediate access to critical medical aid and decontamination information thanks to a program that was developed at the Georgia Tech Research Institute, in Atlanta....

Compressed air wags this tail.(guns)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... THE NAVY IS THE recipient of a safer, quieter, and more capable grappling gun that is pneumatically powered. The tactical air initiated launch, or TAIL, features a titanium hook and Kevlar line. The traditional system relied on gunpowder...

Classified info protector unleashed.(new Document Detective software released)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... DOCUMENT DETECTIVE, a new application from SRS Technologies of Newport Beach, Calif., is designed to avert the accidental release of sensitive government and corporate information. The software is able to search out more than a hundred...

What's good for the goose and the gander.(ETHICS CORNER)
July 1, 2006... The federal government has long imposed unique ethical responsibilities on its employees. Recent convictions surrounding former U.S. Rep. Duke Cunningham's activities and those of Air Force procurement executive Darlene Druyun show that...

Jim Pepper, president of NDIA's Tennessee Valley Chapter, presents a token of appreciation to Adm. Edmund P. Giambastiani Jr., vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, in thanks for his speech at the chapter's corporate recognition luncheon.(NDIA NEWS)
July 1, 2006... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Caption: Jim Pepper (right), president of NDIA's Tennessee Valley Chapter, presents a token of appreciation to Adm. Edmund P. Giambastiani Jr. (left), vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, in thanks for his...

Barry Bates, NDIA's vice president for operations, presents the William R. Moseley Award to Terry Trivett.(NDIA NEWS)
July 1, 2006... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Caption: Barry Bates (left), NDIA's vice president for operations, presents the William R. Moseley Award to Terry Trivett (center). Trivett, a general engineer with the Army Joint Munitions Command, was chosen for...

Elaine Rogers, president of the USO of Metropolitan Washington, thanks Mary Lou Patel, president of NDIA's Washington, D.C., chapter, for chapter's gift of $35,000.(NDIA NEWS)
July 1, 2006... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Caption: Elaine Rogers (right), president of the USO of Metropolitan Washington, thanks Mary Lou Patel (left), president of NDIA's Washington, D.C., chapter, for chapter's gift of $35,000. The funds were raised from...

NDIA events calendar.(Calendar)
July 1, 2006... JULY 31-AUGUST 3 Naval Science & Technology Partnership Conference Washington, D.C. POC: Angie DeKleine @ (703) 247-2599 Exhibits: Dennis Sharland @ (703) 247-2573 AUGUST 28-30 Land and Maritime Supply...

Affiliate events.(NDIA EVENTS CALENDAR)(Calendar)
July 1, 2006... SEPTEMBER 21 Information Sharing Hyatt, Crystal City Arlington, Va. Contact Nicole Peterson at : (703) 247-9474 or e-mail npeterson@afei.org AUGUST 21-24 Joint ADL Co-lab Implementation Fest 2006 Orlando, Fla. DECEMBER...

Chapter events.(NDIA EVENTS CALENDAR)(Brief article)(Calendar)
July 1, 2006... AUGUST 8 San Diego Chapter 2006 Gold Coast Conference Town & Country Resort San Diego, Calif. 8-10 Michigan Chapter 2nd Annual Ground-Automotive Power & Energy Symposium Marriott, Troy, Mich. 14-17 Tennessee Valley Chapter Space &...