National Defense articles from June 2006

National Defense archives from June 2006

Defense debate must recognize tough realities.(PRESIDENT'S PERSPECTIVE)
June 1, 2006... What has passed lately for important political debate at the national level has been more focused on rhetorical back-and-forth than real treatment of critical issues. And a paramount issue that deserves national attention is the work our...

Special operators no longer travel light.(Washington PULSE)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Special operations forces are not what they used to be. Case in point is the growing use of heavy armored vehicles by SOF units, relates John G. Grimes, the Defense Department's chief information officer. The rapid spread of concealed roadside...

Navy fleet: what's the bottom line?(Washington PULSE)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Since he became chief of naval operations last summer, Adm. Michael G. Mullen, has consistently identified as his top priority the rebuilding of the fleet, which has dramatically shrunk by more than half since the end of the Cold War. His goal...

Qualifying homeland defense analysts.(Washington PULSE)
June 1, 2006... When the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act was being written, the idea of a national university for homeland security professionals was bandied about, but didn't make the final draft. Almost two years later, the office of the...

Air Force cautiously confident on new fighter.(Washington PULSE)
June 1, 2006... Only months before the Air Force is scheduled to fly the new F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, the service's top officer gave a less-than-glowing assessment of the program. Of most concern are the aircraft's intricate software systems, says Gen. T....

Trouble in the skies: export rules could stymie anti-missile plans.(SECURITY BEAT: Homeland Defense Briefs)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... As the Department of Homeland Security continues to pay for tests on systems designed to thwart shoulder-fired missiles from taking down commercial airliners, a potential barrier looms on the horizon. Any time a U.S. commercial aircraft...

In-line security system could save millions.(SECURITY BEAT: Homeland Defense Briefs)
June 1, 2006... While the Transportation Security Administration struggles to hire and keep baggage screeners, the Government Accountability Office said changing the explosive detection system for checked bags would save millions for taxpayers and reduce labor...

Alliance endorses bar code for Real ID.(SECURITY BEAT: Homeland Defense Briefs)
June 1, 2006... A consortium of government and industries involved in document security has recommended two-dimensional bar codes to fulfill a requirement for machine-readable personal data on driver's licenses and other official identification cards, when the...

High turnover for baggage screeners.(SECURITY BEAT: Homeland Defense Briefs)
June 1, 2006... THE TRANSPORTATION SECURITY Administration is searching for a few good men and women to work as baggage screeners at airports. The often backbreaking work, however, offers a small starting salary, a glacially slow hiring process and little time...

Local's role in intelligence sharing pondered.(SECURITY BEAT: Homeland Defense Briefs)
June 1, 2006... THE SHARING OF intelligence between the federal government, and state and local law enforcement is a two way street--but one that isn't always straight or easily traveled. Local police agencies have received conflicting and confusing...

Commanders' wish list makes for wishful thinking.(DEFENSE WATCH)
June 1, 2006... Part of the current gospel at the Defense Department is the notion that field commanders should have a say in procurement decisions. Consistently, Pentagon officials have spoken about their desire to make the procurement bureaucracy more...

Smart munitions: Army to curtail procurement of precision-guided weapons.(UPFRONT)
June 1, 2006... The Army needs to reevaluate its precision-guided munitions programs, and identify which of its current weapons should continue to receive funding, says Maj. Gen. Jeffrey A. Sorenson. "In many cases, everything we became enamored of, we...

Air-ground coordination in the battlefield found lacking.(UPFRONT)
June 1, 2006... LACK OF DIRECT communications between pilots in the cockpit and troops on the ground in Iraq impede close-air support operations, says a Navy air wing commander. During a 10-month deployment last year as commander of Carrier Air Wing 9,...

High-tech weapons mix targets urban hazards.(UPFRONT)
June 1, 2006... DAHLGREN, Va. -- As the Pentagon continues to invest in technologies to neutralize roadside bombs, rocket propelled grenades remain a potent threat. More than 100 soldiers have been killed since operations in South East Asia began. The...

First armed ground robot readied for deployment.(UPFRONT)
June 1, 2006... The robot army is coming. A concept touted by science fiction novelists for decades, the first armed ground robots may roll into the field as early as this month, according to Army and industry officials. Unlike the sci-fi robots that...

Errata.(Correction notice)
June 1, 2006... ERRATA: In the May 2006 story, page 43, "New Blue-Force Tracking System on the Horizon," two of the soldiers quoted were misidentified. Sgt. Michael Kohler is a vehicle commander, and Sgt. Josh Wettlin is a communications sergeant. The May...

Counter proliferation: U.S. steps up efforts to keep WMD out of enemy hands.(HOMELAND DEFENSE)
June 1, 2006... Amid continuing concerns about terrorist attacks against the United States and its allies, the U.S. government is increasing its efforts to keep enemies from acquiring and using weapons of mass destruction. Some of the steps that it is...

Spending outlook: Marine Corps procurement forecast clouded by bleak budget projections.(MARINE PROCUREMENT)
June 1, 2006... The prospect of tighter defense budgets is arriving at a time when the Marine Corps is struggling to repair and replace equipment lost or damaged in recent fighting, and to restore its combat readiness. "If we get involved in another major...

Budget traps: navy on a mission to cut the cost of aviation.(NAVY AVIATION)
June 1, 2006... Expectations of a smaller force and leaner budgets set the tone for an ongoing, sweeping review of Navy aviation programs. An estimated $40.4 billion a year operation, the Navy's air force for years has been under pressure to cut costs. In...

For navy, more unmanned aircraft on the horizon.(NAVY AVIATION)
June 1, 2006... An unmanned combat aircraft that can operate from carrier decks would be of great utility to the Navy, but it appears to be unaffordable, at least for the time being, said a naval aviation expert. "There is a natural need for a carrier...

Balancing act: army aviators better trained, but at higher costs.(ANALYSIS)
June 1, 2006... A new Army flight-training program has made it possible for helicopter pilots to gain combat proficiency much faster than was previously possible. The expediency of the training, however, comes with a higher price tag, according to recent...

Protecting ports: cooperation key to expanding coast guard's reach.(MARITIME DEFENSE)(Cover story)
June 1, 2006... BOSTON--Cmdr. Thomas Miller, chief of the prevention department at the Coast Guard's Boston sector, sits in a corner office with a view of the city and the port. To his right is the North End district, where tourists dine in Italian...

Vessel tracking: coast guard begins to tackle complex surveillance mission.(MARITIME DEFENSE)
June 1, 2006... Sorting out potential wrongdoers among the millions of vessels that transit the oceans bound for United States has become one of the Coast Guard's biggest challenges, officials say. Multiple initiatives have been set in motion to develop better...

Who pays? Weighing the costs of security.(MARITIME DEFENSE)
June 1, 2006... A smorgasbord of legislation and policy directives aimed at patching up security at U.S. ports in recent years has resulted in expenditures of billions of dollars worth of protective systems and technologies. But there is lingering...

War gaming: maritime security creates new market for user-friendly simulation software.
June 1, 2006... HUNT VALLEY, Md.--Agencies in charge of port security, such as the Coast Guard, are target customers for a new video-gaming technology that allows individuals to create simulations and rehearse complex missions on desktop computers. A...

Coastal patrols: Navy's smallest fighting ships prove littoral warfare concepts.
June 1, 2006... LITTLE CREEK NAVAL AMPHIBIOUS BASE, Va.--The Navy's smallest fighting ships--Cyclone-class patrol boats--are blazing the way for a future fleet of littoral combat ships. Little Creek is slated to receive as many as 22 LCSs in coming...

Special operators gain civilian assistance unconventional wars.
June 1, 2006... As it plans for an extended struggle against terrorism, the U.S. Special Operations Command is realizing that it is going to need a lot of outside help, and it is reaching out to civilian agencies, allied nations and private contractors. ...

Perspectives: NATO needs a unified elite force, experts-contend.
June 1, 2006... While most NATO members have skilled special operations units, the alliance so far has not forged them into a cohesive multinational force. Such a commando formation would be better qualified--particularly in counterterrorism scenarios--to...

Canadian forces: commandos see expanded mission portfolio.(SPECIAL OPERATIONS)
June 1, 2006... To boost its unconventional warfare capabilities, Canada is revamping its special operations military organization and emphasizing counter-terrorism skills in elite unit training programs. "We've known for some time that there's been a...

Wind Tunnel: navy surveillance aircraft achieves test milestone.(TECH TALK)
June 1, 2006... Wind-tunnel tests for the Navy P-8A multi-mission maritime aircraft went off without a hitch at an Air Force test facility in Tennessee, says the Boeing Company. According to a company statement, a combination of missiles, torpedoes and mines...

Trash yields millions for defense department.(TECH TALK)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... THE PENTAGON'S PRECIOUS METALS recovery program is salvaging significant quantities of gold, silver, platinum and palladium from old computers, sparkplugs, film; batteries and cast off electronics. In fiscal year 2005 alone, more than $8...

Checkpoint system disables bad guys.(TECH TALK)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... A battery operated speed bump with retractable blades--designed for military and law enforcement use--can instantly shred vehicle tires. Produced by PMG Inc. of Wheeling, W.Va., the temporary roadblock apparatus package, or TRAP, offers traffic...

Laser system scores perfect in painting.(TECH TALK)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... The Iowa Waste Reduction Center, at the University of Northern Iowa, has perfected a laser attachment to a spray gun that cuts costs, time and waste. The LaserPaint system determines the best spray gun-to-part distance. When at the optimal...

First responder testing kits offered.(TECH TALK)(QuickSilver Analytics)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... CHEMICAL-BIOLOGICAL KITS FOR FIRST responders have been upgraded by QuickSilver Analytics of Abingdon, Md., to include radiological and explosive sampling capabilities. The expanded testing kit is available in the company's backpack, transport...

Army scrutinizes novel micro fuel cell.(TECH TALK)
June 1, 2006... A Livermore, Calif., company has unveiled a prototype of a methanol powered micro fuel cell for the military. UltraCell Corporation's XX25 provides wireless, portable power in extreme environmental conditions. A single cartridge can power a...

Handheld detectors produce fast results.(TECH TALK)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Miniature chemical-biological detection devices, that in the future could be deployed in wireless networks to protect buildings, subways and airports, have been perfected by scientists from Purdue University in Lafayette, Ind. Prototypes...

Defense production act speeds up wartime purchases.(GOVERNMENT POLICY NOTES)
June 1, 2006... One procurement tool that the government is using vigorously to accelerate its response to recent terrorist threats has been available since 1950--the little-known Defense Production Act. This law, known as DPA for short, and the...

Career transitions, conflicts of interest.(ETHICS CORNER)
June 1, 2006... Employees by the thousands transition from military and civilian government service to the private sector. These employees and the companies recruiting and employing them must know the ethical rules applying to the different phases of this...

NDIA events calendar.(Brief article)(Calendar)
June 1, 2006... JUNE 12-14 Armaments Technology Seminar & Exhibition Parsippany, N.J. POC: Carissa Mirasol @ (703) 247-2570 Exhibits: Veronica Allen @ (703) 247-2582 22 Homeland Security Quarterly Breakfast Washington, D.C....