National Defense articles from October 2003

National Defense archives from October 2003

Editor's corner.
October 1, 2003... Continuing pressure on the military services to become more interoperable and for their weapon systems to be more compatible is the driving force in most defense acquisition programs today. A case in point are unmanned air vehicles, which...

Defense gains from public-private cooperation.(president's perspective)(Navy-Marine Corps Industry CEO Conference)
October 1, 2003... The business of defense has always benefited from the continuing dialogue and cooperation between government and industry. Now, as we face rising challenges and opportunities in the national defense arena, it is important that we strengthen...

GIs in Afghanistan fight off boredom.(Washington Pulse)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... A defense contractor just returned from Kabul reports that U.S. military personnel there are "so bored that they are going our of their minds." Commanders won't let their troops go out on the town under any circumstances, he said. Even when...

New meaning for 'OODA loop'.(Washington Pulse)(Observe, Orient, Decide, Act becomes Observe, Overreact, Destroy, Apologize during Iraq War)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... Military intellectuals no doubt are familiar with the term "OODA loop," coined by the legendary U.S. Air Force Col. John R. Boyd, who helped design the F-16 fighter in the 1970s. OODA (Observe, Orient, Decide, Act) is a catchphrase for...

U.S. facing wide-ranging threats.(Washington Pulse)
October 1, 2003... Uneven economies, demographics and bad governance combined with the proliferation of missiles, weapons of mass destruction and large regional armies pose a significant challenge to the United States, said Kenneth Knight, chief of the defense...

Radical Islam will not become 'governing ideology'.(Washington Pulse)
October 1, 2003... Islamic extremism does not pose the same danger to the Western World the communist and fascist ideologies of the 20th century did, according to Michael Mandelbaum, a New York Times best-selling author. "This ideology does not have the...

Erratum.(Correction Notice)
October 1, 2003... In the article "U.S. Services Studying Future Power Needs," (National Defense, Sept. 2003), Army Col. Mark Jones was misidentified as being a Marine Corps colonel.

Information barriers hamper anti-terror efforts.(Security Beat)
October 1, 2003... The inability to flow information from federal agencies down to local law enforcement could hamper the government's ability to root out terrorists according to a General Accounting Office survey released in August. Of the 40 states that...

Foreign service on the front lines.(Security Beat)(Norman Neureiter, former science and technology adviser to secretary of state)
October 1, 2003... Foreign service officers are on the front line of national security, according to a former State Department official. "Diplomacy must carry, in my view, a particularly heavy, load in building peaceful constructive relationships between...

Simulation tests homeland defense efforts.(Security Beat)(Determined Promise '03 exercise)
October 1, 2003... A homeland defense exercise to test U.S. Northern Command's ability to respond multiple, simultaneous contingencies demonstrated that the command is ready to handle military operations inside the United States, officials said. The...

Gas mask weighs less than half-pound.(tech talk)(Potomac Emergency Escape Mask)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... A new lightweight emergency escape mask was designed to protect victims of biological or chemical attacks. The Potomac Emergency Escape Mask--made by Germany's Helsatech GmbH--weighs less than half a pound. A company spokesman noted...

See-through-walls radar aids law enforcement.(tech talk)
October 1, 2003... A "see-through-walls" radar device developed by a British firm is touted as a valuable aid to law enforcement, rescue and military personnel. Designed by Cambridge Consultants Ltd.--the sensor can help find victims trapped in buildings,...

Demand grows for mass alert systems.(tech talk)
October 1, 2003... A growing demand for security at military bases, public buildings and mass events is fueling the market for emergency communications systems. MadahCom Inc., of Sarasota, Fla., has designed a network for both routine and emergency...

Soldiers can "Rite" in the Rain.(tech talk)
October 1, 2003... Soldiers in the field can appreciate notebooks that are not damaged by water. A case in point are the so-called "All Weather Tactical Field Books," employed by soldiers deployed in Operation Enduring Freedom, who said these notebooks can take...

NASA designs drone for environmental missions.(tech talk)
October 1, 2003... NASA is developing an unmanned aerial vehicle, called Altair, for environmental science missions, such as volcanic observation, forest monitoring and atmospheric sampling. Altair is an extended-winged version of the MQ-9 Predator B...

Power washer removes Iraqi Sand.(tech talk)
October 1, 2003... U.S. military units packing up to leave the Persian Gulf will have a new wash rack recycling system to clean their combat vehicles before loading them onto transport ships. RGF Environmental Group, of West Palm Beach, Fla., has received a...

Multi-layered missile defense could be operational by 2015.(Missile Defense)
October 1, 2003... Missile defense program officials estimate that a system of land, sea and space based radar and interceptors, covering all 50 states, could be up and running by 2015. But there are challenges. President Bush has directed the Missile...

Ballistic, cruise missile proliferation worries U.S.(Missile Defense)
October 1, 2003... As the United States moves closer to implementing a missile defense system, concern is growing that adversaries will resort to other methods to defeat U.S. forces, said Lt. Gen. Joe Cosumano, commanding general of the Army's Space and Missile...

UAV programs need common standards, says industry study.(Defense Technology)
October 1, 2003... With at least 138 military unmanned aircraft in production today, it is imperative for the Defense Department to enforce common standards for the operation, command and control of these vehicles, said an industry study completed last month. ...

Unmanned combat aircraft still in 'adolescent phase'.(Defense Technology)
October 1, 2003... Despite recent successful flight tests, the Air Force unmanned combat aircraft, called the UCAV, remains in the "adolescent phase" of its development, said Stan Kasprzyk, program manager for the UCAV at the Boeing Co. Boeing is under...

Roadblocks ahead for joint tactical radio: among the challenges are aircraft integration costs and antenna technology.(Defense Technology)
October 1, 2003... One of the Pentagon's largest-ever military communications programs is getting off on a slow start, hindered by the sheer scope of the project and the inherent difficulties in consolidating up to 25 families of radios into one. Under the...

Experimental battle-planning software rushed to Iraq.(Defense Technology)
October 1, 2003... An experimental Windows-based software application that helped the military services coordinate fire support missions in Iraq could he the answer to avoiding friendly fire in future conflicts, officials said. Pushing for the adoption of...

Fuel cell technology could solve service power needs.(Defense Technology)
October 1, 2003... Several defense programs currently are funding fuel cell research in an effort to reduce the military services' reliance on batteries. But in order for fuel cells to become accepted, several obstacles, including the cost to generate power, must...

Scientists struggle to lower cost of fuel cell energy.(Defense Technology)
October 1, 2003... Fuel cells have been around for more than 100 years. But the availability of fossil fuels and thee high cost of producing energy from fuel cell's have made the technology slow to catch on. A fuel cell is a generator that chemically produces...

Pentagon faces huge ordnance cleanup bill.(Environment)
October 1, 2003... The unexploded ordnance on U.S. bases--which has become a liability of tens of billions of dollars for the Defense Department--is likely to turn into an even bigger problem as the Pentagon approaches a new round of base closures. A number...

Marines sketch 'expeditionary maneuver warfare' scenarios.(Expeditionary Warfare)
October 1, 2003... The Marine Corps is reshaping its war-fighting doctrine to become a faster and more responsive force. Key to making this happen is the availability of improved airlift and sealift assets, such as heavy vertical-lift transport aircraft and...

Army will deploy faster theater support vessels.(Expeditionary Warfare)
October 1, 2003... It's a little known fact that the Army has as many boats as the Navy--about 300. They perform different functions, however. The Army's vessels provide strategic logistics and force projection, especially intra-theater. The lighter...

LPD 17 readies for Oct. '04 sea trials: amphibious assault ship design stresses quality of life for sailors, Marines.
October 1, 2003... Taking shape at a shipyard on the Mississippi River near New Orleans is the first of a new class of U.S. amphibious assault ships. The USS San Antonio (LPD 17)--christened in July at Northrop Grumman Ship Systems' Avondale Operations--will...

Just back from Iraqi war, amphib still 'surge ready'.
October 1, 2003... Newly returned from the invasion of Iraq--the largest amphibious operation since the Korean War--the USS Kearsarge (LHD 3) rests at pier side at the Navy base in Norfolk, Va., awaiting routine maintenance. But the Kearsarge, an amphibious...

U.S. Navy plans to redefine warfare needs: long-term budget planning to focus on precision strike, land attack capabilities.(Naval Systems)
October 1, 2003... Naval warfare will change in the years ahead, as new capabilities enter the fleet. But, for the most part, the battle space of the future will be made up primarily of the systems and the platforms that are out there today, officials said. ...

Anti-submarine warfare moving to the forefront.(Naval Systems)
October 1, 2003... Anti-submarine warfare has become an area that the Navy has to reinvent completely, according to service officials. The Navy's requirements office, OPNAV, will reorganize in the coming months to bring ASW to the forefront in "a significant...

Major advances predicted for defense technologies.(Research And Development)
October 1, 2003... Technological innovations targeted for military use also will have broad applications for homeland defense over the next decade, according to a panel of experts convened recently by the Battelle Memorial Institute, in Columbus, Ohio. The...

Air force technology programs need steady funding, support.(analysis)
October 1, 2003... Air Force science and technology budgets are slightly on the rise, but the funding still is not adequate to satisfy current demands and emerging requirements, said a panel of researchers. A report by the National Research Council, entitled,...

Commercial C-17 could help military mobility.(analysis)
October 1, 2003... Seeking to improve its ability to move cargo around the world faster and more efficiently, the Air Force created the Commercial Application of Military Airlift Aircraft program. The CAMAA program is Dosed on the Development of tee 3C-17X a...

Allied Command Transformation.(Defense Department)
October 1, 2003... Navy Rear Adm. Gerard M. Mauer Jr. is being assigned as assistant chief of staff for plans and policy, Allied Command Transformation, in Norfolk, Va. Mauer currently is assistant deputy director for information operations, J-39, Joint Staff.

Joint Special Operations Command.(Defense Department)
October 1, 2003... Navy Rear Adm. William H. McRaven has been named deputy commanding general for operations at the Joint Special Operations Command, within the U.S. Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg, N.C. McRaven is now director for strategy and defense...

Bell Helicopter.(Industry)
October 1, 2003... Bell Helicopter has appointed Dennis Jarvi to the new position of vice president and general manager of the V-22 program, in Fort Worth, Texas. Reporting directly to Bell CEO Mike Redenbaugh, Jarvi will be responsible for all aspects of the...

ImageLinks.(Industry)
October 1, 2003... ImageLinks, headquartered in Melbourne, Fla., has named Christopher P. Haakon to its board of directors. Haakon is a consultant to several defense companies in the intelligence community. Previously, he served as program director for General...

Booz Allen Hamilton.(Industry)
October 1, 2003... Retired Lt. Gen. Robert W. Noonan, former Army deputy chief of staff for intelligence, has become a principal in Booz Allen Hamilton. Noonan will help lead the firm's consulting services to the Army and the national intelligence community.

Northrop Grumman Corporation.(Industry)
October 1, 2003... Former U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Timothy J. McMahon has joined Northrop Grumman Corporation as vice president for strategic programs in its Mission Systems sector. McMahon will be based in Colorado Springs, Colo., and work with Department of...

The Boeing Company.(Industry)
October 1, 2003... Mark A. Schmid has been named vice president of trust investment and chief investment officer of The Boeing Company, in Chicago. Most recently, Schmid served as director of asset management for DaimlerChrysler, in Auburn Hills, Mich. ...

Universal Guardian Holdings Inc.(Industry)
October 1, 2003... Mel R. Brashears has joined the board of directors of Universal Guardian Corporation, a subsidiary of Universal Guardian Holdings, Inc., in Carlsbad, Calif. He currently is the chairman of the board of Irvine Sensors Corporation and previously...

Savi Technology.(Industry)
October 1, 2003... Savi Technology, of Sunnyvale, Calif., has named David P. Stephens to the newly created position of senior vice president for the public sector. Stephens' role will be to accelerate efforts to market Savi's supply chain asset and security...

Computer Sciences Corporation.(Industry)
October 1, 2003... Computer Sciences Corporation, in El Segundo, Calif., has selected retired Air Force Col. Mark Brown as vice president of its Aerospace Division, with overall responsibility for the division's business with the U.S. government. Brown, a former...

DNE Technologies Inc.(Industry)
October 1, 2003... DNE Technologies Inc., of Wallingford, Conn., has named Ronald Thomas as account manager for its western region. Thomas will focus on Department of Defense markets, including the military and prime contractors in the western United States and...

Tadiran Electronic Systems Ltd.(Industry)
October 1, 2003... Itzhak Beni has been appointed president and CEO of Tadiran Electronic Systems Ltd., in Bene-Berak, Israel. Beni is also president and CEO of Tadiran Spectralink Ltd., and director of Dekolink Wireless Ltd. All three companies are part of the...

WID offers opportunities for networking.(brass tracks)
October 1, 2003... The National Board of Women In Defense is laying out plans for the future of the organization, as it debates how best to serve its members. To that end, the board came up with a catchphrase that captures the essence of WID and what it does:...

Delaware Valley Chapter presents awards.(ndia news)
October 1, 2003... NDIA'S Delaware Valley Chapter recently presented its 2003 ROTC and the Sidney Ross Young American Awards to cadets and midshipmen from ROTC units at 13 universities in the Philadelphia area. Recipients were selected for outstanding...

Affiliate events.(ndia events calendar)
October 1, 2003... APRIL 7-8 Net-Centric Operations Meeting Hilton McLean Tysons Corner McLeon, Va. MAY 19-21 ICSTM '04 Conference University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, Pa. Contact Nicole Peterson at: (703) 247-9474 or e-mail...

Events and descriptions.(ndia events calendar)
October 1, 2003... OCTOBER 20-23 6th Annual Systems Engineering, Supportability & Interoperability Conference Event #4870 San Diego, Calif. POC: Dania Khan @ (703) 247-2587 This conference focuses on systems engineering and its importance...

Chapter events.(ndia events calendar)
October 1, 2003... OCTOBER 1-2 Gulf Coast 29th Annual Air Armament Symposium Fort Walton Beach, Fla. 1-3 Picatinny PRO Mortars Conference Morristown, NJ. 17 Rocky Mountain Space Industry Forum Colorado...