National Defense articles from October 2004

National Defense archives from October 2004

Pentagon feeling the pressure on budget.(President's Perspective)
October 1, 2004... There is good and bad news in the defense spending legislation that President Bush signed in August. The good news is that the $416 billion approved for fiscal year 2005 covers "must-pay" bills, including a pay increase for U.S. troops and...

Humvee engine.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
October 1, 2004... Your article in the July 2004 issue "Army Ponders New Diesel Engine for Humvee Trucks" was very Informative and interesting. However, mention was made that "most Humvees come with a 6.2 or 6.5-liter gasoline engines," which is not completely...

Army's bad decisions.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
October 1, 2004... In the July 2004 story, "Investment Decisions Haunting Army Today," Sandra I. Erwin is correct in identifying the connection between decade-old risky decisions and today's lack of essential combat equipment, but the problem is much older and...

Could competition avert accounting fiascos?(Logistics Civil Augmentation Program)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... The seemingly endless accounting scandals associated with Halliburton--the contractor in charge of feeding troops and providing overall logistics services in Iraq--could have been prevented if the Army had not restricted industry competition so...

Iraq will be a 'long marathon war'.(Army's vice chief of staff, Gen. Richard A. Cody's opinion)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Don't expect a U.S. exodus from Iraq in the near future, the Army's vice chief of staff, Gen. Richard A. Cody, told an industry gathering in Washington, D.C. As U.S. forces prepare for their fourth rotation in Iraq since the war began, a...

U.S. unprepared for 4th gen warfare.(Washington Pulse)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Unless the Defense Department gets serious about training for "4th generation warfare, U.S. troops will find it tough to outsmart enemies, said a counterterrorism expert. In 4th generation warfare, where the other side refuses to stand up...

Sharing air space could be risky.(Tomahawk cruise missile)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... The Navy's Tomahawk cruise missile is entering a new era with the recent introduction of the "tactical Tomahawk," a more advanced version that also is less expensive. However, the Navy has yet to solve a potentially dicey problem. The...

Homeland Security Dept. finances found in disarray.(Security beat: homeland defense briefs)
October 1, 2004... The Department of Homeland Security is having a difficult time integrating the financial management systems of its agencies, a dilemma that is leading to a lack of internal controls and reliable reporting, according to the Government...

Effort underway to boost bioscience security.
October 1, 2004... The Federation of American Scientists (FAS) is developing an interactive teaching module to introduce security issues to bioscience researchers. The non-profit group, based in Washington, D.C., is soliciting the bioscience community for...

Corporate supporters of terror states under scrutiny.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... The flow of investment money to regimes that the U.S. government says support terrorism is coming under increasing scrutiny. In August, U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg, D-N.J., sent letters to governors and state fund managers that decried the...

Cities get tutored on disaster communications.(Security beat: homeland defense briefs)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... A federal program mandated to help state and local public safety officials coordinate reactions during a crisis has launched a program to increase interoperability. The goal is to implement improvements before the presidential elections,...

Ridge: media must prepare for terrorist acts.(Department of Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Acknowledging that the news media art: a vital nexus of the nation's information awareness, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge implored reporters to be prepared for terrorist events. "Similar to other first responders,...

Candidates imprecise on pentagon spending.(Defense Watch)
October 1, 2004... In a presidential campaign that has prominently featured each candidate displaying his commander-in-chief credentials, in many ways it remains a mystery where either of them stands concerning future priorities for defense spending. Neither...

U.S. moves to rearm Iraq.
October 1, 2004... The U.S. government--following an extended delay--is aggressively moving to train and equip Iraqi security forces to provide for the internal and external defense of that war torn nation. The U.S. government in Washington and on the ground...

Pentagon balking at Intel reform recommendations.(Upfront)
October 1, 2004... Pentagon officials are publicly questioning some of the recommendations made by the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States. Among their concerns are the blurring lines between civilian and military intelligence, a...

Army trying to get better grasp on war zone intelligence.(Upfront)
October 1, 2004... Seeking to improve soldiers' intelligence-gathering skills and cultural awareness, the Army is introducing a number of changes to its training and education programs. Under the banner of "every soldier is a sensor," the Army is pushing the...

Pentagon officials refining requirements for smart tags on military shipments.
October 1, 2004... The Defense Department is banking on the success of a new smart-tag technology to improve the management and tracking of shipments moving in and out of major depots. Although the electronic-labeling technology--known as passive...

Naval research: 'Deep Blue' searches for innovation in anti-terror tactics, technology.
October 1, 2004... Following a terrorist attack in the Northern Persian Gulf this spring, a small U.S. Navy research team began focusing on getting into the enemy's mindset and tactics. Originally created in 2001 to come up with innovative ideas on how to...

U.S. Navy finding new applications for advances in nanotechnology.
October 1, 2004... The Navy is finding a slew of applications for enhanced materials arising from advances in nanotechnology. Scientists believe these improved composites eventually will help the Navy lower the cost of procuring and maintaining ships. "The...

Improved metals applied to marine vehicle.
October 1, 2004... A process using advanced nano-science in metal processing may provide the material for a tough, lightweight Marine expeditionary vehicle, Navy researchers predict. The process known as cryomilling is adding properties to aluminum that may...

Website lets sailors suggest solutions.
October 1, 2004... U.S. Navy sailors and Marines increasingly are being encouraged to provide feedback on their equipment needs and quality-of-life issues. To expedite the process, the Office of Naval Research has created a website specifically to log...

Military ponders future of nanotech.
October 1, 2004... While nano-sciences offer an array of potentially useful technology for the Defense Department, not all military researchers have jumped on this bandwagon. The disparity of viewpoints was on clear display at a recent lightweight materials...

Marine Corps laboratory strives to respond to pressing needs.
October 1, 2004... As Marines prepare for extended combat duty in Iraq, the Corps' research arm is seeking solutions to problems ranging from countering roadside bombs and developing limb protection devices to improving low-level communications and refining urban...

Air combat: Air Force rethinks approach to 'electronic attack'.
October 1, 2004... After years out of the spotlight, electronic warfare is reemerging as a critical part of Air Force plans to maintain dominance of air and space. "Seamless integration of kinetic and non-kinetic capabilities" is the vision of future...

Memo to war planners: no post-it notes or stubby pencils allowed.
October 1, 2004... Even though the U.S. Air Force operates the most technologically advanced war planning hubs in the world, much of the critical information that commanders use to make decisions is recorded on primitive printouts, acetate charts and post-it...

Friend or foe? Marines test combat ID advances in war game.(identification)
October 1, 2004... U.S. Marine Corps M1A1 Abrams tanks, amphibious assault vehicles, light armored vehicles and armed Humvees came rumbling into the dirt crossroads of the small, heavily defended village, guns blazing. During the confusing melee, it was...

Fratricide continues to plaque the battlefield.
October 1, 2004... Friendly-fire casualties always have been an unavoidable part of war, and despite years of effort and many millions of dollars for research and development, they continue to occur. During the first Persian Gulf War, friendly fire incidents...

Forces under stress: Special Ops Command fighting to retain seasoned warriors.
October 1, 2004... The Special Operations Command is struggling to retain its most experienced personnel while it moves to fill a growing role in the U.S. war against terrorism, Special operators--including Army Special Forces, Rangers, psychological...

Army undergoing biggest makeover since World War II.
October 1, 2004... The U.S. Army has embarked upon what is described as its most important and controversial reorganization in decades in an effort to improve its ability to fight wars in Iraq and Afghanistan while defending the home front. If they take...

Abrams tank still far from retirement.(Army Future Force)(Cover Story)
October 1, 2004... The battle-tested Abrams tank is poised to remain in service for at least 25 more years, or until the Army is certain that it has an adequate replacement. The tank will stay in the Army, "until we are convinced that the Future Combat...

Cannons, rockets and missiles: a growth industry in the Army.(Army Future Force)
October 1, 2004... The Army is expected to increase investments in cannon artillery, missiles and rockets, in an effort to extend the range and improve the accuracy of these weapons. Growing requirements for advanced fire-support technologies are shaped both...

Future Combat Systems technologies not keeping pace with expectations.(Army Future Force)
October 1, 2004... When the Army kicked off its largest-ever weapons modernization program in 1999, expectations were enormous. The Future Combat Systems would bring revolutionary change to the Army in many ways. It would, for the first time, connect every...

Army researchers working to lower weight of emerging infantry weapons.
October 1, 2004... Although composite materials often carry enormous potential for weight reduction, Army scientists are finding that redesign and the combined use of various metal alloys are equally important keys to reliable and easily portable weapons. ...

Air force to deploy lightweight communications suite.(Tech Talk)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... The U.S. Air Force has put together a modular communications system that, when deployed, will replace an entire shelter of equipment. A single module will provide telephone lines, Internet connections and other communication infrastructure...

Ammunition inspection becomes high-tech.(Tech Talk)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... A novel cartridge inspection system that examines the primary components of a bullet-casing, primer, projectile and gunpowder-also can evaluate and discard faulty ammo at rates exceeding 25,200 an hour. Built by General Inspection, LLC, of...

Technology helps prevent mid-air mishaps.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Mid-air helicopter crashes may become a thing of the past. The Lahav division of Israel Aircraft Industries has developed a system that predicts collisions during tactical missions and formation flights. Called the tactical mid-air...

Soldiers will receive enhanced chem-bio shelters.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... The U.S. Army is receiving new self-powered chemical biological protective shelters, which will no longer be reliant on Humvee trucks for energy. These self-contained, environmentally con trolled, and contamination-free work areas are...

Eye in sky has microwave receiver on the ground.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... An improved, digital microwave video receiver has been developed for troops and law enforcement personnel. The handheld device has a 7-inch liquid crystal display monitor that allows operators on the ground to see the same panorama witnessed by...

WID Capital Chapter engaged in outreach efforts.(Women in Defense)
October 1, 2004... The Capital Chapter of Women in Defense has begun to include volunteer opportunities as a major part of the chapter's activities. Chapter President Kelli Short-Tomasulo, of the PMA Group, explained that one of her goals when she became...

NDIA events calendar.(Calendar)
October 1, 2004... OCTOBER 13-15 U.S. Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Command Advance Planning Briefing to Industry Dearborn, Mich. POC: Angie DeKleine @ (703) 247-2599 13-15 Worldwide Chemical Conference and Exhibition ...

Affiliate events.(Calendar)
October 1, 2004... MAY 10-11, 2005 Net-Centric Operations 2005 Broadening the Base of Net-Centric Operations Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center Washington, D.C. SEPTEMBER 13-15, 2005 Enterprise Integration Expo 2005...

Chapter events.(Calendar)
October 1, 2004... OCTOBER 6-8 Picatinny Chapter Mortars Conference 2004 Morristown, N.J. 12-13 Gulf Coast Chapter 30th Annual Air Armament Symposium Fort Walton Beach, Fla. 12-14 Rocky Mountain Chapter Luncheon, Homeland Security...