Archive for May, 2011

HASC saves tanks, keeps F-35Bs

By Philip Ewing on Wednesday, May 11th, 2011

HASC saves tanks, keeps F-35Bs

The House Armed Service Committee would keep open the Army’s tank production line, rather than idling it for three years, and would go ahead with a full planned purchase of F-35Bs for the Marine Corps.

HASC tries again to revive alternate engine

By Philip Ewing on Wednesday, May 11th, 2011

HASC tries again to revive alternate engine

The House Armed Services Committee, undeterred by DoD’s decision to kill the alternate engine, is attempting a multi-pronged approach to try to bring it back to life again.

Quiet progress for U.S.-China mil-to-mil ties

By Philip Ewing on Tuesday, May 10th, 2011

Quiet progress for U.S.-China mil-to-mil ties

This week’s high-level discussions between the U.S. and China aren’t making a lot of headlines, but American diplomatic officials say they’re going well.

The Stryker hits its 10th year of service

By Philip Ewing on Tuesday, May 10th, 2011

The Stryker hits its 10th year of service

The Army’s workhorse wheeled ground vehicle is marking a decade of service that has included 27 million combat miles and countless engagements in Iraq and Afghanistan.

After bin Laden, business as usual

By Philip Ewing on Tuesday, May 10th, 2011

After bin Laden, business as usual

As more time passes since the death of Osama bin Laden, the clearer it becomes that it hasn’t changed today’s realities at home or in the wars abroad.

Apache attack

By Philip Ewing on Tuesday, May 10th, 2011

Confronting the sea mine threat

By Philip Ewing on Monday, May 9th, 2011

Confronting the sea mine threat

Experts warn of an undiminished threat from a new generation of advanced, difficult-to-detect sea mines.

NPR: Inside the secret U.S. sabotage of Iran

By Philip Ewing on Monday, May 9th, 2011

DoD: What secret helicopter?

By Philip Ewing on Monday, May 9th, 2011

DoD: What secret helicopter?

The Pentagon will not confirm it’s in talks with Pakistan to get back the tail rotor of the now-famous secret helicopter, but it may have a way to replace it without anyone noticing.

Can anything stop China’s super-fighter?

By Philip Ewing on Monday, May 9th, 2011

Can anything stop China’s super-fighter?

A new report declares that China’s dreaded J-20 will make all of Asia’s air defense systems obsolete and enable the Chinese to strike almost any target, anywhere, any time.

Weekend wrap: Expeditionary links

By Philip Ewing on Friday, May 6th, 2011

Weekend wrap: Expeditionary links

The week that was, and the links that were.

Post and riposte in the great carrier debate

By Philip Ewing on Friday, May 6th, 2011

Post and riposte in the great carrier debate

Does the big, nuclear-powered aircraft carrier have a future in the 21st century? It depends on who you ask.

AF promotes fallen cyber captain to major

By Philip Ewing on Friday, May 6th, 2011

The Air Force sings the Raptor blues

By Philip Ewing on Friday, May 6th, 2011

The Air Force sings the Raptor blues

A glitch in the F-22’s oxygen system has prompted the Air Force to temporarily ground its entire fleet.

Dempsey’s soldier dilemma

By Philip Ewing on Friday, May 6th, 2011

Dempsey’s soldier dilemma

The Army’s chief of staff never wants to see soldiers get into a fair fight. How can a simple infantry squad have as big an edge as possible when it needs to go up against the bad guys?

First operational tanker crew refuels F-35

By Philip Ewing on Friday, May 6th, 2011

After the bin Laden era, is America ‘weaker?’

By Philip Ewing on Thursday, May 5th, 2011

After the bin Laden era, is America ‘weaker?’

The death of bin Laden doesn’t make America ‘safer,’ as some believe, a prominent defense analyst writes — instead it should make Americans realize how much the nation has been weakened over the past 10 years.

Army gives Navy its high-speed transports

By Philip Ewing on Thursday, May 5th, 2011

Army gives Navy its high-speed transports

The Army will let the Navy take responsibility for the five Joint High Speed Vessels it originally planned to buy.

Reaction at the Pentagon memorial

By Philip Ewing on Thursday, May 5th, 2011

HASC chair praises GE bid to self-fund F136

By Philip Ewing on Thursday, May 5th, 2011

HASC chair praises GE bid to self-fund F136

The chairman of the House Armed Services Committee announced he’s on board with a plan in which GE and Rolls-Royce would pay to keep alive the alternate engine for the F-35.