Tag Archives: defense industry

U.S. Military Embraces Robots with Greater Autonomy

David Alexander, Reuters. In what is likely the next phase of robotic vehicles, the military and industry are experimenting heavily with autonomous vehicles of varying sizes to allow delivery supplies without human guidance. While true autonomy is likely far off, it is increasingly likely that systems such as convoy vehicles, or the currently being tested Squad Mobile Support System, will see service in coming years. These systems mean there are fewer soldiers and Marines on the road and at risk, while increasing logistics capacity.

With NGEN, Navy Prepares for Move to the Future

Amber Corrin, Federal Computer Week. There are certain contracts that are…

House Panel to Defense: Simplify Acquisition Process

Zachary Fryer-Biggs, Federal Times. At a Capitol Hill press conference on Wednesday the House Armed Services Committee’s Panel on Business Challenges in the Defense Industry unveiled its 44 recommendations on how the government can improve the business environment. The 121-page report comes after roughly six months of hearings, field forums and research by the committee into how the DoD can work with and help preserve the defense industrial base in the face of budget cuts and other obstacles to doing business with the DoD. They outline a series of recommendations from increasing the acquisition workforce to new ways to ensure better…

Exclusive: Pentagon Budget Eyes $178.8 Billion for R&D, Procurement

Andrea Shalal-Esa, Reuters. Copies of the 2013 defense budget started getting to the press over the weekend and the early reports have a 7.5% drop in the procurement budget and an overall 12.2% drop from last year’s budget with the drop in war funding. Generally aircraft and ship programs fared well while cuts in the medium family of vehicles for the Army went down substantially, and the Humvee upgrade program was killed in favor of the JLTV.

San Antonio Firm Barred from Fed Contracts

Sig Christenson and Patrick Danner, San Antonio Express. The Booz Allen Hamilton office in San Antonio, Texas has…

F-35 Showed ‘Mixed Results’ in Tests, Pentagon Report Says

Tony Capaccio, Bloomberg. The Pentagon’s Director of Operation Test and Evaluation, Michael Gilmore, released his annual report to Congress this week with reports on all of the various military systems tested in the past year. Bloomberg got an early copy of the report and highlighted the challenges facing the F-35 program. The testing program has actually made fair progress this year, though significant operational challenges are yet to be overcome as the challenging operational tests are scheduled for this year.

Defense Contracts Don’t Always Add Up

Robert McCabe, The Virginian-Pilot. The Pilot is a great source for military insight that is often…

McChrystal to Chair Board of New Siemens Federal Business

Marjorie Censer, Capital Business, Washington Post. Former Afghanistan commander retired Gen. Stanley McChrystal has been tapped as chairman of the board of directors for the new Siemens federal business entity, Siemens Government Technology. This is another move in the German company’s move into the U.S. market with a move of its U.S. operations to Washington D.C. McChrystal has had a very lucrative post-retirement career unaffected by the controversy surrounding his firing after negative comments from his staff about the administration. He now runs his own leadership consulting firm, is one of three senior advisers to the administration’s ‘Joining Forces’ campaign, and serves…