Friday, September 29, 2023
Key Issues SAR on SM-6 SAR on MPF SAR on F-15EX
Tony Bertuca is chief editor of Inside the Pentagon, the flagship publication of InsideDefense, where he focuses on defense budget and acquisition policy. He previously worked for the Sun-Times News Group in his hometown of Chicago, IL, and at the New Hampshire Union Leader in Manchester, NH. Tony has also served as managing editor of Inside the Army. He has a master's degree in journalism from Boston University.
The House passed a fiscal year 2014 defense authorization bill last week that did not require the Army and Marine Corps to submit a report to Congress on the investment strategy to accelerate the fuel efficiency of the Abrams tank, but lawmakers did direct the military to begin exploring the matter.
The Defense Department has officially approved the Army's plans to launch the Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle program, according to an internal Pentagon memo obtained by InsideDefense.com.
Linda Hudson, the CEO of BAE Systems, said last week that she is worried the nation's combat vehicle industrial base will become increasingly endangered by sequestration-related budget cuts.
President Obama has nominated former Oklahoma lawmaker Brad Carson to become the next under secretary of the Army, according to an announcement from the White House.
One of the Army's top futurists said last week that officials pondering the service's "deep future" want to realign science and technology efforts to explore the acquisition of a lighter tank in preparation for the day when the budgets for big-ticket modernization are reactivated.
Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-NJ) will replace the late Rep. Bill Young (R-FL) as chairman of the House Appropriations defense subcommittee, according to a statement from the committee.
The Defense Department's inspector general plans to audit the Army and Marine Corps Joint Light Tactical Vehicle program next year, according to a fiscal year 2014 audit plan recently released by the IG.
Army Chief of Staff Gen. Raymond Odierno, accompanied by Adm. William McRaven, the chief of U.S. Special Operations Command, and Gen. John Paxton, the assistant commandant of the Marine Corps, forcefully made the case today for focusing on strategic landpower -- a concept that they warned was quickly becoming endangered at the Pentagon.
Top Army officials set the stage today for the termination or delay of the Ground Combat Vehicle program due to budget cuts triggered by sequestration.
Army Secretary John McHugh and Chief of Staff Gen. Raymond Odierno said today that the threat of sequestration, coupled with a continuing resolution, has set the stage to cripple the readiness and capability of the nation's ground forces.
The Paladin Integrated Management program recently received approval from the Pentagon to begin low-rate production, according to an Army statement released this morning.
BAE Systems said today it will close an armored vehicle manufacturing facility in Sealy, TX, by the end of next June, despite previously announced plans to build the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle there.
The Army's Ground Combat Vehicle program is seeking information from industry on a possible combined active protection system and hostile fire detection system, according to a request for information released on Oct. 2.
The leaders of several key manufacturing unions joined BAE Systems today to lobby the Army for increased funding to protect the nation's combat vehicle industrial base, in particular the Bradley Fighting Vehicle.
The military's service chiefs appeared before the House Armed Services Committee today to warn lawmakers that automatic budget cuts triggered by sequestration would do irreparable harm to America's national defense.
General Dynamics Land Systems announced today that it has been awarded $118 million by the Army to convert 66 flat-bottom Stryker vehicles into more protected, double-V hull configurations.
Navistar Defense and AM General will file a protest with the Government Accountability Office after losing out on a $562 million contract U.S. Special Operations Command recently awarded to General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems for the Ground Mobility Vehicle 1.1.
The Army last week told Congress how the service plans to use additional Abrams tank funding that lawmakers insisted on in fiscal year 2013, though the plan could have ramifications for FY-14 as well.
All three companies competing for the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle engineering and manufacturing development contract have announced that they have delivered 22 prototypes to the Army and Marine Corps ahead of schedule.
Oshkosh Defense delivered its first Joint Light Tactical Vehicle prototype to the Army and Marine Corps last week, according to a company announcement.