The Insider

The Defense Department's budget presentation, which usually happens on the first Monday in February, has been postponed. Though this was expected, we decided to check with the good Pentagon press folks just to make sure.

While there won't be a budget briefing on Monday, we might see information in February about a bare-bones kind of defense budget request that would essentially amount to an unveiling of the Office of Management and Budget's topline for the Pentagon, DOD spokesman Cmdr. Darryn James told us.

The detailed defense budget, then, will be presented to the public sometime in April, he said.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates today sent Congress the Pentagon's 2009 Quadrennial Roles and Missions Review Report, an assessment that examines the division of labor among the services in a number of areas, including: irregular warfare, cyberspace operations, unmanned aircraft systems, and intratheater airlift.

We'll have a story on the entire 39-page report soon. Meantime, here are some of the conclusions Gates highlights in the foreword:

Together, we have concluded the Department must improve how we organize, train and equip our forces for these areas.

And Gates points to a finding that is clearly in step with President Obama's stated goal of beefing up the civilian side of the government to support national interests overseas (italics added).

One of the most important lessons from recent operations is that military success does not equate to victory. As a result, during the Quadrennial Roles and Missions Review we considered opportunities that will help strike a better balance between our nation's hard and soft power capabilities.

The Quadrennial Roles and Missions Review concludes we must improve our soft power: our national ability to promote economic development, institution-building and the rule of law, internal reconciliation, good governance, training and equipping indigenous military and policy forces, strategic communications, and more. Doing so requires exploring whole-of-government approaches for meeting complex security challenges.

EADS North America announced today that it will not compete to build the Air Force's VC-25 replacement, better know as Air Force One, opting to focus on the more lucrative next-generation tanker competition.

Earlier this month, the Air Force put out feelers to industry to determine interest in building the next presidential transport aircraft. The Jan. 7 notice to industry states that an Air Force analysis of alternatives has determined it would be less costly to replace the service’s VC-25s in the next decade instead of trying to maintain the aging Boeing 747-200 jets, mainly because part suppliers no longer exist and maintenance times are increasing.

Some in the defense community believed another Boeing-Airbus showdown was in the works, similar to the Air Force's stalled tanker competition.

But it appears top EADS officials have opted against bidding to build less than a handful VC-25s when they can instead focus on selling nearly 180 KC-X aircraft. Below is a copy of an e-mail sent to reporters this morning about EADS decision to abandon the Air Force One competition:

In 2007 at the USAF’s request, EADS North America provided technical information and answered questions regarding several Airbus widebody commercial aircraft as the service conducted its Analysis of Alternatives (AoA) to recapitalize the current fleet of presidential aircraft.

EADS North America’s strategy for growth in the US is based on bringing value to the US warfighter; making industrial investments in the US and insourcing high technology defense and aerospace jobs. After careful review, we’ve determined that participation in the AF-1 program will not help us meet these business objectives."

Though the company will not respond to this RFI, we remain focused on once again winning the KC-X competition with Northrop Grumman, delivering the UH-72A LUH to the US Army and meeting the needs of our US defense and homeland security customers.

We reiterate our strong commitment to the US Department of Defense and to supporting the warfighter with our products and services.

Retired Adm. Dennis Blair's nomination to be the next director of national intelligence has leaped its first hurdle now that the Senate Intelligence Committee has unanimously approved President Obama's pick.

“Adm. Blair is exceptionally well-qualified to lead America’s intelligence community, and I believe he will be an outstanding Director of National Intelligence,” committee Chairwoman Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) said in a statement today. “He has pledged to work closely with the committee, and with Congress, to build a relationship of trust and candor. I am convinced that he will ensure that we are true to our ideals as we gather the intelligence necessary to provide for our national security.”

On Jan. 22, the committee held a hearing on Blair’s nomination. At that hearing, Blair proposed legislation to partially eliminate legal barriers between military and intelligence matters. As InsideDefense.com reported:

Blair told panel members he would support the creation of so-called “Title 60” legislation, which would provide the legal basis for oversight and execution of programs that overlap between military and intelligence matters. . . .

Title 10 of the U.S. Code provides the legal guidance for all U.S. military activities. Title 50 is the governing statute that sets legal parameters for the intelligence community. But the legal mandates Title 10 and Title 50 construct have been outpaced by the unique national security needs posed by the ongoing global war on terrorism, Blair said.

The creation of Title 60 legislation would help meet those unique challenges and eliminate many of the bureaucratic hurdles the current titles pose, he added.

“I really think we need a Title ((60)). I think we need to get rid of this artificial division in this global campaign against terrorists when the tools that are available in the Department of Defense and the intelligence agency are both applicable and both need to be put together to get the job done,” Blair said.

Blair’s confirmation before the full Senate is expected soon, according to the statement.

.... and here's Obama's statement from the Pentagon after meeting with the Defense Department's top brass:

Sorry we're running a little bit late. I want to, first of all, thank all the men and women in uniform who are represented here. They are the best that this country has to offer. And the first thing I said to the Joint Chiefs in this meeting was how grateful we are for their service. The sacrifices that they and their families make are what are responsible for our freedoms, that sometimes we take for granted.

And as Commander-in-Chief on of my principal goals during my presidency is going to be to make sure that they have the resources and the support that they need to carry out the critical missions that keep our nation safe each and every day.

I had a wonderful discussion with the Joint Chiefs -- we kind of lost track of time -- about a range of issues facing our military, as well as the threats that face this nation, both short-term and long-term. We had discussions about Iraq, as well as Afghanistan. We talked about some of the broader global risks that may arise and the kind of planning and coordination that's going to be required between our military and our civilian forces in order to accomplish our long-term national security objectives.

We also talked about making sure that the health of our force is always in our sights. And I know that all the Chiefs that are represented here, as well as Secretary Gates, are constantly thinking about what we need to do to make sure that people who are in uniform for the United States are getting the kinds of support that they need and that their families are getting the support that they need. And that's something that I'm absolutely committed to, and I know that Vice President Biden is, as well.

We're going to have some difficult decisions that we're going to have to make surrounding Iraq and Afghanistan, most immediately. Obviously, our efforts to continue to go after extremist organizations that would do harm to the homeland is uppermost on our minds. I have every confidence that our military is going to do their job, and I intend to make sure that the civilian side of the ledger does its job to support what they are doing.

We had for a long time put enormous pressure on our military to carry out a whole set of missions, sometimes not with the sort of strategic support and the use of all aspects of American power to make sure that they're not carrying the full load. And that's something that I spoke with the Chiefs about and that I intend to change as President of the United States.

So, again, my first message was to say thank you. And in addition, it's to say that you -- all of you who are serving in the United States Armed Forces are going to have my full support, and one of my duties as President is going to be to make sure that you have what you need to accomplish your missions, and we are grateful to you.

So, all right. Thank you, guys; I'm going to shake some more hands.

President Barack Obama plans to visit the Pentagon tomorrow to meet with the Joint Chiefs and discuss the U.S. operation in Afghanistan, Defense Secretary Robert Gates told the Senate Armed Services Committee, pinpointing the timing of the POTUS trip to the Defense Department which was widely expected sometime this week.

Those hoping the Pentagon would get involved in boosting the Afghan economy, as is the case in Iraq, could be disappointed.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates said today he has little appetite for such an undertaking, as he sought to tamper down expectations of what the Afghanistan war can achieve.

Speaking before the Senate Armed Services Committee, Gates reminded lawmakers of Afghanistan's status as one of the world's poorest countries, indicating Washington's dollars would be better spent in areas other than sophisticated economic development help.

"If we are looking to build some sort of Central Asian Valhalla, we will lose," he told senators.

The goal in Afghanistan, Gates said, is to prevent that country from becoming a "safe haven" for terrorism where extremists can plot attacks against the West.

His comments came after widespread anticipation in national security circles that President Obama would build a new Afghanistan policy around short-term goals believed to be achievable and realistic.

Gates did say the Afghans could use some "technical help" in farming and minerals extraction.