Author Archives: Loren B. Thompson, Ph.D
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Army’s Future Vertical Lift Program Is Pivotal To Revitalizing Its Aged Rotorcraft Fleet (From Forbes)
November 2, 2021- Loren B. Thompson, Ph.D The U.S. Army is currently running two separate competitions to develop next-generation armed reconnaissance and assault helicopters. The future of Army Aviation depends on both competitions producing world-class rotorcraft that can be fielded expeditiously. The Army’s Cold War recon helicopters, [Read More...] -
The Compelling Logic Of Army Long-Range Fires In The Western Pacific (From Forbes)
October 26, 2021- Loren B. Thompson, Ph.D The U.S. Army is developing a family of long-range precision fires that will significantly expand its role in deterring Chinese aggression. Although China has traditionally been regarded as a problem for the Air Force and Navy, the Army’s future fires [Read More...] -
The Five Most Important Facts About F-35 Fighter Sustainment (From Forbes)
October 21, 2021- Loren B. Thompson, Ph.D The latest controversy to afflict the tri-service F-35 fighter program is concern that it might cost too much to operate. Operations and support, often called sustainment in military circles, is, in fact, a majority of the program’s life-cycle cost. However, [Read More...] -
Punishing India For Buying Russian Weapons Would Hurt America And Help China (From Forbes)
October 18, 2021- Loren B. Thompson, Ph.D The Biden administration will soon need to decide whether to sanction India for purchasing Russia’s S-400 air defense system. Doing so would be a big mistake. Washington has been working hard to build bridges to India, and now it needs [Read More...] -
Faster: Lockheed Martin CEO Signals Big Shift In Corporate Culture (From Forbes)
October 13, 2021- Loren B. Thompson, Ph.D Lockheed Martin Chairman & CEO James Taiclet has revealed a major change that is unfolding in his company’s corporate culture. The nation’s biggest defense contractor is moving to emulate the speed of innovation in the commercial digital world by embracing [Read More...] -
U.S. Defense Strategy Needs To Pay More Attention To Russia’s Rising Threat In Europe (From Forbes)
October 12, 2021- Loren B. Thompson, Ph.D America’s military has become obsessed with China–so much so that important challenges elsewhere are being neglected. Foremost among these is the gradual encroachment of Russia on its former satellites in Eastern Europe, a process that began with the annexation of [Read More...] -
Dwindling U.S. Merchant Fleet Is A Crisis Waiting To Happen (From Forbes)
October 8, 2021- Loren B. Thompson, Ph.D Pentagon plans for sealift in a future war assume the availability of commercial cargo vessels and mariners. The government’s organic fleet of five dozen dedicated transports is too small to sustain a protracted campaign, and would require private-sector mariners to [Read More...] -
Milley Testimony Highlights Why The President Is A Weak Link In U.S. Nuclear Plans (From Forbes)
October 1, 2021- Loren B. Thompson, Ph.D Joint Chiefs Chairman Mark Milley has found himself on the hot seat lately over a January 8 telephone conversation with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in which he sought to clarify U.S. nuclear launch procedures. On the one hand, Milley said [Read More...] -
Move To Replace F-35 Fighter Engine Probably Isn’t Affordable (From Forbes)
September 27, 2021- Loren B. Thompson, Ph.D The House Armed Services Committee is proposing replacement of the F-35 fighter’s engine with a more advanced powerplant beginning in 2027. Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall, himself an engineer, says he’s interested if the change is affordable. It probably isn’t. [Read More...] -
Building Burke Destroyers To 2030 (And Beyond) Is The Only Practical Way To Bolster Surface Fleet Firepower (From Forbes)
September 21, 2021- Loren B. Thompson, Ph.D The U.S. Navy has bold plans for increasing the number of warships in its surface fleet over the next 30 years. Unfortunately, a shift in emphasis from large combatants to small ones will likely decrease the fleet’s firepower even though [Read More...]