Author Archives: Loren B. Thompson, Ph.D
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New Air Combat Training System Highlights Need To Speed Modernization of Ranges (From Forbes)
June 29, 2021- Loren B. Thompson, Ph.D The Navy and Air Force are acquiring a new air combat training system called the Tactical Combat Training System Increment II (TCTS II). It is a generational leap into the future enabled by digital technology. The new system substitutes synthetically [Read More...] -
Five Ways The Air Force’s F-35A Fighter Is Becoming More Affordable To Operate (From Forbes)
June 25, 2021- Loren B. Thompson, Ph.D There has been controversy of late about how much it costs to operate the F-35 fighter. You would never guess listening to coverage of this controversy that the most common variant of the fighter, the Air Force’s F-35A, is already [Read More...] -
How China Will Try To Unmask U.S. Submarines In The Western Pacific (From Forbes)
June 22, 2021- Loren B. Thompson, Ph.D Geography dictates that if China is to expand its military power, the direction at least initially will eastward–into the Pacific. However, any hopes Beijing may have of dominating the Western Pacific will come to naught until it finds a way [Read More...] -
Army Signals The Abrams Tank Is Here To Stay (From Forbes)
June 18, 2021- Loren B. Thompson, Ph.D The U.S. Army has designated the M1A2 Abrams main battle tank as an “enduring capability,” indicating that (1) it will remain central to the Army’s warfighting plans and (2) it is unlikely to replaced anytime soon. Thanks to the digital [Read More...] -
Why The Air Force’s Plan For Fighting China Could Make Nuclear War More Likely (From Forbes)
June 15, 2021- Loren B. Thompson, Ph.D The U.S. Air Force is planning to modernize its heavy bomber force by fielding a super-stealthy strike aircraft designated B-21 and equipping aged B-52 bombers with stealthy cruise missiles. Both aircraft will be capable of conducting nuclear and non-nuclear missions, [Read More...] -
Future Vertical Lift: Army Aviation’s Master Plan To Defeat China and Russia Without Breaking The Budget (From Forbes)
June 11, 2021- Loren B. Thompson, Ph.D The U.S. Army is leading a rotorcraft development program called Future Vertical Lift that aims to transform the way it conducts tactical air operations. Its immediate goal is to replace Cold War scout and assault helicopters with aircraft that are [Read More...] -
The Russian Submarine Threat In The Atlantic Is Growing, But A Low-Cost Solution Is Available (From Forbes)
June 8, 2021- Loren B. Thompson, Ph.D The Russian Navy has recently resumed large-scale submarine exercises in the North Atlantic after a long hiatus. The U.K.’s defense secretary says Russian subs are “circling Britain’s entire coastline.” Unfortunately, the maritime patrol aircraft of America’s European allies have declined [Read More...] -
The Good News About Boeing’s KC-46 Tanker (From Forbes)
June 4, 2021- Loren B. Thompson, Ph.D Boeing’s KC-46 tanker has been getting some bad press lately due to lengthy delays in fielding the next-generation aerial refueler. However, the only real showstopper is a remote vision system that airmen use from the cockpit to guide refueling booms [Read More...] -
When It Comes To Weapons, The Biden Administration’s Budget Is Just Like Trump’s (From Forbes)
June 1, 2021- Loren B. Thompson, Ph.D It you were expecting the Biden administration to propose a raft of changes in the weapons plans inherited from the Trump years, then you are in for a surprise. Biden’s weapons plans are nearly identical to those of the Trump [Read More...] -
First Look: Air Force 2022 Budget Is All About Technology, Much Of It Secret (From Forbes)
May 28, 2021- Loren B. Thompson, Ph.D The Air Force released its first budget request of the Biden years on May 28, and most of what’s interesting is in the R&D accounts. The service is spending many billions of dollars developing next-generation solutions to long-range strike, nuclear [Read More...]