Author Archives: Loren B. Thompson, Ph.D
-
Two Biden-Era Flashpoints Where the F-35 Fighter Could Prove Decisive (From Forbes)
March 12, 2021- Loren B. Thompson, Ph.D Two future warfighting scenarios dominate Pentagon planning. One is a Russian invasion of Eastern Europe. The other is a Chinese occupation of Taiwan. The F-35 fighter would likely provide a margin of victory for the U.S. in repulsing either move, [Read More...] -
Biden’s Supply Chain Worries Signal A Looming Crisis In U.S. Security (From Forbes)
March 9, 2021- Loren B. Thompson, Ph.D President Biden’s February 24 executive order directing an assessment of supply chain vulnerabilities is similar to previous such directives issued by President Trump. When presidents hailing from different parties issue similar orders on a policy matter, it signals the emergence [Read More...] -
Loren Thompson TV Interview On Supply Chain Vulnerabilities (From Government Matters)
March 8, 2021- Loren B. Thompson, Ph.D On March 8, WJLA 24/7 News aired an interview on its Government Matters program with Lexington Institute’s Loren Thompson concerning supply chain vulnerabilities in the U.S. industrial base. He was interviewed by Marjorie Censer of InsideDefense. Here is a link [Read More...] -
Ten Reasons Nearly Nothing Can Stop The F-35 Stealth Fighter (From National Interest)
March 4, 2021- Loren B. Thompson, Ph.D Although over 600 F-35 fighters have been delivered to three U.S. military services and allied forces around the world, some people remain skeptical about the program’s success. However, signs of success are everywhere. It is the most survivable, versatile and [Read More...] -
How The Biden Administration Can Save A Bundle Building Warships–Without Giving Up Anything (From Forbes)
March 1, 2021- Loren B. Thompson, Ph.D The U.S. Navy’s shipbuilding plan is facing stormy seas during the Biden years. With the federal budget trillions of dollars out of balance, it’s hard to see how the Navy can grow to the size needed to counter Chinese military [Read More...] -
No Way Out: Why Nuclear Modernization Is Necessary (In Six Slides) (From Forbes)
February 24, 2021- Loren B. Thompson, Ph.D Last week I participated in an online panel about nuclear modernization. My presentation focused on six slides that summarize why the U.S. has no choice but to modernize its triad of nuclear weapons. The argument comes down to this: (1) [Read More...] -
Bloomberg Assails NASA Space Launch System With Misconceptions And Faulty Logic (From Forbes)
February 22, 2021- Loren B. Thompson, Ph.D The editorial board at Bloomberg News published a critique of NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) last week that was full of questionable assertions and as a result came to erroneous conclusions. It complained about schedule delays and cost increases when [Read More...] -
Geospatial Intelligence Could Offer Blueprint For Protecting National Security Through Technological Leadership (From C4ISRNET)
February 22, 2021- Loren B. Thompson, Ph.D Geospatial intelligence–mainly imagery generated from satellites–is uniquely useful to a wide range of users. However, after years of leading the world in GEOINT technology, the United States has begun to fall behind. The good news is that this problem can [Read More...] -
China Sanctions Could Complicate Reengining Of B-52 Bomber (From Forbes)
February 19, 2021- Loren B. Thompson, Ph.D The Air Force plans to upgrade its venerable B-52 bombers for 30 more years of service. The most challenging facet of the upgrades is installing more fuel-efficient and reliable turbofan engines. Each plane has eight engines. The service has four [Read More...] -
Five Issues Washington Should Consider In Reviewing A Lockheed-Aerojet Merger (From Forbes)
February 16, 2021- Loren B. Thompson, Ph.D Lockheed Martin wants to acquire Aerojet Rocketdyne, one of only two major producers of rocket engines in the U.S. The government approved a similar merger of Northrop Grumman and Orbital ATK three years ago, so it’s hard to see what [Read More...]