Author Archives: Loren B. Thompson, Ph.D
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$22B Navy Contract Highlights Why GD’s Electric Boat Is One Of The Most Valuable Franchises In U.S. Defense (From Forbes)
December 6, 2019- Loren B. Thompson, Ph.D The Electric Boat unit of General Dynamics has received a $22 billion contract from the Navy to build the next nine Virginia-class attack submarines. EB, as it is called, will share the work with Huntington Ingalls Industries. However, Electric Boat [Read More...] -
U.S. Navy Plans To Stop Buying P-8 Poseidon Sub Hunters Despite Growing Undersea Threat (From Forbes)
December 2, 2019- Loren B. Thompson, Ph.D The P-8 Poseidon is the U.S. Navy’s only long-range aircraft for conducting anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare. The Navy says its has a validated warfighting requirement for 138 of the aircraft, but apparently it will fund no additional Poseidons beyond the [Read More...] -
Jones Act Oil Rig Legislation Is Latest Controversy For Struggling Commercial Shipbuilders (From Forbes)
November 22, 2019- Loren B. Thompson, Ph.D Over the last four decades, America has gone from being the biggest builder of commercial ships used in conducting international trade to producing no such ships at all. Only 1% of oceangoing container ships and tankers are now built in [Read More...] -
Air Force Plan To Sole-Source Future ICBM Raises Fairness, Process Concerns (From Forbes)
November 20, 2019- Loren B. Thompson, Ph.D The Air Force is apparently moving to award its $85 billion replacement program for the Minuteman ICBM to Northrop Grumman. Boeing, the other offeror in what was supposed to be a competition, withdrew alleging that the deck had been stacked [Read More...] -
Should Washington Sell The B-21 Bomber To Australia? (From Forbes)
November 15, 2019- Loren B. Thompson, Ph.D The U.S. Air Force is developing the most advanced long-range strike aircraft in history, and a recent assessment published by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute suggested that Australia should buy it. Washington in the past has not offered long-range bombers [Read More...] -
Once It Gets Green Light From FAA, Boeing Still Faces Complicated Task To Get 737 MAXs Off The Ground (From Forbes)
November 12, 2019- Loren B. Thompson, Ph.D The crisis facing Boeing’s 737 MAX jetliner is gradually wending its way to resolution. Sometime in the first quarter of 2020, the plane will again be flying commercial routes. But even when all of the regulatory approvals are in hand, [Read More...] -
Ten Things We Know For Sure About The Air Force’s Secret B-21 Bomber (From Forbes)
November 8, 2019- Loren B. Thompson, Ph.D The Air Force is developing a secret bomber designated the B-21 Raider that is pivotal to the future success of U.S. strategy in the Pacific. Many of the details about the bomber’s cost and design are not publicly available. However, [Read More...] -
Probability Of A Full-Year Continuing Resolution Is Rising, Endangering Pentagon Spending Plans (From Forbes)
November 5, 2019- Loren B. Thompson, Ph.D Congress begins almost every fiscal year with a Continuing Resolution to extend prior-year funding levels, because it hasn’t completed work on a new annual budget. This year, there’s a danger it never will. Concern is growing on Capitol Hill that [Read More...] -
If President Trump Isn’t Reelected, What Will That Mean For The Military? (From Forbes)
October 31, 2019- Loren B. Thompson, Ph.D President Trump isn’t likely to be removed from office through the impeachment process, but he could fail in his reelection bid if there is an economic recession. In such a scenario, leading to the seating of a chief executive from [Read More...] -
Pentagon And Lockheed Martin Agree To Big Cost Reduction On F-35 Fighters (From Forbes)
October 30, 2019- Loren B. Thompson, Ph.D The Department of Defense this week disclosed an agreement with F-35 fighter prime contractor Lockheed Martin that will reduce the average production cost of each fighter by 12.7% across three production lots. The tri-service, multirole fighter that is also being [Read More...]