Author Archives: Loren B. Thompson, Ph.D
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JDAM: How Boeing’s Low-Cost Smart Bomb Revolutionized Strike Warfare (From Forbes)
August 29, 2018- Loren B. Thompson, Ph.D This year marks the 20th anniversary of the day in 1998 when Boeing delivered the first production model of the GPS-guided Joint Direct Attack Munition to the U.S. Air Force. JDAM has transformed strike warfare by enabling pilots to hit [Read More...] -
Ten Ways A Space Force Will Make America Weaker (From Forbes)
August 27, 2018- Loren B. Thompson, Ph.D The Trump administration has proposed that a Space Force “separate but equal” from the Air Force be established. This idea is widely opposed in the Pentagon and would likely waste billions of dollars while making the joint force weaker. Among [Read More...] -
Lockheed Martin Appointment Signals F-35 Fighter Transition From Development To Production Maturity (From Forbes)
August 22, 2018- Loren B. Thompson, Ph.D Lockheed Martin disclosed today that its board has approved the promotion of Michele Evans, 53, to lead the company’s Aeronautics unit effective October 1. Evans will thus oversee the transition from development to production maturity of the Pentagon’s biggest weapons [Read More...] -
Faster: What U.S. Air Force Modernization Would Look Like Without Space (From Forbes)
August 21, 2018- Loren B. Thompson, Ph.D If President Trump succeeds in creating a Space Force “separate but equal” from the Air Force, the latter service will lose its satellites, its ballistic missiles and many of its networks. It will be mainly about “things with wings.” But [Read More...] -
A “Space Force” Will Make The F-35 Fighter Indispensable To Air Force Relevance (From Forbes)
August 17, 2018- Loren B. Thompson, Ph.D The Pentagon’s new Space Force will be largely carved out of the Air Force, leaving the latter service much diminished. The Air Force won’t just lose its satellites, it will probably lose its ICBMs, its most valued networks, and a [Read More...] -
Competition In Rocket Motors At Risk As Northrop Absorbs Orbital (From Forbes)
August 14, 2018- Loren B. Thompson, Ph.D Northrop Grumman’s acquisition of Orbital ATK is raising doubts about the future of competition in the market for large solid rocket motors. The Federal Trade Commission has conditioned approval of the transaction on implementation of measures aimed at protecting Northrop’s [Read More...] -
U.S. Navy Boosts Submarine Plans As Tensions With Russia And China Worsen (From Forbes)
August 9, 2018- Loren B. Thompson, Ph.D The Navy’s Virginia class of attack submarines is one of the Pentagon’s most successful weapons programs. It consistently delivers the world’s most capable multi-role submarines on time and on budget. But the Navy doesn’t have enough attack subs, and that [Read More...] -
Why Marine Aviation Is Leaping Into The Future And Army Aviation Isn’t (From Forbes)
August 6, 2018- Loren B. Thompson, Ph.D Over the last two decades, the U.S. Marine Corps has transformed its aviation arm. The U.S. Army has not; instead, it has upgraded helicopters that debuted during the Cold War. Efforts to introduce new Army combat helicopters have failed. Now [Read More...] -
Navy’s Aegis Combat System Takes Center Stage As Missile Threats Proliferate (From Forbes)
August 2, 2018- Loren B. Thompson, Ph.D The U.S. Navy’s Aegis combat system is the most advanced air and missile defense architecture in the world. It is also the most survivable, given the fact that it is mobile at sea rather than sitting at a fixed site [Read More...] -
How The Air Force Could Become The Biggest Threat To The F-35 Fighter’s Success (From Forbes)
July 19, 2018- Loren B. Thompson, Ph.D The tri-service F-35 fighter is turning into a great success, not just for America’s military but for nearly a dozen allies. What could go wrong? The biggest danger is that the U.S. Air Force will be distracted just as two [Read More...]