Author Archives: Rebecca L. Grant, Ph.D.
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Congress Should Move Forward On A New Bomber
June 19, 2009- Rebecca L. Grant, Ph.D. Issue Brief Picture this: a nuclear weapon in terrorist hands loose in the remote regions of Pakistan. How about a mobile missile deep in Iran with a nuclear warhead standing by? Or a space launch complex in some other nation, [Read More...] -
Will The Pentagon Remember To Defend American Skies?
May 22, 2009- Rebecca L. Grant, Ph.D. Issue Brief When the Pentagon “rebalanced” military aircraft programs on April 6, they forgot about buying new fighters to protect the United States. Remember the scare last month when the back-up Air Force One made low circles over New York [Read More...] -
E-2D and Maritime Security
May 22, 2009- Rebecca L. Grant, Ph.D. Research Study The greatest threats to Navy ships in the years ahead come from missile proliferation and submarines, but the best defense starts in the sky with the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye. “State actors and non-state actors who, in the past, [Read More...] -
F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Remains Good Value For America And Allies
May 1, 2009- Rebecca L. Grant, Ph.D. Issue Brief When Defense Secretary Robert Gates “rebalanced” the Pentagon budget recently he put the future of fighter aviation in America on the shoulders of the F-35. The US Navy will probably buy more F/A-18s and Congress may do right [Read More...] -
Air Force Prepared To End F-22 At 243 Aircraft, Not 187
April 9, 2009- Rebecca L. Grant, Ph.D. Issue Brief Secretary of Defense Robert Gates stated on April 6 that the Air Force advised him they wanted 187 F-22s, the reaction was shock. That’s because evidence indicates the Air Force was ready and willing to cap off production [Read More...] -
Cutting E-2D Navy Radar Plane Could Put Ships At Risk
February 26, 2009- Rebecca L. Grant, Ph.D. Issue Brief “Do you think those US Navy warships are out there on vacation?” one Saudi leader was said to have asked Iranian ruler Mahmoud Ahmadinejad during a recent crisis. Aircraft carriers and surface ships do a lot for US [Read More...] -
Global Deterrence: The Role of the F-22
February 6, 2009- Rebecca L. Grant, Ph.D. Research Study According to Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Michael Mullen, “It’s way past time to re-examine our strategic thinking about deterrence. ”Conventional deterrence is all about how to posture America’s air and naval forces, in particular, [Read More...] -
Navy Needs To Stick With Its Unmanned Combat Aircraft
January 23, 2009- Rebecca L. Grant, Ph.D. Issue Brief A few weeks ago in the California desert the Navy took the wraps off a weapon that could revolutionize war at sea. It’s the X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System (UCAS), a stealthy, unmanned plane as big as a [Read More...] -
Cargo Loaders In Future Air Mobility
November 7, 2008- Rebecca L. Grant, Ph.D. Research Study Cargo loaders are essential to air mobility at major US aerial ports and rugged overseas bases. C-130s, C-17s, giant C-5s and a wide range of contract airlifters from 747s to Russian Antonovs all share one thing in common. [Read More...] -
Technology Readiness for a New Long-Range Bomber
September 15, 2008- Rebecca L. Grant, Ph.D. Research Study A Joint Publication of Iris Independent Research and the Lexington Institute America has counted on bombers for tough missions for decades, but the bomber fleet will struggle to do its job as a capability void opens after 2015. [Read More...]