National Harbor: A light-attack aircraft may yet find its way into the hands of U.S. aviators, but not with the service that some may have thought. Lockheed Martin and Hawker-Beechcraft are considering pitching its AT-6B light-attack counterinsurgency plane for the upcoming Navy-led Combat Dragon II program, according to sources familiar with the effort. The Navy… Keep reading →

National Harbor: Officials from the major defense and aerospace firms urged the government to fund new programs or to provide incentives to spur innovation that would allow them to keep design teams working. Translation: spend money on research projects or provide tax breaks for firms that spend their own money. That idea, presented by two… Keep reading →

National Harbor: Strong, sustained cooperation for future military investments is the only way NATO will survive the massive budget cuts being pushed through by many of its partner nations, a top alliance official said today. Cooperation between NATO nations on building and maintaining its arsenal is critical “because there is no other choice”, Gen Stephane… Keep reading →

National Harbor: Air Force Secretary Mike Donley pledged today to keep all three legs of America’s nuclear triad, arguing that the rise of new nuclear powers makes the air, sea and land legs even more important. “We must maintain the nuclear triad,” he said, drawing a tiny smattering of applause — the only spontaneous applause… Keep reading →