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Opposition seems to be gaining momentum for the awarding of the U.S. Air Force (USAF) aerial tanker deal to Northrop Grumman/EADS instead of Boeing. Boeing and their supporters are planning to stop the deal and are protesting to Congress about unfair treatment.

The decision by U.S. Secretary of Defense, Robert Gates to make major alterations in various programs has been met by little opposition from Congress. However, this is just the beginning and the road ahead for Gates in Congress does not appear to be tension free.

Senior Pentagon officials as well as the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) are calling for more training to be provided for requirements writers, who are responsible for acquisitions. Requirements development has been perceived as a weak link of the DoD leading to cost and schedule overruns.

The new proposed draft regulations released by the U.S. White House could greatly help U.S. weapon makers and defense companies by easing export license requirements for many weapons and parts. However, the proposals still need to be passed by the U.S. Congress, which is a tough job.

A preliminary report from the U.S. Presidential Debt Commission has revealed that the efforts of Robert Gates, the U.S. Secretary of Defense to shield and protect major defense programs could be futile. Defense companies, at their end, are preparing to face even bigger budgetary cuts.

The new acquisition guidelines of the Pentagon are aimed at improving Pentagon program management, while at the same time, providing incentives for defense companies to lower new platform costs. However, the defense industry is worried that such changes will bring about a big reduction in the profit margins of companies.

The world's largest defense companies, including Lockheed Martin, Boeing and BAE Systems, are cutting jobs and reducing costs to cope with falling defense budgets in the U.S. and Europe. The move comes as the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) plans to launch new purchasing guidelines for defense companies on September 16, 2010.

U.S. defense companies hope Defense Secretary Robert Gates continues in office through 2011 to ensure Pentagon budgets remain high, at least in the short term. Industry experts believe Gates' cost-saving efforts would make billions of dollars available for weapons programs and are concerned that the Secretary's retirement will lead to massive spending cuts.

Robert Gates, the U.S. Secretary of Defense besides shutting down of the U.S. Joint Forces Command (JFCOM), two Pentagon information technology (IT) directorates and the Business Transformation Agency as well as terminating a large number of personnel is still planning to bring about further cuts in the defense sector. Some of the other cuts that Gates has proposed are highlighted.

Robert Gates, the U.S. Secretary of Defense has urged industry CEOs to work with him in bringing about efficiencies in the aerospace and defense (A&D) sector. The main reason for doing so is to help stop White House officials from further cutting the Pentagon budget.

The U.S. Defense Business Board has issued a warning to Pentagon asking them to make substantial efforts to help avoid a fiscal calamity that may arise and undertake further cuts in defense programs. Some of the other key recommendations made by the Board are highlighted.

Ashton Carter, the Pentagon acquisition chief has called leading U.S. industry executives as well as military acquisition officials for an acquisition summit to discuss changes in policy, process and work force in an attempt to reduce costs. The move is part of U.S. Secretary of Defense, Robert Gates plan to reduce $101.9 billion from the Pentagon's budget over the coming 5 years.

William Lynn, the U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense has said that one-third of the $101.9 billion that is to be reduced from the defense budget within 5 years will be through force structure and modernization accounts resulting in the axing of more weapons. All military services are being asked to reduce $2 billion from their fiscal 2012 budget, while every service is being asked to reduce another $1 billion.

The article discusses some of the different options that U.S. Secretary of Defense, Robert Gates has for an overhauling of the Pentagon, according to defense analysts. The main aim is to implement an ambitious plan of reducing costs and use the same to fund a modernization plan.

Robert Gates, the U.S. Secretary of Defense has stressed on plans for an overhauling of the U.S. military, which involves how it is organized, staffed and operated. The fiscal crisis and other pressures are bound to result in even further budgetary cuts, making the situation even more challenging for the defense sector.

Data from a report by the U.S. Defense Business Board (DBB) have revealed that the Department of Defense (DoD) lacks appropriate comprehensive and systemic collection, storage and retrieval systems for DoD-funded studies. Despite mandatory directives, few studies are submitted to Pentagon's Defense Technical Information Center (DTIC).

The U.S. administration under President Barack Obama has decided to scrap the two-year budgeting cycle being used earlier under Donald Rumsfeld, former Defense Secretary. The new strategy involves making quick decisions that enable strategic planning and detailed program decisions to be made simultaneously.

The U.S. Congress wants there to be changes in the Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR) so that it incorporates more long-term and more consistent force-structure recommendations. Congress also wants the National Security Strategy to come before the QDR.

Michael Vickers, assistant U.S. defense secretary for special operations, low-intensity conflict and interdependent capabilities has stressed on the need for a new stealth fighter by 2020. The 2014 Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR) will probably have to take a deep look at this aspect.

Defense analysts and lawmakers feel that the U.S. 2010 Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR) has a do-it-all strategy, which may ultimately be unaffordable. The main reason for this is the additional programs that the QDR contains such as perimeter security and peacekeeping that will require additional funding.

The 2011 US Pentagon budget request will have lesser cancellation of defense programs as compared to the 2010 budget. The main focus will be on programs regarding combat aircraft, unmanned surveillance planes and special operations gear.

Defense officials have said that the Pentagon plans to provide increased funding for electronic warfare (EW) tools and also establish an expert team to probe into enemy access to state-of-the-art electronics. The advantage that the U.S. appeared to have in the EW sector appears to be fast dwindling with developments by other countries.

The Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation (CAPE) report has revealed that a few weeks delay in the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program has resulted in substantial cost hikes and schedule slips. The F-35 program has achieved quite a few successes and not all failures.

Zachary Lemnois, the Pentagon's new director of defense research and engineering has said that greater emphasis needs to be placed on gaining a core understanding of system architectural trades. Research and development (R&D) is very critical and funding cuts normally occur in this sector.

The U.S. defense industry is showing renewed interest in the Pentagon's Operationally Responsive Space (ORS) efforts as the Department cancels fifty major weapons programs. Defense companies are redesigning business strategies to focus on the development of smaller, simpler payloads and more ORS work.

The article discusses the focus of U.S. aerospace firms, which is on upgrading existing satellites in the hope that demand from the Pentagon for such satellites will increase in the near future. The 2010 Pentagon defense budget is quite unclear with regards to new projects and also features no new space acquisition initiatives.

The article discusses the efforts that are on by the U.S. Net Assessment Cell to access the earth's rare materials, to help reduce the monopoly currently being exerted by China and provide the U.S. with a greater advantage. The importance of access to rare materials and its use as a form of ransom is highlighted.

Former officials and analysts say that business prospects look very good for U.S. aerospace companies that are manufacturing rotary-lift aircraft as compared to fixed-wing lifts, as the American military is operating in more austere environments that require the use of such lifts. The biggest problem in the fixed-wing lift sector currently is survivability.

The Pentagon and the U.S. military are pushing their focus towards acquiring more and more unmanned systems for its vertical lift aircraft. The main purpose behind this move is to free U.S. troops for combat and allow the aircraft to move easily into environments that are more hostile.

The Pentagon and senior officials have said that the White House and U.S. Army are closely examining the results of tests conducted in designing the revamped European missile defense plan. Five planned missile tests conducted during July 2008 have been studied and are debating whether to carry on with the missile shield proposal of the Bush administration.

The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) has revealed that while deciding on awarding of the KC-X tanker refueling contract, it will not take into account the recent findings by the World Trade Organization (WTO) regarding the receipt of illegal subsidies by Airbus. However, given the current economic and political climate, the DoD cannot ignore it.

China's monopoly of rare minerals has led to it's sharply increasing the price of these materials, which are necessary for high-tech commercial and military systems. In response, the Pentagon has begun assessing the origin and components that go into the development of such systems.

David Ahern and Zachary Lemnios, Pentagon's directors of portfolio systems acquisition and defense research and engineering, are working on the new acquisition guidance. However, industry officials are worried about possible extra costs that they may have to incur as a result of the new guidance.

The Pentagon acquisition chief, Ashton Carter has stressed on the need for senior Pentagon officials to weigh the implications on industry of various program decisions. Carter has also highlighted the need to protect key niche areas like stealth and space systems.

The article discusses the key aspects to be covered under the upcoming 2010 Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR). U.S. President Barack Obama is planning to bring about great reforms in the defense acquisition process and is depending on the U.S. Secretary of Defense, Robert Gates to bring this about.

The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) is looking at shifting the money being made available from existing weapons programs to new irregular warfare. The move is meant to enhance counterinsurgency capabilities by funding light intratheater cargo planes, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and countermine warfare systems.

The Pentagon in the U.S. is planning to send its 2011 budget-building guidance to the U.S. military services, despite the fact that the recommendations of the Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR) are still not ready. However, the Department of Defense (DoD) has said that plans will again be revised following the QDR.

The future of the U.S. military aircraft industrial base hangs in abeyance following no formal budgetary request being put forward by the new U.S. administration under President Barack Obama. However, many feel that the future is not as bleak as efforts are on for new projects, with a lot of design and development work already going on.

Marine Corps General James Cartwright, the vice-chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff has said that the U.S. military needs to prepare itself for engaging in hot and cold conflicts that may span over a period of 5-10 years. The Pentagon will be required to therefore adjust its force-sizing construct, which is its preparedness to fight two wars at once, and instead be prepared for several kinds of irregular warfare.

The White House National Security Adviser James Jones provided an indication of the foreign policy to be adopted by the U.S. President Barack Obama's administration, in his public address on May 27, 2009. He described the policy to be proactive, while also consulting with allies and former adversaries on issues including the nuclear potential of North Korea and Iran, and the situation in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

The US President Barack Obama signed the Weapons Systems Acquisition Reform Act, which is expected to reform the Pentagon's weapons-buying system. One of the main aims of this act is to put a stop to cost overruns and strengthen oversight and accountability by appointing officials to closely monitor the weapons being procured.

Robert Hale, the Pentagon Comptroller has revealed that the Spigot is starting to close, with defense spending under the new US administration under President Barack Obama beginning to slow down and level off. The total budget defense spending has doubled since 2001, and the current plan is only until 2010.

The U.S. Navy (USN) is increasing its focus on defending the nationEs cyber networks, even as the new U.S. administration under President Barack Obama is laying a lot of stress on U.S. cyber defenses. The Navy needs to work on cyber security as most of the world's Internet traffic is through undersea cables.

The Defense Secretary Robert Gates has toured military service universities to interact and brief uniformed personnel on his proposals in the Defense Budget 2010. Lawmakers are raising objections on programs that could be withdrawn and could affect jobs in their respective home states.

Republican representatives from Alabama, Sens Richard Shelby and Jeff Sessions have temporarily put a stop to the appointment of the new Pentagon acquisition chief Ashton Carter. This follows differences of opinion with the Pentagon over the tanker contract for the U.S. Air Force which would have repercussions on jobs in their home state.

The new administration under the U.S. President Barack Obama is pushing for lower procurement spending and is terminating several major programs in order to meet the 2010 spending objectives. The new administration is also working at reducing outsourcing, sole-source awards and cost-plus contracts, so that it can reduce cost overruns, fraud and oversight.

The U.S. Army is planning to delay or cancel the acquisition of the 27-ton vehicles, which were part of the Future Combat Systems. This follows indications by the White House and Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) of impending cutbacks due to the economic recession.

The plans by the administration of the U.S. President Barack Obama to fill up the pending Pentagon posts by 28th February, 2009 are going awry. The delay has taken place due to the need to find candidates suitable to both Obama and the retained former defense secretary Robert Gates, and also due to some candidates' problems with the ethics rules.

Questions are raised about the capability of Robert Gates, Defense Secretary in the outgoing Bush administration, to function effectively in the same post in the incoming Obama administration. Although he says his term is 'open-ended', it remains to be seen how he would revise his earlier positions on defense issues to suit the Obama administration's defense policy.