How political competition benefits procurement
This article asks if low political competition is associated with more restricted public procurement processes. Using unique Swedish municipal data from 2009 to 2015, it […]
Blog Posts
Palantir proves high barriers to entry in defense
“What I figured out soon after I started,” recalls Philippone, “was that when it comes to procurement, there are two sovereigns at the Pentagon: the […]
The issue of centralized control in defense budgeting
In assessing change many observers are inclined to stress the more dramatic shifts in policy or even the stated goals of policy. They are perhaps […]
Can the F-35 really achieve a 15-to-1 kill ratio?
… the U.S. Air Force F-35A Lightning II, who had just been declared IOC (Initial Operational Capable) achieved a resounding score in mock aerial engagements against […]
Improving system resilience through falsification
In a previous post, I discussed system resilience and its relationship to risk. Here, I want to provide a way of building systems that are […]
What are they not telling us about Navy experimental exercises?
The Navy and Marine Corps are continuing a series of exercises to understand what technologies and tactics the services need to rapidly develop to fight […]
Acquisition Headlines
“American global defense company Northrop Grumman has been granted a patent for a composite 3D printing process and device.” “A federal judge delayed a lawsuit […]
Can Israeli defense management help guide the U.S.?
For the Pentagon, developing and deploying a major new system like this can take more than a decade. By contrast, the Israel Defense Ministry gave […]
Spoon-feeding the military: how industry wins contracts
Here are some good quotes about how defense firms marketed programs to the DOD in the 1960s: For, as one representative remarked, “… the day […]
Lockheed’s F-21 looks like a good hedge
Lockheed Martin has just unveiled the new jet the giant U.S. defense company is offering India in response to the Indian Air Force’s RFI (Request […]
Resilience bleg
A few weeks ago I was invited to speak at a National Security Strategy Retreat on a panel about cronyism. That prompted several blog posts […]
Resilience, the other side of risk
We all want our systems to exhibit resiliency, whether they are organizations, airplanes, or our human bodies. Here’s a good definition of resilience: … the […]
Is requirements stability the problem?
Question: We all know that what drives our cost estimates is not better CERs, or better data bases, or better mathematics, or better communications. In my […]
GAO produces 18 reports on F-35 between 2001-2018
The GAO says it produced 18 reports specifically on the F-35 between 2001 and 2018. Here’s an excerpt from the first: Although the Joint Strike Fighter […]
Acquisition Headlines
Good sentences on acquisition: “Maintaining America’s military advantage is not just about acquiring the latest technology. It is about the people, organizations, and cultures that […]