Podcast: Industrial policy to counter China with Emily de la Bruyere
I was pleased to have Emily de la Bruyere join me on the Acquisition Talk podcast. She’s a co-founder of Horizon Advisory, a geopolitical consultancy, […]
Lockheed
The five big inventions of the SR-71
Here is a slice from the excellent Hermeus Podcast, with former Air Force pilot and general Robert Behler. He flew the SR-71 Blackbird, and provides […]
Can government programs move fast and take risks again? The Corona story.
There’s an excellent documentary called “The Corona Story – A Point in Time,” on the CIA’s Corona satellite reconnaissance program. It was was a truly […]
Defense primes have an advantage in OTAs due to a quirk in IRAD
I was tipped off recently that there’s a weird loophole in contractor independent research and development (IRAD) that gives them a significant advantage when it […]
Markets rewarded defense industry consolidation and exit well before the “last supper”
Of course defense companies start consolidating after World War II, and then again in the 1970s after the Vietnam War. Many observers see industrial consolidation […]
Podcast: Big questions in defense acquisition with Col. Bryon McClain
I was pleased to speak with Colonel Bryon McClain on the Acquisition Talk podcast to discuss the biggest questions facing the defense acquisition system. He […]
To stop industrial consolidation, DoD must look in the mirror
During the Trump administration, several high-powered defense-related mergers and acquisitions occured. L3 Technologies merged with Harris, United Technologies acquired Rockwell Collins and then merged with […]
Why the military accepts delivery of deficient systems
Here’s a quote from Henry Durham, a former production manager at Marietta George for Lockheed. He reported: When planes arrive at the flight line of […]
Defense industry financial performance during COVID-19, third quarter update
Government contractors were not immune to the economic disruption brought on by COVID-19. There are more than 50,000 contractors doing business directly with the Department […]