Aerospace Group:

Business/Financial

Defense Industry Can Surge Capacity With Advance Planning And Investment, Officials Say

By Cal Biesecker

Thursday, September 22nd, 2022

SHARE:

Defense Industry Can Surge Capacity With Advance Planning And Investment, Officials Say

Frank St. John, chief operating officer of Lockheed Martin. Photo: Lockheed Martin

Amid concerns that large shipments of U.S. weapon systems and munitions to Ukraine are beginning to deplete Defense Department inventories, defense industry officials this week said that they can surge their capacity to build weapons more quickly with more advance planning and investments in long-lead materials. It typically takes 24 to 30 months to increase capacity but if DoD advances funding for long-lead materials it could get industry to surge capacity in 12 to 18 months, Frank St. John, chief…

Unmanned Systems

In Response To Flag Concerns, DoD Looks To Reduce Drone Prices, As Order for 30,000 Looms

The Pentagon is bargain shopping for Group 1 drones, as other countries, including Ukraine and China, have taken advantage of consumer electronics-level prices to bolster their stables. “In last spring’s […]

Pentagon

Amid Questions On Weapons Stockpiles, Caine Says U.S. Has ‘Sufficient’ Munitions For Iran Operation

Pentagon leaders on Wednesday sought to quell concerns over the rate at which the U.S. is employing critical munitions in its military strike campaign against Iran, with lawmakers also pressing […]

Congress

SASC Leaders Criticize Trump’s Defense Strategy, Press Colby On Policy Shifts

Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) leadership on Tuesday criticized the Trump administration’s new National Defense Strategy (NDS) and pressed the Pentagon’s top policy official to explain the document’s priorities. SASC […]

Congress

Wicker Wants Legislation On DoD’s Equity Investments In Minerals Supply Chain

Legislation regarding equity investments by the Defense Department in critical mineral supply chains is needed to strengthen the larger defense industrial base and demonstrate to the “free market” that the […]