While reading “Conventional Contest” and “Missile Machinations” (AW&ST June 13, p. 34-35) ,it occurred to me that during the Cold War, Russia and the U.S. had missiles aimed at each other to establish a mutually assured destruction scenario. Modify that in regard to Iran and North Korea. Place about a half-dozen intercontinental ballistic missiles split between the two and inform them that they are in the crosshairs. We could then drop most of our ballistic missile defense development.
“Pitch for a Pardon” (AW&ST June 27, p. 35) again addresses Lockheed Martin F-35 variants. The Pentagon needs to face reality: Building three variants is an admirable technological tour de force but a monumental waste of money. The A and B versions should be scrapped in favor of the more-capable C. Who, outside of some theoretical think thank, needs a short-takeoff-and-vertical-landing aircraft that will be using traditional air bases for more than 99% of its missions? Look back to the U.S. Marines Corps' Harriers to see the future.
“Digital Deluge” (AW&ST May 23, p. 42) makes me wonder if we've become such a litigious culture that we are now hamstringing our defense. Gauging unintended damage due to cyberweapons is one thing, but to mire present and near-term responses to cyberattacks based on “legal obstacles” is criminal in my opinion. How would our effort to defeat Nazi Germany in World War II have been delayed or nullified if our leaders worried about the legalities of the strategic bombing campaign? Congress and the Pentagon need to put the legality of cyberwarfare into perspective.
Re: International Editor Robert Wall's Ares blog about the Nimrod retiring: AWACS notes: One ancient airframe replaced by another ancient airframe. Will U.K. defense planners/procurers never learn? DTI's Bill Sweetman responds: Pigs might fly. The R1, when it was new, was so secret that photos were not released . . . The Swedes took photos of Badgers, Blinders, Nimrods and RJs with equal-opportunity abandon.
The AW&ST article: “Udvar-Hazy to Boeing: Do Not Re-engine 737” drew a broad range of responses: From Len Hobbs: There is no verifiable data which support a conclusion that ANY new airframe would out-perform a re-engined 737—NONE! Udvar-Hazy is feathering his own nest, and has every right to try. However, his opinion on this subject is about as relevant as Donald Trump's. And 123xyz:
Kenneth R. Possenriede has been appointed VP-treasurer and Leo S. Mackay, Jr., VP-ethics and business conduct of the Lockheed Martin Corp., Bethesda, Md. Possenriede succeeds John McCarthy, who has retired. Mackay succeeds Alice M. Eldridge, who has been named VP-associate general counsel for enterprise legal initiatives. Possenriede was head of financial activities for the company's Electronic Systems and Space Systems. Mackay was VP-corporate business development.
Gary J. Vroman has been named executive VP for High Performance Forgings and Castings at ATI Ladish of Pittsburgh. He was president/CEO of Ladish before it was acquired in May by Allegheny Technologies Inc.
John T. Shelander (see photo) has become senior business development manager of Nortech Systems' Aerospace Systems operations in Blue Earth, Minn. He was a sales and marketing executive with Logix Engineering, Advantek Inc., Agere Systems and the Lockheed Martin Corp.
Janine Nyre has been named VP of the Northrop Grumman Corp.'s Radio Frequency Combat and Information Systems, Rolling Meadows, Ill. She was director of radar warning receiver programs.
Charles Hughes (see photo) has become business development and strategy director of U.K.-based Marshall Aerospace. He came from Cobham plc and had worked at Rolls-Royce Military Aerospace.
Greg Potter has been appointed Los Angeles-based Western U.S. marketing manager for Universal Avionics, Tucson, Ariz. He has held sales positions at Hughes Helicopters, Goodyear Aerospace and Rockwell Collins. Potter also is president of the Southern California Chapter of the Professional Aviation Maintenance Association.
Tony Lefebvre has been named senior vice president/chief operating officer of Spirit Airlines. He was senior VP-airports, customer service and inflight. Lefebvre succeeds Kenneth McKenzie, who has joined Airbus North America.
Francis Lee (see photo) has become general manager of Dallas Airmotive's regional turbine center in Singapore. He was general manager of Rolls-Royce's turbine center there and had worked in engine maintenance repair and overhaul for the Hawker-Siddeley Group.
Thomas J. Masiello is among seven USAF brigadier generals who have been selected for promotion to major general. He is director of special programs for the undersecretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics at the Pentagon. Others are: Earl D. Matthews, director of command, control, communications and computer systems at U.S. Transportation Command Headquarters, Scott AFB, Ill.; Robert P. Otto, director of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities under the deputy chief of staff for ISR at USAF Headquarters at the Pentagon; John W.
John H. “Jay” Gibson, 2nd (see photo), has been appointed VP-special missions for the Hawker Beechcraft Corp. of Wichita. He was VP-finance and contracts for government business organization and is a former assistant Air Force secretary for financial management.
Jerry “Bart” Graham has become Huntsville, Ala.-based executive director of advanced programs in the business development department of Aerojet. He had worked for the Miltec Corp. and NASA Marshall Space Flight Center.
U.S. Army Lt. Gen. (ret.) Jeffrey Sorenson has been appointed vice president/partner within the Washington-based A.T. Kearney's Public Sector, Aerospace and Defense (A&D) Practice. His final Army assignment was as chief information officer.
John Obermeier (see photo) has become program director in the geospatial intelligence group of TASC Inc., Chantilly, Va. He was with the U.S. National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency.
Jonathan Walker has been appointed sales estimator for Comlux Aviation Services of Indianapolis. He was a materials buyer for Applied Composites Engineering and had been a planner/buyer for Bombardier Aerospace.
Pat Kenna has been named director of internal evaluation for JetFlite International, Long Beach, Calif. He was president of Elsinore Aircraft Services and Martin Aviation and has been a regional VP for Signature Flight Support.
Matthew Wright has been appointed general manager at Landmark Aviation's Scottsdale, Ariz., fixed base operation and maintenance, repair and overhaul facility. He was general manager of Atlantic Aviation.
Avionics supplier Rockwell Collins consistently registers one of the highest rates of internal R&D investment in the A&D industry. But CEO Clay Jones, a former U.S. Air Force fighter pilot, answers emphatically in the negative when asked if defense contractors should pony up more of their own money for cutting-edge research to offset declines in government funding. “There is no argument to be made in this environment for pure company-funded R&D to sell into military markets,” he says.
