Defense

  • The U.S. Air Force will award a contract for a long-range strike bomber this year. That contract could completely change the landscape of the aerospace industry, according to Richard Aboulafia. He's vice president of analysis at the Teal Group Corporation. On In Depth with Francis Rose, he said if there's only one thing to pay attention to in the aerospace industry this year, this contract is it.

    March 12, 2015
  • Maj. Gen. Garrett Harencak, the Air Force's Assistant Chief of Staff for Strategic Deterrence and Nuclear Integration, balances work to fulfill President Obama's vision with the need to keep U.S. nuclear capabilities viable. "As long as nuclear weapons exist, we'll maintain a safe, secure and effective stockpile for us and our allies," he tells Federal News Radio's Agency of the Month radio show.

    March 12, 2015
  • Cuts to service contracts are part of an Army-wide push to use soldiers and civilians for jobs that had been outsourced by necessity during wartime, officials said Wednesday.

    March 12, 2015
  • Trying to predict the future isn't the best way to prepare for future threats. Instead the Defense Department should focus on becoming a master at responding to new and unforeseen challenges. That's according to retired Air Force Lt. Col. Dan Ward, the author of "FIRE: How Fast, Inexpensive, Restrained, and Elegant Methods Ignite Innovation." On In Depth with Francis Rose, he offered ways to speed up DoD's acquisition response time and innovation.

    March 11, 2015
  • Military contractor requirements seem simple enough: Get the right material to the right location on time. Some contractors are better at it than others. It's true that you get what you measure, which is why the military branches have the Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System (CPARS). They use it to create an incentive program to spur on suppliers. Bobby Smart, the Air Force's deputy assistant secretary for Acquisition Integration, joined the Federal Drive with Tom Temin to explain how the system works.

    March 11, 2015
  • The military already has shown it can improve services on bases through public-private partnerships. As budgets shrink, the next task is to partner with local governments.

    March 11, 2015
  • Dave Gwyn and Chris Howard, vice presidents of Federal sales at Nutanix, join host John Gilroy to discuss how their company can help your agency move to cloud and consolidate its data. March 10, 2015

    March 10, 2015
  • Terry Halvorsen, a former Navy CIO, assumed the role of permanent CIO on Sunday, according to a Pentagon spokesperson.

    March 09, 2015
  • After two years of operating under sequestration level funding, the Army now faces a $3 billion maintenance backlog and 5,500 work orders, said Katherine Hammack, assistant secretary of the Army for installations, energy and environment.

    March 05, 2015
  • Air Force Deputy Assistant Secretary for Energy Roberto Guerrero cites new efficiencies, public/private partnerships as keys to reduced energy use.

    March 05, 2015
  • Troubled by a lack of women and minorities at the Air Force's higher levels, its leaders are rolling out nine initiatives focusing on recruitment, promotions and retention. "This is not just about how we look. It's about our readiness and capabilities today and in the future," Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James said.

    March 04, 2015
  • The Defense Department will close 15 sites in Europe over the next two years. The Department expects the European Infrastructure Consolidation to save $500 million a year. Katherine Hammack is assistant secretary of the Army for Installations, Energy and Environment. On In Depth with Francis Rose, she shared the details on this and DoD's other cost-saving plans.

    March 04, 2015
  • The list of recommendations to change DoD's benefits system from the Military Compensation and Retirement Modernization Commission have been getting their first hearings on Capitol Hill over the last few weeks. That list details a new healthcare system and a hybrid retirement plan for the four out of five troops who don't serve at least 20 years. The panel's ideas haven't sparked an open revolt in Congress so far, but some outside groups are warning that some of the changes might do more harm than good. Retired Navy Vice Adm. Norb Ryan is president of the Military Officers Association of America. MOAA's doing its own analysis of the recommendations, and shared some ways they could hurt retention with Federal News Radio's Jared Serbu on In Depth with Francis Rose.

    March 02, 2015
  • Cyber challenges are more prevalent than ever. That's driving the need for more people with the professional skills necessary to prevent and mitigate attacks. To that end, the Army Reserve has launched a new partnership to build its network of cyber warriors. The program is designed to train soldiers in cyber warfare — for both the Reserve and private sector employers. Lt. Col. Scott Nelson is the Army Reserve's Cyber P3 Program Manager. He joined the Federal Drive with Tom Temin with more on how it all works.

    February 26, 2015

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Each week, Defense Reporter Jared Serbu speaks with the managers of the federal government's largest department. Subscribe on PodcastOne or Apple Podcasts.