Tag: Defense Contracts

Eager for Arms Deal, Taiwan Stresses Need for U.S. Support

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President Lai Ching-te of Taiwan said on Sunday that weapons sales from the United States remained a crucial element for maintaining peace and stability in the region, comments made after President Trump suggested a multibillion dollar weapons deal with the island could be used as a “negotiating chip” with China. Mr. Lai made a point to thank Mr. Trump for his support since his first term as president, including “a sustained increased in the scale and value of arms sales to Taiwan, assisting us in strengthening our self-defense capabilities.” Continued…

Iran War Has Drained U.S. Supplies of Critical, Costly Weapons

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Since the Iran war began in late February, the United States has burned through around 1,100 of its long-range stealth cruise missiles built for a war with China, close to the total number remaining in the U.S. stockpile. The military has fired off more than 1,000 Tomahawk cruise missiles, roughly 10 times the number it currently buys each year. The Pentagon used more than 1,200 Patriot interceptor missiles in the war, at more than $4 million a pop, and more than 1,000 Precision Strike and ATACMS ground-based missiles, leaving inventories…

America Can’t Make What the Military Needs

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In 2020 the Navy had a simple plan to build its next fleet of small warships, the Constellation class: take a European design and build it in America.In 2020 the Navy had asimple plan to build itsnext fleet of small warships,the Constellation class:buy a European design andbuild it in America. Opinion The Editorial Board make what the Military needs By The Editorial BoardThe editorial board is a group of opinion journalists whose views are informed by expertise, research, debate and certain longstanding values. It is separate from the newsroom. At…

What Are the Risks of A.I. Drones and Weapons?

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Swarms of killer drones are likely to soon be a standard feature of battlefields around the world. That has ignited debate over how or whether to regulate their use and spurred concerns about the prospect of eventually turning life-or-death decisions over to artificial intelligence programs. Here is an overview of how the technology has evolved, what types of weapons are being developed and how the debate is unfolding. How new are these weapons? Eventually, artificial intelligence should allow weapons systems to make their own decisions about selecting certain kinds of…

Israel-Hamas War Adds to Surge in Global Weapons Sales

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Just days after the assault by Hamas ignited a new war in the Middle East, shipments of American weapons began arriving in Israel: smart bombs, ammunition and interceptors for the Iron Dome missile-defense system. When President Biden meets in Israel on Wednesday with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, more military aid is a likely topic. The conflict between Israel and Hamas is just the latest impetus behind a boom in international arms sales that is bolstering profits and weapons-making capacity among American suppliers. The surge in sales is providing the Biden…

Pentagon Vows to Move Quickly to Buy More Drones, Citing China Threat

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The Pentagon announced on Monday that it would buy thousands of unmanned drones and other autonomous devices over the next two years, adding that it had been far too slow to embrace new technology that is “small, smart, cheap” and that could bolster the U.S. military as it prepares for possible future conflict with China. The commitment came from Kathleen Hicks, the deputy defense secretary. She said in a speech at a gathering of military contractors that the Pentagon would soon change how it buys the kind of autonomous devices…