CSBA in the News

In mid June, the U.S. Naval War College hosted its 66th annual Current Strategy Forum in Newport, Rhode Island. The College billed the event under the general title, “Strategy and Maritime Power in a Contested Environment,” but the main focus was China.

WASHINGTON — Over the past quarter century, precision guided munitions (PGMs) such as laser-guided bombs and cruise missiles have become the weapons of choice for the US military, providing a high degree of accuracy while avoiding widespread collateral damage.

WASHINGTON — As the US House and Senate prepare to reconcile differences in their defense authorization bills, the acquisition community is closely watching how the two branches settle on acquisition reform language.

Speakers at this week’s defense acquisition reform forum hosted by the Arlington-based Lexington Institute emphasized that the Department of Defense needs to become a better buyer, making room for innovation in the acquisition process.

The U.S. military will need to change the mix of standoff and direct-attack precision weapons if it is to maintain affordable superiority in strike warfare, analysts said.

Washington’s gotten used to war on easy mode. Policymakers may debate the strategic value of air campaigns in places like Syria, Iraq, and Yemen, but they assume the smart bombs will hit their targets. One bomb, one target, one boom.