Loren B. Thompson

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Obama should sell F-22 Raptor to Japan

ARLINGTON, Va., June 12 (UPI) -- If there is one concept that the Obama administration's national-security team really likes, it's partnering. Obama stressed global partnering when he was running for president, the security agenda posted on the White House Web site cites it as a key goal, and it is one of five "strategic principles" underpinning the quadrennial defense review. There is even a deputy secretary in the Pentagon's reorganized policy shop assigned to "partnership strategy."

Thompson Files: DHS blows biosensor crisis

ARLINGTON, Va., June 8 (UPI) -- The recent outbreaks of swine flu arrived on American shores without warning. Fortunately, this biohazard proved less threatening than first thought. But what would have happened if this had been an extremely virulent form of influenza as happened in 1918? Or if the catastrophe was a biological weapon deployed by a terrorist? Without accurate and timely warning, an effective response is virtually impossible.

Pentagon big spenders can't see real crisis

ARLINGTON, Va., June 2 (UPI) -- Four months into his first -- and possibly only -- term of office, U.S. President Barack Obama is beginning to grasp the severity of the federal government's fiscal crisis.

Pentagon needs new electronic-war plan

ARLINGTON, Va., May 18 (UPI) -- It isn't easy to be nostalgic about the Cold War, but back then military planners had at least one advantage that they no longer enjoy today: Everybody agreed on what the big threats were. They originated mostly in Russia, and they were really, really serious. So serious, in fact, that the survival of civilization depended on dealing with them effectively.

Pentagon review ducks management challenge

ARLINGTON, Va., May 11 (UPI) -- The U.S. Congress has mandated that the Department of Defense must conduct a comprehensive review of military strategy and capabilities at the beginning of each new presidential term.

F-35 Joint Strike Fighter still good value for U.S.

ARLINGTON, Va., May 4 (UPI) -- When U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates "rebalanced" the Pentagon budget recently, he put the future of fighter aviation in the United States on the shoulders of the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter.

U.S. Air Force needs Boeing and Northrop Grumman air tankers

ARLINGTON, Va., April 28 (UPI) -- Without aerial refueling, the global reach of U.S. airpower would be severely limited. However, nearly 90 percent of the tankers in the current refueling fleet -- 453 planes -- are Eisenhower-era Boeing KC-135s that average 50 years of age.

Gates drops ball on U.S. Air Force needs

ARLINGTON, Va., April 21 (UPI) -- Gen. Norton Schwartz, the U.S. Air Force chief of staff, faced biting criticism from his service's senior leaders in a video teleconference last week.

U.S. needs more F-22 Raptors in a dangerous, unpredictable world

ARLINGTON, Va., April 14 (UPI) -- U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said the program changes he proposed last week reflected the need to "rebalance" the nation's military posture in light of recent operational experience. That is only half right. They also reflect the fact that 5 percent of the world's population -- the United States -- can no longer afford to sustain nearly 50 percent of global military outlays.

Air Force still trapped in air-tanker logjam

ARLINGTON, Va., April 7 (UPI) -- Ever since Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., the 2008 Republican presidential nominee, threw a monkey wrench into efforts to lease new aerial refueling tankers five years ago, the U.S. Air Force has been struggling to implement an alternate strategy.

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