A new wooden walkway at the heart of Kandahar AB, Afghanistan, now features all the trappings of a stateside oceanside boardwalk, including fast food restaurants, a phone center, and gift shops. Stars and Stripes reports that the partially complete boardwalk is part of an improvement project begun by the base’s former commander, Lt. Col. Jim Hardy. Much of the base is in a near-complete status, as US and coalition forces continue a range of improvements, from the base’s runway—being lengthened and widened to accommodate a wider range of aircraft—to housing for US and NATO partner nation troops.
The emphasis on speed in the Pentagon’s newly unveiled slate of acquisition reforms may come with increased near-term cost increases, analysts say. But according to U.S. defense officials, the new weapons-buying construct provides the military with enough flexibility to prevent runaway budget overruns in major programs.
