The Defense Science Board has released a report that predicts what the nation’s strategic strike capabilities will look like years down the road. The Verdict? We’ve got homework to do. The report’s task force found “numerous areas of concern,” including DOD’s basic lack of direction for developing next generation strike systems. Exploration of new concepts and technologies in the far term is “inadequate,” states the DSB report. It also highlights the difficulty experienced by the military and industry in attracting and retaining the science and engineering graduates they need. The wide-ranging report also questions the industrial capability to design replacement ICBM systems, since business opportunities for the defense industry lie in other areas such as conventional warfare and space systems.
The Pentagon agency charged with building and operating U.S. spy satellites recently declassified some details about a Cold War-era surveillance program called Jumpseat—a revelation it says sheds light on the importance of satellite imaging technology and how it has advanced in the decades since.
