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.
Anduril and General Atomics will develop their Collaborative Combat Aircraft for the Air Force, beating out Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman, the service announced on April 24. But any of the non-selected companies can compete to actually manufacture the eventual design, the Air Force said.