Research Center

Archive 2009

The Unseen Cost: Industrial Base Consequences of Defense Strategy Choices

Since World War II, the U.S. defense industrial base has been a critical part of America’s economic and military elements of power. The Department of Defense (DoD), however, has traditionally made decisions on its strategic postures — what kind of wars to prepare for and how to prepare for them — with the belief that the defense industry would be able to support whatever course DoD set. This belief is no longer valid. A significant gap has developed between DoD’s view of industry as an always-ready supplier of military capabilities and how industry actually makes decisions on what capabilities to offer. And that gap is widening. Publication Date: July 2009

Modernizing Defense Logistics

The initiative to modernize Defense logistics has high payoff potential for the new Administration.  They can produce significant savings though accelerating more efficient government practices and processes. Publication Date: July 2009

Aerospace Industry Guidelines for Implementing Interoperability Standards for Engineering Data

The purpose of this document is to provide strategic and tactical guidance for the adoption by industry of a common standard-based information backbone. This will enable interoperability for product definition data across the aerospace industry and throughout the product life cycle. It is for use by acquirers and suppliers at all tiers in support of engineering data interoperability. The general principles and processes outlined in these guidelines are applicable to any engineering data interoperability solution. The use of a common backbone creates advantages for all stakeholders throughout the supply chain, from design and production to consumption and operation. Adopting standards-based data exchanges to create interoperability of engineering data reduces the cost, risk, complexity and increases the speed of working with suppliers and partners at any level. Publication Date: February 2009

The Role of Space in Addressing America's National Priorities

This report underscores how deeply space plays a role in the everyday lives of our citizens and how space has become a vital part of both our economy and national security. While the United States still enjoys a leadership position in spaceflight, satellite services and national security space operations, that lead is perishable. Our nation has many areas of international cooperation in space ventures, but we also have credible competitors with the vision and resources to equal or even supplant our dominance — a situation that would adversely affect both our economy and national security. In a very real sense the "space race" is far from over: We might not be racing, but our global competitors certainly are. Publication Date: January 2009