Army officials are considering airdrops of Strykers or similar combat vehicles in austere locations as part of an initiative to boost the service's edge in expeditionary operations, according to a Training and Doctrine Command official.824 words

A draft Army concept produced by Training and Doctrine Command chief Gen. Robert Cone backs a number of key reorganization initiatives, increasing the odds of these changes actually taking place even as senior service leaders have yet to publicly endorse them.526 words

Army Training and Doctrine Command officials are drafting a capabilities development document to be delivered in fiscal year 2014 that will guide the future of the Army's Airborne Reconnaissance Low fleet of aircraft, according to a previously undisclosed report to Congress.1081 words

The Army announced last week that the Joint Tactical Radio System program had been officially closed and that the new Joint Tactical Networking Center was open for business.505 words

As Vice President Joe Biden and a host of Defense Department acquisition officials gathered at the Pentagon last week to celebrate the official end of Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle production, questions continued to swirl around whether the $45 billion spent on the vehicles was truly worth it.1239 words

Defense Department officials gathered at the Pentagon last week to mark the "end of an era" for the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle and honor those who found a way to rapidly acquire it despite the DOD's often inefficient procurement system.858 words

A Government Accountability Office report issued last week finds that "improved and expanded use" of strategic sourcing "could save billions in annual procurement costs." The report -- dated Sept. 20 -- states that GAO reviewed strategic sourcing efforts at four agencies -- the Defense, Homeland Security, Veterans Affairs and Energy departments -- "that were among the 10 agencies with the highest fiscal year 2011 procurement obligations." Meanwhile, strategic sourcing savings at DOD may be under-reported because initiatives are not uniformly tracked, the report states.83 words

Amid allegations that the Army is shunning a Palantir Technologies' software for tracking improvised explosive devices in favor or its own system, the service announced it plans to spend $19 million on Palantir core central processing unit service licenses, field service representatives support and server hardware, according to an Oct. 4 Defense Department contract announcement.465 words

The Army received white papers from 10 vendors with possible solutions for a Lethal Miniature Aerial Munition System in response to an Aug. 15 request for information, according to a service spokesman.369 words

With an eye toward some soul-searching about the Army's post-Afghanistan role, Army Chief of Staff Gen. Raymond Odierno created his own Strategic Studies Group over the summer to help generate what the panel's website promises will be "unconventional" and "revolutionary" ideas.246 words

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency last week launched its Fast Adaptable Next-Generation Ground Vehicle competition in the hopes of discovering new ways to compress development timelines and contain the costs of a Pentagon acquisition system that has spiraled out of control, according to the DARPA official in charge.972 words

Contractor General Dynamics C4 Systems has won another $346 million in Warfighter Information Network Tactical system funding, according to an Oct. 4 company announcement.486 words

The Army failed to implement procedures ensuring accountability in the transfer and replacement of $5.8 billion worth of Army Reserve component equipment, a Defense Department inspector general report finds.463 words

BAE Systems will receive a sole-source contract for a low-rate initial production run of Paladin Integrated Management vehicles for the Army, the service has announced.332 words

The Army Space and Missile Defense Command has awarded a $16 million contract to Boeing to continue developing its high-energy laser on a mobile demonstrator, according to Army and Boeing officials.344 words

The Army last week awarded Boeing $285 million for Chinook and Apache helicopter work, according to Defense Department announcements.499 words

The Defense Department obligated nearly $200 billion during July and August, significantly reducing its unobligated balances for fiscal year 2012, according to data provided last week by the Pentagon.509 words

BAE Systems has won a $34 million foreign military sales contract to provide eight Abrams-tank-towing M88A2 Hercules recovery vehicles to Iraq, according to government and company officials.129 words

Deputy Defense Secretary Ashton Carter has issued guidance significantly narrowing the number of potential changes the department will consider in its review of fiscal year 2014 military investment plans, according to Pentagon and service sources.838 words

Defense Department acquisition chief Frank Kendall will support defense components' proposals to reduce acquisition workforce levels if officials present proper justification in advance, he writes in a recent memo.891 words

The Senate's new bipartisan caucus for unmanned aerial systems would examine issues related to importing and exporting drones and could expand its purview to include land- and sea-based systems.973 words

The Pentagon has launched 14 efforts to rapidly transition mature technologies into pilot projects that could find permanent homes in the military's arsenal, with each one aimed at resolving an immediate need identified by combatant commanders.801 words