September 6, 2018 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR

Adam Smith expects future defense budgets to dip below $716 billion

WASHINGTON — When Congress delivered a $716 billion defense budget to the Pentagon, defense leaders made it clear it was a welcome boost — but some questioned if the number would be enough to do everything the department foresees as necessary.

Now the ranking Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee — who is poised to take over the HASC should November elections go blue — is warning that tightened belts are on the horizon.

Asked specifically if $716 billion is the right number for defense and whether future budgets will stay at that level, Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash, said flatly: “No and no.”

“I think the number's too high, and its certainly not going to be there in the future,” Smith said at the second annual Defense News Conference.

The congressman argued that the debt and deficit situation facing the country requires balancing out how the government is spending, particularly after the Trump administration's tax cuts made it “even more difficult to get our budget under control.”

But drawing down the defense budget has to be part of a broader look at U.S. strategy, something that Smith said requires a realistic look at America's military strategy. He pointed to the idea that 355 ships are vital for the Navy as an example of flawed logic, because “capability matters.”

“We can do this,” Smith said of the U.S. remaining the key world power. “I'm not even remotely worried about it. It is a more complicated and different world in some ways, but the Cold War was no walk in the park either. World War II certainly wasn't. We will always face challenges. The question is about being smart.

“We just have to be smart instead of trying to force our way back into a world that is never going to be again."

“We are going to be a major, major player, probably the major player, on the global stage” for a long time to come, Smith added. “But we are not going to be utterly and completely dominant.”

https://www.defensenews.com/smr/defense-news-conference/2018/09/05/adam-smith-expects-future-defense-budgets-to-dip-below-716-billion

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February 15, 2020 | International, Aerospace, C4ISR, Security

Introducing Leonardo and Codemar S.A., a new joint venture focused on security and resilience, infrastructure management, and helicopter-based services
Rio de Janeiro, February 12, 2020 - Leonardo, the Italian-headquartered aerospace and security multinational, through its subsidiary Leonardo International, which was set up to support the Company's operations around the world, and Codemar, Companhia de Desenvolvimento de Maricá, have announced the creation of a joint venture named Leonardo&Codemar S.A., with 49% share of Codemar and 51% of Leonardo, established under Brazilian law. The joint venture's objective is to become the flagship in the development and delivery of projects for urban security and resilience as well as new infrastructure and helicopter-based services that will boost the expertise of Brazilian industry. Through the implementation of a range of innovative and challenging projects, Maricá will become a “living lab” for the most exciting and promising technological applications contributing to the safety and quality of citizens' life, and the sustainable development within the area. As of today, Leonardo&Codemar will setup joint project teams that, thanks to Leonardo broad product portfolio and advanced technological capabilities and Codemar knowledge of local requirements, aims to progressively become the partner of the Maricá Municipality and the natural recipient of request for projects and services within its business perimeter. The status of the preferred partner to the Municipality of Maricá will give Leonardo&Codemar access to similar projects as they arise throughout the Latin America region. “We are thrilled about the new development of Leonardo's presence in Brazil, showing how an open minded and fair dialogue between such different organisations can shape unexplored and promising mutual opportunities”, said Leonardo's CEO, Alessandro Profumo. He added, “The new joint venture will focus on delivering systems and services for the security, resilience and protection of populations and territories and will prove how space, cyber and digital, aeronautical, and unmanned technologies can contribute to development”. Leonardo and Codemar are joining up financial and technological resources with the intent of leveraging the best of both companies' experience and know-how to provide innovative products and services to the Municipality of Maricá. Thanks to its strategic location, Maricá is set to become a primary logistic base for Oil & Gas operations throughout the Country, with a huge potential for related businesses (i.e. financial, high tech and services) requiring the best and most reliable networked infrastructures. Similarly, a substantial tourist and residential development, facilitated by the proximity to Rio de Janeiro, will be pursued while respecting the City's spectacular and intact territory. About Leonardo: Leonardo, among the top ten world players in Aerospace, Defence and Security, is Italy's main high-technology industrial company. Organised into five business divisions (Helicopters; Aircraft; Aerostructures; Electronics; Cyber Security) Leonardo has a significant manufacturing presence in Italy, the United Kingdom, Poland and the USA, where it also operates through subsidiaries such as Leonardo DRS (electronics), and joint ventures and partnerships: Telespazio, Thales Alenia Space and Avio (space); ATR (regional aircraft); and Elettronica and MBDA (electronics and defence systems). Listed on the Milan Stock Exchange (LDO), in 2018 Leonardo recorded consolidated revenues of €12.2 billion and invested €1.4 billion in Research and Development. The Group has been part of the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) since 2010 and became Industry leader of the Aerospace & Defence sector in 2019. About Codemar: Codemar, Companhia de Desenvolvimento de Maricá, manages public goods and areas, encourages the promotion, socio-economic development and the surroundings of the Municipality of Maricá, in collaboration with the municipality, public bodies and the corporate sector, thanks to a progressive expansion of investments. It also contributes to the definition of public policies for economic development in the city of Maricá. View source version on Leonardo: https://www.leonardocompany.com/en/press-release-detail/-/detail/12-02-2020-introducing-leonardo-codemar-s-a-a-new-joint-venture-focused-on-security-and-resilience-infrastructure-management-and-helicopter-based-serv
January 14, 2021 | International, Aerospace

Le drone MALE européen n’arrivera pas avant 2028 au sein de l'armée de l'Air et de l’Espace
La ministre des Armées, Florence Parly, répondant à une question lors de son audition à l'Assemblée nationale mardi 12 janvier, a indiqué que le drone MALE européen, ou Eurodrone, n'intégrerait pas les forces de l'armée de l'Air et de l'Espace avant 2028. La ministre a estimé qu'une capacité intermédiaire n'était pas nécessaire. La France dispose déjà de ces capacités avec les drones américains Reaper, dont l'achat a été décidé en 2013. En outre, Mme Parly a rappelé que le ministère des Armées a prévu de doter l'armée de Terre de drones tactiques, les SDT Patroller, développés par Safran Electronics & Defense, qui seront « livrés à nos forces en 2021 ». La Tribune du 14 janvier
September 26, 2022 | International, Aerospace

Siemens, 29 others added to Air Force's $950 million JADC2 contract
Hundreds of companies, large and small, will compete for work associated with Joint All-Domain Command and Control, an effort to link sensors to shooters.

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Adam Smith expects future defense budgets to dip below $716 billion

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Siemens, 29 others added to Air Force's $950 million JADC2 contract Hundreds of companies, large and small, will compete for work associated with Joint All-Domain Command and Control, an effort to link sensors to shooters.

Siemens, 29 others added to Air Force's $950 million JADC2 contract
Hundreds of companies, large and small, will compete for work associated with Joint All-Domain Command and Control, an effort to link sensors to shooters.