ARMOR ROLLBACK


A Soldier from the 1173rd Transportation Battalion directs an MRAP armored vehicle before it leaves the ship that delivered the MRAPs to a port in Kuwait, Nov. 25, 2014. BAE Systems and the defense industry surged at short notice to meet the challenge of mass-producing MRAPs. That was possible because the industrial and engineering bases were warm and operating at sustainable levels. For the past six years, however, the industrial base has been in a steady decline. (Photo by MSG Paul Tuttle)


are on the razor’s edge; we can’t relax, or we will lose the “secret sauce” that has sustained our industry and our defense. Recent remarks by the Hon. Heidi Shyu, assistant secretary of the Army for acquisition, logistics and technology, about sustain- ing a research and development (R&D) effort highlight the criticality of this effort not just for the Army but the defense industry that supports the Army. “I think collaboration is really essential,” she said, adding, “No single person or organi- zation possesses a monopoly on innovative ideas. It is critical for us to collaborate with industry, academia, federally funded R&D centers and other government organizations to solve dif- ficult problems. So my vision is that we will collaborate across the board to spur innovation.”


We believe that the Army and industry have to team on impor- tant R&D efforts to sustain critical engineering capabilities in both the Army R&D community and in industry. Te Army’s Future Fighting Vehicle program, which engages BAE Systems, General Dynamics, the U.S. Army Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center and the Program Exec- utive Office for Ground Combat Systems, is a good example of how we can work together to support the Army’s long-term needs and sustain industry’s unique capabilities.


FROM NEW BUILDS TO UPGRADES Over the past several years, as budgets have grown more con- strained, we have seen an increasing shift away from new


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COMMENTARY


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