Vice Chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Urges More Weapons FlexibilityNovember 24, 2008
The vice chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said that the military must end its fixation with "exquisite" weapon systems that cost too much, and whose complexity makes them hard to design and build quickly and in quantity. Marine Corp. Gen. James Cartwright, the second highest-ranking officer in the U.S. military, said it was time to turn to systems that are more adaptable, according to an article in the Tacoma, Washington News Tribune. Cartwright was speaking at a military professional symposium held in mid-November in Arlington, Va., by the Military Officers Association of America. He said that better investment decisions for selecting weapons platforms are increasingly crucial as the defense budget slows. He suggested that the Pentagon, Congress and the defense industry must make smart and efficient choices in weapons procurement so that the quality and capabilities of the U.S. forces don’t diminish. "Building platforms that can have multiple purposes, that can modify very quickly with software, that consume minimal amounts of energy for extended periods of time are critical," he said, adding that these simple goals aren't met when the focus is on building the best weapon imaginable. |
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