Acquisition and Seapower @ SASC | PPBE Reform matters | Make industrial mobilization cool again
Arlington, VA
Joined December 2018
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Eric Lofgren retweeted
This, from the Walter Isaacson biography, is both an underrated aspect of SpaceX’s success, and the perfect example of why “cost plus” manufacturing (used by many aspects of US Government) is a terrible idea
Eric Lofgren retweeted
“@VenusAerospace has developed the world’s first liquid-propellant rotating detonation rocket engine (RDRE) with a double-digit percentage increase in efficiency over standard regular engines, making the #HypersonicEconomy possible,” -CEO Sassie Duggleby bit.ly/467gYmy
Eric Lofgren retweeted
Even years into WWI, the UK's generals didn't understand the importance of machine guns, and Lloyd George had to force his generals to buy more than one machine gun per battalion.
What technologies today do civilians need to force the DoD to take their assement of needs and "square it, multiply that result by two - and when you are in sight of that, double it again for good measure"?
Eric Lofgren retweeted
IMPORTANT update in the debate over future amphib production. DoD has shown Marines specific (rough) drawings w/ ideas for scaling down the ship to save money. Marines rejected them all, saying it makes the flight deck and vehicle stowage areas too small to support MEU operations
Eric Lofgren retweeted
#HASC Hearing on FY24 DoD Budget:
Rep @RobWittman asks SecDef the questions about numbers & capacity.
"Please tell the American people what we are going to do to mitigate the threat."
@cgberube @ConsWahoo @Navy_Hipple @salisbot
Eric Lofgren retweeted
USAF says of every 10 F-15Cs it sends to the depot, only 2 come back.
Some background:
aviationweek.com/defense-spa…
Build up to WWII lessons in UK:
- no mods to requirements expect safety critical
- procurement officials stayed 5+ yrs
- multi-year budgets
theconversation.com/big-defe…
F-35 aircraft availability rates by age, compared to F-22 and F-15E, via CBO
cbo.gov/system/files/2023-02…
Israeli defense is serious about working with tech startups:
“They want to succeed and make a profit. We want someone who is hungry, with lightning in their eyes.”
The Innofense program allows startups to keep their IP and pays them up-front.
jpost.com/business-and-innov…
Awful that AFC was pushed aside by bureaucrats and told to focus on irrelevant 2040. Accelerate or lose.
"To deliver capability by 2040 means fielding must begin in 2035, which means bending metal in 2030 and developing funding plans even earlier."
defensenews.com/land/2023/02…
Skunk Works Kelly Johnson: "we will have nothing to do with [EVMS] in any concern with which I am connected."
That's why he got engineering done, and why little is accomplished today.
Be sure to check out Kelly Johnson's advice on powerpoint here:
flighttestfact.com/kelly-joh…
#flighttest
Adm Hyman Rickover was given a converted ladies bathroom as his office and turned it into a source of pride.
He said a person who focuses on the job can do it anywhere, dont need luxury getaways in Hawaii to think. That's the sign of caring about impact. Envy is a mind disease.
Eric Lofgren retweeted
It genuinely fascinates me, how much more quickly things were done in the pre-computer age 1960s- on.ft.com/3JwOoCa via @FT
Eric Lofgren retweeted
This is an amazing table of the cost overruns of mega projects
Nuclear storage has a mean cost overrun of 238%, while with nuclear power its 120%
Solar power has a mean cost overrun of 1%
enr.com/articles/55774-oxfor…
Unfortunately opportunity cost is not auditable for irresponsible oversight. Markets rely on subjective use value and competition whereas DoD relies on objective money outlays and monopsony. Hard to reconcile without a paradigm shift.
Eric Lofgren retweeted
This chart captures the core of the DoD innovation/acquisitions culture problem.
If you put yourself in the shoes of someone whose incentives and training make it so they only see the blue line then all the problems start to make sense.
h/t @PeteModi
Eric Lofgren retweeted
The 🇺🇸 government will spend $858,000,000,000 on defense in 2023. 4% of that will go to startups.
Hundreds of founders are now building for the defense sector. From AI & autonomy to space & public safety, here's what this ecosystem looks like today👇
michaelxbloch.com/national-s…
