15 Apr 15. Pentagon Officials See Business Opportunities in Space Sector.
Top U.S. military officials on Tuesday said a new push to defend U.S. government satellites against potential attacks by China or other countries created promising new business opportunities for arms makers, non-traditional suppliers and international firms. Doug Loverro, deputy assistant defense secretary for space policy, said the Pentagon was seeking an initial $5.5bn over the next five years to beef up protection of space assets and ground networks, and said that sum would grow in coming years. “It’s a great moment. The opportunities are not only endless but they are absolutely ripe to be exploited,” Loverro told Reuters in an interview at the annual Space Symposium here. He said the U.S. government was looking at a range of new approaches for everything from rocket launch, communications, remote sensing, satellite control, and even sensors to increase the government’s ability to monitor what was going on in space. (Source: glstrade.com/Reuters)
16 Apr 15. Carter Discusses Top National Security Priorities. Defense Secretary Ash Carter discussed his top priorities and other defense issues at a Pentagon news conference. Carter met with reporters along with Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The secretary said his first priority is to help President Barack Obama to make the best possible national security decisions and then to implement those decisions. Second, he said, is to ensure the strength and health of Defense Department personnel around the world, and the third priority is the future of the department’s course, its people and its technology. To achieve these priorities, Carter said, he’s traveled to Afghanistan and Kuwait to meet with American personnel working there, and he has worked with Congress to secure the resources needed to protect the country and continue to build the force of the future while gaining stability in the defense budget.
“I’ve spoken with our partners in the State Department and other agencies,” he said, “about working together in new ways and on new endeavors and visited with allies, and partners — both here and in Washington — and just last week in the Asia-Pacific.”
The defense secretary said he’s also met with service members across the country and abroad to express his appreciation while ensuring they are treated with dignity and respect. That work continues this week, Carter said, noting “productive” discussions with Iraq’s prime minister and defense minister about the U.S.-Iraqi security partnership, and the “real progress we’re making in the campaign against [the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant].”
“I was up-front in our meetings,” he said, “about how a lasting victory over ISIL requires inclusive governance in Baghdad and respect for local populations in all areas liberated from ISIL control.”
Next week, Carter said, he’ll speak with ROTC cadets and midshipmen in Washington about sexual assault prevention and response, and then will meet with battalion- and brigade-level first responders for their perspective on preventing sexual assault and combating retaliation.
Finally, the defense secretary said, he’ll travel to California to deliver a lecture at Stanford University on the future of technology, innovation and cybersecurity before meeting with technology executives to discuss working together for mutual benefit. Carter also addressed a range of situations abroad beginning with the situation in Yemen and the threat posed by al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula. The terrorist group, he said, is a branch of al-Qaida that has shown a particular determination to attack Americans and the United States, and is, therefore, of serious concern. “We continue to watch them and take action against [them],” he added.
It’s easier to conduct counterterrorism operations when Yemen has a settled government, Carter said. “But in the meantime,” he added, “we need to, and do through ot