Policy – Doctrine Articles

KC-46A Pegasus Aerial Tanker Completes Firsts

KC-46A Pegasus Aerial Tanker Completes Firsts

KC-135: Old as the hills... (click to view full) DID's FOCUS articles cover major weapons acquisition programs - and no program is more important to the USAF than its aerial tanker fleet renewal. In January 2007, the big question was whether there would be a...

read more
The JAS-39 Gripen: Sweden’s 4+ Generation Wild Card

The JAS-39 Gripen: Sweden’s 4+ Generation Wild Card

South African JAS-39D (click to view full) As a neutral country with a long history of providing for its own defense against all comers, Sweden also has a long tradition of building excellent high-performance fighters with a distinctive look. From the long-serving...

read more
CH-53K: The U.S. Marines’ HLR Helicopter Program

CH-53K: The U.S. Marines’ HLR Helicopter Program

CH-53K concept (click to view full) The U.S. Marines have a problem. They rely on their CH-53E Super Stallion medium-heavy lift helicopters to move troops, vehicles, and supplies off of their ships. But the helicopters are wearing out. Fast. The pace demanded by the...

read more
The US Army’s Bradley Remanufacture Program

The US Army’s Bradley Remanufacture Program

M3A3 Bradley CFV: Charge! (click to view full) In the 1970s, middle eastern wars demonstrated that tanks without infantry screens were vulnerable to infantry with anti-tank missiles. Unfortunately, armored personnel carriers were easy prey for enemy tanks, and...

read more