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In the News

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It will be Boeing's KC-767 for KC-X as Northrop Grumman bows out of "unwinnable" competition

Northrop Grumman will not bid KC-X Tanker Replacement

-- Statement from Northrop Grumman

-- Statement from EADS North America on NGC's decision not to bid on KC-X

-- Statement from DEPSECDEF Bill Lynn on NGC's Decision not to bid on KC-X

ASD Mike Vickers: U.S. Special Operators Need 'Armed ISR,' More Helos

A400M Cost Overrun Pegged at 10%

Boeing 'Phantom Eye' Hydrogen Powered Vehicle Takes Shape

Office of Naval Research taps LMCO for "sense-and-respond" logistics effort

U.S. Army Struggles With JTRS Radio Fielding Plan

Memo from incoming USCG Commandant Sparks Hill Worries

India Plans To Induct long-delayed Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) in 2011

Obama taps former intelligence officer -- Army Major General Robert Harding -- to lead TSA

Aluminum Glitters Inside 2nd Littoral Combat Ship Variant

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Monday, May 11, 2009

 New Afghanistan strategy, new leadership -- SECDEF Gates cashiers General McKiernan
News just broke that Secretary of Defense Robert Gates has announced the resignation of the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, Gen. David McKiernan, and recommended that the critical job go to veteran Special Operations commander -- and current Joint Staff Director -- Lt. Gen. Stanley McChrystal.  The dismissal of Gen McKiernan is not too surprising, as he was a pick of Army Chief of Staff George Casey and he had no experience in Iraq save three months in 2003 during OIF I.  While McKiernan is senior to General David Petreaus but since Petreaus became CENTCOM McKiernan was Petreaus' subordinate and their relationship was reportedly very tense according to Army officials.  Petreaus did not consider McKiernan the type of enlightened/experienced COIN (counterinsurgency) operator that he wants to work with in his AOR.  While the McKiernan decision was expected, the selection of General McCrystal as his replacement is a bit of a surprise.  McCrystal is a SOF guy through and through and is regarded as a high-strung action-craving perfectionist.  It will be interesting to see how he works with the overwhelming non-SOF, and, indeed, SOF-phobic NATO allies in Afghanistan.
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