Speed to Fielding Is Not Speed to Combat Power

AI Summary

The author argues that quickly fielding military equipment does not automatically create combat power, emphasizing the role of trained personnel and sound decision-making in air and missile defense. Drawing on experience in the U.S. Army and defense industry, the author highlights the human responsibilities behind operating complex systems.

I spent more than 20 years in U.S. Army air defense, much of it in cramped control stations where the difference between a successful engagement and a catastrophic loss came down to the soldier at the console. The radar did its job. The fire control system did its job. But the responsibility, the weight, and the trust sat on one person making a call in seconds, sometimes less.Now I sit on the other side of the fence, as vice president of space, air, and missile defense for business development at Leonardo DRS. I work for a defense contractor with a The post Speed to Fielding Is Not Speed to Combat Power appeared first on War on the Rocks.