Affordability will be one of the prime objectives for space acquisition going forward, said Gil Klinger, deputy assistant defense secretary for space and intelligence. “We are stressing affordability even in our ongoing programs. We are stressing with our industrial partners to place as much emphasis on engineering for cost control and affordability as we have historically placed on engineering for performance,” Klinger told members of the House Armed Services Committee’s strategic forces panel last week. That raises the question, “How well do we have to do something?” he added. In other words, it may not be possible to strive for the 100-percent solution anymore. “This is a fundamentally different business model for many of us in the space acquisition community,” said Klinger. (Klinger’s prepared testimony)
Earlier this week, the People’s Republic of China confirmed it is halting its nuclear arms control talks with the U.S., in retaliation for the U.S. continuing to sell arms to Taiwan. The move reinforces a “pattern of behavior” from Beijing, experts say.