The United States military-industrial complex, battered by budget cuts and drops in domestic procurement, made it clear at this year’s Farnborough International Airshow that it is targeting the world market as never before, writes my Defense News colleague AARON MEHTA.
More from his article:
There were more than 230 US exhibitors at the show, ranging from major companies such as Lockheed Martin and Boeing down to producers of small avionics. The American presence was impossible to avoid, with large “International US Pavilion” signs hanging from many booths.
More subtle, but perhaps more important, was the presence of top US government officials, in what attendees said were unusually high levels compared to past events.
Among those who appeared at the show: Frank Kendall, the Pentagon’s acquisition chief; US Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James; Sean Stackley and William LaPlante, the acquisition heads of the Navy and Air Force, respectively; and Gen. Frank Gorenc, commander of US Air Force Europe and Africa.
