Jeff has been involved in aerospace journalism since the mid 1990s. Prior to joining Aviation Week, Jeff served as managing editor of Launchspace magazine and the International Space Industry Report. He has been the editor and chief of Aviation Week's Aerospace Daily & Defense Report since 2007 and has been a regular contributor to Aviation Week magazine. He received his B.A. from the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Va.
Representatives of the Bush and Kerry campaigns held a proxy debate in Washington Oct. 14, focusing largely on the implementation of the nation's vision for space exploration. Representing Sen. John Kerry's position was Lori Garver, vice president in charge of space program development at DFI International and former NASA associate administrator for policy and plans. Frank Sietzen, journalist and author of a recent book on the creation of NASA's new exploration vision, represented President Bush.
The Defense Department plans to release a broad agency announcement (BAA) later this fiscal year requesting ideas from industry on enabling technologies for a next-generation gunship to replace the AC-130. The U.S. Air Force recently completed an analysis of alternatives (AOA) for the next-generation gunship, which is projected to become operational by 2017. The AOA recommended a stealthy aircraft with a range of 400 nautical miles, 10 hours of endurance, and a gross takeoff weight of roughly 170,000 pounds.
The U.S. Defense Department's use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in the war on terrorism continues to expand, with hundreds of UAVs currently deployed with U.S. forces overseas, according to Dyke Weatherington, head of the Pentagon's UAV Planning Task Force.
