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West 2013 Online Show Daily, Day 1

Quote of the Day:“’Flat’ is the new ‘up’ in this defense budget environment.”— Robert O. Work, undersecretary of the Navy

The military services are facing potentially crippling constraints if sequestration takes place in March. Defense officials foresee the likelihood of draconian budget cuts being imposed that will cripple the force just as it is being counted on to assume new strategic missions. In most cases, the services will have to choose to sacrifice some capabilities so that others will remain part of the force. In worse-case scenarios, the U.S. military may be unable to meet its obligations when a crisis emerges.

These and other points were hammered home by speakers and panels on the first day of West 2013, the annual conference and exposition hosted by AFCEA and the U.S. Naval Institute in San Diego. While the event has the theme of “Pivot to the Pacific: What Are the Global Implications,” the first day’s discussions largely focused on the dire consequences of the fiscal cliff as well as potential solutions to avoid completely gutting the military force. Audiences generally were aware of the looming budget crisis, but many were surprised by the bluntness of the assessments offered by high-ranking Defense Department civilian and military leaders.

The shift of U.S. power to the Asia-Pacific will not be successful without an infusion of new technology and a dedicated effort to defeat a wide range of adversaries.

Northrop Grumman Corp., Electronic Systems, Linthicum Heights, Md., is being awarded an $8,605,843

Carestream Health Inc., Rochester, N.Y., was issued a modification exercising the fourth option year modification, a fixed-price w

The program may be revolutionary, but its product is evolutionary.

Alliant Techsystems Operations LLC., Clearwater, Fla., is being awarded a $6,506,292 cost-plus-fixed-fee delivery order against a previously issued basic ordering agreement for the upgrades of 40 m

The nature of forward deployment is changing as the United States adjusts to its Pacific rebalancing.