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The article focuses on Australia's Wedgetail aircraft program and the lessons it provide to the U.S. in terms of future defense industrial programs. The program integrates new radar, communications and electronic warfare capabilities into a commercial airframe. Australia's government made a direct commercial contract with a U.S. defense firm for the program. One of the lessons is the challenge in managing a procurement program despite the distance between the customer and the lead contractor.

This article reports that the U.S. Navy's biggest surface-ship project will be ready by next spring to order the first DD(X) Zumwalt-class destroyer. The integrated power system being developed for DD(X) is the key to building a fast, minimally crewed warship that can run futuristic radar systems, lasers and rail guns. Today's U.S. Navy warships turn their propellers and generate their electricity with separate systems. On DD(X), one system will do it all, powering the ship, guns, radar and all other needs. Eventually, the Navy wants its entire fleet to have integrated power.