[Bogey78O]

So that's a JDAM. I felt so ignorant when people started talking about them because I never knew.

[Cicero]

I'll bet the other procurement officers in the Pentagon really HATE this guy!

[nightdriver]

"Many vendors refuse military business because they don't want to put up with the rules and regulations, but that changed with JDAM, Hatcher said."

This IS progress! So many government acquisitions are hindered by superfluous rules and regulations that the paperwork generally outweighs the product. Like a company that is not "qualified" to be a government supplier because thay don't have the requisite number of triplegic martians working for them.

Don't ever blame the vendor because the toilet seat cost over $600 or the claw hammer cost $1200. By the time the vendor got "qualified" to sell to the gubmint, he had to go through a bazillion non-productive hoops.

Here with JDAM, some of the sorry bureaucrats are getting their noses rubbed in the fact that it's a lot cheaper to go down to Ace Hardware and plunk down $20 and walk out with a hammer.

[AdA$tra]

Way to go USA!!

I've been to the plant in St. Charles. Very impressive.

Here is a larger question: Will the consolidation of the aerospace industry make things more like this? ...Or will it stifle development by removing the competition factor? Whaddayouthink?