Rowan Scarborough
Articles by Rowan Scarborough
Probe sought of military software scandal
A member of the House Armed Services Committee is calling for a congressional investigation into the Army's handling of a software program the Pentagon opposes but U.S. combat troops in Afghanistan say saves their lives by detecting roadside bombs. Published July 25, 2012
Soldier battling bombs irked by software switch
The Army ordered the destruction of a report that praised the performance of an off-the-shelf software program that finds buried explosives in Afghanistan and replaced it with a revised less-favorable assessment, according to internal Pentagon documents. Published July 22, 2012
Military has to fight to purchase lauded IED buster
U.S. commanders increasingly are turning to a relatively obscure battlefield detective to find buried bombs, a major killer of Americans in Afghanistan. Published July 16, 2012
Navy admiral hints at jettisoning F-35 fighter
The chief of naval operations has penned an opinion column that has military analysts buzzing over whether it signals the Navy may be the first military branch to jettison the costly F-35 stealth fighter jet. Published July 10, 2012
Army looks for global partnerships
To maintain its relevance in a post-Afghanistan world, the U.S. Army is learning to make new friends. Published July 2, 2012
Pentagon holds first gay pride event
The Pentagon on Tuesday saluted open gays in the ranks, with a civilian lawyer calling on fellow homosexuals to "stretch a little" and become more visible inside the military in the drive for benefits for same-sex couples. Published June 26, 2012
Panetta not ordering gay pride events
Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta is not requiring commands and agencies to hold gay pride events this month, even as the Pentagon prepares for its first celebration on Tuesday of gays serving openly in the ranks. Published June 24, 2012
Congress won’t let Panetta close bases
Congress is poised to deliver a defeat to the Obama administration on one of its main defense policies in the new budget — base closings. Published June 20, 2012
Russia clings to a crucial power base in Syria uprising
Russia would lose a source of revenue and a Middle East power base if Syrian President Bashar Assad falls — two reasons why Moscow has armed the regime and blocked votes to let the United Nations punish Damascus. Published June 17, 2012
Pentagon weapon systems can survive spending cuts
The Pentagon could hold on to its crown-jewel weapon systems even though looming automatic federal spending cuts would inflict a $54 billion gash in the 2013 defense budget, military budget analysts say. Published June 10, 2012
Pentagon could keep big weapons despite automatic spending cuts
The Pentagon could hold onto its crown jewel weapon systems even though looming automatic federal spending cuts would inflict a $54 billion gash in the 2013 defense budget, military budget analysts say. Published June 10, 2012
Dogs outdone by electronic sensors in Afghanistan
In Afghanistan, a soldier's best friend is no longer a bomb-sniffing dog, but an electronic sensor. Published June 6, 2012
Delta Force: Army’s ‘quiet professionals’
As Navy SEALs bask in the limelight for daring missions, some in the Army are wondering whether the other half of the nation's counter-terrorism covert warriors — Delta Force — is being upstaged and left in the shadows. Published June 3, 2012
Ex-Obama aide’s think tank hits defense budget
A Washington think tank founded by President Obama's first Pentagon policy chief has issued a report criticizing the administration's defense budget, which the think tank's founder played a role in developing. Published May 25, 2012
U.S. troops winning war against IEDs of Taliban
The U.S. military is on a path toward significantly fewer battlefield deaths in Afghanistan this year because it has become better at detecting the No. 1 killer of U.S. troops: the improvised explosive device (IED). Published May 24, 2012
Pentagon planners ordered to keep potential budget cuts from Congress
For Pentagon planners, automatic spending cuts slated to begin in January have become the $600 billion contingency they can't plan for. Published May 20, 2012
Bush policies he reviled are crux of Obama’s arsenal
This month's revival of terrorism trials at Guantanamo Bay underscores President Obama's reliance on counterterrorism tools he inherited from George W. Bush. Published May 15, 2012
F-22 Raptor pilots make problems public
The Air Force late last month convened a summit in Ohio to address the most vexing problem of its premier jet fighter — pilots becoming dizzy from oxygen deprivation while flying the supersonic F-22 Raptor. Published May 10, 2012
Defense budget casualties light on civilian side
The Pentagon's civilian workforce, which expanded dramatically during President Obama's first three years, is not facing any significant reductions even as the Defense Department is slashing ground troops by more than 10 percent, retiring ships and combat planes, and putting off the purchases of some new weapons. Published May 6, 2012
Iran is top ‘contingency’ in whittled U.S. war plans
The U.S. military is discussing significant changes in its war plans to adhere to President Obama's strategic guidance that downplays preparing for conflicts such as the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and counts on allies to provide additional troops. Published May 1, 2012
