2020 Budget Request Linked to NDS, China Threat to US Rail, and more

Ports, Shipping Industry Responsible for 26% of US GDP, Study Says

If there were ever any doubts as to the importance of ports and the shipping industry to our Nation, a new study is putting those doubts to rest. Among its findings the study reveals that the bustling activity at America’s seaports added $5.4 trillion to the economy in 2018 by way of revenue to businesses, personal income and economic output by exporters and importers. Read more on the study in Transport Topics.

Interested in learning more about our Nation’s ports? Join NDTA and Christopher Newport University’s (CNU) Center for American Studies as they co-host a Conference on America’s Ports, in association with the US Army’s Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command (SDDC), and US Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD), 30 April-2 May 2019 on the campus of CNU in Newport News, Virginia. Visit www.ndtahq.com/events/conference-on-americas-ports/ for more information and to register!

Government & Military News

2020 Defense Budget Request Linked to National Defense Strategy
(Department of Defense) The Defense Department’s budget request is driven by the National Defense Strategy, DOD Comptroller David L. Norquist, who is performing the duties of deputy defense secretary, told senators during a Senate Budget Committee hearing. READ MORE

Blueprint for a More Effective NATO
(Breaking Defense) More ruthless prioritization, a laser focus on filling key capability shortfalls and better alignment of national, regional, and NATO plans will allow the alliance to solidify its place as the alliance of choice for decades to come. READ MORE

Trump Has a Message for the World: My Trade Wars Aren’t Over Yet
(Bloomberg) President Donald Trump is sending a clear message to the economic policy makers gathering in Washington for the IMF and World Bank’s spring meetings: My trade wars aren’t finished yet and a weakening global economy will just have to deal with it. READ MORE

Keep Those Iraq War Notes Handy: Small Wars, Not Great Power Battles, Still the Most Likely Future Fight
(Army Times) Great power competition has been the primary driver of the Pentagon over the past few years, but the Defense Department doesn’t get to pick the next war. It is more likely that the US military will be drawn into another conflict against an insurgent or proxy force, than it will end up fighting naval battles in the South China Sea or halting Russian armor in the Fulda Gap. READ MORE

‘Quality Infrastructure’: Japan’s Robust Challenge to China’s Belt and Road
(War on the Rocks) Italy recently became the first major European economy to join China’s Belt and Road Initiative, the massive program to finance and build “connectivity” infrastructure across Eurasia.
However, while China seeks to extend the Belt and Road Initiative to new members and fend off concerns about its lending practices, it faces a capable rival in its own backyard for infrastructure investment in South and Southeast Asia. READ MORE

Industry News

Truckers’ Loss in Calif. Contractor Fight Won’t End Legal Battle
(Bloomberg) The California trucking industry is pressing the argument—so far without gaining much traction—that its drivers should be classified as contractors, not employees. Their efforts come amid uncertainty roiling employers that fear California’s new rigid test for determining who qualifies as a contractor will threaten their business models. READ MORE

It’s Not Just You They’re After—It’s Your Supply Chain Too
(Forbes) For most people, “island hopping” conjures up vacation fantasies. A cruise through the Caribbean. The South Pacific. The Aleutians. But in the world of cybercrime, that’s the term for what attackers do when they’re looking to expand on a breach of a victim’s network—they’re after all the others in the victim’s supply chain as well. READ MORE

‘Space Force’ Windfall Unclear for Eager Defense Companies
(Defense One) At Space Symposium, satellite makers big and small say they’re seeing the Pentagon awarding contracts faster, but still aren’t sure what to expect. READ MORE

US Rail Interests See China as Major Security Risk
(Freight Waves) China’s push for industrial market share around the world to prop up the country’s employment base is heightening concern about the country’s potential to infiltrate the US freight rail system. READ MORE

Google’s Wing Kicks Off First Drone Delivery Service in Australia
(Fox News) The air delivery developer Wing, a subsidiary of Google’s parent company Alphabet, began flying fresh food, coffee, over the counter medications and other products to select customers as part of its first commercial drone delivery service launched in Australia’s capital this week. READ MORE

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