TYSONS CORNER, Va. — Perched on the highest floor of a 31-story building and eating a sumptuous lunch provided by in-house chefs at AeroTechDyne Headquarters, retired Army Gen. Anthony Wayne told assembled generals from each of the services today that America is woefully under-resourced in a defense technology capability that is only sold by AeroTechDyne.
“Look, I come from the same place as the rest of you and I would never advocate for this defense technology capability if I did not believe America is far behind in this defense technology capability, creating an increasing defense technology capability gap with peer and near-peer competitors that can only be closed if each of you puts down millions, maybe billions, of dollars on this defense technology capability immediately,” Wayne assured the nodding complement of generals currently in charge of each service’s purse strings. “It’s a critical defense technology capability, and America does not have remotely enough of it.”
“My place on the AeroTechDyne board and the associated $500,000 annual honoraria notwithstanding, America runs a real risk of not having this defense technology capability in a real fight in which our competition has a lot of this defense technology capability or the defense technology capability that this defense technology capability is meant to counter,” said Wayne, the man who as a brigadier general authored plans for the invasion of Iraq featuring only the words “This Page Intentionally Left Blank” for “Phase V: Stabilize” and “Phase VI: Enable Civil Authority” considerations.
Tasked as they are with stewardship of lives, resources, and taxpayer dollars, attending service representatives were not easily swayed. One particularly gruff-looking Army general pushed back at Wayne from around a mouthful of Chateaubriand.
“Are you sure that this defense technology capability is the best defense technology capability to meet the expectations of the Army Modernization Strategy and the international competition space?” Without pausing, Wayne said, “Yes.” The general looked thoughtful before replying, “OK, cool, put me down for $38 million.”
Pointing at Wayne with the finger not required to hold a delicate flute of $3,000-per-bottle 2019 Brignac Brut Gold Ace, a blue-suited Air Force general was no less blunt than his Army peer.
