Editor's corner.

• Position: Brief Article

The Defense Department's office of industrial security has been quite busy in recent months. Industrial policy played a heavy role in two key decisions that the Pentagon made late last year--the selection of the Joint Strike Fighter contractor and approving the acquisition of one of the nation's nuclear shipyards. Deputy Undersecretary of Defense for Industrial Policy Suzanne Patrick offers some insights into the issues that shaped those two major decisions. She also discusses the role of the defense industry in the ongoing conflict against terrorist groups in South Asia. The story is on page 14.

Ever since the Navy retired its battleships, the debate within the sea services has centered on the question: Does the U.S. Marine Corps have adequate naval fire support for its amphibious landings? The answer today is that it does not, even though a number of gun and missile programs are in various stages of development.

Active-duty and retired Marine Corps officers generally agree that the Navy is to blame for the lack of fire-support capabilities. But some even concede that the Corps has not done a good enough job stating its requirements. The details surrounding this controversial issue can be found in a special report on page 26.

Another topic that generates tension between the Navy and the Marine Corps is mine warfare. The Marines often have complained about the lack of capabilities to detect sea mines in shallow waters. Mine-breaching is an important element in the Corps' strategy, because the...