Look out for the nuclear navy. A top lawmaker on the house armed services committee wants the navy to consider sailing nuclear-powered surface ships rather than diesel fuel vessels because of soaring oil prices. Rep. Roscoe Bartlett of Maryland says the navy would save money over the long term by not having to buy or transport fuel to its fleet.

Boeing's top lobbyist takes a bow. Rudy deLeon, the chief of Boeing's Washington, D.C., office since 2001 is retiring at the end of June. Tod Hullin, the company's head spokesman, is replacing deLeon. Hullin will move to D.C. from Boeing headquarters in Chicago but continue to be in charge of the company's world-wide communications team. DeLeon's future plans are unknown.

The Air Force speeds up the development of a new bomb. The Air Force in July is starting an accelerated demonstration of its newest small bomb with a special warhead designed for pinpoint strikes. The focused lethality munition could be available for combat within two years. It would be able to go after targets that have been regarded as too risky.

Let the bidding begin. The Department of Homeland Security is soliciting technology proposals for a multibillion effort to secure the nation's northern and southern land borders. The strategy behind the Secure Border Initiative is to funnel U.S.-bound traffic to the ports of entry where DHS has greater control. Raytheon and Lockheed Martin are bidding on the program.

The Pentagon may be delaying plans to retire its oldest spyplane. Under current plans, the Air Force is proposing retiring its U-2 fleet starting in 2007 as part of its long-term spending plan. The Global Hawk unmanned aerial vehicle is the designated replacement for the U-2. Now operational commanders may want to keep the U-2 in the fleet a little longer.