News
Legal loophole allows companies to fire military reservists who go to war –
Kevin Ziober was a lieutenant in the Navy Reserve in 2012 when he received deployment orders to Afghanistan. On his last day of work before leaving, dozens of co-workers gathered for a sendoff. There was a cake and balloons. And then, Ziober says, he was summoned to the human resources office — and fired.
After Brexit, what’s next for defense? –
Britain plunged into the unknown last night when voters opted to take the country out of the European Union, leaving analysts and officials to wonder what the decision means for the defense sector.
U.S. national security adviser sees few immediate Brexit concerns –
U.S. National Security Adviser Susan Rice said June 26 that there are “relatively few” immediate security concerns stemming from Britain’s vote to leave the European Union, but the United States will work to ensure continued U.S.-U.K. cooperation on counter-terrorism and other security issues.
Business
India joins elite missile tech group controlling global sale –
India June 27 joined an exclusive club of countries controlling exports in missile technology, just a day after bemoaning its exclusion from another elite group that governs international nuclear fuel and technology.
Su-30 MKI flies first sortie with BrahMos missile –
An Indian air force Sukhoi Su-30 MKI aircraft has carried a BrahMos supersonic cruise missile aloft for the first time, a key milestone toward the eventual deployment of the capability.
Eurosatory 2016: UkrOboronProm outlines challenges, future direction –
Ukraine’s state-owned defence holding UkrOboronProm has overcome a series of major organisational challenges as part of its efforts to re-establish the firm, following the major changes in the Ukrainian defence industrial environment.
Sikorsky continues to expand CH-53K heavy-lift envelope –
The Sikorsky CH-53K King Stallion reached an important milestone June 23, with the announcement that the heavy-lift helicopter had completed an external lift of 27,000 pounds.
U.S. fighter sales to Gulf allies stalled for up to three years –
While the Obama administration has promised new arms sales to bolster Sunni Gulf allies against their Shiite rival Iran, the White House has yet to seek congressional approval for fighter jets requested by Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain as long ago as 2013.
Nimbis Services to produce cloud-based circuits for Air Force –
Nimbis Services has been awarded a $9 million Air Force contract to develop cloud-based circuits.
Defense
After nuclear missile loss, Dems vow to keep fighting –
Top Democratic lawmakers fighting to quash the next-generation air-launched cruise missile suffered a setback this month, but they are signaling the fight’s not over.
Air Force has directed energy weapons; now comes the hard part –
Over the past 20 years, the military and its partners in industry have figured out how to build lasers and other directed energy weapons. The devices have changed from often-hazardous chemical lasers to more reliable solid-state lasers. The power has grown from dozens of watts to dozens of kilowatts.
AFSOC renews push for laser-armed AC-130 Gunship –
The head of U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) has renewed his commitment to fielding an AC-130 “mini arsenal plane” equipped with a high-energy laser (HEL) by the turn of the decade, and is seeking seed funding in the fiscal 2018 defense budget to support activities of a flying prototype.
Final deployment is underway for Army’s Kiowa helicopters –
The final countdown has begun for the Army’s Kiowa Warriors.
Veterans
Vet groups uniting to oppose privatized care, defend VA –
The nation’s leading veteran services organizations are rallying behind the Department of Veterans Affairs and its beleaguered health care system, touting the experience of staff, the breadth of services and its holistic approach to care delivery that they argue the private sector cannot match.
Former sailors, Marines booted under gay ban urged to appeal –
Navy Department officials are urging the thousands of sailors and Marines forced out of the military because of their sexuality in previous decades to come forward and appeal their discharge — in a step to restore benefits and right a historical wrong.
Few veterans expelled under ‘Don’t Ask’ policy seek remedy –
Less than 8 percent of veterans expelled from the military under the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy have applied to upgrade their discharges to honorable, or strip references to their sexual orientation from their record.
Forgotten veterans who died finally get funeral ceremony –
Fort Logan National Cemetery honored 30 veterans whose remains have gone unclaimed with a funeral ceremony June 25 in Denver, including veterans’ whose cremated remains were left at funeral homes and others who had no next of kin.
Space
Will this prove water flowed on Mars? –
NASA scientists have applied to extend the Curiosity Rover’s mission on Mars by sending it up the slopes of the nearby Mount Sharp to investigate dark streaks thought to be made by running water.