News
After Obama’s green light, Afghan forces are on offensive –
After two years of heavy casualties, the Afghan military is trying to retake the initiative in the war against militants with a new offensive against Islamic State group loyalists, an assault that will see American troops back on the battlefield working more closely with Afghan soldiers.
Business
Navy awards $60.7 million C3 contract to CACI –
CACI has been awarded a $60.7 million Navy task order for a Navy command and control system.
Boeing to produce four anti-submarine warfare planes for Australia –
A U.S. Navy contract modification awarded the U.S. aircraft maker a $100 million order for four new aircraft.
U.S. Air Force seeks two new close-air support aircraft –
The U.S. Air Force is considering two new procurements to boost their close air support mission, including an off-the-shelf option for permissive environments and a cheap, clean sheet design aircraft that would replace the Fairchild Dornier A-10.
Norfolk shipyard gets Navy job after a few lonely months –
General Dynamics NASSCO’s Norfolk shipyard, the former Metro Machine yard, has been shipless since early April, when the destroyer Mitscher left.
Netherlands receives sniper pods for F16s –
Lockheed Martin has finished delivering 14 Sniper Advanced Targeting Pods to the Royal Netherlands Air Force.
Weak Falcon sales force Dassault to reorganize factories –
A prolonged downturn of the business aircraft market, compounded by disappointing military sales, is prompting Dassault Aviation to launch a new round of factory reorganization.
LRSO keeps B-2 relevant as counterstealth tech improves –
When a Northrop Grumman B-2A Spirit launches with intent from Whiteman AFB, Mo., with a belly full of B61 thermonuclear bombs, there are very few places it cannot go to reach its intended target. But as the bat-winged, low-observable bomber enters its 20th year of operational service next year, modern anti-aircraft weapons being developed and fielded by Russia, China, Iran and North Korea will increasingly push the B-2 farther away from sensitive military installations.
Defense
Air Force awards contract for deceptive cyber research –
The Air Force recently awarded the first phase of a contract for an eventual solution to provide cyber deception for network defense, according to a July 18 notice on the FedBizOpps contracting website. The contract was listed under the Small Business Innovation Research program, which aims for small businesses to engage in Federal Research/Research and Development (R/R&D) that have the potential for commercialization.
Air Force works to keep older planes in air longer –
The job to acquire, maintain and modernize more than 2,000 aircraft lands on the Fighters and Bombers Directorate at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, a workforce of about 3,000 people across the country, said Brig. Gen. Michael J. Schmidt, who since April has been the directorate program executive officer.
LCS Fort Worth’s return journey brightens –
The outlook earlier this year for the homeward journey of the littoral combat ship Fort Worth was grim. The damage from a Jan. 12 pierside incident in Singapore seemed to be severe, bad enough that it was a question whether any the ship’s four main propulsion engines could be brought online.
Veterans
Trump, Clinton to discuss VA reform at VFW convention –
In between political conventions, both major party presidential candidates will appear at the Veterans of Foreign Wars convention next week to discuss their campaigns and priorities for Veterans Affairs reform if they become commander in chief.
Female Air Force pilot amputee returns to the skies –
She still needs to complete a requalifying syllabus for full-flying status in the next few weeks, and will soon PCS to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz. But by winter, Wise says she will likely be ready to deploy overseas for her second career deployment.
U.S. Senate approves bill honoring Filipino veterans –
The U.S. Senate has passed a bill authored by Sen. Mazie Hirono to make it possible for more than 260,000 Filipinos and Filipino-Americans, including 300 from Hawaii, to receive the highest civilian award that Congress can bestow — the Congressional Gold Medal.