News
F/A-18 crashes rise rapidly as budget constraints have led to overused planes, undertrained pilots –
Since 2012, the number of major Navy and Marine Hornet and Super Hornet accidents — incidents causing at least $50,000 in damage and in some cases leading to injury, death or the loss of the $60 million aircraft — skyrocketed 44 percent, according to data collected by the Naval Safety Center in Norfolk, Va.
Business
India postpones ISTAR aircraft purchase from Raytheon –
India’s Ministry of Defence has put on hold the purchase of two intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance aircraft from Raytheon of the United States, due to internal wrangling between the Indian Air Force and the Defence Research Development Organization over which of the two should be the technical evaluator, according to a source in the MoD.
Launchpad blast deals setback, opportunities for Israeli industry –
The Sept. 1oss of the Israeli-built Amos-6 communications satellite in a launch pad explosion at Cape Canaveral marked a strategic setback, but also opportunities, for the Israeli space industry, whose follow-on orders were threatened by the planned sale of Spacecom, the Tel Aviv-based satellite operator, to a Beijing conglomerate.
Sikorsky wraps up Taiwan’s Black Hawk order –
Aircraft manufacturer Sikorsky has been awarded a $135.4 million foreign military sales contract for 24 UH-60M Black Hawk utility helicopters for Taiwan’s Air Cavalry Brigades under the Aviation and Special Forces Command to replace ageing UH-1H Huey utility helicopters.
DISA awards communications contract to Sprint –
Sprint has been awarded a Defense Information Systems Agency communications upgrade contract.
Northrop Grumman gets $375 million G/ATOR radar contract –
Northrop Grumman has been awarded a $375 million U.S. Navy contract for procurement of the Ground/Air Task-Oriented Radar, or G/ATOR, system.
Lockheed Martin gets $204 million Aegis contract modification –
Lockheed Martin Mission Systems and Training has received a $204 million contract modification for Aegis missile defense efforts.
Lockheed Martin cools IR sensors –
Lockheed Martin has unveiled a micro-sized cryocooler to chill infrared sensors.
Raytheon unveils cyber battle management system –
Raytheon has unveiled its Cyber and Electromagnetic Battle Management tool.
Defense
House Armed Services chairman blasts Obama for military pay cut –
The chairman of the House Armed Services Committee blasted President Obama Thursday evening for undercutting members of the military by suggesting a 1.6 percent annual pay raise, which falls below the 2.1 percent figure mandated by law.
To find cyber flaws in weapon systems, DOD will move millions –
Amid a growing focus on the Pentagon’s cyber vulnerabilities, it plans to reprogram $100 million toward uncovering such flaws in major weapon systems, according to budget documents posted this week.
AF lab investigating microscopic crack formations, metal fatigue –
Repeated loading and unloading, changes in air pressure, exposure to altitude and more, contribute to what is referred to as “metal fatigue,” resulting in small, microscopic cracks in engine, wing or tail structures that can have detrimental effects on safety.
Veterans
What veterans think of their options for the next commander-in-chief –
Both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump briefly paused their debate over immigration this week to address to the American Legion.