News
Pentagon offers temporary fix for California Guard pay problems –
The Pentagon plans to “surge” manpower and “streamline” bureaucracy to resolve individual appeals from up to 10,000 California reservists asked to repay bonus money improperly approved a decade ago.
Business
L-3 unveils smaller imaging system –
L-3 has unveiled what it calls its smallest and lightest electro-optical/infrared imaging system.
Chemring awarded Australian electronic warfare contract –
British firm Chemring Group has been awarded an Australian military contract for electronic warfare systems.
Britain’s soft spot for Germany’s ‘Boxer’ vehicle raises eyebrows in industry –
Britain’s Ministry of Defence has taken its first formal step with industry towards buying a mechanized infantry vehicle for the British Army, but there are concerns the request for preliminary information released in the last few days is more aimed at making the case for a straight government-to-government purchase of the German-built Boxer vehicle rather than the first move towards holding a competition.
Challenging programs await new head of TAI –
Scores of ambitious indigenous development programs, including a fighter jet, will be a major challenge for Temel Kotil, the newly-appointed CEO of Turkey’s aerospace powerhouse Tusas Turkish Aerospace Industries.
Robots can kill, deliver beer. Do we need humans? –
While Uber has been deploying self-driving technology for the task of delivering beer, military strategists have been considering weightier issues: autonomous weapons.
Russia designing new, faster ‘Predator’ torpedo to boost naval power –
The widely known Shkval (“Squall”) torpedo, which for a long time was a global leader in terms of speed and the destructive force of its warhead, will be replaced by a new torpedo, called Khishchnik (“Predator”).
Safran announces Silicon Valley expansion –
Safran Identity & Security announced this week that it will open a location in Silicon Valley by the end of 2016.
Airbus rolls out first Exocet-armed H225M helo for Brazilian Navy –
The first Airbus Helicopters H225M medium-twin rotorcraft equipped to carry the MBDA AM39 Exocet anti-shipping missile was rolled out by the company’s Helibras subsidiary in Brazil.
Northrop CEO: Company to ride Pentagon’s ‘recapitalization wave’ in years ahead –
CEO Wes Bush told analysts on a third-quarter earnings call Wednesday that the defense company is positioned well in the years ahead to get in on the Pentagon’s long-stalled but soon-to-be-aggressive efforts to recapitalize and modernize.
Defense
Navy outlines a path forward on unmanned systems –
The Navy’s deputy assistant secretary for unmanned systems has outlined the service’s eight goals for the technology on the first day of the Unmanned Systems Defense conference in Arlington, Va.
UAS will change maneuver capability of Marines –
Unmanned systems are changing the maneuverability of the Marine Corps. Referencing the newly published Marine Corps Operating Concept, Lt. Gen. Robert Walsh, commanding general of Marine Corps Combat Development Command, said that within the force’s combined arms approach to maneuver warfare, the unmanned capability will allow for maneuverability in different ways than witnessed in the 20th century.
Veterans
Pentagon issues transgender ID guidelines –
Transgender veterans who have transitioned since leaving the military will be allowed to voluntarily update their genders on identification cards they use to receive government benefits.