News
Trump considers using the U.S. military to establish refugee camps in Syria –
President Trump envisions using the U.S. military, in conjunction with the State Department, to establish and protect refugee camps in Syria and neighboring countries, according to a draft executive order outlining several steps the new administration intends to take with hopes of preventing future terrorist attacks on American soil.
Trump says torture works as his government readies a review –
President Donald Trump declared Jan. 25 he believes torture works as his administration readied a sweeping review of how America conducts the war on terror. It includes possible resumption of banned interrogation methods and reopening CIA-run “black site” prisons outside the United States.
Business
Raytheon, Leonardo end partnership for T-X trainer program –
Raytheon and Leonardo have decided they will no longer “jointly pursue” the U.S. Air Force’s T-X trainer competition, leaving the door open for Leonardo to bid on the program without a partnership with a U.S. prime contractor.
Boeing takes another $201 million hit on KC-46 tanker –
Boeing Jan. 25 announced a $201 million post-tax charge on the KC-46 tanker program, bringing cost overruns on the program up to more than $2 billion dollars.
Saudi Arabia commissions new batch of F-15s –
Saudi Arabia commissioned a new batch of U.S.-made F-15SA fighters during a ceremony commending the anniversary of the King Faisal Air Academy.
In policy reversal, private companies to build Indian howitzer –
Reversing an earlier practice to give big-ticket orders only to state-owned companies, India’s first homemade 155mm/52-caliber towed artillery gun, the Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System, will be built jointly by private sector companies.
Leidos to work on electromagnetic weapons –
Leidos has been awarded a $38 million Air Force contract to work on electromagnetic weapons.
Leonardo gives Panama helicopters for canceled radar contract –
Leonardo-Finmeccanica subsidiary AugustaWestland has agreed to supply Panama with two AW139M helicopters to repay a canceled radar contract.
Rafael reveals Spike SR details –
Rafael describes the Spike SR’s seeker and motor as design breakthroughs. The missile does not have a separate booster to expel it from its launch tube, with this task being performed by one ‘unified’ motor.
Defense
Pentagon confirms Trump hiring freeze locks out military civilians –
The government hiring freeze put in place by U.S. President Donald Trump will apply to Department of Defense civilian positions but will not impact uniformed personnel.
Navy zeroes in on network cybersecurity, innovation, cloud –
Next Generation Enterprise Network program manager Capt. Michael Abreu outlined three focus areas for the recompete effort: cybersecurity, innovation and technology adoption, and cloud adoption.
Trump nominates businessman Philip Bilden as new Navy Secretary –
President Donald Trump has tapped businessman Philip Bilden to take over as Secretary of the Navy, touting his military intelligence experience and cybersecurity expertise as perfect for the post.
U.S. Air Force tackles fuel-burn reduction on legacy aircraft –
Airlift aircraft account for most of the jet fuel burned by the U.S. Air Force, and will do so for the foreseeable future, as today’s tankers and transports will remain in service for decades to come.
Space
Lawmakers call for halt to DARPA program: robots repairing satellites –
Three influential House lawmakers have asked DARPA in a Jan. 25 letter to review a robotic space repair program to see if it violates the National Space Policy by competing with private-sector efforts and to put the program on hold until the review is complete.
China’s growing ambitions in space –
While Trump works to lay out a new policy for NASA, China is set to conduct a record number of launches this year.
Japan launches first military communications satellite –
Japan has launched its first military communications satellite, using a launch vehicle from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.
International
NORAD responds after Russian bombers zoom around Japan –
A pair of Russian Tu-95 Bear nuclear-capable bombers flew around Japan Jan. 24, prompting the Japanese military to scramble fighter jets as the North American Aerospace Defense Command increased its threat posture, two U.S. defense officials revealed to Fox News.
U.S., Israel run successful tests of David’s Sling –
The U.S. Missile Defense Agency and Israel’s Missile Defense Organization successfully demonstrated the David’s Sling Weapons System in a series of tests at Yanat Sea Range in Israel, MDA said in a statement released Jan. 25.
Kenya: U.S. expanding military ties to Kenya with sales, donations, training –
A U.S. National Guard unit is conducting “overseas deployment training” with the Kenya Defence Forces in the latest in a series of U.S. initiatives intended to bolster Kenya’s military resources.