News
Lawmakers want the hiring freeze thawed for defense-acquisition workers –
Nineteen House Republicans are calling on U.S. President Donald Trump to exempt the Defense Department’s acquisitions personnel from the federal hiring freeze he ordered a week ago.
Business
Northrop Grumman drops out of T-X trainer competition –
Northrop Grumman has pulled out of the T-X program, becoming the second company to drop from the competition in a matter of weeks.
Wary of homemade fighter jet, Indian navy looks abroad –
The Indian navy has issued a global request for information to procure 57 multirole fighters for its aircraft carriers at an estimated price tag of $15 billion.
New Northrop facility deal likely meant for B-21 stealth coating –
Northrop Grumman’s secretive B-21 bomber appears set to receive its stealth coating at the same spot its B-2 parent was born.
Despite industry deal, unknowns cloud Turkish fighter-jet plans –
BAE Systems looks to have further cemented its future role in a strategic Turkish fighter jet contract, though the multibillion-dollar effort remains clouded by uncertainties.
Canada wants Super Hornet jets by 2019, but cost still undecided –
Canada is hoping to receive the first of its Super Hornet fighter jets by 2019 but still has to hammer out a price as well as industrial benefits, according to Canadian government officials.
Czech Republic, Romania order new armored personnel carriers –
As Eastern European allies intensify efforts to modernize the armored personnel carrier (APC) fleets of their land forces, the Czech Republic has ordered new Pandur II eight-wheel drive vehicles from Tatra Defence Vehicle, and Romania has awarded a deal for additional Piranha III eight-wheel drive APCs to General Dynamics European Land Systems.
Defense Logistics Agency awards $6 billion IT contract –
TRI-COR Industries has been awarded a Defense Logistics Agency contract to provide IT services.
Leidos to support anti-WMD mission –
Leidos has been awarded a task order by the Defense Threat Reduction Agency to support efforts against weapons of mass destruction.
Airbus calls in the movers as power shifts to new headquarters –
After top-level restructuring at Airbus come the musical chairs and a new logo intended to convey unity as the European giant aims to refocus its management without a return to past infighting.
Five-nation project for multimode IED detection to get off ground soon –
A five-nation European research consortium will soon receive funding to work on a counter-improvised explosive device (IED) project for route clearance that, if successful, would leap ahead of today’s techniques.
U.S. Air Force study ln light fighter fleet takes shape –
As the U.S. Air Force contemplates the right mix of high and low-end fighters, the service is filling in the details of a plan to study what commercial-off-the-shelf designs might be a good fit for a possible light-attack fleet.
Defense
Jim Mattis begins to build Donald Trump’s bigger, deadlier military –
Defense Secretary Jim Mattis has directed Pentagon budget planners to lay the groundwork for an ambitious rebuilding effort, one that will, in the near term, address President Trump’s desire to bring more military force to bear on the Islamic State while also growing the United States’ capacity to oppose “high-end competitors” such as Russia and China.
Mattis review only looks at F-35C Vs. Super Hornet –
Of the three variants of Lockheed Martin’s F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, only the carrier-launched F-35C is at risk of being replaced by Boeing’s F-18 Super Hornet.
How the Navy’s warship shop uses data to do more with less –
A Navy program office turned to an analytics and visualization tool to help optimize complex tasks.
How China sees the U.S. Navy’s Sea Hunter drone –
Chinese strategists are studying the implications of the U.S. Navy’s new sub-hunting unmanned surface vessel.
Air Force wants to grow from 55 to 60 fighter squadrons –
The Air Force wants to grow from 55 fighter squadrons to 60 to keep up with the pace of combat operations, spokesman Col. Patrick Ryder said Jan. 31.
Top Marine aviator: ‘If I don’t get more money, I’ll stop flying in July or August’ –
Without more money from Congress, the Marine Corps will have to stop flying aircraft this summer, the head of Marine aviation said Feb. 1.
Veterans
Trump pick David Shulkin vows to reform — not privatize — VA services –
President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs pledged Wednesday to resist any plans to “privatize” veterans’ services but also outlined a vision of a more robust, community-integrated system for the future.