News
Top secret U.S. Air Force X-37B lands with a sonic boom –
The reusable X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle landed at Kennedy Space Center May 7 with a sonic boom, concluding an almost two-year mission in orbit.
Syrian Kurds are now armed with sensitive U.S. weaponry, and the Pentagon denies supplying it –
Syrian Kurdish fighters are newly armed with sophisticated American combat equipment as they close in on the Islamic State’s stronghold in Raqqa, Military Times has learned, weaponry the Pentagon says it is barred from providing to those forces.
Business
Comtech awarded Navy terminals contract –
Comtech has been awarded a $1.8 million contract extension for Navy communications terminals.
Poland initiates maritime patrol aircraft tender –
The Polish Ministry of Defence has initiated the tender to acquire new maritime patrol aircraft for the country’s armed forces. The ministry said it has issued a request for information from potential suppliers.
Canadian defense minister: Helo upgrades worth the billions –
Upgrades to Canada’s helicopter fleets that would cost more than CAN $2 billion have been identified as key programs for funding, according to the country’s defense minister.
Defense
Defense Secretary Jim Mattis: In charge, but definitely camera-shy –
Defense Secretary Jim Mattis enjoys talking to the news media, he just doesn’t like being quoted.
Military is using human brain waves to teach robots how to shoot –
Without even realizing it, soldiers could soon be training robot sharpshooters to take their jobs.
Army secretary nominee Mark Green officially drops out –
Army secretary nominee Mark Green officially withdrew his name May 5 from consideration for the Pentagon post, saying his nomination had become an unfortunate distraction for the White House.
How did Army’s wish lists fare in final budget deal? –
The Army will get funding to address some of the major capability gaps it has recently identified and will be able to execute some of the more pricey recommendations from the National Commission on the Future of the Army, all of which appeared on two wish lists it sent to Congress in 2017 consisting of desired additional funding it couldn’t include in its budget request.
New rifle, bigger bullets: Inside the Army’s plan to ditch the M4 and 5.56 –
After carrying the M16 or one of its cousins across the globe for more than half a century, soldiers could get a peek at a new prototype assault rifle that fires a larger round by 2020.
Navy orders more countermeasures –
Northrop Grumman has been awarded a $99.5 million contract modification for additional infrared countermeasures.
Navy stands up Triton drone training facility –
The Navy and contractor Northrop Grumman recently cut the ribbon on a new state of the art facility that will be used to train pilots for the upcoming MQ-4C Triton program.
Unmanned U.S. Air Force space plane lands after secret, two-year mission –
The U.S. military’s experimental X-37B space plane landed May 7 at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, completing a classified mission that lasted nearly two years, the Air Force said.
Veterans
Shulkin: New health care bill could send more vets to VA for care –
The controversial new health care bill passed by House Republicans May 6 could send veterans from private insurance plans into the Veterans Affairs medical system, the department’s secretary said.
In Mekong Delta backwaters, Vietnam vets find peace in a town that war destroyed –
Most foreign veterans who arrive in this swampy stretch of the Mekong Delta make their way to the Oasis Hotel.
Unemployment for post-9/11 vets hits record low in April –
April federal employment figures are out with good news for post-9/11 veterans: Employment is at an all-time high.
International
Italy rolls out first F-35B assembled outside US –
The first F-35B to be assembled outside the U.S. was rolled out in Italy May 5 at a ceremony at the country’s assembly line, attended by the country’s top military brass.
Denmark to scale up Baltic Sea region defense activities –
Denmark is responding to a perceived elevated military threat from Russia by rolling out plans to significantly scale up its contributions to the defense of the Baltic Sea region.
French frigates to be armed with anti-sub capability –
France launched May 2 an upgrade of systems and weapons on three La Fayette frigates, notably adding an anti-submarine capability to the stealthy warship, the arms procurement office said.