News
With first A-10 strikes in Afghanistan, Marines call in the heat on the Taliban –
Two sorties of A-10C Thunderbolt II aircraft struck Taliban militants in Helmand province, Afghanistan, on Jan. 24. It’s the first series of strikes by the aircraft since its return to Afghanistan on Jan. 19.
Business
SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy rocket may mean big savings for DOD –
SpaceX’s successful static firing of its Falcon Heavy rocket Jan. 24 in preparation for the rocket’s expected maiden flight next month is important for the Department of Defense and the intelligence community. Why?
U.S. delivers helicopters to bolster Jordan’s border defenses –
The United States has delivered the last batch of Black Hawk helicopters for Jordan’s rapid deployment force to bolster border defenses and engage in cross-border operations against Islamic militants.
Australia to spend $3.1 billion to increase stake in global arms exports –
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said Jan. 22 Australian military equipment manufacturers will be offered government-backed loans as part of a A$3.8 billion ($3.1 billion) package to become one of the world’s top 10 defense exporters.
General Dynamics to pump nearly $2 billion into its shipyards –
General Dynamics is investing about $2 billion into its shipyards in the coming years to meet the demands of a growing U.S. fleet, the company’s top executive said Jan. 24 during an earnings call.
Boeing loses in dispute with Canada’s Bombardier –
Delivering a big defeat to Boeing, a U.S. trade panel ruled Jan. 26 that the U.S. aircraft giant was not harmed by competition from Canada’s Bombardier.
Third time’s the charm? India again attempts to buy midair refuelers –
India has begun its third global attempt to buy six midair refueling aircraft by issuing a request for information to European corporation Airbus, Boeing of the U.S. and Ilyushin Aviation Complex of Russia, according to an Indian Air Force official.
DOD selects Eagle Harbor Solutions to facilitate its cloud adoption process –
The company will help DOD create a cloud adoption strategy and facilitate communication with senior leadership.
Turkey strengthens Airbus relations as alliances are tested –
French aerospace firm Airbus has signed a long-term, multibillion-dollar cooperation deal with Turkey’s defense procurement agency.
Army turns to Olin Corp. for small caliber ammo –
Olin Corporation was awarded a contract from the U.S. Army for 5.56mm and 7.62mm small caliber ammunition cartridges. The deal, announced Thursday by the Department of Defense, is valued at more than $43.3 million under a fixed-price with economic price adjustment modified contract.
More than $17.5 million awarded to Jacob Technology for services –
Jacobs Technology has been awarded a contract for engineering services in support of launch testing for the U.S. Navy and the British government. The deal, announced Thursday by the U.S. Department of Defense, is valued at more than $17.5 million and modifies a previous award contract under the terms of a cost-plus-fixed-fee, cost contract.
General Dynamics to support U.S., British submarines –
General Dynamics was awarded a contract for services in support of U.S. and British fire control and weapon control systems on ballistic and guided missile submarines. The deal, announced Jan. 25 by the Department of Defense, is valued at more than $8.3 million under the terms of a cost-plus-incentive-fee, cost-plus-fixed-fee modified contract.
EU action plan with road maps for military mobility to be unveiled soon –
A working group led by the European Defence Agency (EDA) will hand over its recommendations in early February to the EU for plugging the gaps and shortfalls that block rapid military deployment across Europe. Including input from NATO, national defence ministries, the European Air Transport Command, the European Commission, and other players, the recommendations will lead to an EU action plan with a set of road maps in March, said officials.
Third Burkan-2H missile shows no sign of Saudi intercept –
A CNN team was taken to a Saudi military base Jan. 17 where it was allowed to film the remnants of a ballistic missile clearly marked as a Burkan-2H. The Saudi-led coalition said it was launched from Yemen and intercepted by a Patriot south of Riyadh Dec. 19, 2017.
Russia marks maiden flight of Il-78M-90A tanker –
The maiden flight of the new Ilyushin Il-78M-90A aerial refuelling tanker for the Russian Aerospace Forces took place Jan. 25. The 35-minute flight took place out of the Aviastar-SP production facility located in Ulyanovsk, approximately 600 km east of Moscow.
Defense
Is the Pentagon getting a raise in fiscal 2019? –
The Trump administration reportedly plans to seek a defense budget of $217 billion as part of its fiscal 2019 budget request.
DOD, VA team up on new tool to help with ‘bad paper’ upgrade applications –
Veterans Affairs and Defense officials this week released new online help for veterans applying for a discharge upgrade, the latest in a series of outreach efforts to so-called “bad paper” veterans who may have been unfairly deprived of federal benefits.
Is Army ready to transform its missile defense force? –
The Army is coming out with a new missile defense strategy this summer and the Pentagon is expected to release an overarching missile defense review in short order. Combined, the initiatives will guide the way the future air-and-missile defense force will operate.
New Army missile defense strategy due out this summer –
The new strategy will focus on the 2018 to 2028 time frame and will “nest” with the National Defense Strategy, the Army’s operating concept and the service’s new doctrinal concept of multi-domain battle.
Secrecy, uncertainty surrounds Navy discipline for fatal ship collisions –
More than five months after 17 sailors were crushed and drowned aboard the destroyers Fitzgerald and John S. McCain, the Navy is declining to make public the number and nature of disciplinary actions taken against crew members.
Navy working to finalize Greyhound-to-Osprey transition –
The plan is to replace the aging C-2A Greyhounds with new V-22 Ospreys over the course of the next decade.
A new push to move an aircraft carrier to Florida –
The Navy says moving a nuclear-powered ship to Florida is too expensive.
Air Force’s newest gunship is having problems with its big guns –
The 30mm cannon on the Air Force’s next gunship, the AC-130J Ghostrider, is having multiple problems, limiting its ability to track targets and maintain a full and consistent rate of fire.
Five suffer minor injuries at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada –
Officials at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada now say five people were treated for minor injuries after an aircraft aborted its takeoff and caught fire.
F-35 Pilot: ‘I didn’t know if I was going to be able to get back’ –
Flying at about 35,000 feet on a scorching Arizona day, the F-35 pilot noticed the oxygen flowing into his mask catch for just a split second. “That was odd,” he thought. At that moment, a high-pitched alarm rang, “deedle-deedle.” A caution light flashed in the cockpit, warning that the Onboard Oxygen Generation System had failed.
War without the internet? Commandant says Marines need to revive old-style comms –
Marines also will need to start conducting training with the internet off, he said.
Veterans
DOD, VA team up on new tool to help with ‘bad paper’ upgrade applications –
Veterans Affairs and Defense officials this week released new online help for veterans applying for a discharge upgrade, the latest in a series of outreach efforts to so-called “bad paper” veterans who may have been unfairly deprived of federal benefits.
Remains of missing World War II soldier from Wisconsin identified –
The Pentagon says it has identified a missing World War II serviceman from Wisconsin and he’s being returned to his family for burial with full military honors.