News
U.S. bombing expands to Afghan province near Chinese border –
U.S. Forces-Afghanistan has begun launching precision airstrikes in Northern Afghanistan in an effort to degrade the Taliban’s revenue streams, training facilities and support networks.
Will U.S. trade its new sub-launched cruise missile for Russian arms treaty compliance? –
Under the recently released Nuclear Posture Review, the U.S. intends to produce a new sea-launched nuclear cruise missile ? part of a plan to directly put pressure on Russia’s nuclear forces.
Business
Watch the V-280 Valor reach 80 knots in flight tests –
Bell Helicopter’s V-280 Valor, a tilt-rotor aircraft built for a U.S. Army-led demonstration, has reached a flight speed of 80 knots and is flying at an altitude of 1,000 feet above ground level, said Keith Flail, the company’s vice president for advanced tilt-rotor systems, who spoke to Defense News in a Feb. 5 interview.
Philippines orders 16 Bell 412EPI helicopters under modernization plan –
Bell Helicopter has signed a purchase agreement with the Philippines for additional Bell 412EPI helicopters, the company said Tuesday at the Singapore Airshow.
Elta introduces simple missile decoy system –
Elta Systems has introduced a new towed missile decoy that can be used on special mission and VIP aircraft.
What ‘Buy America’ looks like at an overseas air show –
State Department officials say they’re upping their presence at the Singapore Airshow this week as part of the administration’s push to sell more arms abroad.
Saab responds to India Navy RFP with Sea Gripen –
Saab has responded to an Indian navy request for proposals for carrier-borne fighter aircraft with an offer based on a marinised variant of its Gripen NG.
Embraer to sell six KC-390s to defense services company –
Embraer moved closer to another contract for its KC-390 multi-mission transport aircraft on Tuesday, signing a letter of intent with aviation services company SkyTech for up to six aircraft, the company announced.
BMC charged with developing Turkish tank engine, plans to surpass expectations –
BMC, a privately owned Turkish armored vehicles manufacturer, has set out to design, develop and produce an indigenous engine for the Altay, Turkey’s first indigenous, new-generation tank in the making.
Sikorsky teams with Rheinmetall for German helicopter race –
Sikorsky has teamed up with Rheinmetall Defence in an upcoming competition to replace Germany’s fleet of heavy-lift transport helicopters, the companies announced Feb. 6.
Iran’s Mohajer 6 armed UAV goes into production –
Iran held a ceremony Feb. 5 to mark the start of mass production of the new Mohajer 6 unmanned aerial vehicles.
Nexter’s ‘very good’ 2017 was over $1 billion better than 2016 –
Nexter’s orders last year were worth about €869 million more than the previous year’s, according to Stéphane Mayer, the chairman and CEO of the French land weapons company.
Raytheon’s cybersecurity unit expands, newfound focus on critical infrastructure –
The government unit of Forcepoint, Raytheon’s cybersecurity company, is expanding its focus to include critical infrastructure.
South African firm ramping up Mwari light-attack aircraft production –
Following the completion of the Paramount Group’s new state-of-the art aerospace factory at the Wonderboom International Airport Complex, the major player in South Africa’s defense industry is preparing to ramp up production of its Mwari light-attack aircraft.
Heron 1 to fly on for German military –
Germany has signed a one-year contract extension to a long-running arrangement with Airbus Defence & Space for operations using Israel Aerospace Industries Heron 1 unmanned air vehicles.
Russian submarine production secured until 2027 –
Russia’s State Armaments Programme 2018-27 foresees the construction of submarines until 2027, the deputy defense minister has said.
Defense
Mattis: No such thing as a ‘tactical’ nuclear weapon, but new cruise missile needed –
There is no such thing as a “tactical” nuclear weapon, despite the introduction of two so-called tactical options in the recently released Nuclear Posture Review, U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis told Congress Feb. 6.
Mattis: Year-long continuing resolution would threaten troops’ pay –
Two days before yet another potential government shutdown, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis appeared before Congress to issue a now-familiar warning: Lawmakers’ inability to pass a budget has and will continue to hurt the troops.
Pentagon says Trump ordered Washington military parade –
President Donald Trump has asked the Pentagon to plan a grand parade of the U.S. armed forces in Washington this year to celebrate military strength, officials said Feb. 6.
DOD issued a $7 million cloud support contract to company with one employee –
The Defense Department awarded a sole-source contract to Eagle Harbor Solutions, an Alaska-based small business with a single employee, to consult in its major cloud acquisition.
Precision kits will help Army artillery rounds hit targets without GPS –
A new contract issued by the Army shows one of many steps the service is taking to make its artillery arsenal fire farther and more accurately with deadly effects.
Navy presses Mattis to delay ‘shock testing’ costliest carrier –
U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis is weighing a Navy request to delay for at least six years the shock testing intended to determine how well its new $12.9 billion aircraft carrier could withstand attack.
Navy’s massive training overhaul faces long-term threat –
Buried inside the Navy’s recent strategic review was an ominous warning: The Navy’s plans to transform the way sailors are trained is at risk of failure because the Pentagon is already forcing budget cuts on the ambitious multi-year effort.
Navy doing away with combat camera –
The Navy will eliminate its’ two combat camera units by Oct. 1 in an effort to cut costs and eliminate billets, Navy Times has learned.
Air Force cuts re-up bonuses for dozens of jobs –
The Air Force is cutting selective re-enlistment bonuses for 17 career fields and reducing SRBs for 19 more in fiscal 2018.
Lawmaker blasts Air Force general over unsolved hypoxia problem –
The chairman of a House Armed Services subcommittee blasted the Air Force’s deputy chief of staff for operations Feb. 6 over the service’s inability to get to the bottom of the hypoxia problem plaguing pilots.
Veterans
VA sees big savings in expanding caregiver stipends, but lawmakers still worry about costs –
Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin insists a limited expansion of his department’s caregivers stipend program could save the federal government around $2.5 billion annually.