News
Soldier in bloody Niger mission had warned of gaps, defense officials say –
The two officials said Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr., the Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman, are troubled that low-level officers are being blamed for the botched mission instead of senior commanders who should be aware when American troops are undertaking a high-risk raid.
Business
Japan sets sights on carrier-based fighter jets –
Retrofitting vessels for the F-35B would raise constitutional issues.
Steel cutting to begin for Qatar Navy ships in July, delivery in 2021 –
The first steel cutting of the Qatari Emiri Navy’s corvettes is set to take place in July while the delivery of the first two units — one corvette and one offshore patrol vessel — is expected in 2021, according to the vice president of the Qatar program at Fincantieri’s naval vessels business unit.
Three armies still upgrading their Cold War-vintage M-60 tanks –
The M-60 “Patton” tank is one of the most iconic tanks of the Cold War.
Lawmakers warn on Brexit cost to UK aerospace industry –
British lawmakers have issued a stark warning over Brexit’s potential impact on the country’s aerospace industry.
Defense
U.S.-South Korean military exercises to begin April 1 –
At a potentially pivotal moment of diplomacy with North Korea, the Pentagon said Monday that annual U.S.-South Korean military exercises that had been postponed for the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics will begin April 1.
Fifteen years after start of Iraq War, U.S. is at war in at least seven countries –
Fifteen years ago today [March 19], George W. Bush announced the beginning of the Iraq war. Two U.S. presidents, thousands of lives lost, a withdrawal and a reengagement later, American troops are still on the ground—and dying—in Iraq. There are no plans for withdrawal, even though the most recent foe there — ISIS — has been almost entirely defeated.
DOD’s cost of low-yield nuclear warhead for submarines set at $48.5 million –
The Pentagon expects to spend $48.5 million over the next five years developing a new low-yield nuclear capability for submarine-launched ballistic missiles.
Pacific Command wants more spy planes to monitor North Korea’s nukes –
The commander of U.S. forces in the Pacific told Congress he lacks the spy aircraft needed to verify any “denuclearization” agreement that might come out of the proposed summit between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
Veterans
Plan could add multiple sweeping veterans reform measures to must-pass omnibus budget bill –
Lawmakers are hoping to attach a year’s worth of Veterans Affairs reform measures to the omnibus federal budget bill due early this week, in the hopes of adding another round of wins on veterans policies to the must-pass spending legislation.
Advocates push for fourth VA under secretary to focus on economic opportunity –
Advocates are pushing for a new senior administrator focused on economic opportunity at the Department of Veterans Affairs, arguing the current bureaucratic setup doesn’t do enough to highlight those critical transition and employment issues.
Key GOP senator backs Shulkin as VA secretary –
A key Republican senator told President Donald Trump over the weekend that he had “full confidence” in Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin, as Senate Republicans fret that Shulkin’s rumored replacement would be impossible to confirm.
Technology
Is cost of military space programs going up or down? Depends on how you count –
In three of the largest and costliest space programs — the AEHF communications satellites, the SBIRS missile-warning constellation and the evolved expendable launch vehicles — the Air Force claims to have brought prices down considerably.
DOD, interagency group looking to step up collaboration on space technology –
A highly anticipated “state of the defense industrial base” report is due to be completed in April. The study, requested by President Trump in a July executive order, will look at the nation’s manufacturing and supply sources.
DARPA wants to connect human brains and machines –
As unmanned platforms, cyber systems and human-machine partnering become more prevalent in 21st century war fighting, the effectiveness of combat units will be determined by how quickly information can be processed and transmitted between air-breathers and machines.
NASA figures out new way to bring satellite data back down to Earth –
Communicating with satellites is trickier than you might think.