News
Pentagon identifies soldier killed in apparent insider attack in Afghanistan –
The Pentagon on July 8 released the name of the soldier killed in an apparent insider attack in Afghanistan.
U.S. Air Force cancels remaining light-attack experiment flights, but effort will continue –
The U.S. Air Force will not conclude the flying portion of its light-attack experiment after a June 22 aircraft crash resulted in the death of a pilot, a senior official announced July 3.
Business
Patriot system gets caught up in Swedish politics –
Tight budget constraints for defense have resulted in Swedish opposition leaders questioning the government’s capacity, or willingness, to release sufficient funding to the military to cover the procurement of an American-made Patriot missile system.
France to launch missile upgrade, pegging funding to export outlook –
France will launch this month a program for a new-generation Mica air-to-air missile, with pricing based on the weapon’s export prospects, Armed Forces Minister Florence Parly said.
French procurement office to undergo transformation –
France seeks to shake up, speed up and closely audit its arms acquisition with a “transformation” of its procurement office, the Direction Générale de l’Armement.
Can Europe sustain more than one next-gen fighter? –
The head of Airbus’s defense operation has urged European combat air companies to unite behind a single program — or face the prospect of the region falling into the second division of world fighter producers.
Leonardo warns UK, EU of pitfalls of a ‘hard’ Brexit –
The head of Italian defense giant Leonardo has urged the U.K. and the European Union to stick together on defense projects after Britain leaves the EU. Otherwise, the company warned, Italy risks being sidelined in a Europe dominated by France and Germany.
U.S. Navy, Marine Corps order dozens of Osprey aircraft in $4.2B deal –
The U.S. Navy and Marine Corps continue to invest in vertical takeoff aircraft, announcing a $4.2 billion contract with the Bell-Boeing Joint Program Office for dozens of new V-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft.
Belgian Navy tests Austrian copter drone for at-sea surveillance –
The Belgian Navy has finished a weekslong series of test flights with Schiebel’s CAMCOPTER S-100 drone as part of the sea service’s search for new maritime-surveillance and search-and-rescue equipment, the company announced July 3.
Lockheed to reportedly beat out Raytheon for Japan missile defense radar –
Japan will select Lockheed Martin’s Long Range Discrimination Radar for its two planned Aegis Ashore installations, according to a Reuters report.
Lockheed Martin engages with Taiwan on titanium technologies –
Lockheed Martin is supporting the advancement of Taiwan’s aerospace and defense industry through a program to support the indigenous development and production of titanium, the U.S. corporation has confirmed to Jane’s.
China’s AI ‘entanglement’ with Australia, U.S. –
Beijing’s focus on developing artificial intelligence technologies to support advances in both military and commercial domains is leading to increasingly strong ‘entanglement’ between Chinese agencies and counterparts in Australia and the United States, a new paper has said.
Defense
Here’s bottom line on the future of MAVNI: Many foreign-born recruits may soon be out –
On July 5, the Associated Press reported that about 40 foreign-born recruits who had joined the military through a special program created by DOD to attract needed skills had been weeded out. The news caused a media firestorm as part of the national debate on immigration.
Pentagon’s external technology office looks inward –
The Pentagon’s commercial technology hub, Defense Innovation Unit Experimental, has outposts in Silicon Valley, Boston and Austin. But it’s now stepping up its commitment to one vital region to which it has not paid as much attention in the last three years: Washington, D.C.
Air Force takes more steps to streamline deployment processes, eliminate paperwork –
Pre-deployment requirements for airmen entering U.S. Air Forces Central Command’s area of responsibility were further slashed last month thanks to bureaucratic trimming by the command’s manpower, personnel and services director, or A1.
Air Force quietly, reluctantly, pushing JSTARS recap source selection ahead –
Congress is waging a public battle on the fate of the JSTARS recap program, but behind the scenes, the Air Force is quietly taking steps that will allow them to award a contract for a program that leaders say they don’t need.
Typhoon in Guam damages several KC-135s –
A number of KC-135 tankers deployed to Andersen Air Force Base were damaged this week as Typhoon Maria swept through Guam, Pacific Air Forces confirmed July 6.
Marine Corps is offering qualified pilots more than $200,000 in bonuses –
The Corps is dishing out big bucks targeting junior officer tactical aviators that will net some pilots more than $200,000 in cash.
Veterans
Centennial of honor: Silver Star, Distinguished Service Cross mark a milestone –
When the Distinguished Service Cross and Citation Star — forerunner of the Silver Star Medal — were authorized in 1918, Congress declared that those who earned one would see a boost in their monthly military pay.
Trump suggests previous VA secretary nominee didn’t want the job –
During a rally in Montana July 5, President Donald Trump suggested that his previous pick to run the Department of Veterans Affairs “didn’t really want to do it,” but would still have been an exemplary choice for the job.
Why are Vietnam vets, families still waiting for VA caregiver benefits? –
“I just think it’s very unfair, the inequity of it all. You give up so much,” Donna Joyner said of the wall put up by Congress at the Department of Veterans Affairs that has separated one generation of family caregivers to disabled veterans from another.
Dogs leading veterans out of the darkness –
The Pets and Vets program at Tony La Russa’s ARF is making a difference in the lives of veterans, who are matched with service dogs. Here are three stories of rescue at both ends of the leash.