News
Here are the 172 veterans running for Congress in November –
A total of 172 veterans won primaries this year and will appear on midterm ballots across the country. Their military service spans from the 1950s to today, and includes time spent in the active-duty ranks, reserves and the Coast Guard.
Many troops skeptical of a new Space Force, new Military Times poll shows –
Troops are nearly evenly split over President Donald Trump’s controversial proposal for a new Space Force branch of the military, according to the results of a new Military Times poll of active-duty service members.
Business
Finland moves to boost its naval power in the Baltic Sea hotspot –
The increasingly strategic value of the Baltic Sea as a potential theater of military conflict between Russia and NATO is triggering fresh steps by Finland to modernize its naval forces.
Poland makes official request for U.S. rocket launchers –
Poland has sent an official request to buy American-made rocket launchers after announcing in July that the country planned to expedite its acquisition of the systems.
Angela Merkel puts on hold arms sales to Saudi Arabia –
Chancellor Angela Merkel has said Germany will stop exporting weapons to Saudi Arabia, at least for the time being. The decision comes in the wake of the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi at a Saudi consulate.
Unitech Composites to provide weapon pylons for Afghan Black Hawk helos –
Unitech Composites, a subsidiary of Unitech Aerospace, has been awarded a contract to provide its Lightweight Armament Support Structure (LASS) weapon pylons for fitment onto several of the Sikorsky UH-60A Black Hawk multirole helicopters the United States is supplying to the Afghan government, the company announced Oct. 16.
Qatar opts not to complete Boeing E-737 deal –
Qatar has decided not to proceed with the procurement of three Boeing E-737 Airborne Early Warning and Control aircraft that was first announced in 2014, Jane’s was told Oct. 18.
Defense
Navy helicopters collide while taxiing –
Two HH-60H Seahawks from Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 85 ran into each other while taxiing on a ramp at Kadena Air Force Base, Japan, earlier this month.
U.S. Navy sends a carrier back to Russia’s Arctic haunts –
Navy carrier aviation is back in the Arctic Circle for the first time in nearly 30 years, the latest sign that the Pentagon is looking to flex its muscles during an era of great power competition.
U.S., South Korea suspend more military exercises –
The Pentagon announced Oct. 19 it is suspending another major military exercise with South Korea in an effort to support denuclearization talks with North Korea, raising concerns as to how long forces on the peninsula can forgo major training opportunities before readiness is hurt.
Trump space force plan is grounded in real needs, but hazy –
With his demand that the Pentagon create a new military service — a Space Force to assure “American dominance in space” — President Donald Trump has injected urgency into a long-meandering debate over the best way to protect U.S. interests in space, both military and commercial.
U.S. Navy will have to pony up and race clock to avoid a sealift capacity collapse –
The U.S. surge sealift fleet, the ships needed to help transport up to 90 percent of the Army and Marine Corps’ gear by sea if the U.S. had to fight a war against a great power, will be facing a full-blown modernization crisis by the end of the 2020s if the Navy can’t arrest its decline, according to a Navy report send to Congress earlier this year.
U.S. Navy’s new attack sub to be faster, more lethal – and more expensive –
The Navy’s next class fast attack submarine will be designed for a return to blue-water great power competition, where the ability to support forces ashore is less important than operating in the open ocean hunting rival submarines, according to an analysis of the Navy’s 30 Year shipbuilding plan conducted by Congressional Budget Office (CBO).
More T-6 hypoxia fixes coming within weeks, Air Force says — but physiological events still happening –
The Air Force is preparing to roll out more fixes over the next few weeks to help stop the hypoxia-like problems that have plagued the T-6 Texan II trainer.
Here’s how U.S. Air Force hopes to train 1,500 new pilots a year –
The U.S. Air Force in recent weeks announced plans to ramp up its pilot training to produce 1,500 pilots a year by fiscal 2022. Now, Air Education and Training Command has divulged preliminary blueprints on how it anticipates accomplishing the task.
Marine Corps must change how it gets wartime gear to the fight, generals say –
The way the force keeps its wartime inventory positioned forward won’t work in a battle with China and needs major changes to remain relevant, top Marines say.
Veterans
Trump acknowledges Ronny Jackson might not have been qualified to lead VA –
During a raucous rally in Montana Oct. 18, President Trump made a remarkable admission about the man he nominated earlier this year to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs: He might not have been qualified.
Five congressional races with incumbent veterans to watch on election night –
Among the 170-plus veterans running for Congress this year are 67 incumbents trying to keep their seats. More than 70 percent of those are Republicans, but Congress could see a big jump in the number of Democrats if that party’s Election Day hopes come true.
Year of the woman veteran? Five races to watch –
More female veterans are running for Congress this November than ever before. A total of 14 women are competing in congressional contests next month, and polling so far suggests several are likely to win new seats.
Will number of veterans in Congress rise next year? –
The number of veterans running for Congress this year isn’t significantly higher than in other recent election cycles. But the number who win in November could be.