News
Search and rescue underway for 2 Marine Corps aircraft off coast of Japan, 1 person rescued –
Search and rescue operations are underway off the coast of Japan for a U.S. Marine Corps KC-130 refueling tanker and an F/A-18 fighter jet involved in a mishap, according to the Marines.
U.S. reconfigures border troops in response to shifting caravan routes –
The Trump administration is reconfiguring and slightly scaling back the deployment of U.S. troops and personnel at the border in response to the shifting position of migrants trying to cross into the U.S., according to several Homeland Security and Defense officials.
U.S. has taken first step to leaving an arms control treaty. What happens next? –
The United States on Nov. 4 formally accused Russia of violating a major arms control treaty, taking the first step to leaving the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty — which could lead to the eventual placement of ground-based cruise missiles in Europe.
Business
Faulty bomb elevators make for rough going in aircraft carrier deal –
The new head of the Senate Armed Services panel says he’s leery of backing the Pentagon’s plan to buy two aircraft carriers in one contract so long as contractor Huntington Ingalls Industries Inc. is struggling to fix the elevators needed to lift bombs from below deck.
Airbus pulls out of Polish helo tender due to offset requirements –
Airbus Helicopters has decided to pull out of the Polish Defence Ministry’s tender to acquire new copters for the country’s Navy.
No ‘devastating impact’ to F-35 industrial base if Turkey removed from program, says U.S. Air Force official –
A potential decision by the United States to remove Turkey from the F-35 program over its purchase of the Russian S-400 missile system may have only minimal impact on the fighter jet’s industrial base, a senior U.s. Air Force official said Nov. 4.
U.S. airmen in the Pacific transitioned to the C-130J this year. How is the new model faring? –
U.S. Indo-Pacific Command has the largest area of responsibility of the American military’s combatant commands. Covering about half the Earth’s surface, the command’s area of responsibility stretches from the waters off the West Coast of the continental United States to the western border of India, and from Antarctica to the North Pole.
Spanish vendors pitch new hypoxia-response training for military pilots –
Spanish companies have unveiled a new system for simulating low-oxygen conditions that air force pilots may experience during flight.
Agencies propose rule change to cut burdens on small business –
The Department of Defense, the General Services Administration and NASA have proposed a rule change to the Federal Acquisition Regulations that would standardize the limitations on subcontracting across agencies while reducing the burden on small businesses contractors.
Airbus looks to pounce as Boeing struggles to deliver first tanker –
The fight between the commercial airliner titans is moving back into the defense space. And this time, Lockheed Martin is in Airbus’ corner.
Defense
U.S. sends aircraft carrier to Persian Gulf in show of force against Iran –
A U.S. aircraft carrier strike group will arrive in the Middle East within days, U.S. defense officials said, ending the longest period in two decades that such a military presence has been absent from the region.
Mattis OKs extension of troop deployment on Mexico border –
The Pentagon says Defense Secretary Jim Mattis has approved plans to extend the deployment of active-duty U.S. troops at the southern border with Mexico until Jan. 31.
Report: Pentagon will send green-card recruits to boot camp, halting a Trump policy from last year –
The military services will start sending their backlogs of green-card holders to recruit training after a preliminary injunction issued in federal court, according to memos seen by The Washington Post.
Special ops may pass more missions to conventional forces, nominee says –
The nominee to lead U.S. Special Operations Command told lawmakers Nov. 4 that the unrelenting pace of operations may force the elite organization to pass some missions off to conventional combat units.
Military could face new demands if government shuts down –
The military might have to pick up the slack if a spat over President Donald Trump’s demands for border wall funding forces a partial government shutdown later this month.
Busy deployment sees one Marine infantry battalion covering three Middle East war zones –
A Marine infantry battalion shouldered a large chunk of responsibility for U.S. military operations across the Middle East as it covered down on three war zones.