News
Army secretary reveals weapons wish list for war with China, Russia –
U.S. Army leaders revealed April 16 that they are briefing top military commanders about new weapons being built specifically for “high-intensity conflict” against China and Russia, in a new effort to assure that they could provide vital firepower for those potential battlefields of the future.
Poland, U.S. closing in on deal to build ‘Fort Trump,’ sources say –
Poland is nearing a deal with the U.S. to establish an American military base in the former Communist bloc country, according to people familiar with the matter — an outpost the Poles see as a deterrent to Russian aggression and that the Kremlin would likely consider a provocation.
Business
Bell V-280 flies with system that can see through aircraft –
Bell’s experimental V-280 Valor tiltrotor, built for a U.S. Army technology demonstration, has flown for the first time with an integrated system that provides the pilots and aircrew a 360-degree view through the skin of the aircraft.
Boeing in $14.3bn deal for B-1, B-52 modernization –
Boeing has secured a $14.3 billion contract for upgrade work for U.S. Air Force B-1 and B-52 bombers.
Presidential helicopter replacement cost to fall by $230m –
Projected total costs for 23 new Sikorsky VH-92As, aircraft for the Presidential Helicopter Replacement program, have declined $230 million from a previous estimate.
Navies, companies push for torpedo-killing torpedoes –
Naval forces worldwide are pushing the idea of anti-torpedo torpedoes, with varying success, aiming to translate the promises of missile defense technology into undersea warfare.
Pentagon commercial space choices widen as space unicorns blossom –
A handful of start-up space firms are poised to break out as new “unicorn” firms, following in the footsteps of SpaceX, says a new market analysis by Bryce Space and Technology. OneWeb, Planet and Rocket Lab may have already squeaked over the line, as well as newcomers Mapbox and Kymeta.
How oversight issues led to ineligible contract awards –
Federal contracts that are supposed to be set aside for women-owned small businesses may actually be going to contractors that don’t meet those requirements, and the Small Business Administration has been deficient in overseeing such programs, according to a April report from the Government Accountability Office.
Raytheon awarded $12.1M for AIM-9X tactical missiles for U.S., allies –
Raytheon has been awarded a $12.1 million contract for AIM-9X Sidewinder missiles for the U.S. Navy, U.S. Army and 21 allies.
Boeing awarded $65M in foreign military sales for small-diameter bombs –
Boeing has been awarded a 10-year $65 million contract to provide small-diameter bombs to 12 foreign nations.
Defense
The new helmet that SOCOM operators will take into battle –
Special operators will soon sport a new helmet, designed to provide ballistic protection and accommodate the newest hearing protection and head-mounted communications devices.
U.S. Army is unimpressed with lightweight munition options for unmanned aircraft –
The U.S. Army is not impressed with lightweight precision munitions offered up by industry for the service’s unmanned aircraft systems, but the Army is continuing to look for smaller weapons that fit the bill.
Chinook, JLTV ‘designed for a different conflict’ –
The U.S. Army appears likely to cut more funding from the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle program as the service pivots from counterinsurgency to staring down China and Russia.
Will Army uncancel CH-47F Chinook upgrade? Sec. Esper, Gen. McConville –
The fate of the CH-47F Chinook — the latest model of the iconic heavy lift helicopter that first saw service in Vietnam — depends on three facts.
USS Fitzgerald leaves dry dock nearly two years after fatal collision –
The USS Fitzgerald left dry dock April 17 in Pascagoula, Miss., nearly two years after a collision that killed seven sailors, according to a Navy statement.
Navy’s $128 billion nuclear submarine project faces audit –
The Pentagon’s inspector general plans to audit how well the Navy is overseeing development of the propulsion and steering system for its new $128 billion Columbia class of nuclear-armed submarines.
A glimpse of deployments to come? Largest bomber rotation since start of Iraq War comes home –
Six B-52 Stratofortresses and more than 450 personnel returned from a short-term deployment to RAF Fairford in the United Kingdom on April 11 — one that allowed it to practice how Air Force units might deploy in the future.
U.S. Air Force leaders on space deterrence: ‘At some point, we’ve got to hit back’ –
Deterrence was the watchword among U.S. Air Force leadership during last week’s Space Symposium, and officials stated in strong terms that the United States is prepared to enact a show of force to prove its ability to respond to threats in space.
Veterans
New VA whistleblower protection office is under investigation for retaliating against whistleblowers –
The Veterans Affairs Department’s watchdog is investigating a new office created by President Trump early in his administration that was designed to protect whistleblowers from reprisal but is now facing allegations of aiding retaliation against them.