News
Leaked documents provide details about Green Beret’s death involving Navy SEALs, Marine Raiders –
Since an Article 32 hearing was postponed in March for the two Navy SEALs and two Marine Raiders charged with murder in the death of a Green Beret in Mali, no new public information about the case has been released.
What U.S. intelligence believes happened with North Korea’s weapons test –
The U.S. does not believe North Korea successfully launched a fully operational new weapon after Pyongyang claimed it had conducted a “new tactical guided weapons firing test” on April 17, according to a U.S. official directly familiar with the latest assessment.
Business
National Guard will get Black Hawk replacement early: Army vice-chief –
“High priority” National Guard units will get the high-speed, long-range replacement for the UH-60 Black Hawk at about the same time as elite active-duty formations, the Army’s No. 2 officer promised this week.
DOD awards Boeing $14.3B bomber maintenance contract at Tinker –
Boeing has won a $14.3 billion contract to service and maintain all B-1 Lancer and B-52 Stratofortress bombers at Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma City.
Lockheed Martin says new F-35 supplier contracts will reduce aircraft costs –
F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter lead-contractor Lockheed Martin reconfigured a host of its contracts with its suppliers to lower the aircraft price tag, improve readiness and control ongoing maintenance costs.
French Army eyes robots, change in force size as it prepares for future wars –
Innovation and a sufficiently populated Army that can fulfill the service’s strategic needs are key factors in whether France will be prepared for a high-intensity conflict, the military’s strategic thinkers said at a forum held April 16 in Paris.
Israel inks deal with Elbit for advanced ‘artillery of the future’ –
Israel has signed a deal that will further its plans to deploy “artillery of the future,” the Ministry of Defense announced.
U.S. Army postpones demo plans for next-gen unmanned aircraft –
The U.S. Army’s plans to design, build and fly technology demonstrators for a next-generation unmanned aircraft system is not moving forward.
Leonardo boss warns Germany’s Saudi embargo will damage European industry –
The head of Italian defense giant Leonardo has joined the chorus of criticism aimed at Germany’s weapons embargo against Saudi Arabia, claiming it will damage Europe’s chances to integrate its defense industry.
Made in Iran: Tehran shows off F-5 knockoffs at military celebration –
Iran showcased its domestically made fighter jets by flying the aircraft over Tehran during a military parade April 18 marking National Army Day as the country grapples with U.S. sanctions and the Trump administration’s recent terrorism designation of Iran’s powerful paramilitary force.
Defense
Thirteen Army heroes of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars are getting award upgrades to the Distinguished Service Cross –
Back in 2016, then-Defense Secretary Ash Carter ordered his department to launch a review of more than 1,300 valor awards bestowed for Global War on Terror action, after suspicions arose that some service members’ bravery had been under-recognized during the conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq.
U.S. Pacific Commander seeks more funding to counter China –
The commander in charge of U.S. military operations in the Pacific wants Congress to give the command more money for defense programs to counter China, reflecting his concerns that the Pentagon’s budget isn’t realigning quickly enough to address the threat from Beijing.
Soldiers are testing this bridge-hauling tank to get heavy stuff to the fight quicker –
Soldiers at Fort Bliss, Texas, recently ran the new Joint Assault Bridge through operational testing, figuring out what works and what doesn’t before the vehicle is fielded to deploying units.
U.S. Navy has nothing like Russia’s 200 knot torpedo –
Imagine the sudden revelation of a weapon that can suddenly go six times faster than its predecessors. The shock of such a breakthrough system would turn an entire field of warfare on its head, as potential adversaries scrambled to deploy countermeasures to a new weapon they are defenseless against.
Who wants to be new Air Force secretary? Perhaps not many –
As the Trump administration shops around for a new Air Force secretary, experts warn it may not be so easy to find top-notch candidates, as many may be reluctant to step up for the job.
Global Strike chief says it’s too early to decide bomber force size –
The head of Air Force Global Strike Command believes the bomber force needs to grow, but he thinks it’s too early in the development cycle of the B-21 Raider to decide by how much because the jet’s final cost is not yet known.
Veterans
Racism kept some WWI troops from receiving Medal of Honor, lawmakers say –
Lawmakers and advocates are calling for a detailed review of the battlefield valor of African-American troops in World War I, saying many were denied the Medal of Honor due to racism.
Are schools that get most GI Bill money spending least on teaching? –
Some of the schools that receive the most Post-9/11 GI Bill money spend the least on teaching students, a new report suggests.