News
CENTCOM: MQ-9 Reaper shot down over Yemen-
An unmanned U.S. observation aircraft was shot down over Yemen on June 6, according to a statement by U.S. Central Command.
Mortar attack on Iraqi base home to U.S. troops; no casualties-
Militants in Iraq fired three mortar shells early June 15 into an air base just north of Baghdad where American trainers are present, causing no casualties, the Iraqi military said.
With new team of prosecutors, Navy takes a final shot at SEAL Eddie Gallagher-
On April 10, 2018, Naval Special Warfare Operator 1st Class Craig Miller sat down in an interview room in San Diego.
Pompeo tries rallying foreign leaders in alleged oil attacks-
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is reaching out to wary foreign leaders to frame alleged Iranian attacks in a Middle East oil shipping route as a problem for the world at large, especially for Asian countries vitally dependent on that oil.
From the Paris Air Show
Without a NATO-wide effort, the skies along the northeastern flank could be in peril-
Confronted by what they perceive as Russia’s increasingly belligerent activities in Eastern Europe, the three Baltic states are moving toward tightening their air-defense cooperation, and they view NATO’s air-policing mission in their skies as a major part of their security.
Calls grow louder for a fresh European air-defense push-
NATO members in Europe should band together and sharpen their focus on short- to medium-range air defense, with Germany taking the lead in forging a coalition, analysts on the continent argue.
French Air Force deputy talks strategy, Brexit and future fighter jets-
As deputy chief of staff for plans and programs with the French Air Force, Maj. Gen. Frédéric Parisot is the go-to person if one wants to know the force’s plans for the future.
As Europe highlights sixth-gen fighters at Paris Air Show, U.S. keeps its plans under wraps-
If Farnborough 2018 was all about the debut of the Tempest, the United Kingdom’s future sixth-generation fighter, the Paris Air Show 2019 might be the year of the Franco-German Future Combat Air System.
Saab’s Gripen is out of the running in Swiss aircraft race-
The Gripen fighter just can’t seem to land in Switzerland, as its manufacturer Saab has dropped out of the race to supply the country with a new fleet of combat aircraft.
Business
EU steps up its defense spending, but Washington says not so fast-
Just days before thousands of government officials and defense industry executives from around the globe gather at the Paris Air Show, neither the US nor the European Union appears ready to back down from a war of words over an ambitious European project to boost its homegrown defense industry.
How contractors can guard against cyber intrusions-
Contractors, facing an increasing barrage of cyber intrusions by foreign entities, should protect themselves using traditional regulatory approaches but also new techniques such as blockchain and artificial intelligence, according to a new report from Deloitte.
Here’s how CrowdStrike Holdings performed after its IPO-
Crowdstrike Holdings Inc. traded as high as 97 percent over its initial public offering price June 12, according to MarketWatch.
Defense
Inside the process of confirming Defense Secretary Shanahan-
On May 9, the White House announced its intent to nominate acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan for the full job. More than a month later, the Senate is still waiting for the nomination to arrive on its desk, but that doesn’t mean behind-the-scenes activity isn’t happening.
Trump’s Pentagon choice fights to win over doubters-
Pat Shanahan’s critics call him a weak link on the president’s team but the acting defense secretary says he knows how to deal with the unexpected.
Pentagon keeps Trump in the dark about its cyber attacks on Russia: Report-
“Two administration officials said they believed Mr. Trump had not been briefed in any detail about the steps to place ‘implants’ — software code that can be used for surveillance or attack — inside the Russian grid,” the New York Times reported.
Increased funding for next-gen Army helos, vehicles in Senate’s NDAA-
The Senate has passed its version of the Pentagon’s budget bill, in many cases providing more money than requested for the Army’s next-generation combat vehicles and helicopters, as well as infantry support weapons.
New littoral combat ship launches-
A shipyard on the border between Wisconsin and Michigan was for one day crowded with Minnesotans who showed up June 15 to watch the launch of the U.S. Navy’s newest combat ship, named in honor of the Twin Cities.
Veterans
VA ordered to stop posting firings, discipline on website after union win-
The union representing 260,000 Department of Veterans Affairs employees recently won a “cease and desist” arbitration ruling against the department’s posting of lengthy lists of firings, suspensions and other disciplinary actions in violation of the Privacy Act.
WWII Army veteran, 101, gets over 5,000 birthday cards-
When John Frey’s family requested 101 birthday cards to celebrate the World War II veteran’s 101st birthday in Utah, they were expecting to get 500 at most.