News
Senate shoots down attempt to curb Trump’s Iran war powers-
The Senate’s Republican majority defeated a war authorization measure June 28 meant to bar President Donald Trump from launching a military strike against Iran without Congress’s permission.
Bowe Bergdahl seeking new trial or clemency due to Trump comments-
The Army’s Court of Criminal Appeals heard arguments June 27 in the ongoing case of Bowe Bergdahl, with the former soldier’s attorneys contending that the case should be reconsidered or Berghdahl should be granted clemency because President Donald Trump’s comments and tweets tainted the proceedings.
Afghan Taliban say latest peace talks with U.S. are ‘critical’-
The Taliban said June 30 that the latest round of peace talks with the United States is “critical” as the two sides “rewrite” a draft agreement in which American forces would withdraw from Afghanistan in exchange for guarantees from the insurgents that they would fight terrorism.
Judge bars Trump from using $2.5B in military funding to build border wall-
A federal judge on June 28 prohibited President Donald Trump from tapping $2.5 billion in military funding to build high-priority segments of his prized border wall in California, Arizona and New Mexico.
Business
Army awards key contracts to build virtual trainers-
The Army has awarded several key contracts to build virtual trainers, which make up a critical part of the service’s developing Synthetic Training Environment.
United Technologies shareholder launches rebellion against merger with Raytheon-
A significant owner of United Technologies Corporation shares has issued a public broadside against the proposed merger with Raytheon, calling the move “ill-conceived and unlikely to create value.”
Israel’s largest defense company moves slowly toward IPO-
The company completed at the start of last year a major business and corporate restructuring, consolidating three divisions and another business enterprise into a single division, and rolling out a new strategy to enable growth.
Three companies awarded $1.8B to support Navy shipbuilding programs-
Three companies — BAE System Technology Solutions and Services Inc., Serco and Scientific Research Corp. — have been awarded combined contracts by the U.S. Navy worth up to $1.8 billion to support the branch’s shipbuilding programs, including communications and computers systems aboard vessels.
Defense
New Trump policies could end in deportations for some active duty troops-
The federal government is rolling back protections that have held off deportations for non-citizen service members, their families and veterans, according to a top immigration lawyer.
Raptors sent to Gulf amid Iran tensions-
Nearly a dozen Air Force F-22 stealth fighters have deployed to the Persian Gulf state of Qatar, part of a force buildup requested by U.S. Central Command in May in response to what it called heightened Iranian threats against American forces in the region.
First Army battalion with mini drones heading to Afghanistan-
Soldiers with the 82nd Airborne Division will be the first infantry Army battalion to employ pocket-sized drones at the squad level on their upcoming Afghanistan deployment.
A top U.S. Navy engineer says the fleet needs to get out, bust the rust-
With the Navy looking to keeps its surface combatants such as the Arleigh Burke-class destroyers for 40-to-45 years each, sailors and maintainers must do everything they can to keep corrosion under control, one of the Navy’s senior-most engineering duty officers said to a gathering of naval engineers June 20.
Navy eyes new launchers on stalwart destroyers for putting hypersonics afloat-
With bigger, faster missiles in development and bound for the fleet, the Navy’s engineers are eyeing back-fitting upgraded launchers on its stalwart Arleigh Burke destroyers.
U.S., UK and Israeli F-35 pilots train together-
F-35 pilots from the U.S., U.K., and Israel took part in a one-day training exercise over the Eastern Mediterranean Sea June 25, according to an Air Force press release.
Veterans
TAP is getting a makeover this year. Here’s what you need to know-
Service members transitioning out of the military this year could be much more prepared for civilian life than their predecessors, thanks to some major changes coming to the Defense Department’s Transition Assistance Program.
Historic million-veteran study could lead to PTSD research breakthrough-
The VA has teamed up with the Defense Department and thousands of veteran volunteers on what could be breakthrough research to get at the root causes of post-traumatic stress disorder and open up paths to new methods of treatment, according to VA officials.