Thousands protest in Japan against Osprey aircraft Thousands of people have rallied against U.S. plans to deploy Osprey aircraft on a southern Japanese island amid renewed safety concerns. The protesters gathered Sept. 9 at a seaside park on Okinawa to demand that the plan to deploy 12 MV-22 Osprey hybrid aircraft on the island be…

Navy sending fewer ship mattresses to landfills The Navy is sending fewer of its shipboard mattresses to landfills. The mattresses from two Virginia-based aircraft carriers and another ship are having their parts recycled by a South Carolina company this year for other uses. In all, the Navy plans to recycle 13,000 mattresses from the USS…

Business British aerospace boost from Airbus and Rolls-Royce; In defense-heavy San Diego, ‘fiscal cliff’ threat hits home;   Defense Defense bill bans funding for joint missile program;   International U.K. to withdraw 3,800 troops from Afghanistan during 2013; Scottish independence: Lords committee criticises Trident stance; Royal Air Force Red Arrows death: Jon Egging crash report…

Cuts include cancellation of The USAF Thunderbirds As the U.S. Air Force braces for potential sequester, leadership has cancelled all aviation support to public events for at least the remainder of the fiscal year and is standing down the Thunderbirds aerial demonstration team to save flying hours to support readiness needs. Effective March 1, active-duty,…

News North Korea’s missile launchers on the move, indicating possible new provocation North Korea has begun moving its mid-range missile launchers, possibly indicating a looming test as tensions are already boiling on the peninsula, U.S. officials told Fox News.   Business Airbus regains top spot from Boeing in first quarter Airbus recaptured the aircraft industry’s…

The Defense Department has cooperated fully with Congress and the State Department on the investigation into the attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya, that led to the death of four U.S. citizens, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said May 8. A number of panels on Capitol Hill are examining the incident, which occurred…

Reservist, defense contractor plead not guilty   A military contractor and an Army reservist have pleaded not guilty to charges in what prosecutors call a multimillion-dollar scheme to win military contracts in Afghanistan. Prosecutors say defense contractor Michael L. Taylor is being held on a related federal complaint of trying to bribe an FBI agent…

Military: U.S. jet crash cause not lack of oxygen   The military says it doesn’t appear a failure of an F-22 fighter’s oxygen system caused the $190 million jet to crash in Florida. Air Force Col. David Graff said in a statement Nov. 16 that an initial review of the Nov 15 crash found the…

U.S. military deaths in Afghanistan at 2,043 As of Jan. 8, 2012, at least 2,043 members of the U.S. military had died in Afghanistan as a result of the U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan in late 2001, according to an Associated Press count. At least 1,703 military service members have died in Afghanistan as a result…