Planning for sequestration is the practical thing to do and doesnít indicate a lack of confidence in Congress, Deputy Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter said Jan. 27 in an interview on ìThis Week in Defense News with Vago Muradian. Though Congress voted earlier this month to delay until March 2 the implementation of about $500…

Britain deploys surveillance aircraft to Mali Britain’s military says it is deploying a spy plane to Mali to help with the French-led military intervention against the West African country’s Islamist rebels. The Ministry of Defense said it sent the Sentinel R-1 aircraft, a specially modified jet whose radar can be used to hunt ground targets,…

Symbol of Argentina’s decaying navy sinks in port Argentina’s defense chief says he’s ashamed over the sinking of a mothballed Navy destroyer, an incident that critics say reflects the abandonment of a once-proud fleet. The ARA Trinidad led Argentina’s 1982 sea war against Britain, but has long been used for spare parts. The Navy said…

International MoD unveils third round of Army job cuts  The [British] Ministry of Defence has announced a third round of Army redundancies. Up to 5,300 job losses were outlined by the government. These are part of cuts already announced to reduce Army numbers from 102,000 to 82,000 by 2017. British Army to fire another 5,300…

U.S. military deaths in Afghanistan at 2,044 As of Jan. 22, 2012, at least 2,044 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 1,705 military service members have died in Afghanistan as a result…

News Pentagon grounds Marine Corps model of F-35 fighter jet The Pentagon and U.S. Navy Jan. 18 grounded the Marine Corps version of Lockheed Martin Corp’s F-35 fighter jet after an incident that occurred during a training flight at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida Jan. 16.   Business U.S. 787 probe puts spotlight on…

Judge requiring Bales to undergo sanity review The military judge overseeing the case of Staff Sgt. Robert Bales said Jan. 17 that he will require Bales to undergo an official review of his sanity before he can present any mental health defense to charges of massacring Afghan civilians. Bales deferred entering a plea Jan. 17…

Defense West Point center cites dangers of ‘far right’ in U.S. A West Point think tank has issued a paper warning America about “far right” groups such as the “anti-federalist” movement, which supports “civil activism, individual freedoms and self-government.”   Space Fermi telescope may change to dark matter hunting The Universe’s highest-energy light could finally…

U.S. military deaths in Afghanistan at 2,043 As of Jan. 16, 2013, 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 1,704 military service members have died in Afghanistan as a result…