Mississippi is bidding for one of six sites nationwide to test unmanned aerial vehicles, also known as drones. The state submitted its proposal to the Federal Aviation Administration May 6, according to a Mississippi Development Authority. State officials say the FAA should choose Mississippi because it has three manufacturers of unmanned aerial vehicles, as well…

Gov. Jerry Brown launched a major push March 28 to bolster California’s military installations and defense industries amid federal cutbacks by establishing a council of retired generals and admirals to promote the state. The 18-member Governor’s Military Council will be led by former congresswoman and Undersecretary of State Ellen Tauscher. It will include former military…

Virginia is preparing for potential base realignments and closures by hiring a consultant to study the state’s military assets. The Alexandria-based Spectrum Group will develop a closure risk assessment for each military base in the state. The company will report its findings the state’s Commission on Military Installations and Defense Activities. The Spectrum Group is…

It’s the land where Chuck Yeager broke the sound barrier, where the space shuttle fleet rolled off the assembly line and where the first private manned rocketship climbed to space. Capitalizing on Southern California’s aerospace fortunes, two rival groups want to add another laurel: drone test range. They face crowded competition. In search of an…

The United States will add more ground-based ballistic missile interceptors to its arsenal to guard against increased threats from North Korea and Iran, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel announced March 15. North Korean and Iranian missile capabilities have increased and the United States must stay ahead of that threat, Hagel said. Both have developed longer range…

U.S. military leaders and the American ambassador favor a residual force of 13,600 in Afghanistan after combat troops leave at the end of 2014, the chairman of the House Armed Services Committee said March 13 as President Barack Obama faces political and military pressures on his upcoming decision on the size of the force. A…

The president of the United States nominated Maj. Gen. Michelle Johnson for the appointment to the rank of lieutenant general and for assignment to serve as Air Force Academy’s 19th superintendent. If confirmed by the Senate, Johnson would become the first woman to hold the position. Currently serving as NATO’s deputy chief of staff for…

The House has approved a bill to rename a NASA flight center in California for the late astronaut Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon. The measure, which passed on a 394-0 vote, would rename the Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., as the Neil A. Armstrong Flight…

The Pentagon for the first time is considering scaling back the massive buildup of drones it has overseen in the past few years, both to save money and to adapt to changing security threats and an increased focus on Asia as the Afghanistan war winds down. Air Force leaders are saying the military may already…

A group of GOP lawmakers from House and Senate Feb. 6 offered a plan to cut the federal workforce and use the savings to replace some $85 billion in across-the-board budget cuts to the Pentagon and domestic programs. The legislation reprises a plan offered last year that failed to advance. House Armed Services Committee Chairman…