News
U.S. weighs keeping carrier strike group in Europe as a check on Russia –
In a break with recent history, the U.S. military is weighing whether to withhold the Truman Carrier Strike Group from deploying to the Middle East, opting instead to keep the carrier in the Mediterranean and the European theater.
Report: Medal of Honor approved for Air Force combat controller Tech. Sgt. John Chapman –
Tech. Sgt. John Chapman, the combat controller who was killed during the fierce Battle of Roberts Ridge in Afghanistan in 2002, will be posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor, according to a report in Task and Purpose.
Business
South Korea’s F-35 purchase under probe –
Despite the celebrated rollout of the first F-35 Lightning II fighter jet for the South Korean Air Force last month, the fifth-generation stealth aircraft is not widely welcomed by the Seoul government.
Leonardo eyes 3 jets for new decoy able to trick radar-guided missiles –
Italy’s Leonardo is targeting the Eurofighter, F-15 and F-16 aircraft as the next customers for its new BriteCloud Expendable Missile Decoy after an order was placed by the the British Royal Air Force for its Tornado jets.
New data link to allow LCS to simultaneously get imagery from more than one aircraft –
Today, a littoral combat ship can only receive surveillance data from one aircraft at a time. That is about to change due to new communications gear that will be fitted on LCS 25, 26 and 28, officials from L3 Technologies told Defense News.
Strike planned at Italy F-35 assembly line –
Workers at Italy’s F-35 assembly line have announced a strike April 24 to protest the widespread use of employment agency contractors at the site.
Entire GKN board resigns following Melrose takeover –
The board of British defense aerospace and automotive company GKN has resigned in its entirety following the successful hostile takeover of the company by Melrose PLC, the company announced on April 19.
India withdraws from fifth generation carrier project, leaving Russia to go it alone –
The Indian Air Force has shelved its 11-year old collaborative Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft program with Russia following enduring differences over its developmental cost and technological capabilities.
Defense
Airborne units getting new vehicle this year; legs will have to wait –
The Army’s five airborne infantry brigade combat teams are slated to begin fielding 300 Ground Mobility Vehicles in use by special operations forces troops this year.
Army lowers 2017 recruiting goal; more soldiers staying on –
The U.S. Army will not meet its mission to recruit 80,000 active duty soldiers this year and has officially lowered that goal. But Army leaders said the service has been able to encourage more experienced service members to stay on the job to satisfy a growing demand for troops.
Air Force should make active-reserve switches easier, Wilson says –
To retain talented airmen, the Air Force should make it easier for them to move from active duty to the reserves and back again, Secretary Heather Wilson said April 20.
Wright-Patt office is working to arm fighter jets with lasers –
The Air Force has targeted arming an F-15 fighter jet with a laser by 2021, one of what could become a wider use of directed-energy weapons to protect aerial refueling tankers and military bases, a leading researcher says.
Unmanned Huey, self-driving armored trucks coming to 29 Palms –
An experimental logistics unit is headed to Twentynine Palms, Calif., for a nearly month-long exercise to test out a new suite of automated air and ground logistics systems that includes drones, a Huey and armored trucks.
Veterans
Five key questions in the upcoming VA secretary confirmation hearing –
VA secretary nominee Ronny Jackson faces the first major test of his appointment to the top department post April 25, when he appears before the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee for his confirmation hearing.
Fallen Vietnam pilots, crew members honored with monument at Arlington National Cemetery –
More than 40 years after the end of the Vietnam War, the helicopter pilots and crew members killed in action during the conflict were honored at Arlington National Cemetery with their own monument.