News
War crimes case expands to SEAL Team 6 –
Despite a lull in court-martial proceedings against Special Warfare Operator Chief Edward “Eddie” Gallagher for allegedly stabbing to death an Islamic State prisoner, the case has expanded to target members of SEAL Team 6.
U.S. troops to stay in Syria safe zone, support ‘partners’ after drawdown –
Thus, the U.S. will be staying in Syria, along with troops from other countries. So what other countries might they be? Presumably, the same countries that have forces there now: France and Britain.
Business
With IMI acquisition, Elbit looks to be a ‘one-stop shop’ for defense needs –
Following its acquisition of IMI Systems in November, Israeli company Elbit Systems has entered “a different category of defense companies,” according to its chief financial officer.
Four companies bid in Romania’s anti-ship missile tender –
Romania’s Ministry of Defence has launched the final phase of its €137 million (U.S. $154.4 million) tender to purchase anti-ship missile systems that are to be deployed along the country’s Black Sea shore.
This new generation of weapons could mean more covert airstrikes –
Even though Hellfire’s warhead has been redesigned for use against combatants, when fired the missile still produces a sound that pilots say can tip off people on the ground, prompting them to flee. By contrast, the Small Glide Munition reportedly makes far less noise than a Hellfire missile.
Defense
‘There are going to be consequences’: Shanahan prepares for congressional pushback to reprogrammed funds –
The Pentagon has pushed through a $1 billion reprogramming request despite opposition from Democratic leadership — fully expecting the House to strip the department of its ability to reprogram funds in the future.
Army debuts missile defense framework in move to counter drones, hypersonic threats –
The U.S. Army released its new air and missile defense framework March 27 that aims to pursue multimission units and counter emerging threats like drones and hypersonic missiles, the Army’s Space and Missile Defense Command chief told Defense News in an interview just ahead of the Association of the U.S. Army’s Global Force Symposium.
Defender Pacific to focus on South China Sea scenario –
The Army’s major exercise in the Indo-Pacific theater in fiscal year 2020 will focus on a South China Sea scenario, Gen. Brown, the commander of U.S. Army Pacific told Defense News in a March 26 interview at the Association of the U.S. Army’s Global Force Symposium.
Where does next-gen combat vehicle competition stand? –
The U.S. Army expects to launch a competition for its next-generation combat vehicle by issuing a request for proposals by the end of the week, Brig. Gen. Ross Coffman, who is in charge of NGCV modernization, told Defense News in an interview ahead of the Association of the U.S. Army’s Global Force Symposium in Huntsville, Ala.
Here are Air Force bases DOD says are most at-risk to climate change –
Earlier this year, the Pentagon released a report on which mission-critical installations faced the most risk due to extreme weather events, including floods, drought and wind. That list generated push back from Congress, which sought further clarity on the issue.
There are 4,000 active duty forces at the border. Here’s the latest list of units –
U.S. Northern Command released the latest list of active duty forces currently deployed to the border. There are about 4,000 active duty and 2,000 National Guard forces total assigned to support the Department of Homeland Security along the U.S.-Mexico border.
This new Army unit could help U.S. win the next Cold War –
In January, the Army took a step forward in its march toward the Multidomain Operations concept, standing up the first unit designed specifically to integrate land, sea, air, space and cyber capabilities across the services.
Indo-Pacom commander says only half of sub requests are met –
The U.S. Navy only has half the submarines it needs in the Pacific, the commander of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command told the House Armed Services Committee.
Ellsworth to be first operational B-21 base –
The Air Force announced March 27 that it has chosen Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota to be the first base to house an operational B-21 bomber unit, as well as the formal training unit for the Raider.
Air Force eyes Langley-Eustis as new F-22 training home –
Joint Base Langley-Eustis in Virginia may become the new, permanent home for the Air Force’s F-22 Raptor formal training unit.
Marines need more amphibs if they’re going to win a big fight, general warns –
If the Marine Corps had to go to war with the number of amphibious ships the Navy currently has, it likely wouldn’t be able to pull off its missions successfully, the general tapped to lead the service warns.
Veterans
Trump presents posthumous Medal of Honor to son of Army staff sergeant who died protecting his soldiers –
On March 27, the family of an Army staff sergeant who used his own body to shield three of his soldiers from the fatal blast of a suicide bomber in Iraq received the Medal of Honor for his actions.
VA secretary to Senate: New health care access standards won’t mean outsourcing –
Facing concerns over the implementation of the new Mission Act, which consolidates the Department of Veterans Affairs’ seven private health care programs into a Community Care Network, VA Secretary Robert Wilkie on March 26 sought to reassure senators that the department is not looking to outsource most of its medical care.