News
US, Russia ratchet up their rhetoric over downing of drone
The Kremlin said Moscow would try to recover the wreckage of the drone from the Black Sea.
Chinese-made drone, retrofitted and weaponized, downed in eastern Ukraine
Driving deep into the forest, the hush between the towering pine trees and the clear blue skies was splintered every few seconds by the sound of distant explosions from the frontline battles for eastern Ukraine.
Ukraine’s allies promise weapons for spring counteroffensive
Ukraine and Russia are both running low on ammunition, and both are scrambling to replenish their stocks and gain a competitive edge.
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Afghans evacuated by US kept in miserable conditions in UAE, rights group says
A human rights group is calling on the U.S. to help more than 2,000 Afghan asylum seekers who fled during the withdrawal of American forces in 2021 and are being held in what it calls “prison-like conditions” in the United Arab Emirates.
Business
How the US plans to expand its submarine industrial base for AUKUS
Defense officials are optimistic that billions of dollars of investments in the U.S. submarine industrial base will increase capacity to and even above the required two-a-year attack sub construction rate, allowing the U.S. to build for Australia under a new international agreement without restricting the American fleet.
Pentagon close to making first awards on $9 billion cloud contract
The Pentagon will soon make its first awards under the $9 billion Joint Warfighting Cloud Capability contract as interest in commercial cloud services booms, according to a Defense Information Systems Agency official.
Northrop experimenting with VR, mo-cap tech to help develop next-gen missile warning sats
The two satellites under development will eventually “provide precise, timely sensor coverage over the northern hemisphere to help deter and defend against ballistic and hypersonic missiles,” the company said.
South Korea clears multibillion-dollar buy of more F-35s, SM-6 missile
The South Korean government has approved its military to acquire more fifth-generation stealth fighters, while also starting the process to acquire the SM-6 ship-launched interceptor, according to the country’s arms procurement agency.
Norway approves $1.1 billion MH-60R Seahawk deal for partial NH-90 fleet replacement
The new helicopters, to be based at Bardufoss Air Station in northern Norway, are to be used by the Norwegian Coast Guard for antisubmarine warfare (ASW) operations, but Oslo still has to decide on a separate acquisition to replace NH90 ASW capable platforms.
Defense
US Army’s new helicopter engine hit with another delay
U.S. Army’s new, next-generation helicopter engine meant to replace engines in UH-60 Black Hawks, AH-64 Apaches and the Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft, which is still in development, is delayed until 2024, according to the service’s acquisition chief.
Pentagon war games defense cuts to prepare for Congress budget battle
The Pentagon does “take seriously” House Republican plans to slash the federal budget for next year by at least $130 billion and is readying a report to detail the potential impacts on defense, the department’s comptroller said March 15.
US Army chief wants three multidomain task force units in the Pacific
The U.S. Army chief would like to see three multidomain task force units in the Pacific region, he said Wednesday at the McAleese & Associates conference.
Naval chief says rising cost cost spurred amphib production pause
The rising cost of the San Antonio-class amphibious warship program is justifying the service’s decision to indefinitely pause the program, according to the chief of naval operations.
Space Force to spend $340 million on new training infrastructure
The service’s budget proposal also includes $99 million in the next year for updated space launch ranges, and $1 billion more across the next five years.
Veterans
VA aims to help 38,000+ homeless veterans again this year
Veterans Affairs leaders this year will repeat their 2022 goal of getting at least 38,000 financially distressed veterans into stable housing, but are also setting additional benchmarks to ensure those moves lead to permanent improvements for individuals in need.
GOP senator blocks Biden nominee to force answers from VA
Veterans Affairs officials will have to keep waiting for their next permanent head of benefits operations after a Republican senator on March 14 announced his plan to block the White House’s nominee for the post over unresolved whistleblower allegations concerning the department.
VA plans to deploy new health records to more sites in June
Veterans Affairs officials said they plan to resume deployment of their controversial new electronic health records system in June, but a government watchdog warned that the effort is likely to fail if leaders canít first restore faith in the software among staff and patients.
US airman’s remains formally identified 79 years after B-24 crashed during World War II
Lt. William Montgomery of Pennsylvania reportedly will be laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia.
