News
VA leaders move to end all abortions at department medical sites
Veterans Affairs officials on Monday formally moved to end all abortions at department facilities, calling policies that provided the services at federal hospitals them “legally questionable” and unnecessary.
Thousands of Boeing defense workers go on strike, impacting fighter, weapons production
About 3,200 Boeing machinists working at its St. Louis-based defense unit went on strike early this morning, impacting production of flagship defense products such as the F/A-18 Super Hornet and F-15EX.
Top Hegseth aide tried to oust senior White House liaison from Pentagon
The unusual dispute received White House intervention and appears rooted in deeper frustrations over failed attempts to fill jobs on the defense secretary’s staff.
Broken altimeter, ignored warnings: Hearings reveal what went wrong in DC crash that killed 67
Over three days of sometimes contentious hearings this week, the National Transportation Safety Board interrogated Federal Aviation Administration and Army officials about a list of things that went wrong and contributed to a Black Hawk helicopter and a passenger jet colliding over Washington, D.C., killing 67 people.
US leaves Syrian base where American troops fought Wagner mercenaries
American forces pulled out of the “Conoco Fields” base in Deir ez-Zor base in May, after holding it for years amid repeated attacks.
Air Force
Security forces airman dies in vehicle accident at RAF Lakenheath
A U.S. security forces airman at RAF Lakenheath in England died early Sunday morning in an on-base vehicle accident, the base said.
USAF starts building second F-16 ‘super squadron’ in South Korea
A migration of fighter jets began across South Korea on July 28, as the first of 31 F-16s relocated from Kunsan Air Base to Osan Air Base, about 80 miles closer to the North Korean border.
F-15E lands safely in Japan after wheel falls off
An F-15E Strike Eagle deployed to Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, Japan, landed safely despite a missing landing gear wheel, the Air Force’s 18th Wing said Monday morning.
Staff sergeant promotions see biggest jump since 2001
Enlisted airmen this year saw a massive surge in promotions to staff sergeant, marking the biggest year-over-year increase in promotions to E-5 since the start of the Global War on Terror.
Air Force investigating after security forces kill civilian who crashed into Arizona base gate
Air Force officials are investigating an incident in which a Security Forces airman stationed at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Arizona killed a civilian who attempted to enter the base early Friday morning.
Space Force
Space Force preps infrastructure, operators for target-tracking mission
The Space Force expects to launch its first ground moving target indicator satellites in the next year — but until then, it’s working to craft operational concepts and experiment with enabling technologies that will shape the future constellation.
Space Force gets new senior leader for cyber and data
Charleen Laughlin has moved from the Joint Staff to take on a new role with the Space Force.
Defense
Thousands of Boeing defense workers go on strike, impacting fighter, weapons production
About 3,200 Boeing machinists working at its St. Louis-based defense unit went on strike early this morning, impacting production of flagship defense products such as the F/A-18 Super Hornet and F-15EX.
Podcast: Is Kelly Ortberg turning Boeing around?
Boeing’s new CEO has been on the job for a year. Analyst Scott Mikus joins Aviation Week editors to discuss how he’s doing so far.
Wheeled launcher with double the weapons of HIMARS completes first successful test firing
Rheinmetall and Lockheed developed the Global Mobile Artillery Rocket System as demand for guided-rocket launchers grows, especially in Europe.
WSU tech plans major aviation training expansion
Wichita, Kansas, will soon have expanded resources for training current and future aviation technical staff, including technicians, pilots and staff in sectors such as advanced air mobility and advanced manufacturing.
Silicon Valley enlists in the business of war
In a major shift, Google, OpenAI, Meta and venture capitalists — many of whom had once forsworn involvement in war — have embraced the military industrial complex.
Lockheed Martin aims to test a missile-killing satellite by 2028
The company’s Golden Dome strategy mixes established missile defense tech with new concepts.
Veterans
VA leaders move to end all abortions at department medical sites
Veterans Affairs officials on Monday formally moved to end all abortions at department facilities, calling policies that provided the services at federal hospitals them “legally questionable” and unnecessary.
VA to give veterans one-year authorizations to seek care from private providers in 30 specialties
Veterans seeking care in the Department of Veterans Affairs’ community care program in 30 specialties will not have to get reauthorization from the VA for a year under a new policy announced by the department Monday.
A Mississippi monkey sanctuary helps veterans with PTSD find peace
In the embrace of a cheerfully chittering spider monkey named Louie, an Army veteran who grappled for decades with post-traumatic stress disorder says he finally feels at peace.
How group exercise can do more for veterans than going solo
For more than a decade, Team Red, White and Blue — a nonprofit organization for veterans – has operated a unique program that combines physical activity with a sense of shared purpose and mutual support.
