News
U.S. B-52 flight ups ante in nuclear weapons dispute with North Korea –
A powerful U.S. B-52 bomber flew low over South Korea Jan. 10, a clear show of force from the United States as a Cold War-style standoff deepened between its ally Seoul and North Korea following Pyongyang’s fourth nuclear test.
Business
SOCOM orders RF countermeasures suites for C-130J aircraft –
U.S. Special Operations Command has ordered radio countermeasures equipment for its AC-130J and MC-130J aircraft variants.
Electro-optical turret sought for MSC vessels –
U.S. Military Sealift Command vessels are set to receive an electro-optical/infrared surveillance turret as part of efforts to improve ship situational awareness.
Northrop Grumman wins GPS modernization contract –
Northrop Grumman has been awarded a $4.8 million GPS modernization contract from the Air Force’s Joint Service Systems Management Office.
Indo-Russian air transport project falters –
The proposed Indo-Russian Multi Transport Aircraft program, awaiting final agreement since 2007, is “almost shelved” said an Indian Defence Ministry source.
Turkey seeks to build indigenous satellite –
After having spent more than $1 billion on satellite programs, the Turks have decided that it is time to spend their resources on local industrial efforts.
Harris places $35 million RF microelectronics order –
Harris Corp. has awarded a $35 million contract for radio frequency microelectronics to Cobham.
Defense investors eye rising budgets, changing business strategies –
The financial outlook for defense firms is complicated, with growing defense budgets potentially counteracted by outsized growth in other government spending, industry experts said during a two-day defense forum hosted by Bank of America this week.
DCSA Approves 5,000 Hellfires for Iraqi’s fight against ISIS –
A dummy U.S. Hellfire missile has been accidentally external link sent to Cuba, sparking concerns that its technology may be leaked to U.S. adversaries.
Defense
Navy secretary dismisses SEALs’ concerns about integrating women –
The Navy secretary is urging his admirals to push forward with integrating women into the storied Navy SEAL teams, over the concerns of Navy SEAL leaders.
Fearful of hacks, Pentagon considers more classified programs –
When the Pentagon awarded the contract for the Long Range Strike-Bomber (LRS-B) program on Oct. 27, it declined to list key details, including which subcontractors would support prime contractor Northrop Grumman.
JIDA brings Skype-like capability to Middle East battlefields –
The Joint Improvised-Threat Defeat Agency is bringing a Skype-like capability to the battlefield in Iraq and Afghanistan to help Iraqi and Afghan units deal with threats they encounter.
Army will cut 12,000 more soldiers to hit 2016 goal –
The Army’s active component shrank by nearly 1,600 soldiers in November, bringing personnel strength for the second month of this fiscal year to 487,134 troopers, some 12,100 shy of the drawdown goal for 2016 of 475,000.
Army announces Iraq, Afghanistan deployments for 1,800 soldiers –
About 1,800 soldiers from two separate units will deploy to the war zone in the coming months, the Army announced Jan. 8.
U.S. may deploy aircraft carrier to Korean peninsula next month –
The United States is considering deploying an aircraft carrier to the Korean peninsula next month, South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency said Jan. 10.
Navy’s Rail Gun still headed to sea, but on which ship? –
One of the prime attributes of the DDG 1000 Zumwalt-class destroyers is the design’s 78-megawatt integrated power system, able to switch electrical power between propulsion, sensor and weapon systems. It’s long been touted as the best platform to field new energy-gobbling weapons like rail guns and lasers.
Capacity for modular weapons key for Navy’s future surface combatant –
As the U.S. Navy assesses how best to recapitalize its fleet of Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruisers and eventually Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers, the naval staff’s surface warfare head told IHS Jane’s Jan. 7 that he is seeking modular weapons and radar systems to provide long-range offensive punch, as well as multilayered defensive capability.
F-35 ejection seat fix delayed to 2018; pilot restrictions continue –
The U.S. Air Force won’t lift weight restrictions on F-35 pilots until 2018 — at the earliest — as more testing needs to be done to address safety issues with the jet’s ejection seat.
Veterans
Vet unemployment sees record year despite December jump –
Veterans unemployment measures jumped by more than a full percentage point in December, government data show, but even these higher numbers put the jobless rate at levels that would have been stunningly low just a couple of years ago.
Fast-track VA claims for Lejeune vets faces slow road –
The Department of Veterans Affairs expects up to 15,000 seriously ill veterans who served at Camp Lejeune, N.C., before 1988 to be helped by a faster-track compensation process.
Remains of Korea War MIA to be buried –
The remains of a soldier declared missing in action 65 years ago during the Korean War will be buried this week with full military honors.