Business
SOFEX to kick off in Jordan amid expanded battle Against Islamic State –
With war and insurgencies imperiling nation states throughout the Middle East and Africa, military commanders and government officials from around the world are convening May 9 here for the biennial Middle East Special Operations Commanders Conference and Special Operations Forces Exhibition.
Poland orders mortar vehicles to enhance artillery capability –
Poland’s Ministry of Defence has signed a contract to acquire 64 self-propelled 120mm RAK (Cancer) mortar vehicles and 32 artillery command vehicles. The vehicles will come from a consortium led by local manufacturer Huta Stalowa Wola S.A. (HSW) for the country’s armed forces.
Foreign military sales strong through first half of fiscal 2016 –
Through the first six months of fiscal 2016, foreign military sales are on track to meet or surpass last year’s total, according to an analysis by the Guggenheim Securities group.
CybAero completes drone tests for Swedish Navy –
CybAero, the Nordic region’s largest producer of military and civilian drones, has completed an advanced test program on its ship-based extreme climate APID One helicopter system for the Swedish Navy.
AgustaWestland scandal casts shadow on Rafale deal –
The $8.9 billion deal for the purchase of 36 Rafale aircraft from France will likely be delayed due to a AgustaWestland bribery scandal and a cautious government in India.
AeroVironment unveils gimbal for Puma drone –
AeroVironment has unveiled its Mantis i45 electro-optical/infrared gimbal for the company’s Puma AE small UAV.
Curtiss-Wright to provide unmanned vehicle Ethernet switches –
Curtiss-Wright’s Defense Solutions division has been selected by Torc Robotics to provide Ethernet switches for Torc’s unmanned ground vehicles.
Defense
F-35 vs. A-10: Air Force test pilot weighs in –
As debate rages in Washington over replacing the A-10 attack plane with the fifth-generation joint strike fighter, test pilots at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., are getting a firsthand look at the F-35’s capabilities.
Air Force pits Boeing, Lockheed and Northrop for next group of GPS satellites –
The U.S. Air Force awarded Boeing, Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman separate $5 million contracts to demonstrate their ability to build the next batch of GPS 3 positioning, navigation and timing satellites, according to a May 5 announcement from the service.
The Air Force wants to defeat enemy missiles with swarms of tiny kamikaze drones –
Drone swarms mark a fascinating step forward in warfare tech, perhaps one of the most pronounced moves away from World War II-style reconnaissance and bombing runs seen so far this century.
Aviation should embody Army operating concept, but it’s an uphill climb –
The Army’s aviation force should embody the Army Operating Concept – its mission describes the doctrine to a T – but as its aircraft age, budgets shrink and its size grows smaller, service leaders question whether the fleet can keep up.
Veterans
VA Secretary says House budget plan would ‘hurt veterans’ –
Veterans Affairs Secretary Bob McDonald warned this week that House appropriators’ plan to trim $1.5 billion off his department’s annual budget request will “hurt veterans” if it becomes law.
Companies ‘join forces’ to hire or train 100,000-plus more vets, spouses –
First lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden announced May 5 that since Joining Forces was created in 2011, companies have hired or trained more than 1.2 million veterans and military spouses.
Space
SpaceX nails rocket landing at sea again –
For the second time in less than a month, SpaceX has landed the first stage of its Falcon 9 rocket on a ship at sea.
