News
Pentagon on Benghazi: Faster response wouldn’t have mattered –
In response to harsh criticism that it failed to act during the 2012 attack in Benghazi, Libya, the Pentagon conceded June 28 that the U.S. military reaction could have been faster, but that nothing it could have done would have saved the lives of the four Americans killed at the U.S. consulate that day.
Final Benghazi report: No ‘smoking gun’ pointing to Clinton –
House Republicans June 38 concluded their $7 million, two-year investigation into the deadly attacks in Benghazi, Libya, with fresh accusations of lethal mistakes by the Obama administration but no “smoking gun” pointing to wrongdoing by Hillary Clinton, then secretary of state and now the Democrats’ presumptive presidential nominee.
House Benghazi report: Clinton was planning a trip to Libya before the attacks –
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was planning to visit Libya in 2012, but those plans were upended when terrorists attacked the U.S. diplomatic mission in Benghazi on Sept. 11 and 12 of that year, according to newly revealed testimony given to the House Select Committee on Benghazi, which released its highly anticipated report June 28.
Business
Areté to support Navy’s COBRA contract –
Areté Associates has been awarded a $7.6 million contract modification for the Navy’s Coastal Battlefield Reconnaissance and Analysis (COBRA) program.
Lockheed Martin enhances AN/TPQ-53 radar with new capabilities –
Lockheed Martin has upgraded its AN/TPQ-53 counter-fire radar’s software giving it the ability to identify and track unmanned aerial systems and relay that data to a command and control node.
Northrop to support Air Force drone operations –
Northrop Grumman has received a $204 million Air Force contract option to support Global Hawk drone operations.
Western fighters battle for European reequipment programs –
In recent years, the fighter’s place within European air arms has become more important. Russia’s aggressive activities in Ukraine and the recapitalization of its armed forces have given European countries a new impetus to upgrade the capabilities of their combat aircraft.
Defense firms regaining attention from private equity –
Recent moves by private equity firms to acquire defense companies speak to broader trends in the market and shed some light on how investors view the defense sector.
Fighter aircraft procurement plans Of 19 European countries –
The importance of combat aircraft within the European air arms has increased in light of Russia’s aggressive stance in Ukraine and elsewhere. New weapons—notably standoff missiles and more advanced sensors—are being integrated onto fighters already in use, and some nations have initiated a search for an altogether new fighter force. Over the next decade, the majority of Europe’s air arms will be reequipped or will begin the process. Of course, some nations are financially unable to step up their fleets. Here we outline the fighter aircraft plans of 19 European nations—from Belgium to Slovakia.
India looks to Germany’s Atlas Elektronik for heavyweight torpedoes –
India’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) is looking to Germany’s Atlas Elektronik to supply heavyweight SeaHake torpedoes for the Indian Navy’s six Project 75 French licence-built Scorpene submarines, the first of which is scheduled for commissioning by the end of 2016.
Tanker problems delay F-35 Atlantic crossing –
Tanker problems are holding up the long-awaited transatlantic deployment of British and U.S. Marine Corps F-35Bs in time for their debut at two major U.K. air shows.
Defense
Convicted U.S. leader of Afghan ‘kill team’ wins a new hearing –
In a ruling that could lead to a new trial, a military appeals court has ordered a fresh look into the evidence used to convict Army Staff Sgt. Calvin Gibbs, the mastermind of the “kill team” that murdered three Afghan civilians in 2010.
U.S. Navy is developing ‘supersonic submarines’ –
As swimmers know, moving cleanly through the water can be a problem due to the huge amounts of drag created – and for submarines, this is even more of a problem.
Senate fight over Zika funds sidelines VA funding bill –
Political squabbling over funding to fight the Zika virus sidelined next year’s Veterans Affairs appropriations plans June 28, leaving the department’s fiscal 2017 budget in doubt heading into the height of election season.
Space
Forget the ISS, get ready for the ROS! –
Called the Russian Orbital Station, or ROS, it will include three modules, two of which will detach from the ISS with an option to add two more at a later date.
Mars may have been more Earth-like than thought –
Researchers in New Mexico believe the discovery of manganese oxides by NASA’s Curiosity Rover shows the ancient atmosphere of Mars was highly oxidative.
NASA watchdog criticizes handling of probe into failed 2015 SpaceX rocket launch –
NASA failed to follow its general policies and opened the door to “questions about inherent conflicts of interest” by allowing Space Exploration Technologies Corp. to lead the main investigation into a failed 2015 rocket launch by the company, according to the agency’s inspector general.
Booster rocket fires in key NASA Test for Mars missions –
NASA’s fireworks came early this year with a successful rocket test in Utah.
NASA’s Juno spacecraft will soon be in Jupiter’s grip –
After traveling for five years and nearly 1.8 billion miles, NASA’s Juno spacecraft will announce its arrival at Jupiter with the simplest of radio signals: a three-second beep.