News
Fix VA benefits by making troops buy their own health insurance –
A health policy expert at the libertarian Cato Institute is offering a radical idea to help reform the Department of Veterans Affairs and prevent future wars at the same time: Make troops and veterans pay for their own medical insurance.
Business
Airbus may cut more than 1,000 ‘white collar’ jobs –
Airbus is poised to lay off between 780 and more than 1,000 “white collar” staff, with high technology and communications posts to go as the aerospace and defense group pursues an announced restructuring plan, business daily Les Echos reported Nov. 23.
Thales likely to beat out Airbus in mini-drone tender –
Thales, a defense electronics company, looks likely to win a closely fought tender for a miniature drone with its Spy’Ranger to replace the Airbus Drac UAV, according to weekly magazine Air & Cosmos.
Israel to acquire 17 more F-35s –
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his security cabinet unanimously approved the purchase of another 17 F-35I fighters, boosting the strength of Israel’s stealth force to 50.
Raytheon awarded FORTRESS contract –
Raytheon has been awarded a $7.4 million Air Force contract for sensors for surveillance satellites.
Boeing Defense CEO weighs spending more time in D.C. –
Leanne Caret, the president and chief executive officer of Boeing Defense, Space & Security, is thinking about spending more time in Washington, D.C., to increase her face time with federal decision makers.
Leidos awarded more work for robot warship –
Leidos has been awarded an $8.5 million contract modification to continue work on a Navy robot warship.
Elbit unveils anti-drone system –
Elbit Systems EW and SIGINT Elisra has unveiled a new anti-drone system.
French defense ministry considering small company investment fund –
Defense ministry officials are in talks with the finance ministry to set up a government investment fund of “several million euros” to invest in small high technology companies, which carry a national sovereignty interest, Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said Nov. 24.
Pentagon advances $1.3 billion to Lockheed for biggest F-35 job –
Lockheed Martin received a $1.28 billion Pentagon down payment to continue production of the F-35 jet while negotiations continue on a contract valued as much as $7.19 billion for 90 aircraft, the biggest order yet.
Interview: William J. Lynn III, chairman, CEO of DRS Technologies –
Leonardo has credited Lynn and his team for a dramatic turnaround that is leading DRS Technologies toward its second straight year of growth.
Defense
Military pay raise on track for January despite budget discord in Washington –
Congress’ planned four-month budget extension is expected to cause a host of budget headaches for Pentagon planners, but it won’t disrupt troops’ pay raise in January.
Applicants won’t have to disclose all mental health appointments on new security questionnaires –
In an effort to avoid discouraging potential applicants from seeking mental health care, intelligence officials have updated background security clearance questionnaires to make clear that seeking professional help won’t disqualify candidates from landing a job.
U.S. Army wants to become a ‘navy-killer’ –
The Pentagon wants air-and-sea-based fighter jets to acquire and pass targeting information to land-based artillery and rockets – allowing for land weapons to destroy enemy ships at greater distances.
Virtual training environment allows forces to keep skills sharp –
The U.S. Army is revolutionizing how it trains troops through the use of virtual gaming and cloud-based technologies. Army officials describe a future where units could be trained with new skills or hone existing ones right before deployment, or in the theater of operations.
Is U.S. Army developing a drone ‘shield?’ –
An emerging Army weapons system attacked an approaching enemy drone target in a live-fire test at White Sands Missile Range, N.M.
Did the Navy steal its new warship designs? –
It’s the cornerstone of the U.S. Navy’s future fleet. And a legendary ship-designer says the idea was all his.
The ultimate weapon: Submarine aircraft carriers –
By carrying and deploying a small airplane, a submarine could dramatically expand its ability to look around itself.
Get ready, Russia, China: America’s aircraft carriers will have stealth fighters next year –
The Navy F-35C is the service’s first-ever stealthy carrier-launched multi-role attack fighter, engineered to perform a wider range of missions than any carrier aircraft has done before.
U.S. Navy, cybersecurity, and distributed lethality –
An exclusive interview with Vice Admiral Thomas S. Rowden, commander of Naval Surface Forces.
KC-46 flight simulators to enable pilots, boom operators to train together –
When KC-46 training starts at Altus Air Force Base next year, pilots and boom operators will conduct aerial refueling training together for the first time ever in linked, full-motion simulators.
Veterans
Pentagon holds GI Bill benefits for reservists –
About 300 Marines who returned from a seven-month deployment to Central America last week will not get something that most of the reservists were counting on: seven months of GI Bill benefits.