News
More than half of all Marine aircraft unflyable in December –
More than half of all Marine Corps fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft were unable to fly at the end of 2016, officials said Feb. 8.
Pentagon looking to rent space at Trump Tower –
The United States military is looking to rent space at Trump Tower for use when President Donald Trump returns to his longtime home in New York City.
Business
Leonardo goes it alone in T-X bid –
Leonardo is back in the T-X competition and will be proposing the T-100 with its U.S. subsidiary DRS as the prime contractor.
Lockheed hit by U.S. Air Force for more GPS III satellite flaws –
Botched testing by a Lockheed Martin subcontractor on a key component for the U.S.’s newest Global Positioning System satellites raises new questions about the No. 1 defense contractor’s supervision of the project, according to a top Air Force official.
New terms offered for a Turkish MEADS missile-defense system –
The three-nation industry group that builds the Medium Extended Air Defense System is offering Turkey what looks like a customized partnership to construct the country’s first long-range air- and missile-defense system.
Raytheon, Utilidata to provide cybersecurity for power utilities –
Raytheon is collaborating with Utilidata to deliver defense-grade cybersecurity capabilities to power utilities.
Aero India: New single-engine fighters to be star attractions –
Here’s what you can expect at this year’s Aero India event.
Brazil pushes Scorpene program forward –
Nuclebrás Equipamentos Pesados delivered the first section of the third Scorpene-class submarine, the future S-42 Tonelero (SBR-3), Jan. 17.
Elbit to upgrade Mi-17 helos of ‘Asia-Pacific’ country –
Elbit Systems is to upgrade the Mil Mi-17 ‘Hip’ transport helicopters of an undisclosed Asia-Pacific country over the next five years, the company announced Feb. 8.
Murky AW101 delivery perplexes Indonesian defense officials –
Jakarta will launch an investigation into the delivery of a Leonardo Helicopters AgustaWestland AW101 VIP helicopter, part of a deal that was apparently cancelled.
Defense
Unmanned warfare office eliminated in U.S. Navy shuffle –
A U.S. Navy office set up less than two years ago to oversee the warfare development of unmanned systems has been eliminated, the Navy said.
Army announces cyber workforce pilot programs –
The Army announced a pair of new pilots surrounding its cyber workforce.
U.S. Navy kicks of military drills with NATO on Russia’s doorstep –
The destroyer Porter and a P8-A Poseidon sub hunter Feb. 8 kicked off the at-sea portion of a NATO exercise on Russia’s doorstep.
Top Air Force general OK with fewer T-X competitors –
The Air Force’s top general said he wasn’t surprised by the departure of teams led by Northrop Grumman Corp. and Raytheon from the competition to develop a new trainer aircraft.
Top Marine Corps aviator wants F-35Bs faster than planned –
The Marine Corps’ top aviator is hungry for more F-35Bs, telling reporters on Wednesday that he would like to see the service’s buy rate increase to 37 jets per year.
Congress may pass ‘at least’ $18 billion in more defense funds –
Early next month, Congress expects to receive a supplemental defense budget request from the White House that House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mac Thornberry hopes will add back billions in modernization and equipment funding that was cut from the House version of the defense budget before it passed.
Veterans
Wounded Warrior Project cleared of ‘spending lavishly,’ report finds –
After months of investigation, the Better Business Bureau has cleared the Wounded Warrior Project, one of the nation’s largest veterans charities, of “lavish spending,” and gave the nonprofit organization its seal of approval.
VA’s patchwork system eats most of its $4 billion tech budget. Congress wants that to stop –
The agency’s CIO says there’s no clear plan for replacing custom-built systems, two of which are more than 50 years old.
Space & Tech
SpaceX to send a lethal superbug to space station –
The antibiotic-resistant superbug “MRSA” will make its way to the International Space Station on Feb. 14, where it will be subjected to microgravity – possibly spurring accelerated mutation.
Dwarf star just 200 light years from Earth has all ‘ingredients for life’ –
A study led by UCLA scientists found a white dwarf star in the constellation Bootes that has an atmosphere rich in carbon and nitrogen and even the makings for water.
NASA plans to find aliens on Jovian moon –
NASA is developing technology that would enable underwater drones to study subsurface oceans on Jupiter’s icy moon Europa which is one of the best potential incubators of alien life.