News
Strategic district in southern Afghanistan, Sangin, falls to Taliban –
The Taliban captured the strategic district of Sangin in the southern province of Helmand on Thursday, the culmination of a years-long offensive that took the lives of more combatants than any other fight for territory in Afghanistan, according to local officials.
Business
Boeing, Army make multi-billion, multi-year AH-64E deal official –
Under the base contract worth $3.4 billion, Boeing will deliver to the U.S. Army 244 remanufactured AH-64Es. The multi-year also includes 24 new build Apache Echo-models for Saudi Arabia.
Top Pentagon official takes aim at F-35 cost, supply chain –
The Pentagon’s director of defense pricing announced plans for a major review of F-35 joint strike fighter program costs, with an emphasis on getting companies up and down the supply chain to find savings for the famously expensive jet.
Lockheed working on solution for F-35 nose gear problem –
In the next few weeks, Lockheed Martin expects to see a preliminary report on a potential fix for a nose gear problem on the F-35C, with an eye on doing live carrier trials in the fall.
Mixed signals around MRCA fighter deal –
Kuala Lumpur appears to be sending mixed signals about the status of its multi-role combat aircraft acquisition to replace its Mikoyan MiG-29s with 18 modern fighters.
Lockheed still weighing light attack plane offering, but T-50 is likely out –
Lockheed Martin is considering whether it has a plane in its inventory that can meet the U.S. Air Force’s nascent light attack aircraft requirement.
Singapore picks vendor for new armored fighting vehicle –
Singapore’s Defense Ministry has announced that it has awarded a contract to Singapore Technologies Engineering for the production and supply of its Next Generation Armored Fighting Vehicle.
Thales makes inroad into Malaysian market with Air Force helicopter flight simulator delivery –
The Royal Malaysian Air Force has received and operationalized a helicopter flight simulator from Thales, the company announced March 22 at the Langkawi International Maritime & Aerospace exhibition.
Lockheed to Move F-16 Production to South Carolina –
The new, smaller line will better suit the dwindling orders for the venerable fighter jet, while freeing up space for F-35 production.
Defense
Mattis: Big defense spending boost needed now to fix readiness woes –
Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said a $30-billion boost in defense funding this fiscal year will produce immediate readiness dividends for the military, but Senate Democrats shrugged off his promises as an unrealistic, incomplete plan.
China bets on sensitive U.S. start-ups, worrying Pentagon –
Chinese firms have become significant investors in American start-ups working on cutting-edge technologies with potential military applications.
U.S. general urges nuclear upgrade as Russia grows ‘more aggressive’ –
The general who oversees the United States’ atomic weapons arsenal has expressed concern over what he described as “much more aggressive” behavior by Russia in recent years, saying it justifies the need for a strengthened and modernized nuclear deterrent force in this country.
Allyn: Dollars for Army readiness will run out in July –
U.S. Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Dan Allyn said the service’s budget for force readiness in 2017 will run out by mid-summer should a continuing resolution extend farther out.
Rapid Capabilities Office: More funding needed to accelerate efforts –
The Rapid Capabilities Office is doing what it was designed to do and has already kicked off major efforts with goals to field some initial capability to soldiers by the end of the year.
Army may have to buy more JLTVs to replace Humvees –
U.S. Army modernization officials told lawmakers March 22 that the service will soon have to rebuild its outdated Humvee fleet or buy more Joint Light Tactical Vehicles, or JLTVs, than expected.
First U.S. aircraft carrier of Trump presidency enters the Persian Gulf –
American sailors watched as the first Revolutionary Guard vessels appeared on the horizon of the Strait of Hormuz, beginning a daylong face-off that has become familiar to both Iranian paramilitary and U.S. naval forces that pass through the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf.
Shotgun conversion kit should give Marines improved capability –
The U.S. Marine Corps is testing a new Marine Corps Systems Command Military Enhancement Kit that will enable personnel to convert their M500A2 shotgun into a more compact weapon for use during breaching or visit, board, search and seizure operations.
Enhancing command and control –
Since July 2016, the Marine Corps has rolled out 1,100 units of its next-generation blue force tracker. While end users may not have noticed much of a change, the new device is more robust on the back end and sets the stage for a future round of upgrades.
Are the F-15 Eagle’s days numbered? Top generals say maybe –
The Air Force is considering retiring its F-15 C and D fighter aircraft and replacing them with F-16s.
U.S. Air Force orders KC-10 engine overhauls –
The U.S. Air Force placed a $16.9 million order to Northrop Grumman to provide engine overhauls for the branch’s KC-10 Extender aircraft.
Air Force: $147 million funding increase needed to keep future fighter on schedule –
The Air Force needs a sharp increase in funding this budget cycle — an extra $147 million, to be exact.
Air Force bomber trains with Japanese, Korean fighters as tensions rise with North Korea –
An Air Force B-1B Lancer bomber conducted training missions with fighters from the Japanese and South Korean air forces March 23, Pacific Air Forces said in a March 22 release.
Veterans
Best for Refs: New nonprofit helps veterans become sports officials –
Athletics-minded veterans seeking community involvement, or some extra cash, can receive a significant head start on the path to becoming a sports official thanks to a nonprofit recently started by a former top NFL referee.
USO honors actor Gary Sinise –
The USO of Washington-Baltimore honored actor Gary Sinise with its Legacy of Hope award for his work with disabled veterans.
Human resources problems causing hiring, retention headaches for VA –
Veterans Affairs has a human resources problem, and it’s complicating an already difficult recruiting process for the embattled department, outside analysts told lawmakers March 22.
Space & Technology
Lockheed, NASA move toward design review for supersonic X-plane –
Lockheed Martin should complete a preliminary design review of its quiet supersonic X-plane by June and will move onto a critical design review with NASA, a Skunk Works programme lead says.
Brazil ramps up domestic space satellite, rocket programs –
Brazil is developing technology to send domestically-made satellites into space with its own rockets by the end of the decade, aerospace executives and officials said ahead of the launch of the nation’s first defense and communications satellite.
Trump funds NASA, officially adds Mars to agency mission –
President Donald Trump signed legislation March 21 adding human exploration of Mars to NASA’s mission. Could sending Congress into space be next?