News
Here’s what Pentagon’s first-ever audit found –
The Pentagon’s first-ever audit discovered major flaws in how it handles IT processes and challenges with its internal tracking databases, but did not discover any major cases of fraud or abuse.
Business
Australia makes its pick for drone fleet –
Australian Defence Minister Christopher Pyne announced Nov. 16 that General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. has been selected as the winner of its competition to supply a medium altitude long endurance remotely piloted aircraft to the Australian Defence Force.
With F-16 buy, Slovakia ‘cutting off’ Russian hardware –
NATO member Slovakia is on track to purchase 14 Lockheed Martin F-16V fighters to replace its MiG-29 jets in a wider effort to break from Russia, the Slovak Ministry of Defence’s No. 2 official said Nov. 17.
U.S., Ukraine in ‘close discussion’ for new lethal arms –
The U.S. and Ukraine are in “close discussion” for Washington to supply another tranche of lethal weapons for Kiev’s fight in eastern Ukraine, where “Russians keep bringing new military technology,” Ukraine’s foreign minister said Nov. 17.
New battery can double operational time of submarines, says South Korea –
South Korea says it has developed lithium-ion batteries that can double the operational hours of submarines compared to those with lead-acid batteries.
Here are French platforms joining the next live-fire exercise in Kuwait –
France and Kuwait will launch the sixth edition of their 12-day Pearl of the West military exercise, beginning Nov. 17 at the Al-Udaira shooting range, northwest of Kuwait City.
Defense
Services to deliver proposed budgets Nov. 19. What will they cut? –
With the Pentagon scrambling to meet a surprise order from President Donald Trump to cut the fiscal year 2020 budget request from $733 billion to $700 billion, department planners are moving quickly to gather their options.
All military services get failing grade in first-ever audit of Pentagon –
The first-ever audit of the of the $2.7 trillion enterprise that is the Defense Department identified widespread problems in cybersecurity, but found little in the way of savings that could offset potential budget cuts next year, according to Pentagon and Congressional officials.
Saving America’s military edge will take money — and new ideas, Dunford says –
The U.S. military needs Congress to provide sustained defense spending to maintain its eroding military edge against Russia and China — but also needs to start innovating, its top uniformed officer said Nov. 17.
Shrinking Navy submarine fleet threatens national security, defense report says –
An independent review of the 2018 National Defense Strategy by a 12-member bipartisan commission warns that the military might of the United States has degraded and could lose a fight against a rival power.
Navy commissions latest littoral combat ship, Sioux City, into service –
The U.S. Navy says it has commissioned the littoral combat ship Sioux City into service.
Will looming budget cuts bust up the Navy’s plans for an enormous fleet? –
After several years of increasing spending and virtually unprecedented shipbuilding budgets, the U.S. Navy’s party could be coming to a screeching halt in the 2020 budget, according to analysts and insiders who spoke to Defense News.
Air Force announces bases that will test, maintain the new B-21 stealth bomber –
The B-21 Raider, the Air Force’s next stealth bomber, has its first homes.
With Reapers in the sky, Helmand becomes a testing ground for the Corps’ future fight –
The Corps already controls an array of small tactical drones like the RQ-21 Blackjack, but it lacks the institutional knowledge to operate larger drones, such as the MQ-9 Reaper.
Veterans
Trump expresses regret for not having visited Arlington National Cemetery on Veterans Day –
In an interview being aired Nov. 18, President Donald Trump expresses regret for not visiting Arlington National Cemetery over Veterans’ Day weekend but said that he was prevented from doing so because he was “extremely busy on calls for the country.”
Funerals set for two recently identified Korean War soldiers –
Funeral services were held this past weekend in Oklahoma for two Korean War soldiers whose remains were recently identified after they died two days apart in what is described as a running battle with North Korean forces during the early stages of the war.
Sailor killed in 1941 at Pearl Harbor to be buried –
A 26-year-old Texas sailor killed during the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor will be buried in Dallas on the 77th anniversary of the attack.
Court allows class-action suit against Navy over ‘bad paper’ discharges –
Veterans forced from the Navy and Marine Corps for what they say were undiagnosed mental health problems will be able move ahead with a class-action lawsuit against the military asking for denied benefits, a federal court ruled Nov. 15.