News
Fresh intelligence points to Iranian threat against U.S. forces, interests in Middle East-
There is fresh intelligence of a potential Iranian threat against U.S. forces and interests in the Middle East, according to several U.S. defense and administration officials.
Coming in 2020: A new technology that will link F-35 simulators across the globe-
Next year, Air Force F-35 pilots will be able to hop into a simulator and practice large-scale coordinated attacks with other F-35A users in simulators around the globe, Lockheed Martin’s head of F-35 training said Dec. 3.
Several rockets land near Iraqi base housing US troops-
The U.S.-led coalition combating ISIS said Dec. 3 that several rockets landed outside the Iraqi al-Asad airbase, which houses American troops.
Business
Raytheon unveils platoon-sized infantry combat simulator-
Defense contractor Raytheon has just unveiled a new virtual training simulator designed to immerse full platoons of soldiers at a time into realistic battlefield settings, where they can shoot enemy targets with individual weapons and even call in close-air support.
Company to pay $1M for selling Army subpar grenade launchers-
A Colorado weapons manufacturer has agreed to a $1 million settlement for allegedly shipping subpar grenade launchers to the U.S. Army, the Department of Justice announced Dec. 3.
Navy awards $22.2B contract for nine Virginia-class submarines-
The General Dynamics subsidiary Electric Boat has been awarded a 10-year contract for design and construction of the vessels.
Navy awards $732M contract for satellite ground systems-
General Dynamics will provide sustainment services for the ground system for the Navy’s narrowband satellite communication systems over the next decade, the company announced Nov. 27.
CAE launches new virtual reality trainer-
As the U.S. Air Force looks increasingly toward virtual reality for speeding up and cutting the cost of pilot training, Canadian defense firm CAE is stepping forward with own courseware and virtual reality system with the hopes of attracting interest from the U.S. and international militaries.
Trainer aircraft garner attention in the Middle East. Will sales follow?-
Training aircraft took center stage at the 2019 Dubai Airshow, as defense contractors from around the world showed off trainers and their attack variants to potential buyers.
Raytheon wins $74.7M Navy contract for landing platform dock work-
Raytheon has been awarded a $74.7 million contract for services on the U.S. Navy’s amphibious transport dock ships.
Defense
U.S. Air Force wants to network all its weapons together. Will simulators be included?-
As the U.S. military prepares for the release of its fiscal 2021 budget request, Air Force leaders have made clear that a massive financial hike is needed for multidomain command-and-control efforts to connect weapon systems across the joint force.
How much does an island cost? Japan may soon buy one for U.S. Navy training-
Japan is nearing an agreement to purchase a privately owned island for use as a training ground for U.S. military aircraft based in Japan, potentially ending a sometimes torturous process that began nearly a decade ago.
Air Force may be about to make another big force structure mistake-
Possible big cuts in force structure—which Air Force leaders have hinted may be coming in the next budget to pay for connectivity improvements—would be a mistake, repeating a pattern that has gotten the service into a capacity hole it can’t afford to be in, two analysts argue in a new paper by AFA’s Mitchell Institute.
Veterans
Veterans with base access still face delays on new commissary benefit-
Having prior access to a base won’t be enough to allow newly eligible veterans to shop at its commissary and exchange Jan. 1, Military.com has learned.