News
No new foreign military students allowed in the U.S. until better checks, says DOD spokesman-
No new international military students will come to the United States for training until new screening procedures are in place, the Pentagon said Dec. 12 in the wake of the deadly shooting last week by a Saudi Arabian aviation trainee at a Florida Navy base.
Turkey, Russia ‘very close’ to deal for 2nd S-400 system: defense industry head-
Turkey is very close to striking a deal to buy a second S-400 system from Russia, and the deal could be signed before April when the first batch of missile defenses will be ready to use, Ankara’s defense industry said on Dec. 13.
Rockets land near Baghdad airport, Iran-backed militias approaching a red line U.S. official says-
The Iraqi military said two rockets landed near the Baghdad International Airport Dec. 11 making it the 10th attack against U.S. installations or interests in Iraq over the last several weeks.
Business
Turkey to Rolls-Royce: Let’s renegotiate terms for TF-X fighter jet support-
The Turkish government is keen to revive talks with Rolls-Royce for the design and production of its first indigenous fighter jet, the TF-X, a top cabinet minister has said.
Army revs up high-tech tank engine-
Just outside Detroit, home of the muscle car, the Army’s put together a powertrain as potent as three Trans Ams strapped together — with an electric stealth mode that sounds more like a lawnmower than a tank.
Lockheed Martin nabs $22.4M to develop combined-arms squad prototype-
Lockheed Martin on Dec. 11 received a $22.4 million to develop prototypes for a combined arms squad for the U.S. Army, the Department of Defense has announced.
Marines integrate upgrades to off-the-shelf UTVs-
The Marine Corps announced Dec. 11 that its Utility Task Vehicles are undergoing safety and performance upgrades.
Defense
Pentagon watchdog investigating $400M border wall contract-
The Defense Department’s internal watchdog is investigating a $400 million border wall contract awarded to a firm that used multiple appearances on Fox News to push for the job.
U.S. military releases photos showing Bagram Air Base damage following brazen Taliban assault-
The U.S. military released photographs Dec. 12 showing damage at Bagram Air Base’s passenger terminal following a brazen assault by Taliban fighters Dec. 11.
Should the U.S. beef up military presence in the Baltics? Congress wants to know-
Congress wants a detailed assessment from the Pentagon on whether to expand military presence in the Baltic states and what is needed to do so, according to the recently released conference report for the fiscal 2020 defense policy bill.
New law would require Pentagon to identify all burn pit locations-
The U.S. defense policy bill contains several provisions aimed at addressing the Pentagon’s ongoing use of open-air burn pits for waste disposal in combat zones and documenting locations where they operated.
Here’s what Guard, Reserve gets in the 2020 defense spending bill-
Reservists and National Guard members could soon see expanded access to Tricare for some troops, the return of some benefits after certain deployments and help for students through an annual defense spending deal brokered on Capitol Hill this week.
Congress may have given the Air Force an exit door for light attack aircraft program-
Congress wants the Air Force to consider transferring some funding allocated for light attack planes to U.S. Special Operations Command — a provision that could allow the service to quietly quash its light attack efforts and allow SOCOM to step in to run a program of record.
Authorizers make few changes to U.S. Air Force nuclear programs-
After a heated partisan fight over the Pentagon’s nuclear modernization efforts, House and Senate authorizers agreed to let the Air Force’s key strategic programs move forward relatively unscathed.