News
Trump orders most American troops to leave Somalia. AFRICOM says they are redeploying elsewhere in region-
The Pentagon said Dec. 4 it is pulling most U.S. troops out of Somalia on President Donald Trump’s orders, continuing a post-election push by Trump to shrink U.S. involvement in counterterrorism missions abroad.
Congress’ detailed plan to get rid of Confederate base names, monuments-
The hotly debated issue of renaming 10 Army installations honoring Confederate generals was a key sticking point in the 2021 defense policy bill — and may still earn the bill a veto from President Donald Trump.
Congress moves to block U.S. troop withdrawal from Afghanistan and Germany-
President Donald Trump’s controversial orders to withdraw 2,000 U.S. troops from Afghanistan and 12,000 from Germany would be blocked by the massive defense policy bill now headed to his desk.
Business
America sold $175 billion in weapons abroad in FY20-
The U.S. sold $175 billion in weapons to foreign partners and allies in fiscal 2020, a 2.8 percent rise from the previous year’s total, according to a Dec. 4 announcement from the Defense and State departments.
German industry lead prepares for possible collapse of TLVS anti-missile program-
The German arm of MBDA said it will “restructure” its operations following signals from Berlin that the government is having second thoughts about the company’s pet project, the TLVS air defense system.
Norfolk Naval Shipyard can go ahead with power and steam plant, state air quality regulators say-
Norfolk Naval Shipyard can proceed with plans to build a plant to supply the steam and most of the electricity it uses, the State Air Pollution Control Board ruled.
General Atomics Avenger drone flew an autonomous air-to-air mission using an AI brain-
The stealthy drone flew for hours, searching for potential aerial threats together with five other simulated drones.
Defense
Japan, France, U.S. plan their first joint military drills in May-
Japan, France, and the United States will hold joint military drills on land and sea for the first time in May next year as the Chinese military steps up activity in the region, the Sankei newspaper said on Dec. 6.
NDAA adds 14 F-35s, OKs $9.1B; fully funds B-21-
House and Senate authorizers approved 14 Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighters over DOD’s 2021 budget request: 12 F-35As and 2 F-35Bs. In addition, the Air Force is authorized to add six F-35s meant for Turkey to its own fleet.
Citing littoral combat ship failures, Congress pushes the US Navy to get FFG(X) right-
The U.S. Navy will have to set up a land-based testing site for the engineering plant destined for its new Constellation-class frigate program, according to a provision in the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act on President Trump’s desk.
Air Force wanted to mothball over 100 planes. Here’s what Congress says it will permit-
Congress is seeking to block the Air Force from retiring any of its A-10 Warthog attack planes, KC-135 refueling tankers and RQ-4 Global Hawk surveillance drones this fiscal year.
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