News
Kremlin war hawks demand more devastating strikes on Ukraine
Moscow’s barrage of missile strikes on cities all across Ukraine has elicited celebratory comments from Russian officials and pro-Kremlin pundits, who in recent weeks have actively criticized the Russian military for a series of embarrassing setbacks on the battlefield.
G-7 demands Russian withdrawal from Ukraine, pledges continued support
In a speech to G-7 leaders, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called for more air defense after a second day of Russian attacks on civilians.
Russian military ‘exhausted,’ Putin’s judgment ‘flawed,’ UK spy chief says
Jeremy Fleming, head of Britain’s GCHQ intelligence agency, said in a rare address that Ukraine is “turning the tide” as Russia runs low on weapons, troops and friends.
Business
Booz Allen creates directed energy-focused business unit
Booz Allen Hamilton, a Virginia-based consulting firm, is establishing a new high-energy laser business that builds on internal company investments in directed-energy technology in recent years.
South Korea’s status as rising defense player on display at AUSA
South Korea’s defense export sales have already hit $15 billion this year, surpassing a record $7.25 billion last year, and could reach $20 billion by year’s end if potential deals with Australia, Malaysia, Norway and Saudi Arabia break in Seoul’s direction.
Here’s what industry is offering to meet Army’s electric vehicle needs
For the defense industry, creating hybrid and fully electric vehicles for the U.S. Army isn’t about being eco-friendly: it’s about making soldiers more lethal and survivable.
US Army, BAE aim to accelerate armored vehicle production
The U.S. Army and BAE Systems are working together to identify ways to accelerate production of the new Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle, which would let the service more quickly replace aging M113 armored troop carriers.
Guns of Ukraine draw eyes at Washington arms fair
For years, the war on terror dominated displays at the massive Association of the U.S. Army trade show with heavily armored vehicles and ways to protect soldiers from makeshift explosives.
Robotics companies don’t want robots weaponized — will anyone listen?
A robotics manufacturer that continues to expand its arsenal of artificial intelligence attempted to ease public concerns over weaponized robots in an open letter last week that asserts its products should never be used for hostile purposes.
With Army combat aviation in mind, Textron plans upgrades to Shadow drone through at least 2036
The Army is replacing the Shadow in its infantry brigades, but Textron is upgrading as the company expects other Army groups, like aviation and special ops, to use it for more than a decade longer.
Germany awaits France’s signal on new sub-hunting planes
German defense leaders have vowed to coordinate closely with France on a beefed-up capability for maritime surveillance and anti-submarine warfare, following reports that Berlin’s acquisition of American-made Boeing P-8 Poseidon aircraft would nix the bilateral project.
Defense
Army prepares for dispersed warfare with high casualties
Fighting in Ukraine continues to show senior Army leaders and thinkers the value of two things that the service hasn’t been doing at scale for a long, long time — reconstitution and long-range, large-unit dispersion.
US Army juggles effects of Ukraine, recruiting and inflation on budget
When Russia invaded Ukraine in February, the United States quickly undertook a massive effort to supply Kyiv with weapons and ammunition.
Air Force praises new pilot training but struggles to hire instructors
The Air Force expects to complete its two-year transition to the new undergraduate pilot training curriculum by the end of October, the head of Air Education and Training Command recently told reporters.
Pentagon eyes third rapid experimentation sprint as Congress mulls cut
The Pentagon is “on track” to start soliciting ideas for its third round of joint rapid experimentation projects, which will focus on base defense, according to Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering Heidi Shyu.
Dozens of lawmakers urge Pentagon to move forward with adaptive engines
Nearly 50 members of Congress have urged Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III to fund a new phase of development for advanced fighter engines in the fiscal 2024 budget, sending a letter to the Pentagon on Oct. 7.
US Air Force reveals Hellfire Missile with threefold range
The US Air National Guard Air Force Reserve Command Test Center recently tested the new AGM-114 R-4 long-range Hellfire missile, revealing it for the first time.
Veterans
Military sexual assault victims could get back benefits under plan
Victims of military sexual assault could be eligible for tens of thousands of dollars in retroactive disability benefits under a proposal being unveiled by pair of House lawmakers this week.
Federal home loan program is still failing Native American veterans after 30 years
The GI bill has near-mythic significance in American history — generations of veterans got an education and an easy home loan, the sort of thing that pulls families up into the middle class. That benefit has never really been available, though, to one group of Americans who serve in the military in very high numbers — Native Americans living on tribal land.
