News
Latest US airstrike in Somalia kills 7 suspected al-Shabaab fighters
The U.S. military has launched six airstrikes and one special operations raid against an ISIS leader in Somalia so far in 2023.
What are Articles 4 and 5 of NATO’s founding treaty and why do they matter?
President Biden told Eastern European leaders the United States had made a “sacred commitment” to Article 5 of the NATO charter.
Taiwan frustrated by weapons delays, key lawmaker finds in stealth visit
Rep. Mike Gallagher, chairman of the new House select committee on China, said Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was a ‘wake-up call’ for Taipei.
US eyes detailing Beijing’s potential arms aid to Russia
The Biden administration is considering releasing intelligence it believes shows that China is weighing whether to supply weapons to support Russia’s war in Ukraine, U.S. officials said.
Business
Space Force may hire companies to service orbiting satellites
The U.S. Space Force is developing a plan for a satellite refueling and servicing capability that takes advantage of technology being developed by commercial space companies, according to the head of the service’s mobility enterprise.
UAE’s EDGE unveils “Airtruck” logistics drone at IDEX weapons show
Local conglomerate EDGE unveiled 11 new unmanned and autonomous systems for intelligence and strike missions at the IDEX global weapons exhibition here.
Estonia’s drone-buying spree finds local vendors eager for deals
The Estonian drone industry, which has been developing at a slow pace over the last decade, is seeing a significant push from domestic manufacturers and has unveiled its first loitering munition.
Defense
Troops will get an extra $100,000 in life insurance coverage March 1
Service members will automatically receive an extra $100,000 of life insurance coverage as of March 1, increasing the maximum Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance coverage amount to $500,000.
Air Force expands cancer review of nuclear missile personnel
The Air Force’s review of cancers among its nuclear missile corps will include all personnel who worked on, guarded, supported or operated the nation’s ground-based warheads, Air Force Global Strike Command announced Feb. 22.
US Army jam-resistant navigation kit for vehicles passes Pentagon test
Jam-resistant navigation technology that can be mounted to U.S. Army ground vehicles performed well in trials and provided troops the context needed to accomplish tasks and get where they needed to be, the Pentagon’s chief weapons tester said.
Pilot error caused F-35 carrier crash and plunge into South China Sea
Pilot error was behind a F-35C Lightning II fighter jet crashing onto the deck of the aircraft carrier Carl Vinson before sliding into the South China Sea last year, according to a Naval Air Forces investigation released this week.
After long, costly road, Air Force happy with new KC-46 vision system
The remote vision system for the U.S. Air Force’s latest tanker was meant to transform how the service conducts aerial refueling. It did bring about change — but the service and the aircraft’s manufacturer, Boeing, concede it hasn’t lived up to all its expectations.
Veterans
Trading on patriotism: How extremist groups target and radicalize veterans
This article is the first in a series looking at how extremist groups target veterans for recruitment and the paths toward and away from radicalization.
Dept. of Veterans Affairs ahead of health care staffing goals, for now
Veteran Affairs officials are ahead on their health care hiring and retention goals for the fiscal year but will need to bring in more human resources personnel to keep pace with the staffing surges in coming months.