News
Leaker of US secret documents worked on military base, friend says
The man behind a massive leak of U.S. government secrets that has exposed spying on allies, revealed the grim prospects for Ukraine’s war with Russia and ignited diplomatic fires for the White House is a young, charismatic gun enthusiast who shared highly classified documents with a group of far-flung acquaintances searching for companionship amid the isolation of the pandemic.
Ukraine’s prime minister urges US to send F-15 or F-16 fighter jets during Pentagon meeting
Ukraine Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal urged the United States on April 12 to begin sending fighter jets that can help drive Russian forces out of the country, especially if Moscow begins to employ high-end fighters and bombers.
US guided rockets in Ukraine are being jammed by Russia
U.S.-made smart bombs provided to Ukraine are being jammed by Russia and are missing their targets, according to a Politico review of a leaked Pentagon document.
https://thehill.com/policy/defense/3946846-us-guided-rockets-in-ukraine-are-being-jammed-by-russia/?utm_campaign=dfn-ebb&utm_medium=email&utm_source=sailthru&SToverlay=2002c2d9-c344-4bbb-8610-e5794efcfa7d
Business
Pentagon should expand Defense Innovation Unit’s role, experts say
Former defense officials and industry executives are calling on the Pentagon to expand the influence of its commercial innovation hub to make it easier for the military to buy off-the-shelf technology.
US defense companies sued by Yemenis over weapons used in civil war
Lockheed Martin, Raytheon and General Dynamics, three of the five largest U.S. defense contractors, supported war crimes by selling weapons to Saudi Arabia and UAE-led coalition forces during the civil war in Yemen, seven Yemeni civilians alleged in a lawsuit.
TRX Systems wins $402 million deal for jam-resistant navigation gear
The U.S. Army tapped TRX Systems to produce jam- and spoof-resistant navigation equipment for soldiers in a deal worth as much as $402 million.
General Dynamics targeting tactical vehicle market with low-cost ANPT packages
“The Abrams doesn’t do very well without ammunition [and the] Bradley does not do very well without fuel. So how does a fueler meet up with a Bradley in a contested environment if it doesn’t have GPS [and] it can’t calculate a route?” said Aaron Mebust, the vice president and director of GPS Source at General Dynamics.
New Leonardo CEO pick, Cingolani, may signal cybersecurity, AI focus
The Italian government nominated Roberto Cingolani as the new CEO of state-controlled defense giant Leonardo on Wednesday, ending weeks of speculation over who would take over from incumbent Alessandro Profumo.
Defense
Lawmakers demand answers after priests booted from Walter Reed campus
Republican lawmakers want to know why a group of Catholic priests was barred from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center just before Easter week services, leaving troops there with limited options for their religious celebrations.
US Army greenlights key battle command system for full-rate production
The U.S. Army has approved the Integrated Battle Command System for full-rate production following years of delays as the service struggled with technical issues partly due to the expansion of the system’s mission well beyond simply serving as the brain for air and missile defense.
US Army to mount high-energy laser on infantry squad vehicles to destroy drones
The US Army has awarded BlueHalo $45.7 million to develop a 20-kilowatt high-energy laser, which it will mount on Infantry Squad Vehicles to protect them against drones.
US Army to Mount High-Energy Laser on Infantry Squad Vehicles to Destroy Drones
US Navy aims to field manned-unmanned fleet within 10 years
The U.S. Navy plans to operate a fleet of crewed and unmanned platforms within the next 10 years ó an ambitious timeline that will require the service to quickly develop and mature autonomous systems, while ensuring confidence in the technology.
Navy cancels ‘Snakehead’ large undersea drone competition after decade of development
The Navy may be left with a large gap in its family of UUVs at a time the service leaders say they are ready to integrate the technology more deeply into the fleet.
B-1, B-2 bomber spending to dwindle as focus shifts to B-21, B-52
Air Force budget documents show B-1 and B-2 bomber spending dwindling through the end of the 2020s, as the service puts priority on the new B-21 and the upgraded B-52.
Veterans
Sailor’s killer to be removed from Arlington thanks to new law
The remains of a former Navy lieutenant who kidnapped and murdered a sailor who rebuffed his attentions will be disinterred from Arlington Cemetery.
Marine thought dead on Vietnam battlefield gets back dog tag lost in the fight to save him
Charles Armitage can easily remember the date his heart stopped beating during the Vietnam War — March 25, 1968. It was his mother’s birthday.
After denials, PACT Act making a difference for those hurt by toxic exposure
After previous denials, Michelle Hill received an official letter earlier this year from the Department of Veterans Affairs acknowledging her husband’s deadly cancer was caused by exposure to toxic burn pits.
