News
Taliban kill mastermind of suicide bombing at Kabul airport
The Taliban have killed the senior Islamic State group leader behind the August 2021 bombing outside the Kabul airport that killed 13 U.S. service members.
Biden to unveil new efforts to protect S. Korea from nukes
President Joe Biden will use this week’s celebratory state visit by South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol to underscore that the U.S. is ready to step up its efforts to deter a North Korean attack on South Korea, according to the White House.
As pressure builds, US keeps mum on Ukraine’s cluster-munitions request
Proponents and military leaders note their tactical benefits, but strategic concerns may quash the deal.
Ukraine launching tech cluster to boost military capability
The Ukrainian government is launching an initiative April 26 to streamline and promote innovation in the development of drones and other technologies that have been critical during Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Business
Gulf shipyards struggle to find workers amid shipbuilding spree
A small houseboat floats on Bayou Lafourche in rural Louisiana, housing workers at the family-owned Bollinger Shipyards’ Lockport facility situated roughly 35 miles upstream from the Gulf of Mexico.
Major shift comes to Fincantieri Marinette Marine as Freedom LCS line ends
Three ships moored on the Wisconsin side of the Menominee River mark the end of a 20-year-long era of shipbuilding for the United States Navy.
No deal is certain: Raytheon CEO says of Aerojet’s pending sale to L3Harris
After slamming an earlier proposal for the rocket maker, Chris Hayes is taking a different tack.
Army postpones production decision for UH-60V Black Hawk cockpit redesign
“The milestone decision authority is following a very deliberate and rigorous review process to ensure that the 60V is ready for full-rate production,” a spokesperson for the Program Executive Office for Aviation told Breaking Defense.
Romania awards $321 million contract for Turkish TB2 combat drones
The Romanian Ministry of National Defense has awarded the Turkish defense firm Baykar a $321 million contract for the purchase of TB2 unmanned aerial vehicles, according to recently published documents.
Defense
Pentagon needs to better job of tracking wargames, report finds
The U.S. military relies on wargames to help inform its strategy, tactics, and requirements. But a new report from the Government Accountability Office sees some flaws, including Department of Defense efforts that are chronically stovepiped.
No end in sight to Senate fight over military nominations
Nearly 200 military nominees remain in limbo before the Senate with no clear end in sight as a Republican senator from Alabama continues his protest over Defense Department’s abortion access policies.
US is concerned about rivals’ space threats, leaked documents show
Russia’s program is in tatters, hurt by international sanctions and competition with SpaceX, while China’s is showing increasing capabilities.
New ‘power projection wing’ to replace A-10s at Davis-Monthan
The Air Force plans to put a new Special Operations power projection wing at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., replacing A-10s that have been there for years, service and Congressional officials told Air & Space Forces Magazine.
Veterans
Veterans file 500,000 claims for toxic exposure
Veterans have filed half a million claims for benefits stemming from toxic exposure while serving, the Department of Veterans Affairs said Wednesday, part of the largest expansion of VA coverage in a generation.
Free Uber, Lyft rides for vets program will end in May. The VA is pleading with Congress to extend it.
The Department of Veterans Affairs wants to extend a pandemic-era program that has provided more than 750,000 Uber or Lyft rides for veterans so they could get to their jobs, attend medical appointments or access support services.