News
Russia’s Shoigu accuses West of seeking to expand Ukraine war to Asia-Pacific
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said the West wants to expand the conflict in the Ukraine to the Asia-Pacific region, Russian state media reported, citing comments made at a Beijing defense forum on Oct. 30.
Austin, Blinken set to make case for White House defense supplemental
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Secretary of State Antony Blinken this week will make their case to lawmakers for the presidentís $106 billion supplemental budget request for Ukraine and Israel aid, even as House members insist the package has little chance of becoming law.
Business
Billions in Ukraine defense spending has been slow to translate into US jobs
More than a year and a half since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, defense companies have been struggling to hire workers, untangle supply chains and restart mothballed production lines.
L3Harris points to suppliers for slowdown in rocket-motor production
CEO says he’s working to get the newly acquired Aerojet Rocketdyne back on track by next year.
Anglo-French defense firms gather to talk quantum, missiles and other ‘complex weapons’
Led by a core team of industry partners including MBDA, Leonardo, Thales, Roxel, Safran and CEA, technology areas are designed to support a variety of use cases which include tactical and deep strike, surface and force protection, and air dominance.
F135 parts with contaminated metal will be replaced at depot, JPO says
No F135 fighter engines are yet known to have parts made from contaminated powdered metal — a situation affecting much of Pratt & Whitney’s commercial engine fleet — but if detected, they’ll be replaced at depot and shouldn’t have a major impact on operations, a F-35 Joint Program Office spokesperson told Air & Space Forces Magazine.
F135 Parts with Contaminated Metal Will Be Replaced at Depot, JPO Says
Czech Republic orders new batch of air-to-air missiles from Rafael
The Czech ministry of defense has confirmed that it will spend $120 million on the procurement of 48 long-range, air-to-air missiles made by Israeli arms manufacturer Rafael Systems.
Fincantieri, Leonardo team up on underwater drone effort
Italy’s Fincantieri and Leonardo are to work together on underwater drones designed to protect cables and pipelines on the seabed amid a growing awareness of the value and vulnerability of sub-sea infrastructure.
Defense
US to build new nuclear gravity bomb
The U.S. Defense Department on Oct. 27 announced the government is moving forward with developing a new version of the B61 nuclear gravity bomb.
Testing of Air Force all-electric plane set to start at Florida base
The Air Force is to begin testing an all-electric manned aircraft at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida, as the U.S. military looks for ways to reduce its carbon footprint.
New image of B-21 bomber tail shows different exhausts and rear deck from B-2
A new photograph of the B-21 bomber circulating on the internet in the last few days — and the first to reveal what the back of the secret aircraft looks — shows a different geometry for the aircraft’s exhaust area and rear deck from its predecessor, the B-2.
New Image of B-21 Bomber Tail Shows Different Exhausts and Rear Deck from B-2
Veterans
Wounds new and old threaten a fresh start for Afghan veterans in US
For many Afghan veterans, the stresses of refugee life continue to suppress and exacerbate the traumas of combat two years after arriving stateside.
Veterans who are food insecure are less likely to seek help than civilians
About eight years ago, Carl Davis stared at his bills and decided which ones not to pay. Without the financial jigsaw, he couldn’t afford food for his family. Davis, who has a 100 percent disability rating from Veterans Affairs for service-related injuries to his wrist and lower back, relies on his VA compensation for income.
Veterans Who Are Food Insecure Are Less Likely to Seek Help Than Civilians