News
Biden drops out of 2024 race
President Joe Biden dropped out of the 2024 race for the White House on Sunday, ending his bid for reelection after a disastrous debate with Donald Trump that raised doubts about the incumbent’s fitness for office.
F-35 deliveries resume, but upgrade delays have ripple effects
The U.S. military is once again accepting deliveries of the newest F-35 Joint Strike Fighters from Lockheed Martin after a yearlong halt caused by problems with the fighters’ upgrades.
How the sixth-generation fighter jet will upend air warfare
The next generation of fighter aircraft could bring greater speed, range and ability to penetrate deep into enemy airspace — and it might even feature a revolutionary new type of engine, experts and retired U.S. Air Force officer say.
A USS Eisenhower pilot became the first American woman to score air-to-air kill
The aviator, part of Strike Fighter Squadron 32, took out a Houthi drone in the Red Sea as part of the Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group’s intercept mission.
Drone warfare in Ukraine prompts fresh thinking in helicopter tactics
Air defense and drone warfare observed in Ukraine are changing the nature of military helicopter tactics, moving the platforms’ center of gravity away from the tip of the spear to an emphasis on combat-support missions along the front lines, according to officials and issue experts.
Massachusetts lawmakers call on the Pentagon to ground the Osprey again until crash causes are fixed
Three Massachusetts lawmakers are pressing Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to ground the V-22 Osprey aircraft again until the military can fix the root causes of multiple recent accidents, including a deadly crash in Japan.
Pentagon still withholding F-35 payments to Lockheed over upgrade delays
“Since not everything that we contracted for has been delivered, payment is also not complete. We will not pay for that which we have not yet received,” said Air Force acquisition chief Andrew Hunter.
Air Force
Air Force Academy adding leadership training after review found peer leaders not sufficiently equipped
The Air Force Academy is adding more leadership training to help cadets as they take on numerous responsibilities, following a report last year that found older cadets were not sufficiently equipped for their roles causing unhealthy power dynamics.
Air Force colonel fired at Eglin Air Force Base 3 days before command change
Air Force Col. Jeremiah Hammill was fired as commander of the 96th Test Wing Civil Engineer Group at Eglin.
Air Force could reopen competition for Sentinel ICBM ground infrastructure, Hunter says
“I think there are elements of the ground infrastructure where there may be opportunities for competition that we can add to the acquisition strategy for Sentinel,” said Andrew Hunter, the Air Force’s top acquisition official.
US Air Force, Boeing reach deal on prototype E-7
The Air Force has reached an agreement with Boeing to build the first rapid prototype E-7 battle management aircraft, Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall told reporters here over the weekend.
NGAD redesign: Air Force Secretary cracks door for unmanned option
In an interview with Breaking Defense, Frank Kendall suggested the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) fighter decision is farther off than estimated, as the service rethinks the threat landscape.
Space Force
Space Force’s Calvelli aims to ‘integrate’ space acquisition organizations
The new office, led by Claire Leon, will work to integrate acquisition programs across Space Systems Command, the Space Development Agency and the Space Rapid Capabilities Office, Breaking Defense has learned.
Veterans
Today we make history: Commission probing Afghanistan War starts work with veterans top of mind
What went wrong with the war in Afghanistan? It’s a question that scholars, policymakers, service members, veterans and everyday Americans have debated over the course of the 20-year conflict, a discourse that picked up significantly after the chaotic and unsuccessful end to the war in 2021. Now, a congressionally chartered commission is seeking definitive answers.
Defense
Lockheed Martin sees 300 potential F-16 export sales ‘opportunity’
“As we work each individual case, we will adjust our [production] line as necessary to provide those capabilities as long as the demand exists,” said OJ Sanchez, vice president of F-16 and F-22 programs at Lockheed Martin.
Defense tech startup Saronic announces $175M in Series B funding
The funding round was led by venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz.
