News
1,000 active-duty soldiers called up to assist with Hurricane Helene response
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Wednesday mobilized 1,000 active-duty soldiers to assist in recovery and relief efforts in communities hit by Hurricane Helene — one of the most devastating storms in recent history.
Pentagon taps commercial vendors for low-cost, throwaway drones
Pentagon officials want to build America’s arsenal of cheap, disposable drones, staple weapons of the war in Ukraine, pinging commercial vendors for systems with mass-production potential.
US destroyer shown in Navy video firing missiles to counter Iranian barrage on Israel
Video footage released Wednesday by the Navy shows a U.S. destroyer in the eastern Mediterranean Sea launching missiles in defense of Israel against an Iranian air attack this week.
New benefit reimburses troops for flying family in to help watch kids during PCS moves
The Pentagon is rolling out a new pilot program that provides travel benefits to service members to cover the cost of flying people out to help with child care in the immediate days after arriving at a new duty station.
Biden won’t support a strike on Iran nuclear sites as Israel weighs response to Iran missile attack
President Joe Biden said Wednesday he will not support an Israeli strike on sites related to Tehran’s nuclear program in response to Iran’s missile attack on Israel.
FLRAA 2: US Army to enhance next-gen assault aircraft that will replace Black Hawk
As the U.S. Army’s Future Long Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) program enters the next major development phase, the service plans significant upgrades to Bell’s V-280 Valor tiltrotor, the FLRAA competition winner.
Repairs to Okinawa airfield may fix Air Force parachute training dispute
The Marine Corps plans to repair an auxiliary airfield runway early next year and resolve a dispute with Okinawa prefecture over parachute training at Kadena Air Base.
Air Force
Air Force report: Hurricane Hunters stretched thin amid brutal storms
New storms may already be forming in the Caribbean and tropical Atlantic, even as rain soaks the East Coast in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene last week, which killed at least 130 people and closed two major Air Force bases.
Court-martial begins for Spangdahlem airman accused of murdering martial arts instructor
The defense’s case for a Spangdahlem airman accused of fatally stabbing a local martial arts athlete and instructor more than a year ago will focus on whether the Air Force pinned the crime on the wrong person.
Air National Guard delivers lifeline on C-17 after Hurricane Helene
In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene’s wrath, the North Carolina Air National Guard has launched a relief effort to distribute 100,000 pounds of essentials across the state using C-17 Globemaster aircraft, the Guard said.
Space Force
STARCOM to bring more than 450 military and civilian jobs to Patrick Space Force Base
The first cohort of dozens of STARCOM guardians are on scene at at Patrick Space Force Base, working to establish the fledgling military branch’s space-warfighting training hub by late 2025.
Defense
Raytheon scores engineering and development contract for extended range airborne electronic attack pod
The Navy awarded Raytheon, an RTX company, a $192 million contract to develop an extended range capability for the service’s next-generation airborne electronic attack capability.
Veterans
VA to create program that offers legal help to veterans denied benefits because of discharge status
The Department of Veterans Affairs on Tuesday disclosed a plan to establish a grant program to fund legal organizations assisting veterans who are trying to access benefits after they did not receive an honorable discharge.
