News
Trump’s Pentagon pick paid woman after sex assault allegation but denies wrongdoing, his lawyer says
Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for defense secretary, paid a woman who accused him of sexual assault to head off the threat of a baseless lawsuit, according to Hegseth’s lawyer.
Russia launches one of its fiercest missile and drone attacks at Ukraine’s infrastructure
A Russian strike on a nine-story building in the city of Sumy in northern Ukraine killed eight people and wounded dozens, an official said Sunday, as Russia launched a massive drone and missile attack described by officials as the largest in recent months.
‘Disturbing’ number of VA mental health appointment cancellations prompt lawmakers to call for reforms
A bipartisan group of House lawmakers wants the Department of Veterans Affairs to streamline its scheduling processes for medical appointments amid reports that veterans are falling through the cracks when seeking mental health services at the VA.
US allows Ukraine to fire deeper into Russia ahead of Kursk battle
After months of debate, the U.S. will allow Ukraine to fire long-range American weapons into Russia.
Air Force
Air Force buying more drone wingmen to develop operational tactics
The Air Force is buying more drone wingmen known as collaborative combat aircraft to experiment with, the service’s acquisition chief said Wednesday.
Air Force captain becomes first woman in service history to receive Silver Star as crews honored for drone fight
On Nov. 12, 30 fighter pilots and airmen were recognized for missions during the largest air-to-air enemy engagement in over 50 years, according to the Air Force. The crew of one F-15E, pilot Maj. Benjamin Coffey and weapon systems officer Capt. Lacie Hester, were awarded the nation’s third-highest valor award, the Silver Star.
New report: How to avoid a nuclear war with China
The Air Force’s ability to carry out long-range strikes can play an important role in defending Taiwan against a Chinese attack—but must be carefully managed to avoid triggering a nuclear conflict, warns a new study by the RAND Corporation.
Air Force Reserve chaplain gets Trump nod to lead the VA
A Navy veteran and current chaplain in the Air Force Reserve is on track to be the next secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs. President-elect Donald Trump has nominated Doug Collins to the post this week, though critics question whether Collins may move to privatize VA services.
A star is born: New KC-46 demo team flies first show
There’s a new player on the air show circuit: the world’s first KC-46 Pegasus demo team debuted at a Texas airshow last week, marking the latest first for the Air Force’s new aerial refueling tanker.
Space Force
Space Force targeting more affordable GPS satellites
(Military Times) The Space Force wants its next fleet of GPS satellites to be smaller, cheaper and more resilient — and it’s looking to a mix of commercial and defense firms to help design those spacecraft.
Space Force taps OpTech for $4.5 million optical sensor payload
(SpaceNews) The U.S. Space Force awarded space engineering and manufacturing firm Optimum Technologies (OpTech) a $4.5 million contract to develop an optical imaging payload for a mission scheduled to fly in 2026 on an Impulse Space vehicle.
Defense
EU approves first-ever funding for joint weapons, ammo procurement
The executive arm of the European Union approved €300 million (US$317 million) in funding for five joint defense-procurement projects by member states, the first time the bloc uses its budget to finance common defense buying.
Anduril CEO sees opportunity for defense tech startups under Trump
President-elect Donald Trump confronts a number of geopolitical challenges as he returns to the White House, including managing the US-China relationship, a potential escalation in the Middle East, and the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.
Veterans
VA touts housing homeless vets in LA while fighting court order to build more units
The Department of Veterans Affairs held a ribbon-cutting ceremony this week to open new apartments for homeless veterans on the sprawling campus of the West Los Angeles VA Medical Center — all while fighting a court order to build more units.
