News
VA eases benefits rules for cancers from post-9/11 service, K2 tours
Veterans who served in the first Gulf War or post-9/11 conflicts suffering from leukemia, bladder cancer and other related illnesses will be granted presumptive benefits status under plans announced by Veterans Affairs leaders Wednesday.
A Russian missile attack in southern Ukraine has killed at least 13 civilians, officials say
A daytime Russian missile attack on the southern Ukraine city of Zaporizhzhia killed at least 13 civilians and wounded about 30 others on Wednesday, officials said.
Biden administration asks court to block plea deal for alleged mastermind of 9/11 attacks
The Biden administration asked a federal appeals court on Tuesday to block a plea agreement for accused 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed that would spare him the risk of the death penalty in one of the deadliest attacks ever on the United States.
New threats pushing Air Force and Army to rethink approach to base defense
Pentagon officials are devising new plans to defend air bases worldwide—plans that prioritize collaboration across all the military services, rather than relying solely on the Army for protection.
Navy helicopters will be sent to help fight California fires, US officials say
The Defense Department is sending 10 Navy helicopters to help fight wildfires in California, U.S. officials said Wednesday.
Air Force
Discrimination led to Air Force contractor’s death, lawsuit alleges
On the night Stephanie Cosme died, her sister and brother said they received a curt explanation from a U.S. Air Force official who met them at the hospital: The civilian contractor was failing to follow protocol when she was hit by an aircraft’s rotating propeller and killed.
Air Force F-16 drops external fuel tank over Florida city
An F-16 from Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, dropped an external tank on Tuesday, but no one on the ground was injured, an Air Force spokesperson confirmed.
Kendall: CCA Increment 2 shouldn’t be ‘exquisite,’ but better than Increment 1
Analyses and wargames indicate the second increment of the Collaborative Combat Aircraft program should not be an “exquisite” aircraft — meaning very stealthy and equipped with many sensors and weapons — but it should have more capability than Increment 1, and an additional cost of 20-30 percent would be acceptable, Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall told Air & Space Forces Magazine this week.
Ramstein calls off plan for Frankfurt Airport shuttle after no one bids on contract
A Ramstein Air Base proposal for Frankfurt Airport shuttle service was scrapped for lack of bids, ending hopes in the largest U.S. military community overseas for a better option to get to the European hub.
New F-15 electronic warfare system starts full production
The Air Force has cleared a new F-15 electronic warfare system for full-rate production and awarded a $615.8 million contract to Boeing to install the Eagle Passive Active Warning Survivability System (EPAWSS).
Lack of hardened aircraft shelters leaves US airbases vulnerable to China, new report warns
A new independent report says that U.S. airbases have been left worryingly vulnerable, especially in the Indo-Pacific region, by a lack of investment in new hardened aircraft shelters, or even unhardened ones.
New Mexico fines Cannon Air Base $99,000 over spill of PFAS-contaminated water
The New Mexico Environment Department has fined Cannon Air Force Base $98,780 and threatens to revoke the installation’s state operating permit over a 2024 spill of water tainted with toxic “forever chemicals.”
Veterans
Veterans can learn to write their service story as part of this publisher’s military memoir project
There’s a good chance that everyone who served in the military has their own personal story to tell. That’s just the nature of military service. Some of us may want to impart what we’ve learned in tough situations; others might have an extraordinary tale of overcoming adversity. And then, of course, there are those who just have an incredible story of missions completed or battlefield survival.
Defense
Rafale jets, submarines push France’s defense exports to $19B in 2024
French defense export orders had their second-best year ever in 2024, rising to more than €18 billion (US$18.6 billion) on demand for Rafale fighter jets and submarines, Armed Forces Minister Sébastien Lecornu told troops in his traditional New Year’s address in Paris on Tuesday.
