News
Former VA Secretary McDonough to host town hall countering DC parade
Former Veterans Affairs Secretary Denis McDonough will host a military and veterans town hall in Minnesota on Friday evening as part of the Democratic National Committee’s counterprogramming to the Washington military parade touted by President Donald Trump this weekend.
Retirement snafu affects thousands of Reserve, Guard members
Defense and Air Force officials are working to restore retirement funds to thousands of Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard members who have joined the military since 2018 and were mistakenly left out of the Blended Retirement System.
Marines tasked with LA mission have not yet completed use of force and nonlethal training
The roughly 700 Marines recently ordered to deploy to Los Angeles have not yet completed training on less-than-lethal weapons and training on the Standing Rules for Use of Force, which governs the use of force for military personnel within the United States, said a spokesperson for U.S. Northern Command, or NORTHCOM.
‘Deeply negative message’: Relatives of Fort Gregg-Adams’ namesakes react to Trump renaming
Relatives of the late Lt. Gen. Arthur Gregg and Lt. Col. Charity Adams-Earley anticipated it, but when President Donald Trump announced their parents’ names would be stripped from the Virginia base, they were still surprised.
Pentagon to review AUKUS submarine deal with Australia and Britain
The Pentagon is reviewing the AUKUS agreement on sharing nuclear-powered submarine technology with Australia and the United Kingdom — a decision immediately condemned by congressional Democrats and one that may cause angst among U.S. allies.
Air Force
Air Force tests new ship-killing bomb variant
The Air Force has tested a new variation of its ship-killing Quicksink guided bomb to expand its options for taking out enemy vessels in a future war.
E-2 Hawkeye replaces USAF E-3 Sentry, E-7 cancelled in new budget
A seismic shift has occurred in the Trump administration’s new defense spending plan that is just emerging when it comes to the USAF’s airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) predicament. The service’s E-3 Sentry Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft are dwindling in number and rapidly aging into unsupportability.
USAF slashes F-35 buy, boosts next-gen fighter in unconventional 2026 budget proposal
The Pentagon is proposing to halve its planned F-35 buy and boost funding for the sixth-gen F-47 fighter jet—but many of its 2026 budget-proposal details hinge on the reconciliation legislation still being debated on Capitol Hill.
Space Force
Space Force’s first next-gen missile warning launch pushed to 2026
Despite expectations for an on-time satellite delivery, the Space Force has opted to delay the launch of its first Next-Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared spacecraft until at least next spring due to high demand for launch services.
House appropriators call for new Space Force acquisition pilot
In their just-passed version of the fiscal 2026 defense budget, House appropriators instruct Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth to create a Space Force pilot project that would organize acquisition programs and personnel by “mission areas.”
‘Integrate’ software selected by Space Force to streamline satellite launches
The U.S. Space Force awarded a five-year $25 million contract to Integrate, a Seattle-based software startup, for its project management platform designed to help large organizations coordinate complex projects in secure environments.
Defense
Anduril plans footprint in Poland’s red-hot combat drone market
As the Polish military ramps up its Drone Force, U.S. defense-technology company Anduril Industries is working to expand its foothold in Poland.
B-52 radar upgrade faces new delays, GAO says
The B-52 Stratofortress is now not expected to field an upgraded radar until as late as 2030, a delay of roughly three years, as officials struggle to modernize the Eisenhower-era bomber, according to a watchdog report.
Saab’s Gripen tests AI in long-range air-to-air engagements
Saab has begun test flights of its Gripen E fighter loaded with an artificial intelligence (AI) agent that can conduct autonomous beyond-visual-range air-to-air combat.
What might the future hold for the F-35?
As futuristic aviation programs gain priority, the F-35—the only in-production, fifth-generation American fighter—is facing new headwinds. Fresh debate over its challenges and its potential in the coming months will shape its future role in the force.
