News
Republican lawmakers take aim at VA bonuses amid staffing cuts
Republican lawmakers are cracking down on Veterans Affairs employee bonuses, even as Democrats in Congress say administration moves in recent months are hurting critical recruiting and retention work.
Mysterious annex at North Korean missile plant has analysts puzzled
Construction at a North Korean missile factory could portend an upgrade to the country’s rocketry capabilities, according to satellite imagery and expert analysis.
NORAD intercepts Russian bombers and fighters near Alaska
Russian warplanes conducted a flight off the coast of Alaska on July 22, prompting an intercept from aircraft assigned to North American Aerospace Defense Command.
Close call between a B-52 bomber and a commercial jet over North Dakota puts focus on small airports
The evasive action an airline pilot took to avoid a B-52 bomber in the skies over North Dakota has focused attention on the way small airport towers are often run by private companies without their own radars.
Hegseth Signal messages came from email classified ‘SECRET,’ watchdog told
The Pentagon’s independent watchdog has received evidence that messages from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s Signal account previewing a U.S. bombing campaign in Yemen derived from a classified email labeled “SECRET/NOFORN,” people familiar with the matter said.
Air Force
Container vaults being built to deploy American nuclear bombs to remote locations
A high-security vault concealed inside a standard 20-foot shipping container is in development to give U.S. military commanders a new way to safely store nuclear weapons and other extremely sensitive assets, even at far-flung locations.
PFAS levels rose in treated water from US base in Tokyo but stayed under limit
Levels of chemicals in treated water discharged from two sites outside this U.S. airlift hub in western Tokyo spiked recently but remained within safe limits, according to Japanese government surveys..
Air Force serviceman finds transformation in Wounded Warrior Program, Warrior Games as part of PTSD recovery
Master Sgt. Jason Ostberg, who has served in the Air Force since 2003, has dealt with PTSD throughout his service, creating a version of him that truly wasn’t himself.
Defense
Romania buys Spyder air-defense suites from Israel for over $2 billion
Rafael Advanced Systems will supply short-range air defense systems to Romania for well over $2 billion, the Romanian Ministry of Defense announced this week.
USAF won’t resume full F-35 buys until Lockheed wrings problems from upgrade: Service chief
Lockheed Martin needs to make progress on a host of delayed upgrades to the F-35 fighter jet before the Pentagon will return to buying the jet in planned levels, the Air Force’s chief said.
Berlin launches laxer laws in bid to hasten defense acquisitions
Germany’s coalition government has approved legislation meant to streamline defense-procurement procedures, as officials face the task of translating vast military budget increases of coming years into new capabilities.
Turkey, UK agree on Eurofighter exports in step closer to deal
Turkey and the United Kingdom signed a memorandum of understanding on the export of Eurofighter Typhoon jets on Wednesday, bringing the government in Ankara a step closer to buying the multi-role fighter aircraft built by a consortium of four European countries.
Denmark buys four Sky Guardian drones for Arctic surveillance
Denmark has purchased four U.S.-made long-range maritime drones from General Atomics, a step meant to boost the country’s surveillance capabilities in the Arctic region.
Veterans
Seizure of former Afghan U.S. translator from CT threatens national security, vets say
The recent seizure of an Afghan man by masked ICE agents in East Hartford threatens not only his life but also those of future generations of American soldiers, veterans fighting for his release said.
Over 24,000 VA positions face potential downgrade, as classification review expands
The Department of Veterans Affairs is reviewing dozens of positions that are at risk of a possible downgrade in their respective pay scales.
Childhood friends, now veterans, support each other after war
Friends Patrick Bryant, Kevin Godfrey, and Paul Mott grew up together in Webster, Florida, a town with fewer than a thousand residents. They became as close as family — a bond that endured despite all three being separated for decades after joining the military.
St. Louis veterans find camaraderie, emotional healing through ice hockey
As a longtime hockey fan, veteran Greg Burian didn’t think he would be a hockey player starting in his mid-30s, but thanks to a local hockey group, he has been playing alongside other veterans for the past five years.
