Winston Churchill described a sobering theme of the Second World War: “How the great democracies triumphed, and so were able to resume the follies which had so nearly cost them their life.” Democracies have historically tended to believe peace will prevail, failing to act with boldness or speed to head off a gathering threat. Today,…
Category: Military
North Korea’s Kim test drives new tank
SEOUL, South Korea — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un joined troops training on a new tank model and drove one himself, state media reported Thursday, as the country’s rivals South Korea and the U.S. wrapped up their annual military exercises. It’s the third time Kim was reported to have observed military exercises since the…
Japan set to lift export restrictions on F-X fighter jet
MANILA, Philippines — The Japanese government is taking steps to allow the export of a stealth fighter jet currently under development with the United Kingdom and Italy. The move comes amid a shift in Japan’s security strategy and as the country loosens stringent post-war export regulations targeting weaponry. Under revised rules, Japan had approved the…
Stratolaunch sets sights on hypersonic speeds for next Talon-A test
Following a successful test flight in which its Talon-A vehicle reached near-hypersonic speeds, Stratolaunch is preparing for its next mission to reach or surpass the milestone of five times the speed of sound. The March 9 test hit all of its primary objectives, according to Stratolaunch CEO Zachary Krevor. Taking off from Stratolaunch’s manufacturing and…
France’s Naval Group wins $2.7 billion-plus Dutch submarine deal
PARIS — The Netherlands has picked France’s Naval Group to build four attack submarines for more than €2.5 billion ($2.7 billion), beating offers from Germany’s Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems and Sweden’s Saab Kockums in cooperation with Dutch shipbuilder Damen. Naval Group will provide a conventionally-powered version of its Barracuda-class submarine to replace the Dutch navy’s four…
Bolster Ukraine’s irregular warfare tactics with Western tech
As Ukrainian forces assume a more defensive posture, Kyiv’s irregular warfare behind enemy lines becomes even more important. Ukrainian irregulars are already active, even striking distant targets in Russia. With Western support and technology, these silent warriors could become even more potent. Using unorthodox and imaginative tactics, Ukraine’s irregular warriors are notching stunning gains. Sea…
EU sprinkles $560 million over defense firms to grow ammunition output
ROME — The European Union has named a host of local ammunition firms it will supply with more than half a billion euros, or almost $560 million, in combined funding to help them beef up production in a bid to push the bloc’s annual output of shells to two million a year by the end…
Sweden and Finland have dropped neutrality. Austria still fetes it.
GRAZ, Austria – The halls of Vienna’s Hofburg, the former imperial palace central to the Austrian government, have been home to proud talk of “perpetual neutrality” ever since the Alpine republic’s founding from the ashes of World War II. Chancellors, presidents and ministers alike will speak of the obligation to serve as a global mediator…
Pacific leaders say they need more funding to compete with China
America’s military leaders in the Pacific are asking Congress for a surge in funding to keep their edge against China. The request comes in the form of an annual review Indo-Pacific Command sends lawmakers, listing what it thinks is necessary to stay the region’s top military power. Defense News obtained an unclassified copy of this…
Navy delays next-generation submarine start to early 2040s
The U.S. Navy is pushing back the start of construction on its next-generation attack submarine by nearly a decade, citing tight budgets and a need to fund current and near-term operations. A Navy spokesperson told Defense News construction on the lead ship of the SSN(X) program, which will follow the Virginia-class attack submarine, is now…
Britain finalizes deal to buy 14 Chinook helicopters
LONDON — Britain’s defense secretary has committed to a deal to acquire a new fleet of Boeing-built extended-range Chinook helicopters. Fourteen CH-47-ER Chinooks, destined principally for use by British special forces, will be delivered to the Royal Air Force under the terms of the deal signed between the British and U.S. governments. Defense Secretary Grant…
Britain finalizes deal to buy 14 Chinook helicopters
LONDON — Britain’s defense secretary has committed to a deal to acquire a new fleet of Boeing-built extended-range Chinook helicopters. Fourteen CH-47-ER Chinooks, destined principally for use by British special forces, will be delivered to the Royal Air Force under the terms of the deal signed between the British and U.S. governments. Defense Secretary Grant…
CQ Brown visits Lockheed plant with lawmakers to press Ukraine case
Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. CQ Brown visited U.S. weapon factories in Oklahoma and Arkansas on Thursday as the Pentagon frames the $95 billion aid package hanging in the balance on Capitol Hill as not only vital to Ukraine’s survival but also critical to the U.S. economy. Brown visited Lockheed Martin’s Camden, Arkansas, weapon facility and…
Revamped KC-46 vision system slipping into 2026, nearly two years late
The rollout of the Boeing KC-46A Pegasus tanker’s new remote vision system will likely slip into 2026, placing it nearly two years behind schedule, according to the Air Force’s top acquisition official. Andrew Hunter, assistant secretary for acquisition, technology and logistics, told the House Armed Services subcommittee on seapower and projection forces that schedule pressures…
Martell, Lyft exec turned Pentagon AI boss, leaving job in April
The U.S. Department of Defense’s artificial intelligence czar will leave the high-profile post next month. Chief Digital and AI Officer Craig Martell is exiting after two years in the job, a department spokesperson confirmed to C4ISRNET. DefenseScoop first reported the move March 14. No reason was given for the unexpected departure. Martell, who previously worked…
Croatia expands its Black Hawk helicopter fleet with US help
WARSAW, Poland — Croatia has signed a letter of acceptance with the United States to purchase eight UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters for the country’s armed forces. Under the deal, the U.S. government will cover 51% of the contract’s value, while the remainder will be covered by Croatia in the years 2025 to 2027, the Croatian Ministry…
Ukrainian officials see ground robots as ‘game changer’ in war
MILAN — Ukrainian officials are receiving an increasing amount of applications from robotics vendors who want their systems tested for utility in combat, a sign that unmanned ground capabilities are growing in importance amid the relative stalemate along the front line with Russia. Officials at Brave1, a government defense-technology hub tasked with getting new capabilities…
The next arsenal of democracy: Send partners low-cost drone components
Low-cost drone swarms are changing warfare and offer new ways for the United States to help its partners and allies globally. From Ukraine to Taiwan, these systems provide defenders cheap ways of generating mass, denying terrain and imposing costs on attacking states. The United States can take advantage of this trend, even in a constrained…
Anduril attack drone deemed ‘accurate and effective’ in Dugway trials
An Anduril Industries drone capable of carrying a warhead weighing 33 pounds scored direct hits on several targets during military testing in Utah, the company said. Footage from the trials at the Dugway Proving Grounds showed an Altius-700M shooting out of a ground-based launcher, cutting through the air and then crashing into a mock SA-17…
Pentagon may build a second track for hypersonic ground testing
The Pentagon is exploring options to build a second track to test hypersonic systems that can travel at speeds above Mach 5. George Rumford, director of the Test Resource Management Center, told lawmakers this week the effort is in the study phase, but he expects adding another test track to the Defense Department’s inventory could…
India approves full development of fifth-generation fighter
CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand — India’s Cabinet Committee on Security has given a green light to continue development of the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft, India’s indigenous fifth-generation fighter jet. The state-run Aeronautical Development Agency and Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. are leading this development effort. The committee early this month granted the project 150 trillion rupees (U.S. $1.8…
For Germany’s Scholz, Taurus missiles are a bridge too far in Ukraine
COLOGNE, Germany — German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is reiterating his opposition to supplying Kyiv with German Taurus cruise missiles, arguing the long-range weapons would require a level of tactical assistance from Berlin that contravenes NATO nations’ mantra of containing the war in Ukraine. Speaking at a March 13 parliamentary question-and-answer session, Scholz stuck to his…
MBDA books record orders amid European air-defense rush
PARIS — Pan-European missile maker MBDA booked record orders in 2023, as countries across the region scrambled to beef up their air defenses in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The company’s order intake rose 10% to a record €9.9 billion ($10.8 billion) last year, Chief Executive Officer Eric Béranger said at a press conference…
Army event to ‘detangle’ joint force logistics at outset of wars
The U.S. Army will hold a seminar this summer to improve the joint force’s ability to quickly and effectively manage logistics and sustainment at the outset of a large-scale war, according to the Army Materiel Command commander. The seminar will include Air Mobility Command, U.S. Transportation Command and Air Force Materiel Command as well as…
It’s time to appreciate energy’s influence upon sea power
This is the fifth commentary in a multipart series exploring ways to strengthen the U.S. Navy’s fleet. The first part is exploring the feasibility of alternative fuel sources for U.S. Navy ships. The opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the authors and do not reflect the views of the U.S. Defense Department, the…
Pentagon clears F-35 for full-rate production
The Defense Department said Tuesday it has officially made its long-awaited decision to move forward with full-rate production on the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. William LaPlante, the undersecretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment, signed a memo approving the decision, known as Milestone C, earlier in the day, the Pentagon said in a statement. The…
Marine Corps budget would add range, lethality to Force Design tools
The U.S. Marine Corps plans to upgrade systems it already fielded during its Force Design modernization effort, with its fiscal 2025 budget request looking to boost sensing and striking capabilities. The FY25 request includes $4.2 billion for Marine Corps ground procurement — up slightly from the $4.0 billion request in FY24 — as well as…
Republican hawks denounce defense budget caps from debt ceiling deal
Republicans are condemning President Joe Biden’s fiscal 2025 defense spending request for failing to keep pace with inflation, but it’s unclear whether there’s appetite on Capitol Hill to revisit the cap Congress itself imposed as part of last year’s debt ceiling agreement. The debt ceiling agreement capped defense spending at $895 billion for FY25, ensuring…
Pentagon trims tech research funding request; AI, networking flat
Funding for some of the Pentagon’s top technology research priorities will hold steady or decline slightly in fiscal 2025, according to the latest defense spending blueprint. The Defense Department is seeking $143.2 billion in research and development money for the coming fiscal year, documents published March 11 show. That’s a decrease from last year’s $145…
F-35 upgrade delays prompt US Air Force to scale back jet purchases
The ongoing delay in the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter’s latest upgrades was one factor in the U.S. Air Force’s recent decision to purchase fewer jets in fiscal 2025. The service announced Monday it plans to buy 42 F-35As from Lockheed Martin in 2025, six fewer than it originally anticipated. In a news conference to discuss…
Leonardo banks on space, cybersecurity, AI for double-digit growth
ROME — Italy’s Leonardo has promised double-digit order and revenue growth by 2028 with a new five-year plan emphasizing investments in space, cybersecurity and artificial intelligence, as well as corporate streamlining. The state-controlled defense giant predicted that by 2028 its new annual order tally will rise by 16.5% to €22.6 billion ($24.7 billion) from this…
Pentagon to release Arctic strategy that outlines tech, presence needs
The U.S. military is staging at least three major exercises north of the Arctic Circle this month, even as the Defense Department seeks to define what its Arctic presence should be and the technology is needs to make it happen. The Pentagon will release an updated DoD Arctic Strategy this spring to help answer these…
Congress’ FY24 budget must help the microelectronics industry
The impact of the pandemic and recent interruptions to global shipping have made evident the risks associated with far-flung supply chains for the goods and services we depend on for our economic and national security. The electronics that power our modern world are of particular concern. One response to our dependency on foreign suppliers was…
Pentagon announces a surprise $300 million weapons package for Ukraine
The White House announced the first batch of military aid for Ukraine this year, more than three months after running out of money to replace the weapons it sent. National security adviser Jake Sullivan said the U.S. will use a surprise $300 million in savings it found while buying supplies for Kyiv. The package will…
Air Force budget backs Raytheon hypersonic, no Lockheed missile funds
The U.S. Air Force’s proposed fiscal 2025 budget requests $517 million to keep developing its Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile — but the AGM-183A Air-launched Rapid Response Weapon’s future is looking dim. The service’s FY25 budget, released Monday, includes no procurement nor research and development funding for Lockheed Martin’s ARRW. The service has one final all-up…
Maxar wins US Army One World Terrain simulation contract
The U.S. Army has again turned to Maxar Intelligence to build out immersive training and simulation software. The geospatial intelligence company on March 12 said it won the latest phase of prototype work on the service’s One World Terrain, which compiles realistic and, in some cases, extremely accurate digital maps of territory across the globe…
Space Force mulls refueling as industry calls for funding, standards
In April 2007, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency demonstrated the ability to refuel a satellite in orbit — equipping a spacecraft with a robotic arm, docking it to another spacecraft and transferring nearly 32 pounds of hydrazine into its fuel tank. The mission, known as Orbital Express, was full of technology firsts, according to…
Missile Defense Agency requests $500 million less in new budget
For the first time in three years, the Missile Defense Agency is asking for less money in the upcoming fiscal year, requesting $10.4 billion for 2025, which is about $500 million less than the total leaders said they needed last March. The agency, for the first time in roughly 20 years, did not provide a…
Pentagon says $1 billion planned for first two years of Replicator
For the first time, Pentagon officials on Monday estimated the cost of Replicator, a program to field thousands of drones before August 2025 to counter China. While briefing reporters on the Pentagon’s new budget request, Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks said her signature initiative would cost a planned $1 billion, divided evenly between fiscal…
Drones, tanks and ships: Takeaways from Turkey’s annual defense report
ISTANBUL — Turkey’s Defence Ministry released its annual report on March 7, detailing activities it carried out in 2023 and its future goals. The ministry listed 49 ongoing modernization and acquisition projects across the military. Here are some that stood out: Land Forces M60 tank: Two separate modernization projects are ongoing. The first will replace…
Tech maturing too fast for multiyear drone buys, Army’s Bush says
Unmanned technologies are maturing at such a rapid rate that multiyear purchases would likely leave the U.S. Army acquiring outdated devices, according to a service acquisition official. Militaries the world over are increasingly developing and deploying drones and robotics, with the systems posing a threat on land, at sea and in the air. The growing…
US Navy nixed a Virginia sub amid spending frenzy to support suppliers
The U.S. Navy’s fiscal 2025 budget request includes money for one Virginia-class attack submarine instead of the planned two, but still represents “a prioritization and very significant investment in undersea warfare capabilities,” the service’s undersecretary said Friday, arguing this is not contradictory. The Navy has been buying its attack subs at a rate of two…
Pentagon unveils $850 billion budget request amid spending uncertainty
The Pentagon released its fiscal year 2025 funding request, officially beginning one of the most chaotic budget seasons in recent memory. The topline for national defense is $895.2 billion, and the Pentagon’s share of that will be just under $850 billion. These figures are lower than projected in the request for fiscal 2024, due to…
US Air Force budget request leans toward R&D, trims fighter purchases
The Air Force’s proposed budget for fiscal 2025 would cut procurement of two major fighter programs — the F-35A and F-15EX Eagle II — and boost research and development funding for future capabilities. The service plans to buy 42 Lockheed Martin-made F-35As for $5.9 billion and 18 Boeing F-15EXs for $1.8 billion next year. That…
US Army scraps Extended Range Cannon Artillery prototype effort
The U.S. Army is changing its approach to acquiring a long-range artillery capability and scrapping its 58-caliber Extended Range Cannon Artillery prototyping effort, according to the service’s acquisition chief. “We concluded the prototyping activity last fall,” Doug Bush told reporters at a March 8 briefing on the fiscal 2025 budget request. “Unfortunately, [it was] not…
Pentagon seeks $14.5 billion for cyber spending including zero trust
The U.S. Department of Defense is seeking $14.5 billion for its cyberspace endeavors, including safeguarding information networks with zero trust initiatives, increasing manpower and researching advanced computing. The fiscal 2025 budget request unveiled March 11 is about $1 billion more than the Biden administration’s previous ask. It is also up from fiscal 2023, when it…
US Space Force budget request dips as China threat increases
The U.S. Space Force’s $29.4 billion fiscal year 2025 budget request is $600 million lower than what it asked for in FY24 — a dip that follows three years of steady growth for the fledgling service. Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall told reporters March 8 that the smaller budget request – which is, like the…
Navy postpones several modernization programs to pay for operations
The U.S. Navy will postpone most of its planned development and purchases of large unmanned systems and next-generation ships and planes in fiscal 2025, citing spending caps. The Navy in its FY25 budget request seeks six ships instead of the previously planned seven in the proposal — including one attack submarine, compared to the planned…
US Army faces flat FY25 budget as personnel costs rise
The U.S. Army’s $185.9 billion fiscal year 2025 budget request increased by just $400 million over the previous year’s request, which would leave the armed service to work within the confines of a almost flat budget while having to address rising military personnel costs, recruiting struggles and wars in Ukraine and Gaza. The service is…
Russian arms export plummet amid war, sanctions: think tank
MILAN — Russian weapons exports have dropped dramatically under the shadow of Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and the global sanctions that followed, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. The sale of Russian weapons to other countries fell by 53% between the five-year periods of 2014-18 and 2019-23, according to the latest report…
Next Indonesian president may be boon to military buildup, expert says
MANILA, Philippines — The results of Indonesia’s recent presidential election could be a boon for military modernization programs, as the current defense minister is in the lead, an expert told Defense News. The Feb. 14 presidential election saw Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto garner nearly 60% of the votes, as of March 5. Since assuming the…