WASHINGTON — The growth of additive manufacturing is a “game changer” for the military — one that can facilitate everything from rapid repairs to aircraft after bird strikes to accelerating the development of hypersonic weapons, a top Defense Department official said Wednesday. Keith DeVries, deputy director of the Office of the Secretary of Defense’s Manufacturing…
Category: Military
Exemption given for Navy to build nuclear sub in stopgap funding bill
WASHINGTON ― Congress intends to give the Pentagon a carveout in a short-term funding bill that will allow the Navy to begin construction on a new ballistic missile submarine. Without that exemption, service leaders have expressed concern that congressional budget dysfunction could otherwise push the program behind schedule and create a nuclear deterrence gap in…
SecDef Austin’s salary cut to $1 under GOP budget plan
House Republicans on Wednesday approved a measure to slash Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s salary from more than $221,000 annually to less than $1, based on their dissatisfaction with his work so far. The move has little chance of becoming law, but underscores the growing animosity between conservatives and military leaders reporting to President Joe Biden….
Australian F-35 crews end their Asian exercise spree in Indonesia
MELBOURNE, Australia — Australian F-35 fifth-generation stealth fighters are taking part in an exercise in Indonesia, on the last leg of a deployment that has seen the jets visit the Philippines, Japan and Indonesia for the first time. The six Lockheed-Martin F-35A Lightning II Joint Strike Fighters from 75 Squadron of the Royal Australian Air…
Victus Nox mission highlights need for flexiblity, Space Force says
WASHINGTON — A Space Force mission that successfully demonstrated the ability to buy, build and fly a satellite to orbit on rapid timelines highlights the need for more flexibility within the acquisition and launch enterprise, according to service officials. The Victus Nox mission — Latin for “conquer the night” — launched Sept. 14, proving that…
Palantir wins $250 million US Army AI research contract
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Army awarded Palantir Technologies a contract worth as much as $250 million to research and experiment with artificial intelligence and machine learning. The arrangement, announced by the Department of Defense on Sept. 26, runs through 2026. Exactly where work will be done and from where funding will be pulled will be…
Iran says it successfully launched imaging satellite
Iran claimed on Wednesday that it successfully launched an imaging satellite into space, a move that could further ratchet up tensions with Western nations that fear its space technology could be used to develop nuclear weapons. Iran’s Communication Minister Isa Zarepour said the Noor-3 satellite had been put in an orbit 450 kilometers (280 miles)…
Swarm of loitering munitions draws attention at Serbian defense show
Belgrade, Serbia – At the heart of the main hall of the Belgrade Partner 23 Defense Fair, an unusual display of drone technologies captured the attention of visitors. Over three dozen mini loitering munitions armed with aerial bombs were spread across the conference hall floor in a swarm formation. To their right a white rotary-wing…
Pentagon acquisition chief LaPlante focused on boosting manufacturing
WASHINGTON — The Pentagon’s acquisition chief said manufacturing needs to be at the top of mind for the U.S. armed services as they look to increase munitions inventories in the short term and field next-generation systems for the future. Noting that defense spending is only about half of what it was at the end of…
Deterrence in space requires more than SilentBarker’s eyes
Recently, with the launch of the critically important National Reconnaissance Office-Space Force SilentBarker mission into orbit, Space Systems Command leader Lt. Gen. Michael Guetlein has said this system will “deter aggression” by allowing “our competitors to know that we have eyes in GEO [geosynchronous orbit].” While openly discussing the deployment of this indications and warning…
Argentina signs agreement aimed at buying Leonardo AW109M helicopters
SANTIAGO, Chile — Argentina’s Defense Ministry has signed a letter of intention for the procurement of eight AW109M lightweight helicopters from Italian firm Leonardo. The agreement was signed Sept. 21 as Argentine Defense Minister Jorge Taiana visited Italy to see the aircraft’s production line. The AW109Ms would be used by the Argentine Navy in a…
Northrop wins $705 million contract for F-35 air-to-ground weapon
WASHINGTON — The Air Force awarded Northrop Grumman a $705 million contract to develop and test a high-speed air-to-ground weapon known as a stand-in attack weapon that the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter could wield to destroy enemy targets. Northrop said Monday that its work on the second phase of the weapon, which is also referred…
Northrop wins $705 million contract for F-35 air-to-ground weapon
WASHINGTON — The Air Force awarded Northrop Grumman a $705 million contract to develop and test a high-speed air-to-ground weapon known as a stand-in attack weapon that the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter could wield to destroy enemy targets. Northrop said Monday that its work on the second phase of the weapon, which is also referred…
Griffon, Textron advance in Army’s Future Tactical UAS competition
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Army picked two companies out of a group of four to move on in the Army’s competition to procure a Future Tactical Unmanned Aircraft System, or FTUAS. Griffon Aerospace and Textron Systems were awarded a second agreement to provide prototypes to the Army following the first development phase which began in…
GOP, Democrats clash on multiyear munitions buys as shutdown looms
WASHINGTON ― A niche appropriations debate on multiyear munitions buys has ballooned into one of the numerous partisan standoffs over the defense spending bill. House Republicans are refusing to allow the Pentagon to use multiyear contracts for two munitions programs, citing previous cost variations and delays during an earlier contract with RTX, formerly Raytheon Technologies….
Joby’s air taxis to help US Air Force usher in electric aviation era
WASHINGTON — The Air Force’s project to add electric air taxis to its fleet took a big step forward Monday, as Joby Aviation delivered the first such vehicle to Edwards Air Force Base in California for real-world testing. AFWERX, the Air Force’s innovation cell, launched its Agility Prime effort in 2020 to work with industry…
Space Force, partners to craft global supply chain strategy
WASHINGTON — U.S. Space Force officials will meet next month with industry leaders and key international partners to discuss a strategy for supply chain resiliency. The discussions will be led by the service’s acquisition arm, Space Systems Command, and will include representatives from the U.K., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, France, Germany and Japan. The event,…
Serbia’s first C-295 cargo plane slated for inaugural Belgrade flypast
BELGRADE, Serbia — The Serbian air force has taken delivery of the first of two C-295 transport aircraft ordered last year from Airbus, in what could signal a break from the country’s reliance on Soviet-era and Russian aerial equipment. In February 2022, Serbia inked a $91 million contract with Airbus for the supply of two…
Bulgarian government approves $1.37 billion Stryker order
WARSAW, Poland — Bulgarian Defense Minister Todor Tagarev has announced the country’s government has approved the planned purchase of Stryker combat vehicles from the United States for about $1.37 billion. The move suggests Sofia’s declared plan to negotiate a lower price tag could be considered successful. “When we make the first payments, the contract will…
Why the military is integral to America’s return to the moon
The stakes in the race to the moon are literally astronomical. The success or failure of the efforts by the United States, China, India and others to forge a permanent human presence on the moon will shape alliances, technologies and behaviors, thus establishing a precedence for future activities beyond Earth’s orbit and the terrestrial geopolitical…
Taiwan moves closer to acquiring 160 Turkish-made Jackal drones
MERSIN, Turkey — Taiwanese company GEOSAT Aerospace and Technology has inked an agreement with British firm Flyby Technology that paves the way for the purchase, technology transfer and production of 160 Turkish-made Jackal drones. The memorandum of understanding, signed during the Taipei Aerospace Defense Technology Exhibition this month, involves the transfer of technology to the…
Top Marine leader sworn in 1 day after Senate confirmation
When Gen. David Berger became the Marine commandant in 2019, he was ushered into the job with a formal ceremony at Marine Barracks Washington, complete with a band performance and a receiving line. But when Gen. Eric Smith took on the role Friday morning, it was in a small ceremony at the Pentagon. Smith was…
GAO blasts contractor-led F-35 maintenance as costly, slow
WASHINGTON — A lack of spare parts and technical data, poor training of maintainers, and a lagging effort to expand repair depots are dragging down the military’s ability to keep the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter in the air, a government watchdog said in a report released Thursday. And the problems hindering the military from taking…
US approves $500 million sale for Saudi Arabia’s combat vehicle upkeep
MILAN — The U.S. State Department has approved a possible sale to replenish Saudi Arabia’s stocks of spare and repair parts for the country’s fleet of combat vehicles, at an estimated price tag of $500 million. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency, which oversees foreign arms sales, announced on Sept. 21 that a possible foreign military…
Germany, France eye new partners for next-gen tank in 2024
PARIS — The defense ministers of France and Germany expect to begin negotiations for their next-generation tank project with industry leaders KNDS and Rheinmetall in 2024, after which other European countries could join the initiative. Italy, the Netherlands and “many others” expressed an interest in joining the project to develop the Main Ground Combat System,…
Navy brings unmanned vessels to Japan to bolster fleet integration
WASHINGTON — Four unmanned ships are now operating out of Japan for the first time, as part of the U.S. Navy’s Integrated Battle Problem 23.2 exercise aimed at folding these unmanned vessels into routine fleet operations. These unmanned surface vessels aren’t operating under special protocols or extra safety measures: the USV Division 1 commander told…
Zelenskyy warns Congress, DoD that Kyiv will lose without aid
WASHINGTON ― Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited the White House and Capitol Hill on Thursday with specific objectives at each place: secure long-range munitions from the U.S. while persuading skeptical Republicans to pass a fifth aid package for Kyiv worth $25 billion. “If we don’t get the aid, we will lose the war,” multiple senators…
KC-135 tanker autopilot now safer to use in flight, Air Force says
Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker pilots are inching closer to normal operations after incremental software fixes to the tanker’s glitchy autopilot have led the service to ease flight restrictions on the jets. Airmen are now allowed to fly KC-135s with the Block 45 software upgrade — which includes the autopilot in question — at altitudes below…
Biden taps Melissa Dalton for Air Force’s No. 2 civilian post
President Joe Biden on Thursday named Melissa Dalton as his pick to serve as the next under secretary of the Air Force, a shift from her current Pentagon post as the top civilian defense leader on homeland security issues. If confirmed, Dalton would replace Gina Ortiz Jones, who left the second highest service post in…
Navy launches board to help services leverage new science and tech
WASHINGTON — The newly formed Department of the Navy Science and Technology Board will meet for the first time this week, with members slated to discuss how they can help Navy and Marine Corps leaders leverage scientific advances. Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro last week announced the creation of the board, which is meant to…
Democrats weigh block votes to bypass Tuberville for remaining nominees
WASHINGTON ― Democrats are deliberating ways to confirm the hundreds of remaining military nominees held up by Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala.. They hope to capitalize on this week’s momentum to confirm the nearly 300 other nominees in the relatively near future after the Senate confirmed three joint chiefs this week. Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., said…
Democrats weigh batch votes to bypass Tuberville for remaining nominees
WASHINGTON ― Democrats are deliberating ways to confirm the hundreds of remaining military nominees held up by Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala.. They hope to capitalize on this week’s momentum to confirm the nearly 300 other nominees in the relatively near future after the Senate confirmed three joint chiefs this week. Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., said…
Argentina eyes surplus CH-46 helicopters as Mi-17 replacement
SANTIAGO, Chile — The Boeing CH-46 medium-lift helicopter, retired from service in the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps, may get a new lease on life, this time with the Argentine Air Force. Talking to local media after a Sept. 15 ceremony, Argentine Air Force chief Gen. Xavier Issac said he’s interested in buying surplus CH-46s…
Army picks four to build robotic combat vehicle prototypes
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Army selected McQ, Textron Systems, General Dynamics Land Systems and Oshkosh Defense to build light robotic combat vehicle prototypes for a total of nearly $25 million, the service said Sept. 20. The companies have until August 2024 to build the prototypes and deliver them to the Army for testing and evaluation…
UK mulls onboard sensing requirements for satellites
LONDON — In an effort to avoid collisions in the increasingly congested space environment, Britain is considering a policy that would require satellites to carry a space domain awareness sensor, according to a U.K. Space Command official. “Any spacecraft that goes up that doesn’t have some sort of space domain awareness capability is wasted payload…
Poland is done sending arms to Ukraine, as trade dispute escalates
WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Poland’s prime minister said his country is no longer sending arms to Ukraine, a comment that appeared aimed at pressuring Kyiv and put Poland’s status as a major source of military equipment in doubt as a trade dispute between the neighboring states escalates. Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said in an interview…
Austria to buy four Embraer C-390 cargo planes for over $500 million
GRAZ, Austria — The Austrian Air Force will buy four Embraer C-390 “Millennium” aircraft to replace its aging fleet of three C-130 “Hercules” cargo planes in a deal that is expected to be worth more than half a billion Euros ($532 million), the defense ministry announced on Wednesday. Austria’s current fleet of turboprop transporters was…
House GOP in no rush to give more Ukraine aid after $6 billion error
WASHINGTON ― House Republicans who have previously supported Ukraine are in little rush to approve a fifth round of aid amid growing skepticism within their caucus. The Pentagon says it still has roughly $5.5 billion worth of authority to keep transferring weapons to Kyiv, even though the last Ukraine aid package Congress passed is set…
Top military leaders set for confirmation after surprise Senate deal
Senate leaders announced plans Wednesday to fill three vacancies on the Joint Chiefs of Staff — including the chairman post — after a surprise breakthrough in the ongoing chamber confirmation fight that has snarled hundreds of military promotions for months. Gen. Charles Q. Brown is set to be confirmed as the new Joint Chiefs chairman,…
Israel unveils new Barak tank with AI, sensors and cameras
JERUSALEM — Israel on Tuesday unveiled its new Barak tank for the military’s Armored Corps, a platform equipped with artificial intelligence, sensors, radar and small cameras. The Defense Ministry said the tank’s systems will provide superiority to Israeli troops by revealing enemy locations and providing targets for combat troops on the battlefield based on 360-degree…
Australia to focus R&D on asymmetric warfighting, chief scientist says
WASHINGTON — Australia has two defining military efforts taking shape — the implementation of its Defence Strategic Review at home and the kickoff of a trilateral technology-sharing agreement — that are changing the way the nation’s defense and innovation ecosystems interact. The Defence Strategic Review, released publicly in April, “is a significant change in posture…
Ukraine war inspires weapons that crack battle tanks at weakest point
LONDON — Western companies are developing weapons aimed at cracking battle tanks from the top, their weakest point, or that can rain down thousands of metal fragments on dug-in infantry from falling drones. The novelties come as arms manufacturers tune their lineups to the immediate experience of the brutal, close-range fighting in Ukraine, a trend…
Democratic Republic of Congo orders Paramount Group’s Mwari aircraft
BEIRUT — The Democratic Republic of Congo has ordered “several” Mwari aircraft from the South African defense firm Paramount Group, according to a Sept. 13 company news release. The purchase follows Paramount’s delivery of equipment to Mozambique, where the Mwari is already operational. According to the firm, the aircraft is designed for a wide range…
Lockheed in ‘late-stage’ talks with solid-rocket motor partner
WASHINGTON — Lockheed Martin is in “late-stage negotiations” to partner with an unnamed rocket propulsion supplier, according to CEO Jim Taiclet. Taiclet told lawmakers that discussions are ongoing with the unnamed firm. A Lockheed spokeswoman declined to provide further details about the deal — including the identity of the supplier and the nature of the…
Pentagon eyes microelectronics hubs across US to bolster chip industry
WASHINGTON — The Defense Department moved to establish eight regional microelectronics hubs in seven states across the U.S., aimed at helping spur manufacturing innovation to bolster the domestic semiconductor industrial base. Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks told reporters during a Sept. 20 Pentagon briefing the awards total $238 million with each innovation hub receiving between $15…
Leidos wins $7.9 billion US Army information technology contract
WASHINGTON — Leidos will provide the U.S. Army with tens of thousands of pieces of information-technology equipment under a contract worth as much as $7.9 billion. The defense IT specialist announced its win of the Common Hardware Systems 6th Generation contract, or CHS-6, Sept. 19. The indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity deal could run for a…
New UK defense chief pledges more air-defense, strike weapons for Kyiv
LONDON — Air defense and long-range strike weapons are on the U.K. government’s priority list for supply to Ukraine, Defence Secretary Grant Shapps said on Wednesday. In a statement issued on the sidelines of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting at Ramstein air base in Germany on Sept 20, Britain’s new defense chief said the…
France, Germany remain committed to new tank, defense ministers say
PARIS — France and Germany remain committed to jointly developing a next-generation tank in the framework of the Main Ground Combat System project, French Armed Forces Minister Sébastien Lecornu and German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius told newspaper Le Monde in a joint interview. A separate project by German, Spanish and Italian defense companies to develop…
Old is new again as Air Force special ops branch revamps training
NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. — Air Force Special Operations Command is going back to the future. As the U.S. enters its third year since 2001 without major combat operations, AFSOC Commander Lt. Gen. Tony Bauernfeind sees an opportunity to reset how the Air Force trains its most elite corps — and he’s looking to the 1990s…
Capitol Hill dysfunction threatens key defense initiatives
WASHINGTON ― Congress is struggling to perform its most foundational duties this year, and experts say it’s starting to take its toll on national security. Lawmakers are at an impasse as a government shutdown looms, there’s plenty of uncertainty about the budget and one senator is blocking the promotions of hundreds of high-profile military officers….
US charges Russian man with smuggling microelectronics amid Ukraine war
WASHINGTON — Authorities arrested a man living in Hong Kong accused of deceiving U.S. companies and shuttling sensitive microelectronics into Russia amid its bloody invasion of neighboring Ukraine. Maxim Marchenko, originally from Russia, was arrested outside the U.S. this week and extradited to Westchester County, New York, documents filed in federal court show. He’s facing…
