Defense NewsMon 29th Nov

Croatia buys used Rafale fighters, as France eyes 12 new jets

WARSAW, Poland — During French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to Croatia last week, Defence Minister Mario Banožić and his French counterpart Florence Parly signed a deal under which the Croatian Air Force will acquire 12 second-hand Rafale F3-R fighter jets.

The War ZoneMon 29th Nov

Australia Says Farewell To The F/A-18 Legacy Hornet As Final Flight Looms

After more than three decades, the Royal Australian Air Force has formally bid farewell to its F/A-18A/B fighter jet, often referred to as the Classic Hornet, as it gets ready to withdraw its last examples of the type. The F/A-18A/B was Australia’s premier fighter and its first line of air defense, for most of that time, but has since been complemented by the F/A-18F Super Hornet and will be superseded by the F-35A stealth fighter.

Defense NewsMon 29th Nov

Blue Canyon technologies to build cislunar sensing micro-satellite for Air Force Research Laboratory

WASHINGTON — The Air Force Research Laboratory has awarded Blue Canyon Technologies a $14.6 million contract to build a small satellite that can explore deep space, out beyond where most U.S. Space Force satellites operate.

Breaking DefenseMon 29th Nov

Navy warns House cut could delay MQ-25 contract, squadron deployment

The service warned House and Senate appropriators about the impending delays in a budgetary appeal document, obtained by Breaking Defense. The document outlines dozens of programmatic cuts made by lawmakers in their versions of the fiscal 2022 defense spending bill as well as Navy arguments to change course.

Aviation WeekMon 29th Nov

Kazakhstan Joins Anka Export List

Defense NewsMon 29th Nov

Contractor vaccine mandate leaves room for companies to maneuver

WASHINGTON — The Pentagon will only enforce the vaccine mandate for federal contractors in certain cases, Defense News has learned, in line with an overlooked detail of the Biden administration’s executive order.

Breaking DefenseMon 29th Nov

It’s a FOBS, Space Force’s Saltzman confirms amid Chinese weapons test confusion

“I think the words that we use are important, so that we understand exactly what we’re talking about here. I hear things like hypersonic missile, and I hear suborbital sometimes,” Lt. Gen. Chance (Salty) Saltzman, deputy Space Force chief for operations, told the Mitchell Institute. It is neither of those things, he stressed.

Aviation WeekMon 29th Nov

The Weekly Debrief: New Report Revives Old Fears For Boeing In Canada

Breaking DefenseMon 29th Nov

Pentagon’s Global Posture Review emphasizes China, but lacks major strategic changes

The Pentagon’s Global Posture Review comes amid US concerns about confronting China in the Pacific, a build-up of Russian troops on the Ukrainian border and an enduring counterterrorism mission that will continue globally despite the end of the war in Afghanistan.

Aviation ListMon 29th Nov

Alleged British F-35B Crash Video Leaked Online

A video, supposedly showing the moment a British F-35B Lightning crashed off UK’s aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth has just emerged and doing the rounds. Although we can’t be 100 percent sure, the clip (probably filmed with a smartphone as the actual video possibly recorded by the aircraft’s camera system is displayed on a computer’s screen), appears to be genuine and shows the incident, that occurred on Nov. 17, 2021, as it has been described so far.

Breaking DefenseMon 29th Nov

Space Force takes first step to establish components in commands from Europe to Asia

“We’re actively working to stand them up as the service components to those commands,” Lt. Gen. Chance (Salty) Saltzman, deputy chief for operations, nuclear and cyber, told the Mitchell Institute’s virtual Space Power Forum today. Service components respond to combatant commanders’ requests for forces to handle daily missions, including exercises and war-planning.

The War ZoneMon 29th Nov

China's New Y-20U Tanker Joined Dozens Of Other Warplanes Flying Near Taiwan

One of China's new Y-20U aerial refueling tankers was among 27 People's Liberation Army aircraft to fly into the southwest corner of Taiwan's air defense identification zone, or ADIZ, yesterday. Though Chinese military aircraft flying into Taiwan's ADIZ has become a routine occurrence, the appearance of a tanker variant of the Y-20 airlifter is a significant development. These tankers are set to provide an important boost in China's ability to conduct longer-range and more sustained military aviation operations, capabilities that would be valuable for any future military intervention against Taiwan, and other missions in the Pacific and beyond.

Defense NewsMon 29th Nov

World leaders assess the state of global security — and predict what’s to come

Defense News © 2021

Aviation WeekMon 29th Nov

New German Coalition Government To Push Ahead With Tornado Replacement

Aviation WeekMon 29th Nov

JWST Processing Mishap Traced To Improperly Assembled Equipment

Aviation WeekMon 29th Nov

Qatar/UK Training Unit Forms, Qatari Typhoon Flies

The War ZoneMon 29th Nov

Dramatic Footage Supposedly Of The Moment An F-35 Crashed Off A British Carrier Emerges

While we can’t at this point confirm its authenticity, a video has emerged apparently showing the last moments of the British F-35B Lightning stealth jet that crashed while operating from the Royal Navy’s flagship, the aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth. The vessel was underway in the eastern Mediterranean earlier this month. The footage appears to be in line with previous unconfirmed reports that the pilot tried to abort the takeoff but ran out of deck and was forced to eject during the November 17 incident, which is still under investigation. You can read our original coverage of the accident here.

Breaking DefenseMon 29th Nov

EXCLUSIVE: Pentagon weighing reorganization of AI, data offices

Under the proposed plan, the three offices in question — the Defense Digital Service (DDS), the Joint Artificial Intelligence Center (JAIC) and the office of the Chief Data Officer (CDO) — would remain largely independent, but would all report up to a new individual, tentatively named the Chief Data & AI Officer.

Defense NewsMon 29th Nov

It’s time for the defense industrial base to get vaccinated to ensure our security

Despite spending nearly $2 billion dollars a day on the defense of our nation, the Department of Defense does not actually industrially produce much of anything.

Defense NewsMon 29th Nov

White House delays federal employee vaccine enforcement until new year

Federal employees who have not received a dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and are not awaiting a decision on a requested exemption from the White House mandate will not face the loss of their jobs until after the holiday season, according to an email sent Monday to President’s Management Council members.

Overt DefenseMon 29th Nov

Kazakhstan Purchases Three ANKA-S UAVs from Turkey

Kazakhstan has ordered three Anka UAVs from the Turkish Aerospace Industries Company (TAI or TUSAŞ), according to a report published in the Turkish newspaper HaberTürk on November 24.

Defense NewsMon 29th Nov

Russian Navy test-fires hypersonic missile in the White Sea

MOSCOW — Russia’s Navy has successfully test-fired a prospective hypersonic missile, the military said Monday.

Aviation WeekMon 29th Nov

Swiss F-35 Procurement Cost Already Rising

Overt DefenseMon 29th Nov

The US Donates 44 M1117 Armored Security Vehicles To Greece

The Greek Army received the first batch of M1117 Guardian armored vehicles as part of the US Excess Defense Articles (EDA) program on Wednesday, November 24. 44 of the 1,200 M1117 Guardian Armored Security Vehicles were delivered to Greece in the first batch, according to reports from Ptisidiastima in the Greek press.

Breaking DefenseMon 29th Nov

‘Ender’s Game’-style augmented reality coming soon to Air Force’s 60s-era trainer

Daniel Robinson, Red 6’s founder and CEO, said in a Nov. 14 interview that the company is hard at work transforming its Airborne Tactical Augmented Reality System, or ATARS, from a prototype to a hardened, ruggedized system capable of being used onboard military aircraft.

Defense NewsMon 29th Nov

Turkish, Ukrainian companies team up for Mi-8 helicopter upgrades

ANKARA, Turkey — Turkey’s largest defense company has signed a deal with two Ukrainian businesses to share upgrade work for Ukrainian-made Mi-8 helicopters.

Aviation WeekMon 29th Nov

Yates Develops Swarming Cargo Glider

Overt DefenseMon 29th Nov

Pakistan Successfully Tests The Shaheen-1A Ballistic Missile

The Pakistani Army’s media branch, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), announced on November 25, that the Shaheen-1A surface-to-surface ballistic missile has successfully completed its flight test. The goal of the domestically produced missile’s test flight, according to ISPR, was to reaffirm specific design and technical parameters of the weapon system.

Aviation WeekMon 29th Nov

China’s Y-20 Tanker Crosses Taiwan Strait In ‘Intrusion Debut’

Real Clear DefenseMon 29th Nov

Israeli Military Readying for 'Plan B' if Iran Nuclear Talks Fail

Military drills with troops from other countries could help the IDF be ready to fight as part of a military coalition in the future, Col. Aviran Lerer said.

Breaking DefenseMon 29th Nov

Army plans to turn on first hybrid electric Bradley in January

The Army’s Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office is developing two hybrid electric Bradley prototypes, an effort that could have implications for the service’s future fleet of 225,000 vehicles.

Overt DefenseMon 29th Nov

Fijian Troops Join Growing International Mission in the Solomon Islands as Toll of Unrest Becomes Clear

Fijian troops will join Australia and PNG’s ongoing mission in the Solomon Islands, where the situation has begun to stabilise. Fiji’s Prime Minister, Frank Bainimarama, announced, on Monday local time, that 50 Fijian soldiers will deploy to the country, where they will support the Australian Defence Force (ADF) contingent. A further 120 Fijian troops are on standby in case the situation escalates.

Real Clear DefenseMon 29th Nov

Royal Navy's Stealth Sub Can Stay Submerged for 25 Years

The UK’s submarine fleet conducts some of the most secret missions in the Royal Navy. For that, it requires the quietest ships ever built – the Astute-class submarine. Capable of tracking enemy ships, listening in on foreign communications, tracking vessels and aircraft, delivering special operators, and more. It can even launch a volley of Tomahawk missiles while submerged.

Aviation WeekMon 29th Nov

Croatia Seals Purchase Of Ex-French Air Force Rafales

Real Clear DefenseMon 29th Nov

The Drums of War in Taiwan and Ukraine

The vastness of Eurasia is becoming bracketed by belligerence. On the western front, Russia has deployed a growing number of military units to the regions near its border with Ukraine, inviting a flurry of speculation about its motives. And in the east, China’s behavior vis-à-vis Taiwan has grown increasingly worrisome. A widely reported war-game study by a US think tank concludes that the United States would have “few credible options” were China to launch a sustained attack against the island.

Aviation ListMon 29th Nov

Canada Rejects Boeing’s Proposal For CF-188 Hornet Replacement Program

Boeing might be out from the Future Fighter Capability Project (FFCP) that aims to replace the Royal Canadian Air Force’s fleet of legacy CF-188 Hornets (local designation of the F/A-18), as Canada’s federal government reportedly said that the replacement proposal based on the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet did not meet the federal government’s requirements. The Canadian Press first reported the news saying that, according to three sources from industry and government who spoke on condition of anonymity, the message was delivered to the U.S. company on Wednesday.

Aviation WeekMon 29th Nov

Japan Adds $6.8B To Defense Budget For Patriot Upgrades, MPAs

Real Clear DefenseMon 29th Nov

Will Artificial Intelligence Help or Hurt Cyber Defense?

The world seems focused on new developments in artificial intelligence to help with a wide range of problems, including staffing shortages. But will AI help or harm security teams?

Real Clear DefenseMon 29th Nov

Textron's eVTOL Aircraft Plans

While Textron still clearly harbors strong ambitions in the electric aviation and wider advanced air mobility sector, the U.S. aerospace group has all but confirmed that its Bell business’s long-awaited Nexus eVTOL aircraft will not be its first product in this market, at least not in its current iteration. In a November 24 interview with FutureFlight, Rob Scholl, the senior Textron executive appointed nine months ago to lead its eAviation team, acknowledged that Nexus is not an active program and said that the company will not confirm plans to bring a passenger-carrying eVTOL model to market until it confirms a business case for doing so.

Real Clear DefenseMon 29th Nov

Royal Marines Commandos Test New Tactics

Air Defence Troop of 30 Commando were part of commando element of Littoral Response Group.

Real Clear DefenseMon 29th Nov

U.S. Risks 'Suez Moment' in a Taiwan War

China employing 'win without fighting strategy' to take the island, an invasion that could herald the end of America's Empire

Real Clear DefenseMon 29th Nov

Navy SEALs, Army Green Berets Train With Greek Special Operators

STUTTGART, Germany — Navy SEALs and Green Berets operated alongside their Greek counterparts this week in Athens, where watercraft recently donated by the U.S. to an elite Greek unit were on display.

Real Clear DefenseMon 29th Nov

The 5 Best Fighters America Decided Not to Buy

For every F-35 Joint Strike Fighter or F-22 Raptor that enters service, there’s a long list of competitor fighters that didn’t quite make the cut for one reason or another. Sometimes, these fighters aren’t chosen because the jet Uncle Sam ultimately picked was simply the better competitor… but that’s not always how these decisions are made.

Real Clear DefenseMon 29th Nov

War Between Russia and Ukraine: A Basic Scenario?

Concern is growing in the Western media over Russian military activity in the southwestern theatre. There are opinions that Russia is preparing a military campaign against Ukraine. The supposed goal is to break the deadlock of the Minsk Agreements, to impose further coexistence conditions on Kiev and its Western partners, to prevent the U.S. and NATO from “developing” the territory of Ukraine for military purposes, and also to reformat the country’s political system and its state structure. Such rumours are spreading quickly, causing alarm among the political leaders of foreign countries as well as latent, albeit tangible fears in the business community. However, it is still premature to consider such a development as a baseline scenario.

Real Clear DefenseMon 29th Nov

A New Chinese National Security Bureaucracy Emerges

Real Clear DefenseMon 29th Nov

Dozens of Chinese Military Aircraft Breach Taiwan's ADIZ

Taiwan said on Sunday that dozens of Chinese military aircraft intruded into its air defense zone.

Real Clear DefenseMon 29th Nov

U.S. Looks to NATO to Deter Russian Aggression

Biden administration considers options from deterrence to diplomacy and wants a NATO meeting next week to discuss common actions

Real Clear DefenseMon 29th Nov

USS Arleigh Burke (DDG 51) Conducts Black Sea Partol

The Russian military is reportedly monitoring the activity of the destroyer.

Real Clear DefenseMon 29th Nov

Intelligence and Love

Thoughts in and around geopolitics.

The War ZoneSun 28th Nov

Celebrate The F-117's Extended Service With This Tonopah Canyons Active Retirement Community T-Shirt

It's one of the most intriguing stories in military aviation. Nearly a decade and a half after its official retirement and four decades after it first flew, Lockheed Skunk Works' F-117 Nighthawk's story continues on. Based out of the so-called 'canyons' of hangars at the same high-security and remote airbase where it began its service in the early 1980s, Tonopah Test Range Airport, F-117s are still flown by the 'Dark Knights' on adversary support 'red air' and test and developmental missions on a regular basis. After years of the Air Force largely keeping mum about its operations, the 'Black Jet" is even flying openly from other airfields now, as it serves as a stealthy threat for front-line aircrews and air-defense system operators to train against. It's an incredible way for the iconic jet to spend its golden years.

Overt DefenseSat 27th Nov

Weekend Briefing (22-25 November)

Welcome to Overt Defense’s Weekend Briefing where we round up the week’s most interesting and important defense news. A busy week saw us examine the tensions between Russia and Ukraine, Turkish retirement of F-4E Phantom IIs, the ongoing conflict in Ethiopia, Taiwan’s F-16Vs operational capability, UK’s “Future Soldier” modernization program, and many more. Check out this week’s stories below.

Real Clear DefenseSat 27th Nov

Brigade Combat Teams

The Integrated Review Command Paper announced a move from brigades to brigade combat teams (BCTs).  This change offers an opportunity for self-sufficient formations able to meet operational demands against the full spectrum of ‘operate’ tasks (those  below the threshold of war) and warfighting by drawing on dedicated logistics and combat support units.  This article will discuss how the BCT will offer options to ‘operate’ as defined by the Integrated Operating Concept context (An alternative view on the IOpC) and separately, though possibly by extension, consider whether a BCT could offer a shrinking Army options to plan and cohere ‘operational level’ activity.

Real Clear DefenseSat 27th Nov

The British Army Restructures for Persistent Deployment

The Army has decisively refocused from warfighting to competition, but whether it can pursue this mission depends upon risk tolerance and joint enablers.

Real Clear DefenseSat 27th Nov

The Marine Corps' New Recruiting Campaign Targets

A one-minute video released on Veterans Day is part of a new push to inspire not only would-be Marines, but also those who have already served, as the Corps looks for ways to bring more veterans back to active duty.

Real Clear DefenseSat 27th Nov

Expand Five Eyes to Nine? That's Four Too Many

The U.S. Senate is expected to take up the must-pass defense authorization bill right after the Thanksgiving break. When they do, they should strip out the very bad idea of expanding the historic “Five Eyes” intelligence agreement between the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, to become a “Nine Eyes” partnership that includes India, Germany, Japan, and Korea.

Real Clear DefenseSat 27th Nov

Brother, Where Art Thou?

The principle that an individual is innocent until proven guilty is a fundamental pillar of the U.S. judicial establishment—it applies to both the civilian and military justice systems. However, the Marine Corps’ high premium on honor and integrity creates an environment in which the mere suggestion of delinquency can mark a Marine for the duration of their tour of duty. Marines who stand accused of misconduct are often ostracized and shunned because, of course, no one wants to be associated with “that Marine.” Yet, experience has taught us that not every accused is guilty, and even among those who are culpable of misconduct, not every infraction results in separation from service.

Real Clear DefenseSat 27th Nov

Nuclear Proliferation Concerns in East Asia

The nuclear situation in East Asia is more nuanced than the actions of a single nation.

Real Clear DefenseSat 27th Nov

The Unchecked Rise of the China-Iran-Russia Axis

Real Clear DefenseSat 27th Nov

U.S. Navy and Marines Are Wargaming How To Destroy China's Navy

In the long term, the Chinese military is the primary adversary of the U.S. armed forces. A conflict with a near-peer enemy would be a lot different than the past two decades of counterinsurgency. Then, to meet the demands of the wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria, the Pentagon had to let some skills atrophy. And now, the U.S. military is playing catch up.

Real Clear DefenseSat 27th Nov

What To Do About China?

Real Clear DefenseSat 27th Nov

Collisions, Groundings and Fires: Is the Navy Ready for War?

Real Clear DefenseSat 27th Nov

Congress Dithers in Weeds With F-35 Engines

Real Clear DefenseSat 27th Nov

Islamic State Down but Not Out in Syria and Iraq

Also, Al-Monitor’s on-the-ground reporting on the security situations in Syria and Iraq, including the impact of the Turkish lira crisis on Idlib.

The War ZoneSat 27th Nov

Bunker Talk: Thanksgiving Weekend Edition

Welcome to Bunker Talk and we wish all our American readers a happy Thanksgiving!

The War ZoneSat 27th Nov

Watch A P-3 Submarine Hunter's Sonobuoy Dramatically Transform Once In The Water

Sonobuoys are absolutely critical tools in a Navy's efforts to keep enemy submarines at bay. We see them chucked out of maritime patrol aircraft and helicopters over and over again, but we really haven't seen how they can transform once in the water. A video that came to our attention via @RealAirPower1 on Twitter, shows exactly that, with one advanced sonobuoy going through a total metamorphosis of shape and structure once at depth.

Overt DefenseFri 26th Nov

Turkey Offers Malaysia Joint Production Of Hurjet Light Trainer

The President and Chief Executive Officer of Turkish Aerospace Industries, Prof. Temel Kotil, has said that Turkey will jointly manufacture its indigenous Hurjet advanced trainer with Malaysia, should a tender process be successful.

Overt DefenseFri 26th Nov

Saab’s Gripen E Begins Serial Delivery Phase To Swedish & Brazilian Air Forces

Saab officially presented the first six serial production Gripen E multirole aircraft to delegations of Brazilian and Swedish military officials on 24 November. The Swedish aviation firm says that the departure of the four Brazilian and two Swedish Gripen Es from its Linkoping factory marks the official start of the aircraft’s serial delivery phase.

Overt DefenseFri 26th Nov

Philippines To Receive First Turkish ATAK Helicopter In December

Lieutenant General Allen Paredes, the commander of the Philippine Air Force (PAF), said on Tuesday night (November 23rd) that the first batch of six T129 “ATAK” attack helicopters will arrive in the Philippines in December.

Aviation WeekFri 26th Nov

Russia’s Prichal Docking Module Arrives At International Space Station

Overt DefenseFri 26th Nov

Troops, Police from PNG & Australia land in The Solomon Islands

Australia has deployed members of the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and Australian Defence Force (ADF) to the Solomon Islands in response to increasing unrest in and around the nation’s capital, Honiara. Australia’s assistance was requested by the Solomon Islands under a 2017 Bilateral Security Treaty. The Solomon Islands Prime Minister, Manasseh Sogavare, also made a request to the government of Papua New Guinea (PNG) for assistance, which they have responded to.

Aviation ListFri 26th Nov

UAE Tests Spec-Op Black Hawks with Stealthy Electric Recon Motorcycles

Journalist Andrew White of Janes spotted an interesting new idea at the recent Dubai Airshow 2021 when he photographed a United Arab Emirates UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter with a set of special side-mounts to carry stealthy electric-powered all-terrain motorcycles for use by special operations teams.

Overt DefenseFri 26th Nov

Report: Super Hornet Out Of Contention For Canadian Hornet Replacement

The Canadian federal government is reported to have informed Boeing that its bid to replace the Royal Canadian Air Force’s CF-18s with Super Hornets has failed to meet program requirements.

Real Clear DefenseFri 26th Nov

Q&A with Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division

To what extent does the Defense Department’s renewed focus on great power competition and high-end threats inform your activities?

Real Clear DefenseFri 26th Nov

Allow for Continuous Change

Starting with the end in mind does not work. It binds you to one definitive end. What happens when the goal or even the enemy is no longer located at or near that end? Worse yet, what happens when the enemy has shifted or changed, and your ways and means are incapable of change? This is what we have witnessed in so many of the U.S. Army’s recent conflicts, from Vietnam to Afghanistan.

Real Clear DefenseFri 26th Nov

America Needs More Than 'Guardrails' With China

The Biden-Xi summit revealed only the irreconcilable differences between Washington and Beijing

Real Clear DefenseFri 26th Nov

A Navy SEAL Turned CIA Officer Gives Thanks

“Thank you for your service” is a refrain that all service members have become accustomed to hearing over the course of the last decade or more. Every time I hear that particular statement directed at me, while I undoubtedly feel grateful for the sentiment and genuinely appreciative of the thought behind it, my inner monologue kicks in with all of the things that my service did for me, and for which I should be the one who is thankful. It’s as if my brain starts its retort as it immediately tries to convince me that I should be the one who’s thankful for my service, and not the other way around.

Real Clear DefenseFri 26th Nov

Army To Work With Satellite Radar Imagery Provider ICEYE

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Army will work with radar satellite imagery provider ICEYE to understand how that technology can be integrated into current and future Army missions and technologies.

Real Clear DefenseFri 26th Nov

Incoming German Government Commits to NATO Nuclear Deterrent

WASHINGTON – Germany’s incoming government has affirmed its commitment to NATO’s nuclear deterrent, including the role accorded to Berlin in the strategy, according to a coalition agreement unveiled Nov. 24 by Social Democrats (SPD), the Greens and the liberal Free Democrats (FDP).

Real Clear DefenseFri 26th Nov

T-84U: The Tank Ukraine Would Use in a War With Russia

The Ukrainian T-84U Main Battle Tank Does Not Have the Numbers: Russia may have as many as 1,000 tanks, armored personnel carriers, and self-propelled howitzers along the border with Ukraine, according to recent satellite imagery released this month. And that’s just the force located north of Ukraine. About 90,000 Russian troops are on the border too.

Real Clear DefenseFri 26th Nov

Air Force Is 120 Airplanes Smaller Since 2020

The Air Force trimmed 120 airplanes from its fleet in fiscal 2021, gaining the most aircraft among its F-35 fighter squadrons and giving up the most from its B-1 bomber units, according to data provided by the Air Force. With puts and takes, the Air Force’s kinetic shooter fleet, not including special operations, stayed about the same, at 2,301 aircraft.  

Real Clear DefenseFri 26th Nov

U.S. Navy Destroyer Makes Rare Port Call In New Zealand

A U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyer arrived Friday in Wellington, New Zealand, a rare visit by an American warship to the nuclear-free nation that has closed its borders to most of the world during the coronavirus pandemic.

Real Clear DefenseFri 26th Nov

Astute Versus Virginia: Which Sub Is the Best Fit for Australia?

Real Clear DefenseFri 26th Nov

Russian Military Buildup Puts Washington on Edge

Washington is on edge as Russia's military buildup threatens a confrontation, with fears escalating following reports that U.S. intelligence shows Russian forces preparing to push into Ukraine.

Real Clear DefenseFri 26th Nov

Iran Nuclear Talks Resume Next Week — What You Need to Know

Talks on the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), or Iran nuclear deal, resume on Nov. 29 in Vienna. The parties include Iran, Russia, China, the United Kingdom, France and Germany, along with the European Union. The United States, under former President Donald Trump, withdrew from the JCPOA in May 2018. While the United States, having withdrawn, won’t be “in the room,” its delegation will be just outside the door.

Aviation ListFri 26th Nov

Frecce Tricolori And Patrouille De France Display Teams Carry Out Historic Joint Flyover In Rome

On Nov. 26, 2021, French President Emmanuel Macron and Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi signed the “French-Italian Enhanced Cooperation Treaty” at the presence of Italy’s President Sergio Mattarella. The “Quirinale Treaty” was named after the palace of the Italian Presidency in Rome where the ceremony took place. It will promote the convergence of French and Italian positions, as well as the coordination of the two countries in matters of European and foreign policy, security and defence, migration policy, economy, education, research, culture and cross-border cooperation.

Aviation WeekFri 26th Nov

Paris Opens Urban Air Mobility Test Site

Real Clear DefenseFri 26th Nov

A MACV-SOG Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Day, 1968.

Real Clear DefenseFri 26th Nov

The U.S. Military Has An Aircraft Readiness Problem

The US Military Has An Aircraft Readiness Problem: Despite having the latest quantity and most advanced aircraft in the world, the U.S. military is having trouble flying them, a recent report revealed.

Real Clear DefenseFri 26th Nov

Hina Quietly Developing Military Bases in Pacific Islands

TARAWA: China, which wishes to expand its maritime and econo ..

Overt DefenseThu 25th Nov

British Army Unveils “Future Soldier” Modernization Plans

The British Army has revealed its plans for what it describes as its most radical transformation in 20 years. Speaking in the House of Commons, Defense Secretary Ben Wallace said that Future Soldier would reform the Army to “operate on a continuous basis, fielding all the relevant capabilities for this era of constant competition and persistently engaged around the globe supporting our partners and deterring our adversaries” as a “deployable and lethal” expeditionary fighting force.

Aviation WeekThu 25th Nov

Astroscale Boosts Funding For On-Orbit Servicing

Overt DefenseThu 25th Nov

Italian Air Force Chief: “Natural” For Tempest And FCAS Programs To Merge

Italian Air Force Chief of Staff General Luca Goretti said on Tuesday that the United Kingdom-led Tempest program would eventually merge with the Franco-German Future Combat Air Systems program. Both programs intend to create a “system of systems” of manned and unmanned tactical aircraft, with a manned stealth aircraft at the heart of the systems.

Overt DefenseThu 25th Nov

The First H225M Helicopter Is Delivered To The Brazilian Navy

On 24 November, the Brazilian Navy announced on Twitter that it had received the first H225M helicopter in naval combat configuration, also known as the AH-15B Super Cougar, from Helibras (the only Brazilian helicopter manufacturer, a subsidiary of Airbus Helicopters). The helicopter was delivered as part of a $2.72 billion contract signed by the Brazilian government in 2008 for the delivery of 50 H225M helicopters to the country’s air, ground, and naval forces.

Breaking DefenseThu 25th Nov

A note of thanks to the Breaking Defense readership

Yes, I know, I know, there’s still six weeks until the year is officially over. And those six weeks will be plenty busy — just in the next 10 days, we have the looming budget deadline and the annual Reagan Defense Forum. But here in the states, Thanksgiving marks the turn when everyone starts looking forward to the new year.

Aviation WeekThu 25th Nov

Airbus Defends Stance In Legal Dispute With Kelley Aerospace

Overt DefenseThu 25th Nov

Ethiopian PM Departs For Frontlines As US Says “No Expectation” Of Military Evacuations

The United States State Department says that U.S. citizens in Ethiopia should leave via commercial airline flights out of Addis Ababa while they are still available, with officials saying that there are no plans for the U.S. military to deploy to Ethiopia to facilitate an evacuation.

Aviation ListThu 25th Nov

Taiwan Achieves F-16V Full Operational Capability

On November 18, 2021 Taiwan has become the first operator to achieve the Full Operational Capability with the upgraded F-16V Block 72. The milestone was celebrated with the official induction into service of the aircraft in the 4th Tactical Fighter Wing of the Republic of China Air Force at Chiayi Air Base, at the presence of the Taiwanese President Tsai Ing Wen.

Real Clear DefenseThu 25th Nov

CIA Director Warns Russian Spies of 'Consequences'

CIA Director William J. Burns delivered a confidential warning to Russia’s top intelligence services that they will face “consequences” if they are behind the string of mysterious health incidents known as “Havana Syndrome” afflicting U.S. diplomats and spies around the world, according to U.S. officials familiar with the exchange.

Real Clear DefenseThu 25th Nov

Defense Industry Asks for COVID Tests To Substitute for Vax Mandate

Fearing a loss of highly skilled workers, groups representing large and small defense firms are pushing the Biden administration to allow employees to take periodic COVID tests instead of getting vaccinated. Currently, employees of companies that do work for the federal government must be fully vaccinated by Jan. 18.

Real Clear DefenseThu 25th Nov

U.S. Invitation to Taiwan for Democracy Summit Tests Ties With China

WASHINGTON—The Biden administration invited Taiwan to participate in a meeting of democracies, further bucking Beijing’s long-pressed campaign to isolate the island diplomatically and testing a recent lessening of U.S.-China tensions.

Real Clear DefenseThu 25th Nov

S-400s, CAATSA Complicate India-U.S. Ties

It is not yet clear how the U.S. will respond to India’s receipt of Russia-made S-400 air defense systems.

Real Clear DefenseThu 25th Nov

Space Force Sees AI As 'Absolutely Essential' for JADC2

WASHINGTON: Without artificial intelligence and machine learning tools, the Pentagon’s ambitious Joint All Domain Command and Control (JADC2) initiative simply will not be doable, according to Space Force and industry officials.

Real Clear DefenseThu 25th Nov

DARPA's Aerial Turducken, the LongShot, Still Cooking

WASHINGTON: As families gather around their dinner tables this Thanksgiving, a few of those tables will host a true culinary monstrosity: the turducken.

Real Clear DefenseThu 25th Nov

Need for New Coast Guard Waterways Commerce Cutters

Few outside the Midwest took notice of reports that riverboat crews found “suspected destructive devices” on three different vessels on the Ohio River between October 21 and October 25. Interagency law enforcement response was swift, and, by October 28, investigators made an arrest. Investigators believe the suspect, Nathaniel Blayn Becker, was building and dropping pipe bombs from river bridges.

Real Clear DefenseThu 25th Nov

U.K. Reports Success Integrating F-35 into Carrier Operations

LONDON — Despite pandemic lockdowns and other hurdles, the United Kingdom is moving quickly toward making its fleet of F-35B joint strike fighters fully operational.

Real Clear DefenseThu 25th Nov

America Repeated Vietnam's Mistakes in Afghanistan

Defense Department leaders have assured Congress and the American people that the military would study the war in Afghanistan to learn lessons from America’s 20-year involvement and painful exit. This will be an important exercise, but not a new one.

Real Clear DefenseThu 25th Nov

The Lessons Ian Fishback Taught Us

I first met Ian Fishback when I walked into his classroom. It was the start of my second semester at West Point. Like many harried, drowsy plebes, my academic experience had at that point consisted of jogging to classes, then nodding through them. Fishback’s course was a required introduction to philosophy, and he one of several rotating military faculty teaching its many sections. The course catalog suggested it would be another sleepy three credit hours in a schedule of nineteen. But Ian Fishback jolted us awake.

Real Clear DefenseThu 25th Nov

Too Soon To Be Waving the White Flag on China

In The Australian newspaper on Monday, Hugh White gave us a picture of democratic defeat in the face of overwhelming Chinese dominance should war break out over Taiwan.

Real Clear DefenseThu 25th Nov

Icebreakers Season Is Here

As you shovel your driveway or scrape the ice off your windshield this winter, take a moment to think about ice breakers.

Aviation WeekThu 25th Nov

Boeing Secures Second Australian P-8 Maintenance Contract

The War ZoneWed 24th Nov

Russian T-80 Tank With Improvised Anti-Drone Armor Reportedly Appears In Crimea

Amid growing concerns about a potential new large-scale Russian invasion of Ukrainian territory, at least one Russian T-80 tank has apparently been sighted in occupied Crimea with a bizarre-looking ad-hoc armor fit. Armor of this type has been increasingly appearing on Russian tanks as of late and appears to be primarily intended to defend them against attacks by loitering munitions and other armed unmanned aircraft. The solution, which is part of a wider trend of improved defenses for Russian tanks, may well have been inspired by the destruction wrought by drone-launched munitions during last year’s conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh, although it may have at least some capacity to decrease the effectiveness of certain top-attack guided missiles, too.

The War ZoneWed 24th Nov

Pentagon Stands Up New Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Group As Congress Pushes For Even More Action

Late last night, the Pentagon released a memorandum outlining the creation of a new organization focused on the issue of so-called unidentified aerial phenomena, or UAP, more commonly referred to as unidentified flying objects, or UFOs, and the threats they might pose to national security. This group will replace the existing UAP Task Force within the U.S. Navy and will be focused entirely on encounters in areas designated as Special Use Airspace, or SUA, such as warning areas off America's East and West Coasts where many reported incidents have occurred in the past. Separately, a number of members of Congress are calling for the U.S. military to take much broader action, including in a proposed amendment to the Senate's draft of the annual defense policy bill for the 2022 Fiscal Year.

Aviation WeekWed 24th Nov

Rolls-Royce Passes Megawatt Level In Hybrid-Electric Power Tests

Aviation WeekWed 24th Nov

DOD Creates New Study Group On Unidentified Aerial Phenomena

Aviation WeekWed 24th Nov

Softbank To Raise Sustainability Funds For HAPS Business

Aviation WeekWed 24th Nov

Russia Launches Last Module For Its ISS Segment

The War ZoneWed 24th Nov

The Ultimate Holiday Gift Guide For Military And Aviation Aficionados

The 2021 holiday season is upon us, and it potentially offers something closer to “normal” than 2020’s. But with global supply chains tangled up, there’s no telling what gift-buying is going to look like once the Black Friday feeding frenzy begins. And there’s no word yet from Washington on the FAA special permissions for the jolly fat man in the red suit to fly his annual route — and if he doesn’t get his cholesterol down, he might also need a special issuance for his medical certificate. In other words, choosing — and getting ahold of — the right gift could be more of a challenge even than in 2020.

Aviation WeekWed 24th Nov

Saab Begins Serial Gripen E Deliveries to Brazil, Sweden

Defense NewsWed 24th Nov

British Air Force chief envisions synthetic fuel produced on deployments

LONDON – Britain’s Air Force chief has outlined a future where synthetic aircraft fuel could be produced on forward air bases and warships, in a speech on the service’s ambitions to achieve net-zero emissions by 2040.

Overt DefenseWed 24th Nov

German Coalition Deal Greenlights Armed Drones, Tornado Replacement

The incoming German government presented its coalition agreement on Wednesday, with the “traffic light” coalition of the Social Democrats, Greens and Free Democrats providing preliminary details on what the Social Democrat-led Defense Ministry of the incoming government will pursue during its time in office.

Defense NewsWed 24th Nov

Estonia’s envoy to NATO talks Russia, Afghanistan and US nuclear policy

Jüri Luik, Estonia’s permanent representative to NATO since early October, has been a potential presidential candidate, foreign minister, defense minister, its ambassador to the U.S. and later its ambassador to Russia.

Defense NewsWed 24th Nov

Morocco buys Israeli counter-drone system Skylock Dome

BEIRUT — The Moroccan military has purchased the Israeli counter-drone system Skylock Dome, according to a Nov. 21 post on the armed forces’ official Facebook page.

Breaking DefenseWed 24th Nov

DARPA’s aerial turducken, the LongShot, still cooking towards 2022 milestone

For the lucky uninitiated, a turducken is a chicken stuffed inside a duck stuffed inside a turkey. It’s also known as a Three Bird Roast, and yes, people eat it. And during a slow news week, the concept of the turducken reminded Breaking Defense to check in on the US military’s own, much deadlier equivalent, the LongShot concept currently under development by contractors working for the mad scientists at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).

Defense NewsWed 24th Nov

Incoming German government commits to NATO nuclear deterrent

WASHINGTON – Germany’s incoming government has affirmed its commitment to NATO’s nuclear deterrent, including the role accorded to Berlin in the strategy, according to a coalition agreement unveiled Nov. 24 by Social Democrats (SPD), the Greens and the liberal Free Democrats (FDP).

Overt DefenseWed 24th Nov

Italian and UK Carrier Strike Group F-35s Conduct First Crossdeck Flight Operations

Italy became the third nation to operate its F-35Bs from the HMS Queen Elizabeth on November 22, with an Italian Air Force F-35B and an Italian Navy F-35B landing on the deck of the carrier and refuelling before taking off from the carrier.

Defense NewsWed 24th Nov

Army to work with satellite radar imagery provider ICEYE

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Army will work with radar satellite imagery provider ICEYE to understand how that technology can be integrated into current and future Army missions and technologies.

Overt DefenseWed 24th Nov

UK MoD Denies Plans To Close Canadian Training Facilities

The United Kingdom’s Ministry of Defense today denied that it was planning to close its training units in Alberta, Canada, following media reports that the British Army Training Unit Suffield would be closed down after nearly 50 years of operation.

Breaking DefenseWed 24th Nov

Space Force sees AI as ‘absolutely essential’ for JADC2

Brig. Gen. John Olsen, mobilization assistant to Space Force chief Gen. Jay Raymond, told a panel last week during the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics’s ASCEND space conference that the JADC2 concept involves multiple networks around the globe in order to prosecute modern warfare in all domains, and that the human users are going to need some automated help.

Defense NewsWed 24th Nov

US aid agency becomes most vaccinated by Biden’s deadline

U.S. Agency for International Development employees proved the most proactive in fulfilling vaccination requirements, according to numbers released by the Office of Management and Budget. (Tech. Sgt. Chris Hibben/Air Force)

Defense NewsWed 24th Nov

Congress should support the Biden administration’s effort to sell defensive missiles to Saudi Arabia

A fight is brewing within the Democratic party over whether to permit the sale of defensive air-to-air missiles to Saudi Arabia. The Biden administration’s State Department approved the sale of 280 AIM-120C missiles to Riyadh, but a far-left group of members in the House of Representatives, led by Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., introduced legislation on Nov. 12 to block the sale.

Overt DefenseWed 24th Nov

Morocco To Acquire Skylock Anti-Drone System From Israel

The Far-Maroc forum, the semi-official page of the Moroccan armed forces on November 21, confirmed information from the Israeli newspaper Globes on Sunday that the Moroccan Armed Forces will acquire the anti-drone system developed by Skylock Systems, a subsidiary of the Israel-based Avnon Group.

Aviation WeekWed 24th Nov

German Researchers Study Hybrid-Electric 100-Seater

Real Clear DefenseWed 24th Nov

Saab's Wants Shot at AWACS Replacement Competition

DUBAI: If the U.S. Air Force opens up a competition to replace its aging E-3 Sentry airborne warning and control system, Swedish defense firm Saab is ready to put forward its GlobalEye plane as a potential contender, its CEO told Breaking Defense.

Overt DefenseWed 24th Nov

Niger To Acquire Bayraktar TB2 UAVs and HÜRKUŞ Trainer Aircraft From Turkey

On November 18, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and the President of Niger, Mohamed Bazoum, spoke on the phone about Turkey-Niger relations and regional issues.

Defense NewsWed 24th Nov

Raytheon CTO says merged company is finding new ways to work together

WASHINGTON — As the Pentagon looks to develop new capabilities more reliant on artificial intelligence and races to bring new weapons like hypersonic missiles online, Raytheon Technologies’ chief technology officer is tapping into teams across his enterprise to find ways to help.

Real Clear DefenseWed 24th Nov

Why Is It So Hard to Develop Stealth Aircraft?

When people discuss stealth, especially in relation to aircraft, it’s not uncommon to hear them treat it as though stealth is some singular thing a fighter or bomber just has or doesn’t. The truth, as truths tend to be, is quite a bit more complicated than that.

Real Clear DefenseWed 24th Nov

How China Is Trying To Turn the U.S. Against Itself

Across the country, Beijing has worked to cultivate relationships with state and local governments and private businesses in an effort to advance its agenda.

Real Clear DefenseWed 24th Nov

Rare Earth Elements: Where in the World Are They?

Rare earth elements are a group of metals that are critical ingredients for a greener economy, and the location of the reserves for mining are increasingly important and valuable.

Real Clear DefenseWed 24th Nov

Coast Guard Honors First African American Diver

ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. (WAVY) — The U.C. Coast Guard held a ceremony on Tuesday celebrating the service of the first African American Coast Guard diver.

Breaking DefenseWed 24th Nov

Italy’s Army modernization finally seeing movement after years of delays

Now, however, there may be optimism because the service is at something of an inflection point, with decisions that will define the Army for the next 20 years coming due.

Aviation ListWed 24th Nov

British F-35B Crash In The Med Possibly Caused By ‘Rain Cover’ Left On During Launch

An F-35B Lightning aircraft belonging to the RAF 617 Squadron crashed in the Mediterranean Sea shortly after launching from the British aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth on Nov. 17, 2021. The aircraft was one of the eight British F-35Bs and ten U.S. Marine Corps F-35s currently embarked HMS Queen Elizabeth on her maiden operational cruise (dubbed CSG-21). The pilot, ejected from the stealth jet was rescued and returned to the ship.

Aviation WeekWed 24th Nov

Vertical Set To Build VA-X4 eVTOL Prototype

Real Clear DefenseWed 24th Nov

Americans Want to Defend Taiwan. DoD's Budget Should, Too

In recent polling, a greater share of the American public than ever supports using the U.S. military to defend Taiwan from China’s aggression. More Americans than ever believe Taiwan should become a treaty ally of the United States. But more than ever, Americans also believe the U.S. military is incapable of matching up to China’s People’s Liberation Army.

Real Clear DefenseWed 24th Nov

For JADC2, the Pentagon Should Learn From the 5G Community

If the Pentagon wants a force that can fight jointly, it needs to abandon standards as it knows them.

Real Clear DefenseWed 24th Nov

The U.S. Navy Is Rusting Away

Last month I visited Naval Station Norfolk, headquarters of the U.S. Atlantic Fleet. What I saw horrified me and reminded me of stories of the rusting Russian navy in the days following the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union. The streaks of rust symbolized the decay of our naval shipyards due to decades of neglect and budget misallocations combined with an inadequate workforce.

Real Clear DefenseWed 24th Nov

Fighter Mission Capable Rates Fell in 2021

Mission capable rates dropped in 2021 for every Air Force fighter type except the A-10, reversing progress in 2020, according to data released to Air Force Magazine.

Real Clear DefenseWed 24th Nov

Northrop Adding 'Dynamic' In-Flight Rerouting to RQ-4B

“DYNAMO is part of a series of Global Hawk modernisation efforts, including the ground station modernisation programme, that will reinforce the weapon system’s ability to monitor and deter near-peer and peer threats around the globe,” says Jane Bishop, vice-president of autonomous systems with Northrop. “These upgrades will make Global Hawk even more valuable in a future Joint-All Domain Command and Control environment.”

Real Clear DefenseWed 24th Nov

Key Pentagon Posts Remain Vacant Amid Supply-Chain Crisis

In March 2020, as the coronavirus spread and millions of employees around the country were told to work from home, the Pentagon’s acquisition and sustainment office mobilized to figure out how they could safely keep open companies critical to national security.

Real Clear DefenseWed 24th Nov

China Looms Over House Thanksgiving Trip to Japan, South Korea

KADENA AIR BASE, Okinawa – A U.S. congressional delegation heard from U.S. military commanders on Okinawa of China’s increasing provocations in the region, but left Tuesday saying conflict with the Asian power must be avoided.

Real Clear DefenseWed 24th Nov

U.S., Japan, Canda, Germany & Australia Begin Naval Exercise

KUALA LUMPUR – Australia, Canada, Germany, Japan and the United States are conducting naval drills in the Philippine Sea off the southern coast of Japan for the next week.

Real Clear DefenseWed 24th Nov

DIU Investing in Universal Remote for Autonomous Systems

The Pentagon’s Defense Innovation Unit wants war­fighters to be able to control all of their autonomous systems from the palm of their hands with a single device.

Real Clear DefenseWed 24th Nov

U.S., Israel Divisions on Iran Spill Into Open

Israel is worried that the Americans are heading for an interim agreement with Iran that will wipe away the sanctions.

Real Clear DefenseWed 24th Nov

USS Milius Transits Taiwan Strait, Drawing China's Ire

The Chinese military's Eastern Theater Command sent naval and air forces to "conduct close-in tracking and monitoring" of the warship while on course, Senior Col. Shi Yi, a spokesperson for the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Eastern Theater Command, said in a statement.

Real Clear DefenseWed 24th Nov

New VH-92 Presidential Hellicopter Unreliable in an Emergency

Joe Biden’s first flight on the new presidential helicopter built by Lockheed Martin Corp. is being delayed after a report by the Pentagon’s testing unit warned that it’s not yet “operationally suitable” or sufficiently reliable -- especially in an emergency.

Real Clear DefenseWed 24th Nov

The Danger of Using Commercial Technologies in Combat

In recent years, military planners have become enthused at the prospect of adapting new commercial technologies for the conduct of war.

Aviation WeekWed 24th Nov

Rolls-Royce Passes Megawatt Level In Hybrid-Electric Power Tests

Defense NewsWed 24th Nov

Countering China’s nuclear threat: The cost to play is cheaper than the cost of sitting out

On Dec. 25, 1991, the Soviet flag was lowered from the Kremlin and replaced with the new flag of Russia. The world breathed a collective sigh of relief. Behind us were the days of the “duck and cover” drills — the exercise in anxiety that Americans conducted for decades. The bipolar world of competing nuclear titans gave way to the unipolar world we enjoy today.

Breaking DefenseWed 24th Nov

China’s mysterious hypersonic test may take a page from DARPA’s past

The new detail regarding a possible launch or simple release of either a missile or some kind of countermeasure over the South China Sea was first reported on Sunday by the Financial Times (FT), which was the outlet that also originally reported on the launch. This most recent claim, if accurate, would represent a leap in capability — and one that firmly remains in the future concepts basket at the Pentagon.

Aviation WeekWed 24th Nov

NASA’s DART Sets Off On Mission To Redirect Asteroid

Real Clear DefenseWed 24th Nov

China's Growing Aircraft Carrier Force

The War ZoneWed 24th Nov

Italian Air Force Boss Envisions Merger Of Europe’s Next-Generation Combat Aircraft Programs 

The chief of the Italian Air Force has predicted the merger of Western Europe’s two leading next-generation combat aircraft programs since he doesn’t think there are enough resources to sustain them both. The two competing programs are the British-led Tempest, a mock-up of which is seen in the image below, and which involves Italy, and the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) pursued by France, Germany, and Spain.

The War ZoneTue 23rd Nov

Flurry Of Air Force Transports Head To East Africa As Potential For Ethiopia Evacuation Grows

Plane spotters using online flight tracking software have noticed an unusual uptick in U.S. Air Force logistics flights, primarily involving C-17A Globemaster III cargo planes, heading from various points in the United States to the East African country of Djibouti in the past few days. This comes amid reports that the U.S. military has started positioning troops in the region for a potential evacuation operation into neighboring Ethiopia, which is embroiled in a civil conflict. An alliance of armed groups in that country is now threatening to march on the capital and overthrow Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed if he does not step down and open a path to a new government.

Defense NewsTue 23rd Nov

Defense Innovation Unit publishes ethical AI guidelines

WASHINGTON — The Defense Innovation Unit has published new directives for how it plans to use the Pentagon’s recently adopted “Responsible AI Guidelines” in its commercial prototyping and acquisition efforts.

Aviation WeekTue 23rd Nov

Next New Shepard Crew To Include Pioneering Astronaut’s Daughter

Breaking DefenseTue 23rd Nov

Saab’s CEO wants a shot at an AWACS replacement competition

“Of course, I would like to be part of an open competition when it comes to airborne early warning and surveillance,” Micael Johansson said in a Nov. 14 interview during the Dubai Airshow.

Aviation WeekTue 23rd Nov

Next Gen OPIR GEO Block 0 Passes Critical Design Review

The War ZoneTue 23rd Nov

Future Marine One Helicopter Is Struggling To Meet Requirements For Emergency Missions: Report

President Joe Biden will not be embarking aboard the new Sikorsky VH-92A presidential helicopter for the time being, after the program was hit by more delays as a result of it failing to meet requirements for the all-important ‘White Top’ Marine One role. Among the latest failings identified is an inability to reliably undertake emergency contingency flights, potentially like those associated with the critical continuity of government mission.

Breaking DefenseTue 23rd Nov

‘The game has changed’: VMware exec says defense industry faces destructive cyberattacks, belligerent foes

“The game has changed,” Kellerman told Breaking Defense in a recent interview. “The adversary now doesn’t just want to break into defense contractor x and steal national secrets. The adversary wants to break into defense contractor x and then use their digital transformation to attack government agencies.”

Aviation WeekTue 23rd Nov

Processing Mishap Delays Launch Of JWST

Aviation WeekTue 23rd Nov

Future MilTech Rollup BlueHalo Buys IC Specialist Asymmetrik

Overt DefenseTue 23rd Nov

TAI Integrates In-House A400M Directed IR Countermeasures System

Turkish Aerospace Industries has announced the integration of a directed infra-red countermeasures system onto an Airbus A400M. According to TAI, the first system has been installed on A400M tail number MSN 105.

Overt DefenseTue 23rd Nov

Norway Receives First P-8A “Vingtor”

The Norwegian Defence Materiel Agency (Forsvarsmateriell) accepted Norway’s first Boeing P-8A Poseidon on 18 November. The aircraft, named Vingtor after one of the P-3 Orions it will replace, will be handed over to the Royal Norwegian Air Force’s (RNoAF) No. 333 Squadron sometime early next year by the Forsvarsmateriell. 

Defense NewsTue 23rd Nov

Prioritize NATO’s core task: collective defense

The NATO Parliamentary Assembly meets next week in Washington to discuss the alliance’s redraft of its 2010 Strategic Concept, and the agenda is loaded with relatively new missions. Protecting against cyber attacks, hybrid warfare, the Chinese challenge, terrorism, and global warming indeed all need to be part of NATO’s expanding mission. But traditional collective defense remains the top priority, and that needs to be reflected in the new Strategic Concept, which will be drafted next year.

Defense NewsTue 23rd Nov

‘No company is immune’: Supply chain woes weigh on defense firms

WASHINGTON — More than a year and a half after the COVID-19 pandemic began to rock supply chains around the world, the defense industry is still wrestling with its fallout — and figuring out how to move forward amid the turmoil.

Aviation WeekTue 23rd Nov

Airbus, Kelley Aerospace Sue Each Other In Singapore

Overt DefenseTue 23rd Nov

Full Operational Capability Declared For Taiwan’s First F-16V Wing

The three F-16 squadrons of the Republic of China Air Force’s 4th Tactical Fighter Wing officially declared full operational capability on their newly upgraded F-16Vs on November 18, with a ceremony at Chiayi Air Base in southern Taiwan.

Aviation ListTue 23rd Nov

Secretive SR-72 Spy Plane And RQ-180 Spy Drone Teased In Recent U.S. Air Force Video

A video, published on Youtube on Nov. 8, 2021, by the U.S. Air Force Profession of Arms Center of Excellence (PACE) under the title “Heritage Today – ISR and Innovation” provides a new look at some of the most interesting and secretive U.S. ISR (Intelligence Surveillance Reconnaissance) projects.

Aviation WeekTue 23rd Nov

Volocopter Partners With South Korean Mobility App

Breaking DefenseTue 23rd Nov

US needs ‘manufacturing renaissance’ to compete with China: Report

The new report from the Reagan Foundation, titled “A Manufacturing Renaissance: Bolstering U.S. Production for National Security and Economic Prosperity,” provides four recommendations to strengthen the US manufacturing base. These include modernizing the Defense Production Act, enlarging the US workforce for high-demand trades, creating new public-partnerships and financial incentives to strengthen economic sectors important to national security, and facilitating new forums with G7 and Quad (US, India, Japan, and Australia) countries to coordinate on economic issues.

Overt DefenseTue 23rd Nov

Light Combat Helicopters, UAVs And EW Suites Handed Over To Indian Armed Forces

Prime Minister Narendra Modi ceremonially handed over Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) made Light Combat Helicopters (LCH), Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and Electronic Warfare (EW) suites to the Indian armed forces on November 19. He also laid the foundation stone for a $55 million facility by Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) for producing propulsion systems of Anti Tank Guided Missiles (ATGMs).

Defense NewsTue 23rd Nov

For JADC2, the Pentagon should learn from the 5G community

If the Pentagon wants a force that can fight jointly, it needs to abandon standards as it knows them.

Real Clear DefenseTue 23rd Nov

War by Timeframe: Responding to China's Pacing Challenge

The Latin adage “si vis pacem, para bellum” states that if you want peace, prepare for war. But doing that successfully is much easier if you know when the war might occur.

Real Clear DefenseTue 23rd Nov

Will the Annual Defense Authorization Bill Get Passed This Year?

If Congress is going to pass the annual defense authorization bill for a 61st consecutive year — and that’s a big if — it’s going to take a tremendous amount of work in public and behind closed doors over the next few weeks.

Real Clear DefenseTue 23rd Nov

Helping Iran Fail in Iraq

Hours after the failed Nov. 7 assassination attempt on Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al Kadhimi, pro-Iran militias in Iraq claimed responsibility but denied that Tehran had ordered the attack. Not only was Tehran kept in the dark, they insisted, but its deployment of a top Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commander to Baghdad after the failed attempt was to urge calm.

Breaking DefenseTue 23rd Nov

Networks as ‘center of gravity’: Project Convergence highlights military’s new battle with bandwidth

The pilots communicate the threat information to other Black Hawk pilots transporting troops, and the fleet quickly changes its route. As the Black Hawks land at the objective, cameras on the outside of the choppers send live videos to soldiers’ augmented reality goggles, giving them a look outside before they even dismount.

Real Clear DefenseTue 23rd Nov

Next-Gen SSN(X) 'Is Going to Carry a Lot of Torpedoes'

ARLINGTON, Va. – The next U.S. nuclear attack submarine must require less maintenance, be fast, quiet and packed with torpedoes, the service’s director of undersea warfare said on Thursday.

Real Clear DefenseTue 23rd Nov

Henry Kissinger and Eric Schmidt take on AI

The Age of AI. By Henry Kissinger, Eric Schmidt and Daniel Huttenlocher. Little, Brown and Company; 272 pages; $30. John Murray; £20

Real Clear DefenseTue 23rd Nov

Testing of the Secretive New AIM-260 Missile

The U.S. Air Force has been busy flying QF-16 Full-Scale Aerial Target, or FSAT, missions in support of the Lockheed Martin AIM-260 Joint Advanced Tactical Missile program. While the AIM-260, or JATM, remains a highly secretive weapon, it’s now clear that test work is well underway, with around 30 FSAT missions last year alone. This would make sense given that the goal is to have the new missile start arming Air Force and Navy aircraft as early as next year.

Real Clear DefenseTue 23rd Nov

DDGs, Lasers and ASCMs: An Analysis

Real Clear DefenseTue 23rd Nov

End of Korean War Declaration: Words on Paper Won't Matter

Let me state up front that I want peace on the Korean peninsula, and I think all Koreans and Americans want peace. The question is, will an end of war declaration contribute to peace if there is no change to the conventional, nuclear, and missile forces in North Korea? How will the security of the ROK be maintained by an end of war declaration? Paper and rhetoric do not trump steel and the amount of North Korean People’s Army steel north of the DMZ is an existential threat to the South and will remain so with a symbolic and non-legally binding end of war declaration.

Real Clear DefenseTue 23rd Nov

DoD 'Pivot to LEO' a Win for Commercial Satellite Industry

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Defense Department’s interest in low Earth orbit space services is a positive for satellite manufacturers and for commercial operators of broadband constellations, says a new report by the market research firm Quilty Analytics.

Real Clear DefenseTue 23rd Nov

Hamas' Growing Capabilities

Real Clear DefenseTue 23rd Nov

Q&A With ADM Karl Schultz, USCG

Like the other armed services, the U.S. Coast Guard is ending the calendar year dealing with COVID-19 issues along with the perennial problem of not having a 2022 budget in place because Congress hasn’t passed a Department of Homeland Security spending bill.

Real Clear DefenseTue 23rd Nov

Enlisting the Private Sector to Fight Terror

Real Clear DefenseTue 23rd Nov

Ruling The Skies? Russian Fighter Pilots Use Slide Rules

Pilots were filmed making complicated course calculations on centuries-old tech that could be made by a calculator in seconds.

Real Clear DefenseTue 23rd Nov

Discussions Over Korean War's Formal End Are 'Coming to a Finish'

SEOUL, South Korea — Discussions over an end-of-war declaration with North Korea will soon come to a close, a South Korean government official said.

Real Clear DefenseTue 23rd Nov

Beijing Sprints While America Slumbers

Gen. John Hyten, the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, was asked in an interview published last week whether the Chinese hypersonic weapons test this summer should be compared to Sputnik—referring to the 1957 satellite launch by the Soviet Union that shocked Americans regarding the Kremlin’s military-technology prowess. Hyten suggested the comparison was not a good one. “Sputnik created a sense of urgency in the United States,” Hyten said. “The [Chinese] test on July 27 did not create that sense of urgency.”

Real Clear DefenseTue 23rd Nov

Contemporary Deterrence Parallel to Netflix's Squid Game

Aviation WeekTue 23rd Nov

Favorable Weather Outlook Awaits NASA’s DART Launch Attempt

Aviation WeekTue 23rd Nov

Startup Astra Space Reaches Orbit On Fourth Try

Aviation WeekTue 23rd Nov

Voyager Space Buys Sat Comms Specialist Space Micro

Aviation WeekTue 23rd Nov

Walmart, DroneUp Expand Drone Deliveries

The War ZoneMon 22nd Nov

China’s Hypersonic Mystery Weapon Released Its Own Payload And Nobody Knows Why (Updated)

A new report says that China’s apparent nuclear-capable hypersonic glide vehicle ejected some kind of payload while barreling through the atmosphere, in its much-discussed test this past summer. If true, this would indicate an intriguing new capability for this already novel weapon, albeit one the function of which is not entirely clear. You can read our original reporting on this ostensible milestone test here.

The War ZoneMon 22nd Nov

Ukrainian Troops Have Been Firing American-Made Javelin Missiles At Russian-Backed Forces

The head of Ukraine's top military intelligence agency has confirmed, for what appears to be the first time, that Ukrainian troops in the country's eastern Donbass region have fired American-made Javelin anti-tank missiles at Russian or Russian-supported forces. These missiles, along with other advanced weapons that the Ukrainian military has acquired in recent years, such as Turkish Bayraktar TB2 armed drones, would be important factors in the outcome of any future major military confrontation with Russia. Fears are growing now that the Kremlin could at least be prepared to launch a new, large-scale invasion of eastern Ukraine as early as January.

Aviation WeekMon 22nd Nov

Dubai Launches Drone Transportation Program

Aviation WeekMon 22nd Nov

Germany’s eMagic Builds On eVTOL Legacy