Aviation WeekTue 21st Sep

Volocopter Explores UAM Launch In LA

Defense NewsMon 20th Sep

AFSOC plans to demo amphibious MC-130J by end of next year, commander says

Air Force Special Operations Command plans to demonstrate an amphibious version of the MC-130J Hercules by the end of next year, AFSOC’s commander told reporters Monday morning at the Air Force Association convention.

Breaking DefenseMon 20th Sep

Air Force ABMS Refocus: Capabilities And Kit, Not Experiments

Kendall said that across the board, DoD and the Air Force seem to have “embraced the idea of innovation and the pursuit of innovation, without adequate attention to how innovation should be harnessed to specific operational performance requirements.

Aviation WeekMon 20th Sep

The Weekly Debrief: Space BACN Comes To Low Earth Orbit

Defense NewsMon 20th Sep

SecAF to Congress: Let us retire aircraft or we can’t beat China

WASHINGTON — Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall on Monday used his first public speech to send a message to Congress: The aircraft in your district are not exempt from the retirements the Air Force must do to free up funds for next-generation planes, drones and weapons.

Defense NewsMon 20th Sep

Kaman unveils medium-lift UAV to resupply distributed Marine Corps forces

WASHINGTON — Kaman is unveiling this week a medium-lift unmanned quadcopter meant to solve the biggest challenge to the Marine Corps’ expeditionary advanced base operations concept: resupplying small units of Marines scattered around island chains.

Real Clear DefenseMon 20th Sep

U.S. Air Force Looks to Vertical Lift for Future of AFSOC

WASHINGTON — In a future war against a technologically advanced peer like China or Russia, U.S. Air Force special operations forces will need aircraft that is faster, more survivable and capable of traversing longer ranges than the aircraft currently available, while still being able to launch from austere locations without a runway.

Real Clear DefenseMon 20th Sep

After Afghanistan Pullout, U.S. Seeks NATO Basing, Intel Pacts

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Against the backdrop of the troop withdrawal from Afghanistan, the top U.S. military officer is meeting in Greece with NATO counterparts this weekend, hoping to forge more basing, intelligence sharing and other agreements to prevent terrorist groups from regrouping and threatening America and the region.

Aviation WeekMon 20th Sep

USAF Discloses Five B-21s In Assembly For Test Fleet

Breaking DefenseMon 20th Sep

Nuclear Modernization Casts Budget Shadow Over Air Force Plans

“There’s no free money, right, so it has to come from somewhere,” he told reporters during the annual Air Force Association conference here. “But if it comes from the top line of the Department of the Air Force, and frankly the Department of Navy, it’s going to crowd out other things, other investments, and it’s going to be very difficult to have a modern Air Force and a modern Space Force, a modern Navy, and recapitalize the nuclear triad. That’s where we are right now.”

Aviation WeekMon 20th Sep

KVS, Air Methods Team to Provide Part 135 BVLOS in U.S.

Overt DefenseMon 20th Sep

DSEI 2021: Leonardo Announces Procurement Of Tempest Flying Technology Testbed

Leonardo announced during Defence and Security Equipment International 2021 that the company has placed the “latest in a series of contracts” with UK-based aviation services company 2Excel. This latest contract will see 2Excel “completely overhaul” a commercial airliner into a flying technology testbed for the Tempest Future Combat Air Systems program.

Defense NewsMon 20th Sep

New vaccine mandate raises questions for defense contractors

WASHINGTON ― The new federal vaccine requirement announced by President Joe Biden has fueled questions from employers, including defense contractors, about how the mandate will work and whether they could lose employees as a result.

Defense NewsMon 20th Sep

Air, Space & Cyber Conference

Defense News © 2021

Overt DefenseMon 20th Sep

US Department of Defense: Kabul Drone Strike a Tragic Mistake

The Commander of the U.S. Central Command, Marine Corps Gen. Kenneth F. McKenzie Jr. admitted in a Pentagon briefing held on the 17th, that the 29 August drone strike meant to target a suspected member of the Islamic State – Khorasan Province (ISIS-K) terrorist group accidentally killed 10 Afghan civilians instead. The statements made in the briefing follow the launch of an investigation nearly a month ago.

Aviation WeekMon 20th Sep

France Recalls Ambassadors Over AUKUS Submarine Pact Fallout

LONDON—Paris has recalled its ambassadors from Australia and the U.S. and canceled defense talks with the UK following Canberra’s decision to halt a multi-billion euro submarine procurement from France in favor of a nuclear submarine buy with the U.S. and UK. 

Breaking DefenseMon 20th Sep

Air Force Special Operations Expects Amphibious MC-130J Test Next Year

The goal of the new capability would be to give AFSOC a platform that can land on both sea and land, or as Slife said, a “true amphibious” ability.

Defense NewsMon 20th Sep

Six questions with US Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall

Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall, who took over as the department’s top civilian official July 28, contends his cold warrior mindset will serve the Air Force and Space Force well as they turn their focus to beating China and Russia in the 21st-century global influence wars.

Breaking DefenseMon 20th Sep

F-15EX: Delivering Today For Tomorrow’s Missions

In bringing the F-15EX to life, Boeing built on the successes of new franchise programs like the T-7A Red Hawk trainer and MQ-25 Stingray unmanned refueling aircraft – where hundreds of digital aircraft flew thousands of hours before any metal was cut or any real-life test flights occurred. This digital approach enables not only reduced fabrication time, but also streamlined field maintenance.

Breaking DefenseMon 20th Sep

On Its Birthday, The Air Force Needs To Fight For What It Deserves

As the US Air Force heads towards its 75th year of existence as a separate service, it faces daunting challenges, having been assigned more missions than the resources it has available to accomplish them. This fact puts the entire nation at risk of not being able to accomplish its National Defense Strategy.

Overt DefenseMon 20th Sep

DSEI2021: Babcock Secures Export Contract for Arrowhead 140 with Indonesia

Babcock has secured its first export customer for the Arrowhead 140 Frigate design at the Defence and Security Equipment International (DSEI) 2021 exhibition in London. Indonesian State-Owned shipbuilder PT PAL Indonesia (Persero) signed a deal with Babcock aboard HMS Argyll, on the Thames, which will allow them to build two modified Arrowhead 140 Frigates for the Indonesian Navy. U.K Defence Secretary, Rt Hon Ben Wallace MP and the Indonesian Minister of Defence, Prabowo Subianto witnessed the deal. 

Aviation WeekMon 20th Sep

Airbus X-Plane Will Test Inflight Folding Wingtips

As manufacturers strive to reduce the fuel burn and emissions of their next generation of commercial airliners, longer wings are near the top of the list.

Real Clear DefenseMon 20th Sep

Will the U.S. Navy Defend Taiwan From China?

Robert O’Brien and Alexander Gray’s strategizing on “How to Deter China From Invading Taiwan” (op-ed, Sept. 16) has the redolence of a waffle. A year or two back, the authors might have written of the U.S. Seventh Fleet positioning itself in the Taiwan Strait, blockading, intercepting or possibly sinking a Chinese amphibious flotilla destined for the beaches of Taiwan.

Real Clear DefenseMon 20th Sep

Australia's Well-Kept Nuclear-Submarine Secret

However abrupt Australia’s decision to scrap its French submarine project in favour of a new Anglo-American nuclear-powered successor might seem, it reflects the seriousness of Canberra’s pursuit of a strengthened deterrent against an emerging threat from China, explains Euan Graham.

Real Clear DefenseMon 20th Sep

Assessing the Alignment of U.S. Diplomatic and Military Power

Real Clear DefenseMon 20th Sep

USS Wyoming Successfully Launches Trident II

The missiles were fired from the USS Wyoming, an Ohio-class ballistic-missile submarine homeported at Kings Bay, Ga., as the 134-member crew prepares for deployment.

Real Clear DefenseMon 20th Sep

America's Plan to Build 747 Arsenal Ships

During the Cold War, Boeing developed plans to load a 747 with as many as 72 air-launched cruise missiles to serve as a long-range arsenal ship capable of wiping out targets from hundreds of miles away. The design, dubbed the 747 Cruise Missile Carrier Aircraft (CMCA), could have been an extremely cost-effective alternative to America’s current fleet of heavy-payload bombers in a wide variety of mission sets.

Breaking DefenseMon 20th Sep

CBO Pegs Price Of Navy’s FY22 Plans For Distributed Fleet: Over $32B

“CBO estimates that the force envisioned in the 2022 plan would cost an average of between $25.3 billion and $32.7 billion per year in 2021 dollars,” says the new CBO report published Sept. 16. “Those amounts are 10 percent to 43 percent higher than the $22.9 billion the Congress has appropriated, on average, for all shipbuilding activities over the past five years.”

Aviation WeekMon 20th Sep

L3Harris To Expand Defense Satellite Production At Fort Wayne, Palm Bay

Real Clear DefenseMon 20th Sep

Lockheed Forecasts 40% Reduction in F-35 Sustainment Costs

On September 13th the Pentagon’s F-35 fighter Joint Program Office awarded prime contractor Lockheed Martin its first multiyear contract to support operations of the F-35 fighter.

Real Clear DefenseMon 20th Sep

Army Tests Open Computer Standards

Recent tests of the Army’s new suite of open computer standards demonstrated it will allow more advanced capabilities to fit on military platforms, according to officials.

Real Clear DefenseMon 20th Sep

Mediterranean: An Anti-Access 'No-Man's Land' for the U.S. Navy?

Remarks delivered at “Limes” Maritime Festival, Trieste, September 18, 2021.

Real Clear DefenseMon 20th Sep

Chinese Power Projection; A Role for Arsenal Ships?

First considered by the U.S. in the 1990s, China is reported to be evaluating potential arsenal ship concepts. An arsenal ship is a large-capacity missile-armed vessel intended to provide a significantly greater volume of fire than more traditional surface combatants. The Arsenal Ship concept developed by the US in the 1990s, for example, was to be equipped with more than 500 missile cells, equivalent to more than five Arleigh Burke-class destroyers (96 cells per ship). Although the Arsenal Ship was not proceeded with, the US did introduce a similar capability in four converted Ohio-class nuclear-powered submarines, whilst in 2013, a concept for a ballistic missile defence ship was revealed by a leading US shipbuilder.

Real Clear DefenseMon 20th Sep

Honouring Honour: Motivation in the Trenches

A little over a century ago, on 19th September 1914, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, David Lloyd George, delivered a stirring call to arms against Germany in the Great War.  Honour was cited as the prime reason to fight.  Lloyd George, who became Prime Minister in 1916, invoked “our honour as a country,” compared to the “national dishonour” of reneging upon treaty commitments to protect Belgium.  He offered a vision of the future in which Britain had scaled “the high peaks we had forgotten, of Honour, Duty, Patriotism, and, clad in glittering white, the great pinnacle of Sacrifice”.  A hundred years on, as we approach Remembrance season again, these principles can appear political posturing.  This article will explore their significance at the time.  And, once realisation of prolonged war had set in, far beyond the hopes of it all being over by Christmas 1914, what motivated men in the trenches to endure and fight on.

Real Clear DefenseMon 20th Sep

What Went Wrong in Afghanistan: A Primer

America’s youngest soldiers today were not even born when this war began but their generation will suffer its consequences most.

Real Clear DefenseMon 20th Sep

China's Military Has an Achilles' Heel: Low Troop Morale

'One-child army' more inclined to add unmanned aircraft and ballistic missiles

Real Clear DefenseMon 20th Sep

Our Remote Warfare CT Strategy Is More Risk Than Reward

Afghanistan has begun its fade into the history of American foreign policy, yet the aftershocks of the war on terror remain entrenched in policy decisions, with implications that could very well threaten our future security and stability.

Real Clear DefenseMon 20th Sep

Ex-U.S. Intel Operatives Admit Hacking American Networks for UAE

WASHINGTON, Sept 14 (Reuters) - Three former U.S. intelligence operatives who worked as cyber spies for the United Arab Emirates admitted to violating U.S. hacking laws and prohibitions on selling sensitive military technology, under a deal to avoid prosecution announced on Tuesday.

The War ZoneMon 20th Sep

Navy Pilot Was Electrocuted By Power Lines After Ejecting From T-45 Jet Trainer: Report

A T-45 Goshawk jet trainer from Training Air Wing Two at Naval Air Station Kingsville crashed into a residential area in Lake Worth, Texas yesterday at around 11:30 AM. Both crewmen, an instructor pilot and a student, managed to eject, with the instructor landing in a wooded area without life-threatening injuries. The student pilot fared worse, having been entangled in power lines and electrocuted following the ejection sequence, according to a report from the local CBS affiliate, Channel 11. As a result, the student is now in critical condition at Parkland Hospital in Dallas. A parachute could be seen hanging from power lines in bystander images from the scene.

Breaking DefenseMon 20th Sep

Breaking Defense Announces Significant Growth With Additions to Editorial Staff

Valerie Insinna will be joining Breaking Defense as our Senior Reporter, Air Warfare and OSD. In this role, Valerie will have day to day responsibilities for covering the US Air Force, while serving as point person for major Pentagon policy and strategy developments. Valerie comes to Breaking Defense with extensive national security reporting expertise, having served as the air warfare beat reporter for Defense News for the last five years. During that time her work was recognized by numerous awards, including the prestigious National Press Club Michael A. Dornheim Award for defense journalism. She previously worked at Defense Daily, National Defense Magazine, and spent two years as the Washington correspondent for the Tokyo Chunichi Shimbun. A graduate of the renowned University of Missouri-Columbia journalism program, Valerie will start her new position at Breaking Defense on Oct. 4.

The War ZoneMon 20th Sep

Watch This RC-135 Spy Plane Make A Frightening Crosswind Landing In England (Updated)

On September 7th, 2021, an RC-135U Combat Sent electronic intelligence-gathering aircraft, one of just two in existence, made a frightening crosswind landing at RAF Mildenhall. The aircraft had returned from an intriguing mission that saw the aircraft circumnavigate the border of Russia's Kaliningrad enclave. 

Aviation ListSun 19th Sep

Let’s Talk About Next Generation Electronic Warfare Suite For The F-16 Recently Tested By Northrop Grumman

Northrop Grumman recently announced that the new Next Generation Electronic Warfare (NGEW) system was tested for the first time joined the AN/APG-83 Scalable Agile Beam Radar (SABR) at Exercise Northern Lightning, demonstrating the full interoperability of the two systems in a realistic and contested electromagnetic spectrum environment. The company used one of their flying testbeds, a CRJ-700 equipped with NGEW and a SABR radar inside an F-16’s nosecone.

Defense NewsSun 19th Sep

US Air Force picks same bomb-destroying robot used by the British Army

LONDON — L3Harris Technologies is providing robots to the U.S. Air Force to replace the service’s aging explosive ordnance disposal systems.

Aviation WeekSun 19th Sep

Inspiration4 Crew Returns After Three Days In Orbit

Real Clear DefenseSat 18th Sep

How China Exports Authoritarianism

In a speech to senior Chinese Communist Party (CCP) officials in July, Chinese leader Xi Jinping declared that China must do more to share the “story” of the party’s success with the rest of the world. In order to enhance the international influence of both the country and the party, Xi effectively asserted, Chinese officials should extol the virtues of China’s model of authoritarian governance abroad.

Real Clear DefenseSat 18th Sep

Mine Warfare in the Littorals

Integrating naval mining and mine countermeasures capabilities with EAB forces will improve sea-control and denial operations.

Real Clear DefenseSat 18th Sep

U.S. Generals Planning for a Space War They See As All but Inevitable

A ship in the Pacific Ocean carrying a high-power laser takes aim at a U.S. spy satellite, blinding its sensors and denying the United States critical eyes in the sky.

Real Clear DefenseSat 18th Sep

U.K. Awards Laser Weapon Experimental Contracts

LONDON: The UK Ministry of Defence has awarded a series of four-year contracts to industry to explore Directed Energy Weapon (DEW) demonstrator technologies in land and maritime environments.

Real Clear DefenseSat 18th Sep

New Cruise Missile Gives North Korea Lethal Capability

The long-range weapon could strike South Korea, Japan, and U.S. bases in the region.

Real Clear DefenseSat 18th Sep

North Korea Expanding Uranium Enrichment Plant

Real Clear DefenseSat 18th Sep

China Enters Taiwan Air Defence Zone

TAIPEI (Reuters) - Taiwan's air force scrambled on Friday to warn away 10 Chinese aircraft that entered its air defence zone, Taiwan's defence ministry said, the day after the island announced a $9 billion boost to military spending to counter the threat from China.

Real Clear DefenseSat 18th Sep

Northrop, Leonardo Team Up to Develop Unmanned Helios

LONDON — Two defense industry giants announced this week that they were teaming up to develop unmanned helicopters.Italy’s Leonardo Helicopters and U.S. manufacturer Northrop Grumman announced at the Defense and Security Equipment International trade show in London Sept. 15 that they would jointly pursue opportunities in the vertical take off and landing uncrewed aerial systems market.

Real Clear DefenseSat 18th Sep

USS Frank E. Petersen Jr. Completes Acceptance Trials

Sept. 17 (UPI) -- The USS Frank E. Petersen Jr. cleared another hurdle toward joining the Navy's fleet after it completed acceptance trials this week.

Real Clear DefenseSat 18th Sep

Can the SR-72 Live Up to the SR-71's Legacy?

The SR-71 was vital to collecting intelligence on enemy activities and movement. How might the SR-72 help fill the same role today?

Real Clear DefenseSat 18th Sep

XX-rated: Women Will Soon Become Eligible for the Draft

The prospect of this actually happening is remote, but a bipartisan consensus is about to become law

Real Clear DefenseSat 18th Sep

U.S. Military Sale to Saudi Arabia Moves Ahead

Some members of Congress have grown critical of US support to the Saudi government, some of it revolving around Saudi Arabia's involvement in the Yemeni civil war.

Real Clear DefenseSat 18th Sep

Sharing Information and Intelligence in the Pacific

A new ASPI report, The Pacific Fusion Centre: the challenge of sharing information and intelligence in the Pacific, finds that much remains to be done in this area. The report examines the Australian-sponsored Pacific Fusion Centre, which was established to provide strategic assessments on non-traditional security issues to Pacific island countries. The report concludes that although the PFC is a useful soft-power initiative, the Pacific still sorely needs a regional information fusion centre to produce and share actionable intelligence in the maritime domain.

Real Clear DefenseSat 18th Sep

Why Nothing Can Replace Large-Deck, Nuclear-Powered Carriers

On the day that America observed the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, its most potent tool for responding to future such assaults was operating near the places they are most likely to originate.

Real Clear DefenseSat 18th Sep

Su-75 Stealth Checkmate Fighter: Mass Production to Begin in 2025

The mass production of Russia’s Su-75 Checkmate fighter jet— a single-engine, fifth-generation stealth fighter aircraft under development by Sukhoi for export and for the Russian Aerospace Forces—is slated to start 2025 or 2026, according to Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Borisov.

The War ZoneSat 18th Sep

Bunker Talk: Let's Chat About All The Stories We Did And Didn't Cover This Week

Welcome to Bunker Talk. This is a weekend open discussion post for the best commenting crew on the net, in which we can chat about all the stuff that went on this week that we didn't cover. We can also talk about the stuff we did or whatever else grabs your interest. In other words, it's literally an off-topic thread.

The War ZoneSat 18th Sep

Russian-Made Mi-17 Helicopter Flown By Secretive U.S. Unit Lands In Farmer's Field

Earlier this year, Dan Moore, who owns a farm in North Carolina, had unusual visits by not one, but two secretive aircraft. After a Russian-made Mi-17 Hip-type helicopter made an emergency landing, a dark gray Bell 407 arrived with replacement parts. The Bell 407 may well have been one of a trio that flew around the greater Los Angeles area in California earlier this year, something The War Zone covered extensively, and both of these helicopters may belong to an especially shadowy U.S. military aviation unit.

The War ZoneSat 18th Sep

Damaged B-2 Moved To A Hangar Days After Skidding Off Runway, Airspace Restriction Lifted

After being damaged during an emergency landing that saw the bomber depart the runway Whiteman AIr Force Base in Missouri in the wee hours of the morning on Tuesday, September 14th, a stricken B-2 has finally been moved off the grass and into a hangar. The prized stealth bomber had come to a rest on its wing following an apparent main landing gear collapse after experiencing a major malfunction in flight. A temporary flight restriction was put into place around the B-2's home base as recovery and investigative efforts following the mishap commenced. 

Defense NewsFri 17th Sep

Europe’s first Multidomain Task Force tests high-altitude balloons for targeting in Norway

WASHINGTON — U.S. Army Europe and Africa’s first Multidomain Task Force was activated on Sept. 16, but the new unit has already cut its teeth in the theater at a long-range, precision-fires exercise in Norway, where officials experimented with high-altitude balloons for targeting, the new task force’s commander told Defense News.

Aviation WeekFri 17th Sep

U.S. Admits ‘Over the Horizon’  Afghanistan Strike Killed Civilians

The War ZoneFri 17th Sep

Lockheed Is Bringing Back The Airbus A330 Tanker To Compete Against Boeing

Lockheed Martin has formally unveiled its proposal, dubbed LMXT, to meet the U.S. Air Force's requirements for additional aerial refueling tankers to "bridge the gap" between the last expected deliveries of Boeing KC-46A Pegasuses and the acquisition of a future advanced tanker, a project currently referred to simply as KC-Z. The LMXT is based on the popular Airbus A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport, or MRTT, but has a number of features specifically for the Air Force, including additional networking and defensive capabilities. It also has the ability to carry 13 tons of additional fuel over the standard MRTT, for a total maximum load of just over 135 tons of gas, both for its own use and to dispense to receiver aircraft.

Aviation WeekFri 17th Sep

FAA Schedules Hearings On SpaceX Boca Chica Launch Plans

Defense NewsFri 17th Sep

As the US Air Force looks to the future of special operations, vertical lift takes center stage

WASHINGTON — In a future war against a technologically advanced peer like China or Russia, U.S. Air Force special operations forces will need aircraft that is faster, more survivable and capable of traversing longer ranges than the aircraft currently available, while still being able to launch from austere locations without a runway.

Aviation WeekFri 17th Sep

Boeing Announces New MQ-25 Factory

Defense NewsFri 17th Sep

Joint military drill to kick off in Ukraine as Congress seeks air defense boost for the country

WASHINGTON — Congress is keen to support Ukraine as the country tries to fill an air and missile defense capability, and lawmakers want to know how the Pentagon can help the ally.

Defense NewsFri 17th Sep

Squad and soldier performance may soon be measured by a ‘dashboard’

If you take a look at a World War II-era cockpit, you’ll see a range of measures on how the aircraft is doing.

Defense NewsFri 17th Sep

What are the regional reactions to the new US-UK-Australia security pact?

MELBOURNE, Australia — China has lashed out at plans by Australia to forge a closer alliance with the United States and the United Kingdom, which includes the sharing of nuclear-powered submarine technology. But other Indo-Pacific nations are reacting more cautiously.

Defense NewsFri 17th Sep

Here’s what a ‘green’ ship design could look like for the Royal Navy

LONDON —  Britain’s upcoming ships could feature new hulls and redesigned propellers and fins, as the Royal Navy races to play its part to build a more sustainable force over the next three decades.

Breaking DefenseFri 17th Sep

SPACECOM Needs More Data, Sensors To Track On-Orbit Threats

“We need data in seconds, not in minutes, not in hours, not in days. The more things we can get machine-to-machine, and get humans out of the loop, the better,” said Col. Scott Brodeur, director of Space Command’s National Space Defense Center (NSDC) and director of operations at the Joint Task Force-Space Defense (JTF-SD), on Thursday.

The War ZoneFri 17th Sep

UK Starts Work On A New Nuclear Submarine Right After Australia Says It's Looking To Buy

The United Kingdom has kicked off the process of introducing a next-generation nuclear-powered submarine, to replace the Royal Navy’s current Astute class. Investment in the new program, named the Submersible Ship Nuclear Replacement, or SSNR, was announced just two days after it was confirmed that the United Kingdom and the United States would work together with Australia to provide the latter with a new nuclear-powered submarine, at least eight of which are planned.

Aviation WeekFri 17th Sep

Canadian Consortium Produces First e-Fuel SAF

Defense NewsFri 17th Sep

Lockheed reveals new LMXT refueling tanker, firing the opening salvo in US Air Force competition

WASHINGTON — Lockheed Martin on Friday unveiled the LMXT aerial refueling tanker, which will go head-to-head with Boeing’s incumbent KC-46 in the U.S. Air Force’s upcoming bridge tanker competition.

The War ZoneFri 17th Sep

Tucson Mystery Drone Had Rotors According To Border Patrol Helicopter Aircrew's Emails

A helicopter belonging to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, or CBP, encountered what was described as a “highly modified drone” over Tucson, Arizona earlier this year on February 9 as it flew through controlled airspace near Davis-Monthan Air Force Base. A Tucson Police Department Air Support helicopter was called in to aid the CBP crew, at which point both aircraft pursued the remarkably wily drone as it easily evaded them and eventually outran them to the northwest. Dan Marries of KOLD in Tucson broke the initial story of the drone encounter after interviewing a special agent with the FBI, which announced an investigation the same day. The War Zone has since obtained the Tucson Police Department’s official report from the incident, as well as air traffic audio recorded during the encounter. Now, we have obtained an after-action internal email from CBP that shows the aircrew was able to identify the craft as a drone with quadcopter-like rotors.

Aviation WeekFri 17th Sep

Sweden’s BRA, ATR And Neste To Demo 100% SAF

Breaking DefenseFri 17th Sep

Lockheed Unveils New Tanker Design: LMXT

Lockheed on Friday unveiled its LMXT tanker design, which is one that should be familiar to tanker aficionados: the platform is largely built off Airbus’ Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) with some technical upgrades and an extended range.

Aviation WeekFri 17th Sep

Shenzhou-12 Crew Returns After 3-Month Mission

Breaking DefenseFri 17th Sep

DoD Buys Two New Supercomputers That Rank Among Its Most Powerful Ever

“These are significant assets,” Kevin Newmeyer, deputy director of the Defense Department’s High Performance Computing Modernization Program (HPCMP), told Breaking Defense. “They bring to us an increase in our computing capacity and the latest advanced chips for artificial intelligence work and storage to support applications of both computational and machine learning concepts within the same computer that we hope will deliver products and services to the warfighter faster.”

Real Clear DefenseFri 17th Sep

The Marines Are Looking for a Few Older People

The Corps’ shift to a lighter, distributed force requires skills and judgment that may be easier to recruit than build, training chief says.

Aviation WeekFri 17th Sep

South Korea Tests New Air-Launched Stand-Off Weapon 

Aviation WeekFri 17th Sep

Diehl Proposes Modernized IRIS-T For FCAS

Overt DefenseFri 17th Sep

DSEI 2021: Rheinmetall Debuts Brimstone-Armed Mission Master XT UGV

Rheinmetall’s Mission Master XT unmanned ground vehicle made its United Kingdom debut at Defence and Security Equipment International 2021, equipped with a Brimstone missile launcher as part of an all-new Fire Support module for the UGV.

Breaking DefenseFri 17th Sep

UK Awards Laser Weapon Experimental Contracts

According to an announcement during the DSEI exhibition and conference in London, the MoD has picked three industry teams to split £72.5 million ($100 million) in funding in order to produce “advanced laser and radio frequency demonstrators” as part of the Novel Weapon Programme (NWP).

Aviation WeekFri 17th Sep

USAF Acknowledges Dissimilar Air Combat Training Mission For F-117s

Aviation WeekFri 17th Sep

Brazilian Car Rental Company Plans eVTOL Order

Overt DefenseFri 17th Sep

India Makes Fresh Attempt To Urgently Procure Minesweepers

The Indian Navy has released a Request For Information (RFI) that seeks to procure or lease three to four Mine Countermeasure Vessels (MCMV) through a Government to Government agreement. The first MCMV is to be delivered within 10 months of the contract award, with the following vessels being delivered at 4 month intervals. In the case of a lease, the lease period is for 10 years, with a possible extension to 15 years. There is also an option to acquire the vessels at the end of that period.

Defense NewsFri 17th Sep

Army gears up for Rapid Trident Exercise in Ukraine

Roughly 300 U.S. soldiers will join approximately 6,000 troops from 12 nations participating in an annual multinational training exercise in Ukraine later this month.

Overt DefenseFri 17th Sep

DSEI 2021: Rheinmetall Shows Off Challenger 3 Trophy-MV Setup

A Challenger 3 main battle tank equipped with the Trophy Medium Vehicle active protection system is among the headline exhibits at Rheinmetall BAE Systems Land’s booth at the Defence and Security Equipment International 2021 exhibition, the first time RBSL has publicly displayed a configuration for the Rafael-made hard-kill APS following the announcement in June that the APS had been selected for integration trials.

Breaking DefenseFri 17th Sep

New Australia Nuclear Sub Deal Brings Big Questions, Hard Road Ahead

Dubbed AUKUS, the surprise agreement between the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia, as described by Biden, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, includes an agreement to share highly sensitive nuclear propulsion technology with the end goal of Australia establishing a conventionally armed but nuclear-powered submarine program.

Overt DefenseFri 17th Sep

DSEI 2021: CV90 with New D-Series Turret Unveiled

BAE Systems displayed the CV90 with the new D-Series turret for the first time at DSEI 2021. The turret was selected by the Royal Netherlands Army as part of their extensive $500 million mid-life upgrade program for the CV9035NL. The D-Series turret configuration has also subsequently been offered to the Czech Republic.

Breaking DefenseFri 17th Sep

Want To Solve Supply Chain Security? Do Business Differently

In 2018, the Defense Department submitted a unique report on the defense industrial base in response to Executive Order 13806. The findings were not encouraging: the review warned macro forces at work across the industrial base were producing a “deterioration in US capabilities,” and that there was “a surprising level of foreign dependence on competitor nations.”

Aviation ListFri 17th Sep

MQ-25 Stingray Tests Move Forward With First F-35C Lightning II Air-To-Air Refueling

The U.S. Navy announced a few days ago the latest milestone of the MQ-25 Stingray unmanned tanker program, with the drone refueling for the first time the Navy’s newest fighter aircraft, the F-35C Lightning II. The successful test was conducted on September 13, 2021 near MidAmerica St. Louis Airport in Mascoutah (Illinois) and involved the Boeing-owned MQ-25 test asset, known as T1, an F-35C from Air Test Wing and Evaluation Squadron Two Three (VX-23) and an EA-18G Growler of the same unit as safety chase.

Real Clear DefenseFri 17th Sep

DAPRA's 6th Generation Fighter Technology

DARPA’s effort to incorporate Active Flow Control in military aircraft could eliminate the need for moving flight control surfaces, and while that might not sound like very groundbreaking technology, it might be the biggest shift in aircraft design since the inception of stealth more than a half-century ago.

Real Clear DefenseFri 17th Sep

Why Nuclear Submarines for Australia Make Perfect Sense

Real Clear DefenseFri 17th Sep

Adding New AETP Engine Means Air Force Alone Would Pay for It

The Air Force would have to bear the full development and integration cost of putting new Adaptive Engine Technology Program engines in its F-35 fleet because the other services can’t fit the powerplants in their versions of the fighter, F-35 Program Executive Officer Lt. Gen. Eric T. Fick told reporters Sept. 15.

Real Clear DefenseFri 17th Sep

Soldiers Test Suitcase-Sized Tank Killer

After recent testing, soldiers are one step closer to having a suitcase-sized solution for small, dismounted units to fend off a tank advance.

Real Clear DefenseFri 17th Sep

Overwhelming Public Support for Spending on Nuclear Deterrence

Most Americans support revamping the United States’ aging nuclear triad — which is made up of land-based intercontinental ballistic missiles, long-range bombers and ballistic missile submarines — with more modern capabilities, according to a new survey released Sep. 16.Researchers found that the broader public agrees that Washington should prioritize nuclear deterrence and modernization, said the study which was commissioned by the Air Force Association’s Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies. Legacy systems are reaching retirement age at the same time over the next decade or so.

Real Clear DefenseFri 17th Sep

British Military Intel Chief Has 'Ambitious Plans' for Automation

LONDON — British defense analysts have access to more data and information sources than ever before, but are desperate for mature automation tools to properly sift through them all, said the nation’s top intelligence officer.

Real Clear DefenseFri 17th Sep

Sunk! France Cries Outrage Over Snubbed Subs

Real Clear DefenseFri 17th Sep

The Challenge of China's Rising Power on the Seas

A naval arms race has surfaced in the Pacific, forcing the U.S. to find ways to counter Beijing’s ambitions without spurring a conflict.

Real Clear DefenseFri 17th Sep

AFSOC Looking to Make MC-130J Amphibious

The U.S. Air Force in particular is looking to disperse its aircraft and airmen, and the service's special operators are now hustling to equip their workhorse plane to operate on land and water.

Real Clear DefenseFri 17th Sep

USG Warns of 'Serious Risk' to Defense Contractors

Real Clear DefenseFri 17th Sep

Small Businesses Doing Big Things in DoD Space Programs

Every six months or so, U.S. Space Command officials drop by the Catalyst Campus in Colorado Springs to check out space objects data that commercial companies collect and analyze in a software lab nicknamed “Dragon Army.”

Real Clear DefenseFri 17th Sep

Aircraft Carrier Evolutions: Platforms for the Future?

In early August 2021, India began sea trials of its latest aircraft carrier, while China’s next carrier looks to be almost ready to launch. Italy’s new large aviation-capable amphibious ship (LHD) also started trials in August. In addition, the United Kingdom and the United States are already looking at the next steps in the development of their carrier capabilities, not least the incorporation of uninhabited aerial vehicles (UAVs). These and other developments offer pointers about the evolution of future carrier capabilities globally, while also raising questions about directions in development.

Defense NewsFri 17th Sep

How the Afghan withdrawal impacts US-China competition

Each time the world’s most powerful country admits some degree of failure, it is inevitable that such a decision will have sweeping — and lasting — consequences. The United States’ withdrawal from Afghanistan, ending a two-decades-long presence, will be no exception. The decision undoubtedly sets a dangerous precedent for the future.

Aviation WeekFri 17th Sep

Lockheed Martin Unveils LMXT Design For Bridge Tanker

Lockheed Martin Unveils LMXT Design For Bridge Tanker is available to both Aviation Week & Space Technology and AWIN subscribers.

Defense NewsFri 17th Sep

British, Italian F-35s to get new missile types

LONDON – MBDA and BAE Systems have secured additional funding from the British and Italian governments to complete integration of key weapon systems destined to add capability to their F-35 combat jet fleets, the companies announced Sept 17.

The War ZoneThu 16th Sep

Behold F-117s On Their Historic Deployment To Fresno In These Stunning Shots

We were first to report on the arrival of F-117s at Fresno-Yosemite International Airport in California and to get confirmation that they were there to train against resident F-15C/Ds from the California Air National Guard's 144th Fighter Wing in an aggressor role. Now we are seeing amazing images coming from the historic deployment. This includes stunning captures from aviation photographers, as well as content from the 144th Fighter Wing itself, which marks a new disclosure paradigm for the officially retired F-117's second shot at life. The message couldn't be more clear: the jet is slowly stepping back out of the shadows after years of very shy operations.

Breaking DefenseThu 16th Sep

USG Warns Of ‘Critical’ Vulnerability That Poses ‘Serious Risk’ To Defense Contractors, Others

The vulnerability, CVE-2021-40539, is in Indian tech company Zoho’s ManageEngine ADSelfService Plus, a tool intended to help users create and use strong passwords as well as manage single sign-on (SSO) functionality. ManageEngine is used by organizations as a self-service password solution for cloud applications, virtual private networks (VPNs), and Microsoft’s Active Directory. Active Directory is used by organizations to administer employees’ credentials, privileges, and access controls for organizational IT resources.

Aviation WeekThu 16th Sep

MBDA, BAE Systems Contracted To Finalize UK F-35 Weapons Integration

Defense NewsThu 16th Sep

Biden taps Guertin to lead operational test and evaluation at DoD

President Joe Biden on Thursday said he intends to nominate Nickolas Guertin to serve as director of operational test and evaluation at the Department of Defense.

Aviation WeekThu 16th Sep

Hyundai, Urban-Air Port To Develop 65 Vertiports Worldwide

Aviation WeekThu 16th Sep

U.S., Australia Plan More Deployments, Industry Collaboration

Breaking DefenseThu 16th Sep

Nuke Sub Accord ‘First Step’ For Deeper US-Aussie Cooperation; Aussies Get NRO Ties

On top of the groundbreaking, if clumsily named, AUKUS agreement announced yesterday to help Australia join the six countries with nuclear powered submarines, Dutton announced that his department and the NRO, builder and operator of America’s spy satellites, have a new agreement covering “a broad range of satellite activities.”

Aviation WeekThu 16th Sep

Sutherland Satellite Launch Site Secures Final Approvals

Aviation ListThu 16th Sep

The U.S. Air Force Has Just Released The First Official Photos Of The F-117 Deployment To Fresno

The first photographs along with a press release about the F-117 stealth jets deployment to California have eventually been published by the U.S. Air Force on the DVIDS (Defense Visual Information Distribution Service) network.

Aviation WeekThu 16th Sep

Peter Thiel Boosts Hyperspectral Sat  Startup HySpecIQ With Funds

The War ZoneThu 16th Sep

Australia To Buy Tomahawk Cruise Missiles, Will Get At Least Eight Nuclear Submarines

The Australian government says it will buy U.S.-made Tomahawk cruise missiles for the Royal Australian Navy, which it will integrate onto its Hobart class destroyers. The announcement of the planned purchase of these long-range strike weapons comes as Australia works to bolsters its military capabilities, especially in the maritime domain, in the face of an increasingly powerful China. This also comes just a day after the country revealed it was embarking on a program to acquire nuclear-powered submarines in cooperation with the United States and the United Kingdom, a major decision that you can read about more in The War Zone's initial reporting here.

Aviation WeekThu 16th Sep

Hamburg Test Zone Trials Drone U-Space Services

Aviation WeekThu 16th Sep

Leonardo, Northrop Grumman Team On Future Rotorcraft UAS 

Aviation WeekThu 16th Sep

China’s Heli-Eastern And EHang Partner On UAM

Defense NewsThu 16th Sep

Procurement decision for powerful Navy jammer heads to court

WASHINGTON — L3Harris Technologies has filed suit Sept. 7 in the Court of Federal Claims protesting a decision by the Government Accountability Office requiring the Navy to potentially reopen discussion and request revised proposals for the next increment of a powerful airborne jammer.

Defense NewsThu 16th Sep

British Army’s land industrial base strategy due out this year

WASHINGTON — The British Army is crafting its new Land Industrial Base Strategy, meant to move the service toward a more collaborative relationship with industry as it develops a force capable of fighting on the future battlefield, according to Col. Tobias Lambert, the British Army’s assistant head of industrial strategy.

Defense NewsThu 16th Sep

UK’s future force to lean heavily into robotics, AI and hybrid power

WASHINGTON — The British Army is leaning heavily into robotics, artificial intelligence and hybrid-power technology as part of a new acquisition process dubbed Mercury, according to a British Army leader involved in future procurement planning.

Aviation WeekThu 16th Sep

DeMuro Out, Shanahan In At SPAC Eyeing Eve Urban Air Mobility

Breaking DefenseThu 16th Sep

Biden Taps Sherman For Pentagon CIO, Guertin For OT&E

The nominations, which could come as soon as this afternoon, would go a long way to filling out DoD’s technical leadership.

Defense NewsThu 16th Sep

Lockheed refines bid to modernize the Greek frigate fleet. Here’s what it’s offering.

WASHINGTON — American defense company Lockheed Martin is continuing to update its bid to build the Hellenic Navy’s new frigates and modernize its current ones, with Greece set to choose a path forward for its surface fleet by the end of the year.

Overt DefenseThu 16th Sep

DSEI 2021: Rheinmetall Debuts Boxer Mortar Module

Rheinmetall debuted an 81mm mortar mission module for their Boxer armored fighting vehicle at Defence and Security Equipment International 2021, with a demonstrator vehicle on display next to their Challenger 3 demonstrator.

Defense NewsThu 16th Sep

British defense boss commiserates a bit with France over Australia submarine breakup

LONDON – British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace admitted if he were French he would be extremely disappointed over the Australian decision to ax a $65 billion deal with Naval Group to build diesel electric-submarines, but he said the move was done for strategic, not industrial, reasons.

The War ZoneThu 16th Sep

C-130s Operate From A Wyoming Highway To Train To Fight Against A Major Adversary

A U.S. Air Force C-130J Hercules airlifter landed on and then took off from a four-lane highway in rural Wyoming recently in the latest roadway landing exercise to take place in the United States. The maneuvers, which follow a previous drill conducted on a strip of Michigan highway last month, involving A-10 Warthog attack jets and C-146 Wolfhound special operations transports, reflect the service’s renewed interest in ways to operate in high-threat environments where access to conventional runways may be impossible, or at least greatly reduced.

Defense NewsThu 16th Sep

British military intel chief has ‘ambitious plans’ for automation

LONDON — British defense analysts have access to more data and information sources than ever before, but are desperate for mature automation tools to properly sift through them all, said the nation’s top intelligence officer.

Defense NewsThu 16th Sep

Air Force begins construction of simulation and wargaming facility for space and lasers

WASHINGTON — The Air Force Research Laboratory is marking the next step in the development of its space-related infrastructure at Kirtland Air Force Base in New Mexico, beginning construction on a facility dedicated to simulation and analysis last week.

Aviation WeekThu 16th Sep

French eVTOL Startup Secures Funding Boost

Breaking DefenseThu 16th Sep

Space Force Calls For ‘Trash Trucks’ For All The Orbiting Junk

“We need to pick up debris — we need trash trucks. We need things to go make debris go away,” she told the Advanced Maui Optical and Space Surveillance Technologies Conference here on Wednesday. “That’s definitely a need, and I think there is a use case for industry to get after that as a service-based opportunity.”

The War ZoneThu 16th Sep

F-22 Export Briefing Shows What It Would Have Taken To Sell The Raptor Abroad

The story of Lockheed's F-22A Raptor stealth fighter has been and remains contentious in many ways, especially with regards to the short-sighted decision to curtail its production run and debates over whether or not to start building them again. The matter of exporting the jets still stirs strong opinions more than a decade after Congress made it impossible to do so for fear of the secrets of the aircraft's many sensitive components and capabilities leaking out. However, lawmakers did also ask the U.S. Air Force to look into exactly what it might take to make an export version of the F-22, and The War Zone has now obtained a declassified copy of a detailed briefing into just what that study found.

Aviation WeekThu 16th Sep

France Frustrated by Australian Nuclear Submarine Plans

Real Clear DefenseThu 16th Sep

The U.S. Navy's Nuclear Proliferation Problem

U.S. Navy reactors currently use about 100 nuclear bombs’ worth of HEU each year, more than all of the world’s other reactors combined.

Overt DefenseThu 16th Sep

DSEI 2021: Leonardo Unveil UK Medium Helicopter Bid Team

Leonardo is putting forward its latest-generation military AW149 helicopter for the British Army’s New Medium Helicopter requirement focused on replacing the Puma. At DSEI 2021 Leonardo highlighted nine UK-based suppliers from across the North-West, North-East and other UK regions which will help deliver a British-made AW149 platform if it is chosen to replace the Puma by the UK’s Ministry of Defence

Aviation WeekThu 16th Sep

Sea Guardian Marks First CAA-Cleared Point-to-Point UK UAS Flight

Real Clear DefenseThu 16th Sep

U.S. Experiences Influencing Tempest Next-Gen Jet Fighter Program

LONDON — A mockup of the first third or so of the multi-national Tempest sixth-generation jet fighter jutted out on the floor of the DSEI conference in London. The flags of four nations hung above the fake cockpit — the United Kingdom, Sweden, Italy and Japan.Next to it, a small-scale model of the Tempest, followed by two unmanned jet models “flying” in formation, sat in the center of the program’s massive booth at the exhibition. But the mockup and models were at best an educated guess as to what the Tempest might look like. Officials at a panel discussion held next to the booth said they were several years away from finalizing the design of the future fighter. Three years after the program was announced at the Farnborough International Airshow, the program is still in the conceptual stage, and will remain so until 2025.

Real Clear DefenseThu 16th Sep

How the U.S. Navy Should Fight in a Great Power Competition

WASHINGTON — An ongoing Global Posture Review and a 2022 update to the National Defense Strategy will provide the U.S. Navy more clarity on what its roles and expectations are in the future, as the maritime space increasingly sees activities that the service considers aggressive but under the threshold of war.

Overt DefenseThu 16th Sep

DSEI 2021: Milrem Robotics Displays Mine Roller Equipped UGV

Robotics and autonomous systems manufacturer Milrem Robotics’ presence at Defence and Security Equipment International 2021 featured the Estonian company’s collaboration with other manufacturers, with their systems integrated onto the company’s THeMIS and Type X unmanned ground vehicles.

Aviation WeekThu 16th Sep

Leonardo, 2Excel Begin Progressing 757 Tempest Testbed

Defense NewsThu 16th Sep

Shipbuilder Austal USA names new president

WASHINGTON — Austal USA said this week its board has promoted Rusty Murdaugh to president of the shipbuilding company.

Defense NewsThu 16th Sep

Australia details its nuclear-submarine ambitions

MELBOURNE, Australia – The Australian government has established a Future Nuclear Submarine Task Force which will work with U.K. and U.S. counterparts over the next twelve to eighteen months to determine the best way to acquire the boats.

Overt DefenseThu 16th Sep

DSEI 2021: Saab Unveils Next-Generation CB90 NG & Confirms Work On Unmanned Capability

Saab has revealed its next-generation combat boat, the CB90 NG, at Defence and Security Equipment International (DSEI) 2021. The CB90 NG, which has already been delivered to the Swedish Navy as the ‘Docksta CB 90HSM’, features several improvements over the legacy CB90. According to Saab, this includes “a new combat management system and sensors for surveillance, ballistic protection, as well as further improved stealth, maneuverability and speed.”  

Breaking DefenseThu 16th Sep

Can The US Army Transform Without A New Approach to Warfare?

When the US Army talks about transforming itself, it focuses primarily on new, advanced capabilities, and on streamlining the acquisition system. And there is a lot to be positive about in Army’s success in accelerating development of an array of new and hopefully significantly more capable weapons systems, platforms, and enablers.

Defense NewsThu 16th Sep

To get F-35 performance-based logistics contract, Lockheed will have to give up tech data

WASHINGTON — The Defense Department could be ready to jump into a performance-based logistics contract with Lockheed Martin to sustain the F-35 as soon as its recently inked agreement expires in fiscal 2023, the Pentagon’s program executive said Wednesday.

Overt DefenseThu 16th Sep

DSEI 2021: Milrem Robotics Announce New THeMIS UGV Partnerships

Milrem Robotics have announced a number of new partnerships at DSEI 2021. Milrem and Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace are set to develop a new Robotic Combat Vehicle (RCV) – Nordic Robotic Wingman. Milrem are also set to work with several companies who will provide Remote Weapon Stations. MSI-Defence Systems Limited (MSI-DSL) will leverage Milrem’s THeMIS unmanned ground vehicles and MSI-DSL’s remote weapon system and electrical optical sensors. They will also partner with French company Hornet to fit their Remote Controlled Weapon System (RCWS) to THeMIS.

Aviation ListThu 16th Sep

Those Sharp Looking Red-tailed P-3C Orions You See Flying Around the Florida Skies

I’ve lived in Florida for over twenty years. I’ve been from corner to corner, edge-to-edge. I once counted 168 alligators along the side of the Tamiami Trail in the Everglades – mere feet from passing traffic. I’ve come to know to stay away from I-4 if it winds anywhere near Orlando or Tampa. In total juxtaposition to the rapidly expanding urban sprawl is one of the coolest parts of this massive state: its interior. Drive ten miles east of Tampa and you will find yourself in a different world, literally. Air plants hanging within five feet from the top of your car on some of the most rural beautiful roads the United States has to offer. Trees intertwined by enormous orb webs “manned” by harmless, and docile, banana spiders (Trichonephila clavipes) bigger than your hand. Farms that have been there for hundreds of years, some inhabited, many not. Driving through the interior of the state of Florida gives one the impression they have transitioned into the deep south and all that has to offer.

Real Clear DefenseThu 16th Sep

'Extremely Serious': Chinese Maritime Militia Enters Senkakus

The Japanese government filed a protest with Beijing after seven Chinese coast guard ships — four outfitted with “cannons” — appeared together last month in waters around disputed southern islets in the East China Sea.

Real Clear DefenseThu 16th Sep

Vulnerability of Expeditionary Aerospace Logistics

Real Clear DefenseThu 16th Sep

North Korea's 'New Type Long-Range Cruise Missile'

Real Clear DefenseThu 16th Sep

North Korea's Calculated Restraint

Real Clear DefenseThu 16th Sep

Australia's Nuclear Submarine Deal Negotiated in Great Secrecy

Real Clear DefenseThu 16th Sep

F-35's Century of Dominance?

Real Clear DefenseThu 16th Sep

Army Leader Touts Modernization Efforts Across the Pond

LONDON – The  U.S. Army is collaborating with the United Kingdom as it modernizes its force, said a service official Sept. 14. The land branch is partnering with its close ally on emerging technology to better face the growing threat of Russia and China, noted U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Erik Peterson, deputy chief of staff, G-8.

Real Clear DefenseThu 16th Sep

Marine Corps Officers Need Better Naval Integration Education

After 20 years fighting insurgency ashore, the survival and success of the Marine Corps relies on a return to the maritime mind-set with their Navy and Coast Guard kin. Commandant of the Marine Corps General David H. Berger has prioritized Marine Corps–Navy integration as an “imperative,” telling Marines that “The Marine Corps will undergo an aggressive naval education program—ranging from the conceptual understanding of naval theory and history down to tactical-level schools and courses.”

Real Clear DefenseThu 16th Sep

F-117 Nighthawks Show Up to Train Against F-15s

The world’s first operational stealth aircraft, the F-117 Nighthawk, made a surprise appearance in Fresno, California this week, despite being officially retired since 2008. The Nighthawks, which were spotted alongside F-15 Eagles from the 144th Fighter Wing, made the trip to square off against the air superiority jets in what are expected to be training missions meant to prepare the Air National Guard’s F-15s and their pilots for the threat posed by stealthy foreign fighters like China’s J-20 and Russia’s Su-57.

Real Clear DefenseThu 16th Sep

Why China Loves America's Defense Budget Inaction

If slow is bad, late is worse when it comes to competing with China. But it seems Congress is poised to enact yet another spending freeze to start the fiscal year. This expectation is already baked into the cake for federal employees, contracting officials, and defense industry workers.

Real Clear DefenseThu 16th Sep

U.S. Builds Bulwark Against China With U.K.-Australia Security Pact

Allies send signal to Beijing with nuclear-powered submarine boost for Canberra’s navy.

Real Clear DefenseThu 16th Sep

F-35 Risks Falling Behind China, Russia Threats, Panel Warns

Lockheed Martin Corp.’s F-35, the world’s costliest weapons system, may fail to keep pace with Chinese and Russian air defense improvements given its “extraordinary costs” so far, the U.S. House defense policy committee has warned.

Defense NewsThu 16th Sep

Congress should authorize and fund supply chain improvements in FY22 legislation

Rivalry with China and Russia, as well as external events such as the COVID-19 pandemic, pose serious risks to the integrity and availability of the U.S. Defense Department’s critical supplies. The department is seized with concern about supply chain risk management, or SCRM — as it should be — but its approach is subscale, fragmented, resource-inefficient and too narrowly focused. This must change, and Congress must help.

Aviation WeekThu 16th Sep

Inspiration4 Civilian Mission Launches to Orbit on SpaceX Falcon 9

COLORADO SPRINGS -- A SpaceX Falcon 9 successfully launched Inspiration4, the first all-civilian, non-government human spaceflight, from Kennedy Space Center, Florida, to begin its three-day mission in low Earth orbit.

The War ZoneThu 16th Sep

It Looks Like A C-130 Seaplane Is Finally Happening

Back in May, we reported on the fact that U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) really wanted to make the long-standing dream of a C-130 seaplane a reality. In fact, the so-called MC-130J Amphibious Capability, or MAC, was listed as one of its new procurement priorities. While we had a grainy little rendering of what this could look like when we filed that report, as well as other historical design concepts, we now have a far better look at exactly what they want, and yes, it is a C-130 on floats.

Real Clear DefenseThu 16th Sep

Semiconductors: The Skills Shortage

Real Clear DefenseThu 16th Sep

Polaris Debuts Upgraded Ultralight Tactical Vehicle

LONDON — Polaris Government and Defense unveiled an upgraded version of its popular MRZR ultralight tactical wheeled vehicle on the first day of the DSEI trade show in London.The MRZR family of platforms has been widely used throughout the world since its 2013 debut, and is now employed by some 50 militaries.

Real Clear DefenseThu 16th Sep

Navy's MQ-25 Tanker Drone Refuels F-35C Stealth Fighter

The U.S. Navy’s new MQ-25 Stingray carrier-based tanker drone demonstrator has now refueled the F-35C Lightning II, as the program continues to rack up milestones on its path to frontline service. Topping up the carrier variant of the Joint Strike Fighter means that the EA-18G Growler electronic warfare jet and the CMV-22B Osprey tilt-rotor are the only probe-equipped receiver in the service's modern carrier air wing that has yet to link up with the Stingray test article, also known as T1. Previous refueling trials were conducted this summer between the MQ-25 and the F/A-18F Super Hornet and E-2D Advanced Hawkeye, which has added a new refueling capability in recent years.

Real Clear DefenseThu 16th Sep

The Navy's Last Stealth Zumwalt Destroyer Has a Huge Problem

The Navy is taking a different tack with the USS Lyndon B. Johnson, opting for more Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers first. Nonetheless, the new stealth destroyer may enter service with no large weapons platforms to defend itself.

The War ZoneThu 16th Sep

North Korea Is Now Launching Ballistic Missiles From Trains And That's A Big Deal (Updated)

North Korea has revealed that a pair of ballistic missiles it test-fired earlier today were launched using a previously unknown railway-based system. A railcar-based missile launcher would offer a relatively cheap way for the North Koreans to field additional missiles in a way that would make them significantly less vulnerable to preemptive or counter-attacks.

The War ZoneWed 15th Sep

Australian Navy Goes Nuclear With Future Submarine Force

The Royal Australian Navy is set to get a fleet of nuclear-powered submarines as part of a new trilateral advanced defense agreement with the United States and the United Kingdom. The Australian government is also reportedly poised to cancel its long-troubled deal with French shipbuilder Naval Group to build advanced conventionally-powered attack submarines for the Royal Australian Navy as a result.

Overt DefenseWed 15th Sep

Australia Goes Nuclear: Will Acquire Nuclear-Powered Attack Submarines

In a surprise move, Australia looks set to acquire nuclear-powered attack submarines in partnership with the United States and the United Kingdom. In a joint press conference, President Biden, Prime Minister Morrison and Prime Minister Johnson announced the program and the creation of a wider strategic partnership, to be known as “AUKUS”.  

Aviation WeekWed 15th Sep

Rolls-Royce’s Accel Electric Aircraft Takes Flight

The War ZoneWed 15th Sep

Damaged B-2 Spirit Is Sitting Wing-Down Off The Runway After Landing Mishap

We were first to report on a mishap that occurred in the early hours of Tuesday, September 14th, 2021, and involved one of just 20 B-2 Spirit stealth bombers in existence. The incident occurred after the stealth bomber had malfunctioned on a training flight and made an emergency landing at its home airfield—Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri—at around 12:40 AM local time. The aircraft was subsequently damaged upon touching down and restrictions were placed over airspace within six miles of the rural base. While we received an official comment that the incident did indeed occur and that the aircraft was damaged, the extent of the damage was not released. It now appears that the B-2 made a 'runway excursion,' ending up wing-down in the grass beside Whiteman's only runway. 

Breaking DefenseWed 15th Sep

In Surprise Move US, UK Agree To Share Nuclear Submarine Tech With Australia

The agreement, which could potentially alter the future strategic balance in the Pacific, is expected to scrap a current high-dollar Australian submarine purchase from France. The “AUKUS” arrangement — for Australia, UK, US — is set to be announced in a joint virtual press conference by the leaders of the three countries this evening.

Defense NewsWed 15th Sep

New pact with the US and UK is set to sink Australia’s historic submarine buy from France

WASHINGTON ― The U.S. and U.K. will aid Australia’s ambitions for a nuclear-powered submarine fleet as part of a new trilateral security partnership that leaders of the three counties are set to announce Wednesday.

Aviation ListWed 15th Sep

This Video Provides The Most Detailed View To The Officially Retired (But Still Flying) F-117s So Far

No, the one you can find below is not a video filmed some time in the past, when the F-117 Nighthawks were still operational at their homebase at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico, or somewhere else across the world. The clip was filmed on Sept. 14, 2021, at Fresno Yosemite International Airport, in central California, where two stealth jets deployed the day before to carry out dissimilar air combat training with the local-based 144th Fighter Wing, California Air National Guard, equipped with F-15C/D Eagles.

Defense NewsWed 15th Sep

UK Space Command: Step one for space domain awareness is bringing data together

WASHINGTON — The first step in improving the United Kingdom’s space domain awareness is bringing existing data together, said the head of the country’s new Space Command.

Aviation WeekWed 15th Sep

Space Force Seeks Hub For Electromagnetic Warfare

Defense NewsWed 15th Sep

British Army chief talks Taliban, TikTok and the United States

LONDON — Britain’s Army chief came to DSEI to make a keynote speech about the Army’s transformation plans and efforts to embrace data, digitization and cutting-edge technologies. But reporters were more interested in asking him about Afghanistan and the recent withdrawal, in which the British military played a significant role.

Defense NewsWed 15th Sep

Leonardo fine-tunes its 757 jetliner converted into a Tempest test rig

ROME – Leonardo has announced more details of the 757 test bed aircraft it will use in the Tempest program, including a 28 ton payload for equipment and six locations for sensors.

Aviation WeekWed 15th Sep

Afghan Crisis Prompts European Calls for Greater Defense Cooperation

Breaking DefenseWed 15th Sep

Tempest Fighter To Wield Flying ‘Excalibur’ Lab For Digital Dominance

Leonardo UK today announced it had awarded the UK’s 2Excel Aviation an undisclosed contract to turn a commercial airliner into a “flying laboratory” for tech that could be incorporated into the sixth-generation fighter, as “Team Tempest” prepares to enter its flight test phase.

Defense NewsWed 15th Sep

See Taiwanese jets take off from rural roads, and more from its latest drill

Image 1 of 9

Defense NewsWed 15th Sep

UK industry team demos new counter-missile protection for armored vehicles

WASHINGTON — A U.K.-based industry team led by Italian defense company Leonardo has successfully demonstrated a new system to protect tanks and armored vehicles from incoming missiles, according to a Sept. 15 statement issued by Leonardo at the DSEI defense exhibition in London.

Aviation WeekWed 15th Sep

Aerospace Private Equity Specialist AEI Bulking Up UAV Business

Defense NewsWed 15th Sep

Japan could become partner nation on UK-led future fighter effort, says program director

LONDON — Japan could be the next partner nation for the trinational, British-led next-generation fighter program, an official hinted at the DSEI arms trade show in London.

The War ZoneWed 15th Sep

South Korea Tests Four New Missiles After North Korean Launches

South Korea has followed up last week’s reported test of a North Korean land-attack cruise missile by announcing a raft of new weapons of its own, including what it describes as a “high-power” ballistic missile able to carry a heavier warhead than previous weapons. Also revealed today was a supersonic anti-ship cruise missile, which has also been successfully tested, and which apparently features a ramjet propulsion system. These were just part of a flurry of new details about South Korean missile developments, also including a new air-launched long-range cruise missile, while Seoul’s previously disclosed submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) is now reported to have completed a full launch sequence.

Breaking DefenseWed 15th Sep

Distributed Maritime Operations: Dispersing The Fleet For Survivability And Lethality

We then talk to Mike Meaney, vice president of Northrop Grumman’s Maritime/Land Systems & Sensors division, to discuss two important programs enabling DMO: the Marine Corps’ AN/TPS-80 Ground/Air Task-Oriented Radar (G/ATOR); and the Navy’s Surface Electronic Warfare Improvement Program (SEWIP) Block 3 program, which will upgrade the fleet’s capability to electronically attack anti-ship missiles.

Defense NewsWed 15th Sep

Two upcoming documents will reveal how the US Navy should fight in a great power competition

WASHINGTON — An ongoing Global Posture Review and a 2022 update to the National Defense Strategy will provide the U.S. Navy more clarity on what its roles and expectations are in the future, as the maritime space increasingly sees activities that the service considers aggressive but under the threshold of war.

Defense NewsWed 15th Sep

Northrop, Leonardo take the plunge together for future unmanned rotorcraft efforts

LONDON — Leonardo and Northrop Grumman have joined forces to pursue the nascent vertical-takeoff-and-landing unmanned systems market.

Breaking DefenseWed 15th Sep

Revolutionary Tech Could Allow Near-Real Time Space Tracking, MITRE Says

Put simply, the software “improves positional awareness of objects in space,” said Carden, an author of the technical paper. Carden spoke to Breaking Defense along with the other two authors, senior operations analyst Justin Burchett and blockchain capability lead Harvey Reed.

Aviation WeekWed 15th Sep

U.S. Air Force To Demonstrate Amphibious MC-130s In 17 Months

Aviation WeekWed 15th Sep

NASA Astronaut Mark Vande Hei Aims for U.S. Spaceflight Record

Defense NewsWed 15th Sep

Industry, lawmakers push to extend and expand COVID reimbursements

WASHINGTON ― Prized pandemic protections for defense contractors would be made permanent under the House’s defense policy bill, up for floor consideration next week.

Aviation WeekWed 15th Sep

Spire Global Buys Sat-Based Automatic ID System Startup ExactEarth

Overt DefenseWed 15th Sep

DSEI 2021: Texelis Display MR400 AFV Mobility Kit

At this week’s DSEI 2021 exposition French automotive company Texelis’ stand was dominated by a transparent full-scale model housing the components of their MR400 mechanical and mobility kit.

Defense NewsWed 15th Sep

Leonardo trumpets Britishness of its UK medium-helicopter bid

LONDON – Leonardo Helicopters has taken a further step in strengthening its credentials as the home team in the United Kingdom’s upcoming New Medium Helicopter requirement, announcing nine local companies have joined its Team AW149 UK bid.

Defense NewsWed 15th Sep

Rival Koreas test-fire ballistic missiles hours apart

SEOUL, South Korea — North and South Korea tested ballistic missiles hours apart Wednesday in a display of military might that is sure to exacerbate tensions between the rivals at a time when talks aimed at stripping the North of its nuclear program are stalled.

Aviation WeekWed 15th Sep

NASA Awards Contracts To Advance  Human Lunar Landing Systems

Defense NewsWed 15th Sep

US pulls missile defenses in Saudi Arabia amid Yemen attacks

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The U.S. has removed its most advanced missile defense system and Patriot batteries from Saudi Arabia in recent weeks, even as the kingdom faced continued air attacks from Yemen’s Houthi rebels, satellite photos analyzed by The Associated Press show.

Defense NewsWed 15th Sep

The future of special operations may look a lot different than the GWOT aesthetic we’ve come to know

The days of the burly, bearded dude in Oakleys as the face of special operations might be waning. Special operations forces need a different focus, the director of strategy, plans and policy for Special Operations Command Central said Monday.

Breaking DefenseWed 15th Sep

The US Navy’s Nuclear Proliferation Problem

As the annual defense authorization and spending bills head to congressional floor votes this month, lawmakers have a chance to take the next step in the critical fight against nuclear proliferation — by pushing the US Navy to change the way it powers some of its ships.

Overt DefenseWed 15th Sep

The BARAK-8 MRSAM Enters Service With The Indian Air Force

At a ceremony in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, on 9 September, 2021, the BARAK-8 Air Defense System (MRSAM) was delivered over to the Indian Air Force. Indian Minister of Defense Rajnath Singh, Secretary of the Ministry of Defense R&D and Chairman of DRDO, leading the domestic development of India’s defense systems and technologies, Dr. G. Satheesh Reddy, 26th Chief of Air Staff Marshal RK Bhadauria, Chief of General Staff of the Indian Armed Forces, General Bipin Rawat, and other prominent civil and military leaders were among those who attended the ceremony.

Defense NewsWed 15th Sep

The Missile Defense Agency must be free to move quickly and with limited restrictions

Two decades ago, President George W. Bush announced the United States’ intention to withdraw from the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty. That treaty, negotiated with the Soviet Union at the height of the Cold War, prohibited us from protecting our territory and population from ballistic missile attacks. The prospect of mutual annihilation would, according to the proponents, reduce the incentive for attack, thereby assuring strategic stability.

Aviation WeekWed 15th Sep

Urban Launches Fundraising For CityHawk eVTOL

Overt DefenseWed 15th Sep

DSEI 2021: BAE Systems Unveils Torpedo Carrying Drone

BAE Systems have partnered with another UK company, Malloy Aeronautics, to unveil the T-650, a potentially class-leading heavy lift drone. The T-650 concept vehicle was displayed for the first time at BAE Systems’ stand at DSEI 2021. The eye catching yellow UAV was displayed with a dummy Sting Ray torpedo.

Aviation WeekWed 15th Sep

North and South Korea Test Ballistic Missiles Hours Apart

Breaking DefenseWed 15th Sep

Raytheon To Demo Mine Hunting Sonar For Royal Navy

The company’s demonstration, which will take place in October, is expected to continue into next year as part of an ongoing effort from the UK known as the Wilton Industry Show and Experiment for Mine Countermeasures, also dubbed WISE-X.

Overt DefenseWed 15th Sep

Modular Light Jet Developer AERALIS Signs Up Rolls Royce

In a key development milestone UK-based military aircraft developer AERALIS have signed a memorandum of understanding with Rolls Royce to meet the company’s propulsion needs.

Breaking DefenseWed 15th Sep

Protector Takes Flight

The Royal Air Force will be the world’s first operator of the MQ-9B SkyGuardian, a high-flying, long-loitering, sharp-eyed and widely capable new remotely operated patrol aircraft that has been designed and built to the same airworthiness standards as manned aircraft. After a successful demonstration in British and European airspace this summer, the first aircraft, which the RAF call Protector RG Mk1, are set to begin operating from their permanent home at RAF Waddington, in the East Midlands of England, in 2024.

Aviation WeekWed 15th Sep

Half Of OneWeb Constellation Now In Orbit After 10th Arianespace Launch

Breaking DefenseWed 15th Sep

Three Objectives For The UK Military’s Future

Addressing delegates at DSEI in London on Sept. 14, Sanders warned that unlike the UK, the People’s Liberation Army and Russian Armed Forces are preparing to “win without fighting” around the world.

Aviation WeekWed 15th Sep

BAE Betting On Heavylift Multicopter Development

Real Clear DefenseWed 15th Sep

Both North and South Korea Fire Ballistic Missiles

Seoul, South Korea (CNN) Both North and South Korea tested ballistic missiles on Wednesday, ratcheting up tensions exponentially in what was already one of the most volatile regions on the planet.

Real Clear DefenseWed 15th Sep

Blood, Guts and Grease

Real Clear DefenseWed 15th Sep

RAIDER X Could Be the Fastest Helicopter Ever

Launching drones at high speeds to track and enemies on the move, find pockets of hostile forces amid mountainous terrain, unload gunfire on enemy fighters and support advancing infantry are all missions the Army’s new Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA) are expected to perform. Enter the RAIDER X.   

Real Clear DefenseWed 15th Sep

Marines Advancing Anti-Ship Missile

Sept. 14 (UPI) -- The Marine Corps is moving forward with developing a ship-killing missile that's central to a long-range restructuring of the military, the branch said Tuesday.

Real Clear DefenseWed 15th Sep

A Balanced U.S. Fleet, Is the Best Option

Real Clear DefenseWed 15th Sep

What Are the National Security Challenges of Clean Energy?

Securing a reliable, affordable supply of oil has long been a cornerstone of U.S. national security strategy. But as the global economy begins a slow transition away from fossil fuels in an effort to avert devastating climate change, the geopolitical calculus around energy is shifting.

Real Clear DefenseWed 15th Sep

DARPA Seeking Satellite Laser Terminals

WASHINGTON — The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency is asking for ideas on how to make optical inter-satellite links that can connect government and commercial space communications systems in low Earth orbit.

Real Clear DefenseWed 15th Sep

American Global Leadership Is in Retreat

The 20th anniversary of 9/11 finds American foreign policy in a peculiar place. The U.S. hasn’t stabilized the Middle East, permanently remade Afghan society or ended jihad. But no terrorist has managed to inflict another attack on the scale of Sept. 11 on the American homeland. As a result, the War on Terror has receded to the margins of U.S. politics as fears that the liberal world order is crumbling rise to the fore.

Real Clear DefenseWed 15th Sep

'To Rule the Waves': The Necessity of a Navy

Even for those transfixed by grand strategy, Alfred Thayer Mahan’s “The Influence of Seapower Upon History” (1890) is a slog. In more than 500 pages of often turgid prose, Mahan, who twice served as president of the U.S. Naval War College, examined how maritime strength shaped war between 1660 and 1783. “The necessity of a navy,” he wrote, “springs . . . from the existence of a peaceful shipping.” He concluded that a large merchant fleet and a strong navy with bases allowing it to operate far from home were vital to protect the U.S. economy and maintain foreign trade in times of war. “In order to do this,” he added, “the enemy must be kept not only out of our ports, but far away from our coasts.”

Real Clear DefenseWed 15th Sep

The U.S. Should Get Serious About Submarine Cable Security

Nokia recently won a 5G contract with U.S. Cellular, the fourth-largest wireless provider in the United States, another step in building out American 5G without Chinese telecom Huawei. Yet, for all the noise about 5G, cloud, and other “emerging” technologies, the internet still vitally depends on a far-less-flashy infrastructure — submarine cables that haul internet traffic along the ocean floor.

Real Clear DefenseWed 15th Sep

Afghanistan: Crashing Out

In Afghanistan, the United States succeeded only in creating a virtual fantasyland.

Real Clear DefenseWed 15th Sep

The Other Face of Battle

Real Clear DefenseWed 15th Sep

Preliminary Commander's POSTEX on Afghanistan

CNN’s summary of Sunday’s 2-hr documentary on Afghanistan has some interesting quotes from the commanders – and a few errors – I thought we should start the week out with.

Real Clear DefenseWed 15th Sep

Guadalcanal Quintet

From August to November 1942, a series of hard-fought nighttime naval battles punctuated the struggle for the crucial foothold in the Solomon Islands.

Aviation WeekWed 15th Sep

Archer To List Publicly After SPAC Shareholder Vote

Defense NewsTue 14th Sep

GOP lawmaker threatens to delay Biden national security nominees over Afghanistan

WASHINGTON — A Republican senator is vowing to delay President Joe Biden’s nominees to the State Department and Pentagon unless Secretary of State Antony Blinken and national security adviser Jake Sullivan resign over the administration’s handling of Afghanistan.

Aviation WeekTue 14th Sep

Rolls-Royce To Power Aeralis Modular Jet Trainer

LONDON—Rolls-Royce is to provide the power and propulsion systems for the modular jet training aircraft being developed by UK startup Aeralis.

Aviation WeekTue 14th Sep

Capella Opens 60 SAR Images For Public Use

The War ZoneTue 14th Sep

Navy’s MQ-25 Tanker Drone Refuels F-35C Stealth Fighter

The U.S. Navy’s new MQ-25 Stingray carrier-based tanker drone demonstrator has now refueled the F-35C Lightning II, as the program continues to rack up milestones on its path to frontline service. Topping up the carrier variant of the Joint Strike Fighter means that the EA-18G Growler electronic warfare jet and the CMV-22B Osprey tilt-rotor are the only probe-equipped receiver in the service's modern carrier air wing that has yet to link up with the Stingray test article, also known as T1. Previous refueling trials were conducted this summer between the MQ-25 and the F/A-18F Super Hornet and E-2D Advanced Hawkeye, which has added a new refueling capability in recent years.

Aviation WeekTue 14th Sep

Agility Prime Deal Will Help Mature Moog’s SureFly

Defense NewsTue 14th Sep

Royal Navy vows closer working ties with industry amid shipbuilding changes

LONDON — The British Royal Navy wants to make it easier for industry to help the service develop “battle-winning, relevant, and affordable” capabilities by developing more transparent requirements and technology priorities.

Aviation WeekTue 14th Sep

Italy Joins UK in Eurofighter Radar 2 Development

Defense NewsTue 14th Sep

US Navy, Boeing conduct first-ever refueling between unmanned tanker, F-35C

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Navy’s MQ-25 Stingray unmanned tanker conducted its first aerial refueling with an F-35C Joint Strike Fighter, the third aircraft type to take fuel from the Navy’s first unmanned system designed to deploy in a future carrier strike group.

Aviation WeekTue 14th Sep

Stratcom: China’s ‘Breakout’  Driving Changes to Deterrence

Defense NewsTue 14th Sep

BAE bets on battery-powered quadcopter drone for cargo hauling

LONDON – BAE Systems is moving into the quadcopter drone sector in a collaboration with drone maker Malloy Aeronautics to produce an electric-powered vehicle capable of lifting loads up to 300kg.

The War ZoneTue 14th Sep

B-2 Stealth Bomber Damaged During Emergency Landing Incident

Details remain limited at this time, but there was an incident at Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri, the home of the Air Force's B-2 Spirit stealth bomber force, early this morning. This has resulted in a circular temporary flight restriction, or TFR, being put up over and around the base, extending six miles in every direction and from the ground up to 8,000 feet. The mishap involved a B-2 that was landing at Whiteman's only runway. 

Aviation WeekTue 14th Sep

SkyDrive Advances Ambition  For Osaka UAM Service

Aviation WeekTue 14th Sep

Leonardo Establishes Team For UK AW149 Offer

Defense NewsTue 14th Sep

British military taking steps to make multidomain integration a reality

LONDON — The British Ministry of Defence is taking steps this fall to better integrate its capabilities across multiple domains. But despite laying out its ambitions, the agency still needs a true concept of operations to move forward, according to a top official.

Aviation WeekTue 14th Sep

Raytheon Technologies Ramps Up Performance+ Supply Chain Squeeze

Defense NewsTue 14th Sep

UK Royal Navy wants a disaggregated fleet that de-couples combat punch from ship platforms

WASHINGTON — The U.K. Royal Navy wants a future fleet with its sensors and weapons disaggregated and its ships flexible enough to change missions as needed, as the service acknowledges that traditional technology superiority may not be possible in the coming decades.

The War ZoneTue 14th Sep

Two NATO Fighters Accidentally Flew Behind The Iron Curtain 60 Years Ago Today

Sixty years ago today, during one of the tensest periods of the Cold War in Europe, a pair of West German jet fighter-bombers accidentally strayed into communist airspace in a simple error that could have had genuinely catastrophic results. After evading the dozens of MiGs sent to intercept them, the two Luftwaffe pilots safely landed in West Berlin. They would never fly on the front line again and efforts were made to cover up the embarrassing incident, one which might have even triggered World War III.

Breaking DefenseTue 14th Sep

Congress, Industry Chivvy Space Force On Commercial SSA

“Congress is getting lobbied hard by the commercial SSA companies and in turn keeps asking the DoD for a strategy, and they’re not getting much back,” one source following the issue said.  “So over the last few years they’ve been adding more and more of a ‘mandate’ for the DoD to have a strategy for using commercial SSA data. And it’s probably also related to the broader push for the DOD to use commercial services across remote sensing, weather, communications, etc.”

Aviation WeekTue 14th Sep

Geely’s Terrafugia Launches Commaris UAV Brand

Defense NewsTue 14th Sep

British military looks to change approach to technology, data

WASHINGTON —To achieve a digital advantage in the future, the British military must change how it architects and buys systems, according to the British Army’s head of information exploitation and chief data officer.

Aviation WeekTue 14th Sep

Swiss Air-Rescue To Help Dufour Develop EMS eVTOL

Aviation WeekTue 14th Sep

Boeing MQ-25 Refuels F-35C 

Breaking DefenseTue 14th Sep

Al-Qaida Fears In Afghanistan, But China Takes Spotlight For IC Leaders

And while they revealed a troubling assessment that al-Qaida could reconstitute itself in Afghanistan in less than a couple years, still the intel leaders said China was at the “top of mind,” as Director of National intelligence Avril Haines put it Monday, along with the best ways to counter America’s largest rival everywhere from the espionage shadows to cyberspace.

Aviation WeekTue 14th Sep

DOD Progressing On Separate Space Cargo Efforts

Defense NewsTue 14th Sep

Head of UK’s Space Directorate warns of space terrorism

WASHINGTON — The head of the United Kingdom’s new Space Directorate warned that increased access to space increases the possibility of “space terrorism,” drawing parallels to the way terrorists were able to use commercial aircraft during the 9/11 attacks.

Defense NewsTue 14th Sep

Milrem and Kongsberg are building a robotic wingman

WASHINGTON — European-based companies Milrem Robotics and Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace are teaming up to design and build a new robotic combat vehicle geared to meet requirements for European militaries and the U.S., according to a Sept. 15 Milrem statement issued at the DSEI defense exhibition in London.

The War ZoneTue 14th Sep

DARPA Wants Cheap Laser Communications Terminals To Allow Any Satellite To Talk To Another

The U.S. military's Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, or DARPA, has unveiled a new project to create a low-cost and readily reconfigurable optical communications system that will help ensure various satellite constellations can share large amounts of data quickly and securely. The agency describes this effort, dubbed Space-Based Adaptive Communications Node, or Space-BACN, as being essential to linking together future distributed satellite networks, which are under development now to support various different, but often complementary missions, including early warning, intelligence gathering, and general communications and data-sharing.

Aviation WeekTue 14th Sep

Schiphol To Lead European Airport Sustainability Project

Overt DefenseTue 14th Sep

Dogs Abandoned During Kabul Evacuation Now Working for Kabul Airport Security

Amidst the chaotic final phases of the evacuation from Kabul airport last month, animal rights groups accused the US government of leaving military animals behind. A statement released by PETA claimed 60 working dogs had been abandoned. The claim was denied American officials with Pentagon Spokesperson John Kirby tweeting that:

Aviation WeekTue 14th Sep

Private Pilot Found Crew Dragon Training ‘Intense’

CAPE CANAVERAL—After an intensive five and a half months of training, private pilot Jared Isaacman and his three-member crew are preparing for a three-day orbital flight aboard a SpaceX Dragon capsule, the first all-civilian private space charter. 

Defense NewsTue 14th Sep

Brits make new push for directed-energy weapons aboard vehicles, ships

LONDON – The British Ministry of Defence has awarded three directed-energy weapon demonstrator contracts totaling £72.5 million ($100 million) to British industry teams, officials announced on Sept. 14.

Breaking DefenseTue 14th Sep

Saudi Arabia Considering Israeli-Made Missile Defense Systems

Sources here have confirmed an AP report from the weekend that American THAAD and Patriot batteries have been quietly removed from Prince Sultan Air Base, located outside of Riyadh. Those assets had been moved into the Kingdom following a 2019 strike on Saudi oil production facilities; while claimed by Houthi forces in Yemen, US officials assessed that Iran was actually behind the attack.

Aviation WeekTue 14th Sep

Daily Memo: The Coming Supply Chain Crunch

Overt DefenseTue 14th Sep

Australia to Donate 15 Bushmaster PMVs to Indonesia

Indonesia is to receive 15 Bushmaster Protected Mobility Vehicles (PMV) from Australia. The vehicles will serve overseas as part of the country’s U.N peacekeeping commitments. Prabowo Subianto, the Indonesian Minister of Defence, announced the donation during a recent joint press conference with Australian Ministers. Australian officials were in Jakarta for the seventh 2+2 (Defence + Foreign Ministers) meeting, which saw both sides agree to deepen cooperation on security issues.  

Defense NewsTue 14th Sep

BAE Systems eyes new space business with acquisition of In-Space

LONDON – BAE Systems has taken a step into the satellite sector in the UK with the acquisition of low earth orbit spacecraft builder In-Space Missions.

Aviation WeekTue 14th Sep

SpaceX Expands Starlink Network, Adds Laser Links

Breaking DefenseTue 14th Sep

Finland, Latvia To Jointly Procure 360 Land Vehicles; Estonia, Sweden Could Join

The CAVS 6×6 is based on Patria’s earlier 8×8 AMV and 6×6 XA-series vehicles with a similar chassis and power train. However, there are differences based on 6×6 requirements for both Finland and Latvia.

Overt DefenseTue 14th Sep

DARPA Selects Researchers for Online Geopolitical Campaign Tracking Project

Foreign online influence campaigns have become an increasing concern for the US national security community. Beyond foreign government funded media outlets like RT, Sputnik, CGTN and Xinhua, foreign influence campaigns have spread all over the internet on everything from Tik Tok to Quora. Everything from the NBA to Vtubers has seen Chinese censorship related controversies and CCP-linked Chinese companies have acquired significant shares of various online platforms. Recent RAND reports have moreover highlighted the importance of China’s control over Chinese-language social media like Wechat which have millions of users in Taiwan and the global Chinese diaspora. The reports furthermore voiced concerns over Chinese efforts to subvert US military officers of Chinese descent on these platforms.

Defense NewsTue 14th Sep

Thales-led industry group moves to boost Europe’s undersea-warfare chops

LONDON — The European Commission has selected a consortium of companies, led by France’s Thales, to equip its navies against high-tech underwater threats including submarines, unmanned systems, and naval mines.

Defense NewsTue 14th Sep

Lockheed nabs F-35 sustainment contract worth up to $6.6B

WASHINGTON — The Pentagon on Monday awarded Lockheed Martin a contract worth up to $6.6 billion to sustain the F-35 joint strike fighter from fiscal 2021 to 2023, a deal that will reduce the cost of flying the aircraft by about 8 percent.

Overt DefenseTue 14th Sep

Lessons From The PACAF’s Pacific Iron Exercise.

In July of 2021, the U.S. Air Force kicked off one of its largest exercises involving fifth-generation aircraft. The exercise, dubbed Pacific Iron, encompassed a large swathe of the Pacific, with activities taking place from Kadena Air Base in Japan to Andersen Air Force Base in Guam. However, the bulk of the exercise mainly took place within the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. Overt Defense had the opportunity to get an exclusive interview with PACAF pilots directly involved with the Agile Combat Employment (ACE) concept and PACIFIC IRON.

Aviation WeekTue 14th Sep

Drone Delivery Projects Begin In India, Germany

Aviation ListTue 14th Sep

Two F-117 Stealth Jets Have Just Deployed To Fresno Airport, California

On Sept. 13, 2021, two F-117 Nighthawk stealth jets made a surprise visit to Fresno Yosemite International Airport, a joint civil-military airport in Fresno, in central California. “They flew in as KNIGHT01. Not sure about how long they will be here. They are currently guests of the 144th Fighter Wing” told us told us Sean Towe, who managed to take some shots of the two rare jets that suddenly became viral across social media.

Breaking DefenseTue 14th Sep

UK Signs Up For Anduril AI Base Defense Technology

The two-year, £3.8 million ($5.2 million) agreement was awarded as part of the TALOS project from the MoD, which seeks to bring new technologies into the military with a focus on command and control. Notably, the contract is set up through a subscription model, a new type of contract for the MoD.

Aviation WeekTue 14th Sep

BAE Re-Enters Satellite Business With In-Space Missions Acquisition

Overt DefenseTue 14th Sep

The Russian Ministry of Defense Donates BRDM-2M Military Reconnaissance Vehicles to The Tajikistan Army

The Russian Ministry of Defense has donated 12 BRDM-2M modernized armored reconnaissance and patrol vehicles and various military equipment to support the defense capabilities in the border region due to security concerns in Tajikistan, which has a 1,344km border with Afghanistan. Following the US withdrawal from Afghanistan and the Taliban seizing control of the country Tajikistan’s concerns about the border have grown.

Real Clear DefenseTue 14th Sep

Navy Awards $500M Contract for Pearl Harbor, Puget Sound Shipyards

Sept. 13 (UPI) -- The Navy has awarded a $500 million contract for shipyards in Hawaii and and Washington state.

Real Clear DefenseTue 14th Sep

How Is DoD Solving a Hypersonic Weapons Detection Gap?

WASHINGTON — Concerned with a gap in the military’s ability to detect low-flying hypersonic weapons, lawmakers want the Pentagon to deliver a progress report on efforts to fill it, particularly through commercial solutions, according to the House Armed Services’ markup of the fiscal 2022 defense policy bill.

Aviation WeekTue 14th Sep

Mobius To Begin Electric-Propulsion Battery Deliveries

Real Clear DefenseTue 14th Sep

The PLA Air Force's Efforts Toward Agile Combat Employment

Real Clear DefenseTue 14th Sep

The Orange Book

In the past 10 years, there has been a surge in personnel who have entered the cybersecurity field. This article argues that the Department of Defense’s “Rainbow Series” of books for information security is still relevant today for informing the expertise of both new and experienced information security professionals. The Rainbow Series is composed of 27 Department of Defense books where each book in a series is a different color, hence the name “Rainbow Series.” One book in particular, Trusted Computer System Evaluation Criteria, also known as the “Orange Book” is still used as a reference for security assessments today. Although the Orange Book may seem ancient due to its publication date in the 1980s, the Orange Book could have predicted the problems we have today with ransomware and trojan horses.

Real Clear DefenseTue 14th Sep

The SEALs' Mini-Sub That Packed Full-Sized Torpedoes

Most people have heard of the Navy SEALs, the maritime component of the U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM). They were the ones who conducted the raid that killed Osama bin Laden, the leader of Al Qaida, in 2011, in addition to conducting several other high- and low-profile raids and hostage rescues in the past 20 years. But not many people have heard about the SEAL Delivery Vehicle (SDV) Teams; a small community of SEALs within the already small community that is Naval Special Warfare.

Real Clear DefenseTue 14th Sep

Iran's Dangerous Nuclear Dance

We’re not sure Iran could do anything to make President Biden give up his pursuit of reviving the 2015 nuclear deal, and Iran is acting as if it agrees. This could explain Tehran’s escalations in response to U.S. concessions.

Real Clear DefenseTue 14th Sep

New F-35 Sustainment Deal

The cost per flight hour of the F-35A, the most common of the three F-35 variants, will drop from $33,600 to $30,000 over the contract.

Real Clear DefenseTue 14th Sep

Austal Ahead of Schedule in Yard Upgrades

WASHINGTON — The Austal USA shipyard in Alabama is ahead of schedule in revamping its facilities to build steel ships in addition to aluminum ships, but ongoing questions about U.S. Navy shipbuilding plans have left the yard uncertain about what steel work could come its way in the near term.

Real Clear DefenseTue 14th Sep

Hyten Says Pentagon Moving 'Unbelievably Slow' With Modernization

The Defense Department is being slowed down by bureaucracy and risk aversion as it attempts to modernize its capabilities to compete with China, the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff lamented Sept. 13.During an event hosted by the Brookings Institution, Gen. John Hyten was asked about the implementation of the 2018 National Defense Strategy and related technological developments.

Real Clear DefenseTue 14th Sep

Bigger Does Not Mean Better with Military Expenditures

Real Clear DefenseTue 14th Sep

Losing Small Wars: Why U.S. Military Culture Leads to Defeat

“Sir – it’s the TEA”   

Real Clear DefenseTue 14th Sep

September 11 From 1981 to 2031

America has been learning and forgetting the lessons of 2001 for decades. Its now in the midst of forgetting them again. Will the same result follow?

Real Clear DefenseTue 14th Sep

Virginia-Class Sub: Vital to Countering Russia in the Med

This June, the Virginia-class attack submarine USS New Mexico finished interoperability training with Navy SEALs in the Mediterranean Sea. The locations of these submarines are rarely confirmed because their missions are so secretive. The Navy seldom reveals any details of their operations. However, it is safe to assume that at least one Virginia-class sub is deployed in the Mediterranean at any given time.

Real Clear DefenseTue 14th Sep

Iranian Vows 'Response' to Kurdish Armed Groups in Iraq

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps general referenced Kurdish parties from Iran who have a presence in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, where they are regularly targeted by the Iranian military.

Real Clear DefenseTue 14th Sep

It's Time to Reform the U.S. Vulnerabilities Equities Process

Since its inception, scholars, journalists, and former government officials have warned of the VEP’s limitations, loopholes, and the need for oversight.

Real Clear DefenseTue 14th Sep

Deterrence Implications of the U.S. Withdrawal From Afghanistan

Aviation WeekTue 14th Sep

U.S. Ex-Im Bank Renews LEAP-1B Guarantee; New Head Nominated

Defense NewsTue 14th Sep

Former US Air Force acquisition czar could help the UK build its future fighter

WASHINGTON — During his time as the U.S. Air Force’s acquisition executive, Will Roper had no shortage of disruptive and boundary-pushing projects, whether it was conceptualizing a “Digital Century Series” of rapidly produced fighters or developing an autonomous drone wingman known as “Skyborg.”

Aviation WeekTue 14th Sep

Mercury Systems Begins Strategic Overhaul with Consultant Hire

U.S. defense electronics specialist Mercury Systems has announced that consultant Thomas Huber has joined as executive vice president and chief transformation officer to lead the company’s recently announced overhaul.

Aviation WeekTue 14th Sep

Private Equity Owner Adds Raytheon Defense Training To Vertex

The War ZoneTue 14th Sep

F-117s Make Surprise Appearance At Fresno Airport To Train Against Local F-15s

Fresno-Yosemite International Airport had a very strange pair of visitors this afternoon. Two F-117s landed at the airport in north-central California and taxied over to the 144th Fighter Wing's base, which is located just to the south of the passenger terminal. You can just imagine people's surprise when they saw the long-retired (officially) flat-black faceted Nighthawks touch down and taxi to the base with their white drag-chutes billowing behind them. It's worth noting that at least one of the jets was not fitted with radar reflectors. 

Breaking DefenseTue 14th Sep

New F-35 Sustainment Deal Creates Path To Lockheed Multi-Year PBL Contract

The agreement covers fiscal year 2021, with options for 2022 and 2023. Should all the options be picked up, the contract will have a $6.6 billion price tag, according to a Defense Department press release. Cost per flight hour for the global fleet should drop by 8% over that three-year period, from $36,100 in 2020 to $33,400 in 2023; the cost per flight hour of the F-35A, the most common of the three F-35 variants, will drop from $33,600 to $30,000 during that time period.

The War ZoneTue 14th Sep

This Mysterious Unmanned Vessel Was Just Spotted In San Diego Bay (Updated)

The U.S. Navy is accelerating its unmanned surface vessel initiatives seemingly on all fronts. While much of the latest integration testing of these new concepts, which range from tiny remotely controlled boats to far larger, missile toting, optionally manned surface vessels, have occurred off of Southern California, some of these capabilities will soon be put to the test in the Middle East as part of a new task force being formed under the 5th Fleet. Still, San Diego will remain the epicenter of the most advanced and cutting-edge testing. 

Breaking DefenseTue 14th Sep

US Momentum Grows For Push To Start Strategic Talks With China

“I know the president — President Biden — and President Xi have talked a couple times this year. That’s important, but I hope we can broaden that conversation all the way down to the military-to-military level as well,” Gen. John Hyten said this afternoon.

Aviation WeekTue 14th Sep

New Sustainment Deal Moves F-35 Within 16.7% Of 2025 Goal

Aviation WeekMon 13th Sep

Hyten Outlines Areas For Improvement

Aviation WeekMon 13th Sep

MDA Successfully Tests Selectable GBI Boost Vehicle

Aviation WeekMon 13th Sep

NASA’s Hopes For 2024 Human Lunar Return Fading

Aviation WeekMon 13th Sep

Spirit Aero Wins Big With Federal Support For Aerospace Firms

Aviation WeekMon 13th Sep

UK C-17s And Chinooks Benefit From Upgrade Splurge

Aviation WeekMon 13th Sep

MQ-9 Tests Communications Capability in the Arctic

Defense NewsMon 13th Sep

Webcast: Next-Generation Munitions

This webcast took place on September 20, 2021

The War ZoneMon 13th Sep

Chinese Warships Sailing Near Alaska's Aleutian Islands Shadowed By U.S. Coast Guard (Updated)

The U.S. Coast Guard recently released a set of pictures of the Legend class cutter USCGC Bertholf shadowing a group of four Chinese warships sailing in America's Exclusive Economic Zone near Alaska's Aleutian Islands back in August. The emergence of these pictures follows the editor-in-chief of Global Times, a newspaper under the direct control of the Chinese Communist Party, taking to Twitter to criticize U.S. Navy operations in the Pacific that routinely challenge many of Beijing's widely disputed maritime territorial claims, especially in the South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait, and warn of tit-for-tat activities on the part of the People's Liberation Army Navy.

Defense NewsMon 13th Sep

Congress wants answers on how DoD is solving a hypersonic weapons detection gap

WASHINGTON — Concerned with a gap in the military’s ability to detect low-flying hypersonic weapons, lawmakers want the Pentagon to deliver a progress report on efforts to fill it, particularly through commercial solutions, according to the House Armed Services’ markup of the fiscal 2022 defense policy bill.

Breaking DefenseMon 13th Sep

Afghanistan Has Been ‘Gut-Wrenching,’ ‘Deeply Personal’ For IC: DNI

The comments come amid widespread public debate over the Biden administration’s decisions about the US withdrawal from Afghanistan — and how some of those decisions were made. The episode has spurred questions about whether the chaos and bloodshed surrounding the withdrawal resulted in a failure of intelligence or operational planning or both.

Defense NewsMon 13th Sep

As ‘Zapad’ military drills heat up, signs of a lasting Russian footprint in Belarus

MOSCOW – Russian President Vladimir Putin has personally presided over the large-scale Zapad-2021 military drill, conducted by the Russian and Belarusian armies.

Breaking DefenseMon 13th Sep

US Successfully Tests New Homeland Missile Defense Capability

The test, which occurred around 10:30 AM PST on Sept. 12, involved the GBI flying with a mock-up of a three-stage booster for the Exoatmospheric Kill Vehicle (EKV), the part of a missile interceptor that actually destroys the incoming ballistic missile. The test featured only two of the boosters, as opposed to all three which can be used to launch the EKV into position, according to the Missile Defense Agency.