Overt DefenseMon 17th Jan

Meet The Missile Defense Agency’s Newest Radar: LRDR

On December 6, the Missile Defense Agency held the fielding ceremony for the Long Range Discrimination Radar, marking a major milestone for the completion of military construction of the system ahead of its handover from the MDA to the Space Force sometime in coming years.

Aviation WeekMon 17th Jan

Stratolaunch’s Roc Completes Third Flight Test

Defense NewsMon 17th Jan

Can Pakistan counter India’s new S-400 air defense system?

ISLAMABAD — Overconfidence in its newly acquired S-400 air defense system may give India a false sense of invulnerability and increase the likelihood of a military miscalculation involving archrival Pakistan, analysts warn.

Aviation WeekSun 16th Jan

Experts Say Many Radalts May Need To Be Retrofitted

Experts Say Many Radalts May Need To Be Retrofitted is part of our Business & Commercial Aviation subscription.

UK Defence JournalSun 16th Jan

Scottish yards to build 24 warships between 2015-2035

In addition to the now built 5 Offshore Patrol Vessels, there are plans for 8 Type 26 Frigates, 5 Type 31 Frigates, 5 Type 32 Frigates and 1 Ukrainian warship to be built in Scotland.

The War ZoneSat 15th Jan

Mysterious Drone Incursions Confirmed Over Sweden's Nuclear Facilities

Swedish law enforcement officials have confirmed that unidentified drones have been seen in the airspace over multiple nuclear power facilities early in the morning of Saturday, January 15. An investigation has been launched by Sweden’s National Operations Department (NOA), but so far no suspects have been identified.  

The War ZoneSat 15th Jan

Navy's New Shipboard Electronic Warfare System Is Being Shrunk Down For Smaller Ships

Northrup Grumman is pushing ahead with plans to develop a more 'lightweight' version of the AN/SLQ-32(V)7 Surface Electronic Warfare Improvement Program Block III, or SEWIP Block III, that it is developing for the U.S. Navy. This shrunken-down version of the system could give smaller vessels a cutting-edge suite of electronic warfare (EW) capabilities — one that can not only provide advanced passive detection of radiofrequency threats but also make precise and potent electronic attacks on multiple targets simultaneously, and possibly more.

Overt DefenseSat 15th Jan

Weekend Briefing (10-14 January)

Welcome to Overt Defense’s Weekend Briefing where we round up the week’s most interesting and important defense news. This week we covered a vast range of subjects including Lockheed Martin’s F-35 delivery success, the Russian deployment to Mali, rising tension in Ukraine, the unrest in Kazakhstan and the BrahMos ballistic missile tests. The extensive list of articles is, as always, available below!

UK Defence JournalSat 15th Jan

Firm chosen to supply armour for new Boxer vehicles

The armoured material will be used in the Boxer vehicle hull assembly, which will be fabricated at WFEL’s specialist ‘Manufacturing Centre of Excellence’ in Stockport.

The War ZoneSat 15th Jan

Bunker Talk: Let’s Talk About What We Did Or 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 ZoneFri 14th Jan

FedEx Wants To Equip Airbus A321s With Anti-Missile Laser Countermeasures

The FAA has filed a proposal with the U.S. Department of Transportation that seeks special conditions that would allow FedEx aircraft to carry infrared countermeasures to defend against heat-seeking missiles. While this isn’t the first time that infrared countermeasures have been proposed for commercial aircraft, or even FedEx aircraft, the filing suggests the need for missile defenses even in the commercial airline sector still remains.

Aviation WeekFri 14th Jan

Upcoming Pentagon Budget To Include Hypersonic Test Investments

Defense NewsFri 14th Jan

Britain to upgrade communications on Cyprus military base

NICOSIA, Cyprus — The U.K. will build a new communications facility on one of two bases it maintains on the Eastern Mediterranean island nation of Cyprus, a British Defence Ministry spokesman said Friday.

Overt DefenseFri 14th Jan

Ukrainian Government Websites Subjected To “Massive” Cyberattack

Ukraine’s government says that it has restored services to governmental websites that were subject to a cyberattack earlier on Friday. Multiple governmental websites were defaced with messages telling users to “be afraid and expect the worst”, in what a spokesperson for Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry called a “massive” cyberattack.

Breaking DefenseFri 14th Jan

Army ‘well on its way’ to first OCONUS cloud in Indo-Pacific

The Army wants to deliver tactical cloud capabilities to its Multi-Domain Task Forces in the Indo-Pacific region and at Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM) in Washington state this year as it readies its networks for multi-domain operations.

Breaking DefenseFri 14th Jan

DARPA wants to build slimmer, enhanced night vision goggles

“Current night vision (NV) systems are bulky and heavy, resulting in a significant torque on the wearer’s neck. This torque greatly limits the wearer’s agility and often leads to chronic injury over prolonged use,” said a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency announcement Wednesday. “Additionally, existing NV devices only provide a narrow field of view (FOV) and are limited to the near-infrared (IR) spectral bands, greatly limiting situational awareness in varied night conditions.”

Defense NewsFri 14th Jan

Deal with Hensoldt expands Leonardo’s stake in Eurofighter radar business

ROME – Leonardo has won 260 million euros ($296 million) in Eurofighter radar work from Germany’s Hensoldt, meaning the Italian firm now has a major role in all three of the new e-scan radars being built for Typhoon customers.

Aviation WeekFri 14th Jan

USAF Planning RPAS Operations From UK Airfield

Overt DefenseFri 14th Jan

US & Ukraine: Russia Planning False Flag Attack As Pretext For War In Ukraine

Officials from the United States and Ukraine claim that Russia is preparing a false flag operation as a pretext for a large-scale incursion into Ukraine.

Defense NewsFri 14th Jan

A yearlong continuing resolution will hinder unmanned systems integration

With fiscal 2022 well underway and the current continuing resolution set to expire without congressional consensus on a way forward on appropriations, the U.S. Department of Defense is preparing for the possibility of operations under a full-year CR stopgap measure. Let’s be clear: That will hinder the continued integration of unmanned systems into the U.S. military and ultimately harm our preparedness for strategic competition.

Defense NewsFri 14th Jan

Following procurement cut, the Army is looking to add funding back in 2022 for aerial jamming pod

WASHINGTON — After zeroing out procurement for the Army’s first brigade aerial jamming pod for Fiscal Year 2022, the service’s electronic warfare community is trying to add funding back in the next budget cycle.

Breaking DefenseFri 14th Jan

US 5th Fleet commander: ‘Dramatic uptick’ in Iran’s drone use

Vice Adm. Brad Cooper said that unsafe naval encounters with the Iranian military remain relatively flat, but, “what is different, though, is a dramatic uptick in the UAV activity in the region, both in terms of their capability, their profiles and the density of activity.”

Aviation WeekFri 14th Jan

Small Houston Firm Prepping For Lunar O2, Metal Extraction Demo

Defense NewsFri 14th Jan

Reed aims for fresh push to confirm Biden’s Pentagon nominees

WASHINGTON ― Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Jack Reed, D-R.I., said this week he will renew his efforts to persuade the U.S. Senate to confirm President Joe Biden’s nominees for the Pentagon.

The War ZoneFri 14th Jan

Russia Orders Snap Drills Of Its Eastern Units As Negotiations Over Ukraine Disintegrate

The Russian military has launched a series of snap drills in the far east of the country, leading to speculation that additional forces could be being prepared to move west, closer to the border with Ukraine, where Moscow has been steadily massing troops and equipment as fears of a potential invasion of that country grow. These military maneuvers in the far east of Russia come after talks between Russian and Western officials to address the worsening security situation ended in a stalemate. At the same time, a large-scale cyberattack targeting Ukrainian government websites has occurred. 

Defense NewsFri 14th Jan

Taiwan adds minelaying ships to defenses against China

KAOHSIUNG, Taiwan — Taiwan on Friday commissioned new naval minelayers to add to its defenses against rival China.

Breaking DefenseFri 14th Jan

Industry chivies White House for ‘immediate’ action to clean up space junk

“One of the most important things that the government could do is that 28% of the debris in Low Earth Orbit was created by the US government. A lot of this was, you know, part of winning the Cold War. And like many other environmental messes that are made in winning the Cold War, this one should be cleaned up too,” Jonathan Goff, vice president of on-orbit servicing at exploration startup Voyager Space Holdings, said Thursday during a town-hall-style virtual meeting on space debris sponsored by the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.

Aviation WeekFri 14th Jan

Italy Formally Awards Austrian AW169M Contract To Leonardo

Breaking DefenseFri 14th Jan

Will Biden’s Conventional Arms Transfer policy be an evolution or a revolution?

The Biden administration is expected to soon release its version of the US Conventional Arms Transfer (CAT) policy, which sets the guardrails for how America sells arms to foreign militaries. While the administration has held its cards close on what the new policy will entail, it is widely expected to put a renewed emphasis on the human rights records of potential arms buyers.

Overt DefenseFri 14th Jan

Australia Signs For 75 M1A2 SEPv3 Abrams Main Battle Tanks

Australia’s Defence Ministry announced on Monday that it will be purchasing 75 M1A2 SEPv3 main battle tanks for the Australian Army. Deliveries of the Abrams are planned to start in 2024, with initial operating capability to be achieved in 2025. 

Defense NewsFri 14th Jan

Turkey kicks off serial production for armed trainer Hurjet

ANKARA, Turkey — The Turkish government has given the go-ahead for the mass production of the country’s indigenous basic trainer and light-assault aircraft.

Overt DefenseFri 14th Jan

Philippines Issues ‘Notice of Award’ For BrahMos, In Boost To Indian Defence Exports

The Department of National Defense of the Philippines published a ‘Notice of Award’ on January 13, accepting the proposal of BrahMos Aerospace Private Limited for the Philippine Navy’s Shore Based Anti-Ship Missile System (SBASMS). The notice is dated December 31, 2021 and is signed by Secretary of National Defense Delfin Lorenzana. The contract is worth $374.96 million. The Philippines had released an initial funding of $56 million on December 28, 2021 for the SBASMS project.

Aviation WeekFri 14th Jan

Leonardo Wins Contracts To Support Eurofighter AESA Radar Development 

Breaking DefenseFri 14th Jan

Pentagon R&E chief pushes new tech initiatives, expects bump in funding

Undersecretary for Research and Engineering Heidi Shyu told a virtual Defense Writers Group that her office is already doing initial planning for the first “sprint” of the Rapid Defense Experimentation Reserve (RDER) while waiting for congressional appropriators to reach a funding agreement on the final FY22 National Defense Authorization Act, which was signed by President Joe Biden in December.

Defense NewsFri 14th Jan

First Marine F-35C squadron deploys on an aircraft carrier

The Marine Corps achieved another first for its F-35 program in early January as an F-35C squadron deployed on an aircraft carrier for the first time.

Overt DefenseFri 14th Jan

German Court Finds Ex-Syrian Colonel Guilty of Crimes Against Humanity

The world’s first criminal case over Syrian state-led torture resulted in a guilty verdict on Thursday, with a court in Koblenz sentencing a former Syrian military intelligence colonel to life imprisonment for overseeing the murder of at least 27 prisoners and the torture of 4,000 others.

UK Defence JournalFri 14th Jan

Britain to lease aircraft to deliver Military Parachute Training

The value of the contract is £4,200,000 and is for a minimum of two aircraft to deliver 430 flight hours of Military Parachute Training.

UK Defence JournalFri 14th Jan

MoD looking for ‘Survive, Evade, Resist and Extract’ training provider

The five-year contract would start on the 1st of April 2022 and end on the 21st of March 2027.

UK Defence JournalFri 14th Jan

BAE Systems releases Contribution to the UK economy’ report

The full report ‘The Contribution of BAE Systems to the UK Economy 2022’ was just released and provides some insight into both BAE and the wider UK defence industry in 2020.

Breaking DefenseFri 14th Jan

Israel wants US to bolster its weapons stockpile in Israel: Sources

The list is highly classified, but sources said it includes aerial munitions that Israel predicts would be needed if the military takes action against Iranian nuclear facilities or defends against rocket salvos from Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Aviation WeekFri 14th Jan

Philippines Awards BrahMos Contract For Navy Requirement

SINGAPORE—The Philippines has awarded BrahMos Aerospace a $374.9 million deal for the BrahMos surface-to-surface missile system, making Manila the first foreign customer for the Indo-Russian supersonic anti-ship cruise missile.

Aviation ListFri 14th Jan

Turkey Begins Assembly Of Hürjet National Jet Trainer Prototype

Over the last decade, Turkey has put great attention on its national aerospace industry, starting many ambitious programs for different types of aircraft, including unmanned ones. One of these programs is the Hürjet, an advanced jet training and light attack aircraft launched in 2017 and developed with the Turkish Aerospace Industries’ (TAI) own resources and the first completely developed in Turkey. Now, the Hürjet prototype entered the assembly phase, with videos showing the front section of the fuselage in the works at TAI’s facilities.

UK Defence JournalFri 14th Jan

British surveillance aircraft keeping an eye on Russian forces

This is a regular occurrence, we believe it should be reported as and when it happens to ensure people don’t see this as anything unusual. It should also be noted that these flights are designed to be visible so that the public and Russia know they’re happening.

UK Defence JournalFri 14th Jan

P-8 Poseidon conducts landing training at Glasgow Airport

The aircraft appears to undertaking ‘touch and go’ training.

Aviation WeekFri 14th Jan

Virgin Orbit Kicks Off 2022 Launch Manifest

The War ZoneFri 14th Jan

This Is What We Now Know About The Navy’s Future DDG(X) Destroyer

The U.S. Navy has revealed one possible configuration of its next-generation destroyer, or DDG(X), and released details of its plans for the new warships, which are expected to pack longer-range anti-surface and strike capabilities, as well as high-powered directed-energy weapons. The DDG(X) is intended as a follow-on to the phenomenally successful Arleigh Burke class destroyers, with the aim to start work on the construction of the new warships before the end of this decade.

Defense NewsThu 13th Jan

Pentagon tech chief says new rapid experimentation reserve is moving forward

WASHINGTON — The Pentagon’s top technology official says Congress is on board with a proposed rapid experimentation reserve, and she expects lawmakers to approve initial funding for the effort in fiscal 2022.

Aviation WeekThu 13th Jan

SpaceX Delivers 105 Satellites On Falcon 9 Rideshare

The War ZoneThu 13th Jan

Pentagon’s Ghost Fleet Program Ends, Its Four Unmanned Ships Will Be Transferred To The Navy

The U.S. Navy will take possession of four unmanned surface vessels, or USVs, developed by the Pentagon’s Strategic Capabilities Office (SCO) as part of its Ghost Fleet Overlord program. The transfer marks a milestone in the Navy’s continuing push for a fleet that incorporates a significant number of unmanned vessels and vehicles alongside its existing manned platforms. After the transfer of the four unmanned ships, along with all their underlying hardware and software, to the Navy’s experimental Surface Warfare Development Squadron, the SCO will now shut down its Ghost Fleet Overlord program.

Aviation WeekThu 13th Jan

LanzaJet Secures Funding For First Alcohol-To-Jet SAF Plant

Aviation WeekThu 13th Jan

5G Restrictions Set To Affect At Least 90 U.S. Commercial Airports

Aviation WeekThu 13th Jan

Russia Flies First New-Build Tu-160M2 Bomber

Defense NewsThu 13th Jan

Amid Russia crisis, Pentagon nominee criticizes Obama response to Crimea

WASHINGTON ― A top Pentagon pick for President Joe Biden has criticized the Obama administration’s response to Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea from Ukraine as “too slow and too incremental,” at her confirmation hearing Thursday.

Aviation WeekThu 13th Jan

USAF Makes Some Gains In Reducing Pilot Shortage

Defense NewsThu 13th Jan

EU readies key guides for its defense, space postures during French presidency

STUTTGART, Germany – French and European Union defense leaders have an ambitious timeline to develop the bloc’s key military strategy and space documents while Paris leads the EU Council for the next six months.

Aviation WeekThu 13th Jan

MDA Acknowledges Double-Counting On Intercept Test Fact Sheet

Aviation WeekThu 13th Jan

​​​​​​​Virgin Galactic Issues Debt To Raise Up To $500M, Stock Plummets

Defense NewsThu 13th Jan

US Army plans to make big advances in cloud initiatives this year

WASHINGTON — Bringing new cloud and data capabilities to the tactical edge is a top priority for the U.S. Army this fiscal year, according to the service’s chief information officer.

Defense NewsThu 13th Jan

Modernizing US nuclear deterrence presents a rare bipartisan opportunity

Maintaining and modernizing America’s nuclear triad and the critical deterrence it provides our nation has long benefited from bipartisan support. Despite the challenging political divide, nuclear modernization presents an opportunity for lawmakers from both sides of the aisle to work together to make our nation safer, while failure to act leaves the United States and our allies extremely vulnerable.

Breaking DefenseThu 13th Jan

Biden’s space policy nominee backs ban on destructive ASAT testing, pushes norms

Such a ban, he told lawmakers, “would certainly help” the Defense Department protect its space assets, citing the call by Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks at the first Biden administration meeting of the National Space Council on Dec. 1 for nations to refrain from debris-creating ASAT tests.

Defense NewsThu 13th Jan

India, China talks on border standoff end in stalemate

NEW DELHI — Talks between Indian and Chinese military commanders on easing a 20-month border standoff ended without a breakthrough for the second time in three months, an Indian Defence Ministry official said Thursday.

Aviation WeekThu 13th Jan

Marine Composites Specialist Building Regent’s Seaglider Demo

Breaking DefenseThu 13th Jan

Army tactical network modernization has ‘significant’ momentum: Official

By the end of fiscal 2022, the Army tactical network team plans to have tools from its Capability Set ’21 in action with eight brigade combat teams and six expeditionary signal battalions-enhanced, and to have provided capabilities to two Multi-Domain Task Force units, according to Maj. Gen. Rob Collins, director of Program Executive Office Command, Control, Communications-Tactical.

The War ZoneThu 13th Jan

The F-22 Raptor Could Finally Get The Infrared Sensor It Was Originally Promised

The U.S. Air Force has finally kicked off plans to integrate an infrared search and track sensor, or IRST, capability on its stealthy F-22 Raptor air dominance fighter. Under the Advanced Tactical Fighter (ATF) program, the F-22 was originally planned to have an IRST, a sensor that provides a significant capability to detect and track other aircraft at long ranges, including stealthy ones, that is totally passive and immune to electronic warfare, but it was ultimately dropped on cost grounds. Now, the service is at least looking at ways to insert the capability back into the jet.

Defense NewsThu 13th Jan

US Navy works to speed up damage assessments, ship repairs

ARLINGTON, Va. — The U.S. Navy is paying more attention to its battle damage assessment and repair capabilities, as it considers what it needs in order to win a war against a sophisticated adversary.

Defense NewsThu 13th Jan

Army readies to deliver first set of Strykers with 50-kilowatt laser weapons

WASHINGTON — The first set of Stryker combat vehicles equipped with 50-kilowatt laser weapons will be delivered to a unit of Army soldiers at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, by the end of September, according to the head of the service’s Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office.

Breaking DefenseThu 13th Jan

StormBreaker: A networked, all-weather weapon for low-collateral-damage engagement

The F-35B will continue developmental and operational testing to prove out safety and capability. It will be the third US fighter to get the StormBreaker precision-guided glide bomb. The US Navy is expected to declare initial operating capability for it on the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet after operational testing concludes. The US Air Force fielded the weapon on the F-15E Strike Eagle in late 2020, after StormBreaker successfully performed a series of various, stressing live drops and evaluations.

Aviation WeekThu 13th Jan

Thales FlytLink To Fly On Perlan 2 Stratospheric Glider

UK Defence JournalThu 13th Jan

A400M transport aircraft conducting training in and around Glasgow

The aircraft also visited the Isle of Man after leaving RAF Brize Norton.

Breaking DefenseThu 13th Jan

Russia’s defense industry might not survive an invasion of Ukraine

The most recent full-scale exhibition of Russian military hardware was at the Nov. 2021 Dubai Air Show, where the subject of whether Russian President Vladimir Putin would decide to have his troops mount an invasion was a popular one among the Russian delegation. This was the largest contingent of Russian defense industry representatives to ever attend this event, with a number of serious players attending in hopes of breaking through in the regional market.

Overt DefenseThu 13th Jan

Is Pakistan Abandoning its Attack Helicopter Deal with Turkey?

During a recent Pakistani Army press conference it seemingly emerged that a contract with Turkey for attack helicopters had been abandoned. The sudden decision goes back on a 2018 contract with Pakistan awarded Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI). The contract worth $1.5 billion covers the acquisition of 30 T129 ATAK helicopters. However, at the press conference it was suggested that a new deal for helicopters was planned with China.

Breaking DefenseThu 13th Jan

Is the Space Force doing what it’s supposed to? [Infographics]

During the first ever Breaking Defense Space Survey, we polled almost 500 space professionals on a variety of topics, including the greatest threats to America’s space ambitions, the growing role of the Space Force and what space capabilities need the most investment going forward. As part of that, we asked a number of questions about America’s youngest military branch and how well it plays with others.

Overt DefenseThu 13th Jan

Turkey Starts Production of HURJET Jet Trainer and Light Attack Aircraft

Production and assembly activities for the prototype aircraft of the HÜRJET Project, which was launched by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) in 2017 in order to meet the Turkish Air Force’s jet trainer and light attack aircraft needs, have begun.

Breaking DefenseThu 13th Jan

Navy unveils latest concept for future destroyer, DDG(X)

While still early in its development cycle, Katie Connelly, the deputy program manager for the DDG(X), said Wednesday a fundamental decision the service had to make about the ship from the outset was whether to upgrade the combat system or the hull form. History has shown trying to do both at the same time has ended poorly, she said.

Defense NewsThu 13th Jan

Three ways the Pentagon can create an automation first culture

Automation has become a hot topic within the Department of Defense, but is it hot enough?

Overt DefenseThu 13th Jan

CSTO Peacekeeping Mission in Kazakhstan Ends

CSTO Secretary General Stanislav Zas has announced the end of the CSTO peacekeeping mission in Kazakhstan. This comes shortly after President Tokayev’s request to cease the intervention in his country. CSTO Secretary General Stanislav Zas said:

Defense NewsThu 13th Jan

Don’t miss out on coverage of the annual surface Navy conference

Defense News © 2021

Breaking DefenseThu 13th Jan

Collins focusing on JADC2 with recent demonstrations

The demonstration, which took place Dec. 9 and Dec. 14 at the University of Iowa, included over a dozen technologies integrated into a joint force use case at the tactical edge.

Aviation WeekThu 13th Jan

Bangkok Approves Funding For Purchase Of Four New Fighters

UK Defence JournalThu 13th Jan

British Army AS90 artillery to leave service at end of decade

The information came to light through a Parliamentary Question.

UK Defence JournalThu 13th Jan

Decision to be made ‘in future’ on adding UK weapons to P-8

The information came to light via a Parliamentary Question.

Aviation WeekThu 13th Jan

Startup Hypersonix Collaborates With Australian University On Spaceplane

The War ZoneThu 13th Jan

Incoming North Korean Missile Warning Prompted FAA's Mysterious Air Traffic Halt

Two days after the Federal Aviation Administration issued a highly peculiar ground-stop order to aircraft operating across the western United States and Hawaii, and after the release of a remarkably murky official statement from the agency, we were no closer to understanding exactly what prompted the order than we were initially. While U.S. Strategic Command would not comment on the incident and NORAD denied it had any hand in it, information that has come to the attention of The War Zone from sources with knowledge of the events clearly paints a different picture—one that points directly to the North Korean hypersonic weapon test that occurred at nearly the exact same time as the culprit.

The War ZoneWed 12th Jan

Special Forces Will Simulate An Insurgency On U.S. Soil In Upcoming Unconventional Warfare Exercise

The U.S. Army’s annual unconventional warfare exercise Robin Sage is set to kick off across rural North and South Carolina this month, pitting Special Forces candidates against simulated guerillas fighting for the fictional nation of “Pineland.” The exercise is so realistic and spans such a large area that the U.S. Army has issued notices to local law enforcement agencies warning them not to mistake the exercise for a real insurrection, an error that has cost one soldier his life during a previous Robin Sage event.

Defense NewsWed 12th Jan

Navy should be ‘offended’ by its own maintenance and manning faults, admiral says

ARLINGTON, Va. – The Navy should be piqued more easily by the things it’s not doing well, according to the commander of U.S. Fleet Forces Command.

Aviation WeekWed 12th Jan

EPS Battery To Power Aura’s Aerobatic Trainer

Aviation WeekWed 12th Jan

Russia Targeting 30 Launches In 2022

The War ZoneWed 12th Jan

Bomblet Dropping Drones Are Now Being Used By Cartels In Mexico’s Drug War

Extraordinary video footage has emerged reportedly showing a bomblet-dropping drone being used by one of Mexico’s increasingly well-armed drug cartels to attack one of its enemies. While we have reported previously about these groups using small quadcopter-type ‘suicide drones,’ each carrying a single explosive device, this is our best look at a drone acting as a bomber of sorts for cartel purposes. 

Aviation WeekWed 12th Jan

How Long-Term CR Would Affect Each Military Service

Aviation WeekWed 12th Jan

Safety Panel Urges NASA To Address Future Human Spaceflight Risks

Defense NewsWed 12th Jan

Boeing pledges expanded German industry involvement if the nation buys the F-18

WASHINGTON — Boeing is ready to expand its German supplier network if the new Berlin government chooses to purchase versions of its F-18 fighter jet to replace a portion of the country’s Tornados, the company announced Tuesday.

Breaking DefenseWed 12th Jan

SCO ends Project Overlord, shifts unmanned vessels to Navy

Its conclusion is a significant milestone, marking a period of transition between the Pentagon’s research and development enterprise and a complete entry into the Navy’s fleet.

Defense NewsWed 12th Jan

US Navy official says service is going ‘head to head with our adversaries’ all over the world

The U.S. Navy is coming in close contact with adversaries during operations all over the world, according to Vice Adm. Roy Kitchener, commander of naval surface forces.

Breaking DefenseWed 12th Jan

Yearlong CR would ‘irreversibly delay’ nuclear modernization programs: service chiefs

Lawmakers have until Feb. 18 to pass new funding legislation or to extend a continuing resolution that keeps funding levels stagnant at fiscal 2021 levels. With concerns growing about the probability of a full year CR, service chiefs sounded alarm bells during a House Appropriations subpanel hearing about the potential impact — including what Air Force Chief of Staff CQ Brown termed as “unacceptable delays” to nuclear programs.

Aviation WeekWed 12th Jan

USAF Seeks Third-Party Vendors For F-22 Sensor, Capability Upgrades

Breaking DefenseWed 12th Jan

Classified space capabilities aimed at Russia, China could lose $800M under CR: Raymond

A year-long continuing resolution, which would set the 2022 defense budget at 2021 levels across the board, “would cut $800 million intended for development of classified operational systems designed to deter China in Russia and respond if deterrence fails,” Raymond told the House Appropriations defense subcommittee today — the latter phrase often used as code to suggest offensive space-based capabilities. He added that he could be more specific about those research efforts in a closed session with lawmakers.

The War ZoneWed 12th Jan

Assassin Dolphin Hamas Says It Caught Continues Tradition Of Wild Claims About Israel’s Animal Spies

Palestinian militant group Hamas claims to have captured an Israeli-trained dolphin armed with a weapon of some kind after it killed one of its members. Hamas has provided limited evidence to support this assertion, but the use of marine mammals to support military and intelligence-gathering activities is certainly well-documented. At the same time, there has been a litany of unsubstantiated reports over the past two decades or so about Israel using a variety of animals, at sea and on land, as well as birds to carry out clandestine missions against its opponents.

Defense NewsWed 12th Jan

Stopgap spending bills undermine the military, Pentagon officials and trade groups warn

WASHINGTON ― Extended budget gridlock would sabotage the U.S. military’s efforts to compete with China, stall new weapons like hypersonic missiles and block $3 billion for defunct Afghan forces from being moved to new priorities, Pentagon officials testified Wednesday.

Aviation WeekWed 12th Jan

Boeing Recruiting German Super Hornet Industry Team

Breaking DefenseWed 12th Jan

Building Multi-Cloud in the Intelligence Community

No registration needed. Download this FREE PATHFINDER now!

The War ZoneWed 12th Jan

Russia’s First New Production Tu-160 Blackjack In Decades Makes Its Maiden Flight (Updated)

Russia has flown a first example of the Tu-160M Blackjack strategic bomber from the new production batch. Full-scale manufacture of the variable-geometry bomber and missile carrier, which was developed toward the end of the Cold War, had ceased by 1995. After that, only a handful more were completed using existing components, before Moscow decided in 2015 to relaunch production in the upgraded Tu-160M form, primarily as an interim measure due to delays in the PAK DA new-generation bomber program.

Aviation WeekWed 12th Jan

Hungary Upgrading Gripen Fleet

Breaking DefenseWed 12th Jan

Space missile warning system to include MEO backup in case of attack: Tournear

While details of the SWAC plan remain classified, Tournear explained the idea is that MEO sats will increase the resiliency of the overall missile warning/tracking architecture by augmenting capability provided by the Next Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared (Next-Gen OPIR) constellation in Geosynchronous Orbit (GEO) and SDA’s own planned missile tracking satellites in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) that are part of its planned seven-layer National Defense Space Architecture.

Defense NewsWed 12th Jan

Lithuania accelerates rocket artillery buy amid Russian military buildup

WARSAW, Poland — The Lithuanian government has decided to accelerate its planned purchase of a multiple launch rocket system (MLRS) amid Russia’s military buildup on its border with Ukraine.

Breaking DefenseWed 12th Jan

For unmanned vessels, Navy still working out maintenance strategy

“Any platform that you build is going to have to have a sustainment structure and obviously for an unmanned platform, we’re not going to be doing any planned maintenance at sea,” said Rear Adm. Paul Schlise, director for surface warfare requirements, also known internally to the Navy as N96. “I think that’s a picture still being painted.”

Defense NewsWed 12th Jan

Ellen Lord joins GEOST board of directors

WASHINGTON — Former Pentagon acquisition chief Ellen Lord has joined the board of GEOST, an electro-optical/infrared sensor company based in Tucson, AZ.

Overt DefenseWed 12th Jan

Extended Range BrahMos Tested Successfully From INS Visakhapatnam

The Indian Navy conducted a test of an advanced sea to sea variant of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile on 11 January. It was tested from the destroyer INS Visakhapatnam, which was commissioned on 4 December, 2021. A tweet by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) stated that the “missile hit the designated target ship precisely”. 

Breaking DefenseWed 12th Jan

Geopolitics keeps overruling cyber norms, so what’s the alternative?

Whenever a new technology emerges as a national security issue, governments want to establish norms of behavior. We are seeing it with AI, with unmanned systems, with hypersonic technology — and we have seen it with cyberspace.

Defense NewsWed 12th Jan

Indian, Chinese army commanders discuss border impasse

NEW DELHI — Indian and Chinese military commanders met Wednesday to discuss the withdrawal of troops from a key area along their contested border, in hopes of easing a 20-month standoff.

Aviation ListWed 12th Jan

First Completely New Russian Tu-160M Bomber Makes First Flight

A completely new Tupolev Tu-160M bomber performed its debut flight on Jan. 12, 2022, the Press Office of the state tech corporation Rostec announced.

Aviation WeekWed 12th Jan

USAF Begins Installation Of KC-46 Enhanced Vision System

Aviation WeekWed 12th Jan

Safran, DGA Test Advanced Turbine Design For FCAS Engine

UK Defence JournalWed 12th Jan

Classified aircraft carrier plans document leaked on Facebook

A Facebook user has posted images showing classified documents containing the deck plans for Britain's Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carriers.

Breaking DefenseWed 12th Jan

China grumbles as Japan, Aussies ink treaty to meld forces

The new agreement, signed Jan. 6, allows military forces from each country to train at each other’s bases and to collaborate on humanitarian missions.

Overt DefenseWed 12th Jan

Philippines Hope For Another Blackhawk Deal

As the first Blackhawks from the Polish factory in Mielec were delivered to the Philippines, the country’s Secretary of Defense, Delfin Lorenzana, stated his hopes for acquiring even more military equipment.

Aviation WeekWed 12th Jan

Embraer To Sell Evora Site To Aernnova

Breaking DefenseWed 12th Jan

Citing ‘unprecedented complexity,’ SWO boss calls for systemic revamps in fleet

“The surface force and the surface warfare enterprise must better align in order to get in front of the challenges we face — challenges stemming from serious strategic competition and the complexity of the force we are becoming,” Vice Adm. Roy Kitchener wrote in a white paper, “Surface Warfare: The Competitive Edge,” published on Tuesday during the Surface Navy Association’s national symposium.

Overt DefenseWed 12th Jan

Lockheed Martin Surpasses Delivery Plans For 2021

Lockheed Martin announced on 3 January, that its 2021 deliveries surpassed 140 aircraft. A total of 142 aircraft were received by various customers around the world. Although the US Democratic Party voiced its dissatisfaction with the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Program, Lockheed Martin continues to receive orders and the rate of manufacture is steadily increasing.

Aviation WeekWed 12th Jan

North Korea Tests Improved ‘Hypersonic Glide Vehicle’

UK Defence JournalWed 12th Jan

British carrier sails from Portsmouth to undertake role as NATO flagship

This role will see the vessel sailing to the Arctic, the Baltic and the Mediterranean Seas.

UK Defence JournalWed 12th Jan

Work on New Medium Helicopter project ‘progressing’

Jeremy Quin, Minister for Defence Procurement, said in a statement:

UK Defence JournalWed 12th Jan

Royal Navy’s new ammunition loading jetty completed in Scotland

According to a news release:

Defense NewsWed 12th Jan

Wanted: New missions for the littoral combat ship

ARLINGTON, Va. — Surface navy leaders are turning to fleet commanders for ideas about how they want to use littoral combat ships, as the U.S. Navy tries to refine its operational concepts for these ships.

Aviation WeekTue 11th Jan

Roscosmos To Deploy New Multi-Satellite Constellation

Aviation WeekTue 11th Jan

NASA Must Improve Assessment Of Future Astronaut Needs, Audit Says

The War ZoneTue 11th Jan

Spaceship-Like Electric Aircraft 'Alice' Prepares For Its First Flight In These Awesome Images

Eviation’s out-of-this-world-looking all-electric aircraft Alice was out in the open this week as it underwent engine testing leading up to its first flight. According to its manufacturer, the “world’s first all-electric commuter aircraft” could take to the skies after just a handful of more days of testing. 

Aviation WeekTue 11th Jan

FAA Ground Stop Linked To North Korean Hypersonic Missile Test

The War ZoneTue 11th Jan

FAA's Statement On Mysterious Air Traffic Halt Leaves More Questions Than Answers

The Federal Aviation Administration has finally put out an official statement regarding a still very mysterious ground stop order that it issued to all aircraft in the western U.S. and Hawaii yesterday around 2:30 PM PST. While the incident is now confirmed, there are still a significant number of unanswered questions, including the most important one: what triggered this decision in the first place? You can get up to speed first on what The War Zone had been able to determine in our initial reporting here

Breaking DefenseTue 11th Jan

Destroyer Preble to get Lockheed high-energy laser in 2022

Jeanine Matthews, a Lockheed Martin executive overseeing integrated warfare systems, told reporters today the High-Energy Laser with Integrated Optical-dazzler and Surveillance, dubbed HELIOS, completed several tests at Wallops Island, Va., in the fall. She said the company expects the weapon to be onboard the Preble (DDG 88) and out to sea later this year.

Defense NewsTue 11th Jan

Surface warfare boss unveils strategy to create ‘more ready ships,’ better trained sailors

ARLINGTON, Va. — The head of the U.S. Navy’s surface fleet has laid out a plan to prepare his force to deter or defeat a top-notch adversary, calling for specific steps to improve ship maintenance, successfully and rapidly field new weapons, develop high-end tactics, and ensure sailors and officers have high-quality training and mentoring.

Aviation WeekTue 11th Jan

NASA To Seek Broader Role For Climate Science, Nelson Says

Defense NewsTue 11th Jan

New in 2022: Marine Corps light armored reconnaissance is at a crossroad

The Marine Corps light armored reconnaissance community is at a crossroads as the vehicle-driven force faces new challenges in a more austere, logistics-strapped terrain.

Defense NewsTue 11th Jan

US Space Force considers purchasing weather data as a service

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Space Force is developing an acquisition strategy to buy weather data as a service and may release an official solicitation later this year.

Overt DefenseTue 11th Jan

DRDO Tests Final Deliverable Configuration of Man Portable ATGM

India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully flight tested the ‘final deliverable configuration’ of Man Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile (MPATGM) on January 11, 2022. The present test was to prove the consistent performance for the minimum range. The missile impacted the designated target and destroyed it. The test has successfully validated the minimum range and all mission objectives were met. 

Aviation WeekTue 11th Jan

Pakistan Official Touts Landmark Deal For Chinese Fighters

Aviation WeekTue 11th Jan

French Space Agency Counts On Reusable Micro-Launchers

Aviation WeekTue 11th Jan

UK Royal Air Force Receives Final P-8

UK Defence JournalTue 11th Jan

British surveillance aircraft monitoring Russian forces near Ukraine

This is a regular occurrence, we believe it should be reported as and when it happens to ensure people don’t see this as anything unusual. It should also be noted that these flights are designed to be visible so that the public and Russia know they’re happening.

Overt DefenseTue 11th Jan

Brazilian Air Force Procures Two Hermes 900 UAVs from Israel

Elbit Systems, an Israeli aerospace and defense company, stated on 5 January, that its Brazilian subsidiary, AEL Sistemas, has won a contract to supply the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) with additional Hermes 900 Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS). Elbit Systems further stated that the contract will be fulfilled in 16 months, which covers spare parts support as well as the delivery of Hermes 900 UAS systems to the Brazilian Air Force.

Aviation ListTue 11th Jan

Here’s What the Massive An-225’s Wake Turbulence Does To Fog

The only Antonov An-225 strategic airlift cargo aircraft made its fifth landing at the Rzeszów airport in Poland on Sunday Jan. 9, 2022. The aircraft damaged its landing gear during the touchdown.

Defense NewsTue 11th Jan

New UK military air traffic management suite falls far short of savings goals

LONDON – The first element of a major overhaul of Britain’s military air traffic management system has gone fully operational, but the Ministry of Defence has admitted the projected savings expected from the program are drastically reduced.

The War ZoneTue 11th Jan

Taiwan Loses F-16V After Just Two Months Of Frontline Operations (Updated)

Taiwan has lost one of its recently upgraded F-16V fighter jets, the aircraft crashing into the sea. The incident comes just weeks after the type was declared fully operational with the Republic of China Air Force, or ROCAF, an event that you can read about in detail here.

Breaking DefenseTue 11th Jan

Astroscale looks to Orbit Fab space ‘gas stations’ to extend mission life

Under a new contract, announced today, Astroscale is outfitting its new Life Extension In-Orbit (LEXI) Servicer spacecraft with Orbit Fab’s Rapidly Attachable Fluid Transfer Interface, or RAFTI — think of an aircraft refueling boom designed for space operations — that enables any spacecraft to dock with Orbit Fab’s orbiting fuel tanks.

Overt DefenseTue 11th Jan

Danish Frigates Reckon with Russia and Pirates in 2022

Denmark will strengthen NATO in the Baltics when it deploys an Iver Huitfeldt class frigate to Standing NATO Maritime Group One (SNMG1) later this month. Concurrently, one of Denmark’s two Absalon class frigates, HMDS Esbern Snare is in the midst of a successful anti-piracy campaign in the Gulf of Guinea.  

Aviation WeekTue 11th Jan

Germany Said To Be Reconsidering Tornado Replacement

Breaking DefenseTue 11th Jan

Breaking Defense further expands with Networks and Emerging Tech reporter

The move underscores the continuing growth of Breaking Defense and our commitment to industry-leading coverage of the fast-growing market sectors of defense information technology, cyber and C4ISR. In the last calendar year, Breaking Defense has doubled its editorial staff, reflecting a commitment to top-tier defense journalism.

Aviation WeekTue 11th Jan

Sweden’s Savback To Distribute Dufour’s eVTOL

Overt DefenseTue 11th Jan

Russia Plans To Deliver 400 Armored Vehicles To Its Armed Forces This Year

As tensions between Russia and the western powers continue, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced on 2 January, that 400 armored vehicles will enter service during 2022.

Aviation WeekTue 11th Jan

Space Tug Operator Astroscale Prebuys Fuel Fill-Up From Orbit Fab

Real Clear DefenseTue 11th Jan

Washington Needs To Sort Out Its Ambassadors to Southeast Asia

Real Clear DefenseTue 11th Jan

Gulf Foreign Ministers, GCC Chief Visit China for Talks

Real Clear DefenseTue 11th Jan

Navy Reports Improved Ship Maintenance, but Is Still Falling Short

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Navy has made noticeable improvements in its ability to maintain surface ships — but hasn’t eliminated the repair period overruns as the chief of naval operations wanted.

Real Clear DefenseTue 11th Jan

Desperately Needed: 21st Century DoD Budget Process

In the recently passed FY22 Pentagon budget, Congress has ordered a review of how the U.S. Defense Department (DOD) asks for and gets its yearly money. A reasonable question as, by dollar expense, it is the largest military in the world and half of the discretionary budget of the entire federal government.

Real Clear DefenseTue 11th Jan

Lessons in Game Design: Civilization and Wargames

Real Clear DefenseTue 11th Jan

How Putin's Plans for Ukraine Could Pay Off

Real Clear DefenseTue 11th Jan

Make Peace, Not War, With Russia

Real Clear DefenseTue 11th Jan

No U.S. Capital Ship in Middle East

Real Clear DefenseTue 11th Jan

The Small, the Agile, and the Many

Real Clear DefenseTue 11th Jan

Undersea Cable Connecting Norway With Arctic Mysteriously Severed

Real Clear DefenseTue 11th Jan

In the Face of Moscow's Threats to NATO

Real Clear DefenseTue 11th Jan

The Groundbreaking Hypersonic Missiles America Has in the Works

Defense NewsTue 11th Jan

Soldiers ‘seeing’ outside the Bradley with Army high-tech goggle

The Army’s upcoming “do-it-all” goggle could turn soldiers in the back of fighting vehicles from passive passengers to plugged-in fighters.

Aviation WeekTue 11th Jan

Taiwanese F-16V, South Korean F-5E Crash On Same Day

Overt DefenseTue 11th Jan

India’s Vikrant Aircraft Carrier Sails Out For Third Set of Sea Trials

India’s Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC) Vikrant has set out to sea for its third set of sea trials. This comes after successive high profile visits to the carrier at Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) by the President as well as the Vice President of India. The ship is scheduled to be commissioned as INS Vikrant by August 2022, after it successfully completes its sea trials series.

Aviation WeekTue 11th Jan

U.S. Air Force Expands Supersonic Study With Boom

UK Defence JournalTue 11th Jan

Google Maps captures B-2 Stealth Bomber crashing off runway

The B-2 “experienced an inflight malfunction during a routine training mission” at about 12:30 a.m. local time, an AFGSC spokeswoman said at the time back in September.

Breaking DefenseTue 11th Jan

Raytheon to start backfitting destroyers with SPY-6 radar

Raytheon was awarded a $237 million contract in early December for integration and production support, a deal that effectively covers services such as hardware deliveries to the shipyards, integration with combat systems onboard the vessels and continuous development of the radar’s software, said Scott Spence, who leads Raytheon’s naval radar directorate.

The War ZoneTue 11th Jan

Mystery Surrounds FAA Order To Halt All West Coast Air Traffic After North Korean Missile Launch (Updated)

On the afternoon of January 10, 2021, at around 2:30 PM PST, the FAA issued a ground stop order to all planes, at least in the western United States. The temporary pause on all movements to and from airports included aviators being ordered to land and lasted roughly between seven and 20 minutes before it was lifted and services returned to normal. There has so far been no explanation given for this action. In this vacuum of information, some are connecting the highly peculiar event to another ballistic missile test launch out of North Korea, the second in less than a week, that traveled 435 miles from its launch point, impacting relatively far out into the sea of Japan.

UK Defence JournalTue 11th Jan

COVID19 – A timely warning on the threat of biological terrorism

The smart money, however, seems to be on that it leaked, by accident or deliberately, from a lab in Wuhan in China and into the local wet market.

UK Defence JournalTue 11th Jan

Final P-8 Poseidon Maritime Patrol Aircraft arrives in Scotland

The RAF describe the P-8 as “a multi-role maritime patrol aircraft, equipped with sensors and weapons systems for anti-submarine warfare, as well as surveillance and search and rescue missions.”

UK Defence JournalTue 11th Jan

U.S. special forces aircraft conduct night-time refuelling off British coast

While the act of American refuelling aircraft refuelling American aircraft off the British coast isn’t unusual, it’s not common for so many to be in the air at the same time conducting this training. Not to say that this is a sign of anything interesting, it’s just not something that happens every week and I found it interesting.

UK Defence JournalTue 11th Jan

British assault ship sails to lead Response Force Group

The vessel departed yesterday evening.

UK Defence JournalTue 11th Jan

UK yet to purchase JAGM missiles for Apache helicopters

In 2020, the first two of fifty new Apache AH-64E attack helicopters have been delivered to the British Army.

Aviation WeekTue 11th Jan

Dassault Systemes Boosts Hydrogen-Transport Airship Startup

The War ZoneTue 11th Jan

Undersea Cable Connecting Norway With Arctic Satellite Station Has Been Mysteriously Severed

An undersea fiberoptic cable located between mainland Norway and the Svalbard archipelago in the Arctic Ocean has been put out of action in a still-mysterious incident. The outage on the subsea communications cable — the furthest north of its kind anywhere in the world — follows an incident last year in which different cables linking an undersea surveillance network off the Norwegian coast were severed, a story that we covered in detail at the time.

Aviation WeekMon 10th Jan

HawkEye 360, Leidos Get Closer With $5M Investment

Aviation WeekMon 10th Jan

Kaman Restructures Into Three Reporting Segments From One

Defense NewsMon 10th Jan

The US Army sees a future of robots and AI. But what if budget cuts and leadership changes get in the way?

WASHINGTON — In the Arizona desert, a pair of robots methodically trundles back-and-forth across the craggy earth.

Defense NewsMon 10th Jan

In Russia talks, US floats deal to limit missiles and war games

WASHINGTON ― In talks with Russia on Monday, U.S. officials raised the possibility of limiting missile deployments in Eastern Europe and the size and scope of its military exercises, if Russia reciprocates, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman told reporters afterward.

Aviation WeekMon 10th Jan

The Weekly Debrief: Can U.S. Navy Deploy Ship-Launched HGVs In ’23?

Aviation WeekMon 10th Jan

Calvin NASA’s New Chief Scientist, Climate Advisor

The War ZoneMon 10th Jan

Kazakhstani Troops Caught Wearing Unsanctioned Blue U.N. Peacekeeping Helmets During Crackdown

Authorities in Kazakhstan have drawn new criticism over their crackdown on anti-government protesters after pictures emerged showing members of the country's security forces wearing blue helmets emblazoned with the acronym "UN." The United Nations has since expressed concern over the use of personnel wearing these helmets, who are assigned to U.N.-backed Kazakhstani peacekeeping unit, for internal security missions. U.N. and Kazakhstani officials have both confirmed that the international body has not sanctioned any peacekeeping mission in the country, though a Russian-led security bloc has been in the process of sending thousands of troops to this Central Asian country ostensibly for that purpose.

Breaking DefenseMon 10th Jan

KC-46’s new vision system in limbo as panoramic issues come into view

A preliminary design review (PDR) for the Remote Vision System 2.0 took place in May 2021 and was expected to close last fall. However, Air Mobility Command recommended that the service wait to approve Boeing’s design until a resolution is reached on the panoramic display system, said AMC spokesman Col. Damien Pickart.

Defense NewsMon 10th Jan

Inspector General criticizes documentation on Pentagon’s artificial intelligence project

WASHINGTON — The Pentagon did not adequately document work on its flagship artificial intelligence effort according to a government watchdog report, increasing the risks of lapses in the future.

Aviation WeekMon 10th Jan

First Upgraded UK Military ATC Facility Now Operational

Defense NewsMon 10th Jan

New German government revisits Tornado replacement options

WASHINGTON – Germany is once again weighing its options for replacing the country’s aging Tornado aircraft fleet, which could put the F-35 back on the table.

The War ZoneMon 10th Jan

Russia’s Su-34 Fullback Strike Jet Is The King Of Hauling Gas

The Russian Aerospace Forces’ Sukhoi Su-34 Fullback strike aircraft, also known by its nickname 'Hellduck,' is pretty much an anomaly among military aircraft in production today, with a mission profile that’s close to unique and in many ways a hangover from the Cold War. One aspect that’s notably impressive about the platypus-nosed jet is its ability to carry a staggeringly large amount of fuel for a tactical jet, leading to some potentially very long-range missions, even without aerial refueling. It truly is the king of the fast jets when it comes to how much gas it can lug into the air.

Defense NewsMon 10th Jan

President nominates new chief for National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden has nominated career intelligence official Navy Vice Adm. Frank Whitworth to lead the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, the organization in charge of analyzing satellite imagery for the intelligence community.

Aviation WeekMon 10th Jan

French Gendarmerie Orders Law Enforcement-Equipped H160s

Aviation WeekMon 10th Jan

Spain’s Applus To Lead Cryogenic Hydrogen Tank Testing

The War ZoneMon 10th Jan

Australia Buys M1A2 SEPv3 Advanced Abrams Tanks To Lead Its Major Armor Upgrade

Australia will modernize its land warfare capabilities under a roughly $2.5-billion deal that will provide its army with 75 M1A2 SEPv3 Abrams tanks, together with armored support vehicles. The decision, announced today, continues a significant spending spree on behalf of the Australian Defense Force (ADF), including plans to introduce nuclear-powered attack submarines, as well as hypersonic weapons and advanced air combat drones.

Overt DefenseMon 10th Jan

Russian Forces Deploy In Timbuktu, Mali Following French Withdrawal

The Russian deployment in Mali continues to expand with reports of Russian soldiers and private military contractors occupying a former French base. This occupation of the base has been preceded in recent months by various diplomatic actions conducted by the Kremlin and should come as no surprise to anybody who follows the situation in the Sahel.

Defense NewsMon 10th Jan

The Air Force and Boeing haven’t yet fixed the troubled KC-46 Pegasus vision system

WASHINGTON ― The Air Force and Boeing are still working on fixing a problem with the next version of the KC-46A Pegasus tanker’s Remote Vision System ― and its redesign has yet to be locked down.

Overt DefenseMon 10th Jan

US Establishes Special Forces Forwards Headquarters In Albania

US Special Operations Command Europe announced on 6 January, that it will be establishing a forwards-based headquarters for American special operations forces in Albania. The new forwards headquarters will be located in Albania on a rotational basis.

Breaking DefenseMon 10th Jan

How COVID-19 changed Navy ops, according to SWO boss

“It helped us identify ways to train better that have actually led to helping us to produce more ready ships,” Vice Adm. Roy Kitchener told reporters Friday during a roundtable prior to the Surface Navy Association’s annual symposium this week. “Everything from port visits to readiness, we became more self-sufficient.”

Defense NewsMon 10th Jan

Navy reports improved ship maintenance, but is still falling short of CNO’s goals

——WASHINGTON — The U.S. Navy has made noticeable improvements in its ability to maintain surface ships — but hasn’t eliminated the repair period overruns as the chief of naval operations wanted.

Defense NewsMon 10th Jan

Inflation is the silent cyberthreat jeopardizing our workforce

In cyberspace, the focus is on threats from malicious activity — a tangible threat. A less obvious threat to cyber is inflation that undermines any cyber organization by eroding budget and employee compensation. Inflation can create unseen resignation rates if not addressed, and jeopardize ongoing cyber efforts and the U.S. Defense Department’s migration to cloud-based services. The competition for cloud security talent is razor sharp in the private sector already.

UK Defence JournalMon 10th Jan

Former MP tweets about ‘taking out’ British aircraft carrier

Former British Member of Parliament Matthew Gordon-Banks describes himself as a “Think Tank Director & Senior Research Fellow, Ministry of Defence, Defence Academy UK” and lists in his biography that he “Promotes Russian dialogue”.

Overt DefenseMon 10th Jan

NAVAIR Commission For A New F-35 Variant

On 27 December, 2021, NAVAIR and Lockheed-Martin signed a deal regarding the development of a new bespoke variant of the F-35 ‘Lightning II’ multirole aircraft for a new, undisclosed party, totaling just under $50 million. The Department of Defense has not disclosed many details on this new agreement between NAVAIR and Lockheed-Martin, below is the contract announcement:

Aviation WeekMon 10th Jan

Mars Perseverance Rover Sampling Encounters New Challenge

Overt DefenseMon 10th Jan

Taiwan’s Military Demonstrates Readiness Ahead Of Lunar New Year

Taiwan’s military has conducted a series of exercises to demonstrate its combat readiness ahead of the Lunar New Year holidays at the end of January, with the Air Force, Army and Navy demonstrating the capabilities of their personnel and equipment across three days.

Defense NewsMon 10th Jan

Northrop looks to adapt electronic attack system for smaller ships

WASHINGTON — Northrop Grumman is conducting research and development to adapt its electronic attack platform — built for the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer — to fit on smaller ships, a company official said.

Defense NewsMon 10th Jan

Freedom LCS community to tackle mine warfare, grow its footprint in 2022

NAVAL STATION MAYPORT, Fla. — This year, the troubled Freedom-variant littoral combat ship will look to catch up with its Independence-class counterparts, which were fielded faster and expanded their operations more broadly in the last several years.

UK Defence JournalMon 10th Jan

What weapons can British P-8 Maritime Patrol Aircraft carry?

The information came to light from the response to a written parliamentary question:

UK Defence JournalMon 10th Jan

How many soldiers are in each British Army regiment?

The following information breaks down the strength of the British Army by Regiment. The information came to light from the response to a written parliamentary question:

Aviation WeekMon 10th Jan

USAF Delays Closing KC-46 Remote Vision System PDR

Breaking DefenseMon 10th Jan

Is China really the greatest threat to the US in space, or is Russia? [Video]

As part of the first ever Breaking Defense Military Space Survey, we asked that question of our respondents, drawn from inside the government, industry and outside close observers. Perhaps not surprising, given the tone and tenor in Washington these days, 78% of respondents picked China as the greatest threat to American interests in space, with Russia in a far second at 17.3%; North Korea (2%), Iran (1.2%) and India (1.2%) also received some first place votes.

Defense NewsMon 10th Jan

Army finally picks an optic for Next Generation Squad Weapon

The Army hasn’t yet decided which of two competitors will build the Army and Marine Corps replacement for the M4, M16 and M249 yet, but on Friday, they announced who’ll be making the advanced optic to go on top of the Next Generation Squad Weapon.

Defense NewsMon 10th Jan

Marine amphibious combat vehicles to return to waterborne operations

*Note: This article has been updated to include additional information regarding ACV unprotected water operations in the near term.

Overt DefenseMon 10th Jan

Lockheed Martin to Upgrade Egypt’s Apache Helicopters

On 4 January 4, Lockheed Martin stated on its Twitter account that it had signed a contract to modernize the sensor systems of the Egyptian Air Force’s Boeing AH-64D Apache Longbow attack helicopters.

Breaking DefenseMon 10th Jan

Army awards $2.7B fire control systems contract for its Next Generation Squad Weapons

Program Executive Office Soldier awarded the 10-year production other transaction agreement to Sheltered Wings Inc. doing business as Vortex Optics, for the delivery of up to 250,000 XM157 Next Generation Squad Weapons – Fire Control (NGSW-FC) systems.

Aviation ListMon 10th Jan

USMC F-35Cs Have Departed For The First Operational Deployment Aboard USS Abraham Lincoln

The F-35C Lightning II of the U.S. Marine Corps reached yet another milestone, with the type leaving for the first operational deployment aboard an aircraft carrier. The F-35s of Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 314 “Black Knights”, part of the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, arrived on the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) on January 3, 2022, together with the other squadrons assigned to Carrier Air Wing Nine.  The USS Lincoln is leaving San Diego with Carrier Strike Group 3 to head for the Pacific Ocean.

UK Defence JournalMon 10th Jan

MP launches disinformation awareness video campaign

Stewart McDonald, the SNP’s defence spokesperson at Westminster and member of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee, frequently leads efforts to tackle disinformation. This effort has been previously described by McDonald as one not related to any specific political party policy but an effort that seeks to build a “much-needed consensus to help us move forward”.

Defense NewsMon 10th Jan

For their next acts, former Trump administration DoD officials look beyond traditional defense contractors

WASHINGTON — It wasn’t until after Ryan McCarthy left his post as U.S. Army secretary that he discovered a company with technology he had spent years wishing existed.

Aviation WeekMon 10th Jan

Seoul Refutes North Korea’s Claim Of Hypersonic Missile Test

Defense NewsMon 10th Jan

Iran seeks to grow naval power as it prioritizes asymmetric warfare

BEIRUT — In 2021 alone, Iran’s naval forces and Revolutionary Guard added the Alvand destroyer, four Martoob al-Sabehat 15 Type submarines and 110 combat speedboats.

UK Defence JournalMon 10th Jan

Royal Navy looking for ‘Tethered Un-Crewed Air Systems’

The Ministry of Defence say in a contract tender notice that un-crewed Air Vehicles operating under battery power “currently offer limited flight duration”.

Aviation WeekMon 10th Jan

Fred Kennedy Out As Momentus President