DefenseNews

Army picks four to build robotic combat vehicle prototypes

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Army selected McQ, Textron Systems, General Dynamics Land Systems and Oshkosh Defense to build light robotic combat vehicle prototypes for a total of nearly $25 million, the service said Sept. 20. The companies have until August 2024 to build the prototypes and deliver them to the Army for testing and evaluation with soldiers. This marks the first phase of a competition…
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DefenseNews

Biden taps Melissa Dalton for Air Force’s No. 2 civilian post

President Joe Biden on Thursday named Melissa Dalton as his pick to serve as the next under secretary of the Air Force, a shift from her current Pentagon post as the top civilian defense leader on homeland security issues. If confirmed, Dalton would replace Gina Ortiz Jones…
DefenseNews

KC-135 tanker autopilot now safer to use in flight, Air Force says

Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker pilots are inching closer to normal operations after incremental software fixes to the tanker’s glitchy autopilot have led the service to ease flight restrictions on the jets. Airmen are now allowed to fly KC-135s with the Block 45 software upgrade — which includes the autopilot in question — at altitudes below 10,000 feet, Air Mobility Command boss Gen. Mike…
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DefenseNews

Old is new again as Air Force special ops branch revamps training

NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. — Air Force Special Operations Command is going back to the future. As the U.S. enters its third year since 2001 without major combat operations, AFSOC Commander Lt. Gen. Tony Bauernfeind sees an opportunity to reset how the Air Force trains its most elite corps — and he’s looking to the 1990s for inspiration. “The intent, as we’re looking at all of our pipelines, is…
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DefenseNews

With F-35 still missing, Marine Corps holds aviation standdown

The Marine Corps is pausing its aviation operations for two days as the disappearance of a Marine Corps F-35B jet over South Carolina on Sunday remains unsolved. The Corps’ Monday statement announcing the standdown cited three recent significant mishaps involving Marine…
DefenseNews

US Army’s Dark Eagle hypersonic weapon fielding delayed to year’s end

WASHINGTON —The U.S. Army will miss its goal to field the Dark Eagle Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon during the government’s fiscal year that ends Sept. 30, but is still aiming to deliver the capability by the end of the calendar year, according to the service’s acquisition chief. The delay is due to the cancellation of a critical test of the Common Hypersonic Glide Body, Assistant Secretary of…
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