The Missile Defense Agency has correctly concluded the need for a new approach to managing the nation’s only ground-based, anti-missile system to protect the U.S. homeland. It’s a bold but overdue move.
Vice Adm. Jon Hill’s call for increased competition — a source of innovation, motivation and new solutions — for the Ground-based Midcourse Defense system, or GMD, is spot on. The…
Air Force’s “Golden Horde” swarming munitions program to get a second chance this month
February 5, 2021
WASHINGTON — After the Air Force’s first test of “Golden Horde” swarming bombs was deemed a partial success, the service will give the technology a second shot later this month, the commander of the Air Force Research Laboratory said Thursday.
The Golden Horde…
WASHINGTON — The European theater “absolutely” needs a multidomain task force, according to Gen. Christopher Cavoli, who is in charge of U.S. Army Europe and Africa. But while the intent to deploy such a unit has existed for several years, little progress has been…
Boeing’s F-15EX jet makes its first flight
February 3, 2021
WASHINGTON — Boeing’s first F-15EX took to the skies for its inaugural flight on Feb. 2, a milestone that will allow the company to deliver the first two planes to the U.S. Air Force by the end of March.
After a couple of hours of delays due to weather — which also held up plans to conduct a first flight on Feb. 1 — Boeing test pilot Matt “Phat” Giese took off from Lambert…
US Air Force bomber unit sets up shop in Norway
February 3, 2021
COLOGNE, Germany — The U.S. Air Force is temporarily deploying 200 personnel with an expeditionary B-1 Lancer squadron to Norway to help manage bomber training flights in the region, U.S. European Command announced Tuesday.
The service members, hailing from Dyess Air…
WASHINGTON — The Air Force could begin to lay out its vision for a future aerial refueling tanker, previously known as KC-Z, as early as next year, the head of Air Mobility Command said Monday.
The service intends to conduct an analysis of alternatives for an advanced…
Every Soldier a Drone Fighter: Plan Would Make Counter-UAS Training an Army Requirement
February 3, 2021
A senior Observer Coach/Trainer fires a Dronebuster Electronic Warfare System at the Counter Unmanned Aircraft System Training at Fort Irwin on January 30, 2020. (U.S. Army/PFC Gower Liu, 11th ACR Public Affairs)
The head of the Pentagon’s counter-drone effort wants every soldier — from cooks to riflemen — trained to fight off swarms of enemy unmanned aerial systems, or UAS…
Sailors aboard littoral combat ship USS Coronado (LCS 4) prepare an MQ-8B Fire Scout unmanned aircraft, left, and an MH-60S Seahawk helicopter for flight operations at sea, March 19, 2017. (Amy M. Ressler/U.S. Navy)
The Navy is on the hunt for a helicopter to replace its…
US Air Force has a fix for two major KC-46 problems
February 2, 2021
WASHINGTON — Two of the KC-46 aerial refueling tanker’s major technical problems may be in the rearview mirror.
The U.S. Air Force on Feb. 1 announced it closed one of the Boeing-made aircraft’s six category 1 deficiencies — which indicate problems that impact…
Submarine maker to add jobs amid $39 billion backlog in work
February 2, 2021
GROTON, Conn. — General Dynamics Electric Boat plans to add 2,200 jobs this year in Connecticut and Rhode Island as it tackles a $39 billion backlog of work, the submarine maker’s top executive said Monday.
Kevin Graney, Electric Boat’s president, made the announcement during a video briefing for stakeholders.
He said the company is facing the largest backlog of work in its history…
