DefenseNews

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 program is one of AFRL’s three top priorities. The effort involves networking a swarm of munitions together and equipping them…
Read more
DefenseNews

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…
DefenseNews

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 Force Base, Texas, will set up shop at Orland Air Base near Trondheim, a hub for Norway’s F-35 fighter jet fleet. The force…
Read more
DefenseNews

Navy May Look to Army's Future Vertical Lift Program for Seahawk Replacement

February 3, 2021
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 MH-60 Seahawk and MQ-8 Fire Scout — and it’s looking to join the Army‘s Future Vertical Lift program to find…
Read more
DefenseNews

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…
DefenseNews

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…
DefenseNews

US Army looks at Israeli precision munition for infantry squads

January 30, 2021
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Army is evaluating Israeli defense company Rafael’s shoulder-launched, short-range version of its Spike missile and demonstrated the capability at the Army Expeditionary Warrior Experiment 2021 earlier this month, according to a company statement. “This assessment was the first live-fire demonstration of SPIKE SR on US soil,” the statement said. The experiment…
Read more