DefenseNews

Trump fires Joint Chiefs chairman, Navy head in DOD leadership purge

February 24, 2025
President Donald Trump on Friday evening fired Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. CQ Brown, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti and Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Jim Slife. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said in a statement that Trump plans to nominate retired Air Force Lt. Gen. Dan Caine, who joined the venture capital firm Shield Capital in January, as the nation’s next…
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DefenseNews

Air Force tests unarmed nuclear missile in pre-dawn video

February 21, 2025
The Air Force conducted a test launch of an unarmed Minuteman III missile early Wednesday to help ensure its land-based nuclear force still operates safely and effectively. Airmen from Air Force Global Strike Command launched the intercontinental ballistic missile from…
DefenseNews

GM Defense boosts Mideast footprint with Edge military vehicle tie-up

February 21, 2025
ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates — GM Defense has signed an agreement with Edge Group to build a local manufacturing capability for some of its light tactical vehicles, which could be integrated with Emirati weapons. The General Motors subsidiary will work on the project with NIMR Automotive, an arm of the Emirati defense conglomerate, to assess demand for military platforms in the Middle East…
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DefenseNews

General Atomics eyes ‘huge’ MQ-9 sale to Saudi Arabia

February 20, 2025
ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates —General Atomics is preparing to offer a package deal to Saudi Arabia to acquire a number of MQ-9B SeaGuardian drones, company executives said in an interview at the IDEX arms fair in Abu Dhabi. “We are still in the very early stages but…
DefenseNews

Japan becomes Boeing’s newest customer of latest Chinook helo variant

February 17, 2025
Japan has ordered 17 of the latest variant of the Boeing-manufactured CH-47 Chinook cargo helicopter, the company said Thursday. The CH-47 Block II Chinook is an extended-range version of the aircraft that is used by the U.S. Army and U.S. Special Operations Command. Japan is the fourth customer for the new variant. Germany purchased 60 of the helicopters in a $4 billion deal in 2022, and the U.K.
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DefenseNews

Key tests for latest F-35s will begin in 2026, two years after rollout

February 10, 2025
The F-35 program is working to get the latest jets capable of carrying out combat missions, but important tests for its upgrades may not begin until next summer. (Senior Airman Edgar Grimaldo/Air Force). The Office of the Director, Operational Test and Evaluation said in its annual report, submitted to Congress on Jan. 31, that dedicated operational tests for the F-35 Technology Refresh 3, or…
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