Defense

WASHINGTON — Four unmanned ships are now operating out of Japan for the first time, as part of the U.S. Navy’s Integrated Battle Problem 23.2 exercise aimed at folding these unmanned vessels into routine fleet operations. These unmanned surface vessels aren’t operating under special protocols or extra safety measures: the USV Division 1 commander told reporters they’re being used as fully…

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, who left the second highest service post in March. Kristyn Jones, the assistant secretary of the Air Force, has been serving…

WASHINGTON — Lockheed Martin is in “late-stage negotiations” to partner with an unnamed rocket propulsion supplier, according to CEO Jim Taiclet. Taiclet told lawmakers that discussions are ongoing with the unnamed firm. A Lockheed spokeswoman declined to provide further details about the deal — including the identity of the supplier and the nature of the partnership — saying the company…

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Army selected a CACI International-owned company to prototype a jammer that soldiers can carry and use on foot to spy on electronic signals. The preliminary deal with Mastodon Design for the Terrestrial Layer System-Brigade Combat Team Manpack effort is worth $1.5 million and runs for nine months, the service’s Program Executive Office for Intelligence, Electronic Warfare…