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Defense

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Navigate the future of Defense tech. From military innovations to global security, stay informed with our latest Defense news coverage.

Early Ford carrier maintenance costs lower than planned, Navy says

November 29, 2023

ARLINGTON, Va. — The first-in-class aircraft carrier Gerald R. Ford may cost less over its life than planned because of reduced maintenance costs, a program manager said today at an American Society of Naval Engineers conference here. Capt. Brian Metcalf said the new Ford carrier was designed with automation that allows for a smaller crew as well as improvements to the hull that will allow the…

Ice Ice Baby: Raytheon uses diamonds to keep radars cool

November 27, 2023

WASHINGTON — Diamonds may be forever and a girl’s best friend. They may be the centerpieces of crowns and countless heist films. They may even motivate treasure hunters to plumb the icy grave of the RMS Titanic. But can they revolutionize battlefield sensors? Raytheon…

Upgraded F-35s fly with partial software as DOD hunts for delivery fix

November 21, 2023

WASHINGTON — The first production F-35 Joint Strike Fighter with an early, incomplete version of the software powering a key upgrade was flown last week at Lockheed Martin’s Fort Worth, Texas, facility, the company told Defense News. The Pentagon’s F-35 Joint Program…

Patriot replacement radar defeats cruise missile in Raytheon test

November 20, 2023

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Army’s new missile defense radar defeated a cruise missile in a development test, RTX’s Raytheon said. The company is the developer of the Lower Tier Air and Missile Defense Sensor, or LTAMDS, that will replace the service’s original Patriot air and missile defense radar with the capability to defeat ballistic missiles and other complex threats from all directions…

Boeing Grey Wolf helicopter production ramps up as test phase ends

November 20, 2023

WASHINGTON — The first two field-ready MH-139A Grey Wolf helicopters are now in final assembly and Boeing said it expects the long-awaited delivery of the first of these helicopters to the Air Force in mid-2024. The sixth and final test Grey Wolf helicopter was delivered…

Navy secretary convenes first cross-department shipbuilders meeting

November 17, 2023

WASHINGTON — The Navy secretary on Thursday convened a first-ever meeting of seafaring organizations across multiple federal departments, seeking to improve collaboration to strengthen the shipbuilding and ship repair industries. Carlos Del Toro assembled the leaders at…

General Atomics fires back at critics of MQ-9 drone after downing

November 16, 2023

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — The fate of the MQ-9 Reaper has once again entered public debate after senior U.S. defense officials confirmed Houthi militants had downed one of the drones over international waters off the coast of Yemen on Nov. 8. In recent years, experts have questioned the sustainability of flying such expensive aircraft in contested environments, where less costly…

Lockheed will deliver advanced TPY-4 radar to Air Force for evaluation

November 16, 2023

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Lockheed Martin is preparing to send the U.S. Air Force its advanced TPY-4 radar for further evaluation, following months of internal testing and tweaks at company facilities in rural New York. The software-defined sensor, capable of detecting and tracking…

US Navy upgrading torpedoes, leveraging cloud computing for submarines

November 16, 2023

ARLINGTON, Va. — The U.S. Navy is pushing new technology to its undersea fleet to make it safer, smarter and deadlier, while also nearing a major step in developing its next-generation attack submarine. Among the changes that will have the most impact is moving the…

Lockheed seeks expanded roles for Q-53 radar including drone detection

November 14, 2023

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Lockheed Martin is mulling additional applications and integration for its Q-53 radar, long relied upon by the U.S. Army to spot incoming rockets, artillery and mortars. The Q-53 has since 2010 been deployed alongside soldiers to detect, classify and determine the impact points of indirect fire. It received extended-range modifications in recent years, and has demonstrated the…