ARLINGTON, Va. — “It’s counterintuitive,” the head of U.S. submarine forces acknowledges, but the Navy’s ballistic missile submarine force is spending more time operating at sea while also seeing better material readiness rates.
The trend is encouraging, submarine leaders say, because an upcoming dip in the size of the fleet will mean these SSBNs will have to stay at sea longer and spend…
US Air Force may remove 105mm cannon from AC-130 gunship
November 7, 2023
WASHINGTON — The days of the AC-130J Ghostrider’s hefty 105mm cannon may be numbered.
U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command confirmed to Defense News it is considering removing this howitzer-sized weapon, used to carry out punishing strikes on ground targets, from…
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Navy’s three-star admiral in charge of fixing submarine maintenance delays says it will take four years to get the attack sub fleet back to its proper state of readiness.
In May, the Navy had twice as many attack submarines tied up in maintenance…
Lockheed to upgrade Chilean Air Force’s F-16 jets
November 7, 2023
SANTIAGO, Chile — Lockheed Martin will upgrade 36 operational F-16 fighter jets with the Chilean Air Force under a $177 million contract, the Pentagon announced.
The deal, unveiled Oct. 31, will see those F-16AM/BM Block 15/20 MLU aircraft modified to the M6.6 standard. A Lockheed spokesperson told Defense News the program will provide an advanced identification friend or foe capability and the…
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Army is seeking industry feedback as it kicks off an overhaul of software designed to coordinate the use of mortars, missiles and more on the battlefield.
The service posted a request for information for the modernization of the Advanced Field…
WASHINGTON — Epirus has completed initial government acceptance testing of its high-power microwave prototype meant to counter drone swarms, the company said in a Nov. 1 statement.
The prototype system delivered to the U.S. Army is part of the service’s effort to develop…
Senate finally confirms Adm. Franchetti as Navy’s top officer
November 2, 2023
The Senate voted Thursday to confirm Adm. Lisa Franchetti as the Navy’s 33rd chief of naval operations, ending a months-long delay caused by Sen. Tommy Tuberville’s ongoing blockade of military nominations that he began in protest of Defense Department abortion access policies.
Franchetti became not only the first woman to serve as the Navy’s top officer, but the first to serve on the Joint…
WASHINGTON — Boeing expects to deliver the U.S. Air Force’s next F-15EX Eagle II fighter by the end of November, nearly a year after the company originally planned and four months behind its revised estimate.
This F-15EX, the third Boeing has so far produced for the Air…
VICTORIA, British Columbia — Boeing had an unfair advantage over other companies in Canada’s competition for new surveillance aircraft, executives at two major firms alleged.
Éric Martel, president of Bombardier, and Joel Houde, vice president of General Dynamics…
US Navy submarine branch focuses on developing Project Overmatch
November 2, 2023
WASHINGTON — A reorganization of the Navy’s undersea warfare community two years ago has sharpened its focus on developing more modern warfighting tools, including a network of communications systems that will support joint all-domain operations, a top leader said.
The reorganization allowed the attack submarine and ballistic missile submarine communities to each look at new construction and…
