DefenseNews

US Army developing LASSO tank-killing drone for infantry

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Army kicked off a program to quickly provide soldiers a portable, tank-busting drone, amid ballooning use of similar equipment in the Russia-Ukraine war. The service’s Program Executive Office Soldier, or PEO Soldier, this month announced the Low Altitude Stalking and Strike Ordnance venture, or LASSO, and a responsibility for lethal unmanned systems, adding that the need…
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DefenseNews

Army Futures Command drafting next operating concept

FORT LIBERTY, North Carolina — The U.S. Army four-star command tasked with modernizing the force is preparing to release this fall a warfighting concept for operations in 2040, according to the AFC commander. The concept would closely follow last year’s release of the…
DefenseNews

US Army general dies in plane crash near Aberdeen Proving Ground

WASHINGTON — A longtime U.S. Army acquisition officer and aviator has died in a plane crash near Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland. Maj. Gen. Anthony Potts, who until weeks ago led the service’s Program Executive Office Command, Control and Communications-Tactical, or PEO C3T, died at the scene near 3600 Old Level Road in Havre de Grace, according to the Harford County Sheriff’s Office and…
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DefenseNews

Defense budget policy bill negotiations face murky waters

Congressional leaders say they’re confident they can reach agreement on a compromise defense authorization bill later this year even though the House and Senate drafts advanced so far differ significantly on a host of contentious social issues. On Thursday, Senate…
DefenseNews

Senate to extend Buy American laws for Navy ships

WASHINGTON ― Senators unanimously agreed to legislation mandating that 100% of components for all Navy ships be manufactured in the U.S. by 2033. The Senate passed the amendment from Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wisc., by unanimous consent with little fanfare last week, tacking…
DefenseNews

Northrop Grumman won’t bid on Air Force’s NGAD fighter

WASHINGTON — Northrop Grumman does not plan to bid on the Air Force’s sixth-generation Next Generation Air Dominance fighter program as a prime contractor, chief executive Kathy Warden said Thursday. But Northrop Grumman is interested in serving as a supplier to other bidders on the Air Force NGAD program as part of its mission systems portfolio, Warden told analysts in an earnings call. The…
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DefenseNews

Lockheed, BWXT to build nuclear-powered spacecraft, engine

WASHINGTON — The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and NASA selected Lockheed Martin and BWX Technologies to develop an experimental nuclear propulsion system that could provide a more efficient power source for future in-orbit maneuvering and Mars-bound…
DefenseNews

Navy, Marines set to launch second iteration of Large Scale Exercise

The Navy and Marine Corps are poised to kick off the second iteration of Large Scale Exercise next month, bringing together more than 25,000 personnel through live and virtual training. As with the 2021 exercise, this year’s drill will seek to refine various warfare concepts, including distributed maritime operations, expeditionary advanced base operations, and littoral operations in a contested…
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