DefenseNews

Defense Secretary Austin’s salary cut to $1 under GOP budget plan

September 27, 2023
House Republicans on Wednesday approved a measure to slash Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s salary from more than $221,000 annually to less than $1, based on their dissatisfaction with his work so far. The move has little chance of becoming law, but underscores the growing animosity between conservatives and military leaders reporting to President Joe Biden. House Democrats dismissed the move as…
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DefenseNews

Northrop wins $705 million contract for F-35 air-to-ground weapon

September 26, 2023
WASHINGTON — The Air Force awarded Northrop Grumman a $705 million contract to develop and test a high-speed air-to-ground weapon known as a stand-in attack weapon that the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter could wield to destroy enemy targets. Northrop said Monday that its work on the second phase of the weapon, which is also referred to as SiAW, will take place over the next 36 months in Northridge…
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DefenseNews

GAO blasts contractor-led F-35 maintenance as costly, slow

September 22, 2023
WASHINGTON — A lack of spare parts and technical data, poor training of maintainers, and a lagging effort to expand repair depots are dragging down the U.S. military’s ability to keep the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter in the air, a government watchdog said in a report…
DefenseNews

Navy brings unmanned vessels to Japan to bolster fleet integration

September 22, 2023
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…
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DefenseNews

Army picks four to build robotic combat vehicle prototypes

September 21, 2023
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Army selected McQ, Textron Systems, General Dynamics Land Systems and Oshkosh Defense to build light robotic combat vehicle prototypes for a total of nearly $25 million, the service said Sept. 20. The companies have until August 2024 to build the…
DefenseNews

Biden taps Melissa Dalton for Air Force’s No. 2 civilian post

September 21, 2023
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…
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