DefenseNews

Germany’s Hensoldt hires Thales executive to lead company

January 10, 2024
PARIS — Defense electronics specialist Hensoldt has hired a competitor’s executive as its new leader, the German company announced Monday. Oliver Dörre will become CEO at Hensoldt and replace outgoing boss Thomas Müller on April 1. Dörre joins Hensoldt from the French firm Thales, where he led the company’s German arm. Dörre has already started work on Hensoldt’s management board, the…
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DefenseNews

Here’s what the Navy is doing to boost SWO retention

January 10, 2024
Retention among surface warfare officers going into department head school is slightly down from last year, but numbers overall remain up as the service has launched several initiatives to keep SWOs in the service longer, according to officials. SWOs have historically…
DefenseNews

Navy chief to prioritize getting more ships ready for action

January 10, 2024
ARLINGTON, Va. — The chief of naval operations said Tuesday the service must “get more players on the field” as international crises demand more of the naval force, in her first major address since taking the helm of the Navy two months ago. Adm. Lisa Franchetti said…
DefenseNews

Seeking 75 ships ready for combat, Navy turns to new readiness orgs

January 10, 2024
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Navy’s surface fleet, still short of its readiness goal of 75 combat-credible surface ships at any given time, is pursuing new ways to boost its readiness. Then-Commander of Naval Surface Forces Vice Adm. Roy Kitchener, who retired in August, announced in January 2023 the fleet would aim to have 75 mission-capable ships. The ships would be well maintained and the crews…
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DefenseNews

Bombardier wins US Army contract for new spy plane prototype

January 4, 2024
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Army awarded a contract to Bombardier Defense to provide at least one Global 6500 aircraft to serve as a prototype airframe for a new spy plane program, the service announced Wednesday. The firm-fixed-price contract, awarded Dec. 12, includes an…
DefenseNews

Gen. Jim Slife sworn in as Air Force vice chief of staff

January 4, 2024
Gen. Jim Slife stepped into the role of Air Force vice chief of staff at a Dec. 29 ceremony at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling in Washington, ending the service’s three-month stretch without Senate-confirmed officers in its top two leadership posts. Slife’s assignment to the Air Force’s second-highest position is part of a wide-ranging shuffle of the branch’s top brass that began in the fall.
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DefenseNews

Army numbers smallest since WWII — what units face cuts in 2024?

December 29, 2023
The new year will likely prove to be one of significant force structure changes for the Army, according to its senior leaders. Although the service has maintained for years that embracing multidomain operations will require it to “transform” its force structure into one leaders believe is suited to tomorrow’s battlefield, back-to-back recruiting shortfalls led top officials to admit by…
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