DefenseNews

US Air Force says it’s on verge of rapid electronic warfare updates

The Air Force is “very close” to being able to rapidly update electronic warfare systems with fresh battlefield data in a matter of hours, one of the service’s commanders said Wednesday. Col. Josh Koslov, commander of the 350th Spectrum Warfare Wing, has set an ambitious goal of updating EW systems within three hours, instead of days. In a webcast hosted by C4ISRNET, Koslov said that…
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DefenseNews

Firefly inks deal with Lockheed to launch up to 25 missions

Lockheed Martin selected Firefly Aerospace’s Alpha rocket to fly as many as 25 missions for the defense contractor through 2029. The deal, announced June 5, commits Lockheed to 15 launch reservations and up to 10 optional missions. “The Firefly team has scaled up Alpha…
DefenseNews

US Defense Secretary Austin’s chief of staff to step down this summer

PARIS — Kelly Magsamen, who has served as chief of staff to U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin his entire tenure, will step down at the end of June. Austin announced the change in a statement, crediting her for “every initiative I have launched to defend our nation,” which includes work in the three areas of the world that now consume the Pentagon’s attention: the Indo-Pacific region…
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DefenseNews

Proposed House spending bill would add more F-35s

A proposed defense spending bill the House of Representatives released Tuesday would fund eight more F-35 Joint Strike Fighters in fiscal 2025 than the military originally planned. The Pentagon’s budget request earlier this year included money to buy 68 F-35s — 42 F-35As…
DefenseNews

Defense Innovation Unit awards funding for sea-based launch pad

The Defense Innovation Unit selected The Spaceport Company to demonstrate the ability to use a sea-based launch platform to quickly send cargo or satellites to orbit. The company, headquartered in Woodbridge, Virginia, builds floating launch pads that could allow commercial companies or the Defense Department to fly payloads offshore. The concept is particularly relevant amid unprecedented launch…
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US Army sets development plan for future tactical drone

The U.S. Army approved the characteristics it wants in a Future Tactical Unmanned Aircraft System after awarding contracts to two teams competing to build the drone. The service approved an Abbreviated Capabilities Development Document, or A-CDD, on May 17, setting up the…
DefenseNews

F-35 customers in Asia-Pacific monitor Lockheed upgrade saga from afar

CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand — Lockheed Martin’s delay in rolling out the F-35 fighter’s Technology Refresh 3 upgrade package appears to have no immediate effect on customers in the Asia-Pacific region, but governments are monitoring their acquisition timelines closely. The American firm paused F-35 deliveries pending acceptance of the TR-3 software suite, which comprises a mission system…
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