Win a Spot Aboard USS Constitution
A free lottery has opened to win a spot aboard the USS Constitution’s July 4, 2024, underway demonstration. The lottery will select, at random, 150 people to join the crew as they set sail in Boston Harbor. Each person selected will be allowed to bring one guest. The Constitution remains a ceremonial and training ship of the Navy’s, served by active-duty sailors.
Navy Lowers Requirements for Enlistees
The US Navy will now allow those without a high school diploma or GED to enlist as long as they reach a certain score on the Armed Forces Qualification Test. The service hopes these new standards will attract more prospects during its recruiting crisis.
Prepare for Air Taxis in ’24
A new GIS-based program has been created for urban areas to begin planning for the arrival of air taxis as early as next year within their jurisdictions. The eVTOLs are already on tap for transportation needs during the summer of 2024 at the Paris Olympics.
14th Pax Defense Forum 9/29/22
“NATO’s Expansion and the Implications for Global Security” is the title of the 14th Annual Patuxent Defense Forum — sponsored by Pax Partnership and Center for Study of Democracy at St. Mary’s College of Maryland.
Lights, Camera, Action at NAS Pax
When “Top Gun: Maverick” technical crew members needed expert advice, they consulted engineers at NAVAIR. The command provided filmmakers with two F/A-18F Super Hornet fighter jets to modify for photography and a decommissioned Grumman F-14 Tomcat for on-the-ground scenes, as well as wind tunnel testing for the cameras.
US Ups Its Investment in Cyber Technology
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is pushing the US to invest more in cybersecurity. Federal agencies have spent millions for new technology, seized hacking forums, charged foreign cyber criminals, and issued regular warnings on threat risks. Congress also has been quick to move on some cyber-related legislation.
ONR Touts ‘Historic’ 1st Test of Laser Defense System
The US Navy has conducted a test of a new Layered Laser Defense system, which the Office of Naval Research is calling “historic.” The all-electric, high-energy laser weapon built by Lockheed Martin was used to defeat a target representing a subsonic cruise missile in flight.
Navy Conducts Shock Trials for New Carrier
During full ship shock trials Friday in the Atlantic Ocean , the US Navy triggered an explosion near the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier with a 40,000-pound bomb. The blast registered as a 3.9 magnitude earthquake.
IG Report: P-8A Readiness Rates Drop
An evaluation of the readiness of the US Navy’s P-8A Poseidon says the aircraft’s mission capable rates have fallen below the targets set by Naval Air Forces. The May 19 report was released by the DoD’s Office of the Inspector General.
Timeline on Vote for New DefSec Unclear
The Senate Armed Services Committee is planning a confirmation hearing at 3 pm Jan. 19 for GEN Lloyd Austin, the Biden administration’s choice for secretary of defense. A timeline for any vote has not yet been established.
