March 29, 2024

Focus Growing in Middle East on UAVs

Focus Growing in Middle East for UAVs

There is a strong focus on imports for unmanned aerial vehicles in the Middle East. Nations there are looking at a mix of US, Russian, and Chinese suppliers of UAVs.

2nd Fleet Readies for Baltic Sea Exercise

2nd Fleet Readies for Baltic Sea Exercise

After the US Navy’s new 2nd Fleet stands up later this month, its commander will push the USS Mount Whitney command ship, along with dozens of other NATO vessels, into the Baltic Sea to direct a major exercise primarily to track and meet Russian maneuvers in the North Atlantic and the Arctic.

Dems Open Session With Plan to End Shutdown

shutdown

With a special caveat to discuss border security later, House Democrats open the new session of Congress today with the goal of ending the government shutdown and reinstating a 1.9 percent federal pay raise Trump rescinded late last year.

F-35 Flight Trials on British Carrier Now Complete

F-35 Flight Trials

The F-35 Pax River Integrated Test Force has finished its flight trials aboard the HMS Queen Elizabeth. Two F-35B jets, four test pilots, and nearly 200 personnel joined the carrier in late September.

Navy Dilemma: Replace Subs or Build More Warships

Warships

A panel of security and budget experts believe the US Navy could be forced to make hard choices when it comes to finding the money to replace its aging ballistic missile submarines or reach its goal of having a fleet of 355 warships.

Small Drones = Big Problems in Middle East

Funding for Drones

The threat of small unmanned aerial systems overseas – especially in Iraq and Syria – has been a key focus of top leaders from across the Department of Defense. The problem has become so acute that top officials in the region have made counter-drones the top force protection priority.

Congress Hears Report on Aviation Readiness

aviation readiness

Just one-third of the US Navy’s F/A-18 Super Hornets were fully mission-capable and ready to “fight tonight” as of October, the head of Naval Air Forces told Congress. “The demand for naval aviation forces greatly exceeds our ability to supply those forces,” VADM Troy Shoemaker said.

Navy Urged to Revise Ship Delivery Policy

force restructure plan

The Government Accountability Office is urging the US Navy to revise its ship delivery policy to keep defective and incomplete ships from entering the service branch’s operational fleet. Shipbuilders often deliver ships to the Navy with multiple defects.

Navy Eliminates Office Overseeing Warfare UAVs

Triton

The Navy’s Office of Unmanned Warfare Systems has been eliminated, and its functions are being distributed to other offices. OPNAV N99 was set up less than two years ago to oversee the warfare development of UAVs by then-NavSec Ray Mabus.

The Year Ahead for Military UAVs

Military Drone Exports

The US and the West are not alone when it comes to fielding advanced unmanned aerial vehicles. Its likely in 2017 western militaries will invest in complex UAVs; smaller countries will seek a basic level of drone capability.