MQ-4C Triton Officially Put Into Service
The MQ-4C Triton Broad Area Maritime System high-altitude long-endurance UAV has been officially put into service with Unmanned Patrol Squadron 19 at Naval Base Ventura County in Point Mugu, Calif. VP-19 now has two Triton UAVs.
Raptor, Not F-35, Deployed for Security Mission
The F-22 Raptor has deployed to the Pacific as part of a theater security mission, swapping in for the Air Force’s F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.
New Name for US Pacific Command
The US Pacific Command has a new name. It will now be called US Indo-Pacific Command in the latest move to counter Chinese economic and military pressure in the region.
Federal Workers Face Trio of Workforce Reduction Orders
Federal workers are not only facing anti-union sentiments in Congress and a presidential desire to make firings easier, three executive orders were signed this week designed to shrink the federal workforce through hiring freezes, attrition, reform plans and vacancies.
Arlington Cemetery Reaching Capacity
At the current rate of 7,000 people a year buried at Arlington National Cemetery, the national cemetery will be filled up to the very edges within 25 years.
House Boosts Military Spending
House lawmakers approved a $717 billion defense authorization bill late last week after days of debate but without much partisan division, hinting at a smooth negotiation ahead for the sometimes contentious budget policy measure.
Tanks Emerge from Secret Norway Caves
The Marine Corps temporarily moved some of its M1A1 Abrams tanks holed up in secret caves in Norway to Finland to participate in an annual training exercise with Finland. The secret caves began as a Cold War era storage program designed to rapidly equip Marines for a fight with Russia.
The F-35 Goes to War
The Israeli F-35 became the first to enter combat, according to the head of Israel’s Air Force. The F-35s were used in two recent strikes in Syria, he said.
Pentagon Eyes Change in Cellphone Policy
Defense Secretary Jim Mattis is expected to order a tightening of security policy governing military and civilian personnel bringing cellphones into classified workspaces in the Pentagon.
A New Nickname for the F-35A?
The F-16 is called the Viper, the A-10 is the Warthog, the F-4 is the Rhino. It was just a matter of time before the F-35 Lightning II got a nickname.
