25% Cut to DoD Support Agencies Proposed
Thornberry’s proposed 25% cut to DoD would impact “fourth estate” agencies supported by 200,000 civilians and 600,000 contractors, at a cost of more than $100 billion per year.
US & UK Accuse Russia of Global Cyber Attacks
The US and UK blame Russia for coordinated cyber attacks on internet devices across the globe. White House says the US is “going to push back.”
GAO: Pilot Shortage Growing Worse
A new report from the Government Accountability Office shows just how bad the military fighter pilot shortage has become.
F-35 Flies Final SDD-Phase Test at Pax
Three F-35 Lightning IIs have completed the most comprehensive flight test program in aviation history, Lockheed Martin officials said last week.
New Presidential Helicopter Fleet on Schedule
Sikorsky is four years into its $1.2 billion contract to replace the president’s helicopter fleet with its VH-92A in 2019.
Russia Is Jamming US Drones in Syria
Russian jamming of small US drones in Syria is having an impact on American military operations.
Military Aviation Crashes See Big Spike
US Navy aviation mishaps have increased 82 percent in the past five years, the biggest spikes in accidents among all four services. Mishaps involving the F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet have jumped 108 percent over the same time period.
National Guard Begins Deployment at Border
National Guard troops are being deployed to the US border with Mexico. DefSec Jim Mattis has specified that the Guard will assist the Department of Homeland Security but not perform law enforcement missions and will be armed only when necessary for self-defense.
DoD to Decentralize F-35 Program
The letter to the Pentagon announcing plans to decentralize the F35 program office came from the newly reconfigured office of the undersecretary for acquisition and sustainment. Each service running its own program is a more traditional model.
F-22s Have a Failure to Communicate
What the F-22s have is a failure to communicate, with the F-35 and also the F-16 and other allied aircraft. The older fighter jet can receive communications, but cannot transmit its surveillance intelligence to the others.
