Another First for Space Exploration
SpaceX plans to launch veteran astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley to the International Space Station on May 27. NASA administrator: “NASA will once again launch American astronauts on American rockets from America!”
Historied USS Nevada Found 3 Miles Deep Off Pearl Harbor
The USS Nevada may be the most resilient battleship in the history of the Navy: Commissioned in 1916, survived bombing of Pearl Harbor; fought in both the Atlantic and Pacific theaters of WWII, and went on to prove nearly unsinkable into the emerging atomic age.
NAWCAD to Lead So. MD Tech Bridge
NAWCAD is named to lead Southern Maryland’s Tech Bridge to help local leverage and fund innovations of non-traditional military partners. James Geurts, Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development, and Acquisition made the announcement Tuesday.
Navy’s CNO Gilday in Self-Quarantine
Chief of Naval Operations ADM Mike Gilday will be quarantined for a week after coming into contact with a relative who has the coronavirus. Gen. Joseph Lengyel, head of the National Guard, tested positive on Saturday but then tested negative the same day in another test. A third test was planned Monday.
Service Members Should Expect Pay Hike in January
Service members should see a 3% raise starting in January 2020 under the federal budget plan unveiled by the White House in February. The top Republican on the House Armed Services Committee said the worldwide pandemic won’t change the potential national security threats facing the military, and lawmakers need to make sure that defense funding isn’t compromised.
MD Opens Elective Medical Procedures, Beaches & More
MD Gov. Larry Hogan cited some good trends in lifting restriction on elective medical procedures and expanding outdoor activities under stay-at-home orders. But MD schools will remain closed through the school year.
Patton’s WWII Command Car Up for Auction
Gen. George S. Patton’s customized 4×4 Command Car was part of the 3rd Army headquarters’ motorpool, built in 1944 with a series of modifications to suit the general’s preferences. It will be auctioned June 13 to benefit a nonprofit educational center for for K-12 students and returning veterans.
Military COVID-19 Cases Continue to Rise
DefSec Mark Esper says the military is experiencing a lower coronavirus infection rate than the general public, though the number of positive cases continues to go up.
Gilday: MQ-4 Triton Capabilities a Game-Changer
ADM Michael Gilday praised the MQ-4 Triton during recent Senate testimony. “The capabilities that the MQ-4 brings are game-changing in terms of long-range ISR at altitude, with sensors that we haven’t had supporting the fleet before,” the admiral said. Early this year, the Triton arrived in Guam, marking a significant step toward increasing the Navy’s Western Pacific reconnaissance and surveillance capability.
Supply Chain Problems Ahead for DoD
DoD must brace for long-term supply chain problems associated with trade flow disruptions, such as container ships piling up unopened at US docks. The greatest impacts will be to DoD’s second-, third-, and fourth-tier suppliers who sell primarily to the civil and consumer markets.
