DoD Calls Social Media Hack ‘Cybervandalism’
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“Cybervandalism,” is the official DoD response to hackers, sympathetic with the Islamic State, breaking into Central Command’s social media accounts. No operational information was compromised military officials told the Washington Post, which reports the US and Islamic State have waged an online propaganda battle for nearly a year. President Obama is expected to announce cybersecurity initiatives in next week’s State of the Union address, reports the New York Times.
The Pentagon continues to pursue the ideal aircraft that can do “substantially everything that a bird can do in the air,” with a $350 million Joint Multirole (JMR) program. Breaking Defense continues coverage of progress toward that ideal aircraft, as described above by aeronautical engineer Alexander Klemin in the 1930s.
RADM John Haley assumes command of Naval Air Force Atlantic and faces an aging fleet, almost 90 percent beyond 6,000 flight hours, some aircraft still in rotation because the F-35 fleet is behind schedule, reports the Navy Times. Other specific difficulties include budget cuts, particularly for purchase of the P-8 Poseidon and E-2D Hawkeye.
One hundred years of Naval photography, lagrangenews.com has it here.
The European base consolidation plans to station two F-35 squadrons with 24 fighters each at RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk beginning in 2020, the first European base for the JSF, reports AINOnline. The move is part of a facilities consolidation also impacting US bases in Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Portugal and Italy.
SpaceX’s returning rocket missed its landing barge floating in the Atlantic, National Geographic has the photos, but the miss is not a deal-killer, says Washington Business, reporting the next attempt is scheduled for February. The company plans to send a cargo rocket to the International Space Station, land it back on Earth, and use the same cargo rocket to make the trip again.
A more successful Orion splashdown is captured in video from afar and aboard, recorded by NASA’s UAS. The Aviationist has the video.
The troops are only getting a 1 percent pay raise this year, but the top brass aren’t getting any raise, reports Military Times. Also closed inside this year’s defense bill is the loophole allowing some officers to receive larger retirement pay than their final military pay.
Instead of predicted mergers, primes have spun off niche businesses, reports Defense News, and have been successful despite seven downturn budget years. But the lay offs, facilities consolidation and closures, and buybacks can’t keep delivering the savings forever. Those forecast mergers may be on the horizon again.
Canada still offers no confirmation of its reported F-35 buy, reports Inside Defense. (Firewall).
