F-35C Lands on USS Nimitz
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A Navy test pilot made an arrested landing aboard the USS Nimitz in an F-35C Lightning II, an important milestone both in the development of the stealth fighter and in naval aviation history, reports Navy Times. The carrier variant of the Joint Strike Fighter’s redesigned tail-hook worked flawlessly and the landing was the beginning of at-sea developmental testing for the F-35C, which is expected to last two weeks. The goal is to get the fighter ready to deploy to the fleet in 2018. The F-35C will enhance the flexibility, power projection and strike capabilities of carrier air wings and joint task forces and will complement the strike capabilities of the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet.
Pioneer Green Energy, the company behind the proposed Somerset County wind farm project, remains committed to moving forward despite recent DoD objections, according to WBOC16. The Pentagon is concerned that the wind turbines will interfere with NAS: Pax River’s flight testing radar. A Pioneer VP said, “The Navy has never presented any data to contradict the agreement they originally approved . . .” Last week, Somerset County’s Planning and Zoning Commission approved final recommendations for the project in a vote 3-1 and will submit them to county commissioners today.
The US will not “agree to disagree” with China on cyber issues and state-sponsored Chinese hacking is on the table at this week’s talks, stated Secretary of State John Kerry, reports The Hill. Chinese hackers are assumed responsible for attacks targeting the US government and economy, but China has pushed back in recent weeks by accusing the US of attacking the Chinese government.
Ms. Anne Rung, administrator of the Office of Federal Procurement Policy (OFPP), told federal contractors yesterday that the OFPP is focusing on “simplifying the contractor space to emphasize performance” in achieving “world-class customer service and cost savings, according to Government Executive. The key to simplicity is greater collaboration and cooperation” within agencies and between the acquisition workforce and industry.
Chinese engineers have successfully tested a laser weapon that can shoot down low-flying, slow-moving UAVs, reports the AP. The Low Altitude Sentinel system can detect a small aircraft within a 1.2-mile radius and shoot it down within five seconds. It is designed to destroy small UAVs flying below 1,600 feet at a speed less 110 mph.
The Marine Corps will phase out the AV-8B Harrier II jump jet by 2025, about five years earlier than planned, and will instead extend the life of its fleet of aging F/A-18 Hornet strike fighters, reports USNI News.
Navy SEALs and other special operators have been reminded to stay out of the limelight by the head of Naval Special Warfare Command, according to Navy Times. An Oct. 31 letter from Rear Adm. Brian Losey stresses that they should strive for the respect of their colleagues, not public acclaim.
The annual Military Times poll of more than 2,200 active-duty troops show growing frustration with gridlocked congressional politics. More than one-third of the responders said that neither Democrats nor Republicans have been a strong advocate for the military, and 44 percent think both major political parties have become less supportive of military issues in recent years. Only 12 percent believe both parties have the armed forces’ best interests at heart.
The Navy canceled visits to the Philippine port of Subic amid public anger over accusations that a US Marine killed a Filipino on the city’s outskirts, reports DefenseNews. The visits of three US ships to Subic were canceled this month and nine other visits scheduled for this year have been called off.
