Maryland UAS Test Site Gets FAA Clearance
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The University of Maryland (UMD) Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Test Site, located in California, Md., received a Certificate of Waiver or Authorization (COA) from the FAA to fly the Talon 240, designed and manufactured by UAV Solutions, Inc. of Jessup, Md., reports PRNewswire. The authorization resulted from the first use of UMD’s airworthiness process, the only known university airworthiness process that is modeled on the US Navy’s rigorous standards for ensuring the safety and reliability of its manned and unmanned aircraft. Maryland Delegate John Bohanan said, “This FAA stamp of approval is the federal government’s recognition of our airspace integration efforts, which are part of our region’s autonomous research initiative – a key to our economic growth and diversification.”
Lawmakers working on the 2015 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) are “not there yet,” says Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., according to Defense News. Senate and House leaders want to finish the compromise version of the NDAA by Friday. There will likely be no floor amendments, Sen. Levin said, largely because there are few remaining days in the legislative calendar.
The Navy is considering a plan that would allow sailors to leave the military and easily return to active-duty after getting degrees or working in the private sector, reports Defense One. The move would allow the Navy to save money on training new sailors in high-tech career fields.
Dr. Bob Ballard, leader of the expedition that discovered the Titanic wreck, and a Nobel Prize-winning physicist are among a growing lineup of speakers for the Naval Future Force Science and Technology EXPO on Feb. 4-5, 2015 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C. Sponsored by the Office of Naval Research, the EXPO will give attendees the opportunity to interact with defense leaders who will discuss the status of key programs and new research opportunities. The EXPO also will feature as many as 100 exhibits from industry, academia and government.
Design work on the Navy’s next generation amphibious warship has begun ahead of a planned 2020 procurement, according to USNI News.
Defense One provides a commentary by DefSec Chuck Hagel on A New Era for the Defense Department. “Today, the Defense Department is undergoing a defining time of transition. After 13 years of war fought by an all-volunteer force, we are reshaping our defense enterprise to adapt for a fiscal environment plagued by perpetual uncertainty and shrinking resources, and to contend with an historic realignment of interests and influences around the world.”
The House GOP Steering Committee selected Texas Rep. Mac Thornberry to succeed Rep. Buck McKeon as House Armed Services Committee chairman, reports DefenseNews. Rep. McKeon retires next month. The full Republican caucus is expected to sign off on the appointment which places a defense-sector ally atop the military oversight panel.
The Future Vertical Lift Aircraft won’t fly until the 2030s but the Navy, Army, and defense industry are already working on software standards, reports Breaking Defense. Those include a new “model-based” approach to software architectures that will require a culture change among programmers and defense managers.
Military Times created a primer on using social media as a job hunting tool. Companies use social websites to instantaneously deliver information about employment opportunities. For transitioning veterans, knowing what social media can offer, and how to use that information, is an increasingly important method for finding employment.
Lockheed’s recent agreement with the DoD for an eighth lot of F-35s with an average unit price around 4 percent lower than the last lot represents a positive trend for the contractor, according to Nasdaq. The deal will help generate more orders from both the Pentagon and international partners of the F-35 program.
