Defense Industry Wary of Buy American
Defense advocates note that foreign military sales fuel a $40.6 billion trade surplus for the sector and help Washington gain interoperability with allied militaries, and they warn those benefits could decline under Biden’s Buy American plans.
DHS Downplays Russian Threat, Says Whistleblower
Top Trump appointees at the Department of Homeland Security repeatedly sought to censor or stop reports on Russian influence activities in the United States, according to a whistleblower report released by the House Intelligence Committee,
CIO Says Navy IT Networks “Leaking” to Adversaries
The Navy is losing “information every day to our adversaries. We’re leaking our information out whether it’s from direct exfiltration or through the defense industrial base.”
$126M Aircraft Parts Found in 1st DoD Audit
With its next audit due out in two weeks, the Navy hopes its tracking system has improved. Last year’s audit found $126M in aircraft parts the Navy didn’t even know it had. It also didn’t know it had the warehouse where they’d been stored.
Misconduct Allegations Stall DoD’s Cloud Contract Award
President Trump’s concern that the DoD $10B cloud-computing contract is biased toward Amazon prompts DefSec Mark Esper to order another review of the acquisition process. The competition is between Amazon and Microsoft.
Hornet Crash Was 2nd Involving Aircraft From the Reagan
An F/A-18F Super Hornet assigned to the aircraft carrier Ronald Reagan suffered what authorities believe was a “mechanical issue” during routine operations Monday over the Philippine Sea. The crew was forced to eject. It was the second crash in less than a month involving aircraft from the Reagan.
Military Supply-Chain Faces 300 Weak Links
The Pentagon says a third of the 300 gaps and vulnerabilities in the military supply-chain discovered by an assessment of the defense-industrial base, ordered by President Donald Trump could be addressed in a year.
Navy Flight Instructors Offered New Career Path, Shoreside
A new billet would allow Navy pilots and naval flight officers to remain in the Navy outside the traditional career path and normal sea/shore rotation. The changes address readiness and retention and allow officers to remain in the Navy later in their careers.
Social Media Shares With FBI & DHS
Social media giants called on the FBI and Homeland Security to help the companies prepare for the upcoming midterm elections, but were told they would receive no information from the government on security threats.
Big Budget = Many Military Impacts
In the $1.3 trillion omnibus budget bill trumpeting a big budget for the military, there are some lesser reported details, including no BRAC provision, no changes to GITMO, and no more credit card use at strip clubs.
