Navy Recruiting Rebounds ‘Significantly’
US Navy VADM Rick Cheeseman said the service’s recruiting numbers have rebounded “significantly,” but they still fall short of the boot camp goal, which was to sign up 40,600 recruits by the end of the month. The Navy will be about 5,000 sailors short of the target to get all recruits into the 10-week training course by the end of the fiscal year.
US Expands Military Presence in Middle East
The US will expand its military presence in the Middle East amid growing tensions. The Pentagon has ordered the Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier strike group to the region to replace the Theodore Roosevelt carrier strike group.
Biden Wants to Scale Back F-35 Orders
The Biden administration wants to scale back on Lockheed Martin F-35s. DoD’s order for F-35 fighter jets will drop to below 70, down from an expected 83 – an estimated $1.6 billion drop in spending on jets.
Uptick in Attacks on US Troops in Middle East
As the US continues to move its assets around the Middle East to support Israel in its war against Hamas, the number of attacks on US troops nearby has increased.
Where DoD Spends Its Defense Dollars
The Defense Department’s Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation’s latest report on where the Pentagon spends it defense dollars has Maryland in the No. 6 spot. According to the fiscal 2022 report, $26.4 billion was spent on defense contracts and personnel in the state. Virginia claimed the top spot on the list.
Former Pax Test Pilot to Lead Next NASA ISS Mission
LT COL Jasmin Moghbeli will lead NASA’s next space station mission. She will serve as the commander of the upcoming SpaceX Crew-7 mission, slated to launch August 17. Moghbeli is a graduate of the US Naval Test Pilot School at Pax River.
Navy: Jet Fuel Spill Caused Water Contamination
US Navy officials believe contaminated tap water that went to Hawaii military households came from a one-time jet fuel spill in November and was not caused by a leak from aging underground fuel storage tanks above an aquifer.
Report: Presidential Helicopter ‘Unreliable’ in Emergencies
A Pentagon report says the new presidential helicopter is unreliable in emergency situations and not “operationally suitable.”
NavSec: Navy Needs a Budget Increase
NavSec Carlos Del Toro says the US Navy needs a budget increase if the service is to reach its shipbuilding goals and meet the “significant” threat from China.
Climate Events Cost US Military Billions
DoD’s Climate Risk Analysis says that extreme weather events have cost the US billions of dollars in damage at military bases, and climate change is altering the natural environment in the Arctic and creating a new frontier of geostrategic competition.
