April 22, 2024

Navy Wants One New Sub, Lawmakers Say the Service Needs Two

Sub

Congressional lawmakers are pushing for two submarines despite the US Navy wanting just one. A House Armed Services subcommittee has made clear it wants the service to buy two attack submarines in fiscal 2025 in order to keep the submarine-industrial base on a path of recovery.

DoD Rescinds COVID Vaccine Mandate

The Pentagon has dropped the COVID-19 vaccine mandate for troops.

Funding Bill Passes, Avoids Shutdown, Includes More Aid to Ukraine

The US Senate passed a $1.5 trillion package late last week that funds the federal government through September and delivers $14 billion to help Ukraine. For 2022, the bill provides $728.5 billion in discretionary defense spending, an increase of $32.5 billion above 2021.

DoD Eyes Reduced Spending on Carriers

Carrier

The Pentagon is considering a reduction in its aircraft carrier force structure as part of the upcoming fiscal 2022 budget submission to Congress.

Nimitz Returns to Mideast as Tensions Rise

The USS Nimitz is back in the Persian Gulf. The Pentagon cites the drawdown of US forces in Afghanistan and Iraq as the reason. Others believe the killing of an Iranian scientist in Tehran is further raising tensions across the Mideast.

Two Killed in Crash of Navy T-6B Texan II

T-6B Texan II

An instructor pilot and a student aviator aboard a US Navy T-6B Texan II were killed Friday when the two-seat airplane crashed in Alabama.

Trump Moving Past Planned Strike on Iran

Trump says he was looking forward to moving past a strike on Iran in retaliation for the downing of an unmanned US drone last week by elite Iranian Revolutionary Guard forces.

Expect a ‘Leaner, Agile’ Resurrected 2nd Fleet

The resurrected 2nd Fleet will become operational by early next year. The fleet will oversee the training of Navy forces on the East Coast. Expect the fleet to be “leaner, agile, and more expeditionary” than it was when deactivated in 2011.